Chapter 10 – rumours had it

2014

Spring changed into summer without notice. Two weeks passed in a blur like a minute. Things seemed to calm down after a month of Yifan's sudden decision. People soon got something else to talk about: new debuts, comebacks, ships... Nobody expected a scandal.

Baekhyun's temporary peaceful world blew up to tiny pieces on a sunny June morning when one of their managers, Hyunkyun barged into his and Chanyeol's room.

“You met Taeyeon before SNSD's Japanese flight?”

It’d already started like an interrogation.

“Uhm... yeah, I guess,” he wavered not sure about why the manager would ask that. Although, he clearly remembered that particular late night car date they had two days prior the girls’ leaving. But it had been more than half a month ago.

“You guess?!” Hyunkyun cried out frustrated which was really unlike him. It frightened Baekhyun and the very sleepy, yawning Chanyeol, too. “You messed it up. Big time. I asked you to be careful.”

“We were! There was nobody around and-” he tried to find excuses but he was so confused. What was the matter now?

“Yeah, well that nobody took some pictures and yours are the most searched names on Dispatch,” the manager explained throwing printed papers into his lap. “You could just use that ing roof. You couldn't have been even more obvious.”

“We-“

Oh.

The singer quickly glanced down at the article and the attached photos. They had forgotten to close the roof on their way back.

And one mistake was enough for a ticket to Hell.

First, relief rushed through Baekhyun. It was utterly selfish of him but he was glad it finally got out. They didn't have to make up lies anymore to cover up their secrets. Now he could plan outdoor dates with Taeyeon, imagine holding her hand in public or just simply stare at her fondly without anyone calling him a freak.

What he didn't expect: the hate. Lee Soo Man was okay with them together until they were super secretive about it later as well and he low-key hoped that it would increase the value of S.M.’s stocks and gain profit so he wasn't the pair's main concern. The fans were.

“Have you seen the article?” he asked carefully, holding on his phone dearly like his life depended on it. He fled into the bathroom and locked himself in to finally have time and space to think. His bandmates anxious questions didn’t help at all. And he wanted to hear her voice. He needed to know if she was okay.

“I have.”

Taeyeon’s voice was reserved and a little faint. She had been in the industry long before Baekhyun, she knew exactly what it meant and she sounded so vulnerable. Almost scared. He felt the same way after checking the news and the reactions online. His social media was flooded with notifications.

“Don't go up to your SNS for a few days,” he suggested pleading because the overprotective fangirls went easy on him but not on her. Threatening his girlfriend, telling her she should die or get away from him is much worse than receiving a lot of jealous and clingy messages. He felt like throwing up just by reading these posts. Some SONEs also blamed him yet he didn’t really care. But Taeyeon did, he knew her well.

“Is it that bad?”

The worst. But he couldn't say it out loud. Strangers throwing shade at them wasn't new but this anger, this almost rage, the hate and disappointment, every comment and smashed Oreo photo... It was terrifying.

“Just- just don't,” he muttered and a sigh escaped her parted lips. For a few moments neither of them spoke and Baekhyun ignored the banging on the door. He shut his eyes and rested his forehead against the cold tiles trying to ease his throbbing headache.

After a minute – a century, he hoped – Taeyeon questioned him. “Are you okay?”

“I'm alright. Just worrying about you.”

“Don't,” she cut him off harshly and the younger hold back his breath until she explained. “Focus on your tasks. That's the most important now.”