The alarm clock was blaring in the dark room next to Kyungsoo's bed. He turned over, still sleepy, reaching for his phone to silence it once and for all.

He picked up the device and saw that it read 6:20 on the screen. It was early. But he always woke up very early since he started living alone. Chanyeol would say he was crazy, waking up so early when he didn't have to be at work until 2 p.m. Who would bother?

Well, someone extremely perfectionistic, that's who.

He woke up early to take care of everything, with all the details in order and perfectly organized. Dishes that were left from the previous day, restocking something that had run out, or opening the restaurant for daily cleaning before opening hours. He rarely showed up at Dyo's after 2 p.m., that day had been a big exception to the rule.

Kyungsoo smiled, remembering the time he had spent with the pastry chef the day before.

It had been a different experience. It had been a long time since he had gone out with someone like that. The last person had been an ex-girlfriend that didn't work out. The girl still hoped that he would go back to taking up the position in the company and "quit this cooking thing." He wasn't very surprised, as she had been introduced to him by his father in another business move.

But Baekhyun was different.

Kyungsoo felt that he could be comfortable around him, and he didn't even know why. It was just the dynamic they had that was different from all the people he had interacted with before. He made him feel at ease and didn't pressure him for answers he didn't want to give.

Except for yesterday.

He wouldn't tell him that he had called because he had felt lonely again and a little anxious about what he would have to face today. He would never tell how much that conversation had done him good, making him relax in that way. In a way, he was grateful to the guy.

Again.

Kyungsoo smiled.

It had become a habit to be grateful for his mere existence.

He got out of bed to do his morning hygiene routine. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he realized his hair was quite long already. Maybe he would have to cut it again, or let it grow? He didn't really know, he never cared much about appearance.

He left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen, only to remember that he was out of supplies again.

Kyungsoo sighed.

This could only be a big irony. Or negligence, but he preferred to classify it as irony. He couldn't continue without food in his own house and fill the restaurant with it. If this became a habit, it would be a complicated situation.

He was already leaving the house when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, checking the screen. He smiled, rolling his eyes when he saw that he had changed his name in the contacts again.

"Channieja? Seriously? How old are you?"

"Good morning, Kyungja." Greeted a cheerful voice that was characteristic of Park Chanyeol.

He was probably smiling with his mouth showing all his teeth. It was incredibly scary how he could show them every time he smiled.

"Chanyeol... that's two nicknames in one, it doesn't make any sense."

"I thought it would be cool if our names matched." He sounded hurt, pouting.

He was a grown man of 1.80 meters and still pouted when he disagreed or wanted to convince him of something. Kyungsoo sometimes felt like he could go crazy.

"We're a couple now?"

"Of course! I'm your best friend!" Kyungsoo laughed at the big guy's indignation.

Chanyeol always wanted to make it known to everyone that they were best friends, as if it were a noble title from the past century.

"So I guess I can make an exception." Silence filled the line as the other processed the information.

"Are you telling me you won't argue with me about this?" He was suspicious, as if he didn't quite know what his friend might be up to.

"No."

"What's gotten into you today, huh? You're being too affectionate, I would even say too much." Kyungsoo smiled, rolling his eyes.

"You're impossible, and then you talk about me. I have to go, Chan. See you later."

"Um... yeah, I'll stop by Dyo's around 6 p.m., okay?" The bald one sighed, thinking about what was to come.

"Alright. Take care."

"Kisses, Kyungja." Clearly, he was trying to cheer him up in his typical Chanyeol way.

"Idiot." Kyungsoo laughed before hanging up.

In a way, he was grateful that his friend had called him at 6:40 a.m.

Sehun didn't know what to think.

He had received an invitation from the company to participate in a volunteer project with children, teaching them the wonderful art of computer programming. He had no experience with little human beings and was quite nervous about it.

Maybe more than a little nervous.

As he worked for a company that developed not only games but also educational apps for learning purposes, they often had to cater to investors by providing this kind of service. It was somewhat enjoyable, if he didn't have to handle it all by himself this time.

So, he was really nervous.

But on the other hand, he thought it might do him good, as a distraction from all the sadness he was feeling.

His days hadn't been easy. He missed Irene every moment, but he was so determined to give her the time she needed to have a proper conversation that he tried his best to make that happen. His main focus was not to despair to the point of calling her or showing up unannounced at her apartment. But every day was like a struggle with himself, as his fingers seemed to only know one number in his contacts. He had almost called her countless times, and found himself on the way to her apartment instead of going to the grocery store.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to control.

Now he was standing in front of the preschool, not really sure how he was going to do this. As soon as he entered, he noticed that several of the corridors were adorned with drawings (and even some scribbles on the walls). He smiled. It was funny how humans still had the instinct to tell stories, like those from the caves, even at a young age.

Some children were walking through the hallway, and Sehun could hear the shouts from the physical education class, a little impressed by the reach of their high-pitched voices. It probably echoed throughout the block.

"Mr. Oh?" He turned when he heard his name being called. It was a guy slightly shorter than him, quite handsome.

"Yes?" The guy bowed politely, a 90-degree bow and all.

Maybe 84 degrees.

Sehun returned the gesture.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kim Junmyeon, the class teacher." Ah, so he was Mr. Kim?

"Pleasure, sir."

"Have you been introduced to the computer lab?"

"No, sir. I just arrived."

"Alright." The young man said, adjusting his large glasses on his face. They were huge, reaching down to a part of his cheek, casting a shadow over it. Sehun frowned. Who would design something so uncomfortable? It didn't make much sense.

"Shouldn't we go to the lab?" It was almost time for class to start.

The guy seemed to snap out of his daze. In a way, he seemed more like a student than a teacher, as if he were in high school or the first year of college.

It was a little funny.

They walked through the classrooms until they reached one with rows and rows of small computers. Sehun didn't know how he would help the little ones when he could barely see the tiny screens himself, but he figured he would deal with that problem later.

"Well, these are the computers." The guy said, a little shyly.

He didn't seem very comfortable around Sehun. Sehun began to wonder why. He was terrible at social interactions; maybe he had broken some rule he didn't know about or something.

"Um... I guess they'll do. Thank you, teacher."

"Please, call me Junmyeon." He smiled friendly, which made the programmer relax a little more.

Maybe it wasn't turning out to be such a disaster after all.

"Alright." The bell started ringing, signaling the children to move to the computer lab.

One by one, the children began to enter the room and stand in front of the computers. Some used them in pairs, others individually, but in the end, all the little ones were connected, waiting for his verdict.

There was absolute silence, which was very uncharacteristic of children that age. Sehun furrowed his brow. What was going on?

"Um. Well, I guess I... should start? My name is Oh Sehun. I'm a programmer at Elyxion Company. It's been... uh, a few years." Nothing.

No reaction yet.

He was starting to get nervous under the evaluative gazes, even worse than his first job interview. He sighed, mustering the courage to continue.

"Well, alright. This might not be interesting. Uh, today, we're going to... play a little on the computer." And then the screams started.

Sehun began to get a little scared by the lack of control, but then Junmyeon's calm voice stood out in the room.

"Settle down. And listen to what Professor Oh has to say." Wow.

He was a professor? The taller one smiled. He was even earning titles now.

"Thank you, Junmyeon." The shorter one looked at him, a little surprised.

He didn't seem to expect a thank-you. He gave a slightly timid bow and readjusted his giant glasses on his nose. It seemed like that thing had a life of its own.

"I-it's no problem." Sehun smiled.

Junmyeon seemed like a nice guy.

He turned his attention back to the little human beings in front of him and tried to think of a way to make everything educational and engaging. But he didn't know if he was capable of that.

"Let's turn on the computer first, okay? Can you do that?"

"Yesssss!" The little voices replied in unison.

He was really starting to enjoy this.

"After it's on, you can click on the small icon with an orange cat." That had been his idea, and he was quite proud of it.

Introducing a 3D animal as a second teacher for the children might hold their attention better, increase their concentration levels, and stimulate their learning. At least that's what he hoped would happen.

The sound of the program began to fill the room, like a symphony. Junmyeon, who was behind one of the computers, started smiling involuntarily. He seemed to like the program.

"Now, you can click on the 'start' icon and begin the activities. If you have any questions, please let me know so I can assist you." Junmyeon turned around, looking at him with a restrained smile.

He walked towards him until he stood by his side, looking at the class as Sehun was doing.

"You've never worked with children before?" His question wasn't biased, just curious.

Sehun frowned, deep in thought.

"As far as I can remember, no, never." The teacher smiled widely, finding it amusing.

"They're not as difficult as they may seem, Sehun. Children are extremely easy to handle; they understand things that adults insist on complicating." He didn't fully understand what the other guy meant, but he accepted it.

He probably had much more experience in the field, being a great teacher. But the biggest problem was that Sehun was a little scared. Even though he was about to get married, he knew full well that if they had a child, he would be a terrible father. One of those who lose their kids in the supermarket or forget to pick them up from school. He knew there would be no escaping that right. That's also what made him think that maybe Irene was right not to want to marry him. How could he be a husband who would never know how to act like a father?

"Alright." That's all he said because there wasn't much else to say.

He wouldn't pour out his worries to strangers, but Kim sensed that something was wrong. He assumed a different posture and began speaking in a soft voice.

"I know it may seem like all of this is impossible. Taking care of one of them. And it's really not an easy task, nobody is born knowing how to do it. But maybe, with time, they will start to surprise you. It's incredible how much we can also learn from these little ones." Junmyeon turned to the programmer, who was fully focused on what he was saying.

He smiled lightly and patted Sehun's shoulder before going to check on the students.

Was that how it was? Would he be able to take care of a child?

He was nervous.

He had thought a lot about marriage, and maybe he should even thank Irene for that. He had no idea about the responsibilities he might have to take on, and now he was becoming very worried about it. He had simply assumed that they would get married and be happy, nothing more than that. He hadn't thought about having to move or whether they wanted children or not. Sehun did, actually. Very much. But what about Irene? He didn't know much about what she wanted for her future.

Sehun sighed.

He was tired. Tired of having to think for two people and make decisions that were beyond his reach.

He decided that Irene's time would have to end today.

Minseok was pensive like never before in his life. And it was all because a pair of red ears couldn't leave his mind. He used to think he was invincible when it came to romance, that it would never affect him this way. He was a natural charmer; it wasn't in his nature to dwell on one person.

But why was it so different with Park Chanyeol?

The guy was a mess. With that arrogant demeanor that completely disappeared when he was around, like ice melting in hot water.

Minseok smiled.

Maybe he could make the big-eared guy warm up.

He took another drag from his mint cigarette, exhaling the trapped air. It was incredible how it brought him immense peace. As if the whole world could be sorted out afterward.

Damn nicotine!

He really wanted to quit smoking, but in moments like this, it brought him mental peace. Ever since he had spent time with Chanyeol that day, he couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to get to know him better.

But the tall one was so elusive!

He had almost asked for his phone number boldly when Chanyeol was leaving Dyo's after picking up his lunch. But Park came up with an excuse about being late and flew out of the restaurant before the bartender could strike up a conversation. Plus, Chanyeol was still kind of his boss, so technically, he couldn't do that. He could get fired on the spot, and Minseok wasn't willing to risk that.

But Park was incredibly adorable, and he couldn't help but . He smiled, remembering all of Chanyeol's reactions to the charms he had thrown at him. There was no resisting, it was hilarious. He had never had so much fun, not even with Baekhyun.

Ah, Baekhyun.

The guy was extremely y and had no clue about it. The dynamics between them were good, and it might lead to something, but Minseok knew it wouldn't go any further. There would be conflicts if that happened. Minseok didn't want a serious relationship; he enjoyed being free the way he was. He liked the flirty atmosphere, the cheap pick-up lines, and late-night hookups. He wanted to have control over his life, without getting involved with anyone, in complete freedom.

He loved his freedom more than anything in life.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the bedroom door open, until he felt Luhan next to him. The girl looked extremely beautiful, as she always did. Her long white hair was braided with thin strands tied with some kind of silver thread. She always seemed like a forest Daenerys, with all the roses and vegan food, or like a fairy who had escaped from some Nordic book on her shelf.

She smiled at him, intertwining her arms with his, as she always did. She reached out her hand to the cigarette he was holding and threw it out the window. He watched the lit end descend downwards.

"You owe me 50 cents, missy."

"And you owe my friend a new lung." She smiled at him, snuggling closer to his embrace.

The relationship with Luhan was easy and light, so different from the intensity that Minseok exuded. It was like a safer harbor from the chaotic life he led. Of course, that was entirely on Luhan's part, as she had a calm aura. Being close to her was like being exposed to a refreshing summer breeze or sleeping under the lazy sun on any given afternoon. So cozy and peaceful that, in a way, he felt somewhat protected. As if he had a shield-maiden to confide in.

"It's cold in here, Min. Why are you shirtless?" She was worried, it could be heard in her voice.

Minseok turned his gaze to her, smiling with his other arm resting on the window.

"I was waiting for you to notice." The girl laughed, pressing herself closer to his embrace to warm his bare arms.

"You would need a pair of s for that to work." He smirked.

"Oh no, always the ample bosoms." She laughed more, pulling him away from the window.

"Come on, you'll end up catching a cold. Then you'll have to deal with Chef Dyo yelling in your ear."

"That shorty just needs a good lay. He'd see how he could destress like that, easy peasy."

"Not everyone is like you, Mr. maniac. Sometimes people just need a common bond to make them realize their path in life." She fell silent with that.

He couldn't help but think of him again, it was impossible.

They were similar in many ways. The promiscuity, the interest in alcohol, and maybe even their sense of style. But more than that, Minseok knew that Chanyeol's charm was what made him stand out. He was different from the people he interacted with.

Extremely addictive.

"Maybe someone is pensive. Do you want to tell me what happened?" He looked at the friend who had always been kind to him, and he was truly feeling down.

He could never tell her. Park was his friend, and they had a history together, a band together. It wasn't fair to bring it up and not follow through. Luhan would be excited about all the possibilities of them being together, and it would be in vain.

He smiled, disguising his thoughts.

"Nothing to worry about, my love. My days still belong to you." The girl crossed her arms.

"Do whatever you want, Min. But know that I'm here if you want to talk."

"Alright." He said, a little more serious. "Thank you for that, Luhan."

"You're the man of my life, so of course I would do anything for you." She smiled.

"Oh, baby. You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear that from a cutie like you." Luhan hugged him, kissing his cheek.

"I know exactly."

"So, does that mean you're seeing some cutie too?"

"Too?" She put her hand on her waist. "What are you not telling me?"

"Why do you say that?"

"You seem a bit different. Your energy is unfocused, and you've been so thoughtful." She smiled, finding it amusing.

That energy thing again.

"It's been a while since I went out. Do you want to come tonight? It's Friday. We can go to a bar or something." She sighed, realizing she wouldn't get anything out of him there.

That was something Minseok loved about Luhan: she never pressured him for answers. She always respected his space and mental confusion, as if she knew exactly what it was like. She probably did.

"I can't go out tonight, I still have some songs to write." This time he was

surprised.

"You're getting back into the band?"

"No. This time I'm going solo. Singing those depressing songs that require the accompaniment of a guitar."

"Call me when you're ready to hear your melancholic voice again. It's the eighth wonder of the world." Luhan smiled, a bit embarrassed.

She was a disaster with compliments, it was quite obvious. But she always made a point to praise him because the girl deserved every bit of it.

"Of course. I'll reserve your seat in the front row."

"I'll be there." He smiled, running his hands over his goosebumped arms. "You know what, you're absolutely right. It is chilly in here."

Luhan laughed, patting his shoulder.

"I told you. Put on a shirt and come to the kitchen. I'll make something for us to eat."

"Okay. I'll follow you to help. I just need to grab a shirt from the closet." She still smiled as she walked towards the kitchen.

Minseok headed to the closet, opening the drawer to find a shirt. To his surprise, the first one that caught his eye was from Chanyeol and Luhan's former band: Legends of Ocarina.

Minseok smirked.

Maybe this was some kind of ridiculous sign, or maybe it just meant that his days were about to get more complicated.

Perhaps the learning program wasn't as efficient as Sehun thought, making him believe he had done something wrong.

None of the children were paying attention to him. They were running around the room, some of them frantically pressing all the keys like a professional Counter-Strike player. It was admirable and frightening to watch. How could these little creatures have so much energy? They seemed to radiate more than the sun itself.

Junmyeon had left him alone with them while he attended to another class. Later, he found out that the computer classes were taught by another teacher, so their schedules didn't align for Kim to assist him in the classroom. Sehun contemplated the possibility of begging Junmyeon on his knees not to teach the other class, but the other teacher reassured him that he would get the hang of it soon.

But the programmer just couldn't figure it out.

He had no idea what to do with the little ones. He knew nothing about teaching or discipline; he was simply following his intuition.

What could he do to regain their focus?

He resorted to his experiences with training and remembered that distracting the target with food usually worked. There were some cookies that the teacher had left there, saying they were for later snack time. Maybe he could use them now, right? It always worked with his dog Vivi. But would there be any difference in response? His mother treated him like a child, so maybe they would respond similarly. He had to try.

"Um... Attention!" It didn't work; none of the children even looked at him. What should Sehun do now? Blow a whistle? Shake the bag of cookies? He had no idea.

He flew over to the small table that held a few jars of cookies, some in bags. He opened one that said "Sablé" and thought they might work because they looked similar to the ones he gave to Vivi. Sehun took one or two to taste and ended up taking five more because they were amazing.

But, oh boy, he needed focus.

When he looked back at the room, he saw that most of the children had stopped whatever they were doing and started running toward the cookie table.

Sehun widened his eyes.

He was already scared by the idea that humans at this stage had so much energy, but this was a bit too much. He had heard something about sugar and children not being a good combination, but he didn't imagine it would be such a problem. The little ones grabbed the cookies like never before, attacking the small table without mercy. And this, he remembered, was because they had apparently just finished eating. He couldn't even imagine what they would do if they were hungry.

He managed to grab a few of the wonderful cookies for himself and fled to a quieter spot in the room.

He sighed.

It seemed like he could somewhat control the situation there. He looked at the cookies in his hands and smiled. How could something so wonderful and pleasing to his taste buds exist? He was practically drooling over them. Maybe he should stop being so obsessed with sweets, but he simply couldn't. He loved them all. And he was extremely grateful that his best friend was an experienced pastry chef.

He was about to take a bite of the little piece of heaven when he caught a glimpse of a boy playing with the computer all by himself. He furrowed his brow. He hadn't seen the boy before, had he been there the whole time?

Sehun approached the boy and knelt down beside him to match their heights. His back wasn't the best after sitting at the computer for so many hours, so he couldn't bend down.

The boy looked at him with sparkling little eyes. He seemed to want to say something but didn't have the courage. Sehun smiled, trying to reassure him.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing with the computer." Ah.

The programmer chuckled lightly. The literalness of children.

"Why don't you go eat?"

"It's really crowded over there." He pointed to the table, where there were still several children around.

It was indeed quite crowded; even he, an adult, didn't have the courage to face the hungry little ones. Not even for the wonders of heaven.

He looked at the cookies in his hands, already suffering for what he was about to do. He offered them to the boy, who just stared at them, not understanding.

"You don't have to go over there; you can have these instead." The little boy looked a bit sad.

"My mom doesn't let me eat sugar." Sehun furrowed his brow.

Was such a thing possible? He tried to gather information in his mind.

"Do you have some kind of intolerance? Insufficient insulin?"

"I have day-beet-ees." The little boy separated the word, making Sehun smile.

The way he said it was quite cute, as if he was sure that was how the word went.

"Oh. In that case, you should stay away from any food in the monosaccharide group." The little boy widened his eyes at him.

"Mo-no-sac-cha-rides?" The boy struggled to spell it.

Sehun smiled.

"Exactly." He patted the boy's shoulder, as he always did when Baekhyun answered a physics question correctly during their study sessions for the college entrance exams. "Do you have any questions about the computer?"

"I wanted to play." That piqued Sehun's interest; he was a fanatic about games.

Perhaps he could teach the boy something with this.

"Do you like games?" The boy nodded excitedly.

Sehun smiled again, the second time that day.

"How about a little bit of everyone's favorite Italian plumbers?"

"What's that?" The boy asked curiously.

"Don't you know Mr. Mario?" The little boy shook his head.

The programmer was genuinely shocked. This was practically an outrage! What kind of person didn't give their child a classic video game to play? What kind of games was he subjecting himself to? Early childhood education was truly in a precarious state.

"What games do you like?"

"Naruto." Oh no.

The little yellow ninja that Irene loved so much. Sehun sighed. It wasn't the time for memories.

"Here's the deal: we can play some Mr. Mario first, and then you can introduce me to Naruto. What do you say?" He smiled brightly at the boy.

"Awesome!" The boy extended his little palm to him, and Sehun smiled widely as he gave him a high-five.

He later realized that maybe the teacher was right. It wasn't that difficult to deal with the little ones; he just had to learn to blend in, and he might end up learning something from them. Like the fact that Naruto games weren't as boring as he thought.

Baekhyun stood in front of Irene's apartment door. He knew he might be doing something crazy, considering that she had explicitly told Sehun that she needed time to think, but he couldn't bear to see his friend suffering so much. He knew it was wrong to interfere like this, but he didn't care. He was tired of dealing with a shell of Sehun! He wanted his friend back as he used to be.

And, well, it had been 26 hours already!

That was too long!

He took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The door took a while to open, but it was a disheveled Yeri who answered. She had a grumpy and swollen face, probably just woke up.

"Hey! Do you know what time it is? It's way too early!" Byun sighed.

He had never gotten along well with the little one; that was a place reserved only for Sehun.

"Where's your sister? I need to talk to her."

"The idiot went out to buy coffee." She looked him up and down and crossed her arms. "Are you going to come in or not?"

"You know I'm older than you, right?"

"Yeah? I don't care." She went inside, leaving the door open.

What a little brat... Byun ran his hands through his hair, trying to compose himself. He wouldn't gain anything by arguing with a teenager. It was better to save his irritation for another friend.

He entered the apartment, closing the door and waiting in the living room. Then he noticed that the couch was occupied by Yeri, who had gone back to sleep there.

"I'm not getting up for you, in case you were thinking that." She didn't even open her eyes to say that.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

He didn't know what he had done to receive so much unwarranted hatred, but he doubted it was personal. She seemed to hate everyone. Maybe it was just her nature.

He turned to the kitchen and sat at the table. There wasn't much to do, and he was already taking out his phone to distract himself when he saw them spread out on the table. Several wedding dress brochures and wedding preparation magazines.

Baekhyun reached out and picked them up to examine them. They were all from specialized wedding stores, party supplies, and such. He was a little surprised; had she finally taken a stance on this?

All the dresses were beautiful and would look perfect on Irene. She truly had a talent for fashion that was beyond normal. He wondered if she had any interest in the industry; it would be a waste not to invest in that area.

The door opened again, and soon Irene was in the kitchen. She put the groceries on the table and froze in place as soon as she saw Baekhyun there.

"Baek... What's wrong? Did something happen? Is Sehun okay?" The redhead crossed his arms and gave her a stern look.

"Nothing serious happened. But no, of course, he's not okay!" The girl took a deep breath, sitting in the chair beside him.

She put her arms on the table and rested her hands, covering her face. She seemed on the verge of tears. Baekhyun softened. Of course, it must be difficult for her too. He took her hands, intertwining them with his, and realized he was right. His friend was crying thick tears.

"I-I don't know what t-to do, Baekkie."

"Calm down, Irene. I didn't come here to fight with you." Actually, he did.

But he also had a soft spot when it came to his friend. Now he was rethinking the harsh words he was about to let out.

She chuckled, wiping her tears with her left hand.

"What a liar! Of course, you did. Sehun is your protege." That was true; he couldn't deny it.

"Yes, well, maybe I do." He reluctantly admitted. "But, look, I just... Damn it, Irene, can't you see? He went the whole day without eating, and this morning I didn't even see him leave! He left a note saying something about school and computers. Sehun isn't even a teacher; it doesn't make any sense." She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What?"

"Exactly! He's lost, you know how big-hearted he is. He's missing you."

"I miss him too, Baekkie, but it's not that simple."

"Of course, it is! You just have to talk to him, express your thoughts. It's not that difficult." She looked away, focusing on the table and pulling her hands back.

She tried to wipe her eyes again, but the tears seemed endless. She was a mess, and Byun could see it.

"I-I don't... I'm scared." She confessed in a whisper. "Scared of what might happen. I don't think I'm ready to take on this responsibility."

"Then tell him that, damn it."

"You don't understand, Baekkie. I don't think I can handle this, ever. I can't. I tried to fit into the wedding environment, but I can't. Just the thought of living like that fills me with panic. I don't want a family. I don't want children. And I don't know if my mind will change in the long run."

With that, Baekhyun fell into absolute silence. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know that the problem was with marriage itself, not Sehun. It was then that he realized what was holding Irene back was exactly what she would never be able to let go of.

"You mean you don't want to get married, ever? You don't want a more serious relationship?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Well, Irene, I think you're being foolish." She stared at him, a bit shocked.

The redhead had never spoken to her like this, but it needed to be done. Otherwise, that cornball would continue making more mistakes.

"What do you mean?"

"You're panicking, and that's totally normal. But you can't decide things on your own. God, you two are so similar." He stood up, indignant. "You can't give the final verdict and think everything will be fine. It's a two-way street."

"I-I know that." She started crying again. "But I'm not ready to let him go, Baek. It hurts just to imagine it."

"And who told you that was going to happen? Sehun loves you immensely, you know that."

"Love sometimes isn't eno-"

"Oh, cut it out! You're both idiots; that's why you can't resolve anything." He sighed. "Look, I love you. A lot. But I won't let this become toxic for either of you. God, it sounds like Yeri." She smiled faintly.

"You sound like Yeri." She muttered softly.

She was completely right, even though she didn't like being compared to the little angry one.

"Maybe the angry little one is right, then." He reluctantly admitted. "I don't want anything bad to happen to either of you, and seeing you like this..." He pointed at her, making his point. 

She seemed lost in a sea of tears and puffy eyes. It truly broke his

Baekhyun was standing in front of Irene's apartment door. He knew he might be doing something crazy, considering that his friend had explicitly told Sehun that she needed some time to think. But he couldn't stand seeing his friend suffer so much anymore. He knew it was wrong to interfere like this, but he didn't care. He was tired of dealing with a shell of Sehun! He wanted his friend back as he used to be.

And, well, it had already been 26 hours!

That was too much time!

He took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The door took a while to open, but it was a disheveled Yeri who answered. She had a grumpy and swollen face, probably just waking up.

"Hey! Do you know what time it is? It's damn early!" Byun sighed.

He had never gotten along well with the little one; that was a place reserved only for Sehun.

"Where's your sister? I need to talk to her."

"The idiot went out to buy coffee." She looked him up and down and crossed her arms. "Are you coming in or not?"

"You know I'm older than you, right?"

"Yeah? I don't care." She went inside, leaving the door open.

What a bratty girl... Byun ran his hands through his hair, trying to compose himself. He wouldn't gain anything by arguing with a teenager. It was better to save his irritation for another friend.

He entered the apartment, closed the door, and waited in the living room. Then he noticed that Yeri had occupied the couch again and had fallen back to sleep.

"I'm not getting up for you, in case you were thinking that." She didn't even open her eyes to say that.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

He didn't know what he had done to receive so much unwarranted hatred, but he doubted it was personal. She seemed to hate everyone. Maybe it was just her nature.

He turned to the kitchen and sat at the table. There wasn't much to do, and he was about to take out his phone to distract himself when he noticed some brochures and wedding preparation magazines scattered on the table. They were all about bridal dresses, party supplies, and such. He was a little surprised. Had she finally taken a stance on this?

All the dresses were beautiful and would look perfect on Irene. She truly had a talent for fashion that was extraordinary. He wondered if she had any interest in pursuing that field. It would be a waste not to invest in it.

The door opened again, and soon Irene was in the kitchen. She put the groceries on the table and froze when she saw Baekhyun sitting there.

"Baek... What's wrong? Did something happen? Is Sehun okay?" The redhead crossed his arms and gave her a stern look.

"Nothing serious happened. But no, of course, he's not okay!" The girl took a deep breath and sat in the chair next to him.

She rested her arms on the table and covered her face with her hands. She seemed on the verge of tears. Baekhyun softened. Of course, it must be difficult for her too. He took her hands, intertwining them with his, and realized he was right. His friend was crying profusely.

"I-I don't know what t-to do, Baekkie."

"Calm down, Irene. I didn't come here to argue with you." Actually, he did.

But he also had a soft spot when it came to his friend. Now he was reconsidering the harsh words he was about to unleash.

She chuckled, wiping her tears with her left hand.

"What a liar! Of course you did come to argue. Sehun is your protégé." That was true; he couldn't deny it.

"Yes, well, maybe I did." He admitted reluctantly. "But look, I just... Damn it, Irene, can't you see? He went the whole day without eating, and this morning I didn't even see him leave! He left a note saying something about school and computers. Sehun isn't even a teacher; it doesn't make any sense." She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What?"

"Exactly! He's lost, you know how big-hearted he is. He's missing you."

"I miss him too, Baekkie, but it's not that simple."

"Of course it is! You just have to talk to him, express your thoughts. It's not that difficult." She looked away, focusing on the table and pulling her hands back.

She tried to wipe her eyes again, but the tears seemed never-ending. She was a mess, and Byun could see that.

"I-I don't... I'm scared." She whispered, her voice breaking. "Scared of what might happen. I don't think I'm ready to take on this responsibility."

"Then tell him that, damn it."

"You don't understand, Baekkie. I don't think I can handle this, ever. I can't. I tried to fit into the wedding environment, but I can't. Just the thought of living like that fills me with panic. I don't want a family. I don't want children. And I don't know if I'll ever change my mind about it."

With that, Baekhyun fell into absolute silence. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know that the problem was with marriage itself, not Sehun. It was then that he realized what was holding Irene back was exactly what she would never be able to let go of.

"You mean you don't want to get married, ever? You don't want a more serious relationship?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Well, Irene, I think you're being foolish." She stared at him, a bit shocked.

The redhead had never spoken to her like this, but it needed to be done. Otherwise, that softie would continue making more mistakes.

"What do you mean?"

"You're panicking, and that's totally normal. But you can't decide things on your own. God, you two are so similar." He stood up, indignant. "You can't give the final verdict and think everything will be fine. It's a two-way street."

"I-I know that." She started crying again. "But I'm not ready to let him go, Baek. It hurts just to imagine it."

"And who told you that was going to happen? Sehun loves you immensely, you know that."

"Love sometimes isn't enough-"

"Oh, cut it out! You're both idiots; that's why you can't resolve anything." He sighed. "Look, I love you. A lot. But I won't let this become toxic for either of you. God, you sound like Yeri." She smiled faintly.

"You sound like Yeri." She muttered softly.

She was completely right, even though she didn't like being compared to the little angry one.

"Maybe the angry little one is right, then." He reluctantly admitted. "I don't want anything bad to happen to either of you, and seeing you like this..." He pointed at her, making his point.

She seemed lost in a sea of tears and puffy eyes. It truly broke his heart in ways he couldn't even explain. Sehun was his hyung, the person he could rely. Baekhyun was standing in front of Irene's apartment door. He knew he might be doing something crazy, considering that his friend had explicitly told Sehun that she needed some time to think. But he couldn't stand seeing his friend suffer so much anymore. He knew it was wrong to interfere like this, but he didn't care. He was tired of dealing with a shell of Sehun! He wanted his friend back as he used to be.

And, well, it had already been 26 hours!

That was too much time!

He took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The door took a while to open, but it was a disheveled Yeri who answered. She had a grumpy and swollen face, probably just waking up.

"Hey! Do you know what time it is? It's damn early!" Byun sighed.

He had never gotten along well with the little one; that was a place reserved only for Sehun.

"Where's your sister? I need to talk to her."

"The idiot went out to buy coffee." She looked him up and down and crossed her arms. "Are you coming in or not?"

"You know I'm older than you, right?"

"Yeah? I don't care." She went inside, leaving the door open.

What a bratty girl... Byun ran his hands through his hair, trying to compose himself. He wouldn't gain anything by arguing with a teenager. It was better to save his irritation for another friend.

He entered the apartment, closed the door, and waited in the living room. Then he noticed that Yeri had occupied the couch again and had fallen back to sleep.

"I'm not getting up for you, in case you were thinking that." She didn't even open her eyes to say that.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

He didn't know what he had done to receive so much unwarranted hatred, but he doubted it was personal. She seemed to hate everyone. Maybe it was just her nature.

He turned to the kitchen and sat at the table. There wasn't much to do, and he was about to take out his phone to distract himself when he noticed some brochures and wedding preparation magazines scattered on the table. They were all about bridal dresses, party supplies, and such. He was a little surprised. Had she finally taken a stance on this?

All the dresses were beautiful and would look perfect on Irene. She truly had a talent for fashion that was extraordinary. He wondered if she had any interest in pursuing that field. It would be a waste not to invest in it.

The door opened again, and soon Irene was in the kitchen. She put the groceries on the table and froze when she saw Baekhyun sitting there.

"Baek... What's wrong? Did something happen? Is Sehun okay?" The redhead crossed his arms and gave her a stern look.

"Nothing serious happened. But no, of course, he's not okay!" The girl took a deep breath and sat in the chair next to him.

She rested her arms on the table and covered her face with her hands. She seemed on the verge of tears. Baekhyun softened. Of course, it must be difficult for her too. He took her hands, intertwining them with his, and realized he was right. His friend was crying profusely.

"I-I don't know what t-to do, Baekkie."

"Calm down, Irene. I didn't come here to argue with you." Actually, he did.

But he also had a soft spot when it came to his friend. Now he was reconsidering the harsh words he was about to unleash.

She chuckled, wiping her tears with her left hand.

"What a liar! Of course you did come to argue. Sehun is your protégé." That was true; he couldn't deny it.

"Yes, well, maybe I did." He admitted reluctantly. "But look, I just... Damn it, Irene, can't you see? He went the whole day without eating, and this morning I didn't even see him leave! He left a note saying something about school and computers. Sehun isn't even a teacher; it doesn't make any sense." She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What?"

"Exactly! He's lost, you know how big-hearted he is. He's missing you."

"I miss him too, Baekkie, but it's not that simple."

"Of course it is! You just have to talk to him, express your thoughts. It's not that difficult." She looked away, focusing on the table and pulling her hands back.

She tried to wipe her eyes again, but the tears seemed never-ending. She was a mess, and Byun could see that.

"I-I don't... I'm scared." She whispered, her voice breaking. "Scared of what might happen. I don't think I'm ready to take on this responsibility."

"Then tell him that, damn it."

"You don't understand, Baekkie. I don't think I can handle this, ever. I can't. I tried to fit into the wedding environment, but I can't. Just the thought of living like that fills me with panic. I don't want a family. I don't want children. And I don't know if I'll ever change my mind about it."

With that, Baekhyun fell into absolute silence. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know that the problem was with marriage itself, not Sehun. It was then that he realized what was holding Irene back was exactly what she would never be able to let go of.

"You mean you don't want to get married, ever? You don't want a more serious relationship?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Well, Irene, I think you're being foolish." She stared at him, a bit shocked.

The redhead had never spoken to her like this, but it needed to be done. Otherwise, that softie would continue making more mistakes.

"What do you mean?"

"You're panicking, and that's totally normal. But you can't decide things on your own. God, you two are so similar." He stood up, indignant. "You can't give the final verdict and think everything will be fine. It's a two-way street."

"I-I know that." She started crying again. "But I'm not ready to let him go, Baek. It hurts just to imagine it."

"And who told you that was going to happen? Sehun loves you immensely, you know that."

"Love sometimes isn't enough-"

"Oh, cut it out! You're both idiots; that's why you can't resolve anything." He sighed. "Look, I love you. A lot. But I won't let this become toxic for either of you. God, you sound like Yeri." She smiled faintly.

"You sound like Yeri." She muttered softly.

She was completely right, even though she didn't like being compared to the little angry one.

"Maybe the angry little one is right, then." He reluctantly admitted. "I don't want anything bad to happen to either of you, and seeing you like this..." He pointed at her, making his point.

She seemed lost in a sea of tears and puffy eyes. It truly broke his heart in ways he couldn't even explain. Sehun was his hyung, the person he could rely on no matter what. Seeing him so broken was painful for Baekhyun, and he couldn't bear to see Irene in the same state.

"But you have to talk to him, Irene. You have to communicate your fears and concerns. Sehun loves you, and he deserves to know what's going on in your mind."

Irene sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I know, Baekhyun. I know I need to talk to him, but I'm scared of losing him. I don't want to hurt him."

Baekhyun squeezed her hands gently. "I understand your fears, Irene. But you can't let fear control your decisions. Sehun deserves to know the truth, and you deserve to be honest with yourself too. It's not fair to either of you to continue like this."

Irene nodded, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and determination. "You're right, Baekhyun. I can't keep running away from this. I need to face it and talk to Sehun. I just hope he'll understand."

"He will, Irene. I have faith in both of you." Baekhyun smiled reassuringly. "Now, let's figure out a plan. How about you go out and find Sehun? I'll stay here and wait for Yeri to wake up. Once you two have talked, let me know. I'll be here to support you both."

Irene nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Baekhyun. I really appreciate your support."

Baekhyun smiled and stood up. "That's what friends are for, right? Now go find Sehun and have that conversation. Everything will work out, I promise."

With renewed determination, Irene wiped away her tears and headed towards the door. Baekhyun watched her leave, hoping that this conversation would bring the clarity and resolution that both Sehun and Irene needed.

As he waited for Yeri to wake up, Baekhyun couldn't help but feel a mix of hope and anxiety. He knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy for Sehun and Irene, but he believed in their strength and love for each other. All he could do now was be there for them, supporting and guiding them through this challenging time.

And with that thought, Baekhyun prepared himself to be the friend they needed, ready to offer a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, and words of wisdom whenever necessary.