Flashback, 2008

Freshman Year of High School

(16)

It's the month of July.

As the weather gets hotter, classrooms have their air conditioners turned on to help students cope with the heat. But as for Baekhyun, the cool air only makes him sleepier during class. He's been fighting the urge to close his eyes and nod off while their homeroom teacher speaks in front of them.

"Listen, everyone. The class representative will distribute the parent consent forms for the upcoming school trip. Make sure to have your parents' signature before you submit the forms due on Friday."

Now that the midterm exams are over, the school is organizing outdoor activities and field trips to provide a break from their academic routine. Freshmen students are encouraged to participate in this year's activity which is visiting a strawberry farm and camping.

Baekhyun smiles. So he's right about it. He overheard teachers in the faculty lounge talking about the school trip once. Chanyeol trusted him a hundred percent that he already bought a camping bag even before the details were revealed.

"I wonder if it was already announced to their class... Chanyeol must be so happy."

As for his friendship with Chanyeol, Baekhyun can say that they are growing a lot closer. He feels a drastic change in his mundane routine. He and Chanyeol hung out more frequently this past month. Waking home after class and riding the bus every day, studying in the library, playing games on the weekends, eating snacks at the park, accompanying each other during breaks, and texting every night. Everything with Chanyeol was fun and enjoyable. There wasn't a single day when they weren't meeting up and texting each other.

What were they talking about? Nothing in particular. They would just chat about random stuff such as the food they ate, the games they played, the TV program they watched, the puppies they found cute, the sweets they wanted to try out, or the things their family did. They were texting when they weren't together. They were off their phones when they were with each other.

Indeed, Chanyeol's company brings sunshine to Baekhyun's life. Chanyeol's presence is his happy pill. When he's with Chanyeol, he forgets all his worries, immersed in their own world. So, although Baekhyun may not say it out loud, he already treats Chanyeol as his best friend.

Does Chanyeol feel the same way? Does he think of him as his best friend, too?

But Chanyeol has a lot of friends. So probably, Chanyeol only thinks of him as one of his buddies. And maybe, that thought hurts Baekhyun a little.

He was just happy a moment ago, but now he suddenly feels sad.

You're not that special. He treats all his friends equally.

That thought comes across Baekhyun's mind as he observes Chanyeol from the window of their classroom. On the field, Chanyeol is playing soccer with his classmates and it's obvious how much fun he's having right now. He is smiling so bright it could beat the sun.

"I wish we were together in the same class," Baekhyun exhales, "I'm jealous of those kids."

"What's with the long face?" Jongdae asks, noticing his friend's somber aura. He traces Baekhyun's line of sight. "Oh, isn't that Class 2 playing soccer?"

"Jongdae, you shouldn't have introduced Chanyeol to me."

"Why? Did you guys fight?"

"Now I want him all for myself."

Hearing that makes Jongdae burst into a chuckle.

"You guys do think alike."

"We think alike?"

Interrupting them, Taemin comes over and slings both his arms on his friends' shoulders.

"Hey. What were you guys whispering about?"

"Baekhyun here is saying he wants Chanyeol all for himself," Jongdae laughs and flicks his thumb to Baekhyun. "How ambitious."

"Now my friend, this is the thing when you choose to hang out with the popular ones."

"Is he really that popular?" Baekhyun asks Taemin, "I haven't really noticed..."

"I heard a lot of girls in our year have a crush on him. They'd even put love letters in his locker," Taemin says. "I saw Chanyeol with a girl once. He definitely has a girlfriend."

"He has a girlfriend?" Baekhyun asks.

"Why? Does it seem impossible?" Jongdae says, "With a face and a personality like his, it's just normal to have one. Right, Taemin?"

"Yeah. I doubt he's still a virgin..."

"Ssh! Don't say stuff like that in front of Baekhyun."

"I'm just stating the possibility."

"Still, you shouldn't assume stuff like that. It's a personal matter."

"I know. But Chanyeol never talks about girls, does he? He's the secretive type."

Ah, why didn't I think of that? Baekhyun tells himself, feeling defeated for some reason.

Of course, I'm not the only person he's hanging out with. Chanyeol has lots of friends around him, too. To think I even thought I was the closest to him, yet I don't even know much about him.

He even has a girlfriend...

How pathetic of me to assume I was someone special.

"Hey, why are you so quiet today?"

This afternoon is oddly different from yesterday. The sun is nowhere to be found, hidden behind those thick, dark clouds. It looks like it's about to rain soon, so Chanyeol prepares his umbrella right away as he walks with Baekhyun who is strangely not being talkative. Class is finished so they're now going home together as usual.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Did I do something that might've upset you?"

Baekhyun shakes his head quietly.

Chanyeol, still unconvinced, rummages through his bag and fetches something. Finding his Nintendo, he hands it to Baekhyun casually.

"Here. You wanna play with this, right?"

Baekhyun prevents himself from grabbing the game console and taking it home. How does Chanyeol know his weakness?

"Seriously, you're gonna bribe me with a Nintendo?" Baekhyun does his best for it to sound sarcastic, "You really know how to get me, don't you?"

"So, do you want it or not?"

"Of course, I want it."

Baekhyun snatches the Nintendo anyway and powers it on, making Chanyeol laugh. Chanyeol opens the umbrella when it begins to drizzle, and closes it again the moment they reach the pastry shop. Baekhyun waits by the table outside playing the Nintendo while Chanyeol enters the store, getting the bread that's been popular these days. He also buys them a couple of drinks. Chocolate milk for Baekhyun and coffee latte for himself.

Once Chanyeol is back outside, Baekhyun is no longer playing games. He's just staring at the rain which is falling harder than earlier.

"Hey, Chanyeol."

"Yeah?"

Chanyeol takes a bite of his bread while it's still hot.

"Why are you hanging out with me instead of your girlfriend?"

He spits it out and coughs. It burns his tongue.

"W-what?"

Baekhyun turns to look him in the eyes.

"I said, why are you hanging out with me instead of your girlfriend."

"Where did you get that info?"

"Just. You know, from the guys."

"Is this the reason why you're upset?"

"I'm not upset."

Silence lingers for a good minute, the pit-pattering of the rain against the concrete filling the tense air between them. It takes a while before someone decides to speak, and it's Baekhyun again.

"Fine. Nevermind then, if you don't wanna talk about it."

Peeling the packaging, Chanyeol wraps the bread in some tissues and hands it to Baekhyun.

"Careful, it's still hot."

Baekhyun stares at the bread. Then at Chanyeol's face. Then back to the bread. Then back to Chanyeol's face.

He leans closer and bites a small chunk from it like a puppy.

"It tastes sweet."

Chanyeol laughs. "You shouldn't eat from my hand." He takes Baekhyun's hand and transfers the bread into it, "Here. Hold it on your own."

"What's the point of holding it if you're gonna feed me anyway?"

"Have you always been like this, Baekhyun?"

"Like what?"

"Like, you know. Like a spoiled brat. Do you always act this way with anyone?"

"I'm not a spoiled brat. And I don't always act like this with anyone. I'm only like this towards people I'm comfortable with."

"Am I one of those people?"

"What do you think?"

They share another minute of heavy silence before Baekhyun decides to break it once more.

"Why didn't you mention you were seeing someone?"

"It's not that important," Chanyeol finally says. He's not even sure if he should be telling this, "Actually, I'm not interested. I was just being polite."

Baekhyun, the one who's suddenly interested, scoots a little closer.

"What do you mean?"

"I prefer being surrounded with friends more so I ended it right away."

"Oh."

"I didn't tell you because I don't see the point of doing it," Chanyeol explains, "Just like how you don't see the point of holding this bread I'm feeding you right now."

"You said you liked hanging out with friends more. You mean by friends... That includes me, right?"

Baekhyun's voice sounds hopeful as he asks:

"I'm important to you... Right?"

"Would I be here if you weren't?" Chanyeol answers him with another question plus a smile. "To me, you're more important than everybody else."

Baekhyun, as he holds Chanyeol's gaze, finds himself unconsciously smiling as well.

"If you say it like that I might believe you."

"Why are you hesitating?" Chanyeol asks. "Should I just hang out with you exclusively to prove my point?"

"Exclusively?"

"Yeah. Exclusively. Just say the word and I'll do it."

And just like that, the strange feeling in Baekhyun's chest from this morning disappears without a trace.

"You don't want me all for yourself?" Chanyeol asks jokingly. Baekhyun crumples some tissues and throws them at Chanyeol's annoying, smirking face.

"I'm fine with sharing you with your ten other friends, Mr. Congeniality."

"All right, then. If you say so."

"Nah. I take that back. Just be with me only."

Chanyeol smiles. That was cute. He pinches Baekhyun's nose to tease him affectionately.

"You want another bite of the bread?"

"I wanna try yours."

"Mine has tuna filling."

"Is it spicy?"

"Nope."

As the rain fully stops, they continue to venture their way home. Usually, it's Chanyeol who takes Baekhyun to his doorstep but Baekhyun insists he do it this time. They separate on Chanyeol's front gate and Baekhyun gets to keep Chanyeol's umbrella, promising to return it tomorrow.

Chanyeol doesn't allow Baekhyun to just leave with the umbrella alone as he also lends Baekhyun an extra layer of clothing. Baekhyun goes home wearing Chanyeol's coat just in case it gets colder.

The next day, it's sunny again, luckily.

Baekhyun invites his friends from Class 2 to join them for lunch at the cafeteria. There are five of them at the table: Baekhyun, Jongdae, Taemin, Chanyeol, and Minho. Kibum and Jinki left early because of their club responsibilities.

"Have you guys submitted your consent forms for the school trip?" Taemin asks in the middle of their meal. "The teacher said the earliest to turn in their forms would have the nicest rooms. They'd get to choose their groups, too. I was the first one to submit in our class."

"I left mine at home. I asked my Mom to sign it for me but she forgot to give it back," Minho says. "When's the deadline again?"

"It was extended until tomorrow," Jongdae replies. "But if you're late to submit yours, you're gonna be put at the bottom of the list. You might join a different bus, too."

"What, no way! But I wanna ride with you guys!"

"I turned in mine this morning. Jongdae texted me last night so I wouldn't forget it," Baekhyun says proudly. And then he looks at Chanyeol, "How about you?"

Everybody turns to look at Chanyeol, waiting for his reply.

"There's no one at home to sign for me so I haven't submitted mine yet," Chanyeol says, followed by an embarrassed chuckle. "But it's fine if I won't be joining you guys. We're still gonna see each other anyway once you get back."

Chanyeol gains various reactions. Half of his friends look surprised while the other half look devastated. He never paid attention to Baekhyun's reaction so he doesn't know.

"How about your sister? She could sign it," Jongdae says, "Did you tell her?"

"She's busy with a research project so she couldn't come home for a while. And I don't wanna bother her just for a signature."

Everyone turns quiet for a minute. Baekhyun wants to say something to liven up the mood but he doesn't know if it will help so he just keeps his mouth shut, staring at his food.

What if Chanyeol can't make it to the school trip? How about their plans for making a bonfire and swimming in a lake? How about the camping bag Chanyeol bought and the excitement he felt for the school trip? Will they all go to waste?

But more importantly, how about their promise of making new memories together?

"Chanyeol, let me just sign yours! I'll be your Dad!" Minho suggests. "Give me that form and I'll fake your father's signature."

"Hey, that's not allowed, you fool," Taemin says. "By the way, is your Mom's signature easier to copy?"

"You're not actually helping, you two," Jongdae says, "Did your sister perhaps leave her stamp at home? Ask for permission if we could use it."

Staring at his buddies trying to cheer him up, Chanyeol can't help laughing.

"Oh. Maybe a wife can also sign the consent," Minho says, and then he points at Baekhyun innocently nibbling on his kimchi. "As long as it's family, right? We've got nothing to worry about anymore."

"Right. Problem solved. We have Baekhyun right here," Taemin says. "Baekhyun, get a pen."

"Huh? And what does that have to do with me?" Baekhyun asks.

"Aren't you two already married? You guys always stick together," Jongdae says, using his chopsticks to point at Chanyeol and Baekhyun slurping their soups in sync in front of him, "You might as well just live under one roof."

"Kiss each other. Kiss each other!" The other two chant as if nobody could hear them. "Live together! Live together!"

Laughing with the guys, Baekhyun sneaks a glance at Chanyeol who's all quiet and simply smiling beside him.

"Alright, then. I'm signing it!" He exclaims, going along with the joke. "As long as my husband can go on the school trip, I'm willing to do anything."

The boys cheer like wild animals, hooting and yelling. They are starting to gain the attention of the other students.

"Pfft. You all heard that!?"

"Yo, what is this? Hahahaha!"

"Aww, what a thoughtful wife~"

To prevent a smile from coming out weirdly, Chanyeol just shakes his head, bites his bottom lip, and drinks his water.

"Ohhh? Look at this bastard's face?" Jongdae teases, laughing altogether with the boys, having a great time poking fun at Chanyeol's unexpected reaction. "Did you guys see that smile?"

"Right? So I'm not the only one who saw that expression just now," Minho says, "This guy. You like it that much, huh? You want Baekhyun as your wife?"

"Will you shut the fuck up?" Chanyeol says, hiding how flustered he is being the center of attention right now. "Stop it, you jerks."

"Hahaha. Chanyeol just swore, he must be embarrassed!" Taemin blurts out as he laughs. "Ah, seriously. I never knew you have this side of you."

"Just ignore them. They're saying a bunch of stupid nonsense," Chanyeol whispers to Baekhyun next to him. Oblivious to the side-eye Jongdae is giving him, he feeds Baekhyun the mini sausages he saved beside his plate.

"What, it's fine. It's hilarious," Baekhyun says, giggling under his breath. "They're all idiots."

Chanyeol explodes into a laugh as well.

"Yeah. They sure are."

Noticing Baekhyun's empty cup of water, Chanyeol's attentive self refills it by pouring the water in his cup into Baekhyun's. Baekhyun, without a thought, drinks it, as he talks about how his Mother nagged at him yesterday for forgetting his umbrella. The weather forecast said it was gonna rain but he was too stubborn to bring one.

"So Chanyeol lent me his umbrella yesterday and he also offered me his coat," Baekhyun tells the group, handing the paper bag to Chanyeol where he put all of Chanyeol's belongings. "Thanks. I got home dry and safe."

"No biggie," Chanyeol replies with a smile. He peeks inside the paper bag and sees something round, "Oh, I think I saw a candy."

"It's a Bonbon."

"Nice! Does it have jelly filling inside?"

"Uh-huh. It's a limited flavor. They don't sell it anywhere."

"You also said that about the frozen yogurt last time..."

"Trust me. It's for real now. You wanna try it? I'll unwrap it for you."

"Okay."

Watching the two, the rest of the boys collectively accepted the fact that they suddenly turned invisible just now. It has become a silent agreement that nobody dares to meddle whenever Chanyeol and Baekhyun enter their bubble, trapped in their own little world.

*

It's the day of the school trip and Chanyeol is nowhere to be found.

"Have you tried calling him again?"

"Yeah, but he's not picking up."

Baekhyun is biting his fingernail anxiously, waiting for the change in Jongdae's expression as Jongdae tries to call Chanyeol one more time. Seated next to each other, Baekhyun and Jongdae are paired up together in the seating arrangement for the school trip. Their classmates have already boarded the bus and they are just waiting for the homeroom teacher's go signal before the entirety of Class 7 can leave the school premises.

Other freshmen classes are already headed to the strawberry farm, while some are still waiting in school, including Baekhyun's class.

Reading their group chat, Baekhyun sees the texts from his friends in Class 2. Jinki says that their class is already complete except for Chanyeol and that they have already left the school five minutes ago. Their teacher said that they couldn't wait for Chanyeol anymore because they had to follow the schedule.

Minho, who was put on the same bus with Taemin, sends a photo of the expressway. Kibum, on the other hand, is sitting beside a teacher so he doesn't know what's happening.

"Is everybody here already?"

"Yes, Mrs. Yoon!"

"Okay, we're ready to go."

Mrs. Yoon, Baekhyun's homeroom teacher, finally gets on the bus. She speaks into the megaphone, announcing their departure. All are tasked to stay in their respective seats while the whole class sings a country song. The bus sets off calmly on the road, opposite to Baekhyun's heart sinking into the pits of his stomach.

"Baekhyun, I can't get a hold of Chanyeol. Maybe he's not really coming," Jongdae says. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you the one apologizing?" Baekhyun forces a chuckle. "It's fine. It can't be helped. Something must've happened at home that was why he couldn't join."

"I hope he's okay."

"Yeah. It's making me worried."

Baekhyun deeply sighs, looking outside the window to clear his mind. It's really saddening that Chanyeol couldn't go on the school trip. But what upsets him more is the fact that Chanyeol didn't even give him a heads-up. Is it that hard to send a text? Is it that difficult to answer a phone call? He could've understood whatever Chanyeol's situation is. And now he felt like Chanyeol left him hanging in the air.

But what if something bad really happened? It is that thought that scares and worries him.

With a pair of earphones plugged in, Baekhyun blasts some loud music to block the joyful noise of his classmates. He then falls asleep in no time, his head lolling against the window. He's not in the mood to join the fun anyway so it's better to just doze off until they arrive at their destination.

Jongdae lets Baekhyun sulk in his seat. As the class representative, he stands in the center of the moving bus while he leads the performance, singing a folk song to his classmates cheering for him.

Suddenly, the driver slows down and pulls over under the command of the homeroom teacher who received a phone call. The bustle of the students doesn't stop though, and now they are playing a game called frying pan game. Jongdae is about to return to his spot when he realizes that a new passenger is being accommodated into their bus.

Outside, a very familiar boy gets off a car. A man, who must be his Dad, takes him to the entrance door. The man talks to their teacher and apologizes, before driving off with his car once the bus hits the road again.

Speechless, Jongdae blinks several times, staring at his friend.

"You've got to be kidding me right now, Park Chanyeol. What are you doing here?" Jongdae asks in disbelief. He has so many questions running in his mind. "I thought you weren't coming?"

Placing his camping bag on the floor, Chanyeol offers Jongdae an apologetic smile.

"Okay, so long story short, I went to Seoul yesterday and asked for my Dad's permission to join the trip."

"Yesterday? After the class ended?"

"Yeah. My Dad signed my consent form and then he drove me back here."

"You could've answered your phone and told us that. I've been calling you nonstop."

Chanyeol shows his phone with a black screen.

"I couldn't charge my phone because we left Seoul in a rush. Sorry if I didn't contact you guys."

Jongdae is still in awe as if he couldn't imagine what Chanyeol did in the past 12 hours. Just what the hell is this guy thinking?

"You actually went to Seoul all by yourself? How?"

"I asked for directions. I took the bus, rode the subway, and hailed a cab. By midnight, I arrived at my Dad's company. He was still working in his office when I got there."

"Damn... Why would you go to such lengths?"

"I promised Baekhyun I would go on the school trip with him. I can't leave him alone, Jongdae. I don't want him to be sad."

Jongdae's hard expression is immediately replaced by a soft one. Shaking his head, he just laughs to himself at how insane this idiot friend of his is. But he admits it's endearing, the way Chanyeol is being thoughtful towards Baekhyun right now.

"Why are you riding our bus, by the way? You're supposed to be with your class."

"Our bus is already full so I got transferred to a bus with an extra seat. It happened to be your bus. I was lucky," Chanyeol answers. This feels like an interview suddenly, "Can you let me off the hook now?"

"Baekhyun was so damn worried about you, man. You should explain yourself to him," Jongdae says, taking a seat next to another classmate.

"I know..." Chanyeol points at the empty seat Jongdae vacated. "Can I take a seat next to Baekhyun?"

"Sure."

Baekhyun, who is sound asleep, doesn't even flinch as Chanyeol occupies the seat beside him. Right now, Chanyeol isn't sure whether to wake Baekhyun up or wait for Baekhyun to wake up. Either way, he takes his time watching his friend, feeling excited and giddy about the fact that he and Baekhyun are sitting next to each other. The fond smile on his lips becomes a frown though, when Baekhyun's forehead slides off completely against the window.

"It must be uncomfortable."

Adjusting Baekhyun's sleeping position, Chanyeol carefully moves Baekhyun's head and rests it against his shoulder. He keeps still as to not wake him up. Baekhyun's hair brushes against his cheek yet he pays it no mind as the warmth of Baekhyun's body pressed against his arm makes up for it.

Ah... Now what should I do?

Chanyeol exhales, biting his bottom lip and clenching his fists. He glances at Jongdae who only stares right back at him.

What, Jongdae mouths, Wanna switch seats?

No, I'm good, Chanyeol mutters.

He peeks at Baekhyun whose face is inches close to him. He gently takes out the earphones so Baekhyun can sleep better.

Unconsciously, Baekhyun snuggles into his neck, and Chanyeol tenses.

The teacher seems to be talking to the class, but for a certain reason, he can't hear her voice because something even louder is pounding in his ears.

When Baekhyun stirs in his sleep ten minutes later, he sees a different bag in front of him. He also realizes that he's been dozing off on Jongdae's shoulder which magically becomes higher. Looking up, he is greeted by a different seatmate.

And that seatmate turns out to be Chanyeol.

Narrowing his gaze, Baekhyun rubs his eyes.

Wait. Am I still dreaming?

"Oh, you're awake?"

Chanyeol laughs awkwardly, bearing Baekhyun's heavy stare. Without saying anything, Baekhyun reaches for Chanyeol's face and pinches his cheek hard.

"O-ouch, Baekhyun. That hurts!" Chanyeol cries, having his cheek meld like dough, "Aww--let gooo!"

"Is that really you?" Baekhyun asks, refusing to release Chanyeol as he even uses two hands to stretch Chanyeol's face. "Why are you here?"

Chanyeol explains everything to Baekhyun like what he did to Jongdae. But instead of getting the same reaction as Jongdae, which is a mix of surprise, confusion, and slight annoyance, what he receives from Baekhyun is completely different.

Worry laced with sadness is evident in Baekhyun's eyes as he listens to the whole story, and Chanyeol has never felt this guilty in his life. He expected Baekhyun to get upset. He even thought his friend would curse at him. But Baekhyun never did.

Instead, Baekhyun asks him a question that catches him off guard.

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

"I'm asking if you're okay," Baekhyun firmly says, noting Chanyeol's disheveled appearance. His hair is tousled. There are dark rings under his eyes. His collar is flipped so Baekhyun takes the liberty of fixing it. "You said you went to Seoul all by yourself and then you came straight here. You must be tired."

Staring at Baekhyun's light hand smoothing his clothes, Chanyeol stays speechless. It's embarrassing for him to realize this just now but he hasn't even showered yet. He only washed his face and left in a rush. He hopes he doesn't smell bad.

"Did you eat yet? How about breakfast? Baekhyun asks. "Did you even get any sleep last night?"

Chanyeol has no idea what to reply. The usual I'm fine and Don't worry seems so hard to say, as he can only stare at Baekhyun in silence. But his hesitation ends shortly when Baekhyun opens the zipper of his bag. He catches a glimpse of a wrapped kimbap inside, causing his stomach to grumble shamelessly.

Now that he thinks about it, the last meal he had was the jjajangmyeon he ate with his Dad in the office last night. They were both starving and none of them had the energy to go out for a decent meal.

"I... I'm hungry," Chanyeol honestly says. "And I only slept for like, 2 hours..."

"What the hell? You should take care of yourself properly."

"I'm so sorry for worrying you. I won't do that again."

"As you should."

Baekhyun exhales and shakes his head, feeling disappointed. He expected this to happen. Sure, he might be a little upset, but that feeling has already gone down the drain the moment he heard Chanyeol's story.

"Eat this up and then go to sleep. We still have enough time before we get to the strawberry farm anyway."

Baekhyun breaks the kimbap into bite-size rolls and feeds them to Chanyeol. At first, Chanyeol is unsure whether to take the kimbap in his mouth or not, but he eventually accepted his fate as he is now waiting for the next bite from Baekhyun. He suddenly forgets he has his own functioning hands.

"Is it yummy?"

Chanyeol nods while chewing.

"Grandma made it. I helped her prepare the ingredients."

"Thank you, Grandma."

"You want some water?"

"Yeah."

Jongdae, an innocent bystander, witnesses what's happening on the seat next to him. Why does he always have to be the one to see it? It's either Chanyeol feeds Baekhyun or Baekhyun feeds Chanyeol. Do all friends do that?

"Baekhyun, lend me your shoulder. I'm gonna take a nap."

"But your head is too heavy..."

"Then how about your lap?"

"Won't it be uncomfortable if you sleep like that?"

Nonetheless, these two are in a different case. They've only met practically a month ago and they're already close like they've known each other since birth. They are soulmates.

Jongdae just smiles to himself.

"Tch. These lovebirds."

The gentle tap on his arm from Baekhyun is Chanyeol's signal to wake up. They have arrived at their destination. Before getting off the bus, Mrs. Yoon asks to take pictures with her camera, so even though he just opened his eyes, Chanyeol poses and does a peace sign with Baekhyun.

"Hello, freshmen! Welcome to the Strawberry Paradise!"

The kids step off the bus, sauntering onto the lush grounds of the strawberry farm. They see rows of vibrant green plants with juicy red strawberries that glisten in the morning sun. The sweet aroma fills the air, instantly enticing them.

Their activity for today is to experience strawberry picking. The farmer orients everyone about what to do, teaching them how to carefully pick a strawberry. Carrying a basket excitedly, Baekhyun disperses throughout the farm to start his task. Together with Chanyeol and Jongdae, he gently plucks ripe strawberries and sneakily eats some. He never knew that he'd be enjoying the thrill of filling his basket with lots and lots of his favorite fruit.

After the completion of their activity in the strawberry field, they head to the camping ground wherein the cabins are located. Divided into smaller groups, Chanyeol finds himself walking next to Baekhyun as if he truly belongs there.

The sounds of leaves rustling and the gentle breeze of nature accompany the boys as they set off deeper into the forest. The air is getting cooler while the scent of nature is getting stronger the longer they walk. They pass by tall trees and cross a bridge over a brook. They also encounter a wild rabbit along the way.

Exchanging looks with Chanyeol, Baekhyun shares a huge smile with him, excitement and nervousness filling his heart about the idea of camping with his best friend.

As the path becomes narrower, they finally arrive at the cabins. The wooden houses are scattered around the central clearing with lanterns hanging outside each door. Eagerly, the students enter their assigned cabins, the sight of cozy bunkbeds and blankets welcoming them. The room is spacious enough for six students to share. There is a bathroom, a sink, and a balcony outside.

Fortunately, your seatmate on the bus is going to be your partner on the bunkbed, so that makes Chanyeol and Baekhyun instant roommates. They are grouped with four other students in Class 7 in the room assignments. Meanwhile, Jongdae and their other friends are assigned to the cabins next to theirs.

"I take the bottom!" Baekhyun announces, running to the bed and placing down his stuff to claim his spot right away, "Mine!"

Chanyeol laughs helplessly, shaking his head. The other guys, who are Baekhyun's classmates, are also arguing about who'd get the bottom bunk.

"But I don't wanna sleep on the top. Let's just share the bottom bunk instead."

"I don't mind sharing the same bed with you but are you gonna be okay with my sleeping habit?"

"Is it weird, or?"

"Well, I make puppy noises when I sleep. It's gonna be super annoying."

Chanyeol needs to cover his mouth as he laughs. That's pretty cute, though.

"As long as you don't kick me in the face, I'm fine with everything you do in your sleep."

And so their camping activities began.

They hike on the hill, pitch their tents, swim in the nearby stream, climb trees, and play team-building games organized by the teachers until the afternoon. Gathered around the heartwarming bonfire, they eat their meals and toast marshmallows, sharing unforgettable moments and ghost stories as the moon replaces the sun in the sky.

It's two hours before the curfew. A flashlight accompanies Baekhyun as he opts to stay inside the tent which he and Chanyeol pitched across from their cabin. The night breeze is especially fresh outside so he's making the most out of it. Playing Chanyeol's Nitendo, he's having quite a good time by himself after spending his energy on group activities. Chanyeol said he was taking a shower first and then he'd join him once he is done.

The rustling of bushes behind him startles Baekhyun, pulling his attention out of the game. Crawling out of the tent, he cautiously checks around the campsite for anyone who might be pulling a prank on him. This isn't funny. Ghosts aren't real.

"Hello?"

The weird movement continues, indicating a presence that must be hiding behind the shrubs. The leaves shake oddly, making Baekhyun freeze, his heart thumping nervously. What is this? Should he step back and get inside already?

A strange, creepy noise echoes into the wilderness.

Screaming, Baekhyun turns around, running away in fear. He accidentally bumps into somebody's chest while he is trying to escape. Looking up, a confused Chanyeol greets his gaze.

Chanyeol holds his shoulders to keep him in place.

"What's happening? Why are you running?"

"T-there... There's something in there, I swear to god, Chanyeol!"

With trembling fingers, Baekhyun points at the dark bushes.

"Where? Here?"

Chanyeol dares to get closer as he even touches the leaves.

"No, stay away. It could be dangerous!"

"There's nothing in here, though. You were just imagining things."

Meow.

Both flinch, staring at each other when they hear that inaudible, weak mewl. They wait with bated breath until a calico kitten comes into view. Meow, it cries, as the animal walks slowly towards Baekhyun's direction. Frozen on his spot, Baekhyun can only watch as the poor kitten rubs itself against his leg. Its tiny tail wraps around Baekhyun's wrist, purring when Baekhyun tries to pet its head gently.

"Pfft. It's just a kitten," Baekhyun laughs, carrying it inside his arms. He peeks underneath its soft body, "Oh, it's a she."

"She's so cute. Oh, my god," Chanyeol squeals, feeling his chest swell with pure adoration as he also touches the small cat. He strokes the neck and the kitten leans into his touch, closing her eyes.

This is cuteness overload. Baekhyun with a kitten is a sight to behold.

"I wonder if this calico lives around here. Maybe she got lost," Baekhyun says.

"Should we keep her for tonight?" Chanyeol says.

Meow.

Giggling, Chanyeol takes the kitten from Baekhyun's clasp so he can hold it next. She almost bites his thumb.

"Oh. I think she's hungry."

Inside the tent is where they shelter the kitten temporarily. Baekhyun got a box for her to sleep and a bowl of milk for her to drink. Chanyeol's sweater is her makeshift bed while the flashlight is her source of light. With fondness and smiles on their faces, they watch over her as she licks her paw.

"Can't we take her inside the cabin?" Baekhyun asks. "It's cold out here."

"If the teachers and the other kids find out we're keeping a kitten, they'll take her away," Chanyeol says. "Let's just leave her out here for now. Maybe she has an owner. She'll probably find her way out by herself when the sun rises."

"But what if she's a stray kitten?"

"She has a collar, though. She probably lives around here."

"Oh."

After drinking milk, the kitten walks over to Baekhyun and lays down next to his arm, making Baekhyun's heart melt. Chanyeol grabs this opportunity to take a photo of this beautiful sight. Getting his phone, he snaps a shot while the kitten stays still beside a smiling Baekhyun.

"My brother kept a calico cat before but she got sick and died... She looks so much like her."

"Maybe it's her reincarnation?"

"Haha. Maybe?"

Chanyeol reads the name of the kitten written on its collar.

"So her name's Eri. What a pretty name."

"Eri? That name suits her. It's beautiful just like her tri-color coat. Right?"

Meow~

"Look. She understands!"

"Hello, Eri. My name's Baekhyun. And this is Chanyeol."

"We're your parents."

"Pfft. Parents!?"

Both share a wave of laughter, splayed on their stomachs as they coddle and play with their new-found kitten. As much as Baekhyun wants to take Eri home, he knows that he can't do that. She's still a baby so she needs to be around her owner and her family. Chanyeol says that he will adopt Eri in the future when she grows up into a big cat.

Bidding goodbye to the kitten, they leave Eri in her box inside the unzipped tent. She can sleep here for tonight, and maybe the next morning, she can find her way back to the house where she lives.

Mr. Kim, the PE teacher who's doing rounds, catches Baekhyun entering the cabin with Chanyeol. He thought the boys were trying to escape and wander around, so he reprimands the two and tells them to go back to their beds.

Laughing quietly, Chanyeol carefully slithers through the door to not make a noise. The lights are already turned off and their roommates are long asleep when they get inside. Two guys who didn't want to take the top bunk laid out their sleeping bags on the floor and slept there. Meanwhile, the other two are snoozing in their beds comfortably.

Tiptoeing, Baekhyun takes off his shoes and slips under the covers. Chanyeol follows him, the bed dipping because of his weight. It even creaks amidst the peaceful sound of the night, the steady breathing of their roommates, and the monotonous ticking of the clock.

I think I'm just gonna sleep on the floor. I can't sleep like this! It's too cramped for us.

Wait. Scooch over some more. We'll make this work.

No. You're crushing my arm!

If it's possible to shout while whispering, Baekhyun is doing it already. Chanyeol is taking 3/4 of the bed. This reminds Baekhyun of the time when his brother slept on his bed when his brother's girlfriend used his room. He had no choice but to accommodate his annoying brother.

Try facing the other way and hug this pillow.

Like this?

Yeah, and then I'll hug you instead...

Why would you hug me?

So you won't fall off the bed?

If Chanyeol were to describe what peak comfort is, then it would be this exact moment. Back home, he got a very huge bed with lots of pillows, but he'd still prefer to sleep like this with Baekhyun cuddled right next to him instead. Baekhyun radiates warmth, and that warmth brings calmness to his heart.

But that calmness ends shortly though, when Baekhyun decides to turn around and face him directly. Somehow, it does a weird thing in his chest that he can't put a finger on.

"Hey, Chanyeol."

"What is it?"

Chanyeol blinks multiple times, feeling suddenly aware of the closeness of his and Baekhyun's faces. He tries backing away a bit but Baekhyun pulls a blanket over their heads, trapping them inside for suspense.

"Let's talk about ghosts," Baekhyun whispers, his eyes glinting amidst the pitch dark, his breath fanning across Chanyeol's lips, "What would you do if you saw a ghost?"

Chanyeol adjusts his head on the pillow so that he's at level with Baekhyun's line of sight. They are both hiding under the blanket like a cocoon.

"Ghosts aren't real, silly."

"No, but what if they're real? Remember what Mr. Kim said?"

"Yeah? What did he say?"

"He said that there's a ghost living in our cabin. Someone died here 16 years ago."

"Damn. That's creepy."

"Are you afraid of ghosts?"

"Not really. How about you?"

"It depends. If it's my Grandpa's ghost, I don't think I'll be scared."

"If the ghost is as pretty as you, I don't think I'll be scared, either."

"You think I'm pretty?"

"Yeah. You're like, the prettiest guy I've ever met."

"Then think again. I'm nowhere near pretty. I'd rather be called handsome."

"My bad. You're handsome. That's what I wanna say."

"Thanks. You, too."

Chanyeol laughs. Snuggling closer, he swats a stray hair covering Baekhyun's eyes as he looks at him adoringly.

"Baekhyun, I don't wanna look outside the blanket right now. You never know. A ghost might be watching us already."

"Right? What if it's hanging on the ceiling?"

"What if it's lurking under the bed?"

"What if it's standing in the corner?"

"What if it's breathing next to you?"

"Shit. I'm feeling goosebumps at the back of my neck! The air behind me just turned cold."

"That's strange. I feel pretty hot."

Baekhyun presses his palm against Chanyeol's forehead to feel his temperature.

"Do you have a fever?"

"No. But my cheeks are kinda warm right now." Getting Baekhyun's both hands, Chanyeol lets Baekhyun cup his flushed face which is as red as the strawberries they picked this morning. "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah. It's like you're burning my hands."

"Do you hear it, too?"

"Hear what?"

"My heart. It's beating so fast. Badump, badump, badump. Just like that."

"That's weird. Why is your heartbeat racing?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's your fault."

"Huh? Why is it my fault?"

"It's because you're... scaring me right now."

Staring into each other's eyes, Chanyeol inches closer until the tip of his nose brushes against Baekhyun's. Baekhyun smiles; Chanyeol smiles back.

Hovering his hand behind Baekhyun, Chanyeol makes a claw with his fingers--and all of a sudden--digs his nails into Baekhyun's thigh.

Chomp!

"Ouch!" Baekhyun jolts like a spring, startled by that biting sensation, "What the hell was that!?"

"Hahahaha! A ghost just bit you!"

"That shocked me!"

Baekhyun knees Chanyeol's tummy, weakly hitting him with the pillow while Chanyeol blocks his attacks with his arms. Once they get tired of fooling around and teasing each other, they fall asleep eventually when midnight strikes the clock.

As the sun rises for an adventurous morning, the first thing they do is check on the kitten they found last night. While the rest of the freshmen students are busy participating in the cooking competition, Baekhyun and Chanyeol are heading to the tent where they kept Eri. To their surprise, she's still there, sleeping and curling into a ball, as though she has been waiting for them to come back.

"Good morning, Eri. Did you wait for us?"

Meow.

"Are you hungry? Wanna eat?"

They can't keep the kitten holed up like this for a long time, so with a heavy heart, Chanyeol decides to seek help from a teacher. Baekhyun says his final goodbyes as he carries the kitten in his arms.

"Oh! Isn't that the farmer's lost kitten? He's been looking for her all night!" Mrs. Yoon says, "Baekhyun, where did you find her? Little kitty looks fine, thank goodness."

"I found her in the bushes last night, Mrs. Yoon. Chanyeol and I took care of Eri."

"Great job, you two. The farmer will be happy to see his pet kitten again."

Grinning ear to ear, Chanyeol feels proud. So Eri lives with the farmer. He's her family.

"Can we take Eri to the farmer's house?" He asks hopefully. "I wanna be the one to return her to her owner, Mrs. Yoon. Please?"

"Oh, it's not that far from here, right?" Baekhyun says. "Chanyeol and I won't take long. We just wanna be with Eri a little longer."

"Just promise to get back immediately, okay? You can ride the truck with Mr. Kim. He's going to the market and he can drop you off there."

"Thank you!"

This is the first time Chanyeol is riding a tractor. Its wheels are terrifyingly big and its engine is raging loud. It's scary at first, but he gets the hang of it quickly. He's starting to appreciate the beauty of the huge strawberry farm, riding this tractor with Baekhyun like they were the main characters in a road trip movie. Baekhyun, on the other hand, looks like he just gave birth to a kitten, as he is holding Eri on his chest like it was his precious child.

"Pfft. Hahaha!"

"Why are you laughing!?" Baekhyun asks in a yell so that his voice can be heard over the booming engine. "Is there something funny?"

"Nothing. The straw hat suits you!"

"Huh? What did you say!?"

Smiling, Chanyeol fixes Baekhyun's straw hat on his head so it won't be blown away by the wind. Sitting across from each other, he shouts back again:

"I said, your hat! It looks good on you!"

"Yeah! My eyes hurt! The dust is killing me!"

"I wanna be your best friend, Baekhyun! Forever!"

"I know right?! I'm gonna miss Eri, too!"

Chanyeol laughs to himself. Baekhyun is a lost cause.

Arriving at the farmer's house, Eri finally reunites with her family. Apparently, she has a mother and three other siblings that look exactly like her. It's a whole Calico family. Seeing Eri playing with the other kittens causes Baekhyun to tear up. He's glad to see Eri happy.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol almost took one kitten and put it in his pocket but he stops himself. He doesn't wanna be accused as a kitten thief. Grateful for their thoughtful gesture, the farmer serves them delicious lunch and gives them plenty of strawberry treats.

On their way back, the tractor driver drops them off at the entrance. While eating their strawberry popsicles, they walk deeper into the woods to reach the cabins. Making sure not to separate from each other, they stay side by side while holding hands, taking their sweet time admiring nature.

Baekhyun picks a random, yellow flower he finds along the way, handing it to Chanyeol as a gift.

"Here, Chanyeol. For you."

Chanyeol grins, taking the flower and tucking it behind his ear. He bats his eyelashes and does a cute pose as if he was a girl.

"Do I look pretty now?"

"No way, you look so much like Yoora noona."

"Oh, come on... I don't look like her!"

"You do!"

"I don't!"

Laughing, Baekhyun lets go of Chanyeol's hand and runs ahead fast, making shoeprints on the mud. Chanyeol notes how different their shoeprints are. His are bigger while Baekhyun's are smaller. He skips next to Baekhyun's shoeprints so that the marks of their steps are etched beside each other.

"Hey, don't run!" Chanyeol yells, cupping his mouth, his voice echoing into the forest as he chases after his friend, "The ground is slippery!"

"But if we don't make it on time, Mrs. Yoon will get mad!"

"Wait for me!"

"Hurry up!"

Because Baekhyun is too excited and stubborn for his own good, he misses a step. Before his head can hit the ground, Chanyeol, who is right behind him, grabs his arm on reflex. They both lose their balance; Baekhyun drops on his back while Chanyeol collapses on top of him. In that very millisecond, Chanyeol manages to put his hand behind Baekhyun's head to protect his skull. In exchange, rocks, thorns, and debris pierce the back of his hand. Blood gushes out from the cut.

By the time he falls on his back, Baekhyun sees his life flashing right before his eyes. Everything happened way too fast. His heartbeat stops. His body turns numb. His face becomes pale as he stares at Chanyeol in absolute shock.

The skies turn dark. Thunders roar. Lightning strikes the clouds. Droplets of water start to fall on the ground.

It's raining.

"A-are you okay?" Chanyeol asks, his voice drowning in the sound of rain. "Let's get out of here!"

Baekhyun tries to get up, and thankfully, nothing probably serious happened to him except for his back. It's throbbing. Must be because of the impact when he fell.

"Y-your hand..." he gasps, noticing the red liquid trickling down Chanyeol's knuckles, "It's bleeding!"

Looking for a place they can take shelter until the rain stops pouring, Chanyeol spots a small cave hidden behind the trees. They make a run for it, although they are already both drenched and soaked from head to toe. Baekhyun, who brought his backpack with him, pulls out his first aid kit and wastes no time. When the bleeding stops, he treats Chanyeol's wound so it won't get infected, putting ointment on the scraped area.

Chanyeol winces. It burns and stings a lot.

Biting his bottom lip, Baekhyun holds back his tears as he puts light pressure on the cut. He wraps the bandage around Chanyeol's wounded hand, careful and tender. He's not even the one who got injured so why does it hurt so much? Seeing Chanyeol suffering from pain?

They sit in thick silence once it's done, the heavy sound of the pit-pattering of the rain and the scent of grass filling the air between them. Reception is terrible so they can't call anyone. Their bodies are tired so they're just yearning to stay still and rest.

And just like that afternoon when it rained outside the pastry shop, just like that morning when they first cleaned the equipment shed, and just like that night when they first studied together.

They don't exchange a single word with each other.

Chanyeol wants to explain that he's fine, but he doesn't wanna lie so he keeps his mouth shut. He also wants to ask if Baekhyun is hurting somewhere, but it seems like Baekhyun doesn't wanna talk so he just stays quiet. He wants to say I'm cold, but he refuses to let it out, so he never says anything.

He just leans closer to Baekhyun and rests his head on Baekhyun's shoulder until he falls asleep.

Moments later, the rain stops pouring, at last. Neither of them has any idea how long exactly they've been stranded but they can tell it's been hours. Getting out of the cave, Chanyeol discovers that Baekhyun is having trouble walking, so he piggybacks him on the way back to their cabin.

By the time they return to the campsite, a whole search and rescue is apparently going on. The teachers, as well as their friends, have been all worried about them. They've disappeared for six hours, but seeing them come back in one piece, everybody feels relieved, especially Mrs. Yoon, a pregnant woman, who almost gave birth during the entire fiasco.

After they were taken to the infirmary for a checkup, their parents back home are contacted. Baekhyun receives a lengthy scolding from his mother. His Grandma even gets mad at the school for not looking after her grandson properly. Baekhyun's Dad is on his way to pick him up if not only for Mr. Kim assuring him that his son is completely okay.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol's phone call only lasts for about two minutes. It's a calm and brief phone call. The summary of the conversation is Chanyeol basically telling his family that he's fine. His injury is nothing serious, so he doesn't need to be admitted to the hospital.

Once Jongdae leaves after seeing their condition, the teacher tells Chanyeol and Baekhyun to eat their meals and get some rest. They'll be sleeping in the infirmary tonight. There are two beds here. It's obviously more comfortable in this room rather than in the cabin, the tent, or the cave.

But to Chanyeol, this place is the coldest.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun says without showing his face. It's the first time he is speaking again after the incident. "It's all my fault."

Hearing Baekhyun apologize breaks his heart. Chanyeol doesn't want this. He doesn't want any of this, seeing Baekhyun sad and hearing him blame himself. He just wants to have fun with Baekhyun and make memories with him. Clearly, this is all his fault, not Baekhyun's. If he hadn't joined the school trip in the first place, none of this would ever happen. His selfishness is the root of everything.

"It was an accident," Chanyeol says. "Don't blame yourself."

"I let go of your hand. You told me not to run and I didn't listen. You hurt yourself because of me."

"I'm fine. It's not like my hand is overly injured. I can still move it."

"Then should you wait for it to get broken?"

"Then what about you? You hurt your back, didn't you? You didn't tell the teacher."

Baekhyun flinches.

"I-it's not that serious. I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"At least it's not as bad as your hand. It's your right hand, for fuck's sake. How are you gonna function with an injured hand? You can't even lift it, you stupid."

Chanyeol stares at his wounded hand. It's starting to throb. It's also beginning to swell, contrary to Baekhyun's hand which has become pale from clenching his fist too hard.

Is he angry? No. Don't be angry. It's not your fault.

"I think we should... stop hanging out for a while," Baekhyun says, shocking Chanyeol.

"What?"

"You should focus on getting your hand better. Being around me will only make it worse."

"What are you saying? I don't understand."

"After this trip, let's keep our distance from each other."

"Does this mean... you don't wanna be friends with me anymore?"

"Yeah. I don't wanna be your friend anymore."

Chanyeol is holding himself back from crying but there are already tears building up on the corners of his eyes. In no time, they're already rolling down his cheeks so he quickly wipes his tears with his arm. He doesn't wanna cry, not right now, but Baekhyun saying these painful words makes it extremely impossible.

"After all this time, you're saying that to me? Come on... Don't push me away."

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun says again. "It's all my fault."

"I told you, it's not a big deal. Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know. I just don't wanna see you like this!"

"Tell me you don't mean it."

"I mean it."

"Baekhyun."

"I'm doing this for you so you won't get hurt again."

"You're hurting me even more, you know that? You're... breaking my heart right now."

Baekhyun doesn't answer. He can't even look into Chanyeol's eyes, his heart filled with guilt and pain, and all kinds of emotions he can't explain.

"Fine," Chanyeol mutters. "If that's what you want, I won't force you."

And just like that, their bittersweet two-day-and-one-night school trip comes to an end.

Chanyeol rides a different bus on their way home; Baekhyun sits next to Jongdae who thankfully didn't ask any questions about the incident last night. Although Baekhyun tries to act normal with him, Jongdae knows deep down that something must've happened between his two friends during the trip.

The next week comes with a gloomy atmosphere despite the weather being nice and sunny. Baekhyun is trying his hardest to avoid Chanyeol at all costs. He is the one who established this so he must stay true to his words.

On Monday, he refuses to have lunch with his friends, lying about doing an errand for the teacher. He asks Taemin to buy snacks for him. He walks in a different hallway so he won't cross paths with Chanyeol.

On Tuesday, he stays inside his classroom unless he needs to go to the bathroom. He doesn't go out to gym class. He tells the teacher he has an injured back so Mr. Kim cuts him some slack.

On Wednesday, he asks Baekbeom to pick him up from school so he doesn't have to take the bus going home. He doesn't ride his bike anymore, also because he hurt his back.

On Thursday, he hears from Jongdae that Chanyeol's hand is already healed. The guilt he felt from the incident has subsided a bit, so he goes to the internet cafe after class and plays games until evening.

Baekhyun did this new routine for the past four days so it takes a toll on his health.

On Friday, he catches a fever and misses a day in school. His back pain worsens so his mother takes him to the doctor. He is prescribed antibiotics and is advised to eat more fruits and veggies and get plenty of rest. Phones and games aren't allowed for now. Baekhyun thinks it's for the better. This way, he won't have to see Chanyeol's name popping up on his screen calling him from time to time.

"You shouldn't fight with a friend, sweetie. Why don't you meet him when you get back to school? Go see him and apologize."

"I don't think I can face Chanyeol yet, after what I said to him."

"Even if this boy has been texting you nonstop? He must be so worried about you, dear."

Baekhyun coughs, so Grandma Byun keeps soothing his back and applying essential oil to the affected area to relieve his pain. Lying on his stomach, Baekhyun lets his grandmother massage his aching body. He already drank the herbal infusion she made to reduce his fever. Now he's receiving massage therapy.

"It hurts, Grandma..."

"Bear with it."

Baekhyun cries, covering his mouth to control his sobs. Not only his body hurts, but his heart also hurts, realizing how his relationship with Chanyeol is forming a crack because of his stubbornness and selfishness.

"Heuk... It hurts. I can't do this anymore. Sob..."

"What are you bawling about? I didn't raise any crybaby in this household."

Wiping his tears immediately, Baekhyun shakes his head and buries his face into the pillow, his tears soaking the soft material.

"I-I'm not crying..."

"If you miss your friend that much, then why don't you call him back?"

Grandma Byun smiles, squeezing Baekhyun's shoulder and flipping him over on the bed.

"There, son. All done."

"Thank god, it's finished..."

"Here. I sneaked out your phone. Don't tell your mother, okay?"

The bedroom door shuts close as his grandmother leaves, and Baekhyun is left with the phone he chose to ignore for days. A bunch of notifications welcome him after powering it on, and almost all of the texts in his inbox are from Chanyeol. Chanyeol's texts are about asking him to pick up his phone and respond to his messages. Some are apologies while others are reminders for him to not skip his meals.

Guilt and regret claw back into Baekhyun's chest, skimming through these unread texts from Chanyeol. Scrolling through them makes Baekhyun remember the fun times they spent together. He remembers hanging out after class with Chanyeol and playing games with him. He remembers walking home together with him and sharing stories with him about anything under the sun.

Baekhyun, I heard you were sick. Please text me back. I'm worried about you. I'm sorry.

No. This is too much. Baekhyun didn't hope for any of this to happen. He never wanted Chanyeol to feel sorry. He never wanted to be distant with Chanyeol even for a single day.

But what has he done? Why did he push Chanyeol away in the first place? What kind of a monster is he to hurt his most precious friend? His best friend?

Before he can lock his phone, a new text arrives. It's a recent one.

Baekhyun, I won't bother you anymore. Just tell me if you're okay. Please?

His throat feels scratchy and dry. His fever hasn't gone down much yet. His entire body is aching. He's also coughing terribly. But that doesn't stop Baekhyun from calling the person who's been running in his mind all week.

Dialing Chanyeol's number, he takes a deep breath. He waits for it to ring.

"I hope he answers..."

*

It's been six days since Chanyeol last talked to Baekhyun, and it never felt longer than ever.

"He's still not replying... I wonder if he's already seen my texts."

Scrolling through his six days' worth of unreplied text messages, Chanyeol feels hopeless, like he was already on the verge of giving up. Baekhyun was too good at avoiding him at school whenever he tried looking for him. It was either Baekhyun had already gone home or he had somewhere to go. Chanyeol missed each time, so it made him believe that Baekhyun didn't really wanna see him anymore.

Exhaling for the umpteenth time, Chanyeol puts away his phone and shoves his face into his palms. He's sure his sister can hear his loud, depressing sigh from across the living room. Yoora is giving him the side-eye as she works on her laptop.

"Why do you look like that? Did you break up with your girlfriend?"

Chanyeol turns away and mumbles, hugging a pillow.

"This is worse than a breakup."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, noona. It's none of your business."

"Hey, it's not like you to be grumpy like that. Cheer up now."

"Baekhyun's still not responding to me. How would I cheer up?"

"Give him more time, Chanyeol. He'll call you back soon."

It's the weekend so Chanyeol is planning to sulk for a few more hours in his room when suddenly, his phone beeps. He jolts up fast, opening his phone to read the text, only to feel utterly disappointed. It's a text from Minho.

Hey, man. Where are the pics from the school trip? Upload them already. Oh, and tag me, too. Thanks!

Right. Chanyeol almost forgot. The guys have been asking for their photos. It's been slipping his mind since his situation with Baekhyun happened.

"Can I borrow your laptop?" Chanyeol asks his sister. "I just need to transfer and upload some files."

With Yoora peering over his shoulder, Chanyeol connects his phone to the laptop, tapping and clicking away. He doesn't have things to hide from his sister anyway so he lets her watch what he's doing, looking at his pictures taken during the school trip. A photo of a kitten next to a smiling boy doesn't get past her eyes, so Chanyeol tells her the story behind it. Although he feels sad about reminiscing his and Baekhyun's past conversation, he can never deny that Eri is one of the best memories he had with Baekhyun.

"So, yeah. I took this pic in the tent that night when we found Eri. Isn't it cute? It's one of my favorites."

"Wait. Isn't this picture your wallpaper, too?" Yoora teases, suddenly grabbing Chanyeol's phone and pressing its home button. "Haha, I was right!"

Chanyeol's face turns into a deep shade of pink.

"G-give it back!"

"Oh, my! Are you blushing!?"

"No!"

Despite being taller than his sister, it's not easy for Chanyeol to steal his phone back. It's not like he can push Yoora away, so he just helplessly allows his sister to make fun of him while he internally suffers in embarrassment.

"Say please first!"

"You're so annoying, you know that!?"

The screen lights up, displaying an incoming phone call followed by a long ring. They both tense up, with Yoora raising the phone in the air and Chanyeol attempting to snatch it away. Baekhyun's name flashes for five seconds, making Chanyeol's eyes widen.

"Oh. It stopped," Yoora says when it stops ringing.

"Argh! It's your fault!"

Scowling angrily, Chanyeol grabs his phone and walks out with a loud stomp. Yoora laughs.

"See? I told you he'd call back!"

Now that he's alone in the confines of his bedroom, Chanyeol sits on the bed while staring at his phone and waiting for the second call.

There's no way it was a hallucination, right? Baekhyun did call, right? Does this mean Baekhyun is not mad at him anymore? Can they go back to being friends again?

Oh, no. What to do? A mix of excitement, nervousness, and worry fills his chest at the thought of talking to Baekhyun again after a week of separation. What will he say to him? Should he apologize again? But what if Baekhyun hates him for apologizing too much?

"Oh crap, he's calling now!"

With quivering fingers and an anxious heart, Chanyeol clears his throat and taps the answer button. He presses the phone against his ear and walks around his room, waiting for Baekhyun to say something.

[Hello...?]

Ah... What is this? Chanyeol can't say anything. His mind is going blank just by hearing Baekhyun's voice. He forgets all the lines he has practiced a few days ago, turning helplessly speechless, unable to utter a word.

[Are you... Are you there? Uhm. Is this Chanyeol's phone? Wait, I didn't dial the wrong number, did I? Oh, is my phone broken? Why am I not hearing anything? Hello?]

Is he talking to himself, Chanyeol says in his mind, smiling uncontrollably. Why can he imagine Baekhyun's face vividly as if he was just sitting there in front of him?

[Chanyeol?]

"Yes?"

My voice didn't sound too happy, did it? Chanyeol panics as he wanders aimlessly around his bedroom. His thoughts are all jumbled up; He has a lot to tell Baekhyun but he can't bring himself to say them all at once yet.

[Oh! You answered.]

"Yeah. Thanks for calling me. I've been trying to reach you for days. I was worried."

Chanyeol sits on the bed, bouncing his knees to calm himself down.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

No. Why did I say that? What if Baekhyun thinks I'm being weird? I'm so nervous, I could pass out.

[Thanks for worrying about me. How are you?]

"I'm good. I'm doing well. How about you?"

No, I'm not good. Why did I even say I was doing well? I've been terrible these past few days we weren't talking. I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have said that.

[I'm okay. Pretty much.]

"Are you... are you feeling better now?"

[A little bit. I feel better now compared to yesterday.]

"That's a relief."

[Look. About what I told you on the school trip. I just wanna apologize. Also, for ignoring your calls and avoiding you in school this past week. I'm really sorry. Are you... are you still mad at me?]

Chanyeol lies on his bed and stares at his ceiling, a huge smile forming on his lips. The pain and uneasiness in his heart are immediately washed away, replaced by happiness and comfort that only Baekhyun can make him feel.

"Nope. I'm not mad at you. I never was. How about you? Are you mad at me?"

[I'm not mad at you, either. After you got hurt, I felt guilty so I pushed you away. I know, I was being immature. I shouldn't have done that to you. Now I regret everything I said and did. I'm so sorry.]

"It's okay. I forgive you."

[Really!?]

"Really."

[Then can we... Can we go back to being friends?]

"Do you really mean that?"

[Of course, I do. I don't wanna lose you as my friend. I've been so lonely without you...]

"I don't think we can do that, Baekhyun. Going back to being just friends."

[Huh? But why? I thought we made up already.]

"Yeah. We made up but we can't be just normal friends anymore."

[Define not normal friends.]

"They're a bit special?"

[Then, do you wanna be more than just friends?]

"Say it. I wanna hear it from you."

[Let's be best friends, Chanyeol. You and I.]

If Chanyeol were to describe the happiest moment of his life so far, then it would be this exact moment. Something about Baekhyun telling him these words makes him feel very special. Sure, he has lots of friends and acquaintances, but with Baekhyun, it's different. It's always been different with him. It was as though Baekhyun is a missing part of himself, and whenever they're together, he feels complete.

[The one closest to you. The one whom you can always lean on. Can I be that one person in your life?]

"Yes. Be that one person in my life," Chanyeol answers, nodding as if Baekhyun could see him, "Let's be best friends."

He can hear Baekhyun screaming and jumping on the other line. Meanwhile, he can't stop smiling.

[Alright! Then from now on, we're officially best friends, okay?]

"Yup. We're officially best friends!"

[You can't have two or more best friends, you understand? I should be the only one.]

"Mm-hm, you're my one and only best friend."

[You can't hang out with other kids longer than me! You can't replace me, either.]

"Noted! The same goes for you."

[And we don't keep secrets from each other. That's the golden rule.]

"Sure. You can count on me."

[Please take care of me from now on. Haha.]

"Actually, I've never had a best friend before. You're the first one so I'm really happy."

[Me, too. You're my first best friend. And my last best friend.]

"Isn't Jongdae your best friend?"

[Nope. He's like, my guardian angel. It's a different thing.]

"What if we fight again, will you stop being best friends with me?"

[Of course, not. This is an unbreakable bond. Once you become my best friend, you can never go back.]

"Then should we make a pact?"

[Like a blood compact?]

"That's scary. How about a pinky promise?"

[Sure. That'll do. When we see each other again in school, let's do a pinky swear.]

"Okay."

Raising his hand in the air, Chanyeol sticks out his pinky and imagines doing it with Baekhyun. Baekhyun's pinky is smaller so it's gonna look cute, right? He should take a picture of it.

[Chanyeol, there's something I haven't told you yet.]

"Yeah? What is it?"

[Before I end this call, I wanna say this to you.]

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

[I really had a great time with you during the school trip. Although it didn't go well, I'm so glad that we've made up in the end. I promise to be a better friend to you from now on. I wanna make more fun memories with you in the future. Let's be together forever, okay?]

Chanyeol smiles, biting his lower lip. That was the sweetest thing I've ever heard today.

"You really are so honest. Openly saying stuff like that."

[Of course. That's my charm!]

"This is what I like about you."

[Oh, and one more thing...]

"Yeah?"

[I missed you. Like, a lot. I really really missed you.]

Chanyeol's mind drifts on a vivid memory. It was dark, but a pair of bright, crescent eyes were staring at him, lighting up his world. The air was warm and his heart was beating so fast.

[If... If I wasn't only sick like this, I had already hopped on my bicycle just to see you. I... I wanna see you so bad.]

"So am I. I wanna see you right now. So bad."

And, for some unexplainable reason, what happened that night is repeating itself. Chanyeol can sense the same emotions building up right now. His ears are tingling. His head is reeling. His hands are shaking. This sensation feels good but it also feels so confusing. If there's a word he can put to this feeling, what could it be?

[I wanna hug you very very tight.]

"I wanna hug you, too. Very very tight."

[Uhm. So, yeah... I need to hang up now! I'm not allowed to use my phone for a long time. Let's just see each other on Monday.]

"Got it. I can't wait to see you."

[Me, too. I'll text you tonight. Bye.]

"Bye-bye."

As soon as the conversation ends, Chanyeol finds himself sprawling on the bed and grinning like a complete idiot. His jaw is starting to hurt but he's too happy to care.

"I really really missed you, too..."

*

It's a humid yet rainy Monday today, but that doesn't stop Chanyeol from feeling excited about seeing his best friend at school. He and Baekhyun are planning to go to the karaoke room with the guys after class, so Chanyeol is already looking forward to dismissal time. Maybe they can also drop by the arcade and play the claw machine? Baekhyun mentioned once that he wanted to try winning a Corgi keychain. He swore to get it for him.

"Everyone, don't forget to bring your copy of the lyrics! The teacher is checking!"

"Form two lines when you exit the classroom, find your height!"

The first period shortly ends and it's now Music time, Chanyeol's favorite subject. They are heading to the music hall to practice the song their class is going to perform at the school festival.

As the tallest kid in class, Chanyeol stands at the back of the line. While walking in the corridor, the window shows him how it's still drizzling outside. Hope it gets sunny already so he can hang out with Baekhyun and the others. Weather, please cooperate.

Occupied with his thoughts, he is late to react when Kibum and Minho sling their arms around his shoulder playfully. Messing his hair, his two friends just basically wanna fool around with him for no absolute reason. So to reiterate, Chanyeol pushes them and chases after them, earning him a warning from the teacher.

It must be destiny or fate, or divine intervention because when their class arrives at the music hall, the first person that Chanyeol sees is Baekhyun. He is at the front and unexpectedly alone, reading his lyrics. The hall is big enough for three classes to share, and luckily, one of them is Class 7.

Chanyeol is so glad he could shed a tear.

Separating from his group, Chanyeol saunters towards Baekhyun's location, oblivious of his friends following him just to mess with him.

"He-"

Before Chanyeol can even say Hey and finish his sentence, a force coming from behind shoves him. Baekhyun, being disturbed out of nowhere, looks up to see who dared to bump against him. His facial expression clears, seeing it was Chanyeol.

"What the hell!?" Chanyeol blurts out, elbowing Minho. He faces Baekhyun and smiles at him shyly. "Sorry about that... Uhm. Hi."

"Hey," Baekhyun greets back, smiling radiantly at Chanyeol. This is the first time he's seeing Chanyeol again, and as expected, he is not alone. "Oh. You guys are here, too?"

"Yup. Guess we're sharing the music hall," Jinki says, "We're singing an old ballad song. How romantic."

"Ours is gonna be a Western song," Jongdae butts in, back hugging Baekhyun as he enters the scene. Taemin slides next to him and rests his elbow on Baekhyun's shoulder.

Chanyeol's gaze lingers on them for a moment before recovering with a change of topic. He talks about their plans for the upcoming school festival.

"So you two finally made up, huh?" Jongdae says, bringing it up, seeing Chanyeol and Baekhyun being cozy with each other. "Thank goodness. I thought you guys stopped being friends after the school trip."

"Actually, we're not just friends anymore. We're more than that," Baekhyun shyly announces, catching the attention of the guys. "Chanyeol and I, we're now best friends! Right?"

Smiling, Chanyeol nods his head proudly.

"Yup. I got dibs on Baekhyun first. He's now my best friend."

A short pause arises among them before the boys explode into different reactions.

"What, really? But I thought I was your best friend!" Jinki says. "You traitor!"

"I got to know Chanyeol first so I was supposed to be his best friend!" Kibum says. "Baekhyun, give him back to me."

"Wait, isn't Jongdae your best friend, Baekhyun?" Minho asks, "Or am I missing something?"

"I'm Baekhyun's ex-best friend," Taemin says. "Or was I the only one who thought that way? Baekhyun, did you even consider me as a friend?"

"Well, I guess this is just my fate," Jongdae acts dramatically, shrugging his shoulders, "I'm happy for you, guys. I wish your friendship lasts long."

"Jongdae..." Baekhyun says, feeling guilty as he stares at his two closest friends before Chanyeol. "Taemin..."

"Dude. Haha. I'm just kidding!" Taemin teases. "You two are suited for each other, there's no doubt about that."

"I agree," Jongdae says. "Now that you've officially announced your relationship to the group, it's time to seal it with a friendly hug."

"W-what?" Chanyeol says, confused. Minho, Jinki, and Kibum, suddenly grab his arms so he can't escape. They collectively bring him closer to Baekhyun so that the two of them can hug each other, "What are you guys doing!?"

"Oh, nothing. Just helping you both out," Taemin says, helping Jongdae to capture and lift Baekhyun. They are making him stand and face Chanyeol.

"Hey, put me down! Get off me!" Baekhyun struggles, and it's a good thing there are many students around, nobody's paying attention to their ruckus. "What the hell, stop it!"

Throwing Chanyeol and Baekhyun to each other, the rest of the boys make the two hug awkwardly. Baekhyun has his face shoved on Chanyeol's chest while Chanyeol has his hands grasping the air.

"This isn't fun. Just hug each other!"

"Why aren't you guys cooperating? Come on, I thought you were best friends!"

Eventually realizing he has no other way out of this, Chanyeol finally surrenders and puts his arms down. It's gonna be humiliating if he keeps on resisting so he should better get this over with. After all, he doesn't seem to hate the idea of hugging Baekhyun like this.

But before he can fully wrap his arms around Baekhyun's shoulders, Baekhyun does the first move to his surprise. He embraces him firmly, clinging to him affectionately despite their height difference.

"There. I'm hugging him!" Baekhyun says, wounding his arms and locking his fingers around Chanyeol's torso. "Now quit shoving us together. I can't breathe."

When Chanyeol is just starting to enjoy things, Taemin comes in between to separate the two of them.

"Alright, time's up!"

Such a bummer.

*

The practice goes smoothly for everybody. Chanyeol sits next to Baekhyun during the whole period. After music class is over, they have lunch together with their friends before returning to their respective classrooms to attend the afternoon session.

It's PE class next. Baekhyun forgets to bring his tracksuit jacket so he visits Class 2 and borrows Kibum's. Seeing each other again, Baekhyun waves and says hello to Chanyeol while waiting for Kibum to bring him the clothes.

"You're going to play?" Chanyeol asks worriedly. He stands by the door, almost covering Baekhyun's figure while talking to him. "But you're not fully recovered yet."

"I'm fine. My back isn't bruising anymore. See?"

Baekhyun lifts his shirt to show Chanyeol his healed back, but Chanyeol instantly panics, glancing around the classroom packed with students doing their own thing. Thank god, no one's looking at them.

"Hey. What do you think you're doing, stupid? Don't just lift your shirt like that," Chanyeol mutters, pulling down Baekhyun's shirt. He sees Kibum coming their way so he snatches the tracksuit jacket from him.

"What, I'm not even a girl. There's nothing to hide."

"Still. I don't like it when you do that."

Chanyeol unzips the jacket and drapes it all over Baekhyun's shoulder.

"There you go."

Baekhyun squints his eyes, judging Chanyeol hard. Does he think I'm a kid just because I'm shorter?

"I can dress up by myself, you know?"

Chanyeol holds his hands up, realizing what he just did.

"Oh. Haha. My bad."

"Thanks, Kibum!" Baekhyun hollers. And then he looks at Chanyeol, punching his arm weakly. "See you later, alligator."

"Don't play too hard, alright?"

"Yup. I won't."

"I'll wait for you at the shoe lockers later."

"Yessir. Bye!"

Watching Baekhyun skiddle away wearing another friend's tracksuit jacket, Chanyeol frowns to himself and mumbles:

"I should've just lent him mine."

The day seems to stretch longer than usual but good news. When Chanyeol passes by the window in the corridor, it's not raining anymore. It's only 3 pm and the sun is brightly shining again. Carrying a box of bandages, he leaves with a smile and goes on his way. He happens to be running an errand for the school nurse. She asked him to bring these supplies to the infirmary.

"Oh. The door is unlocked."

Aside from this Monday being agonizingly slow to end, Chanyeol also notices one thing.

"Huh?"

He keeps on seeing Baekhyun wherever he goes.

"Baekhyun? Is that you?"

The familiar lump on the bed flinches upon hearing a voice. With feather-light steps, Chanyeol hesitantly approaches the boy who is occupying the last bed. The infirmary is empty save for the two of them. It's quiet and peaceful. The atmosphere gives off a calm, fuzzy vibe as if he was being lulled to sleep

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he peeks at the student's face to see who it is, looking at him upside down.

"Hello?"

It really is Baekhyun.

"Oh. Hey," Baekhyun mumbles, opening his eyes lazily. His expression lights up, seeing his best friend visiting him. "Chanyeol. You're here."

"What are you doing here? I thought you had PE," Chanyeol asks, lying next to him. "You skipped class?"

"Nope. Mr. Kim told me to sit out. I said I was already feeling better but he didn't believe me. He said I needed more rest."

"Good for you. You got to take a nap. You even drooled in your sleep."

Flustered, Baekhyun lets out a chuckle. It's embarrassing to be caught in his vulnerable state. Chanyeol might think he's being uncool right now.

"I'm not really like this, believe me. It's just when the summer season comes and the weather keeps changing, my health kinda goes along with it, too. But I'm usually fine with other seasons since I'm a Spring baby. I can easily adapt to changes."

"You were born in May, right?"

"Yeah, on the 6th. After Children's Day."

"I'm an Autumn baby. I was born in November."

"No wonder you're a warm and passionate person. What date is your birthday?"

"27th."

"Okay. I'll keep that in mind."

Being alone with Baekhyun finally, Chanyeol raises his arm, flicks out his pinky finger and shows it to him. Baekhyun right away understands what Chanyeol means by the gesture.

"Let's do a pinky swear like what we promised?"

"Sure."

Baekhyun clings his pinky around Chanyeol's pinky and sings the pinky promise song. This act seems childish for others but to Chanyeol, it's all right, as long as it makes Baekhyun happy.

After their pinkies part, Baekhyun catches Chanyeol's wrist when he notices the dried wound at the back of his hand. It was from the injury Chanyeol got when he saved him from an almost head trauma.

"What if this leaves a scar," Baekhyun says, gently touching the healed wound as he holds Chanyeol's palm. "Oh, no. It's gonna ruin your skin when you get older."

Chanyeol smiles, squeezing Baekhyun's hand and entwining their fingers together.

"Hey. It's a badge of honor. I'm proud of it."

"I saw this bleed with my own two eyes. It must've hurt a lot."

"Actually, I think it's still hurting."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah. I need you to do something to ease the pain."

"Tell me. What should I do?"

"You should kiss my boo-boo."

"Your boo-boo?"

"Yes, my boo-boo."

Staring blankly at Chanyeol as if he just heard the dumbest shit ever, Baekhyun makes a ball with his fist.

"You want me to punch you instead?"

"Pfft. Why are you getting all aggressive suddenly?"

"Aren't you feeling embarrassed using baby talk and saying cheesy stuff like that?"

"Coming from the one who said he missed me a lot?"

"Argh. Forget I even said that."

"What, it's true. I even recorded our phone call. Wanna hear it again?"

"You're so shameless. I can't be your best friend anymore."

"Fine. Get out of my sight, then."

"Let go of my hand first."

"No, you let go of my hand first."

Laughs echo within the four corners of the infirmary room, teasing and joking around with each other as if no one else matters. Chanyeol wishes for the time to freeze so that he can stay with Baekhyun like this. Even if when it shines, even when it rains, he longs to be with Baekhyun this way forever.

Because in this special moment, not only did his friendship with Baekhyun begin. Little did he know that it was also the start of his first love.

His first and last, true love.

To be continued

(Updates every 10th, 20th, and 30th of the month!)

Author's notes:

I was planning to end the high school flashback here but what do you guys think?

Should we go back to the present now or add one more chapter of their younger selves? Hihi. Let me know!

I'm always reading your feedbacks~ If you don't leave a comment, I'll be sad. :(

Thanks for reading!

- ParkBaekkie