pink balloons

"Do you think they're magical?"

Park Chanyeol, known as the new guy in the neighborhood. It was just his first month and he's already driving his neighbors crazy from his outrageous personality. You can list him as a prankster, rebellious, and a loud man. No...not man, Chanyeol is actually a 10 year old boy stuck in a 22 year old’s body. He’s stuck in this empty house staring blankly at his window; waiting for something magical to happen. Like a magic pink balloon appearing before him, granting a wish that he’d always wanted. A friend, but that’s impossible. There was no such things as magical pink balloons granting wishes. Chanyeol hurled into a position, wanting to cry out, but unable. There’s nothing sad, he was just lonely.

It was bad enough that he was laid off from his job. Chanyeol used to work for a photography company, a freelancer that always caught the most beautiful and priceless scenes in life. He wanted to make life more magical like a fairy tale, where there were happy endings, not bitter ones like he recently had a couple weeks ago. He’s still pretty jobless meaning he’s on the urge of desperation. Scanning newspapers, surfing through the internet, and literally going into shops asking if they needed more employees. He tried the mini mart that was just down the street around the corner, then he tried working as a street guard but he would get confused whether cars would stop or go. The only option Chanyeol has was the small Day Care Center that was across the street from where he lived. He noticed there were a lot of children in the area, so he reckoned it would be useful to work there.

It’s fun they said, and the ‘they’ were the old ladies who use to take care of Chanyeol when he was younger. Working with old ladies is fun he thought, well not really. They mostly gossiped about other people’s lives, which were basically inaccurate. Chanyeol can prove that their information was false and over exaggerated, like those stupid reporters or journalists over exaggerating things that aren’t meant to be worried over.

Chanyeol headed out the door, grabbing his hooded sweater that was carelessly thrown on the old yellow couch that laid floating on his living room floor. He hadn’t organized his house yet, there wasn’t much to organize anyway. It just consisted of his couch, a lamp, a small dining table with two chairs, a pan, toaster, microwave, and sleeping bag. Yeah, he had no bed... yet. He could survive on the couch and sleeping bag. No need to get fancy with things.

The air was fresh as he walked out of his house. The sun shining above flushed him with warmth and reassurance that he will find a job today, not tomorrow. No need for pink balloons to grant you wishes, he thought, all you needed was self- confidence. Chanyeol stretched out his long legs and began skipping his way across the street towards the small colorful building. The sign was colorful enough to blind him. He blinked three times and swallowed hard before stepping into the building.

"Hello." a soft voice greeted from behind the desk. Chanyeol jerkily glanced over his shoulder and spotting a handsome boy with a smile across his face. Chanyeol cleared his throat, turned to the boy and clumsily bowed while accidentally knocking his head on the table's corner. The boy who greeted him with a bit too bright of a smile. It overwhelmed Chanyeol considering he wasn't used to those smiles. It was beautiful and fresh, like it was only reserved for him. Chanyeol looked up, eyes wide with embarrassment.

"Hey..." he squeaked. Chanyeol flinched and mentally slapped himself for being an idiot.

"May I help you?" the boy chuckled softly and turned away from Chanyeol.

Chanyeol straightened his shirt and folded his collars neatly, rolling up his sleeve, "I want to...uhm...apply?"

The boy stopped and turned back at the lenghty boy, "Apply?"

Chanyeol coughed nervously and nodded awkwardly. The boy nodded and started typing while humming quietly. He guided Chanyeol to a seat nearest to the desk to wait while he goes through the computer. The chair was small. Well, small for his height. It's like seeing a giant sitting on a child's chair...he was sitting on a child's play chair. Crouching awkwardly and patting his thighs anxiously, his eyes kept gliding everywhere. There were no signs of children. It was empty. It was quiet and all he heard where the boy's busy hands typing while asking him questions. The boy suddenly stood up and walked over to Chanyeol with his hands out.

"You're in...welcome! I'm Byun Baekhyun..and you are?" he smiled and reached his hand out for Chanyeol. Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun's long slender fingers before he introduced himself. 

"I'm Chanyeol, Park Chanyeol." Chanyeol smiles back and shook Baekhyun's hand gently. 

They smiled at each other, hands still clasped together as they were there staring at one another. Chanyeol was still sitting while the other stood with his left hand behind his back. They finally let go of each other as a child came out screaming his lungs out. The child held onto a pink inflated balloon, shrieking and crying with anger and frustration. Chanyeol startled and stood up, staring wide eyed at the child whose snot was dripping from his nose. 

He was going to barf, "U-uhm...his boogers are...hanging..." 

Baekhyun chuckled and pulled out a tissue from his pocket. Of course he knew this was coming. The kid immediately shut up after he saw Baekhyun hands wipe the tears off his face. Eyes swollen and cheeks rosey red, the kid helplessly dragged the inflated ballon to Baekhyun, pointing at it. 

"You popped your balloon, hmm?" Baekhyun softly asked. The child shook his head and pointed a finger towards another boy who ran after him. He had curly hair and was taller than the boy who began shooting daggers at him. Baekhyun turned and smiled at the other boy, "Did you pop it?" 

The kid silently walked over to Baekhyun whispering in his ear. Chanyeol was amused with the two kids. The both of them looked fairly familiar, but he couldn't make out what was so familiar about them. Baekhyun soflty sighed and patted the two children's head. 

"Yejun-ah, don't cry, be a strong hyung." he pointed at him, gently patting his back. Baekhyun looked at the taller boy who was fiddling his fingers, "Jihoon-ah, be careful when you play, I want you guys to make up and be best friends again."

Chanyeol smiled sheepishly as he watched the two kid hug each other and holding hands. Yejun, the smaller older boy glared at Chanyeol, sticking his tongue out. Jihoon turned at Chanyeol and gave him an apologetic look.

"Did he just stick his tongue out at me?", Chanyeol looked baffled. 

Baekhyun whipped his head at Yejun who ran back into Baekhyun's arms, "That ahjusshi is ugly." 

Jihoon sighed and looked back at Chanyeol apologetically again. Baekhyun raised his brow, unamused, "Yejun. This is your hyung, Hyung Chanyeol. You don't say that to people." 

Chanyeol forced a smile on his face while his eyes twitched with annoyance, "Yes..I am your hyung." And I am certainly not ugly. Does this face look old to you? he added, mentally shooting daggers through the child's soul, now respect me! Yejun and Chanyeol threw dirty looks at each other, lightning sparks began to form and started a fire. Jihoon tugged onnto Chanyeol's shirt, handing him a new pink balloon he found in the corner. 

"Mr. Chan, here's a pink balloon."

Chanyeol looked down at Jihoon whose eyes glimmered with happiness and unexplainable excitement. He smiled and gratefully recieved the balloon. His calloused hands brushed against the child's small hands, feeling some sort of warmth. Not like the warmth the sun gave him a while ago...but, the kind of feeling where he feels at home--like he's suppose to be here. The two children ran back into their rooms, steps growing fainter and a light sound of the door shutting. Baekhyun stood up from his crouched positioned and rubbed his hands together, fixing his loose white sweater. Chanyeol stared at the pink balloon and turned to see Baekhyun behind it, grinning at him pleasantly with a sincere, angelic smile. His heart beated again like there was a twist in his guts. 

He officially believe that Pink Balloons are magical.

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A/N: Short chapter right? I'll promise to make longer ones....my writing .

Thanks to whoever subscribed really! <3

Sorry for any grammar mistakes.