Baekhyun did not mean to snap at Chanyeol like that. He knows it was too harsh and the mortal is just trying his best, but he could not help it. The story's ending is too much; it brought back so many memories that he had tried his best to forget about and it made intense emotions well up inside him in such a strong magnitude that it rocked his composure and by the time Chanyeol left, he shrunk into himself and cried while in a fetal position in his pillow fort.
The last thing he wants is for Chanyeol to see him breaking down pathetically like this.
"Do not leave me! You promised! You promised me forever! You promised eternity with me!"
"I am sorry, Baekhyun... maybe this just means we are not truly fated to be together. Maybe I just do not deserve you."
"Do not say that, you bastard!"
"I love you, Baekhyun..."
"Do not close your eyes! Do not dare close your eyes!"
"I am sorry Baekhyun... Shine bright for me, please?"
"Damn you!"
"I will meet you... in another life, let us be together."
The emperor feels more tears brimming out of his eyes as sob after sob hits him like a strong wave, driving him into hysterics as he curls up evem more into a fetal position.
That damned fairytale and the fact that Baekhyun sees him in Chanyeol...
☆彡
"Does the emperor still not want to see you?"
Chanyeol huffs, frowning even more as he turns around to face the guard. It has been four of Baekhyun's risings since the last time he saw him and not once did the emperor even go out of his room. Only Sehun and other servants come into his room once in a while to deliver food. He is very worried about Baekhyun's reclusion, but Sehun told him this was nothing new so he should not be so worried.
Chanyeol cannot help it, though.
"I do not even know," he murmurs, looking so dejected as he sighs. "I do not want to be yelled at again. He is scary."
Kyungsoo chuckles as he leans against the rails. "It is interesting to see the emperor actually show some emotions. Before you came, he is nothing more than a mere limp vegetable."
"You are over exaggerating."
"It is true, you know," the guard says. "A lot of things happened to him in the past, and I am afraid no one can tell you about it aside from the emperor himself but do know that ever since your arrival, he has been doing better than the past centuries. We are... we are thankful of your presence."
Chanyeol nods, smiling softly, feeling so empowered by Kyungsoo's sincere little speech.
"I want him to constantly only be happy, Kyungsoo," he says. "Maybe I will just wait for another rising then I will finally approach him."
Kyungsoo reaches out and pats his back, a bit too hard that it pushes the oxygen out of Chanyeol's lungs a bit.
"Goodluck with that. Maybe try and get to sleep with the emperor too."
"Wait what-"
"KYUNGSOO!"
The guard rolls his eyes and looks over his shoulder. Barreling towards their direction is the general, arms crossed and pouting.
"What are you doing being so chummy with the mortal?" Jongin says as he puts an arm over his shoulder.
"Nothing, I am trying to make up his mind about hooking up with the emperor," Kyungsoo deadpans. "And could you get your ugly hands off me? Please, thank you."
Chanyeol only watches the couple banter, completely ignoring his presence. He starts to wonder if the two have some sort of relationship together, and it is confirmed when, to his horror, the general suddenly swipes in for a kiss but ends up with Kyungsoo punching him in the gut and dragging him away.
"Those two have a terrible way of displaying their affection for each other."
Frost seems to crawl up even under the thick robes that Chanyeol dons, and he does not even have to see to know who had arrived to bring such a sudden cold.
"Hello King Minseok, Lord Jongdae," he greets, bowing respectfully towards the Halleyians.
"Well-mannered, no wonder Baekhyun likes you so much," the Halleyian King comments.
Chanyeol feels his face heating up, and he hopes there aren't much glowing dust motes near his face because it would be embarrassing for the others to see how red he is. Why do these people even push him to the emperor? Sure, Baekhyun is very handsome and ethereal but he does not seem like the type to fall for someone like him, as sad as that sounds.
"Baekhyun still likes me more," Jongdae smugly declares.
"You do not make Baekhyun smile, you only push him to the edge of crying because of your teasing," King Minseok chides him, but the other Halleyian does not even look the least bit sorry.
"Where is Baekhyun anyway?" Jongdae wonders. "I thought he would be with you."
Chanyeol scratches his temple. "He kind of does not want to see me right now."
"Oh? What happened the past few risings?"
"I was reading him this story and I made him cry."
Jongdae suddenly jolts forward, face showing his passive aggressive anger. "Why you little-" but before he could even touch Chanyeol, the Halleyian King reaches forward and generates a wall of ice between his companion and the mortal, making Jongdae end up slamming into the hard wall.
"Oww!" the Halleyian cries out as he stumbles back, holding his face. "Hey, that hurts so much! And you!" He waves a hand, making the ice melt then evaporate as he points at Chanyeol. "How dare you make our precious Baekhyun cry?!"
"I am sure he did not mean it Jongdae," Minseok tries to calm him down.
"Oh really now?"
"I was just reading him a fairytale," Chanyeol silently says. "I did not know he would easily cry because the ending is sad..."
"You have to apologize to him immediately," Jongdae says. "He is locking himself up because he probably feels ashamed to see you. Baekhyun is prideful, he does not want other people to see his misery even if it is already so evident."
"Jongdae..." the king murmurs.
"What? It is true."
Chanyeol falls silent as he looks away. He never saw it that way. Baekhyun is an emperor, he probably developed a lot of pride and for someone like him to see him crying...
"Now I feel so guilty."
"Don't listen to Jongdae, he speaks nonsense," Minseok reassures him.
"Honey, I am right here."
"But anyway, I heard you and Baekhyun found a portal," the king says, ignoring his companion. "Why did you not go back to the Terrarian Realm? Why are you still here? Do not get me wrong though, I am just curious. I am not trying to get rid of you or something."
"I understand," Chanyeol nods. "I am still here because I actually have a task."
"Ooh, ooh! What kind of task?" Jongdae wonders, grey eyes bright with curiosity.
Chanyeol is a bit hesitant. Is it okay to tell this people? It does not feel right going around telling everyone what his goal is, but there is nothing wrong about telling them, right? If anything, it could help him.
"Fate has tasked me to bring back the Sun to humanity."
The cheerful expression on the Halleyians' faces immediately melted away into stunned silence, taken aback.
"T-The Sun?" Jongdae stammers. "D-Did I hear that right?"
"Yes," Chanyeol says. "Everyone says it is useless though. The Sun himself does not want to be seen again, but I cannot just give up."
"Ah, they are right," Minseok quickly says. Too quickly. "I am not telling you to give up searching, though. It is just..." He exchanges glances with Jongdae. "...a very hard thing to accomplish."
Chanyeol dips his head. "Ah, I see."
"Sorry, Chanyeol."
"It's okay," he waves his hand. "I will worry about the Sun later. Right now, I need to make Baekhyun talk to me."
"He is a hopeless romantic, do something that makes his heart go badump badump."
Chanyeol blushes again. "Why are you all adamant to pair me up with Baekhyun?"
Jongdae steps forward and grabs Chanyeol by the lapel of his robes. "Look me in the eye and tell me you are not attracted to Baekhyun."
The mortal looks up shyly at Jongdae, eyes flickering to his grey irises before he looks away.
"I'm right, aren't I?" the Halleyian smugly says as he lets go of him. "Anyway, what do you have in mind?"
Chanyeol sighs. This is not part of his plan. So he does like Baekhyun, great, but what difference does that make? Wooing him is just a waste of time because in the end, Chanyeol does not belong here and he is going to leave soon.
"I know that face," Jongdae says. "That is the face of someone not agreeing with us."
"Lord Jongdae–"
"Listen, you don't have to take this seriously," Jongdae says. "You can just do this for the sake of making Baekhyun happy. Maybe for your own happiness too. You can't just always think about your mission. Relax and enjoy your time here."
"Are you psychic?" Chanyeol chuckles. "You seem to know exactly what I'm thinking about."
"Jongdae takes pleasure in his ability to easily read people and manipulate them," Minseok smiles as he places an arm around Jongdae's waist.
"That sounds so threatening."
"I do not manipulate people – I help them, for your information," Jongdae defends himself.
"Well... do you think a picnic in the middle of the garden is romantic enough? I am very inexperienced in this sort of thing..."
"That's romantic enough," Minseok confirms, nodding his head in agreement. "All we need is to get Sehun's permission and we'll be good to go."
Chanyeol does not know what the hell he is doing now, but he is going to do it anyway.