Baekhyun remembers. July 14^th, the day him and Park Chanyeol broke up.

“We were in love.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun had grown up as bestfriends, they’d known each other for god-knows how long. It was in middleschool, around the age of 13-14, that Baekhyun began developing feelings for the other. He kept it within himself though, afraid of what would happen if he told Chanyeol.

He had the right to be afraid, and now he knows. After Baekhyun and Chanyeol began going out during the second year of highschool, problems began. Sure, the first 4 months of the relationship had gone smoothly, but after that, it went in all sorts of direction. One day the pair would be ignoring each other, another day they’d be arguing, and one random (least likely of all) day they’d be cuddling.

July 14^th, Luhan from the soccer team kissed a certain brunette. Not knowing the full story, Chanyeol took assumptions and finalized that Byun Baekhyun, the one he loved ‘oh-so-dearly’ had cheated on him. After gym class, in the locker room, Chanyeol had yelled, spat, insulted, and attacked Baekhyun with verbal abuse once again. Baekhyun’s learned to put up with it, in fact he was just about to retort when Chanyeol’s hand flies up and comes crashing down onto Baekhyun’s cheek. The relationship didn’t end there, it ended after Baekhyun ran away from Chanyeol and bumped into a lanky junior at the school.

Sehun, was his name; and Baekhyun had found it, and still finds it, a wonderful name. When running away from Chanyeol, he had made a sudden turn and ran into Sehun. Maybe this is what people called love at first sight because when Baekhyun pulled away from the younger to apologize, he seemingly lost the ability to speak after locking a gaze with the latter. Blonde hair that complimented his pale skin tone, and a pair of brown orbs; Oh Sehun was nothing like anyone Baekhyun had every seen before. While Sehun looked stunning at the moment, Baekhyun had tear-stained cheeks, a hand cupped over one of them, and glassy eyes that were swollen slightly from crying. When Sehun first spoke, Baekhyun was unable to catch what he had said. Being so focused on his lips, all Baekhyun could do was blink up at him, before requesting Sehun to repeat his words, a tinted pink dash zooming across his cheeks.

“I said, beautiful people like you don’t deserve to cry.”

After that, Sehun had flashed him the quickest of smiles and walked past him, heading towards his classroom. Baekhyun stood there for a couple more seconds, still a bit dazed as to what had just happened.  He ignored the judgemental looks people gave him, as he leaned against the lockers for support, feeling his knees suddenly weaken. “Beautiful people like you don’t deserve to cry.”

Ever since that incident, Baekhyun found himself following Sehun around, every chance he got. He began to notice that Sehun spent most of his time on the roof, Baekhyun would watch for a few minutes through the windows and then pull out his little journal, sketching a picture or jotting down notes in it.

One day, Baekhyun decides to not follow Sehun around and to head towards the library instead. When he reaches the library, he searches around for anything appealing. Focused on searching for books, he doesn’t notice that he had bumped into Chanyeol, who seemed to be doing the same as him. Both males turned in sync, but Chanyeol uttered the first sentence.

“We need to talk.” He had said. Baekhyun suddenly felt the anger he’d hidden for a while, begin to slowly make it’s way back out when listening to the guilt that linked each word Chanyeol had said. Unable to listen anymore, Baekhyun clenches his teeth and turns around, he doesn’t take 2 steps when Chanyeol forcibly turns him around. There’s a small crack and in the next second, Baekhyun uses all of his strength to shove Chanyeol off, grabbing his wrist as the tears begin to pool at the edge of his eyes. The apologies begin again, and Chanyeol is the last person he wants to see or hear at the moment. He falls backwards while trying to escape from Chanyeol, afraid what will happen if he turns around on the taller again. Scrambling backwards, Baekhyun feels two rolls of tear drops, fall down his face as the pain on his wrist begins to increase, causing him to wail in displeasure.

Then he hears footsteps, or three long strides, and when he looks back up, Chanyeol’s on the floor as well. Baekhyun averts his gaze to the cause of this and his eyes land on the same boy that made his heart do things Chanyeol once had. He made a barely audible gasp seeing how the usually un-amused expression on the younger was now changed into a look of disgust, a visible glare being shot at Chanyeol.

“How dare you hurt him. Is this how you show your pathetic, excuse for love?”

Baekhyun’s breathing hitches when Sehun turns his head and looks down at him, crouching down in front of him and carefully taking Baekhyun’s wrist into his hands, examaining it carefully. Baekhyun can feel Sehun’s breath on his face but he doesn’t dare move.

“If you were mine, I’d never hurt you. I’d treat you like a princess.  I’d take the pain for you.”

Baekhyun both hates and loves the fact that Chanyeol exists. He hates what Chanyeol had done to him, but Chanyeol had also introduced him to the love of his life.

Soon Baekhyun and Sehun were inseperable, they shared a friendship like the one Baekhyun and Chanyeol used to have, except their love for one another was easily noticable. It was shown by how Sehun wouldn’t let Baekhyun go somehwere without being absolutly, 100% certain that it was safe; and it was shown by how Baekhyun was against anyone else interacting too closely with Sehun. However, Baekhyun didn’t want to tell Sehun anything, he didn’t want the same thing that had happened to him and Chanyeol, to happen to him and Sehun.

July 14^th of the new year,  Sehun announces his love for Baekhyun when they’re hanging out  at home. Baekhyun remembers this dearly. They were fighting over who had won the video game when Sehun cut off his argument with a kiss.

“I know this may not have been the most romantic place or the most romantic time to do this, but I love you Byun Baekhyun. I really do love you, and nothing you say or do, will change that.” Then there was a pause. “Unless, of course, you steal my bubble tea. Then we’ll have some serious issues.” Followed by a cheesy wink.

After Sehun left that day, Baekhyun jotted down all that he needed to, closing the book and hugging it to his chest when he had finished. He fell back onto his bed with a smile etched onto his face, and he couldn’t seem to take it off.

A few days later they went out on their first official date. They were at Baekhyun’s place, yet again, and Sehun suddenly propsed the idea of heading out since they were completely bored at home.

With intwerwined fingers, they walked beside each other, Sehun begin a little faster than the other in order to lead the way. They stopped by a café downtown, Baekhyun didn’t question it since he loved anything having to do with Sehun. They ordered their favorite drinks and then switched, tasting each other’s favorite flavour. Although they prefered their own drink, both continued drinking the other’s until they had entirely finished it. Baekhyun asked Sehun on the flavour, worried that the other hadn’t like it.

“It was perfect, everything that is related to you in any sort of way, well in a good way of course, is perfect.”

The July 14^th of 2 years later, was the night they made love. Sehun placed as many marks as he could on Baekhyun, so that people knew Baekhyun was taken, and to not him with their eyes. Their mouths barely came off of each other, most of the time they occupied one another. Everything was so peaceful and Sehun had done things very slowly and carefully in fear that if he had been too rough or harsh, Baekhyun would break. Sehun didn’t bother pulling out of Baekhyun, saying that it was “not his style” and that he would much rather stay inside of Baekhyun for as long as possible. Baekhyun allowed him to do so for the night, but insisted the younger pull out the next morning.

“Another way to show you that I love you.”

When old enough, Sehun and Baekhyun had moved into an apartment nearby. It was July 14^th, the day of changes, and Sehun had suddenly popped the question while they were eating breakfast. Baekhyun ended up choking on his eggs and Sehun immediately gave him a water bottle.

“I’d been thinking for a while now, and I guess this is the first step of showing that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

But things change, feelings change, people change. Around 6 months (meaning half a year) later, they seemed to be drifting apart. Both were interested in different topics and Baekhyun had a job at a café downtown, causing him to come home late at night. Around 11 PM to midnight, was when Baekhyun’s shift would end. Usually at this time, Sehun would be curled up at the far side of one bed, dozing off and Baekhyun would slip in beside him, wrapping his petite arms around Sehun’s chest. The next morning, Baekhyun would wake up and Sehun would be gone.

When Baekhyun was not working, Sehun would be missing. He wouldn’t come home until late at night, and Baekhyun would only sleep when Sehun would step in. Even when he came home, Sehun would spare him a glance and then head upstairs, the look he gave Baekhyun were no longer caring nor loving. They were the same un-amused looks he always wore during highschool.

Sehun would snap at the tiniest things. One slip-up could cause him to throw the harshest comments at Baekhyun and Baekhyun would take it, silently, because he was too afraid to do anything else. Sehun rarely apologized, and if he did, he would land a quick peck on Baekhyun’s cheek, but it was meaningless. Baekhyun would say it was okay, but the apology didn’t make the words sting any less.

One particular scenario marked the day Baekhyun realized that it was true. Sehun didn’t love him anymore, his mind rememberd him but his heart didn’t. It was supposed to be their anniversary date, July 14^th. Baekhyun had waited at the café like Sehun asked for around 2 hours, when he comes home he sees Sehun sleeping in bed just like every other day. He gathers his things, it’s 11:45 PM  but Baekhyun wants to get out before he has to face his lover, or former lover.

He flees to his bestfriend, Kyungsoo’s, house and ends up spending the night there. Crying into a pillow as Kyungsoo tries to comfort him; but there is nothing to be comforted.

Sehun doesn’t come after him, he doesn’t attempt to contact Baekhyun, there isn’t a text message nor a call left by the younger. Maybe Baekhyun had been foolish to think that Sehun would actually fulfill his promises.  He takes out the journal and looks at his list.

“Beautiful people like you don’t deserve to cry.”  Sehun was the reason he had cried, even harder than he had for Chanyeol.

“I’d never hurt you.” ‘You did.’

“I’d treat you like a princess.” ‘You didn’t.’

“I’d take the pain for you.” ‘You’re the one causing it.’

“I love you Byun Baekhyun. I really do love you, and nothing you say or do, will change that.” ‘Then tell me, where did we go wrong? Because I love you too much to stop as well.’

“It was perfect, everything that is related to you in any sort of way, well in a good way of course, is perfect.” ‘If it was perfect, why did you leave?’

“Another way to show you that I love you.” ‘You don’t have any ways anymore.’

“I’d been thinking for a while now, and I guess this is the first step of showing that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” ‘Lies.’

The first thing Baekhyun does the next day is change his phone number and search for a new apartment out of town.

He finds a comfortable 2 bedroom studio in the neighboring town and gets a job of a librarian. The apartment he has now reminds him awfully of the one he used to share with Sehun.

But the past is the past, and you can’t change the past because what’s been done, is done.

His job at the library is easy, he thinks. He tells Kyungsoo it’s easier than cooking and that he’s only been working for 3-4 months and he’s already getting promoted to head librarian. Kyungsoo congratulates him and a few days, in his mailbox, is a package sent by him.

In it is a small golden amulet, there are no pictures inside, it’s simply waiting to be filled.

Even after being head librarian, Baekhyun still finds work easy, he simply helps out some of the newer workers, checks the library every now and then and fills in for one of the workers if their busy. He decides to take a visit to the secluded area of the library where there are children who come for reading and writing lessons, ages 12 and below. Baekhyun decides to watch and obsereve when a girl, no older than 5 Baekhyun thinks, comes up to him. Her blonde pigtails are swinging and she asks him to read a book to her, slowly attracting the attention of other children, he finds himself with a grin that could split his face in half.

Baekhyun volunteers to read for children each day from then on, it’s better than staying home and doing nothing. He loves seeing the faces of children when he changes the tones of his voice, showing them the pictures occasionally, while making facial expressions. There’s laughter and happiness all around Baekhyun, and he likes it that way.

Then, he also gets a part-time job at an ice-cream store which also allows him to put smiles on the faces of people all ages. Baekhyun especially loves it when he can get a child to stop crying and move on from the situation, laughing at how silly it was afterwards, because he wants that to be himself.

One day, a 6 year old boy walks in the library while he’s reading, and sits in the far corner. His hair is brown and shaggy, and his face is expressionless, he stares at Baekhyun, and Baekhyun looks away because the boy reminds him of Sehun, someone he worked so hard to get rid of; but it’s not like his attempts worked anyways. His mind says to forget Sehun, but he can’t, and his heart definitely does not want to.

It’s July 14^th of the new year, Byun Baekhyun is at home, holding a candle in front of his face, blowing it out with a small smile, “Happy Anniversary, Sehun.”

Kyungsoo calls him on the week of his birthday, “I was thinking you could come visit here and we can gather Chen, Luhan, and a few others at my house for your birthday.” Baekhyun hums in thought but eventually agrees to the idea, this results in him spending the next 20 minutes, telling his bosses that he won’t be available for a week. After all that is settled, he picks out a week’s worth of clothing and throws it in a duffle bag.

That Friday he sets out and grabs the early bus, he runs into a familiar face when boarding it. “Chanyeol?”

No words are exchanged, and the two simply wrap their arms around one another. However this wasn’t the hug they gave each other while they were dating, it’s the one they gave each other when they were bestfriends, when they were ‘attatched by the hip.’

Kyungsoo is extremely surprised to see a grinning Baekhyun, holding hands with an equally grinning Chanyeol when he opens the door. Baekhyun walks inside and walks into the livingroom, tugging Chanyeol along. “Happy Birthday,” they all say in unison, and Chanyeol slips his hand away from Baekhyun’s to pat the smaller's head.

Baekhyun says his ‘Thank You’s and sits next to Luhan, he pats the seat next to him for Chanyeol but Chanyeol and Kyungsoo both shake their heads at the same time causing Baekhyun to furrow his eyebrows. His head is about to turn when he feels the couch dip on the previously free side, but he finds himself unable to when two pairs of pale arms wrap around his waist. Baekhyun gulps, looking down to see the pale, bony arms, decorated with veins. He turns his head ever so slightly and sees that the blonde hair he used to have is now platnium white.

Oh Sehun is hugging him, there are tears on his shoulderblade. “You scared me to death.” Baekhyun nearly breaks down right then and there when he hears Sehun’s voice crack. The words drip with sadness, and Baekhyun raises a hand to hook it onto Sehun’s arms.

“I never stopped loving you, you just stopped believing.”

And Sehun’s arms tighten with every word, as if he’s afraid Baekhyun will slip out of his grip and disappear once again.

He sincerity in his voice makes Baekhyun blink back tears, but eventually he ends up failing and the tears stream down his face.

He was wrong. Him and Chanyeol were never in love. In love is what he was with Sehun.

July 14^th is also the day that Sehun purposed to Baekhyun.

July 14^th is the day they got married.

It’s not crazy to wait long for something, as long as you’re getting it.