- When it all began -

Baekhyun couldn’t remember the first time he saw him. Well technically, “felt”. There was always this presence, as though there was someone with him though the room seemed empty. And one day, when he was playing and acting as two people, the presence replied. “Arr! Give me all your money!” Baekhyun growled, acting as a pirate and he opened his mouth to act as the crew onboard, but someone beat him to it. ‘No way, you evil man!’ He froze, before turning around to the voice.

He was shorter than Baekhyun, his bowl cut covering his ears and eyebrows, and Baekhyun giggled at how ridiculous he looked. The boy cocked his head to the side, his big eyes widening as if to ask why he was giggling… before he started giggling too.

Baekhyun felt this warm glow at his heart when the boy’s lips twitched, his eyes crinkling at the sides and the right one bigger than the other. ‘I’m Chanyeol.’ The boy’s voice was a little higher than Baekhyun’s, but he found it just right. “I’m Baekhyun.” And that was the first time they officially “met”.

- 6 years old -

On his birthday, his parents left for an overseas meeting. His present was on the dining table, while the maids prepared his breakfast and other things he needed for school. Chanyeol was rolling around on the bed and Baekhyun was already awake, watching his arms flail about a moment too late and falling to the ground. It was weird that he made no sounds when he landed on the ground, but Baekhyun didn’t mind.

He could always imagine it, right?

“Auntie, Channie’s hungry too!” Baekhyun jumped up and down on his seat, shaking his fork in the air as his caretaker tried to sit him down. “Who’s Channie?” The little boy pouted, pointing at the empty air next to him. Or at least, that was how it seemed to the maids, but not Baekhyun. Chanyeol was seated, prim and proper and smiling, watching Baekhyun push the caretaker away.

“Him! Channie’s here!” The caretaker froze slightly, a detail Baekhyun paid close attention to. “Oh, I didn’t see him. Hello, Channie.” The old lady smiled a warm but wary smile in the general direction where Chanyeol was, but he smiled and waved back anyway.

Somehow Baekhyun knew she couldn’t see him, but again, he didn’t blame her. He didn’t know why, but he secretly knew it was not her fault.

- 10 years old -

“Channie, why do they always bully me?” Apart from that one time when Baekhyun was 6 years old, Chanyeol never spoke to him again. He always only smiled or pouted, expressing his thoughts through actions. They were now the same height, and Baekhyun knew his only friend would soon be taller than him.

- 13 years old -

“Guys, where do you want to go?” Baekhyun slung his arm around Sehun, who laughed his signature eye smile. “My place, duh!” “That place is a slump.” “Slump? More like rubbish dump.” Kai and Kyungsoo knocked fists, the “K-fist” they came up with. “Sorry, I’m a little late!” Suho joined them, running out from his classroom.

All this time, Chanyeol stood behind them, or more specifically Baekhyun. The teenage boy knew he was there, but he chose not to see him, pretending he wasn’t there. The invisible boy, who was already taller than his one and only friend, just stood there, pouting to himself.

He’s not even there. No one sees him, only I do. Baekhyun looked away from the hopping Chanyeol, doing weird expressions and trying to attract his buddy’s attention but to no avail.

- 14 years old -

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun having his first crush. Soon after that, his first girlfriend. All this while Baekhyun pretended he wasn’t there and slowly, he started seeing Chanyeol lesser and lesser.

“Who are you looking for?” His beloved’s voice cut into his thoughts and he smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the sides. It’s just that… he’s not here again. “Nothing. Where were we?” Whatever, he’ll just be at home waiting.

Baekhyun reached home and waited as the minutes ticked by. He wasn’t even sure what he was doing as hours passed. Days passed, and 2 weeks later he realized Chanyeol was gone. And he would forever be gone.

- 16 years old -

The boy experienced his first breakup, cutting off all ties with the girl he thought had his everything. Why did you leave me? He lay on his bed, looking through his fingers when Chanyeol’s face flashed through his mind.

Why did you leave me like he did? God knows how much I missed him, yet didn’t want him to come back… He rolled over onto his stomach, not liking how quiet his house was.

I miss when I’d talk to someone who would laugh and respond accordingly, though only with expressions and occasional gestures. He longed for the self-induced laughter, despite how sad it was laughing at his own words and at somebody’s expressions.

- 17 years old -

Chanyeol, I’m sorry. Please come back.

And he did. The boy was no longer that much a boy; he was now taller than Baekhyun by half a head. “Thank you.”

They went to the district where they grew up, the bubble tea store Baekhyun always wanted to go to but never got to. Since young, he wanted to go there with Chanyeol but found it weird to. When his supposed friend disappeared, he no longer felt like it but now he was back. They went to his grade school, sat on the bench they always occupied in the park and practically everything they used to do.

“I’m so sorry for ignoring you the entire… 5 years. I guess I just didn’t want to be judged.” His friend merely smiled, cocking his head to the side. 

Neither noticed the judging glances passersby threw Baekhyun. Even if they did, neither would care.

- 18 years old -

He realized something. He liked Chanyeol. Baekhyun liked this imaginary figure.

And he knew, at the same time, that his friend was just a figment of his imagination.

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