Andante Again (1/3)
title: andante again
pairing: chanyeol/baekhyun
genre: romance, drama
words: 24K
summary: Chanyeol sees endings in just sixty seconds. But with Baekhyun, it takes longer than that.
It was fall; his hands were clamped together in heat, and his feet were rested comfortably under the table. He was seated opposite to Jongin. It took a while before he convinced himself that the idea of coming down with his annoying half-brother to one of the oldest cafés in town was rather a good thing. That was, of course, until Jongin started blabbing about his ability to see the future, which was extremely inaccurate.
It wasn’t a big deal for Chanyeol, well, at least not anymore since a year ago when he finished medical school. It wasn’t actually being able to see the future entirely (which is what he’d been trying to explain to Jongin almost half of his life but alas, it was to no avail), but only bits of it, on a condition where he has to stare at a person’s eyes. It’s mainly seeing his future relationship with that particular person (which is a lot useful than it sounds because it has saved him from countless heartbreaks).
“When was the last time you watched your future?” Jongin asked after a quick sip from his coffee.
Chanyeol was staring into the horizon; their seats were beside the glass window, giving him a clear view of the sky as it woke. “I don’t know,” was his response.
“You don’t know,” Jongin reiterated. “What if you missed the right person?”
So far the only futures he had seen were depressing, if not downright tragic. He might have even extended his life owing to this ability.
“There is no right person,” He murmured, fog coming out from his mouth as he continued, “What if the main reason why I have this ability in the first place was only to watch my future with different people come and go, and then someday I’ll forget, until it’s gone, until I’m dead?”
“You’re not making any sense.” Jongin replied, taking another sip from his coffee.
For 25 years, all he ever cared about was finding an explanation (a humane explanation) on how he got this weird ability in the first place. However, from those years, he earned no explanation, only a degree in medicine, teaching authority, and his new identity as Professor Park.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Look, just try.”
He remembered Jongin saying the same thing last week, and a week before that, and a week before that week, until he’s convinced that what they’re doing was a waste of time. There were times when Chanyeol saw futures he particularly liked but didn’t end well, and he’d tear up because he knew he couldn’t afford going through those. He didn’t want to see his future because after sixty seconds, he’ll be forced to let it go. He was a coward, that much he knew.
“Chanyeol.” Jongin called.
Chanyeol sighed, massaging his temple as he leaned back on his chair. Maybe, somewhere deep inside him, he didn’t want to be a coward anymore. “Alright…but this will be the last time.”
He knew that probably meant ‘This will be the last time for this week’ to Jongin but he couldn’t care less since the latter’s persuasion power is beyond normal. His attention shifted to Jongin’s cup when it illuminated. He turned to his side to watch the sun slowly rise up into the sky, supplying the world of the light it needs. The café’s door chimes started ringing continuously with inconsistent intervals as more people started occupying the tables. Most of them professional workers leaving early for work, some students studying for prelims. The fact that the café is open for 24 hours and its location being only a 5 minute walk away from the train station were enough for the place to belong under the must-visit list. They practically grew up with it and watched as workers come and go.
“Shall we start?” Jongin said with a big grin on his face.
They’ve done it so many times that Chanyeol was oddly familiar with it already. All he needed to do was stare at someone until that someone stared back at him, and then the 60-second preview will start. Their first target came as a surprise when he accidentally looked up and saw a girl staring at him. The whole world stopped, all their frictions fall into a pause, and gravity disappeared.
This tempo is larghetto. His future kicked off with a fresh start--all smiles and giggles. She was the epitome of sweet gestures, so to say. Then came the excuses, broken promises, and forgotten dates. Chanyeol didn’t forget them; she did. And then the whole cycle of fights and questions of trusts started. He thought it was a pity. It could’ve been her but then after 60 seconds, it’s not. He snapped back, the noise almost suffocating him when the world started moving again and the girl walked pass him.
“How was it?” Jongin asked.
Chanyeol shook his head, wondering if a time will come when he would nod and smile to Jongin’s question. He looked around again. He found a girl sitting by herself across their table. Her hair was long and curly at the ends. She looked like she was waiting for someone. While she was looking around the place, slightly craning her neck, her eyes met Chanyeol’s. And the cycle started. This one is presto. She was having problems with her boyfriend, until she met Chanyeol, and decided to break it off with her boyfriend. She was a really happy person, very talkative. Until she started acting strange. Chanyeol can see why she was having problems with her past lover. She was clingy and overly attached. Not someone you would want to spend the rest of your life with. The preview ended. Chanyeol sighed. He won’t get anywhere with this.
“So?” Jongin asked, eyes full of anticipation.
“I told you, right? There is no right person.”
Jongin looked disappointed. Chanyeol would be too, but he’d already cut too much strings with each time he tried to play a tune and failed. This song was already broken. No string will ever fix it.
“Whatever.” Chanyeol breathed. “Look, I have class later-actually, we have class later. So I’m going to pay at the counter now then we can go.”
Jongin pouted. “Fine. Buy me a take out!”
Chanyeol always paid. He’s a professor, it’s not right to let Jongin pay since he’s still a student. His student to be exact. He walked to the counter, noticing another customer coming in. Chanyeol leaned on the counter and waited for the cashier lady to return. The customer who just walked in stopped beside him. He’s short, Chanyeol noticed when he squinted to see, and had auburn brown hair. It was only a random observation. Chanyeol shook his head and shifted his attention to the figurine displayed on top of the counter in between them. It was an hourglass, sculptured and turned into art. The name of the cafe itself is Clockworks, with regards to the owner’s grandfather who was a clock maker. The cafe was also filled with clocks, designed in different varieties. After a while, the cashier lady finally came back.
“Yes?” She asked Chanyeol.
“I’m going to pay. Table 15.”
The cashier lady checked the bills and typed on the receipt. Chanyeol passed the bill and waited for the change, and as he did so, he noticed another staff coming to entertain the customer beside him.
“Baekhyun, hi, good morning,” The staff greeted delightedly.
The customer, Baekhyun, breathed out with a smile. “Seems like everybody knows my name now.”
His voice, Chanyeol noticed, was soft, like cotton candies.
“Of course. You’re a regular here.” The staff replied, smiling. She seemed to be fond of him, Chanyeol observed. But he’s never seen him before, even though he considered himself a regular in this cafe. “So, what are you ordering? The usual?”
Chanyeol lightly tapped his fingers on the wood, taking note of the time.
“Yes please.”
“Where’s your brother? You usually come together.”
“He’s already at the bus station. He slept pretty late last night.”
The staff nodded while wrapping the food. “Here you go, Baekhyun. Enjoy. It’s nice to see you happy and healthy.”
Baekhyun smiled. “Thank you.”
Finally. Chanyeol thought as the cashier lady started printing the receipt while collecting the change. She held out her hand and Chanyeol collected the coins on her palm. When the staff pulled her hand back, she accidentally hit the figurine lying at the middle. Chanyeol immediately held out his hand to catch it. He wasn’t the only one with quick reflexes, though, as Baekhyun also did the same. There was a light touch, resulting in a slight startle as both of them looked up each other at the same time, staring straight into each other’s eyes. This started the cycle and showed Chanyeol an accidental preview. One he never asked for.
Oh no.
He snapped after a full minute, shaking his head furiously in an attempt to forget, as the first tear fell.
Andante.
Before he knew it, Baekhyun had already left. He turned and looked for the boy in attempt to catch him, only to see Baekhyun’s figure retreating behind the door. Unconsciously, his feet started moving on its own, and before he knew it, he was following Baekhyun outside.
Jongin noticed him leaving, and immediately bolted up from his seat to follow the professor.
Chanyeol was confused. He knew his actions were uncalled for, but he couldn’t seem to stop. He can only keep on walking and walking and walking, eyes fixed on Baekhyun’s petit back. Jongin caught up to him, grabbing his arm. “Hey! Where are you going?”Jongin received no response, and thus he went ahead and followed Chanyeol’s line of sight. “Are you following him?”
“Ssh.”
“Why are you following him-“ Jongin didn’t get to finish his question when he suddenly tripped over a rock and the cake on his hand ended up flying away towards…
Splash!
Chanyeol and Jongin stopped in unison, both as shocked as the other.
Baekhyun turned around to face them, with his uniform covered in icing. “Um…”
“Oh my God…” Jongin started. “I am so so sorry!” He added as he walked towards Baekhyun. He helplessly wiped the icing off and then licked it off from this thumb.
Chanyeol’s attention was elsewhere. There was something strangely endearing about the boy’s eyes but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it made him feel. There was a certain tenderness behind it that Chanyeol particularly liked. He felt calm, yet at the same time, he had never felt more alive.
Baekhyun’s laugh echoed like music around him, snapping him out of his daze. “It’s fine.”
“Let me wash your coat.” Jongin insisted.
“No, it’s really okay. I actually gotta go. My brother’s waiting for me.”
“Ah!” Jongin exclaimed once he spotted Baekhyun’s uniform under the stained coat. “Same school! How convenient!”
Jongin offered his coat afterwards, in which Baekhyun politely rejected, only for Jongin to insist. When they got to the waiting area, much to everyone’s surprise, Baekhyun’s brother, Sehun, turned out to be Jongin’s teammate from middle school. Jongin quickly explained the situation to him as soon as he saw Sehun’s annoyed face, and the expression on Sehun’s face didn’t change until it quickly dissipated when he recognized one of his teachers, Park Chanyeol.
--
Chanyeol was once again at loss. He stared at his empty desk. School had just started so there hadn’t been any work piled up yet. He was the only one left in the faculty room at lunch break. Chanyeol couldn’t seem to get his mind out of the gutter ever since the incident this morning. Since he and Jongin go to school by car, they weren’t able to ride with Baekhyun and Sehun, although Jongin insisted, once again, for Baekhyun to take his coat instead.
And now that all of them were where they are supposed to be, Chanyeol couldn’t help but wonder how fate would play his part. He knew nothing about the boy, his name or what year he was in--the small details that his ability couldn’t provide. He only sees images, but not details.
That’s why the mere thought of how and when scared him.
A noise distracted him and he turned his head towards the door. His colleague and friend, Luhan, walked inside, with a distinct smile Chanyeol knew too well. “Hey,” Luhan greeted. Chanyeol merely nodded his head in response. “So, Minah called, said she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t make it to her class. The director told me to relay to you that you’re gonna sub for her class.”
“What?!”
“Well you’re the only one here whose schedule doesn’t overlap hers. So get on with it already. You don’t even have to do much since it’s still the first week of school.”
Chanyoeol sighed in defeat. “Fine, I got it.”
“Here,” Luhan said, handing him the class attendance sheet fastened on a folder. “The subject is Literature.”
--
Chanyeol can perfectly remember how much headache Literature had given him back when he was still a student. Saying it wasn’t his forte may even be an understatement. It’s like Literature actually hated him. It talks about superficial things and nonsensical metaphors, ideas that are out-of-hand, misconceptions about love and how it affects human nature and rationality--it was all just a mess of deviances that Chanyeol couldn’t grasp the concept of. It puts science and physics to shame.
He shook his head as he approached the classroom, trying to clear his mind of those unfortunate events from the past. When he entered the room, the students greeted him accordingly.
He looked around the room as he picked up the attendance sheet, and froze as soon as he spotted the last person he wanted to see today (or the first person he was expecting to see today, truthfully)--Byun Baekhyun, seated at the very last row right beside the window. He was looking outside, his attention elsewhere, until he noticed someone’s gaze on him and turned to the front. Their eyes met then. It surprised Chanyeol but Baekhyun smiled at him softly, to which he politely returned before moving on with the attendance.
It was normal. Baekhyun was very quiet, it was almost like he wasn’t there, but Chanyeol always saw him. Always, because he can’t help but steal glances of the smaller boy from time to time.
Chanyeol was collecting his things, taking his time to make sure that everyone already left for their next class, when a familiar high-pitched voice called out on him. “Professor Park!”
Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun smiling brightly down at him. “Hi.” he said.
“Wow, so you’re our new teacher?”
“No, I’m just subbing for today.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. I was looking forward to it, you know, Professor.”
Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh. “You can just call me Chanyeol.”
“But I can’t. You’re a teacher.” Baekhyun replied, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
“Yeah but you can call me Chanyeol when it’s just the two of us.”
“Why?”
Why exactly? Maybe he wanted to know how Baekhyun pronounces his name.
“Well, you could say I’m still not used to being called Professor.”
Baekhyun tilted his head, thinking, before finally nodding. “Alright then, Chanyeol.”
Okay, so he does like the way Baekhyun pronounces his name. “Aren’t you going to your next class?”
“No, I don’t have P.E.” Baekhyun replied. “So I’ll just hang around here with you until lunch break.”
Chanyeol looks up. “And what made you think I don’t have a class after this?”
“Because you’re still here.” Baekhyun said with a cheeky smile, making Chanyeol wonder once again why he loved looking at his face. Loved. Chanyeol was cringing in his head at how appropriate this is starting to become. Baekhyun had a very gorgeous smile. For a guy. It was very endearing.
So just like that, swept off his feet, Chanyeol ended up staying. (He actually had a class after.)
“So, you’re Jongin’s brother?” Baekhyun asked while pulling a chair towards the teacher’s table.
“Half-brother.” Chanyeol corrected. “Just the usual father remarrying kind of stuff.” Baekhyun nodded. “How about you? You and Sehun don’t have the same surname so I was as surprised as Jongin.”
“He’s actually my cousin. We took him in when he was 8 after his parents died in a car crash. There were a lot of feuds at his mother’s side so my dad volunteered to take him instead. He didn’t want to put him through something difficult after losing his parents.”
“That’s admirable.”
“Yeah. I’m glad we have him.” Baekhyun said, smiling. “I’m really happy knowing he has great friends.”
“Oh? You didn’t think he had friends?”
“Well, ever since last year he’s been coming home early just for me so it made me worried that he might not be playing around with his friends as much. But he wouldn’t listen to me.”
Last year. “You missed school last year, right?”
“For two years, actually.” Baekhyun said. “Just some health problems. My parents are very overprotective and paranoid so...it ended up like that.”
“Well, that’s what parents do.”
“Ah, so grown-up.”
“I’m only six years older than you, you know.”
“But I still am a sophomore.” Baekhyun really has this obvious mischievous look, like he wasn’t afraid of anything, like he could disappear any time now. Chanyeol noticed him staring at something outside the classroom. When he turned to check, there were a group of students laughing and gossiping outside.
Ah, Chanyeol knew, he probably doesn’t have friends given he’d missed school for 2 years. “You should go and make some friends.”
Baekhyun turned to him then, startled at his remark. “No, that’s fine.” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows at his response and Baekhyun scoffed. “I don’t mind. The only reason why people want other people in their life is so that someone will remember them when they die. I’m fine with the few people fate has given me.”
It really is frightening, Chanyeol thought. Somehow, Baekhyun seemed unreachable.
--
Chanyeol was on his way back to the faculty room when an unfamiliar yet beautiful melody slowly danced into his ears and then around him, echoing everywhere. He could even imagine music notes floating around, bouncing happily. It was unusual for anyone to stay behind in this area of the building this late. The hallway and classrooms were already empty. Before he knew it, his curiously had led him in front of the music room, looking directly inside through the glass windows.
And there he felt himself slowly getting sucked in into the melody, it was as if everything around him was disappearing, the ground beneath his feet crumbling, and that he’s standing on clouds, getting swept into the music, slowly, slowly, falling. And then he saw the sun rays reflecting so beautifully behind that familiar brunet head.
Chanyeol wondered to himself what goes through Baekhyun’s mind as his beautiful fingers grace the piano keys, what image does he have in mind, how beautiful could he possibly see the world as it is? Further and further, he gets sucked into this unending obsession towards how life is like in Byun Baekhyun’s eyes.
And those eyes, right now, are only looking at him. “Professor Park!” The call immediately snapped Chanyeol back into reality, realizing a bit late that the melody has stopped playing. He saw Baekhyun walking towards him and stopping in front of the window. He slid the glass window open and leaned forward, with his arms supporting his weight. “Are you going home now?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol answered, albeit still distracted with his thoughts. “I thought I told you to call me Chanyeol when it’s just the two of us?”
“Sorry, it slipped.” Baekhyun said, giggling cutely. “Are you gonna punish me, professor?”
Chanyeol paused, surprised, but mostly flustered. “Uh--”
“I’m joking!” Baekhyun chuckled. “You’re too serious. It’s not good to have wrinkles at such a young age.”
“Cheeky, aren’t we?” Chanyeol said, unable to resist pinching Baekhyun’s cheeks. Baekhyun crunched his nose and laughed, and it was easily the cutest thing Chanyeol has ever seen. Ever. Like a puppy. “And how about you? Kids should be at home already at this hour.”
“I’m not a kid.” Baekhyun argued. “Also, I’m waiting for Sehun to finish club activities so we can go home together.”
“Ah, basketball right? Jongin is in the same club. We go home together too.”
“Then,” Baekhyun started, smiling. “Shall we wait for them together, Chanyeol?”
Somehow, Chanyeol thought Baekhyun is doing something to him on purpose, but sometimes he just felt like this must how students act nowadays. Interesting. “Well, I still have to collect my things from the faculty.”
“I’ll come with!” As soon as Baekhyun made the declaration by himself, he ran to grab his bag and not a minute later, he was already walking out of the door.
There was no way Chanyeol could actually refuse him anyway. “I didn’t know you can play the piano.” Chanyeol said as they started walking.
“That’s understandable since we just met recently.” Baekhyun replied. “I started when I was five, I think? Both my parents are musically inclined, well, my mother mostly. My dad said that’s why he fell in love with her. Because his life has been like a musical ever since.”
“That’s sweet.”
Baekhyun smiled. “I wonder if I can make someone feel that way someday.”
Chanyeol stared at him. The sunset outside made the smaller look like he was somehow glowing. “I’m sure you can.” He said, smiling, with that image burned in his mind.
When they arrived at the faculty room, it was already empty. Baekhyun welcomed himself inside, craning his neck here and there as if he was on a tour.
“Don’t touch anything.” Chanyeol said as he made his way to his desk.
“I won’t!” Baekhyun assured as he grabbed one of the teachers’ picture frames.
Chanyeol started organizing the papers he collected earlier for the club applications on his table. It seemed that most of the students still didn’t know what club they wanted. He’ll need to talk to them so he can sort it out immediately. Now, he just needs to create a schedule for himself so he can entertain those students. It seems this school year will be busy for him, but he knew exactly just how this school year was going to go for him.
His hands stopped. He was suddenly reminded of what was about to come. Flashbacks of those sixty seconds started springing unwelcomed in his mind, albeit the memories were vague, they were incontestable.
“So this is your desk.”
Chanyeol paused, his thoughts interrupted, and he looked up from his seat to see Baekhyun looking down at him through the divider. Baekhyun seemed to have noticed his facial expression. “Why so serious, professor?”
Chanyeol shook his head. “No, sorry, I was just thinking of some things. Don’t worry, I’ll be done in a minute.” He immediately resumed what he was doing, missing Baekhyun’s worried pout.
The sun was already gone by the time they got out of the faculty room. Chanyeol hadn’t realized until now that club activities actually ended this late since he’s busy doing his work most of the time. When they arrived at the gymnasium, Sehun and Jongin were already outside, sitting on the stairs and munching on some ice cream.
They perked up when they spotted the two, with Jongin asking, “What took you so long?” and Sehun’s “Why are you together?” at the same time.
Baekhyun tilted his head at Sehun. “Shall we go?” Sehun immediately grabbed his bag.
“Oh, you’re going?” Chanyeol asked.
“Yeah. We still need to catch the bus.”
“Ah. I see. Well, we’re going this way since our car is parked...there.” He said and pointed at the car behind them. Oh.
“Okay, see you tomorrow, Professor.” Baekhyun said, smiling softly.
“S-see you tomorrow.” Chanyeol replied, almost stuttering. What was he doing anyway?
Jongin carefully watched Chanyeol’s expression. He looked like a kicked puppy. He could actually see Chanyeol’s ears drooping. He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Unless,” He started, loudly with enunciation, catching Sehun and Baekhyun’s attention. “You want to ride with us? We can drive you home.”
Baekhyun and Sehun blinked in surprise, not sure how to take that offer, Chanyeol even more.
“I mean, we have a car and we pass by your house on the way home. It’s the most practical thing to do.” Jongin said, shrugging.
“Is that fine, Professor?” Baekhyun asked out of concern as he turned his gaze to Chanyeol.
Why wouldn’t it be? Chanyeol shook his head. “Uh yeah, sure. I mean, I think that’s the most responsible thing I can do to my students right now. Come on. We’ll drive you home.”
“Then we’ll gladly accept!” Baekhyun declared, and grabbed Sehun’s hand. “Come on, Hun.”
Jongin snickered. “Yes, Hun, hurry up, Hun.” He teased while walking towards the other door of the car.
“Stop it.” Sehun snapped as Baekhyun and he moved to sit at the back, while Jongin sat beside the driver’s seat.
Jongin kept teasing Sehun with his nickname tremendously, even after Chanyeol started driving, that Sehun eventually resorted to threatening him with spilling his innuendos to Chanyeol. Jongin didn’t care though. He pretty much never hid anything from his brother, which resulted in Sehun sulking. Baekhyun was very entertained.
“Hyung, I told you not to call me by my nickname when we’re not at home.” Baekhyun only chuckled. He found his adoptive brother impossibly cute even when he turned out to be a 180cm french fry.
“Oh come on Sehun, it’s just us.” Jongin singsonged.
“Us? Who’s us?”
“Us.” Jongin said while pointing his fingers to him and Chanyeol.
“He’s a teacher!”
Baekhyun lightly slapped Sehun’s arm. “Don’t be like that.”
Chanyeol cleared his throat. “I’m not that old you know.”
“Everybody knows that,” Sehun groaned. “You’re a genius who graduated Med School two years in advance and turned down a thousand offers from different hospitals and NASA just to be a professor.”
The topic at hand quickly shifted as Jongin started teasing him again. Kids these days really have no self-control, Chanyeol thought, only to find himself stealing glances at Baekhyun through the mirror, who was looking outside the window. He would bite his lip occasionally, a habit Chanyeol found endearing. After a few more stolen glances, Baekhyun finally caught his gaze when he turned his head. Chanyeol was surprised. “Uh--your house is quite far, isn’t it?” He quickly altered, almost stuttering.
Baekhyun looked at him in confusion. “Don’t you pass by our house on your way home?”
They don’t, actually.
“Uh, yeah, sorry, I was pretty distracted.”
Jongin subtly shook his head noticing.
After a few more blocks, they finally reached Baekhyun and Sehun’s house. It was everything Chanyeol imagined it to be or even better. He imagined Baekhyun living in a simple yet lively neighborhood. He imagined their house had orchids outside and a small flower garden. It was a place befitting of someone like Baekhyun.
A small creature barking suddenly came charging towards the fence once Baekhyun and Sehun got out of the car. Baekhyun went to pick the dog up while Sehun went to collect .
“Hello~” Baekhyun singsonged, brushing his dog’s head. “This is Jon Snow, by the way. He’s a 4-month-old Husky.”
“You named your dog after a Game of Thrones character?”
“Why not?”
Jongin only nodded in agreement.
Baekhyun let Chanyeol and Jongin play with husky for a while before Sehun finally told him to come inside. They both said their gratitudes before Chanyeol finally drove away and Baekhyun waved goodbye.
From then on, the four of them started going home together, even though there wasn’t really any sort of verbal agreement.
--
Chanyeol started seeing Baekhyun more often, mainly because Baekhyun was usually alone when they met. It worried him that maybe Baekhyun wasn’t getting along with his classmates that well. But then he’s reminded that during his classes, he sometimes had small chats with them. Eventually, he understood that Baekhyun was the type who liked to keep some time to himself. They were somewhat the same. And people like them usually find themselves in another’s company because no one is imposing himself on the other.
They had a lot in common, more than what Chanyeol had perceived initially. Music was one of them. The same can be said with science and a part with traveling. Their conversations just evolve into something greater that they sometimes forget where they are and their respective differences.
Chanyeol liked talking to Baekhyun. He loved hearing Baekhyun’s opinions and stories, and just about anything. He was smart and insightful, and Chanyeol loved the way Baekhyun perceived the world and its beauty. If you asked a normal person to look at the night sky, they’d say the stars are beautiful. But if you asked Baekhyun, he’d point out how those stars are in fact, all dead and that death doesn’t always have to be perceived with such ugliness. Afterlife can also be beautiful, just like the night sky.
“Everything has beauty in it.” Baekhyun once whispered during one of their conversations. Chanyeol doesn’t remember what they talked about that day, but this he can perfectly remember, because that’s when he realized just how carefully God crafted imperfections into this beautiful mess of an entity sitting beside him.
“A~nd, the end?”
Chanyeol blinked, moving his chair backwards when his colleague, Luhan’s face suddenly zoomed into his sight. “What do you want?”
Luhan stared at him. “You’ve been distracted lately.”
“What?”
“You always space out in the middle of your work. It’s as if you’re in a perfectly different world doing God-knows-what in your head.” Luhan said while snatching the apple on Chanyeol’s desk and taking a bite. “I’m just worried about your well-being.”
“Just so you know, that’s a 2-week old apple.”
Luhan immediately spit it out. “Fucker!”
“Also, you don’t need to concern yourself so much about me, I can handle things on my own.”
“Then can you entertain your student outside now?”
“Huh?” Chanyeol perked up from his seat to see. It was Baekhyun.
“He’s been there since forever and I’ve been calling you since forever so--” Chanyeol ignored Luhan and scurried out of the faculty room. “Well that’s rude.” Luhan murmured.
“Baekhyun!”
Baekhyun looked up, smiling as Chanyeol walked towards him. “Hey, professor!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I thought you’d be coming out soon so I just...waited.” As Baekhyun said so, his eyes were distracted by the students running behind Chanyeol. He seems to have only realized just now that he might’ve stood there waiting for more than his intended five minutes.
“No, I mean, why are you here? You could’ve just waited at the library or something.”
Baekhyun scratched his neck. “Uh, well, I actually have limited options right now.”
Chanyeol realized after a few seconds. It’s already exam week, so students linger at school later than usual, copying notes, borrowing books and the likes.
“I won’t be done in another half hour. Maybe you can wait at the music room? It’s closer here.”
Baekhyun glanced at the music room in confusion. “But it’s closed since--” Right then, Chanyeol dangled a pair of keys in front of him.
“Don’t underestimate your teacher.” Chanyeol was usually the one to close the music room.
“Here you go.” Chanyeol said, dropping the keys on Baekhyun’s palm. “Don’t let anyone else inside, okay? I’m making an exception because you’re special.” He didn’t actually mean to phrase it that way but he couldn’t think of any other way to say it.
And Baekhyun’s reaction made it so much more embarrassing. “T-Thanks, professor.” He mumbled. His ears were red. If this was a normal teacher to student interaction, he’d find this student utterly cute, but his kind of fondness towards Baekhyun is something different and much more delicate.
--
Expectedly, Chanyeol finished his work faster than he usually does. Luhan had already gone home and there were only four other teachers left at this hour. He quickly collected his things and then said his goodbyes to the other teachers.
A few distance from the music room, he noticed that the music room looked rather empty. He approached the room slowly, his eyebrows crooked, wondering in his head if Baekhyun might’ve decided to go home instead, until he heard a faint melody, a familiar voice singing an unfamiliar song somewhere.
He walked closer to the window and leaned slightly forward. He spotted the familiar brunet head on the floor. He was about to open the door when he the song grew louder. He stopped his hand He’s singing? He thought. He already knew Baekhyun could play the piano, but for him to actually possess such a beautiful voice--somehow he knew it wasn’t impossible, but it caught him off-guard anyway.
He stood outside, leaning against the door for almost a minute until he spotted the teachers coming out of the faculty room. He was then forced to run inside the room, unfortunately interrupting Baekhyun’s private acoustic session.
“Professor Park!” Baekhyun exclaimed.
“Hey. No don’t stand up.” Chanyeol said while positioning himself beside Baekhyun. “I thought you’d gone home already.”
“Of course not.” Silence suddenly took over when the teachers passed by outside, chattering loudly. “Are we hiding?” Baekhyun asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Chanyeol replied in the same manner. It seemed like the right thing to do...somehow.
They stayed like that until the noise finally cleared up.
“Are they gone?”
Chanyeol perked up a little to peek. “Yeah,” he says at the sight of an empty hallway. When he sat back down, he heard Baekhyun stifle a laugh that he ended up bursting into one with Baekhyun following. “That...That was--”
“Interesting.” Baekhyun interrupts while laughing still.
“I was about to say ridiculous, but interesting will do.” Chanyeol leaned his head against the wall, taking a deep breath. “You have a nice voice.” Silence engulfed them once again.
“You heard?” Baekhyun finally replied, gasping.
“You were pretty loud.” Chanyeol said with a chuckle. Baekhyun groaned then and tried to hide his embarrassment. “Why? What’s the matter? It was a compliment.”
“It’s not that!”
“Then what?” For some reason, Chanyeol couldn’t stop grinning as he watched Baekhyun try to hide his apparent shyness. “Come on, tell me.”
“Alright, fine fine, I’ll tell you.” Baekhyun finally succumbed. “But promise me you won’t laugh at me or think I’m lame!”
Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders. “That depends.” Baekhyun pouted at him and he almost burst into laughter, but decided against it. “Okay, okay, I won’t. I promise.”
Baekhyun took a deep breath, almost worrying Chanyeol. “I was going to surprise you at the school festival.”
Chanyeol paused. “Surprise me?”
Baekhyun quickly looked down and covered his ears. “I can hear you laughing already!”
“Hey, I’m not laughing.” Chanyeol reassured as he grabbed both of Baekhyun’s hands to pull them away from his ears as Baekhyun resisted. He wasn’t, sure, but he couldn’t wipe off the grin on his face. He just couldn’t help it. Eventually, Baekhyun lost to Chanyeol’s strength and he looked up at him shyly. “See? I’m not laughing.”
“Ugh, it doesn’t even matter anymore. Even I think it’s lame.”
“It’s not lame. I think it’s cute.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean I don’t really have that much experience with surprises, but I think it’s cute.”
“I like ‘em.” Baekhyun said, placing his head on his arms above his knees. “I like surprises. I like the process and the waiting and the excitement...it makes the memory much more special for both parties, don’t you think so?”
This was why Chanyeol liked talking to him. The world always seemed so beautiful when he talked about it. “Then surprise me at the school festival.”
Baekhyun snorted. “I didn’t even expect that I’m gonna sing at the festival. I was surprised first.”
“So how’d you end up performing then?”
“Well...” Baekhyun clicked his tongue. “Sehun kinda mentioned to Jongin that I liked to sing as a hobby and that information was relayed to Jongin’s friends and apparently Jongin has a lot of friends.”
Chanyeol laughed this time. “You have the worst luck.”
Baekhyun stifled his laughter as he continued. “Yeah so when the class was discussing about what to do for the festival, no one was raising their hands and giving suggestions, so the president went ‘oh I heard Baekhyun can sing’ and they all pushed me to sing in front and well, in our home we value confidence.”
“Oh do you now?” Chanyeol teased.
Baekhyun playfully slapped Chanyeol’s arm while laughing. “My mom always told me, who else is gonna believe in your talent if not yourself? I think I interpreted that perfectly. So, I don’t think I’m in the wrong here!”
“No, no, I get it, I get it!” Chanyeol said, lifting his hands as if surrendering. “It suits you. It’s totally not out-of-character. Confident,” he continued as he counted with his fingers. “Insightful, talented...sparkly.”
Baekhyun snorted out of ridicule. “Sparkly?! Am I a dog?”
“Yeah, unless you can give me a better adjective then all you’re gonna get is sparkly.”
Baekhyun thought for a moment. “Candescent?”
“Oh, candescent? Really?”
“Whaaaat?”
“Nah, we’re sticking with sparkly.”
“That’s unfair!” Baekhyun tried to protest, but only ended up laughing loudly in defeat. Chanyeol couldn’t hold his own. Their joyous little conversation was then interrupted by the last school chime.
“We should head to the gym soon.” Chanyeol said. Baekhyun nodded before standing up, grabbing his bag in the process. He passed the key to Chanyeol and they leave the music room together.
--
The sun was almost setting when they walked out of the building. It seemed to be a recurring sight to Chanyeol now. He doesn’t even remember seeing the sunset this much before he met Baekhyun.
“I wonder if they’re done practicing.”
Chanyeol glanced at Baekhyun. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, why don’t you just wait at the gymnasium for Sehun instead of wandering around the campus? Wouldn’t that be easier?”
“Yeah, except Sehun doesn’t really want me there.” Baekhyun noticed the puzzled look on Chanyeol’s face. “Wait, let me rephrase that. He’ll feel uncomfortable with me watching. He’s shy I guess?”
“You’re okay with that?”
“I can’t really argue with him about that.”
“You spoil him a lot, don’t you?”
“Well, if I won’t, who will?” Baekhyun replied with a smile. It was sad but genuine.
“That’s why he grew up to be so stubborn.” Chanyeol commented in attempt to lighten up the mood. “Especially with Jongin with him all the time.”
“What about Jongin?” Baekhyun asked as he jumped on the knee-level railings guarding the bushes. Chanyeol held his hand in reflex, making sure he wouldn’t fall over by accident.
“Well, Jongin is like an enabler. He gives you opportunities to display your habits without a problem, even though it’s unnecessary and even if those habits are bad. He’s indifferent towards those things.”
“Uh-huh,” Baekhyun nodded, albeit slightly confused. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It depends.”
“So if Jongin is an enabler,” Baekhyun started as he jumped off the railings. “Then that means he enables you as well, right?”
“Huh, I haven’t really thought about that.”
“So, what’s Park Chanyeol like?” Baekhyun asked with a grin on his face. “Not Professor Park, but Park Chanyeol, the real Park Chanyeol.”
“That’s hard. I might consider putting that on a test.”
“Come on. Seriously!” Baekhyun whined, but he ended up laughing anyway.
They passed by the park where students usually wait for their respective guardians to pick them up or just kill time. Some students greeted Chanyeol when they spotted, and he greeted back. They barely made it to the other side of the road when Baekhyun started pestering him again. Chanyeol laughed at his persistence. He sees now that Baekhyun is still young after all, sometimes he can also act like a child.
“Park Chanyeol huh...” Chanyeol starts with a quick caress on his chin. “Well, for starters, he’s pretty good-looking.” Baekhyun snorted. “Yeah? No?” Baekhyun ended up nodding in agreement anyway. “He was pretty popular with the ladies.”
“I’m sure he was.”
“He was also a varsity player in Basketball. He’s a genius. He skipped two grades.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes playfully. “And he plays the guitar.”
Baekhyun’s face immediately lit up. “The guitar? Really?!”
They were only a few meters from the gymnasium now. “Bet you didn’t know about that.”
“Ah, the element of surprise.”
Chanyeol snickered. “What about Baekhyun then?”
“Hm?”
“What’s Byun Baekhyun like? The real Byun Baekhyun?” Chanyeol quoted.
Baekhyun opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by Sehun’s call. The two turned to the side where Jongin and Sehun were approaching.
Baekhyun turned back to Chanyeol and smiled. “Next time then.” Chanyeol didn’t have the chance to respond as Baekhyun walked towards Sehun.
--
The question didn’t wander around for a long time when Baekhyun visited the faculty room out of the blue. It was around break time and Chanyeol and Baekhyun don’t really meet in such circumstance when the exams are just around the corner.
“Tutor? Sehun?”
Baekhyun bit his lip. He seemed to have contemplated a lot about it and was still contemplating. “Well, I used to help him study but...I got left behind and now we’re in the same grade so I won’t be much of a help either.”
“I see.”
“Also, I asked Jongin,” Baekhyun added. “And he said you would be very happy to help us.”
Chanyeol chuckled at the selfish remark. “Cheeky, aren’t we?” He said while pinching his student’s cheek.
“I’m just making use of my special privileges,” Baekhyun told him, grinning from ear to ear. “And irresistible charm.”
“You found yourself a good target, didn’t you?”
“Sure, I’ll flatter you professor.” Baekhyun said in a joking manner.
“Well, it doesn’t pose a problem. Since I usually help Jongin with his studies, it’s okay if you two want to join as well.”
Baekhyun almost leaped in joy. “Yey! Thank you, professor! You’re the best! You’ll live a life full of prosperity!” He announced while making gestures with his hands and arms extended in the air.
“Alright, alright,” Chanyeol replied, stifling his laugh. “Now go back to class, cheeky kid. Lunch break is almost over.”
Baekhyun made a run for it, but stopped halfway to look back and flash that bright and beautiful smile at Chanyeol while waving his hand. It took Chanyeol by surprise and before he could respond, Baekhyun already had his back on him as he continued running. Traces of that moment lingered in the air as the wind paced around him. It was utterly and undeniably ravishing, how only a few seconds could take his breath away.
part ii
pairing: chanyeol/baekhyun
genre: romance, drama
words: 24K
summary: Chanyeol sees endings in just sixty seconds. But with Baekhyun, it takes longer than that.
It was fall; his hands were clamped together in heat, and his feet were rested comfortably under the table. He was seated opposite to Jongin. It took a while before he convinced himself that the idea of coming down with his annoying half-brother to one of the oldest cafés in town was rather a good thing. That was, of course, until Jongin started blabbing about his ability to see the future, which was extremely inaccurate.
It wasn’t a big deal for Chanyeol, well, at least not anymore since a year ago when he finished medical school. It wasn’t actually being able to see the future entirely (which is what he’d been trying to explain to Jongin almost half of his life but alas, it was to no avail), but only bits of it, on a condition where he has to stare at a person’s eyes. It’s mainly seeing his future relationship with that particular person (which is a lot useful than it sounds because it has saved him from countless heartbreaks).
“When was the last time you watched your future?” Jongin asked after a quick sip from his coffee.
Chanyeol was staring into the horizon; their seats were beside the glass window, giving him a clear view of the sky as it woke. “I don’t know,” was his response.
“You don’t know,” Jongin reiterated. “What if you missed the right person?”
So far the only futures he had seen were depressing, if not downright tragic. He might have even extended his life owing to this ability.
“There is no right person,” He murmured, fog coming out from his mouth as he continued, “What if the main reason why I have this ability in the first place was only to watch my future with different people come and go, and then someday I’ll forget, until it’s gone, until I’m dead?”
“You’re not making any sense.” Jongin replied, taking another sip from his coffee.
For 25 years, all he ever cared about was finding an explanation (a humane explanation) on how he got this weird ability in the first place. However, from those years, he earned no explanation, only a degree in medicine, teaching authority, and his new identity as Professor Park.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Look, just try.”
He remembered Jongin saying the same thing last week, and a week before that, and a week before that week, until he’s convinced that what they’re doing was a waste of time. There were times when Chanyeol saw futures he particularly liked but didn’t end well, and he’d tear up because he knew he couldn’t afford going through those. He didn’t want to see his future because after sixty seconds, he’ll be forced to let it go. He was a coward, that much he knew.
“Chanyeol.” Jongin called.
Chanyeol sighed, massaging his temple as he leaned back on his chair. Maybe, somewhere deep inside him, he didn’t want to be a coward anymore. “Alright…but this will be the last time.”
He knew that probably meant ‘This will be the last time for this week’ to Jongin but he couldn’t care less since the latter’s persuasion power is beyond normal. His attention shifted to Jongin’s cup when it illuminated. He turned to his side to watch the sun slowly rise up into the sky, supplying the world of the light it needs. The café’s door chimes started ringing continuously with inconsistent intervals as more people started occupying the tables. Most of them professional workers leaving early for work, some students studying for prelims. The fact that the café is open for 24 hours and its location being only a 5 minute walk away from the train station were enough for the place to belong under the must-visit list. They practically grew up with it and watched as workers come and go.
“Shall we start?” Jongin said with a big grin on his face.
They’ve done it so many times that Chanyeol was oddly familiar with it already. All he needed to do was stare at someone until that someone stared back at him, and then the 60-second preview will start. Their first target came as a surprise when he accidentally looked up and saw a girl staring at him. The whole world stopped, all their frictions fall into a pause, and gravity disappeared.
This tempo is larghetto. His future kicked off with a fresh start--all smiles and giggles. She was the epitome of sweet gestures, so to say. Then came the excuses, broken promises, and forgotten dates. Chanyeol didn’t forget them; she did. And then the whole cycle of fights and questions of trusts started. He thought it was a pity. It could’ve been her but then after 60 seconds, it’s not. He snapped back, the noise almost suffocating him when the world started moving again and the girl walked pass him.
“How was it?” Jongin asked.
Chanyeol shook his head, wondering if a time will come when he would nod and smile to Jongin’s question. He looked around again. He found a girl sitting by herself across their table. Her hair was long and curly at the ends. She looked like she was waiting for someone. While she was looking around the place, slightly craning her neck, her eyes met Chanyeol’s. And the cycle started. This one is presto. She was having problems with her boyfriend, until she met Chanyeol, and decided to break it off with her boyfriend. She was a really happy person, very talkative. Until she started acting strange. Chanyeol can see why she was having problems with her past lover. She was clingy and overly attached. Not someone you would want to spend the rest of your life with. The preview ended. Chanyeol sighed. He won’t get anywhere with this.
“So?” Jongin asked, eyes full of anticipation.
“I told you, right? There is no right person.”
Jongin looked disappointed. Chanyeol would be too, but he’d already cut too much strings with each time he tried to play a tune and failed. This song was already broken. No string will ever fix it.
“Whatever.” Chanyeol breathed. “Look, I have class later-actually, we have class later. So I’m going to pay at the counter now then we can go.”
Jongin pouted. “Fine. Buy me a take out!”
Chanyeol always paid. He’s a professor, it’s not right to let Jongin pay since he’s still a student. His student to be exact. He walked to the counter, noticing another customer coming in. Chanyeol leaned on the counter and waited for the cashier lady to return. The customer who just walked in stopped beside him. He’s short, Chanyeol noticed when he squinted to see, and had auburn brown hair. It was only a random observation. Chanyeol shook his head and shifted his attention to the figurine displayed on top of the counter in between them. It was an hourglass, sculptured and turned into art. The name of the cafe itself is Clockworks, with regards to the owner’s grandfather who was a clock maker. The cafe was also filled with clocks, designed in different varieties. After a while, the cashier lady finally came back.
“Yes?” She asked Chanyeol.
“I’m going to pay. Table 15.”
The cashier lady checked the bills and typed on the receipt. Chanyeol passed the bill and waited for the change, and as he did so, he noticed another staff coming to entertain the customer beside him.
“Baekhyun, hi, good morning,” The staff greeted delightedly.
The customer, Baekhyun, breathed out with a smile. “Seems like everybody knows my name now.”
His voice, Chanyeol noticed, was soft, like cotton candies.
“Of course. You’re a regular here.” The staff replied, smiling. She seemed to be fond of him, Chanyeol observed. But he’s never seen him before, even though he considered himself a regular in this cafe. “So, what are you ordering? The usual?”
Chanyeol lightly tapped his fingers on the wood, taking note of the time.
“Yes please.”
“Where’s your brother? You usually come together.”
“He’s already at the bus station. He slept pretty late last night.”
The staff nodded while wrapping the food. “Here you go, Baekhyun. Enjoy. It’s nice to see you happy and healthy.”
Baekhyun smiled. “Thank you.”
Finally. Chanyeol thought as the cashier lady started printing the receipt while collecting the change. She held out her hand and Chanyeol collected the coins on her palm. When the staff pulled her hand back, she accidentally hit the figurine lying at the middle. Chanyeol immediately held out his hand to catch it. He wasn’t the only one with quick reflexes, though, as Baekhyun also did the same. There was a light touch, resulting in a slight startle as both of them looked up each other at the same time, staring straight into each other’s eyes. This started the cycle and showed Chanyeol an accidental preview. One he never asked for.
Oh no.
He snapped after a full minute, shaking his head furiously in an attempt to forget, as the first tear fell.
Andante.
Before he knew it, Baekhyun had already left. He turned and looked for the boy in attempt to catch him, only to see Baekhyun’s figure retreating behind the door. Unconsciously, his feet started moving on its own, and before he knew it, he was following Baekhyun outside.
Jongin noticed him leaving, and immediately bolted up from his seat to follow the professor.
Chanyeol was confused. He knew his actions were uncalled for, but he couldn’t seem to stop. He can only keep on walking and walking and walking, eyes fixed on Baekhyun’s petit back. Jongin caught up to him, grabbing his arm. “Hey! Where are you going?”Jongin received no response, and thus he went ahead and followed Chanyeol’s line of sight. “Are you following him?”
“Ssh.”
“Why are you following him-“ Jongin didn’t get to finish his question when he suddenly tripped over a rock and the cake on his hand ended up flying away towards…
Splash!
Chanyeol and Jongin stopped in unison, both as shocked as the other.
Baekhyun turned around to face them, with his uniform covered in icing. “Um…”
“Oh my God…” Jongin started. “I am so so sorry!” He added as he walked towards Baekhyun. He helplessly wiped the icing off and then licked it off from this thumb.
Chanyeol’s attention was elsewhere. There was something strangely endearing about the boy’s eyes but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it made him feel. There was a certain tenderness behind it that Chanyeol particularly liked. He felt calm, yet at the same time, he had never felt more alive.
Baekhyun’s laugh echoed like music around him, snapping him out of his daze. “It’s fine.”
“Let me wash your coat.” Jongin insisted.
“No, it’s really okay. I actually gotta go. My brother’s waiting for me.”
“Ah!” Jongin exclaimed once he spotted Baekhyun’s uniform under the stained coat. “Same school! How convenient!”
Jongin offered his coat afterwards, in which Baekhyun politely rejected, only for Jongin to insist. When they got to the waiting area, much to everyone’s surprise, Baekhyun’s brother, Sehun, turned out to be Jongin’s teammate from middle school. Jongin quickly explained the situation to him as soon as he saw Sehun’s annoyed face, and the expression on Sehun’s face didn’t change until it quickly dissipated when he recognized one of his teachers, Park Chanyeol.
--
Chanyeol was once again at loss. He stared at his empty desk. School had just started so there hadn’t been any work piled up yet. He was the only one left in the faculty room at lunch break. Chanyeol couldn’t seem to get his mind out of the gutter ever since the incident this morning. Since he and Jongin go to school by car, they weren’t able to ride with Baekhyun and Sehun, although Jongin insisted, once again, for Baekhyun to take his coat instead.
And now that all of them were where they are supposed to be, Chanyeol couldn’t help but wonder how fate would play his part. He knew nothing about the boy, his name or what year he was in--the small details that his ability couldn’t provide. He only sees images, but not details.
That’s why the mere thought of how and when scared him.
A noise distracted him and he turned his head towards the door. His colleague and friend, Luhan, walked inside, with a distinct smile Chanyeol knew too well. “Hey,” Luhan greeted. Chanyeol merely nodded his head in response. “So, Minah called, said she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t make it to her class. The director told me to relay to you that you’re gonna sub for her class.”
“What?!”
“Well you’re the only one here whose schedule doesn’t overlap hers. So get on with it already. You don’t even have to do much since it’s still the first week of school.”
Chanyoeol sighed in defeat. “Fine, I got it.”
“Here,” Luhan said, handing him the class attendance sheet fastened on a folder. “The subject is Literature.”
--
Chanyeol can perfectly remember how much headache Literature had given him back when he was still a student. Saying it wasn’t his forte may even be an understatement. It’s like Literature actually hated him. It talks about superficial things and nonsensical metaphors, ideas that are out-of-hand, misconceptions about love and how it affects human nature and rationality--it was all just a mess of deviances that Chanyeol couldn’t grasp the concept of. It puts science and physics to shame.
He shook his head as he approached the classroom, trying to clear his mind of those unfortunate events from the past. When he entered the room, the students greeted him accordingly.
He looked around the room as he picked up the attendance sheet, and froze as soon as he spotted the last person he wanted to see today (or the first person he was expecting to see today, truthfully)--Byun Baekhyun, seated at the very last row right beside the window. He was looking outside, his attention elsewhere, until he noticed someone’s gaze on him and turned to the front. Their eyes met then. It surprised Chanyeol but Baekhyun smiled at him softly, to which he politely returned before moving on with the attendance.
It was normal. Baekhyun was very quiet, it was almost like he wasn’t there, but Chanyeol always saw him. Always, because he can’t help but steal glances of the smaller boy from time to time.
Chanyeol was collecting his things, taking his time to make sure that everyone already left for their next class, when a familiar high-pitched voice called out on him. “Professor Park!”
Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun smiling brightly down at him. “Hi.” he said.
“Wow, so you’re our new teacher?”
“No, I’m just subbing for today.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. I was looking forward to it, you know, Professor.”
Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh. “You can just call me Chanyeol.”
“But I can’t. You’re a teacher.” Baekhyun replied, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
“Yeah but you can call me Chanyeol when it’s just the two of us.”
“Why?”
Why exactly? Maybe he wanted to know how Baekhyun pronounces his name.
“Well, you could say I’m still not used to being called Professor.”
Baekhyun tilted his head, thinking, before finally nodding. “Alright then, Chanyeol.”
Okay, so he does like the way Baekhyun pronounces his name. “Aren’t you going to your next class?”
“No, I don’t have P.E.” Baekhyun replied. “So I’ll just hang around here with you until lunch break.”
Chanyeol looks up. “And what made you think I don’t have a class after this?”
“Because you’re still here.” Baekhyun said with a cheeky smile, making Chanyeol wonder once again why he loved looking at his face. Loved. Chanyeol was cringing in his head at how appropriate this is starting to become. Baekhyun had a very gorgeous smile. For a guy. It was very endearing.
So just like that, swept off his feet, Chanyeol ended up staying. (He actually had a class after.)
“So, you’re Jongin’s brother?” Baekhyun asked while pulling a chair towards the teacher’s table.
“Half-brother.” Chanyeol corrected. “Just the usual father remarrying kind of stuff.” Baekhyun nodded. “How about you? You and Sehun don’t have the same surname so I was as surprised as Jongin.”
“He’s actually my cousin. We took him in when he was 8 after his parents died in a car crash. There were a lot of feuds at his mother’s side so my dad volunteered to take him instead. He didn’t want to put him through something difficult after losing his parents.”
“That’s admirable.”
“Yeah. I’m glad we have him.” Baekhyun said, smiling. “I’m really happy knowing he has great friends.”
“Oh? You didn’t think he had friends?”
“Well, ever since last year he’s been coming home early just for me so it made me worried that he might not be playing around with his friends as much. But he wouldn’t listen to me.”
Last year. “You missed school last year, right?”
“For two years, actually.” Baekhyun said. “Just some health problems. My parents are very overprotective and paranoid so...it ended up like that.”
“Well, that’s what parents do.”
“Ah, so grown-up.”
“I’m only six years older than you, you know.”
“But I still am a sophomore.” Baekhyun really has this obvious mischievous look, like he wasn’t afraid of anything, like he could disappear any time now. Chanyeol noticed him staring at something outside the classroom. When he turned to check, there were a group of students laughing and gossiping outside.
Ah, Chanyeol knew, he probably doesn’t have friends given he’d missed school for 2 years. “You should go and make some friends.”
Baekhyun turned to him then, startled at his remark. “No, that’s fine.” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows at his response and Baekhyun scoffed. “I don’t mind. The only reason why people want other people in their life is so that someone will remember them when they die. I’m fine with the few people fate has given me.”
It really is frightening, Chanyeol thought. Somehow, Baekhyun seemed unreachable.
--
Chanyeol was on his way back to the faculty room when an unfamiliar yet beautiful melody slowly danced into his ears and then around him, echoing everywhere. He could even imagine music notes floating around, bouncing happily. It was unusual for anyone to stay behind in this area of the building this late. The hallway and classrooms were already empty. Before he knew it, his curiously had led him in front of the music room, looking directly inside through the glass windows.
And there he felt himself slowly getting sucked in into the melody, it was as if everything around him was disappearing, the ground beneath his feet crumbling, and that he’s standing on clouds, getting swept into the music, slowly, slowly, falling. And then he saw the sun rays reflecting so beautifully behind that familiar brunet head.
Chanyeol wondered to himself what goes through Baekhyun’s mind as his beautiful fingers grace the piano keys, what image does he have in mind, how beautiful could he possibly see the world as it is? Further and further, he gets sucked into this unending obsession towards how life is like in Byun Baekhyun’s eyes.
And those eyes, right now, are only looking at him. “Professor Park!” The call immediately snapped Chanyeol back into reality, realizing a bit late that the melody has stopped playing. He saw Baekhyun walking towards him and stopping in front of the window. He slid the glass window open and leaned forward, with his arms supporting his weight. “Are you going home now?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol answered, albeit still distracted with his thoughts. “I thought I told you to call me Chanyeol when it’s just the two of us?”
“Sorry, it slipped.” Baekhyun said, giggling cutely. “Are you gonna punish me, professor?”
Chanyeol paused, surprised, but mostly flustered. “Uh--”
“I’m joking!” Baekhyun chuckled. “You’re too serious. It’s not good to have wrinkles at such a young age.”
“Cheeky, aren’t we?” Chanyeol said, unable to resist pinching Baekhyun’s cheeks. Baekhyun crunched his nose and laughed, and it was easily the cutest thing Chanyeol has ever seen. Ever. Like a puppy. “And how about you? Kids should be at home already at this hour.”
“I’m not a kid.” Baekhyun argued. “Also, I’m waiting for Sehun to finish club activities so we can go home together.”
“Ah, basketball right? Jongin is in the same club. We go home together too.”
“Then,” Baekhyun started, smiling. “Shall we wait for them together, Chanyeol?”
Somehow, Chanyeol thought Baekhyun is doing something to him on purpose, but sometimes he just felt like this must how students act nowadays. Interesting. “Well, I still have to collect my things from the faculty.”
“I’ll come with!” As soon as Baekhyun made the declaration by himself, he ran to grab his bag and not a minute later, he was already walking out of the door.
There was no way Chanyeol could actually refuse him anyway. “I didn’t know you can play the piano.” Chanyeol said as they started walking.
“That’s understandable since we just met recently.” Baekhyun replied. “I started when I was five, I think? Both my parents are musically inclined, well, my mother mostly. My dad said that’s why he fell in love with her. Because his life has been like a musical ever since.”
“That’s sweet.”
Baekhyun smiled. “I wonder if I can make someone feel that way someday.”
Chanyeol stared at him. The sunset outside made the smaller look like he was somehow glowing. “I’m sure you can.” He said, smiling, with that image burned in his mind.
When they arrived at the faculty room, it was already empty. Baekhyun welcomed himself inside, craning his neck here and there as if he was on a tour.
“Don’t touch anything.” Chanyeol said as he made his way to his desk.
“I won’t!” Baekhyun assured as he grabbed one of the teachers’ picture frames.
Chanyeol started organizing the papers he collected earlier for the club applications on his table. It seemed that most of the students still didn’t know what club they wanted. He’ll need to talk to them so he can sort it out immediately. Now, he just needs to create a schedule for himself so he can entertain those students. It seems this school year will be busy for him, but he knew exactly just how this school year was going to go for him.
His hands stopped. He was suddenly reminded of what was about to come. Flashbacks of those sixty seconds started springing unwelcomed in his mind, albeit the memories were vague, they were incontestable.
“So this is your desk.”
Chanyeol paused, his thoughts interrupted, and he looked up from his seat to see Baekhyun looking down at him through the divider. Baekhyun seemed to have noticed his facial expression. “Why so serious, professor?”
Chanyeol shook his head. “No, sorry, I was just thinking of some things. Don’t worry, I’ll be done in a minute.” He immediately resumed what he was doing, missing Baekhyun’s worried pout.
The sun was already gone by the time they got out of the faculty room. Chanyeol hadn’t realized until now that club activities actually ended this late since he’s busy doing his work most of the time. When they arrived at the gymnasium, Sehun and Jongin were already outside, sitting on the stairs and munching on some ice cream.
They perked up when they spotted the two, with Jongin asking, “What took you so long?” and Sehun’s “Why are you together?” at the same time.
Baekhyun tilted his head at Sehun. “Shall we go?” Sehun immediately grabbed his bag.
“Oh, you’re going?” Chanyeol asked.
“Yeah. We still need to catch the bus.”
“Ah. I see. Well, we’re going this way since our car is parked...there.” He said and pointed at the car behind them. Oh.
“Okay, see you tomorrow, Professor.” Baekhyun said, smiling softly.
“S-see you tomorrow.” Chanyeol replied, almost stuttering. What was he doing anyway?
Jongin carefully watched Chanyeol’s expression. He looked like a kicked puppy. He could actually see Chanyeol’s ears drooping. He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Unless,” He started, loudly with enunciation, catching Sehun and Baekhyun’s attention. “You want to ride with us? We can drive you home.”
Baekhyun and Sehun blinked in surprise, not sure how to take that offer, Chanyeol even more.
“I mean, we have a car and we pass by your house on the way home. It’s the most practical thing to do.” Jongin said, shrugging.
“Is that fine, Professor?” Baekhyun asked out of concern as he turned his gaze to Chanyeol.
Why wouldn’t it be? Chanyeol shook his head. “Uh yeah, sure. I mean, I think that’s the most responsible thing I can do to my students right now. Come on. We’ll drive you home.”
“Then we’ll gladly accept!” Baekhyun declared, and grabbed Sehun’s hand. “Come on, Hun.”
Jongin snickered. “Yes, Hun, hurry up, Hun.” He teased while walking towards the other door of the car.
“Stop it.” Sehun snapped as Baekhyun and he moved to sit at the back, while Jongin sat beside the driver’s seat.
Jongin kept teasing Sehun with his nickname tremendously, even after Chanyeol started driving, that Sehun eventually resorted to threatening him with spilling his innuendos to Chanyeol. Jongin didn’t care though. He pretty much never hid anything from his brother, which resulted in Sehun sulking. Baekhyun was very entertained.
“Hyung, I told you not to call me by my nickname when we’re not at home.” Baekhyun only chuckled. He found his adoptive brother impossibly cute even when he turned out to be a 180cm french fry.
“Oh come on Sehun, it’s just us.” Jongin singsonged.
“Us? Who’s us?”
“Us.” Jongin said while pointing his fingers to him and Chanyeol.
“He’s a teacher!”
Baekhyun lightly slapped Sehun’s arm. “Don’t be like that.”
Chanyeol cleared his throat. “I’m not that old you know.”
“Everybody knows that,” Sehun groaned. “You’re a genius who graduated Med School two years in advance and turned down a thousand offers from different hospitals and NASA just to be a professor.”
The topic at hand quickly shifted as Jongin started teasing him again. Kids these days really have no self-control, Chanyeol thought, only to find himself stealing glances at Baekhyun through the mirror, who was looking outside the window. He would bite his lip occasionally, a habit Chanyeol found endearing. After a few more stolen glances, Baekhyun finally caught his gaze when he turned his head. Chanyeol was surprised. “Uh--your house is quite far, isn’t it?” He quickly altered, almost stuttering.
Baekhyun looked at him in confusion. “Don’t you pass by our house on your way home?”
They don’t, actually.
“Uh, yeah, sorry, I was pretty distracted.”
Jongin subtly shook his head noticing.
After a few more blocks, they finally reached Baekhyun and Sehun’s house. It was everything Chanyeol imagined it to be or even better. He imagined Baekhyun living in a simple yet lively neighborhood. He imagined their house had orchids outside and a small flower garden. It was a place befitting of someone like Baekhyun.
A small creature barking suddenly came charging towards the fence once Baekhyun and Sehun got out of the car. Baekhyun went to pick the dog up while Sehun went to collect .
“Hello~” Baekhyun singsonged, brushing his dog’s head. “This is Jon Snow, by the way. He’s a 4-month-old Husky.”
“You named your dog after a Game of Thrones character?”
“Why not?”
Jongin only nodded in agreement.
Baekhyun let Chanyeol and Jongin play with husky for a while before Sehun finally told him to come inside. They both said their gratitudes before Chanyeol finally drove away and Baekhyun waved goodbye.
From then on, the four of them started going home together, even though there wasn’t really any sort of verbal agreement.
--
Chanyeol started seeing Baekhyun more often, mainly because Baekhyun was usually alone when they met. It worried him that maybe Baekhyun wasn’t getting along with his classmates that well. But then he’s reminded that during his classes, he sometimes had small chats with them. Eventually, he understood that Baekhyun was the type who liked to keep some time to himself. They were somewhat the same. And people like them usually find themselves in another’s company because no one is imposing himself on the other.
They had a lot in common, more than what Chanyeol had perceived initially. Music was one of them. The same can be said with science and a part with traveling. Their conversations just evolve into something greater that they sometimes forget where they are and their respective differences.
Chanyeol liked talking to Baekhyun. He loved hearing Baekhyun’s opinions and stories, and just about anything. He was smart and insightful, and Chanyeol loved the way Baekhyun perceived the world and its beauty. If you asked a normal person to look at the night sky, they’d say the stars are beautiful. But if you asked Baekhyun, he’d point out how those stars are in fact, all dead and that death doesn’t always have to be perceived with such ugliness. Afterlife can also be beautiful, just like the night sky.
“Everything has beauty in it.” Baekhyun once whispered during one of their conversations. Chanyeol doesn’t remember what they talked about that day, but this he can perfectly remember, because that’s when he realized just how carefully God crafted imperfections into this beautiful mess of an entity sitting beside him.
“A~nd, the end?”
Chanyeol blinked, moving his chair backwards when his colleague, Luhan’s face suddenly zoomed into his sight. “What do you want?”
Luhan stared at him. “You’ve been distracted lately.”
“What?”
“You always space out in the middle of your work. It’s as if you’re in a perfectly different world doing God-knows-what in your head.” Luhan said while snatching the apple on Chanyeol’s desk and taking a bite. “I’m just worried about your well-being.”
“Just so you know, that’s a 2-week old apple.”
Luhan immediately spit it out. “Fucker!”
“Also, you don’t need to concern yourself so much about me, I can handle things on my own.”
“Then can you entertain your student outside now?”
“Huh?” Chanyeol perked up from his seat to see. It was Baekhyun.
“He’s been there since forever and I’ve been calling you since forever so--” Chanyeol ignored Luhan and scurried out of the faculty room. “Well that’s rude.” Luhan murmured.
“Baekhyun!”
Baekhyun looked up, smiling as Chanyeol walked towards him. “Hey, professor!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I thought you’d be coming out soon so I just...waited.” As Baekhyun said so, his eyes were distracted by the students running behind Chanyeol. He seems to have only realized just now that he might’ve stood there waiting for more than his intended five minutes.
“No, I mean, why are you here? You could’ve just waited at the library or something.”
Baekhyun scratched his neck. “Uh, well, I actually have limited options right now.”
Chanyeol realized after a few seconds. It’s already exam week, so students linger at school later than usual, copying notes, borrowing books and the likes.
“I won’t be done in another half hour. Maybe you can wait at the music room? It’s closer here.”
Baekhyun glanced at the music room in confusion. “But it’s closed since--” Right then, Chanyeol dangled a pair of keys in front of him.
“Don’t underestimate your teacher.” Chanyeol was usually the one to close the music room.
“Here you go.” Chanyeol said, dropping the keys on Baekhyun’s palm. “Don’t let anyone else inside, okay? I’m making an exception because you’re special.” He didn’t actually mean to phrase it that way but he couldn’t think of any other way to say it.
And Baekhyun’s reaction made it so much more embarrassing. “T-Thanks, professor.” He mumbled. His ears were red. If this was a normal teacher to student interaction, he’d find this student utterly cute, but his kind of fondness towards Baekhyun is something different and much more delicate.
--
Expectedly, Chanyeol finished his work faster than he usually does. Luhan had already gone home and there were only four other teachers left at this hour. He quickly collected his things and then said his goodbyes to the other teachers.
A few distance from the music room, he noticed that the music room looked rather empty. He approached the room slowly, his eyebrows crooked, wondering in his head if Baekhyun might’ve decided to go home instead, until he heard a faint melody, a familiar voice singing an unfamiliar song somewhere.
He walked closer to the window and leaned slightly forward. He spotted the familiar brunet head on the floor. He was about to open the door when he the song grew louder. He stopped his hand He’s singing? He thought. He already knew Baekhyun could play the piano, but for him to actually possess such a beautiful voice--somehow he knew it wasn’t impossible, but it caught him off-guard anyway.
He stood outside, leaning against the door for almost a minute until he spotted the teachers coming out of the faculty room. He was then forced to run inside the room, unfortunately interrupting Baekhyun’s private acoustic session.
“Professor Park!” Baekhyun exclaimed.
“Hey. No don’t stand up.” Chanyeol said while positioning himself beside Baekhyun. “I thought you’d gone home already.”
“Of course not.” Silence suddenly took over when the teachers passed by outside, chattering loudly. “Are we hiding?” Baekhyun asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Chanyeol replied in the same manner. It seemed like the right thing to do...somehow.
They stayed like that until the noise finally cleared up.
“Are they gone?”
Chanyeol perked up a little to peek. “Yeah,” he says at the sight of an empty hallway. When he sat back down, he heard Baekhyun stifle a laugh that he ended up bursting into one with Baekhyun following. “That...That was--”
“Interesting.” Baekhyun interrupts while laughing still.
“I was about to say ridiculous, but interesting will do.” Chanyeol leaned his head against the wall, taking a deep breath. “You have a nice voice.” Silence engulfed them once again.
“You heard?” Baekhyun finally replied, gasping.
“You were pretty loud.” Chanyeol said with a chuckle. Baekhyun groaned then and tried to hide his embarrassment. “Why? What’s the matter? It was a compliment.”
“It’s not that!”
“Then what?” For some reason, Chanyeol couldn’t stop grinning as he watched Baekhyun try to hide his apparent shyness. “Come on, tell me.”
“Alright, fine fine, I’ll tell you.” Baekhyun finally succumbed. “But promise me you won’t laugh at me or think I’m lame!”
Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders. “That depends.” Baekhyun pouted at him and he almost burst into laughter, but decided against it. “Okay, okay, I won’t. I promise.”
Baekhyun took a deep breath, almost worrying Chanyeol. “I was going to surprise you at the school festival.”
Chanyeol paused. “Surprise me?”
Baekhyun quickly looked down and covered his ears. “I can hear you laughing already!”
“Hey, I’m not laughing.” Chanyeol reassured as he grabbed both of Baekhyun’s hands to pull them away from his ears as Baekhyun resisted. He wasn’t, sure, but he couldn’t wipe off the grin on his face. He just couldn’t help it. Eventually, Baekhyun lost to Chanyeol’s strength and he looked up at him shyly. “See? I’m not laughing.”
“Ugh, it doesn’t even matter anymore. Even I think it’s lame.”
“It’s not lame. I think it’s cute.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean I don’t really have that much experience with surprises, but I think it’s cute.”
“I like ‘em.” Baekhyun said, placing his head on his arms above his knees. “I like surprises. I like the process and the waiting and the excitement...it makes the memory much more special for both parties, don’t you think so?”
This was why Chanyeol liked talking to him. The world always seemed so beautiful when he talked about it. “Then surprise me at the school festival.”
Baekhyun snorted. “I didn’t even expect that I’m gonna sing at the festival. I was surprised first.”
“So how’d you end up performing then?”
“Well...” Baekhyun clicked his tongue. “Sehun kinda mentioned to Jongin that I liked to sing as a hobby and that information was relayed to Jongin’s friends and apparently Jongin has a lot of friends.”
Chanyeol laughed this time. “You have the worst luck.”
Baekhyun stifled his laughter as he continued. “Yeah so when the class was discussing about what to do for the festival, no one was raising their hands and giving suggestions, so the president went ‘oh I heard Baekhyun can sing’ and they all pushed me to sing in front and well, in our home we value confidence.”
“Oh do you now?” Chanyeol teased.
Baekhyun playfully slapped Chanyeol’s arm while laughing. “My mom always told me, who else is gonna believe in your talent if not yourself? I think I interpreted that perfectly. So, I don’t think I’m in the wrong here!”
“No, no, I get it, I get it!” Chanyeol said, lifting his hands as if surrendering. “It suits you. It’s totally not out-of-character. Confident,” he continued as he counted with his fingers. “Insightful, talented...sparkly.”
Baekhyun snorted out of ridicule. “Sparkly?! Am I a dog?”
“Yeah, unless you can give me a better adjective then all you’re gonna get is sparkly.”
Baekhyun thought for a moment. “Candescent?”
“Oh, candescent? Really?”
“Whaaaat?”
“Nah, we’re sticking with sparkly.”
“That’s unfair!” Baekhyun tried to protest, but only ended up laughing loudly in defeat. Chanyeol couldn’t hold his own. Their joyous little conversation was then interrupted by the last school chime.
“We should head to the gym soon.” Chanyeol said. Baekhyun nodded before standing up, grabbing his bag in the process. He passed the key to Chanyeol and they leave the music room together.
--
The sun was almost setting when they walked out of the building. It seemed to be a recurring sight to Chanyeol now. He doesn’t even remember seeing the sunset this much before he met Baekhyun.
“I wonder if they’re done practicing.”
Chanyeol glanced at Baekhyun. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, why don’t you just wait at the gymnasium for Sehun instead of wandering around the campus? Wouldn’t that be easier?”
“Yeah, except Sehun doesn’t really want me there.” Baekhyun noticed the puzzled look on Chanyeol’s face. “Wait, let me rephrase that. He’ll feel uncomfortable with me watching. He’s shy I guess?”
“You’re okay with that?”
“I can’t really argue with him about that.”
“You spoil him a lot, don’t you?”
“Well, if I won’t, who will?” Baekhyun replied with a smile. It was sad but genuine.
“That’s why he grew up to be so stubborn.” Chanyeol commented in attempt to lighten up the mood. “Especially with Jongin with him all the time.”
“What about Jongin?” Baekhyun asked as he jumped on the knee-level railings guarding the bushes. Chanyeol held his hand in reflex, making sure he wouldn’t fall over by accident.
“Well, Jongin is like an enabler. He gives you opportunities to display your habits without a problem, even though it’s unnecessary and even if those habits are bad. He’s indifferent towards those things.”
“Uh-huh,” Baekhyun nodded, albeit slightly confused. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It depends.”
“So if Jongin is an enabler,” Baekhyun started as he jumped off the railings. “Then that means he enables you as well, right?”
“Huh, I haven’t really thought about that.”
“So, what’s Park Chanyeol like?” Baekhyun asked with a grin on his face. “Not Professor Park, but Park Chanyeol, the real Park Chanyeol.”
“That’s hard. I might consider putting that on a test.”
“Come on. Seriously!” Baekhyun whined, but he ended up laughing anyway.
They passed by the park where students usually wait for their respective guardians to pick them up or just kill time. Some students greeted Chanyeol when they spotted, and he greeted back. They barely made it to the other side of the road when Baekhyun started pestering him again. Chanyeol laughed at his persistence. He sees now that Baekhyun is still young after all, sometimes he can also act like a child.
“Park Chanyeol huh...” Chanyeol starts with a quick caress on his chin. “Well, for starters, he’s pretty good-looking.” Baekhyun snorted. “Yeah? No?” Baekhyun ended up nodding in agreement anyway. “He was pretty popular with the ladies.”
“I’m sure he was.”
“He was also a varsity player in Basketball. He’s a genius. He skipped two grades.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes playfully. “And he plays the guitar.”
Baekhyun’s face immediately lit up. “The guitar? Really?!”
They were only a few meters from the gymnasium now. “Bet you didn’t know about that.”
“Ah, the element of surprise.”
Chanyeol snickered. “What about Baekhyun then?”
“Hm?”
“What’s Byun Baekhyun like? The real Byun Baekhyun?” Chanyeol quoted.
Baekhyun opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by Sehun’s call. The two turned to the side where Jongin and Sehun were approaching.
Baekhyun turned back to Chanyeol and smiled. “Next time then.” Chanyeol didn’t have the chance to respond as Baekhyun walked towards Sehun.
--
The question didn’t wander around for a long time when Baekhyun visited the faculty room out of the blue. It was around break time and Chanyeol and Baekhyun don’t really meet in such circumstance when the exams are just around the corner.
“Tutor? Sehun?”
Baekhyun bit his lip. He seemed to have contemplated a lot about it and was still contemplating. “Well, I used to help him study but...I got left behind and now we’re in the same grade so I won’t be much of a help either.”
“I see.”
“Also, I asked Jongin,” Baekhyun added. “And he said you would be very happy to help us.”
Chanyeol chuckled at the selfish remark. “Cheeky, aren’t we?” He said while pinching his student’s cheek.
“I’m just making use of my special privileges,” Baekhyun told him, grinning from ear to ear. “And irresistible charm.”
“You found yourself a good target, didn’t you?”
“Sure, I’ll flatter you professor.” Baekhyun said in a joking manner.
“Well, it doesn’t pose a problem. Since I usually help Jongin with his studies, it’s okay if you two want to join as well.”
Baekhyun almost leaped in joy. “Yey! Thank you, professor! You’re the best! You’ll live a life full of prosperity!” He announced while making gestures with his hands and arms extended in the air.
“Alright, alright,” Chanyeol replied, stifling his laugh. “Now go back to class, cheeky kid. Lunch break is almost over.”
Baekhyun made a run for it, but stopped halfway to look back and flash that bright and beautiful smile at Chanyeol while waving his hand. It took Chanyeol by surprise and before he could respond, Baekhyun already had his back on him as he continued running. Traces of that moment lingered in the air as the wind paced around him. It was utterly and undeniably ravishing, how only a few seconds could take his breath away.
part ii