Kyungsoo’s night ended up something like this:

 

Washing the rest of his vegetables, chopped them up while he put together chicken stock in two large pots, made a huge mess of flour while putting together his noodles, and threw them all together.

 

He got four hours of sleep, a cold shower, two pots of simple ramen, prepped and ready to take to the middle of the city all on behalf of one stupid CEO that he actually listened to.

 

Kyungsoo ended up making enough for seconds, or to share, just in case. He let the broth and spices and meat sit most of the night to really settle and added the veggies and noodles last minute to keep from getting soggy.

 

It smelled amazing when he came back to it the following morning, his hopes are high for people to try it, but it plummets when he remembers that his purpose to do this is, in the end, pointless.

 

Kyungsoo still got his documents together, all the financial papers and property stuff, the stuff he’s been slaving over for the past two years. All his shame, embarrassment, and stress, all of it ready to lay out on a table for him to stare at because it doesn’t matter anymore.

 

Stupid CEO, making him do stupid things he doesn’t want to do, all for what? Some free ramen and an ego boost? A total joke.

 

This was stupid. Kyungsoo was stupid for even doing this. It’s seven in the morning and he’s carrying ramen onto a train with a backpack full of reasons to disappear.

 

People throw some sideways glances at him, he would too if he saw himself. A sad looking stranger carrying two pots of ramen into the city. Out of place, always staring, always doing the most to stay out of the way.

 

The train ride is mostly silent. People are all typing away on their smartphones with earbuds in, Kyungsoo envies it for a minute. He really would like one of those, maybe once he gets all this settled he’ll save for one.

 

He gets the same looks from strangers on the way to the building, but as soon as he walks through the large glass doors he’s greeted by a cheery receptionist that greets him as soon as Kyungsoo walks up to the desk.

 

He doesn’t even have to say anything other than hello before Sehun smiles and picks up a phone, “I can lead you upstairs. Either CEO Byun of Minseok will come collect you.”

 

Kyungsoo nods, pauses, then asks, “Who… Who is Minseok?”

 

“Oh!” Sehun gasps, “He’s the financial officer, the CFO of G-Light. He’s about your height, uhm… Very intense gaze, you can’t miss him.” Sehun says, standing up and handing a small badge over to Kyungsoo, “Wear this so people know you aren’t some rando wandering around. I’ll take you upstairs.”

 

Kyungsoo tries to keep up with the young mans long strides, but carrying two pots of ramen and a backpack full of guilt doesn’t exactly make him very elegant. Sehun seems to get the idea and offers to help out, but Kyungsoo smiles and shakes his head, he’s fine on his own.

 

Sehun scans his ID card before one of the two elevators slides open, letting Kyungsoo step on first and following behind, pressing the button to what he said was the main floor of the building.

 

“I want to thank you again for coming in the other day.” Kyungsoo says suddenly, “You and your friend were an unexpected surprise.”

 

“Us? Really? Thank you,” The taller smiles shyly, “It was all really good. I don’t eat authentic ramen as much anymore, I’m too busy, so I just eat it out of a package.” He giggles, “It was really good though… We’ll come back soon.”

 

“I’ll be there.” Kyungsoo smiles, watching Sehun step off the elevator onto a bustling floor, with Kyungsoo close behind. There’s lounging and entertainment and computers everywhere. Kyungsoo doesn’t know where to look first, but a certain familiar sound makes him turn his head and glare.

 

“Morning, Mister.” The CEO smiles, walking up proudly to the two and thanks Sehun, who smiles and takes his leave.

 

“Mmm,” Baekhyun hums, “Do you… Need any help with those they look kinda…” Baekhyun holds an uneasy gaze on Kyungsoo, who is clinging onto the two pots for dear life, and shakes his head furiously, “No, it’s okay. Let’s just… Get this over with, please.”

 

Baekhyun stares unsure at Kyungsoo for a moment longer, huffing a quiet “Fine” and showing Kyungsoo the way through his maze of a building, getting all kinds of looks from employees.

 

“G-Light,” Kyungsoo mumbles, “What’s that stand for?”

 

“Hm?” Baekhyun turns his head and slows his pace to match Kyungsoo, walking slowly alongside him, “G-Light,” Baekhyun echoes, “Generation Light. Kinda fitting for our demographic. We’re the light of this generation, and the ones that will follow. Cute right?”

 

Kyungsoo hums, looking around at the place Baekhyun has established. So many people greet him with big smiles on their faces and he reciprocates the gesture even more. It’s everything Kyungsoo wishes his life could have turned out to be and more. Good energy, good people, it’s what makes a business. It almost makes Kyungsoo feel a little… Jealous, in some weird, screwed up sort of way. The kind of happiness Baekhyun radiates, as well as his employees is something Kyungsoo can only dream of having.

 

The name has more meaning than Kyungsoo expected from Baekhyun. He seems very proud of it, of all of this.

“Here, my office is this way.” Baekhyun says, leading Kyungsoo past some conference rooms, some of them empty, some full, and then up a short flight of stairs to a hall that looks over the entire floor with a few door dotted along.

 

Kyungsoo already takes the wild guess that the office at the very end of the hall, with glass along both sides of the room is probably Baekhyun’s. The office sits at kind of an angle, making the hall appear wider than the rest, a long glass window takes up the wall over the main floor, running outward at an angle above the company floor.

 

“Wait, why are we going to your office?” Kyungsoo asks, watching Baekhyun smirk as he whips out a key card and hold it in front of a small scanner. There’s a little beep, and two glass doors slide apart, revealing a large, lavish office.

 

“You can set those on my desk, I’ll get Minseok in here.” Baekhyun says, completely ignoring Kyungsoo’s question and walking over to his desk and picking up a phone, pressing a few keys and mumbling a few words before he hangs it up.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t even take into account that Baekhyun was dressed… Formally. He was in formal work clothes, blazer, tie and all, and he looked… Nice, dare Kyungsoo even say.

 

“You didn’t answer m-” Kyungsoo was just getting the question out when a pitched beep rings out and the sound of doors sliding open behind them has his question cut off. In walks a man who, just as Sehun described, was not much taller than himself, with a very intense gaze, but also a warm smile.

 

He greets Kyungsoo, introduces himself and Kyungsoo does the same. He asks if Kyungsoo has everything and he nods, nervously adjusting his bag on his shoulders.

 

“Baekhyun said you’re quite the master in the kitchen, thank you for bringing all this.”  He smiles, walking towards the two pots on Baekhyun’s desk.

 

“I told you guys he was good,” Baekhyun huffs, looking up from his computer towards the older man who laughs, taking the lid from one of the pots, along with a bowl and some cutlery that Kyungsoo apparently had missed upon entering. The er had this all planned didn’t he?

 

“You said he looked good, you hardly said a word about the cooking, Baek.”

 

Baekhyun sputters a little out of embarrassment, Kyungsoo looks around the office pretending he didn’t just hear that while he feels his face and neck heat up, trying not to remember those things Sehun said to him when he came to visit.

Minseok laughs again, “I’m gonna take your word for it though, you are paying afterall.”

 

Baekhyun lets Minseok take over his desk, taking a laptop to sit on a couch by the door and letting the two get down to business. All more a reason that Kyungsoo doesn’t understand why Baekhyun insisted they used his office. If he was just going to saunter off to another part of the room, what’s the point?

 

It was a lot of sorting through stuff, a lot of Kyungsoo having to answer personal questions about his business that he wouldn’t have really told anyone else, like, ever. Minseok was really understanding though, he nodded and listened to Kyungsoo talk about everything, he asked him about his debt, and how he’s going to about selling the place, he was thorough all the way through.

 

“So, if you want my honest advice here,” Minseok sits up, collecting the papers and straightening them out, “Shut it down. You’ve already taken out a pretty hefty loan as it is, you missing payments on it is just going to pull you further into the hole and get you involved with the law. At that point you’re… Yeah.”

 

“I know that this isn’t what you wanted to hear” Minseok continues, “But the sooner you do this, the less trouble you’ll get yourself into later on. If you try and keep this place open in your state, you’ll just find yourself falling further and further into this financial pit. Unless you were to suddenly become a hit overnight and had people lining up outside your door, I’d say you were out of luck.”

 

Kyungsoo nods once, staring down at the desk. Pointless, he knew this was all pointless. He came here to get an answer he could have gotten from someone walking down the ing street. Kyungsoo has spent his entire morning making a ing joke of himself and now he has to go do it again by turning that stupid little sign in the window of his shop over to say “Open”.

 

“I’m sorry, Kyungsoo. Someone like you doesn’t deserve this, it’s just-”

 

“Business, yeah. ‘S what my landlord says.” Kyungsoo half-smiles, standing up and collecting his stuff, thanking Minseok one last time before he dips his head and turns around to walk out of the CEO’s office. He has to open in half an hour and he’s barely going to make it home in time.

 

There’s a familiar voice that calls after him, Kyungsoo walks faster, he hears footsteps running up behind him, he clenches his fist, and turns around to catch Baekhyun with his arm outstretched in attempt to take Kyungsoo’s. Baekhyun blinks, swallows anxiously and lowers his hand slowly.

 

“I haven’t paid you yet.”

 

“No.” Kyungsoo growls, trying to turn around but gets a quick pull on the loop hook of his backpack, yanking Kyungsoo backwards to a stop.

 

“You made this right? You spent time making this, I’m not just gonna let you leave, especially considering what I just heard.” Baekhyun snaps, pulling out his wallet and opening it up.

 

“Ohh,” Kyungsoo breathes, “So that’s why you suggested your office… So you could listen to me woe all my problems and make a goddamn fool of myself in front of your CFO and try to feel sorry for me, right?” Kyungsoo shot, pushing Baekhyun’s wallet back into his chest, “I told you last night, there’s no point. Stop trying to help me. You’re better off just staying away altogether, got it?”

 

Baekhyun stares at him for a minute, unblinking. He’s got that same pitiful, kicked puppy face as he did last night and it makes Kyungsoo absolutely fume. Why does he look so clueless? It’s like everything Kyungsoo says goes right over his head.

 

Baekhyun’s jaw clenches and he takes a grip on Kyungsoo’s wrist again, pulling him in the other direction back down the hall to his office.

 

Minseok is in the middle of getting another serving of ramen when Baekhyun pulls Kyungsoo inside. He stares between the two a little confused, and hurries to take his leave.

 

When the glass doors slide shut, Baekhyun unleashes.

 

“Why can’t you just accept that I want to help you? Why are so against that?”

 

Kyungsoo sighs, now he has to go over this again, for the third time with Baekhyun.

 

“I barely know you!” Kyungsoo starts, his chest is heavy as he tries to keep his voice low. Baekhyun is so frustratingly clueless. So ignorant and Kyungsoo genuinely can’t tell if it’s a joke or not.

“Why do I have to keep explaining to you that you’re a stranger that I met barely a week ago? You heard me, you heard Minseok, there’s no point. I appreciate the gesture, but it isn’t worth it. You’d just be wasting your hard earned money for a lost cause.”

 

Baekhyun is quiet for a minute, sulking back to lean against his desk, “Would it make you feel better if you did know me?” He asks quietly, voice almost sounding testing but borderline sincere too as he looks up to Kyungsoo with gentle eyes. His demeanor changed in seconds. God, this guy is frustrating.

 

“No.” Kyungsoo says, “Even if I had known you my entire life, it wouldn’t make a difference. I don’t want to waste your money. Let me just-”

 

“But what about your debt?” Baekhyun cuts in, “I mean, that’s gonna follow you whether you shut down or not, you know. At least let me-”

 

“I told you last night, I’ll find somewhere else to go and pay it off then. None of this should be your concern anyways.” Kyungsoo mumbles, letting his thoughts possess his tongue as he spits out another series of questions. “Besides, what do you want? Why do you keep showing up and trying to offer your help? I helped you one time and it wasn’t that much.”

 

Baekhyun crosses his arms over his chest and takes a breath, his lips jut out a little and Kyungsoo holds back an eyeroll. He stares at Kyungsoo almost contemplating what he wants to say first, like there’s a million and one things that he just doesn’t have the time to say in such a snap. Kyungsoo feels like reaching his fingers up into the short strands of his hair and pulling as hard as he can.

 

“Cause,” He shrugs, “Maybe I wanna buy out your place, Mister.”

 

Kyungsoo’s fingers curl into his fists, it’s taking everything in him not to shake Baekhyun by the shoulders and shake some common ing sense into him.

 

“Jesus Christ,” Kyungsoo’s eyes close tight, trying to keep the anger and frustration on the low, he doesn’t have the time to respond to this, he isn’t going to stand here and argue with this ingrown frustration of a human.

 

“No, please stop asking. I don’t know if you’re trying to embarass me or what, but for the love of God just-” Kyungsoo’s hand runs through his hair, pulling at the strands on the back of his head, “Just leave me and my restaurant alone. Please” He pleads, desperation a little more evident in his voice than he would have liked, but he’s too angry to really care now. Too worked up to give a as he turns around and storms out of the CEO’s office before either of them can say anything else.

 

--

 

It’s another slow day. Another day that Kyungsoo tries to mind control the passerby’s to walk inside. He mindlessly stares outside the window, watching one figure pass, another following, more coming and going in the same and different directions.

 

It’s all the same. They’re not though. They all have lives filled with good people and a new day to wake up to and face. Kyungsoo wakes up and faces the same hell everyday that he doesn’t know if he’s been stuck in time or not. He wakes up with the same routine, the same fears, the same burdens and worries and the same heavy, weighted feeling in his chest that pulls him down the stairs and twists his heart the same way he does with the locks.

 

He should have let go. He should have known that the times were changing and this place would too, he would, and everyone that has come and gone has and will continue to. Kyungsoo just had too much love for this place, for his parents, for the craft. The thought of letting go of all this after his father died made his heart clench in the most painful way that he couldn’t bare to do it.

 

It’s not like Kyungsoo knew anything else. Well, he did, but at the same time he didn’t want to have anything to do with something that wasn’t cooking, wasn’t being here. He just didn’t have any interest in it, he wasn’t drawn to it in the same way he was to the kitchen.

 

Now it all just feels like a chore. It was fun for a minute, when people still came in, when people still enjoyed what he did, now these big business have bought out the other places that surround him, and he’s been left to fight back, albeit not very well. He’s run himself straight into the dirt and nothing feels really real anymore. It’s day after day of running towards the finish line, a ribbon in sight, thinking he’s getting another mile closer, but being a million miles back. He’s still running these laps, and he’s tired.

 

Bringing this CEO into the mix doesn’t help. Kyungsoo doesn’t want this anymore. No one comes in except for Jongin. No one looks inside the windows even though the shades are pulled up, he’s invisible among the crowds.

 

Speaking of, there he is. The reason for Kyungsoo’s suffering walking up to the door.

 

ing Kim Junmyeon. The guy who has been buying these places out for the past few years and has been trying to get Kyungsoo’s place under his belt too. He owns a pretty good handful of businesses around the area, and Kyungsoo and him have been butting heads for years.

 

The er is strkingly good looking and well spoken, there’s a reason he’s so good at buying these places out. He’s charming enough that he manages to pull these places into his grip and doesn’t let go and Kyungsoo is on the top of his list.

 

The door chimes, Junmyeon smiles upon seeing Kyungsoo, “Do Kyungsoo.”

 

Kyungsoo hums, leaning back in the chair he’s sitting in and watching Junmyeon dip his head as he pulls a chair out across from him. Sure, make yourself at home while you try to talk me into selling my place again, you handsome er.

 

“It’s quiet as ever in here.”

 

Thanks to you. He wants to say. He stays quiet instead, glares at the man sitting across from him.

 

“Six months, and your wish comes true.” Kyungsoo says, attention turning back to the window, to anything that isn’t Junmyeon sitting across from him.

 

Junmyeon hums, “I was going to ask you about that. I was speaking to your landlord the other day and he told me. I was surprised, honestly.”

 

“I bet.” He blinks

 

“What made you finally break?” Junmyeon asks.

 

“Debt. You. Lots of things.”

 

Junmyeon is silent for a minute. Kyungsoo doesn’t pay him any attention, he just ignores him for as long as he can. Checks the time on his watch, Jongin will be here soon. That’s good.

 

“I uhm-” Junmyeon shifts and is looking for words, trying to ease this out, doing a very awful job at it, poor guy.

 

“So… Six months?”

 

“Maybe less if you’re a little more desperate.”

 

“Kyungsoo, don’t be like that.” Junmyeon’s voice is gentle, but his motives aren’t.

 

Kyungsoo glares at him from the side again, swallowing his anger. He has every reason to be like this. Junmyeon has no right to come in here and brag about his three year accomplishment of finally ruining Kyungsoo’s life and then telling him how he should feel. Not while this building is still under Kyungsoo’s name.

 

“Don’t be like what?”

 

He hears the man sigh and stand up, “You knew this was coming, Kyungsoo. Admit it, you knew it way before I did but you’re just too stubborn to let go.”

 

“Yeah, I did. You think I’m gonna let all my parents hard work go to waste? You think I’m just gonna leave it all behind for you to make profit on?” Kyungsoo swallows, he’d fought with way too many people today, he’s too tired for this, another word from Junmyeon and he’s going to turn to burst into flames. Sitting here listening to Junmyeon try and play the victim makes Kyungsoo’s blood absolutely boil and he’s about to stand up and shove the guy out of the store when the door chimes. Immediate relief washed over him when he sees Jongin looking abased and a little guilty to what he just walked into.

 

Kyungsoo and the older man hold a hard stare on each other for a few more seconds before he turns around and walks past Jongin without another word.

 

Junmyeon coming in really just topped off his entirely ty week. He didn’t need anymore obnoxious people coming in to spew mindless bull in his restaurant, but look what he got. Two of the most loud mouthed business owners he could have gone his entire life without meeting. Just his luck, among all things.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, just lets Jongin take his place and silently stalks to the kitchen. It was a quick fix, he really just threw together the same thing he made last night for Baekhyun, too exhausted to channel any sort of culinary creativity and just got down to the basics.  By the time he got out to the floor Jongin was sitting at his usual table quietly playing a game on his phone, jacket draped over the back of his chair.

 

“Hey, who was that guy?” He asks, not bothering to look up at Kyungsoo placing a piping hot bowl down in front of him.

 

“No one that’s worth your concern.”  Kyungsoo mutters, pulling the chair across the table out and falling into it.

 

“What? That guy smelled way too expensive though.”He whines, looking up from his phone to Kyungsoo sitting across from him. His eyes are pleading.

 

Kyungsoo sighs, holding down a groan. Trying to explain Junmyeon without sounding like a total isn’t easy. Usually because every encounter he’s had with the guy has ended with them arguing and never finding steady ground. They both started running their race about the same time and have never once had a good encounter after the day they met.

 

“He’s the one buying me out. He owns a lot of places around here.” Kyungsoo says finally, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes.

 

“Seriously?”

 

Kyungsoo hums, listening to the sound of metal chopsticks finally hitting the bowl.

 

“I was gonna ask you to come out with me tonight,” Jongin says, mouth stuffed, “But you look like you need some sleep.”

 

Kyungsoo pries his eyes open to look at Jongin across the table. After the day he’s had, it was a tempting offer, but he is also very tired, but also very stressed.

 

And somehow, Kyungsoo agreed to go. He’s very rarely gone out with Jongin outside of work, he usually makes excuses every time with the whole “going through paperwork” thing, and Jongin stopped asking for some time. Kyungsoo doesn’t usually go out to drink, he’s more the type to stay inside where it’s quiet and he can watch a movie or two before he falls asleep at some point.

 

Jongin met him at some little bar a few minutes walk from his own place. At first glance he nearly didn’t recognize him because he was in casual clothes and his hair fell neatly over his head, not combed up like he usually has it.

 

Jongin waves him over when he sees Kyungsoo looking around absentmindedly.

 

Kyungsoo usually has enough conscience when he drinks that he knows when he’s reached his limit. But when Jongin asked for a bottle of Soju and started pouring shots Kyungsoo threw every remaining decency of himself away, letting it all burn with the alcohol running down his throat. He lets Jongin ramble about work and the office and still somehow managed to ask about “Tall Giggly Man” in reference to Chanyeol and Kyungsoo really doesn’t have a single ing clue.

 

They take turns doing this. Shooting down a shot or two and drunkenly rambling about their deep frustrations. Kyungsoo mostly about the regrets he has about shutting down, Jongin about how his air conditioning went out, anything and everything, and it feels great.

 

Alcohol gets Kyungsoo to talk way more than what he would typically. With Jongin egging him on he doesn’t stop. He vents about Junmyeon coming in to harass him before Jongin came in, he talked about his whole melt down in front of Baekhyun both times, he lets Jongin hear it all not caring enough whether they’ll remember it by tomorrow.

 

The ground is way too loud under Kyungsoo’s feet and he shuffles down the road, humming mindlessly to himself through the empty streets. It’s quiet, the sound of his voice bounces off the windows and echoes down the alley ways as Kyungsoo’s feet drag along the pavement.

 

He stumbles a few times, his steps falling out of rhythm and his vision becoming too hazy to make out trash cans or street lamps. The walk up the hill towards his place is tretarous, and he’s panting and out of breath as he makes it up gets a little closer to the hazy golden glow that he’s so familiar with, along with the sad looking figure under it, too.

 

He doesn’t say anything, but Baekhyun does, asking where he was and something else that Kyungsoo doesn’t really make out because he’s too drunk, too tired, too stressed to listen to anyone, especially him.  

 

“You…” Kyungsoo mutters, pointing at Baekhyun, finger just centimeters from his face. “Youuu…”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes cross as they follow Kyungsoo’s sudden gesture, refocusing thm and blinking as he looks at Kyungsoo.

“Mist-Kyungsoo. Hey,”

 

“Did you drink? Are you drunk?”

“I told you- I told to stay away didn’t I?” Kyungsoo presses his finger straight into the space between the other man’s eyebrows.

 

“Why-” Kyungsoo’s eyes narrow, he groans and stumbles forward a little, taking a grip on Baekhyun’s shoulder to keep his balance.

 

“Why the do you keep showing up?”

 

“Well,” Baekhyun’s eyes nervously avoid Kyungsoo’s, “I was gonna bring your pots back… Cause… They’re yours.”

 

“My what?”

 

“The pots. From the ramen you brought this morning.” Baekhyun says, taking a half step back to open some breathing room and look at Kyungsoo properly.

 

“Come on,” Baekhyun takes Kyungsoo gently by the arm that he had been steadying himself against the male with. He tries to pull away, tripping over his own feet as he does so, and lets Baekhyun direct him up to the door.

 

“What’s your security code?”

 

“Uhm,”

 

“Oh my god, you don’t know?”

 

“ off, of course I-Of Course I know.” Kyungsoo slurs, digging around for his keys “Zero, seven…”

 

He aims for the keyhole, misses, swears, tries again, misses.

 

“Twoooo...” He jabs for the keyhole again. Stupid ing thing won’t go in.

 

Baekhyun takes the key, turns it around, inserts it straight into the lock without a word.

Kyungsoo quietly turns the lock as he he hums, completely forgetting that he was trying to figure out his alarm code, being painfully reminded as soon as he opens the door.

 

Baekhyun runs to find it, peeking around the corner asking what the last digit was, leaving Kyungsoo to stare blankly at the male with his mouth hanging open.

 

“Zero, seven, two, what?”

 

“What?”

 

“The last number? What’s the last number?”

 

“Of what?”

 

“The alarm!”

 

“Oh.” Kyungsoo mutters, e blinks shrugs, and walks towards the worried figure around the corner, nudging him to the side as he punches in the code blindly.

 

“Five? You couldn’t have told me it was five?”

 

“I forgot.”

 

Baekhyun lets out a heavy sigh, takes Kyungsoo gently by the wrist, earning another weak tug in effort to try and walk on his own.

 

“I don’t need your… Stupid ing help.”

 

“Yeah, you kinda do.” Baekhyun takes the chance to pull Kyungsoo’s arm up around both his shoulders. Kyungsoo groans and tries to pull himself off of Baekhyun, a string of incoherent words falling breathily off his lips as Baekhyun heaves him up the stairs and into his home.

 

“Keys.” Baekhyun says, hoisting Kyungsoo up with a grunt as Kyungsoo’s face turns sour and he digs into his pockets again, but when Baekhyun reaches out take the keys, Kyungsoo pulls back in the opposite direction, as if to silently say that he is perfectly capable of unlocking his own door.

 

He isn’t. Baekhyun had to unlock it again and listen to Kyungsoo mutter more about not needing help and how Baekhyun shouldn’t even be here.

 

“Honestly I didn’t wanna come but now I’m glad I did.” Baekhyun grunts again, pulling Kyungsoo inside, kicking the door shut.

 

“You shouldn’t be. I told you to stay away for a reason.” Kyungsoo huffs as Baekhyun makes the attempt to lay Kyungsoo on the couch and ask him for his reasoning, but ends up toppling into the cushions with him.

 

Baekhyun apologizes quickly, pushing himself up hurriedly and watching as Kyungsoo moves to adjust himself, bingin his leg up to untie his shoes. He ends up blindly pawing at them and tugging uselessly at the strings, his eyes half lidded and falling shut.

 

“Oh my god, you’re totally useless.” Baekhyun sighs, bending down to pull at the strings and undo them, pulling off one shoe, then the other, and tossing them over to land with a loud clank next to the door.

 

Water, he needs water. Baekhyun had no intentions of taking care of a toddler at only 11:30 at night, but here he is trying to map out Kyungsoo’s house and tear through his cupboards looking for a glass.

 

Kyungsoo is half asleep by the time he returns with a glass of water, carefully shaking the man awake, bringing one of his hands up to take the glass. Kyungsoo does get a few good sips down, groans when he swallows, and opens his eyes to look at Baekhyun.

 

“Why are you still here?” The question is bitter sounding, it drips with some kind of anger.

 

“It’s literally been five minutes.” Baekhyun says, shifting his weight as he watches Kyungsoo slowly push himself up from where he was laying.

 

“Go home. Don’t come back. I’m banning pretty business owners from stepping foot in here ever again. You and Junmyeon can both go yourselves.” Kyungsoo is sitting, but he’s leaning sideways into the cushions, head hanging down uncomfortably and his words are hard to hear with his back turned. Baekhyun should not feel a tinge of heat dance across his neck.

 

“Junmyeon?” He asks, waiting for a response but Kyungsoo waves his hand as if to dismiss it.

 

“You and him,” He mumbles, “Nothing more but pretty business owners who wanna watch me ing suffer.”

 

Baekhyun stays quiet, lips pursing upon hearing Kyungsoo’s words. “I don’t get it.” He breathes, “My parent’s spent half their lives on this place and now look at it… It’s empty. I just got in the way and now… Now look at it. Look at me...”

Baekhyun has no idea what to do. Kyungsoo’s voice trembles a little and he’s unsure if he should just let him continue or actually try and talk to him.

 

“I’m just a ing ghost. Just some stupid, useless, ing… Whatever. I should’ve just sold this place when my dad died why the … Why did I have to get in the way and ruin everything… Why didn’t I just let go?” Kyungsoo is quiet for a few, brief seconds and groans, falling forward. Baekhyun blinks a couple of times and moves to pull him up, offering more water which Kyungsoo takes without putting up an argument.

 

Baekhyun sets the glass on the coffee table, watching Kyungsoo stare down into his lap. He blinks rapidly, as if he was trying to hold back emotions, closes his eyes and leans back.

 

Baekhyun sits for a while longer, staring in confusion at the male who seems to have finally fallen asleep in front of him. There are a lot of questions, many of which he’ll have to save for later, just to avoid embarrassing Kyungsoo. He stands up, paces around a little trying to think of where Kyungsoo had blankets from when he ended up here and finally manages to dig them out, taking a couple and draping them over the man.

 

Baekhyun refills the glass of water, finds a stray notepad in the kitchen, a pen next to it, and makes the move he initially meant to make this morning before Kyungsoo had gone on another rant to try and keep him Baekhyun off his back.

 

Kyungsoo is sheltered. Kyungsoo is stubborn, and he won’t let Baekhyun help him even though this shabby little place seems to mean a lot to him. Baekhyun isn’t going to push if Kyungsoo genuinely doesn’t want it. He’s curious but also well minded enough to not try and make this more stressful than it already is for him. Baekhyun has been there, he had started G-Light Media from his college dorm room while working two jobs on the side.

 

But, being stubborn is how Baekhyun managed to rise to be one of the top growing media companies in the country. Being stubborn is what he’s good at. Kyungsoo is good at it, obviously, he’s kept this place open for a while. But Baekhyun is better in more than just wanting this little place to stay open. It’s wanting it’s cute little owner to be happy, too.

 

He drops the pen, satisfied, and flicks off the light to the kitchen. Being careful to be quiet, he puts the note on the coffee table, weighing it down with the glass of water, and quietly makes his way out.