Unlike most kids, Baekhyun had always hated summer. 

To others, summer was the time of freedom from school, the time of eating way too much ice cream and spending days at the beach. To others, summer tasted of sweetness of a watermelon, smelled like the fresh and salty air near the sea, and felt like sleeping in till noon and playing with friends till late. But for Baekhyun, there was never anything sweet or nice about summer.

For him it was scraped knees and bruised legs. Tears falling down his face, insults ringing in his ears. Park Chanyeol's hateful smirk burning on his eyelids even as he sleeps.

Those are the things that come to 10 year old Byun Baekhyun's mind when he thinks of summer.

" no!"

"Baekhyun, if you just let me explain--"

"No!" Baekhyun growled, pushing the chair back and pointing an accusing finger at his mother. "How could you do this to me, mother? How could you just... betray me like that? And for Park Chanyeol?"

She heaved a sigh, brushing her fingers through her hair. "I didn't betray you, Baekhyun. I told you - the terms say, that if you spend your twenty second summer together and still don't want to get married to Chanyeol, you won't have to. What about that is betrayal?"

"Oh, I don't know," Baekhyun breathed out, tone dripping with venom. "Maybe promising the Parks even the chance of me marrying that , or perhaps signing the agreement just a year before I legally became an adult? Or making me stay with Park Chanyeol for another summer despite being well aware of the fact that I hate him?!"

Baekhyun's mom sighed, leaning back."When we signed it, I hoped that you'd be more of a grown up at twenty two."

More of a grown up? That had to be a joke.

He and his mother had been peacefully drinking their afternoon tea in the garden by the Byun mansion, surrounded by freshly bloomed white and yellow roses and a cozy atmosphere. They had been smiling and laughing two minutes ago, talking excitedly about Baekhyun's graduation from the university, and his plans in the future as a vocal performance major. And then she decided to bring up the apparent five years old agreement with the Parks, agreement that Baekhyun didn't even know existed.

An agreement of arranged marriage between him and the one person he hated more than anything else in this world. 

"Grown up? That's not a matter of being a grown up," Baekhyun growled. "I hate Park Chanyeol. I hate him more with every passing day. He's been bullying me since we were ten. He's been ruining my summers for twelve years already!"

"I wonder if you even hear how childish you sound," his mother shook her head, taking a sip of her tea. "Me and your father, as well as Chanyeollie's parents, made a deal. It was signed on paper, so it's a legal document."

"So?"

"So, if you don't comply with the terms, the consequences will be way worse for your side of things."

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean, worse?"

She cocked her head to the side, looking at him. "If you decline to spend the summer with Chanyeol, the agreement legally binds you to marrying Chanyeol right away. Without any period of trial."

"What?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. It's way better for you to follow the agreement, isn't it?"

Baekhyun hated how not sorry, not even remotely regretful she sounded. She sounded like he was the one being unreasonable, making this harder than it had to be. As though being forced to marry your enemy was a ing given in every normal family.

"I don't care. I didn't ask for it, nor did I sign it," he spat. "I was never even asked if I wanted to marry him or not. And, in case you're wondering, I'm telling you now - I don't. Never. ing. Ever."

He pushed back the chair, standing up, ignoring the loud creak of the chair's legs against the tiles, and kicked the chair out of his way before storming into the the house. He ran up the enormous stairs and passed the hallway leading to his room, slamming the door loudly behind his back.

Some people would say that he was reacting like a typical spoiled rich brat, who wasn't grateful enough for all the luxury his parents had given him, but Baekhyun didn't - couldn't-  see it like that, not when faced with a demand like this. It was one thing being grateful, and another being obliged to pay for something you were born into with your hand in marriage. Not to mention your hand in marriage to someone you hate.

Baekhyun sat down on his neatly made bed, his nails digging into the soft sheets. He let out a shaky breath, letting the fire of his anger swallow him, burn deep in his veins.

As their parents were friends since college days, Baekhyun and Chanyeol had been spending summers together at each other's houses since they were six, maybe seven years old. Even though their parents hoped they would be best of friends when they introduced them to each other, the two of them hated each other's guts since day one. Chanyeol made fun of Baekhyun the moment he stepped into the house, insulting his Rilakkuma backpack, and that insult marked the burial of any chance of them ever being friends.

Unfortunately, after a few years Chanyeol grew to be bigger than Baekhyun in bone structure, and later on in height and muscle mass too. Therefore he never missed the chance to mock and bully Baekhyun about his petite build. He poked his sides and tripped him when they were kids, threw dirt at him, tugged at his hair. When they became teenagers, he resorted to teasing Baekhyun for his short height and droopy eyes. Sometimes Chanyeol's best friend Jongin would come over to play, and both of them would tease Baekhyun to death about not being able to play basketball because he wouldn't even stand the chance at scoring something when the two of them were so much taller than he was. They wouldn't let him join in in any games, and to be honest, Baekhyun would often hide in the garden, tears running down his face as he played with the soldier figures by himself.

And no matter how hard he tried not to, sometimes Baekhyun would believe the mean words Chanyeol and Jongin were spewing his way.

That was the reason Baekhyun held so much hatred for Chanyeol - because Chanyeol was one of the reasons why Baekhyun had such a low self-esteem as a child, and would often fall into hating himself during his teenage years. Chanyeol always put his best effort into reminding Baekhyun that even if he was just as rich and popular as he was, Baekhyun would never be the same worth as he was. Because sadly, Baekhyun strived for perfection, and in his eyes, perfection was tall, perfection was strong, perfection was confident. Baekhyun knew he was none of those things.

Park Chanyeol, however, was tall. When he turned eighteen, he developed well defined muscles on his arms and stomach, which he flaunted around wearing wifebeaters and playing basketball. He was funny, attractive, with a deep voice - basically the whole world was at Park Chanyeol's feet.

Maybe, if Baekhyun wasn't resisting Chanyeol's attempts to make him admit that he was perfect so hard, maybe Chanyeol would've let him off easier. Perhaps he wouldn't have teased and bullied Baekhyun so much. But this summer, everything was going to change - Baekhyun had changed, after all. Ever since last year, he'd been working so hard to make himself better at every aspect. He practiced singing and playing the piano twice as hard, he worked out and ate less, he bleached his black hair to a soft blond and started wearing eyeliner. His skin was as soft and close to perfection as it had ever been, with all the masks and products he'd been using to achieve it. And lastly, if Baekhyun was not so popular amongst guys and girls before, in the last few months his popularity soared to the sky. People were desperately trying to flirt and get him to agree to go on a date with them. Baekhyun did go on a lot of dates.

Needless to say, the admiring eyes of his dates, the compliments and stares he got brought Baekhyun a much needed boost in confidence. If before Chanyeol's teasing got to him and he really felt so insecure and worthless around him, now Baekhyun was way more confident. He was not going to let Park Chanyeol win this time. 

He could take Park Chanyeol on as equal for this last summer. He could go there and show him that he'd changed, and he was not that little scared kid anymore.

He will go there and show Park Chanyeol that he doesn't want this marriage just as much as he doesn't.

And at the end of this summer, he is going rip that agreement to shreds, and leave Park Chanyeol and everything that has to do with him behind.

The Park mansion was many things, but most of all it was freaking huge. 

Chanyeol's parents owned a sucessful business of electronics, and that showed in luxury and fancy designs that surrounded every step of their home. Despite being occupied by just three family members and the staff, the house was three floors tall, was surrounded by a huge Japanese style garden and was built literally feet away from the sea.

Baekhyun's family owned a bussiness too, but it couldn't compare to the success of the Parks'. The Byun mansion was way more simple.

Of course, during the years of spending every summer in the Parks' home, Baekhyun had grown used to the place, even had corners and hideouts that he liked and missed when he was gone.

Baekhyun watched the mansion get closer as he absentmindedly played with the hem of his shirt. His mother insisted on a white, loose shirt, and wanted him to wear trousers, but no way in hell was Baekhyun put that much effort for Chanyeol and the Parks, who apparently signed an agreement of their arranged marriage. He settled with ripped black jeans that accentuated his thighs, as well as providing a glimpse of his milky skin that constrasted perfectly with the dark black. In order to feel more confident about not turning red at Chanyeol's remarks, Baekhyun put on a little foundation, and for his glares to be more powerful, he also added in a touch of smoky eyeliner. Perhaps for someone else, it would've seemed that Baekhyun was making an effort to look good in front of Chanyeol, and he was, but the reason was not because he wanted his forced fiancé to like him more, but to show him that Baekhyun was stronger now, more confident. He would not crumble under his feet as easily as before.

"Young master Baekhyun, we are here," the driver said, turning to look at Baekhyun. "Would you like me to you inside?" 

Baekhyun turned to look through the window. The security guard and his good friend, named Hyungsik, was already walking down the stairs with a smile on his face. 

"It's okay, Hyungsik hyung is coming to get me," Baekhyun told the driver as he opened the door. "Thanks, hyung. I'll see you on September 1st."

He got out of the car and greeted the butler who came over to take his luggage.

Hyungsik approached him with a soft smile on his lips.

"Hey, Baekhyunnie. Long time no see," he greeted, his sparkly eyes scanning Baekhyun's face. "You dyed your hair."

Hyungsik was only hired last year, and he and Baekhyun became friends almost instantly. He wasn't that much older and was really nice. It was a refreshing change from Chanyeol and Jongin, and Baekhyun got really attached to Hyungsik really quickly.

"I did," Baekhyun smiled, running his fingers through the blond locks. "I see yours is still boring and black, hyung."

"As always. Work takes away many freedoms," the elder laughed. "Let me take your backpack though. You need to be careful about your back."

Although the backpack wasn't that heavy, just a couple of essential things Baekhyun would need on his first day, he still handed it to Hyungsik, thankful for the gesture and the thought behind it.

The two of them started climbing the stairs back up.

"You changed so much in just a year," Hyungsik remarked when they entered the mansion. "The blond makes you look like a literal angel."

Baekhyun laughed. "You're such a liar, hyung. But thanks, I appreciate it. I'm gonna remember this when Park throws his traditional jabs at my height and my eyes."

Hyungsik shook his head, giving Baekhyun a once-over.

"I doubt that's what he's going to do this year"

"Why? Because it's the last time ever he's going to see me? I wouldn't be so optimistic, because he'll want to proudly finish it. I can bet you, he'll be worse than ever."

Hyungsik shook his head again, looking amused.

"Precisely because he doe