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housekeeper in hannam | 100hyunswife

byun baekhun x f. reader

genre: smut; slow burn; age gap relationship - unspecified age difference (reader older than baekhyun); a little angst but there's a happy ending

written in 3rd person to be able to get glimpses into baek's thoughts (but it's a reader insert, so the mc is still referred to as "you")

wc: 23k ...woah

warnings: soft dom!baekhyun; sexual tension is strong; male masturbation; hickeys; piv sex; light bondage (blindfolding); baekhyun, um, he likes your stockings/hosiery; lowkey worships your body; a punch is thrown to a minor character in a small fight scene; mention of injury from glass - baek is sweet and tends to you though;

synopsis: baekhyun takes an interest in his housekeeper and reminds her that age is just a number. can you relinquish your professionalism for pleasure?

a/n: thanks for the kind comments on the snippet guys 🤗 i got soo busy with moving to my new apartment but here's the final product! it was inspired by this request. as i stated before, this was so much fun to write and clearly, i had a hard time ending it! lmk your thoughts. - veronica <333

spoilers | snippet | story

tag: @ghost-strawb-eri

Byun Baekhyun is at the top of his game. After becoming a quadruple million-seller and selling out multiple concerts across the globe on his world tour, it’s no secret just how successful he is. And of course, with success comes the opportunity for expansion and the enjoyment of his riches. His already luxurious penthouse was to be renovated to become exactly the way he wants it—down to the artwork on the wall, hardware on the cabinets, and handles on the doors. It was all with the goal of creating a space that was exactly what he’d like to grow old in. Surely, he had the riches to buy himself the perfect home.

Baekhyun found it hard to shake the emptiness that came upon him when he went home to his brand-new residence's cold, undecorated, hardly-lived-in interior. Baekhyun bought this big house with lots of ideas and dreams behind the purchase, but once he moved in, he realized just how big it was and even more, how small he felt. He thought that, to attempt to enjoy it and not feel so miserable, he should make it a home. He could at least make it look cozier. Baekhyun liked modernity in his design language, but some things could still be tweaked about the furnishing and finishes to give it a personal touch and not be so cookie cutter.

With extensive renovations, it takes time. While he waited for his perfectly crafted palace of a home to be erected, he found himself making a temporary one at the best hotel in his neighborhood of Hannam. He looked forward to the completion of his house, but who says he couldn’t enjoy himself in the meantime? He booked a long-term stay in the building’s penthouse suite on the top floor.

In the morning, he had moved all of his necessities into the space and felt out the new setting. Undeniably, he felt a bit bored by the end of organizing his video games and consoles he brought for entertainment by the TV. He wasn’t proud of it, but when Baekhyun was bored, Baekhyun ate. So, after he took a shower, shook a towel through his wet hair, and threw on the plush robe provided by the hotel, he honored his artificial appetite by ordering room service. He reviewed the menu in leisure, resting his feet atop the ottoman in front of the velvet couch he was seated on. For his early lunch, he decided on a roll of Bulgogi Gimbap and fresh fruit on the side. Something light to add to the granola bar he had for breakfast is good enough to pass the time and hold him over until dinner. Over the corded phone resting on the side table, he put in his request to the kitchen.

+++

You rushed through the lobby’s revolving doors, making a dash for the section of the building past the front desk to begin your shift… to a late start. Not only did you forget to set your alarm last night, you also missed the employee carpool van that picks up staff in the area. This forced you to catch the slow bus with an even slower driver that goes no more than 25 miles per hour. This inevitably made you late for your duties as a long-time housekeeper at Seoul’s number one hotel. This also meant that you’d probably get an earful from your boss once she saw the timestamp of your arrival.

“Damn that punch-in system crap. The higher-ups never have to clock in,” you think to yourself as you release your finger from the biometric sensor after it read your print and submitted your attendance into the system.

With no more time to waste, you made your way downstairs to the basement level of the building where all of the facility’s labor force resides to make sure the wheels of the hotel continue to churn. You all are the beating heart of this giant building; though it can be hard fulfilling orders day in and day out, you took pride in the work that you do. You reached the housekeeping sector and headed to your locker to hurriedly change into your uniform. The hotel took pride in having upscale cutting-edge decor while sticking to old values and traditions when it came to service. These traditions of old-fashioned service lived on even in your daily wear. The black housekeeping uniforms were dated, exhibiting A-line skirts, pocketed half aprons, and the hidden retro undergarments of thigh high stockings and a garter belt.

As you slipped out of your street clothes and put on your professional armor for the day, you overheard your other coworkers chatting softly, and… giggling. They never giggle. Not that your jobs were miserable to you all, but giggling on a Tuesday morning when there were still so many tasks to complete—beds to be made, coffee to be served, laundry to be washed—made it an unlikely environment. You turned a listening ear, curiosity getting the best of you.

As you listened, you heard them whispering about a handsome man in the penthouse unit, Mr. Byun it sounds like. They continued to whisper about how attractive he was when they saw him move in a few of his things for a supposed long-term stay. You began to wonder just what this man looked like for the staff to be acting like this—he must be unlike the regulars that come in. Your mind didn’t get to produce many more thoughts on the subject since, out of nowhere, your boss appeared in front of you behind your locker door after you just shut it closed.

“Y/n, you’re almost two hours late.” She stated with a raised eyebrow that is filled in a bit too thickly with a brow pencil that is two shades too dark.

You bowed your head, “I’m sorry Ms. Park, I really didn’t mean to be late. I forgot to set my alarm last night because of how tired I was. I got home very late past my shift last night due to the extra trash and spills I had to clean up from the messy guests on my floor,” you trailed off, knowing it’s hardly enough of an excuse. Though Ms. Park was stern, you knew she was human and understanding at the end of the day. Plus, you’d been a housekeeper there at the hotel for over a decade; you first started in your mid-20s, wanting to make a simple living for yourself and move out of your parent’s house. At this point, you knew this place from the inside out and Ms. Park knew just how valuable you were.

Her raised eyebrow remained planted on her face. “Don’t make it a habit.”

You looked up at her and gave a sorry smile and a nod. You could only hope that it wouldn’t happen again, but you couldn’t make any promises. Her attention quickly shifted to something else, making a beeline towards a marked-up map of the building’s regions with various employee names scattered throughout.

It’s the first of the month. Your eyebrows are creased as you brought a hand to your forehead in exhaustion before the day had even truly begun. Not only was your rent payment due today, but you would also be getting a new assignment for work regions. Each month, the housekeepers are delegated new regions to focus on and be responsible for. It rotates every first of the month.

Ms. Park handed you the sheet for you to review. “Check where you are and get started.” Without another word, she exited the locker area and went to her office.

You let out a deep sigh and cast your eyes to the paper map to see which region of the hotel is your responsibility this month.

You saw your name written next to:

TOP FLOOR: PENTHOUSE.

You weren’t upset about this month’s assignment, actually. The top floor of the hotel housed the buildings two penthouse units. Only one was operational at the moment; the other is closed for plumbing reasons and won’t be reopening for another two months. This meant your load would be relatively light for the coming weeks—a very welcome change of pace considering the chaos that was your past month catering to the second-floor guests. Those were the cheaper rooms with rowdier guests that were not the best at cleaning up after themselves. You sighed once more, but this time in relief. A soft smile even made a quick appearance.

Your closest friend Gloria stepped away from the circle of giggling staff members and peered over your shoulder to see your lucky pull for the month.

“Penthouse section, huh?” She asked with an audible smirk.

You turned around to see that smirk and attempted to wipe it away by rolling your eyes with a nonchalant attitude.

“It’s whatever,” you said as you made your way to the carts to begin stocking it with bed sheets and mints. “It’ll be nice to have a bit of a break from having the messiest rooms in the entire hotel for 30 days straight.”

Gloria followed you and started stocking a cart of her own. With a teasing tone she continued, “I think you’ll be enjoying this section for more than just the lighter workload.”

“Oh please, am I missing something?”

“I hope you’ll get a peak of who’s staying there like I did a bit earlier down in the lobby,” she finished with a wink.

“Gosh, Gloria. Behave!” You ended the conversation as you rolled your cart away towards the elevator to get taken 20 stories high in the sky.

Once you arrived on the top floor, you saw a member of the kitchen staff just leave the room with an empty tray, having dropped off food to the guest you were just about to visit as well. You both smiled at each other as he passed you. You approached the door of the single operational penthouse and give a slight knock—fair game since the “do not disturb” sign was not on the door handle.

To your surprise, you were met with someone attractive, indeed. A fresh-faced man with the cutest rosy, pink lips and shaggy damp hair answered the door; you could tell he had recently taken a shower. He stood in front of you in the plush hotel-branded robe. It was open enough to show a decent amount of chest; the slight definition of his pectoral muscles was on display.

You looked him up and down, too taken by the sight to make sure it was discreet. The usual clientele were old, gray-haired businessmen. What a feast you laid your eyes upon. You faltered for a moment, but you caught yourself. Of course, you couldn’t let your attraction show. You dipped your head, peering to the floor for a moment to gather yourself, and cleared your throat. You prayed that when you did look back up, your interest wouldn’t be so clearly painted on your face with a hue on your cheeks.

“Hi, Mr. Byun, um…” You struggled to announce yourself. “I’m a housekeeper, I’m here to give you some fresh bedding and bath towels.” You got it out eventually. “I’m sorry I’m late getting to your room, I should have been here before you even arrived this morning, please forgive me.” You gave him a formal bow to end your apology. You bowed so deeply in part to keep yourself from looking at him for too long and turning any redder.

“No worries at all, I still had a good supply of everything!” He reassured you.

You came up with a gentle smile but kept from meeting his eyes.

“I’ll just give you a fresh restock to make up for it, I’ll be done quickly!” You headed to the bedroom area of the penthouse with your cart and left him alone in the living room. Looking over to his bed, you see that it is still tidy—he only arrived this morning, so there was no need to change his bedding since it hasn’t been used yet. You still went to restock the bathroom though, as, clearly, you could tell that he did take a shower and likely used a few of the towels. When you walked into the bathroom, you were met with the sight of a slightly fogged mirror, the vision of yourself blurred by condensation that has still yet to evaporate since his shower. Mr. Byun’s shower. His shower this morning that must have been steamy hot. You shook your head to discard the inappropriate thoughts that began to cloud it. You told yourself to get to work and began to pick up the used towels that were resting on the floor. You tossed them into the hamper on your cart and gave a new set, placing the fresh ones neatly on the shelves around the bath. There were a few splashes of water on the counter and floor that you decided to clean up as well, and since you were being so thorough, you then took on the task of cleaning the aforementioned foggy mirror to make it crystal clear once again. This mirror, however, is that of a behemoth. It’s a large mirror that compliments the penthouse’s high ceilings. That meant, to reach the top of it, you’d have to climb onto the counter when cleaning its upper corners.

You sprayed the bottle of cleaner solution onto the surface, starting from the bottom, rubbing your rag in circles, and making your way to the upper region. Once you had progressed to the portion of the mirror you could no longer reach while standing on the floor, you lifted yourself up onto the countertop to continue your mission. No task was ever too big for you; you would always figure out a way to get around any obstacles and leave every room spotless. This was no different. You felt your knees grind against the hard, unforgiving slab of marble as your arm continued to reach and wipe at the reflective glass in front of you. You knew they’d be red after this, but what’s new? As you grow in age, you’ve noticed that your skin bruises a bit easier than before. This is nothing compared to the burns from spilled hot water or freshly dried laundry that were still a bit too steamy for handling. This you could take. This you wanted to take. You were happy to be able to put all of your energy and expertise into one guest’s stay. You took it upon yourself to make sure his stay was perfect.

You made one last swirl of your arm, dragging the rag along with it, before sitting back onto your heels to observe your hard work.

“Well goodness, you don’t have to get on your knees for me.” An unexpected voice broke the silence.

Without thinking, you turn your head around swiftly. Too swiftly. The base of the counter was wide enough to support you and your measured movements as you cleaned, but definitely not wide enough to support the large range of motion you just took by turning around out of shock from Mr. Byun’s presence. You whipped around and your bottom slipped. Clumsily, you were about to be one with the floor, but with fast legs and even faster arms, Mr. Byun caught you before you fell flat on your ass.

You were speechless as you look up at him; you’ve never been held like this, in such strong arms before.

“I didn’t mean to make you fall, I apologize.” He spoke softly as he held you in his tight grip.

That chest that you stared at earlier, when you stood outside his door, was now against your cheek. That cheek of yours that is pressed against that chest felt each vibration as he spoke, along with every breath he took. You looked up at him next, only to get lost in those deep pools of chocolate that he has for eyes. Bad idea.

Speak! Speak! You commanded yourself in your jumbled mind.

“It’s okay, Mr. Byun. I just lost my balance that’s all.”

A beat has past and you still just gazed at each other’s faces.

This man, though mature, was clearly younger than you. If it wasn’t communicated by his youthful face, it was evident by the array of video games that were strewn across the living room console. Of course, you don’t need to be young to enjoy video games, but it was just another piece of evidence to keep your dirty thoughts at bay. You needed reasons. Reasons to not entertain any fantasies in your mind that involved this new, very handsome guest. You were at work and work did not include standing there drooling over someone who’d never see you as anything more than, well, an old maid.

You cleared your throat. You wanted to stunt the nonsense you felt. You needed to part from him and screw your head on a bit tighter than whatever configuration it is you have right now. He put you down, back onto your feet, but a hand remained on your back. His eyes hadn’t budged from yours either.

“Are you okay?” He asked with genuine concern.

You gave him a nod. He seemed relieved until when scanning you, his eyes caught the condition of your knees after you kneeled on the hard marble to clean his tall mirror. His face dropped and so did his body. He sank to one knee while you stood, frozen still.

“Your knees…” He breathed out in concern at how scuffed they were. It’s true that even your hosiery wasn’t doing a great job at concealing the rouge of your skin in that area. What happened next? Maybe you expected him to say something else while he was down there. Maybe a humble word or two about how you didn’t need to do what you did—how he didn’t care, and the condensation would have evaporated anyway. You expected that. As soon as you interacted with him you could tell he was a sweet guest, a considerate one. Not a guest that was entitled. You could sniff those out pretty easily. So, with this nice guest in front of you, you were prepared for the typical nice guest phrases and other words of kindness to be uttered.

And so it came.

“You didn’t have to get up there and clean the mirror at all, really.”

“I know, sir.” You met his gaze. “I just wanted to be thorough and make up for being late—”

Now what you didn’t expect, was for him to touch you. What you didn’t expect, was the warmth of his fingertips to graze your thigh as he placed his open palm against the side of your knee. You saw him look intently at the area of concern.

You sucked in a breath and gripped the bathroom counter behind you. Your face flushed uncontrollably. Had he placed his hand any higher, he would have been able to feel the laced edging of your glossy thigh highs. You opened your mouth to communicate some type of objection to his actions. But in the end, nothing left your lips. You just stared at him with your mouth slightly agape.

Staring at the inflamed skin underneath your stockings, he asked, “Are you alright? I really don’t want this to bruise. I’d hate to tarnish your beauty.”

Not trusting your voice to be stable upon using it, you answered him with a non-verbal, over-exaggerated nod.

“Tell me.” He refused to look at you until he got a response of his liking.

You shut your eyes and unscramble your rampant thoughts. “I’m fine, it will go away soon,” you managed to get out.

Baekhyun hoped you were sincere—he knew he was. It truly would have troubled him if he caused you pain from doing something unnecessary for him. Baekhyun thought, if your knees were going to be engaged while doing something to service him, it may as well be something fun… that incorporates pleasure. And he’d be surely glad to reciprocate. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Baekhyun, shocked at his own depravity, quickly caught the loud, lewd thoughts in a mental cage and tossed away the key. Guilty, he blinked his eyes a few times in an effort to clear his mind and his dirty conscience for thinking those things in front of the innocent, pretty housekeeper who probably had better things to do than be subjected to his desperation.

You took a step backward and he released his hand from your leg. Baekhyun dipped his head, realizing just how odd his touch could have come off. He only got down and looked closer at you out of care—he often had bruises on his own knees from various choreographies that included gliding across the floor. He wanted to see if you needed any ointment as he sometimes did. He was glad to see though, that despite them being covered by your silky-smooth stockings, the damage to your knees was visibly just to the surface and no real abrasions. He came up to meet your eyes again.

“Okay, I’m happy you’re alright.” He scratched the back of his head and glanced over to the living room. “Looks like my jokes are dangerous, so, I’ll let you be,” he finished with a sorrowful smile.

You stayed silent and pretended to look around the bathroom to find more things to do to keep your mind busy. Too bad you had already done everything there was to do.

“I’m sorry, really,” he said just before turning around. He gave a quick look around and commented on the bathroom’s condition. “By the way, everything is perfect so I hope you don’t feel the need to stay too much longer—you did such a good job already.” He exited the room to retreat to the comfort of his couch and the safety of solitude. He, too, needed to be alone.

You could breathe again. You decided to take his word and make your leave soon.

The cleaning rag for the mirror that flew in the air from your fall landed on top of the toilet seat cover. You retrieved it quickly and stored it back onto your cart. Without making eye contact with the guest, you rolled your cart out of the bathroom and towards the main door just by the living room. You thought you’d be able to escape without further trial, but alas, one more thing left his mouth before you made your great escape.

“Wait, what’s your name?” He asked as he got up and made his way towards you.

No, no, no.

You cursed the universe for this additional interaction. Just when you thought you’d be out of here without any more butterflies taking up space in your empty, hungry stomach, there you were. There you were with him once again towering over you, waiting patiently for your answer.

You refrained from meeting his eyes; as he held the door open for you while you slid out with your cart, you kept your eyes at his feet and offered a slight bow as you gave up the private detail. After you told him your name, you took a hold of the cart once more and promptly wheeled it down the hallway without looking back, without seeing his face, without giving him any room to pry for more.

Baekhyun watched you leave.

“Pretty.” He said to himself. Or so he thought, since you were already webbing distance between you both.

Too bad you heard it. Too bad it wasn’t concealed by the sound of the cartwheels rolling across the hallway carpet. Too bad you didn’t hate it enough to beg Ms. Park for a new assignment.

Too bad you found yourself wanting more.

His words replayed over and over again.

I’d hate to tarnish your beauty.

Did you hear that right?

And your name… he said it was…

Pretty.

You sat down at the folding table in the laundry station. It had been a good few hours since you left his room, but your mind didn’t know any better. You ruminated over the conversation; his words were fresh as if just spoken. You’re in a daze as you sit and fold the freshly dried bedding, tablecloths, and bath towels that come out in large masses. You’ve had so much more time to yourself than usual today since you only have one room to tend to—you can’t believe that this will be your entire month. You relished the extra time and even decided to do some extra organization of amenities baskets. New cucumber and melon flavored bath salts arrived this week and you wanted the simple pleasure of smelling them first out of everyone at the hotel.

You made your way over to that area, only to be stopped by Carl from the kitchen. And with him, he presented an ornately decorated bottle of alcohol.

“Mr. Byun in the penthouse would like you to bring him up this bottle of champagne.” Carl handed you a bottle of Ace of Spades.

“Me?” You asked, confused. Any type of food and beverage handling is exclusively designated to kitchen staff. There were more than enough workers today, so it’s odd that Carl came to you.

“He requested you to bring it, specifically by name.”

You tried not to show signs of shock or amusement on your face in front of your coworker. Is that why he asked what your name was? So he could order you around as his personal servant? You inwardly scoffed. But again, as you thought about his demeanor and attentiveness, he didn’t seem like the stuck-up crowd. He’s not that type of guy. You accepted the new mission without further comment—largely because you truly didn’t have much left to do for the day.

You took it into your hands and marveled at the art of the bottle itself. This is one of the world’s most expensive champagnes. You let out a cough, shaken by what you were holding. Sure, you worked in an upscale hotel, and it is to be expected that you come into contact with some of the world’s finest amenities and refreshments. However, this is the first time you’ve delivered things to guests other than fresh towels, bedding, or other medial domestic items. This is the first time you’ve touched something so expensive. On the salary of a housekeeper, you could only dream of making the amount of money this bottle is worth in a year.

You thanked the kitchen worker and began your trek to the man who awaits his delivery.

Little did you know, he was more excited about the woman who was coming with it.

The closer you got to his suite, the faster your heart would beat. You wondered how he would come to answer the door this time. Eventually, you were in front of his suite and lifted a fist to knock against the hard wood that separates your two worlds. It’s amazing how often you’re around luxury, how often you interact with it and observe it, yet, it has never been yours to experience, never yours to touch, never yours to… taste. You finished your reflection looking down at the $100,000 bottle of champagne that was soon to be taken from you.

With two taps of your knuckles and a held in breath, you made your presence known. He didn’t take very long to open the door and eliminate the divide between you two, and he did it with a smile. Gone was the hotel robe that once graced his body earlier in the day. He instead wore a heather beige Miu Miu cardigan and light wash jeans. Expensive. Attractive. Both qualities were anticipated; but it didn't make it any less impactful. At least you could tame your gaze a bit better than before.

“Hello, y/n.”

You were absolutely not prepared to hear your name come from his mouth. It sounded soaked with honey.

“Hello Mr. Byun.”

That formality did something to Baekhyun. At least when it exited your lips. Baekhyun is in trouble if he gets worked up every time you greet him.

“Please, call me Baekhyun.” His million-dollar smile has yet to leave his face; you were beginning to see just how charming this man was. Evidence to how he had claimed the hearts of so many from all over. You were never one to be swayed by celebrity status or experience symptoms of feeling starstruck. You came in contact with powerful, successful people day in and day out. It was just a way of life for you. When you heard that Mr. Byun, no, Baekhyun, was staying at the hotel, you didn't think twice about it. Sure, he was the first K-pop idol in your care, but back in that locker room before you started your shift, he sounded like just another number in the population of other well-to-do guests. You should have braced yourself. Moreover, the faux pas from earlier should have been enough to desensitize you.

“Well, Baekhyun,” you quickly reflected on how personal this moment felt, you’ve never called guests by anything other than their surname. “Here is your champagne.” You extended your arms out with the bottle resting sideways in the bed of your two palms.

“Thank you.” He took it from you and just like when you left the first time, you were about to make a beeline for the elevator, without another word. Faster than your feet though, were his next words.

“Can you stay?” The words left Baekhyun's mouth quicker than he could think. He was embarrassed at the possibility of sounding pathetic, but it already happened. It wasn't like he didn't want you to stay. It popped into his mind and blurted from his mouth with reason.

“Umm...”

You saw that he looked just as startled from his own words as you did.

The guests at this hotel pay so much money that most of their requests—even odd—are fulfilled. That being said, most employees are happy to oblige due to the prospective tips. But this… this was different. This felt personal. Requests to “the help” never felt personal.

He noticed your apprehension and wanted to fill the space with reassurance. “Don’t worry, I’ll tip you for your time.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that. I just,” you paused, “I just am not used to speaking to a guest for this long, for this often, let alone being invited into their space for more than just replacing something they need.”

You realized that you could have been jumping to conclusions—maybe there was indeed just something he wanted you to replace or fix and the question just came out of his mouth with odd word choice. Yes. Yes, that's probably it.

You hurriedly add, “Oh, of course right now you probably just want me to take a look at something for you or restock something,” you laughed nervously. “What is it?”

“Well, take a seat first.” Baekhyun headed to the couch and you followed, taking a seat on the sofa across.

He grabbed a couple of champagne glasses and cracked open the bottle to pour it. It was easy to infer that one of those glasses was about to be yours to hold, but the thought still felt too daring.

“What I want is you. Just to talk, I guess,” he trailed off.

So, company. He just wanted company.

You cracked a small smile.

He placed the bottle into the bucket of ice that rests on the coffee table.

“You don't have to if you really don't want to, I just, wanted to treat you to something nice for your hard work.” His words were filled with sincerity, eyes with admiration.

“Just doing my job. No problem.”

“So, will you stay?” He asked handing you the glass of bubbly.

You’re a little insecure since it’s towards the end of your eight-hour shift. Your baby hairs and fly-aways make an appearance from underneath the bobby pins you had used to keep your hair slicked in place. Without even looking in the mirror you could tell that your foundation has begun to wear away and your lipstick is dull. No point in reapplying now, though. Soon you’ll be back home to cook dinner. Only after would you get a chance to rest and take time for yourself… unless you take the opportunity that is presented in front of you from him.

Against your better judgement, you said, “Ok.”

He was unable to hide the creeping grin.

You took the skinny glass and had a sip of the most expensive thing you had ever consumed thus far. It was delicious and you couldn't believe he wanted to share it with you. Truth be told, Baekhyun didn't usually drink. So why the champagne? He couldn't deny his urge to impress you a bit. You and your company were worth every bit of the $100,000 spent.

And so you talked and sipped and talked some more.

Your conversation gave you more than enough of a sense of who Baekhyun really is. Personable, funny, and filled with stories. As an in-demand artist, whether with his group or solo, he had been performing all over the globe. You listened to the details of his travel memories, hanging onto every word. You were so curious about the rest of the world; you hoped that one day you'd get the chance to become as well-traveled as he was. For now, you live vicariously through his tellings. Baekhyun heard about the locations on your own bucketlist and couldn't help but make mental notes, should he be given the chance to help you turn those dreams into reality. It was cute, watching you speak so freely about the things that you enjoy.

And you were grateful for the space to do it. For the first time, the interests that you kept in your head had a stage to be heard. Is this what he felt like performing in front of thousands of people each week?

There was, however, a hint of melancholy behind his voice. Work—fans—allowed him to go on these excursions that meant so much to him. He hadn't been on a trip for pleasure in a good few years. Time had not permitted it. He spoke wistfully about where he'd like to go back to without limitation of schedules. He spoke wistfully about wanting someone to go with.

Before you knew it, two hours had gone by and the bottle was half-filled rather than the half-empty you would have deemed it before today. You were drunker on the feeling of him more so than anything the champagne could do to you. You felt a buzz from your phone. The text from Gloria sobered you.

Hey, you okay? I haven't seen you in a while.

Not only that, you also saw that it was 10 minutes until the end of your shift. You placed your glass down and shot up from your seat.

“I'm sorry Mr. By—Baekhyun.” You began your march to the exit. “I had a lovely time speaking with you. Thank you so much for sharing a drink with me.” You bowed.

Baekhyun was happy to give you a moment of relaxation. “No, thank you for sparing me your precious time.”

You went to grab your apron that you had taken off and hung on his coat rack earlier as to not get anything dirty. His voice broke the motion.

“Hey, actually, while you're here, can you check one of the lights in the bathroom for me? I think it stopped working.” A white lie doesn't hurt to accomplish a greater good.

Back in work mode you headed in the opposite direction to inspect the supposedly faulty light. Behind you while you were away, he slipped a one-hundred-dollar bill into the pocket of your unattended apron.

Make that a good $100,100 spent.

Baekhyun walked over to the bathroom to find you repeatedly switching the different sets of lights on and off with a puzzled look on your face.

“It looks okay to me; do you remember which light it was that you were having trouble with?”

“Ah. It looks like I just didn't flip the right switch for the bulb over the bath. Sorry about that.” He gave a smile. A suspicious one, you thought.

Nonetheless, you returned to the front door and grabbed your apron to sloppily tie a knot to keep it on just well enough for you to get to your locker before heading out for the night. The door, for the first time in over two hours, was opened. You were met again with the familiar burgundy carpet that exists in all hallways of the hotel. The familiarity of it, however, does not top the unexpected comfort of Baekhyun's presence. You could smell his cologne as he opened the door wider for you: dark with hints of black cherry and sweet, smothering vanilla. It pained you to take in his intoxicating scent. Your eyes almost fluttered close once it wafted through your nose. Did you really have to leave so soon?

“Bye,” you said quietly.

Baekhyun had felt something lingering after the door shut. He wanted you to stay even longer but he knew not to get too greedy. He had to get to sleep soon as well—a very early morning filled with dance practice was on his plate for the next day.

He started a hot shower to end his night. As he undressed and observed the steamy water cast its heat onto the bathroom mirror that you had so thoroughly cleaned, the memories rushed back. He reminisced the feeling of your cheek against his chest and your stunned, shallow breath against his bare skin. He knew that you wouldn't be easy to shake from his mind. Somehow, some way, he had to make you his.

+++

You felt warm when you went back downstairs to change out of your uniform. Whether it was from the too attractive guest or the too expensive alcohol in your stomach, all you knew was that this was one of the happiest days you’ve ever had. You first untied your apron and grabbed it in your fist to discard it into the communal laundry hamper. That was until you felt something within the balled fabric. You opened it to see a folded one-hundred-dollar bill that was tucked into the pocket.

Your hand flew to your mouth. When did this even get here? Besides when, your mind flew to, who? Except, you knew who. There's only one guest that you tended to today and would continue to tend to for the next 29. You felt silly for receiving such a generous tip for a request that amounted to leisure. He didn't need to pay you for your presence; it was hardly an act of real service.

You didn't have much more time to think about it, though. Gloria swung around the corner with her own apron in hand, throwing in the towel for her day as well. You quickly stuffed the crisp bill into your purse and continued to change, wanting to avoid any inquiry she might give if she saw it. That moment with him up in his suite was yours; yours to keep close, yours to fixate on. You weren't sure if you were ready to let anyone else in on it.

“Hey girl, you're finally back.” She announced, giving you a half hug before opening her own locker.

“Hey G.”

“So... how was your day?” She asked quizzically with a notably flirty tone and a raise of her brow.

“My day was good. Normal.” You reassured her.

“Good?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Normal?”

“Uh-huh.”

Gloria closed her locker door and leaned against it with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She countered, “There is nothing normal about that man.”

You rolled your eyes in response. “Gloria, Baekhyun is just another guest in this hotel full of other important patrons.” You closed your locker door as well, purse slung around your shoulder. You faced her, ready to challenge any remaining assumptions she had. Just then, when you saw the smile of a Cheshire cat spread on her face, you realized the cat was already out of the bag. Uncontrollably, your face flushed. You were the most experienced, professional, dignified, housekeeper in the hotel. So, for you, to refer to a guest so casually by their first name and not the last name convention of Mr. Byun that you started the day with, Gloria had more than enough reason to keep her suspicion active.

You closed your eyes in shame at your lapse in judgement. She let out a big laugh.

“First name basis, huh?” Gloria got closer to give you a pat on the shoulder. “Have your fun. You deserve it.” With that, she left first. You heard the shutting of the large industrial door behind her.

You were left alone with your after-work grocery list, a one-hundred-dollar bill in your fifteen-dollar purse, and the scary wonder of how you were to go about your job as normal when someone so abnormal occupied your mind in and out of the building's gold encrusted doors.

Baekhyun had found himself looking forward to your daily visits to give him the usual fresh towels and linens. He’d steal glances and pockets of your time to get you to chat. If only he knew that he was on his way to stealing your heart as well.

He wanted to know more and more about you as the week went on and took every chance he could. He hated when he couldn’t be there to greet you with a warm welcome and a smile. His dance practice sessions were beginning to pick up as his comeback was approaching. This unfortunately meant that he wasn’t able to be there every day during the time you showed up. Besides when he wasn't in his room during the daytime, hated the weekend too—he knew the staff wouldn’t be you. He never looked forward to a Monday so excitedly in his life.

Monday arrived.

One week down and three more to go, you thought to yourself as you opened up your agenda the following Monday. This reflection wasn’t as happy as it usually made you when you crossed days off on your calendar. This is one more week closer to saying goodbye to Baekhyun. He could talk your ear off whenever you went to his room for a simple clean, but he was undeniably sweet. He gave you an absolute tooth ache and you weren't ready to part with your new favorite calorie-free dessert. He was such a treat to your soul... and your eyes. You had come to admire his broad shoulders and back in addition to that chest that you became acquainted on your first interaction.

And him? He was no better than a dog. He fantasized about you during and after your visits, hoping that one day you'd throw him a bone—no matter how unlikely it was. His breath caught in his throat the first time he saw the top of your thigh highs and the straps of your garter belt that held them up when you were bent over. You had a particularly far reach as you dusted along the long edge of a desk; you thought he was busy in the other room. Your fitted skirt rode up as you reach further and further, putting more and more of the flesh of your thighs in view.

In that moment, all he could think about was knocking the duster out of your hand and taking you on that very desk—pressing your torso down as you were bent over and grabbing a hold of your delicious hips that were always just out of his reach.

Baekhyun literally bit his fist at the sight. He stood there gawking in the doorway. That was until he realized he was wearing thin, cotton pajama pants that did nothing to hide the evidence of his arousal. As you reclaimed an upright position, he scurried further in the bedroom to shrug on and zip up a long jacket to hide his crotch. You were none the wiser.

But there you were, at his door on an average Monday at 10 a.m., ready to carry out your average duties. As usual, no “do not disturb” sign is seen on the door, giving you enough clearance to enter. You gave the usual courtesy knock as well—you heard nothing behind the door. No shuffling of footsteps, no “coming” shouted back, just silence. You made a small pout, sad that it seems you won't get to see him today. He is a busy superstar after all. And so, with your universal keycard in hand, you wand it at the door and heard the pop of the lock. You turned the handle and held the door open for yourself as you slid in the work cart.

The penthouse was empty, surely enough. You made your way in further and peeked through the doorways to inspect for the possibility of an uncharacteristically quiet Baekhyun, but you were alone.

You took this opportunity of an empty place to do a deep clean as a treat for him. He truly was such a sweetheart for sharing that champagne with you, and this is one of the only ways you knew how to say thank you on your too small salary. You were in a good mood and excitedly got started by sweeping the kitchen floors. You also decided to finally put the speaker to use that you got as a Secret Santa gift last year. You turned on a random Top 100 Hits playlist and made sure the volume was up—you allowed yourself to enjoy this since the entire floor was empty with Baekhyun gone and the alternate penthouse closed.

You felt free and relaxed for the first time in a long while. You danced around, lost in your little bubble of music and the satisfaction of cleaning up each and every marble tile beneath you.

“So, sweet, chocolate. I just keep on missing it…” The speaker played the next song. You hummed along to the catchy tune and found it to be an oddly familiar voice. You couldn’t exactly put a finger on it, though. That song was too good to not dance to. Each swing of the broom in your hands was accompanied by a swing of your hips. You made a mental note to add it to your playlist and took a couple blind steps back to retrieve your phone and see exactly what song was playing.

Right then, upon the view of your music app activity on your lock screen and the sensation of a firm figure behind you, Baekhyun was not only in front of your eyes, but also behind you. Pressed against you, to be exact. You almost screamed but definitely shook from the abrupt impact. The interaction became increasingly testing. His hands gripped your hips to stabilize you.

You couldn’t contain the peep that escaped you at that moment.

“Chocolate’s a good one, isn’t it?” Baekhyun said.

You found your footing and turned around to face the man behind the music.

He was smiling like a fool. “This must have been the 50th time I’ve heard that song today, but it feels brand new paired with your voice.”

You didn’t address the content of his words but you without a doubt internalized it. He laughed at how bewildered you looked.

“Oh my god,” you said as the heat rushed to your face. You turned the music off.

“Well don’t stop on my account. Please, I was enjoying it.” He said with a dazzling smirk.

You felt your dignity slip away with each second you remained in front of him.

“I’m sorry, Baekhyun. I didn't know you were there,” you said, broom in hand, head down in shame. “I’m just doing a deep clean of things since no one was here, and, well, I had nothing better to do.”

He chuckled, “I came in a couple minutes ago from dance practice.”

You gave him a look up and down, and sure enough, his attire matched the demands of his previous activities. He wore a graphic tee with loose-fitting gray sweatpants. His skin was slightly flushed from the physical exertion. You also took in the sight of his slightly damp hair and forehead. In this state of imperfection and lack of poise, he looked hot.

“Well, Baekhyun, I am very sorry to have caught you off-guard with my presence,” you paused to gesture to the speaker, “and my noise.”

He shook his head “no” to brush off any shame you felt. Before responding verbally, he held a water bottle up to his mouth. You saw him take a long drink. Of course, the water gliding down his throat wasn’t visible, but the external movement of his throat as he swallowed each gulp was. The positioning of his arm being raised made his shirt ride up. The exposed waistband of his Calvin Klein underwear rests above his sweatpants against his lower abdomen. You swallowed and glanced at it and the sliver of skin above it. A slight v-line on display.

Baekhyun watched you as your eyes trailed down and finished his drink of water with a smirk. “Never worry about bothering me. You're welcome here anytime, for any reason,” he said with reassurance.

You figured that he absolutely caught where your eyes drifted because the smirk has not left his face.

In fact, he decided to play with you.

“I'm going to take a shower now, so feel free to continue whatever it was you were doing.” He casually turned around to head to the bedroom. As he walked away, he pulled his shirt above and over his head in one movement, balling the fabric in his hand to soon be discarded into a hamper. His footsteps away from you were so nonchalant, even a bit dragged out as he made his exit. He wanted you to look.

You made a tiny gasp at the sudden sight of his bare back. His bare back that was indeed as wide as you imagined. His shoulder blades moved slightly from the forward momentum.

As Baekhyun turned the corner, completely out of your view, he let out the smile that was threatening to escape when he was still in front of you. At least one of you had to be calm and collected. Secretly, he relished your little audible gasp.

He started the shower and waited a moment for the water to fully heat up. He undressed and thought about the view he had when he first walked in. You, in your fitted skirt dancing away, moving your hips to the beat of his song.

Oh, and he was to never forget about you backing up into him. While he was able to appreciate it jovially in front of you, he knew, even in that moment, that it would give him much more than just a laugh. You two had never been closer than right there in the kitchen, just a few minutes ago. It felt so good to be pressed against you.

He stepped into the shower with conflicting emotions. As pathetic as he felt, Baekhyun couldn’t stop himself from fixating on your hips that he held in his very own hands, nor your ass that so perfectly rubbed against him. He couldn’t stop himself from getting hard and watching his cock grow from the memory. He couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his fist around it and pleasuring himself; the heavy stream of water masking any sounds of his ecstasy.

He quickly thrusted in and out of his grasp, wishing it was your pussy he was rolling into instead. Even just your lips or hands would be a treat. Your pretty lips surrounding his length and your polite eyes looking up at him… the image got him impossibly close. That is the only reason for you to be on your knees, Baekhyun thinks to himself. You’re so mature, poised, and well-kept. It’s admirable, really. But he craved to get a peek at what’s hiding under all those layers of professionalism.

The hot water beaded onto his skin, making it all the more easy for him to speed up the stroking of his cock. His mind was filled with you and you only. Your pretty voice, your pretty hands, your pretty legs, your pretty face.

With you just in the other room, diligently cleaning and oblivious to his perversion, he came. He breathed out your name as he emptied himself down the drain. Each rope disappeared with a lack of purpose. It should have been into you.

The water was able to wash away the evidence of his arousal, but never his attraction for you that caused it. As the mental fog of his orgasm dissipated, Baekhyun reflected. Though you looked very good in it, you were more than your uniform. You were more than whatever limitations you put on yourself because of your age. He knew that, and he just needs to show you. You didn’t need a man. But Baekhyun wanted to be the man to serve your every need. You’ve been serving others your entire life; he wanted to give you all the pampering you deserve.

Gosh, he didn’t even know if you were in a relationship. He had to find out. He never saw a ring on any of your fingers… at least there were no legal papers to stop him.

He was convinced that you were his. His to please. His to make happy. His to, eventually, love.

It’s almost Friday, you thought to yourself as you were downstairs folding comforters. It was the middle of your workday and you had mostly been alone. When you visited Baekhyun’s suite, he was nowhere to be seen and no surprise sneak-attack happened either. It was just you and your linens this Thursday. You were able to finish his room up quickly and went downstairs for some medial work. Laundry was the task of the hour. You were bored out of your mind as you handled the fluffy cotton bed dressings, making perfect folds and stacking them onto a shelf.

Your mind wandered during the humdrum task. Flashbacks of your Monday encounter came to you. In fact, this isn’t the first time you had recalled that morning. You found yourself replaying the feeling of his hands gripping you often. Particularly, right before you went to sleep.

How could you forget his firm fingertips pressing into you? How could you forget his front against your backside? That night and each night thereafter, you listened to the call of your body. It excited you more than you wanted it to. Your hand moved faster than your mind could stop it, touching yourself to the memory of it. Each night, you finished yourself in pleasure, but guilt was never far away.

You hadn’t seen Baekhyun since then, he had been away during the daytime and was at his suite usually only after your shift was over. Needless to say, the last two days were a drag without him. Every time you were outside of employee-only regions, you hoped that you’d catch him entering or exiting the hotel. The tiniest view of him would be enough to brighten your mundane day.

You were taken out of your thoughts by the vibration of your phone within your apron’s pocket. You pulled it out to see an incoming call from Gloria.

Basked in annoyance, she tells you she needs help with an unruly guest in the lobby.

“I’ll be there.”

You hung up the phone in wonder of what could be going on that Gloria couldn’t handle alone. You checked the time—1:15 pm your phone reads. It was exactly the middle of the single security guard’s lunch break.

“Great,” you said to yourself with an eyeroll. You pushed aside the comforter you were just handling and made your way out the double doors into the lobby.

As the lobby came into view, so did Gloria and a tall man in a suit who held an expression of anger. Beneath them both was a broken champagne flute. Its shattered glass pieces strewn on the floor.

“What’s going on?” You asked as you entered the tense atmosphere.

Gloria whispered to you, “He’s getting back at me for telling him he can’t order anymore mimosas. They were part of the brunch special and it ended half an hour ago.”

“Hey, what? You called for help?” The man scoffed. You could smell the alcohol on his breath. You wonder just how many of these he drank to end up like this. “Maybe helper number two can give me the assistance I want.” He pointed to the mess on the floor.

“Clean it up and get me another drink.” He sneered.

“Sir—” You began, exasperated and in disbelief at how entitled he was.

He grabbed your arm and threw you to the ground. You had your hands out in front of you to catch yourself. Just then, you felt a couple shards pierce the skin of your palms.

“Now that you’re on your knees how I asked, clean up the damn glass.”

Baekhyun saw all of this unfold as he entered the lobby’s doors. He was returning from some morning meetings to the sight of the woman he grew fond of getting disrespected. He approached the scene to come to your rescue, seething with anger as he took each step.

You suddenly felt a pair of hands at your shoulders, assisting you in standing up to your feet once again. You turned around and saw your favorite face. Baekhyun looked back at you with a sorry expression. It didn’t last for long, though. Soon his eyes darted toward the rude man in front of you. Baekhyun shot daggers that would strike with vigor if the guest had any ounce of shame.

“What? That’s what they’re here for,” the man said with no remorse.

Baekhyun replied, “This is your own fault. Even with cleaning it up, they wouldn’t be down on the floor to pick up each piece. It would get swept up.” He was at his wit’s end.

“Sure, but I like to see them where they belong. At my feet. And isn’t it so much fun to watch them bend ov—”

His words were robbed from him. Baekhyun punched him squarely in the jaw, knocking any intention of finishing that crass sentence out of him.

“Baekhyun, no!” You shouted as you got between the two men.

The security guard finally reclaimed his post and made himself known as he asked what the commotion was. Gloria stayed to explain and handle things while you stepped to the side with Baekhyun to calm him down.

He noticed your injured hand, hating that you got hurt over something so unnecessary. He caught additional damage on your knees that you missed yourself.

“You’re hurt.” He said it plainly.

“I’ll just—”

“Let me take care of you.”

Your cheeks flushed. “What?”

He picked you up into his arms as if you were light as a feather. If bystanders’ eyes weren’t on you already, they surely were in that moment. He carried you to the elevators, causing a scene that made Gloria and even the security guard pause.

You aggressively whispered to him. “What are you doing? Everyone is looking!”

With the sound of your protests doing nothing to dissuade him, Baekhyun entered the elevator with you in his arms and took you up to his suite. You gave up your pleas eventually. By the time he was approaching the door to his room, your head had fallen against his chest. Your eyes already fluttered close. It felt blissful to put your head against something—someone—warm. You felt selfish for enjoying the moment. This moment of Baekhyun putting himself out for you when it should only ever be the other way around. He is the guest and you are the worker. It felt like everything under the kitchen sink of negativity. Wrong? Check. Inappropriate? Absolutely. Reprimand-able? Indeed, Ms. Park would kill you if she saw this scene.

It was all those things, and still, most of all, it was sweet. It was caring. Of him, it was selfless. You kept the creeping shame you felt at bay by reasoning that two things could be true: you like this, and this is something that needs to be kept a secret. Further, this is daunting and irresponsible, and it is fun. No matter how contradictory it felt, it was reality. You waded in the morally gray lake that is this unexpected connection you two share. The comfort of dichotomy no longer existed.

Still, the least you could do to clear your conscience is give gratitude.

You muttered a gentle, “Thank you,” once he got to the door and set your feet down to the floor.

He smiled down at you without a single hint of reservation or fatigue. If anything, he wanted to do more for you.

He put his hand at the small of your back to guide you in before leading you to sit on the couch. The velvet couch cushions sunk beneath you. He retrieved his own first aid kit from his luggage to tend to your hand. He took the seat next to you and rested your palm in his lap.

With a pair of tweezers, he extracted the tiny pieces of glass that were still wedged in your injured palm. You winced in pain. He gave a coaxing stroke of his thumb along the side of your hand. You mentally prepared yourself as he pulled out the cotton balls and alcohol. The sterilizing liquid stung sharply as he pressed the soaked soft fibers against the cuts. You sucked in a breath and gripped his wrist out of instinct.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun said sympathetically.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“I want to.” He paused with his eyes locked to yours. “I’m the customer, correct? My request to you, as the person I am paying, is to let me take care of you.”

The air fell silent yet the beating of your heart echoed in your ears. You wondered if he could see the rise and fall of your chest from your suddenly labored breathing. You opened your mouth to get something, anything out. But the band aids were applied swiftly and he was quickly up and out of your vision to put away his supplies.

Baekhyun made his point confidently but walked away with a hint of a rouge on his cheeks. He returned to hand you a menu: the hotel’s menu for room service.

“See if there’s anything you want.” He said before disappearing into the bathroom.

You looked over the menu, turning over the pages in awe at the expensive food choices. It all sounded so good, but the prices were something that you could never make Baekhyun pay. You've never been able to afford any entrees from the hotel. Sure, you've nibbled on the leftover hors d’oeuvres that the kitchen staff would hand out, but never a complete meal.

Your eyes skimmed the pages and your appetite increased. Still, you didn't want to be too much of a burden, so when he returned, you asked for just some tea and crackers.

He reclaimed his seat and took the menu that you placed to the side.

“Tea and crackers?” He questioned.

“Yes, I don’t have much of an appetite.” You lied through your teeth. Too bad your stomach wasn’t as good of an actor. As if you were in a sitcom, your stomach released a perfectly (horribly) timed growl. You quickly held your mid-section in embarrassment. “Ignore that.”

“Mhmm.” Baekhyun responded sarcastically.

He picked up the corded phone and pressed the button to the kitchen to input his order.

“Hello, I’d like to order room service… I’d like two Perriers and two truffle pastas with asparagus.”

He hung up the phone and turned to you with a cocky grin.

“I don’t think I heard ‘tea’ or ‘crackers’ in there at any point,” you confronted.

“It’s my favorite dish here. You’ll like it. I promise.”

You looked down at your hands, unaware of what to say next. He was pretty stubborn and firm in his decisions. You knew that there was nothing to say, really.

He looked over to you to say, “You don’t need to deny yourself something nice.” He noticed how stiff you were as well. You sat up completely straight with your hands in your lap, only looking forward, or down. The distance felt too great. In an effort to make you more comfortable, he decided to lay your legs across his lap. He picked them up and rested them on his thighs. You were unable to hide the surprise on your face.

“Just relax while we wait,” he finished with your name in a casual breath.

One hand rested on your lower leg as the other scrolled on his phone.

You felt yourself sink deeper into the soft couch with this new horizontal position. You adjusted to the new placement and looked up at him shyly; you got a small smile in return.

“You don’t deserve that type of treatment, you know.”

You replied, “It doesn’t happen too often.”

“Well, it shouldn’t happen at all.”

You stayed quiet and reflected on the nature of your job. Service jobs always come with their cons—dealing with less than pleasant patrons was just a de facto aspect that everyone comes to accept. Especially in an environment like this where your money speaks louder than anything that could come out of your mouth. The big egos of the big businessmen who stayed at your hotel were no foreign sight. Unfortunately, getting wind of rich people’s entitlement was one of the first things you had observed when you joined the establishment.

Baekhyun cleared his throat, taking you out of your thoughts.

Your eyes shot up. “Sorry, a lot on my mind.”

“I bet,” he said as he put his phone down. He reached for your calves that rested on him instead. He began to rub and knead the muscles.

He was giving you a massage.

It felt good.

He smoothed your overworked calves with his thumbs; his hands were even softer than the velvet fabric that pressed against you. You closed your eyes, relishing the feeling of him working your muscles until they were no longer taut.

It was relaxing, too relaxing. You found yourself fighting the urge to drift asleep, but it was too much to overcome. Without protest, Baekhyun noticed the change in your consciousness from the deeper slouch of your body into the cushions. He didn’t wake you. You deserve to rest, he thought. He took the time to observe your features closely. He moved forward just a little, your legs still resting across his lap. He leaned in, as if he would steal a kiss. Stronger than his intrusive thoughts, though, was his curiosity. He thought you were beautiful immediately upon seeing you at his door. Yet, you had never given him the chance to truly get a good look at your features. You always looked away or cast your head downwards out of the raw shyness that you excused as professionalism. He knew you were interested. You didn’t do a very good job hiding your own extra glances or lip biting whenever you caught him sweaty from dance practice or just lounging about in the gray sweatpants that appeared to be your favorite. He knew that seeing his hands closely and feeling them against you, even just briefly in innocently excused contact, did something to you. You’d swallow and your lips would tighten whenever his fingertips grazed you when handing you something. All of the tiny notes Baekhyun made in his head amounted to an encyclopedia of you. More and more, he wanted to know what made you tick.

But no. He didn’t kiss you then. Rather than be the daring man he wish he’d be sometimes, Baekhyun was as gentle and observant as he always was. He took a mental picture. Hopefully this won’t be his last. Hopefully this won’t be his last time being this close to you. And hopefully, the next time he is, it is under better circumstances.

A knock on the door made your eyes open and him retreat.

“I’ll go get that.” Baekkhyun rose and went to the door.

“Wait, I have to hide!” You said antsy and afraid of the delivery personnel recognizing you on the couch. You made a dash to his bedroom and shut the door behind you. You pressed your ear to the door and listened to the polite exchange between Baekhyun and the employee. While you eavesdropped, your eyes swept the room. Soon, they were glued to the corner of the room where you spotted various silk neck scarves sloppily piled on his nightstand. They were your favorite accessory; you couldn’t help but move closer to them and inspect their prints. You picked one up and admired the artwork on this fine fabric, you caught the tag, shocked to see the Hermes brand name. It was beautiful, but you understood that you would never be able to have such nice things. You picked up another, in awe of the quality and intricacies.

Baekhyun interrupted your inspection with the opening of the door and the announcement that the coast is clear. Embarrassed, you quickly put down the scarf you were holding and walked toward the door.

“Sorry, coming now,” you said hoping you didn’t get caught.

But alas, he said, “Were you looking at the scarves?”

Timidly, you responded, “Yes, for a bit. They caught my eye. You have a very nice collection. I love silk scarves.” Baekhyun caught the twinkle in your eye.

“Oh yeah?”

You gave a nod and were about to slip out the doorway until he spoke again.

“Which one is your favorite?” Baekhyun walked to the side of the bed that the nightstand and scarves were by. He patted the space next to him for you to join him.

“Well...” You began, taking a seat and properly looking at them all as he laid them out between you.

You thought about it, taking another look at the two you already had your hands on and observing all the others. Eventually, you concluded that the Carre Libre scarf was your favorite.

“I love the palette and the quirky little drawings are adorable.” You touched it along its edging. “The stitchwork on it is impeccable as well.”

Baekhyun smiled and picked it up before leaning closer to tie it around your neck. Your eyes went large at the gesture. He made the perfect knot.

“Maybe I want my housekeeper to look like a flight attendant today,” he joked.

You cracked a smile amidst how bashful you felt. Every time the corners of your mouth raised, he felt like he won the lottery.

“You can have it.”

“Oh no, I could never.” You reached up to untie the beautiful fabric. He grabbed your hands and held them in his, down at your lap. You felt your cheeks heat up at the feeling of his big hands around yours. They were warm and soft and you wanted to remember them forever.

“Keep it. In fact, I want that to be part of your uniform now. Wear it every day that you come to see me,” Baekhyun paused, “I mean, every day that you come to see my suite.”

He remembered then, that, no matter how much he enjoyed his time with you, he still couldn’t make any real assumptions about how you felt about him. He knew that ultimately, you were a hard worker with a strong work ethic. There were those extra glances and lingering stares that made Baekhyun feel like he had a chance, but in this moment, his nerves cropped up. All your attentiveness towards him could very well just be you doing your job passionately. Either way, he wanted to reward you. He wanted you to know that to him, you were special.

“Right. Okay then.” You ended with a nervous giggle. You got up to look in the bedroom’s mirror. You were beaming at the new addition to your work uniform. You really liked it. More than you wanted to admit. He came up to stand behind you and if you had dared to move your eyes away from yourself in the reflection, you would have seen his doting gaze on you.

“Thank you, Baekhyun.”

He loved seeing you happy and had a satisfied grin of his own.

“Let’s eat,” he said taking your hand into his and seating you, this time, at the dining table.

You both dig into the pasta dishes, enjoying the cuisine and the company.

You didn’t get what you asked for, but he surely gave you what you wanted: the nicer things that you never let yourself have. It was a common theme in your interactions; you were professional to a fault, and he loosened your collar of austerity.

He had truly decoded you, having a sense of which of your “No’s” really meant “Yes.”

He made space for you in this bed of luxury that you were always making and tending to, but never rested in. You allowed each other to escape. You from your tax bracket and mundanity, him from his loneliness.

Just before the end of your shift, you left his room with a new gifted accessory and a smile that was impossible to wipe off your face. He bid you goodbye at the door, and just out of the corner of your view, Gloria was just walking past that hallway. She halted her steps to observe the exchange of “goodnights” between you two. Not only did she catch the looks of longing, but also the neck scarf you’re sporting. Just then, you touched it and thanked him for it one last time before turning to head to the elevator down the hallway near Gloria.

Gloria briskly made her way to the door to the stairwell, not wanting to be caught seeing your interaction. She smiled to herself, rooting for your newfound spark, and ultimately, your happiness.

You went home last night with a full belly and an even fuller heart, swollen with feelings for the young gentleman whose suite has been in your care for the past couple of weeks. You got dressed in your uniform this Friday morning in the locker room. It went as usual: the garter belt, the thigh highs, the skirt and blouse. You were just about to shut your locker and begin your day until the corner of a soft black fabric that peaked out of your purse caught your eye. How could you forget the special new addition? You tied it around your neck, just how Baekhyun did it for you.

“Good morning,” Gloria said, startling you in the middle of your knot. She came in so quietly, you didn’t even notice. Or were your thoughts too loud and happened to drown out the world around you?

“Hi! Good morning,” you said a bit shaken. You saw her eyes flicker to the silk that decorated your neck. “Oh, yeah. It’s new!” You said nervously while giving your hair a quick smooth over before shutting the locker door. You rushed to leave, not wanting any room for her to pry for more details.

“You look pretty.” Gloria yelled the sweet affirmation before you dashed out the door.

You turned back and ran to give her a hug. She welcomed the embrace and you felt the icy guilt melt off of your weary heart. You pulled away and looked back at your friend of 10 years. She recognized a light in you that she hadn’t seen in a long time. No words were spoken. She knew, but didn’t feel the need to say anything and you were relieved she didn’t. This whole time, you’ve felt captive to your own thoughts and just needed to express your happiness to someone else—somehow, some way. The physical connection of a hug did just that. You weren’t ready to speak about it out loud yet, no, that would make it too real. You wanted to spend just a little more time wading in the privacy of you and Baekhyun’s secret bond.

“Go, go. Your shift is starting,” Gloria said while ushering you out.

You finally made it out, and this time, without anxiety. You feel free. Free in your thoughts, free in your feelings, free in your desires.

Right then, you realized that these two very important things are true:

You could still be a great housekeeper. In fact, you were a great housekeeper.

And like Gloria said on day one, you could still have your fun.

+++

Baekhyun saw you that morning. Actually, he watched you. He loved the sight of you going about your day wearing something that he gave you. He wanted it to last forever. Too bad he had his own errands to run before you were done.

He bid a farewell to you and took a long look at you while you reached and dusted behind the TV. You were distracted by the dust bunnies while he was distracted at the curve of your body as you unconsciously stuck out your ass, leaning forward.

He didn’t wait a moment longer to finally leave for the elevator. It occurred to him that, despite you not wearing a ring on your finger, you could still be in a relationship. What if he was getting his hopes up when you were already taken all along? He felt guilty about that extra glance at you he just took. Rather than guilty, really, he felt frustrated. Each day you walked in there looking absolutely beautiful. You and him were so close yet still so far apart. He felt like he was looking at you through glass. The only way he could break it is if he knew for sure if you were already in a relationship. Baekhyun was bold but not bold enough to ask you that straight to your face.

Good thing that on his way out, he ran into your number one confidant in the hotel in the lobby.

She also happened to be alone, restocking the amenities and refreshments. This was his chance.

“Hi, you're... Gloria, right?” He asked after recognizing her from the altercation the prior day.

“Who's asking?” She replied sassily though picked up on his sincerity.

“My name is Byun Baekhyun, I'm staying up in the penthouse.”

“I know,” Gloria replied without pausing to look at him.

“Well, I just wanted to ask about your coworker,” Baekhyun began.

Gloria paused and finally looked up at him with a raised brow. She asked if it was you, with a knowing smile.

Baekhyun gave a bashful nod. “How'd you know?”

“What do you want to know, Mr. Byun?”

She made her way to the coffee machines to change the filters.

“Well, umm...” Baekhyun followed to keep up. “Do you know if...” He trailed off, suddenly unconfident in his delivery and the question itself. He realized how odd it could sound.

“Do I know if she's in a relationship?” Gloria finished for him.

Baekhyun let out a puff of air before pursing his lips and letting out a terse, “Yes.”

Gloria grinned, tossing the old filters away as Baekhyun trailed behind her like a puppy.

“You don't want to ask her yourself, Mr. Byun?”

“This is just easier, but I understand if—”

“No, Mr. Byun.” Gloria met his eyes. “She is not in a relationship.”

Baekhyun tried to stifle his smile but failed.

Gloria warned, “I will say it's been a while. She divorced her husband four years ago after he cheated on her.”

Baekhyun's smile was softened with a look of solemnity.

“Have fun, make her happy, she deserves it. Just, don't hurt her.”

“You have my word, Gloria. Thank you.”

Baekhyun continued his way out the revolving doors of the hotel to get on with his day. But now, he carried on with renowned motivation. Now, he knew that he had a future Mrs. Byun to court.

+++

Baekhyun returned that afternoon. He visited his room to scribble a quick note before poking his head throughout the lobby to find Gloria. After looking around for a few minutes—checking the lounge, the billiards room, the coffee bar, Gloria finally appeared from the depths of the “employee only” section double doors, pushing the familiar cart of supplies and linens.

He beamed upon spotting her. And she, she was confused.

“So, we meet again,” Baekhyun teased.

“What now? Are you curious about where she lives? Sorry, you’re not getting that much info.”

He chuckled. “You really know how to make me laugh.”

“Yes. I’m known to be funny,” Gloria gave a cheeky shrug. “What do you need Mr. Byun?”

“A favor. A big favor. Do you mind leaving this note somewhere in the back where she’ll find it?”

Gloria looked down at the paper he was referring to and saw your name written on it. Her eyes switched back up to his pleading ones.

“Again, you don’t want to deliver or say it to her yourself?”

“Please, pretty please,” he pestered and pouted in front of the busy employee that had little patience for antics.

“Fine,” Gloria said with a playful eyeroll as she took the paper from him.

She left her cart to the side to turn around and make a quick visit to the back. Baekhyun didn’t forget to show Gloria his appreciation for all her help. While Gloria was away, he slipped a $100 bill onto her cart and disappeared before she could return and thank him.

Indeed, you found the note at the end of your shift, wedged in the closure of your locker door. It was a hotel-branded memo sheet folded in half with your name on the outside. You couldn’t pin whose handwriting it was.

You opened it up to read its contents.

This Saturday night – yep, tomorrow – you busy?

Meet me at Dokseodang Children’s Park. 9:30pm.

He wrote his phone number as well. And next to it read,

Text me yes or no.

I want to show you something pretty... besides yourself, of course.

-Baekhyun

There it was again. Pretty.

Even without being in front of you, he could make your cheeks heat up just like that. You wondered how he was so forgetful of your age. It’s not that difficult to see. You didn’t find yourself ugly, but you certainly were not the conventional definition of pretty when that is typically ascribed to those more youthful than you. Not to mention, Baekhyun is a celebrity himself who is in social circles filled with others of his demographic—including female counterparts. Surely, he must be more attracted to them than you.

You sat down on a nearby bench and stared at the note in your hand.

You looked at the location again. Dokseodang Children’s Park. You had a general idea of where it could be but pulled out your phone to check. It’s not too far, just on the east side of Hannam. Doable. You don’t really know much about the area outside of the hotel property. UN Village was as exclusive as it got. You, as someone living off the salary of a housekeeper, had no business occupying the same spaces as the wealthiest socialites in the entire country.

You kept your phone out to give him the answer he awaited. You typed in his newly given number and even made a contact for him in your phone. You had a feeling this wouldn’t be the only time you’d message him. For practical reasons, of course—or so you told yourself. You reasoned that you might need to text him to let him know once you’ve arrived at the destination. Moving forward with the text message, you typed in the three-letter word that opened the door to your first outing in a long time. You had many questions on your mind but none of them made you want to text the sweet man “no.”

After confirming your willingness to go, you were left with the most pressing question of all.

“What will I even wear?”

Alone, nervous, but excited, you walked up the hill under the night sky. You saw the gate of the park coming into your vision. You felt the light wind swirl around you, giving your hair a refreshing tousle as you made your way up. Late that afternoon, you scoured your small closet for something appropriate. You knew it’d be nighttime and currently, it was the middle of July. To dress properly for both the hot summer air and the chance of a moonlit breeze, you wore a sundress and a cardigan. When you came across it in your closet, it was shoved all the way in the corner. You hadn’t worn this dress in years—not that you had much of a reason to. Your weekends were filled with grocery shopping and other humdrum errands. Who knew that you’d be in it again. It was perfect.

You had no car of your own to drive, but luckily it wasn’t too out of bounds. It was just 10 minutes away from the hotel. This allowed you to follow your usual daily commute for the better portion of your journey. You rounded the corner, just about to face the park, and spotted a single grey Porsche parked on the side of the street. You were about to walk past it when suddenly, its driver’s side door opened. Out stepped Baekhyun.

He wore a smile as he shut the door. He even began to greet you with a gentle, “Hi.” But upon giving you a better look as you approached him, the word that should have exited his ajar mouth never did and he stood there in a stare.

“Hi, Baekhyun.” You spoke first.

He closed his mouth and cleared his throat. “Hi! Um, I’m really happy to see you.” He stumbled over his words a bit, nervously scratching the back of his head.

Where was that diamond-plated sense of confidence he always had? You wondered. You chuckled at his cuteness, nonetheless.

“I’m sorry, you just look really beautiful.” He confessed, “I mean, you always do. Even in your uniform at the hotel. But, seeing you out of it, you, you look great.”

You hoped the foundation you wore was opaque enough to hide the natural blush that he always had a knack of giving you.

He finally walked over to your side and took your hand.

“Follow me.” He led you deeper into the park’s premises, to the farthest end towards the city.

Your hand felt so small wrapped within his larger one. It was warm and soft—just like the other day while you two looked at the scarves. You reflected on how much of a whirlwind your relationship is. This all happened so quickly. Too bad that in another two weeks, it will end just as fast. Baekhyun will no longer be in your care. You would no longer have a reason to see him. The month would be over and you’d be on to your next assignment. You looked down as you were in your thoughts. But him stopping in his tracks took you out of them. You looked up from the concrete beneath your feet to see the vast view of all of Seoul. The skyscrapers were brightly lit, and the water of the Han River glimmered as it reflected the lights of the bridge above.

You covered your mouth with your hand in awe at the beautiful city lights that decorated your sight. “This is amazing,” you said with glee.

“I’m glad you like it,” he returned an equal smile. “This is my favorite spot in all of UN Village.”

“Thank you for showing me.”

You two stood, enjoying the summer air and the illuminated cityscape. It was peaceful just being beside him and enjoying nature.

“Can I ask you a question?” You posed, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Of course.”

“Is this a date?” It came out your mouth timidly.

Baekhyun looked away for a moment. His eyes shifted left and right as concerns flooded his head.

“Does it not feel like one? I’m sorry! I just couldn’t make any reservations in time since I decided on this pretty last minute, and my schedule is tight. There aren’t many places I can go without being noticed as well so I—” You cut off his rambling with a kiss on the cheek. Now it was his turn to blush.

“I love it Baekhyun, I just... wanted to be sure. I’m still not sure, actually. I believe you but it still just doesn’t make any sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“Well,” you thought for a moment about how to explain yourself. You pondered what the right words were to express the mental turmoil you had been experiencing these past couple of weeks. You wouldn’t have to think long, though, because he vocalized it for you.

“What? Me being interested in someone that’s older than me?” He looked to you with raised eyebrows.

You nodded, looking to him for the answer that you were desperately curious about.

“I don’t really have anything to say to that. I just am.” He spoke with a straight face.

“Well wouldn’t you be interested in someone that is as famous and has money, like yourself?” It all felt a bit foolish. This connection between you two was real but at the same time not very grounded in reality.

“I don’t need someone with money, trust me, I have enough of my own.”

“Baekhyun, that’s not what I meant. I just—”

He grabbed your hand and pressed it against the left of his chest. You felt how warm he was from over the cotton of his shirt. Not only warmth did you feel. The steady beat of a vital organ pulsed onto your hand.

He pointedly looked into your eyes as he spoke.

“Listen to me. All I need is someone who I enjoy spending time with. You are that person. All I need is someone that I love making happy, that I love to make smile. You are that person. And my goodness, don’t you dare ever question my attraction to you again because you have no idea how hard it is for me to keep my hands to myself when I’m around you. I want you.”

You gazed at him in wonder. Speechless from his heartfelt confessional.

“I want you because I want you. You are enough and will always be enough. You know why?" He moved closer to you, taking a hold of your chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t feel alone when I’m with you. I'm around so many people day in and day out, yet you were the only one who made me feel like I was more than my job.”

He made his feelings known and he kissed you. His lips pressing softly onto yours as he pressed you against the banister behind you. You had nowhere to go but to accept his passion and release your own that you had been smothering. You kissed back. Eager. Your arms flew up onto his shoulders and pulled him even closer. His tongue prodded at your lips to which you gladly accepted. The kiss deepened; your waist was gripped tightly in his grasp. The fabric of your dress was thin; only a slim layer separated you from his hot touch.

You were on fire already. He detached his lips from yours, taking heavy breaths. It didn’t take long for his lips to return. This time, on your neck. You threaded his hair through your fingertips and gave a slight, pleasurable tug on the tufts of hair. His lips latched hungrily onto the sensitive skin, feigning for your moans. You felt him smirk against you whenever he earned a whimper.

The wind assisted in revealing the skin of your décolletage—the air blew your cardigan back. Your skin was showcased beautifully, kissed by the moonlight. Baekhyun took advantage, making sure to trail the assaults to your skin down to the swell of your chest. At the top of your bosom, he pulled back to admire you and your new marks. Your chest heaved up and down, catching your breath from the intimate contact. His eyes were lustful and locked onto your covered breasts. The thin fabric did nothing to conceal your pert nipples that were behind it. His hands wanted to raise from your sides to cup your breasts into his own hands. But instead, he dropped them and let go. The will of restraint came over him.

“I’m sorry, I got a little carried away.”

You giggled, breathless, but happy. “I didn’t mind.”

He cradled your face in his hand and stroked a thumb across your cheek.

“Thank you for meeting me here. Thank you for listening to me.” He spoke honestly and tucked hair behind your ear. The corners of your mouth pulled up for the umpteenth time that night.

“There’s that smile. That’s what I’m here for,” he said satisfied.

Your lips made room for a full, toothy smile. You playfully hit his chest.

“Well, thank you for sharing this with me. This place and this moment. It means a lot.”

You two walked hand in hand away from the park.

“Did you walk here?”

“Yeah, from the bus stop near the hotel.”

“Is it okay if I drive you home?”

You gave a nod and followed him to his car. He opened the passenger side door for you, and you got comfortable in the pristine leather seats. It still had that new car smell and the interior was impressive with blue mood lighting along the dashboard. Wow was all you could think.

After putting your address in the GPS, you two were on your way. Somewhere along the journey, his hand took a rest on your thigh as he got comfortable into the route. Of course it felt sexy, but it also felt securing and protective. Baekhyun was so many things at once and if you were going to survive, you were going to have to get used to it.

Eventually, the drive came to an end and Baekhyun walked you to your door. He didn’t let you go without a final, sweet, parting kiss. Your legs felt like Jello. The whole night had been so simple yet so romantic; exactly what you needed as a first date after being single for so long. He made you feel comfortable.

Once you got inside, you rested against the door with giddiness that had still not worn away. You were certain were not going to get much sleep.

It was the start of a new week after the glorious weekend you had. Mondays weren’t always chipper, but you had renewed energy in your step. It only got better when you opened the door of your apartment to leave and found a surprise waiting at your feet.

A bouquet of 50 red roses in a glass vase sat on the concrete. A note was slid into the base that read, “I had a lovely time on Saturday. Hope you like them. - B.”

It goes without saying that you made it to work with a smile on your face. After fixing your beloved neck scarf in place, you even took the time to put on some lipstick. Right in the middle of your application of the creamy cosmetic, Gloria greeted you, bearing not so exciting news.

“Ready for the annual training orientation?” She asked rhetorically, equally as displeased.

“God. It’s already that time of year again?”

There it was. Annual training orientation day—mandatory for all staff. It was in the company’s policy that everyone completes an annual in-service to refresh them on their knowledge of the protocol and how to handle emergency situations. This was all important, practical stuff; just not what you had in mind for the day. Technically, it was just two hours long, but it always held up the entire shift, making you busier than usual later on. All services were on hold for the first two hours while everyone was in the training and all guests at the hotel were usually notified by notices placed on their door.

You and Gloria both sighed and headed to the conference room to get the training session over with.

“Whatever you do, don’t yawn. I did that last year and Ms. Park looked like she wanted to kill me,” Gloria joked.

The orientation began and you did your best to at least look like you were in tune to what was being said. Nothing is new, it’s been the same procedure every year and this was over your tenth time sitting through it. Gloria looks around the conference to see if she could spot where your boss was, alas, Ms. Park was nowhere to be seen.

The lecturer, after expressing gratitude for the employees’ attendance, announced, “Sadly, Housekeeping and Lifestyle Director Ms. Park could not make it to the session today, but I’m sure she has trust in all of her employees to take in the information well.”

You and Gloria exchanged mischievous looks as you both plotted a plan to escape the snooze-fest of an orientation. There was no one to stop you, even if they caught you sneaking out.

After the lecturer was turned around to advance the slides on the projector screen, you both took the chance. You joined Gloria in quietly jogging out of the room, incontrollable giggles escaped you in the childish act.

“Wow, I can’t believe you actually ditched that with me,” Gloria to you said proudly.

You’re equally shocked at your own actions. You laughed along while grabbing your cart to sneak away and do your usual duties for Baekhyun. It hit you then. Would you really have done that before Baekhyun?

+++

That Monday morning for Baekhyun went differently. When he came back from his 8 a.m. run and saw the notice on his door about kitchen and housekeeping services being paused until the afternoon to accommodate annual training measures, he was disheartened. A pout adorned his sweaty face. No new towels—not that he needed them yet, no fresh bedding—didn't need that either, and no you—something he absolutely needed. Though he still had the opportunity to see you later, it felt like every hour, every minute counted. He wouldn’t be staying at the hotel forever; he wanted to take advantage of every given opportunity to be around you.

He made his way into his suite with a sigh but went on with his routine. He showered and found himself back in bed, bored out of his mind. He didn’t have the kitchen staff available to entertain him with a meal either. Baekhyun was alone. He even turned on rain sounds through his speaker in an effort to make himself sleepy and take an unneeded nap, though it was no use. He tossed and turned; sleep wouldn’t take him. He finally lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling. Though he didn’t have much to do, there was still lots to think about.

Specifically, thoughts of you painted his mind. He wished he could have seen your face when you saw the flowers that morning. He hoped he made you happy. You certainly made him happy. Next, flashbacks of Saturday night appeared behind his closed eyes. The wind through your hair, your infectious smile and tantalizing gaze. But most of all, the kiss. That amazingly captivating kiss you two shared that he needed pull back from or else. Baekhyun thought about your lips, your tongue, and recalled what he did with his own mouth, to you. He wondered if those love bites he left would still be visible on your skin. And what a dangerous thought that was, it only made him want to see you more. He was frustrated and without relief. Before he knew it, an erection pressed against the top of pants.

Usually, he staved off any solo sessions unless he was in the shower. He never liked having the do not disturb sign on the door because he never wanted to miss any of your visits. But that also meant that freely being exposed at any random time during the day was off-limits.

That morning, too, there was no do not disturb sign on the handle, but did that matter? Baekhyun pondered the situation at hand. There would be at least two more hours that you were away attending the training orientation. He couldn’t request you to be there even if he wanted to. This was a guaranteed two hours of no visitors.

His hand slowly drifted to his crotch to palm at the growing bulge. With the reassurance he gave himself that no one would enter, he continued to let his thoughts run wild.

He thought about the way your breasts looked in the dress you wore that so perfectly draped over your curves.

He thought about the swell of your breasts and how he wished he kept taking his bites lower and lower.

Then, your waist that fit so nicely in his grasp.

It was all a little too much and he finally decided to take himself out. With his eyes closed and his mind projecting the teasing mental images he took of you that night, he surrendered to the growing hunger that you gave him.

+++

You pushed your cart down the hallway to Baekhyun’s suite, still fueled by the excitement of your great escape. You met his door and saw that unlike the others, his no longer had a notice on it. “He must have gotten the word,” you said to yourself. This meant he wasn’t expecting you at all, but you were more than happy to give him a surprise. All you wanted in this moment was to see him.

With that, you delayed no further and went ahead opening the door. Immediately, you were met with the sound of...rain. Strange, you thought. You quickly peered out the windows across the space and saw that it was as sunny as it was when you left the house is morning. You pieced together that he must be playing those sounds himself. So, where is the man in question? You didn’t see him in the open concept kitchen and living room space that you were in. You softly walked towards the bedroom and gradually, the sound of the pitter-pattering rain got louder and louder. Your detective hat could be put away now since you figured he was playing those rain sounds to help him fall asleep. You’ve had nights like that yourself; a little audio aid doesn’t hurt. Of course, it was the morning, but knowing his schedule, it was totally plausible that he was up all night practicing or preparing for something as he usually was.

You pouted a bit at the circumstances. You went out of your way, committed a scandalous act that broke the company’s policy (though you knew there were no real concerns about it), and it seemed all for nought. He was definitely asleep and you definitely didn’t want to wake him up from his precious time of rest. He deserved it.

You were about to leave but decided to get one peek at him before you went. You could still get your wish to see him—even if you couldn’t interact with him. Since the bedroom door was open, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get an innocent peek at his sleeping face.

You made your way to the bedroom from the left, careful to not make too much noise and disturb his sleep. You rested a hand on a mounted shelf on the wall and leaned over to the right to get your coveted peek at him.

Nothing could have prepared you for what you witnessed. You gasped deeply at the sight.

You got your wish. You got to see him. That’s for sure.

Except, nothing was innocent about this sight.

It was wrong. You knew it was wrong to stay and look, but you couldn’t keep your eyes away. You stood there and watched. You watched his hand slide up and down is attentive cock that you had only imagined until this point. What you fantasized it to be was trumped by the real sight of it. You saw him throw his head backward with his mouth ajar. He mouthed silent curses as he worked himself with his eyes closed. Whatever it was that was driving his actions was all in his head. Just then, if you weren’t mistaken, you could have sworn your name left his lips. Your eyes had open even wider. Once more, the unmistakable sound of each syllable of your name fell out of his mouth as he grunted in pleasure.

You staggered in place and the hand that had rested on the mounted shelf moved a bit too much, causing you to knock over a book. It fell to the floor with a thud.

Shit.

Baekhyun immediately halted his movements and whipped his head in your direction. You jumped out of view of the bedroom, knowing for certain that had alerted him of your presence. Rather than fully retreat, you decided to stay by the doorway, and to just keep still and quiet. You told yourself it was best that way—totally not because you were making an excuse to continue watching him, of course.

Baekhyun indeed noted the sound and your attempts at stealth were in vain. He knew good and well that he was not alone. The corner of his mouth pulled up for a moment, but he thought it’d be best to keep a straight face for his next actions. Baekhyun felt like a pervert but couldn’t deny himself the opportunity to toy with you. At first, he just continued pleasuring himself as he had been, except this time, he made sure to let out any and all explicit moans and groans that naturally came about.

With no reserve, he audibly expressed his pleasure with each stroke. He audibly expressed the object of his lust as well. Your name, candy-coated in desire, dripped from his lips within the mix of “ah’s” and “oh’s.” The shock and shame you felt began to twist into something more enjoyable. You let out a deep breath, happy that it appeared you didn’t completely blow your cover. Indisputably, you were a voyeur in this scenario. A voyeur who couldn’t help but get wet at what she gazed upon. You bit your lip as you felt warmth begin to stir within you.

Baekhyun had enough of putting on a show on his own; he wanted a special audience member to join his play.

While continuing his movements, he spoke out confidently, “You know, it’s rude to stare.”

You panicked and frantically made the moves to leave after being caught. You took steps back to remove yourself from the room, from this scene that you only meant to witness and not participate in—to the hallway, to the safety of your cart, to the comfort of solitude. Baekhyun caught wind of this, hearing your feet shuffle away on the marble floor.

He warned you, “Don't try to leave. You have to stay. If you don't,” he stressed his last words, “I’ll report you.”

You knew Baekhyun would never put you in such a dangerous situation. Rather than a threat, it was permission to surrender. All you wanted, all you needed, was a reason. A reason to keep you there with him—and you got it. Your steps had ceased, feet no longer helping you escape your own desire—nor his.

“Good girl,” he said with a dark chuckle. “Now come here.”

The low, stony tone of his voice made you melt.

Your mind swarmed with possibilities. What does he want with me?

“Are you really going to make me wait?” He urged you to come to him.

You made hesitant steps closer and closer to the entry of his bedroom.

“Baekhyun, please, I apologize, I only came to bring you more linens,” you spoke as you entered, not meeting his eyes. You looked everywhere else in that beautiful penthouse bedroom besides the man who occupied it. He was sitting up on the side of the bed. At least, at this point he had put himself away. You felt both grateful and disappointed.

“Oh, is that so?” He paused, enjoying your timid appearance. “Shouldn’t you be at the training orientation? I saw a notice on my door this morning. You shouldn’t even be here, should you?”

He was absolutely right. There was no reason for you to be there. There was no excuse but your own selfish desire to see him. Your guilty form remained silent.

“In fact,” he continued, “didn’t the announcement say it was mandatory?” His words with his gaze bore a hole in you. “Why aren’t you there?”

You looked up at the ceiling for the universe to bless you with an answer to salvage your dignity. Alas, none appeared. He patted his thigh for you to sit.

“Come here.” You obeyed without protest, slowly lowering yourself down onto his lap. If you moved too far to the right, you could feel his still-active erection against your bottom.

He tucked a piece of hair behind your ear, and you closed your eyes. You loved his touch, no matter how simple. His hand lingered on your hair, softly smoothing it in a petting motion as he continued his interrogation.

“So, tell me, why are you here?”

Your eyes were shifty but forced to focus once he took a finger under your chin to turn you towards him. For the first time that morning, you faced Baekhyun. You looked at his features that were just twisted in bliss some moments ago.

“Because I wanted to see you.” You answered honestly with shame.

He smiled a full grin. “You missed me so much you broke the rules, huh? I’m honored, Ms. Professionalism,” he said cheekily.

You smiled as you looked down at your hands. Things have changed.

He admired you for a moment, taking in your lipstick and beloved scarf.

“How could I have let you go out that door? Especially not when you made yourself so pretty today.” His thumb stroked your bottom lip. “Did you put this on for me?”

You nodded wordlessly and the look of lust re-darkened his face as he stared at your lips.

“Did you like what you saw, you know, as you were waiting to... give me more linens?”

Your head went up and down again as you looked into his eyes, hanging onto every word. His hand took a hold of your side, pulling you closer into him.

“What is it that you used to call me before I told you to call me by my first name?”

“Umm,” you hesitated because, is the answer to his question really that simple? You only ever remembered calling him by his last name before that.

He tightened his grip on your waist and latched his teeth to your lobe, giving a teasing bite to the tiny bit of flesh. You couldn’t help your labored breaths, nor the whine that escaped once you felt his tongue graze that same spot.

He whispered, “What. Did. You. Call. Me?” Each word articulated directly into your ear, accompanied by the soft puffs of his warm breath added fuel to the fire that blazed in your hot core.

“Mr. Byun.”

He gave a cold chuckle. “Good girl,” he praised. You whimpered at the pet name. You relished the approval. There he was, younger yet in command. A guest in your expert, seasoned care, yet so easily, he had you wrapped around his finger.

You were more than turned on by this new side of him, but really, it’s not out of nowhere. Though Mr. Byun is typically bubbly and lighthearted, Mr. Byun had always done what he wanted, taken what he wanted—ever since that champagne you shared. His current grip on you said no different.

Soon though, you were free.

Baekhyun let go and told you to stand up. He requested with waiting eyes, “Undress for me.”

You hadn’t done anything in years. You’d been single and busy; there were little opportunities to make meaningful connections here at your job. So, when you were told to step out of your uniform, out of your perfectly tailored daily armor, to be subject to this wealthy, younger man’s gaze who is probably used to fitter, tighter bodies, you shrunk back.

Baekhyun could sense the type of thoughts that swarmed in your head. He saw your hand drop from the zipper it was holding—just about to unzip your skirt—to instead clasp your other hand in front of yourself.

“You’re beautiful,” he said before standing up to hold your face in his hands. He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. “I like everything about you.” He backed you up to the bed and laid you onto the plush covers. He found space to join you in between your legs. “Can I show you just how much?” He ended the question with a kiss on your cheek as he hovered you. He cleared away your face once more tucking hair behind your ear. You shivered at the sensation, quickly becoming reminded just how sensitive your ears were. He acknowledged your reaction and rubbed along the contour of your ear, making your eyes flutter close. He grinned in fascination before rejoining his lips with yours. He craved learning everything about you, including your erogenous zones.

Staring down at your needy form beneath him, he knew how badly you wanted this. Still, your nerves were evident and loud. Baekhyun wanted to help you relax.

The first thing he removed from you was your neck scarf. He quickly examined its length and looked satisfied. You cocked an eyebrow in curiosity.

“If you can’t stand to see me,” Baekhyun began while holding the neck scarf over your eyes and making a knot at the back of your head, “...just feel me.”

He crashed his lips onto yours, drawing a suppressed moan from your needy lips. You whimpered at the sudden warmth. All you had wanted to do since your date was feel his lips again. Finally. Open-mouthed kisses trailed to your neck; he replaced Saturday’s faded bruises with fresh ones. With each kiss he pressed against your skin, your insecurity melted away. With each moan you gave, his concern dissipated. Visions of red clouded his view.

He wanted you. Mr. Byun wanted you and you wanted him and maybe that was enough.

He unfastened the buttons of your blouse and the back of your bra. Your breasts were cupped and kneaded. Your moans intensified as he gave each of your nipples a kiss. His hands lowered to your hips, and he hiked up the fabric of your skirt to expose your undergarments. Feeling along the length of your leg, he took in the smooth texture of your stockings. His eyes drifted up to your garter that held everything in place.

“Fuck,” he breathed out. The garments framed your legs so well, in such a sexy way. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to see these up close.”

He descended to your feet and removed each of your shoes. Your loafers hit the floor with weight. Kisses were placed at the top your foot and one by one, traveled up your leg. The pure intimacy made you squirm. He reached your thigh and unclipped the straps of your garter before hooking a finger into the side of your panties and sliding them down.

You sucked in a breath, your wet heat exposed to the air.

“Oh baby, looks like you want this just as bad as I do,” he said assured as he observed the glistening wetness of your entrance.

“Yes,” you whined.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Mr. Byun.”

He was holding your face again. In your world of darkness, you felt his palm on the side of your cheek. This time, though, he prodded his thumb at your lips. You accepted it, swirling your tongue around the digit before softly sucking. You couldn’t see, but Baekhyun’s eyes rolled back, barely able to withstand his cock that ached in his pants—still untouched since you entered the room.

He slid it out of your lips and brought it down to your clit. His lubricated thumb easily rubbed tight circles onto your bud. You wriggled beneath his touch, forcing him to hold your hips down in place. He hooked his arms from under your bent legs and sunk down into the bed. He faced your cunt directly to get a taste.

You felt the intense unexpected warmth of his tongue slide along your pussy as he continued to massage your clit. You gasped and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Your blindfolded state left you perpetually in wonder of what would come next.

Baekhyun moaned at your taste and the feel of your grip on him. “You taste so good,” he exhaled. His licks were accompanied by occasional plunges of his tongue inside of you that made your back arch. Your moans and trembles eventually gave notice of your closeness to the edge. The edge that he wasn’t ready for you to fall off of yet. He removed his mouth much to your dismay.

You whined in protest.

“Shhh, baby. I’ll give you something even better.”

You bit your lip in anticipation as you heard him remove clothing and toss it to the floor.

Just then, you felt something warm and firm probe your entrance teasingly. You opened your legs wider, knowing it was his cock that you had waited so long to feel. His cock that you had fantasized about so many nights and now, he wields it to taunt you.

Baekhyun looked down at his tip getting coated in your arousal, wanting more, wanting to feel you completely, yet having too much fun making you squirm.

“Say please,” he demanded with unwavering authority.

Your bottom lip quivered before muttering a soft, “Please.”

He slid his cock up and down your slit, still not entering you, still not satisfied with your plea.

“Mr. Byun. Please. Mr. Byun, fuck me right now. Please just—”

He stole your words with the long-awaited sensation of his shaft penetrating your folds. You let out a loud cry instead. You thanked god he was the only guest on this floor. The quick snaps of his hips drew out lengthy moans as you grabbed onto his shoulders to ground yourself. It had been so long since you had someone in you, and your fingers just didn’t compare. He stretched you out so deliciously, you couldn’t help the endless moans that escaped.

Baekhyun released groans of his own. He couldn’t believe how perfectly warm and wet you felt wrapped around him. Looking down at you and your bouncing breasts that jostled with each of his thrusts was almost too much. He fucked you without mercy.

Your legs shook around him as the pleasure coursed through you. You saw sparks within your self-contained darkness. Taking away your sight heightened your other senses. You felt each time Baekhyun tightened his hold on your waist. You tasted the remnants of coffee on his breath you kissed in the midst of your feverish romp. You heard each of his desperate pants as his thrusts became sloppier.

You were no better, beginning to rake your nails down his back from the intensity of his carnal desire. It began to feel overwhelming. You were coming to your peak.

He rabidly tore the makeshift blindfold off of you. Baekhyun lost it, seeing your eyes, the full fucked-out expression on your face that he gave you. Your eyes welled up with tears until you closed them from pleasure, spilling them onto your blushed cheeks.

“Mr. Byun, I-I...” You attempted to announce your orgasm, but coherent thought was impossible.

“Baekhyun is here baby, it’s ok. Let go for me,” he coaxed, smoothing his thumb across your cheek as he held your precious face.

With a scream of his name, you felt yourself come undone. Your body shuddered beneath him.

Baekhyun leaned down to plant one last love bite onto your well-decorated neck as he groaned darkly into your ear. He pulled away to look at your face. You looked up at him with half-lidded eyes, languid and recovering from your climax.

Reaching a hand up to thread your fingers through his hair and giving those soft tugs he loved so much, you said, “Baekhyun, baby, come for me.” It came out soft but irresistible to his ears.

His hips stuttered in their movement, and he quickly pulled out of you. He barely gave himself an additional stroke before spraying his cum all over you. He coated both your skin and your treasured undergarments.

Panting, Baekhyun looked down at you, his freshly painted masterpiece. You looked so pretty covered in the evidence of his attraction. An exhausted but satisfied smirk spread on his face and he dipped down to give you a kiss.

“I’ll get you cleaned up.” He jogged over to the bathroom and you heard the water run as your eyes closed for a moment. You opened them again upon feeling a warm cloth. He wiped your limp body clean with a damp washcloth before discarding it in the hamper and joining you in bed.

Baekhyun claimed a spot next to you and shifted his position to a rather adorable one. He put his head in your lap and looked up at you. He took your hand and placed it on his head, hoping for you to pet his head. You entertained it, giving him the tiny repetitive touches that let him know that you appreciate him.

The room fell quiet except for the sounds of rain that continued to play through his speakers. Though the rain sounds hadn’t been working as an effective sleep aid before, they surely were beginning to for the both of you in the post-orgasmic bliss.

His eyes fell closed as your thighs supported his head and your hand ceased its motions. With a voice soaked in sleepiness, he asked you one more thing before you both dozed off.

“Did you like the flowers?”

Until the month’s end, you and Baekhyun continued your fun when you could. Secret, satisfying, and sacred was your connection. Do all good things have to come to an end? That’s what you wondered this morning. The 31st of the month. The ticking timebomb that your relationship was, was soon to explode and leave nothing behind.

You dressed in your uniform and tied the scarf around your neck. Will you continue to wear it after he leaves? The smile you wore out the double-doors when beginning your shift that you donned lately had a struggle appearing today. You felt anxious. Afraid that all the good you felt this past month would be gone. And that he would move on, away from the hotel, into his freshly renovated new penthouse, and never think about you again. You knew he cared for you, but to what extent? Your daily obligation to see each other would no longer exist and Baekhyun was a very busy man.

You arrived to his suite and before you could even knock, the door opened before you. Baekhyun held a box of his things in his hands. You looked behind him and saw that the suite was stripped of any and all traces of him. Held in his hands was the last of his things. Your chest felt tight.

“Hi...” Baekhyun trailed out. “I was hoping to catch you on my way out. Even if I didn’t, I’d come to find you.” Baekhyun was upset that his hands were preoccupied. He wanted nothing more than to pull you in for a hug. Instead, he just held a solemn expression on his face.

“Well, here I am,” you gave a half-smile.

“I have to get to my house to meet with the designer and move my stuff back in,” he said regretfully.

“Yes of course.” You stepped out of his way so that he could exit. You kept wishing for him to say he’d see you later, for him to tell you to meet him somewhere—but it never came. Is this it?

“Will you walk me out?”

You sighed, leaving your cart parked at his door to follow the man out the hotel doors, out of your care, out of your life. The valet brought his car to the front; your eyes laid upon the gray Porsche you got to know some nights ago. It’d be leaving without you in it. Baekhyun opened the trunk to put in his items and came back around to the front. By the driver's side door, he stood in front of you. You stared back at each other wistfully. A thousand words unspoken, a thousand memories shared, a thousand secrets kept. The quiet was suffocating but necessary. You were reminded of such when the valet attendant entered your view.

“Sir, your keys.”

It snapped Baekhyun out of his daze. He reached for the keys and thanked the man. Once he turned back to you, he didn’t get the one last look of your face he was hoping to get. It was only the top of your head.

You bowed deeply. You couldn’t bear to see him leave. You couldn’t risk the attendant seeing your emotions. With the view of Baekhyun’s shoes becoming blurry from the incoming tears pricking your eyes, you bid your farewell.

“Goodbye, Mr. Byun.”

Without looking back, you turned around to return to your cage. You passed through the ever-cycling revolving doors. You, yourself, were right back where you started.

You got back to his suite. Shedding never-ending tears, you grabbed the used towels in the bathroom.

But what else was there to do? He went on with his life, and you had to go on with yours. This was your life. Cleaning rooms of rich guests that saw you as their servant was your life. Did Baekhyun see you the same way? Were you just something to entertain him while he was away from his real home, from his real life? He didn’t say much this morning. Nothing that indicated that he wanted to stay in a relationship. Nothing that indicated he wanted to keep you around.

At least you had the last word. You weren’t going pry. You weren’t going to beg. You refused to look like an idiot chasing after someone that was never yours. You ended things—cleanly, professionally, with dignity and respect. As you always did. And you would continue to be the respectable housekeeper that you always were—before and after him.

So, there you were cleaning the bathroom, once more. You willed yourself to stop crying. Getting up on the counter just as you had 30 days ago. And instead of feeling sorry for being late, you felt sorry for feeling sorry all those days ago. If you weren’t so hell bent on making it up to him by cleaning passionately back then, maybe you wouldn’t be in this situation now.

You looked at yourself in that oversized bathroom mirror. You were a changed woman. Though he was no longer there, he was written all over you. And unfortunately, you liked yourself more this way.

You exited the bathroom to strip the bed of all its sheets. The bed that you laid in next to him. The bed that bared witness to your unforgettable intimacy.

It felt cruel.

You moved the pillows, and upon doing so, it made your previous efforts to stop your tears pointless. You broke down after discovering one last gift.

Under the pillow was a plain red silk scarf. Next to it was a note that read, simply,

We will meet again. - B

+++

He ran circles in his mind as he drove home. Baekhyun didn’t know what to say. He had your number, but he didn’t know what to do. He knew, that if anything was going to happen, it had to be him that did something. The ball was in his court and he was choking in the last minutes of the game. Ultimately, he knew he had to tell you what had been on his mind. The thing that kept him from promising to see you again. How could he claim you as his and then leave for half a year?

Indeed, Baekhyun had a tour beginning in three days. It was something he still hadn’t told you because he wanted to ignore the reality of it himself. He was excited to meet and perform in front of his fans all over the world, but he was not excited to be without you. The truth was now looking him in the face and driving a wedge between you to. He had to talk to you. No matter what your answer was, he had to let you know that he still cared.

Parked in his driveway, he called you. It rang just once.

Baekhyun greeted you with a shaky hello, but you cut him off quickly.

“I have work, I’m sorry. I cannot talk to you right now.”

You ended the call and returned to your reflection. There was no way you could speak to him and get through the end of your shift. If you heard his voice again, the tears would come back.

He knew you were upset, understandably. He even caught the crack in your voice from when you said goodbye. He decided not to attempt to contact you again. He wondered if it was even right to given the circumstances. If you were doing the work to get over him and close the door behind what you two shared, who was he to rip those hinges off? He didn’t want to toy with your heart. Why make you go through that, just to leave you again in a few days for an even longer amount of time?

He went into his house with his box of belongings, preparing himself for his new surroundings. The designer was present and happily walked Baekhyun through the rooms, pointing out all the new elements. Baekhyun appreciated the excellent craftsmanship of the renovations, greatly impressed. The designer left and it was once again, him alone. He looked around at the walls; they were now decorated with framed artworks. One of them was a painting of interlocked hands. He turned away, feeling as if it was mocking him.

He went to his bedroom and began packing his suitcase for his upcoming departure. He needed to fill his time with something to do, as filling the walls clearly wasn’t enough. It was all as he envisioned it to be, yet the goal was not achieved. Now his penthouse looked like a home, but it didn’t feel like one. He felt unsatisfied. And in the middle of folding one of his t-shirts, he realized that the only time he hadn’t been unsatisfied was in fact when he wasn’t in a home of his own at all—it was when he was with you.

It wasn't new aesthetics that his place needed. It wasn't new items to artificially create coziness that he needed. It was a matter, not of objects, not of things, but of connection. He needed a someone, not a something, to make his house a home. He knew who he needed.

A sentence of three words floated in his mind, and he was compelled to tell you. But not yet, he told himself to wait for tonight. And he’d do it in a way that didn’t allow you to shut him out so quickly. He knew it was selfish. His responsibilities in the next few days remained the same. But now, he just didn’t have the heart to leave without telling you how he felt.

+++

It was 9 p.m. and you just got out of your shower, hair damp and in pajamas. You sat on your loveseat in front of your small TV, shuffling through the channels to find something—anything to watch to stop thinking about him. He didn’t even try to call me back again, you thought. But you remembered the scarf. Really, it was the note. “We will meet again,” it said. You scoffed. Through the damn TV screen, I guess. You hated that the message was so vague. Vague enough for him to never make do on his words. Why didn’t he specifically ask for another date? Anything with a time and place would do.

You were knocked out of your thoughts with a string of knocks on your door. You looked through the glass viewing hole on your door. It’s him, of course. And in his hands, he held a single rose and a gift box. You hesitated, hand on the handle, but not yet turning it.

“I’m not leaving until you open this door. If you want me to leave, you’ll have to say it to me.”

Begrudgingly, you turned the handle and revealed yourself to your guest.

“I love you.”

His words hung in the air, heavy as the duvets you folded. Air thick as the hotel’s pillows. You stared back at him in astonishment.

He took a step closer to you. “Listen, I have a tour. I’ll be gone for six months. I’m sorry I didn’t say much this morning. I just didn’t know how to tell you. And I don’t expect you to wait around for me either, so I didn’t want to put you in a weird position.”

You took in his words, still not giving any of your own yet. Truth be told, you understood him. You felt yourself withdraw your resentment.

He continued, “Do you know why I was staying at the hotel for a month?”

“Well, weren't you getting renovations done?”

“Yes. Do you know why?”

You shook your head no.

“Because I wanted my house to feel more like a home.”

You beckoned, "So... do you like the changes?”

“Sure. My house is really beautiful actually,” he chuckled.

You rolled your eyes, “Well good for you,” you said about to shut the door until he caught it with his hand.

“But,” he looked into your eyes, “It didn’t give me what I was looking for. I was a fool, thinking that filling it with things would make me feel less... lonesome.”

He handed you the rose and gift box he held, and you placed them to the side. You decided to invite him in, wordlessly signaling him to your couch with a gesture of your hand.

He sat next to you as you looked pensively at your hands.

“Please say something,” he asked desperately.

“So, the renovations were a waste of time and money then,” you remarked.

“No.” He held your hands in his. “It brought me to you.”

He earned a smile from you. He kissed your hand.

“Well, I just wanted to tell you this. That you are my home, and if you let me, I can’t wait to come back to you when everything is over.”

You gave a nod of reassurance, “I’ll be here.”

He stood up and reached into his pocket for one last offering. He handed you a key, placing it in your palm. “This is a spare to my place. You can come see it yourself... or you can stay in it too... if you want to of course,” he said nervously, scratching the back of his head. “I mean of course you have our own place—that I’m standing in right now—and it’s nice! But just in case you want a change of scenery or want to keep my house warm—”

You cut him off with a kiss and a sweet smile that let him know there was no need to be nervous.

“I’ll think about it,” you said cheekily. “Are you going to make me clean it?”

You both chuckled and you walked him to the door.

“Baekhyun?” You asked biting your lip.

“Yes?” He looked on in curiosity.

“I love you too.”

It rushed out your mouth and you just barely caught his smile before quickly shutting the door from your own nerves. You were glad you got it out. Though it wasn’t your smoothest moment, he heard you, he felt the same—and that was all that mattered. You rested your back against the wooden door with a hazy daze. The gift box you placed to the side caught your eye.

You opened it up and laid your eyes upon his parting gift to you: looking at the label, it was Hermes’ Ivresse Au Vent scarf 70. Another silk scarf, this time of a pastel palette showing horses running in nature. Once again, he left a note. You read it, hearing it so clearly in his voice.

Like the horses, we will be free. If you wait for me this little while, I will give you my forever.

#veronica writes

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