“I like this,” I said, trailing my finger over the fruitbowl that was in the shape of a pineapple. “It’s cute.”

“Yeah, Taeyeon said she couldn’t leave it behind when she saw it. She refused to get any other fruitbowl.”

It was sort of scary how far we were pushing it now. Our no weekend rule had been broken, and now sometimes I would come over when Taeyeon was out and Onew was looking after the baby. We didn’t do anything dirty, like have when Onew was supposed to watching his daughter. Most of the time I got to hold her and watch her play with her toys.

And I got to imagine and pretend.

I got to pretend that this cute, warm little baby that smelt like strawberries was mine.

I got to pretend that the fruitbowl was something I had seen in a shop and refused to move without it in my hands.

And I got to pretend that Onew was all mine.

It probably was unhealthy, but it was just a little fantasy. Just a little imagination. I knew it would never come true.

But I was allowed to dream.

I sat on the couch watching a drama quietly as Onew rocked Taelin in his arms, trying to get her to go to sleep. I stifled a yawn myself at Onew’s gentle cooing, Onew rocking and rocking while he stood in front of the window looking out at the city.

His silhouette was so beautiful- a strong man comforting his baby with so much love. It made my heart swell in love back, to see him care for Taelin with his whole being. Seeing him love his daughter so purely, it made me believe that he was a good man.

“I love seeing you with Taelin,” I confessed when he sat next to me after putting her down. “I really love you.”

“I love you too,” said Onew, kissing me sweetly. “I don’t think I could be any happier in life right now.”

“Liar,” I said, before stealing another kiss. “What if you won a million dollars right now.”

“No,” said Onew. “That would be complicated. I would lose half of it to tax and everyone I know would be asking me about it.”

I rolled my eyes at his sudden geek talk.

“Right now my baby is healthy, happy and sleeping soundly. And my other baby is right next to me. The two loves of my lives. It’s all I could ever hope,” he said, kissing me sweetly again.

“I’m happy too,” I said. “I’m happy I’m here and I have you.”

I don’t know what happened.

One minute we were just kissing chastely. Then Onew put his hands on my waist which was fine. Then I put my arm around his neck to draw him closer. Then I was on my back and kissing him fiercely, our breathing starting to get heavier. Then he picked me up, his hands squeezing my as he carried me to the bedroom, our kissing getting hotter and heavier.

I didn’t mean for it to happen.

But it did, and before I knew it I was panting and lying on his bed , Onew groaning and getting off me to throw the away.

I ran my hand through my sweaty hair, burying my face into the pillow and getting a whiff of girly perfume. I must be on Taeyeon’s side. I made a face and rolled over to Onew’s.

“Hey,” said Onew, pretending to slap my . “That’s my side. But I’ll forgive you, sweetheart.”

I stuck my tongue out at him and felt him lie down next to me.

He kissed my forehead and slung his arm around me, both of us breathing deeply. Snuggled together, I felt like we were meant to be. If we weren’t meant to be together, than why were we here? Why did my heart feel like it was flying when he was near me? Why did I instantly feel safe in his arms? It wasn’t fair that he wasn’t mine. I nestled into his bare shoulder.

“I love you,” I said.

“I love you more,” he said back.

“No, I love you more,” I said.

“We are not starting this,” he chuckled. “Because I love you more.”

We lay there in silence, and a part of me wanted to cry.

He didn’t love me more than I loved him. I loved him so much I had given him all of me already. And he… I didn’t even have a handful of Onew.

And I was scared that I never would.

“We should probably put our clothes back on darling,” he said. I remember how that pet name used to send me into fits of glee before we became what we were now. “As much as I would like to cuddle, I’m getting paranoid.”

Paranoid of getting caught playing with me, a toy he kept under the bed, or should I be saying, in the closet, by the person he had already promised he would spend the rest of his life with.

I desperately wanted to tell him what I was thinking, to ask about our future. Would we be doing this forever? Would I always be the deep dark secret of Onew, and all I ever would be?

Would I only ever be able to be in his arms whenever he wanted it, and not when I needed it?

It’s not fair, I thought as he bumped his nose against mine. I had so many things I wanted him to answer.

But I was scared.

But not as scared when I heard the front door opening.

My heart had stopped beating.

“Oh my god,” said Onew as we both shot up.

“Jinki?” Taeyeon’s voice floated through the apartment.

“ ,” I said, scooping up my clothes that were on the floor, still totally . “Oh my , oh my God.”

I rolled under the bed with my clothes in my arms because it was the only thing I could think of.

I heard Taeyeon walking down the hallway to check in on Taelin through the blood beating through my eardrums. I tugged on my jeans in my lying position, not even sure where my underwear was. me. Where were they? What if they were still on the bed.

Oh my god my briefs were on the bed.

I heard Jinki furiously yanking on his clothes at the same time, throwing things around on the bed. I knew he would handle it.

“What are you doing?” I heard Taeyeon say before she walked into the bedroom.

I don’t know whether I was actively holding my breath or my lungs had actually collapsed and I wasn’t physically capable of breathing. Either way, I froze. I saw her feet with red nail polish pass by.

“I was just exercising,” Onew said, sounding out of breath. “Doing some push ups and sit ups.”

“What?” laughed Taeyeon. “You look so panicked right now.”

“Because I didn’t want you walking in on me!” Onew said, sounding realistically flustered. “It’s embarrassing. I’m getting old.”

“Jinki, your pants are the wrong way around,” Taeyeon said knowingly.

“Uhh,” Onew stuttered. “Um... wow I didn’t notice-“

“It’s okay Jinki,”laughed Taeyeon. “You’re 26 years old and we’ve been together for so long. You don’t have to lie about .”

I heard Onew choke and I nearly choked too. Oh my god Taeyeon was direct. I should learn from her and just outright ask her husband to make me more important than her.

“Taeyeon,” Onew said. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” giggled Taeyeon. “God, this room is stuffy. I can just tell from that look on your face.”

“Why are you back so early?” he asked.

“Eurgh,” said Taeyeon, opening the closet and I was so glad I hadn’t hid there. “Sunny got a call in the middle of our shopping from her husband saying that her in-laws were going to come over for dinner so she had to go home and cook. “

“Taeyeonnie, I mean no offence, but since we’re married and all,” said Onew, and I wanted to puke at the endearments. “You smell bad.”

“What?” said Taeyeon. “Do I really? I can’t smell anything.”

“Please take a shower yeobo,” said Onew. “I’m sorry.”

“Fine,” said Taeyeon.

I hurriedly put on my tshirt when she walked out the room.

“Wait until you can hear the shower,” Onew whispered harshly. “I’ll be back,” he said as he followed her out.

At the sound of running water, Onew dashed back and his arm shot to where I was, grabbing my arm and pulling me out from under the bed.

His grip hurt.

I looked at his face, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. It was like his face was stone.

He grabbed a bundle of things and dumped them in my arms as he continued to grip onto me, now dragging through his apartment as we quick walked to the door. I tried my best to hold onto the things he had given me.

He opened the door and pushed me out roughly.

I was expecting something.

I was expecting him to say something like “bye” or “I’ll call you”. In my wildest hopes he would surprise me and maybe give me a quick good bye kiss.

All I got was a metal door in my face.

He hadn’t even spared me a look in the eyes.

I had been dumped out like garbage.

I got into the elevator, numbly going through the things in my arms. My jacket, my underwear, my phone and one of my socks. I realised belatedly that my shoes were still in Onew’s apartment and I wiggled my toes on the cold floor. I stuffed my phone, underwear and sock in my pocket, and shrugged on my jacket.

I tried to walk past the doorman as calmly as I could, walking very far away from him.

When I got out of the building.

I ran.

And ran and ran and ran.

I ran until I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and I sounded like I was sobbing. Maybe I was. My heart had remembered how to beat now, and it was beating with a vengeance, angry and throbbing and raw. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run forever and just explode, I couldn’t take it.

I didn’t mean for this to happen.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

I wasn’t supposed to see Onew on the weekends. I wasn’t supposed to go over to his house. I had never allowed myself to do that with my men, they were boundaries I wouldn’t cross.

But I got greedy. I wanted as much of Onew as I could.

I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Onew.

And I wasn’t supposed to feel like trash again.

I looked around wildly, and quickly ran over to a playground because I spied some seats. The ground was warm against my bare feet as I quickly stepped, scurrying my way over to a seat.

“ ,” I cursed to myself, my hands shaking as I zipped up my jeans and ran my fingers through my hair.  I looked at my shirt and it was inside out. Without thinking I took it off, turned it inside out and was in the process of putting it on when I felt something warm poke into my bellybutton.

I screamed and jumped, jamming my shirt down.

“Bellybutton!” I heard a familiar nasally little voice say.

Standing in front of me was that kid from the supermarket that got me sick, holding up his index finger.

“Bellybutton!” he said again. “Hyung! I remember you! You’re banana milk hyung!”

“You,” I said, shocked to see him again. “What are you doing here?”

“Playing!” he said. “What about you?”

I didn’t know what to say as he noticed my bare feet.

“Where are your shoes, hyung? Appa says I always have to wear shoes when I go outside.”

“Um,” I said. “I forgot them.”

Sehun suddenly ran away.

I sighed and looked at my toes. I didn’t have any money with me so I couldn’t catch a bus or taxi. What was I supposed to do? Walk back home? I fiddled with my phone, trying to get to my maps app.

“Appa, Appa see! I told you! It’s banana milk hyung!”

I looked up to see Sehun dragging his father by the leg to where I was sitting, pointing at me. “He forgot his shoes.”

“Oh my god,” said the father. “It really is you.”

I stared at the father. To be honest, he looked like a high schooler more than someone who looked like they had a kid, and it felt wrong to call him ‘the father’. He had a snapback his head, and a Supreme sweater on. I noticed that Sehun actually had matching snapback on his head. That was sort of cute.

“Fancy meeting you here!” the father said, smiling widely. “How weird we would meet again!”

“Huh. Yeah,” I said as Sehun ran up to me, putting his hands on my knees.

“Why are you here banana milk hyung?” asked Sehun. “Do you want a chocolate?”

He didn’t give me a chance to answer before he dived into the bag that his father was carrying, causing his father to squawk in laughter and sit down next to me.

“Sehun,” he gently reprimanded, picking him up to sit nicely onto his lap and putting the bag in front of him to let him rummage through.

Sehun managed to find a chocolate wrapped in paper, holding it out to me with his tiny white fingers.

“Are you.. are you giving that chocolate to the nice hyung?” asked his father, who looked extremely happy.

Sehun nodded, still holding the chocolate out for me.

“Thank you,” I said, gently taking it from his fingers. Judging from his father’s reaction, sharing was not something Sehun did well.

“Sehunnie, I’m so proud of you!” he exclaimed. “See how nice sharing is? And there are still chocolates left for you. That was fun wasn’t it? Now you and hyung can be happy! Good boys share!”

He peppered kisses on Sehun’s cheek while Sehun looked indifferent, rummaging through the bag, presumably for more chocolates.

“Hyung looked sad,” he said as he pulled out things that the father promptly put back in. “So Sehunnie gave him chocolate. So he won’t cry.”

I unwrapped the chocolate slowly as the father laughed it off nervously. I popped the chocolate in my mouth, letting it melt in my mouth.

“I’m so sorry, that wasn’t meant to come off rude,” he blabbered.

“Of course not,” I said, waving it off.

“This must be fate that we meet again. What’s your name?”
“Lee Taemin,” I said, nodding my head.

The father looked at me, widening his eyes, tilting his head. I frowned as he frowned back, staring at my face.

Suddenly he reached out and pushed my hair back, and he ignored my flinch.

“No, it can’t be,” he said. “No. Lee Taemin, you can’t be from Gangwon?”

“I am,” I said, confused. “Wait. Do I know you?”

“Oh my god,” he said. “You don’t happen to know a Kim Jongin?”

“Kai?” I said, dumbfounded.

Baekhyun clapped his hands and jumped up while still holding Sehun, making Sehun whine until he sat back down again. Sehun was ignoring us as he on a juice bottle.

“Oh my god. I totally know you. Wow. You look so handsome now! I can’t believe we’re here together! Not that you weren’t before. Do you remember me? I don’t think I changed that much.”

Now it was my turn to stare at him, analysing his features for any recognition.

Smallish eyes, button nose, fringe, fair skin…. He shot me a smile and the way his mouth twisted and his canines showed, that was coming back to me. But not really. Not well enough to remember a name.

“Boong boong,” he said in aegyo, pulling out a peace sign and pouting his lips.

Now that was familiar but I still couldn’t place him. He must have been associated with Kai because he had mentioned his name.

He turned his face to look down at Sehun, and in his side profile, I saw that he had a little mole at the corner of his mouth.

Oh my god, I remember that mole. I remember watching it move while that mouth kept talking. Oh my god I remember thinking that I found it cute and that if this boy was mine I would kiss him on that spot all the time and this was-

“Byun Baekhyun!” I shouted, standing up.

“Thats Appa’s name!” Sehun shrieked.

“Wooo!” Baekhyun shouted, standing up too.

“You!” I shouted, hugging him. “What are you doing here?”

I remembered Baekhyun now! He was one of Kai’s older sister’s friends who always used to hang out in his house since one of Kai’s sisters was a tomboy and only had guy friends.  I had also hung around Kai’s house too, and Baekhyun had always been laughing and smiling and cracking jokes. We were only acquaintances but it was still exciting to see him in Seoul.

“I could ask the same thing about you!” he laughed as Sehun whined again as he was squashed between us, now twining his arms around me.

“I want banana milk hyung to hold,” he said. “Appa is too noisy.”

“His name is Taemin hyung Sehunnie, and he is Appa’s old friend!”

“No!” pouted Sehun. “No! Taemin hyung is Sehun’s friend first! Not Appa’s friend!”

“Sorry,” he said as he transferred Sehun to me. “He still doesn’t really like sharing.”

“What are you doing in Seoul?” I asked, holding Sehun to my chest.

“Uh, I got married to a noona who lived and wanted a career in Seoul? And then we had a baby and she still has a career in Seoul and I stay home and look after said baby. What about you man? What happened to your shoes?”

“Oh my god it’s such a long story and so fu- uh, messed up,” I said, collapsing onto the seat again and putting my head in my hand over Sehun. “I ran away from somewhere. Didn’t have time to put my shoes on.”

“From what?” Baekhyun said. “If you don’t mind me asking. Don’t worry, I won’t judge. I once ate a snail, remember?”

“Oh yeah!” I laughed. “I remember that! Oh my god!”

“Eww,” said Sehun as I pulled him to sit better on my lap.

“Look at you, all good with kids,” Baekhyun laughed. “So what happened?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” I said, my mood swerving again. I looked down at Sehun to distract from the subject, pulling his shirt down which had ridden up to show a chubby, little white belly.

“Appa, you’re making Taemin hyung sad,” said Sehun. “Stop.”

“Alright, I won’t pry,” Baekhyun said, pretending to zip his lips. “How’s your life been?”

We made small talk, Baekhyun bringing up things I had long forgotten about that made me laugh until I cried. Baekhyun had always been funny. But I had never imagined him out of all people to be a house husband in Seoul. Fearless Byun Baekhyun who once got bitten by a dog and still made jokes when he was in the hospital getting stitched up.

“I never thought so too,” said Baekhyun, watching Sehun eat raisins out of a tiny box that managed to look normal sized in his hands. “But I realised I wasn’t actually good at anything but this. I didn’t get into any colleges, and my wife, or girlfriend at the time, was in Seoul in her final year of college. So it only made sense to move out here since I wasn’t doing anything back home, and find a job here.

I got my bartender license which was the worst and best thing,” he said, chewing a raisin that Sehun had pushed past his lips. “I think I was permanently drunk for like, five years since I was allowed to drink on the job and I would party when I was off. But then my wife got pregnant,” he poked Sehun in the tummy to which Sehun giggled. “And it only made sense for me to stay home, when my wife was making all the money.”

“That’s smart,” I said.

“Thank you,” Baekhyun said. “I wish more people thought of it like that. My parents and probably hers as well think I am a lazy and unemployed free loader off my wife.”

 Baekhyun frowned. “I don’t know why everyone seems like it’s such a bad idea. It If my wife wants to have a career and that makes her happy and I want to stay home and look after my kid, what’s wrong with that? Looking after a kid is exhausting and more harder than a job, by the way. Don’t have one.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “I don’t think I will have one though.”

“Yeah, you’re still so young. You’re Kai’s age right? Don’t have a kid.”

“Yeah, I think that isn’t possible. Unless my boyfriend wanted to adopt.”

I relished the taste of the word boyfriend on my tongue.

Onew couldn’t even be called my boyfriend, but I could pretend.
“Oh. Oh,” said Baekhyun. “Oh wow. I mean, I never really thought you really were- okay. Wow.”

“It’s okay if you have a problem with that,” I said. “You can leave if you want.”

“No no,” said Baekhyun. “I’m just shocked. I mean you and Kai, I had thought back then- but I don’t mind. Seriously I don’t care. You love who you love.”

“Right,” I nodded. “Thank you. If you wanted to know… I was running away from my boyfriend’s apartment. Someone walked in and… I hid and ran out before I could put my shoes on.”

I covered my mouth as I teared up, the emotion trying to hit me.

“Daddyyyy,” whined Sehun, starting to cry. “He’s crying, Daddddyyyy.”

“Hey calm down,” said Baekhyun, rubbing my back and Sehun crawling back into his lap. “It’s okay. Do you need a ride home?”

I closed my eyes to will away the tears, and didn’t say anything. Yes I needed a ride home? I wasn’t keen on walking forever.

“It’s fine, Taemin! We’ll drop you off, okay? It’s going to be fine. Come on. Sehun, we’ll take Taemin hyung home in our car, won’t we?”

“Is that why Taemin hyung is crying?” sniffled Sehun, looking at me with wide eyes. “Yes. He should come home and Umma can give him ice cream.”

“No, back to his home,” said Baekhyun gently, getting up with Sehun on one arm and reaching his hand out for me with the other. “Come on.”

“Give me your Kakaotalk ID,” Baekhyun said. “We should meet up sometime.”

“Kaku!” yelled Sehun from his car seat in the back, imitating the sound of Kakaotalk notifications. “Kaku kaku kaku!”

“Thank you so much hyung, I don’t know how to repay you,” I said, bowing as I got out of the car. “You’re a lifesaver, thank you thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, man. We have to stick together since we’re from the same hometown and all. We’re probably distant family,” he laughed.

“Thank you, thank you,” I kept bowing. “You’re amazing.”

A/N

Some interesting facts about Homewrecker:

1. Homewrecker was inspired and was started when I went to China to visit my family, and I am closely related to people who have had their homes “wrecked” with infidelity. Its quite common in China for wealthy families, where the man feels like he is got power and control and money, and there are women out there who especially look for powerful and rich men, because you got to climb the ladder somehow. I am also related by marriage to another family where he bought the mistress to a family BBQ. I was like -____-. Please he’s like 60 and there is this pretty young thing, don’t tell me this is true love. I’m not rich btw. I wish ahahah. I am related to some rich people, but unfortunately, my family and my grandparents aren’t rich so I’m so middle class it hurts. But I am related to some rich people!
2. By now you know the choices of what will happen: either Tm and Onew stay together in the shadows, stay together in the open, or split up. When I first thought of this story, I was deadset on one of those choices. But now as I write it, I’m starting to lean toward the opposite. One of my real life friends, like the only person who knows I write fanfiction, wants me to stay on course for my original intent. Idk though. I feel like I should surprise yall haha. What do you think my original choice was?
3. Baekhyun is actually my ultimate bias and I think he's so cute

And he wants you to upvote this story juseyoooo

and 4) One of my friends actually ate a garden snail. She let it sit in milk for a few days or something, then gutted it and tried to fry it in butter because thats what a google recipe said. She said it was very chewy since it wasn't a escargot snail. This is not normal btw. Please don't eat snails.

Also the Sydney Siege that happened yesterday - I'm in NZ so I'm pretty close to Australia, and if any of you are from there, I'm sorry for the tragedy for what happeneed. This is terrible for the image of Australian Muslims, and I hope that this event doesn't trigger any backlash #IllRideWithYou

Tell me what you thought of this chapter!