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— fall of 2022 —
It was the start of a new semester and a start of a new stressful year. Although the new semester has just begun, you can already see a lot of caffeine-filled and sleep-deprived students roaming around the campus.
Byun Baekhyun was one of those students. Being in his last year of college, he was more stressed than ever. Even though it was just a week since school started, Baekhyun’s schedule was already full.
But he had no one else to blame but himself, after all, he was an overachiever student who loved being on top of everything. He’s an introvert with no social life outside of his friend group which just consists of Jongdae.
And now, Baekhyun’s about to lose the only friend he has.
“Stop whining. No matter how much you pout and throw a tantrum, I am not going with you to the festival.”
“But Baek! It’s our last year! You ditched me for the last three years, don’t tell me you’ll sit out on this one too?!” Jongdae whined and Baekhyun rolled his eyes at him before pushing his glasses up his nose.
Baekhyun and Jongdae study in one of the top universities in South Korea, Yonsei. It was hard to get in and it was even harder to get out if you did not take your studies seriously. Every year, before the new school year starts, Yonsei throws a big party in the school. It happens every fall and although it is Baekhyun’s favorite season, he really just doesn’t like going out. He is a homebody and he prefers to stay at home most of the time.
For the past years, he had never attended any of the parties that Yonsei held.
One, he was too busy studying.
Two, he doesn't like socializing and a gathering with more than three people is already a party for him.
Three, he absolutely hates fireworks.
While Baekhyun had been curious more than once as to what really happens at the parties because Jongdae always comes back home looking so happy, he just couldn’t make himself go. After the event, they would always blow off these really loud fireworks that even Baekhyun could hear in his dorm room.
He would spend the night blasting music and being wrapped in his blanket like a burrito because fireworks really scare him, so what would happen if he were to attend the party and see it go off personally? He couldn’t imagine.
The thing is, he couldn’t tell this to Jongdae. Although they are the best of friends, Jongdae still doesn’t know that he has this kind of fear. It’s not like he’s scared that Jongdae would judge him, it’s just that it was hard to explain.
Aside from feeling scared, Baekhyun gets this overwhelming feeling of sadness too whenever he sees fireworks going off in the sky and just the sound of them could trigger a breakdown.
He would always feel this immense sadness like he lost someone long ago but he couldn’t remember who, but he knows that the sound of fireworks had something to do with that. He would always cower in a corner, always feeling empty. And he spends his time wallowing in despair, crying over someone he hasn’t even met yet but felt as though he knew them all his life.
“I will. I told you, I have lots to do,” Baekhyun looked over his shoulder to see Jongdae lying on his bed like a starfish. Baekhyun shook his head before fixing his glasses and turning his attention back on his laptop.
“Lots?! We’re attending the same classes and we’re on the same block! You don’t have to pass any assignments or projects until the end of the semester! Come on, Baekhyun. It’s our last year. It’s your last year. One night of fun won’t ruin your future. We should have fun while we are young.”
Jongdae stood up and walked closer to where Baekhyun was sitting on his swivel chair. When he reached him, Jongdae held the back of the gaming chair Baekhyun was sitting on and forcefully turned his best friend around.
“What the fuck! What if I fell?!”
“Oh, please, as if I would hurt my baby Baekkie!” Jongdae teased before leaning down and cupping Baekhyun’s chubby cheeks, squishing them until Baekhyun looks like a pufferfish. “Please? Pretty please? I just want to attend my last fall fair with my best friend.”
This time, Jongdae turned serious and Baekhyun sighed. He can never say no to Jongdae when he looks so heartbroken.
“Dae….”
“I know you get overwhelmed when you’re around a lot of people but you don’t have to think about them when we’re there. Just think that we’re spending time together and having fun. I won’t force you to do something that you’re uncomfortable with. That being said, I will take whatever your answer is. It’s okay if you say no. I understand. You know that your comfort is my priority, right? It’s just that, I just don’t want you to miss out on anything. I don’t want you to miss out on the present because you’re too focused on your future. Live while you are young, alright?” Jongdae smiled before straightening up his posture and ruffling Baekhyun’s hair. “Think about it. There’s still a week left before the fair. I’ll wait for your answer.”
Baekhyun slumped against his chair after Jongdae left and closed the door of his room.
Baekhyun sighed.
What should he do?
— 66 million years ago —
It was 66 million years ago when the earth was still filled with dinosaurs — land, air, and water. Everywhere you look, there are dinosaurs.
But it wasn’t until 66 million years after that they were named accordingly.
The land was full of trees and bustling with greens. On one side, there was a river with crystal clear water — completely away and free of pollutants. Trees bearing different types of fruits were lined up on the side of the river, giving food for the animals that live nearby and a shade for the flowers that grew in the riverbank.
Brontosaurus Chanyeol walked slowly alongside the riverbank, checking the trees of berries and smelling them to know how fresh they were. He has been doing that every morning for the past three months and he will continue to do so until Brontosaurus Baekhyun accepts him as his mate.
The first time the two dinosaurs met was when they were barely a year old. Chanyeol was an adventurous dinosaur and he often strayed away from his mother’s side. One time, they were looking for fresh grass to feast on since the side where they used to stay suddenly dried out, and he saw a river not far from where they were walking.
Curious, Chanyeol began to walk closer to the river and away from his family. It’s okay, though. He can catch up later. He’s proud of how fast he can run. One time, he even outran a T-rex!
When he got there though, he found out that he wasn’t alone. Because not far from where he he had been standing was a family of Brontosaurus with a kid that couldn’t be much older than him. Chanyeol stiffened when the other young Brontosaurus turned his gaze to look at him directly.
Oh wow. The Brontosaurus kid was beautiful.
More beautiful than Chanyeol’s favorite flowers back home.
And that was the start of Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s friendship. It turned out that Baekhyun’s family was living near the river and Chanyeol’s family decided that it was best if they did not go back home anymore and just settle in this new place since it was abundant with resources.
Being the only kids in a hectare of land, it was almost impossible for the two to not play around. They became closer and when they reached maturity, Chanyeol began courting Baekhyun. It wasn’t a secret that the younger Brontosaurus was attracted to the older. For their parents, Chanyeol began courting Baekhyun ever since they met. The simple deliveries of pretty flowers and berries to Baekhyun’s house was sign enough that Chanyeol wanted Baekhyun as his mate.
Suddenly, Chanyeol heard a roar far away from him and he began to pick berries in a faster way. That sounded like a T-rex and although it sounded far away, he does not want to risk Baekhyun’s safety. The older Brontosaurus was waiting for him in their favorite place, at the entrance of the forest where they used to play hide and seek as kids. They love it there since the grass wasn’t too tall and they could run around freely and when it turns dark, millions of fireflies would fill the darkness with their beautiful glow — allowing the two budding lovers to enjoy the quiet and peace of the night with a romantic vibe.
The Brontosaurus snapped the twig with his teeth before laying them carefully on the ground, gently so as to not squish them. After he picked a lot of berries, he placed it all on his back and began his trek to where Baekhyun is.
When he got there, Baekhyun was already laying down on the grass and waiting for him. So, Chanyeol began to walk faster and when Baekhyun noticed him, the older Brontosaurus stood up and met Chanyeol halfway to help him with the berries.
“Did you wait long?” Chanyeol asked and Baekhyun shook his head, mouth full of berries.
Chanyeol cooed internally at how cute his future mate is. Yes, he’s claiming it.
Baekhyun gulped and finished his berries before moving closer to where Chanyeol was sitting and laying his head down on Chanyeol’s stomach.
“Chanyeol.”
“Hmm?” Baekhyun giggled when Chanyeol hummed since it sent vibrations down his stomach, tickling Baekhyun’s ear.
“We can be mates now…….” Baekhyun whispered shyly and he hissed when his head suddenly hit the ground. Chanyeol stood up abruptly and walked in circles. Baekhyun stood up too and just watched Chanyeol with amusement in his eyes as the younger Brontosaurus paced around.
“Did I hear that right? Is this real?”
Baekhyun sighed before walking closer to Chanyeol. “Why won’t it be real? I love you and I really do want to be your mate.”
Chanyeol ran around before hugging Baekhyun with his neck and then he looked up at the sky to roar his happiness away.
But as he was about to open his mouth, he saw a ball of fire coming their way — far from the clear blue sky that he was expecting to see.
Chanyeol gasped as it kept coming closer and faster. He stumbled backwards and looked at Baekhyun with wide eyes.
“Run…..Baekhyun run!” And Chanyeol pushed Baekhyun forward to urge him to run towards the forest, hoping that the trees would bring enough protection.
“W-What’s happening?!” Baekhyun asked as they bolted towards the forest, praying that everything would be alright and that it would be like those scary thunderstorms that would always pass after a while. But as Baekhyun looked up, he saw that the giant ball of fire was coming even closer to the surface and it was getting bigger and closer, meaning, it was just minutes before it landed.
They stopped in front of a gigantic tree and Chanyeol urged Baekhyun to take shelter in the roots. “Do you trust me?” Chanyeol asked Baekhyun and the latter nodded, eyes welling with unshed tears.
“With all my life, Chanyeol.”
With that, Chanyeol smiled before kissing Baekhyun on the lips before they heard a booming sound near them and everything was suddenly set on fire.
“I love you, Baekhyun. Let’s meet again when the sky shines, my love. I will find you.”
And with that, Chanyeol enveloped Baekhyun with his body as the forest started to burn around them, reducing everything into ashes.
— the day of the fair —
“Okay, okay! I’m coming! Don’t pull my arm or else I’ll change my mind!”
Jongdae just giggled and continued to pull Baekhyun along with him. There was an obvious skip to his steps and Baekhyun rolled his eyes — but with a huge grin on his face — at how obvious his friend was that he was happy that Baekhyun came along with him even if he kept on denying it.
“Faster! Let’s eat first before going to the concert!”
“Why are we so early?” Baekhyun groaned as he pushed his glasses up his nose because it kept on sliding down.
“Because it fills up so fast and we might not get the best view.”
“Best view for what?”
Jongdae stopped walking and turned around to face Baekhyun. “You’re so clueless, my dear! The school’s band is playing after the end of the fair and they are the main event of the concert. They are all so handsome!”
Baekhyun looked at Jongdae with a bored expression and the latter tapped the former’s arm three times as if parenting a child. “Oh, you’ll know when we get there. For now, let’s find a nice stall with good food to eat!”
And with that, Jongdae pulled Baekhyun once again.
They settled in one of the stalls in the campus since most organizations sell foods to boost their budget for the whole year.
Baekhyun looked around and nodded appreciatively at the decor. It was simple and quite tacky, to be honest. But it fits the whole vibe of the fair.
Jongdae ordered for both of them because he claimed that he was the expert and that this stall was where he ate for the past years during the fair and the food they served was out of this world.
Baekhyun rolled his eyes at that, but when he tried the food that Jongdae ordered, he closed his eyes in delight. It was really out of this world. For a small amount of payment, the food sure tastes great and flavourful. Baekhyun’s glad that he trusted Jongdae.
When they finished eating, they went to the open field where the concert would be held. There’s still an hour left until the concert starts but it was already bustling with people.
Jongdae said that it was a benefit concert that’s why there was an entrance fee. The proceeds will be donated to the cancer warriors that the university has been supporting for the past years. Baekhyun’s heart warmed with that.
They found a nice spot where they can see the stage clearly without having to tiptoe and Baekhyun thought that it wasn’t so bad. Sure, he’ll have aching feet tomorrow for standing too long but the energy of the people around him was affecting him. He was also buzzing with excitement now.
On Baekhyun’s right was Jongdae and on his left was a tall man. Baekhyun couldn’t see his face clearly because the organizers already turned off the lights to welcome the first performer for the concert. But Baekhyun was sure that the man was attractive — just by looking at the silhouette of his proud nose got Baekhyun’s heart skipping a beat. What? Why was his heart skipping?!
When the first performer finally stepped foot on the makeshift stage, everyone jumped around because of excitement.
There were only two performers — the guest performer and the school’s band, which everyone was so excited about.
Baekhyun was having fun and time passed by fast because, before he knew it, the last performer and the school’s band was already on the stage.
The screams got louder and louder when the members of the band revealed themselves one by one and Jongdae really did not lie. They are all attractive, no wonder everyone there was screaming their lungs out.
When the band announced that it would be their last song, everyone pushed forward in hopes of getting closer to the stage and during that commotion, Baekhyun lost Jongdae.
Baekhyun looked around but he couldn’t find Jongdae anywhere and he could feel that he was starting to have a panic attack when suddenly, he felt someone hold onto his hand.
“It’s okay. I’ll help you find your friend later, just….just hold onto my hand. I promise, I’m not a creep. You just look like you need someone to calm you down right now.”
It was the tall man that was beside Baekhyun earlier, and now that he was looking directly at him, Baekhyun could see his whole face and he’s right. The man was really handsome. More handsome than Baekhyun’s favorite idols.
How Baekhyun heard his voice despite the booming sound of the speakers? He didn’t know. What mattered to him at that moment was that this stranger was holding his hand and it felt so right. Like his hand belonged there, enclosed in the taller man’s larger palm.
Like he was finally home after being lost for so long.
Baekhyun just nodded at what the tall stranger said and he moved closer to him. Normally, Baekhyun would feel awkward and jumpy towards strangers but right now, he wasn’t feeling any of that. He was comfortable.
When the lead singer of the band hit the last high note, fireworks suddenly started going off in the sky. Instantly, Baekhyun and the tall stranger crouched down on the ground and covered their ears at exactly the same time.
They looked at each other when they realized that they did the same thing and when their eyes finally met, Baekhyun’s past flashed in his mind.
The berries, the land, the river…the asteroid.
And it seemed like the same thing had happened to the tall stranger because his eyes widened as he stared at Baekhyun’s orbs, mouth agape from shock of finally meeting the one he’s been looking for.
“Baekhyun…” The tall stranger whispered.
“Chanyeol….” And the tall stranger, Chanyeol , suddenly smiled as he enveloped Baekhyun in a bone-crushing hug.
“It’s you,” The taller whispered as he hugged Baekhyun close, “I finally found you.”
Both of them smiled as they looked up at the sky. The fireworks are still going off but it does not scare them that much now. It was as if they were taken back in time where even in chaos, they still found comfort in each other’s arms.
Brontosaurus Chanyeol really kept his promise.
They will meet when the sky shines.
He found Baekhyun.
And this time, they will live happily ever after.
— END —