YOUR BEATS BEAT MY HEART for EVERYONE
For: ☆EVERYONE
Title: Your Beats Beat My Heart
Pairing (s): Chanyeol/Kris
Rating: PG
Length: 4,832
Summary: Chanyeol is easily fascinated about everything.
Author's note: I don’t think I do your prompt any justice. This is a mess, I’m sorry. Thanks for mods to put up with me, seriously. And lame title is lame.
There are so much more interesting things to do in this world other than watching his co-worker, Kyungsoo, obsessively arranging the CDs according to alphabetical order, years, and their sub-genres (you’ll be astonished at the amount of subs that rock music has). To be honest, anything will be more interesting than working this boring shift. Chanyeol is secretly pinning for a zombie apocalypse.
If not for his beloved mother who is getting tired of seeing his lazy ass lounging on the living room couch all day, Chanyeol wouldn’t be here. He’d probably still sobbing over tear-jerking melodramas on TV and stuffing his mouth full with cookie dough ice cream. Those are heavens for a brokenhearted guy.
Kyungsoo suddenly turns to look at him. “You dipshit,” he growls. “Stop daydreaming and bring your flat ass here!”
Chanyeol rushes over to the doe-eyed male. Kyungsoo, for his petite stature and cherubic features, is actually a demon in disguise. Chanyeol had witnessed when the other caught two high-school lovebirds making out near jazz section and literally kicked them out of the store. Literally. The couple landed ten feet away from the front door. Chanyeol has since vowed not to me with the fierce little creature. He loves his flat ass too much.
“Um, what do I do?” Chanyeol asks, cautiously.
“Dust the shelves or mop the aisles or something!” Kyungsoo spits. “I don’t like seeing someone getting paid for doing nothing.”
“Okay, okay,” Chanyeol relents. He walks to the back of store to fetch the dust feather. Once he is back outside, Kyungsoo has already moved to rearrange the next shelf. Chanyeol puts a show on cleaning but there’s nothing to do really, thanks to Kyungsoo and his OCD. He believes that Kyungsoo could run a single Walmart chain by himself.
Chanyeol sighs and resumes dusting (pretending). Something catches his attention though; it is in the form of a big guy with terrible dye job crouching in between rock and blues sections. Curiously, Chanyeol walks toward the guy; the thick carpet spread across the small store drowns his footsteps. The guy doesn’t realize that he’s approaching.
Chanyeol squats beside the blonde and then pokes the sturdy shoulder. “Hey,” he whispers. “What are you doing?”
“Shit!” the guy shrieks, eyes wild.
Wow, Chanyeol thinks. What a fine looking young man.
“What is that?” He hears Kyungsoo’s cautious voice from two shelves apart.
“Just, hmmmph-” The guy encloses Chanyeol’s mouth with his large hand. “Wh-”
“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo appears milliseconds later. The sight of Chanyeol and the guy on their knees, involved in a heated tussle, greets his eyes.
“Shit!” the guy curses again when he sees narrow-eyed Kyungsoo staring down at him.
“You just don’t know when to stop, do you?” Kyungsoo barks. “Get out!”
The guy smartly scrambles onto his feet and Chanyeol is awed once again because, wow, he is so damn tall. Even taller than his 185 centimeters self if Chanyeol dares to say. The unnamed blonde glares at both of them before storming off the store. Something falls down the guy’s leather jacket pocket right before he slams the door shut.
“He’s very persistent,” Kyungsoo grumbles. He walks to the door to grab whatever the guy has left. He holds up the square thing to Chanyeol. It’s a CD. “That rocker has been trying to sell his record in our shop. Hah, we have standard!”
Chanyeol takes the package from Kyungsoo’s hand. He grimaces at the obnoxious skull drawing at the cover. The Tale of Luncheonette by some unknown band called The Stutterers. He searches for the album’s playlist at the back. I Love Ham Sandwich. Your Watermelon. The Cherry Compote Across Your Lips. Nothing makes any sense.
Kyungsoo gives him a knowing look. “See?”
Chanyeol ends up hearing the whole album later that night. He swears that it’s unintentional (at first). He is just lying on top of his mattress after his long shift and has nothing to do. But staring up at the white ceiling of his bedroom brings unwanted thoughts of his adorable shorty ex-boyfriend. He doesn’t feel like reading manga today. He’s growing sick of melancholic music he often listens to lately. His favorite dramas aren’t broadcasted at this hour.
Then he remembers the rock album about dinner or luncheon or something in his backpack. Yeah, it’s probably better than silence. He gets up to fish out the CD from the clutter of his bag and inserts it to his player.
Five hours later shows Chanyeol replaying the disk for the umpteenth time. His head bangs according to each struck of the drum. He feels abashed to underestimate the band’s music because every single song gives him life. He is especially drawn into the cherry compote song. The song is about, well, watching someone eating cherry compote and how the redness of the cherry staining the person’s lips. Chanyeol wants to think that there is a philosophical meaning behind the lyric.
The music isn’t that rich. Chanyeol can only make the sound of electric guitar, bass, and drum. But those-combined with the sinful voice of the vocalist and smooth background vocals-turn to be something so vibrant, so powerful, so extraordinary. Something that Chanyeol had never known he needs.
“Yah!” Yura is banging on his door. “Turn down the goddamn music! I want to sleep!”
“Because it’s so hella big and juicy-” Chanyeol croaks out the song loudly to annoy his sister. “Ah! Show me your watermelon. Ah!”
“Park Chanyeol!”
He sniggers but tones his player’s down. Angering Park Yura is a sure-fire way to sign your death certificate. She delivers punches like a professional boxer.
Still bobbing his head to the beat, Chanyeol sits down at the front of his PC. He types ‘The Stutterers’ onto the keyboard and gets more than a hundred thousand seemingly unrelated results. He quickly adds ‘indie band’ in the search bar and immediately finds what he want.
It is a Naver page so bland; the skull drawing is designated as the profile picture. Chanyeol rummages around the page and finds little description about the band. The band is consisted of four members: Wu Yifan as vocal and guitar, Lu Han as background vocal and bass, Kim Minseok as drummer, then Zhang Yixing who also plays guitar. The new admirer can’t find any of the members’ photographs. He stumbles upon a tiny announcement about the band’s upcoming performance next Friday, though.
“You’ll pay for my drink,” Kyungsoo says as they enter the gig venue.
It is a pub so small that Chanyeol almost missed it, located in a narrow alleyway high school student like him usually won’t come across. But he is past point of caring right now; the only thing in his mind is to watch The Stutterers’ performance.
“They don’t look like good people.” Kyungsoo’s eyes flitter all over the crowd, a deep frown etched in between his eyebrows. “I feel like they are going to jump on me at any time.”
“They certainly wouldn’t be good people if they heard you,” Chanyeol deadpans.
Kyungsoo glares up at him. “I don’t even like the band. I don’t know why am I here.”
“You will love them after watching their act,” Chanyeol states confidently. “I’m positive.”
“You’re always positive,” Kyungsoo retorts. “Have you ever watched them?”
“No,” Chanyeol admits. “But their songs are wonderful.”
The shorter sighs and sits at one of the high stool with much difficulty. Chanyeol takes a step forward to help but Kyungsoo’s menacing glare stops him. The gangly boy only chuckles then goes to the bar to order two cans of Cherry Coke for them.
Bands performing one after another. Chanyeol perches at the edge of his seat, can’t wait any longer for The Stutterers to come out. He has never been this eager for a performer, let alone an indie band no one knows heck about. But their music keeps playing at the back of his head and Chanyeol can’t seem to shake it out.
“Stop squirming,” Kyungsoo hisses loudly, voice a bit muffled by the loud music currently played.
“I can’t.”
“Geez.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “You’re just watching a band act not waiting for your first date.”
“It feels like it.”
“You-” Whatever Kyungsoo is going to say is drowned by the MC’s bombastic voice.
“We’re finally getting to our last performer,” the MC announces. “This band is quiet a veteran in our scene with their progressive rock music. Biggest applause for The Stutterers!”
Chanyeol jumps from his seat to cheer for the band, his booming voice is bold against the crowd. Four guys come out. He recognizes the tall blonde among those guys. What a surprise, when he finds the guy heading straight to the front microphone. The blonde’s smirk has Chanyeol stunned on where he’s standing, the sight is enticing. The guy opens his mouth to say some incomprehensible words (for Chanyeol, at least), and they begin playing.
Chanyeol seriously thinks that something must be wrong with people’s taste of music nowadays for The Stutterers not going viral, because their music draws him in. But nothing, nothing can be more alluring than the vocalist’s sinful voice. It’s by no means the most melodious voice he’s ever heard, nor does the vocalist (Wu Yifan, isn’t it?) has the best technique. It’s in the way the blonde cradling the microphone in the bridge, his upper body hunches forward, full lips almost kissing the bulbous tip. His voice is a bit husky in the background, mixing so well with the music, and Chanyeol’s heart beats faster than it had during these mournful weeks.
“Close your mouth!” Kyungsoo chides, suddenly appearing beside him. “They’re done playing.”
It’s true, they already stop playing and is currently thanking the crowd. Chanyeol watches in panic as they are leaving the stage and before he knows it, he already runs after them.
“Ugh-” Chanyeol calls once he’s on conversational distance with the guys. Wow, they look so intimidating up close. All the words evaporate from his brain. “Hello?”
It certainly doesn’t help when all of them staring at him like a weird looking alien. Chanyeol unconsciously takes one step back.
“Who are you?” the small guy who’s holding the drumsticks asks.
“I’m Park Chanyeol.”
The guys just stand there motionless, staring at Chanyeol’s face emptily. That’s until a flicker of recognition flashes in the vocalist eyes. “Ah.” He nods to himself. “The new elf from the record store.”
Elf?
Chanyeol doesn’t realize that he voices it out until he hears the guy says, “Yes, the tall elf. And there’s the other one, grumpy and saucer eyes elf.”
“It sounds suspiciously like an insult.”
“It’s not.”
Chanyeol peers up at the other curiously. The mischievous smirk doesn’t look all that convincing, but he let it slide for the fine beauty in front of him. He’s once again entranced by Yifan’s height, it’s quiet rare for him to meet someone taller than him, and when he does he can’t help but wonder. It’s good too that the tall figure also has well-sculpted features.
“Yah, Park Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo’s loud yell snaps him out his reverie. The little guy drags his equally little legs to his direction then slaps Chanyeol’s arm once he’s close enough. “Don’t just fly away suddenly like that! I feel like babysitting a three year old.”
“Wow, you’re coming over too,” Yifan says, chuckling.
“I won’t if this puppy didn’t force me to,” Kyungsoo retorts. “But you guys are not bad.”
Yifan scoffs.
“Will you introduce us?” the bassist chimes in.
Yifan groans. “These guys are working at the record store I keep telling you about. This is Lu Han,” Yifan points at the bassist, “then his boyfriend, Minseok,” the drummer waves at them, “and this guy is Yixing.”
“Great, I’m Do Kyungsoo and this is Park Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo replies. “Nice to meet you. If you please excuse us-” He tries to pull Chanyeol away but the other remains still on his spot.
“I really love your new record,” Chanyeol says. “I feel spiritually connected to your songs.”
“Thank you?”
“Especially ‘The Cherry Compote Across Your Lips’,” Chanyeol continues. “I don’t even know what that song is about but I love every single note in it. I feel like I’m the guy in that song, wanting to lick the compote off his crush’s lips.”
“That’s good, I guess,” Lu Han guffaws. “I don’t even know what’s the meaning behind that song. Yifan wrote it.”
“Really?” Chanyeol directs his gaze to the vocalist.
Yifan looks uncomfortable at best. “Well, yeah.”
“Wow,” Chanyeol sighs out. “That’s amazing.”
“Is he alright?” Minseok questions Kyungsoo, eyeing Chanyeol’s dazzled expression cautiously.
“He tends to be dreamy sometimes.” Kyungsoo tugs at Chanyeol’s hand more insistently. “Come on, dude. Let’s get you home.”
“I’ll watch your next show!” Chanyeol promises as his fierce friend tags him away. “And your show after that, and after that!”
“Damn, you’re weird,” Kyungsoo grunts when they are walking out of the aisle to the main street.
Chanyeol doesn’t care.
“You’re here,” Yifan states, flatly. “Again.”
“I already said that I’ll watch your performances,” Chanyeol says. It’s been the fourth time Chanyeol comes over to The Stutterers’ gig. Kyungsoo had accompanied him twice but he’s a bit weirded out by
the way Yixing, the main guitarist, staring vacantly at him and he decided to let tonight’s gig slide.
In Chanyeol’s opinion, the band performs amazingly tonight, the best among all the other performers. Chanyeol leaves the bar with a slight smile plastered on his face. It’s nearing midnight and his mother has been sending him threat messages for him to come home. He nods at the bouncer on his way out, silently thankful that the scary looking man didn’t ask for his ID when he went inside.
“Going home already?” Chanyeol turns around and finds Yifan standing near the entrance.
“It’s almost twelve.”
“How are you going to get home?” Yifan asks.
Chanyeol shrugs. “Walking. My home is only two blocks away.”
Yifan looks at his back. Chanyeol follows his line of sight and sees the rest of the band carrying their instruments into a beat up sedan. “Come on.” Yifan walks toward him. “I’ll walk you home.”
The highschooler can’t stop glancing at the tall male walking beside him. The residue of tonight’s performance which is just sweats and smeared mascara still lingers on the guy, but it only enhances his appearance.
“You’re so tall,” Chanyeol marvels.
Yifan side-eyes him. “And you’re so weird.”
“I can’t see the top of your head.”
“Why would you want to see it?”
“Just because,” Chanyeol mumbles unclearly. He can feel the weight of Yifan’s eyes on him but he pointedly ignores it.
“You’re really weird,” Yifan says after some time passes.
It strangely feels like a compliment.
Chanyeol knows that he somehow has become a permanent fixture to the guys’ gig, what with his clumsy tall figure and boisterous voice. But it still takes him aback somehow when they invite him over for a dinner in one of their favorite eatery. Kyungsoo who’s also coming tonight voluntarily tag along.
“Why is he looking at me like that?” Kyungsoo asks the guys when Yixing goes to the bathroom. “Is he on meth?”
“Well, that’s Yixing,” Lu Han says, as if the answer actually answers something. It probably does.
“It’s because you’re gorgeous.” Yixing suddenly pops out behind Kyungsoo’s shoulders. The poor guy drops his fork out of shock. The guitarist characteristic blank look is replaced with something akin to flirtatious facial expression. He pulls Kyungsoo from his seat and drags him outside to god knows where. Chanyeol has a half mind to chase them two, but then decides better and stays.
“Subtlety isn’t Yixing’s forte,” Minseok laughs.
“What you guys do when you’re not doing the band thing?” Chanyeol resumes the conversation as if there’s no interruption.
“Work, mostly,” Lu Han responds. “And school.”
“What?” Chanyeol almost spits out his coke.
“When we were younger we used to think we’d make it big with our band,” Minseok explains. “We practiced and having gig almost every night. Kind of bombed our studies too.”
“We aren’t as hopeful as we used to, though,” Lu Han says. “Hence, we’re heading for graduate school.”
“But you guys are great!” Chanyeol convinces. “There must be a producer or company out there that will be interested in your music.”
Lu Han and Minseok exchange serene smiles. “We’re doing this because we love it,” Minseok says, still smiling. “It’s nice but we gotta think about the future too. So let’s just leave it at that.”
Chanyeol turns to Yifan who eats his food silently, not even bothers in joining the conversation. Yifan suddenly looks up at him and the dark-haired male’s heart flutters in his chest. And no, it’s just a mere admiration. No way in hell Chanyeol is falling, not this fast.
“Help me rearrange the KPop section.” Kyungsoo seems to have trouble to speak. Chanyeol had laughed for a good ten minutes when he first met Kyungsoo that morning. Kyungsoo’s lips which is already plump in usual basis, has swelled up by two times and is cherry red colored. Some purple bruises peeking out from the collar of his shirt. He must be having a night of his life. “Those girls are messing up with my system.”
“You and your OCD.” Chanyeol shakes his head dramatically.
“Just fucking do it!”
“Yes, Sir!” Chanyeol mock-salutes his coworker.
So Chanyeol crouches down in front of the Kpop shelves, neatly arranging the mess left there. Kyungsoo and Yixing, what an unlikely pair, Chanyeol thinks to himself. But if the two are going out, then Chanyeol will surely have someone to go to the band’s gig with, permanently. He entertains himself with happy thoughts, something he used to think he wouldn’t have the chance to this summer. But apparently life goes on. One time you’re all sad and sulky and the other time you feel lighter and smiley.
Chanyeol is about to step back to admire his handiwork. Unfortunately, he bumps into someone.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” Chanyeol screeches.
“It’s fine.” That familiar husky voice has him petrified. He turns around and unexpectedly being face to face with his ex-boyfriend. “Chanyeol?”
“Er, hey,” Chanyeol awkwardly greets the small guy.
“You’re working in here?” Baekhyun asks.
“Yeah.” Chanyeol nods stiffly. “For summer job.”
“Good for you.” Baekhyun says something more but Chanyeol is already way over his head.
He stares at much shorter guy in front of him. Chanyeol can see the top of his head very clearly; some blacks already grow from the root of his light brown hair. Those luscious thin pink lips that will be stretch out nicely when he’s singing. His small eyes will be reduced into crescents when he’s laughing. He looks so fragile and beautiful no one would ever think he’ll be able to shatter Chanyeol’s stupid heart into pieces. Chanyeol didn’t even know it before.
“It’s nice seeing you.” The feather touch on his forearm draws him back to the earth. “See you in the next semester.”
“Okay,” Chanyeol croaks out.
Baekhyun lets out his painfully blinding smile and heads out to the store entrance. A pretty petite is waiting for him there. She extends her hand at Baekhyun who immediately takes it. When they finally leave, Chanyeol can finally take a breath he’s been holding.
“You’re awfully quiet today,” Yifan comments as he walks Chanyeol home. It has become a thing between them. “It’s a bit-unnerving.”
“I thought people love it more when I shut up,” Chanyeol says. His mind is still wrapping around his last encounter with Baekhyun.
“But not this silent,” Yifan mumbles.
Chanyeol doesn’t replies. He keeps putting on step after step, but can’t help sneaking a glance once in a while at the blonde.
“Hey.” Chanyeol stops walking and Yifan follows shortly after. “Can I ask you for something?”
“No,” Yifan replies without missing a beat.
“I swear it’s not a strange request,” Chanyeol begs.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Please, just this once.”
“No,” the vocalist deadpans.
Chanyeol juts out his lower lip and grunts, “Fine.”
“Hah!” Yifan messes up his hair frustratedly. “Stop pouting and tell me what you want.”
The shorter male grins up at the man and says, “Can I kiss you?”
“What?” Yifan chokes.
“I want to know what it’s like to kiss the top of your head,” Chanyeol explains nonchalantly, as if he isn’t messing with Yifan’s inside. Not that he knows about it. “So-can I?”
Yifan has this stern look on his face. He eyes Chanyeol skeptically like he’s thinking that the guy is kidding.
“Just once,” Yifan decides, finally.
Chanyeol breaks into a wide grin. He motions Yifan to come closer, which the blonde relents. He even bends his knees a little bit to make it easier for Chanyeol. The younger stands on his tip toe then press his lips softly on top of the other’s head. The kiss is imperfect but nice nonetheless. Wonderful, even.
The two of them don’t mention about the kiss at all. They continue on. Chanyeol still attends The Stutterers’ gig with Kyungsoo and cheers the loudest. Yifan still walks him home after the performance. Despite the normality, Chanyeol can’t keep his mind off the kiss. He still recalls the soft scent of Yifan’s shampoo mixed in with a hint of sweat from the previous performance. It’s delightful, it’s addicting. Chanyeol wants to redo it.
“You’re like Yifan’s personal puppy,” Lu Han observes.
“What do you mean?” Chanyeol inquires without looking at the guy. His eyes are glued to Yifan who’s currently paying for their dinner.
“You’re gravitating toward him,” Lu Han says teasingly.
“Huh?” Chanyeol jerks his head to look at the smaller guy. “I’m not!”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
You’re gravitating toward him. Lu Han’s words keep playing at the back of his head. You’re gravitating toward him.
It’s only been a month since Chanyeol knows about Yifan and his band, and he finds himself yet again in this situation. He admits it himself that he’s a guy who always sees the world with wonder. He is that kind of guy who easily infatuated with something and gives his all for that. When he’s still dating Baekhyun, that’s exactly what he did. He would running after Baekhyun like a puppy and gave into every of Baekhyun’s whim. Imagine how heartbroken he was when his ex-boyfriend dumped him with a text message.
Chanyeol is done doing the chasing. And now he’s back in that state again.
“And you’re back having that long face again,” Kyungsoo hums, situating himself beside Chanyeol. They are on lunch break and because Chanyeol doesn’t feel like going out, he asked his mother to pack sandwiches this morning.
“What ‘long face’?” Chanyeol munches his food.
Kyungsoo just shakes his head. “Why aren’t you coming to their recent shows?” he asks.
Chanyeol bits his lower lip. “My mom told me that I’ve been going out too much in the past weeks.”
“That’s a shitty excuse if you ask me,” Kyungsoo says.
“Um-” Chanyeol honestly doesn’t know how to reply that.
“Look, I’m not your bestest friend or any sort,” Kyungsoo opens up after a long painful silence. “But you may tell me anything. I won’t bite.”
“Wow, where does The Grumpy Kyungsoo go?” Chanyeol chuckles. “What did Yixing do to you? You are a bit too fluffy lately.” He messes with Kyungsoo’s black hair.
Kyungsoo bats his hand away. “Stop it,” he grumbles, blushing.
“How is it with you and Yixing?” Chanyeol averts the question from himself.
The other sighs tiredly at him, acknowledging his effort, but Kyungsoo yields. “We’re fine. He’s a bit aggressive despite that clueless look. But we’re good.”
“He ravages you alright.”
“Shut up!” Kyungsoo hisses and whacks his head.
Chanyeol laughs liberately.
“You better get your shit together quickly,” Kyungsoo suggests. “Yifan’s been restless lately. And he’s not the type that will admit it outrightly, but he misses you.”
The moment he enters the packed basement where his favorite band’s gig going to be held, he locks eyes with Yifan. And call it strange, or coincidental, or whatever but they both sigh at the same time while looking at each other. Yifan doesn’t take his eyes off him even when he’s on stage, staring directly at him while he’s screaming into his microphone. It makes Chanyeol’s skin crawls, in a good terrifying way.
Yifan walks him home like as usual, though the silence that accompanies each of their step is definitely out of ordinary. Half way to his house, Chanyeol feels a large hand engulfs his smaller one. Startled, he whips his head to Yifan’s direction, seeing a determined look adorning the elder’s hard features.
“Look, kid.” Yifan faces him. Chanyeol stares back at the elder, eyes lit up unconsciously in wonder. Because seriously, isn’t this guy a work of art? Chanyeol can stare at him all day. The adoring gaze seems to make Yifan a bit put back. “Er, will you stop that?”
“Stop what?”
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” Chanyeol asks, genuinely confused.
“Right, whatever.” The blonde just sighs, giving up. “Look, kid, I’m a mature man. I only mean serious business.”
“Ugh, good for you?”
“What I mean is,” Yifan starts, “I can’t if you’re not serious about this.”
“Serious about what?” Chanyeol frowns.
“If-if you like me, then go for it,” Yifan stutters out. “If you don’t then stop messing with me. I don’t have time to waste right now. I’ve got a degree to pursue, band to nurture, and three different jobs to attend. I don’t play.”
Chanyeol is riveted onto his spot. Did he just hear it right? Because Wu Yifan is confessing to him.
Yifan heaves out when Chanyeol stays immobile and tight-lipped. He releases his grasp on Chanyeol’s hand and without word walks away.
The new semester begins. Chanyeol still maintains his job at the record store despite the menacing threat of heavy course work for his last year in high school. He hangs out with Kyungsoo sometimes outside work, Yixing usually tags along. Chanyeol had first thought of it as summer fling but the two are surprisingly going strong by days, he can’t be happier.
Chanyeol no longer goes to The Stutterers’ shows, not after his last talk with Yifan. He’s such a coward, really. Kyungsoo keeps him updated to the band’s progress, though. Apparently the guys are working on the new album.
He’s working on his Calculus homework at this new cafe near his school when that distinct voice greets his ears once again.
“Don’t study so hard,” the voice chides. “I can smell your hair burning from here.”
Chanyeol snaps his head up. Yifan is grinning down at him, wearing the waiter’s uniform.
“Urgh-” Chanyeol gurgles incoherently from the shock of meeting the guy.
“I swear, you’re really weird,” Yifan laughs. He discreetly puts a small plate of tiramisu in front of Chanyeol and whispers, “Have some of this. I gotta go before my superior catches me.” And then he leaves.
Chanyeol happily enjoys the delicious treat. His eyes keep wandering to Yifan whenever the guy passes on his table like they can’t help themselves, but the blonde isn’t so much as glancing at him. Chanyeol swallows the bitter taste in his mouth.
It isn’t a surprise for everyone that Chanyeol waits for Yifan’s shift to end, but it somehow still has the guy stunned.
“Why aren’t you going home?” Yifan asks.
“I have to do some apology first so I can sleep well tonight,” Chanyeol replies.
Yifan shakes his head. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m probably way too over myself.”
“You are,” Chanyeol agrees. “Sometimes.”
The taller chortles good naturedly.
This is the right moment, Chanyeol thinks. So he takes a deep breath and walks forward until he’s right in front of Yifan. The other has stopped laughing by then, though a ghost of smile still curling at the edges of his lips.
“You’re amazing,” Chanyeol begins. “Your aspiration for music and for life in general. I’ve got tons of things to admire about you.”
Yifan cocks his head to the side, silently encouraging him to continue.
“My first relationship went badly,” Chanyeol says. “You must be thinking that it’s ridiculous for a kid like me to fall in love, but that’s how I think I was in my previous relationship. I’m a giver, I give my all to something I love about. And I can sense I will just do the same if I’m with you.”
“Chanyeol-”
“It scares me,” Chanyeol crosses, before Yifan can finish his sentence. “I don’t want to be the one who gives and gets nothing at the end.”
“I won’t let you doing all the giving,” Yifan murmurs.
“Fine,” Chanyeol sighs. “Then I’m willing to try with you.”
“Marvelous.” And Yifan dips in for one long searing kiss.
Title: Your Beats Beat My Heart
Pairing (s): Chanyeol/Kris
Rating: PG
Length: 4,832
Summary: Chanyeol is easily fascinated about everything.
Author's note: I don’t think I do your prompt any justice. This is a mess, I’m sorry. Thanks for mods to put up with me, seriously. And lame title is lame.
There are so much more interesting things to do in this world other than watching his co-worker, Kyungsoo, obsessively arranging the CDs according to alphabetical order, years, and their sub-genres (you’ll be astonished at the amount of subs that rock music has). To be honest, anything will be more interesting than working this boring shift. Chanyeol is secretly pinning for a zombie apocalypse.
If not for his beloved mother who is getting tired of seeing his lazy ass lounging on the living room couch all day, Chanyeol wouldn’t be here. He’d probably still sobbing over tear-jerking melodramas on TV and stuffing his mouth full with cookie dough ice cream. Those are heavens for a brokenhearted guy.
Kyungsoo suddenly turns to look at him. “You dipshit,” he growls. “Stop daydreaming and bring your flat ass here!”
Chanyeol rushes over to the doe-eyed male. Kyungsoo, for his petite stature and cherubic features, is actually a demon in disguise. Chanyeol had witnessed when the other caught two high-school lovebirds making out near jazz section and literally kicked them out of the store. Literally. The couple landed ten feet away from the front door. Chanyeol has since vowed not to me with the fierce little creature. He loves his flat ass too much.
“Um, what do I do?” Chanyeol asks, cautiously.
“Dust the shelves or mop the aisles or something!” Kyungsoo spits. “I don’t like seeing someone getting paid for doing nothing.”
“Okay, okay,” Chanyeol relents. He walks to the back of store to fetch the dust feather. Once he is back outside, Kyungsoo has already moved to rearrange the next shelf. Chanyeol puts a show on cleaning but there’s nothing to do really, thanks to Kyungsoo and his OCD. He believes that Kyungsoo could run a single Walmart chain by himself.
Chanyeol sighs and resumes dusting (pretending). Something catches his attention though; it is in the form of a big guy with terrible dye job crouching in between rock and blues sections. Curiously, Chanyeol walks toward the guy; the thick carpet spread across the small store drowns his footsteps. The guy doesn’t realize that he’s approaching.
Chanyeol squats beside the blonde and then pokes the sturdy shoulder. “Hey,” he whispers. “What are you doing?”
“Shit!” the guy shrieks, eyes wild.
Wow, Chanyeol thinks. What a fine looking young man.
“What is that?” He hears Kyungsoo’s cautious voice from two shelves apart.
“Just, hmmmph-” The guy encloses Chanyeol’s mouth with his large hand. “Wh-”
“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo appears milliseconds later. The sight of Chanyeol and the guy on their knees, involved in a heated tussle, greets his eyes.
“Shit!” the guy curses again when he sees narrow-eyed Kyungsoo staring down at him.
“You just don’t know when to stop, do you?” Kyungsoo barks. “Get out!”
The guy smartly scrambles onto his feet and Chanyeol is awed once again because, wow, he is so damn tall. Even taller than his 185 centimeters self if Chanyeol dares to say. The unnamed blonde glares at both of them before storming off the store. Something falls down the guy’s leather jacket pocket right before he slams the door shut.
“He’s very persistent,” Kyungsoo grumbles. He walks to the door to grab whatever the guy has left. He holds up the square thing to Chanyeol. It’s a CD. “That rocker has been trying to sell his record in our shop. Hah, we have standard!”
Chanyeol takes the package from Kyungsoo’s hand. He grimaces at the obnoxious skull drawing at the cover. The Tale of Luncheonette by some unknown band called The Stutterers. He searches for the album’s playlist at the back. I Love Ham Sandwich. Your Watermelon. The Cherry Compote Across Your Lips. Nothing makes any sense.
Kyungsoo gives him a knowing look. “See?”
Chanyeol ends up hearing the whole album later that night. He swears that it’s unintentional (at first). He is just lying on top of his mattress after his long shift and has nothing to do. But staring up at the white ceiling of his bedroom brings unwanted thoughts of his adorable shorty ex-boyfriend. He doesn’t feel like reading manga today. He’s growing sick of melancholic music he often listens to lately. His favorite dramas aren’t broadcasted at this hour.
Then he remembers the rock album about dinner or luncheon or something in his backpack. Yeah, it’s probably better than silence. He gets up to fish out the CD from the clutter of his bag and inserts it to his player.
Five hours later shows Chanyeol replaying the disk for the umpteenth time. His head bangs according to each struck of the drum. He feels abashed to underestimate the band’s music because every single song gives him life. He is especially drawn into the cherry compote song. The song is about, well, watching someone eating cherry compote and how the redness of the cherry staining the person’s lips. Chanyeol wants to think that there is a philosophical meaning behind the lyric.
The music isn’t that rich. Chanyeol can only make the sound of electric guitar, bass, and drum. But those-combined with the sinful voice of the vocalist and smooth background vocals-turn to be something so vibrant, so powerful, so extraordinary. Something that Chanyeol had never known he needs.
“Yah!” Yura is banging on his door. “Turn down the goddamn music! I want to sleep!”
“Because it’s so hella big and juicy-” Chanyeol croaks out the song loudly to annoy his sister. “Ah! Show me your watermelon. Ah!”
“Park Chanyeol!”
He sniggers but tones his player’s down. Angering Park Yura is a sure-fire way to sign your death certificate. She delivers punches like a professional boxer.
Still bobbing his head to the beat, Chanyeol sits down at the front of his PC. He types ‘The Stutterers’ onto the keyboard and gets more than a hundred thousand seemingly unrelated results. He quickly adds ‘indie band’ in the search bar and immediately finds what he want.
It is a Naver page so bland; the skull drawing is designated as the profile picture. Chanyeol rummages around the page and finds little description about the band. The band is consisted of four members: Wu Yifan as vocal and guitar, Lu Han as background vocal and bass, Kim Minseok as drummer, then Zhang Yixing who also plays guitar. The new admirer can’t find any of the members’ photographs. He stumbles upon a tiny announcement about the band’s upcoming performance next Friday, though.
“You’ll pay for my drink,” Kyungsoo says as they enter the gig venue.
It is a pub so small that Chanyeol almost missed it, located in a narrow alleyway high school student like him usually won’t come across. But he is past point of caring right now; the only thing in his mind is to watch The Stutterers’ performance.
“They don’t look like good people.” Kyungsoo’s eyes flitter all over the crowd, a deep frown etched in between his eyebrows. “I feel like they are going to jump on me at any time.”
“They certainly wouldn’t be good people if they heard you,” Chanyeol deadpans.
Kyungsoo glares up at him. “I don’t even like the band. I don’t know why am I here.”
“You will love them after watching their act,” Chanyeol states confidently. “I’m positive.”
“You’re always positive,” Kyungsoo retorts. “Have you ever watched them?”
“No,” Chanyeol admits. “But their songs are wonderful.”
The shorter sighs and sits at one of the high stool with much difficulty. Chanyeol takes a step forward to help but Kyungsoo’s menacing glare stops him. The gangly boy only chuckles then goes to the bar to order two cans of Cherry Coke for them.
Bands performing one after another. Chanyeol perches at the edge of his seat, can’t wait any longer for The Stutterers to come out. He has never been this eager for a performer, let alone an indie band no one knows heck about. But their music keeps playing at the back of his head and Chanyeol can’t seem to shake it out.
“Stop squirming,” Kyungsoo hisses loudly, voice a bit muffled by the loud music currently played.
“I can’t.”
“Geez.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “You’re just watching a band act not waiting for your first date.”
“It feels like it.”
“You-” Whatever Kyungsoo is going to say is drowned by the MC’s bombastic voice.
“We’re finally getting to our last performer,” the MC announces. “This band is quiet a veteran in our scene with their progressive rock music. Biggest applause for The Stutterers!”
Chanyeol jumps from his seat to cheer for the band, his booming voice is bold against the crowd. Four guys come out. He recognizes the tall blonde among those guys. What a surprise, when he finds the guy heading straight to the front microphone. The blonde’s smirk has Chanyeol stunned on where he’s standing, the sight is enticing. The guy opens his mouth to say some incomprehensible words (for Chanyeol, at least), and they begin playing.
Chanyeol seriously thinks that something must be wrong with people’s taste of music nowadays for The Stutterers not going viral, because their music draws him in. But nothing, nothing can be more alluring than the vocalist’s sinful voice. It’s by no means the most melodious voice he’s ever heard, nor does the vocalist (Wu Yifan, isn’t it?) has the best technique. It’s in the way the blonde cradling the microphone in the bridge, his upper body hunches forward, full lips almost kissing the bulbous tip. His voice is a bit husky in the background, mixing so well with the music, and Chanyeol’s heart beats faster than it had during these mournful weeks.
“Close your mouth!” Kyungsoo chides, suddenly appearing beside him. “They’re done playing.”
It’s true, they already stop playing and is currently thanking the crowd. Chanyeol watches in panic as they are leaving the stage and before he knows it, he already runs after them.
“Ugh-” Chanyeol calls once he’s on conversational distance with the guys. Wow, they look so intimidating up close. All the words evaporate from his brain. “Hello?”
It certainly doesn’t help when all of them staring at him like a weird looking alien. Chanyeol unconsciously takes one step back.
“Who are you?” the small guy who’s holding the drumsticks asks.
“I’m Park Chanyeol.”
The guys just stand there motionless, staring at Chanyeol’s face emptily. That’s until a flicker of recognition flashes in the vocalist eyes. “Ah.” He nods to himself. “The new elf from the record store.”
Elf?
Chanyeol doesn’t realize that he voices it out until he hears the guy says, “Yes, the tall elf. And there’s the other one, grumpy and saucer eyes elf.”
“It sounds suspiciously like an insult.”
“It’s not.”
Chanyeol peers up at the other curiously. The mischievous smirk doesn’t look all that convincing, but he let it slide for the fine beauty in front of him. He’s once again entranced by Yifan’s height, it’s quiet rare for him to meet someone taller than him, and when he does he can’t help but wonder. It’s good too that the tall figure also has well-sculpted features.
“Yah, Park Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo’s loud yell snaps him out his reverie. The little guy drags his equally little legs to his direction then slaps Chanyeol’s arm once he’s close enough. “Don’t just fly away suddenly like that! I feel like babysitting a three year old.”
“Wow, you’re coming over too,” Yifan says, chuckling.
“I won’t if this puppy didn’t force me to,” Kyungsoo retorts. “But you guys are not bad.”
Yifan scoffs.
“Will you introduce us?” the bassist chimes in.
Yifan groans. “These guys are working at the record store I keep telling you about. This is Lu Han,” Yifan points at the bassist, “then his boyfriend, Minseok,” the drummer waves at them, “and this guy is Yixing.”
“Great, I’m Do Kyungsoo and this is Park Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo replies. “Nice to meet you. If you please excuse us-” He tries to pull Chanyeol away but the other remains still on his spot.
“I really love your new record,” Chanyeol says. “I feel spiritually connected to your songs.”
“Thank you?”
“Especially ‘The Cherry Compote Across Your Lips’,” Chanyeol continues. “I don’t even know what that song is about but I love every single note in it. I feel like I’m the guy in that song, wanting to lick the compote off his crush’s lips.”
“That’s good, I guess,” Lu Han guffaws. “I don’t even know what’s the meaning behind that song. Yifan wrote it.”
“Really?” Chanyeol directs his gaze to the vocalist.
Yifan looks uncomfortable at best. “Well, yeah.”
“Wow,” Chanyeol sighs out. “That’s amazing.”
“Is he alright?” Minseok questions Kyungsoo, eyeing Chanyeol’s dazzled expression cautiously.
“He tends to be dreamy sometimes.” Kyungsoo tugs at Chanyeol’s hand more insistently. “Come on, dude. Let’s get you home.”
“I’ll watch your next show!” Chanyeol promises as his fierce friend tags him away. “And your show after that, and after that!”
“Damn, you’re weird,” Kyungsoo grunts when they are walking out of the aisle to the main street.
Chanyeol doesn’t care.
“You’re here,” Yifan states, flatly. “Again.”
“I already said that I’ll watch your performances,” Chanyeol says. It’s been the fourth time Chanyeol comes over to The Stutterers’ gig. Kyungsoo had accompanied him twice but he’s a bit weirded out by
the way Yixing, the main guitarist, staring vacantly at him and he decided to let tonight’s gig slide.
In Chanyeol’s opinion, the band performs amazingly tonight, the best among all the other performers. Chanyeol leaves the bar with a slight smile plastered on his face. It’s nearing midnight and his mother has been sending him threat messages for him to come home. He nods at the bouncer on his way out, silently thankful that the scary looking man didn’t ask for his ID when he went inside.
“Going home already?” Chanyeol turns around and finds Yifan standing near the entrance.
“It’s almost twelve.”
“How are you going to get home?” Yifan asks.
Chanyeol shrugs. “Walking. My home is only two blocks away.”
Yifan looks at his back. Chanyeol follows his line of sight and sees the rest of the band carrying their instruments into a beat up sedan. “Come on.” Yifan walks toward him. “I’ll walk you home.”
The highschooler can’t stop glancing at the tall male walking beside him. The residue of tonight’s performance which is just sweats and smeared mascara still lingers on the guy, but it only enhances his appearance.
“You’re so tall,” Chanyeol marvels.
Yifan side-eyes him. “And you’re so weird.”
“I can’t see the top of your head.”
“Why would you want to see it?”
“Just because,” Chanyeol mumbles unclearly. He can feel the weight of Yifan’s eyes on him but he pointedly ignores it.
“You’re really weird,” Yifan says after some time passes.
It strangely feels like a compliment.
Chanyeol knows that he somehow has become a permanent fixture to the guys’ gig, what with his clumsy tall figure and boisterous voice. But it still takes him aback somehow when they invite him over for a dinner in one of their favorite eatery. Kyungsoo who’s also coming tonight voluntarily tag along.
“Why is he looking at me like that?” Kyungsoo asks the guys when Yixing goes to the bathroom. “Is he on meth?”
“Well, that’s Yixing,” Lu Han says, as if the answer actually answers something. It probably does.
“It’s because you’re gorgeous.” Yixing suddenly pops out behind Kyungsoo’s shoulders. The poor guy drops his fork out of shock. The guitarist characteristic blank look is replaced with something akin to flirtatious facial expression. He pulls Kyungsoo from his seat and drags him outside to god knows where. Chanyeol has a half mind to chase them two, but then decides better and stays.
“Subtlety isn’t Yixing’s forte,” Minseok laughs.
“What you guys do when you’re not doing the band thing?” Chanyeol resumes the conversation as if there’s no interruption.
“Work, mostly,” Lu Han responds. “And school.”
“What?” Chanyeol almost spits out his coke.
“When we were younger we used to think we’d make it big with our band,” Minseok explains. “We practiced and having gig almost every night. Kind of bombed our studies too.”
“We aren’t as hopeful as we used to, though,” Lu Han says. “Hence, we’re heading for graduate school.”
“But you guys are great!” Chanyeol convinces. “There must be a producer or company out there that will be interested in your music.”
Lu Han and Minseok exchange serene smiles. “We’re doing this because we love it,” Minseok says, still smiling. “It’s nice but we gotta think about the future too. So let’s just leave it at that.”
Chanyeol turns to Yifan who eats his food silently, not even bothers in joining the conversation. Yifan suddenly looks up at him and the dark-haired male’s heart flutters in his chest. And no, it’s just a mere admiration. No way in hell Chanyeol is falling, not this fast.
“Help me rearrange the KPop section.” Kyungsoo seems to have trouble to speak. Chanyeol had laughed for a good ten minutes when he first met Kyungsoo that morning. Kyungsoo’s lips which is already plump in usual basis, has swelled up by two times and is cherry red colored. Some purple bruises peeking out from the collar of his shirt. He must be having a night of his life. “Those girls are messing up with my system.”
“You and your OCD.” Chanyeol shakes his head dramatically.
“Just fucking do it!”
“Yes, Sir!” Chanyeol mock-salutes his coworker.
So Chanyeol crouches down in front of the Kpop shelves, neatly arranging the mess left there. Kyungsoo and Yixing, what an unlikely pair, Chanyeol thinks to himself. But if the two are going out, then Chanyeol will surely have someone to go to the band’s gig with, permanently. He entertains himself with happy thoughts, something he used to think he wouldn’t have the chance to this summer. But apparently life goes on. One time you’re all sad and sulky and the other time you feel lighter and smiley.
Chanyeol is about to step back to admire his handiwork. Unfortunately, he bumps into someone.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” Chanyeol screeches.
“It’s fine.” That familiar husky voice has him petrified. He turns around and unexpectedly being face to face with his ex-boyfriend. “Chanyeol?”
“Er, hey,” Chanyeol awkwardly greets the small guy.
“You’re working in here?” Baekhyun asks.
“Yeah.” Chanyeol nods stiffly. “For summer job.”
“Good for you.” Baekhyun says something more but Chanyeol is already way over his head.
He stares at much shorter guy in front of him. Chanyeol can see the top of his head very clearly; some blacks already grow from the root of his light brown hair. Those luscious thin pink lips that will be stretch out nicely when he’s singing. His small eyes will be reduced into crescents when he’s laughing. He looks so fragile and beautiful no one would ever think he’ll be able to shatter Chanyeol’s stupid heart into pieces. Chanyeol didn’t even know it before.
“It’s nice seeing you.” The feather touch on his forearm draws him back to the earth. “See you in the next semester.”
“Okay,” Chanyeol croaks out.
Baekhyun lets out his painfully blinding smile and heads out to the store entrance. A pretty petite is waiting for him there. She extends her hand at Baekhyun who immediately takes it. When they finally leave, Chanyeol can finally take a breath he’s been holding.
“You’re awfully quiet today,” Yifan comments as he walks Chanyeol home. It has become a thing between them. “It’s a bit-unnerving.”
“I thought people love it more when I shut up,” Chanyeol says. His mind is still wrapping around his last encounter with Baekhyun.
“But not this silent,” Yifan mumbles.
Chanyeol doesn’t replies. He keeps putting on step after step, but can’t help sneaking a glance once in a while at the blonde.
“Hey.” Chanyeol stops walking and Yifan follows shortly after. “Can I ask you for something?”
“No,” Yifan replies without missing a beat.
“I swear it’s not a strange request,” Chanyeol begs.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Please, just this once.”
“No,” the vocalist deadpans.
Chanyeol juts out his lower lip and grunts, “Fine.”
“Hah!” Yifan messes up his hair frustratedly. “Stop pouting and tell me what you want.”
The shorter male grins up at the man and says, “Can I kiss you?”
“What?” Yifan chokes.
“I want to know what it’s like to kiss the top of your head,” Chanyeol explains nonchalantly, as if he isn’t messing with Yifan’s inside. Not that he knows about it. “So-can I?”
Yifan has this stern look on his face. He eyes Chanyeol skeptically like he’s thinking that the guy is kidding.
“Just once,” Yifan decides, finally.
Chanyeol breaks into a wide grin. He motions Yifan to come closer, which the blonde relents. He even bends his knees a little bit to make it easier for Chanyeol. The younger stands on his tip toe then press his lips softly on top of the other’s head. The kiss is imperfect but nice nonetheless. Wonderful, even.
The two of them don’t mention about the kiss at all. They continue on. Chanyeol still attends The Stutterers’ gig with Kyungsoo and cheers the loudest. Yifan still walks him home after the performance. Despite the normality, Chanyeol can’t keep his mind off the kiss. He still recalls the soft scent of Yifan’s shampoo mixed in with a hint of sweat from the previous performance. It’s delightful, it’s addicting. Chanyeol wants to redo it.
“You’re like Yifan’s personal puppy,” Lu Han observes.
“What do you mean?” Chanyeol inquires without looking at the guy. His eyes are glued to Yifan who’s currently paying for their dinner.
“You’re gravitating toward him,” Lu Han says teasingly.
“Huh?” Chanyeol jerks his head to look at the smaller guy. “I’m not!”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
You’re gravitating toward him. Lu Han’s words keep playing at the back of his head. You’re gravitating toward him.
It’s only been a month since Chanyeol knows about Yifan and his band, and he finds himself yet again in this situation. He admits it himself that he’s a guy who always sees the world with wonder. He is that kind of guy who easily infatuated with something and gives his all for that. When he’s still dating Baekhyun, that’s exactly what he did. He would running after Baekhyun like a puppy and gave into every of Baekhyun’s whim. Imagine how heartbroken he was when his ex-boyfriend dumped him with a text message.
Chanyeol is done doing the chasing. And now he’s back in that state again.
“And you’re back having that long face again,” Kyungsoo hums, situating himself beside Chanyeol. They are on lunch break and because Chanyeol doesn’t feel like going out, he asked his mother to pack sandwiches this morning.
“What ‘long face’?” Chanyeol munches his food.
Kyungsoo just shakes his head. “Why aren’t you coming to their recent shows?” he asks.
Chanyeol bits his lower lip. “My mom told me that I’ve been going out too much in the past weeks.”
“That’s a shitty excuse if you ask me,” Kyungsoo says.
“Um-” Chanyeol honestly doesn’t know how to reply that.
“Look, I’m not your bestest friend or any sort,” Kyungsoo opens up after a long painful silence. “But you may tell me anything. I won’t bite.”
“Wow, where does The Grumpy Kyungsoo go?” Chanyeol chuckles. “What did Yixing do to you? You are a bit too fluffy lately.” He messes with Kyungsoo’s black hair.
Kyungsoo bats his hand away. “Stop it,” he grumbles, blushing.
“How is it with you and Yixing?” Chanyeol averts the question from himself.
The other sighs tiredly at him, acknowledging his effort, but Kyungsoo yields. “We’re fine. He’s a bit aggressive despite that clueless look. But we’re good.”
“He ravages you alright.”
“Shut up!” Kyungsoo hisses and whacks his head.
Chanyeol laughs liberately.
“You better get your shit together quickly,” Kyungsoo suggests. “Yifan’s been restless lately. And he’s not the type that will admit it outrightly, but he misses you.”
The moment he enters the packed basement where his favorite band’s gig going to be held, he locks eyes with Yifan. And call it strange, or coincidental, or whatever but they both sigh at the same time while looking at each other. Yifan doesn’t take his eyes off him even when he’s on stage, staring directly at him while he’s screaming into his microphone. It makes Chanyeol’s skin crawls, in a good terrifying way.
Yifan walks him home like as usual, though the silence that accompanies each of their step is definitely out of ordinary. Half way to his house, Chanyeol feels a large hand engulfs his smaller one. Startled, he whips his head to Yifan’s direction, seeing a determined look adorning the elder’s hard features.
“Look, kid.” Yifan faces him. Chanyeol stares back at the elder, eyes lit up unconsciously in wonder. Because seriously, isn’t this guy a work of art? Chanyeol can stare at him all day. The adoring gaze seems to make Yifan a bit put back. “Er, will you stop that?”
“Stop what?”
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” Chanyeol asks, genuinely confused.
“Right, whatever.” The blonde just sighs, giving up. “Look, kid, I’m a mature man. I only mean serious business.”
“Ugh, good for you?”
“What I mean is,” Yifan starts, “I can’t if you’re not serious about this.”
“Serious about what?” Chanyeol frowns.
“If-if you like me, then go for it,” Yifan stutters out. “If you don’t then stop messing with me. I don’t have time to waste right now. I’ve got a degree to pursue, band to nurture, and three different jobs to attend. I don’t play.”
Chanyeol is riveted onto his spot. Did he just hear it right? Because Wu Yifan is confessing to him.
Yifan heaves out when Chanyeol stays immobile and tight-lipped. He releases his grasp on Chanyeol’s hand and without word walks away.
The new semester begins. Chanyeol still maintains his job at the record store despite the menacing threat of heavy course work for his last year in high school. He hangs out with Kyungsoo sometimes outside work, Yixing usually tags along. Chanyeol had first thought of it as summer fling but the two are surprisingly going strong by days, he can’t be happier.
Chanyeol no longer goes to The Stutterers’ shows, not after his last talk with Yifan. He’s such a coward, really. Kyungsoo keeps him updated to the band’s progress, though. Apparently the guys are working on the new album.
He’s working on his Calculus homework at this new cafe near his school when that distinct voice greets his ears once again.
“Don’t study so hard,” the voice chides. “I can smell your hair burning from here.”
Chanyeol snaps his head up. Yifan is grinning down at him, wearing the waiter’s uniform.
“Urgh-” Chanyeol gurgles incoherently from the shock of meeting the guy.
“I swear, you’re really weird,” Yifan laughs. He discreetly puts a small plate of tiramisu in front of Chanyeol and whispers, “Have some of this. I gotta go before my superior catches me.” And then he leaves.
Chanyeol happily enjoys the delicious treat. His eyes keep wandering to Yifan whenever the guy passes on his table like they can’t help themselves, but the blonde isn’t so much as glancing at him. Chanyeol swallows the bitter taste in his mouth.
It isn’t a surprise for everyone that Chanyeol waits for Yifan’s shift to end, but it somehow still has the guy stunned.
“Why aren’t you going home?” Yifan asks.
“I have to do some apology first so I can sleep well tonight,” Chanyeol replies.
Yifan shakes his head. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m probably way too over myself.”
“You are,” Chanyeol agrees. “Sometimes.”
The taller chortles good naturedly.
This is the right moment, Chanyeol thinks. So he takes a deep breath and walks forward until he’s right in front of Yifan. The other has stopped laughing by then, though a ghost of smile still curling at the edges of his lips.
“You’re amazing,” Chanyeol begins. “Your aspiration for music and for life in general. I’ve got tons of things to admire about you.”
Yifan cocks his head to the side, silently encouraging him to continue.
“My first relationship went badly,” Chanyeol says. “You must be thinking that it’s ridiculous for a kid like me to fall in love, but that’s how I think I was in my previous relationship. I’m a giver, I give my all to something I love about. And I can sense I will just do the same if I’m with you.”
“Chanyeol-”
“It scares me,” Chanyeol crosses, before Yifan can finish his sentence. “I don’t want to be the one who gives and gets nothing at the end.”
“I won’t let you doing all the giving,” Yifan murmurs.
“Fine,” Chanyeol sighs. “Then I’m willing to try with you.”
“Marvelous.” And Yifan dips in for one long searing kiss.