Crush Number 99
Title: Crush Number 99
Pairing: Baekhyun/Minseok
Rating: PG-13
Length: 3.6k
Summary: Minseok is the librarian's assistant. Baekhyun didn't even know they had a library.
Notes: originally for winterlight9092. best friends in the form of Hani/Heeyeon (EXID), Ken/Jaehwan (VIXX), N/Hakyeon (VIXX)
Warnings: [spoilers]a couple curse words, the word 'kinks,' mentions of past!Baekhyun/Kyungsoo, loud Baekhyun
The library is such a strange place. There are aisles upon aisles of books ranging from the old to the new and there are worn wooden tables with soft, plush chairs littered throughout the place. It’s such a foreign, quiet environment to Baekhyun, he doesn’t know what to do when he first steps foot into the building. He’s so confused.
Jae (15:03): the book is in aisle j section 3
Jae (15:03): it shouldnt be hard to find
He has no idea what Jaehwan is talking about and he jumps when he feels a tap on his shoulder.
“Excuse me, you’re blocking the way,” comes a quiet voice, “Do you need help with something?”
Baekhyun sighs in relief, turning to look at the librarian, and he’s surprised to see Kim Minseok standing there instead, in his thick, round glasses and baby blue sweater vest, and he looks just as adorable as when he first saw him on Orientation Day a year ago. He was passing out brochures about something with some animal-like creature, possibly saving one, and he has been on the top of his list of crushes ever since.
“Hello?” Minseok says, immaculate brow rising in curiosity, “Did you need help?” He’s currently holding onto a cart full of books and Baekhyun moves out of the way, entranced, because Minseok is the most attractive human being he has seen on this earth. Is this where he’s been hiding all this time?
“I need help,” Baekhyun blurts out, in his too loud voice. He watches as Minseok flinches at his outburst, but he really can’t help it. He’s been loud ever since he learned how to talk. “I don’t know where to find this book.”
Minseok gives him a tiny glare at the volume, students around them giving them looks, but Baekhyun puts on his most charming smile he knows can win people over in five seconds flat. It takes a little more than five seconds for Minseok to give in, and it takes those 0.2 seconds for Baekhyun to fall harder for him.
“Interesting,” Minseok murmurs once he sees the title of the book Baekhyun needs, leaning over to peer down at his phone. He’s so tiny against him. Baekhyun can’t stop smiling when Minseok moves away and gestures for him to follow. “This way.”
The way he moves, leaning on the handle of the cart and lightly pushing off the floor in a glide, makes Baekhyun stifle a laugh. It’s like Minseok is a young teenager shopping for groceries at the store instead of a fourth year university student working a somewhat respectable job and it’s cute.
“My name is Baekhyun,” he says, voice booming and causing students to look in their direction curiously.
Minseok visibly jumps at the greeting, looking over his shoulder as he narrowly misses hitting an aisle in his distraction. “Excuse me?”
“My name,” Baekhyun reiterates, taking an extra two steps to walk at the same pace as the other, “It’s Baekhyun.”
“Oh.”
The lack of response makes Baekhyun frown, watching, as Minseok looks around confused before he suddenly stops and searches through a particular shelf. He keeps his mouth closed as Minseok crouches next to him, fingers gently trailing over the edges of the books, and he scrunches his nose in distaste when Minseok finds the text and tips it out of its spot.
“This is the book,” Minseok says, voice quiet. He’s flipping through the pages and Baekhyun can’t help but sneeze when the scent of old pages and dust attack him full-force. “Sorry about that,” he says with a laugh, “Some of these books don’t get the proper cleaning and care that other, more popular books get. It makes me sad, but there’s only so much I can do every day that I’m here.”
Baekhyun doesn’t understand it, considering he just discovered this building a little over fifteen minutes ago, but the way Minseok stares at the book, fond yet sad, has a soft smile coming to his face. “It’s okay,” he says, Minseok flinching next to him again, “I’m sure they will forgive you.”
The words make Minseok smile despite the disapproving stare he gets for being too loud. “Can’t you speak a bit quieter? This is a library, after all.”
“I can try,” Baekhyun says, smile brightening but voice not getting any lower, “I think I only have one setting though.” He laughs when Minseok frowns. “I’m trying!”
There is a collection of hushed shhhhhh’s in the back and Baekhyun turns around, surprised at the volume. There are a couple of students at the end of the aisle and they’re giving him disapproving looks, but all he does is give them an apologetic smile he knows looks cute before turning back around when the book is being shoved into his chest.
“Go check this out with the librarian at the front desk,” Minseok mutters, glaring at him, “Then leave.”
“But-”
“You’re disturbing other students here,” Minseok interrupts, hand up to stop Baekhyun from talking, “You need to leave.”
Baekhyun feels helplessly lost though, walking back out of the aisle to look both ways before returning to Minseok’s side and tugging on his shirt. This is the first time he’s been in the library and he thought Minseok was the librarian. He pouts when Minseok glares at him.
“I don’t know where the front desk is.”
The front desk isn’t all that misleading, Baekhyun realizes, as he checks out the book he and his friend need for class. It’s actually near the entrance of the library and he can see freedom from where he’s standing. But he doesn’t want freedom if Minseok isn’t coming out with him, and when he turns to ask him more questions, the man is already gone.
The disappointment flares in his chest, but then his phone buzzes in his pocket and he remembers he actually has schoolwork to do.
Jaehwan really deserves all the medals and achievements in the world for being Baekhyun’s best friend. He actually probably deserves a whole lot more, but Baekhyun really doesn’t know what else he can give him except pieces of paper that has all his accomplishments written down for their convenience like Surviving Year 20 with Byun Baekhyun and Surviving Crush Number 101 with Byun Baekhyun. Granted, he could’ve probably worded those a lot better, but as it stands.
“So, you finally found Minseok again, huh?” Jaehwan comments, flipping through the pages of the book and letting Baekhyun lean all over him, “I thought I told you he’s been the librarian assistant since the summer.”
Baekhyun frowns at the information, pushing his face in the crook of his best friend’s neck. “Did you?” he mumbles against him, “Was I awake and alert during this time?”
Jaehwan whines at the ticklish sensation, pushing off the other with an elbow to the shoulder, and growling back at Baekhyun when he whimpers in pain. “You were awake and alert but you were also trying to avoid me because I was going out with that girl at the time. You know. The one that both you and Heeyeon didn’t like.”
Baekhyun scoffs at the reminder, remembering clearly what his best friend is talking about. When Heeyeon didn’t like the girls Jaehwan liked, they both knew there was something wrong with the girl, considering Heeyeon liked most girls in the first place. “I’m pretty sure I was more focused on Heeyeon’s rants than what you were trying to tell me. She’s always more amusing than you are.”
“I can be amusing when I’m not busy trying to keep your ass in line!”
“Are you guys talking behind my back again?” Heeyeon suddenly questions, sitting herself down right next to Baekhyun and throwing an arm around his shoulders. She leans over to stare at both of them. “Because I would like to know in advance when you two are going to talk behind my back again.”
“We weren’t talking behind your back,” Baekhyun says in defense, winking at her, “We were talking about Minseok, the librarian assistant of the university library.” His eyes widen as he stares at her curiously. “Did you know he’s been hiding in the library all this time?”
Heeyeon shrugs, detaching herself from him, before digging through her backpack. “Yeah,” she answers, “I saw him there a month after Jae told us he works there. It was weird, but he’s strangely attractive.”
“He’s the most endearing human being on the planet,” Baekhyun emphasizes, pouting when he realizes she’s pulling out her notebooks to do her homework as well, “Why am I friends with people who actually do their work in university of all places?”
“Because if we don’t,” they chorus at once, “Then you’ll fail at life.”
Baekhyun slumps over the table, thinking about ripping Jaehwan’s crayon-doodled certificate of Lee Jaehwan is The Best that should have been destroyed years ago when the elder pushed him down the slide in grade school for eating his lollipop. He pouts when Jaehwan and Heeyeon exchange hi-fives above him.
“I hate you guys.”
Minseok is wearing a fluffy pink sweater today, and he looks absolutely adorable with his hair parted down the middle. He’s behind the front desk, sorting out all the books that are stacked there randomly, and Baekhyun is a bit confused with the man’s task but walks up to him in confidence all the same. He smiles as he realizes Minseok’s wearing shorts and his legs look beautiful from behind.
“I need this book.”
The way Minseok jumps at his request has Baekhyun smiling wider, practically leaping for joy when Minseok turns to stare at him with wide eyes that narrow into a glare five seconds later. He should be intimidated, but dating Kyungsoo in high school proved to bring his tolerance for deathly glares up by an unnatural amount. “Quiet your voice, please,” Minseok says, his own in a whisper, “Or I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“But what if I need this book?” Baekhyun asks, partially curious of the answer. He doesn’t really have a book he needs since he doesn’t really read, but he wants to talk to the crush of his dreams. “And I need it for an assignment because of this class. I waited too long again and I just need-!” He ends up yelping in the end, a book being shoved in his face.
“Be quiet,” Minseok hisses, “This is a library. It’s important to shut up.”
“Did you break my nose?” Baekhyun exclaims, eyes watering as he holds onto his nose when the book slips. “Shit- Am I bleeding?” Another collection of hushed shhhhhh’s is heard and Baekhyun turns to glare at them. “Would you like me to shove a book up your nose?! Because I would gladly-”
“Baekhyun!” Minseok shouts, easily catching his attention, and the hand shooting out to latch onto the collar of his shirt helps tremendously. Baekhyun whines when he’s pulled forward over the counter by an amazing amount of strength and gulps when he sees Minseok’s intensified glare mere centimeters away from him. “Be quiet or I will have to force you out.”
When Baekhyun finally realizes he needs to breathe again, Minseok’s back is turned to him but his words are ringing loud in his ears. He thinks he makes the sound of a whimper before leaving the library and thinking of another way to talk to his crush.
He doesn’t see Minseok giving him a worried stare as he walks away.
Baekhyun is searching through the shelves for Minseok, calling his name, when Heeyeon smacks him on the head and a book is being thrown at his back. He yelps at the pain, pouting at Heeyeon but eyes lighting up when he sees Minseok quickly scurrying away from him. “Wait! Min-”
“Shut up and leave already! You’re disturbing everyone here!”
“But-!”
“Come on, Casanova,” Heeyeon says, grabbing Baekhyun by the back of the shirt and dragging him out of the library. Her smile is bright, smug, because she’s probably the one who told Minseok to throw a book at him in the first place. “Find another way to talk to that gorgeous man.”
“He is gorgeous, isn’t he?!” Baekhyun exclaims, whining, as Heeyeon doesn’t let go of him until they’re in front of his dorm. He wants to see Minseok again.
“Five times in two weeks,” Jaehwan muses, following his best friend towards the third largest building on campus, behind the football stadium and gym, “Minseok must be still as endearing as when you first saw him a year ago to make you go to a building you never knew existed until last week.”
“He is beyond endearing.” Baekhyun releases a wistful sigh, remembering the last time Minseok actually helped him find a book he really and truly needed. He tried not to speak much then, but when he did open his mouth, Minseok had a strong hand over it, muffling his words and pushing him back onto some forgotten shelves of the library. “He already knows my kinks.”
Jaehwan shudders at the reminder. “I would like to forget you said that.” Then he gives him a look. “How does he even know? You’ve barely held a decent conversation with the man from the stories you told me.”
“We talk through our gazes,” Baekhyun says with a bright smile, throwing the doors open before waltzing in and frowning when he sees the old lady behind the counter instead of Minseok. “Where is he?” he questions, voice as loud as if he was on a sports field yelling at his teammates. “He’s usually here around this time.”
The librarian gives him a look, eyebrow rising in concern, but then her eyes widen in what seems like realization when she gets a good look at Baekhyun. “Are you here to return the books you borrowed already? It’s only been a few days.”
“Oh, no, ma’am,” Baekhyun immediately answers, going up to the desk. He gives her an apologetic smile because he knows he’s loud, especially since Jaehwan has a tight grip on his arm in warning. “I was wondering if Minseok was here.”
“Minseok?” the librarian asks, surprised, “Oh, he’s not here today. It’s his day off. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
When Baekhyun opens his mouth again, he jumps instead, Jaehwan forcing a hand to cover his mouth so he can whisper their gratitude and assure her that they’ll return the books by next week at the latest instead of him talking and shouting out their entire agenda to the whole wide world.
It’s when they’re outside and passing through the courtyard that Baekhyun explodes, pout deepening the longer Jaehwan refuses to look at him. “You know I have volume issues!”
“Stop saying it like that!” Jaehwan shouts back, ears pinking in embarrassment, “It sounds wrong!”
“You’ve been my best friend for years,” Baekhyun whines, “What do you expect? I can’t lower my voice to save a life!” He frowns when Jaehwan simply scoffs at him. “You’re the worst friend ever.”
“Says the one who laminated my special certificate that says I’m the best friend ever in the entire universe.”
“I seriously need to cut that up. You hold that over me so many times; I was just a wee lad trying to-”
Minseok’s name is suddenly called across the courtyard and Baekhyun immediately shuts up at the call. His eyes are wide, looking around for the man of his dreams, and quickly feels his heart leap at the sight of Minseok in another sweater vest, mint green, and wearing his glasses with his hair parted down the middle again. He looks gorgeous, talking to another fourth year in the music program, Hakyeon, that Baekhyun almost forgets he actually had another plan to try and talk to Minseok more in the library.
He’s digging through his backpack when he hears Hakyeon saying his own loud farewell to Minseok, finally finding what he’s looking for, before shoving everything else to Jaehwan and making a break for it. He ignores Jaehwan’s confused calls in favor of stopping Minseok in his tracks, breathing harshly because he hasn’t exercised in who knows how long.
Minseok is staring up at him with wide eyes, clearly shocked still, and he continues to ignore his best friend trying to call him back before he embarrasses himself any more. But Baekhyun has long since learned to never become embarrassed in any situation, and now is no exception as he kneels on one knee and holds out a ring in front of his crush.
Students walking by them stare, a few gasping in shock, and Minseok turns the prettiest color of pink when Baekhyun pops the question.
“Will you give me the pleasure of accompanying you to work tomorrow?”
“Is that a ring pop?” Minseok questions back, voice wavering and eyes wide in confusion.
Baekhyun’s smile is small, teeth digging into his lower lip to keep himself from smiling so wide, and he wants to do somersaults when Minseok reaches out to touch the ring pop he’s holding up.
“This is a literal ring pop,” Minseok says, looking at him in disbelief, “You’re proposing to walk with me to the library tomorrow with a ring pop.”
“Yes,” Baekhyun confirms, nodding to prove a point, “I am.”
There’s an affectionate look in Minseok’s eyes, and Baekhyun is taking that as a good thing. “Can’t you lower your voice?”
“I’m pretty sure I only have one volume,” Baekhyun says with a laugh, “I’ve already tried whispering and it’s just not my thing.” It also gives him a reason to talk to him more outside of the library since he doesn’t have to be quiet, but he guesses he’ll tell him that later when they’re married with three kids and a puppy and he’s cleaning up the house because he can’t cook to save his life.
“I haven’t even properly introduced myself to you yet,” Minseok reasons, withdrawing his hand. “Why would you want to do all this to a person who hasn’t even properly met you yet?”
Baekhyun’s heart is speeding, about to jump out of his chest, but he doesn’t move from his spot on the ground, still staring up at the most adorable man he’s ever seen. He has to admit he might have a thing for glares and small, petite men, but Minseok also probably has the strength to pummel him to the ground when he least expects it. “Because the library is a whole new world I want to explore with you.”
“Oh my God,” Jaehwan groans in the background, covering his face with his hands. He murmurs something along the lines of ‘why have I put up with you all these years I’m already embarrassing enough by myself but with you it’s unbearable why do this to me you ungrateful human being’ but he’s too entranced by the way Minseok suddenly glares at him before taking the ring and walking around him to get away.
“Don’t be so cheesy next time,” Minseok grumbles, lips tilting up despite his muttering, “You’re so embarrassing.”
But Baekhyun doesn’t care, leaping up into the air and cheering because Minseok took his ring. He only calms down when Jaehwan has a good grip on his neck and keeps him physically grounded. “Did you see that, Jae?!”
“Yes,” Jaehwan breathes out, exasperated with the whole scene as he shoves Baekhyun’s backpack at him, “Now, let’s go. We’re already late to class.”
Baekhyun can’t sit still and is eventually kicked out of class for the day when he won’t stop talking to his mortified best friend in the middle of lecture.
The library isn’t so strange anymore. The stacks of books and scattered amounts of regular students don’t throw Baekhyun off as it used to, and he gives them all cheery waves when they give him an exasperated look right when he enters the building.
“Baekhyun,” Minseok whines, easily catching sight of him and his now bright pink hair, “What are you doing here?”
Today, Minseok doesn’t have his glasses on but that doesn’t make him any less endearing, still wearing a pastel pink sweater with jeans. His outfit makes Baekhyun perk up even more, pointing to his hair as he runs up to the desk excitedly. “We match today!”
“God, where’s Jaehwan? Why are you here?” The whine makes Minseok even more adorable, squirming around, and he’s still gentle even as he puts a hand up to Baekhyun’s cheek and pushes him away from him. “Please leave. You’re disturbing everyone here.”
Baekhyun winks, turning to kiss the palm of Minseok’s hand and smile brightly when Minseok blushes that pretty pink to match his sweater. “Then come with me. Aren’t you getting off soon?”
“I have two hours left,” Minseok mutters, taking a step back away from him to stay in the safe vicinity of the front desk. But Baekhyun has already thought ahead, having various plans that contain multiple letters of the alphabet as their classifications. A lot of them start with the letter W and Baekhyun smiles when he’s reminded of his personal long-term goal one - Wait for Minseok to Fall Irrevocably In Love with Baekhyun - and his personal favorite one - Marry Minseok.
This one though - Wait for Minseok to Get Off - can work in multiple ways, and Baekhyun chooses that as he moves to sit at a table in clear view of the front desk. Minseok looks slightly mortified, but it’s easily overruled as Baekhyun laughs happily and Minseok resorts to glaring at him for the next two hours instead.
Baek (11:32): do u need another book jae?
Jae (11:35): goddammit not again baek
Jae (11:35): we still have to return those 10 books you borrowed the other day on accident
Pairing: Baekhyun/Minseok
Rating: PG-13
Length: 3.6k
Summary: Minseok is the librarian's assistant. Baekhyun didn't even know they had a library.
Notes: originally for winterlight9092. best friends in the form of Hani/Heeyeon (EXID), Ken/Jaehwan (VIXX), N/Hakyeon (VIXX)
Warnings: [spoilers]a couple curse words, the word 'kinks,' mentions of past!Baekhyun/Kyungsoo, loud Baekhyun
The library is such a strange place. There are aisles upon aisles of books ranging from the old to the new and there are worn wooden tables with soft, plush chairs littered throughout the place. It’s such a foreign, quiet environment to Baekhyun, he doesn’t know what to do when he first steps foot into the building. He’s so confused.
Jae (15:03): the book is in aisle j section 3
Jae (15:03): it shouldnt be hard to find
He has no idea what Jaehwan is talking about and he jumps when he feels a tap on his shoulder.
“Excuse me, you’re blocking the way,” comes a quiet voice, “Do you need help with something?”
Baekhyun sighs in relief, turning to look at the librarian, and he’s surprised to see Kim Minseok standing there instead, in his thick, round glasses and baby blue sweater vest, and he looks just as adorable as when he first saw him on Orientation Day a year ago. He was passing out brochures about something with some animal-like creature, possibly saving one, and he has been on the top of his list of crushes ever since.
“Hello?” Minseok says, immaculate brow rising in curiosity, “Did you need help?” He’s currently holding onto a cart full of books and Baekhyun moves out of the way, entranced, because Minseok is the most attractive human being he has seen on this earth. Is this where he’s been hiding all this time?
“I need help,” Baekhyun blurts out, in his too loud voice. He watches as Minseok flinches at his outburst, but he really can’t help it. He’s been loud ever since he learned how to talk. “I don’t know where to find this book.”
Minseok gives him a tiny glare at the volume, students around them giving them looks, but Baekhyun puts on his most charming smile he knows can win people over in five seconds flat. It takes a little more than five seconds for Minseok to give in, and it takes those 0.2 seconds for Baekhyun to fall harder for him.
“Interesting,” Minseok murmurs once he sees the title of the book Baekhyun needs, leaning over to peer down at his phone. He’s so tiny against him. Baekhyun can’t stop smiling when Minseok moves away and gestures for him to follow. “This way.”
The way he moves, leaning on the handle of the cart and lightly pushing off the floor in a glide, makes Baekhyun stifle a laugh. It’s like Minseok is a young teenager shopping for groceries at the store instead of a fourth year university student working a somewhat respectable job and it’s cute.
“My name is Baekhyun,” he says, voice booming and causing students to look in their direction curiously.
Minseok visibly jumps at the greeting, looking over his shoulder as he narrowly misses hitting an aisle in his distraction. “Excuse me?”
“My name,” Baekhyun reiterates, taking an extra two steps to walk at the same pace as the other, “It’s Baekhyun.”
“Oh.”
The lack of response makes Baekhyun frown, watching, as Minseok looks around confused before he suddenly stops and searches through a particular shelf. He keeps his mouth closed as Minseok crouches next to him, fingers gently trailing over the edges of the books, and he scrunches his nose in distaste when Minseok finds the text and tips it out of its spot.
“This is the book,” Minseok says, voice quiet. He’s flipping through the pages and Baekhyun can’t help but sneeze when the scent of old pages and dust attack him full-force. “Sorry about that,” he says with a laugh, “Some of these books don’t get the proper cleaning and care that other, more popular books get. It makes me sad, but there’s only so much I can do every day that I’m here.”
Baekhyun doesn’t understand it, considering he just discovered this building a little over fifteen minutes ago, but the way Minseok stares at the book, fond yet sad, has a soft smile coming to his face. “It’s okay,” he says, Minseok flinching next to him again, “I’m sure they will forgive you.”
The words make Minseok smile despite the disapproving stare he gets for being too loud. “Can’t you speak a bit quieter? This is a library, after all.”
“I can try,” Baekhyun says, smile brightening but voice not getting any lower, “I think I only have one setting though.” He laughs when Minseok frowns. “I’m trying!”
There is a collection of hushed shhhhhh’s in the back and Baekhyun turns around, surprised at the volume. There are a couple of students at the end of the aisle and they’re giving him disapproving looks, but all he does is give them an apologetic smile he knows looks cute before turning back around when the book is being shoved into his chest.
“Go check this out with the librarian at the front desk,” Minseok mutters, glaring at him, “Then leave.”
“But-”
“You’re disturbing other students here,” Minseok interrupts, hand up to stop Baekhyun from talking, “You need to leave.”
Baekhyun feels helplessly lost though, walking back out of the aisle to look both ways before returning to Minseok’s side and tugging on his shirt. This is the first time he’s been in the library and he thought Minseok was the librarian. He pouts when Minseok glares at him.
“I don’t know where the front desk is.”
The front desk isn’t all that misleading, Baekhyun realizes, as he checks out the book he and his friend need for class. It’s actually near the entrance of the library and he can see freedom from where he’s standing. But he doesn’t want freedom if Minseok isn’t coming out with him, and when he turns to ask him more questions, the man is already gone.
The disappointment flares in his chest, but then his phone buzzes in his pocket and he remembers he actually has schoolwork to do.
Jaehwan really deserves all the medals and achievements in the world for being Baekhyun’s best friend. He actually probably deserves a whole lot more, but Baekhyun really doesn’t know what else he can give him except pieces of paper that has all his accomplishments written down for their convenience like Surviving Year 20 with Byun Baekhyun and Surviving Crush Number 101 with Byun Baekhyun. Granted, he could’ve probably worded those a lot better, but as it stands.
“So, you finally found Minseok again, huh?” Jaehwan comments, flipping through the pages of the book and letting Baekhyun lean all over him, “I thought I told you he’s been the librarian assistant since the summer.”
Baekhyun frowns at the information, pushing his face in the crook of his best friend’s neck. “Did you?” he mumbles against him, “Was I awake and alert during this time?”
Jaehwan whines at the ticklish sensation, pushing off the other with an elbow to the shoulder, and growling back at Baekhyun when he whimpers in pain. “You were awake and alert but you were also trying to avoid me because I was going out with that girl at the time. You know. The one that both you and Heeyeon didn’t like.”
Baekhyun scoffs at the reminder, remembering clearly what his best friend is talking about. When Heeyeon didn’t like the girls Jaehwan liked, they both knew there was something wrong with the girl, considering Heeyeon liked most girls in the first place. “I’m pretty sure I was more focused on Heeyeon’s rants than what you were trying to tell me. She’s always more amusing than you are.”
“I can be amusing when I’m not busy trying to keep your ass in line!”
“Are you guys talking behind my back again?” Heeyeon suddenly questions, sitting herself down right next to Baekhyun and throwing an arm around his shoulders. She leans over to stare at both of them. “Because I would like to know in advance when you two are going to talk behind my back again.”
“We weren’t talking behind your back,” Baekhyun says in defense, winking at her, “We were talking about Minseok, the librarian assistant of the university library.” His eyes widen as he stares at her curiously. “Did you know he’s been hiding in the library all this time?”
Heeyeon shrugs, detaching herself from him, before digging through her backpack. “Yeah,” she answers, “I saw him there a month after Jae told us he works there. It was weird, but he’s strangely attractive.”
“He’s the most endearing human being on the planet,” Baekhyun emphasizes, pouting when he realizes she’s pulling out her notebooks to do her homework as well, “Why am I friends with people who actually do their work in university of all places?”
“Because if we don’t,” they chorus at once, “Then you’ll fail at life.”
Baekhyun slumps over the table, thinking about ripping Jaehwan’s crayon-doodled certificate of Lee Jaehwan is The Best that should have been destroyed years ago when the elder pushed him down the slide in grade school for eating his lollipop. He pouts when Jaehwan and Heeyeon exchange hi-fives above him.
“I hate you guys.”
Minseok is wearing a fluffy pink sweater today, and he looks absolutely adorable with his hair parted down the middle. He’s behind the front desk, sorting out all the books that are stacked there randomly, and Baekhyun is a bit confused with the man’s task but walks up to him in confidence all the same. He smiles as he realizes Minseok’s wearing shorts and his legs look beautiful from behind.
“I need this book.”
The way Minseok jumps at his request has Baekhyun smiling wider, practically leaping for joy when Minseok turns to stare at him with wide eyes that narrow into a glare five seconds later. He should be intimidated, but dating Kyungsoo in high school proved to bring his tolerance for deathly glares up by an unnatural amount. “Quiet your voice, please,” Minseok says, his own in a whisper, “Or I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“But what if I need this book?” Baekhyun asks, partially curious of the answer. He doesn’t really have a book he needs since he doesn’t really read, but he wants to talk to the crush of his dreams. “And I need it for an assignment because of this class. I waited too long again and I just need-!” He ends up yelping in the end, a book being shoved in his face.
“Be quiet,” Minseok hisses, “This is a library. It’s important to shut up.”
“Did you break my nose?” Baekhyun exclaims, eyes watering as he holds onto his nose when the book slips. “Shit- Am I bleeding?” Another collection of hushed shhhhhh’s is heard and Baekhyun turns to glare at them. “Would you like me to shove a book up your nose?! Because I would gladly-”
“Baekhyun!” Minseok shouts, easily catching his attention, and the hand shooting out to latch onto the collar of his shirt helps tremendously. Baekhyun whines when he’s pulled forward over the counter by an amazing amount of strength and gulps when he sees Minseok’s intensified glare mere centimeters away from him. “Be quiet or I will have to force you out.”
When Baekhyun finally realizes he needs to breathe again, Minseok’s back is turned to him but his words are ringing loud in his ears. He thinks he makes the sound of a whimper before leaving the library and thinking of another way to talk to his crush.
He doesn’t see Minseok giving him a worried stare as he walks away.
Baekhyun is searching through the shelves for Minseok, calling his name, when Heeyeon smacks him on the head and a book is being thrown at his back. He yelps at the pain, pouting at Heeyeon but eyes lighting up when he sees Minseok quickly scurrying away from him. “Wait! Min-”
“Shut up and leave already! You’re disturbing everyone here!”
“But-!”
“Come on, Casanova,” Heeyeon says, grabbing Baekhyun by the back of the shirt and dragging him out of the library. Her smile is bright, smug, because she’s probably the one who told Minseok to throw a book at him in the first place. “Find another way to talk to that gorgeous man.”
“He is gorgeous, isn’t he?!” Baekhyun exclaims, whining, as Heeyeon doesn’t let go of him until they’re in front of his dorm. He wants to see Minseok again.
“Five times in two weeks,” Jaehwan muses, following his best friend towards the third largest building on campus, behind the football stadium and gym, “Minseok must be still as endearing as when you first saw him a year ago to make you go to a building you never knew existed until last week.”
“He is beyond endearing.” Baekhyun releases a wistful sigh, remembering the last time Minseok actually helped him find a book he really and truly needed. He tried not to speak much then, but when he did open his mouth, Minseok had a strong hand over it, muffling his words and pushing him back onto some forgotten shelves of the library. “He already knows my kinks.”
Jaehwan shudders at the reminder. “I would like to forget you said that.” Then he gives him a look. “How does he even know? You’ve barely held a decent conversation with the man from the stories you told me.”
“We talk through our gazes,” Baekhyun says with a bright smile, throwing the doors open before waltzing in and frowning when he sees the old lady behind the counter instead of Minseok. “Where is he?” he questions, voice as loud as if he was on a sports field yelling at his teammates. “He’s usually here around this time.”
The librarian gives him a look, eyebrow rising in concern, but then her eyes widen in what seems like realization when she gets a good look at Baekhyun. “Are you here to return the books you borrowed already? It’s only been a few days.”
“Oh, no, ma’am,” Baekhyun immediately answers, going up to the desk. He gives her an apologetic smile because he knows he’s loud, especially since Jaehwan has a tight grip on his arm in warning. “I was wondering if Minseok was here.”
“Minseok?” the librarian asks, surprised, “Oh, he’s not here today. It’s his day off. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
When Baekhyun opens his mouth again, he jumps instead, Jaehwan forcing a hand to cover his mouth so he can whisper their gratitude and assure her that they’ll return the books by next week at the latest instead of him talking and shouting out their entire agenda to the whole wide world.
It’s when they’re outside and passing through the courtyard that Baekhyun explodes, pout deepening the longer Jaehwan refuses to look at him. “You know I have volume issues!”
“Stop saying it like that!” Jaehwan shouts back, ears pinking in embarrassment, “It sounds wrong!”
“You’ve been my best friend for years,” Baekhyun whines, “What do you expect? I can’t lower my voice to save a life!” He frowns when Jaehwan simply scoffs at him. “You’re the worst friend ever.”
“Says the one who laminated my special certificate that says I’m the best friend ever in the entire universe.”
“I seriously need to cut that up. You hold that over me so many times; I was just a wee lad trying to-”
Minseok’s name is suddenly called across the courtyard and Baekhyun immediately shuts up at the call. His eyes are wide, looking around for the man of his dreams, and quickly feels his heart leap at the sight of Minseok in another sweater vest, mint green, and wearing his glasses with his hair parted down the middle again. He looks gorgeous, talking to another fourth year in the music program, Hakyeon, that Baekhyun almost forgets he actually had another plan to try and talk to Minseok more in the library.
He’s digging through his backpack when he hears Hakyeon saying his own loud farewell to Minseok, finally finding what he’s looking for, before shoving everything else to Jaehwan and making a break for it. He ignores Jaehwan’s confused calls in favor of stopping Minseok in his tracks, breathing harshly because he hasn’t exercised in who knows how long.
Minseok is staring up at him with wide eyes, clearly shocked still, and he continues to ignore his best friend trying to call him back before he embarrasses himself any more. But Baekhyun has long since learned to never become embarrassed in any situation, and now is no exception as he kneels on one knee and holds out a ring in front of his crush.
Students walking by them stare, a few gasping in shock, and Minseok turns the prettiest color of pink when Baekhyun pops the question.
“Will you give me the pleasure of accompanying you to work tomorrow?”
“Is that a ring pop?” Minseok questions back, voice wavering and eyes wide in confusion.
Baekhyun’s smile is small, teeth digging into his lower lip to keep himself from smiling so wide, and he wants to do somersaults when Minseok reaches out to touch the ring pop he’s holding up.
“This is a literal ring pop,” Minseok says, looking at him in disbelief, “You’re proposing to walk with me to the library tomorrow with a ring pop.”
“Yes,” Baekhyun confirms, nodding to prove a point, “I am.”
There’s an affectionate look in Minseok’s eyes, and Baekhyun is taking that as a good thing. “Can’t you lower your voice?”
“I’m pretty sure I only have one volume,” Baekhyun says with a laugh, “I’ve already tried whispering and it’s just not my thing.” It also gives him a reason to talk to him more outside of the library since he doesn’t have to be quiet, but he guesses he’ll tell him that later when they’re married with three kids and a puppy and he’s cleaning up the house because he can’t cook to save his life.
“I haven’t even properly introduced myself to you yet,” Minseok reasons, withdrawing his hand. “Why would you want to do all this to a person who hasn’t even properly met you yet?”
Baekhyun’s heart is speeding, about to jump out of his chest, but he doesn’t move from his spot on the ground, still staring up at the most adorable man he’s ever seen. He has to admit he might have a thing for glares and small, petite men, but Minseok also probably has the strength to pummel him to the ground when he least expects it. “Because the library is a whole new world I want to explore with you.”
“Oh my God,” Jaehwan groans in the background, covering his face with his hands. He murmurs something along the lines of ‘why have I put up with you all these years I’m already embarrassing enough by myself but with you it’s unbearable why do this to me you ungrateful human being’ but he’s too entranced by the way Minseok suddenly glares at him before taking the ring and walking around him to get away.
“Don’t be so cheesy next time,” Minseok grumbles, lips tilting up despite his muttering, “You’re so embarrassing.”
But Baekhyun doesn’t care, leaping up into the air and cheering because Minseok took his ring. He only calms down when Jaehwan has a good grip on his neck and keeps him physically grounded. “Did you see that, Jae?!”
“Yes,” Jaehwan breathes out, exasperated with the whole scene as he shoves Baekhyun’s backpack at him, “Now, let’s go. We’re already late to class.”
Baekhyun can’t sit still and is eventually kicked out of class for the day when he won’t stop talking to his mortified best friend in the middle of lecture.
The library isn’t so strange anymore. The stacks of books and scattered amounts of regular students don’t throw Baekhyun off as it used to, and he gives them all cheery waves when they give him an exasperated look right when he enters the building.
“Baekhyun,” Minseok whines, easily catching sight of him and his now bright pink hair, “What are you doing here?”
Today, Minseok doesn’t have his glasses on but that doesn’t make him any less endearing, still wearing a pastel pink sweater with jeans. His outfit makes Baekhyun perk up even more, pointing to his hair as he runs up to the desk excitedly. “We match today!”
“God, where’s Jaehwan? Why are you here?” The whine makes Minseok even more adorable, squirming around, and he’s still gentle even as he puts a hand up to Baekhyun’s cheek and pushes him away from him. “Please leave. You’re disturbing everyone here.”
Baekhyun winks, turning to kiss the palm of Minseok’s hand and smile brightly when Minseok blushes that pretty pink to match his sweater. “Then come with me. Aren’t you getting off soon?”
“I have two hours left,” Minseok mutters, taking a step back away from him to stay in the safe vicinity of the front desk. But Baekhyun has already thought ahead, having various plans that contain multiple letters of the alphabet as their classifications. A lot of them start with the letter W and Baekhyun smiles when he’s reminded of his personal long-term goal one - Wait for Minseok to Fall Irrevocably In Love with Baekhyun - and his personal favorite one - Marry Minseok.
This one though - Wait for Minseok to Get Off - can work in multiple ways, and Baekhyun chooses that as he moves to sit at a table in clear view of the front desk. Minseok looks slightly mortified, but it’s easily overruled as Baekhyun laughs happily and Minseok resorts to glaring at him for the next two hours instead.
Baek (11:32): do u need another book jae?
Jae (11:35): goddammit not again baek
Jae (11:35): we still have to return those 10 books you borrowed the other day on accident