Night time came slower than Baekhyun had anticipated, after the encounter in the barn he had hid himself away in his new room, away from Jeongsuk and his weird stares, his mother's all too lovey demeanor and the hot male that was having him feel all types of unknown feelings. Baekhyun was exhausted and wished so much that he was back home doing his own thing oblivious to what went on here. 

Baekhyun was scrolling through twitter and instagram, leaning against the beds frame when he heard a small knock on the door and as it opened he hears chatter coming up from downstairs. Baekhyun's mom stood at the doorway a smile on her face, he didn't know what to make of his mom now that they were face to face. He had so much questions so much built up anger and sadness, he wanted to push her out of the room and scream in her face but also grab her and give her a long desperate hug while crying into her shoulder. Baekhyun hated all these feelings that has bombarded him the moment he step foot in this house, when he was at home he would just succumb to the anger or do something stupid that he knew he could get away with because of his father's position but being here, he felt vulnerable and he didn't like it. 

"some people are already arriving" she says stepping in, closing the door a little.

Baekhyun nodded not knowing what to do or say in this moment. She makes her way over to the bed and sits at the edge near Baekhyun. 

"I'm so happy your here" she says and Baekhyun catches the sadness that glazes over her eyes.

He wanted to bolt out the room, he didn't want her sadness, she didn't deserve to be sad. She didn't deserve to feel any of these emotions, she left on her own free will, she left him and his dad behind to go fall in love with some other man, the same man who he is sure isn't fond of him, the same man that glared at him unexpectedly as if Baekhyun was someone to watch out for. 

"yeah" Baekhyun says shortly still refraining from saying any of the things he was thinking. 

She places a tentative hand on his leg "you should come downstairs and meet some of them" we listen to the chatter that was increasing downstairs "I know that's a lot to ask on your first night but it's a small town and you'll most likely see them around so it wouldn't hurt to say hi" she explains 

Baekhyun nods not really keen on the idea of meeting strangers based on the encounters he's had so far. He hears a sigh leave his mother and he looks up at her, she was looking at him worriedly and Baekhyun bites his tongue,

"your father tells me you've been having some bad moments ever since you started highschool" she starts "Baekhyun if you ever need to talk-"

"why did you leave" he blurts out, cutting her off. 

Baekhyun felt just as surprised and taken aback as his mother looked. He cursed himself for not restraining himself hard enough, this wasn't the time. He looks at her face change from surprise to sadness to guilt and Baekhyun was inwardly kicking himself for ruining the moment, he didn't know what to do, he didn't really want to know the reason but he also wanted to rip her apart with questions and rude remarks, so much so that Baekhyun couldn't hold himself back any more,

"why did you leave me and dad?" he says "were you not happy? Did you not have everything you wanted? You left with another man and left your husband and kid to fend for themselves, we were lucky dad got the position he did or we wouldn't be doing as great as we are now" Baekhyun's anger was increasing and he was now sitting up.

His mother's hands fell from his leg, the look of guilt all over her face. "are you happy now? Did you even think about how we felt or were you too buried deep with that guys to give a ?" Baekhyun didn't care about the vulgarity of his words.

His mother's head shoots up a look of disdain enveloping her "Baekhyun!" she says hastily she shakes her head as if to get what he said out of her mind,

Baekhyun gets up already too heated to be in the same room as his mother right now. He eases off the bed and walks to the door,

"Baekhyun, wait" she says but he didn't wait, he walked out and went downstairs wanting to find a place to release the rest of his anger. 

----------

"Chan, just give it a rest" Sehun said laughing. They were out in the back trying to get the barbecue to work for the cookout as people started entering the house. 

"well, this is the main event of the night so we have to get it to work" he tells the lazy boy as he connects the gas to the barbeque stand, turning the dial. 

There was grease all over Chanyeol's arms from fixing the loose legs of the stand and having to place more coal inside of the oily contraption to make sure it worked. The machine does nothing for a second,

"see I-" Sehun starts but just then the green light indicating that the machine was now working glows bright.

Chanyeol smiles in triumph, taking the already greasy rag from his shoulder and wiping his hands, he turns to his friend,

"you were saying?" he says smugly 

Sehun scoffs a small smile on his lips "beginners luck".

"whatever makes you sleep at night" Chanyeol says holding his hand out to the boy "now, where is my twenty?" he flexes and unflexes his fingers in a give it to me motion.

"ugh. It was a stupid bet anyways" Sehun digresses reaching into his back pocket to pull out his wallet.

"you're the one who made it in the first place, don't get all glum because you lost" he places the bill in Chanyeol's outstretched palm and he pockets it. 

"I'm sure they're all about to come out soon, so go tell Jeongsuk everything is ready and running" Chanyeol tells Sehun who groans

"why me?" he whines and Chanyeol rolls his eyes

"because buddy, you lost the bet and this is just an extra added bonus" he pats the boy on the shoulder.

Sehun groans again and starts to walk off when Chanyeol shouts behind him "and if you see the guys tell them to come over to the barn" he sees Sehun nod before continuing on his way. 

Chanyeol suddenly felt exhausted, fixing this machine really was tough. He looks down at his arms still slicked with grease, he didn't have time to go home and wash up so he makes his way to the side of the barn where there was a water pump, it was pretty ancient but it'll have to do, Mrs. Sookyung wanted everyone to be here for the arrival party of her son. 

Chanyeol rests the bucket under the pipe and starts pumping the lever, grunting as he did so. He took note that he would have to oil this later. A few seconds later water spurts out of the pipe and into the bucket and as it fills to Chanyeol's liking he bends down and starts scrubbing at his arms. It wasn't an easy task but eventually the oil started to wash off, he stands up and shakes his arms at the sides, drops of water falling off. 

He suddenly saw movement off to the side and turns his head in that direction. There was a small figure walking out of the back door and going along the side of the house, Chanyeol watches as the person kicks at something on the ground before continuing to walk. He looks on from where he stood at the side of the barn as the person makes a beeline for the chicken coops, he was sure the stranger didn't know where he was going because as he steps foot in the chicken field those that were out of their coops roaming started clucking and flapping there wings making the person jump in on themself, Chanyeol wasn't that far where he couldn't hear the shriek that leaves their lips, and he ended up laughing. 

It was probably loud because the stranger whips around at the sudden noise. Chanyeol shrinks back into the wall hoping the night hid him well, as the stranger turns to face in his direction Chanyeol recognised the person as the boy from the barn earlier and also from the kitchen incident.  

Chanyeol let out a little scoff and folded his arms. He didn't really think much of the guy but one glance at him and you can tell he was wealthy and privileged. The way he walked with a confident stride and a sort of grace, the way he talked and the way he kept himself. Also it was the clothes, no one in Pyeongchul owns any clothes like that all neat and name brand, who was he and why was he everywhere? 

Chanyeol watches as he backs away from the chicken coops and towards the spare tool shed a few feet away. Suddenly it clicked in Chanyeol's head, he was Mrs. Sooyoung's son. He knew that she had a family before she moved here to live with Jeongsuk a long friend of Chanyeol's father.

He keeps watching the kid from where he was, leaning against the wall of the barn. Chanyeol watches as he squatted down by the shed and buried his head in his hands, was something wrong? Chanyeol raised an eyebrow still watching the boy who just squatted there not moving. He didn't miss the slight shake of the boys shoulder, was he crying? Chanyeol didn't know if he should reveal himself or just walk away, it didn't look like he wanted anyone to see him this way and Chanyeol felt like he was intruding into something that he shouldn't see. 

Despite that Chanyeol was a soft spirit by nature even though his hard exterior said otherwise. He takes a step towards the boy when he hears the chatting of people most likely coming outside to start the cookout, the chatter increases by the second and the boy slowly gets up, wiping at his eyes. He sees him clench his fists and then starts walking back making sure to steer clear of the chicken pen, Chanyeol stops where he was and just watches the boy go.

"Chanyeol!" he hears his name being called.

He sees Sehun at the barn door along with the rest of their friends, Sehun looks towards him as he appears from the side, "I was wondering where you disappeared to" he says

"I had to wash the oil off my arms" Chanyeol shows his now clean arms for emphasis.

"why did you do that? You know the ladies love a man who looks like he has been hard at work" Sehun smirks and the others chuckle in response, 

"shut up, you idiot" Chanyeol smiles, his mind pushing the image of the crying boy to the back of his mind and goes to embrace his friends.