Chanyeol fidgets in his seat, eyes looking around the restaurant and fingers clenching and unclenching around the cup in his hands. He can practically hear his heart drumming in his ears and he is sure that any sudden movement from his part can cause some ugly vomiting. Considering that he’s in a lavish restaurant with plenty of people around, that is a situation that he doesn’t wish to face, so he gulps, sits still, and breathes in and out to calm himself down.

This is stupid. He shouldn’t think too much about this. He knows that he has always been an anxious being, always nervous about the littlest things, but still, this is stupid.

Chanyeol is so lost in his train of thought that he doesn’t notice that the person he’s waiting for has entered the restaurant.  The said person smiles when he notices Chanyeol. He then makes his way towards Chanyeol and grips his shoulder when he gets there.

Chanyeol jumps at that, almost spilling the coffee in his hands. He looks up and glares, finding Baekhyun smirking, amused by his reaction.

“You need to calm down,”

“You know I never do that,” Chanyeol huffs, “And how many times did I tell you to not scare me like that?”

“But it’s fun!” Baekhyun grins as he sits across Chanyeol, “You’re cute when you’re flustered!”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes, choosing not to comment further because there had been multiple occasions when he a) told Baekhyun that he doesn’t like people startling him that way and b) told Baekhyun that he doesn’t like being called ‘cute’. However, he never seems serious with his warnings, so he really can’t blame Baekhyun for not taking them seriously. Besides, how can he argue when teasing him causes Baekhyun to smile like he’s sunshine personified, that he giggles so much that it’s hard for him to stop.

And Chanyeol likes Baekhyun’s giggles. He doesn’t mind listening to it over and over again.

Baekhyun grins when he gives the menu back to the waitress after ordering his food. Chanyeol notices how she blushes when Baekhyun thanks her for her service and compliments her nails. Baekhyun has always been a people’s person – always so kind, so attentive, so sweet.

“I gotta say, I’m surprised when you called me to have lunch together,” Baekhyun says, “Thought Sehun’s gonna join us but he’s meeting Jongdae so it’s just you and me today, and… well, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Chanyeol doesn’t blame Baekhyun for being surprised by his invitation. Even if they’re friends and are on good terms now, deep inside, they are yet to move pass the awkward stage after their break up. This is all a façade that they put on, to ensure that their friends don’t feel weird just because they broke up.

Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun are big believers of “fake it until you make it”, but although they promised to remain friends, they haven’t been alone with each other since they called it quits and mostly rely on their friends to keep the conversations going. Their friends, particularly Sehun and Jongin, are such good friends that their presence eliminates all the awkward tension, but when they’re not around, Chanyeol and Baekhyun really don’t know what to talk about.

“Fake it until you make it” project is far from complete. They’re still far from being the Baekhyun and Chanyeol they once were.

Don’t get them wrong – they can do with small talks, but considering that they used to be close, it’s crazy how they went from being attached to each other’s hips to mere acquaintances. Sometimes, it’s like they don’t know each other anymore.

If he were to be honest, Chanyeol doesn’t think he will ever get over this breakup. It might be a mutual decision with him initiating it and Baekhyun agreeing to it so easily, which proves that he too, had been thinking about it. Both of them realised how much stress they were putting on each other when they’re together, how their differences were no longer something that they could joke about, how being with each other felt like a chore, and how they seemed to heads over the pettiest things.

The longer they stayed together, the more damage they did to their friendship, so Chanyeol took the easy way out. He’d rather be Baekhyun’s friend than Baekhyun’s nothing.

Still, sometimes he wishes they tried a bit harder. He wishes Baekhyun would fight for him for once. He wishes Baekhyun held on a bit more and be the anchor for once. He loved, loves, Baekhyun so much that he’d do anything to make him happy, and even after all this time, it still stings how being free from him is what would make Baekhyun happy.

And Baekhyun is happier now. He’s living his dream. He finally started on the clothing line he’s always talked about. He books multiple gigs with multiple brands and his modelling career takes off like a rocket. And he starts dating again, much to Chanyeol’s dismay. The relationships rarely last more than a month, but still, Baekhyun’s living his best life.

Chanyeol can’t stay the same for himself. He might be living well financially, but Chanyeol can’t help but to feel empty. Unlike Baekhyun, he hasn’t dated anyone. A part of him misses Baekhyun too much to even think about other people, but a part of him just can’t do it. It feels… wrong.

“Chanyeol? Hello? Earth to Chanyeol,” Baekhyun waves his palm in front of Chanyeol’s face, “Hey, you okay?”

Chanyeol blinks.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“You sure? Because you look like you’re about to throw up.”

Chanyeol shakes his head, “No, I’m okay. I just –  never mind,”

“Chanyeollie, it’s me,” Baekhyun says, “You can tell me anything.”

Chanyeol knows that. He knows that he can tell him anything, but right now, he has a favour to ask and he’s not sure if Baekhyun would be kind.

“Sehun said you need a favour,” Baekhyun starts, “Is that what you want to talk about?”

ing Sehun.

Still, Chanyeol nods, “Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“Well,” Chanyeol fidgets in his seat, “Remember Somin?”

“Snobby Somin? Your cousin?”

“Baek, she’s not snobby…”

“She called me poor, tried to get your parents against me, tried to make me feel like about myself, acted all high and mighty and made me feel like I didn’t deserve you when we’re together… need I go on?” Baekhyun’s challenges, “Because I can go on about how she’s the snobbiest person I’ve known, and I can go on forever.”

“Baekhyun, she’s getting married,” Chanyeol decides to just spill the truth.

Baekhyun is caught off-guard. His eyes go wide as saucers before blinking rapidly, mouth open like a fish, his hand rests on his heart.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No. Who in the right mind would marry her?”

“Now you’re just being mean. She’s not that repulsive,” Chanyeol remarks, but at Baekhyun’s disgusted face, he knows that Baekhyun’s opinion about Somin isn’t going to change. Sighing, he continues, “But anyway, she’s getting married and I’m invited to the wedding.”

Baekhyun chuckles, “’Course you are. You’re her favourite cousin.”

“Baekhyun, she doesn’t see me that way. Can’t you let that go?”

Baekhyun huffs, “Fine. So, you have to go to the wedding?”

“She’s my cousin, of course I have to go,”

“I don’t understand why you have to. You hate her,”

“I don’t-”

“Yeah you do,” Baekhyun interrupts, “But you’re too nice to say anything.”

Well, he’s not totally wrong. Chanyeol definitely hates how Somin treated Baekhyun but he doesn’t hate Somin. Hate is too strong of a word to use because Chanyeol did use to like her when he was growing up as she was nicer than she is now. Now, it’s more like a strong dislike, but not hate.

Chanyeol can never hate a family member.

“Somin’s my family, and family means responsibility and responsibility means I can’t get out of attending this wedding,” Chanyeol explains, “I can’t disappoint my aunt. She’d be sad if I skip this.”

Baekhyun nods. He’s not unreasonable, of course he understands Chanyeol’s situation. Chanyeol’s a big family man, always puts his big family first – all before everyone else. Besides, Somin might be annoying, but her mother is a sweet old lady who always praises Baekhyun’s beautiful face.

Baekhyun actually likes Chanyeol’s aunt.

“Then go,” Baekhyun says, “Good luck facing Somin though,”

“Yeah… so, that’s what I want to talk to you about,” Chanyeol seems even more nervous now, “I- I want you to be my date.”

Silence.

After a few seconds, Baekhyun laughs nervously, “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that? I thought you said that you want me to be your date.”

“Yeah, to Somin’s wedding.”

Baekhyun scratches his ear, “W-wait what?”

“I want you to be my date to Somin’s wedding.” Chanyeol repeats.

Baekhyun blinks, “Okay, that doesn’t make any sense because there’s no way that you, Park Chanyeol, could be dumb enough to ask me to go to the wedding of someone I absolutely detest!”

God, Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun is going to act like this.

“Look,” he starts, “I know this is a big favour to ask…”

“Big? Try ginormous!”

“But Mom’s been talking about you and she’s looking forward to see you,” Chanyeol continues as if there’s no interruption from Baekhyun, “And my family already knows you and they’d want you there as well.”

“Wait wait wait,” Baekhyun shakes his head, still not understanding, “None of this makes any sense. Why would your family, no, your mother, want you to go to Somin’s wedding with me, your ex?”

Chanyeol’s face reddens. Baekhyun looks at him intently, trying to wrap his head around this. It takes a while for everything to click, but when it does, Baekhyun gasps.

“You didn’t tell her that we broke up!”

Chanyeol looks down, not meeting Baekhyun’s eyes.

“What the , Chanyeol? Why didn’t you tell her?”

“I couldn’t!” Chanyeol says, “I mean, I keep waiting for the right time, but it never comes, and suddenly Somin’s getting married, and we’re in this mess.”

“Oh no, Park Chanyeol, don’t ‘we’ me when I never ask to be in this!” Baekhyun exclaims, “How hard is it? ‘Hey mom? It’s me, Chanyeol. I broke up with Baekhyun but we’re okay so don’t worry’! See? Easy peasy!”

“Baekhyun, come on…”

“When are you gonna tell her?” Baekhyun asks, “Because she needs to know, and you can’t keep her in the dark forever.”

“I’m not gonna keep her in the dark forever! I am going to tell her!”

“When?!”

“… after the wedding?”

“Chanyeol, what the hell?!” Baekhyun looks like he’s so close to losing his patience, “Do you even realise how weird this is? I can’t go to your family’s event!”

“Why not? They adore you. They know you are my boyfriend-“

“Were.”

“Excuse me?”

“You used are. Were, Chanyeol. Past tense.”

Chanyeol feels like his heart is stuck in his throat. He knows they’re over. He has long accepted it.

But it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt when Baekhyun says it.

“Right. Were. Well, everyone still thinks that we’re dating so…” Chanyeol clears his throat, still not looking at Baekhyun, “Would you? Go with me?”

“No!” Baekhyun shrieks, “It’s weird!”

“No it’s not! Oh come on!” Chanyeol pleads, “It’s just a wedding. We’ll just show up, spend a couple of days there and-”

“A couple of days?!”

“Well, yeah. Mom needs to be there a couple days early and she wants us to go with her because she’s afraid of flight.”

Baekhyun can practically feel his blood pressure rising. He’s sure that if he’s a cartoon character, he’d have smoke coming out of his ears because this is infuriating. Chanyeol is infuriating because he just doesn’t get it.

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun starts patiently, “You’re not helping yourself right now. Just stop,” he raises a hand when Chanyeol opens his mouth to interrupt, “Just stop and think about what you’re asking from me.”

Chanyeol looks so clueless that Baekhyun knows that he needs to put some sense into Chanyeol’s head himself.

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun sighs exasperatedly, “I have work. I have things to do. You can’t expect me to drop everything and be available at your convenience. It’s not like I’m free to be there for your family when you could’ve made things easier for yourself by coming clean to your mom. And not to mention, this is a terrible idea. You’re asking me to lie to your family! To pretend to pretend to be someone I no longer am!

Chanyeol is silent for a while, but then he slowly says, “So, is that a no?”

“Oh for ’s sake,” Baekhyun mutters, “Of course it’s a no!”

Chanyeol sighs. He knows that Baekhyun’s right. This is a terrible idea and he’s dumb for thinking that Baekhyun would get on board. Of course he won’t.

Great. Now what?

“Sorry I asked.” He mutters, his voice barely audible.

Baekhyun simply stares at him. It breaks his heart to see Chanyeol so dejected, and he thinks he might have overreacted a little bit. He supposes that it’s just a simple request – there’s no need to get angry. He could’ve just said no earlier instead of going off on Chanyeol like that.

As expected, the awkward silence falls between them, only to be broken when the waitress comes with Baekhyun’s food.

Chanyeol doesn’t order anything, but he stays there anyway. Baekhyun prefers if Chanyeol leaves him alone because it’s better for Baekhyun to eat alone than to withstand this awkward tension while eating his food. But Chanyeol knows how much Baekhyun hates eating alone, and he’s too much of a gentleman to leave him like that anyway. So, Baekhyun tries to finish his food as quickly as possible.

Once he’s done, he gets ready to pay for his food but Chanyeol takes the bill from the waitress’ hand and pays for both of them without saying a word. He then gets up, nods curtly at Baekhyun and walks away.

Baekhyun leaves the restaurant a few minutes later, heart a little hollow and steps heavy as stones.

Chanyeol’s disappointed gaze haunts him for the rest of the day.

//

Baekhyun grew up with Sehun. Practically raised him as his little brother because their parents were rarely home when they were little. They separated when they both went to different universities, but they kept in touch and now still remain close even after they have established stable careers of their own. Baekhyun doesn’t trust anyone as much as he trusts Sehun, and he is sure that Sehun would say the same about him.

Sehun is family, so when he and Jongin finally got their on-again-off-again relationship sorted out and finally moved in together, Baekhyun considers Jongin family too, although he doesn’t know the guy as well as he knows Sehun. They’re both Baekhyun’s strongest support system in this city, and Baekhyun loves them both so much.

Thus, when Jongin calls him to inform that Sehun’s been overworking himself again, Baekhyun comes running with fried chicken and his own homemade soup – weird combination, but these are the comfort food that Sehun loves the most ever since he was little. Jongin is amused by how Baekhyun still treats Sehun like a baby, but how can Baekhyun not when Sehun still acts like one, getting sick easily and needing people take care of him?

“Sorry I’m late,” Baekhyun says as he walks into Sehun and Jongin’s apartment, carrying two bags of food. Jongin closes the door and goes to Baekhyun’s side, taking one bag from his hand before leading him to the kitchen where he is preparing fried rice himself.

“How’s he doing?” Baekhyun asks while rummaging the cabinet for some plates and cups, “Still sick?”

“Much better than yesterday, but still a bit feverish. Now I’m just thankful he’s getting his appetite back,” Jongin replies, turning off the stove once he’s satisfied with the rice. Despite his calm demeanour, Baekhyun can see the worry in Jongin’s eyes, “He needs to lay off work for a couple more days though, and you know how he is with work.”

Baekhyun nods in understanding. They both know how difficult Sehun can be when it comes to taking time off work and taking care of himself.

Sehun loves working. Lives for it. Thrives on it. He complains a lot about how his work would cause his early death but in reality, he can’t imagine doing anything other than managing his father’s corporation. He just loves being the boss.

He loves being the boss and hates taking medicine. Being sick means he can’t do what he loves to do and he has to do what he hates to do, so it’s not a surprise that Sehun is extremely irritable when he’s sick.

Jongin’s an angel for being able to put up with him.

Sehun is bundled up in thick blankets when Jongin and Baekhyun comes into the living room with the food. He’s watching a re-run of his favourite variety show, chuckling softly when something funny happens.

“How are you doing dude?” Baekhyun asks as he sits on another plush couch while Jongin takes his spot next to Sehun. Sehun shrugs, clearly not doing so well, but he seems to have resigned to the fact that he’s not going to work any time soon. Still, when Jongin places his delicate hand on Sehun’s forehead to check his temperature, a small smile appears on his lips.

“Better now,” Sehun says before wrapping his arm around Jongin’s waist and pulling him closer. Jongin stutters, ears turning red from the PDA, but he doesn’t push Sehun away either. Baekhyun says nothing as he helps himself with fried rice and chicken before turning his focus to the reality show while the couple bickers.

“Your hands are perfectly fine, Sehun! Why do you want me to feed you!”

“Please, food tastes better when you do!”

“… I feel like you’re taking advantage of me,”

“C’mon Jongin please….”

“… Fine, open up.”

When the show is over, Baekhyun has eaten two bowls of fried rice and five pieces of chicken. He can practically hear his personal trainer yelling at him for being so careless with his diet before giving him hell at the gym tomorrow – but Baekhyun couldn’t care less. As the matter of fact, he’s about to fall asleep when he hears Sehun say, “I talked to Chanyeol today.”

“Huh?” Baekhyun looks at Sehun, whose expression is unreadable, “What was said?”

“I can’t believe you’d turn him down like that.”

“Turn him down like what?” Jongin yawns, he is resting his head on Sehun’s shoulder, curled up on the couch like a cat.

“Chanyeol asked Baekhyun to be his date for his cousin’s wedding and Baekhyun blatantly said no even though,” he emphasizes on the last two words when he senses that Baekhyun’s about to interrupt him, “even though he knows the cousin and how much this would mean to Chanyeol. Kind of an move, if you ask me.”

“How’s that an move?”

“You said no to him.”

“I can’t say no now?” Baekhyun exclaims, “, I owe him nothing!”

Sehun shrugs off his warm blanket, causing Jongin to move too, confused by the sudden change of mood. He notices that Sehun looks angry, and that’s never a good sign.

“You don’t owe him anything but we’re talking about Chanyeol here,” Sehun’s gaze is hard and unrelenting, clearly frustrated with Baekhyun, “TheChanyeol who would do anything for you. The Chanyeol who you could just call and he’d come running. The Chanyeol who cares so much and is so loyal to you.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“I’m saying that Chanyeol would do anything for you because he’s a good friend. A person with a good heart, but you, he asks you to do one thing, ONE thing, but you can’t even do that. Despite everything he’s done for you!”

“Alright babe, you need to relax,” Jongin immediately interrupts when he senses anger radiating from Sehun like waves. He places his hands on Sehun’s shoulders and leans him back on the couch, wrapping Sehun back in blankets. Jongin thought Sehun is done, but then Sehun goes on to say something that stings Baekhyun like crazy.

“I don’t know what he sees in you, Baek,”

“Alright you know what,” Baekhyun stands up, sleep long forgotten, “You have no right to say that when you don’t even bother to listen to my side of the story!”

Jongin stands up in front of his boyfriend when Baekhyun stares at Sehun like he wants to strangle him, “Baekhyun, calm down,”

“He’s basically saying that I’m a bad friend! I’m not!”

“I didn’t say that!”

“Yes, you did!”

“I didn’t!”

“You did!”

“I didn’t!” Sehun yells, rising from the couch, looking equally as angry. It’s now up to Jongin to stand between them to prevent them from clawing each other’s face off.

“Chanyeol asked me as if I have nothing better to do than to go to a stupid wedding. A wedding of someone we both don’t even like!” Baekhyun exclaims, “And he’s asking me to pretend to date him. To lie to his entire ing family! And if you can’t see what’s wrong with that, then I can’t help you!”

Silence.

Nothing is heard except for Baekhyun’s and Sehun’s laboured breathing. Both of them look at each other with so much anger and animosity, and this makes Jongin feel uneasy.

However, just as Jongin opens his mouth to say something, Sehun backs away, “You’re right. You can’t help me. I stand by what I said – Chanyeol deserves much so much better.”

And just like that, Sehun retreats into his and Jongin’s room and slams the door behind him, causing both Jongin and Baekhyun to flinch. Jongin turns to Baekhyun, reaching out to comfort him but Baekhyun swats his hand away.

Sehun’s voice rings in his ears despite him not being in the same room anymore.

Chanyeol deserves better.

///

“You have to forgive him. You know how he is when he’s sick,” Jongin says apologetically as he wipes the dishes before putting them back in the cabinet. Baekhyun, who takes the task of washing the dishes, says nothing.

“But he has a point, y’know?” Jongin continues carefully. He knows he’s walking on thin ice here.

“You’re taking his side now?” Baekhyun doesn’t bother to take his eyes off the dishes. He’s probably washing the plates too roughly now, and he’s so angry that he sees spots. Truth be told, he’s surprised that he still has self-control to not throw the glass plates to the wall to release the anger bubbling inside him.

“I’m taking no one’s side. We’re adults here, there’s no need for teams,” Jongin lets out an exasperated sigh, “But be honest with me, do you have anything to do this weekend? Anything work related?”

Baekhyun’s first instinct is to say yes because he would hate to admit that he is indeed free for the whole weekend and has absolutely no reason to turn Chanyeol down. But then he makes the mistake of looking at Jongin, who is staring at him with so much concern and kindness that Baekhyun can feel himself deflate right there and then.

“… no.”

He expects Jongin to go against him like Sehun did. He knows that he is selfish, a devil compared to the selfless Chanyeol. He expects Jongin to call him an , that he doesn’t deserve someone as kind as Chanyeol – a fact that never fails to hurt him.

He knows he doesn’t deserve Chanyeol. He knows that Chanyeol is too good for him. But he doesn’t need people reminding him that every single time. He knows. He gets it.

“Alright then.”

What?

Baekhyun blinks, “That’s it?”

“What else do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know – that I’m inconsiderate? That I’m a bad friend? That I-” Baekhyun chokes, “That I don’t deserve Chanyeol?”

“Do you want me to say all that?”

“What? Of course not,” Baekhyun finishes washing the dishes and washes his hand before turning the tap off, “But if that’s what you think, I’d rather you say it to my face than going behind my back.”

“I don’t think all that, Baek,” Jongin says calmly, still wiping the plates, “Who am I to say who deserves who? I mean, I think I don’t deserve Sehun, and I know everyone wonders what’s a CEO like him doing with a mere teacher like me, but nothing changes the fact that I love him and he loves me. So really, no one has the right to say anything about who’s deserving of whom.”

“But I wanna know why you said no,” Jongin continues, “Sehun has a point when he says that Chanyeol would risk everything for you, and he has done the absolute most for you. If you think about it, this is a simple favour. I know having to lie to his family is ed up, but you can just… you know, be there and talk to his family like normal, and avoid any relationship talk if it makes you so uncomfortable.” Jongin sighs, “If you think about it, all that Chanyeol asks of you is your company. That’s all.”

Baekhyun groans, his face in his hands, “Ugh, I hate it when you make sense.”

“Well, someone’s gotta be the adult here. Since you and Sehun want to act like children, I guess…”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Baekhyun huffs, crossing arms across his chest, “There’s another reason why I said no.”

“Oh?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, “No, you won’t get it.”

“Hey! I’m smarter than you think I am, okay? I’m not just a pretty face!” Jongin jokes, and Baekhyun finds himself chuckling at Jongin’s remark.

“Well, I don’t know ‘bout the last one,”

“Baekhyun...” Jongin whines, “Just tell me.”

Baekhyun sighs. He’s not prepared for this conversation at all. To think that he originally came here just to have dinner and then go back to his apartment afterwards… this night did turn out to not be anything like he expected. Baekhyun is mentally and emotionally drained after a long day at work and he wants nothing more than to rest. However, with the still simmering anger in his chest and his need to tell his side of the story, Baekhyun can’t wait for another day.

Besides, Jongin’s looking at him so earnestly, and Baekhyun needs to explain himself.

“Did Sehun tell you that Chanyeol’s the one who asked for the breakup?” Baekhyun starts. He feels his old wound bleeding again – he hates thinking about their breakup, “That Chanyeol’s the one who came home and said, ‘Y’know what Baek? This isn’t working out. We need to call it quits’ and he said it in such finality that I knew that his mind was set. It’s over and I had no say it in whatsoever.”

Jongin looks confused, “B-but, I thought both of you…”

“… both decided on it? No, we decided to tell Sehun that it’s a mutual decision so that he won’t feel burdened. So that he doesn’t have to pick sides.” Baekhyun chuckles bitterly, “Chanyeol is Sehun’s best friend. His co-worker, his partner in crime, his right-hand man, whereas I’m just,” Baekhyun sighs, “I’m just his childhood friend. I’m just… Baekhyun. We all know that if he has to choose between us, he’d choose Chanyeol. I’ve lost Chanyeol. I can’t lose Sehun too, y’know?”

“Baek,” Jongin’s voice hard, he’s looking at Baekhyun in disbelief, “You don’t actually think that low about yourself, do you? This isn’t some kind of custody battle. Sehun’s a grown man, and he doesn’t have to choose between the two of you if he doesn’t have to. And you mean a lot of him, more than you think.”

“Whatever it is,” Baekhyun goes on, refusing to let Jongin continue because if he does, Baekhyun might not get to his main point, “That’s what we told Sehun. Chanyeol and I went way back, and just because we’re dumb enough to let our relationship ruin our friendship, doesn’t mean Sehun has to be dragged into this too.”

Jongin doesn’t say anything, so Baekhyun continues, “I didn’t have any say. Chanyeol wanted to call it quits, and I didn’t have it in me to say no. That was the worst night of life. I always thought that if there’s one person that I know would never hurt me, it was Chanyeol. But there he was – he hurt me so casually, like it’s nothing. Like we’re nothing.”

“Initially, I wanted to fight,” Baekhyun’s voice croaked. He blinks away the tears misting his eyes and powers on, “I wanted to fight for us because I didn’t want to lose him. I loved him so much. But I couldn’t. How could I when Chanyeol never asked me for anything, but when he finally asked for something…”

“He asked for a breakup” Jongin completes the sentence. Baekhyun nods.

“I told him that I’ve been thinking about it too. So, it isn’t only Sehun who thinks that it’s a mutual decision. Chanyeol thinks so too, but the truth is… I never wanted to let him go.”

“So all those times when we invited you two to hang out, you’re just… you’re just…” Jongin struggles to find the right word. It takes him a few seconds, but then he says, “hurting?”

He looks at Baekhyun with such pity that Baekhyun wants to curl in on himself.

“S’not your fault. I didn’t want it to be weird, so I just went along. But sometimes, sometimes it’s just hard, y’know? I know I should be over it already but it’s difficult.” Baekhyun sighs, “Getting over Chanyeol is difficult.”

Jongin nods in understanding. Getting over someone isn’t easy. Especially if that someone is a person you have spent a good chunk of your life with. When it comes to heart matters, only time can heal things, and considering that Baekhyun and Chanyeol only broke up a year ago after years of dating, of course the wound is yet to heal. Still open, so sensitive.

“You really love Chanyeol, huh?”

“I do,” Baekhyun says, “I still do.”

Sometimes, Baekhyun feels like they jumped into this so fast. Sure, they’re best friends since they were freshmen in university, but the feelings they developed for each other came late. Baekhyun only realised that he liked Chanyeol more than a friend during their third year, when both him and Chanyeol were busy with their studies and finding ideas for their final year dissertation. It was when they were both struggling between classes and part time jobs, sharing one hotdog and one iced Americano due to budget constraint, and huddling up together under the blanket during winter. Chanyeol would always eat less so that Baekhyun would eat more, would let him drink his coffee even though he bought the coffee for himself, and would let him hog the blanket even though he’s freezing himself.

Only then he realised how grown Chanyeol was, how amazing he was, how he would do everything for Baekhyun, how he’d do anything to make Baekhyun happy.

When they started dating, they moved fast. Too frustrated at the lost times, too afraid of losing more, so they made it up by speeding things up. Back then, Baekhyun knew that he’s going to marry Chanyeol. Once everything’s settled, they were going to migrate and spend the rest of their life together, even if it’s on a foreign land. Even when things between them got difficult once they got their own jobs and realised their own dreams, Baekhyun always knew that he wanted Chanyeol.

“If I go,” Baekhyun starts, “I’d spend the whole weekend with him. The reason why I’m doing okay right now is because we only see each other for a few hours every week. It’s manageable. But being around him 24/7…”

He couldn’t do it. It would hurt too much.

“I’m sorry,” Jongin says, “I didn’t know you felt that way. If I had known…”

“It’s not like there’s anything you could’ve done. I want things to go back to the way they were before this whole mess started. Chanyeol and I started as friends, and I want my friend back.” Baekhyun explains, “I’m not doing a very good job getting him back, I guess.”

“Yeah, not really.” Jongin chuckles, and Baekhyun finds himself smiling despite his heart hurting.

“What do you think I should do, Jongin? Should I go to the wedding?” Baekhyun asks.

“You really want to know what I think?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I don’t.”

Jongin is silent for a while, and Baekhyun knows him well enough to know that he’s thinking carefully about what to say. Jongin is wise. He often weighs situations and thinks about every possible outcome before giving his opinion about anything.

Jongin then finally says, “Well, I think you can’t keep avoiding him. This situation’s messy, but if you want to be his friend, you gotta try. Because I see Chanyeol’s trying. He supports you when you launched your line. He’s there to listen to you when you broke up with your flings – the ones that you dated after him, I might add, he never fails to ask about you when it’s movie night and you’re not here yet, afraid that we forgot to invite you or something. I mean, I’m not blind. I see how sometimes things get awkward between you two. Sehun notices too, but there were times when both of us didn’t even get to say anything before Chanyeol changed the topic and practically brought you and him out of the awkward tension that fell,”

Jongin pauses, a small smile on his lips, “I don’t know if he even noticed that he did that, but he tries so hard to be your friend, Baekhyun. Even it’s just the little things, the small talks – he tries. And sometimes you don’t reciprocate. I know why now, but if you didn’t tell me what you told me just now, I’d think that you don’t care as much as he does.”

“He’s been a good friend, Baekhyun,” Jongin sighs, “and if you ask me, you should be a good friend to him too and go to the wedding with him.”

Baekhyun scoffs, “Y’know, it’s easier for him to be friendly with me because he is over me, but I’m not over him. It’s harder for me.”

“I know, Baek,” Jongin sighs, his gaze filled with pity, “But you gotta try.”

Jongin sees how conflicted Baekhyun feels right now, and he wishes he could offer a better advice, but sadly, he doesn’t know any other solution. He feels sad that Baekhyun’s been feeling like this for a while, and he wishes he could take a little bit of that pain from him.

So Jongin walks towards Baekhyun and pulls him into a crushing hug.

Baekhyun hugs back.

And they say nothing. Baekhyun just lets Jongin hold him until he no longer feels like he’s falling apart.

///

Chanyeol is royally screwed.

How the hell is he going to face his mother this weekend? How is he going to tell his mother that Baekhyun’s no longer his boyfriend? How is going to face the rest of his family without Baekhyun when he had confidently told them that Baekhyun’s the man he’s going to marry one day?

How does he save himself from the embarrassment?

Chanyeol is so deep in his thoughts that he doesn’t even realise that he’s cooked his chicken for too long. Only when he hears knocking on his door that he realises that he’s still cooking and the chicken he’s preparing is far from being edible.

Cursing under his breath, Chanyeol quickly turns off the stove and shoves the pan into the sink. He then makes a beeline to the front door to see who’s knocking.

To his surprise, Baekhyun is standing at his doorstep, crossing his arms across his chest and looking extremely impatient.

“I have a few ground rules. Number one,” he holds up a finger, “You’re paying for everything. Flight, food, accommodation, transportation – all on you. I’m not paying for a single bloody thing. Number two,” He holds up a second finger, “You’re not allowed to say no to me. If I want a burger in the middle of the night and you’re just about to sleep, you’re getting your out of bed and come eat burger with me. If I want to go to the beach to swim, you’re swimming with me. You’re doing everything I say, geddit?” He waits for Chanyeol to nod, and then he continues and holds up the third digit, “Number three, no flirting with anyone at the wedding. I know weddings are filled with single people and desperate people but you’re going there as my partner and I’ll be damned if I look like a fool alone while you’re out there wilding. No. You’re staying with me, and we’re gonna bull our way through the wedding together. Ok?”

“As if I’d ever look at anyone when you’re there, Baek,” Chanyeol smiles, and it is the smile that never fails to melt Baekhyun’s insides.

“No need to sweet talk me, Park.”

“But I like doing that,”

“Shut up.”

“Don’t tell me to shut up!” Chanyeol exclaims, but there’s no bite in his tone. He’s smiling from ear to ear, “Should I have ground rules too, Byun? It’s not fair if only you have them.”

Baekhyun glares at him, “I’m doing you a favour. A big one, at that. You should be thankful that I only came up with three… so far.”

“So far? Is there gonna be more?”

“I’ll add more as we go along,” Baekhyun quips, feeling a little bit hot under Chanyeol’s sunny smile, “But I’ll go to the wedding with you. I’ll be your boyfriend for the weekend. I’ll do whatever you want when we’re with your family. But my rules… you gotta follow them.”

Chanyeol’s still smiling. He looks so happy that Baekhyun wants nothing more than to reach forward and kiss that smile, kiss him until they’re both breathless.

Instead, he says, “Stop smiling like that! You look like a dork.”

“But I’m your dork,”

“Unfortunately.” Baekhyun forces a laugh. He wants to scream. His heart is beating at an alarming rate and he hates it.

No. Focus, Baekhyun.

“Have I made myself clear?” Baekhyun asks, looking at Chanyeol for confirmation.

“Very clear.”

“Well then, Park Chanyeol,” Baekhyun sighs, “I guess you got yourself a date.”