Swimming. He's swimming now. Fast. Instead of a bird in the sky or a horse in a field, Chanyeol is some sort of water creature. It's impossible for him to turn his body around in order to catch a glimpse of what exactly, but it feels nice.

It's beautiful down under the sea with the sun rays shining and breaking at the surface, illuminating pieces of gathered colorful coral sections where hundreds of small fish are rushing around.

Out of curiousity, Chanyeol swam closer to the coral, quietly, peacefully, easily flowing through the gentle waves. But the closer he approached the beautiful view the further away the little fish swam to hide.

Floating lightly above the beautiful aquatic garden, Chanyeol was able to see his own shadow being cast down on the edgy surface beneath him. He's large, gigantic, a pointy small triangular nose, a large body and two wide pectoral fins on each side.

He's a shark. 

Chanyeol loves sharks. They're just out there trying to survive while millions of imbecile people fear their harmless natural behaviour because of some douche that decided to make a movie about sharks being evil.

Suddenly, there's a sound of a ring coming from above the surface of the water. Curious due to how bubbly and dim it sounds underwater, shark Chanyeol swam back up, sticking as close to the surface as possible.

It was louder, until he finally stuck his shark head out into the air and--

Woke up. It was his alarm clock ringing two hours earlier than the time he'd have to be waking up in order to get to the exam leisurely.

At first he was a little dazed when he realized what hour the clock was displaying in his palm, but after coming back to his consciousness by staring at the ringing alarm he remembered why he set up to be woken this early.

Kyungsoo.

Today is the date of their very last, final exam in university ever. From here on out, at the moment the exam is over they are technically free until graduation. Unless Chanyeol would decide to assist in preparations for the last party. Hint, he won't.

While cleaning and dressing up Chanyeol realized just how relieved he feels at this momwnt. He isn't worried at all about how well he'll do in the exam since he studied with Kyungsoo, and he feels confident about the material.

Normally before exams he'd wake up at the very final ring of his alarm, exhausted after barely half an hour of sleep because he would have studied everything during the night of the previous day.

But now, now he can wake up and actually hum to himself while tying his shoeslaces by the dorm's door.

Even though he has a lot of time until the exam even begins and students are allowed to enter any of the test classes at all, he isn't bothered. Because Chanyeol's got another plan to take care of before getting and completing his finals.

That plan being Kyungsoo.

Well, not to do Kyungsoo, but do something for Kyungsoo.

The thought about Kyungsoo's parents having to take a day off work just in order to get him to the university for the exam kept haunting Chanyeol's mind during the entire week. And while knowing that he's able to do it on his own after their trip to the hair salon, Chanyeol decided to do something.

Quietly he exit the dorm room, making sure he doesn't wake up Jongdae, who just like any normal person would want to be asleep at such an hour before an important exam. But who's Chanyeol to complain about it?

Kyungsoo is probably already awake as well, preparing himself to feel the guilt of having to bother his parents into helping him out for the exam. If Kyungsoo can be awake, so can Chanyeol.

The sun was calm in the sky and some nice colder air was breezing against his skin when he walked towards the familiar building, and hopped up the thirty seven steps effortlessly.

Two knocks as always, it's the rule. It's their identification. If Kyungsoo is indeed awake it means he will be hearing creaks any moment now.

He heard no creaks, but the door began unlocking. Huh? Was Kyungsoo already by the door somehow?

No. In front of him behind the half opened door stood a confused woman. The same woman that carried the ingredients-filled plastic bags up to the Do apartment back when he saw her arrive after work, probably.

The surprise didn't make Chanyeol waver even a bit. Instead, he grinned down at the short woman calmly.

"Good morning Ma'am. I came to take Kyungsoo to the exam."

"You what...?"

She asked, her eyes wide and wonderous. Chanyeol understood where Kyungsoo's genes came from, and for some reason it made him raise a little higher in the cuteness scale inside Chanyeol's mind.

Now he heard a few familiar chair creaks rolling around the little apartment and echoing outwards to where he stands in front of the door. He knew Kyungsoo would be awake by now.

The creaks approached closer to the door until Kyungsoo's head popped behind his mother's body, eyes as big and wonderous as hers, except with a shine of happiness added to them.

"Mom! This is Chanyeol. The friend that took me out to get the haircut."

Kyungsoo explained, gently holding onto his mother's hand and smiling with a glint of excitement. How cute. Chanyeol must have surprised him by coming over this early and unexpectedly. He hasn't told Kyungsoo about planning to help him.

"That's me~"

He grinned again and pointed his own large finger at himself, revealing a toothy grin of confidence. In no way was he trying to impress Kyungsoo's mother. The lifted mood came to him simply from seeing just how happy Kyungsoo became from seeing him stand there.

Kyungsoo behind his mother nodded at Chanyeol with a shining smile and quickly turned and rolled back into the apartment, probably to continue getting ready. Chanyeol realized he kept following his friend with his eyes until Kyungsoo's mother came between them.

Now checking her reaction to the situation, he was surprised to find out she looks like she's about to cry. Without a word she grabbed Chanyeol's hand with both of her own. Holding tight and looking down at it.

Then she raised her eyes and looked directly into Chanyeol's eyes. Her expression filled with so many emotions, fondness, gratefulness, relief. She just held his palm like this, communicating her feelings out to Chanyeol wordlessly.

Chanyeol could understand it all, he also understood where Kyungsoo himself got the ability to express himself so well simply with facial expressions. 

A few moments later Kyungsoo rolled back to the door, interrupting his mother's silent exchange of thankfulness with Chanyeol by smiling up at him and distracting him from his mother's eyes.

The lovely lady then leaned down and planted a kiss on Kyungsoo's head. Wishing him good luck while thanking Chanyeol out loud for his assistance.

Getting Kyungsoo down the stairs and onto the street was easier this time. Chanyeol almost felt comfortable carrying Kyungsoo in his arms. It was warm and pleasant to have the boy wrapped around him tightly like this.

Finally down the stairs, Chanyeol gave the Do's household one last glance, seeing Kyungsoo's mother waving goodbye at him until they walked far enough out of her sight.

A soft yet soothing wave of warmth washed over Chanyeol from the inside during their walk to the university. Kyungsoo rolling and creaking a little by his side on his own, and Chanyeol lost in thoughts about the way Kyungsoo's mother expressed just how thankful she was.

Kyungsoo probably never had a proper friend, in the state he currently is. And the fact that the mother knew who Chanyeol was because of Kyungsoo's words means that Chanyeol's influence on his life was just this immense.

They get to the university grounds. From obvious reasons, grabbing quite a lot of attention from the other students who pass by them. Not only because of Kyungsoo's state even though he is getting nervous like the attention is solely on him.

But also because Chanyeol is known around the university as one who would never go out of his way for anybody ever. No matter how close or how distant they are, you'll never get any sort of affection of attention from him.

So seeing him walk beside Kyungsoo's creaking old chair in a sort of cool yet almost protective way, wearing a cold and distant expression towards anybody that dares to give them a glance, is quite a sight.

They made it into the hallway, passing by countless surprised faces, one of them recognizable to Chanyeol. It was Baekhyun. Standing there and staring at them in shock.

Chanyeol laughed to himself silently, amused by how surprised his friend was. So much so that he couldn't even step out of the aligned students and greet them.

But shortly after, Jongdae does. He steps out from behind a couple students and walks straight to Kyungsoo with a bright and friendly smile. His usual angelic vibe is as present as ever.

"Hey, you're Kyungsoo, right? It's a pleasure to meet you finally! I was wondering where Chanyeol went off so early in the morning hahaha."

His friend smiled, chuckling heartfully towards Kyungsoo who looked a little overwhelmed by the amount of niceness that can flow out of a single person, but he quickly smiled and nodded in approval.

"I'll be taking the exam in the same room as you, we could sit together!"

"Alright. Yes."

Kyungsoo responded right away, significantly calmer now that he found a new friendly face in the frozen crowd.

When they made it to the room Jongdae entered first, and through the opened door of the class Chanyeol could see how he already began pushing some tables and chairs all around in order to make sure Kyungsoo will have enough space and a comfortable spot.

Jongdae's really the best. Even Baekhyun's surprised is the best. Without the two of them he'd never be in such a peculiar amazing situation with a great person by his side.

Before entering Chanyeol tapped Kyungsoo's shoulder to grab his attention and handed him the bag he was carrying for his friend's sake the entire time. The bag containing the important exam acceptable notes and writing tools.

"I'll take you back when you're done, if you finish before me just wait here."

Kyungsoo confirms with a calmer nod of confidence before rolling into the classroom. Leaving Chanyeol on his own to travel up to the second floor where his own exam will be taken with Baekhyun sitting beside him, as expected.

The two of them spoke for a little while before the exam papers were given out. Baekhyun was probably really out of the loop this entire time if he really hadn't realized Chanyeol's true interest in Kyungsoo.

Actually, Chanyeol himself wasn't entirely sure what it was exactly that made him so interested in Kyungsoo. Sure, he's cute, as heck, beautiful too, his voice is soft and his smile looks like heaven, but Chanyeol's not interested in Kyungsoo in that way.

Kyungsoo has become his friend. He feels calm and judgement free whenever Kyungsoo's with him. Like he doesn't need to prove himself to be anything other than what his heart truly says.

Quickly enough, Chanyeol finished the exam. Leaving Baekhyun looking either concentrated or devastated behind him in the classroom. It was easy. Every answer came to him without a struggle and he already knew he aced it, just like always. Except this time the feeling of success was sweet, and not bitter due to being too exhausted after binge studying the night before.

Without a rush or worry, Chanyeol goes back to the first floor and places himself beside the door of the classroom in which Kyungsoo's taking the exam at. Leaning against the wall, he busied himself with random games on his phone.

He heard steps approach him in the silent hallways, but whoever it might be doesn't deserve any of his attention more than the game he's playing. Not until he reazlied a pair of heavy boots were standing right beside him.

Raising his eyes from the screen of his device, Chanyeol was not surprised to find it was none other than Chris Lee. The main bully. The bad guy of university. Chanyeol's friend, too, apparently. At least according to himself. And their slowly falling apart sort of financial agreement.

Without a word the man leaned against the wall by his side and sighed, stinking from cigarettes that Chanyeol really cannot stand at all.

"You know it's useless, right?"

He spoke, Chanyeol didn't want to see what kind of face he was making. So he focused back on the matching sort of game in his phone.

"What is?"

"That stupid crippled. He'll never have a future."

What the is he talking about. Why would he even care about Kyungsoo?

" off."

Chanyeol replied immediately, coldly, impatiently. He's not up for this bull. Chris is giving him enough trouble as is. He'd really rather not get even further involved with this monster of a person.

He still didn't raise his eyes from the screen.

"Hah. You're cute. Everyone saw how you looked at him today at the hall. I'm doing you a favor buddy."

"Dude, off. This 'crippled' is better than you'll ever be."

Chanyeol wouldn't get involved, but he wouldn't allow his friends to be stepped on by anybody without doing anything. Even if mere months ago Chanyeol would have probably been joking about Kyungsoo with Chris himself.

Months ago he would have gone as far as call him terrible words and say horrible things about him just because. 

He didn't yet care. He didn't yet know what it feels like to have a person be truly and innocently kind to him.

So today he won't step back from confronting this badmouthing of a person who deserves none of it.

"You think you're so clever Chanyeol, huh? You think I didn't know you've been busy playing with that lame excuse of a human for the past months?"

Chris snickered, but there was something dark and intimidating lying beneath his tone.

"If he's going to become a problem with our situation with you, I won't hesitate to make sure he will no longer be around."

Chanyeol huffed out, feeling the anger bubble down in his stomach. He felt Chris' anger grow into his muscles as well. This is not good.

"What are you going to do if he becomes a problem? Will you take care of him on your own?"

"I would if I had to. Don't you ing dare touch him."

He finally replied, deeply, coldly. With confidence that caught Chris a little off guard, but brought another tint into his squinting black eyes, maliciousness.

"The creaking of the garbage pisses me off. You better step down and not get involved. You're my buddy, Chanyeol, rich Chanyeol, remember?"

Chris insisted on, a weird crank of a creepy smile half stretched across his lips and only irritated the very last of Chanyeol's nerves more.

If this man will do anything to Kyungsoo just because Chanyeol decided to spend more time with him than spend time wasting money with Chris on useless things, Chanyeol really doesn't know what he'll end up doing.

Kyungsoo is the last person on this planet deserving to be mistreated. He wouldn't allow anything to happen to him. Kyungsoo's been through enough. He's constantly 'being through' every single day of his life already.

"Don't. You. Dare."

Chanyeol threatened, sliding the phone into his pocket and tightening his fist inside of it, hopefully to avoid actually starting a physical fight with Chris like his body is so itching to do. It'd be dangerous, nobody knows whether or not this guy's carrying a knife.

"Or what? You'll actually fight me? Are you sure you're ready to deal with breaking our agreement? Our business? Oh right. I forgot that he's so ing he is literally unable to do anything on his own, not even get the stupid juice you always wanted from him so bad."

That's it, the straw that broke the camel's back. Chanyeol's rage peaked to the very edges of the nerves all over his body, and without a second of spare thought, he threw a punch right at Chris' jaw, jutting at him with another one prepared after the man had been thrown off balance.

But Chris retaliated fast and began kicking Chanyeol's legs and front, blocking whichever attempt of a punch he tried to throw in his way. 

It was stupid, Chanyeol knows little to nothing about actual physical fights, while knowing that Chris is considered the unbeatable god of said fights. What is he going to do? He started something he might not be able to finish.

Maybe gaining power and strength from the reason this fight even began will be enough to keep him at an advantage. So while thinking about Chris' horrible words about Kyungsoo, Chanyeol continued the battle.

Punches, kicks, hits and smacks flew all over the hallways between them. Blood gathering across their faces and knuckles and anything that's come in contact between them. It's gotten loud, students began gathering around them, too.

Taking out their cellphones and filming everything without getting involved themselves, because until any professor or university staff will arrive to break the fight, it'll be good evidence. And a damn good memory from university.

Two professors and one of the janitors had to step in to stop them, Chris repeatedly shouted curses and other vulgar expressions about Kyungsoo, about how their buddy-buddy connection has come to an end and he better watch his back.

The crowd dissolved, and Chanyeol was left on his own by the classrom in which Kyungsoo's exam is being taken. Feeling a little sorry for causing a ruckus, but not one bit sorry for standing up against Kyungsoo's offender.

Whatever. It's not like he cares. He wasn't taken to the principal's office because the other students knew it wasn't his fault and convinced the professor to let him go.

Whatever. He won't allow even a dangerous man like Chris to on Kyungsoo. He's not the type of person to participate in such behaviour anymore.

Back to busying himself with the game on his phone, Chanyeol's face was hurting, but he knew it's pointless to try and fix it up now. The best way to allow punches to heal is to just let the face do it on its own.

Now calmer for Kyungsoo's sake but slightly more nervous for his own sake, Chanyeol didn't even realize how long had passed since the fight ended, or the exams began, but he was surprised to hear the creaking of Kyungsoo's chair from inside the classroom.

Quickly he slid the phone back in his pocket and turned to look at the door that began opening. Slowly Kyungsoo rolled himself out and sighed with relief, only to jump once he realized Chanyeol was standing right beside him.

"C-Chanyeol? Are you okay? What happened to your face?"

The boy's expression turned from relief to surprise to concern. Seeing Chanyeol's wounded face like this must have worried him a lot, because although he still gives out a vibe of innocence his stress is noticable.

"It's nothing. Just an talking ."

He replied a little sharply, just the sound of Chris' voice saying such awful things about Kyungsoo ticked his nerves again and tensed up his body, making him clench his fist again while averting his eyes from Kyungsoo.

It was silent for a while, but then he heard a sigh escape from Kyungsoo's mouth and felt a very soft tug to the edge of his sleeve.

"It's fine, really."

But the tugging didn't stop, the boy kept pulling down on Chanyeol's sleeve gently until he finally realized he needs to kneel down.

Right there, right by the door of the exam's classroom, Chanyeol kneeled down in front of Kyungsoo's chair, looking at him quietly, still a little buzzed from the adrenaline of the fight, but very grounded now with Kyungsoo in his sight. Maybe even a little... Shy?

Quietly, Kyungsoo pulled out a small wet wipe out of his bag, and leaned forward. He very carefully began dabbing the wipe over Chanyeol's face, the cool sensation was actually relaxing, Chanyeol felt his body slowly soothing down.

Although Kyungsoo was busy very gently cleaning his face from the dust, and the dried blood left overs, Chanyeol felt no pain. His eyes were locked onto Kyungsoo's face. Round and beautiful and soft, giving off a feeling of security and fragility.

He didn't feel a thing, he didn't care even if Kyungsoo would begin slapping him now, he didn't, but he wouldn't mind because Kyungsoo's face is mesmerizing and so close to his own. He's so pretty and Chanyeol couldn't have been happier to have gotten in the fight in order to get this view of his friend.

After spending a while longer by purchasing and eating some ice cream together on the way to Kyungsoo's home from the exam, they made it up. Kyungsoo's hug around Chanyeol's body to climb up the stairs this time was tighter. More sincere.

At least Chanyeol felt like it was, he couldn't really tell from Kyungsoo's neutral expression.

"I'll see you soon enough, alright?"

He asked his classmate with a small slightly crooked smile due to the bloating on the side of his lips. Kyungsoo stared up at him in silence for a little while, and rolled closer to him, sliding his palms over Chanyeol's hand.

His hands were small and soft, both of them holding together to Chanyeol's hand were still barely enough to cover his entire palm. Still examining what is the meaning of Kyungsoo's decision to hold to his hand, he kept looking at him.

Only to see that Kyungsoo's looking at Chanyeol's hand with fondness and longing. Almost like he's silently praying that Chanyeol wouldn't leave. Or maybe just trying to express how thankful he is, just like his mother.

How cute. Kyungsoo's just so adorable, and his hair-free face is so wonderful and bright and Chanyeol feels a little bit like he himself doesn't want to leave the doorstep.

"Hey, I'll come back. I promise."

Chanyeol assured his friend with a warm smile. Kyungsoo's eyes were shining with bliss, and Chanyeol just couldn't help but send his free hand out to ruffle the short hair of his adorable seated friend to make him laugh.

They separated their hands from one another and Chanyeol kept glancing back at the Do apartment every few steps while it was still in his eyesight.

He didn't do any physical work, so why does his heart beat so fast?

An image of Kyungsoo's smile of happiness from having his hair ruffled moments ago flashed up in his head, and Chanyeol realized that the reason his pulse started racing is very obvious after all.

Chanyeol is definitely most certainly crushing on Kyungsoo. Really hard.