Chapter Text
Baekhyun disliked a lot of things: Waking up before his alarm, his socks getting wet from a puddle, heating up food in a microwave only for the center to still be cold, etc.
However, there was one thing Baekhyun hated, no, loathed.
That thing was a person. Captain of the varsity basketball team, Park Chanyeol .
Even the name made him feel sick to his stomach.
He didn’t always hate him though. In fact in freshman year when Baekhyun moved from Busan to Seoul because of his father’s job he actually had a small, well more like a massive, crush on him. They were in the same grade and had the same class, and although they never really spoke aside from a minor ‘Hi’ here or there. It all changed about a week into the school year. Baekhyun, engrossed in a mobile game on his phone, accidentally bumped into a sturdy figure. Focusing on what just happened, he then felt his stomach drop when he saw it was his much taller classmate he bumped into. Not only that but said classmate was now drenched. An open, half-full, water bottle in his hand. Baekhyun started to panic, apologizing profusely, and offering his own shirt in exchange (But it honestly wouldn’t fit the taller boy even if he tried).
But Chanyeol didn't yell, didn't even seem mad, he just kept telling a flustered Baekhyun it was no big deal really and it was just a little water that would dry in no time. Baekhyun felt his heart clench and twist seeing his sparkling smile, and his laugh sounded like a symphony to Baekhyun’s ears. That was it for Byun Baekhyun.
From that point on he was enamored by the boy. From his somewhat lanky, yet toned body to his midnight black hair that swept like a wave over his chocolate brown, almond-shaped eyes. To the dimple that would appear when he beamed. And don't even get him started on the way Chanyeol ensnared his attention when Baekhyun would watch him play basketball. While awkward and tripping over his feet during classes, his body moved with such fluidity and fire all at once during his games. Baekhyun made sure to never miss a single one of the home matches.
So, why does he despise him so much now?
It happened on the final three days of freshman year.
Baekhyun was sitting at his desk, pretending to read but was really staring at Chanyeol who sat four chairs in front of him. It was a free period, so several of Baekhyun’s classmates loitered around the room talking to each other, reading, writing, or doing mindless activities. There was no need to study since finals were the week prior, and there was no homework to be done. So there was Baekhyun, using his free time to silently gawk at his crush as he talked about the newest episode of some anime with his two friends/teammates. Baekhyun noted how excited he always seemed when he was talking about his passions. The way he would speak at a rapid pace like he couldn't stop the flow of his words, or how his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he talked. It made Baekhyun’s heart twist and he couldn’t help but smile and listen to him. Even if he wasn’t necessarily part of the conversation, hearing Chanyeol’s eager tone made him hang on to every word.
“Hellooo? Earth to Baekhyun?”
Baekhyun whips his head to the voice that spoke next to him. Looking up he registers the familiar faces of his two best friends he made over the year, Kim Minseok and Kim Jongdae.
Baekhyun smiled while resting the book he was “reading” down, “H-hey guys! What’s up?”
“Didn’t you get my text?” Jongdae asked as he waved his phone in the seated boy's face, “Are you still on for games tonight?”
“Oh! No, sorry I didn’t. I was, um, busy,” Baekhyun chuckled nervously.
The duo looked at each other, looked at Chanyeol, and Baekhyun felt his cheeks heat up as they gave each other knowing Cheshire-like smiles.
“Uh-huh superrrrr busy as always, Baekhyun-ah,” Minseok giggled. Baekhyun punched his friend’s arm, but the elder kept laughing to himself. Jongdae plops in the chair in front of him and Minseok sank down in the one behind.
Jongdae leaned close, “Dude, when are you gonna ask him out?”
Baekhyun hushed him and gave a tentative look past his friend toward his crush who was still engrossed in his own conversation. Minseok leaned in too, “If you don’t tell him, we will,” he teased. Baekhyun turned and scowled at his other friend. “I’m joking! You know we would never do that. But I’m with Jongdae. You’ve had a crush on him all year, and it’s gonna be summer break in two days. At least get his number?”
Baekhyun slumped in his chair. He’s never had a crush this major before, and just the mere thought of approaching and talking to Chanyeol,
looking into his eyes…
him looking back…
As Baekhyun lays his heart on the table-GOD HE CAN'T DO THAT! He’d probably die on the spot.
“I can’t! I get too nervous around him. I’d stutter or run away or both,” Baekhyun half whispers, loud enough for the duo to hear but still at a low enough level, so Chanyeol couldn’t. Even right now, talking about his crush while he was only a few feet away, Baekhyun felt like he was trying to defuse a live bomb. He was starting to feel sick.
“Woah dude, chill. You’re getting hella pale,” Jongdae placed a firm hand on his shoulder, “No one says you have to tell him face to face.”
Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow.
“Write him a note asking him out, and put it in his desk after school. He’ll see it come tomorrow. If he agrees, sick! If not-”
“-Which he won’t,” Minseok pipes in, resting his hand on Baekhyun’s other shoulder.
Jongdae smiles, “Then you’ll have all summer to get over your heartache. Plus your two awesome pals will be there to cheer you up too!”
Baekhyun smiles at both of them, feeling a little better. "Thanks guys. I'm really glad I have friends like yo-"
" YEOLIEEEEE! "
Baekhyun’s sentiment is muffled by the high-pitched shrill of a familiar voice that makes Baekhyun’s stomach drop. Jongdae and Minseok let out a groan in unison.
"Oh, hey Jihye," Chanyeol greets the girl as she skips over to him.
She stops at the edge of his desk, "Hmph! Yeolie Oppa! Why are you always so cold to me?" Jihye gives an exaggerated pout and puppy dog eyes as she looks down at the basketball player.
‘God.’ It makes Baekhyun want to hurl. Lee Jihye was the fakest of the fake. A barbie doll was more genuine and real compared to this snob. She would do anything and has done anything, to get what she wants. And she was a major bitch to anyone she didn't like, which included Baekhyun.
For what reason? He still didn’t know. He never did anything to cross her, that he knows of at least. About a month at the new school she was doing everything from calling him rude names, spilling her lunch “accidentally” on him, and even outing him to the entire school by creating a social media page with recordings of Baekhyun confiding in his new friends about his sexuality in the library when they thought they were alone. Yeah, he should have known better than to tell something so private in a public space, but honestly, it wasn't as bad as he was expecting.
His parents already knew and supported him, saying that they just wanted him to be happy and safe, and most kids in the school didn't tease him and were actually just curious or supportive. Emphasis on most. Some students, mostly Jihye’s clique, bombarded him with snide comments and jabs about being gay. Of course “Sweet, innocent” Jihye never got in trouble for her actions. She always found a way to lie and worm her way out of the situations she found herself in.
"I don't know what you mean by cold Jihye?" Chanyeol's voice grounded Baekhyun’s wandering thoughts, "I treat you like I treat anyone else."
"That's the problem Yeolie Oppa! I'm not like everyone else!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "And I'm especially not like your sweaty, gross teammates."
One of the boys sitting with Chanyeol, Oh Sehun, who was also in Baekhyun’s and Chanyeol’s class, narrowed his eyes at the comment, "We're right here ." His voice was laced with annoyance and he wore a look of disgust like someone just spat in his food in front of him. The other boy, Kim Jong-something? Baekhyun wasn’t super familiar with him, tried to calm his fellow teammate.
Jihye glances over at the pair for half a second, venom in her eyes, before turning back to Chanyeol with her overly-sweet face. Baekhyun could feel the bile rise in his throat.
“Don't you think I'm cute, Channie?” She leaned in close to the tall basketball player abruptly causing the said boy to lean back in shock. Baekhyun swears he sees his ears and cheeks turn slightly pink. And now said bile was threatening to spill from Baekhyun’s mouth. If Chanyeol wasn’t gay, that’s fine. Baekhyun could mend his hurt heart and move on from his sweet, handsome classmate. But if he was actually attracted to Jihye, now that would hurt more than anything.
There is no way someone as compassionate and kind as Park Chanyeol would be attracted to that snake with legs. Could he? Jihye was honestly pretty, probably the prettiest girl in the school, on the outside at least. With her smooth flawless skin, fit body, and long silky hair; she looked like an idol or a drama celebrity. ‘Hell, maybe she should be an actress. She does a great job at it already.’ Baekhyun slumped back in his seat. Eyes not leaving the pair in front of him, ‘They would make a pretty couple…’
Chanyeol cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head, “I, uh, well…I gue-”
Suddenly the school’s bell rang in the room signaling free period was over and all students were to return to their assigned classrooms to finish their last classes for the day, even though there would be much going on in said classes anyway.
Jongdae, quick as lighting, gets up and leans on Jihye, “Would you look at that? Looks like we should be heading back to our own class. Right, Minseok hyung?”
Minseok quickly followed suit and slinked over to Jihye’s other side, “Why, yes of course! Come along Jihye. Don’t want to dawdle.”
The petite girl scrunched her nose and rolled her eyes before ducking out from Jongdae’s arm and hastily turning and walking out of the room.
The two shot each other smug looks and then turned to give a quick wink to Baekhyun. At first, he smiled at his friends teasing his tormentor in such a way, but then suddenly his face grew warm when he noticed Chanyeol had turned his head slightly and was glancing over at him. He didn’t dare to turn to meet his gaze and just tried to pretend he didn’t notice those warm almond eyes staring at him. Much easier said than done.
Sehun and Chanyeol’s friend rose from where he was seated and slung his bag over his back, “Yeah I got to head back too. See you guys later,” The tanned male strode out of the room, shooting a peace sign to the duo as he did.
“Later Jongin,” Sehun said as he moved back to his own seat.
‘Jongin! That’s what his name was!’
Minseok linked arms with Jongdae and the pair made their way out. “See you after class Baekhyun-ah!” They hollered at their friend in unison as they waved bye.
Not even a second out of sight, Jongdae leaned back in through the doorway, “Oh, and Baekhyun,” He then pretended to write a note on his hand, “Don’t forget!” With that, he ducked back out, and god, if Chanyeol wasn’t there Baekhyun swears he would have chucked his shoe at his friend.
“You owe your friend an autograph, Baekhyun?”
‘Oh god.’ Baekhyun turned his attention away from where his friend just was, and locked eyes with-holy shit. Chanyeol’s eyes shined and he had one arm slinked over the back of his chair. He looked like a model on the cover of some teen magazine. Baekhyun was squealing on the inside like a little fanboy and had to bite his tongue to not scream out loud.
Baekhyun, now aware of his hunched position, quickly sat straight, “Huh? Oh! Uh, no no! I just… promised I’d write something for him.”
Chanyeol just chuckled softly, and Baekhyun felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest. “I hope he’s not using you to help him with some last-minute essay or something,” a smile plastered his face but his eyes showed a soft form of what looked like concern. Maybe it was just Baekhyun’s brain grasping at straws.
“No no no! He’s more so encouraging me to write something rather…personal.” Baekhyun felt like he was going to melt in his chair. Was he really talking about his future confession note to his crush?
“Oh? Like a story or something?”
“Not really but it is like a…passion project of sorts.”
“Cool, I’d love to read it someday if you'd let me,” He flashed him a wide, toothy smile. His precious dimple, which Baekhyun absolutely loved, peaking out.
“Y-yeah! Totally!” With that Chanyeol turned back to face the front just as their fellow classmates took their seats in between the two young men.
That quick little exchange right there felt like the universe telling Baekhyun to go for it, so throughout the last two classes of the day he wrote and rewrote different versions of his confession. Too sappy. Too neutral. Too obsessed. He must have written 27 different notes before finally settling on his final draft:
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Chanyeol,
I really don’t know what to say or where to start so I’ll just say this: I like you. Like, like you like you. I have for some time now, and I really want to get to know you more. I understand if you don’t feel the same, but I still hope we could still be friends.
From, Baekhyun ( ´ㅅ` )
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Short, sweet, and to the point. Baekhyun added a P.S. along with his phone number at the bottom too. A little bold, but fuck it at this point. He then neatly folded up the piece of paper and tucked it into his pocket for after school. When the bell rang again to let everyone know that the school day was over, Baekhyun quickly sent a text to his friends that he’d meet them at the school’s entrance.
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Minnie: You write the note?
Yes( ╥ω╥ ) :Me
Dae: LETS GOOOOOOOOO (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
Dae: you do have balls byun
Minnie: I knew you could do it Baekhyunnie! ♡＼(￣▽￣)／♡
Dae: YEAH now don’t chicken out now ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)σ"
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Tucking his phone back into his bag. He pulled out a notebook and pretended to jot down random notes and to-dos. Slowly his classmates trickled out of the room, Sehun and Chanyeol being some of the first to go. After what felt like hours, it was really just a few minutes, the room was empty except for just Baekhyun. ‘You got this, Byun.’ Taking a deep breath he rose from his seat, grabbed his bag, and walked the short distance down the aisle. He stared at the desk before him, taking his bottom lip between his teeth, and chewing on it worriedly. He looked around one last time before quickly reaching into his pocket to fish out his note. He held it up, and the small piece of paper felt like it weighed a ton.
With one more deep breath, Baekhyun placed the note in the desk. With that, he practically ran out of the room with his heart in his throat. His whole body felt like it was surging with electricity, yet his stomach wouldn’t stop doing flips. He felt like he was going to throw up but in a good way?
Finally meeting up with Jongdae and Minseok, he told them how the deed was done and the two hollered while shaking their friend all around as if he told them he just won the lottery. He quickly reminded them that he doesn’t have an answer yet, to which they both assured him it would be a definite yes. Baekhyun just smiled and rolled his eyes. Even if he doesn’t get the guy he does have two bestest friends he could ask for.