found this when i was randomly digging in my folders. if my brain isn't wrong, i typed this the day f(x)'s pink tape was released and forgot this wasn't yet posted. goodbye summer~ long chapter ahead, feel free to fall asleep.

Baekhyun turns the engine of his shining black BMW off and heaves a sigh, eyes darting to a big beach house in front of him. He gnaws at his bottom lip, hands still on the stirring wheel. It’s been four years since EXO was announced to be disbanded and never once did he meet them in person after that, so he wonders if everything is going to be okay if he shows up now.

His phone on the passenger seat rings and after reading the caller ID, he contemplates for a while whether he should pick it up or not. It’s been four years since EXO was announced to be disbanded and never once did he call him after that, so he wonders if it is okay to pick his call up now.

Letting out another sigh, Baekhyun finally leaves his car and makes his way to that beach house. His heart thumps faster by each step he takes, fists clenching and unclenching in anxiety, but he knows for sure that there is no backing off now, not when Sehun has caught his presence. The younger is on his way to the house as well, dressed in a thin blue sleeveless tee and white shorts.

“Baekhyun hyung!” Sehun cheerfully greets and smiles brightly. “You came! You’re finally here!”

Baekhyun slightly lifts the corners of his lips up, hoping that it will create a decent smile. He can see sheer happiness in Sehun’s eyes and he can tell that the younger is in better condition—not as thin as when they were still in EXO four years ago and his smile is now genuine.

“Let’s go! Everyone’s been waiting for you!” Sehun comes up to Baekhyun and stands behind him before putting his hands on the older’s shoulders and pushing him. “Go go go~”

Baekhyun feels like this is just a dream—that he’s just seeing one of those dreams he’s been having at nights—as a series of gasps and shrieks and shouts of his name blast loudly when he walks up to the sandy area to meet the others. He realizes more that there is no backing off as Luhan, Jongdae, and Tao attack him in a group hug, crying like high school girls.

After they pull away, Baekhyun takes in his best friends’ appearances and oh God he didn’t realize he missed them this much. Now he admits he’s a fool for not sparing any time to just meet them for even a minute. Three months after the disbandment, an agency called him and offered him to have his career back by being a solo singer. He accepted, of course, since singing’s been his passion since he was kid. He’s been busy again ever since that.

Now when he’s finally with his beloved ex-groupmates, he’s suddenly hit with melancholy. It may be late to say but he misses seeing Jongin’s possessiveness towards Kyungsoo, he misses hearing Luhan’s laugh, he misses mimicking Kris’ glare when the others and he didn’t behave well. He misses everything.

To top it all off, he also regrets everything—he regrets not coming to Yixing’s birthday parties, he regrets not coming to Jongdae and Minseok’s wedding party, he regrets not coming to Sehun’s bachelor party, and what’s more, he regrets not coming to any outing his ex-groupmates held.

“Come on, let’s join Sehun to cheer for the others! They decided to play volleyball because the weather is nice!” Luhan takes Baekhyun’s hand and drags him to where the others are playing. Jongin and Kris are in one team while Minseok is on the same team with Kyungsoo, Junmyeon, and Yixing. Two versus four, Baekhyun chuckles, as always. He sits in between Luhan and Jongdae and immediately gets carried away with the game.

The ball from Kyungsoo smashes Jongin square on his face hard and he falls backward, making the former rush up to him with worry in his doe-eyes. Sehun laughs and claps like a maniac at the scene and Baekhyun can’t help but to feel that something is missing—someone is missing. Before everyone laughs, Chanyeol usually—

Chanyeol. Park Chanyeol.

Baekhyun’s heart skips a beat as he finally realizes that Chanyeol is nowhere to be seen. He turns his head to the sides, scanning his surroundings, and feels his chest tighten painfully that Chanyeol really isn’t here with him. Did he call Baekhyun earlier to tell him that he’s not coming?

As if God hears his question, a deep voice from behind snaps Baekhyun back to reality. “I’m sorry I’m late, guys.”

Baekhyun quickly whips his head around and sees the one he’s been avoiding the most this past four years. There, standing on all his perfection, is Chanyeol in a floral-patterned shorts and white tee with a picture of a grinning Smurf printed on it—the same tee Baekhyun is wearing right now. Chanyeol’s jetblack hair is just slightly longer from the last time Baekhyun saw it and there is his favorite glasses hanging on the neck hole of his tee.

And there’s a cute little girl in his arms, hugging his neck like a koala.

Baekhyun stares and stares and stares. Is Chanyeol her daddy?

Chanyeol finally looks down at Baekhyun and as if everything else is tuned down, they just lock eyes, not trusting themselves to greet each other.

“Aww~ You brought Yoohee along, Yeol,” Minseok leaves his team and walks up to Chanyeol while making cute faces at Yoohee. He holds his arms out and she immediately leans forward, wanting to be carried by Minseok. “Uncle missed you, Yoohee-ah~ How is your mama, hm?”

Baekhyun blinks. Mama? Did I miss something here?

“Baek,” Luhan softly calls. When he finally gets the said boy’s attention, he gives encouraging pats on the other’s shoulder. “Go talk to Chanyeol. There are things you should catch up.”

“Huh?”

“Go have a walk with Chanyeol,” there is something unreadable in Luhan’s eyes. “Please.”

Baekhyun has no idea what Luhan is saying but he ends up standing and approaching Chanyeol. The latter seems surprised at first but then he smiles, m