candy stars || baekhyun & reader
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.
“Nothing... you just smell really good.”
And Baekhyun... tasted sweet like honey.
Baekhyun is sweet.
