FINAL

The loud knocking on the front door caused Baekhyun to choke on his cup of coffee when he jumped at the sound. He frowned and places the cup back onto the table, angry that he was being robbed off his otherwise cozy Friday night. It had been a terrible long week; the middle-schoolers were being harder to handle these days and Baekhyun had been too happy once he reached home earlier; the weekend finally came. Grunting and groaning at whoever was on the other side of the door, Baekhyun abandoned his couch and coffee and went to check whoever had so annoyingly disturbed the peace he had craved for for the whole of that week.

He opened the door only to be greeted by a grinning man, eyes framed with huge glasses meant to improvise his fashion sense, a snapback on his head and a neon green jacket to top his darker green t-shirt underneath, ripped blue jeans hung just perfectly from his waist below. Baekhyun knows this outfit perfectly, especially when it’s Kim Jongdae who’s wearing it, on a Friday night to top it all. Baekhyun made sure to emphasize on his eye rolling as he pulled the door open enough for Jongdae to slip through. He was set on not falling for Jongdae’s pleading eyes and whiny voice; the last time he did didn’t end up too well. He wouldn’t let his mind dwell on it.

Jongdae closed the front door and tailed after Baekhyun to the living room of his new apartment. There he dropped himself onto the couch and cupped the cup of coffee in his hands, hoping that his gestures would be enough to tell his best friend that he would love to just stay home for the night. And maybe sleep through the afternoon tomorrow because he really needed it. Jongdae, however, paid no attention to his actions and gave him no mercy, barging into Baekhyun’s room and coming back out with a complete outfit; white tank, black leather jacket and the jeans Baekhyun hadn’t worn since four years ago. Baekhyun ignored him in favor of sipping his very warm black coffee – he doesn’t even know why he’s drinking coffee if he’s planning to sleep early tonight. Jongdae sighed and dropped the outfit next to Baekhyun.

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Baek. You’re coming with me.” Jongdae spoke, going over to Baekhyun’s shoe rack to pick out the shoes for Baekhyun to wear.

“I’m not going anywhere you’re taking me on this Friday night while you’re wearing those.” Baekhyun snapped back at Jongdae, his eyes flickering to the neon jacket the younger always wears to those dancing performance in that particular club. He tries not to let his mind wander to a certain memory and he would like to keep it just that; a memory.

The younger brown-haired boy ignored Baekhyun, as always, flopping down onto the couch next to Baekhyun after grabbing the outfit he’d thrown at the spot he was now sitting, shoving it into Baekhyun’s arms. The older yelped at the way Jongdae’s actions almost costs him his favorite coffee as it sloshed in the cup. “Baekhyun, I promise you won’t regret it. I promise.”

Except Baekhyun has a bad experience with promises. He tries not to make them and he tries not to believe them. “No, Jongdae. I’m not going there. You, of all people, know why I shouldn’t.”

“No. I know why you wouldn’t. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t, because I think you definitely should. Come on, Baekhyun-ah. People change.” Jongdae said calmly, looking straight into Baekhyun’s eyes as he does.

Baekhyun visibly swallowed at this, knowing that somehow Jongdae was right about something but also that he wasn’t ready yet to face the world. It had been almost five months after Sehun walked out the door and left him, and in those months he was thankful for the presence of Jongdae and his boyfriend, Jongin, who had been willing to spend night and day just to cheer him up. They found him this new apartment, figuring that he would need it because his old house would only remind him of painful memories. It helped just a little, but Baekhyun was still thankful. He wouldn’t know what would have happened to him without them.

He sighed and closed his eyes after placing the cup once again on the table. He could feel Jongdae watching him and he made sure to avoid Jongdae’s eyes because he doesn’t want his friend to see that he wasn’t exactly over Oh Sehun in particular. You would have thought he no longer thinks of that tall, lanky but undeniably good-looking man but images of Sehun still lingered at the back of his mind whenever he was on the verge of falling into slumber. His broken heart had somehow healed with time, although the scars were still there, fragile and could tear open quite easily. He still kept Sehun’s number, and didn’t burn the picture album they’d collected in the three and a half years of being together. He doesn’t hate Sehun, to be honest. He was, in fact, still in love with him. He knows he should move on but he guessed he would take a longer time than it took him to mend his broken heart.

“I can’t see him, Jongdae. I’m – I’m scared. I’m scared of what will happen if I see him again.” He finally looks into his friend’s eyes, who only showed concern as he smiled.

Jongdae wraps an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders. “Then let it happen.”

He stared at Jongdae, incredulous. “Kim Jongdae, I’m –”

The younger man cuts him off with a shake of his raised hand, “Listen, Baek, let it happen. What have you got to lose? If anything, you will only get to meet new people, fall in love again, be happy. There is nothing for you to be scared of.”

Baekhyun scoffed, shaking his head. “Trust me; falling in love is the last thing I want to do right now.”

Jongdae only laughed as he pulled Baekhyun up on his feet and brought him to his room, once again shoving the outfit he had chosen into Baekhyun’s arms. “Get changed. We’re leaving in an hour exactly. And teachers should be punctual, Mr. Byun.”

At exactly one hour and a half later, Baekhyun finds himself engulfed within the arms of Jongdae’s boyfriend, Kim Jongin. Jongin of the slightly tanned skin and half smirk, who dances so naturally on stage and had been the reason to why Baekhyun had stayed that first night he was at this very same club, four years ago. Jongin was also Sehun’s best friend. Clad in baggy pants and black t-shirt with abstract printing on the front, Jongin had his hair dyed blond only recently and he was looking like a star in a place he shouldn’t be, a stark contrast to the neon-lighted Jongdae. They were like that, after all; their differences brought them together.

Baekhyun couldn’t help the lightness that filled his heart at this reunion of the people he’d met at the place where it had all begun. The only thing missing was Sehun’s presence. He wondered if he would be able to control his emotions if he sees Sehun with his probably new boyfriend Luhan on stage together like the last time he’d watched Sehun perform. He silently prayed that his heart would be able to handle it, that even though he was still madly in love with Oh Sehun, this time he would be able to accept the reality. He had finally let go, and he wouldn’t keep holding onto something that doesn’t want to be held on; he had let Sehun go.

Jongin says he won’t be performing tonight and when he saw the look on Baekhyun’s face as if asking why he had dressed like he was going to perform, Jongin only laughed and shook his head, mumbling something about a special performance. Baekhyun decided not to dwell on it as the crowd began to gather around them. Well, more towards the stage but Jongdae had pulled him all the way to the front so they would have the perfect view, not budging when people began to push and pull for the space they were standing on. Jongin left to head to the backstage, being recently promoted to a manager now than just a dancer. Baekhyun could feel the excitement build up in his chest; he had somehow begun to love watching these dancing shows, thanks to Jongin and Sehun. The crowd began to cheer for the dancer, the lights dimming all around them but the spot where the dancer will be standing.

The music didn’t start for a little too long, causing the audience to start rustling and shifting their weights on their feet. Baekhyun juts out his bottom lip as his eyes scanned for a sign of Jongin anywhere, thinking that maybe as the manager Jongin would know what was really happening. But Jongin was nowhere to be seen and Jongdae looked oddly calm beside him. He frowned, glancing suspiciously at Jongdae; he knew how restless his best friend gets at moments like this. Jongdae only smiled at him and prodded for him to keep his eyes on the stage.

When the audience finally calmed down, albeit only slightly, Baekhyun’s attention went back to focus on the stage. There under the spotlight stood a young man in a checkered button-up shirt, jeans that hugged his long legs almost sinfully and shoes Baekhyun wished he hadn’t recognized. Maybe if he’d seen it on someone just walking pass him, he would not have let his heart flutter the way it did upon the sight presented before him. That pair of shoes were worn-out after having been put on wherever the owner goes. The pair of shoes Baekhyun remembered getting for Sehun on Sehun’s first birthday they had celebrated together. Something clenched at his throat, and he was almost afraid to look into the eyes that bored into him the moment Sehun looked up.

Sehun looked different. No, Sehun is different. His blond hair had now been dyed back to a light brown and he kept it short just the way Baekhyun liked it. He couldn’t help his heart from jumping a beat at the fact that he was under the same roof with Oh Sehun for the first time in a very long time. He couldn’t help the sting of the tears that prickled in his eyes at the way Sehun was looking at him. He had missed it more than he cared to admit.

Sehun cleared his throat, and because the audiences are clearly loyal fans of his, they waited for whatever it is their dancing idol would have to say. “I apologize deeply for this intrusion, but I honestly do have something really important to say.” Sehun began and when the people only kept their gazes on him, he continued. “I want to take this opportunity to thank a special someone, because without him, I wouldn’t be here right now, right here. And in the times that I was able to show my gratitude, I didn’t take the chance. I took it for granted instead and only knew what I had only when I lost it.”

He paused and stared down onto his feet for the longest three seconds of Baekhyun’s life. The people listened intently, waiting for Sehun to continue, and when he did, Baekhyun could hear the break in his voice as his eyes once again connected with Baekhyun’s. “He has the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen, and the brightest eyes I’ve ever looked into.”

By now some of the people’s attention went to Baekhyun after they followed Sehun’s gaze and fell on him. He could feel the heat spread at his cheeks at the sudden attention on him and he willed himself not to break eye contact from Sehun because at that moment nothing else seemed to matter. Sehun blinked and smiled at him. “Baekhyun hyung, I never really thank you for all that you gave me. I understand if you want nothing to do with me right now but I just only wanted you to know. That I’m sorry and that I never stopped loving you, just like I promised.”

Baekhyun’s vision blurred and cleared only when the tears fell, tears that he quickly wiped away because everyone else was watching him, waiting for his reaction. Some of them let out a few trails of ‘aww’s and ‘ooh’s but Sehun wasn’t anywhere near finished. “Would you give me another chance to make up for what I did to you?”

He knows he should think deeply when asked such a question. He tried to recall the pain that was inflicted upon him and thought that he shouldn’t give a chance for it to happen again. But all he could feel in his chest was the warmth he used to feel back when they had first begun, all he could do was let his lips stretch into a smile as the tears fell again. Sehun knows, somehow, that his answer is yes because then Sehun smiled too, almost as equally wide as Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun was only half aware of the eyes that stayed on them as Sehun glided down the stairs from the stage. They met halfway, his arms wrapping perfectly around Baekhyun’s small frame and Baekhyun’s around Sehun’s torso. The sensation gave him a familiar tingle of sparks in his chest and his cheeks were beginning to hurt because he had never smiled so wide for such a long time. Everything else around him seemed to have disappeared because all he could see was Sehun in front of him, Sehun pulling away just slightly, eyes glassy with tears and lips smiling down at him. Soon all he could feel besides those warm shootings of sparks in his stomach was Sehun’s lips on him. He almost sobbed out the longing that was built within him for the past five months.

It had never felt so good, so filled up, as if nothing could be even better than this.

He made a mental note to reprimand both Jongdae and Jongin for setting this up, but also not to forget to thank them for letting this happen. Sehun whispered ‘I love you’s in his ear as they clung to each other, oblivious of the attention paid to them by the people in the club. Baekhyun finds that he still believed those words and he still believes Sehun. Maybe because his heart never stopped the emotions he wanted to stop feeling the day Sehun walked out the door.

And maybe because he never stopped believing that they were meant for each other.

It sounds awfully like a clichéd exaggeration but it was an exaggeration at its truth. The way his heart grew complete the moment Sehun kissed him again was proof enough. 

A/N: Oh so it ended happily. Not so angsty after all, huh? I couldn't do it. Break SeBaek like that. No can't do. It's finally completed and now I shall focus on Wolves Of Fenrir, which deserves all my attention.

Do you guys not like my works anymore? ;__; Because I hardly received any comments for Chap 2 and I need comments to make my life like Baekhyun needs Sehun in this story. It's desparate and ugly but true. I love your comments. Y u stop commenting? ;__;