They spent the day happily watching TV together, playing movies both of them have loved since childhood and munching on popcorn. Chanyeol was unbelievably happy sitting beside Baekhyun, especially since he was learning new things about him and seeing new sides of his personality. When Baekhyun allowed his shell to fall away, he was funny and charming and sweet; and he cared for Chanyeol in ways no else ever has. Baekhyun had grown very familiar with Chanyeol's habits and his wants and needs, and it only took him a single day to learn when it took his closest friends months.

When Baekhyun vowed to be better, he meant it, and he dove into his commitment wholeheartedly.

They were sitting on the couch together, watching yet another hour or so long movie when Chanyeol's phone started to ring. Chanyeol glanced at the caller ID, and felt his heart drop when he saw the face and name that lit up his phone screen —- Do Kyungsoo was calling him, and Chanyeol had no idea what he would say.

He glanced at Baekhyun, who was softly smiling and leaning his head on Chanyeol's shoulder; Chanyeol didn't want to break their bubble, but he didn't see any other choice. He had to pop their bubble of peace.

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol softly spoke.

Baekhyun glanced up at him with a soft smile as he replied, "Yeah, Chanyeol, what is it?"

"I think we should talk . . ." Chanyeol replied.

Baekhyun's smile slipped away, and he frowned curiously as he asked, "What is it, Chanyeol?"

"It's about Kyungsoo . . ."

The room was silent for what could have been hours, that the minutes stretched so far apart. Neither one of them breathed; neither one of them spoke. Chanyeol's phone lit up again, Kyungsoo calling once more.

Chanyeol made the mistake of glancing at it, breaking his eye contact with Baekhyun as he reached for it and muttered, "Maybe I should—-"

Chanyeol was cut off by Baekhyun diving forward off the couch, as he lunged at the phone resting on the coffee table. He knocked it onto the floor, and watched as it skidded out of reach before he turned to Chanyeol. His face was panicked and vulnerable —- more vulnerable than Chanyeol's ever seen him —- and his voice cracked as he pleaded, "Don't answer, Chanyeol, please? I'm begging you, I need you here with me, you can't leave."

Chanyeol felt his heart crack and his brow furrowed with conflict as he reached out and gently cupped Baekhyun's cheeks. He caressed his thumb over his cheek before he softly spoke, "Baekhyun, I can't just leave him in the dark. He has a right to know what's going on, I don't want to hurt him."

"But no one can know about us," Baekhyun replied.

"Okay, but he still needs some kind of explanation or excuse . . ." Chanyeol muttered. "I'm going to go see him, and when I get back we can watch another movie. Okay?"

"I don't want you to leave . . ." Baekhyun whispered.

Chanyeol sighed and kissed Baekhyun's forehead. "I won't be gone long, be strong Byun Baekhyun, I'll be back soon. I promise," Chanyeol said as he stood up.

Baekhyun followed him to his feet as he cried, "What if I'm not strong enough? Chanyeol, we've been chipping away pieces of my armor and I'm nearly completely exposed now! I can't deal with beginning exposed to the world on my own, yet! I'm not strong enough!"

Chanyeol pursed his lips and exhaled as he clasped Baekhyun's cheeks, he held him firmly as he replied, "Byun Baekhyun, you are one of the strongest and most difficult hardasses I've ever met, I have confidence that you'll do just fine on your own for a couple of hours."

"Chanyeol, I—-"

Chanyeol quickly cut his words off with a kiss before saying, "You will be fine, I believe in you, Byun Baekhyun. Now I have to go, I'll see you in a few hours." Chanyeol said before turning his back, and going to the front door to put on his coat and shoes before hailing a cab after texting Kyungsoo where to meet.

Chanyeol had picked a coffee shop for his meeting with Kyungsoo, it was public and he didn't think Kyungsoo would be brave enough to make a scene with people surrounding them, or at least that's what Chanyeol hoped. He sat near the window at a small table for two, watching for Kyungsoo's familiar sleek silver Volvo. When he noticed it pull into a parking spot across the street, his breathing hitched and he began to nervously knaw on his bottom lip, as he slowly turned his lukewarm coffee around in his hands.

The small bell over the door chimed with his arrival, and when he noticed Chanyeol sitting beside the window, he smiled and waved before weaving his way to the table. Chanyeol forced a smile of his own, as he prepared to lie through his teeth.

• • •

It was a Sunday, and normally Baekhyun reserved that day solely to himself, but with the departure of Chanyeol came the darkness. It began to creep back in the moment Chanyeol's foot passed over the threshold, and despite Baekhyun's furiously effort to fight it off, it dominated him into submission and urged him to move and he was too beaten to resist.

He dressed in one of his typical black suits, and added a dark blue tie for a touch of color, then he grabbed his car keys and wallet before putting on his coat. He wasn't sure where he was going when he left his house and started his car, he just knew he had to do something rather than sitting around to wait for a man who wasn't guaranteed to return.

The roads weren't too busy as he aimlessly took to the street, and found himself driving into the heart of the city where street after street was lined with businesses and little shops. Baekhyun glanced at the shops as he passed, and smiled to himself when he saw one with a window display of things he knew Chanyeol would like. He pulled into a parking space and went inside, buying what he wanted before leaving once again.

He needed to keep himself busy, so he got into his car and drove. He turned his radio on to block his thoughts, and he melted into the peace it created. When he reached a red stop light, he sighed to himself and glanced out his window, and he felt his heart drop.

"Hey, Kyungsoo," Chanyeol said with a small smile as he slide into the empty chair.

Kyungsoo smiled too and folded his hands together over the table as he asked, "Where were you last night, I thought you would have called me after the business meeting with the boss."

Chanyeol laughed nervousnessly, the business meeting felt so long ago compared to his time with Baekhyun —- that seemed to have no boundaries when it came to time. He twirled his cup around as he said, "Yeah, sorry about that I....I got really drunk so I didn't remember."

Kyungsoo frowned curiously and asked, "They let you drink at the meeting?"

Chanyeol's cheeks flushed nervousnessly and he quickly reiterated, "No, that's not what I meant, sorry. I meant, I went out drinking after the meeting, and had to call a cab to get home, and I woke up today to your second phone call."

Kyungsoo sighed with obvious relief as he laughed and replied, "Okay, that sounds much more appropriate."

Chanyeol laughed too, unable to help himself —- Kyungsoo was too easy to be with, even if he was lying to him.

Kyungsoo smiled and reached across the table as he wound his fingers around Chanyeol's hand as he asked, "Would you like to go out later today? Or maybe this can count as our date? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever . . ." Kyungsoo admitted sheepishly with a small blush.

Chanyeol smiled nervously in response and nervously asked, "Can we do that another day? I'm still kinda fuzzy from yesterday . . ."

Kyungsoo nodded with a small smile and stood up, he leaned in to kiss Chanyeol's cheek and whispered, "That's okay, and I'll be right back, I'm going to get a coffee."

Chanyeol gulped and felt his cheeks flush as he chokedly replied, "O–oh okay, I–I'll be here."

Kyungsoo gave him a flirtatious smile in response before walking up to the counter to order his coffee. Chanyeol watched him as he stood in line, his breathing ragged and his cheeks a scarlet mess. He had come here to think of a way to easily tell Kyungsoo he couldn't continue their relationship, and instead somehow found himself roped into a date. He sighed and dropped his head into his hands, needing a way to escape his curtain situation, when from outside he heard the most god awful screeching sound.

He cringed against the sound as he instinctively glanced up, only for his jaw to drop at the sight that greeted him. He looked up just in time for another car to smash into the back end of another vehicle, sending the car they hit forward into the oncoming traffic. Chanyeol gasped as car brakes squealed and metal smashed into metal. He had never seen an accident first hand before, and by the looks of the one he just experienced, the victims of the crash would be very lucky to be alive.

Word count: 1,573

~ 🌸 ~

A/N: I literally wrote this in an hour. 😅

Sorry to leave you guys hanging . . . Don't be mad! 😭 Because I . . .

Love from,
BunnyBaekkiee ❤️

⬆️ . . . heart you guys! 😊🤗☹️😭💓💓