Mom…Chanyeol groans inwardly when he hears her voice, calling out to him in an absurdly happy tone. Why, dear universe? Why now of all times?

‘I can see you…with a beautiful man. Oh, is that the mysterious Baekhyun?! I’m coming over!’ and just with a simple message like that a few moments ago, his mother decided to make an appearance. Who knows why she had been strolling somewhere around here in the first place, but it must be Chanyeol’s luck she spotted him from outside by chance, even with the blinding sun reflecting on the glass of the shop window outside.

There are so many far more interesting shops for her in the area, why notice this one in particular in the first place? It’s also unusual for her to barge into his meetings with friends; it’s only when he’s with Kai and she’s so happy that she can’t control herself. She’s like an excited child at those times, and neither of the boys can hold it against her. In any case, you don’t really get to have a choice with Chanyeol’s mother; she does what she will, and he considers himself lucky he even got a message as brief warning. She is always benevolent in her decisions however, and very considerate in her actions, not to mention super cute when she asks for forgiveness later, and that saves her a lot of trouble from her son. Somehow, her cameo appearances always go smoother than expected, and Chanyeol prays that this time won’t be any different. It needs to go smoothly. This is Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s stomach churns at the prospect, utterly panicked and still bewildered by the turn of events.

Baekhyun turns his head curiously in the direction of the female voice, not noticing Chanyeol untangling their fingers and withdrawing his hand –truly heart wrenching, to have to let go just when he got hold of those pretty fingers, but such is life. Hopefully, the gods will favor him today so that he can hold that pretty hand again. Chanyeol shuts his eyes tightly for a moment and crosses his fingers under the table, trying to gulp down his nerves, but they lodge in his throat. He tries to form a coherent prayer in his head.  Please, let this be painless, please, let it all be okay in the end…and please, let me hold Baekhyun’s hand again today, maybe?

“I’m so happy I saw you from outside the window!” his mother says, finally standing in front of them in all her short but well dressed glory. She smiles brightly, fine wrinkles framing her exotic eyes, her lips stretching in joy sincerely, and her eyes actually sparkle; and suddenly, Chanyeol can’t be mad at her anymore. She must be in an exceptionally good mood. “You are really so tall; I couldn’t have missed you” she giggles playfully, but the teasing is so mild for their mother-and-son standards that Chanyeol is more worried about the wink she sends his way secretly. Chanyeol resists the urge to cover his face in shame. I’m also your son and you have a sixth sense for finding me ever since I was a kid… “I haven’t seen you in a while, so I came over to say hello! I hope you don’t mind…” she says the last part a little self consciously, glancing at Baekhyun seemingly for the first time, and seemingly bashful. We all know she has noticed everything about him from the first second she laid eyes on him from outside though. Her smile becomes small and her large eyes blink charmingly –and this here is how his mother is always forgiven. She’s like an enthusiastic puppy one moment and the next she’s a delicate fawn, so elegant and endearing. Even Baekhyun flashes a short, reassuring smile at her, and he doesn’t even know her yet!

Chanyeol lets out a small sigh; he kind of wishes he had found time to visit his mother earlier this week –although it’s debatable whether in that case they would have found themselves in this situation or not. Maybe he shouldn’t have picked a window seat. But I wanted Baekhyun to have the best view…This is what he gets for being a romantic gentleman on their first date. He tries to swallow again, even though his throat refuses to move, and he forces a smile on his face, which he hopes doesn’t look terrified. So what if he minds? There is not much he can do about it now. His mother showing up was definitely not in his plans. He loves his mother, don’t get him wrong. It’s just that, he just about managed to master the courage to ask Baekhyun out, in a vaguely date-like way, and mothers are not included in such outings since the beginning of civilization and dignity. Of course Chanyeol hoped that one day Baekhyun would meet his mother –they’re his two favorite people in the world, after all– but he is not sure this is how he had imagined it. He feels unsure about a million of things, because Baekhyun is probably not ready for this yet –not even Chanyeol is ready for this– and his mother is…well, unusual sometimes. He just hopes this will end with the least possible embarrassment. Chanyeol glances at Baekhyun, who is observing his mother with an innocent and polite expression.

“Well, Yeollie, won’t you introduce me to this young man?” she asks pointedly after a short silence. Chanyeol bites his lips, not because he has very awkwardly left Baekhyun in the dark about the woman’s identity for so long, but because she’s calling him ‘Yeollie’ in front of Baekhyun, and she even asked to be introduced to him so straightforwardly…nature made mothers for more than one reason, right? One of them being embarrassing the hell out of their children in front of their crushes, no matter their age. Chanyeol’s mother smiles charmingly at Baekhyun, who seems quite taken with her already. That doesn’t stop Chanyeol from fidgeting uncomfortably under the table, accidentally nudging Baekhyun’s legs and getting his attention. Chanyeol’s insides have turned into a circus; his heart is leaping around in his chest, his stomach is churning, his throat is wringing around itself and the butterflies crush everywhere, not knowing where to go.

“Um, okay” he tries to compose himself, even just for those two minutes of polite introductions. He clears his throat; there is no way around it, so he had better man up and suffer with dignity –he may or may not look like a man on death row right now. He takes a deep breath. “Mom, this is m-Baekhyun” Chanyeol saves it last minute, but his eyes widen a bit. Did you catch that? He chides his tongue, which almost introduced his little guy as ‘my Baekhyun’…How devastating would that be? Wishful thinking out in the open for everyone to see, oh god. If Baekhyun noticed, he doesn’t show it. Your head had better start working properly, Park Chanyeol, or this will end up in complete disaster, and it will have nothing to do with your mother. He tries to calm his heart, because at this rate it will jump out of his chest soon, and takes a breath to race though the rest. “And, Baekhyun, this is my mother” he is not sure the twitch at the corners of his lips counts as a smile, but he tried. His shoulders sag a little in relief and he stays obediently silent after that.

A look of enlightenment –and perhaps a little relief?– crosses Baekhyun’s face, as if Chanyeol’s mother has transformed in front of his eyes. He looks up at his mother with the most adorable, droopy eyes and ‘o’ shaped lips.

“Hello, Mrs. Park! I’m Byun Baekhyun, nice to meet you” Baekhyun gets up from his seat orderly and bows formally and politely, keeping a dazzling and cheerful smile on his lips all the way. His crescent eyes shine charmingly and Chanyeol swears that he is not being biased or anything when he says that there is absolutely no species out there who wouldn’t adore Baekhyun after that introduction.

“My my, such a polite young gentleman! And what a charming smile!” Chanyeol can see his mother’s enthusiastic approval in her words and in her beautiful, genuine smile that she rarely shows to people, except for those she loves. Chanyeol knows that the real reason his mother laces her fingers is not coyness but a way to stop herself from pinching Baekhyun’s cheeks. He’s just that lovable. Her pretty lips tone down the smile then, allowing her eyes to open up a bit more so that she can give Baekhyun a wider look. “But please, call me Rose” she suggests in a friendly, conversational way. Oh no. Chanyeol purses his lips to keep the frustrated groan in his throat. His mother means well, she really does, and she’s grown up with different cultural standards, but you can’t just ask people to call you by your first name so soon in this country, especially when they are as young as your son and/or being in a relationship of any kind with your son.

“Ah…” Baekhyun chuckles and scratches the back of his neck nervously. He glances at Chanyeol, his butterfly lashes fluttering above his pretty eyes; it makes Chanyeol’s heart skip a beat, this trust and intimate communication between them. But the latter can’t really help him on this one; it’s his mother after all. He nods a little encouragingly, and lowers his eyes to the table. “Okay?” Baekhyun decides with slight uncertainty, swaying on his heels a bit, and smiles politely at the woman. She seems pleased, that’s something at least. “Would you like to have a seat?” he changes the subject quickly, motioning accordingly in a noble way. Chanyeol’s eyes fly to Baekhyun’s face, alarmed and frightened like a hamster in the midst of a storm, but the look Baekhyun returns is kind and it eases Chanyeol’s heart a bit. He thinks…he thinks he can make it through this with Baekhyun, and maybe…maybe that’s what Baekhyun was trying to say with that look, too. It’s a look that plays with his heartstrings.

“I can’t stay for long, but maybe just for a little while” Chanyeol’s mother says, choosing not to say anything about the meaningful gazes they exchanged, even though she definitely noticed. Chanyeol feels a little reassured, because it looks like she wants this to go well too, she will even make an effort. She smiles and thanks Baekhyun who holds a chair for her, taking her seat gracefully. Baekhyun’s smile is somewhere between excited and accomplished, exuberantly adorable. He moves to sit in his former seat so they can resume a conversation, but Chanyeol’s mother interrupts him. “Oh Baekhyun dear, would you be so kind as to sit across? I’d be able to see you better then” she blinks innocently and Baekhyun freezes for a fraction of a second; Chanyeol is sure he’s not the only one paranoid enough to think his mother has ulterior motives. This is a rollercoaster; just as you think things are okay, something takes a downwards turn.

“Certainly so” Baekhyun ends up saying with a polite smile, moving around the table and gracefully taking a seat next to Chanyeol. He shifts a little to get comfortable, his knee brushing against Chanyeol and making him go rigid with tension from that simple nudge. Even after Baekhyun settles, there’s only dainty little space between them, and Chanyeol’s stomach tightens at the thought.

“Aw, you are so cute, Baekhyun!” his mother exclaims in delight then, and Baekhyun blushes visibly, but he tries to hide it my chuckling and lowering his gaze to the table. Chanyeol gives his mother a wide-eyed glare to reprimand her. Mom…you can’t call someone cute like that! His mother catches his scarily wide gaze and returns an innocent shrug of her shoulders, mouthing ‘what?’. Chanyeol takes a deep breath but refuses to let out a very obvious sigh of frustration. This feels already too embarrassing.

“Thank you” Baekhyun mumbles in a low and shy voice beside him, and Chanyeol almost reaches over to hug him and pat his back comfortingly. Instead, he sends a pitiful look to Baekhyun. I’m sorry you are going through this out of the blue, Baek. Chanyeol wishes he had more time to prepare Baekhyun before meeting his mother. He would have definitely told him not to mind his mother’s enthusiastic remarks when she gets excited; the brain-to-mouth filter has skipped a few generations.

“And Chanyeol has told me so much about you!” she goes on to say, encouraged by Baekhyun’s small mumble and completely ignoring her son’s no-go signals. Baekhyun’s gaze lifts from the table with interest, to meet the woman’s bright smile. “I liked you already from what I’d heard, but I didn’t think you would be this cute too!”

“He has?” Baekhyun creases his eyebrows above his smile and turns his intrigued gaze at Chanyeol. Only then does Chanyeol register what his mother has said and even more alarmingly he realizes where Baekhyun chose to focus, past the compliments. Wait, what? No! He only mentioned Baekhyun once to his mother! And very briefly! He panics and jolts in his seat, his hands flopping around uselessly under the table.

“I…I…um…” Chanyeol loses the ability to speak, stuttering while looking at Baekhyun. The smaller is looking back with his sparkling eyes, looking entertained. Boy, this baby blue color makes his eyes look so deep and clear; Chanyeol feels completely lost within them, what is coherency.

“Well, there you have it, my awkward son” his mother says with a sigh after a while and Chanyeol realizes he has been gaping at Baekhyun like a fish until now, nowhere near an explanation or an answer. “I’m sorry for that. Does it happen often?” she asks, directing her question at Baekhyun, the only one capable of answering right now. Chanyeol might have slightly chocked in shock the moment Baekhyun looked away, to give Chanyeol’s mother a small smile.

“Sometimes” he admits with a soft look; he doesn’t sound like he minds it, it sounds like he finds it endearing, and Chanyeol’s heart melts considerably. And suddenly, a gentle but sure hand grabs Chanyeol’s spazzing hand under the table and holds it still. Baekhyun’s secure grip anchors him to reality but Chanyeol’s heart does such a crazy flip that he feels like he will faint. Universe, when I asked to hold his hand, this is not what I had in mind; this is not helping, my heart is going to burst. And his mother is right there, for crying out loud! His mother doesn’t seem to notice though, and Baekhyun doesn’t seem to care, going as far as rubbing comforting circles on Chanyeol’s rigid hand.

“Hey, Park Chanyeol” his mother says, and Chanyeol finally closes his mouth, his ears pinking for more than one reasons. “Such a silly giant I have for a son…” she shakes her head and Baekhyun smiles widely, but he doesn’t let go of his hand; on the contrary, he squeezes comfortingly. She leans her elbows on the table, laces her fingers and rests her chin on them delicately. “Now tell me Baekhyun, you’re so close with my son but I know so little about you. Strangely enough, however, I feel like I’ve seen you before…” she quirks a nicely shaped eyebrow in thought and Chanyeol gulps. He hopes she’s confusing him with someone else or at least she doesn’t remember him from somewhere like, that picture from vacation which Chanyeol printed and framed in his living room, the one in which Baekhyun is practically sitting in his lap and they’re both smiling like it’s early Christmas. It’s a pretty picture, okay?

“I organized your son’s last birthday party at your company; maybe you saw me then?” Baekhyun provides helpfully –and it’s honestly the only other occasion she might have seen him. His mother shows interest. “I’m an event organizer. I usually try to be invisible and stay behind the scenes, but it might be that you saw me in the crowd” he chuckles bashfully and lets go of Chanyeol’s hand under the table, deeming he is calm enough. Chanyeol tries really hard not to pout. There is a flash of recognition in his mother’s eyes.

“Oh, the blue roses! I had been searching for you!” she exclaims, clapping her hands once. Chanyeol gives her a curious look. Why on earth would she be searching for him? “You see, I organize a fundraiser every year, and I had been hoping to work with you this year –I really liked your work, but I had no idea who you were! Unfortunately, I’ve already assigned it to someone else, and the Gala is a few weeks away anyway” she nearly pouts, but she minds her age in public so she settles with a frown, if only for a moment before she veers back to her cheerful self. “Why don’t you give me your card, for future reference?” It seems a harmless suggestion, but that’s only because his mother can be incredibly smooth with manipulating people; if you think about it, his mother is so easily getting her hands on Chanyeol’s possibly, hopefully future boyfriend. Yup.

“Of course, ma’am; I’d be honored” Baekhyun is quick to provide her with a business card, which she accepts respectfully and stores safely in her purse. Chanyeol watches the whole transaction with pale lips and a trembling heart, failing to find a way to prevent it.

“Hmm…Chanyeol dear, are you okay? You’ve been awfully silent” his mother calls him with slight concern in her voice, probably noticing how petrified he is. Chanyeol blinks and jolts in place, because did Baekhyun just pinch his thigh under the table?! Baekhyun’s fingers were in proximity with…The blood rushes to Chanyeol’s head a little too soon and makes him dizzy, his ears flaming in a million degrees by the intimate gesture to bring him back from his spacing out session.

“I’m fine, I’m just…” he mumbles, playing with his fingers awkwardly. It’s just hard to believe all this is real, right here, right now. His mother is being so accommodating, and Baekhyun is being such a knight in shining armor, and Chanyeol is like an awkward, lost duckling. Baekhyun sneaks his fingers in the game and Chanyeol is surprisingly not surprised, almost expecting a gesture like that this time. He smiles a little, until his hand gets tangled in Baekhyun’s again. This thrill between them is making his heart spin and jump. His mother seems to catch the gesture this time though, a knowing smile spreading on her lips and she positively lights up. Thankfully, his mother is a discrete woman, diverting the topic on purpose.

“But I must not forget your association with my son; how did you boys meet?” she asks with a pleasant lilt in her voice and a small giggle. Baekhyun smiles at her kindly.

“That’s a funny story, actually” he says, and proceeds to make a decent, entertaining recount of the first time they met at the fashion show and the second at his house, when Chanyeol’s car had broken down. Chanyeol simply listens, sometimes caressing Baekhyun’s fingers; he will blame his twitchiness and not the affectionate warmth in his heart, if anyone asks. His mother laughs incredulously sometimes, but mostly amused, especially when Baekhyun adds small details, like the smudge of grease on Chanyeol’s forehead. It’s interesting for Chanyeol as well, to hear the story from Baekhyun’s perspective, but surprisingly enough, he notices that as much as Baekhyun talks, he doesn’t say too much; he barely says anything more than facts. He’s very talented at hiding secrets and keeping things for himself…Interesting. Their hands remain linked all the while and it makes Chanyeol feel all bubbly and fuzzy.

“Oh that was all very nice, thank you, Baekhyun dear!” his mother says, still giggling after her latest laughing fit. Baekhyun is giggling too, and Chanyeol is smiling, but he’s not sure it’s because of the story anymore; maybe it’s because Baekhyun’s eyes are sparkling, maybe it’s because his two favorite people are getting along, maybe it’s because the world is spinning right and the sun is shining. “Well, children, if you will excuse me, I have shopping to do. It’s hard, organizing a fundraiser” his mother announces after all the storytelling, and Chanyeol looks at her curiously. He thought they just got the hang of it, the conversation was on track. “You be good and have fun, okay?” she says, getting up and patting Chanyeol’s head.

“You are leaving so soon?” Baekhyun blinks in surprise, letting go of Chanyeol’s hand. Well, Chanyeol won’t complain about his mother, he is happy she is going so that they can resume their sort-of-date, but he pouts, because his hand feels empty now. He wishes he could hold Baekhyun’s hand and kiss his knuckles, to thank him for everything he’s done so far, from reassuring him with stolen touches to being a perfect gentleman to his mother.

“I really only wanted to say hello. I’m very busy, sorry sweetie” his mother almost coos at Baekhyun and his adorable expression, which Chanyeol is also gazing at, mesmerized. “I’d love it if you came by our house for dinner sometime Baekhyunnie; I would like to know you a bit better” she smiles mischievously and Chanyeol panics, realizing that his mother has just invited Baekhyun to their house for dinner. Like, officially. The Big Park House. And she called him ‘Baekhyunnie’.

“Sure!” Baekhyun accepts easily, surprising Chanyeol. Um, does he realize in what way his mother is inviting him to their house and what sort of dinner they’re talking about? Because Chanyeol is sure his mother is thinking something more than a friendly call; maybe five courses and flowers and special treatment. “I will talk with Chanyeol about it when the time comes” Baekhyun smiles heartily, patting Chanyeol’s thigh under the table to reassure him that they will make the decision together, that he values his opinion. Hormones skyrocket, needless to say.

“Such a good boy…” his mother muses in approval, tilting her head to the side. “Can I hug you once before I go? You’re so cute!” she smiles enthusiastically and Chanyeol chokes. She did not just ask that. Chanyeol wants to die; it’s better than suffering such embarrassment. He’s about to voice out his concerns, but Baekhyun speaks before him.

“I don’t mind” he says with a sweet smile, getting up, and Chanyeol’s mother loses no time to give him a big, motherly hug, one of those that nearly suffocate you. Baekhyun hugs her back timidly with a big smile on his lips. They are both so small and delicate. Meanwhile, Chanyeol is trying to find sense in the world again, his jaw hanging open dramatically. Is he really living all this? In what universe does it make sense that his mother hugs his koala hopefully-soon-to-be boyfriend after knowing each other for maybe thirty minutes? His mother lets go and finally says her goodbyes and leaves gracefully. Chanyeol’s eyes trail after her, still not believing he is awake and all this is not a dream.

Wow. Baekhyun actually did perfect. His mother smiled and joked and even hugged him; this never happens with strangers. It’s like Baekhyun unlocked the natural, dorky and motherly side of hers, like he is bringing out ‘just Chanyeol’ all the time in Chanyeol. And he wasn’t even prepared! Chanyeol expected an uncoordinated disaster, with an overly enthusiastic mother and a lost puppy Baekhyun, but, even though he didn’t do much other than being awkward, and there were some traumatizing moments of embarrassment for Chanyeol mostly, this wasn’t so bad after all; dare he say, the two even seemed to get along. Maybe Baekhyun was right; maybe they can get through anything together…He can feel his heart slowly returning to its designated place in his chest, the feeling of lightheadedness dissipating into peaceful awareness.

“So, how did I do?” Baekhyun asks worriedly, sitting in his chair across from Chanyeol again. He tries to sound nonchalant, adding a nervous smile, but it’s obvious he’s unsure of the results. He doesn’t know her well enough to pick up the signs she’s thrilled with him. Chanyeol blinks, realizing he hasn’t said anything of the praises he has in mind for Baekhyun.

“You did great! Absolutely perfect!” he reassures him enthusiastically, with a big smile of relief. “I think my mother is completely enamored with you after this meeting!”

“Really? Thank god!” Baekhyun exclaims, blinding Chanyeol with a wide, gleeful smile. He relaxes in his seat, his legs shifting under the table and tangling naturally with Chanyeol’s. Chanyeol’s ears tinge pink ever so slightly and he smiles, feeling secretly happy for some reason; maybe because Baekhyun had certain expectations of this meeting with his mother, or maybe because he asked for Chanyeol’s approval, maybe because their legs are tangled and it makes him feel squirmy. “I think I like your mother too, she seems to be a nice woman” he continues, picking up his ice cream “I’m sure you’ve been told before but, you look alike, in a cute way” he hums, smiling a little at Chanyeol. Did he just call me cute?!

“Y-yeah, I’ve been told, but thank you” he mumbles, keeping his eyes on his drink bashfully. “Please, can we not talk about my mom? I love her but, right now it’s a bit irrelevant and…embarrassing” Chanyeol pleads with a pout, his ears flaming up. Yes, his mother is a nice woman, and yes, Baekhyun did great, but no, he doesn’t want to talk about it, because he will feel embarrassed again and he wants to go back to his date, thank you very much. Baekhyun chuckles, patting Chanyeol’s restless hand on the table; his fingers look so pretty.

“Okay” he agrees softly and focuses on eating his ice cream. Chanyeol lets a few minutes pass in silence, his eyes slowly lifting from the table to watch Baekhyun closely. His hair is nicely styled but not too much, just enough to keep the bangs out of his eyes, those wonderful eyes that look like dark mirrors today. Chanyeol feels happy just seeing him open and close his pink lips around spoonfuls of chocolate, and he looks like an angel, his soft skin bathed in sunlight, his eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. He cannot see anything else but Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol? Is everything okay?” Baekhyun asks after a while, noticing the silence and obliviously lifting his eyes, catching Chanyeol staring at him shamelessly. Chanyeol feels flustered for a second, especially because Baekhyun’s eyes widen in surprise from the unexpected direct eye contact.

“No, I-I just…Why would you say that?” he flinches back and frowns, squeezing together his hands under the table. This just now sounded so weird; ugh, stupid awkward question…

“Because you were staring…” Baekhyun says carefully and quickly glances around in suspicion. “Wait; do I have something on my face?” he squeaks cutely all of a sudden, his eyes round in panic, and he covers his face with his hands.

“No; your face is beautiful!” Chanyeol reassures him quickly to avoid any misunderstandings, feeling some of the panic transferring to him. Wait…

What. Did he. Just. Say?! Oh god, how did that slip?! Stupid Chanyeol, how could you say that? He’s not ready for such straightforward compliments yet! Let alone when he is already stressed and embarrassed! You can’t even do one thing right, what sort of failed date is this? He will never go out with you again and just- shoot me now.

“What?!” Baekhyun chokes out, hiding his face by clutching his cheeks, which are turning pink, and opening his puppy eyes wide and innocently.

“I mean, it’s fine! There is nothing wrong with it” Chanyeol corrects quickly, trying to control his own emotions and his voice. That sounded half decent. He gives a sheepish smile at Baekhyun, feeling like a complete idiot for his mistake. He didn’t mean to surprise Baekhyun and he certainly doesn’t want to scare him away when they just got back together. But, his mouth is a bit…hm.

“Oh…” Baekhyun sighs in relief, dropping his hands from his face, and Chanyeol lets him take a few moments to fuss over insignificant things on the table and calm down after nearly giving him a heart attack. He feels so sorry for that; he is so clumsy. He really wishes he weren’t, but…he has never felt this way before and he has never thought about such things so seriously before, and he is not sure what he should do at all, and he didn’t even have the heart to call this a date when he asked Baekhyun out and- Ah, my life is hard. But he is determined to make it easier. Soon.

“So, have you decided what you want to do today?” he changes the topic, breaking the heavy silence with a forced smile. There are so many things Chanyeol wants to do with him that he can’t decide what to do first. At least that is a cheerful topic and they can forget themselves for a bit –and maybe Chanyeol can officially slip in the word ‘date’ somewhere in that conversation. If he hints at it, Baekhyun will pick it up, won’t he? There are so many things two people can do out there, so many places to go, so many wonders to see, so many words to exchange, and there is plenty of time ahead for them –say, their whole lives…And Chanyeol is only beginning. But, he has to begin it officially, at some point.

“Do I really have to decide?” Baekhyun asks timidly, wrinkling his nose adorably. He seems hesitant for some reason, as if he’d rather he didn’t have to think about it, but Chanyeol doubts he is the reason Baekhyun seems so uncomfortable. Maybe Chanyeol confused him with too many options earlier. Seeing how his little guy is not sharing the same amount of –honestly beyond realistic expectations– interest in the topic as him, Chanyeol pouts momentarily but exchanges his expression for a cheerful, uplifting smile.

“Let’s take it easy then, okay?” he suggests “How about we finish here and then go for a walk, and we’ll see?” He doesn’t want to be pushy, after all. He’ll take any second he can with Baekhyun, even if all they do is stare at a wall, and he’ll be happy. Baekhyun seems to relax a bit, a small smile painting his lips as he brings the ice cream scoop in circles in his bowl.

“Hm, okay”

--

“I imagined this smaller” Baekhyun admits, seeing all the colorful stalls lining either side of the pedestrian street by the river. The merchandise is prettily stacked on every corner and surface available, the fair stretching tent after tent, as far as he can see. They walked all the way here from the café and his feet have started hating his shoes, so he hopes he won’t have to limp his way down the fair, not to mention the unforgiving sun in the afternoon sky, which makes the temperature almost insufferable in his current clothes. Sweating bullets anywhere near your crush is not ideal. Why did he even agree to come here? Oh, that’s right, Chanyeol really wanted to do something and he acted all sorts of fluffy, until Baekhyun chose something out of the list of activities that seemed remotely harmless for his poor heart. After spending some alone quality time with Chanyeol over ice cream and coffee, he thought he’d be okay, but his heart still thumps when he looks up at Chanyeol and the latter is sporting a frown worth kissing away. Baekhyun fights tooth and nail to hold his dignity and not swoon on him.

“I imagined it more crowded” the taller says, examining the people who come and go, hovering like bees around the stalls and chattering brightly. There are families, groups of friends and couples scattered all around, laughing and shouting under the sunny sky; it’s not uncomfortably packed but it’s crowded enough for a lively vibe and there’s enough room for someone to have a look around without being squashed to his spine. Chanyeol sounded a bit disappointed, as if he misses the fun, but Baekhyun thinks he likes it better this way.

“Maybe we’re a bit early? But the breathing space is nice” he amends, swaying on his feet playfully. Chanyeol looks down at him and smiles timidly; Baekhyun returns a small smile and blinks up cutely. I just did what. He swears he needs to stop being coy like this. “And there’s less chance anyone will recognize you” he adds good-naturedly, with a pleased nod. It would be horrible if anyone came from the crowd and snatched Chanyeol away from him. His heart has suffered many cuteness shocks today but he doesn’t think he’s had enough yet.

“People don’t recognize me regularly, you know” Chanyeol’s voice is lowered and thoughtful when he answers, an irresistible pout forming on his lips. Baekhyun is a bit surprised by his reaction, which somehow seems regretful and serious at the same time; he hadn’t meant to burst the excited, cheery bubble. They keep looking at each other’s eyes seriously for a while and Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol looks like he wants to say more; but he doesn’t. He just stares back, trying to spell the words with his gaze, but Baekhyun is far too gone in his almond eyes to notice anything but their caramel color that glints in the sunlight.

“So, where do we start?” Baekhyun braves the question and a smile, breaking the intense exchange and hopping in place a couple of times to rid of some tension. He is glad he sounded casual and excited, and not like a man drowning in his feelings. They keep swarming in his chest like colorful migratory birds.

“Hmm, let’s start over there?” Chanyeol suggests cheerfully, catching up to the mood and pointing at a nearby stall. Baekhyun follows the direction with his eyes and his breath hitches. Books. He suggested books, of all things Baekhyun has a weak spot for. Park Chanyeol I think I love you now more than I did a second ago.

Baekhyun lights up, an uncontrollable smile spreading on his lips, and he leaves Chanyeol to follow, skipping ahead his marry way to the second biggest love in his life –actually it’s third, if we count a certain giant in vicinity, and chocolate is always first. He greets the handsome man behind the mass of books with a wide smile and loses no time to pick up the first book he finds interesting. He examines the cover, the lettering, the color and spacing of the pages, and then he flips it over reverently, skimming the descriptive text with the hope he’s found another companion for his evenings at home. The ritual is always the same and it brings a glowing happiness inside him.

As he’s about to pick the next book, Chanyeol –whom he had completely forgotten about for a moment there– makes his appearance known. First, it’s his soap-and-clouds cologne, as Baekhyun likes to call it, and then it’s a rustle of expensive fabric behind him. Baekhyun feels a zing of electricity at the realization, his fingers twitching against the cover. What is he doing so close?! But you’re not one to talk, mister, with all the shamelessly touchy reassurance you offered at the café…Baekhyun plays it cool and tries to focus on the book again; he guesses Chanyeol is just passing by to reach another book. But then the heat around him starts increasing, strangely enough, and there are sparks on the edges of his vision, but no Chanyeol. He quirks his eyebrows and looks to the side, actively searching for him, but he doesn’t see him in the crowd. As if sensing his discomfort, a reassuring hand touches his waist and Baekhyun flinches a little in surprise.

“Anything interesting?” a familiar deep voice asks, right next to his ear, making his stomach twirl. Baekhyun fights back a shudder and exhales in relief. He fixes his posture accordingly when Chanyeol leans on him to look over his shoulder at the book he’s holding. And now they’re so…close. It’s strangely intimate and…couple-like. W-we’re not a couple though. It’s just another not-completely-normal moment, and the fantastic return of those makes Baekhyun’s heart spin in glee. Baekhyun’s ears turn pinker and his heart can be heard on his neck, but he keeps his overall composure, because it feels nice to have Chanyeol near like this and he doesn’t want him to move away. He grins and holds the book higher, so that Chanyeol can read too. Anything interesting, besides the splendid way I’m still alive with my heart exploding in fireworks, you mean?

“This seems like it” Baekhyun mumbles, pointing at the passage he had been reading with his finger. Chanyeol mumbles a ‘yes’ so close and whispery to his ear, that his breath fans over his skin and his shoulders reverberate with the grumble of Chanyeol’s chest. His cheeks heat up with the sensation and he tries to hide his face from the man behind the stall using the book as a barrier. There are tingles spreading from his chest to his tummy and his legs, and Chanyeol’s velvet voice is so sweet and sensually deep that Baekhyun kind of wants to nuzzle comfortably against him and have him talk infinitely, because it makes him feel things –the nice and maybe a bit inappropriate sort of them.

Thankfully, Chanyeol doesn’t say anything else while they read the next two books. Baekhyun somehow finds a way to stay concentrated on the books, and he has to admit, it doesn’t feel very difficult after he gets used to the proximity; if he ignores that nagging part of him that wants to turn around and hug Chanyeol, the taller’s presence is so natural and comforting that he feels like home. It takes a few minutes until he realizes his shoulders are trembling with Chanyeol’s voice again. He stops reading for a couple of moments to confirm his suspicion and then he smiles. “You’re humming to the song” he notes quietly –it’s not like he has to speak up to be heard, considering their closeness.

“Oh sorry, I was too close to your ear, weren’t I?” Chanyeol instantly detaches himself from Baekhyun, keeping him in place by the waist or else he would have tumbled backwards. He takes a step back when Baekhyun is stable and Baekhyun turns around, slightly disappointed with the distance between them, to look at him. Chanyeol shows him wide, regretful eyes, his eyebrows raised in fluster as he starts mumbling. “I’m sorry, I’m probably too distracting. I’m not used to staying put, unless I’m working of course; I hover around stuff, and mumble lyrics, or fidget in any way possible, and I sometimes pace or waltz around-”

“Yeol” Baekhyun cuts in with a gentle hand on his shoulder and an entertained smile “I didn’t mind. It wasn’t an accusation. I was just surprised you picked up the song over the chatter” he explains, and Chanyeol sighs in relief, following with a bashful smile. Baekhyun’s smile turns mischievous and he leans forward, whispering teasingly “And, you know the waltz?”

“Is it too lame that I do?” Chanyeol shuffles his feet, lacing his fingers shyly and turning his eyes to the ground. Baekhyun clenches his fists to keep his hands from reaching over and ruffling his hair and then rubbing his ears and then pinching his cheeks and pressing the tip of his nose and cupping his jaw and- whoa, easy on the fantasizing, Byun.

“Not at all, I do, too!” Baekhyun chirps, catching Chanyeol’s attention and curiosity; there’s a hint of a smile on the taller’s full lips and a spark in his eyes, like a promise. No, he definitely didn’t think they should dance together sometime, and why would Chanyeol even think of such a thing, nonsense. “Comes with the profession; some grooms need a bit of coaching before the ceremony” he nods thoughtfully, thinking back to some really bad, ungraceful cases who abused his toes repeatedly. What can he do, the event planner is a bride’s best friend and confidant during her wedding days; he has to be the better man in more than one occasions.

“Oh.” Chanyeol nods in understanding, eyes wide and adorable. He looks like he’s about to ask another question, but suddenly, he performs a ninja move and snatches Baekhyun by the shoulders to bring him closer to his side, squishing him protectively against his body. Baekhyun loses his step a little so he gladly leans on the giant, avoiding another fall. He blinks confusedly, and he really wasn’t planning on complaining about being pressed against Chanyeol, but the taller sets him on his own feet again, looking somewhere behind them with a frown. Just one moment, and the distance is between us again. “He nearly ran you over and he didn’t even apologize” he huffs, like an offended child; and it’s on Baekhyun’s behalf, how heartwarming…Baekhyun turns to look behind them as well and he sees a man on a silver bike speeding through the crowd and sparking many protests with his clumsiness. Oh, so that’s the silver flash he saw.

“I’m okay” Baekhyun reassures a frowning Chanyeol, and since the taller’s arm is still around his shoulders, it’s easy for Baekhyun to curl his arm around Chanyeol’s waist and urge him forward. Watch me defeat you, hateful distance. “Let’s not think about it, hm?” he suggests, and Chanyeol pouts skeptically, but he follows willingly. Baekhyun stays close but drops his arm, mindful of coming off as clingy –and he might be clingy, but he doesn’t want to show it too much when his heart is performing uneasy maneuvers. He doesn’t even want to think what people would think of them, walking all lovey-dovey like that. Chanyeol slides away too, his hand dropping from the shorter’s shoulders, but his fingers travel down the length of Baekhyun’s arm, sparking tingles in their wake, until he hooks his pinky finger with Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun smiles momentarily, thinking of it as some sort of secret code, but he fixes his expression soon, and looks up at Chanyeol, slightly puzzled.

“There’re a lot of people around, I don’t want to lose you” Chanyeol explains with a lovely, sunlit smile. And Baekhyun loses a chip of his heart in that moment.

“I’m not that short” he mumbles and pretends to sulk and pout, just to get a reaction out of the taller. It doesn’t bother him at all that the height difference is noticeable when they’re walking side by side like this. He swears he heard Chanyeol coo and he feels his cheeks tingle, but when he turns to look at him, Chanyeol’s lips are curved in a gentle smile.

“Of course you’re not short! You are cutely petite” he amends, touching Baekhyun’s nose with his index finger affectionately. Baekhyun holds his breath to avoid a sneeze and pouts at Chanyeol for a moment before he lights up, smiling. I can live with cutely petite. It has cute in it, too. The thought of Chanyeol finding even a fraction of him cute makes Baekhyun happy with himself. Chanyeol chuckles, and the deep sound takes Baekhyun’s breath away, or whatever was left of it after he saw those wide smiling lips and the cheeky dimple. “Oh, are you hungry?” he asks suddenly, his eyes noticing a food stall a bit further down the street. He turns to him with benevolently inquiring eyes. Baekhyun bites his lip thoughtfully, eyeing all the food stalls in the distance. He’s not particularly full from the ice cream but he wouldn’t want to eat throughout their time together.

“Only if you are” he ends up admitting with a timid smile. He sways their linked hands when Chanyeol chuckles knowingly and nods towards the food stalls. A person who offers him heart attacks, chocolate, books and food in one day, how can he say no to anything after that? His insides sigh wistfully and he hopes he’s not looking like a lovesick puppy trailing after the handsome giant as they walk down the street.

“Oh, wait!” Chanyeol suddenly halts and Baekhyun nearly crushes on his back, but he avoids it by hopping a few steps around him. He leans curiously to see for himself why they stopped, and he sees…a florist stall? “Flowers!” Chanyeol exclaims in confirmation to his assumptions, and takes them closer to it.

“Why are you so excited?” Baekhyun giggles nonchalantly, watching Chanyeol’s large eyes scan the pretty flowers on display as if he’s searching for something in particular, but Baekhyun wouldn’t know. There are all sorts of colors and a fresh or sweet scents floating everywhere on the stands and vases of the stalls, ribbons and tulles staked prettily at the back. Some people stop to buy beautiful flowers for their loved ones; single roses are especially popular with young couples.

“Pink tulips, please?” Chanyeol asks the woman in charge when he manages to get her attention –which is almost immediately, given his height and his dashing appearance. She smiles at him dreamily, examining Baekhyun momentarily before she proceeds to assemble a bouquet. It’s strange when people look at you like that, like they envy you.

“What are those for?” Baekhyun asks curiously while they wait, safely away from her attention. Chanyeol shifts his eyes away from observing the woman’s work and smiles down at him.

“Happiness, confidence, caring and encouragement” he breezes through his explanation, surprising Baekhyun. Of course Baekhyun knows the meaning of the flowers, it’s part of his job, but why would Chanyeol know? If he knew Chanyeol any less, he’d say that maybe he likes knowing such things, but Baekhyun knows for fact that Chanyeol can’t even remember the names of flowers, let alone their meaning. And why does he need pink tulips all of a sudden? During Baekhyun’s moments of confusion, Chanyeol pays for the flowers and thanks the woman, and only three steps away from the stall, Baekhyun finds the bouquet of flowers presented to him, with a heartbreakingly bright smile. “For you”

WHAT.

“W-why?” he stutters, unwillingly blushing to the tips of his ears. He hasn’t been offered flowers in a long time, much less so forwardly, without a special occasion, and with such an irresistible smile accompanying them. His heart zigzags in his chest and his stomach tickles, his fingers reaching tentatively towards the pretty flowers he’s not sure he should accept. He blinks up at Chanyeol in uncertainty, but he knows the taller wouldn’t be as cruel to joke with him. It’s so strange, however, for Chanyeol to be giving him flowers out of the blue…

“Because you make me feel happy and I care for you, mostly” he answers with a thoughtful look in his eyes, picking out the part of the flowers’ meaning that makes most sense to him and causes more fluster to Baekhyun. His bubbling, exploding emotions must be written all over Baekhyun’s face, because Chanyeol laughs lightly when he looks at him, leaving the flowers in Baekhyun’s hold, their fingers brushing in the process. “It’s reason enough, Baek” he reassures him, sealing the exchange with a soft smile and mirthfully shimmering eyes.

“I-if you say so…” Baekhyun relents, gathering the bouquet close to himself and hiding his profusely blushing face behind it, burring his nose in the flowers. “…thank you” he mumbles with a small smile. Chanyeol grows a bit self-conscious at that, rubbing his neck and looking down with a shy smile. Why are you so adorable? You don’t have to, people have died for much less. Baekhyun suppresses a sudden urge to jump on him and pet him like he’s a good puppy. He inhales the soft fragrance of the flowers bravely and braces himself, fixing his smile on his face. Yes, he can do this. “Pick your dinner, it’s on me” Okay, he did it.

“Really?” Chanyeol’s head snaps up with excitement, his eyes shining as if Baekhyun just promised him the world. He chuckles lightly and nods affirmatively, if only to see that smile widening and nearly blinding him worse than the sun. Chanyeol runs his tongue over his lips thoughtfully, taunting Baekhyun’s self-restraint. “Well then, we could have, um…” he looks around for a couple of seconds but then his phone rings. He mumbles an apology and rejects the call swiftly, ready to go back to exploring his appetite, but the phone rings again, almost instantly. He glares at it and ignores it pointedly, but whoever it is, they insist on calling again and again. A third consecutive call comes in and Baekhyun turns his eyes to the phone with a troubled expression, unable to ignore it anymore. Chanyeol sighs and takes a proper look. “It’s Luhan” he says. Then it might be something important from the office, Baekhyun adds in his head.

“It’s okay, pick it up” he urges the taller, who gives him an apologetic pout before answering the call with a grumbled ‘hello’ –his attitude looks so endearingly begrudging. Baekhyun nods encouragingly with a small smile and focuses on admiring his flowers, giving Chanyeol some space. He squeals internally and subtly hops on his heels; he can’t believe he’s going home with his very own flowers today!

--

“What?” Chanyeol huffs on the phone. Hateful device is against his happiness. Why is this date not unraveling smoothly like he had planned? He even prayed to holy marshmallows. He worked hard all week to earn his free time for this weekend, and he clearly warned that he would fire anyone from the office if they tried to call him just before he left, reminding Kai he’s a dead man if he tries it in particular. So, does Luhan have a death wish?

“Oh, sorry to interrupt, lover boy; how’s the not-date date thing going?” Luhan asks swiftly, ignoring Chanyeol’s irked mood.

“Would be better without your interruption” he jabs with a small hiss and Baekhyun blinks up in surprise. Chanyeol realizes his tone just burst his happy sparkling bubble and he sends him an apologetic smile, bowing his head a little. How can I be so dense?! As if it’s not bad enough he has to answer the phone just as Baekhyun offered to treat him to early dinner. Baekhyun mouths an ‘are you okay’ and Chanyeol bites his lower lip warily, nodding once.

“Okay, then I guess it’s not totally disastrous news that I’m about to tell you’ dramatic pose for effect ‘You need to come back to the office”

“What?” Chanyeol barely holds his voice down because they’re in public, his eyes opening wide in disbelief “But Luhan, I made sure I finished everything yesterday!” he retorts incredulously. He finished everything so that he would have time to spend with Baekhyun today without any interruptions…Life is unfair. Luhan is quick to explain though.

“No, it’s not like that, but, are you sitting down? Oh well. Do you remember that really hateful woman, whose name starts with a ‘K’ continues with a ‘slt’ and ends with an ‘L’? Now, do you also remember a party, kinda like an engagement party that she had been planning? Well, she is still planning it. And it looks like you are attending, because your father ordered me to pick up your tux from the drycleaner’s”

“What?” he chokes to keep his voice in acceptable volume and Baekhyun gives him wide puppy eyes, obviously concerned. “I can’t believe this” Chanyeol groans and massages the bridge of his nose. The engagement situation can’t pop up in his life again, he thought he’d left it in the past for good! He agreed at the time that they shouldn’t make a public announcement that they broke the engagement immediately, for her sake mainly and for the stalk market secondly; but attending this party would be beyond ridiculous! There is no need to take it so far. Why did she keep planning it anyway? Such a waste of money for a farce…

“I know right? What am I, an errand boy?” Luhan agrees, missing the point by a mile.

“Luhan, focus! What I meant is, how can they be throwing that party? I clearly won’t be attending. Are they planning to humiliate themselves publicly? And it’s, when, in five days from now? I thought we were finally on the same page with my father! We planned the announcement about the new contracts next week; I even prepared my presentation! Why is this party suddenly…how are they planning to…ugh” he closes his eyes in defeat. You can’t easily fight a messed up luck. Sometimes Chanyeol wonders why he has a father.

Baekhyun reaches over and pats his arm comfortingly, seeing how distressed he is. Chanyeol freezes for a moment, feeling the soft pressure above his clothes. His heart does a strange fuzzy trick, and he strangely feels safe, in spite of this mess, in spite of everything. He looks up at Baekhyun and the smaller male returns a cute, encouraging eyesmile. Chanyeol’s heart picks up the pace happily and he feels so energized suddenly, his thoughts untangling and falling into place with ease.

“Luhan, thank you for telling me” he says on the phone with determination “I will go find my father at home and sort things out immediately. I’m not going to that party” he reassures.

“Oh, thank god, there’s so much traffic, it would take forever to get to the drycleaner’s! ‘kay, bye~” Luhan chimes and hangs up. Chanyeol sighs tiredly and looks down at his phone in disappointment; he should go and make things clear to his father, or he might find himself tied hands and feet and thrown into a room to attend that party. But that means he has to leave Baekhyun. And things had just started going so well…

“Baek, I’m sorry but-”

“You have to go”

“It’s important; I have to meet-”

“Your father”

“And believe me, I really want to-”

“Stay, but you can’t”

“But I promise, I will-”

“Make it up to me?”

Chanyeol nods in confirmation but then he blinks in surprise and looks up, when he realizes he has not been finishing his sentences. He looks at Baekhyun, awestruck, and Baekhyun smiles cheekily, half hiding behind his tulips in that adorably shy way. How did he do that?

“How did you do that?” he gasps dumbly. Baekhyun giggles, his cheeks tinting pink like the flowers.

“Just go, giant, don’t worry about me!” he encourages cheerfully, with a sweet smile on his lips. Chanyeol feels a surge of warmth flowing inside him, leaving a sweet aftertaste in his mouth. He puts his problems aside for a moment and marvels at the man across from him. How can a person be so perfect? How can a person be so perfect for him? How did Chanyeol find Byun Baekhyun?

“Thanks Baek” Chanyeol mumbles and takes Baekhyun’s hand naturally, without thinking, lacing their fingers quickly. Baekhyun’s hand is slimmer but warm and soft, and it fits so perfectly in Chanyeol’s hand, that Chanyeol doesn’t notice the boldness of his actions; usually, they don’t hold hands properly in public. It ignites all sorts of colorful sparkles inside him and he smiles a little at the feeling, fighting down his blush. Baekhyun doesn’t protest; he only blushes meekly, his puppy eyes surprised. “We have to go!” Chanyeol announces, drawing Baekhyun closer and then leading them down the fair; the shorter stumbles a bit but he follows obediently, clutching his flowers to his chest. He looks so cute. “Come on, I’ll take you home first” he says gently, smiling down at his little sunshine.

“Y-you don’t have to- I can take myself home, honestly” Baekhyun refuses, stubbornly independent as always, his expression perplexed but not unyielding. Chanyeol huffs and pouts, trying to look cute; he hopes it will work. Kai always says he’s too tall to be cute, but it might help him win over Baekhyun’s self-sufficient predisposition this time.

“Please, Baek” he hums pitifully “it’s the least I can do” He pouts again, waiting for his response. He doesn’t want to leave Baekhyun alone when he looks so cute and huggable and handsome. Many people look at him in various, indecent and swooning ways, and Chanyeol can’t afford having anyone flirting with his little guy when they were supposed to be having a date, which Chanyeol managed to ruin with his cursed luck. And don’t think he didn’t notice the man behind the book stall eyeing Baekhyun like a delicious treat; it irked him so much, in fact, that he almost snatched Baekhyun into his arms to show the man he’s taken. Chanyeol was so tempted to display the underlying feelings of their relationship, that he had to stop himself last moment before he kissed Baekhyun’s neck, behind his ear. He’s wearing a devastatingly wonderful perfume, by the way.

It takes them ten minutes to walk back to the car, throughout which Chanyeol practically begs to be allowed to take Baekhyun home and Baekhyun insists he’s a grown puppy man who can take care of himself. The final blow comes in the form of ‘please, my sweet Baekhyunnie, let me, please?’ and Chanyeol is not sure if it’s the shameless pet name, the possessive pronoun or the double please that makes Baekhyun purse his lips and then mumble a blushing ‘okay’. The ride home starts in silence, but considering it’s thirty minutes long, they start chatting and bickering cheerfully soon enough, their laughter and squeaks echoing outside. Chanyeol falls a little deeper for Baekhyun when the latter laughs so hard that his eyes become sparkling lines and his voice sounds like music in the sunlight, his whole being spelling perfection in Chanyeol’s eyes. The sun is bright but softer when they arrive, just before sundown, and Chanyeol can’t shake off the regret he won’t get to see Baekhyun bathed in the colors of the sunset today. Another day, perhaps. No; another day, for sure. And many days after that, hopefully.

“I’m home now, and you should go” Baekhyun gets ready to get out of the car hastily, the moment Chanyeol secures the handbrake. He sputters, flabbergasted, but Baekhyun only flashes him a mischievous smile, his hand already opening the door. “We wouldn’t want to have you engaged without your consent in five days from now, would we?” he winks playfully and Chanyeol gets a heart attack, basically. Baekhyun jumps out of the car so fast and Chanyeol is so lost in his pounding heartbeat and swirling thoughts, that he calls after Baekhyun much later than he would have liked. Awkward human beings understand this sort of situation.

“Baek, wait!” he calls anxiously through the rolled down window, and Baekhyun stops in his tracks midway, turning around to look at Chanyeol curiously, catching his eyes immediately. The taller tries to smile for him, bracing himself mentally and gripping the wheel. “What are you doing next Saturday?”

“Um” Baekhyun blinks surprised and completely disoriented by the unexpected question. “Nothing, I guess?” he shrugs his shoulders and doesn’t miss Chanyeol’s wide smile, pleased with his response.

“I’m booking you, Byun Baekhyun! Dinner at my house; to make it up to you” Chanyeol smiles so wide that he can feel his eye twitching, but he doesn’t care because he is so happy. He feels so proud of himself, to have asked Baekhyun to dinner. He really hopes Baekhyun will accept the invitation. He won’t pass his opportunities to spend time with Baekhyun anymore; he is going to utilize every single one he can get.

“Oh…okay” Baekhyun agrees, timid at first but definitely cheerful overall, and he smiles a genuine smile that makes Chanyeol’s heart flip and jump irregularly in his chest, his eyes seeing twinkles. “Take care!” he gives Chanyeol a wide, brilliant smile, waving his hand like a child. Starting the car, Chanyeol smiles back and waves his hand, feeling his heart thumping inside a warm chest. He is sure Baekhyun doesn’t mind this ‘date’ has ended –because he is looking forward to the next one, like Chanyeol. Chanyeol doesn’t want a smooth date with him anymore; he is going to make it magical, for Baekhyun.

Later that day, Chanyeol returns home exhausted but victorious, after a stupendous father-and-son shouting competition. His mood brightens a bit though, when he finds two new messages on his phone.

From: Baekkie~

“You’d better make me an awesome dinner Chanyeol, because I’m looking forward to it! Oh, and I want chocolate, tons of it! (this is not negotiable.) xo”

Chanyeol smiles, delighted by the cute message, and scratches his head, wondering if the ‘xo’ sign means the regular kiss-and-hug or if it’s a smiley face that Baekhyun typed wrong. He chooses to believe it’s the former, because he’d really like a kiss and a hug from Baekhyun sometime soon. The other message is from his mother.

“I like him. He’s a keeper, Chanyeol”

Chanyeol blushes at his mother’s insight.

--

Baekhyun bites his pillow and squirms madly on the bed, making a mess of the sheets. I’m officially going crazy…He sighs and sprawls his limbs on his bed. Today has been a rather interesting day; he went out with Chanyeol and even met his mother. Baekhyun still cannot believe that he so suddenly met the woman whom he had wanted to meet formally someday; but he really liked her! He didn’t know what to expect and he was worried that she might not like him, but, as it turns out, she is a lot like Chanyeol; easy to be around, friendly and thoughtful to others, smiling brilliantly, and she looks just as gorgeous as her son. She even hugged Baekhyun warmly and she invited him to dinner, so she must have liked him too. Baekhyun is very content with this outcome and he cannot understand why Chanyeol was so distressed throughout their interaction; his mother is an adorable woman.

Now, this little incident aside, Baekhyun cannot begin to describe how he feels about this day. Chanyeol looked so gorgeous and he was saying those things that translated to other things in Baekhyun’s mind, and they both initiated more body contact than usual, and it doesn’t make sense how happy he was when Chanyeol was driving him home, when he should be feeling crestfallen. He feels exhausted after all the adrenaline he has consumed in one day, and he is sure that, if his heart was a muscle of the body that could get tired and strained, it would be the most sore part of him right now. Poor heart. He is suffering.

He is a friend, Baekhyun. Friend. And you are letting your feelings get in the way. But if you keep thinking weirdly when you are with him, it will start showing, and he will notice, and what will you do then? Baekhyun wails in despair, covering his face with his pillow to muffle the sound, because it is already almost two in the morning. Yes, he is turning into a lovesick insomniac. Chanyeol probably doesn’t even suspect it. But he might suspect it, if Baekhyun doesn’t take control of his feelings and actions soon. Baekhyun kicks the air hysterically and bangs his head on the mattress. How do you control your feelings? Is there an override code? They just keep popping up, no matter what he does or thinks, and they color his world differently. How do you un-color the world?

Not to mention all those thoughts which keep presenting themselves in his head out of the blue. They come completely uninvited and unannounced, they give him mini heart attacks and fill him with panic for a few moments, before he promptly shoves them away at the back of his mind. Why did Chanyeol have to say all those things? Now Baekhyun’s mind keeps revolving around impossible scenarios of dates –yes, dates– in the botanical garden and the movies and so on. Sometimes Baekhyun doesn’t catch himself in time and the scenario escalates to the utmost degree of his preferred romance. If he starts having dreams, he is blaming it on Chanyeol. That is, if he ever sleeps. His body feels worn out but his thoughts keep spiraling uncontrollably in his hyper-stimulated mind.

“Why? Why am I being like this?” Baekhyun whimpers pathetically, rolling on his stomach. He can feel the lingering touch of Chanyeol’s hand on his waist, and his breath against his neck, his chin against his shoulder and his fingers between his own. He examines his familiar palm as if trying to find physical evidence, and then his eyes fall on his phone, tossed on the bed, and he remembers instantly the last conversation he had with Chanyeol.

‘You’d better make me an awesome dinner Chanyeol, because I’m looking forward to it! Oh, and I want chocolate, tons of it! (this is not negotiable.) xo’ He doesn’t know what possessed him to write that message. He just felt so excited in that moment. No, mind, stop thinking candle lit dinners. He doesn’t know why he put the kiss-and-hug symbol at the end either –probably because he really wants to kiss and hug Chanyeol. This row of ‘xo’s might get too long in the future…

‘If you are looking forward to it, I will work hard to make it amazing. I promise I’ll work magic for you.’ Does he even need to explain what this message did to him? It took five full minutes to recover –thankfully, he saw it after he had arrived home from his ice cream purchasing trip to the corner store, and no one saw him petrified and gaping like a fish on the sidewalk. It was too late to answer though, and maybe that was for the better, because what would he have answered to that? Chanyeol was the one to send the next message of their conversation, around 9 pm.

‘Did you get home safely?’ Baekhyun tried very hard to convince his swooned mined that it’s just polite and friendly concern, because Chanyeol was the very person who left him just outside his apartment building. He answered with humor to stop his dreamy expectations.

‘Yes, Chanyeol, I can take myself home safely. I’m a big boy :p’

‘I’m bigger than you though, so you can’t use that argument on me :p :p’ Seriously, this man, childish as ever. And of course Baekhyun knows Chanyeol is bigger; it’s one of the things he likes, because he feels so small and protected next to him, and it feels wonderful when Chanyeol is holding him in his strong arms…Don’t go there again.

‘Only in size because you are a giant. I’m still older, if I may remind you…’

‘It’s half a year! I can’t believe you are using that against me…I’m hurt TT.TT’ Baekhyun feels like he knows Chanyeol all too well sometimes, so…

‘Stop pouting’

‘How did you know?! Wow, you’ve gotten dangerously close to me, Byun Baekhyun. I can’t hide from you anymore! ;) Have you eaten dinner yet?’ Baekhyun found the wink a bit off, but he decided it would be better to ignore it, before his mind started conjuring up stories that give his tummy butterflies.

‘Yup. You?’

‘I’m about to’ and twenty minutes later ‘It’s late now, go to sleep’ Baekhyun smiled to himself.

‘Yes mom…*eye roll for the naggy giant*’

‘Don’t patronize me, mister! *wagging fingers* Mothers are special creatures! But I am not that sort of special creature for you. Then again, do I need to be, to have the right to care for you? Now go to bed, your pillow is waiting for your pretty head’ Baekhyun gulped, shutting down whatever feelings threatened to spring to life, and he answered simply.

‘Okay. But don’t stay up too late either’

‘Yes, Baekhyun’ That sounded a lot like his own teasingly patronizing answer earlier. Baekhyun doesn’t know why the words special creature popped up in his head. ‘Goodnight’

Oh, where to begin?! Because remembering this conversation makes Baekhyun squirm on the bed and whimper helplessly, as the wheels start turning in his mind again. The things Chanyeol says these days…‘I want to do more things with you’ Well, they have been doing various things together since they first became friends, but has Chanyeol ever said that before? No. ‘You look really good. Your face is beautiful! Your pillow is waiting for your pretty head’ Such a sudden downpour of compliments! Sure, Chanyeol is a friend and friends boost each other’s confidence and offer polite assurance for the other’s appearance, and it’s not the first time Baekhyun receives Chanyeol’s approval. But it feels like has never heard such words from Chanyeol before and it makes him blush unwillingly, harder and harder. ‘I promise I’ll work magic for you’ For you?! That sounds like Baekhyun is receiving special treatment! Not to mention how tingly it feels when someone –and not just any someone in this case– promises you magic. It feels more powerful than offering you the moon, because magic is the definition of the impossible. ‘Did you get home safely? Have you eaten dinner yet? I am not that sort of special creature for you. Then again, do I need to be, to have the right to care for you?’ He cares…so much. ‘Wow, you’ve gotten dangerously close to me, Byun Baekhyun. I can’t hide from you anymore!’ And he sounds happy for that, as if he thinks it is a good thing. He has no idea how much closer Baekhyun wants to get…But even when Chanyeol is not hiding, Baekhyun feels flustered and confused because of his own eyes that have gone blind with his feelings.

“Park Chanyeol, what are you doing?” Baekhyun meows on the bed, burying his face in the pillows. All those touches, the flowers, that sincere light in his eyes…This is the first time in history Baekhyun cannot understand him. And for all the psychology in the world, officially, there is no such thing as ‘crazy’. Baekhyun doesn’t know what is happening to him anymore.

--

Conversation with BunnyByun, DinoDae

Me: I need help.

DD: psychiatric or otherwise?

BB: I need fluffy puppy ears~

Me: seriously, Baekhyun??

BB: hmm~ I want to hug a puppy and ruffle its ears and pet its head and rub its tummy and hug it again~~~

DD: you know Baek, you’ve been saying that all the time for the last eighty years I’ve known you, and I usually ignore you, but maybe I can help this time ;)

Me: don’t encourage him! B, try not to give yourself a nosebleed. Why the sudden fluff crisis?? It’s just a Sunday…

Me: Ohmygod WAiT has anything interesting gone down with Park?!? ME NEEDS TO KNOW!

BB: it happens to be a slow, comfortable, sunny Sunday morning and I’m still wearing pjs while having a double chocolate cupcake for breakfast. I’m obviously in a good mood, that’s all^ω^

Me: I don’t believe that’s all there is. I don’t believe you. Chen, I don’t believe him. We need to find out what happened by ourselves. WITH DETAILS!

DD: I agree. What Baek is saying is not impossible, but I side with Soo on this one. Yesterday must have been far too interesting to simply forget about it. We need to know everything about yesterday’s date. And I mean, e v e r y t h i n g. When are you free for questioning Baek? O.o

Me: He’s free tomorrow evening! The event we’re planning will be over by seven, we can meet then! I can’t wait! I will hunt him down and abduct him if I have to, trust me, he’ll be there!

DD: that’s the spirit! Meet me at my house at eight then?

BB: excuuuuse me, why am I going to be hunted down and abducted? Violence, tsk.

Me: to make sure you won’t cute your way out of this! Please try to be a cooperative abductee, although I won’t mind or even hesitate to tie you up and throw you in the car.

BB: whaaaah that sounds like a valid threat, actually. Soooo don’t be crueeel. But why are we meeting at Chen house? That’s half an hour drive away from our event location, Dae…

DD: um, I kind of have a guest whom I can’t just leave alone in the apartment for a few days. You’ll see tomorrow

Me: but is it okay if he listens to Baek’s personal life??

BB: I’m most definitely NOT engaging in any talk about my personal life, ESPECIALLY if there is someone new in the room!!!! I will deny I’ve ever even met Park Chanyeol.

DD: relax guys, you’ll see ;) my guest is trustworthy and friendly, I’m sure you won’t mind! You might not even notice there’s someone else in the house

BB: the tulips in my vase is what I don’t notice in the house. An unfamiliar being judging me as I may or may not be giving away details of yesterday’s meeting with Chanyeol is not the same. Not the same, Dae.

Me: now that we mentioned houses, can we go back to my problem for a second?

BB: Oh, sorry Soo, I didn’t read your first messages. What sort of help do you need? Are you repainting the walls, like you had been planning?

Me: Kai asked me to move in with him.

DD: oh.

Me: you two have been silent for five minutes. It’s not helping. I’M FREAKING OUT HERE, in case you didn’t suspect it.

DD: it’s a delicate situation, we’re just trying to find the right words, calm down Soo, breathe.

BB: How many mental breakdowns have you had so far?

Me: fourteen.

DD: in such little time?! Kyungsoo, do you have any brain cells left?! @.@

BB: Kim Jongdae. -.-

DD: sorry, almighty Baek. Sorry, Soo. But, I mean, living together doesn’t sound that bad…honestly, I had been expecting it, at some point.

Me: I hadn’t! What if it’ll be disastrous?! Living together is not easy! What am I going to do?! OTL

BB: you’re going to start packing your things to move in with him.

Me: you too, Baek?!

DD: decisive puppy. I like it ;)

BB: this is a good thing for you Soo, and it’s well within the natural course of your relationship. It’s not the end of the world! I’ve seen you date a lot of guys and I can confidently say that, if there is one person I would trust you to move in with, it would be Kai.

DD: he has a point, Soo. Besides, you’re spending the weekend with Kai, right? See how it goes and we’ll talk about this on Monday again

Me: I don’t know who we’re going to meet on Monday, but he’s in for one hell of entertainment, with all the “interesting” topics we need to discuss…

BB: for the record, I never said I am planning on discussing anything me-related, so you fennecs don’t keep your hopes up >ν<

Me: omg Byun Baekhyun you’re not getting off the hook as easy as this! >>--<< you’re going to confess! Even if I have to torture you myself!

BB: I dare you to try! >o<

DD: hey no one is going to be tortured! I think I have the solution to our Baek-being-an-oyster problem Soo, don’t worry ;) and it’s okay guys, my guest is super cool, you’ll see!^^

Me: wait…um…you’re still with Xiumin, right? Like, you’re not cheating on him…even platonically? Because I have to disapprove. Even if it’s a hot af underwear model, I unfortunately //have// to disapprove.

BB: pfft are you kidding? He’s been ‘Xiumin this and Xiumin that’ all week; there’s no way I listened to him ranting about his dinner date with the future sister in law one hundred and five times just so that he’d break up two days later…

DD: of course I’m still with him! and no, I’d never cheat! What do you guys take me for?! He’s my man, I’m not gonna hurt him! Although that one underwear model was truly hot af…

DD: And guys, I have a question: do puppies eat the same thing for breakfast and dinner??

--

Baekhyun is blissed out. He is the closest to a puddle of fluff on the floor he has ever been, and the reason for this transformation is a certain someone he’s holding in his arms.

“Look at this cute little scoop of caramel ice cream~” he coos soothingly at the sweetest puppy you have ever seen! She’s so small he can fit her in his lap, with floofy caramel brown fur almost curling everywhere around her, small floppy years, black little nose and round gleaming eyes –puppy eyes that make you lose your heart in an instant by definition. He has her resting on her back, with her head on his knees, and she looks so comfortable there, as if she’s about to snooze sometime soon; Baekhyun feels honored to have gained her trust so soon into their first meeting. She doesn’t seem to mind her submissive position, nor that her pinkish tummy is exposed to him, who was a stranger until half an hour ago; instead, she enjoys all the gentle petting and attention she’s getting from Baekhyun.

“Ah~ such cute chocolate toffee paws you have” he muses, gently pinching and rubbing her brown paws in a mini massage session; he thinks that every person out there should know how to give puppy massages, even the poor, puppy-less souls like himself. She whines and shakes her tail against his thighs happily; sweet angels in heaven, he loves puppies. Baekhyun nearly squeals every time she blinks at him coyly, or wags her floppy tail against him, or closes her eyes to nap, or twitches her legs in contentment when he’s massaging her tummy, or tries to puppy-kiss his hands when he’s kneading her cheeks under her ears –or when she does anything, honestly, she’s so cute he can barely contain himself. Barely.

It’s common knowledge he likes animals, and puppies are no exception. If he had more time, he’d adopt one for sure and gladly forfeit his social life to devote the rest of his days to spoiling and cuddling it. He often finds himself contemplating it seriously, even going so far as to search up dog breeds and their behavior to see if they’d get along, and getting a very strong urge to rub soft puppy ears~ –and it’s downhill from there, he wants to cuddle a puppy so badly that his pillows end up suffering his squealing, cuddling tendencies– but reality and reason always prevail; he can’t commit to being in charge of raising a puppy and have a creature depend for its survival and happiness solely on him. He can’t be a single parent, not even to a puppy who will adore him to death.

Oh, and this little fluff ball is Chen’s guest, apparently, whom he couldn’t leave alone so they ended up gathering at his place today. He was right, their little guest is cute beyond belief and both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun loved her at first sight. It’s not Chen’s pet of course –Chen doesn’t have pets for the same reasons as Baekhyun– he’s only pet-sitting Sohee’s puppy for a few days, because Xiumin’s sister had to travel to Jeju for business. Delightful occurrence, if you ask Baekhyun; he’d needed a socially acceptable way to vent out some squirmy feelings a certain giant has been showering him with lately.

“You know you’re not supposed to grow emotionally attached to her, right? You’ll probably never see her again” Kyungsoo quips into his puppy-talk, from his perch in the upholster armchair, giving Baekhyun an obvious look. Baekhyun harrumphs at him and flips his fringe out of his face sassily.

“Of course I’ll see her again; at Chen and Xiumin’s wedding” he retorts with his nose high in the air. He instantly drops the act however, and glances over his shoulder towards the kitchen; Chen would kill him for mentioning a nonexistent wedding if he were here, but he’s isolated and playing with his pantry next door for now, so Baekhyun is safe. He giggles mischievously and leans down to Eskimo-kiss the puppy, who wets his nose in return. “We’ll meet again, my tiramisu, don’t listen to uncle Soo; he’s just jelly because you love me more and I’m ignoring him” he singsongs at the dog and glares at Kyungsoo at the end, for effect. Kyungsoo forcefully crosses his arms and sticks his tongue out at him, scrunching his nose. Those would be the first wrinkles on the clothes he’s wearing, hard as he might have tried to avoid them, and Baekhyun smirks.

Chen had them change into clean clothes from his wardrobe for comfort when they came, and they’re wonderfully comfortable indeed, but they’re too expensive still, and Kyungsoo seems a bit uncomfortable with that fact, as if he fears he’ll tear them apart with the slightest movement. Baekhyun, on the other hand, feels very comfortable with the large, blue t-shirt –which is softer than any t-shirt he has ever touched, and he’s thinking of stealing it from Chen’s closet after today; he knows his friend won’t even care to mention it– although he could do with longer pants. It’s only shorts, and the leg room is nice after a full work day with skinny jeans on, but they’re too short, and his bubble is getting cold where he’s sitting on the floor.

“Park Chanyeol has competition” Kyungsoo jabs, looking down at Baekhyun with a smug smirk. Oh he thinks he just said something so shocking, doesn’t he? Baekhyun is sneakier than to grant him the satisfaction of reacting to his teasing as he’s expected to though, so Baekhyun gasps, pretending to be scandalized.

“Of course not! No one can compete with Cookie!” he announces, and the fleeting spark of success that appeared in Kyungsoo’s eyes dies out too fast, to be replaced with an eye roll. I won’t admit to swooning over Chanyeol as easily; little Soo is still an amateur in manipulation. Baekhyun coos and giggles at Kyungsoo’s misfortune, and the puppy yips at the sound of her name. He runs his fingers down her sides and she squirms. “Yes, my sweet golden cupcake with chocolate chips and vanilla frosting~” a small part of Baekhyun wonders why he keeps praising her with food references, but a bigger part keeps providing more such compliments, for her soft cushion paws and the white mark on her forehead and her floppy ears that are pink on the underside; even Sohee named her after food, so he’s not the only one with that mindset. Then he starts scratching her chest, mumbling distractedly when she starts doing cute faces while trying to catch her ears. “Such soft ears you have~ And you know, there is someone else with big ears who’d love to pet you. You’d love uncle Yeol, too~”

“Oh would she now?” Kyungsoo’s voice sounds alarmingly curious and haughty, and Baekhyun freezes, his eyes widening a bit as he starts growing cautious. He didn’t let anything slip, did he? He thinks not. He lifts his eyes slowly to find his friend’s face closer than he expected, because Kyungsoo is leaning down from his perch and he’s staring at him with wide eyes, gleaming with interest and something more dangerous. Baekhyun resists the urge to gulp uncomfortably at the judging glare his best friend is sending him, trying to think of ways to avoid the upcoming questioning about his date with Chanyeol –and all the other questions that may follow and make him blush to the roots of his hair. His friends are persistent and methodic, he’ll give them that. And he almost gave himself away so easily, by confessing to a puppy! With a sudden enlightenment, all he shows is defiance, narrowing his eyes in his friend’s face and hissing at him in suspicion.

“Did you guys plan to mislead me with the puppy to spill everything while I’m distracted?” he guesses in an accusing tone, and with the way Kyungsoo’s eyes widen in fluster, he must have gotten it right. Bingo. That is so sneaky of them! But genius. Baekhyun is about to open his mouth to tease his friend some more and lead him further away from the topic of main interest, but Chen’s voice interrupts him.

“Appetizers are here!” Chen chirps, carrying a plate and a dish tray to the living room. He looks elegant, endowed with natural grace, but he’s a bit ruffled from cooking, his hair tussled away from his face and his cheeks flushed from the heat of the pot. A scent of something very delicious wafts from the kitchen and it makes Baekhyun’s empty stomach growl. Cookie gives his stomach a curious look. Chen places everything on the large coffee table orderly with Kyungsoo’s help; they glare at Baekhyun a little for not helping, but he just shrugs his shoulders; there is no way Baekhyun will let this apricot marmalade bundle out of his lap to help with something as petty as setting the table when he has two perfectly capable best friends. Said marmalade bundle twists in his lap when she smells the food, her tail slapping his stomach excitedly.

“No, not you, Cookie” he orders, half sternly, scooping her back in place and squealing at the back of his throat when she starts pawing and wetting his hands with her tongue playfully. “Aww my fluffy choux with ice cream filling” he muses, smiling down at her. Internally, he does his evil laugh; if only his best friends knew what a huge hint on the date-with-Chanyeol-they’ll-never-know this last compliment to the puppy was…Chen plops down beside him, purposely knocking knees with him to get his attention, which earns half a scowl from Baekhyun for disturbing his comfortable settlement. His friend reaches over to scratch Cookie’s head and the puppy arches on Baekhyun’s thighs, so eager and lively.

“What does that mean?” Chen asks curiously, raising an ironic eyebrow at Baekhyun.

“She’d make a nice profiterole?” Kyungsoo provides, picking his first hors d'oeuvre. For a sarcastic remark it sure lacks bite though, so Baekhyun lets it slide. Of course Kyungsoo would know about French pastry. Chen chuckles and picks something for himself from the wide selection of prettily arranged treats. Baekhyun seizes the chance of having the puppy’s attention all to himself again and tickles her tummy softly, until she starts kicking her hind legs teasingly, and he giggles. Cuuuute~ “Byun Baek, you’ve been a starved event planner as much as I have since this morning. You should eat something too, and I mean now; stop cooing at the dog” Kyungsoo nags, like a good mother. Had it been any other time, Baekhyun would have stuck his tongue out at him and focus on his rare chance of quality time with a puppy, but today his stomach keeps playing its tribal song for food and Chen did a good job at assembling those mouthwatering treats before their dinner, which also smells amazing, tempting Baekhyun’s appetite. Baekhyun looks at the food and then at Cookie and then back at the food. He feels so confused, torn between petting and eating; he can’t decide which he needs more for survival.

“I cannot, just cannot.” He whines at the end, pouting at his best friends with puppy eyes, which the real puppy in his lap seconds, turning around to look at them with adorably pitiful eyes, her chubby paws stomping and sliding a bit on Baekhyun’s knees, distressed. Kyungsoo sends him an incredulous judgmental glare and Chen sighs beside him.

“We will have to reenact this later and take pictures of those cuties, but for now: Cookie, pillow” he orders in an absolute voice. The puppy hesitates for a moment before it leaps down to the ground and scampers to a nearby pink pillow, which is her seat of sorts; it came with squeaky toys, dog food and shampoo, and a few other puppy accessories.

“B-but!” Baekhyun flails his arms pleadingly after her, but she’s a good, obedient puppy, and she doesn’t budge. She does send a wistful yip his way though, and it’s the cutest sound he’s ever had the pleasure to be addressed by. “Okay…” he sighs in surrender and returns puppy eyes at the dog, combined with a pout “Later, Cookie; uncle Baek has to eat”

“It’s not a death sentence, just eat! I took the time to prepare these for you, you know!” Chen protests, riding the mommy train with Kyungsoo, picking a pretty treat and shoving it in front of his face. Baekhyun catches it with his teeth first, a little resentfully, but then he starts nibbling on it seriously –it’s so delicious his stomach gets excited– and he demolishes it in seconds. Truly a starved event planner, he picks the next one by himself and he vocalizes appreciatively, tasting Chen’s new recipe, which he will have to ask for later.

“Oh my god, so shameless with your sounds” Chen teases him with a smile, slapping his thigh. Baekhyun pauses to glare at him fiercely and Chen cowers, not so much for the teasing, but because that skin-on-skin slap stung like a freaking super-meanie-jellyfish.

“If that leaves a mark, I’ll sulk at you for a week” he grumbles, chewing his bite properly and swallowing. “And it’s not the first time you hear me grunt while eating something delicious; I often do it if I’m comfortable, and you should be flattered” he retorts chirpily, examining the plate for his next victim and contemplating why his friends think he sounds…naughty when he vocalizes about food. It’s his appreciation, nothing naughty about that. But he’s conscious about it and he rarely does it in public –his best friends are obviously not ‘public’. Now that he thinks about it, has he ever done it in front of Chanyeol? He can’t remember exactly, but it’s not impossible; and what if he has?! Oh god, that would be so embarrassing…

“What is this?” Kyungsoo asks then, picking apart one of the treats to point at an ingredient, interested in incorporating it to his cuisine no doubt. Chen explains something about foreign origin which Baekhyun doesn’t pay attention to, too preoccupied with munching his appetizer of choice while sending a promising glance at the obedient puppy, sitting silently near them and eyeing the table with interest. “Always so gourmet…” is Kyungsoo’s conclusion and that’s all Baekhyun needs to know on the subject.

“So, now that you’ve met Cookie and all, and since the food will take a while more to cook…” Chen starts nonchalantly, folding his legs crisscross on the floor, and Baekhyun finds himself with a bony knee lodged uncomfortably in the side of his thigh, but he’s too lazy to move for now. “Kyungsoo, tell us more about your situation first” he suggests, turning to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo sighs and slides off the armchair to join the same level as the other two and sit on the floor. Baekhyun postpones his attempts at approaching the puppy for stolen moments of petting, and focuses on the subject.

“I kind of said yes…” Kyungsoo admits in a small voice, looking at his shocks thoughtfully. The other two don’t share the pensive-and-resigned attitude with him; Chen is quick to exclaim in excitement and Baekhyun squirms on his bubble beside him, and does jazz hands to show his excitement, if the stupidly large smile on his face was not indicative enough. He thinks it was about time Kyungsoo took the next step into his relationship with Kai, because Kai loves him so much and he can give him so much, and Kyungsoo deserves to have a good, fulfilled relationship experience. “And don’t you think I don’t partly blame you for that misguided decision, mister sunshine” Kyungsoo stabs Baekhyun with his gaze and it should be scary –it looks alarmingly abnormal in width, Baekhyun will admit that– but he’s not very intimidated by it, because he knows he hasn’t done anything wrong. He just offered an opinion; twenty seven times in the course of a conversation, cough-cough. He has the decency to stop the jazz hands at least. Kyungsoo sighs once more and slouches against the armchair seat behind his back. “We’ll start packing tomorrow” he offers dejectedly, in a voice that sounds already tired, even though he must feel all but that.

“We?” Chen inquires, picking another pre-dinner treat to nimble on. Baekhyun belatedly remembers his own complaining stomach and picks up something to munch on as well. Kyungsoo nods tiredly.

“He said he’d help” he says, and then his demeanor changes from surrendered bunny to aggressive bunny, so fast it’s almost comical. “He’d better! Do you know how much stuff I need to pack?!” he exclaims indignantly, frowning and shaking a threatening fist in the air –which is aimed at someone who’s certainly nowhere near here, but okay. Cookie offers a puppy bark and the sound of the kitchen timer echoes, surprising them.

“Oh, the food!” Chen remembers and jumps to his feet, fleeting towards the kitchen. Kyungsoo lowers his fist and the two friends shrug their shoulders dismissively, exchanging a look before they focus on clearing out the remaining hors d'oeuvres. Baekhyun manages to smuggle a small piece at Cookie, who tongue-cleans her nose too much to be inconspicuous.

Chen returns with a heavy pot full of steaming delicacies and both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun help him this time to set it on the table. They make a few trips to the kitchen to retrieve tableware and side dishes, pinching each other when they cross paths just to see if the other will drop the items he’s holding, but there is no real intension for accidents, so they only end up squeaking and mumbling playfully at each other while making body rolls as evasive tactics. Cookie is sent to her pen, because they don’t want to test her control in such close proximity to food; Kyungsoo is the only one with a heart strong enough to survive her puppy eyes when he leaves her there. Baekhyun’s stomach growls embarrassingly loud when he settles in his seat, utensils in hand, and his friends dissolve in laughter. Baekhyun swears he has a monster inside his belly, there is no other explanation for all those sounds, but he ignores his friends with a blush and a chuckle, before he steals the first and best food bite. Serves them right for laughing at him.

“So Baek,” Kyungsoo starts conversationally after they have demolished two thirds of their food; don’t be deceived by their short and slim appearances, they can eat a decent amount. Baekhyun swallows his food and blinks up at Kyungsoo, waiting to be asked on puppy breeds, which is the latest topic they have been discussing while eating. “Why don’t you tell us more about you and uncle Yeol?” he says, wiggling his eyebrows –something he almost never does. Baekhyun presses his chopsticks against his lips thoughtfully; he knows he can’t keep all the information to himself and disappoint his friends, so he’s trying to pick the more harmless parts to share.

“Why should I share with you, you sneaky ferrets?” he buys more time to think, fighting with Chen over a piece of meat in the pot, their chopsticks clashing playfully. They giggle childishly and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at them. Chen wins the fight and eats the prize with an accomplished smile. “Especially with you!” Baekhyun accuses and mock pouts at him.

“Because we’re your best friends, and you love us, and we will feed you ice cream, and Cookie is really curious too” Chen points out, and he’s right to think he’s won at the promise of ice cream, sealing the deal with the mention of Cookie. Baekhyun is not a man of many weaknesses, but if you use two of them combined against him, he doesn’t have the heart to fight back.

“Oh, you fluffy honey sunshine, I can’t say no to you~” Baekhyun coos at her and she makes a fuss to get to him, yipping and pawing around her. Kyungsoo snorts, and mumbles under his breath about not being enough of a best friend card, and Chen sighs in surrender, walking over to Cookie to let her out of her pen. She scampers on stubby paws to get to her favorite uncle in the room, leaping in his lap instantly. Baekhyun coos at her, petting her ears and answering all of her cute puppy calls, because it seems to make her as happy as he is. He wonders if Sohee will let him visit her from time to time…Or if he should start considering puppy business seriously in his life.

“Okay, you have food in your stomach, a puppy in your arms and ice cream is on the way, so tell us: what happened during your date?” Kyungsoo demands impatiently, getting Baekhyun’s attention and a knowing smile from Chen. “With details” he emphasizes, eyes fixed on Baekhyun in a slightly concerning, stalker-peeking-though way. His eyes are glinting like a tiger’s when hunting down prey. Baekhyun gulps, his fingers fidgeting around Cookie, but he can’t stay uncomfortable amidst his best friends for longer than three seconds, so he overrides his instinct to run and hide to save himself, and goes on to narrate the story of his date, not saying too much or too little, just enough to spark some ‘oooh’s from Kyungsoo and ‘oh’s from Chen. It’s harmless and kind of fun. He’s heard date stories countless of times, but he hardly ever got the chance to experience this side of the procedure because there never was any serious story to tell. He’s been talking for at least fifteen minutes with the full attention of two grown adults and a puppy, mostly looking at the puppy for the more sentimental parts, until he sighs wistfully and kisses the puppy’s nose.

“That’s it” he feels so much lighter now and the puppy seems to pick up on it, jumping in his lap cutely and trying to reach his cheeks, making him giggle.

“So, let me get this straight” Kyungsoo frowns, straightening out his tangled noodle limbs from where he had melted on the floor, while he starts counting on fingers “His mom crushed your date, you only went for a walk, the most notable skinship was pinky-finger holding and you didn’t even kwwwfffmm” he doesn’t get to finish, because Baekhyun is swift and wise enough to throw a pillow to his face, muffling whatever he had been planning to say next. It didn’t sound auspicious.

“You make it sound not-nice. It was nice! Very nice!” he protests, frowning and nodding his nose in the air superiorly. Chen laughs at his feisty, mock-offended reaction, even more loudly when Cookie stands on her paws to look at a grumbling Kyungsoo, nodding her nose just like Baekhyun did, for her own unknown puppy reasons. Baekhyun chuckles, choosing to believe she did it to support him.

“Oh, very nice, huh?” Chen leans into Baekhyun’s personal bubble to the point he has to lean back himself, and he’s smiling that mischievous five-year-old smile, with knowing eyes and the corners of his lips suggestively upturned. Baekhyun does his best to look pitiful, so that Chen might spare him any insightful comments. His best friend seems to be in a good mood because he bursts in loud laughter, returning to his seat. “You know, Baekhyun, you are on the way to have the best sugar daddy any of us and 90 percent of the human population has ever had!” he teases, enjoying the mumbling fluster Baekhyun is reduced to, with his heart banging behind his teeth and blushing embarrassment floating up all the way to his ears. Chanyeol and him…like that…sugar…no.

“Chanyeol won’t be sugar daddy-ing me, what are you thinking?” he complains, scandalized, letting Cookie jump over to uncle Chen’s lap for more petting. He’s too much of an independent koala anyway, and he’s not even sure Chanyeol will want to be together with him like that, let alone plan to have him be his…something like that. Chen gives him a deadpan look and opens his mouth to speak, but Kyungsoo interrupts.

“Not even when he dropped you off?” he asks incredulously, blinking wide eyes at Baekhyun, looking like he’s still disbelieving of the fact that their date was so harmless. It’s his turn to give a deadpan look to Kyungsoo, because his question doesn’t make much sense.

“Not-even-when-he-dropped-me-off what?” he asks, but all he gets is a gasp and even greater disbelief from Kyungsoo. He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly and picks the puppy off Chen’s lap. “He didn’t even have to go through all that trouble” he mumbles, caressing the puppy till she settles in a curled position against him, growing tired after a long day of excitement. Chen pokes his shoulder with a spear-finger and Baekhyun turns to find him with raised eyebrows. “What?” he asks obliviously, blinking and then frowning “You guys know I can take care of myself, right? You remember that I’m a grown man, right?” Kyungsoo raises his arms in the air in frustration.

“You two could have kwwwfffmm” he doesn’t finish his exclamation this time either, with the familiar pillow acting as Baekhyun’s savior, this time thrown by Chen. Kyungsoo swats the second pillow perpetrator away from him. “What was that for?!” he complains in a pitched voice.

“I didn’t like where you were going with this” Chen dismisses him casually, with no guilt whatsoever, and Kyungsoo groans, but Chen ignores him, focusing on Baekhyun again. “Anyway, have you spoken since? What did he say?” he taps his fingers on his chin with interest, his eyes looking right through Baekhyun as if he knows they have spoken since. Baekhyun looks down at the puppy in his lap and mumbles.

“Um, we kind of…arranged something” he says it so low he can hardly be heard, but who are we kidding, his friends are so curious they’d hear a pin dropping in a crowd.

“Like what?” Chen presses in well-deserved suspicion, and Baekhyun bites his lip a little in momentary hesitation.

“Dinner at his house on Saturday” he almost whispers, certainly lower than the two gasps that follow.

“Oh my god, like dinner dinner?! That’s amazing!” Kyungsoo exclaims, standing up and jumping in excitement. Cookie rushes to her pen and brings one of her squeaky toys, leaving it at Kyungsoo’s feet and wagging her tail to play. The human doesn’t notice in his thrilled state of hind, so he plops down again with a huge, dopy smile on his face. The puppy quirks her head to the side and nudges him to play but Kyungsoo picks her in his lap instead; she doesn’t look too happy to be petted instead of playing, but she accepts it soon enough. Baekhyun looks up with innocently wide eyes and pink cheeks.

“It-it’s not like that…” he defends weakly. It’s not like he hasn’t thought of such scenarios, because his heart likes to paint everything rosy lately, but it’s impossible to have a romantic, candle lit dinner, with music and slow dancing and stars and flowers and wine, mainly because they don’t have this kind of relationship. Yet…sadly. He plays with his fingers, gripping them every now and then the way he remembers they fit in Chanyeol’s hand. Chen sighs.

“Baekhyun please, do your heart a favor for once in your life and think of the possibility that it might be like that” he says seriously, looking at Baekhyun straight in the eyes in a disarmingly insightful way. Baekhyun chokes in surprise and Kyungsoo makes a strange strangled sound. How can it be…it wouldn’t! Chanyeol wouldn’t have such intensions about him, it’s uncertain if he sees him as anything more than a friend in the first place. Admittedly, things between them have been a bit unusual lately, but that doesn’t mean there’s a possibility of romantic blossoming feelings on both sides.

“I-I can’t possibly…why would he even…it’d be ridiculous, I’ll make a fool of myself!” he squeaks, flustered. It would be mighty embarrassing if he confessed or hinted at his feelings with bolder actions. Baekhyun can’t just say ‘you make my heart squirm when you wear blue’ or ‘I want to share all my chocolate with you for the rest of my days’ or ‘your hands are so perfect against mine’ or ‘I really want to taste your lips’ or ‘do you want to fall in love with me, maybe?’. And he can’t just smooth his fingers through the taller’s hair because he felt like it, or caress his cheeks when he’s softly flushed, or kiss the back of his hand when their fingers are twined, or hold him in his arms and tiptoe to kiss him on the lips. If he does such obvious things, Chanyeol will be uncomfortable and awkward afterwards. Baekhyun can’t afford to lose him just because he can’t keep his heart at peace.

“You won’t!” Chen argues passionately, however, trying to be convincing “Just smile a little, flirt a little, see how it goes!” and there went all the credibility of his suggestion. Baekhyun raises an eyebrow.

“Sorry to break it to you, Dae, but I’m horribly awkward at flirting, even more so when I have a six foot tall gorgeous sample of male human across from me” Baekhyun retorts. He knows he can’t flirt to save his life; he can be seductive for a few moments, but he blushes and stutters too much after that. He’d like to keep his dignity, if you don’t mind. Chen narrows his eyes at him.

“You so can flirt!” he accuses and goes on to make grand hand gestures with every word “Just smile with a little meaning behind it, bite your lips conspicuously, check him out in an obviously appreciative way, lean a bit on his delicious body if you can, touch his foot under the table, touch your pretty neck- are you taking notes?” he stops mid-sentence to side-glance Baekhyun, probably expecting him to be furiously scribbling down flirting techniques. No way would that be happening.

“No” he answers absolutely and Chen deflates, falling back in his seat limply. “I can’t start being weird like this, he’ll notice” he points out. They might have spent some time apart recently, but Chanyeol has always known how Baekhyun is and what is considered weird even for his standards. He just knows, so very alarmingly well. Chen moves just his arms –the rest of him still resting tiredly on the floor– to showcase the obvious.

“Yes, he will, and then he will react, and you will know if it’s okay to take it a bit further to touchy-feely territory or bottle everything up and get through the evening as you usually do” he breezes through his suggestion as if it’s not Baekhyun’s heart and future at stake, and Baekhyun gasps, but Chen ignores him. “I seriously doubt you’ll have trouble with Chanyeol, Baek; you guys are not much different when you’re together and think no one is watching” he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, and the ease with which he says it makes Baekhyun wail like a distressed puppy, his eyes open wide in shock. How would Chen know? Does he? So someone had been watching?! How much has he seen?! Oh god, how obvious has Baekhyun been, exactly?! The actual puppy in the room runs to his aid, squirming her way on his lap and barking up at him cutely. Chen gives him a good look. “God Baek, I can feel the tension between you two, and I’m not one to be easily affected! Besides, Chanyeol or anyone else would be a fool to reject you” Chen smiles brilliantly and reaches to tussle Baekhyun’s hair. Baekhyun blushes a bit and looks down at the puppy bashfully, busying himself with petting it. His friends are always so supportive. He doubts Chen has read the situation between him and Chanyeol completely wrong, because he nearly never does, and he wouldn’t send Baekhyun to his heart’s demise. But still, Baekhyun should be cautious and maybe try his luck with Chanyeol sometime later, when he’ll feel more sure of himself.

“Really?” he mumbles absentmindedly, cooing at the puppy when she whines at him.

“Very very really” Chen sounds reassuring and there’s a smile in his voice that makes Baekhyun’s lips crack a smile too. “What do you think, Soo?” Chen asks grandly to lighten up the mood, and both him and Baekhyun turn to Kyungsoo, who’s been awfully quiet for a while. They were not prepared to see him in the state he’s in though.

“Oh my god, Soo, are you okay?” Baekhyun gasps when he sees his squishy friend sprawled on the floor like a rag doll, his eyes glazed and unfocused, a loose smile of insanity playing on his lips, otherwise completely non-responsive. It’s scary to see his friend so disconnected from reality; maybe they’ll need to electrocute him to bring him back? Can someone overdose on fanboying feelings? Chen is about to go to him to help him but Kyungsoo waves away their concerns.

“Yeah…I just…can’t hear you over the sound of my brain squealing”

--

“He*yawn*llo?” Chanyeol answers his phone blindly, dropping his keys on the table. He’s so tired that his eyes see blurry and he moves on autopilot to pour himself a glass of water, to mend his burning dry throat.

“Where are your manners, child?” a female voice greets him, in a way that only one person in the world speaks to him.

“Mom?” his eyebrows scrunch in confusion and he detaches the device from his ear to check –which he should have done before answering in the first place, but it’s late and his brain is not working optimally. He sighs, steadying himself against the counter. “I’m sorry I just got back from work” And it was an agonizingly long and tiring day, full of paper castles and phone calls and signatures. He squints his eyes, trying to clear out the fuzzy image of the clock hands on the wall across from him, only to groan inwardly at the realization of how late it is. He can’t even call Baekhyun to say goodnight at this hour.

“It’s okay, I’m just teasing you” she chuckles lightly “I know I raised a polite son and I know you’re tired, too. Have you had dinner?” she asks, in the way all worried mothers monitor their children’s health habits. Chanyeol hums affirmatively and detaches himself from the counter, moving towards his bedroom. “Good then. Was it home cooked?”

“No…” Chanyeol quirks an eyebrow at her odd question, but he is too tired to guess what intriguing things might be going on inside his mother’s head. “Are you worried I’ll forget how to cook?” he teases with a faint smile, holding the phone with his shoulder against his ear as he undoes his shirt. He feels like he wants to rip it off to get it off faster, because he can’t bear to have it on his skin any second longer today, it’s suffocating.

“Did you have dinner alone?” his mother follows up with another question that sounds suspicious. Chanyeol knows his mother well enough to guess she’s narrowing her eyes in disbelief right now. He pauses his undressing and scrunches his eyebrows in bewilderment.

“Yes, it was quite late” he answers honestly, leaving out the part about everyone in the company having already gone home and his dinner being only a sandwich from the corner coffee shop, which would’ve been pointless to share with anyone. He rests a hand on his hip and frowns; his brain keeps warning him it’s too tired to process complicated information, but his curiosity gets the best of him eventually, and he ends up asking his mother “Why?” There is silence for a little while and then a motherly sigh.

“I’m worried you are not spending enough time with your boyfriend” she announces in an alarmingly sober and definite way. Chanyeol’s eyes open wide but that doesn’t prevent him from stumbling on his own feet on the way to the bathroom and tripping forward. He squeaks, his free arm flails helplessly, his legs tangle like a knot and he somehow kicks his own knee, but thankfully he manages to grip the doorway and not collide with it last moment. He stares at the short distance between his nose and the material of the door in breathless relief; that was close.

“Mom!” he sputters indignantly, releasing the doorframe and landing limply on his rear; the impact with the floor hurts a little and it might leave a bruise, but he prefers having steady ground underneath him. There is less chance gravity will mock him and steal his dignity this way. “You’ll be the death of me, I swear” he sighs, running a hand over his face. He doesn’t even want to think what would have happened if his inner meerkat didn’t have relatively good self preservation reflexes.

“Nothing like it, son dearest” his mother giggles and there’s a rustling sound; she’s probably in bed by now. And that brings us to the question: no, not the what-mother-calls-her-child-so-late-at-night question, but the why-would-a-dignified-woman-over-forty-squirm-in-her-bed-like-a-teenager question. Especially when they’re talking about her son’s personal life. Sometimes, Chanyeol is certain he knows where the weirdness in his genes comes from, but he still doesn’t understand why he didn’t get the cute version his mother has and he’s stuck with the awkward one.

“How did my supposed ‘boyfriend’ appear into the conversation?” he asks, leaning his head against the door and contemplating he should get up soon, because the floor is cold and he prefers his bed to sleep. He ignores the squirmy feeling he gets from the mention –and the prospect– of a boyfriend in his life; he has a specific person in mind, of course. A person who is cute and sunny and koala-like, and so soft and happy and pouty, all that with a touch of se*y. Chanyeol smiles in spite of himself, glancing at the large pillow on his bed which he usually names ‘Baek’ before going to sleep.

“He could have cooked you dinner for all I know, or maybe you could have had a dinner date, that would have been nice, I think~” the daydreaming tone is clear in his mother’s voice and it’s embarrassing. Chanyeol’s ears pink as he fusses to stand on his feet, and he presses his lips strictly, trying to will away all the mental images because it’s really too late to get excited with such stuff. He has to sleep, he can’t afford to spend the night thinking about Baekhyun’s soft hands cooking meals for him while he’s fluffily domestic and wearing a kitchen apron, or about Baekhyun smiling across the table at a fancy restaurant with eyeliner-rimmed eyesmiles and figure-hugging clothes, or about Baekhyun eating a nice home cooked dinner Chanyeol has prepared for him and talking about his day with excited gestures. He doesn’t have to cook for me, I want to take care of him, too. As if on cue, his mother chimes in his ear. “Don’t neglect your favorite person, Chanyeollie!” she advises, half seriously and half playfully. He huffs, plopping down on his bed.

“I’m not neglecting- who are we even talking about?” he protests, his cheeks flaming in embarrassment. He has a feeling she has a specific person in mind as well, in fact, it might be the same person he’s constantly thinking about.

“Son, don’t turn awkward turtle on me now” his mother deadpans on the other side of the line, and he flails helplessly at her accusation. She hums lightly. “Baekhyun, we’re talking about Baekhyun” she enunciates clearly. Surprisingly, Chanyeol doesn’t explode in mortification, on the contrary, he falls on his back and smiles at the ceiling dreamily.

“Oh” he mouths. So, they’ve been on the same wavelength. It’s nice to hear his mother talk so casually about them, like she has already accepted this and has embraced Baekhyun into her heart. It makes him feel all bubbly and warm. He smiles and buries his face in the sheets. “Um…” he mumbles, not sure what to say. He can’t unload his romantic fantasies to his mother; they’re close enough to ask her for advice sometimes, but there are always limits.

“I hear he’s a great guy!” she squeals enthusiastically, but not too loudly “I get more and more impatient to meet him properly, so hurry up and make him something official!” O-official?! Chanyeol chokes and thrushes around in frustration; why does she like putting such ideas in his head? Where did she get those ideas from in the first place? She must have really liked Baekhyun, to want him officially in the family so soon. But wait.

“Wher- what do you mean you hear he’s a great guy?” he mumbles confusedly. She met Baekhyun a few days ago, but he has a feeling this is not what his mother means.

“Jonginnie, of course” is her instant, cheerful reply. Chanyeol grumbles unintelligently and scrambles to sit up on the bed, eyes wide in disbelief. He won’t admit he half expected that.

“What?! When?!”

“Don’t be so loud, it’s late at night” she chastises him automatically and then goes on with her lively explanation “Anyway, I called him earlier and he was with his boyfriend; Kyungsoo, if I recall correctly? He was such a cutie too, all stutters and polite giggles! But not as cute as Baekhyun! He said he’s his best friend, which was excellent!” she says enthusiastically, and Chanyeol’s jaw drops dramatically.

“Why are you asking my friends about my personal life?” he complains pathetically, since he can’t really get mad at her.

“Because you won’t tell me!” she singsongs, and then she probably pouts “and your friends know your boyfriend, and I happen to know your friends since they were in diapers, so doesn’t it make sense?” she says it like it’s obvious and Chanyeol gasps. How does that make sense? She has too many informants, too close to his personal life for comfort.

“No?” he answers in an equally obvious tone of voice. Let’s not comment on the fact that his mother seems so sure already that Baekhyun is his boyfriend. Chanyeol doesn’t need to build castles in the air for Baekhyun all night instead of going to sleep; he’d much rather the former, but he has to go to work in the morning all the same.

“Don’t be stingy, you’ll get wrinkles” she dismisses him swiftly, like all mothers do when they’re cornered. Chanyeol kicks off the rest of his clothes with the sulky pout of a stubborn five-year-old, switching his phone to speaker so that he can change into his night clothes. “Aren’t you even the least bit curious about what they told me?” she shamelessly changes the subject and hums mischievously, knowing he will take the bait, because she gave birth to him and she knows him better than himself at times. Chanyeol pauses with his t-shirt halfway past his nose. Does he want to know what they told her? It was probably only good things about Baekhyun; like how he’s very kind and good at his job. They wouldn’t mention koala cuddling tendencies and an affinity for affectionate gestures, right? Chanyeol needs to know to what extent his mother is informed and how suspicious of him she can get from that in the future. He pulls his t-shirt all the way down properly.

“Ahem. What did they tell you?” he tries to sound detached and professional, disregarding his disheveled appearance. He probably fails too, because he’s too curious to hide and his mother has always been good at sniffing him out at such times. If she notices his nervousness this time however, she doesn’t comment on it.

“All the best things” she reassures him with a wide smile in her voice. Chanyeol keeps listening closely, slowly moving under the covers. “I can’t wait to become close with him! Then we can cook together –especially desserts, because I hear he’s quite good in the kitchen and that he loves chocolate. Or maybe we can go shopping together and then for brunch, oh! I could book us a fancy dinner and show him off to all the snobby acquaintances in the restaurant!” she plans enthusiastically, her voice growing lighter and lighter. Chanyeol chuckles at her cuteness as he settles comfortably in bed.

“You do remember he’s supposed to be dating me, right?” he teases her, but her reply is instant.

“Of course I do!” she gasps and continues happily “And I’m looking forward to having my two sons over for Christmas, and receiving pictures from your vacation trips all over the world, and hugging you both every time I see you…” she sighs dreamily and Chanyeol mimics her; she has a way of making family obligations sound so pretty and appealing. She must have fallen in love with Baekhyun as her son’s significant other right away, if she’s already planning Christmas with them. And the fact that she’s sharing those plans with him is such a way of supporting his decisions. He smiles softly, his fingers drawing patterns on the sheets for the little while of wistful silence between them. “Chanyeollie, I haven’t seen you so cute in the longest time; and you were the cutest when you were with him. I know he makes you happy” she confesses gently, pushing his smile to grow wider.

“Thanks mom” he mumbles contentedly, rolling to his side and pulling his pillow buddy closer. She is always so sweet, so honest, so encouraging; she is always everything Chanyeol wants to be one day too. Best mom ever.

“Are you in bed?” she asks, probably having picked up on the rustling sound of his sheets and pillows. He hums in response and she chuckles quietly. “I knew you would be. Oh, I never told you why I called in the first place; are you awake enough to hear me?” she remembers and he yawns but encourages her to tell him anyway; he’s willing to stay awake for a few more minutes for his mother’s sake. “I was wondering, would you come over for dinner on Saturday? I miss you Yeollieeeee” she whimpers cutely, trying to entice him. He laughs lightly. It’s true he hasn’t spent quality time with his mother in a while and he misses her too. Normally, he would have been more than happy to spend all his Saturday with her and not just dinner, but this Saturday is…that important day. The day he has circled in his calendar with dark blue glitter gel pen.

“Mom, you’re being very cute but I can’t; I have plans” he admits. He’s thankful she can’t see his bright red face through the phone, because he’s sure the pillows and the darkness are not enough to hide his blush. He is sure his mother is pouting on the other side.

“Plans, what plans? Plans more important than mommy, who misses her giant son?” she sniffles for effect and Chanyeol giggles at her childish antics.

“I’ve made arrangements with someone, I can’t cancel, I’m sorry” he explains as harmlessly as he can, trying not to mention what sort of plans and with whom, because he doesn’t want to find himself conspiring against his mother and his sneaky, curious friends. He can live without the cross examination about his first serious, heartfelt effort to woo Baekhyun.

“I would have never asked you to cancel, don’t be silly” his mother drops the miserable act and Chanyeol coos at her thoughtfulness “I’m more curious about who...” just as Chanyeol’s brain starts flashing signs of danger, since his mother is breaching a sensitive subject, she gasps dramatically and drops the bomb –she’s much faster than her son on cognitive processing “Chanyeol, do you have a date with Baekhyun?!” she exclaims, uncaring of the late hour and sounding absolutely thrilled at the prospect. Chanyeol flinches, scrunching his nose. Why are you so smart so late at night, mom? “Please say yes, please say yes!” she chants excitedly and he muffles his groan in the feathers of his pillows.

“If I say yes, will you promise not to ask any questions about it?” he blurts out the first thing his mind flings at him but he’s under the impression she’ll be the one on top no matter how he tries to turn the situation. Maybe he can find a way to survive this relatively unscathed. She huffs.

“You’re cruel son” she grumbles like a kid and then takes a deep breath. “I promise not to ask any questions, until after your date with Baekhyun” she compromises and he is about to protest, but she interjects “Anything you say won’t stop me, you know it! Don’t make me use Baekhyun’s number! Because I need to get information somehow…” she mumbles after her threat. Chanyeol sighs and mumbles an ‘okay’. If he doesn’t concede, she will really call Baekhyun and ask. She giggles triumphantly and then they settle for silence. Chanyeol’s eyes start closing from exhaustion and his limbs get drowsy, comfortably curled against his pillows. “It’s late now, go to sleep” she advises softly after a while, just as he was about to fall into slumber. He smiles at her caring, which never fades no matter how old he gets and how many years he spends living by himself.

“Yes, mom; goodnight” he mumbles, punctuated with a yawn. She chuckles on the other side and singsongs sweetly.

“Goodnight Yeollie; dream of Baekhyun”

--

Sehun nudges the door open, trying to pull his keys out from the door without closing it again. It’s really hard to do that when your arms are more than full of bags filled with groceries that threaten to spill any moment and make a run –or a roll– for the stairs. Sehun is definitely not in the mood to chase oranges and aubergines down the stairs right now. And yes, that has happened before, if you must know.

He opens the door fully with his foot and he is slightly bewildered, because Luhan has not shown up yet. On most days, it’s almost like he can smell Sehun approaching and he’s already waiting behind the door. Sehun might have keys to Luhan’s apartment, but Luhan is always there to open the door for him anyway, so he hardly ever uses them. The only reason Luhan agreed to give Sehun a pair of keys is because there might be a case of emergency and Luhan has no one else close enough to trust them with the keys to his apartment. Today he wouldn’t open no matter how many times Sehun knocked, and there’s a limit to how ridiculous he can look while standing outside the door with his arms loaded with vegetables. There might not be an emergency but why not conveniently use the keys, right?

“A WHOLE NEW WORLD~~~” a booming, pitched voice resonates in the apartment, and now Sehun has an idea as to why Luhan didn’t hear him knock; who would, if he was singing at the top of his lungs like that? Sehun shakes his head in amusement and closes the door. Luhan’s voice is coming from the living room and he keeps singing loudly, so he is probably –obviously– unaware that Sehun has arrived. Sehun smiles to himself and goes in the kitchen quietly. He doesn’t mind Luhan singing and he doesn’t want to ruin the fan for him yet, so he will let him be for now. He’ll put away the groceries and then go greet his boyfriend with a kiss. He has to admit though, singing Disney songs so early in the morning is a bit…yeah.

He tries to sneak a peek in the living room, but he only catches a glimpse of Luhan standing on the couch while singing before he jumps down and disappears in another part of the living room, still singing. Sehun didn’t know his boyfriend gets this excited with Disney songs, but it’s cute. Sehun notices a few forgotten breakfast dishes in the sink and he smiles; Luhan is getting better. Messier, but more human. There used to be days when the dishes didn’t stay dirty for a second longer than they needed be in this house and Luhan washed them right after they had served their purpose. If you called him a neat freak, it wouldn’t be in the mild and joking way, like Baekhyun hyung; Luhan was the real thing and he didn’t even realize it. But he is steadily turning into a normal human again, now that Sehun is around.

Sehun starts putting away the groceries he has bought. The kitchen is familiar by now and he does everything almost automatically. He spends more time in Luhan’s apartment than in his own these days. He knows what is on the shopping list, when the electricity bill is due, how to turn the idiosyncratic heater on and off and what the names of the neighbors’ children are. He is practically living here. It’s not like he misses his own apartment or he liked it any better. He started renting it when he got into university, because he needed independence, quiet and sanity around him. But he kept it very simple, so that he wouldn’t have to bother much with useless things; he only eats, sleeps, watches tv and takes a bath there. It’s a place where he lives but it’s not a home. Luhan’s apartment is more like a home, so Sehun can’t say he has missed his own four walls.

Besides, there are people who stop by Sehun’s apartment sometimes and he doesn’t appreciate that. His father comes by sometimes for money or for a place to crush after drinking more than he can take, and his step mother visits for five seconds once every three months, just to make sure her step son is still alive and therefore she can’t have access to the family’s bank account. Luhan’s apartment doesn’t have any of that, so it’s better.

Sehun finishes his work and decides that he has remained hidden long enough; Luhan has finished singing in the living room, too. He wipes his hands clean and makes his way to the living room, smiling. Luhan catches sight of him the moment he appears by the door.

“ACKK!” is the first surprised squeal that leaves Luhan’s throat, his eyes opening wide in shock and his body flinching away. Sehun tries not to laugh but he finds it very funny, how his boyfriend got spooked with no reason. Luhan recognizes him in the next heartbeat and he calms down, clutching his chest above his heart and seeking support against the couch. “Sehun” he says, panting breathlessly after having a mini heart attack “For the love of all that’s chocolate, don’t do that again”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to” Sehun apologizes honestly with a shrug. What else could he do? If he made noise to announce his presence, Luhan would have thought he was a thief and he’d hunt him down with a baseball bat. Walking out the door and then knocking on it again doesn’t seem like a good idea either, because it would be utterly ridiculous and probably futile, since Luhan had been singing so loud. It’s only half Sehun’s fault that Luhan got so scared. Or maybe 75%, because he didn’t call at Luhan when he first came in; but still, that percentage is not enough to make him feel guilty.

“How did you get in?” Luhan frowns, lowering the volume of the television to nearly mute.

“I used my keys” Sehun leans on the doorframe casually.

“Why didn’t you knock? I would have opened the door for you” Luhan gives him a strict glare, thinking that Sehun has abused the right to have keys to the apartment.

“I did knock, but you didn’t answer” Sehun resists an urge to roll his eyes “It could be an emergency for all I know, if you think about it. It’s not a big deal anyway”

“If you knocked, then why didn’t I hear you?” Luhan challenges, raising an eyebrow, still not convinced. Sehun rolls his eyes this time.

“How could you? You were singing your heart out” he points out in an obvious voice.

“Wait, what?!” Luhan exclaims in surprise, his eyes widening. “You were here when I was singing?!” His cheeks turn pink in embarrassment and his arms flail in alarm. Sehun smiles innocently to answer his question. Luhan freezes for a moment and then collapses on the couch, throwing one arm over his eyes dramatically. “Oh my god…”

“Hey” Sehun walks over and nudges Luhan’s shoulder with a smile. “It’s okay. You were really good” he tries to sound encouraging. He’s not entirely sure what he’s supposed to do. Luhan peeks under his arm, shifting it ever so slightly, to glare at Sehun.

“I am in my mid-to-late twenties, in case you don’t remember, so I am not supposed to sing such songs anymore. At least not in public” he grumbles and cover his eyes again.

“Mid twenties is not that old, and I am not ‘public’” he returns, kneeling beside the couch and playing with the hem of Luhan’s t-shirt. “I am your one and only boyfriend” he purrs, sneaking his hand under Luhan’s shirt to caress his warm stomach and kissing his tender forearm above his eyes. Luhan doesn’t respond nor pushes him away, but goose bumps appear on his skin, and Sehun smiles at that. “Besides, you sing Disney songs rather well”

“I’m not sure that’s a compliment, Sehun” he growls. Sehun sighs a little.

“It was trying to be, before you shot it down” Luhan only sighs in response and Sehun makes room for himself to sit beside him. He tries to make his touches comforting, bending down to peck Luhan’s arm or his chin if he can reach every now and then. He will just wait until Luhan’s embarrassment fades away and then he can go on with the show and decide something for dinner.

They fall into silence. Sehun starts thinking of many different things while he waits. One of them is how he used to sing Disney songs when he was five but they always yelled at him to keep it down, so he stopped that habit. He wonders if Luhan’s parents ever complained about his loud singing. He also wonders what Luhan’s parents are like; Luhan never mentions them. Maybe they are dead. Now that he thinks about it, Sehun knows a lot of things about Luhan, but he doesn’t know anything about his childhood, except for the fact that he spent it in China. He would like to find out more about it though.

“Have you always been so proud?” he asks absentmindedly after a while, his fingers halting for a thoughtful moment against Luhan’s skin. He knows Luhan can improve in many ways and he knows Luhan is oblivious or chooses to ignore some of his good qualities, but there are things that don’t change in people, and those things are usually remnants from our childhood. So, Sehun wants to know.

“What do you mean?” Luhan asks with caution, removing his arm to look at Sehun with troubled, guarded eyes. His body stiffens under Sehun’s touch, maybe he’s even holding his breath.

“I mean, when you were little, were you that stubborn and proud too? Did you get upset when you felt embarrassed?” he makes his question easier, because people don’t usually admit to their flaws easily.

“I, I don’t remember” Luhan answers, focusing his eyes away from Sehun. Sehun’s hand lays flat on Luhan’s stomach to avoid any distractions. He is lying; even his voice faltered. But why would he lie?

“Really, you don’t? How far back is your oldest memory?” Sehun tries a different approach but he makes sure to keep his suspicions out of his voice. Baekhyun hyung asked him that question once, how far is his oldest memory, and seriously, it’s hard to answer, harder than you think.

“I don’t know, I just don’t remember much” Luhan answers, too quickly to be true, urgently but gently pushing Sehun’s hand out of his shirt. He also sounds defensive all of a sudden, giving Sehun a bewildered glare. Is there something in his past he wants to hide from Sehun? “What is it with those questions today?” he frowns, sitting up. Standard question to push someone away. But Sehun won’t be swayed so easily.

“Is your childhood a sensitive topic for you?” he guesses with a frown. Luhan gasps.

“Where did that come from? And isn’t childhood a sensitive topic for everyone?” His voice is getting pitched slowly, which means that Sehun is getting close. Luhan shuffles back, putting more space between them.

“Not for everyone. I would have every reason to be sensitive about my childhood, but I’ve told you everything. And yet, you have told me nothing” he points out. Luhan gives him a good look.

“It’s not the same thing, Sehun. I told you, I grew up in China. There is nothing else to share” he shrugs his shoulders and looks away. Sehun pauses for a moment, trying to decide if it would be wise to ask further. He decides to ask about happier memories Luhan might have.

“There must be. Everyone remembers a birthday party, or friends at primary school, or riding a bike. I don’t even know if you have, or used to have, sisters and brothers! I don’t know anything about your family in general” he makes sure there is no accusation in his voice and he tries to sound somewhat playful. It helps a little, because Luhan returns his gaze on him; but it’s uncharacteristically harsh.

“You don’t need to know about those things” Luhan bites defensively in a final tone, and he gets up from the couch, stomping on his way like a stubborn child. Sehun follows him to the kitchen with determination but he doesn’t get too close, giving Luhan some space, because he is agitated and eerily silent.

“But I want to know about those things! And it’s only natural, don’t tell me you don’t understand that” he crosses his arms on his chest and stands by the door in an intimidating way. Luhan tends to be a bit dense and slow in some relationship aspects, but he’s not stupid. Luhan clenches his fingers around the trembling glass he’s holding and stays silent for a few long moments. Then, he drinks the glass of water and sighs tiredly, his shoulders sagging.

“Fine.” He decides and turns to look at Sehun with steel hard eyes, as a small attempt on the small mouse’s side to scare the cat that has him trapped. “I had a brother, five years older, and a sister, one year younger. That’s it” he spits through his teeth, setting his glass aside. Finally, we’re getting somewhere.

“So, you do remember things” Sehun says and drops his daunting stance, not missing that Luhan used past tense for his siblings. Luhan wets his lips and swallows thickly, looking away and clenching his fists.

“We are not discussing my family, Sehun. Let it go” he warns strictly and yet the plea sounds heartfelt. His voice is lower and deeper than usual, his lips pale. Luhan seems very uneasy and irked, but also frightened. Sehun knows it might be a dangerous move, but he decides to be upfront, because he really cares about Luhan.

“Family or no family, what are you not telling me?” he asks calmly, enunciating the italics. This time, he can’t keep all his emotions out of his voice and that seems to have done it for Luhan, whose eyes focus on Sehun with a frightening glare.

“Why are you asking these things?!” he explodes, raising his voice, still trying to push Sehun away from the subject “We were fine just yesterday! What has gotten into you today?!”

“I want to know more things about you!” he yells to be heard but he lowers his voice to gentler tones when he realizes he just did that. “I want to know you better” he says softly, returning Luhan’s glare with an honest gaze. Sehun thinks that, as much, is a reasonable thing to ask from the person you love. He cannot understand why someone wouldn’t want to share those things with the person they love though. He won’t even suspect that Luhan doesn’t love him, because he knows he does. This is something else. Hurt? Guilt? Shame? Grief? What…?

“Knowing about my family won’t help you with anything!” Luhan keeps yelling in distress and Sehun sees flickers of other emotions in his eyes, that fly by too fast to recognize. “My family has nothing to do with me!” this he shouts in a different tone, and Sehun is not sure who he’s trying to convince this time. Has? Not ‘had’? Sehun is confused; does Luhan’s family live or not? Luhan chokes back a sob and keeps yelling, storming past Sehun towards his room. Sehun follows. “You asked if it is a sensitive topic; you’re damn right it is! So stop poking and nagging me about it! You can’t force me on this one, Sehun! And I don’t care about your reason! If you are my freaking boyfriend, then act like one and show some understanding!” Luhan turns around at the bedroom door, glaring at Sehun with red-rimmed, watery eyes. Sehun gasps in surprise; he’s crying? “If you can’t do that, then leave!” Luhan says, looking right into his eyes, and then he slams the door of his room; Sehun avoids the nasty collision with his face only by a few centimeters.

Sehun blinks in front of the wooden door. This has never happened before. He feels vaguely shocked. Luhan has thrown tantrums before, some more serious than others, but never to this level. Hell, Sehun didn’t even think Luhan was capable of this level! And closing him out so abruptly, so fast and absolutely, this must be a first too. Crying and walking away from him? Looking straight in his eyes and telling him to leave? Ha, leave?! The blood froths inside Sehun and he clenches his teeth. Yeah, he’s pretty mad right now. But…but he shouldn’t be. It’s his fault, all his. I’m an idiot. He loosens his tight fists and lets out a measured exhale. He should apologize at least. He knocks on the locked door calmly.

“Go away, Sehun! Just leave me alone!” Luhan yells from the other side with no hesitation. Sehun bites his lip pitifully and decides it’s time to call it a day.

--

“Polka-dotted bright green bedside lamp with frilly hat?” Kai chirps and Kyungsoo stops stuffing paper in his conveniently large mugs –much better for cooking double portions and getting enough morning coffee in your system than Kai’s dainty, chic mugs– to turn around and look at said item, just to make his groan more dramatic. The curly frills at the top part of the lamp slap his consciousness in the face with how offensively green they are, as if splashed with bug blood –truly cringe worthy.

“Throw the monstrosity away” he says, adding a hateful glare; that thing is an eyesore the more it stays in his field of vision. He wonders why he hadn’t thrown it away by now or how come Baekhyun hadn’t found it earlier and thrown it out the window, but now he remembers he had stacked it way in the back of his storage closet, where no light ever reaches –next to where Chen claims he keeps the cadavers. Kai obediently places the lamp into the recycle-or-throw-somewhere-far-away-from-here box. “I have no idea why my aunt Joonae though this thing would make a nice gift two Christmases ago” Kyungsoo mumbles to himself, picking up a spatula from the coffee table.

His house is a mess; boxes, trinkets, suitcases, papers and bags litter every surface. It’s strange to see foreign items from different rooms of the house visiting the living room, like half his kitchen equipment piled on the coffee table, or his rolled up socks heaping under the floor lamp, or his books towering precariously on the couch armrest. Nothing is in the right place and, if he’s being honest, it’s unnerving him. He’s been rather snappy these days, but Kai is being infinitely patient in return. He usually keeps his distance, giving Kyungsoo space to complain and grumble, and he chooses to help with tasks that won’t interrupt Kyungsoo’s work too much or which require heavy lifting. Yesterday, for example, while Kyungsoo emptied his bedroom, leaving sad rectangle shadows where frames had been hanging on the walls, Kai cleared out and cleaned all closets, so that today they can sort through useless stuff and store the rest orderly. He gives Kyungsoo time to cool down if he gets mad at him over insignificant things that tick him off, he takes care of all their meals and does the dishes after, and he doesn’t comment on Kyungsoo’s endless string of complaints. Kai says he understands that the separation from his familiar apartment and the transition to Kai’s might be a source of discomfort for Kyungsoo at first, and he’s willing to give him time to adjust and to help as much as he can.

“Do we have to pack everything?” Kyungsoo makes room for the cake dish in the box he’s trying to pack and huffs. He has too many things and many of those things he won’t even need to have with him. Of course he’s leaving behind all furniture and most appliances, since Kai’s house is already fully equipped, so they have cleaned and wrapped those items as they could best –just in case Kyungsoo ever comes back to live here again. It’s scary to admit it, but that doesn’t feel probable, even to himself. Kai wants him to feel safe and reassured about it, however, so they’re doing all this anyway. And although he knows that living here again would require more stuff than what he needs to take with him to live at Kai’s place, it’s too burdensome to think of the amount of things he owns. He turns around with his nose scrunched and about to throw another whiny fit. “I mean, what about my- wait, are you taking notes?” he blinks and deadpans, all complaints momentarily forgotten. Kai looks up from his journalist notepad.

“Yeah” he answers casually –not that he could deny it, since he was caught red handed–, shrugging his shoulders and then audaciously going back to scribble down a few finishing touches. Kyungsoo stares down at him, putting his hands on either side of his waist; it helps that Kai is sitting on the floor and Kyungsoo is standing across the room. It’s already midday outside and the sun pierces through the curtains, falling on the strangely empty floor and casting long shadows behind the box piles. Kai is wearing comfortable clothes, his hair unkempt and slightly curly, with a pair of eye glasses that gleam in the sunlight perched on his nose, and he looks so endearingly dorky that Kyungsoo is torn between wanting to bite his head off and pat his hair for looking like a little poodle.

“On what?” he demands, raising his eyebrows incredulously. Kai shifts his legs on the floor uncomfortably and Kyungsoo squints at him in suspicion. “What did you just write down?” Kai presses his lips, straightens his back and clears his throat, looking hesitant but composed.

“Aunt Joonae, really bad taste in bedside lamps” he reads off of his notepad, his voice quiet and cautious but steady. Kyungsoo gasps in surprise and Kai flinches a little, expecting another ill tempered reaction, like the ones he’s been getting lately due to Kyungsoo’s bad mood, or the ones he generally gets because of Kyungsoo’s natural sass. Seeing the defensive gesture causes a pang of guilt in Kyungsoo’s chest and he takes a breath, trying to keep calm; he’s not really mad, he’s just…confused.

“You’re keeping notes on my family?” he asks while his voice changes many octaves in bewilderment. He expected something like his house equipment inventory, not that. Why would he-

“Of course; I have been doing it for a few days” Kai confesses, and we’re totally going with the poodle concept; he looks like a lost, sad puppy. Kyungsoo drops his strict posture, his jaw dropping in surprise; days? Days?! How? Kyungsoo pauses; has he been talking about his family throughout this packing process? Voluntarily? Oh no. He didn’t even realize! He had been hoping to avoid the subject of families in general but…He really didn’t mean to talk about it. He just hopes they won’t have to start this conversation right now. Kai puts his notepad away and bites his lip for a moment, looking at the ground and sighing before lifting his eyes to meet Kyungsoo’s gaze. “You talk a lot about them while you pack” he says with a small shrug of his shoulders and the tiniest hint of a smile. Oh, boy. Kyungsoo growls, slapping his checks and pulling them down.

“I’m turning into my mom…” he whines, shutting his eyes and wishing his genes away. His mom does it all the time; she mumbles and talks nonstop while doing chores, not necessarily filtering all the information she spills. It’s how Kyungsoo found out his father dies his hair. It’s not a convenient trait to have and he really hoped he wouldn’t inherit, it but it seems he already did; it’s not like he would know without someone to watch him while he does chores. He pinches the bridge of his nose, leaning on a nearby wall for all the mental and emotional support bricks have to offer. “Okay I’ll bite; anything interesting?” He needs to know what he said exactly, over the past few days. Kai seems relived that Kyungsoo didn’t lash out on him, but he’s still a bit timid when he picks up his notepad and starts reading carefully.

“Mom; desperately wants to see you married, terribly sarcastic like you. Aunt Soonhae; she pinches the hardest when she gets excited. Your niece thinks you’re fat since Christmas-”

“Oh my god, stop, what…” he scoffs in disbelief and looks up to the ceiling. He said all that? That’s so embarrassing…Much as he used to expose himself in a relationship, he had never talked about his family to his previous flings, so this is so strange and unusual. Why would he do it in the first place, what’s the point and why with him of all people? And, what is he supposed to do now? Say more? Say ‘forget it’? Ask about Kai’s family, maybe? What?! No! We said stay away from such conversations! He flinches, panicking a little, and his mind seems to be spinning in circles; that confused, uncertain, gaping face Kai is making is not helping either, shooting his cuteness to the stratosphere. Kyungsoo mentally slaps himself and clears his throat. “Back to reality; do I need to pack all my sheets?” he changes the subject in a firm voice, albeit not so smoothly. He tries not to grimace at his lack of grace but he’s wailing on the inside. Kai doesn’t comment on the abrupt and oddly final way Kyungsoo changed the subject, although he does look perplexed for a moment.

“I have sheets back home” he offers easily then, picking up the subject naturally. Kyungsoo can see how he’s once again making an effort to make him feel better, giving him space and privacy on the matter, and it melts his heart a little. Rather than keeping this house, he feels more reassured by the fact that Kai respects him and he is willing to make an effort to be together and happy with him. “Pack those you like the most or those you like using, and we’ll mix them with mine” Kai flashes a brilliant smile for all his messy glory, and Kyungsoo thinks, yes, maybe I can mix my life with this man.

--

Baekhyun takes a deep breath to calm himself. Here we are. He fixes his immaculate suit, the one Chen made about a year ago only for his best friend, and therefore, it fits him perfectly. He knows he looks nice in it but he doesn’t get to wear it often; he saves it for somewhat more special occasions. Baekhyun felt very nervous since the morning and two chocolate cupcakes with vanilla and cookies frosting had to help the situation. He changed four suits before settling on this one; he might be a bit overdressed for the occasion, but he decided that he wanted to look his best tonight. This is not the first time he is coming to Chanyeol’s house for dinner of course, but he is an official guest this time, and his heart has been conspiring with his mind against him; he has been having all sorts of unrealistic fears and unsettling feelings most prominently since last night, and those force him to be extra watchful of everything he does.

If a door could be opened by one staring at it, Baekhyun would have done it ten minutes ago. He shakes his head to clear the troubling thoughts and fixes any fly-out strands of hair right after. Focus, Baekhyun, there is a whole night ahead of you. A night that he will spend alone with Chanyeol in private, with no distractions, and, as excided his heart might get at the thought, his mind gets scared; he needs to find a way to keep himself under control, he needs to hide. He needs to conceal the garden of blooming emotions in his heart with a sunshine smile and a soft voice. He bites his lips. It’s sad to think that he needs to hide from the one person he wants to share everything with the most.

Baekhyun tries to convince himself that it’s okay. He will just knock on the door and Chanyeol will open it, expecting him already. He will demonstrate that toothy, adorable smile to welcome him, and it will feel like Baekhyun’s heart is exploding. Chanyeol will be wearing god knows what, that will make him look supernaturally gorgeous, and he will have cooked a wonderful dinner for two. Baekhyun’s heart will skip a beat, he will stutter a greeting, and then he will easily fall into to the fluffy way he usually is with Chanyeol, naturally; Chanyeol always soothes him, he always makes him feel comfortable and safe. All Chanyeol asked of Baekhyun tonight was to come for dinner and bring his pretty smile –Chanyeol’s exact words, ladies and gentlemen– and enjoy himself. So, Baekhyun will try to be himself, he will smile for Chanyeol his special pretty smile, and he will make sure he doesn’t do anything too suspicious during their time together. That’s the plan for a quiet dinner with his crush. Baekhyun whispers an encouraging exclamation to himself and then knocks on the door.

Oh god, he is going to faint.

There is no immediate answer like he had expected and, after a few more moments of nerve wrecking, utter silence, Baekhyun thinks that, for all his nerves and fidgety limbs, he might not have knocked hard enough and Chanyeol might not have heard him. Maybe he’s busy in the kitchen or getting dressed in his room, which is pretty far away from the door. Thus we infer that Baekhyun has to knock again, harder in fact, to reassure himself he made a proper effort at least. He masters up every ounce of courage within him and holds his breath as he knocks with unnecessary force, closing his eyes tightly, in fear of what comes next.

But nothing comes next. There is silence again. Baekhyun is starting to feel a slight disappointment with all this lack of response to his expectations and he pouts. But that is probably a good thing, because it discourages the romantic fantasies of his heart, and he needs that right now to keep his feet on the ground. He hesitantly opens one eye to peek. He’s surprised to find the door is open, ever so slightly –but Baekhyun didn’t hear it open at all…Confused, he pushes it reluctantly with his index finger, and the door opens with ease. Baekhyun grunts inwardly and raises an eyebrow at himself; the door has probably been unlocked all along and he pushed it open when he banged his fist on it. That’s why there is no one to greet him. But why would Chanyeol leave the front door open? Baekhyun feels his stomach drop at the faint suspicion of danger and he rushes inside the house instantly, thinking that something bad might have happened.

One step inside the house, he stumbles on a basket on the floor. He looks around and everything seems to be intact and tidy, except for the basket, which is oddly left on the floor. He looks at it bewildered and picks up the small note inside it, in case it explains anything.

‘If you are not Baekhyun, please leave. If you are Baekhyun, then hello, sunshine! This is for you ^^’

It’s written in the neatest version of Chanyeol’s handwriting and Baekhyun’s lips tug in a smile. So, Chanyeol left the door open because he is expecting Baekhyun and not because something bad happened. Baekhyun sighs in relief. He closes the door properly and slips out of his shoes, trying to think of why Chanyeol wouldn’t want to answer the door himself, but he cannot find any credible answers. Then he shifts his curious attention to the bamboo basket which is, apparently, meant for him. It is very cute and it even has a big red bow on top. There is a box from a high end chocolate store inside it, and a few more boxes from different shops right next to the basket. Baekhyun supposes he is supposed to ruin this beautiful placement of chocolates and put everything inside the basket. So, he does just that and shakes his head, picking up the basket from the floor.

“What are you doing, giant?” he murmurs to himself with a smile. He would really like to know what Chanyeol has in mind. Chanyeol’s mind seems such a fascinating place sometimes and Baekhyun wishes he had insight.

He lifts his eyes and another box of fancy chocolate catches his attention. It is harmlessly resting on the floor, right in front of the hallway. With his curiosity triggered beyond belief, Baekhyun walks to the box, picks it up and carefully places it in the basket with the rest. And then he sees another one, down the hall. And another one, and another one. Baekhyun smiles entertained, because it seems that Chanyeol had a game of The Little Poucet in reverse in his mind when planning this chocolate hunt. And, of course, he wouldn’t leave bread crumbs, but chocolate for Baekhyun…

Baekhyun follows the chocolate. He thinks he is supposed to. His eyes find the boxes easily on the floor, with bright ribbons and fancy packaging, and he keeps pilling them up in his basket, creating a very remarkable chocolate stack, with colorful decorations overflowing it. He feels a bit silly at certain moments –to be a grown man, wearing a fashionable suit, and having to carry a cute basket and chase after chocolate inside the house– but his wide smile never leaves his lips. He understands that the gesture is an adorably unusual way to lead Baekhyun to the right place, because Chanyeol’s house is chaotic and unfamiliar, while the giant himself remains out of sight for some unfathomable reason. The mental image of Chanyeol planting chocolate boxes around in his house makes Baekhyun giggle.

The last box is resting in front of a closed door, which he is probably supposed to open. There is a white and pink semi-translucent bow on the door handle as well. He can hear slow and soft music coming muffled from the other side, so he must be getting close. He grins in anticipation and suddenly, he realizes that he is not nervous anymore. He was about to fall apart in anxiousness when he knocked on the door before, but, after all his curiosity and the cute thoughts of Chanyeol, he feels completely comfortable and only happiness and enthusiasm are left inside him now, as he opens this door.

The familiar sight of Chanyeol’s bedroom –even though there is still no sign of Chanyeol– welcomes him as he walks through the door. His smile grows wider as he recognizes the song. ‘Dream a little dream of me’ is playing and his eyes are captured immediately towards the veranda garden outside. Baekhyun walks across the room slowly and opens the glass doors, feeling more and more dazzled with every step.

This is beautiful. Baekhyun is a professional event planner and he knows a thing or two about decorations, and if he may say so himself, this is absolutely beautiful.

The night is still young, spreading a dark blue veil on the sky, very lightly, still holding some faint light from the sun on the horizon. There are only a few stars in the clear sky, shining like silver jewels in the distance. There is a beautiful view of the city that has the lights for the night, which look like colorful stars scattered on the ground and glinting on the glass of the faraway skyscrapers. There is a string of small lights, like those that twinkle, woven around the hand rail of the veranda, making the view more distant and bringing the starry sky closer. Small lanterns and lights are hidden in the flowerbeds, hanging from the brunches of the few, small trees or resting near and inside the bushes, giving a mysterious and peaceful light all around and softly beaming on the beautiful flowers. A couple of lights deep inside the pool reveal the azure color of its tiles and make the water sparkle, while a dozen candles are floating on the water, their small flames glinting on the surface. This is beautiful, so much, that you can’t find easily, no matter how much money you pay for hotels and florists. Chanyeol outdid himself this time, and he did it only for Baekhyun’s eyes.

If this is not magical, Baekhyun doesn’t know what is.

“So, do you like it?” Chanyeol’s deep voice asks and its owner walks into view right after. Finally. His presence is both comforting and exhilarating. Baekhyun had been so busy staring at the view for minutes on end that he forgot to check for Chanyeol on the other side of the veranda, where there is a table with candles and other beautiful decorations. Candle lit dinner, candle lit dinner, candle lit dinner. Stop it, heart!

“It’s…” Baekhyun starts to answer, but his eyes fall on Chanyeol and he loses his track of thought in that instant. Chanyeol is wearing a beautiful suit, black, like Baekhyun’s, well tailored and expensive. Baekhyun wonders since when do they dress up to have dinner together, especially since they had agreed on nothing for the dress code of the night? Chanyeol gives Baekhyun a shy smile, his caramel eyes glinting with hope, looking like an angel, so beautiful and innocent. His heart stutters at the sight of Chanyeol, standing across the veranda. He knew he’s find him breathtaking but he could never be prepared enough. “…Gorgeous” Baekhyun ends up saying to finish his sentence, even though he is not referring to the view anymore. He hopes he didn’t sound too breathless.

“You found the chocolate!” Chanyeol approves enthusiastically, glancing at the b basket Baekhyun is carrying. He is sporting a faint blush on his cheeks all of a sudden; it couldn’t be that Baekhyun’s compliment was too obvious…right? But it sounds suspiciously like Chanyeol is subtly trying to change the subject –not that Baekhyun minds that. Chanyeol bites his lip a little. “It’s not a ton, but it’s a start. I promise I will get there someday. Did I get any of your favorites?” Baekhyun glances at the boxes, even though he doesn’t really need to, and then smiles up at Chanyeol.

“All of them and then some” he admits and a proud smile adorns Chanyeol’s lips, making Baekhyun’s heart flip. I’ve barely seen him and I’m already dying. Baekhyun clutches the basket tighter and tries to find a way to save himself from drowning in his feelings. “It was very inventive of you, to leave the chocolate trail” he says and chuckles gently.

“Ah, thank you” Chanyeol closes his lips in a sheepish smile and rocks back on his heels like a shy child. “It was for you, so…” So I did my best. Baekhyun swears he almost heard that –but it’s only his mind playing tricks on him, isn’t it. Chanyeol wouldn’t have said that; why would he?

A long pause follows. They stay where they stand, staring at each other. Baekhyun doesn’t know for how long he could last staring at Chanyeol; possibly forever. Chanyeol is always stunning, even without his hair styled and a fabulous suit; his wonderful eyes and his angelic smile is more than enough for Baekhyun to stare at. But the picture is complete tonight, with Chanyeol looking so prim and proper, and it would be a shame if Baekhyun didn’t appreciate his tall legs and broad shoulders, his sleek suit and styled hair. Slowly but steadily, Baekhyun’s heart picks up the pace and a warm, tickling tension starts building in his system. All sorts of thoughts are crossing his mind, making him blush at times with seemingly no reason. It’s just that Chanyeol is staring back at him, and he has that soft smile on his lips and he is giving Baekhyun the look, a mixture of awe, affection and desire, and that makes Baekhyun’s stomach turn and his heart drum. It’s like he is telling him he is beautiful, and so many more things with his eyes, and Baekhyun hates himself for letting himself delve into such fantasies of his mind.

“Baekhyun” Chanyeol is the one to ultimately break the silence, his voice steady but his eyes careful. “Before we have dinner, I want to talk to you about something. Is that okay with you?” he blinks under his long lashes timidly and Baekhyun nods slowly, sure that he cannot make any sound come out of his throat right now. Chanyeol nods as well, with a small smile. “Why don’t you sit down first?” he suggests more confidently, and Baekhyun looks around for a moment until he finds a wooden bench on the side of the veranda and takes a seat.

“You’re scaring me” Baekhyun whispers, barely audible, with his eyes wide and focused on Chanyeol. He doesn’t know why he needed to let Chanyeol know that all of a sudden, but it feels like his heart will burst any moment and Chanyeol’s serious expression is not helping. At least, he is sitting down and now his knees have stopped wobbling. He doesn’t know what to expect tonight; he hasn’t been to a candle lit dinner for two before.

“No! No, don’t be scared!” Chanyeol hurries to reassure him, taking a step closer, and then he grumbles incoherently to himself before he sighs to regain control of his thoughts. “Sorry…Okay” he takes a deep breath. “Baek, for everything that has happened, I’m sorry” he starts sincerely and Baekhyun lets out the breath he had been holding, giving him a look. Is this really another apology? How many times will they have to go through this? “This is not another apology, don’t worry. Just, hear me out, and then you can do anything you want, anything at all, I promise” Chanyeol says quickly and Baekhyun closes his mouth, which was about to voice out his concerns. The taller looks very serious about whatever he wants to say, and if he wants Baekhyun to only listen, so he will. After seeing Baekhyun cooperating, Chanyeol’s expression softens, which makes him look so much more beautiful, and he continues in a soft, velvet, deep voice. “I apologized again because I wanted to let you know that I am well aware of our situation right now, of everything that has happened between us. But that is all I will say on that.

“I’m Park Chanyeol. I come from a very large and very wealthy family. I was raised to be spoiled, obnoxious, self-centered and insensitive to others’ wishes and needs. Let’s simply say I was meant to be a harsh and not-so-good person. I’m twenty something years old, I’ve never had a pet, and I work frantically every single day. One day in the future, I will inherit my father’s company and I will be even busier and even richer. Hopefully, I will manage it successfully and I won’t be the one to destroy a huge modern day business.

“Now I want you to forget about everything I just said, forget all that. Because now I am with you and those things don’t matter.

“This is Chanyeol. I’m lanky and loud and stubborn. I’m also awkward and silly sometimes. I have too many teeth, I smile too much and I have minimum control of my mouth most of the time. I make mistakes, which I regret dearly. And for the last nine and a half months I have been the happiest person in the world. Because nine and a half months ago I was lucky beyond my stars ever foretold and I met you.

“I’m Chanyeol and you’re Baekhyun, and I love you.

“Hmm…I love you.

“I can’t say this must be sudden, because it couldn’t be; I’ve loved you ever since I met you. I’m sorry I haven’t told you before, I honestly regret the chances I have missed because you didn’t know. But I didn’t know either. I was too scared to realize it. All these feelings I have for you are very new to me. I’m clumsy because this is nothing like anything I know. I have never cared for anyone else like this and I have never worried over any relationship before as much as I have with ours. I’ve spent countless thoughts on you, my heart reacts even at the sound of your voice and I am always trying to do the right thing for you. Because I cannot allow myself to do something wrong and ruin this; you’re too precious for me.

“I don’t know what you think of this –I don’t know what you think of me– but I hope you don’t find all this inappropriate or repulsive, because I don’t want to lose you. I don’t. However, I won’t force you in the least; I will understand if you want to walk away from this, with no heart feelings. If you find it surprising or confusing and you need time, then I’m fine with that too. You can do anything you want, as I promised, and you can ask me to do anything too, and I will comply with your wish. But, whatever your decision, the one thing I will not do is say I’m sorry; I will never regret my feelings for you.”

Chanyeol finishes and silence follows. They stay like that for a long while.

Baekhyun watches Chanyeol closely as the latter stands patiently, biting his lower lip a little and trembling slightly after opening his heart and exposing it so beautifully, only for Baekhyun’s eyes. They stare at each other calmly and, slowly, Baekhyun finds between them the reassurance to release his grip on the wooden seat –his knuckles had turned white and now his fingers feel numb, but he is thankful for that seat, because it was something he had to hold onto. It was something that kept reminding Baekhyun how he should be standing while the world spun around him in a beautiful and dizzy blur. Chanyeol just flipped his world upside down. But who says upside down is the wrong way for the world to be?

Baekhyun’s thoughts untangle marvelously in his mind in an instant, and he knows what he has to do, what he wants to do, so so much. He lifts himself from his seat and makes the effort his first step forward not to be wobbly.

“Can you say that again?” he asks in a calm voice, speaking softly and looking at Chanyeol steadily with sincere eyes. Confusion tangles in Chanyeol’s eyebrows for a moment and then he gasps in shock, as if someone just slapped him and threw him a bucket of cold water right after.

“All of it?!” he squeals in distress, eyes alarmingly wide. Baekhyun shakes his head calmly with a gentle small smile.

“No; just the important part” he says, making more steps closer to Chanyeol, finally crossing the distance. Chanyeol is too lost in his shock to notice Baekhyun’s advance.

“Baek! Were you not paying attention?!” he whimpers endearingly, with the cutest pout so far on his lips. Baekhyun stops right in front of him in that moment, leaving half a meter distance between them. He looks up at Chanyeol, with all the sincerity and serenity in his little body gathering in his eyes. Chanyeol notices him standing so close and he stops talking, holding his breath in mild surprise, but he remains pouting. As if he doesn’t look heartbreaking enough already.

“Kiss me”

“Aslkjptkmftgr” is Chanyeol’s immediate and utterly incoherent answer. He chokes a bit on his own air and his lips mumble disjointedly, as he looks down at Baekhyun with his eyes wide in surprise and his eyebrows quirked in bewilderment. Baekhyun stifles a laugh at his silly giant. You’re so adorable…And Baekhyun’s heart flutters, because soon he will be able to say that out loud and act on it however affectionately he wants.

“I said…” Baekhyun repeats softly, bringing one hand to cradle Chanyeol’s face tenderly; he locks his gaze with Chanyeol’s “…kiss me”

Not because he has never been kissed before. Not because he is curious about how to kiss. Not because he wonders what Chanyeol’s lips feel like. Not because he is sleepy. Not because he wants Chanyeol to be his first -and long awaited- kiss. Not because of some rush or impulsive decision. Not because of a deep and well-thought decision either. Not because of some romantic instinct or a fantasy. Not because he wants to show Chanyeol his acceptance, even though Chanyeol is welcomed to understand that. Not for all the right, and not for all the wrong reasons. There might be no reason. It’s simple. Two people who love each other to the last fiber of their bones kiss; did you ever need to ask why?

Chanyeol understands Baekhyun’s request this time. He searches his eyes for a moment and Baekhyun is sure that in this moment there is nothing inside his eyes that would stop Chanyeol from kissing him. The taller smiles, that same, glowing smile of tranquil happiness, like the one he had on his lips when he confessed his feelings. Slowly, Chanyeol leans forward and Baekhyun’s eyes flutter close, but the taller stops only for a moment.

“Baekhyun” he whispers as they exchange breaths and Baekhyun has not heard his name being called so sweetly ever before in his life. And then they kiss.

Chanyeol presses his lips on Baekhyun’s softly. His lips are smooth and warm and they taste sweet. Baekhyun’s heart beats loudly in his chest at the sensation. He doesn’t need falling rain or fireworks or a sunset to make this kiss, his first kiss, special. Because he has Chanyeol and Chanyeol makes it perfect. He cannot imagine a better first kiss and he wouldn’t want any other first kiss either. This is magical, for Baekhyun.

Baekhyun’s free hand hooks around Chanyeol’s neck and the one on Chanyeol’s cheek slides back, his fingers tangling absentmindedly in his silky hair. He tiptoes to reach higher, closer to Chanyeol. Chanyeol snakes one arm around Baekhyun’s waist and pulls him closer, until he is lightly pressed against him, to support him. His other hand rests on Baekhyun’s shoulder for a moment and then it travels to the side of his neck, and Chanyeol caresses his cheek with a feather light touch. Baekhyun swallows a whimper at the warmth of the gesture. Chanyeol’s lips pull away, only for a moment, and then he slides them on again, capturing Baekhyun’s lip gently. Baekhyun never thought his lips could fit against another’s so perfectly. Chanyeol is careful with him, slow, soft and sweet. Baekhyun doesn’t feel the butterflies only in his stomach; he feels them everywhere. They flutter their wings in his chest, in his head, in his legs, in his arms, in his heart, in his veins and blood. He knows that there is nothing in this world that will make him ever forget this kiss.

He keeps kissing Chanyeol even when his breath starts losing its way to his lungs and his heart is nearly bursting. He is determined to kiss Chanyeol to the last whiff of air inside him. He doesn’t care if he faints; Chanyeol will catch him. He is always there, his guardian angel. In the end, Chanyeol is the one who breaks the kiss, just in time for Baekhyun to stay conscious. But he doesn’t move away; instead, he pecks Baekhyun’s nose and then presses a tender kiss on his forehead, before leaning down, close to his ear.

“I love you” he whispers, his breath tickling Baekhyun’s skin before a light kiss is pressed under his ear. He smiles gleefully, leaning against Chanyeol as the taller engulfs him in his arms safely and warmly. That’s the important part; that’s what Baekhyun wanted to hear. Baekhyun is happy, in his heart, mind and soul, because he knows; he knows Chanyeol loves him. And god knows if Baekhyun loves him. So, Baekhyun wants to say the words for Chanyeol too.

“And I love you, Chanyeol” he says softly against the taller’s firm shoulder. He feels his lips stretching in a telltale smile without permission. But there is nothing to hide anymore. “It took me a month of heartbreak and hurt to realize it, but I’ve loved you all along. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner” he looks up from Chanyeol’s shoulder, searching for his gaze and smiling when two caramel eyes shine down on him. “But yesterdays don’t matter for me anymore; you’re mine, and I am not letting go. I know I love you now and I will love you tomorrow. And I know I will love you for all the nows and tomorrows of my life”

--

a/n: Hi loves!^^ In a scale from chocolate to unicorns, how dead are you?? Just in case you survived the exo comeback today, I thought, why not shower you with feels and rainbows? huhu I’M SO HAPPY TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU! I’ve been planning this confession & kiss for such a long time!!! I’m sure you’ve been expecting it too, I hope I didn’t disappoint you~

But there were many other interesting points as well! It turns out Chanyeol’s mother crushed their date, because sweet mama Park is a lot like her silly giant son, and maybe the date ended sooner than it should –to raise expectations for their important dinner ;) –but at least Baekhyun god flowers! *-* Buy flowers for the people you love, trust me, it’s worth it! And hug puppies daily! Who else sweet-talks to puppies with dessert endearments & has urges to rub soft puppy ears? (I can’t be the only one, right?) Also, hunhan had their first big fight! (which I shouldn’t be excited about -.- but it’s relationship development and an opportunity to get to know each other better!) We’ll see how that fight goes next time. And there was this little bit of kaisoo, with an infinitely understanding Kai and a slightly ruffled Soo, who’s starting to come to terms with the cohabitation plans!! It was short but very important for boyfriend goals!

(long a/n be long but well) Before I leave you to melt in peace, I’d like to draw your attention to this upcoming ficfest (exohousewarming)! It’s domestic!au with all the fluffy side effects (married, parents, proposal aus &much more)! *-* It’s for all exo OTPs, the mods are super nice and it’s currently at prompting phase, so…why don’t you send in your ideas and…who knows? *kitten wink* I find it very interesting, ahem, that’s all I’m going to say. I hope you’ll be happy until next time!^^ kitty