Chanyeol dyed his hair pink, and that threw off your whole day.

 

You found yourself looking his way more than usual, anticipating when he would turn the corner, and you could catch a glimpse of him once more. Your heart beat faster when you spotted him in the distance, laughing and talking with his friends.

 

It was just like the time he dyed his hair dark red—except much, much worse.

 

Even Chanyeol noticed your odd behavior when, after telling another one of his terrible jokes, you simply walked away instead of giving him your usual snarky remark..

 

“What did you do to make her mad this time, hyung?” his friend Sehun asked him as you walked away for the third time that day.

 

“No idea,” Chanyeol replied,—and maybe it was you being delusional, but thought he sounded disappointed.

 

Guilt settled into your stomach, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to talk to him when your heart threatened to leap out of your chest.

 

The whole day continued like that way, and the heavy feeling in your chest worsened as it went on.

 

By the time your last class ended, you resolved to talk to him. The ‘kicked puppy’ glances that he gave you during class were simply too hard to ignore. Surely you could get over your social ineptitude enough to engage in small talk, right?

 

Maybe not.

 

Still, your feet made you catch up to him in the hallway as he leisurely walked to the exit.

 

The words came out of your mouth before you could stop them. “How come you dyed your hair, Chanyeol?”.

 

He jumped and whirled towards you. His big eyes blinked a few times before answering you. “Oh! I lost a bet with Baekhyun.” He looked away, avoiding your gaze. “Why? Do you think it looks bad?”

 

“I think it suits you,” you admitted, giving him a small smile.

 

His eyes snapped to you again. You tried to convince yourself that the blush on his cheeks was just a trick of the light. “You think so?”

 

Chanyeol gave you a smile then, one that made the storm inside your chest calm and settle. He ran a hand through his pink hair, and your hand twitched with the sudden desire to do the same.

 

“Yes,” you said, slightly dazed. “I like you a lot.”

 

His eyes widened, and his hand dropped to his side. You wondered why he reacted that way until registered the words that came out of your mouth. You bit the inside of your cheek so hard, you tasted blood. The silence between you stretched on, and the longer that neither of you said anything, the harder your heart seemed to work.

 

Chanyeol snapped out of it first with a blink and a slight shake of the head. “Did you just say what I think you said?”

 

His voice startled you out of your daze. In lieu of answering, you simply turned around and walked out the door.

 

 

The sun shone brightly when Minji went to meet with you. It was unusually warm for an April afternoon. She had gotten a text from you that simply read ‘SOS,’ and as soon as she got out of detention that day, she met you at your usual spot outside the library. She sighed when she looked at you. She pursed her lips when she set her things down on a metal table.

 

“(Y/N), are you okay?” she asked, her tone wary. “I got your text earlier.”

 

You sat with your head on the table and groaned in response.

 

“Is it it about Chanyeol again?” she prodded.

 

You moaned louder.

 

“That bad, huh?” she teased.

 

You pouted. “Minji, I messed up really bad.”

 

Minji’s brows scrunched as she took in your expression. “Wait, so tell me exactly what happened?”

 

You covered your face with your hands, the feeling of mortification tumbling over you like a wave.

 

“You know how he dyed his hair pink?” you mumbled.

 

Minji nodded.

 

“I tried to tell him about how cool I thought it was,” you felt your face become more and more heated with each word, “and I said ‘I like you a lot’ instead of ‘I like your hair a lot.’”

 

Minji tipped her head back as she laughed with a full-bodied bellow. The movement caused her dark brown hair to flow down her back. In any other situation you would have marveled at how effortlessly pretty your best friend was. Instead, you glared.

 

“It’s not funny!” you yelled, causing people nearby to turn and gape in your direction.

 

Minji continued to laugh. You buried your head in your hands, wanting the ground to swallow you whole.

 

“You’re a terrible friend,” you said, voice muffled behind your hands.

 

“I know,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “But that’s such a you thing to do.” She smirked, “Especially since everyone is under the impression that you hate him.”

 

You sneered. “Okay, I don’t laugh at his jokes a few times, and suddenly I’m his mortal enemy.”

 

Minji rolled her eyes, “Sure, it’s just that.”

 

You glared, “What is that supposed to mean?”

 

She shook her head, “Nothing, nothing.” She reached over and patted your shoulder. “Don’t worry (Y/N). I’m sure everything will work itself out.”

 

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. I turned around and just left him there. He probably thinks that I actually hate him or something! I have no idea what to do!” You ran a hand through your hair. “Am I just supposed to pretend it didn’t happen? Am I supposed to confront him? Am I supposed to move away to Russia?” You tugged on Minji’s sleeve. “Tell me what to do?!”

 

Apparently done being comforting, she shook your hand off. “For goodness sake!” she exclaimed indignantly. “Just talk to him if it’s bothering you this much!”

 

You shook your head, panic filling your chest at the thought of once again interacting with Chanyeol. “No, nope! Out of the question! You might as well set me on fire.”

 

“With how annoying you’re being, I may as well do that.” Minji’s phone buzzed on the table, and she snatched it up. Her brows furrowed again as she hastily typed something into her phone. She ignored your questioning noises as she shoved her things into her bag.

 

“Where are you going?” you whined.

 

“I forgot I have an appointment,” she answered. “Plus, you’re difficult to talk to when you’re like this. Do yourself a favor and give yourself a self-care day.” With that, she turned around and walked away.

 

“Come back!” you yelled as she the distance between you increased. “I thought you loved me!”

 

She shook her head, refusing to look back at you.

 

Rude.

 

Unbeknownst to you, Minji slipped into a bright red car waiting for her. She smiled at the person in the driver’s seat.

 

“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me,” greeted Baekhyun with a grin.

 

Minji smiled back. “No problem. I have a feeling that I know what you wanted to talk about anyway.”

 

“And what is that?”

 

Minji crossed her arms. “Oh, come on, Baekhyun. Chanyeol is your best friend, and (Y/N) is mine. They happen to have the biggest not-rivalry in the history of our school. Not to mention that she blurted out her not-so-secret feelings to your best friend and hasn’t recovered since.”

 

Baekhyun’s shoulders relaxed. “So her feelings are genuine, then?”

 

“Of course they are!” she exclaimed, appalled at the underlying accusation. “What kind of person do you think she is?”

 

Baekhyun shrugged, “I don’t think she’s a bad person, if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s just that the things that I’ve been hearing about her at school and what you’re telling me about how she feels about Chanyeol are contradictory.”

 

Minji scoffed. “She might have communication issues, but she isn’t cruel. She’s just very bad at expressing her feelings. I didn’t know that she considered me her best friend until she got me a necklace for my birthday last year.”

 

“I’m sorry for making assumptions, then,” he said with an apologetic smile. “But the point still stands, your friend broke my friend. Can you make her fix him?”

 

“Funny,” Minji said with a smirk. “I was about to ask the same thing.”

 

They both leaned back in their seats, staring at each other before suddenly bursting into laughter.

 

“We really need better friends,” Baekhyun said once his laughter died down.

 

Minji nodded in agreement.

 

Baekhyun looked out the window in thought. Minji glanced through her phone and read several texts from you, apologizing for how you acted and to come back. She rolled her eyes, but a small smile broke through her expression.

 

You were so lucky to have her as a best friend.

 

A flurry of movement occurred next to her, and she turned to see Baekhyun with his whole body facing her. If he were a cartoon, there would be a light bulb above his head.

 

“I just have possibly the best idea of all time,” he announced, his eyes twinkling in a way that made Minji think that maybe it was the opposite.

 

“What is it?” she hesitated.

 

Baekhyun flashed a smile that she could only categorize as ‘crazed.’

 

 

 

It was two days later when Baekhyun leaned against the door to the locked storage room. “I felt like that was too easy,” he commented casually.

 

“I wouldn’t think too much about it,” Minji said, ignoring the noises of confusion and subsequent angry knocks on the door. “I really don’t think they’re as clever as they like to think they are.”

 

On the other side, you pounded on the door. “I hate you, you !” You yelled. “I’m going to murder you when we get out of here!”

 

“Baekhyun and I are going to get ice cream! If you two resolve this within an hour, then I’ll get you your favorite,” Minji said, her voice muffled through the door.

 

“Not even ice cream will make me forget this betrayal!” You screamed.

 

Chanyeol banged on the door as well, “Baekhyun! I can’t believe you’re part of this!”

 

“Sorry, Yeollie~” Baekhyun sang. “It’s for your own good—and my own sanity.”

 

“Bye, you two!” yelled Minji, her voice getting further and further away.

 

You kicked the door in frustration. You stalked to the furthest wall and slid down, drawing your legs to your chest. You caught Chanyeol’s eyes; you felt like you were burning under his stare.

 

He shuffled toward you and settled at your side. Your heart raced in response.

 

“Do you think they’ll keep us in here long?” he asked quietly.

 

“Knowing my friend, we’re not getting out of here until we resolve our issues,” you sighed.

 

“I don’t have issues with you.” He scowled. “You’re the one that has issues with me.”

 

“That’s not true at all!” you exclaimed. Panic rose in your chest. This was the worst idea ever.

 

“Isn’t it though?” snapped Chanyeol. He glared, but you could see some of the sadness there, too. “I try to talk to you every day. But every time I talk or make a joke, you purse your lips at me. You roll your eyes when we make eye contact. You stiffen up whenever I’m near you, like now.” He pressed his lips together in a thin line. “I just wanted to know what I did to make you hate me.”

 

“Why do you care?” you snapped back.

 

“Because I made you laugh when I first met you!” he yelled. “And then, you didn’t, and I’m pretty sure short of streaking through campus, I would do anything to make you laugh like you did that first time.”

 

You stayed silent after his confession; he looked away from you. A heavy pause hung in the air.

 

“I think you’re funny,” you mumbled. He looked toward you again, but you made yourself stare straight ahead. “I think you’re hilarious. I also think you’re sincere and charismatic.”

 

“Then why do you treat me like that?”

 

“Because I’m…none of those things.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrows drew together. “What is that supposed to mean?”

 

You rubbed your hand over your face, “I’m not good at talking to people in general, okay? The only reason I have the friends that I do is because they talked at me so much they decided we were friends. I’m socially inept, especially with cool people like you.”

 

His face perked up. “You think I’m—”

 

You held a hand up. “Not the point.”

 

“So you’re mean to me because…you’re shy?”

 

You groaned, “Yes? No? Maybe. I don’t know.”

 

“You do realize that you just gave every possible response to that question, right?”

 

“Look, I didn’t think that you noticed me, okay? And you actually paid attention the first time I gave you a snarky response. So I did it again and again, and I sort of thought that our relationship was like that after a while. But I never meant to mean it maliciously. And then rumors started spreading that I hated you—and it got out of control!”

 

He leaned back until his head hit the wall.

 

“We’re idiots,” he pronounced.

 

You cocked an eyebrow in confusion. “How so?”

 

Chanyeol disengaged from the wall and crawled towards you. He didn’t stop until he was inches from your face. His big eyes twinkled in the dim light, a soft smile gracing his features.

 

His proximity made your heart thunder in your chest.

 

“Let me make this clear,” he began, “you’ve always had my attention. I crave it like a man in the desert needs water. I always thought my liking you was obvious.You acting like you were disgusted with me felt like a rejection, but I played along, anyways.” He ran a hand through his cotton candy hair. “When you blurted out that you liked me, I thought it was a cruel joke.” He looked deep in your eyes. “But it wasn’t a joke, was it?”

 

You shook your head fervently, “I meant it. I just—I’m bad at—”

 

“I know, sweet girl,” he said, voice dropping an octave. “I don’t want you to be nervous talking to me.” He reached over and played with the ends of your hair. You felt your heart stutter. “Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind,” he continued. The combination of the action and his soft voice sent you to a dreamlike state.

 

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. “You playing with my hair is giving me butterflies.” When you opened your eyes, Chanyeol was gazing at you with a fond smile.

 

“Funny,” he whispered. “I feel that way whenever I see you.” He grasped his chin in a mock-thinking pose. “Now, what do we do about that?” He let go of his chin to grasp your hand, his large hand covering yours completely. His calluses were rough against your skin, but his touch was gentle. “Maybe we could share them?”

 

You giggled. “You’re such a dork.”

 

His face lit up at your reaction. “Got you to laugh, though.”

 

You nodded, “That you did.” You used your free hand to text Minji. “I’m gonna get mint chocolate chip. What do you want?”

 

“I just gave you the world’s greatest pick up line, and your mind is stuck on ice cream?!” Chanyeol exclaimed.

 

“It’s the least our friends can do by trapping us in a storage room to fend for ourselves. It might take a little longer for them to come get us though. Is that okay?”

 

Chanyeol squeezed your hand. “I don’t mind that at all.”

 

“Me neither,” you replied, sending the text.

 

“I like you, just so you know.”

 

You looked at him stone-faced, “I got that.”

 

He frowned, but you reached toward him and kissed his cheek. “I like you, too.”