Title: More Than A Billion Miles
Pairing: Baekhyun/Chanyeol
Genre: slight angst
Rating: G
Length: 1600+ words
Love is not measured by distance. Love is not measured by social class. And most definitely, love is not measured by who you are. The most important thing is you feel it.
Baekhyun wakes up by the sound of bells ringing, the tune is so soft, it almost sounded like angels singing.
Today is a Saturday and Baekhyun loves Saturday more than any other day. Baekhyun wakes up with a blinding smile plastered on his face.
Every Saturday, Baekhyun is free to roam around town, he has his day off from work and he knows Luhan will always cover up for him. Every Saturday he would sneak away from town and head straight to the hill without any reservations or fear. The hill is a forbidden place and no one is permitted even to attempt to leave town without any official business or work. The hills has been off limits, it always has been ever since Baekhyun was born. The higher ups warned everyone not to enter it. Anyone seen around it will be punished severely but Baekhyun doesn’t mind and he is willing to take the risk. For him, any punishment means nothing; but not seeing Chanyeol will be the end of everything.
Chanyeol wakes up by the sound of metals crashing and the heat emanating from it feels like his skin is burning.
He is used to the heat, the strong pressure arising from the ground, the loud continuous noise and the dark, but Chanyeol doesn’t mind. Every day in his place; it is always like this he is used to it. Today is Saturday and it means no one will disturb him; he can freely go whenever and wherever he wants so as long he will not visit the hill. It is permitted and anyone caught wandering around it only means one thing: death. For Chanyeol, death is nothing; but not seeing Baekhyun is scarier than death; most painful than death because Baekhyun is his everything.
It was three years ago when Baekhyun met Chanyeol. It was just a typical day, Baekhyun had been assigned to deliver a package to their neighboring town and tt was nearing twilight; the brightly colored sky was slowly turning into grey and Baekhyun was on his way back into his town after finishing his business. Unfortunately, Baekhyun was still a little unfamiliar with the surroundings and as a result, he lost his way home. To his horror, Baekhyun stumbled into the forbidden place; the hill.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
A voice so deep it scares the sanity out of Baekhyun. Shivering from the fear he is feeling for so many different reasons, Baekhyun feels his eyes starting to tear up.
“Don’t hurt me.” He begs, he has dreams wanting to be fulfilled. He still needs to help Luhan with his problems concerning a certain boy. And he fears this unintentional moment can ruin his future.
“Why would you think I will hurt you?” The deep voice doesn't even bother to hide the annoyed tone.
“Aren’t you the one in charge for punishing those who enter this hill?” Baekhyun asks, body, still shivering from the anxiety but he doesn't receive a reply instead he hears a laugh. He waited for a couple of minutes for the deep voice to speak again.
“You’re funny. I'm not the one in charge."
Baekhyun furrows his eyebrows but the heavy feeling on his chest diminishes gradually. He then tries to search for the man behind the voice but he couldn’t see anyone.
“I’m lost.” Baekhyun replies after a couple of seconds, desperately searching for help.
“I know,” comes the reply, “Twenty steps to the right then head straight about 25 steps; I guess you’ll find your way up to there. That’s the farthest I know.” Says the mysterious voice.
Baekhyun is beyoned stunned, “How did you know? Are you frequently visiting the hill; it’s forbidden; you might get punished. And where are you? i cant see you”
“Too many questions and you’re supposed to say ‘Thank You’ and I thought your kind was the nicest ones.”
Before Baekhyun can argue, the man speaks again, “You wouldn't want to see me. I don’t belong in your kind.” Baekhyun doesn't hear anything after, he guesses the man already left. The last words bother him; don’t belong in your kind. Baekhyun then followed the instructions of the man and it truly lead him to the outskirt of his own town.
He smiles when he sees the familiar place and his mind wanders to the guy he meet at the hill and he knows he needed to thank him. Moments after, reality kicks him, the man is not from them.
“Oh.” Is the only word Baekhyun could utter.
Baekhyun finds himself back at the hill. With shaking hands and trembling legs; he gathers all his courage and went back to the hill. There is something inside Baekhyun that pushed him to return; to walk towards the forbidden place, somewhere along his chest, there's a something screaming at him that he needs to go back.
“What are you doing here?” The man says.
Still, Baekhyun cannot see him.
“I, f-f-f-orgot to say Thank you.” Baekhyun still shaking, and constantly looking in different directions, looking in every possible way because maybe someone is following him or maybe someone knows he's here and he can get punished, he is in fear of being caught. “Thank you.” Baekhyun says in a hushed voice.
“Oh.”
“Thank you.”
Minutes have passed; no one spoke.
Both are perfectly fine with the silence, Baekhyun’s fear began subsiding but his heart started beating wildly as the man decides to break the silence. “Will you be scared if you see me?” There is a clear change in the voice; it was a mixture of pain and uneasiness.
“I won’t. I promise.” Baekhyun happily replies. He's a little excited too.
Slowly, a figure appears in front of Baekhyun. And his lips are forming a smile. “You know, the books aren’t right.” Baekhyun says.
The man is suddenly walking away but Baekhyun is fast and has grabbed the man’s right arm.
“Don’t go. What I mean is, the book’s description is way out of the ordinary. It is the complete opposite. You don’t look like any of them because you don’t look like a scary beast.” Baekhyun offers a kind smile. “I like the way you look.”
The man bows down but Baekhyun notices the pink shade that has appeared on the man's cheeks.
“I’m Baekhyun.”
“I’m Chanyeol.”
Every Saturday, for three years, Baekhyun and Chanyeol meet at the hill. They talk about their experiences and share stories about their towns. They share moments, they exchange laughter.
Their love starts to blossom but complications begins to arise. They meet every Saturday without any miss.
Today is a Saturday and Baekhyun is on his way to the hill.
Chanyeol waited but there's no trace of Baekhyun.
They meet every Saturday but today is different because Baekhyun was caught.
Every Saturday, Chanyeol will patiently wait at the hill. Chanyeol trusted Baekhyun so he waited. Chanyeol never felt more alive than when he was with Baekhyun. Chanyeol never felt more pure than when Baekhyun smiles at him. Chanyeol never once treasured his life until he met Baekhyun. Chanyeol did not feel love until Baekhyun came and love him back.
Chanyeol loves Baekhyun so Chanyeol waited.
Chanyeol waits.
Chanyeol will wait.
Baekhyun is punished resulting to him being asked to transfer to the farthest place. Five years have passed and Baekhyun is petitioned to go back with the help of his friend Luhan. Baekhyun is given the chance to have his normal life back.
He is too excited telling Luhan about how he missed Chanyeol. How he plans to escape once he returned to town. Baekhyun knows that Luhan will always help him, will cover for him and Baekhyun doesn’t mind if he will be caught again; because to see Chanyeol; to talk to him; to feel him; to be next to him; another five years waiting in vain is nothing. Chanyeol is Baekhyun’s everything.
So Baekhyun is willing to take the risk.
When Baekhyun and Luhan arrive at their town; it is a Friday. It fits perfectly.
“One more day.” Baekhyun utters; hope arising from his voice. But he fails to notice Luhan's forlorn expression.
“Baekhyun.” Luhan says softly, calmly.
“What is it Luhan?”
“The hill is no longer off limits.”
Baekhyun is beyond surprised; his feelings of happiness and bliss are escalating. Things on Baekhyun's mind are going wild, the hill being off limits is a good thing because it means, he can always meet Chanyeol every Saturday. He can see and be with Chanyeol without the fear of being caught, without the fear of being punished. His reverie is cut too short when he hears his friend Luhan, sobbing uncontrollably. Baekhyun is left confused.
“Because Baekhyun, there is no more hill.”
It is a Saturday, Baekhyun goes to the place they used to call the hill and Luhan is right.
The place changed; everything changed.
All Baekhyun could see is a cliff.
Baekhyun walks towards the edge; his heart beating wildly. His mind is going crazy.
Finally, he reaches it; he looks down and tears start to fall from his eyes.
A man is waiting down below; smiling at him.
Baekhyun looks down and no matter how long their distance is; no matter how far he is; he can see Chanyeol smiling at him. The smile that he adores; the smile that he loves; Chanyeol is far away from him but Baekhyun can see him.
Love is not measured by distance.
Love is not measured by social class.
And most definitely, love is not measured by who you are.
The most important thing is you feel love.
Love, for them, is seeing each other every Saturday; contended with soft smiles coming from one another; one from above, and one from down below. The farthest distance anyone could imagine but they are happy because they know they love each other.
Their love is forbidden.
But it is pure.
But they can’t be together.
Because…
Baekhyun lives in heaven whilst Chanyeol is in hell.
Baekhyun is an angel; Chanyeol is a creature from hell.
Love is sometimes best seen just by smiling.
So Baekhyun smiles from heaven, while Chanyeol beams from hell.
author's note: This is a XiuChen fic I wrote for a friend and the first ever fic I have written for a friend but I really wanted a ChanBaek/Baekyeol version so I made this.