GAEUN HELD HER breath while she hides behind a bush. Her plan to set up Baekhyun and Yeonhee is now ruined but she got surprised that Baekhyun did the first step-even if it obviously looks like he did not intentionally reveal himself and what he feels to Yeonhee. She keeps on chanting on her mind that Yeonhee will respond back the same thing. Or at least, give him a positive response.

"GO BAEKHYUN OPPA! Aish, what's taking him so long? He should be hugging her right now! Yeonhee come on! Say something! Don't tell me you didn't get it?! Don't make any excuses! Baekhyun oppa, do something!" she thought.

"Y-Yeonhee-ssi... I... uhm... p-please do not misunderstand it. But, that's true. B-but, I don't want you to be bothered by that fact that I like-I m-mean that..." Baekhyun scratched his head. It seems like he cannot make up his mind to tell what he really wants to tell her.

He checked her face and saw that she is completely blushing. She knows and she understands. He took a deep breath and exhales the air he took in. "That's true. I do like you. But you don't need to be bothered by that, okay? I don't want you to be uncomfortable every time we meet. I will still be the same Baekhyun that you first met. No worries, I will not do anything that will make you uncomfortable."

And from afar... "Woah-"

"AHH!" GaEun immediately covered and kicked Gwangsu who is squatting beside her while hiding behind the bush.

"Yah! That hurts!" he grunts.

"We will be caught because of you!" GaEun quietly shouts.

"But he sure manned up to tell it to my sister. Wow. But hey, we all know that I am already the winner, right? Look." He said and when GaEun looked back at Yeonhee and Baekhyun, D.O. is already approaching them.

Baekhyun thinks that D.O.'s smile right now is the brightest that he has ever seen. He steps aside when Yeonhee looked back to greet D.O.

"I'm sorry you have to come to pick me up here. Happy birthday, Yeonhee." He gave her a short hug. A hug that made Baekhyun's shoulders to drop because he felt that she was slapped by the fact that he cannot join this fight even if he wanted to.

"Here! I'm a bit late because I have to stop by a shop to pick you up a gift." He reached out the peach paper bag to her and she grabbed it. He quickly scanned her from head to toe, noticing that she is still wearing her school uniform and then, he chuckled. "I don't want to assume but, you don't need to be in a hurry to pick me up." He said and pointed at her feet.

She looked down, remembering that she is wearing her house slippers when she went out. "Ahh. H-hehe. Not really. It's just... it will be difficult if I will wear my shoes again." She faked a smile but D.O. doesn't bother and laughed with her.

"Ja! How about you sit down for a while and I think it's a good thing that I bought this for you as a gift." He grabbed the paper bag and pulled out the box and opened it after. He took out a pair of white-lavender sneaker shoes and kneeled in front of her. He removed her house slippers and carefully wears the shoes on her left foot.

Yeonhee looked up to see Baekhyun watching them two. He quickly flashed a smile and several nods. He also mouthed "gwaenchana". "Yah Kyungsoo," and he lightly tapped his right shoulder, "I'll go back to the house first."

"Yeah sure! We'll go in a bit." He quickly turned to Baekhyun and back to Yeonhee's shoe and right foot. "There. Good thing it fits just right."

Baekhyun turned his back at them and started walking away while hearing the upbeat voice of D.O. who's talking to Yeonhee. This is it. How many more scenarios like this does he have to witness before he starts to stop what he feels for her?

"Aww. Look at Baekhyun oppa. He seemed so down." GaEun commented and she received a nudge from Gwangsu.

"We should go back now, too. Others might wonder why you are not with him." They start to move away from the big bush where they hid to eavesdrop on the three.

When Baekhyun arrived at the house, he caught everyone's attention. He stretched his lips to show them a smile.

"Where are they?" Suho asked.

"Ah! They're on their way here, too. Incheon-ttae is just wearing the shoes that Kyungsoo bought her as a present. She went out wearing her house slippers. Ja! What did I miss about the party?" He made his way while Suho didn't remove his gaze at him.

"Did... something happened between those three? Baekhyun's mood seems different even if he's smiling." Suho thought, tilting his head, wondering.

Baekhyun headed towards Xiumin and Chen who's enjoying the food at one side of the garden. "Hyung, hyung, hyung..." he called out. "I think I'm dying." He whispered to the two.

"Hm. It seems like it." Xiumin said placing his chopsticks at the side of his plate. He finished chewing his food first before talking again. "So, what happened?"

"I accidentally told her that I like her."

"PPPFFFFTTTTT!-"

"YA JONGDAE-AH!" Baekhyun's eyes almost popped out of his eye socket when Chen splashes the juice all over their table and to the two of them.

"Ya! You're gross!" Xiumin smacked Chen on his arm before he quickly wiped his arms and face.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAID?"

"Lower down your voice you-aish... why did I even tell you in the first place?" Baekhyun said.

"Hey, everything okay there?" Suho asked from afar.

"YEAH." Xiumin raised his hand in thumbs up. "JONGDAE JUST CHOKED WITH THE JUICE."

He faced the two again. "Hey kids, this is not where we can safely talk about this. Let's just continue once this party is over. Remember that it's just us two who know about it and honestly speaking, you didn't look really well when you got back. Junmyeon is also suspiciously looking at you." Xiumin said in a whisper to the two while casually eating.

"Hyung, I keep on screwing up." He sulked before munching in a fork full of rolled spaghetti.

"Eyyy. You're just so clumsy. How is that even by accident?" Chen asked while finishing his food.

The three looked back when the others got silent and seemed to have their attention on one matter.

"Oh, they're back." Xiumin commented. After GaEun and Gwangsoo entered the garden, they all saw how Yeonhee and D.O. talked happily to each other, not minding if they caught the attention of most people in the garden.

"You're finally here." Suho said and held his hand up that was tapped by D.O. He asked him to join him on his table. Yeonhee sat beside Suho, Sehun, Lay, and D.O.

Suho gave a look at D.O. who immediately looked back at him. "I think I cannot stop this kid anymore." He thought. "What took you so long?"

"When we first went here I just brought ingredients for the food. I forgot to get her a present." He answered.

"K-Kyungsoo-ssi. M-meaning to say, you also help them to prepare these for my birthday?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually this is Kyungsoo hyung's idea and since most of us don't have a schedule today, and in the evening we went with him here." Sehun explained at gazed at the two who are now looking at each other. "Wow. I cannot believe Gwangsu is winning our game. I'm never going to bet on a game like this again." He thought and pouted.

They altogether glanced at Chanyeol when he grumpily pulled his chair towards their table and placed his plate on it. "It's a bit lonely out there. It's okay to join you guys here, right?" He said.

"Of... of course! Hyung! You don't have to ask anyway." Sehun answered.

Suho gave them a look. "I don't feel good about this."

Sehun wiped his forehead and wears back his cap. "This is getting awkward."

Chanyeol on the other hand, strongly stare at Yeonhee, next to D.O. and back to Yeonhee like he is intentionally intimidating the two. "Are you two dating? Are you two together now?"

Suho was taken aback but was able to immediately snap out of it. "Y-ya, Chanyeol. W-What are youㅡ"

Yeonhee got surprised that it took her so much time before she could utter a word. "Ch-Chanyeol... weㅡ"

"We are not dating. Yet." D.O. strongly answered and finished chewing his food first before he speaks again. "And in case we will be, what is it to you?"

"Ya, Do Kyungsoo." Chanyeol stood up.

"Whow! Hyung, hyung." Sehun immediately grabbed Chanyeol's Left hand and did his best to pull him back to his seat. "Ah, hyung, why are you like this?"

Lay who is sleepily eating beside them suddenly stares at the scene in front of him. "Chanyeol-ah. What are you doing? In front of the food?" he said.

"Ahhhh, Yixing." Suho mentally slaps his forehead. "Chanyeol-ah, we're currently at a birthday party. Why are you being sulky ever since we arrived here? Do you have jetlag? Are you feeling sleepy now? If you'd like, you can now go to your house and take some rest."

Chanyeol looked at them once more before he said, "yeah. I do have jetlag. I am also feeling sleepy now. But despite it, I rushed over here in this place from our film site for a birthday party of a friend whom I cannot even speak with because that friend is busy with some other stuff. But I am glad I went here and was able to give a present. I think I'm now done eating. I enjoyed the food. I'll go first now." He stood up and turned around. "Anyone who's not busy tomorrow or doesn't have any upcoming schedule can come to my Grandpa's house to stay there for the meantime. I'll leave the door open. Enjoy the rest of the night." He left.

Chanyeol left without looking back at them or looking at the other members after he announced that they can stay at the house after the party.

Meanwhile, Yeonhee was dazed because of Chanyeol suddenly blowing up those words. It's true. They weren't able to talk. Maybe Chanyeol is upset because of that. She thinks that Chanyeol just wanted to speak to her to clear up things between their friendship. It has been almost a month since they last talked properly. Nicely without any tension.

The surrounding was suddenly quiet. Surely Chanyeol made a scene leaving the others with wondering thoughts about what's up with him.

Xiumin, Chen, and Baekhyun started grabbing their coats and jackets and wear them while approaching Yeonhee.

"You're leaving?" Suho asked.

"Yeah. Our manager messaged me that we need to go to SM now. We'll start recording for CBX tomorrow and we'll have a final meeting tonight." Xiumin answered.

Kai started clapping for them and the rest followed. "Yoohoo! Let's go hyungs!"

The rest started tapping CBX's shoulders and wishing them good luck while Yeonhee remained confused.

"Ah! Incheon-ttae! Take this!" Xiumin reached her out an envelope that she immediately opens.

"T-this is..."

"Ahh, hyung? You're giving her a gift card of your favorite café?" Chen asked.

"Yeah! I didn't buy her any present and I just happen to see that in my bag when I looked for something a while ago. Hehe. Hope you'll enjoy some drinks there!" He cheerfully said.

"Thank you." Yeonhee smiled at him.

"Ja! We'll go now!" Chen loudly said as they make their way out of the garden and Yeonhee's house.

"Minseok-ah! Call me after the meeting!" Suho waved at them while they enter a company car that managed to enter the village with the help of Chanyeol. "Baekhyun didn't even say a word. This can't be happening." He thought and glanced over to Yeonhee who's happily waving at CBX's car.

Inside the car, Chen patted Baekhyun's back while he continues to make deep sighs.

"You can't even start to do it. Aish. This kid. You could've at least said bye or another happy birthday to her if you'd like to show her that you can still be the same Baekhyun that she first met." Xiumin scolds.

"Hyung, maybe Baekhyun is just shy or nervous a while ago," Chen said.

"Hyung, I was really, REALLY going to greet her happy birthday again but I accidentally met Suho-hyung's eyes. It's like he drained all the liquid I have in my body." Baekhyun said while rubbing his chest with his own hand.

"What did I told you about it? We actually talked a while ago after you went after her."

"AHHH! That! Yes, Minseok hyung seems to be in a serious talk with Suho hyung." Chen agreed.

"You talked about me?" Baekhyun asked.

"No. We actually talked about Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. But, he did ask if there are actually some other members that are possibly going to fell, too. I said that's probably it. Will be just the two of them." Xiumin explained.

Baekhyun snorted and smirked. Kai suddenly came up to his mind. He remembered how he scolded Kai back then about him possibly liking Yeonhee and then here he goes. He doesn't even know what to do and cannot even act normal. Unlike Kai who was able to chat with her after giving a gift and greeting her.

"What's funny?" Chen asked.

Baekhyun shakes his head. "Nothing. I'm just imagining a big chaos if Suho hyung knew about all of this." He answered.

"That's why you must know how to control what you feel and what you show to them. Ja! The next time you will meet Suho, probably you just need to say that you ate too much and that you were so full today that you started feeling so sleepy and groggy that's why you didn't even bothered to speak or say anything." Xiumin suggested.

"Probably. I'll do that." Baekhyun agreed as he looks away from the other two to check the view from the road.

~*~*~*~*~

I'M STILL ALIVE ^^

I hope everyone is staying at home so we all can be safe.

Anyway, I messed up with the timeline of EXO Next Door as I am trying to line it up with the real events or happenings with EXO's career. In this chapter, this is already the Year 2016. Yeonhee's birthday is July 10. The movie that they watched during the premier in China in this story was "So I married an anti-fan". It was premiered in the year 2016 of June ㅠㅠ So, let's just say that since EXO went back next door, (July of 2015 - this is in the drama itself), it has been a year of filming for Chanyeol's Movie, their dating scandal that lead to CBX's discovery when Baekhyun dressed up as Baekhee and have to film real time for CBX's the one. BASICALLY, what I'm saying is EXO Next Door + 2's timeline is during July of 2015 until June of 2016 so we can somehow relate it to EXO's real timeline ^^

I got some writing spirits nowadays so, YEAH. I'll be updating :))