Look At Me! (ChanBaek)

viii

After eating dinner alone, Chanyeol trudges upstairs, his mood ruined. Why am I always alone?

He picks up the guitar that sat in the corner of his room. Barely anyone knew that he played. The giant was worried that he would seem dorky if he told anyone, so he kept his mouth shut.

Even if music was his greatest passion.

***

"Jongdae? What's wrong with you and Minseok?" Luhan inquires as he slips on his basketball shoes. The entire team had decided to practice in the morning, before school started, so that they could get a little better.

"Um, nothing." Jongdae rubs his lips unconsciously.

"You sure?"

"It's fine."

"If you say so." Luhan exits the changing room.

Jongdae sighs. I'm such an idiot. Now Minseok won't even talk to me.

The dino-boy couldn't come up with an answer last night, so he ran. This morning, he had run into Minseok at the bus stop, and the boy wouldn't even look at him. When Jongdae had tried to start a conversation, Minseok would always look uncomfortable. What have I done?

He walks into the gym, spotting Sehun, Luhan, and Minseok having a conversation. As he nears the trio, Minseok notices and walks away quickly. Luhan turns around and gives Jongdae a look, then goes back to being sweet with Sehun.

"Jongdae!" The dino-boy turns around at his name. He sees Chanyeol jog up to him.

"Have you seen Jongin? I'm-" He ducks out of the way of a stray basketball that Yixing and Junmyeon were tossing around.

"Oops! Sorry!" Junmyeon runs after the orange ball.

"Sorry, I don't know where he is." Jongdae shrugs.

"Alright." The giant walks away.

"Watch out!" Before Jongdae can duck out of the way, a basketball comes hurling at his face. He slams into the ground, sliding a little. Jongdae automatically puts a hand to his face.

"Yah!" Jongdae hears Minseok's voice as he comes running by. "Why were you standing under the basket anyways?"

Jongdae grunts as he pulls his hand away from his face, his fingers smeared with red and a metallic tang flooding his nose. As expected.

"Oh my goodness!" Minseok pulls a wad of tissues out of his pocket and holds it to Jongdae's nose. "Come on, let's go to the nurse." He helps Jongdae up and leads him out the door.

On the way to the infirmary, Jongdae can't help but fidget a little at their proximity. Minseok's fingers occasionally brushed his lips as he readjusted his grip on the tissues.

Minseok tells Jongdae to hold the tissues on his own as he went in search of an ice pack. When the older returns, he sits next to Jongdae and carefully treats him, tenderness shining in his eyes.

"Minnie? Why were you ignoring me today?" Jongdae flinches a little at the sharp  coldness of the ice.

"I was confused. I guess I still am." Minseok sticks out the tip of his tongue as he concentrates. Jongdae finds the gesture adorable.