Chanyeol really doesn’t want to do this. He isn’t really up for the idea of dating his best friend’s ex – they are ex-boyfriends already, right? But Baekhyun had held his hands then, looked him in the eyes and pleaded. ‘Please, Chanyeol. Don’t let me, of all people, get in the way of your true love.’ Chanyeol scoffs at the memory of Baekhyun’s words. His true love is with Jongin – he doesn’t need Kyungsoo for that.

But Baekhyun holds a special place in his heart and he can’t break a promise he made with the older guy.

And so, Chanyeol is seated on his bed with his phone held tightly in his hands. He rereads the text message he typed out minutes earlier, and scrutinizes every word, every letter. ‘Wanna go watch a movie with me? –Chanyeol’

Chanyeol sighs and lets himself fall back onto his bed, his weight cushioned by his soft mattress. He blinks up at the ceiling, wondering how their situation got so screwed up. With a sigh, he brings up his phone to his eye level and taps on the send button. Chanyeol turns on his side and stares at his phone until it blackens out.

Seconds later, his phone lights up with a notification. It’s a text from Kyungsoo: ‘It’s about time you asked.’

Most of their date is being spent inside the cinema and Chanyeol has purposely planned it to be that way. He doesn’t know how he’s supposed to handle going on a date with his best friend’s ex, which leads to the conclusion that sitting in the dark with a movie to fill in the silence is the best date idea for the two of them. Chanyeol allows his muscles to go lax and settles on the plush of the cinema seat as he watches the scenes play before his eyes.

He doesn’t know much about the movie they’re watching but Kyungsoo gave him a gist of what it’s about as an attempt at small talk on the way to the cinema. It’s a romance movie – Kyungsoo’s a er for those, just like Baekhyun had told them – and its plot revolves around the concept of love before the tattoos became a part of humanity’s existence, with the characters dancing around each other’s feelings. The movie selection is solely Kyungsoo’s but Chanyeol couldn’t care less. He just needs something to distract both of their attentions from the real issue at hand. He just needs to spend a day with Kyungsoo with as little interaction as possible, yet still be able to call it a date. That’s what Baekhyun asked him for, right? A date with Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol reaches over to grab some popcorn, the box carefully placed on top of Kyungsoo’s thighs, and he tries hard not to tense up over the fact that he’s getting into Kyungsoo’s personal space. He sneaks a glance over the other guy, the screen dimly illuminating his features, and it seems as if Kyungsoo doesn’t mind at all. If anything, Kyungsoo seems completely comfortable right beside him – or is it just because he’s far too immersed into the movie to care? Chanyeol tries not to think too much and averts his attention back to the screen.

Kyungsoo invited Chanyeol out to dinner, which led them into sitting across each other in a little restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. However, Chanyeol is being awfully quiet, the silence enveloping them in a suffocating embrace. Kyungsoo can’t help but compare the other with Jongin.

With Jongin, it’s laughter and easy chatter, all thoughts regarding the circumstances forgotten for the moment. Meanwhile with Chanyeol, it’s silence and tense atmosphere, their unusual and difficult situation constantly slapping Kyungsoo in the face.

Kyungsoo attempts, yet again, at a conversation. “How did you like the movie?”

Chanyeol tears his gaze from his fingers fiddling with the napkin on the table and looks up at Kyungsoo. “It’s okay.” Kyungsoo doesn’t reply, waiting for the other to elaborate. Chanyeol looks back down at the napkin. “I’m not into romance movies though.”

Kyungsoo lets out a hum, his eyes falling down to stare at the piece of cloth sliding in between Chanyeol’s fingers. “I liked it.” Kyungsoo starts, deciding that if Chanyeol’s not going to participate in the conversation, he might as well fill the silence with his opinions. “I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of courtship, you know?” A small smile graces his features as a familiar face flashes in his mind. “The tattoos remove the fun in falling in love. Pain, heartbreak – they’re all a part of being in love.” Chanyeol’s fingers stop moving but Kyungsoo continues to stare. “That’s why I courted Baekhyun. I knew it wasn’t going to work out in the end, but I love him. It’s like living a romance movie, you know, dating Baekhyu—“

Kyungsoo jumps a little when Chanyeol cuts in with a low voice. “So where does that put Jongin and me?” Kyungsoo looks up at Chanyeol and blinks as he finds the other’s toxic gaze. “The third party who ruins the beautiful love story of the protagonists?”

Silence engulfs them once again, as Kyungsoo stares with wide eyes and Chanyeol returning the gaze with a glare. And that is when Kyungsoo realizes that where Jongin is sympathetic and open, Chanyeol is wounded and guarded.

“I—“ Kyungsoo tries to speak, but he is at a loss for words. “…you ruined my relationship with Baekhyun, yes.” Chanyeol’s glare gets deadlier but Kyungsoo pushes on. “But you guys are no third party. I know you’re supposed to be my soulmates but…” Kyungsoo looks down for a moment. “Let me… let me figure that out myself. Let me be the one to dictate where you stand in my life, not some… some tattoo.”

The waiter arrives with the food, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere and serves the ordered meals. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol eat in silence, the heavy atmosphere hanging in the air.

Chanyeol plops down onto their living room couch, his groans muffled by the throw pillow. God, had he screwed it up. He doesn’t know what to feel. There’s a heavy feeling in his chest, guilt clenching his heart – he messed up real bad with his date with Kyungsoo. He remembers Jongin gushing about the day he spent in the other’s company and can’t help but think how opposite it is with his day with Kyungsoo.

With another groan, he fixes his position on the couch into one that faces the ceiling and fetches his phone from his pocket. There are two text messages. One from Jongin. And one from Kyungsoo.

He decides to open Jongin’s first.

So??? How did it go?

Chanyeol groans again, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in his chest. He types out a response. ‘Terrible.’ He stares at the single word on his phone screen for a while, before deciding to elaborate. ‘I think I offended him or something.’ He hits the send button and lets his phone fall onto his chest, his eyes staring at the plain white ceiling.

His phone vibrates against his chest and he picks it up yet again, to another text from Jongin. “WHY??!?!” Another vibrate follows the text message and another chat bubble appears underneath the former message. “You have to make it up to Kyungsoo, you .”

Great. Absolutely great. He only feels worse about his situation and he is at a loss of what to do. Did he really mess up that bad? He tries to recall the hour spent inside the restaurant and his heart clenches at the memory of the tense atmosphere. Yes. Yes, he did.

With a shaky thumb, Chanyeol opens Kyungsoo’s text message.

‘Let’s give it one more try. How about you and Jongin come over to my apartment this time?’

Author's Note: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the 100 subs! Tell me in the comments how you felt throughout this chapter and look forward to more chapters in the future!