“Hello, Kyungsoo?”

“This better be good, Baekhyun. My date’s gonna be here any minutes.”

“Ha! Same I have a dinner date too tonight but that’s not what I want to talk about.”

“What is it?”

“Park Chanyeol just kissed me.”

“The what, the who, the how, the when?”

“Park Chanyeol from high school.”

“How… the ?”

“You see, I might or might not be hiding something from you from the past few weeks because I don’t even sure myself what the hell is happening. All I have to say is, my life has turned upside down in just weeks.”

“No , Byun Baekhyun. I swear, talk now.”

“Okay, so, one afternoon he just literally popped into my office and he asked me to marry him.”

“What the actual ?”

“Oh, . I have to go now. I have a dinner date.”

“With Park Chanyeol?”

“No, with Jongin. My business partner.”

“What… kind of chaotic life you’re living right now, Byun Baekhyun?”

“I know, right? I promise I’ll tell you the whole story later.”

“You better be, as your ex-boyfriend slash best friend, I deserve a ing explanation.”

“Roger, ex-boyfriend slash best friend.”

“Now go, you .”

“How’s the escargot?”

Baekhyun forced his lips to curl, forming a small smile. “Oh well,” he replied shortly. “I don’t even know how escargot is supposed to taste, so…”

The man sitting across the table in front of him gave a hearty laugh. Jongin had a nice laugh, Baekhyun noticed. He could see why his female employees always swoon over him everytime he came by the office. “Seems like I chose the wrong restaurant, then.”

“Hey, I didn’t say that it isn’t delicious.” Baekhyun noted to himself that he needed to be more attentive to him. This was a date, after all. One that Jongin had been asking for so long. The least he could do was showing the lovely man that he was here, not wondering somewhere else, precisely to the other man who he just kissed an hour ago.

Did Baekhyun just admit to himself that he was indeed kissing Park Chanyeol? God, he was going crazy.

“So, how’s work?” Jongin asked as his hand not stopping to twirl the fettuccini in his big ceramic plate. “I heard that you’ve been searching for sponsors?”

Not the kind of talk that Baekhyun wanted to have at the moment, but work was probably the only thing he and Jongin had in common, for now. What else they were going to talk about other than that?

“Yeah, since Star Foundation got under, we totally lost our bearings. I’m still trying to do my best, though.”

Jongin smiled in understanding. “You could do it, I’m sure. Your company is one of the biggest in the NGO field.”

Baekhyun truly, truly tried his best to focus on what Jongin was saying. Or enjoying the meal called escargot in front of him. But he couldn’t help his mind to stop wandering to a certain kiss, one the he could still feel and taste. He was well-aware that he was being the biggest prick right here, and he probably deserve a good punch for thinking about someone else when clearly, he had a really gorgeous man right here, showing him good intent. He’d like to think that this was Chanyeol’s fault, but deep down he knew that this was all on him.

Baekhyun was so ed.

Despite his rotten appetite, Baekhyun somehow managed to finish his fancy dinner and answered every question Jongin threw at him. It wasn’t his ideal date, but it was decent. Yet not enough.

“Do you want any dessert?”

Baekhyun noticed that the lights in Jongin’s eyes had dimmed. It was like he realized that Baekhyun was one second away from bolting out of the restaurant. Seeing that made Baekhyun felt like , but he didn’t want to make this any more uncomfortable for both of them. “No, thanks. I think I’ll just go home,” he answered with a smile.

When they walked out of the restaurant, welcomed by the fresh, cold air, Baekhyun felt like he could finally breathe.

Jongin lingered, “Thank you for coming with me,” he paused. “I’d like to go out with you again… as friends.”

The apology was right at the tip of Baekhyun’s tongue. But he could only manage a small smile. This had been one hell of an awkward night. “Of course. And the pleasure is mine, Jongin. Thank you.”

Baekhyun now realized that he shouldn’t have accepted this date. He really, really shouldn’t be going out with anyone else when he was still confused with his own feelings. Now, he probably just hurt the feelings of his friend and he didn’t know how he could apologize without hurting him even more.

As Baekhyun watched Jongin walked away to his own car, he wondered how he would deal with his problem.

 10 Years ago

What have I done?

Chanyeol paced around his room. Unable to calm down as soon as he woke up when he remembered what had happened yesterday.

As soon as Chanyeol uttered the ultimatum to Baekhyun--the stupid ultimatum--he immediately left the servant boy’s room. He felt beat, emotionally and physically. He knew that his head wasn’t in the right place and he shouldn’t have said what he said but he had done it, and he thought he could just deal with it the next day.

Right now, the said next day had come, and his head did get a little clearer, but his heart was still a lot messy.

He knew he need to find Baekhyun. He hoped that servant’s son wouldn’t be too stupid to think that Chanyeol was really serious of what he said the previous day.

Half-sprinting toward Baekhyun’s room, Chanyeol’s heart thundered so hard it felt almost like exploding. He didn’t care if he looked like a mess. He just needed to make sure that he didn’t just do the stupidest thing ever.

By the time he arrived at Baekhyun’s door, he didn’t waste time to be nervous or doubt himself. He put his knuckles on the door, knocking rather hardly. He was too agitated to control his own strength.

“Baekhyun.” His voice strangled. “Baekhyun, open the door.”

The pump of adrenaline began to dissipate. Chanyeol could feel his hand tremble and his legs gave out.

“Baek--”

“Master Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol spun around to the voice of woman he wasn’t really familiar with, yet her feature wasn’t foreign. It was Baekhyun’s mother. “Uhm… Mrs. Byun.” He bowed. He might be a little bit of jerk, but he still knew how to respect the elders.

“You're looking for Baekhyun.” It wasn't a question. In fact, it was a little bit deadpan. Like she was stating a fact that the world was round. The lady was trying to tie her apron as he approached him.

Chanyeol cleared his throat. “Yeah, do you know where he is? I need… uhm--”

“Yesterday he came to me, cry--saying that he needed to move out.”

Mrs. Byun was a polite woman. Extremely even. But at that time Chanyeol could feel in every fiber of his being that he was openly judged by the woman. Like he was a complete, utter of human being. And he felt like one.

Her face was hard, and at that moment, Chanyeol knew that she knew.

“Get out of my house. Or I'll make your parents get fired.”

Chanyeol was the lowest person in the world.

Mrs. Byun took a deep breath, and her face turned neutral again. “He requested to move out from the house, so he’s not here anymore, master.”

“Mrs. Byun, I--”

“If you could excuse me, Master.” The woman bowed, not caring about Chanyeol crumbling in front of her.

Before she could walk far, he called for her desperately. “He… I could see him at school though, right?” If he still could see Baekhyun at school, then it was fine, he could talk to him and apologize later. As long as Baekhyun didn’t really disappear on him. As long as…

Through his shaking vision, Chanyeol could see for a split second that her gaze turn sad, like she was pitying him. “Maybe,” she answered shortly, and it managed to stop Chanyeol’s breath.

From that day onwards, Chanyeol might as well consider himself not living, since he had given a piece of his heart to the boy he kissed and pushed away at the same time, and that boy never came back, never showed up in front of Chanyeol ever again.

When Baekhyun arrived at his apartment, he didn’t expect to find a grown-up male crouching down in front of his front door, his head tucked in between his knees.

“Chanyeol?” he called out.

Why did this scene right here seemed familiar? Right, because this really had happened before in the past. The difference was back then Chanyeol was sitting on his bed in his basement room at the Park’s mansion. And another difference was the fact that back then Chanyeol looked furious, now the grown-up version of him was looking… sad?

“Hey,” Chanyeol said as soon as he held his head up and found Baekhyun in front of him. “You’re back?”

Chanyeol was still wearing the same clothes he wore a couple of hours ago. Did he wait for Baekhyun here all this time? “Why are you here? And how could you know my home?”

Chanyeol chuckled and brought himself up, making Baekhyun now had to look up at him. “Come on, shortie, you think I wouldn’t be able to find out?”

“Is it Junmyeon? And you still haven’t answered my first question.”

“Are we doing this here where all your neighbor could hear? And no, I didn’t have it from Junmyeon. My secretary dig it for me. And the reason why I am here, isn’t it obvious?”

The trace of sadness from his eyes had been washed away, but Baekhyun could still see the remnants of the insecurities behind it. He decided to brush it off. He would never understand this man anyway.

“You’re blocking my entry. Move away,” Baekhyun tried to sound harsh, but even to his ears, he sounded so calm.

Chanyeol did as Baekhyun said. He was uncharacteristically obedient and Baekhyun was confused.

Baekhyun decided to ignore it for now as he entered the code to his apartment--the date of his birthday backwards—while also trying to shield it from Chanyeol’s vision. He couldn’t have this man enter his house without his permission.

Entering his pitch black house, Baekhyun instantly looked for the light switch in the entryway. Leaving Chanyeol behind, he started to look around his house, checking room after room. His room, his bathroom, his kitchen, even his closet. Once he was sure that no one was inside his apartment and nothing was out of place, he finally could breathe in.

Forgetting that he had a guest, he almost jumped when he saw Chanyeol’s looming figure entering his kitchen.

“What was that?” Chanyeol’s brows arched. There was an obvious concern in both his tone and his expression.

“Nothing.” Baekhyun shrugged, taking off his coat.

“Don’t me. You just spent a good ten minutes checking every crook and nook of your apartment.” Chanyeol truly looked confused right now. “You… what were you doing?”

Baekhyun exhaled a heavy breath. He was tired from the long day. He wanted to unwind as soon as possible, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to as long as Chanyeol was here, demanding explanation. Baekhyun was too exhausted to do any argument right now. “Just checking the house.”

“What for?”

“For intruder,” Baekhyun answered nonchalantly, although every time he did the inspection once he was home it was anything but nonchalant.

“For intruder,” Chanyeol deadpanned. “You mean your neighborhood here isn’t safe?”

“Probably.”

“What do you mean probably?”

“I just had to check.”

“Alright,” Chanyeol walked toward him in an unhurried, careful manner. Baekhyun hated it. This wasn’t like the usual Chanyeol. This Chanyeol was gentle and… so concerned. “You gotta tell me what’s going on here, shortie. Because I just witnessed you roam around your own apartment for ten minutes like you were expecting someone would come out of nowhere.”

That was because he did. Every single time he came home, Baekhyun truly felt someone would probably jump out of nowhere and kill him. “Is it… weird?”

Chanyeol shook his head, and their distance was almost non-existent right now. They were only inches away. “I’m not saying it’s weird. You just looked… scared.”

Baekhyun bit his lower lip and had to stifle a gasp when Chanyeol’s hand reached out to him, cupping his cheek. His heart thundered in his chest, but oddly, he felt the safest right now. Something in Chanyeol’s warm, soft touch made him opened his mouth and talked. “When I was in college, I came home to my dorm and someone, robbers, were inside my room, and I was almost killed.”

It was like Baekhyun saw it frame by frame. Chanyeol’s expression changed slowly, first it was shocked, then confused, then rage, before finally it settled with appalled. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

The grave tone in his voice made Baekhyun’s stomach churn. Why? Just why he sounds so caring? Trying to ignore the funny feeling that had been constantly happening to him every time Chanyeol was at least in the 20 meters proximity, Baekhyun shrugged, pretending that it was nothing. While basically the whole ordeal had changed his life. “Well,” he trailed off. “True story.”

Chanyeol’s hard gaze almost pierced Baekhyun. “Someone tried to kill you?” he asked breathlessly. “What the ?”

A shiver zipped down Baekhyun’s spine, and it didn’t have anything to do with the cold chilly air inside his apartment. “They must’ve known my schedule. I came home earlier that day, so they were still in the midst of taking out my computer.”

Baekhyun could see Chanyeol’s adam’s apple bobbing as the hand on his cheek turned cold. “How many of them? How… bad did they hurt you?”

This was weird. This was too strange for comfort. This was a whole other persona that Baekhyun knew. This wasn’t Chanyeol--the Chanyeol ten years ago. The few times they met recently, Chanyeol had constantly reminded him why he hated him. He was arrogant and hot-headed. But at the same time, he was also really gentle and understanding, and honestly Baekhyun didn’t know how in the hell those traits could blend together and worked.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol called, his voice was an octave lower. “Answer me, please.”

Never in a million years Baekhyun thought he would tell this story to his mortal enemy. “Two men. The accident… wasn’t a good one.” Baekhyun tried to sound neutral but his voice came out with a rough edge instead.

Chanyeol broke his gaze and lowered his head. There was no sound in the room, save for Chanyeol’s ragged breath.

Baekhyun bit his lip, starting to feel uncomfortable by the suffocating air. “Chan--”

“Marry me, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said all of a sudden, lifting his head up, meeting Baekhyun’s eyes once again.

There were a million things Chanyeol didn’t say, it showed through his eyes. And Baekhyun really wanted to know what they were. “Why?” he replied with a question. “What are you after?”

There was pages of contract on his desk at the office, telling him a bunch of benefits he and his company would get if he married this enemy of him. Baekhyun basically had no reason to reject to marry him. All because it was a condition Chanyeol had to meet if he wanted to be a CEO. But, Baekhyun had a feeling that those were not all.

“You’ve seen my conditions in my contract. And I...” Chanyeol his lips. There was a foreign glint in his eyes that Baekhyun couldn’t recognize. “I will take care of you.”

If it were a week ago when they first met, Baekhyun might question whether that was true, or rather straight up not believe in it. But now, he had no doubt whatsoever that Chanyeol really meant it. “Take care of me…” he croaked out. “Now that you think I have some kind of bad experience--”

“I know damn well that you could protect yourself. You could stand on your own,” Chanyeol hissed. “I just… goddammit, Byun Baekhyun. You and your obliviousness.”

Baekhyun pinched his temple. “I don’t understand you, Chanyeol. Especially these past few days. You confused me, enraged me, and now you said you want to take care of me. Just how did you expect me to forget what you did to me all those years ago?”

“You don’t have to forget it. I don’t ask you to do that or to forgive me. Just let me do this at least. Let me take care of you.”

His heart thundered in his chest, his ears started to ring. Even he could feel that his eyes had turned glazy. Baekhyun was too tired for this. But he knew that Chanyeol was relentless. The most stubborn man that had walked the earth. He wouldn’t let this go until Baekhyun said yes.

God help me, I must be crazy. Baekhyun shook his head and blurted out the unthinkable before he had the time to ponder it and take it back. “I’ll send the signed contract tomorrow. I’ll marry you.”

A/N:

The intruder/robber bits are inspired by Stucked-Up Suit, and baekhyun's trauma will take part more in upcoming chapters.

I'm sorry for the messy and short chapter. But don't worry the next 3 chapters are all more than 4k, and the development of their relationship start now!
I can't wait until I could write more Kyungsoo tho, and this wouldn't be the last time you see Jongin, don't worry~