DAY ELEVEN ★ (you put your arms around me) and i'm home
Username: kingchendae
Prompt #: 31 [prompt details]Yifan and Baekhyun are the eldest children of their upper class, wealthy families. They've been best friends as long as they can remember, always sneaking off from the mandatory dinner parties, to watch the sunset, talk about how they wish their parents weren't so overbearing and, as they got older, make out. They're not exactly sure how and when, but they're madly in love. The only problem? Their close-minded parents have already set them to be married off to other girls.
Title: (you put your arms around me) and i'm home
Ship: Baekhyun/Yifan
Side ship: Chanyeol/Chen
Rating: PG
Word count: 3,665 words
Summary: Pain doesn't automatically mean feeling hurt and pain until the end of time. Pain, hurt, sadness; it sometimes brings even greater things. Baekhyun wishes Yifan knows that.
Notes: This is short af. I tried my best to give you a really short one-shot to be able to let you figure out the rest of the story; you can assume childhood memories, and future moments in their lives. It's up to you. This will be my part on the story of forever; the story of the decision that changes everything. Enjoy!
Yifan taps Baekhyun’s pristine hand under the table, attracting the younger boy’s attention so he could pass him the note he wrote earlier that evening. Baekhyun nudges his hand and Yifan took it as a sign to give him the paper; Baekhyun takes the paper right away, crumpling it so he could bury it inside the pocket of his dress pants. He excuses himself from the huge dinner table, bowing in front of his parents, Yifan’s parents, and the other guests they have invited for dinner. He flashes Yifan a subtle smile before heading to the restroom and locking the door so he could read whatever Yifan wrote in his note, just like his usual notes for the past seven years.
Head to the back door as silently as you can and I’ll follow you soon. I missed you. - K
Baekhyun chuckles inwardly, checking his reflection in the bathroom mirror before unlocking the knob of the door and walking away from the dinner table in silence. He ignores the stares of the housemaids directed at his direction and the moment he’s sure no one can see him, he runs swiftly to the back door so he could patiently wait for Yifan to come.
He loosens the bowtie around his neck, feeling relieved after hours of pretending he was interested with the economy of Korea and the prime minister who just had a talk with his mother a week ago. Instead of listening to the rambles of his father about their company’s stocks hitting low, all of his attention was completely focused on the tall, blond guy standing idly behind everyone while sipping his own glass of wine. Baekhyun didn’t admit it to himself but he missed seeing Yifan after his one-week departure to France with his parents to attend a business conference. He missed talking to him and he missed his familiar warmth and he just missed the guy who always makes him feel so many emotions within a second.
Huge arms sneak around his waist and Baekhyun gets surprised with the sudden action but nevertheless, he turns around to face Yifan while on his toes.
“Hi.” Baekhyun mumbles quietly, pinching Yifan’s nose with his small fingers. Yifan takes his hand and Baekhyun lets himself be taken away outside the Byun’s mansion to head to their usual spot: the swing situated in the middle of the luxurious garden filled with different kinds of greens that Baekhyun’s mother specifically ordered around the globe. Yifan captures Baekhyun’s smaller hand and he wraps them with his bigger ones, mumbling endless I love you’s and I miss you’s.
Baekhyun leans his head on Yifan’s broad shoulder, familiarizing himself with the scent he’s grown to love. Yifan smells of musk and lavender and he thinks it’s the best combination of fragrance he’s ever smelled in his entire life.
“I missed you too, Yifan.” Baekhyun says with a sigh as he buries his nose on the bridge of Yifan’s neck and shoulder, staying there longer than he expected. Maybe because he missed him so much that he wanted to just be as close as possible, not wanting to experience the agony he had for the past week without Yifan beside him.
“I’m sorry I left for days. I’m really, really sorry.” Yifan’s baritone voice soothes Baekhyun’s nerves and he reaches up to Yifan’s cheek, letting his fingers linger on the jutting cheekbones the taller boy had. Yifan stares back at him with a small smile on his face and he kisses Baekhyun’s forehead to assure him he will never leave again.
“It’s okay, you were needed there because you’ll be an heir to a huge company so it was just right that you attended that conference. What matters is that you’re back here and you’re here beside me because God knows how much I missed you.” Baekhyun leans closer to Yifan and he pecks him square on the lips, leaving Yifan dazed with the kiss.
They stay quiet for seconds, minutes; only the sound of the soft breeze and their heartbeats are heard and the both of them are staring at the distant sunset across the horizon, painting the skies with hues of orange and pink. Baekhyun wishes everyday would be like this.
“If you were given a chance to redo your life in another person’s body, will you take that chance? Would you rather live a simpler life with no luxury and no responsibilities?”
“No. I’d rather take this life.” Yifan answers.
“But why?”
“Because,” Yifan straightens up from his seat and he makes Baekhyun sit up as well to stare at his eyes, “I’d rather have you with me in this complicated life than to be alone without you in a life without responsibilities.”
Baekhyun’s eyes well up with his answer and Yifan wipes the stray tears away, caressing Baekhyun’s cheek with gentle touches.
“How do you do that?” Baekhyun silently asks.
“Do what?”
“How are you able to make me fall for you over and over again each day?” Baekhyun lets himself cry this time and Yifan opens his arms to welcome Baekhyun in his embrace, hugging him as he bawls his eyes out. Yifan yearns for a life where he doesn’t need to wake up every day at exactly six in the morning to get ready for corporate school; he wishes he’d be like the other eighteen year-old’s spending most of their time studying with their group of friends and hanging out after school hours. He wishes he had the chance to be free and be reckless and to be able to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. But if the price of being free is not being able to be with the one he truly loved, he’d rather not take that chance because being with Baekhyun made every single day a bit brighter than it should be.
“I should be the one asking you that, Baek.” Yifan replies with another kiss to the crown of Baekhyun’s head. The sun has completely set and darkness is slowly enveloping them. Yifan tilts Baekhyun’s chin upward, letting him look above the skies with him.
“The stars are so beautiful, aren’t they?” Yifan breaks their silence again and Baekhyun nods beside him, smearing off tears from his eyes so he could have a clearer view of the sky. Yifan sneaks a glance towards his direction and he thinks he had saved the world in his past life to deserve a perfect being like Baekhyun. “But they aren’t as beautiful as you, Baek.”
Baekhyun blushes madly and he playfully hits Yifan’s chest, giggling. “Stop being so mushy. I’m not used to your mushy comments.”
Yifan laughs beside him, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder to keep him close to his side. “Years from now, if I ask you to marry me, will you say yes?”
Baekhyun doesn’t answer for a long time and Yifan has never felt so anxious in his entire life but the wait is worth it because Baekhyun nods with a huge smile on his face. “Of course, doofus. Remember when you asked me the same thing when we were ten years old? I said yes that time, and I’m saying yes tonight as well. And if you ask me that in the future, I’d still be saying the same answer.”
"And now, it's my turn to ask you with your own question. How are you able to make me fall in love with you even more each day?"
Baekhyun doesn't answer this time and Yifan thinks that the silence between them is enough answer. The stars and the heavens are witnesses of the love that will conquer anything; a love that will test time, fate, and society itself. Yifan will never stop trying to wash away Baekhyun's constant doubts for the two of them because of the world that's going to judge them when they come out, and Baekhyun will never get tired of loving Yifan just because he's Yifan; his childhood friend, his bestfriend, his lover, his soulmate.
Sometimes, Yifan would think about his bestfriend, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun's bestfriend, Jongdae, who were accepted by their parents as soon as they announced they were a couple just because their parents had always loved them together. Chanyeol complimented Jongdae so much, especially when Chanyeol plays the guitar and Jongdae takes a hold of the microphone. Jongdae's mother was the one who actually suggested a spring wedding in America and he faintly remembered seeing Baekhyun teary-eyed for his bestfriend, feeling happy yet jealous at the same time.
Unlike their bestfriends' parents who were liberated after staying in the States, his and Baekhyun's parents were as strict as the rest of the Korean society. The both of them never tried to be so casual around each other in public, afraid of getting caught, and they only get to bask in each other's presence during times like this night. They sometimes spend afternoons hidden in the attic of Jongdae's house, talking about distant futures and blurry memories, and most of the time, they make out in the confines of Chanyeol's music room, creating endless fog on the window separating the instrument room and the recording room as Yifan takes Baekhyun's everything in one swift move.
He remembers their first time-a spur of the moment experiment with each other's touches and kisses. Baekhyun had a weak spot behind his neck and Yifan made sure to touch it once in a while, arousing Baekhyun even more. Yifan made love to Baekhyun that night, and Baekhyun promised his forevers with him as Yifan took his all.
Yifan looks around them and he spots a very distant silhouette heading towards their direction. He moves away from Baekhyun, fishing out his phone from his pocket to keep himself busy and Baekhyun knows what it's all about so he fiddles with the hem of his coat, staring at the distant horizon in front of them.
"Sirs, your parents are looking for you. Sir Yifan, your parents want you to head to the main ballroom as soon as possible. Sir Baekhyun, your parents are waiting for you in the conference room on the third floor." The Byun's main butler bows in front of them, keeping his head down as he waits for either one of the heirs to acknowledge him. Baekhyun clears his throat the the butler leaves right away, leaving him and Yifan alone once again.
"Let's go?" Yifan wiggles his way back into Baekhyun's arms, squeezing his huge size between Baekhyun's petite limbs.
Baekhyun sighs when he kisses the crown of Yifan's head. "Yes, let's go."
They leave the swing side by side, with Baekhyun nudging Yifan's arms constantly as they neared the mansion. Yifan retaliates by tickling Baekhyun on his sensitive part but he stops himself when they finally reach the back door, back to the reality that hurts deeply.
"I will-"
Baekhyun cuts Yifan's sentence with a kiss and he steps back after making sure Yifan got the message he is trying to tell.
"Okay, I will see you after." Baekhyun says before he heads inside the house, leaving Yifan alone outside. Yifan waits for a few minutes before following inside, maneuvering through the maze of hallways to get to the ballroom.
He steps inside and he sees his parents sitting on the seats near the stage, sharing a bottle of wine together.
"Mom, Dad, you called for me?" Yifan stands in between his parents, who are too busy drinking wine to notice his presence at first.
"Ah, Yifan. Yes, please sit down in front of us." His father motions for him to take a seat and he pulls one of the velvet chairs in front of them, settling quietly.
"What is it that you wanted to tell me?"
His father pours in a bit more wine into his glass, eyeing his wife who is busy tracing the rim of her wine glass. "Well, your mother and I realized you are turning nineteen next month, right?"
Yifan nods.
"And tonight's probably the perfect night for us to tell you the great news we have!" Mr. Wu excitedly remarks as Yifan's mother smile beside him.
"About?"
His father clears his throat. "About your marriage."
Yifan stays still in his seat, comprehending what his father just said. He definitely did not expect news of a marriage from his parents, especially after getting back home from their overseas trip to have dinner with their closest family friends. They have never hinted anything about him tying knots with a person during their trip and Yifan doesn't want anything arranged to happen in his wedding that he sees as something highly sacred.
Was this what my parents and Baekhyun's parents were talking about when we left? Are the both of us getting married as well?
Suddenly, this thought makes him smile because spending the rest of his days with Baekhyun is his life-long dream and to wake up beside him is something he looks forward to.
"Marriage? To who?" His voice sounded too cheerful but he doesn't pay much attention to it. What matters for him is that his parents actually wanted for him and Baekhyun to end up together. The smile in his face is not faltering and his parents are glad as well, showing him genuine smiles.
"To Qian, the relatives of Baekhyun's family."
This suddenly shatters Yifan's dreams of waking up in Baekhyun's arms and being with him until their last breaths.
"What?"
"You are to marry Song Qian, close family relatives of the Byuns and a major stockholder of our company. We have had negotiations a few weeks ago, and Qian gladly agreed with our proposal. The wedding shall commence as soon as possible! We'd have the press cover the wedding throughout; your faces would be flashing on the screens of every household television that day, Qian would probably make everyone stutter with your beauty and of course, you son, you'll be blowing them away with your gorgeous looks that you obviously got from me! We'll be flying to her hometown tomorrow morning so get ready~" His father sounds drunk already but that doesn't bother Yifan anymore. What bothers him is the news that he'll be off marrying someone he doesn't even know personally. He'll be marrying someone that is not Baekhyun.
"I- I can't do that." Yifan's slowly feeling the tremble in his voice. But Baekhyun-
"Is there something wrong with marrying a family member of one of stockholders? Wouldn't this be great for our family?" His mom looks proud, his dad sounds like he’s expecting so much from him, and even the walls of the room seem like they’re closing in on him, pressuring him immensely.
“I just need to get some air.” He excuses himself from his parents who didn’t even bother to say goodbye to him, too busy with their own drinks to pay mind to his departure. Yifan pushes away the maids tending to him and he brings out his phone right away, typing numbers that are too familiar for him to not remember.
“Where are you?”
“Upstairs with my parents. They’re supposed to tell me something but I’m not really sure-“
“Go down, now.” Yifan commands and he impatiently waits for Baekhyun to reveal himself behind the corner of the corridor. Small footsteps resonate around the quiet hallway and Yifan doesn't think twice when he immediately hugs Baekhyun, tighter than ever before.
"I love you. I love you so much. I don't know why they're this cruel but I'm sorry I can't do anything. I love you, Baekhyun, more than my life and I really can't live without you." Yifan cries his heart out, grasping onto Baekhyun's coat with all the force he's got. It's almost the end for then after how many years-and it hurts to know that all their promises will turn to dust the moment he leaves Baekhyun's house. It will all end the moment he says yes to the person that isn't Baekhyun.
Yifan waits for a response, an answer, any plea from Baekhyun so they could just run away. But Baekhyun shakes his head instead, kissing the crown of Yifan's head as the latter leans his cheek against Baekhyun's narrow shoulder.
"It's okay, Yifan. I know you love me." Baekhyun replies. "And this love is enough for me to let you go."
Yifan's heart doesn't beat for a second and he steps back from the petite boy, staring at him with tearful eyes.
"What?"
"This is for the best, Yifan. Our love may have the power to conquer anything, but this time, I'm the one letting go even if it will hurt so much for the both of us. Think of it; we'll fight for this, but we're not sure of what the future may hold for the two of us. There are so many uncertainties with this relationship, especially with the fact that our parents will never be okay with us getting together. We're both young, we might meet more people in the future, and years from now, I want to see myself with you but I know it's not right because your parents think highly of you and I don't want for them to be disappointed because you chose me." Baekhyun doesn't sound remorseful and it kills Yifan to know that his lover doesn't even feel the slightest pain he's feeling. What he doesn't know is that behind Baekhyun's façade is a boy who feels like he's dying, a boy who doesn't ever want to let go if he had the choice. But Baekhyun knows it's the most rational decision; he doesn't want for Yifan to get hurt just because they chose to be together.
"You're willing to give up? What about all the promises we made? The forevers we promised to each other?" Yifan almost begs on his knees if it weren't for Baekhyun holding him on his shoulders to keep him steady.
"We met at the wrong time, Yifan. That's what I think. We may be right for each other, but we're not at the right place or at the right time to be together." Baekhyun opens his arms and Yifan knows that home is in between those small limbs which always make him feel loved. He silently hugs Baekhyun, basking in the scent he knows he'll miss. He only had a few hours before he says goodbye and it's so much to take in within an hour-leaving his childhood friend, his lover, his confidante, his everything, and he couldn't bear it.
"I love you." He whispers and Baekhyun nods.
"I love you too, Yifan. So much that it hurts to let you go but enough for me to understand what's best for you, for us. I am not giving up because I don't love you anymore; I'm doing this because I love you. Remember that, Yifan. Always remember that."
Yifan lets him go when his parents call him to go back to the ballroom and without any hesitation, he kisses Baekhyun for the last time, more ferocious, more needy, more painful than before. He engraves it in his mind, up until the nook and cranny of his brain; he locks the feeling inside his heart, he tries to familiarize Baekhyun's scent one more time, he grabs onto the soft hair he knows he'll miss, and he finally stares at those beautiful, beautiful eyes he knows he'll never forget.
"Maybe in this universe, or at this moment, we aren't meant for each other. But somewhere, sometime, I just know we'll end up together until the end. Believe in that, Yifan." Baekhyun says before Yifan leaves and when the latter turns around the next corner, he finally lets himself cry.
10 years later
"One black coffee for Mr. Byun?" The barista calls out and Baekhyun stands up from his seat, dropping by the counter to get a hold of his morning coffee. Days are getting chillier by the minute and the scarf around his neck doesn't feel warm enough to keep him from feeling cold.
He waves goodbye to the barista-an old friend of his who just knew the right type of coffee he liked-with a smile on his face as he exits the café, preparing himself for another day of looking after his newly-built bookshop. It has always been his dream to own one, where he could share his love for books with strangers and friends alike.
Baekhyun is too busy sipping on his cup of coffee while texting his manager, Sehun, to notice that someone is blocking his way. They bump into each other, and Baekhyun ends up spilling all of his coffee to the tall person who just had to be a huge wall in front of him. Baekhyun internally panics, mumbling apologies over and over again, but a hand stops him from fanning the other guy’s shirt, and somehow, those hands feel warm and familiar- a familiar feeling isn’t regretful in any way.
“Years ago, you told me in another universe, or maybe some other time, we might be together.” The tall man chuckles. Baekhyun just nods in front of him, smiling. He knows-he knows Qian died two years ago giving birth to her first daughter, he knows he himself is divorced after nights of hearing his wife’s mumbling things like how he only genuinely smiles whenever he stares at his and Yifan’s photos together.
He knows this is finally the right time. Not ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. It is exactly that moment when he looks up to meet familiar eyes that he calls his home.
“We’ll never know. Let’s have coffee some time, okay?” He proposes. Yifan agrees, smiling at him like the world is perfectly spinning again.
And as Yifan leaves the corner of the boulevard with Baekhyun’s scribbly handwritten phone number and note inside the palm of his hand, he knows the love is still there. It has always been there, and it will always be.
Prompt #: 31 [prompt details]Yifan and Baekhyun are the eldest children of their upper class, wealthy families. They've been best friends as long as they can remember, always sneaking off from the mandatory dinner parties, to watch the sunset, talk about how they wish their parents weren't so overbearing and, as they got older, make out. They're not exactly sure how and when, but they're madly in love. The only problem? Their close-minded parents have already set them to be married off to other girls.
Title: (you put your arms around me) and i'm home
Ship: Baekhyun/Yifan
Side ship: Chanyeol/Chen
Rating: PG
Word count: 3,665 words
Summary: Pain doesn't automatically mean feeling hurt and pain until the end of time. Pain, hurt, sadness; it sometimes brings even greater things. Baekhyun wishes Yifan knows that.
Notes: This is short af. I tried my best to give you a really short one-shot to be able to let you figure out the rest of the story; you can assume childhood memories, and future moments in their lives. It's up to you. This will be my part on the story of forever; the story of the decision that changes everything. Enjoy!
Yifan taps Baekhyun’s pristine hand under the table, attracting the younger boy’s attention so he could pass him the note he wrote earlier that evening. Baekhyun nudges his hand and Yifan took it as a sign to give him the paper; Baekhyun takes the paper right away, crumpling it so he could bury it inside the pocket of his dress pants. He excuses himself from the huge dinner table, bowing in front of his parents, Yifan’s parents, and the other guests they have invited for dinner. He flashes Yifan a subtle smile before heading to the restroom and locking the door so he could read whatever Yifan wrote in his note, just like his usual notes for the past seven years.
Head to the back door as silently as you can and I’ll follow you soon. I missed you. - K
Baekhyun chuckles inwardly, checking his reflection in the bathroom mirror before unlocking the knob of the door and walking away from the dinner table in silence. He ignores the stares of the housemaids directed at his direction and the moment he’s sure no one can see him, he runs swiftly to the back door so he could patiently wait for Yifan to come.
He loosens the bowtie around his neck, feeling relieved after hours of pretending he was interested with the economy of Korea and the prime minister who just had a talk with his mother a week ago. Instead of listening to the rambles of his father about their company’s stocks hitting low, all of his attention was completely focused on the tall, blond guy standing idly behind everyone while sipping his own glass of wine. Baekhyun didn’t admit it to himself but he missed seeing Yifan after his one-week departure to France with his parents to attend a business conference. He missed talking to him and he missed his familiar warmth and he just missed the guy who always makes him feel so many emotions within a second.
Huge arms sneak around his waist and Baekhyun gets surprised with the sudden action but nevertheless, he turns around to face Yifan while on his toes.
“Hi.” Baekhyun mumbles quietly, pinching Yifan’s nose with his small fingers. Yifan takes his hand and Baekhyun lets himself be taken away outside the Byun’s mansion to head to their usual spot: the swing situated in the middle of the luxurious garden filled with different kinds of greens that Baekhyun’s mother specifically ordered around the globe. Yifan captures Baekhyun’s smaller hand and he wraps them with his bigger ones, mumbling endless I love you’s and I miss you’s.
Baekhyun leans his head on Yifan’s broad shoulder, familiarizing himself with the scent he’s grown to love. Yifan smells of musk and lavender and he thinks it’s the best combination of fragrance he’s ever smelled in his entire life.
“I missed you too, Yifan.” Baekhyun says with a sigh as he buries his nose on the bridge of Yifan’s neck and shoulder, staying there longer than he expected. Maybe because he missed him so much that he wanted to just be as close as possible, not wanting to experience the agony he had for the past week without Yifan beside him.
“I’m sorry I left for days. I’m really, really sorry.” Yifan’s baritone voice soothes Baekhyun’s nerves and he reaches up to Yifan’s cheek, letting his fingers linger on the jutting cheekbones the taller boy had. Yifan stares back at him with a small smile on his face and he kisses Baekhyun’s forehead to assure him he will never leave again.
“It’s okay, you were needed there because you’ll be an heir to a huge company so it was just right that you attended that conference. What matters is that you’re back here and you’re here beside me because God knows how much I missed you.” Baekhyun leans closer to Yifan and he pecks him square on the lips, leaving Yifan dazed with the kiss.
They stay quiet for seconds, minutes; only the sound of the soft breeze and their heartbeats are heard and the both of them are staring at the distant sunset across the horizon, painting the skies with hues of orange and pink. Baekhyun wishes everyday would be like this.
“If you were given a chance to redo your life in another person’s body, will you take that chance? Would you rather live a simpler life with no luxury and no responsibilities?”
“No. I’d rather take this life.” Yifan answers.
“But why?”
“Because,” Yifan straightens up from his seat and he makes Baekhyun sit up as well to stare at his eyes, “I’d rather have you with me in this complicated life than to be alone without you in a life without responsibilities.”
Baekhyun’s eyes well up with his answer and Yifan wipes the stray tears away, caressing Baekhyun’s cheek with gentle touches.
“How do you do that?” Baekhyun silently asks.
“Do what?”
“How are you able to make me fall for you over and over again each day?” Baekhyun lets himself cry this time and Yifan opens his arms to welcome Baekhyun in his embrace, hugging him as he bawls his eyes out. Yifan yearns for a life where he doesn’t need to wake up every day at exactly six in the morning to get ready for corporate school; he wishes he’d be like the other eighteen year-old’s spending most of their time studying with their group of friends and hanging out after school hours. He wishes he had the chance to be free and be reckless and to be able to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. But if the price of being free is not being able to be with the one he truly loved, he’d rather not take that chance because being with Baekhyun made every single day a bit brighter than it should be.
“I should be the one asking you that, Baek.” Yifan replies with another kiss to the crown of Baekhyun’s head. The sun has completely set and darkness is slowly enveloping them. Yifan tilts Baekhyun’s chin upward, letting him look above the skies with him.
“The stars are so beautiful, aren’t they?” Yifan breaks their silence again and Baekhyun nods beside him, smearing off tears from his eyes so he could have a clearer view of the sky. Yifan sneaks a glance towards his direction and he thinks he had saved the world in his past life to deserve a perfect being like Baekhyun. “But they aren’t as beautiful as you, Baek.”
Baekhyun blushes madly and he playfully hits Yifan’s chest, giggling. “Stop being so mushy. I’m not used to your mushy comments.”
Yifan laughs beside him, wrapping an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder to keep him close to his side. “Years from now, if I ask you to marry me, will you say yes?”
Baekhyun doesn’t answer for a long time and Yifan has never felt so anxious in his entire life but the wait is worth it because Baekhyun nods with a huge smile on his face. “Of course, doofus. Remember when you asked me the same thing when we were ten years old? I said yes that time, and I’m saying yes tonight as well. And if you ask me that in the future, I’d still be saying the same answer.”
"And now, it's my turn to ask you with your own question. How are you able to make me fall in love with you even more each day?"
Baekhyun doesn't answer this time and Yifan thinks that the silence between them is enough answer. The stars and the heavens are witnesses of the love that will conquer anything; a love that will test time, fate, and society itself. Yifan will never stop trying to wash away Baekhyun's constant doubts for the two of them because of the world that's going to judge them when they come out, and Baekhyun will never get tired of loving Yifan just because he's Yifan; his childhood friend, his bestfriend, his lover, his soulmate.
Sometimes, Yifan would think about his bestfriend, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun's bestfriend, Jongdae, who were accepted by their parents as soon as they announced they were a couple just because their parents had always loved them together. Chanyeol complimented Jongdae so much, especially when Chanyeol plays the guitar and Jongdae takes a hold of the microphone. Jongdae's mother was the one who actually suggested a spring wedding in America and he faintly remembered seeing Baekhyun teary-eyed for his bestfriend, feeling happy yet jealous at the same time.
Unlike their bestfriends' parents who were liberated after staying in the States, his and Baekhyun's parents were as strict as the rest of the Korean society. The both of them never tried to be so casual around each other in public, afraid of getting caught, and they only get to bask in each other's presence during times like this night. They sometimes spend afternoons hidden in the attic of Jongdae's house, talking about distant futures and blurry memories, and most of the time, they make out in the confines of Chanyeol's music room, creating endless fog on the window separating the instrument room and the recording room as Yifan takes Baekhyun's everything in one swift move.
He remembers their first time-a spur of the moment experiment with each other's touches and kisses. Baekhyun had a weak spot behind his neck and Yifan made sure to touch it once in a while, arousing Baekhyun even more. Yifan made love to Baekhyun that night, and Baekhyun promised his forevers with him as Yifan took his all.
Yifan looks around them and he spots a very distant silhouette heading towards their direction. He moves away from Baekhyun, fishing out his phone from his pocket to keep himself busy and Baekhyun knows what it's all about so he fiddles with the hem of his coat, staring at the distant horizon in front of them.
"Sirs, your parents are looking for you. Sir Yifan, your parents want you to head to the main ballroom as soon as possible. Sir Baekhyun, your parents are waiting for you in the conference room on the third floor." The Byun's main butler bows in front of them, keeping his head down as he waits for either one of the heirs to acknowledge him. Baekhyun clears his throat the the butler leaves right away, leaving him and Yifan alone once again.
"Let's go?" Yifan wiggles his way back into Baekhyun's arms, squeezing his huge size between Baekhyun's petite limbs.
Baekhyun sighs when he kisses the crown of Yifan's head. "Yes, let's go."
They leave the swing side by side, with Baekhyun nudging Yifan's arms constantly as they neared the mansion. Yifan retaliates by tickling Baekhyun on his sensitive part but he stops himself when they finally reach the back door, back to the reality that hurts deeply.
"I will-"
Baekhyun cuts Yifan's sentence with a kiss and he steps back after making sure Yifan got the message he is trying to tell.
"Okay, I will see you after." Baekhyun says before he heads inside the house, leaving Yifan alone outside. Yifan waits for a few minutes before following inside, maneuvering through the maze of hallways to get to the ballroom.
He steps inside and he sees his parents sitting on the seats near the stage, sharing a bottle of wine together.
"Mom, Dad, you called for me?" Yifan stands in between his parents, who are too busy drinking wine to notice his presence at first.
"Ah, Yifan. Yes, please sit down in front of us." His father motions for him to take a seat and he pulls one of the velvet chairs in front of them, settling quietly.
"What is it that you wanted to tell me?"
His father pours in a bit more wine into his glass, eyeing his wife who is busy tracing the rim of her wine glass. "Well, your mother and I realized you are turning nineteen next month, right?"
Yifan nods.
"And tonight's probably the perfect night for us to tell you the great news we have!" Mr. Wu excitedly remarks as Yifan's mother smile beside him.
"About?"
His father clears his throat. "About your marriage."
Yifan stays still in his seat, comprehending what his father just said. He definitely did not expect news of a marriage from his parents, especially after getting back home from their overseas trip to have dinner with their closest family friends. They have never hinted anything about him tying knots with a person during their trip and Yifan doesn't want anything arranged to happen in his wedding that he sees as something highly sacred.
Was this what my parents and Baekhyun's parents were talking about when we left? Are the both of us getting married as well?
Suddenly, this thought makes him smile because spending the rest of his days with Baekhyun is his life-long dream and to wake up beside him is something he looks forward to.
"Marriage? To who?" His voice sounded too cheerful but he doesn't pay much attention to it. What matters for him is that his parents actually wanted for him and Baekhyun to end up together. The smile in his face is not faltering and his parents are glad as well, showing him genuine smiles.
"To Qian, the relatives of Baekhyun's family."
This suddenly shatters Yifan's dreams of waking up in Baekhyun's arms and being with him until their last breaths.
"What?"
"You are to marry Song Qian, close family relatives of the Byuns and a major stockholder of our company. We have had negotiations a few weeks ago, and Qian gladly agreed with our proposal. The wedding shall commence as soon as possible! We'd have the press cover the wedding throughout; your faces would be flashing on the screens of every household television that day, Qian would probably make everyone stutter with your beauty and of course, you son, you'll be blowing them away with your gorgeous looks that you obviously got from me! We'll be flying to her hometown tomorrow morning so get ready~" His father sounds drunk already but that doesn't bother Yifan anymore. What bothers him is the news that he'll be off marrying someone he doesn't even know personally. He'll be marrying someone that is not Baekhyun.
"I- I can't do that." Yifan's slowly feeling the tremble in his voice. But Baekhyun-
"Is there something wrong with marrying a family member of one of stockholders? Wouldn't this be great for our family?" His mom looks proud, his dad sounds like he’s expecting so much from him, and even the walls of the room seem like they’re closing in on him, pressuring him immensely.
“I just need to get some air.” He excuses himself from his parents who didn’t even bother to say goodbye to him, too busy with their own drinks to pay mind to his departure. Yifan pushes away the maids tending to him and he brings out his phone right away, typing numbers that are too familiar for him to not remember.
“Where are you?”
“Upstairs with my parents. They’re supposed to tell me something but I’m not really sure-“
“Go down, now.” Yifan commands and he impatiently waits for Baekhyun to reveal himself behind the corner of the corridor. Small footsteps resonate around the quiet hallway and Yifan doesn't think twice when he immediately hugs Baekhyun, tighter than ever before.
"I love you. I love you so much. I don't know why they're this cruel but I'm sorry I can't do anything. I love you, Baekhyun, more than my life and I really can't live without you." Yifan cries his heart out, grasping onto Baekhyun's coat with all the force he's got. It's almost the end for then after how many years-and it hurts to know that all their promises will turn to dust the moment he leaves Baekhyun's house. It will all end the moment he says yes to the person that isn't Baekhyun.
Yifan waits for a response, an answer, any plea from Baekhyun so they could just run away. But Baekhyun shakes his head instead, kissing the crown of Yifan's head as the latter leans his cheek against Baekhyun's narrow shoulder.
"It's okay, Yifan. I know you love me." Baekhyun replies. "And this love is enough for me to let you go."
Yifan's heart doesn't beat for a second and he steps back from the petite boy, staring at him with tearful eyes.
"What?"
"This is for the best, Yifan. Our love may have the power to conquer anything, but this time, I'm the one letting go even if it will hurt so much for the both of us. Think of it; we'll fight for this, but we're not sure of what the future may hold for the two of us. There are so many uncertainties with this relationship, especially with the fact that our parents will never be okay with us getting together. We're both young, we might meet more people in the future, and years from now, I want to see myself with you but I know it's not right because your parents think highly of you and I don't want for them to be disappointed because you chose me." Baekhyun doesn't sound remorseful and it kills Yifan to know that his lover doesn't even feel the slightest pain he's feeling. What he doesn't know is that behind Baekhyun's façade is a boy who feels like he's dying, a boy who doesn't ever want to let go if he had the choice. But Baekhyun knows it's the most rational decision; he doesn't want for Yifan to get hurt just because they chose to be together.
"You're willing to give up? What about all the promises we made? The forevers we promised to each other?" Yifan almost begs on his knees if it weren't for Baekhyun holding him on his shoulders to keep him steady.
"We met at the wrong time, Yifan. That's what I think. We may be right for each other, but we're not at the right place or at the right time to be together." Baekhyun opens his arms and Yifan knows that home is in between those small limbs which always make him feel loved. He silently hugs Baekhyun, basking in the scent he knows he'll miss. He only had a few hours before he says goodbye and it's so much to take in within an hour-leaving his childhood friend, his lover, his confidante, his everything, and he couldn't bear it.
"I love you." He whispers and Baekhyun nods.
"I love you too, Yifan. So much that it hurts to let you go but enough for me to understand what's best for you, for us. I am not giving up because I don't love you anymore; I'm doing this because I love you. Remember that, Yifan. Always remember that."
Yifan lets him go when his parents call him to go back to the ballroom and without any hesitation, he kisses Baekhyun for the last time, more ferocious, more needy, more painful than before. He engraves it in his mind, up until the nook and cranny of his brain; he locks the feeling inside his heart, he tries to familiarize Baekhyun's scent one more time, he grabs onto the soft hair he knows he'll miss, and he finally stares at those beautiful, beautiful eyes he knows he'll never forget.
"Maybe in this universe, or at this moment, we aren't meant for each other. But somewhere, sometime, I just know we'll end up together until the end. Believe in that, Yifan." Baekhyun says before Yifan leaves and when the latter turns around the next corner, he finally lets himself cry.
10 years later
"One black coffee for Mr. Byun?" The barista calls out and Baekhyun stands up from his seat, dropping by the counter to get a hold of his morning coffee. Days are getting chillier by the minute and the scarf around his neck doesn't feel warm enough to keep him from feeling cold.
He waves goodbye to the barista-an old friend of his who just knew the right type of coffee he liked-with a smile on his face as he exits the café, preparing himself for another day of looking after his newly-built bookshop. It has always been his dream to own one, where he could share his love for books with strangers and friends alike.
Baekhyun is too busy sipping on his cup of coffee while texting his manager, Sehun, to notice that someone is blocking his way. They bump into each other, and Baekhyun ends up spilling all of his coffee to the tall person who just had to be a huge wall in front of him. Baekhyun internally panics, mumbling apologies over and over again, but a hand stops him from fanning the other guy’s shirt, and somehow, those hands feel warm and familiar- a familiar feeling isn’t regretful in any way.
“Years ago, you told me in another universe, or maybe some other time, we might be together.” The tall man chuckles. Baekhyun just nods in front of him, smiling. He knows-he knows Qian died two years ago giving birth to her first daughter, he knows he himself is divorced after nights of hearing his wife’s mumbling things like how he only genuinely smiles whenever he stares at his and Yifan’s photos together.
He knows this is finally the right time. Not ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. It is exactly that moment when he looks up to meet familiar eyes that he calls his home.
“We’ll never know. Let’s have coffee some time, okay?” He proposes. Yifan agrees, smiling at him like the world is perfectly spinning again.
And as Yifan leaves the corner of the boulevard with Baekhyun’s scribbly handwritten phone number and note inside the palm of his hand, he knows the love is still there. It has always been there, and it will always be.