*.☽.*
Two days before Christmas, D-day Fan Meeting.
Even if Baekhyun didn't talk about it or even deny it...I just knew that he was tensed. We were in his dressing room. He was on the chair in front of the mirror and I was on the couch behind him. It was just the two of us and he hadn't gotten ready yet since the event was still a couple of hours later.
I had been observing him through the mirror and I saw how he fidgeted on the ring on his finger, swallowed a few times and tilt his head down from time to time.
He was nervous and I guess I was just as worried as he was. Standing on my feet, I walked towards him and stopped next to his chair. I caught his attention right away, his facial expression shifting all of a sudden from staring blankly on the mirror to looking at me affectionately. He smiled at me but I only stared at him until the upward curve on his lips disappeared.
I knew, he was trying to conceal his true feelings right now, probably so I won't be worried.
He sighed as he pulled me in a gentle hug.
"If no one shows up tonight..." His voice revealed how bothered he was by the thought. "I'll be done for sure."
There was a pang in my heart hearing this from him. For the last few days, he never talked about his meeting with the higher ups of his company and I was too scared to ask him about it as well. He, opening about this, hours before his fan meeting, was somehow making me feel uneasy.
"They said the moment the public makes it obvious that they have lost interest in me, they're going to terminate my contract."
Afflicted, I closed my eyes, thankful that he couldn't see my face right now.
If that was what the company told him, then why did he push with this fan meeting? Why didn't he just settle with an interview or a press conference? I wanted to ask him these questions but I knew fully well that it would only make him feel uncomfortable. So, I ended up rubbing his back with my hands gently.
"Sometimes..." He trailed off as he let go of me then stared blankly on the mirror. "I ask myself, do I really have loyal fans who'll stay with me or have they come to hate me to the point of leaving me..." Pausing, he looked up to meet my eyes. "I wanna know the answer to this...so bad." I saw how he gulped, momentarily closing his eyes as he looked away again. "I don't wanna continue agonizing myself longer...I need to know how many will choose to be by my side."
Aww, my heart was melting and I wanted to cry so badly but I just knew that it wouldn't help, so instead of entertaining my tears, I smiled at him as I brushed my fingers through his beautiful, black hair.
"Believe me, you're so easy to love Baek...but so so soooo hard to let go." I told him, my hand shifting to his to hold his face. "You know how much I tried but I'm still here..." I bit my lip as I saw the soft expression on his face. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...those who truly love and support you will choose to be with you no matter what."
There it goes, his lips formed into a beautiful smile. A genuine one.
"The way I'd be a total mess without you Babymommy." He said as he held my hand and brought it to his mouth for a kiss. "So, don't you ever move an inch away from me..." Halting his own speech, he took my hand and made me stand between his legs before pulling me closer for another hug. "Do you understand?" He added.
Though a bit shocked by the way he pulled me closer to him though we were in his dressing room, I couldn't help but smile at him and nod at how he's being this affectionate right now.
"Okay..." I replied right away, unable to hide the smile in my tone.
"Okay what?" He asked, leaning away a bit so we could face each other.
Pursing my lips, I wanted to give him the idea that I didn't wanna say it because we weren't in his house or somewhere private.
"Okay what?" He repeated, an eyebrow raised this time.
"OKAY BABYLOVE." I answered firmly by emphasizing every word and it sent him laughing, adjusting his hands around me as he hugged me even tighter this time.
"Ahhh... my girlfriend's such a flirt." He stated, nuzzling his nose on my neck. "I love it."
Hearing his remarks, I instantly leaned away to hit him on the chest.
"Hey, that's not fair Baek!" I whined but instantly got distracted when...
Knock knock...
Suddenly feeling flustered by the thought of us being caught in such position, I pulled away from him immediately and fixed my blouse. When I looked at him again, there was an amused look on his face. He didn't seem alarmed or something so I shot him with a 'seriously' look.
"Come in." He said right before the door swung opened.
I just had to swallow when I saw four, all-women staff get in the room. They were all wearing their company IDs, with bags and make up boxes on their hands. I was so sure that it wasn't Baekhyun who caught their attention inside the room. Their eyes were all on me, leaving me extremely conscious of my entire appearance. My eyes immediately darted on the two woman on the right who whispered something to each other. To think that that they were talking about me, it made me felt so uncomfortable.
Baekhyun cleared his throat and stood right next to me.
"Well..." He paused only to hold my hand, intertwining his fingers against mine. "Since there's no way I could hide her now..." He looked at me and I could sense that he was trying to break the ice. "I'd like you all to meet my girlfriend."
I heard a few gasps in the room.
"Oh Daebak!" The girl on the left exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "You're so pretty in person!" She added, looking genuinely mesmerized as she stared at me. "I mean, when I first saw your photos on the internet I immediately thought you're pretty but wow..."
What she said instantly made my cheeks hot, I had to look down.
"Now that you're both standing there, I can't help but think how cute you two look together." The one next to her noted, her hands meeting in front of her chest.
Baekhyun chuckled.
"Do we?" He asked.
Surprisingly, all of them nodded. They were all even smiling genuinely at us right now, looking really happy.
"What's her name?" The girl on the right with a curly blonde hair asked. "I mean, so we'd know how to call her..."
"Well..." Baekhyun trailed off to look at me for a second before facing them once more. "Baby..." He had to pause speaking when the girls giggled loudly while I shot him an are you crazy stare.
"But she's mine and I'm the only one allowed to call her that..." His additional remarks earned a pinch from me.
"Ow!" He groaned.
I swear this man exaggerates a lot.
The girls laughed while I was certain that the pink tinge on my cheeks had made an appearance once more.
"Baekhyun." I said, my eyes widened as I silently scolded him.
Baekhyun chuckled, obviously amused by my reaction.
"I want to freely call you baby even if they're around so I'm being straightforward for them not to be surprised when they hear it." He reasoned out, his eyes turning into crescents.
Oh my god, this man just won't stop embarrassing me around people. He's so cute but I kinda wanna punch him right now.
"I'm Haewon, nice to meet you all." I greeted the girls, ignoring Baekhyun and the handsome cocky smile he had on his face.
"Oh nice to meet you Miss Haewon." They all said almost at the same time.
"Ugh, even your name is pretty!" One of them said making me confused as to how I'd take her compliment.
***
About a few minutes after, they began helping Baekhyun out with his look to today's fanmeeting. I went back to sit on the couch behind them and was busy watching them when one of them approached me. She was the one who seemed the happiest since she saw us. She sat next to me and shyly introduced herself.
"My name is Eun Ha." She said. "I'm sorry but I have to tell you this." She added in quiet voice sounding a bit hesitant.
"What is it?" I asked, slightly nervous with the conversation.
"I saw...I saw the video...when you were at the rooftop."
Oh. I suddenly felt uneasy hearing this from her. I glanced at Baekhyun and the others who didn't seem to pay attention to us as they were busy.
"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or something." She said in a slightly panicked voice, she must have read my expression. "The truth is I cried so hard right after watching it. I have been a fan of Baekhyun for a long time and when I saw your video, I was really happy to know someone loves him like the way you do. He's a really good person, he deserves to be happy."
I had to blink my eyes a couple of times, not knowing how to respond.
"Thank you for sticking by his side. I hope you two can be happy for a very long time."
My heart suddenly felt like melting. Hearing this from someone I just met, who also happened to have been working Baekhyun, hit differently. I wanted to hug her but I was scared it'd catch everyone's attention, so I put a hand over her own and smiled at her instead.
"Thank you." I mouthed silently.
She smiled at me and I could feel how sincere she was.
When she left my side, I checked my phone and found a message from Manager Kang. Tapping on it, I read his message.
Manager Kang:
Haewon. Meet me in the parking lot. This is urgent. Don't tell Baekhyun. Mr. Yoo knows though. Please. I'll wait.
3:26PM
Confused and curious at the same time, my heartbeat kinda raced. What could Manager Kang want from me? Did something happen? Or will something bad happen tonight? Can this be about the number of fans coming tonight?
Aware that I was overthinking already, I shook my head to dismiss these immediate thoughts. Wanting to know the answer to my questions, I told Baekhyun I needed to go get my purse in his car since I left it there earlier. His forehead creased, he seemed to have second thoughts to allow me. When he spoke once more, he told me that he'd accompany me to the parking lot which I refused right away, telling him he had to stay and prepare. So, as what Manager Kang expected, he called Mr. Yoo to accompany instead.
***
5:52PM
Baekhyun was about to go on stage and he seemed more tense now. He was on the couch next to me and had been silent for a whole minute now. I stared at him admiring how gorgeous he looked with his simple styling. His beautiful black hair was down almost covering his brows but revealing a bit of his forehead. He was dressed in an off white turtle neck, accented with a rust button down top tucked inside his black slacks paired with formal black shoes. His beige overcoat was on the table in front of us.
"Baek..." I muttered wanting to catch his attention.
"Hmm?" He replied quickly.
Without inching closer and not touching him, I met his eyes.
"Even if you're not the Baekhyun this whole country came to love and adore. I..." I paused when I saw how confused my words had made him right away. "I honestly love you. I'll stay by your side no matter what happens." I added, as tears well up in my eyes.
Blinking his eyes in confusion, he shifted his position so he could face me entirely and before he could even start talking, tears rolled down my cheeks.
Being next to him at such a time as this was making me emotional. This was a huge turning point in his life.
"I know Baby but why are you crying?" He sounded skeptical as he wiped my tears with his thumb. "What's the matter? Is this about the fanmeet? Is the venue empty?"
Baekhyun didn't have any idea about what was happening outside since Manager Kang never mentioned anything to him and I wasn't sure if it was their agreement not to talk about or what.
"No one came?" He asked once more, his eyes seemed to read my expression.
Though Manager Kang had informed me of the situation outside, I couldn't tell him, it didn't seem right. So, instead of answering his question, I tilted my head down to avoid him for a moment.
"Baby-" I was pretty sure he was about to say something else but his speech was cut by Manager Kang who knocked and joined us in the room.
"Baek, it's time." He said as he momentarily met my eyes.
Sighing, Baekhyun turned to me once more with an unsure look on his face. Not sure of what to say, I stood and attempted to walk away but his hand was fast to grab mine.
"Can you walk me to the backstage?" I heard him ask, almost pleading.
Turning to face him again, I held his gaze before nodding.
Oh my heart, Baekhyun.
***
I gave his hand one final squeeze before I let him go. With tears pooling my eyes once more, I smiled at him as I send him off. I muttered a quiet "go" urging him to go on stage. He gave me a worried look but nodded before planting a kiss on my forehead. I heard him take a deep breath before letting me go. I watched him turned around and took his way to the stage.
One second, it was just a matter of a second when my tears unstoppably rolled down my cheeks as I heard the screams of his fans present inside the venue. My heart wells up of happiness knowing that they had sold out the venue. Manager Kang informed me about the overflowing support of his fans earlier and I had been wanting to tell him. Manager Kang told me that through one of his biggest fan base, they wanted to surprise him. Everyone who was in the fan meet knew how this will be all kept a secret from Baekhyun and they were more than willing to cooperate.
Moving to a space where I could see him on stage, I had to cover my mouth with my hands to stop crying harder as I saw his reaction. He was at the center, his head tilted down with his hands on his waist. By the looks of it, he was both surprised and emotional.
I knew he was so worried no one would come, he expected the worst and even thought that everyone would abandon him but seeing the venue filled the way it was right now was probably overwhelming him. Taking a deep breath, he turned away from them so he could look up and wipe his tears with his hands.
Oh Baekhyun. Oh my heart. Everyone made him cry for a good reason.
He paid me a glance and our eyes met for a brief moment. Speechless, I just smiled at him while tears continued to roll down my cheeks. I was so happy for him right now, my heart just overflows with love and pride for him. And I didn't want anything else to do but run to him and hug him, if only I could. If only the stadium wasn't full of his fans.
He was already trying to compose himself when the white screen was turned on all of a sudden and the hall was filled will the screams of the fans who were outside the theatre. They had banner saying 'WITH BAEKHYUN, NO MATTER WHAT'. I gasped when the camera zoomed out and revealed how big the crowd outside was.
Oh my god, a lot of fans came and since they couldn't get inside the venue anymore, they all stayed outside where a large Led Monitor was set up.
My tears continued to stream down my cheeks. I could just imagine how he felt right now. I wanted to breakdown, this was really tugging at my heartstrings. Baekhyun is so loved. And just when I was about to lose it, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see who it was and found Kyungsoo. He was standing right behind me with Soo Ah next to him. Mr. Yoo was also there and seeing all of them here with Manager Kang and I, Oh my god.
Kyungsoo rubbed my back gently, catching my attention. When I looked at him, his eyes were glistening. He must be so happy too. I knew Kyungsoo had been with Baekhyun all through this too. I recalled how Baekhyun visited him in the middle of the night one time.
"Baekhyun's not alone in this fight anymore." He said, his deep voice sounded so comforting but also urged my tears to overflow.
Oh god, Kyungsoo.
"Awwww..." I heard Soo Ah, who I must note, was also crying already. "I'm so happy for you both. Thank God." She added as she moved closer to hug me.
Kyungsoo then came to join us, wrapping his arms around us. Facing the other side, I saw Mr. Yoo and Manager Kang standing next to each other now who were looking at us.
These two men, Oh my god, what have we become without them?
"Thank you." I mouthed when they both met my eyes.
I got their warmest smiles as response.
When I had the chance to look at Baekhyun once more, he was staring at us. Happiness evident on his face. I gave him one reassuring smile before he turned to the audience. Lifting the mic to his mouth, attempting to talk but failed. He still looked emotional as he looked up, probably stopping his tears from falling.
He looked so vulnerable. So real.
The hall was filled with a uniformed Awwww, giving my heart a slight sinking feeling. Everyone in the room must have felt the same way I did. It's rare to see Baekhyun this way due to his bright personality on stage.
"You guys should ask me if I'm okay..." He finally said, his eyes forming into beautiful crescents as he finally smiled.
I heard the audience laughed because of his silly remark and when I tried to peek, I saw some of them wiping their tears while laughing at the same time.
"I'm not joking, you guys should be worried by now." He added, wearing the same tone.
"ARE YOU OKAY?" Everyone chorused.
Baekhyun chuckled, apparently amused.
"Yes. I'm okay." He answered before the smile on his face disappeared and took a deep breath. "Now that you're all here...I am okay. REALLY." He added.
There was silence right after he spoke, so he was left staring at his fans. His eyes roamed around the hall as if making sure he met everyone's gazes.
"Guys, stop crying now or else your tears will flood the venue and wash everything away...if you go, I'll really..." He trailed off as if he was pondering. "Really miss you."
What he said only made his fans cry even more and I couldn't blame them. Baekhyun really knew the exact words that would make your heart flutter. Tested and Proven.
***
He was sitting on the bar stool chair in the middle of the stage. He was still gazing at the audience as if trying to memorize each face present in the venue.
"Can I be very honest to you guys?" He asked and it earned a quick yes from his fans.
The way they altogether sounded obedient made him let out of a small laugh. And I can't help but be amazed at how comfortable he seemed to be talking like this with them.
"When I woke up today, I couldn't help but be nervous. No matter what I did, I kept thinking...kept picturing this venue empty." Trailing off, he listened to the audience as they express their sympathy by asking an unclear why.
For some reason, they sounded guilty and hurt at the same time.
"I know, I know." He added trying to calm them down. "I mean, some of you seemed mad at me because of the news." He took a deep breath. "So, for one moment I thought no one would show up today."
I heard a faint "Baekhyunaaaaah..." from the audience.
I watched Baekhyun as he silently observed at them. And there was something so heart-warming with the way he did it.
"Seeing all of you here and those who are outside, there is nothing I want to do now other than look at all of you, I wanna remember this moment forever." He said sounding so sincere as he paused to look at those who were seated at the second floor. "Thank you for choosing to stay with me, thank you for accepting me the way I am. Thank you for respecting me as person and my decisions. I feel so blessed to have people like you... some of you have been with me since the beginning. Really, you guys outweigh all the bad stuff."
Some had started to cry in the audience once more. I can't blame them though, listening to Baekhyun like this touched my heart in a very special way too.
"I promise to continue working hard and be the person you have all come to love." He added as he brought his right hand to his chest before doing the very thing that made everyone in the hall lost it.
He bent his upper body forward, doing a 180 bow. His hands were on his sides and after few seconds, he brought the mic to his mouth.
"Thank you."
I was starting to get emotional again when I heard Manager Kang, who was now standing next to us.
"It's still amazes me how someone like him remained this humble."
We all tore our attention from Baekhyun to him. He took a deep breath as he shoved his hands inside his pockets.
"He's one of a kind." He stated as he stared at me. "You're in good hands Haewon." He added, with a reassuring smile on his face.
Oh, Manager Kang.
Why was everyone making me cry?
I was about to open my mouth and thank him but was interrupted when we suddenly heard an instrumental music playing. The lights in the hall dimmed but I could clearly see Baekhyun's confused profile as he straightened his posture before the white screen behind him lit up.
This might be the fan project Manager Kang told me about a while ago, I thought.
The video started with Baekhyun's early pictures and performances. I smiled at how young he looked back then, he even looked shy and flustered at some of the clips which probably caused the embarrassed expression on his face when I checked on him again.
The video went on for a good minute more before it paused on a photo of Baekhyun. It was that photo I saw on his house. The one was that framed on the wall, taken from one of his concerts, his perfect, happy side profile on display with his fandom's light stick as background. The photo filled half the space and the other side revealed the texts, both in Korean and English, as the music toned down and the narration of a woman's voice began.
Our Dearest Baekhyun,
We can never thank you enough for the happiness you bring to us. It's not just about the concerts, the songs, the performances, the time we spent together...but your existence alone. You and your little ways that make us laugh and comforted when we are down. Thank you for working hard, thank you for choosing to be on stage even when the times are hard. Thank you for putting smiles on our faces even on days we thought we couldn't. Thank you for treating us like we are your friends and not just fans.
Honestly, we don't deserve you. This cruel world doesn't deserve you.
We are sorry. After everything that has happened, we cannot imagine how hurt you must have felt because of the way some of us reacted.
Maybe you have read the hurtful words, the bad comments everywhere. Maybe it broke your heart. Maybe you felt betrayed, maybe you thought of quitting. Maybe you thought we were ungrateful. Maybe you thought we'd leave you.
Yes, we can never take back the hurtful words thrown at you but we hope to replace them with the expression of our support.
The narration paused as the music became louder. Then a video of a fan appeared on the screen. She seemed to be in her early twenties. She seemed so excited holding her banner with Baek's name on it.
"Baekhyunaa, you have made us happy all these years. Now it's your turn. I support your relationship with all my heart. Please be happy Baekhyun, you deserve it more than anyone."
Another fan appeared.
"This world is too cruel yet so blessed to have you in it. It's time the world gives you back all the love you have been giving out. Please accept our love. We will be with you no matter what."
The next video was a group of girls. The one on the center was the one who spoke.
"Oh Baekhyun! You and your girlfriend don't have to be sorry, you didn't do anything wrong. You just fell in love and fought hard for what you feel in this crazy, judgmental world. Thank you for giving us a reason to believe that the best things in life are worth taking risks for! Be happy!"
"With Baekhyun, no matter what!" They all chorused.
The screen flashed so many screenshots of what I was guessing to be statements of support for him. By the time I brought my hands to my face, I found out that my cheeks were already tear-stained. I looked at Soo Ah, who was crying just like I was again.
Wiping my tears, I thought it was already finished but the narrator's voice filled the place once more. My mouth fell open the moment my eyes returned to the screen.
My photo, the one that Baekhyun posted on his Instagram account, was on the screen. I couldn't believe my eyes. My attention fell on Baekhyun who was already staring at him. His handsome face kissed by the beautiful dimmed lights from the video.
"To Baekhyun's love."
For Baekhyun to choose you, love you and fight for you only meant one thing...you are an amazing woman. We know that you are also having a hard time but thank you for being so brave and staying by Baekhyun's side. Yes this world has been too cruel for the both of you but we will do our best to make it a little better by supporting your relationship. We can only do so little but please know that we will protect you as well.
Though we only saw a small glimpse of your personality through that video, we can say that you are beautiful inside out, no wonder Baekhyun is under your spell. You love him in a way we couldn't and we thank you for this.
Please don't give up in these trying times. Stay strong.
Again, thank you."
The moment the narration ended, I was already sobbing so loud. And though Baekhyun was far, I could feel his eyes on me. Soo Ah, consoled me but giving my back a gentle rub and it made me cry harder.
Can I please stop crying for real?
I couldn't explain the happiness I felt right now, my heart was beating so loud and my tears were unstoppable. I knew some music started playing in the background but everything inside me was so overwhelmed.
I'm so happy. I'm so happy for Baekhyun. Thank God he has fans like them. Thinking about it now, Baekhyun was right, all the bad stuff were outweighed by their heart-warming support.
I was so busy trying to compose myself when a different pair of hands held me and I was so certain who they belonged to.
Baekhyun's.
He held me so tight and I could only bury my face on his neck as I cling to him by wrapping my arms around him, lifting my toes in the process. He didn't say anything and I was thankful because I would have lost it the moment I heard his voice. The only time I opened my eyes was when I heard a unified "awwww" from the audience for the nth time today. It made me curious right away, alarmed even. To my surprise, I saw us being filmed from the backstage. I was so shocked to see my crying face on the huge white screen and after a split second of realization, I hid my face using my hands and leaned against Baekhyun.
I heard Baekhyun chuckle as he wrapped his arms around me once more.
"Oh my god, they just told me I'm beautiful. Seeing me like that, they will for sure change their minds right away." I said in a mumbled voice, flustered at the thought of how much of a mess I was at the moment.
Then...everyone in around me laughed, Baekhyun, Soo Ah, Kyungsoo, Manager Kang, Mr. Yoo including a few staff that were with us, and to my embarrassment, the audience did too.
How did ... did they hear me?
Panicked, I leaned away from Baekhyun and found out that he was still holding his mic. It might have picked up what I just said.
You really know how to embarrass yourself good Park Haewon.
Biting my lower lip, I wanted to cry again. I could feel my face heating while I silently prayed for the ground to eat me alive.
Baekhyun's handsome face made way for his signature smile, the one that reached his eyes...my favourite smile. Then, as if in slow motion, I watched him bring the mic to his mouth.
"You see why I'm head over heels in love with her?" He asked and it made everyone break out in laughter again.
My eyes grew wide. D-did he just? I felt myself blushing even more because of his remarks that I was pretty sure even the fans outside heard.
Oh my god, this man really.
Rattled, I urged him to go back to his spot on the stage but he didn't do it until he gave me one last hug. I watched him sit on his chair again, sat there for a couple of seconds looking like he was pondering on a thought or something. Then, all of a sudden. He lifted his chair and moved it closer to the edge of the stage, closer for his fans to see him.
I watched him on the huge screen.
"You love me right?" He asked with a coy smile on his face.
"Yes!" His fans chorused with enthusiasm.
"You will love me the same even after I tell you how much she means to me?"
Hearing him, my heart beat started to run wild. What's he gonna tell them this time?
"Yes!" They answered once more.
He nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. He titled his head down for a bit before taking a deep breath and started to speak.
"I'm so happy when...one," He paused to count using his fingers. "When I'm on stage and I see all you having fun or looking back at me with misty eyes, your hands on your chest as if I'm about to give you a heart attack.." He let out of a small smile and his fans laughed with him. "Two, when I make my family and friends happy and proud. Three, I'm honestly...really...really happy when I..." He trailed of, as if on purpose to tease them.
"Ah, Baekhyunaaah~"
It remained a wonder to me how they all react in unison. Wow.
"When I eat." He added, a silly laugh accompanied his statement.
"Baekhyunaaaaa!" They whined and I had to smile at how cute they all sounded together.
"Ah, this man really." I heard Kyungsoo's amused, deep voice beside me. "If he doesn't get serious, I'll kick him in the butt." He added laughing, making all the four of us in the backstage laughing as well. "That's fine, right Haewon?" He asked, turning to me.
Amused by the thought, I nodded. However, the curve of my lips disappeared when I once again heard his voice. This time, more serious, more sincere as he continued to talk to his fans.
"I'm happy when I'm with her." He said gently but firmly.
The crowd fell silent, as if ready for his next words.
Oh, Baekhyun. I had to lift a hand to my chest as I felt my heart pound.
"Really, no matter what we do." Smirking, he paused. "Even if we don't do anything actually. Just having her, feeling her next to me...I just..." He smiled, looking away for a bit. "She makes me forget that I'm Baekhyun, she makes me feel like I'm just an ordinary guy trying to make her smile with my antics...She supports me too, understands what I do...even if it gets really hard and messy at times." He added before turning silent for a few seconds.
"You want to hear a little secret?" He asked them.
"Yes!"
"When we first met, to her I was just some random guy in a black bucket hat...." He turned to look at them as if watching their reactions. "She didn't know who I was."
Numerous gasps filled the venue. Probably due to disbelief like HOW COULD SOMEONE NOT RECOGNIZE BYUN BAEKHYUN?
Yeah, I must have seemed like an idiot to them for not recognizing their idol and I didn't know what to do with this information.
"I know right?" He said. "How could she not recognize my handsome face?" He laughed, his nose scrunching.
The audience buzzed joyfully, leaving me flustered on my spot.
"Were you hurt?" One of them asked loudly that it was able to reach Baekhyun.
"Of course!" He exclaimed but it was so obvious to everyone that he was lying. "No, but seriously I wanted her not to recognize who I am for a long time but the second time we accidentally met again, she was acting all awkward and shy...and pretty..." He chuckled.
Oh my god Baekhyun, I'm going to punch him on the face later for this.
"So, I figured that she must have found out already and I was a bit sad. I kinda got the feeling that she wanted to avoid me and not have anything to do with my crazy world. And that kind of hurt too."
And now, he's making my heart melt the next second making me regret thinking of hurting his handsome face.
"I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I don't wanna lose her, I'd be damned if I do."
The audience made a cute sound I couldn't even describe.
"And I don't wanna lose you guys too."
"Awwwww!" Soo Ah joined them in response to what he just said.
"Maybe some would call me selfish for wanting to keep her and you guys too. But is it selfishness to have the ones you love close? I wanna make you guys happy, I wanna make her happy...I wanna be happy too." He said in the most heartfelt way possible, his face painted with the softest expression.
He looked unbelievably and sounded so sincere.
There was silence.
"Baekhyunah. Be happy!"
"As long as you're there, we're here." Someone said though no one was standing.
"You know what, this got me thinking...I must have been Iron Man in my previous life. I must have saved lives for me to deserve something this wonderful." He trailed off, biting his lower lip and seemed to be contemplating on his next words. "This is going to be the best Christmas ever." He added, his voice soft and a little bit raspy at the same time.
The audience's reaction was so cute. They seemed happy as well which made me feel relieved and secured somehow. A huge weight had been lifted off my chest knowing that the fanmeet went well.
The lights dimmed once more and an instrumental started playing. I recognized it, it's his song. A few seconds later, his beautiful, soulful voice filled the hall singing to his song Take You Home.
***
10:42PM
We were in the living room of his house with Kyungsoo and Soo Ah. Manager Kang and Mr. Yoo were here a while but left after dinner. After the fanmeet, everyone agreed to have a celebratory dinner, so all six of us ended up going to his house. Kyungsoo, who I discovered to be an amazing cook, prepared a very sumptuous dinner for us.
As for the four of us, Soo Ah walked in from the Kitchen with a bottle of wine and glasses on her hands. She said that the successful fanmeet deserved a toast. We did, the wineglasses clinking when we did the toast. The wine tasted bittersweet and I kinda liked it. Baekhyun, who sat next to me on the couch tugged on my arm and signalled me to sit closer to him. We were in front of the other two in the room and I wasn't that sure how to act in front of them. When I still didn't move, Baekhyun held my hand and gently pulled me next to him. One arm holding me by the waist, the other one holding the wine glass. I looked at him for a moment and smiled when he met my eyes.
He looked happy. He should be. He deserved to be.
When his beautiful lips formed into an upward curve, I almost leaned in to kiss him. However, I didn't have the chance to do it when he leaned first and planted a quick kiss on my cheek.
Then, we heard Kyungsoo clearing his throat causing the pink tinges on my cheek to appear. Realizing that we weren't alone, we both turned to look at them. Soo Ah had a beautiful but teasing smile on her lips.
Slightly panicking, I lifted my wine glass to my mouth and emptied it right away.
"Should we drink more?" Kyungsoo asked.
"That's a good idea Soo!" Soo Ah exclaimed who stood and walked towards me to pour wine on my glass.
"No." Baekhyun stated out of nowhere, taking the glass from me. "No more drinking for you Miss." He added.
I was about to open my mouth to protest when Kyungsoo spoke.
"Why?" He asked. "You're scared she might get drunk and tell us that she doesn't really love you?" He teased.
Turning to Baekhyun, I watched him smirk.
"She wouldn't say that even you ask her in her sleep." He replied, sounding so confident.
He looked so adorable and I kinda wanna tease him too, so I threw him a question.
"Uhm...are you sure about that?"
His eyes grew wide.
"Oops." Soo Ah uttered as she carefully walked back next to Kyungsoo.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be so confident." I added in a casual but challenging tone.
My response caused Kyungsoo and Soo Ah to try their best not to burst out laughing, making Baekhyun's face turn red. His ears even turned red and I kinda got the idea that my remark caught him off guard.
Still, he looked so cute all flustered like this but I got a bit guilty, so I lifted my hands to cup his face.
"I'm kidding." I told him. "You know that right?" I went on, smiling.
"I don't know, are you?" He replied, sounding a bit hurt.
Oh, did he...I was just trying to... Oh my god. Did I get him mad?
"Of course I am!" I told him firmly as I slipped my hands around his waist, leaning my head on his chest. "I was just kidding. I swear."
"I know." He said, pouting like the baby that he was.
"Good." Tightening my hug around him, I muttered. "So, since that's settled..." I leaned away and got my glass from him. "Shall we drink a little more?"
"Okay." He sighed. "But just a bit."
I nodded before drinking.
***
12:07
The four of us talked a lot and I couldn't count the times Baekhyun tried to stop me from drinking more. I even had to distance myself away from him because he kept reaching for my glass. Soo Ah and I kept talking about a lot of stuff while he and Kyungsoo would bicker for a moment and then join us.
I knew, I was certain that the effects of alcohol had kicked in. I felt dizzy and extra happy. My face felt really hot and for some reason, I didn't feel that shy around Kyungsoo and Soo Ah anymore. So, when Soo Ah asked me about how I met Baekhyun, I didn't have second thoughts answering her question.
"It was up at the hold hiking place at my mom's hometown." I started, smiling at how Soo Ah looked so invested already, even Kyungsoo seemed interested. "It was in the afternoon, I was panting when I reached the top of the hiking place when all of a sudden, he..." I trailed off as I pointed to Baekhyun. "He showed up and walked towards the edge of the hill."
"Wait, okay so you didn't really recognize him?"
I shook my head sideways.
"He was wearing a jacket and his bucket hat and he was too far for me to see his face."
"And then?" It was Kyungsoo sounding impatient that all three of us stared at him. "Well, I..." He cleared his throat. "Baekhyun said he met you up in the mountain but without the details so..."
Soo Ah and I laughed, amused at him being defensive.
"Okay..." I muttered, ignoring Baekhyun who moved closer to me, draped an arm around my waist though he was leaning on the couch. "I instantly thought that he would jump-"
"You what?" Kyungsoo and Soo Ah chorused.
I couldn't help but noticed how Soo Ah was already a bit drunk too.
I was a bit taken aback at how surprised they were Well, I couldn't blame them, looking back at it now, I realized how crazy stupid it was to think of Baekhyun jumping off the mountain.
"She thought I was suicidal." It was Baekhyun who answered, his voice low and casual.
"Yeah, I really did." I agreed. "So, anyway I ran to him with my earphones on and though I saw him signal for me to stop, I didn't." Pausing, I recalled the exact moment in my head. "That time, all I was thinking about was stopping him from jumping. To make the long story short, he almost fell but didn't and I ended up falling on top of him on the ground..."
I watched how Soo Ah's jaw dropped.
"Wow." She muttered softly.
I suddenly thought of something and I was sure Baekhyun wouldn't like it but I was not a hundred percent very sane right now.
"When I realized that I was on top of him, I panicked but accidently..." I had to pause when I felt Baekhyun gave my side a light squeeze. "Kicked him down there..." I finished, obviously ignoring him.
"Where?" They chorused once more.
"There." I said firmly.
"There? Where?" It was Soo Ah, looking red and impatient.
I didn't have any choice.
I turned around to look at the center of Baekhyun's pants as I heard him sigh.
"Ahh....Oh!" Soo Ah gasped when she finally got what I mean.
Kyungsoo on the other hand laughed, his deep laugh filled the room.
"Nice one Haewon." He told me as he gave me a thumbs up.
When I checked on Baekhyun, he had his head leaned on the couch, his eyes closed, his ears red.
Oh look at my poor Babylove embarrassed. He looked so cute, I didn't even stop myself from clinging onto him once more.
"You'll never drink again, Park Hae Won."
I heard him say but I only let out of a soft laugh.
"Why? This is fun. She's obviously having a good time... c'mon COUSIN!" Soo Ah intercepted, emphasizing her last word as she drank from her glass again.
"More like making FUN of me." Baekhyun replied, raking his hair with his fingers.
"Not everyone gets to make fun of you Baekhyun, I'm sure it's fine." I heard Kyungsoo explained.
I, on the other hand, remained quiet hugging him. My eyes shut as I felt my head slightly spinning. I tried to concentrate and my senses were filled by his scent and he smelled so good. I struggled to open my eyes as I looked up at him. He was staring at his cousin and best friend.
"Baek..." I called him but he ignored me however instead of sulking, I felt my lips forming an upward curve before adjusting my position so I could whisper something to him. "I love you." I said and I was aware that my voice was too loud to consider a whisper.
There was silence right after I said it and I was pretty sure the other two in the room heard it. Honestly, as of this very moment, I didn't care.
So, what if they heard me saying I love you to my boyfriend?
Baekhyun looked at me and for one moment he had an incredulous expression on his face. He's probably debating if I was out of my mind being like this right now. I heard him swallow and I couldn't help but somehow feel victorious as to how many times I've caught him off guard tonight.
"I love you." I told him once more, this time in a gentler way.
He just continued to stare at me and I suddenly turned impatient.
"You know you're supposed to tell me you love me too, right?" I added with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, she's so cute!"
It was Soo Ah, I was sure it was Soo Ah simply because it's impossible for Kyungsoo to sound that high pitched.
"Yah, Baekhyun... she's asking you." Kyungsoo joined as if scolding him.
Baekhyun cleared his throat as I felt him carry my weight as he made us stand.
"You know what, it's really late now." He announced. "You two should get going." He told them.
Was he ignoring me? Yes, he was!
"YAH! BYUN BAEKHYUN!" I exclaimed, wanting to get his attention.
I felt all three pairs of eyes fixed on me.
"You don't love me?" I asked as I cupped his face with my hands.
Though my vision's a bit blurry now, I could still notice how red his face had become by now. And in a matter of split second, I felt him remove my hands off his face only to hold my face with his both hands too. Confused, I gazed at him but it didn't last for long when he, all of a sudden, leaned closer to give my lips a quick but firm kiss.
I didn't even had the chance to close my eyes.
"Yes, I love you. I love you. I love you. Okay?" He said breathlessly right after.
I was about to reply when I saw a flying couch pillow hitting Baekhyun's shoulder. When I turned to the other two, standing in front of us. Soo Ah was smiling while Kyungsoo had this somewhat faked glare at Baekhyun.
"Go get a room, you two." He said.
"That's a good idea." Baekhyun agreed, urging them to leave. "Lock the door when you guys leave okay?"
"Okay." Kyungsoo nodded. "Don't forget to tell her you love her."
Soo Ah burst out laughing before she came to me to give me a hug.
"Don't worry he loves you." She whispered in my ear.
I let out of a soft laugh.
"I know." I replied before letting go of her.
She, then proceeded to hug Baekhyun and I was sure she said something but I couldn't make out of what she said.
***
The next thing I knew, I was on the couch alone. Seeing that there was remaining wine on the bottle, I poured it on my glass and was about to drink it when Baekhyun suddenly appeared in front of me and snatched the glass away.
"Baby, stop." He told me and it seemed like he was scolding me.
"Baek..." I whined as I struggled to stand, holding on his arm for support. "I'll just finish this one. I'm not drunk yet."
"Uhuh?" His eyebrows furrowed.
"Okay, I'm just a bit tipsy..." I trailed off as I tried to retrieve my wineglass from him.
"Baby c'mon. You're going to have a terrible hangover tomorrow and you don't want that." He reminded as he placed the glass on the table where I couldn't reach it.
Wanting to protest, I opened my mouth but only to let out of a shriek when he, without a warning, carried me on his back.
"Baekhyun." I said as I groaned behind him when we were on the stairs.
"Park Hae won."
I felt myself pouting.
"I don't like it when you call me Park Hae Won." I whined.
I felt him chuckled.
"Why?" He asked sounding so innocent. "That's your name."
I didn't like his response.
"Whatvur."
He laughed once more.
"So, what do you want me to call you?"
Hearing it from him, my mood shifted.
"Uhm...Baby?" I replied. "Baby Park."
I was pretty sure my sober self cringed at what I just said.
"What??? Baby Park?" He asked as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.
He burst out laughing, his literal HA HA HA laugh filling the hallway as we reached the 2nd floor of his house.
"Oh Baby." I heard him say, his side profile revealing the handsome grin on his face. "You're going to be so embarrassed when I tell you about this tomorrow."
"You're probably right, so don't you dare make me remember." I replied firmly, tightening my arms around his neck as if strangling him. "Do you understand Byun Baekhyun?"
"Okay, okay I won't." He agreed, his tone sounding amused.
Breaking free from him, he put me down. I went to stand in front of him before I placed my hands flat on his chest and slowly pushed him against the wall.
Did he always look this handsome? Gazing at him, I asked myself. Smirking, as if answering my own question in head, I continued to look at his face intently.
Wow, I thought. How could he be this good looking? Not only that, he also looked so hot right now. My eyes falling on his moist, slightly parted lips, my heart started to beat faster.
"This one too..." I muttered, absent minded.
"Huh?" His beautiful forehead creased.
Oh, I even love his forehead. I must be crazy.
And before I could even entertain further thoughts in my head, my hands went to the collar of his shirt sweater, grabbing it. For some reason, I felt so brave right now. Maybe that was why the next second, I was already kissing him hard.
Oh my god, I felt so bold.
When I felt him kissing me back, I felt my body on fire. Parting my mouth open, his tongue turned the kiss needy and aggressive sending me to the edge and wanting for more. My hands automatically tugged on his hair as I tiptoed. There was no space left between us as our bodies we so close. Leaving my mouth, his lips landed on my jaw, tracing it with a gentle graze from his teeth and stopped right on my chin and gave it a small bite.
I groaned next to his ear right before his mouth went down to the hollow of my neck. Breathing hard, I clung on his shoulder tightly, my nails almost digging on his skin. I felt his hands inside the sweater I was wearing, holding me by the curve of my waist.
I just love the feel of his warm skin against mine.
Then, as if something alcohol fully taking control of me, I tugged on the hem of his sweater before pulling it over his head. He was wearing a shirt under it and I made sure to get rid of it too. He was leaning on the wall and for a second I got to stare at his face, his lips almost red and swollen from the kiss... his eyes...
His eyes...his eyes reminded me about the fanmeet. Then everything flooded my thoughts. The fanmeet was successful. His fans stayed by his side and promised to support him. The video fan project. Oh my god, they're so lovely. Baekhyun's loved by a lot of people and God knows he deserved it.
Snapping me out of my thoughts, I felt him pulling my sweater over my head too, leaving me with my black, lacy, silk spaghetti straps.
I felt his hands on my face, his mouth crashing against mine once more when he suddenly stopped. Leaning away, he looked at me.
"Why are you crying?" He asked me in a slightly panicked voice.
I was crying?
"Did I hurt you somewhere?" He added, his eyes trailing on my neck down to my shoulders.
I automatically shook my head.
"So, why are you crying?"
It's crazy how my vision started to blur, my tears streaming down my face.
"I'm just..." I sobbed. "I'm just so happy your fan meet turned out fine." I added before I completely broke down.
I didn't know why I was crying so hard at the moment. All I knew was that I was so happy for him.
"Baby..." He said as he gently pulled me into a hug. "You really have to bring up about the fanmeet now?" He added, his voice just above a whisper.
"I'm sorry. I just remembered all of a sudden and I don't know why I'm crying this hard right now." I answered as I wrapped my arms around his body.
He let out of a soft laugh.
"You're not allowed to get drunk next time, okay Miss Baby Park? I can't believe you got me all turned on, even stripped me of my clothes only for you to turn soft like this."
I swore, I heard myself laugh while I was still crying.
***
The room was dim and very cozy.
Lying on the bed, I had my head on his still-naked chest. I listened to his steady breathing, his chest going up and down while I indulge in his warmth. Closing my eyes, I snuggled against him while his arms met around my back. My head was still slightly spinning but my brain was still able to come up with stuff to say. Looking up at him, I leaned my chin against his chest.
He looked at me, wondering.
"Do you know how much I love your broad chest?" I said casually.
He looked surprised but smiled nonetheless.
"It's so broad, I can live here forever."
He let out of a soft laugh. His beautiful eyesmile taking my full attention.
"And your eyes..." I added as I lifted a hand to graze his eyes with my fingers. "And your nose..." my fingers tracing the bridge of his nose. "Your lips..." my hand stopped on his lower lip. "Do you know that you kiss so good?" I let out of a small laugh. "So damn good."
He chuckled as he brushed my hair away from my face.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"You're not going to kiss any other woman except me, right?"
"Of course." It was his turn to nod. "What else do you like about me?"
Leaning my head on his chest once more, I closed my eyes and thought of the countless things I liked about him.
"Everything... Everything." I muttered in a sleepy voice.
I felt his hand rubbing the back of my head gently.
"Baek?"
"Hmm?"
"Yes."
"Yes what?"
"Yes." I uttered.
I kinda heard him say something but I was already too sleepy to understand.
Yes, I heard myself once more before finally giving in to sleep.
~♥~
AN: With everything that's happened in the fandom, this was a very hard chapter to write. So, i hope you guys understood why it took me a long time to update. Anyway, I hope you liked this update. Feedbacks are very welcome.
We have five chapters more. Let's be together till the end. ^^