"Jongdae-ah..." Baekhyun called and his best friend's hair.

He let out a sigh of relief when Chen didn't respond, sleeping soundly.

He saw Chen slip away quietly during lunch, but he didn't know where he was, so he was very worried when he didn't turn up to choir.

He wasn't expecting Chanyeol to call him during practice, and he definitely wasn't expecting Chanyeol to tell him that Chen needed him.

He rushed straight away to the rooftop, where Chanyeol was cradling a wailing Chen in his arms on the floor.

They took him back to their dorm and got into bed, cuddling Chen in between them.

 

"This is all my fault." Chanyeol frowned and lowered his head, resting his forehead on the back of Chen's head,

Baekhyun simply shook his head and reached up to touch Chanyeol's face gently.

No it's not.

To Baekhyun, Chanyeol was a good natured and down to earth man, possibly the sweetest person he had ever met, and it pained Baekhyun to see Chanyeol so frustrated, blaming himself for what happened.

Seeing his loved ones hurt was one thing Baekhyun hated more than anything.

 

"Yeolie, it wasn't your fault. You were only trying to help Jongdae. To be honest, if I were you I'd done the same thing, because I wanted Jongdae to be happy. It's what you wanted too, right?"

Chanyeol nodded, and nestled his face into Baekhyun's soft palm.

Baekhyun gave him a small smile and his cheek tenderly with his thumb.

Soon, there were soft snores coming from the tall man.

Baekhyun reached up and brushed Chanyeol's bangs out of his eyes.

His hair is getting longer.

Baekhyun smiled, remembering how Chanyeol's hair was short and his elf ears were completely exposed when they first met.

He was anxious and very awkward, but strangely Baekhyun found that absolutely adorable.

He felt like laughing and throwing his arms around Chanyeol whenever he grinned nervously and twitched or whenever he said something that sounded so awkward and wrong without meaning it.

Chanyeol was innocent and precious.

 

"Baekhyun?"

Baekhyun turned his head towards the doorway.

It was Xiumin.

 

"Yes hyung?" Baekhyun didn't want to admit it, but he felt a little sad that Xiumin came to them directly after hurting his best friend.

Please make up your mind Minie hyung.

 

"How is Jongdae?" Xiumin bit his lip, eyes darting around.

He cried so much he tired himself out and fell asleep...

Baekhyun's heart ached for his best friend, and he felt stinging in his eyes as he studied Chen closely.

Chen's beautiful eyes were swollen and ringed by dark circles, his face was flushed and covered in tear stains, and the tip of his nose had turned red.

He looks broken and exhausted.

 

"He's just gone to sleep." Baekhyun moved his hand to Chen's head and tidied his hair.

 

"I see." Xiumin had moved to kneel beside Baekhyun's bed.

Baekhyun didn't want to say anything to Xiumin, because he knew he'd feel more than upset.

There was a long silence, and Baekhyun wasn't sure what Xiumin was doing behind him.

I don't want to know.

Baekhyun ignored Xiumin's presence and continued cuddling his best friend under Chanyeol's long arm which was stretched across Chen's and his own body.

Jongdae doesn't deserve this.

 

"Baekhyun... Did I make a mistake?"

Baekhyun blinked away his tears and turned to look at Xiumin.

He looked very distressed, and was obviously upset by the sight in front of him, so much that he almost looked like he was in pain.

Baekhyun let out a long sigh, then slipped out of bed.

 

"Hyung, it's your loss. When someone out there grabs him, you'll regret not doing it while you had the chance."

And you'll regret hurting him like this too.

 

"I never wanted to hurt him." As if he could read Baekhyun's mind, Xiumin said firmly and glared at Baekhyun.

 

"Then don't. Jongdae is my best friend. I want him to be happy. I'll make sure he finds someone else who can make him happy. I won't let him linger on this just because you missed your chance and he likes you, and I know he'll continue that for goodness knows how long because he's liked you for the past two years." Baekhyun said softly and sat back down on his bed.

 

"What?" 

 

"For two whole years, he disappears after choir and doesn't come back till dinner time. Guess why? He's been watching you play soccer. He tells me all the time 'Kim Minseok, he scored three goals today.' 'He supported two goals today.' 'He filled in as captain and he did an even better job than the real captain.' 'He intercepted more than five times today.' There he was, watching you from afar and you didn't know who he was or that he even existed. Can you imagine how happy he was to be in a dorm with you, to make friends with you and finally being able to sit in the stands and watch you without some kind of excuse, to be able to say he's your friend and he's come to support you? Do you understand that you've just broken him into pieces?" Baekhyun felt out of control, pouring out and firing all the concerns he had for his best friend at Xiumin, but he couldn't stop.

His welled up tears fell and he sobbed as he continued.

 

"All the hope you've given him, all his dreams of being close to you. All gone in an instance, just because of one text. No explanation, no nothing, just simple rejection. What gives you the right to trample all over Jongdae? Who gave you permission to break his heart and make him so vulnerable, so fragile?" Baekhyun's eyes were so misty he couldn't see what kind of expression Xiumin wore on his face.

He wanted so desperately for Xiumin to understand what he had done, that he didn't care if Xiumin was angry at him.

He kept babbling, until he broke down and couldn't speak anymore.

 

"Go." Baekhyun choked out and hid his face in his hands.

You haven't just broken Jongdae's heart.

You've broken mine too.

 

"Baekhyun... Will you listen to me?" Xiumin sat down in front of Baekhyun and patted his knee.

As much as Baekhyun was upset with Xiumin, he knew he had to listen and understand Xiumin, because his best friend couldn't.

Nodding, he wiped his face, and to his surprise he saw Xiumin with bloodshot eyes.

How...? Minie hyung never cries.

Baekhyun felt a tightness in his chest and frowned at the sight.

 

"If you hadn't just told me all that, I'd never know. I'd never know how far back his feelings go, how wrong I was about him and how stupid I was to reject him. I... I thought he asked me on a date just because everyone else had found their special someone. I thought he pressured himself into liking me because I was the only one available. Dammit, I thought he was simply lonely and he needed someone, and he had no choice other than me. I'm fine with being his hyung if he's lonely... But it would be a huge mistake if he wanted to go out with me for that reason. And now I'm the person who's made a huge mistake..." Xiumin pressed a finger to the corner of his eye and chuckled dryly.

Baekhyun suddenly felt guilty.

Sure, Xiumin didn't know about Chen, but Baekhyun didn't know about Xiumin either.

And now he realized, Xiumin did like Chen, and he was protecting him from making a mistake.

 

"Hyung... Jongdae isn't someone like that. He always puts his friends' feelings before his own. He'd do all he could and go through all kinds of trouble and pain just to bring a little happiness to someone else's life. Jongdae is fun and witty on the outside, but under the skin he's is kind and considerate. If he didn't think asking you on a date would make you happy, he wouldn't do it." Baekhyun turned and reached out to Chen's arm.

 

"He deserves to be happy." Baekhyun lowered his gaze and whispered.

More than anyone else.

 

"Can I... take him? I need to talk to him when he wakes up."

Baekhyun nodded, then reached over and lifted Chanyeol's arm up, allowing Xiumin to slip his arms under Chen's head and knees.

You'd better not hurt him again.

Baekhyun tried to fight his worries as he watched Xiumin carry Chen out of the room.

I can't do this anymore.

Baekhyun felt a huge urge to escape as his eyes filled with tears again.

He wrapped Chanyeol's arm around himself and took a huge whiff of Chanyeol's scent.

He needed Chanyeol.

He needed Chanyeol to hold him and be his safety blanket.

He sighed in relief as he felt Chanyeol pull him closer, and buried his face into Chanyeol's shoulder.

 

"Eh... Chen, that's Baekie's place."

Oh Yeolie.

Baekhyun broke into a smile, and he gently cupped Chanyeol's face before pecking his lips.

 

"Chen! What the fudge! I know you're sad but Baekhyun is my one and only, and I can't-" Chanyeol paused as he fought open his eyes, and saw Baekhyun in front of him.

Baekhyun giggled and crashed his lips onto Chanyeol's, forming a long and deep kiss.

When he pulled away, Chanyeol blushed and gave a twitchy smile in embarrassment.

Baekhyun giggled again, Chanyeol's rosy cheeks.

One and only.

He softened his gaze as he repeated those words in his head, feeling warmth in his chest.

He was about to pull Chanyeol into another kiss, when the latter spoke again.

 

"That would have been awkward. If you were Chen."

Oh Yeolie.

 

 

 

 

Author's Note:

Just had to throw a bit of angst in there.

Trololololol Lolololololol

Told you it was gonna be happy hehehe

We don't care author-nim you're still an !!!

Oh. Okay then. Sad face.

Back to Baekyeol next chapter.