Stars

 

 

Chanyeol × Baekhyun

 

 

 

There was a guy, who loved the flowers.

Because whenever they appear on his father's hand, the smile that blooms on his father's lips would be even more beautiful.

 

Baekhyun didn't understand at first; how could the flowers his mother drew on her arm could appear on his father's arm too.

Years later, he learnt that it's a gift for soulmates.

 

When you draw on your body, the same drawing would appear on your soulmate's, right on the same spot. Drawings, scars, the red mark from a pinch. Just little Easter eggs to lead you to your soulmate.

 

Baekhyun wanted to see drawings on his arm too.

 

But when he was in high school, what started to appear weren't drawings; they were bruises and red marks. Some of the red lines last for a quite long time. His soulmate wasn't living the happiest life.

 
He wanted to search for them, but he just couldn't figure out how.

A year went by; the thought of his soulmate is still strong in his mind. One day, as he was looking for a book in the campus’ library, he finally found them.

 

The pair of his heart came in the form of a tall, lanky guy, with awkwardly dangling limbs, messed hair, a hoodie that was too big for his size, and big ears that reddened the moment their gazes met. It was summer, but the tall guy wore long sleeved tee.
 

However, the red marks on his knuckles gave it away.

Hiding his own hand, Baekhyun stopped at the tall guy and said,
 

"Hey, do you know how to doodle?"

 

The tall guy, although perplexed and confused, answered nonetheless, "of course I do. I can draw stars. Crooked ones, though.”

Baekhyun offered him a warm smile, one that he hoped could reach his soulmate’s heart and ease the pain in it. "Stars would be pretty on your arm."

 

Of course, the reaction he got was a frown and gloominess. “Why should I stain my skin?”

 

It’s better to stain it than to scar it, Baekhyun wanted to say, but he felt that it wasn’t his place to do it. “You can wash them off once you’re done looking at them,” he said instead, “but at least you could make your soulmate smile because of them!”

 

The big eyes widen up at him, as if he had broke down some breathtaking revelation. Maybe his soulmate never thought, never realized, that the marks on his arm would be on his pair’s arm as well. “You’re right.” his soulmate whispered to him.

 

He reached out a hand. “Baekhyun.”

 

“Chanyeol.” a name accompanied the hand that took his own for a shake.

 

Chanyeol. What an adorable name.

 

“I’ll be going then.” Baekhyun said as he took a few steps backwards, arms securing the book between them. “Remember to draw the stars!”

 

“Wait,” Chanyeol called for him, “w...why? I mean, why did you suddenly come and talk about my soulmate? You don’t even know me.”

 

But I’ve known something about you for the longest time.

 

“I found my soulmate today.” he said with the biggest smile he ever had. “I just felt inspired and wanted to share the excitement with someone. You’re there in the right place and the right time.”

 

Chanyeol nodded at him with an awed look on his face. “That must be so great.” gloomy face still gifted him a gentle smile. “I hope things would go well with you.”

 

Baekhyun tried so hard not to tear up. Even with the gloominess in him, Chanyeol still wished him happiness.

 

“Do you… want to meet your soulmate too?” he asked cautiously.

 

Big, round eyes casted down onto the desk. “Not yet.” Chanyeol murmured. “Maybe when I’m… better.”

 

Baekhyun balled his hands into fists; he really wanted to just go to Chanyeol’s side and gather him into his arms. But he couldn’t do that yet. Chanyeol might run away from him, unprepared.

 

“Six months.” he blurted.

 

Chanyeol looked up at him.

 

“In six months, let your soulmate know where you are and ask them to find you.” Baekhyun spoke more. “Until then, gift them with stars. How does that sound?”

 

At first, Chanyeol didn’t say a thing to him in reply. But slowly, a soft, bittersweet smile spread on Chanyeol’s plump lips. The smile didn’t reach his eyes, but it looked hopeful enough.

 

“It sounds good.”

 

Baekhyun replied with a wider smile. He hoped the joy in him could rub off Chanyeol even just for a little.

 

And so, they parted. Baekhyun continued with his days, with thoughts of Chanyeol still lingering in his head. The red lines and bruises were still there, but stars began to accompany them. Crooked little stars. Some of them would be drawn on top of a red mark. Chanyeol really was trying to be better.

 

Sometimes, when he felt brave enough, he would scribble some words for Chanyeol to read. He hoped it wouldn’t give his identity away. He didn’t want to be a burden to Chanyeol’s mind, but he also couldn’t just do nothing whenever he saw those red lines. ‘Please be alright.’ ‘I’m rooting for you!’ ‘The stars are cute.’ ‘You can do it.’

 

Chanyeol never replied to them. Baekhyun understood; he never expected him to reply anyway.

 

But as time went by, he found that the red lines and bruises on his arms started to appear less and less, replaced by crooked stars that looked like they belonged in comic pages. Baekhyun always giggled, even laughed, at them. They were so adorable.

 

The day he noticed there were only stars on his arm, no red lines or bruises, he cried. Out of relief and joy.

 

Chanyeol made it.

 

And on a day in the last weeks of summer, two rows of sentences appeared between the stars. The first row stated a brief details of the address of a pizza parlor near his campus and a description of time.

 

The second row got him giddy and excited.

 

‘Would you want to meet me today?’

 

Baekhyun scribbled under the sentence.

 

‘I would. See you there!’

 

When he arrived in front of the pizza parlor, Chanyeol was already there, looking nervous. The moment Chanyeol noticed him, surprise and friendliness greeted him.

 

“You’re the guy at the library six months ago, right?”

 

Baekhyun laughed cheerily. “If you remember me that well, does it mean you’re finally meeting your soulmate?”

 

“Yes!” Chanyeol grinned. “I’m meeting them today.”

 

“How did you let them know where to meet you?”

 

“I wrote the address to this pizza place and asked if they would want to meet me. They said yes!”

 

“Whoa, can I see it?”

 

The light in Chanyeol’s eyes dimmed a little bit. “I… I’m not sure.”

 

“Oh come on.” Baekhyun smiled. “I need to witness everything in details. I’ve taken a part in this after all.”

 

To his relief, Chanyeol started pulling up the sleeve of his sweater slowly. “What you’re going to see won’t be pretty.”

 

Baekhyun holds his breath as he sees faint lines of scars scattered around Chanyeol’s arm, like embossed lines of pain. They’re already in the color of his skin, but they’re still quite visible. His eyes focuses on the black inked letters in the middle.

 

“Told you it won’t be pretty.” Chanyeol murmured, sounding embarrassed.

 

He looked up to offer a smile. “Nothing I’m not familiar with.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes widen at him. “You…” he whispered, “do you… too?”

 

“Oh, not that!” Baekhyun grinned as he started to pull up the sleeve of his shirt. “It’s just, well, here.”

 

He showed Chanyeol the exact copy of the words he wrote on his own arm.

 

“You did a great job.” Baekhyun told him gently. “Not with the stars, though. They were like, what should I name them, chibi stars?”

 

Chanyeol laughed. He laughed, throwing his head back, giggling like a little kid. But when Baekhyun caught his face again, he saw tears started to stream down Chanyeol’s face.

 

“Thank you.” Chanyeol whispered to him. “Thank you.”

 

“No.” Baekhyun smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

 

Chanyeol cried. His whole body shook along with his sobs. Baekhyun laughed instead; he pulled Chanyeol into his arms and tried to fit Chanyeol’s head onto his shoulder, his free hand patting Chanyeol’s back repeatedly.

 

Finally, they officially met each other.

 

And after that, Baekhyun’s days are filled with doodles of stars on his arms and Chanyeol’s soft, warm smiles.

 

He still loves flowers. Because they link to pure happiness and genuine love his parents had introduced him to in his youth.

 

But now he finds himself loving the stars more. Because they were the ones that helped Chanyeol be kinder to himself. They helped Chanyeol love himself more. They helped Chanyeol find his way to him.

 

And on top of that, he loves Chanyeol the most.

 

He loves Chanyeol.