Chapter Sixteen; Encomium (21/09/2013)

Encomium: a formal expression of high praise.

The bright sunlight shone through the curtains and blinded Baekhyun, leaving him in a groaning mess as he rubbed his eyes. He turned over and realized that Seohyun was still fast asleep.

He observed her. Face flawless and really perfect, long and curled eyelashes, sharp and pointed nose topped with a pair of plump, pinkish lips. Her milk tea brown hair fell perfectly over her shoulders, giving him a clear view of her perfect face.

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, observing her face once more before he sat up.

What the hell am I doing?! Allowing her to sleep on the same bed with me? Am I going insane?! I should've chased her out the moment she stepped in here. What am I doing?!

Baekhyun ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

He got up and took a quick bath.

~~~

'Ahhh!' Seohyun shrieked when she saw Baekhyun half-, with only a towel around his waist.

'Shh! Stop freaking out. Don't tell me you've never seen Jongin's, his is much better than mine.' Baekhyun shrugged and walked to the closet and pulled out clothes.

Seohyun though, had to admit. Baekhyun with only a towel around his waist, hair still dripping wet; him being half-, was attractive. But she mentally slapped herself and snapped out of the thoughts that weren't supposed to even exist in the first place.

'Do you need to wash up?' Baekhyun asked, drying his hair with the extra towel. 'Duh!' Seohyun rolled her eyes. 'But then again.. What will I even wear?..' She mumbled. 'You can wear Tae-' 'No thanks.' Seohyun declined before he had even finished his sentence.

'Then.. I'll go buy clothes for you.' Baekhyun suggested. 'Yeah, that'll be nice. Thanks.'

~~~

Baekhyun walked through the many stores in the shopping mall, in a dilemma obviously. He didn't know what he should buy.

'Sir, may I help you?' A lady walked up to Baekhyun when he was checking on the clothes he could buy. He could swear that the lady's eye shone when Baekhyun raised his head and made eye contact with her. 'Help me find a complete outfit for a girl, with shoes, accessories and and bags.' Baekhyun listed out all the stuffs he needed.

'For your girlfriend? Well, what style does she suit?' The lady asked.

Baekhyun's cheeks flared. 'N-no, I'm not sure. Just anything with those stuffs. Thank you.' Baekhyun muttered, embarrassed. The lady giggled at Baekhyun's reaction upon hearing her words, but brought him around to choose for what he needed.

~~~

'Hyun? Where are you? I'm home!' Baekhyun called out.

'I'm in the kitchen!' A meldious voice called out in reply.

Baekhyun kicked off his shoes and chuckled, running to the kitchen. 'Look what I got for you!' Baekhyun chirped as he swung the pink paper bag with a sliver logo in the middle in Seohyun's face. 'Even the bag is pretty, I wonder what's inside.' Seohyun mumbled as she took the paper bag from Baekhyun's hands. 'Oh yeah, I've prepared breakfast for you, Baek Puppy. It's on the counter.' Seohyun added before returning her attention to the paper bag.

'Really?!' Baekhyun replied excitedly as he rushed over and quickly sat down to eat.

'Wahhh! It's so pretty!' Seohyun exclaimed, placing out all the stuffs on the table.

'Duh, I picked it out.' Baekhyun smirked. 'Gomawoyo, Baek Puppy!' Seohyun thanked him, totally immersed in her thoughts of the pretty outfit.

'If you want to thank me, take a photo of you wearing all that and send it to me.' Baekhyun suggested, waving his phone in front of her face.

Seohyun tilted her head, 'Eh? Why?' 'I want to keep it as a momento.' Baekhyun smirked.

With that, Seohyun bounced off upstairs to take a bath.

~~~

'Cheese!' Seohyun took a selca and looked at it, satisfied much with the pretty person staring back at her in the phone screen. She pressed 'sent' and there goes the photo to Baekhyun's phone.

'I got it! It's awesome, Hyun!' She heard Baekhyun shout from downstairs and beamed satisfyingly.

She skipped downstairs and saw Baekhyun admiring the photo of her, smiling brightly.

'I know I'm gorgeous but no need to stare like a pedo.' Seohyun chuckled when she saw Baekhyun.

Baekhyun scoffed, 'Yeah yeah, you're the most perfect person I've ever seen, happy?' Baekhyun asked, 'Very!' Seohyun exclaimed.

'What are you going to do with that photo?' Seohyun asked, sipping her orange juice. 'Keep it, of course.' Baekhyun smirked.

~~~

The two were in Baekhyun's room, talking carefreely like they were the bestest friends in the whole wide world when suddenly..

The doorbell rang.

'.' Baekhyun cursed when he heard the doorbell ring multiple times, 'Who is it?' Seohyun asked, not moving an inch from the bed. Baekhyun scrambled to the window and saw the car.

He mentally facepalmed himself. ', my parents are back!' He said in a forced voice. 'What should we do? Oh my god.' Seohyun was literally freaking out and pacing around in Baekhyun's bedroom.

'Baekhyun-ah! We're back from Europe! Where are you, son?' He heard his father's voice from upstairs. Baekhyun gasped. 'Baekhyun? I see a girl's shoe here! Is your girlfriend here? Come and introduce her to us!' Baekhyun's mother said.

'Damn it! Taeyeon's not here! What should I do?' Baekhyun paced around and panicked. Seohyun felt a tint of jealousy rise in her, biting her lip to stop the harsh words from coming out.

She wouldn't want to lose a new friend, right?

'Help me, can you?' 'Help you what?'

'Pretend to be my girlfriend.'

'What?!' Seohyun exclaimed, shocked.

But there was somehow a tint of her wanting to do it..

~~~

'Appa! Umma! Welcome home!' Baekhyun greeted politely. 'Annyeonghaseyo, Mr and Mrs Byun.' Seohyun bowed politely. 'Aigoo! Such a pretty young lady! Our Baekhyun really has good taste, right, Honey?' Mrs Byun nudged her husband and said.

'Thank you for the compliment, Mrs Byun.' Seohyun thanked, bowing once again. 'What were you two doing upstairs just now?' Mr Byun asked suspiciously, raising a brow.

'Aigoo! You shouldn't care about their relationship you know?' Mrs Byun slapped Mr Byun on the hand lightly before chuckling.

'But I don't want to see kids before marriage,' Mr Byun chuckled while saying that, making Baekhyun and Seohyun blush.

'What's your name, dear?' Mrs Byun asked, 'Seohyun, Jung Seohyun.'

'How old are you?' '17, going 18 soon, Mrs Byun.'

'How many people are there in your family?' '3 other people, excluding me. I have an older brother, and my parents.'

'What do your parents work as?' 'They own companies around the world,'

'That's indeed impressive, but does that mean they don't come home often?' 'Yes, although we have a lot of riches.. My parents weren't always there when I needed them. So I learnt to rely on myself more than I thought I would've.' Seohyun said, sighing.

'I so sorry, my dear. I bet that's how Baekhyun felt too.. Right, Baekhyun?' Mrs Byun asked, Baekhyun just looked at her and nodded. 'But fortunately, he has many friends and a wonderful girlfriend like you, my dear.' Mrs Byun held Seohyun's hand in hers.

'Enough of all these, appa, umma, do you need to rest?' Baekhyun asked. 'No! We've just met your girlfriend, I would like to know more about her, Baekhyun-ah.'

'Yeah, Baek Puppy, you can go rest yourself.' Seohyun said with a smile. 'What a nice nickname for Baekhyun!' Mrs Byun complimented.

Baekhyun pouted and nodded, 'Sure.. If you need me, I'll be upstairs in my room.' Baekhyun said, getting up and walking off with his father who wanted to take a rest, leaving Seohyun and Mrs Byun.

'So tell me, how did you and Baekhyun meet?' Mrs Byun questioned curiously.

. What am I supposed to say?!

'He and his friends go to my father's school, I happen to study there too.' Seohyun said firmly. 'Your father owns SM High?' Seohyun nodded.

'What do you think of Baekhyun?'

'Well.. He's a really sweet boyfriend. He will do everything for me if he has too, he helps me in many things. He's really caring, there are tons of things I love about him.' Seohyun half-lied.

'I see you two really love each other. I hope you'll be my daughter-in-law soon enough, my dear.' Mrs Byun said as she caressed Seohyun's hand.