Eventually, eventually, yes for chansoos

[yeolliepopday]

For: chansoos
Title: Eventually, eventually, yes
Pairing(s): Chanyeol/D.O
Rating: PG-13
Length: 5.4k
Summary: Chanyeol has a bad habit of dating people who don’t care for him, but his friends try to fix that.
Author's note: title from frank ocean’s “white ferrari”



Chanyeol rolls his shoulders, he's been hunched over his computer for hours, working on adding to the new pamphlet for the youth and community center he works at. They're extremely understaffed which has led Chanyeol to take on a lot of other tasks. It's really difficult to say no to Joonmyun, especially when he looks at Chanyeol so expectantly.

Chanyeol only has a vague idea of how to create a nice enough pamphlet, but he goes with pastels, inserting pictures of the classes they offer and events they've hosted. It has been at least three years since he started working at the community center, so sometimes he doesn't really mind doing all of these extra tasks. Working keeps his mind away from other things, and it helps him a lot.

He takes another bite of the food Joonmyun had brought him earlier, they're actually still closed for a short holiday, but everyone's in the office to do work. Their newest employee is sitting at his own desk, quietly organizing new membership paperwork since the classes they offer will be starting soon.

"Hey Jisoo," Chanyeol calls, watching the younger jump a little before looking up, "Would you mind looking over this in like ten minutes? I added in some English, but I want to know if it's right."

"Sure," he has cat like eyes that smile slightly. Jisoo having lived in the United States has flawless English and Korean so he is the perfect new hire. Byul Yi breezes past them suddenly, a bag of sports equipment slung over her shoulder. Her hair’s in a lopsided ponytail, Byul Yi seems genuinely exhausted.

“Do you need help?” Chanyeol offers, already standing up from his desk.

“I’m okay!” She sprints off into the gymnasium.

“She’s doing equipment inventory,” Jisoo says a little while after, “She’s meeting someone in the evening? So she’s trying to leave early.”

Chanyeol nods, smiling to himself. He’ll have to bother Byul Yi about it tomorrow.

It’s just past three when Chanyeol’s phone suddenly buzzes so loud, it makes him jump. There isn’t anyone in the office now, Joonmyun having left earlier with Jisoo. Chanyeol had managed to finish the pamphlet right after lunch, but now he’s working on a schedule for the music classes he’ll be teaching. He refuses to look at his phone until he finishes.

Fifteen minutes pass by, but he hasn’t added anything of importance.

He can't concentrate.

Chanyeol finally gives in and looks at his phone, a text from him. Chanyeol is a lot of things, but stupid or naive are the things he calls himself when it comes to this very situation. He reads the text messages he had sent prior to the one he has just received; Chanyeol’s messages are dated from about two weeks ago, no replies for over a few months. He can't tell if the heater is on too high or if it's the tears threatening to overflow.

Eyes burning, he hurts all over.

Look Chanyeol, let's end this. For my sake, and yours.

Chanyeol wonders later how long it had taken him to collect himself before going home, but he drifts off to sleep way before he lets himself think too much.

There's laughter coming from the shared living space, and it's starting to drive Chanyeol up the wall. He can't find his headphones, not since Jongin asked to borrow them about a week ago. He pushes up from his chair and pads into the living room. The room is significantly colder than his own bedroom.

"Can you guys please be quieter?" Chanyeol asks, ignored by Sehun and Jongin who are giggling at something on the laptop. The computer is carefully perched on Jongin's knees, and Sehun is leaning, over clicking away. They slam the computer shut quickly when they finally realize Chanyeol is standing over them.

"Sorry," Sehun swallows, biting back another laugh, "I was just showing Jongin something funny."

"Yeah, Sehun found some really gross furry porn," Jongin giggles, "He wanted to show me."

Sehun shoots Jongin a dirty look, but Chanyeol decides to not question it. He simply is too stressed out to care more than he needs too. Chanyeol is used to walking in on his friends watching porn, Baekhyun used to be the most shameless about it back in college when they lived together. He'd go as far to watch it on their shared tv.

Chanyeol shudders at the memory.

“Sorry though hyung,” Jongin is a little more serious now, “Were you working?”

Chanyeol is staring at his socked feet, feeling a little more dazed than usual. The previous annoyance seeps out of him and into the carpet.

“It’s okay,” Chanyeol stretches, yawning, “I’ve been doing some maintenance work on the community center website and planning my classes. I’m just stressed. I didn’t mean to snap at you two.”
Chanyeol misses the look the other two share between each other. Doesn’t notice the concern.

“Hyung,” Sehun speaks up now, standing, “I’m going to go get some dinner down the street, want anything?”

“Um,” Chanyeol pauses, he hasn’t been eating very well, “sure. Thanks. Anything’s fine. Are you going to the usual place we get take out?”

Sehun nods, refusing to let Chanyeol pay for anything. They have a system going where they take turns paying for takeout, and there’s a list on the fridge detailing who’s turn it is to clean, among other household things. It’s a habit they picked up from Jongin’s coworker, Minseok.

Jongin goes into the kitchen, beckoning Chanyeol to follow him. Their kitchen is bigger than the one Chanyeol had in his old apartment, and he can easily sit on the spacious counter.

“Sorry," Chanyeol sighs.

Jongin clicks his tongue, setting water to boil on the stovetop. They stay silent for a while, Chanyeol knows that he's been a little off the last week or so. Ever since he got the text that confirmed one of his worst fears.

"Sehun and I played rock paper scissors to see who would talk to you. I won, but sometimes Sehun is well intentioned, but he sucks with words."

Chanyeol laughs, nervously. He understands that the past few weeks he's been...different. Irritable, quiet, and forcing himself to pretend that he's okay.

He's not okay, and he hates that he isn't.

“We obviously don’t know the details, but,” Jongin sighs, “We’re your friends, and we don’t like seeing you hurt by people. Especially when it keeps happening.”

The words sting, because it’s true. Chanyeol hasn’t been the luckiest when it comes to dating, and it doesn’t help that he isn’t that experienced, or more so--lacks the ability to commit when the other person wants to.
Though, his worst habit is being a people pleaser. Something about how he wants to prove to the people that treat him the worst that they should treat him better.

Destructive, awful.

Who is he anymore anyways?

Jongin is looking at him with the most understanding expression, the softness in his brown eyes full of concern.

“I don’t think you have to date anyone to be happy,” Jongin states matter of factly, drawing from his own feelings. Jongin had shared with them when they first met, when Sehun had been desperately trying to win him over.

Jongin was won over, but it wasn’t the way a lot of people expressed these feelings.

Jongin wanted to be more than friends, and Sehun had learned new ways to show love and receive it too.

“We know you really liked that guy, but he wasn’t going to give you what you wanted Chanyeol. You--”Jongin hesitates.

“I know,” Chanyeol has tried to explain to himself. He’s tried to pick apart every single interaction, and he’s tried to figure out what exactly he did wrong.

“You have to be honest Chanyeol, with yourself and others. You didn’t mess up, just not everyone deserves your love. But you also don’t deserve every person’s feelings if they aren’t important to you.”

“I’m an asshole,” Chanyeol wails suddenly, playfully, “Thanks.”

“I’m honestly disgusted with myself,” Jongin puffs his cheeks out, turning off the now boiling water. “If Sehun had been here he would’ve made fun of me.”

“Or cried,” Chanyeol offers, “He’s gone softer in the last few years.”

“True,” Jongin pauses, “Do you want to watch a movie with us while we eat?”

Chanyeol probably cries a little harder than he needs to that night when they’re watching some Disney movie Sehun had picked out for them.

It’s just a few weeks after the new year has started, and Chanyeol arrives a few minutes late to his first class. Jisoo waves at him when he runs through the lobby to his classroom.

“Don’t tell Joonmyun I’m late,” Chanyeol calls as he runs by, but Jisoo only laughs. Joonmyun sticks his head out of his office right then, yelling at Chanyeol to stop running.

Chanyeol slips into his classroom, and he’s greeted by new faces as well as familiar ones. Since this is a morning class on Wednesday, all of his students are stay at home moms or senior citizens. The community center always get an influx of students at this time of year, but only a few of the newer students stick around after a month. Some of the students in Chanyeol’s class take part in various other activities offered there, and he’s met many of them before.

Chanyeol apologizes briefly, and launches into the intro for his guitar class. He explains the chords, finger placements, and various other things. He passes out the guitars they keep for the class and goes around helping the students try out strumming. An hour passes by quickly enough.

“See you next Wednesday!” He’s really happy when the class files out, seeming cheerful.

“So how was it?” Joonmyun questions him when he walks into their main office.

“Good,” Chanyeol grabs a water bottle from the mini pantry they have, “I think a lot of these students seem really enthusiastic. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a lot of the older students before too.”

“That’s because they’re in my water aerobics class,” Joonmyun laughs, “I encouraged them to sign up for more classes.”

Chanyeol thanks him, walking over to look at the schedule on the board they keep. They’re closed all day on Fridays, and close early on Sundays. This year they decided to close completely once a month on Sundays too.

“I have a few interviews on Friday,” Joonmyun comes over, “that’ll hopefully give us someone to do tech stuff and add in other classes.”

“Finally,” Chanyeol would also really love for the staff to grow, they only have seven people on their staff currently.

Chanyeol teaches two more classes that day, and leaves after running into Zitao and Minho on his way out. They convince him to come to the taekwondo match being being held on Saturday. He readily agrees seeing he has no other plans that morning.

Chanyeol receives another weird text for the day, from Jongin this time. It’s asking about his music taste, and something else about how would Chanyeol respond when being asked about what he currently does.

He’s been getting these kind of messages for the past two months, and he’s been humoring them. Whenever he’s decided to ask Sehun or Jongin why they’re randomly sending him questions, they avoid the subject. Chanyeol really doesn’t think much of it. They’re harmless texts and they brighten up his day, but he often ends up playing twenty questions.

“I can’t believe you two,” Chanyeol is sitting on the couch hugging a pillow to himself. Sehun and Jongin are standing over him. Minseok is there too, he has his arms crossed, brows furrowed.

It’s been almost three months since Jongin had talked to him, and about four since Chanyeol had been officially dumped. Over text.

By the same person that had ignored his messages for two months.

“You could have at least told me. I already had an old account on there, but I--” Chanyeol is referring to the dating site his friends had signed him up for. Without his knowledge.They had even gone as far as paying for a premium account to get Chanyeol a date.

Without his permission.

“Tell them everything,” Minseok practically hisses, pinching Sehun’s arm.

“What?”

Sehun huffs, “You have a date on Saturday night.”

“Oh my god,” Chanyeol buries his face into the pillow he’s been clutching. It smells like pizza, he wants to scream. “You have to cancel it, and then delete my profile.”

“We can’t,” Sehun is pleading now, “Hyung, he’s really hot.”

“I don’t care,” Chanyeol stands up, “This is...like what? Fraud? Give me your phone.”

“Chanyeol,” Jongin takes Sehun’s phone, away from Chanyeol, “Trust us, at least go on one date. He seems like a really great guy.”

“Let me see,” one of Minseok’s hands snakes around Jongin and snatches the phone away. It’s almost like they’re playing monkey in the middle. Chanyeol is sweating.

There’s complete silence as Minseok looks through the profile.

“I’m sorry Chanyeol,” Minseok looks up, handing the phone over to Sehun, “but he’s really cute.”

“Traitor,” he collapses back onto the couch. Chanyeol refuses to go on a date, “At least let me look at him.”

“Nope,” the traitorous trio says in unison.

“Trust us,” Jongin says.

Chanyeol should really consider new friends at this point.

"We don't have to set anything up?" Chanyeol's holding the phone to one ear, and slipping into his shoes with the other. He's already walking out the door when Joonmyun's done explaining about today's event.

"Just make sure to get here, I want you to meet the two new possible staff members."

Chanyeol runs to the station, making one transfer until he's at the community center. He runs inside, yelling a hello to Jisoo, who's putting up a new poster for the smoking ban.

Joonmyun's in the main office, two people are sitting near him, laughing about something. Chanyeol's panting, readily bowing when Joonmyun begins to make the introductions.
The woman with long dark hair, introduces herself as Jung Wheein, and the new tech person is Lee Byunghun. Byunghun is really handsome, Chanyeol thinks.

They talk for while, he learns Byunghun just moved to Jeonju, while Wheein has just moved back after living abroad. They're nice, and Chanyeol thinks Joonmyun made the right decision in hiring them.
Zitao comes in a little while later, the taekwondo matches are about to begin. They go to the main gymnasium, and the atmosphere is one that makes everyone feel at ease. The matches are divided into age groups, and it may just be a club, but everyone is taking the matches seriously enough. The elementary schoolers are going first, and Chanyeol recognizes a handful of kids from the piano classes he teaches on the weekends in the summertime.

The mood in the gym is good, everyone seems to be having a good time, and the competitors are all strong. It makes Chanyeol a little nostalgic, and he turns to see Zitao looking proudly at how well some of his students do.

"Chanyeol," Zitao is leaning in, whispering, "That guys keeps staring at you."

Chanyeol's heart races, a faint glimmering of hope flashing, right before his pulse steadies again.

"Who?"

Zitao points with his chin, "He's wearing all black, glasses and really nice shoes."

Chanyeol scans, eyes frantically searching until they meet with someone's. He quickly looks away, flushing and feeling awkward.

"Does he have a really nice mouth and wide eyes?"

ZItao chuckles lightly, "I guess so? He's been glancing over here for a while now. Do you know him?" Chanyeol shakes his head, he's never seen the man in question before.
Most of the people who come to the community center are familiar, even if Chanyeol has never sat down to speak with them. Chanyeol thinks maybe the man is just a visitor to Jeonju.
He definitely looks it.

Their attention is taken back to the next pair coming out onto the mat. Chanyeol feels prickling on the back of his neck a few more times, not that he's aware. When he looks again. he notices the man leaving.

The event ends a while later, the sun already beginning its descent towards the horizon. Chanyeol helps put away some of the mats in the gym,before heading back home. He has two hours before his date.

Chanyeol gets to the apartment and is immediately pulled into his bedroom by Sehun and Jongin.

"So you need to dress like yourself," Jongin says, pulling open Chanyeol's closet, "Like cool you, but--"

"Also," Sehun says, "No sweats or tshirts with bad English sayings, your date is apparently really good at English."

"You guys are going to a new restaurant in town that your date wants to try out. After that, you suggested going to Sori Arts Center, because there's that illumination exhibition you want to see." Jongin is saying all of this as he flits through Chanyeol's bedroom, throwing clothes onto the bed.

"How long did you guys message him? Should I be worried?" Chanyeol is getting nervous. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't happy to be going on a date with someone. Especially someone his friends deemed suitable.

There were still times where he'd occasionally get sad, see a familiar face in a moment of weakness.

Chanyeol is fine, fine, fine.

"Not very long actually, like," Sehun is sitting on the bed, not really being any help. "I googled him, so he's legit. He hasn't lived in town long, but it was only a few messages. Enough to get a feel for him, he's totally your type--hopefully not an asshole though."

"Can I see what you guys messaged with him? Does he know it wasn't me messaging? What if I forget something he said to me--I mean you guys? Like?" Chanyeol's words are muffled as he's forced into a knit sweater he forgot he owned.

"Breathe," Jongin looks at him, "It was a super general conversation."

"He likes R&B, some hip hop and like old school western and korean artists. He went to Hong Kong for a year to study nutrition. He likes to drink," Sehun is saying all of this as he presumably reads through the messages. "His profile says he's looking mainly for friends, but romance is something he'd appreciate."

Chanyeol is mentally taking notes, bobbing his head along to what they're saying. He's picturing the man in his head, probably tall with hair that's never been dyed. Is he conservative despite his music tastes? Dinner will be a good time to decide whether or not they can continue their evening together.

He's nervous, fingers raking through his hair, Chanyeol puffs his cheeks out as he looks into the mirror. He's wearing his nicer dark wash jeans, a pair that hits a little below his ankle, just high enough to show off polka dotted socks. He's going to wear his leather jacket, and a pair of his nicer cleaner sneakers.

He hasn't thought about his outfit this much in such a long time, the excitement buzzing through him feels good.

Chanyeol leaves Sehun and Jongin, both of them urging him to have fun. He gets to the station quickly,he has about thirty minutes to get downtown, but he thinks he might even be ten minutes early. Chanyeol maps out his location, knowing exactly where he’s going.

Chanyeol's halfway there when he realizes he doesn't know his date's name. He can't get a hold of his roommates either, which means he starts to panic a little. Chanyeol gets to his stop, and walks downstairs to the station exit that leads to the main street. It's a lot calmer than usual, and he really prefers how much room there is to walk around. It's a lot cooler when Chanyeol finally steps out of the station, dark already.

Chanyeol checks to see how far the restaurant he's going to is. It's only five minutes walking distance, his watch says he still has about twenty minutes to kill. Chanyeol starts mentally preparing himself.

Be honest.

Pay attention.

Listen to your gut.

Don't get attached.

He repeats to himself over and over, reminders and resolutions.

When Chanyeol looks back up, a casual scanning of faces, he meets eyes again with the man from earlier in the day. The wide eyed one that kept staring at him.
He's too caught up in the coincidence that he doesn't realize how fast approaching this stranger is.

"Park Chanyeol?"

Chanyeol's jaw drops and his eyes widen.

“I'm Do Kyungsoo,” the man is smiling brightly at him, “I'm glad I wasn't too early. Do you want to go ahead and go to the restaurant?”

Chanyeol nods, introduces himself properly, but he almost trips when they start walking. Kyungsoo catches him, the grip on Chanyeol’s elbow is surprisingly strong.

“Clumsiness wasn't in your profile,” Kyungsoo deadpans, almost.
It takes Chanyeol a while to realize he's joking.

“Oh um,” he steps a little more carefully, matching his pace to Kyungsoo’s.

“Sorry, I need to tone down the sarcasm a little, huh?”

“No!” Chanyeol blushes, “I just… need to relax a bit.”

“Me too,” Kyungsoo rubs his hands on his pants, tucking them into his jacket.

Chanyeol hopes he isn't making a bad impression already. He inhales and exhales, two more times just as deeply.

“I heard they have wine where we're going. I checked the reviews online, it's supposed to be really good.”

Kyungsoo’s smile sends Chanyeol over the moon.

“That'll loosen us up.”

Dinner is known as the unequivocal time to get to know someone.
The restaurant they're at is fairly new, a fusion of Italian and French dishes to choose from. The wine list is even longer, and they both choose a glass to drink while they wait for their main dishes.

Kyungsoo is quiet, and Chanyeol worries that maybe he’s bored. He swirls his finger at the rim of the glass, short fingers, still delicate. Chanyeol looks at him, sipping at his own wine too. He’d be lying if he said he knew anything about wine, except that he usually preferred white and had opted for a pasta that coordinated, thanks to Kyungsoo.

“I don’t know anything about wine, except the cheap kind is really good,” Chanyeol had offered.

Kyungsoo has flashed him six different smiles by now, each one warmer than the last. Chanyeol really likes his lips the most, and how his mannerisms contrast incredibly well with the faces he makes. He’s not as stoic as he may seem to be, and Chanyeol is relieved.

“I can’t believe you’ve written for a woman’s magazine,” Chanyeol hiccups, their food had come long ago, he’s halfway finished by now.

“Are you laughing at me, because it’s a woman’s magazine or--?” Kyungsoo lifts an eyebrow at him. “I just--I understand you’re a nutritionist, but writing for an article for any magazine seems really out of character.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Kyungsoo carefully swirls pasta around his fork into a spoon and carefully lifts it into his mouth. He chews carefully, slow, slow. His grin, a little slower.

“How come you were at that taekwondo competition earlier?” Kyungsoo asks finally. He knows about Chanyeol’s education, in music--classical piano and guitar and his interest in graphic design.

“I work there,” Chanyeol finally says, “I teach guitar and piano. Sometimes I’ll do computer lessons for seniors, but--”

“Teaching seems like it would suit you.”

“I hope that’s a compliment,” Chanyeol puffs his cheeks out, “But why were you there?”

“My nephew was one of the competitors. My brother asked me to take him, ever since I moved here from Seoul...I’ve turned into a babysitter,” Kyungsoo laughs.

“Why move here? It’s nothing like Seoul.”

“Work, there was a job opening at a clinic. I also missed trees, Seoul doesn’t seem to have as many. You said you went to school in Seoul, why did you move here?”

Chanyeol takes the last sip of his wine, “I lived here for a while as a kid. Most of my friends also live here. It was like coming home.”

Kyungsoo looks at him, eyes aware--locked on him. He seems to be absorbing all information, deeply. There’s a sense of...genuine interest from him. Chanyeol wonders if he’s reading too much into it.

They finally finish eating, topping their meal off with small bowls of tiramisu, cheeks glowing from the alcohol. It’s not enough to even be tipsy, but it’s enough that once they leave the restaurant, Chanyeol notices how pink Kyungsoo’s cheeks are.

“Your ears are really red,” Kyungsoo is giggling as he lifts up a hand, slightly brushing Chanyeol’s left ear.

It feels like his belly is full of red hot fire.
Chanyeol breathes.

“I didn’t think dinner would take three hours, but I think we can still make it to the illumination,” Chanyeol says checking his phone, distracting himself just a little. The air outside is stinging his ears.

“It’s a five minute walk, you down for it?” Kyungsoo asks him.

Chanyeol grins at him, and they head off in the direction of where the exhibition is located.

The fee to get in is quickly covered by Kyungsoo, because Chanyeol had insisted on paying more for his half of dinner--despite Kyungsoo wanting to split the bill evenly.

The illuminated sculptures and lights are located in the main garden, right past the permanent exhibition of traditional art inside. They’re quiet as the walk amongst the sculptures, Chanyeol enthralled by the art, some made of wire and fairy lights to create large flowers. He’s also enthralled by Kyungsoo who hums happily when they come across an abstract metal sculpture covered in cloth and illuminated within by a warm light. They don’t really talk, each wrapped up in enjoying the sights together.

They decide to leave when their fingers are numb, Chanyeol carefully takes Kyungsoo's cold hand in his own.

"Is this okay?"

"Yeah," Kyungsoo looks at him, and he tucks Chanyeol's hand into his jacket pocket with his own.

Chanyeol reminds himself to relax.

"I liked that song that was playing around the sculpture that looked like a bunch of stars," Chanyeol begins to hum, "Do you know it?"

"It sounded familiar," Kyungsoo hums with him, "I used to take piano as a kid, so it sounds like something out of an older film."

They walk past a dingy karaoke place, one of the many around the station, "Do you like to sing?"

"Do I look like the type?"

Chanyeol squints in the semi darkness, "Nnnnnyo--Yes."

Kyungsoo bumps him, "I like singing."

"We should go to karaoke next time."

They part ways, the promise of meeting again and the ghost of Kyungsoo's warm hand on his own stays with him.

Chanyeol gets home and makes a beeline for his room.

"I need to absorb," he calls before anyone can talk to him. He throws himself on his bed, and hugs his pillow to himself.
Kyungsoo is cute.

Funny.

Kyungsoo asks him questions, and he listens carefully.

He feels at ease with Kyungsoo, and they seem to have connected.

Chanyeol dissects his feelings in the dark, doesn't obsess over the things he would usually worry about. Or tries.

His phone buzzes with a message from Kyungsoo.

do kyungsoo
So confession time. I knew your friends had set you up, but you played it so smoothly I had to go along. Thanks for making the "our friend has terrible luck with love please help him" bio on hellocherub.com worth it.

chanyeol
omg...
Thank you, me too :)

At least Chanyeol can stop worrying about the mutual feelings. And he now knows his friends are in fact, extremely terrible.

There isn’t one moment where Chanyeol can define as the time he decided Do Kyungsoo would become a person intertwined--part of his everyday. Kyungsoo had come in one day, to the community center and chatted with Jisoo at the front desk, asking for class recommendations. He took up swimming, doing freestyle and learning how to perfect his form with Joonmyun. Kyungsoo sometimes dropped by to practice Taekwondo with his nephew, days the clinic he works at were closed.
Chanyeol offered to teach him a little bit of guitar, in the comfort of his own living room--not the classroom he works. Kyungsoo had made the first move the third--maybe tenth time he’d been at Chanyeol’s apartment, kissing delicately at Chanyeol’s fingertips before reaching out to press his lips against Chanyeol’s.

“Can I be your boyfriend,” Chanyeol had asked, “can--I mean, will you be my boyfriend?”

Kyungsoo kissing against the hollow of his throat had giggled, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Jongin and Sehun announce one day they’re thinking of moving out, causing Chanyeol to jump up and drop Kyungsoo from his lap.

His shocked“Why?” is mixed with Kyungsoo’s loud grunt. He smacks hard at Chanyeol’s leg.

Jongin explains that they’ve been discussing it for a while, and Sehun grins adding obnoxiously, “Why not move in with Kyungsoo for a while? The lease it going to be up for renewal--”

“No,” Chanyeol and Kyungsoo say in unison. They look at each other. Even though Chanyeol had also said no, his feelings are kind of hurt. Jongin senses something is off and leaves, tugging Sehun with him out the door.

“Why did you say no?” Kyungsoo asks, narrowing his eyes, “If you look hurt?”

Chanyeol’s mouth is dry, cotton mouth at a loss for words. He huffs.

“We haven’t been dating that long.”

Kyungsoo sighs, “I was listening to a podcast the other night, and there was something they said about how relationships don’t have checklists. Like...any relationship. Don’t you remember what you said to me?”

Chanyeol swallows, “I--I know.”

Chanyeol remembers one of the first times he had gone over to Kyungsoo’s apartment for a Sunday lunch, and he’d watched how Kyungsoo flitted about the kitchen. When Kyungsoo had put the stew over the stove, Chanyeol had imagined standing behind Kyungsoo, chest pressed into the shorter’s back.
He wanted so badly in that moment to feel and touch Kyungsoo. He hadn’t though, and instead had stood next to him, letting his arm press into Kyungsoo. Enough pressure was put there to let Kyungsoo know he wanted a reaction. Kyungsoo had looked at him, quietly nuzzling into Chanyeol, tugging at his ear, prompting him with a, “You can kiss me.”

“Be honest and straightforward with me,” Chanyeol had asked later on the phone, walking back to his own apartment, “I’ll try to do the same.”

“You, know,” Kyungsoo says now, bringing Chanyeol back to the present. They’re sitting on the couch, knees touching. Familiar. “I love you Park Chanyeol. You can come live with me for a while. It wouldn’t make sense to renew the lease on this place. I have an extra room.”

“Is that really okay?”

Kyungsoo tilts Chanyeol’s chin towards him, not forcing eye contact, but imploring Chanyeol to please, please look him in the eyes.

“Why wouldn’t it be okay?” Kyungsoo smiles at him, “I don’t want to force you either, but I...I just feel it could work for us.”

Chanyeol nods, squeezing Kyungsoo’s much much smaller and softer hand into his own.

A few weeks into the summer, Chanyeol finds himself at the side of the pool, laughing at his co workers playing in the water. Joonmyun steals a kiss secretly from Jisoo, and Byul Yi is sitting on the edge talking excitedly with Wheein. The others, had gone on a camping trip in the mountains. Chanyeol excuses himself, and picks up his things to head home. He’s met at the door by Kyungsoo, who’s wearing light colored jeans and a white t-shirt.

“Did you get a haircut?” Chanyeol teases him, “Or did you decide to ditch the lord of darkness look today?”
Kyungsoo glares at him, punching him lightly. Chanyeol knows Kyungsoo’s taste in clothing is simple and geared towards dark colors, making him look constantly put together.

“I don’t like the hassle,” Kyungsoo had said with regards to his personal style once. Chanyeol laughs loudly, taking Kyungsoo’s hand into his own as they walk to the station together.

“I bought fish the other day, do you want to grill it?” Kyungsoo asks as they wait for their train to arrive. Chanyeol stands up, pulling Kyungsoo in with him right as their trains pulls into the platform.

“I can do it, but you have to fix the side dishes.”

“Deal,” Kyungsoo’s smiles softly as the doors close and the train pulls out of the station.

Chanyeol is content, catching his reflection in Kyungsoo’s eyes, he smiles too.

Final author's noteI hope you enjoyed! My goal was to make it a story about growth, and to have it as lighthearted as possible.