Park Chanyeol, during his early teenager phase, is pretty normal.

Minus his height,

His naturally auburn hair,

His big ears,

His wide set of eyes,

And a little on his quirky side of personality, or maybe more on his secret preference.

It was that dreadful late afternoon that he sees his roommate, he dare not to remember the poor child’s name, because the boy had run into their shared dorm room with a battered face. Seeing that they were not that close, Chanyeol only threw him a look of concern and resort to continue with his unfinished History essay.

It feels like every sentence he wrote on the paper didn’t make sense, which then results him to turn and complained, “ this,” the boy only stared at him from his side of bed, still with his bruised lips. Chanyeol observed the boy’s features in silence, mindless over the lack of response before he sighed, “Care to share?”

The boy shrugged, but he set his eyes on the taller like he wants to tell him something. Chanyeol hummed before he stared at his roommate again. His eyes darted to the boy’s shaking hands, knuckles swollen and scratched, even his clothes are no longer clean and prim. “Tell you what, I could make us a nice hot cup of tea while you brood over your bully issues.”

He stands and abandoned his work, striding over their small kitchenette counter and set the water boiler on. He took all his time, humming a tune that he finds catchy before his roommate whispered, full with hesitation, “It’s because I’m like… this.”

“This what?” he dared to be oblivious.

The boy now looked at him with quivering eyes, as if telling could change anything. He sighed in defeat and shy away, grasping the edge of his bed like it provide him strength. “You know what it is. You heard them.”

Chanyeol cocked an eyebrow before he turned and starts the tea. The silence resonating around their room is not comforting, yet it has always been this way. It took several glance from the boy and Chanyeol knew right from the start of their meeting. Yes, he heard it, and it is true. But what intrigues him, more than his concentration in writing pointless essay is, why the bloody would anyone screw a vulnerable person?

“Don’t hate yourself –just don’t do anything stupid,” He said softly as he placed the hot cup of tea on the boy’s table, which is fortunately neat and clean. The boy sighed before he gave a helpless look at his roommate, not even bothering the hospitality of a warm drink. “I won’t judge, if that’s what you’re thinking. I don’t really care.”

“Oh, really?” the boy scoffed, eyes dark. “I wish I could believe you, but being the odd one here is pretty much sickening, isn’t it? People and books told me that I need to be myself, but , I need to be decent for myself.”

Chanyeol took an attentive sip of his tea, stopping when he felt the first sting. He could feel his tongue burning, but he shoves those feelings away. “I don’t know you’re talkative.” He simply added before taking another sip.

The boy gave a sardonic laugh, leaning back and smirk. “If I have a healed set of lips, I’d talk with you more often.”

“You should start by telling me the truth then,” Chanyeol smiled, small yet comforting.

“It’s nothing new, really. I fell in love and fall hard, so hard that I was the talk of people now. I guess that’s what you get for being different, liking different things –or someone, in my case.” he released a small breath, eyes diverted to his abandoned tea. “Must be weird to room with a homo, huh?”

“If I were, I would’ve asked for another roommate, and you wouldn’t be here judging me like those shallow bullies of yours.”

Again, the boy laughed, but it sounds sadder. “You don’t understand,”

“No, I do.” Chanyeol finalized. The boy now glared at him, seeing him with curiosity. “Oh yes, you’ll think that I know everything and because I am not like you. You’re right, mister. I am nothing like you and you are nothing like me. I may like tea and you may favor coffee instead. But do you know what this means?”

Silence brought Chanyeol’s voice to reach the boy’s ears with clarity, “I don’t care if you like men because it is not my ing business to know. What I’m trying to say is, no one is ever entitled to bullying and being bullied.”

“How did you figure it out?” The boy quivered, and whispered, “The beating started quite recent…”

“Do you need to know that you came back with a slouched figure and a heartbreak?”

“I like that bastard. He… let me view things differently,” the roommate raises his eyes, and Chanyeol could see the hurt in his. “I thought it was a sense of being close, but I never knew I was falling for the wrong people. Do you know how ing embarrassing it is to know that he was disgusted by it?”

“Yet he finds it funny when they beat the out of you?” Chanyeol sarcastically said before he finished his drinks, “You’re not drinking that?” he pointed the tea at the other side, shamelessly. The boy simply nods and let him, expecting Chanyeol to stand and take it. But the taller only watched him with scrutiny. 

“You’re a pushover, my friend.”

The boy widened his eyes. “I don’t drink tea.”

“Yes, you don’t.”

“Then, what is it?”

“You can’t just let people take your tea –or shall I say, what’s yours,” Chanyeol exclaimed, leaning close now that he hit the jackpot. “What you’re doing right now is self-damaging. You love that bastard and you let his gang of friends torment your daily lives. Instead of fighting back, you appear obedient and maybe he’ll see your worth and return your feelings, right?”

The boy seemed like he was thinking, running his fingers over his reddened wrists. “You’re doing history, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll help you.”

Baekhyun pulled back from their touch, pupils constricted as he was brought back to reality. Chanyeol’s face painted those of a blank canvas, no color, no abstract, nothing. He gathers his thoughts and breathed, “What are you, a love guru?”

Immediately, the color in the man’s eyes returned and he smiled, “No. I just learned that I like to help people,” Chanyeol’s hands gingerly clasp the side of Baekhyun’s hips. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re helping a helpless bully victim.” Baekhyun stated, ignoring the throbbing pain emerging slowly in his head.

“Oh,” Chanyeol mouthed before he hesitated with, “I’m a cheeseball, huh?” he grinned widely.

“No, it’s y.”

“Do you like y?”

Baekhyun chuckles and closes his eyes, his mouth parted slightly and lean close again. “Kiss me again, I want to know more.” I want to know more about you.

The days turn out normal, blue sky with just enough amount of clouds to shield off the rays of the sun. Chanyeol, however, was wearing his favorite snapback –plain and black– and complete the look with a white tee and washed fitted denim. He, too, look normal. Everything feels and look ordinary. Then, Jongdae was hurrying towards him, cheeky and cheerful.

“I got his number!” he chimed. Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, and telepathically Jongdae answered him, “Minseok. The part-timer who works in my uncle’s bakery shop. You know the guy–“

“I didn’t expect that.”

Jongdae beams, fingers twiddle with a piece of paper in his hands. “Well, I don’t necessarily like guys, but Minseok –he’s different.”

Chanyeol pursed his lips, giving the last look to his blissful friend before he swept his head around the area. They were rested on a bench, wooden and old, and it adds relaxing images of the already wonderful park. The winds are blowing extra careful today, as if knowing that someone tries to make the best first impression.

And it happened to a young girl, hair brunette and long. Every part of her looks neat and lovely, just as her voice sounded in Chanyeol’s ears. “Sorry, I’m late.” She bows slightly, and her sweet smelling perfume works its way to Jongdae’s nose and cause the latter to sneeze.

“Allergies.” Jongdae muttered, brushing the tip of his nose with his knuckles. He then turned to Chanyeol and winked, signaling a ‘have a good time with Minjoo while I try to woo Minseok’.

The auburn haired man nodded his head, seeing his best friend’s retreating figure along the path of the park. The trees are green and healthy, flowers are blooming in their radiant shades and it served to add the beautiful scenery with Minjoo there. She was feeling nervous on their first date, and Chanyeol knew that from her presence itself.

“Wow,” Baekhyun gasped, eyes widened slightly. “You brought me to your first date?”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and latch their lips again, now holding his grips on the smaller’s hips with extra strength. Baekhyun seems to understand though, given that there’ll probably be more than mushy memories on this date.

It was dark, with clear dark blue skies above them. Chanyeol and Minjoo had spent their afternoon watching romantic movies, one where Minjoo sneaks her fingers against Chanyeol’s. Minjoo set her perfect timing when the lead couple shared their kiss. Chanyeol, however, cringe because it was very cliché and stupid enough to believe that someone could fall in love so easily and be happy like those of the fairy tale. It was nothing realistic, but he shoved it in his mind while they were walking out of the theater.

“That was great,” Minjoo smiled, eyes watching happily on her date. “It’s getting late. Send me home, please?”

Chanyeol offers her a kind smile in return, linking their hands