An Age of Changes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He’s one and he’s taking his first steps.

The family stop to cheer and there’s a huge smile plastered on his face as he realises it’s all because they’re proud of him.

His mum scoops him up and kisses his chubby cheeks before telling him ‘Well done’ and asking if he wants cake.

He giggles happily and he gets his cake, though he ends up wearing more of it than he eats.

 

He’s two and he’s at his first day of play group.

It’s scary and the kids there are too loud. He doesn’t like it when his mum leaves him there.

But the teacher soon gets him to play tag with her and he’s soon got her wrapped around his little finger.

He guesses play group isn’t so bad after all.

 

He’s three and he’s starting nursery. There’s a boy in his class that’s chubby with ears that stick out and he talks about animals a lot.

He likes this boy though. This boy is really nice.

This boy becomes his best friend.

 

He’s four and he’s on the playground.

He can hear the older boys teasing Chanyeol about his ears, so he runs over and swings his little fists hard and wild, thumping one of the boys on the head.

They run off to tell a teacher, and he gets sent home for fighting, but he tells his mum that he’s not sorry, he’d do it all over again too.

His mum doesn’t even seem angry, she just seems kind of… proud.

 

He’s five and he meets Jongdae in class.

Jongdae joins him and Chanyeol in their best friendship and the three of them become inseparable. Their teacher calls them the beagles because they’re like a bunch of naughty pups that you can’t help but love.

He loves his friends.

 

He’s six when he and Chanyeol get married under the old apple tree in the school playground.

Jongdae is the minister and laughs like a mad man when he makes the pair of them kiss.

It’s barely a peck but they scream and giggle before running off to get their juice boxes.

Baekhyun likes being married to Chanyeol because Chanyeol is his favourite person in the world.

Other than his mum, of course.

 

He’s seven when his brother tells him that he’s got a girlfriend.

He doesn’t really think it’s that great, so he tells his brother that he’s married to Chanyeol.

His brother only laughs and ruffles his hair before telling him he’d understand more when he’s older.

Baekhyun is only confused because why would he want a girlfriend when he has Chanyeol?

It doesn’t make sense.

 

He’s eight when he first hears the slur ‘’ directed towards him.

His uncle is visiting for Easter, it’s not even his real uncle, just a friend of his dad’s.

He has Chanyeol over and they’re holding hands in the back garden when his uncle tells him to stop being a little and act like a man.

His dad gets angry and makes his uncle leave, but he won’t explain what to Baekhyun and Chanyeol what the word means.

Easter is awkward after that, but he doesn’t understand why.

 

He’s nine when Jongdae says that he doesn’t like Chanyeol anymore.

He tells Baekhyun that it isn’t fair that Chanyeol gets to be married to him because he wants to be.

Baekhyun is a bit confused but he manages to convince Jongdae to like Chanyeol again, even if it costs him his cookie to do so.

He tells Jongdae that they’ll find him a husband too, and he does.

It’s that afternoon that he’s introducing Jongdae to his cousin Minseok, who is two years older.

Minseok promises that he’ll marry Jongdae, but not until they’re a bit older.

Baekhyun makes them promise that he can be the minister for them.

 

He’s ten when Chanyeol makes him cry for the first time.

There’s a new boy at school called Jongin, and Chanyeol ignores Baekhyun all day to play with Jongin.

He tells Baekhyun that Jongin is his bestest friend ever as they walk home, so Baekhyun hits him and runs away.

He doesn’t have to explain it to his mum because she knows Jongin’s mum and so he just cries himself to sleep in his mum’s arms.

He doesn’t like Chanyeol having a different best friend.

That’s his role!

 

He’s eleven when Kyungsoo moves in next door.

They become fast friends and Baekhyun finds that he likes Kyungsoo a lot.

Kyungsoo joins their group at school which is now made up of him, Chanyeol, Jongdae and Jongin – though Minseok joins them at Baekhyun or Jongdae’s house after school sometimes.

Jongin seems to really like Kyungsoo too. And the feeling is obviously mutual.

Baekhyun notices Chanyeol’s annoyance at Kyungsoo and Jongin becoming best friends.

Though he doesn’t understand it.

He isn’t sure he wants to either.

 

He’s twelve when Chanyeol gets his first girlfriend.

Chanyeol says he doesn’t actually like her as more than a friend, but his dad said that he needed to get a girlfriend and stop spending so much time with Baekhyun and Jongdae, who were starting to turn him a little fruity.

Baekhyun gets angry at that, so Chanyeol hugs him for a really long time and tells him that it doesn’t matter, Baekhyun will always be his favourite – after all, they are married.

Baekhyun can’t help but laugh at that as he hits Chanyeol on the arm and tells him he’s stupid. He’s happy that Chanyeol remembers that, but mostly, he’s happy that Chanyeol is always his and he is always Chanyeol’s.

Chanyeol dumps her, a couple of weeks later anyway because she called Baekhyun a mean name.

Baekhyun is secretly glad to rid of her.

 

He’s thirteen when Chanyeol tells him that he likes Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol has tears in his eyes, as though he’s scared that Baekhyun is hate him, or judge him.

“Are you gay?” Baekhyun asks. He isn’t mad at Chanyeol for liking boys, how could he be? That would be ridiculously prejudice and Baekhyun is all about living and letting live, even if he doesn’t necessarily understand what that means completely.

Chanyeol shrugs, “I… I don’t know” he says, “But I think I really like him. He’s… I don’t know. I’m really confused Baek. You don’t hate me right?” he says and there are tears sliding down his cheeks, those cheeks that were once chubby and childlike, but have since started to become thinner and more grown up, “Please don’t hate me”

Baekhyun wraps his best friend in a tight hug and sighs, “Of course I don’t hate you” he soothes, “You’ll always be my Chanyeollie no matter if you like boys or girls. I could never hate you”

And he can’t, he can’t hate Chanyeol. But for some reason, he feels like Chanyeol has just stabbed him right in the chest.

He hates that Chanyeol likes Kyungsoo, but he doesn’t know why.

 

He’s fourteen when he realises he’s in love with his best friend.

It’s not even like it’s a big realisation, it’s more that they’re sat on the grass at lunch time and he looks over and sees Chanyeol laughing and it hits him that, damn. This is my best friend and I love him. I’m in love with him. And a part of me knows that I always have been.

It’s not a good things as much as it is one, because although he understands why he aches so much around his best friend now, he also knows that Chanyeol is still crushing on Kyungsoo, who is as oblivious as ever.

“Are you alright?” Jongdae asks softly, leaning in closer to Baekhyun who is watching Chanyeol telling Kyungsoo jokes, whilst Kyungsoo just looks at Jongin with pleading eyes to get him out of the situation.

Kyungsoo loves Chanyeol, they’re really, really good friends, but even Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol’s jokes are pitiful at best, so he can’t help but feel bad for the owl-eyed boy, even if he is immensely jealous of him.

He knows it’s not Kyungsoo’s fault though, and he and Kyungsoo are as close as brothers, so he’d never hold it against him, or resent him for it.

Baekhyun coughs awkwardly, “M’fine” he says, picking at his kimbap, “I’m perfectly brilliant”

“Wow, that was a bad lie, even for you” Jongdae scoffs, “It’s Chanyeol, isn’t it? You realised you like him”

“How very observant of you” Baekhyun says instead of denying it, because there’s no point, Jongdae knows him like the back of his hand. They’re best friends, and best friends just know.

Well, unless you’re as stupid as Chanyeol.

Jongdae sighs, “I’m sorry” he says softly, “I know it must be hard… Especially seeing him like that with ‘Soo”

“ happens” Baekhyun shrugs, “I just can’t believe I’ll be getting divorced so young” he jokes to ease the tension, it’s always his go-to strategy.

Jongdae’s face blooms out in a smile, “Oh my god. I can’t believe you even remember that! Ha! Still set on officiating mine and Min’s wedding?” he winks playfully.

“Has he given in yet?” Baekhyun chuckles, “I’m surprised you still fancy him. My poor cousin…”

Jongdae rolls his eyes, “He’ll come around. He’s already told me he likes me. He just thinks that I’m ‘too young’ still” he tuts, “bellend”

“Who’s a bellend?” Chanyeol asks, flopping down next to Baekhyun, and wrapping an arm around him like it’s meant to be there.

“You are” Jongdae rolls his eyes.

Baekhyun suddenly feels like this isn’t going to end in anyway that could be considered good.

 

He’s fifteen when Chanyeol is rejected by Kyungsoo, and it comes out that he and Jongin have actually been dating for the last year.

Chanyeol is a wreck, not only because the person he’s been crushing on for the past two years has turned him down, but because he feels like he’s been made out to be a complete mug by Jongin, one of his closest friends who tells him everything, who knew that he liked Kyungsoo and still didn’t say anything.

He’s hurt and he’s crying, and he’s at the only place that he can think to go.

Anywhere that Baekhyun is.

Baekhyun is still decidedly in love with Chanyeol, but first and foremost, he’s Chanyeol’s best friend. So he makes them both hot chocolate, grabs a -ton of blankets and shoves on the first horror film he can find.

They cosy up on the sofa and he holds Chanyeol close whist he sniffles and does his best to forget he likes Kyungsoo, though it seems to be easier said than done.

“I thought he’d say no, but… I didn’t think it’d hurt so much” Chanyeol admits sadly once the hot chocolates are finished and the film has come to an end. There’s music playing in the background now.

They’re still cuddled up on the sofa in a mountain of blankets, but they’re only talking now.

“I’m sorry” Baekhyun says, because he is, he’s sorry that Chanyeol is hurting. He’s not sorry that it didn’t work out with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo though, as bad as it sounds.

He does want Chanyeol to be happy though, even if it means burying his own feelings deep down where the light can’t reach them.

Chanyeol falls asleep in Baekhyun’s arms that night, but Baekhyun remains wide awake and finally lets out his own tears.

Loving your best friends is wonderful.

Being in love with your best friend is painful.

 

He’s sixteen when Minseok gives in.

“I’m going to say yes this time” Minseok tells him as they sit on Baekhyun’s bed, throwing a mini basketball to one another.

Baekhyun grins “For real?” he asks, “Oh my god, he’s gonna piss himself he’ll be so excited”

“Shall we call him?” Minseok asks, pulling out his phone and pulling up Jongdae’s number. He doesn’t wait for Baekhyun’s answer before hitting dial and putting it on loud speaker.

“Hello?” comes Jongdae’s voice from the other end of the line.

Minseok grins at Baekhyun and shoots him a wink, “Jongdae… I can’t do this anymore” he says seriously.

“Can’t do what, Min? What’s going on… You sound weird?”

Minseok sighs, “I can’t be your friend anymore, Jongdae. We’re… We aren’t kids anymore and I think it’s time for us to move on, you know. Being friends with you… I don’t think it’s a good idea”

“Minseok… Please think about this. If this is about me liking you, I’ll… I’ll figure it out, but Min, please don’t stop being my friend…”

“I have to, Dae. Because I want to be your boyfriend instead” Minseok says softly.

There’s a pause on the other end of the line, “I hate you” Jongdae laughs, “I really ing hate you. You’re with Baekhyun, aren’t you, you ? I’m coming over, and I’m going to kiss the ing life out of you, you absolute dickhead”

The line goes dead and Minseok and Baekhyun are a laughing mess.

True to his word, though, Jongdae is there ten minutes later, walking into the room. He doesn’t even say hello, he just pulls Minseok up and kisses him with everything he’s got, whilst Baekhyun squeals happily and claps.

“In case you were wondering, I’d love to be your boyfriend” Jongdae says as he pulls back and shoots Baekhyun a smile that just screams ‘I told you so’.

Minseok laughs, “It’s about time this happened, I suppose”

Baekhyun agrees, and he’s over the moon for his friends.

 

He’s seventeen when he finally admits to Kyungsoo that he likes Chanyeol as more than a friend.

Kyungsoo, of course, had seen it coming, but he’s comforting nonetheless, since he knows that it must be a hard thing for Baekhyun to finally admit aloud.

It’s pretty surreal for Baekhyun, because it’s been years since he started liking his best friend, since he fell in love with his best friend, but he’s tried to hide it. Tried to just make it go away. And then Chanyeol had gone and gotten himself another girlfriend and it’d just tipped him over the edge.

Baekhyun had dated Taeyeon for a little while, but that lasted about as long as a chicken strip in front of Jongin. They’d both felt so ing awkward with it all, and then gone their separate ways, deciding they were better as friends.

That wasn’t what made it worse though. No, it was that throughout the few months that he’d been with Taeyeon, Chanyeol hadn’t so much as touched him unless he had to. But now that they were broken up, it was like Baekhyun was the last lollipop in the sweet shop and Chanyeol wanted dibs.

Even when Chanyeol got with Dara it was like Baekhyun was still his property and it was getting to his head so ing much.

He couldn’t hold it in anymore.

He broke, and he broke hard.

“I’m such a ing idiot, Soo” he sobs into Kyungsoo neck whilst the younger boy rubs soothing circles onto his back, “Why did I even… I tried to ing hard to move on, and he just… he keeps ing with my head. One minute he’s all over me and the next he’s necking on with her. I just don’t understand”

Kyungsoo sighs, “I know. Chanyeol’s, well, a prick. He’s selfish, Baek. He probably doesn’t even realise how much he’s hurting you. He doesn’t even realise that you like him… Maybe if you told him…”

“What good will it do?” Baekhyun says, “He has a girlfriend, and he doesn’t care about my feelings. He barely even spoke to me when I was going out with Taeyeon. He still scoffs whenever he sees her, and I’m expected to act like nothing’s happened when he’s shacking up with that ?”

“Baek…”

“No, she is! She’s awful, Soo” Baekhyun insists, “She came up to me the other day and told me that I was obvious and that I was an idiot to think Chanyeol would ever think of going near me. She said he was after a real woman, not a little boy that doesn’t know what he’s doing with himself” he cries, “I just… I can’t even tell him because he’ll just think I’m being petty. She’s got her nasty little claws into him and he’s just… I ing hate this”

Kyungsoo frowns, he doesn’t like to see Baekhyun, strong Baekhyun who smiles through everything, so ing hurt and broken over Chanyeol. Chanyeol, who is supposed to be his best friend and supposed to be the one that hold him and wipes away his tears, not be the one that causes them.

“I’m sorry” Kyungsoo says, “I’m so sorry, Baek. Maybe it’s time for you to just… Push away, get a little of your old self back. Maybe I can set you up with a friend of mine?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, “Thanks, Soo, but I’m not really ready yet. I just need a few days to get myself together, eat way too much ice-cream and cry to sad movies”

“Well, no soldier fights alone” Kyungsoo smiles, “I have chocolate and vanilla, and the notebook is already in the DVD player”

Baekhyun smiles, “I love you” he says honestly, pressing a thankful pat to Kyungsoo’s cheek.

Kyungsoo laughs, “I know, I love you too, Baek” he replies, ruffling Baekhyun’s hair and pressing a kiss to his friend’s cheek, “So which flavour are you feeling?”

“Both” Baekhyun says, “Definitely both”

He feels like although he and Kyungsoo are closer than close already, this has really brought them together on a whole other level.

Kyungsoo is still with Jongin, and they’re still going stronger than strong, but Kyungsoo always makes time for his friends, and he gets Jongin to hit Chanyeol purposely when they’re playing ball, so there’s also that.

Baekhyun thinks that Kyungsoo is definitely an angel – even if he is Lucifer.

It still counts as an angel.

 

He’s eighteen when Chanyeol finally kisses him.

And he hates it.

It’s horrible because Chanyeol is drunk off of his face and kissing Chanyeol had been something Baekhyun had fantasised about for years, only now that it’s happened, he feels like he wants to throw up.

They’re at a house party, celebrating the basketball team’s victory in the championship game, and Chanyeol seems to have let the glory go to his head.

“WE’RE UNDEFEATEABLE BABY!” Chanyeol screams from where he’s stood topless on the table, a drink in his hand and his hair sticking up all over the place.

The whole room of people cheer and toast before downing their drinks, but Baekhyun is sat on the sofa, chatting with one of Chanyeol’s teammates – Kris.

Kris is sweet and funny, and Baekhyun really likes taking to him.

But then Chanyeol comes tumbling over and kisses Baekhyun hard on the mouth, pressing right up against him, Baekhyun can’t even breathe.

Kris pulls Chanyeol off of him after a moment, and Chanyeol huffs in annoyance, “What the , man?” he growls.

The three of them are all on their feet now, facing off, with the party in full swing around them.

“Yeol, you’re off your face. And he doesn’t want this…” Kris says calmly, stepping slightly in front of Baekhyun protectively.

Baekhyun’s heart flutters slightly at the gesture, and he doesn’t like that feeling. The last time he felt like that, it ended up in him feeling heartbroken by the person he loved more than anything in the world – beside his mother, of course.

“What do you know?” Chanyeol slurs drunkenly, “He wants this, he always has, right Baek? We’re married” he laughs loud and annoyingly, “Since we were six. I can kiss him!”

Baekhyun shakes slightly, “I don’t want this, Yeol. Not like this… You’re drunk”

“Baek… I want you” Chanyeol whines, “I wanna kiss you, and feel you. Baek, come on, are you really going to stay here with him? He doesn’t care about you”

Kris’s eyes narrow, “Walk away, Chanyeol. You can talk to him when you’re sober”

“ off!” Chanyeol growls, “Baek, come on. You’ll come with me, yeah? We’re best friends… Baek, come on”

But Baekhyun shakes his head, looking down at the floor awkwardly, “I… I can’t, Yeol. I’m sorry. I’ve… , I’ve been in love with you since before I can remember, but I can’t do this. You can’t just treat me like a toy. And you have a girlfriend. What would she think of this”

“Don’t care” Chanyeol says, and Baekhyun knows it’s only because he’s drunk, which hurts all the more, because Chanyeol isn’t a mean person.

Chanyeol is sweet and soft and thinks about everyone’s feelings. Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol has never hurt him on purpose, he’s just really dense to what’s going on around him.

“Don’t say that, Chanyeol” Baekhyun sighs, finally looking into those deep brown puppy eyes of his best friend, “You love her. You… You’ll regret anything you do here. Just… please don’t do this to me, please…”

Chanyeol’s eyes soften, “I really do like you Baek, not just because I’m drunk”

“Is that so?”

The three of them turn to see Dara stood there looking heartbroken.

“Dara…” Chanyeol says, “I… This isn’t what it looks like”

“Isn’t it, Chanyeol?!” she rages, and the two of them walk off to argue outside where there are less people to witness it.

Baekhyun turns to look at Kris, who is only concerned with making sure that he’s okay, “I’m sorry about that”

“You have nothing to be sorry about” Kris says firmly.

Baekhyun thinks he’s already in too deep.

 

He’s nineteen when he and Kris become official.

“I’m sorry, what?” Chanyeol asks as they stand in the middle of the park.

There’s a bright smile on Baekhyun’s face as he and Kris lace their fingers together in front of all of Baekhyun’s friends.

Everyone apart from Chanyeol looks absolutely thrilled for him. They’re congratulating him and Jongdae is chanting for them to kiss, so Kris shyly bends down and presses a soft kiss to Baekhyun’s lips.

Baekhyun’s hear skips a beat and a blush creeps over his cheeks.

But Chanyeol still looks pissed off, “I’m sorry, what?” he repeats.

“We’re dating” Kris says again, “You all know that we’ve been spending a lot of time with one another, and well, we just started to really like each other. I asked him to be my boyfriend a couple of nights ago and he said yes. He wanted to wait until we were all together to tell you guys. I hope you’ll support us”

“Of course we will” Minseok grins at the same time as Chanyeol says;

“You’ve got to be joking? No”

Baekhyun’s smile falls from his face as he looks at Chanyeol in a world of hurt, “Chanyeol!” he gasps, “I thought you’d be happy for me! I’m happy with Kris, what’s wrong with you?”

But Chanyeol doesn’t even look at him as he glares at Kris as he gets to his feet and stalks closer, getting right up in Kris’s face, “Are you ing serious?! After everything I told you? After everything I ing said! Of all the people you could ing go for, you go after Baekhyun! I thought you were my friend!”

“I am!” Kris defends, “But things just happened, Yeol. I didn’t expect to fall in love with him, but I did. It isn’t my fault that you were too much of a ing prick to do anything about it sooner! At least I know how to treat him right!” he shouts angrily.

Chanyeol shoves him backwards, “Watch your ing mouth!” he hisses, “You don’t know what I’ve been through with him. You don’t know ing anything! How dare you… how dare you even imply that I don’t treat him right!”

“Oh, yeah, you’ve been doing such a good job of it, haven’t you. You barely looked at him when you were with Dara. And I know you didn’t talk to him when he had a thing with Taeyeon. If you’re that much of a best friend to him, if what you said to me is true, then why don’t you ever show it!” Kris yells back, shoving Chanyeol in retaliation.

“You know what, you!” Chanyeol screams, and then he makes a swing for Kris, landing a punch right in the elder’s nose.

The others are quick to intervene then, pulling the two apart and holding them back so that they can’t get to one another.

Baekhyun is stood in the middle of them both, looking back and forth in complete shock, in confusion. He looks at Chanyeol when he realises that he’s crying, “Yeol, what’s going on”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Baekhyun” Chanyeol says sadly, “You’ve made your choice”

Baekhyun walks up to him then and slaps him right in the face, “How dare you. You never once said anything to me, you never once told me you felt anything for me. So you don’t get to act like I’m the one that didn’t give this a go!” he cries hard and fast as he looks at his best friend.

“You didn’t say anything either” Chanyeol points out, not bothering to struggle in Kai and Jongdae’s hold.

Baekhyun shakes his head, his lip trembling, “You had a girlfriend” he says, “I let you be happy, and this is what I get in return? I was ing hurt, Chanyeol. I loved you more than I even knew and I stayed silent because you were happy with her, because I wanted you to have a ing chance at being in love. I stayed quiet and I cried over you, and now that I’m finally letting myself move on, now that I really like someone and have a chance to be happy, now is when you choose to make a point?!”

“He knew how I felt! He knew and he still went after you!”

“At least he did!” Baekhyun says hysterically, “At least he had the balls to make a move! At least he didn’t kiss me when he was off his and expect me to know everything. Kris likes me a lot, and I like him, so why can’t you just let me be happy?!”

Chanyeol seems to deflate at that, “I… I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry… I want you to be happy, Baek. I do”

“Then can you please just let me have my best friend back. Please, Yeol. You’re my best friend, you’re my everything, and I need you. I need you to support me. I need you to not act like this”

Chanyeol manages to get out of his friends' hold to hug Baekhyun hard and tight, “I’m sorry. I’ll always be here to support you Baekhyun. I’ll always be your best friend” he looks up at Kris who is watching him sadly and wiping at the blood drying over his lip, “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to… I’m just… sorry”

“Me too” Kris sighs, “Me too”

Baekhyun really wants his best friend, he wants Chanyeol to be happy.

But he wants a chance at happiness too.

 

He’s twenty when he’s stood at the altar.

He’s stood there with a grin on his face as Minseok and Jongdae stand in front of him, dressed to the nines. They've kept their promise from all those years ago.

“I now pronounce you, husband and… well, husband” he laughs, “You may kiss, but keep it PG, your parents are in the front row”

Everyone witnessing the event laughs and claps as Minseok and Jongdae kiss.

Then before long they’re at the reception, partying it up and congratulating the happy couple.

Chanyeol laughs that deep laugh of his as he spins Baekhyun in a circle on the dance floor them pulls him close. They can’t really dance for , but they don’t care, they’re just having a blast and that’s all that matters.

Then the music slows and he expects Chanyeol to let him go so that they can sit down, or so that he can dance with Kris for the slow song, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t though, instead he pulls Baekhyun close and wraps an arm around Baekhyun’s waist and takes his other hand in his own.

Baekhyun feels awkward for a moment as he places a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder and allows the taller boy to sway them to the gentle beat of the song.

“So, Min and Dae are married. I didn’t think it’d be so soon” Chanyeol says quietly, his head is bent down slightly so that he can say the words into Baekhyun’s ear.

Baekhyun shudders slightly, he doesn’t want to shudder, he’s over Chanyeol. Or at least he likes to tell himself that he is. He loves Kris, he does, and he’s dead set on being with Kris for a long time. “Yeah, crazy” he manages to get out calmly, “But it has been four years… So, I guess it’s not that dramatic”

“I always thought it’d be Jongin and Kyungsoo first. Or… Me and you” Chanyeol says calmly, pulling back ever so slightly to look at Baekhyun’s face for a reaction.

Baekhyun knows that he’s gone pale, he can feel the way that the colour leaves his face, because this isn’t meant to be how this goes. He and Chanyeol had been on such good terms since that big fight when he’d gotten together with Kris.

They’d gone back to how they were before all the drama, and things had been fantastic, even if he did have arguments with Kris about how close the two of them were.

Kris seemed to think that Chanyeol would end up trying to make a move on Baekhyun, but Baekhyun would always wave him off with a ‘he’s my best friend, and your friend. He wouldn’t do that, and I love you, Kris. You.’ But it would always lead to a row.

He stops himself from looking over Chanyeol’s shoulder because he knows Kris’ll be there, watching them with a hurt look on his face. And he already feels guilty enough because all those feelings he’d fought away over the past two years have just come flying back to the surface with a vengeance.

“Yeol… Please don’t. I’m with Kris. I thought we were past this” Baekhyun sighs, looking into Chanyeol’s eyes pleadingly.

Chanyeol’s tongue darts out to wet his lips, “I never said I was past it. And neither did you. How long are we going to play this game, Baek?”

“There is no game, Chanyeol. I’m with Kris, I love Kris. That’s that” Baekhyun insists, “There is no us. There… There could have been, but you moved on. I moved on”

Chanyeol shakes his head, leaning closer, “I never moved on. And you can’t lie and tell me that you feel nothing for me”

“Please don’t do this. Not today, this is Jongdae and Minseok’s special day. I’m not ruining it by fighting with you” Baekhyun says, “And I know you know Kris is looking, and you know that he’ll ending up fighting with me later. Why are you doing this to me… Haven’t you done enough?”

“I don’t know, is Kris still looking?” Chanyeol asks.

Baekhyun frowns, noting that Kris is, “Yeah, but I don’t understand what that has to do with anyth-”

Chanyeol kisses him for the second time then. And he hates himself for the moment that he kisses back before pushing his best friend away.

Needless to say, that brings his relationship with Kris to an end.

Kris isn’t even angry, he’s just upset and fed-up.

“I always knew that he’d be your end game” Kris says, “I’m hurt, I am. But I know how much you’ve been through with him. Can I just ask you one thing?”

“anything” Baekhyun says sadly.

Kris sighs, “Just… wait for a while. At least let me have a fighting chance at moving on before you get with him”

“I wasn’t going to give him a chance any time soon,” Baekhyun says, “Believe me. And Kris, I really do love you, you know? I really did want this to be long term”

Kris kisses him on the forehead, “I know. Me too, but I guess we just weren’t meant to be. I’m glad I got my chance with you, Baek. You’ve been one of the best boyfriends a guy could hope for. And I really hope that he doesn’t this up”

“I don’t want to lose you, Kris” Baekhyun said sadly, “I really don’t want you to disappear out of my life”

“I won’t. I’ll come back, but I need some time before we can be friends” Kris says, “You understand that, right?”

Baekhyun does. He understands that better than he should.

 

He’s twenty one when Chanyeol finally says it.

“Byun Baekhyun, I know you still think I’m a complete dickhead” Chanyeol announces in the middle of the room as their friends look on in a mix of shock and amusement.

They’re having a gaming night, with a few drinks and snacks, though Chanyeol had made a point not to touch any of the alcohol.

“Chanyeol, what are you doing?” Baekhyun groans, “Please sit down”

“Not until I let everyone hear what I have to say” Chanyeol insists.

Kris rolls his eyes to Baekhyun, and Baekhyun feels like burying himself in the sofa. Everyone is friends again, and Chanyeol has a way of messing that up, even if it isn’t intentional, so he really hopes this isn’t going to be a bad thing.

“Byun Baekhyun, I have been an awful friend. I’ve been selfish and needy and a down right at times. But it’s because I didn’t know how to deal with how I felt about you. Because the truth of it is… I’m in love with you. I’m in love with every part of you and I always have been. I love you when you’re fun and joking, and I love you when you hate me and want me to get lost.

 “You’re my soulmate, you always have been and always will be. And there, I said it. I love you. I am completely, undoubtedly in love with you, and I want to take this moment, in front of all of our friends, to ask you;

 “Will you be my boyfriend?”

The room is silent, and everyone looks at Baekhyun in anticipation.

“Baek” Kris says finally, to cut the tension, “Everyone in this room has been waiting for this for like eight years, please for the love of god, put us out of our misery”

Baekhyun watches as Kris wraps an arm around Yixing – his new boyfriend and the latest addition to their group of friends. He turns to look at everyone, each of his friends giving him a look of frustration mixed with anticipation.

It takes him a moment but he get to his feet and clears his throat, “Park Chanyeol” he says, “I’ve liked you since before we got married under that apple tree in the school yard. I’ve loved you since before we hit our teens. You were my first best friend, my first reason for laughing. You were my first heartbreak, and you made my life both amazing and a living hell. You make me feel like I’m flying, but you also drag me down again because you’re right, you are selfish.

 “You didn’t think about my feelings because you were too concerned with your own. But we’re here now. We’re still friends, we’ve gotten through a lot over the years, and we’re not fifteen anymore. We’ve grown up a lot, , we have friends that are married and I’m fairly certain that Kyungsoo and Jongin aren’t that far off” he laughs softly, shaking his head, “And through all of this, even when we weren’t talking, you’ve always been by my side. You’ve always been my Chanyeollie. And I’ve never, not once, stopped loving you. They knew that, Kris knew that. You knew that too, no matter how much you deny it.

 “You’ve made me cry, but somehow you always come back to wipe away my tears and make me smile again.” He’s crying now as he stands in front of Chanyeol, who also has tears in his eyes, and somewhere along the way they’d both reached out and clutched at one another’s hands, “So ask me again. Ask me, and make sure you damn well mean it”

Chanyeol smiles slightly, sniffing up to try and get rid of his tears, “Baekhyun, my Baekhyunnie… I promise I will love you until the day that I die, and then I’ll find you in the afterlife and start loving you all over again. You’re my star, my everything in this world. I promise I will do my best by you, I will try my best to make you happy, and I promise, if you say yes to this next question, I won’t ever let you go, not ever. So Baekhyun, my Byun Baek… Will you please, please, be my boyfriend?”

“Yeah” Baekhyun whispers, “Yeah, I will”

“ing finally!” Jongdae whines as the two of them kiss, their first real kiss.

And Baekhyun feels magical.

 

He’s twenty-two when he and Chanyeol move in together.

It’s a ty little flat above a pizza place, but it’s theirs and it’s home.

They have their friends around for a housewarming party, and everything goes well.

Everything is how it should be.

 

He’s twenty-three when Chanyeol proposes.

They’re sat in the living room when Chanyeol pauses Geordie Shore and turns to him with a little green velvet box, popping it open to reveal a simple silver band.

“You fancy marrying me?” he asks with a small smile.

Baekhyun laughs right backs, because the whole thing is just so Chanyeol, “Yeah. Yeah, I think I’d like that” he answers.

And they share a kiss before turning back to watch the end of the episode.

Baekhyun makes sure that they celebrate once they’re in bed though.

 

He’s twenty-four when he and Chanyeol get married under the old apple tree in the school playground.

For real this time, with Jongdae officiating the ceremony.

Jongdae laughs like a mad man when he makes the pair of them kiss.

This time it’s a lot more than a peck, and although they don’t scream like they did when they were kids, they do giggle before kissing again, and then again, and then one more time before Jongdae tells them to save it for the honeymoon.

The juice boxes are replaced with champagne, but the symbolism of the apple tree is there, and Jongdae married them, and it’s Chanyeol that he married – for real this time – so none of the rest of it really matters.

Baekhyun likes being married to Chanyeol because Chanyeol is his favourite person in the world.

Other than his mum, of course.

 

It’s just an age of changes… and how they have changed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: I just really like Baekyeol, and I didn't mean to make Chanyeol
so... well, like I did, but there we have it!
Ha, so, drop me a comment and let me know what you thought~
Much love~
Until next time<3