[COMING SOON] Time Heals | BaekHera

II

[REMINDER] Again, I'd like to remind you all that EXO will also appear in this book. Though they will not really have a very big part since this book will mainly focus on MLSHR. If you don't like the idea of having EXO in this book, you can press the back button silently :) Thank u!

***

"You know, for a rich kid who always sulks inside his house when not doing archery you should try bowling with me.."

Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders to his friend, Chanyeol, as the taller sipped his cup of coke. He got bored inside the house he lived in even though his older brother-- Joon Gi-- was there (he was still kinda mad about what happened) and decided to hang out with Chanyeol after being invited out last night.

"Cut it, Park, you know my hands can only carry a bow and an arrow. Bowling balls are heavy for me," Baekhyun answered.

Chanyeol laughed. "What an excuse for 'I only play archery'," he mocked. The giant sighed and said, "How about we go to the arcade? Let's play basketball instead."

Baekhyun gave the giant a look. "We're already outside, Chanyeol. I don't want to go out more," the smaller said as he continued munching on his burger. They were just actually at Subway, a few blocks from Baekhyun's house and Chanyeol was realllyyy getting board. 

Chanyeol sighed as he put his cup down on the table. "Baekhyun... you know, you should smile again like always."

The smaller stopped on munching his burger. He looked at his friend, his childhood friend. Chanyeol was fidgeting with rim of his cup and continued, "You weren't the same as before. You used to be smiling, always happy. Now you're just... as serious as ever. You don't even react to my (lame) jokes anymore."

Baekhyun was speechless. He didn't know he had changed. Not until Chanyeol opened up to him that day. Chanyeol had actually called Baekhyun out so that they could bond again like before, but the giant had expected so much. He had realized he wasn't the same Baekhyun he used to play with before. And it kind of hurted him because he missed his best friend. 

The smaller looked down, probably embarrassed of the realization. But... he can't blame himself though. All of his life, he had been living under his grandmother's shadows, always following her orders in hopes of being awarded of letting him play his sport. But when he realized he was never going to have it that way, he decided not to follow her anymore. 

And his life turned upside down since then. 

"I'm sorry, Chan," Baekhyun started again, the giant taken aback after hearing Baekhyun's nickname of him after such a long time. "Okay, let's go arcade. I realized I'm becoming an old man. Thanks for the talk."

Chanyeol made a smile of amazement. "I didn't even say anything much," he stood up after seeing the smaller standing up.

Baekhyun sighed. "Yeah, but it made me wake up, right? That's enough help. Thanks."

The taller, now grinning, held out his fist and said, "Ah, welcome back, buddy."

Baekhyun looked at the fist and after seconds of thinking, he held up his own and fist bumped with Chanyeol. 

"Okay, last one to get to the arcade pays for the tokens!!" Baekhyun suddenly dashed, heading for the exit, leaving a surprised Chanyeol. 

After a few minutes, the both got to the arcade, out of breath. And Baekhyun ended up paying for the tokens. Chanyeol easily caught up with Baekhyun thanks to his long legs. 

"I forgot you're now taller than me." 

***

Later that day, when the two had enough, they went to an ice cream parlor for a break. The two had a blast, and frankly, Baekhyun was having the best moment ever. He realized he never had that much fun for years. He was very much thankful for Chanyeol for bringing him out again.

"I wonder what would Mr. Choi react when I tell him about today," Baekhyun said as he took in a teaspoonful of ice cream.

Chanyeol looked at him and replied, "Mr. Choi is still working for you? Wow, the loyalty. He's been there for you since you were young, right?"

After eating half of his tub, Baekhyun replied, "Yeah. And he's pretty much all I've got now. He's like a father to me."

Chanyeol, after remembering about the smaller's family matter, just nodded silently. "I see..

"But anyways!!" Baekhyun was startled when Chanyeol suddenly beamed. The taller got the backpack he was carrying around earlier and opened it. He got something from inside and handed it to Baekhyun. "Happy birthday, bud!"

Baekhyun was speechless as of the moment. He looked at the cutely wrapped small box on Chanyeol's hands. And he actually forgot it was his birthday that day.

Chanyeol raised a brow and snickered. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about your birthday too?"

The smaller looked at Chanyeol and back again to the gift before accepting it in his hands. "Uh, yeah. T-Thanks, Chanyeol."

The giant grinned again, perfect set of teeth showing up as always, "You're welcome. I didn't just invite you out because I was bored, you know. I guessed you might probably have forgotten about it again and turns out I was right!"

Baekhyun playfully punched the taller's shoulder and then proceeded to open the gift. After such a long time, he never received gifts from someone else besides Mr. Choi and sometimes his father and a few from his brothers, which was always something formal like ties, suits, expensive watches, tickets to expensive fashion shows or whatever. 

So, receiving a gift from someone not family was kind of.. so new and it brings new feelings. Baekhyun's heart was actually rapidly beating. He tore the wrapper and slowly opened the box. 

"You know I wasn't born with a rich ass so it's the best I can get for you."

Baekhyun looked at the dangling Jade stone which was tied in an old way, its string was  a thin brown leather. Baekhyun had never touched a Jade stone, so it was a first. And he was curious as to why Chanyeol gave him such thing.

"I don't know. My grandmother told me Jade stones give its holder a feeling of warmth that it would feel like you're being healed or something. I want to give it you. I just had this feeling that you need it," Chanyeol explained before Baekhyun could even open his mouth. 

Warmth. Healing. It was something Baekhyun had not felt in a long time. 

"It's... cool. Thank you, Chanyeol. I really do like it," Baekhyun smiled at his friend. What he said was the sincerest, he really meant it. The gift was simple but it made the smaller so thankful. He was glad to know his friend was actually thinking of him.

"Baekhyun?"

Startled after hearing the new voice, Beakhyun looked up to see yet another face he had not seen for many years. His heart thumped when their eyes locked for a second and slowly, Baekhyun rose from his chair with wide eyes and shaking hands after his brain registered who it was.

"Ji Eun-ssi?"

She was as beautiful the last as the last time Baekhyun saw her. He even thought she never got older after all these years. 

"It's good to see you again, Baek.."

***

[A/N] Hi! Okay, so I just suddenly updated y'all with a chapter!! I hope y'all liked it. So, hit the vote button if you want another update! That would be a very good motivation for me to give y'all good chapters. Thanks for reading, see you next chap!

xoxo, z