Baekhyun takes pride in his confident personality.

Growing up with an older brother that showed similar attributes, he loved to copy the way his brother dealt with things. So he never really understood those that needed a step back to contemplate before continuing. Nor could he relate with those that reflected before their actions -- it's not like he's never reflected properly, he just doesn't find it necessary when it doesn't concern things like studying. It was always trust in your feelings, and be confident with your trust.

However, today was a day to test the Byun siblings' doctrine.

Today, in the siblings' bedroom, you could find the younger Byun sprawled on his bed. The moment he came home from school he's been in that same place, looking at the ceiling quietly. It feels weird for him to not be voicing what he's feeling, but he didn't even know what he should be voicing out right now. For the past 3 weeks of attempting to befriend his tall batchmate, he's always found himself recapping and complaining of events not going his way; however, that wasn't the topic right now.

Believe it or not, Byun Baekhyun is reflecting. And not just on anything, he's actually trying to answer the question: Why does he want to be friends with Park Chanyeol?

He has called Chanyeol many things (both good and bad) he has made multiple plans in attempt to get closer, and now he even has a co-conspirator (although Jongin would never agree to be called that) for his mission. But only now does he stop to wonder, why? 

When he made a rally to allow students to wear makeup, he knew he did it because he believed students should be able to do so, especially when it wouldn't negatively affect their studies. When he became friends with Kyungsoo, he knew he did it so he could help his friend out. And when he felt weird seeing Kyungsoo and Chanyeol being the golden ship of multiple students, he concluded that it was because unlike Kyungsoo, he didn't have any relationship with Chanyeol.

But why was having some connection with Park so important? Why couldn't he be content with the acquaintance-like relationship he has right now? 

"It's not like I can be friends with everyone," mumbled Baekhyun. 

"But isn't this stupid?" He sat up, eyebrows scrunching. "How the did I do this for like, 3 weeks?!"

"You okay there?" At the left corner of the room, Baekhyun noticed his older brother, Byun Baekbom, at his desk. 

"Uh, when did you get here?"

"I was here before you?"

"Oh." Baekhyun huffed, "well off you go. Continue doing whatever that is."

"Sure..."

Two seconds pass.

"Hyung, have you ever done something without knowing why?"

"Uh, I thought I was supposed to continue-"

"I'm trying to reflect hyung -- just give me an answer." The older looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "Please," Baekhyun added.

"Well, I've done that lots of times, sometimes you just want to, you know?"

"Eh, not really."

"What's going on?" Baekbom asks, changing his seating so he could comfortably rest his chin on the headrest and look at the younger.

"Long story short, I've been chasing this dude for 3 weeks and I just realized I don't know why."

"Okay," his eyes squint, "what the Baekhyun?"

"Wait! I'm not stalking him-"

"You better not, how the will we bail you out of that?"

"Anyway- I'm not literally chasing him, I've just been trying to be his friend."

"For 3 weeks? Have you ever done that to any of your friends?"

"No..." Baekhyun pouted as his voice trailed.

"Not gonna judge you, maybe you really really wanna be friends with him, but didn't you also say you don't know why you're doing this?"

"Yes."

"Good luck with that," he returns to how he initially sat on his desk chair.

"Hyung!"

"It's not like I can tell you why you feel that way, can I?" Baekhyun sighs and falls back on his bed, returning to staring at the ceiling and attempting to get his thoughts together. The older sighs as well at the quiet atmosphere and decides to say one more thing.

"Let's talk after you figure that out, hm?" 

"Okay..."

As you can tell, Baekhyun's attempt to reflect that day didn't work out. But on the bright side, this was about to be the start of something new.

----

"Hyung? I thought we'd be at the lab?" Baekhyun looks up and sees Jongin in front of him. He also noticed the two behind the younger, but kept his eyes on Jongin.

"I think I'll take a nap..." He said, slowly looking down and resting his head on his arms. He could only hear mumbles from the other three, and assumed they left after hearing a few footsteps.

He was proven wrong though, and was slightly surprised to hear screeching from his right. He looked up once more, seeing the same friend; this time, Jongin decided to place a seat right next to him. Taking his seat, he rests his arms on the edge of Baekhyun's table comfortably.

"What's going on?" 

"Can I not take a nap?" The older huffed.

"Don't lie, you always nap at like, any other period."

"Since when did you know me so well?"

"Since when did you sound so snappy?" Jongin frowns at his hyung's response.

"Sorry," Baekhyun retreats. "Honestly, I'm just trying to figure out something."

"And you couldn't do that in the lab?"

"If I did, Chanyeol would be there."

"As usual, yeah. Wait why-"

"I don't know."

Jongin stared at the older, who was now resting his chin on his arms and staring at the whiteboard. He wasn't really following whatever Baekhyun was saying.

"Don't know what?" He asks.

"Why do I want to be his friend," Baekhyun says.

"Oh..." To be frank, Jongin didn't know how to talk to Baekhyun right now. Something was different with the way the older conversed. Though Jongin wished to prop a joke in hopes his friend laughs, it felt like this wasn't the best time for jokes - so what else?

"Well... How about I help you find out?" 

"How?"

"Idk. Maybe we can see Chanyeol hyung right now? See what makes him likeable and all that good jazz."

"I guess," Baekhyun responds with an ounce of energy.

"That's the spirit!" Jongin took this as a signal to drag the older up and out of the classroom, ready to look for Park Chanyeol.

"Wait, did you just say 'idk'?"

"Get with the times hyung."

"What times're you living in?!"

----

As suggested, Baekhyun decided to look into the good things about Chanyeol. At this very moment, he could already spot one: the boy's friendly nature.

The two found Kyungsoo and Chanyeol at the multi-purpose hall. To be more specific, they found the duo as they talked to a few popular students at one of the tables. It didn't take long for them to spot Baekhyun and Jongin, and before the latter two could call out their names, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol were already walking over to them.

"Thought you were taking a nap hyung?" Kyungsoo said.

"I'm actually being held captive by this child send help," Baekhyun said with a blank face. Noticing the lack of response, he quickly added, "it's a joke."

"Oh!" Both replied. But only Chanyeol continued to laugh after understanding, nearly hitting his friend by accident.

'He has a cute laugh too,' Baekhyun notes mentally.

"Cute," Baekhyun says loudly. Because, kind reminder, Baekhyun is confident.

"Oh," the taller mouths. A blush quickly forms on his cheeks, while Kyungsoo hopes no one noticed his attempt to hold back on laughing. Jongin turns his head away from the three, eyes bulging from the odd exchange.

"That's cute too," Baekhyun speaks up again. Assuming the blush is a positive reaction, he grins at Chanyeol.

"Uhm, thanks." 

'He doesn't look drunk when blushing. Kinda cool,' Baekhyun notes.

As Kyungsoo continues to hold his laughter in, Jongin brings up his hand and dramatically covers his mouth. 

"So, I'm guessing you two already ate?" Kyungsoo asks. 

"Oh," Jongin looks at Baekhyun. 

"Yeah," the older lies quickly. "How 'bout you two?" They nodded in response, and a bit of silence takes over.

"Oh yeah! Jongin, Baekhyun, wanna hang out with us this weekend?" Chanyeol asks. 

"Like, friends?" Baekhyun couldn't help but ask. 

"Yeah," the taller answered, "we're friends, right?" Little did Baekhyun know, the taller was freaking out in his head, praying to who knows what that Baekhyun would agree. Otherwise, the poor boy would have his 3rd step incomplete.

"Of course," and thank goodness he did.

"Great!" Chanyeol said.

"Great," Baekhyun repeated.

"Nice..."

"Wonderful." Kyungsoo and Jongin exchanged a look, somehow agreeing to move their date to some other time.

----

Now back at his bedroom, Baekhyun excitedly waits for his older brother who said he'll pick up some ice cream on the way home. He even messaged him to make sure that the man would come home soon. 

Even if Byun didn't have the entire answer to the first question, he was able to pick up four things from today's events. Hopefully, after bringing out what he knows to Baekbom, he'll be able to understand himself even a bit more. 

So, what does Baekhyun know?

Firstly, Chanyeol is a really friendly guy.

Secondly, Chanyeol looks cute when he laughs and blushes.

Thirdly, Chanyeol thinks of him as a friend.

And lastly, Baekhyun feels like something's missing.

Despite the anti-climactic reveal, Byun has technically reached his goal: he has become friends with Chanyeol. Oddly enough, it doesn't feel like he actually achieved anything. Not to say being friends with Chanyeol isn't enough, rather, it feels like he's missing a step. Does that make sense?

"I see you're ready today." Baekhyun turns his head and sees his older brother at the door, holding a bag up. Seeing the logo, the younger Byun skips and takes it into his own hand, quickly laying out the bucket of ice cream and spoons on Baekbom's work desk. 

"And because I'm a nice brother," Baekhyun tells him. He follows with showing a tablecloth that Baekbom swears came from their dad's cabinet of whatnots, placing it under the ice cream.

"How touching," Baekbom said deadpanned. He still ended up laughing at his younger brother's dramatic antics while setting up the desk.

"After you hyung," he says while passing him a spoon. The two take their seats on opposite ends of the desk, with the ice cream put right in the middle.

"So, you have an idea why you feel that way?"

"Nope," Baekhyun sighed. "But! Long story short, Jongin suggested I think about the good qualities, since that may most possibly be why I wanted to befriend him"

"So, did you?"

"No -" a small thump echoed the room "- oops. Anyways, I did and basically I think he's friendly and cute."

"... That's all you got?"

"Also! Chanyeol said-"

"Chanyeol?"

"Yeah. He's the friend. Anyways, he said he thinks of us as friends-"

"So, like, you're done?"

"Well, I'm supposed to be." The two take a small ice cream break. "But like, I just don't feel like it's done? Like, something's missing?"

"So backtrack here. The friendly and cute guy became friends with you, and you don't know why it feels like you want more?"

"I guess."

Ice cream break.

"Uh, Hyun, my dude, pal, little bro... How long has it been since you've had a crush?"

"I don't know, why do you-" Baekhyun pauses. "You don't mean-"

"I mean, maybe?"

"But? I wanted to be his friend?"

"Yeah, and how did that end?" Baekbom raised both eyebrows and pursed his lips, while Baekhyun pouted.

"Okay, make it simple, would you like to imagine yourself and Chanyeol on a date?"

The container was empty and, as Baekbom cleaned up his desk, Baekhyun went to his bed. Taking his phone, the younger Byun quickly calls a familiar number. Once he could hear a voice, he ducks under his pillow before answering.

"Nini? I think I have a crush on Chanyeol."

"Say sike and I will ing punch you."

Part 3 of my gifts this Christmas Day! Happiest Happy Holidays Everyone <33

(Check out my other gifts if you're into infinite or kdrama moment at 18 :D)

Okay so - a little moment inside my train of thought - ive noticed that i dont feel energetic when writing cause i always feel i dont like i do enough - so i decided to make my own challenge and so far the products are these chapters i present to yall :D i can honestly say i feel more energetic when writing and am more motivated to update more often (btw, little note that this little story is nearing its end <3) nevertheless, thank you for continuing to support this story and thank you for finding me! hope yall continue enjoy my work <3

Once again, thank you thank you thank you !! Stay safe and healthy !!