“So you didn’t pick up a date. Instead, you picked up a cat.” Jongdae rolled his eyes.

                “Yeah. All in all, not a bad night.” Chanyeol joked as he filled Harry’s bowl with milk. Harry is the name of the grey cat who Baekhyun’s hand and purred at Chanyeol’s feet. Chanyeol liked to think of Harry as their lovechild (even though he still couldn’t get Baekhyun to look at him, much less say hi). Jongdae rolled his eyes when he told him the whole story. He doesn’t seem to believe it when Chanyeol told him he patted Baekhyun’s back while he threw up.

                Chanyeol spent the afternoon on campus grounds, strumming his guitar to sad love songs while Harry busied himself with a ball of yarn. He couldn’t get Baekhyun out of his head no matter how hard he tried. Then that afternoon, he saw Baekhyun again in the window of the same history class.

                “Hey Baekhyun!” he waved from outside while holding his guitar. Baekhyun turned his head and spotted Chanyeol waving at him. He simply looked at the tall boy with no expression. Then his eyes darted to Harry.

                Harry scurried into Chanyeol’s lap and Chanyeol picked Harry up. He the cat lovingly and kissed the top of Harry’s head. Baekhyun watched Chanyeol and Harry together, and the corner of his lips lifted slightly. Chanyeol looked up to see Baekhyun looking at them, with what looks to be a small smile on his face. Chanyeol turned Harry to face him and lifted the cat’s paw, making Harry wave at Baekhyun.

                Then, something beautiful happened. A wide smile appeared on Baekhyun’s face. Chanyeol could see all of his teeth and he could only imagine Baekhyun’s laughter. It must be the most beautiful thing he has ever heard. Chanyeol lifted Harry’s paws and tried to make it as if the cat was dancing. Baekhyun simply smiled and waved.

                He waved.

                Baekhyun waved at Chanyeol.

                Well, at Harry really. But maybe it was meant to be at Chanyeol too.

                He waved.

                He smiled. And it was beautiful. God it was beautiful.

                Baekhyun turned his head to look at his books but Chanyeol rolled onto the ground and squealed in excitement, pleasure, embarrassment and all the things that people feel when they are in love. The kind where they feel like a firework bursting in the air or a tea kettle on the stove. He just wants to scream and shout and tell Baekhyun how much he loves him. Most importantly, he just wants to see Baekhyun smile at him again.

                “He smiled at me!!! I swear to God he smiled at me! He even waved! He said hi!! He knows me Jongdae! He knows me!” Chanyeol told Jongdae over lunch.

                “Wow…” was all Jongdae could say. “Are you serious about this?”

                “I swear on all that is holy and if I am lying may God take all that is precious from me,” Chanyeol swore. “I am not lying here. He really does know me.”

                “Are you sure he knows your name and not the fact that you’re the guy with the cute cat?”

                “He knows my name. I swear.” Chanyeol insisted. I think.

                Harry was definitely not allowed inside campus buildings, so Chanyeol had no choice but to let Harry stay outside. Harry didn’t run very far, he just seemed to prefer lazing around under the warm sun and sleeping.

                Once class was over, Chanyeol picked Harry up and grabbed his stuff, ready to head back home. He saw Baekhyun across the street, getting ready to mount his bike. He picked up pace and called his name. “Hey Baekhyun!”

                “Sup.” Was all Baekhyun said. He brushed his golden brown hair aside while holding onto his helmet. He gave Chanyeol a courteous nod as the tall rocker made his way over.

                “Remember Harry?” Chanyeol asked him.

                “Who?”

                “Harry. The grey cat you were playing with last night under the bridge. I took him home last night and decided to adopt him. His name is Harry now.”

                “Why did you name him Harry?”

                “Well, he’s grey and kind of…”

                “Hairy?”

                “Wait, how did you know?” Chanyeol widened his eyes.

                “Lucky guess.” Baekhyun rolled his. “No wonder this cat looked familiar.” He reached up to grab Harry from Chanyeol’s arms and cradled the cat in his arms. Harry seemed to recognise the biker boy and leaned over to try and tap Baekhyun’s chin with his paws. Baekhyun looked up at Chanyeol. “Were you the kid from last night?”

                “Yeah, that was me.”

                “What’s your name?”

                “Chanyeol. Park Chanyeol.”

                “Oh yeah.” Baekhyun looked back down at Harry. “Are the guy who short-circuited the hall at last year’s summer bash?”

                “Er yeah, that’s me.” Chanyeol muttered sheepishly. “That stint wasn’t my finest moment ever.”

                “So it wasn’t a prank?”

                “Hell no.”

                “Too bad. I thought it was a cool prank.”

                “Did I say it wasn’t a prank? I meant that it wasn’t my prank. Yeah, I was just helping my friend but it was way cool huh?” Chanyeol tried.

                “Uh huh.” The way Baekhyun sounded meant that he didn’t believe a word the rocker just said. Instead he focused on Harry. He played with Harry a bit before handing him back to Chanyeol. “I gotta go.”

                “Where are you going?”

                “What’s it to you?”

                “I was just asking.”

                “Trust me, you wouldn’t want to know.”

                “Is it illegal?”

                Baekhyun smirked to himself. “Maybe.”

                “When can I see you again?”

                “Never if you don’t get off my bike.”

                “So sorry!!” Chanyeol didn’t even realize he was leaning against Baekhyun’s bike and he jumped up, blowing the space that he leaned on as if he was trying to dust it away. He tried patting the spot but the look from Baekhyun’s stare could probably burn his hand away.

                “Go away Chanyeol.”

                “Will you be here tomorrow?”

                Once again Baekhyun sped off and left him in the dust. Chanyeol coughed and covered Harry’s head from being polluted. He sighed deeply. At least he can say he tried. With the grey fur ball in his arms, he walked back on campus.

                Baekhyun’s bike was the fastest thing on the highway. He was used to riding at such speeds and he enjoyed the adrenaline it came with. However, that day Baekhyun found himself driving much faster than before. By the time he got off his bike, his heart was pounding madly. He actually had to sit down for a bit and take big breaths.

                It’s just adrenaline. It’ll pass.

                And it did.