Chapter 4 || Unknowing

Baekhyun pushed past the double doors of the campus library and was met with the cool exhale of the air conditioned building. Stopping just a few strides past the entrance, Baekhyun heaved out an unnecessarily loud grunt behind clenched teeth, earning a few curious and startled stares. “God, I’m so stupid!!” he growled. “Me and my big mouth… I just had to go and blurt that out. I mean, I just figured that she’d… god, who am I kidding? She looked like she had no idea what I was talking about. I shouldn’t have said anything at al—“

“Excuse me?” Baekhyun turned his head and met with a pair of eyes obscured behind thick glasses belonging to a rather petite elderly woman who he instantly assumed to be the working librarian here.

“Uh…?”

“Young man, can you please keep your voice down? You're causing a bit of a commotion. Also, you’re blocking the exit.” Not missing a beat, Baekhyun blurted a quick 'sorry' accompanied by a deep bow before slipping past the woman.

Getting a safe distance away and checking over his shoulder for good measures, Baekhyun blew out a sigh. “Just lighten up on yourself Byun Baekhyun.” He assured himself with a nod. “Don't let this incident ruin your mood now. Don't forget what you came here for after all.”

Sifting through his surroundings with a subtle squint of the eyes, Baekhyun was relieved to have instantly caught sight of the exact person he was looking for sitting at a table alone with her textbooks. “Thank goodness she's still here.” Sweeping his slender fingers through his hair, he started towards said person wearing the most cheerful smile he could muster up at the moment.

“Hey, come here often?” he asked with a taste of flirtation in his tone. Glancing up from her studies, a smile immediately pulled at the corners of her lips with a tiny giggle when they locked eyes with one another.

“Oh, stop. Those pick up lines don't work on me anymore.” Bomi playfully teased as Baekhyun pulled out the seat beside her and sat down. “What took you so long? I almost thought you weren't going to come.”

Baekhyun forced out an obviously dry laugh on impulse. “Sorry, you're not mad right? Long story short, I had to do my friend Jongin— Mr. Tall-Dark-And-Handsome— a favor right before I got here. But anyways!! I'm here now and that's all that matters right! I'll make it up to you one day, I promise!” Reluctantly accepting his weak apology, the two went on with their usual light conversations for a little while without another hitch. That is, until Baekhyun began to pick up on something a tad bit off with Bomi. “Hey, what's up? It seems like your mind is in another place right now.” He inquired.

“Huh? Oh, I don't know... I mean, I think I'm still feeling pretty bad...”

“About what?”

“What else? About how I left Jaeyun all alone last night!” She shot back, slumping her shoulders with a sigh after. “Oppa, why did you have to go and make me stay over at your dorm for so long last night anyways? Did you know that when I finally went back, she wasn't even in the dorm? I think she must have been scared sleeping alone and left heaven knows where during the night.”

Baekhyun didn't say a word in response.

“I only wanted to check on you for a second last night and then go back to my dorm room.” Bomi persisted. “But you kept begging me over and over to stay longer. Mind explaining why?” She looked at him, securing her gaze firmly onto his in a grip he couldn't even imagine breaking. Once again, Baekhyun remained adamant to respond back to anything she was saying—almost desperately clinging onto the escaping silence still lingering in the air between them.

“Bomi...” he finally piped up, at last breaking free from the vice grip uncertainty had him locked in. “It's just... I mean... I-I just wanted to spend more time with you.” A hesitant chuckle escorted by his renowned crescent moon eye smile followed his reply. Bomi, on the other hand, continued staring back at the boy with the same seriousness etched from her knitted brows right down to her pursed lips. Baekhyun sighed, fixing his posture in his seat to relieve come tension. “It's complicated, ok? All I can really say now is that when it comes to Jaeyun—she just... Just don't hang out with her. Stay away from her at all times, alright? It's for your own good.”

Much to Baekhyun's displeasure, Bomi now had her eyebrows lifted in surprise; an expression he was trying so hard to avoid getting from her. “Hold on now. First of all, I know we're dating and all, but I really don't think you're in any position to be telling me who I should and shouldn't hang out with. And second of all, what are you talking about anyways? 'Stay away from Jaeyun'? Why? She seems like a nice girl from what I got from her when we first met.”

“I'm being completely serious here! She's weird!!” Ok... not the most mature rebuttal I could have thought of... Baekhyun thought, slightly regretful.

“Baekhyun, that's not nice to say at all. Sure Jaeyun is quiet and a little awkward but that's definitely not a good reason to avoid someone.”

“You don't understand. Just please take my word!!”

“What don't I understand??!” Bomi held back another counter from leaping past when a sharp shush was heard from the obviously bothered student seated at the table beside theirs. Realizing how explosive their conversation had actually gotten to at this point, both Baekhyun and Bomi took a moment of silence to calm their nerves and regain their senses. “Your friends Chanyeol and Sehun seemed perfectly fine being around her yesterday.” Bomi finally commented. “Shouldn't that be enough of a sign that she's completely harmless and you're just being delusional?”

Baekhyun let out a small grunt and leaned his back into his seat, once again playing the silent game with Bomi. Was there really anything else he could say at this point to justify himself?

“Hold on, I think I understand now.” Baekhyun turned his eyes towards Bomi. “The reason why you're the only one who's been avoiding her and why you want me to stay away from her so badly is because you two have dated before, am I right?” Baekhyun stared wide-eyed at Bomi.

“WHAT? Wha— h-hold on a second now!” Baekhyun sputtered, way too bewildered and taken off guard to arrange the words correctly in his mouth to respond back.

“Yes, I get it completely now! She's your ex-girlfriend! It all makes sense! It's only natural for you not to want your current girlfriend talk to your former girlfri—.”

“Bomi listen to me.” Baekhyun firmly intervened, gripping onto both of her shoulders and stopping her rambling dead in its tracks. “Jaeyun and I were never together, and we never will be. Like I said before and I know it's a lame excuse, but it's just complicated ok. I can definitely guarantee it isn't something that will come between the two of us though.” Baekhyun pulled his hands away and gave her a small grin. “You're right in saying that I have no right to tell you who to hang out with, so if you really do want to get closer to her then I have no say in it. But just keep what I said in the back of your mind at all cost alright?” After staring at Baekhyun's apologetic and undeniably cute smile for a few seconds more, Bomi couldn't help but give in and smiled back at him with a nod.

“Well alright then. Though I'm still a bit suspicious of your relationship with Jaeyun and why you seem so distant to her.” Baekhyun gave a lighthearted chuckle, waving off her last little comment and hoping this would indefinitely close up this whole topic. “Oh wait, I've got a great idea!” Bomi excitedly clasped her hands together. “You said you'd make it up to me for being late today, so I propose that you go find Jaeyun and go apologize to her.” Once again, Bomi's words socked Baekhyun right in the gut and tossed him right off guard.

“Wait, you want me to... What for??” He uttered, a look of panic rapidly dawning upon him.

“Obviously for treating her so coldly and also for making me stay out late last night and leaving her alone.”

“But...!!”

“No 'buts'! I don't know what it is between you and Jaeyun, and I'm guessing I won't be figuring it out anytime soon, but if it really is as harmless as you say and you want to avoid this awkwardness between you two, then I suggest an apology is in order here. In fact, later today while I'm in my writing class you should use that time to go find her.”

“Bomiiiii...” Baekhyun whined, crossing his arms tightly against his chest and giving her an angry-five-year-old-child glare. Bomi, however, stood firmly with her request and simply brushed the stare off.

“I was hoping you'd seem like the bigger person here by apologizing to her but I can see now that, that might not be such a simple act for someone like you.” She sighed. “Really Baekhyun, I don't know why you make it seem like talking to Jaeyun is the worst type of torture imaginable. She's a nice person, I can tell! Who knows, maybe if you get to know her you two can become good friends.” Taking his silence as a sign of her long awaited victory, Bomi happily continued skimming through her textbook in front of her.

Unfolding his arms, Baekhyun's expression soon dwindled away into a heavy look of severity. Inhaling a long breath, Baekhyun closed his eyes.

Become good friends with her, huh? It's not that simple Bomi.

I can't get close to her, even if I tried.

Omg how many years has it been since I last updated????!! This isn't due to laziness though, I assure you I have a good reason. So long story short, my computer broke on me and I lost ERRTHANG. All my notes, all my drafts, just the whole enchilada. And I'll admit, I was freaking devastated and didn't know what to do about my fanfics anymore lol So there was a period where I was at a complete loss and couldn't write and I took a break from AFF which explains my lack of replies to messages and such. But in the end, I picked myself up and pushed myself to get back into the writing grind and I think I'm finally getting back on track!! :-D

Anywaaaays, a lot of you guys interpreted Baekhyun's last words in the previous chapter in different ways but one of the biggest questions I kept getting was "CAN BAEKHYUN SEE GHOSTS??!!!"

Uhhhh... I don't know lol I mean obviously I KNOW but we'll just have to see what's going to be revealed later on! So keep your theories and such tucked away in your minds for the time being and keep in mind that there will always be sudden twists and turns along the way. I'm just going to say that there's going to be a lot in store for our little Bacon Oppa here ;-)