Love.

If you browse through your dictionary, the meaning of it is, “an intense feeling of deep affection.” But of course, that was very uncommon in Sehun’s life. Heck, the word itself sounds so foreign in his ears and even questions people about it.

Because one thing for sure, love is never a word in Sehun’s dictionary.

Nope, not at all.

“Sehun, will you take over the night shift for me? I swear it will only take for a few days.” Sehun let out a dramatic sigh as he glanced over his shoulder to look at Minseok, who was looking at him in the most pleading way possible. He dropped the plate into the sink and turned to him, which brought up Minseok’s hopes.

“How about no?” That earned a groan from Minseok as Sehun turned back to the sink to continue washing the dishes. Minseok turned to Luhan, another fellow co-worker of the café, and his aegyo to full blast. Luhan let a deep sigh to escape his lips and shot a look at Minseok, who smiled in triumph.

“When will it start?”

“But hyung, I don’t want to-“

“Sehun.” Luhan crossed his arms in front of his chest and threw a glare at the younger one, who cringed in fear. He let out a sigh before patting his shoulder and handing him the keys.

“Look, it’s just for a few weeks and the last time I checked, there are no ghosts or monsters here. So, remember to lock up, alright? Thanks Sehun!” Luhan gave him a bright smile as he gave him another pat on the back before moving out of the door, whistling a happy tune. Sehun threw his head back and let a groan escape his lips as he leaned against the counter, watching the clock tick away.

Tick tock tick tock.

It’s already 10 past 9 the last time he checked and thought that he should close the shop by now. He started to clean up the utensils when the ring of the bell made his ears perk up. He turned around and saw a guy, maybe an inch or two shorter than him with a quite messy and tousled hair. He had a suit on and Sehun thought that he was one of those grumpy and money-lover businessman.

“Sir, it’s past the closing time already so-“

“May I order one iced coffee?” Sehun turned to him in shock, wondering why he’s ordering such kind of coffee when it’s literally freezing outside. He continued to stare at him strangely but the guy didn’t spare him a glance and just continued to walk towards an empty table nearby. Sehun let a sigh escape past his lips as he went towards to machine to make the beverage.

After making the ice coffee, he walked towards the guy and handed him the beverage in an emotionless way. The guy looked up and Sehun swore that he was handsome. No, scratch that – he was gorgeous.

His crystal-like brown eyes looked tired but it was still filled with happiness. His lips were turned up meaningfully as his brown hair fell over his eyes. He muttered a quick ‘thank you’ before handing him the cash that he wasn’t able to pay a while ago. Sehun just gazed at him before walking back behind the counter.

The guy finished the coffee and stood up before look at Sehun, who look a bit startled at first but he quickly composed himself and gave him an emotionless face.

“Thank you. I’ll come back tomorrow.” The guy showed him a quick smile, which made Sehun smile a little. Finally, noticing how his face looked like, he quickly settled back to his emotionless face and gave him a curt nod. The guy reluctantly left the café and Sehun swore he can feel his heartbeat accelerating right now.

For the following weeks, Sehun can’t help but wait for the guy to show up every day. He caught his name when his calling card fell out of his pocket and it read, “Byun Baekhyun.”

Byun Baekhyun, huh?

Baekhyun seemed like the cheerful – no, erase that. Baekhyun is the overly cheerful type. He talked to Sehun a lot, even though Sehun gave him the cold shoulder. He wouldn’t stop babbling with his mouth, jumping from one topic to another. Baekhyun always had a smile on his face, even if he was dead tired from work.

But it’s not like Sehun doesn’t like his company - he actually loves it. His sweet, melodious voice is the last voice he’ll hear from Baekhyun before going to sleep. But he still held up his walls, scared that Baekhyun might only be kidding around him and playing with his heart. He remained indifferent when it comes to him but out of all the guys he has talked to, Baekhyun is the only one who made him feel like this.

But he promised himself he won’t fall in love with anyone.

Ever.

But why does he feel that he’s slowly breaking his promise to himself?

“Sehun.” He heard Baekhyun’s familiar, melodious voice as he raised his head, only to see Baekhyun leaning against the counter, his eyes steady on his face.

“Mhm?” Sehun softly responded as he grabbed the rug and wiped the counter top, making sure that there was no more dirt. Baekhyun just stayed silent, pondering on the thought if he should ask him the question. Sehun finally turned his whole attention on Baekhyun, who looked like he was deep in thought.

“What’s wrong?” Sehun asked slowly but he still held up his wall by putting on an emotionless face. He doesn’t want to let Baekhyun that there was only one more wall left before he can finally open up to him.

“Sehun, am I… your friend?” Sehun looked like he was taken back with his question so Baekhyun quickly steered the conversation away from that topic.

“W-What I mean is that,”

“Of course, you’re my friend.” Sehun couldn’t help but let out a small amused chuckle, followed by a small smile etched on his face. Baekhyun quickly sealed his lips and his eyes soften when he saw him smiling.

“Really?” “Yes, really.” Baekhyun tried his best to bite back his wide smile from breaking his face. He felt his heart bursting with joy as he leaned closer to Sehun, whose smile has vanished into the thin air and was replaced with a confused frown. Sehun froze in his spot as he watched Baekhyun slowly getting closer to him, ever so slowly closing the gap between their lips.

He didn’t know what made him do it but he was slowly going nearer to Baekhyun, willing to close the gap between their lips. It was already a few centimeters away when a beep was heard. Baekhyun quickly backed away and check on his phone, quickly fumbling with the keys on his phone.

Sehun didn’t know why but he was a bit disappointed but he tried his best to hide it. He was quite glad because if they close the gap between their lips, he knows that he has finally let Baekhyun destroy his walls and he never liked that idea.

“I’m sorry.” He heard Baekhyun whisper softly and it made Sehun’s heart flutter at the sound of his sweet voice. He just shook his head and showed a fake smile at Baekhyun, who looked rather disappointed and depressed at the same time.

“I need to go. Goodbye Sehun.” He mumbled as he picked up the suitcase beside him and turned his back against Sehun too quickly for Sehun’s liking. Sehun didn’t know why he did that but something in his mind and mouth that made him say it.

“Are you going to come back tomorrow?” he tried not to make his voice sound pitiful and hopeful but the emotion in his eyes gave everything away. Baekhyun looked at him with a smile – the smile that Sehun loved the most before nodding his head.

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waved goodbye and walked out of the door, leaving him all alone inside the café. Sehun didn’t know why but he wanted to hold back Baekhyun from leaving him; he didn’t know why at all.

But then, he realized that his final wall had come crumbling down without his knowledge.

“He promised me.” Sehun gripped on one of the paper cups and crushed it with his hands, leaving Minseok and Luhan confused at the younger one’s actions. A week ago, Minseok was finally available for the night shift but Sehun made Luhan promise him that Minseok would just work in the day shift and Sehun will work at the night shift.

Luhan found it strange and confusing but he gave in to the younger one’s request. Minseok was quite happy too since he never liked working in the dark night. But they never knew the reason why Sehun decided to work in the night shift.

“Sehun,” Luhan spoke softly as he held Sehun’s shoulder but Sehun coldly brushed him off, which rarely happens unless if he’s deeply hurt or angry.

“I’m fine.” Sehun didn’t mean to make his response sound harsh and cold but his feelings overcame him and made it sound like that. Luhan quickly removed his hand from Sehun’s shoulder before mumbling a small, “Alright,” before scurrying off out of the café with Minseok.

Sehun let out a shaky sigh as he buried his face in his cold hands, feeling like someone poured a bucket of cold ice water on him. He realized that his walls were broken down by Baekhyun and he didn’t want others to break it down easily, like how Baekhyun did. He was slowly finding determination from moving on from him and building up his walls once more, brick by brick.

He quickly grabbed a rag and began cleaning off the tables near the counter, hoping that the certain guy in his mind right now would get lost already. But of course, fate has different plans for him.

“Sehun…” A familiar voice croaked out once he heard the bell rang, signaling that there as a customer that came n. He didn’t need to raise his head and look straight at the customer’s eyes because by the way he walked and talked, he knew it was him. Sehun gripped on the rag, preventing himself from shouting out loud before sauntering away, only to be held back by him.

“Sehun.” Sehun’s legs were shaking, slowly becoming jelly and he didn’t like that. Nope, not even one bit. Sehun ignored his pleading voice and harshly removed his grip on his wrist before moving away but still, he held Sehun back, preventing him to go away.

“Sir, the café is closing down-“

“Sehun, listen to me!” He quickly turned around Sehun and held him by the shoulders, his eyes boring right into Sehun’s own eyes. Sehun tried to get his walls up and tried to push him away but still, he held him firm, showing no sign of defeat.

“B-Baekhyun, go away-“

“Listen to me. I can explain-“

“Why do you need to explain? It’s not like I missed you. It’s not like,” Sehun took a sharop breath as he put on his emotionless mask, “You’re my boyfriend.”

Baekhyun’s lips quivered slightly as his grip on Sehun’s shoulders loosened but still, he held on, not willing to let Sehun escape. He needs to explain everything to him before he disappears completely out of his life. No, he didn’t like Sehun to step out of his life; he made Baekhyun’s life perfect and complete.

“I-I know that,” Baekhyun’s voice broke a bit as he tried to compose himself in front of the impatient Sehun, “But I’ll explain everything, whether you want it or not.”

Sehun just stared back at him emotionlessly but his eyes soften a bit. But Baekhyun didn’t take notice of them and just looked at Sehun with pleading eyes. Sehun let out an unsteady and shaky sigh before nodding his head reluctantly.

“I’ll give you five minutes only.” Baekhyun seemed to hesitate but he finally agreed to his condition. Baekhyun began pouring out his explanation, making sure he didn’t miss any detail behind. Baekhyun’s family was in a well and fine condition but a disease hit their family at the most unexpected time. No one can identify the disease and soon, Baekhyun’s grandfather and grandmother passed away in a blink of an eye.

Then, the doctor finally found a cure and every single member of the family, except Baekhyun, who wasn’t affected by the disease. But of course, it was a little bit too late for Baekhyun’s grandmother and grandfather.

Sehun felt a twinge of guilt once he heard Baekhyun’s side of the story. Baekhyun was supposed to be sulking and crying his eyes right now but instead, he rushed over to the café so he can explain everything to Sehun. Sehun gently lowered his head and wrapped his arms around the older one’s smaller frame. Baekhyun’s body froze for a millisecond but it immediately relaxed and hugged him back, feeling comfortable in his embrace.

“I’m sorry,” Sehun croaked out miserably, which made Baekhyun smile brokenly. Baekhyun pulled away and just nodded, taking Sehun’s cold hands into his, trying to warm them, “I’m fine. It’s you that I’m worrying about, anyway.” He whispered softly as he leaned his forehead against Sehun, who let out a sigh of content.

“But still, I’m sorry.” Sehun shook his head aimlessly but Baekhyun held his face firmly but gently as he gently brushed his lips over Sehun’s forehead. Sehun didn’t freeze or anything similar than that but he just stayed in his spot, feeling happy and satisfied at Baekhyun’s sweet affection.

“I think I like you.” Baekhyun whispered as he gzed at Sehun’s eyes, which widen in shock and surprise. Baekhyun bit down on his lower lip, embarrassed and afraid at Sehun’s response.

“I think,” Sehun paused for a while and smiled softly at Baekhyun before gently brushing his lips over Baekhyun’s ones. Baekhyun froze in his spot, his mind processing what was happening but after a second, he immediately kissed him back, wrapping his arms around Sehun’s waist.

Sehun pulled away first and pecked Baekhyun’s cheek. Which reddened due to embarrassment.

“You’re adorable.” Baekhyun wrinkled his nose slightly before wrapping his arms loosely around Sehun’s waist and pecking his cheek.

“You’re cute and,” Baekhyun prodded a finger at Sehun’s cheek and pecked it once more, making Sehun smile. But Sehun’s smile became wider when Baekhyun softly whispered the three special words to him.

“I love you.”