Kyungsoo walked towards the taxi, suitcase right by his side.  

“I’ll take those for you.” The driver said as he grabbed the luggage and hauled it into the back.

“Thank you.” Kyungsoo replied.

Today was the day that he was going to be introduced to Los Angeles. He had been excited ever since Jongdae had invited him. When he told his friends at the coffee shop about it, they wanted to know details right away.

“Los Angeles? I actually have a friend from there! Take me!” BamBam blurted out. Minseok had merely given him an apron and told him to get to work. The younger did, after throwing a pout in their direction.

Kyungsoo smiled fondly at the memory. Bam was pretty funny even when he didn’t want to be.

“Are you smiling ‘cuz you’re excited?”

Kyungsoo heard the voice and straightened up quickly. He had been so busy thinking about his coworkers that he didn’t notice Baekhyun approaching him. Kyungsoo looked towards the direction of the voice and saw Baekhyun in a white t shirt accompanied with light blue jeans. He wore a face mask under his chin and a white snapback with white shoes. He was smiling widely at him.

“I’m excited too.” Baekhyun told him as he got closer.

“I can take your bags.” The taxi driver had returned and took the bags from Baekhyun’s hands.

“Thanks.” Baekhyun replied. His eyes went back to Kyungsoo. “It’s my first time in L.A.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Mine too. Isn’t Disneyland there?”

Baekhyun smiled wider, “Yeah! Maybe we’re gonna have time to go.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t fight the grin that began to spread on his features. Baekhyun was irrestible when he was happy and adorable when he got excited.

“But I feel we’re gonna spend most of the time at the beach.”

“We can always get away and go somewhere else too.” Kyungsoo told him.

Baekhyun’s eyes shined, “Yeah, but Jongdae’s company rented out a hotel right next to the beach with a whole bunch of activities.”

Kyungsoo let out a pout as he thought, he actually hadn’t asked where they would be staying. He simply trusted that Jongdae had everything planned out and didn’t bother asking much else.

Baekhyun’s face suddenly scrunched up and his eyes turned into crescents. His smile went up, “Kyungsoo, you look so cute like that.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth then become a straight line as he did his best to control his emotions. “Huh?”

Baekhyun got closer and he tilted his head as he approached his face. “You’re adorable, Soo.”

Kyungsoo felt himself blush and he lifted up his hands to push onto Baekhyun’s chest. “Yah!” He yelled out, but the smile didn’t leave his face.

Baekhyun chuckled as he , “Why so red Soo?”

Kyungsoo laughed and he threw his head back, “Yah!”

Baekhyun laughed hard and grabbed onto Kyungsoo’s wrist. “Come on, let’s get on before Minseok and Jongdae get here.” He sent a wink in the younger’s direction, “You can sit next to me.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “What joy.” He answered sarcastically.

Jongdae and Minseok came down not too long after and the four of them were on their way to the airport in Seoul. He looked out the car window at the buildings they passed on their way there. Little did he know, this was going to be one of the most memorable trips he would ever take.

***

Getting to the hotel proved to take much longer than they thought it would. They arrived to LAX after their thirteen hour flight, Kyungsoo spent most of it sleeping. They got off and there was a big crowd as everyone pushed to try and squeeze out. LAX was crowded with a lot of people, it was difficult to walk without brushing against someone. He kept his head down, simply following Minseok who was ahead of him. As he walked, he suddenly felt a light tug on the back of his shirt, he turned his head and saw Baekhyun looking at him wide eyed as he got pushed around. Kyungsoo’s instincts immediately took over and he grabbed onto the latter’s wrist, pulling him to walk ahead of him. There was no way he was about to let Baekhyun get pushed around by anyone. Kyungsoo’s hands traveled down underneath Baekhyun’s arms and he squeezed tight as they walked towards their bags. Baekhyun didn’t brush him off, he actually seemed comfortable with it. Baekhyun grabbed Kyungsoo’s bag and his own and Kyungsoo guided him outside, following Jongdae and Minseok. They both didn’t say a word, they wouldn’t be able to hear anyway because of how loud the airport was and the facemasks they wore. But, Kyungsoo noticed that they didn’t need to speak. With the simple touch of Kyungsoo’s hands on Baekhyun demonstrated everything he was thinking: I’ll protect you Baekhyun.

A big bus had been waiting for them outside. Kyungsoo hadn’t anticipated so many people coming, but then again, Jongdae had said that the company was paying for it. All of his coworkers were there with their loved ones and they all climbed onto the bus after placing their bags in the cargo area. Jongdae and Minseok entered first, Kyungsoo had to let go of Baekhyun so the elder could climb in. His hands slowly began to go down, but Baekhyun’s hand reached down and squeezed Kyungsoo’s before it could fall down completely. Baekhyun’s hand was soft and was gentle. Kyungsoo felt his heart beat faster as he began to realize that Baekhyun didn’t want him to leave. He wanted him to stay close, even on the bus. He lifted up his head to face Baekhyun, but the latter was already climbing inside the bus, pulling Kyungsoo inside with him. Kyungsoo walked behind Baekhyun, their hands never letting go, even after they had both taken their seats.

Kyungsoo looked around and saw that Minseok and Jongdae had sat next to each other. They both looked just as jet lagged as Kyungsoo felt. He smiled at them and they gave him a lazy smile back. Minseok’s eyes went down to find Kyungsoo’s hand intertwined with Baekhyun’s and Kyungsoo felt himself blush. He tried pulling away but Baekhyun merely squeezed tighter, his eyes never left the window he was staring out of. A couple of seconds later, the bus roared to life and they were on their way out of LAX. Baekhyun fell asleep on Kyungsoo’s shoulder shortly after. Again, he had the light scent of strawberries.

L.A. proved to be very crowded. The traffic to get out of the airport was tremendous, Kyungsoo gave up hoping that they would arrive quickly to the hotel. After about two hours on the freeway, he finally saw the hotel they would be staying at. It was next to the beach, just like Baekhyun had said. They arrived sometime in the evening, Kyungsoo felt jet lagged and tired. Everyone scurried off the bus once it had come to a full stop. Kyungsoo had to shake Baekhyun awake and the elder perked up quickly, looking in every direction before suddenly realizing where he was and giving Kyungsoo a small grin. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but laugh at his groggy look.

Getting their bags out was much harder than piling them in. It took about thirty minutes for everyone to get their luggage. Kyungsoo rubbed his eyes once he got his bag and escaped the crowd. He felt jet lagged and tired, he needed sleep.

“You good?” Minseok asked him.

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Yeah, just a little sleepy.”

Minseok nodded, “Yeah, we spent practically half a day getting here.” He added as he stretched his legs.

“Ok guys,” Jongdae walked up to them with a smiling Baekhyun behind him. “These are your room keys.”

Kyungsoo reached out and grabbed one. “Is everyone here in that hotel?”

Jongdae nodded, “The company rented out the whole hotel for us.”

“Wow! That’s really generous.” Minseok said as his eyebrows went up.

Jongdae chuckled, “They’re happy we made that deal with Japan.” He lifted up his room key, “The room number is on the card.”

Kyungsoo looked down at the card he had gotten, “We each have our own room?”

Jongdae nodded, “Yeah, let’s go!”

The four of them took an elevator up to their rooms. It turned out that the rooms were all next to each other. Kyungsoo wasn’t aware that he would be sleeping alone, he assumed that he would sleep with Minseok. But, he was fine with this arrangement too. Kyungsoo unlocked the door and turned his head to find Baekhyun looking at him curiously, “We’re neighbors again.”

Kyungsoo smiled back, “Yeah, we are.”

“Oh, and guys,” Jongdae began, “There is going to be a dinner in about thirty minutes in the main dining area. So see you back here in thirty minutes.”

They all went into their rooms after that. The room was very spacious and clean. It had a queen sized bed and balcony. He felt rich as he walked deeper inside, he would never be able to afford something so extravagant. It was amazing that he wasn’t going to have to share either, this was all for him.

Kyungsoo felt tired, but he was also hungry. Baekhyun seemed to be hyper and active, but then it dawned on him that the elder had knocked out on the plane and on the bus ride. He chuckled as he shook his head, Baekhyun even slept cutely. He put his suitcase on the floor and began unpacking, placing his clothing in the drawers and hanging some of them using the coat hangers given to him. Once he finished unpacking he quickly got into other clothes that he deemed would be appropriate for a dinner. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much in terms of formal but he did pack an emergency dress shirt which he could use for the occasion. He heard his stomach let out a slight growl and he decided that he would eat, come back to sleep and then enjoy his little vacation.

***

Kyungsoo had woken up a little early the next morning and went over to Minseok’s room to find him awake. He was watching television as he sat on the bed that was already made and ready. He sat next to him and decided to message Baekhyun (luckily the hotel had good wifi) but he didn’t respond. He assumed that it was because the elder was still sleeping.

“You hungry?” Kyungsoo asked as he looked away from his phone and at Minseok instead.

Minseok turned off the television, “Yeah, I was going to message you, but you knocked on the door instead.”

“Should we wait for Jongdae and Baekhyun?”

Minseok shook his head. “I think we can manage on our own. Plus, knowing them, they probably slept really late.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Probably,” Baekhyun and Jongdae seemed like the type to stay up late, they were very playful when they were around each other.

“We can just meet them on the beach later.” Minseok added as he began to walk towards the door.

Kyungsoo nodded as he followed him out into the lobby. Breakfast consisted of an all you can eat buffet with everything one could imagine. He would forever be grateful to Jongdae for inviting him.

“This is really good.” Minseok would say after everything he bit into.

Kyungsoo had to agree, everything he served himself was very tasty.

After the both of them had their fill, they decided to relax on the beach. So, they went back into their rooms and grabbed their towels and put on their sunscreen. They made their way outside onto the beach sand and stopped under a tree that was providing a lot of shade. Kyungsoo laid his towel out onto the sand and sat on it. Minseok placed a chair next to him and sat himself down. He took out a book and began reading. Kyungsoo laid on his back and released a breath as he shut his eyes. He was wearing a black t shirt and swimming.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he suddenly felt something rough graze his face and he opened his eyes. It seemed like Minseok kicked up and sand had gotten onto Kyungsoo’s cheek. His eyes darted to Minseok who was smiling at someone in the distance.

“Hey guys.” Minseok greeted as he waved.

Kyungsoo’s eyes looked in the direction that Minseok was waving at and he felt his smile begin to come up slowly. Baekhyun was walking towards them, wearing a white long sleeve with white shorts. His blonde hair was messy across his forehead and his black roots were beginning to show, but he looked good nonetheless.

“Where were you guys?” Jongdae asked. Kyungsoo hadn’t even noticed that he was walking next to Baekhyun.

“Waiting for you.” Minseok answered.

Baekhyun got closer and eventually sat next to Kyungsoo. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” Baekhyun asked. He crossed his legs as he sat closer.

Kyungsoo smiled as he looked away. “You sleep too much.”

Baekhyun laughed, “It’s called a vacation.” He replied playfully.

Kyungsoo looked back at him, “Lazy.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “Relaxation.” He told him as he poked his cheek.

Kyungsoo grabbed Baekhyun’s hand and smirked at him, “Lazy.”

“Who wants to play volleyball!?” Someone yelled out. Kyungsoo looked over at the voice to see that it was one of Jongdae’s coworkers. He was holding a ball in hand and standing in front of a volleyball net. Kyungsoo scoffed and he looked back at Baekhyun, who had a wide smile as he looked at the net. His eyes quickly darted back to Kyungsoo. “Wanna play?” Baekhyun asked.

“Do you?”

Baekhyun nodded and stood up. “Let’s play!”

Kyungsoo laughed and stood up, “Sure.” Baekhyun ran towards Jongdae and took his hand. “Play with us!”

Jongdae gave in, laughing as Baekhyun pulled him towards the net. Kyungsoo convinced Minseok to go with them too. Eventually they assembled two teams and a referee. Kyungsoo wasn’t really a sports person, but he did enjoy himself as he played. The four of them were on the same team with two other girls.

As the game went on, Baekhyun and Jongdae were fooling around much more than taking the game seriously. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, did his best to win. When it went towards him, he would never miss. He would even run to places that weren’t his position so that he could get the ball.

“We’re winning!” Minseok yelled out as he hit Kyungsoo’s back. Kyungsoo turned around and smiled at him. He had gotten a little sweaty, so he took the bottom of his shirt and lifted it towards his face so that he could wipe some of the sweat off, he would probably jump into the water afterwards. From his peripheral vision, he saw Baekhyun looking in his direction and Kyungsoo turned his head to look at him. Baekhyun eyes were slowly examining him up and down as he looked at him intently but once he made eye contact with Kyungsoo, he glanced away quickly. Kyungsoo smirked as Baekhyun’s cheeks began to go a slight pink.

“Serve!” Baekhyun yelled out as he began jumping up and down.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but laugh, but then it dawned on him that Baekhyun had been checking him out. He felt slightly embarrassed and twisted his mouth to the side.

The game continued on and their team won. They all did little victory leaps as the referee announced them the winner. Although, even if they hadn’t won, Kyungsoo would have still had a good time.

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun called out. Kyungsoo turned to look at him. Baekhyun was smiling wide as he approached him. “Want to jump in the water to cool off?”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Sure.”

Jongdae ran next to them, “I’ll race you guys!”

Baekhyun laughed and ran after him. Kyungsoo was about to run, but someone tapped his shoulder.

“Hello.” He heard a soft voice say.

He blinked and looked next to him. The girl that had been on their team was smiling up at him. She was tiny and had her hair braided into two ponytails. She had on a one piece swimsuit.

“Hello.” Kyungsoo answered.

She bit her bottom lip. “You were really good.”

Kyungsoo chuckled. “Thank you, you were too.”

“You’re friends with Jongdae?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah, he invited me to come.”

She giggled, “Wow, I didn’t know Jongdae had such handsome friends.” She took a step forward and leaned down a little, playing with her hair as she began to lower the hem of her bathing suit.

Kyungsoo turned a slight red, if he looked down he could see inside of her bathing suit, so he took a step back instead. He chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. “Uh…thanks.” She suddenly took another step forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed herself on him as she smirked, “You want to jump in the water together?”

 His eyes widened and he had no idea where to put his hands. He looked towards the direction that Jongdae and Baekhyun had run off to. He saw Baekhyun looking in his direction, he was standing in the water and Kyungsoo couldn’t say for sure, but it seemed as though he was scowling.

“Uhh….” Kyungsoo looked back at the girl. “I actually gotta go with Jongdae now, so if you’ll—“

“Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo heard Baekhyun’s voice and his head turned towards it, his eyes practically bulged out at what he saw. Baekhyun was running toward him, shirtless. The water traveled down his body and he shook his head as if to dry his wet hair. Kyungsoo felt his mouth wanting to drop open, but he suddenly felt embarrassed as he eyed Baekhyun from head to toe.

Baekhyun took his hand, “Hurry up.” He told him as he smirked. The girl separated and furrowed her brows at him.

“Uh…yeah.” Kyungsoo answered. He felt like such a ert, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of him, Baekhyun was stunning.

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip as he smirked wider. His head turned to look at the girl, “Sorry, but I’m stealing him from you.”

Baekhyun ran off with Kyungsoo behind him. Kyungsoo would normally feel bad for leaving someone in the middle of a conversation. But, he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to be with Baekhyun, wherever he was.  

Baekhyun ran in the water and splashed Kyungsoo, the younger laughed as he splashed back. He was so busy playing with Baekhyun, he didn’t notice Minseok had snuck up from behind. Minseok grabbed Kyungsoo by the waist and dunked him into the water. Kyungsoo felt as his whole body fell.

He got up, rubbing his eyes and heard Minseok laughing from behind him. He laughed, opened his eyes, and saw Baekhyun with his eyes crinkled as he was bursting out in laughter. Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, smirked, and raised an eyebrow as his eyes darted down to Kyungsoo’s chest then back up to his face. Kyungsoo looked down and saw his black shirt was wet, sticking to him. He laughed in embarrassment and pushed Baekhyun, knocking him into the water. Kyungsoo had just figured out that Baekhyun was a ert.

For a while, they played in the water, but grew hungry and made their way to have lunch shortly after. Kyungsoo grabbed his towel and dried himself off with it.

Jongdae ran up from behind him, towel wrapped around himself. “We can just walk in the lobby like this and eat.” He said.

Kyungsoo looked over at him. “But we’re all wet, we should shower first and then we can eat in dry clothes, right?”

Jongdae laughed, “We could, but tonight’s event is going to be a huge dinner and dance.”

“Dance?” Minseok inquired as he snuck up behind Kyungsoo.

Jongdae nodded, “It’s like a dance at the beach with live entertainment and big buffet. So, lunch is going to be pretty mellow.”

Baekhyun perked up, “We can have a small lunch, then get ready and meet in front of the rooms so we can go together!”

Kyungsoo laughed, “Sounds like a plan.”

Jongdae nodded and smiled, “Yeah, sure.” He led the way towards the dining area. “The theme is Hawaiian.”

***

Kyungsoo quickly put on a black Hawaiian shirt that Jongdae had given him after they had finished lunch. The elder claimed that his boss insisted that everyone come in theme to make it more enjoyable and gave out clothing for the guests to wear. Kyungsoo looked at himself in the mirror, the black shirt had white flowers on it, his black undershirt was slightly visible by his neck. He wore black pants and blew dry his hair and did enough to it so that it wouldn’t look so messy. He ultimately decided to tuck the shirt in his pants instead of letting it hang out.

He took some of his cologne and sprayed a light mist around himself. Just enough to have a small fragrance, not too much. He heard a knock on the door and took one quick glance in the mirror, once he was content with the look, he went towards the door to open it.

He opened the door quickly, startling Minseok, “Oh, you ready?” The latter was smiling wide with a simple white shirt that had green palm trees on it. He wore black pants and his shirt wasn’t tucked in like Kyungsoo’s was.

The younger nodded as he shut the door behind him, “Yeah.”

Minseok leaned in a little and Kyungsoo laughed, “What are you doing?” Kyungsoo asked.

Minseok took a step back and smiled wider, “You’re wearing cologne.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Yeah, I just put a little.”

Minseok smirked, “Trying to impress?”

Kyungsoo flushed a slight red, maybe Baekhyun did cross his mind as he sprayed it, but he always did put on at least a little cologne. “It’s not for Baekhyun.” He said.

Minseok laughed, “I never said a name.”

Kyungsoo laughed loud in response, “Shut up!” He didn’t mind getting teased, it was actually pretty funny.

They heard the door open from Jongdae’s room and Kyungsoo turned his head to see Jongdae with his arm around Baekhyun. Jongdae wore a white shirt with black flowers and what seemed to be black leaves on it. The shirt was tucked in white pants and he styled his black hair across his forehead. Kyungsoo’s eyes traveled to Baekhyun who wore a black shirt and white design on the left side. Unlike Jongdae, his shirt wasn’t tucked in and he wore white pants that wrapped around his legs tightly.

His eyes went up to lock with Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun merely let out a giggle.

“You guys ready?” Jongdae asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Minseok nodded, his hands retreating from his pockets. “Yeah.” He replied.

“Were you guys waiting long?”

Minseok shook his head, “We actually barely got out of our rooms.”

They all headed towards the elevator, Minseok and Jongdae led the way while Baekhyun and Kyungsoo followed behind.

“You look good.” Baekhyun commented.

Kyungsoo chuckled and look down, slightly flustered. “Shut up.” He said loud enough for only Baekhyun to hear.

Baekhyun scoffed, “It’s true.”

All of them got into the elevator, pressing the button so that they could get to the bottom floor. Once they stepped out, they headed outside and onto the beach. Kyungsoo’s eyes widened at the display in front of them.

On the beach there was a dance floor that had been installed specifically for the occasion. There were people dressed in grass skirts that played the bongos and ukulele. There was also a vocalist that was in the center that let out lovely melodies for people to dance to. The buffet was to the left of the dance floor and there were tables for people to eat on. He looked around and saw everyone was dressed in theme. The ladies had flowers in their hair while the men wore lei’s around their necks.

Jongdae went towards the trio, “Wear these.” He said as he handed each of them a lei. Kyungsoo chuckled and placed it over his head. He looked up and saw Minseok had received a purple one.
“Can we eat now?” Baekhyun asked.

Jongdae laughed, “Yeah, you can do whatever you want.”

Baekhyun smiled and grabbed Kyungsoo’s wrist. “Let’s go.” He said as he pulled him towards the buffet. Kyungsoo isn’t sure when this became a thing, but lately, it seemed as though he had grown accustomed to Baekhyun pulling him along. They both grabbed a plate and Kyungsoo eyed his options. The menu had a lot of seafood and Hawaiian dishes. The desert table had an assortment of cakes. Kyungsoo felt his mouth water and his stomach began to grumble. All he had this afternoon was soup, it’s no surprise that he’s hungry.

He stocked up his plate and walked behind Baekhyun to a table. Jongdae and Minseok quickly followed after them. The four of them ate as they watched the hula dancers begin to dance center stage. The only thing illuminating their night was fire that was held by torches scattered around and the moon above them. The performers suddenly used the fire on one of the torches for their show. They spun it around and Kyungsoo grew nervous at one point when it looked like one of them was about to burn themselves, but luckily nothing happened.

When the show was over, everyone stood up to clap for the amazing performance.

“Now!” the hula dancer announced, “We invite everyone to dance!”

The music began again and some of the guests grabbed a partner to dance. Kyungsoo sat down and began to eat one of the deserts that he had gotten from the table.

“Jongdae!” A female voice called out and someone went up to Jongdae, a big smile on her face. She had blonde hair with a pink flower in it. Another girl was next to her, she had light brown hair and a blue flower in her hair. She was smiling, but not as wide.

“Hey!” Jongdae replied happily.

He turned back to look at his friends, “Guys, this is Hyoyeon. She works with me in the same department.”

She smiled wider, “Hello.”

Kyungsoo gave her a small smile and slight bow.

Hyoyeon faced her friend and looked back at Jongdae, “This is Seohyun, my friend.”

Again, the four of them bowed and smiled as they introduced themselves.

“Jongdae, my friend and I love to dance, but can’t find any partners.” She pouted.

Jongdae laughed, “I’m not really into dancing.” He said.

“Just one song? Please?” She asked playfully.

Jongdae looked at his friends, Baekhyun shrugged, “It’s fine with me.”  

Kyungsoo shook his head and sat back down, “I’m still eating.” He responded, he wasn’t much of a dancer to begin with.

Minseok laughed, “Have fun.” He told Jongdae 

Jongdae sighed, “You win Hyoyeon.”

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo before he left and placed his hand on his leg. Kyungsoo looked up at him.

“I’ll be right back, okay?”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow in confusion. It wasn’t any of his business who Baekhyun danced with, besides, they were just dancing right? Was Baekhyun reassuring him? The thought made Kyungsoo’s heart skip a beat.

“Uh…okay.” Kyungsoo replied. He wasn’t really sure what else to respond.

Baekhyun gave him a small smile and stood up. His hand extended and the girl, Seohyun, placed hers in it, Baekhyun squeezed. He smiled wide at her and she let out a small smile of her own.

Kyungsoo didn’t expect the jealousy that suddenly radiated in his body. There was no flirting or any sort of contact that would suggest Seohyun was interested, but the way Baekhyun took her hand and led her towards the dance floor had him feeling all sorts of ways. He looked away from them and instead looked at Jongdae dancing with Hyoyeon. His friend seemed to be having a good time by the way he was goofing off with Hyoyeon. But his eyes darted back to Baekhyun. It seemed the latter was making the female smile as they swayed to the music. Her eyes were staring into his and Baekhyun was smiling ear to ear. He suddenly leaned in and got very close to her face. Kyungsoo saw as Baekhyun whispered something into the female’s ear. She began to laugh and Baekhyun let out a triumphant grin. As if to make it things worse, she threw her head forward and bumped into Baekhyun’s. She rubbed her forehead and Kyungsoo saw as Baekhyun’s hand went up to rub it, “Are you okay?” Baekhyun mouthed. He ignored his own pain to comfort her! He moved her hair away from her face and she opened her eyes to simply smile at him and mouth, “I’m fine.”

Kyungsoo scoffed and looked back down at his cake. He had no reason to be jealous, Baekhyun wasn’t his boyfriend. They were just dancing, he should be happy that Baekhyun was having such a good time, not jealous. But he didn’t control his emotions, just like he couldn’t control falling for Baekhyun, he can’t control the envy burning in his chest. He refused to look back at the dance floor, he wasn’t going to torture himself anymore.

“Hey Kyungsoo, you okay?”

Kyungsoo looked up and saw Minseok staring right at him. Minseok’s hand rested on top of Kyungsoo’s arm.

“Uh…I’m fine. I just…It’s getting a bit stuffy.”

“Stuffy?”  

Kyungsoo nodded and stood up. “I’m going for a little walk, I think I need to get air.”

Minseok stood up right after him, “I’ll go with you.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I just want to be alone right now. I’ll be right back.”

Minseok furrowed his brows, “You sure you’re okay?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah. Let me just be alone for a couple of minutes.”

Minseok didn’t argue, instead, he let Kyungsoo walk away. His eyes stayed on him and then he looked back at the dance floor and it suddenly dawned on him why Kyungsoo was acting weird.

Kyungsoo walked away from Minseok and walked towards the ocean. He didn’t go far from the event and just looked out into the ocean, hoping to distract himself from his thoughts. Baekhyun wasn’t his, but sometimes, it felt like he was. He sighed, he was selfish…very selfish. He stayed looking at the ocean with his thoughts for a couple of minutes.

“Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo flinched as he stood in place. He recognized that voice.

He felt someone stand next to him, he didn’t need to turn his head to know who it was.

“Kyungsoo, what are you doing here?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo sighed, “I just wanted to look at the ocean.” He lied.

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He replied.

“Kyungsoo, can you look at me?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes looked over to see Baekhyun’s eyes. They looked concerned and Kyungsoo felt guilty for making him feel that way. He pushed away those negative emotions and decided to instead use his energy to show Baekhyun that there really was nothing wrong. Kyungsoo was alright, how could he not be? Baekhyun was here showing him that he cared.

“Baekhyun, I’m fine. Really.” Kyungsoo said as he smiled. “I just came to clear my head. It’s nice to hear the waves.”

Baekhyun looked out at the ocean, “It is.” He responded. He looked back at Kyungsoo, eyes sparkling. Kyungsoo loved seeing Baekhyun like this, he looked so pure and beautiful.

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun approached him and took his hand, “Dance with me.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, “Huh?”

“Please, I can lead.”

“Uh…what about Seohyun?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “She understood that I needed to see you. Besides, Minseok offered to dance with her instead.” He added the last part with a chuckle.

“You needed to see me?”

Baekhyun nodded, “You worried me when I saw you walk here all alone.”

Baekhyun had been watching him?

“So…will you dance with me?”

“I don’t really dance, and honestly,’’ he looked back at the event then back at Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s talk about needing to be cautious swirled in his mind. “I don’t know if people would be alright with two guys dancing.”

Baekhyun giggled, “We’re in Los Angeles! The most open place ever! And don’t worry about the guests, this is between you and me.”

“Are you sure?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes. Please?”

Kyungsoo could fight all he wanted, he couldn’t say no to Baekhyun. He chuckled and shook his head. “Fine, I’ll dance with you.”

Baekhyun squealed in delight and intertwined their fingers as they made their way back to the dance floor. Once they reached the wooden floor Kyungsoo began to question his choices. Was this a good idea? The only time he danced was when he was forced to by his parents back when he still lived with them.

Baekhyun stood in front of him and suddenly Kyungsoo felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He was so close to the elder. Baekhyun swallowed as he seemed to realize the same thing.

“Uh, so I’m going to put my hand on your back, ok?”

Kyungsoo flushed red and nodded.

Baekhyun gently slid his hand behind him and once it was firmly put, he pulled Kyungsoo closer. Kyungsoo kept his poker face as best as he could.

“Ok,” Baekhyun managed to sputter out. Kyungsoo wondered if Baekhyun was questioning the choice too. “You put your hand behind my back.”

Kyungsoo felt his heart accelerate. Baekhyun was giving Kyungsoo permission to pull him in closer! Kyungsoo lifted his shaky and sweaty hand and pressed softly into Baekhyun’s back. He pulled the elder closer and Baekhyun lifted his eyes to look into Kyungsoo’s.

“Now,” Baekhyun lifted up his other hand, “You place your hand in mine.”

Kyungsoo placed his hand into Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun’s hand were soft and gentle as they squeezed. He used his thumb to rub the back of Kyungsoo’s hand.

“No need to be nervous.” Baekhyun said that but he sounded just as nervous as Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun swayed to the music and Kyungsoo followed. The rhythm was easy to pick up and even easier with Baekhyun leading. Kyungsoo stared down at his feet and he saw as he wasn’t stepping on Baekhyun. His feet were moving in perfect sync to Baekhyun’s. Kyungsoo smiled wide and looked up. The elder was giving him a small smile and his eyes were shimmering. He had never seen Baekhyun give this look to anyone, it looked…endearing. And the look was meant for Kyungsoo.

The music stopped and everyone began clapping, Baekhyun and Kyungsoo separated as they each let out embarrassed laughs. “You were really good.” Baekhyun told him.

“You too.”

The clapping stopped and the music began again. Baekhyun looked back at Kyungsoo, “You want to dance again?”

“Uh…” The cake that he left on the table suddenly came in his mind and he looked at it.

Baekhyun laughed, “You want to eat cake?”

Kyungsoo looked back at him, “No, I’m fine.”

“I actually ate too much.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “You did?”

Baekhyun nodded, “If I sit, then I’ll probably get a tummy ache.” He pouted.

“Oh, um, well we can dance, or take a walk on the beach if you want?”

Baekhyun nodded, “I would like that, taking a walk with you.”

Kyungsoo smiled as he walked away from the dance floor, “Let’s go then.”

Baekhyun followed after him and away from the dancefloor. They both got away far enough to a point where the torches couldn’t illuminate them anymore. Their only source of light was the full moon above them. 

“This is nice.” Baekhyun suddenly said.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah.”

“It’s peaceful to walk with you.”

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks and looked at Baekhyun, “You think so?”

Baekhyun looked at him as he grinned from ear to ear. “I know so.”

Kyungsoo smiled back at him, but then a mischievous glint entered Baekhyun’s eyes. “But, you should be a little more daring.”

Baekhyun suddenly charged at him and pushed him into the tide that was coming in. Kyungsoo landed on his and suddenly felt a wave engulf him. He shut his eyes and as quickly as it came, it left. He opened his eyes and saw Baekhyun laughing hysterically at him. Kyungsoo stood up and felt the weight of his wet clothes. He scoffed and quickly took off his shoes and socks.

“You asked for it!” He said as he charged towards Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he ran, but Kyungsoo caught him quickly (almost as if Baekhyun wanted to be caught) and threw him over his shoulder.

“Wait, Kyungsoo, I take it back!”

Kyungsoo ignored him as he walked into the water and threw Baekhyun in it.

Baekhyun landed with a splash and stood up immediately. He was rubbing his eyes and laughing. “You’re crazy.”

“You started it.” Kyungsoo shot back.

Baekhyun opened his eyes and saw Kyungsoo standing in the water with him. Baekhyun smiled, “Touché.” He replied.

Another small wave suddenly hit Baekhyun from behind and Kyungsoo laughed as Baekhyun fell into his arms.

“You okay?” he asked as he moved away Baekhyun’s hair from his face.

Baekhyun held onto Kyungsoo’s arms as he regained his balance. “Yeah.”

He shook his head and flipped his hair back. His head went up and his nose brushed against Kyungsoo’s.

Kyungsoo blinked as realization dawned on him. He was just as close to Baekhyun as the day that Baekhyun had comforted him. Kyungsoo wanted to step back, but his feet wouldn’t move and his eyes didn’t want to leave Baekhyun. The moonlight shined on him perfectly, the elder was practically glistening as the water trailed down his face. The moon also illuminated Baekhyun’s jawline more and Kyungsoo allowed his eyes to travel down to it. Baekhyun was beautiful, he was perfect in every way.

Baekhyun’s lips were a bit parted and Kyungsoo swallowed, Baekhyun did the same. Neither made a move to separate, instead, Kyungsoo’s hand went up so he could put his thumb and forefinger under Baekhyun’s chin. The elder began to get closer to him.

Kyungsoo closed the distance and pressed his lips onto Baekhyun’s. His lips were soft and tasted like strawberries, Kyungsoo wanted more. Baekhyun grabbed onto the collar of Kyungsoo’s shirt and pressed himself into him. Kyungsoo grabbed onto Baekhyun’s waist and pulled him in. He had never wanted someone so bad.

Kyungsoo parted to catch his breath, but Baekhyun his lips and grabbed the back of Kyungsoo’s head to pull him in again. Kyungsoo could tell by the way their lips moved that Baekhyun had been wanting this for a while. The elder was full of desire, Kyungsoo was too.

They parted after they both needed to air. They stood there, panting quietly. Kyungsoo refused to take his hands off of Baekhyun. It was now confirmed that they both wanted, no, needed each other.

“How long?” Baekhyun asked in between a pant.

“What?”

“How long have you liked me?”

Kyungsoo looked away then back at Baekhyun, “A while.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well, why didn’t you?” Kyungsoo fired back.

Baekhyun blinked twice, “Just…kiss me.” Baekhyun threw his arms around Kyungsoo and met his lips again. The first two kisses held desire, but this one…was different. It was pure and innocent, it was as if Baekhyun was telling him everything through a kiss. Kyungsoo held his waist securely, Baekhyun belonged to him in this moment and he felt like the luckiest person alive.

Baekhyun parted slowly, but didn’t take his hands off Kyungsoo. The younger looked into Baekhyun’s eyes full of affection. How did he get so lucky?

Suddenly Baekhyun began to quiver.  

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, “You’re cold?”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “A little.”

Kyungsoo hadn’t felt it before, but they were both wet and the wind was blowing slightly. He began to feel it tickle his skin and realized that he was also a bit cold. Kyungsoo lifted him up in his arms and Baekhyun let out a small squeal. “What are you doing?”

“Going back to the hotel room.”

Baekhyun didn’t protest, instead he leaned into Kyungsoo’s chest as the younger walked on the beach towards the hotel.

“You’re really wet.” Baekhyun said as he curled up.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “And whose fault is that?”

Baekhyun snickered. “Learn to have fun.”

Kyungsoo shook his head as he gave him a half smile, “Hopefully Jongdae doesn’t see.”

Baekhyun blinked twice, “Why?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “He’s really protective of you.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “We talked about that already. He said he would take it easy.”

Kyungsoo placed Baekhyun down once they reached the lobby. “You told him to stop being so protective?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “Something like that.”

They rode the elevator to their floor. Kyungsoo was a little surprised that he didn’t feel more awkward around Baekhyun, but in reality, he felt more comfortable than before.

They walked out of the elevator and Baekhyun headed for his room and unlocked the door. His eyes darted to Kyungsoo, “Come on.”

“Hm?”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and pulled Kyungsoo inside, “I have questions for you.” He shut the door behind him and headed towards the restroom for some towels.

“Questions?”

Baekhyun threw a towel at him, “Yeah questions.”

“Can I at least get some dry clothes and come back?”

Baekhyun seemed to be pondering and then sighed, “Fine, but hurry back.”

Kyungsoo scoffed and walked outside. Who knew he was so bossy? It wasn’t until Kyungsoo entered his hotel room that he realized he agreed to sleep with Baekhyun after they had…

Kyungsoo felt his whole face heat up. He had KISSED Baekhyun! He covered his face with his hands. It’s not like he regretted it or anything, it’s just…wow. He had just…

He couldn’t think straight as he jumped in the shower and washed himself off. The shower was quick and he changed into some dry pajamas right after. He brushed his hair and dried it as best as he could with a towel. He was going back to Baekhyun’s room, but for what? He wanted to go back, but what exactly did Baekhyun want to ask? Eventually, he simply thought “screw it” and went out the door to Baekhyun’s room after taking off his contacts and putting on his glasses. Before he walked out, he placed his wet clothes inside of a plastic bag and into his suitcase, as he did that, he saw the flyer he had received. The one about the musical auditions that were about to take place. He stared at it and took it in his hands. He folded it and kept it in a small pocket that were in his sweats.

The elder answered after the second knock. He had put on some pajamas and round glasses. “Oh, we match.” Baekhyun announced proudly as he moved for Kyungsoo to enter.

Kyungsoo got in and Baekhyun shut the door quickly. They both sat on the bed in a criss cross position, the television was on and they both stared at it for a bit. Kyungsoo wasn’t paying too much attention to the show, he had other things on his mind.

“So…” Baekhyun began. “How long have you liked me?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Didn’t you ask that already?”

Baekhyun blushed, “Yeah, but I just…”

“You want an exact date?”

“Yes? No? I don’t know.”

Kyungsoo sighed, “Um I…well I’m not sure when but I realized a while ago.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I can be content with that.”

“Um…how about you?”

“What about me?”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “I mean it’s only fair that I get an answer too.”

“Well…” Baekhyun adjusted his glasses, “I found you very attractive from the beginning, I told you I tend to fall for introverts.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “I found you attractive too I just didn’t realize I did.”

“Jongin said that you had only fallen for girls.”

Kyungsoo perked up. “Jongin?”

Baekhyun nodded, “I told him.”

“Well…I guess that makes you really special to me.”

Baekhyun turned slightly red, “I guess.”

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip, “Baekhyun, what are we?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “What do you mean?”

Kyungsoo looked away, embarrassed, “I mean…I like you…you like me. What are we gonna do about it?”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together. “Kyungsoo. I really like you. I REALLY do. But…um…I’m broken.”

Kyungsoo looked back at him. Baekhyun was looking down at his toes. “I don’t know if I’m ready for the term boyfriend. And I don’t think you would want me like that anyway.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “I would love you as my boyfriend. But, if you don’t want that, I won’t force you.”

Baekhyun looked at him, “I do, I’m just not ready.”

Kyungsoo stared at Baekhyun, sensing that there was more he wanted to say. He didn’t say anything and simply waited.

Baekhyun placed his hand on his forehead. “I…It’s time you knew the truth about me. About my past and things that I’m not proud of.”

Kyungsoo scooted closer and placed his hand on top of Baekhyun’s. “I’m ready if you’re ready.”

Baekhyun gave him a faint smile and looked down at their hands. It looked as though he was trying to gather his thoughts. “Ok, well before I finished my music degree, I was able to perform on a stage in Seoul.”

“The rush and excitement was amazing and I loved every ounce of it. I continued to perform and got some fans. Shortly after, I received my degree and earned a lot of money for what I was doing. I thought I was at the top of the world! But nothing lasts forever.”

Baekhyun sighed, “After shows I allowed a lucky fan to visit me backstage and I would give them a small tour. One night, a fan came in. He was tall and kind. He brought me roses and chocolates. He soon came to every show that I was in, even though I was barely making a name for myself.”

Baekhyun looked up at him and then looked back down at their hands, “I was never the leading role. Eventually I fell for him and he became my boyfriend. After I became his boyfriend, he changed. He wouldn’t allow me to perform and constantly put me down. I couldn’t pass auditions anymore as a result.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip and let out a long exhale. “He made me quit what I loved and was told that I could make more money doing something better. I was so stupid for listening, but when one is in an abusive relationship, they don’t see it. They think it’s normal and that the other person does it because they care. I know now I should have left him.”

He grew silent and Kyungsoo sensed that Baekhyun had tensed up. He rubbed his back gently to help him calm down. “It was night when we parked in front of a liquor store. He told me that we were going to work and I listened. A man walked out, with a candy bar. He told me to step out and flirt with him. I didn’t want to, I said no and that’s—“ Baekhyun stopped and he swallowed. Kyungsoo saw that Baekhyun was doing his best to tell his story, but he couldn’t do it alone. Kyungsoo scooted closer and continued to rub his back softly, “Take your time.” He comforted the elder.

Baekhyun sighed, but continued, “That’s when the first punch came. He was smart though, he knew Jongdae wouldn’t let him live if he saw me with a bruised cheek, so he knocked the air out of me. I was so stunned and baffled, I didn’t understand what had just happened. Eventually, out of fear, I went to the man who exited the liquor and flirted with him.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together and he shut his eyes as he tried to will away the tears that were set to fall, Kyungsoo squeezed his hand, “I’m here.” The younger reassured.

Baekhyun cleared his throat and opened his eyes, “Sorry, anyway, he went behind the guy with a bat and knocked him over the head with it. I saw his body hit the ground and I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn’t believe that someone was capable of such a terrible thing. He quickly grabbed his wallet and other belongings that could be sold and we left. I didn’t want to do it anymore, but he made me. He would threaten to hurt me physically or Jongdae or my family. I was scared that he would fulfill his threats, I didn’t have a choice. At this point, I didn’t feel anything for him but fear, but he made me think like I couldn’t tell anyone. It was also around this time when Jongdae introduced Minseok to me.”

“The robberies got more aggressive as time went on. We moved on to rich places at night to rob from folks that were better off. I didn’t get much money though, he took it all. Jongdae was basically paying for our home all on his own, the utilities, food, insurance.” Baekhyun tightened his fists, “and as a last resort, I sold my car.”

Kyungsoo wanted to say so many things. How it wasn’t fair that someone was taking advantage of Baekhyun using fear as the incentive. He wanted to know why he didn’t tell Jongdae, but he knew that abusers tend to isolate their victims by making them believe that there is no way out.

Baekhyun continued his story after a slight pause, he was again willing away the tears that had built up. “He would beat me when we didn’t get anything good, but like I said, he was smart. He made sure to make bruises in places that weren’t so obvious. Of course Jongdae saw them sometimes, but bruises on arms are easier to explain away than one on the face.” Again Baekhyun needed to pause as he got a lump in his throat. Kyungsoo could see that Baekhyun was doing his best to remain strong, Kyungsoo squeezed his hand again.

 “But eventually he had a slip up. After about two months of robbing richer neighborhoods, I got fed up and told him that I wouldn’t do it anymore. He punched me across the face, making a purple eye. I still told him that I didn’t care, that I wouldn’t do it again. I barely escaped with my life that day.” Baekhyun looked up at him, small smile on his face, but his eyes showed grief. Kyungsoo wished that he could meet the son of a so that he could make him pay for the torture he had put Baekhyun through.

Baekhyun looked away towards the wall. “I got home, Jongdae was in his room, but he heard me crying. He stormed into my room and saw the bruises on my face, arms, and neck. Long story short, he snapped. I don’t know what he did to him, but Jongdae came back home with bruised knuckles. Shortly after that, I got a restraining order, but he still stalked me. That was when Jongdae remembered that Minseok had told us about a place next door to him. It seemed safer to be next door to a friend. So, while Jongdae was at work, I walked to Minseok’s place to get a look at it, but he had been following me. He cornered me in an alley and began to beat me again, Minseok saved me.”

That was the story that Minseok had told Kyungsoo. How he had saved Baekhyun from someone that was beating him.

“Then…I moved in next door to you.” Baekhyun looked at him, smiling. “You…helped me a lot. You’re the reason I feel things that I didn’t think were possible to feel towards someone.”

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure what to say, he didn’t know how to respond. Baekhyun had gone through so much, now he could fully understand why he was so cautious the day they met. He could also see perfectly why Jongdae looked out for him. He couldn’t imagine seeing a loved one come home with bruises on them, he would probably snap too.

Baekhyun mistook Kyungsoo’s silence for disgust and his smile began to fade. His eyes began to get moist and Kyungsoo furrowed his brows in worry. “Kyungsoo, I don’t blame you if you don’t want to be my friend. I…I know I’m an awful person and I…” He cleared his throat, “Please don’t hate me. You make me feel safe and loved and…please don’t…” A tear rolled down his cheek and Kyungsoo’s arms were around him in a heartbeat.

“I could never hate you.”

Baekhyun sniffled as he buried his face into his shoulder, “Not even after what I told you?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “You mean a lot to me Baekhyun, I will never hate you.”

Baekhyun looked at him as he sat upright, “You mean a lot to me too.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “I’ll wait for you, until you’re not broken anymore.”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile, “I’m really lucky.”

Kyungsoo sent him a smile back. “Baekhyun, I promise to protect you. I’ll never let you go through that again.”

Baekhyun scoffed as he wiped a tear. “You’re something else.”

Kyungsoo sat back and felt something poke his leg. That’s when he remembered the folded piece of paper in his pocket. Maybe he should tell Baekhyun about it, he just needed to choose his words carefully.

He cleared his throat, “Hey, Baekhyun. Didn’t you tell me that you wanted to do musicals again?”

“Well…I would but I don’t know if I could.”

“What if an opportunity came up?”

Baekhyun tilted his head to the side, “Auditions are hard to find, I don’t know if an opportunity would come up.”

Kyungsoo wet his lips as he took out the folded piece of paper from his pocket. “What if I told you I found an audition?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and Kyungsoo handed him the folded up piece of paper. “When I went to Seoul, some guy in front of a music hall handed it to me.”

“Kyungsoo, I don’t know if I could.”

“Well just think about it then. Keep the flyer and think about it.”

Baekhyun scoffed as he placed it on the nightstand. He sighed and suddenly crumbled. He began to sob uncontrollably and he lifted up his hands to bury his face.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and went next to him, his arms wrapped around him. “I’m here. It’s okay.”

“Kyungsoo, I want to, I want to so bad! I’m just so scared. Musicals are what got me in that mess, what if it happens again?”

Baekhyun sobbed in his hands before he continued, “I don’t want to get hit again!”

“And you won’t.” Kyungsoo grabbed Baekhyun’s shoulders and made him look at him. “I will never let ANYONE lay a finger on you.”

Baekhyun sniffled, Kyungsoo gave him a half smile, “Tell me, where did it hurt the most?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip and pointed to his cheek.

“Let me rewrite it then.” Kyungsoo leaned in and placed a tender kiss where Baekhyun had pointed, “I’ll rewrite everything.”

“On the other cheek.”

Kyungsoo smiled and placed a kiss on that cheek as well.

Baekhyun turned his head and kissed Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo kissed him back, slowly, but surely, Kyungsoo laid Baekhyun on the bed. He parted and hovered over him. He smiled down at him and kissed his forehead, his cheek, then his lips again.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

He left a trail of kisses down Baekhyun’s neck and stopped above the first button of his shirt. His eyes darted up and Baekhyun giggled, he reached for the button and ed it. Kyungsoo looked down and saw Baekhyun’s smooth skin. He leaned down and kissed it tenderly. He slowly began to Baekhyun’s shirt all the way down, revealing soft, smooth skin. There was no blemish, no imperfection, he was beautiful.

“Don’t just stare.”

Kyungsoo looked up at him then back down, admiring how perfect he was. He left a trail kisses all of the way down to his tummy. Baekhyun giggled, Kyungsoo smiled as he heard it.

“Am I your first?”

Kyungsoo blinked and looked up at him.

“Guy, I mean.”

Kyungsoo smiled again, “Yeah.”

Baekhyun smiled back and took off Kyungsoo’s glasses, “You have my permission you know.”

Kyungsoo laughed in embarrassment, “You just made things weird.” Of course Kyungsoo wanted Baekhyun, he wanted him more than anything. But Baekhyun suddenly saying things like that made it seem so much more real.

Baekhyun sat up and took off his shirt completely. “Let me fix my mistake then.” He kissed Kyungsoo tenderly and began to take off Kyungsoo’s shirt. Kyungsoo followed Baekhyun’s lead and allowed the elder to remove the garment. He placed his hand behind Baekhyun’s head as he softly pushed him back onto the bed again. Baekhyun’s hands felt Kyungsoo’s body and the elder let out a soft moan. His hands ultimately reached their goal by Kyungsoo’s swears and he cupped him. Kyungsoo let out a moan as he continued to kiss Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo knew if this continued any further, he would give his entire self to Baekhyun. But he was fine with that, in fact, he wanted it. He had been wanting this for a while and now Baekhyun was about to be his. He made love to Baekhyun that night, the moonlight being the only witness of them becoming one. Now, he was truly trapped in him.

***

Kyungsoo felt a stir next to him and he scrunched up his face. He let out a small snort and turned over. He felt another stir and he furrowed his brows as he opened his eyes slowly. Baekhyun was looking directly at him, eyes still groggy and blonde hair messy.

Kyungsoo let out an exhale, then smiled.

“Morning.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo stretched his limbs, “Morning.”

Baekhyun smiled and snuggled into him. “You sure that was your first time?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “You really want the answer?”

Baekhyun giggled, “With a guy!” He snapped playfully.

Kyungsoo snuggled into Baekhyun, “Shut up.”

There was suddenly a knock on Baekhyun’s door. “Baekhyun?” Jongdae’s voice sounded demanding.

Baekhyun opened his eyes wide, “Wait, what time is it?”

Kyungsoo looked around the room and found his phone on the floor, he reached for it and looked at the time:

12:53 PM

His eyes widened and he climbed out of bed, “Baekhyun! It’s almost one!”

Baekhyun let out a laugh as he covered himself with the blanket.

“What time did we sleep last night?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I didn’t check. I was busy.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Okay.” He looked down and face palmed. “I need my clothes.”

He looked around the room and found everything on the floor. Baekhyun climbed out of bed and stumbled, “Jesus Kyungsoo, I’m sore.” He walked into the restroom.

Kyungsoo turned red as he put on his boxers. “Baekhyun, can we please focus on what we’re going to tell them?”

Baekhyun came back dressed in some jeans and a sweatshirt. “We fell asleep in my room. That’s the truth.” He went up to Kyungsoo, brush in hand. “Let me fix your hair.”

“I need a shower.” Kyungsoo replied.

Baekhyun shook his head, “Too late for that.”

Kyungsoo suddenly thought about how worried Minseok must be. “You’re right. I’ll take one in my room right now.”

There was another knock on the door, “Baekhyun? Are you in there?” That was Minseok’s voice.

Kyungsoo let out a huff as he put his glasses on. “I’m going to shower in my room.”

Baekhyun put on his round glasses, “Me too. I just need to tell Jongdae I’m fine.”

They both walked towards the door and Baekhyun was about to turn the handle.

“Wait!”

Baekhyun turned to look at Kyungsoo.

“Will everything be the same after this?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip. He didn’t want to lose Baekhyun, not now.

Baekhyun sent him a smile and a quick peck on the lips. “Of course things won’t be the same. You made me yours last night.”

Kyungsoo flushed red and looked away.

Baekhyun giggled, “Just let this happen on its own.”

Kyungsoo let out a sigh and looked back at him. Baekhyun was right. He should let this develop naturally, after all, it was working out so far. He would let time tell what happened between him and Baekhyun. He sent the elder a smile as he nodded, “Yeah.”

Baekhyun smiled back and Kyungsoo kissed him before he opened the door.

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae yelled out.

Baekhyun flinched, but smiled “Hey.”

Jongdae looked at Kyungsoo, “Kyungsoo?”

Minseok’s eyes widened. “Kyungsoo! I was so worried! Why didn’t you reply to any of the messages?”

“Uh…” Kyungsoo looked down at his phone and suddenly saw missed calls and messages on his notifications. “Oh…sorry. I just slept over at Baekhyun’s and barely woke up right now.”

Minseok’s expression softened as he looked between Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it.

“It was my fault, I had a nightmare and wanted him to stay.” Baekhyun interjected. “We didn’t mean to make you guys worry.”

“Alright.” Minseok responded.

Kyungsoo walked outside, “I’ll go to my room now. See you guys at breakfast.”

“Lunch.” Jongdae corrected.

“Oh, yeah.” Kyungsoo threw a final glance at Baekhyun and smiled. Baekhyun smiled back, Jongdae and Minseok continued to look between the both of them.

Kyungsoo ultimately walked away into his room, Minseok followed after. He walked in with Kyungsoo and sat himself on the bed.

“What’s going on?” He demanded.

Kyungsoo looked at him as he shut the door. “Hm?”

Minseok smiled, “Are you and Baekhyun a thing?”

Kyungsoo walked towards the drawers and took out clean clothes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Minseok rolled his eyes, “You disappear with him then suddenly end up waking up in the same room as him.”

Kyungsoo chuckled and looked at him, “Alright, so something happened with Baekhyun. That’s all there is to it.”

Minseok smiled wide. “I’m happy for you Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo shut his drawer and walked towards the restroom, “I’ll see you when I get out.” He said as he closed the door.

Minseok didn’t miss the look that Kyungsoo had given Baekhyun when he walked away from him. It was endearing and tender. It was the kind of gaze that one gives when they truly care.