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"Just stop trying, hyung," Jongin says as he sits down on the ground next to Chanyeol. He passes a bottle of beer and a soju to Jongdae, who starts pouring their drinks right away.
"Huh?" Chanyeol glances quickly at Jongin before returning his gaze to the crowd of students sitting a bit farther on the grass field. The group is rather loud and lively even among all the other similar bunches. One guy stands up and seems to be reenacting some funny event because the crowd laughs and cheers loudly at him.
Chanyeol watches how Byun Baekhyun grins and accepts the cheers by bowing grandiloquently. He sure seems to be the life of any party.
Jongin sighs. "That guy will never notice you no matter how much you ogle him. He barely even remembered your name earlier!"
"Shut it," Chanyeol says, finally tearing his eyes away, and accepts a somaek glass Jongdae is offering. "You have no right to talk with how obsessed you're with that Oh Sehun and his antics."
"I AM NOT–"
"Guys, please," Jongdae puts in. "I just want to drink my alcohol in peace. Cheers!"
He clings his glass with Chanyeol and Jongin's (who are both still scowling each other) and gulps it down with almost one go.
The barbecue and picnic party at the campus is as popular as always and the university grounds are filled with merry students. There are countless food and alcohol booths and fireworks are scheduled later in the evening. Chanyeol, Jongin and Jongdae have put up their own small camp on the grass field by a tree. The area is full of students and everyone is just hanging out and enjoying themselves, so for once no one really pays any special attention to their trio, which is a nice change.
They sit and chat and drink for a while and at some point, Jongin's course mates happen to pass by their group and they invite Jongin to their group.
"Do you mind if I go?" he asks hesitantly and Jongdae just waves his hand.
"Go, go! Me and Chanyeol will get something to eat in the meantime." Jongdae stands up and drags Chanyeol (whose eyes has started to wander to the certain group again) on his feet as well.
"But I'm not hungry..." Chanyeol tries.
"I don't care! I am and I'm taking you with me. Let's go!"
Jongdae drags slightly reluctant Chanyeol with him and they head towards the food booths. They are mostly serving easy street food from tteokbokki to pizza and skewers, and Jongdae keeps wandering around for quite a while before he can decide what to get. But while he's pondering, the exposure to all the smell and dishes has apparently made Chanyeol hungry as well since he decides to order with Jongdae.
"Let's share! We could get tteokbokki and some chicken? I heard the booth over there serves super good chicken."
Jongdae takes Chanyeol to the chicken booth, which seems to be so popular that there's a short line. And there, at the end of the line, stands Baekhyun with that other waiter guy from the café Chanyeol often goes to.
"Oh," says Jongdae when he notices the pair.
The waiter guy looks up and, for Chanyeol's surprise, greets Jongdae with a smile.
"Hi, Jongdae! What's up?"
"Hello hyung," Jongdae says formally and bows a little. And when he catches Chanyeol's curious expression, explains (a bit sheepishly): "Me and Minseok hyung are on the same psychology course."
"Oh, I see! Nice to meet you. I'm Chanyeol," Chanyeol bows too and tries very hard to not look at Baekhyun but can't help himself. The other's watching their exchange in silence.
Minseok looks like he knows very well who Chanyeol is but just smiles politely. "I've seen you at the café quite often."
"Oh yeah," Chanyeol says and awkwardly rubs the back of his neck while glancing between Minseok and Baekhyun. "It's a good place to study!"
Jongdae rolls his eyes.
They eventually get to order their food and after receiving their chicken, Minseok and Baekhyun head back to the picnic crowd (Minseok waves shortly to Jongdae before they go). Jongdae and Chanyeol get their chicken not long after and go hunt for tteokbokki quickly before returning to their spot as well. Jongdae tries his best to dodge Chanyeol’s questions about Minseok and how come he didn’t even tell Chanyeol he was friends with Baekhyun’s friend??
“We’re just on the same course together!” Jongdae says. “We know each other’s names and say hello when we run into each other on campus, that’s all!”
“Well, that’s almost like being friends on our standards, don’t you think?” Chanyeol says with a small laugh.
“Well, yeah, maybe,” Jongdae has to admit. “I wouldn’t mind being friends with him, he’s cool.”
--
Minseok and Baekhyun are already eating the chicken while walking back to their group.
“So those two are part of that “freak trio” Sehun was ranting about the other day, huh?” Baekhyun says.
“Yeah I guess,” Minseok answers slowly. “There’s all kind of weird talk about them but I think Sehun’s being a bit too dramatic about it.”
“As per usual,” Baekhyun laughs. “But they seemed pretty normal to me. Maybe not including the flashy silver hair the tall guy was sporting, but.”
Minseok hums while chewing his chicken. He doesn’t feel like telling Baekhyun how he thinks the Chanyeol guy is a bit creepy with sitting at the café so often and staring so much, when he’s just called Sehun dramatic.
“Yeah. Yeah, they seem pretty normal.”
When it’s time for the fireworks, Sehun insists that they go watch them closer so Baekhyun and Minseok go with him. The crowd is quite big and when Baekhyun’s looking around, he randomly spots the silver-haired guy and his friend from the chicken booth nearby. The tall guy’s light hair almost seems like glowing in the darkening evening. Baekhyun’s staring is cut by Sehun, who drags him in the very first row because he wants to be able to take good pictures. Baekhyun isn’t as excited about the fireworks or pictures as the younger one but stays with him anyway.
At first it goes all well and normal. Then, after a minute or two, there’s suddenly a shout, coming from the team who’s handling the fireworks.
“It doesn’t detach, everyone back off!”
Suddenly the air is full of screams and shouts and the crowd becomes a mess with people trying to run away and throwing themselves on the ground. Baekhyun stumbles backwards but someone backing off shoves him and he falls down on the grass. Instinctively, Baekhyun tries to shield his head with his arms, but he can still feel the heat wave when the unfortunate firework explodes on the ground with a loud boom.
Baekhyun’s ears are ringing from the bang; he smells something burning and hears more shouting from around him. He carefully lifts his head only to see a quick glimpse of a roaring fire that’s approaching him and thinks in passing that the burning smell might actually come from him and his clothes. The heat of the fire enfolds him; he tries to call for help but his throat is too dry –
And then suddenly there’s a big shadow between him and the fire; someone’s crouching down in front of him and it’s like the figure is blocking the heat and the flames. Baekhyun raises his gaze only to meet eyes with the tall, silver-haired guy from earlier. Except his hair is not silver but flaming red, and he grabs Baekhyun and helps him back up, wrapping a tight and protective arm around him. And when the guy hauls him aside, Baekhyun glances over his shoulder and doesn't want to believe his eyes. The fire and flames are gone and left is only smoke and smoldering grass.
***
Gentle hands pull him aside and a tight supporting grip on his shoulder makes Baekhyun turn his eyes away from the flames raging on the field before him. He meets eyes with the tall and weird guy from school; Chanyeol. Chanyeol, whose hair is bright red and gaze piercing.
“Are you okay?” Chanyeol asks and Baekhyun nods weakly, even though he’s not sure.
Baekhyun looks over his shoulder and instead of a fire sees only a smoking grass field. He turns back to Chanyeol, who’s still staring intensively at him. His hair is silver now, not red.
“Please don’t tell anyone,” Chanyeol suddenly says, so quietly that Baekhyun barely hears him.
“Tell anyone? What–?” His question is cut off by the loud sirens and shouts and suddenly there’s a bunch of people around him, paramedics and Minseok and Sehun, and he can’t see Chanyeol anymore.
His alarm goes off and Baekhyun reaches for his phone. It’s 6.30am.
--
Minseok looks surprised and judging when Baekhyun enters the café half an hour later.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to take the day off! To rest!”
“I’m fine,” Baekhyun shrugs and avoids the other’s strict stare. “I can do my shift.”
“But Baekhyun, the paramedics clearly said it would be best for you to–”
“I don’t need to rest, hyung,” Baekhyun cuts him, trying not to sound snappy. “I much rather work than lie at home doing nothing. If you don’t let me I’ll call Sehun and tell him to fill in for me.”
“Fine, fine!” Minseok sighs. “Just... take it easy.”
Baekhyun happily throws himself at work so he won’t have time think about the accident yesterday or his weird dreams or Chanyeol – any of that. Minseok doesn’t touch the subject but Baekhyun can feel the other keeping a worried eye on him. Sehun is another case though. He barges into the café around noon and wants to go over the happenings yet again and analyze whose fault it was that the firework exploded and caused the dangerous situation. Baekhyun wants anything but to over-analyze the incident so he busies himself at the back in the storage until Minseok has shushed Sehun away.
At 2.30pm, with only 30 minutes left of Baekhyun’s shift, Chanyeol walks into the café and Baekhyun’s stomach drops. He looks around but Minseok is busy finishing up the previous order so Baekhyun can’t really run away from the counter.
Chanyeol slowly steps closer, eyes fixed on the menu above the counter. He looks so ordinary with his big hoodie and a snapback that hides the glowing silver hair. The images of the flames and the red hair flash in Baekhyun’s mind and he tries to push them away.
“Welcome!” he greets in his best customer-servant voice and Chanyeol flinches a little, eyes darting between Baekhyun and the menu.
“Um, hi.” Chanyeol finally approaches the counter and fiddles with his wallet.
“Iced Americano, please.”
“For here or to go?”
“Here... Um, I’d need to talk with you, when do you get off?” Chanyeol suddenly asks hastily in a low voice and Baekhyun barely hears him.
“Uh… in 30 minutes actually.” The truth slips from his lips before he can stop himself. But then again, he does have question he wants answers to, as well.
“So, could we...?”
“Yes yes. It’s 4000 won,” Baekhyun cuts Chanyeol off and takes the bills he’s offering, because he sees Minseok eyeing their exchange. “Please wait at the end of the counter for your drink.”
Baekhyun makes the drink in a record time and when passing it to Chanyeol says quickly: “I made it to go after all. Can you go and wait somewhere else? My friend won’t leave me alone if you stay here.”
“Y-yeah, sure.”
“Meet you by Starbucks near the uni gate in 30 then. Thank you, enjoy your drink and good day!” Baekhyun says the last greetings louder and discreetly waves his hand to shoo Chanyeol away. The taller gives him a short bow and half-runs to the door.
Baekhyun heaves a sigh and goes to wipe tables to avoid Minseok and his possible questions. He doesn’t know if meeting up with Chanyeol is a good idea but he really needs answers and explanations and it seems like Chanyeol is the only one who can provide them. It’s not like he can talk about this with Minseok or Sehun or anyone else. I think he put out the fire yesterday. He controlled it. His hair also changed color, weird isn’t it?
Yeah, no. He hopes Chanyeol will have some logical explanation to it all. He hopes it was all just his imagination.