Chapter Text
The crisp, auburn leaves started to sway gently in the cool breeze. For the artist, it was the perfect time to reflect on his next work of art. He sat upright in his chair, took a sip of his coffee, and looked at his surroundings. Everything was how he imagined Paris would be – and more. The bustling city, warm lights, and desirable French women left and right sounded inviting enough to go astray, but Chanyeol’s dreams were far stronger than his cravings for worldly things
It was the start of the semester and he planned to ace every class he attended; after all, he worked hard to achieve this scholarship to the most prestigious art university in France.
While there are those with specialities in painting and sketching, Chanyeol was gifted with transforming marbles into intricately carved sculptures. He has a mini collection, a portfolio you could say, of his masterpieces neatly lined up on the top of his shelf.
He stood up and looked at his watch; it was half-past nine. If he wanted to impress his professors, the least he could do is be prompt for class. Within minutes, he reached the campus and hurriedly searched for his room.
“I wonder where room 327 is?” he muttered to himself while standing in the middle of the corridor, schedule in hand.
A soft voice suddenly spoke up, “Do you need help with anything?”
He looked around and saw a boy in round-rimmed glasses as round as his eyes. He blinked twice. “Y-yes. I’m a bit lost. Do you happen to know where room 327 is?”
The boy dressed in a simple shirt and jeans looked at the paper in his hand and raised a brow, “Well, hello classmate.” He tilted his head up and let out a big grin.
“That’s my first class. Let’s walk together then?”
Chanyeol stared at him for a while before grasping the situation. He nodded and shoved the wrinkled piece of note in his backpack.
The petit one extended his hand, “I’m Kyungsoo, by the way.”
“The name’s Chanyeol,” he smiled and shook the boy’s hand. “So, you’re a freshman, too?”
Kyungsoo nodded.
The statuesque guy smiled from ear to ear. “Great. At least I know one person inside this huge campus.”
They walked the hallway for a few minutes and stood right in front of room 327. “Here we are.”
Hours passed by and classes were finally finished. Kyungsoo got up his seat and immediately left before Chanyeol could call for him. He furrowed his brows in confusion, quickly put his books inside his bag, and rushed out the door to catch the evening shuttle heading to the city.
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“One caramel macchiato for Baekhyun,” Chanyeol announced glancing at customers to see if anyone would stand up.
No one.
He repeated the order and stretched his neck further to gaze at those across the café he worked at.
“That will be me,” says a light-haired man donning a suede trench coat and a scarf made of cashmere.
Baekhyun’s eyes widened when his fingers brushed against Chanyeol’s skin.
His eyes flickered but the other man didn’t notice it. Not one bit.
He tried so hard to maintain a strong façade, but he couldn’t help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as he watched the other happily serve him his hot coffee.
The leaves outside seemed to have fallen in a slower manner, more gracefully in the background.
“Sir?” Chanyeol quipped and politely motioned Baekhyun to move aside, glancing at the forming line behind him.
“Oh, my apologies. I didn’t know I was standing here for quite a while now.”
“It’s no problem, sir. One tall brewed Americano for Yuri.”
Baekhyun moved aside, swallowing the lump that has formed in his throat due to the embarrassment he felt. Before he left the café to head to his favourite bookstore, he gave one short glance at Chanyeol and sighed.
“What a beauty.”
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It was four in the afternoon and Chanyeol now knows how to go to room 327. As he sat down, he looked around to find the charming boy with big round eyes – but he was nowhere to be found. He bit his lip out of anxiousness and whispered to himself, “it’s been three days…”
“Hey what’s bothering you?” a female’s voice echoed in his ear.
“Oh hey, Somi,” he turned around to face her. “It’s just, I haven’t seen Kyungsoo for a while and I’m just worried that something may have happened to him.”
The girl scrunched her nose, “Kyungsoo? I don’t think I’ve met him.”
Chanyeol sat up straight with his eyes and lips slowly quivering. “What do you mean? Like, there’s no student with that name here? He’s about 5”8 tall, has really round, owl-like eyes.”
Somi tilted her head and asked their other classmates, “No one has ever heard of him...unless that person is a ghost!” she laughed and smacked his arm lightly, “I was
kidding, maybe he’s sick or dropped out even.”
He bit his lips and stared at Kyungsoo’s seat. “Was he real or was he just a part of my imagination?”
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It was already midnight but he had some studying to do. He browsed the aisles of the bookstore, his mind preoccupied. “Was Kyungsoo real or not?” He was lost in thought when he suddenly fell.
“Ow!” the man seated on the floor blurted out. “Watch where you’re going!”
Chanyeol’s ears went red as he strayed to apologise profusely. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you down there. I wasn’t focused on— hey, you’re familiar.”
The man plopped on the carpet stood up and dusted off the back of his suede trench coat, “Hello, stranger.”
“Hello, Mr Baekhyun.”
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