“What if as he gets to know me better he’ll think I’m annoying a never shows his face again?” Baekhyun asked worriedly, as he kept walking back and forth in the living room.

“For the tenth time, it’s not going to happen!” Kyungsoo sighed as he gently pushed Baekhyun down on the sofa, hoping he’ll calm down a little.

“I’m one hundred percent sure he’ll fall for you even more than he already has!” Jongdae said, flashing Baekhyun a wink.

“Jongdae’s right! He wouldn’t be so stupid to let someone as adorable as you go!” Luhan exclaimed, giving the blonde-haired boy’s hand a tight squeeze. “On top of that, this time I outdid myself with my styling skills. It looks like you just popped out of a magazine’s cover!”

“T – thanks…” Baekhyun smiled, blushing as his best friends showered him with compliments.

Baekhyun didn’t want to admit it, but he actually thought he looked great. It took Luhan and Chen the whole afternoon to choose the right outfit, and honestly, their taste in clothes was superb, “as always” like they pointed out. Baekhyun was wearing an oversized black jumper with a turtle-neck, so soft it seemed like it was made from a cloud.  A pair of thigh blue jeans perfectly fitted his silhouette while a pair of black Dr. Martens gave the whole look a perfect touch. A thin line of black eyeliner and hair styled in the fluffiest way, Baekhyun really looked like a top-class model.

“Guys, what if I mess everything up?” Baekhyun sighed, his heart aching at the mere thought of the possibility. “Maybe he’s not even interested…”

“He literally called you a few hours after he left! Why even bother if he didn’t want to see you again?” Kyungsoo exclaimed, cupping his friend’s face with both hands, lightly squeezing his round cheeks.

“B- but…”

*ding-dong*

“Guys. He’s here.” Baekhyun felt his heart skipping a beat.

“Precise as a Swiss watch!” Jongdae exclaimed, already pushing Baekhyun towards the door.

“W – w – wait! I’m not ready!” Baekhyun stuttered as he tried to get back into the dormitory. Not that he had a chance, since his three friends were blocking the entrance like bodyguards in front of a red-carpet event.

“Baekhyun, it’ll be fine! Don’t make him wait, it’s cold outside!” Luhan pointed out, giving his friend a reassuring smile.

“Oh, you’re right!” Baekhyun realized. “Alright, I’m going then!” he said with resolution, as he started to walk towards the exit of the building.

“We’re rooting for you!” Jongdae exclaimed, vigorously waving at him.

Baekhyun turned around for a moment, giving his friends a sweet smile, before he went down the stairs. 

As Baekhyun got out of the dormitory, he immediately noticed a familiar giant waiting a few feets away from the entrance. Without even realizing it, a smile appeared on the petite boy’s lips.

“Baek!” Chanyeol exclaimed, his eyes turning into crescents as he hopped towards the younger.

“H – hello!” Baekhyun greeted, quickly walking towards the taller.

As they stopped in front of each other, both of them couldn’t help but gape. “How did he manage to become more handsome within a few days?!” Baekhyun though, as he scanned the tall boy from head to toe. Apparently, Baekhyun wasn’t the only one who put a little bit more effort into getting ready for their date.

If Baekhyun looked like a model, on the other hand Chanyeol could have been mistaken for a celebrity. Elegant black pants, a simple white shirt and a long gray cardigan which almost reached his knees, the whole outfit wrapped up with a pair of shiny loafers. The taller boy’s hair was styled so that the curly bangs would softly fall on one side, making it easier for Baekhyun to look straight into Chanyeol’s round hazel eyes.

Despite that, Baekhyun wasn’t the only impressed one.

“You look adorable!” Chanyeol exclaimed, the words almost slipping past his lips. “Oh, I mean, this style really suits you!” Chanyeol quickly added, worried to have been a little too straightforward.

“T – thanks…” Baekhyun said, already feeling his cheeks getting hotter. He had to thank his friends later. “You look really good as well!” he admitted, sheepishly smiling at the other.

“Really?!” Chanyeol looked surprised. “I’m glad! Actually, one of my roommates is a model! He insisted so much on choosing my outfit for tonight that I let him do whatever he wanted, even though I thought he might have overdid it!” Chanyeol exclaimed, swinging his fluffy carding back and forth for a few times.

“I think he did a great job!” Baekhyun pointed out, storing up all his courage to speak out the compliment.

“Thanks! He’ll be happy to hear this!” Chanyeol smiled. “Well, since I asked you out on this cold Friday night, should we get going? I don’t want you to catch a cold!” Chanyeol suggested, as a chilly wind made a shiver run across his body. As Baekhyun gave him a nod, Chanyeol escorted him towards his car, opening the younger boy’s door before getting in himself.

“So, where are we going?” Baekhyun curiously asked as this time he successfully hooked up his seatbelt at the first try.

“Surprise!” Chanyeol giggled as he started the engine. “I can tell you that we’re not going clubbing though!” he joked while flashing a wink.

“This is already a good start then!” Baekhyun said laughing.

After Chanyeol checked the rearview mirror, the older got out of the parking lot with a few smooth swipes of the steering wheel. As he turned right and entered the street, a pleasant jazz song started playing on the radio.

“Were your friends worried last time?” Baekhyun suddenly asked, being the first to break the silence. “I mean, you suddenly left them and ended up sleeping out.”

“I wouldn’t say worried, they were just surprised!” Chanyeol said as he recalled their reactions. “They claimed a full detailed explanation, like the one we gave to your friends!” he laughed as he stopped at a red traffic light.

“Oh… does that mean you told them “everything”?”  Baekhyun shyly asked.

“Actually, since two of my flatmates were at the club with me, they already knew the highlight of the story without me telling them!” Chanyeol said scratching his nape, glancing over the passenger seat to check Baekhyun’s reaction. As expected, he noticed that a faint blush was already painting his cheeks. And like always, Chanyeol found it extremely adorable.

“W – w – what?!” Baekhyun exclaimed, jumping on his seat. “That’s so embarrassing! I bet they thought I was a weirdo!”

“Not at all!” Chanyeol burst out laughing. “They said you were really bold! Oh, and they keep asking me to introduce you to them!” he added, smiling at the younger boy.

“Really? They want to meet me?” Baekhyun asked with a surprised tone.

“Of course they do! I want you to meet them as well!” Chanyeol admitted, this time being the one who’s cheeks’ color changed.

On the other side, Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile as he shyly played with his silver necklace. He felt genuinely fluttered. Knowing that Chanyeol’s best friends wanted to meet him made him feel strangely good. As if he was a step closer in order to get into Chanyeol’s life.

“Oh, look! We’re already here!” Chanyeol suddenly exclaimed, as he took a quick glance on his right.

Baekhyun quickly turned his face, looking outside the car’s window. As he spotted a colorful building, a sparkle lighted up in his eyes.

“Woah, an arcade!” he excitedly exclaimed, pressing his nose against the cold glass.

“If you’re not into these kinds of things we can go somewhere else…”

“I absolutely love it!” the younger said. “I love playing games!”

“I’m relieved!” Chanyeol breathed in relief as he parked the car near the building.

The two boys hopped off the car and walked towards the entrance of the arcade. Baekhyun gaped at the sight: flashing and colorful lights everywhere and the sounds of the videogames reverberating. It had been a while since he last went there to have a good night of fun, so he kind of missed the atmosphere.

“Want to start with a car race?” Chanyeol suggested, as he amusedly watched Baekhyun scanning every single corner of the wide room.

“Sure!” Baekhyun exclaimed, already hopping towards the machine. “Oh, I guess I should warn you, I don’t think I’ve ever lost when it comes to games!” he proudly pointed out.

“Oh really?” Chenyeol smirked as he sat on the seat next to Baekhyun’s. “I’m not that bad myself!”

As the two boys inserted the coins in the machine and choose their cars, the race started. From the very beginning, Chanyeol understood one thing: Baekhyun was right when he told him he was good. He actually was extremely good. In fact, the curly boy couldn’t get the first position for even a second, Baekhyun always stealing the golden trophy. After six races and six overwhelming defeats, Chanyeol waved a white flag as he stretched his body.

“Are you a professional gamer or something?” the older asked incredulous.

“I wish I were!” Baekhyun laughed as he got down the racing seat.

“Don’t think this will discourage me! Now I really want to beat you at least once!” Chanyeol stated, flashing the younger a challenging gaze.

“Only in your dreams!”

As Baekhyun said, Chanyeol couldn’t win a single round, even though they tried almost every game available in the arcade. Motorbikes, fighting games, shooting ones, he even trashed him in the DDR. Chanyeol was no match for the blonde-haired boy, who seemed to enjoy his continuous defeats.

“Okay! I give up!” Chanyeol said breathless, after challenging Baekhyun to a song on expert mode. And losing, of cours