With semester break over, you had gotten busier, inevitably. You’re in the final year of your degree, and Baekhyun has a full time job, being a few years older than you. However, despite your busy schedules in the past, the both of you always made sure to spare time to spend with each other. So this time, you can’t shake off the feeling that your schedules aren’t the only reason why you haven’t been able to see Baekhyun recently.

You’re currently having lunch with Sehun, a mutual friend between yourself and Baekhyun. He was also the person who introduced you to Baekhyun. Sehun was the same age as you, and also your gateway towards understanding Baekhyun’s change in attitude recently. Your hopes diminish though, when Sehun announces that he has nothing to tell you. Frowning, you stab your food with your fork as you try to figure out what’s changed the past month and a half for Baekhyun to be avoiding you.

The both of you had met Baekhyun when you were in your final year of high school whilst Baekhyun was still a university student. Baekhyun started off as Sehun’s tutor for math when Sehun mentioned a friend of his having difficulty with economics. Eager to help and make a little more profit, Baekhyun offered to tutor the friend as well – the friend happened to be you.

The first lesson you had with him was a joint lesson with Sehun. It was like that for a couple of lessons until you decided that you felt comfortable enough to have with Baekhyun alone, just one on one. It took a little over a month, but you both got there eventually.

It started off with meeting at the library, until one day you happened to forget about it because you needed to finish your economics assignment. When you phoned Baekhyun, he offered to come over and help you. So from then on, Baekhyun would come over to your house to tutor you.

Fast forward a couple of months and you found yourself needing comfort over an exam you had just finished. It had been a stressful week, with last minute changes needed in assignments, deadlines to meet for essays, and exams to study for.

Without thinking, you had phoned Baekhyun who answered with a gruff tone, as if he had just woken up. However, as soon as he realised it was you, his tone changed immediately. Once he heard your sniffles on the other end of the call, he immediately told you to wait for him whilst he goes to pick you up.

By your request, he had driven you back to his place instead of yours because your mother was at home and you didn’t want to go home whilst you were a mess. Baekhyun helped carry your school bag and textbooks inside and guided you towards the couch.

You remember him disappearing into the kitchen for a while before coming back out with a bowl of ice cream with sprinkles on top, as well as a cup of hot chocolate. When you had looked up at him, he’d given you a sheepish look whilst scratching the back of his neck.

“I remember you mentioning that these are your favourite to have when you were feeling down or stressed so…”

From that day on, your friendship with Baekhyun grew. You would turn to him for help and comfort when needed, and he would turn to you whenever he needed to as well. Eventually, you found yourself getting closer and closer.

What brought the both you as close as you are now was the following weeks after your exams have finished and your results were finally out. You had been antsy about it the entre time, waiting for the results as they determined which degrees you were able to enrol in and at which university to attend. To your genuine surprise and happiness, you had gotten enough marks to get into the degree you wanted and at your choice of university.

You were at home in your room when your father entered and questioned you about your results and choice of university. You had never been close with your father for many reasons, your conflicted views being one of the main reasons.

You're not the type to argue back because you hate drama. Instead, you told him the reasons behind your choices and stopped there whilst your father continued to critic you about your choices, and what you should have chosen instead.

It ended up as an hour and a half of him lecturing you, and you feeling complete utter and insulted beyond belief. Not wanting to be in the same house as someone who had just insulted you without end for the last hour and a half, you grab your essentials and leave the house whilst phoning Baekhyun.

Having your licence had never seemed so much of a blessing as you found yourself driving out the driveway and towards Baekhyun’s house. He had immediately allowed you to come over without an explanation when you asked him if you could come over, your voice coarse from trying to keep back your tears.

The moment the door opened and you saw Baekhyun on the other side, you threw yourself at him and cried. He had calmly ushered you inside and towards his room to lay down without saying a thing. Throughout the entire night he stayed by your side, holding you close to him whilst he gently patted your back until you finally fell asleep. It was the first time anyone had seen you cry in years.

“So what’s been going on?” Sehun asks, stealing food off your plate. You do the same to him, grabbing some fries off his plate.

“I’m not sure? I mean, he still answers me eventually, but seemingly more out of obligation so that he doesn’t leave me hanging” you answer.

When Sehun's facial expression indicates that he doesn’t understand, you show him the messages you’ve been exchanging with Baekhyun recently. Usually, you wouldn’t even consider showing your private messages with Baekhyun to anyone, ever. But with the messages you’ve been sending to each other recently, you really see nothing special about it.

Sehun hums when he finally understands what you mean. “Why not go and ask him in person?” he suggests. You shake your head.

“I can’t. I don’t want to go to a place where I’m not invited” you mutter.

“Interesting” you hear Sehun murmur to himself and you stare at him.

“Was I meant to hear that?”

“Hear what?” Sehun plays it off.

“You saying ‘interesting’ to yourself, what was that about?” you frown.  Sehun stays silent, so you kick the legs of his chair to annoy him. Eventually, you manage to piss him off enough that he breaks his silence.

“Stop it!” he demands, trapping your leg between his. He’s quick to let you go though, when he catches your glare. Sighing, he pushes his plate forward and rests his forearms on the table.

“All I can recommend for you to do in order to sort this iffy of a situation out is to confront Baekhyun hyung about it. Face to face” he tells you, “You know more than anyone how private a person Baekhyun hyung is, and how difficult it is for him to speak about certain things. That’s why you’re both perfect for each other”

“Why?” you ask him, tilting your head.

“Because you’re both stubborn as ” is Sehun’s answer. You splutter, not expecting that response. Though you don’t disagree, because it’s 100% true. Your stubborn natures have been both a blessing and a curse. It’s been able to bring the both of you closer together since you know how to deal with each other, but it’s also been a reason behind the long periods of time when the both of you wouldn’t communicate for a while, especially after an argument.

The problem you’re faced with at the moment is that you don’t remember having any disputes with Baekhyun in a while – about anything. The occasional banter here and there, yes, but nothing serious enough for him to be avoiding you like he is now. Not that you could think of, at least.

Watching your expressions change with your train of thoughts, Sehun finally has enough. With a huff, he finishes off the last of his food on his plate and stands up. You look up at him questioningly.

“You’re going over to Baekhyun’s right now. I’ll drive you. Come on”

“What the ”

“Hello to you, too, good friend” Sehun announces. “Now, you both better talk your out or else I have to slap the stubbornness out of the both of you, and considering how stubborn you both are, it will hurt a lot” he then pushes you towards Baekhyun and closes the door.

True to his words, Sehun had driven you to Baekhyun’s place, gotten out of the car with you and right up to Baekhyun’s front door. When you told him that Baekhyun probably wouldn’t open the door for you, he pushed you aside so that you weren’t in view in any way from inside the house, so that Baekhyun thought only Sehun was visiting. As soon as the door opened though, Sehun pulled you right in front of the door, much to Baekhyun’s shock.

Now, you find yourself in the foyer of Baekhyun’s house, with his arms still around you from catching you when Sehun pushed you towards him. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, you quickly push yourself away from him. You barely catch the hurtful expression on his face before it disappears.

“I’m sorry” you sputter, taking another small step back. “Sehun insisted I come here because all my ranting was annoying him and I understand that you’re probably really busy so I’ll–”

You’re about to open the door to leave when Baekhyun slams the palm of his hand on it, preventing you from opening it. His chest is inches away from being pressed against your back and you want nothing more than for him to hug you right now, especially after not seeing for so long.

It’s only then that you also realise that Baekhyun only had a towel wrapped around his waist. Clearly, he’d just stepped out of the shower when you intruded. Feeling unlike yourself, you find yourself embarrassed as you duck under his arm to move a couple steps away from him again. This time, Baekhyun makes no effort to conceal the hurt on his face.

Baekhyun leans off the door and drops his hands down to his sides. “Why do you keep moving away from me?”  he whispers.

You can’t help but scoff. “No, why do you keep avoiding me, Byun Baekhyun?!” you exclaim, having quite enough of his act already, having tolerated it for the past month and a half.

“Was it something I did wrong? If it is, I’m really sorry. I promise I won’t do it again. If it’s something I said, then I take it all back. Whatever I did, whatever it was that’s making you avoid me, I don’t care. I take it all back. Please just…” your eyes are tearing up, and as much as you hate crying, you couldn’t care less at the moment, “Just stop avoiding me”

Baekhyun, seeing your tears forming, moves one foot forward but suddenly stops and stays rooted in his sport, as if not sure of what to do. Seeing his hesitation hurts you so much because Baekhyun would usually rush to you as soon as he even so much as sees your eyes turning red from yawning.

“I miss you. I miss talking to you, being with you. I miss you, Baekhyun. I need you” your voice breaks at the last word and your tears finally escape.

Immediately, you find yourself pressed up against Baekhyun and you instinctively wrap your arms around him and Baekhyun tightens his hold around your body.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, love. Please don’t cry. I'm just going to hate myself even more for being the reason behind your tears” he pleads you, his voice muffled from his lips being pressed against your hair.

“Then tell me what I did wrong. I’ll apologise no matter what, I’ll take it all back” you tell him eagerly, desperate for things to return the way they were.

Baekhyun pulls away slightly and gently cups your face between his hands. There’s a pained look on his face, as if conflicted by something. He your cheek with his thumb and stares at you a little longer.

“Baek–”

Before you can finish your sentence, Baekhyun leans down and captures your lips with his. You don’t move, too shocked by what’s happening. You want to move, but you can’t bring yourself to do so. All you're able to do is clench your fists together.

When Baekhyun finally releases you, he moves away slowly, as if scared that anymore sudden movements will frighten you away. Once you're finally able to see his face properly, you see how crestfallen he is. He then quickly removes his hands off you and takes a step back. The room feels so cold all of a sudden.

“That’s the problem. I don’t want you to take it back. I don’t want you to apologise for everything you’ve done to me because…” Baekhyun stops for a moment, watching your reaction.

“Because…?”

“I love you”

And just like that, you realise that you’ve finally seen Baekhyun at his most vulnerable state. Right there, in front of you.

A/N: I’ve left this one hanging for a while (like many others), and I recently felt the urge to continue this, so here you go! Thank you to those that subscribed and waited. Thanks for reading :)

Much love, aekcso