Baekhyun wakes up later, still feeling a little lightheaded but otherwise feeling much, much better than he had for the last few weeks, ever since Dara had less time to accompany him in things. Immediately, someone clasps his cheeks, squishing his face until he looks like a fish, and he blinks for his eyes to focus on just who's doing that.

"You worried me sick, Baekhyun." Chanyeol exclaims. "Why weren't you taking care of yourself?"

"Starvation, fatigue." A new voice enters, and Baekhyun immediately stiffens in fear, turning to see Zhang Yixing with his hands shoved in his pockets at the side, watching with an aloof expression.

"It's a relief Doctor Zhang was able to save you, little one." Chanyeol steps back, ruffling the smaller's hair. "Don't scare me like that again."

"Sorry." Baekhyun mumbles, and when he sneaks a glance at Yixing, he finds that the older is staring into him, as if he knows Baekhyun's feelings for his professor. There's something in the doctor's gaze that shows he just knows.

"Thank Doctor Zhang here." Chanyeol says sharply yet playfully, yet he doesn't notice when Baekhyun attempts not to stare at the other, until eventually he has no choice but to look up.

"Thank you, Doctor." He whispers, eyes up but head lowered in submission. Yixing nods.

"Mr Park, please leave him to rest."

"O-Oh." Chanyeol makes to leave, but Baekhyun grabs him out of instinct. Chanyeol looks down, and finds Baekhyun staring up at him, pleading. The younger shakes his head, clinging hard. No way is he going to be left alone with this scary man.

"He needs to rest." Yixing repeats, firmly and clearly and fiercely. His professor throws him an apologetic look, then picks off Baekhyun's hands. Baekhyun pouts automatically, his immediate reaction to something like this, but then his professor snakes his large hand around the back of Baekhyun's head, pulling him close.

"Don't sweat about being seventh." His deep voice rumbles so nicely, and immediately Baekhyun's pout slips off, heart racing against his will. "Just take care of yourself. That's all I ask of you, little one." Then he leaves, bowing slightly to Yixing who nods back coolly. When the door shuts, silence ensues between the remaining two.

"Rest up, and eat up." Yixing instructs, pointing to a table not far off. Baekhyun turns, and sees a table full of different varieties of food, like fruits and noodles and everything. When Baekhyun turns back, Yixing is striding towards the door.

"If I see you back here again ..." Yixing threatens. It's unfinished though, because he opens the door, walks out, and shuts it closed behind him, until Baekhyun is left alone once more.

Yes. Once more Baekhyun risks himself in a public place full of other trainees only because he's too afraid to confront that scary doctor again. Except this time the trainees trip him before he even orders his food. He falls to the floor, his knee hitting the hard floor in such a way that he knows it'll bruise. Before he can even lift himself up, however, a hot liquid spills down from the top of his head, soaking his hair and his clothes - Chanyeol's coat.

No words are said, no verbally abusive moments, which is probably worse to him because he can only do nothing but sink and absorb this moment of humiliation. There are official staff here eating, and they look at him in silence - no words exchanged with each other either, just silent stares, as if this is normal between trainees.

Silently, choice-lessly, Baekhyun pushes himself up, feeling the little bits of peas and corn slide down his hair and down his neck. He thought about encountering this problem, yet he had always believed it would be on other people, because he never thought he'd be first place. And now it's worse for him because he's much younger than the average trainee, and if people aren't jealous of that, then they'd still be jealous of that.

He decides he should go and promise the chefs he'll clean up the mess on the floor once he's done cleaning up with himself, but before he can take one step, someone catches his arm.

"We do not tolerate bullying at EX'ACT Lab." A soft voice speaks clearly, cutting through the silent cafeteria. "If you trainees don't clean up this mess below you right this moment, I have the right to disqualify all of you that was a part of this ordeal." Heart racing both in fear and wonder, Baekhyun can only find himself staring at a Zhang Yixing whose face is still cold and expression icy. Baekhyun watches in surprise as these immature men in their 30s actually bend down to clean the floor, once again wondering how there can be such a huge gap between the mature and the childish at a certain age.

"If I find any of this behaviour within the trainees once more, there will be no second chance." His threat hangs in the air, and with a firm and harsh grip, he pulls Baekhyun away from the scene.

Baekhyun is silent as Zhang Yixing takes him into his office once more, a place that Baekhyun has been frequenting lately, only because he somehow always ends up there for very strange reasons.

"Bathroom is further down, turn right." Yixing says. Too afraid to ask about the towels, or what he should wear, Baekhyun obeys without protest. Once finished, he opens the door slightly, wanting to ask for a towel, but finds it hanging from the doorknob. A few minutes later, he opens the door again.

"Um ... excuse me ..." He calls out timidly into the silent air. "Where are my clothes ..."

A few moments later, the scary man comes over with a bag in his hand. He drops it in front of Baekhyun, and when Baekhyun looks up, Yixing seems to be glaring at him.

"Thank ... you ..." Baekhyun whispers, grabs the bag and closes the door quickly. When he finishes dressing, he opens the door again, hesitantly walking out with the empty bag and towel. It's freezing cold, and it seems as if Yixing had bought him new clothes, but they aren't enough to keep him warm.

Shivering, Baekhyun hugs himself as he walks outside and sits back onto the couch. There is no one there when he looks around, at least, in his eyes, and yet there's still this feeling of someone staring at him that won't go away.

"Eat up." A voice above him instructs, and Baekhyun yelps, flinching as he looks up. The older man throws another bag onto the table, and once again packets of bread fall out.

"S...Sorry." Baekhyun mumbles, heart racing as he reaches out and grabs a packet, remembering the last time this happened. "For always causing you ... trouble."

The doctor doesn't reply, and instead watches him intently. Baekhyun doesn't dare look up and behind him again, afraid that the more he looks, the harder Yixing will glare.

It's hella cold, but Baekhyun is once again too afraid to speak. On his sixth bread, Baekhyun places down his packet and blows on his fingers, hoping they can warm up a little so it's not too obvious that he's freezing his ass off. He clasps them together, pretending he's doing some finger exercises, and tries not to glance backwards. But then something heavy goes over his shoulders and he can't help but look upwards again, at a Yixing who had put his lab coat over Baekhyun's smaller body.

"I'm not taking responsibility if you catch a cold." Yixing says coolly, then straightens his back, hands falling to his sides. Baekhyun instinctively pulls the coat around him, feeling the warmth of the coat, that had transferred from Yixing's body, spread across his body.

"I ... already have Professor Chanyeol's coat. I don't think I can ..."

"I'm only lending it to you." The older says. "Don't have second thoughts."

"O-Oh." Baekhyun flushes in embarrassment, and instead stuffs himself with breads in order to avoid looking at Zhang Yixing again. When Baekhyun finishes the breads, he stands in an attempt to thank and then leave, but Yixing, who had previously been looking through a folder, looks up immediately, intense expression forcing Baekhyun to stand in his place.

"Stay until your clothes are washed and returned to you." He states simply, closing the book up.

"Uh ... Is it possible if ... I can call Professor Chanyeol?" Baekhyun asks, standing awkwardly. Truth is, he's too afraid to stay in a room alone with Zhang Yixing for too long.

"Am I that scary?" Yixing places down his folder, and Baekhyun watches the way the doctor's long-sleeved shirt clings onto his body, which is slim and toned. And when the man turns, there is a thin necklace winding his neck, and a little stone-like thing hanging off it. It's so interesting, because Baekhyun never thought Zhang Yixing was that kind of person.

The necklace looks familiar.

"N-"

"He's probably busy anyway."

"Oh, right." Baekhyun sits back down awkwardly, looking at his fingers as they play with the thin rope of the bag. "Guess when you get to that age, you really use up all your time to find love." His heart beats with a pang of hurt, and he takes a deep, shaky breath. You're supposed to be happy. He tells himself, then forces himself to smile even though it's for no one to see. For himself, perhaps?

"Does it bother you, when your professor accompanies such a beautiful woman?" Yixing speaks up again. This partly surprises Baekhyun, because he never thought Yixing would be into this kind of gossip. More surprising since he called Dara beautiful.

"No, not at all." He laughs. "It's about time he found someone." This time, the doctor doesn't reply and instead he remains silent, still staring. He really likes to stare. It's making Baekhyun uncomfortable, so the younger stares down at his fingers once more and pretends he really isn't affected by this. Thankfully, they are interrupted as someone knocks on the door. After a 'come in' from Yixing, a man holding folded clothes enters and passes them to Yixing, then leaves. Zhang Yixing sets it down on the arm of the couch.

"You can go." Yixing says. "And tell your professor to eat his medication on time, and sleep more."

"Thank you." Baekhyun says genuinely, bowing deeply before he runs out. Somehow, his rank of being seventh, instead of de-motivating him, had rather inspired him to work harder. Strangely, Chanyeol has recently kept all the books in his office like a library, and whenever Baekhyun needed it he would have to go there, take it, and then return it at the end of the day. Thinking it's silly to take the book and go somewhere else and then return, Baekhyun decides he'll stay in room 530. After all, either way he might get attacked by other trainees anyway, honestly it's such a bother.

Baekhyun knocks on the door and then lets himself in, feeling dejected when there is no one there. Get yourself together. He thinks to himself. He's a professor. He's much older than you ... He's an old man!

Somehow, these statements are humouring Baekhyun and he cheers up a little, chuckling softly to himself as he reaches for a book on the shelf and then finds a place to sit and study. Once again, he reads up on Monsters, finding them so fascinating.

"Monsters eat different foods from Lucky Ones. Monsters can consume and digest Lucky Ones' food, however it won't give them sufficient energy for every day life. It is the same for Lucky Ones, with the food of Monsters. By sufficient energy, it means that they will have to consume at least 10 times the amount or else they will be unable to survive."

Baekhyun leans back a bit, trying to process the information and trying to imagine them visually inside his mind, because stimulating different parts of he senses, he thinks, will always be easier in letting him understand.

"I guess that means that I can't be a Monster?" He whispers to himself thoughtfully. "It may seem like it since I eat so much, but it is way under the amount that a normal, average Monster eats." Baekhyun has never really questioned his species, but this really helps him remember the traits of a Monster.

"And Professor definitely can't, because he rarely eats ..." Baekhyun continues, thinking back to his professor who eats normally when he doesn't forget, but can still be so tall. "He only takes medication, really ..." Suddenly having an idea, Baekhyun sets down his book and walks over to Chanyeol's desk, picking up a bottle of pills. There is no label, as if it had been homemade, then again Baekhyun guesses it must be Yixing, who has a talent to produce the best medicine. Closing his eyes, Baekhyun clasps the bottle of pills.

"I wish Professor Chanyeol can be healed from whatever sickness he has that is making him take medication so thoroughly every day." Baekhyun whispers to himself. "And I hope Professor Chanyeol can always be happy and healthy, wherever he is, whatever he's doing ... whoever he's with. ... ... ... Even if it's without me."

When he opens his eyes, he realises how genuine he feels about this. Yet, it hurts. Baekhyun doesn't understand why, or how, but his feelings for his professor had swelled to such a level that thinking about this physically hurts him, until tears fall out of his eyes and down his cheeks.

Is it because of his professor's kindness to him? The way he had so happily given Baekhyun his coat, without fearing the cold once? The way he somehow knows whenever Baekhyun has skipped lunch? The way he can ask about Baekhyun's health after he had fainted, with so much concern in his eyes? Is it because of his professor's gentleness? The way he ruffles Baekhyun's hair with so much affection? The way he can look at Baekhyun as if Baekhyun is his long lost younger brother? The way he can smile so gently and so unlike all the other professors and doctors and sirs and madams that had stared at him judgmentally, coldly? Or is it because of his professor's warmth, the way he can make Baekhyun feel so safe?

His feelings have changed so suddenly, from unfamiliarity to admiration to affection and finally ... to this? So suddenly that he had no time to grab a hold of himself, until it's too late to step back now. It's ... too fast.

Sniffing, Baekhyun sets it down and silently wipes the tears from his eyes, mentally scolding himself for being such an idiot, to feel like this towards someone who will never look at him that way. Because he's far too young.

Looks deceive. He looks young but he's so old. He's too old for you. Baekhyun tries to cheer himself up, but instead his heart becomes sadder, and strange thoughts fill up his mind. Like why he can't be older than he already is. Why Chanyeol has to be that much older than him. Why should he even like this old man ...

But speaking of the devil, the door suddenly opens, so quickly that Baekhyun jumps and turns around to see who it is. But of course, Chanyeol doesn't like anyone barging in without knocking, so it has to be Chanyeol.

"Baekhyun." Chanyeol blinks in surprise at the smaller's presence, but then his eyes widen even more and he immediately rushes to the younger, grasping his face.

"Why are you crying, little one?" He asks, thumbs brushing across Baekhyun's cheeks boldly, unaware of just what it's doing to Baekhyun.

"Nothing." Baekhyun mumbles, pulling away immediately, wiping more stray tears that are falling out only because Chanyeol's there. He chuckles softly, weakly, and stares at the ground, backing away until he's leaning against the wall a little.

"What's up with you lately?" The concern is there, so clear in his professor's voice, but it's not what Baekhyun wants, because this will throw him further down the hole he's already in. The harder he falls, the more it'll hurt. "You've also lost so much weight!"

"D-Doctor Yixing told you to eat your medication on time and ... sleep well." Baekhyun whispers, and when the older reaches out for him again, he ducks, hurrying towards the bottle of pills. He grabs them, heads back towards Chanyeol, and holds it out with both hands, arms straight so that he can stand as further away from the older as possible. "Here."

His arms are straight and his legs are straight and he's looking downwards, hard, so he doesn't know how the older is reacting. "Here." He says with more force, with a slight whine of desperation.

The silence that hangs in the air is suffocating, but eventually large hands close around his and takes the bottle away from him. Baekhyun watches as Chanyeol's shoes move and the older walks away, but he can't bring himself to loosen up his body - his body is frozen just like that.

He hears the sound of running water, a thud, a pop, the sound of pills in a bottle, and short silence, and then another thud. And then the older is walking back until he's standing in front of him again, except this time there are no touches, no invasion of Baekhyun's personal bubble.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?" Chanyeol asks softly. "Look at me."

Baekhyun stays frozen.

"Look at me, Baekhyun." The command is there, and no matter what, Chanyeol is still his professor. Baekhyun quickly shuts his eyes, squeezing the tears out, and he does a small shake of his head so the tears fly out before they can roll down his cheeks. Awkwardly, he lets his arms fall by his sides, blinking and hoping that it can soothe the hiccup of tears that threaten to rise out. Once again, his professor's eyes are gentle and worried, and Baekhyun finds it so fascinating how Chanyeol still looks not a day over thirty. "Tell me what's wrong."

"It's good to see you take care of yourself." Baekhyun says softly instead, hiding his hands behind his back because they're shaking. "I'm happy."

"Baekhyun -" Chanyeol starts, but another voice interrupts them from outside.

"Oppa, are you done?" Dara's voice sounds from outside the door. Baekhyun freezes, the smile he put on his face freezing along with it. His heart sinks, and he hates it. God, he hates it so much. "It's been a long time."

"Coming!" Chanyeol calls out, then turns to stare at Baekhyun with his wide, beautiful eyes that have such a unique curve at the end. The sort of small peak that girls try to do with eyeliner.

Baekhyun gestures with his hands to go quickly, and somehow, strangely, miraculously, his smile is more natural now.

'Don't let her wait.' He wants to say, except he's mouthing it now because his voice is just so weak, it's gone. 'Or else I'll get angry.'

Chanyeol hesitates, bless him for being such a kind soul. Baekhyun smiles encouragingly, reminding himself that Chanyeol's happiness is his happiness. Chanyeol's happiness is his happiness.

Yes. Chanyeol's happiness is his happiness.

And so is Dara's.

Without another word, Chanyeol rushes out, and in a blur, Baekhyun catches a glimpse of Chanyeol's hand that reaches out to the small of Dara's back, holding her steady in case she falls. Then the door closes.

The door closes, separating them into two halves. Dara and Chanyeol on one side, the clever trainee and the clever Professor, and Baekhyun on the other side, lonely and immature and too young for love.

Just like how it should be.

The next day, Baekhyun wakes up extra early to study a little before he can eat breakfast and then go to room 530. After all, being a member of EX'ACT was his first dream, is still his first and current dream, and he shouldn't let this chance pass by, no matter how many difficulties he's facing (which are all his own and no one else's). All feelings should be put aside. At least, all unnecessary feelings.

Part of Baekhyun wishes he can cut ties with all his emotions. That way, he can be cold, just like Yixing. That way, he can be unhurt and immune, and then work on his job properly, like a professional. ...That way, he can be selfish, and chase something he wants.

Today Baekhyun wants to be alone. But of course, it's not granted as Dara barges in and pulls him into a bear hug, and he's reminded of how horrible he is as a person, to have such horrible thoughts.

"I missed you so much, I'm so sorry I haven't time to accompany you!" She says, then pulls away.

"I missed you too..." Baekhyun replies genuinely. "How're things going with him?" It's so hard to say his name, and he hopes Dara understands.

"Oh." Dara smiles. "We're not what you think we are. I don't like him that way."

"Oh." Baekhyun replies softly. But he likes you. And I don't think you don't like him.

"Anyway, you said we're your favourite people, right?" Dara grins as she links her arm through his. "I'm curious about Chanyeol. Why him?"

"Uh ..." Baekhyun closes his eyes and thinks about Chanyeol. Park Chanyeol, as himself, as Baekhyun's Professor. Professor, and nothing else.

"He gives me a lot of warmth." Baekhyun says, opening his eyes to look at Dara. "It's just ... so powerful, you know? The warmth and security he brings, because it's so physically there."

Truthfully, as he describes Chanyeol, another face enters his mind - Zhang Yixing makes him feel the exact same way. He shakes out of it though. "... Do you know what I mean?"

"You don't like him, do you?" Dara teases.

"No!" Baekhyun responds, shaking his head violently. "It's not like that."

"Yes, I know." The older laughs and pokes him on the nose. "Just teasing you."

"Hm, maybe it's because he's so much older. Gives you those dad vibes, you know? To you, I mean." Dara smiles brilliantly at him, and Baekhyun falls silent, because truthfully, it's nothing like that, nowhere near that.

"Anyway, I have to go, Baekhyunnie!" Dara ruffles his hair, and Baekhyun is reminded of the way Chanyeol does it. "See you later!"

"Bye." Baekhyun says and the door closes. The silence that hangs in the air suddenly becomes too much for him, and so he packs up his things and decides to have breakfast at the cafeteria. He grabs his breakfast quite safely, but as he looks around, he realises that the other trainees (that like to pick on him) have seen him, and seem to be making their way towards him. Immediately Baekhyun ducks low and searches for an empty table far, far away, because it's still quite early for a morning. Then he sits down with a hunched back, not wanting them to notice him, and he eats his burger quietly. Closing his eyes, he attempts to shield himself from anything else in the cafeteria by closing off one sense, but instead, it enhances his other senses.

"Over there." He hears one of them call from a short distance away, so he shuts his eyes even tighter, hoping and praying it's not him they're targeting.

And then someone is slipping in next to him, sliding an arm across his waist, and he flinches violently, almost dropping the burger in his hands. After a few seconds of nothing, Baekhyun dares opens his eyes and look up at just who's holding him so intimately, and he finds a cold Zhang Yixing eating his noodles with his left hand quietly.

Baekhyun attempts to look back at the other trainees, but Yixing twists his head until their faces are facing each other,inches apart, and the hostile expression in his eyes forces Baekhyun to stop. The stare lasts for nearly two seconds and then Baekhyun twists his head back again, staring at the burger in his hands.

Nothing happens for the next few minutes as Baekhyun eats his breakfast quietly and Yixing waits for him to finish. And then when Baekhyun finishes, Yixing hastily gathers up all the rubbish. Baekhyun can only stare, frozen in his spot, until Yixing steps away from the table.

"Thank you." Baekhyun whispers, for the rubbish that Yixing had picked up and maybe more. Just as he turns to leave, however, the taller body is with him once more, this time Yixing's left hand resting on the small of his back.

"Keep walking." Yixing murmurs in such a way that Baekhyun's sure no one could've lip-read it. He obeys, and on the way out Yixing throws the rubbish in the bin, his left hand never leaving Baekhyun's back. Baekhyun can tell the cafeteria is more silent than usual, as if every eye is on him, watching him, or rather, watching Zhang Yixing, Yixing opens the door and steps out with Baekhyun, and they walk until the end of the hallway.

Then, just like that, Zhang Yixing lets go and strides over to one side, the opposite direction to where Baekhyun's going. As if they're strangers, and he hadn't done such an intimate thing in front of so many people.

Baekhyun freezes in his spot, and only jerks awake when he hears the door of the cafeteria open and close. And then he hurries away.

Of course, in the end he still ends up buying breakfast for his professor, something he can't bring himself not to do. As he walks over to room 530, he thinks back to Zhang Yixing, and wonders where he's going. His office should be the other way. Baekhyun thinks to himself, and wonders where Zhang Yixing had been going to instead. He walks in, placing the bags in front of Chanyeol, and the thought of how Chanyeol had held Dara yesterday runs through his mind. Without another word, he walks to his own desk, sitting himself down. The moment he does though, he realises how obvious he had been, and groans internally as he sinks into the desk. Too embarrassed now to look his Professor in the eye, Baekhyun instead immerses himself in the books, wanting to study. Yet, for the first hour he realises he hadn't studied anything, only because he kept thinking about his Professor and his best friend. Baekhyun doesn't even realise he's sighing softly and subconsciously until someone pushes his book from his nose and down onto the table, and large, gentle eyes stare straight into his own.

"I know what's up." Chanyeol's voice is playful, as if trying to lighten the mood. "You're stressing out because you came seventh, aren't you?"

Baekhyun is too surprised to speak, and he watches as Chanyeol, who's leaning his other hand onto his chair that he had dragged across the room, pulls his chair until it's right next to Baekhyun's.

"I'll teach you." Chanyeol says, and when he sits down, he accidentally slides out of his chair and lands on his butt on the floor. Immediately, Baekhyun stands and bends to pick up his Professor, whose face is scrunched up in pain.

"Are you okay?" Baekhyun asks, but even in this situation, a smile lights up his lips.

"I think it gave a shock to my old bones ..." Chanyeol groans, hand reaching out to grabs Baekhyun's arm. Before Baekhyun pull, however, Chanyeol has pulled, and Baekhyun accidentally falls down onto Chanyeol's lap.

Baekhyun registers this quickly, and he can't help but wonder how Chanyeol, such an old man, can have such a body that feels so toned and muscly and young. It really makes no sense.

"Sorry." Comes Chanyeol's humourous reply. "I dragged you to hell with me." His professor has always been silly and clumsy like that, and there he goes again, holding Baekhyun's arm firmly - this time to steady him - like he doesn't know how it's affecting his student.

"S-S-Sorry." Baekhyun mumbles and immediately stands, ripping away from Chanyeol's hold. "Here." Instead he holds out his hand right next to Chanyeol's limp one, and this time, his professor grabs a hold of it and pulls himself up.

"You can do your work, you know. I'm fine." Baekhyun says. "I really am. Don't let me disturb what you're doing."

"I had a breakthrough three days ago." Chanyeol replies, grinning even wider. "I think it's time I rest."

"Really?" The awkwardness is gone and Baekhyun's eyes are wide in disbelief. Does he dare believe? "And such a big news and you didn't tell your student?"

"You had so much going on, little one, I didn't want to say it at an inappropriate time!" Chanyeol pushes his chair back. "And now that it's an appropriate time, I think I deserve a hug!" With that, his professor wraps his arms around him into a big, bear hug. Baekhyun can't breathe, and he doesn't want to know why. Immediately, he thinks about how Dara might see this, and how Dara might feel, so he pushes Chanyeol away and pretends it's because he's itching to study harder. Chanyeol doesn't seem to notice, and instead he takes his seat next to Baekhyun happily.

"You really like learning about Monsters, don't you?" Chanyeol sighs. "I know you're a slow learner, so let's not learn. Let's talk instead."

"Um..." Baekhyun is about to protest, but his professor presses his finger against Baekhyun's lips.

"Hush, little one." He says. "I guess since my specialty is Monsters, I'm the best person to talk to, no?"

"Specialty?" Baekhyun mumbles. The last time he checked, Chanyeol's specialty was Data and Researching.

"Yes, since I've seen there before in real life." There's a glint to the older's eyes, as if he's really proud that he's possessed this experience that not many others have.

Baekhyun can only nod and utter a sound of agreement in politeness, only because he's the student and Chanyeol's the professor. But now, it's his turn to become sneaky.

"So you'll tell me about what happened when you used to live with them, no?" Baekhyun grins cheekily, even though in truth he only wants to understand Chanyeol better, and know him better. A part of him slightly regrets it though, upon remembering that Chanyeol is quite sensitive about Monsters, and had seemed so angry the last time he talked about them. It's too late now. "I think your personal experiences with them, rather than your data of them, is more valuable to me."

"Hm ..." Chanyeol falters and pretends to consider it. Baekhyun had asked and baited, half expecting the older to shoot him a dark glance and then walk away or change the subject, but right now the taller doesn't seem to be affected by his past at all.

"Please~" Baekhyun takes this chance immediately and pleads cutely, hands reaching down to grip Chanyeol's forearm.

"... Fine." Chanyeol decides with a grin. "So forty glorious years ago, I was born into a little home on land -"

"You were born outside?!" Baekhyun asks in disbelief, blinking in awe and amazement. Chanyeol seems really proud on capturing his student's attention. "You saw the shore? You saw the sun? You saw the sky?"

"Yep." Chanyeol lips twitch up even higher. "And I saw animals too."

"Animals?" Baekhyun stands slightly off his seat. "L-Like goats? Pandas? Dragons?"

"No, not dragons." Chanyeol chuckles, and then he immediately straightens his back, eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to be serious. "Okay, sit down." Baekhyun does. "Sit straight." Baekhyun does. "Let's focus, shall we?"

"Sorry." Baekhyun smiles sheepishly.

"Anyway, Monsters and Lucky Ones lived harmoniously together." Chanyeol says. "Lucky Ones had the brains, whereas Monsters had the strength. It worked out perfectly for us, and then one day it all changed because Monsters wanted to control us.

"They went on a rampage, killing off all the Lucky Ones, because they were stronger and much more capable to do so. The Lucky Ones were left with no other choice but to escape and hide, at least for now. They were truly Monsters, and wanted to stop at nothing to kill us, even though from the start we were victims ... Back then, I didn't understand why, because we lived with them. We were a part of them. We trusted them, and all they gave us in return was jealousy and greed and lust for power.

"And in exchange for lust for power, the lives of so many people were lost." Chanyeol mutters. "Ten percent of the population, which is the richest ten percent, live underwater in this bubble we have right now, and these are the people that were away from the harm of Monsters, most of whom cannot and do not like living underwater. While the Lucky Ones valued technology advancements, and living in SQUAOII gave them that prestige, Monsters loved the openness and vastness of the land. By then, there were only about a hundred of us that were left alive. Lucky Ones from SQUAOII immediately brought us in, and we have been here ever since. They didn't trust me when I wanted to join EX'ACT, so I brought in a Monster with me as proof that I could be trusted."

"Wow ..." Baekhyun breathes in disbelief, not sure how he's supposed to feel.

"Lust for power was what killed my family, Baekhyun ..." Chanyeol's voice is low now, and full of the seriousness that he usually lacks. "That's why they're monsters and you can never trust them. That's why I hate them to the gut."

Baekhyun watches Chanyeol, feeling sour and bitter in his heart. Part of him is angry at himself for bringing up this issue at all, when he knows Chanyeol resents it. Slowly, he brings his hand up to rest on his professor's shoulder, rubbing it slightly.

"We'll find peace with them, Professor. Don't worry." Baekhyun says softly, and right then his heart means it more genuinely than it ever had. Baekhyun had always wished and vouched for peace, no matter what, but hearing such a personal experience has him wanting it desperately.

"I'm not looking for peace, Baekhyun." The dangerously low and the malevolent intentions of Chanyeol's tone of voice almost scares the smaller. When Chanyeol looks up, eyes for the first time focused and dark with rage, Baekhyun sees a flicker of angry red fury pass through his eyes. "I'm looking to destroy."

"Um ..." Baekhyun's heart is skipping fast and he immediately moves away, not sure how to cope with this. Jogging lightly to the controls of the room, Baekhyun switches on the fan and laughs, attempting to lighten up the mood.

"Is it just me or is it hot in here?" The smaller jokes. At the lack of response, Baekhyun decides to rush back to comfort the older. "I'm sure it'll end one day, Professor. You bet it will."

Once again, there is a lack of response. Baekhyun bites his lip looking around for something to help with this suddenly gloomy atmosphere. Then he finds it, in the form of uneaten fries. Glancing back at his professor, Baekhyun once again bounds across the room to grab the packet of fries and returns, putting them inside his mouth until they cover all his teeth. When he's sure he can't hold it in anymore, he desperately taps his professor on the shoulder. Taps. Pats. Slaps.

Chanyeol eventually lifts his head and turns to stare at him, large dark brown eyes looking blank. Baekhyun grins open-mouthed, and he's sure Chanyeol can see the fries lined up and hiding his teeth. It's so gross that at least two of the now-soggy fries have fallen out of his mouth, and then Chanyeol is turning away again, covering his face in his hand, unfazed. Baekhyun flushes immediately in embarrassment. Not only has he put himself out there to be embarrassed and laughed at, but he gets no response, and he had not helped the situation at all. Moreover, he's doing it to show ... show his professor, of all people.

Baekhyun doesn't mind looking silly, but he does feel a little humiliated whenever no one responds.

Scolding himself mentally, Baekhyun slowly eats the fries in his mouth, chewing and hoping that will lessen the awkwardness. When finished eating, Baekhyun moves to bend down and pick up the fallen fries, contemplating on what other methods he can use to cheer up the older.

And then he hears it. A chuckle.

Wide eyes staring, Baekhyun's fingers are inches away from the fries and he looks up immediately to watch his professor, whose shoulders are shaking. Small, muffled chuckles sound in the air and become clearer when Chanyeol removes his hand from his face, and there it is - the grin.

"That is possibly the weirdest way to cheer someone up, little one." Chanyeol says, sounding normal again as he turns to smile at Baekhyun. Baekhyun's cheeks heat up again, but now motivated, he immediately grabs the two fries from the ground.

"H-Here! I'll show you again!" Baekhyun says as he prepares to stuff the two fries in his mouth, but Chanyeol catches his arm.

"Hey." The taller stops him, hand sliding up Baekhyun's arm to take away the two fries from his fingers. "You don't need to go that far. I'm fine."

"Oh." Baekhyun falters, and mentally he's scolding himself again for making a fool of himself. He watches as his professor prepares to eat the two fries and he immediately reaches his hands out to stop the older.

"Stop! You can't eat those!" Baekhyun exclaims in horror, trying to throw off the arm that's holding him back. "They touched the ground!"

"So you know how I feel now?" Chanyeol stops and Baekhyun falls silent. He closes his eyes out of instinct when his professor ruffles his hair again. "How could I just watch my student do something that silly and not do anything about it?"

"Thank you though." This time, Baekhyun feels warm skin running down his temple, but he's too afraid to look so his eyes stay closed.

At this moment, Baekhyun's heart is going haywire. He wonders if he's being controlled, to be forced to heat up, have red cheeks, and have such a crazily beating heart? He's being controlled, is that why he's always doing things he's regretting whenever he's around his professor?

And yet, Baekhyun is too afraid to lean into Chanyeol's fingers. Or rather, he doesn't want to.

(Slightly reluctantly,) Baekhyun pulls away, bravely opening his eyes to stare into his professor's dark brown ones. Then, bravely, he puts on a smile.

"Are you going to keep helping me?"