"Would it really hurt you to take my hand? You won't get electrocuted, alright!", Baekhyun didn't want to fight with her but Taeyeon's stubborn attitude wasn't helping things. She had plainly refused to take his help as they had walked to his car and Baekhyun had been on the edge the whole time she was limping, ready to reach out if she stumbled, but he was surprised at how well she was managing despite her condition.

"I'm fine on my own Baekhyun, really" Taeyeon hated being a bother, especially to this one person who she knew wouldn't stop boasting about it to her for God knows how long. She really didn't want to be in debt to him anymore than she already was. She had messaged Hyuk and asked him to inform the Head Librarian that she would be late today, as they had headed towards the nearest hospital. She had thought that she would be able to manage without treatment for a few more hours till she got off her job but seeing how her foot had started to swell, she didn't want to risk it and had obliged as Baekhyun had announced they were going to get it checked.

Baekhyun got out of the car after parking it near the hospital's building and hurried to her side to offer her a hand but she stubbornly refused again. He really was done with her.

Taeyeon had barely put her managed to put her two feet out of the car, when she realized she really won't be able to stand without help. She tried still, using the car door handle as an anchor, but stumbled immediately. The pain was enough to make tears spring to her eyes and she bit down her lip harder, to take her mind off the pain.

I have had enough! Baekhyun huffed out in anger, feeling something turn inside him looking at her wincing features. He caught her by her waist roughly, put another hand behind her knees, and before she knew it he had picked her up bridal-style, making her shriek in surprise.

"What the hell?! Put me down!", Taeyeon was horrified being up in midair, that too at the mercy of Byun Baekhyun.

Baekhyun kept a straight face as he started walking, ignoring her desperate requests and struggles to free herself. "You want me to throw you down here?" Baekhyun stopped and glared at her. Taeyeon gulped, not liking the idea of falling onto hard concrete one bit as she looked at his agitated features.

"Put me down, I'll take your help now I promise!", Taeyeon pleaded. Baekhyun eyed her skeptically but seeing as how she was serious, he obliged.

Putting her down gingerly, his arm naturally found its way around her waist for support. Taeyeon put her arm around his shoulders reluctantly. Baekhyun was amused seeing her blushing in embarrassment.

 She caught his expressions and narrowed her eyes in irritation. "What?"

"Nothing", Baekhyun's chuckled lightly as he looked away, shaking his head as they started to walk slowly. "You're cute"

“And you’re clearly not,” she snapped.

“Aww, no? You used to say otherwise before”

Taeyeon scowled at him. “How come I don’t remember it?”

“Must be my charm. Makes people forget their own names”

“Yeah, well some people are dumb”

Baekhyun scowled. “Witch!”

“Jerk!”, She countered with the same force, none of them realizing how childish they looked fighting like this.

A name he used to call her ages ago that annoyed her always, popped into his mind. "Taengoooo!"  

"Baekyungieeee!", Taeyeon fired back and they both couldn't help but laugh as they continued walking, Taeyeon balancing herself well now with Baekhyun's help.

They got completely engrossed in their playful argument, lashing at each other with retorts that would put ten-year-olds to shame, forgetting their circumstances and the fact that they weren't friends anymore. Taeyeon almost forgot the pain she was feeling, even laughing with him a few times at the absurdity of some of the remarks they threw at each other.

In their juvenile quarrel they barely noticed they had reached the hospital entrance, and the receptionist gave them strange looks, the sight of two adults lolling their tongues out at each other not something she saw often. They both stopped bantering as Baekhyun opened the glass door with his free hand. The sharp smell of antiseptics brought both of them back to their senses as they approached the reception. Baekhyun had to resist gagging. He never did like hospitals.

"She injured her ankle", Baekhyun told the girl employee, gesturing to Taeyeon and she handed them a form to fill at the same time calling for a wheelchair.

 They were soon taken to the concerned department and ushered into a room. The orthopedist, a male probably in his early thirties, exuded warmth as he introduced himself and strangely reminded Taeyeon of Yixing.

"Your brother here thinks it's a sprain....", Dr. Seokjin looked over the form they had filled.

Brother?! It was the last relationship Baekhyun could think of having with Taeyeon.

"He-he's not my brother", Taeyeon clarified, wondering how the doctor had assumed that, but was still amused seeing the expression on Baekhyun's face.

"Oh sorry...that's what's written here", The doctor looked confused. Baekhyun had left the relationship column empty, since it wasn't compulsory to be filled.

"Maybe the receptionist made a mistake", the doctor said apologetically. Baekhyun sulked. The play boy part of him felt insulted. Do I really give off such a brotherly vibe?

 "Well let's get an X-ray", The doctor announced once he was finished taking a closer look at Taeyeon's foot on the examination table. Once the doctor confirmed it as being a ligament sprain, he started plastering her foot.

"Mr. Baekhyun plz give your girlfriend a hand here will you?", the doctor asked Baekhyun to come towards the examination table as he was having difficulty plastering. Taeyeon kept flinching and retracting despite trying her best not to, every time he tried to put her foot in the right angle.

Baekhyun smirked unconsciously at the word 'girlfriend' as he as he got up. So much better than being her brother....

"Taeyeon I need to tell you something very important", Baekhyun tried to distract her.

She looked up warily. "Right now?"

"Yeah"

"Maybe later Baek, I'm in the middle of something", She had unintentionally called him 'Baek' which made him smile.

"Taeyeon"

She was startled as he took her hand in his and looked up to see him gazing intently at her.

"What do you think you're doing?", Taeyeon's heart raced as she stared at him in incredulity. For some reason, she couldn't find the strength to pull her hand away from his.

Baekhyun smiled mentally, seeing the concern in Taeyeon's distracted eyes. He continued with his acting, maintaining a soft expression. "Taeyeon I have wanted to tell you this for a long time now....."

"What?", Taeyeon barely croaked, feeling go dry under his stare. What is he trying to do?

 "All done!", came the doctor's voice, snapping Taeyeon out of her reverie. Baekhyun clapped, letting go of her hand, and that was when it dawned on her. He was trying to distract me! She looked at her plastered foot and cursed herself for getting swayed by his obviously bad acting.

The doctor quickly wrote down some medicines, giving her two to take then to lessen the pain and instructed her to ice the ankle regularly to reduce swelling and refrain from any activity that might put strain on the injury.

"It should heal completely in 6 weeks but you'll be able to walk without crutches in about 3 weeks, or sooner depending on how well you take care of it. Come see me if there are any problems" The doctor bid them farewell. 6 weeks?! Just what have I gotten myself into? Taeyeon sighed thinking how her immobility was going to be highly problematic especially as she was used to being on her feet all the time.

"Well that went well", Baekhyun said as he helped her into the car after they were done buying the necessities and paying the bill. Taeyeon didn't bother to reply, feeling a little numb.

"So where to?", Baekhyun asked.

Taeyeon sleepily typed in the address of the library into the GPS system of the car before lying back down in the seat. Baekhyun kept to himself as he drove to the location but they had only crossed the first traffic junction when he noticed she had fallen asleep. Taeyeon wasn't one to let her guard down and sleep anywhere, but the medicines and the pain had probably made her drowsy.

Baekhyun stopped the car on the side of the road and for a few minutes just gazed at her taking in her features and felt a strange sense of yearning. She looked so tired, and he wondered how hard she must be working. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, to know how much life had changed, how she was doing but he couldn't. It wasn't his place anymore.

He knew it was no point waking her up so he just decided to take her to her house. He texted Kyungsoo asking the address and Kyungsoo inquired why he was suddenly asking for it.

Me: Just give it. I need to drop off Taeyeon.

D.O.: Why can't you just ask her for it?

Me: Because she's sleeping.

Incoming call from D.O. KYUNGSOO.....

"Baekhyun what did you do?", came Kyungsoo's concerned voice over the phone as soon as he put it to his ear.

"Nothing! Why would you think I did anything?", Baekhyun closed the door softly behind him as he came out of the car to talk, not wanting to wake Taeyeon.

"Then why is she sleeping with you?"

Baekhyun was flabbergasted. "What?! She's not sleeping with me ! She's just sleeping in my car, with an ankle injury. You really need to get a grip on your thoughts D.O. yah!" Why do people think he's the innocent one again?

"Fine, why are you shouting? I was simply asking. How did she end up with an ankle injury and that too with you? She looked perfectly fine at the meeting"

Baekhyun then went on to briefly explain, and after much probing, Kyungsoo finally gave him the address.

"I'll inform Seungwan shii that you're coming" Kyungsoo said as he ended the call.

_

Seungwan paced anxiously in the living room, looking out the window every second for any signs of a car. Kyungsoo had called her, and as if that wasn't enough a surprise, he had told her about the whole Taeyeon-Baekhyun happening.

A car turned into the driveway, which was mostly empty since both their cars were away, one taken by Mrs. Son and the other by Soojung and Yerim. Seungwan rushed out the garage just as a sleepy Sehun emerged from his room, after an evening nap.

"Is she okay?", Seungwan asked as she ran into the garage and Baekhyun walked to Taeyeon's side of the car.

"Yeah, she's fine. It's just a sprain", Baekhyun answered with a smile as he bent into the car to unfasten Taeyeon's seatbelt and lift her up. Taeyeon snuggled into his shoulder and her familiar scent tugged at something inside him, still comforting after all these years.

Seungwan simply directed him to her room which was upstairs, not knowing what else to do as he carried her into the house. She didn't really like Baekhyun, for obvious reasons but seeing as he had been kind enough to take Taeyeon to the hospital and even bring her home, she was starting to have second thoughts. Maybe she had been too prejudiced, having only heard Taeyeon's side of the story and never really known the guy.

Sehun choked on the water he was drinking, startled as he saw Baekhyun take his petite cousin-sister up the stairs bridal style, like she didn't weigh more than a paper.

Baekhyun looked around the room as Seungwan opened the door to it, and gestured to the bed. He settled Taeyeon down lightly on it, trying his best to not shake her out of her slumber. She stirred as he pulled away, and curled his hand into her's, making him halt for a minute. His eyes grazed her features and he instinctively brushed the few strands of auburn hair that had made their way to her face, before pulling away and covering her with the duvet. A smile made its way to his face as he just stood there staring at her sleeping form. He couldn't help but admire how perfect she looked when she wasn't all riled up.

Seungwan wasn't sure whether she should interrupt him by asking anything, seeing how lovingly Baekhyun was gazing at Taeyeon. Could he maybe have feelings for her too?

"What's going on?", The silence in the room was broken by Sehun's husky voice as he looked at the scene in front of him, frowning. Baekhyun broke out of his reverie and turned to hush the guy gesturing to both of them to go out of the room as he followed soon, after a last glance at girl lying on the bed.

Sweet dreams, Taeyeon.

_

"So try that she doesn't move around too much and ices the ankle regularly", Baekhyun instructed the girl and the other boy in the lounge room as he finished relaying the day's events to them.

"Are you sure that's all? You weren't involved in all this in anyway, were you?", Sehun asked his brows knitted, as he suspiciously eyed the guy in front of him.

"Sehun!", Seungwan reprimanded her brother.

Baekhyun couldn't help but smile at the kid's concern. "I wouldn't dare Sehun-ah. I’m scared of her"

Sehun scoffed. "Are you doing aegyo right now?”

"Yeah, I am the best at it. You can ask Taeyeon if you don't believe me", Baekhyun said leisurely, taking a gulp from the mug of water in front of him, hoping Sehun woudn’t actually ask her.

"I am sorry for my brother's behaviour. Thankyou so much for bringing Taeyeon home safe!" Seungwan said gratefully, while Sehun just made a face.

"It's not a problem", Baekhyun smiled as he got up to leave.

"Would you like to stay for dinner? It's almost time", Seungwan offered glancing at the clock. Soojung and Yerim would be back any minute.

And as if on cue, Baekhyun's stomach rumbled, angry at not having been given food since morning. Sehun couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips, and Baekhyun smiled giving a sheepish glance to Seungwan who was suppressing a laugh herself. "If it's not too much trouble"

_

Baekhyun skimmed through his phone as he looked in the bathroom mirror, settling his hair after he had washed his face. He opened the group chat of his friends which they had named what they liked to call themselves back in high school.

Group: EXO

Baeklight: Guess where I am about to dine at..... 😉

ChenChen: Where?

Baeklight: At Kyungsoo's in-laws *wink*

Kyungsoo123: Stop fooling around Baekhyun.

Baeklight: I am serious! I was here to drop off Taeyeon and I was about to leave but Wendy asked me to stay for dinner and I said yes. So hungry....

ChenChen: Tell us you’re joking if you don’t want Kyungsoo to mutilate you in your sleep

Real-PCY: Oh Geez! Baekhyun this very well as well be your last dinner! Eat well!

Baeklight: *rolls eyes*

XiuBao-Zi: Are you serious Baekhyun?

Baeklight: Very *evil smile* I'll take a picture with Sehun aka Kyungsoo's future brother-in-law and send it to you guys if you don't believe me.

ChenChen: The way things are going I think he might become your brother-in-law first 😉

Baeklight: Only in my worst nightmares, not that I have anything against the kid

Real-PCY: Hey now! We know all about your knight in shining armour stunt with Taeyeon sunbae today 😉

Baeklight: Shut Up! D.O. what did you tell them?

Kyungsoo123: Just what I needed to. You didn't check the other group chat?

Baekhyun hurriedly opened the 'Media Society' group only to discover that Suzy had not-so-gingerly announced today's happenings to the world, followed by Kyungsoo explaining a little more sensibly that Taeyeon was okay and Baekhyun had taken her home. Yixing had probably not been online for hours since there weren't any responses from him.

Baekhyun came out of the washroom only to jump at the sight of Sehun standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed, staring at him.

"You scared me!", Baekhyun complained as he wiped the water from his face with a tissue.

"You took your sweet time, dinner's almost ready", Sehun announced as he walked towards the couch in his room, and slouched down.

Baekhyun walked to the dressing mirror placed in the room and began scanning through the skin products placed there before holding up a moisturizer, fighting back laughter.

"Dude, you use baby lotion?", Baekhyun couldn't help chuckling.

"Yeah - what do you think you're doing?", Sehun finally noticed the guy going through his things like they were his own.

"No wonder you smell like a baby too", Baekhyun muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just borrowing your lotion, you don't mind do you?"

"Will you not use it if I tell you not to?", Sehun asked.

"No", Baekhyun flashed him a grin before turning back to using it. Sehun picked up his game console, plugging in the LCD screen as he sat down to play. Baekhyun joined him a minute later. They played on, fighting uselessly over cheats, cackling loudly and banging each others head with consoles like they were gaming together for the first time.

"Dinner's ready", Yerim announced through the half open door, interrupting their fifth attempt of the same game with both having sworn to play it fairly this time, but only ending up with Baekhyun taking the lead and Sehun resorting to physical measures in an attempt to win. Yerim's interruption startled Sehun, resulting in him dropping his console and by the time he got a grip on it, Baekhyun was already fist pumping on his victory.

"I was about to win!", Sehun shot Yerim an angry look, who just made a face. "Sorry", She shrugged unapologetically.

"Hi Yeri! Let's go!", Baekhyun straightened up to leave and then looked at Sehun who was shooting him daggers with his eyes, not planning to move.

"Hi Baekhyun Oppa", Yerim smiled. "Let's go. Sehun, you can come if you want....or not"

"I wouldn't miss it", Sehun replied sarcastically, getting up. "Seeing as you might blow up after eating all the food if I don't participate. We don't want that now do we?"

"Shut up you no good piece of !" Yerim snapped at him, not quite sure how the curse word had made its way to her tongue. Sehun gasped dramatically as his eyes found Soojung, who was in the process of putting utensils on the table. "Did you hear that, noona? She just cursed at me! We really owe to put some reins on her!"

Yerim smacked his arm. "Stop acting like a saint! You want to me to tell them what I caught you watching last night?"

"What?!", Sehun was incredulous. Baekhyun couldn't help but chuckle as he took a seat, seeing the two quarrel. He sneaked out his phone and started making a video, at which Soojung gave him a thumbs up.

"It was , wasn't it?"

Sehun gaped, horrified at the accusation. "It was not! Stop lying!", Sehun looked towards the others for help, his eyes meeting his sister's who was now eyeing him dubiously as she put down the side dishes on the table.

"Then why did you get all startled and turn your laptop off when I entered the room?"

"Because!" Sehun didn't know what to say in his defense, he had actually been watching some old videos of them (back from when the Yerim and Soojung had just moved into the house) and Yerim had happened to barge into his room right when he was smiling like an idiot while watching them. He had been so flustered and hurriedly turned everything off.

"I don't owe you an explanation!", Sehun hissed before sitting down in his seat.

"See" Yerim said smugly before settling herself.

"Don't mind them! Let's eat", Seungwan sat down at the head of the table.

--------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: So no comments? *insert Baekhyun pouting emoji*

Thankyou for reading!