Chapter Text
"It's New Year's Eve, man. You can't want to sit in your basement and mess around with your ‘patients’. You are 27, Hyung. Don't act like a middle-aged man. Live!"
With a raised eyebrow, the young doctor nodded his head to the mortuary fridges. "Don't be so loud, otherwise they will be offended."
"Hyuuuung, it's not funny of you to talk with the dead like that. You spend far too much time with them."
"This is my job, Sehunnie," sighed the doctor, taking off his medical disposable gloves and throwing them into the trash can. “I love my job. And you obviously love it, too. Otherwise you wouldn’t always be so curious about who I have on the table and you wouldn’t come to visit me all the time."
"Baek, if I didn’t do that, you wouldn't see any living people at all," Sehun sighed and heaved himself onto the dissection table.
"That’s not true," Baekhyun pouted. “Sometimes I have to go to the crime scenes and talk to the investigators. I can still very well distinguish the living from the dead. It’s just satisfying to me when I find the cause of death and can help solve a case because of that."
"Definitely more so than Jeri ever was," Sehun murmured.
"She left me, not the other way around," Baekhyun growled and stroked his pink hair which immediately fell back on his forehead. A haircut was definitely due again soon but that would take time and time was something he didn’t have much of.
"Are you surprised? How many times did you seen each other in the 11 months you were officially together?” The younger of the two casually dangled his legs back and forth.
"Once or twice a week," he murmured. “But that's what my job entails. I have to be flexible. Death does not ask about my schedule. And I just have to prove myself. Everyone who hears that I'm only 27 thinks I'm an amateur or a fraud.”
“Sure, because a normal person would have to study at least 11 years for this job. Not everyone can be a child prodigy with a fucking IQ of 170 and power through this degree in 6 years. If I hadn't known you all my life, I would also be sceptical. But you've been proving yourself for a year. Treat yourself to this break. A new year is beginning. A new life. Forget about Jeri. You were only with her because she is the daughter of your boss. And did he kick you out even though you broke up with her? No!"
The smaller of the two sighed softly and Sehun started to grin. He could see his best friend's wall starting to crumble. It wouldn’t take much more, and he knew all too well how to tear down the rest. So, he demonstratively pushed his lower lip into a pout and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Hyung, please ... for me. And Minseok would also be very happy. Yixing and Jongdae will also be there. Let's celebrate, just a bit … like in the good old days before you became this grandpa.”
Dark brown eyes glared at him before he was kicked on one of his shins. “You could have saved yourself the ‘grandpa’, you brat. Minseok is still the oldest of us. Just like Yixing. So why am I the grandpa here?"
"Because those two are cool. Minseok has a restaurant and Yixing has a club.”
"You mean a brothel."
"Strip bar. No brothel,” Sehun corrected the doctor. "And the girls don't even get naked, really. You should know that, you were there with us."
"A thousand years ago," grumbled Baekhyun, taking off his coat.
"When you were still cool, Grandpa." Sehun’s laughter echoed loudly off the bare walls of the room.
"I'm cool, I have pink hair. Like an idol.” Baekhyun tousled his hair with one hand for emphasis.
"You are strange, Hyung."
"Strangely cool."
"No, just strange."
"Why again am I friends with you?"
"Because sometimes you need someone to disagree with you," Sehun smiled broadly. "And who pulls you out of here and back to the living. So, are you coming with me?"
Baekhyun sighed and put his hands on his hips. "Yes, okay, but I'll take my beeper with me in case of an emergency."
"Your emergencies are already dead, so it doesn't matter if you come a little later."
“Everything has to go quickly in the event of a murder. A whole team of investigators is waiting for the results of my examinations and ... "
"It's okay," Sehun interrupted. “Today there will be no more talk about corpses. Remember that if you want to get laid, and dear God, you really need it again. Maybe choose a man this time. Women are more likely to have a problem with you talking to corpses as if they were your best friends. Or better yet, just don't mention it at all. Just say you're a doctor. A god in white. A lifesaver, blablabla.” The younger man rolled his eyes dramatically.
"A man?" Baekhyun thought out loud.
"You said that in high school. Being a little bit bi never hurt anyone. But first take a shower. You smell of antiseptics and ... death."
*
"Come with people, he said. It's going to be fun, he said. You'll have more fun than with the dead, he said. Don't worry, we're just a small group, he said. Pffff, my ass, Oh Sehun,” Baekhyun grumbled as he was squeezed between two couples on the couch who couldn't move their make out sessions into their own four walls, and sipped his second beer bottle. It wasn't that he had a problem with the public display of affection, but if you were single, it was the last thing you wanted to see right then. Maybe he was a bit envious. Not because any of those people were his type - because they weren't – but because he liked to be hugged. And he loved kisses. Tender, playful, gentle, passionate, fierce. It didn’t matter as long as the kissing partner was good at it. His last girlfriends were rather boringly average at that. Maybe Sehun was right and he should go back to his roots. Men were more his thing. The problem was just that he knew most of the men at the party and he wouldn't even want to flirt with them. The rest were taken or, in his eyes, not attractive enough.
With an annoyed groan, he squeezed himself out of between the PDA (public display of affection) pliers aka the kissing couples [BC1] and swayed slightly towards the kitchen. Fortunately, Minseoks apartment wasn't as big as Yixings, but it was still big enough to accommodate a good 50 people without having to pile them up.
When he arrived in the kitchen, the young doctor discovered two of his best friends. He had met Jongdae, a promising cosmetic surgeon, during his studies. Like all doctors, they first had to go through general medicine before specializing. While Baekhyun had been able to skip a few years thanks to his above-average intelligence, Jongdae had taken the normal course of studies and still had two years to go. Then he also had to go to the military while Baekhyun had done that before he had started studying. So, he had begun his studies at almost 20, was already a forensic doctor at the age of 26 and held the M.D., the embodiment of a success story. The sad side effect, however, was that he really had very little time with his friends, let alone time for a relationship. So far, no one had managed to pique his interest enough to make him want to spend his free time with them.
Next to Jongdae, Yixing was leaning against the kitchenette with his shirt half unbuttoned. They were talking about politics excitedly while Baekhyun toasted them with the empty beer bottle, only to then put it in the crate next to the other empty bottles.
"What a rare face to see at a party," laughed Yixing. "Didn't think Sehun would be able to lure you out of your basement."
Bored, Baekhyun shrugged and opened the fridge to get another beer. His eyes scanned the selection before deciding on a bottle of Cass Light.
"Wow, your choice of drinks is very Grandpa, too," Sehun suddenly laughed in his ear and reached over his shoulder to get a bottle of Kloud beer from the fridge.
"Shut up, Oh Sehun!" Baekhyun growled. "Not everyone is a drunkard like you."
"I am a prospective lawyer. With these kinds of dry studies you have to get drunk to at least have some fun,” his best friend countered.
"Wow, we're such an elite here," laughed Jongdae and clinked glasses with Sehun.
"Elite? Yixing has a brothel,” Baekhyun murmured and sipped his light beer.
“Strip club, please. I'm not selling sex, just fantasies,” corrected the oldest member of the group.
"Are you sure you're not from the Chinese mafia?" Baekhyun joked.
"Don't know, ask one of your investigator friends," the Chinese winked cheekily at him.
"I only know some of the homicide squad," he shrugged and dug his beeper out of his pocket to hold it under Yixing’s nose. "And look, not even they have anything to do today. No emergency for me. Not a body. Nothing. Nada. How boooooring."
When Yixing started laughing and stroking through his pink hair, Baekhyun put the beeper back in his pocket with a pout.
"Really, Byun, you're so cute when you're drunk. Why are you single? “, the Chinese smiled softly. "If I were into men, you would be my first choice."
"Oh my god, I can give you a few reasons why he's single," Sehun blurted.
"Yes, and nobody wants to hear them," Baekhyun cried, covering the Maknaes mouth.
"Hey, is the party taking place here in the kitchen?", someone suddenly asked, sticking his head through the hatch that connected the kitchen to the living room, and all four stared at the "newcomer".
While Baekhyun's friends all gathered quickly and talked wildly, he could not take his eyes off the stranger, who was now casually leaning on the hatch with his elbows on the windowsill and talking to his friends. He had never seen this man before, but he had to be a friend or at least an acquaintance of Minseok. Why else would he be at his New Year's Eve party?
The stranger's ears were anatomically abnormal in size, but he also looked anatomically abnormally hot. The black hair was cut short, which was probably why his ears looked so huge. Baekhyun had big ears himself, but at least they weren't as Yoda-like as the stranger’s. But somehow that was what made him charming. As if in a trance, Baekhyun fingered his right ear as he continued to study him. After all, he had a good eye for anatomy. Large, broad shoulders and remarkable biceps stretching under the narrow top. Sexy, he thought to himself, and licked his upper lip before taking a sip from his pitiful Light beer bottle. At least pitiful for those who were alcohol tolerant, unlike himself. Instead of high alcohol tolerance, he had a high IQ. Sometimes he wished he had both. But his high IQ didn't prevent him from stupidly taking every soju shot Sehun gave him with a thieving grin.
Since Baekhyun not only knew anatomy, but also liked to look at beautiful things, he admired the stranger's face. Even if his vision had worsened somewhat after five soju glasses, he had to acknowledge that he had never seen such a symmetrical face. That face was art and not the abstract kind. Big, attentive, dark brown, almond-shaped eyes, straight nose, full lips, a side profile that brings you to your knees, damned white teeth, oh ... so many white teeth when he laughed. Was he a god? An alien? An ... an idol?
"Who is that?" Baekhyun finally asked when the stranger waved his hand and disappeared back into the crowd of partygoers. Probably to his own group of friends.
"I don't know, but he's funny," Sehun shrugged.
"Chanyeol," Jongdae replied. "He is a friend of Minseok. Two years ago, he worked as a waiter for him while he was studying.”
"Why have I never seen him before?" Shocked and stunned, Baekhyun stared at his friend.
"He was in the military. I think he's only been back for two or three weeks now,” said Jongdae, a little more clearly.
Baekhyun reached for the next glass of soju and tipped it down. "He is hot. I want him to fuck me so that I can't walk for a week."
Sehun literally spat the soju he'd just downed over the kitchen countertop. "TMI, TMI, TMI! Hyung, you don't even know him."
"You usually don't know a one-night stand beforehand," Baekhyun waved him off and indicated to Sehun that he should pour him another glass, which was taken away from him by Yixing.
"I think you should take a break, Baek."
"Nooohoooo," he whined. "Give it back. I need it now before I go on the prowl."
"You are not a hunter," sighed Jongdae.
"No, forensic scientist, but I won't dissect him."
"Maybe he's straight, Hyung," Sehun tried to slow him down.
"I teach him how being a little bi never hurt anyone. I can do it. Just watch!”
"Please don’t," the three friends groaned. Yixing took pity on him and returned the glass. "Just don't throw up on his shoes. He wears Balenciagas."
"Those are ugly shoes," commented Baekhyun.
"You wear them yourself," laughed Jongdae.
"I can still find them ugly."
"Just don't throw up on them. The best thing is not to throw up at all,” sighed Yixing.
"I'll try my best," he said. "Sehunnie, give me my Grandpa beer."
"At your command, Hyung," Sehun laughed and handed his friend a fresh Cass.
"He'll regret that," Jongdae muttered.
"Yeah, no doubt," Yixing agreed.
"But we'll have fun with it," giggled Sehun.
"You are so ruthless, Sehunnie," Jongdae smiled.
"I learned from the master himself," he smiled back and toasted at him.
"Ahhhhh Chanyori, how does it feel to be free again?" The tall black-haired man let his somewhat smaller friend hug him and pat him on the shoulder.
"Good, Jongin. Finally, I can let my hair grow and dye it again. I just don't like that short hair,” laughed the ex-soldier and stroked through it, so that his fringe was slightly standing on end.
"Don't be silly, with that pretty face you can wear any hairstyle," said Minseok, the host of the party.
"If your ears bother you, just put on a hat," Chanyeols best friend Kyungsoo soberly summed up the real problem.
"Ah no, they are a part of him and his trademark. I'm so proud of you for not chasing after beauty ideals and getting a surgery,” Jongin whispered, playing with Chanyeols left ear.
"Stop playing around or they'll get bigger," Chanyeol grumbled, slapping his friend’s hand away.
"And do you already have a job?" asked Junmyeon, who was the son of Korea's largest publisher. "If you want, I can put in a good word for you."
Chanyeol shook his head and took the glass of whiskey that Minseok held out to him. "I’m trying to work as a freelancer."
"Are you still set on drawing webtoons?" Jongin asked. "You could do so much more with your art and graphic studies."
"But I love webtoons. I like to draw and it's fun," Chanyeol sighed. “LINE offered me to draw for their webtoon platform. The starting salary would be 2,350,000 won. Not much, but there is no upper limit. I think I should accept the offer."
Kyungsoo shrugged. "If you want that, you should do it. After all, you are still young."
“Hyung is 27, two years older than me. Others are already married and have children."
"Jonginnie, not here in Korea," Minseok sighed. "I am 29, single and successful. Aaaaand I don't feel old. Don't listen to him, Chanyori."
"Anyway," Chanyeol murmured. "I’ll try my luck. Maybe 2020 will bring me a bit more luck than the past two years have.”
Kyungsoo looked at his watch and grabbed a glass of champagne. “It's midnight in five minutes. Let’s go outside on the terrace.”
The friends agreed, everyone took a glass and headed out into the cold December night. Just as Chanyeol was about to take a glass, he felt someone grabbing his arm.
"Yah, name Yoda-shii has?"
"Huh?" Surprised, Chanyeol turned and saw the cute pink-haired young man who had been staring at him in the kitchen earlier. "I beg your pardon?"
"What called Yoda-shii is asked I," he repeated drunkenly, pulling Chanyeol's ear lightly.
"Yo-yoda?" the ex-soldier stammered in surprise and took a small step back so that the drunk man had to stop playing around with his ear. His ears were very sensitive and the last thing he wanted was to get horny in front of the stranger. It had been way too long since his last sexual encounter. Damned soldier's life.
"Oh my fucking god, your real name is Yoda?" the stranger called, staring up at him with his eyes wide open as he was a head shorter than he was.
"What? No-no! My name is Chanyeol."
"Chanyeol," repeated the stranger, and the way he let the name roll off his tongue caused a certain lust in Chanyeol as the other man's mouth formed a pout when he spoke. How to pout and talk at the same time was a mystery to him, but it just looked terribly charming with the smaller one. "So Dae had been right. A soldier, huh?"
"Not anymore," Chanyeol breathed heavily. "Free for two weeks now," he tried to joke.
"You must have looked hot in a uniform." Chanyeol did not miss the fact that his counterpart was giggling slightly, but the compliment still made him blush.
"You're drunk," he smiled slightly, holding onto his upper arms as he swayed a little.
"No, I'm Baekhyun," he smiled back and Chanyeol was speechless. He had never seen a smile as charming as this. The pouting mouth formed a rectangle and the dark brown puppy eyes shaped into crescent moons. Fuck, did affection at first sight feel like that?
"Cute!" He giggled.
"What?" Confused, Baekhyun cocked his head.
"You're cute," Chanyeol laughed.
"No, I'm Baekhyun and hot," the smaller one grumbled, pulling Chanyeol down by his collar so that their faces were only a few millimetres apart.
"Okay, and what does the hot Baekhyun think he's doing here?" Chanyeols laughter slowly subsided and he stared at the slightly open mouth in front of him. He looked so damn inviting.
"Hoping to seduce you I am," breathed Baekhyun back in Yoda language, while the other guests were counting down the last seconds to the New Year on the terrace.
10
"Oh yes? Why is that?” Chanyeol whispered.
9
"Because you're hot. Your anatomy is very compatible with mine.”
8
"And that means?"
7
"You are tall and I’m not so tall."
6
"You mean small."
5
"No, you ass. I’m not small. You are just huge."
4
"You have a size kink," Chanyeol laughed.
3
"I have a lot of kinks."
2
"That makes me curious."
1
While everyone was shouting "Happy New Years" outside, Baekhyun pressed his lips to Chanyeols for a kiss. For a very short moment the taller man’s eyes widened in shock, but he let them close, quickly recovering, and returned the kiss. His arms found their way around Baekhyun's waist and pressed him closer to him as the smaller one wrapped his arms around his neck. Coy, close-mouthed kisses quickly became more demanding, open-mouthed kisses. As if rehearsed for years, their lips moved completely in sync despite the fact that this was their first kiss. And damn it, Baekhyun was a good kisser.
Chanyeol turned slightly so that he could press Baekhyun against the wall. With a sigh, the pink-haired man pulled himself away from Chanyeols lips and stared at him with hooded eyes before plunging into the next kiss as if he was a starving man. When Chanyeols tongue conquered his mouth, Baekhyun groaned into his’. There was nothing hotter than being pressed and kissed against a wall until he was gasping for air.
Lots of alcohol and little oxygen was not a good combination. When Chanyeol kissed his jaw, he ran his hands over his upper arms and gasped a weak "Happy New Year" before everything went black around him.
***
The next morning when Baekhyun opened his eyes, two things shot through his head. At first there was the terrible pain, closely followed by the question of where he was. Groaning, he turned his head towards the light. Ah ... a window with an unfamiliar view, but still, it didn’t feel strange. Groaning again, he sat up and blinked against the relentless sunlight. Frustrated that he had let himself go like this, he massaged his temples. Once again, he had proven that he was at war with alcohol.
After his eyes got used to the brightness, he scanned the room. Everything was pretty white, tidy and almost sterile. No doubt he had to be in one of Minseok's guest rooms. But how he had ended up here was a mystery to him.
Despite a pounding headache, he tried to remember what had happened last night. Beer! Four of them. Was bearable. Soju! Indefinite number of shots. Definitely not bearable. Beer mixed with soju was a nightmare. At least for top class lightweight Baekhyun. His blurred memory of the previous evening was like a whirlwind of moments, and, right in the middle, a strange, symmetrical, pretty face popped up. Baekhyun gasped. Oh yes, there was something. That hot ex-soldier that he really wanted to seduce. But had it worked? Would he have been able to get a boner? Sex and alcohol were not compatible, either. He slowly looked down at himself to see if he was still wearing yesterday's clothes. He gasped again when he noticed that this was not the case. He was in a black t-shirt that was definitely two sizes too big for him and also definitely not Minseok’s. The restaurant owner was smaller than him, but a lot more trained and muscular. He hastily pulled the covers off his legs. He wasn’t wearing yesterday's jeans, either. His legs were bare. But he didn't have to see the boxers he was wearing to know that he hadn't actually had sex. His butt didn't hurt, so his wish to be fucked so that he couldn't walk for a week had not been granted. Maybe it was for the better as he would have liked to remember this man.
Just as he was about to swing his legs off the bed, the door opened a crack and a head carefully appeared through it. And it was no other head than that of the sexy ex-soldier. His worried expression changed to relief when he saw the pink haired man sitting on the bed. "Oh, you're awake. I was just about to see if you were still breathing.”
His deep, warm voice gave Baekhyun goose bumps. He quickly pulled the blanket back over his bare legs, so that he didn't notice. "What ... What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I’m living with Minseok until I find my own apartment. Before the military, I lived with my mother and in a dorm. I let you sleep in my bed."
Baekhyun's eyes darted to the other side of the bed, which looked unused.
"Don't worry, I slept on the couch," Chanyeol laughed and stepped into the room.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Baekhyun murmured ashamedly and rubbed his face wearily. "Did I puke on you?"
"No, you just fell asleep while kissing." Chanyeol smiled gently and leaned against the wardrobe.
Baekhyun's eyes widened in shock. "Damn ... oh god ... I think I have to apologize again. I'm really sorry. Soju is not my best friend."
"What are you sorry for?” Chanyeol grinned at him mischievously. “That you weren’t able to let me fuck you so you couldn't walk for a week?”
Baekhyun’s mouth fell open, his entire expression screaming in panic. This made Chanyeol laugh. "Sehun told me that was your plan. He's your best friend, isn't he? At least he helped me put you in bed."
"Oh Sehun must die," the young doctor moaned grumpily.
"Even if you hadn't fallen asleep, I wouldn't have gone beyond kissing. I hate one-night stands and I'm not the type for it. But at least you gave me an interesting start to the new year."
Baekhyun sighed and hung his head. How much more embarrassing could things be? One more reason to just surround yourself with the dead. "I am sorry. You have to think terribly of me."
Chanyeol looked silently at the bundle of misery in front of him before taking a few steps toward the bed. "No, I don’t. After all I kissed you back. I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been impressed by you.”
Baekhyun raised his head and looked at him in surprise. "How did I impress you in my drunk state? I couldn't even walk straight anymore."
"You couldn't even stand straight," Chanyeol laughed and carefully sat down on the bed with him. "But you could speak Yoda-ish perfectly."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Hoping to seduce you I am," Chanyeol tried to trigger Baekhyun's memory, at which he grimaced with embarrassment.
"Please don't think I wanted to make fun of you. I find your ears really lovely."
"Lovely," Chanyeol laughed softly. "Nobody has ever called my ears that."
They looked at each other silently for a while, while Baekhyun chewed uncomfortably on his lower lip. His head was still pounding terribly, but at least he wasn't sick.
“I put towels in the bathroom for you if you want to take a shower. I can lend you one of my hoodies. Minseok is not there and since I am not good at cooking, I’ll invite you out to lunch,” Chanyeol interrupted the silence. "After all, it is already noon."
"That ... that's not necessary," stammered Baekhyun. "I've caused you enough trouble already."
"It's not a problem," said the taller man as he got up from the bed and winked at him. "I would also like to get to know you better. And that’s easier with food than with having sex."
Baekhyun's red complexion and his pink hair clashed terribly, but Chanyeol thought he was cute.
An hour later they were sitting in a Ramyeon restaurant not far from Minseok’s apartment because there was nothing better on cold days than a hot noodle soup with lots of vegetables and meat. And it was good for Baekhyun's hangover.
As they were eating, they talked about their friends, childhood, and college. Chanyeol was particularly impressed by the fact that he had a genius sitting across from him.
"I had always imagined such prodigies differently," he admitted before sipping some broth from the spoon.
"In what way? Are you disappointed with my appearance?” Baekhyun smiled, looking into his bowl. It was not the first time that he was underestimated because of this.
"No, not disappointed. How could I be? I just never thought that such a handsome man could be so intelligent. You always think geniuses wear horn-rimmed glasses and have no fashion sense. You, on the other hand, look like you're an idol from a teen magazine.”
"Because of the pink hair?" Baekhyun asked and looked up at Chanyeol again.
"Not necessarily," Chanyeol smiled sheepishly. "You just have a very beautiful face, a good figure and these skinnies look great on you. They emphasize your nice … uhm, body."
"Thank you," Baekhyun mumbled. "So, in short, you find my anatomy appealing."
"Very appealing," Chanyeol laughed softly and again this deep warm sound caused goose bumps on him. However, this time it was well hidden under Chanyeol's hoodie. "I never thought that good looks combined with high intelligence could be so sexy."
"Flatterer," Baekhyun murmured, watching his counterpart eat.
"Minseok mentioned that you are a doctor. That alone is a turn-on."
Baekhyun choked and coughed in his hand. The moment of confession had come.
"Uhm, yes," he mumbled behind his hand.
"You have very nice hands," Chanyeol said when he stared at them. "Surgeon?"
"No," Baekhyun breathed, putting chopsticks and spoon aside while Chanyeol continued to eat.
"Okay, what would I have to have to land on your treatment table?" he asked, carefree.
"You’d have to be dead," Baekhyun replied dryly.
Chanyeol stopped in midmotion and the noodles between his chopsticks paused a few millimetres from his open mouth. However, a few seconds later they splashed back into the broth and spread a few splashes on the table. He blinked in disbelief before closing his mouth and clearing his throat.
"I work in the Forensic Department of Medicine. So, I do post-mortems on corpses and find out the cause of death. I hope I will never have you on my table."
Chanyeol stared and stared and stared, unable to say a word. The longer he remained silent, the more uncomfortable Baekhyun felt. This was also not the first time he was scaring away a potential friend.
"It's okay if you don't want to have anything to do with me now. It would not be the first time. Not everyone can cope with knowing someone who sees terrible things and still likes to do his job,” said Baekhyun quickly, even if it really hurt him to screw it up this time.
Chanyeol quickly shook his head as if he had woken from a kind of trance. "NO!" It burst out so loudly that Baekhyun actually gave a slight start. "I ... I have no problem with that. You ... you don't kill them. You ... you are the one who brings certainty to the grieving and helps to solve cases. That ... that's impressive. You have to be very strong. I can't even see blood without fainting while you've probably seen the most terrible kinds death.”
"Are you serious?" asked Baekhyun in amazement. He had never gotten such a reaction from anyone he had just met.
"Absolutely! You're awesome, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol beamed suddenly. "I find it so exciting. You sure have a lot of stories to tell."
"Some," Baekhyun laughed softly and in relief.
"I want to hear every single one," Chanyeol said euphorically.
"Not today," Baekhyun shook his head, smiling. "We’re eating and I don't want to spoil our appetite."
His counterpart nodded his head in understanding. "There is some truth to that. But next time."
Baekhyun felt warmth spreading in his chest when he thought of a potential next time. But this euphoria was quickly destroyed by a beep from his pocket. Disappointment spread through him as he pulled his beeper out of his pants and looked at it. A fatality in Incheon. Not really the area in which he worked, but the legal doctor responsible was on vacation.
"You’re highly in demand, huh?" Chanyeol asked quietly and Baekhyun nodded.
“Dead body in Incheon. I have to go to the crime scene. Seems to be a murder. I'm sorry, Chanyeol."
"Hey, that's your job. Even if it sucks that the New Year is already so messed up.” Understandingly he took Baekhyun's hand and squeezed it lightly. "Go! I’ll pay. That would have been on me anyway."
"Thank you Chanyeol, thank you. Really ... thank you,” Baekhyun babbled as he jumped up and bowed to him a couple of times.
"Oh god, Baekhyun, stop it!" He laughed, embarrassed. "What for?"
"For everything. You are so kind and understanding.” The doctor hastily put on his winter jacket. "See you next time, Chanyeol."
"Hopefully see you soon," the ex-soldier called out as he looked after the pink-haired man. Only when Baekhyun was out of sight did he remember that they hadn't actually exchanged numbers and that the smaller was still wearing his hoodie.