Escape Room | chanbaek

• Chapter One: LIFE •

Twenty-Five Years Later

Byun Baekhyun was sitting at his cubicle, watching the clock slowly tick away the last few minutes before he could finally go home. He willed it to move faster, and when the notch finally hit the twelve he could have cried with joy.

It was finally time to go home.

He quickly sprung from his desk and clumsily shoved in his rolling chair before following the flow of people to the elevators. Baekhyun managed to squeeze inside the one his friend, Do Kyungsoo, forced his way into. They didn't talk until the elevator reached the lobby because just breathing was hard enough since they were packed in so tightly. When the elevator doors finally opened Baekhyun always imagined themselves to look like bouncy balls spilling out the doors.

Baekhyun quickly jumped out of the way before the 'undertow' the rushing bodies created could suck him in. He inhaled a deep breath as he waited for Kyungsoo to join him, once he had, they were on their way.

"Would you feel betrayed if I left you for another job?" Kyungsoo asked as they walked along the busy sidewalk full of people rushing to and from work.

"That depends on how nice the new job is.... Because if you leave me alone to suffer by myself in that shit hole and go off to lead a rich life I will literally kill you," Baekhyun replied.

Kyungsoo laughed. "Duly noted! So, different topic! What are you doing this weekend?"

Baekhyun shrugged. "The usual, I guess . . ."

Kyungsoo sighed. "You really shouldn't. You broke up with what's his face a month ago! You shouldn't still be moping all alone in your apartment, Baek. It's unhealthy."

"Will you mope with me then?" Baekhyun teased half-heartedly.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. "Hah hah! So funny. And you know what, we should go out together this weekend! It's been too long since we've had a guy's night."

Baekhyun grimaced and muttered, "Can we not? I'm not ready to mix-and-mingle just yet."

"Baek. Seriously, if you keep moping over him you'll never move on."

"But Sehun is so—-"

"Hey! What did I tell you about saying his name! Don't! You'll only hurt yourself," Kyungsoo said sternly.

Baekhyun sighed. "Then this weekend better be pretty fucking amazing, Soo. Especially if you want me to stop thinking about him."

• • •

On Friday after another repetitive day of meaningless work Baekhyun actually found himself excited for his night out with Kyungsoo. They hadn't done it in awhile. Not since before Baekhyun's relationship with He Who Should Not Be Named, which was kinda eye opening when Baekhyun thought about it.

Oh Sehun. A seemingly nice guy with layers of secrets and bad habits; a cheater and a liar; a heartbreaker without a heart. Yet still, he was everything Baekhyun couldn't get himself to let go of. He was still —- even now —- entangled into his toxic web, and Baekhyun desperately needed to be cleansed. And he was hoping tonight would do just that for him.