Baekhyun was free from all the dangers of his disastrous mind when he's asleep. Some days, he wished he just could close his eyes and drift into a sleep forever. Only then will he never have to deal with his depression and reality.

Baekhyun rolls over. His eyes opens to see the ceiling. Awake now, his depression crawls back to him. Crawling under his very skin, poisoning his veins. He could feel it crawl from his hands and feet before making its way to his chest then his neck. It wasn't long before his mind became just as poisonous.

His body felt as if it was being weighted down by a boulder chained to his chest. Baekhyun sits up rubbing his temple. His daily headache had already begun early in the morning. Baekhyun sighs and heads to the bathroom to wash up.

-

He silently slips into his chair. He was early for class. It had recently became a habit because he didn't want to walk in with the other students.

He enjoyed the silence of the classroom. There was a few kids who mostly kept to themselves as well. Baekhyun would flip his book open pretending to read so that others wouldn't bother him.

Time slowly crawled to lunch.

Chen did his best to reach out to Baekhyun whenever he could.

Chen hooks his arm onto Baekhyun. "Did you eat yet? You're getting all pale and thin." Chen's lips curve into a pout with gleaming eyes.

"And that's very upsetting. I'm really worried about my baby Byun! Lets go get lunch okay?" He asks cheerfully with a grand smile.

And somedays he was successful like today. A small hint of Baekhyun's smile flashed across his face before disappearing. Baekhyun nods sightly in response.

"Yay." Chen leads Baekhyun to the cafeteria. He shielded Baekhyun from the others' gazes as best as he could.

They sat down in their usual spot. Baekhyun rests his temple onto his palm with his elbow on the table. He stares down at his food uninterested.

"Eat." Chen says softly. "Aren't you going to eat? At least eat your fruits."

He knows Chen is trying hard to reach out to him despite being constantly pushes away from. Chen was probably one of his only true friends.

Baekhyun picks up his fork listening to Chen. He pokes at his mixed fruits and eats them slowly. He turns to look at Chen questioning if he was satisfied.
Chen grins,"Thank you. Now finish your fruits and milk at least okay?"

Baekhyun finishes his fruits and his milk as asked. He patiently waits for Chen to finish his food.

From the corner of his eye, he could see a figure, unmistakingly Chanyeol.

Today was the day, Baekhyun thought. Today was the day that he confronts Chanyeol about them. He wanted answers. Today would most likely the last time they'll ever talk. He had a whole conversation going on in his mind. He rehearsed with himself nervously. He didn't know how it would go.

The bells rings and everyone rushes to class. Baekhyun tries to find a 1 on 1 time with Chanyeol. Unable to find him, Baekhyun heads to class.

Baekhyun sits down waiting for the bell to ring signaling the beginning of class. He finally spots Chanyeol entering the room with Kyungsoo.

"Oh, I forgot something in my locker. I'll be right back." Chanyeol leaves the classroom.

Baekhyun stands up on impulse and follows Chanyeol.

The halls were already empty just a few students left on their way to their class.

"Chanyeol." Baekhyun hears himself say. It's been so long that his own voice sounded foreign.

Chanyeol turns back to see Baekhyun. His expression was hard to read. Baekhyun looks at him afraid. His eyes were piercing through Baekhyun.

"Where- Whats going on-" Baekhyun croaks barely getting it out from his throat.

Chanyeol clears his throat. "I think it's best if we stop being friends. Oh and did you want your necklace back because I want it anymore. I don't know what to do with it." And by the look on his face, Baekhyun knew he meant it.

Baekhyun's heart fell to the floor. Realty smacks him in the face. He felt himself start to tear up. You have your answer now, he thought.

The rest became a blur with his heart swelling. Baekhyun swallows hard. "Keep it." He thought he heard himself say or maybe he just walked away and back to class.

All he could remember was heading back to class and sitting in his chair. He blinks quickly to hold back his tears. Baekhyun tilts his head up, staring up at the ceiling refusing to let his tears fall for an idiot in front of everyone.

Tao looks over and begins to ask,"Are you okay?"

Baekhyun nods to shut him up because if he continued Baekhyun would start crying uncontrollably.

"Are you sure?" Tao asks again concern.

Baekhyun nods aggressively.

"You don't look okay.." Tao mumbles.

He could feel the cry tightening in his throat. He refused to cry; battling with himself.

Chen place an arm around Baekhyun supportively.

"Lets go up to the computer lab." Their teacher announces thankfully. Everyone headed to the computer lab.

"You don't look okay." Tao tells him again with a frown and Baekhyun shatters like a glass cup.

Thick droplets of warm tears spills down Baekhyun's cheeks. He covers his face desperately. Chen immediately embraces Baekhyun.

The two headed toward the bathroom. A loud cry erupt from Baekhyun throat when they were finally alone. He grasps onto Chen dearly.

"It's okay Byun. It's okay." Chen rubs his back comfortingly.

His hand clutched onto Chen's shirt in handfuls. Baekhyun muffled his cries with Chen's chest.

He cried a heart-wrenching cry. His body shook violently as he pours his heart out. Like a raging storm; roaring cries of thunder with shower of tears.

Chen couldn't help but tear up. He didn't want to see his close friend like this.

"Shh. I'm going to kill that son of a bitch for doing this to you Baekhyun. I know you love him- I know but you deserve better love. I'm going to kill that bastard." Chen says to Baekhyun.

Like a fragile mirror, his soul shattered.

Baekhyun balled in Chen's embrace. He continued to the point where his eyes were bloodshot and he was hiccuping near puking.

"That's enough Byun. That jackass doesn't deserve you." Chen rubs his back and kisses his forehead. He gently rocks Baekhyun back and forth.

After some time, Baekhyun forces himself to stop crying. He hiccuped in Chen's arm for a while.

When the storm finally calmed, Chen lets go of Baekhyun. "I'll be right back." His shirt was soaked from Baekhyun's tears.

Chen returns with a wet paper towel and a water bottle. He cleans Baekhyun's face with the paper towel.

"We're going to face everyone fab as fuck." Chen tells him as he wipes Baekhyun's tear stains.

"Have some water." Chen open it for Baekhyun who glad-fully takes it.

Chen uses his hand to comb Baekhyun's hair. Baekhyun looks at him drained, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Chen sighs,"You're a beautiful mess now." Baekhyun stares at the ground sad and embarrassed.

Chen hugs him. "No, keep your head up. You don't need to invest any more of your time in some jerk like that."

Baekhyun hugs him back. "Thank you Dae."

They spent the rest of the time in the bathroom until the end of the day.

Chen looks at his watch. "Well would you look at the time. It's time to go home. C'mon." He leads Baekhyun to their lockers. Baekhyun avoided eye contact with everyone.

"I'll take you home." Chen tells him. "Thank you." Baekhyun mumbles before hiding behind him.

-
"Baekhyun." Jade gently says conscious of the odd aura. Only the two of them were home.

Baekhyun puts on a poker face and clears his throat. "What?" He quietly responds. He was pretty sure Jade wasn't aware of him crying earlier.

"Did-?" Jade pauses trying to form the right question. "Did you..and Chanyeol break up..?"

Baekhyun looks at her. "What?" She made it sound as if they were dating.

"Did you guys break up? Did he cheat on you?!" Jade asks slowly getting upset.

Baekhyun looks at her confused. "We never dated." He replies solemnly.

"Wait, what? No, Baek-" Jade pauses shocked. "No, no, no because I swear to god I saw him- you two were..."

Baekhyun continued to stare at her confused. "You saw what..?"

Jade's eyes were wide,"I saw you guys kissing-"

"What?" Baekhyun says in disbelief. "No way-"

"Remember when you were sick and he came over? I came down for a glass of water and I saw Chanyeol leaned into your face so I-"

"He what?" Baekhyun was now just as shocked.

"I saw him lean into your face not one but TWICE..He totally kissed you. Were you unaware-?"

Baekhyun's mouth fell open. He stares at Jade shock. "A-Are you sure?"

Jade nods,"I swear Baek. Why would I lie about this?"

Baekhyun closes his mouth trying to recover. "Okay." He replies barely a whisper before quickly returning to his room and locking it.

What just happened? He asked himself. Chanyeol kissed me? No way. Jade probably saw something else...but she's not one to lie..

And it was around that time that Chanyeol started to be more affectionate...

What is going on? Baekhyun force himself to not believe. This is a lie. He's never liked me more that a friend. He would never love me back.

Slowly, a memory popped into his mind. Odd enough, he remembers slightly moving his lips in his sleep because he felt slight pressure against it that same day when Chanyeol came over.

His heart was about to burst from his chest. Why would he do that? He can't possibly like me back- he never has..he never will..

Baekhyun slumps down onto the floor with his back against the door confused and frustrated.

His fingers danced along his cherry lips.

There was no way, he continued in denial. If he did like me even if it's the tiniest bit, he would've have cut me off like this.

That night Baekhyun cried to himself as he lie awake in his bed.

It's over, he told himself. The agony of hopelessly hoping that Chanyeol would return as his best friend is finally over.

He finally got an answer. It was hard to accept what Baekhyun feared most, to lose his best friend.

He laid silently crying in the darkest part of the night.

All sorts of thought ran through his mind.

He hated to admit it but all he ever wanted was to love Chanyeol. To cherish such precious soul because only Baekhyun understood his real worth. They couldn't possibly understand Chanyeol's worth because the way Baekhyun feels about him couldn't even be put into words.

He just wanted to love and be loved. Was it too much to ask for?

Chanyeol is stubborn, selfish, and mean but Baekhyun had grown to love that. All his flaws were already loved by Baekhyun.

It was okay to Baekhyun that Chanyeol could be stubborn and narrow-minded sometimes. It was okay that Chanyeol was selfish: aways putting himself first because maybe some self-love wouldn't hurt. It was okay that Chanyeol cause such damage to the boy because even now Baekhyun would take him back in the speed of light if Chanyeol wanted to.

But why couldn't Chanyeol just see that what he's been looking for is right in front of him. Baekhyun had already memorized Chanyeol from what he does on Saturday nights to his favorite brand of gum.

He just wanted to love Chanyeol. He just wanted the opportunity to show Chanyeol his worth. Maybe then Chanyeol would love him back and even if Chanyeol doesn't return the feelings back after that opportunity, Baekhyun wouldn't be hurt because he would've given it his all.

But what hurt the most was standing in front of Chanyeol just waiting for him to step forward and take Baekhyun's hand. Forget meeting Chanyeol half way- Baekhyun was in front of him; just waiting to be acknowledged and loved- just to have Chanyeol walk right past him as if he was invisible leaving him disappointed.

Hot tears spilled down his eyes. His silent cries were of devastated weeping of a lost one in the silence of the night.

***

Chen hums a few tunes out of boredom. Baekhyun rested his head on Chen's shoulder quietly. Chen shifts snuggly onto the couch.

Students bustled in and out of the library through the hour, checking out books and using computers.

"Aren't you boys heading to lunch yet?" Librarian asks the two politely.

"Soon but the bell haven't rung yet." Chen replies.

"Oh. You boys have fun then." The librarian give them a quickly motherly smile before disappearing behind a shelf.

"We have exciting news." Chen nudges Baekhyun.

"What is it?" Baekhyun looks up t him. He smiles,"C'mon. It'll be announced during lunch."

~

Tao stood in front of the cafeteria, facing the students. He signals Chen over.

"Oh. Right." Chen quickly joins him in front of the students.

Baekhyun smiles and sits up to listen.

"Everybody quiet down. We- your student council president and vice president have a very important announcement to make. LISTEN." Chen yells before ending with a smile.

Tao giggles before speaking. "As the school year nears it's end, It's that time of the year again! Camp!"

Chen looks at Baekhyun excitedly, wriggling his eyebrows. Baekhyun gives him an unsure smile.

The cafeteria roared in excited cheers.

"Shut up. shUT UP!" Chen tries to tame the ruckus.

"Our camping trip will be next week. It's will be 3 day and two nights trip in a very nice camping area 2 and 1/2 hours north from here." Tao tells the students. They all chattered excitedly again.

"When the time nears the camping trip, your teacher will remind you all of this but I'll announce now. There will be a huge cabin for all students to sleep in. Within the cabin will be bunk beds that we need to set up. There will be three beds in one bunk. Girls will be separated to one side and boys on the other. Teachers and staffs will be on night watch all night so don't even think about doing something stupid. You'll all me separated into groups during the day for activities. Each group will take turn cooking and cleaning every day."

Tao lets them let it sink in before continuing.

"Now, I'm sure we're all aware of this but I'll remind you all again. You have to have a good grade- a C+ or higher to attend camp. We've planned all sorts of activity and games. See you all there!"

The excited chatter loudly begins again. Students asking each other whose going and whose not.

Chen quickly runs over to Baekhyun. "So? What do you think? It'll be like vacation!"

Baekhyun stares at him before quietly saying,"I don't think spending three day in the hot an humid forest with bugs and mosquito is your ideal vacation."

"Byuuun~" Chen nudges his cutely. "It'll be fun- help get your mind off things."

Baekhyun pauses to think about it.
"See. It's not so bad." Chen smiles at him.

"N-"

"Before you reject it, I'll give to a couple days to think about it, Okay? Okay." Chen smiles at him.

Baekhyun laughs in absurdity. "Sure.."

~

"Yay!" Chanyeol cheers after his new group of friends had already agreed to attend camp.

"Sounds kinda fun." Kyungsoo mutters.

"It will be. I'm so pumped." Chanyeol excitedly says.

Kyungsoo turns his head over to Jongin. "I'll be back. Gotta ask Jongin if he's going."

Chanyeol encourages him,"Go ahead."

Kyungsoo snakes his way through the students before reaching Jongin.

"Hey." Kyungsoo's heart smile appears widely. Jongin chuckles,"Hi."

Chanyeol turns back looking around feeling an empty hole boring into him...

Gentle as a falling leave, his eyes lands on a petite figure. A familiar feeling bubbles in his stomach.
A silent sigh escapes his lips.

From afar, he could see the backs of Minho, Chen, and Baekhyun. Minho ruffles Baekhyun's hair as they walked up the stairs.