We Found Love in a Hopeless Place
Author: ANONYMOUS
Recipient: EVERYONE
Title: We Found Love in a Hopeless Place
Word Counts: 5,435
Side Pairing(s): none
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): none
Disclaimer:The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Baekhyun and Chanyeol are two idol stars pushed by the industry into rivalry with each other. But in a twist of fate, and a bit of help from their mischievous managers, they end up together on a two-week shoot off the countryside.
Author's Note: To my recipient, I hope you like it! I’m sorry if this probably wasn’t what you had in mind. T_T Your other prompts were really nice too, too bad I can’t do those genres! Maybe next time!
To my beloved beta who encouraged me and stayed up late with me, thank you for saving me and this fic! To the one who gave me the plot, love you always!
“The winner for the best male artist for this year is…”
It was not a good sight. Idol stars Baekhyun and Chanyeol had not been in good terms since that one time they released an album at the same time, resulting in an intense fight for the weekly charts.
“I wonder how their managers feel about it being that they are best friends?” The TV host asked as the TV showed a picture of Suho, Baekhyun’s manager and Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s manager together having lunch at a cafe.
“What do you think would happen if Chanyeol and Baekhyun were to film a show together?”
“I think it’ll be chaos.”
Both of the hosts laughed.
___
“I booked you on the newest show launching on MBC. I think this will really boost your already sky high popularity.” Suho said in his brightest smile. Baekhyun thinks no one should be that happy, especially working on a 24/7 job like his. He went around collecting papers and putting them in his file. Baekhyun’s schedule on top.
“If this is a dating show, I don’t think I’m up for that. I can’t act like a lovesick puppy for long hours.” Baekhyun pouted over the cup of coffee he was drinking to fight his sleepiness. The day was still long.
“Yeah, you only act that way around Park Chanyeol.” Suho stopped shuffling his papers to give him a pointed look.
“Excuse you.” Baekhyun sat straight and pointed a finger at Suho to make his point. “The only thing I have for Chanyeol is hatred and a bit of irritation, but that’s a given.” He then rolled his eyes and went back to his coffee. He gulped a bit in exasperation. How dare he imply that Baekhyun has some hidden feelings for that dumbo. He giggled at the image of Chanyeol flying with his giant ears.
“Right.” Suho’s answer was condescending, only to stop his talent from going on another circle of denial and because he wasn’t listening anymore instead his head was flying off space giggling over flying ears.
“I do not like him.” Baekhyun answered a few seconds late.
“Ok fine.” Suho closed his file and went about to the door.
“I do not.”
“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?”
“Shut up.” Then he threw his paper cup at the door where has just been.
“So what am I gonna do on this show again?” Chanyeol stood by the door of his manager’s office.
“Live in the countryside for a while, chop some wood, hunt, I don’t know. Don’t ask me I’m not the producer.” Kyungsoo told Chanyeol with a blank face. His manager has always answered him in a sarcastic tone. He wonders how he’s friends with Suho, the all smiles manager of that little hellboy.
“Well you are my manager, you ought to know what.”
“Well I don’t, they offered good money and exposure. All that sounds good to me. Just take off your shirt and flex those muscles, I’m sure your fangirls would love that.” Kyungsoo didn’t look up at him while speaking focusing on reading pages and pages of an acting offer.
“I’m not taking off my shirt!” Chanyeol stomped his feet.
“Well, why not? Afraid Byun Baekhyun would think your abs aren’t enough?” Kyungsoo finally looked up to smirk at him.
Chanyeol choked on air. “What the hell does that little sissy boy got to do with my perfect abs?”
“You said you saw him eyeing Bi’s poster along the halls of KBS, the very next day I hear you wanting to go to the gym and getting an instructor. Explain.” Kyungsoo stopped reading and put down his pen to stare at Chanyeol.
“I have nothing to explain to you.” Chanyeol crossed his arms and leaned on the doorframe.
“Well no need to explain it’s all crystal clear to me.” The devilish manager has a small smile in one of the corner of his lips while he slowly finishes the glass of water.
“Whatever.” Was Chanyeol’s only rebuttal as he walks away.
“I’m killing Joonmyeon.” Baekhyun whispers.
“Well, look who’s here. The princess is out and about.” Chanyeol smirks but he already had gone through a murder plan for his manager in his head. How could he do this to him? He thought they were friends. Or at least some semblance of it.
“Well at least I’m royalty unlike someone who looks like a giant troll. I’m banishing you outside of my castle.”
“You little sh…”
“Sure, flaunt that filthy mouth of yours.” Baekhyun flipped his hair before walking out.
The staff of the program snickered at the two bickering. This ought to be fun, they thought.
Through out the plane ride, Chanyeol and Baekhyun weren’t speaking but they kept on taking jabs at each other. Baekhyun was talking to a staff about an award he got where he bested Chanyeol for having the best album and Chanyeol replying by telling the same staff about that one music critic who said Baekhyun’s voice was like a chipmunk on drugs and then went on with him winning the best male artist on some other awards show. The staff all fell asleep in the middle of their bickering but the two didn’t deem it necessary to have an audience and continued on their monologues.
When they touched down, Baekhyun was having a hard time taking his super-sized luggage from the conveyor. Chanyeol saw him struggling and laughed. He was going to walk away but sighed when his conscience got the better of him. He went to Baekhyun’s side and pushed him away from his bag.
“Ow, what?” Baekhyun looked on as Chanyeol got his bag down with ease.
“I didn’t need your…”
“Shut up. We’ll be left behind.” Chanyeol shrugged then walked away with his bag in tow.
Baekhyun with his short legs runs after him.
Immediately after arriving at the house where they will be staying for the next 2 weeks, the cameras started running.
“So there will be two persons per room.”
Hearing that Baekhyun got goosebumps. He was praying for a different roommate but he knew at the back of his mind what the result will be. Please, let it not be…
“Chanyeol and Baekhyun you go to room 2.”
Baekhyun’s face fell. Of course, it’s Chanyeol.
“Come on princess. I won’t carry your big ass bag upstairs.”
“I wasn’t going to ask.”
This was going to be the longest 2 weeks ever.
“For your first mission, you have to cook.” Yells of ‘oh yeah’ filled the living room.
“But you have to gather wood from the backyard and cut them so you could use them to build a fire and cook.” Groans are now heard all around. Baekhyun looks down to his puny arms and sighed.
Chanyeol walks over to the back and hauls one log and looks for an axe. He finds one and starts cutting the log in half.
“Well, you could help you know?” Chanyeol says over to Baekhyun who was standing near the door and staring at him with his arms crossed.
“No thanks. I’m going to be modeling for Tiffany & Co next month. Wouldn’t want to break my nails or my hands.”
Chanyeol snorted. “Typical princess. Here make yourself useful hold this for me.” Chanyeol took off his shirt and handed it to Baekhyun who held the shirt on the tip away from him.
“It’s Armani no need to hold it so far.”
“So it is. But it has your sweat, so no thanks.” He scrunched his nose at the smell (which isn’t really so bad, ok so it smells great but whatever).
Baekhyun has to admit, shirtless Chanyeol is probably every girl’s wet dream. He has chiseled abs and his skin has a slight (perfect) bronze color to it.
“Look at Chanyeol, isn’t he such a god? I’ll kill to touch those abs.” A girl group member whispered to another idol star, giggling as they talk about how defined Chanyeol’s abs are. “Cha Young is so lucky to have him as her boyfriend. OMG I want to be her!” She shrieked loudly.
Baekhyun felt stirrings of anger for some unknown reason. “Aren’t you both supposed to be starting the fire?”
Both of them blushed at being found out and rushed to where the other stars were gathered to start cooking. Baekhyun looked at them with one eyebrow up then looked back and was startled to see Chanyeol standing so near him, so near he could smell his perfume.
“Jealous?” He whispered while staring intently at Baekhyun’s face.
“As if.” Baekhyun walked away from Chanyeol and towards the group. He heard a chuckle behind him and looked back to throw the sweaty shirt at the smirking Chanyeol.
Throughout the day, they ate, chopped some more wood (no more Chanyeol topless to everyone’s dismay) and when it was time to sleep Baekhyun felt like a high school student getting nervous with her first slumber party.
“I’m taking this bed.” Baekhyun sat at the bed closest to the door.
“I wasn’t going to take it.” Chanyeol went out from the bathroom wearing only a towel covering his lower regions.
“God, put some clothes would you!” Baekhyun closed his eyes and put his towel over them for extra protection from the abomination (gloriousness) presented to him.
“We’re both guys. What the hell is your problem?” Chanyeol stood in front of Baekhyun taunting him. A tug of war ensues as Baekhyun continually shields his eyes and his face, both missing the subtle smiles, until Chanyeol slipped on the rug and he falls on top of Baekhyun.
“Well this is awkward.” Chanyeol tried standing up but he looked up and saw Baekhyun staring at him, a bit of a blush on his face and suddenly he can’t move.
“Lights off!” A staff shouted through their door interrupting their moment.
“Uhm, yeah ok.” Chanyeol shouted back while standing up.
Baekhyun stayed still at the bed while clutching his towel, his heart was beating fast. It was probably from the fall. But why wasn’t it slowing?
“Good night princess.” He faintly heard Chanyeol murmur.
The next few days required much strength and power for their tasks with Chanyeol taking most of the job while Baekhyun looked on with one eyebrow up, which means he was actually admiring the muscled guy, not that he needs to know that nor does anyone else.
“For this day, you are all going to go out and identify the plants in the backyard. Here’s a list of herbal plants that you need to get.”
“Ok, so I got almost everything except raspberries. Which should be somewhere here…” Baekhyun mumbled to himself. Legs tired with walking for over 2 hours looking at plants, greens greens and more greens.
“Ah there! I think that’s it.” Baekhyun reached out to the plant.
“No, don’t touch it!” Someone shouted while his fingertip nearly touched the plant.
“What? What?”
“That’s poison ivy! Are you dumb?” Chanyeol shouted at him.
“How was I supposed to know?” He shouted back. “And why are you shouting at me?”
“I was just…ugh let me see your hand!” Chanyeol looked at his fingers and seeing as there was nothing out of the ordinary, he gave his hand back. “If it itches tell me.”
Baekhyun has no intentions of doing that but a few minutes later he felt his hand get itchy and there were red blotches going from his fingers to his wrist. He was scratching until he can’t take it anymore and he run to Chanyeol.
“Make it go away! Ugh!” He whined.
“Why aren’t you more careful?” Chanyeol seemed to be irritated as he gently and carefully puts ointment he got from his backpack on Baekhyun’s arm.
“There, now just stop scratching it, then it’ll get better.”
“Thank you.” Baekhyun said softly.
“It’s really no problem. Please just take care of yourself. It’s not always that there will be someone who will tend to you.”
“I know. Still thank you.”
The air became tense but not awkward. Chanyeol cleared his throat and explained.
“I’m…I’m only doing this because Suho will kill me if he finds out you’ve been hurt. Kyungsoo too.”
Baekhyun giggled. “Suho? Kill you? Really? That guy couldn’t even hurt a fly.”
Chanyeol blushed. “Still! We need to go back to the house. People might be looking for us already.”
They walked back together with Chanyeol walking a few steps ahead murmuring to himself, heart beating fast when he heard Baekhyun’s giggle earlier. What was happening?
That night, Chanyeol won for getting all the plants right. He gets to eat a special meal and marshmallows to roast in the fire they made outside. It was chilly that night and everyone huddled together except one who was sitting on the other side of the fire. Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun shivering with his still full plate in front of him. Chanyeol looked at his perfectly roasted marshmallow and stood up to sit beside the guy.
“Hey, not hungry?”
Baekhyun shrugged.
Chanyeol blew on his marshmallow before offering it to Baekhyun. “Here.”
“It’s ok, thanks.” Chanyeol pushed the marshmallow near Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun glared at him and he gave a sheepish smile at him.
“Take it.” Baekhyun hesitated for a bit before taking it and eating it in one bite, to which Chanyeol gave a big smile.
“Oppa! Give us one too!” The girls from the other side said.
“Sorry, I only had one left.” Chanyeol smiled at the girls before turning back to Baekhyun who was skeptically looking at him.
“You should have given it to them instead.” Baekhyun whispered.
“Nah, I wanted you to have it.” Chanyeol then saw him still shivering. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Baekhyun.
“What?” Baekhyun asked staring at the jacket.
“It’s cold and your jacket seems thin. This will warm you up.” Chanyeol was looking everywhere but Baekhyun which incited a small smile from the latter. He took the jacket and put it over his own.
“Will you be ok?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
There was a comfortable silence that followed. Baekhyun’s heart though is still beating fast from Chanyeol’s actions. To dispel the silence, Baekhyun asked a question he never thought to ask.
“Why do you hate me?” He turned to face Chanyeol catching him off guard with the question.
“I...I don’t hate you. I never did. I thought you hated me.”
“I don’t...I didn’t hate you...it was that you were so nice to everyone and I felt so left out.”
“Huh?” Chanyeol couldn’t remember seeing the bright and beautiful Baekhyun looking left out.
“On the day of our debut, I was so nervous,” Baekhyun started. Hands fidgeting.
“Then I came out and nobody talked to me. I was standing near the stage. Then you came out with that smile of yours and then everybody was into you. Everyone crowded around you. You were like flame to the moths and then maybe I was jealous. But I didn’t hate you. Never.” By then Baekhyun’s face looked so sad, so conflicted that Chanyeol found himself inching closer and closer that when Baekhyun looked up he was surprised to see Chanyeol’s face so close. He never thought Chanyeol’s lips were the perfect kind of pink, the perfect kind of shape. And if he just leaned in a little more, he’d be...
“Oppa!” A girl shouted across them, breaking the spell Baekhyun was in. They both straightened in their seats.
“Hm?” Chanyeol answered.
“Is it true Cha Young and you are getting married next year?”
Baekhyun didn’t know why the mention of Cha Young depressed him and felt like he was being stabbed. He stood up and Chanyeol looked at him walk away.
“No.” He answered but Baekhyun wasn’t there to hear.
When Baekhyun went to sleep, he kept on tossing and turning. The thought of Chanyeol and Cha Young married is still bugging him.
“Baekhyun, stop.” Chanyeol murmured from his bed.
The tossing didn’t stop and Chanyeol stood up and went to the other’s bed. He grabbed Baekhyun’s shoulder and turned him around to face Chanyeol.
“What?” Baekhyun shrugged off the hand and turned around again.
“Why can’t you sleep? Was it because of earlier?” Chanyeol climbed over Baekhyun and hovered over him. Caging him between his arms. “You know I’m not getting married. Look at me Baekhyun.”
“I don’t care.”
Baekhyun then decided to snatch his pillow and went out of their shared room as fast as he could without seeming like he was running away. The echo of their closing door made the boy flinch as the house was too quiet. Their housemates are probably sleeping peacefully. A very contrast of Baekhyun's thoughts.
Without thinking much, Baekhyun drag himself towards the long sofa along with dismissing the idea of going back to get his blanket.
He laid down on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling as thoughts of Chanyeol go through his mind. The other doesn’t hate him, does that mean he likes Baekhyun? Does he like Chanyeol? No, that cannot be. He has spent a lot of his time thinking the other as an arrogant idiot. Why was he then jealous of the thought of Chanyeol with a girl?
With these confusing thoughts and unanswered questions, his mind gets tired and his eyes get heavy. He falls asleep counting sheeps that seems to look a lot like Chanyeol.
Baekhyun woke up with a blanket over him. Curiously, he burrowed further under it and it smells a lot like…
“Good morning!” A cheery voice greeted him and the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs cooking.
Baekhyun sat up to look at the one greeting him then smiled at him.
“Hey, good morning! Smells nice!”
The guy scratched the back of his head bashfully. “Ah yeah, breakfast will be served in a while. I hope you eat bacon because I cooked a lot.”
“I do! It’s my favorite! Thanks Seung-ah!” Baekhyun stood up from his makeshift bed to sit down at the island near where Seung-ah is.
Seung-ah is a famous actor, known for his roles as the cold, snobbish guy. Baekhyun has met him a few times and his roles are never near his true personality. Seung-ah is a sweet, bubbly guy and funny too.
“Good morning oppa!” One idol girl greeted from the hallway. “Oh! Cooking for Baekhyun, I see how it is!” She winked at them before plopping down on the sofa Baekhyun was in.
Seung-ah is known for being a great actor but he is also known to be a fan and admirer of Baekhyun. Everyone who has seen an interview of him knows he mentions Baekhyun at least once every hour. Baekhyun blushes at the thought. Seung-ah is a great guy and if maybe he wasn’t so occupied with confusing thoughts of his current roommate, he would have spent all his time with him.
“Here!” A plate of bacon with a sunny side up egg on the side slid into his view. “Eat up! We’ll be doing a lot today.” A wide smile marks Seung-ah’s face while sitting across Baekhyun with his own plate of bacon and egg.
Chanyeol woke up and looked at the other bed which was still unoccupied. He sighs before going out to the living room and was greeted with the sight of Baekhyun and what’s-his-name actor who’s looking at Baekhyun like he was the breakfast instead of the plate in front of him. He feels an irrational need to stomp his way over to the kitchen and snatch Baekhyun away. He stomps instead on the way to the kitchen and gets his own plate and breakfast and sits beside Baekhyun.
“Oh oppa you’re awake!” The girl who was plopped on the sofa excitedly stood up and sat beside Chanyeol. “I’m hungry. Can I have a bite from your plate? Please?” She said cutely and Baekhyun tried hard not to barf at the not-cute voice she was using.
Chanyeol looked at her like she was growing another head. “Uhm, there’s still some over there.” She pouted at the rejection and walked to get a plate and breakfast.
“Baekhyun, if you’re finished, we can go outside for walk. The weather’s great for walking.” Seung-ah ignored the wailing girl at the side and took Baekhyun’s clean plate and put them in the sink.
“Yeah, sure let me just get my coat.” Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun walk away with that what’s-his-face actor and scowled.
Baekhyun and Seung-ah came back to the house an hour after laughing at something Seung-ah said. Baekhyun had fun with their walk, forgetting his problems for a while. Seung-ah is proving to be a good listener and a good friend.
Chanyeol was by the door when the duo came back. He sees red when Seung-ah held Baekhyun’s hand and the other guy is even holding it tight. He walks back to their room and slams the door shut.
Their activity for the day was to fetch water from some far away well or they wouldn’t be drinking anything for the next few days. The activity required that roommates no longer be partners unlike yesterday’s activity. The PD staff said that this is to broaden their relationships with other people in the entertainment industry. Seung-ah was paired off with Baekhyun and happily filled a big container with both of their hard work. Chanyeol, on the other hand, was left to pair off with one of the idol girls who cannot hold up her end of the pail. They ended up filling only half of the container and filling up the rest with his anger, or jealousy if he was being honest.
After a tiring day, Seung-ah offered his bed to Baekhyun, thinking that Baekhyun was still going to sleep on the couch.
“It’s cold there” Seung-ah reasoned, while walking with Baekhyun to his and Chanyeol’s room to get his pillow.
“I’ll be fine really.” Chanyeol walked out of the room the same time they were in front of the door.
“Hi!” Seung-ah greeted brightly.
“Yeah, hi.” He flatly greeted back.
“Get your pillow Baek, my room’s just two doors down.” Chanyeol gaped at Seung-ah. How dare he ask Baekhyun to sleep with him. Unconsciously, he held Baekhyun by the arm and glared at the other.
“Chanyeol? What are you doing?” Baekhyun looked down at the hand gripping his arm and up at Chanyeol’s red face.
“You can’t sleep at other people’s room. It’s against the rules.” He reasoned. It wasn’t true, there weren’t really any rule like that. But there should be, Chanyeol thinks.
“I don’t think it’s written anywhere.” Seung-ah answered.
“There is. Just go back to your room. Baekhyun will be sleeping here tonight.”
“Chanyeol, lower down your voice.”
“Are you really going to sleep with him?” There was a seemingly hurt look in Chanyeol’s eyes. Baekhyun looked away to see Seung-ah still waiting for him.
“Seung-ah, I think you should go. He’s right. I shouldn’t sleep in other people’s room. It wouldn’t be right.” Baekhyun was already dragged inside before he even finished his sentence.
Chanyeol slammed the door shut immediately after.
“What the hell Chanyeol! That was rude! He was just being nice!” Baekhyun shrugged off Chanyeol’s grip on his.
“Nice? He was asking you to sleep with him! How was that nice?” Chanyeol in his anger then caged Baekhyun in between his arms.
“How is that your problem?” Baekhyun challenged. He was tired of his confusing feelings which always resurfaces when a certain giant makes his presence known in any of his senses.
“He likes you! Don’t you understand? You might fall into his trap and…”
“And? And what? What’s it to you? You have Cha Young and that other girl flirting with you. Why do you bother with me?”
“Because I like you!” Chanyeol shouted and when he realized the truth he spilled, he covered his mouth. It wasn’t meant to be said. It wasn’t meant to be heard.
Both stilled at the confession.
“What?” Baekhyun whispered the question. Chanyeol likes him?
“Look at me Baekhyun and tell me you don’t feel it too.” Chanyeol grabbed his chin and turned his head to face Chanyeol. Chanyeol was so close. Just like the other day. His lips, so close he could feel his breath on his face.
“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whispered.
Chanyeol swooped down to press a kiss on Baekhyun’s lips, to kiss away the sadness in his eyes but he got caught up and pressed his lips to Baekhyun’s again. And again. And again. Each time deeper than the next.
Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol softly and walked out of their shared room.
“Stop walking away.” Chanyeol murmured.
The next day, it was Chanyeol who avoided him going off with the same girl he was paired with. And if Baekhyun is to be honest, there is a hole in his heart when Chanyeol didn’t greet him that morning.
“Hey, you alright?” Seung-ah is his partner again.
“Yeah, of course.” Baekhyun tried a smile to convince Seung-ah he was ok. That Chanyeol’s attention on someone else is ok.
Baekhyun walked off a bit too far on the way back from their activity out on the beachfront. He passed by the house and continued off to the garden at the back and to the forest beyond it.
He knew he was in trouble the moment he looked back and found trees and no sight of the house. He begins to panic. He pats his pocket for his phone and finds it with a notice of a low battery life. He panics and dials a number he had recently saved.
“Chanyeol, help. I…” The phone beeps and shuts off. He tries to turn it on to no avail.
He sits on a log he spots and puts his head between his legs. He’s alone and the sun is setting. He feels tears forming in his eyes. He shivers when he hears howling and cowers into himself, hugging his knees. He thinks of how he’s going to die and how they’re going to find his lifeless body in the woods. How, Baekhyun the idol, is dead because he got lost thinking about Chanyeol. Chanyeol, the only guy who has ever took care of him other than his manager. The guy who gave him his best roasted marshmallow even if he wanted that last bite, who even if he proclaimed to be his enemy, still put ointment on his stupidity.
“I like you too.” He whispers to the wind because Chanyeol would never know. The tears wouldn’t stop at the thought of what could they have had. His lonely life getting colorful with Chanyeol around.
His puffy eyes closed for a moment before getting awakened by shouts of his name.
“Baekhyun! Answer me! Baekhyun!” He faintly hears from the distance. It seems to be Chanyeol’s voice but he must be hallucinating. He couldn’t have known where he was, could he?
But he hears Chanyeol’s voice again, getting closer to where he was and then he scrambles to stand on his feet and shouts back.
“Chanyeol?”
“Baekhyun? Baekhyun!” Chanyeol’s voice and silhouette grows closer and closer and Baekhyun’s eyes tears again this time with happiness.
“Chanyeol!” He runs to where Chanyeol was and hugs him tight.
“I like you too!” He mentions the moment he meets the other.
Chanyeol was too worried and too stunned to voice a reply.
“Let’s go back.” He says after a few seconds.
They arrived at the house with Baekhyun leaning over Chanyeol as he was too spent from crying and walking. The other idols and staff fussed over them, worried and relieved that Baekhyun was alright. Baekhyun thanked them but opted to go straight to bed so both of them could rest.
“Are you alright?” Chanyeol asked after Baekhyun reached and sat on the bed. Chanyeol then took his hands and inspected his hands up to his arms for damage. Looking at the back of his neck, checking his legs for any injuries, cuts, anything. Baekhyun chuckled at the knot on Chanyeol’s forehead.
“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun smiled. “I’m fine. Are you? It was quite a fall back there.” While helping Baekhyun up at a protruding root back at the forest, Chanyeol slipped. Baekhyun asked him then, but he said he was fine.
“Let me see your hand.” Chanyeol reluctantly turned his hand over to Baekhyun and Baekhyun gasped at the bloody gash on his left hand.
“Oh my god, is this the only one?” He looked up from his place at the bed to Chanyeol standing between his legs. “Answer honestly.”
“Yes, I swear.” Chanyeol gave him an impish smile while Baekhyun slowly stood up and went to the bathroom to get their first aid kit. Chanyeol attempted to take the kit from him but he refused.
“Let me take care of you too.” And Chanyeol really cannot resist when he says it like that.
“Sit and don’t move.” Baekhyun gets cotton swabs and povidone and dabs it gently on the gash. The look of concentration on his face makes Chanyeol smile even with the sting of the medicine.
“Thank you.” Baekhyun says while placing the bandage over the gash and smoothing it over. “For always being there when I need you.”
Chanyeol took his chin and tilts his head up and looks straight into his eyes.
“Baekhyun,” he leans down and gives him a chaste kiss. “Thank you too. For you.” He leans down again for a deeper kiss.
They both came up for air, smiling at each other. What lies ahead is something both of them are afraid to face. Every worry Baekhyun has of what will be, every doubt Chanyeol has. But for today they’d be ignoring their worries and is going to be spending this time with each other.
Baekhyun laid down on the bed after cleaning up the used medicine and bandages and taking a shower. He waited for Chanyeol to come out of the shower.
“Uhm, do you want?” He shyly tapped the space on the bed beside him earning a surprised look and a blush from the other.
“Oh...ok.” Chanyeol slowly walked towards the bed and laid down at the edge of the bed.
“You’ll fall if you stay there.” Baekhyun giggled at the way the other stiffly inched towards him.
“Good night Chanyeol. Sweet dreams.” Baekhyun reached out to close Chanyeol’s eyes.
“Good night Baekhyun.”
They spent the night on one bed, with them inching nearer and nearer to each other until Chanyeol’s arms are around Baekhyun protectively.
The last few days was spent with Baekhyun and Chanyeol doing their activities together in the morning until the afternoon, acting like nothing was different, acting like they were still enemies, bickering but with slight teasing to it. But at night, they sleep facing each other. Holding each other’s hands. Whispering secrets only the two of them knows. Sharing dreams they both want to achieve. And sharing sweet kisses they’ll keep to themselves for now.
On their way home, Chanyeol and Baekhyun found themselves sitting side by side in the plane. Chanyeol staring right ahead while Baekhyun looked out the window.
When the seatbelt signs went off, Baekhyun stood up to go to the toilet but a hand held him back. He looked down and saw Chanyeol’s hand gripping his wrists but his head still looking straight ahead. He sat back down and the hand loosened the grip on his. He takes Chanyeol’s hands in his.
“I’m still scared.” Baekhyun starts.
“Scared of what?” Chanyeol gripped the other’s hand.
“What will happen when we get back? What if it won’t work out?”
“What if it does?” Chanyeol asks back. “How do you know it won’t?”
“I..I don’t know.”
“Then why don’t we just try?” Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol’s determined eyes.
Slipping their fingers together, it feels nice, Baekhyun thought. Maybe, it won’t work out in the long run but they will savor it while it lasts.
When the plane landed and they got off the plane, they let each other’s hand go.
The next day, they showed up at an awards show separately. When they met on stage to take the best male artist award they both won, they looked at each other and glared. Both fighting to speak first.
“Thank you for this award. You shouldn’t have been so nice to give it to both of us. We all know who is it really for.” Baekhyun beamed at the laughing audience.
“How terribly nice of you, Baekhyun. Thank you to everyone who thought to pity small people.”
Everybody saw chaos but two people saw love.
Recipient: EVERYONE
Title: We Found Love in a Hopeless Place
Word Counts: 5,435
Side Pairing(s): none
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): none
Disclaimer:The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Baekhyun and Chanyeol are two idol stars pushed by the industry into rivalry with each other. But in a twist of fate, and a bit of help from their mischievous managers, they end up together on a two-week shoot off the countryside.
Author's Note: To my recipient, I hope you like it! I’m sorry if this probably wasn’t what you had in mind. T_T Your other prompts were really nice too, too bad I can’t do those genres! Maybe next time!
To my beloved beta who encouraged me and stayed up late with me, thank you for saving me and this fic! To the one who gave me the plot, love you always!
“The winner for the best male artist for this year is…”
It was not a good sight. Idol stars Baekhyun and Chanyeol had not been in good terms since that one time they released an album at the same time, resulting in an intense fight for the weekly charts.
“I wonder how their managers feel about it being that they are best friends?” The TV host asked as the TV showed a picture of Suho, Baekhyun’s manager and Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s manager together having lunch at a cafe.
“What do you think would happen if Chanyeol and Baekhyun were to film a show together?”
“I think it’ll be chaos.”
Both of the hosts laughed.
___
“I booked you on the newest show launching on MBC. I think this will really boost your already sky high popularity.” Suho said in his brightest smile. Baekhyun thinks no one should be that happy, especially working on a 24/7 job like his. He went around collecting papers and putting them in his file. Baekhyun’s schedule on top.
“If this is a dating show, I don’t think I’m up for that. I can’t act like a lovesick puppy for long hours.” Baekhyun pouted over the cup of coffee he was drinking to fight his sleepiness. The day was still long.
“Yeah, you only act that way around Park Chanyeol.” Suho stopped shuffling his papers to give him a pointed look.
“Excuse you.” Baekhyun sat straight and pointed a finger at Suho to make his point. “The only thing I have for Chanyeol is hatred and a bit of irritation, but that’s a given.” He then rolled his eyes and went back to his coffee. He gulped a bit in exasperation. How dare he imply that Baekhyun has some hidden feelings for that dumbo. He giggled at the image of Chanyeol flying with his giant ears.
“Right.” Suho’s answer was condescending, only to stop his talent from going on another circle of denial and because he wasn’t listening anymore instead his head was flying off space giggling over flying ears.
“I do not like him.” Baekhyun answered a few seconds late.
“Ok fine.” Suho closed his file and went about to the door.
“I do not.”
“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?”
“Shut up.” Then he threw his paper cup at the door where has just been.
“So what am I gonna do on this show again?” Chanyeol stood by the door of his manager’s office.
“Live in the countryside for a while, chop some wood, hunt, I don’t know. Don’t ask me I’m not the producer.” Kyungsoo told Chanyeol with a blank face. His manager has always answered him in a sarcastic tone. He wonders how he’s friends with Suho, the all smiles manager of that little hellboy.
“Well you are my manager, you ought to know what.”
“Well I don’t, they offered good money and exposure. All that sounds good to me. Just take off your shirt and flex those muscles, I’m sure your fangirls would love that.” Kyungsoo didn’t look up at him while speaking focusing on reading pages and pages of an acting offer.
“I’m not taking off my shirt!” Chanyeol stomped his feet.
“Well, why not? Afraid Byun Baekhyun would think your abs aren’t enough?” Kyungsoo finally looked up to smirk at him.
Chanyeol choked on air. “What the hell does that little sissy boy got to do with my perfect abs?”
“You said you saw him eyeing Bi’s poster along the halls of KBS, the very next day I hear you wanting to go to the gym and getting an instructor. Explain.” Kyungsoo stopped reading and put down his pen to stare at Chanyeol.
“I have nothing to explain to you.” Chanyeol crossed his arms and leaned on the doorframe.
“Well no need to explain it’s all crystal clear to me.” The devilish manager has a small smile in one of the corner of his lips while he slowly finishes the glass of water.
“Whatever.” Was Chanyeol’s only rebuttal as he walks away.
“I’m killing Joonmyeon.” Baekhyun whispers.
“Well, look who’s here. The princess is out and about.” Chanyeol smirks but he already had gone through a murder plan for his manager in his head. How could he do this to him? He thought they were friends. Or at least some semblance of it.
“Well at least I’m royalty unlike someone who looks like a giant troll. I’m banishing you outside of my castle.”
“You little sh…”
“Sure, flaunt that filthy mouth of yours.” Baekhyun flipped his hair before walking out.
The staff of the program snickered at the two bickering. This ought to be fun, they thought.
Through out the plane ride, Chanyeol and Baekhyun weren’t speaking but they kept on taking jabs at each other. Baekhyun was talking to a staff about an award he got where he bested Chanyeol for having the best album and Chanyeol replying by telling the same staff about that one music critic who said Baekhyun’s voice was like a chipmunk on drugs and then went on with him winning the best male artist on some other awards show. The staff all fell asleep in the middle of their bickering but the two didn’t deem it necessary to have an audience and continued on their monologues.
When they touched down, Baekhyun was having a hard time taking his super-sized luggage from the conveyor. Chanyeol saw him struggling and laughed. He was going to walk away but sighed when his conscience got the better of him. He went to Baekhyun’s side and pushed him away from his bag.
“Ow, what?” Baekhyun looked on as Chanyeol got his bag down with ease.
“I didn’t need your…”
“Shut up. We’ll be left behind.” Chanyeol shrugged then walked away with his bag in tow.
Baekhyun with his short legs runs after him.
Immediately after arriving at the house where they will be staying for the next 2 weeks, the cameras started running.
“So there will be two persons per room.”
Hearing that Baekhyun got goosebumps. He was praying for a different roommate but he knew at the back of his mind what the result will be. Please, let it not be…
“Chanyeol and Baekhyun you go to room 2.”
Baekhyun’s face fell. Of course, it’s Chanyeol.
“Come on princess. I won’t carry your big ass bag upstairs.”
“I wasn’t going to ask.”
This was going to be the longest 2 weeks ever.
“For your first mission, you have to cook.” Yells of ‘oh yeah’ filled the living room.
“But you have to gather wood from the backyard and cut them so you could use them to build a fire and cook.” Groans are now heard all around. Baekhyun looks down to his puny arms and sighed.
Chanyeol walks over to the back and hauls one log and looks for an axe. He finds one and starts cutting the log in half.
“Well, you could help you know?” Chanyeol says over to Baekhyun who was standing near the door and staring at him with his arms crossed.
“No thanks. I’m going to be modeling for Tiffany & Co next month. Wouldn’t want to break my nails or my hands.”
Chanyeol snorted. “Typical princess. Here make yourself useful hold this for me.” Chanyeol took off his shirt and handed it to Baekhyun who held the shirt on the tip away from him.
“It’s Armani no need to hold it so far.”
“So it is. But it has your sweat, so no thanks.” He scrunched his nose at the smell (which isn’t really so bad, ok so it smells great but whatever).
Baekhyun has to admit, shirtless Chanyeol is probably every girl’s wet dream. He has chiseled abs and his skin has a slight (perfect) bronze color to it.
“Look at Chanyeol, isn’t he such a god? I’ll kill to touch those abs.” A girl group member whispered to another idol star, giggling as they talk about how defined Chanyeol’s abs are. “Cha Young is so lucky to have him as her boyfriend. OMG I want to be her!” She shrieked loudly.
Baekhyun felt stirrings of anger for some unknown reason. “Aren’t you both supposed to be starting the fire?”
Both of them blushed at being found out and rushed to where the other stars were gathered to start cooking. Baekhyun looked at them with one eyebrow up then looked back and was startled to see Chanyeol standing so near him, so near he could smell his perfume.
“Jealous?” He whispered while staring intently at Baekhyun’s face.
“As if.” Baekhyun walked away from Chanyeol and towards the group. He heard a chuckle behind him and looked back to throw the sweaty shirt at the smirking Chanyeol.
Throughout the day, they ate, chopped some more wood (no more Chanyeol topless to everyone’s dismay) and when it was time to sleep Baekhyun felt like a high school student getting nervous with her first slumber party.
“I’m taking this bed.” Baekhyun sat at the bed closest to the door.
“I wasn’t going to take it.” Chanyeol went out from the bathroom wearing only a towel covering his lower regions.
“God, put some clothes would you!” Baekhyun closed his eyes and put his towel over them for extra protection from the abomination (gloriousness) presented to him.
“We’re both guys. What the hell is your problem?” Chanyeol stood in front of Baekhyun taunting him. A tug of war ensues as Baekhyun continually shields his eyes and his face, both missing the subtle smiles, until Chanyeol slipped on the rug and he falls on top of Baekhyun.
“Well this is awkward.” Chanyeol tried standing up but he looked up and saw Baekhyun staring at him, a bit of a blush on his face and suddenly he can’t move.
“Lights off!” A staff shouted through their door interrupting their moment.
“Uhm, yeah ok.” Chanyeol shouted back while standing up.
Baekhyun stayed still at the bed while clutching his towel, his heart was beating fast. It was probably from the fall. But why wasn’t it slowing?
“Good night princess.” He faintly heard Chanyeol murmur.
The next few days required much strength and power for their tasks with Chanyeol taking most of the job while Baekhyun looked on with one eyebrow up, which means he was actually admiring the muscled guy, not that he needs to know that nor does anyone else.
“For this day, you are all going to go out and identify the plants in the backyard. Here’s a list of herbal plants that you need to get.”
“Ok, so I got almost everything except raspberries. Which should be somewhere here…” Baekhyun mumbled to himself. Legs tired with walking for over 2 hours looking at plants, greens greens and more greens.
“Ah there! I think that’s it.” Baekhyun reached out to the plant.
“No, don’t touch it!” Someone shouted while his fingertip nearly touched the plant.
“What? What?”
“That’s poison ivy! Are you dumb?” Chanyeol shouted at him.
“How was I supposed to know?” He shouted back. “And why are you shouting at me?”
“I was just…ugh let me see your hand!” Chanyeol looked at his fingers and seeing as there was nothing out of the ordinary, he gave his hand back. “If it itches tell me.”
Baekhyun has no intentions of doing that but a few minutes later he felt his hand get itchy and there were red blotches going from his fingers to his wrist. He was scratching until he can’t take it anymore and he run to Chanyeol.
“Make it go away! Ugh!” He whined.
“Why aren’t you more careful?” Chanyeol seemed to be irritated as he gently and carefully puts ointment he got from his backpack on Baekhyun’s arm.
“There, now just stop scratching it, then it’ll get better.”
“Thank you.” Baekhyun said softly.
“It’s really no problem. Please just take care of yourself. It’s not always that there will be someone who will tend to you.”
“I know. Still thank you.”
The air became tense but not awkward. Chanyeol cleared his throat and explained.
“I’m…I’m only doing this because Suho will kill me if he finds out you’ve been hurt. Kyungsoo too.”
Baekhyun giggled. “Suho? Kill you? Really? That guy couldn’t even hurt a fly.”
Chanyeol blushed. “Still! We need to go back to the house. People might be looking for us already.”
They walked back together with Chanyeol walking a few steps ahead murmuring to himself, heart beating fast when he heard Baekhyun’s giggle earlier. What was happening?
That night, Chanyeol won for getting all the plants right. He gets to eat a special meal and marshmallows to roast in the fire they made outside. It was chilly that night and everyone huddled together except one who was sitting on the other side of the fire. Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun shivering with his still full plate in front of him. Chanyeol looked at his perfectly roasted marshmallow and stood up to sit beside the guy.
“Hey, not hungry?”
Baekhyun shrugged.
Chanyeol blew on his marshmallow before offering it to Baekhyun. “Here.”
“It’s ok, thanks.” Chanyeol pushed the marshmallow near Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun glared at him and he gave a sheepish smile at him.
“Take it.” Baekhyun hesitated for a bit before taking it and eating it in one bite, to which Chanyeol gave a big smile.
“Oppa! Give us one too!” The girls from the other side said.
“Sorry, I only had one left.” Chanyeol smiled at the girls before turning back to Baekhyun who was skeptically looking at him.
“You should have given it to them instead.” Baekhyun whispered.
“Nah, I wanted you to have it.” Chanyeol then saw him still shivering. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Baekhyun.
“What?” Baekhyun asked staring at the jacket.
“It’s cold and your jacket seems thin. This will warm you up.” Chanyeol was looking everywhere but Baekhyun which incited a small smile from the latter. He took the jacket and put it over his own.
“Will you be ok?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
There was a comfortable silence that followed. Baekhyun’s heart though is still beating fast from Chanyeol’s actions. To dispel the silence, Baekhyun asked a question he never thought to ask.
“Why do you hate me?” He turned to face Chanyeol catching him off guard with the question.
“I...I don’t hate you. I never did. I thought you hated me.”
“I don’t...I didn’t hate you...it was that you were so nice to everyone and I felt so left out.”
“Huh?” Chanyeol couldn’t remember seeing the bright and beautiful Baekhyun looking left out.
“On the day of our debut, I was so nervous,” Baekhyun started. Hands fidgeting.
“Then I came out and nobody talked to me. I was standing near the stage. Then you came out with that smile of yours and then everybody was into you. Everyone crowded around you. You were like flame to the moths and then maybe I was jealous. But I didn’t hate you. Never.” By then Baekhyun’s face looked so sad, so conflicted that Chanyeol found himself inching closer and closer that when Baekhyun looked up he was surprised to see Chanyeol’s face so close. He never thought Chanyeol’s lips were the perfect kind of pink, the perfect kind of shape. And if he just leaned in a little more, he’d be...
“Oppa!” A girl shouted across them, breaking the spell Baekhyun was in. They both straightened in their seats.
“Hm?” Chanyeol answered.
“Is it true Cha Young and you are getting married next year?”
Baekhyun didn’t know why the mention of Cha Young depressed him and felt like he was being stabbed. He stood up and Chanyeol looked at him walk away.
“No.” He answered but Baekhyun wasn’t there to hear.
When Baekhyun went to sleep, he kept on tossing and turning. The thought of Chanyeol and Cha Young married is still bugging him.
“Baekhyun, stop.” Chanyeol murmured from his bed.
The tossing didn’t stop and Chanyeol stood up and went to the other’s bed. He grabbed Baekhyun’s shoulder and turned him around to face Chanyeol.
“What?” Baekhyun shrugged off the hand and turned around again.
“Why can’t you sleep? Was it because of earlier?” Chanyeol climbed over Baekhyun and hovered over him. Caging him between his arms. “You know I’m not getting married. Look at me Baekhyun.”
“I don’t care.”
Baekhyun then decided to snatch his pillow and went out of their shared room as fast as he could without seeming like he was running away. The echo of their closing door made the boy flinch as the house was too quiet. Their housemates are probably sleeping peacefully. A very contrast of Baekhyun's thoughts.
Without thinking much, Baekhyun drag himself towards the long sofa along with dismissing the idea of going back to get his blanket.
He laid down on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling as thoughts of Chanyeol go through his mind. The other doesn’t hate him, does that mean he likes Baekhyun? Does he like Chanyeol? No, that cannot be. He has spent a lot of his time thinking the other as an arrogant idiot. Why was he then jealous of the thought of Chanyeol with a girl?
With these confusing thoughts and unanswered questions, his mind gets tired and his eyes get heavy. He falls asleep counting sheeps that seems to look a lot like Chanyeol.
Baekhyun woke up with a blanket over him. Curiously, he burrowed further under it and it smells a lot like…
“Good morning!” A cheery voice greeted him and the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs cooking.
Baekhyun sat up to look at the one greeting him then smiled at him.
“Hey, good morning! Smells nice!”
The guy scratched the back of his head bashfully. “Ah yeah, breakfast will be served in a while. I hope you eat bacon because I cooked a lot.”
“I do! It’s my favorite! Thanks Seung-ah!” Baekhyun stood up from his makeshift bed to sit down at the island near where Seung-ah is.
Seung-ah is a famous actor, known for his roles as the cold, snobbish guy. Baekhyun has met him a few times and his roles are never near his true personality. Seung-ah is a sweet, bubbly guy and funny too.
“Good morning oppa!” One idol girl greeted from the hallway. “Oh! Cooking for Baekhyun, I see how it is!” She winked at them before plopping down on the sofa Baekhyun was in.
Seung-ah is known for being a great actor but he is also known to be a fan and admirer of Baekhyun. Everyone who has seen an interview of him knows he mentions Baekhyun at least once every hour. Baekhyun blushes at the thought. Seung-ah is a great guy and if maybe he wasn’t so occupied with confusing thoughts of his current roommate, he would have spent all his time with him.
“Here!” A plate of bacon with a sunny side up egg on the side slid into his view. “Eat up! We’ll be doing a lot today.” A wide smile marks Seung-ah’s face while sitting across Baekhyun with his own plate of bacon and egg.
Chanyeol woke up and looked at the other bed which was still unoccupied. He sighs before going out to the living room and was greeted with the sight of Baekhyun and what’s-his-name actor who’s looking at Baekhyun like he was the breakfast instead of the plate in front of him. He feels an irrational need to stomp his way over to the kitchen and snatch Baekhyun away. He stomps instead on the way to the kitchen and gets his own plate and breakfast and sits beside Baekhyun.
“Oh oppa you’re awake!” The girl who was plopped on the sofa excitedly stood up and sat beside Chanyeol. “I’m hungry. Can I have a bite from your plate? Please?” She said cutely and Baekhyun tried hard not to barf at the not-cute voice she was using.
Chanyeol looked at her like she was growing another head. “Uhm, there’s still some over there.” She pouted at the rejection and walked to get a plate and breakfast.
“Baekhyun, if you’re finished, we can go outside for walk. The weather’s great for walking.” Seung-ah ignored the wailing girl at the side and took Baekhyun’s clean plate and put them in the sink.
“Yeah, sure let me just get my coat.” Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun walk away with that what’s-his-face actor and scowled.
Baekhyun and Seung-ah came back to the house an hour after laughing at something Seung-ah said. Baekhyun had fun with their walk, forgetting his problems for a while. Seung-ah is proving to be a good listener and a good friend.
Chanyeol was by the door when the duo came back. He sees red when Seung-ah held Baekhyun’s hand and the other guy is even holding it tight. He walks back to their room and slams the door shut.
Their activity for the day was to fetch water from some far away well or they wouldn’t be drinking anything for the next few days. The activity required that roommates no longer be partners unlike yesterday’s activity. The PD staff said that this is to broaden their relationships with other people in the entertainment industry. Seung-ah was paired off with Baekhyun and happily filled a big container with both of their hard work. Chanyeol, on the other hand, was left to pair off with one of the idol girls who cannot hold up her end of the pail. They ended up filling only half of the container and filling up the rest with his anger, or jealousy if he was being honest.
After a tiring day, Seung-ah offered his bed to Baekhyun, thinking that Baekhyun was still going to sleep on the couch.
“It’s cold there” Seung-ah reasoned, while walking with Baekhyun to his and Chanyeol’s room to get his pillow.
“I’ll be fine really.” Chanyeol walked out of the room the same time they were in front of the door.
“Hi!” Seung-ah greeted brightly.
“Yeah, hi.” He flatly greeted back.
“Get your pillow Baek, my room’s just two doors down.” Chanyeol gaped at Seung-ah. How dare he ask Baekhyun to sleep with him. Unconsciously, he held Baekhyun by the arm and glared at the other.
“Chanyeol? What are you doing?” Baekhyun looked down at the hand gripping his arm and up at Chanyeol’s red face.
“You can’t sleep at other people’s room. It’s against the rules.” He reasoned. It wasn’t true, there weren’t really any rule like that. But there should be, Chanyeol thinks.
“I don’t think it’s written anywhere.” Seung-ah answered.
“There is. Just go back to your room. Baekhyun will be sleeping here tonight.”
“Chanyeol, lower down your voice.”
“Are you really going to sleep with him?” There was a seemingly hurt look in Chanyeol’s eyes. Baekhyun looked away to see Seung-ah still waiting for him.
“Seung-ah, I think you should go. He’s right. I shouldn’t sleep in other people’s room. It wouldn’t be right.” Baekhyun was already dragged inside before he even finished his sentence.
Chanyeol slammed the door shut immediately after.
“What the hell Chanyeol! That was rude! He was just being nice!” Baekhyun shrugged off Chanyeol’s grip on his.
“Nice? He was asking you to sleep with him! How was that nice?” Chanyeol in his anger then caged Baekhyun in between his arms.
“How is that your problem?” Baekhyun challenged. He was tired of his confusing feelings which always resurfaces when a certain giant makes his presence known in any of his senses.
“He likes you! Don’t you understand? You might fall into his trap and…”
“And? And what? What’s it to you? You have Cha Young and that other girl flirting with you. Why do you bother with me?”
“Because I like you!” Chanyeol shouted and when he realized the truth he spilled, he covered his mouth. It wasn’t meant to be said. It wasn’t meant to be heard.
Both stilled at the confession.
“What?” Baekhyun whispered the question. Chanyeol likes him?
“Look at me Baekhyun and tell me you don’t feel it too.” Chanyeol grabbed his chin and turned his head to face Chanyeol. Chanyeol was so close. Just like the other day. His lips, so close he could feel his breath on his face.
“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whispered.
Chanyeol swooped down to press a kiss on Baekhyun’s lips, to kiss away the sadness in his eyes but he got caught up and pressed his lips to Baekhyun’s again. And again. And again. Each time deeper than the next.
Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol softly and walked out of their shared room.
“Stop walking away.” Chanyeol murmured.
The next day, it was Chanyeol who avoided him going off with the same girl he was paired with. And if Baekhyun is to be honest, there is a hole in his heart when Chanyeol didn’t greet him that morning.
“Hey, you alright?” Seung-ah is his partner again.
“Yeah, of course.” Baekhyun tried a smile to convince Seung-ah he was ok. That Chanyeol’s attention on someone else is ok.
Baekhyun walked off a bit too far on the way back from their activity out on the beachfront. He passed by the house and continued off to the garden at the back and to the forest beyond it.
He knew he was in trouble the moment he looked back and found trees and no sight of the house. He begins to panic. He pats his pocket for his phone and finds it with a notice of a low battery life. He panics and dials a number he had recently saved.
“Chanyeol, help. I…” The phone beeps and shuts off. He tries to turn it on to no avail.
He sits on a log he spots and puts his head between his legs. He’s alone and the sun is setting. He feels tears forming in his eyes. He shivers when he hears howling and cowers into himself, hugging his knees. He thinks of how he’s going to die and how they’re going to find his lifeless body in the woods. How, Baekhyun the idol, is dead because he got lost thinking about Chanyeol. Chanyeol, the only guy who has ever took care of him other than his manager. The guy who gave him his best roasted marshmallow even if he wanted that last bite, who even if he proclaimed to be his enemy, still put ointment on his stupidity.
“I like you too.” He whispers to the wind because Chanyeol would never know. The tears wouldn’t stop at the thought of what could they have had. His lonely life getting colorful with Chanyeol around.
His puffy eyes closed for a moment before getting awakened by shouts of his name.
“Baekhyun! Answer me! Baekhyun!” He faintly hears from the distance. It seems to be Chanyeol’s voice but he must be hallucinating. He couldn’t have known where he was, could he?
But he hears Chanyeol’s voice again, getting closer to where he was and then he scrambles to stand on his feet and shouts back.
“Chanyeol?”
“Baekhyun? Baekhyun!” Chanyeol’s voice and silhouette grows closer and closer and Baekhyun’s eyes tears again this time with happiness.
“Chanyeol!” He runs to where Chanyeol was and hugs him tight.
“I like you too!” He mentions the moment he meets the other.
Chanyeol was too worried and too stunned to voice a reply.
“Let’s go back.” He says after a few seconds.
They arrived at the house with Baekhyun leaning over Chanyeol as he was too spent from crying and walking. The other idols and staff fussed over them, worried and relieved that Baekhyun was alright. Baekhyun thanked them but opted to go straight to bed so both of them could rest.
“Are you alright?” Chanyeol asked after Baekhyun reached and sat on the bed. Chanyeol then took his hands and inspected his hands up to his arms for damage. Looking at the back of his neck, checking his legs for any injuries, cuts, anything. Baekhyun chuckled at the knot on Chanyeol’s forehead.
“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun smiled. “I’m fine. Are you? It was quite a fall back there.” While helping Baekhyun up at a protruding root back at the forest, Chanyeol slipped. Baekhyun asked him then, but he said he was fine.
“Let me see your hand.” Chanyeol reluctantly turned his hand over to Baekhyun and Baekhyun gasped at the bloody gash on his left hand.
“Oh my god, is this the only one?” He looked up from his place at the bed to Chanyeol standing between his legs. “Answer honestly.”
“Yes, I swear.” Chanyeol gave him an impish smile while Baekhyun slowly stood up and went to the bathroom to get their first aid kit. Chanyeol attempted to take the kit from him but he refused.
“Let me take care of you too.” And Chanyeol really cannot resist when he says it like that.
“Sit and don’t move.” Baekhyun gets cotton swabs and povidone and dabs it gently on the gash. The look of concentration on his face makes Chanyeol smile even with the sting of the medicine.
“Thank you.” Baekhyun says while placing the bandage over the gash and smoothing it over. “For always being there when I need you.”
Chanyeol took his chin and tilts his head up and looks straight into his eyes.
“Baekhyun,” he leans down and gives him a chaste kiss. “Thank you too. For you.” He leans down again for a deeper kiss.
They both came up for air, smiling at each other. What lies ahead is something both of them are afraid to face. Every worry Baekhyun has of what will be, every doubt Chanyeol has. But for today they’d be ignoring their worries and is going to be spending this time with each other.
Baekhyun laid down on the bed after cleaning up the used medicine and bandages and taking a shower. He waited for Chanyeol to come out of the shower.
“Uhm, do you want?” He shyly tapped the space on the bed beside him earning a surprised look and a blush from the other.
“Oh...ok.” Chanyeol slowly walked towards the bed and laid down at the edge of the bed.
“You’ll fall if you stay there.” Baekhyun giggled at the way the other stiffly inched towards him.
“Good night Chanyeol. Sweet dreams.” Baekhyun reached out to close Chanyeol’s eyes.
“Good night Baekhyun.”
They spent the night on one bed, with them inching nearer and nearer to each other until Chanyeol’s arms are around Baekhyun protectively.
The last few days was spent with Baekhyun and Chanyeol doing their activities together in the morning until the afternoon, acting like nothing was different, acting like they were still enemies, bickering but with slight teasing to it. But at night, they sleep facing each other. Holding each other’s hands. Whispering secrets only the two of them knows. Sharing dreams they both want to achieve. And sharing sweet kisses they’ll keep to themselves for now.
On their way home, Chanyeol and Baekhyun found themselves sitting side by side in the plane. Chanyeol staring right ahead while Baekhyun looked out the window.
When the seatbelt signs went off, Baekhyun stood up to go to the toilet but a hand held him back. He looked down and saw Chanyeol’s hand gripping his wrists but his head still looking straight ahead. He sat back down and the hand loosened the grip on his. He takes Chanyeol’s hands in his.
“I’m still scared.” Baekhyun starts.
“Scared of what?” Chanyeol gripped the other’s hand.
“What will happen when we get back? What if it won’t work out?”
“What if it does?” Chanyeol asks back. “How do you know it won’t?”
“I..I don’t know.”
“Then why don’t we just try?” Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol’s determined eyes.
Slipping their fingers together, it feels nice, Baekhyun thought. Maybe, it won’t work out in the long run but they will savor it while it lasts.
When the plane landed and they got off the plane, they let each other’s hand go.
The next day, they showed up at an awards show separately. When they met on stage to take the best male artist award they both won, they looked at each other and glared. Both fighting to speak first.
“Thank you for this award. You shouldn’t have been so nice to give it to both of us. We all know who is it really for.” Baekhyun beamed at the laughing audience.
“How terribly nice of you, Baekhyun. Thank you to everyone who thought to pity small people.”
Everybody saw chaos but two people saw love.