*
"Let's live together," Chanyeol says, "Move in with me."
For a moment Baekhyun hasn't responded, as if he didn't hear him saying it correctly. He has a straight blank face on, while waiting for those words to finally sink in to his brain.
Let's live together. Move in with me.
Baekhyun blinks.
"W-what did you just say?" he asks, turning to Chanyeol in utmost bewilderment, "I-I didn't get it..."
Chanyeol sighs a frustrated groan, laughing to himself a little. He doesn't know whether to get annoyed at Baekhyun or what, because he feels like he's making a fool of himself in front of him. Brushing his fringe with his hand, he composes himself and repeats it again.
"I said. We. The two of us. Let's live together."
And that makes Baekhyun's eyes widen in shock.
He can't utter a single word because in the first place, he doesn't know what to say at the current moment. It's so sudden, never in his life he had thought that Chanyeol would say that. Never in before that living with Chanyeol had crossed in his mind. Also, he doesn't know whether Chanyeol is commanding him to do it as if he had no choice, or if Chanyeol is instead proposing that idea to him right now.
There are tons of thoughts going around inside Baekhyun's head, making him unresponsive for a few seconds. Chanyeol patiently waits, until he receives no response from the other male ever since he spilled those words.
"It's getting late," Chanyeol says, driving away the thick silence as he tries to swallow his hurt ego. "Why don't you go inside already?"
Baekhyun doesn't answer. He is just looking at him with question-filled eyes. Chanyeol sighs heavily for the nth time as Baekhyun anticipates for something, anything, that Chanyeol will say.
"I'll give you time to think about it," Chanyeol finally says. "And when I say time, I mean it."
Baekhyun already knows what time means, and he doesn't know if he can make it through without Chanyeol by his side. Thinking about the idea makes him already miss Chanyeol a lot, but he admits that he also needs the time Chanyeol is giving him to properly decide.
Baekhyun clenches his fists by his side, together with the dull pain coiling in his heart. Instead of being overwhelmed with joy, he is instead left broken and confused by Chanyeol's words.
"I need to go."
Chanyeol leans in close to Baekhyun, closing the little gap between their faces. The shadow of their height difference is beautifully drawn on the ground with the help of the orange setting sun. With eyes closed, Baekhyun openly waits, and he doesn't even attempt to tip his toes up when Chanyeol bends himself down to match his height.
Baekhyun expects that Chanyeol would kiss him by the way he is this near, because he can practically feel Chanyeol's warm breath fanning across his slightly parted lips.
But the kiss didn't come.
Chanyeol didn't do it.
Chanyeol slowly leans away and puts his hands inside his pockets instead. Tearing his gaze off Baekhyun, he silently walks away and takes his leave without saying goodbye.
Baekhyun then opens his eyes and sees Chanyeol from a far. Frozen on his spot, he watches Chanyeol's tall figure blending in with the afternoon sun.
He call his name.
"Park Chanyeol!"
Chanyeol only raises his free hand in the air and waves it as a goodbye gesture.
Baekhyun watches him go, feeling much heavier than the last time he saw the sunset.
*
"Happy Birthday."
Sehun hears him in his dream.
"Good morning. Wake up, Sehunnie."
He feels a poke on his side.
"Good morning, Sehun."
He opens his eyes, slowly, and senses a warm body squished beside him.
"Good morning, birthday boy!"
"Good morn--" Wait, why is it so dark?
"No, don't take it off yet!"
"Take off what?"
Baekhyun laughs at his best friend's scandalized but sleepy look. Sehun has his arms flailing in the air as if he were searching for something. He touches his own face and realizes that he has a blindfold worn to cover his eyes. Trying to tug it off, Baekhyun swats his hand away and shoves him down the bed. He gets on top of Sehun, straddling him with a wide grin across his face.
Sehun mutters a soft fuck.
"What the hell are you," Sehun groans uncomfortably, "doing on top of me?"
Baekhyun only laughs.
"It's a secret."
"Can you just please take my blindfold off?" Sehun asks. "God, it's too early to play, Baekhyun.."
"But I have a surprise for you since it's your birthday today," Baekhyun chirps, "Do you even know how hard it was to put that blindfold on you? You seriously move a lot during sleep!"
Sehun just sighs and puts his arm to rest it on his face.
"So what?"
"And you talk a lot too."
"And what did I talk about?"
"I don't know," Baekhyun shrugs, "You just talked about something like saving someone and---"
Sehun grabs a pillow and hits Baekhyun with it. "FINE! Stop talking! Now what do you want?"
"Well, I promised you, didn't I? We're gonna spend your birthday together," Baekhyun says, unconsciously bouncing like a kid because of excitement. "I can't wait! Oh my god! We have a lot of things to do!"
Sehun scoffs, but he can't deny that he is indeed happy deep inside.
"Baekhyun."
"Yeah?"
"Are you even aware."
"Hm?"
"That you've been sitting on my dick the whole time," Sehun mutters, "and it's not really helping."
"Oh my god," Baekhyun says, looking down at Sehun's crotch. He sees a tiny tent in there.
"I'm sorry, Sehun, I didn't---"
"Just give me some privacy and let me take care of my problem."
Baekhyun suddenly thinks of a good idea.
"Oh! I know, I know! I can give you a hand since it's your birthday today?"
"NO! FOR FUCK'S SAKE BYUN BAEKHYUN," Sehun curses out loud, "Let's not take our relationship into the sexual level, all right?"
"But I'm just offering some help--"
"You know I respect you a lot so don't even bother trying to get into my pants."
Baekhyun frowns. He gets off Sehun and crosses his arms over his chest.
"There."
"Thank you."
"The only person who can reject me is you," Baekhyun says, pouting, "Everybody likes me! Chanyeol-sunbae even fell for me!"
Sehun makes a choking noise.
"It's real, though!"
"He fell for you?" More chocking noises. "Or he had just lost his fucking sanity and gone crazy and had a terrible eyesight?"
"You!" A punch. "Are so mean!" A kick. "I hate you so much!" A slap.
Sehun covers his body to block Baekhyun's weak attacks.
"Don't, ouch!-- hit me, it's my birthday."
"Maybe I'm not that attractive for you then!" Baekhyun says back, still hitting Sehun in every part he can reach. "You can't appreciate real beauty!"
"Yeah. You're small, you're short. You're a walking trouble. You're exactly not my type," Sehun says. Good thing he has a blindfold on, he can say things he doesn't really mean, "You're ugly."
Baekhyun just rolls his eyes. If the insults aren't coming, then it wasn't Sehun who's with him right now.
"I'll let you off the hook since it's your birthday, Oh Sehun," Baekhyun says.
Remembering that he hasn't shown his surprise yet, he grabs Sehun's arm and pulls him out of the bed. Sehun lazily follows while the other male excitedly tugs him to somewhere.
"Can I just take this off?" Sehun asks as the two of them walk to the living room. Baekhyun is beside him, guiding his way as if he were a blind person. "Aren't we there yet?"
"Nope! Few more steps!"
Sehun can feel Baekhyun's warm hand slung around his arm, and there is a part of him wishing those few more steps would turn into a hundred, so that they could walk longer side by side like this, no matter how absurd it sounds.
"We're here."
A smile forms on his lips when Baekhyun takes off the blindfold. He sees gold balloon letters on the wall spelled H-A-P-P-Y-B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y-S-E-H-U-N, and some long and round-shaped colorful balloons decorated with it. Pictures of them together since they were eight up to present are printed on polaroids, and they were pasted creatively on the wall like a collage.
On the table, a two-layered chocolate cake sits with a birthday candle on top of it. Beside it is a pinku pinku plushie wearing a small birthday hat.
Baekhyun disappears for a while and comes back with a large bouquet of yellow roses in hand. He heads towards the surprised male, smiling brightly.
Sehun is speechless, staring at Baekhyun standing in front of him holding the flowers.
"Sehun, happy birthday. "
Before Baekhyun could talk more, Sehun suddenly pulls him close and hugs him tight. The bouquet is almost squished against their bodies.
Silence fills the room between the two of them, until Sehun decides to open his mouth and speak:
"When did you make this?"
"Last night when you had fallen asleep," Baekhyun mumbles against Sehun's chest, "Do you like it?"
Sehun nods. "Yes..."
"That's a relief, I thought you wouldn't like it. I spent overnight making it for you though," Baekhyun chuckles, "I made it while thinking of you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You still didn't change after all. You're still the Baekhyun I know since we were eight," Sehun says, before pulling away from the hug. He holds Baekhyun's face and touches the apples of his cheek with his thumb.
"You're still cute in your own little ways."
Baekhyun laughs.
"I may have changed over time," he says, "But I'm still the Baekhyun you know who has always a special space for you in my heart."
Sehun laughs, looking at Baekhyun and registering that he's been still holding the yellow roses in his arms.
"The bouquet," Sehun mumbles while scratching the back of his neck, "is too cheesy by the way."
"It made your heart flutter, right?"
You always make it flutter, Sehun answers but never says it out loud. He just takes the bouquet from Baekhyun, and delicately picks the only red rose in the middle of the fresh yellow roses.
He gives it to Baekhyun.
"Thank you," he mutters, "for being with me for ten years now."
Baekhyun smiles.
"I wish you could celebrate more birthdays with me, and I wish you could stay by my side though you are not mine."
The smile slowly falls off as Baekhyun takes the red rose. His fingers may not have been pricked by its thorns, but his heart does, and it feels like it's bleeding inside knowing that Sehun seems to know he will go anytime soon.
"Why don't we blow the birthday candles first?" Baekhyun says.
"Sure."
*
"I think I forgot something important today," Jongin mutters as he plays with the rubik's cube he borrowed from his boyfriend. He turns it and twists it but he can't still solve a single color. "I know I knew it but I just forgot it! What is it!"
Luhan sighs, turning the next page of the magazine he is holding. He squints his eyes and shakes his head, and turns the next page again.
"Argh! What the fuck is it, my head hurts!" Jongin yells. He adjusts his head on top of Luhan's lap and looks up to him. "Babe, do you know what day it is today?"
"Saturday," Luhan mumbles, still glaring holes at the paper. "Damn, not this... This is too hard to make..."
"No, I mean, what date is it today?"
"Hmm. Nice... It looks simple and delicious..."
"Kyungsoo!" Jongin calls. "Luhan is ignoring me!"
Kyungsoo ignores him though, busy neatly folding their laundries on the side of the couch like a real Mom. He hums a tune he only can hear as he flats with his hand some crinkles on Jongin's favorite blue shirt, before stacking it on the laundry basket.
"Why is everybody ignoring me!" Jongin cries. "Don't you love me anymore?"
"Right, this one!" Luhan chirps, and he is standing up quick to go to Kyungsoo. Jongin's head hits the couch.
"Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo!" Luhan says, pointing at the strawberry cake on the magazine, "Look! Let's make this one for him. It's my favorite cake."
"Hm. It's not even your birthday. Why your favorite cake?"
"Well, I want to eat some too before we give it to him!"
"Cake? Birthday? Who?" Jongin asks in confusion. Realization hits him when a memory flashes back in his mind.
"Why are those girls giving you gifts? Is it your birthday today?" he asks Sehun as they sit together at the school cafeteria.
"My birthday's on Saturday, they're just giving gifts in advance I guess," Sehun nonchalantly answers as he sips his orange juice, "I didn't know they knew."
"You're like the President of the Student Council, of course they will know!" Jongin answers as he eyes the pink boxes on the table, "Woah, since when did you become so popular?"
"You can have them if you want," Sehun takes a bite on his bread, "Just keep one for Baekhyun."
Jongin remembers that was why he had so many chocolates last Monday.
"Oh, right. It's Sehun's birthday today. I still haven't got him any though," Jongin says, "Hey, have you already bought him a gift?"
"Of course," Luhan and Kyungsoo both answer, "We went out to the mall yesterday together."
"WHAT?" Jongin yells. "You went out with him!?"
"He treated us dinner," Kyungsoo says. "Who wouldn't say no to a free dinner?"
"Fuck! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?"
"You were busy playing with your friend," Luhan says. "What was his name again?"
"Taemin," Kyungsoo answers with a glare, "Go buy a gift yourself."
"Baby!!! Let me help with the cake!" Luhan says, following Kyungsoo into kitchen.
Jongin sulks by himself on the couch with a pout.
"I hate all of you."
*
The bus stops, and Baekhyun immediately gets off together with Sehun who is trailing behind him. He looks back and says:
"Faster, Sehun!"
Laughing, Sehun matches his steps and runs after Baekhyun until they are walking side by side. People at the park are curiously looking at the two teenagers, so Sehun groans and elbows Baekhyun.
"When are you planning to take this off my wrist," Sehun mutters, gesturing at the string of the red balloon tied on his wrist, "and this party hat on my head?"
"Just let it there," Baekhyun replies, fixing his own birthday hat on top of his head, "so that they would know it's your birthday today."
"This is so embarrassing," Sehun mumbles under his breath as he kicks a stray rock, "Anyway, where are we exactly going? You told me you're going to show me something."
Baekhyun stops walking and points at somewhere. Sehun follows his finger.
"Do you remember the swing?" Baekhyun asks, and a hearty laugh starts to bubble out of his mouth, "Do you remember when we were ten... You fell... pfft... on the swing with your face hitting the ground?"
Sehun abruptly smiles at the memory.
"And... and you got like, four wounds on your face! And you were crying nonstop! It was so funny!"
"I cried not because it hurt," Sehun says as he strides towards the empty swing. He sits on it while Baekhyun occupies the other one.
"Oh really?" Baekhyun teasingly says, "Then why did you cry then?"
"I was crying because... you were playing with the new girl," Sehun replies, "Do you remember?"
Baekhyun nods, smiling. "So, that was it?"
"Yeah. So I purposely fell for you to notice me," Sehun chuckles, "And I guess that worked."
"Oh my god," Baekhyun mutters in shock, he reaches Sehun and hits him on the arm. "You were an idiot! Why would you do that! Your mom could have killed me if she knew."
"And your mom could have killed me too, if she knew."
Laughing, they both swing slowly and basks in the crisp air at the playground. Some children are happily playing around, and that reminds Baekhyun of their childhood.
"I have something to tell you before your birthday ends," Baekhyun says as he stares from a far, and Sehun turns to look at him.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember... that time that I had to choose between you and the Student Council?"
Sehun won't forget that. "Yeah."
Baekhyun tiny smiles. "And I chose you."
"Of course it was hard for you, but you still chose me."
"I guess I have to make that decision again," Baekhyun mutters. He stops swinging for a while and stares at the dried leaves fallen on the ground. "But this time, I have to choose between being with you and being with Chanyeol-sunbae for good."
Sehun stops swinging.
"Baekhyun--"
"He asked me to move in and live with him," Baekhyun says, and the pang creeps up in his heart once again, "He wants us to live together."
Sehun doesn't speak, as if saying a word is too painful to even open his mouth.
"It's like, taking this relationship to the next level. Sharing a life with him under one roof, being with him twenty four-seven, getting to know him deeper," Baekhyun says, "and living a new life with just the two of us."
"What is your decision?"
Baekhyun shakes his head. "I still don't know yet."
"I'm surprised... that you haven't made up your mind yet."
"That is because I am thinking about you," Baekhyun answers, and he looks at Sehun in the eyes, "I'm thinking about the life I have with you... and the memories we shared in our apartment. I spent my years in Seoul with you, and I just can't throw that away... I can't leave you like that, Sehun."
Sehun doesn't know if it's starting to rain, or his eyes are just starting to blur because of upcoming tears.
"Chanyeol-sunbae gave me time to think about it, and I wanted to let you know that I haven't made my decision yet."
Baekhyun starts to swing again.
"Why?" Sehun asks, "What makes it hard to decide when you know to yourself that you love Chanyeol so much?"
"Because of you," Baekhyun says, "No matter where I went, and whoever I was with, I will always come home to you..."
Sehun releases the breath he has been holding.
"Do you love me, Baekhyun?"
Baekhyun turns to look at him.
"Of course, I love you."
"But you don't love me like how I feel about you," Sehun mutters, "right?"
"Sehun, don't say that..."
"Do you even know that I have feelings for you?"
Silence.
And Baekhyun slowly nods as he looks down on the ground.
"I know..."
Sehun is not even surprised.
"So you knew," Sehun says bitterly. "All this time?"
Baekhyun nods again.
"I want you to stay, and I always want you to choose me," Sehun says, and he doesn't notice he's already shedding tears. "But, no matter... how much you love me... I know it isn't enough... So I want you to be happy."
"But I haven't made my decision yet... Why are you already saying that? Are you pushing me away?"
"No. I'm just saying it so that it won't hurt as much," Sehun says, "Because in the end... I know that you still can't be with me..."
Baekhyun is left quiet when Sehun said those words. He stands up from his swing and goes to Sehun who had stopped swinging since he told him that. He notices Sehun is just restraining himself to burst out into tears.
"The one who saved you that night," Sehun starts, and he's been dying to tell Baekhyun about it. "When you almost got raped..."
"What... about it?"
"It was me who saved you."
Baekhyun's eyes widen in surprise.
"Since you got that job, I couldn't stay put so I had to secretly follow you around," Sehun says, "Like a fucking stalker."
He lets out another bitter laugh.
"If some guys tried to hit on you on that bar, I would put laxatives on their drinks."
That makes Baekhyun chuckle all of a sudden. "I-I can't believe you did that..."
"I'd do anything for you, in case you didn't know."
"Thank you for everything. I owe you my life again."
Sehun wipes the tears with the back of his hand.
"It's your birthday... and yet I decided to make you cry," Baekhyun says. He squats down in front of Sehun and looks up at his face. "Hey, I'm not saying that I'm gonna leave you already so don't be sad."
"Baekhyun," Sehun mutters, "I know you too well, you're still gonna leave so don't get my hopes up. You can't even love me back."
"But I don't have my answer yet."
"Then don't fucking answer."
"I still have more time to think about it though," Baekhyun says. He peeks at his phone and still, as expected, Chanyeol never calls him. "Let's not ruin your birthday."
"You already ruined it."
"Tell me, how can I make up to you," Baekhyun mutters as he stands from squatting position. Sehun cants his head up to look at Baekhyun who rests his arms on top his shoulders.
Baekhyun leans in.
He is too close. Fuck. Sehun looks away, blushing.
"D-don't do it, I'm warning you. Whatever you are thinking right now just---"
Baekhyun gives him a quick peck on the left cheek.
"--don't do it."
And another kiss on the right cheek.
Baekhyun smiles.
A complete silence.
Sehun stares right into Baekhyun's eyes as he suddenly grabs his hand, pulling him closer.
"Sehun---"
He kisses Baekhyun on the lips, making Baekhyun frozen on his spot.
Both are unaware of someone standing behind them, witnessing the two of them kiss.
*
To be continued.