“Holy crap mom you scared me half to death!”

“Can you sit down?”

“Mom what’s wrong?” His mom seemed nervous, which was never a good sign. He sat down on the armchair and she sat across from him on the sofa.

“About Chanyeol-” Baekhyun tried to keep a poker face, “There was...there’s something about that I don’t know isn’t there?”

“Um, not really. We were friends and now we are not. It happens.” Baekhyun stared at his water, rubbing circles on the rim of the glass.

“Baekhyun I know you well enough to know when you are lying.” Baekhyun wished he had stayed on the phone with Jongdae.

“I don’t know what else you want from me, mom.” He said quietly.

“Baekhyun, you are an adult now. You are independent, you are your own person, and yet you still keep pushing me away, and when I bring back someone I thought was your best friend you meet both of us with a degree of resentment. I just want to know why.”

“Well mom, if you really want to know here we go.” Baekhyun set down his water, he leaned forward on his knees, then leaned back in the chair, and then forward again. He focused on a stain on the floor, he couldn’t remember why it was there. Probably Luhan’s fault.  Eventually, he stood up, needing to do something other than sit. His mom stared at him expectantly.

“Chanyeol and I, me and Chanyeol, we um, we weren’t just friends. We uh, went a lot farther than that.” He said, “And so when he left I was um, heartbroken, and it wasn’t a great ending so I don’t really want to ever see him again.” He waited for a response but his mother said nothing for what felt like hours.

“That’s it?” She said eventually, causing Baekhyun to freeze for a second.

“W- what?”

“You’re big thing, the secret that’s been keeping us apart, the reason you’ve resented me all these years? Is because you’re gay? And you thought I would hate you for it?”

“Um, I mean I’m not...gay...I like girls, but I also really like boys it's um...”

“And you thought I didn’t know?”

“You... what?”

“Sweetie, I’m your mother I’m not an idiot. I knew you and Chanyeol were more than just friends, I have eyes. Also ears. Also, you did a really bad job of making sure I wasn’t home when you guys, um, hung out”

Baekhyun felt his cheeks burning, he was glad it was dark.

“Wait so this whole time you’ve, pretended not to know? Why didn’t you tell me?” Baekhyun sat down in shock.

“I wanted you to come out when you were ready, and I didn’t know that...I didn’t know how badly things ended with Chanyeol otherwise I wouldn’t have kept bringing him up. Why did you tell me how awful he was?” His mom scooted on the couch so she could put a hand on his leg.

“I- I didn’t know how you would react and I didn’t...I didn’t want you to reject me right after he did. I mean I didn’t really talk to anyone after he left, for like , two weeks the only person I saw was Minseok.” He sat back, still in shock.

“Are you and Taeyeon actually dating or is she a beard?”

“We’re actually dating. I’m not like, gay, I mean I thought I was but, I’m biual I guess.”

“And you thought...you thought I would what? Disown you? Hate you? Kick you out?”

“I dunno.I Just...guess I didn’t want to make things weird or difficult. I’m sorry mom.”

“So what really happened with Chanyeol?”

“Um, he left. I mean, we dated for a long time, lived together, and then one day he was just. Gone.”

“Without a word? You must have been heartbroken.”

“I guess yeah, but I’ve moved on I mean, I...I just would rather not see him anymore.”

“Of course, of course, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine mom,” Baekhyun smiled and reached out to grab her hand, holding it tightly.

“Just one more question.” His mother said, timidly.

“Yeah?”

“Does this mean I don’t have to bug you to visit anymore? Or that I can stop by here more often? Can we like, have a real relationship? Oh! can I stop by that cute coffee shop Minseok runs?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Yeah mom, I think that would be great.” He couldn’t see very well but his eyes had adjusted enough that he could see his mom smiling.

“You should go to bed now, it's almost four in the morning!”

“Alright. Goodnight mom.” Baekhyun kissed his mom on the cheek before walking back to his room as quietly as possible.

Taeyeon and Jongsu were asleep quietly curled into each other. Baekhyun tried to slide into the small space left for him as gently as he could, but Taeyeon still woke up. She looked confused but relaxed when he reached over to push a strand of hair out of her eyes.

“Baekhyun-ah,” she said sleepily.

“Yeah, I’m here. Go back to sleep” He said, the side of her face. He did like her, a lot, but not in the same way he liked Jongdae, not as much. She smiled and fell back asleep quickly, but Baekhyun didn’t really sleep at all.

A/N ** sorry!! I have more coming up this week!!! also this is kinda emotional lmao art imitates life except bbh's mom isn't a piece of in this anyway this is cheesy and gross but whatever. also im thinking of making a playlist for this story like if i did that wld anyone be interested? I have a lot of songs i've been like listening 2 and like thinking abt in re. to the ppl in this story.