Byun Baekhyun: Busy?

Byun Baekhyun: Let’s get ice cream!!! I’ll pay :D

Byun Baekhyun: Yah! Answer meeeee

Byun Baekhyun: Why don’t you ever have time for me? :(

I checked my ever so boring phone that’s now suddenly so loud and lively with Baekhyun’s spam messages. I’m smiling and giggling as I ate my late lunch. Jongdae and Minseok ignored this, having been accustomed to my “weirdness.” They’re both busy cramming for a long quiz next period to really pay that much attention to me anyways.

My late lunch (which was really just a very sad chicken sandwich) was left aside when Baekhyun and I started to shuttle text messages. He’s finished with his classes now and is trying to get me to go out with him. I actually have about 3 hours of free period but I have revisions to work on so I don’t think I can go out with him.

I was so busy texting that I didn’t notice Chanyeol slip into the seat next to me and read my conversation with Baekhyun over my shoulder. “Oh my ing god!” I jumped at his always too-loud voice. My poor sandwich fell on the floor too, making me smack his arm. “You scared the crap out of me! You ruined my lunch, Park Chanyeol,” I shouted.

I put my phone down for a brief moment, shot daggers at Chanyeol with my eyes and bent down to retrieve my lunch. I was barely upright when the giant airhead grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him, again making me drop my sandwich. “Whatever, I’ll buy you something better. Just come clean with me,” he suddenly said, his eyes stern and serious.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “Are you and Baekhyun back together?!” Jongdae and Minseok finally looked up from the textbooks then, their wide eyes automatically flitting to me. I choked on thin air. “Wh-What?! Why would you think that? W-We’re not back together!!!” I quickly swatted his hands off my shoulders and kept my phone away, my face suddenly burning.

“Baekhyun?! This guy she’s been obsessing over is Byun Baekhyun?!” Jongdae let out this over dramatic gasp and I, not knowing how to react, panicked a little and ended up vigorously shaking my head. “Obsessing? Kim Jongdae! I’m not obsessing over anyone. off, all of you!” I quickly dumped my book and notebooks into my bag and stood up, just about ready to escape but Chanyeol was quick to block my way.

Jongdae and Minseok had magically teleported too, making sure to block any other exit points. I lightly bit my lip, lowering my head now that I am cornered. They closed in on me so I had no choice but to sit back down and face them.

“First and foremost, you have been obsessing over him—” I was about to protest but Minseok shot me a death glare which he rarely ever does, effectively shutting me up. “—because you barely use your phone during school hours unless if its very important. These past few days, it’s been glued to your hand basically.”

“Second—” Jongdae continued on. “--you’ve been so giggly and smiley! You have this stupid dreamy look on your face and you’re seriously too happy for your own good. It’s kind of alarming.” With a defeated sigh, I swept my eyes over at Chanyeol knowing he was going to add something but he only clucked his tongue. He shook his head, mumbling about Baekhyun’s phone being glued to his hand as well.

He turned to me, saying, “He hasn’t joined us in any of our online poker games these past few days. He doesn’t drink as much either.” I bite onto my lip, feeling a tiny bit proud that I’ve influenced him into stopping these vices little by little. “She’s smiling like an idiot again!” Jongdae slammed his hand on the table, making me jump for the second time. “You’re back together, aren’t you?!”

“Jesus, stop yelling. We’re not, okay? We’re not!” Minseok narrowed his eyes at me. “Then what are you?” I looked down at my hands for a moment but I didn’t think there was much to ponder over since the answer was quite clear to me already. So with a nonchalant bob of my shoulders, I simple said, “We’re friends.” The three of them were quiet with their eyes pinned on me, judging and unbelieving.

I could only sigh in exasperation and roll my eyes. There’s nothing going on between Baekhyun and I. Sure, we have been kind of talking almost every day now but so what? Friends can’t talk every day? Our conversations are just really random too.

Although… we do joke around about one liking the other and… kind of flirt with each other for fun, but that doesn’t mean anything! I am unconsciously pouting to myself just thinking about it, the silence stretching on are six pairs of eyes exchanged looks to somehow reach a silent agreement that they believe me.

I merely waited for any one of them to speak up, waited for them to stop being so suspicious. After a while, Chanyeol sighed in resignation. He finally moved away from my chair. “Fine. I believe you on this.” Hearing that, Jongdae and Minseok backed away too. “Thank you!” I said with a roll of my eyes. “You’re all—"

“But can I ask you something?” Chanyeol cut me off. I gave him my full attention, suddenly feeling a little nervous and scared because he just looks and sounds so serious. Chanyeol is hardly ever serious. Why was this such a big deal? Still, Chanyeol was waiting for a reply so I nodded my head for him to know he can continue speaking. “Do you like him again?”

My shoulders tensed a tiny bit. I suddenly couldn’t hold his gaze and my brain out for a split second. I opened my mouth to say no which is supposed to be my immediate answer but it closed itself back up, making me shake my head instead.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “No or not yet?” This time I really couldn’t speak or even attempt to do it. Because this time, I actually don’t know the answer. I kept my mouth shut, my eyes avoiding his stare at all costs now. His stare was already pressuring enough but Jongdae and Minseok were there too, staring and listening, making me feel even more pressured somehow.

Once it was clear to him that I wasn’t going to answer, Chanyeol let out a deep sigh. I dared to peek at him from under my lashes. He looks worried. “Hey, I don’t mind you liking him back or anything. It’s just that—” He bit his lip as if hesitant to continue speaking but he does anyway. “--Baekhyun just broke up with his girlfriend… Probably a few days before your birthday. I—just don’t want you ending up being his rebound.”

The laugh that escaped my lips came out a lot faker than I thought it would. I do know Baekhyun had a girlfriend. I do know they broke up but I didn’t know how recent it was. “Worry not. I won’t be. I don’t like him like that,” I said, patting Chanyeol’s arm and forcing a smile. He didn’t look convinced by my last sentence but he didn’t say anything.

I inwardly sighed and told them I was going to work on my revisions in the library instead just so I could get out of there. I stared at the three males, each one holding a sense of worry in their orbs. They weren’t saying anything so I forced another smile to hopefully reassure them and quickly walked away.

I was completely dazed on my way to the library. I had no idea why. My mind was drifting off somewhere but the buzzing in my pocket spanned me out of it. Just in time too. If it hadn’t, I would’ve crashed into the library doors. I distractedly took the device out of my pocket as I went in and looked for a place to sit. Once I’ve set my bag next to me, I took a look at the message who belonged to no other than Byun Baekhyun.

Then came a tug on my lips, an involuntary smile whenever I see his name on my screen. At the back of my mind, I still kept thinking about what Chanyeol said but I told myself I would never be a rebound because I don’t like Baekhyun anyway and he probably doesn’t like me either. We’re nothing more than friends. Yup, nothing more.

I only got to do revisions for an hour because I got too distracted talking to Baekhyun. The guy was quite persistent. He said he was going to go to my school instead so we could hang out but outsiders aren’t allowed in the university unless they have important business here. Eventually, after a lot of coaxing and whining, he settled for a phone call instead. He said he at least wanted to hear my voice.

“Ahh, I’m getting pretty greedy here. Can I see your face too?” I couldn’t help but shake my head, an endearing grin on my lips. “Baek, I told I can’t meet with you today and you can’t come to our school!” He hmphed and replied with, “I know, I know… I was talking about video calling? You can go back into the library. I’ll watch you do your revisions.” I scrunched my face up. “What? That’s so creepy! Who does that?”

Although I sounded like I really didn’t want to do it, I was already walking back to the library and plugging my earphones on. “I would! I really wanna see you. Please, please, please, please?” I chuckled, nodding my head. “Fine. I’ll go back and we can have a video call.” Just before I ended almost an hour’s worth call, I heard a triumphant, “Yes!”

I was smiling too widely when I entered the library. There was an odd skip in my step too when I went back to my spot in the corner. Thank god there wasn’t too many people in the library today and I was pretty isolated. I could talk a little during the video call so it isn’t so weird that Baekhyun would just be watching me. When I got too serious and too silent though, Baekhyun would start talking randomly.

“You’re skin’s very smooth looking.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at such a random, ridiculous comment. “You’re prettier when you smile. Can you smile for me, please? Just for a minute.” I immediately pressed my lips together in a thin line, my brows meeting in the middle. I shook my head. I heard him laugh and let out a long sigh. “You’re so cute.” I almost smiled at that.

Almost, but I clamped my teeth down my bottom lip pretty hard so I wouldn’t. Baekhyun laughed again. “C’mon, don’t hide it. Smile for me!” I stopped typing for a moment and looked straight into my phone’s front camera. I then flashed him my middle finger, making him give me a deadpanned look.

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