Chanyeol

I sit outside Baekhyun's apartment in my car, as has become our Tuesday evening routine. I turn off the car and text him that I'm here. I'm a bit early tonight. But this, I have been doing on purpose. It's just an excuse to spend even more time with him.

So, although the voice teacher hadn't moved on from the basics in the five weeks of classes that we had attended so far, I refused to pass up the opportunity to be with Baekhyun.

I sat contemplating our ever-changing relationship dynamic. I had always been closest to Baekhyun and Sehun in the group. But now with this weight over my head about an actual "relationship" with Baekhyun, I crave his company, even if I'm too much of a coward to say anything real about it.

All of a sudden, my passenger door opens and I nearly jump out of my skin. My thought process was broken. I smiled slightly at Baekhyun, but he wasn't getting in the car.

I restart the engine and look back over to my passenger door, Baekhyun hesitates, but gets in anyways, concentrating on the phone in his hand.

"Are you ready to rock and roll?" I ask cheerfully.

"Actually…" he finally looks up from his phone and clicks off the display screen. "...our lesson this week has been cancelled, did you not get a message from Mr. Kim?"

"No," thanks Bae, as a matter-of-fact, no I didn't. Embarrassed, I turn my head toward the driver's side window to hide the red tinting my face, but then I hear a seat belt click close.

"Seems we've got some free time tonight!" Baekhyun says cheerfully. "Why don't we go do our own lessons at your place? You can't tell me that your home studio still isn't finished."

He was right. It was, in fact, finished. It had been for weeks. I had composed, recorded, and transferred the song I wrote for Baekhyun to a flash drive that I kept on me at all times, so it seemed like a reasonable idea.

Plus Baekhyun was looking at me like a little puppy, hope written all over his face. Damn it, there's no way in Heaven or on Earth that I can deny Baekhyun anything while he wears that expression.

It occurs to me that I have been still and quiet for a smidge too long.

"Well?" Baekhyun muses, his infamous smile lighting up his face.

"Yeah, yeah it's finished. I guess that might be a good idea." I looked down the empty side street I was parallel parked on and maneuvered my Mercedes out of the spot, down the alley and back onto the main road.

We sat in an awkward silence, at least, it felt awkward on my end, until Baekhyun perked up beside me with that ever-present side smirk.

"Maybe I should add you to the group text with Mr Kim, that way this doesn't happen again," he turned his concentration back to his phone screen, but then stopped short. "Not that I mind hanging out outside of lessons," he spurts out as if he knows how easily he can injure me with simple words.

"Actually," he continues, "I'm excited to see what you've been working on!" He says, probably to save face, and, I'd like to think, to make me feel better.

"Well, I hope I don't disappoint," I reply, forgetting to take the edge of insecurity out of my voice.

I turned down the final, busy street. My apartment is about 15 minutes from Baekhyun's place. I hav to dig in my wallet for my key card to let me into the subterranean parking garage.

"Man, this place is fancy! How do you afford something so nice?" He asks, looking over at me, his eyebrows drawn together. It's adorable, and I have to look away and take a slow deep breath in and out.

I decide on a half-truth, "My mom is good friends with the landlord," more like: my mom is married to the landlord and we are all stinking rich. Just another secret to hide from Baekhyun.

I immediately feel guilty. How long do I keep all these secrets? Indefinitely? I physically shake my head to clear all those thoughts away, a new one entering my mind like a wrecking ball… 'I'm going to be in my apartment alone with Baekhyun for the next few hours…' But I quickly wipe the expression off my face and replace it with a smile.

I turn off the engine and exit the car. Baekhyun is close behind me. I hit the lock button on my key fob.

"Come on," I nod my head to the right, "elevator is this way." I guide my guest up an incline in the lot and up a short flight of stairs. We land in front of the elevator, which, again, requires my key card when my apartment is locked.

Baekhyun's head is on a swivel the whole time, taking every little detail in, but he still follows, even though his eyes continue to dart back and forth during the entire journey up to the penthouse.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" I ask as we enter the front door. I secure the key card back into my wallet and tuck my wallet away. I feel the secret flash drive as well while my hand is in my pocket. I quickly shake it off, sliding out of my shoes in the front walkway, Baekhyun follows my lead.

"Um… I could use a drink." He replies.

" I have tea, juice, or I could make some coffee. I also have-" I begin.

"You got anything stronger?" He interrupts shyly. I look up at him, "Well I have beer, and we never did pop the top on your champagne…"

I look back up at him, conflicted. Do I want to be even the slightest bit intoxicated in front of this man? If there was ever a universal truth about me, it's that I'm a chatty drunk.

"Yeah! Let's pop that top! I knew you would save it for something special!" he exclaims, moving forward towards me with a little jump-skip in his step and wearing his gorgeous smile.

At that moment, inspiration strikes me, "Okay I'll pour us a round, but I'm only having one. I have to drive you home after all. Can't get too tipsy." Another nice save.

"Okay…" he moves further into my house until we're both in the kitchen. He's standing so near to me, I can smell his cologne.

I take two champagne flutes out of a high cupboard, "but as soon as you finish you have to pour me another and give me a peek at your studio, yes?"

"Sounds perfect," I smile back sincerely, pouring two servings of the bubbly, pink substance, I hand one to Baekhyun. I hold mine up towards him.

"To…" I begin but cannot think of an appropriate thing to toast to without spilling the beans on everything.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't decide which, Baekhyun beats me to the punch. "To us!" He finishes in a sing-song tone and he gently clinks his glass to mine and takes a long sip off of his glass.

Shocked, but afraid of showing it, I take a small sip out of my glass, allowing only a minute amount of liquid into my mouth. It's delicious but I can't take it too far.

"So! Show me this amazing studio! Have you written anything yet?"

"Just Beats," I reply, "no lyrics so far. I'm not sure I'm ready for that." I say with a chuckle.

"So what, just show me whatever you have! I can't wait to hear it," he chimes.

'Okay, here we go. All you have to do is stay sober and not reveal the completed song, (lyrics and all,) to Baekhyun.' I sit my champagne flute on the banister before heading down the hallway. "Follow me, it's just this way, just… be very careful with your drink, I've got a lot of expensive equipment in here." I say as I grip the doorknob.

"I pinky promise!" He smiles up at me, yet again, and this time, also gives me a wink.

I take a deep breath and take out a set of keys to unlock the now secured room and swing open the door to the studio. It's a far cry from where it had been during my housewarming party.

All the sheet music is either on the stand of my keyboard or in an alphabetized file cabinet underneath my desk. My guitar sits on its stand in the back corner between the wall and the keyboard. It's not a small room by any means, but it is dominated by a full drum kit in the opposite corner, and a large desk with a top-of-the-line computer running the most up-to-date software that money can buy to the left of the door.

"Wow…" is all Baekhyun can say, his mouth open in awe, and still standing in the doorway, the glass of champagne forgotten at his side.