You, Again!

*

Baekhyun gets embroiled in a warp of lies after a run in with an old frenemy. Chanyeol thinks his best friend's idea is dumb but he goes along with it anyway.

 

*

 

"Chanyeol you owe me." 

 

Baekhyun isn't very petty.

 

Okay, well, yes he is. It shows in the way he keeps tabs on every single time he has to whip out his wallet when he goes out for dinner with his best-friend-since-forever. As of today, Chanyeol's debt stands at -$54908 won. Needless to say, Baekhyun doesn't think Chanyeol will ever be able to pay him back in this lifetime, considering all the times he has put it off.

 

"I haven't gotten this month's pay--"

 

"--what do you say to paying me back in terms of a favour?" Baekhyun cuts him off with a look that meant business. His lips are also twitching in the corner, Chanyeol notes, a nervous tic of his.

 

"What's the catch?" Chanyeol eyes Baekhyun, wary of the other's request. When he received a call from a frantic Baekhyun that morning asking to meet up for breakfast -- despite the fact that Baekhyun always skips breakfast -- Chanyeol knew there was something that had his friend all riled up. And being the best friend that he was (even though Baekhyun often calls him an ogre), Chanyeol decides to clock in late for work just so he could spend his morning aiding his best friend in whatever predicament he's in this time around.

 

"Chanyeol, do you find me attractive?"

 

"Well... you don't care about picking your nose in front of me and that is one image I can't ever get out of my head. So the answer is no?" Chanyeol's eyebrows pull together in confusion.

 

"Great!" Baekhyun cries, knowing that any kind of attraction between them would have screwed up the plan he had cooked up in his head. "Now, are you going to take me up on the offer?"

 

"Does that mean that all my debt towards you will be cleared?" Chanyeol narrows his eyes, picking up on the seriousness in his friend's tone.

 

"That, and I'll even throw in a free meal," Baekhyun says fervently.

 

"Alright," Chanyeol claps his hands together in glee. "What's the favour?" He asks with a thought that it couldn't be that bad.

 

Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun says it all in one go, "Will you marry me?"

.

.

.

"Like, for real?" Chanyeol splutters.

 

"No, you ," Baekhyun hits him on the shoulder. "I need you to pretend to be my fiancé."

 

"Whatever would you need me to be your fiancé for?" Chanyeol asks incredulously. 

 

"Funny story," Baekhyun laughs nervously, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Do you remember Kyungsoo?"

 

Chanyeol's forehead creases with thought as he tries to recall the boy. "Big eyes, short stature but with an intimidating persona?"

 

"I was going to describe him as the owl-eyed who stole that dumb ex-boyfriend of mine when you wouldn't give him the time of the day even with all the flirting he'd done to get your attention." Baekhyun scowls. "His obsession over you was annoying as ."

 

Chanyeol was reminded of how Baekhyun would always rant to him in the middle of the night over the phone about how much of a Kyungsoo is. Kyungsoo did this, Kyungsoo did that. Kyungsoo's a , Kyungsoo is a major . I declare Kyungsoo a frenemy. Chanyeol shudders at the memory; Baekhyun could go on for hours on end and Chanyeol, being a good friend, would always hum in agreement at everything he says even when he wasn't really listening, attention focused on kicking on his Nintendo Wii.

 

“But yes, Do Kyungsoo.”

 

Chanyeol chuckles as he teases, "Weren't you guys the best of friends, though? What happened to all the times you would sleepover at his place and paint each other's nails?"

 

"First of all, we didn't paint each other's nails. We gave each other pedicures. You wouldn't know; your feet are ogre," Baekhyun insults with an air of impatience. Chanyeol kicks the other's feet under the table, but being clumsy has its disadvantages because he ends up stubbing his toe on against the table's leg.

 

Baekhyun laughs at his friend's misery, but reaches over to soothe him by rubbing against his hand.

 

"Also, don't you know? We became frenemies after he blatantly seduced Jongin to be his." 

 

"Frenemies?" Chanyeol his head in confusion.

 

Baekhyun huffs, "You never listen, do you?"

 

"I do!" Chanyeol protests weakly, but Baekhyun cuts him off.

 

"You and your ing Nintendo," Baekhyun says with a roll of his eyes, catching Chanyeol off guard. He should have known Baekhyun knew all this time he had been busy with a game of Ninja Gaiden.

 

"Frenemies. Meaning we're friends on the surface but we hate each other's guts deep down inside," Baekhyun explains. "Anyway, as I was saying, I bumped into Kyungsoo this morning."

 

"Really?" Chanyeol asks, eyes widening as he leans forward in his seat. Baekhyun thinks he looks a little too excited about the news. "How is he?"

 

Baekhyun ignores Chanyeol's eagerness to know how his old frenemy has been doing for the past six years since graduating from college. "Short, ugly and annoying as usual."

 

Chanyeol frowns at his best friend's rudeness and points out, "You're no taller than he is."

 

"He wears insoles," Baekhyun insists. "Will you let me finish?"

 

"Okay, okay," Chanyeol holds his hands up in offering, "Just get to the part where you tell me of your need to have me as your fiancé."

 

"Well, you see, we started catching up a little, and somehow, it managed to slip from my mouth that we're getting married," Baekhyun blurts as he gestures a finger between them both. Chanyeol does a double take.

 

"And why in the world would you tell him that?" Chanyeol cries in disbelief.

 

"He was being such an obnoxious little head about getting married and it just sort of... happened," Baekhyun whined, cowering at his best friend's dagger-like stare.

 

"Baekhyun." Chanyeol started, letting out a breath. "You don't just lie to people about being engaged to a person you aren't even attracted to. Everyone who knows us is aware of the fact that we have virtually zero chemistry with each other. You call me an ogre, and I stopped thinking of you as cute ever since the day you decided to hell with it and started thinking that picking your nose in front of me and flicking your booger at my face is okay."

 

"Harsh," Baekhyun states, though he wasn't really bothered by it. Chanyeol was right; they were best friends who had never had romantic feelings for each other. Nobody would buy their act.

 

"You still gotta help me out, though."

 

Chanyeol leans back into his seat. "It's not like you're ever going to see him again."

 

He doesn't miss the guilt-ridden expression on the smaller male's face. "...Are you?"

 

"He invited me -- us, actually -- to the launch of his first exhibition," Baekhyun starts slowly, gauging the tall man's reaction even though he already knew how the other would react, "And I promised we'll be there."

 

"Then, we'll just not go," Chanyeol declares simply as if it were the only logical solution. 

 

"We have to," Baekhyun whines again, reaching out to tug onto Chanyeol's sleeve.

 

"Why, oh, why?" Chanyeol raises his free hand with a pained expression as if not comprehending his friend's stupidity. "Why can't you just let it go, Baekhyun?"

 

"Because," Baekhyun wails, "He was openly eye ing his poodle who was clinging onto his saggy s!"

 

"Baekhyun, Kyungsoo doesn't have s, he's a guy--"

 

"--He has man s, Chanyeol," Baekhyun nods fervently, "Man s."

 

Chanyeol merely lets out a heavy sigh that spelt resignation. "Why are you even hell bent on this crazy idea?"

 

"He was shoving his pompous in my face," Baekhyun groans. "I can't lose to him in life, Chanyeol. He won Jongin in college, I just need to show him that I won everything else. And most importantly, the one thing he could never get back in college; you."

 

*

 

"I said dress expensive. You reek of poor, Chanyeol," Baekhyun seethes as soon as his moron of a best friend gets out of his beat up Honda 2002. That piece of crap has clearly seen better days. Baekhyun reckons his grandmother looks at least a hundred times hipper than the embarrassing car Chanyeol calls his baby.

 

"This is the nicest pair of pants I own, Baekhyun," Chanyeol frowns, offended by his best friend's sarcasm.

 

"I'm not only talking about the pants, Yeol. Did you put in all your effort into the bottom half of your body and run out of s to give for a decent top to wear?" Baekhyun counters with a curt gesture to the sloppy button down top the other has on. It was actually pretty alright, but alright wasn't going to cut it for the small brunet. He was here to impress. He needed to knock the fake smile off Kyungsoo's face when he sees how perfect their lives are. Baekhyun wasdying to see his jaw drop from how awesome they looked.

 

Chanyeol glances down at his shirt and smooths out the creases. They were wrinkled at parts, but other than that, he thought he looked dashing enough. 

 

"I look amazing, Baekhyun. Admit it," Chanyeol says with an unexpected smirk. Baekhyun swallows hard at the display; Chanyeol was right. He could put on some pyjamas and he would still look great. Sometimes Baekhyun envied his best friend. He could look great without any effort and Baekhyun had to put on foundation and eyeliner just for a nip down to the store.

 

"Fine, whatever," Baekhun grumbles, stepping forward and reaching up on his toes to adjust the few wayward strands of Chanyeol's dark hair. "Not amazing, but good enough."

 

Baekhyun's nervous as they walk arm-in-arm into the building and down the hall where a few ushers greet them with smiles and a polite "this way please". Baekhyun can't help the scoff as he sees his arch enemy's frenemy's face covering the whole expanse of a wall as soon as they enter.

 

"Wow," Chanyeol breathes, letting out a low-whistle. "He looks amazing."

 

The all-too-honest comment earns himself a smack on the chest by Baekhyun. 

 

"Stay focus, Yeol," Baekhyun grits through clenched teeth, "We're here to outshine him and his poodle."

 

Chanyeol gives a quick and frantic nod of his head and turns to look away, not wanting to get distracted by the stunning ceiling-to-floor picture of their old college mate.

 

"Oooh, quiche!" 

 

Baekhyun sighs as his tall idiotic best friend unhook their arms to run after a waiter who had a tray of the finger food. His eyes widen when he remembers something.

 

"Wait, Yeol," Baekhyun calls out with an extended arm, "There's dairy in them--"

 

"Baekhyunieeeeee~" And, the little pesky demon makes an appearance at the most inconvenient of times. Kyungsoo stands as close as he can to Baekhyun just so his 

 

"I thought you were coming with your fiance? Did Chanyeollie finally realised how much of a pain in the neck you could be and decide to dump your fat ?" Baekhyun wants to punch the sweet smirk off his face. He really does. 

 

Thank god Chanyeol suddenly reappears by his side once again before he gets sent out by security for attacking the star of the show.

 

Unfortunately be awesome and stay normal is quite a feat of a request for Chanyeol, even for a night, because he has food crumbs all over his goddamn face and cheeks are stuffed with food.

 

"Heeeey, Soo," Chanyeol greets with a wide grin, little bits of chewed pastry flying out of his mouth and getting onto Kyungsoo's face as he did so, "It's been a long time, eh?"

 

Kyungsoo not-so-subtly wipes his face with the silk napkin he retrieves from the pocket of his impressive Armani's. He flings off the remains onto the ground and tucks it back into its place.

 

"Nice seeing you again," Kyungsoo smiles politely. 

 

"I see you're still as handsome as ever," Kyungsoo says earnestly. He moves a hand to clasp onto the tall man's shoulder and runs his fingers down the length of his arm. "Arms still as lean and strong."

 

"Do you work out, still?"

 

Baekhyun's eyebrows knit together in slight confusion. One second Kyungsoo was being a stuck up prick, and the next he was all over Chanyeol again, just like he had been in college. Some things just never change.

 

"Nah, only on the weekends when I have some free time," Chanyeol replies, swallowing the last of the food in his mouth. As oblivious to Kyungsoo's advances as ever. "It sounds ridiculous, but sitting at a desk all day takes a lot out of one. Especially if you're drowning in a sea of accounting numbers."

 

The small group of them share a small laughter. Well, apart from Baekhyun, whose scowl remains etched onto his face as he warily eyes Kyungsoo. He knows the demon is up to something. He just knows it.

 

Just then, a handsome young man with blonde hair neatly combed to the back and amazing body proportions that makes him look well-dressed in a suit, presses himself to Kyungsoo's side, standing right in front of Baekhyun. He slings an arm around Kyungsoo's waist. Kyungsoo jumps a little in surprise but looks up just as the man gives him a small but blatantly wet -- and hot, to Baekhyun's dismay -- kiss, making the shorter of them giggle. Baekhyun bites back the urge to barf.

 

"Guys, remember Jongin? My boyfriend back in college?" 

 

"Of course. How could I forget?" Baekhyun gives them a sweet, sarcastic smile. His eyes focus upon the blonde male. "He was mine before he became yours, remember?"

 

Kyungsoo's smile falters slightly and Jongin looks clearly taken aback after having had a good look at Kyungsoo's last minute guests. The latter's hold on his boyfriend's waist, however, tightens.

 

"Well." Chanyeol clears his throat in an attempt to get rid of the awkwardness. 

 

"Kim Jongin, right?" Chanyeol extends a hand, cutting across the glare Baekhyun was giving Kyungsoo, ruining Baekhyun's fantasy of lunging himself at Kyungsoo for the second time. "I'm Park Chanyeol. I think we went to the same college? We were all in different faculties, though."

 

"Yeah, I remember you," Jongin replies with a friendly smile, "You're the one my Baby Soo had been fawning over before we got together."

 

"I never 'fawned' over Chanyeol," Kyungsoo retorts in a cute voice, stomping his feet lightly. Baekhyun swears he almost let out the barf he'd been holding back. Baby Soo, the sickening display of aegyo. Everything was happening all at once.

 

"Yes you did, babe," Jongin chuckles as he pinches Kyungsoo's cheek. He turns to face Chanyeol again. "I should watch out for you, shouldn't I? In case you steal this precious man away from me."

 

"Just like how he stole you away from me," Baekhyun mutters under his breath but no one was paying much attention to him, really.

 

"Whoa, whoa," Chanyeol holds both hands up with a playful grin. "I'm not going to be anywhere near the obsessed kid."

 

Baekhyun smiles at Chanyeol's choice of words that causes an offended look to flash across Kyungsoo's face. Even as he's doing so he doesn't realise it, and that's what Baekhyun likes about Chanyeol. He isn't afraid to speak his mind.

 

He feels an arm snake around the frame of his own waist as he's being pulled into Chanyeol's side. He has a fleeting thought of how perfectly he fits into the crook of Chanyeol's lanky body but it disappears with a smirk as Chanyeol says the next few words, "I've got my own hella amazing fiance all to myself. Why would I need anyone else?"

 

"You're right," Jongin concedes with another round of chuckle. "He's... really something else."

 

Baekhyun's ears turn red as Jongin finally looks him in the eye, a warm glint of remembrance in them.

 

"We were only together for a few months but our time together is unforgettable, really," Jongin continues, making Baekhyun blush even further. 

 

"But I have my Baby Soo now, and I think things turned out just as they're supposed to," Jongin says, "You guys look great together. Like you're meant to be."

 

If it were any other time, Baekhyun would have scoffed at this because they've been told by practically everyone that they "look good together" despite their apparent lack of chemistry but in that moment, he was too busy being caught up in Jongin's sincerity and his goddamn attractive eyes that he doesn't even bat an eyelid. Kyungsoo, being the that he always was towards Baekhyun, was suddenly grabbing his own fiance by the neck and then engulfing Jongin with a passionate kiss, letting out little moans for added effect. Baekhyun's scowl returns; it's not a very pleasant sight to see your ex-boyfriend kissing the one person you hate with all your guts. For Baekhyun, it brought back bittersweet memories -- of Jongin being a good kisser, and of him having found out the news that Jongin and Kyungsoo had gotten together in the span of a month of his break up with Jongin.

 

Not wanting to lose out to the little brat, and also fuelled by a sudden wave of flaming confidence, Baekhyun grabs an unsuspecting Chanyeol by the neck and crashes their lips together for the first time ever. It hurt more than Baekhyun would have liked to admit because for one, Chanyeol hadn't been expecting it. Their teeth clash together painfully and their noses bump against each other's in a way that Baekhyun was certain to leave bruises.

 

But then Chanyeol surprises him by taking the lead, and then Baekhyun's having one of the best kisses in his life. Chanyeol's lips are full and strangely sweet as he les Baekhyun's own gently, large hands moving to hold Baekhyun's head in them. They move swiftly but smoothly against each other, Baekhyun feeling jolts of electricity whenever Chanyeol would experimentally dip his tongue in. Baekhyun can't help but to flutter his eyes and sigh in contentment as Chanyeol gives one final to the bottom of his already swollen lip and pulls away, breathless.

 

"Wow," is what Baekhyun utters as they both stare at each other bashfully. "I didn't know you could kiss like that."

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, though, Baekhyun immediately realised that he could have potentially given away the fact that they've never kissed which could have led to Kyungsoo and Jongin calling them out on their fake engagement but thank god, those two were still busy each other's faces to notice anything.

 

"We're engaged, remember?" Chanyeol says under his breath so only Baekhyun could hear. "We have to put on a convincing show."

 

"And now, we invite Mr Do Kyungsoo, young uprising artist of the year up on stage to give a speech on the launch of his very first exhibition. Everyone, please give a round of applause to Do Kyungsoo."

 

Jongin ends off their make out session with a sweet peck to his lips and sends his fiance off to bask in the limelight.

 

As Kyungsoo's speech about his journey as an artist progress, Baekhyun sneaks glances at Jongin, wondering what Kyungsoo had that he didn't have to earn himself the sparkle in Jongin's eyes as he gazes lovingly at the small man.

 

Baekhyun thinks it's because Kyungsoo likes to play dirty -- he would stop at nothing to get what he wants, but there's a small voice in his head that tells him that maybe, just as he has always known, he was never and will never be good enough.

 

*

 

"That... went well." Chanyeol says conversationally as he tugs off his dress shirt and pulls an old shirt over his head.

 

"It was disastrous," Baekhyun moans into the pillow. They were at Chanyeol's apartment, Baekhyun too tired to drive home himself and deciding to sleep over at his friend's place instead.

 

After the speech, they were invited to take a look at Kyungsoo's work by the man himself. Somewhere during Baekhyun's and Chanyeol's discreet exchange of how the paintings "look like poop" and are "abstract my ", Chanyeol was suddenly hit by the sudden urge to use the bathroom. Baekhyun didn't want Chanyeol leaving him alone with the couple, he needed his best friend there for support, so Chanyeol had to hold it in. They didn't get past the fourth display before Chanyeol was screaming "I'm really sorry, Baek, but I really need to !" and then making a mad dash for the toilets. Unfortunately, there was a long line.

 

They ended up leaving the place to have Baekhyun recklessly driving to the nearest gas station so Chanyeol could ease his stomachache.

 

"It was the quiche! You know you can't ing take dairy and what do you do? Stuff yourself with it." Baekhyun huffs. "Seriously, Yeol, you can't take care of yourself, I have to be your brain and it gets really tiring."

 

"At least you didn't have to sit through the whole thing. Isn't that what you wanted?" Chanyeol retorts.

 

"It was, but we weren't supposed to leave in such an unglam manner," Baekhyun grouses, throwing the pillow at Chanyeol's head. The taller man catches it with a hand and chuckles in amusement.

 

"Nature's call, Baek."

 

Baekhyun doesn't say anything else, just ducks under the covers. Chanyeol could tell his best friend was truly upset. He knew he hadn't exactly been great at impressing Kyungsoo when that was all Baekhyun wanted to do. Not wanting for his best friend to be mad at him anymore, he quietly tiptoes over to his bed before slipping under the covers and then diving straight in for Baekhyun's weak spots.

 

"Stoooooop!" Baekhyun cries in between unwanted squeals, trying to squirm his way out of his best friend's tight grip. Chanyeol's fingers continues to unrelentingly jab at Baekhyun's sides, even getting the ticklish spot at the nape of his neck as the smaller man begs for mercy.

 

"C-Chan-- ahhhh!" Baekhyun shrieks just as he's attacked with another round of tickling.

 

"I won't stop till you accept my apology," Chanyeol laughs as he continues to tickle the other. 

 

"Okay, okay! I forgive you! Just stop tickling me," Baekhyun laughs just as Chanyeol's torture ends. They emerge from under the sheets, Baekhyun panting like he'd run a mile.

 

"You're right about the man s, though, Baek. He does have them." Chanyeol says after awhile as they're both lying on their backs, looking up at the ceiling.

 

Baekhyun giggles, glad that his best friend's got his back, "I told you."

 

*

 

"Just this one last time, I promise, and then I'll make up some lie about us moving to Spain."

 

"Bahamas."

 

"Spain," Baekhyun insists without looking up at his phone. "Kyungsoo will never buy the lie if we told him we're moving to the Bahamas. A European country sounds like a more plausible destination."

 

"Fine," Chanyeol concedes with a sigh as he stretches his hands above his head, leaning back into his seat. "Whatever it takes. As long as this is over as soon as possible. I've got matters to attend to."

 

Having known Chanyeol for the longest time, Baekhyun could tell there was a hidden meaning behind his best friend's words. He snaps his attention to Chanyeol who has one of the gummiest smiles across his face. Ah, he thinks with a sort of knowing. Baekhyun has only ever seen that smile once, and it had been back in their freshman year when Chanyeol developed a crush on some pretty girl for the first time in his life. 

 

"Who is she?" Baekhyun asks after a moment's contemplation, eyes hesitant despite the growing enthusiasm in his tone.

 

Chanyeol's face breaks out into an eye-blinding smile as he leans over the table to indulge in the conversation that has taken a favourable turn. He had been waiting all morning to tell Baekhyun about her, about the person who has captured his attention, and maybe even his heart. But Baekhyun had been all edgy for their lunch plans with the Kyungsoo-Jongin couple that Chanyeol was rather undecided on sharing with his friend about his exciting news.

 

"We met at the beach," Chanyeol starts to say, only to have Baekhyun cut him with a, "Oooh, how cliche!"

 

Seriously, Chanyeol had been expecting romantic but this was Baekhyun, and he seized every opportunity to make fun of Chanyeol.

 

"Shut up," Chanyeol rolls his eyes despite the string of laughter that escapes his lips. "So anyway, we met at the beach three months ago. Remember that weekend getaway you and I had?"

 

Baekhyun nods, thinking back to that lovely trip he had with his best friend. Now that he comes to think of it, he remembers Chanyeol acting all giddy and in a daze when they got back to the guesthouse after spending the day at the beach. It must have been his encounter with the girl.

 

"Well, she ran into me when she was out for a jog and I helped her up when she fell onto the sand. We really hit it off, but then it got really late and I remembered you were waiting for me to get back with the seashells so I had to say goodbye. Of course, I forgot to ask for her number. But just a few days ago, I bumped into her again at the supermarket, and it turns out, she lives just a few blocks from my apartment. I asked her out this time, and she said yes," Chanyeol squeals as he recounts of his encounter with the girl.

 

Baekhyun bursts out laughing at his friend's unmanliness. "She'll run away as soon as she hears you squeal that way." 

 

"Must you really make fun of me every single time I get a break in love?" Chanyeol frowns, turning rather serious. Baekhyun's laughter ceases as he lifts his head to look at Chanyeol, startled at his outburst.

 

"Hey, I'm sorry," Baekhyun says genuinely.

 

"Nah, it's okay," Chanyeol mutters after awhile. He reaches for his drink and took a sip to let the sudden awkwardness that had envelopes them pass.

 

"Are they coming?" Chanyeol speaks, breaking the silence. 

 

"They should be here soon." Baekhyun glances at his watch. Trust Kyungsoo to arrive fashionably late for a meetup he organised.

 

"I'm really sorry about what I said, Yeol," Baekhyun says once more, feeling his heart leap when his best friend finally looked up into his eyes. He manages a small smile. "Tell me how your date goes, okay?"

 

"Yeah," Chanyeol mutters, cracking a smile in return, "Yeah, okay."

 

"Evening, guys," Kyungsoo finally arrives with  his poodle in tow. "Sorry we're late. We had an appointment with the wedding planner and we got a little carried away with the discussion."

 

The couple took their seats, Kyungsoo beside Chanyeol and Jongin beside Baekhyun. The latter thought it was weird for him to choose the empty chair beside Chanyeol but then he realises, how convenient.

 

"Baekhyun, do you have a wedding planner? Or are you doing it all on your own?"

 

Baekhyun startles at Kyungsoo's question. He hadn't thought that far into his little lie and now that he has been posed a question regarding the wedding he was supposed to have with Chanyeol, his mind was drawing a complete blank.

 

"Uh..."

 

Luckily for him, Chanyeol joins in the conversation to help him out. "We have someone to do the planning."

 

"Oh, yeah?" Kyungsoo asks, looking more interested as his attention piques towards Chanyeol. "Who is it? We managed to book one of the best in town. She's usually really busy but she managed to make an exception for us. Jongin here has lots of connections and he managed to pull some strings."

 

Baekhyun boils inside as he watches the smirk appear on his frenemy's face.

 

"Actually," Baekhyun reaches over and grabbed one of Chanyeol's large hand,weaving their fingers tightly together and waving it in front of Kyungsoo's face. "Chanyeollie's mum here agreed to help us with the wedding. You know how amazing her organisation skills are. She plans the most beautiful parties and we thought, which better person than my darling fiance's mother who loves me just like her own son?"

 

Baekhyun knows he couldn't play fire with fire. He just needs to give a good kick to Kyungsoo right in the balls.

 

It works; Kyungsoo's smile vanishes as he sullenly eyes the couple's intertwined hands.

 

"Have you been here, Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo changes the subject right away, seeing as to how it wasn't going in his favour anymore.

 

Baekhyun, on the other hand, couldn't help but curse under his breath as soon as he looked through the menu. Nothing was within his budget. Water was literally the only thing he could afford. If it were only him and Chanyeol, Baekhyun would have made a witty remark about the bottled water coming from a magical well in Narnia. Then they would have walked right out of the overrated restaurant and grabbed a bite at the ddeobokki stall down the street.

 

But Kyungsoo was here, and he was already ordering half the food on the menu.

 

"What will you have, Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo looks to the brunet after placing his last order of black pepper crab. 

 

"Uh." Baekhyun knew he couldn't afford anything else besides the salad. It didn't help that he hadn't had anything the whole day, and his stomach was making awful whale noises every few seconds.

 

"I'll have the mango salad," Baekhyun says rather meekly, pushing the menu away with a reluctant finger. Chanyeol gulps at the prices, not even sparing a glance at the name of the dishes. He knows exactly why his best friend decided on the salad instead of stuffing himself with everything just like always does.

 

"I'll have... the... bread sticks..." Chanyeol says, voice growing softer with every word uttered. Baekhyun had to hold in the urge to laugh. 

 

"...The bread sticks are free," Kyungsoo points out rather confusedly.

 

"Oh."

 

A thought crosses his mind as he looks gleefully at Baekhyun. "Free meal," Chanyeol reminds as he mouths the words across the table at Baekhyun who throws him a glare and a very frantic, "I have no money".

 

"What's that?" Kyungsoo asks, trying to decipher the funny looks the couple were giving each other. Baekhyun gives a last murderous stare at a chuckling Chanyeol before shooting his frenemy a smile.

 

"Baekhyunnie, if you can't afford to buy--"

 

"--Of course I can," Baekhyun snaps, gesturing for the waiter to return to their table. He jabs a finger at the promotional meal for two. "We'll be having this."

 

When the food arrives, it was Kyungsoo's turn to scowl as he glares  at the obnoxious display of affection in front of his eyes. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were practically oozing with disgusting sweetness that it makes Kyungsoo lose his appetite.

 

"Here, Chanyeollie, try this cranberry sauce. It tastes heavenly with the steak," Baekhyun cooed, feeding Chanyeol with a fork. Beside Chanyeol, Kyungsoo was tearing his crab from limb to limb with a little too much force than needed as he stares at the sickening scene. Jongin, knowing something was bothering his cutie pie, calls his attention with worry creased into his forehead.

 

"Soo, babe? You okay? Is the crab giving you trouble?" Jongin reaches over to offer a hand. "Come here, I'll help you out with that."

 

Kyungsoo's eyes peel away from the other couple and gives his fiance a small smile. "Thanks, babe." He willingly pushes his plate towards Jongin who works on getting the meat of the crab right away. 

 

Baekhyun sneaks a discreet glance at Kyungsoo to see if the other had his eyes on them, and noting so, he flits his eyes onto Chanyeol's plump inviting lips and tutts loudly.

 

"Aish, Yeollie, you've got sauce all over your lips." Chanyeol's eyes go wide as he blinks at Baekhyun, using a free hand to wipe at the spot. Kyungsoo resists the urge to roll his eyes yet again when he sees that there was virtually nothing on Chanyeol's face. Baekhyun was clearly trying to get his attention again.

 

In a split second, Baekhyun had hunched over the table to smack his lips against Chanyeol for a good few seconds before pulling away with an overly enthusiastic smile. "There. All gone."

 

Chanyeol flusters at the sudden and unexpected liplock, gingerly touching his lips with the pads of his fingers as he gapes at Baekhyun who had happily gone back to cutting up his own steak. Jongin chuckles approvingly at the kiss, whereas Kyungsoo could only stare in disbelief at his old friend.

 

"Hey, Baekhyun..." Chanyeol calls after he gets himself together. 

 

Baekhyun looks up with an innocent look. "Yes, sweetheart?"

 

It took a lot of effort on Baekhyun's part not to cringe at the term of endearment he'd used. This was so not what he and Chanyeol would do if they were dating for real. Not like they would ever date but.

 

It's for show, he reminds himself.

 

"You're got a bit of sauce on your face too," Chanyeol waves his fork in the other's face. Baekhyun starts wiping at his face in panic, not wanting to give Kyungsoo any reason to laugh at him. 

 

"You're missing it," Chanyeol teases as Baekhyun huffs.

 

"Get it for me, please?"

 

Chanyeol nods, leaning forward once more. Just as his hand was about to touch Baekhyun's face, though, he retrieves it and plants a small kiss on Baekhyun's left cheek. Surprised, Baekhyun almost pulls away, only to remember that this was all for show. The more intimate they were, the better.

 

"Is that all?" Baekhyun asks softly as Chanyeol shakes his head.

 

"You've got some here as well," Chanyeol quietly says, his smile lingering as he presses his lips against Baekhyun's forehead. The contact sends shivers down Baekhyun's spine. He doesn't want to find out if it's the good kind. Focus, Baekhyun.

 

"Another here," Chanyeol kisses the tip of his nose. This time, it makes Baekhyun's heart flutter in a way it has never.

 

"And here," Chanyeol ends off with a graze against his lips, a little less longer than his other kisses but sending Baekhyun's heart beating hard in his chest all the same.

 

When he finally pulls away, Baekhyun is reduced to a flushing mess of garbled words that doesn't seem to leave his parted mouth. Chanyeol merely hums in content as he continues to cut at his steak as if what he'd done was perfectly normal, that it was something they did all the time.

 

Kyungsoo is the first to speak up. "That..."

 

"...Was insanely romantic," Kyungsoo finishes off with a breathless sigh, amazement written all over his face as his eyes flitter between the couple.

 

"Almost as romantic as I am?" Jongin teases, only to have a napkin thrown at him. 

 

"You dig your nose in front of me," Kyungsoo retorts, but they both end up laughing anyway. Chanyeol catches Kyungsoo's words thrown at Jongin but just his eyebrows for a second before returning to his meal, occasionally glancing at Baekhyun who had seemed to lost his voice altogether. Along with his pants. Because hot damn, he wouldn't admit this, but Chanyeol literally just charmed the pants off him. 

 

Seeing as to how Kyungsoo was beginning to show signs of envy towards their love, Baekhyun decides that he should secure his game with just this last act of his. He wasn't about to pass up on this chance after spending a hefty amount just for the darn couple's meal anyway. As Chanyeol's lips envelops his straw, Baekhyun quickly but smoothly -- as casually as he could -- leans forward to capture his own straw in between his teeth and began it such that they were both having a drink together.

 

"We've never done that," Kyungsoo sighs rather dreamily, a hint of envy in his tone as he watches the couple sip from the same glass.

 

Chanyeol hadn't been expecting Baekhyun to drink at the same time as him, but he lifts his eyes to gaze at Baekhyun anyway. From this close, he could count Baekhyun's lashes, see the hint of pink tinting his cheeks and the subtle curl of his pretty lips. It was over when Baekhyun accidentally brings his gaze to lock eyes with Chanyeol. Baekhyun retreats to his chair in a fluster, biting his lips as he fusses over the cherry tomatoes on his plate.

 

He doesn't try to drink at the same time Chanyeol does throughout the rest of the dinner.

 

What he does try is to is to stop his heart from going thump, thump, thump, at a hundred miles per hour.

 

*

 

"OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS ING HAPPENED," Baekhyun shrieks as soon as the doctor leaves with his clipboard with a click of the door.

 

Everything had been going miraculously well.

 

Until Baekhyun started getting an incessant itch on his face, one that wouldn't go away as they talked over dessert. It was when Chanyeol was feeding Baekhyun a bite of chocolate mousse that the latter started to hyperventilate.

 

Everything after that was a quick blur of a ride to the the hospital where it was discovered that Baekhyun had had something with shrimp, triggering his reaction.

 

"I didn't know you were allergic to seafood. I wouldn't have let you have the sauce," Chanyeol says rather regretfully as he perches himself on the side of the bed.

 

"Neither did I," Baekhyun sighs as he flops back onto the bed, trying his best not to touch the rashes on his face. "How bad do I look?"

 

Chanyeol staresat his best friend's face, dubiety shrouding his expression. "Not... too bad."

 

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Baekhyun whines. "Just tell me Kyungsoo didn't see my face in this state."

 

"He was here all the way till you got whisked into the emergency room..." 

 

"Oh god, no." Baekhyun's hands fly up to cover his face but Chanyeol is quick to grab them with his own.

 

"Don't," Chanyeol reminds him with a soft chide, "You'll make them worse."

 

Baekhyun notes that the weird fluttering in his stomach has yet to cease. He hopes it's just the side effects of the drugs but he's rather sceptical when it grows with Chanyeol's warm smile.

 

*

 

"He's really going to find out the truth this time." Baekhyun stares at the message on the screen of his phone, panic like a dull lead sitting in the pit of his stomach. Chanyeol glances at Baekhyun through the mirror but continues working on styling his hair right. 

 

"Who is?" Chanyeol throws a fleeting question though it was clear he was preoccupied with getting the back of his hair to sit nicely.

 

"Have you even been listening to me?" Baekhyun tsks. He waves his phone in the air. "Kyung-. Spawn of Satan. Devil child. That's who."

 

Chanyeol, seemingly satisfied with his hairstyle, finally turns to face his best friend who had taken to rolling around on his bed. Baekhyun stops when he sees Chanyeol staring intently at him and sits properly, pulling his legs into a cross.

 

"Why are you looking at me like that for?"

 

"Nothing, it's just..."

 

"...What?"

 

Chanyeol lets his hands rest on his hips. "Don't you think it's time to stop? You've been deceiving them for weeks now."

 

"Hey, I'm not the only one in this plan!" Baekhyun exclaims indignantly. "You're just as deep in this as I am."

 

"Well, I only went along with your plan because you told me you'd clear my debt towards you."

 

"Ah, so this is how it is now, is it? Our friendship is just worth a pile of debt to you? That, and free food?" Baekhyun pouts. Before he even has a chance to defend himself, Baekhyun was reverting his attention back to his tall best friend who was looking the best Baekhyun had ever seen him.

 

"Where are you off to, anyway?" 

 

Chanyeol fidgets at the question, glancing away as he adjusts the cuffs of his sleeves. 

 

"Nowhere special," Chanyeol mumbles, "Just out for a drink with a friend."

 

Baekhyun was distracted from his own reply when his phone buzzed in his hand. He stares rather grudgingly at the device, as if contemplating on picking up the call.

 

"Are you going to get that?" Chanyeol asks with a gesture of his head. 

 

"It's Kyung-," Baekhyun mouths across the room.

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes, albeit in amusement, "He can't hear you if you haven't answered the call."

 

Baekhyun bites his lips as he finally curls his hand around the vibrating phone and slides the call button.

 

"Heeeeey Kyungsoo," Baekhyun fakes a high-pitched cheery greeting that has Chanyeol cringing at the fakeness. As Baekhyun engages in a conversation he would rather not be having, Chanyeol takes the chance to sneak away, ignoring Baekhyun's pleading looks and murmured help me's away from the phone.

 

It's an hour later, when Chanyeol has long gone out for his secretive meeting with a "friend" and Baekhyun is on the verge of hanging up on Kyungsoo that his frenemy finally puts an end to his rambling about his wedding preparations.

 

"Oh, Baek, I can't believe I've been talking nonstop for an hour," Kyungsoo cries on the other end of the line. "I must have been such a bore. I didn't even ask how you're coping with your own preparations."

 

"You know what they say. Time flies when you're having fun," Baekhyun replies sarcastically though he was certain Kyungsoo wasn't able to tell over the phone.

 

"So, how's everything? You and Chanyeol decided on a caterer? How about the theme of your wedding? Gosh, there's just so many things to do, isn't there?" Baekhyun scowls at Kyungsoo's curiousity, deeming it fake by his standards. He was sure that the other was only pretending to be interested just so he could outdo his and Chanyeol's wedding.

 

"Yeah, everything's going fine. Chanyeol has been such a sweetheart. He handles most of it and refuses to let me lift a finger," Baekhyun effortlessly lies, examining his cuticles under the light.

 

"I see," Kyungsoo says, "Jongin makes me do all the work, "he laughs. "Anyway, where will your wedding be?"

 

Baekhyun's smile softens at the question as he lets out a small dreamy sigh. "By a beach. We'll have peonies and lilies for decoration. There'll be a live band that'll play in the background as I walk down the aisle, and my future husband will be waiting at the end with wonder in his eyes. Like I'm the only star in his world."

 

There's a brief pause before Kyungsoo says something that surprises Baekhyun, "You're right."

 

"Chanyeol really sees you that way. And to be perfectly honest, he always has."

 

*

 

Baekhyun feels like this is all bad karma. He really should have known that it would all come back to bite him in the , though he would have appreciated if it weren't this soon. How could he keep up with a lie when he's starting to believe in it himself? That his life is perfect and that he and Chanyeol were perfectly happy and in love? 
 
Really, what was up with those murderous fluttering bugs in his tummy that makes his heart skip beats whenever he looks at Chanyeol these days? The ogre was beginning to look an awful lot like Prince Charming. Even with his greasy windswept hairstyle and terrifyingly horrible etiquette.
 
Baekhyun grabs a throw pillow that was within his reach and buries a scream into it.
 
At that exact moment, the subject of his internal conflict saunters into their apartment, decked in one of the nicest clothes Baekhyun has ever seen on him and a wide grin to complement his cheery mood. 
 

The smile fades into confusion and wariness though when he spots his midget of a best friend sprawled face down across the carpet of their living room, dry sobbing into a pillow with a few packets of different flavoured crisps strewn all over the floor and a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy playing mutely on the telly.
 

"Are you having a crisis?" Chanyeol takes a subconscious step back. "Because if you are I'm going to walk right out and come back later."

 

"Such a great friend you are, Channie." Baekhyun sighs, sitting up. He uses a hand to mess up his hair.

 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Chanyeol asks, this time with genuine concern. Baekhyun’s eyes snap towards the tall man who edges closer despite his initial reluctance to be around his best friend when he’s in one of those sour moods. It’s on the tip of his tongue, there’s really nothing stopping him from confesses the truth right now, and he really thinks he’s about to blurt it out, but a sudden whiff of sweet smelling cologne catches his attention and hands him back his sanity.

 

“Are you wearing cologne?” Baekhyun asks instead, eyes narrowing in on the man who has turned sheepish.

 

“He-he,” Chanyeol chuckles rather abashedly, cupping the back of his neck with a hand and straightening himself out once more, “You caught me.”

 

“Whatever for.” Baekhyun’s back on -mode and Chanyeol could easily tell from the gritting of his teeth. Baekhyun’s question didn’t even sound like a question; it sounded more like the barking of an order, the demand to know what’s going on as if Chanyeol owes him everything in the world. Somehow it makes Chanyeol annoyed as well, his sheepish grin turning upside down into a frown.

 

“I told you,” Chanyeol adopts an accusatory tone, “I told you two weeks ago that I’m seeing someone right now, but apparently you’re too busy to ever take notice of what’s going on in your best friend’s life.”

 

Baekhyun falls with the reality of Chanyeol’s words. Well, he doesn’t literally fall, but it did feel like he’d been robbed of words (and not in the good way either), and pushed from the edge of a cliff, free-falling without the safety net of his best friend to catch him this time.

 

Baekhyun didn’t know what to expect of himself, but a snort and a mean scoff escaping his lips was completely uncalled for.

 

“Hah, you’ve finally found someone who could stand your ogre ways?”

 

The hurt that flashes in Chanyeol’s eyes feels like a cold, hard slap to Baekhyun’s cheek and at once, the short brunet regrets the cruel words that had slipped. Baekhyun battles with himself to say anything to salvage the situation, to mutter a sorry in the very least, but the sad reality was that he had always been a little . All throughout college Chanyeol has always put up with his mean ways and till today, Baekhyun has yet to change his ways.

 

Instead, he watches as Chanyeol’s fists unclench at his sides and his livid expression morphs into that of indifference; a very scary sight considering how Chanyeol has always had the liveliest expressions – his face like a canvas, always painted by a myriad of expressions that Baekhyun often finds comfort in.

 

“Yeah,” Chanyeol manages to curtly say after an insufferable silence, “I’ve found someone who has the loveliest personality. Someone who’s pretty inside out. Someone whose attitude isn’t as bull as yours, in fact, it’s the complete opposite, thank god.”

 

Chanyeol swivels around on the heels of his feet and storms out without another look back, and Baekhyun finally allow himself to break at his best friend’s words.

 

It takes a moment for Baekhyun to realise that he doesn’t deserve to feel hurt at Chanyeol’s words because whatever the tall man has said; it’s true. He has never really showed that he cared for Chanyeol – his own best friend – let alone anyone else besides his selfish self. Before he allows the tears to fall, he lets the hurt manifest into self-piteous anger and keeps it bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

 

He ends up slumped over the toilet, puking out all the junk he’d had.

 

(and all the insecurities he had chalked up since college)

 

*

 

Baekhyun doesn’t see Chanyeol for the next two weeks. He sends a good number of texts to the latter (not that many that it becomes suffocating to the other) about how much of an he is, and how he finally realises that he did have a crap attitude as mentioned by his own best friend.

 

(To: Yeol

From: Baek

[22:30 PM] 

Your words hurt like but you’re right.

 

To: Yeol

From: Baek

[7:09 AM]

Whatever you said that day, it’s true. I’ve been nothing but an .

 

To: Yeol

From: Baek

[2:56 PM]

You’re wonderful and again, I’m an . Idk how u put up with me all these years.

 

To: Yeol

From: Baek

[1:02 AM]

Please don’t give up on me just yet.)

 

Baekhyun confirms that it’s the tiest month he’s had this year when Kyungsoo unexpectedly calls him again to remind him of the weekend getaway they had planned for the end of the month. He almost calls it off, but Kyungsoo started rambling about how his launch the other night had gone exceedingly well that he earned a splendid amount of revenue and recognition; which meant that he was going to celebrate it by treating his old college friends (read: the lovely non-existent BaekYeol couple) to a spa retreat during the getaway to the other side of the country.

 

(Also, him.

 Kyungsoo, whether inadvertently or not, had managed to bruise Baekhyun’s pride yet again by bringing to light the fact that Baekhyun’s stuck in a 9-5 kind of ty and dreary cubicle job while Kyungsoo gets to live the fast and exciting life)

 

Baekhyun didn’t have the fight to let Kyungsoo know that Chanyeol and him weren’t exactly on good terms now so he ended up promising to meet the other engaged couple at six in the morning the next day for their weekend getaway.

 

Baekhyun thinks it’s selfish of him, yet again, but he really, really needs that spa retreat. Maybe if they had a treatment that would obliterate all the crappy mishappenings in his life, he’d take them up on that offer too. For now he’ll settle for the free spa retreat.

 

Friday morning sees Baekhyun exiting from the cab with a duffel bag of clothes and necessities, gaping up at a prettily quaint brick house with the neatest front yard that’s lined with rows and rows of flowery bushes. Baekhyun’s moss-and-grime-covered, dull grey complex is certainly not comparable to the beauty Kyungsoo and Jongin lives in.

 

“Oh, didn’t you know? Jongin’s father owns an architectural firm. Jongin’s well on his way to becoming head architect but he designed this for us years ago when we first decided to move in together” is the response he gets when Baekhyun asks how in the world they manage to afford such a house when the market is as volatile as mercury these few years.

 

Well of course.

 

“Where’s Chanyeol?” Jongin asks as he loads the rest of their bags into the boot and settles into the driver’s seat.

 

“He had a last minute deadline to catch this weekend,” Baekhyun replies with a grim smile as Kyungsoo shoots him a sympathetic smile over his shoulder. Baekhyun could have sworn he saw something more in it, but he glances away and opts for looking out the window instead as they set off.

 

Baekhyun really wishes he hadn’t taken up on their offer to ride in the backseat of their car when all he notices is not-so-subtle intertwining of hands over the console and the occasional rubbing of inner thighs throughout the journey. Sometimes they would indulge in a conversation, include their forgotten guest in the backseat, but even socializing was wearing Baekhyun out, so he chose to shut the world out by plugging in his earpiece instead and drowning in his playlist of sad love songs, feeling like a part of him is missing.

 

Thank god, by the time they arrive at the resort, his time (or punishment, as he’d like to call it) as a third-wheeler ends when they check into separate rooms.

 

Baekhyun alternates between sobbing dryly and laughing deliriously when he unlocks the door to his room and finds a king-sized bed that’s sprinkled with petals of roses and an ice bucket of wine perched at the bedside table. A flustered Kyungsoo barges in minutes later and a stream of apologies fall profusely from his lips as he orders for the bellboy to gather the petals from the bed.

 

Baekhyun lets the bellboy do his job, watching in slight horror as he picks up the alcohol as well, but stops him with a hand on his arm and retrieves the bottle of wine before he leaves.

 

*

 

Baekhyun wakes up to a slight hangover and an inbox swamped with missed calls and messages from his ogre best friend. Essentially, they’re all asking him of his whereabouts since he can’t find the brunet at his place but there was one which did catch his attention:

 

To: Baek

From: Yeol

[6:12 AM]

Soojung and I are going to that resort we went to a few months back. I know things are going so fast but I really think she’s the one, Baek.

 

I’m going to propose to her.

 

Baekhyun handles the news as well and as maturely as he could.

 

He thrashes around in the sheets on the bed and throws pillows at the window of the balcony, all the while cursing Chanyeol’s existence.

 

*

 

Baekhyun ends up taking a walk along the beach without his coat despite the blustery winds, just so the stupid pricking pain he feels in his heart can be numbed by the coldness that seeps into his bones.

 

What the . What the actual .

 

How in the world could Chanyeol propose to someone he’d just met? Baekhyun knew his best friend was impulsive and tended to think with his heart (or , as Baekhyun would term it) instead of his brain. How in the world did Chanyeol think it was going to work out? That they’d live happily ever after with a puppy and kids and kids of their kids till they’re all old and grey and wrinkly?

 

Baekhyun tells himself that all this overwhelming emotions he’s feeling is the result of wanting to throttle Chanyeol for thinking that happily ever afters and love-at-first-sight’s exists. But it’s difficult to convince himself so when the sound of his heart breaking is all that he can hear.

 

*

 

Baekhyun was certain things couldn’t be any worse than what they had come to now.

 

But apparently, he thought wrong, because during dinner, Kyungsoo pulls him away from the buffet and leads him outside where he blurts,

 

“Chanyeol’s cheating on you.”

 

Baekhyun has to blink several times at Kyungsoo’s terrified outburst because he’s not sure how his best friend can be cheating on him if they’re not dating at all in the first place? Did Kyungsoo somehow catch onto Baekhyun’s feelings for the tall ogre? But then –

 

Oh.

 

Oh.

 

They’re supposed to be happily engaged. Right.

 

He forgot about that.

 

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun finally finds something to say. On one hand, he could care less because Chanyeol is in a real relationship with someone who is not him, anyway. But on the other hand, he was curious as to how Kyungsoo found out. Did he see Chanyeol and Soojung together a few days ago?

 

“He was with a girl,” Kyungsoo starts to say, twiddling his thumbs and nervously gauging the other’s reaction.

 

“I’m sorry, Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo whispers empathetically, his head hung low.

 

“Where’d you see them?”

 

“Just now—”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen as he holds a hand up, “—Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You saw them just now? Like, somewhere in this resort?”

 

“Yeah… On the beach, when Jongin and I were taking a stroll.”

 

Baekhyun glances at the name of the resort above the concierge’s desk. Of ing course. He’d been too busy wallowing in self-pity he hadn’t noticed that they were at the resort he had gone to with Chanyeol just months before.

 

And then it hit him.

 

Kyungsoo saw them on the beach. The beach.

 

Crack, crack, crack.

 

It’s done, Baekhyun’s heart goes hysterical.

 

“Kyungsoo…” Baekhyun starts with a deep breath, heart beating hard in his chest, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

.

.

.

“So… All this while…” Kyungsoo gapes at the brunet in disbelief.

 

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun croaks, dropping his gaze out of shame. “There’s no other reason for it apart from the fact that I was being a jealous little .”

 

“So let me get this straight, Chanyeol’s really proposing to someone he actually likes?”

 

“Proposed,” Baekhyun corrects rather sullenly, “You saw them on the beach earlier today…”

 

“It’s done,” Baekhyun whispers heartbrokenly.

 

“And you’re sad because…?”

 

Baekhyun lifts his gaze to meet Kyungsoo’s confused expression, realization shining bright in his eyes. “Because I’m in love with him,” he chokes. “I’m in love with that idiot and he doesn’t know it.”

 

Baekhyun’s expecting Kyungsoo to laugh in his face, make fun of his situation, but he does the complete opposite, stunning Baekhyun. He puts a comforting hand on his shoulder and asks in a gentle voice, “Why don’t you tell him?”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. “I can’t. He’s had enough of my .”

 

“Baek, I know we’ve never been on the best of terms since college—”

 

“—since you stole Jongin away from me—”

 

“—well, you didn’t let me try to win Chanyeol’s love—”

 

“—that’s ‘cause I wanted him for myself!” Baekhyun slaps both hands over his mouth, horrified. Kyungsoo gives a knowing smile.

 

“I don’t know where that came from.”

 

Kyungsoo slaps a hand on Baekhyun’s chest. “It came from your heart.”

 

“You’ve always loved Chanyeol, Baek.”

 

Baekhyun feels like the world’s biggest idiot.

 

“As I was saying…” Kyungsoo takes the chance to continue, “We’ve never really been genuine with each other, but these past few weeks, I’ve learnt quite a bit. If we could have just put aside our pride and just be happy for each other regardless, we would have made really great friends, you and I.”

 

“Chanyeol’s a great guy, anyone would be lucky to have him, but Jongin… he’s the love of my life. And Chanyeol… he’s yours.”

 

“If we just got along with each other, wouldn’t it be better?” Kyungsoo holds a hand out.

 

“Is this a truce?” Baekhyun asks meekly, eyeing the hand.

 

Kyungsoo smiles with a nod. Baekhyun shakes on it, biting down on his lip as a wave of relief washes over him. The weight on his shoulder, one he hadn’t known had existed all this while he’d been hating on Kyungsoo and his perfect life, was lifted and he felt like he’d achieved some sort of peace in his life.

 

*

 

Baekhyun finally meets Chanyeol on the beach where it all began.

 

He’s alone, thank god for that, but the sight of him after weeks of virtually no contact makes Baekhyun’s heart clench in unimaginable ways. But he’s promised himself. He promised that he wouldn’t make a mountain out of a molehill. He was going to apologize for being a dickhead all this while and make a vow to be a better best friend. He will congratulate Chanyeol on his engagement (with no bitterness whatsoever) and he will absolutely not confess his newly discovered feelings for the tall man.

 

He will pretend he isn’t a man who had just experienced heartbreak.

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hey.”

 

Chanyeol hesitates for a moment, but takes a seat beside Baekhyun on the edge of a large rock, the waves crashing beneath their feet. A comfortable lull falls upon them but both men could feel the apology and remorse heavy in the air between them. They’ve had fights before, and they’ve always somehow made up easily, but this time, it felt as if their argument was of a more serious extent than any of their previous disagreements.

 

“I told Kyungsoo everything,” Baekhyun breaks the silence, eyes still staring out into the sea.

 

Chanyeol does a double take. “You did?”

 

“Yeah. Everything. I came clean like you asked me to. And, we’re kind of okay now.”

 

“Frenemies?” Chanyeol cautiously asks.

 

“Nope. Real friends,” Baekhyun manages a small smile, side-eyeing his best friend.

 

“That’s good,” Chanyeol comments.

 

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun whispers after another pause, dropping his gaze to look at the top of his knees where he’d pulled them up to his chest. “For being such an all this while.”

 

“I think I understood the first couple of times you texted me,” Chanyeol jokes, referring to all the apologies Baekhyun had sent after their argument, laughing softly. Baekhyun doesn’t laugh along but his expression is soft and, to Chanyeol, rather endearing. There’s that rare vulnerable yet soft side to Baekhyun that Chanyeol had witnessed a couple of times over the course of their friendship and it always made Chanyeol all tingly and warm inside.

 

“So are we okay now?” Baekhyun meets Chanyeol’s gaze; and it hurts, but it’s okay because Chanyeol’s grin makes up for it, even if temporary.

 

“Yeah. We’re good.”

 

*

 

Chanyeol walks Baekhyun back to his room, both of them riding up the elevator in silence. The quiet ding tugs Baekhyun from his overwhelming thoughts of Chanyeol and engaged and before he knows it, they’re at the front of his room. He casts a glance at Chanyeol’s hand and stifles a surprised squeak before slamming the door in the face of an unsuspecting Chanyeol.

 

Baekhyun promised himself. He did. He told himself he wasn’t going to freak out and get all emotional but the ring on Chanyeol’s finger…

 

It was glittering magnificently, almost mockingly.

 

“Baek?” comes the hesitant and confused voice from the other side of the door just moments after. Baekhyun leans against the door, his heart thundering in his chest.

 

“Baekhyun, what’s wrong?”

 

“I just…” Baekhyun says. “,” he mumbles under his breath, taking deep breaths to compose himself.

 

“I’ve been such a ,” Baekhyun suppresses the whine in the back of his throat. The knocks continue but they’re quiet and patient as Chanyeol leans his forehead against the wood.

 

“You’re right. I’m insufferable and my attitude is bull, I’m horrible when it comes to being nice to people and I… I just really , big time,” Baekhyun rambles, burying his face into his hands.

 

“Baek…” Chanyeol calls again, his deep voice reverberating through the door. “It’s not true.”

 

And this time, Chanyeol really means it. Well, if someone asked him weeks ago, he would have agreed with Baekhyun; that the latter was mean, and it was exhausting trying to keep up with his iness. But if there’s anyone who knows Byun Baekhyun, it was Chanyeol. He knew Baekhyun inside out, knew him like the back of his hand. Chanyeol’s lived with Baekhyun’s every flaw and perfection, and somehow, if given the chance, he would still choose to stick around.

 

“Chanyeol that’s a lie and you know it.”

 

“It’s not,” Chanyeol insists, “You’re… you could be those things at times but there’s more to you.”

 

“Really, Baek, just open the door.” Baekhyun shakes his head despite the fact that Chanyeol can’t see him.

 

“Baekhyun…”

 

“Yeol, can you just—let me be for awhile, okay?”

 

Chanyeol continues to murmur his best friend’s name in a pleading tone, and there’s a long pause wherein he wasn’t even sure if Baekhyun was listening to him anymore but after the longest pause, he relents.

 

“I’ll go,” Chanyeol says, peeling himself away from the wood that separates them both, “But come to the beach at ten, ’kay?”

 

And then he was gone.

 

.

.

.

Baekhyun is rather embarrassed by his little outburst brought upon by a darn piece of jewelry but an hour later, after he’s considerably composed, he fulfils Chanyeol’s request to set the record straight.

 

Baekhyun’s newfound courage wavers, but he resists the urge to run back to the comforts of his room, trudging on with determination towards the familiar lone figure whose back was illuminated by the moonlight. As soon as he’s near enough, he notices that Chanyeol’s spinning the ring around his finger.

 

Again, he swallows the disappointment and musters a genuine smile.

 

“Are you ready to tell me why you locked yourself in the room?” Chanyeol says as a greeting when he notices Baekhyun’s presence.

 

“It’s dumb,” Baekhyun gives a quiet reply with an airy wave, “Besides, it’s unimportant.”

 

“How is my feisty best friend having two emotional breakdowns in the span of weeks unimportant?” Chanyeol holds two quotation marks in the air, studying Baekhyun’s face with a frown. Baekhyun is thrown into another whirlwind of emotions at Chanyeol’s genuine concern, tears pricking at his eyes.

 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun agrees thickly, “What am I, an overly emotional teenage girl?”

 

His smile is wobbly and Chanyeol reaches a hand out to a thumb over the apple of his cheek, the way he always does whenever Baekhyun’s upset. The difference is that this time, it actually hurts to see the fondness in Chanyeol’s eyes. It’s unbearable, and Baekhyun has to look away, suddenly reminded of why he’d forced himself to meet his best friend after his outburst.

 

“So,” Baekhyun says, a little louder and forcibly brighter, “You’re engaged?”

 

There’s a pause, the words settling in Chanyeol’s mind as his lips quirks into a playful grin.

 

“It depends.” Baekhyun snaps his attention to the tall man.

 

“Depends?” He asks with a slight frown.

 

“Yeah.” Chanyeol raises an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 

“On what?” Baekhyun holds his breath, eyes glancing for a moment at the ring around Chanyeol’s finger, just to be sure.

 

“On whether you’ll say yes,” Chanyeol says with a shrug of his shoulders.

 

“Well,” Baekhyun lets out a breath after a moment’s silence, “You’ve only just met her, but like you said, if you’ve fallen in love at first sight, then that’s that, isn’t it? I mean, sure, you’ll need to learn more about each other but I guess you could do that after—”

 

“Baekhyun, why are you bringing anyone else into this conversation? This is strictly about you and me.”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes grow wider, mouth agape. “What?”

 

“Don’t you understand?”

 

“No, actually, I don’t,” Baekhyun huffs rather annoyed, pulling away from Chanyeol to place his hands on his hips, “Can you explain?”

 

“Bossy as always,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, albeit playfully. “Well, let’s just go straight to the point.”

 

“Do you want to marry me or what?”

 

Baekhyun turns flustered, “W-What are you on about, Yeol--”

 

Chanyeol cuts him off with a dead serious expression, an arm snaking around Baekhyun’s waist to tug him closer, “Say yes to being mine. Say yes to spending the rest of your life with me.”

 

Baekhyun merely continues to gape at Chanyeol, though his heart is doing all sorts of flips and somersaults, if that was even possible.

 

(Baekhyun is certain that anything is possible with Park Chanyeol)

 

“What about Soojung?” is the only thing he could verbalize despite all the questions swirling about in his head.

 

“Like I said, this isn’t about her,” Chanyeol replies, rather exasperated. He had one heck of an explanation to give his best friend, but right now, all he wanted was a yes from Baekhyun. That, and a kiss.

 

“Are you even sure you’re in love with me?” Baekhyun’s insecurity creeps up on him as he goes rigid in Chanyeol’s hold.

 

Chanyeol’s grip remains unyielding, his eyes ablaze with determination. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. About you. About me. About us.”

 

“Yes, I did go out on a few dates with Soojung, but I couldn’t do anything else besides hold her hand. I couldn’t even kiss her.”

 

“And you wanna know why?”

 

Baekhyun gulps, Chanyeol’s face inching closer to his. For a second, Baekhyun was sure that his best friend was going to kiss him. But before it could happen, before Baekhyun could even flutter his eyes to a close, Chanyeol breathes, “Because all I could think of was you. You and the way you’d dig your nose in front of me without shame, you and the way you’re not ashamed to be at your worst around me. You and how comfortable you get when it’s just you and I – the way you’d hold my hand when you’re scared or the way you’d tangle your legs with mine on the bus without giving a if the homophobic ahjummahs throw a glare at us. You, Byun Baekhyun, and the way you can turn from such a little into the cutest and most lovable person all in a heartbeat.

 

All I could think of was you, Byun Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun’s breath hitches at Chanyeol’s confession.

 

“I am so in love with you, you in every form, good and bad, and I am not afraid, nor am I ashamed to say it.”

 

Carefully, Baekhyun brings his hands up to cup Chanyeol’s face. His hands are shaking from Chanyeol’s confession. Is this even for real?

 

“This is the part you say yes,” Chanyeol prompts in a whisper, earning himself a light smack to the shoulder along with a very tearful and affectionate "of course, you ogre" before the ring is slipped onto a dainty finger.

 

“You want me to be your fiancé for reals this time around?”

 

“For reals.” Baekhyun gives a fervent nod.

 

Chanyeol finally gets that kiss, and it’s everything he has imagined and more. Baekhyun is feisty and impossible, but Chanyeol also knows he’s sweet and amazing, and it shines through the way he pulls Chanyeol in deeper, his lips curving into a smile as they whisper disgustingly cheesy words of love.

 

*

 

“Can’t believe it took them this long to figure out that they’re in love with each other,” Jongin shakes his head in disbelief as Kyungsoo sidles closer into his side.

 

“Well, babe, they are both complete idiots,” Kyungsoo laughs, watching as his frenemy-turned-real-friend manhandles the tall gawky being, taking control of the heated kiss following the proposal. As expected of Byun Baekhyun.

 

Jongin chuckles in agreement, leaning down to peck Kyungsoo on the cheek as the other winds his arms around his fiancé’s neck, his own lips finding Jongin’s.

 

“Thank you for the free spa treatment, Kyungsoo-ssi,” a sweet voice calls from the side, interrupting the couple’s moment.

 

Kyungsoo immediately pulls away from Jongin, his cheeks tinted red.

 

“Ah, sorry about that, Soojung-ssi,” Kyungsoo says, “And it’s nothing, really. I’m just glad you agreed to help the stubborn couple out and went along with the plan of Chanyeol pretending to propose to you.”

 

Soojung sighs dreamily, “Anything for the beautiful unification of love.”

 

*

 

omg this is so lame

and the lame ending

plus unbeta-ed and i think i meant to put in some things but forgot so.

there are so many loopholes in the story but let's pretend they're not there

OTL

/cries/