Work Text:
The company's Christmas party is going well. It's not anything loud, just how a normal (boring) corporate party would go. The place is nice, the jazz music at the back gives it a more homey feel. The decorations and the lightings are clear indications that it is, in fact, a Christmas party.
Baekhyun is having fun despite it all. He's had a couple of drinks and that's honestly his limit so now he's just having plain water as he watches his colleagues laugh around as they converse with each other. A group is even having a drinking game at a corner. Baekhyun loves games, he would have joined but his mind is saying he better not dig his own grave.
He had a chat with Jongdae and Chanyeol earlier but they left him at the bar alone a while ago to do god knows what and Baekhyun couldn't be bothered to join. He had come up with an excuse of being tired and it's partly true. He had just finished handling a big project yesterday and he can still feel the exhaustion coursing through his body.
However, the real reason he's staying here is because he's got a nice view of Kyungsoo from Finance, at the other end of the bar.
Kyungsoo has a really nice side profile. His jaws are square and sharp. He has a straight nose and a nice pair of long lashes. Baekhyun's trying not to be obvious, though, so he diverts his eyes elsewhere from time to time to not get caught staring. He's had a crush on Kyungsoo for close to 3 months now.
Baekhyun sighs. It's not like he hasn't made a move on the other. Kyungsoo is as oblivious as a teenage boy who hadn't gone through puberty. Or at least that's what Baekhyun thinks.
Kyungsoo hadn't shown any sort of reaction towards his advances. He could have made a face or something if he didn't like it? But he didn't. He had no expression or acknowledgement whatsoever. Baekhyun is getting a little frustrated to be frank.
He might just order more drinks at this point. He shouldn't, really, so he's now battling with his conscience whether to get wasted and stop thinking about Kyungsoo for a short while or get his shit together and not go to the trouble of nursing a really bad headache tomorrow morning on top of hearing Jongdae's incessant complaints over his self-control.
What he doesn't realize is someone's pulled the empty stool beside his and sat down on it. Before Baekhyun even has the time to react that someone is indeed sitting next to him, an arm drapes around his shoulder and makes its place there.
Baekhyun quickly turns his head to see who the intruder is and almost knocks the glass in his hand as he's met with Kyungsoo's face, staring straight at his own. Kyungsoo, his crush, a few centimetres away from his face, smirking. He's smirking at Baekhyun. Oh my god.
"Uh," Baekhyun blurts out. This must be a dream? An illusion? Has baekhyun actually drunk himself into oblivion and passed out? He's pretty sure he was still sober a minute ago.
"Why's such a handsome man sitting alone at the bar?" Baekhyun would have commented that Kyungsoo should speak for himself but he's too stunned at the... pick up line? What.
Baekhyun hastily backs away until Kyungsoo's arm falls off his shoulder and takes a good look at Kyungsoo. And okay so Kyungsoo is probably a tinsy bit drunk judging from his expression. He's smiling and his eyes look a bit unfocused.
Baekhyun wouldn't have pegged Kyungsoo as a flirty drunk. It sounds like something Baekhyun would be except he's not. Contrary to what people like to believe in, Baekhyun is actually a quiet drunk. He gets sleepy when he's drunk and treats the next person to him like they're his pillow.
This is a pleasant surprise.
Kyungsoo is still smiling at him. Baekhyun desperately tries to calm his beating heart. This is all too weird. Suddenly, though, Kyungsoo's hand moves up and he's pinching Baekhyun's cheek—
"You're actually really cute, Baekhyun," Kyungsoo coos. Baekhyun can feel his whole face heat up at the comment. What the. He's not used to having a person praise him like this. What more a crush. Kyungsoo at that, someone Baekhyun rarely sees even compliment anyone.
"I– don't... I'm... no?“ Baekhyun is a mumbling mess now and he knows it. This is dumb and confusing. He'd been trying to flirt with Kyungsoo for months and got nothing so why now...
Kyungsoo chuckles. "Can i buy you a drink?" Kyungsoo says instead. Baekhyun tries to calm down and get over the initial shock. This is ridiculous. Kyungsoo is ridiculous.
"It's on the company. This is a company party." Baekhyun tells him. Kyungsoo must be really drunk if he's this out of it. Baekhyun's face is still red but he's more confident now. If Kyungsoo is really flirting with him then this is his chance.
"Oopsie," Kyungsoo says. His face flushes a little but he doesn't sound embarrassed. "We could still have a chat, though?" He goes on. He extends his hands and holds Baekhyun's in a hopeful gesture.
How can baekhyun say no to that? so Baekhyun takes a seat, this time closer to Kyungsoo and talks to him about stuff he's always wanted to share with the other. Kyungsoo listens attentively and even gives his own input into their conversation.
Baekhyun briefly wonders if Kyungsoo is really drunk because the rest of the night, he sounds completely sober while they talk and Baekhyun dreads the next morning in case Kyungsoo forgets all about it.
☆
Baekhyun doesn't see Kyungsoo until after new year's when he goes back to work. After the party, he had a week long block leave so he hadn't gotten to meet Kyungsoo all this while.
Baekhyun is anxious to see Kyungsoo. His routine before that night had always been to visit the Finance Department on the way to his own cubicle and had a small talk with Sehun before passing by Kyungsoo's desk to flirt with him.
Kyungsoo had always just hummed at whatever Baekhyun had to say to him without looking up. Sometimes he would look up but his face was blank. Baekhyun always left feeling slightly dejected at never being noticed.
Today, however, things might change. If Kyungsoo had remembered that night, he would have acknowledged Baekhyun's existence right? They were getting, dare he say, closer? at the party. Baekhyun is hopeful, that maybe Kyungsoo's flirting that night was a manifestation of his own feelings towards Baekhyun.
Baekhyun takes a deep breath and makes his way to the Finance Department to go about his usual routine. As he arrives there, Sehun's nowhere to be found. Baekhyun looks around in confusion before he remembers that Sehun's on leave until the day after tomorrow because he's still in China for a vacation.
Baekhyun is nervous. He thought he could prolong seeing Kyungsoo by talking to Sehun for a while and maybe longer than he usually did to calm his nerves. Seeing as Sehun isn't here, his plan is ruined.
Baekhyun takes a peek at Kyungsoo's cubicle. The latter is drinking his to-go cup of Starbucks coffee and booting his computer to start his work.
Baekhyun decides to just man up and go to Kyungsoo and act like he usually does and see how Kyungsoo reacts this time.
"Good morning, Kyungsoo! Looking dashing today, just like every other day," Baekhyun says with his most dazzling smile. Kyungsoo looks up, face blank, and Baekhyun almost wants to run away from the disappointment but Kyungsoo cracks a smile for the first time at Baekhyun in this office.
"Thanks," he replies, "you look good, too, Baekhyun." Baekhyun is rendered speechless yet again. So he wasn't expecting this despite hoping Kyungsoo would notice him this time. Probably a part of him was sure he was going to get rejected.
Does this mean they're friends now? Kyungsoo acknowledges him now? Is he aware of baekhyun's crush on him? This means he remembers about that night, right?
Kyungsoo coughs. "Better get to your own desk now, though? Before the boss comes in, which is in like, a minute from now." Baekhyun's eyes widen. He hurriedly looks at his watch and Kyungsoo is right. Their boss is scary and he doesn't want to get caught slacking.
Baekhyun is about to turn and leave but catches a glimpse of Kyungsoo winking at him. "See you later, Baekhyun," he hears in his haste to run to his own cubicle at the department across. He almost trips but catches himself before any damage is being done. His face only stops blushing once he reaches his own desk.
Damn it, Do Kyungsoo.