Chanyeol adjusted the cell phone between his ear and his shoulder as he placed the clean plate back on the rack.

“Am listening, am listening” he replied in assurance that he indeed paying attention to his friend as he grabbed the duster to wipe the water off his fingers.

“So what I am saying is you need to see other people” Jongdae suggested casually. 

Chanyeol closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Not that his friend could see him. 

“I have already told you I don’t want to see other people. Not interested” Chanyeol remarked as he threw a quick look over his now throughly cleaned counter, he had finally decided to utilise his weekend to tidy up his mess of a kitchen.

“Listen I am not asking you to jump into a relationship with someone, all I am saying is you need to meet new people and socialise.”

“I socialise” Chanyeol argued as he strolled to his living room.

“Talking to your dull colleagues at office or meeting me once in awhile isn’t socialising Chanyeol”

Chanyeol could practically visualise Jongdae rolling his eyes but he remained silent for him to finish talking. “You need to go out there and try new things, meet new people” Jongdae said, tone full of pep. If his friend wasn’t a music teacher he could have been an amazing motivational speaker Chanyeol thought.

“First of all my colleagues aren’t dull and secondly I meet new people, I have actually recently met someone”

The moment the words left Chanyeol’s mouth he regretted because his friend would now bombard him with more questions than he can handle.

“Who did you meet?” Jongdae asked, sounding intrigued.

“A guy, I met him at the store...it was sort of an accident actually” Chanyeol scratched his neck thinking back at the awkward first interaction he had with Sehun.

“Oooh sounds like a meet cute” His friend said excitedly.

“What is that?”

Jongdae sighed exaggeratedly, “Never mind you wouldn’t know it anyway. So does this person have a name ?”

“Oh sehun” Chanyeol hoped Jongdae’s curiosity will be finally quenched.

“So this oh sehun, is he good looking?”

Obviously Jongdae’s curiosity is unyielding and it’s only Chanyeol’s fault that he has given so much fuel to the fire. He shook his head.

“I don’t know Jongdae, he is just a friend I don’t think about his looks or anything”

That was lie because Chanyeol had noticed the sharp cheekbones, the gentle slope of Sehun’s nose, the bow of his pink lips and the way his eyes turned into moon like crescents everytime Sehun laughed or how his perfectly groomed eyebrows furrowed when he would do something with concentration. It wasn’t like Chanyeol had taken time to memorise these details, he just remembered. He wasn’t even sure how he has managed to know all of this.

“Did you listen to what I said?”

He had zoned out like always. 

“No, sorry”

“You were thinking about Kyungsoo weren’t you?” Jongdae enquired, tone softening slightly.

The question instantly made Chanyeol feel a tinge of guilt because he wasn’t. He doesn’t deny or agree, instead Chanyeol stayed silent.

This time when Jongdae spoke his voice turned serious, “Chanyeol, I am your friend and I only want the best for you. You need to stop holding onto the memories. Accept the fact that Kyungsoo is...gone”

Unlike Junmyeon’s kind and gentle words Jongdae was straightforward and tactless. Chanyeol knew that his friend cared about him but he still didn’t like hearing those words even if it was the absolute truth.

“I know” Chanyeol retorted blankly, his fingers tracing the books on the shelf.

“You need to let go and move on”

 

 

Long after the phone call ended Jongdae’s words kept ringing in his ears. It’s not the first time someone had told him to let go and move on. It’s easier said than done he thought to himself as he stared out of the living window.

He is gone

Chanyeol thought if he will ever be able to accept the fact that he is truely gone. That he was never going to be able to see Kyungsoo smile, or hear his voice, hold his hand or tell him how much he loved him.

He felt whatever energy he had for the day to slowly drain away from him. He almost wished he was at work so he could atleast distract himself with deadlines and mundane projects.

Chanyeol eyes glanced back to the once green plant on the window sill that now looked dry and worn from the lack of care. He stepped closer and picked up the small pot in his hands, the soil was parched and the few wilted leaves had become discoloured. He had bought the house plant in a whim, to add bit of colour to his monotonous living room. Chanyeol had no idea how to take care of it and now he had managed to kill the plant.

Sighing he walked back to the kitchen with the plant in his hand, and threw it inside the bin.

 

 

━━━━ ⋆⋅ ☆ ⋅⋆ ━━━━

 

Chanyeol grabbed for the remote as he heard the doorbell ringing once, then a few more time’s.

Switching the television off, he walked towards the door hoping whoever was on the other side would just stop buzzing, the shrill tone of the door bell sounded louder in the quietness of the night.

Opening the door Chanyeol stilled a little, absolutely not expecting Sehun to be standing infront of him. Truth be told he didn’t expect anyone to knock on his door at this hour, he had just finished watching the late night news so it had to be a few minutes past 10 p.m.

“What are you doing here?” Chanyeol enquired as he took in the others sudden appearance.

Sehun looked different. Even though he was still dressed in his fitted and styled clothes, his shirt was rumpled underneath his suit jacket. His hair disheveled, a few strands falling on his forehead over his eyes which were downcast.

“The floor...it’s..it’s...moving a little” Sehun mumbled pointing his finger towards the granite flooring.

“What are you even saying?” Chanyeol asked confused as he cautiously took a step closer to the other who finally lifted his gaze from the floor and looked at him.

“Heyyy...you” Sehun gave a dopey grin, his fingers now making a small waving gesture. Chanyeol couldn’t help but notice the light blush on Sehun’s cheek and the dazed look on his face. It would have looked cute if not for Sehun’s unusual behaviour.

“Are you okay?”

Chanyeol’s question remained unanswered as Sehun suddenly flung himself forward, long limbs reaching out for him. Even unprepared Chanyeol caught hold of Sehun as he himself stumbled backward a little with the added weight, with one hand placed on the wall for support and he let the other close around Sehun’s waist.

With the current closeness Chanyeol’s nostrils was flooded with the smell of alcohol coming from Sehun and he immediately understood the reason why Sehun was behaving all to peculiar. But that didn’t make the situation any less odd that he was standing in his entryway with Sehun in his arms.

As if sensing Chanyeol’s hesitation Sehun’s fingers curled around the thin material of his tshirt tightly, Sehun lifted his face enough for Chanyeol to look at him.

“I am drunk” Sehun confessed in a small voice.

“No ” Chanyeol huffed, trying to pull himself away in a vain effort since Sehun was still holding onto him.

“Sehun..can you just..” Chanyeol tried again, maybe he could move Sehun onto the couch. Away from him.

“No” Sehun blurted out with a stubborn shake of his head as he snuggled his face onto Chanyeol’s chest.

So much for moving him away, Chanyeol sighed inwardly.

Chanyeol could feel the warm breath expelling from sehun’s mouth on his neck, as he felt Sehun’s body starting to go pliant in his hold.

Chanyeol himself started to feel hyper aware of how close they were. There was a slight panic festering in the pit of his stomach.

“We had a fight” Sehun quietly whispered bringing Chanyeol back to reality.

“Who did you fight with?” Chanyeol asked looking down, all though he could only see the back of Sehun’s head.

“Baekhyun...he was saying things and i-I said some something’s and we had a fight...”

Chanyeol wasn’t sure if Sehun was telling him or rather talking to himself so he let him continue.

“..So I left the house and I went to this bar, but after awhile they said its’ closing time and told me to leave....I didn’t know where else to go...” Sehun’s voice slurred as he said “so I came to you”

Chanyeol’s expression softened at Sehun’s words. His free hand came to rest on the small of Sehun’s back.

“Let’s sit okay?” Chanyeol suggested and Sehun just nodded, letting Chanyeol guide him towards the sofa.

“I am hoping you didn’t drive” Chanyeol asked as they both settled down, it had taken some effort on his part to successfully move Sehun and himself on the couch. 

Sehun shook his head and muttered a cab as he shifted on the couch and pressed himself closer to Chanyeol, not leaving any space between them. Chanyeol could feel the warmth of Sehun’s body seeping through his clothes and the way Sehun’s heart was beating against his chest.

Maybe a drunk Sehun was a clingy Sehun, not that Chanyeol would know he had never seen Sehun like this. The Sehun he had known in the short time they met was calm, composed with a slight aloofness but this was new and all too intimate.

“Sehun” Chanyeol grabbed onto Sehun’s arm, pulling him to sit up. 

Sehun hummed looking up not at all being bothered by the close proximity of their faces.

“You are warm” Sehun pointed out all of a sudden, then he giggled “I like it”

Chanyeol groaned out loud closing his eyes hoping this was a fever dream. 

“You can’t say these things”

“Why not?” Sehun whined like a child, sitting up.

Chanyeol sighed “Because you are in a relationship and I have—“ Chanyeol stopped himself mid sentence realising what he was about to say. He didn’t have a boyfriend.

Instead he just said “this is wrong”

The glimmer in Sehun’s eyes dimmed at that, and his lips curved downward as he tugged on the hem of his jacket unconsciously. He looked sad for some reason making Chanyeol feel all the more guilty for causing that.

“Can I stay the night?” Sehun didn’t look up, his fingers still fiddling with his jacket.

“Yahh..sure” Chanyeol agreed. The least he could do was let Sehun crash in the guest room. It was not like he could let Sehun leave knowing that the other was wasted.

Reaching the room, Chanyeol made Sehun sit on the bed as he could barely take a steady step on his own. Chanyeol wondered how much Sehun had drank, or maybe Sehun was a light weight. Was his boyfriend worried that he hadn’t gone home.

Chanyeol resigned a sigh watching Sehun struggle to take his jacket off.

Chanyeol offered his help and Sehun complied, smiling.

Obviously Sehun thought it was funny to constantly wiggle his feet while Chanyeol tried to take his shoes and socks off.

“Sehun” Chanyeol chided at the other, from where he was sitting on the floor, kneeling. Earning another fit of giggle because everything to Sehun seemed funny at the moment.

Kyungsoo barely ever consumed alcohol and Chanyeol had no experience in taking care of someone so drunk. 
 

Chanyeol stood up on his feet after he had managed to take Sehun’s shoes and socks off.   Sehun was quiet now as he watched Chanyeol getting a blanket from the wardrobe.

 

“You should sleep now” Chanyeol suggested noticing Sehun slumping on the bed. 

“I’m not sleepy” Sehun shook his head, trying to sit up.

Chanyeol chuckled pulling the cover over Sehun because Sehun had to practically fight to keep his eyelids open by now.

As he turned to switch on the bedside lamp, surprising Chanyeol Sehun grabbed his hand tugging him towards himself. 

“Sleep with me?” Sehun’s voice was soft and breathy, filled with sleep. His eyes almost closing.

“You don’t know what you are saying do you?” Chanyeol muttered under his breath. Sehun obviously too out of it to understand anything. 

Chanyeol slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for Sehun to fall asleep. Within a few minutes Sehun’s grasp on his hands weakened and his breath fell slow and heavy.

Chanyeol extracted himself carefully from Sehun’s hold making sure to not disturb him, glancing back one last time at Sehun’s peaceful face Chanyeol left the room switching off the light. 

Getting to his own bed, Chanyeol thought back to what he told Jongdae about Sehun being just a friend. 

He was a friend indeed, then why was his heart doing a weird flipping thing and his mind wandering off to the guest room unknowingly.

 

 

Chanyeol woke up to sunlight streaming from the curtain and the clanging sound of utensils from the kitchen. His sleep filled mind immediately brought memories of familiar mornings were he would wake up and find his boyfriend cooking breakfast humming along to some pop song that they both would listen in the car radio.

Curiously Chanyeol padded barefoot to the kitchen only to see Sehun poking around the shelves obviously searching for something, too distracted to notice his presence.

“Looking for something?” Chanyeol asked leaning against his kitchen door.

“Huh?” Sehun retracted his hand and turned around hastily, “I made coffee but I don’t know where you keep your coffee mugs”

“The one to your right” Chanyeol pointed with his finger to the wall cabinet and Sehun nodded turning back to fetch the mugs.

Sitting down on a stool on the kitchen island Chanyeol intently watched Sehun shuffling towards the coffee machine and removing the pot so he could pour the coffee. There was bit of hesitation in his every step but Chanyeol decided he liked the view of someone else working in his kitchen. Or maybe just Sehun he wasn’t entirely sure, but it was definitely a change from having to make coffee for himself every morning.

“You are all sobered up” Chanyeol commented as he took the mug from Sehun’s hand.

Sehun gave a small nod taking the seat beside Chanyeol. 

“About last night..” Sehun spoke carefully “am sorry I don’t know what had gotten into me, I never drink so much. I hope I wasn’t overbearing” Sehun’s words were formal yet the flush creeping on his face gave away his embarrassment. The hint of blush matching with the red mug that Chanyeol was holding.

Chanyeol shook his head “Not at all, I meant you aren’t overbearing or anything”

Chanyeol didn’t know what else to say to soothe the still embarrassed look that Sehun had on his face.

“Thank you for letting me stay” Sehun said around the rim of the huge coffee mug as he took a sip.

“You said you had a fight with your boyfriend?”

Sehun shifted in his seat uneasily he placed the mug on the counter “it’s nothing new, we don’t always agree on things and it ends up in arguments”

Chanyeol chose to stay silent even though he wanted to ask further but he could clearly sense the uncomfortable feeling that Sehun had regarding the situation and he decided otherwise.

“Chanyeol?”

“Hmm?” Chanyeol looked up to see Sehun running his hands in his hair messing it all up, still nothing compared to his own crazy bed hair. Chanyeol’s hair always refused to be tameable in the morning and he had to be get accustomed to it.

“Did I...did I say or do something stupid last night?” Sehun had already picked up his mug and used it as an outlet to hide his awkwardness.

Chanyeol immediately thought of the moment Sehun insisted him to sleep with him on the same bed. Sehun had probably forgotten all about it and Chanyeol had no intention to bring it back because it will only cause things to be weird between them.

“No, not really. A little clingy maybe but nothing stupid, definitely not” Chanyeol replied with a smile, sitting up straight as he watched Sehun still looking at him with suspicion as if he found it hard to believe.

“I tend to be touchy when I am drunk” Sehun admitted in an almost whisper. Chanyeol’s mind rehashing the memory of Sehun holding onto him the almost the entirety of last night.

“I think you are a cute drunk”

Sehun’s eyes widened at that and then a smile small slipped from his lips. Chanyeol felt a little relief since this was the first time in the morning Sehun had smiled breaking the heavy air of awkwardness between them.

 

“Do you want to have breakfast?” Chanyeol asked after they both were done with their coffee. He usually just settled on eating toast or having cereal for breakfast but today could be an exception. He might get a little for office but Junmyeon was his manager and he would be glad to hear that Chanyeol finally had a meal with another human being.

Sehun bit the corner of his lips “I would love to, but I need to get back home. Baekhyun might be wondering where I am. Need to sort things out with him”

“Right. Of course” Chanyeol gave an understanding nod trying his best to mask the tiny bit of disappointment settling in his heart. Then he has to tell himself that as a friend he should be encouraging Sehun fix whatever problem he had with his boyfriend instead of trying to keep him to have breakfast with him.

“So..Il be leaving now” Sehun said interrupting Chanyeol’s internal monologue.

“Yah alright”

 

Sehun smoothed his palm over his jacket, which was badly crinkled but somehow he still managed to look good in it. Chanyeol suddenly remembered that Sehun didn’t have a car.

“Wait. I should give you a ride”

Sehun turned to look at Chanyeol from where he was standing near the door.

“Il get a cab, it’s no problem”

“Are you sure?”

For a split second Chanyeol wondered why he was being so insistent. A part of him trying to convince that he was just being polite and another dismissing it with the fact that he was doing all this to spend more time with Sehun. Chanyeol had to obviously choose the first option since it sounded right.

Sehun pulled his lip between his teeth. It was starting to seem like something he did when he was nervous or distracted. He thought about the question for a moment. 

“it’s fine. I don’t want you to be late for work”

“I don’t mind being late”

“I should go” Sehun’s hand was already reaching out for the door knob.

Chanyeol didn’t push anymore so he bid Sehun a goodbye and watched him take his leave.

Closing the door behind him Chanyeol frowned thinking about his own behaviour from just now. Sehun was drunk out of his mind last night he had his reason to act in the way he did but Chanyeol, Chanyeol had no excuse.

 

━━━━ ⋆⋅ ☆ ⋅⋆ ━━━━