The beginning of winter is, and always has been, Sehun’s least favorite part of each year. With his body still mostly accustomed to the summer heat, the mid-December wind cuts into him with a frigid sharpness.

It’s a Wednesday night and he had to escape to the library for some peace and quiet. There’s just no way he’ll pass his exams if he has to try studying through all the end of semester parties going on in his building right now. So, he trekked the half mile across campus through the wind and snow, and firmly planted his at a table in the library he doesn’t see himself moving from for a long time.

Of course, this is Oh Sehun and nothing ever goes as planned.

At first he doesn’t notice the guy two tables down from him. He’s got three different books open, not including his notebook he’s been furiously taking notes in, and he hasn’t lifted his head in the past hour. So, to him, the boy currently moving from two tables away to the seat directly across from him doesn’t exist.

It isn’t until the faint sound of a throat clearing jolts him from his train of thought that Sehun finally looks up. The boy smiling at him is…pretty. Really pretty. He’s got little round glasses perched just at the tip of his nose, nowhere near where they’d need to be if he actually needed them to see. His hair is a nice shade of bleached blonde and he’s got little pink, pouty lips. And then he smiles.

Sehun reaches over to poke at the pause button on his phone, then pulls one earbud out. “Um, hi?”

The boy leans forward on his elbows, places his chin in his hands and his smile widens, showing off two rows of perfect teeth. “I couldn’t help but notice you staring at me.” He bats his pretty eyes and smiles once again. Sehun just stares, confused. “Oh wait,” the boy speaks up again before Sehun can reply, “I was staring at you.”

He holds a hand out, it’s pretty, much like everything attached to it. “Baekhyun,” he says as Sehun takes his hand to shake it.

“You a freshmen? I’ve never seen you around.” He stares hard into Sehun’s eyes. “I knowI’d remember seeing you on campus.”

“Sophomore,” Sehun supplies.

“Senior. What’s your name?”

“Sehun.”

“What's your major?”

“Psychology.”

“Ooh, theater.” He shifts in his seat, now leaning against the back of the chair. “We’re from two different worlds, no wonder I’ve never seen you around.” He gives Sehun a devious little grin. “So, what’s your psychologist brain telling you about me?”

Sehun smiles, awed at how forward this guy is. “It’s telling me to…run?”

Baekhyun throws his head back and laughs loud; a few kids around them angrily shush him. “Smart brain,” he says he says coolly, adding a flirtatious wink at the end. He stands then, leaning with both hands flat on the table. “Well, Sehun, I’m gonna go sit back at my own table and study. But, in about,” he looks at his wrist where a watch would be, “an hour, I’m gonna get some much needed coffee.” He shrugs, “If you’d like to join me.”

“I might,” Sehun says, and he doesn’t know why he says it. Something about Baekhyun makes it hard to say no to him.

To: Jongin

hey, getting coffee with a friend. be home later 

He sends the text and slips his phone into his pocket. It’s been three minutes, they’re hardly two blocks from the library, and Baekhyun hasn’t stopped talking for more than five seconds. Sehun’s almost maybe beginning to regret this decision.

“So, what about you?” Baekhyun asks, looking up at Sehun as they walk.

Honestly, Sehun wasn’t even listening anymore, busy thinking about what Jongin might be doing back at the dorm. “Huh?” is all he says.

Baekhyun pouts, in that cute, rip your heart out way Jongin does. “You weren’t listening to me?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking about someone.” Baekhyun’s eyes light up and Sehun just knows that he’s about to be bombarded with questions. “I mean…something. I was thinking about something. My exams.”

Baekhyun narrows his eyes but doesn’t say anything. Sehun knows he doesn’t believe him at all, but at least it seems to have shut Baekhyun up. For now.

They enter the coffee shop together and both let out a sigh of relief at the warm heat blasting their cold, snow-dampened skin. Sehun makes weak fists a few times, trying to get some blood back in his fingers and orders coffee quickly, looking forward to wrapping his hands around the hot mug.

He listens to Baekhyun order something with a long name, something with very specific directions and soy milk.

“What’d you get?” Baekhyun asks as he scoots up close next to Sehun at the pick-up counter.

“Coffee.”

“Man, you really don’t talk much, huh?”

“I talk a perfectly normal amount,” he’s handed his coffee and he thanks the barista, “you just talk way too much.”

Baekhyun sticks his tongue out. “Fair enough.”

Baekhyun gets his coffee, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles, and they cross the almost empty room to sit at a two person table at the back covered with a tattered used-to-be-white tablecloth. It’s normal, for a while. Baekhyun continues his rambling, pausing every so often to sip his drink.

At the ten minute mark Sehun nearly chokes on his coffee when he feels a hand grip his thigh, higher up than he would have ever imagined a near-stranger to touch him. Baekhyun, sitting noticeably closer to him now, continues talking, innocently batting his eyes and smiling like his fingers aren’t currently walking up the inner seam of Sehun’s jeans.

Sehun lets out a loud breath through tightly pursed lips and clears his throat. “Um, Baekhyun…what are you doing?”

“Hmm?” Baekhyun just smiles, starts drawing little circles, fingertips getting dangerously close to Sehun’s zipper. “Has anyone ever told you that you have really nice eyebrows?” Baekhyun asks softly, leaning in closer, invading Sehun’s personal space. The eyes he’s giving Sehun are screaming his lustful thoughts; Sehun has to admit Baekhyun is hot, he also thinks how much he’d love to see Jongin give him a look like that.

“Baekhyun,” Sehun says, finally breaking Baekhyun’s intense eye contact. He scoots to the far edge of his seat and breathes a sigh of relief when Baekhyun seems to take the hint. “Listen…I appreciate—”

“Oh!” Baekhyun interrupts suddenly, “You’re straight, aren’t you?” He covers his mouth with one hand and pats Sehun’s shoulder twice with the other. “I’m so sorry. I have the worst gaydar ever I swear. I’m so sorry!”

Sehun has this moment in his head where he doesn’t know what he wants to say. He’s never told anyone other than Jongin that he maybe, possibly is definitely biual. Baekhyun tips his head to the side confused, or maybe concerned with the face Sehun is making.

“Are you…confused?” Baekhyun asks carefully, like he’s had this exact conversation before and knows just how to go about it. “It’s okay you know, to not know.” His hand is back on Sehun again, but this time it’s devoid of all ual desire. “Sehun?” He lowers his head, trying to meet Sehun’s eyes.

“I’m in love with someone,” is what falls from Sehun’s mouth. He’s surprised by the admission and stares open mouthed at Baekhyun. “My best friend,” Sehun continues for some reason.

“Oooh, what’s that face you just made?” Baekhyun asks, “C’mon, tell Baekhyunnie what’s troubling you.” His sweet smile turns into a concerned pout when Sehun remains silent and keeps his eyes down. “I’m a great listener, I promise.” He squeezes Sehun’s forearm and gives a tiny smile when the boy finally looks up at him. “Tell me about him.”

“We…we met in seventh grade.” He watches Baekhyun’s eyes soften; he can’t quite place it, but something about Baekhyun makes Sehun want to trust him. “He was new in school and I remember seeing him for the first time, walking toward me in the hall.” Sehun smiles, eyes focused somewhere far away. “I never felt attracted to a guy before, but the second I saw him I swear it was like the world stopped around me. Like, I had tunnel vision and all I could see…all that mattered was this kid that I didn’t even know.”

“That’s so cute, oh my god.”

Sehun blushes; he’s never told anyone this before and it’s embarrassing. “I probably sound so lame.” He takes a long drink from his coffee, hoping the color in his cheeks will fade some. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.”

“How did you two become friends?” Baekhyun asks, now completely invested in Sehun’s past.

“I thought he was following me home on the first day of school, but it turned out that he lived around the block from me. Like, right behind my house.” Sehun pauses again, taking a moment to relive happy memories. “He used to sneak out at night and hop the fence between our backyards to come hang out with me.”

“You really do have it bad for him, huh?” Baekhyun watches Sehun smile sadly. “Your whole face lights up when you talk about him. It’s adorable.”

“He’s straight and has no idea I have feelings for him.” He takes in an unstable breath and lets it out, closing his eyes when Baekhyun grabs his shoulder. “I’ve felt this way for seven years and every time I thought I was finally gonna tell him…I got scared.”

“That makes sense,” Baekhyun says softly, “you don’t want to ruin the friendship you guys have. I get it, I do. You know you can’t keep it up forever though, right? Like, one day he’s gonna do or say something that’s gonna crush you.”

Sehun focuses his attention on his fingers in his lap. He knows Baekhyun is right. “I know,” he whispers.

“I’m not trying to tell you what to do or anything, like I know we literally just met…but you really should tell him. If he really is your best friend he’ll understand.”

“I’m just so scared,” Sehun looks up; he still doesn’t understand why he’s telling a complete stranger his deepest, most personal secret. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Baekhyun looks like he’s going to go in for a hug but rethinks at the last second. “You know,” he says, getting that cheeky grin on his face again, “since you’re technically single, it wouldn’t be so bad if you came home with me tonight.”

Sehun frowns; is this guy serious? “Dude, what—”

“I’m only joking!” Baekhyun defends himself quickly, “I thought maybe I could get you to laugh.” Baekhyun stands and pulls his jacket on, zipping it up to his chin. “But for real though, are you sure you don’t wanna come home with me? You’re seriously like stupidly hot.” He winks and, when Sehun does laugh this time, Baekhyun laughs as well.

They exchange numbers before Baekhyun exits the café, and Sehun remains in his seat, just thinking. It feels amazing to have finally told someone about his feelings. His phone vibrates loudly on the table and he laughs.

From: Baekhyun

are u sure ur sure tho?