Archive of Our Own

↻

It feels incredibly warm for a winter evening.

The ballroom has become something of a forest; draped in soft ecru, accented with shades of clary sage, eucalyptus green, stone beige, dapper tan. Warm lighting and gorgeous flower centerpieces. Understated but overwhelmingly romantic. Lovely.

Jongdae is already drunk when Baekhyun gets to him.

“The man of the hour,” Jongdae grins at him, grabbing two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter. He hands one to Baekhyun. “Cheers.”

“I think the man of the hour is you,” Baekhyun laughs, but he clinks his glass to Jongdae’s anyway. “This is your wedding.”

“You are correct, it’s my wedding,” Jongdae hoots and spins around before raising his glass to Baekhyun. “And it’s all thanks to you, my dear friend.”

“Your wedding planner will kill me if I just take all the credit,” Baekhyun says gleefully. Junmyeon is always so fun to tease. “Shall I get half of his pay as well?”

Jongdae laughs loudly. “Wait, but really,” he pauses and takes a sip of his champagne. "If you hadn’t introduced us, if you hadn’t pushed me to ask her out on that first date —"

“And second, and third, and fourth, and fifth,” Baekhyun teases.

College junior Jongdae had the biggest crush on a lovely girl in Baekhyun’s course. But he was terribly shy, so frustratingly adorable, that Baekhyun took matters into his own hands and set them up. They stumbled through an awkward first date, but Baekhyun managed to convince Jongdae to try a bit more because he knew a perfect connection when he saw one.

When I see one, he corrects as he catches Jongdae stealing glances at her, eyes shining as brightly as they did when they were twenty.

“Listen very well...because I’m stupid drunk and extremely happy and I’ll only say this once,” Jongdae says as he turns back to Baekhyun. He smiles, eyes kind and full of love. Glowing. “Thank you.”

“Oh, thank you,” Baekhyun grins and grips his chest like he’s been shot in the heart. Jongdae rolls his eyes. “I’m very good, aren’t I?”

“You could do it for a living,” Jongdae tells him. He pokes Baekhyun in the chest. “Wait. I’m kinda serious.”

“What, matchmaking?” Baekhyun barks out a laugh and drains the rest of his champagne before someone bumps into him and makes him spill it.

Right on cue, Chanyeol returns from where he was making a fool of himself on the dancefloor. He slings an arm over Baekhyun’s shoulder and shakes him. “Baek, he’s kinda right.”

“How did you even hear what we were talking about?” Baekhyun grumbles and extracts himself from his best friend’s grip. “And get off me, sweaty.”

“Think about it,” Chanyeol pushes on and takes Baekhyun’s face into his hands. “Other than Jongdae’s perfect relationship, you were responsible for like...half of the hookups that happened back in college.”

“That sounds more like an attack than a compliment.”

Chanyeol doesn’t seem to care. “I’m just saying, you have a knack for it,” he says and squeezes Baekhyun’s cheeks. “Bro, do it. Plus, you hate your job.”

“Bro, he does hate his job,” Jongdae says, turning to Baekhyun. “Drop that boring corporate job and just become a professional matchmaker. A fucking modern day Cupid. People would pay for that shit!”

“Bro,” Chanyeol points at Jongdae. “This guy’s a genius and a married man?” he whistles and fistbumps Jongdae before settling a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Spread those wings and fly, baby.”

“Shut up. You’re both drunk and I hate you,” Baekhyun says. “I am not quitting my job.”

“Ah, but now you’re thinking about it,” Jongdae says, taps a finger to his temple. “We’ve planted the seed.”

Baekhyun smacks him and Chanyeol laughs so hard he almost elbows a bridesmaid.

↻

“Hey, are you still doing that matchmaking gig?”

Baekhyun tears his gaze away from his laptop, blinks up at Chanyeol. “Hello, I’m home. How was your day, Baekhyun?”

“Hello, I’m home. How was your day, Baekhyun? Are you still doing that matchmaking gig?”

Baekhyun sighs.

“If you mean my stable job for the past two years, then yes, I am still doing that matchmaking gig,” he says, a little incredulous. They have been living together for those two years, and Chanyeol has witnessed Baekhyun grow his business into what it is today. Also? He’s Baekhyun’s best friend, and he should know these things.

Like how Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol needs something, judging by the way he’s lingering at the end of the couch instead of immediately flopping over him like he usually does.

“And how’s business doing lately?”

“You know how business is doing, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says and shuts his laptop because he obviously won’t be getting much work done now that his roommate is home. “What do you need?”

Chanyeol grins, pleased that he has Baekhyun’s full attention. “So, I have a proposition —”

“Absolutely not,” Baekhyun says immediately.

Chanyeol’s brows furrow. “You didn’t even let me finish!”

“The word proposition should never leave that filthy mouth of yours,” Baekhyun says, leaning forward to place his laptop on the coffee table, lifting up a silent prayer for Chanyeol’s impure soul.

“Even if it’ll earn you some cash?”

Baekhyun glares. “You are gross.”

“As you are stupid,” Chanyeol exasperates. “I meant that I know someone who would like to partake in your services.”

“Do you hear the words that come out of your mouth sometimes?” Baekhyun asks. “Can’t you just say I know someone that might want to try a hand at your matchmaking business like a normal person?”

“Try a hand,” Chanyeol wiggles his eyebrows.

“I would like to make a referral, Baekhyun,” Baekhyun mocks the timbre of Chanyeol’s voice, rolling his eyes.

“Anyway,” Chanyeol presses on and sits on Baekhyun’s lap.

Baekhyun shoves him off.

“Anyway!” Chanyeol says from the floor. “He’s a friend from work. He’s like, been single for too long and it’s time for that to change.”

“Does he think that too?”

“Not yet,” Chanyeol winks. He hurries on before Baekhyun can cut in with a judgemental comment. “I just wanna help! He’s the total package, honestly. He’s super cute, stylish, really sweet...intelligent too, Baekkie. He is so smart, you should see him dominate the meeting room.”

Baekhyun gives him a look. “Why don’t you date him, then?”

“I don’t have to date every single person I find attractive.”

Baekhyun snorts. “Shall we take a stroll through your history?”

“I said date, not fuck,” Chanyeol says. He kicks at Baekhyun’s calf before sitting up. “Think about why I haven’t fucked you, then.”

Baekhyun considers this. “But you’ve thought about it,” he says.

Chanyeol makes a face, but he doesn’t deny it. Baekhyun counts it as a win.

“I really despise this conversation, if I’m being honest.”

“You started it,” Baekhyun reminds him.

“Is it so wrong that I wanted to hire the best professional matchmaker in the city to help a dear friend of mine?” Chanyeol whines, lips turning down into a pout. It’s the pout that makes him look like a sad little puppy. The kind of pout that he knows Baekhyun is weak for. The one that makes Baekhyun feel like he doesn’t have a choice.

He sighs and reaches for his laptop.

“What’s his name?”

↻

Sehun Oh, Baekhyun learns from his profile, turned twenty-seven last spring, graduated at the top of his business administration course, and is now in charge of business development at the local branch of his dad’s company. His soft biometrics say that he’s six feet tall, seventy kilos, fair-skinned, brunette.

“Hi. Baekhyun?”

“Yes, hi,” Baekhyun follows the voice, lifts his gaze, and oh.

Sehun Oh is pretty. Tall and long-limbed, unblemished skin, his small face and boyish features starkly contrasted by the sharpness of his brow.

He also happens to wear the hell out of a white tee.

“Sorry I’m late, parking in this city is a nightmare,” Sehun says as he slides into the seat across Baekhyun’s. He straightens up in his chair and offers a small smile. Immaculate posture. “I’m Sehun. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Baekhyun lets himself get distracted by the breadth of Sehun’s shoulders for no longer than two seconds before giving his best Professional Smile and reaching across the table to shake Sehun’s hand.

“Likewise,” he says, idly noting how soft Sehun’s hand is. “And it’s alright, I wasn’t waiting long.”

“Can I get you a coffee?” Sehun asks abruptly, looking a little sheepish when Baekhyun furrows his brows in confusion. “I mean, it’s the least I can do for being late.”

Baekhyun blinks, takes a glance at his watch. “By like, one minute.”

“Still,” Sehun says, and Baekhyun thinks he can hear the hint of whine in his voice. “Not the best first impression.”

Baekhyun relents and gives Sehun his order, studies the length of him as he makes his way to the counter, the lines smooth and perfect and lovely, and he thinks Sehun couldn’t be more wrong.

It doesn’t take long for Sehun to come back with their orders, and Baekhyun lets them settle and sip at their drinks before diving in.

“So, Chanyeol —”

“Whatever he told you, it was probably a gross exaggeration.”

He says this so seriously that Baekhyun nearly snorts. “He said that you, and I quote, are super cute, stylish, really sweet and sooo smart,” he tells Sehun. “Something about you dominating the meeting room?”

“Oh. Well,” Sehun props a hand on his chin and smiles cutely. “I stand corrected. Maybe he’s due for a promotion after all.”

This, Baekhyun laughs at. “You just let your subordinates set you up like this?”

“Chanyeol’s in finance, so we’re not even in the same team,” Sehun informs him. “Unless you count us being drunk table tennis partners?”

“Chanyeol is horrible at table tennis,” Baekhyun gasps.

“I know,” Sehun laughs, terrible and gorgeous, and Baekhyun finds himself grinning with him.

The conversation lulls a bit, and they fall into a kind of silence that Baekhyun itches to fill, but Sehun beats him to it.

“Sorry, I’m a bit —” Sehun gestures around vaguely, “nervous.”

“How come?” Baekhyun asks, realizes belatedly that they haven’t even started talking about the matchmaking. “Right. The matchmaking.”

Sehun breathes out a laugh, a little shaky at the end. “Right."

"Can I ask why you decided to give this a try?"

"I'm sure you're aware of how persuasive Chanyeol can be," Sehun says in an incredulous tone Baekhyun can relate to. "And I guess I just felt like I don't have anything to lose anyway, so," he bites his lip, "please help?"

If anything, Baekhyun loves to help.

He launches into the usual spiel he gives to his first time clients, words rolling off his tongue with ease as he explains the process. Sehun listens with wide and curious eyes as Baekhyun tells him about how he usually selects prospects. He clarifies the concerns Sehun brings up, then asks him a few more questions regarding his preferences. There’s something about the way Sehun seems so earnest about it all, something about the knit of his brow and the quirk at the corner of his mouth, but the discussion ends before Baekhyun can dwell on it further.

Oddly, Sehun stays rooted in his chair. He tilts his head at Baekhyun. “Another coffee, maybe?”

Baekhyun looks at the table to find his cup empty. “Um,” he stalls. They’re technically done discussing the terms, he shouldn’t be drinking this much caffeine in the afternoon, and he has dinner with a client in the evening…

“Maybe just a fruitade?”

Sehun rewards him with another bright smile, and he has to swallow down how awestruck he feels before it bubbles over and makes a mess.

Baekhyun probably stays longer than necessary, but he can see exactly what Chanyeol had meant before. He takes note of the way the conversation flows easily between them, the way Sehun carries himself with an air of confidence, the way he’s just dripping in sweetness and charm and wit. He watches Sehun run a hand through his hair before slipping his red cap back on, thinks that bare minimum is a look he wears easily. Handsomely.

They’ve just met but Baekhyun is pretty sure that Sehun is his most eligible client to date, and he mentally draws up a shortlist of match options as Sehun regales him with a ridiculously endearing account of his and Chanyeol’s drunk table tennis escapades.

This should be easy.

↻

Except sometimes, it isn’t.

And Baekhyun? He gets it. Finding love is difficult, and no one’s expecting anyone to find the right match on the first try. He’s had a fair share of clients that have had horror stories for dates, and it absolutely sucks seeing them downtrodden. He likes to think of himself as an empath, which is what led him to develop the habit of taking his clients out for dinner after a failed date.

There’s a nice little restaurant downtown that he favors. The ambiance is nice, the food is great and kind of fancy, and if he gets a discount because his friends own the place, no one is the wiser. If anything, he enjoys treating his clients like this. Making them a little happier.

It’s just...

“You look unhappy to see me,” Sehun says happily.

“That’s because I am,” Baekhyun snaps. Sehun looks like an absolute dream in that soft cashmere sweater and dark jeans, but that is completely irrelevant information right now because this is Sehun’s fourth failed match and Baekhyun is determined to stay upset with him for the entirety of their dinner.

“That’s not very nice of you,” Sehun says, but he’s smiling over the lip of his wine glass. “Aren’t you supposed to be consoling me? You know, for my heart being broken and whatever.”

“And whatever,” Baekhyun scoffs, taking a sip from his own glass. “Last I heard, it was you that was doing the heart breaking.”

“I stand corrected. It was one date. No hearts were broken,” Sehun says, hands raised in surrender. His gaze turns syrupy sweet. “I promise I was a good boy.”

Baekhyun knows. Bohyun wouldn’t stop talking about how charming Sehun was, how well they got along. Which is why it doesn’t make sense that Sehun didn’t want to pursue the match. Doesn’t make sense that they’re here again.

“Are you internal monologuing again? Don’t think too much about it,” Sehun says with a shrug, casual as ever. “It just didn’t feel right.”

“You said the same thing about the last three people,” Baekhyun bites his lip. None of Sehun’s matches have gone past the first date. Which would be fine if they all didn’t seem so enamored with Sehun. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem at all,” Sehun says in a tone that makes Baekhyun narrow his gaze.

“Then why?” Baekhyun finds himself exasperated already, and they haven’t even gotten their entrées yet. “Is it your fault then?”

“And why would you think it was my fault?” Sehun asks, juts his bottom lip out and furrows his brows. It’s an endearing sight, and Baekhyun would’ve fallen for it if he didn’t know any better.

“At this point, I don’t know what to think,” Baekhyun says. “Maybe you’re doing this on purpose. Maybe you’re one of those young men who toy with their hyungs’ hearts for fun.”

“Ah,” Sehun lets his sweet act drop and raises his brow. A challenge. “You think you know me, then? Hyung?”

“Please,” Baekhyun waves his hand in nonchalance, refusing to get flustered over an honorific that he hasn’t used or heard in a while. Even though he started it. “I’ve read your profile.”

“Yeah?” Sehun asks, the corners of his mouth twitching. “How many times?”

“That’s confidential,” Baekhyun says too quickly, frowning when Sehun looks a bit too smug for his liking. “Don’t try to be cute.”

“I’m not trying,” Sehun says cutely, because he always seems to do the opposite of whatever Baekhyun asks.

“Does that mindset apply to the dates I work so hard to set you up with?” Baekhyun pouts because two can play at Sehun’s game. They’ve been seeing each other for nearly two months, and Baekhyun knows this banter, knows he can give it just as good as Sehun does.

“Oh, you’re being unfair,” Sehun says, tipping his glass at Baekhyun before draining the rest of his wine in one go. “I like it.”

Baekhyun bites his lip and squeezes his hands into fists under the table. Away from Sehun’s sharp gaze. “Just so you know, your weird attempts at flattery don’t work on me.”

Sehun hums. “I think they do,” he says like he’s right. And maybe he is.

Baekhyun’s only human.

↻

He runs into Jongdae at the little cafe down the street on some nondescript Tuesday.

“I wasn’t planning on being seen today,” Baekhyun says a bit defensively. No one will know the last time his hoodie was really washed unless they violate his personal space.

“And yet here I am, seeing you,” Jongdae says, like he knows exactly when the last time Baekhyun’s hoodie was washed. He grabs Baekhyun’s arm when the latter tries to walk away. “Hey. At least have some coffee with me before you disappear again for the next few months.”

“That’s...” Jongdae fixes him a look and Baekhyun sighs. “Your treat, then.”

His friend only grins and ushers them to the counter to order, chattering away about the new house he and his wife just toured. Baekhyun has to admit that it’s kind of nice to see people other than Chanyeol or his clients.

“How’s the matchmaking gig doing?” Jongdae asks as soon as they’re seated.

“Why is everyone suddenly asking me this?” Baekhyun asks, peeved and immediately retracting anything nice thoughts he just had about his friend. “Do you have a friend slash kind of boss that needs some help?”

Jongdae bursts out laughing. “Sehun?”

“You know Sehun?”

“No, no,” Jongdae says, his shoulders still shaking. “Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun should’ve known. “Is it all over the group chat?”

“Yes,” Jongdae grins and takes a sip of his latte. “You would know if you actually opened it once in a while.”

Baekhyun groans and leans forward to rest his forehead on the table. “Well, are you going to make fun of me, or be useful?”

“Useful?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun sits up. “You know the situation.”

“Sehun, your most eligible and perfect client,” Jongdae starts, kicking Baekhyun under the table when he mutters not perfect, “is having trouble finding true love.”

“More like I’m having trouble finding true love for him,” Baekhyun complains, swirls his straw in his cup.

“See, you’re complaining,” Jongdae points out, poking at Baekhyun to pay attention to him, “but isn’t that your job?”

“I just don’t understand how it never works out with any of the people I set him up with, because they all seem to adore him after the first date but,” Baekhyun says, “but Sehun? He’s never gone past a first date. Not interested, he says.”

Jongdae just nods, urging him to continue.

“It’s funny,” Baekhyun huffs a laugh. “At this rate, I’ve been seeing and talking to Sehun more than any of his matches.”

Jongdae considers this, drumming his fingers on the table as Baekhyun nervously crumples a napkin, toying with the ruined paper. Technically, Jongdae is his first client. Maybe he’d have some valuable advise that he can impart —

“Maybe you’re just bad at your job?”

Baekhyun throws the napkin at him.

↻

Sehun looks good tonight.

He always does, but there’s something about him in a plain dress shirt, top buttons undone to expose the jut of his collarbones, fabric taut across the planes of his chest. Gorgeous and he doesn’t even know it, Baekhyun muses as he watches Sehun thank the waitress when she sets their plates down, watches him beam at her when she refills his wine glass. An odd little work of art.

Nevertheless, he refuses to be distracted. Collarbones be damned.

“Sehun, we have to stop meeting like this,” Baekhyun tells him. And right. Back to business. They’re only here because Sehun said the last match was another blunder, even if Youngho had said the exact opposite.

‘I would’ve said yes if he asked me out on a second date. Kind of expected him to, with how much fun we had last night,’ Youngho told Baekhyun, disappointment palpable even over the phone. ‘But he didn’t.’

Across the table, Sehun looks up from his plate of truffle mushroom risotto. “Is that something you say to all your clients?” he asks, his gaze a mix of genuine curiosity and mirth.

It unsettles something in Baekhyun, makes him want to bury his face in his hands and yell.

“No, just you,” he groans. It’s unfortunate and true and he doesn’t know what to do about it, can barely even stay composed.

Sehun just smiles, like he knows something Baekhyun doesn’t. “Finish your steak, Baekhyun.”

↻

Chanyeol is on episode fourteen of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s fifth season when Baekhyun gets home.

“Hey,” he calls out as Baekhyun toes off his shoes and walks into the kitchen. He pauses the show in the middle of a heated argument between Holt and Jake. “How was dinner?”

Baekhyun emerges with a bottle of soju and two shot glasses.

Chanyeol snorts. “Wanna talk about it?” he asks, making grabby hands for the alcohol.

“I dunno,” Baekhyun says as he takes a seat beside Chanyeol, hands him the bottle. “Are you finally going to tell me what the catch is with Sehun?”

“You mean, other than him being a total catch?” Chanyeol asks. He unscrews the cap and pours them shots.

Baekhyun sighs.

“If you’re just going to try to be funny instead of being helpful, I’d rather get wasted,” he says. He clinks his shot glass to Chanyeol’s before downing the soju. “Thanks for nothing.”

“You are so dramatic,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes before taking his own shot. “First of all, I’m funny as fuck,” he says, setting his glass down to shove at Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Second, there’s no catch with Sehun.”

“This was his eighth failed match,” Baekhyun says, shoving Chanyeol right back.

“And?” Chanyeol asks. “Love isn’t easy, baby.”

“Oh my god, I’m serious,” Baekhyun nearly cries. “Chanyeol, I’ve been meeting with Sehun for nearly five months. I’ve never worked with a client for that long.”

“The man is busy,” Chanyeol defends. “You know part of the reason why it’s been going on for so long is because his schedule is tight and he can’t do back-to-back dates.”

“You’re tight,” Baekhyun says childishly. “You’re my best friend, you’re supposed to be on my side.”

“What the fuck?” Chanyeol laughs loudly. “Baek, oh my god. Are you okay?”

“I don’t get him!” Baekhyun exclaims a little louder than necessary, months of pent up frustration catching up to him. “Chanyeol, I don’t understand. Sehun’s a great guy, I’ve got a plethora of amazing people to set him up with, and I’m good at this job. I’ve cleared all the other clients I’ve worked with in a month or two tops, yet with Sehun…” he groans and pours them more shots. “I keep meeting with him and setting him up and for what? Nothing. Not interested, Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol watches Baekhyun downs a shot, then another.

“And you’re right. He is a great catch. He’s gorgeous and sweet and charming, so. What isn’t clicking?” Chanyeol laughs softly and Baekhyun faces him sharply. “What?”

“Nothing,” Chanyeol says like it’s not nothing, like he’s another person that knows something Baekhyun doesn’t. He takes the bottle and fills their glasses before Baekhyun can get another word in. “Let’s get drunk.”

↻

Baekhyun wakes up the next morning with a shitty hangover and a message from Sehun.

Hyung. Someone older next time, please.

Baekhyun groans and does his best not to hurl his phone at the wall.

↻

Sometimes, Baekhyun gets distracted. 

Sometimes, it's just something as trivial as the taper of Sehun's waist in a silk shirt, the inviting stain on his lips after a glass of wine, the light rasp in his voice after a long day of meetings.

But sometimes, the distraction runs a bit deeper, so rapid and strong that he can't help but get lost in it.

Baekhyun catches himself wanting to learn more about Sehun for reasons far beyond just business. He wants to know why Sehun’s past matches talk about him in phrases just short of adoration, only for them to end with but he didn’t want another date, he seemed uninterested after all, it didn’t work out in the end. Wants better answers than Sehun’s I just didn’t feel a connection, it was weird, you would understand if you were there.

But Baekhyun is here now, for the tenth time, and he still doesn’t understand. He wants to ask again, wants to clarify, but when Sehun meets his gaze, his eyes kind and smile soft as he asks Baekhyun about his day, the questions die in his throat.

↻

Chanyeol takes him out on a Friday night, practically dragging him to take a seat at the bar.

“I was supposed to be working,” Baekhyun whines, even when Chanyeol opens a tab on his card.

“The last time you were working, you got so stressed, came home mad, and got us both stupid drunk. I was sick for the next two days,” Chanyeol informs before gesturing at him to give the bartender his order.

“We are currently at a club,” Baekhyun points out. He makes sure to get the most expensive drink on the menu before turning back to Chanyeol. “Aren’t we also getting drunk now?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re repressed as hell,” Chanyeol says like he didn’t hear a thing Baekhyun said. “When was the last time you sat on a dick?”

Baekhyun glares. Chanyeol knows the answer to his own question, he just enjoys bringing drama and misery into Baekhyun’s life.

The bartender hands them their drinks, and Chanyeol shoots Baekhyun a knowing grin before taking a sip of his whiskey. “Your silence is very telling.”

“So what? I’m too busy with work.”

“Modern day Cupid finds true love for others, but cannot find true love of his own,” Chanyeol muses. “Sounds like a bad Netflix movie.”

“Sounds like my origin story,” Baekhyun corrects him.

“Yeah. Your villain origin story,” Chanyeol shrugs. “You’ll explode one of these days.”

“What? If I don’t sit on a dick?” Baekhyun rolls his eyes and sips at his cocktail.

“Yes,” Chanyeol tells him, solemn and serious.

“Shut up. You don’t know anything.”

“Incorrect. I’m fucking omniscient. I know everything,” Chanyeol grins, tilts his head to look behind Baekhyun. “Like how I know your redemption arc is coming.”

“What?”

“Cute guy at the end of the bar is checking you out,” Chanyeol pokes at his arm. Baekhyun doesn’t even try to be subtle as glances over and, well. Wide eyes, sharp jaw, nice mouth.

“Interesting,” Baekhyun hums.

“Go on, then,” Chanyeol nudges him again. “Get your mind off of work.”

He wills away the image of Sehun as soon as it flashes in his head. Maybe Chanyeol has a point. Crazy.

“Ah, what the hell,” Baekhyun says, gulps down half of his drink and runs a hand through his hair. “How do I look?”

“Like you’re ready for that redemption arc. Season fucking finale, baby.”

Baekhyun has no idea what Chanyeol means, but wears his words like armor anyway. He saunters over to Cute Guy at the End of the Bar, who gives him a sweet smile when he says hi.

And they have fun. They drink, talk and laugh endlessly, and Baekhyun lets himself be kissed on the dance floor later in the night. He feels warm and loose with alcohol swimming in his veins, but when the guy invites him to come home with him, Baekhyun stops short. He doesn’t know why, but he doesn’t feel the connection, doesn’t feel the urge to take things further from where they’re making out on the dance floor.

The guy doesn’t seem too disappointed when Baekhyun politely rejects him, just gives him his number and a peck on the cheek before slipping away. Maybe next time.

Baekhyun goes back to the bar, texts Chanyeol that he’s ready to go home. He hovers over the guy’s number, gives himself a few seconds before deleting it. It was a fun night, but at the end, Baekhyun wasn’t that interested.

It’s when he gets home, scrubs himself clean, and settles in his bed that he realizes that he kind of understands what Sehun means now.

↻

There is a shift after Sehun's twelfth failed match, the unspoken strain from the past few months thin enough to snap.

“This isn’t funny anymore,” Baekhyun says very seriously.

“Did I say it was?” Sehun laughs anyway. He signals to the waiter that they’re ready to order.

Baekhyun sighs. He was convinced Seunggi would be the perfect match for Sehun. He should have known better, really.

“Would it be mean to ask what went wrong this time?”

“Mean?” Sehun huffs another laugh. “No. It’s your job to ask.”

“Right, right,” Baekhyun straightens himself up. “You paid me.”

Sehun gives him a look. “Right.”

There’s something in his eyes that makes Baekhyun pause. “What?” he asks, but the waiter gets to them before Sehun can answer.

Undercurrents of tension ride out for the rest of the dinner, rippling heat against the soles of Baekhyun’s shoes as the typical brightness in Sehun’s eyes dims little by little.

A ragged split down the middle, frayed at the edges.

In the end, neither of them are brave enough to address it.

↻

Baekhyun doesn’t hear from Sehun for weeks.

“I told you,” Chanyeol groans when Baekhyun flops over him on their couch, “he’s on a business trip.”

Baekhyun knows. Sehun had sent him a long e-mail to explain how an emergency cropped up at another branch and he had to fly over to help for god knows how long.

I'll see you when I get back.

It’s not a big deal, but the atmosphere from their last dinner still lingers on him, stuck and unwilling to slip from under Baekhyun’s skin.

“That is called guilt, my friend,” Chanyeol tells him.

“I can’t be guilty,” Baekhyun reasons. “There’s nothing to be guilty for.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol says, then grunts when Baekhyun digs an elbow into his gut. “What! I was agreeing with you!”

“You’re not telling me something,” Baekhyun concludes, reaching up to grab Chanyeol’s face. “What are you hiding, Chanyeollie?”

Chanyeol laughs as best as he can with the grip Baekhyun’s got on his cheeks. “I’m not hiding shit.”

Baekhyun squeezes tighter.

“Stop hurting me!” Chanyeol whines until Baekhyun relents. He massages his face. “God, what is up with you?”

Honestly? Baekhyun doesn’t know. There’s just something about that night that he can’t let go of, something about that last look Sehun gave him before they parted ways, something about the way he seemed so small. But he’s not about to let Chanyeol in on that.

“I’m gonna go for a walk,” Baekhyun decides suddenly. He rolls off of Chanyeol and pats his stomach. “Wanna come?”

Chanyeol looks at him like he’s crazy. “A walk...at 8pm?”

Baekhyun looks out their window. Oh. He turns back to Chanyeol and shrugs. “It’s still pretty warm out, I’ll be fine.”

“Hey,” Chanyeol rests a palm on his thigh, gaze turning soft. “You sure you don’t wanna stay in tonight? I’m playing LoL with Jongin in a bit.”

“You guys are shit teammates,” Baekhyun teases, pinches Chanyeol’s hand for good measure. “And I figure some fresh air would be good for the brain.”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol smiles up at him, knocks a knuckle to Baekhyun’s temple. “Maybe you’re right.”

↻

Baekhyun ends up at a bar because it turns out that drinking overpriced alcohol sounds like a much better plan than walking around alone at night.

He’s never been to this particular bar before, but something about its unassuming facade had drawn him away from the street and into the building.

He sees Sehun as soon as he crosses the doorway.

He’s perched at the bar, sipping his drink. Alone. He looks softer around the edges, softer than Baekhyun remembered. His hair unstyled and nearly falling into tired eyes, the oversized dark velvet polo shirt a stark contrast from his usual clean cut outfits, the bare minimum and just as beautiful. Baekhyun is suddenly reminded of the first time they met.

It’s at this exact moment that Sehun spots him.

Baekhyun flounders, and Sehun must notice because he does nothing but quirk the corners of his mouth as if to say go on, you can escape if you want.

Baekhyun's feet walk him towards the bar instead.

“Hi,” Sehun greets as soon as Baekhyun’s close enough. “I was beginning to think you were going to pretend like you didn’t see me.”

His voice is warm with alcohol and something new. Something different, something Baekhyun may have missed.

“You’re the one who fell off the face of the earth,” Baekhyun says as he slides into the stool next to Sehun, the banter coming back to him with ease. “I’m surprised you even remember who I am.”

“Not off the face of the earth,” Sehun laughs, calls the bartender for Baekhyun. "Just a few states away."

“Yeah, Chanyeol said you were still out on business,” Baekhyun says, trying not to feel too pleased when Sehun tells the bartender to put Baekhyun on his tab.

“I just got back,” Sehun scrubs at his face. “Man, I’m tired.”

“You look it,” Baekhyun tells him. Sehun laughs again, a bit brighter than before. “You still look good, though.”

“Yeah?” Sehun asks, brow raised. A challenge.

Baekhyun doesn’t take the bait. “Yeah,” he smiles. “Still pretty.”

“Thanks,” Sehun huffs before giving Baekhyun a small smile. Warmer than the last time. Closer to the first.

“Do you usually go straight to bars as soon as you get off a flight?” Baekhyun asks, taking a sip as soon as his drink arrives. It's sweet and strong, and he feels himself melt into his seat a little.

“No,” Sehun sighs. “But this trip was pretty rough.”

It’s too easy to fall back into the comfortable flow of conversation between them. He listens to Sehun’s stories from his trip even if the unfamiliar terms he uses just spin around uselessly in Baekhyun’s head. He watches the way Sehun gestures, articulates, leans closer when Baekhyun speaks, the way he smiles at the bartender when he gives them round after round, and he wonders when he started looking into these finer details, when he started tucking them in the back of his mind often enough for them to be familiar.

He swallows those thoughts down with the rest of his drink.

“I’m glad we ran into each other here,” Sehun says after a few more drinks, looking less weary and a bit bolder than before. “I’m glad I saw you again.”

Baekhyun wets his lips before pulling them into a smile. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Sehun smiles back. He clinks his glass to Baekhyun’s before drinking. “I told you we'd see each other again, didn't I?”

“You did,” Baekhyun agrees, following Sehun's cue to take another sip. "I just thought it'd be for work and not at a bar on a random Friday night."

Sehun nods at this, and Baekhyun watches his brows knit into something more pensive. "Can I be honest?"

"Sure."

“I don’t think matchmaking is right for me,” Sehun hums, lips molded into a little frown. “I’m sorry.”

"Oh," Baekhyun thumbs at the condensation on his glass, wills the dread to stop from spreading across his gut. “Can I ask why?”

Sehun takes his time, lets the seconds tick by and bounce off the walls, drinks half his glass before turning to Baekhyun with a look he’s never seen before.

“Because I like you.”

He says it so simply, so easy and gentle that it nearly flies over Baekhyun’s head and out the building. “I liked all those guys you set me up with. I always had fun,” Sehun continues slowly, like he wants to make sure Baekhyun can catch up. “But I always had more fun during our little dinners,” Baekhyun holds his breath. “And at the end of the day, I always liked you more.”

Baekhyun wonders if this conversation is actually happening or if it's just some wicked dream, although the cool surface of his glass and warmth that blooms at his nape are telling enough.

“I kept an open mind, I thought maybe you’d eventually pair me with someone who I’d have more fun with, who I could be better with,” Sehun huffs out a laugh. “But that never happened. I think...at the back of my mind, I knew no one could be more fun, no one could be better than you.”

“Sehun,” Baekhyun starts, and he feels himself start to smile because the more he thinks about it, the more it makes sense.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know the rules, so I’m really sorry if I crossed the line. I guess that’s why I waited to talk to you about this outside of work,” Sehun says and takes another huge sip of his drink. "And I just wanted you to know it's not because you're bad at your job. You're so good," Nothing left but melting ice. “It’s not...I’m not expecting you to like me back, Baekhyun. I just,” Sehun laughs again and presses his palms to his cheeks. He’s not blushing, but Baekhyun can feel the heat radiating off him and wonders when they got so close, wonders at what point their ankles started to brush against each other. “Sorry, sorry. Am I being silly? Is this silly?”

Baekhyun blinks, replays the words in his mind. Considers. “Wait. Liked as in past tense?”

“Oh my god. That’s what you picked up on?” Sehun whines. His hands slide up to hide more of his face, eyes shy as he gazes at Baekhyun through his fingers. His voice is so soft that Baekhyun nearly misses it when he whispers, “I still like you.”

Baekhyun doesn’t even try to stop the grin that splits across his face, boxy and wide. “You’re very cute,” he holds Sehun’s wrists to pull them away from his face, softens his mouth to a smile when their eyes meet. “Hello.”

Sehun looks at Baekhyun and gives him the tiniest smile, heat high on his cheekbones and lips bitten red. It’s a world of a difference from the usual unbothered face, the cheeky grin, the bitchy slant in his brow.

Baekhyun likes it.

“Can I kiss you?” Sehun asks softly, shy and sweet.

Baekhyun kisses him instead.

↻

Baekhyun stumbles into the kitchen the next morning, only to find Chanyeol cooking what seems to be a breakfast feast: pancakes with whipped cream and berries on the side, a stack of bacon and runny eggs, milk bread ready for the toaster, tons of coffee. It looks delicious, and it also looks like it’s meant for more than just the two of them.

Suddenly, Baekhyun is all too aware of the unfamiliar pair of shoes by their front door, the belt and jacket too big to be Baekhyun’s strewn over the back of the couch—

“Good morning, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol sing-songs as he pours some batter into the pan.

“Good morning,” Baekhyun says warily. He walks towards their little coffee nook because he’s going to need caffeine to deal with whatever Chanyeol is about to throw at him.

“What a beautiful day, right?” Chanyeol says sweetly. Then, right down to business: “Did you have sex last night?”

Baekhyun glances at the wall clock: nine in the morning. He exhales heavily.

“Depends,” he says. “How much did you hear?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Chanyeol says. “Thank you for those noise cancelling headphones, by the way.”

Baekhyun snorts before reaching for his usual mug.

“You can thank me by not asking me questions anymore.”

In his peripheral, he spots the cute yellow mug he usually saves for special occasions. His fingers itch.

“That’s no fun,” Baekhyun can hear the pout in Chanyeol’s voice. “We’re bestest friends, we’re supposed to share all our secrets.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, pours himself some coffee, reaches for the sugar.

“Can I guess?” Chanyeol asks, determined as ever. It’s one of his more notable qualities, except for when it works against Baekhyun.

“No.”

“Was it Sehunnie?” Chanyeol guesses anyway, throwing Baekhyun a sly look over his shoulder.

“You are annoying,” Baekhyun says, but doesn’t stop him. Out of curiosity.

"He got back from his trip last night," Chanyeol nods towards the general direction of where the shoe rack is. “And I know his shoe size and brand preference,” he says, like it’s normal information to impart. He’s also so casual about it that Baekhyun is equal parts impressed and concerned.

“Okay, weirdo,” Baekhyun says as he stirs more sugar into his coffee. When he looks up, Chanyeol’s eyes are stupidly wide. “What?”

“Holy shit. You didn’t deny it. Like, at all,” Chanyeol turns to point an accusing spatula at him, ignoring the pancake batter that drops to the floor. “I was just teasing, but like...you really brought Sehun home?”

“Damn,” Baekhyun only sighs. He really should have known. He gets dick-drunk for one night and look where he is now. A tragic gay fallen prey to Chanyeol’s dumb mind games. He walks over to Chanyeol's station. “You’re gonna burn the pancakes.”

“Baek,” Chanyeol says. It’s one syllable but it’s enough to drive his point across. Like, come on.

No point in denying it, Baekhyun supposes.

“Yes, Chanyeol. I slept with your friend last night.” Baekhyun says. He considers mentioning how it was so good, he nearly astral-projected into another dimension, but he thinks better of it. Maybe not in front of the food. “Happy?”

“Extremely,” Chanyeol grins, flips a pancake. He looks at Baekhyun, lets his grin soften to a small smile. “Sehun is a good kid, I like him.”

Baekhyun scrunches his nose. “He is an adult,” Baekhyun says. “And he also happens to be your boss.”

“Different department, so he’s not my boss,” Chanyeol tuts, he nudges his hip to Baekhyun's side. “I’m just saying. I like him, and I like you. I like you both.”

“That sounds awfully romantic,” Baekhyun accuses and narrows his eyes at Chanyeol’s profile. “Thought you didn’t want to fuck me?”

“That is correct,” Chanyeol says, completely unperturbed by Baekhyun’s snipes.

They stay quiet for a moment, leaning into each other while watching the pancakes bubble in the pan. Baekhyun can’t stop thinking about Sehun like he didn’t just have him, like he isn’t just sleeping in his bed, like he isn't just a room away.

“Chanyeollie,” he says softly, smiling to himself because he can’t help it, can’t keep the warmth from spilling over and washing over him. Magma to lava. “I like him.”

“That’s cute,” Baekhyun looks up, and Chanyeol is smiling too. Then, because he’s Chanyeol Park, he ruins the moment immediately. “Do I get a referral fee, then?”

“Bye,” Baekhyun groans, shoving at Chanyeol before grabbing his coffee. “I’m going back to bed.”

If he rushes, it’s only to escape Chanyeol’s annoying cackling — tell Sehunnie breakfast will be ready soon! — and not to hide the other mug of coffee he brings with him. Bright yellow.

↻

Sehun is awake when Baekhyun gets back, still looking like a vision even with sleep sitting heavy in his eyes and pillow marks on his cheek. He sits up when Baekhyun slides in next to him, revealing planes of what used to be unmarked skin.

Baekhyun made sure to change that last night. 

"Good morning," Sehun rubs his eyes, makes a sleepy noise. “Coffee?”

"Morning," Baekhyun hands Sehun his mug. "Yeah, some coffee."

"Perfect," Sehun grins blearily at Baekhyun, uses his free hand to cup the back of Baekhyun's neck and pull him in for a kiss. He's still smiling when he pulls away. "Good morning."

Baekhyun laughs. "I think you're still half asleep."

"Yeah, probably," Sehun groans and takes a sip of his coffee. He sighs happily and leans back against the headboard. "Man."

"Good, right?" Baekhyun scoots closer to lean against Sehun. It should be strange how quickly they transitioned to this dynamic, sharp and quick-witted to sticky sweet and subtle, but when Sehun leans closer and tangles their legs together under the blanket, Baekhyun can't deny how nice this feels. "This is nice."

"Isn't it?" Sehun hums in agreement. Then, easy as ever: "I like you."

He looks at Baekhyun with the warmest gaze, gentle and lovely and earnest, that Baekhyun has to take both their mugs and set them on the night table. Has to take Sehun's face in his hands and kiss him senseless, kiss him until their coffee turns cold.

I like you too.

↻

Eventually, they have to leave the room to eat breakfast with Chanyeol. And Baekhyun really should have known better than to expect breakfast to move smoothly.

It turns out that Chanyeol and Sehun in the same room are a force to be reckoned with.

“And I mean that in the worst way possible,” Baekhyun grumbles and scoops more eggs into his plate. “I cannot imagine what your office is like.”

“Different departments,” they say at the same time.

Baekhyun sighs. He supposes this is something he'll have to get used to. He looks over to Sehun, still sweet and soft with sleep, and thinks that he can make room for him here more often.

And then: “Baekhyun has a hyung kink,” Sehun tells them casually as he reaches for more pancakes.

“What the hell, Sehun,” Baekhyun barks and flicks a blueberry at him. He definitely does not feel the heat rise up to his cheeks. “I do not!”

“Dude, I fucking knew it,” Chanyeol says. And Baekhyun supposes he can see how Chanyeol and Sehun get along so well — they both revel in his shame.

Sehun just laughs, leans over to smack a kiss on Baekhyun's cheek. Baekhyun makes a pleased noise and feeds Sehun another bite of breakfast. He does this mostly just to annoy Chanyeol, who just kicks Baekhyun while grumbling around a mouthful of bacon, but he can't complain about the cute honeyed look Sehun gives him as he chews.

“Any plans for today?” Chanyeol asks when they've settled again.

“I dunno,” Baekhyun says just as Sehun smiles brightly, straightening up in his seat like an excited pup.

“I’m taking him out,” he says happily. Under the table, he nudges his foot against Baekhyun’s.

“Ooh, like a date?” Chanyeol coos, pointing his forked pancake between them with a stupid grin on his face.

“Yeah,” Sehun says, eyes never leaving Baekhyun. “A date date.”

Baekhyun blinks, feels a blush starting at the tip of his nose. “You are?”

“I mean. I’d really like to,” Sehun says softly. “Can I?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun crosses their ankles together and offers Sehun a smile. “Yeah.”

“How do you feel about food trucks?” Sehun asks. “No offense, but I could take a break from being wined and dined.”

Baekhyun grins. "You're very simple, aren't you?"

"So I've been told," Sehun leans in to press a kiss to Baekhyun's mouth. Nothing to it.

“Damn, you guys are cute,” Chanyeol sighs dreamily, resting his chin on his palm as he watches them. Baekhyun feels Chanyeol’s foot nudge at where his and Sehun’s legs are tangled together. “How about you set me up too?”

Baekhyun throws a dirty dishrag at him.

↻