Track 70. TWO PEOPLE by Jaymes Young | ♩

I’m never going to know if it’s you if every time we talk, it boils down to this, Rara thought. Baekhyun was still asleep, he had one arm around her, and he held one of her hands against his chest. She looked up to him as he breathed in and out with ease. That’s one hell of a good night’s sleep, for someone who just slept with his alpha wolf’s love interest. Rara snickered internally. My Baekhyun would be understanding and would try to win me fair and square, but I need to throw out something specific so I know it’s not you…

...but…

Rara backtracked yesterday. From the beginning of their affair—she couldn’t call it a relationship—she believed he wanted this version of her only physically, and that he was trying to push the narrative that she was starting to crave more than just skin and bones. But she could tell what had happened yesterday was different. From the pressure he put in touching her to the pace of his body rhythm—it was as if he was answering an important test, with every answer deliberated multiple times because he wasn't going to settle for anything less than a perfect score.

She recalled them leaning against the headboard of her bed, her on his lap and his arms around her back. He was breathless, his forehead against her shoulder. Rara could feel beads of sweat running down his forehead drenching her own cold flesh. Both her hands gripped the headboard behind him and then he looked up, short-winded, and said, “I don’t want to be gasping for air for any other reason besides you, Rara.” 

Rara has seen his eyes in that moonlight hue a million times in her universe, and she was very familiar with those twin silver orbs that looked at her with deep affection. What he said was more or less a confession. All at once, the weight of the damage she needed to atone for had fallen on her shoulders. Baekhyun was becoming emotionally invested in this Rara; he was beginning to want her more than just her body. 

And this Rara? She was seeing something else as well. That’s why when Baekhyun said what he said, she just embraced him, which puzzled Baekhyun a little bit; he didn’t know if she was recuperating his raw emotions or was consoling him. 

Rara’s eyes focused on the digital clock on her bedside table—it read 9:06 am, Tuesday; she realized that it was still a school day and their clandestine meetings were usually planned, unlike this one. “Baekhyun,” Rara whispered softly. “You need to leave.” 

Baekhyun stirred, but refused to acknowledge Rara’s words. Are all versions of you just big- sleepyheads? She pinched his nose for a while until Baekhyun slapped her hand away from him. 

“Ugh, Rara!”

“Dude, get up!” Rara said, a little louder than her first request. “Baekhyun, you have to be in your class in an hour.” 

He groaned and rubbed his eyes gently. “Can I just skip it?” 

“I’m not allowing it.” 

Baekhyun slowly sat up groggily. He turned to her and asked, “Don’t you have classes today as well?” 

“I do, but it’s not until the afternoon.” She said. “About yesterday...I was really hoping that we could, um, come to an understanding that—”

“Are you seriously still gonna ask me for a platonic relationship when we were literally anything but platonic last night?” 

Rara just inhaled deeply, realizing it was absurd to ask to be friends when they were going at it all night. Let’s see how you’ll react to me asking you for this massive favor of staying away from me. The right reaction should be violent and dramatic. “I really want to stop...what we’re doing.” Baekhyun was about to say something, and Rara sprung up quickly and raised her index finger. “Let me finish.” She warned. “I need space. I need to sort my emotions. I need a time-out.” She said. “That’s the same for Junmyeon as well. Just need to let the shutters down.” She added. “I’m not gonna cut off both of you. That’s too suspicious and childish—” 

“But I—”

Rara grabbed his face and looked him straight in the eye. “Look, Baekhyun, listen to me.” She pleaded. “I’m aware of our incredible chemistry. I’ve run out of curtains to close or blinds to shut trying