The car felt stuffy. The lack of space must be what’s causing it to feel this way, assuming the fact that it was a sports car. Definitely, not the most comfortable out there, but I couldn’t exactly deny its quality either.

Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t the car, it was the person sitting next to me, ever so calmly driving. Baekhyun wasn’t saying anything, it was awkward as . I felt like flying out of the window for air, because there sure weren’t any inside.

Immediately upon my arrival home, I was hurriedly introduced to Baekhyun’s parents, my in-laws. I didn’t mind them, they were actually great company. But I was very conscious of Baekhyun, who had been “coincidentally” sitting next to me on a two-seater couch. Hell, I didn’t even know the house had that couch, taking into account the size of the damn place.

But, fate was as cruel as ever, and Baekhyun was acting all nice in front of both our parents. I was more resilient than anything, only speaking when asked about something. But even that somehow proved to be a mistake, because my parents asked how I got home, after hearing news from Mr.Kang that he wasn’t the one to pick me up.

I couldn’t really lie straight to their faces, in front of Baekhyun and worse, his parents. So I told them a friend brought me home, which led to the inquiry of this friend’s identity. Once again I couldn’t really withhold the truth, and told them it was Oh Sehun.

I suppose my parents and my in-laws couldn’t do much about it, because they know Sehun as well. Albeit, a little disappointed that I went with another man who is not my “betrothed”, they looked fine with the answer.

On the other side of the fence however, Baekhyun had visibly stiffened at the mention of his friend. I wasn’t sure if it was as obvious to my parents as it was to me, but my being next to Baekhyun and our thighs touching and everything, I could perfectly tell the difference.

I wasn’t sure why and I had been meaning to ask during this car trip, which was suggested by our parents. They told us that it would be nice for us to go out on a “date”, while the adults stayed indoors, planning the wedding.

I dreaded this the most, but I didn’t have much room to complain. And so, I was stuck with Mr.Not-Talking. At that point I was sure that he was trying to make the atmosphere weird between us.

So I went ahead and decided to change that.

“Sehun told me about you.” I looked out the window, noticing a park that we passed, had pretty lights hanging from its trees.

“Yeah? What did he say?”, he sounded uninterested, and I was pretty offended. I felt like he’d rather be having a conversation somewhere else, where I wasn’t involved. Sadly, that might actually be true.

I shrugged before replying, “He told me you were fun to be around, and laughed when I said you were scary with all your seriousness. He also mentioned that you have an ugly temper.”

I didn’t bother turning away from the window, so I couldn’t see what his expression was like after my statement. All he said was, “All good points, I’m glad I could make you both laugh.”

I shook my head at his response and snickered, “And that must be the temper.”

Oddly enough, he actually chuckled at my comment. I had to turn back to look at his face, and when I did, he was smiling. It wasn’t an “ear-to-ear” kind of smile, it was subtle, but enough for me to know that he didn’t really hate me.

Of course, I had to be a stupid and ruined it by asking him, “Do you hate me?”

The car came to a halt by a red light, and Baekhyun turned to look at me with an eyebrow raised, “Does it look like I hate you?”

I grumbled at his response and looked away while mumbling low, “I don’t know.”

I sincerely did not know that he heard what I said, but apparently he did. Because right after that, he veered the car to the right, so abruptly that I had unconsciously held on to the door. He didn’t say anything, but I figured he was headed to the park we just passed, since he parked the car just beside it and proceeded to open his door.

I followed suit, not really knowing what he was planning to do. He was walking ahead already, and I had a hard time keeping up with him, the heels were already murdering my ankles. 

“Hey Baekhyun! Wait for me!”

He didn’t stop, that was seriously getting to me. What was up with him and all those vague answers whenever I attempted to make conversation, trying to intimidate me by being mysterious and all that crap. Was I so wrong to try to get along with my own future husband? Oh and not to mention, the fact that he always looked so serious and condescending when he’s around me, what’s with that?

I couldn’t believe the likes of Sehun would hang around the likes of him. And to think, the guy had spoken nicely of his hyung, clearly he didn’t know Baekhyun enough. Seriously, there have got to be better people in this world. Something was seriously up Baekhyun’s , no kidding.

Back to the battlefield, I was still struggling with my heels, and I still hadn’t managed to catch up with him. Thankfully, God bless the world, he decided to sit his on a bench, overlooking the wide expanse of the pretty lights on the trees.

When I had finally reached the bench and plopped down on it, I was short of breath and I failed to notice how pretty the park was that night. I turned to look at Baekhyun, who still had that nonchalant look on his face, seemingly indifferent or maybe it really was just his face.

“Seriously though, thank you for slowing down and waiting for me, I really enjoyed the walk to this bench with no reason whatsoever. I cannot believe Sehun had convinced me that you were at least decent.”

Even after that, he was still silent. His body relaxing against the cold wood of the bench, an arm on the arm-rest and the other across his thigh.

I shook my head and sighed before looking over to trees as well, feeling the resignation settle over my whole body. This was how it was going to be with my “husband”, and I had to it up. being an adult, it’s so goddamn hard.

“I don’t hate you.”

I looked back at him and scoffed, not expecting him to say that. I swore that what he’s doing, didn’t look like he “liked” me either.

“Wow the man speaks, good for you.”

I continued to look over to the trees, trying hard to enjoy the pretty scenery, with Mr. breathing and alive next to me. What he did next however, took me unawares.

I felt fingers on my chin for the second time that day, the same fingers that I had to admit were surprisingly a lot better than mine. He turned my head, so that I was facing him instead, and seemed to scrutinize me with his look.

And then, he took a deep breath, eyes still locked on mine, “Look, I really don’t hate you. But I have to admit that I don’t like you either, at least not like that okay? Earlier today, at school, when I asked if we were on the same page, I was referring to the fact that we are going to keep this relationship strictly for show. I thought you were smart enough to catch the drift, apparently not.”

I forcefully pulled my chin away from his grasp, and rolled my eyes, “Whatever, you were being an about it. You could’ve told me about it, vividly, don’t give me riddles and . I seriously do not have time to play games. I don’t know about you, but this is serious to me. I’m not asking you to suddenly love me and be a proper husband and all that, I’ve heard I’m crazy, but not to that extent okay? I just want us to get along, is that really too much to ask?”

Silence was loud after that. I was glad he was at least willing to talk this out, I honestly wouldn’t know what to do if this didn’t happen. 

“Fine, I apologise. I’m sorry for being an and not being straight up with you. Truce?”

His hand was shoved in front of me, I was reluctant to take it because I was still half-mad about him being difficult. But again, I had to be an adult, so I took his hand and shook it.

“Truce.”

He nodded, evidently quite satisfied with the results. But then it was silent again, and somehow it wasn’t the comfortable silence either. It was never comfortable when he was around, I was dying from the thought of having to act lovey-dovey with him in public.

“So, how are we going to do this?”, I decided that planning things ahead with him was the best course of action. It was better than free-falling through the unknown, where mistakes are made and then all hell would break loose.

“Based on what I heard from my parents’ conversations, we