Part XII

Chanyeol

How does one effectively define a relationship? 

Based on the traditional definition, I would have said that Baekhyun and I had started dating. I mean, we spent a lot of time together, talked and laughed together, and hooked up occasionally. We hadn't really talked about what exactly we were doing or what it meant, but because whatever it was was still new and fresh, I was kind of afraid to ask. We weren't exactly in the ideal dating environment or situation, with him and his dad still being guests at my house and the tension between our friend groups. One of us was bound to get hurt along the way, but that didn't stop me from wanting more. 

I finally decided to just ask him one afternoon after school when we were in his room doing homework. At first, he seemed a little confused by the question--or maybe he was surprised, surprised that considering the image he still had of me in his head, I would care about the label on our relationship.

"I didn't know you wanted us to be anything," was his answer. "I mean,  we haven't really talked about it and with my dad and I still staying here and our friends hating each other, I thought you wouldn't want to label it."

I chuckled under my breath; it scared me how similarly we thought sometimes. "I thought about that, too..." I started, sighing lightly as I set my pencil down. "But it kind of bothers me a little bit to be honest. I mean, if we're gonna do this, I think we owe it the respect of a label."

"I guess," Baekhyun said as looked away. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "S-So...what are we?"

"Well, I...I kind of wouldn't mind being your b-boyfriend," I answered rather timidly. I cringed a little, feeling embarrassed to speak the words even though I meant them. "But that's obviously only if you want me to. There's no pressure or anything. I know this happened kind of suddenly."

He smiled and glanced downward. "It did, but I wouldn't mind calling you my boyfriend," he replied. Eyes slightly widened, I turned my head in his direction only to see him grin at me briefly before blushing and looking away. I felt my cheeks heat up a little, too and cleared my throat thinking it would make them stop. 

But when he laid his hand over mine from under the desk, I knew there was no way to stop now.

Baekhyun

How to come out/tell your friends you're dating a guy they don't like?

I didn't want them to think I had turned on them or that we had been hiding our relationship this whole time. As hard as I tried to fight my feelings for Chanyeol for my sake and partially for theirs, I couldn't. I really liked the him that lived beneath the surface, and I knew they would too if they gave him a chance. I just had to get them to see it that way, too.

BaekhyunGuysI might be gayOr at least gay enough to date a guySent: 8:03 p.m.

SehunnieAs are most of us lolHave you met usWhen do we hang out with girlsSent: 8:06 p.m.

LuLuYeah I think Kai's the only straightieSent: 8:07 p.m.

SehunnieKai straight? That's funnyIf straight then why fuck Kyungsoo?Sent: 8:09 p.m.

KimKaiSEHUN YOU BITCHSent: 8:10 p.m.

SehunnieNot my fault youre not subtleSent: 8:11 p.m.

LuLuWAIT WHATI FUCKING KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH YOU TWOXIUMIN YOU OWE ME MOTHERFUCKERSent: 8:13 p.m.

BaekhyunI kind of figured too. Kyungsoo asks about you a lotSent: 8:14 p.m.

SehunnieTell him thank you for the chocolate cupcakes when you see him nextWait are you with him nowSent: 8:16 p.m.

KimKaiThose were mine bastard, he made them for meAnd its none of your fucking business where I am or who im withSent: 8:18 p.m.

SehunnieYou know the ruleNo name, fair gameSent: 8:19 p.m.

LuLuWait so who are you fucking Baek?Who was your gay awakening?Tell me, tell me, tell meTELL MESent: 8:20 p.m.

BaekhyunYou guys are gonna be assholes about it if I doSent: 8:23 p.m.

LuLuI promise I won'tFUCKING SPILL ITGIVE ME THE GODDAMN TEAUnless you really don't feel like it yet, that's fineSent: 8:24 p.m.

BaekhyunI do want toJust don't freak out or try to lecture me okay?And for the love of god try to keep it to yourselvesSent: 8:25 p.m.

LuLuWAITIT'S CHANYEOL ISN'T ITSent: 8:27 p.m.

SehunnieYOU FUCKING SNAKEYOURE FUCKING THE ENEMY????????Sent: 8:28 p.m.

BaekhyunHow the fuck did you even guess that?Sent: 8:30 p.m.

LuLuI was being an empath and sensing you were nervous to tell us, so it only makes sense that it's someone slightly controversialSent: 8:31 p.m.

BaekhyunDon't be madHe's not as bad as he seems, I swearSent: 8:32 p.m.

SehunnieI can't believe youThe audacitySent: 8:34 p.m.

BaekhyunIf you guys gave him a chance and got to know him, you'd probably like himSent: 8:35 p.m.

SehunnieIf he didn't act like such a dick I'd probably like himYet here we areSent: 8:37 p.m.

KimKaiI'll unfortunately have to agree with Sehun on this oneI dont trust him for shitSent: 8:40 p.m.

DoReMiFaSoLaXiuminI don't owe you shit, Luhan.Also correction, I'm only the straight guy here. I'm still not sure why I hang out with you guys.Sent: 8:42 p.m.

SehunnieCause everyone else at our school is boring and lameeeeeeeSent: 8:43 p.m.

LuLuThen bring him around, we'll put him to the testYES YOU DO BITCH I TOLD YOU KAI HAD A THING FOR KYUNGSOOSent: 8:45 p.m.

DoReMiFaSoLaXiuminFucking astronauts could tell from space. No formal bet was made, therefore I owe you nothing but a good kick to the balls.Sent: 8:47 p.m.

KimKaiIt wasnt that obvious stfuIf you do bring him around, tell him to leave Chen and Suho at homeSent: 8:48 p.m.

BaekhyunSo I have permission to bring him next time we hang out?Sent: 8:50 p.m.

LuLuWhy notSent: 8:52 p.m.

SehunnieWhatever just tell him to bring his filterSent: 8:53 p.m.

KimKaiAnd not Chen or SuhoSent: 8:53 p.m.

DoReMiFaSoLaXiuminI'll pray I'll have to work but fine.And yes, it was that obvious, Kai.Sent: 8:56 p.m.

KimKaiYall are lucky Taemin isnt in this group chatHe'd kick your asses if he knew you were bullying meSent: 8:57 p.m.

SehunniePretty sure he'd just kick yours for never formally rejecting him and then turning around and dating someone elseBut whatever lolSent: 8:59 p.m.

DoReMiFaSoLaXiuminYou guys are annoying. I'm going to bed and blocking all of your numbers.Sent: 9:00 p.m.

LuLuYou said that last time lolBut here we are, at next timeSent: 9:01 p.m.

BaekhyunThanks, guys. It'll be good, I promiseSent: 9:02 p.m.

LuLuWe trust you :)Sent: 9:03 p.m.

SehunnieKinda. Youre still a snakeSent: 9:05 p.m.

I turned off my phone and laid back on the bed, sighing as I moved my eyes up to the ceiling. Everything would be okay, I told myself. Chanyeol was charming enough to win someone as stubborn as Kai over if he really wanted to. I just hoped he did.

::::::::

I could tell he was nervous, but I didn't feel like I could comfort him because he had every right to feel that way. Actually, I was glad he felt that way; I would have been upset if he wasn't at least a little anxious. I knew a standard apology wouldn't be enough for them, so it was important that Chanyeol was nervous. It meant that he was acknowledging his behavior and had enough courage to put his pride and his reasons, no matter how valid, to own up to his mistakes.

Well, I thought of it like that. I didn't know if my friends would agree.

I decided it would be better to do it at one of Luhan's soccer games since there would be something else going on that might distract them from their feelings toward Chanyeol. There would also be witnesses if any of them tried to start a scene.

We were almost to the field when I realized Chanyeol was no longer walking beside me. So, I turned around and saw him standing in place, gazing out at the field ahead. "Stalling won't do anything," I said with a light exhale. "We were gonna have to do this at some point, so it's better that we're doing it now."

"I know, but still..." he said, his voice coming off as a slight whine. "What if one of them hits me with a soccer ball as soon as they see me?"

"Then take that as a way for them to deal with their issues with you," I said, only half teasing him. Chuckling, I walked back to where he was and took both of his hands in mine. "They're my best friends. They're only like this because they're protective. I talked to them and as long as they're willing to be patient with you, you need to be patient with them."

He sighed and looked down at our hands. "I wish it was easier to make them not hate me," he mumbled rather cutely.

"It could have been," I said as I took one of my hands and pinched his cheek a little, "if you wouldn't have been such a dick in the first place. But there's no use in hanging on to guilt and regret if you don't plan on doing whatever you can to get rid of it, right? Let's do this while we're all still young and can use the excuse of being dumb and entirely too insecure, yeah?"

He laughed meekly and nodded. Then, with our hands still linked, we continued walking over to the field where it looked like the game was still a few minutes away from starting. I could hear their conversation grow louder the closer we got, but when one and then all of them noticed us, they instantly fell quiet.

"You're here," Luhan said, putting on a smile bravely. "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, of course," I said, seeing Chanyeol doing his best to avoid eye contact with the glaring Kai. I turned to Chanyeol and he looked right back at me. I nodded, signaling for him to start talking.

"I'm sorry," he said, quietly at first and then raising his volume after I nudged him. "I'm sorry I've been such an asshole to you guys and I'm sorry I didn't stop my friends from treating you all horribly. I know you won't--or can't forgive me right now and might never, but I'm willing to work to gain your trust...i-if you'll let me."

They stared at him silently for what felt like a long time, and I was beginning to think they had changed their minds and decided to not give him a chance after all. 

"You better be ready to work like you've never worked before," Luhan said, finally breaking the silence. "I'm talking like military training camp but more like go buy me coffee whenever I ask you to."

"Oh and drive us around so we don't have to walk or take buses or wait for Xiumin to be available," Sehun added. 

Chanyeol smiled faintly and nodded, briefly looking at them. "Okay," was all he said, and I couldn't help but laugh. 

"So, we're good for now?" I asked, getting silent nods from everyone but Kai. He had stopped glaring at this point, but his arms were now crossed over his chest in some kind of protest. Our eyes moved to him and he furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed. After a moment, he sighed in defeat and nodded, too.

Just then, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the game. Luhan sent us a small wave and then jogged out onto the field. Xiumin invited one of us to sit in the chair he originally brought for Taemin, who had yet to make his appearance. I offered it to Chanyeol, but he told me he'd just stand. 

As the game went on, we were quieter than usual, but we still talked here and there. "It's strange," Sehun commented after the teams met in their separate huddles for a timeout. "I never thought I thought I'd be sitting here with Park Chanyeol and my stepbrother in a reality where one is dating in Baekhyun and the other is dating the brother of a guy who absolutely despises him. Life is strange."

"I don't know why you guys are making such a big deal out of it," Kai said with a sigh and a roll of his eyes. 

"Because we never expected you to even think about dating someone like Kyungsoo," Xiumin replied, leaning forward so he could look down at Kai. "And vice versa, but mostly the first one."

"I never even expected you to date a guy period," Sehun added. "How odd is it that the universe brought two people together who both had two gay sons?"

"I don't know if I'm gay or if I'll ever date another guy if things don't work out with Kyungsoo," Kai explained. He went silent for a moment and then shrugged. "I just like him."

"Like who?"

How odd is it that the universe would make Taemin appear right as we were having a conversation about Kai dating someone? The world is strange indeed.