It’s the year 1997, the hot sun beats down on the front yard of the Park’s residence that is currently filled with a small cluster of people singing happy birthday to a small boy with pointy ears and chubby cheeks. He smiles and claps along with the people singing to him, the party hat on his head almost slipping as he bobs his head up and down.

Most of the people around the table are children, dressed head to toe with a variety of job costumes; some as nurses, some as doctors, policemen, or teachers. However, there is no one wearing the same costume as the birthday boy.

He sits proudly in front of everyone, wearing the unique pilot costume his Mother had especially tailored for him. However, even as the people sing to him happily while they wait for him to blow the candle at the top of his superman cake, he frowns and shakes his head. His Mother, the perceptive angel that she is, wrinkles her brow as she comes closer to ask what the matter is.

“I can’t blow the candle Mom!” Chanyeol huffs. The people singing for him gradually trail off uncertainly. Chanyeol pays them no mind.

“I thought your Dad already taught you how to blow a candle properly Yeol-ah,” his Mother says, but Chanyeol shakes his head again.

“I already know how to, but I can’t blow it without my favorite person!”

His Mother wrinkles his forehead, but slowly smiles as understanding flits across her face. “Ah, Baekhyunnie’s Mother did say they were going to be a bit late. Okay then, let’s put off the candle blowing for later. How about some games?”

His Mother takes control of the situation, placating the children with promises of games and magic tricks. Chanyeol doesn’t join the games no matter how much the other children look like they're having fun. He's scared that his suit would get dirty or wrinkled.

After five games and a show from the clowns his Mother had invited, it’s finally time to blow the candle and divide the cake for the guests, but Chanyeol stubbornly refuses to blow it.

“Yeollie, we’re still going to make sure Baekkie gets to eat some of your cake, we’re not going to give it all away to the guests, dear,” his Mother says, trying to make him cooperate, but Chanyeol isn’t having any of it.

“No! I’m not going to blow the cake!” Chanyeol yells, bottom lip sticking out into a pout as he wrinkles his brow worriedly. His best friend is still nowhere to be found, and truth be told, Chanyeol also wants to eat the cake. It's a chocolate cake after all, his Mother had made sure that he'd get his cake in his favorite flavor. But he really doesn’t want to do it without his best friend by his side.

Chanyeol's bottom lip quivers as he clenches his hands into tiny fists.

He's not going to cry. He really shouldn't cry. It's his fifth birthday and he's a big boy now. Big boys don't cry. But perhaps, big boys without their best friend can?

“Chanyeol ah!” A tiny voice calls out, and Chanyeol’s face suddenly breaks out into a wide grin, all thoughts of crying gone as he turns to face his best friend.

“Baekkie!” Chanyeol yells, rushing forward to wrap his arms around his best friend, but before he could, two small hands reach out to stop him.

“No! You’re going to get my suit wrinkled!” Baekhyun says, and Chanyeol pouts, but smiles when Baekhyun grins and ruffles his hair. “Mom and I spent a lot of time looking for this suit you know? You can’t just ruin it like that!”

Baekhyun, like Chanyeol, is dressed as a pilot, and he even had a small hat on top of his round, chubby face to complete his look.

“Wah, you look handsome Baekkie!” Chanyeol grins. “But, what took you so long? You missed the clown show!”

“I know,” Baekhyun pouts. “But I wanted to wear the same costume as you, so we can be partners! So Mom and I had to wait for the mall to open to buy this one!”

Chanyeol grins, a warm feeling bursting in his chest, and although he doesn’t know what it is, he likes it. He hugs Baekhyun again, and this time, the older doesn’t stop him. 

"Happy birthday, Chanyeol ah," Baekhyun finally greets, "but you can never catch up to my age!" 

Chanyeol laughs as he finally lets go of his best friend, "Well, yeah, but maybe I can catch up to your height!" 

"Nuh uh, I'll always be bigger than you!" Baekhyun insists. Chanyeol grins and lets Baekhyun say what he wants. His Father had always told him he'd grow up to be exceptionally tall, just like him. 

After blowing his Superman cake, with Baekhyun by his side, Chanyeol opens his gifts one by one, remembering to thank the guests for them. He leaves his best friend’s gift for last, and when he gets to it, he carefully tears the wrapping apart, unlike what he did with the other gifts. After all, Baekhyun did say he wrapped it himself. With his Mother guiding him of course.

Slowly, a small, plastic airplane comes into view. Chanyeol blinks as he gingerly takes out the airplane, examining it with careful hands.

“D-do you like it?” Baekhyun mumbles nervously, as a few seconds pass without Chanyeol saying anything.

“I… I… I love it!” Chanyeol beams, holding the airplane up high. “It’s my favorite gift! Thank you Baekkie!”

Baekhyun grins and rushes to his Mother to get an airplane identical to the one Chanyeol is holding. “I got one for myself too, so we can fly together!”

“Okay then, fly with me Baekkie!”

 

 

 

Fifteen years later, and Chanyeol is now sitting in front of a real airplane’s dashboard. The controllers and buttons all seem like they're glaring at him suspiciously, wondering if he can actually use them right.

Well screw you, buttons, this future pilot is as good as Superman. 

Chanyeol is about to take his checkride so he can get his license, and to say he's nervous would be an understatement. This has been his dream ever since his fifth birthday, and now, this one airplane ride can make or break this dream. Knowing that such a huge thing depends on this one event and how well he does is honestly nerve-wracking. 

"Hey, nervous?" 

Chanyeol whips his head around and sees Baekhyun ambling towards him, his usual carefree grin on his face as he sits on the co-pilot seat beside him. Baekhyun arriving doesn't help with the rampage currently going on in his stomach, at all. In fact, the guy only makes it worse. Now, added to the dinosaurs parading in his stomach are the usual butterflies that are always so alive whenever Baekhyun is around Chanyeol, which is all the time. Chanyeol doesn't know why he still isn't used to the feeling. 

"N-no, not at all," Chanyeol manages to stutter out, trying to sound as confident as he can, "flying this thing will be a piece of cake." 

"Uh huh, so is that why you're bobbing up your left leg up and down like crazy?" Baekhyun says, cocking an eyebrow at the younger. Chanyeol curses and quickly stills his leg. Baekhyun shakes his head and chuckles in amusement.

"You know there's no use lying to me, right?" 

"Look, just because you already passed your checkride doesn't mean you can go and mess up my concentration," Chanyeol sighs, "are you even allowed to be here?" 

"'Course I am," Baekhyun grins, "I'm friends with your examiner."

"Why am I not surprised?" Chanyeol says wryly. Inwardly, he sighs. His examiner had been good-looking. Maybe he had been one of Baekhyun's many exes. Baekhyun had this nasty habit of staying friends with his past flings, as he calls them. 

"What?" Baekhyun says defensively, "Don't look at me like that. He's not my ex, alright? He's Mrs. Kim's son! It's not my fault he lives just right around the block. You just never see him, is all."

"Yeah well, you also happen to be friends with everyone, Baek," Chanyeol chuckles.

"True that," Baekhyun mutters, a hand reaching up to rake through his brown hair. Chanyeol quickly averts his eyes. "Why? Are you getting jealous, Yeollie?"

Chanyeol scoffs, "Me? Jealous?" Hell yeah. "Hell no." 

Baekhyun laughs, and Chanyeol just swears his heart did not just skip a beat at that.  

"And for your information, my dear best friend, I'm not here to mess up your concentration," Baekhyun says, rolling his eyes.

"Uh huh, then what are you here for, pray tell?" Chanyeol asks, but Baekhyun ignores him. The brunet stands up, and Chanyeol follows him with his eyes as he walks until he's standing right behind Chanyeol's chair. 

"What are you doing--" Chanyeol starts, but is cut off when Baekhyun grabs his shoulders and makes him face the airplane's dashboard. He feels Baekhyun's thin fingers, warm against his cold and clammy skin, just as he feels something land against his collarbone and hears a quiet clicking sound. Baekhyun makes him turn around again, and Chanyeol is met by his best friend's warm brown eyes. 

Baekhyun's mouth is open, eyes twinkling mischievously and looking like he's about to say something and tease Chanyeol again, but it quickly dies down at the sight of him. His mouth closes, his eyes lose the teasing glint in them and is replaced with something Chanyeol couldn't quite place. Chanyeol doesn't even try to deny the little lurch his heart does at this. 

"Baek?" Chanyeol whispers hesitantly. He feels like the world has come to a hush around them, and he doesn't want to ruin the moment. 

"I..." Baekhyun starts, mouth opening and closing as he thinks of what to say. Baekhyun is rarely like this. His best friend always seems to know what to say, and when to say it. "I just... wanted to wish you luck, a-and to give you that." Baekhyun finishes lamely, hand gesturing to Chanyeol's neck. Chanyeol frowns, looking down and seeing that Baekhyun had put a necklace on him, and the pendant is a tiny, silver airplane. 

"I didn't know what to get you for your birthday, but I saw this and thought of you so... I mean, I know it's lame," Bakehyun rambles, clearing his throat, "But I couldn't see anything better, and I know it's--"

"I love it." 

"--really cheesy too. Wait, what?" Baekhyun stops, eyes latching on to Chanyeol's. 

"I said, I love it," Chanyeol repeats, smiling warmly at the older even if both his heart and stomach are in shambles. "Thank you, Baek. It's my favorite gift." 

"But you always say that about everything I get you, are you sure you're not just saying it because you're afraid to say it's dumb?" Baekhyun asks, "I won't be offended, promise. I can even get a refund and we can like, watch a movie--"

"Baek," Chanyeol sighs, cutting off the older's ramble,  "I say it about everything you give me because I love everything you give me, okay? And besides, I'd tell you if it's dumb. S'not like I'm afraid of you anyway. You're like, five feet." 

"Yah!" Baekhyun grumbles, an indignant expression on his face, "And to think I even bothered getting you a present." 

Chanyeol laughs, and just like that, his anxiousness is gone. He's not worried about flying anymore. Not when he can joke around with his best friend like this. After all, no matter what happens, even if he passes this exam or not, he can always take another one. He knows Baekhyun will always be here for him anyway. 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at him and ruffles his hair, ignoring his indignant whine. "Look, just, don't be nervous okay? I know it's probably the tiest advice, but it's the most useful one if you actually follow it. Worrying won't do anything except make you forget what you actually know." 

Chanyeol nods obediently, and Baekhyun smiles at him fondly, the way he would when his dog, Mongryeong, learns a new trick.

"Alright, well, your examiner is coming up. I better go," Baekhyun mumbles. He makes to turn around and walk away, but before he could, and before Chanyeol could stop himself, Chanyeol's hand is already clasped around his wrist. He turns around, eyes questioning. 

"What is it--"

"Wish me luck," Chanyeol mutters. Baekhyun looks surprised for a moment, then he lets out a small chuckle. Chanyeol had always been like whenever he has to do something scary. He makes Baekhyun wish him luck like it's what would make things turn out right. 

"Alright," Baekhyun says, but he doesn't wish Chanyeol luck like he normally does. One moment, he's looking down at Chanyeol, then the next, his lips are pressed ever so gently against the younger's lips, like what he had always wanted to do ever since. He doesn't know how he only got the courage to do it now. He lets it stay there for a few seconds, heart pounding loudly against his chest, then he breaks away from the kiss and ever so gently whispers, "Good luck, and happy birthday, Yeol." 

Needless to say, Chanyeol passes the checkride with flying colors, and Baekhyun ends up giving Chanyeol two great gifts on his twentieth birthday. One, a necklace, and two, himself, as his boyfriend. 

 

 

 

 

Five years later, and Chanyeol is once again in front of an airplane's dashboard.  A few years back, all the controllers and buttons might have overwhelmed him, but now that he already has years of experience under his belt, he takes it all in a stride.

The golden rolex watch wrapped around his wrist informs him that the time is 5:25, five minutes before the supposed flight time and his co-pilot is nowhere to be found. He's fiddling with the necklace hanging around his neck when he suddenly feels a pair of slim arms wrapping around his shoulder and a soft kiss pressed to his temple.

“Don’t think this kiss is going to save you, young man. You’re late,” Chanyeol scolds.

“Young man?” Baekhyun chuckles and plops down on the seat beside him. “I’m two years older than you, birthday boy.”

"Yeah, and I'm like, two metres taller than you, midget,” Chanyeol grins and gives the older a teasing once over.

"Do you want to die?" Baekhyun grumbles. "Why are you being so disrespectful to your hyung?" 

“I don't know, why are you always late?" Chanyeol shoots back, "You were even late on my fifth birthday party.”

Baekhyun lets out an exasperated sigh, but the corner of his lips still twitch up. “You’re still hitting me with that?” he mumbles, raising an eyebrow at his best friend turned boyfriend. “It’s been twenty years Chanyeol, let it go.”

“Never," Chanyeol smirks.

It’s been twenty years; twenty years of Baekhyun and Chanyeol being as inseparable as they were when they were kids. They’ve surely gone through lots of ups and downs, but at the end of the day, what really matters most is that they still have each other.

It hadn’t been easy for them to figure each other's feelings out and to actually act on them, but well, here they are. 

And until now, it still isn’t easy for Chanyeol to calm his nerves as he feels the small box pressing against his thigh, containing a simple, silver band that would change their lives forever, as soon as Chanyeol slips it into Baekhyun’s ring finger. That is, if the older will let him.

“Hey, you okay?” Baekhyun frowns, noticing that Chanyeol keeps fidgeting on his seat.

“Huh? Y-yeah, of course,” Chanyeol mutters, averting his eyes from the brunet. It doesn’t seem as if Baekhyun knows what he’s up to, but he still wants to be as cautious as possible.

“You aren’t nervous about flying are you?” Baekhyun asks, the clear tone of worry laced in his voice causing Chanyeol’s lips to curl up into a smile.

“Not when you’re here with me,” Chanyeol grins, giving the older a cheesy wink.

“Whatever, cheeseball,” Baekhyun chuckles and reaches over to ruffle Chanyeol’s hair.

Twenty  years of Baekhyun doing this to him, and the butterflies in his stomach still seem like they won't be leaving anytime soon.

“So, Mr. Co-pilot, will you fly with me?”

“Always.”

 

The plane lands at Incheon International Airport at 7:00 pm. Chanyeol and Baekhyun both thank the flight attendants before getting off the plane. Chanyeol keeps silent as he follows the older, curling and uncurling his fingers nervously. He watches Baekhyun's back as the brunet weaves his way through the crowd of people in the airport, and wipes his clammy palms on his pants.

Why the heck must this be so nerve-wracking? This is even worse than how he felt when he took his checkride so he could get his license.

Suddenly the song ‘Beautiful’ resonates through the speakers scattered around the airport.

Chanyeol's stomach still feel like the entire zoo is inside it, but somehow, hearing the familiar song calms him. He takes a deep breath.

This is it. Don't screw this up.

“Hey, this is our favorite song!” Baekhyun stops in his tracks. They’re exactly in the middle of the airport. He turns to smile at Chanyeol, but falters in his step as he sees the taller getting down on one knee. Suddenly, his heart is thumping so hard against his chest he's scared it might actually jump out of it. “Chanyeol, w-what are you doing?”

There are hundreds of people in the airport, and all of them are staring at the two of them. Chanyeol couldn’t care less. His eyes are on the brunet standing speechlessly in front of him. Baekhyun tries to hold it back, but he still chokes out a sob at the sight of Chanyeol holding out a small box to him.

“I know this might not be the best proposal in the world, it's certainly not the grandest, but hey, when have we ever been a fan of stuff like that?" Chanyeol says, his voice loud and clear even though he feels like his heart is in his throat. Baekhyun lets out a small chuckle, and it takes away some of Chanyeol's anxiousness. "Baek, it’s been twenty years of you being my best friend, and ten years of you being my boyfriend. Throughout all these years, you’ve made me the happiest simply for being by my side. I know I sound so ing cheesy, but hey, you love me for that, right?" A lot of people laugh at that, including Baekhyun. Chanyeol lets out a chuckle of his own, but it mellows down as he looks at Baekhyun and feels his heart skip a beat.

Baekhyun's bangs are sticking to his forehead because of his sweat, tears are running down his cheeks and he has the biggest and most beautiful smile on his face.

"I know I'm far from perfect, we both are. You're always late, you always mess up my hair even when I specifically tell you not to," Baekhyun snorts at this, and Chanyeol laughs, "but what I do know is that I'm the luckiest guy in the world, because I fulfilled all of my dreams with my best friend. Even if said best friend also forces me listen to SNSD songs all the time," a laugh from the people surrounding them and an eye roll from Baekhyun, " and I'm the luckiest guy in the world because my best friend is also my boyfriend. I'm so, so, lucky because I get to call you mine, Baek.  Tonight, would you make me even happier? Byun Baekhyun, will you marry me?”  

Baekhyun's smile completely slips off his face. The whole airport had suddenly gone so quiet. Chanyeol swears he can even hear a pin drop just because of the unerring silence. His heart feels like it's about to burst with worry. 

“Yes! Yes I’ll marry you,” Baekhyun suddenly yells out without a warning. He half-laughs, half-cries as Chanyeol laughs loudly in relief and slips the silver band on his finger.

"You scared me," Chanyeol mumbles. He pulls Chanyeol up and grins.

"I saw the chance and took it," Baekhyun replies.

"You are such an , I swear," Chanyeol sighs, leaning his forehead against Baekhyun's.

"Yeah well, you still love me, don't you, my dear fiancé?" Baekhyun asks teasingly, nose brushing lightly across Chanyeol's.

"Damn right I do," Chanyeol mumbles, grinning widely as he leans forward to seal the deal with a kiss.

And yet again, Baekhyun manages to give Chanyeol the best gift he could ever have on his twenty-fifth birthday. 

---

i feel like i just churned out random words and it somehow became this....idk i think i've been away from writing for too long ugh. but anyway, leave a comment and tell me what you think?