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“Good morning, sunshine.”
Every morning, Chanyeol always greets Kyungsoo as if he’s the brightest thing the guy has seen on earth, toothy grin and eye-smiles as he trespass Kyungsoo’s personal space.
Kyungsoo always tries to hide his smile and keep his eyes close. It’s odd, because three years ago, it would have been Kyungsoo waking Chanyeol in his sleep, but age does things to Kyungsoo that it doesn’t to Chanyeol.
“Wake up!” Chanyeol’s hands make its way to Kyungsoo’s side, but Kyungsoo is quick to open his eyes, sit up and respond,
“I’m already awake.”
Chanyeol chuckles, music to Kyungsoo’s ears, and then ruffles his hair.
“What a sleepy sunshine.”
The action never fails to do things to Kyungsoo’s chest, and Kyungsoo pries Chanyeol’s hand away.
Sunshine? If there’s anything in this room that’s as bright as the sun, it would be Chanyeol— in his overly sized white shirt as if he’s not huge enough, with a toothy grin and wrinkles in his eyes that comes along with it— illuminating rays of light into the deepest trenches of Kyungsoo’s heart.
“You know we have to leave at 9, right?” Chanyeol smiles, too bright that Kyungsoo can barely look at him. “Get up, we have to finish early because my mom’s waiting for me!” He stands up, clapping his hands like a seal, obviously excited with the thought of spending time at home. “Wake yourself up with some coffee, alright?” He says, ruffling Kyungsoo’s bed hair before making his way to the bathroom.
Once the door is shut, Kyungsoo’s eyes land on the cup of coffee lying in his bed side table.
He smiles.
“Goodmorning, sunshine.” Kyungsoo mumbles, a quarter of his heart once again snatched by Chanyeol.
--
The sun is approximately one hundred forty-seven million kilometres away from the moon, Kyungsoo learned from his General Science teacher back in high school. Though, of course, that changes depending on the moon and earth’s orbit and stretches as far as one hundred fifty-two million kilometres. Kyungsoo thought that it was amazing how, despite the unimaginable distance, the sun can still lend some light to the moon and help it shine. He thinks that the sun is marvellous, and the moon should be thankful for it will be nothing but a dull orb floating in the sky if not for the sun.
Kyungsoo later associates himself and Chanyeol with his object of interest among heavenly bodies. Chanyeol was the sun, bright and warm, lighting up the dull Milky Way; and Kyungsoo was the moon, cold and dark, a dull ball floating in the universe.
“Hey!” Kyungsoo watches as Chanyeol paces through the living area, his presence practically lighting up the room. Sehun’s face lights up, even with no words leaving his lips, and Jongin sits up from his place at Sehun’s lap because here he is, their favorite hyung. Jongdae runs from the kitchen to give Chanyeol a bro hug as if he’s not seen him for months. Kyungsoo stays seated in the sofa bed, eyes witnessing how a weekend stay at his mother’s makes Chanyeol so missed.
And just like this, Kyungsoo becomes the moon yearning for the sun’s light.
Ever since his first day as a trainee, Chanyeol already stood beside Kyungsoo and pulled him in into his circle of friends, giving Kyungsoo things he wouldn’t have gotten alone. In interviews, events, and shows as EXO, Chanyeol purposely steps back and lets Kyungsoo into the spotlight, gives him the mic when he hadn’t spoken a word, suggests Kyungsoo for variety show-offs, fills in for awkward silences that Kyungsoo causes, and just— shines bright, so bright that some reflects in Kyungsoo’s way and Kyungsoo borrows some of it so he could sparkle and be as playful on stage as much as Chanyeol.
And Kyungsoo couldn’t help but to wish, that maybe one day he’d come close to the sun. It would burn him, send him into ashes, eat him alive, but Kyungsoo is just attracted to that bright thing. He decided to travel the light years between him and Chanyeol and maybe finally close the gap.
That is, until another star appeared in the form of Byun Baekhyun.
Steps are heard following Chanyeol. Baekhyun appears with three plastics of take-outs from Viva Polo and an oversized hoodie that is unmistakably Chanyeol’s. Chanyeol takes the take-outs from Baekhyun’s grip and places it the coffee table, Jongin immediately unwrapping the package that smelled like chicken. Sehun peers curiously, while Jongdae raises a malicious eyebrow.
“I thought Baekhyun is going to sleep at a friend’s house?” He cracks, slapping Chanyeol’s back. “So the friend is Chanyeol?”
Baekhyun laughs and slaps Chanyeol’s back as well, earning a small scream from the tall guy, before he slouches on the seat beside Jongin, across Kyungsoo. “Nah, that bitch Donghyun ditched me! Apparently his girlfriend called and who am I? What’s the point of being in EXO if his girlfriend can out-do me?” He whines with a pout, and then a smile. “Then I saw Chanyeol’s car at a stoplight and thought there’s no way I’m not having fun tonight.”
Chanyeol also settles down, taking the seat beside Kyungsoo. He gives Kyungsoo a small squeeze on the knee before tossing a throw pillow at Baekhyun. “You had fun— tormenting me.” And off they went to their little own world, telling tales from last night— playing video games, drinking soju, singing karaoke— and as they laugh comically at each other, Kyungsoo wonders if they are storytelling to the people in the living room or just among themselves, because there is too much inside joke that neither Kyungsoo nor Jongdae can comprehend.
Sehun starts a childish chant, “Marry him! Marry him!” when Jongdae points out how Baekhyun looked like a girlfriend in an oversized boyfriend shirt. Jongdae laughs and join along, while Minseok and Yixing, who had just entered the living room, join the chant without actually knowing why they were doing so. Jongin just munches the very few chicken meat he found in the pasta.
It’s just a silly act that they like to do, teasing one member into marrying another— Junmyeon and Kyungsoo had been victims before—and usually he’d just release a huff, but this childish play and the people involved tugs something at Kyungsoo’s chest, his heart squeezing on its own inside.
Chanyeol stands up from his seat and throws another pillow, this time at Jongdae, while Baekhyun just laughs, watching the two, a bright smile on his face. Kyungsoo can’t help but stare at him.
Baekhyun— Baekhyun is such a sun.
He was another bright thing that came without a warning, and he and Chanyeol just clicked. They just befriended each other a little too quickly, got too comfortable a little too quickly, relied on each other, all a little too quickly. Perhaps that’s what stars do— shine together, Kyungsoo realized as Chanyeol take a seat once again, this time beside Baekhyun, making the teasing chants louder, Minseok finally getting what this is about.
Kyungsoo had long since decided to just stare from afar and cast his brave ideas as absurdity.
Because Chanyeol is blinding, is beautiful, is everything Kyungsoo wished to be.
Because Chanyeol is the sun and Kyungsoo, the moon.
And they can never collide.
--
EXO-CD.O is a new sub-unit that SM is preparing after the delay of EXO’s comeback and the successful activities of EXO-CBX. The unit is more on RnB that will stray far away from EXO and EXO-CBX’s image and concept, as there will be little dance and more instruments. It will be composed of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo as members. Kyungsoo clapped his hands in happiness when he received the notice because he can’t imagine doing a sub-unit with anyone other than Chanyeol. Chanyeol, too, was so thrilled he even jumped and hugged Kyungsoo. If there was something that can make them collide, it would be their tastes in music.
Their debut is one week away, and they’re in the process of rerecording certain parts and continually practicing to achieve perfection. For the past three months, they’ve both been going to and leaving SM together every day, practicing together— doing practically everything together, and they’re even roommates. It’s good and bad at the same time; good because Kyungsoo likes spending time with Chanyeol, and bad because that means Kyungsoo will have to control his heart again, as if it wasn’t hard enough when they weren’t a sub-unit and Chanyeol was just endlessly clinging to Kyungsoo as his favorite friend.
“God, Kyungsoo, I’m so excited!” Chanyeol jumps at Kyugsoo once they finished practicing and perfecting their title song— Eclipse, a song written by Chanyeol. “I’m so excited, soo!” There he goes again, making Kyungsoo’s heart do backflips with that pet name of his as he traps the singer in between his large arms.
“Me too.” Kyungsoo says with a smile.
Then Chanyeol lifts Kyungsoo’s legs and carries Kyungsoo into his arms, bridal style, like he always liked to do. Chanyeol starts to run around the practice room and starts to scream, “AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!”
Kyungsoo is laughing and just letting Chanyeol carry him as they ran around the room, Adidas squeaking with the friction with the smooth floor, mirrors reflecting their silly faces. Chanyeol makes a full lap once, twice, and on the third time Kyungsoo already wants to stop and is wiggling his way out of Chanyeol’s arms. Exhaustion causes Chanyeol’s arms to give up and for his feet to trip, causing Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to both fall down on the floor.
Chanyeol abruptly sits up and asks Kyungsoo if he hurt anything, but Kyungsoo responds by asking Chanyeol back. They both erupt into laughter once they realize that both of them are fine.
Chanyeol is still laughing, still hovering above Kyungsoo, elbows supporting himself so he won’t weigh down on singer. If they were more careless and hurt themselves, they won’t hear the end of it from their manager, especially with their debut just six days from now. But Kyungsoo just becomes a lot less carefree with Chanyeol, agreeing to go with his antics.
And then, slowly, Chanyeol’s laugh fades as he realizes that Kyungsoo is staring from beneath him.
He stays hovering above Kyungsoo, though.
“Hey, soo.” He whispers in a low voice, and the air inside the practice room suddenly feels hot.
“Y— yea?” Kyungsoo tries hard to respond, frozen in his place.
Chanyeol doesn’t say anything afterwards, just continue staring at Kyungsoo with an intense gaze that burns into Kyungsoo’s skin. It’s hot— the room is too hot. Kyungsoo is in the middle of wondering if the air-condition had been fixed when all of the sudden Chanyeol’s eyes closes, lips already pressing against Kyungsoo’s.
Wait… What?
Kyungsoo’s mind is in a complete blur, unable to function as he stays even more frozen in his place.
Footsteps are heard approaching, and Chanyeol is shuffling away from Kyungsoo and standing up, leaving Kyungsoo lying on the floor.
“Pack your things, kids!” Kyungsoo hears their manager as he opens the door. After five years in the industry, he still calls them ‘kids’. “Uhhh.. Kyungsoo?” he asks when he notices Kyungsoo lying gown, and Kyungsoo quickly stands back to his feet.
“Y-yes, hyung.” He grabs his bag and trails after their manager, not sparing a glance at Chanyeol.
And the ride home was quiet.
--
The silent treatment stretches on for days. Kyungsoo still can’t fathom why Chanyeol would do that, and why he’s the one who suddenly stopped talking when it should have been Kyungsoo.
Maybe Chanyeol likes him, maybe he has a chance. Maybe the moon is also liked by the sun. Kyungsoo wants to hold on to that thought, to grip onto that speck of hope, but Chanyeol sleeping at Baekhyun’s room every night since that incident had stepped and smothered that fire in his heart.
It is three days of muted conversations when he notices Chanyeol slipping back to their room at midnight. The moon is full and serves as the only source of light in their dark room. Kyungsoo closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep as Chanyeol climbs to the top bunk.
Kyungsoo swallows a lump in his throat. He wants to talk, but can’t for the life of him form a sentence.
“Have you ever thought if the moon is thankful to the sun?” Chanyeol’s voice suddenly reverberate through the walls of the room. He must have known Kyungsoo is awake.
Shocked, Kyungsoo shifts from his position, staring at the bottom of the top bunk as if he can see Chanyeol from there. Chanyeol’s voice sounded a little foreign.
“Yes.” Kyungsoo answers, thinking that the moon has many debts to the sun.
He hears the Chanyeol’s sheets rustle, Chanyeol shifting in his position as well. “You’re like the sun, Kyungsoo. And I’m like the moon.” He says, and Kyungsoo sits up from his bed because, that’s not how it’s supposed to be.
Chanyeol continues anyway, “You’re too good, Kyungsoo, too talented, too dazzling. I can’t shine without you—”
“What are you talking about?” Kyungsoo interrupts.
“I’m sorry. For the kiss.” He apologizes, unfazed, and Kyungsoo’s blood suddenly feels hot just by remembering that incident. “I’m sorry the moon dared to collide with the sun.”
“Wait I don’t understand—“ Kyungsoo stands up and starts climbing the steel ladder leading to the top bunk. Chanyeol quickly sits up and covers his face with a pillow.
“Why did you have to climb? It was perfectly fine to talk without having to see your face.” Chanyeol says in muffled voice as Kyungsoo sits down at the corner of his bed.
Kyungsoo pulls the pillow away from Chanyeol and tosses it somewhere in the room. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying…” Chanyeol breathes. “I love you.” Kyungsoo’s heart jumps.
“And I’m perfectly aware that you don’t feel the same way. Don’t worry, I can get rid of my feelings” He smiles weakly. “The moon will just continue to admire the sun from afar.”
“You love me?” Kyungsoo asks, and Chanyeol looks at him like it’s impossible he wouldn’t know. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve always told you I love you.” Chanyeol states matter-of-factly, and Kyungsoo remembers how many times he did receive those words from Chanyeol, on or off screen, but tried to wave them of as nothing but friendly statements. It can’t be. He was so sure it meant nothing more than friendship. “You always avoid me every time I try to tell you.”
“No.” He breathes, astounded, “ I— I thought you liked Baekhyun? I’m avoiding you so I can save myself.” Kyungsoo huffs, exasperated. “Look, I’m the one who loves you, I’m the one who’s staring at you from afar, You’re the sun, I’m the moon, I’m the one can’t shine without—“
Kyungsoo pauses. Chanyeol is looking at him like he doesn’t make sense and maybe, he really doesn’t.
“You know what, whatever—“ He says, and then suddenly he’s pulling Chanyeol by the neck and kissing him, and before Chanyeol can register what is happening, Kyungsoo is already moving his lips against Chanyeol.
Then Chanyeol closes his eyes and follows Kyungsoo’s rhythm, hands making its way into Kyungsoo’s forearm. Their lips dance together, and Chanyeol is quite embarrassed how clumsy his movements are, but he dismisses it and pulls Kyungsoo closer as their kiss deepens.
Once they part for air, the questions start to come back to Chanyeol’s mind, and Kyungsoo looks at him like he has all the answers.
“I think we’re both idiots.” Kyungsoo shakes his head.
It was Jongin, Chanyeol explains later, it was Jongin who Chanyeol thought Kyungsoo liked. All the off-camera moments, all the loving stares as he scrolls pages and pages of Kyungsoo and Jongin’s pictures as gathered by fans made Chanyeol believe that it was real. Well, it looked real. And if there is someone who shines as bright as Kyungsoo, it would be Jongin. And so he decided to stay as his best friend and watch Kyungsoo from afar.
He writes in order to contain his feelings, in fact their title song— Eclipse— was written as a wish for him and Kyungsoo to collide. Although every now and then his feelings overflow and he says it out loud, but Kyungsoo responds by avoiding him for atleast two days.
Kyungsoo laughs and remembers how it was the same for him, but with Baekhyun. He knew that he and Chanyeol are almost always on the same wavelength, but gosh, they’re even the same in sun/moon analogy and assuming things which could lead to extreme results such as wasting five years.
“So…” Chanyeol tries to absorb everything. “we’re just… idiots. Aren’t we?” He asks in a dead tone.
Kyungsoo nods his head. He can’t believe they let so much time pass like this.
“So…” Chanyeol starts, hands fumbling in his bed in search for a pillow to cover his face, but all of them are long gone and thrown on the floor. “Are we—“
Kyungsoo doesn’t let him end his sentence and cuts him off with another kiss.
--
In rare occasions, the moon does meet the sun, well, atleast from earth’s perspective. It’s called a Solar Eclipse, a phenomena that happens when the moon aligns with the sun, and from earth, it looks like the sun and moon collides.
Maybe, Kyungsoo thinks, an eclipse has come to his life.
“Good morning, sunshine.” Chanyeol greets, hands already making its way to Kyungsoo’s side as always, and this time, Kyungsoo is a beat too late and Chanyeol actually succeeds in tickling Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo wiggles under his sheets. “Wake up!” Chanyeol laughingly screams.
“Okay!” Kyungsoo laughs, slapping Chanyeol’s hands away. “I’m awake! I’m awake!” He shouts, and Kyungsoo is about to argue that he’s not Chanyeol‘s sunshine, because Chanyeol is his sunshine, but he’ll keep his mouth shut, remembering their agreement that it didn’t matter, because both shine in their little own ways.
Chanyeol chuckles as Kyungsoo sits up from his bed, hair dishevelled from sleep. “It’s our day. EXO-CD.O will be born today!” He excitedly announces, as if Kyungsoo didn’t already know. Chanyeol hugs and squeezes Kyungsoo in his grip.
Kyungsoo smiles heartily, chin resting at Chanyeol’s shoulder. “I know,” he mumbles.
Then Chanyeol pulls away, both hands on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “Soo.” He says, and Kyungsoo’s heart does another backflip.
“Do you know what it’s called when the sun and moon meets in the sky?” He asks giddily.
Kyungsoo scoffs. That’s easy. He was just thinking about it earlier. “Eclipse.” He answers.
“No.” Kyungsoo’s brows furrow in confusion just as Chanyeol’s smile turns into a grin. Then Chanyeol shifts closer, pausing an inch away from Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo tries to pull away, but Chanyeol is not letting him. “T-Then what?”
Chanyeol closes the gap, pecks, and says, “A kiss.”