CHAOS | Chanbaek +18

XVI

Baekhyun's question blocked Luhan for a moment, consisting in a few seconds only as he was still fast to respond but not fast enough for Baekhyun not to observe his classic actions before he prepares for telling a lie.

"Ah, we actually work in the same place, yeah." He smiles, nodding his head as he takes another sip of his coke so he'd finally clear his throat. "We...it's management, really boring so I won't talk about it. Sehun is a little higher so that's why he travels all the times, to meet with new partners." He tries to explain, not even looking at the younger who was raising his eyebrows a little. "Oh, really? And what about you? What are you doing on your laptop?" he asks, not asking about the late-night calls too.

"Ah, really. I work as a graphic designer. You know, it's a small job but the company is really important so the payment it's good. I think I just work better at night?" He explains until he realizes something that made him frown. "Wait, how do you know I work until late? You are supposed to sleep."

"I just...woke up a few times?" He shrugs. He actually had the same habits when he lies as his brother so it was clear for the other one but decided not to ask more and let the subject die. 

And so it happened.

Hours later they were cleaning around the house, as Luhan always wanted but never found the time to do it. They moved to this new apartment while Baekhyun was still in hospital and since then, many things remained unpacked or thrown away in different drawers and rooms, long forgotten. 

They just finished organising the living room and now they are in one of the spare ones, where Luhan and he kept most of the box they didn't have the chance to unpack. It was a small one, that couldn't be used as a guest room as Baekhyun's was so they kept it for boxes only. There was dust everywhere and they had to change the light bulb with the new one once the sun was setting down if they wanted to see anything. 

Boxes filled with memories were open one by one. Old pictures from their wedding, along with their tuxedos and Luhan's bouquet that was kept in a glass case inside a box where the words "FRAGILE! LUHAN WILL KILL YOU IF YOU BREAK THIS!" were meant to attract the attention of anyone who has to touch it. White roses, dead for way too long, holding between them a red one that looks like it hasn't aged a single day. Of course, it was one of Sehun's gifts for him, a rose that will never die, just as his love for the other and, of course, the love between them. He smiled, thinking that one day he might put that special rose back in his support, somewhere in their living room, so everyone could see it. 

In other boxes, you could have fun for hours looking through Sehun's old pictures from his childhood or especially college. 

"Damn, he always looked this hot?" His younger brother laughed while he was looking at some pictures with Sehun in his teenage year. Luhan could only laugh as he looked at the other pictures. In fact, he already knew that his husband has always been much better looking than most of the models he has seen in those popular magazines. Always, even now, when he's a few years away from his 30's. He couldn't be prouder than that. Or attracted. Or in love, cause Sehun's heart and mind were as beautiful as his exterior looks, if not, even more beautiful. 

"Ah, ew..why did you let me attend your wedding with that face?" Baekhyun laughs, pointing at a picture where he was crying while hugging his brother. 

Their wedding was, indeed, full of emotion. It wasn't something too big, only Sehun's family and their friends, common or not, from work or school years. They were all there to celebrate the love between these two, even if when they looked into each other's eyes while saying their vows, they felt like they are alone in the whole universe, not just in that ballroom. It was magic. 

Every second spent together, from the very first one was magical. 

"Ah, I knew it!", Baekhyun woke up from his trance, making him turn his head towards the other one who was holding a small box covered in white satin, with a white bow on top. 

But they had moments when the cruel world slapped their faces too, to wake them up from the dream that felt unreal.

"I knew that you two are trying. Are these for..you know, now?" 

He softly smiles, shaking his head. Some memories need to be buried. 

"No." he whispered, looking at his brother with his fake smile. "They were a gift for one of Sehun's friend. We bought something nicer."

He says as he bites his lower lip, watching Baekhyun putting the white, small shoes back in their box.

Without thinking, he suddenly stood up and grabbed Baekhyun's wrist. "Come on", he says, leaving the room with him and going with him to the hallway. "We're going out, put your jacket on." He felt suffocated inside that apartment. 

"Out? Me?" Baekhyun asked with big eyes. That was unusual for him since he almost never got to leave the house without begging Luhan for days, and even so, the older would accept only if Sehun was home with them.

This time, he didn't even ask and Sehun wasn't in the country. 

"Yes, we have to do groceries, I'm taking you with me.", he simply replied, taking the keys of his car after getting dressed in one of Sehun's jackets and Baekhyun with his. The younger was still surprised but decides not to ask anything and be thankful for finally getting to breathe fresh air that wasn't coming from their balcony. And so, they left the apartment. 

Turns out, Luhan chose a store that was pretty close to the complex where they were living. They could walk but Luhan kept explaining how they had to buy enough food for the next days and so, they needed the car, even if it was a 5 minutes ride. 

Baekhyun saw his brother's point of view but he also remembered the older's fear of leaving him outside, on the streets, especially by his own. Since his accident, Luhan started to be strict when it came to his freedom and he couldn't blame him, remembering his terrified face back when he was explaining Baekhyun how he got hit by a car while crossing the street. Baekhyun couldn't remember anything before or after the accident, except the very first seconds when he woke up but even those were blurry in his mind, not even remembering who was in his room at the moment. Luhan simply told him that it was Sehun. And he accepted, he knew how careful the man was. And he tried to behave, since deep down he was still afraid for his life, afraid of another accident might happen. 

He was lost in his thoughts when he heard Luhan calling for him. He was already on the dairy aisle, while Baekhyun was still holding a bag with a few apples in his hand. He shook his head to clear his mind and start walking towards his direction until he hit the person in front of him. 

"Ah, I'm really sorry!", he exclaimed, lowering himself to pick up the fruits that the other person dropped. "I wasn't paying attention, I am sorry. You're okay?"

Luhan hurried towards their direction, helping his brother for a second before the person would finally talk.

"Baekhyun?"

They both looked up to the "stranger", more than surprised.

And it goes the same way for the person in front of them. 

"Luhan! And Baekhyun, what a surprise!"

Baekhyun was confused. 

He looked at the woman in front of them once they gave her the fruits back and could only frown as his eyes would analyse her from head to toe, even if he knew it wasn't the nicest thing to do to a woman. She was almost as tall as him, with big eyes and a big smile. Her black, waxy hair stopped around her shoulders and from behind, a younger version of her approach. This one had big, adorable ears too. 

"Ah, mom! Are you al- Baekhyun?"

She looked surprised as well. But not for too long, cause her face would turn pale like she has seen some kind of ghost.

"Mrs Park! A-and Yoora. Hello!", Luhan was quick to exclaim, forcing a smile as he looked at them. 

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New book! Make sure to check my one-shots dedicated to EXO ships. I will post the first one tonight. :)