Baekhyun was closely watching the direction of the restrooms, waiting for the three friends to finish their female powder room rituals. It has been a good 10 minutes already, isn’t that too long for a comfort break? But then again he wouldn’t know since he’s not a woman. Men literally just use the restroom to pee or take a dump. God knows what women do in there.

“So you finally made Yanmei say yes to your ugly , huh?”

Chanyeol chaffs, making Jongdae slightly choke on his champagne.

“That was mean, Chanyeol,” Hyerin interjects as Kyungsoo chokes on his Champagne as well, suppressing a laugh at what Chanyeol said.

“Ugly? Have you looked in the mirror lately, Chanyeol? I have a girlfriend, you’re single. Who’s the ugly one here?”

Jongdae whines.

“Be honest with us, Doc. Who is the most handsome one among the nine of us?”

Chanyeol pointed his Champagne flute to Hyerin’s direction.

“Hmm, let me see…”

Hyerin pretends to think deep, rubbing her chin as she looks around the table.

“I think the most handsome is Kyungsoo.”

“That’s unfair, he’s your fiancé!”

Now it was Chanyeol’s turn to whine. Just as Baekhyun was listening to the nonstop bantering of his friends, he saw Hisako storms out the restroom area, wiping her face with the back of her palm, running off to the direction of the balcony of the ballroom.

“Was that Hisa—”

Seconds later, it was you and Yanmei who finally went out the restroom, you’re escorting Yanmei as she hiccups slightly. As the two of you are nearing the table, Baekhyun and Jongdae are staring intently at how red Yanmei’s cheeks, nose and the rim of her eyes.

“What happened?”

The concern in Jongdae’s eyes are obvious, but he’s glued to his seat with shock.

“Chanyeol, please follow Hisako wherever she went. Just promise me you’ll take care of her tonight.”

Chanyeol stood up immediately and nodded at you without hesitation. He ran the path of the balcony as fast as his feet can take him. You sat Yanmei on her chair next to Jongdae and she buries her face in his suited chest straightaway, making Jongdae wrap his arms around her protectively without another question.

“Can we please go somewhere, I suddenly feel like .”

Yanmei’s voice was muffled by Jongdae’s clothes, but you still heard it.

“Let’s go to my suite, baby. Okay?”

Yanmei nodded her head with vigor, eager to get away from a lot of people as fast as possible.

“Can you explain to Minseok Hyung if he asks of my whereabouts?”

He asked no one in particular, the whole table chorus with yeses and of course.

“What happened?”

Baekhyun finally asks once Jongdae and Yanmei are out of earshot, the people around the table looking at you intently as they wait for the answer.

“Hisa and Mei-mei kind of argue about something really stupid, just as usual. I’m sure they’ll be back to playful teasings and banters by tomorrow.”

You assured all of them and they bought your lie except for Baekhyun. He knows you’re not telling the truth by the way you smile so nervously. When the people on your table went back to their normal conversation, Baekhyun gingerly takes your hand in his and caresses the skin to get your attention.

“The dance floor is open, wanna dance?”

“Sure.”

You agreed, sensing that he wants to talk.”

Baekhyun twined his fingers with yours, palm to palm. You stood up synchronously from your respective chairs and apologize to the people you touch shoulders with as you make your way to the semi-crowded dance floor hand in hand with Baekhyun. The tight grip he has on your hand and the gentle way he was tugging you is contradicting, but it peculiarly and amazingly works together. And the tiny knots that are starting to play inside your stomach doesn’t help the way you’re walking with your new pumps, so you let him lead you to the middle of the dance floor.

Finally, Baekhyun stops on his stride to face you. He wraps his right arm around your waist and pulls you closer to him. A tiny squeak reverberates inside your throat, hoping to the heavens above that he didn’t hear it. The music was loud, so hopefully, he didn’t notice that. With his free hand, he tucks a strand of curly hair behind your right ear, cupping your jaw inside his palm and kisses your cheeks tenderly. You slid both your arms smoothly under his to anchor your hands around his waist.

“Are you okay?”

He asks as he starts rocking you gently to the instrumental version of 4men’s Baby Baby that a pianist of the band was playing.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

You counter.

“I know it being the middleman of 2 friends fighting.”

“You and your friends, doesn’t seem like you guys argue ever.”

“You’re right, but it happened once. Between Minseok Hyung and Seungmin Hyung.”

You tighten your grip on Baekhyun with the mention of your brother’s name.

“R—really?”

“Yeah. It was the time Jongdae, Chanyeol and I entered Uni. We went to their shared apartment in the same condo building as ours after settling in. We found their door unlocked and they were shouting at each other, Minseok Hyung a drunken mess.”

Baekhyun paused to give a light and gratuitous peck on the skin where your neck and shoulders meet.

“Why were they— why were they arguing?”

You try your best to speak as clearly as you can, not giving any hints that what he was mindlessly doing is affecting you tremendously. His kiss left a burning feeling on your skin at its aftermath, causing you to shiver minuscully. Baekhyun draws circles on the small of your back with the thumb of his hand that was holding you from your waist and you close your eyes slowly with the comfort.

“That time, Minseok Hyung was going through his mother’s passing and alcohol problems. Seungmin Hyung was disappointed that Minseok Hyung turns to drinking instead of him, his own best friend.”

Baekhyun pauses again to twirl you around slightly.

“Jongdae and Chanyeol being the es that they were, took sides. Jongdae with his cousin, of course, and Chanyeol with Seungmin Hyung.”

“Understandable, but go on.”

“I didn’t wanna favor any of them, so I ask for each side’s story and feelings regarding their issue. It wasn’t easy but I eventually got them talking again.”

“I didn’t know my brother is capable of being disappointed at someone else. He has always been a considerate and patient brother. I can only wish I have a sliver of his kindness.”

You sigh.

“Seungmin Hyung’s disappointment was for Minseok Hyung’s sake. He was worried about him.”

“I wish Seungmin Oppa didn’t have to go away.”

“Me too, Soojinnie. It was three years ago since he drifted apart from the group. He went completely weird and unresponsive for a whole year because of the pressure of being the next CEO. And then the next year, he ran away with a maid who he said he fell in love with.”

You hear Baekhyun sigh as well, as he remembers the friendship he has with your brother that sunders slowly with the burden of the society you all belong to. Your brother was very vocal to you ever since childhood about his wishes of being born into a normal family, instead of the one you both share. Before your exile, it was always jarring for you knowing your brother is your father’s number one cynic. But after the old man kicked you out of your home into another country made you the second person to hate him a lot.

The voice of the emcee woke you up from your thoughts as he announces that it was time for the real party. The music suddenly becomes lively and the people went crazy as they start to dance like they have no class. Thankfully the crowd on the dance floor were near your age and the elders are either just sitting in their places or are scattered around the venue. Some drunk already and some are pretending to like each other because they didn’t want to ruin the wedding atmosphere.

“Wanna go back to my suite?”

Baekhyun offers.

“No, not right now. We need to stay for Minseok Oppa. Besides, it’s still too early to leave.”

You decline and Baekhyun nods in understanding. You know in the back of your mind that whatever happens in that suite, alone with Byun Baekhyun, you wouldn’t be able to refuse and say no. You know to yourself that because of your frustrations with him and his constant changes, is slowly making your heart and mind clouded. Hisako maybe right about you slowly falling for the enemy. You aren’t sure anymore if he’s an enemy because your relationship with each other is actually getting better than how it originally was.

Baekhyun leads you back to your table and all the people in there are gone.

“I need to talk to somebody from our board of directors, do you want to come with me or just sit here? I promise I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll stay Baekhyun, go do your thing. My feet hurt because of these shoes anyway.”

“Do you want anything before I go?”

“No. There are butlers everywhere, I can call for one if I needed a drink.”

You smile up at him when he pulls out a chair for you to sit on.

“Okay, It’ll be really quick. I promise. Don’t talk to strangers.”

He jokes and left. As you were about to go touch your aching feet, Baekhyun was back shortly after and quickly kisses your cheeks before he left you alone again. The gesture made you smile wide and you touch the skin where Baekhyun kissed with your fingers.

“Champagne, miss?”

A stoic butler suddenly infiltrates, holding a big round tray of crystal flutes full of Champagne.

“Yes please…”

The butler gently puts one down in front of you and almost turn the other way to serve some other guests, but he stopped when you called for him.

“Excuse me, can you leave three more glasses for my boyfr— date.”

You almost said boyfriend, but changed your mind the last second and said date instead.

“Sure, miss.”

~~~

“Are you finally willing to talk to me?”

“Leave me alone, Chanyeol.”

Hisako swats Chanyeol’s hand from her shoulder again for the umpteenth time since she ran away from her friends and went out to this balcony two hours ago. He has been with her since that time, she was just going to ignore him but Chanyeol keeps on insisting questions her way.

“Hisa, I’m your date for tonight, I cannot leave you alone.”

Chanyeol sighs his patience almost out now. If only he didn't promise to Soojin, he’d be enjoying the party by now.

“Chanyeol we’re not friends, why are you doing this?”

He was a little hurt by what she said, but the break in her small voice convinced him that she really needs someone to listen to her right now.

“I’m hurt, Hisa. I thought we were best friends already.”

He jokes with a slight smirk on his lips. Hisako looks up at him, her face is rid of makeup by now and eyes still leaking with tears. How can anyone cry for two hours straight? Isn’t she dehydrated by now? He thought to himself.

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now, Chanyeol. Just go away, I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone for that matter. I just want to be alone.”

“I can’t leave you alone. I can’t leave you alone looking like that. I would look like a jerk if I did.”

Chanyeol plucks a handkerchief from his suits inside chest pocket and hands it to Hisako. She looks at the -colored handkerchief that matches his suit as her tears still continue to flow freely.

“Take it. Just take it, Hisako. It won’t kill you.”

Hisako didn’t budge so Chanyeol has to grab her wrist and push the wiping cloth into her open palm. Hisako hesitated for a few seconds but eventually grips it inside her palms.

“Wipe your nose, there’s a booger.”

Chanyeol clicks his tongue as he takes a seat beside her. Hisako’s hand urgently fly to her face and wipe her nose and was disappointed to find out that there was no booger.

“You , Chanyeol!!!”

Hisako whines like a lost child and more tears fell from her eyes. Chanyeol panics and embraced Hisako to covered with both his hands.

“Yah! If someone comes out here, they might think I made you cry!!!”

Hisako keeps wailing and