Baekhyun feels like he's walking through a field of daisies as Sehun follows behind him. He swears he's never been this happy in his life.

He has a boyfriend who doesn't seem crazy, a job that he doesn't hate, and friends that care for him. However Chanyeol is a different story. It's not like he doesn't care for him, he's just been a bit...hostile? Either way Chanyeol isn't acting like his usual happy self.

Baekhyun doesn't understand why. He's never acted this way before when he dated other people. Maybe it's because it's an actual relationship? Even still, Baekhyun can't wrap his head around it.

However Jongdae's suggestion from a week ago seems fairly reasonable. But Baekhyun doesn't want to think about the possibility of Chanyeol liking him. To be quite honest it kind of gives him the chills. He feels sorry to Chanyeol, but he just can't see him as anything more than a friend. And he's pretty sure they established that during their break up. The both of them explicitly saying "I can't see you as more than a friend."

Baekhyun's head is filled with these thoughts as he mindlessly pushes around his vegetables on his plate. Sehun's been watching Baekhyun mutilate the same pea for five minutes now and he's worried about how quiet and weird Baekhyun's been acting.

He knows Baekhyun isn't mad about the cell phone issue. He got his new phone yesterday and he talked to his boss about the job. It's pending at the moment and Sehun thinks it might be that. But that's his own problem and Baekhyun shouldn't be worrying about it too much. He doesn't want him to at least.

He nudges his foot and Baekhyun looks up at him in surprise. "You okay? You've been attacking your peas for a while." Baekhyun looks down at the pea mush on his fork and frowns. He sets down the fork and pushes his plate slightly away from him. "You okay?"

Baekhyun wants to tell Sehun about Chanyeol, but he's kind of scared how Sehun might react. Considering how high school went, who knows how Sehun might react. But he decides that Sehun is a mature person and so is Chanyeol.

"You see," Baekhyun starts slowly. "Chanyeol." He keeps an eye on Sehun's expression and he sees how Sehun fidgeted slightly at his name. "Chanyeol doesn't exactly like you."

"Oh." Sehun didn't know what to say. He knows that Baekhyun and Chanyeol are best friends, and he definitely doesn't expect Chanyeol to like him. Especially after high school. But he doesn't remember ever meeting Chanyeol. He does remember seeing him walk around with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun went back to smushing his peas in anxiety. Sehun seems to be thinking as he started to poke at his chicken.

("What are they doing?!"

"Shhhh! They're going to hear!"

"But they are literally going back to their first date! I am going to do something if they don't."

"Oh my god Luhan don't."

"I am going to do it and you cannot stop me."

"LUHAN."

"WHAT?"

"THEY'RE TALKING AGAIN SO PLEASE DO NOT."

"Oh really? Okay."

"Jesus...")

"They do know we can hear them, right?" Sehun looked over at a table across the restaurant, which had two people wearing sunglasses. One of them had their head in their hands and the other happily eating a bread roll.

Baekhyun laughed and shook his head. "Let them do what they want. Just as long as they don't go following us across the country."

Sehun nodded and ate a piece of chicken. He chewed slowly as he thought about what to say. "About Chanyeol..." Sehun saw how Baekhyun hesitated before sticking the carrot into his mouth. "Should I meet him?"

Baekhyun almost spat out the water he was drinking, but prevented himself from embarrassing himself. "What?"

"You know. Meet him. Get to know him. I mean if it's worrying you about how he doesn't like me, how about I meet him? Change his opinion?" Sehun suggested with a hopeful smile.

Baekhyun hesitated to answer. If Chanyeol really wasn't over high school, how was he going to react to Sehun? At this point, all he can do is hope. If he really wanted to get serious about Sehun, Chanyeol was going to have to live with it. Better now than later right?

"I guess." Baekhyun stabbed a pea and Sehun leaned forward. "But aren't you worried about how he'll react?"

"Of course, but I was going to have to meet your friends someday right?" Sehun took the fork from Baekhyun's hand and placed it on the napkin next to the plate. He intertwined their fingers and smiled. "I want to make this work. If you're worried about Chanyeol I want to try to do something about it. I don't want you to worry so much."

Baekhyun gently squeezed his hand and titled with his head with a smile. "Okay."

He wasn't expecting Chanyeol to like the prospect of meeting Sehun, but he didn't expect him to slam his apartment door in his face when he asked. Baekhyun was at lost as he stood in front of the dark red door.

Jongdae walked down the hall as he typed something on his phone. "I heard a door slam. I assume it went well?" He gave Baekhyun a crooked smile as he pocketed his phone.

Baekhyun dejectedly shook his head and rang the doorbell again.

"I don't think it's working Baekhyun," Jongdae noted as he watched Baekhyun press the button over and over again.

"But it has to work!!" Baekhyun cried out as he banged his head against the wall. "I promised Sehun."

Jongdae watched Baekhyun as he sulked with his head leaning against the wall. He sighed and knocked on the door. "Chanyeol stop being a little baby and come out." A pause. "You're making Baekhyun sad."

Jongdae feels a bit bad about taking advantage of Chanyeol's soft spot for baekhyun, but he also doesn't because Chanyeol just needs to not with his attitude at the moment.

A few seconds passed and the sound of the door being unlocked sounded and Jongdae pushed his way in, making sure to drag Baekhyun in as well.

Jongdae and Baekhyun seated themselves on the couch while Chanyeol walked into his kitchen, ignoring the two. Jongdae crossed his legs as he thought about what to say. Baekhyun nervously picked at the loose threads on his sleeve.

It took ten minutes before Chanyeol walked in and took a seat on the chair across from the couch with a cup of water. Jongdae can't believe at how Chanyeol is stalling. Ten minutes for water? Seriously?

"I don't want to meet him," Chanyeol jumps into the topic as he takes a sip of water. "There's no point in me meeting him."

"Oh come on Chanyeol," Baekhyun whined as he stomped his feet. "You said you don't like him and you haven't even met him."

Jongdae nodded and crossed his arms. "You can't just judge him based on his previous actions. I've met him," Also stalked their dates once or twice, he adds in mentally. "And he gets along with Baekhyun really well. He's a nice kid."

"With commitment issues," Chanyeol added under his breath.

Jongdae glared at him while Baekhyun continued to whine, unaware of Chanyeol's comment. "Chanyeol pleeeeeaaaaaaase."

Chanyeol rubbed his temples as he leaned back in his chair. "Baekhyun. One good reason. Tell me one good reason and I'll meet him."

Baekhyun puffed his cheeks as he thought. Jongdae was getting sick of this act Chanyeol was putting on. He sighed when Baekhyun excused himself to the bathroom and Chanyeol had a smug look on his face.

"Cut it out Chanyeol," Jongdae glared at his friend. "You can't put Sehun down when you haven't even met him."

Chanyeol stared at Jongdae with fire in his eyes. "I'm not putting him down. I'm just stating what I see. Come on Jongdae. You can't possibly agree with what Sehun did."

"I don't agree with his dating history. But I will not judge his actions until I understand why he did what he did." Jongdae stared back at Chanyeol with the same intensity until Chanyeol huffed and turned his head. "You're being unreasonable. Even if you don't like Sehun, meet him for Baekhyun's sake."

His eyes softened when he saw Chanyeol's shoulder slump down. Jongdae knew he was using the soft spot in Chanyeol's heart, but it was for his own good. He was going to help Chanyeol get over Baekhyun. This time, for good.

"Fine," Chanyeol's voice no louder than a whisper. "But if I see anything wrong with that kid I'm not hesitating in giving him a black eye."

Jongdae gave a small smile to Baekhyun who walked back in while juggling his phone in his hands. "You alright Baek?"

Baekhyun nodded, eyes tracing over the words on his phone. "Okay. I need you to meet Se-"

"I'll meet him," Chanyeol interrupted causing Baekhyun to stare at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. "I'll meet him Baekhyun."

Baekhyun turned to Jongdae in surprise and he just shrugged with a smile. Baekhyun jumped up and squealed. He jumped over to Chanyeol and crushed him in a hug.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Chanyeol!"

Chanyeol chuckled and patted his back with a sad smile. Jongdae watched Chanyeol and his heart grew heavy with guilt. He was truly sorry to Chanyeol. But this would be good for him.

"I'm going as well so you don't need worry about being a third wheel," Jongdae smirked as he leaned back into the cushions. "You'll be fifth wheeling."

Baekhyun stood up next to Chanyeol with a confused expression. "What?"

"Yixing and I are tagging along. It'll be fun! Like a double date plus one," Jongdae smiled at Chanyeol's look of despair while Baekhyun smiled widely.

"Really?! Oh. But if Chanyeol's alone..." His sentence drifted off as he looked at Chanyeol. Chanyeol waved him off.

"I'll be fine. It's probably gonna happen a lot more now that the both of you are dating someone," Chanyeol sighed and plopped back into his chair.

Baekhyun snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. "Maybe Yixing can set you up with someone!"

Jongdae pouted. "Why not me?"

"You at setting up blind dates. No offense Jongdae," Baekhyun stated as he happily typed something on his phone.

Jongdae frowned and slouched down his seat. "That's just mean."

"I got five blind dates from you and none of them worked out. I get one blind date from Yixing and I'm in a relationship with them. I think statistically speaking, Yixing did better than you." Jongdae stuck his tongue out at Baekhyun and he returned it without hesitation.

Chanyeol watched their childish exchange with a smile, but looked down at his feet when he realized they were slowly drifting away from him.

"You okay Chanyeol?" Baekhyun looked at him in worry when Chanyeol looked up.

He only hopes his smile convinced Baekhyun as the words he said tasted sour on his tongue. "I'm fine."

 

A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! Kinda short, but the next chapter will hopefully make up for it! ;)