No one understood why they hated each other. But then maybe they should also have taken note that they didn't really hate each other but rather, it was merely just the similarities in their sense of humour and personality.

It was over lunch that they first got to know each other. Chanyeol's girlfriend was a friend of hers. A rather good friend, actually. Junmyeon, Sehun and Baekhyun were tagging along for lunch because it was supposedly the couple's way to have their friends acquainted.

Baekhyun had to admit that she was pretty even on the first day he met her. She was on her stomach, lying on the grass, while reading through her notes. He found her rather attractive, considering how smart she was. But as with every quick-witted person, she had a tongue so sharp that it could cut and hurt. Of course, she wasn't like that on the first meeting. No, she wasn't. She was actually nice and Baekhyun already liked her.

"If you guys want some, just go for it," she smiled at the boys, referring to the big bag of chips she had in front of her as snacks to accompany her study time.

"Are you having junk food as lunch?" Baekhyun actually wondered, an eyebrow raised. He was never good at keeping his thoughts to himself.

Chanyeol's girlfriend laughed. "It's not shocking, really. She does this all the time."

Baekhyun leaned over to take a peek at her notes. He was very confused. He noticed the girl's eyes on him, evaluating him, assessing him. He wiped the confusion off his face and returned a strong glare. She cocked her head slightly as if trying to look at him from another angle.

"What are you majoring in, if I may ask?" Junmyeon was polite as he looked at her.

Without peeling her eyes off Baekhyun, she murmured, "Food Nutrition, and Business Management."

That was what Baekhyun didn't get. She was doing Food Nutrition, she had to know the detriments of eating junk food so often, no? Or maybe he didn't know better. He was only an Arts major anyway, what did he know?

"You're doing a double degree?" Sehun awed, eyes wide and shocked.

Baekhyun felt his heart thump when she grinned before turning to look at the younger boy. Her eyes were sparkling at Sehun, unlike the challenging, amused gaze she pinned Baekhyun with. She seemed to like Sehun already.

"Yes," she answered. "What about you guys?" At that, she turned to Baekhyun again as she took a chip from the big bag. She wasn't grinning anymore but her eyes held pure curiosity.

"Performing Arts," Baekhyun replied.

A corner of his lips tilted when he noticed the surprise in her expression. But she masked it a second later and it was like it wasn't there at all in the first place. He thought she was different. Baekhyun didn't really know why, but she was. He liked her even more.

The second time they met, it was at Chanyeol's house party.

She was wearing skinny jeans and a band tee, which Baekhyun thought shouldn't look as hot as she did. And Baekhyun himself was in jeans that were ripped at the knees and a white tee that she thought really suited his body proportions. Her friend was with Chanyeol, being dragged after the giant as he went round greeting his guests. He was a good host. Sehun was with Junmyeon and they were already mingling with some casual friends. Baekhyun knew them too and he could have gone over to say hi, too.

But the girl was alone now, with no other acquaintances especially since her friend is gone. She didn't look awkward at all as she sipped on her drink and scrolled through her phone. But Baekhyun, being someone who went to parties often, knew that she wasn't comfortable here. He didn't know her well and they didn't particularly have a pleasant meeting the first time (it was rather short and they mostly glared at each other), but he felt a pull towards her, like he just had to talk to her.

"Your make-up's smudged."

Baekhyun felt like smacking himself. He swore to be more conservative with his words. But he just felt a sort of energy around her, like he just needed to talk to her, to get her heated just so he could see what kind of person she really was.

"Where?" the girl looked up at him with wide eyes, touching her eyes.

Baekhyun leaned forward and swallowed. He could smell a hint of her shampoo and he swore there was a scent of mango and vanilla before the strong smell of her perfume struck him in the face. His nostrils flared at the assault but it brought him back to the task at hand. He glanced at her eyes and saw that she was staring at him, waiting for him to help her with the mess. He squinted at her perfect work.

"Oh, it's just your make-up skills, sorry," he muttered, moving away again.

Her face contorted into annoyance and she rolled her eyes. "Says the guy with bad eyeliner skills."

Baekhyun's eyebrows raised at her comeback. Girls would normally have been offended by his words. They wouldn't have answered him so calmly. It was amusing.

"I don't even wing mine like yours," he said back.

"Yeah, at least you know how bad your skills are," she muttered.

He gaped at her, not really understanding until he thought about what he said. Wing. He didn't wing his. A grin slid onto his face. She was very entertaining. She was smart and witty, which wasn't what he was used to, since the boys around him were daft and lame. He finally found a match in his sense of humour.

"How old are you?"

"Why, so you can feel the age in your bones?" she raised an eyebrow at him challengingly.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Partly," he shrugged.

She stared at him, at the way his eyes danced at their senseless but skewed conversation. He is having fun, she realised. He didn't mean what he said about my make-up, she rationalised. A side of her lips curled just so slightly. If she had known this was just a playful conversation, she wouldn't have put so much bite into her words. But then maybe he liked it. Maybe, for once, she didn't have to be a girl and think about every word she said, in fear of hurting someone, in fear of being too crude.

"And partly because you have really bad crow's feet," Baekhyun mentioned, gesturing to the sides of her eyes.

She slapped his wrist away. "I'm probably younger than you," she snapped. "Considering how you did such a bad job dyeing your hair." She squinted her eyes, "You have several white hair poking out."

Baekhyun snorted, leaning his hip against the counter now. She was leaning back against the kitchen drawers, her head turned to him. Her phone was locked and put aside on the table, forgotten.

"At least I made a conscious effort to hide it," Baekhyun sniped. He leaned in and narrowed his eyes on her hair. She could see the playful look on his face. It made her lips quirk. "You even have split ends, ew."

She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips. Baekhyun's lips threatened to spread into a grin at the sound of her laughter, but he managed to force it down. She could tell he was fighting off a smile though. She playfully shoved his shoulder and pushed him back.

"I'm 20," she told him finally.

"Perfect," he grinned cheekily.

"For what? For you to hit on me?" she scoffed.

Baekhyun let out a loud Ha! and took his cup, walking over to the other side of the room. He noticed no one next to him, so he turned his head. The girl was still at the same spot, staring at him, eyes blank and unreadable, no longer holding any mirth or playfulness. His gaze dropped to her hand where she was rubbing the tip of her thumbnail on her pointer finger, fidgeting. A soft, tiny smile slid on his lips as he tilted his head slightly. A nice pink blushed her cheeks as she turned around to grab her phone and her cup, making her way over to him. When she was next to him again, now closer so that their shoulders were touching, Baekhyun answered to her previous comment like they had been on this without a pause.

"More like make a hit at you," he snorted. She scowled at him. He looked at her when he had made himself a cup of Jäger bomb. "Do you want some?"

"So you can drug me?" she grumbled, drinking her own cup. But when she finished the leftover beer, she passed the empty cup to him. "How old are you, then?"

"Two years older than you," he murmured without looking up from making her drink.

She was quiet as she stared at him, taking in his profile; his soft eyelashes, his sharp chin, his rather chubby cheeks. But when he looked up with a smile, holding out her cup to her, she blushed slightly, having caught gaping at him.

"Thanks," she muttered, trying to keep her eyes averted so he couldn't catch the look in her gaze.

"No problem," he answered easily.

He slid his hand around her waist and placed it on the small of her back, guiding her out of the kitchen and to the backyard swing while other people were sitting in a circle on the grass, playing some drinking games. There were some other couples making out at corners of the backyard. The music wafting out from the house was loud but the noise diffused out into the open space, making conversation easy. 

"Now where were we?" Baekhyun hummed, sipping his drink.

"You were going to make a hit at me," she answered, her lips quirked playfully.

"Right." He grinned before clearing his throat.

For the rest of the night, they got to learn more about each other through mindless quips and playful shoves.

Chanyeol and his girlfriend stared at Baekhyun and the girl in confusion. They had known each other for more than two months now. Without any of their friends knowing, they had been sending texts back and forth — really just a written version of their verbal conversations — and also meeting up. Every time they went out as a group, they would be snapping at each other, trying to see who was the most annoyed at the end of the day.

This evening, Chanyeol and his girlfriend were walking back from the computer lab when they saw Baekhyun and the girl walking together, a few metres ahead of them.

"I can't believe you did that, you're so rude!"

Chanyeol glanced at his girlfriend. That didn't sound very good. They were obviously in a heated quarrel and if he didn't stop them, they were going to fall out and group meetings were going to be awkward. But what Baekhyun replied made him frown in confusion, unsure whether he should really interrupt their squabble. 

"Sneezing in a library isn't rude," Baekhyun snapped. Then he asked, "What do you feel like having?"

Pausing their argument for a moment, the girl hummed, tilting her head to look up at him. "Burger?"

He smiled softly, winking a little in agreement, his brushing of fingers on the back of her hand didn't go unnoticed by the couple following behind them. But too quick, that moment was gone and they were back at biting each other's head off.

"Sneezing like achoo—" she pretended to sneeze in a very delicate manner "—isn't rude but you sneezing like a ing blow horn is rude."

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes on her. "Let's see how you sneeze the next time then," he growls. "If you sneeze like a ing blow horn, you'll have to eat my shoe."

"You're ing psycho," she muttered, fastening her pace so that she was walking ahead of him. Baekhyun kept up easily, still quipping and trying to piss her off.

Chanyeol and his girlfriend were just gaping at them. What did they just witness? Exactly what relationship did they have? Why were they so hot one moment and then so cold the next? Were they okay, or not?

Sehun and Junmyeon glanced at each other nervously. They were on the way to a friend's house party. Chanyeol and his girlfriend were not keen on partying tonight so it was just the four of them. It was weird, to be honest. Because the girl didn't know Kai yet Baekhyun was lugging her to his house party. The two weren't even on good terms, or so they thought, considering how they talked to each other every time they met.

"Turn left in 17 metres, Baekhyun."

"Here?—"

"The next one!" she screeched, causing Baekhyun to swerve the car to keep going straight, the vehicle behind him honking angrily at his impulsiveness.

"," Baekhyun cursed under his breath, raising his hand to apologise to the driver behind him. Then he turned to glare at the girl in the passenger seat next to him, holding his phone with the GPS app opened. "If you can't give directions then don't act like you can!"

"Well, it's not my fault you're stupid and don't know how far 17 metres is!" she snapped back with anger and frustration in her voice. "This one — turn here, you ing idiot."

The rest of the car ride was filled with nervous energy. The tension was thick and though they weren't snapping at each other anymore but instead talking in rather toned down voices with no snide remarks, Sehun and Junmyeon still thought there was something off about them.

When they approached the house overflowing with people, Baekhyun pulled over by the curb. Sehun and Junmyeon opened the door but just when the girl had her hand on the door handle, Baekhyun held her wrist. She turned back to glare at him but the look in his eyes was soft and pleading. She sighed softly and relaxed in her seat. Noticing the two of them still in the car, Junmyeon poked his head into the vehicle while Sehun had already slammed his door shut.

"We'll catch up later," Baekhyun muttered, shooing Junmyeon away.

Albeit anxious and slightly apprehensive, he still nodded and left the two alone. Baekhyun and the girl watched the two men making their way to the house party. Baekhyun let out a heavy sigh and turned to face the girl who was looking out the window.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said," he apologised softly. She didn't answer him. "Hey," he murmured, reached out to touch her cheek. She turned away. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry," he said, now sounding a lot more desperate. "I shouldn't have said what I said."

"You were the one who wanted me to lead you," she whispered, finally turning to look at him. Even though her hair was falling over her face, he could still see the hurt in her eyes. His heart clenched.

"I know," he swallowed, nodding his head. "I did. I really wanted you to lead me. I was just not paying attention and proceeded to push the blame on you when I made a mistake," he honestly admitted. "I'm sorry." When she stared at him, not saying anything, he sighed. "I'm the worst person ever, aren't I?"

Silence dragged on for a long time before she murmured, "Yeah."

Baekhyun glanced at her, noticing the small, playful pout on her lips. He reached out tentatively, his fingertips just craving to touch her cheek. She tilted her head slightly, feeling a spark run through her body when he touched her. Baekhyun smiled softly, caressing the apple of her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She sighed softly in content.

"I'm really sorry," he apologised again, quietly.

She shook her head a little. "It's okay. I'm just being extra sensitive." She gave him an embarrassed look, "Time of the month."

"Ah..." Baekhyun pursed his lips in understanding. Then he frowned. "You sure you wanna be here? Do you wanna get cake instead?"

She laughed. "Being on my period doesn't automatically mean I want cake!" He gave her a mischievous look and she chuckled, her cheeks warm. "But yes," she murmured. "I actually do want cake."

"Where shall we go then?" He was already starting up his car.

"What about Sehun and—"

"I'll just return to drive them home," Baekhyun answered easily. "I can't drink and drive anyway. Better not to go in." When he had his hand on the gear shift and his other hand on the steering wheel, he turned to grin at the girl. "Now, where to, Princess?"

Three months after that incident and it was Christmas Eve. They were all at Baekhyun's place for a small Christmas party celebration.

"You said you wouldn't get me a present, so I didn't get any," Baekhyun said, cocking his head mockingly at the girl.

"I was kidding about that," she made a face. Then she gave an apologetic look, "But I actually really forgot..."

He felt his heart drop. "Seriously?" He was incredulous.

Sehun pursed his lips and excused himself to get more food. It's always bad to stick around the two of them for too long. It was like holding onto two hot metal rods in both hands, just trying to tolerate the heat before you had to give up and drop both rods. They seemed to repel each other so much, the others just couldn't understand how they still had so much to fight about. Because people who hated each other as much as these two seemed to, just wouldn't even be able to stand being next to each other, much less continue their arguments.

"Why, did you get me something?" the girl teased, smirking.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "Not anymore."

She glared at him. "What do you mean not anymore?"

"It means you don't have a present anymore," he rolled his eyes. "For a double major student, you're pretty stupid."

"What—"

"Okay!" Chanyeol's girlfriend clapped her hands once, almost like an overly preppy cheerleader.

She eyed the two glaring at each other with such passion in their eyes. She was scared, honestly. Her friend always had a smart mouth. Baekhyun was the same. He was like hot sauce and she was like sour lemons — basically not very nice things individually. But she would only have to come to realise that though hot sauce and sour lemons may be horrible on their own, but when put together, they were amazingly good.

"Let's drink!" Sehun exclaimed, now coming back with an armful of chips and a few bottles of wine and hard liquor.

By the time a bottle of wine and a big bottle of Black Label were gone, Chanyeol and his girlfriend were heavily making out at the corner, Sehun was mumbling to his phone and Junmyeon was sleeping. It was already two in the morning and they only barely had time to shout Merry Christmas! at midnight before going back to the drinking games. And now, Baekhyun was sitting with his back against the couch, the girl's head on his shoulder.

"Do you want your present now?" Baekhyun grunted against her hair, his hot breath making some stray hair fly.

She moaned and tilted her head up, only to gasp when the back of her head fell on the seat of the couch. She had a bit too much to drink tonight. Baekhyun immediately cupped her face and lifted her head a little, worry flooding his body and seeping into his gaze.

"You okay, baby?"

Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She swallowed the dryness in and nodded her head. "Mmhmm," she squeaked. When Baekhyun was just staring at her, his warm breath caressing her cheek, his eyes taking their time to take in her countenance, she murmured, "My present, Baekhyun?"

He grinned at how cute she sounded. He placed her head gently on the couch seat and stood up, a little unsteadily. He held out his hand to her. Without hesitation, she took it and he hauled her up to her feet. The both of them stumbled into his room where he closed the door behind them. He didn't even turn on the lights, except for the dim bedside lamp. He made her sit on his bed. She watched with hazy vision as Baekhyun walked over to his study table and opened the first drawer. He came back with a small drawstring bag.

"That's so small," she whined.

"Yes, but expensive," he grunted. He sat next to her on the bed, their shoulders pressed against each other's. He held the sachet out to her. "Merry Christmas," he whispered.

She took it from him with soft hands. The room was quiet, none of them speaking. He watched with a thumping heart as she pulled on the drawstring bag. She leaned against Baekhyun to steady herself as she held her hand out, emptying the contents of the sachet onto her palm. It was a bracelet. Not just any bracelet— but a bracelet she had mentioned she really liked a month ago. She didn't think he would remember, especially when he had told her it was too pretty for her to wear.

"You remembered," she gasped, looking up at him.

He smiled softly, combing her hair out of her eyes. "Of course I did," he whispered. Then he took the bracelet from her palm. "I'll wear it for you."

She held her wrist out. Baekhyun wrapped the cool chain around her wrist and fastened it after struggling a bit with the alcohol in his system. He trailed his finger along the dangling gemstones. She had to suppress a shiver at the gentleness of his touch.

"I didn't forget your present," she told him softly. Baekhyun looked up at her through his fringe as his finger continued to caress her skin. "I just forgot to bring it, I left it at home... But I got you—"

Baekhyun covered with his free hand. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Give me that present another time," he told her quietly. "But you know what would be the best Christmas present?" She raised an eyebrow. "If you were my girlfriend."

That confession hung in the air just like the mistletoe hanging outside the door. They were staring at each other, her eyes wide while his just penetrating, waiting for her to say something. When he realised that he was still covering , he took his hand away slowly.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" he whispered, his heart racing in his chest, blood rushing in his ears, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

She didn't answer him but instead, leaned forward and crashed her lips on his. Baekhyun couldn't have asked for a better confirmation than that.

They still didn't understand.

"What would you know, you're just an Arts major," she sneered at Baekhyun, eyes narrowed into slits.

Baekhyun snarled. "At least I'm not being purposefully oblivious to things I am aware of."

She groaned in frustration. "Give me my chips!" she snapped.

"No," he countered, throwing the bag of chips across the lawn. She gaped at him. Even more so when the bag bumped the back of a guy's head and Baekhyun yelled, "Keep it!" when he turned back to search for the culprit.

"You son of a !" she hissed before lunging towards him, making him fall back onto the grass.

Chanyeol's girlfriend and Sehun gasped. The four of them watched as the girl straddled Baekhyun in the middle of the campus' south lawn, slapping his arm and biting his shoulder. Baekhyun was cackling.

"They're bad for you!" he reminded her, still chortling with laughter as if her bites and hits were merely just tickles.

"You know how they help me de-stress while studying!" she snapped, sitting up again as she huffed.

Baekhyun was looking up at his girlfriend with a wide grin on his face, his hands on either sides of her hips. "I'll get you healthier options," he promised.

She grunted and slid off him, going back to her notes. "Rude piece of ," she muttered under her breath.

Baekhyun giggled like she had just complimented him. He checked his watch distractedly, only to focus and widen his eyes. He was going to be late for a tutorial. He quickly got his stuff and stood up, which caught his girl's attention. He said goodbyes to his friends before stooping down to his girlfriend who was glaring up at him. He had a gentle hand on her back as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, close to her hairline.

"I'll get you from your last lecture, text me?"

"No."

"Great! See you later," he chirped, grinning at her before pecking her lips.

She groaned loudly. He sniggered as he stood up, bidding goodbyes to his friends once again. The girl sighed and watched with affectionate eyes as her boyfriend walked away from her. She missed his quips already. Distracted by the broadness of Baekhyun's shoulders, she didn't notice the four of her friends glancing at each other with looks that were similar to students who could never understand maths.

They still didn't understand. But they had decided that they didn't really have to. Because as complicated as it seemed, it was also equally as straightforward. Their relationship was special — they loved and hated each other. 

Author's note:

Had to change some details in the last chapter. I really enjoyed writing this, their relationship is so fun LOL I hope they're not too confusing to follow, they're just really being s to each other. Haha. Anyway! I have an announcement! 

So, I am involved in this AFF MAGAZINE thing where we make special issues(?) and the first issue is for Halloween! It will be updated everyday for the upcoming week and my story's already been published (just today). Please check it out if you want to (I wrote something totally not my style so you don't have to read if you don't want to. BUT if you do, please don't be shocked lol) and yeah, I'll see you guys there!! 

AFF MAGAZINE || (HALLOWEEN) Issue No. 1

Till next time
xoxo