Baekhyun looked at her calendar on her desk and realized that the year-end concert is closer than she thought it was, which means chanyeol's birthday is closer. She opened the drawer of her desk and reached out for a certain box she bought a couple weeks ago. She inspect the pen closely to see if there's any button at the side. When she finally find the button she smiled proudly.

Maybe I should record my wishes? But what should I say...

Baekhyun thinks of a proper wish for chanyeol yet no idea pops into her head. When she realized she was taking a long time on her words, she decided to just say whatever pops into her head. Unfortunately even after a couple takes, baekhyun is still not satisfied with her wishes. She pressed the button again, deleting her previous recording.

What the hell was that byun baek? that's a little bit too stiff...

*click*

no, too awkward.

*click*

Too cheesy

*click*

Too cringey

that night was filled with the same pattern t of baekhyun redoing her voice note over and over again, hoping to give the best one for chanyeol.

T H E     N E X T    D A Y

Baekhyun enters the gym with eye bags on her face. She unconsciously walked towards the bleachers to put down her stuffs, not realizing the two guys who were already there forr a while.

"You look like a panda," Jongin greets her.

"Shut up nini. I was up all night yesterday," Baekhyun took a sit next to him.

"What were you doing?" Chanyeol asked this time.

"Umm... I was working on a new song." Baekhyun lied.

Well partly lying, she decided to put the recording aside for a while and switch to writing music instead. She has not been writing for a while ever since practice has been hogging most of her time and baekhyun gets inspired late at night. While shifting her attention to music, she has forgotten about chanyeol's gift and decided to just record it one last time without even rethinking of her words again.

"Wow you can practice, study, and write at the same time. How do you manage your time? What can't you do Byun Baekhyun." Jongin asked being astonished.

"That's what I said before," Chanyeol chipped in too.

"Shhh- lets just practice boys," Baekhyun stood up and proceed on doing her stretching.

"By the way baek, kyungsoo noona asked if you would need any assistance on getting ready for the performance."

Baekhyun turned back to Kai excitedly, "Really? That would be really great since I'm not good at makeup and such as."

"Kay i'll text her."

The three of them then proceed of perfecting their performances.

T H E   N E X T   D A Y :

Lunch time, cafeteria

Chanyeol was grabbing a tray of lunch from the lunch lady when Kris approached him.

"Loey my man, haven't seen you around man."

"We met during last practice. Ah- thank you," chanyeol smiled at the lunch lady.

"Yeah but aside from practice? You've been MIA bro, You gotta eat with the teammates." Kris said while pulling chanyeol into his table.

Chanyeol thought that there's no harm in sitting with his teammates since he hasn't been really hanging out with them.

"Hyung! Its weird seeing you here," Sehun turned around as he saw chanyeol sitting beside him.

"Hey sehun, yeah Kris dragged me here but I guess I have not been eating with you guys for a while."

"Hey chanyeol-ah." The oldest of the group greets him.

"Hi Minseok hyung," Chanyeol smiled at him.

"Until now I still wonder why you call him hyung but not me. We're literally the same age, I'm hurt you know." Kris said jokingly.

"Maybe if you start to act like one I'd start calling you so."

"Now don't be a smartass. You just came back and you're already insulting me? Maybe it is better that you don't sit here too often," Kris acted sad.

"I beg to differ! I missed you hyung. I really do," Sehun grabbed chanyeol's arm holding it tightly.

"Ever since you've been hanging out with that girl, you've been neglecting us. Kai too!" Sehun complained like a little kid.

"Well I have to help Kai with his performance, and kai is helping her. So we're bound to see each other often." Chanyeol reasoned.

"I still don't get the deal with that girl," Kris scoffed.

Xiumin glared at Kris warning him, "Yifan."

Chanyeol too immediately eyed Kris intently.

Kris later put his hands up showing that he has no intention on stirring something up, "Okay okay geez...no need to use my real name."

"Chanyeol-ah, I heard it's your birthday tomorrow...do you have any plan for it?" Yixing asked innocently undisturbed by the tension.

Turning back his attention to the table, "Uh no hyung...I don't have anything planned."

"Lets throw a party!" Sehun stand up excitedly.

"Yeah! we can invite people have a couple booze and some music!" Kris slammed the table as he stood up too.

"Yeah your place is big enough and your parents are always out of town." Sehun said enthusiastically.

"Ah no guys.. I'm not in the mood for a party." Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck.

"No yeol, what are you talking about? Its your birthday, its called for a celebration!" Kris piped in.

THE BELL RINGS

[ lunchtime over ]

Chanyeol slowly stand up from his seat, "Look guys I really wanna continue this but the bell just rang and I gotta go back to class."

Chanyeol quickly dispose his lunch tray and made an exit from the cafeteria, ignoring any calls from his teammates.

Baekhyun holds the box in her hand clumsily while fidgeting

How am I supposed to give him this...

"Chanyeol, heard its your birthday here you go." Baekhyun extend her arms showing the present.

"No no no that sounds too cocky..." she shakes her head.

"Chanyeolie! Happy birthday, I have a present for you~" Baekhyun said cutely.

She sighs and puts her gift back into the bag, "That...is embarrassing. Okay maybe I should do this. Hey chanyeol—"

"Hey baek." Someone behind her say managing to startle the girl.

Baekhyun quickly turn her back to the said person, "C-chanyeol?! I didn't see you there..."

She stutter while side eyeing the gift, she checks if the box safely tucked in the bag.

"Really? But you said hey to me though? I wonder how did you managed to know it was me without looking behind you... Do you perhaps have a third eye behind your head?" Chanyeol asked suspiciously.

"Y-you're crazy...I ran up to you most of the time so It was just a wild guess. Y-yeah! You always shows up at the most inconvenient time," Baekhyun reasoned out.

Chanyeol think for a while, "I don't buy it, this is some superstition stuff."

"B-believe what you want, I'm off."

Chanyeol halt baekhyun by her shoulder, "B-baek wait! Are you just gonna leave like that?"

confused baekhyun looked back at the guy, "What do you expect me to do? Tell you the secret trick?"

"N-no! We're passed that topic...What I meant was, do you have anything to say to me?" Chanyeol asked hopefully.

"Umm... not really? Why? Should I be saying something?" Baekhyun looked unbothered.

"Like you know...maybe a greeting? specially for me. Perhaps on this beautiful day?"

"Hmm... morning chanyeol? I hope you have a great day...?" Baekhyun say slowly.

"No, not that! I mean... morning baek and thank you, I hope you do too. B-but that's not what I meant—"

* BELL RINGS *

"Oh no, yeol lets talk later during practice alright? We're going to be late!" Baekhyun dashed before hearing chanyeol's reply.

Baekhyun knew what chanyeol meant.

She's just not sure that she wanted to tell and give the present there.

Maybe chanyeol doesn't realize but there were a couple of students who were looking at their interaction. Like what would the basketball star be talking to a nerd.

Not like this... maybe other time and somewhere more private.