Sorry I haven't update in a long time. I've been busy scrolling through tumblr, watching copious amounts of youtube videos, and doing absolutely nothing. Please accept this subpar chapter as my apology (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ 

 Baekhyun smoothed his hair down, deciding ruffled hair was too young looking, but then quickly ruffled it again. Looking old was not his style.

Daehyun lied on the bed, playing with his phone as he waited for his husband to finish styling his hair. Baekhyun said he'd be ready at one o'clock, but one o'clock was an hour ago.

Baekhyun agreed to go to a college reunion party Taeyeon was throwing. At the time, going seemed like a good idea, but now, as he analyzed the crow’s feet around his eyes and the worry lines that developed in his forehead, it didn't seem like such a good plan.              

Baekhyun plucked at his cheeks, hoping they wouldn't seem too saggy. "Do I look old?" he asked, still holding on to his cheeks.

“You look fine, Baek,” Daehyun moaned.

“You didn't even look up,” Baekhyun complained.     

“I look at you every day, baby.”

“And every day I look old,” Baekhyun whined.

Daehyun sighed and sat up. “Baekhyun, you're old. I'm old. Everyone at the party will be old. We're old; it's just a fact of life. Now let's go.”

After thirty minutes of fighting about the tautness of Baekhyun’s skin, Daehyun finally managed to get him into the car. They drove to the lake house Taeyeon rented for the party, driving through the windy roads lined by trees. Eventually they stopped the car at a three storied cabin, sitting at the edge of a lake. Taeyeon stood barefoot on the front porch, leaning on the wooden railing, wearing a black coat too long and large for her. She squinted to see who the passengers were, then quickly recognized them, smiling and waving as she ran towards the car.

Daehyun and Baekhyun got out the car and hugged her. “I haven’t seen you two in so long, last time we were together; it was for one of your anniversary parties, was it?”

Taeyeon guided the two into the house, past the foyer and into the living room where everyone else sat. Baekhyun recognized the familiar faces of his old friends. They all sat talking loudly about their jobs, families, retirement, and Daehyun was correct. They were old. Every last one of them.

Baekhyun and Daehyun hugged their old friends, feeling the softness of their bodies, and the warmth they still possessed twenty years ago. It was nice catching up with them, hearing about their spouses and children. Baekhyun took the opportunity to list all of Taehyung’s accomplishments while Daehyun ate every hors d’oeuvre offered to him.

The door rang and Taeyeon left the room to open the door. Baekhyun heard a deep, familiar voice speak to her, getting louder as they reach the living room. He looked up to see Chanyeol towering over Taeyeon’s tiny figure. Everyone greeted Chanyeol while Baekhyun buried himself into the couch.

Daehyun looked up from his plate of appetizers to see Chanyeol had entered the room. “Isn’t he one of your ex-boyfriends? Chanwoo? Changmin? Chansung?”

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun corrected.

“Yeah, him. I think his ears have gotten bigger.”

Baekhyun snorted.

Chanyeol greeted everyone and kept a safe distance from Baekhyun, sitting in the opposite corner of the room. Baekhyun tried to feel content, reminiscing and laughing along with his friends, drinking more and more sangria, but Chanyeol’s presence still bothered him, resurfacing old emotions he hadn’t felt in years. And what he tried to deny most was the overwhelming longing for Chanyeol, just for him to glance or smile at him. It was wrong, everything was wrong, but Baekhyun couldn’t stop the yearning, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

After dinner was served, Baekhyun escaped to the back porch, resting in a lounge chair, wanting to hear the sounds of the lake, the soft waves of the water pass over rocks. He was also a little tipsy, went a bit too hard on the vodka. Now all he wanted was the peace and quiet of the water to lull him asleep.

“Baekhyun,” he heard someone shout. He reluctantly opened his eyes and turned around to see Chanyeol standing at the doorway. He quickly leaned back in his chair, and pretended to be asleep. His heart raced as he heard Chanyeol’s footsteps come closer to him, until he finally tapped Baekhyun’s shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Chanyeol sitting next to him.

“I saw you peek your head from around the chair,” he said, smirking at him. Baekhyun’s cheeks reddened.

“Why are you so interested in me all of sudden?” Baekhyun said quickly and sharply. “You wanted to meet after God knows how long, and now you show up here.” He knew he sounded whiny, but he couldn’t stop his emotions from swelling in his throat.

“First of all, Taeyeon invited me here just as she invited you, and I didn’t make you come to the coffee shop. You chose to,” Chanyeol rebutted.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “What do you want from me Chanyeol?”

“Just for you to be my friend again. It’s all I want from you. As you’ve said before, you have a husband, you have a son, why can’t you have a friend?”

Baekhyun looked into his eyes. They were still large, now marked with light smile lines. They still possessed the boyish charm he had all those years ago. Baekhyun felt a surge of worry, being around Chanyeol would lead to nothing but trouble, but he also had to admit he was somewhat lonely. Baekhyun spent most of his days with Daehyun and Taehyung, and, even though he loved them both dearly, it had become repetitive.

“Listen, give me call tonight, if you don’t, then I’ll leave you alone,” Chanyeol suggested.

Baekhyun stood up from his chair, and muttered, “I’ll think about it,” before leaving Chanyeol alone on the porch.

When Daehyun and Baekhyun finally got home, Daehyun immediately threw himself into the bed, snoring a couple moments later. But Baekhyun went downstairs, to their backyard and sat on a swing from Taehyung’s old play set no one bothered to take down. He took out his phone from his pocket and clicked on the ‘Contacts’ button. He scrolled down the list and stopped at the number he’d named ‘Unknown.’ He held his thumb over the call button for a few moments before finally pressing it and placing the phone next to ear. He contemplated hanging up as the phone rang, but soon enough, Chanyeol's gravelly voice sounded on the other end.