Unable : A Story Told Thrice (Chanbaek)

One : Two

Chanyeol's POV

I walk down the street after soccer practice, on my way home. Out of the corner of my eye I see a small boy, backpack still on his back, huddled in front of his house, back shuddering. Although his face was hidden, I instantly recognized the boy as Baekhyun. It pained me to see him like that, suffering alone.

I rush over, my mind swirling with questions. Why is he out here? Where are his parents? How long has he been out here? Why is he crying? I help him up. Halfway through, his legs give way and almost pull both of us to the ground. I steady the two of us, allowing him to rest on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He shakes his head. "Do you want to go inside?" He shakes his head again. Baekhyun fumbles for his phone and keys in a message.

'If it's not too much to ask, can we go to your house? I'm not exactly on good terms with the person inside the building behind us.'

I run a hand through his hair. "Of course, come on." He hugs me and we walk in silence to my house.

As I unlock the front door, I call out. "Mother? Are you there?" Silence. Suddenly my phone buzzes. I skim the message and sigh. "Wonderful timing." I turn to Baekhyun. "Hey Baek, it's just going to be us. My parents are away on a trip." He nods, slipping off his shoes. I guide him upstairs. Once we are in my room my phone buzzes again, this time a message from Baekhyun. I look at him as I read the message.

'Can I stay for the night? I know I'm asking a lot and it okay if you decline but...'

I back hug him. "It's completely fine." I murmur into his ear, "You don't have to explain why if you don't want to." Baekhyun turns towards me, the action sending three pieces of paper out of his pocket and onto the floor. I pick them up. "Baekhyun, are these yours?" He sighs, looking at me with sad eyes. I look at the papers, alarmed.

I unfold the first one and after reading the first note, crumple the paper in rage. The second and third don't fare much better. Baekhyun just stares. I hug him again. "Baekhyun, why would you keep such things? Don't listen to them, they are just lies. I'm not using you. I really do like you, Baek, I really do." I murmur over and over again. Baekhyun types up another message.

'I never did once doubt you, as for hoarding the notes... I was trying to prove a point to the class. It's happened countless of times. Why should I care if it happens again?'

Baekhyun's POV

As I shakily key in the last couple of letters, the tears start to fall. Normally these kinds of things have no impact on me but now, reliving the memories of the past, I cried. The tears slid down my face and blurred my vision. I shut my eyes, squeezing a couple tears out, and wiped them away with the back of my hand. I felt Chanyeol easing beside me, allowing me to lean into his chest and cry. My mind fogged up with memories, bad with the rare pleasant. My mother's obvious hatred towards me, her cold ignorance after the accident. How I never got to meet my father, but had always been told I took after him the most. I always relied on myself for everything, there was no one to comfort me at the end of a long day, no one that I could celebrate my success with. The feeling I felt when I won the solo in my chorus group, like I was on the stars. Only to be replaced by the loneliness of working twice as hard, alone. Even when I walk amongst the stars, I walk alone. I was avoided like the plague after the accident. It was as if you could be infected with muteness, but in truth, nobody wanted to ruin their image.

Yet here I was, wrapped in the arms of the most popular person in our grade, maybe in the entire school. He was attentive to me, letting me cry on him. The feeling of being cared for was foreign to me, yet it felt so natural being in Chanyeol's embrace. When I had no more tears left I looked up, letting Chanyeol wipe the remainder of my tears. I pull out my phone.