The next morning, Kyungsoo woke Baekhyun up first and told him to wake up Chanyeol as he hurriedly went back to his cooking.

“Chanyeol, wake up!” Baekhyun raised his voice as he playfully threw a pillow at the peacefully sleeping Chanyeol. The latter’s eyes flew open as the pillow hit him square on the face and stared at Baekhyun who was grinning cheerfully early in the morning.

Baekhyun half-expected Chanyeol to throw back his pillow so that they could have a pillow fight just like they used to but instead Chanyeol gave him a weak smile and then grabbed his towel to walk into the bathroom.

Dumbfounded, Baekhyun dressed up quickly and he walked into the dining room for breakfast to see all 4 fully dressed and chomping down pancakes.

“Am I late?” He scratched his head and sat down, grabbed a pancake. Their leader was his angelic self again, smiling his fatherly smile as he asked Baekhyun, “So have you guys made up?” Baekhyun somehow didn’t know the answer himself. They have started talking again alright but Chanyeol somehow seemed different. But he nodded and flashed a forced smile at s. Suho and maknae seemed to buy it but Kyungsoo and JongIn was throwing him suspicious looks.

Chanyeol came to breakfast with a cheerful “Good Morning.” Somehow Baekhyun felt his greeting wasn’t for him. Chanyeol didn’t look at Baekhyun in the eyes as he sat down next to the older boy. Chanyeol was his usual bubbly self again, talking non-stop in his deep voice. Baekhyun felt torn inside that his best friend was not acknowledging his presence. Before they head out, their manager hyung delivered them the news that their brother group EXO-M was finally coming home as they temporarily ceased their schedules in China. This put maknae Sehun into a very good mood.

A week passed. Finally, it was the day EXO-M would be back. They were free of schedules all day and maknae Sehun was pacing back and forth at the door, restless. Baekhyun was leaning lazily into the couch in the living room, occupying the space right in front of the TV, flipping channels. He was also happy that he was going to see his long lost brothers but he wasn’t entirely crazy exited like the maknae. He also felt a twinge of sadness as he remembered that two days ago, he overheard Chanyeol’s conversation with Kris on the phone and they were making plans. Chanyeol didn’t mention anything to him about the plan so he wasn’t probably part of it.

Actually, Chanyeol and Baekhyun hadn’t been the closest after the fight. Even after they had made up, Chanyeol kept his distance like he promised, he rarely talked to Baekhyun about just anything whatsoever. As far as he could remember, Chanyeol just greeted him in the mornings and at nights before going to sleep. Baekhyun wanted to complain but he couldn’t because he was the one who messed up their friendship in the first place.

“Ouch,” Chanyeol groaned, as maknae Sehun bumped into him and nudged him in the ribs. “Stop pacing, maknae, Luhan hyung’s arrival wouldn’t be sped up by you running around.” He called after maknae who was heading to the door again.

Chanyeol himself was hapy too. He was finally going to see his favourite hyung and well, now that he had become awkward with Baekhyun, he had been deprived of someone to let out his usual ramblings. He passed Baekhyun in the living room and headed to the kitchen to soothe his grumbling stomach. He hadn’t actually talked with Baekhyun for real even after they made up. He missed his best friend. He missed their constant bickering, Baekhyun’s adorable eyesmile and well, almost everything.

The past week was a living hell for Chanyeol. He wanted to talk to Baekhyun so badly that his heart clenches at the thought but he wasn’t sure he could stand Baekhyun’s rejection again. Baekhyun himself hasn’t tried talking to him so he thought it was the best to keep things simple for now.

The dorm instantly became crowded and noisy as the front door opened and M members poured in.

“Luhannie hyung!” That was obviously maknae.

“It’s not only Luhan that came back, you know, Sehunnie and it’s not like you guys don’t see each other, you guys skype every night!” Jongdae said with a teasing smile on his face.

There all 12 were exchanging hugs, high fives, followed by constant chattering. M’s maknae Tao immediately got stuck to Baekhyun’s side and Chanyeol dragged Kris into the kitchen. Everyone became busy at one, without even sparing time for M members to settle down in their own dorm.

“Guys, I made Kimchi spaghetti, I’m sure you all are starving,” Kyungsoo announced.

With a “horray”, everybody rushed into the kitchen like a bunch of starved people, digging in Kyungsoo’s food.

“This is so delicious, I’ve missed Kyungsoo hyung’s cooking,” Tao said, slurping a string of spaghetti.

“Luhannie hyung, have some of mine,” Sehun offered.

“You never share your food with anyone of us, Sehun,” JongIn complained, in the midst of stuffing food into his face.

“Well, you aren’t Luhan hyung, are you?” Sehun smirked which earned him a playful punch on the arm by JongIn.

“Why didn’t you make any dumpling, Kyungsoo?” Minseok asked, his dumpling face rounder with food in his puffy cheeks.

“We should already be thankful for his spaghetti, why ask for something else, you pig!” Jongdae mischievously teased his hyung.

Miseok, chewing his spaghetti and spat, “What? You’re calling you hyung a pig? And since when did you become that thankful? You mischievous little..” Minseok choked on his food and a meat piece flew out of his mouth and stuck on Duizhang Kris’s perfect nose to which everyone laughed out loud.

Even normally -faced M leader couldn’t get mad at him for the atmosphere being this peaceful.

After lunch, M members went to rest at their dorm but promised to come back later to help cook dinner with Kyungsoo. The dorm became quiet again like a breeze after a storm. Baekhyun was helping Kyungsoo clean when the latter suddenly asked, “What is with you these days? You aren’t even talking at lunch.”

Baekhyun, flustered at the sudden question, “Nothing, really. Why do you ask? I’m completely normal.”

“I know you aren’t, Baek, don’t even try to hide it from me, spill, is it Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo pulled out a chair from under the table and motioned Baekhyun to sit down as well.

Baekhyun sighed because he, himself didn’t know what to answer. “What exactly do you want to know? ‘cuz I’m quite sure nothing’s happening to me. Or to Chanyeol.”

“Stop lying, Baek, even that ignorant brat JongIn notices the change in you. I’ve noticed it for long, to be honest, ever since you guys ‘pretended to make up’”. Kyungsoo said, with a suspicious glint in his saucer-like eyes.

‘Damn, is this Kyungsoo some kind of psychic?’ Baekhyun thought and he surrendered. He wouldn’t be able to get away from that anyway. “Okay, so you know that day, the article came up, I snapped at Yeol that it was all his fault. He apologized to me the day we ‘pretended to make up’ and promised me..” his words trailed. His heart was jerking seriously under his chest, acknowledging the pain, “that he would keep his distance from me.”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by the answer. He went back to his not-so-successful poker-face after a few seconds.

“Uh huh. So did you mean it? I mean when you said you didn’t like him being clingy to you.”

“Not really. I don’t know why I even got mad in the first place. I’m absolutely okay that he cares about me. I just don’t want to be awkward with him anymore. It , not being able to talk to him like we used to.” Baekhyun sighed again, probably the thousandth time that day.

“Then, go talk to him, what’s so difficult? You know Yeol is one good kid, except he’s quite crazy and all. Nevermind. My point is the way to stop this is to find out what caused you to get mad at him that day ‘cuz that’s so not like you to be pissed on something that small, you know. Don’t tell me that you don’t know the reason because you clearly do. You guys argue all the time and this time should be no different. Or is it?” a smirk slowing forming on his adorable face, turning into an evil expression, very much like JongIn’s.

Baekhyun became speechless again. Kyungoo said he knows the reason. No he doesn’t. Or does he? Then he felt Kyungsoo’s hand on his shoulder and the latter said, “Stop lying to yourself, Baek. It never works. Trust me, I’ve been there.”

Chapter 4 is up! and Chapter-5's on the way. I'm sorry I won't be able to update within the week cuz school's open! Thanks for the subscriptions. Please leave comments. They really make my day. Love you all. :)