Baekhyun gulps visibly as he watches the older disappear to the bathroom, eyes lingering for a few more seconds on the door before he watches the lights flicker on and hears a voice next to him in a whisper right on his ear.

 

"Took you long enough." 

 

He looks to his side and finds Kyungsoo with a nonchalant smile. 

 

Of course he'll have a spare key. Baekhyun did give him one for the sole reason that he is his best friend, and would use it just pretty much when the scenario deems fit like when Baekhyun refuses to open the front door or when they just had a fight and Baekhyun refuses to settle the argument like mature adults would. In this case, the former. 

 

 

 

 

 

Contrary to responding he wasn't high when Baekhyun asked earlier, now Chanyeol thinks he is. 

 

He can't stop the smile forming in his face and the redness it emits to the tips of his ears. 

 

I don't know why you like me, but be my boyfriend Yeol plays again and again in his mind. He doesn't know either the very reasons why he likes Baekhyun, but he tells himself that maybe it's the smile.

 

But putting that aside, Chanyeol thinks there's got to be more than just that for him to like Baekhyun the way he likes him.

 

Well, Chanyeol likes that Baekhyun pays close attention to details—the way he reacts with the slightest of movements Chanyeol makes. 

 

Chanyeol likes Baekhyun's voice; likes that he could sing like earlier. He closes his eyes and tries to recall the velvety melody. It probably may not be the best voice out there, but the perfect voice to soothe and calm his nerves.

 

Chanyeol likes it when Baekhyun emphasizes on how he talks, feelings in his tone—the way he's shocked, the way he gets all worked up when Chanyeol teases, the way he coos over at Jungsoo.

 

Chanyeol likes Baekhyun, because he's very fond of Jungsoo—so very fond of kids and the way he's so dedicated to teach, because only a few ever would and it proves that he has dreams. 

 

But really? Chanyeol likes Baekhyun because he's Baekhyun and not anyone else. 

 

But he may or may not have just a slight obsession over Baekhyun's lips as it moved with his, all soft and gentle in movement as their breaths mingled. Chanyeol also secretly likes the way Baekhyun's so brave and yet at the same time seemingly frail when it comes to love and how he'd taken the first step to their first kiss. 

 

And if Baekhyun's willing to take the next step in their relationship, how could he say no to that?

 

 

 

 

 

In this kind of situation, Baekhyun would normally laugh, over react like Kyungsoo just scared the wits out of him, or just anything at all he could form as a reaction, but he doesn't. He does feel scared, but for other reasons concerning the male that's in his bathroom right now, so he just says, "I was in the bathroom."

 

"Oh yeah? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Kyungsoo steps dangerously close to said bathroom. "Speaking of which, I really need to take a piss."

 

"No, you can't!" Baekhyun exclaims, panic so apparent even the wind could identify. 

 

"Why?" Kyungsoo raises a brow. 

 

"The door's jammed." There's obvious panic and so much hesitance apparent in his voice.

 

"Let me fix it for you, then."

 

"No, I can have it fixed tomorrow."

 

"Baekhyun, you're shaking. It's impossible that the reason is the door's jammed, heck you even let me see the worst state of your house and leave your toilet unflushed when I use it! And it's gross but then you're my best friend and you're just gross and eventually I've come to terms with your so little care for sanitation," Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at Baekhyun in suspicion. "You are so hiding something from me! Where's Chanyeol hyung? Don't tell me he wasn't with you, because I saw you two leave together after ditching me."

 

"He-he just left!" Baekhyun lies, ignoring all the insults being thrown his way. "And I'm sorry, Kyung. Yeah, he just left," he confirms the second time around.

 

"Really Byun, you expect me to believe that?" Kyungsoo face palms, before eyeing Baekhyun closer in scrutiny. "Let me hear you tell that to your swollen lips."

 

It appears that whatever Kyungsoo said just worked, because it proved a temporary distraction to have Baekhyun touching his lips and trying to identify what parts of it burst. 

 

Now Kyungsoo's twisting the door knob to the bathroom and it opens because whoever must be behind it didn't lock the door and then he finds...

 

Chanyeol—

 

wide-eyed and looking like Baekhyun a few moments ago.

 

Oh, and look at those similar lips so swell.

 

Oops.

 

"I was trying to say that he just left...," Baekhyun pauses, "for the bathroom," hands on his face for an attempt to lie when he fully well knows now that it didn't and wouldn't work. It feels like a last minute resort, only that it failed and there's no way to relieve the lie he's just told. Moreover, to his best friend. It's not like Kyungsoo's going to abandon him for this, anyway.

 

Chanyeol doesn't know what's going on, but he follows suit to sit across Kyungsoo just as he's gestured to. Baekhyun follows a minute after standing between the two cozy lounges. It only takes him a few seconds to decide and the one Chanyeol is sitting on is dipping low. Baekhyun sits a safe distance away from him and Chanyeol almost pouts at that, but then he notices Kyungsoo smirking. Baekhyun only ever sits beside Chanyeol, because they might as well get over and done with this, with whatever lecture Kyungsoo's going to conduct. It would most probably be about them, too. 

And it's never good when Kyungsoo's smirking and the dangerous aura he's carrying as well. According to Baekhyun, anyway.

It would mean he's thinking and maybe over-analyzing things. Maybe he's thinking about what really happened between Baekhyun and Chanyeol. It would mean interrogating Baekhyun later on. He's still his best friend, after all. 

 

Speaking of which, it was really lame of Baekhyun to have to come up with a fail attempt of an excuse. He should've really just kept his mouth shut than embarrass himself further. If he had been speechless, then it would've saved them the benefit of the doubt to lessen the heightening tension in the room that's apparent in the space between him and Chanyeol. It's really quiet as they both stare at each other, really flustered glances toward each other as if exchanging and sharing the burden, ignoring Kyungsoo's presence sitting across from them. There are knowing gazes like wow, I know what you did with me minutes ago with a slight want to go at it again? impression, except your best friend is sort of with us, thus awkward.

 

Kyungsoo smirks even more, even lets out a fake cough to direct the attention of the two males seated across him back on him. 

 

‘He's doing this scrunchy thing with his face he uses when he's mocking me,’ Baekhyun thinks, nervousness clawing at his finger tips—he couldn't stop moving his hands now and shuffling his feet on the floor for added effect.

Baekhyun's really dreading whatever Kyungsoo has to say, to say the least. Lately he was contemplating where he should sit, beside Kyungsoo or beside Chanyeol? Or should he even sit at all? But seeing as though it's a situation wherein Chanyeol would likely take his side, he chose to sit beside his Chanyeol—boyfriend—since they could both just get over with the Kyungsoo mama lecture and get a hold of the situation.

"Look, I don't know what you two did," Kyungsoo finally huffs. "I mean it's sort of obvious you both kissed, but that's not even what I'm concerned about right now."

 

So it surprises Baekhyun what little Kyungsoo has to say about it. He was expecting a hitting, lecturing, anything at all that would make his best friend over protective of him and just do something to lessen the burden he's feeling. He would've taken the hitting actually by will with the assurance that Chanyeol would have to go through it as well. He actually half expected a talk on safe now that they're together or that thing the mom in Mean Girls does... randomly distributing packets of...well, you know. 

 

Except not.

 

"I just need Chanyeol out now. We haven't been talking, Baek. I think I need man talk right now."

 

Baekhyun looks confused, eyebrows knitting in question at Kyungsoo, but maybe he'll find out all about it later. And when has he even used the man talk term? That sounds so... weirdly funny.

 

Now he looks at Chanyeol and how lost he looks with a questioning look on his face, to which Baekhyun mouths "I don't know either" and of course the mouth reading requires Chanyeol to look at Baekhyun's lips to regain the look in his eyes Baekhyun is familiar with by now that he only uses when Chanyeol wants to kiss him so bad and all those teasing times (at least, he thinks so anyway) and it's dangerous, so Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol up to his feet and half-drags him toward the direction of the front door. 

 

"Just one question," Kyungsoo says, stopping all movement between the two males escaping to safety. 

 

"What, Soo?"

 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun both look at Kyungsoo in surprise with the sudden change of mood. 

 

What?

There's this sinister smile plastered on Kyungsoo's face before he asks, "Is Baekhyun a good kisser?" It takes just that for Baekhyun to cower in embarrassment rather than fear, looking at the ceiling and anywhere but Chanyeol who surprisingly has an interesting look on his face. "But probably not, because why would it swell? Or maybe he's just not used to it. Oh, you know I heard this trivia about kissing and how it passes on at least 250 dirt and..."

"I..." Chanyeol seems to be thinking.

"Just shut it, the both of you!" 

 

"He's decent." It's the last minute of contemplation when Chanyeol finds the guts to blurt it out, before being dragged right at the front door by Baekhyun who's blushing 50 shades of red.

 

"I'm...I'm what?" the smaller seems to think he must have heard wrong just now.

 

"You're good." Chanyeol smiles.

 

"Okay, bye Yeol," Baekhyun states without much thought to it, about to close the door on Chanyeol when the taller inserts a hand somewhere in between the door and the doorframe and it's a wonder how he could resist the pressure and the pain building up with his hand crunched between them. The smaller is not really fuming, just teasing and acting hurt about the seemingly low impression Chanyeol gave of him and his kissing skills.

 

"I was kidding." Chanyeol smirks.

 

"I was kidding, too." Baekhyun finds it in himself to let out a laugh. "I'm sorry you have to go like this."

 

"That's okay."

 

Baekhyun stares at the floor for a few good seconds before looking up at Chanyeol as he quietly says, "And Kyungsoo had to be embarrassing." 

 

"It's not," Chanyeol assures him. "I told you it's okay." 

 

"Okay, thank you. I can breathe now," Baekhyun sputters.

 

"Why did you stop at all?"

 

"Because I saw you and you took my breath away." Baekhyun says it in a straight face and it's apparent he didn't mean it to be a joke but it kind of sounds like it, so it has to be and it is but it's unusual and Chanyeol's just staring at him with this look that's kind of intimidating. 

 

The taller has this suppressed smile coming onto his face he tries to control and not let out, but he does and he laughs. 

 

"Didn't know you had it in you."

 

"That was cheesy, I'm really sorry." Baekhyun means it when he says it. "I'm really awful when it comes to these, you know..."

 

"Brave, actually," Chanyeol remarks. "Do you know that you do things out of impulse that surprises me? I couldn't even do them myself and you go and flaunt this confidence in you I don't usually see."

 

"What?" Baekhyun asks, just stares at the taller because he doesn't know where he's getting at.

 

"I mean I've been wanting to kiss you for a while now and I did just now." They're both blushing when Chanyeol says it. It seems like something not meant to be voiced out in the open, but then someone just needed to say it just because it needed to be discussed even if it's vague why they have to. "And you did it first and I was thinking I should've done it first, but then you did and I just... It doesn't matter who did it first, because we both ended up doing it anyway. And you know how I was just thinking of a simple peck on the lips and a rehearsed act I could do to just kiss you, but it turned out ten times better than my original idea and how do you like the sound of Park Chanyeol is Byun Baekhyun's boyfriend?"

 

Baekhyun just looks up at Chanyeol like he wants to laugh, but he doesn't know what to say so he just stares up at him. "Can I hug you?"

Baekhyun doesn't even need to tiptoe or wait for the momentum that he has to bounce on the balls of his feet, because Chanyeol is leaning in and low so they're at the same level and he's smelling Chanyeol everywhere with cheeks pressed perfectly on the taller's chest. Baekhyun leans closer, their figures barely having any space left in between. It takes just Baekhyun a small leap of faith and he's wrapping an arm around Chanyeol's torso and pulling at the hem of his shirt. So maybe the feeling is like having or holding someone close to your heart that you don't want to let go of. Chanyeol holds him so tender and Chanyeol feels warm, almost like home, except moments like these don't last because there's still a lad waiting and sitting right at Baekhyun's living room.

 

So when Baekhyun pulls away and mentally complains about the lack of warmth, Chanyeol presses a kiss on his temple.

"Talk to Kyungsoo now. It must be important."

Baekhyun's at a loss. Stunned for the umpteenth time from everything happening and "Yeah, okay." He turns around mechanically and, "I'm just gonna go and step in now and there I'm walking, see?" before his forehead almost comes into contact with the door.

Chanyeol's just laughing in merriment a couple of meters behind in his head because how could Baekhyun be this cute. He doesn't even think about helping Baekhyun out, because he knows he might end up glomping the younger and take his time away for Kyungsoo.

 

"Goodnight."

 

Before completely starting up the engine, Chanyeol contemplates the likely effects of this type of occurrence. He thinks about the possibility of whether or not he may be able to sleep tonight and just maybe he won't be able to.

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun doesn't waste time sitting beside Kyungsoo and wrapping an arm around his best friend's shoulders. It's obvious Kyungsoo doesn't look like he's in the mood and really, the best Baekhyun could do is to make his best friend comfortable and maybe comfort him even if Baekhyun's inept in it. 

"Why wouldn't you sit with me earlier?" Kyungsoo mindlessly says, no matching movement or emotion in his voice.

 

"I thought you were gonna lecture me," Baekhyun honestly quips.

 

"I am so upset right now, Byun." It's not really good omen either that Kyungsoo's referring to Baekhyun with his last name.

 

"Is it because of me?" Baekhyun asks in hesitance. "About Chanyeol being my boyfriend now?" But maybe that's not it. That's too shallow for Kyungsoo to bother. 

 

But "Yes!" Kyungsoo exclaims.

 

"I'm sorry Kyung..." Baekhyun's voice fades. "I just... It happened all of a sudden and—"

 

"Why are you sorry?"

 

"Because you're upset, because I kept it from you," Baekhyun says, finality in his voice as he looks pleading at Kyungsoo.

 

"It's just... it's not that, okay?" Kyungsoo snaps and Baekhyun isn't really sure if he understands the other right now.

 

"Then what is it about? I'm not sure I get you right now. Speaking of which, you seem to be not yourself tonight." When Baekhyun says it, it's with frustration, of wanting to understand when he couldn't. It's sort of like finding a solution to a problem and finding out that there is an alternate to it because the first wouldn't work.

"I hate him so much," Kyungsoo says, not much of a feeling hinted in his voice. If anything, his face is blank and doesn't speak of any emotion. The only thing he resorts to doing is hugging Baekhyun and Baekhyun just lets him, because he thinks it's the right thing to do. 

 

"Who do you hate so much?"

 

"Chanyeol!"
 

"But he's my boyfriend."

 

"It's not him."

"What the hell, Kyungsoo. Just speak clearly and tell me!"

But Kyungsoo doesn't speak for a few seconds, his face still devoid of emotions as he lets a couple drops fall out from his eyes. He doesn't know why he's crying. He doesn't know why he feels upset. He doesn't know why he couldn't just admit to what he's really feeling inside, because it's just... Maybe he doesn't, maybe he does. But he doesn't want to.

"Are you crying?" Baekhyun asks incredulously.

"No, I'm not crying!" Kyungsoo bites. "It's my saliva. I'm coating you in saliva. I don't know. Or maybe it's raining in your living room." 

 

And really, trust Kyungsoo to even joke around a situation that's supposed to be serious. 

"These are tears." Baekhyun thumbs at Kyungsoo's closed damp eyes. "And your eyes are red."

 

"Just help me through this," Kyungsoo whispers, closing both his eyes now.

"But you won't tell me what's it about."

"It's about a person."

"But what kind of person? Do I know him?"

"A hateful one."

"Who is it? Is it Luhan?"

"No, it's not Luhan. He's not doing anything wrong."

"Then who?"

"Can you stop asking?"

"Then can you stop clinging to me?" Baekhyun's patience is almost running out.

"No, no, I'm just..."

"Just calm down and tell me," Baekhyun says softly and gently says this time.

"It's Chanyeol."

"And you said it isn't Chanyeol a minute ago."

"Chanyeol's best friend."

"Who's—oh, Jongin?"

And Kyungsoo's eyes are no longer just wet with tears and his eyes aren't red, they're sore as he cries harder—tears dripping down both his cheeks.

And...

Baekhyun gasps, because...

 

This is Kyungsoo when he's in love or at least on that road.

Because he doesn't want to be.

 

 

 

 

 

It's easy to have to come up with a conclusion why Do Kyungsoo is so upset at Kim Jongin. 

 

In fact, it’s as simple as his existence.

It has to do with the older’s mad dancing skills. Happenings that occurred even before they got along well that Kyungsoo couldn’t get off his mind. In the little ways Jongin irritates him with his sarcastic and snide remarks, the way he talks, walks, laughs, manages to befriend girls in the daycare like it’s second nature to him… everything of those Kyungsoo hates.

 

Kyungsoo mentally laughed when he learned Jongin is unemployed, stupid enough to forget where he put a ring of keys—stupid enough not to charge his phone before setting off. And also the way Jongin could reach most of what he couldn’t, that Kyungsoo needs to tiptoe and practically beg the help of the other.

 

But really…

 

It’s got to do with Krystal and Jongin around each other and how Luna and Luhan were so vocal about the teasings during the daycare event.

 

He watched Jongin promptly help Krystal out in setting up the props and the stage, laughing together like they had their own world no one could step in and break.

 

He watched when Jongin approached Krystal when she got off stage, because she was of no use in helping Luna out with the voice imitations of the storybook they were telling.
 

But he promptly remembered how Jongin offered him help when Baekhyun escaped to nowhere with Chanyeol. He remembers rejecting the offer and giving the cold shoulder to Jongin—almost told him to go back to Krystal, except that would sound jealous, which Kyungsoo thinks he isn’t. It’s that Kyungsoo doesn’t like owing things to people and he thinks he owes Jongin a lot now. It’s burdensome when you have to think about ways in which to somehow repay the kind gestures people do for you. Kyungsoo clearly isn’t one for those. It’s just so hateful when you have people helping you out when you don’t even need it. So maybe Jongin’s just sincerely offering help, but they didn’t start off like that and Kyungsoo almost wishes Jongin to have never reconciled with him. Or maybe Kyungsoo neglected that part of Jongin that could be one for a helping hand. But then again, it’s a sign of underestimation. You don’t help people when you know they don’t need it and Jongin clearly thinks Kyungsoo does.

 

‘But I don’t.’ Kyungsoo thinks, seated on his bed in contemplation.

 

The last thing he remembers is clutching the storybook he was telling so close to his chest back at the daycare event, a slight edge in his voice by the way Jongin is ticking him off and trying to help by acting out the scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

A/N:

I know I'm lagging behind and that this is too short of an update, but let's see.