I have a new book! Check it out! The little preface thing is the only chapter, but I'll be updating the first chapter next week! <3

Also, I promise I'm working on the revamped version of Unable. Who's excited?

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Baekhyun turned to Kyungsoo. "I'm honestly impressed. I heard you hold your breath for most of it."

"Pfft, piece of cake," Kyungsoo gloated. "My personal vocal coach trains me."

"Personal vocal coach? You never told me about that." Chanyeol grinned.

"The topic never came up."

Crash!

"Ow," Jongdae groaned. Minseok rolled his eyes.

"I'm not surprised. Get up, you silly goose."

Seconds later, Jongdae heaved himself back into the stage. "Are we even allowed here?" The fall didn't subdue him at all. If anything, it made him livelier. Baekhyun wondered how he still had so much energy.

"No one ever said anything. I suppose so." Baekhyun answered absentmindedly, watching Jongin and Kyungsoo shoot glances full of longing (Jongin) and hatred (Kyungsoo) at each other. When he turned back, Chanyeol was staring at him again. Chanyeol looked away quickly, almost shamefully.

"Chanyeol." The name felt refreshing on Baekhyun's tongue. The was also a layer of dust covering it, and it was slightly foreign.

"What?" At least Chanyeol didn't sound angry anymore. It was a start.

"Can I talk to you? Alone?" He shook his head before Chanyeol answer. "Never mind, you don't have a choice. Jongin, guard my violin." He grabbed Chanyeol by the wrist and tugged him behind the stage, ignoring Chanyeol's yelps of pain.

"At least answer one of my questions, okay?" Baekhyun comprised.

"Depends." Chanyeol replied, rubbing his wrist.

"Who broke my sting?"

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. "Not me."

"Do you know who broke it?"

"Yes," he answer curtly.

"Will you tell me?"

"No."

"Have you lied to me today?"

"Yes." Chanyeol was surprisingly lenient. Baekhyun was impressed. He sat down next to the giant.

"When?"

"Today."

"Really?" Baekhyun punched the giant's shoulder lightly. "Specifically when?"

Chanyeol was mum.

"Oh now you're going to keep qui- mmph!"

Baekhyun's eyes widened in shock as Chanyeol grabbed his collar—why did so many people like to grab his collar?—and forced their lips together. Harshly.

"Chanyeol! No!" Try as he might, Baekhyun couldn't struggle out of Chanyeol's iron grasp. The giant had one arm around his waist and the other on the back of his head, keeping their lips pressed together. Baekhyun's hands were on the giant's warm chest, struggling to push them apart. Chanyeol was having none of it.

Baekhyun couldn't deny the fact that he wanted this. He wanted to be kissed by Chanyeol. But not like this. Not when Chanyeol's lips had been on another man's ten minutes ago. "Chanyeol! Let me go!"

When Baekhyun finally forced himself away, Chanyeol's lips were red and swollen. He knew his had to be as well. "I though you liked Kyungsoo."

"I do." Chanyeol stood up dismissively. Baekhyun remained were he was. He watched Chanyeol turn around.

"No! Park Chanyeol! You can't walk away from me again!" Baekhyun shouted to the giant's back.

"Just now." Baekhyun almost missed the giant's quiet murmur.

"What?" Baekhyun made a face.

"I lied to you just now." Chanyeol shook his head as he left, leaving Baekhyun with an unspoken question on the tip of his tongue and an ache in his heart.

***

"Baekhyun? You good?" Luhan asked him the next morning.

"Lu, I'm," he took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

"What no! You can't leave!" Sehun popped out of no where and crushed Baekhyun against him. "Who will help me with my work besides you?"

"Luhan?" Baekhyun whispered. "Say something. Don't just look at me like that."

"When?" Luhan was still.

"Next month." Baekhyun replied.

"So soon!" Sehun hugged Baekhyun tighter. Luhan looked on with envy.

"Forever?"

"No, until the end of the year."

"Oh. I thought you were moving or something..." Sehun let go awkwardly.

"No. It's some stupid exchange program."

"Do you know who else is going?" Sehun's gaze darted to Luhan nervously.

"No. Sorry."

"So you'll be back next year?"

"Yeah, and I'll text the both of you often. Don't be so sad. I'll feel guilty. And by the time I see you two again, you better be together!" At that, Baekhyun ran off, leaving the two of them standing there awkwardly and unusually quiet.

***

Like he predicted, Baekhyun's parents were more than eager to have him participate in the exchange program when he handed them the letter a week after it had arrived in the mail. Baekhyun sighed, going into his room and texting Jongdae pitifully, who was no help whatsoever. Baekhyun sighed, asking Jongdae for Jongin's number and texting the sun kissed male instead. At least Jongin was more compassionate. He seemed a bit on the distracted side, always responding with short messages and never asking questions. When Baekhyun asked what Kyungsoo meant by calling him Kai, Jongin told him he had to go eat, even though it was nearing ten. Baekhyun just shrugged it off and told him that he would see the male tomorrow.

That's when Jongdae invited him into a group chat.

And when he saw that the name of the chat was frenemies, he knew it was not going to be all that great.

And he was right when he saw Kyungsoo and Jongin bickering yet again. (What happened to him eating dinner?) Chanyeol had a few words to say here and there, but the bulk of the chat was rapid fire messages from everyone's favorite argumentative pair. Baekhyun just rolled his eyes as he looked on. His phone buzzed again, and he was shocked to see a message from Chanyeol:

I'm sorry about the bathroom incident.

Pretend I never apologized.

Baekhyun sighed.

You're still a jerk.

I know.

Baekhyun chuckled to himself.

At least you admitted it.

Look...

I have my reasons for doing what I did.

Don't question them.

Continue to hate me, please.

It's for your safety.

See you tomorrow.

Good night.

Baekhyun dropped his phone on his bed, utterly confused. He then decided it would be rude to not respond.

'Night.

Seen

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Idk how to format texting. Does it make sense?

Anyways... what do you think is up with our beloved (okay, maybe not so much rn) PCY??? :)

<3

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