Let's Switch Roles For The Day (See How You Feel)

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Baekhyun always imagines the day when their roles would switch.

The day when Baekhyun is the one waking up and putting on his plain white t-shirt, one that fit a little to snug to his body. He would just wake up with no one beside him, the other side of the bed already made with its sheets tucked in nicely. He wouldn't bother with his own side - he was going to sleep in it again, anyway, what's the point of fixing it up? He'd just chuck on anything to cover himself up as decent, head downstairs and ignore Chanyeol's morning greeting. He wouldn't acknowledge the sunny smile that waited for him ever-so-faithfully. He wouldn't realise that the smell in the air was of honeyed pancakes for breakfast. He wouldn't hear the sound of one of the chairs scraping across the floor, where Chanyeol had seated himself, ready to have breakfast together.

Baekhyun would just pick up one of the pieces of toast, piled high on a plate and sizzling with the smell of butter, and he'd take a single, unappreciative bite. He'd take a tiny sip from his personalised coffee mug - 'Number 1 Boyfriend', it said - then turn back toward the staircase to get dressed for the day. Chucking on his uniform would be a priority for him, and he'd check his reflection multiple times in the mirror - make sure not a single strand of hair was too outrageously out of place, and that his uniform was buttoned up correctly, and that his pants fit snugly. He'd leave then, taking his police hat before he went, and sparing Chanyeol a momentary glance - he'd pretend he didn't notice the slightly glum expression the other held.

He would carpool, like Chanyeol does, with his attractive co-worker. It was no use to deny that there was some sort of between them two, and as Baekhyun's hands brushed his companion's as he took the offered coffee cup, he'd laugh quietly at a joke the latter would crack, before starting up the police car and driving away from his shared home with Chanyeol.



- - -



The day when Chanyeol would go to work quietly, in his office at the local law firm, and his attractive secretary - male, he happened to be - would casually flirt with him at his desk. But Chanyeol would be too occupied looking for promise rings on the internet, and would blindly ask his secretary's opinion in the middle of their supposed cool and collected conversation. Chanyeol wouldn't notice his secretary's crestfallen face as he continued watching the screen for 'the right one'. His secretary would give him one last, dazzling smile, before taking some paperwork and slowly heading away, cursing himself again for not gathering together the courage to ask Chanyeol out on a date.

A few hours would pass without a single phone call from Baekhyun, but Chanyeol wouldn't mind because he would understand how busy being a policeman was. He'd ignore the urge to pick up his phone and call the latter instead, and continue with inputting letters and numbers, and important information that went through one ear and out the other. Everyone would eventually pack up, ready to leave for the night, and Chanyeol's secretary would wave him over, inviting him to dinner that night, because it had been a while since all the employees all went out together. Chanyeol would decline though, because there was a party later, and he had a gift for Baekhyun. His secretary would look at him one last time, then turn away.



- - -



The day when Chanyeol would finally pick up his phone at the end of his working night and give Baekhyun's a call, only to listen to the voice message tone. Baekhyun, in truth, had actually declined Chanyeol's call and turned his phone off, because he was too busy cozying up to his co-worker, who casually draped an arm around Baekhyun's waist during a get-together with the rest of their department. Baekhyun would slide a little closer, smile flirtatiously, and even feed his companion something for the fun of it. His companion would respond happily, obviously, because it wasn't like he had spent the whole day checking out Baekhyun's backside for nothing. Especially when he was wrestling that delinquent into the car, oh god, those pants worked their wonders.

Little did Baekhyun know was that Chanyeol would be waiting for him at their home, waiting for Baekhyun to take him to that party that he had been talking about for a long time. Chanyeol would skip dinner himself and opt for visiting the nearest jewellery shop instead, purchasing one of the more expensive rose-gold promise rings. He would give it to Baekhyun to wear later that night, and let the latter show off his new shiny item, because Chanyeol would know that that's what Baekhyun liked to do.



- - -



The day when Baekhyun finally turned up at their home, after having forgotten about his following plans - if not for his co-worker, who reminded him about the party and was even kind enough to extend an invitation for a ride. But Baekhyun declined, saying he had already told his 'friend' he would drive with him that night. Chanyeol would be slightly grumpy, and casually toss the jewellery box onto Baekhyun's lap as he got into the car, because he wasn't feeling all too well anymore.

Baekhyun would notice, for the first time that day, that Chanyeol wasn't all too smiley and jumping for joy like he normally was. So he'd put on a sweet smile, lean over to give Chanyeol's hand a quick squeeze, and greet him with a lovely "hey babe". Then he'd glance over at the jewellery box he was given - "what's this?" - before slowly pulling it open. He would feel a little guilty because, inside was the most expensive ring he had ever seen in his life, and it fit him perfectly as he hastily tried it on. The look of excitement on his face would make Chanyeol smile again, an ear-to-ear grin as Baekhyun leaned over to press a sweet, soft kiss on his lips. 

How he missed those kisses.



- - -



The day when the party would have already been an hour in, and Chanyeol and Baekhyun would rock up, fashionably late. They'd engage in some light banter for a while, casual questions that cozy couples wouldn't normally approach because they were meant to have known already. Chanyeol would excuse himself for a few minutes to take a breather, and get a cup of punch, and Baekhyun would wander off to where his co-worker was standing. They would dance playfully for a while, until a slow song came on, and Baekhyun would have his back pressed against the latter's chest, and his own hand was holding an offered cup of punch. They would dance together for a moment more, and Chanyeol's secretary - who happened to be acquainted with the party host - would witness the whole thing.

He would see how Baekhyun's co-worker finally reached forward and with his fingertips, running them along the new shiny ring and tainting it with temptation and dishonesty. Chanyeol's secretary wouldn't stick around for too long - Baekhyun had kisses pressed on his temples and that was enough to break a couple of relationship rules - and he'd run off outside to fetch Chanyeol. Chanyeol would be surprised, but he'd be polite and smile until the bomb was dropped on him, in which he'd push his secretary to the side and hurriedly run back inside, witnessing the scandalous affair for himself.

He wouldn't be very surprised, but he would still be hurt, because that hurt. He'd watch the pair for a while, and as Baekhyun would be daring enough to trail his free hand along his co-worker's jawline, before his eyes finally noticed Chanyeol by the corner of the room. He'd notice the latter's stiff expression, and push himself away from his co-worker, as if it were the co-worker's fault and none of his own. He'd shove his cup at his chest before putting on a cute smile and sauntering over to Chanyeol, a little more sway in his hips than he normally had.

He'd give him another "hey babe" before trying to wrap his arms around Chanyeol's neck, only to have the latter furiously push him away. "Stop, it's over." he would exclaim in a quietly frustrated tone of voice, before stalking off. He wouldn't notice his secretary's sympathetic glance, and only notice that the latter slowly rolled his eyes over to Baekhyun's co-worker, who watched in the distance, confused, because Baekhyun would never told him he had a boyfriend.



- - - 



The day when they would be in their bedroom at the end of the night, and Baekhyun would be busy staring at himself in the mirror and taking off his new ring. He would casually place it back inside the box, but leave it open and disorganised. He'd toss the box against all the other jewellery he had - which all happened to have come from Chanyeol. Chanyeol would be leaning against the wall because his head was throbbing, and he'd finally open his mouth for the first time since their incident.

"You know, when you act like that, I don't think you realise how it makes me look... or how it makes me feel."

"Act like what?" Baekhyun would retort, an amused expression on his face because he honestly would fail to see what was wrong. "Why are you so jealous? It's not like I'm sleeping with the guy."

Chanyeol frowned. "What?"



- - -



Baekhyun frowned. "What?"

And they would be back where they should be. Because never would Baekhyun be in Chanyeol's place, and never would Chanyeol be in Baekhyun's place. They would never know how the other felt; it would be how it was meant to be all along. And even though Baekhyun would understand more for himself if he were in Chanyeol's position, and Chanyeol was in his, he still would never get the chance to act on it.

"I said," Chanyeol chuckled, an amused grin set on his lips. "I said, why do you have to be so jealous all the time? Ain't like I'm sleeping with the dude."

The day would never come where it was Baekhyun. But instead, it would be Chanyeol who would head downstairs and take tiny bites of everything that was set out on the table. But this time, Baekhyun would lean back against the kitchen bench with wary eyes and a coffee mug against his lips. He'd give a simple, aloof nod as Chanyeol said his usual "bye", and left the house. Because Baekhyun knew that Chanyeol would get inside that police car and have a little flirtatious moment with his co-worker, before the sounds of tires squealing against the bitumen would signal their leave.

But this time would be the last. And Baekhyun would leave without a word, and only a single note. Because that would be what Chanyeol deserved.



- - -



"You never listen to him. You don't care how it hurts him. Only until you lose the one you wanted, because you're taking him for granted, and everything you had got destroyed... but that's just you, Chanyeol. That's just you."