The flaws in Park Chanyeol

Five.

When Chanyeol wakes up the next morning, what he did truly does hit him ten times harder.

Immediately, he rushes over to Kyungsoo's room, knocking on the door. His roommate replies.

"What do you want?" The guy asks, bored.

"I ... I need to talk to Kyungsoo."

"Kyungsoo, eh?" The guy scowls at him. "Well, he doesn't wanna see you." He slams the door.

Chanyeol shoves his hands in his pockets. Guilt is clearing his mind and now he feels disgusted thinking about alcohol. He cannot believe he had done that to Kyungsoo only because he wanted to prove something.

Drinking ... truly does hurt the people he cares about.

This time, instead of spending his free time wasting away somewhere, Chanyeol searches for his friend that had looked after him unconditionally and without complaint. He asks around, wide eyes looking around places to find his friend. His heart feels heavy because Kyungsoo had given him everything, had been there for him during his hardest moment, had looked after him regardless of how long it took and how much effort it needed, and what had Chanyeol given him?

A kiss. A kiss, while thinking about someone else.

I'm such an asshole. Chanyeol thinks to himself. He can't find Kyungsoo anywhere. The only other place he might be at is ...

Their cafeteria table.

But going there means he has to face everyone else, the people he had been avoiding for weeks. Is it worth the risk?

Kyungsoo had risked so much for him. Kyungsoo had helped him so much. Of course it's worth the risk.

Besides, he misses everyone. He briefly wonders why no one had contacted him, but then he realises that Jongin must've told them not to. Otherwise, he's sure Kris would at least come banging on his door and try to cheer him up with his stupid jokes and shower him with coupons for everything.

As he walks to the table for dinner, he wonders whether they know what happened between him and Baekhyun. He wonders whether they would ask him about it. Frankly, he doesn't want to talk about it.

He arrives silently, watching as they mess around and talk and laugh. He misses that. He misses being part of that. He misses their talks, their laughs, and their silly and lame jokes. Just what the hell had he been missing out on?

Jongin is the first one to see him, turning his face from a grinning Joonmyun. His eyes widen and his mouth falls open.

"Hey, Chanyeol." He says softly. At that, everyone stops talking, turning around to stare at Chanyeol. Chanyeol feels so embarrassed that he doesn't realise until later that Kyungsoo's not there.

"Where've you been, you idiot?!" Kris stands, grabs Chanyeol, and sits him down, winding his arm around the younger's neck and ruffling his hair. "We all missed you, you little rascal!"

"Yeah!" Sounds of agreement echo throughout the table.

"You idiot, do you think we wouldn't notice?" Lu Han shouts, grinning.

"Is this your way of trying to avoid us, huh? Are we not good enough for you?" Kris continues.

"Glad to have you back, kid." Minseok says. Eventually, the topic Chanyeol dies down and everyone immerses in their own personal conversations again.

"Where's Kyungsoo?" Chanyeol mutters, trying to sound casual. Jongin shrugs.

"He's been catching up on his homework lately, so he hasn't come down." Jongin whispers. Immediately Chanyeol feels even guiltier. Kyungsoo had to spend so much of his time looking after him that he hardly had time to eat. Instead, he tries to divert the topic.