02. Shinin' Shinin' Just Like A?

Chanyeol has kept his promise to Baekhyun for a month or two now. Every Friday shift, they share lunch together and get to know each other. They've become so close, Jongdae jokingly teases Baekhyun for trying to steal his best friend away. "You steal jobs and best friends? I want the life of Byun Baekhyun." Chanyeol recalls his friend saying one day ago. It's all for laughs though.

One thing he can agree on is that Baekhyun has definitely become a staple in his life. It's come to the point where they've exchanged numbers and began hanging out beyond the mall in Seoul.

"Why don't you invite Baekhyun?" Jongdae asks during one of the bro nights held at Chanyeol's small apartment. "I know you want to." His voice is teasing and it aggravates the taller. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo is sitting upside down upon the bean bag in the male's bedroom. "Yeah, Yeol. Just say you got a crush on the dude and go." The doe-eyed friend chimes in on the conversation.

"What the hell are you both going on about?" Chanyeol grumbles, face flushing a light shade of pink. "I do not have a crush on Baekhyun." He protests lightly. There's no way he could have taken a liking into the dude. He was just fun and they clicked in many aspects. Same taste in music, gaming, and foods. He was just like Jongdae and Kyungsoo to him.

Speaking of the latter, he chimes in once more. "Chanyeol, don't play around." He warns. "Need I remind you of that look?"

"What are you talking about...?" He is genuinely confused. Meanwhile, Jongdae's eyes widen as he looks back and forth at both of the bickering friends.

"You know..." Kyungsoo starts off with a smug grin upon his face. "That look you give when you begin to like someone..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." That's a lie. He just doesn't want to bring up this topic again. He would much rather like to bury it in the back of his mind, as he usually does.

"You know!" The other presses on. "I know that look! I know it because that's how you used to look at me, Chanyeol." He begins to tease. "Remember when we first met and you started to have a lil' crush on me? You looked at me like I was hella cute - and I still am - but you know. You looked like you wanted to give me a big fat kith!" He and Jongdae begin to laugh. "I kinda miss those times. You made me feel flattered. I can't imagine how Baekhyun must feel." Kyungsoo hums, looking at the bed of his nails.

"Shut the hell up." The taller grumbles. "You said we wouldn't bring that up again." He feels a bit upset, not liking the teasing. When he was rejected by Kyungsoo, he cannot recall how many times he weeped in Jongdae's lap.

"Hey..." The laughing stops as Kyungsoo sits up-right, reaching out to place a palm upon Chanyeol's knee."All I'm saying is... Don't be afraid to try again, y'know." He advises. "When you confessed to me... It was just a bit too late?" Not that he needs to explain to Chanyeol. The three of them recall that time when Chanyeol confessed the day he began dating a college friend.

"You don't need to remind me that I was a day late..." Chanyeol mumbles.

"That's not what I'm trying to do!" Kyungsoo shakes his head before looking at Jongdae. "You tell him!"

The other friend is quick to come to the rescue, clearing his throat. "What Kyungsoo is trying to say is - don't wait too long! Had you asked Kyungsoo a day earlier, he would've said yes!"

"Hey - what the !" Kyungsoo's doe eyes go wide. "I didn't say to tell him that!"

Chanyeol then bursts into laughter. "You liked me, Kyungsoo?"

Now it was his turn to be flustered. "Shut up."

The other two now begin to tease Kyungsoo about this new found information ( for Chanyeol at least ).

"All I am saying is... life is too short to wait for what if's, you s." Kyungsoo grumbles. "All Baekhyun does at Green Crush is talk about you anyway. There is no way in hell that he doesn't have a crush on you either. So I advise you do it on your next Friday or else."

Should he listen to his friends' advice? Wait - no. Did he have a crush on Byun Baekhyun? . So that's what the beating in his chest was. When Baekhyun would show up with his loud voice, greeting him with a smile as he ordered some Strawberries & Cream pretzel bites.

"Fine."

With this confirmation with his feelings, both Jongdae and Kyungsoo howl in the large male's room as if they were wolves sounding the alarm. Their best friend has now found a new mate.

The Friday that Chanyeol was due to confess, he began to feel nervous. Jongdae and Kyungsoo have been helping them during the week to prepare for this moment. It's been a hot minute since he has liked anyone. When he had a thing for his friend, it had been a year and a half ago. Now he felt like a fetus in the love department. He did not know what to say to Baekhyun. What words could he even say?

Either way, he was thankful that he had his two friends to help strengthen his courage. They did not forget to send him a mass text group chat to cheer him up in the morning. It definitely inflated his ego as he combed his hair neatly to the side, creating a little comma loop over his forehead as he spritzed some cologne upon his work shirt.

Afternoon arriving sooner than expected, Chanyeol rushed to clock himself out for his break and smiled once he saw Baekhyun standing there. He was waiting at the usual lunch table. The only difference was that Baekhyun wasn't sitting this time.

"Hey..." Chanyeol greeted to make his presence known. Baekhyun looks up from his iPhone to smile back, rubbing the nape of his neck as he cheered. "Someone is looking especially handsome today?" The small male chirps, reaching over to lightly brush his fingertips through Chanyeol's jet black hair. "I like it." He compliments, sending Chanyeol's heart soaring. Now that the male has accepted his feelings, the words that Baekhyun said began to tug on his heart.

"Do you really?" It was now his turn to rub the nape of his neck.

"Yeah! What's with the sudden get up?" He shoves his hands into his pockets. Chanyeol shrugs in return, trying to seem nonchalant as he responds. "Nothin. Just felt like putting in the extra effort."

"Ahh, I see." Baekhyun nods, putting a finger up as he speaks. "You trying to reel in all the pretty ladies in the mall, huh?" Chanyeol cannot tell if he's joking or if he's just being... Baekhyun.

"Yeah..." He replies slowly. "Oh - what's with the new position?" Chanyeol switches the attention to Baekhyun, looking him up and down to hint that he's talking about how Baekhyun isn't sitting at the table.

"Oh! I was just hoping we would walk around the mall a bit for today." Baekhyun proposes a new plan for their lunch, not that Chanyeol would have opposed anyway. "I wanna see if there are any new stores."

"You work in the mall... and you don't know if there are new stores?"

"Hey!" Baekhyun begins to pout, poking both index fingers together. "I only ever stay on this side of the mall... Cause we always spend lunch together. I usually leave after my shift."

That much was true. Baekhyun always spent his free time in the mall with Chanyeol if not with Jongdae. He couldn't spend time with Kyungsoo too much because it seemed like the male would rip out his throat for talking too much.

"We can walk around the mall." Chanyeol assures the smaller male with a grin. He just hopes he can find the right time to confess to Baekhyun or else it would have to wait for the next time he sees the smaller male. He had exams coming up so he had to study and he didn't want to interfere with Baekhyun's schedules either.

So they walk - and they talk. They share how their week went, Chanyeol going on to explain how the three musketeers have been hanging out at Chanyeol's place lately. Baekhyun then expresses rather cutely how he would like to join them at the complex sometime if it was okay. Of course, it was okay, but the taller wasn't going to eagerly say it out loud like he had been chanting inside his brain.

The conversation is going smooth and sweet until they spot a store that hadn't been opened the week before. It was probably why there was black wrapping paper over the windows last week, words displaying 'COMING SOON!'. Though it never specified what was coming through. Now Chanyeol can see what it was so secretive.

It was so fancy, this new store. There were bright dazzling lights inside the shop, seen through the windows. Gold casings were all around, displaying shelves and shelves of diamonds all over the place. A jewelry store under the name Kay Jewelry was opened. Normally, Chanyeol wouldn't care about things like this since he's never been one to be all about that ice, but Baekhyun's eyes seem to be sparkling at the sight.

"Look at that!" he exclaims, taking hold of Chanyeol's hand absentmindedly as the other hand points to the new store. "A jewelry store!" The male's childish reaction has the taller chuckling. "Did you wanna go take a look?" He clears his throat, eyes looking at Baekhyun's smaller hand in his.

Chanyeol didn't even have to ask twice as the other practically drags him over to the store. As they approach closer, they're met with a tall male in a suit. His hair is blonde with black sides to stylize his undercut.

"Hello." He greets formally with a bow. "Welcome to our new branch of Kay Jewelry." His tone is so formal, Chanyeol almost feels like he should be wearing a suit too. Instead, he's clad in his brown apron for work.

"My name is Sehun and I can help you with finding something you might like." Sehun's eyes move from Chanyeol's to Baekhyun's innocent eyes. "Feel free to frost yourselves." His charming words seem to be winning Baekhyun's attention, the latter practically going into a daze at the jewelry behind the tall blond. "Perhaps something for a couple?" Sehun presses on, trying to get some sales.

"Couple?" Baekhyun gasps, suddenly dropping Chanyeol's hand like a hot potato. "We aren't a couple! We are just friends... And yes, I'd love to see what you have to offer, mister Sehun." He giggles behind a small hand. Meanwhile, Chanyeol is left standing there as if he was invincible. Taking a quick glance at his watch, the male frowns at the time.

"Baek..." He pauses as the other almost follows the new male into the store without him. "My break is almost over."

Baekhyun turns around, attention not there. "That's alright! I'll go in by myself. I'll see you later, yeah?" He says rather quickly, turning back to Sehun who is smiling politely. "Care to show me these diamonds?"

They disappear into the store and Chanyeol just stands there for a moment.

Guess he'll have to do it next Friday.

Author's Note:
Yeah its been a long long long time since
i've updated but im trying to begin writing
so lets see how long this lasts lol hi
also this chapter is un-beta so typo will be around lmao

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02. Shinin' Shinin' Just Like A?

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