“Yeol, do you know what day it is tomorrow?”

 

 

Chanyeol looks up, hands pausing in the wrapping of cones. “Uh, Tuesday?”

 

 

“Thank you for telling me that,” Sehun deadpans, tone sarcastic. “But if I wanted to know the day I would have consulted a calendar.”

 

 

Chanyeol’s confused. Evidently, his answer isn’t what Sehun wanted, seeing how unimpressed his charge is. But, really, Chanyeol doesn’t know what he’s done to warrant such behaviour from his charge. He doesn’t pursue Sehun’s rudeness, though, attributing it to the long day they’ve had. It isn’t easy being ice cream men.

 

 

“Well, I’m glad to be your calendar,” says Chanyeol as he goes back to wrapping cones. “But, uh, is there something going on tomorrow?”

 

 

“I’m not telling you.”

 

 

“Why not?”

 

 

“Because it’s something you ought to know without anyone telling you,” Sehun replies.

 

 

Knowing how stubborn Sehun can be, Chanyeol gives up on trying to get him to spill. So, Chanyeol thinks (as hard as he can while wrapping cones at the same time because, mind you, cone-wrapping is hard). “Mm. Mint chocolate ran out just now, and chocolate chip and vanilla are about to be emptied. So, I suppose we gotta swing by the factory tomorrow to… refill them…?”

 

 

“… It’s not that, but…”

 

 

Sehun’s expectant tone prompts Chanyeol to reckon that there’s something else. He racks his brain harder this time (or as harder as he can without stopping in his wrapping of cones). “Uh. We gotta wake up earlier tomorrow because our shift starts at 8AM?”

 

 

“… Anything else…?”

 

 

The thinking proves too much for Chanyeol to handle. He stops wrapping cones and turns to face Sehun. There is an expectant look on his charge’s face; Chanyeol suddenly feels nervous. He his lips.

 

 

“It’s… Tuesday?”

 

 

Sehun’s face falls immediately. He raises a hand up to Chanyeol’s face, effectively blocking out Chanyeol’s view of Sehun. But Chanyeol doesn’t need to look at Sehun to know that he had somehow managed to offend him again, hearing how monotonously angry his tone is. “I’m in-charge of scooping ice cream while you’re going to ask for orders and collect the cash. Now, don’t talk to me for the rest of the shift lest your forgetfulness infects me.” Sehun lowers his hand and rolls his eyes at Chanyeol. “Sheesh, sometimes I wonder how in heavens did you even raise me.”

 

 

Although still taken aback by Sehun’s abrupt outburst, Chanyeol quickly recovers and opens his mouth, ready to retort. Unfortunately, he’s not quick enough; Sehun intercepts him.

 

 

“Oh wait, you didn’t. Soo did.”

 

 

And Sehun vanishes to the back of the truck, leaving behind a quarter-offended, quarter-angry, and half-confused Chanyeol with a cone in one hand and a napkin in the other. He still doesn’t know what he did to warrant such behaviour from Sehun.

 

 

It’s truly tough being an ice cream man.

 

 

 

(“He’s right you know.”

 

 

A familiar voice snaps Chanyeol out of his daze, and he looks out the large, opened window of his truck. Out on the pavement stands a visibly amused Minseok. Chanyeol immediately regrets stopping his truck on the street where his neighbour works at.

 

 

“Soo didtake care of Sehun most of the time,” says Minseok, smiling. “You were usually panicking your head off.”

 

 

Chanyeol has no retort to that (because, sadly, it’s true).

 

 

The smile on Minseok’s face suddenly vanishes, leaving behind an eerie, blank face. “Now, get me a vanilla cone and hurry it up because my lunch break ends in three minutes and thirty-seven seconds and I hate being late to get back to work.”)

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

“Sweetheart, is there something happening tomorrow?”

 

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

 

Chanyeol tilts his head up to look at Kyungsoo and the action causes Kyungsoo to stop carding his fingers through Chanyeol’s hair. Chanyeol immediately whines and manhandles his boyfriend’s hand back to his head; Kyungsoo continues and Chanyeol hums, eyes reflexively shutting in satisfaction.

 

 

A tug on his hair pulls Chanyeol out of his reverie and he barely bites back a moan to open his eyes. Kyungsoo is looking down at him with those large, beautiful eyes of his. “Why did you ask me if there’s something happening tomorrow?”

 

 

“Oh! Hun asked me that today,” Chanyeol replies. “He asked if I knew what day it is tomorrow and wouldn’t tell me what’s happening even though I asked.”

 

 

It’s comfortable, the way Kyungsoo threads his fingers through Chanyeol’s hair. It’s so comfortable that Chanyeol relaxes himself, allows his eyes to flutter shut in pleasure… and he misses the way Kyungsoo’s face falls.

 

 

“… So, I take it that you have no idea what day it is tomorrow.”

 

 

Swimming in the pleasure of his boyfriend’s hair-carding, Chanyeol misses out on the way Kyungsoo’s tone drops. He also doesn’t hear how his boyfriend’s voice has gone dangerously low, bordering on a whisper.

 

 

Which is why he just casually says, “Isn’t it Tuesday tomorrow? I even checked the calendar after getting back from work.”

 

 

The moment Chanyeol said that, Kyungsoo’s fingers vanish from his head. And it isn’t until Chanyeol opens his eyes does he realise that Kyungsoo has moved himself away, scooted to the edge of his side of the bed, creating a space in-between them. A space large enough to sleep a twenty-four-year-old Sehun.

 

 

(Thunderstorms have tried and tested that assumption, for Sehun would worm his way between his carers and prevent the two lovebirds from sleeping together during those nights. Chanyeol wishes he could lock their bedroom door but then, there’s Kyungsoo [and his soft-hearted Sehun heart]. Dammit.)

 

 

“Sweetheart…?” Chanyeol instantly scrambles up. “Why did you–”

 

 

A muffled voice comes from Kyungsoo, but as he is facing away from Chanyeol and (so) far away, Chanyeol can’t hear him. He scoots closer to Kyungsoo, arms about to rest on his boyfriend’s waist when Kyungsoo suddenly turns around and smashes a (small but cute) hand onto his face. The action effectively stops Chanyeol in his tracks.

 

 

“I’m tired so I’m going to sleep.”

 

 

“Goodnight kiss?” Chanyeol gingerly asks, words muffled by Kyungsoo’s hand.

 

 

“No.” Kyungsoo shoots him down.

 

 

“Goodnight hug…?”

 

 

“No.” Again, Kyungsoo shoots him down. “Don’t talk to me anymore. Don’t put your hands on me. And stay on your side of the bed tonight.”

 

 

Kyungsoo removes his hand from Chanyeol’s face, and the last thing Chanyeol sees before the room goes dark is his boyfriend turning away from him.

 

 

And once again, Chanyeol doesn’t know what he’s done to warrant such (hurting) behaviour.

 

 

 

(He barely gets any sleep that night, for the pillow in his arms doesn’t feel anything like Kyungsoo.)

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Chanyeol wakes to silence.

 

 

Uneasiness washes over him. He shoots up and turns to look at the other side of the bed. There’s no Kyungsoo. Maybe he’s in the bathroom, Chanyeol thinks as he gets up, stumbling over the hindering comforter, and makes his way to the bathroom. Kyungsoo isn’t in it either.

 

 

Reckoning that his boyfriend is in the kitchen preparing breakfast, Chanyeol decides to wash up. It’s only when he’s patting his face dry with his penguin-print towel does his mind finally register it.

 

 

The deafening silence echoing throughout the house.

 

 

He haphazardly hangs his towel back onto the towel rack he shares with both Kyungsoo and Sehun before making a mad dash to Sehun’s room. The door is wide open, with Sehun’s (cute) wolf door-stopper in place at the bottom of it. Chanyeol quickly scans his charge’s room. The bed is made. The bedside table doesn’t hold the phone that Sehun is never without. Chanyeol checks the cupboard; there’s a lone empty hanger that probably hung one of Sehun’s ice cream assistant uniform. And, there’s no Sehun.

 

 

Maybe they’re both in the kitchen, Chanyeol thinks as he tries not to panic. It’s hard. It’s difficult not to panic when the two most important persons (or angels, technically) aren’t where they’re supposed to be. In the mornings, the three of them would always have their breakfast together before going out. Chanyeol and Sehun would then drop Kyungsoo off at his office before embarking on their shift at the designated street for the day.

 

 

So, it’s really, really, reallyhard not to panic, but Chanyeol does the best he can in squashing it. He does get anxious as he runs to the kitchen, almost slipping off the stairs if not for the death grip he brandishes onto the (poor) railing, and Chanyeol arrives at the kitchen safely.

 

 

It’s… empty.

 

 

Chanyeol’s control on his panic loosens, and it takes the chance to rapidly spread within his body. And Chanyeol suffers. His heartrate skyrockets. His eyes start to dart all over the place, but he doesn’t see nor register anything. Perspiration beads along his hairline, accumulating enough weight to dislodge and slide down the sides of his face. His legs turn to jelly and Chanyeol falls forward. Thankfully, his arms automatically extend in front of him and Chanyeol manages to support himself with the back of a dining chair.

 

 

It’s then does he see it.

 

 

On the dining table is a familiar blue food umbrella cover. It’s one of the numerous kitchen items Kyungsoo had insisted on getting that one time they went home shopping at Heaven’s largest (and only) departmental store. The food umbrella cover caught Kyungsoo’s eye and the angel immediately bustled over and came back with an armload of it (in different colours no less). Kyungsoo forbade Chanyeol to speak of this matter in the future, but Chanyeol would always remember it. It’s not every day you see Kyungsoo gushing over items that aren’t monochromatic in colour.

 

 

Chanyeol keeps his eyes on the blue item as he sits down on the chair. A hand shakily reaches over to pick it up, revealing a plate and a mug. The plate holds an omelette and sausages and a piece of french toast. There’s a fork delicately placed on the plate as well. In the mug is a teaspoon and next to it is a sachet of his favourite coffee mix.

 

 

A smile immediately graces Chanyeol’s face.

 

 

He carefully folds the umbrella cover and places it back in the drawer, gently nestling it amongst its colourful comrades. Chanyeol then boils water for his coffee. He decides to pop his plate of breakfast into the microwave since he’s waiting for the water to boil anyway. It takes a couple of minutes but Chanyeol soon returns to the table, plate and mug in tow, to have his breakfast.

 

 

Kyungsoo’s breakfast is, expectedly, delicious. And Chanyeol plows through the food quickly, smacking his lips in appreciation after swallowing the last piece of toast. He then chugs down the remaining coffee in his (also penguin-printed) mug, letting out a satisfied ahhhhh.

 

 

Done with breakfast, Chanyeol lifts the plate and mug, about to head to the sink to wash them when he spots a small piece of paper on the table. It wasn’t there before. Mm, it must have been hidden under the plate.

 

 

The smile on Chanyeol’s face never waned after forming when he first saw Kyungsoo’s plate of breakfast for him on the dining table. And now, as he reads the words written on the piece of paper, the smile only grows wider. Grows fond, fonder, and fondest.

 

 

He sets down the dishes into the sink and wipes his hands with a towel before bounding back up to the bedroom. There, he grabs his phone from his bedside table and goes back down to the kitchen. Chanyeol removes the phone cover and delicately arranges the handwritten note onto the back of his phone before carefully replacing the cover so as not to move the paper. Bringing his phone up, Chanyeol turns it around to look at the back. The paper is perfectly placed and Sehun’s handwritten words can be clearly seen through the transparency.

 

 

Good morning. Love, Soo and Hun

 

 

(Still, Chanyeol doesn’t understand why Kyungsoo and Sehun left the house without him. He also doesn’t know what he’s done to make them—sniff—abandon him.)

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

“Soo, I’m home!”

 

 

Expecting a response, Chanyeol pauses in removing his boots, only to continue taking them off after hearing silence. Having experienced and survived a day of cold treatment from Sehun (in which Chanyeol still doesn’t know why he’s being treated as such), he kind of knows what to expect from Kyungsoo seeing how he had already gotten a glimpse of his boyfriend’s Cold War Mode last night. So, Chanyeol’s not really hurting by the lack of response. (Okay, so, maybe he’s hurting a little because who likes to be ignored. [Definitely not Chanyeol.])

 

 

Still, he is someone who has been through ordeal after ordeal with Kyungsoo and has survived to tell the tales. So, Chanyeol just it up and goes about doing his after-work routine. Only to be stopped at the kitchen after a beyond-familiar aroma unsuspectingly assaults his nose.

 

 

Chanyeol snaps his head towards the kitchen. He quickly scans it, noting that on the dining table are a large familiar-looking plastic bag, a large mixing bowl, the cutting board and knife, as well as vegetable scraps. Kyungsoo is at the stove, no doubt cooking the very food item which Chanyeol has already recognised. His body is blocking Chanyeol from seeing what’s cooking on the stove but there’s no mistaking this aroma. Chanyeol can even recognise it in his sleep.

 

 

(Which is something he came to know when, years ago, Kyungsoo once offhandedly remarked about his love for the food item.

 

 

“You were napping on the couch and dinner was ready, but I couldn’t wake you up no matter how much I tried so I did what I thought might work. And it worked.”

 

 

Turns out, Kyungsoo brought the dish out and placed it near Chanyeol’s [thirty-something-year-old] face. Chanyeol’s eyes flew open in the next second, scaring the bejebus out of Kyungsoo. [Fortunately, the plate in his hands didn’t fly.]

 

 

“Is that ********* I smell?” was the first thing Chanyeol said.)

 

 

So, yes, really. Chanyeol can recognise the food item in his sleep.

 

 

Still standing at the doorway, Chanyeol gingerly asks, “Soo, are you cooking… meatballs?”

 

 

Expectedly, Kyungsoo doesn’t respond. And Chanyeol knows better than to pursue for an answer, so he just goes back to his after-work routine. “Well, I’ll go shower and come back down for dinner… Okay?”

 

 

Silence.

 

 

Chanyeol slumps, and he drags himself up to the bathroom.

 

 

 

“If you’re wondering where Hun is, he’s out for a movie with Joohyun,” says Chanyeol as he forks a meatball. He glances at Kyungsoo, who’s just eating his meatballs quietly and without inasmuch paying attention to Chanyeol.

 

 

Although he has warned himself, in the shower, that Kyungsoo might be mad at him and most probably wouldn’t talk to him, Chanyeol still finds himself unable to adapt to the silence. It’s not supposed to be uncomfortable, silence with Kyungsoo. But this one is since it’s the product of god-knows-what Chanyeol did to offend his boyfriend. The silence has him tiptoeing, teetering on a tightrope because Chanyeol’s afraid of doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing which might end up further angering an already-angry Kyungsoo. And a furious Kyungsoo is an angel Chanyeol can’t appease. (Well, not before offering to, perhaps, take over Kyungsoo’s house chores for a hundred months or something.)

 

 

“Soo, sweetheart, what’s… wrong?” Chanyeol puts down his fork and reaches out to Kyungsoo. He takes it as a Good Sign when Kyungsoo doesn’t wrench his hand out of Chanyeol’s and goes a step further by shifting his chair closer to his boyfriend’s. Kyungsoo doesn’t move away; a Very Good Sign. Chanyeol bites back a smile. “Why aren’t you talking to me?”

 

 

Kyungsoo gently puts down his fork. “I’m going to ask you one last time and I want your best answer.”

 

 

Chanyeol thinks he knows where this is going, but he nods anyway. “Anything for you, sweetie. Ask away!”

 

 

“What day is it today?”

 

 

The way Kyungsoo looks at him has Chanyeol immediately throwing away the first answer that surfaced in his mind—“It’s Tuesday.—because he’s 100% certain that that isn’t the answer his boyfriend wants. And, that really isn’t the answer.

 

 

“And I don’t want to hear it’s Tuesday today because I ing know that it’s Tuesday and I even checked the calendar after coming home.”

 

 

The way Kyungsoo is speaking so softly has Chanyeol feeling guilty. And he thinks, racks his brain for a more appropriate answer, forces himself to ing knowwhat is today.

 

 

“Do you… really not know what day it is today, Yeol?”

 

 

. Kyungsoo’s words sound so broken, so helpless. His large eyes have begun to water, to glisten under the kitchen lighting and they make Kyungsoo look so damn beautiful that Chanyeol can’t help but surge forward to envelop his boyfriend in his arms. He tries to kiss Kyungsoo but Kyungsoo is having none of it, hiding his face in Chanyeol’s shirt, using it to wipe his eyes. He refuses to emerge no matter how Chanyeol coaxes, and Chanyeol settles for a light kiss on the crown of Kyungsoo’s head instead.

 

 

Then, Chanyeol gently says, “I’ll be right back, Soo.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

A moan rings out in the otherwise silent home of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol (and Sehun).

 

 

“I-If you, for one second, t-think that you’ll be forgiven—ah, —for what you– you’ve done, you’re mis—t-too fast, Yeol—mistaken!”

 

 

“Mm hmm,” Chanyeol replies, not in the least bothered that Kyungsoo’s a tad angry. He also doesn’t feel pained by the red crescent marks Kyungsoo’s grudgingly leaving on his back with his blunt fingernails, or the way Kyungsoo’s ankles are digging (rather painfully, frankly) into the small of his back. Chanyeol takes all these in stride, accepting that this is way better than the cold treatment he got from his boyfriend since last night.

 

 

But that doesn’t mean that Chanyeol won’t give a little payback. He slows down, choosing to roll his hips languidly instead of the hard s he’s been going at after Kyungsoo all but pounced on him during dinner (and the unfinished meatballs forgotten).

 

 

After Chanyeol presented his gift to his boyfriend.

 

 

Besides knowing that it is Tuesday (duh), Chanyeol also knows that it’s his and Kyungsoo’s monthsary. Their 612^thmonthsary, to be exact (because Chanyeol keeps count). It’s hard not to remember. Not when every month on the 6^thChanyeol gifts Kyungsoo with a little something for their monthsary. He’s been doing it since they officially got together six-hundred and twelve months ago (approximately fifty-one Earth years), so that’s six-hundred and eleven months of etching the date into his brain. Chanyeol can’t forget it even if he wants to. (He would never want to.)

 

 

“Why… Why are you going slow now…” Kyungsoo whines. With his hands and ankles, he tries to push Chanyeol back into him and he eagerly lifts his bottom up to receive the expectantly hard . Chanyeol doesn’t give it to him. “Yeol~~~”

 

 

Chanyeol nuzzles against Kyungsoo’s face, lips mouthing at the apples of his round, delicious cheeks. “Weren’t you complaining just now that I was too fast?” He gently at a cheek, releasing it with a soft pop moments later. The cheek has gone red and Chanyeol can’t tell if it’s his work or that Kyungsoo’s blushing. Either way, Chanyeol smiles. “So, I slowed down.”

 

 

Kyungsoo’s whimper is music to Chanyeol’s ears, and he barely reins in himself to not give in to his boyfriend’s adorable (but goddamn risque) requests of huh but Soo likes it when you go fast fast fast so won’t you do it for Soo-Soo Yeollie to at Kyungsoo’s neck instead while still slow-grinding against Kyungsoo’s .

 

 

It’s moments later does Kyungsoo suddenly pipe up, “Thank you, Yeol.”

 

 

Chanyeol looks up from where he’s been admiring his boyfriend’s fingers. There must be a confused expression on his face for Kyungsoo softly chuckles and he removes one of his hands Chanyeol’s held captive to nestle it against Chanyeol’s face.

 

 

“Thank you for remembering,” Kyungsoo says.

 

 

The fondness brims in Kyungsoo’s eyes and threatens to spill from them in the form of tears. But Chanyeol prevents that from happening by leaning down to lightly kiss away the tears from his sweetheart’s eyes. A stray one manages to escape Chanyeol and he follows it down to Kyungsoo’s mouth, where he traps it in the kiss he plants on his boyfriend’s lips.

 

 

“I never forgot,” Chanyeol whispers against Kyungsoo’s lips. He presses down on them again for another kiss before releasing the pressure to end it seconds later; their lips remain on each other. “I would never forget, Soo.”

 

 

This time, it’s Kyungsoo who kisses Chanyeol. He lightly bites on Chanyeol’s lower lip, brings it into his mouth where he on it before releasing it with a sultry . He looks up at Chanyeol. There’s a knowing glint in those large, beautiful eyes of his. “If, now, I’m complaining that you’re going too slow for my liking, what are you going to do… Chanyeollie?”

 

 

Chanyeol smirks, moves his lips away from Kyungsoo’s to whisper at his ear instead. “Fulfil your request, of course, Soo-Soo.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

(“I can’t believe you got Soo a ing ice cream keychain.”

 

 

“And a handmade card!”

 

 

“He already smells ice cream on you every day. He doesn’t need a visual reminder of it. God, an ice cream keychain plushie.”

 

 

“You don’t see me saying anything about your gift to Soo for a monthsary that doesn’t involve you in the first place.”

 

 

“Please, I bet Soo prefers my ice cream-print curtains over your dumb keychain. Everyone knows how obsessed he is with curtains.”

 

 

“… Don’t talk to me about curtains.”

 

 

“Those were limited-edition curtains, Yeol. And to think Soo had to give them to Uncle Xing because you burnt his. Poor Soo! Poor limited-edition unicorn curtains! Boo hoo!”

 

 

“Shut up before I put you on cashiering duty for the rest of the month!”

 

 

“Pfft, I’d like to see you try–”

 

 

“As your supervisor, Sehun, you’re on cashiering duty for the rest of the month. I’ll scoop the ice cream. Now, don’t talk to me for the rest of the shift lest your wimpiness infects me. Sheesh, sometimes I wonder how in heavens did I even raise you.”

 

 

“… Because you didn’t. Soo did.”

 

 

“Why, you! Come back here! Sehun!”

 

 

---

A/N:

Happy Chansoo Day! Please give more love to our Yeol and Soo! <33

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