[🥞]
"Mmm.."
Y/N tossed and turned under the covers. She felt uncomfortable with the sudden heat, not realizing that the rays of the afternoon sun were hitting her face from the bare window.
"Taeh.." She sighed, refusing to open her eyes. "My head.. Hmm.. Shit.."
Feeling her side, Taehyun's spot was empty. He wasn't in bed with her. She slowly heaved herself up, back collapsing to the headboard while she massaged her temples. Her head was pounding as if an elephant had stomped on it. She felt sick too. Fluttering her eyes open, her surroundings were blurry. Of course, she had to come to a club without contacts. It was a mere surprise that she still managed to come home with a terrible eyesight.
"Taehyun..?"
"Where are you..?"
"Hello..? Ow.. Fuck.."
She looked to her side. Her good old glasses sat on top of the nightstand, all waiting to be worn. Without a choice, she did. Vision now 20/20, she sprung up.
"Damn it.. I told Ria to drive me home.." She mumbled, recalling stuffs. "I didn't walk my way here, did I.. Fuck.. Fuck.."
She was about to go to the door when she passed by the tall mirror. She caught glimpse of herself. Messy hair, wrinkled party dress, smeared makeup, and those thick glasses she's never worn in a while. Y/N stepped closer, observing her state.
"Hmm." She plaited her clothes. "I look like a grandma. A good old grandma trying to look young, mm."
Y/N instinctively stripped down her dress and got a rather lose shirt from the wardrobe to put it on over sweatpants. She removed her makeup, allowing her bare face to breathe from all the cream and powder it had been through. She didn't bother to brush her hair. She just put it up into a bun. She exited the room.
"Taehyunie..? Ah, fuck stop thumping.." She hissed, hitting her forehead.
The apartment was quiet. Judging from how the sunlight entered her place, it was already noontime or possibly past it. She rushed to the kitchen, hoping to see Taehyun cook. It was empty. She checked some other rooms but he wasn't there either. Finally, she headed to the living room.
"Taehyun.." She breathed.
There he was, standing. His back was facing her as he was staring down into something in his hands. He was still, as if he was frozen. Y/N carefully approached him. When she got close enough, she found a photo of them in a frame. He was clutching on it. There were teardrops on the glass. That was when she realized that he was crying.
She tapped his back. "Hey.."
"Y/N!"
Taehyun swiftly turned, wiping his tears away as if she never saw them beforehand. He tucked the frame away but the moment he saw her facade, his eyes widened. For the first time in a while, she looked like a mess. No makeup, no tight dresses or boujee outfits, no styled hair. Just her. Her.
"..what are you staring at?" She asked.
"Y/N..?" He held her cheeks. "Y/N..?"
"Err.. Yes..?"
"Oh.." He instantly pulled her into an embrace. "Oh.. Darling.."
"Taehyun?" Her arms found their way around him too. "What's wrong? You're being weird."
"I just.. I'm happy.. I think I am.. I'm not seeing things right..?"
"What do you.. What?" She inched away. "What's wrong with you? You're scaring me at this point, seriously.."
"Baby.."
"A moment ago you were crying and then you're happy.. I don't get it..?"
Taehyun smiled. He played with some lose strands of Y/N's hair from the side, admiring her messy state. Ah, it felt like he's been staring through a window from yesterday.
"I never thought I'd see you like this again.."
"Like what?"
"A mess." He laughed. "I missed seeing you like this. Not giving a damn about your.. Style.."
Y/N blinked. "Oh.."
"Yeah. You may have forgotten but it's what I find beautiful in you. I really adore seeing you this way, Y/N."
"I thought you prefer the dresses and makeups-"
"No, you didn't even ask for my opinion about it." He told her. "One day you just shifted and I had to put through it."
"You're not happy about me getting better?" She looked up at him.
"It's not like that," he cooed, kissing her forehead. "I'm glad you're trying to figure yourself out your shell. It's just.. I think it's gone too far."
"Too far?" Her brows furrowed. "No, it d-"
"I don't care if you change the way you look. Whatever makes you happy, I'm with it, Y/N. But if it meant that you had to change the way you behave as well then.. I don't think I can handle it.."
"My behavior?"
"You've changed inside," he gulped. "And it hurts me.."
Y/N's gaze fell to the floor. She chewed on her lower lip, trying to analyze the way she's acted throughout the time. The way she neglected him when she promised she would never. The way she chose hanging out with strangers and Ria rather than someone who truly values her. The way she refused to look at him and focus on her selfishness instead.
"We were so happy," Taehyun took the photograph once more. "Do you remember? Us being prisoners in this apartment. Wasting our days away through watching old movies. Singing and dancing to classic songs. Eating your favorite food."
"Yeah.. I remember.."
"It's impossible to have them these days. I wanted to, but you don't seem to like them anymore. You prefer night clubs and malls instead. I don't mind, honestly. But I wish you could pay attention to me too."
"I did it.." She avoided his eyes. "Because.. I wanted to prove to you.. And to the others.. That I am not someone they can belittle.. That I can be more than I already am.. That I.. That I can change.."
"Y/N-"
"I was trying to bring myself up, Taehyun.. Ria told me that if I.. If I atleast step up, I'd be much better.. That you'd like me better.. That everything would be better.."
"Why did you always have to take other people's opinion?" Taehyun asked. "Have I not proved to you that being who you really are is enough for a person like me to stay?"
"I needed people!" She finally teared up. "I.. I thought I could do it with just you but.. But I needed people to love me the way you do! I'm sick of being tossed around, Taehyun.. You just don't understand.."
Taehyun had had enough.
He harshly grabbed her hair tie, letting her frizzy hair down like the head of a broomstick. He messed with her shirt, wrinkling it in the process. He even adjusted her thick glasses so they sat rightfully on her face. Afterwards, he cupped her cheeks desperately.
"Tell me," he stared into her eyes. "Does this make you understand something?"
In a second, Taehyun's lips crashed into her chapped ones. Y/N's eyes widened, her arms frozen around him. The guy tilted his head a little, deepening the kiss as he closed his eyes to savour the moment. He tugged her close, hands holding her face. He backed her up against the wall. Y/N's back lightly slammed against the surface, making her wince. Eventually, her eyes closed and her face tilted the opposite side. Taehyun sensed her response so he smiled through the kiss, nipping on her lower lip before finally pulling away.
"It's them who only love you when you're somebody or me.." He brushed a thumb against her lip. "..who sees you perfectly even if you're nobody.."
"Taehyun.."
"Don't do this to yourself.. Don't take the Y/N that I loved away.." He begged. "Please.."
As a response, she pulled him by the nape and into another kiss. Taehyun chuckled, knowing what her decision was. He happily carried her to the counter top, setting her down. Y/N grinned, swinging her feet in midair as she watched him march to the fridge.
"I bet you're hungry." He said. "I tried to wake you this morning but you just told me to fuck off."
"Yeah, about that.." She blushed. "I don't remember everything.. I was-"
"Drunk. My baby was drunk." He laughed. "Couldn't even recognize me last night until I wore a jasmine perfume."
She bit her lip. "I'm very sorry.. I won't do it again. I'm not going out late anymore. I'll just stay here and spend time with you."
Taehyun straightened up with a plate of cold pancakes. "Are you sure? What about Ria?"
She shrugged. "I guess she'll understand.."
"She will if she's a real friend." He reminded, stuffing the food into the microwave.
"Taehyun?"
"Yes?"
"Do you really think I look better this way?"
"Baby," he softly called and went to her. "I don't mind you working on yourself. As long as you're you. But damn, I do prefer seeing you like this."
"I'm so sorry." She said. "I really am."
In exchange, Taehyun kissed the tip of her nose. Y/N hopped down the counter and ran to the microwave to wait for the pancakes. Taehyun stood behind her in awe.
"Hey, Y/N."
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Thus, the two had late lunch. But somewhere in the bedroom, Y/N's phone lit up. A text message from Ria popped into the screen, reminding her about the visit.