library at fourth street • chanbaek au

02; paper towns

December 13, 2014 | 17:12
The Library at Fourth Street

"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person."
― John Green, Paper Towns

Chanyeol read in disbelief.

"Wait, what? But it's different from the movie?!" Chanyeol whispered to himself, aggressively reading the next few paragraphs of the book, "I'm pretty sure this didn't happen there!"

As the feeling of defeat rushed to him, he let out a deep sigh. He stopped reading for a moment and took a look at the boy at the back of the library, Chanyeol's lips forming a smile as he again took a note of what the boy is reading, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

No matter how sad or tragic a book or passage by an author is, Chanyeol couldn't help but form a smile everytime he sees the boy at the near back. It's like the world's all blurry and he's the only one clear in Chanyeol's vision. Now his mind is focused on the boy a few tables away, not even noticing someone coming up to him.

"I see you're taking a liking for that boy in the near back of the library," Jongin smiled, clutching a book on his side. "Nice catch, Chanyeol-hyung."

"How did you know?" Chanyeol was confused. Was his constant staring really that obvious?

But who cares, right? Who wouldn't stare in awe at the boy who is deeply engrossed in a book with a box of tissues beside him? Chanyeol wanted to just take a picture and cherish at the boy's action; he can stare at him all day, at his focused eyes, lips slightly apart, and his cute laugh whenever there's a funny passage; oh boy, that laugh makes Chanyeol weak in his knees.

He was snapped back to reality after hearing Jongin's response.

"I don't know. Ask your obvious constant staring, hyung." The other boy shrugged. "You should go talk to him, though. Ask him out or something."

"Easy for you to say because Kyungsoo fell for your charms." Chanyeol quietly chuckled, "I don't even know if he likes boys!" he whisper-screamed.

"Hyung, his lockscreen is a Simon and Baz fan art with, like, a million hearts in it. You know what that means." Jongin replied.

"Simon and Baz?"

"From a book named Fangirl, I would like to elaborate further but I don't like telling spoilers. Nice to see you, Chanyeol-hyung! I'm supposed to meet Kyungsoo for a date in a few." He waved goodbye and left.

He didn't let Chanyeol respond as he continued to the librarian, checking out and bringing the book with him.

Chanyeol was lost in his thoughts for a moment, he couldn't force himself to sit beside that boy and initiate a conversation which is very unlikely of him. Even him being in a library alone is very unlikely of him.

He just snapped back to reality and continued to read the last few pages of the book the boy in the near back of the library was reading yesterday.

As he finished, he went to the shelf and brought it back. He stood there for a while, appreciating how John Green can create amazing books and he looked forward to reading more, thanks to the boy he admired so much.

Then he realized, today was supposed to be the day he's going to talk to him and probably asking him out! A rush of anxiety creept over him, unsure of the right words to say.

"Hello, I noticed you reading books, I read them too the day after!" Nope, he seemed like a stalker.

"You like John Green too?" Nope, that's pretentious. He didn't even read them before he silently introduced his books to him.

"Hi I like you please marry me!"

Wait, what?

"Hey, the books you're reading is great, I was wondering if I get your—"

He then felt a person less inches smaller standing beside him.

"John Green is such a legend, right?" The boy beside him with a book in hand stated, smiling.

Chanyeol turned to see who it was.

"—name?" Chanyeol said, completely shocked to the person beside him.

It's the boy he's completely, utterly, deeply, into; the boy at the near back of the library.

"Oh, that was so impolite of me! I'm Baekhyun, Byun Baekhyun. Nice to meet you..." The boy said, giving his hand for a handshake and waiting for his response.

Chanyeol stopped for a moment. His voice is like heavenly music in his ears and his face up close is supposedly what an angel looked like. Oh boy, Chanyeol is as red as a tomato right now, his cheeks forming a shade of red and his lips unconsciously forming a smile. He's so deep into his thoughts until he was brought back to reality seconds later, the boy now in front of him.

"Ah! I actually said that loud." Chanyeol placed his hands at his mouth, embarrased. "By the way, I'm Park Chanyeol! Nice to meet you, Baekhyun!" He reached for his hand, shaking it.

Time started to slow down for him as he held his hand, it was soft and warm, and Chanyeol didn't want to let go. It felt like the person he's talking wasn't a stranger due to the fact that he felt extreme comfort. It felt like home.

Byun Baekhyun felt like home.

Realizing he's holding it for too long, he eventually let go, afraid to creep Baekhyun out.

"Anyway, I saw you read Paper Towns a while ago, I read it yesterday and I kind of shed a tear or two. How was it?" Baekhyun said, initiating a conversation.

"It was nice, it kind of shocked me that it was different from the movie." Chanyeol replied.

"That's what always happen, though. I'm actually reading all of John Green's books available in this library. Actually planned to buy them but I couldn't affor— Ah! I'm blabbering, sorry!" Baekhyun said, stopping himself mid-sentence. Chanyeol just stared it awe, remembering the moment.

Baekhyun showed the book he's holding, An Abundance of Katherines. "You should try reading this one too, it's actually really good!"

Baekhyun deeply loved books, it was like an escape to reality. The words calm him down when he's sad and celebrate with him if he's happy, it's his best friend.

"Sure!" He enthusiastically replied after seeing Baekhyun's eyes shine bright, realizing his love for books. Even though I kept that in mind already because you were reading it. He thought to himself.

"Then I will be going, Chanyeol! Nice to meet you!" Baekhyun said, waving goodbye at the tall boy, smiling.

Chanyeol waved goodbye at the boy who left. He then left the library with a geniune smile on his face that lasted for the whole night. The scene replaying over and over.

He then thought about the book he read. It's not really a treacherous thing believing that a person is more than what he is in your mind, for this matter. Because there is a chance that he can be someone much more than what you expected if you're really lucky. He thought to himself.

I think it's safe to say he's fallen for Byun Baekhyun.

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