Ff

Feeling extremely embarrassed to her sister and mostly to Baekhyun, Dahee couldn’t help but to be automatically down due to unexpected question. Her head remained low, fingers fidgeting as she was hoping that Han will just let it passed and stop asking such question.

Han— she will eventually understand why she lied. The fact that her younger sister was the one who push her to have a boyfriend; and insisted that Dahee will need one; it is understandable if she confess to her that Baekhyun is just a play. But when she take a glance on the boy, and how his expression showing empathy on her— Dahee lost it.

If words can describe how she felt right now, Dahee would have a long list to begin with. At that moment she couldn’t think much but to think that all she planned was purely out of desperation and the fact that she used her crush (who didn’t return her feelings) sum up the whole situation. Dahee was just being too pathetic.

But when Baekhyun decided to broke the silence after few minutes with, “We are together” She know that he always the kind Byun Baekhyun that she know.

“We argue a lot but at the end of it we will make it up again” To more of her surprise, he took her hand with his free hand and intertwined it together. Baekhyun didn’t forget to squeeze it a bit as a reassurances that he will get it control as he nodded slowly.

Politely, Baekhyun then ask for Han permission if he can bring her sister out for a while and drop her at the hotel. It wasn’t that convincing as Han had known her sister for all of her life and she swear that her sister gloomy expression means something. But she shrugged it off and agreed to leave them both. Plus, Han do trust Baekhyun to take care of her sister.

He then drove both them to the nearest park. Even when Dahee did nothing except being all quiet and totally avoiding his gaze, Baekhyun think this at least can help her to calm. He didn’t understand the sudden changes in her but at the same time seems to understand why she acted like that.

“Feeling better?” After almost 5 minutes of Dahee do nothing but to keep sighing, Baekhyun finally spoke.

“Yes, but maybe no” She replied expressionless. “I don’t know anymore. I’m embarrassed Baekhyun”

“Why?” He asked.

“Because,” She paused. “I shouldn’t ask you to be my fake boyfriend. Or maybe I shouldn’t have a crush on you at the first place”

“We agreed that we will do this together, aren’t we? Why are you feeling so down?” He asked again as if she talked nonsense.

Dahee tilted her head and look at him, “Tell me Byun, don’t you think that I’m so desperate, pathetic?”

“Because I think I am” She replied to her own question even before Baekhyun able to speak up.

Baekhyun blink once, then he blink his eyes again. As if he met with another different person in his life, he never thought that someone that so cheerful, bubbly, confident is loathing herself. She was too occupied with a negative thought that she played all over her mind.

To be honest, Dahee was far from what she described. Baekhyun was so puzzled and somehow mad when she said that she was one of those pathetic and desperate girl that was chasing his attention. Knowing himself, Baekhyun probably wouldn’t agree with the whole thing if he regard Dahee as someone like that.

It also eye opening for him; that despite how brave she was with her confession towards him, Dahee still have the insecurities as her love was not reciprocated. It must be hard from her side too, she could possibly thinks if he hates all the action that she made to get his attention, she could possibly thinks what will be public reaction towards her, how students in uni thinks about her. It wasn’t that easy to be this brave.

Baekhyun sighs. When someone is crying, of course, the right thing to do is to comfort them. But in this case, if Dahee is trying to hide her tears, it may also be right to pretend that he do not notice them.

He stand up from the bench at leaving her alone, with that, she concluded that he really thought that she was a nuisance and this could be a right time that he will leave her and get back off from the whole act. Dahee do expect that from him, but at the same time she felt so upset that he actually left him alone at this park with her state like that.

But then, he returned. Byun Baekhyun returns back with two ice cream on his hand. He took the chocolate one and give her the vanilla flavour, “This is for you, Dahee”

“What is this for?” She asked, confused with his gestures.

“Technically, I’m still in our deal to be your fake boyfriend, so I was trying to be ‘soft’ and be a good date here” Baekhyun proudly said.

“Tsk” She smiles. “Thank you, Baek”

“Most welcome,” He replied. “But—“ He then flicked her forehead two times.

“Auch! What is that for!” As she rubbed her forehead.

“That is for you,” He chuckles. “To wake up from this nightmare and be yourself again”

Puzzled with Baekhyun words, she asked further explanation. “What do you mean?”

“I told you previously, I want you to be your usual confident, bold and crazy self” Baekhyun smiles.

“Even when all I will do is chasing you around? You prefer that Baekhyun?” She asked again. “I’m asking you the same question again, Baek. So please made up your mind”

“That is your charm and yes, I will prefer that version of Byul Dahee”

•

Last day of Han stay at Seoul were filled with another dates with Dahee and her boyfriend, Byun Baekhyun. She has asked his help for two days and Baekhyun willingly to fulfill his promise to be her fake boyfriend for the sake of her sister. Plus, he seems blend well with Han and secretly declared that they are now best buddies.

Baekhyun took them to Hongdae street as Han going to do some shopping before going back to Jeju the next day. Luckily, Han still believes that both of them are still together despite the fight that occur among them along Han stay in Seoul. Han said she wasn’t surprised too as so far, nobody able to handle her sister tantrums well (she lowkey glad how Baekhyun have the similar traits with her sister yet able to cool her down).

Han always wanted to come to Hongdae to experience the night life that she always see in tv, she even compared the busy city of Seoul with the calmness of Jeju Island. She loves the city so much, but her parents prefer to stay at Jeju more. Han even promised to her sister that she will study hard and get a placement at Seoul university just like Dahee did.

Hongdae is always busy during night time and the fact that they went there during weekends make it more worst. It was full, crowded and too loud with the street performances. Dahee wasn’t a fan of crowded places and so as Baekhyun. But when Han seems so excited to see all the street performances, they just go with it.

Along their way to stroll the place, Dahee will make sure that she will stay close to Baekhyun and following Han from behind. They were close, walking side by side but not yet to the phase where they will holding hand. Dahee knows her limit despite that Baekhyun already informed her earlier that it is okay if they do some skinship to convince Han.

Dahee was too focused on the sight of a group of boys dancing to her favourite song on the roadside that she didn’t notice that Baekhyun has stopped walking and bumped into his back. “Auch! Ah— sorry!” She said and leaning backward to provide some space between them.

“Stay close” Baekhyun said. His gaze are serious and void no jokes. It is understandable as the place were so full with people. But the next thing he asked shocked her even more, “Hold my hand, Dahee”

She blinks but still have her eyes on his hand, “Baek—“

“I’m serious here, Dahee” He still have the same offer opened for her. “I thought you are so dying to have this opportunity, isn’t?” He teased.

“No! I wasn’t!” Dahee furiously stormed her feet off and cross her arms on her chest as a sign of protest. “It’s not needed to hold your hand, Mr Baekhyun” Of course due to her pride Dahee have to lied.

“Surely you want to oppose the idea of your boyfriend wanted to hold a hand with you and yeah let your sister doubt our relationship and then let her teacher back in your hometown to—“ And being the nasty Baekhyun, he had to use the card as to threatened her.

“Fine! Baekhyun— you!” Dahee swear that Baekhyun that purposely do her dirty like this.

“You like this aren’t you Byul Dahee? Your ultimate crush offering to hold his pretty hand with you. I bet you will go haywire and dream about me tonight?”

She pinched him playfully, “I hate that you are my crush Baekhyun”

Finally, she laugh. Genuine and normal sounding. And then her fake date says the best thing that he could possibly say, “It’s okay. I haven’t been on one of these dates in a while either. Let’s enjoy this shall we”

Dahee smile triples in size while Baekhyun grins. “Just give me your hand”

“Pardon me Baekhyun?”

“Your hand,” he repeats. “Give it to me”

She then extend her shaking left hand. And in a moment that is seems like dreams come true; Byun Baekhyun reach out for her hand. A staggering shock of energy shoots straight into her veins and straight into Dahee heart.

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

“There—” he says. “I knew that you have been waiting a long time to do that. Ah! I think I am good boyfriend now”

Baekhyun laces their fingers and shrugs. And Dahee is dead. She is actually dead. There’s no other way to explain it. She was walking in the crowd of Hongdae, holding hands with the most handsome boy she ever had a crush on, and she’s dead. And now isn’t working either. It's like she was stunned into silence. That never happens.

“See, i told you that you enjoyed this” He motion it to their linked fingers. “Should I charge you extra for this?”

“Byun Baekhyun,” Dahee warned him. “Just. Shut. Up”

She was blushing so bad, as red as tomato as what Baekhyun about. But when he still hold her hand for another 45 minutes, the feeling turns to a some sort of calming and for the first time after so long, she can feel the protections from him.

Baekhyun didn’t utter any words right after that but when he squeezed their linked fingers together when they walked through a crowd, she knew that is another way of him saying that he will be there for her. It could be her imagination all along when she received such a rare moments with her ultimate crush, but she can feel it how good Baekhyun will be if one day he becomes her boyfriend. She is in love again, if that possible (she already been in love with the same guy previously).

Their last stop of the night will be the desert cafe than Han always wanted to try. Luckily that Dahee have the same interest in exploring pretty and cute cafe that is so insta-worthy, she didn’t mind to hop along for cafe-venture. But for Baekhyun, he do feel like he was a third wheeling for the sisters date.

He worked as a barista, he made a good coffee and he wonder why all those people end up going to such cafe that only looks pretty and cute with its decoration instead of serving a good coffee. Nevertheless, he don’t want to be a party pooper and ruined the excitement of the sisters when they found a cute all pink cafe located at the corner of building.

It surprised him more when the sisters ordered few flavours of cakes that he was so sure they won’t be able to finished it. When he asked her if she really can eat it, Dahee said, “You are here Baekhyun, you can help us to eat the cakes”

Baekhyun facepalmed.

In the middle of it, Dahee excuse herself to get her parents favourite Ben’s Cookies from the opposite store. It such a heartwarming to see how she still remember what her parents favourite even though she lived in far from their family. Baekhyun thought that Dahee indeed a good sister and daughter for her family.

When he only left with Han, Baekhyun tried to prompt her with some questions to ease the awkwardness between them two. “Han, do you mind if I ask you few thing?“ He hesitating, but he think that he really need to ask.

“Yeah“ Han had her eyebrows raised due to sudden question. But nevertheless, she still go with that. “What is that?”

“Why are you so eager to see your sister to have a boyfriend?” Finally, Baekhyun able to spit it out. He hopes that the high school girl would understand him. “And to match making her with another person some more”

Han had her fingers tapped on the table, only to answer him after a minute passed. “She is a uni student, and I guess every girl in their uni phase should at least have a boyfriend right?” For her answer itself, Baekhyun boldly assume that maybe, she just not mature yet.

But then just like her sister, Han did surprised him when she said, “She is all alone in this big city, Baekhyun. Her family are not with her to support her, cherish her or even lend her a shoulder when she is down. I love my sister a lot,” She paused.

“Dahee is so precious to me, so I worried a lot about her. Living all alone, would she be okay? I just think that if she have a boyfriend, she can have someone for her— that will tell her that she is doing good”

“She is” Baekhyun then interrupted. “We all know that Dahee is such a lovely girl, she is so smart, independent and a bubbly person” He then add on, “She don’t need anyone to tell her that; everyone can see it that she already do good with her life”

“What about you then?” Han suddenly point the question to him again. “What do you think about your girlfriend, Baekhyun?”

“She always make me speechless, surprised me with her unexpected characters every time” Unknowingly he smiles when her image suddenly popped up in his mind. “But she is, Dahee is just Dahee— she is amazing“

“And crazy. She is”

•

Time passed so quickly this year that all of sudden they are approaching the end of the semester. That would be mean that Dahee will only have few weeks that she can shared the Computer Art class with Baekhyun before he complete his bachelor degree.

As she aware that she will have a limited time to feast on Baekhyun good looking visual, she would make sure that she use her time in the uni to wonder around the faculty for the possibilities of accidentally-bumping into him during intervals of their classes.

Well, with mostly she waited for him in front of his class (she already remember his class schedule is) or a beautiful coincidence, as what she said when they bumped into each other at library or other uni facilities. It’s all Baekhyun fault when he allows her to crush on him— she will ace it obviously.

10 minutes before Computer Art class started, Dahee already waiting outside the lecture hall to be ready and book her seat as soon as it’s open. It’s always like a hunger game when it comes to pick a seat in that class. Dahee need to be hurry, firstly, she wants a good seat. Secondly, she want a seat near to Baekhyun, if possible.

That is when as soon as the previous class done, she will rushing to the Art class as fast as she can. Upon entering the lecture hall, she already spotted Baekhyun and his friends at the back seat of the hall. If she lucky, Jongin and Jongdae will spare a seat for her sit beside Baekhyun. But if she was unlucky like today, she have to sit beside a smelly-nerd boy that everyone wanted to avoid with.

“Jongin!” She whined while eyeing three of them. They were seated just above of her seat. Baekhyun was at the end of row, laughing at her.

“Sorry Dahee, we tried but—“ Jongin explained. Not to make any fuss, she just sit there unwillingly.

Not in Dahee dictionary to body shaming anyone especially strangers. But there is a reason why people keep calling the guy that sit beside her the smelly-nerd. Probably more than a reason, but he do smells bad due to his excessive sweats and the fact and he always sleeping in the class (some even said he was drooling) make it more disgusted.

Along the 70 minutes class, she tried to endured it. Dahee use some aromatherapy massage oil to distract the smells and shifted her body as far as she can from him. She did it well, but not when suddenly she felt someone kick their chair all together from the back.

She turned around to see Baekhyun annoyed eyes into that boy. It only the times that she noticed that the boy already had his head half way to leaned on her shoulder. It was pure accident as he was overslept, but she didn’t understand why Baekhyun was so furious about this.

“Next time, find a seat that will not bring harm to yourself, dear Miss Dahee” Baekhyun retorted as they exit the lecture hall when the class is done.

“There are no other seat Baekhyun. You can see how I shifted myself away from him earlier. I even had half of only seated!” She defended herself.

“I don’t know but maybe if you aren’t that slow as turtle to walk to the lecture hall..” He then added, “..then maybe you will get a good seat (in other word, sit beside him as always) right?”

“You are annoying, Baekhyun. Do you know that?” She said furiously.

“Not that I’m aware” He purposely make her more annoyed. “But I know that I’m handsome and smells good too”

Dahee ruffles her hair out of frustration, “Ugh! Baekhyun you chicken!”

“Is that a way for you to swears?” Jongdae was laughing along with Jongin. “That is so cute!”

“Huh— cute?” Baekhyun can’t accept it that his bestie called her cute. “I’m cuter, tho”

“Ugh! Chicken! Chicken! Chicken!” She screamed and leaving them, feeling so frustrated.

On the days that she got no classes and when her roomate Harin was out of the dorm as well, will be the most boring day for Dahee. She have tried to binge watch a series in Netflix and even tried to take some naps but when she woke up, the boredom strikes again. Unlike Baekhyun who have a part time job to attend, she mostly spent her weekend by doing nothing.

And speaking of Baekhyun, she thought at it will be a good idea to visit him at his workplace. She wouldn’t disturb her except for giving him ridiculous nickname every time she ordered her drink but to be able to see him doing his work while she enjoying her coffee by the window of the Starbucks, that will be enough.

Not taking too long to get ready, she completed her comfy look with a pair of white hight cut converse that Dahee always wears to classes. She don’t have to take extra time for heavy makeup or fancy dresses (as she aware that Baekhyun never noticed her differences every time she did that) and plus, she didn’t dressed up to impress.

“Hi” She greet the barista while her eyes wonders around the cafe to look for someone.

“Hi to you too, miss. What would you have today?” His smile is so sweet and Dahee wonder why she never notice that this Starbucks have another cute guy (beside Baekhyun) as a barista.

“Ice mocha, please?” Dahee politely ordered her drink. Restless that she couldn’t spotted her favourite barista today, she had to asked him. “Anyway, is Baekhyun on his shift today?”

“Ah Baekhyun— Byun Baekhyun?“ He asked for confirmation.

Dahee nodded eagerly while the cute barista, Sehun, tried to figure out where his coworker is. “He will be in in another 2 hours for evening shift. May I know who you are?”

Dahee smiles and get her card to pay for her drink. “I’m Baekhyun friend and you can call me Dahee”

“Do you have boyfriend?” Unexpectedly, he is more straightforward that she thought. Luckily, he’s cute.

“Sorry?” And of course, she have to pretend like she don’t know what’s going on over the counter.

He shakes his head playfully and when he returns back her card and mentioned that he pay for the drink, Sehun, the cute barista didn’t forget to say, “Hope to see you again, sweetheart”

Uh-oh, here comes the crush-wrecker.

A/N: subscribes if you haven’t ;)