---

“EHH??!!” She shrieked, shocked. Baekhyun casually shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know about you, But I’m not this kind of girl." she hissed.

‘How could he even ask me this so shamelessly?’ She pursed her lips. 

“Taeyeon, I’m just asking you to spend the night there-“

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about!” Taeyeon screeched.

Baekhyun didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Look, don’t take this in the wrong sense. There’s a huge storm out there. You can’t go home.” he tried explaining. She opened but closed it soon when she couldn’t think of anything to say. She pondered.

“I- aha” she snapped her fingers and squealed. “Huh?” Baekhyun raised his perfect brow.

‘Why couldn’t she just say yes? He would never do her any harm.’ he thought. “What?” asked Baekhyun impatiently. “Someone I know lives nearby. I could stay at Jung Hee’s” she said unsurely, mumbling the last part. “Eh? Jung Hee?”

“Yeh, I could surely stay with-“

“Don’t you even dare!” Baekhyun shouted, cutting her off and glared at Taeyeon sharply. She was taken a back at his sudden loudness.

“Excuse me?” she spoke quietly.

“You can’t stay at man’s house! Never! I won’t allow it!” He spoke through his gritted teeth.

“Man? Who are you talking about?” Taeyeon was confused. ‘What is wrong with this guy?’

“Jung Hee. Who else? He can go to hell for I care.” Baekhyun murmured.

“Uh... actually… Jung Hee’s my female friend...” Baekhyun was truly astonished. He was not a ‘he’ but a ‘she’? Well damn those uni names. He cursed under his breath. He gave her a sheepish smile, rubbing the nape of his neck. Taeyeon couldn’t help but chuckle at his utter immaturity.

“Don’t laugh.”

“Sorry, what was that?” she teased.

“I said don’t laugh. How would I know that she’s a woman.” He shrugged.

“You didn’t have to jump to conclusions though.”

Embarrassed, both Baekhyun and Taeyeon sat there in silence until Baekhyun’s melodic voice sounded, “So are you going to my apartment or not?”

She shook her head, sighing. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Nope. You don’t~ ” he said cheerfully and started the engine.

“You said I couldn’t go to a man’s house. But you’re a guy too.” Taeyeon pointed out.

“Shsssssh. Don't ruin the moment.”

---

“We’re here!” he announced merrily. Baekhyun parked the car in the parking lot. Both of them got off and made their way towards the elevators.

The elevator ride was an awkward one. Both of them don't know what to say.

---

“You must be cold, huh?” He asked her as soon as they got inside his apartment. It was an average-sized apartment but it was cozy and Taeyeon liked that part. She nodded. Baekhyun scratched his nose. “You can take a shower, I’ll bring you some clothes.” he left her in the living room.

“Okay.” she replied, biting her lower lip nervously. ‘What has gotten over me?’

Baekhyun soon emerged out of his bedroom with some clothes in his hand. “Here you go.” he handed them to her.

A oversized shirt and sweatpants. “Those should do for the time being,” he added almost carefully. Taeyeon nodded her head once more, not saying anything since she was too shy to do so. “The bed room’s over there. I’ve placed the towels there. So yeah, go ahead.” his ranting was so sudden, that Taeyeon couldn’t find the words to reply him with.

---

Taeyeon came out from the bathroom and wrapped a towel around her petite body. She was drying her hair when the bedroom door suddenly burst open, revealing a red-as-a-tomato Baekhyun. Screaming, Taeyeon brought both of her hands infant of her, hiding her chest.

“OhmiGod!!!!!I’msosorryimsosorry!!!SORRY!!!” Baekhyun himself seemed to be quite shocked. He immediately retreated, shutting the door behind him. She sighed in relief when he left. She quickly changed into the given clothes and she was ready to march outside and beat the crap out of Baekhyun. But when she got outside, the look on his face was all she needed.

“I’m so sorry! That was a mistake! I didn’t know you would come out so soon! I just came back to get my phone. OhmiGod! Please kill me!” he was constantly rubbing his palms. Baekhyun was surprised when he heard her laughing instead of cussing.

“You know, you rant a lot.” she said in between her giggles.

“So you’re not mad at me?” he asked, curiously.

“I”m not, since it was a genuine mistake.” she grinned. He couldn’t help but smile at her. She was so nice. So perfect in his eyes. “And do you know you rant a lot, Baekyun?” she pointed her finger playfully at him. She plopped herself down on the couch. “Your clothes fit me pretty well, huh?” she said mostly to herself. “Hmm? Why aren’t you replying?” She looked up at him, he was staring at her with intense eyes. “What?”

“It’s the first time you said my name.” he walked towards her slowly and sat down next to her. She blushed almost immediately.

“So what? You told me to call you that.”

“True that.” he started staring at her again.

“Stop that.” she whined, obviously noticing his passionate gaze.

“Stop what?” he moved closer to her and she moved away. He scooted closer once more, Taeyeon was about to move back when his actions immobilised her on the spot. He extended his hand tucked the lock of wet her behind her ear. Blood rushed to her face and she turned her face away. She moved back from him, until she hit the arm rest. She really wanted Baekhyun to keep a safe distance between them, or did she?

She directed her gaze elsewhere, studying his apartment.

“Taeyeon,” he said her name in such a way that it sent chills down Taeyeon’s spine. She had noticed this before. Why did his actions and words have so much effect on her?

“What is it now-” she turned back to at him but silenced at once when she turned her head completely back. Baekhyun was now a few inches away. ‘When did he scoot over so near?’

She had thought Baekhyun was facing the other direction, not facing her! With wide eyes, she held her breath and looked directly in his mesmerising eyes.

“Do you know,” she gulped, taking his words slowly on at a time, he continued “how much I want to-“ Baekhyun was interrupted by the ringtone of his phone.

‘What? How much he wanted to do what?!’

Startled, she pushed him away and hid her face with her hands. “.” Taeyeon heard him grumble under his breath. He got off the couch and grabbed his cellphone from the bedroom. “What the heck do you want Yeol!?” he asked, rather annoyed. “She’s ing fine. Mind your own damn business!” he roared.

“You stay away from her, got that?” she heard him say a little quietly this time. “Good.” he hung up and looked up. Their gazes met. She immediately looked away. Baekhyun cleared his throat.

“You must be hungry. I’ll go make something.” he announced mostly to himself and she nodded.

‘What did he want to say?!’ the curiosity was killing her.

Needless to say, Taeyeon was greatly impressed with his cooking skills. He couldn’t even cook ramen for God’s sake.

“Can you actually cook anything at all? OhmiGod! Turn the stove off. You’ll burn it!” she gasped.

Baekhyun’s attempt at making ramen was going rather miserable.

‘He couldn’t cook .’ as quoted by his close friend / enemy Kyungsoo.

 

---

“Let me please,” she begged. He was surely planning to kill poor Taeyeon.

“It’s fine, sheesh woman! You nag too much,” he shrugged as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up.

“Oh please. No normal human being could eat this.” Taeyeon grinned as she took over the kitchen. “I’ll show you what real cooking is.” she told him confidently.

“I’ll show you what real cooking is my .” Baekhyun mimicked her, taking the seat and plopping his elbows on the island.

“What are you, twelve?” She turned to look at him and shot him a look.

“On a scale from 1 to 10? Yes ma’am,” he grinned.

“Where do you get so much self-confidence from, huh?”

“It’s in the genes, my fair lady,” Taeyeon shook her head before giving Baekhyun a look of disbelief.

---

“And… here you go!” She announced happily as she put the two beautifully decorated plates on the island. “This, my dear friend, is called cooking.” She smiled in victory. Taking a seat across Baekhyun, “What do you think?” she asked curiously.

“I’ll have to eat it first. It doesn’t look that great.” he responded stubbornly.

“Are you for real? Maybe we should get your eyesight checked.” she rolled her eyes.

“Whatever~”

“OhmiGod! This is awesome! Where were you all my life!!” exclaimed Baekhyun as soon as he took a bit of her amazingly cooked kimchi fried rice.

“I know right?” she couldn’t help but smile. He was acting so childish right now and the fact that he actually liked her dish, put her heart at ease.

Soon, both of them started eating in silence. A few words were exchanged between them, but not too many. Taeyeon was the shy type, she didn’t talk much. Baekhyun, on the other hand, was dying in the silence. He was a total chatter box.

 

“Hey Taeyeon,” he said out of nowhere and Taeyeon looked up from her plate and at him. He was staring at her again. But it didn’t bother her too much this time. “You have something-“ he didn’t even complete his sentence, Baekhyun got up from his seat and reached out his hand. “A rice here” he pressed his fingers on the corners of her lips and removed it.

“Ah thank you,” she blinked. But Baekhyun didn’t go back in his seat. He was still standing in this awkward position, gazing directly into her eyes. “What?” she finally managed to speak.

“Taeyeon, marry me.” with a simple sentence such as that, Baekhyun pressed his lips against hers. Taeyeon lost all of her senses and melted into pure ecstasy.