50 Days of Park Chanyeol (Part I)
1
Baekhyun stalked down the hallway a couple of days after the bet had been made. Thinking to himself of how he would even approach the other boy, Baekhyun ignored every passing face, only to be brought out of his thoughts by running into a brick wall. Okay, so it was a person, but it might as well have been a brick wall. Blinking up from where he now sat hunched on the ground, Baekhyun was about to apologize for being so careless, but the overly worried face in front of him brought him to a halt. Baekhyun sat looking almost wondrously at Park Chanyeol’s face. Ignoring the faded squabble of “I’m so sorry!” and “Are you alright?” Baekhyun looked from the ungodly shaggy hair, to the big rounded eyes, on to the crooked worried smile. Baekhyun had never really looked at Park Chanyeol before. The other was… handsome. Shaking his head a little, Baekhyun came from his thoughts. “I’ll take you to the nurses office!” Chanyeol exclaimed, helping Baekhyun up from the floor. “No, no, I’m fine. Really.” Baekhyun refused. “Are you sure? I’m so sorry. You’re Byun Baekhyun, right? I’m really sorry Baekhyun.” Chanyeol rambled. “Wait.” Baekhyun stopped him. “How do you know me?” He asked, defensively. “Um.” Chanyeol leaned a little closer and spoke softer. “You’re in my advanced biology class, and you’re kind of the only one failing it.” Baekhyun’s face paled a little. He was failing? His mouth formed a small ‘o’ and he put his book backs in order. “Uhm. I’ll just get to class then.” Baekhyun said quickly, pushing past the abnormally taller boy. “Wait!” Baekhyun turned back around. “I feel really bad. You’re probably going to be late to class now. Can I make it up to you?” Chanyeol pleaded all innocent eyes and worried facial expression plastered on his face. Baekhyun saw the chance and took it. “Tutor me in biology.” He offered. Chanyeol smiled, his face over excited at the mention of tutoring. “Ok! This will be so much fun Baekhyun!” Chanyeol exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly in front of him. Baekhyun refrained from rolling his eyes. Chanyeol really was childish, but it was cute. Ripping a scrap piece of paper from his notebook, Baekhyun scribbled his cell phone number down and gave it to the taller boy. “Just text me whenever you’re free.” Baekhyun offered, walking away to his first period calculus class. This wouldn’t even be a challenge.
*
After the exchange of text messages a few days later, Baekhyun found himself standing in front of Chanyeol’s apartment door after his homework session with Jongin. Knocking on the door, Baekhyun mentally prepared himself for Chanyeol’s overly enthusiastic smile. To his surprise, a boy not much older than Chanyeol answered the door. Though near the same height, this boy’s facial expression was stern-almost scary. Baekhyun swallowed the spit that was quickly collecting in his mouth. “Uhm-“ Baekhyun began. The older cut him off. “You’re here for Chanyeol?” He questioned, his tone quite bitchy, face unchanging. “Uhm y-yeah.” Baekhyun responded. “Come in then.” Baekhyun followed the older boy into the apartment. “Yo! Chanyeol!” The boy yelled, earning a “WHAT?” in response. “Some kid is here for you.” He yelled back. The was a bit of rummaging before Chayeol emerged from a back hallway, clad in sweatpants and a long sleeved graphic shirt. The glasses that sat on his nose were new. Baekhyun offered a smile. “Hello Baekhyun!” He smiled, wrapping the said boy in an encompassing hug. The older boy still stood there, staring at the two. Chanyeol gave him a funny look. “What, Yifan? I’m tutoring him in biology.” Chanyeol smiled proudly, leading Baekhyun back to what he assumed to be his room.
Once inside, Baekhyun took in the simple bed, desk, and numerous posters around the room. Chanyeol shut the door behind them. “I’m really sorry; Yifan can be a real dick sometimes. If he intimidated you, don’t be. He’s really not that scary.” Baekhyun shook his head. “And he is…?” “Oh! That’s my older brother. Yifan. His friends call him Kris though, because he studied freshman year of college in America. He can speak English so fluently!” Chanyeol rambled on. Baekhyun stopped him abruptly. “I don’t mean to sound intruding or anything, but… isn’t Yifan and Chinese name?” Chanyeol’s face fell at the question, if only for a minute. But Baekhyun caught the second of hurt that flashed across the taller boy’s face. “Yeah. I’m adopted. My parents are Chinese and Yifan is their biological son. I live with him, though, because they are always traveling on business.” Chanyeol smiled a somewhat unsure smile. “But that’s not important. We’re wasting time. Get out your biology notes from this week so far, let’s start there.”
*
After two weeks of Chanyeol’s tutoring every single night, Baekhyun grew to know more and more about Chanyeol. Like how he’s been to China and America numerous times, or how Sehun has been his best friend since diapers, and how his brother is a junior in college and has two of the coolest friends; Luhan and Yixing. He learns that even though he is adopted, his parents love him like he’s their very own, and Yifan is the best brother he could ask for. He grows used to the goofy smile Chanyeol almost always has on his face, or the way he over reacts to certain things.
It isn’t until the end of the second week of tutoring that Chanyeol finally dives into the depths of an extraterrestrial conversation with Baekhyun. They’re in Chanyeol’s room, finishing up the biology pre-lab questions and worksheets when Chanyeol turns to him. “Do you believe in aliens?” Chanyeol deadpans, face absolutely serious. Baekhyun falls back onto Chanyeol’s bed laughing. After he calms down, he replies with, “I don’t know, Chanyeol. I’ve never really thought about it.” Chanyeol frowns. “Why not?” He questions simply. Baekhyun is caught off guard. “I don’t know… I don’t really have time to be worrying about other worldy beings I guess.” Baekhyun spits out, shrugging. Chanyeol is silent for a moment. “Do you ever have time to really think about anything, Byun Baekhyun?” Baekhyun freezes at the use of his full name. He stops himself from responding with something nonsensical. Instead, he simply looks at Chanyeol, actually pondering the question. He realizes that, no, he never really does have time. He’s always either thinking about school, or at Jongin’s thinking about the said boy.
Baekhyun leaves that night realizing that maybe Chanyeol isn’t such a freak or a child. Maybe Chayeol just knows how to live.
Foreword | Part i | Part ii