Chanyeol was sitting at his desk, rapidly typing on his laptop, facing away from the door.

Baekhyun hesitated, willing Chanyeol to acknowledge him, until he noticed the ear buds in the rapper’s ear – the other man clearly oblivious of Baekhyun’s presence.

Baekhyun cleared his throat and pulled out a chair, dragging it to the corner next to Chanyeol’s desk. The latter had jumped up at the sudden noise, slamming his laptop shut and quickly spinning around with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, then eyeing the door, preparing to bolt out of the room.

Baekhyun didn’t give him a chance to make a run for it, effectively blocking his way and pushing him back until he was seated again.

“Tell me what I did wrong.” He hadn’t meant for those words to come out so harshly.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened even further, mouth gaping and shoulders sagging.

Baekhyun plopped down in his own seat, his chest suddenly feeling tight as he grabbed Chanyeol’s hand, squeezing it as if it was his only connection left with Chanyeol. “I need to know. You’re mad at me for something and I can’t figure it out and it’s driving me crazy and I’m afraid I haven’t spent enough time wi-“

“I’m so sorry”, Chanyeol’s whisper was coarse and barely audible as it cut through Baekhyun’s desperate flood of words.

Tears came rolling down the rapper’s cheeks and it was enough to wash away Baekhyun’s lingering anger and hurt at being smacked around then ignored by his best friend. He wrapped his arms around the taller man, who thankfully didn’t flinch away from him, but instead clung to him like a drowning man.

Chanyeol was mumbling and Baekhyun pulled away to catch what he was saying, only he couldn’t make any sense of what the younger man was saying.

“Forgive me, forgive me I’m such an idiot and an and I would never… ever do that to you or to Kyungsoo but not to you especially not you and I don’t know why they think such things or why they love 10080 but now I hurt you and it’s true and –“

“Chanyeol, breathe.”

“I’m so sorry Baekhyun, it wasn’t supposed to happen but then they wrote it and it did and I don’t-“

“Breathe.” Baekhyun’s fingers closed around Chanyeol’s wrists, putting his hands up to his chest, forcing the hyperventilating rapper to become aware of his erratic breathing. Chanyeol gulped down a lungful of air, his lanky frame trembling like a leaf as he leaned into Baekhyun’s embrace.

“I forgive you. I don’t know what it is you did or whoever they are or what a 10080 is but it’s okay.”

Chanyeol relaxed in his grip before pulling back again, looking up into Baekhyun’s eyes with sad eyes. “How’s your head?”

“I’ll live. Now tell me why you were so upset with me.”

Chanyeol’s eyes fluttered nervously towards his laptop, before settling on his hands. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Baekhyun, taking Chanyeol’s avoidance for rejection, felt like his heart dropped down his stomach. Whatever had caused this rift between them, they needed to deal with it, because if they didn’t… Don’t leave me.

“Don’t leave me.”

Baekhyun’s plead was barely audible as he unconsciously voiced his thoughts. Chanyeol’s head snapped up and he caught Baekhyun’s eyes.

“Don’t leave me, because I wouldn’t have made it this far without you and I don’t know if I want to go any further if you’re not there next to me.”

Chanyeol barely had the time to process the implications of that statement.

“Never. I … the real me would never do that.”

Baekhyun frowned at the odd phrasing, but decided to let it pass.

“Then tell me why you’re being like this and let me fix it.”

“You can’t. It’s my fault.”

Chanyeol fidgeted for a moment, trying to come up with a way to appease Baekhyun’s curiosity and, more importantly, his insecurity, without letting him know about 10080.

“I have failed you.”

Baekhyun’s hand snuck behind Chanyeol’s neck, pulling him closer until their heads were touching and he felt Chanyeol’s breath ghost over his lips. “I don’t know who told you this, or if you somehow came up with that idiotic idea yourself, but you have been a better friend than I could ever ask for and I need us to be okay. I need you and I to be okay. You could never fail me, Park Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol briefly closed his eyes, ignoring the voice in his head that was urging him to close the distance between their lips and kiss his friend, instead opting to lean back and grabbing his laptop from the desk. He took a deep breath before opening the device and looking up the story that had started it all.

Baekhyun looked confused and slightly concerned when Chanyeol turned the laptop towards him with newfound determination. “I read this.”

Baekhyun’s eyes quickly scanned the page. “A story?”

“Just read it.” Chanyeol stood up from his chair and walked to his bed, falling face forward on the mattress and covering his head with a pillow.

Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger as they read the title. 10080. So that’s what he was rambling about…

"Chanyeol wanted a divorce.