It was 6.32 and Baekhyun's stomach was tangled in knots. Sehun was supposed to meet Junmyeon at a nearby cafe  in precisely 28 minutes but Sehun's door hadn't opened yet. Why was he even going on this ... whatever this was with Kim Junmyeon?  

 

Sehun finally emerged from his room and Baekhyun was unreasonably relieved to see that he was casually dressed and didn't seem to have taken any special care with his appearance - he just wore his usual uniform of faded denims, any-colored (tonight it was gray) sweater and bulky navy blue parka which was draped over his arm. 

 

His fringe was jabbing his eyelashes as usual and he flipped it to the side with the usual languid turn of the head. It was like he had no energy to use his hands to flick the hair out of his eyes. It was a movement that Baekhyun had never paid much attention to before but which now drove him insane in the most acute way. Now that he'd actually touched Sehun's silky, dark brown hair, he just wanted to brush it out of his eyes every time he saw it. He was going to be a physical and emotional wreck at the rate he was obsessing over everything Sehun. 

 

"What are you having for dinner, hyung? Don't just take ramyun, ok?" Sehun said as he headed for the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

 

"I don't want to talk about what I'm having for dinner, Sehun." Baekhyun had entered the cramped kitchenette and stopped right behind Sehun, standing close enough to get a faint whiff of apples tempered with Sehun's own masculine scent. The slim nape of Sehun's neck was tantalizingly near and Baekhyun couldn't stop himself from leaning into it. Sehun stiffened, and his glass hit the counter with a sharp clink.

 

"I want to talk about what happened last night." Baekhyun pressed his nose against Sehun's skin and he heard a sharp intake of breath that wasn't his. But that was all right because he had his own problems to deal with, like the warmth pooling in his gut, and lower still than that. Sehun turned around, eyes intense. And he didn't back away as Baekhyun had feared he might. Instead he placed his hands on Baekhyun's hips. 

 

"I don't really want to talk right now, hyung." Sehun's voice was smoky as he lowered his head and captured Baekhyun's  lips firmly in his. He drew Baekhyun closer and deepened the kiss - gradually, almost tentatively. And Baekhyun, who had always taken the lead in their eight-year relationship, finally let his younger friend set the pace. Letting go felt good, just as sharing passionate kisses with Sehun felt good.

 

At some point, Sehun stopped kissing him and started hugging him tightly, his breathing shallow and quick.

 

"I have to go." Sehun's voice was laced with regret and his thin arms continued to hold Baekhyun close in spite of his words.

 

"Why do you need to go again? I still don't understand." Baekhyun's hands were clasped behind Sehun's waist, and his cheek was pressed against the comforting warmth of Sehun's sweater-clad chest.

 

"I said I'd go so I have to. You know I always keep my word," Sehun's right hand rubbed his back rhythmically as he said this. And it was true, Sehun was someone who always kept promises, no matter how much trouble they caused him. If it brought him trouble, he would never agree to it again, but that first time? Sehun always followed through. That was who he was and Baekhyun knew he had to let him go. Well, this once anyway.

 

"But why did you agree to go in the first place?"

 

Sehun's chest vibrated with laughter as he tightened his embrace, "Because you said I couldn't, you dork. Contrary to what you may think, Byun Baekhyun, you do not always know better than everyone, and you do not get to tell everyone what to do. It was the principle of the thing, I had no choice but to agree, see?"

 

"You ." Baekhyun punched his arm in annoyance and Sehun just laughed at how exasperated he was.

 

-------

 

Baekhyun's screen lit up. It was Sehun - who had only just left the apartment half an hour ago.

 

"Sehun?" He could hear the muted buzz of conversation in the background and the frenetic clinking of cutlery.

 

"Hyung, I need a favor. Do you remember my cousin Eunhyuk? You know that asswipe who used to date Yeol's older sister? Well, he needs to borrow some of my course textbooks. He was supposed to pick them up tomorrow but now he can't make it so he wants to go over around 8 tonight instead. Could you pass them to him? They're in a stack on my desk. Please, hyung?"

 

"No problem. So ... how's it going? With the date thing?" Baekhyun hated himself for being insecure and asking but then again, it had always been in his nature to pry. Sehun would have been more surprised than not if he hadn't asked.

 

"Date?" Sehun laughed, "It's not a date, hyung. The food isn't bad. I'm having a steak sandwich. But the conversation could be better. As in it could be an actual conversation. Right now it's just a monologue and I'm not the one talking if you know what I mean. Have you eaten anything yet? Don't forget to eat, ok? I bought some eggs today and there's a loaf of bread in the fridge." 

 

"Yeah, I had some, thanks. I didn't even know you picked up some food ... and ... yeah, thanks. It helped a lot," Baekhyun thanked him awkwardly before reminding him, "Sehun-ah, don't forget what I said about the drinks, ok?" Baekhyun had walked into Sehun's room by now, phone at his ear.  The room was neat with a minimalist air about it, and he saw the stack of books immediately. "The book on the top is called 'Interactive Media Design'?"

 

"That's the correct stack, yup. Thanks, hyung. I'll be home right after the movie." Sehun added the last bit almost shyly.

 

"I'll wait up."

 

"You don't have to." Sehun protested, but he sounded pleased, anyway. 

 

"I do - because we really need to talk about us." Baekhyun insisted and Sehun agreed. Then they quickly said their goodbyes and Baekhyun was leaving the room when he caught sight of a black folder on Sehun's bed. 

 

He knew he shouldn't look inside it but then again if it had been something really private, Sehun surely wouldn't have left it there, tempting him. Baekhyun wrestled with his conscience for another five minutes before he caved and opened up the folder ... and saw his face looking back up at him. It was a beautiful pencil sketch of him with a serious expression. A date had been written in the bottom left hand corner of the sheet: June 11, 2011. 

 

Baekhyun carefully leafed through the thin sheaf of thick, white paper. They were all hand drawn pictures of him - smiling, serious, surprised.  But mostly, they were drawings of him smiling. He counted six pictures in total - all marked with dates that ranged as far back as November 12, 2009. He sat down heavily on the bed, torn between feeling guilty for invading Sehun's privacy and feeling touched at what he'd found.

 

Baekhyun planted his face in Sehun's pillow. They really, really needed to talk. 

 

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So, how are you guys finding the story so far? Y'all are so quiet :(. A big thank you to the readers who have left comments cos you make me feel like all the effort and agonizing are worth it! Feedback really is appreciated!

 

Sorry the scene in the kitchen is so badly written cos I am such an awkward turtle when it comes to writing stuff like that, orz! But I hope I managed to convey some of the yearning Baek and Sehun have for each other. 

 

Hope you're enjoying the story ... Hugs, LotusK