A Change I Welcome with Open Arms for everyone
For: EVERYONE
From: Anonymous for now
Title: A Change I Welcome With Open Arms
Rating: G
Word count: ~5,900w
Summary: Kris has only ever known to shuffle between his home and office, until he sees someone singing on a Saturday night. Kris also has a bunch of friends who like to stir shit.
Kris first sees him at Voltaire; dark hair, dark eyes, smoky voice, slender fingers on the microphone.
Kris sips casually from his whisky glass, never taking his eyes off the singer losing himself in the slow ballad on the podium.
An obnoxious laugh takes Kris’ attention away from the male on stage, and he directs his gaze towards the man opposite him. Kris and his acquaintances have a long-running tradition of visiting Voltaire every Saturday, just to sit back and unwind. In reality, it’s the only time Kris ever got to be cut off from work. Without this band of brothers, Kris would likely have been stuck in his company’s building all the time. They used to be classmates, but are now scattered across the State watching money fall into their bank accounts. Couldn’t have done post-grad for nothing.
Jongdae opposite him says something and everyone laughs, and Kris intentionally turns slightly towards the podium, only to find that the pretty male singer with the honeyed voice is staring right at him.
“Kris?” Chanyeol waves in Kris’ face.
Kris leans towards Chanyeol, “Who’s that singer? Never seen him before.”
“Ah, that’s Byun Baekhyun,” Chanyeol grins, “He’s new, I heard. Why, you interested?”
Kris rolls his eyes, taking another sip of his drink, “Please, was I ever this frivolous?”
Chanyeol backs away, presumably to avoid being hit by Kris, “All the time.”
Byun Baekhyun ends with an interrupted cadence like an incomplete sentence, and bows as the audience applauds, a sincere smile playing on his lips. Kris looks on as Byun Baekhyun leaves the stage and disappears behind the scarlet curtains.
-
Kris is here with only Chanyeol this time, on a Friday night instead of their usual Saturday. To be frank, Kris had wanted to come on his own, but Chanyeol had called him out on his ‘secret plan’, and he ended up being harassed into allowing Chanyeol along.
They make themselves comfortable on the two-seater somewhere to the left of the podium, the side where the performers wait for their turn to come on.
“You came here just to see him, didn’t you?”
Kris turns to Chanyeol rapidly, “What? No, I didn’t come to see anyone.”
“Oh, come on,” Chanyeol slings an arm around Kris’ shoulders, “Have you forgotten how we used to hang out in university? I can tell the color of your underwear just by looking at your face.”
Kris slants himself to face Chanyeol properly. “Oh yeah? What color is my underwear today, then?”
Chanyeol’s eyes widen just slightly, and he purposefully diverts Kris’ attention with a ‘hey look, it’s his turn now!’
Byun Baekhyun is wearing a simple well-fitting tux tonight with a bowtie, thin black gel lining his pretty eyes. He takes the microphone off the mic stand and sits himself on a stool in the center of the podium. The lights around him dim, and with the spotlight only on Baekhyun, the first note of his song comes on.
Baekhyun is singing a pop jazz ballad tonight, the kind that Kris likes. Sentimental love songs about one person falling in love with another, about one person pining after someone else. Baekhyun sings with his body facing the side, such that only his profile is visible. Kris can see the slant of Baekhyun’s nose bridge - straight, but not unnatural - and the outline of his jaw - soft, but not feminine. Baekhyun closes his eyes as he holds a long note, and all Kris can think of is how much Baekhyun looks like an angel. Baekhyun immerses himself in his singing, as though this song is meant for someone special, as though the lyrics of the song speak his thoughts. Baekhyun sings like he is the only one in the room, audience and spotlight forgotten. His voice fills the cabaret, and goes straight to Kris’ heart.
The lights come back on and Baekhyun bows, and Kris remembers that he is at Voltaire. He is part of the audience watching Byun Baekhyun sing. He has to remind himself that Baekhyun was neither singing for him, nor about him.
Baekhyun disappears into the curtains, back to his waiting area, and Kris makes a mental note to catch up with Baekhyun before leaving the bar.
-
“I’ll go get a cab, and you go after Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks as Kris stands when all of the performances are finally, finally over.
Kris never has to tell Chanyeol what he plans to do, because somehow Chanyeol would understand without Kris even saying anything. That’s the kind of relationship they’ve had since their university days, defined by silent companionship and unqualified trust.
“I won’t be long, okay?” Kris says as Chanyeol walks out, likely to check some girls out at the entrance to Voltaire.
Chanyeol waves a hand without turning back, sending Kris a ‘take your time!’
Kris makes his way towards the side of the stage, looking for an entrance into the performers’ waiting area. Someone on the other side pulls the curtains apart and he slips in, eyes adjusting to the dark as he scans the area for his favorite singer.
Kris wanders to the dressing area and sees Byun Baekhyun sitting in front of a mirror, carefully removing his makeup with a cotton pad. Baekhyun has his hair mussed up in a possible attempt to get his hair to look less stiff. He had changed out of his performance attire and was now wearing a loose-fitting white tee with a pair of black skinnies.
Kris walks over and leans against the dresser, folding his arms.
“You’re pretty attractive for a cabaret singer, you know?”
Baekhyun stops his motions and looks up at Kris. “You shouldn’t be here,” he says, “This area is performers-only.”
Kris sits himself in the seat next to Baekhyun’s. “Does it matter? I came here to see you.”
“I don’t even know you,” Baekhyun spins around to face Kris.
Kris smiles, extending a hand towards Baekhyun. “Well, now you do. Nice to meet you, I’m Kris.”
Baekhyun takes Kris’ hand, shaking it. “And I’m Byun Baekhyun. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Yes, actually. Can I drive you home after your performance tomorrow?”
“Is this your way of asking to spend time with me?” Baekhyun laughs, giving the proposal a moment of thought. “You sure about that? Tomorrow is a Saturday night, and I can only leave past midnight.”
“It’s a Saturday night, as you said. No one goes home early on Saturday nights,” Kris shrugs, giving Baekhyun an expectant smirk.
Baekhyun zips his bag and stands, ready to leave. “It’s settled then, I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Hold on,” Kris says, reaching towards Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun dodges instinctively, but Kris’ hand lands on his cold face anyway.
“You didn’t remove your eyeliner properly.”
Kris brushes the edge of Baekhyun’s left eye gently, careful not to aggravate the already-tender skin.
“There, you look better now,” Kris pulls away with a satisfied smile.
Baekhyun nods his thanks, and walks with Kris to the exit. Chanyeol is waiting for him next to a cab, and Kris turns to say bye, but Baekhyun is looking at him with unexplained uncertainty.
“What’s wrong?” Kris asks.
“Tomorrow…” Baekhyun hesitates.
Kris places a large hand over Baekhyun’s head. “Don’t worry; I’ll be here for sure.”
Chanyeol gets into the cab after Kris and stares at Baekhyun through the window. “He seemed quite taken with you,” Chanyeol mutters.
“What? I’m the one who’s taken with him. He didn’t even seem very interested.”
Chanyeol backs away from the window and relaxes into the leather seats. “No, man, you should have seen the look on his face.”
The cab pulls away from its spot and takes to the streets, as Baekhyun looks on with a tinge of anticipation at the prospect of seeing Kris a little more often than he normally would.
-
The next night, Kris meets up with Chanyeol and company outside of Voltaire.
“Do not tell them about Baekhyun,” Kris warns Chanyeol quietly. “I’m not sure I can deal with Jongdae’s nonsense.”
Chanyeol pats Kris’ shoulder like the bro he is.
They settle at their usual round table, Kris taking the two-seater facing the podium directly. He loses himself in the conversation with Jongdae, Yixing and Chanyeol - Yixing had decided to bring up the one time Jongdae’s voice cracked at a performance in university.
“Oh my God, it was the climax of the song when he cracked, wasn’t it?” Chanyeol breaks into hearty laughter, holding his drink in one hand.
“What the hell, Chanyeol, put your glass down, don’t spill it on me!” Kris holds Chanyeol’s hand away, trying not to laugh while speaking.
Jongdae sighs, “Guys. It was many, many years ago.”
“It was the beginning of the long note! I don’t think that note came out in the end; I remember him standing awkwardly on stage,” Yixing says in mock seriousness, before Jongdae pokes him in the side and he bursts into laughter.
“Guys. It was really long ago.”
“Unfortunately for you, Jongdae,” Kris snickers, “It doesn’t look like we will forget it anytime soon.”
Jongdae sighs again, “All right guys, shut up and watch the performance.”
It seems as though Baekhyun looks better and better with every glance Kris takes at him. Maybe it’s the lighting, Kris thinks, that makes Baekhyun look slightly more melancholic than he was last night.
“That’s the same song as last night’s, isn’t it?” Chanyeol leans over to whisper in Kris’ ear.
“Um, think so. Don’t remember for sure.”
And Kris really doesn’t. He remembers Baekhyun’s voice, Baekhyun’s face, but he doesn’t remember how the song sounded like. He remembers how Baekhyun’s voice came from his soul, but doesn’t remember what shape his voice took. Baekhyun is the kind of singer who captivates with the emotions overflowing from his being, giving his listeners the chills not from overwhelming technique, but from the raw passion in his bones.
Baekhyun’s eyes searches through the crowd as he sings before making eye contact with Kris. Kris gives him a small smile of acknowledgement. Baekhyun smiles right back at him, and for a moment Kris has the misperception that they are the only two in the cabaret.
Baekhyun comes down from the podium after his performance to join Kris at his table, eliciting suggestive eyebrow wriggles from Jongdae.
“Hey,” Baekhyun says as he sits, rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning another button from the top of his shirt.
Kris orders another drink for him and replies, “You sounded great up there.”
Baekhyun leans back on his seat and shuts his eyes. “Thanks for coming, Kris.”
“Made you a promise, didn’t I?”
Jongdae clears his throat a lot more loudly than he usually does.
Kris glares at him. “Everyone, meet Baekhyun. Baekhyun, that was Jongdae, and these two are Chanyeol and Yixing.”
Yixing smiles slyly, “Have you guys kissed yet?”
Kris kicks Yixing under the table. “Excuse me, but Baekhyun and I just met not too long ago.”
“Oh? I was under the impression that you knew each other for a while already…”
Chanyeol sighs empathetically at poor, poor Kris - he had some explaining to do - and shakes his head, choosing to turn the attention away from Kris and towards Baekhyun instead. “When did you start singing here? We haven’t seen you before.”
Baekhyun flashed him a smile, relieved that at least someone was trying to make him feel comfortable. “I started three weeks ago, but I’ve been singing on weekdays.
I’ve only just started singing on weekends.”
“Ah, I see. We come here every Saturday, actually,” Chanyeol says over the noise the other three are making. “Yesterday was an exception.”
Baekhyun looks surprised, “Why were you here yesterday, then?”
Chanyeol nods in Kris’ direction. “He wanted to come alone, actually, but I found out about it and he had to bring me along. It's a secret, by the way, Jongdae and Yixing still don't know about it.”
Baekhyun nods. “He seems really nice.”
“He is,” Chanyeol replies, “You can tell from the way he treats his friends. A few years back, I needed help with my start-up, and he was generous enough to invest in it so that my business could take off.”
Kris takes a quick look over to find Baekhyun and Chanyeol both staring at him. “Sorry for the nuisance,” he smiles apologetically, “I didn’t expect this either.”
“And he has a really nice smile, doesn’t he?” Chanyeol whispers quietly to Baekhyun. Chanyeol pokes Kris and whispers, “Hey, go talk to him, make sure he doesn’t feel left out.”
Kris moves closer to Baekhyun on the two-seater. “So, did Chanyeol say anything bad about me?”
“No, actually,” Baekhyun answers, “Maybe he thought I should hear everything from you instead.”
Kris laughs, sweeps his fringe out of his eyes. “Well, I think we will have plenty of time for that in the future. Sorry if my friends scared you, by the way. They can be rather… aggressive.”
It’s Baekhyun’s turn to chuckle. “They seem like fun people, though. People I’d want to hang out with. Y’know, besides the other singers here.”
“You know you can always hang out with us,” Kris hands over his mobile, “Just give me a call.”
Baekhyun bows his head, trying to hide his face from Kris’ line of vision while keying in his number. Anyone can tell, though, that Baekhyun is being extremely shy. Kris smiles to himself as he watches Baekhyun bite his lower lip, trying to appear natural.
“Does this mean I can hang out with you as and when I want to?” Baekhyun grins playfully.
Kris smirks, “Call me ahead of time, and I’ll be sure to clear my schedule for you.”
“Even when you have meetings to attend?”
“Even when I have meetings to attend.”
Yixing chimes in then. “Kris could cancel a high-profile meeting with a swipe of his finger and no one would even dare speak up against it.”
Kris frowns at Yixing - he wasn’t planning on letting Baekhyun know about his status in the company.
“Kris is rich as fuck,” Chanyeol asserts, “But that shouldn’t change your impression of him. He’s just a nice guy who happens to be very proficient at earning money.”
-
Baekhyun prepares to leave the table. “I’ll just go pack up my things, you guys carry on!”
“I’ll come with you,” Kris says and gets up, only to lose balance due to the fierce downward yank to his arm.
“No, you’re not,” Jongdae snarls, “You have some explaining to do.”
Chanyeol smiles harmlessly at Baekhyun, “Maybe he’ll just meet you backstage.”
Kris grimaces at Baekhyun. “Go, I won’t be long.”
“Don’t worry,” Yixing says, winking at Baekhyun playfully, “We don’t like him enough to spend too much time with him. Unlike… Someone else.”
Kris kicks Yixing from across the table, narrowing his eyes at him. Almost immediately, though, his expression changes to a gentle one as he signals for Baekhyun to leave first, nodding towards the dressing rooms.
Once Baekhyun is out of earshot, Kris rolls his eyes. “Gosh, guys, try not to freak him out. Wouldn’t want him to think that I hang out with strange people.”
“We don’t give a shit, Kris,” Jongdae says in his signature condescending tone. “How did you get to know of him?”
Kris takes a deep breath. “Well… He was singing here. I talked to him. The end.”
Yixing, always good with the details, rubbed his chin in exaggerated confusion. “We come here together every week, though, and we never saw you seek him out…”
Kris clears his throat cautiously. “I was here last night,” he breathes.
“…”
“Kris, are we your friends?” Kim Jongdae, Guilt-Tripping Champion.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us.” Yixing is a fierce contender.
“Hold up,” Jongdae raises a hand. “Chanyeol…”
“Oh my God, Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol raises an eyebrow. “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“Exactly,” Yixing nods.
“The two of you…” Jongdae shakes his head, tsking in a sort of disappointment both Kris and Chanyeol have never seen before.
“So,” Kris says. “Are we done yet? Because if we are, there’s someone waiting for me.”
“Oh, so now you’d rather spend time with him than with us, huh?”
“Chanyeol, wha-”
“Smart of you to be on our side, Chanyeol,” Yixing chortles approvingly.
“Are you guys for real.”
“Oh my God, just go. Quickly, before he faults us for keeping you.”
“Right, you guys pick up the tab, then!” Kris scurries away before any of them can make him pay.
-
Kris walks in to the dressing room, gaze sweeping across the disorder coming from performers returning their outfits and looking for misplaced belongings. He steps around a fallen violet dress - the second singer’s outfit, he remembers - and makes his way to where Baekhyun is fiddling with his mobile phone, all cleaned up and ready to leave.
“Hey,” Kris places a hand on the back of Baekhyun’s head, staring at him through the mirror. “Let’s go?”
Baekhyun looks up, startled, not used to this sort of fond gestures.
Kris pretends not to see the surprise in Baekhyun’s eyes and goes on to flatten Baekhyun’s it-took-half-an-hour-to-get-this-look hair, effectively earning an offended yelp from him. Kris snickers and picks up Baekhyun’s gym bag, while Baekhyun frantically attempts to restore his hair to its previous state.
“Don’t bother,” Kris says with enough sass to make Baekhyun roll his eyes, “It won’t look as good as before, no matter how hard you try.”
Baekhyun suppresses the urge to kick Kris, opting instead to snatch his bag out of Kris’ grasp.
“Fiery, aren’t we?” Kris teases with his shit-eating grin that has Baekhyun speechless. He swings his arm over Baekhyun’s shoulder and tugs him close, steering them in the direction of the exit until a heavily made-up woman approaches them.
“You’re leaving with him?” She questions Baekhyun, frowning slightly. “Someone offered two-fifty for you, though.”
Kris feels Baekhyun stiffen under his hold and notes the way his face flushes. Baekhyun stays silent and tilts his head away from Kris.
“He’s a singer, isn’t he?” Kris directs his question to the lady, sensing Baekhyun’s unwillingness to reply.
The lady boss of the cabaret answers innocently under Kris’ wary gaze, “He’s a singer, yes, but he works for me.”
Kris turns to Baekhyun contemplatively, arm still around his shoulder, but Baekhyun refuses to meet his eyes. It was obvious that Baekhyun was looking forward to leaving with Kris, but now that his boss had mentioned the offer her client had made, Baekhyun saw almost no way of getting out of this situation without revealing too much of himself - the part he didn’t want Kris to know about.
Kris inhales deeply, reaching towards his back pocket. Pulling out his wallet, he says, “I don’t agree with the way you make money off him, but I’m buying him out of this one. Please try to decline all offers from now on.” Kris places a bill in the lady boss’ hands and quite literally whisks Baekhyun out of the place with a sturdy arm around his waist.
They don’t talk as Kris walks in the vague direction of his house. Baekhyun follows quietly a few steps behind. They don’t talk as Kris stops at a bus stop, sitting down on one of the benches.
Baekhyun takes the space next to him, and the two of them silently watch cars drive by and miss about five buses before Baekhyun decides to speak.
“Are we just going to sit here the whole night?”
There seems to be an unspoken agreement to not bring up the contents of their conversation in the dressing room. Kris wants to ask, wants to know what Baekhyun had gone through while working at the cabaret, but he knew that it might be too much of him to probe, especially since he had only just begun talking to Baekhyun. If Baekhyun didn’t bring it up, he wouldn’t bring it up.
“It’s kinda cold here at night,” Baekhyun speaks softly, probably not knowing how to face Kris. He folds his arms close to his chest, trying to keep himself warm.
Only then does Kris realize how chilly it must be for Baekhyun who is wearing nothing more than a simple graphic tee and tapered trousers. Kris takes this chance and moves closer to Baekhyun, holding him close to his side. He feels Baekhyun tense up for a moment before relaxing, and there it is again - his shifty eyes, making it look as though he has something to hide, as though he was afraid that Kris would find out his dirty secret if he came too near.
“Warmer now?” Truth be told, Kris could tell that Baekhyun was planning to go home straight after his gig, but somehow he had wanted to spend some time with him alone.
Baekhyun smiles easily and his cheeks colors, and Kris wonders if it is because of his affection or because of the cold. “It feels great, to be able to have someone to hang out with after I get off work at night. My friends don’t usually come look for me at night.”
Kris rubs his hand over the side of Baekhyun’s arm, relieved to feel Baekhyun’s skin warming up under his palm. “What do you guys usually do when you meet? Eat?”
Baekhyun scoffs, looking at Kris strangely. “What do I look like to you, a pig? My life is about music. For now, at least. We rented the basement of a shop and go down there to jam most of the time. Maybe we could go together someday.”
“So, I suppose it’s a rock band thing? And you’re the singer?”
“It’s a rock band, but I’m more than just the singer. I’m the face of the group!” Baekhyun declares proudly, only to be met with silence on Kris’ part, accompanied by an are-you-serious look.
Baekhyun laughs drily. “Yes. I am the singer of our group.”
“You’re turning out to be one thick-skinned kid, huh?” Kris pushes Baekhyun’s forehead with one finger. “Shall we go?”
Baekhyun nods. “Yes, let’s. Before I turn into a block of ice and you have to lug me home.”
“You’re such a drama queen,” Kris shakes his head, “It’s not that cold yet. Come on, let’s go.”
Baekhyun swings his gym bag over his shoulder and stuffs both hands into his pockets. “King.”
“What?” Kris looks back at Baekhyun, face rosy and nose red - definitely the cold, then.
“Drama king, not queen.”
Kris laughs exasperatedly. “Yes, fine, you little drama king. Now let’s flag a cab so that you can go home!” Kris sets off towards the cab stand without so much as a glance to make sure Baekhyun is following, knowing full well that Baekhyun would tag along anyway.
From the comfort provided by the warmth of the automobile, Baekhyun waves a small goodbye to Kris. Kris watches the cab drive away with the image of Baekhyun’s eyes imprinted in his mind.
-
Kris continues to visit Voltaire once a week, sometimes more, with his usual company, staying later than the rest to wait for an opportunity to have a little chat with Baekhyun.
Kris comes out of the bathroom after a hot shower one Tuesday evening to find three missed calls and a text message from Baekhyun.
‘Can you come over now, someone made an offer again…’
When Kris arrives at Voltaire in his Audi with his hair slightly damp, he sees Baekhyun desperately trying to negotiate with his boss. ‘Wait a little while more,’ Kris makes out what Baekhyun is saying.
He steps out of his car and walks over to the two of them bickering at Voltaire’s doorstep.
“Ma’am,” he calls.
Baekhyun turns to him like he is his savior, and Kris almost sees sparkles in Baekhyun’s eyes as he registers the fact that Kris actually came to rescue him.
Baekhyun scuttles to his side, tugging at Kris’ arm. “Save me,” Baekhyun drags out the last syllable, determined to make himself sound adorable. Or so Kris thinks, anyway.
“How much this time?” Kris asks the boss, sounding not at all pleased. “Don’t try to make any more money off him. He’s not going to take any more offers from now on.”
Baekhyun looks toward Kris, taken aback. Ignoring the look on Baekhyun’s face, Kris pays some money and clutches Baekhyun’s wrist, heading towards the car. Kris speeds off in the direction of his own home, forgetting that Baekhyun had his own home to return to.
“Are we going to… your place?” Baekhyun asks meekly when Kris stops at a red light, unsettled by the aura Kris is emitting.
Kris doesn’t answer immediately, eyes focused instead on the traffic light, waiting for it to turn green.
“Well, I guess you did pay for me after all,” Baekhyun mumbles while fingering the titanium gray velvet leather interior, losing the expectant look he got when Kris showed up.
Kris still doesn’t speak, not because he doesn’t hear the disappointment in Baekhyun’s voice, but because he feels pathetic that he was actually unhappy over the fact that Baekhyun had probably slept with other men for money. It suddenly comes rushing to him, the realization, that he was the one who inserted himself into Baekhyun’s life, and that Baekhyun already had his own life before him. If this was what Baekhyun was used to, he had no right to expect anything else from him.
Kris places one hand on Baekhyun’s thigh, trying to soothe the negativity. “Don’t speak that way. We’ll talk later, alright?”
“At my house,” Kris adds, retracting his hand to hold the steering wheel with both hands.
-
Kris holds his door open for Baekhyun, opening up to a short hallway with built-in shoe cupboards. Baekhyun bends down and undoes his Doc Marts, placing them neatly next to the door. Walking forward, Baekhyun turns left into the expansive living space with Kris close behind. Kris almost crashes into Baekhyun as he stops abruptly, apparently awed by the size of Kris’ house.
“I didn’t know you were this rich,” Baekhyun says in amazement, completely forgetting about the distress he had shown in the car. Kris’ house is exactly like those you would see in dramas, owned by filthy rich heirs who spent their money frivolously.
Quiet laughter comes from Kris, who walks around Baekhyun to set his belongings down on the couch. “Don’t feel burdened, please. I’m just your ordinary man in the street.”
Baekhyun snorts. “With a house like this? Please don’t try to be humble.”
“I think you should shower,” Kris pushes Baekhyun towards the bathroom. “I’ll leave sleepwear outside the bathroom for when you’re done.”
After setting out an old t-shirt and a pair of Bermuda shorts for Baekhyun, Kris starts to prepare supper. He knows that Baekhyun hadn’t eaten since a few hours ago - people don’t usually sing on a full stomach. He sets a pot on the stove and waits for the water to boil.
Looking at his car, his house, you’d think that Kris probably has some form of roast with potatoes, salmon, or lobster for his meals, wouldn’t you? Take a closer look at the kitchen counter: what did he take out?
A packet of instant noodles.
If anyone would just open the refrigerator, they would find that almost all the food Kris has are instant. Instant noodles, instant soup, instant mac and cheese. Christ, Kris even bought instant Rösti once. Kris thinks it’s reasonable, though, because he didn’t have anyone to cook for him, and he never had to cook for anyone anyway. It is also the reason why when he decided on supper, he had nothing to cook for Baekhyun.
Baekhyun comes out of the bathroom looking like a child wearing his father’s clothes.
“They were the smallest pieces I had, I swear,” Kris raises his arms in self-defense as Baekhyun stares him down. “I’m sorry, but you do look cute in those.”
Baekhyun flings his towel at Kris. With a disgruntled sigh, he walks over to retrieve the towel from Kris, drying his hair resignedly.
“I am not small. You are just over-developed.”
“Sure,” Kris responds, distracted by the way Baekhyun rubs his towel over his wet hair. It’s been a while since he’s felt this way, captivated by the simplest acts, immensely attracted by the movement of someone’s fingers, hands, wrists. These are actions carried out by every person every moment, but it is the fact that it is Baekhyun that makes it slightly more charming. Just slightly.
Baekhyun walks over to the kitchen counter, helping himself to the steaming bowl of noodles.
“Dude,” Kris has his mouth half-open in disbelief, “I didn’t say that was for you.”
Baekhyun looks up, beaming, “Who else could it be for?”
Kris swears he has never met someone more infuriating, beside the Jongdae and Yixing. Still, when Jongdae and Yixing act that way, it’s irritating, but when Baekhyun does, it’s… strangely endearing.
Kris chuckles out of ridicule, thinking that he might just be in too deep.
Kris pats Baekhyun’s head, ruffling his hair (“What the hell, Kris, my hair-water is going to fall into the soup!”) before pulling the towel from around Baekhyun’s neck and hanging it on the rack.
“Go to bed once you’re done, okay? Second room on the right,” Kris says easily, as if Baekhyun was a regular visitor of his house. Kris somehow feels oddly comfortable even though Baekhyun is a guest. It’s the kind of feeling that comes from friends who have hung around long enough, close enough to be able to let themselves in through the gates of each other’s houses and pick out snacks from each other’s cupboards. In fact, even Chanyeol would ask permission before opening any cupboards in Kris’ house.
Kris is sitting on his king-sized bed after a calming shower, typing furiously on his laptop when he sees Baekhyun standing soundlessly at the entrance to his bedroom.
“Do you need anything?” Kris looks up absent-mindedly, head reeling from the Excel sheet he had been staring at for far too long.
Baekhyun sits himself next to Kris, gently taking away his laptop. Kris looks at him bewilderedly, hurriedly saving his document before Baekhyun shifts the laptop out of his reach.
“What’s wrong?” Kris questions, sensing that Baekhyun has something to say. Probably an awkward thanks, he muses. What Baekhyun says, and does, next is completely out of Kris’ expectations.
Baekhyun licks his lips hesitantly and places a hand on Kris’ thigh, steadily moving it up towards the waistband of his shorts. “You paid for this,” he whispers, never breaking eye contact with Kris as his slim fingers reach into Kris’ pants.
Kris clutches Baekhyun’s hand before it reaches his boxers, a warning to Baekhyun to stop igniting Kris’ sexual desire. He knows what Baekhyun is aiming at, but he isn’t about to let him have his way.
Baekhyun pauses in his actions, and regardless of how well he thinks he’s hiding it, Kris still sees confusion and even a tinge of disappointment in Baekhyun’s eyes as he realizes he was rejected by Kris. Kris is firm in his stance of not wanting Baekhyun to do anything sensual, knowing full well that Baekhyun doesn’t like it either.
Kris removes Baekhyun’s hand from his pants and weaves his fingers through Baekhyun’s own. Baekhyun looks down in the humiliation that came from lowering one’s position to please another, and still getting rejected.
“Look at me,” Kris breathes, “Baekhyun. You don’t want this. You’re only doing it because you believe in the notion that you are supposed to please whoever pays for you. It is because you see no other reason as to why someone would pay for you.”
Baekhyun tries to squirm away from Kris, from the uncomfortable truth that Kris is throwing at his face. Kris holds his hand tighter, other hand stroking Baekhyun’s hair from crown down to his nape, lingering between his neck and shoulder as he speaks.
Kris moves even closer to Baekhyun, bending down towards his lowered head. “Not everyone pays you for sex, Baekhyun. Some people pay for someone to talk to; others pay for your voice. Tonight, I paid not for your body. I paid to get you out of your sexual dealings. I paid for one night of time with you. Don’t denigrate yourself like this, please. Don’t feel the need to let me have your body just because I paid.”
Kris lets his words sink in, watching as the look in Baekhyun’s eyes transform from disappointment to understanding and acceptance of what Kris had just told him.
Neither of them speak; Kris continues to sit in front of Baekhyun, occasionally running his thumb across the end of Baekhyun’s hair, and he lets Baekhyun zone out, immersed in his own thoughts. He doesn’t seem to feel Kris touching his hair, looking like a true well-chiseled sculpture. They sit quietly until Baekhyun yawns as a sign of wanting to go to bed. He looks up, moving to get off Kris’ bed to return to the other room.
“I’ll just go back to the other room now…”
Kris asks uncertainly, “Do you wanna just sleep here? I mean, you’re here already.”
Baekhyun looks back from the edge of the bed, making eye contact with Kris immediately. Strangely enough, Baekhyun doesn’t seem as shy as before; he grins openly with a twinkle in his eye as he scoots to the space next to Kris, burying himself under the covers before Kris had even pulled up his side of the quilt.
Kris smacks Baekhyun’s cocoon lightly as he lets out a small puff of disbelief. “Psh, you were waiting for this, weren’t you?”
Baekhyun burrows deeper into the pillow, resolute in pretending to be sleeping, making an adorable noise that Kris suspected was supposed to sound like a grunt. Kris lays next to Baekhyun instead of bothering him for an answer, resting on his side to watch him.
Kris watches as Baekhyun’s chest heaves with each breath he takes, and thinks that he could get used to this. He could get used to watching Baekhyun fall asleep right next to him before he does. Kris doesn’t like the adapting that inevitably comes with change, but this change is one he would willingly adapt himself to. Baekhyun could, as Chanyeol had told him long before, wreck Kris’ work routine and show him to the ‘world outside the company, home, and Voltaire’.
Baekhyun’s breath evens out and Kris caresses his face. He must be really tired, Kris laments, to be able to fall asleep so quickly. Kris closes his eyes a short while later, falling asleep to the scent of his shampoo on Baekhyun.
Kris is woken up the next day when Baekhyun tugs on the quilt. Kris opens his eyes a little and immediately understands what’s happening - he had forgotten to draw the curtains last night. In a daze, he gets up cautiously and paces over to the window to draw the curtains, engulfing the room in darkness once again.
Walking back to his bed slightly unsteadily, Kris nestles against Baekhyun’s back with a lazy arm strewn over his waist. Baekhyun hums in contentment, and Kris takes a moment to revisit his thoughts from the previous night.
Sure, he could get used to this.
From: Anonymous for now
Title: A Change I Welcome With Open Arms
Rating: G
Word count: ~5,900w
Summary: Kris has only ever known to shuffle between his home and office, until he sees someone singing on a Saturday night. Kris also has a bunch of friends who like to stir shit.
Kris first sees him at Voltaire; dark hair, dark eyes, smoky voice, slender fingers on the microphone.
Kris sips casually from his whisky glass, never taking his eyes off the singer losing himself in the slow ballad on the podium.
An obnoxious laugh takes Kris’ attention away from the male on stage, and he directs his gaze towards the man opposite him. Kris and his acquaintances have a long-running tradition of visiting Voltaire every Saturday, just to sit back and unwind. In reality, it’s the only time Kris ever got to be cut off from work. Without this band of brothers, Kris would likely have been stuck in his company’s building all the time. They used to be classmates, but are now scattered across the State watching money fall into their bank accounts. Couldn’t have done post-grad for nothing.
Jongdae opposite him says something and everyone laughs, and Kris intentionally turns slightly towards the podium, only to find that the pretty male singer with the honeyed voice is staring right at him.
“Kris?” Chanyeol waves in Kris’ face.
Kris leans towards Chanyeol, “Who’s that singer? Never seen him before.”
“Ah, that’s Byun Baekhyun,” Chanyeol grins, “He’s new, I heard. Why, you interested?”
Kris rolls his eyes, taking another sip of his drink, “Please, was I ever this frivolous?”
Chanyeol backs away, presumably to avoid being hit by Kris, “All the time.”
Byun Baekhyun ends with an interrupted cadence like an incomplete sentence, and bows as the audience applauds, a sincere smile playing on his lips. Kris looks on as Byun Baekhyun leaves the stage and disappears behind the scarlet curtains.
-
Kris is here with only Chanyeol this time, on a Friday night instead of their usual Saturday. To be frank, Kris had wanted to come on his own, but Chanyeol had called him out on his ‘secret plan’, and he ended up being harassed into allowing Chanyeol along.
They make themselves comfortable on the two-seater somewhere to the left of the podium, the side where the performers wait for their turn to come on.
“You came here just to see him, didn’t you?”
Kris turns to Chanyeol rapidly, “What? No, I didn’t come to see anyone.”
“Oh, come on,” Chanyeol slings an arm around Kris’ shoulders, “Have you forgotten how we used to hang out in university? I can tell the color of your underwear just by looking at your face.”
Kris slants himself to face Chanyeol properly. “Oh yeah? What color is my underwear today, then?”
Chanyeol’s eyes widen just slightly, and he purposefully diverts Kris’ attention with a ‘hey look, it’s his turn now!’
Byun Baekhyun is wearing a simple well-fitting tux tonight with a bowtie, thin black gel lining his pretty eyes. He takes the microphone off the mic stand and sits himself on a stool in the center of the podium. The lights around him dim, and with the spotlight only on Baekhyun, the first note of his song comes on.
Baekhyun is singing a pop jazz ballad tonight, the kind that Kris likes. Sentimental love songs about one person falling in love with another, about one person pining after someone else. Baekhyun sings with his body facing the side, such that only his profile is visible. Kris can see the slant of Baekhyun’s nose bridge - straight, but not unnatural - and the outline of his jaw - soft, but not feminine. Baekhyun closes his eyes as he holds a long note, and all Kris can think of is how much Baekhyun looks like an angel. Baekhyun immerses himself in his singing, as though this song is meant for someone special, as though the lyrics of the song speak his thoughts. Baekhyun sings like he is the only one in the room, audience and spotlight forgotten. His voice fills the cabaret, and goes straight to Kris’ heart.
The lights come back on and Baekhyun bows, and Kris remembers that he is at Voltaire. He is part of the audience watching Byun Baekhyun sing. He has to remind himself that Baekhyun was neither singing for him, nor about him.
Baekhyun disappears into the curtains, back to his waiting area, and Kris makes a mental note to catch up with Baekhyun before leaving the bar.
-
“I’ll go get a cab, and you go after Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks as Kris stands when all of the performances are finally, finally over.
Kris never has to tell Chanyeol what he plans to do, because somehow Chanyeol would understand without Kris even saying anything. That’s the kind of relationship they’ve had since their university days, defined by silent companionship and unqualified trust.
“I won’t be long, okay?” Kris says as Chanyeol walks out, likely to check some girls out at the entrance to Voltaire.
Chanyeol waves a hand without turning back, sending Kris a ‘take your time!’
Kris makes his way towards the side of the stage, looking for an entrance into the performers’ waiting area. Someone on the other side pulls the curtains apart and he slips in, eyes adjusting to the dark as he scans the area for his favorite singer.
Kris wanders to the dressing area and sees Byun Baekhyun sitting in front of a mirror, carefully removing his makeup with a cotton pad. Baekhyun has his hair mussed up in a possible attempt to get his hair to look less stiff. He had changed out of his performance attire and was now wearing a loose-fitting white tee with a pair of black skinnies.
Kris walks over and leans against the dresser, folding his arms.
“You’re pretty attractive for a cabaret singer, you know?”
Baekhyun stops his motions and looks up at Kris. “You shouldn’t be here,” he says, “This area is performers-only.”
Kris sits himself in the seat next to Baekhyun’s. “Does it matter? I came here to see you.”
“I don’t even know you,” Baekhyun spins around to face Kris.
Kris smiles, extending a hand towards Baekhyun. “Well, now you do. Nice to meet you, I’m Kris.”
Baekhyun takes Kris’ hand, shaking it. “And I’m Byun Baekhyun. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Yes, actually. Can I drive you home after your performance tomorrow?”
“Is this your way of asking to spend time with me?” Baekhyun laughs, giving the proposal a moment of thought. “You sure about that? Tomorrow is a Saturday night, and I can only leave past midnight.”
“It’s a Saturday night, as you said. No one goes home early on Saturday nights,” Kris shrugs, giving Baekhyun an expectant smirk.
Baekhyun zips his bag and stands, ready to leave. “It’s settled then, I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Hold on,” Kris says, reaching towards Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun dodges instinctively, but Kris’ hand lands on his cold face anyway.
“You didn’t remove your eyeliner properly.”
Kris brushes the edge of Baekhyun’s left eye gently, careful not to aggravate the already-tender skin.
“There, you look better now,” Kris pulls away with a satisfied smile.
Baekhyun nods his thanks, and walks with Kris to the exit. Chanyeol is waiting for him next to a cab, and Kris turns to say bye, but Baekhyun is looking at him with unexplained uncertainty.
“What’s wrong?” Kris asks.
“Tomorrow…” Baekhyun hesitates.
Kris places a large hand over Baekhyun’s head. “Don’t worry; I’ll be here for sure.”
Chanyeol gets into the cab after Kris and stares at Baekhyun through the window. “He seemed quite taken with you,” Chanyeol mutters.
“What? I’m the one who’s taken with him. He didn’t even seem very interested.”
Chanyeol backs away from the window and relaxes into the leather seats. “No, man, you should have seen the look on his face.”
The cab pulls away from its spot and takes to the streets, as Baekhyun looks on with a tinge of anticipation at the prospect of seeing Kris a little more often than he normally would.
-
The next night, Kris meets up with Chanyeol and company outside of Voltaire.
“Do not tell them about Baekhyun,” Kris warns Chanyeol quietly. “I’m not sure I can deal with Jongdae’s nonsense.”
Chanyeol pats Kris’ shoulder like the bro he is.
They settle at their usual round table, Kris taking the two-seater facing the podium directly. He loses himself in the conversation with Jongdae, Yixing and Chanyeol - Yixing had decided to bring up the one time Jongdae’s voice cracked at a performance in university.
“Oh my God, it was the climax of the song when he cracked, wasn’t it?” Chanyeol breaks into hearty laughter, holding his drink in one hand.
“What the hell, Chanyeol, put your glass down, don’t spill it on me!” Kris holds Chanyeol’s hand away, trying not to laugh while speaking.
Jongdae sighs, “Guys. It was many, many years ago.”
“It was the beginning of the long note! I don’t think that note came out in the end; I remember him standing awkwardly on stage,” Yixing says in mock seriousness, before Jongdae pokes him in the side and he bursts into laughter.
“Guys. It was really long ago.”
“Unfortunately for you, Jongdae,” Kris snickers, “It doesn’t look like we will forget it anytime soon.”
Jongdae sighs again, “All right guys, shut up and watch the performance.”
It seems as though Baekhyun looks better and better with every glance Kris takes at him. Maybe it’s the lighting, Kris thinks, that makes Baekhyun look slightly more melancholic than he was last night.
“That’s the same song as last night’s, isn’t it?” Chanyeol leans over to whisper in Kris’ ear.
“Um, think so. Don’t remember for sure.”
And Kris really doesn’t. He remembers Baekhyun’s voice, Baekhyun’s face, but he doesn’t remember how the song sounded like. He remembers how Baekhyun’s voice came from his soul, but doesn’t remember what shape his voice took. Baekhyun is the kind of singer who captivates with the emotions overflowing from his being, giving his listeners the chills not from overwhelming technique, but from the raw passion in his bones.
Baekhyun’s eyes searches through the crowd as he sings before making eye contact with Kris. Kris gives him a small smile of acknowledgement. Baekhyun smiles right back at him, and for a moment Kris has the misperception that they are the only two in the cabaret.
Baekhyun comes down from the podium after his performance to join Kris at his table, eliciting suggestive eyebrow wriggles from Jongdae.
“Hey,” Baekhyun says as he sits, rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning another button from the top of his shirt.
Kris orders another drink for him and replies, “You sounded great up there.”
Baekhyun leans back on his seat and shuts his eyes. “Thanks for coming, Kris.”
“Made you a promise, didn’t I?”
Jongdae clears his throat a lot more loudly than he usually does.
Kris glares at him. “Everyone, meet Baekhyun. Baekhyun, that was Jongdae, and these two are Chanyeol and Yixing.”
Yixing smiles slyly, “Have you guys kissed yet?”
Kris kicks Yixing under the table. “Excuse me, but Baekhyun and I just met not too long ago.”
“Oh? I was under the impression that you knew each other for a while already…”
Chanyeol sighs empathetically at poor, poor Kris - he had some explaining to do - and shakes his head, choosing to turn the attention away from Kris and towards Baekhyun instead. “When did you start singing here? We haven’t seen you before.”
Baekhyun flashed him a smile, relieved that at least someone was trying to make him feel comfortable. “I started three weeks ago, but I’ve been singing on weekdays.
I’ve only just started singing on weekends.”
“Ah, I see. We come here every Saturday, actually,” Chanyeol says over the noise the other three are making. “Yesterday was an exception.”
Baekhyun looks surprised, “Why were you here yesterday, then?”
Chanyeol nods in Kris’ direction. “He wanted to come alone, actually, but I found out about it and he had to bring me along. It's a secret, by the way, Jongdae and Yixing still don't know about it.”
Baekhyun nods. “He seems really nice.”
“He is,” Chanyeol replies, “You can tell from the way he treats his friends. A few years back, I needed help with my start-up, and he was generous enough to invest in it so that my business could take off.”
Kris takes a quick look over to find Baekhyun and Chanyeol both staring at him. “Sorry for the nuisance,” he smiles apologetically, “I didn’t expect this either.”
“And he has a really nice smile, doesn’t he?” Chanyeol whispers quietly to Baekhyun. Chanyeol pokes Kris and whispers, “Hey, go talk to him, make sure he doesn’t feel left out.”
Kris moves closer to Baekhyun on the two-seater. “So, did Chanyeol say anything bad about me?”
“No, actually,” Baekhyun answers, “Maybe he thought I should hear everything from you instead.”
Kris laughs, sweeps his fringe out of his eyes. “Well, I think we will have plenty of time for that in the future. Sorry if my friends scared you, by the way. They can be rather… aggressive.”
It’s Baekhyun’s turn to chuckle. “They seem like fun people, though. People I’d want to hang out with. Y’know, besides the other singers here.”
“You know you can always hang out with us,” Kris hands over his mobile, “Just give me a call.”
Baekhyun bows his head, trying to hide his face from Kris’ line of vision while keying in his number. Anyone can tell, though, that Baekhyun is being extremely shy. Kris smiles to himself as he watches Baekhyun bite his lower lip, trying to appear natural.
“Does this mean I can hang out with you as and when I want to?” Baekhyun grins playfully.
Kris smirks, “Call me ahead of time, and I’ll be sure to clear my schedule for you.”
“Even when you have meetings to attend?”
“Even when I have meetings to attend.”
Yixing chimes in then. “Kris could cancel a high-profile meeting with a swipe of his finger and no one would even dare speak up against it.”
Kris frowns at Yixing - he wasn’t planning on letting Baekhyun know about his status in the company.
“Kris is rich as fuck,” Chanyeol asserts, “But that shouldn’t change your impression of him. He’s just a nice guy who happens to be very proficient at earning money.”
-
Baekhyun prepares to leave the table. “I’ll just go pack up my things, you guys carry on!”
“I’ll come with you,” Kris says and gets up, only to lose balance due to the fierce downward yank to his arm.
“No, you’re not,” Jongdae snarls, “You have some explaining to do.”
Chanyeol smiles harmlessly at Baekhyun, “Maybe he’ll just meet you backstage.”
Kris grimaces at Baekhyun. “Go, I won’t be long.”
“Don’t worry,” Yixing says, winking at Baekhyun playfully, “We don’t like him enough to spend too much time with him. Unlike… Someone else.”
Kris kicks Yixing from across the table, narrowing his eyes at him. Almost immediately, though, his expression changes to a gentle one as he signals for Baekhyun to leave first, nodding towards the dressing rooms.
Once Baekhyun is out of earshot, Kris rolls his eyes. “Gosh, guys, try not to freak him out. Wouldn’t want him to think that I hang out with strange people.”
“We don’t give a shit, Kris,” Jongdae says in his signature condescending tone. “How did you get to know of him?”
Kris takes a deep breath. “Well… He was singing here. I talked to him. The end.”
Yixing, always good with the details, rubbed his chin in exaggerated confusion. “We come here together every week, though, and we never saw you seek him out…”
Kris clears his throat cautiously. “I was here last night,” he breathes.
“…”
“Kris, are we your friends?” Kim Jongdae, Guilt-Tripping Champion.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us.” Yixing is a fierce contender.
“Hold up,” Jongdae raises a hand. “Chanyeol…”
“Oh my God, Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol raises an eyebrow. “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“Exactly,” Yixing nods.
“The two of you…” Jongdae shakes his head, tsking in a sort of disappointment both Kris and Chanyeol have never seen before.
“So,” Kris says. “Are we done yet? Because if we are, there’s someone waiting for me.”
“Oh, so now you’d rather spend time with him than with us, huh?”
“Chanyeol, wha-”
“Smart of you to be on our side, Chanyeol,” Yixing chortles approvingly.
“Are you guys for real.”
“Oh my God, just go. Quickly, before he faults us for keeping you.”
“Right, you guys pick up the tab, then!” Kris scurries away before any of them can make him pay.
-
Kris walks in to the dressing room, gaze sweeping across the disorder coming from performers returning their outfits and looking for misplaced belongings. He steps around a fallen violet dress - the second singer’s outfit, he remembers - and makes his way to where Baekhyun is fiddling with his mobile phone, all cleaned up and ready to leave.
“Hey,” Kris places a hand on the back of Baekhyun’s head, staring at him through the mirror. “Let’s go?”
Baekhyun looks up, startled, not used to this sort of fond gestures.
Kris pretends not to see the surprise in Baekhyun’s eyes and goes on to flatten Baekhyun’s it-took-half-an-hour-to-get-this-look hair, effectively earning an offended yelp from him. Kris snickers and picks up Baekhyun’s gym bag, while Baekhyun frantically attempts to restore his hair to its previous state.
“Don’t bother,” Kris says with enough sass to make Baekhyun roll his eyes, “It won’t look as good as before, no matter how hard you try.”
Baekhyun suppresses the urge to kick Kris, opting instead to snatch his bag out of Kris’ grasp.
“Fiery, aren’t we?” Kris teases with his shit-eating grin that has Baekhyun speechless. He swings his arm over Baekhyun’s shoulder and tugs him close, steering them in the direction of the exit until a heavily made-up woman approaches them.
“You’re leaving with him?” She questions Baekhyun, frowning slightly. “Someone offered two-fifty for you, though.”
Kris feels Baekhyun stiffen under his hold and notes the way his face flushes. Baekhyun stays silent and tilts his head away from Kris.
“He’s a singer, isn’t he?” Kris directs his question to the lady, sensing Baekhyun’s unwillingness to reply.
The lady boss of the cabaret answers innocently under Kris’ wary gaze, “He’s a singer, yes, but he works for me.”
Kris turns to Baekhyun contemplatively, arm still around his shoulder, but Baekhyun refuses to meet his eyes. It was obvious that Baekhyun was looking forward to leaving with Kris, but now that his boss had mentioned the offer her client had made, Baekhyun saw almost no way of getting out of this situation without revealing too much of himself - the part he didn’t want Kris to know about.
Kris inhales deeply, reaching towards his back pocket. Pulling out his wallet, he says, “I don’t agree with the way you make money off him, but I’m buying him out of this one. Please try to decline all offers from now on.” Kris places a bill in the lady boss’ hands and quite literally whisks Baekhyun out of the place with a sturdy arm around his waist.
They don’t talk as Kris walks in the vague direction of his house. Baekhyun follows quietly a few steps behind. They don’t talk as Kris stops at a bus stop, sitting down on one of the benches.
Baekhyun takes the space next to him, and the two of them silently watch cars drive by and miss about five buses before Baekhyun decides to speak.
“Are we just going to sit here the whole night?”
There seems to be an unspoken agreement to not bring up the contents of their conversation in the dressing room. Kris wants to ask, wants to know what Baekhyun had gone through while working at the cabaret, but he knew that it might be too much of him to probe, especially since he had only just begun talking to Baekhyun. If Baekhyun didn’t bring it up, he wouldn’t bring it up.
“It’s kinda cold here at night,” Baekhyun speaks softly, probably not knowing how to face Kris. He folds his arms close to his chest, trying to keep himself warm.
Only then does Kris realize how chilly it must be for Baekhyun who is wearing nothing more than a simple graphic tee and tapered trousers. Kris takes this chance and moves closer to Baekhyun, holding him close to his side. He feels Baekhyun tense up for a moment before relaxing, and there it is again - his shifty eyes, making it look as though he has something to hide, as though he was afraid that Kris would find out his dirty secret if he came too near.
“Warmer now?” Truth be told, Kris could tell that Baekhyun was planning to go home straight after his gig, but somehow he had wanted to spend some time with him alone.
Baekhyun smiles easily and his cheeks colors, and Kris wonders if it is because of his affection or because of the cold. “It feels great, to be able to have someone to hang out with after I get off work at night. My friends don’t usually come look for me at night.”
Kris rubs his hand over the side of Baekhyun’s arm, relieved to feel Baekhyun’s skin warming up under his palm. “What do you guys usually do when you meet? Eat?”
Baekhyun scoffs, looking at Kris strangely. “What do I look like to you, a pig? My life is about music. For now, at least. We rented the basement of a shop and go down there to jam most of the time. Maybe we could go together someday.”
“So, I suppose it’s a rock band thing? And you’re the singer?”
“It’s a rock band, but I’m more than just the singer. I’m the face of the group!” Baekhyun declares proudly, only to be met with silence on Kris’ part, accompanied by an are-you-serious look.
Baekhyun laughs drily. “Yes. I am the singer of our group.”
“You’re turning out to be one thick-skinned kid, huh?” Kris pushes Baekhyun’s forehead with one finger. “Shall we go?”
Baekhyun nods. “Yes, let’s. Before I turn into a block of ice and you have to lug me home.”
“You’re such a drama queen,” Kris shakes his head, “It’s not that cold yet. Come on, let’s go.”
Baekhyun swings his gym bag over his shoulder and stuffs both hands into his pockets. “King.”
“What?” Kris looks back at Baekhyun, face rosy and nose red - definitely the cold, then.
“Drama king, not queen.”
Kris laughs exasperatedly. “Yes, fine, you little drama king. Now let’s flag a cab so that you can go home!” Kris sets off towards the cab stand without so much as a glance to make sure Baekhyun is following, knowing full well that Baekhyun would tag along anyway.
From the comfort provided by the warmth of the automobile, Baekhyun waves a small goodbye to Kris. Kris watches the cab drive away with the image of Baekhyun’s eyes imprinted in his mind.
-
Kris continues to visit Voltaire once a week, sometimes more, with his usual company, staying later than the rest to wait for an opportunity to have a little chat with Baekhyun.
Kris comes out of the bathroom after a hot shower one Tuesday evening to find three missed calls and a text message from Baekhyun.
‘Can you come over now, someone made an offer again…’
When Kris arrives at Voltaire in his Audi with his hair slightly damp, he sees Baekhyun desperately trying to negotiate with his boss. ‘Wait a little while more,’ Kris makes out what Baekhyun is saying.
He steps out of his car and walks over to the two of them bickering at Voltaire’s doorstep.
“Ma’am,” he calls.
Baekhyun turns to him like he is his savior, and Kris almost sees sparkles in Baekhyun’s eyes as he registers the fact that Kris actually came to rescue him.
Baekhyun scuttles to his side, tugging at Kris’ arm. “Save me,” Baekhyun drags out the last syllable, determined to make himself sound adorable. Or so Kris thinks, anyway.
“How much this time?” Kris asks the boss, sounding not at all pleased. “Don’t try to make any more money off him. He’s not going to take any more offers from now on.”
Baekhyun looks toward Kris, taken aback. Ignoring the look on Baekhyun’s face, Kris pays some money and clutches Baekhyun’s wrist, heading towards the car. Kris speeds off in the direction of his own home, forgetting that Baekhyun had his own home to return to.
“Are we going to… your place?” Baekhyun asks meekly when Kris stops at a red light, unsettled by the aura Kris is emitting.
Kris doesn’t answer immediately, eyes focused instead on the traffic light, waiting for it to turn green.
“Well, I guess you did pay for me after all,” Baekhyun mumbles while fingering the titanium gray velvet leather interior, losing the expectant look he got when Kris showed up.
Kris still doesn’t speak, not because he doesn’t hear the disappointment in Baekhyun’s voice, but because he feels pathetic that he was actually unhappy over the fact that Baekhyun had probably slept with other men for money. It suddenly comes rushing to him, the realization, that he was the one who inserted himself into Baekhyun’s life, and that Baekhyun already had his own life before him. If this was what Baekhyun was used to, he had no right to expect anything else from him.
Kris places one hand on Baekhyun’s thigh, trying to soothe the negativity. “Don’t speak that way. We’ll talk later, alright?”
“At my house,” Kris adds, retracting his hand to hold the steering wheel with both hands.
-
Kris holds his door open for Baekhyun, opening up to a short hallway with built-in shoe cupboards. Baekhyun bends down and undoes his Doc Marts, placing them neatly next to the door. Walking forward, Baekhyun turns left into the expansive living space with Kris close behind. Kris almost crashes into Baekhyun as he stops abruptly, apparently awed by the size of Kris’ house.
“I didn’t know you were this rich,” Baekhyun says in amazement, completely forgetting about the distress he had shown in the car. Kris’ house is exactly like those you would see in dramas, owned by filthy rich heirs who spent their money frivolously.
Quiet laughter comes from Kris, who walks around Baekhyun to set his belongings down on the couch. “Don’t feel burdened, please. I’m just your ordinary man in the street.”
Baekhyun snorts. “With a house like this? Please don’t try to be humble.”
“I think you should shower,” Kris pushes Baekhyun towards the bathroom. “I’ll leave sleepwear outside the bathroom for when you’re done.”
After setting out an old t-shirt and a pair of Bermuda shorts for Baekhyun, Kris starts to prepare supper. He knows that Baekhyun hadn’t eaten since a few hours ago - people don’t usually sing on a full stomach. He sets a pot on the stove and waits for the water to boil.
Looking at his car, his house, you’d think that Kris probably has some form of roast with potatoes, salmon, or lobster for his meals, wouldn’t you? Take a closer look at the kitchen counter: what did he take out?
A packet of instant noodles.
If anyone would just open the refrigerator, they would find that almost all the food Kris has are instant. Instant noodles, instant soup, instant mac and cheese. Christ, Kris even bought instant Rösti once. Kris thinks it’s reasonable, though, because he didn’t have anyone to cook for him, and he never had to cook for anyone anyway. It is also the reason why when he decided on supper, he had nothing to cook for Baekhyun.
Baekhyun comes out of the bathroom looking like a child wearing his father’s clothes.
“They were the smallest pieces I had, I swear,” Kris raises his arms in self-defense as Baekhyun stares him down. “I’m sorry, but you do look cute in those.”
Baekhyun flings his towel at Kris. With a disgruntled sigh, he walks over to retrieve the towel from Kris, drying his hair resignedly.
“I am not small. You are just over-developed.”
“Sure,” Kris responds, distracted by the way Baekhyun rubs his towel over his wet hair. It’s been a while since he’s felt this way, captivated by the simplest acts, immensely attracted by the movement of someone’s fingers, hands, wrists. These are actions carried out by every person every moment, but it is the fact that it is Baekhyun that makes it slightly more charming. Just slightly.
Baekhyun walks over to the kitchen counter, helping himself to the steaming bowl of noodles.
“Dude,” Kris has his mouth half-open in disbelief, “I didn’t say that was for you.”
Baekhyun looks up, beaming, “Who else could it be for?”
Kris swears he has never met someone more infuriating, beside the Jongdae and Yixing. Still, when Jongdae and Yixing act that way, it’s irritating, but when Baekhyun does, it’s… strangely endearing.
Kris chuckles out of ridicule, thinking that he might just be in too deep.
Kris pats Baekhyun’s head, ruffling his hair (“What the hell, Kris, my hair-water is going to fall into the soup!”) before pulling the towel from around Baekhyun’s neck and hanging it on the rack.
“Go to bed once you’re done, okay? Second room on the right,” Kris says easily, as if Baekhyun was a regular visitor of his house. Kris somehow feels oddly comfortable even though Baekhyun is a guest. It’s the kind of feeling that comes from friends who have hung around long enough, close enough to be able to let themselves in through the gates of each other’s houses and pick out snacks from each other’s cupboards. In fact, even Chanyeol would ask permission before opening any cupboards in Kris’ house.
Kris is sitting on his king-sized bed after a calming shower, typing furiously on his laptop when he sees Baekhyun standing soundlessly at the entrance to his bedroom.
“Do you need anything?” Kris looks up absent-mindedly, head reeling from the Excel sheet he had been staring at for far too long.
Baekhyun sits himself next to Kris, gently taking away his laptop. Kris looks at him bewilderedly, hurriedly saving his document before Baekhyun shifts the laptop out of his reach.
“What’s wrong?” Kris questions, sensing that Baekhyun has something to say. Probably an awkward thanks, he muses. What Baekhyun says, and does, next is completely out of Kris’ expectations.
Baekhyun licks his lips hesitantly and places a hand on Kris’ thigh, steadily moving it up towards the waistband of his shorts. “You paid for this,” he whispers, never breaking eye contact with Kris as his slim fingers reach into Kris’ pants.
Kris clutches Baekhyun’s hand before it reaches his boxers, a warning to Baekhyun to stop igniting Kris’ sexual desire. He knows what Baekhyun is aiming at, but he isn’t about to let him have his way.
Baekhyun pauses in his actions, and regardless of how well he thinks he’s hiding it, Kris still sees confusion and even a tinge of disappointment in Baekhyun’s eyes as he realizes he was rejected by Kris. Kris is firm in his stance of not wanting Baekhyun to do anything sensual, knowing full well that Baekhyun doesn’t like it either.
Kris removes Baekhyun’s hand from his pants and weaves his fingers through Baekhyun’s own. Baekhyun looks down in the humiliation that came from lowering one’s position to please another, and still getting rejected.
“Look at me,” Kris breathes, “Baekhyun. You don’t want this. You’re only doing it because you believe in the notion that you are supposed to please whoever pays for you. It is because you see no other reason as to why someone would pay for you.”
Baekhyun tries to squirm away from Kris, from the uncomfortable truth that Kris is throwing at his face. Kris holds his hand tighter, other hand stroking Baekhyun’s hair from crown down to his nape, lingering between his neck and shoulder as he speaks.
Kris moves even closer to Baekhyun, bending down towards his lowered head. “Not everyone pays you for sex, Baekhyun. Some people pay for someone to talk to; others pay for your voice. Tonight, I paid not for your body. I paid to get you out of your sexual dealings. I paid for one night of time with you. Don’t denigrate yourself like this, please. Don’t feel the need to let me have your body just because I paid.”
Kris lets his words sink in, watching as the look in Baekhyun’s eyes transform from disappointment to understanding and acceptance of what Kris had just told him.
Neither of them speak; Kris continues to sit in front of Baekhyun, occasionally running his thumb across the end of Baekhyun’s hair, and he lets Baekhyun zone out, immersed in his own thoughts. He doesn’t seem to feel Kris touching his hair, looking like a true well-chiseled sculpture. They sit quietly until Baekhyun yawns as a sign of wanting to go to bed. He looks up, moving to get off Kris’ bed to return to the other room.
“I’ll just go back to the other room now…”
Kris asks uncertainly, “Do you wanna just sleep here? I mean, you’re here already.”
Baekhyun looks back from the edge of the bed, making eye contact with Kris immediately. Strangely enough, Baekhyun doesn’t seem as shy as before; he grins openly with a twinkle in his eye as he scoots to the space next to Kris, burying himself under the covers before Kris had even pulled up his side of the quilt.
Kris smacks Baekhyun’s cocoon lightly as he lets out a small puff of disbelief. “Psh, you were waiting for this, weren’t you?”
Baekhyun burrows deeper into the pillow, resolute in pretending to be sleeping, making an adorable noise that Kris suspected was supposed to sound like a grunt. Kris lays next to Baekhyun instead of bothering him for an answer, resting on his side to watch him.
Kris watches as Baekhyun’s chest heaves with each breath he takes, and thinks that he could get used to this. He could get used to watching Baekhyun fall asleep right next to him before he does. Kris doesn’t like the adapting that inevitably comes with change, but this change is one he would willingly adapt himself to. Baekhyun could, as Chanyeol had told him long before, wreck Kris’ work routine and show him to the ‘world outside the company, home, and Voltaire’.
Baekhyun’s breath evens out and Kris caresses his face. He must be really tired, Kris laments, to be able to fall asleep so quickly. Kris closes his eyes a short while later, falling asleep to the scent of his shampoo on Baekhyun.
Kris is woken up the next day when Baekhyun tugs on the quilt. Kris opens his eyes a little and immediately understands what’s happening - he had forgotten to draw the curtains last night. In a daze, he gets up cautiously and paces over to the window to draw the curtains, engulfing the room in darkness once again.
Walking back to his bed slightly unsteadily, Kris nestles against Baekhyun’s back with a lazy arm strewn over his waist. Baekhyun hums in contentment, and Kris takes a moment to revisit his thoughts from the previous night.
Sure, he could get used to this.