Title:Midnight Pianist
Author:bleedinglips
Pairing:Chanbaek, bff!Chansoo
Genre:Romance, drama, ghost!AU
Rating:PG
Disclaimer:I own nothing beside this fic
Word Count:5,428
Summary:Never in his life, Park Chanyeol would think that he would fell for a ghost. The problem was, when it happened, he did nothing to stop himself.

A/n:I’m sorry this took forever sobs ;_; actually the story was finished even before I posted the first chapter, until I realized that I wrote this differently from the original plot, so I spent days to remake some parts, and here it is!

Chanyeol had no idea that simple conversations could lead his and Baekhyun’s relationship to a deeper part he hadn’t expected before. Baekhyun didn’t come every night, but every time he did, Chanyeol would rush downstairs and watched him playing the piano, and then they would spend two hours or three to have a talk.

The bond between them was something inexplicable. They were friends, of course, just as how Chanyeol decided to label it. But the fairy-eared boy couldn’t help but feeling his heart skipped a bit every time he met Baekhyun. The ghost was a true beauty. His eyes, even though a bit droopy, had their own spark of fireworks Chanyeol didn’t want to avoid. His thin lips which Chanyeol was willing to stare for a whole day were shaped perfectly. Every curve of his face has its own beauty.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but falling for the ghost in front of him.

Byun Baekhyun was the epitome of elegance and magnificence.

“Hey, Chanyeol-ah,” Kyungsoo called when he was lining up for lunch with Chanyeol behind him.

“Yeah?” Chanyeol responded while lifting his eyebrows.

“There’s this ual disorder called spectrophilia,” Kyungsoo said as he took the food tray for himself. Chanyeol took one as well, eyebrows now furrowed.

“Uh-huh. What kind of disorder is that?”

“ual attraction to ghosts.”

Chanyeol froze as the canteen lady poured him some soup. “So you think I suffer from that disorder?”

“There’s another one!” Kyungsoo exclaimed excitedly, mumbled his thanks to the lady and walked to a table with Chanyeol catching up after. Kyungsoo placed his tray on the table and he waited for Chanyeol to sit across him. “It’s called necrophilia.”

“What is it?” Chanyeol put his chopsticks and held the spoon to scoop the rice.

“It’s ual attraction to corpses.”

Chanyeol nearly choked on his rice, he looked to Kyungsoo who was grinning and trying to suppress his laughter. The older male munched and swallowed his rice thickly before talking. “What do you mean by corpses?!”

“I mean,” Kyungsoo started while giggling, “you may want to find Baekhyun’s corpse and then have with it.”

Chanyeol sighed in disbelief. Now he questioned who lost their minds the most.

A loud groan was heard from Chanyeol’s room as the boy finished his math homework. He sighed heavily, hands closing the book and tidying his pens. He leaned on his chair and yawned. His brain was still full of numbers and math problems when a whisper of piano playing was heard. He smiled and listened to the song, but his smile dissipated when he recognized the song. He rushed to the other side of his room to grab his guitar and walked quickly downstairs.

He approached the piano room and his smile widened because he knew this song really well.

It was Spanish Romance. The first classical song he had ever learnt.

Baekhyun was still repeating the first part when Chanyeol entered the room with his guitar in his arms. Baekhyun didn’t seem to be aware of the taller boy’s presence because he looked totally focused to the keys. Once the first part ended and he was ready to continue to the second part, Chanyeol positioned his fingers on the guitar’s neck and joined Baekhyun in the song.

The ghost snapped his head at Chanyeol and stopped, his fingers froze in the air. Chanyeol smiled, encouraging him to continue the song. All this time, Chanyeol had never told Baekhyun that he could play a guitar. Baekhyun was impressed at the swiftness of Chanyeol’s fingers moved from the strings to other ones to trigger beautiful prickling sounds. It was incredibly perfect.

Chanyeol stepped closer and Baekhyun snapped, realizing that he had been stopping for like half a minute. Baekhyun his lips awkwardly and trying to catch the part which Chanyeol was playing. He immediately joined and soon the combination of guitar and piano in Spanish romance was heard throughout the room.

They repeated both parts quite a few times. Both boys were so immersed in the song, and Chanyeol thought they would make the best duo in the world. It was obvious that every pressed keys and pulled strings were played in sync. Sometimes, in the middle of the song, they would look at each other, exchanging longing stares like they hadn’t met for ages.

During those stares, Chanyeol realized something. That this was wrong. Incredibly wrong. Baekhyun wasn’t even a human. He was a ghost—someone who lived in a different world. He couldn’t touch him, run his fingers on Baekhyun’s hair, cup his cheeks, kiss his lips... yet he was madly in love with him. Chanyeol sighed in defeat, trying to focus to the song he was playing.

Finally, they turned their heads to face each other, sending codes to end the song. They decreased the tempo as the song reached the few last keys. The song ended in a precise harmony, and they smiled because they felt satisfied.

Oh, you guys can have duet, too!

Chanyeol made a mental note to thank Kyungsoo for his wonderful idea later.

(“Baekhyun-ah,” Chanyeol called, “you know, my mother is a light sleeper.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And I wonder... why doesn’t she wake up every time you play the piano? I mean, the sound is loud enough to reach my parents’ room, since they sleep downstairs...”

Baekhyun smiled. “You’re the only one who can hear it, then.”)

It was Saturday when Kyungsoo went to have a sleepover in Chanyeol’s house. Kyungsoo supposed that Chanyeol wouldn’t be afraid of horror movies anymore, so they decided to have action movie marathon instead. Chanyeol whined at him because his relationship with Baekhyun didn’t have anything to do with horror movies.

“So,” Chanyeol started as he put his guitar on his lap, “how’s Kai?”

Kyungsoo sat cross-legged on Chanyeol’s bed, squinting. “Who’s Kai?”

Chanyeol strums the strings once with a C chord. “Kim Jongin, the dance club’s ace. Who doesn’t know that he has a big crush on you, geez. How can a person actually have a crush on Do Kyungsoo? What does he see in you?”

“Says the person who’s been a close friend with me for 5 years,” Kyungsoo mocked, and Chanyeol laughed. “He’s been clingy for the past two weeks. My phone is full of his messages, I’m going crazy.”

“You like him too, don’t you? Has he asked you out?”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Twice or thrice.”

“See? Just say yes. You don’t know how happy I am to see you in a relationship with someone you love.”

Kyungsoo didn’t answer. Chanyeol played a currently popular pop song excitedly. Kyungsoo ran his tongue on his upper lip before asking, “how’s Baekhyun?”

Chanyeol stopped. He looked at Kyungsoo nervously. “Um. He’s okay.”

“That’s not what I’m asking, idiot,” Kyungsoo jeered. “You know that he’s a ghost, right? I thought you would stop anytime soon, but it looks like you won’t. I understand if he’s pretty and all, but... you need to be realistic, Chanyeol-ah. Someday, somehow, he will disappear.”

“I know,” Chanyeol sighed.

“And you will be hurt because of that.”

“I knoooow,” Chanyeol groaned. He gave Kyungsoo a defeated look. “So what am I supposed to do? If you were me, what would you do?”

Kyungsoo held his chin and stared at Chanyeol for the longest time, but he said nothing. Either of them knew the answer.

Chanyeol shook Kyungsoo awake when the laptop was showing the scene where Captain America was fighting with the Winter Soldier. The doe eyed boy fluttered his eyes open, and turned his head sleepily at his friend. Chanyeol looked at him with expectation, and he lowered the audio of his laptop by pressing the down-arrow button a few times. Kyungsoo lifted his face from the pillow, since he was lying on his stomach, and squinted. What was Chanyeol up to?

A faint sound of piano reached his ears and he suddenly didn’t feel sleepy.

“Is that Baekhyun?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Chanyeol nodded lightly. He held Kyungsoo’s wrist and pulled him. “Let’s go downstairs. You have to meet him.”

The shorter boy let himself being dragged outside the room and downstairs. He gasped when he saw Baekhyun who was playing the piano. Just as what Chanyeol told him, the ghost was extremely pretty. His face, his small frame, his way of playing the piano... Kyungsoo understood why Chanyeol fell for him.

They stayed in front of the doorway until Baekhyun finished the song. Chanyeol smiled and dragged Kyungsoo inside, just to be glared by Baekhyun.

“Hi, Baekhyun, this—”

“Who’s that?” Baekhyun interrupted, he pointed cluelessly at Kyungsoo.

“This is my friend, Kyungsoo—”

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol in surprise. “But I thought I was your friend...”

“What?” Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows. “Of course you’re my friend!”

“So why...” Baekhyun stood from his seat and walked towards them, there was disappointment laced in his tone. “Why is this person... your friend too?”

“What—” Chanyeol, being the taller one, instinctively held an arm in front of Kyungsoo, in an attempt to protect him, just in case something happen. “Baekhyun-ah listen, you’re my friend, and so is Kyungsoo! You’re both my friends! You guys can be friends, too!”

“No!” Baekhyun yelled. The humans in front of him flinched. “If you’re with him, you’ll leave me alone!”

Before they knew it, Baekhyun rushed and bumped Kyungsoo with his body. Kyungsoo’s back hit the floor with a loud crash, and Baekhyun was above him, stabbing him with his creepy glare. On the other hand, Kyungsoo, even though he didn’t get glared in the past three or four years, he was used at that kind of glare. He had been a target of bullies during his elementary school years. But Baekhyun’s glare was nowhere near the bullies’ glare.

The bullies had just wanted to see him cry, but Baekhyun, Kyungsoo could tell just by one look, had an intention to kill him. Kyungsoo could see nothing in front of him except death. He was so scared that his breath was shaking, but it didn’t last long because Baekhyun wrapped his fingers around Kyungsoo’s neck to choke him.

“You can’t take Chanyeol away from me!” Baekhyun yelled furiously, he didn’t care the hurt look on Kyungsoo’s face. Chanyeol quickly held Baekhyun’s shoulders in an attempt to pull him away from Kyungsoo. He didn’t even question why he could touch Baekhyun. The ghost snapped his head at the taller boy. “No, Chanyeol! You’re my friend! Not his friend!”

“If you’re my friend, you won’t hurt my other friend!! Let him go, please!” Chanyeol begged, he was so scared at Baekhyun yet he still wanted to save Kyungsoo. The aura around Baekhyun felt terrible, and Chanyeol had never felt this way before. It was extremely frightening.

He liked Baekhyun a lot. But if he was told to choose, he would go for Kyungsoo over Baekhyun.

“Baekhyun please!” Chanyeol yelled exhaustedly. All he could sense from the atmosphere was thrilling terror, and it was really uncomfortable for him. Kyungsoo was out of breath, and even though the doe eyed boy’s arms actually had a lot of strength, they turned to a complete noodles in front of Baekhyun.

Now Chanyeol understand why Kyungsoo had told him to behave.

He’s a ghost, he might do something you don’t expect.

With a heavy groan, Chanyeol pushed Baekhyun away from Kyungsoo. The ghost fell to his side and Chanyeol quickly pulled Kyungsoo to a hug. He was coughing badly, trying to as much oxygen as he could. Chanyeol wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo protectively and sent Baekhyun a hurtful look.

“Why are you defending him?! Didn’t you say that I’m your friend?!” Baekhyun asked indignantly, voice burning with fury.

“I’ve told you! Both of you are my friends! Why won’t you understand? Why did you have to hurt Kyungsoo? Friends don’t hurt each other, Baekhyun!” Chanyeol yelled with quivering voice, eyes were wet of unshed tears. Kyungsoo patted his chest, trying to calm him down.

Baekhyun shook his head sadly. “He’s not my friend! You are my friend! I have to get rid of him!”

“If you hurt Kyungsoo, you’re not my friend!”

Baekhyun gasped.

So did Kyungsoo.

“What are you saying?!” Kyungsoo hissed in a barely audible voice, but Chanyeol didn’t give it a damn.

“I don’t want to see my friends in pain, okay? Why... why don’t you understand?” Chanyeol asked, voice sounded crestfallen. Kyungsoo turned to see Baekhyun whose eyes were glistening with tears. He looked speechless, the misery in his eyes looked darker. Kyungsoo knew nothing, but he could see the troubles in the ghost’s eyes. There were unsolved things, and Baekhyun was suffering from them.

Clanking sounds from the kitchen was heard. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo turned their heads at the same direction, and Chanyeol mumbled that it might be rats.

By the time they turned their heads again, Baekhyun was nowhere to be found.

(“You shouldn’t have yelled at him. You were only making it worse.”

“But Kyungsoo, he hurt you.”

“And you hurt him.”

“Why are you on his side?”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

Chanyeol sighed.)

Baekhyun didn’t come for weeks.

Chanyeol didn’t blame himself, but Kyungsoo knew that he felt guilty. Even though he hung out with Kyungsoo every day, he looked lonely. Chanyeol lost the twinkle of happiness in his eyes. He didn’t smile as much, laugh as much, tell jokes as much, and Kyungsoo didn’t like it.

He knew that he also didn’t like it when he had found out that Chanyeol liked a ghost, which was an indicator that he had a ual disorder and such, but to see the tall boy stared at him with gloomy eyes, walked with wobbly legs, talked with a shaky voice, he liked it even less.

It was Friday afternoon when Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were having lunch in the school’s cafeteria. Kyungsoo was munching the meat deliciously, while Chanyeol who sat in front of him didn’t seem to have much appetite. Kyungsoo didn’t even know when the last time Chanyeol did.

“Chanyeol-ah,” Kyungsoo called. Chanyeol only swallowed the rice in his mouth and put his spoon down. He took the chopsticks to eat the vegetables. “Park Chanyeol, seriously.”

“I’m okay,” Chanyeol whispered while chewing the food.

“Shut it already. I can’t see you like this!” Kyungsoo whined. Chanyeol didn’t answer. “Chanyeol!”

“You’re the one who should shut the up, shrimp.”

Kyungsoo gasped in shock. Chanyeol wasn’t the type to curse, yet he just did it. The doe eyed boy gulped nervously, not sure about what to respond. Chanyeol was really, really angry, and he could tell just by hearing his voice. It was shaky, and even lower than his usual voice. His eyes full of hatred, and to see someone who was usually cheerful being angry like this, Kyungsoo knew it was dangerous.

“You don’t even know what I’m facing. You don’t know my heart. Stop acting like you know everything. You don’t understand my situation. Can’t you step away from my problems? You’re burdening me, don’t you know that?”

Kyungsoo still froze in his place even when Chanyeol left his unfinished lunch on the tray.

Chanyeol wasn’t like Kyungsoo who could think calmly, guessing good and bad possibilities, making plan A and B, even calculating the effect in the long period. Chanyeol was always the type to act before he think, and that was why he kept on sticking around Kyungsoo so that he wouldn’t do dangerous things.

Since both of them had known each other for quite a long time, absently they had thought that snapping at each other was a bad thing. Even though Kyungsoo lost his temper easier than Chanyeol, but he would only glare or flicked Chanyeol’s temple, or worse, gave Chanyeol a headlock. It was a good thing that Chanyeol was an easygoing person, so even though there were times he lost half of his consciousness because of Kyungsoo’s headlock, he would shrug it off and they would smile at each other like nothing had happened.

Even though Chanyeol had left his anger uncontained, he had expected that he would regret his action. And it was true. Once he was seated on the bus, he glued his head to the window and regretted everything. He loved Kyungsoo, in a friendly way, and he didn’t think that he would do such thing just because of Byun Baekhyun.

“So this is why people said that you might lose a friend because of falling in love,” Chanyeol sighed. “But I don’t want to lose Kyungsoo...”

When Chanyeol had arrived at home, he didn’t go to his room like usual. He sat on the dining table and pressed his cheek on the cold surface. There wasn’t anyone at home. His dad was at work and his mom was doing the grocery shopping.

The bell rang and Chanyeol grunted while standing up to greet the guest.

Chanyeol swung the door open. “Yes?”

He froze.

It was Kyungsoo.

“Kyung... Kyungsoo-ya...” Chanyeol stuttered.

“Hi.” Kyungsoo shrugged. He lifted a paper bag printed with a logo of a pastry. “You didn’t look good, so I bought you the sandwich from your favourite pastry across the station. Maybe you will feel—hmp!”

Kyungsoo’s words were interrupted when Chanyeol hugged him. He stiffened, but relaxed to the touch instantly. Kyungsoo leaned in to the hug and hugged his giant friend back. “I’m sorry, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol whispered genuinely in front of Kyungsoo’s ear.

“It’s okay.” Kyungsoo caressed Chanyeol’s back with his hands. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

Chanyeol broke the hug and held both of Kyungsoo’s shoulders, huge grin on his face. “So we’re friends again?”

“You considered it as a fight? Are you 10?” Kyungsoo scolded while shoving the paper bag to Chanyeol’s stomach, and the latter accepted it with a ‘thanks.’ “I can’t be here for too long. My mother told me to go home and cook.”

Chanyeol’s face looked sad in a matter of seconds. “Ah, okay, then.”

The shorter boy smirked at him and hit Chanyeol’s stomach lightly with his fist. “Listen, it doesn’t matter if you have ual disorder or something... just love who you love. Everything will turn out better before you know it. When you meet Baekhyun, make up everything. Explain slowly, make sure he understands.”

“Yeah.” Chanyeol nodded. “Yeah. Thanks, Kyungsoo.”

(“Ah, speaking of love, Jongin just confessed to me.”

“Really? You said yes, didn’t you?”

“I was on my way here, so I’ll answer him later.”

“You idiot.” Chanyeol groaned. He felt so stupid because he got angry because of Baekhyun, while Kyungsoo chose him over Jongin. “Answer him as soon as you meet him, okay?”

Kyungsoo giggled. “Okay.”

“And make sure you say yes.”)

Baekhyun came three days later.

Chanyeol was opening the cupboard to see if there was something to eat when he heard sobbing from the piano room. Curious, he walked there to see Baekhyun was sitting on the couch, crying sadly. The tall boy was at loss for words, he didn’t know what to do. Should he calm Baekhyun down? Should he leave?

Before he had the chance to decide, Baekhyun looked at him with teary eyes.

“Chanyeol...” he called as he stood. “I’m really sorry... for hurting your friend...”

“No...” Chanyeol lifted his hands slowly, and he held Baekhyun’s shoulders in hesitation. The ghost looked so depressed, and Chanyeol didn’t think that he would think about that incident this way. “It’s okay. He’s okay. I think he understands you better than I do.”

“Really?” Baekhyun swept the track of tears on his cheek with the back of his hand. Chanyeol nodded,  and Baekhyun sunk his teeth on his lower lip. “But... I feel guilty... can I meet him again?”

Chanyeol smiled. Baekhyun did look guilty, as if it was written all over his face. The ghost looked sincere and genuine. “I will invite him over again.”

Baekhyun nodded and he looked right into Chanyeol’s eyes, and the latter couldn’t help but falling much deeper for the ghost. They looked at each other for a good one minute, until Chanyeol couldn’t hold himself anymore. He leaned in slowly, his hands keeping Baekhyun in place. He closed his eyes and tilted his head, hoping he would hit the right place. Baekhyun absently parted his lips, and gasped a bit as their lips met.

The lips Chanyeol kissed were cold, extremely cold, but he didn’t want to stop. He wanted to taste those lips, the tongue behind them, even the teeth surrounding around. Chanyeol pushed his tongue past Baekhyun’s lips, and the ghost’s gasp got louder as Chanyeol’s tongue brushed his.

Slowly, Chanyeol detached his mouth from Baekhyun’s and added some distance between their faces. He was really surprised when he saw Baekhyun’s pale face was tinted with shade of pink. Suddenly, Baekhyun looked away and sobbed.

“Baekhyun-ah,” Chanyeol called softly. “Did I hurt you?”

“No... I’m sorry...” Baekhyun placed his hands on Chanyeol’s chest, pushing him lightly. Chanyeol held Baekhyun’s chin to turn his face so that he could see Baekhyun’s face. The ghost somehow looked guilty, like he had just done something bad. “I’m sorry, Chanyeol... can you... can you go?”

As soon as Chanyeol’s hands slid from Baekhyun’s shoulders, the ghost turned away, and Chanyeol felt like someone just shot him right on the heart. What did that mean? Did Baekhyun reject him? But why did he let Chanyeol kissed him?

No.

Baekhyun was hiding something from him.

(“Chanyeol why are you calling? It’s midnight...”

“Sorry, but I need to tell you something.”

“It’s better be important or tomorrow I will cut your to pieces using—”

“I,” Chanyeol held his breath. “I kissed Baekhyun.”

Kyungsoo didn’t answer.)

Chanyeol strummed the strings of his guitar slowly, and he shifted his gaze to Baekhyun who was playing the piano with one hand. After Chanyeol had kissed Baekhyun a few days ago, the ghost looked very awkward. Of course Chanyeol found it weird. If Baekhyun had let him kissing him, that meant Baekhyun liked him too, right? Sighing, Chanyeol put his guitar against the wall to approach Baekhyun and hugged him from behind. The ghost stiffened in his hug.

“Hey,” Chanyeol whispered, “relax, okay?”

“I... I don’t know, Chanyeol...” Baekhyun said as he shook his head, nose nuzzling to Chanyeol’s arm.

“You know you can tell me anything,” Chanyeol said soothingly and Baekhyun sighed. “You looked uncomfortable with it.”

“I’m...” Baekhyun started, “I’m very happy that I got to know you.”

“You are?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun lifted his hands to touch Chanyeol’s arms in front of his chest. “Some people moved in here, but every time I played the piano, they would always freak out and then moved out not long after. You’re the one who approach me like this.”

The first one to kiss you too, I bet.

“I mean, after what Taeyeon noona had done to me, it was really hard for me to trust anyone else... but then I met you, and I kind of changed my mind...”

Oh, Chanyeol thought, there was indeed something wrong with his life.

Chanyeol pressed their cheeks together. “It must’ve been hard for you...”

“Taeyeon noona was just being too mean!” Baekhyun exclaimed suddenly, and Chanyeol was startled. Baekhyun started to sob, and Chanyeol tighten the hug. “She didn’t like me just because I got to perform at the recital! It was snowing hard and she just threw me out of this house...”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened. So that was how the entire things started? The taller boy stayed in silence, waiting for Baekhyun to continue his story when Kyungsoo’s words rang in his head.

In horror movies, ghosts haunt around because there was something wrong with their live, or maybe their death.

“I wasn’t able to perform at the recital because of that...” Baekhyun sobbed painfully.

It must have something to do with the piano.

“I hate her...”

Help me.

Chanyeol gasped, he broke the hug and took a few steps away from Baekhyun. The ghost looked at him in confusion, while Chanyeol stared at him with wide eyes. Everything suddenly looked blurry in front of him. The pieces of puzzle that he had been collecting almost come to an end, but the picture was faded that he didn’t know what to do.

This was practically why Chanyeol always needed Kyungsoo to help him to decide.

“Chanyeol-ah, are you okay—”

“I’m,” Chanyeol interrupted, “I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Baekhyun.”

With that, Chanyeol left Baekhyun alone in the room.

Chanyeol’s steps were rushing as he walked down the stairs. His mom and dad were already at the dining table—his dad reading today’s newspaper and his mom pouring milk for her son. Chanyeol greeted them with a chirpy ‘good morning!’ and sat with them.

“Mom,” Chanyeol called and his mom turned her head at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Dear?” Chanyeol’s mom sat and took a bite of her toast.

“The owner of this house... where are they?” The atmosphere changed in an instant. Chanyeol’s parents exchanged glances, like they were fighting inwardly about who was supposed to answer that question. Chanyeol groaned quietly. “Was there something that made them moved out from here?”

“The owner... left this house two years ago. They were originally from Gyeonggi-do, and for some reasons they moved to Seoul. We didn’t meet them, but she explained that she lives around Seoul now,” his dad explained and Chanyeol nodded. “The one who we called before we bought this house was a young lady named Kim Taeyeon.”

“Taeyeon...” Chanyeol murmured. He remembered that Baekhyun had mentioned the exact same name. “Um, can I have her phone number?”

“What do you have to do with her?” Chanyeol’s mom asked. Chanyeol usually didn’t get curious that easy, he wasn’t the type to barge in someone’s business.

“I have things to ask to her,” Chanyeol answered undoubtedly. “About this house. The story, the past, and... the people.”

Even though she was a bit confused, but Taeyeon gave her address to Chanyeol when the boy called him anyway. Chanyeol told Kyungsoo that he would go and the latter offered a company, but Chanyeol told him not to worry and he will be okay by himself.

The night before Chanyeol went, Baekhyun came.

Chanyeol was about to go to sleep when he heard the piano was being played downstairs. He blinked in confusion, not sure if Baekhyun was the one who played it. It was ear-shattering, and it sounded like someone was banging his hands on the keys. He quickly went downstairs just to see Baekhyun there. As soon as Chanyeol entered the room, Baekhyun walked towards him angrily.

“Are you going to see Taeyeon noona?” Baekhyun asked loudly.

Chanyeol squinted. He didn’t wonder about why Baekhyun knew that, but why did he have to look that angry? “Yeah, tomorrow I will go to her house... I have her address, so—”

“No!” Baekhyun held Chanyeol’s arms. “Don’t go there!”

“What? Wh—why?”

“She’s not like what you think, Chanyeol-ah. Just-just don’t go there!” Baekhyun shook his head, practically begging Chanyeol.

“I’m just going to have a talk with her, why are you so angry about it?” Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun’s cold cheeks, and the ghost pressed his lips to a thin line, he looked sad more than angry now.

“If you really meet her, I won’t come again,” Baekhyun whispered sadly, eyes fixed to a spot behind the tall male in front of him. Chanyeol widened his eyes in surprise. Baekhyun lifted his face to stare at Chanyeol. “I won’t come again for good!”

“What’s so wrong about it, Baekhyun-ah? I bet she’s even smaller than you, if she has intention to hurt me, I can defend myself!” Chanyeol assured, thumb caressing Baekhyun’s cheekbones affectionately. The ghost, however, slapped those hands away and looked close to tears.

“It’s not about she will hurt you or not! Just... just don’t meet her! Why don’t you listen to me!” Baekhyun yelled, his voice quivering badly. Chanyeol looked like he wouldn’t give up to Baekhyun’s pleading. The shorter male sighed in defeat. “Fine. Do as you wish. But don’t expect me to be here to play the piano again. Ever.”

Baekhyun walked outside the room and Chanyeol quickly ran after him, but just as he thought, Baekhyun had disappeared.

The trip to Taeyeon’s house was 45 minutes by bus, since it was located in the suburbs of Seoul. The house was small and lovely, and Taeyeon was just as small as Chanyeol thought she would be. Her face was prettily shaped by some plastic surgeries, hair dyed in beauty salons and nails painted in patterns Chanyeol didn’t really catch. She was nice, and she looked like she wasn’t the type to push someone out the house during snow...

“Would you like some tea?” Taeyeon offered as Chanyeol sat on the couch.

“Yes, please.” Chanyeol nodded and Taeyeon left for the kitchen. The tall boy’s eyes wandered around the living room. It wasn’t fancy, but comfortable. He didn’t sense any presence of other people there. Suddenly, the frames on the cupboard caught his attention. There were only like 4 frames; Taeyeon in her graduation grown, Taeyeon with her parents, Taeyeon with her dogs, and Taeyeon with a boy...

Chanyeol stood to have a better view of the last frame. He gasped once he noticed that it was Baekhyun. They were smiling together in the photo, they looked happy, they looked like they got along very well...

So why did Baekhyun end up like that?

Confused, he sat back on the couch just as Taeyeon brought him a cup of tea. He thanked her and took a sip from the cup. The young woman sat across him and waited for him to say a thing a two—she was completely clueless about the things Chanyeol was going to ask.

Chanyeol put his cup on the table. “So,” Chanyeol cleared his throat, “like I have said, I will ask you questions.”

Taeyeon nodded a few times. “Is it about the house?”

“Exactly. There are some things that kind of disturbed my mind,” Chanyeol said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned on the couch.

Even though she looked unsure, she narrowed her eyes at Chanyeol before asking carefully, “is it... the piano?”

“So you know about that.” Chanyeol tilted his head. “Can you tell me something about it?”

“I don’t really get the situation, too... the previous people who moved in the house also complained about the same thing... but-but if you ignore it, nothing will happen to your house! You may feel scared but actually it’s nothing, believe me,” Taeyeon explained, she practically emphasized every word she said.

“The truth is, I couldn’t ignore it. I ended up checking the room where the piano is located.”

Taeyeon fell silent. “And what did you see?”

“I saw a person. A young boy. He’s pretty and my age. And he is the reason why I came here,” Chanyeol said in a ridiculously low voice, and Taeyeon found it creepy. “Can you tell me about him?”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about—”

“Byun Baekhyun! Don’t retort!” Chanyeol absently raised his voice, until he remembered that Taeyeon was older than him. Just as a good-mannered boy he was, he instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry.”

“How do you know his name...?” Taeyeon asked in disbelief. It was the first time in two years that someone who asked about the piano incident knew about who played the piano every midnight.

“Because I kindly asked him about it. So now can you tell me about him?” Taeyeon suddenly looked so sad, her face full of regret and her eyes glistened with tears. Chanyeol sighed tiredly, he wasn’t fond of a crying girl. “He said you pushed him out the house when it was snowing hard, just because he got to perform at some recitals or something.”

“No!” Taeyeon cried. “He couldn’t blame me like that! I worked hard, too! He doesn’t deserve that recital!”

Chanyeol groaned in frustration. “Then tell me what exactly happened between you and him!”

Taeyeon didn’t reply, and when Chanyeol was about to snap again, Taeyeon lifted her face. “Can I... meet him instead? I’ll tell you the whole story after that.”

“I’m not sure.” Chanyeol sighed. “Last night he said that if I went to see you, he won’t come again. But it’s worth a try. Come to my home before midnight, then.”

A/n:Thank you for reading~ <33