can i request 27 & 53 for the drabble withhhhh baekhyun? idk if i’m able to ask if it can lean towards an enemy/frenemies to lovers type trope but if not, it’s alright it’s up to your creativity and writing! i’m grateful for you and this writing, hope everything goes well for you, and thank you so much!
Effort 🤛
Genre: angst | arranged marriage!au | ceo!bbh | nonidol!au
Pairing: Baekhyun x f.Reader
Length: 1.4k
Warnings: language
a/n: bro.... im only like half way done with these drabbles yall 😭. a lot of them are written its just getting them out now so yay for that! this is why i dont do these things. next time i know forsure to only accept like 10. thank you for the request! Sorry for taking so long 😭 but by this point yall should know the drill lmfaoooo 💖
DRABBLE GAME | MASTERLIST
You march into your condo in search for the other person that lives there.
You find him in the kitchen, sitting at the massive island, cradling a glass of whiskey.
On a mission, you make your way over to him and slam your hand on the marble top, demanding his attention.
Baekhyun jumps at the sound, turning to you with blurry eyes.
“Did you get into a fight?” You ask in annoyance.
Rolling his eyes, he huffs a laugh before taking a sip of his hard drink. “Hello to you too, Wife.”
Narrowing your eyes, you fight the warmth in your chest at the title. Wife. It’s been almost a year and you still haven’t fully come to terms with your newfound role.
“I heard what happened,” you inform him. You catch the stiffening of his shoulders and him muttering something about word traveling fast.
“If you already heard, why're you asking?”
“Because I need you to confirm it, and I need to know why.”
Baekhyun gulps, staring blankly ahead. “Mr. Lee. He was saying some very disgusting and vulgar things about you.”
That isn’t shocking. You are an heiress who spent majority of your youth causing chaos for your family. You were a wild child, spending most of your time partying for the tabloids to see. You had known the life you were going to be subjected to, so decided to live freely while you still could. Unfortunately, it earned you the reputation of being a drunk slut that followed you throughout the years. Despite getting your shit together, taking over your family business, and pushing it to bigger levels. Despite going as far as getting married, people still saw you as that reckless little girl. Many people within your company undermined your authority because of that, but it never swayed you. If anything, it only encouraged you more. You loved proving people wrong. Hearing someone as creepy as Mr. Lee was making lewd comments about you was unfortunately unsurprising.
What is surprising is your husband’s reaction.
In any other setting, a husband defending his wife’s honor is a normal act of love. That’s what they do, support and defend their spouse. But your marriage is a tad different due to the fact Baekhyun didn’t marry you out of love.
Actually, neither one of you had any say in this little arrangement. This union was only possible from the agreement of your parents.
You aren’t exactly happy about the situation, but you understand your position. That’s why you accepted the proposal without complaint. Baekhyun, on the other hand, was severely against the marriage and threatened everyone involved. Allegedly, he already had someone that he cherished around that time. You even had the pleasure of meeting her—at your own wedding, no less—and she was amazing. You totally understood why Baekhyun was angry. Still, he followed through with the arrangement, and here you are now, arguing in your shared apartment.
It isn’t the first time, nor the last you’re sure. You want to at least try to make this relationship work, but Baekhyun makes it impossible. He takes all his frustrations of your predicament out on you with cruel words and cold shoulders. He’s constantly reminding you how much he loathes you, like it was your idea to get married. As hard as you try to brush it off, it hurts. You were forced into this marriage too! You wanted the fairytale ending just as badly as everyone else in the world, but that simply wasn’t your reality. So, you make the best out of a shitty situation. Still, it feels extremely unfair for him to treat you like desperate trash just because he can’t outwardly express his pain and fury to his parents.
“And?” You reply. “Wouldn’t be the first time? They said he got a black eye and a bloody nose. He’s threatening to press charges. The board is contemplating your suspension.”
His jaw clenches, but he doesn’t answer. Only takes another swig of his liquor.
“Baekhyun.” You pinch the bridge of your nose. “It’s unlike you to react like this. I’m sorry that being tied to me is tarnishing your reputation. I know my parents promised that it wouldn’t, but it appears it is.”
“I don’t give a fuck about that,” he seethes. “It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the fact he was disrespecting my wife!”
He finally turns and gives you his attention. The fury he still feels over the situation radiates off of him in a heat so hot you’re surprised his clothes haven’t lit on fire. Your first instinct is to step away, not wanting to be his next victim. But, you stand firm, feigning courage.
“And I’d do it again,” he admits. “I’ll beat up anyone that talks about you like you’re some kind of whore they can pass around.”
“Why?” You ask in a whisper. “You hate me.”
He sighs. “I don’t hate you. I never have. I hate the situation we’re in. I hate that we didn’t mean it when we said ‘I do’.”
He lets go of his glass to take your hands in his. “But I don’t hate you. And I don’t blame you. I know I’ve been the worst husband ever, but these past few months I….”
He nibbles on his bottom lip and you blink back tears. “I’ve also said some hurtful things, and to your face. I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for that. You’ve been trying, and it’s been working. I’ve realized now how much of an idiot I’ve been. We can make an opportunity out of this. We’re married now, and it’s time that I started acting like it.”
You give him a smile full of relief. “What’s changed?”
“It’s been little things, but the biggest change was at the merger last month.”
Oh. You didn’t think he remembered.
It was your first real public appearance together, so you had to chum it up for the cameras. You were the new It Couple, both the children of two of the most successful businesses in the country. You were tech royalty, and the merging of your families was like two warring nations signing a peace treaty. That night showed you a tender side of Baekhyun you’d never been exposed to, and you couldn’t help but to fall for this person. You knew that none of it was real, but he was just so kind and flirty and when he kissed you it sparked something from deep within. Baekhyun must had felt it as well, because the moment you were back home, you were all over each other. The both of you had been drinking, so that may have played a role on your eagerness. You convinced yourself you weren’t that drunk, and that he was your husband. This was what married couples did. When you were in the bed, Baekhyun pulled away for just a couple seconds to grab a condom and came back to you passed out. It was a reality check for him, and he panicked as the realization of what you were about to do dawned on him. Once the panic dimmed, he was relieved, knowing that your dynamic was already messed up as it was, sex would just make things worse. You woke up the next morning in an empty bed, fully clothed, and Baekhyun never brought it up.
Now that you think of it, Baekhyun has changed since. He has been a lot less hostile, and has been coming come early enough to share dinner with you. During your meals, he made a point to have conversation with you, and you’ve felt like there has been progress between you.
“Truth is,” he says quietly. “Ever since that night, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I don’t deserve you, but I want you anyway.”
“You want me?” You ask.
“I do,” he admits. He pulls you closer to stand between his legs and lets go of your hands to hold you by your hips. “I want to make us work. I want to know everything about you. What makes you laugh, what makes you happy, what your favorite food is, what turns you on.” He smiles suggestively and you shove his shoulder playfully. “I want to know you. I want to protect you. I want to be your husband.”
You blink back the flood of tears that blur your vision so that you can see him. “I want that too, Baekhyun. I want us to try.”
He kisses the corner of your mouth before daring a kiss to your lips, which you reciprocate. When you pull away, he rests his forehead against yours.
title: candy stars
pairing: reader x baekhyun
genre: romance, soulmate!au
words: ~5k+
prompt: soulmates unlock one of the five senses for people, some finally get the opportunity to feel, to see, to taste, to hear, or to smell. but what if you never find yours?
notes: i decided i would make a soulmate story for each member of exo!! all stemming from a similar universe as city lights & under the moonlight. :)
The wind that hits your face is brisk, the trademark characteristic for the November air, tinting your cheeks pink, pink like the juices of strawberries that you bite into, dripping onto your palms and sliding down your arms. But the pinks don’t signify the same thing— your cheeks are stained like a winter heather, growing in the colder months and bringing the only color in a garden with a white blanket that drapes over, and the strawberries are just a reminder of the warmer days, something that seems so out of reach.
Someone without a soulmate might lack this quality— to be able to see these shades or feel the changes of weather. But those senses weren’t absent from your life, but rather the taste of the strawberry, the sweetness that it spews and bursts on your tongue. Instead, there’s nothing. Emptiness is what fills you, without the understanding of what sugar is and what people mean when they crave the treats or when there’s a comparison to a love that’s like confectionery.
Cups filled with hot chocolate steams out from the covers, the scent saturating your nose. You knew what it smelled like, the sweetness, but once bringing the warm liquid to your lips, the expectations for the taste dissipates.
“You sure you don’t want to try some?” Chanyeol asks, lifting up the styrofoam cup in his hand, offering some of the delicious goodness to you. “It tastes good.”
“I assume that it tastes good. Did you already forget? I don’t know what sweet is, Chanyeol.” Rolling your eyes at the older male, you stuff your hands into the pockets of your puffy jacket. “You only have one younger sister and you don’t even remember what qualities she’s lacking?”
“Other than the fact you have no soul and you’re lacking the quality of being a decently nice person—“
You shove your older sibling as he winces, hand trying to stabilize the drink but fails, some spilling out. “Hey!”
“If you maybe weren’t so rude—“
“Are you two really fighting again?” A familiar voice chimes in, snapping both of your heads in the direction of the melodic sound.
There he stands, handsome as ever, with his amber locks flowing in the route of the breeze. Hearing his voice again brought chills down your spine, warming your claimed cold heart, causing you to swallow. “Baekhyun, you’re back.” He’s gifting you with his soft smiles, so beautiful that if it were awarded for the impact it brings into a room, he’d win.
“As per requested by two out of the three Park siblings, I am here. You wanted me in Seoul and you got me, so, what did the two of you have in store for me?”
Baekhyun was always Chanyeol’s best friend, from beginning to end, hopefully. They’d have each other’s backs like the friendship between two main characters of a sitcom, constantly glued at each other’s sides until University hit. Baekhyun decided to go out of his comfort zone, residing somewhere in the outskirts of the countryside. Chanyeol stayed near home, or your difficult mother would be left alone with you after your eldest sister eloped with her now husband.
There was always something inside of you that had crushed on Baekhyun, but you knew that being Chanyeol’s little sister meant it was off limits. Nonetheless, you kept your focus on finding your soulmate instead, eager to find sweetness on your tongue.
“Should we head out for a quick bite?” Baekhyun suggests, nuzzling his nose into the scarf that wraps around his neck cozily. “We can catch up and plan everything there.”
The two of you agree, following Baekhyun whilst he raves about a cafe that he encountered over yelp and instagram one day. He states, “it’ll make you rethink what desserts you actually like,” and you want to remind him that you can’t taste sweets, but the eager expression on his face halts you from doing so.
Entering in the cafe, the bell rings simultaneously as the door opens in invitation. The aroma of the baked goods inundated your sense of smell to that point you can almost feel yourself relishing in the flavors until you come back to reality, recollecting that it doesn’t exist for you. Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s expressions were opposite from yours, inhibiting pure bliss.
“Ah, I totally forgot. My little sister here, the party pooper, doesn’t have a sense of taste.” Chanyeol glances over at you, nose and cheeks red from the harsh winter weather, gaze hinting for desperate approval. “Are you okay with eating here?”
“Well, we’re already here, aren’t we?”
“We could always go for something else, if you want. Is it just taste in general or a flavor?” Baekhyun jumps in, eyes wary. “There’s a pizza place next door if you’d prefer.”
“No,” You shake your head in response, bouncing on the balls of your feet in order to gain some warmth. “We can eat here. I can’t taste sugary things. You guys seem like you want to try it, and I want to enjoy the looks on your faces.”
“What’d you order?” You and Chanyeol are seated beside each other, previously waiting patiently for Baekhyun to bring the tray of drinks and pastries. Your mouth waters at how beautifully crafted they are and the pleasant odor that fills the room.
“I got the famous strawberry smoothies for the both of us,” He says, sitting across from the two of you, placing the glass cups onto the table. “And for you,” he then gestures at the dark iced liquid that drips in condensation in your view, “iced americano. It’s bitter, but I figured you’d at least be able to enjoy something rather than... nothing.”
On the tray sits several different types of pastries, over salivating the mouths to those who have a sweet tooth. In the midst of the conversation, Chanyeol and Baekhyun discussed the ideas of where to go for their annual winter trip, and you couldn’t help but trail your eyes all over Baekhyun.
He’s aged since you’ve last seen him— he’s grown into those baby cheeks of his, well, kind of, but he has upgraded from cute to handsome. After he’d slip off his thick camel trench coat and hangs it over the back of his chair, you’d become aware of how even a plain black t-shirt is snug on his frame and the sight of him makes you breathless. Baekhyun was the epitome of a character in a film where he’s the main character’s brother’s best friend that is just a little too old for you, yet a guy everyone falls for.
In this film— he’s your brother’s best friend who’s overly kind, shooting warm smiles your way, and for some odd reason, always there whenever you need him the most. Baekhyun was a dream, a dream that would never come true, and you knew this because being near him never unlocked your sense of sweetness. There was a bit of disappointment when you came to that recognition but nonetheless, he was the candy on the highest shelf you’d come to admire, desiring it but knowing it was out of reach.
“What do you think of the raspberry croissant?”
“Who would’ve thought that people would put raspberry and croissant together? This is... truly an art.”
A light hearted laugh escapes from Baekhyun’s grin, shaking his head at your brother’s response. “Dude, it’s just raspberry jam and a croissant, I’m sure plenty of places have it. I’m talking about how they made this— like, how soft yet crispy it is and the jam alone is just...” fingers pointed and pressed together in his hands, he gives it a chef’s kiss, “... perfection.”
Tearing a piece of the pastry off from Chanyeol’s hand as your brother reacts with a whimper, he holds it by your mouth with his own open, gesturing you to do the same. “Open up.”
“Why?” You question, raising a brow. “Because, even though you can’t taste it doesn’t mean it hurts to try. Open wide.”
You think it’s pointless, Baekhyun’s pursuit, but you can never say no to him so you comply, mouth slightly agape as he pushes the pastry in between your lips.
And for a moment, you almost thought you tasted something new.
Your taste buds tingle, sparking something within before the sweetness disappeared, causing your heart to race. The two men watched you in complexity as you grabbed Chanyeol’s drink, attempting to regain that feeling again.
“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asks, brows furrowed in confusion. “Did it have a funny taste?”
Sipping the smoothie through the straw, your expectations disappeared once again when the only outcome of it was the cold liquid going down your throat. “I... swore I was able to taste the sweetness.”
“How do you know that it was sweet?”
“It’s the only flavor I’ve never had before.”
“Oh please,” Chanyeol interjects, cheeks full of the pastry. “If you could taste that sense right now, that would mean Baekhyun is your soulmate. That could never happen!”
Walking down the streets of Seoul, Chanyeol stops by a shop, actively looking for a gift for his lovely girlfriend, leaving you and Baekhyun standing by the exit of the store, waiting patiently.
“Speaking of... I never knew what quality you lacked for not meeting your soulmate. What is it, Baek?” He hums for a moment, playing with some of the knick knacks that sit on the shop shelves. “I can’t smell.”
“Wait— you can’t smell? At all?”
He shakes his head, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his trench coat. “Nope, nothing. That’s why I wear a shit ton of deodorant and try to go easy on the cologne. I can’t tell what’s too much.” How could Baekhyun not be able to smell? He loved food— always moaning at what you assumed was the pleasant aromas that filled the room, but now when you think about it, you never noticed how he never talked about the scent of things.
“But... you always smell so good,” You blurt, cheeks flushing crimson when you realize what you said. “I mean... you smell good whenever you walk by and I get a whiff of you.”
He chuckles, voice smooth and thick like honey, music to your ears. “Do I? I never knew what ‘natural smell’ I had. I heard people have it but I’ve never been able to actually... you know, experience that.”
Your brother had a majorly contrasting experience compared to you and Baekhyun— he didn’t lack any of his senses. In fact, he’s part of the portion of the population that possessed a marking, resembling one that his own soulmate has.
Chanyeol and Baekhyun were a textbook example of the outcomes of finding your soulmate. Chanyeol got to meet his, and despite the fact he rejected the belief that she truly was his mate, he eventually caved and fell in love with her. However, he never lacked anything. He just had a marking in resemblance to hers— the only identification he had to determine if she was his soulmate. But Baekhyun was the same age as your brother and hadn’t even gone close to meeting his. There were people who never got to meet their ‘the one’ but found love elsewhere, close in comparison. It wasn’t impossible to fall in love with someone who isn’t your mate, but who wouldn’t want to meet their soulmate?
“We found your soulmate.”
“What?”
You think, maybe it was a good idea you signed up for that research group on the flier that hung in the public bathroom stall of your university with a link to their website. If this was legitimately your soulmate, a session on the toilet was the beginning of how you found the true love of your life.
“Park...” The worker on the other line hesitated, reading what you assume is on the piece of paper resting in front of her before she says your name. “We are about 95% sure this person is your soulmate. But the problem is... he’s on his deathbed.”
“Excuse me?” Death bed? What did she mean? You’d just found out that someone knows who your soulmate is and they’re already telling you that he’s dying? “He’s... sick?”
“Yes,” she says, voice filled with concern and empathy. “It’s actually how we found out. His medical records are in the system, and we tried to match it to what was in your DNA from the research study you signed up for, and the soulmate component matched.”
You’re quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond with so much information being thrown at you. It was difficult to absorb. “So... now what? I lose a soulmate?”
“Well... we suggest you to at least meet him. Spend his last moments with him, and get to know who he is. He lacks the sense of taste for sweetness too, you know. Maybe... you both can get to experience it for the first and last time.”
First and last. All your life, you thought meeting your soulmate would lead you to the direction of feeling fulfilled— filled with awakened taste buds, traveling the world and being able to eat foods that you’d never been able to have before.
But that’s gone. All of that is gone. Your soulmate apparently only has 2 months left to live. You’d have to come to terms that once those two months are up, you really won’t be able to do those things again.
“How are you feeling?” Baekhyun asks, sitting on the stool by your kitchen island, fingers tapping anxiously against the granite top. He never fails to hop on the first train back to Seoul when you needed someone by your side. “You’re supposed to go meet him at the hospital this afternoon, right?”
“Yeah,” you sigh, drinking the tea that Chanyeol had finished brewing for you, deciding that he would be gentler with you today after finding out the news. “I was told he was on the verge of death the other day, but they were able to pull him out before they lost him. But after that, he told the doctors and nurses he didn’t want to be saved anymore. So... he has two months left.”
“Even when they told him they found his soulmate?” You nod slowly, tiredness evident in your eyes. “I guess it isn’t worth fighting anymore. How can I blame him though? He’s been sick for years. I can only imagine the pain and suffering he has been through.”
“Uh, hi.” You choke up after knocking on the window of the door quietly. “I’m.. uh,”
“My soulmate,” The man finishes, voice hoarse. He sounds gentle and kind, but his face shone exhaustion and ache. “I’m happy you decided you wanted to meet me, in spite of the selfish decision I made.”
“It’s okay to be selfish,” You retort, gifts in hand as you approach to the side of his bed. “You’ve been suffering for so long.”
“If only I met you sooner,” He says with a soft smile, and just the sight alone made it feel like all your worries had gone away. He’s beautiful, regardless of the state he’s in, and you could only imagine what he looked like when he was up and going. Skin pale as ice and lips chapped from the treatments, he looks cold and frozen, but right when he tugged the edges of his mouth upwards for you, you’re the one who melts. “Then there would’ve been something worth fighting for. Right now, it’s too unbearable. I hope you forgive me—“
“Don’t say that,” you quickly interject, taking the seat next to him. “I could never hate you. You’re my soulmate, how could I?”
“You won’t get to taste the sweetness again when I go.” He says shakily, eyes tearing up as you lean over to swipe your thumb against the skin of his cheek, the wetness smearing away, “It’s okay. I get to try it just for a little bit, and that’s all that matters. I got to see you, I got to taste the flavor that people describe good things as. When you are finally at peace, I go back to where I was before, yes, but I got to meet you and that makes it all worthwhile.”
You two of you spent almost everyday together. Eventually, he officially introduces himself as Cha Eunwoo, just a year older than yourself. He shares stories about how he used to be a rock climber, hands full of calluses to prove it, before he learns he has leukemia. He mentions how he developed the symptoms about a year ago, when the thing he loved the most became a chore— bones weak and tired, constantly getting chills and fevers occurring. He’d occasionally go climbing, despite his fatigue, and he’d find himself bruising easily compared to initially. Deciding to finally go to the doctor, albeit his efforts to avoid them by ditching his yearly visits, he’d been diagnosed with the cancer, his future deteriorating before his eyes.
You’d bring sweets for him almost daily, along with a meal. Whether lunch or dinner, you made sure your presence was known. Eunwoo deserved the best few months of his life, and knowing him for just a week made you realized how much of an impact he had on your life.
More than the first time the both of you try sweets.
“Let’s try it at the same time.”
“On the count of three?”
Both holding a cupcake in hand, wax paper already peeled off, you eye each other mischievously, ready to take your first bites of the dessert.
“One,” He says teasingly, waiting for you to continue.
“Two,” You continue onto his antics, a grin stretched across your face.
“Three!” With that and mouths open wide, as a couple, you chomp on the delight, eyes almost rolling to the back of your heads.
Chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting— a classic that Chanyeol suggested— pretty much sparking inner fireworks on your tongue. You’d never experienced this feeling before; it had been a different kind of bliss, one you never knew you were missing out on. You finally understand why Chanyeol and Baekhyun were raving about the café you visited the other day; your brother texting his group chat of friends that they have to come here next time. With such a feeling from eating a cupcake from a franchise grocery store and obtaining this deep of a sensation— you could only imagine trying that café again.
“Holy fuck,” Eunwoo curses, bulging eyes and remains of the baked good on his face that exasperates a laugh from you. “That shit... is fucking good.” There’s a twinkle in his eyes that you catch, and your heart clenches at the sight.
You get why people compare their loved ones to sweets. How when old couples call their significant others “sweetheart” or “sweetie.” Or when Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s faces lit up in glee at the thought of inhaling those baked goods at that café a couple months ago, mouths watering at the thought of their tongues tasting the sweetness of the desserts. It was a feeling you never thought you’d long for until now.
Eunwoo was sweet, you think to yourself. His hair is dark as the chocolate in the cupcake, and his voice sounds as sugary and smooth as the frosting. The first bite of the common baked good is a reminder of how addicting being with Eunwoo is, like the taste of the cupcake and how you can’t seem to get enough of it. Your eyes trail to his lips— so plump and pink, just like strawberries and you’re suddenly curious on what the fruit tastes like, but your mind is flooded with the thought of how his lips tasted like.
Bold is what you’re feeling today. You figure that if this was your last shot to make a move on him, you’d regret it later. And life... Well life is always full of regrets, but you didn’t want this to be one of them.
Seated on the edge of his hospital bed, his brows are raised questioning at the shift of atmosphere. “What is it?”
“I just... don’t move.” Pushing your weight on your arm that rests by his leg, you lean in, eyes fluttering shut since pressing your lips gingerly onto his.
Eunwoo didn’t just taste sweet, Eunwoo was sweet.
Reality hits hard, even if you already know what the future holds.
Your soulmate passes peacefully in his sleep a month ago, and the thought of him disappearing from your life is a constant indication that the nightmare was your reality. The memories of Eunwoo are embedded into your head, his face reoccurring in your dreams only made you mourn harder.
“Are you sure you’re fine? Your drink is melting.” A voice interrupts your thoughts.
Baekhyun invites you out for coffee, ordering you an iced americano like he did last time. It’s just the two of you for this occasion, and you don’t question the absence of your older brother from your mind being fogged up of the loss of Eunwoo.
“I’m... holding up. I’ll be okay later,” You assure the older male, attempting to pull the edges of your mouth into a smile. It’s harder to showcase your jubilance lately but thankfully Baekhyun doesn’t probe you to. “Thanks for getting this for me, by the way. I guess I’m still trying to get used to the fact I can’t enjoy dessert beverages anymore.”
He shrugs slightly in response, opening the plastic packaging off his blueberry muffin. “I know you’re going through a lot, Eunwoo sounded like a nice guy and I wish I could’ve met him. But... he’d want you to keep living your life. Don’t stop yourself from doing the things you want to do because you met him and he’s gone now.”
“It just feels... so wrong to do things without him because he’s my soulmate.”
“Well, I can almost guarantee that Eunwoo would be pissed if you weren’t at least trying to put yourself in a good mood.”
He... wasn’t wrong, but you’d never tell Baekhyun that he was right about anything. Maybe you’d try— just a little more for Eunwoo. You got to meet him, learn who he was as a person, and even though Baekhyun never met the guy, his observation and assumption of him was spot on. Straightening your slouching back in the seat, you lean over to take a sip of your drink, eyeing his selection off the menu.
Changing the topic at the sight of his drink, you burst out, “What... the hell did you even order?”
Baekhyun hums for a moment, lips pursed in thought. “I think this is a vanilla, caramel, java chip frap.”
“What?” He laughs at your distorted facial expression, peeling the plastic off the straw fore poking it into the top of the drink. Peculiarly, he brings the cup to your lips. “Try it yourself.”
“Baekhyun, what’s the point of trying—“
“I said try it, Park. Give it a shot.” Watching him doubtfully as you tilt your body toward his offering, your mouth opens in invitation as he brings the drink closer to you. Sucking on the straw for a brief moment, it hits.
It hits.
The drink wasn’t only cold— it was sweet.
“Is this— but how? This is so sweet, Baekhyun!” Taking a moment to let the taste sink in, your face winces in realization at how sweet it is. “Baek, why is this so sweet, I swear that just that one sip alone could give me diabetes.”
He watches you attentively, placing the cup back onto the table. “You taste it, right? You actually taste it?”
“Yeah, I do. But how? When Eunwoo passed, the taste disappeared. I thought I’d never experienced it again... unless...”
There’s silence between the two of you. Thoughts started to flood your head; what did this mean? Why did you suddenly get the taste back? Eunwoo was gone, and you were absolutely sure of it because you attended his open casket funeral. And why was Baekhyun so persistent with you trying sweets?
“I know this sounds weird, but there’s a theory.” Reclining in his seat, he takes in a deep breath before wiping his hands on a nearby napkin. “I’ve read somewhere that there are more than one soulmates to a person, and that possibly when one passes, it means the opportunity to meet your next one is... well, possible.” You don’t say anything but gesture your head for him to continue.
“My soulmate passed too. I never got to meet her but I found out that she passed because I joined that research group when you told me about it. They informed me that they found her in the system, but she had gotten into a car accident when she was young. I honestly thought I’d never get to smell anything— ever.” Pausing for a moment, he tightens his lips at the memory of a couple months ago. “Then... remember when we were here last time and you thought you could taste that raspberry croissant? That same exact moment, I actually... smelled that. My sense of smell was so strong in fact that I could smell Chanyeol’s fart that he passed moments after.”
“What are you saying?” You blurt.
“I’m saying, that moment we got our senses might be that very moment Eunwoo almost died.”
You recall the conversation you had with the woman on the other line when she delivered the news that they had found your soulmate. How Eunwoo was barely holding on, and days before he was on the verge of death before the nurses were able to save him.
“It’s crazy, I know. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And honestly, I couldn’t even stop thinking about you. Hearing Chanyeol constantly tell me about how you’re with Eunwoo almost everyday pretty much broke me, but I know that he’s biologically your soulmate, so what am I supposed to do?”
Did... Baekhyun just confess?
Unsure of what to say to his words, you abruptly grab his drink again, startling him as you slurp aggressively. Sweet, cold, sweet. It was disgusting, you had to admit, with all these flavors in one drink, but there was no denying how in awe you were that you could even taste it.
“Baekhyun, this is disgusting.”
“I honestly only picked that drink because I wanted to test the waters.”
And with that, he was able to bring your lips into a beaming smile for the first time since Eunwoo’s death.
The thought of your brother’s cool best friend falling in love with you sounds like a cliche, something you never thought yourself could be reality. After meeting Eunwoo, it felt like the end, something that most people who lose the love of their lives feel, as though there isn’t a purpose anymore. But hearing Baekhyun pour his heart out to you, even knowing he had to suck up his feelings for you when he finds out you’ve met your soulmate, makes you believe again. Believe that there’s more to life, even when your mate is gone, and it’s worthwhile to keep exploring.
And although your wishes were to explore with Eunwoo, exploring with Baekhyun sounded just as good.
Baekhyun wouldn’t replace Eunwoo, is what you learn. He’d occupy another part of your heart, loving you the way that Eunwoo would have, and honoring his previous role in your life.
“Chanyeol, you put way too much sugar in that.”
“I’m starting to miss when you didn’t meet your soulmate.” Your brother grimaces, swatting you away with his spatula. He was attempting to recreate your mom’s kimchi jjigae, which you tried to tell him that she doesn’t even put sugar in it, to which he argues that you’re not a professional in tasting things. “I also miss when Baekhyun was mine.”
You fail to notice Baekhyun’s feelings for you over time— his effort to travel from the countryside to come see you on occasion during his college years and incessantly telling Chanyeol to invite his little sister when he really didn’t want to. Even attending family gatherings as Chanyeol’s guest, when really he wanted to charm your parents in case he’d ever get the chance to win your heart one day. Chanyeol wasn’t supportive of Baekhyun’s feelings for you only because he didn’t want him to interfere with the opportunity to meet your soulmate— only late to find out that Baekhyun is your soulmate.
“Baekhyun is still yours, you idiot, or else we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Are you telling me that you don’t want to spend time with your only brother?”
“Honestly, Yeol, I rather not—“
“Whoa whoa whoa, what’s going on here? Are the Park siblings fighting yet again?” As usual, Baekhyun enters into the kitchen, handsome as ever dressed in a simple basic t-shirt still hitches your breath. He slides his arm underneath yours, snaking it around your waist to pull into his embrace, resting his chin on your shoulder. “I thought we discussed not having a fist fight with Chanyeol this weekend and trying to be civil.”
Squinting your eyes at the taller male, you scrunch your nose despite softening in the warmth of Baekhyun. “I’m trying. But Yeol here isn’t great at compromising.”
“I told you. All you have to do is return Baek to me and we’re all good.”
“You have a girlfriend! Why are you trying to steal my boyfriend from me? Don’t you get enough love from her?”
“I want Baek’s love.”
“There’s enough love to go around, stop fighting!” In contempt of his tone, he was amused. His ego must be inflating that very moment. Chanyeol frowns, turning away to the sink to dispose of his utensils.
Precipitously, Baekhyun swings his head to face you, a mischievous smirk on his face. “What?” You furrow your brows questioningly before he surprisingly plants a kiss on your lips.
For now, only the Prologue is published. The next updates will be delayed in comparison to Tumblr, but I aim to even them out in the future.
Tumblr is still my primary platform for updates, so even if you prefer to read it on one of the above, I'd be really thankful if you still left reblogs/comments under the chapters here!
The world’s a little quiet today, or maybe she thinks this way because the AC is on full mode. Her earphones are pressed on her ears, and her fingers are running over the laptop keyboard in light speed. Everything she’s doing is an example of tranquility. She’s trapped in this sphere of solitude, and she loves it. The library is entirely empty, too, considering it’s early in the morning for torture. But whatever, she likes when things are clear and monotonous.
Of course, every good thing is bound to the burden of decomposition, and so her quiet is disturbed. At first, it’s just a body that’s hovering over her table. A large body. Enough to darken her desk and wide enough to block the cool air of the AC gushing over her. She’s intending to ignore it, but she’s not exactly good at that. So she takes off her earphone and pauses her monstrous clicking. She looks up, glare taking place over the dead shapes of her bitch face, ready to confront the person stripping her of her cocoon. Only, she doesn’t see a stranger.
It’s a man, and she’s not familiar with men - usually she’s just a virgin in all aspects of the opposite sex - but he’s not a face well forgotten. He’s one of the dudes that people whispered about in the hallways, and even her, an antisocial not-give-a-shit girl has heard about him. She’s a bit mortified about his sudden station over her table, but she forgets about her curiosity to resume her glaring. He winces a little because of her harsh glaring, especially when she pulls her earphones so she can hear the sound of her eyes going absolutely still in the dangerous motion. Besides him stands another man, a taller one, and he, too, sparks recognition in her well-organized mind. But she doesn’t give this other man attention; she only looks at the shorter guy.
“I have a proposition.” He says, trying to keep his voice steady. She’s a little - a lot - annoyed about his demanding tone, as if he’s used to dropping requests that take no for an answer. So, she scoffs.
“No.”
His eyes, which were narrowed down in a way to intimidate her (as if) widen a little, and he splutter. “You didn’t even hear what I have to say!”
“Don’t care, still no.” She returns back to her speedy typing, just to have something to do and to irritate the guy. God knows how well-versed she is in the effects of ignorance. She hopes he too, is immensely annoyed by it.
His narrowed eyes go a little wide, before he narrows them again. He looks down at the unoccupied chair across her chair, then at her, who’s still pretending to be immersed in her ridiculous writing, before pulling the chair out from under the table and plopping his pretty little butt over it. She doesn’t give him the attention he desires, not even when he releases a big sigh of relief. She keeps on clicking on her keyboard, completely unbothered. This makes him annoyed for some reason. No other female has ignored him like that when he graced them with his pretty, dark presence, and no other person has taken it so far to pretend he doesn’t exist, either. He’s damn well-aware of what he does to people, both genders, whatnot with his beautiful kohl-ridden eyes, his thin, pink lips that perfectly curl into a pout that’s deadly, and his killer body. What’s wrong with this woman? He actually came here by the stupid, stupid convincing tactics of his friend to beg for help, and he’s being swiped off like dirt? Ridiculous!
He curls a fist over his mouth like a fake posh man and clears his throat, making her look at him with her deadly, iridescent eyes. “What if I offered you ten thousand dollars for catching a mice trap in the Dark Dungeons?”
The Dark Dungeons is a place in the university’s library where everyone just pretends doesn’t exist for some reason - probably because of all the boring past researchers of the graduated students stacked there - and ultimately ended up being deserted. A lot of students are scared to venter there alone, recapping fake tales about pale ghosts and demons that are there to hunt them. She’s not afraid of such stupidity.
“Okay,” she shrugs casually, pausing in her rapid typing and closing her laptop. The student blinks at the quick gesture. “Pay it in cash?”
He’s dumbfounded; of course he is. He hadn’t anticipated his dumb proposition (which isn’t even real) to be met with such ease. He continues to blink, “But you just said no.”
She shrugs again, crossing her fingers over her laptop like a CEO waiting for a colleague’s destruction. The fist he’s holding against his mouth is put down on the desk. He wipes his expression clear of his flabbergast. She doesn’t allow him to say anything, though. “It depends on the proposition, really, and my capabilities in doing it. I can catch a mice trap in the presumptuous Dark Dungeons, and I will agree on it for ten thousand dollars. This is, knowing you, the only good offer you’ll be willing to give. I don’t want to hear the rest, because I know the rest, and I refuse the rest beforehand.”
“So you know who I am?” He sounds delightfully surprised. It’s the only thing he caught from her monologue, the fact she knows who he is despite only discovering about her recently.
She gives him a look as if he’s an idiot. Then, she returns to her work and opens the laptop. His cheeks flush at that look, still surprised that she’s not even remotely affected by him. He finally gives his companion, a tall guy who casually slipped on the seat beside him and practically occupying the entire space with his large body, a helpless look; and his friend merely shrugs disinterestedly.
“Hey,” he changes tactics by knocking on her desk with his knuckles, his eyebrows slightly growing narrowed as he frowns.
The man’s a little bit upturned by the mischievous twinkle that goes on like a bell on her eyes as she ignores him, a spark that would have gone unnoticed if he hadn’t been sitting close to her. But it’s strange nevertheless to see her, a woman so poised, a woman full of confidence and empathy, show such molecular emotion. Mind blowing
“Look at me. Hey!”
She looks up at him, the twinkle shifting into deep, rooted annoyance. “Yes? Is there anything of significance that you want to tell aside offering a proposition to a complete stranger?”
He’s dumbfounded yet again. “Is that a way to talk to someone? What a potty mouth you have! Do you use it to kiss people?”
She’s the one dumbfounded now, fooled at her own game of ignorance. “Excu.. excuse me! Potty mouth! Me? I’m a polite person, thank you very much. I’m just in tune with reciprocation at the moment.”
He sounds extremely frustrated when he says, “What the fuck does that even mean?”
The companion of the rotten boy clears his throat before she can retaliate, and she gives him her attention for the first time since he sat himself next to his friend. His face is long and droopy, lazy, and his eyes are squinted as if he’s trying to make sense of her tiny figure sitting across. When he speaks, his voice is husky. “Yah, don’t yell. We’re in a library.”
They glare at him, their eyes holding icicles. He huffs. “The last time I’ve been here, the librarian kicked me out for knocking one of his shelves. If he knows that I’m here again, which he will by your loud voices, I’m going to be staked. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve seen a lot of vampire movies. Staking seems really hurtful.”
They shoot him disbelieved eyes. He puts a hand over his chest. “I have a sensitive heart. A wooden stake will make my delicate organ scar. That’s not good on my resumé.”
The first guy gapes at his friend, whereas she shakes her head in disappointment of being a part of this conversation. She goes back to her work while poking her tongue on the insides of her cheek, trying to restrain her growing fury.
“What?” The tall companion looks at his friend weirdly, “You haven’t seen the resumés I’ve seen online. They have applications out of this world. What if my beautifully intricate heart is required? Don’t want it marred!”
“Why the fuck would anyone ask for an image of your heart, Yeol? What job even requires the internal lookout of your organs?” His friend rebuts.
“How’d I know? I’m not logged in to alljobs.com!”
“Maybe you should, so you’ll be prepared to have a reasonable answer to your dumb shenanigans!”
“Will you both just shut up!” She snaps, smashing her laptop closed (again). They turn to her, blinking. “Why the fuck you’d even sit in front of a person you don’t know and have this conversation while they’re listening?”
They look scorned, cheeks going red. They regretfully look down at their laps, fiddling with their fingers.
“Now,” she exhales from her nose angrily, resembling a red-faced dragon (she doesn’t actually blush, but the running fury that’s gobbling her up leaves her face looking like a swollen tomato). “What the fuck do you want?”
The smaller man opens his mouth to say his demands once again, but she rudely raises an open palm up, squinting. “Speak gently. And slowly. And politely.”
He glares but complies. “I have something to ask of you, a proposition. Actually, you’re not a stranger, at least not as if now. I know who you are.”
She quirks a sharp eyebrow up, unrelentingly and very judgmentally. She’s not the type of person to be swayed over anything, definitely not over this man, too.
He rolls his eyes. “You’re one of the smartest students in our batch, and I kinda have been going through a lot with one of my assignments, so this idiot here told me to ask you for help.” He points to his companion, who salutes mockingly using two of his fingers. “It’s about the aftermath of war, and the effects it leaves on the intermingled classes of eighteenth century China. I’m very bad at writing shit. I confuse my statements; I fail at rearranging my paragraphs; I suck at choosing intellectual perspectives; and I most definitely can’t be on the neutral side to the point of sounding extremely radical. Would you help me write my research? It’s worth a bit of my marks considering I didn’t take the midterm for, ahem, certain reasons,” there’s a soft hue of red that glows in his cheeks, and feeling his blush, he scratches them with his long nails awkwardly.
“No.” The cute color doesn’t deter her at all, and she begins to collect her laptop and books to leave. Or, pretending to. She does not have any thought about leaving, not even when there’s a handsome stranger trying to invade her tranquil space. But, regardless of her wants, such gesture made the man nervous. He snaps his head up, eyes wide, and pushes himself to his feet quickly to stop her from leaving.
“Why not?” He begins to be angry. “Is this because you know who I am? Does my... Does our reputation precedes us?”
She gives him a cooly leveled look. “I only give favors to friends. You’re not a friend. Very simply. I couldn’t care less about your reputation, which does in fact precedes you. People tend to talk about things they don’t understand. The juiciest the gossip, the more people want to talk about it.” She pauses a little, confusedly staring at them. “Don’t you guys know that? When you wear these clothes, pierce all parts of your body, flash all of your tattoos, and walk around intimidating people, they will talk badly about you. Huh, I thought you guys are smart enough to discover this much about the nature of people.”
Whereas he looks startled out of his way with the sincerity in her words, It’s the companion who takes the time to speak. He asks her, his eyebrow raised. “Why’d you think we’re smart?”
She smirks at him, and he’s surprised that it’s actually playful, not malicious. “It’s only those that rebel the constant demands of society that have their heads teetered towards either intelligence, or insanity.” She slings her bag on her shoulder, her face going back to its previous expressionless slate. “Bye now.”
She doesn’t leave. She merely just stands and watches them watching her. It takes the two university boys a second to understand the implications behind her words, and when they do, they groan. They stand up, albeit slowly, and the shorter one dares to shoot her a grumpy, malicious glare, before walking away. The taller one simply tilts his head downwards in a respectable nod before following his friend.
Once they leave, she smiles, and the curl of her lips makes her face radiant, a whole lot flowery than the actual blanket of monochromatic nothingness that usually sticks on her all the time. She sits back down on her seat, opens her laptop, and begins to type again.
-
Oh the long road. Oh the long road. She sighs in her head, her legs heavy and unbalanced, almost sending her to the ground with how weak they feel. After almost six hours in university, with three classes and breaks in between, she’s finally done with all the nonsense that she, daily, has to face. Actually, university hasn’t been on her mind before in high school when she was in her senior year for this exact reason. She is too lazy for something overloaded like university. But, if she is being honest with herself, she doesn’t see herself in any place besides university, especially if she wants to have a ‘decent’ job. So, she tries to succumb to the voice compelling her to move forward, and ignoring the one that tells her to fuck everything and flop on the ground, dead.
A sound calling her name stops her in her long, angry strides, and she turns to the back to see her friend, Sami, waving for her, smiling so preciously that actual stars appear on her eyes. She’s not oblivious to the crowd gathering behind Sami, all males (and some females) staring at her with eyes twinkling with hearts. She reluctantly wave back, and Sami comes running towards her, beaming once she’s standing in front of her.
“You’re heading home?” Her friend asks.
She hums without a verbal consent. Her friend beams again.
“Great!” Sami loops their arms together. “Lets go together, and while we’re on the way, buy me a cocktail.”
“Alcohol this early? And why should I buy you one?” She raises an eyebrow up in ridicule, even though she already knows the answer to her rather dumb question.
Sami rolls her eyes. “No, an actual cocktail, with fruits and all. And you should buy me one because I’m your humble friend who asks nothing of you at all.”
“You ask for things all the time,” she narrows her eyes, and points at Sami’s earrings. “I bought you those earrings,” she points at her bag. “And I bought you this bag. And those shoes. I might as well buy you a house to live in if I’m already this much husband material.”
Sami grins, beaming, and her grip over her arm tightens. “It’d be so great if my future husband actually pays for all of my things. I’ll be a pretty, studious, working housewife that do things for him and accommodate all of his precious needs. Aw, I miss him already.”
“You should be careful not to say this in front of another woman that isn’t me.”
Sami blinks cluelessly. “Why? I didn’t say anything infuriating, did I?”
She pats her head sympathetically, her hand calloused despite the gentle, sardonic gesture. “Not at all. Not at all.”
They walk out of the university’s large grounds with Sami the one doing most of the talking, the bouncing, and the gleeful intervals; her grip tight around her arm, and her soft laughter surrounding them whole. She wouldn’t say that she was entirely comfortable about the concept of having a friend, but it has been two years now since she knew Sami, and she began to understand that in order to enjoy something beautiful, you have to watch it burn first, which’s why she, despite not liking it, disposed herself of her antisocial behavior, and stuck around with Sami.
Upon the huge gates of the university, she catches sight of the two students who had interrupted her morning study with their obnoxious presence. They’re standing in front, one of them - the tall one - is leaning against the large beige wall beside the gates, and the nuisance - the one requesting - is crouching on the floor right beside him, a fake cigar made of paper in between his fingers. They’re already staring at her, anticipating her exit. When her eyes meet the dark ones of the crouching guy, he smirks, his pink lips thin and inviting. He puts the fake paper in his mouth, pretending to inhale, and then pulls it off to exhale loudly, his eyes suddenly half lidded. He’s staring at her. She stares back, then she narrows her eyes, ticking her chin to the side in a silent request for him to look away. His smirk widens, and he doesn’t look away; his eyes invading her soul to the point she feels something scratch at the surface of her skin, begging to be released.
She scoffs. And almost as if he’s hearing her, he waggles his eyebrows teasingly. She blanches, disgusted, and her facial expression catches Sami’s attention.
“Who’re you looking at?” Sami turns to follow her friend’s eyes before she can look away, furrowing her eyes upon seeing the two boys. She turns to her friend curiously; nervously. “Do you... do you know them?”
She’s quick to shake her head, “Nah, I don’t know them outside the rumors that I heard circulating about them. I think one of their names starts with a B? Or an H? Anyhow, I don’t know who they are.”
“Why are they looking at you?”
She shrugs. “Beats me. Probably think I’m a visible, touchable time loop or something. That’d be cool. Have you ever seen Doctor Strange?”
Sami stares at her as if she’s an alien. “What on earth are you talking about?”
She shakes her head. “Never mind. Let’s quicken our pace. Maybe we’ll lose them in the crowd.”
As if hearing their words, the two boys jump to their feet (the one standing merely bouncing around) and they follow after them like two little creeps. They don’t say anything for a while, like announce their already large presence, and she ticks her head backwards with raised eyebrows, meeting their amused - yet frustrated - faces. She tilts her head, silently asking them about what the fuck they’re doing, and the shorter one of the two shrugs, the taller one smirking a little, the cigarette roll that was wrapped around the other’s mouth now in his. She looks away.
Sami notices her friend’s head going forward and backward, and turn around to give them a funny look, a little nervous for some reason. She looks back at her friend and pulls at her sleeve, a frozen smile on her face. “They’re following us.”
“If there’s an ice cube, large enough to have legs and is following me, and the world is so flabbergasted by it’s appearance, but you’re only concerned about taking your way home without interruptions. Would something happen if I gave it attention? No, you know why?“ she leans closer to Sami and with her big, wide eyes, she whispers. “Because it’ll melt away.”
Sami shakes her head in exasperation. Even after two years of being friends with her; she’s never getting used to her random thought processes. Either-way, Sami doesn’t feel entitled enough to say anything against that, and although she releases a little grumble from her chest in irritation at the skin contact, she doesn’t remove her arm away. Smiling, she leans her head on her shoulder.
“Yah. You can’t just pretend we don’t exist.” The shorter one says, or yells really.
His friend scoffs, and it’s strangely shudder-inducing because of his low grating voice. “We’ll follow you home if destiny calls.”
Sami lifts her head to peek at them, then quickly looks at her calm, astute friend. “Are you not going to answer?”
“A bird could constantly peck on my window and I wouldn’t shoo it away. I’m too lazy.”
Sami’s eyes mellow down, and her lips smile. “But that’s exactly what you do, sweetie. You can’t handle disturbances, especially when it affects your general surroundings.”
“You’re right. I’m going to kick their ass.” She stops in her gait, turns around, and glares; Sami stopping next to her. The two university boys pause in their strides, blinking.
“Question, exactly why was I chosen among the high grades receiving bastards in our class?” She raises her eyebrows up. “Is it because you think I’m easy? Or I’m a woman? Is it because you think I’m nice?” She says nice as if it’s a heinous word created for her personal offense.
The boys share a confused look. Then, the tall one clears his throat, readying himself for the paragraph he’s about to spout. “I’ve never once thought you’re easy, and neither have Baekhyun. We’ve seen the way you talked back to the teachers, and man, do you have a temper. I’m actually a bit shaky right now because I’m asking this favor of you. I’m not a misogynist, man. Why’d you make me something I’m not. love women. I love all wonen. Perhaps a little too much,” Baekhyun, the short guy beside him, is nodding his head sadly, “I’d have told Baekhyun to choose Dahyeon if I thought she was as responsible as you are. But the girl’s a klutz. She ruined a paper of mine once. Won’t let her do it again,” he then tilts his head, his confused face getting graver. “I’m sure as fuck you’re not kind, or nice. I wouldn’t have already been going through emotional trauma just by the thought of approaching you, yet, here we are.”
“Here we are.” Baekhyun spreads his arm with a surrendering look flashing on his handsome face.
Sami turns to her friend and analyzes the stone cold expression on her face. She hesitates, for a second, before she says. “They do have a point. You’ve traumatized half of the population in this university.”
“We still have two more years for you to traumatize the rest.” Baekhyun comments cheekily. When she shoots him a glare, he winks. She’s a little surprised. She hadn’t met anyone who winked at her deadly stare-offs. People are terrified of her, not amused of her.
“How many pages do you want your assignment to be? Mine’s going to be a minimum of eight, considering it’s only a meager homework, so I’ll try to shove your own pages between my breaks to save time.”
Their eyes go wide. Baekhyun actually gulps, unprepared for the challenge. “You write eight pages for an assignment worth ten marks?”
She raises her eyebrows. “You’re here begging for help for this stupid assignment, so I guess we’re both pulling up our shits, right?”
He shuts up.
It’s the tall one that answers. “Any page number is fine. Take your pick.”
She nods, “You’ll have five pages, then. I take breaks in between my classes. I have two-to-three classes for five days aside Saturdays and Tuesdays, so we’ll write two pages every week until its due date in three weeks’ time,” she takes her phone and shoves it in the chest of the short guy. “Give me your number so I text you the hours I’m free on. I don’t give a shit if our schedules overlap. When I tell you to come, you come, with your laptop and all of your writing necessities with you. One mistake and you’re out, get it?”
Baekhyun sweats, especially since her expression is deadly serious and her hand, which is still clutching her phone on his chest is cold, deadly so. He gulps anyway and nods. “Thank you, really. Appreciate it. Is there anything I can do for you to repay the favor?”
She smirks, and pulls her hand off of his chest after he accepts the phone. “A bad boy who knows how to say thank you? That’s a new one. And keep the favor until after you deliver your assignment. I’m not sure you’ll wanna give me any favors after I’m done with you. Say, are you willing to pay money?”
He pales. “I’m poor as fuck, ma’am, expected of a university student, right? Please say yes.”
She smirks again, amused of the panic in his eyes. “Relax, idiot. Just wanna check something.” She turns to the tall one. He’s staring right back at her, eyes wide and brown hair fluffy. For a bit, she’s taken aback by the actual fact of how gorgeous he is. Wide, almond eyes, soft hair, tall girth like a skyscraper, and she fucking loves skyscrapers, the taller, the better. He’s wearing a weird mesh of jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket, but he’s also wearing a sweater on top. He must be sweating in there. His wide eyes turn a little confused when she merely gapes at him, and she notices. She clears her throat, and rolls her eyes so the spectators don’t notice she’s a weird bitch.
“What’s your name?” She asks coldly. There’s a strange warmth circulating her body, but of course, she ignores that.
“Sorry?” He splutters.
She lifts a sleek eyebrow up, holding herself from smirking widely. “Your name,” she points at Baekhyun, who’s blinking down at her phone like it’s a foreign industrial scam. “This moron’s Baekhyun. Kinda noticed you mention his name. What’s your name? I’m a bit curious to know about the chaperone’s name, considering they’re always so ignored and unappreciated in movies.”
He looks a bit flustered, as if he hasn’t noticed he has been a chaperone all this time. He wipes the slight vulnerability that flashed earlier, twirls the paper stick in his mouth, and gives her a mock salute. “Chanyeol, ma’am, but don’t bother memorizing it. We wouldn’t be seeing each other enough for the need of that.”
She doesn’t comment on his words even though she’s curious. She merely tells herself he’s as weird as she is, probably a little arrogant, but of course not as her. No one’s as arrogant as her. She sits on the throne of arrogance. Her parents once thought she had narcissistic syndrome, those assholes, but dismissed it later on when she gave them enough evidence she wasn’t. She pays attention to Baekhyun, coughing to alert him of the actual fact he has been taking too much time typing gibberish on her phone, and not his phone number. She swears to God he probably failed to reach her contacts. He looked like a dumb loser up close like that, but she didn’t want to judge him so severely. A guy who winks at her instead of shit his pants must be a dumbass, but again, she doesn’t want to judge.
Baekhyun looks up from her phone upon her cough, smirks his annoyingly attractive smirk, and juggle the phone towards her (after locking it, for some reason) she tries catching her phone, and thankfully she succeeds. She glares, about to scold him about the degrading act of her precious gadget, when he all but announces.
“We’ll go see our own way now. Thank you for such precious moment. Perhaps we’ll be able to create more while avoiding chopped heads, from your part, of course. May the grounds open up to present you with a fortunate gift,” he does a whole theatrics of bowing, while simultaneously taking a step back, bumping into an unamused Chanyeol. “Adios, my lady.”
He turns around to Chanyeol, who whispers something to him. They begin to walk away, and Baekhyun says something to the taller guy, in retaliation, which earns him an eye roll. Not taking this lightly, Baekhyun jumps - to reach the tall giant - so he can wrap his arm around his neck, and pulls him into a headlock. Chanyeol doesn’t fight. He lets himself be dragged like a deadweight doll, like he’s used to such abuse, and she shakes her head. Chanyeol seemed cool with his indifference, but perhaps he isn’t the one in total control here.
Sami calls her softly, and forgetting her only friend for a bit - the two boys have extremely large presence - she turns to her. She offers a small smile, showing a dimple to her left side, and Sami beams.
“I’m not even going to ask what the heck just happened,” she offers her a hand, Sami; and she looks at it weirdly. “Ready to go home?”
Sighing, she accepts the hand, and agrees to be dragged home. Sami looks down at their hands; and thinks a little, her brows going all intersected. She shrugs, cooly intertwining their fingers together. She doesn’t even blink at the gesture, having been used to it. Out of character, the only thing on her mind at the moment is those two, strange university men.
-
Author Note:
So?
We haven’t got anything grounded yet. We still have a lot to cover! The personality of ChanBaek is beautiful, stick to see our dumb yet gorgeous boys.
Also, if you haven’t noticed already, our OC is freaking DANGEROUS! Chanbaek are in for a ride!
This is my first series so please cut me some slack but also I welcome constructive criticisms! This is in Korean so for those of you who can read Korean and English, go ahead! I will post a full English version link to the Wattpad story in the masterlist!
Pairing: baekhyun x reader, sehun x suah
Genre: kpop group collaboration!AU
Word Count: 1261 words
Description: Today is the day where they start the process of creating the album book by taking photos! Oh, and it's Suah's birthday...
Disclaimer: I have no idea how any of this works. I’m just going off of the little info I DO know so please bear with me as I try to fill the chapters with what I think (or what I just make up) on how to make an album and the other kpop things.
Masterlist
"Yes! Look at each other now! Yes! I like that! Look at the camera!" The photographer directs us as we model for the album. Right now it's me and Dayeon posing because we have to put in pictures by couples. Our theme is red and white so I'm wearing white onesie and red wired glasses. Dayeon is wearing a red flowy dress and has extra blush. The set has one red and one white couch and blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals that match our theme. This is more of a cute shoot and like a chill, cute scene between a couple or friends. Pose after pose after pose, we continue to smile and laugh while hearing the clicks of the camera. "Do a heart! Yes! 좋아! You're doing good! Look at each other! Uh-huh! Smile! Baekhyun, look at the camera! Dayeon, lean on Baekhyun! Pose with the stuffed animal! Wrap the blanket around you! Yes! Cute! Okay good." He looks at the pictures. "Okay, thank you, go change your outfits and Sehun, Suah, you're next!" Sehun and Suah walk up to the set and starts posing. I walk over to the the clothes rack and put on the second outfit. I can hear the photographer directing the photoshoot for the others.
"현아... 현아." 다연 whispers to me as we wait for the staff to switch the set.
"응?"
"오늘은 수아 생일 이다. We're gonna make a surprise party for her at the dorm and Sehun's gonna distract her." I nod.
"Baekhyun and Dayeon? You're next." This next set was more flashy with a large Christmas tree and I was wearing a red suit (like how Kai was wearing in "Love Shot") and Dayeon was wearing an office outfit that was white but it was more like a mini skirt and the blazer was cropped. There was a fancy couch in front of the tree and a huge white teddy bear with a red bow.
"Wait, is this another cute shoot? I thought manager 오빠 said it was more sexy and classy?" Dayeon asks.
"It IS a classy shoot."
"Then why the teddy bear?" She points to the large teddy bear.
"It's a prop!" She just sighs and gets on the couch. I follow her. She lies across the couch stretching her legs and stares at the camera with a fierce look. I take the big bear and put it next to the couch and sit at the edge of the couch leaning my arms on knees. "She's right... that bear doesn't fit..." the staff takes the bear and the photographer starts taking pictures. We take poses on the couch, around the couch, behind the couch, we even took away the couch to take some pictures with just the Christmas tree. We finished the shoot and moved on to the last shoot of the day. This time, it was a more game-like scene with a very bright scene near a window and a white bed with some fluffy blankets and pillows. Although it was a twin bed, we still somehow both fit on it without breaking it. We covered ourselves with the pillows and had pillow fights. After finishing the shoot, we rushed to the dorm.
"현아, can you fill the balloons?" Dayeon hands me a helium tank and a bag of pink heart balloons. Dayeon went to change the pillows to a bright pink and laying out the food. She puts the presents out. "현아, did you fill the balloons?" She saw the pile of unfilled balloons and how I was struggling with the helium machine.
"Ughhh, I have to do everything." She laughs at my confusion and starts filling up the balloons. "Just... tie the strings to the ends." I pout put still tie the ribbon to the ends of the balloons. The others come and start getting the rest of the dorm ready. Sehun calls Dayeon and she asks me to do the balloons.
"Huh? Please... just gooooo. We aren't ready yet. I'll get you bubble tea after. Pleaseeee... okay, 2 of them. I'll buy you hanu too. (Hanu is expensive beef) Sehun... it's for her birthday, like say it's her present. 세훈앙~~~~ 제발 좀. 고마워 세훈아!" She hangs up. "We have 1 more hour, Sehun saved us, we just have to buy him a lot of bubble tea after." She smiles brightly. For some reason, I felt slightly jealous that she smiled for Sehun... no, not jealous, erm... annoyed, yeah annoyed! *POP!* "현아! Pay attention!" I look down to see a popped balloon and bits of pink balloon everywhere.
"Hah. 미안..." I try to continue to fill the balloons up but I was still... annoyed. I swallow some helium and try to make Dayeon laugh. "다연아~~~" I say in a high pitched voice.
"Why is your voice so weird?" She says without looking up from the table settings.
"I swallowed helium." I giggle.
"Well that helium is making you high... go, do something." She says. I feel disappointed that she didn't smile or laugh.
"Awww... 내 목소리가 안 웃겨?"
"웃기지. 웃기지만 지금 바빠." She still doesn't move. I walk away but not defeated. I fill up the balloons quickly and walk up to Dayeon and start blowing in her ear. "야! 현아! 그만해!" She starts swatting the air around her ear.
"Rest a little bit, we literally have 9 other people setting up, just rest a little."
"Fine." She sighs and plops herself onto the couch. "Wait, I need to take the cake out of my fridge." She starts to get up. I put my arm out and push her back on the couch.
"REST! There's 9 people." Sunny passes by. "Sunny야! Go take the cake out of the refrigerator."
"I didn't-" she starts again. I put my finger to her lips.
"Rest, for the last time... you said Sehun would stall Suah for another hour right?" she sighs.
"I just feel bad that everyone's doing work and I'm just here... sitting."
"Then you don't need to just sit, watch TV then." I grab the remote and turn on the TV. Soon, everyone else starts watching.
"Dayeon 언니, we finished setting up-"
"누나! 누나! 수아가 온다!" 세훈 runs into the room. I jump up and 다연 turns off the TV.
"Hide!" We quickly hide behind things and 세훈 turns off the light.
"세훈이오빵!" We hear 수아's faint voice.
"Where did she learn that?" 다연 thought out loud.
"어?" 세훈 asked flustered but trying to play cool.
"이 선물을 주셔서 고마워."
"어? 어... it's no problem."
"Why aren't we going inside?" She says innocently.
"들어간다!" 세훈 announces. I facepalm at how obvious he is.
"Why are you announcing-" she says as she opens the door.
"Surprise!" Some people throw confetti at her, some blow on the party noise thing that rolls up after you blow out.
"Ah! Awwww... 고마워 오빠들이랑 언나들!" She smiles. "Is that why you were acting so weird?" She turns to 세훈. He rubs the back of his neck.
"Uhhh... cake!" He points at the cake to change the subject.
"Oh! 그 케이크는 너무 예뻐! No one move." She pulls out her phone and takes some pictures. "okay, you can move now. Awww! So pretty! Where'd you get it?"
"The bakery down the street."
"오 진짜? 거기서 가야징." She says as takes a bit of the icing on her finger and tastes it. "아~~~ 맛있다! 고마워 다들, 진짜, this is the best birthday ever."
genre: one shot, i dunno what this genre is... probably just romance?
warnings: none
note: it’s Friday, I went to a pub with a live band, had like a bottle of soju... this may be considered alcohol-fueled-writing xD
Autumn.
Baekhyun sees you sitting at the usual table again – right by the stage but in one corner. He had noticed you by now, you almost always came alone, ever so often; he didn’t know how often, he only sang at this pub on Fridays after all.
As always, you sat quietly in the corner, having a gin and tonic and some snacks. You looked tired, was it school or was it work? But there was a hint of calmness in the way you swirled your drink. It was the Friday atmosphere, the end of another week that you bravely pulled through.
That was all he gleaned from his few minutes of observation before it was time to start the live performance. Maybe he was affected by your energy, but he told the band to start off with a laid-back jazz song, much to their astonishment as they were used to initiating with something more upbeat.
---
Winter.
It was a freezing Friday evening, but it was the first time Baekhyun saw you here with friends – two other girls around your age. You were laughing boisterously, clapping your hands from whatever your friends were saying.
He sang many chirpy songs, to the contrary of the weather that night. The icy wind blasted through the streets, but at least his singing warmed up the atmosphere within.
Turns out it was your birthday, when the waiters brought out the cake adorned with candles, Baekhyun and the band smoothly broke into an impromptu birthday song remix. He watched as you blew out the candles and took ‘wefies’ with your friends. Using the festive season as an excuse, he continued the live performances with all the cheery titles he knows.
---
Spring.
By now, you were all chummy with the staff at the pub. He decided that he too, will approach you that Friday night. But you were distracted, constantly on your phone. He wasn’t able to read your expressions even, and you left before his shift ended.
Two weeks later, still spring. You were at your regular spot again, but this time, with a new companion. He was suave, and when he smiled his eyes did too. You beamed at Baekhyun as he took the stage, he gently nodded back at you.
Spring was the season symbolic of love; there was no excuse not to sing any love songs. He sang many of those that night. You listened intently but your eyes were only on the man sitting opposite you. At some point you looked like you were a little drowsy, he got up and sat next to you and you rested your head on his shoulders. You closed your eyes and continued listening to Baekhyun’s sweet melodious voice, but he never once met your eyes again that night.
---
Summer.
You hardly appeared. The days got hotter, he started feeling more breathless as he sang. Sometimes he’d run out of ideas as to what to sing, and he will just wait for a customer to pass him a napkin scribbled with the title of the song they wished to hear.
There was an exceptional lack of song dedications one night, and he was lost on inspiration as well. Looking towards where you would have been seated if you were here, there was just a bunch of mildly rowdy guys.
The band members looked at him, waiting for his decision. He wanted to call it a night at that point, but the pub owner wouldn’t have it, passing him a list of songs to pick from, all much too old school for his liking.
---
Autumn.
He almost thought you’d never come back. But on that slightly chilly autumn Friday night, he finally saw you again, sitting at the usual spot, alone.
This was the first time he’s seen you order soju. You poured yourself one small glass of the transparent liquor, drinking it almost in one shot, and then dropping the tiny glass onto the table lightly. Even the air around you felt like it turned a shade of dark blue.
There was a song request for the first song, he ignores it, asking to sing it later instead. He sang quiet soothing songs, which were almost like lullabies. He glanced often at you, hoping to calm whatever emotions you were feeling.
By the end of the fifth song, the pianist reminds Baekhyun of the song request, he wanted to push it to later again, but the pianist protested saying that it is already later enough. With reluctance, he sang it; it was a break up song.
His voice never sounded sadder, the little vibrations at the end of each line shaking your heart. You finished the last glass of soju from the bottle, ordering another.
He didn’t dare to look at you throughout the song, but when he finally stopped singing and only the outro was playing in the background, he turned to peek at you. You propped up your face with your hands, but the action was more intended to cover the tears trailing down.
He was reaching his last song for the night, it took him just two seconds to decide on one, and he knew the lyrics without even looking at it, because all those were the words, he’d been wanting to sing for you:
“The way you cry, the way you smile
Do you know how much they mean to me?
Words I want to say, words that I lost
I’ll confess to you but just listen
I’ll sing for you, sing for you
Just listen for once and smile.”
(y’all better read this while listening to Playdate, Cherish ^^)
Summary: Baekhyun and you having a theme park date and now walking towards one of the many games to win a large stuffed animal. He is sure that they can win the game, but after many attempts (and a lot of cash down the drain) he gives up. You, however, tries and succeeds on your first go. **************************************************************************
“I am home.” you lazily put out your shoes on the shoe rack near the door and drop your bag and books on the table in the living room then proceed to lie on the couch while groaning. You just finished with your final examination for last paper and have not been sleeping for 2 days to study.
Time now is 7 pm. you setup an alarm on the phone to wake up on 8 pm to get some food then proceed to sleep again to fulfill the sleep you’ve been skipped for the past 2 days.
You were woken by a familiar voice speaking with a hand stroking, playing with your hair. you proceed to snuggle to their chest even more inhaling their scent. your favorite scent.
“baby sorry did i wake you up? suho hyung i’ll call you later okay, bye”
“no, its okay. what time is it now?”
“15 minutes past 8. i stopped your alarm just now to let you sleep more since you seems so exhausted. you okay baby? how was your exam?” he whisper softly against the top of your head.
“i am okay. just tired, you know that i don’t sleep for 2 days since its the last paper and the toughest subject for me.” you whine.
he chuckled softly while occasionally stroke his fingers up in down your spine in soothing motion. “you did well baby. i am so proud of you.” he kissed the top of your head. you look over him while grinning then proceed to kissed his lips then stare into each other eyes. “you’re the best baekhyun. i missed you. when did you come back?” your hands go up touching his mochi cheeks. he lost weight since he’s currently busy launching his new collection for Privé.
“i just landed from LA then come over to your apartment straight away. i missed you too baby.” he pecked your lips then booping your nose with his finger.
“are we going to cuddle for the rest of the night like this? let’s go on a date. i feel like going to a theme park today. we missed so many dates already.”
“why not cuddling for the whole night?,” his teasing hands already wandering under your sweatshirt and then over the curve of your waist . cuddling with him, 9 out of ten, always lead to something more. “ and i thought you are tired baby?” he leans down kissing your lips then proceed along the jawline, playfully bite your neck and collarbone leaving few marks there.
you smiled but slightly pushing him while whining “can we do this later? i really want to go on a date with you.” you try your best with the best puppy-look looking over at him.
he looks at you and gently cups your face. he leans closer and kissed your lips then pressed your forehead against his forehead while whispering “everything for you princess.” you kissed him again then both of you get up from the couch to clean yourself up.
“there’s not many people here today.” you walk into the park while holding his hands. “what do you want to do first baekhyun?” you look over him by your shoulder.
“we should get the hairband first. let’s go!” tugging your intertwined hands walking towards the souvenir store giddily. now he’s more excited than you. he’s always a kid to you.
“i want this.” you took the minnie mouse headband and he took the mickey mouse headband to match yours. after paying for the headband, he helps you put the headband and you helps him to put his too. “you look cute baby” both of you speak at the same time. both chuckled and you give him a peck on lips while caressing his mochi cheeks.
you both walks towards one of the games there which happen to be a shooting games. “oh my god that looks cute baekhyun. its a welsh corgi stuffed doll. that’s remind me of Mongryong. i missed him already. i want it, can you get them for me baby?” you look over him.
“of course i can. i can do everything for you. i played PUBG as practice to do this kind of shooting games. you better watch me, i will win all of that for you!”
“fighting baekhyunee!” you cheer for him while stand beside him to watch him get the stuffed doll.
the first try, he missed it. you comforted him since it just his first try.
the second try, he missed it again. he started getting annoyed with the gun. blaming it for the missed target. you chuckled seeing him like that. as always byun baekhyun being a kid.
the last try, he missed it again. he started to pout, whining while walking closer to you. “i aimed at it exactly baby. why it doesn’t work? i am sorry. i couldn’t get the doll for you.” the owner just chuckled seeing both of you. such a cute couple.
“you want to try ?” he ask you and you nodded
“hey its okay. let me try.” you cease the frown on his eyebrow and peck his lips to stop him from pouting cutely here.
baekhyun help you to hold the gun since its your first time and its quite heavy for you. you aimed at it exactly then bang! its work, the tin goes down. the owner seems shocked and also baekhyun beside you. you succeed at the first try.
“baekhyun i made it!!” you slightly jump then pulled baekhyun into hug. also kissed his mochi cheeks. baekhyun is now pouting because he’s jealous of you. you kissed his pouting then chuckled while ruffling his hair.
“here you go miss.” he gives out the stuffed doll.
“oh thank you uncle. see you again” baekhyun is still pouting.
you tug baekhyun intertwined hands with yours to the viking.
“lets ride this.” baekhyun couldn’t help but chuckled seeing you like this.
upon the ride start, baekhyun thought you would be clinging to him like a monkey but you are enjoying yourself so much and neglect him who are scared now.
“uncle please go faster!” you shout to the uncle who control the speed while baekhyun shout to slow down.
“uncle please slow down!” his screaming keeps getting louder. you are now laughing seeing him.
you put both your hands up in the air when the speed going faster. baekhyun beside you keeps on screaming he even let out informal language.
“i am going to die!!” his front hair keeps getting messier due to the wind. the viking is now going slowly since its coming end.
“ah its end already. its all because of you.” you joke and laugh seeing his appearance after going out from the ride. he looks pale and sweats all over his neck and face.
“are you okay baekhyun?” you swept the sweats at his neck and face. again chuckling over him.
“i am not going to ride that anymore.” he said while slowly breathing again.
suddenly, your stomach letting out a sound. “hungry?” he looks over you who are already embarrassed. you nodded shyly at him. slightly ashamed because other people might hear it too. “lets go get ice cream and churros then we get a proper meal for my hungry baby.” he tugged your intertwined hands while walking to the food truck. he sit you at one of the bench available in front of water fountain. he go alone buying the ice cream and churros since both of you having the same favorite food.
“Attention to the visitor of Everland Theme Park. There will be a firework shows on 10 pm near the water fountain. You are welcome to see the shows. Thank you!”
baekhyun choose a good spot which you can see the firework clearly. he comes with ice cream and churros.
“Do you hear that announcement? I choose a good spot isn’t?” he smiled with eyes sparkling as asking you to compliment him. as always baekhyun loves getting compliment just like a kid. he gives you the ice cream as he eats the churros first.
“yes baby. thank you.” you both eat quietly while staring at each other. you clean some of the ice cream and churros cream that get caught at baekhyun’s lips sometimes. as always he eat like a kid. you smiled looking at him. both of you were in your bubbles, ignoring other peoples around you. you missed this. going on dates. both of you were very busy for the past few months. you are with your final examination and baekhyun with launching his new collection.
“i love you” both of you speak the same words for the second time today and chuckled to each other. the fireworks sound wakes both of you from your own world.
“its so pretty. i am glad that i came here with you today on a dates.” baekhyun leans closer and kissed you for the nth time today. you smiled into the kiss.
Hi! Welcome to my masterlist ^-^ There might not be much here as of now, but I’ll continue to add more of my stories as time goes by :) Hopefully you enjoy whatever I link here and maybe leave a note :”) Aight, good bye!
Baekhyun
Concealed Sentiment || B.B.H [ COMING SOON ]
- Pairing: Baekhyun X Reader
- Genre: Angst [ M ]
- Length: N/A
- Summary: Falling in love. An entirely normal thing to do. Most of the time the emotions you hold for a certain someone eventually fade away. Although, this feeling didn't seem to go. Not even when the person you loved was being married in 5 months.
