library at fourth street • chanbaek au

06; epilogue

December 04, 2016 | 19:45

The Library at Fourth Street

"Yeol! Closing time is near and I have to go now. Please close the library for me, thanks!" Minseok said, messily placing his stuff on his bag and throwing the keys to Chanyeol who was busy arranging the books back to its proper place.

Forgetting that Chanyeol is indeed the clumsiest co-worker, Chanyeol didn't catch the key and dropped the books he's holding in the process. Minseok didn't seem to mind and hurriedly went out, muttering incomprehensible words that Chanyeol didn't seem to understand fully. But he heard the words "movie date", "Jongdae", and "eight"; immediately knowing his hyung is in deep trouble.

He picked up the books and continued his work. Minutes later he found himself standing in front of a shelf he knew so well in the past 2 years – the YA section.

Memories flashed into his mind, the way he felt his tears fall down from a character death, his laugh when something funny happened, it felt like 2 years haven't passed at all, it all felt like yesterday.

Even the pain he felt the day Byun Baekhyun didn't return to the library feels like yesterday.

He took a deep breath and sat facing the shelf, remembering the memories he shared with Baekhyun. It may be in the shortest amount of time, but it was one of the best moments in Chanyeol's life. Every day he waited for him to come back, he even worked in the library in hopes to catch him when he comes back. It's been two years since he first saw him in the near back reading Looking for Alaska, remembering that he had a box of tissues that came in handy the moment the boy closed the book.

"Wouldn't it be nice if you came back, Byun Baekhyun?" He said to himself.

Chanyeol didn't want to forget – he didn't want to forget how that boy made him smile and cry, he didn't want to forget how he felt. He just wished to have gathered up the courage to ask him out sooner. He took a deep breath and continued his work.

19:53

It is seven minutes until closing time and Chanyeol is just waiting for the boy on the second row to finish the final chapters of the textbook he's reading, while sitting on his usual spot in the library.

"Thank you so much for waiting! I really have to pass this exam tomorrow." The boy said to Chanyeol before leaving.

"No problem, Zitao! Say hi to Yifan for me!" He said as the boy hurriedly went out to the library.

Chanyeol stood up, arranged his chair and grabbed his bag, closing the library lights and proceeded to the exit.

He stopped dead on his tracks as he saw a familiar running figure outside. It was running towards the library door, screaming: "Wait! Don't close yet!"

He heard that voice before, it was the voice he knew too well. The voice was never forgotten even though years have passed.

The figure stood in front of the library's entrance. The vast night sky illuminating his sweaty figure. "That was an unexpected exercise." He said to no one in particular and fixed himself before entering the library. "It's been a while, Park Chanyeol. I'm sorry." Baekhyun said.

The now-dark room felt like it was illuminating with light because of Baekhyun's ethereal beauty. Chanyeol stood there dumbfounded, completely shocked because of Baekhyun's unexpected arrival after 2 years.

"You came back." That's what he managed to say before the other boy went closer. His features became a little more mature than what Chanyeol remembered, but it's still the same person he fell for. He was sure of it.