Part V

Baekhyun

I tried to stuff the thoughts of Chanyeol helping me with my tie into the depths of my mind. I tried to explain it away, thinking of any plausible reason that someone who clearly didn't like me would help me. I didn't really come up with anything, but I thought it was best to not overthink it or think about it at all really. As long as my dad and I were living in his house, he would always see us as intruders, people he needed to tolerate. There was really no use in me getting my hopes about us actually getting along. 

I managed to find my way to the dining room again, where I saw Mr. Park and Chanyeol. 

"Good morning, Baekhyun," Mr. Park said to me, smiling when he saw me enter the room. "Please, come sit. You're just in time for breakfast."

"Okay," I said, nodding and bowing faintly before tip-toeing my way over to a spot across from Chanyeol.

"I hope you slept well last night," he said as he put a napkin on his leg. "I'm sure you would have much rather been sleeping in your own bed, huh?"

"No, sir, I slept very well," I said, shaking my head a little. "You're very good at picking out mattresses. I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud."

He chuckled as he poured some milk into his coffee. "I can't take the credit for that. My late wife was in charge of decorating and furnishing the house when we first bought it, so it was all her." 

I smiled, though I was surprised to hear that Chanyeol had lost his mother, too. From the way he acted, so cold and recluse, I could tell the wound was still fresh for him, so I didn't bother continuing on that subject. 

My dad came into the dining room not long after I started eating to wish me luck on my first day at a new school. Mr. Park asked him if he wanted to join us for breakfast, but he politely declined and said he'd already eaten when he got up earlier. I thought he would be able to relax a little bit more now that we had a roof of our heads, but I guess he felt obligated to work even harder now so he wouldn't feel like a freeloader. Very typical of my dad, always thinking there was a price to someone's generosity.

"I called the school this morning to let them know they'd be getting a new student, so everything should be arranged for you when you get there," Mr. Park said after we had all finished eating. "I also told Chanyeol to make sure he's there to help you in any way you need until you get adjusted, so please don't be afraid to tell me if he doesn't follow through."

"Dad," he whined as he rolled his eyes.

Mr. Park just dismissed him with his hand and kept talking to me. "Our driver will take you to school and pick you up later. Chanyeol has his number, so feel free to get it from him should you ever find yourself in need of a ride."

I nodded my head, smiling still. "Thank you, Mr. Park," I said. "I really appreciate all you're doing for my dad and I."

"It's my pleasure. Your dad has done so much for us. It's only right I return the favor." I smiled at his words. Before I met him, I didn't know rich people could be so genuinely nice. I wondered why Chanyeol didn't seem to have much of his kindness.

"We should go," Chanyeol said, suddenly standing up from the table and picking up his backpack off the floor. "We'll be late." I stood up too when I saw him headed for the front door, saying goodbye to Mr. Park before catching up with Chanyeol.

He was already getting in the car by the time I closed the front door. I stopped and sighed for a moment, mentally preparing myself to be around people who were much worse than Chanyeol all day. Reinforcing my bag over my shoulder, I headed to the car, thanking the driver as he held the door open for me. I got in and there were two sets of elongated seats. Chanyeol sat on the one side, and I took the seat across from him. I felt too scared to sit next to him.

I sat back and looked around in a complete awe again. It amazed me how much money and a name could buy you. He sat back in his seat then I saw his dad walk up to the window. Chanyeol groaned a little before he rolled down the window and his dad stuck his head in a little.

We drove a little way then stopped again, but this time in front of a long driveway that led to yet another huge house. Two guys walked out and made their way to the car. 

"Who are they?" I asked Chanyeol in curiosity.

"The first one is Suho and the other one is his half-brother Kyungsoo. I take them to school every morning," he said without looking up from his phone. I nodded, moving to look at them through the window again. I recognized Suho from that day him and his friends confronted us at the park.

"Hey," the first guy, Suho, said. He froze for a moment when he saw me, the expression on his face telling me he was trying to figure out where he'd seen me before. "Who's this?" he ended up asking. I guess when you're the one doing the harassing, it's hard to remember who all of your victims are.

"Baekhyun. He's staying with me for a while," Chanyeol said, finally putting his phone away in his bag. 

"Ah, I recognize you," he began as Kyungsoo, I think that was his name, got in and sat next to me, barely sparing me a glance. "You're friends with Kai." I didn't say anything back to that and just nodded and bowed to him as a greeting. The car door shut and then we were off again. "Is it just him staying with you? I can't imagine why someone who shamelessly associates with Kai would be staying with you," Suho asked, looking at Chanyeol.

"No, his dad works for me. My dad didn't tell me much, just that they needed a place to stay for a little bit." I looked at Chanyeol, surprised he had lied and left out the eviction part. I still didn't appreciate him referring to my dad like that, but I appreciated the fact that he left out the eviction detail.

"He actually works for his dad," I corrected him. They both looked at each other, then at me like I had just offended Chanyeol somehow. 

"Well then," Suho said, a somewhat condescending smirk on his lips. "And I had the audacity to think you would be quiet." 

Chanyeol glared at me for about ten seconds before turning to Kyungsoo and saying, "What are you laughing at?" I turned my head to see that he was laughing a little, but his smile disappeared as he looked up at Chanyeol.

"Nothing," he said in a quiet voice, shaking his head and turning his eyes to the window. Suho chuckled again before pulling out his phone and Chanyeol just huffed and look out of his window. 

I saw Kyungsoo smile again out of the corner of my eye, and I couldn't help but smile a little too.

Chanyeol

I couldn't believe the audacity of that kid. He came into my house and thought he could talk to me like that? I was beginning to understand why Chen always said Kai and his friends didn't know how to act their class.

When we got to school, I was becoming so blind with rage that I was only able to drop him off at the office. It turned out him and Kyungsoo were in the same class, so I wasn't worried about following through with my dad's orders. Besides, I knew I would end up doing something that would really get me in trouble if I didn't take time to calm down.

"That was actually a funny thing to say," Chen said during our study period in the middle of the afternoon. 

"It even got Kyungsoo to laugh, so yeah, I hate to side with him, Yeol, but that was funny," Suho said, chuckling again as he took sip from his water. 

"I'm glad you guys find this entertaining," I said sarcastically, sighing as I pressed my back against the chair. "Where does he get off thinking he can just talk about me like that? My dad didn't have to take him and his dad in, but he did. If anything, he should be acting more grateful."

"What else can you expect from kids who grow up where he did?" Chen said, propping his feet up on a nearby desk. "They grow up with nothing and then suddenly when they're presented with everything, they forget where they came from. But don't worry, we can shape him up if you want us, too. His pathetic friends aren't around to save his ass this time."

"No, don't. My dad is already on my ass about being 'civil' with him. I don't need him thinking I sent you guys to bully him," I replied, pushing some of my fallen hair back. "And anyway, if they have any sense of humility, they'll be out soon enough and everything will go back to normal."

Or at least, that was what I hoped.

Baekhyun

I couldn't say my first day was terrible. My classes were fine and I didn't have too much catching up to do. No one seemed to be able to sense that I didn't come from money like them, though I got the typical new-kid stares throughout the day. Chanyeol steered clear of me for the remainder of the school day, probably because he didn't want to be seen associating with me. I didn't that, though. I figured it was better for us to avoid each other if possible. I knew if anything happened between us, my dad would be out on the street again and I didn't want my personal issues with Chanyeol to cause that.

I really missed my friends, though. Yes, they were loud and chaotic and fought most of the time, but not having anyone to talk to or laugh with on a daily basis was already starting to hurt. Sure, they were only a short drive away, but nothing beats having your loved ones close to you. 

After I got out of my last class of the day, I waited outside by where the driver had dropped us off that morning. I looked around to see if I could spot Chanyeol, but I wasn't waiting for him by any means. It would have been to at least be with someone I knew. As I was waiting, I saw a few of Chanyeol's friends approaching me. I groaned to myself, lowering my head. It would have been great to have Taemin around then. 

"Well, well, I certainly never thought I'd see the likes of you in this part of town," Chen said, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his backpack on his back. Deciding to take the higher road, I just stayed quiet. "Now you're quiet, huh? You weren't this morning from what I heard. Who knew you could be the snarky type?"

"I wasn't trying to be snarky," I said in reply, seeing as how ignoring them only seemed to fuel him more. "I just corrected him, that's all. It's not my problem if he took it like that." 

Chen and the others laughed. "I suppose you weren't trying to be snarky there either?" Chen said and I just looked at him. 

"Look, I know you guys hate me for whatever reason, but it would be nice if we could just skip this," I said. "I think we'd all be better off treating each other like we don't exist."

"Oh, you're trying to make threats now? Well, let me tell you something, kid," he said, moving closer and closer to me until my back was quite literally against a wall. "You're in our territory now, so you'd be better off watching how you talk to us if you don't want this to be the worst experience of your life. Understood?" 

I was scared, but I wasn't going to let him see it. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Whatever," I said. He looked me up and down once more before finally backing off and walking away. I stayed against the wall, laying my head against it now. God, I missed our old home.

"A-Are you okay?" I heard a voice from beside me say. I turned and saw Kyungsoo there, standing timidly and even taking a few steps back when I first looked at him. "I-I just...I saw what happened and wanted to make sure you were okay."

I smiled faintly at him. "Yeah, I am," I said. "I'm used to their shit anyway, so it's nothing new to me. Thanks for asking, though."

"Oh, good..." he said, smiling quickly and nodding. I could the faintest of blushes on his cheeks as he glanced down at the ground. There was something about him that I liked, something that made him seem like he wasn't like Chen or Chanyeol, totally drowning in their own privilege. 

"Your name is Kyungsoo, right?" I said, trying to carry on a conversation. He looked up again, his eyes a little wider like he was surprised I was still talking to him.

"Y-Yeah," he answered. "A-And yours is..."

"Baekhyun," I finished for him so he wouldn't have to try and remember. He nodded again, but this time he didn't lower his gaze. I looked around, still not seeing Chanyeol or the driver. "Say, want to walk back together? The walk didn't seem like it would be too bad on the way here this morning."

He a surprised expression came over his face again, but a small smile joined in not long after. "Sure..." he said, nodding his head a few times as he adjusted his backpack. 

"Okay." I smiled back at him and started walking, glancing back to make sure he was following me. We talked a little as we walked, and I discovered he wasn't as quiet as he seemed when he was made to feel comfortable. Eventually, he even started walking right beside me instead of a few inches behind me. 

Maybe this whole experience wouldn't turn out to be all bad after all.