❥ {22} not your typical fairytale [1/2]
❥title: Not Your Typical Fairytale
❥prompt #: 22
❥pairing: Baekhyun/D.O., slight!Chanyeol/Chen
❥rating: PG
❥word count: 6616
❥warnings: profanities, Baekhyun's charming but annoying self.
❥summary: If this is a fairytale, then, Baekhyun isn't quite the Prince Charming and Kyungsoo is far from a distressed princess in need of saving.
❥author's notes: firstly, i'd like to thank the mods for being so patient with me. this fic has been a result of rushed work and multiple tears of stress. if i weren't so caught up with stupid responsibilities, i would have had the time to perfect it. secondly, i'm sorry to my op for not being able to produce a better fic for you to to read! i'm not very knowledgeable about law and royalty but i do like prince baekhyun. lastly, i hope you enjoy the fic along with the other fics! thank you xx.
“Are you sure about this?” Jongdae huffs out, the backpack has been pulling him down with its heaviness. He struggles to look up at the boy next to him.
Wonder lingers in his irises, as he stares at the welcome sign of the airport. A smile breaks out on his face, the tension that once sat on his shoulders flies away with the planes. In his eyes, there is no return, there is no exit. And his heart beats for the adventure he'll embark on in Seoul.
“I'm very sure,” Baekhyun answers, flitting his eyes to Jongdae, letting him see the excitement on Baekhyun's features.
And Jongdae huffs once more, tightening his grip on the strap of the backpack, “Then, let's go.”
---
“Psst.”
It is almost ten into the night and as much as Kyungsoo would like to sleep with his chin hitting his backpack, neck aching from the unnatural sleeping angle, he simply can't. Not when someone is rudely jabbing into his arm and interrupting his much needed nap at an almost deserted bus stop blocks away from his campus.
“I don't have change,” Kyungsoo mumbles, grumbling as he tries to shrug the stranger off. He does actually have change in his front pockets but there is no way he is sacrificing his vending machine coffee money to a stranger. (His caffeine is more important than anything else.)
Kyungsoo hears a short laugh, immensely loud in his ears and in the late night as well. “I don't need change,” he hears the stranger retorts and there is a hint of an accent in the voice that Kyungsoo barely catches in his drowsy state.
Kyungsoo groans, prying his eyes open from the sleepiness weighing them down when he feels another jab at his arm. His neck is starting to feel sore from the angle anyway, so he rotates his neck around in circles before flitting his eyes upwards with a glare prepared. Instead, his breath gets hitched in his throat and a squeak almost slips out of his lips at the sight of the interrupter.
There's a twinkle shining in the stranger's brown irises, brighter than the crescent moon looming behind him among the stars. Canines are peeking out of the stranger's lips, when Kyungsoo darts his eyes away from the gaze and he regrets immediately after noticing how pink those lips are.
Kyungsoo frowns.
“What do you want?” he asks not as gently as he should, furrowing his eyebrows in annoyance that he actually finds the stranger slightly attractive and that he isn't as annoyed as he should be.
If the stranger is fazed by Kyungsoo's glare, he doesn't show it. The grin maintains, unwavering, as he merely blinks and answers with a friendly tone wedged in his voice, “I just wanted to ask where does the bus go?”
Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at the question inquired by the stranger, his eyes drift off towards the board behind the stranger. He nods at it, saying curtly, “You could read it there.”
The stranger's grin drops, a confused expression takes over his face as he turns around to look at the board. Kyungsoo thought that'd be the end of their conversation, hands already moving to unzip his bag to scavenge around for the tangled headphones and his iPod. Instead of reading the board like Kyungsoo asked him to, the stranger merely takes a glance and returns his gaze to Kyungsoo with another irritating smile that he wishes he could wipe off. It's making him uncomfortable and really unfriendly (Chanyeol would love witnessing this, Kyungsoo bitterly thinks) and as much as he wants the smile to go away, he knows that the stranger is undeniably cute and these feelings, dead in the middle of the night, are not meant to be caught.
It doesn't stop Kyungsoo from falling over still.
“I can't read,” the stranger abashedly blurts out. The embarrassment peppers his cheeks in pink and Kyungsoo thinks the moon is despicable, showering him in light, tugging the strings of Kyungsoo's heart. When he remains silent, the stranger goes on to explain, “I can't really read hangul well...” His eyes fall to the ground, his hand is brought up to cup his neck in further embarrassment. It's cute, Kyungsoo thinks and he almost kicks himself for it.
Kyungsoo bites the inside of his cheek, “The bus just takes a round around this neighbourhood, that's it.”
The stranger perks up, hearing Kyungsoo's voice. “Really?” his eyes are widening and Kyungsoo feels this sudden itch to smile or laugh but he can't let himself. He nods at the stranger, pressing his lips together, feeling the dryness of his throat.
“Are you taking the bus as well?” he asks. His irises are bright, and Kyungsoo can't seem to look away no matter how much he wants to ignore the stranger. The sleepiness from before seems to slip away by magic and he can no longer feel the heaviness on his shoulders.
“No, I'm just taking refuge at a bus stop,” Kyungsoo deadpans and the stranger bursts into a laugh, fully transforming his face. Another tug, another painful bite of his bottom lip and he wonders about the things Chanyeol would say about this boy.
“I'm sorry that I interrupted your nap,” he apologises, and it's sincere, Kyungsoo could tell from the way his eyes are fixated on his in determination, his hands clasped in his lap. Kyungsoo could almost forgive the boy for taking away his much needed rest and that's when Kyungsoo knows how ridiculous everything is. Everything including this boy and this night.
“I didn't know you dig guys,” Chanyeol would say.
“It's okay,” Kyungsoo surprises himself when he says it and the stranger's smile deepens, the crinkles further embedded.
“And out of all boys, you pick one who smiles like the fucking sun and can't even read hangul.” And Kyungsoo wouldn't be able to argue this time with Chanyeol, because he is also questioning himself.
“I'm Byun Baekhyun,” the stranger has a hand out in between them and Kyungsoo looks down briefly at the hand and watches his face. The boy, Baekhyun, grins, nodding at the hand for Kyungsoo to take.
Kyungsoo wraps his fingers around Baekhyun's hand cautiously, shaking it as the other boy giggles a little. Kyungsoo's stomach churns, his hand is warm, and his fingers are slender, soft.
“Your name?” he inquires, eyebrow cocked when their hands are separated and Kyungsoo is still mute. He contemplates in his mind, considering to share his name with a total stranger at a bus stop at ten in the night.
Kyungsoo is about to part his lips to say something when the arrival of his bus interrupts him. He jumps up, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder by habit and he's running, already leaving, already escaping with a mumbled apology to the boy.
Kyungsoo figures that his name isn't important anyway, he wouldn't meet Baekhyun twice.
---
“Will you please keep quiet?” Jongdae hesitates, biting his tongue and kicking himself for it as he continues. “...Your majesty?”
The boy in question, who is making a racket, grins with all the cheekiness peeking out in the gaps of his teeth. He plops down on the bed, feeling the bounce of the springs underneath the mattress. He watches his advisor with interest, he leans forward and asks, “What's with the sudden formality, Jongdae? We are no longer in a country that requires it.”
Baekhyun watches Jongdae swear under his breath, redness spreading from his neck to his cheeks in anger and embarrassment. “Because...” Jongdae says, still hesitantly. “No matter where we go, you are still Prince Baekhyun of Wales and I am merely your advisor.”
“That's right, Jongdae,” Baekhyun nods with approval and satisfaction shown on his features. A smirk spreads across his lips. “And with that in mind, fetch me a glass of water, will you?”
Baekhyun catches a muttered string of profanities as Jongdae leaves the room in a sulk. He laughs to himself, takes a spin around the room. He watches the unknown city through the window, willing himself to feel some sort of connection to his supposedly home country.
“Are you sure they won't find us here?” Jongdae asks, once he returns to the room. He pauses and adds, “Your majesty?”
Baekhyun rolls his eyes, grabbing the glass from Jongdae. He lifts it to his lips, “Drop the formalities, Jongdae.”
“Baekhyun?” Jongdae presses on and he sighs, relenting.
“No, I don't think so,” Baekhyun says seriously. “They are not going to find me in my deceased father's home country.” And it's not like they would have a clue, Baekhyun wants to add. He understands that they have never travelled this far, he understands the worry in Jongdae's voice but his eyes scans the surroundings and he can't seem to bring himself to worry when he's so far away from home and he has all the freedom in the world at his fingertips.
He returns his gaze from Jongdae's concerned stare to the windows, “Or at least I hope my mother wouldn't.”
“It's not your first time out,” Jongdae points out and punches Baekhyun lightly in the arm. “They've found you before and dragged you back.”
Memories of his adventures past towns kilometres away from Wales, the cuffs around his wrists when they push him into the car to drive back to Wales, the lecture he has to listen from his parents. The thumbs up that his father gives when his mother isn't looking, a pat on his back for being curious and adventurous. The troublemaker in him brewing when his father gives him his support.
Baekhyun faces Jongdae fully and raises an eyebrow, another smirk playing on his lips, “Yes, but have they found me in Seoul before?”
---
“So you're telling me that you chickened out when this guy asked for your name?” the barista summarises Kyungsoo's long story, cleaning a mug absent-mindedly.
Kyungsoo sputters, “I didn't chicke-”
“And you don't want me to mention any of this to Chanyeol?” the barista cuts in, raising an eyebrow at the boy sitting at the counter.
Kyungsoo slumps in his seat, exhaling loudly. He didn't want to mention any of it to anyone, figuring the incident would have been long gone from his mind since then but Baekhyun has been merciless, slipping into his thoughts. Just like his relentless jabs, he is equally as occupying in Kyungsoo's mind. Chanyeol had been the first person he thought of talking about it to but he wouldn't be able to live through any of his jests so instead...
He looks up, staring into Minseok's dark brown irises and not for the first time today, sighs. “I just don't want him to make a big fuss out of it,” Kyungsoo mumbles.
Minseok laughs, a little bit too loud for the morning, echoing through the almost empty coffee house. The morose look on Kyungsoo's face disperses a bit, but he tries with everything in his will to not give into the slightest quirk of his lips.
“Of course he'll make a big fuss, he's Park Chanyeol,” Minseok says. He sets the mug on the counter and leans in, “I won't tell him but do tell me more about the boy at the bus stop.”
Kyungsoo clicks his tongue against the roof of his teeth, “What do you even want to know?” The feeling of relief fills his being, pushing the box of guilt into a corner in his gut. Redness spreads across his cheeks instead, bathing him in warmth and abashment as he ducks his head to take a sip but the coffee detests him, burning his tongue.
Minseok leans even more forward, breaching into Kyungsoo's space. He could see Yixing, past Minseok's shoulder, throwing a curious glance in their direction. Kyungsoo swallows the coffee down, letting the liquid burn the inner column of his throat down.
“What is he like?” Minseok asks, his eyes wide in interest.
“Noisy,” is all Kyungsoo says before dropping his gaze down to the black liquid swirling around in his mug. He watches the poker face he attempts to wear in the reflection in the coffee. He knows there are bite marks on his bottom lip, abused by his urge to remain stoic while mentioning the boy - Baekhyun.
Minseok leans back, his face contorted into a knowing expression and it makes Kyungsoo feel even more analysed like he knows something Kyungsoo doesn't. “So your type is noisy then? Like Chanyeol?”
“That's not -”
“What is like me?” a raspy voice interrupts and even without looking up, Kyungsoo knows the voice anywhere. It belongs to no one else but Chanyeol. Kyungsoo startles nonetheless while Minseok wears a playful smirk on his lips.
Kyungsoo grabs his messenger bag, using Chanyeol's interruption as a full stop to the conversation he had with Minseok. He mutters a quiet goodbye, his feet taking big, hurried steps out of the coffee house before anyone could even say anything to stop him, before Chanyeol could even guilt him into staying, before the guilt could even grow in his gut again for not telling his best friend.
He lets out a long exhale when he's outside. The campus suddenly feels too big and he knows deep inside, that he's missing his first lecture of the day.
---
“Have you done your essay on criminal law?” Chanyeol asks, as he throws his backpack at the floor. Kyungsoo winces at the sound of the bag hitting the ground, along with the books and laptop in it.
“I told you so many times to not throw your bag on the floor, your laptop's in it for heaven's sake!” Kyungsoo shakes his head in disapproval, turning his head back to his own laptop. His fingertips rest on the keyboard, feeling the tense in his back muscles from sitting all afternoon, writing his essays.
“I asked a question, Soo,” Chanyeol insists, plopping down on Kyungsoo's bed. He momentarily turns around to send a glare at Chanyeol but the taller boy merely cracks a smile at him.
Kyungsoo sighs, swivelling back to his work at hand, “Halfway through it.”
“How are you going to summarise it in less than 500 words?”
Kyungsoo closes his eyes, the exhaustion is growing in him but the pile of work on his shoulders isn't lessening. “With brains, of course. You wouldn't know, Park Chanyeol, since you lack one.”
“Is this how you tutor Sehun? I pity him,” Chanyeol says with a laugh, falling backwards on Kyungsoo's bed. He pretends to ignore the glare the shorter boy has on him. His voice turns softer, “Kyungsoo... about earlier...”
Kyungsoo faces him completely now, “Do you really want to copy my essay or not?”
Chanyeol tilts his head at him, assessing him further. Kyungsoo has known this giant (unfortunately) since high school. The tall boy came barging into his life, taking up his space in classrooms, buzzing into his ear with his loud voice. Kyungsoo stayed quiet, allowed the taller boy to follow him around, swinging his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder in hallways. It took him a year, one whole year to smile back at Park Chanyeol, friendliness intact, securing their friendship right then and there. And it takes almost five years for Park Chanyeol to become a constant in his life.
It also takes Park Chanyeol exactly five minutes to figure out what's going on.
The taller male blinks, eyes dropping to the laptop in front of Kyungsoo, “Not really.” Kyungsoo watches Chanyeol inhale deeply before continuing, “Minseok won't tell me what's going on.”
“There's nothing going on,” Kyungsoo says with a voice of finality.
He knows Chanyeol won't quit and he proves it, “Leaving the coffee house as soon as I arrived? Talking in hushed tones with Minseok?” Chanyeol shakes his head, eyes still fixated on Kyungsoo, “Is it about me? Is it something bad?”
Kyungsoo sighs, facing him fully, “It's not about you. It's about me.”
“What are you not telling me?” Chanyeol's eyes are wide, concern swimming in those irises. It almost makes Kyungsoo laugh, thinking about how unimportant it is but then again, he has never not told Chanyeol anything. The boy has made an actual fixation in Kyungsoo's life and Kyungsoo, himself, has told the boy every single thing in his life. Even his mother sees Chanyeol as another son (which annoys Kyungsoo greatly but Chanyeol is welcomed into his house all the time).
Kyungsoo takes a deep breath.
“I'm gay.”
It takes ten seconds (Kyungsoo has been counting in his head, it's his way of calming down) for Chanyeol to react. His eyebrows lift first. Then, his eyes widen in shock. His lips part in surprise. His hand reaches to touch Kyungsoo's.
“Are you?” Chanyeol asks rhetorically but Kyungsoo nods anyway, gulping.
“That...” Kyungsoo could see Chanyeol gathering his thoughts, finding the right words to say. “That makes a lot of sense, truthfully.”
It's Kyungsoo's turn to tilt his head in confusion, questioning Chanyeol. “What do you mean?”
Chanyeol cracks a smile, shaking his head, waving away Kyungsoo's curiousity. “How did you know?” he asks instead of answering Kyungsoo's question.
Kyungsoo answers, letting it go, “I suspected in junior year, came in terms with it in senior year.”
“And it took you this long to tell me?” Chanyeol says accusingly.
Kyungsoo laughs lightly, apologising, “Sorry. Literally only my mother knows so it's not like I've been betraying you.” Then, before Chanyeol could say something, Kyungsoo remembers this morning, “Ah! And Minseok hyung, I guess, but still no betrayal.”
The taller male pouts, “So Minseok hyung found out first before I did? What is my title as your best friend even for?”
“Just a title for you to wear,” Kyungsoo jabs at Chanyeol's chest. “At least I told you.”
Kyungsoo's heart has stopped racing, his palms feel less sweaty. Chanyeol's smile beams at him with familiarity and Kyungsoo flies close to home, staying by his side. The weight he felt on his shoulders lifts and breaks into a million pieces.
“Is that what you told Minseok hyung at the coffee house?” Chanyeol inquires. Kyungsoo can't even look at the laptop right now, his heart is about to take a dive into the box of thoughts he has tucked away.
Kyungsoo hums, “Not really. It is regarding my sexuality but -”
“You met someone, didn't you?” And that's when Kyungsoo knows, he knows that Chanyeol could read it on his expression, sees that there is someone lingering in Kyungsoo's mind after all.
Kyungsoo rushes to explain, “It's not anything, more of an attraction actually...”
“It's not just an attraction with you,” Chanyeol interrupts again but at the sight of Kyungsoo's brooding glare, his lips quirk upwards, shutting up.
“His name is Baekhyun and -”
Chanyeol jumps in surprise and it surprises Kyungsoo as well as the boy's eyes widen in further surprise. “His name is Baekhyun?” Chanyeol babbles. “Byun Baekhyun?”
Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, “Stop interrupting me, Chanyeol!” His curiousity is in his tone, eyes squinting to assess Chanyeol instead, “Also... I don't know his surname but who is Byun Baekhyun?”
Chanyeol watches him with a serious expression on his face and it scares Kyungsoo slightly because that name has sparked something in his best friend. What if they know each other? What if this is a game on Kyungsoo? What if they have a past and Kyungsoo doesn't know? What if Chanyeol also has a secret he hasn't revealed to Kyungsoo?
The questions continue to pile in his mind as Chanyeol bites his bottom lip, “No one important.” The intensity in his gaze drops as he asks Kyungsoo to continue.
Kyungsoo lets it drop, it's not like Chanyeol has met him yet. It's not like Kyungsoo will ever meet him again.
“He's just a boy I met at a bus stop,” Kyungsoo says, a tone of bitterness is heard. He sees Chanyeol's eyes softening, and Kyungsoo knows the boy has a few words of comfort to make Kyungsoo feel better but he's used to these unnecessary feelings building within him. “He doesn't even know my name.”
PART 02
❥prompt #: 22
❥pairing: Baekhyun/D.O., slight!Chanyeol/Chen
❥rating: PG
❥word count: 6616
❥warnings: profanities, Baekhyun's charming but annoying self.
❥summary: If this is a fairytale, then, Baekhyun isn't quite the Prince Charming and Kyungsoo is far from a distressed princess in need of saving.
❥author's notes: firstly, i'd like to thank the mods for being so patient with me. this fic has been a result of rushed work and multiple tears of stress. if i weren't so caught up with stupid responsibilities, i would have had the time to perfect it. secondly, i'm sorry to my op for not being able to produce a better fic for you to to read! i'm not very knowledgeable about law and royalty but i do like prince baekhyun. lastly, i hope you enjoy the fic along with the other fics! thank you xx.
“Are you sure about this?” Jongdae huffs out, the backpack has been pulling him down with its heaviness. He struggles to look up at the boy next to him.
Wonder lingers in his irises, as he stares at the welcome sign of the airport. A smile breaks out on his face, the tension that once sat on his shoulders flies away with the planes. In his eyes, there is no return, there is no exit. And his heart beats for the adventure he'll embark on in Seoul.
“I'm very sure,” Baekhyun answers, flitting his eyes to Jongdae, letting him see the excitement on Baekhyun's features.
And Jongdae huffs once more, tightening his grip on the strap of the backpack, “Then, let's go.”
---
“Psst.”
It is almost ten into the night and as much as Kyungsoo would like to sleep with his chin hitting his backpack, neck aching from the unnatural sleeping angle, he simply can't. Not when someone is rudely jabbing into his arm and interrupting his much needed nap at an almost deserted bus stop blocks away from his campus.
“I don't have change,” Kyungsoo mumbles, grumbling as he tries to shrug the stranger off. He does actually have change in his front pockets but there is no way he is sacrificing his vending machine coffee money to a stranger. (His caffeine is more important than anything else.)
Kyungsoo hears a short laugh, immensely loud in his ears and in the late night as well. “I don't need change,” he hears the stranger retorts and there is a hint of an accent in the voice that Kyungsoo barely catches in his drowsy state.
Kyungsoo groans, prying his eyes open from the sleepiness weighing them down when he feels another jab at his arm. His neck is starting to feel sore from the angle anyway, so he rotates his neck around in circles before flitting his eyes upwards with a glare prepared. Instead, his breath gets hitched in his throat and a squeak almost slips out of his lips at the sight of the interrupter.
There's a twinkle shining in the stranger's brown irises, brighter than the crescent moon looming behind him among the stars. Canines are peeking out of the stranger's lips, when Kyungsoo darts his eyes away from the gaze and he regrets immediately after noticing how pink those lips are.
Kyungsoo frowns.
“What do you want?” he asks not as gently as he should, furrowing his eyebrows in annoyance that he actually finds the stranger slightly attractive and that he isn't as annoyed as he should be.
If the stranger is fazed by Kyungsoo's glare, he doesn't show it. The grin maintains, unwavering, as he merely blinks and answers with a friendly tone wedged in his voice, “I just wanted to ask where does the bus go?”
Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at the question inquired by the stranger, his eyes drift off towards the board behind the stranger. He nods at it, saying curtly, “You could read it there.”
The stranger's grin drops, a confused expression takes over his face as he turns around to look at the board. Kyungsoo thought that'd be the end of their conversation, hands already moving to unzip his bag to scavenge around for the tangled headphones and his iPod. Instead of reading the board like Kyungsoo asked him to, the stranger merely takes a glance and returns his gaze to Kyungsoo with another irritating smile that he wishes he could wipe off. It's making him uncomfortable and really unfriendly (Chanyeol would love witnessing this, Kyungsoo bitterly thinks) and as much as he wants the smile to go away, he knows that the stranger is undeniably cute and these feelings, dead in the middle of the night, are not meant to be caught.
It doesn't stop Kyungsoo from falling over still.
“I can't read,” the stranger abashedly blurts out. The embarrassment peppers his cheeks in pink and Kyungsoo thinks the moon is despicable, showering him in light, tugging the strings of Kyungsoo's heart. When he remains silent, the stranger goes on to explain, “I can't really read hangul well...” His eyes fall to the ground, his hand is brought up to cup his neck in further embarrassment. It's cute, Kyungsoo thinks and he almost kicks himself for it.
Kyungsoo bites the inside of his cheek, “The bus just takes a round around this neighbourhood, that's it.”
The stranger perks up, hearing Kyungsoo's voice. “Really?” his eyes are widening and Kyungsoo feels this sudden itch to smile or laugh but he can't let himself. He nods at the stranger, pressing his lips together, feeling the dryness of his throat.
“Are you taking the bus as well?” he asks. His irises are bright, and Kyungsoo can't seem to look away no matter how much he wants to ignore the stranger. The sleepiness from before seems to slip away by magic and he can no longer feel the heaviness on his shoulders.
“No, I'm just taking refuge at a bus stop,” Kyungsoo deadpans and the stranger bursts into a laugh, fully transforming his face. Another tug, another painful bite of his bottom lip and he wonders about the things Chanyeol would say about this boy.
“I'm sorry that I interrupted your nap,” he apologises, and it's sincere, Kyungsoo could tell from the way his eyes are fixated on his in determination, his hands clasped in his lap. Kyungsoo could almost forgive the boy for taking away his much needed rest and that's when Kyungsoo knows how ridiculous everything is. Everything including this boy and this night.
“I didn't know you dig guys,” Chanyeol would say.
“It's okay,” Kyungsoo surprises himself when he says it and the stranger's smile deepens, the crinkles further embedded.
“And out of all boys, you pick one who smiles like the fucking sun and can't even read hangul.” And Kyungsoo wouldn't be able to argue this time with Chanyeol, because he is also questioning himself.
“I'm Byun Baekhyun,” the stranger has a hand out in between them and Kyungsoo looks down briefly at the hand and watches his face. The boy, Baekhyun, grins, nodding at the hand for Kyungsoo to take.
Kyungsoo wraps his fingers around Baekhyun's hand cautiously, shaking it as the other boy giggles a little. Kyungsoo's stomach churns, his hand is warm, and his fingers are slender, soft.
“Your name?” he inquires, eyebrow cocked when their hands are separated and Kyungsoo is still mute. He contemplates in his mind, considering to share his name with a total stranger at a bus stop at ten in the night.
Kyungsoo is about to part his lips to say something when the arrival of his bus interrupts him. He jumps up, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder by habit and he's running, already leaving, already escaping with a mumbled apology to the boy.
Kyungsoo figures that his name isn't important anyway, he wouldn't meet Baekhyun twice.
---
“Will you please keep quiet?” Jongdae hesitates, biting his tongue and kicking himself for it as he continues. “...Your majesty?”
The boy in question, who is making a racket, grins with all the cheekiness peeking out in the gaps of his teeth. He plops down on the bed, feeling the bounce of the springs underneath the mattress. He watches his advisor with interest, he leans forward and asks, “What's with the sudden formality, Jongdae? We are no longer in a country that requires it.”
Baekhyun watches Jongdae swear under his breath, redness spreading from his neck to his cheeks in anger and embarrassment. “Because...” Jongdae says, still hesitantly. “No matter where we go, you are still Prince Baekhyun of Wales and I am merely your advisor.”
“That's right, Jongdae,” Baekhyun nods with approval and satisfaction shown on his features. A smirk spreads across his lips. “And with that in mind, fetch me a glass of water, will you?”
Baekhyun catches a muttered string of profanities as Jongdae leaves the room in a sulk. He laughs to himself, takes a spin around the room. He watches the unknown city through the window, willing himself to feel some sort of connection to his supposedly home country.
“Are you sure they won't find us here?” Jongdae asks, once he returns to the room. He pauses and adds, “Your majesty?”
Baekhyun rolls his eyes, grabbing the glass from Jongdae. He lifts it to his lips, “Drop the formalities, Jongdae.”
“Baekhyun?” Jongdae presses on and he sighs, relenting.
“No, I don't think so,” Baekhyun says seriously. “They are not going to find me in my deceased father's home country.” And it's not like they would have a clue, Baekhyun wants to add. He understands that they have never travelled this far, he understands the worry in Jongdae's voice but his eyes scans the surroundings and he can't seem to bring himself to worry when he's so far away from home and he has all the freedom in the world at his fingertips.
He returns his gaze from Jongdae's concerned stare to the windows, “Or at least I hope my mother wouldn't.”
“It's not your first time out,” Jongdae points out and punches Baekhyun lightly in the arm. “They've found you before and dragged you back.”
Memories of his adventures past towns kilometres away from Wales, the cuffs around his wrists when they push him into the car to drive back to Wales, the lecture he has to listen from his parents. The thumbs up that his father gives when his mother isn't looking, a pat on his back for being curious and adventurous. The troublemaker in him brewing when his father gives him his support.
Baekhyun faces Jongdae fully and raises an eyebrow, another smirk playing on his lips, “Yes, but have they found me in Seoul before?”
---
“So you're telling me that you chickened out when this guy asked for your name?” the barista summarises Kyungsoo's long story, cleaning a mug absent-mindedly.
Kyungsoo sputters, “I didn't chicke-”
“And you don't want me to mention any of this to Chanyeol?” the barista cuts in, raising an eyebrow at the boy sitting at the counter.
Kyungsoo slumps in his seat, exhaling loudly. He didn't want to mention any of it to anyone, figuring the incident would have been long gone from his mind since then but Baekhyun has been merciless, slipping into his thoughts. Just like his relentless jabs, he is equally as occupying in Kyungsoo's mind. Chanyeol had been the first person he thought of talking about it to but he wouldn't be able to live through any of his jests so instead...
He looks up, staring into Minseok's dark brown irises and not for the first time today, sighs. “I just don't want him to make a big fuss out of it,” Kyungsoo mumbles.
Minseok laughs, a little bit too loud for the morning, echoing through the almost empty coffee house. The morose look on Kyungsoo's face disperses a bit, but he tries with everything in his will to not give into the slightest quirk of his lips.
“Of course he'll make a big fuss, he's Park Chanyeol,” Minseok says. He sets the mug on the counter and leans in, “I won't tell him but do tell me more about the boy at the bus stop.”
Kyungsoo clicks his tongue against the roof of his teeth, “What do you even want to know?” The feeling of relief fills his being, pushing the box of guilt into a corner in his gut. Redness spreads across his cheeks instead, bathing him in warmth and abashment as he ducks his head to take a sip but the coffee detests him, burning his tongue.
Minseok leans even more forward, breaching into Kyungsoo's space. He could see Yixing, past Minseok's shoulder, throwing a curious glance in their direction. Kyungsoo swallows the coffee down, letting the liquid burn the inner column of his throat down.
“What is he like?” Minseok asks, his eyes wide in interest.
“Noisy,” is all Kyungsoo says before dropping his gaze down to the black liquid swirling around in his mug. He watches the poker face he attempts to wear in the reflection in the coffee. He knows there are bite marks on his bottom lip, abused by his urge to remain stoic while mentioning the boy - Baekhyun.
Minseok leans back, his face contorted into a knowing expression and it makes Kyungsoo feel even more analysed like he knows something Kyungsoo doesn't. “So your type is noisy then? Like Chanyeol?”
“That's not -”
“What is like me?” a raspy voice interrupts and even without looking up, Kyungsoo knows the voice anywhere. It belongs to no one else but Chanyeol. Kyungsoo startles nonetheless while Minseok wears a playful smirk on his lips.
Kyungsoo grabs his messenger bag, using Chanyeol's interruption as a full stop to the conversation he had with Minseok. He mutters a quiet goodbye, his feet taking big, hurried steps out of the coffee house before anyone could even say anything to stop him, before Chanyeol could even guilt him into staying, before the guilt could even grow in his gut again for not telling his best friend.
He lets out a long exhale when he's outside. The campus suddenly feels too big and he knows deep inside, that he's missing his first lecture of the day.
---
“Have you done your essay on criminal law?” Chanyeol asks, as he throws his backpack at the floor. Kyungsoo winces at the sound of the bag hitting the ground, along with the books and laptop in it.
“I told you so many times to not throw your bag on the floor, your laptop's in it for heaven's sake!” Kyungsoo shakes his head in disapproval, turning his head back to his own laptop. His fingertips rest on the keyboard, feeling the tense in his back muscles from sitting all afternoon, writing his essays.
“I asked a question, Soo,” Chanyeol insists, plopping down on Kyungsoo's bed. He momentarily turns around to send a glare at Chanyeol but the taller boy merely cracks a smile at him.
Kyungsoo sighs, swivelling back to his work at hand, “Halfway through it.”
“How are you going to summarise it in less than 500 words?”
Kyungsoo closes his eyes, the exhaustion is growing in him but the pile of work on his shoulders isn't lessening. “With brains, of course. You wouldn't know, Park Chanyeol, since you lack one.”
“Is this how you tutor Sehun? I pity him,” Chanyeol says with a laugh, falling backwards on Kyungsoo's bed. He pretends to ignore the glare the shorter boy has on him. His voice turns softer, “Kyungsoo... about earlier...”
Kyungsoo faces him completely now, “Do you really want to copy my essay or not?”
Chanyeol tilts his head at him, assessing him further. Kyungsoo has known this giant (unfortunately) since high school. The tall boy came barging into his life, taking up his space in classrooms, buzzing into his ear with his loud voice. Kyungsoo stayed quiet, allowed the taller boy to follow him around, swinging his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder in hallways. It took him a year, one whole year to smile back at Park Chanyeol, friendliness intact, securing their friendship right then and there. And it takes almost five years for Park Chanyeol to become a constant in his life.
It also takes Park Chanyeol exactly five minutes to figure out what's going on.
The taller male blinks, eyes dropping to the laptop in front of Kyungsoo, “Not really.” Kyungsoo watches Chanyeol inhale deeply before continuing, “Minseok won't tell me what's going on.”
“There's nothing going on,” Kyungsoo says with a voice of finality.
He knows Chanyeol won't quit and he proves it, “Leaving the coffee house as soon as I arrived? Talking in hushed tones with Minseok?” Chanyeol shakes his head, eyes still fixated on Kyungsoo, “Is it about me? Is it something bad?”
Kyungsoo sighs, facing him fully, “It's not about you. It's about me.”
“What are you not telling me?” Chanyeol's eyes are wide, concern swimming in those irises. It almost makes Kyungsoo laugh, thinking about how unimportant it is but then again, he has never not told Chanyeol anything. The boy has made an actual fixation in Kyungsoo's life and Kyungsoo, himself, has told the boy every single thing in his life. Even his mother sees Chanyeol as another son (which annoys Kyungsoo greatly but Chanyeol is welcomed into his house all the time).
Kyungsoo takes a deep breath.
“I'm gay.”
It takes ten seconds (Kyungsoo has been counting in his head, it's his way of calming down) for Chanyeol to react. His eyebrows lift first. Then, his eyes widen in shock. His lips part in surprise. His hand reaches to touch Kyungsoo's.
“Are you?” Chanyeol asks rhetorically but Kyungsoo nods anyway, gulping.
“That...” Kyungsoo could see Chanyeol gathering his thoughts, finding the right words to say. “That makes a lot of sense, truthfully.”
It's Kyungsoo's turn to tilt his head in confusion, questioning Chanyeol. “What do you mean?”
Chanyeol cracks a smile, shaking his head, waving away Kyungsoo's curiousity. “How did you know?” he asks instead of answering Kyungsoo's question.
Kyungsoo answers, letting it go, “I suspected in junior year, came in terms with it in senior year.”
“And it took you this long to tell me?” Chanyeol says accusingly.
Kyungsoo laughs lightly, apologising, “Sorry. Literally only my mother knows so it's not like I've been betraying you.” Then, before Chanyeol could say something, Kyungsoo remembers this morning, “Ah! And Minseok hyung, I guess, but still no betrayal.”
The taller male pouts, “So Minseok hyung found out first before I did? What is my title as your best friend even for?”
“Just a title for you to wear,” Kyungsoo jabs at Chanyeol's chest. “At least I told you.”
Kyungsoo's heart has stopped racing, his palms feel less sweaty. Chanyeol's smile beams at him with familiarity and Kyungsoo flies close to home, staying by his side. The weight he felt on his shoulders lifts and breaks into a million pieces.
“Is that what you told Minseok hyung at the coffee house?” Chanyeol inquires. Kyungsoo can't even look at the laptop right now, his heart is about to take a dive into the box of thoughts he has tucked away.
Kyungsoo hums, “Not really. It is regarding my sexuality but -”
“You met someone, didn't you?” And that's when Kyungsoo knows, he knows that Chanyeol could read it on his expression, sees that there is someone lingering in Kyungsoo's mind after all.
Kyungsoo rushes to explain, “It's not anything, more of an attraction actually...”
“It's not just an attraction with you,” Chanyeol interrupts again but at the sight of Kyungsoo's brooding glare, his lips quirk upwards, shutting up.
“His name is Baekhyun and -”
Chanyeol jumps in surprise and it surprises Kyungsoo as well as the boy's eyes widen in further surprise. “His name is Baekhyun?” Chanyeol babbles. “Byun Baekhyun?”
Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, “Stop interrupting me, Chanyeol!” His curiousity is in his tone, eyes squinting to assess Chanyeol instead, “Also... I don't know his surname but who is Byun Baekhyun?”
Chanyeol watches him with a serious expression on his face and it scares Kyungsoo slightly because that name has sparked something in his best friend. What if they know each other? What if this is a game on Kyungsoo? What if they have a past and Kyungsoo doesn't know? What if Chanyeol also has a secret he hasn't revealed to Kyungsoo?
The questions continue to pile in his mind as Chanyeol bites his bottom lip, “No one important.” The intensity in his gaze drops as he asks Kyungsoo to continue.
Kyungsoo lets it drop, it's not like Chanyeol has met him yet. It's not like Kyungsoo will ever meet him again.
“He's just a boy I met at a bus stop,” Kyungsoo says, a tone of bitterness is heard. He sees Chanyeol's eyes softening, and Kyungsoo knows the boy has a few words of comfort to make Kyungsoo feel better but he's used to these unnecessary feelings building within him. “He doesn't even know my name.”
PART 02