Kinesics

n. study of body language, 1952, from Greek kinesis "movement, motion"

 

“Hey, want to try playing with the others on the slides?” Baekhyun asks his 5 year old patient, making his voice twice as soft and sweet as it was to avoid the little boy from running away from him again just like what happened yesterday. He didn’t particularly enjoy the experience.

The little boy shakes his head, resuming on playing with the toy trains around him. Baekhyun pouts as he sits down on the carpeted floor right beside Jihoo.

“You sure?” he asks, smiling. “I’m sure you’d have fun with them.”

Jihoo momentarily stops from playing, round eyes now staring directly into a particular group of other kids probably of his age playing with the different toys inside the hospital’s playroom.

Baekhyun observes him. Tiny hands were unconsciously fumbling, running across the tiny details of the toy train in hand, eyes still wide and concentrated.

He looks up at the doctor, blinking his eyes.

“Hey they’re good kids, I’m sure you’d like them a lot.” Baekhyun assures him.

Jihoo blinks his eyes again but Baekhyun could see the hidden smile and want on his sparkling little eyes.  

“I- I don’t want to.”

Baekhyun exhales a laugh, “Okay, okay, maybe we’ll try having fun with them tomorrow. Your mom’s waiting outside and she’s excited to see you, buddy.”

The doctor stands up and brushes off the invisible dust on his white coat before helping his little patient up with him.

The two make their way outside to the waiting area and Jihoo quickly runs into his mother’s arms after scanning the room excitedly.

Baekhyun almost giggles at the sight.

Mrs. Choi smiles at him before extending her hand out which he enthusiastically shakes without hesitation.

“How’s my son doing, Dr. Byun? Is he okay?” she asks, her hands tightly holding onto her son’s.

“He’s doing great, actually. And he’s been behaving well.” Baekhyun chuckles and she sighs in relief upon hearing the great news. “We just need a little more talking and I’m sure he’ll be able to cope up.”

“Thank the heavens,” she smiles gratefully, bending down to carry her son in her arms before kissing the latter firmly on the cheek.

 

After meeting and talking with a few more patients scheduled for today, Baekhyun stops to the nurse station to check his patients’ files.

“E-Excuse me, Dr. Byun?” a station nurse looks up at him from the monitor, sparkles evident in her eyes.

Doctor Byun Baekhyun was pretty well know in this hospital for his personality, his skill as a doctor and most of all, his infectious looks that usually made female nurses’ eyes turn into glittering hearts. Not that he would admit it.

She clears nervously and Baekhyun smirks. “A man was looking for you an hour ago,” she says. The doctor continues on flipping the pages of his file, “Oh, who was it? Did he schedule for an appointment?”

“He didn’t look like he was here for consulting,” she says, her eyes deep in though. “He didn’t mention his name either.”

“Oh.” The doctor frowns, closing the file as he hands it back to the station nurse. “Guess he’ll have to wait until tomorrow.” He bows and thanks the nurse before getting in the elevator.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen in surprise when his eyes land on a tall, lanky figure casually sitting on his swivel chair, his stretched legs resting on top of his newly shined desk and the doctor just wants to choke the person to death because those leather shoes were getting dirt on one of his precious mahogany furniture collection.

“Don’t give me crap Park Chanyeol,” Baekhyun seethes, his hands clenched into tight fists and said person doesn’t ignore the warning tone in the doctor’s voice.

He quickly stands up and raises both of his arms up in surrender, a huge grin stretched across his lips. Baekhyun tries not to punch that perky smile off his face.

“How many months has it been, Baek? Two? Or Two and a half?” The confident, teasing smirk doesn’t get wiped off from Chanyeol’s face and Baekhyun would gladly volunteer to get rid of it.

The doctor sneers in aggravation. “Shut up,” he grits his teeth. “And who gave you the right to come inside like this was your room?”

Chanyeol shrugs. “The last time I remembered was that my best friend, Byun Baekhyun, told me that I was allowed to enter anytime. I am truly regretful about this incident, Doctor Byun.”

Baekhyun marches angrily towards him to smack the latter on the forehead.

“Hey!” Chanyeol exclaims in pain, rubbing his forehead. “That doesn’t mean you could do anything to me just because you’re a good all psychiatrist already! Where’s the Baekhyun I knew?” and then he starts to shake Baekhyun on the shoulders. “Go away evil-creature-residing in-my-best-friend’s body! I demand you to leave!”

The shorter pushes him away. “Stop that, it hurts.” He frowns. Chanyeol laughs, his voice as deep as ever. He pulls Baekhyun into a tight hug, the doctor’s head comfortable under his chin, which annoyed the latter because Chanyeol would always do this to him considering the fact that he wasn’t blessed with such height.

“I just missed my best friend so much.” Chanyeol says, brushing his nose against Baekhyun’s thick mop of hair.

“You haven’t been visiting me. I’m hurt. I though you’ve forgotten about me just because you run a big company already.” Baekhyun got himself to calm down and close his eyes, resting his cheek on Chanyeol’s dress shirt.

He really did miss Chanyeol a lot. After his bestfriend started working on his grandparents’ company, he had nothing to do but work all day. His life was filled with paperwork, pressure, annoying business partners and most of all, he didn’t have any time for himself or time to hang out with his friends.

“You knew I had to work at least 20 hours a day.” Chanyeol juts out his lower lip and Baekhyun snorts at the excuse. “Then how did you find time to barge into my office today?” he pinches the taller’s back but it doesn’t break them from hugging each other.

“I just got promoted to a higher rank and apparently it has lesser work. Ironic. And didn’t I send you an email? A picture came with it.”

“I don’t check my emails, sorry.”

“What kind of doctor doesn’t check his email?”

“There’s this contraption called a phone, Park. It’s a lot easier and probably 80% of the population uses them.”

“I just felt like sending it through email would have the professional elegant feel.”

“Dummy.”

 

It took Chanyeol the entire afternoon to persuade Baekhyun into coming with him to a bar in the big parts of Seoul, saying they both needed to catch up with all the things they’ve missed.

“But it’s a bar Chanyeol, a bar.” The doctor narrows his eyes in disgust and Chanyeol exactly knew what he was thinking. The first time they both went to a bar was when they were in their last year of being college seniors. It literally scarred the doctor’s life so he doesn’t want to bring the topic back up again.

“I swear I wouldn’t let a drunk sticky person lay a finger on you. I don’t even think there are.” Chanyeol laughs. “And we’re not overdrinking, we’ll just talk. And drink a few teeny tiny glasses of wine.”

“Fine.” Baekhyun sighs exasperatedly before jabbing his best friend’s chest with a finger. “But if you get drunk, I’m leaving you.”

 

 

So that’s how Baekhyun ended up gaping, jaws dropped unattractively when a few waiters and waitresses greet Chanyeol with a “Good evening, CEO Park” and the latter greets them back, voice filled with formality and authority and Baekhyun catches a glimpse of a few more workers tittering over the guy.

“CEO Park?” Baekhyun raises an eyebrow as Chanyeol leads him to the bar counter where it’s curve was lined with different brands of fermented grape wine and different types and shapes of expertly made wineglasses were displayed.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier that I got promoted?” Chanyeol tells him after ordering glasses of drinks for both of them. “I got promoted to CEO.”

“But you didn’t specify!” Baekhyun huffs, irritated.

The CEO grimaces after handing him a glass of cosmopolitan. “You see, that’s the reason why we need all this talking. I don’t even know what you have been doing these days.”

Chanyeol’s bar wasn’t like the local bars people normally see situated on the corner of the streets. This one was tight on security and Baekhyun thought that not even one person would dare to mess up and get into a fight here. It was sort of silent. The room was echoing with the people’s soft murmurs and the clinking of glasses against each other.

They talked about the things and experiences that they’ve gone through after the days when work started getting hectic like how Chanyeol was scolded by a co-worker before she knew that he was the President’s grandson and how she then started apologizing really hard after finding out. Like how Baekhyun had to handle stubborn patients and semi lazy nurses. They were too occupied with their conversation that they didn’t notice time running rapidly.

“Woah exactly how many hours did our little chit chat go?” Baekhyun says, frowning down at his wristwatch. “I think I have to leave, I still have patients to take care of tomo—“

“Baek,” Chanyeol looks down at the floor uncertainly, “Can I ask you a favor?”

The doctor sits back on the bar stool and looks at his best friend. “Sure,” he hums. “just make sure it doesn’t imprison me.”

Chanyeol shifts uncomfortably in his seat as he bites his bottom lip nervously, “So, there’s this girl I like,” he starts and Baekhyun tries to hold in the laugh bubbling up inside him by puffing his cheeks.

“Sorry, please continue.”

“Again, there’s this girl I like and er, she works in the company,” the CEO clears his throat then Baekhyun gestures for him to continue. He honestly has never seen his best friend get anxious about a girl like this before. He found it interesting but quite hilarious.

“Her name’s Jinri and she’s really really pretty—do you want me to show you a photo of her working because I took one a few days ag—“

“No! What the heck Park Chanyeol that’s creepy! What are you, a stalker?” Baekhyun exclaims. “First of all, you don’t take pictures of the woman you like. That’s just not how it works I bet when she finds out about that she would surely beat you up into a pulp.”

 “Oh.” Realization hits the CEO and he quickly fumbles with his phone to delete the pictures he took.

The doctor checks his wristwatch again. “So what about this girl and the favor you were going to ask? Make it quick I have to go home.”

“Well, psychologists read peoples’ minds don’t they? Like read their emotions to know what a person is thinking or feeling.”

“Not entirely but you could say that.” He shrugs.

Chanyeol scratches his head uncertainly. “I want you to come with me to the office and read Jinri for me. To know what she thinks about me or something.”

 Baekhyun looked offended, “What do I look like to you, a mind reader? A sorcerer? A magician? I’m not doing this Chanyeol this is crap and it doesn’t even make any sense. I’m a psychiatrist. I don’t have powers. I view things a lot different than what you think.”

“Baekhyun please just this one ti—“

 “I’m out of here, Park.” The doctor hastily stands up from his seat when he feels a firm grip on his arm, pulling him back to sit back down on the barstool. “Stop this.”

“Baek, please?” Chanyeol begs with a pleading look on his eyes but Baekhyun gives him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry Chanyeol but I can’t do this. Doing this isn’t my job and reading peoples’ minds illegally isn’t right.”

“I just really want to know—“

Baekhyun’s phone rings and the latter mumbles out an apology before rushing out of the building, leaving Chanyeol dumbfounded.

 

 

The doctor finds a bouquet of roses and a Starbucks take out on his desk the next morning. He sets his car keys beside the roses after placing his leather satchel on the swivel chair behind him.

He puts on his white coat and goes to the nurse station situated near his office before greeting the nurses. “Did anyone of you notice someone who entered my office this morning?” he asks.

“No one Dr. Byun,” one of the nurses says, “I made sure the door was locked before you left with your friend yesterday evening.”

“Oh,” and then it clicks. The extra key he gave away. “Now I remember, thank you.”

He digs for his phone on his pants pocket before dialing the number he learned by heart. It only took 2 rings for the other line to answer.

“Liked the roses? And the Starbucks wasn’t easy; I had to wait in line for half an hour.”

Even if Baekhyun couldn’t see, he could still picture Park Chanyeol smirking over the phone.

“Well that’s bad because I didn’t ask for it. But thank you for the effort.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes and wished that his best friend could see him right now.

“You’re welcome and um, about that favor…”

Not again. “I swear to the Himalayas if you were here right now I would punch you and kick you in the balls or something,” the doctor snarls.

He hears a whistle through the phone. “Then it’s your lucky day! Unfortunate for me I get to be kicked in the balls early in the morning.”

Baekhyun scrunches his face in confusion. “What?”

“Look behind you, Dr. Byun.”

The doctor raises an eyebrow before turning around without hesitation but immediately regrets everything because Chanyeol was leaning against the door and seeing that particular sight could increase his blood pressure, which was depressing and unhealthy.

The doctor ends the call as he massages his temples to loosen the tight nerves.

“What are you doing here?”

“I really need the favor, Baek--”

 He shoves Chanyeol out of his office.

 

The same thing occurred the next day, and the next day and the next. Chocolates, roses, a box of donuts, more roses, and a McDonalds take out. Baekhyun was starting to think that his best friend was trying to bribe him with all the gifts for that one favor which he still doesn’t want to do.

He was psychiatrist for goodness’ sake and he wouldn’t dare use his profession for pathetic ideas like reading Chanyeol’s crush.

He shakes his head as he enters the hospital wards for rounds.

 

Baekhyun wakes up to the earsplitting ring of his alarm clock, his mind telling him to get up or he’d be late for work. He rolls to the other side of the bed when his head bumps into something hard. He rubs his eyes when he looks up to find his best friend grinning down at him.

“Good morning Dr. Byun!” Chanyeol’s booming voice echoes though his bedroom walls and Baekhyun buries his face under the pillows in annoyance.

“Don’t tell me I also gave you a key to my house,” he groans loudly.  

“Hey it’s sort of fair.” Chanyeol says. “I gave you an extra key to my place and my office, so it makes us even. It’s you who doesn’t make use of the advantages.”

“Go away,” he whines when Chanyeol climbs up with him to bed and locks the doctor’s waist in between his legs to keep him from moving and walking away.

“Chanyeol you’re fat and heavy get off me.” Baekhyun struggles and attempts to free himself from but his best friend but he was far too strong for his petite body.

“You still do know I’m not doing the Jinri mind reading thing right?”

Chanyeol pouts. “Please Baek I really need your help. I just want to know what she thinks about me when I talk to her pleaaaase.” He whines. Literally whines.

“Stop being so stubborn I’m still not doing it, now get off me I have to shower.”

“Please?” Chanyeol leans close to his face.

“No.”

“Baek?” Dangerously closer.

“No Chanyeol. N. O.”

“Doctor Byun?” Closer.

Baekhyun shudders as Chanyeol’s huge face gets closer to his. “This is disgusting Chanyeol—“

“Baek.” The tips of their noses bump. “Please?”

Silence grows in between them, none of them showing signs of movement.

“I’m not getting off you unless you say yes.” Chanyeol’s warm breath hits his lips and he decides he’d punch him in the face later when he gets released.

“Don’t you realize how disgusting this is?” Baekhyun scoffs, pushing his best friend’s face away and Chanyeol doesn’t even react to this.

“I swear I could stay here all day, annoy you all day, and get you real late for wor—“

“Fine! I’m doing it! Just get off of my body I have to get to work.”

Of course he doesn’t forget to punch his best friend’s face.

 

Baekhyun got off from work at 7 in the evening (which was too early), due to Park Chanyeol dragging him out of his office, and lucky thing was that he had finished his appointments and therapies, because if he didn’t, he would have kneed the guy in the nuts.

He was about to head towards the doctors’ parking area when Chanyeol grabs his arm and buckles him up in the front seat of his car.

“Chanyeol, I have a car.” Baekhyun deadpans.

“I know.” Chanyeol says as he firmly locks the seatbelt on the doctor’s waist. “We don’t want you running away wouldn’t we?”

“I’m not an idiot, you moron,” he flicks Chanyeol on the forehead and the latter mumbles something incoherent under his breath. “How am I supposed to go home later? Do you want me to walk? Sure, I’d be absolutely fine walking in the dark dangerous streets of Seoul. Yeah that’d be great.”

“We’ve been best friends for centuries, Dr. Byun. Do you think I’ll leave you? Of course I’m bringing you home this evening.” The CEO says as he starts the car and turns on the engine before concentrating his eyes on the road.

“Make sure this Jinri doesn’t notice us doing this nonsense or else she’d dump you without any delay.” Baekhyun lets him know before it’s too late because Chanyeol can really be obvious when it comes to this like these; crushes, and women. And when he is, things don’t end up usually well. Chanyeol nods knowingly.

They reached Park Corporations after all the heavy traffic, Chanyeol parking his car in front of the building. He almost jumps out of the driver’s seat eagerly, followed by Baekhyun who rolls his eyes in exasperation. 

The doctor puts his hands above his head to keep his hair from getting messed up by the wind as they enter the building, “So what does this Jinri do?” he asks as Chanyeol gleefully puts an arm around his shoulder, leading him through the hallways with the staff bowing as they pass by and even a few workers surprisingly still recognized him after all these months of not being able to visit.

“She’s the office manager.” Chanyeol sighs dreamily and Baekhyun bumps Chanyeol with his hips on the side to keep his best friend conscious. The taller bumps him as payback.

“That’s a pretty  high position,” he comments when they stop in front of the elevator. Chanyeol presses the button and they wait for the metal doors to open. He hums.

“Do you think she likes me? Or is this one sided appreciation?” the CEO crosses his arms and taps his feet repeatedly on the floor tiles in rhythm and Baekhyun scans Chanyeol’s body from head to toe. “Probably.” The doctor nods. “You don’t look that bad—I mean I can’t really say because my sight’s already been fed up with your pedo look for the last 20 years.”

“Hey I’m serious.” Chanyeol laughs quietly and elbows him softly on the shoulder. “I’m really nervous.”

The elevator opens with a ding!, and the CEO’s breath suddenly hitches. “Jinri,” he whispers, nudging his best friend on the side before they step inside and the metal doors close.

Baekhyun clicks on the button for the topmost floor of the building and steps aside to give space for Chanyeol in between them.

“Jinri, this is Dr. Byun Baekhyun—my best friend,” Chanyeol pauses to clear his throat, “and Baek, this is Choi Jinri, our office manager.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Doctor Byun.” She says enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming. No wonder Chanyeol has this little crush on her. She was beautiful; straight perfect teeth, red lips, and her hair fell prettily on top of her shoulders.

“Likewise,” Baekhyun reaches out to shake her extended hand, “I’ve heard so much about you.” He says teasingly and notices Chanyeol stiffen at that very moment. He internally laughs.

The elevator stops on Jirni’s floor and the manager steps out before facing them once again, her eyes on Chanyeol. “Mr. Park, I already sent you an email regarding the agenda for tomorrow’s board meeting.”

“Oh, I’ll check them later, thank you.” Chanyeol smiles, keeping his voice still but Baekhyun could sense the hint of anxiety in his voice.

She bows curtly towards them and the elevator doors slide close, now starting to move upwards.

Chanyeol gives a sigh in relief, leaning to hold onto the side railings to keep his knees from moving like jelly. “So, what do you think?” he finally asks.

“She’s gorgeous, Yeol. You never mentioned she was gorgeous.” Baekhyun says, his lips curving upwards and Chanyeol’s probably thinking that he’s starting to crush on her too. “But look at the bright side, she likes you.”

The CEO grins gleefully, hearts glowing in his eyes. “You think so?” he looks at him expectantly. Baekhyun sure was happy and thankful that Chanyeol had already found someone that could make him smile and live merrily.

“The look on her face says everything,” the doctor assures him, “the way she looks at you, her gestures, her eyes, she likes you so don’t worry about it and don’t—“  he pauses, “don’t screw this up okay?”

“Thank you so much Baek!” Chanyeol almost dives down to pull him to a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around the doctor whose head was squeezed against Chanyeol’s chest. “Thank you so much for doing if this for me-- I know I’m stubborn, and a pain in the neck but you still did this for me. Thank you so much.”

Baekhyun breathes out a laugh, wanting to hug his best friend back but his hands were stuck on his sides, “You know you forced me into this right?” he chuckles.

Chanyeol puffs out air, blowing onto the top of his head. “I know.”

“Mr. Park, I suggest that you should let go of me now.” He whispers.

“And why should I do that?”

“Uh, CEO Park?”

Chanyeol mutters a curse under his breath before slowly getting his arms off Baekhyun’s figure. 

He faces the group of staff outside the elevator who were gaping at the scene they’ve just witnessed before bowing his head as he steps outside with Baekhyun trailing after him, both uncomfortable and humiliated.

He’s hugged Baekhyun countless of times before, and some of the staff possibly might even recognized him because they used to hang out in the company when they were in high school.

Not that he was ashamed of his best friend but people would possibly mistake them for something else and Chanyeol was scared that he might upset Baekhyun. 

“So much for being the CEO,” the doctor snickers as they both enter Chanyeol’s office.

 He plops himself on the big mid back chair behind the CEO’s desk, leaving Chanyeol no choice but to stay and lay down on the sofa displayed across him.

“That was ridiculous wasn’t it?” Chanyeol groans as he covers his face with the pillows and hangs his feet on the backrest of the couch, squirming when the memory replays on his mind.

Baekhyun hums. “Not your fault, joy overtook your senses. I admit that was quite embarrassing but it’s not like anything bad happened and they looked fine with it, just startled.”

Chanyeol lifts his head, smiling. “You being a psychiatrist sure has lots of advantages like being able to tell what a person thinks.”

The doctor scoffs and rolls his eyes, wanting to throw a flower vase on his best friend’s head. “I’m not sure if I should still continue helping you get a woman.”

“Hey don’t take my jokes so seriously Doctor Byun. Helping your best friend steal a woman’s heart isn’t a bad thing and this Jinri project could help you know more and expand your knowledge on these types of things.” Chanyeol stands up and walks to his desk, tapping Baekhyun’s foot. “And please get your feet off my desk.”

“You also had your feet on mine, fair and square.” Baekhyun sticks his tongue out but brings his legs down anyways because he had a thing for beautiful desks and they don’t deserve shoes on top of them, especially his mahogany desk.

“Do you want canned coffee?” Chanyeol doesn’t wait for a response before tossing a cold can of coffee from his fridge on Baekhyun’s direction. “That’s vanilla.”

Baekhyun mumbles his thanks and pulls the tab off the can before taking small sips satisfyingly, the hot liquid rolling down his throat soothingly.

One of the things that made Baekhyun like Chanyeol’s office was for the canned coffees. He remembered the old days when they both used to finish at least 5 cans and Mrs. Park would always enter the room, scolding them, saying it could get them heart diseases and health problems. So she would prepare bowls of sliced fruits and bottles of health drinks but would get back to an empty room. They were like children; hiding inside closets, escaping from enraged parents, drinking cans of coffee (sort of) illegally and playing Assassin’s Creed when they were free from work.

Chanyeol opens the door, already half way out. “Do you want to come with me downstairs? I just have to get a few more papers then I’ll bring you home.”

Baekhyun nods discreetly and walks with Chanyeol, side by side, and they get to their desired floor through the elevator. He silently stayed behind the CEO who was discussing a few things with a worker on one of the cubicles when he spots Jinri, engrossed with the papers on her table.

Chanyeol turns to him, twisting his car keys with one finger, “Ready to go?”

“Jinri’s right there,” the doctor bobs his head towards the manager’ direction. “Ask her out for dinner or something. I bet she wouldn’t even refuse this big chunk of meat.” Baekhyun pats the CEO’s stripe patterned necktie, fixing the minor creases on it. “Don’t stutter and please don’t move so much.”

“You sure about this?” Chanyeol gulps nervously, beads of sweat on his forehead and Baekhyun pats him on the cheek reassuringly. “I can tell from your face, Park. This is a onetime opportunity now go man up and get her.”

CEO Park who was usually confident and composed, was now tensed up, walking towards the office manager uneasily. It was obvious how he was trying to keep his chest up high and how he wanted his smile to remain as it was.   

Chanyeol starts talking to her.

Baekhyun leans on the cubicle walls, observing Jinri’s actions and reactions as Chanyeol talks to her with luminous eyes.

 The doctor’s eyes were focusing on Jinri; her minute budges, eye movements and even her stirring, not wanting to miss a single motion; studying her intently before moving his eyes to Chanyeol. Continuing on doing this without Chanyeol knowing could probably make him feel guilty but he was just so curious about Jinri that he studied her even more.

The doctor wanted to ignore it but his senses were telling him that something just wasn’t right about this.

He ogles at Chanyeol’s reddening face, an awkward grin spread on his face and Baekhyun almost shudders when Jinri’s hand comes up to hold the CEO’s bicep, suddenly feeling a wave of possession flow through his body.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes as he takes in a big gulp of the ice cold coffee when Chanyeol comes back; giddily skipping like a 10 year old (not what a CEO’s supposed to be doing), and he just wanted to knee him in the nuts.

“Baek,” Chanyeol bites his lips excitedly, “she agreed to go out with me! She said she liked me too and that we should know more about each other and—this just makes me so happy I want to jump off a cliff!”

The doctor finds himself nodding and grinning with Chanyeol feeling like two highschool girls swooning over their crushes, holding each other’s wrists to keep themselves from jumping and squealing.

Chanyeol takes Baekhyun home that night, both jamming to Girls Generation’s The Boys album with full volume on, the music booming like thunderbolt inside the car.

They finally reached the doctor’s place, both frowning when they knew they had to separate; meaning the fun had to stop.

“You sure you don’t want me to get your car? There’s still time and it isn’t that late yet.” Chanyeol asks through the rolled down car window. “Or should I come here tomorrow morning and bring you to work?”

“Nah, I’ll be fine.” Baekhyun says, shaking his head as he fishes for his house keys on his pockets. “Don’t worry about me, now go home and—shoot.”

Baekhyun curses with a horrified expression plastered on his face, sudden realization slapping him hard on the cheeks. “My car keys,” his eyes widen, “I left them in the car damnit.”

Chanyeol sticks his head out the window and looks up at him hopefully, “You can stay at my place. We should hang out more. We can watch Guardians of the Galaxy! Or play Assassin’s Creed and—.”

“No, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun looks at him blankly and shakes his hands in dismissal. “Can you please take me back to the hospital? I even forgot my other satchel and all my files are in there.”

His best friend pretends to think deeply by propping his chin above his fist. “Hmmm… Guess I’d take you there if you decide to stay in my place tonight.“

 “Too bad for you because your romantic little date tomorrow, unfortunately, would be cancelled if I tell a furious Choi Jinri about your—“

“Okay fine. You win.” The CEO snorts and based on the look he was showing right now, Baekhyun had already concluded that he had won. He gets in his best friend’s car, a huge teasing grin replacing his appalled appearance. Chanyeol sighs in dismay, “You always do anyway."

 

“Good morning Jihoo! You ready to have fun today?” It was already Dr. Byun Baekhyun’s daily routine to greet his patients and co- doctors enthusiastically to start the day positive and bright and sometimes, even if thunder was blasting throughout the sky, he still manages to keep his bright image and continue to work happily as if the weather wasn’t creating gloom all over the place.

His little patient totters towards him and pulls the doctor’s hands weakly to grab his attention and when Baekhyun brings his clipboard down to look at him, Jihoo points at the playroom’s door animatedly.

“Well someone’s pretty excited today.” The doctor offers a hand and Jihoo stares at it for awhile before finally grasping it with his small chubby ones.

Baekhyun’s heart skips lightly.

They enter the playroom and Jihoo’s attention darts to the same children he’s been wanting to play with the other day. He looks up at Baekhyun expectantly and Baekhyun almost melts at this big ball of cuteness, “Can I?” the little boy squeaks.

 “Of course you can!” Baekhyun kneels down to hand him a new toy airplane and Jihoo gapes at it in awe, “Why don’t you try playing with this along with your other friends? That’d be a great idea right?” the doctor beams gladly and without hesitation, Jihoo bounces into the room.

Baekhyun stays outside, looking through the transparent glass window between the waiting area and the playroom. He watches his patient wobble towards 3 other children as he shows them his new toy airplane and a minute didn’t even pass yet, they had already started playing together. The lively looks on their faces made Baekhyun chuckle, bringing his clipboard closer to his chest when he feels his phone vibrate from his coat pocket.

He checks the caller’s name before rolling his eyes, “Yes what do you need so early in the morning CEO Park?” he grumbles impatiently.

“Hey Baek, what should I wear later for my date tonight? A suit? Or just a dress shirt? Or my office clothes? I can’t decide I swear I never knew trying to impress your date was this stressful.”

 “Anything would be fine as long as you wear clothing and not stripped up on your first date.”

“I’m not kidding I’ve been thinking about this since last night and it wouldn’t get off my mind. And hey what do you think of me? A stripper?”

Baekhyun could already picture Chanyeol pouting, plopped down comfortably on his swivel chair with his feet above his desk.

“Just wear your office clothes I’m sorry but I don’t think she’d even notice that you changed your outfit,” the doctor says as he exits the room to the hospital hallways, “Besides, almost all your suits look the same so it wouldn’t make any difference.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol pauses to think, “alright then. What color fits me most though?”

Baekhyun shrugs and plays a mental image of his best friend with all the different colors he could possibly think of. “Red matches you, or perhaps something darker. Dark blue, maybe? It gives off the professional feel… I think.”

“You certainly have good taste in colors doctor Byun.” Chanyeol hums and Baekhyun snorts in return. “Anyhow, I’ll call you later after Jinri and I have dinner and tell you every single detail of it. And thanks so much for helping me out, what would I do without you.”

The CEO ends the call and Baekhyun suddenly feels soreness on his chest, but even the doctor himself couldn’t answer his own dilemma.

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol had known each other for more than 2 decades already; ever since they had chocolate ice cream dripping from the corners of their lips, since they got their baby teeth removed, and ever since they proclaimed themselves as best friends.

They went to the same university for college but took different courses. Baekhyun took up medicine and Chanyeol decided to take up a business- related course which he thought could help him with his family’s company, considering the fact that he was the only son who’d be expected to take over the business.

Baekhyun thought of how long they’ve been together and it was odd how he couldn’t seem to interpret Chanyeol’s actions; his movements. He had gone through the basics of interpreting body language when he was in medical school and when he took his specialization in Psychology.

It wasn’t that he wanted to know everything Chanyeol had in mind but he honestly sometimes couldn’t help himself but observe his best friend’s behavior and actions. He’s probably just too curious.

The facial expressions Chanyeol show are evident and everyone could tell what those emotions are showing; whether he was glad, pissed off, gloomy, or angry. But Baekhyun knew his best friend had something more kept secured in his heart, only it was masked by his appearance.

Whenever Chanyeol had problems, he always had Baekhyun to talk to, someone who would listen as he spits everything out and remove all the anger and frustrations his heart was carrying.

Baekhyun had thought that talking it out would enable him to open Chanyeol’s brain to know more of what he’s thinking but he still couldn’t. Chanyeol probably didn’t want to tell him and he knew that best friends also had their limits to things and privacy still mattered so he didn’t push himself and accepted the reality.

 

The doctor was sprawled above his bed, tangled in between the warm blankets with a book in hand as he tries to read one paragraph without his mind floating somewhere else but fails for the nth time because he’s been reading the same sentence over and over again without even understanding anything.

He glances at his phone on the bedside table before crawling across the bed to get it.

Why wasn’t Chanyeol calling him? It was already 9 in the evening and Baekhyun couldn’t help himself but wonder why his best friend didn’t even send a single text message to let him know how his date with Jinri turned out. It was just unusual because he expected the CEO to be panicky and start calling him on how to stay calm in front of your date.

Maybe they haven’t finished eating dinner. Or was he just too comfortable with Jinri. Or maybe he just got so engrossed on his date that he already had forgotten about Baekhyun.

Ten o’clock.

Eleven o’clock.

None, not even one call nor message.

Baekhyun falls asleep anyway, with a little hope in his heart that Chanyeol would call him the next morning.