Four Months Time (eps 6)
title: four months time (eps 6 a.k.a. the last one)
pairing: kaisoo, baekyeol, hunhan (guess who came out of this alive)
disclaimer: i own nothing, nothing, but the plot
summary: a close friendship is signed with spending Christmas
and New Year's Eve together, with a little pinch of feelings
here and there.
in case you missed it → Episode 5
Episode 6 - The Beginning of The End of The End of The Beginning
With the term starting all over again, the footage of everyone in the house including the newest a.k.a. Tao, has to be handed to the lecturer of the pertinent subject. Sehun and Jongdae are all smiley when they put them all together, they were up all night and it’s basically the happiest day of their lives. It got combined into three different DVDs and Sehun suggested they would give it a season, so that when somebody in their class wanted to ask about a behavior analyzation, he could easily opened certain season.
The good news is Jongdae is guaranteed to not to retake this class and will continue his current semester with new subjects, and both him and Sehun will get A+. Because even according to other students who took the subjects as well on another hour, their project of Sweet Apgujeong boys is the best project so far, none of theirs could even come up to where they are. The individuals are so colorful, the psychology analysis is on point-which got them asking because Sehun was not that much of a golden student ever since he got into the faculty (“he’s improved guys, get over it.” Jongdae came up to his defense)-and, basically the comments that the tenants make and all those shenanigans they were up to in the house, really hooked all of them up. Their project is the most anticipated when monitoring is up every week.
So here are the last recordings for their project before they turn it in for the scores.
2014/07/12 01.00pm
“HHHHOLY SHIT.” The familiar voice of Oh Sehun filled the small screen of camcorder, recording in the middle of the day where it shot the front yard of the boarding house, capturing a tall figure with black suitcase and his top notch designer clothes, plus them big ass sport shoes.
“Remember to censor what you just said later we don’t have time anymore to edit anything because-HOLY SHIT.”
Sehun side eyed at Jongdae.
“I’ll remember to put the censor on that too-IS THAT REALLY KRIS?”
So the two of them put the recording on hold and hurriedly put on random sandals at the back door before they run like excited puppies to the front yard to welcome him, or question him, or interrogate him, everything’s possible. Sehun turned the camera back on and in seconds already covering half of his face for the sake of holy footage; the comeback of the lost tenant. It’s already in his mind he’s totally going to put that title somewhere between the video later.
“KRIS?” shouted Jongdae, it was really an overwhelming shout.
Kris jumped a little bit and turned a little upset almost instantly because he once mentioned loud noises annoyed the heck out of him but the respond came ironically, “WHAT?” his shout was even louder, though.
“WHAT, I THOUGHT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK.”
“Guys, guys, you can stop shouting at each other now, please, really.” Sehun said from behind the recording camera.
“Who told you that? I had paid for two months ahead, why wouldn’t I be coming back?”
The back door opened again and came Junmyeon with watering can in hand, looking really confused and finally registered it to his mind that Kris has returned. “Oh my god it’s Kris!”
“Did you guys really think I went away?” Kris looked sad all of the sudden and tried to act cool by shaking his head.
“Well your wardrobe is empty dude, and no more clothes hanging behind your door, and you’re leaving for more than two months! So… we thought, well you know what we thought.” Junmyeon explained as a matter of fact, “By the way I’m sorry about your room though, since I thought you’re not coming back.”
“Storage????”
The small screen is now recording Kris’ back and how his pair of big hands is holding the side parts of the door, his entire body blocking the entrance of his old rent room. Faint view of lots of boxes and unused materials piling up in it also captured in the camera, Junmyeon had finally decided to turn his room to a storage room because, there has been no one coming or asking about that available room, and since those things need a space to be placed in, well...
“You guys this is too much, I brought all my clothes back so that I could change them with the new ones...”
“Aw don’t be sad Kris you can always crash in our room.” Sehun said.
“...wait what?” Jongdae answered in disagreement from the side.
“...or not.”
“Or you could sleep on the couch,” A voice sauntered from downstairs and seconds later Luhan showed up by the spiral staircase, stretching his arms so wide and dropped himself onto Kris, which Kris responded with a warm hug and a small laugh, “ahh, so I didn't hear wrong. I thought I hear your mumbling from the front door. Anyway, where have you been, dude?!”
“Nice to see you again, Luhan.”
Luhan tapped on his shoulder twice before he went away to his room, probably to change his clothes.
“Or we could just help you clean your old room.” Junmyeon smiled and stretched his arms wide just like Luhan did earlier, Kris smiled even wider and Sehun is really excited behind the camera now, all of this footage is absolutely going to ‘Touchy and Awwie’ section of the documentary (it was his idea).
“Welcome back, buddy.”
2014/08/20 Self Recordings
“So… with the whole Kris hyung is back thing, and that made us a whole twelve tenants again… This is cool! Really cool! I mean, I’m going to spend Christmas here because well, my mom said to me to spend Christmas by staying here because the money is kinda hard right now especially for the airplane ticket on holiday session. This is so exciting!” - Tao.
“Let me just... what is-what is that (tries to read the small post-it beside the camera) ‘What... are you... going to do and where would... you want to spend your Christmas and New Year Holiday?’ but, guys it’s only been August, don’t you guys wanna know what I’m going to do on Thanksgiving? And Halloween? Huh?” - Yixing.
“What am I going to do and where would I spend my Christmas and New Year Holiday huh? Let’s see... first of all it’s August but if you guys insist then, well, who doesn’t love Christmas am I right, I don’t even celebrate it (laughs). Well... since my family is not celebrating it either I guess I’m staying here. And, I hope I could celebrate New Year with you guys, that would be really fun. But on Chinese New Year I’m going to go back though, don’t miss me too much.” - Luhan.
“I’m going to head back home on Christmas, because you know, my mom is probably going to kill me if I don’t go home on such occasions (laughs) (keeps on laughing, stopped abruptly) yeah she probably will. Ok, so, yeah. But I’m going to head back here to-hopefully!-spend the New Year with you guys!” - Minseok.
“I just got back here and there’s no way I’m going to head back home again... so yeah apparently I’m staying here to spend it with you crazy people.” - Kris.
“I don’t know don’t ask me I’m still miserable. But I guess I’m not coming home either, I’m going to be more miserable.” - Baekhyun.
“Well first of all since holiday doesn’t come without lots of take home task which automatically made me going to… nowhere. But I do have a plan to ask someone out this Christmas and I just, I just think that this is probably the best time because if not then, then I’m afraid someone might ask him out. So I’m just... ah fuck it. By the way I’m staying here if you’re curious.” - Jongin.
“I think I’m going home... but I plan to go back here to celebrate New Year with you all, don’t leave me behind, wait for me (points at the camera, smiles), I’ll make a new song for New Year!” - Chanyeol.
“Since my parents are going to spend their Christmas in NYC then I guess I’m staying here taking care all of you since the housekeeper is going to be away again on Christmas. I really should evaluate her work ethics, I mean, she had taken lots of day off it’s getting annoying! Well, Kyungsoo had warned me earlier though but I think we should really be sympathetic toward her, she’s so far away from her family, but I will not take any more excuse now!” - Junmyeon.
“I’m going home, why? New year, well I think I’m also going to stay at home with my family.” - Kyungsoo.
“Well you sucks, Kyungsoo!” Jongdae yelled at the guy’s door after he watched the footage and immediately ran away before he could open it and hit Jongdae with his powerful fists.
Christmas and New Year footage
The screen went all blurry at the start and finally a Christmas tree is on sight when the focus turned correctly. Jongin is sitting not too far from the red and green bulbs, and he looked really confused when the small lights won’t turn on. “Why wouldn’t it turn on? Can you check back here, Sehun?”
Sehun stood up from the couch whilst kept recording, and followed the black cable to the first outlet. It was unplugged. Sehun turned the camera around and stared at it boringly for a few seconds to let the possible viewers know that Jongin is a big dumb head. He took footage of plugging it in and straightly focused on Jongin only. “Hey Jongin.”
The smaller Jongin on the screen turned around, “What?”
“It was unplugged. And you just went full stupid.”
Instead of staring at the camera, Jongin’s face was looking up a little bit to Sehun’s face and he mouthed “fuck you.” Sehun’s cheeky laugh then immediately sauntered the entire room.
“Heeey guys, how’s the Christmas decoration going?” Junmyeon entered the scene with fresh baked cookies he and Baekhyun tried to make.
“Who made that?” Sehun is shooting Junmyeon about a meter away, the latter is staring at him rather than the camera.
“Baekhyun and I.” answered Junmyeon.
“Baekhyun? I thought he’s still mourning over everything?” Jongin asked from the floor whilst still figuring out which ornament should go at the top part of the tree right under the big star.
“Yes Jongin but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t bake cookies on Christmas, as to Kyungsoo who’s so serious all the time but doesn’t mean he never laughed.” Answered Junmyeon as if his words were the most obvious thing he’d ever explained, and why wouldn’t Jongin understand.
“He didn’t go home?” Sehun asked.
“Which bulb should I place beside this red-ish ornament? Is it the blue one? Or the yellow one?” Jongin asked again.
“You guys want the cookie or nah.” Junmyeon asked.
“I want it,” Sehun changed the camera’s direction and zoomed into the freshly baked cookies, it’s a little bit burnt, “you call these cookies?”
“Well can you make them by yourself? If you can then I’m not going to comment anything.”
The camera moved up to take a shot of Junmyeon’s face one more time, he was putting up a flat expression, Sehun got a feeling he got tired of everyone’s shit in this house lately so he’s not in his best anymore. Sehun shakes the camera to make it seem like he’s shaking his head, Junmyeon sighs and left the room. A few seconds later he went in again, put the cookies down on the table indirectly gesturing them to eat it anyway and appreciate the bakers, and then left again.
2014/12/24 / All I Want for Christmas is You
Christmas eve and the tenants are gathering beside the Christmas tree, Junmyeon just finished a call with Kyungsoo who’s back at his house, explaining a full tutorial on how to make an eggnog. Yixing came out from the restroom and joined them back in the living room, they’re watching HBO because the movie marathon Christmas special is on, and they’re all fans of Home Alone so it’s really hard to stay away from the TV at the moment. Baekhyun on the other hand had learned to face the reality and is trying his best to let go of everything that’s ever making him sad; basically just Chanyeol. He’s not as cheerful as he used to but he’s starting to laugh more.
“I’m still sad over the fact that he (Baekhyun) is not going to be with him (Chanyeol), it’s just like seeing the guy who should’ve won 1st is placed 2nd instead, you know? Usually happened in a running tournament or painting exhibition, or when you’re competing to build the sand castle when summer’s here… it’s sad. It should have been happening, but it’s not.” - Yixing, the metaphor expert.
“Just in, guys, Minseok and Chanyeol are going back tomorrow first thing in the morning!” Junmyeon announced whilst reading the texts out loud to the others. They respond it rather cheerfully except for Jongin who’s really dumbfounded.
“What about Kyungsoo?”
“What about him? Didn’t he tell you he’s not going to spend the entire Christmas and New Year with us? I thought by the time we’re all getting closer he’s going to open up a little bit but noooope.” Luhan said followed by his own laugh and other’s.
Jongin fell silent right after and everybody else is back to some Home Alone watching, he’s still not capable of coping with the fact that Kyungsoo is not going to return to the boarding house until maybe the change of the year. He glanced to the side and sees Sehun laughing right beside Luhan who’s busy throwing peanuts into his mouth, the younger stopped laughing and stole a long enough glance at Luhan until he realized and those two coughed awkwardly. Luhan eats more peanuts than he should normally does, Jongin cringed at that and he choose to look away at the other side where Baekhyun is hunching on his spot. His eyes darted toward those two earlier and a small smile crept up, before it disappeared again and to be honest, Jongin had never seen such sadness pictured in a person before but he could see it now. He changed stares again straight to the front where Jongdae turned around, laughing and commenting about how stupid the burglars in Home Alone were-he probably watched it every time it came out on holiday but never get tired of affirming the stupidity the burglars have-Jongin tried to clear his mind and it felt like everything went so slow, and the voices gone fading, and slowly Jongin could only think of one person, it’s Kyungsoo, and he has got to say what he’s been feeling or he’s going crazy. Or ended up like Sehun, he didn’t want that.
“Dude,” Kris’s voice woke him up, he was staring confusedly right in front of him, followed by Tao who’s half smiling and mocking. “you okay?”
“You’re like, stoned. Were you smoking something?” Tao asked jokingly.
“I got to… I have to go.” Jongin jolted up very abruptly, making everyone in the room changed their gazes and looked up to him again with impending questions.
“Jongin, it’s Christmas eve, if you want some chicken, I’m sorry but I have to say they’re probably closed.” Sehun is explaining very seriously, followed by the also-serious-nod by Jongdae.
“No. It’s not about the goddamn chicken.” And without any more word, he walked off upstairs and went down again a few minutes later, already in his winter coat and cozy brown ugg boots.
“But it’s freezing outside.” Baekhyun made a sound, everyone seemed surprised that he actually talked out loud and having diverted attentions for him and Jongin.
“I’ll buy you some coffee and cinnamon buns, how about that?” Jongin answered him with that offer instead.
Baekhyun smiled, “I’d like that, thank you.”
The door slammed shut, they’re still left confused for a few minutes before Yixing turned on the TV volume again. As he just remembered something, Kris groaned desperately and pouted, “I’d like some cinnamon buns too! Ohhh I gotta text him.”
Jongin was just around the corner when his phone buzzed, he took it out excitedly and bended down his head in frustration when it’s just Kris, begging for some cinnamon buns too. He knows the way to Kyungsoo’s house, he once walked with him when he moved in for the first time. It’s only a couple of bus trips away from here. Sound of footsteps is getting closer, when Jongin turned around, he saw Sehun running in his black boots and oversized winter coat. White smokes coming out from his thin lips.
“What are you doing? Are you going to confess to him?” he asked, rather out of breath.
He was supposed to be surprised but he’s not, even mildly. So Jongin shrugs and answered, “Yes,” Sehun took a deep breath and smiles in relief. “why, you wanna come and tape the whole thing?”
“What is it with you and very nice offers?! First the cinnamon buns, now this? Hell yeah I’ll come! I knew you would offer me so I already brought the camcorder.”
Jongin laughed. “You’re probably going to show it to me again when we’re doing a reunion 5, 10 years from now.”
Sehun laughed even louder than him, “How could you know me so well?”
So they both walk to the bus stop with hands in pockets, mildly shaking shoulders, and hair covered in faint snow. Sehun turned his camera on when they’re on the bus and did some preface with introducing words of what are they going to go and do at the moment. They arrived at the bus stop right across the street from an alley where it leads to Kyungsoo’s house. When they arrived at the other side, Jongin stopped abruptly in front of the entrance of the alley, and stared panicly to the camera.
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“No no no, maybe we should go back. This is wrong, I can’t do this, I’m wrong. What if he doesn’t like me back that way? I should-we should go home.”
“Jongin? What the hell I could give you millions of footage where he blushed at the mention or only the thought of your name. Fucking walk in there and confess, I’m right behind you.”
The smaller version of Jongin on the camera screen is biting his lower lips, and is exceptionally nervous. The camera turned to shoot his feet, which both dancing and tapping randomly. When Jongin didn’t budge even a bit for a minute, Sehun finally turned off the camera and put it back in his pocket before forcing the elder to turn around and pushed him with all his might.
“It’s fucking freezing out here if you’re going to change your mind like this you should’ve done it while we’re still on the bus, genius. Now go! You like him, and he likes you!”
Jongin stood stubbornly and turned around to face him, “If I confess to him after this, you have to promise me you’d do the same to your person!”
“What?” Sehun isn’t following.
“Don’t play stupid on me I knew you have a crush on Luhan since day one! If I do this, you’ll do it too!”
“It’s a different case, Jongin, yours is mutual while mine’s not. Just fucking confess to him, okay? I’m freezing.” Suddenly the mood changed and it’s like they’re changing characters altogether. Sehun became gloomy almost instantly and stood far away from him, Jongin had wished he didn’t say anything he said and walked away.
They didn’t say anything again after that and Sehun stood silently at the back of a power pole with his camcorder. He was a bit annoyed a couple minutes ago but he has returned to his normal self again. Jongin’s face was coming in and out of focus in his camcorder, he was playing by himself zooming in and out at Jongin’s face. It’s a personal entertainment because by now it’s been an hour and Kyungsoo won’t answer his phone, and it’s becoming more and more freezing outside. The chance of ‘can we just go back’ slip out of Sehun’s mouth is really big but he carefully kept it shut hence the playful zoom in zoom out activity.
Finally when Kyungsoo answers, Jongin jumped a little bit and started talking, “Hey, it’s me, uhh.. can you come out for a second? I’m here at-” he paused awhile to look at the store’s name behind him, “9:30 Bakery, yeah, it’s just across the street from your house, I want to talk about something.”
Sehun got him on tape and it was all steady and calm style of recording unlike his usual. He closed his mouth with his scarf as well, in case of any unnecessary incoherent voices he would make. After about twenty minutes someone came out from the house across the narrow street and Jongin gestured Sehun to hide and the latter jumped up surprised before he ran a little further away. “Is this okay??!” he asked half whispering half yelling which Jongin replied with a thumb.
“Hey.” came Kyungsoo's husky voice faintly, it was kind of moist, like he was having a cold or something.
“Hey, Merry Christmas.” Jongin is fidgeting and shaking like crazy.
“Merry Christmas to you too. What’s up?” Kyungsoo is wearing ugg boots as well and it doesn’t really help his height so he’s staring up to catch the younger’s stares. Which makes Jongin felt even more nervous.
Sehun just realized that he couldn’t really hear what are they saying let alone the camcorder so he decided to approach a little closer, a little bit closer until he’s like only two and a half meters away from them both. It looks like they came out straight from makjang dramas he watched with Jongdae every night, the street lamp is shining down on them like a private spotlight, the snowflakes are falling everywhere except on their heads, a citizen came by whilst bicycling, and a store right on the corner just turned its lamp off with their ‘closed’ sign flipped. Sehun covered his mouth carefully and let his laugh be restrained because really what’s not to laugh at right now it’s really romantic and worth teasing at.
“Oh I wish I could put a mistletoe right above them.” He whispered to himself.
Unfortunately Jongin seemed really straightforward than Sehun had expected and when he and his camcorder are near enough to hear and tape the whole ordeal, Jongin is already at the state of confessing.
“I like you,” a peculiar long pause, and then he continues “I mean, I really like you. I really, really like you. Since forever, I was too much of a coward to tell you straightforwardly. I wrote your name in my books and I punched the wall regretting mean things I said and did to you because I was embarrassed. I really like you.”
Sehun couldn’t get to tape Kyungsoo’s face because his back is all he’s got. “Goddammit.”
“Well… please say something.”
“Oh, so he didn’t know what to say. Huh.” Sehun whispered to himself.
They both went quiet for so long and Sehun lost track because all of the sudden the snow is falling harder and he had to step a bit further back to get shelter under a small ceiling of a barbeque restaurant. When he wants to focus his camcorder onto them again, he had to be shocked instead. Jongin and Kyungsoo were already locked in a deep kiss meters away from him and something inside Sehun felt so lost and empty, and it’s not because he has developed an instant crush on either one of them, but because he was thinking about what Jongin said earlier. And their PDA didn’t help.
“Oh my god, be happy you guys!” Sehun shouted from the back. Kyungsoo broke away from the kiss to look back and Jongin laughed half frustrated and wanted to laugh.
2014/12/25 / All I Want for Christmas is You part 2
Jongin never returned home for Christmas Eve as he spent it with Kyungsoo in his house, but he did tell Sehun to bring the cinnamon buns back home to Kris and Baekhyun and they were so content. Everybody else was asking where did Jongin go to and Sehun just smiled and giggled at the question. He did say yes to Jongin stating that he’ll be showing it in their reunion 5, 10 years from now, but he never say that he wouldn’t show it to everyone as soon as he got home either. That morning everyone woke up early, even Baekhyun, and he didn’t even a single time go berserk like he usually does every morning. Sehun guessed it must be the cinnamon buns. Chanyeol and Minseok wouldn’t come until 10 am, so they went ahead opening their presents first. Every single tenant including Junmyeon was in an uproar last night when Sehun came back alone and demand the tape he promised to run immediately this morning.
“You guys really want to know where he went to and what happened?”
“Yes, Sehun, goddammit how many times do we have to shout ‘YES’ for you to get the hype?!” Tao answered from the back, he was in the middle of opening Christmas presents from family and friends.
“Yeah! Come on! We wanna know!” Yixing feeds the hype and everybody else starts cheering again, shouting ‘Play the tape! Play the tape!’
“Alright alright alright alright.”
Kris was just from upstairs taking his brand new plush doll, a Christmas present from his mom, along with him and took his spot immediately on the couch. Yixing dropped himself beside him, and Tao and Luhan tried to force themselves there as well. Junmyeon and Jongdae sat obediently on the carpet with lots of opened presents scattered around them, Baekhyun is still kind of off, sitting at the far left club chair, far more silent than anybody else with his one hand under the chin. Sehun finished setting the camcorder’s cable to connect it to the TV and slowly the footage comes out.
It started with him running along on the snowy and slippery street (“How did you not fall on that?” asked Kris slightly hummed because half of his face is covered by the furry and gigantic plush doll) moments later after a right turn, they could spot Jongin in his black winter coat and brown ugg boots, walking just a few steps away from the bus stop.
“Oh! You guys were going far enough, though.” Luhan said from the couch, followed by agreeing hums answering each other.
The camera started shaking vigorously because Sehun was running really fast to catch up with him, and he finally stopped, the camera focuses on Jongin’s face. “Where are you going? Are you going to confess to him?” Sehun’s voice came loud and clear.
“What? To who?” Baekhyun asked from the side, and everybody didn’t have to answer as he did it to himself not too long after, “OH MY GOD?!”
Seven heads turned to him and nodded understandingly.
“He was confessing to Kyungsoo?!”
And then everyone is back to anxiety and triple expectations and all other hyped up emotions because of the long anticipated couple whom both are not so sure whether they have mutual feelings or not even though everybody else already saw it so obviously.
When they’re at the part where the two are locking lips it was a very nice response from everybody, it’s like watching soccer together and their favorite team had just scored a goal. Yixing is spotted smiling so proudly as he chanted “I knew it! Yes! I knew it!”
The back door opened and Chanyeol went in with a backpack and his usual guitar covered with its black colored case. Baekhyun was just about to say how happy he is, knowing that the two finally came together but he didn’t really get to that part. The mood instantly drops in the whole room and Baekhyun chose to left upstairs as soon as he realized why everyone silenced, they were eyeing at Chanyeol and this time he wasn’t clueless anymore.
Chanyeol went after him upstairs to his room and knocked for several times even though Baekhyun won’t answer. The other tenants could still hear him knocking and calling Baekhyun’s name out, it’s uncomfortable yet they try to speak to each other in unnecessary loud voice to cover up the fact that they’re still listening. After much long moments, Baekhyun came out and pulled Chanyeol into his room, and everything went quiet again.
“They went into Baekhyun’s room.” Sehun said.
“Yes Sehun we know.” Yixing answered.
“Listen, don’t feel bad for me, okay? I’m trying to get over this and why don’t you just play along. Pretend that, how I liked you was never even happening in the first place. We’re just… going to go back to how we were used to, best friends.” Baekhyun shrugged at the end of his sentence, he and Chanyeol are now in his shared room with Minseok.
“But-”
“No no no here, Chanyeol, I said listen to me, you clearly weren’t. But I wasn’t making myself very clear to you anyway-”
Chanyeol nodded in firmed agreement at the words and Baekhyun sighs.
“What I’m trying to say is, yes I like you, I’ve liked you. At least now I’m trying to not to feel it anymore, I admit I mistook all of your actions as an affection for me and I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, you didn’t even tell me and yet we’re best friends? I don’t think so.” He paused for a sarcastic laugh, Chanyeol pouted sadly whilst still paying attention.
“Here, don’t make me regret I have once liked you. So, please, don’t stare at me like I lost so much money at the gambling table, okay? I’m okay. Really.”
Chanyeol took a deep breath and exhaled it in some sort of child-like way, Baekhyun found it really cute but he shakes the thought off. The former is trying to say something and when he couldn’t really say anything, he just stood there staring at different spots, took another deep breath, and finally, “I’m sorry.”
Hearing that coming out from Chanyeol’s own mouth is like a blessing for Baekhyun. That’s all he’s ever really wanted after he knew that he has a girlfriend. Chanyeol had been such a helpful and happy companion for himself and he just realized how grateful he is. It is still scorching hot and painful, the invisible scar he felt somewhere beneath his chest but Baekhyun’s sure it’s going to be alright. For now, he tries to see into Chanyeol’s eyes, trying to find out where’s this going to lead to.
And he decided for himself.
“I expect you to be always happy, ok? If you’re ever sad because of that girlfriend of yours I’m gonna teach her a lesson.” Baekhyun smiled, both hands on Chanyeol’s shoulders.
Chanyeol is tearing up and he pulls the other one into a hug, Baekhyun could clearly tell that he’s crying and that he’s trying so effin’ hard to keep his voice steady. “You should know that I do care about you a lot and that everything I did for you is because of it, if I’m ever going to lose you as one of my best people in the whole world, I don’t think I can accept that. I love you, dude.”
Baekhyun’s laugh couldn’t be held in any longer and they’re hugging even tighter, “Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere. Best friends?” he said, voice shaking because of the laugh, and tears coming up.
“Best friends.” Chanyeol quickly answered and he shuts his eyes and tightens the hug more, as though Baekhyun would disappear if he doesn’t do that.
“Love you too, man.”
2014/12/31 / Happy New Year
The tenants are all back in the house for the new year’s eve, it’s 5pm and Junmyeon, Jongdae, and Sehun are out to the supermarket to buy some meat, fish, and vegetables for their barbeque at the front yard later this night.
“I’m happy I could say it to his face that I like him-I once liked him-and hoping the best for him. And the most important thing is, we’re still friends, and that means a lot to me. I can feel myself revived from all those silly sadness I felt since I knew ‘it’ (makes quotation with two fingers from both hands). I realize that… this is the truth of the phrase I’ve acquainted with for so long; love doesn’t necessarily means you have to be together with the person you love. It’s the simplest form of love, seeing them happy is enough. And for me, I think… I think I felt that for Chanyeol, I just want him to be happy.” - Baekhyun, solemn, gentle, and peaceful.
(“Sheesh it’s like he had just returned from a monk camp and got this kind of enlightenment. Haha get it? Monk. Except he didn’t shave his head.” Sehun said from behind Jongdae’s back when they’re editing the footages.)
Kris just came out from his room, it’s getting more and more organized at least for the last couple of weeks, and he didn’t have any complain about roaches anymore. He was carrying a box filled with paper tasks property of Kim Junmyeon, almost all of it were graded with an A, or A+. He dropped it on the cupboard under the stairs and proceeded to go upstairs again, he was just about to open his door when his next room neighbor, Yixing, appears right behind his slightly ajar door. “Hey.” He said, then he came out.
“Oh hey,” Kris had not failed to notice the other seems to be going somewhere, “where’re you going? The barbeque’s going to start in a few hours.” He asked.
“Quick visit to a library down couple of blocks, I just remembered I borrowed some books and since they won’t be opening tomorrow and I’m afraid I might forget again until the due dates which would cost me fines, I’d rather return it now.” Yixing shrugs after he explains the whole deal casually.
Kris followed his action and waved shortly before he went inside his own room.
Yixing strode off to the stairs and met Luhan there, the latter asked the same question as Kris and Yixing proceeded to answer in a complete explanation just like he did before. Luhan nodded understandingly and requests him to not come home so late which Yixing replied with an obedient puppy nod. Then he arrived downstairs, straight through the middle where Jongin and Kyungsoo spotted cuddling up on the couch like the very new couple they are. Yixing pinches both of their cheeks and walked to the back door. Jongin asked him the same question Kris and Luhan asked him earlier and Yixing exhaled a long, deep breath.
“Look, I’m not going to repeat myself again, okay, I’m out to the library and return these books so that I won’t forget and pay fines.”
The back door sprung open and in comes the trio from the supermarket, and Sehun was about to open his mouth to, again, ask the same question Kris, Luhan, and Jongin had asked to Yixing and the latter waits no more to hold his hand up, gestured him to shut up and walked outside. The last sound of the front gate closing indicates he went off already.
“Where’s he going?”
“To the library.” Answered Jongin and Kyungsoo in unison.
The sizzling sounds from the grill accompany their happy night together at the front yard, Jongin and Kyungsoo are sitting side by side, Jongin’s hand around the elder’s shoulder and they’re smiling happily at something Kris said to them. Luhan is laughing happily at the sight of Chanyeol trying to avoid a sudden jolt from the fire beneath the grill, the latter then becomes slightly annoyed and told him to try grilling instead and see what happens. Junmyeon brought more meat outside and placed it on the picnic table, while Sehun is shortly behind carrying box filled with cans and cans of beer. Jongdae is sitting at the edge with his laptop on, probably still trying to edit some stuff to live up to the name of his and Sehun’s project being the best ever at the moment, and Minseok and Yixing are being generously curious beside him with frowning brows and parted lips. Meanwhile Tao and Baekhyun are chasing each other because apparently Tao had just threw a pebble at Baekhyun’s direction in his defense saying that he’s trying to aim for Chanyeol instead (“Hey! Still not nice though!” cried Chanyeol from beside the grill, his hands fanning the heat away.), Baekhyun said that he’s not going to let him throw anything at Chanyeol and chase him down with lots of pebbles, throwing them all at him one by one.
“Guys, guys!” Junmyeon signaled whilst seeing his wristwatch, “It’s almost 12, come come! Gather around and pick up a beer, the fireworks should be seen from where we are now.”
All the tenants picked up the beer and stood closely, Junmyeon’s face lighten up amazingly as he carefully count 11:59’s seconds on his digital wristwatch down to 50. “10!” he begins.
“9… 8…” they started chanting right after him.
Jongin pulled Kyungsoo closer and the latter smiled and gazed lovingly at him.
“7… 6…”
Chanyeol gestured Baekhyun and Tao to get closer and wrapped his arms on both of their shoulders.
“5… 4… 3…”
Sehun looked sideways and spotted Luhan sipping his beer, “2…” he turned to his direction and their eyes met. “1!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!” their roaring shouts collided with the explosions from the fireworks up in the sky. The dark night filled with green, orange, yellow, blue, and red, accompanied with the loud screams from everybody in the whole world as their celebration to a new day, to a new year. Sehun walked to Luhan in the middle of this whole ruckus, the tenants hugging each other, hitting their beer cans until it clings triumphantly. Luhan looked perplexed, and funnily, at the same time, expecting.
“I like you.”
Sehun finally said it. Sehun finally did the thing Jongin told him to do on Christmas eve. Unfortunately, the loud talks and exploding sounds didn’t do him justice and Luhan left perplexed a little bit longer. Sehun covered his face embarrassedly and tried to repeat what he just said, as if the first one wasn’t nerve-wrecking enough. “I LIKE YOU.” He said finally, half shouting.
Luhan stops looking confused and realized it eventually, he smiles and puts down his beer onto the picnic table. Everybody else was just too busy to even notice them both at the back, and Sehun forgot his camcorder in such event. He secretly felt an instant regret deep down in his stomach to miss all the footage of the exploding fireworks, and how the tenants’ relationships have improved so far up until this day, with them celebrating Christmas and New Year together like this.
“I KNOW.” Luhan answered him in the same manner, “I KNEW FOR A WHILE, BUT” he cringed at the loudest sound of firework yet, and continues, “THE THING I DON’T KNOW IS, HOW I FEEL FOR YOU.”
Sehun looked like he’s at loss for words. Luhan got tired of shouting and dragged the younger away from the front yard and all of the sudden they’re inside already, in front of the TV where a year end music show is broadcasting right now. Sehun turned his face away from Luhan and trying to focus onto a bunch of people dancing under the confetti in the show, they’re also celebrating new year from the stage. But it’s useless and he still feels disappointed, rejected, humiliated, and God knows what else.
“Did you catch what I said earlier or do I have to repeat it again?” Luhan tried to catch his attention back by facing his face directly. “Hey… Sehun? You okay?”
“I shouldn’t have done that.” he answered, this time brave enough to turned his face back to face Luhan.
“I... I’m sorry, Sehun, I have problems in all of my relationships. I have to admit that, I have problems.” Luhan tried to catch his eyes and they’re both ended up walking in circles, Sehun trying to avoid him and Luhan doing the opposite. “It’s just, I don’t want to say anything to you just yet until I figure out my own feelings, I don’t know-honestly, I don’t know-how to respond your confession. Don’t regret this, Sehun, I’m glad you told me. You’re a good guy, Anyone you’ll pick would be the luckiest person to have a relationship with you, I swear that to anything holy.”
Sehun chuckles at his words, he was staring at the floor just seconds ago and diverts it back to Luhan’s eyes.
“I, don’t want you to get hurt just because I’m fickle.”
“Because I deserve so much better, right? Where do you copy this, the drama?” Sehun asked with a sarcastic tone, his eyes turned sad, though.
Luhan just giggled it off and soften at the sight of the younger’s eyes. He pulled him in for a hug and caresses the back of his hair. “You’re so confusing all the time, acting like a little brother I have so long want to have, and then you changed into a complete boyfriend material. Don’t do that.”
“So what do you want me to be?” Sehun asked, his face buried deeper onto Luhan’s sweater which smells like fresh laundry and Luhan’s peculiar perfume mixed together.
“I don’t have any idea.”
Sehun broke free from the hug and cups the elder’s face on his hands, which on the term of size are much larger and manlier than his. “Well, if you have any idea tomorrow, the day after, next month, next year or any time,” Sehun paused and they both laugh, “let me know. As soon as possible.” He proceeded to give a slight peck on Luhan’s lips and walked outside again, joined the others who didn’t have any idea, leaving Luhan behind, perplexed again. He turned sideways to the flat screen TV and saw a singer singing a love song about convincing each other and how they’re going to be such a lovely couple if it were to happen. Luhan snatched the remote and turned it off.
Epilogue