"Okay, what are you trying to get out of me?" Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at your outstretched hands, bearing a so-called innocent gift of candy.
     "What? Nothing! I just picked a little something up for you while I was at the store," you defended yourself.
     "You never just 'pick a little something up' for me. Unless you're trying to get something out of me." Baekhyun's suspicious gaze didn't falter.
     You dropped your hands to your sides, looking away with an offended air. "Geez, I can't even give my own friend a present without being suspected of ulterior motives!" 
     Sighing, Baekhyun grabbed the package of Skittles out of your hand and grinned. "You can't fool me. You want something. Spill it." He tore the package open and poured some of the colorful candies into his mouth, chewing smugly.
     Realizing that there was no point in trying to keep up the "innocent" act, you flopped down on his bed and groaned in resignation. Ok, humiliation time.          "Okay, fine, you're right," you muttered, not meeting his eyes.
     "I knew it!" Baekhyun crowed, pointing an accusatory finger in your direction. "You're bribing me. Now, tell me what it is!" He sat on the floor, folding his hands and looking at you expectantly in the most annoying way possible.
     "I- I..." you stammered, trying to think of how to word it so it seemed perfectly normal and acceptable.
     "What?" Baekhyun scooched closer, putting his face in his hands and smiling cheekily. "This has got to be good."
     Taking a deep breath, you finally said it all at once: "Ineedyoutobemyfakeboyfriend." Wincing, you pulled a pillow over your head.
     His eyes shot wide open, staring at you. "Your what?"
     Groaning again, you pulled the pillow off of your head but didn't look him in the eye. "I need you to be my fake boyfriend. Just for one day. My mom kept nagging me to let her set me up with people, so I told her I had a boyfriend, and so when Minah invited us to her wedding my mom told me that I should invite him, and I couldn't think of a lie in time so I'm stuck and if she finds out I lied she'll never let me hear the end of it!" 
     Hearing nothing from Baekhyun, you chanced a peek at him to try and gauge his reaction.
     He wasn't looking at you. He was looking at the wall, his brow furrowed. Finally, he turned to you. "Can't you ask someone else?"
     "I caaan't!" you wailed in despair. "My mom hates Chen because she thinks he's a weird ert, and Chanyeol's too loud and smiley, no one would believe me!" Seeing his stony expression, you tried switching tactics. "And I wouldn't have to be embarrassed if it was you because you can just be all cute and charming and my parents already like you. And I'll buy you coffee every day for a week! Two weeks! Please?" you entreated, beginning to wish you hadn't asked him for such a weird favor.
     "Fine," he finally agreed, and your head popped up in shock. "But make it a month. And remember I like extra whipped cream!" he added in a singsong voice, his cheerful self reappearing like lightning.
     "Really?" Your eyes lit up with hope, and Baekhyun couldn't have said no to that face if he tried. He nodded, smiling crookedly.
     "Thank you!" You squealed, tackling him in a tight hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou, I owe you big time! Thank you so much. I promise I'll totally repay you!" 
     "You're welcome," he mumbled, his ears turning pink.

                                                                                                                                                        ***
     You sat heavily down next to Baekhyun at the long, elegantly set table, rolling your eyes at the cheesy music playing at the reception. "My feet hurt," you complained, taking off your high heels from hell, clearly sent up as a gift from Satan to punish you for trying to lie about your height. Maybe lying just shouldn't be your thing.
     "Where are your parents?" inquired Baekhyun curiously, peering around the room. "I thought they would've come and said 'hi' at least by now."
     "I dunno," you grumbled, rubbing your sore feet. "They'll turn up soon enough, though. I saw my mom staring at us during the ceremony. She probably thought I was lying."
     "You were," Baekhyun pointed out.
     "Well, she didn't know that!"
     Laughing, Baekhyun handed you a fork. "Eat. You'll feel better."
     Begrudgingly accepting the utensil from him, you impaled a strawberry with it and popped it into your mouth. Suddenly, Baekhyun wrapped his arm around your shoulder and you almost choked. "Here, try the melon," he whispered into your ear, his hot breath tickling your neck. He poked a bite of canteloupe to your lips, which opened automatically and allowed him to feed you. 
     You stared at him with wide eyes as you chewed, trying to shrug his arm off your shoulder but it stayed securely where it was. His hand squeezed your shoulder and he leaned in again to breathe, "They can see us."
     Trying to appear inconspicuous, you darted your eyes around to try and locate them. "Where?" you whispered frantically.
     "Stop looking around, you're being too obvious. They're behind you, I saw them sit down a minute ago.
     Suddenly comprehending the situation, you nodded slightly and stopped trying to look for them. "The cake is really good, Baekhyunnie. Try some!" you said slightly louder than usual, and scooped up a bite to feed to him. 
     His eyes laughing, he opened his mouth obediently and you fed him the bite. "Oh my god." Baekhyun slumped back in his chair.
     "What? Are they coming?" you panicked, but Baekhyun shook his head. 
     "This cake is the best thing I've ever eaten in my life," he groaned, rolling his eyes to the heavens. "Seriously, try it." He sidled up to you and offered up his fork, wobbling with the load of a giant bite of cake.
     "Baekhyun, that is a ridiculously sized bite. Are you trying to kill me?" you said under your breath, but he persisted. 
     "You have to get a bite with the cake, and the frosting, and the filling," he whined, moving it closer to your mouth. "It's sooo good. Trust me."
     Finally, you allowed him to feed you, his wobbling forkful smearing frosting on your face (which you had a sneaking suspicion was intentional). You took no more notice of this, however, because you suddenly had a mouthful of the most delicious ambrosia ever handed down to you by the gods on Mt. Olympus. It was a rich chocolate cake with raspberry filling and fudge frosting, and the flavors sang to you with the sweet chorus of the heavens.
     Baekhyun took one look at the expression on your face and cracked up. "I told you it was amazing," he said between giggles. "Plus, you look like a chipmunk with you mouth crammed full of cake like that."
     It was his own fault for giving you too big of a bit, but unable to scold him with your mouth full of cake, you settled for whacking him upside the head. This only made him laugh harder.
     Finally swallowing, you narrowed your eyes at him. "Okay, then, let's see how you like it." 
     Obligingly opening his mouth, Baekhyun patiently awaited turn to be fed cake. Instead, however, you took the lemon slice from your drink and poked it into his mouth. His eyes widened in shock, and you went into a fit of silent hysterics as you watched his face instantly pucker up from the unexpected sourness. He glared at you, betrayed, and you almost fell out of your chair from laughter. "You look-- so-- cute," you gasped between fits of giggles. 
     "Oh, really?" he smirked, and leaned in like he was about to kiss you. "Come here, then."
     "No, thanks, Lemon Breath. I'd rather kiss you when your mouth wasn't more sour than my dad's attitude about parking meters," you joked, but Baekhyun only smirked more and wiggled his eyebrows.
     "So you're saying ordinarily you would want to kiss me?"
     "W-what? That's not- I didn't-" you stammered, trapped by your thoughtless phrasing.
     "You LIKE me, don't you?" 
     "I didn't say that! Stop giving me that creepy face," you ordered him, but to no avail.
     "You love me, don't you? Admit it, you know you can't fight these feelings any longer."
     "St-stop saying that, pabo! You're being ridiculous."
     "Do you have any idea how red your face is getting?" Baekhyun laughed, and ruffled your hair. "Aigo, my jagi is shy about her feelings."
     "Shut up!" you whined, covering your face in your hands.
     "Shh, it's okay, you don't have to hide it. Don't worry, I like you too!" He shot you a wink, and you hit him again.
     "Can't keep your hands off me, can you?" he teased, and by this point you were willing to do anything to shut him up. "Should we take this somewh--" Baekhyun was suddenly cut off by your lips pressed against his. His eyes widened, and then fluttered shut as he began to move his mouth against yours. His hand raised slowly to your jaw, and angled it so he could kiss you more deeply. 
     The spell was finally broken when an old aunt cleared , and the both of you separated instantly to see several people looking disapprovingly in your direction, some of them shaking their heads and muttering not-so-quietly about "young people these days". Your cheeks colored instantly. What had you just done?
     "Um, sorry," you mumbled awkwardly, but Baekhyun just looked stunned. Stumbling to your feet, you fled the scene. 

     You failed to notice that your parents certainly hadn't been sitting anywhere near you.

     Quickly coming to his senses, Baekhyun leapt out of his chair to go after you. "W-wait!" he called as he maneuvered around chairs and unruly children. Finally catching up to you near the exit, he caught your arm before you could leave. "Please don't go," he begged, and you were caught off guard by his seriousness.
     "I'm sorry." You refused to turn to face him.
     "No, don't be sorry. Please don't be sorry." He tugged at your wrist, but you pulled it away.
     "But I- I don't know what came over me, and- I just- I made everything awkward and probably wrecked our friendship and-" you rambled on, and finally Baekhyun grabbed your shoulders and forced you to turn around. You gasped at how close he was, and still didn't meet his eyes.
     "Hey. Look at me." 
     Timidly, you raised your eyes to his, and were shocked by the way he was looking at you. His eyes were so... gentle. You'd never seen this look on him before. It kind of scared you, seeing him gaze at you like that, like you were the most important thing in the world. "Baekhyun," you began, but he interrupted you.
     "Let's go out."
     "Ha-ha. This is seriously not a good time to be teasing me, Baekhyun." You tried to turn again, but he wasn't letting you go that easily. 
     "I'm not. Let's go out. You owe me coffee, remember?" He smiled, and you couldn't hold back a small smile in return. At this, he beamed. "Come on, let's go," Baekhyun said, and kissed you on the cheek before he pushed open the exit, holding out his hand to you.
     For a moment, you stood still, agape, but hesitantly you slipped your hand into his. His warm hand squeezed yours reassuringly, and together you left for coffee. 
     Of course, Baekhyun wasn't actually going to let you pay. But then, he was a better liar than you were. After all, your parents had to leave directly after the ceremony, and never did attend the reception.