When it rains, the earth saturates in colour. The grass is a rich green, fallen leaves a soggy mess of orange and yellow. The pavement is a sea of black, gleaming under the hidden rays of the sun. It seems so magical, you’re certain your eyes are not capable of taking it all in. 

What fuels your fascination all the more is the rural landscape of Baekhyun’s childhood. The road becomes a path of dirt, slightly muddy from the rain. Houses are both close yet so far apart as they are separated between plots of crops. They’re small cottages for the most part. Hanging laundry, broken mailboxes, and lop-sides scarecrows are signs of a simple life. It’s such a stark contrast against the city, particularly Bangtan Tower. 

You wonder if Baekhyun ever misses the peaceful silence. If he were to start his own family, would he want it in the country or deep in the maze of the city? Having also grown up in a more rural, small town and seeing the rain adored landscape before you now, you can understand the appeal of the quiet life. Opportunities grow in the city, however. Perhaps it is simply a matter of wanting to grow with them. 

Baekhyun tucks his fingers into your thigh-highs again. Your legs press tightly together at the gentle touch, lip between your teeth. Since you began your journey back on the road, his hand has not left your thigh. He’s gripped, d, and grabbed at it, playing with it’s thickness so casually as he single-handedly drives. He feels every press of them together too and it only makes him hold you rougher. 

When he tucks his hand under your sock, however, it ignites your entire being. You can’t help imagining straddling his lap and pressing your lips upon his in a burst of fiery passion, rubbing yourself against him. You can mentally feel his hands rest on the underside of your thighs and tug on your rolling socks as they never really can stay in place because of your thickness. 

They roll down off his knuckles now, and he pulls them back up. Baekhyun glances down at how they sink into your skin. You watch him bite his lip before his gaze shifts to your stomach. He his lips this time, gaze momentarily shifting back to the road before landing on your s. 

Baekhyun has a fascination with your short dress. It’s the same one you wore when you met him in that art gallery all those months ago. Having woken up too early, it was the first thing you found that seemed like the most acceptable for the Kims. This is of course before you realized Baekhyun did not come from money, he merely earned it. If you had known he was taking you to the countryside, you would’ve opted for jeans or picked some up at the mall you’d stop by. 

He was so focused on getting you proper attire for the cold weather instead, insisting that the jacket and scarf you left behind at his office a few days ago are no excuse for warmth. The checkout counter was overflowing with jackets, boots, gloves, scarves, and hats. It baffled you all the more that he has picked up everything you touched as you browsed. Your eyes widened at the emerald candle stand you examined at one point and fluffy blanket you couldn’t help but run your palm over. 

When you grabbed at the items to put them away, Baekhyun pulled you into his side with a gentle grip on your waist. He turned his head back to press his lips against the shell of your ear and, in an all too sinfully deep voice, whispered, “If you don’t put those down, Daddy’s gonna bend you over the register.”

You placed them back on the conveyor belt immediately, avoiding the cashier’s curious gaze. Baekhyun hummed a quiet “good girl” into your hair. It would’ve made you shiver had you not spotted the children’s clothes hidden under the layers of jackets he picked out for you. They’re two different sizes. Some were bigger and boyish, the other girlish and too tiny for anyone over the age of four. 

Baekhyun noticed you eyeing them, pulling you closer into him. He did not mention it. So you didn’t either. 

Intrusive, toxic thoughts still attempt to clog your mind with worry. He’d never cheat. He’d never hurt you like that, especially given the last conversation you had about honesty and commitment. First and foremost, Baekhyun respects you as you do him. He wouldn’t be driving you all the way to his family’s home, an act you’re almost certain he hasn’t done for anyone else, if you didn’t mean something to him.  

A rough of your thigh pulls you out of your thoughts. You tear your gaze away from the window to Baekhyun. A smirk plays on his lips but he tries to bite it back. It only seems to settle the smile on his features. He looks so cute when he smiles with his teeth, you can’t help noticing. You can just kiss his face all over and smoosh it against your chest. 

In an act of passive disobedience, you tug his hand away from your thigh with a pout. He mimics your pout and the usual hmph that follows it, in that high voice he always uses to mock you. As you fix your rolling socks, you playfully glare at him. 

He grabs your thigh. You push his hand away. A devilish grin plays on his lips. He grabs you harder. You have to bite your lip to keep from . Despite your pride hoping he doesn’t notice, you feel giddy all over knowing that he does. 

The childish back and forth goes on for another minute. Your hands somehow become intertwined and Baekhyun pulls them to his lips between chuckles for a quick, playful kiss upon your knuckles. You mirror the action with laughter of your own, the game turning into a competition of who can kiss the other’s hand faster. With the way Baekhyun playfully resists your pulls to kiss his hand, you find him to be particularly competitive. It triggers something hungry within you, pooling your with already too much arousal. 

Not much thought goes into your next move; with Baekhyun, everything has a habit of acting on impulse. After he places that peck upon your knuckles, you pull his fingers into your mouth. Laughter falls but devious smiles remain as you on his digits, swirling your tongue around them like you did to his not too long ago. He pushes the pads of his fingers back against it.

Dropping your jaw, you flatten your tongue and somewhat commit the act of ing his fingers. Baekhyun is mesmerized by the gesture. He tries his luck by pushing his fingers knuckle deep. 

An abrupt knock raps on your window. In a jolt, the both of you retract your hands from one another and sit up in your seats. A tall man stands at your car window, smiling brightly and waving his hand at Baekhyun. They share the same nose. Only the freckles are unique to Baekhyun. 

His eyes land on you and that smile somewhat falters. He tries his best to keep it up, but you notice. Forcing a smile through your confusion, you wonder when the hell you’ve parked. How long had the two of you been sitting here? 

Another little thud of knocks raps much lower on the car door. The man bends over with a chuckle, standing back up with a little girl on his hip. She looks no older than four. The clothes begin to make sense. 

Baekhyun is suddenly standing right beside him, mirroring that bright smile. He greets the man with a handshake that pulls them into a little hug. The little girl gets a peck on her cheek before Baekhyun pinches them. As the man speaks, all of which you can’t make out in the car, Baekhyun opens the door for you. 

“… and I thought that has to be him,” he chuckles. The little girl, eyes just like her fathers - or at least you assume the man holding her is, can’t keep her attention off you. She offers a small smile and waves. 

“Where’s Mina?” Baekhyun asks as he helps you out. 

“In the kitchen with Halmeoni.” 

“And Harabeoji?” Baekhyun asks, looking around the exterior of the cottage. 

You follow his gaze. Coloured a chipped white, the cottage is not as big as you had thought it would be but still impressive. It spreads wide out into the field behind it. Some sections of it look newer than others. The red roofed structure is of a typical small country home. Rose vines lace and dangle around and off the white porch frame. Beneath it sits framed, long glass doors. You can see right into the living room where an old lady, most likely Halmeoni, sits on the floor folding dumplings. Another woman, Mina you assume, emerges from the kitchen. She holds a big bowl of minced meat mixed with vegetables, sitting down by Halmeoni. 

The other half of the house, the part that spreads farther into the field is greyish with a navy blue roof. It looks much newer than the first part and more durable. You can imagine all it takes is a strong gust of wind to knock those chipped white boards right off the frame. In the steady rain, however, the blue roofed addition to the house keeps the rest of the structure stable. 

“Hunting down Felix,” the man replies before turning his attention towards you. He holds out his hand for you to shake, the smile of his small and unsure. “I’m Doyoung, Baekhyun’s brother.”

He has a brother?

In that long car ride, he never once thought it would be appropriate to tell you a little bit about his family? Does he just have one or two? Does he have sisters? He never mentioned his parents. Do they all just meet here for the weekend? Maybe a quick Google search before wouldn’t have been so bad but you just couldn’t imagine violating Baekhyun’s privacy like that. If he had wanted you to know he would have said something himself… right? 

You shake his hand with a nod. “I’m (Y/N), Baekhyun’s…” 

Glances exchange at your hesitance. What exactly did Baekhyun tell them you were to him? Judging by all the uncertainty, you wonder if he ever mentioned you at all. You really hope you didn’t just arrive unannounced. Meeting his family is nerve wracking enough, but to do it unexpectedly is quite simply rude. 

“Friend,” Baekhyun finishes. “We’re friends. Halmeoni always tells me to invite one.” 

Doyoung’s inquisitive eyes peer at his brother. “When have you ever listened to anything Halmeoni says?” 

Baekhyun shoots him an unimpressed glare. The teasing, slightly fearful, look Doyoung returns lets you know that Baekhyun must be older. You can’t help wondering what kind of older brother he is? Protection must be his ultimate goal when it comes to his brother. If he treats you with such delicate protectiveness, like anything could break you, what kind does he issue with his brother? 

The little girl begins reaching for Baekhyun. “Baek-Baek!” she cries out, making fists to grab hold of his jacket. She has but a purple sweater shielding her from the rain. It’s ripped around the sleeves and the zipper looks jammed. That little jacket Baekhyun picked up makes more sense now. 

Baekhyun smiles brightly, taking her right out of his brother’s hands. “Hi,” he greets with gentle excitement. She hugs him tightly the moment she’s in his arms. There’s little hesitance in the way Baekhyun hugs her back, fixing her little hood over her head to keep it warm and dry from the rain. 

It’s adorable, down right heart-warming how delicate he is. Taking care of the little child is like second nature to him and you can’t help wondering how he’d behave with his own children. You bite your lip to keep your smile from growing wider at the interaction. Doyoung’s eyes are curiously watching you, you can spot him staring in your peripherals. 

You sneak a little peek at him. He forces a little smile. You begin to wonder just how many of Baekhyun’s friends his family has met. 

“Ballerina!” the girl shouts. She waves a pointed finger to your dress.

Doyoung chuckles as he explains, “She thinks anybody in a dress is a ballerina.” 

“This is (Y/N); she’s my friend,” Baekhyun gently corrects in a whisper. “Do you want to meet her?”

The girl shyly nods, tucking her chin in her chest as she carefully peers at you. “I’m Jisoo,” she warily greets. 

You offer her a little smile, holding your palm out for her to reach for, if she’s feeling comfortable, and reply, “Hi, Jisoo. I’m (Y/N).”

“Baek-Baek told me,” she informs, clutching onto Baekhyun’s jacket. “He says you’re his friend.”

“I am,” you nod. 

Jisoo takes a moment to study your gaze. The three of you watch her in silence. She then puts her hand over yours, her tiny fingers scratching at your palm. A little smile brightens her curious features. Baekhyun bounces her against his hip, proudly smiling as he pecks her plump cheeks. Then, he puts her down and asks, “Can you show (Y/N) the way to the house? She doesn’t know it yet, but you’re a smart girl and know the way, right?”

She confidently nods, already clutching tightly onto your hand and tugging you towards the house. 

“Jisoo is such a nice girl,” Doyoung tells Baekhyun matter-of-factly, pretending not to notice that Jisoo is still around and intently listening. 

Baekhyun agrees in the same exaggerated tone as he plays into his brother’s game, indirectly encouraging Jisoo to diligently carry out a task, she believes, is made specifically for her. 

Though you have no problem entering the house, you only wish you were accompanied by Baekhyun and not a four year old. He can, at the very least, introduce you to his grandmother and sister in law, if not buffer the conversation. You look back and that seems enough for him to know exactly what you’re thinking. 

“We’re just going to unload the car,” he smiles. When Doyoung turns to the truck, he mouths, You’ll be fine.

No, I won’t, you silently reply. 

He only smirks and holds up a thumb. You deadpan. Even Jisoo got more encouragement than that. 

Mina is the first to notice you the moment you enter. She glares at her daughter, setting down the half-wrapped dumpling in her hand. “Honey, what did we say about collecting strangers on the road? You can’t bring in any ballerina you see.”

Jisoo pays her mother no mind, untying her laces as she tells you, “You have to take your shoes off, (Y/N). Halmeoni says no one wants to clean your little mud feet.” 

You share an amused look with Mina, biting on your lip to keep from laughing. Mina sighs and momentarily rests her forehead on her wrist, her own laughter almost slipping. She doesn’t want to discourage her daughter’s relatively sound train of thought. It’s clear that Halmeoni was only referring to Jisoo when talking about “little mud feet,” but her understanding applies the reasoning to everyone entering the house. It technically isn’t wrong. 

“I’m (Y/N),” you smile. “Baekhyun’s friend.”

Both Mina and Halmeoni pause, all expressions falling from their faces. They almost look at you like you’ve just cursed in front of Jisoo and now she’s marching around the house repeating the word. Your smile wavers. Does he not bring anyone home, or has he brought everyone home? 

“Baekhyun?” Halmeoni asks. “My Baekhyun?”

You nod. 

She shares a confused look with Mina. Jisoo begins to tug at one of your feet, adamant that you take off your shoes. You give in and kick them off, desperate to escape the watchful eyes of his family. 

Mina pulls Jisoo away from you, tucking the little girl behind her legs. Jisoo whines at the dirty hand wrapped around her wrist but Mina is far too interested in keeping her daughter safe to care about her objections to it. “Did you get this address off the internet?” she asks, once amused tone now bittered with passive aggression. 

You look between the two of them. Do they think you’re his fan or something? Baekhyun does have an impressive, international reputation, so you really wouldn’t be surprised if that has happened before. You just can’t believe the idea of Baekhyun having friends is so rare that that’s the first conclusion they’d jump to. 

“No, we really are friends,” you attempt to explain, but Halmeoni is already waving frantically out the window. 

A light thud sounds outside. Baekhyun and Doyoung rush in within seconds. They look around the room, Doyoung’s eyes falling on his crying daughter while Baekhyun hurries past you to his grandmother. He puts a rain-slick hand to her forehead, frantically asking, “Are you okay?”

She nods and points at you. 

Baekhyun rushes over to you instead before Halmeoni can even utter a word. One hand rests on the small of your back while the other rests against your forehead, mirroring the attentive care he issued his grandmother seconds ago. 

Worry drowns in his eyes as he whispers,“What’s wrong, Angel?”

Your nervous gaze bounces around the room. As Jisoo tugs free from her mother’s grasp, the three adults stare at you in pure shock. Halmeoni tries to hide her proud smile, eyes still processing through the shock of Baekhyun’s reaction towards you. Mina can’t shut , sharing a look with Doyoung as if to confirm that he sees what she does too. 

“Angel?” Doyoung quietly repeats. He raises a brow at Baekhyun. “I thought you were friends?”

Baekhyun ignores him. Your face flushes with embarrassment. You gently slide his hands off you with a nervous chuckle. “I’m fine, friend. There was just a little misunderstanding.”

“Why didn’t you just say you were his girlfriend?” Halmeoni asks, all too delighted by the assumption. 

“We’re just friends.” 

You share a guilty look with Baekhyun at your automatic response. Neither of you meant to say it at the same time and that only seems to strengthen their suspicions behind your intentions for one another. 

Needless to say, you thought this would go better. 

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Baekhyun’s room is the smallest. Tucked in the furthest corner of the house, it hides away from most prying eyes. His bed is rolled up, sitting against the wall by his folded blankets and pillows. He has a couple of stuffed animals, one a little tiger and the other a squishy, fluffy wolf that Jisoo loves to tackle and hug every time she runs in there. In the corner by the sliding doors is a small floor desk with a flat green pillow as a seat. It’s not as clean and organized as his office in the city. Instead, it’s littered with loose sheets of paper and well-used, worn notebooks. Between ink and pencil, the pages are scribbled with blueprints, codes, designs for things you can’t quite make out from such a distance. Stacks of instruction manuals for appliances and various textbooks scatter the area beside it. Random pieces of machinery either sit atop the books or litter the floor. It’s clear he’s spent a lot of time here growing up. 

You wonder if he didn’t simply come over for holidays between school breaks, but instead lived here. If so, where are his parents? 

His brothers, he has two you’ve learned, share the one next door. Wooyoung is Baekhyun’s youngest brother and, according to Doyoung, his favourite one too. He claims it’s the only possible explanation why Wooyoung got access to Bangtan products before him. Stuck on campus for a late lecture, he won’t be able to join the family until thanksgiving morning tomorrow. 

Jisoo runs out of Baekhyun’s room, skipping right past you and in the room Harabeoji had directed you to for the night. The old man also believes your claims to friendship are humorous and tells you as much when Baekhyun introduces you. Jisoo’s shouts, as she clutches onto that stuffed wolf, draw you right out of your thoughts with a startle. She giggles while Doyoung, with your luggage in his hand, pretends to chase after her.

Baekhyun stands behind him with his own bag in hand. Wet hair matted to his face from the rain, his eyes are already on you. A knowing smile plays on his lips. 

“No, Angel,” he smirks in that teasing tone that always gets to you. “You can’t sleep with me tonight.” 

You playfully glare. He takes it as a challenge to tower over you. It takes every last drop of willpower not to wrap your arms around his neck as you gaze up at him. “Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Byun. I just… got lost,” you lie. 

Amusement dances in his eyes. “Really?” he questions with feigned concern. When you timidly nod, his smirk widens. “Did I not just see Harabeoji tell you where your room is?”

How long has he been watching you? That happened at least ten minutes ago. Your silence summons one of his hands around your waist, pulling you right into his chest. “You’re going to be a good girl for my family, right?” he asks in a whisper. His nose brushes against yours when you nod. “That means being honest, Angel. Can you do that for Daddy? Can you be honest this weekend?”

His condescending tone triggers your bratty behaviour. Eyes rounded, you exaggerate your voice the way he adores and mockingly ask, “Does that mean I can lie once the weekend is over?”

A wicked smirk tugs on the corner of his lip. He at it too, and you can’t stop the urge to do the same. Baekhyun quietly chuckles. “You want Daddy’s tongue now, huh?”

“I want Daddy,” you regrettably admit, playing with the dangling strings of his hoodie. 

Doyoung emerges from your room with a playful roar as he snatches Jisoo in his arms. You and Baekhyun retract your hands from each other, the remnants of your conversations hanging heavily over you. Looking over his shoulder, you find Mina (who is in fact Doyoung’s girlfriend and not his wife) staring at you knowingly. 

Your face flushes for the second time today. Did she hear? You were both whispering so it must be impossible for her to hear. And if Baekhyun knew these halls carried sound so easily, he wouldn’t have had this conversation with you. 

Following his girlfriend’s gaze, Doyoung turns to spot you and Baekhyun, though not touching, still in close proximity to each other. He raises a brow as he sets Jisoo down. 

“You two alright over there?” he asks as casually as he can. His hidden implication remains. 

Felix, the most energetic little six-year-old you’ve ever met, runs between his mother’s legs and towards Baekhyun, shouting, “Power’s out, power’s out, power’s out!” 

Jisoo breaks out of her father’s hands to do the same. She runs after Felix,  shouting even louder. She must’ve misheard him however, slurring her words, “Pows-out, pows-out, pows-out!” 

Felix tugs on Baekhyun’s pants to ensure the focus stays on him as he informs, “Harabeoji says to tell you that the power’s out.”

Baekhyun smiles down at his nephew, pretending to have not heard him shouting. “Oh really?” he asks with feigned surprise. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll go look at it right now.”

“Me too!” Jisoo shouts, raising her hands over her head. 

Ruffling her hair, Baekhyun nods and thanks Jisoo as well. 

Mina redirects the children’s attention to the toys they left out in the living room, reminding them to clean up after themselves. When Jisoo complains, Felix challenges her to a race. He’s clever in teaching his sister to follow after him, cleaning as he runs. She does the same. 

Doyoung tells Baekhyun he’ll meet him outside to help with whatever he needs. You wait for Mina to disappear behind Doyoung, her eyes carefully watching you as she offers a little smile, before following Baekhyun into his room. 

“Why didn’t you tell them you were bringing me?” 

Baekhyun glances at you over his shoulder. He sets his bags down, replying, “They knew I was bringing a friend.”

It’s clear they did not. Halmeoni only ever asks him to, an offer, as Doyoung mentioned, Baekhyun never really considers. The only thing his family was aware of as far as friends go, is that an invitation, which will likely not meet anyone else besides Baekhyun, has been extended. 

“You should’ve told them.”

Baekhyun slides open the doors by his desk. The sound of steady rainfall intensifies, the vast fields of the farm exposed to the room. It looks magical, like right out of a film. Though you worry his desk might get wet, you understand why he placed it there. To work by such a view is not only peaceful but rather inspiring. He seemed to find a way to keep the rain out too. A little bamboo roof extends out over the long doors, redirecting the rain outwards rather than inwards. 

“It’s alright,” he insists. 

Is he blind to the lingering stares or does he simply not care?

“I really don’t think it is.”

He turns towards you, eyes slightly narrowed as he dryly chuckles, “I think I know my family a little better than you do, Angel.” 

“Good, so you know they don’t like me then?” 

Baekhyun raises a brow at your claim. “What?”

You mirror his expression. Never have you taken Baekhyun to be the type of man that plays dumb. His well known intelligence usually doesn’t allow him to do as much. It’s surprising to say the least that he would decide to act this way now. Maybe you are on to something? 

“Baek, they look at me like I shouldn’t be here. It’s like they don’t want us to be friends.”

He tilts his head in mild confusion before walking towards you. Holding your hands in his, he says, “I know you’re nervous-”

“It’s not about being nervous!” you quickly cut off. 

Baekhyun doesn’t pay much mind to it. “Do you really think I’d let us stay here if I knew they didn’t like you?’

“The point I’m trying to make, Baek, is that you don’t know.”

“And the point I’m trying to make is that I’d never put you in that position. Can you just trust me on this?”

Perhaps it might be the anxiety of meeting them. You must admit, even to yourself, that knowing how protective they are of Baekhyun, did not ease any of those nerves. It’s knowing that you’re being watched and read that worries you, even if you have nothing to hide. You care strongly for Baekhyun, in ways you haven’t for anyone else. Maybe proving that to his family might help ease some of the tension?

“I have to go check on the fuse,” Baekhyun announces, pulling you out of your thoughts. “You’ll be okay here, right?”

His eyes are big and imploring. It’s clear he wants you to get along with his family. You hope he knows how much you want that too. 

Nodding, you earn yourself a gentle kiss to your forehead. He then walks towards the door. As you try to summon your courage, his voice turns you towards him. 

“If you’re still unsure by dinner,” he starts, standing in the doorway, “we can leave.”

Perking up, you ask, “really?”

Baekhyun nods, a little smile etched on his lips. He’s trying, but it doesn’t meet his eyes.  

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The power is still out. You’ve learned, folding dumplings with Mina and Halmeoni, that any little bit of rain tends to do that around here and no amount of fiddling with the fuse box can change that. It’s one of the main reasons why most of these homes are partially solar powered. The most those panels can do, however, is keep the fridge and freezer running, if all else fails. You find that it’s a pretty good bargain, especially since Baekhyun had just restocked their entire fridge, freezer and pantry with more groceries to last them till the next thanksgiving. 

Apparently, it’s common practice for Baekhyun to frivolously spend on his family and friends. Mina, beaming with gratitude, goes on and on about Baekhyun’s presence in her children’s lives. She explains how Felix’s father left not too long after his son’s birth. When she met Doyoung a couple of years later, Baekhyun did not hesitate to help in any way he could. 

“He even bought us an apartment near Do’s work so he could just walk right over and back whenever I needed him,” she smiles. 

You quietly giggle, nodding knowingly. “Yeah, that sounds like Baekhyun.”

Halmeoni and Mina share a little look before the latter asks, “Oh? Has he done something similar for you?” She tries to sound casual but you catch the prying hints in her tone. 

You ignore them, and attempt to answer just as casually. “Well…” you start only to trail off. 

How exactly are you supposed to explain your relationship with Baekhyun? He showers you with money every night, whether you text him or not that day and gifts you with things you have yet to use, like that pony. Just a few hours ago, he wouldn’t let you leave without buying everything you touched at those stores. Not to mention the amount of times he’s… helped you. Though you’re now addicted to that helpful touch, you are not at all sorry it happened. 

Clearing your throat, you flash as natural a smile as you can and reply, “He’s definitely a giver.”

“How did the two of you meet again?” Halmeoni suddenly asks, not looking up as she adds stuffing to the little bit of dough in her hand. 

Mina watches you carefully. She’s just as protective of Baekhyun as he is of the family and you’re sure it’s because of the impact he has in her children’s lives. Her love for Doyoung possibly has a lot to do with it too. So you can understand why her undivided attention settles on you when it comes to questions about your friendship. 

Knowing you’re being watched so attentively, you know you have to be as honest as you can. Only, you’re not quite sure what Baekhyun told them. It’s very likely that he hasn’t told them anything at all. He did, afterall, not mention you’d be accompanying him this weekend. 

Swallowing thickly, you divert your gaze to your hands. “We met at an art gallery.”

“Art gallery?” Mina questions, subtly prompting you to elaborate. 

You’re careful to hold her gaze this time while nodding, “Yes, we ran into each other and he explained something about bringing paintings to life using this new sort of software he was developing.”

She nods along, seemingly convinced until Halmeoni asks, “He talked about an upcoming project with a stranger?” 

Pinching the ends of the dough in your hands, you try to school your features. Your erratic heart makes it hard and you’re sure that if you meet one of their gazes, they’d see the panic swarming around yours. You mentally curse yourself for overlooking such an important detail, if Baekhyun is anything besides generous, it would be private. He shared that project with you after months of messages. You were hardly a stranger by the time you met. 

“It was common knowledge,” you lie, chewing on the sides of your cheeks. “Everyone somewhat knew about it. It wasn’t really such a big secret.” 

They seemed to buy it, Halmeoni changing the subject as she expresses how nice it is to have him back. She dives into a story about how Baekhyun is all she could have asked for, slipping in that she loves Doyoung more though when Mina playfully glares at her. They seem to be very close and you’re sure it has to do with their common love for both Doyoung and the kids. It’s heartwarming to witness their light-hearted interactions, carefree in their conversations.

The thought of maybe being that close with her too lingers in your mind even after you try to shoo it out. Being that close with Halmeoni would mean that you and Baekhyun are more than just friends. It would mean that children are upon the horizon for you as well, and you’re sure that is not at all something you’re ready for. You love kids. Maybe you would like to have some yourself one day, but now is not at all the day. Though the thought of sleeping with Baekhyun has crossed your mind more than once, it is not really something you think you’re ready for just yet. Seeing his huge in the car is enough to reel in your desires of going beyond a . 

“(Y/N)?” Mina asks, snapping you out of your thoughts. 

You blink a couple of times before refocusing your attention upon them, or rather just Mina. Halmeoni has left her seat and you hear a click of the bathroom door down the hall. Looking down at your hands, you find the last piece of dough in them. 

“Yes?” you ask, quickly dropping in the last of the stuffing and pinching up the edges. 

Mina smiles. “You didn’t hear anything, did you?” She chuckles when you guiltily shake your head. Taking the folded dumpling from you, she sets it on the plate with the others and repeats, “Did you want to help me start dinner?”

“Of course,” you smile. 

Your culinary skills are average at best. You’ve never made anything particularly horrible but have never perfected a dish either. You wondered if you should disclose this to Mina, but she’s already stacking the trays of dumplings and making her way to the kitchen. 

It’s rather small, but, with the sliding doors open, it seems bigger. It’s almost like the fields are also a part of the kitchen. Two big woks sit sunk into a large brick stove. A place for firewood lies beneath them. Apparently it’s Baekhyun’s job to clean them outside when he visits. Mina tells you it’s what he calls “the least he can do” since he can’t cook to save his life. You find the statement particularly funny considering he has not sat still since he pulled up in the driveway. Harabeoji gave him a list of things to fix after greeting everyone and he has not taken a single minute to himself since. 

You stand by the sink, diligently chopping vegetables. “A children’s book coordinator?” you ask, wondering if you’d heard her right. 

She stirs the soup behind you, wooden spoon scraping iron. “Mhm, I just order hundreds of books for different school libraries just outside of the city and divide them all up. Sometimes schools would reject some books so I’d have to find other places for them,” she explains. 

“They reject children’s books?” 

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of times Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was sent back for romanticizing drugs,” she chuckles.

You furrow your brows. “But that’s not at all what Carroll meant. I’m pretty sure it never even crossed his mind when he wrote that mushroom scene.”

“Yes! Thank you!” she shouts, frailing her wooden spoon around. “That’s what I’ve been saying! You know,” she starts as she walks over to you to grab the stocks of celery you’ve been chopping, “I spent eight months of research looking into Carroll and found so much forked up ships but drug use was not at all part of it.”

You pause. “Forked up ships?”

“Oh!” She laughs. “Yes, sorry! Doyoung has a habit for swearing and has tried to kick it with the kids around but never really could. So we just modified them a bit.”

You chuckle quietly to yourself. It’s actually rather sweet and almost makes you long for your own children, just to censor yourself with your husband. Turning back to your vegetables, you snap the thought right out of your head. You’ve never really given much thought to being a mother, but being around Felix and Jisoo makes it hard not to see the appeal. He sits just outside, trying to read to his sister who just cannot help adding her own details to the story. Not to mention, the way Mina speaks about them and Doyoung plays with them just contracts your heart with warmth. 

Then there’s Baekhyun. He showers them with gifts and toys. He lets Jisoo sit on his shoulders and Felix help him fix things around the house. He never discourages Jisoo from carefully holding the nails as he hammers something in place. And it’s all while he wears the brightest smile. The image of him interacting with them just makes it so hard not to think about what he would be like with his children… with your children. 

“I’ve always thought about teaching,” Mina’s voice trickles back to you, breaking your focus from your thoughts. “I just never really finished high school and it would be so hard going back.”

“Why?” 

“Oh, my boyfriend at the time convinced me to go on a three month road trip with him during our senior year.”

Chop hesitating, you take a moment to mentally scold yourself for not being specific. You really hope she doesn’t think you’re prying into her life. She’s already shared so much and you’ve barely really told her anything about yourself. It’s just hard to be so open with someone other than Baekhyun, especially if that person is already so close to him. One wrong word shared with Mina and that just might be the end of your friendship with both her and him. 

“I mean, why do you think it would be hard? It’s only a few more credits?” you clarify. 

Mina falls quiet and shrugs. You stop chopping and turn to face her. She feels your eyes on her but does not meet them. Instead, she moves between jars of spices to season the soup. “It’s just…” she trails off, twisting the lid to the last jar. “It’s high school. It ash the first time around.”

You bite the corner of your lip to keep from giggling at the censored curse. She has a great point though. High school was a disgusting battle and a half. You would be just as hesitant. But, it’s clear that teaching children’s literature is something she would love doing. It would be a shame to simply be shackled to memories.

“You won’t be there for long,” you attempt to yield to the positive.

She bites her lip, unsure.

“You might even be able to do it online? That way you don’t really have to go all the way back.”

She perks up at the idea, gaze wondering. You can almost see the wheels turning in her head before she asks, “Could I really do that?”

You shrug. “I mean, I haven’t looked it up myself, but I’m pretty sure it’s a possibility.”

A little smile plays on her lips. She turns around to give the soup another stir, muttering under her breath, “I’ll think about it.”

The hesitance still looms over her. You can see it in her tensed shoulders and lost gaze. Biting your lip, you wonder if you should be meddling in her life at all. You part your lips a couple more times but the right words never seem to arrive. Finally, after you’ve already turned back to your cutting board, you turn back to her and say, “I think you’d make a great teacher. I would’ve loved school so much more if I had someone like you to look up to.”

Mina peers at you with gentle eyes. They glisten in the dimming sunlight and you think for a moment that she’s about to cry. But then she smiles and pulls you in for a hug, completely disregarding the fact that your knife is still in your hands. 

You reach back to softly toss it on the counter before hugging her back. She’s just a bit taller than you, the same frame but just a different build. And her embrace is warm. It’s been a while since you’ve had friends other than Mrs. Chu. The working world tore apart your college friend circle. You sink into her a bit more, resting your cheek on her shoulder. 

“If you need any help at all,” you say as she pulls away, arms still in your’s however. “You can always call me.”

“I’m sure you’re busy,” she chuckles. 

“Never for a friend,” you smile. 

Mina blinks repeatedly, pulling away to wipe her eyes. Knowing she’s on the verge of tears does the same to you. Turning around, you quickly wipe your eyes and take a deep breath. She mutters something about allergies and you do the same even though you’re not really allergic to anything. 

Then, your tear-stained gaze drifts towards the fields and lands on the little gazebo by the woods. Baekhyun stands before a large tree stump. His white shirt clings to his torso from the rain, damp hair framing his face. Raising an axe over his head, he splits a large piece of wood in half. His biceps tighten, muscles bulging with every chop. After the initial cut, Doyoung, looking like his older brother, fixes the wood so Baekhyun can chop it again. 

“Oh god,” Mina mutters under her breath as Doyoung picks up another thick piece of wood and drops it on the stump. 

They repeat the process a few more times before stacking up the chopped wood in a big wheelbarrow. Doyoung covers it up with a waterproof tarp to keep it dry. When he moves to lift it, Baekhyun takes it right out of his hand. They have a little back and forth, which makes you giggle a bit to yourself, before Doyoung rolls his eyes and gives into Baekhyun’s decision. 

They turn towards the kitchen.

Instantly, you and Mina make yourselves look busy. She’s stirring the finished soup and you pretend to cut the already cut vegetables.  

The thumps of the wheelbarrow grow louder then suddenly drop. You hear the brothers enter the kitchen before Doyoung says, “Smells great.”

“I need to talk to you,” Mina loudly announces. You look over your shoulder to see who she’s talking to. She stares at Doyoung, eyes swimming with panic. 

He looks between you and Baekhyun before nervously peering at Mina. “Everything okay?” he asks as he kicks off his rain boots. “I need to stack-”

“I need to talk to you,” she repeats in the same volume. 

Baekhyun tries his best not to smirk as he rolls his eyes. “I can stack them,” he tells Doyoung. Then he gently nudges him towards Mina when he sees him about to protest that decision, “Go before she starts yelling again.”

“I did not yell,” she calmly insists. 

“You did a little bit,” you mutter towards your cutting board. A little smirk plays on your lips, but you’re not too worried about Mina’s reaction to your mild betrayal. She’s too busy gawking at Doyoung and the way he dries his rain wet hair with a tea towel. 

The door opens and shuts, creaking before that final click. The soup bubbles on low heat, rain patters steadily, and your fake chops continue to silently sound in the room. You expect to hear the thump of stacking wood, but never do. A breathy chuckle greets you instead.

Baekhyun presses himself against your back, his wet hands snaking around your waist. Lips hovering over the shell of your ear, he asks, “How long are you going to pretend to be busy?”

You bite your lip. The fear that he might have caught you staring resurfaces. “Pretend?” you innocently ask, hoping he’d let it go. 

He places a kiss just behind your ear. Droplets fall over your shoulder from his wet hair. The sudden thought of showering with him derails your train of thought. It takes everything in you not to moan. You shift against him. 

He quietly groans. It’s then that you feel it. His hard pushes against the fat of your . The arch of your back is reactionary; you never meant to do it. However, with the way Baekhyun hisses and grips onto your hips, you don’t even bother explaining it to him. You already know he won’t believe you. 

“You know Daddy doesn’t like it when you play dumb,” he warns in a low voice. 

Looking over your shoulder at him, you pout. Your lips are less than an inch away. If he had done it before, you would kiss his anger away. But he hasn’t. And that fact seems to trigger something sharper within you. 

You push back into him further, earning an even tighter grip on your hips, as you raise a brow. “That’s not how it seems to me, Daddy.” 

Baekhyun’s lips momentarily twitch into a smirk. He bites onto your lip then, tugging at it until you whine. You hate the fact that you’re already shaking, legs weak. It’s rather pathetic and both of you know it. Still, there’s nothing you can do to help it. Baekhyun has a talent for making you feel like the only one he adores, like you’re all he ever adored. 

His hands fall from your hips to your thighs. He slips them between your legs and pulls them up to reangle your against him. You fall forward, dropping your knife on the counter as you lean on it for support. 

Slow, shallow breaths tickle your neck as he rubs himself against you. You gasp and moan, even though you’re not quite being stimulated where you’d like. He mostly rubs himself against the underside of your , sometimes brushing past your . It still makes you wet, and indirectly gets you off. 

This confuses you for a second, having never been this and oddly satisfied by not exactly being rubbing where you usually need it. But, when you feel his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you closer, and his sloppy kisses against your neck, it all starts to make sense. He’s using you. And you love it. 

“You like this, baby?” he rasps after on your earlobe. 

You nod, turning your head to face him. He leans his forehead against yours as you quietly moan, “Yes, Daddy.” 

He smirks, parting his lips to say something you know is destined to ruin you when the sound of Felix’s voice stops him. Hips still, the both of you turn to the door and listen intently. Felix’s tiny footsteps near and his voice gets louder, though still muffled on the other side of the door. 

Baekhyun immediately untangles himself from you. He takes an extra second to fix your dress and peck your forehead before rushing to the unstacked wood. 

“But Uncle Baek Baek always brings banana milk,” Jisoo pouts as Felix opens the door. 

Felix, fumbling with holding open the door for his sister and making sure his picture book doesn’t meet the ground, huffs exasperatedly. He sounds like an annoyed adult, peering at her disappointedly. “Mama said no,” he sighs as if he’s repeated it several times. 

You share a little giggle with Baekhyun. He then turns to Felix with the proudest smile. It’s obvious he’s pleased with the way Felix handles his sister. You must admit that it’s rather impressive too, especially for a little six-year-old. 

But then Jisoo crosses her arms and pouts. She stomp, stomp, stomps her foot, about to do it a fourth time when Felix shuts the door on her. Baekhyun tries to lunge for the door, as do you, but neither of you make it in time before it bumps Jisoo right on her forehead. A cry immediately follows. 

And something about it just flicks this maternal switch in you. Pulling open the door, you sweep Jisoo up right into your arms and tightly embrace her. She doesn’t hesitate to hug back. The hug seemed to soothe her sobs enough for her to point at Felix and condemn him as if both you and Baekhyun didn’t just witness the entire thing. 

You pull her hand away, seating her down on the cleaner parts of the counter. You make sure to put any sharp objects into the sink as Jisoo blubbers away a very different series of events that lead to her head meeting the door.

“He yelled!” she insists. “Then-then he slammed the door!”  

You wipe her tears, asking, “Are you sure he yelled?”

She rubs an eye, guiltily avoiding your gaze. “He-He was being mean…” 

With a sympathetic awe, you use your apron to dry her hands and reassure her that her brother never meant to hurt her feelings. “Right, Felix?” you ask as you examine her forehead. 

Given the silence, you sneak a glance over your shoulder. Felix is quietly stacking wood with Baekhyun, who can’t seem to take his eyes off you. Between every piece of wood, his eyes find yours. He bites his lip, slowly taking in your body. You assume this attention must be from the handsy session the two of you shared not too long ago. He doesn’t pull himself out of his thoughts until you raise your brows at him. 

“Felix,” Baekhyun quietly warns. He refrains from handing him another piece of wood until he has his attention. “(Y/N) is talking to you. You’re not going to be rude to my best friend, are you?”

You fight the urge to smile at his words. 

“I thought Uncle Jimin was your best friend,” Felix questions. He’s bold when he’s upset, continuing, “Dad says (Y/N) is your special friend.”

“Dad is an idiot,” Baekhyun replies. It earns giggles from both Felix and Jisoo.  “Go talk to (Y/N).” When Felix hesitates, glancing at the last couple of pieces of wood, Baekhyun adds, “I’ll wait for you here. I need your help.”

Felix sighs, the same way Doyoung or Baekhyun do when they’re tired of a particular conversation. He half-heartedly shuffles towards you and nods. You give him a minute to add something to his wordless apology, but he remains silent.

Jisoo grips onto your sleeve, sniffling. You watch as she rubs her face against the white fabric and bite your tongue. She was so cute until she wiped her tears and snot all over your favourite dress. 

Attempting to stay focused on the real issue, you get the ball rolling again, asking,  “Do you have anything to say to your sister?”

He huffs that tired sigh again and mutters, “I’m sorry you’re annoying.”

Jisoo, not knowing any better, rubs her eye and replies, “It’s okay.”

“Felix!”

Crossing his arms, Felix corrects, “I’m sorry I closed the door.”

“I said, it’s okay.” Jisoo shrugs. 

As Felix rushes back to help Baekhyun, having fulfilled his obligatory apology, Jisoo attempts to scoot off the counter. You pick her up and put her back down. She rushes towards Baekhyun as well. When she gets there, however, all the wood is done being stacked. Baekhyun doesn’t let her know this, though. He grabs one from the top and tosses it in the wheelbarrow behind him. He then waits until Jisoo picks it up and hands it to him, before returning it to the top again. 

The door swings open and a dishevelled Mina walks in. Her apron is backwards and hair is something of a mess. You share a knowing look with Baekhyun. He has to bite his lip to keep from laughing when Doyoung walks in with his shirt inside out. 

“I heard crying,” she all but heaves. 

“Felix hitted me!” Jisoo shouts just as Felix yells about how Jisoo cried for banana milk. 

Mina parts her lips to ask what happened when Baekhyun cuts in assuring her that it’s been taken care of. She nods, ushering the kids to go wake their grandparents. They race out of the kitchen. 

“Nice apron,” you lightly tease when Mina returns to the soup she left warm on the stove. 

Clearing , she runs a hair through her hair. “Thanks,” she mutters, shifting in her place. 

A little clatter behind you pulls your attention towards the Kim brothers. Baekhyun laughs as Doyoung lightly shoves him. “Stop before she hears you,” he hisses.

You’re certain they’re discussing the fact that neither Doyoung nor Mina hid their evening endeavours very well. But, it’s the glint of happiness in Baekhyun’s eye that really holds your attention. That unfiltered openness that never appears for you- with you. This is a raw version of Baekhyun, and though he never lets it seep when you’re alone, the fact that he lets you see it with his family must mean something too. 

Or at least, you hope so. 

image
Your room is dark, tucked away in a random part of the house where all random items reside. It’s a storage room stacked with boxes of history and persevered life in the way of old newspapers and family heirlooms. Twinkles of the Kim legacy are found in old coiled landline phones that are too broken to work, and rusted medals. Bangtan products cannot compare to children’s books with frayed spines and plastic toys that have been remade into gardening tools. 

Your room is dark but you see impressions of Baekhyun’s childhood in the shadows. And you wonder when he will bring them into the light. 

Another roll of thunder echoes. You try to get lost in the heavy rain instead but still can’t seem to sleep through it. It’s not usually this loud in the city, but out here every ripple of the storm can be felt in the very foundation of the house. You can feel the floor vibrate under you and that’s not as comforting as you might have thought it would be. 

As you watch the rain wash the window, a click sounds in the room. You lean back on your elbows to take a look at your visitor. You assumed it would be one of the kids, having lost their way back to their room. But, instead, a tall figure enters and leaves the door ajar. 

“Hey, Angel,” he whispers into the darkness.

You often wonder if you’d ever get tired of that nickname, thinking the next time he says it, it won’t flutter your heart with amorous joy. But you find yourself smiling foolishly every time. A part of you wishes this feeling, though mildly painful in the end, never fades.

“Baek,” you whisper as he crawls in beside you. 

That sage, oaky scent greets you before his lips do. He is bare of that expensive cologne this time. You breathe a lung full of him anyways, not realizing how much you’ve missed him. Sure, you sat by each other during dinner, where he made sure your plate was always full, and he helped you with the dishes. But, everyone was around then too. The most you could get of him was the brush of your knees while eating or misplaced hand in yours while cleaning. For a while, you thought that moment in the kitchen is all you’d have to hold on for the rest of the trip. You didn’t realize how much you adore having Baekhyun to yourself until you were forced to share him.

Tucking himself in your blanket, his lips find your cheek in the near darkness. You bite your lip. He must’ve felt it because the gesture earns you another round of pecks down your neck. You can’t help your smile now. 

“What are you doing up so late?” he asks against your skin. 

“The rain’s too loud.” Despite your every effort not to, you’ve moaned your reply. 

Baekhyun is never short of amused at your desperation. It’s really all his fault. If he hadn’t played with you like he did in the car or the kitchen, you wouldn’t be so eager for more. The sudden recollection of the car flushes your face. Your embarrassment for failing at properly him will never be forgotten. It festers in your chest, bruising your ego with subtle reminders that perhaps you’re just not good enough for him. 

When the thought of others doing it better invades your mind, you shift away from him. You didn’t really mean to. The reaction came so quickly you didn’t even fully register it until he questioned you about it.

“Did I hurt you?” 

You shake your head, but it’s not a good enough answer for him.

“Tell me,” he pleads more than commands. 

You can’t meet his gaze, even with the cover of the night. What exactly are you supposed to tell him? That you suddenly just remembered he had exes more experienced than you are? That they probably did this sort of thing better? All this time, all these months, he’d been helping you, leaving himself hard and aching. If today was any indication of his desire, his hard practically throbbing against your , then what could he have endured all those other times when you were certain he was ? He sat in meetings on multiple occasions, once drenched in your arousal, hard and stiff and never complained. He puts himself at such a disadvantage when it comes to you and you’re not sure you can tolerate it much longer.

Swallowing thickly, you lay back down. Baekhyun leans on his elbow, gazing down at you. With the little light of the moon and lit pathways seeping into the room, you can make out enough of his features to tell he’s concerned and most definitely not letting this go. 

“Do you still want to leave?” he quietly asks, like the volume of his question would conceal his sadness at the mere indication.

“No,” you can’t help smiling. “I really don’t.”

He lays beside you and you turn to face him. Fingers tracing the edge of your cheek, warm breath on your face, he says, “Good. I know Mina would kill us if we did.”

A little laugh escapes you. “I wouldn’t put that past her. I’m sure Felix and Jisoo wouldn’t have it either.”

“They’d find a way to sneak into the car again.”

“They’ve done it before?”

Baekhyun hums his response, brushing your hair back. He caresses your cheek as he adds, “They try every year, but last year Felix snuck Jisoo in.”

Leaning into his touch, you shift closer. Chest to chest, you can almost feel the steady beat of his heart. “What about him?”

He quietly laughs to himself. “Well, I made it to that mall we stopped at and Jisoo finally asked if she could come out now. She was sitting behind me in the back the whole time. Felix put her in her car seat and everything. When I came back to drop her off, he snuck in instead.”

You find it absolutely endearing how clever Felix is. Stifling your laughter to not wake the house, you clutch onto his hip, or rather his shirt on his hip. Your mind tells you it’s just to steady you, but you’re laying down. All you want is to be closer to him.

It takes you a moment to realise you’ve both stopped laughing, gazing in the other’s eyes even when you can’t really see them.  You can’t quite make it out but you know he’s searching for something in your gaze.

“You can’t blame them for adoring you.”

Baekhyun smiles. You wish so badly to kiss it, not even daring to peck the corners. He wouldn’t do it rudely but it would shatter you if he rejected that gesture too. 

“Can you tell me what’s bothering you, Angel?” He sounds worried. You wish you could lie, but that tone is undenying. It’s not fair. 

Retracting your hands from him, you stiffen to find that he moves closer. Once simply chest to chest, now he hooks your leg around his waist. Maybe he missed being close to you too. Though, you can’t possibly imagine why. 

You try to avert your gaze, but Baekhyun always finds a way back to it. He tilts his head, shifting it lower if need be. Whatever it takes to hold your gaze and hear the truth. 

“I…” you start just to trail off. 

He rights his head, not forcing the notion of eye contact. You know this gesture well. He does it every time he wants to give you a moment to gather your thoughts. He must know the strength of his gaze then, you wonder. He must know how undeniable it is. 

Clearing your throat, you try again. Still uncertain and nervous, you confess, “I don’t think I’m good enough.”

Baekhyun furrows his brows. He’d moved back a bit when giving you space to collect your thoughts, but his head is still close enough to yours for you to feel his confusion. A second, then two, then three pass and he remains silent. Then, finally, he quietly wonders, “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I really don’t.”

“Baek,” you sigh, “That… stuff that we did in the car.”

The confusion falls from his face. Now, anger surfaces. You uncomfortably shift, eyes adjusting to the darkness and his features now a bit more prominent. His eyes are unforgiving, annoyed and almost furious. “I came over your face,” he practically seethes.

“You came over the car.” 

For some reason, you thought that correct would make a difference. Baekhyun knew it wouldn’t.

“I would assume that is a greater compliment.” 

Oh, no. Perfect grammar. 

“Baek-”

He huffs, cutting you off. Sitting up, he can’t even look at you. Your leg slides off him and you sit up too, curious as to what exactly annoyed him. 

“You never . I had to beg you,” you explain, almost close to tears. The sound of you so broken finally pulls his attention back on you. “And-and when you finally let me, I was horrible at it. They did it better.”

“Who?’

‘Them! Whoever was ing you before!”

Baekhyun quickly clams his hand over your mouth. The thunder rolled just as you got louder. You both still listen intently for any shuffles in the hallway. When he’s finally sure he hadn’t heard a thing, Baekhyun removes his hand. You part your lips to apologize, but he brushes his thumb over them. It’s not as quick or harsh as that clammed hand was. It’s gentle, caresses the curves like he’s about to kiss them. 

His voice is quiet, barely above a whisper, as he says, “You think I’d let them me?” He holds your chin, rough enough to almost make you moan. He just wants to be sure you’re looking into his eyes for this next part. “Nothing I ever did with anyone else means half as much to me as you do. Why do you keep forgetting that?”

Forgetting? You know well that it is not a matter of forgetting. In fact, you wish you could forget. It’s a matter of believing. And behind the guise of friendship how can you be sure that he means what he is saying? Every time you have to remind his family that you’re just friends, your heart tightens a bit, bones chip. You are reminded constantly that there are walls around this… whatever this is. 

But… he sounds so sincere. Voice soft, the honesty in his eyes summon your tears. You know he means it. He wouldn’t be this upset about it if he didn’t. You know he does care for you, if not as a lover than as a best friend. He has never shied away from expressing the latter. 

You ignore the familiar ache of your heart at that. 

Then there’s that frequent reminder of your lacking uality that plagues you. No amount of articles or can help you. 

“I just want to please you too, Baekhyun,” you quietly confess, voice slightly breaking. 

He sighs. “(Y/N), if I wanted to be touched I would tell you.”

“But you do!”

“What?”

“Baek, you’re hard all the time.”

He laughs, head shaking. He even breaks eye contact and bites his lip to stifle any other chuckles. “How often are you staring?” He teases. 

Wiping a stray tear, you roll your eyes and lay back down. Baekhyun follows, wiping both your cheeks even if only one tear fell. He places a gentle kiss on both too. A little smile tugs on the corners of your lips at the delicate touch. His thumb traces the curve of your smile. 

“Look, Angel, you’re just really hot,” he playfully confesses. His teeth graze your plump cheeks the more you smile. “I can’t help getting hard but I can help acting on it.”

You slightly pout. “But that’s the point I’m trying to make, Baek. I don’t want you to help it. I want to help it- you.” 

While you flush at your mistake, Baekhyun quietly laughs. He brushes his nose with yours, making you giggle too. A little growl at the sound of you so happy escapes him. It triggers the meekest, softest whine you’ve ever made. 

Baekhyun bites the inside of his cheeks. “You’re not ready.”

“I am,” you insist. “In fact, I want it right now.” 

“Now?” he questions, raising a brow.

You nod. And he laughs. A little too hard. 

Annoyed, you glare. “Why is that funny?”

“You know we can’t do it now.”

You give him a pointed look as you guide one of his hands between your legs. -less, you let him cup your , sticky with excitement. “I think we can.”

With the lightest touch of his middle finger, he rubs your wet . A shaky breath escapes you as your legs press tightly together. You fear you might have crushed his hand, but Baekhyun doesn’t let the gesture faze him. 

He rubs you again and again, speaking softly as he teases. “When I take you for the first time, Angel,” he whispers into the shell of your ear. “I want to hear every single moan and whine. I want you to beg until you lose that cute voice of yours. Do you really think we can do that now?”

God, how you wish you can.

Foreheads pressed together, you nudge his nose with yours in a pout. He sighs a chuckle. Desperate eyes meet yours. Your heart forgets to beat for a moment, breath hitching. Though dark, you catch his eyes bouncing between yours, searching, watching intently. Lips quivering, you suddenly lose your voice and can seem to muster enough courage to summon it again. 

“Turn around.”

Your once lit gaze diminishes. Blinking, you press your thighs together to realize he’d moved his hand. Have you done something wrong? He was just telling you how much he wanted to you… how much he wanted to hear you. Could the lack of a response cost you his attention? That’s never been the case before. 

Maybe he’s a little too much, you realize. Though you understand his reasoning a bit better now, you still wish he’d trust you in pleasuring him. 

Ignoring the twinge of pain in your heart, you untangle yourself from him and turn around. Hand under your cheek and the other clutching onto your comforter, you wonder why the hell he came at all. He won’t let you touch him, he won’t touch you, and now he won’t even cuddle. And it’s so ing hard knowing he’s right there, right behind you and you’re so alone. 

Baekhyun presses himself against you. You feel his body against yours before his hand grips onto your thigh. You’re about to turn to face him but his lips meet the end of your jaw, just under your ear. You whimper. He smiles against your skin. 

His soft hand rests your leg back over his. Then his fingers gently brush up your thigh to the mess between them. “Why’d you move so far away?” he asks through a wet kiss. 

Breathless, you gasp a quiet moan. You reach a hand back and through his hair. Messy and soft, it falls right through your fingers. Baekhyun grunts quietly when you gently tug on it. He bites on your earlobe, knowing you’re sensitive there, and on it. And maybe that alone you could’ve handled. You might’ve been able to bite back a moan, your hands as you melt into him. 

But then he lays his hand flat against your . It’s too big to fit between your folds, all four digits unable to even line up properly. His index and pinky spill out and more so against your thigh. He rubs it slowly. Once… twice… a full, deliberate circle around your . 

His deep voice resonates in your soul, you can feel the vibrations off his chest and against your back. “You’re always so wet, Angel,” he rasps. After shoving his arm under you, he settles his hand over your , forearm pressed against them like a bra. “What would you have done if Daddy didn’t come to check on you, huh?”

This is cruel, you can’t help thinking. The way he s your tit, the way he growls into your ear, at the shell of it seconds later, the way he holds his hand exactly were you need him most, keeping you from pressing your legs together to relieve the tension is all so ing cruel. Your lungs feel heavy, chest feels tight. You want to breathe but the way he bites on your jaw just seems to be sipping away your instinct to do so. 

Shivering, a meek, dry sob escapes you. Baekhyun stiffens. Then you feel it. Pushed against the curve of your , his clothed throbs. Chest heaving in his hands, you raise a brow. He can’t see the cocky glint in your eyes. It gives you the opportunity to arch your back and shove your back into him without much of a warning. 

Baekhyun adds pressure to his hold on your . He squeezes your , fingers sure to leave you sore. 

“Daddy,” you moan, trying desperately not to be too loud. 

“None of that ,” he hisses before landing a swift and quick smack on your . 

Your hips jolt forward, voice breaking when you gasp. He does it again, harder this time. It’s a bit louder too. You feel him pause and look over his shoulder to the door. You know the coast is clear when he starts rubbing you again. 

“You really think,” he starts, hand moving faster around your , “acting cute is going to save you?”

Your blood runs cold. Eyes wide, you take in his words. Save you. , , . What have you done? He can’t seriously be mad at you for rubbing him. He’s throbbing against you, practically attempting to burrow his way between your cheeks. Does he really expect you to ignore that? 

God, how you’re growing tired of his weakly enforced exceptions. He tells you he’s affected all while pretending he’s not. Well, you refuse to be the only desperate one, needing to and not knowing how to ask. 

So, as he triggers a string of shattered moans to pour from your lips, you rub yourself back against him. 

“Just what the do you think you’re doing,” he harshly questions. His fingers have ceased their rough movements, holding right onto you again. 

“I’m not ,” you whisper, somehow breathing heavy and breathless all at once, “unless you do too.” 

Baekhyun adjusts his grip on your , pulling your body half a centimeter up by the hold on your . It only makes you gush. “Do we need to go over our roles, Angel? I’m Daddy, and you’re my little . You know what that means?” 

You remain silent, sure that he’ll answer the question himself. 

But Baekhyun wants to hear you say it. He roughly sways your hips back against him by your . The fraction of friction against your makes you squeal. 

“Answer me.”

“Daddy, I-”

“It means you do as I say,” he cuts off. “Do you understand that?”

You nod profusely, pouting, whimpering. 

Baekhyun sighs against your neck. He peppers your skin with wet kisses, resuming his harsh rubs against you. “That’s a good girl,” he mutters between kisses. 

“Daddy, please, please, just with me,” you beg just above a whisper. 

Eyes screwed shut, lip between your teeth, you try to keep your moans at bay and hips from moving. The last thing you need is another spank on your . You know it would make you scream. 

He’s quiet for a long time. All you can hear are soft growls of approval when you weakly moan. Clutching onto your covers, you try to find a way to suppress the urge to loudly let him know how much you’re still enjoying this when he slowly slips a finger in. 

Your mouth falls open but nothing comes out. You take very good care in ensuring nothing comes out. Just breathless sighs peek their way through as he adds another finger. You can feel that familiar build of tension in that base of your gut. 

The force of both fingers shoving in over and over, bouncing your hips up and down. Your rubs against his . It’s even harder than before, you realize, and intensely pulsing against you. You try your best to keep your hips from moving. However, it seems like the harder you try, the harsher Baekhyun’s hand moves. He’s ing you with so much force, your entire body jiggles in his arms. 

“S-sorry,” you quickly moan. The last thing you need is for him thinking you disobeyed him again. He made his orders very clear. 

Baekhyun moans. Deep and throaty, he moans right into your ear. You think maybe you imagined it, taking the memories of those moments in the car and bringing them to life here. But then he does it again, this time with a little of his hips. 

He’s… he’s getting himself off. 

You let out a sigh of relief, or more so a moan. If you had known that all you had to do was beg, you would have just started with that. That ultimatum only seemed to get you in trouble. Yet, you’re tempted to make another one… at a more vocal time of course. You can already barely handle this.  

“Don’t be,” he grunts, sounding just as ruined as you. He’s moving fast, almost desperately if you didn’t know any better. 

A shuffle of the hall snaps your eyes open. Baekhyun hesitates with his s. His fingers are still going though. The shuffling grows closer. He moves his fingers faster. It’s as though he is challenging those steps. Another pair of feet follow. 

You’re not sure how much you can suppress. He’s moving too quickly, feeling so big and hard. It doesn’t help knowing that, had it not been for his boxers, his shaft would be snug between your cheeks right now. In fact, you can almost feel it doing so.

You gasp a moan. It’s louder than you had thought it would be. Aiming for just a breathless, weak sigh, you seemed to have resembled a surprised squeal instead. 

At that, you were prepared to feel his fingers leave you. But, they continued their steady s. Instead, his large hand leaves your and clams over your mouth. He holds your face tight, shaking it a bit as he bites on the shell of your ear. You drily sob against his palm. 

“You filthy, little ,” he hisses. “Didn’t you promise to be a good girl?”

You nod, but it’s not enough. His fingers are ruthless, relentless in their torture. Your gushes arousal, filling the seeming silence with the wet slouches of his fingers moving in you. 

It provokes another moan. Though muffled, it still cuts through and fills the room. The shuffles hurry down the hall. You can hear one of the kids mutter something and an adult reply, but it all sounds too distant to tell. You’re trying as hard as you can, but how the does he expect you to stay quiet when he’s ing you so mercilessly? 

“I see,” he smirks. You can feel the corners of his lips rise against your skin. “You want to get caught, huh? You want them to know I finger you every chance I get?”

It doesn’t matter how hard you shake your head. Baekhyun has made up his mind. He growls softly as his fingers curl within you. They flick back and forth, your slouching. 

Your right eye twitches. Your moans break into whimpers. He’s amused. His hips jut forward to the pace of his fingers. His lips take a break from uttering filth to gently kiss your neck. He’s trailing you along the edge beside him. Does he know you’ll wordlessly follow wherever he leads?

You attempt to moan his name, but your words are so muffled it just sounds as though you are purposely trying to moan louder. And that’s exactly how Baekhyun takes it. 

“You just need them to know how good Daddy is ing you?” he questions. He almost sounds broken himself. “You walk around with your ing out and you n-need to have them know you’re being ed?”

Did he just stutter? You push your back into him. 

“Behave, ,” he warns. 

You almost wish you had the ability to. But, it’s so much more fun acting out, when he is so fragile. You can hear it in the struggling moans, the choppy intakes of air. He’s trying so hard to keep himself together, keep you quiet and satisfied, that he’s beginning to lose his grip on his own volume. 

So you cry out his name again. Still muffled, still somehow loud. 

The steps draw closer then grow distant. Baekhyun is not pleased. 

“Babygirl,” he begins, voice raw and doused in… desperation? “Don’t you wanna ?”

You nod quickly. 

Baekhyun kisses your earlobe. You quiver. He’s so gentle. Then, his words hit you. “Then, be ing quiet,” he growls. 

The rush of your arousal takes you by surprise too. You didn’t think the harsh, raw depth of his voice would be your undoing but you should’ve known better. Seconds after his words, he’d paired his threat with a pointed bite of your lobe. You couldn’t deny it even if you saw it coming, even if you tried. 

Your body convulses, eyes rolling back with your head, toes curling. You try to grab onto your comforter as you stiffen up with every gush, and end up ripping your long nails through it. You thought the blurry vision setting in and momentary loss of hearing would be the height of your , but then Baekhyun grunts so… passionately. He buries his face in the crook of your neck, inhales your scent and moans as he cums against your . 

You can’t stop yourself from gushing a bit more, further coating his fingers in your . You can feel his boxer dampen. Knowing he came against you, for you, blooms your heart with pride and relief. He’d been torturing himself since he helped you that very first time on the balcony. Maybe now it would be okay to ask him to again when you find yourselves in other compromising positions. And, you must admit, it’s so much more fun getting ed knowing he too is prepared to unravel for you. 

“Daddy came,” he whispers like you couldn’t tell from his moans or pointed s against your . But then he adds, breathily, “Just for you.”