"He made like this big heart in front of the whole school and I thought I'll have a heart attack." Sehun told Baekhyun who was eagerly listening to the younger boy's story.

"That's supposed to be me. When you did it, I almost had a heart attack. When I made the heart sign you turned into a big puddle of mush." Luhan corrected Sehun with a teasing grin.

"Come on guys, you're confusing Baekhyun." Kyungsoo told the couple on the couch. They were having a movie night in Jongin and Kyungsoo's dorm. It started as a movie night but halfway through the first one, a sappy romantic comedy, Luhan began to compare the story line to his and Sehun's love story which in turn resulted to Baekhyun being curious and asking the two to tell it to him.

"Baekhyunnie, don't listen to them. What really happened was they fell in love and turned to blubbering idiots after." Kyungsoo continued.

"Hey." Sehun and Luhan said at the same time. Baekhyun laughed at the two sitting to his right. Kyungsoo continued on his way to the kitchen to get more food.

"At least I can say our love story is one for the books, unlike that of others here." The Luhan playfully patted Jongin's head who was sitting on the floor in front of him.

Jongin turned his head to look up at Baekhyun, Luhan and Sehun on the sofa. "I can't believe I just realized that while I'm sitting here enduring this crap of a movie, you three back there are not even watching."

"Well, as I pointed out to Baekhyun, our story's better." Luhan said.

"Then who even suggested we watch this movie anyway?" Jongin asked, frowning.

"I did." Sehun answered. "It was one of the few I have at home. All the good ones are with Chanyeol."

"Huh?" Chanyeol absently answered as he heard his name. He was on the floor in front of Baekhyun, the only one left intent on watching the movie. They ignored him.

"Are you telling me those girly movies Chanyeol watches are from you?" Jongin asked disgustedly.

"They're not girly. Really, Jongin-ah, you should watch some so you can get some pointers." Sehun said smugly.

Jongin threw him an incredulous look. "On what? How to look stupid?"

"You don't know what you're missing out on." Sehun said defensively.

Baekhyun smiled fondly at the two younger boys. He hugged his bent legs closer to him. It was fun hanging out with Chanyeol's friends on weekends. But come to think of it, they're his friends now, too.

Baekhyun moved his gaze to the boy in front of him. Amidst all the bickering and the noise, it's amazing how Chanyeol can still focus on the movie. He felt a rush of affection as he watched him laugh and slap his hand on his thigh. He was always doing things that make Baekhyun want to get close. Actually, anything Chanyeol does makes him want to.

He sat crossed-legged on the couch and leaned forward until his head was beside Chanyeol's. He angled it so he can look at the tall boy's profile. "Having fun?"

"Yeah,This is so-" Chanyeol turned his head to him and stopped. There were no more than a few inches separating their faces.

Baekhyun felt everything fade as he looked into Chanyeol's eyes. Will it always be like this? Will he always take my breath away?

Chanyeol pretended to be engrossed in the movie but actually he was conscious of Baekhyun sitting behind him on the couch. He tried to concentrate on what they were watching but it was hard when he can hear Baekhyun's soft laughter and can feel him shift as the couch dips whenever he moved. He had to stop himself from leaning backwards and resting his head on the shorter boy's lap. It must feel like heaven to be able to do that.

But it wasn't in his place to think such thoughts so he laughed hard and didn't mind when Sehun and Jongin started with their usual bickering. He was starting to actually like what he was watching when he felt Baekhyun move again and then he was staring into his eyes.

"Having fun?" He asked with a smile and Chanyeol's brain short-circuited.

He wanted to say Yes, I'm having fun. Yes, you're perfect. Yes, please be mine. Yes and a lot of other things that he couldn't because his tongue was stuck in his throat.

"Finally realized how ugly he is Baekhyun?" Sehun joked followed by an "Ouch!" when Kyungsoo, who just came back from the kitchen, cuffed him on the head.

Baekhyun straightened and Chanyeol saw that all of their four friends' attention was on them.

"What was that for?" Sehun asked grudgingly as he rubbed his head.

"That's for you being an idiot." Kyungsoo said.

"That's for you being stupid." This from Jongin.

"That's for you being..." Luhan paused when he received a frown from his boyfriend but then continued. "You."

Chanyeol couldn't quite get what they were talking about and as he looked at Baekhyun he thinks the shorter boy couldn't either. But he was sort of relieved from the interruption because if Sehun hadn't spoken who knows what he could have done or said.

"Sehun, peel your sorry self from Luhan and buy some more drinks and food. The devil there somehow forgot to tell me that he already demolished the groceries I kept for today." Kyungsoo ordered the youngest.

"I'm a growing boy." Jongin said in defense. "I need proper nourishment."

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at his boyfriend. "For that comment alone, you go with Sehun."

"I'll go, too." Chanyeol volunteered. He stood up and saw the exasperated looks his friends gave him. Well, except for Sehun who looks disgruntled and Baekhyun who was the only one with a normal expression. "What?"

Luhan and Kyungsoo sighed. Jongin and put his hand on Chanyeol's shoulder. "Come on, big guy. We're going to have a talk."

His friends were acting strange but then again they are strange people so Chanyeol just shrugged. "Uh, Okay."

He then turned to Baekhyun. "We'll just be gone for a while."

"Okay." The shorter boy answered. "Just be careful."

Chanyeol felt touched with the simple reminder. "Will do."

"Guys, the convenience store is just three blocks away..." Sehun said.

"Jongin, take this kid away from here." Kyungsoo frowned.

"What did I do again?" Sehun looked confused. He turned to Luhan. "Why do you let them bully me?"

"Because sometimes you are so adorably dense." Luhan reached up to kiss Sehun's cheek. "Now off you go before Kyungsoo does away with you."

Chanyeol still doesn't get what the others were talking about. But it wasn't long before he found out. Jongin started to talk as soon as they got outside.

"Man, I can't believe you still haven't made a move."

"What move?" Do his friends know about his feelings for Baekhyun?

"Chanyeol, you know what I mean. How long have you been dorm mates? Two months? And you still haven't asked Baekhyun out, have you?" Jongin said.

"Chanyeollie likes Baekhyun?" Sehun asked, surprised. "So earlier... why Kyungsoo... Oh."

"Sehun, seriously, sometimes you have to pay attention to other things around you besides Luhan." Jongin told the younger boy. "They were having a moment earlier and you ruined it."

"Sorry, Chanyeol." Sehun patted Chanyeol's shoulder.

"Wait, guys. How did you even know I.. that I... like Baekhyun?" Chanyeol asked.

"So obvious man."

"Yeah, come to think of it, it is obvious." Sehun added.

Chanyeol panicked. He was obvious? Then... "Do you think Baekhyun knows?"

"Now, that's what I'm not too sure about. I still don't know him well aside from he's a very nice person and that he's perfect for you." Jongin explained. They reached the convenience store and entered. "I also think he likes you."

"He does? You really think so?" Chanyeol was reluctant to hope. As far as he knows, Baekhyun just treats him like the others.

Since Baekhyun started living with Chanyeol he has always cooked breakfast for him and tidied the dorm here and there. It actually looks inhabitable now. But Baekhyun would probably do that for anyone. He can't read anything to it.

Sometimes, Baekhyun does hug him unexpectedly but then it's because he misses his family, right? Right? So he can't read anything into that either.

"Trust me, my friend. The way the short guy looks at you? I say he likes you a lot." Jongin said while going through Kyungsoo's list of what to buy. Chanyeol still can't process what his friend is telling him. Can Baekhyun really like him?

But that's impossible. Baekhyun is perfect. In every way. While Chanyeol is... not.

"That's impossible." Chanyeol muttered.

"Even if Baekhyun doesn't like you, you like him." Sehun said seriously.

He can feel himself blush. He's not used to talking about his feelings with his friends. It was easy to talk about theirs but not his. "Yeah. I do."

"So what are you waiting for?" Sehun said with a roll of his eyes. "You're even slower than Jongin."

"Excuse me. I'm not slow-" Jongin was distracted by the cashier as it was his turn to pay. Chanyeol thought he wasn't slow. It's more like he's not moving at all. The thing is if he told Baekhyun he loves him and Baekhyun didn't love him back it will really hurt a lot. He'll probably cry more than he ever cried before. It will be May 6 everyday.

He knows it's stupid. He's waited for so long for someone like Baekhyun. How many times had he been envious when he sees Luhan and Sehun hold hands? When Jongin and Kyungsoo kiss? But he thinks their relationship is already perfect the way it is right now.

Being with Baekhyun, even if it's just as friends, had to be enough. It's the first time he fell in love so what if he botches this up? He can't lose Baekhyun. He just can't.

Chanyeol was shaken out of his thoughts by Jongin who handed him an ice cream bar as they went out of the store. "This is just what we need. Ice cream to think clearly."

Sehun agreed with a nod. "Going back to what we were talking about-"

"Yeah. As I was saying I'm not slow. Kyungsoo and I just took our time." Jongin said to which Sehun scoffed. He continued, "But enough about us. Sehun has a point though. What are you waiting for?"

"Nothing." Chanyeol answered. "I'm not waiting for anything because I'm not going to do anything."

"Why not?" Jongin and Sehun asked at the same time.

"Because... I don't want to mess this up."

"You like Baekhyun. He likes you. How can you possibly mess up?" Jongin asked.

"Yeah. Just tell him you love him. Then show him. Do something so sweet that he can't resist." Sehun said while lifting his hands up over his head and making a heart sign with his arms.

Jongin rolled his eyes. "That's for losers like you. Chanyeol what you should do is just get him alone and kiss him. Say your I love you's and that's it."

"Says the romantic Kim Jongin." Sehun said with a smirk.

"At least I didn't waste two years with longing glances before making my move."

"Uh, huh. You wasted more like five."

"Oh, yeah? Since you're the very definition of fast, do you know where all of Luhan's beauty marks are? Cause I certainly know Kyungsoo's. He has one in the side, one on his lower back-" Chanyeol clamped his hand on Jongin's mouth. Sehun looked scandalized.

"Jongin-ah, we really don't need to know that." Chanyeol removed his hand and went on walking. "What does it have to do with me anyway?"

"Why? Don't you want to know where Baekhyun's marks are?" Jongin said with a wolfish grin.

"I do... don't. I don't. Well, I do but... stop confusing me!" Chanyeol complained.

"I'm not. What I'm saying is go for it."

"It's not simple as you both say it is. I just can't. Sehun, you and Luhan have known each other for at least half your lives. You, Jongin, have known Kyungsoo for more than five years. Baekhyun and I have only known each other for two months. I can't risk the friendship we have right now. I don't want to lose him so soon." Chanyeol explained. It was all so complicated.

"But it is all about risk. Jongin and I didn't tell you it was easy. It never is. What we are telling you is to do something about it. I didn't get Luhan the first time I told him I loved him. It was hard and painful most of the time but in the end Luhan was worth everything." Sehun said seriously.

"You amaze me sometimes." Jongin told Sehun. He then turned to Chanyeol. "Chanyeol, it really doesn't matter if it's five years or two months. If something has to end, it has to end. I don't want to, and I'll think I'd die if it happens, but I can lose Kyungsoo tomorrow or even today. The great thing is I love him and he knows it. There will be no regrets and questions of what ifs."

"But what if you're wrong? What if Baekhyun doesn't like me at all?" Chanyeol asked. His friends are making sense but he was still unsure.

"That's not even a problem, man." Sehun rolled his eyes. "Make him fall in love with you."

"You're a great guy, Chanyeol. Baekhyun would be a fool not to." Jongin added.

It seemed his friends already said what they have to because they were quiet the rest of the way, leaving Chanyeol to his thoughts.

Make Baekhyun fall in love with him? It's a scary thought. He doesn't think he's enough. But Chanyeol thought there was no one else in the world who loves Baekhyun as much as he does. So maybe, just maybe that will be reason enough to try.

Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol closed the door as he left with Sehun and Jongin. He had an urge to stand up and go with him and had to remind himself that they wouldn't be gone for more than a few minutes. He turned back to find Luhan and Kyungsoo looking at him with knowing smiles.

"So," Luhan said. "What was that about?"

"Huh?" He was starting to sound like Chanyeol.

"You know. The sappy goodbyes, the watching as the hulking giant leaves and the sighing." Kyungsoo said. He walked to sit on the sofa between Luhan and Baekhyun. "Tell me all about it."

Baekhyun felt his face redden. "What do you mean?"

"Baekhyun, it's obvious you like Chanyeol." Luhan smiled.

"Of course I like him. Everybody likes Chanyeol." He said. He was uncomfortable with the probing looks the two boys are giving him.

"No, I mean you like him. As in like like." Luhan said with emphasis.

Baekhyun didn't know how to reply to that. Because he's not really familiar with this liking business. All he knew was that he never felt like this for anyone except Chanyeol. It was more than mere friendship, that's for sure.

"I..." Baekhyun just stared helplessly at Kyungsoo and Luhan.

"Don't stress yourself." Kyungsoo patted Baekhyun's back. "Since we're still waiting for the three clowns to come back, let me just tell you two a story."

Kyungsoo sat more comfortably on the sofa. "There's this one boy. He was not really my friend and I've known him for most of my life as the next-door-neighbor's son. We went to the same school but we never really talked. Whenever we pass by each other the most we do is nod or smile in greeting. He was polite enough. He had to endure every Saturday listening to me sing and play the piano while our mothers talked themselves to oblivion. I knew he'd rather go outside and play with his friends but after every song he'll still be there to smile encouragingly at me. He was nice like that."

"We grew a little bit older but we never did get closer, us being too different and all. I was the best singer in the district and he... he can't even carry out a simple tune." Kyungsoo laughed a little. He glanced at Baekhyun and he can see that whoever Kyungsoo was talking about was special to him.

"Suffice it to say, we didn't have anything to do with each other. I never knew how important he'll be in my life. I found out the night my eomma died." Kyungsoo paused. Obviously it was a painful subject but then he went on. "I slipped out of my aunt's watch from the hospital while she was making the arrangements for the funeral. I went home only to find the house dark. I could not enter. I had the key in my hand but I couldn't move my hands to open the door. Because I knew eomma wasn't there to welcome me home. That's the first time it hit me that I was truly alone and she was never coming back."

Baekhyun heard a sniffle and saw Luhan wiping his tears on his sleeves.

"I didn't know how long I stood there outside. An hour, maybe more. I paced across the doorstep again and again. It was getting dark and I knew it was ridiculous to stay outside but I couldn't... I just couldn't do it."  Baekhyun felt his eyes water, too.

"Then I heard footsteps to my right and I saw the next-door-neighbor's boy come closer. He was wearing a sad expression and I knew he heard what happened to eomma. I was really not in the mood to talk to anybody but the boy didn't say anything. He just held his hand out and nodded to the key dangling from my hand. He waited patiently until I gave it to him. He pushed me gently to the side so I won't block the door and then he proceeded to open it. He went inside and I started to protest but he closed the door to my face. I didn't know what he wanted but then after a while I saw the lights come on from the window. He turned them all on." There was a catch in Kyungsoo's voice.

"Then the door opened and he was there, both of his arms outstretched towards me. Then he said Come home and I couldn't help it, I stepped into his arms and I cried. He's been one of my best friends ever since." Kyungsoo's eyes were also bright with unshed tears.

"That couldn't be Jongin. It's impossible!" Luhan cried. He was sobbing in earnest now. "It's not Jongin. He'll never do such a thing. Definitely not Jongin."

Kyungsoo laughed and stood up from the sofa. He went to the book shelf near the right side of the TV. He got a book, took out something from it and returned it to the shelf. He turned to them and Baekhyun saw he was holding a disc in his hand.

"Nobody knows I've got this so you couldn't tell the others about it, Okay?"

"What is it?" Luhan asked.

"This is a certain person's most embarrassing moment immortalized." Baekhyun laughed at the mischievous smile on Kyungsoo's lips. The older boy inserted the disc into the player and on the screen played a sort of a fancam of a... play?

The camera was a little shaky at first and then it focused on a much younger Jongin wearing princely garbs and looking like he'd rather be anywhere than on the stage.

"That's impossible! So you're telling me the boy you were talking about earlier really was Jongin?" Luhan exclaimed.

"No. I was getting to that part." Kyungsoo held the remote and fast forwarded the video clip. He paused when the camera focused on a boy who was encased in a tree costume.

"That's Chanyeol." Baekhyun pointed out.

"Well, yes. Trees make the best of friends." Kyungsoo said affectionately while looking at the screen. Baekhyun had a feeling that Kyungsoo was talking about Chanyeol even before he played the movie.

He watched as Chanyeol stood there in the middle of the stage. Baekhyun felt an absurd burst of pride for the awkward boy he was. He smiled as Chanyeol winced when Jongin hit him with his left hand.

"We practiced that a dozen times and he still hit him with his left when he was supposed to do it with his right." Kyungsoo pointed at Prince Jongin, exasperated. Luhan laughed.

Jongin was in a dialogue with the other main lead but Baekhyun's eyes remained glued to the tree. Near the end when the lovers died in front of him, Baekhyun saw Chanyeol tear up before the curtain closed. His heart went out to him.

Kyungsoo turned off the TV and returned the disc to its hiding place. "So Baekhyun, what do you think?"

"I think he's... wonderful." Baekhyun said in awe.

"He is, isn't he?" Luhan said.

Kyungsoo sat down again. "All we want for Chanyeol is to be happy because he is the best there is. He's the kind of person who cries easily at sad endings, the kind that welcomes you home when you thought you lost one. He has always been a cheerful boy but for the past few years he's been a little different. We knew something was wrong but he won't tell us so we won't worry about him."

Luhan looked intently at Baekhyun. "But we do. We always worry. You're probably wondering why we're saying this stuff to you. It's because the two months since he met you is the happiest we've ever seen him."

"You make him happy, Baekhyun. And we shouldn't ask for more but we will. If you can, please love him." Kyungsoo said.

Baekhyun was still reeling from what he's learned and from what his heart was telling him when the door opened and Jongin came in, followed by Sehun and Chanyeol. Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol walked towards him and grinned. Love Chanyeol? He realized he already did.

It was near ten o'clock in the evening when they decided to end the day and go home. Baekhyun was quite nervous with his realization earlier but he soon calmed down when he saw Chanyeol smile and laugh the rest of the night.

They entered the bus and sat near the back, Baekhyun sitting by the window with Chanyeol beside him. He watched Chanyeol's reflection on the glass and thought, I want to make you happy. I will make you happy.

He turned to look at Chanyeol and Baekhyun felt Chanyeol's surprise when he leaned his head on the taller boy's shoulder and cuddled close.

"You miss Tao?" Chanyeol asked, resting his chin against Baekhyun's forehead.

"Not really. I just... I love trees."