The Next Step

Between Spotlights

Baekhyun's couch has certainly seen a lot of action in the few short months since he and Tao purchased it for the apartment. It's lived through pizza stains and whole bottles of overturned soda, random pens left uncapped and bleeding into the cushions, a burn mark that Tao claims was there even before he bought it used, not to mention all the rumored and not-so-rumored extracurricular late-night uses it's seen in the time since Baekhyun has been dating Kai.

None of that at all compares to the filth Kai and Baekhyun are currently observing, two males cuddling and cooing together with heads bent and arms entangled, and their names are Tao and Sehun.

“I thought you guys were going out tonight?” Baekhyun eyes them accusingly, since the sanctification of his apartment is now at stake.

“We are. Just got – awww she's so cute! – sidetracked,” Tao answers without even looking up.

Kai gulps from where he stands, unable and unwilling to stop the action that is his best friend sitting side by side with Baekhyun's roommate, hips and knees touching and a cat sprawled out evenly across their laps. Both are indeed dressed to go out, and very fancily too minus their outermost jackets. The once tiny kitten has other ideas, apparently, and that is to maintain her warm spot on the two seated males, and to drive Baekhyun absolutely crazy.

“You said you were leaving half an hour ago!”

“Why're you trying to rush us out?” Tao finally looks up and sneers, upset.

Sehun sniffs knowingly, elbows Tao, and whispers privately into his new friend's ear. Meanwhile they pet the cat who continues to grow ever comfier in their laps, purring all the while, and Baekhyun sighs. 

“I'm giving them ten minutes and then I'm kicking them out. If I have to steal the cat, I will too!” Baekhyun whispers to Kai, clearly on the defensive and Kai doesn't quite know why. Special plans! is all Baekhyun had told him during the week. Kai just didn't know what these special plans were, and honestly he was too nervous to ask his boyfriend to elaborate. Baekhyun liked being secretive, apparently. And this was the first day they'd really seen each other all week. So when he puts it that way, then yes, Kai would also like Tao and Sehun to leave. 

They're going to the opera. It's Tao's new thing. Baekhyun can't really get over the idea of it, especially now that he's persuaded Sehun to accompany him tonight. 

“Whatever,” Baekhyun says. “We'll be in my room until you guys leave. Bye. And have fun doing whatever not-gay-together things you're doing tonight, okay?”

Baekhyun doesn't wait around to see the guys rolling their eyes, although Kai does. He gives them a shy little wave, and Sehun gives him a thumbs up in reply. He doesn't know why, but he follows Baekhyun into his room and shuts the door behind him. 

Baekhyun is already sprawled out on his bed, belly down, arms and legs in an x-shape. Kai watches him for a minute and smiles, and then completely unbidden, Baekhyun laughs with his cheek pressed into his comforter and shakes his head as best as he can. “Those two. Oh well.”

He falls silent while Kai sits on the bed. The only noises Baekhyun makes are the slight sighs of gratitude when Kai runs a hand tentatively across the ridge of his spine ending in a slight massage of Baekhyun's shoulder blades and neck. 

“Can you like... never stop doing that... ever?” 

“What, this?” Kai tickles him instead of massaging him. 

“Nooo!” Baekhyun shrieks. “No, stop it! Stop!”

“I thought you said, 'Don't stop?' I'm just obeying instructions,” Kai teases.

“Horrible. You're horrible! I hate your guts. You're the worst! You're the.... Oh, okay, you're the best again.” He relaxes completely under the ministrations of Kai's heavy, pressing fingers. “See, this is why I date. Because everyone needs a personal masseuse after a dance performance and it helps if they're good looking like you.”

Kai punches him hard in the back.

“Oww! That felt good actually. You hit a good spot. Do it again!”

“No.”

“Why not?” Baekhyun whines.

“Because you're being mean to me.” He pouts even though Baekhyun can't see him, but continues to massage him anyway. All of Baekhyun's retorts fall silent as he moans lazily. 

Finally, several minutes later, they hear the front door open and close. Baekhyun lifts his head, suddenly perky, and gives a small hooray and a shout of joy. “They're gone! Yes! Wait, are they gone?”

Kai leans on his side on the bed, one elbow propping him up as he watches Baekhyun jump out of bed and pull open his bedroom door. He sighs, because he was just getting comfy, but there goes his boyfriend out of the room and Kai really wants to know about whatever special plans Baekhyun has for tonight. He had a hunch, and he thought it had something to do with Baekhyun's bed, but now he's not so sure.

“Woo woo! They are gone!” 

Kai gets to the doorway just in time to see Baekhyun drawing back the blinds from where he was peeking outside. 

“Are we doing something illegal? Because this is certainly suspicious,” Kai says.

“Illegal?” Baekhyun laughs. “Nope. Just a surprise I promised you once!” He stops and surveys the room, eyeballs the couch, and then shakes his head. “I was thinking about doing this out there, but... Taohun plus cat have been on that couch and so... perhaps not. Besides, I don't trust them to not have forgotten something and return unexpectedly. Bedroom then!”

“B-bedroom?” Kai's voice warbles. 

“Yep! Okay, give me one second. Just... wait out here?”

He bounds into his room, pauses at the door and then winks at Kai, who stands stock still in the middle of the living room, confused and nervous behind belief. He's not even sure which emotion is winning out at the moment. All he can do is stare at the now closed door and pet the cat; Velvie is completely disgruntled now that her two lap pets have gone away. Kai picks her up and together they sit on the sofa, although unfortunately the action upsets her when she realizes he's not Tao. Just like a cat. She jumps away and wanders off and leaves Kai all alone. He tries to distract himself from the sounds of things thumping in Baekhyun's bedroom, but it is rather hard. After all, what on earth is Baekhyun doing in there that Kai isn't allowed to see? Yet.

It seems longer, but barely a couple minutes later Baekhyun opens the door and beckons Kai into the partially darkened room. The atmosphere has already changed. Baekhyun has left the bathroom door open so that a night light shines through and strangely nice in the dim. On his dresser, he'd cleared away the usual cluttered junk and lit two basic, unscented candles in mismatched votive candle holders. 

“Sit. Sit,” Baekhyun tells him, pointing at the bed. He himself then turns around and bends over, fiddling with something on the floor that Kai can't quite see. He gulps and perches awkwardly on the edge of the bed, watching Baekhyun's crouched form with a mixture of dread and excitement. The night light plus the candles... it's all setting a certain kind of mood.

The flashlight Baekhyun suddenly tosses onto the bed next to him though doesn't.

“What..?” Kai starts to ask.

“You can play with that. Just don't shine it directly in my eyes, since that kind of hurts.”

Baekhyun stands up, back still facing Kai, and he holds something in his hands, still concealed. “Are you ready?” he asks, turning his head just far enough to glance at Kai. He wears a huge, mischievous grin and he smiles, almost tauntingly. 

“I'm not sure for what but... okay?”

Baekhyun winks and then looks at his feet. There's a blackish box placed down on the floor, and something connecting it to whatever is in Baekhyun's hands. He toes it, and there's the click of a button and Baekhyun swings around dramatically as music starts to play.

It's a portable karaoke machine. 

“You're going to sing to me,” Kai deadpans.

“Shush,” Baekhyun says, holding a microphone up to his lips, already prepping his face into a serious, professional expression which is completely at odds with the tone of his voice. “This is a serenade, and I don't sing for just anybody. Call yourself special, okay? I even brushed up on my Korean for this song.”

“You're singing to me, in Korean?” Kai asks just as Baekhyun starts humming with the music, eyes half shut in concentration. 

“Yeaaah...”

“I'm getting a private serenade, in Korean?” Honestly Kai thought they were going to have , but it would probably be rude to say that out loud.

Geu nalgaega jeojeuni - Yes, you are. Now, quiet.” 

“Where'd you get the karaoke machine?” 

“Gipeojin haru teum sai  borrowed it from Chanyeol  neoneun joyonghi dagawa.”

Baekhyun holds up a hand in frustration, so Kai refrains from asking anything further. He scoots backwards more on the bed and supports himself with his hands while the device plays a soft backtrack. Baekhyun's voice overpowers it slightly, and Kai has to admit it's absolutely beautiful. He sings shakily, as if he's unused to the task but the effort he's driving it home with more than makes up for his nerves. 

“Neon ssodajineun dalbiche syawo/ You're showered by the pouring moonlight Geu hwangholhan pyojeongeun bon jeogi eobseo/ I've never seen such an entrancing expression  Geurimcheoreom meomchun nega boyeo/ I see you still like a picture  Geu siseon kkeuten/ at the end of a gaze.”

And he grows ever more confident.

“Is it nice? I can't tell anymore.” Baekhyun misses a few lines to inquire.

“It is,” Kai replies, smiling more and more as Baekhyun continues to sing.

“It's called Moonlight. See?” Baekhyun points to the bathroom night light, the faint bluish light their apparent moon. “Where's your flashlight? I need a spotlight!”

Kai laughs silently, no longer wanting to distract him. He'd already forgotten about the flashlight beside him, although he doesn't know where to point it once he's got it on. He settles for somewhere above Baekhyun's head, catching only the topmost fringes of his un-styled black hair. 

“Irwojil su eomneun seulpeun neoui story/ Your sad story that can't come true  Gakkawojilsurok deo apajil teni/ The closer I get the stronger the pain will get … Geu sarangmaneun Stop, stop, stop, stop, yeah.”

Baekhyun sways his hips in a way that has Kai actually cracking up, although he does his best to hold it in. It's y, except that Baekhyun purposefully overdoes it, and he's got a smile that says he knows what he's doing, even if his eyes pretend otherwise. If Kai didn't know him better, he'd say it was all a gag. Sadly though, he actually recognizes this as Baekhyun's way of seduction. 

He also knows that it kind of works...

Kai plays with the flashlight, darting it across Baekhyun's body several times before Baekhyun steps forward and does it again.

Actually it works really well. 

“Ireoke naega neol aetage bulleo/ I'm anxiously calling you like this  Dagagaji ma, baby/ Don't go closer baby You're wings wings will get wet/ geu nalgaega jeojeuni.”

Baekhyun smiles the closer he draws in, a smirk upon his lips that has Kai dropping the flashlight. “Still nice?” he asks as he lets the bridge of the song play out by itself. 

“Yes,” Kai says, encircling his hands around Baekhyun's hips. He wets his outer lips and tries to breathe normally. “A little morbid but I can get over that.”

Baekhyun laughs, mic still in hand but no longer singing. He leans forward and kisses Kai quickly on the lips before standing upright again and fixing Kai with a piercingly emotional - and thus hilarious - gaze. 

“Jamsiman naui gyeoteseo/ Rest by my side  naeryeonoko swieogado dwae/ Rest at my side for a little while When dawn comes you can fly towards the place where the moon gets dark/ Meondongi teumyeon jeo dari jeomuneun geu goseul ttara geuttaen naraga, yeah.”

Kai tries to drag him down again, but Baekhyun resists, cringing already from his boyfriend's impatience.

“Hang on! Here come the adlibs. I practiced this part so much! Oooohhh wooooo. Oohhh wooowhoooooow oooooo!  Kai, stop it!” He can barely do it between laughing and Kai running his hands along the sides of his body. He twists and scrambles out of the way, all the while still trying to hit his notes, most of them spot on despite Kai's interference. “Ooohoooo whooooo  Let me finish! Ohoooo woooooo! I swear I can't stop loving you!”

“You're going to drive the neighbors crazy!” Kai warns between laughing and pestering his serenader.

Toniiiiight! - Tonight I don't care - Toniiiiiight!

All forms of singing come to a halt the moment Kai gets his hands around the microphone, ing it aside in favor of grabbing Baekhyun himself, and even Baekhyun gives up the fight the moment he crashes down on top of Kai. The last few bars of the song finish as they kiss instead, almost playfully, and then Baekhyun relaxes on his chest, breathless. 

He pants, as if they'd just finished a complex make-out session, and yet all he's done was sing. 

“You're amazing,” Kai says lightly. He's no longer impatient to touch him now that he's got Baekhyun for a blanket. 

Baekhyun lifts his head a few inches and exhales shakily into his neck. “And you better know it. Wow, I'm tired. Singing is a lot of hard work. I'd almost forgotten how to.”

“I see...” says Kai. “How come you picked this song then? I thought you didn't like this kind of music anyways?” 

“I don't know.” Baekhyun shrugs. “Chanyeol sings this song a lot though. Oh man, you should hear him trying to hit those high notes.” He chuckles appreciatively; Kai can't even imagine it. “And, well... I kind of like this one song I guess. Even if it's a strain. Ack, I should sing more.”

“How come you don't sing more often?” 

“Because...” Baekhyun says. “I don't know... I do other things. And I don't really like singing in front of people. Dancing comes easier to me, if you'll believe that.”

“Oh yeah? Then what was that hip roll, huh?” Kai teases.

“Hah! You loved it.”

“You bet I did,” Kai admits. Using his forearms for leverage he pulls himself further up into the bed so that he's not quite touching the head pillow, but his legs aren't trailing on the floor either. Baekhyun lazily follows him, crawling up on his hands and knees. “So... how'd that move go again?” Kai dares to ask.

Something snaps inside of Baekhyun. Kai can tell by the way his eyes suddenly go out of focus and suddenly Kai is once again aware of how dimly lit the room is. In spite of Baekhyun's temporary distraction by song, Kai can't believe he had doubts about what the ambience was for, and he's really left in no doubt when Baekhyun tries out his hip roll... right on top of his body. 

Kai gasps, nearly chokes. Baekhyun doesn't even try to move away this time. He just holds himself there, everything pressed together and their lips just inches from each other, close enough almost to kiss. There's nothing else Kai wants more and then Baekhyun cracks up and rolls away. 

“Haha! Oh wow, that was cheesy. Why do you let me do things like that?” Baekhyun cries, a hand on his chest as he laughs and side-eyes a very still, barely breathing Kai. 

“Uhm... I don't know. Because it's hot?” Kai admits. He can't look Baekhyun directly in the eye though. He almost wishes he hadn't dropped the flashlight on the floor, otherwise then he might still have something to play with. 

Baekhyun continues to laugh, although the volume and intensity drops considerably. “Well, that was my contribution to tonight. I did promise I'd sing to you sometime.”

“You did.” Kai remembers. He also remembers that there's something else they haven't done yet either.

“I need water,” Baekhyun says suddenly, sitting up. “My throat is parched now. Wow, I need to practice those high notes a little more before next time.”

“Next time,” Kai repeats hushedly as Baekhyun gets up and crawls across him to reach the floor. He scrambles out of the room and Kai doesn't move. Instead he shuts his eyes hard and grasps along the surface the comforter with both hands, almost like a snow angel, as he tries to ground himself. Somewhere above his head his hand touches fur and he realizes belatedly that Velvie has snuck in and now lays sleeping in the corner of the bed. He lets it stay and swings his arm down again just as Baekhyun reenters the room.

“You look wrecked,” he says after swallowing the last gulp of water. “Was my singing that awesome?”

Kai snorts. 

“I'll take that as a yes?” Baekhyun answers for himself. Before Kai has a chance to respond, Baekhyun is climbing onto the bed again and with one fluid motion he rips off his shirt. 

Kai wasn't ready for it. Wasn't ready for the surge of emotions that come from seeing Baekhyun hovering above him shirtless, his hair a little messy, and his lips still wet from drinking water. 

“Hey,” Baekhyun says softly, looking down on him. 

Kai also can't remember how to use his limbs. Not even when Baekhyun reaches for his hands and fits them around his waist again. He barely grasps the skin and Baekhyun leans forward to mold their lips into one.

They're cool when they touch, a shocking phenomenon that Kai is eager to change. It shocks him into moving again, into holding Baekhyun tighter and pulling him forward, down, lips never disconnecting. Baekhyun's eager hands find the bottom of his shirt and pull up, gently asking. Kai arches his back and within seconds he's also divested of his shirt. Bare chests meet as Baekhyun leans down again and this time he rolls them over. 

Baekhyun wastes no time before pressing his hips upwards and holding Kai down. It's moving so fast that Kai can barely breathe. He pulls up abruptly, a hand to Baekhyun's bare chest and looks at him beneath hooded eyes. 

“Are we...?” His question goes unfinished.

“Doing this?” Baekhyun helps.

“Yeah.”

“Are we?”

“Can we?” Kai tries not to act so excited. “I mean, do you want to? I don't want to... if you don't...”

Baekhyun laughs, almost scoffing, and without moving the rest of his body he lifts his head to Kai's ear. “Do you think I really lit candles just for the benefit of my song performance?” He drops one barely-there kiss to the edge of his ear, and it has just enough wetness from Baekhyun's tongue that Kai collapses almost immediately. 

“Pants off,” Baekhyun pushes him up. “If you think I'm messing with zippers, you're wrong.” He inhales shakily. “I can barely get my own off in this state.” 

“Trust you to be romantic like this.” Kai doesn't wait though for any further instructions. They both sit up Baekhyun scoots hurriedly out from under him, each rushing and fumbling with their own jeans. Kai wins the race, and is rewarded with the image of Baekhyun still struggling with one too tight pant leg that just so happens to require assistance. Kai helps him strip it off and toss it over the bed. They're both sitting in their boxers and about to reach for the next level when Baekhyun puts his hand back and shrieks.

“What is! Oh my God, it's the cat. What is the cat doing on our bed!? Uhhhhhhhh..... When did it get here? Moooove.” Baekhyun nudges it, but Velvie refuses to go. 

“She's been here this whole time,” Kai says, confused.

“What? This whole time! You mean she's been watching? On my bed?! Moooove,” Baekhyun tries to dislodge the black and white animal again, but once again Velvie just sits there and stares.

“What's... the problem?” Kai can't figure it out. 

“The problem is that I'm not about to do this with her watching!” Baekhyun says.

“Uhhhh....”

“It's creepy! Don't you find it creepy?” 

What Kai actually finds creepy is that they're sitting on Baekhyun's bed mostly about to have for the first time and all Baekhyun can think about is a cat.

“Not... really?”

“B-but,” Baekhyun sputters. “It's like Tao's cat. It's like Tao's spy, and it's sitting on our bed just casually watching and it won't moooove. Plus, it was sitting on their lap earlier. And that's double creepy.” 

Kai sighs. “So, what if I move her, will that make it better?”

“Yes, but she won't move.” 

Kai never realized boyfriends could be this cute. In ten seconds flat he's crawled across the bed, picked up Velvie, and gently tossed the indignant cat out of the bedroom before closing the door. “Happy now?” he asks, stalking back over to the bed. 

Baekhyun looks stunned. “Wow. Yes. And... wow, that was hot.”

“I picked up a cat, and you call that hot?”

“Well... duh.” Baekhyun inclines his head, and as if remembering finally what they were doing just a minute ago, he smirks and grins, one arm coming out to claim the skin along Kai's neck as he crawls back into bed. “Uhm... anyways... what were we doing?”

Kai pushes him down and kisses him. “I think you know.”

“I do?” Baekhyun teases, squirming out of his hold for just a second. He tenses when Kai teases a hand down to the waist band of his boxers, and his voice drops just a little. “Well then, guess I better walk you through this. First we can start with these” Baekhyun pulls at the elastic around Kai's waist  “and then we can get to what's in that drawer over there, huh? Actually, before any of that...”  he pauses.

“What?” Kai asks solemnly.

“Can we just... kiss for a bit?”

Kai smirks. “Absolutely.”

 

 

 

Baekhyun spends much of the next morning trying to tell Kai how much he glows, but Kai doesn't quite buy it. He does beam and blush a little, but in the light of day Kai pretends that nothing happened. It amuses Baekhyun immensely, especially when he tries to taunt him with seductive words in the middle of breakfast, which just so happens to be out in a public cafe. 

“So what did you think about in the exact moment you?”

“Can we not talk about it here?” Kai whispers, scandalized. He checks their surroundings, as if worried that little children might have heard or even understand Baekhyun's taunt. It's too adorable, really, Baekhyun thinks.

They sit side-by-side at a little table with a pastry between them. Kai's master plan which he neglected to tell Baekhyun until he suddenly insisted they leave was to go out for breakfast. Nothing fancy, but Kai claimed he was craving something special from a place he used to eat at a lot when he was a kid. Even if it was just a special pastry, Baekhyun didn't mind. Most Sunday mornings he usually lazed around anyways, and Kai was usually busy or gone elsewhere, or to study and catch up on school work. It's already a treat to wake up next to his boyfriend and actually have the whole day to spend together. Especially now that they are in a new place in their relationship.

For a man who experienced something new last night, however, Kai is looking vaguely off, almost worried. 

“So this is your old neighborhood?” Baekhyun asks, continuing a discussion they'd been having earlier on their way north.

“Yeah. Most of my childhood, and shortly before I went to Texas my mom sold our flat and bought the other place where she lives now. That's why that place doesn't seem much like home. I didn't live there long.”

“I see... so this area is your haunt then, huh?”

“Yep. And...” Kai hesitates. “If you don't mind, I'd like to take you someplace. We don't have to stay for very long if you don't want, but... would you come for a little while at least?”

Baekhyun doesn't know how to respond. A firm “yes” sounds fine, because really what place would be strange when he's with Kai? He nods his head affirmatively and Kai smiles. 

“Cool. Well then...” He checks his watch. “We should go soon.”

Their walk takes them through a park, where an early morning baseball practice is occurring. Kai takes his hand as they stroll, leading him past the field and through a playground and up a small hill, beyond which Baekhyun can't much. 

“Did you play here a lot?” he asks.

“Mmmm,” Kai replies, squeezing his hand. 

They come around a small bend, and pass a few more streets and suddenly Baekhyun recognizes this place. They have been here before after all. 

“We're back at that cathedral,” he says, shocked and looking around. Somewhere around here is the statue where Kai basically confessed and Baekhyun freaked out and kissed him. Fond, if somewhat embarrassing memories. “The statue where...” 

“Yep,” Kai says. “Today though we're... going in?” He asks a bit tentatively. 

Now that Baekhyun thinks about it, there are bells playing from somewhere high up above. “Going in... as in, going into a church... during a service?” Now he sees why Kai was checking his watch. It's just about 11:00 am.

“Y-yes...” Kai falters. 

“Do... you come here often?” Baekhyun asks.

Slowly, Kai nods. “Just about every week... I guess, you haven't noticed that I'm usually never around on Sundays.” He looks almost dejected, but now it dawns on Baekhyun that this is indeed true. 

“I've been coming around here by myself a lot. Even before I moved away. Not much has changed though. When I came back to the city, it was kind of hard to adjust to things. Since I wasn't really a dancer anymore, and even my mom seemed like she had changed. Not that she did really. It was me that had. But, I remembered this place where I used to come as a kid and... and, it's nice. I just wanted you to come sometime... with me. No pressure. Look, you can just sing. You can sing right? Hymns. They're kind of old, but pretty, and I mean... I know you can sing. We... verified that last night.” Kai gulps. “So... we can sit in the back, alright? Do you mind?” 

“I... guess I don't mind,” Baekhyun says. The puppy eyes on Kai are more than compelling. Plus, the cathedral is so large from just the outside and he can't help wondering how big it is from the inside too.

Kai quickly ushers them around to the front of the building, taking his hand as they walk in. It's a long, extremely long way down to the nave of the church. Baekhyun is so struck by the pillars and columns and windows that he almost forgets how they're walking alongside each other holding hands even until halfway down. He suddenly pulls his hand out, worried.

“Kai...” he whispers quickly and then winces. Even that sound carried further than he would like. “Kai, what about... us... I mean... we're... guys...? In a ch-church?” 

Kai turns to him, almost just as confused before he realizes what Baekhyun is asking. Then he smiles, confidence manifesting itself in him again since the first time they woke up this morning. He takes Baekhyun's hand again and with a smirk Baekhyun could have killed him for, whispers loudly. “Oh, forgot to mention it... Baekhyun, this church actually marries gay people. So uhm... you know.” And then he winks. 

 


4,660 words

 

So... did I just hint at the m-word? What, are you people blind? I don't even know what you're talking about. ;)

I'm sorry if I ruined Moonlight for anyone. I just had to. It's one of my sister's favorites, and I just love ruining her life little by little. I'm such good sibling like that, aren't I? Uhm... ANYWAYS. I've been planning this chapter out for SO LONG. It's surreal to actually see it in print and words, therefore I really hope you guys enjoyed Kaibaek's bedtime being almost ruined by a furry animal - who's really my cat in disguise - because this is always where this story was going. Phew!

There are 2 more chapters left. The next one will take place as a minor time jump and will feature just about all the other characters, tying up a few loose ends, and also the general conclusion to Kai's major 'storyline'. Then there will be fluffy epilogue, so no worries!

<3 Rosie

 

 

Other notes:

1) In case you've forgotten, pictures of the cathedral can be found on my blog link: here

2) Speaking of fluffy Kaibaek, check out this short, unrelated oneshot I wrote: Came for the Kitten, Got a Puppy.

3) My next big fic is going to be a fantasy!au [dragon age] Xiuhan with a side of Sesoo. I'll put a forward to it once I'm done with Spotlights. I absolutely refuse to start it before then, but look forward to it! Just putting the idea out there...

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
ShiningRose
[1/10] This is it... It is done!

Comments

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Rb2012 #1
Chapter 40: Just reread it again after so many years and still enjoyed it very much. The story is seriously underloved and deserves so much more.
rbdgirl
#2
Chapter 6: I thought it was chanyeol:)
little_decoy #3
Can I just??? like. see people, this is why Kaibaek needs more love. *thumbs up*
kyseobie
#4
i miss waiting for the updates, i love this story.. there is really a lack of chaptered, well written kaibaek, so i always come back to this one.. thank you
forsteye #5
I had read this fanfic long time ago and hadn't gotten the thought to comment until now, I am sorry huhuhu U.U
I LOVED IT, I couldn't stop myself to keep reading and pulling an all-nighter to finish this story. Super Addicting. This was beautiful, you make me can't read a cheesy-dramatic-impossible-to-happen-love-story lol.
And this is the first kaibaek fic i read, and i like your byun baekhyun
What ruined it for me was Sulay, i can't like this ship, just can't. But it is just me being biased and irrational
I just love every element, every pairing, every moment present in this fanfic except sulay's Lol
This fic is just Purr.Fect ♡
halefisha #6
Chapter 40: I found your live journal a few weeks ago, and I slowly made my way through some of your XiuHan oneshots (Xiumin is my bias too!) And I finally decided to read your Kaibaek masterpiece. I was afraid at first, fearing "real life" meant angst. I wish I wouldn't have waited. I devoured the story over 24 hours. I loved this AU so much. You're writing is beautiful! The characters are perfect and I enjoyed how not everything was perfectly fluffy, but grounded happiness. Truly "real world". I look forward to starting Beyond Spotlights.
cyd4294
#7
Chapter 40: done!
ought to finish this today since i have flight tmrw morning
and this is lovable <3
London9Calling
#8
Chapter 40: Well Chingu.....this is by far my favorite fic you have ever written. I love it to pieces (and stayed up past my "reasonable" bedtime to finish it LOL). You can be an "egotistical nerd" all you want, you deserve it!

Xiuhan's push and pull was perfect (sorry OTP comment first hehe). Luhan being so blind to everything at first was so, well, LUHAN of him. Minseok playing hard to get was perfect. And a hip to show Sehun what was up. Well, that was kinda perfect too hehe.

I have never shipped Kaibaek, as I am sure you are aware. Not a NOTP I just never really thought about them. This fic made me think differently and I think a huge part of that is how well you captured their dynamic. You really made their relationship come alive. I was a particular fan of how you wove in Baek's playfulness with Kai's more reserved side. Perfect.

Taohun. Tao. The person who shall not be named. Yep, total fan here ;)

I am going to save the bonus chapter for tomorrow as a treat. Thank you for writing this and sorry it took me so long to read all of it. <333333333333

PS- I think I used the word "perfect" like ten times in my comment, but I mean it!!!!!!
brittlepin #9
Finally finished it! Ah man~ I have this weird idea in my head (idk why) that when someone says they write "real life" fics I expect angst and problems and what-not, but to my great surprise, Between Spotlights was such a wonderful and positive story!
Kai had a disability, and he mourned, but he didn't dampen the mood whenever he came in, in fact, it was REAL. I think now I'm beginning to understand better and appreciate this genre. Or maybe it's just you who's writing like this.
Kaibaek had this lovely relationship, the kind I haven't read in fics before. It's teasing and with playful back and forth pushing and it was a genuinely likable relationship. Like, something in real life.
I even had feelings for Kris' character, who frustrated me and made me scowl, and again, he was also one of those whom felt alive, no matter how small his presence was in the fic. His issues with himself and others, they ... like ... I can't think of words to articulate for him tbh. His was a character I felt sorry for and angry with.
and xiuhan omfg xiuhan. I have a feeling you put angst and struggle with this pairing and misery for taohun xD (comparing it to Wounded Pride :s)
The part which gave me FEEEEEELS was Kai's drawing D': I loved that part in the story D': I want to upload it to my twitter with lots of sad hash tags D':
btw, I read this whole thing on LJ & found the AFF link on the last chapter ~_~
It's been a good read ❤ I was going to ask you about the dance too, but the note on the last chapter answered it :D Are you still being treated for it? How's it now? :<
Btw, I like the name "Beyond Spotlights" :D goes well after "Between Spotlights" and for some reason, Beyond Spotlights makes me FEEL things after reading this fic :3
Joyless
#10
Chapter 40: Well I remember that I read this dazzling piece last year, and then I'm here now, finishing what I started after a long time. There's no words to describe this masterpiece, and there's so much I want to express but I'm like 'where do I start?'. First of all I want to praise your writing, is simple but yet it captives, it wasn't tedious and kinda refreshing (?) and i feel personally connected with every character's action along all the story. I don't know what character love more, Baekhyun was the definition of perfect here, he was humble, hard-working and just amazing. Kai (or aka Jongin, bc i have a thing for his name lmao) was a really interesting character, his back story was so... idk how to said it... sad? I mean in the form of his condition, he couldn't avoid to happen, the odds weren't in his favour. The epilogue it was a bittersweet thing to me for some reason :(. I started to feel like he was my little son, lmao, ready to protect him in the middle of the story. And the other couples, sweet little Tao come here and let me love ya, he needs all the love. Xiuhan was a interesting pair, not my ship, but I think they were cute and stubborn as hELL in here, glad they're now a sickening couple lol. In other words, amazing story, I really enjoyed it. I'm going to read you more on the future hun. Hope you're really fine with your condition, lots of love and strength to you.<3 (I CANT DEAL WITH THE CHOCOLATE CAKE AND THE GREAN TEA ICE CREAM I WAS HUNGY AF WHEN I READ IT THAT PART THO)