THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE SO DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER !

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The big day meant Baekhyun woke up early, incapable of falling asleep again because of the growing anticipation and overcoming nervousness he felt in every single cell of his body. He wasn’t sure how he had survived the past few days. He didn’t know how it had been possible for him to push his pain and sadness at the back of his mind, deal with the stress eating him alive and yet still be here, looking at himself in the mirror and checking for the hundredth time whether everything really looked perfect. It did, Jongdae had repeated it a dozen times already. As usual, he was the one in charge of Baekhyun’s attire for the night but even though the illustration student trusted his best friend to no end, he still was too nervous to believe that he looked acceptable. The silky blue suit that Jongdae had chosen looked incredibly beautiful and on any other day Baekhyun would have no doubt that it fitted him perfectly. However, today was different. He knew that the whole outfit looked fantastic – from the blue jacket, through the matching pants, a dress shirt, to a tie in a slightly darker shade of blue and the small gold brooch under the knot – yet Baekhyun was still doubtful as he looked at his dark brown hair, fringe styled in a comma. Jongdae had always been good at this and there was nothing Baekhyun would trust him with more than with his sense of style but today was such an important day for him that it felt like nothing was actually good enough. He would have definitely wiped his burgundy smokey eyes off a hundred times if it wasn’t for his best friend keeping him from doing so by trying to distract him all the time. Actually, this day was more than important. Today was probably the biggest day of his life. The biggest day of any artist’s life. The very first exhibit. He was not allowed to make any mistakes. One false move and he could lose everything. Baekhyun had doubts. Fears. Baekhyun felt like he could die of stress any minute now.

 

Breathe, Jongdae told him.

 

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

 

He had tried.

 

It’s gonna be okay, you’ll be fine. Your piece is amazing.

 

Baekhyun opened his eyes and looked around him. He badly wanted to run away but it was too late. They were already at the gallery, sipping coffee in the small overpriced cafeteria inside that Jongdae had taken him to.

 

“It’s almost time,” the blonde smiled, adjusting his tie. He stood up, straightening his perfectly pressed baby blue colored jacket, matching his slacks and nicely contrasting with his black silky shirt. He wasn’t pleased with how they both looked next to each other but, with a heavy heart, he eventually decided on wearing his favorite set to the big event. “Should we go? The guests are already coming in,” he smiled, pointing discreetly to a table full of wine glasses in the spacious corridor. “Oh my god, is that your dad?!” Baekhyun turned his head, looking at the man Jongdae was pointing at. He felt his heart beating just a bit faster.

 

“Yes, it is…” he took a deeper breath. Standing up, he pulled on the hems of his jacket, blinking a few times before walking towards the older man, Jongdae by his side.

 

"Baekhyun!" his father smiled, opening his arms. "Your mom's in the restroom, she'll be right here. Oh, Jongdae, how are you?" The man hugged Baekhyun, eyeing his suit and shook Jongdae's hand.

 

“Thank you for coming, dad…” Baekhyun murmured, glancing at Jongdae, who bowed politely.

 

"Of course we're here, it's your first exhibition! Mom and I are really proud of you," Mr.Byun smiled at both boys.

 

"Baekhyunnie!" His mom walked towards them, smiling proudly at her son and pulling him down in a loving hug. Baekhyun tightened his grip around her, her presence somehow comforting to the boy. She caressed the back of his head, murmuring kind words in his ear and Baekhyun felt his heart calm down slowly. “We are so proud of you, Hyunnie.”

 

"We really are. We can't wait to see your work."

 

"Oh, me too!" Jongdae chuckled softly. "Baekhyun refused to show it to anyone, even I haven't seen it," he said, giving his friend a judging look.

 

"Oh, really? I'm even more curious now!" the woman smiled happily.

 

They talked about the exhibit and the parents asked Baekhyun question after question, making sure that their son was eating properly, doing good at school and got enough sleep. Soon enough they were joined by his brother, who turned up together with his fiancée. Baekhyun almost hadn't had time to talk to them properly, as everyone came up to greet him. He met Na Aera and Taehyung, whose works had also been displayed in the gallery and his other friends from the academy, followed by Minseok, who ran a bit late and the team from Mintblueish. Wheein, Hyejin and Yongsun, dressed for the occasion greeted Baekhyun's parents and congratulated the boy, chatting with the group happily.

 

After all the chats and greetings, the doors to gallery had opened and all of the curious guests with wine glasses in their hands stepped into the next spacious room, divided into several sections by low walls.

 

It was a new kind of nervousness that Baekhyun was feeling as he saw the guests walking around the gallery and commenting on the displayed works. People’s eyes were everywhere and Baekhyun’s painting contrasted perfectly with the white wall, drawing attention to itself. He was a bit scared of the idea of letting his parents or even Jongdae see it. Scared about the meaning of it and everything that could be seen deep into each of the lines. The ropes, the skin, the tight hold. He knew Jongdae would probably say something or at the very least glance at him in a knowing way. Baekhyun’s fingers were pulling on his jacket nervously, playing with the buttons, trying to make him calm down in any way.

 

His works was the eighth one in three rows of the pictures submitted by the Academy of Arts students. By the time Baekhyun's little group moved to the third painting, the boy felt an arm sneak around his.

 

"Hello, Mr. Byun." His heart missed a beat and he knew who it was without even thinking about it. He looked up, blinking a bit when his eyes met Chanyeol’s, his arm still holding onto his. He had not seen him for a long time and Baekhyun’s mind and heart were already in such a mess that he had no idea how to deal with this new twist of faith.

 

“M-Mr. Park… What are you doing here?” He asked, almost in a whisper, in awe in front of Park Chanyeol’s newly bleached hair. His fringe was a little longer than before, the messy strands of hair almost touching his eyelashes. His outfit also looked unfamiliar. Instead of the usual all black, Chanyeol wore a dark t-shirt and a suit in the most adorable shade of pink that Baekhyun had ever seen.

 

"Appreciating art, of course," he whispered back. "Good to see you, sir. You look great." He felt it again, his heart going crazy with every word the man would say. It almost hurt.

 

“Of course…” he repeated, “I hope you’ll have a great time then, sir…” he his lips nervously, a faint blush on his cheeks. “Thank you… You… look great… too…”

 

"Thanks. Nervous?" Chanyeol scanned his face carefully. "Oh, more like scared less," he assessed, pulling him a bit closer. "Want me to talk to you, take you out or shut up?" he asked seriously with the same worried expression that he had when he visited his house once. Baekhyun took a deep breath, looking at him.

 

“What time is it?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Chanyeol’s face.

 

"Around 5 PM, why?"

 

“Please, take me out.” he said, breathing a bit too fast. His mother turned around to him, opening to say something but stopped when she saw the tall man holding Baekhyun's arm. He saw his father turning around as well and eyeing them with an unreadable expression on his face. His gaze fixed on Baekhyun, Chanyeol didn't notice his parents, simply turning around and quietly walking towards the exit. They stood behind the group, so luckily no one else noticed Chanyeol coming in.

 

They went outside, the cold January air hitting their faces as soon as Chanyeol opened the door.

 

"Breathe," the man whispered. "I know it's cold but it's for you to get a grip," he explained, placing one hand on the boy’s nape. "How are you feeling?" Baekhyun swallowed down the lump in his throat, his hands trembling slightly. His breathing was still going too fast, too heavy and he couldn’t feel his legs, his face, pins and needles all over his cheeks and jaws. His eyes started watering as he looked up at Chanyeol, his lungs struggling more and more to take the oxygen in. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t do anything. The only thing he knew was that he was scared. So scared. And he bent down, his trembling hands on his knees, breathing, breathing, trying at least. Baekhyun was full-on panicking, and his lungs and heart didn’t seem to know how to work properly anymore. He started crying, asking for air. Craving it.

 

Chanyeol took a deep breath, looking around. Luckily no one else was outside, the guests busy with the newly opened exhibit.

 

"Baekhyun? You're having a panic attack," Chanyeol said calmly, cupping his cheek with his free hand. "Breathe, it's okay. There's no one here. You have time," he murmured. "Look at me and lift your arms up. It's gonna be easier to breathe, okay? Can you do that for me?" Baekhyun’s eyes were unfocused, glimmering with tears. His hands still trembling, his heart pounding and his lungs screaming for air. He looked up at Chanyeol, straight in the eye and he lifted his arms slowly. "Good boy," he smiled, taking his hands off Baekhyun, so he could breathe comfortably. He watched him closely, his eyes sharp and assessing.

 

It took Baekhyun a few long seconds to finally calm down completely, sobs still blocking his throat from time to time. After a while, his lungs started filling with air, slowly, surely and his heart stopped pounding so hard. He let his arms fall by his sides and he swallowed down, finally feeling his face again. It was the first time he felt this way. He couldn’t say he was lucky to have Chanyeol by his side, but he definitely wouldn’t have known what to do without him.

 

"Talk to me. How are you feeling?" the man asked with a small smile, opening his arms slightly.

 

“B-Better…” Baekhyun answered in a hoarse voice, face still a mess because of the tears. He took a step towards the man, accepting the invitation without thinking about it and it felt good. It felt like everything would finally be okay. Chanyeol pulled him close, his hair soothingly.

 

"Wasn't your first time, was it?" Baekhyun nodded slowly, his face buried in the warm neck.

 

“It was…” he whispered against the man’s skin.

 

"Oh, damn. Glad I made it in time then," he murmured. They stayed like this for a while, until Chanyeol eventually started to shiver. "Can we go back now?" he smiled, when Baekhyun nodded and opened the door for them, holding the boy under his arm again. "Will you tell me what happened?"

 

“I just… I have to do this speech soon… to present my piece and… yeah…” Baekhyun wiped his cheeks. “I must be such a mess…”

 

"It's okay," Chanyeol steered him to the restroom. "What time are you giving the speech?"

 

“5:30,” Baekhyun answered, finally taking in Chanyeol’s presence by his side.

 

"Oh, , that's in ten minutes. Wash your face, I'm going to leave you for a second, okay?" he looked at him carefully and quickly went out of the bathroom after receiving a small nod from the boy. Baekhyun stayed behind, fixing his hair, face and breathing slowly. The man was back after a few minutes, a small shiny bag in hand. "It's not gonna be perfect because we have to be quick but trust me, okay?" the designer smiled, taking out a foundation and gently tapping Baekhyun face with a soft sponge.

 

The student was looking at him. Baekhyun was breathing slowly, his eyes focused on the man in front of him, taking in his soft looking lips and nose. Baekhyun realized how much he missed this, Chanyeol’s touch, his voice, his presence. How much he missed Chanyeol and how his very existence was definitely not ruining his life, just making it more interesting, funnier. Better. Baekhyun’s eyes were observing every change of expression on the man’s face, his tongue his lips as he was still dabbing his face with the small pink sponge. Chanyeol was taking care of him again. Again. Chanyeol was here for him, no matter how many times Baekhyun had insulted him, cursed him, pushed him away. Chanyeol was here. And maybe that was the exact reasons suddenly felt so calm. So content. Maybe that was the reason it all felt good now, it all felt okay. It all felt fine, after weeks of pain, heart pounding hard and the sensation of a hurricane making a mess in his life, in his chest, Baekhyun was finally feeling complete, finally home.

 

", we gotta run," Chanyeol's voice pulled him off his thoughts. "You're on in three minutes," he quickly shoved the make-up in the bag again, ushering the boy out of the restroom and taking his hand, completely unaware of the effect it had on the student.

 

Baekhyun got there just in time, standing next to Taehyung and looking all perfect and elegant in his blue silky suit. His heart was pounding against his chest when Na Aera gave him the mic as he was the last one who had to speak. His clammy hand was clenching around the mic until his eyes met Chanyeol’s. He took a deep breath, smiling softly and he started talking, his eyes coming back to the man every time he felt like drowning in his nervousness, Chanyeol's presence somehow keeping him grounded. Talking about holding back, about constraints and feeling free – all of this was easy to him, he knew what his canvas was about. He knew how to talk about passion and love. But it was much easier now that he had Chanyeol to look at if he needed it. All of it was much easier now that he understood what it all meant.

 

His family and friends on the other side of the room smiled brightly at him, their proud faces almost glowing in the crowd. They approached him as soon as he walked off the stage, his parents hugging him tightly and congratulating him over and over. Baekhyun’s eyes could only look around the room, searching for Chanyeol. The man walked up to him at the very end, waiting for all of his friends to talk to him. Jongdae spotted him immediately and he and Minseok raised their brows when their eyes met. Chanyeol smiled sheepishly and shrugged when he passed them, pretended to ignore his company team, bowed politely to his family and finally reached Baekhyun, looking at him with a lopsided smile.

 

"Congratulations, Mr. Byun." Baekhyun smiled softly, feeling everyone's eyes on them. His family had no idea who the man in the pink suit was. The rest knew it all too well and was eyeing them, suspicious and perplexed at the same time.

 

“Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you, Mr. Park.” Baekhyun breathed deeply and dived in to hug the man, a bright smile on his face. Chanyeol huffed out a laugh and hugged him tightly.

 

"Bull. You're doing great and you don't need an old man to help you," he said lowering his voice and buried his nose in the dark soft hair. Baekhyun chuckled and tightened his hold.

 

“I may not need an old man like you to help me, but I still appreciate it,” he whispered.

 

"You're welcome, darling," Chanyeol murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Will you show me your piece now? The restriction thing got me all interested."

 

“Oh… right…” Baekhyun cleared his throat and stepped away, his eyes meeting Jongdae’s for a second before he looked up at Chanyeol. “Um, follow me, I guess?” he tilted his head and started walking away, his fingers playing with the button of his jacket nervously. Chanyeol smiled sheepishly at his friends from the office who were all staring at them in shock and bowed to Baekhyun's parents again, turning away to catch up to Baekhyun in a few strides.

 

"Wheein looked like she was going to explode any second," the man smiled, running his fingers through his bleached hair. They were fair now, almost completely white.

 

“Was she?” Baekhyun murmured, stopping in front of his canvas.

 

"Yeah, I think she… Oh, holy ing , are you kidding me?" Chanyeol blinked, when they stood before the painting with Baekhyun's name neatly written under it. "I…"

 

Baekhyun glanced at the painting before looking back at Chanyeol. He couldn’t really pinpoint the moment he had the idea, but he loved seeing the teal ropes constraining the slim body, the skin a bit reddened from the friction, head thrown back, neck bare and inviting. The milky skin was asking to be marked, the collarbones waiting to be ravished, but it honestly all came down to one particular detail – the gagged mouth and its pretty lips stretched around a black ball in a small smile, happy, content and satisfied, leading to think that the tear running down the cheek wasn't there because of pain but mostly because of the fiery passion.

 

"You… What the hell, Mr. Byun," Chanyeol sighed in awe, his eyes fixed on the painting, looking at its every detail. Baekhyun saw his parents and friends coming to see the painting as well and heard Wheein muffling a squeal when she saw where they were standing.

 

"Can you ing see this?!" she whispered to Moonbyul and Yongsun, pointing at the painting and the pair standing in front of it.

 

“What the hell happened between them?” Yongsun frowned, “they couldn’t stay in the same room without bickering together.”

 

"I don't know but remember when Baekhyun found a rope in Chanyeol's car and the stupid told him he was gonna gag him so he’d shut up?" she said as quietly as she could so Baekhyun's parents wouldn't hear her. "That… He ing painted that!" she waved her hands around, not even trying to hide her excitement. None of them expected Baekhyun to be that bold with his work.

 

“I can’t believe they’re so ing blind.” Moonbyul sighed. Baekhyun ignored them and looked back at Chanyeol.

 

“It was inspiring,” The student murmured. “The aesthetic can mean so many things…”

 

"It sure does. So, you have done your reading, haven't you?" the man smirked.

 

“I’m a good student, you doubted it?” he smiled, tilting his head. He knew that Professor Do, who was standing a bit further away, talking to Dahyun, would probably not agree with him.

 

"Maybe?" Chanyeol shook his head. "I never expected anything like this from you. I love it though, the colors are incredible, the emotions are so well presented... I have just one question."

 

“Oh? I’m listening?” he looked into his eyes. Chanyeol's lips slowly stretched in a mischievous smile.

 

"Why is the rope the exact same color as the one you found in my car?" Baekhyun looked down a little.

 

“Why not?” he murmured, looking back up. “It fits my aesthetic."

 

"Oh?" Chanyeol raised one brow, holding the eye contact. It was intense as always, making Baekhyun feel suddenly a bit too hot in his suit. "Does the gag fit your aesthetic too?" Baekhyun straightened his jacket.

 

“What do you think?” he smiled playfully and Chanyeol narrowed his eyes. “Doesn’t it?”

 

"You tell me, you're the one who decided to paint all that. You knew I would see this."

 

“Well, you weren’t exactly invited though, were you, Mr. Park?” He took a small step closer.

 

"Not by you," he pointed in Mr. Do's direction, watching Baekhyun.

 

“And I did not know that.” he his lips.

 

"Oh, really?"

 

“Why would I know? I did not ask him.”

 

"I'm sure you're smart enough to figure that one out, Mr. Byun," Chanyeol smiled, the boy slowly getting closer. He felt the girls watching them from the side and noticed Kyungsoo glancing at them more than once already, too immersed in Baekhyun's eyes to pay attention to them.

 

“Maybe I am,” he bit his lip, “but maybe I need some help?” he murmured, taking another step closer to the man.

 

"With figuring things out?" the man chuckled, placing his hand on his lower back, leading him to the next painting. "Would you kindly elaborate, Mr. Byun?"

 

“With anything really, Mr. Park,” he turned to the painting. “Might need a good teacher," he whispered. Chanyeol tilted his head, the smile lingering on his lips. He hummed in response, prompting him to continue. “I mean, I’m great at studying by myself but I find it easier to study when there’s some kind of… authority to guide me.”

 

"I'm really curious what kind of guidance do you need, Mr. Byun."

 

“Well, you know how brats are, Mr. Park," Baekhyun said quietly and saw Chanyeol rapidly turn his head to look at him with a strange glimmer in his eyes.

 

"Yes, sir. I know exactly what they are," he answered, his voice lowering. Baekhyun felt the shiver running down his spine. He turned to Chanyeol, smiling innocently.

 

“That’s a really beautiful piece,” he pointed at the canvas, “Taehyung did a great job.”

 

"Yeah, it is," the man smiled at him. "Cute." Baekhyun nodded.

 

“Cute suit, too.”

 

Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head slightly, his hand still rested on Baekhyun's back.

 

"You should probably find your parents, darling. They must have some questions about your piece."

 

“I suppose I should. I guess they’ll have more questions.”

 

"Yeah, your dad… didn't seem like he was very pleased to see me," he said, taking Baekhyun under his arm again. "I saw Jongdae and Minseok giving them a tour around."

 

“My dad is never very pleased to see anyone,” Baekhyun murmured, “you or me.”

 

"Oh, really? So it's not about the old man following his young son around?" Chanyeol snorted. "Here they are. I should probably leave," he said with a small smile. Jongdae noticed them already and waved to them.

 

“You could stay, too.” Baekhyun shrugged, waving at Jongdae.

 

"Are you gonna introduce me as your friend?"

 

“Hyunnie!” his mom exclaimed before taking him in her arms, not giving him the time to answer Chanyeol. "We were waiting for you!"

 

"Yeah, we've just finished with the exhibit," Jongdae nodded. Minseok stood behind him quietly. He exchanged a look with Chanyeol over Baekhyun's shoulder.

 

“Did you like it?” Baekhyun asked softly, taking a step back from his mom. She smiled, pushing his hair away from his eyes.

 

“Young people are really creative these days!”

 

"Yeah, it was really interesting," Baekhyun's father nodded, eyeing Chanyeol standing behind Baekhyun.

 

“Would you be a dear and introduce us to this young man, Hyunnie?” she asked, pointing at Chanyeol.

 

“This is Park Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said, taking a step back to stand next to him, “you heard about him, he’s the man who I was working with. He’s a fashion designer at Mintblueish.”

 

"It's nice to meet you," Chanyeol bowed with his most charming smile, shaking their hands. "Assistant designer, but thank you, Mr. Byun."

 

“Oh, I hope my Hyunnie wasn’t being a brat to you?” she asked, glancing at him.

 

"Not yet but who knows what will happen later?" Chanyeol gave Baekhyun his most professional polite smile. "We're almost finished with the project, so there's gonna be lots of time pressure now. From my experience, it tends to take the worst out of people," he said, his tone casual. They stood in a small circle and Chanyeol took his place next to the boy, half of his body behind him. Baekhyun felt his hand touch his nape and slide up and down his spine in a painfully slow motion. "But, so far" he emphasized jokingly, "working with Baekhyun has been a real pleasure for our team." The student shivered, clenching one of his fists. Chanyeol was testing his patience.

 

“Well, he tends to be difficult sometimes, but he always does the best he can,” she smiled, lovingly looking at her son.

 

"Oh, he sure does. We're really pleased with the end results; the new collection looks great." Chanyeol smiled, glancing at Baekhyun. He stopped his hand at his lower back, letting it brush his bottom before it disappeared.

 

“I’m doing my best, mom, you shouldn’t be worried about that,” he smiled, biting the inside of his cheek.

 

“I sure hope so,” she looked up at Chanyeol, “thank you so much for giving him the opportunity, it means a lot to us.”

 

"Oh, it's not me. We wouldn't choose him if he hadn't had the talent," he smiled, nodding slightly. "The collection will be out soon, so you'll be able to see it for yourself."

 

"I can't wait to see it," Jongdae smiled excitedly. Baekhyun felt Chanyeol's hand on his back again, slender fingers gently grazing his hip. "I just saw some snippets but I'm so curious of how they're gonna look in the finished form."

 

“Well, you’ve been a great help, Jongdae, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it without you,” he said, swallowing down, glancing at Chanyeol. The man quirked an eyebrow, listening to the conversation. They talked for a while, the man engaging Baekhyun's father in the conversation, tracing circles on the boy's waist under his jacket. They talked a bit about work and the exhibition, Baekhyun's parents choosing to avoid asking questions about his own work and complimenting it without getting into details.

 

“Excuse me for a minute,” Baekhyun said after a while, his heart on the edge of exploding under Chanyeol’s touch, “I’ll be back,” he smiled to his parents, bowed down a little at Chanyeol, who just smirked in response and he grabbed Jongdae’s wrist, pulling him behind him to the bathroom.

 

"What's up?" the blonde asked when he closed the door behind himself. ", you're blushing like crazy."

 

“, I so ing want to die!” Baekhyun exclaimed, rubbing his hand on his face. Jongdae took a step back, startled.

 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What happened?" he furrowed his brows. Baekhyun sighed and looked at him, cheeks red and heart pounding.

 

“Park Chanyeol keeps touching me.”

 

"What?!" Jongdae blinked. "Why is he… What?!"

 

“He keeps sliding his fingers under my jacket and touching my hip!” he stepped back and threw his head back against the wall, “How the am I supposed to stay calm?!”

 

"But… That's... Wait, are you happy with that or not? I think I got a bit lost on this part," Jongdae raised his brows. Baekhyun took a deep breath and looked into his best friend’s eyes.

 

“Something just…” he groaned, “Yes, I am… I… might… like him…?” he whispered, looking down at his fingers.

 

"ing finally!" his friend shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "I can't believe it took you that long! I bet two months on you because I believed in you! And you took almost four, you dumb !"

 

“What do you mean you bet on me?” The student frowned. “And what ‘finally’ ?”

 

"We, uh… I may have made a bet with Yixing the first time we saw him? He's your type, he's hot, cute and artsy, I knew it was not gonna just end like this,” Jongdae shrugged, trying to hide his smile.

 

“End like what? It’s not like I’m gonna act on my feelings, he’s like a hundred years old and he’s got a serious job. He doesn’t give a about me. I’m just a kid to him.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Anyway, don’t let him near me, I think I’m going to ing explode if he touches me again! My dad’s here, Dae!”

 

The boy laughed out loud, not even trying to look sorry for Baekhyun.

 

“Would he touch you if he didn’t like you, you ? Or go around holding you like this? Just… He was so sad when you left Minseok’s New Year party, I can’t believe he doesn’t like you,” he shook his head. “Once a dumb , always a dumb .”

 

“You don’t even know the man,” Baekhyun frowned, “It’s just physical to him, that’s what he likes, playful banters and …” He sighed, pushing himself from the wall. “Let’s just go, ok?” He suddenly looked a bit down again. Jongdae rolled his eyes.

 

“Okay. But is he really so mean to you?” he asked, walking to their previous spot. “Actually, I know him a bit, we came over to his place a few times with Minseok.”

 

“He’s not that mean… He’s really nice actually… he said he hated me though, more than once. That I was just an annoying kid and that he couldn’t stand me.”

 

“You told him lots of awful stuff too but there you are,” Jongdae muttered and joined Minseok. Chanyeol turned his head to look at Baekhyun, concerned.

 

“Is everything okay?” he asked quietly. Baekhyun looked at him, a trace of sadness in his smile.

 

“Yeah, everything is fine,” he pushed his fringe away and said louder, “I should probably go and thank Professor Do, I’ll see you later mom, dad, is that okay?”

 

“Yes, of course, Hyunnie, you definitely should do that, we’ll wait for you,” she smiled and pushed him away. Jongdae rolled his eyes again at him, turning back to talk to his parents, Minseok, and Chanyeol, who watched Baekhyun for a while, eventually joining the conversation.

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

It was almost 8 PM when Baekhyun checked the time on his phone, realizing that most of the guests had already left the gallery and only a few connoisseurs and the artists’ close friends remained in the building. Baekhyun’s parents and his brother had left an hour before together with the Mintblueish team who congratulated him on the exhibit for the last time, all smiles and hugs, and Jongdae had just told him he was about to leave to spend the night at Minseok’s.

 

“See you tomorrow,” Baekhyun said, waving at his friends. He had no real idea on how he’d go back home but Jongdae and Minseok were too adorable to . The couple saw Chanyeol off, exchanging a few words and left the gaunt building of the contemporary art gallery, holding hands. Looking around, Chanyeol noticed Baekhyun standing alone and came up to him with a radiant smile.

 

“How are you feeling?” Baekhyun smiled a bit tiredly.

 

“I’m… so good?” he scratched at his cheek out of habit, “I’m a bit tired, but I’m so glad I did it,” he smiled happily, “What about you?”

 

“Oh. I’m good, I was just a visitor,” Chanyeol shrugged and looked around the emptying hall. “I think I’ll be going too. You want a ride home?” Baekhyun’s face lit up suddenly.

 

“You’d do that?” He bit his lip, smiling.

 

“Yeah, why not?” the man looked into his eyes and Baekhyun was almost sure he caught a glimpse of fondness in his gaze. “Just take your coat.” The student nodded slightly.

 

“I’ll be right back,” he said before leaving and grabbing his coat. Baekhyun was walking back, a happy jump in his step and he stopped by Chanyeol’s side, nudging him slowly. “Should we go?” he asked. He couldn’t stop his heart from beating so fast against his chest but for once, he didn’t mind it so much. The man nodded in response, placing his hand on his lower back again, leading him to outside and to the parking lot.

 

“Well, so how was it? Your parents were so proud and confused with you at the same time…”

 

“That’s basically the story of my life,” he chuckled quietly, “You should have seen mom’s face when I came out…”

 

“Oh, you did? Your dad seemed…” Chanyeol mused for a second. “He glanced at me every other minute. Think he may have not been living for my suit,” he gave Baekhyun a lopsided smile, unlocking the car doors.

 

“I only came out to my mom, I’m not sure he’d like hearing his younger son is gay,” he sat down, fastening his seatbelt quickly and looking at Chanyeol.

 

"Oh, so that's why," the man hummed, adjusting the rearview mirror. "They'll probably talk about this, but I think you should talk to him too. So you're clear and he gets the news from the source. Might be better than, let's say, walking in on you getting pounded by some guy," he snorted. "Wasn't a nice talk." Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, curiously looking at him.

 

“Getting pounded?” he asked under his breath.

 

"Yeah, why?"

 

“Nothing, just asking…” he looked at the road and Chanyeol huffed out a laugh. “So, this is how your parents knew?”

 

"Yeah. My dad wasn't delighted, my mom wasn't talking to me for a month. I think the fact it was my dad's colleague didn't really help,” the man murmured with a lopsided smile. "So, yeah, it's better to talk after a nice dinner or something."

 

“What… what do you mean your dad’s colleague?” Baekhyun frowned again.

 

"That he was my dad's colleague," Chanyeol repeated, deadpanning.

 

“How old was he?” he asked again, after a few seconds of hesitation.

 

"Forty something? He visited us often and got interested in me. I was like twenty. I think you could call him my first love or something."

 

“Oh… so you loved him…” Baekhyun said, almost murmured. He knew it didn’t make sense, but he couldn’t stop the heaviness invading his heart. He was a kid. This was the kind of feeling only a kid would have. Jealousy for his past lover. He wanted to roll his eyes at himself.

 

"Yeah, guess I did. I'm not sure though, maybe I was just so happy that anyone was interested in me that I jumped into it. Sneaked out at night to meet him. But it didn't last long, half a year maybe. And then… things got complicated and I moved out, so I haven't seen him since forever," Chanyeol smiled to his memories, glancing at Baekhyun. "Sorry, I got chatty. Too much info, probably."

 

“No,” Baekhyun murmured, “I asked… you don’t have to answer though…” he cleared his throat. “My first love was when I was 15, he left me for some girl. I hated him so much for ruining my life that I wished I wouldn’t be gay anymore so I could just take his girl away from him." Chanyeol laughed, glancing at him.

 

"Must've been hard for you but it sounds quite cute now. Sorry," he muttered, trying to keep a straight face. "Lots of people ruining your life, darling." Baekhyun chuckled.

 

“I tend to take things at heart.”

 

"Yeah, I figured," a fond smile flowered on Chanyeol's lips. "So it didn't work out with the girl?"

 

“For? Me?”

 

"Yeah, your ungay wish didn't come true so what happened next?" Baekhyun laughed quietly, shaking his head.

 

“So, she was really pretty and stuff, like, Yongsun pretty, you know? They ended up breaking up over the fact that she was cheating on him with his best friend. That was messy, still funny though, because they did it in the middle of the cafeteria and I fairly enjoyed the show.” The student sing-sang happily.

 

"Mr. Byun, you were such a spiteful little ," Chanyeol snorted, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Great story though. I felt like I was the only gay kid in my school. I mean, until the last year of senior high. I always wanted a drama like school romance with kissing in the library and hanging out in secret places but turns out life is cruel and I only got beaten up a few times," he smiled lopsidedly. "Good old times."

 

“You got beaten up?!” Baekhyun shouted, turning to him, “How?! Why?!”

 

"The boys at my school didn't like me dressing funny. Glad it didn't happen to you."

 

“Damn, I didn’t think it was happening in school…” Baekhyun looked at him, tilting his head, “What did you do then?”

 

"Cried and went home. My parents learnt about what happened after the third time and I got a gym subscription for Christmas. So I started working out until I was finally able to fight back. It worked, I even became friends with some of them. Like Minseok and Yixing."

 

“What? When did you meet them?” Baekhyun liked it, learning it about all Chanyeol.

 

"I don't remember exactly but I think we were 16? Maybe 17?" he hummed, tapping the steering wheel rhythmically.

 

“Wow… So, like forty years ago, hm?”

 

"Is this all you've got, Mr. Byun?" Chanyeol raised one brow.

 

“I have more but I’m scared you’d feel offended Mr. Park, you know, old people are a bit… touchy.”

 

"I wonder where your extensional knowledge of old people comes from, sir. Please feel free to share your remarks with me," he added in his calm professional voice Baekhyun knew all too well.

 

“They come from… experience, you know? I’ve been working with one old man for a few months now.” He answered, looking at him.

 

"Was he ever touchy, sir?" Baekhyun smiled, biting down on his lower lip.

 

“Oh, he was. He uses his hands a lot.”

 

"In a bad way?"

 

“Very, very bad, sir.” he smirked. Chanyeol just smiled when he saw his expression.

 

"We're here, sir. Hope you enjoyed your ride," he announced, parking the car in front of Baekhyun's building. "So, uh… It was a pleasure to see the other side of your art today."

 

“Would you…” Baekhyun seemed to hesitate, and murmured, “like to come up for a…coffee?”

 

"Oh," Chanyeol blinked, a bit perplexed. "Yeah, actually… Why not?" he smiled but Baekhyun noticed his brows furrowing slightly.

 

The flat was quiet without Jongdae. It was long dark outside, the fine snow covering everything with a thin shiny layer, making the world behind the window seem a bit unreal. And unreal it was, with the faint glow of the streetlights reflected by the light snow and Park Chanyeol, so different from the man in his memories, rubbing his cold hands in his small kitchen.

 

The smell of fresh coffee made the scene seem a bit more familiar, reminding Baekhyun of their first time meeting in his flat, Chanyeol embracing him, his warm breath on his neck. Baekhyun handed him the mug, his cold hands around it to catch all the warmth he could.

 

“Here you go, Mr. Park.”

 

"Thanks, darling," he gave him a small smile and rested his chin on his hand, looking at the painting, still hanging above the kitchen table and humming softly. The student looked at him, his soft features and the way his eyes observed his painting.

 

“What is it?” he asked, tilting is head, his fingers around his own mug.

 

"I'm just… appreciating the great body that's certainly not mine." Chanyeol sipped his hot coffee, raising his brows a little. "The thing," he vaguely pointed in the direction of the scar, "it's awful."

 

“Doesn't matter who this is, it’s not awful.” Baekhyun shrugged. “This is a part of who they are and it’s just making them even more beautiful, unique and interesting.”

 

"Lots of nice words here," the man tore his gaze from the painting to look at Baekhyun with a smug smile. "Beautiful, you say? Interesting?"

 

Baekhyun could feel his cheeks getting redder under Chanyeol’s eyes. He wondered if he should actually tell him what he was thinking. He decided against it though, this was their relationship, and he quite liked it, the banter and the comebacks. He liked how Chanyeol looked at him every time he’d say something more.

 

“Really interesting, sir.”

 

The man hummed in response, running his fingers through his hair.

 

"In what way?" Baekhyun looked at his hand, veins showing, his freshly bleached hair, his pink suit. Chanyeol looked so different. Gone was the full black look and he had no idea how to feel about this.

 

“In… every way possible,” he murmured, standing up. The man watched him with the same confident smirk on his face, turning his mug in his hands. “Would you say he’s not beautiful and interesting?” he asked, pointing at the painting.

 

"How do I know if he's interesting if I have no idea who he is?" Baekhyun blinked for a second, putting his mug down on the table. He ed his jacket and took it off, draping it over the back of his chair.

 

“What if I told you?” he asked, looking at the painting. He could see Chanyeol looking at him in the corner of his eye.

 

"Then maybe I'd have an opinion on the matter."

 

“Would you?” he murmured and looked back at him, “Would you tell me what it is, if I was to tell you who this is?” he took a step closer. Baekhyun needed to feel Chanyeol’s warmth. He needed to feel his presence.

 

"What is what?" Chanyeol frowned, absentmindedly leaning back on the chair to make room for the boy. Baekhyun glanced at the space between the man and the table and he took another step closer.

 

“What is your opinion on him.”

 

"Oh, that. Sure," the man nodded, his eyes fixed on Baekhyun's face. The student leaned on the table, his eyes looking straight into Chanyeol’s.

 

“What if it is you?”

 

"Then, let me tell you, that I'm this surprised," the man grinned, showing him his thumb and pointer finger almost touching. "Are you trying to ask me what I think of myself?" Baekhyun his lips.

 

“I’m trying to ask you why you are saying this is awful,” he said, nodding towards the man’s chest. He pressed his lips into a tight line and looked down for a while before answering.

 

"Because it is. An ugly reminder of an awful memory," he scrunched his nose. Baekhyun bit his lip in hesitation before putting his hand on the table.

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

"Shoot."

 

“Can I come closer?” he whispered, his eyes never leaving Chanyeol’s.

 

"Of course, darling," the man purred, holding out his arms and wrapping them loosely around his waist when Baekhyun sat on his lap. "Missed me?" he whispered into his ear, his fingers grazing the side of his exposed neck. Baekhyun shivered, closing his eyes and nodding slightly. What could he do honestly? What good would it do to lie anyway? He opened his eyes again and looked at Chanyeol.

 

“Did you?” he asked in a whisper, his fingers falling on his chest and tracing what he thought was the scar through the fabric of the shirt, right there, under the pink jacket. He felt the muscles tense under his touch and the man quickly grabbed his wrist, pinning it to his thigh. He didn't seem angry or exasperated, his moves quick but gentle.

 

"We do not go there, darling," he murmured, placing a delicate kiss on the corner of the boy's lips.

 

“We don’t?” Baekhyun asked softly, his warm breath against Chanyeol’s lips. He wanted it so bad. He needed to feel him, soon.

 

The blonde shook his head slightly, leaning in, their noses touching.

 

“Why not?” he whispered, rubbing the tip of his nose against Chanyeol’s, “Mr. Park.” Chanyeol chuckled, caressing Baekhyun's cheek.

 

"Because I hate it. Someone attacked me with a knife, it wasn't pretty," he said, a bit reluctant but then he smiled to Baekhyun reassuringly. "Does it really make me beautiful?" Baekhyun’s heart dropped, the idea of anyone hurting Chanyeol making him nauseous. He clenched his hand on his thigh. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to make it all go away, the memories and the pain. He leaned a bit closer, his nose now touching Chanyeol’s cheek, their lips almost meeting.

 

“It makes you look amazing,” he whispered, closing his eyes. Humming softly, the man caressed his back, just as he did tonight at the gallery. Baekhyun knew he was not going to make the first move. He had already taken the initiative and Chanyeol waited for him to take it further by himself. He took a deep breath, his lips slightly. “You’re so beautiful, Chanyeol…”

 

Baekhyun heard Chanyeol’s breath hitch and felt him hold it in his lungs. His fingers clenched the material of his thin dress shirt, his big round eyes snapping open.

 

“So beautiful…” he said again, closing the distance and finally meeting Chanyeol’s lips, soft and tender. He hadn’t felt so good in weeks. Chanyeol moved back a bit, just to catch a breath and, still looking a bit startled, returned the kiss, hugging Baekhyun tighter. The boy’s hand sneaked up on his cheek, caressing the cheekbone with his thumb and getting lost in the kiss. It was different from their other kisses. Slow, tender. It was caring and so beautiful. Baekhyun was falling for Chanyeol, and nothing could change that. The man's warm hands slid under his shirt, tracing patterns on the fair skin under it. His touch was gentle, when he caressed Baekhyun's body, the kisses long, lingering, delicate. Baekhyun wanted more. Baekhyun wanted to feel Chanyeol’s heart beat for him. To feel the man care about him, just a little at least. His other hand fell on his neck, his fingertips tracing small patterns on the warm skin, mimicking Chanyeol’s hands under his shirt. Slow, delicate, loving almost. Baekhyun wanted him to feel that he wasn’t lying. That he wasn’t just saying this to make him feel better. Baekhyun wanted him to understand that he was beautiful. Beautiful and so, so amazingly perfect.

 

"Damn," Chanyeol breathed out, after they finally broke the kiss. He rested his forehead on Baekhyun's shoulder, his hand sliding along his sides in one smooth motion just to stop at his hips and grip them lightly. "What happened?" he whispered, lifting his head and looking into Baekhyun's eyes.

 

“Nothing?” he answered, softly. He couldn’t say anything. He could make him feel, he could be gentle and tender, but he couldn’t say anything. Chanyeol held his gaze, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glimmering and a little unfocused. He nodded silently and hesitantly kissed Baekhyun again. Baekhyun’s fingers went from his cheek to his hair, his other hand falling on his chest, under the scar. Away from it. He didn’t know why he suddenly was bold enough to do any of it. Probably the fact that soon he wouldn’t see Chanyeol ever again. Probably because all of it would end and he was gonna be alone, Chanyeol living his fashion designer life and finding anyone else to kiss, to touch, to confuse, while Baekhyun would stay hung up on him. Pouring every last drop of his heart into his art. The pain, the suffering, the love. Probably because this didn’t mean anything for the man, everything to Baekhyun. Because it was the only thing he could get, the only thing Chanyeol would give him. So Baekhyun slid his tongue on the man’s lips, asking for more. Always more. Just as much as he could get, until he wouldn’t get anything anymore. Chanyeol parted his lips and he felt his grip tighten. He hummed, pulling Baekhyun even closer. There was a small whimper escaping Baekhyun’s lips, his tongue finding Chanyeol’s in the mess of his own mind, touching, feeling, Baekhyun wanted to do it all. His hand tightened in his hair and he tilted his head to kiss more, deeper. It was better than he had imagined and he felt like crying, but he didn’t. He felt like breaking down, so he kissed harder.

 

"B-Baekhyun?" Chanyeol drew a sharp breath. "I-I'm…" he started and sighed, one hand gripping the boy's thigh, the other laced in his dark hair. Baekhyun bit on his lip, glancing down and looking back up.

 

“Mr. Park?” he murmured, feeling the hardness of his crotch under him. He shifted a little, wondering if he should do anything about it. Maybe he could, not like he had anything to lose. Not like Park Chanyeol would refuse. “Are you okay, sir?” he whispered, nudging his cheek with the tip of his nose.

 

"You're really testing my self-control right now," he murmured, pulling on his hair slightly. "But I'm not gonna do anything... unless you're a hundred percent sure you want it." Baekhyun closed his eyes and kissed his cheek slowly, his hand tightening on the man’s shirt.

 

“What do you want to do, Mr. Park?” he whispered.

 

"I think it's a question for you, Mr. Byun." Baekhyun pulled his head back a little, his eyes now looking straight into Chanyeol’s. He had never been so sure of anything else.

 

“I think you know what I want, sir.” he shifted again, his fingers sliding down the man’s arm to get a hold of his hand, lifting it and pulling it to his lips. “I think you’ve known for a long time…”

 

"Oh, have I, darling?" Chanyeol smirked, pecking the tip of his nose. "The only thing I know is that you're a brat and you like teasing me way too much," he purred, his hand slowly sliding up and down his thigh.

 

“I am just giving you what you ask for, Mr. Park.” Baekhyun answered slowly, half opening his mouth and letting his tongue wander on Chanyeol’s finger. He looked straight into the man’s eyes as he pushed his finger between his lips, on it sensually, his eyes never wavering.

 

"Oh, ," Chanyeol groaned, pressing on his tongue lightly. He took a deeper breath, watching the boy. "Here?" Baekhyun shook his head, slowly pulling the fingers out. His lips were glistening, and he looked at Chanyeol, eyes asking for more.

 

“My bedroom," he said, taking a deep breath.

 

A few minutes later, Baekhyun lay on the bed in his dark bedroom, light from the kitchen partly illuminating Chanyeol's face. The man straddled the boy, hovering over him and kissed him hungrily, his strong hands expertly working on the discreet buttons of his silky shirt. His hair tickled Baekhyun's cheek, the sensation so delicate compared to the passionate kisses. Baekhyun was breathing deeply, anticipation in every cell of his body. His hands found Chanyeol’s shoulders and he pushed away the pink jacket, biting down on his lower lip. It felt like he had been waiting for this for years and he was finally rewarded for his patience. The man smiled into the kiss and straightened, slowly sliding the undone shirt off Baekhyun's chest. He looked at him, his eyes half-lidded, awe obvious in his gaze.

 

"Byun Baekhyun. No ing way," he chuckled, bending down to kiss his neck and chest, leaving light red marks on the fair skin.

 

“What is it, Mr. Park?” Baekhyun asked cheekily, “Don’t you like what you see?” his fingers slid in the bleached hair.

 

"I love it," the man muttered, his voice a bit hoarse, giving his a kitty . Baekhyun’s hand tightened its hold in the man’s hair and he whimpered. "Oh, so that's what you like? Duly noted." Baekhyun bit his lip, his free hand sliding down the man’s back and pulling on his jacket, pleading the man to take it off. The student needed to feel his skin against his.

 

“Please, Mr. Park…”

 

"Please what?" Chanyeol ignored his hand, on his lightly, circling the other one with a finger. Baekhyun moaned again, pulling harder.

 

“Let me feel you,” he breathed out. There was not much more he could do, he was already under Chanyeol’s will.

 

"Needy," the man lightly bit the puffed , rising to take his jacket off and he hesitated a second before he took t-shirt off, uncovering his toned chest and shoulders and the pale scar tainting the smooth skin. Baekhyun breathed in deeply, his fingers sliding on the muscled chest, so close to the scar.

 

“So beautiful, Chanyeol…” he whispered, much like he did in the kitchen. The man huffed out a laugh, sheepish.

 

"Are you trying to make me blush, Mr. Byun?"

 

“Is it working, Mr. Park?” His fingertips grazing the edges of the scar.

 

"Possibly," the man grinned, gripping his wrists and moving them away to place his hands on his shoulders. "I expected more of a from you," he smiled, sliding his warm hands from his neck to his stomach and slowly ping Baekhyun's pants.

 

“Oh, Mr. Park, I can to you.”

 

"Can you?" the man raised an eyebrow, cupping his through the material of the slacks.

 

“,” he bit his lip, his hand tightening on his shoulder, “Would you be a dear and me off already, Mr. Park?” he looked in his eyes and Chanyeol's smile darkened.

 

"Have you earned it?"

 

“Haven’t I been a good boy, sir?” he moved his hips, pushing his crotch against the man’s hand, “Have you seen my painting today?”

 

"I have, darling. But I'm still not sure if you deserve that," he took his hand away, smile mischievous. "Especially if you're that impolite."

 

“What should I do to convince you, sir?” he asked, pulling him closer.

 

"Firstly, strip for me, darling," Chanyeol ordered in a low voice.

 

Baekhyun smiled, biting down on his lip and pushing Chanyeol away from him before he stood up. He kissed him again and took a step back, taking off his pants, looking him in the eyes. Chanyeol kneeled on the bed, watching him, his eyes dark with a glimmer that seemed mischievous, almost dangerous.

 

"So pretty," he murmured, when Baekhyun stood before him completely . He motioned for him to come closer and stood up to kneel on the floor, ordering Baekhyun to sit down on the edge of the bed. His hands wandering over his body, the man kissed the tip of his hard , humming softly. Baekhyun took a deep breath, his fingers finding Chanyeol’s hair and he looked at him. He wasn’t imagining things like this. He wasn’t imagining Park Chanyeol kneeling before him, ready to put his lips around his , ready to give him all the pleasure he could get. Baekhyun wanted to do that, he wanted to taste him and devour him, yet he couldn’t push him away. Chanyeol’s eyes looked dark, hungry and Baekhyun only wanted to be touched by the man, in any way. His heart was beating fast in his chest, with anticipation, with impatience, Baekhyun wished he could lean down and kiss him again. Baekhyun wished he could pull him up and feel every part of his body against his skin. But Chanyeol stayed there, half , broad shoulders leaning down and pretty lips kissing the tip of his . He closed his eyes.

 

“Chanyeol…” he sighed with content. The man was so good to him. He was so good for him.

 

"Yes, darling?" Chanyeol slowly wrapped his palm around his length, starting to move it up and down. Baekhyun moaned louder, his fingers tightening their hold.

 

“Y-You’re… making me crazy… Mr. Park…”

 

"So I'm Mr. Park again?" the man grinned. He narrowed his eyes, when he felt Baekhyun pulling on his hair, forcefully loosening his grip. "You're not allowed to do that. Understood?"

 

“Am I not?” he said, pulling again, looking at him, challenging. The man's eyes darkened and he pinned his wrists to his thighs.

 

"You're not," he snapped. He waited a while, waiting for Baekhyun to react and leaned in slowly, parting his mouth and the head of Baekhyun's . Baekhyun breathed in deeply, trying to free his wrists by pulling on them, weirdly loving Chanyeol’s air of authority when he was telling him not to move. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked lowly, his grip tightening. The student’s heart skipped a beat.

 

“I don’t, sir.” he whispered, “I’ll be a good boy for you.”

 

Chanyeol hummed in response, slowly loosening his grip. Baekhyun could feel his hands itching when the blood flowed in his veins. He was not used to this feeling, but it would be a lie to say he did not like it. The man smiled darkly, finally taking him into his mouth. Baekhyun closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He felt Chanyeol's mouth closing around him and his hot tongue flattening under his . Moving his head up and down, he thumbed his , making Baekhyun moan. In his clouded mind, Baekhyun decided to try again, and biting on his lower lip, his fingers tangled in the man’s hair and pulled slightly, waiting for Chanyeol to say something again.

 

The man pulled back immediately, his mouth and hands leaving Baekhyun's body.

 

"If you do this again, I'll go home," he stood up, tilting his head and his lips, his tongue slowly sliding along his lower lip. Baekhyun leaned closer, his hands on Chanyeol’s thighs and he kissed his stomach, looking up at him pleadingly. Chanyeol took a step back, picking up Baekhyun's silky tie, discarded on the floor. The student pouted.

 

“Would you leave me all alone to take care of myself, Mr. Park?”

 

"I may, Mr. Byun," he raised one brow, motioning for him to get up and turning him around to tie his wrists on his back. Baekhyun’s breath hitched, his twitching when he felt the silky fabric, tight around his wrists. "If you're gonna insist on being rude."

 

“You’re abusing your powers, sir.”

 

"You're not carrying out my orders," Chanyeol whispered in his ear, squeezing his cheek with one hand, the other wrapping around his again. Baekhyun shivered and he leaned back, his back meeting the warm chest.

 

“Maybe you’re not a good enough of a boss?” he whispered, lowly. Chanyeol moved his hand to his throat, still him in a painstakingly slow pace.

 

"And what a second-year student could know about it?" Baekhyun threw his head back against the chest, his half-lidded eyes unfocused, the hand warm around his neck.

 

“Been working with a particularly... demanding boss for a few months now…”

 

"Oh, have you?" Chanyeol picked up the pace, bending down slightly to kiss his neck, biting it lightly. Baekhyun closed his eyes completely, clenching his hands.

 

“Y-Yes… Kind of… a jerk… if you ask me…”

 

"That's harsh," the man murmured, smiling when the boy let out another moan, his voice wavering a little.

 

“H-He deserves… it…” he breathed out, whimpering, when Chanyeol turned him around, the warmth of his chest disappearing. The man kneeled again, this time taking him in his mouth without any warning. He pulled on the tie constricting his wrists, making the boy hyper aware of it, while he swirled his tongue around his . Baekhyun threw his head back, every move of Chanyeol’s tongue getting him closer and closer to exploding. He moaned the man’s name sinfully, every one of his senses being awaken by the sensation. Baekhyun was breathing hard, his mouth half open, asking for more. Chanyeol hummed, the vibrations almost making Baekhyun's legs give up. He held him up, his strong hands on his slim thighs.

 

"Mr. Byun?" he pulled away slowly, his reddened lips glistening with spit. "Do you think you've earned a reward today?" Baekhyun was panting, his chest moving with every breath he was taking.

 

“I-I did… Mr. Park…” his was still twitching, red and leaking between his legs.

 

"Ask for it." he shivered and looked down at him. Chanyeol was looking at him with a smug smile, certainly knowing how good he was at what he'd just been doing.

 

“P-Please, sir?” he pleaded and the man smiled even wider, taking him in his mouth, slowly going deeper and deeper and eventually relaxing his throat. Baekhyun felt the warmth around his whole length. Chanyeol bobbed his head up and down, taking him deeper each time. Baekhyun could feel the heat pooling in his loins, his hands clenching harder and he threw his head back, shouting the man’s name louder, telling him how close he was.

 

“I-I will… Chanyeol!”

 

The man ignored him, simply picking up the pace and twisting his with his free hand. It took him not more than a few seconds to let it all go, his muscles tensing suddenly and relaxing as soon as he came, Chanyeol’s mouth still around him, his warmth never leaving him. He almost fell, his thighs ready to give up at any moment. Baekhyun was panting, his hair and make up a mess, his heart beating fast, lungs craving air. Chanyeol got up, holding him up and pulled him close, lacing his fingers into the boy's hair. He waited until his breathing evened out, his nape and released the knot constricting his hands.

 

"Come here," he murmured, taking a step towards the bed and helping him lie down next to himself. The man kissed him softly, his hands wandering on the slim body. "How are you feeling?" Baekhyun bit his lip and looked up.

 

“So good…” he whispered, his breath finally stable. “W-What about you?” he asked, sliding his fingers on the warm chest.

 

"Well, I can manage. Unless you have an overwhelming need to my ," he said with a smug smile. "Then I won't push you off, darling. But I'm okay if you want to sleep."

 

“Sir?” Baekhyun called out, his fingers tracing the outline of his muscles.

 

"Yes, Mr. Byun?" Chanyeol purred, stretching his arms and making himself comfortable on the bed.

 

“I would, if you allow it, really like to your .”

 

"Oh, would you?" the man smiled, closing his eyes. "Permission granted," he announced with a chuckle. Baekhyun straightened up quickly, a happy smile stretching his lips and he took his place between the man’s legs, eager to feel him deep in his mouth.

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

He woke up, the early sun rays shining through the window blinding him. The smell of fresh coffee made him turn over and open his eyes, puffed from sleep. He heard quiet humming and careful footsteps in the kitchen, accompanied by clinking of glasses and the metallic sound of the cafetiere. Baekhyun rubbed his eyes, finally deciding to get up and leave the comforting warmth of his blanket, stepping into the kitchen, only to see Chanyeol, standing in his kitchen in just his boxers and his t-shirt, his hair disheveled, the silvery strands sticking out in every direction. The man filled the two cups prepared on the counter, humming a melody Baekhyun didn't recognize.

 

“Hi...” Baekhyun murmured, his eyes taking in the sight of Park Chanyeol moving around his kitchen. It felt like a dream somehow. He took a step closer, rubbing his disheveled hair, wearing only a pair of boxers, his eyes still a bit tired. He yawned and realized that his throat was still a bit hoarse after yesterday.

 

"Hello, sleeping beauty," Chanyeol gave him a smile. "Sorry for making myself comfortable, but I woke up and, uh… Didn't want to leave without at least saying goodbye."

 

Baekhyun smiled softly, sitting down at the table and he looked at him, his heart beating happily.

 

“It’s fine, Mr. Park, no need to be sorry. I’m glad you didn't.”

 

"What will it take for you to call me by my name if on my hasn't been enough?" Baekhyun chuckled, blushing softly. Chanyeol was right in a sense, yet, calling him by his name meant everything had changed, and he had no idea whether he was ready for that. Not when he knew how soon it would be done. Chanyeol passed him a cup, sitting by the table and placing his free hand on the boy's thigh. "Oh, you're still so warm," he pouted and laid his head there instead, his cheek pressed to the warm skin. The student hesitated, his heart beating faster and faster, Chanyeol’s behavior confusing him. He wanted to slide his fingers in the bleached hair. Maybe he should do it. Maybe Chanyeol wouldn’t find it weird.

 

“Is it comfy, sir?” he asked, his fingers itching to do it.

 

"Yes, darling," Chanyeol looked up at him, lifting his head. He seemed a bit worried, uncertain. "So we're really back to sirs and misters?" he sighed and forced a small smile. "Okay." Baekhyun bit down his lip and glanced at his fingers.

 

“I thought you liked it… Chanyeol?” he looked up, swallowing down.

 

"You confuse me like no one else," the man huffed out a laugh and took a sip of his coffee, his gaze fixed on the table. Awkwardness slowly creeped into their little adorable, domestic scenery.

 

“I tend to have that effect on people,” Baekhyun said, finally lifting his hand to push one of Chanyeol’s strand hair away from his eyes. “Have you slept well?” he asked, smiling softly. He had never imagined it would feel so good, waking up and seeing Chanyeol here, talking to him, being so soft. So perfectly adorable. And since when was Park Chanyeol even adorable anyway?

 

"Yeah, I did," the man returned the smile, letting out a deep breath. "Your bed is so small though."

 

“You’re just a giant.” Baekhyun chuckled. He took a sip of his coffee, when it slid down his throat. Chanyeol muffled a laugh, looking up at him, amused. “I used to have a bigger bed but I changed it so I could have more space for my art stuff. It’s not like I have a lot of overgrown men sleeping by my side usually.”

 

"What about regular-sized men then?" Baekhyun shrugged.

 

“I don’t like them that much.”

 

"What's so bad about them?"

 

“They’re usually too normal and can’t handle me.” Unlike certain people.

 

"How does that correspond to their height though?" Chanyeol asked, genuinely interested.

 

“I’m often asking myself the same question. It just does. Well except for Jongdae but, you know. He’s got a grand, big spirit.”

 

"What a ty explanation." Baekhyun pouted and Chanyeol let out a snort, tracing the edge of his cup with his pointer finger.

 

“It’s my explanation anyway.” he took another sip. The coffee was so strong it was almost hard to drink. “Are you just defending regular-sized men because they are the one you like more?”

 

"No, I'm just pointing out that your explanation is ty," Chanyeol shrugged, raising an eyebrow. "Handling you requires solely determination, lots of nerves and an absolute and total lack of self-preservation instinct." Baekhyun frowned.

 

“What is that supposed to mean? Am I a destructive person?” he tilted his head.

 

"Nah, just a bit confusing. And a tease. And a kid," the man smiled, chuckling when Baekhyun's frown deepened even more. "You're cute though."

 

“Oh, well, if I’m cute then...” he put the mug down. “I just find tall guys ier,” he elaborated on the previous question.

 

"Lucky me."

 

“Lucky you,” Baekhyun repeated, smiling softly. Chanyeol shook his head amused and got up to wash his cup and the cafetiere.

 

"I think… I think I should go," he said when he finished, pecking Baekhyun's nose tip. "I still have a load of work waiting for me at the office and you probably want to rest anyway," he smiled, going to the bedroom to put his suit on. Baekhyun’s heart fell to his feet, but he couldn’t do much more about it. He waited for Chanyeol to come back, his mug long forgotten on the kitchen table. He walked the man to the front door, suddenly feeling very with only his boxers on.

 

"Darling, what's wrong?" Chanyeol bent down to look him straight in the eye. Baekhyun breathed deeply.

 

“Nothing…” he looked down and the man sighed.

 

"I need to leave. If you won't tell me now…"

 

“What if I don’t tell you…?” he asked, murmuring and looking up.

 

“Then we won’t talk about this, I’m gonna be living in a fool’s paradise and you will continue to suffer from whatever reason you’re feeling down now,” Chanyeol explained in one breath. Baekhyun looked at him, nodding slowly.

 

“What makes you think I’m feeling down?”

 

“Your pout?”

 

“First of all, I never pout.” Baekhyun answered, pouting.

 

“Okay,” Chanyeol smiled, flicking his nose. “Secondly?” Baekhyun scrunched up his nose.

 

“Secondly, everything is fine. You should go, you’re gonna be late.” he looked up at him and the suit he was wearing, wondering if the man would have time to go home and change, so the girls wouldn’t know he slept somewhere else.

 

“I’m already late anyway. We’ll talk later, okay?” Chanyeol asked with his brows slightly furrowed in concern. He gave Baekhyun a small smile when the boy nodded and kissed him, long and soft, before finally leaving the flat. Baekhyun couldn’t wait to tell Jongdae. Or better yet, he couldn’t wait for Jongdae to guess what happened.

 

-*:.-*-.:*-

 

Baekhyun realized his best friend was a bit hurt because of his silence in the recent weeks. Jongdae knew that something was happening but after trying to get it out of Baekhyun several times to no avail, he eventually gave up, simply making sure to check on the boy from time to time and waiting for him to start the conversation himself. Baekhyun felt bad for this. It’s not that he didn’t trust his best friend, not that he felt like Wheein would be a better listener. It was just easier to not say anything when he did not really know what he felt. He had claimed hating Chanyeol for so long that hearing Jongdae tell him that he in fact liked the guy was too much. He didn’t want to be confronted with the truth. Not when he had no idea whether it was the actual truth, and even less when he started to realize that there was more to them than hate. It was hard though, to see his best friend looking just a bit more hurt every time he tried to talk about it, Baekhyun changing the subject or simply telling him to shut up. Baekhyun hated himself for being the one to make him feel this way.

 

Now, Jongdae sat in the kitchen, working on his designs for the end of the semester on his laptop and sipping his tea, which, he hoped, would help him with his hangover. He waited patiently for Baekhyun to take a shower and gather his thoughts. The illustration student walked into the room a few minutes later, hair still wet and a spring in his step. He opened the cupboard to take out a mug, making himself some tea. Baekhyun would probably be humming happily if it wasn’t for his heart telling him not to get too attached.

 

"So… are you gonna tell me, what's up?” Baekhyun sat at the table, just next to him, sipping his tea.

 

“You know… how you left with Minseok last night and I didn’t really have a way to go home?”

 

“Yeah,” Jongdae rose his eyes from the laptop screen, bracing himself internally. “Spill it, sis.”

 

“So… Chanyeol offered me a drive home…” Baekhyun looked down at his mug. His friend raised a brow, perking up and closing the computer immediately.

 

“Yes?” Baekhyun smiled sheepishly, looking up.

 

“We were in the kitchen and talking about the painting actually,” he said, pointing at it, “and well… I just… really wanted to touch him.”

 

“I’m sure you did,” Jongdae rolled his eyes and, a second later, opened his mouth in shock. “You did?! I mean you… You did touch him?!” Baekhyun smiled at the memory.

 

“Well, you know how it is. One thing led to another and soon enough I was on his lap, kissing him…”

 

“Oh, !” Jongdae sprung up from his seat, hugging him tightly. “Finally! And?!” Baekhyun chuckled, patting his friend’s arm.

 

“So… I… I mean, you know how it goes right? I kissed him, not the first time by the way,” he murmured the last part, clearing his throat. Jongdae just shook his head, crouching next to him and watching him curiously. “And I’m ing good at it so obviously, the guy got a .” Baekhyun, said, blushing the slightest. He felt like talking about it as if it was nothing would be easier. In a way, it was. Baekhyun still couldn’t get his head around the fact that Chanyeol and him went so far.

 

“You ed?!’ Jongdae shouted in utter shock. “This is… Oh my god, ing finally!”

 

“Jongdae! No! Of course we didn’t !” Baekhyun said, frowning. Not like he would have been against it, but sometimes, the less the better. He wasn’t actually sure he would be able to break away from Chanyeol in a few weeks if they had gone so far already. “It was only… You know.” he sighed. “He gave me a , I gave him one.” he shrugged, looking at his friend, who screamed.

 

“Holy ! You ing Park Chanyeol’s and you waited to tell me until now?!” Baekhyun scrunched up his nose.

 

“Listen Dae, I had no idea how to tell you… I mean… These past few weeks have been… Complicated… I know you know that.” he looked down. He needed to explain this to his friend, he knew that, it just really was far from easy, “I think… In a way, it was really too difficult for me to acknowledge what was really happening, and talking about it with you was just a reminder of that… So... I’m really sorry if I’ve been so distant lately.” He looked up again, his eyes observing his friend’s face. “Also, he’s probably one of the best in the - game I’ve ever met.”

 

“So you’re basically telling me that you like him?” Jongdae beamed. “And he’s great at giving head but mostly that you like Park Chanyeol and it’s ing official?” Baekhyun could feel his cheeks become redder by the minute. He had told that to Jongdae already, but he figured his friend needed him to say it again to actually get his head around the fact that Baekhyun liked Park Chanyeol.

 

“Basically, I really do, and it .” he sighed, “I can’t ing believe I fell for that jerk.” he let his head fall on the table, closing his eyes. Jongdae chuckled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I can’t believe he’s not even a jerk.” Baekhyun put his hands on his head, ruffling his hair. “He’s so damn considerate, and nice? He was late and yet he still took the time to ask me why I was suddenly feeling so down. The guy is blind, he doesn’t even realize the effect he has on me. Why the would he even put his head down on my thighs like this?!” the student whined. He was now ranting about everything, his heart beating painfully, but feeling so relieved now that he could finally talk about it with his best friend.

 

“Boy,” Jongdae interrupted decidedly. “Have you maybe thought that… he may like you too? I don’t actually know how it would be possible with how much you were giving him but, you know…” Baekhyun’s heart dropped.

 

“Dae, you’re nice and I love you, but he does not.” he straightened up in his chair, looking at his friend. “I’m just a kid to him. Maybe it’s fun to, you know, kiss and give each other head, but he’s probably got better things to do than to date a college student who keeps pushing him away every chance he gets.”

 

“How can you even know that? Would he do all that if he hated you?” Jongdae rolled his eyes. “God, you’re so dense.”

 

“I’m not dense, I’m just trying to not get my hopes high just to get disappointed in the end. There is not a single chance something is going to happen between us. I don’t even know if I want something to happen! I’m not exactly the best when it comes to relationships, in case you haven’t noticed.”

 

“He your , though.”

 

“And what? You’re gonna tell me you’ve never someone’s without the guy being your soulmate for life?” he rolled his eyes, “I doubt I was in love with all the guys I’ve been physical with. I doubt they loved me, too.”

 

"Uh, I know but… he's… oh, damn, say whatever you want," Jongdae sighed, standing up. "So, anyway, you’re a certified hoe now. Are you gonna do this again?"

 

“I… don’t know? He said we would talk later so…” Baekhyun looked at his mug. Jongdae nodded, scratching his chin.

 

"I see, I see," he got up to peek in their fridge and closed it after few seconds with a disgusted expression on his face. "You two talk about each other so much but you're so secretive at the same time. I can't even ask Minseok what's up with Chanyeol because he wouldn't tell him anything," the boy settled back in his chair at the other side of the kitchen table, browsing his contacts for his favorite pizza place number. "But I don't know, if that's what you want, then…"

 

“I’m sorry, Dae…” Baekhyun said, looking down. “I’ll talk to you… it was just… complicated.”

 

"Yeah, man, I get it," the blonde nodded, shrugging slightly and raising his eyes to look at him. "It's okay, I'm… I'm not angry at you, you know. And I'm glad you finally made up your mind. I just don't really understand the weird game you two are playing."

 

“, I wish I knew.” Baekhyun sighed. Chanyeol was acting way too comfortably around him and it did things to his heart. Jongdae gave him a small smile.

 

“Better figure it out before it goes too far,” he advised and looked at Baekhyun expectantly. “What pizza do you want?”

 

 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE SO I HOPE YOU DIDN'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER

 

Honestly, what can I even say after all that, huh?

They're dumb, but we love them, am I right?!

(Yes, Baekhyun is dumb, Chanyeol is pretty fine.)

Tell us what you think ~

- K.