Free of Charge // Baekchen

Indiscreet

Chapter Twenty-Three: Indiscreet

indiscreet: not careful; lacking good judgement

~*~

Baekhyun had wanted to celebrate Baekbeom's birthday somehow so he dragged Jongdae along with him to Baekbeom's favorite cafe, which also happened to be Chanyeol's father's place. Baekhyun took a corner table, finding a photo of Baekbeom on his phone and setting it against the wall. Jongdae said it felt like Baekbeom was dead, but Baekhyun shrugged him off.

"This might be the strangest thing I've ever witnessed you doing," Jongdae said after their order arrived -- two smoothies, a glass of water, and a plate of three sliced cakes. "Seriously it feels like he's dead and it's just creepy."

"Well Jongdae, we're here for Baekbeom's birthday. If Baekbeom weren't here it'd be even stranger." Baekhyun pushed the cake slices closer to his phone. He faced Jongdae and smiled, "It's April Fool's so people wouldn't care anyway." Baekhyun's chest swelled in joy at the flustered look on his boyfriend's face. It would be something Baekhyun never got tired of -- embarrassing Kim Jongdae.

"Are we going to sing?" Jongdae asked quietly.

Baekhyun's smile grew bigger. Jongdae was always supporting him; Baekhyun knew he could count on Jongdae. "No," Baekhyun said. He tapped his phone's screen after it momentarily dimmed. "We'll just sit and wait until the phone goes on standby and then we can eat. That should be about a minute."

During the minute wait, the two stared across the table at each other. It became unclear as to who began the staring contest, but like usual, Jongdae blinked first. Jongdae lightly kicked Baekhyun's foot, "Do I have something on my face?"

"Yeah," Baekhyun tapped his left cheek to show Jongdae where. Brows knitted in confusion, Jongdae wiped at his cheek but Baekhyun shook his head. "No, other side." Jongdae rolled his eyes before wiping his right cheek. Baekhyun shook his head again. Taking a napkin, Baekhyun beckoned Jongdae closer. Jongdae leaned forward, just what Baekhyun wanted. Using the napkin to hide the lower portion of their faces -- Baekhyun's right, Jongdae's left -- Baekhyun pecked Jongdae's cheek. It wasn't subtle, anyone looking in their direction would have known what happened, but the others were in their own world. No one paid attention to the two young men sitting alone in the corner of the cafe.

"April Fool's," Baekhyun smiled before sitting back in his seat. He pulled the plate back to the center of the table and placed a fork on Jongdae's side before stabbing into the nearest cake slice with his own fork. "Enjoy."

Still shocked from the public kiss, Jongdae reached for his fork. "Yeah, enjoy. Happy Birthday Baekbeom."

"I wrote him about this, by the way," Baekhyun said. "I can't wait until he's out so we can eat together. I can officially introduce you to him and he can officially introduce me to Bohye. You should introduce me to Jongdeok when, you know. How do you think he'll react to the whole 'I'm gay' thing?"

Jongdae shrugged because he really didn't know, but he knew his family would find out sooner or later. Whether it be by accident or intentions or if it were with Baekhyun or not, they'd have to know. Jongdae couldn't keep it a secret for that long... or perhaps he could try. "What about Baekbeom? Is he going to be cool with us?"

"Without a shred of doubt."

Take care of Baekhyun for me.

Baekbeom's words echoed in Jongdae's mind suddenly. How strange Jongdae thought it was for Baekbeom to ask him, a complete stranger, to take care of Baekhyun. It was as if Baekbeom had planned to throw himself in prison. Jongdae doubted it; most likely Baekbeom was referring to the marriage. Jongdae sighed and watched as Baekhyun devoured his cake slice. It would have been difficult had things not turned out the way they did. If Baekhyun had let their friendship rot, Jongdae never would have came crawling back. A smile crept onto Jongdae's face. In a way, Baekbeom was their matchmaker, no?