Hard to Love - (chanbaek)

96

Baekhyun let out a loud yawn underneath his mask. He walked to his brother's office with a set of files. He was still a bit drowsy, but he had at least received a few more hours of sleep. He didn't have any new missions for the last few days, so he has been using the time to rest and finish the files he never completed.

"Good morning, young master." Baek turned to the guards and bowed. They opened the doors to the office, allowing the underboss to walk in. Baekhyun felt his face drain from all color as soon as he entered. He felt regret wash over him in a few seconds. Chanyeol sat in front of Daehyun with his assistant beside him. Baekhyun didn't have to observe the individual in close detail to know who he was. The familiar light brown hair dragged the painful memories back to their original station. Baekhyun silently turned around to leave the room, but it was too late. Everyone in the office had already shifted their attention towards him. Chanyeol quickly rushed out of his seat with a smile.

"I haven't seen you all week. Have you been avoiding me, darling?" Baekhyun faced him with a blank stare. He had grown used to masking his expressions, although his heart was racing in delight. He released a tired sigh and turned to the recognizable older. His sweat glands suddenly increased on his palms as he stared at the male. He can feel the sting against his eyes intensify, the burning sensation causing droplets to pile up. Baek immediately bowed at the older male to cover up his nervous state. The assistant could only smile, oblivious to who the male in front of him was.

"I've heard amazing things about you, Achlys. I'm Luhan." Baekhyun nodded his head, a lump forming in his throat as he tried to swallow. He raised his hand and signed a quick 'Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you." He assumed his old peer understood his signs since he received a bright grin. Chanyeol popped his head into the conversation, his ears twitching as he smiled at the peaceful interaction.

"You truly are incredible, Achlys." Baekhyun shifted his attention towards the giant and blinked unimpressed. He gave him a simple thumbs-up before focusing on his brother. Chanyeol's eyes slightly squinted as he observed the male's figure. He rubbed the back of his neck, a smirk filled with interest slowly settled onto his face.

What a change of attitude... interesting.

Baekhyun set down the files on the desk and leaned down to whisper quietly. His voice was loud enough to be heard by only Daehyun, who was extremely close.

"These are the new imports we received from Japan. Aella said everything is working fine. The only issue is the fake products that people are trading. It's mainly weapons when you look at the notes she took." Daehyun nodded while rubbing his chin in a thinking manner.

"Alright. Tell her to stay on guard for another week. If the situation improves, then she can come back. Tell her to send me a list of all the trade sets, especially the ones that dealt with the fake merchandise." Baekhyun nodded and made his way towards the exit. He bowed at the individuals in the room and walked out of the door without another glance. His steps were slow as he tried to process his scattered thoughts. He stopped for a moment and held his pained head. The throbbing sensation only worsened as the headache stayed present. He bit his bottom lip and steadied his rushed breathing. He couldn't forget the memories he had with Luhan. His whole childhood was swarming through his mind causing him to tear up as he observed his regrets—the honey hair with the sweet smile that could stop any conflict. Luhan never changed... at least in his eyes, he didn't.

I'm glad you're still smiling.

He exhaled one last time before continuing his slow steps. His short peacefulness was ruined when a giant came crashing into his silent tower.

"Wait! I need to give you something."

Baekhyun turned to Chanyeol, his eyes darting towards the papers in his hand. His eyebrow lifted unconsciously as curiosity filled him. The taller seemed nervous. His lips kept twitching up into a small smile... or perhaps it was a smirk. Baekhyun only had time to observe his red ears before the mysterious papers were handed to him. Baekhyun looked down at the paper, relieved that his long bangs loosened enough to cover his widened eyes. He was shocked, shocked to the point where his hands nearly trembled. He was holding...

A letter.

But not just any letter.

A letter he had sent to Chanyeol years ago. A note that was filled with soft insults and playful remarks that still made him giggle. And just like a few moments ago, the agonizing headache returned with much more strength. He bit his tongue and kept his calm composure before looking back at the taller in front of him. Chanyeol was already staring at him with similar intensity. His eyes filled with suspicion, almost as if he were waiting for a reaction. Baekhyun lifted his hand as he tilted his head.

"What is this?" The glow in his eyes faded as he slowly took the letter back. Baekhyun watched him closely, feeling as if sweat were piling onto his forehead. His heart was thumping against his chest, the loud beat echoing in his ears as he nervously swallowed his worries.

"I must have handed you the wrong thing. Here." Baekhyun stared at the large hand that held the small note. The note they had used during their first meeting with Rouge. He was about to comment, but the taller continued to speak despite his slightly tensed shoulders.

"I hope to see you at tomorrow's meeting. Maybe we can continue our little chat..." He stared at the colored note, spotting a phone number on the bottom. Baekhyun pointed at the number on the message and lifted his head once again. He nearly melted as he made eye contact with Chanyeol. His heart was probably screaming at this point. The giant just smiled, his nerves rising as he felt a sense of awkwardness appear in their conversation.

"If you can't come, then text me at least. We should start getting closer since I plan on bothering Daehyun until he says yes to an alliance. I'm sure he will eventually agree. But I might see you a lot, so it's better if we get used to each other now unless you aren't comfortable, of course. I wouldn't want to disturb you so-" A shriek almost left his mouth when a hand held his. He looked down at the pale and feminine hands that felt extremely cold against his warm ones. He looked up to meet Baekhyuns waiting stare, his eyes demonstrating a bit of softness. Baek smiled with his eyes as he stopped the taller's rambling. It made him think of the past... however, this time around, he wasn't the one spouting random words.

"I'll go to the meeting tomorrow." Chanyeol's expression instantly lightened up. He didn't know why but... he couldn't help but feel an odd attraction towards this white-haired male. He wished to get closer to him, and he, for some reason, felt a sudden familiarity. The cold hand was still holding his; his mind urged him to intertwine their fingers at once. Before he could make a reckless decision, Sebastian had interrupted their interaction with an emergency.

"Young master, Jake and Mark are attacking each other again." Baekhyun sighed. He reluctantly removed his hand and immediately missed the warmth. He slightly lowered his head at the taller and quickly waved goodbye. Baek proceeded to walk away, a scowl on his face as he looked down at his hand.

Am I a babysitter now? I'm going to beat their asses the second I see them-

"Young master, would you like me to bring you some tea and cake? I will bring it to you after you are finished in the training room." Baekhyun stopped, his anger turning dull at the mention of cake. He looked at Sebastian and hastily nodded before continuing his walk. The butler chuckled at the adorable response and directly left to prepare the young master's snack.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, watched them leave with a smile. He looked down at the letter in his hold and released a disappointed sigh. He looked at the familiar writing pattern before pushing the note back into his pocket. His eyes drooped with the displeased reaction he received.

"Maybe I thought wrong...

I'll uncover this soon."

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