"Long time no see, Baek."

Baekhyun just can't believe he isn't imagining stuff.

-----

"You've changed..."

"I'm not sure about that, but yeah, I guess..."

The two were in a small cafe. After their little meetup, Baekhyun demanded that he stays by the gates and that he has something to talk about. Chanyeol fluttered his lashes, nonetheless nodded. But then he forgot he had two kids to take home. Prioritizing them, he took the two home first without notifying Baekhyun about it. 

By the time he got back to school after taking the two children home safely (and explaining to them that he has a friend to meet), he saw Baekhyun fuming. Chanyeol asked what it was. 

"Give me your phone number."

Chanyeol tilted his head. Seeing Baekhyun dead serious, he took out his phone, only to be snatched by the shorter man. Immediately pressing the contacts, he took Chanyeol's phone number and pinned his. 

"There! I'm gonna call you later after I take my nephews home. Don't you ing dare cancel the phone."

Chanyeol winced at the command. Baekhyun then zoomed to his car (which Chanyeol thinks was Baekhyun's dream car) and the giant watched as the car grew smaller as he drove away. When he came back home, Areum asked who the person was. 

"An old friend."

Later, when the short break was over, Chanyeol received a call and immediately went to the destination. Leaving his daughter fangirling over her idol. 

"I can't believe you can still recognize me with my mask on."

"Uhh, no, you had removed your mask after you looked like dying for air by the gates."

"Oh. Right."

It's been a while since he last saw Baekhyun (minus the parts when he sees him on music shows and from YouTube because of his daughter). They hadn't been much in contact for so long. Chanyeol thought he was already forgotten by Baekhyun after many years.

If he wasn't mistaken, five years ago was the last time he had remembered hanging out with the shorter male. Things had been hectic with the both of them. Baekhyun continued to pursue his singing career, resulting in a busier schedule, and Chanyeol was seen occupied by his (cute) little daughter. 

"Erm, is everything good?"

Chanyeol paused his little flashbacks.

"Yeah. It's not that bad as my first time. How's singing and dancing on stage going with you?"

"Not bad, but it's still difficult. At least I've got plenty of fans who loved it."

"I thought you were joking when you said that to me."

"Me? Kidding? I was dead serious when I said I was going to be a singer, Yeol!"

Yeol.

He hadn't heard that nickname for so long. Waves of deja vu came flooding back to him, earning a small tug on the corners of his lips. 

"Is adulthood hard?" Chanyeol asked, his attention was on the cup of coffee they had bought a little while ago, twirling it in its cup.

"Are you asking me about my nephews? ''Cuz if it is, then yes. Those two are like spawns of Satan, for goodness sake! They keep demanding to have this and that, I'm not even that rich. My youngest nephew wanted a Tesla for his birthday. I'm on a low budget right now and don't ask why."

Chanyeol had a hearty laugh from that. 

"Anyways, talking about kids, how is your little girl? I hadn't seen her since she was ten."

Chanyeol smiled upon hearing his daughter was going to be the center of their conversation. 

He remembered the days when Baekhyun was so attached to the girl when she was young. He would always make time to visit the two after practice, playing with her as if she's her child. No matter how busy Baekhyun gets, he would always remember to stop by the Park's. 

It only stopped when he had made his debut.

"She's all grown up", the father proudly stated. Baekhyun scoffed at his egoistic friend. When it comes to talking about family, Chanyeol has that smug look on his face that indicates " my family is awesome". Something Baekhyun keeps hearing (making him roll his eyes) but remains as one of the things why he had admired the guy. 

"Does she have a boyfriend? Or a girlfriend?"

"Baek!"

"Kidding! You're so overprotective about her! I bet you kept snarling on those who are courting her."

Silence.

Dead silence.

"Yeol... Come on now!"

"Boys these days are dangerous! A distraction to her studies! I can't allow her to think about her love life before her goals. Not gonna let history repeat itself."

Baekhyun chuckled. He knows to himself that the latter's words meant more than they should have been. If it weren't for what had happened in the past, Baekhyun was sure that Chanyeol wouldn't have experienced those hardships he had gone through.

And he thanked heaven for making him smile again.

"Yes, sure, it's not like you're talking about yourself."

Chanyeol couldn't help but bitterly glare at him.

"God, you still know me up until now."

"How can I forget the person who means a lot to me?"

"Even after the breakup?" Chanyeol questioned rather curiously, quirking a brow. Baekhyun nodded in agreement, a smile lingering on his face.

"Even after the breakup. That was a long time ago, Yeol. Come on, I thought you moved on?"

"I did", he defended with a slight chuckle, "was it bad to ask again?"

"That must be the ninetieth time you had asked me that."

-----

"Got any free time to share with an old friend?"

"Hmm, I'll think about it."

"You said that a hundred times now! I can't keep waiting forever."

"Well, you have to. My job is at stake if I suddenly take a leave just to meet up with you."

"You should feel honored to have the opportunity to hang out with a well know idol. Yeol, just this once, please?"

Chanyeol was on the couch, watching a movie he had been