Final
Baby StepsHera was sulking as she walked to her class. She wasted her time talking to that senior, she even told him her name! Only to be tricked. She would give him a piece of her mind later after class.
Baekhyun just came back from Aeri's class and she noticed his bestfriend walking towards their class. She looked like she's not in the mood. The door's closed and he decided to open it for her.
Hera noticed him and she instantly felt lighter. "What's this?" She pointed at the door, where he's still holding it for her.
He shrugged and entered the room after her. He remembered their scheduled movie date, "Yah, we're still going to watch that movie later, right?"
Hera frowned. Later? She had to meet that senior to get her precious hairtie. It's from Baekhyun and that's the only piece when he bought it. She needed to get that from Sehun sunbae.
"I... I couldn't."
"But why?! We've been planning to watch it on the first day!"
"I know." Hera exhaled. "We would watch it tomorrow, I promise. I just need to be somewhere later. It's important. Besides, you could use this moment to do step four."
Baekhyun frowned, still sulking from her declining the movie date. "What's step four?"
"Send her home."
-
Hera rushed to the cafe after saying goodluck to his bestfriend. Baekhyun was still frowning but he went ahead anyway. She hoped that she'd get her thing from that senior and opened the cafe's door.
The chimes caught Sehun's attention. He smiled when he saw her entered. He waved and pointed at his seat.
Hera wanted to roll her eyes but she needed to respect him. She sat down and put her bag on her lap as she laid out her hand, asking for her thing.
Sehun chuckled, "Didn't you want to eat first? I ordered beforehand."
"Sunbae..!"
"Okay, okay." He raised his both hands up, "I still wouldn't give your hairtie back."
"But why?!" She whined.
"Because, you needed to get your bestfriend to fall for you first."
Hera's eyes widened and she blushed. Sehun laughed, "See? I knew it's from him! He's that guy beside you at class, right?"
"H-how?"
"Simple, I cut class to observe." He shrugged his shoulders as if what he said was just a normal thing. "Eat up, no worries... Sehun sunbae would help you get your bestfriend's attention."
It's that time again that students have their school break for two weeks. It's supposed to be a relaxing break but they're packed with homework.
Baekhyun called Hera if she's up for a study time. Hera bit her lip and looked at her side, where Sehun was there doing his own homework.
Sehun shook his head and muttered no at her. She nodded, "I can't Baek. I have to do this work by myself."
"Why are you always declining me? You're not like that before!"
Hera sighed, "Don't say that, Baek. I'm just giving you more time to do step five."
"You're using the steps again! Okay, what's step five? Make sure that's helping me because I'm upset at you right now."
"Ask her for hangouts. Whether it's a study date or just a date-date.
"That's step five? Why I couldn't do it with you before her? Tell me, did you replace me already?"
Hera was silent. She didn't know what to reply when he started talking again.
"So you replaced me? Who's that guy! Tell m—"
The line was cut because Sehun snatched her phone and clicked the end button. "Let him think things. It would stir his curiosity."
Days passed and Baekhyun was still giving Hera his cold treatment. Sehun would be there to keep her company and even take her out to shop for clothes and even girly things like makeup. She finally learned how to put color on her face and Sehun approved.
The two of them went to a shop where Baekhyun bought the hairtie. She smiled at the memory and looked for other hair accessories when Sehun out a clip on her hair.
"It looked good on her, right ahjumma?"
The old lady smiled and nodded her head, "Couples these days... yes it suited her."
Hera smiled politely, "Uh, we're not.."
"How much for that clip?" Sehun interrupted and the old lady focused on him instead of her explanation. She looked at him and wondered... why was he doing this?
"Why are you doing this, Sehun sunbae? Aren't you afraid that you would fall for me?"
Sehun stopped walking and faced her, "So what if I fall for you?"
He looked serious. His eyes boring into her. "Yah, sunbae! Don't joke around!" She's sweating like there's no tomorrow and then Sehun laughed, "I was just joking. I have a girlfriend."
"What?! Then why you're here with me???"
"Relax, she approved of this. She told me to help you as well."
Sehun walked ahead and Hera ran to ask him more things when they saw Baekhyun and Aeri together. Hera stopped her tracks and Sehun held her hand.
"I thought you're busy? Oh yeah, busy with him." Baekhyun said sarcastically.
Sehun smiled, "Hi Aeri. Hi Baekhyun."
"Hi Sehun." Aeri smiled back. "Hi Hera."
Baekhyun pulled Aeri away from them, "Come Aeri noona, I'll bring you somewhere else. The atmosphere here was not very nice." Aeri nodded and waved bye to them.
Hera sighed and looked up at Sehun, who's still looking at the two waling away. "Did you know Aeri unnie, sunbae?"
"Yes. She's my.... classmate." He smiled down at her. "Atleast we know that your bestfriend was triggered."
School resumed and Baekhyun was still the same, cold. Sehun was busy completing his requirements that's why he's not with her these days. Hera frowned, so she's alone? Baekhyun's probably hanging out with Aeri.
She went out of the room when one of their classmates approached her that Baekhyun slipped. Hera didn't waste time and rushed at the infirmary to check on her bestfriend.
Baekhyun was resting his feet when Hera entered. He was about to say something when Hera rushed to him and hit his chest.
"I told you to be careful? Why weren't you?!" She's crying and she's panicking. "Are you okay?"
He was dumbfounded with what she's doing. they're not in good terms? Why she's still concerned? He looked at her and couldn't help but to notice that his friend was beautiful. She's having her hair in a braid and she had some color on her cheeks and lips but subtle. He couldn't take his eyes off from her. She's been with him ever since but then, how come he only noticed now?
"Don't ignore me from now on, okay? I have to look out for you!" Hera wiped her tears. "I will also give you the last step and a bonus one."
Baekhyun frowned. "L-last step?"
Hera smiled, "Yes. After that... do the bonus. For sure, Aeri unnie would be yours."
She told him the last step. In order for him to forgive her from replacing him, she needed to come with him to buy something for step six.
They went back to the store. Hera saw a beautiful necklace adorned with a palm tree and some purple stones. She's been looking at the necklace and Baekhyun went to her, "Did you like that?"
She put the neclace back to the shelf. "No. We're here to look for Aeri unnie's not mine." She looked around and saw a necklace with a heart. "This is perfect!"
Baekhyun nodded and asked her to wait for him outside as he paid for the necklace. They bonded and ate to their heart's content. Baekhyun walked her home and before she went inside he told her, "See you at prom?"
Hera nodded. "See you there. Let's not meet until prom." Her tears poured down. Baekhyun rushed and wiped her tears. "Don't run! Your leg's still not okay."
"Then don't cry." His voice was low.
"I'm crying because I'm happy for you. If you completed step 6, there's no way Aeri sunbae wouldn't say yes to you. Congratulations in advance." Hera hugged him, patting his back before letting go. "See you there. Search for me when she said yes." She ran inside their house leaving Baekhyun outside.
"Hera..."
Step six: Give her something that would make her remember you. Bonus: Prom is coming, ask her to be your date and confess.
Prom should be happy. Everyone's happy and dancing with one another. But Hera's sulking at the corner, drinking her punch. She couldn't help herself but to think how did Baekhyun's confession went.
How to feel romance?
She remembered how she came up with the steps. Those baby steps as he liked to call it. It came from her own experience.
Baekhyun was the one who approached her first when no one wanted to talk to her. He was the one who initiated the talk between them, he's a gentleman to respect her and send her home. He's always asking her to hangout whenever he wanted to. And he gave her the hairtie, as a small gift for their friendship.
That's all six baby steps. It didn't happen in a rush but it took one step at a time. Day by day, she found herself falling so there's no reason for Aeri unnie to reject him.
She sighed again.
"That's a deep sigh."
Hera looked at the side and saw Sehun. He was looking dashing on his suit. "Wanna go outside?"
They're walking at the school garden when Sehun fished out something from his pocket, it's her hairtie.
"Are you finally giving it to me? We didn't succeed."
"I have something to tell you."
Hera nodded and waited for him to talk.
"Aeri's my girlfriend. She noticed that even though you're building Baekhyun to her, you're in love with him. Luckily, she had a boyfriend. But she couldn't bear to reject you both that's why she entertained you."
Hera blinked. Sehun and Aeri? That's why they're so familiar with each other.
"Don't get mad at Aeri, she didn't mean to lead him. Besides, she felt like she's not even leading him. I helped my girlfriend because I saw that you needed the help."
Sehun went closer and opened her hands. "I'm giving this back because—"
"Hera?"
Hera looked behind and saw Baekhyun panting. He looked like he just went for a run. He dusted his suit and cleared his throat.
Sehun chuckled, "We did it." He left the hairtie on her wrist and patted her head. "Goodluck."
After Sehun left, it was awkward. No one was talking. Hera decided to speak first, "How did your confession went?"
"A total fail." He looked down. "Because I was looking for her and saw her with another guy."
Hera went to him and patted his back, "It's okay. I'm sure she didn't see you. You could try again some other time. I'm helping you."
Baekhyun still looked sad. He held her hands, "I'm sure she didn't see me that's why she was talking to Sehun sunbae awhile ago. Would you still help me?"
She was confused. Aeri was talking to Sehun? It couldn't be! She was the one who's talking to him unless...
He tightened his hold on her hands, "It's you. Your steps helped me realize that I'm only attracted to Aeri noona. Even though I'm doing the steps for her, I'm thinking about you." He brought her hands to his lips, looking straight to her eyes. "What if... What if I do it to you? I'm always saying your name whenever I'm with her. What if... I'm not seeing you as a boyish girl anymore?"
Baekhyun pulled out the necklace with the palm tree and put it around her neck, "You really like this. I know. I always know if you liked things that's why I keep on buying them secretly."
He wiped her tears, Hera was still speechless. "It took me six baby steps to realize that it's not Aeri who I really liked... no, love."
The fireworks display began. The loudness of the fireworks were just as loud as Hera's heartbeat.
"Hello, Ji Hera. Would you give me the chance to make you my girlfriend?"
"No."
Baekhyun was taken aback. After that, he let out a sad smile as he looked down. Hera chuckled and flicked his forehead, making him face her again.
"Hello Byun Baekhyun. I'm giving you the chance to make me your bestfriend and your girlfriend."
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