"Hey", I said leaning a bit down, one hand on his shoulder and the other one on the table, "you look ravishing", my hand slightly slipping to his chest. 

"I think I will take my leave", from my peripheral view I could see the red haired girl who was sitting across the table stand up and walking away. I regained my posture. She looked back, and right then I felt a pair of hands sliding across my waist. A second later, one hand left its position on my waist and instead, lifted my chin up.

Okay, I got this

I leaned in, tilted my head to the side so I could get a better view of the person staring from a distance right now, and I saw her heaving a sigh and then turning left to leave. Once she was out of sight, I immediately pulled my face back, sat back on the sofa, held out a hand for the drink kept on the table, when I heard him speaking, "thanks for today", and he passed me his signature eyesmile followed by a soft chuckle.

"No thanks, just buy me a meal", I smiled and winked at him at the last.

"Our favourite?", he enquired, " hell, yes!", I jumped up, pointing childishly to the front, I went straight to the destination, out of that place.

 

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

We were sitting on one of the tables of my.... ohh I mean.. our favourite restaurant. Though people call it cheap, but it is surely the best in quality, the interior too isn't much ravishing but isn't too dull either. 

It's just perfect!

The wooden interiors are just exactly my style, once it was all new and the best one nearby, but because of the new five-star-luxurious ones, it lost some customers. Still, the ones who admire this place, continue to come here. 

This place right here has seen a lot of patchups, friendships, celebrations, love, confessions, and the list goes on.

"The way she was hitting was making me throw up, thanks for coming at the right time, you saved me, really, hahahaha".

"The pleasure's all mine, but I am sure I must have received a lot of curses, all credit to you."

We were done with our meal, so I stood up as he had already paid, so I was preparing to leave but I was suddenly turned around, and I found him smirking and leaning in, his lips parted to continue in his asm-rish, raspy voice, "well, you look way more hot than her, you know that very well. We can continue what we missed earlier."

I hit his arm lightly, just enough to loosen his grip. 

"Save it for someone else, you ", I lifted up the corner of my lips perfect enough to form a mischievious smirk just as his. 

Just as I stepped out, my phone rang. I searched for it in my purse and the caller id showed 'Mrs. Byun'. 

"Yahh! It's your eomma, she is calling me. Shall I pick it up?", I asked turning back to him who was just coming out casually, his eyes in the direction of the two girls watching over him ever since we came. He just did a small bow and smiled at them, the smile which soon disappeared when they were out of his sight. "She's calling you, don't ask me. Just pick it up, it would be rude otherwise," his expressionless face told me. "'Kay".

"Hello?" 

"Is this So Yeon?" 

"Yes"

"Ahhh, So Yeon-ah, is Baekhyun with you?"

"Yes, aunty. Shall I give him the phone? You have to talk to him?"

"No no. I just called to confirm, his phone is probably switched off. I am relieved to know he is there. I will probably stay here for this week too, just remind him to eat well. Yeon-ah, take care of him, okay?"

"Y-Y-Yes, aunty."

"I am hanging up now."

"Okay."

"She is not coming over, is she?", he was eavesdropping, my God.

"No, she will probably stay there for this week too. Come, let's get you home."

We took a cab to his place.

~~~~~~~~

We went inside and I kept my things on the table and headed towards the bathroom attached to his room, to wash up. I came out wearing a bathrobe, only to head to his wardrobe, to look for something comfortable to fit in for the rest of the night. I took out his olive green shirt and slipped into it. It reached mid thigh and as I was already wearing my denim black shorts, I skipped the thought of wearing his black plaid pyjamas. I left the first two buttons open, and oh-so-perfect. It was showing off my collarbones really well. How much I love to try his clothes on since we were kids.

I came out only to see him resting peacefully on the couch. I went over to peek at him from above. His eyes were closed but I knew he wasn't sleeping. So, I reached out for my bag to take out a scrunchie and asked him, "So, what do you have in the house? I will be needing things to prepare dinner." He didn't say anything, not even cared to open his eyes, just pointed towards the refrigerator in the kitchen. "Kay".

I went over, took a look inside, and yes I got everything here sufficient for preparing dinner. I took out some of the things I needed and just as I closed the door and turned around, I found him leaning on the kitchen counter. I was so surprised with his sudden outburst that, "Baekhyun! I swear I am getting a heart attack because of you someday. And what's with this sneak-peek?"

He never answered me once, just kept his eyes on the ground. Me, being fed up with his unusual silence, decided to progress with my work. I kept the skillet on the stove, pour 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. I was peeling off the onions when I felt him backhugging me. "Yeon-ah-ya, you still love him, don't you?"

My eyes grew bigger in shock and surprise. I turned around as he loosened his grip on my waist, and looked him in the eyes, he turned his head to the side and said, "Woah, you must really love him, you are even crying at the mere mention of him."

What!?

"What are you saying? Yah, you fool. It is because of this", I said and pointed towards the knife and half sliced onions. He looked there for a sec, then at me and then his literal 'Hahahaha' filled the entire place. 

"Sorry baby. I didn't notice."

"Don't call me 'baby'. I am not your 'baby'. And let me do this, I don't want to starve."

He sat on the counter and watched me as I cooked.

"When did you get these collarbones, huh?", his hand trailed off to lift my chin up and turn my head to the side, "also, this jawline? " his thumb tracing my jawline, "you looked like a rice cake when we were young." He jumped off the counter, stood next to me, turned me to face him and then cupped my cheeks and pressed them towards each other making my lips form a pout. 

"Where did my sweet mochi go?" there goes his pout.

"Gosh, can you two please stop?"

We turned our head sideways towards the front door and saw the figure who just approached us.

"Ah, Kyunsoo-ah!"

"Ohhh, Kyungsoo."

I hurriedly went towards the door to help him carry his things inside. 

"How did you come in?" I asked while looking towards the door. "I have the spare key." 

"Isn't that supposed to be with you?" I looked at Baekhyun who didn't look pleased with his appearance. "And what's with that poker face, huh?" 

"I guess it is because he was interrupted in his work", he then looked over to him, "Stop that or I will punch you right in the face. You called me to stay here for few days, so don't blame me for showing up. Well, as if I care. I will stay in your room." He trailed off towards Baek's room but stopped midway and turned to me, "Don't tell me you were going to be sleep there with him in his room, were you, So Yeon? Well, if you two were planning to do so, so sorry but you'll have to be in aunty's room."

"What!?" I gave out a nervous laugh. "We aren't kids anymore, besides that he can sleep alone, not that he's alone in the house, you know, I mean-"

"I am not afraid to sleep alone? How did you even thought that you would get away, huh?" he walked up to me and stood beside. 

"You two can have a talk till I do my work." I shrugged off the topic as I walked over to the kitchen. 

They too went on their way. 

~~~~~~~~

"Woahh! It looks delicious. And the smell, oooohhhh, intoxicating!! I can't wait to eat this. GUYS!!!!! Come over, let's eat."

The door opened and I saw them literally taking over the smell of the food into their soul. They both had changed their clothes and slipped into more comfortable ones. Kyungsoo was now in a white t-shirt paired with blue pyjamas. And as for him, he was in a black shirt with black pyjamas that I decided to ditch before. Oh, I left it outside. He must have picked it up as I left it on his bed. He was just buttoning up his shirt as he walked towards the table. God, he is definitely doing this on purpose. He is such a tease. 

"Woahh, the smell's great; even though Kyungsoo's the best cook, still it would be no surprise if he starts loving your cooking", he clapped his hands like a small kid before settling down on the couch, "I am going to eat here while watching a movie, pweaasee..", his eyes giving off a pleading shimmer and hands joining together so that I accept the request, "Plweasse", tugging out his lower lip.

"Okayy...", I give up. 

"No doubt he caught you with that stare of his. Ahh, So Yeon-ah, I thought you were a difficult person, when did you become so easy?"

Hmmm, I personally don't think if I was one. A difficult one, I mean. Or was I? To others?

But I don't remember any time when I didn't kept my guard down for Baek. We are best of friends. We were together since elementary school. We became friends really quick. His jolly and bubbly personality is indeed one of  his charms. I believe that! We also went to the same middle school. That's where we became best friends, since we two were the only one familiar with each other but unfamiliar for everybody else. Coming to the last year of the middle school, I could proudly say that my bestfriend was the most popular among the 'girls'. But he said he wasn't interested in girls back then. He was the best in the hapkido club, and not only that, his voice was also magical, sweet as a candy. We usually went to the adventure parks when we had off, and we used to stroll around or in the park at night. That was my favourite past time memory. That was when I called it a day. Well, may be wondering why there's a 'was', well, it's because now, I don't get much time to walk in the park, or even if I do, I am alone since Baekhyun doesn't get much free time and also the fact, that I don't ask him to accompany me since I think he must rest after a long hectic day. Rest is indeed important for every one of us. We shout take a break in a while to rest our mid as well as soul. A break, well, is necessary for some people to put a full stop to their train of thoughts, specially me. Baekhyun has always been the 'light' in the dark side of life of mine. And I believe even that light in our life deserves to rest, since it maybe tired of being the one with a constant smile and happiness, also it may also be the one who wants a light for itself but is just too busy to care for itself. 

Life is short,

Love is rare, 

And we all deserve to be happy while we are here.

"Aren't you going to eat? I can't believe you have the guts to ditch a delicious meal like this?", Kyungsoo exclaimed.

"Ohh, y-y-yeah. Coming."

"Well, I never knew kimchi fried rice could be this tasty. I admire you a lot", he complimented, his heart-shaped lips finding a way to smile at me.

I heard the bowl being harshly kept on the furniture. When I looked in towards the direction of the sound, I saw Baekhyun, his hands on the sides of the bowl which was now on the table, he was sitting down in front of the couch, on the floor, his bowl still on the table. His mouth full of rice and kimchi, his chopsticks still held between his fingers, and his eyes, wide open, as if he just saw a ghost, his focus on Kyungsoo. 

"What's with that expression?", he enquired. 

Baekhyun gulped his meal and then spoke out, "You admire her?"

I choked on my meal and stretched out hand for water. Then, gave him a what-the- look. "Well, I will be more than glad to have you date her rather than those s. I accept you, Soo what about you?"

"Shut the up, Byun Baekhyun. And I am not dating anyone. Kyungsoo's my good friend. Can you please concentrate on your movie?" I sprang up from my seat and marched towards my room. 

Am I feeling hurt?

I closed the door behind me as I jumped on my bed with my back facing the ceiling. I buried my face in the pillow, and the memories started playing in my head, one by one

Everything..