Later that day, the seven of you were at your apartment having another movie night.
"Oh man, I'm starving," Xiumin groaned and patted his growling stomach.
"Yeah, me too!" Kai said.
"Alright, let's call for pizza then." Baekhyun suggsted as he took his phone out of his pocket.
"Pizza? Again?" Minyoung complained. "We've been having pizza a lot these days."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with having pizza a lot." You casually said.
"Only you would say that," Kai flicked your forehead and you shot him a glare.
"Can't we just have something else?" Chanyeol said.
"I call for chicken!" Kai raised his hand and exclaimed.
"Oh, yes, chicken sounds great!" Xiumin nodded his head with a big grin.
Baekhyun looked around the room as everyone agreed to having chicken for dinner. "But the chicken place doesn't do delivery. That means one of us we'll have to go down there and buy it."
At Baekhyun's words, everyone whined. Everyone was too lazy to even move.
"How about we play a game?" Chanyeol sat up and suggested.
"What game?" You asked.
Chanyeol shrugged. "Just the usual rock, paper, scissors."
Everyone agreed to that and gathered in a circle. "First two people who loses goes and buy our dinner, okay?"
Suddenly, Chanyeol brightened up again with an idea and made you stand beside Chen. Then he sneakily went behind the two of you and raised his fist in the air, signalling to everyone to go for rock instead of anything else.
The others saw the mischievous glint in his eyes and understood what he was trying to do and snickered.
"Alright," Chanyeol said. "Rock, paper, scissors!"
At first, everyone coincidentally held out rocks, which meant that they had to play another round.
Chanyeol raised his palm in the air this time and started the next round.
Just as planned, you and Chen held out rock while the others held out paper.
When you had realised that you had lost, you started whining. Chen, on the other hand, didn't have any complaints when he realised that he would have to go with you. "Aw man! But I'm really lazy!"
"You always are lazy, it's nothing new," Kai rolled his eyes. "Just go and get our dinner with Chen, okay?"
"Ugh," you groaned but stood up anyway and took your jacket along with you. "Come on, Oppa. Let's go so we can get back quickly."
Right after you walked out the door, Baekhyun put a hand on Chen's shoulder, making him turn around to face the former male. "Be grateful. We're giving you some alone time so you can ask her," Baekhyun said and gave Chen a wink.
Chen felt his cheeks flush and gave his friends a small smile when he had realised what Baekhyun was talking about. "Thanks, you guys," he said before going after you.
Earlier that day, when Chen kept sleeping during his classes, Baekhyun got worried and asked Chen what was up. At first, Chen waved the matter away by saying it was nothing but Baekhyun could read him as clear as a book.
*
"Oh come on, it's definitely not nothing," Baekhyun said as the two boys took their seats for math class.
Chen sighed, knowing that it'd be pointless lying to your older brother. "Alright, fine," he said. "I just didn't get enough sleep last night. I had some...thinking to do."
"You hesitated before you said 'thinking'," Baekhyun pointed out. "So tell me, what 'thinking' did you have to do?"
"I just...I was planning on asking your sister out soon and I was thinking about what I should do for our first date. If she agrees to go on a date with me, anyway," Chen said and turned away from Baekhyun's eyes to avoid the awkwardness.
Baekhyun chuckled, "Is that all? And you lost sleep because of that?"
When Baekhyun had noticed Chen's expression though, he stopped. "You really are taking this whole dating-my-sister thing really seriously, huh?" Baekhyun smiled sincerely.
"Of course," Chen said. "I really like her and I want to take care of her."
Baekhyun smiled. He was so glad to have Chen who was so sincere about dating you. "Well, for one, you don't have to worry about Haerin accepting you or not. Because I am sure that she'll say yes to your date offer."
"Really? But how would you know?" Chen said, doubting Baekhyun a little.
"I'm her older brother, of course I know." Baekhyun smirked lightly. "She likes you. She may not be aware of that now but have you seen the way she looks at you? There are practically hearts pouring out of her eyes when she looks at you," He laughed.
Chen didn't respond to that, though. He could only imagine you saying yes to going on a date with him.
"And for two," Baekhyun continued. "Just take her anywhere for the date. She's not that much of a picky person."
"Any suggestions for a first date with Haerin, though? I really don't have any idea."
"Hm, well. You could bring her to a movie. The amusement park sounds okay too." Baekhyun said. "Then just bring her for dinner afterwards. Sounds like a cliché first date, but she'll like it."
Chen thought about it for a while and smiled. "Yeah, maybe I'll just take her to the amusement park then dinner."
"You gotta ask her first, though. Don't get too excited just yet," Baekhyun laughed.
*
The two of you talked about random things as you walked to the chicken place. You would point at random things that interest you and say the weirdest things that pop up into your mind. Chen would make the most silliest jokes but yet you'd still laugh so hard about it.
Sometimes, you would laugh so loud, people would start staring at you. And even then, Chen didn't even feel embarrased. He loved your laugh; the way it sounded, the way it lit up your face. He also loved how tears would fall from your eyes so easily even from laughing just a bit.
To other people, it may be embarrasing. But to Kim Jongdae, aka Chen, it was adorable and he loved it.
"Oh, we're here!" You exclaimed as you stopped in front of the shop. "Come on, let's order and quickly get home. I'm already starving."
15 minutes after ordering, the two of you had gotten the food and left the little shop.
On the way back, the laughing stopped not because you had run out of things to talk about, but you had run out of breath. Walking, talking and laughing is hard work, you know? And besides, it wasn't like the silence between the two of you was awkward. In fact, it was anything but that. It was comfortable.
"Uhm, Haerin?" Chen suddenly called your name as he fidget with the watch on his wrist.
"Hm?" You hummed as you continued to look straight ahead.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"I was thinking...would you..." Chen started to say but he kept stuttering.
This time, you looked up to face him only to see him struggling with his words. "Would I what?"
"Uhm, would you...Would you go on a date with me?!" Chen suddenly exclaimed with a slightly loud voice. Luckily though, no one was around.
Your eyes widened at the question because you were, well, genuinely shocked. You had never expected such a question from him.
"I'm sorry, that was kind of loud," he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and avoided your eyes.
"It's fine," you giggled but then your expression changed. "You do know that I'd have to tell my brother about this date, don't you?"
"He already said yes," Chen said. "I asked. And he said he's okay with it."
That startled you as well. It was the first time that a guy asked your brother for permission first before asking you out on a date and you were touched.
Truthfully, you weren't sure whether you were ready to start this whole dating thing again. You were scared, to be honest. It has only been a couple of weeks since that harsh break up with Luhan and you just didn't know if you were ready.
At that time, Chen could see that you were hesistating.
"Look, I know you may be still suffering from what happened a couple of weeks ago," Chen said. "You don't even have to look at it as a date. It could just be me and you hanging out on a normal day. Nothing big. I wouldn't even be mad at you if you were to say no."
You looked into his eyes, as if trying to search for some glint in his eyes that said he was lying. But you couldn't find it. All you could see were sincerity.
"I'll give you time to think about it, okay? You don't have to answer me now." Chen smiled and you felt more comfortable.
You nodded with a smile in response, "Thank you," you softly said. "Well come on, then, we still have to get these home to the hungry bears," you chuckled and continued to walk towards you apartment building.
*
That night, after you and Chen came back with dinner, the seven of you continued to eat while watching the movie.
"So, how did it go?" Baekhyun nudged the boy on his left and whispered.
Chen sighed and shook his head.
Baekhyun's eyes widened. "Why the sigh and shaking of the head? Those are never good signs at all!"
"She didn't give me an answer."
"What? Did you even ask?"
"Yes, I did. And she didn't give me an answer," Chen whispered back. "Well, yet anyways."
"Yet?"
"Yeah, I told her she could think about it first. She was obviously hesistating because she just broke up with Luhan like 2 weeks ago? It must really have affected her."
Baekhyun sighed. "She probably thinks she isn't ready to date again."
"But I told her that you agreed to it. So that should lessen her worries, shouldn't it? If you approved of us dating, she should be so worried."
"You have a point. But it doesn't matter whether I approve or not. If her heart's ready to start dating again, then she will. Just give her a little time, okay? She'll sort it out soon."
Baekhyun gave Chen's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and smiled.
*
Right after your friends had left, you and Baekhyun were busy cleaning up the living room. You took the boxes and cans of drinks and threw them into the rubbish bin.
"So," Baekhyun said and you looked up to face him. "Did you give Chen an answer yet?" He asked.
"An answer to what?"
"To the date, silly."
You flushed. "Uhm, no. I haven't."
"Why not?" He asked, although he already knew the answer for himself.
"I'm scared, Oppa." You sighed. "What if Chen turns out to be like the other guys?"
Baekhyun softened. "Oh, come here, baby sis," he said and opened his arms.
You gladly went in for an embrace and hugged him back.
Baekhyun brushed your hair lightly with his fingers. "Don't be so insecure about it, okay? Besides, this is Chen we're talking about. I'm sure he'll treat you well," Baekhyun said. "He already does, doesn't he?"
You smiled, "Yeah, he does."
"And, you've already been friends with him for quite a long time now. Are you saying that you don't trust him?"
"What? No, no! I do trust Chen oppa. It's just that...I just don't feel ready yet."
"Don't treat it as a date, okay? Just go out and hang out with him like you usually would. Except, we won't be there. It'll just be you and him."
"Sounds like a date to me," you snickered.
"Really? I think it sounds like a good bonding time for two friends," Baekhyun smiled. "Just think about it, okay? Chen's a really great guy." He patted your head before leaving you and going into his room.
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