Flying. He is actually flying. 

Looking to his right he sees the beginning of a sunrise, to his left he sees the little bit of moon left from the night before. Looking down at himself however, reveals an interesting detail.

Chanyeol is now a bird. Of some kind. Apparently. And he is flying so high up in the air above the earth that even though there are no clouds in the sky he still feels the freezing temperature of the ozone layer creeping up and crawling over his skin.

Or feathers. Yeah, feathers.

Freedom feels so nice. The ability to choose exactly where one wants to go and how one wants to get there. The incredible bodily function of movement within the living organisms on earth.

In real life he might not be able to fly, but with his towering body and almost unrealistically long legs, he often gives the illusion of floating above everyone else.

In real life he might not be a bird, either.

Chanyeol loves the earth and the sky and everything in between. Most likely because he just fills up so much of that 'in between'. There are so many advantages to being... Well... Him.

Every step he takes could be counted as four for others. Everywhere he goes he automatically recieves quite a great amount of attention, and of course he's given space. The path clears for him because people seem to not enjoy standing in a tall man's way.

What is it about being so mobile and large that gives him this much power over other humans? It's not fair. But who is he to complain when standing on the podium of the winning team?

"...--yeol."

Nah, he isn't Chanyeol now. He is just a bird flying above the earth, drifting further and further away until the entire globe can fit into his vision with all the stars all around him. Stars he could reach if only he flapped his wings and--

"Chanyeol. Chanyeol--!"

Never mind. The earth is now too small to see and he's lost in the middle of the galaxy's nothingness, even moving his wings is pointless.

"Oh my god wake up already. Chanyeol!"

He is no longer a bird. There's no universe surrounding him anymore. Bird or not, he hates being woken up by Baekhyun's whiny voice. Not that it happens often, luckily. Only recently because Chanyeol just can't seem to get a grip of himself.

Maybe if he shuts his eyes tighter he will be able to pretend he didn't hear nor feel Baekhyun's annoying attempts at waking him up. What does he even want?

Chanyeol is too tired to bother being awake right now. After a whole night of non stop grinding for materials in one of the games he plays on his laptop in the dorm instead of studying, there's no point in even trying to act friendly.

His roommate will vouch for him if evidence is needed to be admitted to the person trying to pull his birdy self out of spacey dreamland.

"...Mmmgh, you're so noisy..."

A hoarse murmur rolled unattractively out of his throat while he regained control over his palms and raised them to his face. He rubbed his eyes with a childish yet grainy grunt and for the first time in about two hours, pulled his head up from the lecture table he rested on.

After an unneeded massage to his eyes that only made him see colors and shapes under the eyelids like a kaleidoscope for several seconds even while blinking them open, he is finally awake.

Unhappily awake, but what can he do.

In front of him stood Baekhyun, arms crossed, pout decorating his face like lemon would a puppy's, and other than the sound of his sole tapping on the tiled floor of the classroom, it's silent.

Wait, why is it so quiet? Wasn't he in a lecture only several moments ago? Was it before or after he was flapping his wings above the stratosphere?

"What?"

There wasn't even a hint of nice in the sharpness of the question that shot out of his mouth directly in his friend and classmate's direction. The latter seemed unfazed. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Baekhyun slammed a bunch of papers down on the table.

The sound echoed all through the large empty classroom except for the two of them, and there was a certain degree of a mourn Chanyeol felt when his much loved wooden pillow got covered by something he doesn't enjoy seeing.

"Papers."

Chanyeol stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, papers. Wow. And I thought I was the one who's having a hard time actually caring about reality."

Baekhyun rolled his eyes with a hint of sass.

"Don't come at me, at least I got the I needed for the next level. I'm gonna die for real."

Baekhyun sighed lengthily, his foot stopped beating against the floor and now only the sound of Chanyeol rumbling through the papers that were placed right under his nose can be heard. He already has all of these, why would he need more?

"Got them. Thanks."

He grabbed the pile in his hands and planned on shoving them towards Baekhyun's direction. No reason to waste more paper on earth just for the sake of throwing it away after. If his friend brought it, he can take it back to wherever it belongs.

But once his arms finally extended towards Baekhyun, he didn't wait much to push them right back and make sure the papers remain within Chanyeol's close reach right against his chest.

Questioning, Chanyeol furrowed his brows and tilted his head upwards at his friend. One of the very rare occasions where Chanyeol is not bigger than the world. Him sitting.

"I need a favour."

One of the two furrowed eyebrows rose up suspiciously, spiking a doubtful look at his oddly serious sounding classmate's voice and expression.

"You know there's that one student that can't ever get here to class?"

"Mmyeah. The one only you and the teacher know."

His friend nodded and allowed himself to sit down on top of the table located in front of Chanyeol's seat in the lecture hall, crossing one leg over the other and grabbing onto the outer corners of the wooden surface.

"Usually I go and give them the papers from the past... Who knows how many lessons they couldn't attend. Can't do it today though."

The explanation was simple and Chanyeol should have been able to guess something like this was coming at the moment he recognized the pile in his hands wasn't any new material to him.

But... Why. Why him of all people? This must be a punishment for falling asleep about a minute after arriving to class two hours ago when the lecture began.

Not that Chanyeol's particularly worried. He's the master of swallowing up material and then throwing it all out on exams when the times are due. Delaying tasks for the last moment is bad and blah blah blah. He knows.

It's the only way he learned how to study as a child because of his rather disliked field of interests. A very wide field that lies inside a very small machine that's waiting for him in his dorm room.

"Will you bring the papers to them? I'll write down the address for you, it's like a twenty minutes walk from here, then twenty back."

"Why can't you do it yourself today?"

Chanyeol's already debating what's worth more; The undeniable temptation itching up within him to sprint back to his room and continue what he does best? Or the academic future of a classmate he has never even met in his life?

Hey, maybe it would be worth it in the very slim chance of the student possibly being... Like... A hot grill or a cute boi or something. Chanyeol's nerdy hormones, no matter how socially popular he may be in university, don't come to fulfillment too often.

To put is simply, he won't miss such a golden chance to get laid.

He was given many chancea to achieve that before, and took whatever he could get. Lately though, he kind of prevented himself from getting it because late night supply hunts are more important than his dry ual drive when summer is approaching.

Maybe now will be it. 

"Gonna get checked at the doctor's. You remember that rash I told you about--"

"Okay, ew. Whatever, do that."

Baekhyun's eyes widened in front of Chanyeol's probably unexpected reaction.

"Wow, am I that good at convincing people or are you actually being kind?"

He asked, a small smile of a pleasant surprise already across his lips from being relieved of the burden. Was it even a burden for Baekhyun to do? If the missing student is what he thinks they are, Chanyeol's going to have a blast.

"Kind? Me? Have you lost your mind Baekhyun?"

The other snickered with an obvious sense of agreement and even slight enthusiasm towards the subject. So what if they sometimes play together and Chanyeol ends up stealing all the loot and never sharing?

So what if one time Baekhyun was only a few in-game money stacks short from purchasing the item of his dreams but Chanyeol wouldn't give it to him unless he'd be getting something in return? That something being free pizza the next day.

Maybe it's better not to reveal Chanyeol's underlying motive within the acceptance of the new mission. Especially since now is only around two in the afternoon, so if he hurries things up he'll get back in time to continue doing the nothing-useful that he loves doing most.

One downside to the fact that he had accepted the mission to take care of Baekhyun's own responsibility, is that he will have to actually do it. Doing it means walking twenty minutes to each direction under the hot sun.

In all honesty, Chanyeol doesn't hate being out together with the sun. There's something comforting about having the heat cover his exposed skin in a sort of vulnerability that reminds him he is still very small in this big big world.

The fact that all he is, is just a single little person whose decisions wouldn't change much in the world. He doesn't even want to change the world anyway.

It . He'd much rather become the bird he often dreams of being. He might not be able fly, but he does enjoy towering above everyone else very much like from a position of floating in the air.

At least it's only the beginning of the heat. A few months ahead will be a lot worse, and he would have definitely refused if Baekhyun came to him with the same request then.

Like the opposite cycle of the weather, Chanyeol remains inside a lot more, holed up in his room at the dorm during the summer to spend every breathe of his waking moments taking advantage of all the in-game summer events.

While in the winter and any other season really he's pretty much cool with being outside. As long as it isn't for too long, because he must at least get the daily login bonuses. Obviously.

It's fine today. Because Baekhyun is lucky that Chanyeol woke up with a little more drive this morning than usual. Because Chanyeol woke up a second time still pretty much eager for relief, and consuming a bit of fresh air could do no harm, especially if he plans to work out later on today.

"Thanks bro. Saved me some stress, just don't get lost on your way."

Baekhyun just had to push in the tease together with his gratefulness in the same sentence. He will never let Chanyeol actually win. Not in game and not in real life either it seems.

Doesn't matter, Chanyeol got his thanks and that's good enough. He would appreciate a bit more pay back for his favour, but this time he'll let it slide since it might result with his own benefit.

"Yeah, yeah. What am I dealing with exactly though?"

Chanyeol finally began activating his bodily muscles in order to move. Shoving himself along with the uncomfortably short lecture chair away from the table and easily getting up on his feet with a stretch. And a groan.

He might be an nerd that plays games whever he can, but he is also run by pride. Pride and self admiration. 

Populaity in university is just a side effect of the effort he puts into making sure he remains as dreamy as he portrays himself to be. Like, really. Being Tall, handsome, having a deep voice, a blinding smile and a well built figure? Boom.

Rotting away in his dorm room on the computer is his default state, and he basically hates exercising, but he knows it's necessary. Plus being physically active gives him a legitimate excuse as to why he doesn't watch what comes in his mouth.

A higher precentage of success in wooing whoever he feels like also comes with the hard work he puts into keeping in good shape. No time for such activities though, unless the mysterious absent student is really a catch.

"Oh I'm sure you won't be disappointed-- . I gotta go. Good luck man, don't feel obliged to be... well... yourself. Just drop the papers and go if you want, they already know it wouldn't be me today. See you tomorrow!"

Baekhyun's phone began beeping in the middle of his sentence, leaving Chanyeol intrigued yet wary, because he didn't recieve an actual answer.

In hurried steps his classmate made it to the door, waving goodbye briefly while his attention was directed towards the device his fingers began tapping onto vigorously.

Whatever. He'll do it, he might as well.

"Hope you won't find out you're going to die soon, you owe me like three bucks or something."

Chanyeol made sure to spew out at his distracted friend, but even while being elsewhere with his mind Baekhyun wouldn't skip a chance to bicker with Chanyeol with their back and forth outsmarting comments.

" you, your ty bucks are mine and I'll outlive you. You'll never get them back!"

He shouted half way from behind the slowly shutting door while stepping outside and winking at Chanyeol from the little gap left between the wood and the doorframe itself.

Fair enough. From the depth of Chanyeol's heart he really wishes for Baekhyun to always be happy and well. They've been friends ever since the very beginning of university, and simply grew on one another.

They share a lot of interests together so their clicking process was pretty short. As popular as Chanyeol might be around the rest of the students, Baekhyun really is on another level.

A rumour went around about a month ago that Baekhyun sold his phone number to a really rich girl from a different university, who saw pictures of him from some of her friends and wanted to get connected. Boy's a pro at handling himself.

That is how Chanyeol got here.

Almost exactly twenty minutes of walk from the university's gate just like Baekhyun had explained. Even the tip he threw at Chanyeol before leaving actually came from the heart.

Because this neighbourhood really is pretty difficult to navigate through. He can only assume that there were times at least at the beginning of this paper-fetching process when Baekhyun got lost on the way.

Not him though. Chanyeol got there without too much struggle. He might or might have not used google street view to know exactly where he's located and where to head next in order to reach his destination, but who cares? He did it.

Now he's here. Standing in front of a three storey building that looks like it's been built at least seventy years ago if not more. Grey and yellow and falling apart at every edge visible on the outside. This whole area gives off the exact same old and rundown vibe pretty much.

Houses that have been left to age untouched. Gardens around them unattended other than the side that faces the street itself that is being taken care of by the city's workers most likely.

His given address though, doesn't have a garden. It doesn't even have a main entrance door. Right from the pavement there is a path of cement stairs looking like they've been carved from inside the building itself.

Looking slightly upwards Chanyeol found at the end of the first stairs section stand two apartments' doors next to each other. Raising his eyes higher he noticed another pair of doors at the very end of the second staircase segment.

In all honesty, it looks like . Chanyeol didn't know what to expect at all, but seeing such a tired looking house had already brought the general score of the experience lower.

Following the little bit of instructions left for him by Baekhyun in a text message he sent from his way to the clinic, Chanyeol knew that the student he'll be delivering the papers to resides in one of the apartments on the third floor.

So primitive it feels to climb up a staircase while being out in the open like this. Everything exposed to the rest of the street even though it's vacant. The illusion he had of someone incredible surprising him seems less likely with every step he takes up the dusty stairs.

Wow, he's so shallow and gross for judging so hard even before seeing whoever this student might be that he'll be helping today. But really, this is kind of sad. Even the ty university dorms are in a better condition.

The sun is standing in the middle of the sky to sign half the light time for today had passed. There are a few small clouds floating around, but not enough to block the intensity of the rays.

From the way Chanyeol is now standing in front of the very last door the stairs lead to, he feels like he's going to be blinded. Everything about this place is awful, even the sun in the sky is menacing.

Was it worth it at all? So far it feels like a definite 'No'.

According to Baekhyun's message, this should be the place. Right beyond the... 'Do' household's door, apparently. Not that he has any intention of getting in. Well, maybe. Only if the student he'll encounter would be truly irresistible.

Sighing out pretty loudly actually helped him lose some of the tension that was held in his chest, whether if from climbing all the steps, or from the fact that he has a sense of worry yet anticipation towards the revalation.

Whatever will be there, that person is his classmate, so even if he won't feel like smashing, but passing, he should still be at least a little friendly to give a good impression. Not as friendly as Baekhyun though. That'd be fake and probably unachievable for him.

He knocked on the door a couple times and waited patiently. The bulk of papers already in his hands so he will be able to deliver it as quickly as possible in case he won't be pleased with what he sees.

Wow, he really is an . His whole thinking process is wrong, he's doing something good for a classmate who'll be thankful to him. Why does he even care about smashing or passing? Whatever. If caring about anything, it might as well be this.

Noises came from the other side of the door, and Chanyeol felt that pre-meeting anxiety. Flashback to middle school days where part of their curriculum as stupid little kids was to pass door to door in rich neighbourhoods asking for charity.

Except now he's an adult who wouldn't say no to some charity for himself, and he's in no way surrounded by any richness from any direction where he stands.

The door opened.

--

"What the Baekhyun?!"

Chanyeol shouted into the phone, huffing from the effort he puts into walking away as fast as he can from what he just experienced in front of the 'Do's house.

"Wow, dude what happened?"

Without realizing it, Chanyeol had already made it back to the university's gates. He walked at such speed and in such large steps. A path that took him twenty minutes to walk before was now over in less than seven.

"You could have at least warned me about it?!"

"Warned you? What are you talking about?"

Chanyeol's left hand is holding the phone to his ear, while his right arm is shoving open whichever door he needs to pass in order to get back to the dorms. Startling a few unsuspecting students with the storm that is himself almost sprinting by.

"About--- You know-- THEM. Maybe?!"

Good thing there are no classes at this hour, because he'd most likely be getting a detention ticket for being so loud in the halls. Both with his intimidating stomps on the floor, and his loud deep and serious angry voice.

"Are you kidding me Chanyeol? I'm not going to have this kind of conversation with you. I'm going to give you until tomorrow and if you aren't calm I'll have to reconsider our entire friendship status."

"Hah, you freak, what a hypocrite. Thinking you're so much better than me for being so 'accepting' all the time. You're full of shi---"

He can feel it bubbling within him, the need to just shove everything out of his way and possibly slam something or even someone against some wall. He's not used to being this angry, not even when playing games.

Unless he counts that one time he literally threw his expensive gaming mouse down and smashed it on the floor. But that was about four whole years ago and he's come a long way since then. Or has he?

"I'm not dealing with this you . What the hell is wrong with you?! I'm hanging up. Oh, before I do. I'll be gone next week on the same day as well so for you but you'll have to deliver again."

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

. 

How dare Baekhyun hang up on him like this. His blood is on fire right now.

With a loud bang Chanyeol slammed his dorm room's door open against the wall carelessly. He stepped inside and slammed it behind him again. Quickly after a few taps of feet on the floor were heard approaching him.

"Chanyeol? What happened?"

Jongdae's head popped out sideways from behind the small hallway's wall. Seems like he's watching television or something in the living room because he can hear the awful quality speakers of the television rumbling.

"Nothing, Baekhyun's being a prick again."

He spat back coldly and proceeded by slaming his own bedroom's door open, throwing his bag on the floor with a thud, and then his phone onto the mattress before leaving the room and stomping towards the kitchen.

As he passed by Jongdae, his lovely and extremely considerate roommate that luckily spends most hours of the night awake himself, his eyes followed after him.

"He just gave me these stupid papers to hand out to a student who isn't in class."

Chanyeol began explaining, the anger is very much present, but now it's targeted inwards instead of out at his surroundings. As angry as he is, Jongdae doesn't deserve to be a victim. Baekhyun doesn't either but he's too late for that.

"So like sure, I know I was being SUPER duper kind, and I agreed to do it for him because of the doctor's appointment."

"Mhmm."

Jongdae hums in return now, resting against the kitchen counter. He watches how Chanyeol pulls an energy drink out of the fridge and nearly cracks the entire can with the force.

"Then I got there and it was . I thought I'll be able to get laid or something but I got that... I-don't-even-know person."

Wait. Wait a minute. What is he so angry really?

He came there to fulfill Baekhyun's task, not anything else. He came there with no expectations, only with curiousity and maybe a bit of subtle anticipation just from the thrill of it all.

"You're such an ."

Jongdae replied nonchalantly but honestly. Chanyeol can't deny. He's an . And now he's stuck in the same task again for next week. Who does Baekhyun think he is? Chanyeol would have never agreed to this stupid mission if he knew who was waiting behind that door.

Actually... Did he even pay any attention to who was behind the door? It almost felt like the door opened on its own. Which wouldn't make sense because he heard noises coming from inside before it did.

All he remembers is something short. Because at the moment the door opened and his eyes caught the view, all he could do was shove the papers at the miserable person and run off without a word.

Chanyeol is an .

He knows exactly what sort of person was behind that door. He's just a disgusting piece of that has no respect and no compassion for anybody. Not even his very own good friend that tasked him to the stupid delivery.

Poor kid. He couldn't even see his face. Chanyeol was so surprised to discover what he did that his instinct just told him to activate the 'Drop & hop' biological mechanism of the body to protect one's self from too much of a surprise.

Chanyeol is an , but he isn't stupid. At least he kind of has an excuse for why he was being one. Maybe. 

The fire in his blood has long been replaced with sugar and caffeine from the energy drink and he nearly forgot why he was angry at all to begin with.

He knows the general reason of why he gets angry though. His unhealthy habits. Which include literally everything about his life as a whole currently. Except for working out maybe, but he trashes that too by eating and drinking garbage like the drink he currently has in his hand.

Wordlessly, Chanyeol stood up from the couch he had already plopped himself down onto before. He spent a few minute staring blankly at the television screen.

But now even his cold selfish heart is seeking some sort of redemption. So he called the second victim of today's mess.

"Hey Baekhyun."

Standing against the wall with his shoulder, Chanyeol stared at Jongdae who's still sitting and watching whatever show is being broadcasted on the screen.

"What do you want, ?"

"I admit my mistakes this time. I just... I didn't know how to take it."

It was quiet for a while, and then he could hear his friend sigh from the other side of the line.

"Maybe chill, first. I don't understand why you got so angry? Like what the hell. Poor kid must have been scarred for life. Don't--- you dare say any jokes about that."

Chanyeol wasn't planning to. He was an and he feels bad about it. Now it's his time to sigh, and he turns so that his entire back rests against the cold wall of his and Jongdae's dorm room.

Whatever, it's not like he's supposed to actually care about that person. It's their problem and he's just there to deliver them what he considers even more trouble. Though in his rush down the stairs of that rundown building he did hear a 'Thank you' flow in the air from above.

"Kay. Doesn't matter now. I'll just give the papers and leave normally next time."

He settled with this. A good enough decision to satisfy all parties involved in the business. Well, not really. It's just easier for Chanyeol's childish computer mind to treat things like this as part of a game.

"You know you could offer them your help. You'll do better at whatever help they might need than me."

Baekhyun is clearly judging him and trying to hint him into actually being a good person towards someone who's a total stranger to Chanyeol? Wow, since when does Baekhyun himself care about anybody?

"Nice try. See you tomorrow."

"Yup. Hopefully you'll be awake to see me at all."

Again Baekhyun with his endless teases.

"I changed my mind I'll be spending the day with my eyes closed."

The conversation ended and Chanyeol returned to his seat by Jongdae's side on their old couch that smells like a mixture of grease and paper.

It'll be fine. It's not like he did something wrong anyway.

If anything, he did so well he has the rest of this entire day to continue his grinding to prepare for the summer events on the game he plays with Baekhyun. Mostly without him, actually, because even Baekhyun has higher morals than him about life.

Deep inside Chanyeol hoped that next week will never come, because it'd be way too bothersome and awkward to deal with that same person again. The one he barely got to see at all because of their unexpected appearance.

He shouldn't listen to Baekhyun. Chanyeol is strong, but it's for himself. Not in order to waste this strength on behalf of anybody else. Especially not a stranger who has seen him in his worst state on their very first meeting.

Chanyeol is not a bird in tonight's dream. He's a horse running through endlessly spreading fields of green. There's not a single living thing along with him on the never ending run forward and at some point he feels a little lost.

At least he's free to roam around as he pleases in the dream. No flight maybe, but his incredible speed makes him feel like he's floating in the air that brushes against his long mane.

Is he running in his dream because he ran away from what he didn't know how to handle in real life? Horses are scared of pretty much anything. So maybe.