On the way back from university, I decide to stop somewhere and buy some food for Baekhyun and I to eat, seeing as I saw very little food choice in his kitchen. I wasn’t prepared to cook, especially not in someone elses house, and who doesn’t have the right materials. I do not know what to buy for us both, so I take my phone out from my pocket and ring the doctor. After a few rings, he picks up.

“All done, doll?” he asks, still sounding as tired as he did when I left him about an hour and a half ago. It wouldn’t surprise me if he went back to sleep.

“Yeah,” I tell him, spotting a chicken restaurant I see down the road. “Should I get some chicken for us to eat?” I mumble distractedly, trying to weave in and out of the people in the bustling city streets.

“Are you paying?” He questions. “I can give you money when you get back.”

“Baekhyun,” I giggle, “I can pay for it. It’s just chicken.” Pushing the door of the restaurant open, I move to stand in the queue. It must be good if there are this many people wanting to eat it already.

“If you’re sure…” he sighs and I scan the menu above the cashiers, taking in the multiple types of chicken and side dishes they sell.

“Honey or garlic chicken, Baek?” I mutter, busy reading the board and deciding what to get. He pauses for a bit at the nickname, but I am side-tracked and barely pay attention to his surprise.

“Your pick, baby. You’re buying,” he says and my heart automatically flutters in my chest at the pet name, no matter how many times I’ve heard it from him. The queue is moving forward and not wanting to be on the phone when I order, I tell Baekhyun I have to go order and that I’ll be back soon, to which he simply hums and hangs up the call with a tap. It is when I am on my way home when I receive another call. This time, my mom. Pushing my phone in between my ear and my shoulder, hands filled with food, I answer the call.

“Hi, darling. Where are you?” my mom’s voice rings out and I realise that I haven’t told her that I won’t be coming home tonight after my lecture.

“I’m staying at a friend’s house tonight, mom. Is that okay?” I ask, weaving through the sea of people. Even though I know I am at an age where I don’t necessarily need to ask my mom for permission for things, I do it anyway. I don’t want my mom to be alone or have something bad happen to her.

“Of course, honey. Your dad came home early today,” she hums. “What friend is it? Sehun? Or one of the girls?”

“A friend, mom,” I stress to her, sighing endearingly at her meddling because I know it is purely out of love.

“That friend?” she breathes out and I know she knows who I mean. From the other end of the line, I hear her let out a light squeal, making me chuckle. It is cute how excited she is for me.

“Have fun,” she teases. “But not too much fun. Stay safe and ring me if you need me, okay?” Her protective side takes over.

“Will do, mommy. You text me too,” I respond and with a love you, the phone call ends.

Before I can even press on Baekhyun’s doorbell, the door swings open and reveals the man stood behind it. He now has glasses perched upon his nose and has changed his previous sweatpants into actual, checkered pyjama pants. His hair looks slightly damp and I presume he has had a shower whilst I was gone. I stare at the circular glasses framing his face, having never seen them before, nor heard about them. Baekhyun notices my look of confusion and chuckles, instead choosing to take the bags of food out of my hand and walking into the kitchen, leaving me stood there. Blinking, I waddle to catch up behind him, letting the door slam shut behind me as I move away. He is in the kitchen, pulling the food out of the bags onto the countertops, leaving them in the box as a replacement for his lack of cutlery.

“What are these?” I flutter a hand in front of my face, as if portraying the new look he has going on. He pauses what he is doing, holding a bottle of cola in the air as he looks at me. I move to sit on the bar stool.

“Glasses,” He says, straight-faced and I scoff. I knew what they are, I just don’t know why. He grins when I raise my brow.

“Since when did you wear glasses?” I question, having never heard this piece of information or seen it.

“I usually have contacts in but my eyes were hurting so I took them out. I only got prescribed them a few months ago, something to do with eye strain or whatever,” he resumes to what he was doing and I frown in understanding, nodding my head.

“I think you look handsome,” I tell him bravely, no longer hiding my inner thoughts. I want him to know how I feel. Plus, who doesn’t like a compliment?

“Thank you, sweetheart. I think you look gorgeous,” he winks and I feel myself warming at his praise. He moves to sit around next to me, but before he sits down, he takes a clean glass for me and pours in the cola that I brought. He is left with no cup to drink from, but it doesn’t seem to bother him, instead twisting the cap back on the drink. He lowers himself onto the seat and nods his head towards to the food, telling me to eat first. I lean forward for the food, not realising that my hair is about to get dirty from it until I feel Baekhyun pulling my hair back from the front of my face. I sit up straight, ch