Byun Baekhyun

The happiest birthday to our beagle puppy, the bearer of light and our genius idol. Happy Birthday Baekhyun, serve well, stay safe and come back healthy and happy ✨🤍

We will wait for you ✨🤍
- Nyxessa -

It has been a week since Baekhyun and Chanyeol have had that fateful meet up with Yixing and found out that the money, that had paid Changnam's, in lack of another name Baekhyun is stuck with calling the man, that did nothing but lie to him, still with a name that is probably not his real one and it causes a sour feeling in him, fake parents, had come from a rather big company, Eve Pharmaceuticals.

Baekhyun is familiar with the company, as a geneticist, he is very much informed about the big players in his work surroundings, but it is not like he can say anything about it, he never really had contact with that particular corporation.

It has also been a week since the three of them had realized that they can't get more information from the outside, which means they have to get inside. Or more they had to get a person that they trust inside since Baekhyun himself obviously can't do it as well as Chanyeol. Them appearing would just be a pretty big gamble, the risk to be identified and therefore get their motives leaked too big so to speak, not to mention that they both have full-time jobs to attend.

In the end, Chanyeol had come up with a person, who would be suitable for that job.

Even though that person himself had been not euphoric, once the taller asked him to help.

Sehun, Chanyeol's roommate which Baekhyun had met shortly before, is currently unemployed and in the first place, owes Chanyeol a favor, which is probably the reason why he eventually gave in. He nearly dropped out again though as he heard what he maybe would have to do.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol eventually introduced the whole mess of a situation that is going on to the black-haired male with the stoic expressions when Chanyeol had come up with him, which had been quite a thing in the first place because the taller had to ensure the smaller multiple times that they could trust Sehun, which Baekhyun didn't do in the first place and still doesn't entirely. If it had been not for Chanyeol's mark deep trust in Sehun, Baekhyun would have never said yes. Said young man had taken the information with a lifted eyebrow and a comment of "What the fuck did you get yourself into, Yeol?" to the tallest and Baekhyun had wanted to scoff at the younger in annoyance. After that, Yixing explained to Sehun what he would need the other to do, which had the younger frowning even more.

Sehun's job would be to get the password of an administrator of the server system or even better, one of the people that is the root of the system, for which he had two options.

First one, get a keylogger on the target's computer. A keylogger is kind of a background program that saves every password the user puts down, the problem in that though is that Sehun would have to get on the unlocked computer to put such a program on it, they could try to sneak it in as a document, but Yixing wants to do this with as fewer traces as possible. Because if they get caught, they are quite literally fucked. Another problem is also trying to extract the right password for the server then and get access to the keylogger in the first place. Not to say that they will leave at least some traces since Sehun has no fucking clue of hacking and deleting his digital footprints.

This is why the IT specialist prefers the second option a lot.

The second option is, as Yixing would call it, the weak link of every computer system. The human that uses it or more administrates it. Every person has a certain thinking pattern, a certain way of deciding how to name things or, which is important in this case, choose passwords. And if one understands the way of thinking you can kind of conclude which kind of passwords a human would choose.

Which is what Yixing wants Sehun to do.

Get close to an administrator in the company, wrap him or her around his fingers with his pretty smile and stunning looks, get to know the victim, and lastly from there on analyzing with the help of Yixing of course, who kind of seems to have experience with such things as Baekhyun couldn't help to suspect, the password.

After getting access to the account of one of the admins or the root, Yixing would make Sehun an admin as well, grant himself unrestricted access to the data that is located in the server system and search for information about Changnam or the payment that had happened, before deleting his traces and remove his rights once again. Sehun would remain in the company for another month to not draw suspicion on him before leaving again.

Baekhyun finds the plan pretty good, well thought out but Sehun had been and is probably still not enthusiastic about it.

And if he could believe Chanyeol's words, Sehun's boyfriend, whose name apparently is Junmyeon, was even less a fan of that.
....

Whenever Baekhyun met up with the taller the following days after the meeting, the café owner would complain about the couple fighting over the issue or have very very loud angry sex and/or even louder make-up sex, which drew a lot of sleep from the man with the giant ears. Baekhyun couldn't help but find the whining a bit cute though.

It had been a few days before Sehun had eventually told them that he would do it. Junmyeon had been still very much against it but Sehun had been able to convince him. Why the young man with striking looks did that, Baekhyun still could not really grasp, but Chanyeol had just shrugged with a soft smile on his face, one Baekhyun had never seen on Changnam but which appears quite often on the giant's face.

"He knows he is our only option." The taller had muttered with a kind of lost, indifferent expression before turning to look at Baekhyun with those chocolate brown eyes that the smaller finds so intriguing. "Sehun is a good guy."

What the other wanted to tell Baekhyun with that, the smaller still don't quite understand because, of course, he understood the words but the kind of deeper meaning that stood behind them, swinging in Chanyeol's deep, raspy beautiful voice, had been something he couldn't quite grasp. Baekhyun doesn't know what the total amount of things had been that Chanyeol had implied with those words but he knows that they are full of meaning, warmth, and full of trust, and loyalty.

This is why Baekhyun had eventually allowed himself to have some confidence in the black-haired male as well. Yes, he may not trust Sehun entirely, but he trusts Chanyeol and his judgment. And it seems like Chanyeol would trust Sehun with his life.

Sehun had applied for a job at Eve Pharmaceuticals as an administrative worker the day after and since then, they were left to wait.

Left to wait, if Sehun would be accepted and until that happens, there is nothing else left to do for the team of six people by now, Chanyeol and Baekhyun as the main involved ones and Minseok, Jongdae, Sehun, and Yixing as their accomplices.

And it is driving Baekhyun nuts.

This is why he finds himself once again on the way to the Firelight café in his lunch break in hope that Chanyeol might have good news for him.

The autumn air is full of the rain of the morning and the streets are still wet, the sun is shining from the sky though, clouds covering the weak streaks from time to time and the wind is blowing quite strongly, which is why Baekhyun wraps his coat tighter around himself with a shiver as he walks around the last corner, the sign of the café, his determination, a few meters away.

His stomach grumbles and Baekhyun can't help but be excited for a cup of hot coffee by Chanyeol or the hot, bronze-skinned barista, Jongin, which Baekhyun caught more than once throwing longing gazes at the stoic looking cook, who regularly brought in the sweet that was then being sold.

Nodding to the security guard, who reciprocates the gesture, Baekhyun takes the door handle in his hand and pulls just to be welcomed by the mouth-watering scent of coffee, cake, and other delicacies, which makes his insides warm.

Stepping into the beautiful café, Baekhyun nods at Jongin with a grin, who stands behind the counter with a soft smile on his pretty face and his green apron, before taking a seat at one of the tables near the window and just as he is slipping out of his jacket, he notices the waiter appearing at his table still grinning brightly.

"Hello Baekhyun-sshi, what can I bring you today?" The younger male asks friendly, honey-like voice smooth and soft and Baekhyun can't help but grin at the formalities.

"You can call me Hyung if you want to, Jongin-ah, no need to be so formal." The older snickers amused, taking the happy twinkle in the other's eyes with a swell of his heart as well as the happy grin that the other sends his way alongside a tiny nod. "I would die for one of Kyungsoo-yah's ham and cheese sandwiches, a bottle of water, and an americano, please, if that is possible."

"Sure, hyung, I will arrange it," Jongin says, writing the order down on his notebook, before granting Baekhyun with another one of his sweet smiles. "I suspect you want to talk to the boss as well, right?"

Baekhyun can't help but feel a slight blush appear on his cheeks as he nods a bit hesitant. Is it so obvious that he comes here to talk to Chanyeol? Well, probably, he has been here every day for the last fucking week, even though the reason is probably totally different from what Jongin suspects it to be. Baekhyun is here to hear if Sehun got in. Nothing else of course.

Nothing else.

"I will get him then." The younger chirps are good-natured. "I will be back in a second!" With one last blinding smile, Jongin turns around and leaves, Baekhyun follows him with his eyes until the other disappears in the 'Employees only'-area.

Hanging in his realm of thoughts, Baekhyun lets his eyes drift through the room and lastly to the street in front of the window. He watches how the cars pass by, watches how the wind blows colored leaves over the asphalt and he can't help but sigh in a mixture of melancholy and longing, even though he doesn't know what exactly he is longing for, his mind empty, just letting the world rain and its little effects down on him. He feels like his mind should be running, memories should be flashing in front of his eyes because of the way he feels but nothing, his head is just blank of any thought, but still, he feels...kind of empty.

He wonders why, in the last weeks, the weeks where he investigated and searched for evidence with Chanyeol had made him feel more alive than he had felt the last two years. And what surprises him, even more, is the fact that there is still this hole in his chest, this abyss which he always knew had been there but never had quite given attention to and Baekhyun asks himself how he could endure it all these years because since he had met Chanyeol he got more and more aware of it by every day that passes. And he got more and more annoyed by it.

He is annoyed and angry that someone he loved so much but did nothing but lie to him has left such a big hole in him and to his surprise, Baekhyun feels the need to fill it, to close it for the first time since the other had died. For the first time in his life, Baekhyun gets the feeling that he wants to fill the hole that Changnam left in him with something different.

The sound of scratching over the floor brings him back to reality and he wipes his head around to find Chanyeol sitting down in front of him, wearing a sweater, fitting for the weather outside, warm brown hair a bit messy from probably having ruffled through it multiple times.

Baekhyun has caught him doing that quite often. It is one of the things Changnam never used to do and that separates the other so much from his late husband.

"Hi." Chanyeol eventually greets, deep dark voice sounding amused while a soft smirk appears on his plump lips, showing one of his dimples and Baekhyun can feel his heart make a jump at the sight. The other looks so young like this, boyish almost, even though Baekhyun knows that the other is the same age as him. "Here again?"

Baekhyun chuckles softly at that comment, grinning softly while playing with his long, lean fingers. "You shouldn't be surprised by now, I came here every day for the last week you should expect it by now."

"I do." Chanyeol grins back, leaning against the back of the chair with a lazy grin before dragging his fingers through his hair. "You are later today than usual, I already felt like starving."

"You waited for your lunch break because of me?" Baekhyun asks surprised, frowning slightly. "Why that?"

"I figured.." Chanyeol sighs out, leaning forward again and watching how Jongin comes their way with two cups, the food, and a bottle of water on it. "..if I have to interrupt work because of you anyways then I could at least eat during that."

"So you want to eat lunch with me?" Baekhyun asks curious and a bit flabbergasted, not able to help himself but feel the fluttering feeling in his stomach with a frown. He doesn't know why that makes him feel strange or surprises him, he understands Chanyeol's argumentation, but he just can't help himself. It makes him feel kind of giddy.

"If it doesn't bother you," Chanyeol answers with a soft hum, eyes directed at Jongin that has reached them by now, granting his employee with one of his dimple showing grins before taking the drinks and food from the younger and putting it in front of Baekhyun and himself.

"Of course not," Baekhyun mumbles back, feeling kind of embarrassed and still not exactly getting why, looking at his food before he takes a sip of his coffee, which was not the best idea because it is not drinking temperature yet and is therefore burning his tongue. Coughing and hissing softly in reaction he nearly doesn't catch Chanyeol chuckle in front of him. He looks up at the taller male.

"Is my pain a reason of amusement for you?" Baekhyun deadpans, feeling how his cheeks turn slightly pink in embarrassment, sounding probably more gruff than intended to but Chanyeol seems to catch that the intention behind Baekhyun's words had been not as bad as it sounded, judging by his smile.

"No, it is just that you look quite adorable when scrunching your face." The taller teases smugly, dimples on full display as he blows at his coffee. "It was not my intent to make fun of your injury."

Baekhyun scoffs at that, looking at his food to hide the blush that he can feel on his cheeks right now. Adorable, he? Who does Chanyeol think he is? Clearing his throat he decides to change the topic from his cheeks to the reason why he is here. "Has Sehun heard anything from the company yet?"

"No," Chanyeol answers swiftly, apparently catching Baekhyun's move in changing the topic without another comment and Baekhyun is grateful for that, while taking his meal in his hands. "Not yet, but Yixing said that it will take a few days up to a week until we get news, so don't be disheartened." There is some comfort swinging in the other's voice and Baekhyun doesn't know how to feel about it.

"I am not disheartened." He mumbles back, taking his sandwich to take a bite since his stomach is very much grumbling by now and he can't stop a sigh of delight dropping from his lips as the taste of ham, melted cheese, and sandwich cream spreads on his buds. Chanyeol chuckles at that.

"Good?" The taller asks with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, a deep voice sounding soft and Baekhyun nods, taking another bite. "I will tell Soo then."

"Please do that," Baekhyun mumbles back, mouth full with food, worshipping the delicious taste of the food on his tongue. "To not switch topic though, I am not disheartened."

Chanyeol's eyebrow shoots up at that in curiosity, eyeing Baekhyun attentively before taking a bite of his food. "You are not?"

"Why should I?" Baekhyun asks back, setting his food down to take a sip of his water, having decided to give the coffee some time to cool down. "Our plan is good and the position is not paid as much as you get paid in other companies for similar work so I am not worried."

Chanyeol hums at that in understanding, before inspecting Baekhyun up and down with a judging look, while taking another bite. "Why are you looking so unsettled then?"

Baekhyun frowns in confusion, chewing slower because he can't quite get what Chanyeol is aiming at. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." The taller starts again, wiping a few crumbs of the bread off his lips and Baekhyun can't stop himself from getting stuck on them for a millisecond before he manages to avert his eyes back to the other's brown ones. "...that you kind of look, I don't know, uneasy."

Baekhyun frowns at that in thought, thinking about the other's words why he takes another bite, looking out of the window. Does he feel uneasy? Or disheartened? He doesn't think so. Maybe...

"I don't know..." He mumbles, chewing a bit before directing his eyes at Chanyeol again, who watches him attentively. "I don't feel bad just strange."

"Why, if you don't mind me asking," Chanyeol answers, taking a sip of his coffee, his brown eyes never leaving Baekhyun's which makes a warm shiver run through the smaller's body.

"I guess..." Baekhyun starts eventually after a few seconds of how to start, thinking about the feeling of his belly that has been there for a few days now, voicing out his thoughts while he speaks. "I guess I just feel restless. I want to know why, you know..." He takes in the last bite, chewing on it thoughtfully. "..I feel like I deserve the truth and I am not the most patient person there is, so I guess having to wait for it just makes me...skittish.."

"...because it forces you to think about all of the things he said to you?" Chanyeol concludes the sentence, purposely avoiding the name of Changnam. He hasn't said that name voluntarily ever since they have found out what his late husband had been hiding of Baekhyun. The other looks earnest and understanding and it got Baekhyun thinking, as he takes the cup of coffee in his hand which is finally drinking temperature.

"Maybe..." He mumbles, taking a sip and the bitter taste of coffee fills his nubs making him hum. He has to admit that the coffee of Chanyeol's café is way better than the one he gets at work. "...I guess it makes me realize what huge part of myself I dedicated to him, even after his death. And it kind of annoys me, I think."

"That is good," Chanyeol says in response sounding kind of tight and it is no surprise to Baekhyun that Chanyeol has no fond feelings towards his dead husband. "Maybe that gives you the chance to finally go on."

"Yeah," Baekhyun answers softly, feeling something strange as hope well up in his chest at those words. Go on...leaving it behind...if someone had told that Baekhyun a month ago he would have probably slapped the other but now... it does not only feel possible but also finally like something he wants. "I think that would be a step forward."

"I think it would be good for you," Chanyeol answers softly, taking a sip of his coffee having finished his food. "Regardless of what reasons he had to do this, if it was planned, if he had bad or good intentions, you deserve to live a happy life, Baek."

Baekhyun feels a wave of comfort and warmth run through him at that words and he watches Chanyeol attentively, letting his eyes wander over the other's earnest but soft and reassuring expression, those brown eyes twinkling with something that Baekhyun never had seen on Changnam's eyes. Is it...compassion?

He is not sure but as he loses himself in those brown eyes he can't help but wonder how it would have been if he had met Chanyeol instead of Changnam. The other's presence those past weeks had given him so much comfort, so much confidence, more than he had felt in the last two years, and if he is honest to himself, even before that. Before he felt like a fawn that was tumbling on wobbly legs through the world, totally helpless, just following where the wind took him. Changnam hadn't been unsupportive of the things Baekhyun did, no, his husband had been reassuring him often but in contrast to Chanyeol's way of doing it almost seems dishonest in hindsight.

Somehow the way Chanyeol says those things and words touches his heart, his soul, not only his head. It almost feels as if Baekhyun is a plant and Chanyeol is watering him, giving him strength.

Baekhyun can almost feel how the taller means everything he is saying by heart.

And he does not doubt that he does. Chanyeol is just such a type of person.

A good man. A truly nice guy.

And he can't help but wonder what influence it would have had if he had met him earlier.

"We will see." He eventually mumbles absentmindedly, finally managing to rip his eyes of Chanyeol to finish his cup of coffee. "Thank you still though."

"No need to thank me." The taller mumbles back, eyeing Baekhyun attentively, while playing with the mug. "I mean every word of it."

"I know." The smaller mumbles with a soft smile that comes from deep inside his chest where he feels kind of warm because of the other's words and they fall into a comfortable silence, just looking at each other while hanging in their thoughts.

Well, at least until Chanyeol breaks it, clearing his throat, averting his eyes and Baekhyun thinks that he can catch the other's ears being slightly red.

"Anyways I...I have to get back to work as much as I enjoy our conversations." The taller eventually mumbles, standing up to collect the stuff, turning to look at Baekhyun with a fond expression, looking beautiful and Baekhyun can't help but be astonished once more at how much he can SEE Chanyeol nowadays and not Changnam in the taller. The more Baekhyun spends time with the taller the more he finds himself thinking, that Chanyeol looks nothing like Changnam even though the two look so much alike that it is nearly scary. "See you tomorrow?" A smug smile appears on the taller's lips and the smaller can't help but grin amused.

"Sure." He answers simply, stretching the cup out to Chanyeol who takes it wordlessly. "But only when you eat lunch with me."

"I think that is arrangeable." The taller chuckles, winking teasingly before turning around, leaving Baekhyun alone at the table with his thoughts about Chanyeol and his ways of warming his heart in comfort, that he thought wasn't there anymore.

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Baekhyun doesn't have to wait until the next day's lunchtime though to hear of the taller again, because as he wakes up in his bed the next morning, eyes fuzzy and hair disheveled he has a message from the taller.

It contains one line, but that is enough to make his heart race in his chest.

Park Chanyeol: 'Sehun got in.'

Baekhyun gulps and he can't help but feel his heart starting to flutter in his chest in anticipation, excitement, and a bit of fear.

Because even though he wants to get to the bottom of this, even though he wants nothing more to know the truth behind all of this he can't shake off this feeling in his chest that feels tightening, almost choking.

The feeling that is telling him, that he is running headfirst into something dangerous.
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Author's note 📝

🤍✨~

Hello guys,

Happy Baekhyun Day to you all <3 The devil works hard but I work basically until I am restless hihi so here is the quick update for you~

What do you think? What is about to unfold next? What is Changnam hiding?

Anyways, please anticipate what my dear co-author blue_eyed_diamond has in store for you guys it is about to get a bit heartfelt <3

Bored? Give Let's Play Hide & Seek a try, I'm full-on writing Part Two at the moment, we are in the half and also I published another standalone work called ACT I: CAPTIVITY, which is finished as it is with Superpowers and action! GIve it a try and be ensured that it will be a wild ride :). Also, check out my co-author's books.

Hope to see you another time. Tell me if you liked what I wrote and what you think about it. :)

Greetings,
Author-nim Nyxessa
~✨🤍