"So how'd the hookup go?"

Chanyeol rolled his eyes with a frown and turned his phone around, showing the screen to Jongdae who's sitting by his side on the couch in Chanyeol and Sehun's dorm room.

"He sent me a picture of his damn breakfast."

Jongdae stared at the screen in silence for a while before bursting into laughter, such an honest one that he had to hold onto his own stomach and wail a few times to calm himself back down.

"At least we know Baekhyun wasn't wrong, what the hell. He's seriously so damn cute Chanyeol, good for you."

"I didn't try to get to him for the sake of getting in his pants for goodness' sake."

Chanyeol felt like he's becoming a repetition of a broken record with the amount of times he had frowned since the moment Kyungsoo came into his life. And nose.

He really has to get a grip of himself and confront this nagging feeling telling him to finally explain everything to the poor boy. The quicker the better, because if what Chanyeol thinks is true, any moment could be crucial.

"Even though he is really my type. Damn."

With a hand running through the locks of his hair Chanyeol came to the conclusion that he's in trouble. He shouldn't allow himself to feel things like this towards a person who smells of the thing Chanyeol fears the most.

It's been a while now. Kyungsoo has become the fourth unofficial member of their little squad. Although his busy studying schedule often gets in the way of their plans. Chanyeol doesn't mind it that much. Kyungsoo didn't choose to be a year younger than them.

As expected, Chanyeol's connection with Kyungsoo was a little more stable than Baekhyun and Jongdae exposed they have with him.

Kyungsoo was like magic. He made Chanyeol's mind go blank everytime they met. The way he speaks and moves and carries himself, the warmth and comfort of his so awfully familiar scent, the way his lips curl into a smile that's shaped like a heart. Chanyeol was slowly falling deeper than he ever thought he would.

It made things a lot harder.

Every day spent with Kyungsoo by Chanyeol's side was a reminder that at any moment he might be the holder of the ticking bomb of announcement that he's so afraid to drop.

"Say, remember you told me Kyungsoo smells a certain way? What was it about? It doesn't seem to stop you from drooling all over him when he doesn't see you."

Jongdae asked Chanyeol one morning when they ate breakfast together since Baekhyun was busy trying to get himself connections to dig up the new chinese guy's phone number.

Chanyeol nearly choked on his bite, having to gulp a whole half a galloon water bottle to unclog his throat from the unfinished piece. His heart pushing his veins to a slight jerk all over his body.

"I'm not interested in your erted thoughts thank you very much. It's just... I don't know. I don't think I can explain it without sounding like a lunatic."

"You could try with me? I know the secret of your superpower after all."

Jongdae grinned proudly, straightening his back and flexing his arms while grabbing his coffee mug. Posing like some sort of american patriotic poster.

"It's fine, really."

"Dunno about you, but I think that if not me or Baekhyun.. At least Kyungsoo deserves to know."

For once Jongdae actually makes sense. Well, he makes a lot of sense all the time, and sometimes Chanyeol doesn't want him to be so right. But he is. 

It feels awful to hold back and bottle something terrible so deep down. What's worse is needing to hide it from your own best friends. But Chanyeol knows it's something that'd never be accepted or believed, even with his 'superpower'.

Maybe it really is about time for Chanyeol to finally tell Kyungsoo what he planned from their very first stinking encounter. He really misses Kyungsoo anyway, the boy's been busy trying to survive studying for weeks now.

So that is exactly what he plans to do. After charming his boss with wide grins and cheerful behaviour for about a week of work.

It was pretty hard to get Kyungsoo to drop his studies. Which is funny, because Kyungsoo really isn't the type of person to actually focus on studying this much. 

But he managed to do it, and Kyungsoo will be coming over to his dorm room for a hangout. Only the two of them. Sehun got thrown out and decided to spend the weekend with an older senior named Junmyeon whom he has been hanging around recently.

It'll be easy, simple enough. Chanyeol has the whole evening planned. Very unlikely for him, because he'd much rather go with the flow of the moment than stick to concrete schedules. 

Right now is an exception, because Chanyeol is nervous like a mouse in a trap about telling Kyungsoo the truth about the nature of Chanyeol's initial interest in him.

"Heya, I'm glad you made it. Fun coming to uni when there's no class?"

Chanyeol asks the scented boy when he steps into the little dorm room, holding a bag filled with snacks and some drinks.

"Home turned into more of a uni than uni man.. I'm actually glad to be here."

Chanyeol laughed at his honest response, watching his little frame while he passes by him into the living room. The place is a mess, but it's not as bad as it normally is, because Chanyeol actually put some effort into pushing things aside to hide them.

"I haven't seen you in ages. You should seriously take a break and rest more often. You look like you've missed an entire year worth of sleep. Lost some weight too."

He let his body fall down on the couch next to Kyungsoo who was already seated and pulling the snacks out of the bag he brought. Chanyeol can tell he's exhausted. Kyungsoo's not one to value school over his own health, but it seems like he's slipping.

Absentmindedly, Chanyeol's hand raised up to Kyungsoo's head, sliding his long fingers through the messy locks of hair and gently. Carefully. Affectionately. 

The action had an affect, because Kyungsoo's hand movements became a lot slower when pouring the snacks into little bowls, and his shoulders loosened down. He didn't turn his head or anything like that, but Chanyeol heard the breath of ease he released.

"I'm worried about you, so this is a good chance for you to wind down you know. Classic movie night. Netflix and chill, but without netflix.. and.. with actual chill."

Kyungsoo laughed and finally made eye contact with him. Smiling brightly regardless of his own tiredness. He's so sweet. Chanyeol feels his heart dancing inside his chest from this simple smile. 

Kyungsoo's so powerful. He has complete power and control over Chanyeol with the most effortless actions. Chanyeol's entire heart was beating according to Kyungsoo's melody. The main and strongest influencer being his scent, though.

The movie was an easy watch. Nothing too deep or complicated, it was fun to munch on the snacks while letting their minds float away into the void of thoughts. From time to time Chanyeol landed his eyes on Kyungsoo. He seemed pretty much in the same state of mindless vacancy.

It was a relief to know he could help Kyungsoo away from the endless stresses he's been involved in for a while now. Chanyeol could tell he felt at home. Raising his knees up and sitting comfortably, sprawled on the couch without trying to pretend manners matter.

After coming to the conclusion that the movie's ending was extremely disappointing, the two went into a period of silence. Chanyeol stared at the black television screen while hearing Kyungsoo still grabbing and munching on a few more snacks.

"Hey uhm. Can I talk to you about something really weird?"

"After this movie nothing is weird. Shoot."

Chanyeol turned his body sideways, facing Kyungsoo's direction, one leg on the couch and the other on the floor. Kyungsoo's own legs anchored themselves at the gap between Chanyeol's ankle and crotch. Staring up at him from behind the glasses while sliding a small chocolate dipped cookie into his mouth.

"Remember how when we first met I told you something about smell?"

"Yeah you told me I stink."

"No-- I didn't I--"

"I know, just messing with you. You said I don't stink but I had no clue what the heck you wanted from me."

Kyungsoo chuckles gently, leaning himself further back on the couch so that his own knees are hiding Chanyeol's body away from his vision and only the head shows above them. He's so cute... Chanyeol can't help it when he sees his lips perk out in this angle.

With a breathe Chanyeol leans a little closer to Kyungsoo's legs and wraps his arms around them. Hugging and resting against Kyungsoo's shins, hands on the back side of Kyungsoo's knees, and Chin resting on the knees themselves.

"Kyungsoo, I can smell things. Like.. I can smell everything. Always. Strongly."

"Smell things..?"

"Ever heard of hyperosmia?"

"Hightened sense of smell?"

Chanyeol nods. Looking at Kyungsoo quietly, his legs held tight in Chanyeol's arms and all he does is just stare blankly with a hint of confusion.

"Now here comes the weird part. Uh... you smell like something I really loved."

Now Kyungsoo seemed to have registered the meaning. His eyes are wider and Chanyeol can see that his cheeks are slowly shading darker. He's so adorable. Chanyeol just tightens his grip around Kyungsoo's legs and watches him.

"So I had to get to you."

And tell you what danger you're in. Is what Chanyeol would want to say to him right now.. But he can't. He simply isn't able to say anything else, because Kyungsoo's little trembles of shyness are felt all the way down his his legs, and they pass onto Chanyeol's own hugging arms.

"So.. you only like my smell?"

Kyungsoo asks, trying to look judgemental, pouty and mad, but the way he bites his lower lips gives it away. With his chest thumping loudly, Chanyeol pulls himself slightly closer, sliding his palms over the upper parts of Kyungsoo's thighs while looking into his eyes.

"I like everything but the smell."

--

Chanyeol couldn't tell him. 

After the unexpected turn of events that ended in a confession, the two of them began heating it up quite a lot, and although Kyungsoo was willing, Chanyeol stopped them before things would get out of control.

He knew Kyungsoo was exhausted, and there was no reason to cause him even more pressure. They ended up cuddling for the rest of Kyungsoo's stay. Slowly studying each other's bodies and warmth. 

Kyungsoo was so good. He fit right between Chanyeol's arm, his hands fit perfectly in Chanyeol's hair, his lips fit absolutely amazingly on Chanyeol's. Especially with the sweet flavour of chocolate dipped cookies. 

Chanyeol called an uber for Kyungsoo when he noticed the other was slowly drifting away into sleep, dozing on their exchange of moderate intimacy in the cuddle. And he felt like Kyungsoo has been in his heart for years. 

Kyungsoo was just so familiar. Piercing so deep right into Chanyeol's heart. Of course Kyungsoo himself was the embodiment of what Chanyeol would consider attractive in another person... 

But the scent. Kyungsoo smelled really strongly. Exactly like the one thing Chanyeol loved the most in the entire world until it had been there no more. It felt like nostalgia.. Like Chanyeol's younger innocence could shine back out.

Falling asleep that night came only after recieving a message from Kyungsoo that confirms he had made it home safely.

Loud buzzing sounds woke Chanyeol up at dawn the next morning. Heavy eyed and messy haired he groaned impatiently while his palm trailed over the side of his bed to find his cellphone. His day is going to be long enough as is, he really didn't need to wake up even earlier than his alarm clock.

After feeling up most of his bed his fingers finally rubbed against a solid object, and without even bothering to look at the screen Chanyeol placed the phone to his ear, almost growling a yawn before giving whoever it might be an angry 'What?'.

"...--yeol--..? H-Hey-- gh--.."

Chanyeol's brows furrowed on his forehead and his eyeballs turned underneath the lids with concentration, slowly blinking them open. Is this...?

"Kyungsoo..? What's up?"

With a hand raising up to run through his own hair, he suddenly heard a deep painful sounding cough coming from the other side of the line. Then another, and a third one before some heaving could be heard.

"Kyungsoo?! Are you alright? What's going on?!" 

Chanyeol's whole body jerked up into a sitting position, feeling light headed since he had just woken up after barely enough hours of sleep. He pulled the blanket off of him just as fast and rushed out of his bed.

"I'm sorry uh.. I think something is..."

Another painful cough echoes into Chanyeol's ear and he can feel his heart dropping. It can't be... There's no way that it's already time for this to happen. He knew Kyungsoo was in danger-- but why now? How could he not know? Kyungsoo smelled a lot stronger yesterday as wel. He should have known.

"Kyungsoo-- stay right there, I'm on my way, don't move."

He commanded the other harshly, hearing some heavy breathing from the other side and then a loud thud and the noise of glass breaking before the call ends abruptly and only the sound of repeating beeps come from the line.

"."

Chanyeol curses at himself, pulling up the first pair of pants he could find before grabbing his keys and storming out the dorm room.

Running was painful, Chanyeol's definitely not in a good shape anymore after spending days motionless studying at his desk and eating nothing but junk food and an occasional salad.

But he ran regardless. He ran out of the university's grounds and all the way up to Kyungsoo's address that he knows from hearing him tell it to the uber driver from last night.

Up the stairs he goes and ends up in front of a small apartment door with the little 'Do' label attached. While heavy huffing Chanyeol begins knocking on the door. Repeatedly, loudly, shouting out Kyungsoo's name in a hoarse voice filled with terror.

There's no answer. No reply to the doorbell ringing either, it's silent beyond the door. Well, there's only one thing left to do. Get rid of the door. 

Chanyeol begins kicking at the door, shouting Kyungsoo's name after each kick. At first it looks like it isn't going to work, but after about five kicks the door seems to have broken a part of its mechanism because it starts denting and shaking from each push.

Neighbours from the nearby apartments are starting to open their doors to see and most likely complain about the noise. None are lifting a figer to help Chanyeol, or even bother gathering some knowledge of what's going on.

He can feel the kicks in his bones, the muscles are trembling from the excess effort, but each kick only grows stronger than the last, stronger with every moment that passes with Chanyeol not knowing what he'd find.

It is terrifying, and Chanyeol is scared that he is already too late. Urgency fuels his blood when the door finally bolts open in front of him. He nearly fell to his knees from the sudden lack of resentment. 

A feeling of deja vu crawls under his skin when he dashes into the apartment. It can't be. It simply can't. There is no way Chanyeol will go through the same nightmare twice.

He finds Kyungsoo curled on the floor by the door of what seems to be his bedroom, holding onto his own stomach with his knees up, his eyes are closed with pain and his breathing is unstable.

The shatters of a broken flower vase are spreaded dangerously close to his face and head. Chanyeol shudders from the familiarity. This is the worst scenario to be familiar with. Cold sweat starts dripping down his back.

Without a moment to lose Chanyeol grabs Kyungsoo in his arms and sprints out of the apartment and down the street to the luckily nearby located hospital. Kyungsoo's body loose and hot to the touch.

Chanyeol couldn't even think until only about an hour after Kyungsoo was put under examination. Somehow he found himself standing against the wall by the water cooler at the waiting area. Arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed so intensely that he scares any other hospital guests from stepping close and getting water.

With a small apology to the short old lady that attempted to fill up a cup Chanyeol recalls being lead to this area by one of the nurses who rolled Kyungsoo into one of the rooms. Retracking his path, he finds the correct room and sits himself down on the uncomfortable bench.

He's restless. He's filled with fear, sadness, and regret. Lots and lots of regret. While his eyes are focusing on nothing in particular on the floor Chanyeol begins scolding himself. Harshly.

He should have said something. He should have told Kyungsoo the whole truth. About the scent, about the meaning of it, about the danger of it and everything that it entails. This might have been his only chance to save the boy's life... 

But Chanyeol was selfish. Selfish and too dense. Losing the difference between following Kyungsoo for Kyungsoo's sake, or following him because of Chanyeol's own shallow motives such as... well, falling in love.

The foot he's subconsciously tapping onto the floor starts matching with the quick pace of his heart. He would have called Baekhyun and Jongdae by now, inform them that something had happened, but from the terror of being late, he forgot his cell in the dorm.

--

A little later when a small woman approaches the door where Kyungsoo's being examined Chanyeol's entire body springs up, blocking the path half heartedly with a face that signals danger.

The woman really didn't deserve it, Chanyeol realized, when he saw just how distressed her expression is. Combining fear and worry in one, just like the way Chanyeol feels. He stepped aside, something in her eyes was trust worthy.

"Are you.. the young man that brought Kyungsoo here?"

Chanyeol was a little startled, his eyes widening and regaining a tad of their lively shine again after a while of ghosting like empty orbs in his skull.

"Yes."

"Oh.. Thank you. Thank you so much. I am Kyungsoo's mother."

The woman's eyes were filled with fondness now. Warmth washed over Chanyeol when she took his big hand between her palms and squeezed tightly. He could feel she was trembling with worry.

They've both sat down, and Chanyeol introduced himself, along with filling her in about the entire ordeal and updating her on the non existant results of the examination Kyungsoo's still under.

"I came home only a little after you must have left with Kyungsoo. The door was wide open and broken, glass was shattered on the floor and I was convinced we've been robbed." 

Kyungsoo's mother explained.

"When I asked one of the neighbours what happened I realized it was someone who knew my son.. Since they said you shouted his name."

Chanyeol nods lightly.

"By the time I stepped outside I recieved the call from the hospital and came here. Thank you dear.. again."

Her small hand raised up to Chanyeol's bed hair and she pat it a few times before letting out a sigh of worry. Chanyeol had no idea what to say or do. It was impossible to talk to Kyungsoo about what he thinks is the source for this event.. Trying to explain it to his mom would be even worse.

"I am grateful that you are worried about him. I am too. But I think we both can relax a little bit."

Relax..? How can she relax when her son might be taking his very last breath inside that room right now?

"Kyungsoo is used to this. It sounds worse than it is. Mmh.. Kyungsoo has always been a little weaker. His immune system is not so strong.. So he often got sick as a child. It used to be really bad in the past.. Now he hasn't had an incident for over a year. It must have been the pressure of university..."

She spoke slowly and softly. And thanks to the tempo of her words Chanyeol actually felt himself calm down a little. 

Maybe.. it could really be just his immune system throwing a fit? Since Kyungsoo has been busy, under immense amount of pressure for his studies for a while now. It could have been easily overlooked... Chanyeol clearly saw how tired he was yesterday night as well.

Although Chanyeol now had a new hope to cling to, that maybe this is all just a blowup of other parameters weakening Kyungsoo's body, he couldn't stop the fear he feels everytime he remembers the way Kyungsoo coughed on the phone.

Kyungsoo's mother was pleasant and gentle. It was probably her natural motherly instinct to care about Chanyeol because she must have seen how anxious he was. He hates the smell of hospitals.

She asked him about his university measures, where he's from, about the living conditions in the university's dorm, and even shared with him how everything was so muh different back in her day.

"And what about your parents? They must be so proud of you."

She is trying to be nice. She's trying to show attention and affection towards Chanyeol. She probably caught up on how much he adores her son. But this question still stings. Hurts pretty bad everytime Chanyeol's memories resurface.

"They aren't around anymore. But thank you."

He sent her a humble smile, and watched how her face, much like Kyungsoo's, shifts into surprise and worry again. She was about to open and speak, but he already knew what she would say. What everybody says when they learn it about him.

"It's alright, no need to apologize. I've never really known my father, and my mother passed away years ago when I was still in highschool. Funny enough, Kyungsoo reminds me of her a little."

"O-oh... Really? How so?"

"Mmh.. Just, the little things."

It seems to have worked, because her chest went back down with relief and a small smile spread across her face. Why is he such an idiot. This is the perfect chance to actually let someone know the truth. Someone who will actually be able to do something about it as well. 

But no, Chanyeol's a scaredy cat. He's way too terrified of even thinking of a possibility of it being real.. So he avoids allowing the option to factually exist anywhere other than in his own mind.

Somehow in a magical coincidence, just before he could open his mouth and pour out everything that he'd been holding back regarding Kyungsoo's scent and what it really means to his mother and actually make a change, the doctor and a few nurses walked out of the room.

Both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's mother stood up immediately, turning to him anxiously.

"There's nothing to worry about. He just fell under a sudden attack of a cold. According to his file we've been informed this isn't such an uncommon accurance. He's resting now, and can head home whenever he feels better."

Yet again both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's mother let out a sigh of relief in unison, making the doctor smile before leaving the corridor.

Chanyeol's heart dropped when he recieved the call earlier.. And now being told his gut feeling was wrong is the best thing that happened to him in years. The first time Chanyeol was trully happy to be mistaken.

They both entered the room together, finding Kyungsoo sleepily lying in the bed, he isn't even attached to any machines or wearing the hospital robe. Which is already a great sign.

"Mom..? Chanyeol..?"