Title: Of Dentists and Chocolates
Pairing: Chanyeol/Baekhyun
Rating: PG
Genre: Fluff

Summary: Baekhyun is afraid of dentists. He calls Chanyeol Mister.

(A/N: This is for you Alliah who's always supporting me and giving me all the ChanBaek love in the world. You're one of my favorite readers, and I hope you'll like this tiny work!

To all my beloved CHANBAEK shippers out there, enjoy reading!)

*

"Say ahh."

"Aah."

"Wider."

"AAHH."

"Wider, Baekhyun."

"AAAAHHHH."

"Very good."

Chanyeol hums, nodding his head up and down as he fixes his eyeglasses perched on top of his nose. Clicking his tongue, he points an index finger inside Baekhyun's mouth, just above Baekhyun's cavitied molar.

"Tsk, tsk,tsk." Chanyeol shakes his head for a dramatic emphasis that has Baekhyun widening his glassy eyes worriedly. The tall male places a comforting hand on top of the boy's small shoulder.

"Baekhyun, we need to go to the dentist right away."

"D-dentist?"

"Yes. We need to get rid of that tooth immediately."

"But I don"t want to go to the dentist."

Sighing, Chanyeol crosses his arms over his chest like he's of authority. Eyes rounding in fear as images of a man dressed in white flashes in his mind, Baekhyun furrows his eyebrows, distancing himself away from Chanyeol when the man reaches out to him.

"No!" Baekhyun sobs, burying his flushed face into his small hands and shaking his head left to right. "I don't want to go to the dentist!"

"But--"

"No, Mr. Chanyeol! I'm afraid of the dentist!"

"Baekhyun," with a gentle voice, Chanyeol says, smiling. "Do you want to eat chocolates again or not?"

Peeking slightly behind his trembling hands, Baekhyun looks up to the man, his eyes puffy. "Ch-chocolates?"

Chanyeol nods. "Yes. Just like your favorite."

Baekhyun lets his guards down for a while as he shifts on the couch anxiously, contemplating whether to believe Chanyeol or not. Chocolates, sweet and yummy chocolates filling his mouth and sending him tingling sensations after the first bite. He definitely wants to feel it again, taste it, but the thoughts of the scary man in white holding pliers in his hand forcing Baekhyun's mouth open has Baekhyun shaking his head again. He securely hugs his knees close to his chest, curling up into a ball.

"No! I hate dentists! They're scary people!"

"Baekhyun, dentists aren't scary. They're our friends and they take care of our teeth." Chanyeol tenderly brushes away Baekhyun's sweaty fringe that falls through his sparkly eyes. "Look at my teeth." He grins widely, showcasing his pearly whites. "They're pretty, right?"

"Y-yes, but," Baekhyun pouts. "But you're lying to me, Mr. Chanyeol!" Baekhyun blurts out, peeking slightly above his arms to reveal crying eyes, making Chanyeol's heart clench in an endearing way. "Mr. Kris said they are monsters! They will pull your teeth out until there is blood! And it really really hurts and you will cry but the dentists will only laugh at you because they are very scary.. and bad," he looks away, sniffing his nose. "I'm not going to the dentist."

Chanyeol mentally curses Kris for scaring the shit out of Baekhyun, thinking about strangling him to death. Sitting on the couch next to the weeping boy, he sighs quietly and holds Baekhyun's chin up with his index finger and thumb.

"Baekhyun, look at me," Chanyeol mutters, tilting Baekhyun's face slightly to look directly at his sad eyes. "You want your toothache to go away, right?"

Baekhyun nods, lower lip caught between his small teeth.

"Right. So the first step to make Baekhyun's toothache go away," he squeezes Baekhyun's cheek softly, earning a quiet whimper from the boy. "is to go to the dentist."

"But, Mr. Chanyeol--"

"You won't cry at night when your tooth aches. And oh, you can speak properly too, without holding your cheek," Chanyeol says assuringly. "And you can eat looots and looots of chocolates that I will buy you."

Baekhyun blinks.

"Really?"

"Of course! Now, how's that sound?"

"Well.." Baekhyun mumbles under his breath as he plays with the sleeve of Chanyeol's white sweater. "Let me think about it for a while.. Can I?"

"Sure, yes, yes. Of course, you can do that," Chanyeol replies, patting Baekhyun's crown of fluffy hair as he stands up. He can see Baekhyun thinking hard to himself, eyebrows scrunched in concentration as he whispers to himself to go to the scary dentist, or not to go to the scary dentist under his breath. Chanyeol chuckles.

"Just wait here, okay? I have to make a phone call."

"Mkay.." Baekhyun answers, eyes now trailed on the TV screen displaying a toothpaste commercial.

"I'll get back to you after a second."
Glancing back for the last time, Chanyeol traipsies to the kitchen, holding his phone right next to his cheek sandwiched against his shoulder. He picks up a drinking glass from the cupboard as he pours fresh orange juice in it, waiting for his friend to pick up.

[Hey, dude! What's up?]

"What the hell?" Chanyeol half shouts, half whispers. "Why did you tell him that!?"

[What?]

Chanyeol groans, dragging a palm across his face. He takes off his glasses and suspends it on the pockets of his shirt while wondering why is he even friends with this idiot giant creature, excluding himself of course. He makes a mental note to reevaluate his peer choices.

"Don't 'what' me, Kris."

[Wait. Tell what to whom!?]

"To Baekhyun! Listen, you're banned from entering my apartment from now on."

[But why?]

"You're always messing up with Baekhyun. Thanks to you, he won't go to the dentist because an asshole just told him dentists are freaking monsters and all that shit."

Kris heartily chuckles, and Chanyeol wants to run next door and punch him on the face.

[I'm not messing up with him, Chanyeol. You know I like Baekhyun, there's no way I'm going to do that. I'm just kidding, alright?]

A moment of silence before Chanyeol is talking again.

"Well, Kris. It's not very funny. I'm hanging up."

[Wai--]

Chanyeol ends the call with a hand on his forehead. Sighing, he stares at the glass of juice left unattended and decides to take a sip of it. Grimacing, he spits some of the liquid when the orange flavor spreads throughout his tastebuds.

It's very sour.

"Shit!" Chanyeol coughs, then he grabs a glass of water nearby, gulping it down to his throat.

"Mr. Chanyeol?"

Chanyeol turns his head towards the voice and he can see Baekhyun's little head slightly peeking behind the cream walls of the kitchen with wide curious eyes.

"Uhm, are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. Yes. I'm fine." Chanyeol soothes his chest with his hand. Straightening up, he smiles at a worried Baekhyun and wears again his eyeglasses to get a clearer view of his sight. "Don't mind me, I'm okay."

"Oh, okay," Baekhyun answers. He then reveals himself from hiding behind the wall as he walks in front of Chanyeol. He is looking at the tiled floor, toes curling shyly inside his shoes while fiddling with his tangled fingers.

Chanyeol can see Baekhyun's shirt that is too big for him falling off from his shoulder blades. Frowning, Baekhyun tries to put it back again but it won't work, the material is still sliding down his narrow shoulders dispalying his collarbones. Chanyeol laughs.

"Come here," Chanyeol hollers in between laughs, biting his lower lip that he wants to pinch the cuteness out of the boy. "Let's fix that big shirt of yours."

Baekhyun walks towards the tall male, trying his best not to trip wearing a big pair of rubber shoes and looking like a cartoon character with big feet and a tiny body. He flails his arms in the air losing his balance, but Chanyeol's steady arms are quick to catch his petite body before he falls face first to the ground.

"Got you."

"Sorry.." Baekhyun apologizes, standing up to his feet again as he giggles. "I'm so clumsy."

"Yes you are. And whose permission is it for you to wear my clothes?" Chanyeol asks in mock anger, pulling Baekhyun's shirt away from the boy's body so that it is fitted temporarily. "And my shoes?"

"Uhm," Baekhyun looks away, embarrassed. "No one."

"Hmm, let's see." Chanyeol taps his chin, giving Baekhyun a once over. "It doesn't look that bad, though. Please turn around."

Nodding, Baekhyun spreads his arms as he turns around, his shirt hanging just above his knees is moving with him as he rotates in the middle of the room. The sqeaking of the rubber can be heard in time with his movements.

"Mr. Chanyeol, do I look like you now?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm wearing your clothes so that I'll look like you," Baekhyun says, grinning ear to ear. "Oh, I need to wear glasses, too!"

Chanyeol laughs. "But your eyesight is not that bad yet."

"Oh, yeah. You're right," Baekhyun says, scratching his scalp shyly. "Your eyesight is bad that's why you're wearing one, am I right?"

"Yes," Chanyeol answers. "So don't get very near the screen when you're watching TV so that you won't end up like me."

"--and study at night with dim lights on too," Baekhyun adds, still grinning. "Like what you're doing always."

"Right," Chanyeol clears his throat, looking away. "Don't do that."

"You should go to the eye doctor."

"And you should go to the dentist."

Baekhyun frowns, then he mumbles. "Do I... really have to go there, Mr. Chanyeol?"

"Unless you want to suffer from toothaches again," Chanyeol singsongs, smiling teasingly at Baekhyun. "You want that or not?"

"No," Baekhyun says firmly.

"So, do you want to go to the dentist now?"

"Will you hold my hand?" Baekhyun asks, looking up to Chanyeol through his delicate fringe hiding his forehead. Slowly, he stretches his arm in front of Chanyeol, clenching and unclenching his stubby fist in the air. There's a tiny smile forming on the corners of Chanyeol's lips when he extends his arm and puts the four of his fingers inside Baekhyun's hand.

"Of course," Chanyeol replies, squeezing Baekhyun's hand within his warm palm. "I will always hold your hand."

*

Going to the dentist is not that downright terrifying, Baekhyun realizes.

But at first, he was hesitant about sitting on the high dentist chair where a man in white lab coat was waiting for him to climb on. As if for good measure, Baekhyun had taken his time first to look around the clinic, seeing small to big teeth and pink gum posters pasted along the white-painted walls. Baekhyun gulped.

"Baekhyun, are you ready?" the dentist, Mr. Junmyeon, had asked with a friendly smile across his face as he tapped the movable chair with his hand.

Chewing on his lower lip unsurely, Baekhyun turned to look at Chanyeol with his worried eyes, which Chanyeol returned with a calm smile. He got Baekhyun's hand curled into a small fist, and unclenched his trembling fingers one by one.

"Baekhyun, you have nothing to be scared of," Chanyeol spoke, voice peaceful and soothing as he held Baekhyun's hand. "Just like I said, I will always be here with you." He looked up, eyes loving. "And I will hold your hand."

"You won't leave me?"

Chanyeol shook his head, squeezing gently the soft palm within his. "I won't."

"Okay," Baekhyun said firmly, holding a fist against his chest and pumping it twice. "As long as Mr. Chanyeol is with me, I'll be brave!"

"That's right," Chanyeol said, his other hand ruffling Baekhyun's shiny hair. Mr. Junmyeon signaled them to start, so Baekhyun climbed up on the high chair, already opening his mouth as wide as he could.

"Aaaahhh."

"Let's start."

Waiting, Chanyeol eagerly watched how the dentist handled Baekhyun with utmost care as he did his noble job. Baekhyun never cried throughout the process, which Chanyeol might have feared of. In fact, the boy felt sleepy during the pulling out of his tooth. The anesthesia paste lathered on his gums helped a lot, and Chanyeol was very thankful for that. Baekhyun didn't even notice it was done until he's seeing his tooth being pulled out by the pliers (which is not that really scary up close, Baekhyun thought.)

"Here's your lollipop for being well-behaved," Junmyeon had told Baekhyun as soon as he's done with tending Baekhyun's tooth. A wide smile appeared across Baekhyun's lips when he accepted the offered sweet treat.

"Thank you, doctor! You're very kind! Just like Mr. Chanyeol!" Baekhyun exclaimed happily, excited feet springing to the ground as he clutches the lollipop up in the air. "Can I eat this now?"

"Sure, but don't chew the candy okay?"

"Okay!"

Junmyeon chuckled, patting Baekhyun's soft hair under his palm. Thrusting out the candy from his mouth, Baekhyun offered the dentist the lollipop which he already licked, and Junmyeon responded with an amused no thank you, I'm still full. Crossing his arms over his chest, Chanyeol had quietly watched them from the couch where he's sitting crossed-legs. There's a slightly crumpled first page health magazine clutched in his hand.

He was not amused.

And now, he's still not amused.

"Chanyeol? Mr. Park Chanyeol?" the nurse holding a metal clipboard against her chest hollers, making Chanyeol to turn his head towards her direction. The nurse beckons him inside, so Chanyeol stands, following the nurse inside the office up to the dentist's desk.

"Here," the kind dentist says, handing Chanyeol Baekhyun's prescription written in a 1/4 sized paper. "Make sure Baekhyun will take his antibiotics on time, and don't allow him to move much because of the stitch on his gum."

"Yes, doctor. And thank you for taking care of him."

"You're welcome. That's my job," Mr. Junmyeon replies, watching Baekhyun sitting on the waiting area who's impatiently swaying his feet in the air.

"Ah, I have a question, if you don't mind?"

"What is it?"

"You are Baekhyun's...?"

"Ah," Chanyeol chuckles heartily, shaking his head a little to himself. "I'm his guardian."

"Oh, I see," Nodding, Mr. Junmyeon says, still smiling. "Baekhyun is really cute and adorable."

"Yes, he is."

"How I wish I have a person like him in my life to take care of."

Furrowing his eyebrows slightly, Chanyeol clears his throat. There's a fist in front of his mouth as he coughs, giving the dentist a defensive glare.

"Oh, I-- " Junmyeon laughs, waving both hands in front of his chest. "I didn't mean it like that--"

"We're leaving. Thanks again."

Chanyeol storms out of the mini office and pulls an unsuspecting Baekhyun with him outside the clinic. The boy lets himself be tugged by the taller male as he is busy eating his free lollipop. They reach Chanyeol's car after several minutes, Chanyeol closing the door of the vehicle with a loud thud.

"Mr. Chanyeol, do you want to taste--"

"No."

Baekhyun frowns, keeping quiet to himself as he gives his lollipop a tentative lick. Putting the car on drive, Chanyeol watches Baekhyun beside him on the corners of his eyes.

"Throw that away," Chanyeol mutters, drumming his fingers against the stirring wheel. Baekhyun blinks at him, confused.

"Why?"

"I'll buy you something even better."

"But--"

"I'll buy you a Toblerone."

Without another word, Baekhyun quickly throws away the lollipop outside the window in record time. Fixing himself up, he keeps his hands folded neatly on top of his lap as he looks at Chanyeol with his smiling eyes.

"All clear!"

Chanyeol's lips quirk. "That's better."

*

It's eight o'clock in the evening and they've just eaten dinner (fried chicken drumsticks and creamed mixed vegetables) cooked by Chanyeol with the assistance of Baekhyun, his little apprentice. Sitting on the couch while blinking sleepily in front of the TV screen, Baekhyun is just waiting for Chanyeol to finish his kitchen duties for the tall male to tuck him to bed to sleep, but not forgetting to read him a chapter of his favorite story first.

Dingdong. Dingdong.

"I'll go get it!" Sleepiness suddenly going away, Baekhyun loudly tells Chanyeol who's in the kitchen washing the dishes. Chanyeol answers back an okay! before Baekhyun is running towards the door excitedly.

"Hi, Baekhyun," the soothing voice of their kind neighbor reverberates once the door swings open. Baekhyun smiles brightly as he extends the door to the right to open it completely.

"Good evening, Mr. Kyungsoo! Please come in!"

Kyungsoo lets himself inside the cozy apartment with Baekhyun following behind as he silently closes the door.

"How have you been, Mr. Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun asks, standing in front of the man while Kyungsoo makes himself comfortable on the couch.

"Oh," Kyungsoo lightly chuckles, lips forming into an adorable heart shape. "Thank you for asking, I'm good. How about you? I heard you went to the dentist?"

"Yes, I went there with Mr. Chanyeol this morning," Baekhyun says enthusiastically, bouncing on his feet as he hugs his teddy bear. "So that my cavities will be gone!"

"Oh, that's great. Did it hurt?"

"No! I was really brave! It didn't hurt at all! Look." Baekhyun opens his mouth widely for Kyungsoo to peek inside, pointing at his stitched gum. "Mah toof was gone!"

Chuckling, Kyungsoo pats the boy's hair lovingly as he lets his fingers glide against the expanse of Baekhyun's sweaty forehead.

"Where's your uhm, brother?"

"Brother?"

"I mean, Chanyeol."

"Oh," Baekhyun mutters, furrowing his eyebrows in a cute way as he wonders what his neighbor just said. "He's in the kitchen, and Mr. Chanyeol is not my brother."

Titling his head to the right, Kyungsoo asks, interested, "I thought you're brothers? He's taking care of you and sending you to school, right?"

"Yes," Baekhyun replies, squeezing the plump hands of his fluffy brown teddy bear as he looks at the ground. "But he's not my brother.."

"So what is he to you?"

"He's my--" Baekhyun trails off, thinking to himself what is Chanyeol to him, the Chanyeol who's always cooking his food and preparing his things at school like a mother, giving him support and strength like a father, playing and having fun with him like a brother. "Mr. Chanyeol is my--"

"Your?"

"I-I don't know," Baekhyun mutters under his breath with a dejected frown on his lips. "But he's my family. And I love my family."

"I love my family, too," Kyungsoo says, caressing Barkhyun's smooth cheeks with his thumb in a circular motion. "I can also be your family."

"Really?"

Exiting the kitchen, Chanyeol spots Baekhyun hugging their neighbor on the couch, his nose buried into the crook of Kyungsoo's neck. He doesn't miss Kyungsoo's hand placed comfortably against the small of Baekhyun's back. Looking away and feeling a slight pinch in his heart, Chanyeol heaves a sigh he doesn't know he's been holding. He painfully clenches his eyes shut when their neighbor kisses Baekhyun on the forehead.

"Just call me next door if you need something, okay? I'll always be here for you," Kyungsoo says before he is pulling away. He fishes something out of his pockets and hands it over to Baekhyun which Baekhyun receives with both small palms.

"Here," Kyungsoo says, grinning as he places a tiny bag of cookies on top of Baekhyun's hands. "I made cookies for you." He lifts his eyes, seeing Chanyeol staring at him emotionless. "And for Chanyeol, of course."

"But Mr. Chanyeol hates sweets," Baekhyun mumbles, a little pout forming into his mouth. "He won't eat one, even the chocolates he buys me."

"Oh, I guess you'll be eating those alone then," Kyungsoo says with a shrug. "Or I can eat those cookies with you, if you want."

Chanyeol coughs.

"Time for bed, that's enough," Chanyeol butts in, trying his best to sound nonchalant as possible. "You need to sleep now, Baekhyun. It's already late."

"Does that mean Mr. Kyungsoo will be leaving already?" Baekhyun sadly asks, clutching on the hem of Chanyeol's hoodie and pulling it downwards. "Can we not talk for a little bit longer?"

"No," Chanyeol answers firmly.

"But Mr. Chanyeol--"

"He's right, Baekhyun," Kyungsoo says, already standing up and sraightening his crumpled shorts. "I have to go. There's still school tomorrow, though."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Mr. Kyungsoo!"

"See you tomorrow, Baekhyun, and good night," Kyungsoo says, smiling kindly at the boy that Chanyeol suddenly hates himself for hating their affectionate neighbor who may or may not have a crush on Baekhyun.

"Good night, Chanyeol," he adds, earning a curt nod from the taller. He makes his way to the door, closing it with a light click throughout the silent night.

"Mr. Chanyeol?" Baekhyun calls softly, yawning and stretching his arms up in the air.

"What?"

"Can you carry me to bed? I'm sleepy.."

"Why don't you go to bed by yourself," Chanyeol mutters with a hint of annoyance as he avoids Baekhyun's searching eyes looking through his soul. Chanyeol feels the boy's gaze boring holes into his face.

"You're being grumpy again."

"I'm not."

"But your forehead goes likes this," Baekhyun scrunches his forehead just like how he thinks Chanyeol is wrinkling his forehead, not missing to squint his eyes angrily. "And your nose goes big like this." He enlarges the holes of his nose like a pig. "Just like that."

Chanyeol hides the quick smile forming into his lips with his hand, coughing fakely into his fist. "Oh really? Do I really look ugly like that?"

"You're very ugly only when you're being grumpy," Baekhyun says, smiling teasingly at the man. "But you're very handsome when you're not."

Chanyeol smiles, really smiles widely at that making Baekhyun giggle to himself. He squats in front of the couch where Baekhyun is sitting and hoists him up, carrying the lightweight boy securely in his strong arms. Baekhyun leans his head on top of Chanyeol's shoulder and wraps his arms around the tallers neck, both legs surrounding Chanyeol's torso as he closes his eyes.

"Good night, Mr. Chanyeol.." Baekhyun sleepily mumbles, nuzzling his nose into Chanyeol's fresh-scented shirt.

Smiling to himself, Chanyeol hums, patting Baekhyun's back as he basks in the boy's warmth radiating to his skin.

"Good night."

*

"You took him to the dentist?" Kris asks, slumping himself on a vacant armchair beside Chanyeol. Chanyeol hums, playing his ballpen on top of his pouted lips as he boredly stretches his arms behind his head.

"How did it go?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Just curious." Kris shrugs. "Did he cry?"

"No, he's too old to cry, you know."

"Says the one who treats him like a baby."

Glaring at his friend, Chanyeol throws him a deadpan look. "You know, Kris? Just. Just stop, alright? Get your hands off Baekhyun. He's already--"

"Fine, fine, fine! I'm stopping!" Kris deeply chuckles, shaking his head as he playfully hits Chanyeol on the arm. "Good thing Baekhyun can't see you right now. You're very grumpy as fuck."

"Got a problem with that?"

"Nah. NO. Definitely, no."

"MR. CHANYEOL!!!"

Both males turn their heads to the opened door of their classroom, witnessing a cheerful Baekhyun who's animatedly waving at them. Straightening up to his seat, Chanyeol's eyes widen in subtle surprise as he follows with his sight the skipping boy walking towards his direction.

"Hey, Baekhyun!" Kris greets, holding up his hand for Baekhyun to high-five. Grinning widely, Baekhyun jumps up to his feet to reach Kris' big palm. The taller laughs.

"How are you doing, buddy?"

"I'm good, Mr. Kris!" Baekhyun chimes, his big red backpack is hanging loosely over his shoulders that Chanyeol has to fix it for him not to fall off his back. Peering over his shoulder, Baekhyun stays still for a while until Chanyeol is done adjusting the straps of his bag.

"Why are you here? Don't you have school at this hour?" Chanyeol asks in a sweet voice causing Kris to stifle the laugh bubbling up outside his mouth.

"My teacher was sick so she let us go home early," Baekhyun says in a sad voice, lips curved downward into a frown. "But our house is too far so I just went here to your school.." He looks up to Chanyeol, smiling shyly. "Just to see you, Mr. Chanyeol."

Chanyeol bites the inside of his cheek as he looks at Baekhyun's shining eyes, restraining himself to break into a creepy smile. There is warmth creeping to his chest when Baekhyun leans in close to his face, bumping the tip of his button nose against Chanyeol's pointed ones. Baekhyun moves his head in a sideward motion, tilting his face left to right, left to right for their noses to brush against each other.

Kris clears his throat exaggeratedly. Embarrassed, Chanyeol pulls away.

"Uh, Baekhyun, just wait for me at the park bench outside the school, okay? My class is starting in a minute."

"Okay," Baekhyun answers sadly, clutching his bag straps slung on his back. "You won't take long, right?"

Chanyeol smiles. "I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Running outside the busy room, Baekhyun turns his heel away before waving Chanyeol and Kris goodbye.

"Bye, Mr. Kris!" Baekhyun yells, two hands gesturing in the air. "Bye, Mr. Chanyeol!"

"Bye~" Kris whispers in a tiny mocking voice as soon as Baekhyun is gone. Chanyeol scoffs.

"He's really cute, right? He even calls me Mister."

"That's because you look older than twenty."

"He calls you Mister, too."

"That's because I'm special."

Kris rolls his eyes. "You're abnormal."

*

It's a miracle Chanyeol hasn't passed out yet due to boredom. His professor keeps on talking about The History of French Renaissance he doesn't give two damns about, because all that matters for every single while he's in the four corners of the room, is to already see the boy waiting for him outside the school.

He can clearly imagine Baekhyun, he would be sitting on the very bench alone, sad and patiently waiting for Chanyeol to come. With his round and innocent eyes, Baekhyun would hopefully look around among strangers' faces passing by to check if it's Chanyeol, but would feel disappointed when he sees it's not him, eyes turning downcast as if he's in the verge of crying.

And Chanyeol wouldn't let him have it. Never.

So, as soon as the long hand of the clock finally strikes twelve, Chanyeol is already on his feet travelling outside the room before his professor could even say class dismissed. It takes two long turns on the hallways, a struggle on the univeristy gate, and a run down the wide stairs for him to reach the said park bench, catching for his breath once in a while. Turning his head around to catch a single glimpse of Baekhyun, Chanyeol decelerates his steps as he walks.

A mop of fluffy brown hair coming into his view, Chanyeol smiles, stopping on his tracks.

The afternoon sun illuminates Baekhyun's brown hair together with the crisp air, blowing it gently. Chanyeol heaves a breath, wiping the last of his sweat with the back of his hand as he walks towards where he can see Baekhyun's back facing him. Chanyeol is ready to call his name.

But another head popping beside Baekhyun's head which is too close for Chanyeol's liking has the tall male swallowing his words down his throat, and closing his ears not to hear Baekhyun's beautiful laughs echoing in the air when the person beside him whispers into him, lips barely brushing against the shell of Baekhyun's ear.

Chanyeol didn't expect any of that.

"Baekhyun, I like you."

And neither any of that as well.

Chanyeol watches from a far, cold wind blowing his dark hair and clothes which tries to ease the pang of pain making it's way straight to the insides of his fast beating heart.

"Do you like me, too?"

Chanyeol breathes in, eyes closing as well as his fists by his sides.

"Yes. I like you, too!" Baekhyun says, grinning widely to emphasize his pretty eyesmile which made him even more beautiful in Chanyeol's eyes. But Baekhyun is not looking at him. He's looking at someone else.

"I like you because you're a very kind classmate, Jongin!"

"Well then, can I kiss you?"

"Kiss.. me?"

"Yeah. People kiss when they like each other, right?"

Baekhyun looks at Jongin confusedly, eyebrows scrunching in a manner just like when he didn't understand his assignments, or in a way he wanted to know what will happen next to the story Chanyeol is reading to him every night before sleep. He already knows what a kiss is, or how does it work, but he is wondering if it is okay to give Jongin a kiss, if it is right to have his lips pressed against Jongin's. Because deep in his heart and mind, Baekhyun is aware that there's something he is missing out he doesn't remember what is it.

"Baekhyun, can I kiss you?" Jongin asks not to ask permission, because he is already leaning in close to Baekhyun's face to press his lips against Baekhyun's soft--

"STOP."

Startled, Baekhyun turns his head towards the owner of the deep voice. Pulling away, Jongin sighs, annoyed.

A crunching sound breaks into the air when Chanyeol's foot comes to step on a cluster of dried leaves, walking towards the two boys sitting on the park bench. Baekhyun's eyes are trailed on the taller, but Chanyeol is never having his eyes upon Baekhyun since he announced his existence. He's just looking straight at Baekhyun's classmate who's practically trying his best not to look scared.

"You," Chanyeol mutters in a low voice that has Jongin's spine shuddering. "Fuck off."

"A-a-and w-why s-should I!?"

"Because I'm going to kick your ass if you're still there when I get into you."

Eyes rounding in fear, Jongin quickly grabs his backpack and runs away for dear life. He almost trips to his feet when he passes by in front of Chanyeol, muttering trails of honorifics and apologies under his breath.

"Mr. Chanyeol, why did you do that?" Baekhyun, in an angry tone as he furrows his eyebrows asks, glaring at the taller annoyingly. "You scared Jongin away!"

"What?"

"You made him go away!"

Chanyeol presses his lips into a thin line, massaging his temples as he prevents himself not to shout at Baekhyun and vent all of his pent-up frustrations. Looking away, he slumps his shoulders as he mutters under his breath, "So you like that guy?"

"He's my friend!" Baekhyun blurts out, already standing up as he glares at the man a foot away from him. "And it's your fault if Jongin won't ever talk to me!"

"So you want him to kiss you just like that, Baekhyun? If I haven't arrived, tell me, you want to kiss him too, don't you?"

Baekhyun gapes his mouth a little, eyes quickly averting at the other direction. He can feel something tugging in his heart, and it hurts like it's making him harder to breathe. The look Chanyeol is giving him has him feeling smaller, scrutinized and ashamed, and he doesn't like the feeling of it. It's weird, and at the same time scary when his heart starts to thump faster as Chanyeol walks closer to him.

"Answer me. Do you like him?"

Baekhyun shakes his head, then he is looking down to his blue sneakers, chest constricting as he feels his tears welling up to his eyes.

"A-are you angry with me, Mr. Chanyeol?" Baekhyun asks in a tiny voice, almost inaudible, but Chanyeol still hears him. "I did something bad, didn't I?"

"Yes, I'm angry," Chanyeol says and this time, in a much calmer voice. Still not looking at the boy, he says, "No, you didn't do something bad."

"But why are you angry?" Baekhyun asks, looking up through his eyes covered with his bangs that he managed to swat away with his own hand. "Why are you... getting mad at me?"

Chanyeol swallows the lump in his throat and says, "Because I'm jealous of all those guys getting near you. Because I want you just for myself, and I want you to look at no one else but me. I want to see you always just by my side. Because I--" He breathes, staring directly at Baekhyun's glassy eyes staring back at him. "I love you. I love you so much."

"Mr. Chanyeol.."

"Just like what I'm always telling you every time that you won't even fucking listening to me," Chanyeol says almost out of breath and teeth biting harshly on his lower lip. "How many times do I have to say that you already have someone yet you're still acting like--" He sighs, a hand placed on his forehead. "Like I'm not your-- it has been two years already since we--"

"I-I know, Mr. Chanyeol. I'm sorry," Baekhyun mutters, tears falling one by one onto his pale cheeks. "You know I'm not good at remebering things.. because I--" he sniffs, fist curled into a ball by his sides as he looks at the gound. "I'm not.. that smart like you.." he wipes off the tears that managed to drop to his lips, they're salty. "I'm not that smart for my age."

Slowly, Chanyeol pauses and drops his bag on the grass and unclenches his fist by his sides.

"I'm sorry because I'm hurting you, Mr. Chanyeol.. because I'm like this," Baekhyun says, still crying that has Chanyeol's heart clawing outside his chest. "I wish sometimes I could be a better Baekhyun so that you won't get angry with me anymore. A Baekhyun who will love you like how you love me and will make you happy."

Chanyeol approaches Baekhyun and hugs him right then and there, his hand is behind Baekhyun's head as the shorter buries his flushed face against Chanyeol's broad chest. Tiny arms wrap around Chanyeol's waist, embracing him closer, warmer, safer.

"Hey, baby, don't cry now. Ssshh," Chanyeol hushes, gentle hand soothing along the expanse of Baekhyun's back. "I'm not mad anymore, okay? I don't like it when I see you crying."

Chanyeol pulls away slightly to see Baekhyun's face, wet eyes looking up to him making Chanyeol to quickly wipe the tears off with his soft thumb.

"Stop crying. My heart is aching when you cry. Do you want that?"

Baekhyun shakes his head, rubbing his eyes with his fist. "No."

"You don't need to change, Baekhyun. I love you just the way you are. Always remember that."

Smiling a little, Baekhyun cutely sniffs then he mumbles, "I love you too, Mr. Chanyeol. And I will always remember that."

Tiptoeing, Baekhyun reaches for Chanyeol's shoulder and brushes his lips against the taller for a sweet chaste kiss. Chanyeol is quite taken aback by the action, that he literally steps back when Baekhyun kisses him again after pulling away for a brief second.

"There. So Mr. Chanyeol won't get jealous again," Baekhyun says, the apples of his cheeks are tinted red. "Because a jealous Mr. Chanyeol is scary."

"Oh really?"

Pouting, Baekhyun hums as a yes so Chanyeol then smiles, returning the kiss on Baekhyun's forehead. He closes his eyes shut as well as Baekhyun, soft gentle lips pressed against Baekhyun's forehead for a few seconds before pulling away.

"Come on, let's go home." Chanyeol stretches his arm for Baekhyun to hold on, which Baekhyun gladly accepts, intertwining his slender fingers through the spaces within Chanyeol's hand.

"Will you buy me chocolates again?" Baekhyun happily asks, peeking at Chanyeol's face beside him. "Toblerone?"

"Hmm. Should I do that?"

"Of course! You're my boyfriend, right?"

"Nah. I don't remember," Chanyeol says in a teasing tone, rolling his eyes mockingly. Pouting, Baekhyun punches him on the arm as he stomps his feet to the ground.

"Please, Mr. Chanyeol! Buy me one! Please, please, please, please--"

"Fine! Only if you brush your teeth before going to bed."

"But I'm always brushing my teeth before going to bed!"

Chanyeol chuckles. "Not last night, though."

"But I forgot!"

"That's because you're silly."

"But you, Mr. Chanyeol, is the silliest!"

Chanyeol lifts an eyebrow, lips curving into an amused smile as he looks down at a grinning Baekhyun beside him.

"Well, I guess you're right about that," Chanyeol muses, swaying their linked hands between the space separating them.

"And why is that?"

"Because I fell in love with you."

*

END

(A/N: You've reached this part so you're done reading. I hope you loved it and I didn't know why but my heart was full of feels that I shamelessly cried while writing this. It's just that I really love ChanBaek so much!

And yes, this is also for you who said I only write hot smut! Thank you for reading!)