It was well into midday by now.
The blonde couldn't help but feel underwhelmed with the calm, drowsy atmosphere his family and friends encased themselves within.
He longed for the fast paced, rather terrifying, events he had experienced in the past week- Chanyeol regretfully admitting that he had grown somewhat addicted.
But how couldn't he? Finally was the man being seen for who he was, even if it was through a pair of icy, thinned eyes.
This happens a lot doesn't it? Chanyeol expressing his current feelings in almost every chapter- but it helped the boy stay level, allowing himself to recuperate and breathe.
A slightly whimsical sigh breached his lips, lazily waterfalling down his tanned chin and softly rupturing the almost-stale airflow.
He could feel Kyungsoo's eyes.
Watching.
Supervising.
Noting his every move.
"You two are going home soon, right?" Came a gentle, male tone, obliviously shattering the shrouded, tense surroundings.
Chanyeol watched in his peripheral, as Kyungsoo tore his stare away with annoyance. The blonde could hardly stop himself from rolling his eyes.
"We'll miss you." Jongin continued, sweetly, his hands being taken in by a mother's, her flattered expression holding no feelings towards her actual son.
It was all fake.
And chanyeol resented them both for it.
"We're charmed, Jongin, but we feel that we're taking up to much space." Chanyeol's mother began, emphasised and polite.
"You're both so young! What if you want to take a special lady home someday? Can't have two old people imposing." She laughed, her question receiving two sweaty, humourless chuckles.
"Have you decided on a time?" Kyungsoo queried after a moment, changing the subject, his short black hair being flicked out of his eyes subconsciously.
Chanyeol's father watched the strands closely from behind a decrepit book he had stolen from the cafe shelves.
"If we leave in a couple hours, we can make it to the final train going out of the city; we'd be home by twilight." The woman explained, quite factually.
Her revelation was humoured with a few thoughtless nods.
"Chanyeol, son?"
Came the rare, gruff tone of his father, shocking the boy into upmost attention.
They slowly met eyes, the blonde's youthful face meeting with wise, wrinkled skin.
"Yes... father?" He responded, lightly shifting in his seat.
The man glanced down at his book once again, trying to will up the effort to speak to his distant son for just a moment.
Everyone waited, frozen, in suspense.
"You don't need to see us out, okay? Go home and make yourself some dinner." He announced, Chanyeol's head slowly gaining momentum to show a gentle, gradual nod.
The blonde looked down to his hands then, as his mother's protests breached with the air.
This was a good opportunity to make his leave.
Paranoia was already settling in, clawing like a thorned arm, keeping Chanyeol in a brash, suspenseful choke-hold.
Kyungsoo knew.
So then Jongin would know.
That doctor would know.
Lisa unconsciously knew.
Rosè definitely knew.
They all knew. And the time to take action was daringly imminent. Chanyeol may have just been imagining it; but everyone in that room was well aware of his need to leave- this need to act- as his time was finally wearing thin.
"I'll see you soon, mother. Father." Chanyeol plainly stated, rising from his seat with a simple screech of vinyl. "... I promise."
That promise was completely empty; the twenty-one year old fully aware of it's falseness. It was somewhat amusing, to be honest, if Baekhyun's plan was really what Chanyeol was assuming, then...
No. He had to remain focused.
"Kai, soo?" He called, an innocent grin plaguing his facial features. The two looked up with alternately-reasoned surprise. "I'll come lend a hand with customers on the weekend." The blonde noted, watching as an elated comfort washed over Jongin's caring, friendly face. Even Kyungsoo himself beared an un-suppressible, grateful smile.
