| T  I  M  E   S  K  I  P |

Time pass by so fast when you're in love. With each day that pass, every little thing to know gets known, every little word to say has been said, all possible things to be done has been done. Relationships are never always 'perfect.' It isn't always romantic, not always lovely. Everything gets more real as you last longer. You get to the imperfect side of love. It depends on the two persons sharing the relationship on how to deal with this imperfection and embrace it perfectly. Byun Baekhyun and Sarah Jacobs - a couple of one year and over four months. Like any other couple, they started. Everything was perfect until you get to the real side - maintaining the excitement between the two of you. The two of them are on that side already.

Chopping the ingredients for the pasta that she's going to cook, Sarah wiped the sweats on her forehead with her wrist. It's Baekhyun's birthday today but he's going come to her by night and they're set to go to Bucheon to celebrate with his family belatedly. A lot of things have changed for the past year. First - she had just moved to a new condominium which Baekhyun gave her as a present for their first anniversary, he chose a condominium in a building where a few celebrities live in because it gives more privacy and safety compared to her home before. Now, he can effortlessly go home to her every now and then - these days more often since EXO isn't that heavily busy. Second - Tony's already gone. The hamster just died about a month ago simply because of old age, got sick until it left the world. And third - recently as well, she left the primary school she's working for and is now currently finding another job. "Aish... I forgot the garlic..." Snapping her fingers, Sarah let go of the knife and rushed to the to get some cloves of garlic. She grabbed a few before rushing back to the center aisle. She's been cooking this dish for a lot of times already and so it was so easy for her now. Glancing at the wall clock, she realized it was already six in the evening and she gotta finish it soon before he comes.

Over an hour later...

Wearing the pot holder, Sarah took the casserole out and rushed to their dining table. She then skipped to the fridge and took out the cake she bought next and placed it right beside the casserole. Just then, she already heard the door opening which made her rush out of the kitchen. "Oppa." She skipped towards her boyfriend but frowned when she saw him lose balance when he closed the door "Oppa, did you drink?" She asked and began supporting his body. Baekhyun simply placed his arm over Sarah's shoulder and walked. "Just a little..." He muttered while coughing. "Oppa, I prepared your favorite pasta." She said as they arrive at the table. "Happy Birthday..." She hugged him on the neck and pecked him on the lips. "Cream Pasta-geez, aren't you tired of that? Wait, I'll just change." Baekhyun turned around and left her there. "Yah, it's your favorite." Sarah frowned and glared at his direction. She flopped down the chair and ran her fingers through her medium length brown hair - only a few months of bleached hair, Sarah gave up on it right away because her hair was already too damaged, Baekhyun told her to dye it to black already. Ever since, she didn't color her hair again and because of the damage, she's been maintaining a short hair now.

For another few minutes, she had to wait for Baekhyun again. When he came back, he already looked fresh with his damp hair.

"Yah, don't you like this Oppa?"

"No, I'll eat." Baekhyun answered and flopped down beside her and began taking some into his plate. "I think I'll eat this for every year that my age increases huh?" He asked while chuckling. Sarah just pouted and nudged his arm. "The members just hanged out with me earlier so we drank a bit. I just had two bottles." He said knowing she would ask later on. "Where?" Sarah asked. "Just somewhere." Baekhyun answered but his eyes were focused on the pasta he was waiting. "What somewhere? Exact?" She asked again. This time, Baekhyun put the fork down while rolling his eyes. "Sarah, it's 7:30 PM. Did I arrive late for you to go paranoid like that? You don't have to be; we just drank I promise." He asked and made a blowfish. "I was just asking... I was just curious." Sarah muffled. When Baekhyun didn't answer anymore, Sarah just stared down at him still with a big frown. "What?" He asked glancing at her while chewing. "I'm just asking and you're so cold." Sarah said and stood up. She began picking the casserole. "Wait-what is this again? I'm eating it." Baekhyun took it from her. "I don't have anything to do here. Always and I only talk when you're home and you still cold." She answered and took the casserole from him again. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not being cold, geez are you gonna be like this on my birthday? Really huh?" Baekhyun asked. He picked his plate up which still has food but he already walked to the sink and placed it there with a thud.

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"Oppa." Sarah called but he already walked to the living room. Sarah groaned as she put the casserole down for a while and followed him out. "Oppa, fine I'm sorry." She said and stood there a meter away from him who was sitting down the couch while turning the TV on. "Wow, you sound so sincere." Baekhyun said sarcastically. "Oppa..." This time, she walked closer and knelt down in front of him while holding on his knees. Baekhyun just avoided her eyes while flipping through channels. "Promise. Sincere now. Sorry." She said. Upon what she said, she already saw Baekhyun heaving a sigh. "You know, you're just frustration of still being jobless... you're throwing it at me." He said while running his fingers through his hair. "What, you want me to go back to that school?" Sarah asked. "What-I didn't say that. Soohyun's there again, you can? , every time I think about it, it bugs me off. How can they only punish him by confiscating his license for a year and act like nothing happened after?" Baekhyun asked back with a frown. Pulling herself up, Sarah sat on his lap sideways this time and hugged him on the neck. "Not talk about it anymore... I'm sorry... I'm just so bored here already..." She murmured and buried her face on the crook of his neck. Baekhyun leaned his nape on the head of the couch and just placed his hands around Sarah's waist. "I told you, if you're not confident to teach again, then don't. Find another profession." Baekhyun said and placed his cheek on her hair while closing his eyes. "It means I waste my degree and masters." She muffled. "Of course not. You keep it with you even if you change profession. No one's stopping you, Sarah. What do you want to do?" He asked. With that, she lifted her head up again from his neck and their eyes met.

"I wanna go back taking pictures for catalog magazines..."

"Catalog magazines... you're once scammed there. You almost posed for a magazine." Baekhyun said while heaving a sigh. "No, I'll be careful in accepting this time." She said. "I'm not sure. I don't trust catalog magazine companies. Think again." Baekhyun answered and looked away. "But Oppa... I like taking pictures..." She buried her face on his neck again and Baekhyun just simply jerks his legs rocking her a bit like a kid. "Just think about it more." He said. "Oppa, you said I pick the profession I want but you don't like it." Sarah said and frowned. "I'm not saying I don't like it. I was just saying, those small companies can't be easily trusted. They might jus-"But Oppa..." Sarah whined like a kid while hugging his neck. "Sarah, just don't take those small companies, please. They're bogus a lot of times." Baekhyun explained and tried to get up but Sarah won't let go. It finally put a smile on his face. "Yah, I want to eat again..." He said. "But Oppa..." Sarah murmured.

Without any word anymore, Baekhyun lifted her up along while chuckling. She hugged his body out like a koala bear as they arrive back to the kitchen. He placed her down the center aisle and grabbed a new plate. "Oppa..." She called and watched as he got a few amount of the pasta dish she baked before walking back to her. He stood right in front of her, his waist in between her thighs while he eats. "Give me a massage later. My back's aching from practice; I'm really getting old now." He said while chewing and gave her a spoonful of it as well. "You're not old." Sarah said and grabbed the plate from him and started feeding him instead. "Twenty-five is old." Baekhyun answered. "Oh by the way, Kyungsoo and Nabi's planning to have a baby already, he discussed it earlier with CEO." He added. "Aww... Really? I'm jealous." Sarah said while swallowing a spoon of pasta. It made Baekhyun silent as he stared at her with his unreadable face. Noticing his knowing stares, Sarah looked back while chewing. "Wae?" She asked. "Do you want to?" Baekhyun mouthed although it was only the two of them in there. Sarah's eyes bulged out and slapped him on the arm lightly. "Oppa, jealous not mean I want too already..." She jumped off the counter and walked to the table. "No, I'm serious. How about we try?" Baekhyun asked.

"What? Oppa, first, we're still a private couple and second... we're not even married yet."

"And so? In this generation, it's already accepted." Baekhyun answered. "Oppa, we made plans. We plan-"Plans change. We can change it because we're the ones who also made it." Baekhyun said. "Oppa, having baby, not a joke at all." Sarah said while shaking her head. "Did I say it's a joke? I'm serious." Baekhyun walked towards her and tried to grab her hand. "Oppa, Eomma and your Eomma will get mad if we do that with no marry." She said. "Then let's register our marriage certificate. We don't need a ceremony yet." He said which made her turn to him with her face of disbelief. "What? Why have those faces now? You don't want to have a child without the law... Then let's fix it now." He said. "Oppa, you make it sound so meaningless." She said and walked out again. "Walking out again, that's where you're good at. Always walking out on me-Yah." Baekhyun called. "I didn't say it's meaningless. I just don't think papers matter when we're both ready and in love enough to ha-"-thud. The sound of the door banging made him totally shut up. "Fine! Happy birthday to me. What's so happy about it. And I'm the cold one now? I just want to sleep like this is any other day." he shouted and placed the plate down again. He went to the dining table and put the cake and casserole of pasta inside the fridge first. He then began walking out while cursing under his breath.

Just when he arrived at the living room, Sarah peeked out of the bedroom again with a glare. "Then go home." She said. "I am home." Baekhyun said and lied down the couch. "I meant your home." Sarah said with a frown. She was still annoyed at how he opened the topic of child like it was a piece of cake. "This is MY HOME too. Wae??" Baekhyun asked back and turned his body away from her direction and hugged the couch pillow. "No, I mean the dorm-" I'm not looking already, oh?? You don't see my face, stop whining! This is my home too, don't make me go home to anywhere else. I'm home." He said. The atmosphere got silent as Sarah just held on the knob while staring at Baekhyun's direction. "Oppa... Yah... Oppa-"I won't sneak into our bed later, don't worry. I'll sleep here if you're so mad at me for actually wanting a child." He said. "Yah..." It softened Sarah's heart now and she closed the door behind her but just leaned on it. "Oppa..." She began marching towards the couch and tried sitting on the remaining space but Baekhyun was moving his legs farther on the edge not to let her. "Oppa, yah... Let me si-Yah~" She laughed when she fell down the carpet lightly when she slid down the very edge of the couch. "Oppa. It's just that marriage... even the certificate alone... Still very fast. We're just over one year." She said. "It doesn't matter... and you just tell me if you want to publicize our relationship, I can do it, even my members are asking when we would. Two others are already in public and Kyungsoo's there still happily married. But us, we're still stuck like this." He said. Now, it's much easier for EXO to be free to be honest, more groups from different companies have debuted, SM did so as well and not that they were forgotten but it was much lighter for them now aside their separate projects and concerts. "I'm still scared to be in public... Oppa, I'm scared that it can affect our happiness..." Sarah muffled. Baekhyun scratched his hair in an irritated way. "I already told you a thousand times, it will pass. See Nabi no-"Oppa..." She pulled herself up again and completely hovered on top of him instead. "You're heavy..." Baekhyun murmured, struggling to speak. "Eeeehh~ Oppa..." Sarah whined and hugged him even more. "Okay fine fine... Change topic." Baekhyun said and turned his face to look up her again and completely hugged her around the waist. "Let's not fight anymore... it's your birthday..." Sarah murmured while casually Baekhyun's chin with her index finger. Baekhyun heaved a sigh hearing her pleading tone. "Oppa... I wanna tell you something..." She then spoke.

"What is it?"

He shifted her body down on the safe side of the couch instead as they squeezed their body together to avoid falling. "Actually... Last week, I was casted on the street by a modeling agency... I-it's a pretty big agency, not those small ones you don't trust..." She said. "Really? Then why not take it?" Baekhyun asked. Sarah heaved a sigh and hugged his waist. "Oppa... I don't like being people's attention... I like modeling... but the models who appear on TV too... no, I can't..." Sarah explained. "I know TV industry here in Korea is very tough and most of the time... dishonest but... there's no harm in trying." Baekhyun said. "Oppa, you want me to try it out then it would be harder to spend time together? You want that?" Sarah asked. "Oh..." Baekhyun shut his mouth as he realized it. "It's enough that you're the one people know... I can stay behind and support you." Sarah said before pressing their lips together. "But if a legit magazine company tries to hire you, then you can do for it. This kind of beauty can't be just used in cheap catalogs. You're for vogue." Baehyun explained and tapped her lips with his index finger. Sarah smiled while biting on her lip. She hugged his neck even more making their lips close their gaps again and she shared a deep kiss with him. She was starting to feel hot when Baekhyun pulled away. "Massage. Don't forget. You agreed. C'mon." He sat up and tapped his shoulder blade while looking at her. "Oppa... Let's have , I feel wet already." Sarah murmured and began his shoulders again. "But I'm sleepy. You know that I'm a bit intoxicated I won't get hard, still. Tomorrow. C'mon. Massage first." Baekhyun stood up and began pulling her up to stand. Sarah scrunched her nose while looking at him sternly but already let him drag her into the room. "What the hell is that reason... You're not that drunk, yah..." She murmured as they arrived inside.

"C'mon, massage."

Baekhyun removed his shirt right away and jumped down the bed. With a grumpy face, Sarah crawled to the bed and rode his back. She began slapping her hands on his back making Baekhyun groan. "Ouch-aw-yah! Don't torture me. I said massage." He whined. "I'm annoyed." Sarah said. "Don't throw your ual frustrations at me. I'm not always alright." Baekhyun said. "Okay, I'll find someone else to throw it to." Sarah mocked. "Try and you are dead meat." Baekhyun murmured. "Oppa..." Sarah then leaned her whole body on his back and began nibbling with his ear. It quickly turned red making her smile. Baekhyun was trying to pull away and it was obvious that he's holding his smile. "Yah~ massage. I won't lose to you." He said making Sarah pout again. "C'mon, it's my birthday. I want this as gift. You know how obsessed I am with your massages." He added earning a shy chuckle from Sarah. "Oppa~" She then leaned down more and whispered to her. Baekhyun let out a faint chuckle but still had his eyes close. "Yah..." He murmured. "How much do you love me?" She asked. "Hmm..." Baekhyun muttered like he had doubts. "Ah moya..." Sarah grunted and slapped him on the back. "Aw! Yah! If my back is all bruised tomorrow..." Baekhyun winced. "Answer properly." Sarah hummed and his back gently again making him calm down. "I love you too much to the point that heaven knows your name already because I always pray to have you forever." He answered. Sarah held her goofy smile - very much satisfied of his answered. "Ooh, she's more now. I'm so good in such pick up lines, chincha. I did it Kyungsoo-style. Am I good?" Baekhyun teased with a sleepy voice. "Eyshhh..." Sarah glared down again and reached for his neck and suddenly tickled him. "No-aw! Not there—stop!" Baekhyun laughed hard but he successfully got off from her. "I swear, you..." He jumped off the bed while pointing at her. "Oppa~" Sarah called and got off as well.

"No, don't come near me. I don't want massage anymore."

"Oppa, come here~ I give you very soft neck massage."

"NO. Don't come—Sarah!! No! Yah-moya!"

They ended up on the floor as Sarah tackled him and began tickling his weak spots. "Yah it's my birthday! Don't do this to me!" He yelped while trying to push her off of him. Just as she was tickling her, she stopped when she felt something poking on her inner thighs as she rode his waist. The couple both stopped from their movements and both looked down. At the same time as well, their eyes met again and Baekhyun closed his mouth in a firm line while holding his smile. "Intoxicated huh?" Sarah asked and smirked. "It's your fault. You kept on tickling me..." Baekhyun murmured but without any more word, he pulled himself up grabbing Sarah along. "C'mon..." He murmured. "Ani, you said only massage. I'll massage you." Sarah said trying to maintain a straight face. Baekhyun's eyes widen in disbelief and tried pulling her down. "Yah, you were asking earlier." He said and was mockingly laughing at her. "Wait-you haven't blown a candle yet. Let's get the cake again." She added in realization. "Aniyo, you just do the blow instead." Baekhyun pulled her down until she was sitting on his lap. "Hm-hm... Hm?" Baekhyun murmured nodding his head a bit signaling her with a cute pout. "No, you said you drunk..." Sarah held her smile and tried to look away as she wrapped one arm around Baekhyun's neck and he began rocking her back and forth on his lap. "Yes, drunk with your love." He whispered on Sarah's ear before quickly pinning her down the bed earning a loud squeal from the girl. "But Oppa... blow the candle first..." Sarah muttered in between giggles when Baekhyun began kissing her neck. "Blow the birthday boy first... hihi~" he whispered which made her burst out of laughter when Baekhyun said it in a very dorky tone. "Happy birthday Oppa..." Sarah greeted much sweeter this time as she hugged him on the neck. "Thank you. But don't change the topic." He said and the couple laughed as they hugged each other more, even slinging their legs on each other. "This looks awkward. Not a good make out position at all." Baekhyun said and Sarah laughed in high pitch while burying her face on Baekhyun's bare chest. Then randomly, she squealed in which Baekhyun squealed back accurately mimicking her.

"Oppa!~"

"Sarah!~"