Detective Headfirst
Title: Detective Headfirst
Author: Anonymous until 1/30/14
For: sweet_mintx
Pairing: Baekhyun/Chanyeol
Word Count: 8,987
Summary: Baekhyun really believes that his best friend, Detective Park Chanyeol, is getting stupider these past few days.
Warnings: mentions of drugs
Rating: R
[edits added 1/25/14]
One
It’s Tuesday afternoon - the atmosphere is humid because it just rained. But it doesn’t hinder a person’s job, especially a detective, because if there is a crime even under the storm, he still has to respond to it.
“What the fuck, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol by the arm, stopping him. “You can’t just touch the evidences without wearing gloves!”
“What?” Chanyeol looks down to stare at his bare hands, and then and there, he realizes that he hasn’t been wearing gloves. His mouth turns into an ‘o’ as realization hits him. He almost brings himself into trouble. “Oh.”
Chanyeol fishes out some rubber gloves from his coat pocket and slips it inside his two hands, stretching it by pulling its hem. He gives Baekhyun an apologetic look before resuming his work.
“You’ve been spacing out while doing your job, Chanyeol. You can’t be serious.” Baekhyun groans, shaking his head in annoyance. He taps his foot impatiently on the almost-dried asphalt, watching Chanyeol do his job.
When Chanyeol slowly picks the blood-soaked handkerchief beside the corpse’s body with his now glove-covered hands, Baekhyun notices that his comrade has been doing his job like it is a fucking joke. He even has his tongue stuck out. Not a typical Park Chanyeol. He can’t tell him what to do or not, because he is just a side-kick - a doctor who doesn’t know anything about crime investigations.
“This must be from the killer,” Chanyeol guesses (but really, it is not a guess), as he slips the handkerchief inside the Ziploc bag. “I don’t think this man uses floral handkerchiefs.” He says as he points on the man with a gunshot hole on his chest, blood still oozing out of it. If Baekhyun is not used with seeing too much blood and disgusting-looking cadavers, he might puke on the other side.
“Well, yeah. Whatever you say,” Baekhyun gestures for Chanyeol to stand up already. “Come on, if you have to head to the forensics, you better inform me now. I still have a patient to tend to.”
Chanyeol nods, snapping his fingers at his juniors to remove the dead body on the ground. They have been causing the traffic jam and people are already shouting for them to move faster. “I have to check this all by myself there. I can’t trust the people there.”
“So, do you still need a lift?” Baekhyun offers his car, but Chanyeol shakes his head in refusal.
“You can go to your patient now. I don’t want you to be late.” He ruffles Baekhyun’s chestnut brown hair and the smaller man swats his hand away. “Jongin will drive me there, don’t worry.”
“If you say so,” Baekhyun pats Chanyeol on his shoulder and he straightens the other’s wrinkled coat. “See you later at home.”
“Yeah, see you,”
When Baekhyun sits on the driver’s seat, he unintentionally sees Chanyeol’s retreating back on his side mirror. Chanyeol looks anxious today, more anxious than yesterday - and probably much more tomorrow. Even if he seems to be joking around, it doesn’t mask how much dreadful-looking his best friend is.
There was one time last week when Chanyeol almost killed himself for mistaking an unlocked grenade as a big chunk of stone. If not for the K9 dog that rushed towards him and barked boisterously, his ashes would be scattered on the sea by now.
(“What is happening with Chanyeol sunbae?” Sehun had asked Baekhyun yesterday.
“What do you mean?” Baekhyun gave him an inquisitive eyebrow.
“He never uses firearms unless necessary. But last night he attempted to shoot three bandits with his gun, unaware that the other group had pistols too and he wasn’t wearing a bulletproof vest. To say the least, Chanyeol sunbae was really stupid that time and he wasn’t any help at all. It was like he was too preoccupied with something that time so he acted thoughtlessly and did violence.”)
He doesn’t know what is happening with his best friend. Chanyeol barely (almost never) commits mistakes on any case he is holding. As far as he knows Chanyeol already stopped using cocaine; his only vice left for himself is cigarettes. Or else -
Baekhyun shivers in worry and fear for his best friend before starting the engine and drives his way to his clinic. Maybe he can ask Chanyeol later at home.
÷
Baekhyun inserts the key on the keyhole, expecting that Chanyeol is still on the crime lab. He twists the doorknob open, and he is shocked to see Chanyeol already sprawled on the couch only with his t-shirt and boxers on. He fights back the heat creeping up his cheeks and ambles his way to approach him. Chanyeol does not see him because he has his arm covering his eyes.
“Hey,” Baekhyun kicks Chanyeol’s foot dangling on the edge of the couch. “Wake up.”
“I’m awake.” Chanyeol grunts as he removes his toned arm away from his eyes. He sits up and looks up to Baekhyun who is looming on him. “Welcome home, dude.”
“You’re early.” Baekhyun takes note as he turns around and goes to the refrigerator to drink water. He is too exhausted from work and he needs to be refreshed. “I thought you’re still in the forensics.”
“We caught the suspect already.” Chanyeol announces while he stretches his arms. Baekhyun leans on the wall as he watches his friend’s muscles flex, and he gulps at the scene that sends some heat down there. He doesn’t know since when his sexual frustration towards his best friend has started, but he has no way to stop it - or to rephrase that, Baekhyun doesn’t want to find a way to stop it. “The killer was his former wife. The police must be at her house this time.”
“You solved the crime that fast?”
“Of course, what do you expect from the might detective Park Chanyeol?” he smirks, and Baekhyun interprets it into something that is seemingly inappropriate.
“Oh, fuck.” Baekhyun accidentally mutters under his breath, and he sounds like he is erotically deprived. He clears his throat and pats his fringe to distract himself.
Chanyeol chuckles, his husky laugh resonates the whole apartment. Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol may have caught it, but luckily, he is wrong.
Of course, Chanyeol doesn’t. He is too dumb to notice every Baekhyun’s (sexual) innuendos.
Baekhyun finally calms and silently thanks his boner as he sits on his rocking chair, reclining. He figures out that now is the time to ask Chanyeol the reason why he looks bothered these past few days. He can’t wait for another day to ask it; as a friend, Baekhyun needs to support Chanyeol because he is damn stupid.
He never realizes that he has been staring at his friend for too long while thinking until Chanyeol waves his hand in front of him, waking Baekhyun up from his trance.
“What?” Chanyeol frowns at him, crossing his arms on his chest. “You look like you want to ask something.”
“Well actually, yes.” Baekhyun replies blatantly, now playing with the plastic rose lying on the table beside him. “I’m just worried about you. You seem apprehensive these days, so…”
“So?” Chanyeol blinks innocently at him, and Baekhyun sighs before asking him the question that has been bugging him since he left his friend on the crime scene.
“You’re taking drugs again, aren’t you?”
Chanyeol gawks at him; perplexed that Baekhyun asked him that question. He scoffs after, still shocked with Baekhyun’s question. “Damn it, Baek. I already stopped taking cocaine!”
“If not, then what is it that bothers you?” Baekhyun asks warily. Chanyeol looks desperate again with the way his fingers rake his disheveled hair. “You took drugs without even thinking about its consequences, Chanyeol. If not for me faking your drug test a year ago, you should be in jail now. Don’t tell me we’re going to do this again.”
It’s like Baekhyun added salt in a deep wound because Chanyeol’s face darkens.
“What the fuck, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol derides. “What do you want to imply? Get to the fucking point.”
Baekhyun still continues to talk, nonetheless. It seems like his mouth has its mind of own, because he can’t control himself.
“You can’t be like that while you’re working.” Baekhyun lets out a frustrated sigh. “Okay, let’s say you’re not taking drugs; but you’ve been spacing out these past few days, even your juniors noticed it. What if you put yourself into trouble, again? Tell what is the problem and I will help you.”
“I successfully solved the recent case. What is the problem there?” Chanyeol answers, his voice laced with annoyance. He doesn’t like where the conversation is heading to, obviously. Baekhyun notices it, and he thinks that maybe Chanyeol is offended that he brings up the topic about drugs again.
“The problem is you can imperil yourself someday if you continue to treat your work as a joke!”
“I’m not treating my job as a joke.” Chanyeol snorts with indignation; and the tension suffocate the both of them. “If you are referring to what happened earlier, then that is just a stupid mistake, Baekhyun. Why are you even making a big deal out of it?”
“A stupid mistake, Chanyeol? Big deal?” Baekhyun stands up, dropping the plastic rose on the floor that he has been gripping since they started arguing. “You know, that stupid mistake can put you into jail!”
“I don’t even get your point, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol buries his face on his hands. They both know that their dispute is useless already. “I think we just need to sleep. I’m already tired.”
Baekhyun rolls his eyes at him before he turns on his heels and makes his way to his own room, shutting his own door with a loud thud. He can’t do anything for Chanyeol tonight. Maybe he got a wrong timing.
÷
Baekhyun wakes up with a throbbing head, and he massages his temples with a menthol ointment before he steps out of his room.
Last night was a bad memory for him, because it had been years since their last misunderstanding. They really had some, of course - it was never lost in any relationships - but it was all shallow and could be resolved after a few minutes. This was a really serious one, because Chanyeol didn’t even knock on his room to talk about it. He waited for hours for him to come, until he felt his eyes becoming droopy and he dozed off to sleep without even a proper conversation with him.
Chanyeol is the one who always initiate the reconciliation, it is never Baekhyun because he is stubborn as fuck and his best friend completely understands it. With the way he doesn’t speak at Baekhyun at all after their disagreement last night only concludes that Chanyeol has something that really disturbs him. Baekhyun needs to know it; he can’t let Chanyeol charge headfirst into life-threatening situations.
He searches quietly for Chanyeol around the house, and he finds him on the terrace. Chanyeol is leaning on the balustrade with a cigarette between his fingers. Baekhyun can smell the faint whiff of burned nicotine and he opens the sliding door, surprising his friend.
“Hey,” he murmurs. Chanyeol gives him a thin smile before turning around, watching the morning activities of their neighbors. “Had a good sleep?”
“No, actually,” Chanyeol frankly answers, and he doesn’t even spare Baekhyun a look as he offers him his box of cigarettes. The latter just pushes the box back at him, because he doesn’t have a heart to smoke when there is something wrong with them.
“Same,” he says even though Chanyeol doesn’t ask him back. He props his elbows on the railings and rests his head on his hands, staring on Kim Jongdae walking with his dog on the street.
It is never a comfortable silence between them, because Baekhyun coughs almost every minute caused by the cigarette smoke coming from Chanyeol. The taller man laughs at it, and Baekhyun reckons that maybe they need no conversation at all. They are cool again.
That is the first time Baekhyun initiating the reconciliation. He feels proud of himself.
÷
Baekhyun is cooking dinner when he hears the main door of their apartment creak open. He glances on the wall clock, and he presumes that Chanyeol comes home early again. He walks out of the kitchen, about to welcome his best friend home, when he sees a tall, blonde-haired man approaching him - definitely not Park Chanyeol.
“Who are you? How did you get inside?” Baekhyun rushes to the nearby drawer and immediately grabs a pistol from it. It is Chanyeol’s notice that they must have weapons around the house, in case of sudden emergencies. He shakily points the gun at the intruder, trying his best to look strong. “Don’t come closer or I’ll shoot you!”
“Calm down, Baekhyun. Drop it,” the other man says; and Baekhyun loosens his grip on the gun. The voice sounds utterly familiar, that deep intonation he has lived for years. “It’s me, Chanyeol.”
“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun drops the gun on the floor, staring incredulously at him, mouth agape. “How come you look different?”
“Really?” Chanyeol rubs his neck timidly, biting his lip. “Well thank you?”
“What happened? What has gotten into your head and you look like somebody else?” Baekhyun asks, picking the pistol from the floor and slips it back inside the drawer.
“Another mission,” Chanyeol answers simply. “And this is my way of solving it.”
“Oh, so that no one will find out that you are the Park Chanyeol.” Baekhyun draws a big rectangle in the air while saying Chanyeol’s full name. He goes back into the kitchen, turning the stove on again. “Your disguise is superb.”
“Thank Sehun, because he has a friend named Yixing who did this make-up and taught me how to maintain this without visiting him every single day throughout my mission.” Chanyeol follows him inside and sits on one of the chairs as Baekhyun tightens the knot of his baby blue apron around his slim waist and resumes on cooking.
“So, what is that mission again?” Baekhyun inquires, as he stirs on his special kimchi stew. He turns around to lean on the counter and takes in Chanyeol’s new features - and everything is just because of make-up.
“I need to chase a big time drug dealer.” He explains briefly, his fingers playing invisible piano on the table.
“I see,” Baekhyun covers the pot and lets it simmer for a few minutes. He sits across from Chanyeol, propping his elbows on the table. “What is the plan?”
It sounds ironic that Chanyeol is now holding a case of a drug dealer, yet he once dealt with drugs to satisfy himself due to stressful work.
Chanyeol doesn’t seem affected by that - he even wiggles his eyebrows at him; and Baekhyun knits his own in confusion.
“Be patient, Baek. You’ll find out eventually.”
÷
“Where are we going?” Baekhyun asks as Chanyeol drags him inside his car. His friend forces him to wear his suit which is already collecting cobwebs inside his cabinet. The bowtie is already choking him, and whenever he tries to remove it, Chanyeol glares at him.
“I need an accomplice for my mission, sorry if I dragged you here.” Chanyeol elucidates, swerving the car to the left. Chanyeol doesn’t really look like Detective Park Chanyeol anymore. He looks different in Baekhyun’s eyes.
He shrugs. He has no choice anyways, as if he can just jump out of the car (he doesn’t want to die, thank you very much). Well, for Chanyeol, he also works as an accomplice, a decoy, an adviser and his messenger. Baekhyun doesn’t know how he ends up as his friend’s right-hand man, because he doesn’t have any slightest idea of what Chanyeol is doing. He just nods whenever Chanyeol needs his help and gives what he can give. How can he reject those pleading puppy eyes?
Chanyeol stops the car in front of a five-star hotel. He opens his own side of door, but doesn’t open Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun rolls his eyes before following him inside the building. He wonders if people around them see him as Chanyeol’s date tonight - even though their real motive is for the detective to get more information, and he will just act as a look-out.
“Baek,” Chanyeol tugs Baekhyun by his arm, and he leans in to whisper on his ear. “Look on that guy over there.”
“Where?” Baekhyun’s eyes scan the whole area with his knitted eyebrows, but he can’t see that guy Chanyeol is pointing at. “I can’t see him.”
“That blonde-haired guy wearing a white suit over there,” Chanyeol describes while his index finger is secretly pointing to someone. “He is the person I’m spying on right now.”
Baekhyun stares at the guy in white suit that is holding a wine glass on his hand. The said guy looks like a high school student with the way he laughs heartily, and also the way the corner of his eyes wrinkles jovially. He gives Chanyeol a disbelieving look. “Are you serious? He doesn’t look like a drug dealer at all, more like a student to me.”
“Looks can be really deceiving, you see.” Chanyeol pulls away from leaning too close, and Baekhyun misses the warmth. “When the case was given to me and I saw his profile, I also had the same reaction as yours; and believe it or not, that baby-face is one of the biggest drug dealers here.”
Before Baekhyun can retort, Chanyeol is already walking towards Lu Han, and he watches how his detective friend changes his posture - from being a lanky lad to a runway model. He scoffs inwardly. He follows after, because Chanyeol makes a simple gesture on his back for him to come closer.
“Hello, Mr. Lu.” Chanyeol’s voice sounds lower than usual; and Baekhyun frowns as he sees him reaches out for a handshake with Lu Han. “I’m Kris Wu. I believe we already met.”
Kris Wu? Baekhyun blinks; utterly stunned with Chanyeol. So he already started his mission without him knowing? He feels betrayed, Chanyeol never told him anything.
“Oh yes, I remember. Nice to meet you again, Mr. Wu.” The man named Lu Han shakes Chanyeol’s hand and when he notices Baekhyun’s presence behind Chanyeol, he peeks from Chanyeol’s side to see him further. “I see you brought someone.”
Chanyeol smiles at Baekhyun, acknowledging him as he pushes him forward by the small of his back, “This is Byun Baekhyun. My date for tonight,”
Chanyeol tugs secretly on Baekhyun’s suit, maybe reminding him to go with the flow. Baekhyun fakes a smile as he also reaches out to give Lu Han a shake. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lu,”
“Nice to see you,” Lu Han now looks up at Chanyeol, and he seems disinterested already, just with the frown surfacing him. “You never told me that you already have a boyfriend.”
Baekhyun coughs awkwardly; patting his chest with his fist. He feels suffocated once again with the bowtie he is wearing so he tugs it a bit forcibly to loosen it. Chanyeol chuckles as his hand on Baekhyun’s back drops down to his side. “Baekhyun is not my boyfriend, Mr. Lu. I just don’t have someone to bring. He’s my childhood best friend.”
“Childhood best friend your face,” Baekhyun mutters under his bowtie; and Chanyeol elbows him on his side.
Just as Lu Han’s face brightens with the information Chanyeol just gave him, Baekhyun’s own darkens. He can’t hide the scowl that spreads on his face when Lu Han hooks his arm on Chanyeol’s and drags him away - leaving him there, standing alone in the crowd.
Baekhyun doesn’t know what his friend detective’s plan is, but he is sure that it is plainly stupid.
He decides on drinking alone as he proceeds to the bar, ordering wine. He watches with dull eyes as Lu Han laughs along with his ‘childhood best friend’; and sometimes, the other man occasionally initiates skinship with Chanyeol. Baekhyun huffs as he downs his wine in one go. His night is already ruined.
Baekhyun doesn’t want to watch them anymore and he turns around to drink more; but not enough to make him drunk. His fingers are tracing the glass’ rim languidly and not too long after, he feels someone squeezing his shoulder. It’s Kris (or Chanyeol).
“Welcome back Mr. Wu.” Baekhyun mocks unenergetically. “How is your little chitchat with Mr. Lu?”
He cringes with the rhyming but the other doesn’t seem to notice it.
“Well, it’s good.” Chanyeol turns around and Baekhyun notices from the corner of his eyes that his friend waves at someone - or more specifically, at Lu Han. “Lu Han needs to go now; he wants to say good bye to you personally, but he can’t. He said he has something urgent to do.”
“I don’t care.” Baekhyun mumbles under his breath; and Chanyeol nudges him.
“Are you saying something?” he asks.
“Nothing, I just said maybe it’s his secret business.” Baekhyun gives him a lopsided grin. “You seem like you had fun flirting with him.”
Chanyeol laughs manically, patting Baekhyun’s shoulder a bit harder; and the smaller almost falls from his seat. “Actually that is my plan.”
Baekhyun can feel his jaw drop any moment from now. “What?”
“You heard me right.” Chanyeol says as he removes his necktie, opening the first two buttons of his polo. Baekhyun flushes at the scene and ducks his head. “I’m intentionally trifling with him, so that I can get some information about his business.”
“Are you serious?” Baekhyun asks the same question for the second time that night. “Your plans are getting weirder these days, Chanyeol. Do you even have to do that?”
“They say that a person becomes gullible when it is his turn to love, no matter how intelligent that person is.” Chanyeol explains as he stares at Baekhyun’s side-profile, his head resting on his propped elbow on the counter. “And that is the reason why I am flirting with him. Are you okay with that, Baek?”
Baekhyun doesn’t respond and he just drinks his wine even if it is already warm. Chanyeol pokes him on his side, and he jerks unconsciously. Chanyeol is really like that when he wants something from him; it isn’t that Baekhyun doesn’t like it - it’s just this one is an exception.
“What?” he asks, already irritated. Isn’t it obvious that he hates Chanyeol’s stupid idea? He doesn’t agree on any of it. He is not any more subtle about this.
“You’re not answering my question, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol pouts, his eyes still fixated on Baekhyun. “I’m asking you if you’re okay with my plan. Come on, you’re my consultant here.”
Yes, Baekhyun is his consultant, and this is the first time he disapproves of Chanyeol’s plan on his mission. But if he says no and Chanyeol asks him an alternative, what will he say? He doesn’t know anything about investigations and such, especially on plotting a plan. Besides, he already started his disguise as Kris Wu, and he doesn’t want to ruin everything. Might as well continue what he had just begun.
“Go ahead with that plan of yours,” Baekhyun gives up, closing his eyes so that the other won’t see that he is indeed lying. “I just want to say good luck with your endeavors.”
“You sounded like my criminology professor, man.” Chanyeol drapes an arm on him and pulls him up from his stool. “Come on, let’s call this a night. Good job for the both of us.”
“I didn’t even do anything!”
÷
Baekhyun is about to step inside his car after hours of work (more like listening to his patients’ repetitive stories) when he sees Chanyeol (or Kris) walking alone on the sidewalk. It is a question though why Chanyeol is hanging out during work hours, but maybe he is running an errand from his boss. He is about to call him when he also sees Lu Han running from across the road to approach him. He even hears him shouting a cheerful, “Kris, wait for me!”
He scowls as he decides that he should not interrupt him anymore and he sits on the driver’s seat, still not starting the engine. He watches them with grimace as Lu Han holds on Chanyeol’s hand and sways it as they walk away. He grips on his steering wheel firmly and begins to drive in full speed.
He drives past Chanyeol and Lu Han, and he knows that his best friend already recognizes him and his car because when he glances at his side mirror, he catches Chanyeol’s eyes staring at him glumly.
Baekhyun thinks he is a failure - as a friend and as a consultant. He lets Chanyeol do his mission without even thinking twice of its consequences, like what happened on his drug addiction a year ago. Chanyeol may be trapped one of these days. Again. If his mission flops, then he just puts himself into a bigger trouble. Baekhyun trusts his friend’s skills, no doubt; but for this mission, he is scared for Chanyeol’s safety.
Because behind Lu Han’s childish aura, there lies a monster.
÷
“My plans are working just as fine, I guess.”
“What did you find out about him?” Baekhyun asks, as he turns off the stove and puts the pot on the middle of their circular table. Chanyeol grabs the ladle and pours himself a bowlful before handing it to Baekhyun.
“He brought me on his apartment and there I saw different kinds of drugs that he exports abroad. He looked hesitant as he showed me those, but I told him that he should trust his boyfriend more.” He boringly says as he stabs his rice with his chopsticks. Baekhyun is really strict when it comes to table manners, but he can’t focus on it right now as the term boyfriend rings on his ears.
“Boyfriend?” Baekhyun gapes, downright displeased with it and he already loses his appetite. “That fast?”
“He says that he likes me; so I just grabbed the opportunity.” Chanyeol nonchalantly says, still playing with his food. “The faster I can - the better.”
“Then what did you find out so far?” Baekhyun changes the topic, as he can’t listen on that boyfriend thing anymore. He places his chopsticks beside his bowl, and he feels like throwing up.
“As I found out these past few days, he has several deals in and out of the country. He gets millions of won every week; and I’m sure that big room inside his apartment is his vault. Those drugs I saw in his house are just a fraction of what he really has.”
“Where is his main den?” Baekhyun leans forward; now interested with Lu Han’s illegal business.
“He never told me where his main den is. He still looks uncomfortable of telling me about that and his transactions. But I saw some flyers from a beach resort in Jeju lying on his coffee table. I asked him why does he have those, and he told me that he has a rest house there and he frequently visits it. There I assumed that the rest are kept there. Too far, right? Well, I think it’s because drugs can be exported easily by sea.”
“Wow,” Baekhyun murmurs in amazement. He knows that Chanyeol’s instincts are somewhat true. He never questions his friend’s assumptions because Chanyeol’s gut feelings never fail him. “Then why don’t you tell the authorities? I think that is enough information.” That is enough flirting.
“I don’t think so,” Chanyeol replies, their food long forgotten as they are engrossed with the whole story. “I still have to learn their transactions. I also have to know who his customers are. The mission has not yet accomplished.”
“If you’re finished with everything, are you going to break up with him?” Baekhyun pouts, still holding on with the tiny bit of hope he has left.
Chanyeol draws a faint smile - feigning apology and it crumbles Baekhyun’s heart into pieces. “I don’t think I can break up with him that fast after finding out his secret business.”
“What?” Baekhyun’s shoulders slump down, and he feels like vomiting already. “Don’t tell me…” you like him already?
“Lu Han might suspect that I’m a police asset and he can make a move even before the police arrest him.”
If that is the case, Baekhyun thinks, then he still has to endure Lu Han until Chanyeol decides to end everything between them. He can only nod and let his best friend do his job. But still, he believes that the plan is purely idiocy.
÷
It’s November 27, Chanyeol’s birthday. Baekhyun closes the clinic early and visits the supermarket to buy ingredients. Chanyeol really likes Italian food, so he is going to cook pasta for him.
As soon as he finishes cooking, he looks up on the wall clock. It’s five in the afternoon, end of Chanyeol’s shift in the headquarters, and he must be at home thirty minutes from now if he considers on walking home.
An hour has passed, but Chanyeol still doesn’t get home.
“Did he take overtime?” Baekhyun asks himself, worried. The food is getting cold. Maybe Chanyeol is stuck with work. He can still wait.
He does wait. Thirty minutes, still no Chanyeol. Baekhyun frowns, fishing out his phone from his pocket, and calls Chanyeol petulantly.
It takes five rings before Chanyeol can answer the phone. “Baek?”
“Where are you?” it sounds like a demand, instead of asking. “I’ve been waiting for an hour and a half.”
“Sorry, Baek.” Chanyeol murmurs on the other line. “But Lu Han found out that it is my birthday today, so I have to celebrate it with him.”
Baekhyun can hear the sound of obnoxious music on the background. Yes, celebrating indeed.
“But Chanyeol -”
“I’m really sorry Baekhyun, but I have to go now.” Chanyeol says. “I’ll make it up for you, okay? Bye.”
“Kris, let’s dance!”
Baekhyun sighs when Chanyeol ends the call. He glances solemnly on the cold food atop the table, and he has no choice but to pack it and keep it on the refrigerator.
÷
As days pass, Baekhyun notices how weary Chanyeol is, and he thinks that it isn’t about Lu Han anymore. He never brings any more information about it, and he just says that he is okay and there is no problem. He waves at him dismissively whenever he asks and it really worries him.
When he sees Chanyeol’s room’s door ajar, he peeks just to see him hunched on the floor, placing some things on a big box. Chanyeol is a neat freak, and it is not a shock for Baekhyun to see the younger man cleaning his things up, but it is a different thing now. He looks around the room and he doesn’t see anything related to Park Chanyeol anymore. It seems like the person sleeping there is a different one. Everything has changed. The wallpapers are already ripped; crumpled on the corner of Chanyeol’s room. The white-washed walls give a solemn impression on Baekhyun, and something alarms him.
“Chanyeol?” he calls his friend’s attention; and the taller looks at him, giving him a grin. “What are you doing?”
“Hi, Baek,” Chanyeol beckons at him to come closer. Baekhyun frowns when he doesn’t see their high school graduation photo anymore on Chanyeol’s nightstand. He looks down, and there he sees it inside the big box. “I am keeping my personal things here. Lu Han may visit us one of these days, and I can’t let him see Park Chanyeol, right? Do you mind hiding this box in your own room?”
Baekhyun sighs both in defeat and relief. He nods nonetheless, it’s not like he can reject him. “Yeah, just put it in the corner.”
“Thanks, Baek. You are the best.” He ruffles Baekhyun’s hair - like what he loves to do when Baekhyun gives in to his requests - and the latter lets him do it. They stare at each other for too long; and Chanyeol’s hand stops messing his hair, sliding it down to caress the smaller man’s cheek softly. Baekhyun’s own hand holds his wrist to make him stay there for a moment, leaning on his touch. He notices the small smile forming on Chanyeol’s face. He smiles back.
When they hear the doorbell ring, Chanyeol hastily withdraws his hand, averting his gaze anywhere but Baekhyun. The touch still lingers on Baekhyun’s cheek, and he ducks his head so that he won’t accidentally meet his eyes. He is already flushing.
“Do you have a visitor?” Chanyeol asks, standing up after sealing the box’ lid with a packaging tape; and Baekhyun is now staring at his friend’s feet now.
He shakes his head slowly. “I ordered a pizza.”
Chanyeol smiles widely, and he yanks him to stand up. Baekhyun’s eyes still stares at the carpet.
“Come on, let’s get it. I’m already hungry.”
÷
“Coming!” Baekhyun shouts from the kitchen; and with the baby blue apron still wrapping his waist, he opens the main door of the apartment, just to see Lu Han in front of him. “Mr. Lu?”
It seems like Baekhyun is staring at his reflection because he shares the same stunned expression as him. He never expects Lu Han today; Chanyeol never informs him beforehand about that.
“Oh.” Lu Han mumbles. “You’re here too, Baekhyun?”
“Come inside,” Baekhyun removes the safety chain and steps aside so that Lu Han can come inside. “Didn’t Kris tell you? Actually, we’re living together.”
He notices Lu Han’s face hardens with the way he told him that he is living with his boyfriend. He grins inwardly in victory.
“He has never told me that.” He says as he plops on the couch. Baekhyun raises his eyebrows in amusement; he hasn’t offered the couch to him, yet he already sat down like he owned the place. He shrugs before going back to the kitchen, dialing Chanyeol’s phone, now in the state of panic.
When Chanyeol answers after two rings, he begins to blabber without even saying hello. “What the fuck, man. You never told me that Lu Han would be here.”
“He is there already?” Chanyeol replies, his voice raising an octave. “I told him to wait for me because I’ll be fetching him!”
“You’re bringing him here without me knowing? What the fuck, really. Go home now, you shit.” He ends the call with a scowl on his face. He turns around just to see Lu Han already leaning on the doorway, watching him with sheer boredom.
“You seem to have a very close relationship with my boyfriend.” Lu Han emphasizes the last word and Baekhyun almost grimaces. Of course he is still not comfortable with the fact that this man in front of him is his best friend’s boyfriend - even if it is just for pretending. What if Chanyeol isn’t pretending anymore? What if -
“Uh, I guess?” he says as he sits back on the chair, resuming his last activity. He slices the onion with precision. “We have been living together for twenty years or more - I even lost count of it.”
“Chanyeol is a sweet guy; he never fails to make me feel that I’m loved.” Lu Han says; his judging eyes pierce Baekhyun. He is already out of their real topic and Baekhyun thinks that he is just taunting him with his innocent face. He grips on the knife and stares at the onion; he feels tears on his eyes, but he doesn’t care about it for now. “Do you have a boyfriend, Baekhyun?”
Baekhyun closes his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm him. He bites his bottom lip, it almost draws blood. If he can, he will throw the knife towards Lu Han’s direction like a dart. His hand is already aching to do it.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, Mr. Lu.” He answers tranquilly, not forgetting the respect he has to maintain for himself. He can’t let his anger eat him. He still can handle it. He thinks so.
Lu Han smirks haughtily at him and shakes his head, pretending naivety. “Sorry about that, Byun Baekhyun. Better luck next time.”
Even before Baekhyun can retort, he hears the door open, and it reveals Chanyeol who is panting heavily. Their unit is on the seventh floor, and he bets Chanyeol took the stairs instead of riding an elevator. Lucky Chanyeol, his sweat didn’t ruin his make-up.
“Hi Kris!” Lu Han approaches Chanyeol (or Kris) and kisses him on his lips. Baekhyun looks down at the onion again, because he can’t withstand watching his best friend making out with his boyfriend.
“I suppose you already know that I’m living with Baekhyun.” Kris (or Chanyeol) says after a few moments. Baekhyun breathes exhaustedly, like he is the one who ran a fucking five kilometers.
A sniffle is heard, and apparently, it comes from Baekhyun.
“Baekhyun? What’s wrong?” Lu Han asks, his tone laced with mocked concern, “Are you crying?”
Baekhyun lifts his head to look at them, wipes his tear-filled eyes and he chuckles. “Of course I’m not crying. It’s just the onion.” He stands up, untying the knot on his back to remove the apron hugging his waist. Baekhyun gives them another fake smile as he walks past them. “I’ll leave the both of you here alone.”
Of course, it really is the onion’s fault.
“Chanyeol is a sweet guy; he never fails to make me feel that I’m loved.”
He stops on his tracks. He shudders as he turns around to look back at their apartment’s door.
Chanyeol is in deep trouble.
÷
“I found out their methods of transaction.”
Baekhyun freezes on his spot, his hand still holding the doorknob on his room. He comes home after drowning himself in few bottles of soju, and he is a little bit tipsy. He turns around and sees the worn-out face of Chanyeol. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol sits on the couch, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees. His make-up is already washed off from his face, the droplets wetting the carpeted floor. “He never told me anything and if I tried to force him, he would just suspect. Even if it was too dangerous, I just investigated. I had no choice.”
“How did you do it?” Baekhyun leans on his room’s door, crossing his arms. He never sees his best friend looking oddly like that; Chanyeol never lets his mission dishearten him personally. He leaves the depression on his office, and he comes home still with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“After we…” Chanyeol trails off on his words, avoiding Baekhyun’s probing gaze. Baekhyun seems to realize what the meaning of it is, so he just waves his hand dismissively. He doesn’t want to hear it directly from him. He already heard more than enough from Lu Han. “He really was tired and he was a heavy sleeper so I thought that was the right time to search some important documents around his house.”
“You don’t have to tell me what happened between you two; just tell me the whole process.” Baekhyun mutters indignantly, distracting himself by checking his nails.
“He has contacts from Japan, China and even in America. I found some signed documents on his drawer - more like vouchers because the kind of drugs distributed, quantities and its total amount were written on it. I also discovered out the names of his customers as below the signatures were their printed names. And my assumption is correct. He exports the drugs via sea, using his private yacht. His customers who frequently consult him are mostly politicians.”
“When are you going to tell the police that?” Baekhyun cocks his head sideways, glancing at the person in front of him.
“Tomorrow morning,” Chanyeol answers. “I still have to stay with Lu Han until the police and I have already planned everything.”
“Is the mission already accomplished?”
Chanyeol gives him a faltering smile and it fades not too long after. “I don’t think so.”
“Why? Is something wrong, Chanyeol?” he asks worriedly, and the distraught face of Chanyeol answers his question: yes, there is something wrong. “Mind telling your consultant?”
“You don’t have to know anything, Baekhyun.” He says as he cards his fingers on his blonde hair. There is already black hair growing on his roots; and Baekhyun thinks he needs to dye it again to maintain its color. “I’m fine.”
“If you say so,” Baekhyun deadpans, but hurt is unmistakable in his tone. “I don’t know why you are shutting yourself to me now. You’re getting unfair, Chanyeol. I thought I’m your right-hand man?”
Something rings on his head and Baekhyun quickly remembers something that he has to tell Chanyeol - that Lu Han already know his real identity. He is about to open his mouth to speak again, when Chanyeol interrupts him.
“Lu Han already knows who I really am.”
Speaking of it. Baekhyun straightens his posture, and gawks at Chanyeol. “What?”
“I heard him saying my name when we…” Chanyeol pauses. “…did it.”
“Wow, now here I am, about to tell you that Lu Han mentioned your name once earlier.” Baekhyun says, stupefied. “I told you - this boyfriend thing - is not a great idea. Look, he already caught you! I already warned you not to rush!”
“But I don’t have any choice!” Chanyeol snaps, flailing his arms in anguish. “I can’t just run into him and tell him that, ‘hey I heard you are a big time drug dealer, can I arrest you now’. Baekhyun this is not as easy as you think, you know that. Lu Han is a difficult case, much more difficult than those of corrupt politicians. You’ve been helping me on dealing with the cases I held since I started this job; and this is the first time that you always disagree on every word I say. Tell me, what should I do now? Can you suggest me something - now that Lu Han already knows who really I am?”
Baekhyun exhales frustratingly, because he doesn’t know what to say to him. He has no idea. He can never have an idea about that. He just shakes his head and is about to enter his room when Chanyeol speaks again.
“I don’t think I am the one who has the problem here,” he mutters irately, his eyes glassy. “It’s you who has the problem, Baekhyun.”
Even before Baekhyun can step inside his room, he already hears another door shutting close with a deafening thud. He grips tightly on the doorknob.
÷
When Baekhyun wakes up, he doesn’t see Chanyeol anywhere in the house. He contemplates on calling him on his phone, but being the prideful man that he is, he forgets about it. Maybe Chanyeol is already reporting his findings on the authorities, and he doesn’t want to disturb him. He can wait.
He is about to open the main door to head to his daily work when he sees a white, square envelope lying on the floor. He opens it and sees an invitation inside. It is designed with swirls on the edge, and letters are carefully engraved on the card.
Kris Wu and Lu Han’s wedding.
Baekhyun stiffens, his hand trembling while holding the card. He swallows an invisible lump on his throat and the first thing that crosses his mind is: he needs to save Chanyeol.
He grips the card tightly, almost ripping it in the process, and begins to run to save the person he loves. He mentally prays that the ceremony hasn’t started. He can’t just let Chanyeol kill himself in the hands of Lu Han - that is the least thing he wants, even if his own life is going to be the ransom.
He glances around, searching his environment. He notices a bunch of bodyguards in front of a building, and Baekhyun realizes that it is the five-star hotel where he first met Lu Han. Baekhyun takes a deep breath and he fixes himself before proceeding to the entrance. One of the guards stops him on his way and he shoves him the crumpled invitation. He pushes the guard aside as he walks past him, and there he sees them on the events’ place of the hotel. Chanyeol and Lu Han both wear white suits, and their backs are facing him. The ceremony has started, but it is not yet finished. Baekhyun then closes his eyes for a moment before cupping his mouth with his hands and shouts. “Chanyeol! What the fuck are you doing?”
Baekhyun sees several guns instantaneously pointing at him, but he never flinches. All he wants is to save Chanyeol, who is constantly making himself a fool by deciding to marry Lu Han negligently. But his strong demeanor quickly vanishes when he notices that Lu Han’s revolver is already poking Chanyeol’s head.
“I see that your comrade ruined your plans, Detective Park Chanyeol.” Lu Han whispers on Chanyeol’s ears but loud enough for Baekhyun to hear it clearly, “What do we do now? Our dearest Byun Baekhyun already spoiled my plan of killing you softly in my own premises. Too bad I already have to finish you both here because of that.”
Baekhyun glances on the guns one-by-one. If he makes a small move to defend himself and Chanyeol, he will lie on the floor with several bullets embedded on his body. He surely lacks in self-defense, and he doesn’t have any weapons with him right now. He guesses that he has no option anymore.
Baekhyun meets Chanyeol’s eyes and it tells him not to do it - whatever it is on his mind right now. He mouths at him, “I’m okay.” Chanyeol has to be okay.
Baekhyun has decided. He doesn’t care anymore if he gets killed; he just wants Chanyeol to be free.
“Take me instead!” Baekhyun shouts at Lu Han and the latter gives him an entertained smile. “Just let Chanyeol go,”
“Seriously, Baekhyun?” Lu Han pulls Chanyeol closer to his side. His gun is still pointed on Chanyeol’s temple. “You’re sacrificing yourself for him? Aw love,” he mocks smugly. “It will really make a person naïve even if he holds a doctorate degree.”
Baekhyun feels something trickles his eyes but he can’t let it drown him. Lu Han is laughing boisterously. He is about to kneel down and ask again for Lu Han to take him when he is interrupted by him again.
“But I’m so sorry, Baekhyun. I have to get both of you killed.”
That is when Chanyeol smirks and Baekhyun realizes that his friend has planned everything. He never notices that the ‘priest’ conducting the ceremony is one of Chanyeol’s juniors until he swiftly snatches the pistol from Lu Han’s hand without him looking.
“What the fuck?” Lu Han’s eyes grow wide and Chanyeol snaps his fingers; and the police appear from their disguises. They are the ‘hired’ orchestra for the wedding.
“We’re police! Drop your weapons now!”
Lu Han’s men raise their hands in surrender and fear, dropping their weapons on the floor.
“Just to enlighten you Lu Han,” Chanyeol speaks for the very first time, getting his handcuffs from his back pocket. “You’re stupid for suggesting the wedding and stupider because you let me organize it. You thought you could kill me discreetly once we got married; when the reality was you were already killing yourself instead of me because you just fell on my trap. You’re the stupidest person I’ve ever known.” He forcefully grabs Lu Han’s wrists and locks the handcuffs on it. Lu Han doesn’t fight back; he can’t do anything now that every firearm is directly pointed at him. “And for a quick trivia, that boy who stole your gun, Jongin - was once a robber until I adopted him and made him a part of my team. Sorry if I also faked the orchestra. They actually didn’t know what they were doing.”
Lu Han grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything when Chanyeol kicks him on his knee and he stumbles on the floor. Baekhyun remains speechless. Chanyeol still managed to do his job. So was that the reason why he looks dread these past few days? Plotting on how to arrest Lu Han?
Before he can answer himself, he is already pulled by Chanyeol out of the hotel. He gulps in trepidation. Chanyeol looks annoyed; well who won’t get angry by that? He almost messed up his plan.
Chanyeol drags him mercilessly until they reach their apartment; and when the door shuts close, Baekhyun feels a strong pair of arms crushing him in a tight embrace.
“You made me worried. Why did you offer yourself to Lu Han?” Chanyeol grumbles softly in his ear. “Don’t you know that you almost ruined my plan?”
“I can’t…” let you go that easily. Baekhyun trails off, letting the forgotten tears flow freely on his cheeks. “You never told me about your plans. When I received the invitation, I thought you were really leaving me.”
“I never sent you an invitation - maybe it was Luhan - and I also refrained on telling you about it because I know you were going to disapprove again. I just hate arguing with you, so much.” Chanyeol pulls away from him, cupping his face with his big hands, his thumb wiping the stray tears. “You always tell me that I’m the one charging at trouble thoughtlessly, yet you were the one who barged in on my wedding without assuming that maybe that was a part of my plan.”
“I’m sorry, okay? I never thought it was a different way around.” Baekhyun closes his eyes to cherish Chanyeol’s touch on his when he unexpectedly feels a soft pair of lips on his. It doesn’t take long and Baekhyun kisses him back, tilting his head so Chanyeol can kiss him deeper.
“Do you remember the time when you asked me why I looked troubled these past few weeks?” Chanyeol whispers against his lips before kissing him again. He has already trapped Baekhyun on the wall, his knee subtly touching his groin.
Baekhyun hums (more like he moans), wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck, pulling him down. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Do you still want to know the answer?” Chanyeol now parts their lips and he rests his forehead on his. Baekhyun stares at his eyes, signaling him to continue. “I realized how much I want you and I just grew frustrated with it.”
“I thought it was because Lu Han’s case was hard.”
“Well, a little yes of it.” Chanyeol chuckles, closing his eyes; and Baekhyun relishes the proximity.
“Dye your hair back to black, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun says, raking Chanyeol’s blonde hair with his fingers. “You looked hotter in your black hair.”
Baekhyun feels Chanyeol smile as he leans in closer and nibbles on his ear playfully. It seems like he gets Baekhyun’s message when he gathers him in his arms and brings him inside his room, continuing what they have already started.
With their clothes strewn everywhere on Chanyeol’s room, the rest of their afternoon is filled with moans of desire and declarations of love for each other.
÷
Baekhyun wakes up with a throbbing head, and when he looks beside him, Chanyeol isn’t there anymore. He jumps from the bed and steps outside their now shared room. Chanyeol calls a day-off at the office; and instead of using it productively, he just chose to cuddle with his boyfriend on his bed.
It has been months since Lu Han was arrested, and everything falls back into place - except for the fact that Chanyeol is now his boyfriend. Too good to be true, Baekhyun thinks. Few months ago, he was just simply fantasizing him from afar - an arm’s reach, but really was too distant. Look where they are right now. Baekhyun was already okay with jerking off to thoughts of him alone in their bathroom; but now, Chanyeol is helping him with that. It makes everything easier.
Chanyeol becomes more intimate, clinging to him every single time (it almost chokes him). His boyfriend never chooses location - he even gropes his ass in public. There was this one night when Chanyeol fucked him in a local pub’s toilets. It’s not like Baekhyun doesn’t like it, actually it challenges him. Chanyeol has really liked challenges and adventures ever since (that was why he took criminology in the first place). And he was kind of influenced with by him.
“Chanyeol?” he calls as he looks around, and he catches a shadow on the terrace. He slides the door open, and it reveals Chanyeol who is smoking cigarettes again. He waves his hand at the smoke that has been blocking his breathing, as he leans on his boyfriend’s bare back and hugs him from behind.
“Had a good sleep?” Chanyeol asks, throwing his cigarette and crushes it with his slippers.
“Headache,” Baekhyun murmurs, inhaling Chanyeol’s musky scent combined with nicotine. “I suggest you should stop cigarette smoking. I don’t want a lung cancer patient in my house.”
“Can’t help it though even though I’m afraid of lung cancer,” Chanyeol shrugs, resting his hands on Baekhyun’s arms. “It’s addictive, like you.”
Baekhyun laughs, kissing Chanyeol’s shoulder. Maybe this time, his Chanyeol is not stupid.
A/N:
First of all, I’m really sorry if I offended everyone with this fic. To be honest, I really don’t have an idea that what I have written has already crossed the line. I know that is really stupid of me. T^T I understand that you are still angry with me but I want you to understand me too. I’m not a racist and I respect Chinese people so much. It was my fault, but it was never my intention to hurt all of you. I joined here just for the sake of fic writing, fun and making friends, not to cause trouble. I don’t want to be bashed, please stop saying harsh comments about me and my fic because I’m already feeling bad about this whole thing, scared even. I sincerely apologize for everything, I promise to be careful next time so that it will never happen again. I hope this will be a lesson for the other fic writers and I want the issue to be settled as soon as possible. Thank you.
Mod note: As of the 25th, we are putting this fic up with the author's revisions and added note. We apologize for not catching the issue before postings. We are putting all content back up (with the author's revision) and because we have no grounds to tamper with anyone's opinion or presented content, can only report it in the state that we receive it in. The recipient will receive an additional gift by a pinch-hitter on the last day of postings. We apologize deeply and ask that if anyone finds any issues with absolutely anything, to contact the mods immediately so we can resolve it as soon as possible. Thank you.
One
Author: Anonymous until 1/30/14
For: sweet_mintx
Pairing: Baekhyun/Chanyeol
Word Count: 8,987
Summary: Baekhyun really believes that his best friend, Detective Park Chanyeol, is getting stupider these past few days.
Warnings: mentions of drugs
Rating: R
[edits added 1/25/14]
One
It’s Tuesday afternoon - the atmosphere is humid because it just rained. But it doesn’t hinder a person’s job, especially a detective, because if there is a crime even under the storm, he still has to respond to it.
“What the fuck, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun pulls Chanyeol by the arm, stopping him. “You can’t just touch the evidences without wearing gloves!”
“What?” Chanyeol looks down to stare at his bare hands, and then and there, he realizes that he hasn’t been wearing gloves. His mouth turns into an ‘o’ as realization hits him. He almost brings himself into trouble. “Oh.”
Chanyeol fishes out some rubber gloves from his coat pocket and slips it inside his two hands, stretching it by pulling its hem. He gives Baekhyun an apologetic look before resuming his work.
“You’ve been spacing out while doing your job, Chanyeol. You can’t be serious.” Baekhyun groans, shaking his head in annoyance. He taps his foot impatiently on the almost-dried asphalt, watching Chanyeol do his job.
When Chanyeol slowly picks the blood-soaked handkerchief beside the corpse’s body with his now glove-covered hands, Baekhyun notices that his comrade has been doing his job like it is a fucking joke. He even has his tongue stuck out. Not a typical Park Chanyeol. He can’t tell him what to do or not, because he is just a side-kick - a doctor who doesn’t know anything about crime investigations.
“This must be from the killer,” Chanyeol guesses (but really, it is not a guess), as he slips the handkerchief inside the Ziploc bag. “I don’t think this man uses floral handkerchiefs.” He says as he points on the man with a gunshot hole on his chest, blood still oozing out of it. If Baekhyun is not used with seeing too much blood and disgusting-looking cadavers, he might puke on the other side.
“Well, yeah. Whatever you say,” Baekhyun gestures for Chanyeol to stand up already. “Come on, if you have to head to the forensics, you better inform me now. I still have a patient to tend to.”
Chanyeol nods, snapping his fingers at his juniors to remove the dead body on the ground. They have been causing the traffic jam and people are already shouting for them to move faster. “I have to check this all by myself there. I can’t trust the people there.”
“So, do you still need a lift?” Baekhyun offers his car, but Chanyeol shakes his head in refusal.
“You can go to your patient now. I don’t want you to be late.” He ruffles Baekhyun’s chestnut brown hair and the smaller man swats his hand away. “Jongin will drive me there, don’t worry.”
“If you say so,” Baekhyun pats Chanyeol on his shoulder and he straightens the other’s wrinkled coat. “See you later at home.”
“Yeah, see you,”
When Baekhyun sits on the driver’s seat, he unintentionally sees Chanyeol’s retreating back on his side mirror. Chanyeol looks anxious today, more anxious than yesterday - and probably much more tomorrow. Even if he seems to be joking around, it doesn’t mask how much dreadful-looking his best friend is.
There was one time last week when Chanyeol almost killed himself for mistaking an unlocked grenade as a big chunk of stone. If not for the K9 dog that rushed towards him and barked boisterously, his ashes would be scattered on the sea by now.
(“What is happening with Chanyeol sunbae?” Sehun had asked Baekhyun yesterday.
“What do you mean?” Baekhyun gave him an inquisitive eyebrow.
“He never uses firearms unless necessary. But last night he attempted to shoot three bandits with his gun, unaware that the other group had pistols too and he wasn’t wearing a bulletproof vest. To say the least, Chanyeol sunbae was really stupid that time and he wasn’t any help at all. It was like he was too preoccupied with something that time so he acted thoughtlessly and did violence.”)
He doesn’t know what is happening with his best friend. Chanyeol barely (almost never) commits mistakes on any case he is holding. As far as he knows Chanyeol already stopped using cocaine; his only vice left for himself is cigarettes. Or else -
Baekhyun shivers in worry and fear for his best friend before starting the engine and drives his way to his clinic. Maybe he can ask Chanyeol later at home.
÷
Baekhyun inserts the key on the keyhole, expecting that Chanyeol is still on the crime lab. He twists the doorknob open, and he is shocked to see Chanyeol already sprawled on the couch only with his t-shirt and boxers on. He fights back the heat creeping up his cheeks and ambles his way to approach him. Chanyeol does not see him because he has his arm covering his eyes.
“Hey,” Baekhyun kicks Chanyeol’s foot dangling on the edge of the couch. “Wake up.”
“I’m awake.” Chanyeol grunts as he removes his toned arm away from his eyes. He sits up and looks up to Baekhyun who is looming on him. “Welcome home, dude.”
“You’re early.” Baekhyun takes note as he turns around and goes to the refrigerator to drink water. He is too exhausted from work and he needs to be refreshed. “I thought you’re still in the forensics.”
“We caught the suspect already.” Chanyeol announces while he stretches his arms. Baekhyun leans on the wall as he watches his friend’s muscles flex, and he gulps at the scene that sends some heat down there. He doesn’t know since when his sexual frustration towards his best friend has started, but he has no way to stop it - or to rephrase that, Baekhyun doesn’t want to find a way to stop it. “The killer was his former wife. The police must be at her house this time.”
“You solved the crime that fast?”
“Of course, what do you expect from the might detective Park Chanyeol?” he smirks, and Baekhyun interprets it into something that is seemingly inappropriate.
“Oh, fuck.” Baekhyun accidentally mutters under his breath, and he sounds like he is erotically deprived. He clears his throat and pats his fringe to distract himself.
Chanyeol chuckles, his husky laugh resonates the whole apartment. Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol may have caught it, but luckily, he is wrong.
Of course, Chanyeol doesn’t. He is too dumb to notice every Baekhyun’s (sexual) innuendos.
Baekhyun finally calms and silently thanks his boner as he sits on his rocking chair, reclining. He figures out that now is the time to ask Chanyeol the reason why he looks bothered these past few days. He can’t wait for another day to ask it; as a friend, Baekhyun needs to support Chanyeol because he is damn stupid.
He never realizes that he has been staring at his friend for too long while thinking until Chanyeol waves his hand in front of him, waking Baekhyun up from his trance.
“What?” Chanyeol frowns at him, crossing his arms on his chest. “You look like you want to ask something.”
“Well actually, yes.” Baekhyun replies blatantly, now playing with the plastic rose lying on the table beside him. “I’m just worried about you. You seem apprehensive these days, so…”
“So?” Chanyeol blinks innocently at him, and Baekhyun sighs before asking him the question that has been bugging him since he left his friend on the crime scene.
“You’re taking drugs again, aren’t you?”
Chanyeol gawks at him; perplexed that Baekhyun asked him that question. He scoffs after, still shocked with Baekhyun’s question. “Damn it, Baek. I already stopped taking cocaine!”
“If not, then what is it that bothers you?” Baekhyun asks warily. Chanyeol looks desperate again with the way his fingers rake his disheveled hair. “You took drugs without even thinking about its consequences, Chanyeol. If not for me faking your drug test a year ago, you should be in jail now. Don’t tell me we’re going to do this again.”
It’s like Baekhyun added salt in a deep wound because Chanyeol’s face darkens.
“What the fuck, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol derides. “What do you want to imply? Get to the fucking point.”
Baekhyun still continues to talk, nonetheless. It seems like his mouth has its mind of own, because he can’t control himself.
“You can’t be like that while you’re working.” Baekhyun lets out a frustrated sigh. “Okay, let’s say you’re not taking drugs; but you’ve been spacing out these past few days, even your juniors noticed it. What if you put yourself into trouble, again? Tell what is the problem and I will help you.”
“I successfully solved the recent case. What is the problem there?” Chanyeol answers, his voice laced with annoyance. He doesn’t like where the conversation is heading to, obviously. Baekhyun notices it, and he thinks that maybe Chanyeol is offended that he brings up the topic about drugs again.
“The problem is you can imperil yourself someday if you continue to treat your work as a joke!”
“I’m not treating my job as a joke.” Chanyeol snorts with indignation; and the tension suffocate the both of them. “If you are referring to what happened earlier, then that is just a stupid mistake, Baekhyun. Why are you even making a big deal out of it?”
“A stupid mistake, Chanyeol? Big deal?” Baekhyun stands up, dropping the plastic rose on the floor that he has been gripping since they started arguing. “You know, that stupid mistake can put you into jail!”
“I don’t even get your point, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol buries his face on his hands. They both know that their dispute is useless already. “I think we just need to sleep. I’m already tired.”
Baekhyun rolls his eyes at him before he turns on his heels and makes his way to his own room, shutting his own door with a loud thud. He can’t do anything for Chanyeol tonight. Maybe he got a wrong timing.
÷
Baekhyun wakes up with a throbbing head, and he massages his temples with a menthol ointment before he steps out of his room.
Last night was a bad memory for him, because it had been years since their last misunderstanding. They really had some, of course - it was never lost in any relationships - but it was all shallow and could be resolved after a few minutes. This was a really serious one, because Chanyeol didn’t even knock on his room to talk about it. He waited for hours for him to come, until he felt his eyes becoming droopy and he dozed off to sleep without even a proper conversation with him.
Chanyeol is the one who always initiate the reconciliation, it is never Baekhyun because he is stubborn as fuck and his best friend completely understands it. With the way he doesn’t speak at Baekhyun at all after their disagreement last night only concludes that Chanyeol has something that really disturbs him. Baekhyun needs to know it; he can’t let Chanyeol charge headfirst into life-threatening situations.
He searches quietly for Chanyeol around the house, and he finds him on the terrace. Chanyeol is leaning on the balustrade with a cigarette between his fingers. Baekhyun can smell the faint whiff of burned nicotine and he opens the sliding door, surprising his friend.
“Hey,” he murmurs. Chanyeol gives him a thin smile before turning around, watching the morning activities of their neighbors. “Had a good sleep?”
“No, actually,” Chanyeol frankly answers, and he doesn’t even spare Baekhyun a look as he offers him his box of cigarettes. The latter just pushes the box back at him, because he doesn’t have a heart to smoke when there is something wrong with them.
“Same,” he says even though Chanyeol doesn’t ask him back. He props his elbows on the railings and rests his head on his hands, staring on Kim Jongdae walking with his dog on the street.
It is never a comfortable silence between them, because Baekhyun coughs almost every minute caused by the cigarette smoke coming from Chanyeol. The taller man laughs at it, and Baekhyun reckons that maybe they need no conversation at all. They are cool again.
That is the first time Baekhyun initiating the reconciliation. He feels proud of himself.
÷
Baekhyun is cooking dinner when he hears the main door of their apartment creak open. He glances on the wall clock, and he presumes that Chanyeol comes home early again. He walks out of the kitchen, about to welcome his best friend home, when he sees a tall, blonde-haired man approaching him - definitely not Park Chanyeol.
“Who are you? How did you get inside?” Baekhyun rushes to the nearby drawer and immediately grabs a pistol from it. It is Chanyeol’s notice that they must have weapons around the house, in case of sudden emergencies. He shakily points the gun at the intruder, trying his best to look strong. “Don’t come closer or I’ll shoot you!”
“Calm down, Baekhyun. Drop it,” the other man says; and Baekhyun loosens his grip on the gun. The voice sounds utterly familiar, that deep intonation he has lived for years. “It’s me, Chanyeol.”
“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun drops the gun on the floor, staring incredulously at him, mouth agape. “How come you look different?”
“Really?” Chanyeol rubs his neck timidly, biting his lip. “Well thank you?”
“What happened? What has gotten into your head and you look like somebody else?” Baekhyun asks, picking the pistol from the floor and slips it back inside the drawer.
“Another mission,” Chanyeol answers simply. “And this is my way of solving it.”
“Oh, so that no one will find out that you are the Park Chanyeol.” Baekhyun draws a big rectangle in the air while saying Chanyeol’s full name. He goes back into the kitchen, turning the stove on again. “Your disguise is superb.”
“Thank Sehun, because he has a friend named Yixing who did this make-up and taught me how to maintain this without visiting him every single day throughout my mission.” Chanyeol follows him inside and sits on one of the chairs as Baekhyun tightens the knot of his baby blue apron around his slim waist and resumes on cooking.
“So, what is that mission again?” Baekhyun inquires, as he stirs on his special kimchi stew. He turns around to lean on the counter and takes in Chanyeol’s new features - and everything is just because of make-up.
“I need to chase a big time drug dealer.” He explains briefly, his fingers playing invisible piano on the table.
“I see,” Baekhyun covers the pot and lets it simmer for a few minutes. He sits across from Chanyeol, propping his elbows on the table. “What is the plan?”
It sounds ironic that Chanyeol is now holding a case of a drug dealer, yet he once dealt with drugs to satisfy himself due to stressful work.
Chanyeol doesn’t seem affected by that - he even wiggles his eyebrows at him; and Baekhyun knits his own in confusion.
“Be patient, Baek. You’ll find out eventually.”
÷
“Where are we going?” Baekhyun asks as Chanyeol drags him inside his car. His friend forces him to wear his suit which is already collecting cobwebs inside his cabinet. The bowtie is already choking him, and whenever he tries to remove it, Chanyeol glares at him.
“I need an accomplice for my mission, sorry if I dragged you here.” Chanyeol elucidates, swerving the car to the left. Chanyeol doesn’t really look like Detective Park Chanyeol anymore. He looks different in Baekhyun’s eyes.
He shrugs. He has no choice anyways, as if he can just jump out of the car (he doesn’t want to die, thank you very much). Well, for Chanyeol, he also works as an accomplice, a decoy, an adviser and his messenger. Baekhyun doesn’t know how he ends up as his friend’s right-hand man, because he doesn’t have any slightest idea of what Chanyeol is doing. He just nods whenever Chanyeol needs his help and gives what he can give. How can he reject those pleading puppy eyes?
Chanyeol stops the car in front of a five-star hotel. He opens his own side of door, but doesn’t open Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun rolls his eyes before following him inside the building. He wonders if people around them see him as Chanyeol’s date tonight - even though their real motive is for the detective to get more information, and he will just act as a look-out.
“Baek,” Chanyeol tugs Baekhyun by his arm, and he leans in to whisper on his ear. “Look on that guy over there.”
“Where?” Baekhyun’s eyes scan the whole area with his knitted eyebrows, but he can’t see that guy Chanyeol is pointing at. “I can’t see him.”
“That blonde-haired guy wearing a white suit over there,” Chanyeol describes while his index finger is secretly pointing to someone. “He is the person I’m spying on right now.”
Baekhyun stares at the guy in white suit that is holding a wine glass on his hand. The said guy looks like a high school student with the way he laughs heartily, and also the way the corner of his eyes wrinkles jovially. He gives Chanyeol a disbelieving look. “Are you serious? He doesn’t look like a drug dealer at all, more like a student to me.”
“Looks can be really deceiving, you see.” Chanyeol pulls away from leaning too close, and Baekhyun misses the warmth. “When the case was given to me and I saw his profile, I also had the same reaction as yours; and believe it or not, that baby-face is one of the biggest drug dealers here.”
Before Baekhyun can retort, Chanyeol is already walking towards Lu Han, and he watches how his detective friend changes his posture - from being a lanky lad to a runway model. He scoffs inwardly. He follows after, because Chanyeol makes a simple gesture on his back for him to come closer.
“Hello, Mr. Lu.” Chanyeol’s voice sounds lower than usual; and Baekhyun frowns as he sees him reaches out for a handshake with Lu Han. “I’m Kris Wu. I believe we already met.”
Kris Wu? Baekhyun blinks; utterly stunned with Chanyeol. So he already started his mission without him knowing? He feels betrayed, Chanyeol never told him anything.
“Oh yes, I remember. Nice to meet you again, Mr. Wu.” The man named Lu Han shakes Chanyeol’s hand and when he notices Baekhyun’s presence behind Chanyeol, he peeks from Chanyeol’s side to see him further. “I see you brought someone.”
Chanyeol smiles at Baekhyun, acknowledging him as he pushes him forward by the small of his back, “This is Byun Baekhyun. My date for tonight,”
Chanyeol tugs secretly on Baekhyun’s suit, maybe reminding him to go with the flow. Baekhyun fakes a smile as he also reaches out to give Lu Han a shake. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lu,”
“Nice to see you,” Lu Han now looks up at Chanyeol, and he seems disinterested already, just with the frown surfacing him. “You never told me that you already have a boyfriend.”
Baekhyun coughs awkwardly; patting his chest with his fist. He feels suffocated once again with the bowtie he is wearing so he tugs it a bit forcibly to loosen it. Chanyeol chuckles as his hand on Baekhyun’s back drops down to his side. “Baekhyun is not my boyfriend, Mr. Lu. I just don’t have someone to bring. He’s my childhood best friend.”
“Childhood best friend your face,” Baekhyun mutters under his bowtie; and Chanyeol elbows him on his side.
Just as Lu Han’s face brightens with the information Chanyeol just gave him, Baekhyun’s own darkens. He can’t hide the scowl that spreads on his face when Lu Han hooks his arm on Chanyeol’s and drags him away - leaving him there, standing alone in the crowd.
Baekhyun doesn’t know what his friend detective’s plan is, but he is sure that it is plainly stupid.
He decides on drinking alone as he proceeds to the bar, ordering wine. He watches with dull eyes as Lu Han laughs along with his ‘childhood best friend’; and sometimes, the other man occasionally initiates skinship with Chanyeol. Baekhyun huffs as he downs his wine in one go. His night is already ruined.
Baekhyun doesn’t want to watch them anymore and he turns around to drink more; but not enough to make him drunk. His fingers are tracing the glass’ rim languidly and not too long after, he feels someone squeezing his shoulder. It’s Kris (or Chanyeol).
“Welcome back Mr. Wu.” Baekhyun mocks unenergetically. “How is your little chitchat with Mr. Lu?”
He cringes with the rhyming but the other doesn’t seem to notice it.
“Well, it’s good.” Chanyeol turns around and Baekhyun notices from the corner of his eyes that his friend waves at someone - or more specifically, at Lu Han. “Lu Han needs to go now; he wants to say good bye to you personally, but he can’t. He said he has something urgent to do.”
“I don’t care.” Baekhyun mumbles under his breath; and Chanyeol nudges him.
“Are you saying something?” he asks.
“Nothing, I just said maybe it’s his secret business.” Baekhyun gives him a lopsided grin. “You seem like you had fun flirting with him.”
Chanyeol laughs manically, patting Baekhyun’s shoulder a bit harder; and the smaller almost falls from his seat. “Actually that is my plan.”
Baekhyun can feel his jaw drop any moment from now. “What?”
“You heard me right.” Chanyeol says as he removes his necktie, opening the first two buttons of his polo. Baekhyun flushes at the scene and ducks his head. “I’m intentionally trifling with him, so that I can get some information about his business.”
“Are you serious?” Baekhyun asks the same question for the second time that night. “Your plans are getting weirder these days, Chanyeol. Do you even have to do that?”
“They say that a person becomes gullible when it is his turn to love, no matter how intelligent that person is.” Chanyeol explains as he stares at Baekhyun’s side-profile, his head resting on his propped elbow on the counter. “And that is the reason why I am flirting with him. Are you okay with that, Baek?”
Baekhyun doesn’t respond and he just drinks his wine even if it is already warm. Chanyeol pokes him on his side, and he jerks unconsciously. Chanyeol is really like that when he wants something from him; it isn’t that Baekhyun doesn’t like it - it’s just this one is an exception.
“What?” he asks, already irritated. Isn’t it obvious that he hates Chanyeol’s stupid idea? He doesn’t agree on any of it. He is not any more subtle about this.
“You’re not answering my question, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol pouts, his eyes still fixated on Baekhyun. “I’m asking you if you’re okay with my plan. Come on, you’re my consultant here.”
Yes, Baekhyun is his consultant, and this is the first time he disapproves of Chanyeol’s plan on his mission. But if he says no and Chanyeol asks him an alternative, what will he say? He doesn’t know anything about investigations and such, especially on plotting a plan. Besides, he already started his disguise as Kris Wu, and he doesn’t want to ruin everything. Might as well continue what he had just begun.
“Go ahead with that plan of yours,” Baekhyun gives up, closing his eyes so that the other won’t see that he is indeed lying. “I just want to say good luck with your endeavors.”
“You sounded like my criminology professor, man.” Chanyeol drapes an arm on him and pulls him up from his stool. “Come on, let’s call this a night. Good job for the both of us.”
“I didn’t even do anything!”
÷
Baekhyun is about to step inside his car after hours of work (more like listening to his patients’ repetitive stories) when he sees Chanyeol (or Kris) walking alone on the sidewalk. It is a question though why Chanyeol is hanging out during work hours, but maybe he is running an errand from his boss. He is about to call him when he also sees Lu Han running from across the road to approach him. He even hears him shouting a cheerful, “Kris, wait for me!”
He scowls as he decides that he should not interrupt him anymore and he sits on the driver’s seat, still not starting the engine. He watches them with grimace as Lu Han holds on Chanyeol’s hand and sways it as they walk away. He grips on his steering wheel firmly and begins to drive in full speed.
He drives past Chanyeol and Lu Han, and he knows that his best friend already recognizes him and his car because when he glances at his side mirror, he catches Chanyeol’s eyes staring at him glumly.
Baekhyun thinks he is a failure - as a friend and as a consultant. He lets Chanyeol do his mission without even thinking twice of its consequences, like what happened on his drug addiction a year ago. Chanyeol may be trapped one of these days. Again. If his mission flops, then he just puts himself into a bigger trouble. Baekhyun trusts his friend’s skills, no doubt; but for this mission, he is scared for Chanyeol’s safety.
Because behind Lu Han’s childish aura, there lies a monster.
÷
“My plans are working just as fine, I guess.”
“What did you find out about him?” Baekhyun asks, as he turns off the stove and puts the pot on the middle of their circular table. Chanyeol grabs the ladle and pours himself a bowlful before handing it to Baekhyun.
“He brought me on his apartment and there I saw different kinds of drugs that he exports abroad. He looked hesitant as he showed me those, but I told him that he should trust his boyfriend more.” He boringly says as he stabs his rice with his chopsticks. Baekhyun is really strict when it comes to table manners, but he can’t focus on it right now as the term boyfriend rings on his ears.
“Boyfriend?” Baekhyun gapes, downright displeased with it and he already loses his appetite. “That fast?”
“He says that he likes me; so I just grabbed the opportunity.” Chanyeol nonchalantly says, still playing with his food. “The faster I can - the better.”
“Then what did you find out so far?” Baekhyun changes the topic, as he can’t listen on that boyfriend thing anymore. He places his chopsticks beside his bowl, and he feels like throwing up.
“As I found out these past few days, he has several deals in and out of the country. He gets millions of won every week; and I’m sure that big room inside his apartment is his vault. Those drugs I saw in his house are just a fraction of what he really has.”
“Where is his main den?” Baekhyun leans forward; now interested with Lu Han’s illegal business.
“He never told me where his main den is. He still looks uncomfortable of telling me about that and his transactions. But I saw some flyers from a beach resort in Jeju lying on his coffee table. I asked him why does he have those, and he told me that he has a rest house there and he frequently visits it. There I assumed that the rest are kept there. Too far, right? Well, I think it’s because drugs can be exported easily by sea.”
“Wow,” Baekhyun murmurs in amazement. He knows that Chanyeol’s instincts are somewhat true. He never questions his friend’s assumptions because Chanyeol’s gut feelings never fail him. “Then why don’t you tell the authorities? I think that is enough information.” That is enough flirting.
“I don’t think so,” Chanyeol replies, their food long forgotten as they are engrossed with the whole story. “I still have to learn their transactions. I also have to know who his customers are. The mission has not yet accomplished.”
“If you’re finished with everything, are you going to break up with him?” Baekhyun pouts, still holding on with the tiny bit of hope he has left.
Chanyeol draws a faint smile - feigning apology and it crumbles Baekhyun’s heart into pieces. “I don’t think I can break up with him that fast after finding out his secret business.”
“What?” Baekhyun’s shoulders slump down, and he feels like vomiting already. “Don’t tell me…” you like him already?
“Lu Han might suspect that I’m a police asset and he can make a move even before the police arrest him.”
If that is the case, Baekhyun thinks, then he still has to endure Lu Han until Chanyeol decides to end everything between them. He can only nod and let his best friend do his job. But still, he believes that the plan is purely idiocy.
÷
It’s November 27, Chanyeol’s birthday. Baekhyun closes the clinic early and visits the supermarket to buy ingredients. Chanyeol really likes Italian food, so he is going to cook pasta for him.
As soon as he finishes cooking, he looks up on the wall clock. It’s five in the afternoon, end of Chanyeol’s shift in the headquarters, and he must be at home thirty minutes from now if he considers on walking home.
An hour has passed, but Chanyeol still doesn’t get home.
“Did he take overtime?” Baekhyun asks himself, worried. The food is getting cold. Maybe Chanyeol is stuck with work. He can still wait.
He does wait. Thirty minutes, still no Chanyeol. Baekhyun frowns, fishing out his phone from his pocket, and calls Chanyeol petulantly.
It takes five rings before Chanyeol can answer the phone. “Baek?”
“Where are you?” it sounds like a demand, instead of asking. “I’ve been waiting for an hour and a half.”
“Sorry, Baek.” Chanyeol murmurs on the other line. “But Lu Han found out that it is my birthday today, so I have to celebrate it with him.”
Baekhyun can hear the sound of obnoxious music on the background. Yes, celebrating indeed.
“But Chanyeol -”
“I’m really sorry Baekhyun, but I have to go now.” Chanyeol says. “I’ll make it up for you, okay? Bye.”
“Kris, let’s dance!”
Baekhyun sighs when Chanyeol ends the call. He glances solemnly on the cold food atop the table, and he has no choice but to pack it and keep it on the refrigerator.
÷
As days pass, Baekhyun notices how weary Chanyeol is, and he thinks that it isn’t about Lu Han anymore. He never brings any more information about it, and he just says that he is okay and there is no problem. He waves at him dismissively whenever he asks and it really worries him.
When he sees Chanyeol’s room’s door ajar, he peeks just to see him hunched on the floor, placing some things on a big box. Chanyeol is a neat freak, and it is not a shock for Baekhyun to see the younger man cleaning his things up, but it is a different thing now. He looks around the room and he doesn’t see anything related to Park Chanyeol anymore. It seems like the person sleeping there is a different one. Everything has changed. The wallpapers are already ripped; crumpled on the corner of Chanyeol’s room. The white-washed walls give a solemn impression on Baekhyun, and something alarms him.
“Chanyeol?” he calls his friend’s attention; and the taller looks at him, giving him a grin. “What are you doing?”
“Hi, Baek,” Chanyeol beckons at him to come closer. Baekhyun frowns when he doesn’t see their high school graduation photo anymore on Chanyeol’s nightstand. He looks down, and there he sees it inside the big box. “I am keeping my personal things here. Lu Han may visit us one of these days, and I can’t let him see Park Chanyeol, right? Do you mind hiding this box in your own room?”
Baekhyun sighs both in defeat and relief. He nods nonetheless, it’s not like he can reject him. “Yeah, just put it in the corner.”
“Thanks, Baek. You are the best.” He ruffles Baekhyun’s hair - like what he loves to do when Baekhyun gives in to his requests - and the latter lets him do it. They stare at each other for too long; and Chanyeol’s hand stops messing his hair, sliding it down to caress the smaller man’s cheek softly. Baekhyun’s own hand holds his wrist to make him stay there for a moment, leaning on his touch. He notices the small smile forming on Chanyeol’s face. He smiles back.
When they hear the doorbell ring, Chanyeol hastily withdraws his hand, averting his gaze anywhere but Baekhyun. The touch still lingers on Baekhyun’s cheek, and he ducks his head so that he won’t accidentally meet his eyes. He is already flushing.
“Do you have a visitor?” Chanyeol asks, standing up after sealing the box’ lid with a packaging tape; and Baekhyun is now staring at his friend’s feet now.
He shakes his head slowly. “I ordered a pizza.”
Chanyeol smiles widely, and he yanks him to stand up. Baekhyun’s eyes still stares at the carpet.
“Come on, let’s get it. I’m already hungry.”
÷
“Coming!” Baekhyun shouts from the kitchen; and with the baby blue apron still wrapping his waist, he opens the main door of the apartment, just to see Lu Han in front of him. “Mr. Lu?”
It seems like Baekhyun is staring at his reflection because he shares the same stunned expression as him. He never expects Lu Han today; Chanyeol never informs him beforehand about that.
“Oh.” Lu Han mumbles. “You’re here too, Baekhyun?”
“Come inside,” Baekhyun removes the safety chain and steps aside so that Lu Han can come inside. “Didn’t Kris tell you? Actually, we’re living together.”
He notices Lu Han’s face hardens with the way he told him that he is living with his boyfriend. He grins inwardly in victory.
“He has never told me that.” He says as he plops on the couch. Baekhyun raises his eyebrows in amusement; he hasn’t offered the couch to him, yet he already sat down like he owned the place. He shrugs before going back to the kitchen, dialing Chanyeol’s phone, now in the state of panic.
When Chanyeol answers after two rings, he begins to blabber without even saying hello. “What the fuck, man. You never told me that Lu Han would be here.”
“He is there already?” Chanyeol replies, his voice raising an octave. “I told him to wait for me because I’ll be fetching him!”
“You’re bringing him here without me knowing? What the fuck, really. Go home now, you shit.” He ends the call with a scowl on his face. He turns around just to see Lu Han already leaning on the doorway, watching him with sheer boredom.
“You seem to have a very close relationship with my boyfriend.” Lu Han emphasizes the last word and Baekhyun almost grimaces. Of course he is still not comfortable with the fact that this man in front of him is his best friend’s boyfriend - even if it is just for pretending. What if Chanyeol isn’t pretending anymore? What if -
“Uh, I guess?” he says as he sits back on the chair, resuming his last activity. He slices the onion with precision. “We have been living together for twenty years or more - I even lost count of it.”
“Chanyeol is a sweet guy; he never fails to make me feel that I’m loved.” Lu Han says; his judging eyes pierce Baekhyun. He is already out of their real topic and Baekhyun thinks that he is just taunting him with his innocent face. He grips on the knife and stares at the onion; he feels tears on his eyes, but he doesn’t care about it for now. “Do you have a boyfriend, Baekhyun?”
Baekhyun closes his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm him. He bites his bottom lip, it almost draws blood. If he can, he will throw the knife towards Lu Han’s direction like a dart. His hand is already aching to do it.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, Mr. Lu.” He answers tranquilly, not forgetting the respect he has to maintain for himself. He can’t let his anger eat him. He still can handle it. He thinks so.
Lu Han smirks haughtily at him and shakes his head, pretending naivety. “Sorry about that, Byun Baekhyun. Better luck next time.”
Even before Baekhyun can retort, he hears the door open, and it reveals Chanyeol who is panting heavily. Their unit is on the seventh floor, and he bets Chanyeol took the stairs instead of riding an elevator. Lucky Chanyeol, his sweat didn’t ruin his make-up.
“Hi Kris!” Lu Han approaches Chanyeol (or Kris) and kisses him on his lips. Baekhyun looks down at the onion again, because he can’t withstand watching his best friend making out with his boyfriend.
“I suppose you already know that I’m living with Baekhyun.” Kris (or Chanyeol) says after a few moments. Baekhyun breathes exhaustedly, like he is the one who ran a fucking five kilometers.
A sniffle is heard, and apparently, it comes from Baekhyun.
“Baekhyun? What’s wrong?” Lu Han asks, his tone laced with mocked concern, “Are you crying?”
Baekhyun lifts his head to look at them, wipes his tear-filled eyes and he chuckles. “Of course I’m not crying. It’s just the onion.” He stands up, untying the knot on his back to remove the apron hugging his waist. Baekhyun gives them another fake smile as he walks past them. “I’ll leave the both of you here alone.”
Of course, it really is the onion’s fault.
“Chanyeol is a sweet guy; he never fails to make me feel that I’m loved.”
He stops on his tracks. He shudders as he turns around to look back at their apartment’s door.
Chanyeol is in deep trouble.
÷
“I found out their methods of transaction.”
Baekhyun freezes on his spot, his hand still holding the doorknob on his room. He comes home after drowning himself in few bottles of soju, and he is a little bit tipsy. He turns around and sees the worn-out face of Chanyeol. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Chanyeol sits on the couch, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees. His make-up is already washed off from his face, the droplets wetting the carpeted floor. “He never told me anything and if I tried to force him, he would just suspect. Even if it was too dangerous, I just investigated. I had no choice.”
“How did you do it?” Baekhyun leans on his room’s door, crossing his arms. He never sees his best friend looking oddly like that; Chanyeol never lets his mission dishearten him personally. He leaves the depression on his office, and he comes home still with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“After we…” Chanyeol trails off on his words, avoiding Baekhyun’s probing gaze. Baekhyun seems to realize what the meaning of it is, so he just waves his hand dismissively. He doesn’t want to hear it directly from him. He already heard more than enough from Lu Han. “He really was tired and he was a heavy sleeper so I thought that was the right time to search some important documents around his house.”
“You don’t have to tell me what happened between you two; just tell me the whole process.” Baekhyun mutters indignantly, distracting himself by checking his nails.
“He has contacts from Japan, China and even in America. I found some signed documents on his drawer - more like vouchers because the kind of drugs distributed, quantities and its total amount were written on it. I also discovered out the names of his customers as below the signatures were their printed names. And my assumption is correct. He exports the drugs via sea, using his private yacht. His customers who frequently consult him are mostly politicians.”
“When are you going to tell the police that?” Baekhyun cocks his head sideways, glancing at the person in front of him.
“Tomorrow morning,” Chanyeol answers. “I still have to stay with Lu Han until the police and I have already planned everything.”
“Is the mission already accomplished?”
Chanyeol gives him a faltering smile and it fades not too long after. “I don’t think so.”
“Why? Is something wrong, Chanyeol?” he asks worriedly, and the distraught face of Chanyeol answers his question: yes, there is something wrong. “Mind telling your consultant?”
“You don’t have to know anything, Baekhyun.” He says as he cards his fingers on his blonde hair. There is already black hair growing on his roots; and Baekhyun thinks he needs to dye it again to maintain its color. “I’m fine.”
“If you say so,” Baekhyun deadpans, but hurt is unmistakable in his tone. “I don’t know why you are shutting yourself to me now. You’re getting unfair, Chanyeol. I thought I’m your right-hand man?”
Something rings on his head and Baekhyun quickly remembers something that he has to tell Chanyeol - that Lu Han already know his real identity. He is about to open his mouth to speak again, when Chanyeol interrupts him.
“Lu Han already knows who I really am.”
Speaking of it. Baekhyun straightens his posture, and gawks at Chanyeol. “What?”
“I heard him saying my name when we…” Chanyeol pauses. “…did it.”
“Wow, now here I am, about to tell you that Lu Han mentioned your name once earlier.” Baekhyun says, stupefied. “I told you - this boyfriend thing - is not a great idea. Look, he already caught you! I already warned you not to rush!”
“But I don’t have any choice!” Chanyeol snaps, flailing his arms in anguish. “I can’t just run into him and tell him that, ‘hey I heard you are a big time drug dealer, can I arrest you now’. Baekhyun this is not as easy as you think, you know that. Lu Han is a difficult case, much more difficult than those of corrupt politicians. You’ve been helping me on dealing with the cases I held since I started this job; and this is the first time that you always disagree on every word I say. Tell me, what should I do now? Can you suggest me something - now that Lu Han already knows who really I am?”
Baekhyun exhales frustratingly, because he doesn’t know what to say to him. He has no idea. He can never have an idea about that. He just shakes his head and is about to enter his room when Chanyeol speaks again.
“I don’t think I am the one who has the problem here,” he mutters irately, his eyes glassy. “It’s you who has the problem, Baekhyun.”
Even before Baekhyun can step inside his room, he already hears another door shutting close with a deafening thud. He grips tightly on the doorknob.
÷
When Baekhyun wakes up, he doesn’t see Chanyeol anywhere in the house. He contemplates on calling him on his phone, but being the prideful man that he is, he forgets about it. Maybe Chanyeol is already reporting his findings on the authorities, and he doesn’t want to disturb him. He can wait.
He is about to open the main door to head to his daily work when he sees a white, square envelope lying on the floor. He opens it and sees an invitation inside. It is designed with swirls on the edge, and letters are carefully engraved on the card.
Kris Wu and Lu Han’s wedding.
Baekhyun stiffens, his hand trembling while holding the card. He swallows an invisible lump on his throat and the first thing that crosses his mind is: he needs to save Chanyeol.
He grips the card tightly, almost ripping it in the process, and begins to run to save the person he loves. He mentally prays that the ceremony hasn’t started. He can’t just let Chanyeol kill himself in the hands of Lu Han - that is the least thing he wants, even if his own life is going to be the ransom.
He glances around, searching his environment. He notices a bunch of bodyguards in front of a building, and Baekhyun realizes that it is the five-star hotel where he first met Lu Han. Baekhyun takes a deep breath and he fixes himself before proceeding to the entrance. One of the guards stops him on his way and he shoves him the crumpled invitation. He pushes the guard aside as he walks past him, and there he sees them on the events’ place of the hotel. Chanyeol and Lu Han both wear white suits, and their backs are facing him. The ceremony has started, but it is not yet finished. Baekhyun then closes his eyes for a moment before cupping his mouth with his hands and shouts. “Chanyeol! What the fuck are you doing?”
Baekhyun sees several guns instantaneously pointing at him, but he never flinches. All he wants is to save Chanyeol, who is constantly making himself a fool by deciding to marry Lu Han negligently. But his strong demeanor quickly vanishes when he notices that Lu Han’s revolver is already poking Chanyeol’s head.
“I see that your comrade ruined your plans, Detective Park Chanyeol.” Lu Han whispers on Chanyeol’s ears but loud enough for Baekhyun to hear it clearly, “What do we do now? Our dearest Byun Baekhyun already spoiled my plan of killing you softly in my own premises. Too bad I already have to finish you both here because of that.”
Baekhyun glances on the guns one-by-one. If he makes a small move to defend himself and Chanyeol, he will lie on the floor with several bullets embedded on his body. He surely lacks in self-defense, and he doesn’t have any weapons with him right now. He guesses that he has no option anymore.
Baekhyun meets Chanyeol’s eyes and it tells him not to do it - whatever it is on his mind right now. He mouths at him, “I’m okay.” Chanyeol has to be okay.
Baekhyun has decided. He doesn’t care anymore if he gets killed; he just wants Chanyeol to be free.
“Take me instead!” Baekhyun shouts at Lu Han and the latter gives him an entertained smile. “Just let Chanyeol go,”
“Seriously, Baekhyun?” Lu Han pulls Chanyeol closer to his side. His gun is still pointed on Chanyeol’s temple. “You’re sacrificing yourself for him? Aw love,” he mocks smugly. “It will really make a person naïve even if he holds a doctorate degree.”
Baekhyun feels something trickles his eyes but he can’t let it drown him. Lu Han is laughing boisterously. He is about to kneel down and ask again for Lu Han to take him when he is interrupted by him again.
“But I’m so sorry, Baekhyun. I have to get both of you killed.”
That is when Chanyeol smirks and Baekhyun realizes that his friend has planned everything. He never notices that the ‘priest’ conducting the ceremony is one of Chanyeol’s juniors until he swiftly snatches the pistol from Lu Han’s hand without him looking.
“What the fuck?” Lu Han’s eyes grow wide and Chanyeol snaps his fingers; and the police appear from their disguises. They are the ‘hired’ orchestra for the wedding.
“We’re police! Drop your weapons now!”
Lu Han’s men raise their hands in surrender and fear, dropping their weapons on the floor.
“Just to enlighten you Lu Han,” Chanyeol speaks for the very first time, getting his handcuffs from his back pocket. “You’re stupid for suggesting the wedding and stupider because you let me organize it. You thought you could kill me discreetly once we got married; when the reality was you were already killing yourself instead of me because you just fell on my trap. You’re the stupidest person I’ve ever known.” He forcefully grabs Lu Han’s wrists and locks the handcuffs on it. Lu Han doesn’t fight back; he can’t do anything now that every firearm is directly pointed at him. “And for a quick trivia, that boy who stole your gun, Jongin - was once a robber until I adopted him and made him a part of my team. Sorry if I also faked the orchestra. They actually didn’t know what they were doing.”
Lu Han grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything when Chanyeol kicks him on his knee and he stumbles on the floor. Baekhyun remains speechless. Chanyeol still managed to do his job. So was that the reason why he looks dread these past few days? Plotting on how to arrest Lu Han?
Before he can answer himself, he is already pulled by Chanyeol out of the hotel. He gulps in trepidation. Chanyeol looks annoyed; well who won’t get angry by that? He almost messed up his plan.
Chanyeol drags him mercilessly until they reach their apartment; and when the door shuts close, Baekhyun feels a strong pair of arms crushing him in a tight embrace.
“You made me worried. Why did you offer yourself to Lu Han?” Chanyeol grumbles softly in his ear. “Don’t you know that you almost ruined my plan?”
“I can’t…” let you go that easily. Baekhyun trails off, letting the forgotten tears flow freely on his cheeks. “You never told me about your plans. When I received the invitation, I thought you were really leaving me.”
“I never sent you an invitation - maybe it was Luhan - and I also refrained on telling you about it because I know you were going to disapprove again. I just hate arguing with you, so much.” Chanyeol pulls away from him, cupping his face with his big hands, his thumb wiping the stray tears. “You always tell me that I’m the one charging at trouble thoughtlessly, yet you were the one who barged in on my wedding without assuming that maybe that was a part of my plan.”
“I’m sorry, okay? I never thought it was a different way around.” Baekhyun closes his eyes to cherish Chanyeol’s touch on his when he unexpectedly feels a soft pair of lips on his. It doesn’t take long and Baekhyun kisses him back, tilting his head so Chanyeol can kiss him deeper.
“Do you remember the time when you asked me why I looked troubled these past few weeks?” Chanyeol whispers against his lips before kissing him again. He has already trapped Baekhyun on the wall, his knee subtly touching his groin.
Baekhyun hums (more like he moans), wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck, pulling him down. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Do you still want to know the answer?” Chanyeol now parts their lips and he rests his forehead on his. Baekhyun stares at his eyes, signaling him to continue. “I realized how much I want you and I just grew frustrated with it.”
“I thought it was because Lu Han’s case was hard.”
“Well, a little yes of it.” Chanyeol chuckles, closing his eyes; and Baekhyun relishes the proximity.
“Dye your hair back to black, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun says, raking Chanyeol’s blonde hair with his fingers. “You looked hotter in your black hair.”
Baekhyun feels Chanyeol smile as he leans in closer and nibbles on his ear playfully. It seems like he gets Baekhyun’s message when he gathers him in his arms and brings him inside his room, continuing what they have already started.
With their clothes strewn everywhere on Chanyeol’s room, the rest of their afternoon is filled with moans of desire and declarations of love for each other.
÷
Baekhyun wakes up with a throbbing head, and when he looks beside him, Chanyeol isn’t there anymore. He jumps from the bed and steps outside their now shared room. Chanyeol calls a day-off at the office; and instead of using it productively, he just chose to cuddle with his boyfriend on his bed.
It has been months since Lu Han was arrested, and everything falls back into place - except for the fact that Chanyeol is now his boyfriend. Too good to be true, Baekhyun thinks. Few months ago, he was just simply fantasizing him from afar - an arm’s reach, but really was too distant. Look where they are right now. Baekhyun was already okay with jerking off to thoughts of him alone in their bathroom; but now, Chanyeol is helping him with that. It makes everything easier.
Chanyeol becomes more intimate, clinging to him every single time (it almost chokes him). His boyfriend never chooses location - he even gropes his ass in public. There was this one night when Chanyeol fucked him in a local pub’s toilets. It’s not like Baekhyun doesn’t like it, actually it challenges him. Chanyeol has really liked challenges and adventures ever since (that was why he took criminology in the first place). And he was kind of influenced with by him.
“Chanyeol?” he calls as he looks around, and he catches a shadow on the terrace. He slides the door open, and it reveals Chanyeol who is smoking cigarettes again. He waves his hand at the smoke that has been blocking his breathing, as he leans on his boyfriend’s bare back and hugs him from behind.
“Had a good sleep?” Chanyeol asks, throwing his cigarette and crushes it with his slippers.
“Headache,” Baekhyun murmurs, inhaling Chanyeol’s musky scent combined with nicotine. “I suggest you should stop cigarette smoking. I don’t want a lung cancer patient in my house.”
“Can’t help it though even though I’m afraid of lung cancer,” Chanyeol shrugs, resting his hands on Baekhyun’s arms. “It’s addictive, like you.”
Baekhyun laughs, kissing Chanyeol’s shoulder. Maybe this time, his Chanyeol is not stupid.
A/N:
First of all, I’m really sorry if I offended everyone with this fic. To be honest, I really don’t have an idea that what I have written has already crossed the line. I know that is really stupid of me. T^T I understand that you are still angry with me but I want you to understand me too. I’m not a racist and I respect Chinese people so much. It was my fault, but it was never my intention to hurt all of you. I joined here just for the sake of fic writing, fun and making friends, not to cause trouble. I don’t want to be bashed, please stop saying harsh comments about me and my fic because I’m already feeling bad about this whole thing, scared even. I sincerely apologize for everything, I promise to be careful next time so that it will never happen again. I hope this will be a lesson for the other fic writers and I want the issue to be settled as soon as possible. Thank you.
Mod note: As of the 25th, we are putting this fic up with the author's revisions and added note. We apologize for not catching the issue before postings. We are putting all content back up (with the author's revision) and because we have no grounds to tamper with anyone's opinion or presented content, can only report it in the state that we receive it in. The recipient will receive an additional gift by a pinch-hitter on the last day of postings. We apologize deeply and ask that if anyone finds any issues with absolutely anything, to contact the mods immediately so we can resolve it as soon as possible. Thank you.
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