The Brunet Next Door (Chanbaek ff)

Taste Of Jealousy

Inserting the straw, he lets the cool, minty and chocolaty flavor engulf his taste buds. Moaning from satisfaction, he happily taps his hand. Unaware that a certain giant, who happens to pass by, saw him drinking his frappe like a 5 year old kid.

Satisfied with Baekhyun's reaction, Chanyeol smiles.

"He'll be happy when I tell him that he can visit Hyeri now." Chanyeol smiles at the thought.

His fantasies were cut off when a hand grabs his arm--Chaeyeong. 

What's wrong with her again? "Dr. Park!" She smiles at him and Chanyeol awkwardly smiles back.

"When will you join me for a meal?" She pouts. He must say that she looks cute but Baekhyun is way more cuter.

Chanyeol slowly gets out of Chaeyeong's hand. "Sorry but I have more important matters to attend to." Then he walks away. Chaeyeong stomps her feet, feeling dejected.

After checking a few more patients, he goes to Hyeri's room. There, he sees her watching an anime.

"Oh, hi Chanyeol oppa!" She cheerfully greeted him, pausing what she was watching.

"Hi Hyeri. How have you been?" He asks while checking her vitals. 

Hyeri giggled. "I'm fine. I heard from the other nurses that there's a new one. His name was... was that Bikyun? Baekhun? Oh wait, I've got it! Bacon! He sure has a silly name." And with that, Chanyeol laughs.

"His name is Baekhyun."

Hyeri tilts her head, confused. "Why is that name familiar..." She looks at Chanyeol and her eyes widened. It can't be... "Baekhyun? The one you told me you were waiting for? Your ex?" Chanyeol nods, still smiling.

"Oh my god. So what happened? Did you get him back? Are you boyfriends again?"

"No... considering how I hurt him back then, he rejected me when I told him I still love him."

"And you gave up?" Hyeri is now looking at him intently.

Chanyeol frantically shakes his head. "Of course not. I'm trying to win him back and I'm glad that he's not pushing me away. Well, just a little bit though."

Hyeri raises both of her thumb, her expression was determined. Chanyeol laughs and ruffles her hair. "I want to meet him. I want to meet the guy Oppa is head over heals at."

Chanyeol's face reddens. "He also wants to meet you. I found him, curiously staring outside your room. I remember telling him about you and he cried."

"Aww, I want to meet him. Fast!" Chanyeol laughs again at her eagerness.

__

Baekhyun was exhausted once again, but it was worth it. One of the premature babies were finally released from the incubator after many months (he heard it from Tao) and he took part of guiding the baby. He felt a kind of happiness he never felt before. 

"Baekhyun!" Chanyeol calls him. Still feeling awkward, he turns to meet Chanyeol's eyes. 

"Yes?" 

Chanyeol smiled. "Let's have dinner and do you want to go home together? I have something to tell you." Chanyeol's three-days shift ended and he's tired at the same time hungry.

Having a look on Chanyeol's exhausted face, he felt that if he declined the taller, it would only make his face worse. His heart skips a bit. He's aware. He's aware that Chanyeol is doing his best to get him and to be honest, he's getting persuaded by it.

But he's still afraid. He actually wants to open up his heart for Chanyeol once again but the fear and his pride is preventing him to do so. His heart is a huge tower and his brain is guarding it. Preventing him to come out. Ever since they broke up, he was locked in that tower and he never took a single step, not even bothering to lift his foot up. But, now, he's trying. He's trying to lift his foot and take a step but then he can't. His foot, weighing like a hundred pounds.

"Baekhyun? Are you okay?" Chanyeol worriedly asks. Baekhyun was spacing out, maybe because of exhaustion--he thought.

His thoughts were cut off when he heard Chanyeol's worried voice. He shakes his hand and quietly said, "Shall we go now?"

Making their way to the hospital's cafeteria, Chanyeol lets Baekhyun sit down and he went to order.

It reminds him when they were still in highschool. Chanyeol, taking care of Baekhyun when he's tired or not in the mood. The smaller smiles but that smile leaves a bitter taste. His brain is restricting him to open up. He doesn't blame it though. He suffered so much back then, when everything just went downhill in an instant. 

He had to fix himself for a year. Without a help from anyone. Yes, his parents were there. Yes, Kyungsoo and Luhan were there. But, it wasn't enough. He was fighting within none other that himself. Conflicted with what to choose. There was a part of him where he wanted to contact Chanyeol and maybe his giant will tell him that it was all a misunderstanding. He wanted someone who can understand him fully. A person he knows will not be bothered and burdened when he tells them that he's not fine at all (he just doesn't want to worry his parents and his best friends more).

And that person turned out to be himself. He eventually gave up and chose to follow his brain more than his heart. And with that, he was finally fine. Even though he feels empty sometimes, he felt he's mentally recovering.

After a silent meal between them, Chanyeol excuses himself once again and when he came back, holding two cups. He gave the other to Baekhyun and he takes it. Muttering a faint thanks. And just about when Baekhyun was going to take a sip, someone bumps into him, causing him to bump with another person and spilling some of his frappe onto him.

"Dr. Park, did you have dinner? I will treat you." The girl said, enthusiastically. What is she to Chanyeol?

 He then hears someone groan and realization hits him.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." He bows and the other chuckles.

"It's fine. I have another shirt. Just be careful next time, Baekhyun." A man named Siwon grinned at him then left.

H-how did he....?

"Please Dr. Park. I really like you and I--" Chanyeol cuts her off.

"Baekhyun are you okay?" He felthis heart clenched when he hears what the girl said. She likes him? He looks at the girl's desperate eyes as she asks for Chanyeol's attention. His heart clenches again.

"Sorry, Chaeyeong but can you leave us? I'll talk to you again." After hearing that, she happily nods and walks away.

They seem close, Baekhyun thought he doesn't know why but the image of Chanyeol with that girl suffocates him. 

Without realizing, after all these years, he finally lifted his foot, taking the first step to overcome his mind's restriction. 

He unconsciously sips his frappe and there he tasted a new flavor.

Jealousy.