Kyungsoo didn't quite know what he was doing.

The dough didn't seem right, the chocolate was a bit too hard, and the hazelnut cream filling appeared a little too strong. But he thought he was doing fairly well for his first attempt at a French dessert – his favorite, actually. Or rather, their favorite. The classic, thick, and straight stick covered and filled with chocolate they called Éclair.

It wasn't the easiest thing to make, but it also didn't seem like rocket science. So he didn't understand why Baekhyun had never managed to make them after so many attempts. He suspected that maybe the redhead had messed up the egg proportions, but that was just his mind wandering.

Kyungsoo smiled as he looked at all those freshly baked dough sticks. He took all the exposed sticks from his own countertop's marble and tapped them against the cold stone. He needed to check if they were indeed hollow inside, as instructed. And they seemed to be.

"Let's see how this goes..." he said, taking a few to start the assembly process.

He poked three holes in the sticks, filled them with cream, and then let the filled dough rest again. He needed all of them to be filled before he could coat them with the ganache topping he had prepared specifically for this. Another thing that wasn't really his specialty: chocolates. So, he ended up using a mixture of pistachio and milk chocolate, hoping Baekhyun wouldn't find it too bad. Kyungsoo knew the taste of well-made chocolate, and it certainly wasn't his.

He finished decorating everything with a small, proud smile. If they tasted as good as they looked, then it would definitely work, he just didn't know if Baekhyun would like them.

That made him a little nervous, to be honest. It was a huge irony that one day Baekhyun was his boss, testing his skills to be accepted at the restaurant, and now, Kyungsoo was the one being tested by him. What a twist of fate.

He smiled again, picking up the round package he had prepared. His intention was to give Baekhyun his first Éclair. He knew it wasn't his birthday, but he just felt like giving him a gift. Perhaps because of Chuseok or maybe because he wanted to see Baekhyun happy. He wasn't quite sure why, but he followed his heart. And right now, his heart told him to be sweet, so that's what he was doing.

He carefully placed each one inside the box, arranging them like a flower. Or a snowflake. It depended on the perspective of the viewer. The important thing was that they all looked nice in there, the chef couldn't deny that. Even the pistachio seemed to add a special touch.

Kyungsoo decided to go further and give the complete gift. His heart was pounding with what he had in mind, but after so many months, he felt ready to do something like this. He just wasn't sure if his boyfriend would like it, as he didn't know what kind of love declarations Baekhyun had received before.

Suddenly, Kyungsoo felt insecure. He didn't just want to write something Baekhyun would like; he wanted to be the best. The most memorable, the one that would make Baekhyun remember him for the rest of his life. He thought for a while before putting his feelings into words. There was something perfect that he could do, but it depended on Baekhyun to understand the sublime reference he would put in that card.

The restaurant was calmer for the first time since Baekhyun had been hired. It felt strange to him to witness the small stream of customers placing increasingly peculiar orders. Many of their regular team members were on vacation for the Chuseok holiday, a common time for people to travel in Korea. But with his wedding plans, Baekhyun knew it would be nearly impossible for anyone at the restaurant, except for him and Do Kyungsoo, to take such a luxury.

Baekhyun sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he finished preparing the small strawberry trifles. They should be served in about five minutes, but the decoration was still missing. He diligently whipped the fresh cream with just a hint of vanilla, knowing it would perfectly complement the tanginess of the wild fruit. As always, his apron was a sweet, sugary mess, but he knew he had time until his boss arrived and scolded him for being so clumsy. Despite now being Kyungsoo's boyfriend, he still acted like the same stern boss. Baekhyun didn't complain because he understood it was part of the job, but occasionally, he felt creatively stifled by the pressure the restaurant imposed on him.

As he finished decorating the orders, Baekhyun pondered deeply about it. He had been working at Dyo's for quite some time and enjoyed it very much. Some days, his mental sanity went haywire due to the rush of multiple orders, but there were also days like this when he could work on a great meal and deliver an excellent result. He couldn't say there were too many downsides to working there because that would be a lie. However, he would also be lying if he said that was his life's biggest dream.

One of Baekhyun's biggest flaws had always been his pride and lack of contentment. Perhaps it was because life had mistreated him a lot, and he had gone through situations that no sane person would tolerate or let pass. He took all those humiliations to his therapist to learn how to better cope with himself. It worked for a while, and during that time, Baekhyun felt renewed and ready to restart his life in gastronomy. That was until he felt like he was sabotaging everything again and putting his own dreams aside.

His ultimate dream was still to open his own pastry shop, and that was something that wouldn't die in his heart anytime soon. Baekhyun's life belonged to the ovens, the measures of cups of sugar, and the generous amounts of vanilla essence he always added to his desserts. It was in his blood; it was what he was made of – a love for pastry.

Baekhyun was utterly passionate about what he did, and he knew that was one of the characteristics that made Kyungsoo like him. Despite their contrasting personalities, they shared a lot when it came to their passions. The passion that drove them in their work seemed to have an effect on their relationship, even though Baekhyun had never thought about it.

The thing was: Baekhyun loved Kyungsoo beyond his image. He loved Dyo's chef's passion for his restaurant, admired the strength that contrasted with Kyungsoo's vulnerabilities, which also made him fall for him. So what was the problem with spending the rest of his life with him, working as his employee, and obeying his orders as a good employee? Well, maybe the problem was that he still had a dream to fulfill.

Baekhyun finished his dishes, carrying all five trifles to the restaurant's service counter and ringing the bell for Zitao to take over. The guy came over quickly, oozing charm with every step he took. He winked at the pastry chef, pointing at his apron.

"Did mommy sprinkle sugar on you? Loving the costume. Next Chuseok, I'll try to come dressed as Songpyeon and paint myself pink."

Baekhyun laughed at his nonsense.

"We can arrange to each wear a different color. What do you think?"

Zitao smiled, picking up the tray from the counter.

"I think your team spirit is admirable, Baekhyun." He said before heading to the restaurant floor.

Baekhyun pondered his words. Did he really have good team spirit? He had never thought about it before. In his mind, things worked differently. He believed that working as a team only brought benefits to a restaurant, as no kitchen could survive without a closely-knit team. And that was something he had learned through practice, not theory.

Sometimes, he pictured himself as the pastry chef. If he were the one choosing the ingredients, deciding where things should go when they arrived from the storage, and giving the final approval to everything there. What would that be like? Would he be happier? Would running his own pastry shop make him feel more fulfilled or give him more headaches?

"Daydreaming?" 

Baekhyun jumped, startled by the whispered voice in his ear.

"Minseok! You almost gave me a heart attack."

The bartender chuckled, finding it amusing.

"Hello, Cenourinha." (Note: Cenourinha means "Little Carrot" in Portuguese)

"Hello…"

Kim smiled broadly at him, gesturing to his sugar-dusted apron.

"I didn't know you were caramelizing yourself."

"Oh, no, Minseok. That was terrible."

"You're right," he chuckled lightly. "But I'm here for other reasons. Your boyfriend is looking for you. We're closing in five minutes."

Baekhyun widened his eyes.

"We're closing? Really?"

"Yep. Chuseok must have softened up the executioner this year. Or maybe it's a sugary carrot, huh?" Minseok winked at him. "Happy Chuseok, Baek."

"Happy Chuseok." Baekhyun replied, a bit puzzled.

He hadn't expected Kyungsoo to close the restaurant, especially since he usually kept it open until lunchtime. Baekhyun found it incredible, though, that even on holidays, the restaurant never stopped filling with people. In one way or another, people always came to the restaurant for a meal. That must be one of Kyungsoo's biggest pride since he dedicated himself day and night to make it happen.

Realizing that minutes were passing by, Baekhyun tried to be quick in the kitchen, cleaning up all the things that needed cleaning. He took everything to the washing area and, on the way, encountered Kyungsoo coming out of the pantry. The chef gave him a small smile and adjusted his glasses with a finger movement.

"I'll be right there. Just a moment."

Baekhyun nodded, heading to the washing sink. There were already some employees working on the dishes, so he decided to help with the pastry part since he was the one who had made the mess. It felt like a game, where his mom told him to pick up his toys after having fun.

It didn't take long for Kyungsoo to join him and help. Baekhyun was a little surprised since he rarely saw Kyungsoo in the washing area during the week. In fact, he almost never saw him there unless he came to scold him. Other employees also seemed to notice Kyungsoo's presence and hurried to wash the dishes faster.

Kyungsoo smiled, motioning for Baekhyun to come closer. The pastry chef dried his arms and approached him, feeling a bit shy since they were in front of the entire restaurant staff. He knew he had to overcome this, but it was still difficult, especially because Kyungsoo was becoming more and more captivating every day.

"Baekkie... Is everything ready? I have something to show you after everyone leaves."

This time Baekhyun was surprised. Was Kyungsoo suggesting they stay alone in the restaurant?

"Um... okay, chef."

"Are you... going to spend the holiday with someone? Do you have a time to leave here?"

What could he say? Baekhyun was the black sheep of the family, so he rarely left the capital during holidays. He had been living with his best friend for years for the same reason since he was openly gay, which made him rejected by anyone who got to know him. Except for Sehun.

"Actually, I always spend holidays with Sehun. But... if you have plans..."

Kyungsoo hesitated, looking a bit unsure.

"I don't want to bother you."

"You won't." Baekhyun assured him. "You would never bother me, come on. It'll be nice, just you and me." The last part of the sentence was whispered since they were still in the presence of the whole team.

Kyungsoo smiled shyly but agreed.

"Then I'll be waiting. You can change in my office if you want."

Baekhyun agreed, with a smile that tugged at his lower lip. Kyungsoo found it endearing, but he still seemed a bit shy while looking at the pastry chef standing in front of him. It was cute how Baekhyun was affected by many things, from small touches to the warmest kisses. They were taking their time, perhaps longer than expected, to deepen their relationship in a way that Kyungsoo felt comfortable with. But Baekhyun could sense that with each passing day, Kyungsoo looked at him differently.

There was a familiarity that had grown between them in the last few months they spent together, cooking together, building a romance that Baekhyun never thought he would find in his entire life.

Loving Kyungsoo was easy. Baekhyun didn't need to make an effort for him to try to understand, not even to decide what they would have for dinner. From the most complex things to the simplest, it seemed that everything naturally fell into place. Among all the guys Baekhyun had ever been with, Kyungsoo was the first with whom he felt a deep connection. Maybe he was also the first to show him what true love was.

"You can go now, Baek, or we'll end up being late," Kyungsoo said, as the responsible leader he was.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, leaving the washroom behind. He went to the office in his regular clothes and put on his favorite movie's t-shirt, City Lights, along with a pair of jeans that looked really good on him. He wasn't smelling like a bouquet of roses, but the post-shower moisturizer he used managed to control most of the sweat that a shift at Dyo's made his body produce. That was good, considering everyone there worked like crazy in the kitchen all day.

Since Kyungsoo's office didn't have a mirror, Baekhyun had to use his phone instead. As he was about to check his own reflection on the camera, he noticed some message notifications. They were from Sehun.

Sehun Hyung: Baekhyun, are you celebrating Chuseok at my place? Can you bring Kyungsoo along? Irene is craving the guiozas from Dyo's...

Baekhyun laughed to himself in the office. Sehun had no shame in using Irene as an excuse to get his favorite dish from Dyo's on the holiday. Baekhyun knew he loved to eat, but he never realized just how far Sehun would go for food. Despite spending all these years with him, Sehun never ceased to surprise him.

Byun Baekhyun: We'll arrive a little later, but I'll save some for you, Hyung.

Baekhyun smiled, finding it amusing. It would be the first Chuseok with Kyungsoo by his side, and also the first time Sehun and Irene were together for real. A rarity, as Irene usually spent the holiday with her father in Japan. This time seemed different, though. Everything was so different that sometimes Baekhyun felt lost in how much his life had changed since he returned from France, months ago.

He didn't think about it often, but when he left France to return home, Baekhyun had only one thing in mind: to open his own business. Éclair, the confectionery, was his biggest dream. He had already prepared sketches for the place, designed the menu, and even searched for a cozy location around Seoul to work.

Baekhyun couldn't deny that he was a dreamer. His dreams were a part of who he was, a part of the life he had always dreamed of since he was a child. And it was always this part that weighed in his decisions when he lay his head on the pillow every night. Because he knew he had to start moving, or he would regret it. But part of starting to move also had to do with something his heart couldn't bear to do: leaving Dyo's behind.

When he went down to the kitchen, part of the restaurant was already silent. He suspected that some people had already left, including the last customers he had served. The redhead didn't find the movement strange, but he felt somewhat different being practically the only one there.

He noticed that there was a whole table set up on the counter. Baekhyun smiled at the chef's improvisation. There were two perfectly decorated dishes, but they were covered with a round metal lid. Even the appetizers! In Baekhyun's mind, that was crazy, as he had never seen an appetizer prepared like that before.

Baekhyun raised his eyebrows when he realized what the surprise was. It was a dinner. A real, sophisticated dinner. Kyungsoo had prepared a dinner to impress him, different from all the other times he had cooked for him. It was the first time someone had done something like that for Baekhyun, and he couldn't help but feel touched.

He heard a clearing of the throat, and when he turned to the door, he found Kyungsoo there, wearing different clothes from before. Baekhyun wondered when he had found the time to change as well.

"What's all this?" Baekhyun asked, curious as always.

Kyungsoo smiled cheerfully at him. "I realized that I had never done anything like this for you before. I got a little inspired."

The redhead approached, feeling a shiver run through him from all the delicious aromas. It smelled so good, like the most wonderful thing he had ever smelled. Even though he worked there every day, he had never experienced such an aroma.

"Wow. It smells amazing. What is it?"

The chef smiled, walking towards him. When he was very close, he took Baekhyun's hands in his and pulled him even closer. His hands were soft and gentle, unlike Baekhyun's which were rough and thin. But they were still comforting.

"It's my recipe, actually." Kyungsoo commented.

Baekhyun was astonished. "What are you saying?"

"You're my guinea pig tonight, Mr. Byun."

Wow. A guinea pig... that was quite a responsibility. Baekhyun had only been someone's guinea pig twice in his life: once for Kim Minseok, his student, and once for Jean, his ex-boyfriend from France. Jean was a great pastry chef just like Byun, but he was a playboy. He used food to conquer anyone who smiled at him. Unfortunately, Baekhyun discovered that the hard way.

"I can't believe I'm going to try an original creation of yours. I feel very honored, Chef."

Kyungsoo smiled, truly happy. He loved compliments. Baekhyun had noticed that from the time he had been in the restaurant. It was always comforting to praise him because the reward was the biggest and most heartfelt smile. It pierced directly into Baekhyun's heart.

"I'm glad to hear that, Baekkie."

Baekhyun smiled widely, moving towards the counter next to him. "It's the truth."

"By the way, I... want your honest opinion about the dish. Can you promise me that?"

"Sure."

"Thank you." Kyungsoo stood behind him, placing his hands on Baekhyun's shoulders and guiding him to sit on the high stool hidden under the counter.

"You got this from the bar?"

Kyungsoo nodded. "They won't miss it. You know... the owner left me in charge, so I took advantage of it."

Baekhyun chuckled lightly. Was he making a joke for real?

"I don't know..." the redhead pursed his lips playfully. "I heard he's a bit of a tough guy."

"I know nothing about that," Kyungsoo shook his head, raising an eyebrow.

"But... he's also very kind, a wonderful person."

This made him blush, smiling a little shyly.

"I'd like to hear more about that..."

"I think you can't... he's as old as an Ahjussi, he wouldn't be able to hear me."

Kyungsoo laughed nonchalantly.

"Come on, Baek. Let's eat," he said, pulling the high stool next to Baekhyun.

Both started eating, with the chef himself serving Baekhyun wine and a type of Korean dish that was fried and stewed at the same time. Baekhyun could see the references: there were breaded prawns belonging to modeumjeon, on top of a tower of rice, with japchae made from vegetables and a homemade-looking dough.

"You made the dough?" Baekhyun said, astonished.

Kyungsoo smiled to the side, nodding in agreement. He took the first bite into his mouth, looking directly at the redhead, waiting for him to do the same. And Baekhyun did. And he swore he could have gone to heaven.

"Mm... This..." he swallowed, not speaking with his mouth full, "This is amazing, Soo. Congratulations!"

"Do you think so? Do you really think it's good?"

The pastry chef smiled, as he seemed like a child receiving a high grade at school.

"Yes, it is. As always, you're very talented."

Kyungsoo shook his head.

"This recipe is a reinterpretation of how Chuseok was with my family. I rescued some flavors, others were experiments." He looked away, shy, "But it makes me very emotional to see you enjoying it like this."

Baekhyun suddenly became serious. It was rare for Kyungsoo to mention his family, especially in more casual conversations. Baekhyun smiled at him, genuinely smiling at him. That man in front of him wasn't just someone he loved. He was so many things, so many qualities, and so many precious parts that Baekhyun couldn't help but want to know everything about him, like someone memorizing lines from their favorite movie.

"Thank you for telling me that," Byun said, wanting him to know how much he appreciated those little details.

His words surprised Kyungsoo. His eyes widened, and the bald man was left speechless. So as not to make it awkward, Baekhyun started eating. Kyungsoo remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly pondering something. After a while, he bit his lower lip and looked at Baekhyun when he said:

"There are some... things we still don't know about each other, right?"

Baekhyun nodded. He thought it was normal since Kyungsoo was more reserved than him in these matters.

"I wanted to ask you about your past. If you don't mind."

This time, Baekhyun was the one who was surprised. It had been a long time since he talked about his past, to anyone. It wasn't something he liked to talk about because it was a very dark time in his life. But with Kyungsoo, he felt like he could talk about anything. So he agreed, giving the chef the space he needed to start with his questions.

Kyungsoo swallowed the food and took a sip of wine. He seemed nervous, as if it were a first date. Baekhyun found it funny.

"Who was your first kiss?"

Baekhyun smiled widely. It was a terrible memory because his first kiss was awkward.

"Kim Taeyeon. Eight years old. It tasted like sweet bean ice cream."

Kyungsoo laughed, and it was adorable. The way he seemed to enjoy gathering all this information about Baekhyun warmed the redhead's heart. He had never done that with anyone else, and once again, he could see how special Kyungsoo was.

"Mine was... Mina. You met her, right? Well... we dated for a long time. It was very embarrassing for me."

"Did you always know you were gay?" Baekhyun asked, without any filter.

"Yes." Kyungsoo stared at him. "I mean... sort of. Until you showed up, I had never felt... anything like this."

Baekhyun looked at him in silence. That was quite a declaration, a big responsibility.

"Taeyeon stole a kiss from me while I was the sweet bean popsicle. I never liked girls. I kept my uality a secret for many years until high school when I had my first boyfriend." Baekhyun smiled affectionately at the memories.

"His name was Jongdae. A nice guy, you know? Very cool. I considered him my only success, and sometimes, I regretted breaking up with him. But... life went on. And I... ended up having quite a few boyfriends. Some I still have good memories of, others... I just wish I could forget."

Kyungsoo nodded, hesitating again before finding the courage to ask what he wanted:

"What do you mean? About the bad relationships?"

"Some relationships were... difficult."

"Difficult?"

"Yes... you know... it's never easy for us." Baekhyun knew that Kyungsoo had picked up on what 'us' meant. Being different from what his family expected was a burden that Baekhyun would have to carry for the rest of his life. And it took years for him to come to terms with it.

"Did you have problems because you're gay? With your family?"

Baekhyun nodded, holding back tears. Touching on this topic was always very sensitive because he loved his brother, Baekbeom. However, his brother was the first one to turn his back on him when he caught Baekhyun kissing Jongdae in the school locker room. Since then, their relationship was never the same.

"My family never really cared about me in general. I think they always suspected... I don't know. But when you're not accepted by other families either... then it's a little hard to accept."

"I'm sorry, Baekkie," Kyungsoo said, really meaning it.

His hand went to Baekhyun's, holding it as if it were the whole world there. For Baekhyun, it was. His world, his safe haven, and his home. All at once.

"It's okay. I've overcome it, you know? I worked on my mind to be bigger than all those people. It wasn't an easy thing to do... but I had psychological help. And Sehun and Irene." Baekhyun smiled when mentioning his favorite couple.

"I'm glad you found your friends."

"Yes... they're like my own parents." Baekhyun chuckled lightly. "Irene said I'll always be her firstborn, even though we're the same age."

Kyungsoo smiled too, remembering the couple whom he now had a certain closeness with.

"They seem nice."

"They are..." Baekhyun crossed his arms, trying to change the mood of the conversation. "But what about you? I don't know much about your past."

Kyungsoo smiled shyly.

"You're the first person I've been involved with, so I don't have much to say."

"The first, first? Or... something more."

"Ah... no." Suddenly, his cheeks flushed pink. "Before, I had... some other experiences."

Baekhyun held back a smile because Kyungsoo was adorable.

"Do Kyungsoo is a guy of experiences and things."

Kyungsoo laughed, finding it amusing.

"I guess you could say that."

"And what were your experiences?"

"With some women, actually. Most of them during school. Some while I was still trying to become a chef... but none of them really satisfied me. For me... it always felt a bit strange."

Baekhyun agreed.

"I understand..."

"Have you... been with women?"

"No. Taeyeon is the only girl I've ever done anything with. And to be honest? I didn't even want someone my ice cream!"

Kyungsoo chuckled.

"However, she became your sous-chef. Small world, huh?"

This time, Kyungsoo was shocked.

"What? That Taeyeon?"

Baekhyun laughed, unable to contain himself.

"No, silly. It was another girl. But your reaction was priceless." The redhead continued to laugh, finding it amusing.

"Not funny, Baek. You scared me."

Both of them were laughing now, as if it was the joke of the century. And they continued like that all night, whether eating Kyungsoo's special dishes, traditional Chuseok dishes, or sharing stories from the past, that's how the night went. It was a special moment for Baekhyun, being able to be that way with him, after everything they had been through together. Kyungsoo was truly an essential part of his happiness now.

After finishing the meal, the feeling between them was one of comfort. Baekhyun was savoring it because it was one of his favorite feelings in the world: feeling the comfort he had when he was with Kyungsoo. More and more, the feeling became familiar.

"Baekhyun..." Kyungsoo began, after silence had once again settled between them.

"Yes?"

The brunette looked at him, hesitantly.

"I... did something else for you."

Baekhyun was surprised. Another thing? He was really full of surprises today.

"What were you up to, Kyungsoo? How did I not see you doing any of this today?"

Kyungsoo smiled, getting up from the chair. He walked to the fridge, taking out a square package from there. Baekhyun furrowed his brow, confused. What was that now?

"I just want to ask you one thing... can you promise me something?"

"What?"

"That if I give you this gift, you'll put it in your bag and only open it when you're not in front of me?"

"Why?" Baekhyun laughed. "Why do that?"

Kyungsoo went to the table, sitting next to him while still holding the small transparent square.

"Because... I want you to have time to think about what I wrote in the note. I think you'll need it..." Baekhyun furrowed his brow.

Kyungsoo's insecurity was speaking so loud at that moment that the pastry chef found it strange. But anyway, he would have to respect his request. He gradually learned that Kyungsoo took baby steps in the relationship, and now he was trying to keep up with him.

So, Baekhyun took the package from his hands, thanked him, and did as requested: put it in his bag without taking a peek. When much later, he finally arrived home after Kyungsoo had driven him, Baekhyun ran to his room without even answering Sehun's questions about his wonderful dumplings.

Baekhyun was desperate, opening the box like a kindergarten child. And when he saw them inside, he almost died from excitement. There were exactly 6 Éclairs, forming a flower. Right away, he could see that there were pistachios on top, which was no surprise: Baekhyun loved pistachios.

In less than three seconds, he bit into the Éclair and tasted heaven. Everything was there: the perfect dough, the hazelnut filling, and the pistachio topping. A somewhat unusual combination, but no less delicious. And most importantly: made to perfection. He swore he could cry because he knew those Éclairs were made for him. It had to be.

Baekhyun desperately searched for the note Kyungsoo had mentioned, wanting to know if his guess was right. But when he found it and started reading, any sense it might have made in his mind was lost. Because it was far from the message he was expecting to read:

Dear Baekhyun,

You know well that I'm the worst guy when it comes to words, but I decided to do for you what I know best: cooking. So, I hope you accept this gesture as a first proof of love, among many others.

The Éclair has a funny story that intersects with ours. A favorite dish we both share, and in my language, it means something. Don't you think?

And the fact that I'm the only person who knows how to make it, makes everything a little more special between us. I can't deny that I enjoy being the person who knows how to make our favorite dessert, because now I know I can always make it for you.

Baekhyun, you are the only person who sets my heart ablaze, and for that reason, I always feel like I'm about to explode when I'm with you. There's no one else in this world I desire more than you.

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Yours,
Kyungsoo.

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you

Baekhyun took a deep breath, fully aware of the weight of the words written in that note. "Pride and Prejudice," the same words shy Darcy said to his beloved after suppressing his feelings for so long.

His heart raced, every second feeling like an eternity as he held that note in his hands. Could he really wait any longer after a declaration like that?

His heart told him no. In his heart, he saw himself running to Kyungsoo's apartment to shout that he loved him too. More ardently than anyone he had ever loved in his life.

He loved Kyungsoo in every flavor he knew, in every temperature, gesture, and feeling. Baekhyun loved him passionately, intensely, impulsively, and with every adverb that could fit in his heart.

He loved him to the point of getting up from that bed, clutching the box of Éclairs, and rushing to the ground floor of his building. He loved him enough to stop Kyungsoo in the elevator and give him the kiss he had always longed for. And that's exactly what he was going to do.