Weeks later

Baekhyun was playing at the grand piano in one of the rooms equipped with musical instruments. Simple melody of a ballad song was enchanting as the pianist played keyboards with his fingertips. After a few minutes, he stopped with a soft pressing accord flowing in the room and disappearing in the dim light of the room. The darkening sky was seen from small windows in the room.

He heard clapping from near the door, which he didn’t notice was opened a bit. Smiling nervously at the intruder, he closed the fallboard on the piano and stood up from his seat.

“That was beautiful,” Taeyeon came in with a tired smile.

“Thanks,” Baekhyun replied with a weak grin. His inner harmony breaking because of some rumors he heard in corridors few days ago.

 All this week he was stressed because of malicious comments on his scandal. His fans were furious at him and he didn’t know what to do. The couple was thrown at so much hate since the news popped up and Baekhyun hated himself for everything. For the words he promised fans and failed to do, for promise to protect his girlfriend from any harm and staying under cover himself. And every little thing that happened from then.

*flashback*

While he was experiencing pity from s, colleagues, his manager and somehow from himself, he accidentally overheard the conversation between two staff that were in the same room as him.

“The company is in gloomy state,” said the first woman.

“Right. If not for the made scandal, I don’t know how would situation turn out.,” the second answered.

“What do you mean ‘made’?”

“It is obvious that the dating scandal was set up by CEO himself,” the second woman turned to look at Baekhyun, who was sitting with his earphones put on. “Poor boy. They are using him to avert the attention from the lawsuit going on.”

“I heard that the company needs something like this to hype up the news of the new group,” the first woman whispered to her ear.

“It is true. Red Velvet is going to debut soon.”

“But that is low. To use your own artists I mean.”

“Yeah. But I’ve been told, that they both knew about it and agreed to that idea themselves. I guess they were paid extra for that,” the second woman said scoffing.

Baekhyun, who didn’t intend to listen to their conversation, unconsciously perked up his ears. The music in his ears ended a long time ago. 

“What?”

“I know Taeyeon’s manager. He said that it is super secretive mission from the upper high. That means, only CEO could ask or pay to Dispatch to make everything up,” the second woman smirked, picking her big make up bags and making her way out.

The first woman ran after her, picking her own things, “don’t tell me you are still talking to manger Kim.” Giggles were heard from the corridor, when Baekhyun opened his eyes and put his earphones away, frowningly.

After sitting and sorting everything out in his mind, he sadly concluded that he needed to ask Taeyeon about that.

*end of flashback*

As for them, he and Taeyeon didn’t have time to talk even as she went to Japan on the tour with SNSD and Baekhyun stayed back in Seoul because of his role in the musical.

‘Singing In The Rain’ was his first ever musical to do after he gained fame. But because of his dating scandal most fans decided to not come last show. He was getting a lot of angry comments from both fandoms. It didn’t come easy for Taeyeon too. She was getting the same amount of harsh words as Baekhyun, if not more.

Baekhyun was still slightly taken aback by rumors going in the company. He wanted to scream and shout everything that piled up in his heart from the short quantity of time. But didn’t want to get into fights or conflicts as long as he knew the reasons behind.

“How was your tour?” he asked with his strained voice.

“It went well,” Taeyeon smiled at him, coming closer. “Are you not going to give your girlfriend a hug? She is tired,” she said spreading her arms.

Baekhyun nervously closed the distance between them before keeping her in his embrace. Taeyeon sighed in contently, wrapping her own arms on his waist.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Baekhyun broke the hug after a few seconds and stepping away from her.

“What is it?” Taeyeon sat on the chair in front of the piano, her back facing the instrument.

Baekhyun took deep breaths and cleared his throat twice nervously.

“Did you… somehow know that our scandal was a set up?” he gulped, anxiously looking at his girlfriend and hoping that every thought in his mind was false.

Taeyeon looked shocked about his question and shakily averted her gaze to the floor. “How did you find out?” she asked with a small voice.

Baekhyun was surprised and not in a good way. He stopped breathing for a second, searching for her orbs and finally getting answers that he wanted to know.

“Do-do you mean… You knew?” he stuttered.

“Yes, I knew,” she sighed sitting up straighter.

“But why didn’t you tell me? Why do I have to find out things about my own private life from makeup staffs?” Baekhyun didn’t notice how his voice started to rise.

“Why are you yelling at me?” Taeyeon looked at him confused.

“Were you in this too?” he asked with hurt evident in his eyes.

Taeyeon was taken aback by his question. “Do you think I was planning my own scandal alongside others?” she shot with a reply, tears forming in her eyes.

“Then why did you not tell me? I can feel why teacher Lee and managers didn’t tell, but why you, my girlfriend, didn’t tell me about that earlier? If I didn’t overhear it from strangers, you wouldn’t have told me, right?” Baekhyun’s body temperature increased with each statement.

“I was there that night, not aware of those things you guys planned behind my back, enjoying our rare date night, while you knew everything and fooled me completely, making me a laughing-stock inside the company.”

Taeyeon stood up glaring at her boyfriend in disappointment.“I was not in this plan!”

“I did not even know about it till that day. My manager went away for restroom at the airport before we had to take a plane to Seoul, leaving his things to me. I saw a text message, that everything was ready and the person was asking about the location and time we were having our date at,” Taeyeon started to cry.

“When he came out, I confronted him about it. But he told me it was to save EXO and the company and told me not to tell anyone, especially you. I wanted to tell you about it, Baekhyun. But manager Kim said that I would ruin everything for company if I let you know about it. We all know that EXO is having hard times. I shouldn’t have known about it either.”

“That night I was fighting with myself in anxiety and was scared that you would accuse me of things I didn’t do, like you are doing right now!” Taeyeon breathed hardly, her chest rising and falling with rage.

“I only wanted you to be honest with me,” Baekhyun answered confidently with his sturdy voice. “Feels like you don’t trust me at all.”

“Baekhyun, did you hear me? I said, it was to save EXO and SM-” Taeyeon paused because the boy interrupted her.

“Why the hell did you think about everyone els