At exactly 1:45 pm, Kyungsoo was going to accidentally bump into another boy in the hallway at school.

It may seem like an insignificant moment, but it was something that had been weaved into Kyungsoo’s fate since he was born. Baekhyun knew it was going to happen, just like he knew all the other important moments in Kyungsoo’s life. After all, he was assigned to watch over Kyungsoo, to be his guardian angel of sorts. It was his utmost priority to know what was going to happen to Kyungsoo. Still, fate is a tricky thing. There are many paths that can be taken, and the choices Kyungsoo made throughout his life constantly changed his own fate. It was ever evolving, each milestone Kyungsoo came upon and reacted to altered which direction he took on his life journey. 

It was like a confusing and tangled web of strings, each decision branching off from a singular important moment onto another path. Bumping into a boy named Park Chanyeol was one of Kyungsoo’s milestones in life, but what happened next depended on how he reacted to that moment. Baekhyun wasn’t sure what path Kyungsoo was going to take, but he would do his best to guide Kyungsoo through the happiest life he could, as long as no one else's fate collided with his in an undesirable way.There wasn’t much Baekhyun could do to help Kyungsoo, after all he had very little control over what happened in the living realm. All he could do was give Kyungsoo small impulses, a sudden and unknown feeling in his gut. Sometimes it was as simple as making Kyungsoo turn his head to look at something, Kyungsoo unsure of why he suddenly looked in that direction. 

However, most of the time Baekhyun simply watched Kyungsoo’s life unfold. There hadn’t really been many reasons to interfere so far. It was pretty straightforward at the moment, Kyungsoo only being a high school student. But Baekhyun was excited for today. Milestone moments like this one weren’t that common, and Kyungsoo hadn’t had very many yet. Baekhyun was anxious to see what Kyungsoo would do, and what new path that would lead him on. Baekhyun walked along Kyungsoo’s side, moving down the empty hallway with him. Kyungsoo’s teacher had asked him to deliver some paper to another classroom, a thick stack that was a little heavy for him to carry. He looked down at words written on the papers, reading them and not paying attention as he rounded a corner.

And then it happened. Kyungsoo bumped into a tall boy, which harshly knocked him over onto the floor, papers flying everywhere. Even though Baekhyun had been eagerly waiting for this moment, he barely witnessed it happen. He was suddenly enthralled by something else, by the man standing next to Chanyeol. He was tall as well, but there was a much colder look to his appearance, and Baekhyun was entranced by it.

“Are you ok?!” Chanyeol shouted as he quickly knelt to the floor, putting away his phone, “, I’m so sorry!”

“I’m fine…” Kyungsoo answered quietly, holding onto his wrist as he winced a little.

“No your not.” Chanyeol argued, leaning closer to look at Kyungsoo’s hand, “Let me see it.”

Kyungsoo recoiled his hand, bringing it close to his body, “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.”

“Hi.” Baekhyun suddenly spoke, looking at the man standing near Chanyeol, ignoring the moment happening next to them. The man turned to look at Baekhyun, a cold expression remaining on his face. 

“I’m trying to pay attention to this.” He answered in an irritated voice, “It’s important.”

“Oh, right.” Baekhyun replied nervously, “Sorry.”

Baekhyun went quiet, looking up and down the man’s body to examine his clothing. Attire was a strangely important thing to guardians like themselves, along with their age. They hadn’t been born yet, hadn’t had a chance to exist in the living realm. However, their appearance at the moment was a representation of the way they were going to look when they were given the gift of life. As for their exact age and the clothing they were wearing, it represented an important day in their life, what they looked like during the moment they met their soulmate. Baekhyun noticed they both appeared to be around the same age, give or take a few years possibly. Not only that, their attire was rather similar, at least they were dressed for the same season. The man was garbed in a long grey coat, a beige sweater underneath with the tips of his shirt collar sticking out at the neck. At first Baekhyun thought he was dressed for something semi-formal, until his eyes fell on the lower half of the man’s body. Plaid pajama pants paired with converse sneakers. It was very clashing, and Baekhyun wondered why the man had ever decided to dress like that.

In contrast, Baekhyun was dressed rather sharply, either for some nice event or even possibly just a day at work. He also had a long coat, but it was light in color. Underneath was a patterned sweater vest, his white shirt exposed at the top and bottom. A pale blue pair of slacks went well with the rest of his outfit, along with his dark brown dress shoes. The blue scheme played nicely against the light orange color of his hair, the muted colors feeling soft on the eyes. Taken away from his thoughts, Baekhyun heard Chanyeol’s voice again, reminding him of the current situation. “Let me take you to the nurses office then. It might be sprained.” Chanyeol offered, holding out his hand to help Kyungsoo stand up.

Baekhyun and the man watched as Kyungsoo accepted Chanyeol’s offer, getting up off the floor with Chanyeol’s help. Chanyeol quickly collected Kyungsoo’s papers for him, gathering them back into a stack. They began to walk together, going towards the nurse’s office. Baekhyun and the tall man moved behind them, also walking side by side. “What’s your name?” Baekhyun suddenly asked after an awkward break of silence.

“Sehun.”

“Hi, I’m Baekhyun.”

There was no answer to Baekhyun’s introduction, and they fell into silence again. Baekhyun glanced over at Sehun, admiring his handsome features as they moved along quietly. He had a pleasant combination of masculine and soft attributes, creating a very appealing appearance, especially in Baekhyun’s eyes. Baekhyun spent some time examining each attractive quality on his face before he eventually spoke again. “Chanyeol is such gentlemen. It must be nice to watch over him.”

“He’s an idiot.” Sehun answered, a look of irritation on his face, “He’s frustrating to watch.”

“Oh.” Baekhyun replied nervously, “…Well, you know, if everything goes well for these two, we might be seeing each other a lot. I could help you, or we could at least laugh together about it.”

“No, I have other plans for Chanyeol.”

“Oh…” Baekhyun replied again, “…Like what?”

“He’ll be really successful if he attends a far off school. He can’t go there if he stays with Kyungsoo.”

“…But…isn’t love more important than success?” Baekhyun asked, a little surprised by Sehun’s logic.

“He’ll still get married.” Sehun replied.

“Yeah, but won’t he be happier with Kyungsoo?”

“It’s hard to say. But I think he’ll be better off without him.”

“Well I think they’ll be happiest together.” Baekhyun answered, hoping to change Sehun’s mind.

Sehun glared over at Baekhyun, getting annoyed again, “Look, don’t mess with this. I’ve been planning it carefully.”

“So have I.” Baekhyun answered, “I’ve always been looking forward to them getting together.” Silence again, only this time it was filled with obvious anger and frustration as they glared at each other. But their fierce gaze was soon interrupted by Chanyeol’s voice, calling out for the nurse.

“Hmmm, she’s not here.” Chanyeol spoke to Kyungsoo, turning to look at him.

“It’s ok, I’ll just wrap it up myself.” 

“No no, let me do it for you.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Baekhyun went to Kyungsoo’s side, trying his best to send him the most good vibes about Chanyeol as he could. Sehun noticed, and went to Chanyeol’s side, doing the complete opposite. He tried to send him horrible vibes, hoping it would deter him away from Kyungsoo. Chanyeol was disheartened by this bad vibe, feeling like Kyungsoo was really annoyed by him. He was about to resign from helping him until Kyungsoo suddenly spoke. “…Well…I guess it would be easier with your help.”

Chanyeol’s face brightened up, “Yeah, I mean, it’s the least I can do for you. I really hope it’s not sprained.” Sehun glared over at Baekhyun again, realizing this was all his fault. Baekhyun stuck his tongue out at Sehun, cocky that he had won. Unfortunately for them both, this was only the beginning.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Kyungsoo couldn’t stop thinking about Chanyeol, even though it had been a few weeks now and he hadn’t seen him since they accidentally bumped into each other. It wasn’t normal for Kyungsoo to be like this, getting someone stuck in his thoughts so easily. He usually didn't spend his time thinking about other people, not even glancing as they passed by him in the halls. He had always been focused on himself, and honestly he was starting to get annoyed with himself for distracting his thoughts so much with a boy he had only met once. Little did he know, it was all thanks to his overzealous guardian Baekhyun that Chanyeol kept popping up in his thoughts. He was working nonstop to make sure Kyungsoo didn’t forget that fateful meeting.

And then it all finally paid off. Baekhyun spotted Sehun walking across the school yard, accompanied by Chanyeol. Sehun noticed Baekhyun as well, and he gave Baekhyun a fierce glare before he turned to look at Chanyeol. Baekhyun knew he was at a disadvantage, being fully aware of Kyungsoo’s non-sociable personality. It was going to take a lot to make them talk to each other again, but Baekhyun wasn’t giving up. He immediately sent Kyungsoo a strong urge to turn his head.

Kyungsoo reacted to the impulse, and quickly turned his head to look over in Chanyeol’s direction. He instantly spotted him, and the sight of Chanyeol made him stop moving. He stood still, staring at Chanyeol silently.Meanwhile, Sehun was frantically trying his best to make Chanyeol hurry up, giving him the urge to rush to his next class. However, this proved to work against him, because as Chanyeol suddenly sped up, he tripped and fell. Sehun let out a disappointed sigh as he watched him, realizing he should have known this would happen. It was then that Kyungsoo finally moved, acting against his own nature and quickly making his way over to Chanyeol. Reaching out his hand, he offered to help Chanyeol stand up. “Are you ok?”

Chanyeol laughed, lifting his head slowly to meet Kyungsoo’s eyes. His eyes widened a little once he recognized the smaller boy, and he quickly extended his hand to accept Kyungsoo’s help. “Oh hey, it’s you again! How is your wrist?”

With a strong pull, Kyungsoo helped him get back on his feet, “It’s fine, thanks.”

“Long time no see.” Baekhyun suddenly interjected, staring at Sehun with a mischievous expression. Sehun glanced over at him, his eyes piercing and icy cold. He had nothing to say to Baekhyun, extremely displeased that he had lost this round. Baekhyun smiled, realizing that Sehun was being a sore loser. To loosen the mood, Baekhyun suddenly scooted closer to Sehun, snuggling up against him as he made an adorable pouting expression, “Don’t look at me like that Sehunieee~”

“What are you doing?” Sehun grimaced, trying to back away but failing as Baekhyun wrapped his arms around him and held onto him tightly.

Baekhyun smiled brightly, tilting his chin up to look at Sehun, “Making friends of course, since we’re going to be seeing each other so much.”

“No, we’re not.” Sehun abruptly replied, annoyance clear in his voice.

“It’s already happening.” Baekhyun answered, his warm smile turning into a satisfied smirk.

Sehun turned his head to look over at Chanyeol in concern, only to witness him happily chatting away with Kyungsoo. It seemed that Kyungsoo noticed the guitar Chanyeol was carrying, and they had quickly moved onto the topic of music, something they were both passionate about. Sehun instantly began to struggle, getting out of Baekhyun’s grasp and smacking him away. He rushed to Chanyeol’s side, bringing a cloud of negative energy with him. Chanyeol sensed it, and suddenly went quiet. He started to doubt himself, feeling like he had been talking too much. Kyungsoo had been rather quiet, and Chanyeol wondered if he had been annoying him.

Baekhyun quickly went to salvage their conversation, and sent a warm comforting wave to Kyungsoo. It was all the encouragement Kyungsoo needed, his mind already teetering on a question he had never asked anyone before. He noticed Chanyeol getting antsy, considering the bell was about to ring. Before Chanyeol could excuse himself, Kyungsoo handed out his phone. “Your number.” He asked, or more like demanded.

Chanyeol’s uneasy expression turned into a happy smile, relieved that Kyungsoo had also been enjoying their conversation. Taking his phone, Chanyeol quickly typed in his number. Baekhyun smiled over at Sehun confidently, pleased that he had once again won. However, he honestly got a little frightened once he saw the livid expression on Sehun’s face. Sehun hated things not going according to plan, and this had gone horribly off track. He wasn’t sure how, but he was determined to fix the mess Baekhyun had made.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

It was late at night when Kyungsoo received a text, an unusual occurrence for someone as non-sociable as Kyungsoo. Being extremely nosey with Kyungsoo’s personal life, Baekhyun immediately came over to read it. It was a text from Chanyeol, inviting Kyungsoo to go out with him and his friends to karaoke. In excitement, Baekhyun didn’t even wait to see how Kyungsoo was reacting before he sent him a wonderful happy vibe. Kyungsoo smiled as he sent a response, relating how he was looking forward to it. A few more friendly texts were sent between them, discussing the time and place.

Baekhyun was beaming, wondering if Sehun was already asleep and failing to intervene. It was going far too easy, especially considering the fact that Chanyeol was the one who sent the first text. However, Sehun was still a big problem, and Baekhyun knew he’d have to come up with a plan to make sure everything went well the following evening. He couldn’t have Sehun drowning Chanyeol with negative energy the whole time. After all, Chanyeol was going to eventually get weary of the bad feeling he aways got when he was near Kyungsoo. After a little while of thinking, a mischievous smirk appeared on Baekhyun’s lips. He had the perfect idea. He already knew he was really going to enjoy this.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chanyeol laughed with his friends as they waited for the last person in their group to arrive. Sehun was nearby watching them all, an irritated expression on his face. He was in a horrible mood, not being able to prevent this evening from happening. He refused to turn around as he listened to the footsteps coming up behind him, and the happy greeting Chanyeol sent the small boy Sehun was dreading to arrive. It wasn’t so much the boy himself that Sehun was dreading, but the man accompanying him.

“Sehuniee!” Baekhyun giggled as he jumped onto Sehun’s back, hanging off him as wrapped his arms around his neck, keeping his legs bent and off the floor.

“Get off.” Sehun answered in a monotone voice, trying his best to retain his composure.

“Come on, we’re going to be spending the whole night together. Try not to be so rude.”

“This is all your fault.” Sehun answered after a deep breath, “I’m not going to forgive you.”

“It’s not just me.” Baekhyun smiled, dropping himself off Sehun’s back, “Chanyeol and Kyungsoo both want this.” Sehun didn’t answer, instead he kept his eyes on Chanyeol and Kyungsoo as they continued greeting each other. It was obvious that they were already growing feelings for each other, sharing shy smiles and awkward glances. Sehun knew it was the first step in the wrong direction, a very dangerous slope towards romance. A romance he hoped to sabotage before it got too serious. Everyone sat down in the dark room together, Chanyeol’s friends introducing themselves to Kyungsoo one by one. They weren’t the only ones exchanging greetings though, the guardians of Chanyeol’s friends were also meeting Baekhyun for the first time, and happily shook hands with him. They stood at the back of the room together as they watched everyone, wishing they could also join in on the fun.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo sat close together, chatting quietly with each other in-between songs. Baekhyun kept a close eye on Sehun, making sure he didn’t ruin this perfect moment. However, just as he predicted, it didn’t take long before he noticed Sehun sending negative vibes. It was time for his plan. As Sehun was busy glaring at Chanyeol, his vision was suddenly flipped to the ceiling, a small body knocking him over onto the floor. Sehun smacked hard onto the thin carpet, but luckily he was not able to experience the feeling of pain. Still, he was annoyed by the attack, and let out a shout of anger as he tried to get Baekhyun off him. Baekhyun struggled to pin him down, a grin on his face the entire time.

The other guardians began to watch them, and they couldn’t help laughing, never seeing someone treat Sehun like this before. As they wrestled together on the floor, Sehun continued to yell at Baekhyun to get off, much to everyone’s amusement. Baekhyun was giggling as well, trying his best to stay on top of Sehun. Finally gaining an opening, Baekhyun ceased the moment and lunged forward. Everyone went silent as they watched Baekhyun, suddenly smashing his lips against Sehun’s. Sehun froze in shock, feeling the smaller male’s lips pressed against his own. It felt so soft, so warm and pure. Sehun couldn’t resist enjoying it for a moment, enchanted by the sensation. Baekhyun held the kiss as long as Sehun let him, wanting to distract Sehun as long as possible. After the shock eventually subsided, Sehun pulled his lips away, yelling at Baekhyun again. “What is wrong with you?!”

Baekhyun just grinned back at Sehun, pleased to have executed his plan so well. It was extremely amusing to him, to rattle someone as serious and apathetic as Sehun. He watched Sehun squirm for a moment before he leaned forward again, assaulting Sehun with a flood of kisses, smashing their lips together over and over again. Sehun continued struggling, pulling Baekhyun away for a moment before he snapped back and landed another kiss, sometimes pressing his lips against his cheek or other part of his face. “Stop it!!”

The other guardians continued laughing again, snickering quietly to themselves as they watched the strange battle in front of them. They were too amused to help Sehun at all, knowing his personality they figured he must have deserved this bizarre attack. Finally Sehun broke free, and shot to stand up off the floor. Baekhyun looked up at him, continuing to wear an amused smile. “What’s wrong? I’m just kissing you.”

“You’re just trying to distract me!” Sehun angrily shouted, looking over at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, hoping they hadn’t gotten too close in the meantime. Chanyeol was whispering something in Kyungsoo’s ear, making the smaller boy blush. After he finished speaking, Kyungsoo leaned in to whisper something in Chanyeol’s ear as well. It was worse than Sehun had feared. Sehun went to rush over to Chanyeol, but as he made his first stride, something grabbed onto his leg. With a thud, Sehun fell onto the floor again, Baekhyun grinning as he dragged Sehun towards himself. Sehun reached down to pry Baekhyun’s hands off him, but Baekhyun let go on his own, lunging forward to lay on top of Sehun again. Sehun was attacked with another flood of kisses, Baekhyun quickly pecking Sehun’s lips before returning with another kiss.

“Just enjoy it.” One of the other guardians laughed, watching the anger grow on Sehun’s face.

“Shut up and help me!” Sehun shouted back at him, surprised that his strength alone wasn’t enough to stop Baekhyun’s attack. However, even after escaping again, it didn’t stop Baekhyun. No matter what Sehun did that night, Baekhyun thwarted any negative thoughts with his acts of affection. Thanks to Baekhyun’s perseverance, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo ended up having a wonderful evening together, and they decided to get together again soon. Alone next time.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Baekhyun hummed to himself as he walked along Kyungsoo’s side, relishing in the memory of the other night. He had been spending a lot of his thoughts on Sehun lately, opposed to his usual focus on Kyungsoo’s romance. It made him smile, jut imagining Sehun’s face. He would have gone to find Sehun on his own, to greet him with a kiss, but he wasn’t able to leave Kyungsoo’s side. Being a guardian, he was attached to Kyungsoo. He could wander a little bit away, especially when Kyungsoo needed privacy, but not far enough to get to Sehun. Baekhyun didn’t mind much though, if everything went well with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, he would be able to spend every day with Sehun. It gave him an even bigger incentive to accomplish his goal, more determined than ever to make sure Kyungsoo ended up happy as well. 

Baekhyun smiled to himself, picturing how upset Sehun would be if he did in fact succeed. He imagined Sehun would still be stubborn at first, but eventually he would warm up to him. He might even kiss him back one day. Baekhyun wiggled a little at the thought. He couldn’t wait to see Sehun again.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chanyeol strummed some notes on his guitar, looking up at Kyungsoo occasionally and smiling as he played him a song. Kyungsoo smiled as well, joining in and quietly singing along. They were both sitting on Chanyeol’s bed together, enjoying a relaxing day of the weekend at Chanyeol’s house. They couldn’t hear the chaos happening next to them, a much less serene moment between their guardians. Shouts of anger erupted from Sehun as he wrestled with Baekhyun on the floor, rolling around together as he tried to keep Baekhyun away. Baekhyun had a large smile on his face, climbing all over Sehun as he occasionally pressed a few pecks on his lips. Exhausted and defeated, Sehun was eventually resigned to watching Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s sweet moment, suffering the whole time as he witnessed them send each other smiles. Sehun had given up. It was no use, he couldn’t get anything done while Baekhyun was around.

He remained laying on the floor with his head rolled to the side, watching the blossoming couple. Baekhyun smiled as he stayed sitting on top of him, pleased that Sehun had finally surrendered. He began to fiddle with the buttons on Sehun’s coat, more interested in playing with Sehun some more than watching the moment happening next to them. “Can you get off?” Sehun asked in an irritated voice, “I’m not going to do anything.”

“Nope.” Baekhyun smiled, slowly sinking forward to lay his chin on Sehun’s chest, “I don’t want to.”

Sehun sighed, turning his head to look at Baekhyun, “Are you this annoying with everyone you meet?”

Baekhyun smiled at Sehun for a long moment, basking in his irritated expression, “No, just you.” There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other, Sehun too tired to bother arguing with Baekhyun. Even though he wanted Baekhyun to get off, he felt comfortable in that moment. Baekhyun felt so warm laying on top of him, he suddenly felt like taking a nap. The soothing music Chanyeol was playing wasn’t helping either. Slowly closing his eyes, Sehun relaxed his body, allowing Baekhyun to remain laying on top of him. Baekhyun smiled, continuing to stare at Sehun’s face. He knew if Sehun really wanted him to leave him alone, he would have tried harder. After all, Baekhyun could tell Sehun was much stronger than him.

Resting his head comfortably on Sehun’s chest, he decided to take a nap with him. They laid silently together for a long while, breathing in time with each other as their chests lethargically emptied and filled with air. Slowly, Sehun raised one of his hands, grabbing onto Baekhyun’s back. Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile, pleased with the tiny act of affection. Gripping onto Sehun as well, it wasn’t long until they both fell asleep, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo continuing their duet in the background. 

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

“Sehunie!~” Baekhyun waved vigorously as he shouted across the school yard, not caring about the other guardian’s opinions. Sehun ignored him, turning his head the opposite direction as he walked with Chanyeol. He was getting kind of confused, he didn’t understand what exactly Baekhyun was trying to accomplish. At first it was obvious, Baekhyun’s overbearing attention was meant to be a distraction. But now, it seemed like Baekhyun was actually trying to flirt with him. Regardless of Baekhyun’s intentions, Sehun wasn’t going to let him interfere with his plans. To him, Baekhyun was a nuisance, an undesirable inconvenience.

Still, he couldn’t fight back the slight blush on his cheeks from hearing Baekhyun call out his name.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Kyungsoo let out a warm laugh, smiling happily as he listened to Chanyeol tell a story about his childhood. They were sitting on a pair of swings together, lazily pushing themselves back and forth with their feet. Chanyeol had offered Kyungsoo to walk home together, however, they got a little sidetracked on the way. Chanyeol had spotted a nearby playground, and didn’t hesitate before running towards it, jumping onto one of the swings. Laughing, he coaxed Kyungsoo to join him, wanting to spend as much extra time with Kyungsoo as possible. Sehun and Baekhyun were seated on a nearby roundabout, watching as the sun disappeared below the horizon. Baekhyun smiled as he looked over at Sehun, appreciating the extra time Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were taking to get home.

Sehun had a blank expression on his face, one that was too difficult for Baekhyun to read. In the very least though, he didn’t seem upset, and that’s all Baekhyun was hoping for. It seemed like he was already starting to warm up to him. Twisting to face Sehun, Baekhyun leaned closer to him, his eyes closed and his chin tilted upward as he searched for a kiss. Sehun stared down at him, deciding to allow it, not even flinching as Baekhyun moved towards him. Closing his eyes as well, he felt Baekhyun press a gentle kiss against his lips. They stayed still together, Baekhyun melting further against Sehun the longer they held it. It wasn’t the usual sporadic peck Baekhyun gave him, but instead a long sentimental kiss, sweet and full of emotion. Slowly, Baekhyun backed away, staring deeply at Sehun. Sehun averted his eyes, trying to pretend as if that kiss were no different than the other ones they had shared. Baekhyun kept his eyes on him for a long moment, once again failing to read his expression.

“Sehun…Won’t you change your mind?”

Sehun took a heavy breath, continuing to look away, “…I’m not giving up.”

Baekhyun sighed quietly, lowering his eyes to look down at Sehun’s hand. Reaching out his fingers, he gently the top of it, resting his hand on top of Sehun’s.

“You still don’t see it?” Baekhyun asked, his voice fragile and soft.

“See what?”

Baekhyun gripped onto Sehun’s hand lightly, “What’s more important.”

“…You know what will happen, if he stays with Kyungsoo.” Sehun started, still convinced he was doing the right thing, “They just barely make it by, having to work long days and nights. They’ll have to scrimp and save every penny…and Chanyeol’s music is reduced to live performances at their shop, trying to sell a few CD’s to their customers.”

Sehun paused for a moment, looking over at Baekhyun, “His music could be known to the whole world, not just their cafe.”

Baekhyun went silent, staring down at his lap, “…But if he had the choice…Do you think that would matter to him?”

“He’ll regret it.” Sehun answered quickly, “That he never put enough effort into his music. I’d hate to see his potential wasted like that.” Baekhyun sighed, never hearing Chanyeol’s side of the story before. After all, he only knew about Kyungsoo’s feelings. It wasn’t as black and white as it seemed before, and he was starting to understand Sehun’s reluctance. Still, his mind was unchanged, knowing that the path he wanted for them both was the right one.

“Even so…I think he’d still pick to be with Kyungsoo.” Sehun went silent, not answering Baekhyun’s statement. Baekhyun couldn’t see the future he could see. The fame, the wealth, the recognition. Sehun was convinced it was Chanyeol’s destiny to be a star. Neither one of them spoke another word as they watched Chanyeol and Kyungsoo chat together. Baekhyun wasn’t sure how he was going to make Sehun see it, the joy on their faces as they simply talked together. It was like a rare and precious treasure, one that should never be thrown away.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

An official date. Something Sehun had tried his best to stop from happening, and yet, it was happening. Chanyeol was nervously looking in the mirror, trying to fix his unruly hair. But each time he smoothed it down, a patch of it would spring up again in retaliation. Letting out an annoyed sigh, Chanyeol went to the bathroom to try and get it wet. Sehun remained in the bedroom, taking a deep breath. It was going to be a long night. He was already preparing himself for Baekhyun’s nonstop clinging, climbing all over him, snuggling up against him, and stealing unlimited kisses. As he thought about it, Sehun suddenly went over to the mirror, also deciding to check his appearance. After all, Baekhyun paid so much attention to him, he wanted to make sure he looked decent. Not that he cared about Baekhyun’s opinion. No no, it wasn’t that. 

However, Sehun was forgetting that it was pointless. Being a guardian, his appearance never changed. Once they finally arrived at Kyungsoo’s house together, Chanyeol knocked on the door, nervously waiting for Kyungsoo to open it. Sehun wet his lips, running his hand through his hair to make sure it wasn’t out of place. With a few tugs, he adjusted his coat. Looking down at his legs, it was the first time Sehun ever felt ridiculous wearing pajama pants. He really didn’t understand why he was dressed like this, it just screamed ‘Hi, my life is a hot mess.’ Baekhyun on the other hand was dressed very nicely, in a well coordinated outfit unlike his own. It was ironic, considering their two personalities. Sehun smiled a little, wondering if Baekhyun ended up being more successful than himself. 

As the door opened, Kyungsoo smiled at Chanyeol, a bashful expression on his face while he said hello. Sehun was purposely looking the other direction, waiting for Baekhyun to jump on him. But the jumping didn’t happen, and Sehun eventually turned to look at the doorway in confusion. And then Sehun froze, startled to see someone else standing by Kyungsoo’s side. “Hi, it’s nice to meet yo-”

“Where is Baekhyun?” Sehun quickly interrupted.

The man blinked a few times, a little startled by the interruption, “…You haven’t heard? Baekhyun was finally born yesterday. He has started his own life journey.” Sehun stared back at the man blankly, slowly processing his words. The fact eventually sunk in, Baekhyun was gone. After all the times he wished that Baekhyun would go away, Sehun had finally gotten what he wanted. He was free to manipulate Chanyeol as he pleased, not having to worry about Baekhyun attacking him.

However, Sehun wasn’t thinking about any of that. All he could think about was Baekhyun’s smile, the way he would call out Sehunie…his arms wrapped around his neck as Baekhyun jumped on him…and their lips pressed together in a kiss. It was hard to think that Sehun would never experience those things again. That it was just a short passing moment, nothing more. Sehun thought it would be longer. He thought they would get to spend more time together before they eventually parted. However, he honestly never put much thought into the moment when they would separate. He was only ever thinking about Chanyeol’s future.“I’m Kyungsoo’s new guardian, Minseok.” The man smiled, reaching out his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Sehun hesitated, staring down at Minseok’s hand. Eventually reaching forward, Sehun lightly shook Minseok’s hand, his mind still on Baekhyun. “I’m Sehun.”

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Chanyeol’s eyes nearly shot out of his head once he read the words written on the envelope he was holding. Quickly running inside, Chanyeol rushed into his room, throwing down his bag. Sitting down on his bed with the envelope, Chanyeol ripped it open, his eyes quickly scanning the letter. Sehun was reading the letter as well, also realizing what it was. It was an acceptance letter, into the school Sehun had always planned on Chanyeol attending. The school that was far away from Kyungsoo. Chanyeol was also aware of this fact, and after the initial excitement subsided, the reality of the situation sunk in. He lowered the letter to his lap, a sad expression on his face. He had been avoiding thinking about what he would do, but now it was finally time to make a decision.

Sehun watched Chanyeol with a heavy heart, knowing this was a crucial moment. His entire future relied on this decision, leading him to a path of success…or a life with his soulmate. Sitting down next to Chanyeol, Sehun stared at the letter with a solemn expression. With all his power, Sehun sent Chanyeol the worst vibes possible about the school, and the warmest waves of happiness for Kyungsoo. It was in that moment that Chanyeol made up his mind. With a smile, Chanyeol held up the letter in his hands, ripping it in half.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

As the time went by, Sehun watched as Chanyeol and Kyungsoo grew closer and closer together, their love seeming to increase daily. Sehun and Minseok became good friends in the meantime, having to spend a lot of time together. Still, Sehun never forgot about Baekhyun. He thought about him frequently, thinking how happy Baekhyun would be to see the two lovebirds together. It had been one year since he last saw him, but the memory of his smile and the sound of his voice were still fresh in his mind. He often wondered where Baekhyun was now, just a tiny baby, probably still being a little troublemaker. He wanted to go off and find him, but he knew even if he had the the freedom to search, it would be almost impossible to locate Baekhyun. All he could do was wish him happiness, hoping that the waves he sent were somehow reaching Baekhyun.

Little did he know that Baekhyun’s strings of fate were still connected to him in a small way. He didn’t have to find Baekhyun, because Baekhyun came to him instead. Sehun was upstairs with Chanyeol in his room when his parents called him down, inviting him to come greet their friends. Walking down the stairs, Sehun came to a stop, noticing a small baby in the woman’s arms. Sehun recognized him immediately, he didn’t even need to hear the baby’s name to verify that it was Baekhyun. He had the same curved lips, droopy adorable eyes, and large ears that looked funny on a tiny baby’s head. Sehun almost tripped on the steps as he rushed over to him, staring at him with a large smile.

Baekhyun looked right up at him, making a happy little giggle, almost as if he could see Sehun. Sehun wouldn’t be surprised if he could, knowing that babies had a better sense for these kind of things than adults. Sehun couldn’t believe it was really him, that he was really able to meet him again. Reaching out his hand, he held onto Baekhyun’s tiny arm, wishing he could squeeze him. However, there was still something he could do. Guardians had one other power besides giving their respective human impulses. It was a special gift only they could give, to anyone they wanted. By kissing someone’s skin, they were able to leave behind a small mark. A mole would soon appear in that same spot, proof that the person had been blessed by an angel.

Sehun leaned down close to Baekhyun’s face, gently kissing the top left corner above his lips. He smiled as he backed away, happy to leave Baekhyun with a beauty mark. He couldn’t imagine anyone more deserving of it, finding Baekhyun to be beautiful on both the inside and out. Baekhyun giggled again, showing his small teeth just barely breaking in through his gums. Sehun laughed a little as well, finding Baekhyun to be absolutely adorable. Making a silly face, Sehun got Baekhyun to laugh again, a full break out of giggles that made Baekhyun hiccup in-between his laughter. “What’s so funny Baekie?” His mother smiled, bouncing him in her arms.

“Such a happy baby.” Chanyeol’s mother cooed, coming over to squeeze his arm. Baekhyun’s guardian stared at Sehun curiously, noticing all the attention he was giving his assigned human. Giving Baekhyun a mole was such a special gift, he figured this couldn’t have been the first time they met.

“Do you know this baby?” The guardian asked, getting Sehun’s attention.

“Yes.” Sehun smiled, “I knew him when he was still a guardian.”

“Oh, how interesting. That’s so rare to meet him again.”

Sehun nodded, feeling blessed that he was able to see Baekhyun again. Hearing that giggle brought him an immeasurable amount of joy. It was all he wanted for Baekhyun, for him to just be happy.

“My name is Junmyeon.” The guardian smiled, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you.” Sehun repeated, a little distracted and eager to ask Junmyeon something instead of giving a proper introduction.

“Can you tell me something…” Sehun suddenly asked, staring at Baekhyun, “About his fate?”

“Sure, what would you like to know?” Junmyeon answered, already having the many paths of Baekhyun’s life memorized.

Sehun took a deep breath, looking over at Junmyeon, “…Does Baekhyun ever meet someone named Oh Sehun?”

“Oh Sehun?” Junmyeon pondered for a moment, “Yes, he’s very important. Baekhyun’s soulmate.”

Sehun went quiet, a smile slowly appearing on his face. He repeated those words over and over in his mind, overjoyed to discover that fact.

“Can you do me a favor?” Sehun asked, staring deeply into Junmyeon’s eyes with a serious expression.

“I can try.” Junmyeon answered, slight bewilderment in his voice.

“Can you make sure Baekhyun always stays with Sehun?”

Junmyeon smiled, nodding his head, “I already planned on it.”

:

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Gentle strums, delicate picks, soft taps. Sehun closed his eyes, relaxing to the sound of the light guitar. It helped him think, cleared his mind as he tried to come up with ideas. Sometimes though, he would drift off, almost falling asleep in his seat. He never understood why coffee shops always chose to play such soothing music. After all, people specifically came here to buy drinks to wake themselves up. If anything, they should play lively songs to get people energized. Sehun swore it was on purpose, a devious scheme to get people to buy more coffee. It was always so cold in coffee shops too, like they intentionally the AC even though it was still early in the morning.

Shuddering a little himself, Sehun reached for his drink, taking a sip. He hadn’t gotten properly dressed that morning, or for quite a few mornings now. Although he had spent time making sure the top half of his body was warm, with many layers and a long coat, his lower half wasn’t nearly as protected. He had chosen to wear pajama pants and sneakers, a more comfortable alternative to jeans or slacks. Sehun didn’t feel the need to impress anyone, and simply didn’t care what people thought of his appearance. As long as he was comfortable, that was all that mattered. He didn’t come to the coffee shop to socialize anyway, he came here to think. Along with the owner’s performance of live music, there was another reason Sehun liked to come to this particular place. Helping to promote other artists like themselves, the cafe put artwork on display, trying to help local artists sell their work. Sehun was one of these individuals, his work put up on the walls alongside others.

Unfortunately, it didn’t help much. Everyone was far too concerned about getting their morning caffeine to pay any attention to the paintings and sculptures decorating the shop. Still, they would occasionally glance at the art, and Sehun always desperately hoped someone might buy one of his pieces. The shop was empty at the moment though, after the initial rush of customers subsided, it was only Sehun and the owners left. Sehun was left in peace, trying to work on his latest creation. A pile of string was sitting in front of him, part of a 3D sculpture he was in the process of making. Reaching for the string, he pulled it apart, trying to untangle it as he thought to himself. “How is it coming?” The owner asked, still holding onto his guitar as he approached Sehun.

Sehun sighed, placing down the string, “All right I guess.”

“Why the down face then?” The man asked, sitting at the table across from Sehun.

“…I don’t know…” Sehun answered, flicking the string a little with his fingers, “…I just never feel like it’s good enough.”

The man smiled a little, nodding his head as he sighed, “…I hear you.” Sehun fiddled with the string some more, playing with the knots in his fingers. He was getting frustrated with his work lately, feeling like he was lacking inspiration. Sometimes he felt like just giving up.

“I know it’s hard…But I’m proud of you, chasing after your dreams like this. I’m jealous actually.” The man laughed a little.

Sehun stared at him curiously, eventually glancing down at his guitar, “It’s not too late. You still can too.”

The man shook his head, smiling as he turned to look over at the counter, “I don’t need to. I have something more important right here.” Suddenly the door to the shop opened, and the person stepping inside caught the man’s attention. Excusing himself, he stood up from the table, going over to a young man and speaking with him happily. Sehun was barely listening, getting absorbed in his work again as he continued playing with the string.

“Wait a sec, I’ll go get Kyungsoo.” The owner smiled, leaving the younger man by himself. Standing in silence, the man glanced around at the interior of the cafe. Sehun raised his eyes once he noticed the young man walk past him, looking around at the artwork for sale. He stopped in front of many of the pieces, admiring them for a long moment before moving onto the next one. Sehun watched him closely, wondering if he might notice one of his own creations.

Secretly keeping his eyes on the young man, Sehun began to analyze him as if he were a work of art as well. He was small, with soft orange hair and a round attractive face. Sehun thought he almost looked like a tiny red squirrel, his appearance being similar to the adorable creature. Moving again, the man made his way towards the section where Sehun’s art was hanging. Sehun became a little nervous, anxiously waiting to see his reaction. The color yellow caught the man’s eye, and he looked directly at one of Sehun’s pieces. The canvas was dedicated almost entirely to the bright color, aside from a single black stripe of paint across the center.

Sehun wasn’t sure if it was due to his nerves, but the man seemed to stay staring at it longer than the other works of art. The truth was, the man was very fond of yellow, a happy color that suited his personality well. Although it was a simple piece, the man was very taken with it. He got a warm feeling from it, a vibe that instantly put him in a better mood.“Hey Chanyeol.” The small man called out, staying near the piece, “How much for this one?”

Sehun’s mouth went dry, in shock that the man was actually interested in purchasing it. Of all the artwork on display, it was extremely touching that he was interested in buying his.“The price tag is below the piece.” Chanyeol called back from behind the counter, still discussing something with Kyungsoo. The man laughed a little, embarrassed that he didn’t notice something so obvious. Reading the tag, he let out a quiet sigh, disappointed that he didn’t have enough for it. Noticing his disappointment, Sehun quickly got out of his seat, approaching the young man.

“I can lower the price.” The man looked over at Sehun in surprise, caught off guard by the offer from a random person. There was a break of silence as they stared at each other, neither one of them sure of what to say next. Eventually the man glanced down at the clothes Sehun was wearing. He smiled once he looked back up, a bright expression that made Sehun blush. He noticed a small mole perched atop his pink lips, a perfect addition to his beautiful smile.

“…Are you the artist?”

“Yes, sorry.” Sehun answered, taking a breath between speaking, “I’m Oh Sehun.”

A warm smile remained on the man’s face as he reached out his hand, “I’m Baekhyun.”

“I’ll search the universe

Until I can find you again

I won’t let go, even the smallest memories

Memories engraved in the seasons

They come back so I will find you

Because that’s love

Because it’s love”

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