Luhan wasn't the type of irresponsible teacher who showed up to class hungover, but today she was stuck in that situation. It was all because of those damn tequilas! If she had known they would give her such a headache, she wouldn't have taken those twelve shots as a challenge.

Yeah, maybe she really shouldn't have done that. And she would have been in control of the situation if her life hadn't been on the verge of a collapse.

Her life in music wasn't at its best either. People still attended her performances regularly, but she hadn't achieved what she hoped to achieve in her newly completed ten years of career. Unfortunately, she believed that having a tall, big-eared man by her side kind of brought her luck. Or more fans than she could count.

But even with all the implications, she still missed having Chanyeol by her side every night, show after show, until the end of their little "tour." "Legends of Ocarina" had been one of the craziest things in her life (already considered crazy enough to go on a tour without any direction).

Living with music meant having the freedom she always wanted mixed with the uncertainty she never wished for. Stability was definitely not part of her vocabulary. That's why she became a teacher. A good idea? Maybe. At least it was fun to deal with those noisy little ones. Even though all that noise had eased quite a bit now that she had Kim-Li Chen by her side, the kindergarten's art teacher. Her favorite teacher so far, maybe the best in her whole life.

Yeah, Luhan didn't have much control when she was around her. Chen was indeed the best thing she had ever laid her eyes on. Not that she was a thing, but, to be honest? Nothing in the world could compete with her extremely cute beauty. It made hearts skip a beat in front of the blonde.

Luhan didn't really know how Chen felt about her. In fact, she hadn't had the courage to ask yet. Chen seemed to go out with some guys every day, and she had no idea if they were her boyfriends or what.

Every day it was someone new; sometimes, it was both of them. Rarely someone else entered the picture, but that someone Luhan knew: the first-year teacher, Kim Junmyeon.

In short, the girl seemed to be surrounded by all sorts of handsome guys who stood no chance against her: a flop folk singer with her blonde hair already overdue for bleaching and cleverly covered by a cap.

That was definitely the definition of rock bottom.

"Lu Han?" The sweet voice echoed in the dimly lit room. She didn't even need to look to know who it was.

Chen was wearing another one of her crazy dresses with cute animal prints or something like that. This one, in particular, was full of cats. Cat heads, to be exact, with artificially pink cheeks on the computer. That was certainly not something you saw every day.

She was holding a huge pile of notebooks and some pencil cases in her arms, which the blonde assumed were filled with art supplies. She looked beautiful. But she also seemed very tiny carrying all that.

Luhan walked over to her, taking a good part of the paper mountain from her arms.

"Wow, I was going to ask for your help, but I guess you read my mind." Chen smiled brightly, making the blonde's heart skip a beat.

That was just unfair. How could she smile so beautifully like that?

Luhan chuckled awkwardly as she placed the heavy pile on the teacher's desk, a little more towards the corner of the room. It made the room look like an office because the pile was so big.

"Yeah, right? You know what they say... sign of a spider... or... something like that..." Chen laughed at her completely unfunny joke. Chen was indeed a very peculiar person if she laughed so easily at her silliness. Not even Minseok tried that hard.

"It makes sense." It didn't make sense, but the blonde decided to let it go.

"What are all these things?" Chen looked at the paper pile on the table.

It seemed to have a life of its own there, at the mercy of the light and dust.

"They're drawings from the class. From the whole school year we've been here. The semester is almost over, so I thought it would be important to collect and grade them. You know, a teacher's torture, leaving things for the last minute." Luhan laughed softly.

"I understand. If you need help... don't call me." The girl laughed so loudly that it could be heard from the floor above.

"You're really funny, Luhan." The blonde smiled, shrugging.

"I try to be. But I think... you should share this task with Junmyeon. You know how much he loves those nonsensical essays. I bet he'd also love to see some of the drawings in a childlike surrealistic concept." The girl smiled widely at her.

It was incredible how she could easily bring smiles to her face. Luhan felt powerful in this way.

"I think so too. Something like: my cousin with blue skin, and mommy with pink hair."

"Inclusion is everything, that's what I always say." The teacher laughed again.

"I find it so awesome... this innocence." There was no way not to agree.

Luhan loved teaching children because they had brilliant minds. New, unshaped minds, and, of course, brilliant! Contrary to what many thought, many of the questions from these little heads led to the absurdity of creativity rather than prejudices and established ideas. That was the magic of being a kindergarten teacher: the first opinion could always be questioned.

But that was something Junmyeon made an effort to practice. Of course, he always received complaints from extremist parents, but there were always those who thanked him for including their family model in class. And that was something that money couldn't buy.

"Do you like teaching, am I right?" Luhan asked, striking up a conversation. Chen turned her gaze to her with a loving smile dancing on her lips.

It was evident that she loved teaching. Luhan could see that in her expression. Perhaps much more than people considered common.

"I do, yes. I also love kids. And you?"

"I learned to like it. I don't get along very well... with people in general." Chen nodded in agreement.

"I think I understand. I'm not the best with people either. But I try not to be the worst either."

"Balance is everything." The little girl laughed once again.

"You've had lunch already?" Oh my God. Was she going to ask her out?

Luhan paused for a moment, considering whether she could deceive her without being noticeable. She wanted so much to have lunch with her.

Chen seemed to be waiting, as she looked at her with big, round eyes full of lashes. So damn cute.

The blonde sighed, giving up. It wouldn't work; she wouldn't lie to her.

"Yes, I already had lunch. Vegan stuff. Nothing too exciting." She seemed a bit sad to hear that.

Well, Luhan was definitely much sadder. She could even write a song about how she wished she had two stomachs at that moment.

"Oh, I like vegan food. Although I don't know much about veganism." She liked it? No way!

The smile was involuntary but quickly disguised. If she made a big deal out of it, maybe the girl would get scared. She knew not many people were excited to learn about the vegan world.

"If you want some lessons..." The blonde shrugged. If she were any more obvious, she might start embarrassing herself.

"Are you serious?" Chen was so happy with the information that Luhan was surprised.

So she really liked it? Wow. That was so crazy. It felt like it had been ages since she could discuss her lifestyle with someone.

"I am, Chen. If you want, we can... schedule something." There it was. Now she waited for the final strike...

"Oh, God! I would love that! Really!" Luhan smiled.

Touchdown! And the stadium was vibrating in her heart.

"Send me a message. If you're free this week, we can schedule something." That made Chen act differently. She seemed... shy? Oh, no. That wasn't fair at all.

The girl smiled slightly at her, patting her cute dress full of cat heads.

"Alright then." Luhan returned the smile. She couldn't contain her joy.

"Alright." She replied, not really knowing why.

The girl looked at her shyly. The atmosphere wasn't the same anymore: she could tell that Chen was slightly on the same page as her. That made her smile even wider instantly. She couldn't believe her own luck!

"Need help with all this? You know... I was kidding before when I said not to call me." The teacher smiled, walking towards the desk.

"In fact, I only need some. I'll come back to correct the rest tomorrow. I need to meet a friend now..." She sighed, looking quite worried. "He... is not doing very well."

"Really? Did something serious happen?" She seemed unsure of what to say. "It's okay. If it's personal, you don't need to explain." The girl shook her head.

"Oh... not exactly. He... always does this kind of thing, but... this time it went a little further." Luhan frowned.

"You... will be okay?" Chen smiled, finding it funny.

"It's not his problems that concern me, it's my brother's. He... used to be my brother-in-law."

"Oh... I see. Family issues." Luhan avoided that like the devil. It was bad enough that she had lost her family for being who she was, so she thought leaving everything behind was better. Or at least it could be, to some extent.

"It's... almost that." She sighed, taking some papers from the table. "Well... I guess... I'll see you around, then?" The blonde smiled wide.

God willing, she thought. But what she said for real was:

"Sure." Chen nodded in agreement.

"See you later, Luhan." She waved, giving a small smile toward the door.

Luhan wanted to make a joke there, but she held back. If the girl started to catch on to her blatantly flirty and clueless way, she might not appreciate it. Unfortunately, she had learned a lot from her brother at heart to be an unbearable playboy.

Or maybe...

"Hey, Chen..." The girl looked at her, between the door and the hallway.

"Yes?"

"You're going to call me, right? I mean... you can't miss your classes..." Yeah, she decided to be herself. It wouldn't work if she kept hiding; she really enjoyed teasing people. She had no shame.

The girl turned red instantly. Had it been a bad idea? Or was it just unexpected? Whatever it was, she still awaited her response.

"Ah... I... I can call you, yes. Do you... have any preferences for a time?"

"After my shower?" Ah, Luhan. You ridiculous person!

"O-okay." Did she agree? Luhan laughed this time, unable to contain herself.

"I'm just kidding, Chen. You can call me anytime you want. I won't be doing anything special after this." The relief was evident on the teacher's face, making the blonde regret her actions.

She must have been thinking a million things about her.

"I apologize, Chen. I didn't mean to upset you."

"N-no, it's... I-I... it's okay." She broke eye contact.

Damn. That wasn't what she wanted to happen.

"I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you: I'll take some of these to correct, and we can schedule a review for tomorrow. Alright?" Luhan went to the desk where there were stacks of essays from the first year.

Yeah, there would be a lot to do. But it would be worth it.

"No, no, you don't need to. It's not a big deal, I-I..."

"You can go. I'll take care of everything here." The blonde waved her hand, dismissing her.

"Luhan, this isn't-"

"You can go. It's okay." Luhan picked up a stack, putting it into her guitar case. Yeah, she hadn't come prepared for this at all.

Chen just sighed, going her own way. All of this would still be part of their story. Luhan could already imagine the laughs in synchrony about the moment. Or, perhaps, the tears of rejection. But well, now wasn't the time to think negatively.

The blonde sighed deeply, returning to the table full of papers.

How could she do it, seriously? It seemed like all the school's classes were there, on her desk. There was so much that even the president could go crazy. Chen was indeed a very dedicated teacher.

Luhan started rummaging through the table, looking for the essays that were due tomorrow (thank goodness they were organized by classes), when she noticed: Chen had forgotten her drawing notebook on the table where she taught.

She went over to pick it up, intending to return it to the teacher the next day, but it fell to the floor as soon as she touched it. She really was a damn clumsy person! How could this have happened?

She knelt on the floor, picking up each drawing and putting them back into the notebook. It wasn't her intention to see them; she knew they could be as personal to the teacher as her little notebook of lyrics. But when she noticed that some of the models in Chen's drawings looked very peculiar, Luhan paid more attention.

Several of the models in Chen's drawings had her profile. Some of them looked like an elven Luhan, Luhan dressed as Japanese characters, Luhan in some moonlit scenery, and even on top of a unicorn!

Oh my God, she looked stunning. She could never have imagined that someone saw her that way. She felt flattered. And if she had any doubt that that model was her, she didn't anymore: in one of the drawings, there was a Luhan sitting on a bench playing the guitar in Spinnet's familiar setting. She wore the same outfit from one of her performances, with the beanie covering her hair, and lights all around.

It was done in watercolor. A beautiful and marvelous show of colors that seemed as if they had exploded in a paint bombardment.

It was beautiful.

So beautiful that it almost made her cry.

Chen was a woman of great talent and sensitivity. Luhan knew that no one else could portray her as well as she did.

That made her feel a bit emotional.

The girl had a vision of her that Luhan hadn't had in a long time. It seemed like she could see all her beauty, beyond herself. It was more than beautiful.

It was her. Purely her there.

And only the teacher seemed to be able to see it.

Sehun drove so fast that he thought he could reach the speed of light.

Seulgi had called him saying that Irene was sick, and Irene being sick worried him like hell because she hardly ever got sick. Which could only mean that it was something serious — or that the programmer was just too desperate.

The mall wasn't too far from her apartment, but Oh was ready to carry her to the nearest hospital on foot if necessary. Even though he knew the girl was a runaway when it came to needles and such.

He parked the car in a hurry and soon the guy was running through the entrance as if in a marathon.

A thousand things were going through his mind as he tried to have some sense of direction among all those people.

How many different illnesses can strike a 23-year-old woman? Irene seemed healthy, at least from everything that was apparent. She never had any problems with hormones or anything like that (he knew it was a common issue for women her age).

So what could it be?

The corridor seemed to get longer and longer, even though he knew it was physically impossible. It would take ages for him to reach the floor where Seulgi said they were. Or maybe he could just take the elevator? No. Stairs were faster for his long legs.

He took the stairs, climbing two steps at a time. He didn't realize it would be so tiring, as by the time he reached the middle of the staircase, he was gasping for more air. Maybe he should start exercising regularly again or just quit coffee.

Yeah, exercising was much easier.

The brunette reached the top of the stairs with his lungs burning. But there was no time for that; he had to find his wife immediately. Every second was precious.

He looked everywhere in the corridors, trying to overcome his nearsightedness, which hindered his search. Or maybe it was the fact that there were so many people at the mall. It was almost like a rock concert or one of those anime conventions Irene used to attend.

He was getting nervous about not being able to find her until he saw Seulgi standing near a bench. Sehun ran to her like a marathon athlete, reaching her in a matter of seconds.

The girl looked at him, surprised by how fast he had come.

"What are you doing here? Did you run here like that?" But Sehun didn't even respond; he immediately crouched down next to Irene as soon as he saw her there.

"Darling... what happened to you?" He spoke softly to an Irene who was slightly stable.

"I'm okay, Hunnie. Just feeling a little sick." Seulgi cleared .

The programmer looked at her, and she seemed quite upset with both of them.

"You are not okay, Bae. You need to see a doctor. Urgently!" Kang emphasized the urgency with her tone of voice, which put Sehun on alert.

Why the urgency? What was happening?

"Irene...?"

"We don't need to see a doctor; I just... felt a little unwell." He could tell she was a little scared. So it was something serious; otherwise, his wife wouldn't act like that.

Sehun nodded in agreement.

"Okay, darling. Let's go home then." He noticed that Seulgi looked shocked, but he couldn't let them know that they were going to the hospital as fast as possible.

Irene ran away from needles just like he ran away from the rent collector; it was scary.

Sehun helped her up, supporting her so she could stand.

"Can you walk, darling?" The girl nodded.

She leaned on his shoulders, hugging his waist. She seemed very weak, which worried him a little. The human body is designed to be resilient, and if that was compromised, it certainly meant something was wrong.

They walked calmly out of the mall, with Sehun watching her like a hawk while the girl seemed to avoid looking at him. Ah, that could mean something.

"Irene..." He called her gently.

She raised her eyes to him, slightly widened.

"What?"

"What are you feeling? You can tell me if you got scared by Seulgi." Irene chuckled softly.

"I'm not afraid of her. Don't be silly." Well, he was. And a lot. But that wasn't the point.

Sehun tried to argue again.

"But you seem scared..." He wasn't lying. He had known her for so long that he could tell her feelings from afar; he didn't even need confirmation.

"I'm... just a little tired." If that was the case, then they would need some vitamins. The kind that comes in glass bottles and all.

"Alright." He said with conviction, making Irene soften her gaze.

"You don't need to be nervous, Hunnie. I'm fine." Sehun looked at her closely.

He knew she wasn't fine, but if it was important for her that he thought so, then he had to act that way. He nodded affirmatively, helping her reach the car. It wasn't that easy, but they managed anyway. He kind of wanted to change cars, but there were still so many wedding expenses he would have to bear. So it was a bad idea.

He shut the passenger door, taking his place in the driver's seat. He was nervous about driving, but he tried to control himself. It was hard to see his wife sick; he felt like he could die. Sehun hated feeling irresponsible. Helpless. It was his worst nightmare not to be able to find a solution to any problem.

"Hunnie..." The girl's weak voice reached him, as did her fingers on his hand.
She was still the same Irene as always. He could see it now, looking into her eyes.

Sehun sighed, trying to calm down.

"Irene... never do that to me again." The girl smiled weakly.

"I love you, puddin'." The guy leaned in, leaving a chaste kiss on her soft lips.

Irene smiled a little there, leaning on the car seat. She seemed so small. She couldn't even remember the last time they were together in the car. It was like a mirage. A distant dream from when they were still teenagers.

He pulled away, looking at her again.

He just wanted to... look at her for a moment. The trip there had been long, and yet they seemed to be on the same page now, as they always were. Maybe even writing the same book, with the same pen, and the same lines on the paper. He felt like they were finally truly together.

"Are you okay?" He asked for confirmation. He could feel she was getting better, not completely well, but better.

"I'm getting better." He nodded positively.

If that was the case, then he could start calming down too. He leaned back on the car seat, sighing in relief for the first time in minutes.

She didn't have the slightest idea of how much she meant to him. That was the only explanation for her being so calm.

"You gave me a hell of a scare. I thought something serious had happened. I almost flew here." His voice was low, as if he couldn't believe it.

"Almost?" Irene teased. Sehun fell silent. "Hunnie... you don't have to believe everything Seulgi tells you. She was worried and ended up passing that on to you." The guy shook

 his head.

"That's different, Irene. You were unconscious. What do you think I would think?"

"Whatever it is, you have to stay calm..." Calm? How did she manage that?

"But-"

"Especially because... I have something else to tell you..." She cut him off, a little desperate. Sehun looked at her, trying to understand what was going on.

Irene had an apprehensive look. As if she had broken one of her game boxes again, but this time, the whole shelf was under repair. Something was happening.

"What is it?"

"I-I think m-maybe Seulgi is right." She looked away to her own fingers. She always did that when she was nervous.

"What are you saying?" He asked, worried.

Irene remained silent for a moment. It seemed like she was pondering something. Her hands didn't stop fidgeting in her lap.

"Look, Sehun…” She started, still not looking at him. "We... maybe we messed up and now there's no going back. How would you feel about that?" Irene raised her gaze to him.

The programmer began to get nervous. He already suspected what she meant by that.

"Are you talking about the wedding? I thought... I thought you wanted to marry me." The girl denied it immediately.

"No, it's not that. It's... a little more serious." Serious? What was she talking about then?

"Serious how, Irene?" She took a breath, looking away again.

It was making him more anxious by the moment. What was bothering her so much?

"Irene... what's the seriousness of the situation?"

"It's... the kind that turns your life upside down." Sehun furrowed his brows.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's... almost like that." Almost like what? But what was that?

"You want to adopt a wolf?"

"No! Sehun... just forget it and let's go home." Irene gave up, a little frustrated.

Now, it was she who was insisting on the Canidae family!

"Are you sure, darling?" She nodded, placing her hands on her belly.

It was a very strange gesture. He had never seen his wife do that before. Was she still in pain?

"Yes, it'll be better... better to let it go. I'm fine now, and you are too. So... let's just... celebrate that we are all okay. Right?" Wrong.

He couldn't just let it go like that. Maybe if he insisted a little more, she would tell him what was bothering her so much.

"I don't know... you seem a bit odd."

"What? I'm not!" Her irritated indignation made Sehun retreat. Maybe he should let it go.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Sehun started the car, ending the conversation once and for all.

He wouldn't keep pushing. She wouldn't speak. Maybe, in a few days, when he could talk to her gently... or maybe even a little later. Who knows...

The programmer continued driving the car until they reached the city avenue, leaving the mall behind. He felt that Irene was still bothered by this whole thing. She was never this quiet. Not since Naruto ended, and she spent days in her room crying because she wouldn't survive without the anime openings playing on TV. Whatever that was. Sehun didn't understand much about the little yellow ninja.

But now, it was different.

It felt like five Narutos had ended.

Sehun sighed.

Tonight. Tonight, he had to talk to her.

Silence prevailed for some time, until they were almost at the apartment route. Oh was about to ask if she would stay in her apartment when Irene broke the silence with a low voice:

"Listen... I'm sorry if I've been bothering you with this." Sehun softened his gaze.

Was that what she was thinking?

"You would never bother me with this, darling. Your health is of utmost importance to me." The girl nodded, wiping away a few tears that had escaped her.

She was crying?

"Irene..."

"It's nothing serious, right? It was... probably just food poisoning or something." The guy sighed. He reached for her hand while still keeping his eyes on the road.

He was trying to convey any comfort that would make her open up. He was going crazy already.

"So, we need to see a doctor, dear. Food poisoning is also a serious thing."

"NO!" She cut him off suddenly. "I mean... no, why bother the doctor, right?" The car stopped at the traffic light, making Sehun turn around.

He took both her hands in his so that she would look at him, which she did. Her eyes were slightly teary, and now that he could feel better, he realized her hands were cold too.

The brunette looked closely at her, just like on the day he proposed to her. He could tell she noticed, as she started crying for real.

"Darling... tell me what's bothering you. You know I always find a solution for you. It's my duty. I'm your Protector." This made her smile.

She had said that to him several times, referring to the relationship of Usagi and Mamoru Chiba. She always said they were like Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Even though it was more common for Sehun to be saved by her most of the time.

"It's not that simple, Hunnie..." She spoke softly.

The signal opened, but he was still there. Irene was more important at that moment.

"What's not that simple, darling?" People started honking, but they hadn't moved from their place yet.

Irene started speaking again, with her hands on her lap.

"Sehun... when your brother got married... he didn't want to have kids, right?"

"Yes..."

"And... do you remember what you told me?" What did he say? He couldn't even remember much of the wedding. They had drunk so much with Baekhyun that day that all three of them woke up in the backyard.

Good memories.

"Did I say something?" She confirmed with a nod.

"You said it was better that way." And it was.

Children weren't one of Sehun's favorite topics. He was afraid of them. Not to say he had no idea what they thought, and that scared him. More than he'd like to admit.

So, he avoided it as much as possible.

But... as far as he knew, it had never been an obstacle before...

"Is this bothering you?"

"Yes... and no." More honking, this time with a lot of swearing around them.

The programmer decided to ignore it.

"Irene... I thought you didn't want to have kids either."

"I didn't." She whispered softly.

Now he really didn't understand what she wanted.

"So why are we talking about this?"

"Because... I might want to now..." That made him back away.

"What?" He said in disbelief.

The girl took a breath, summoning all the courage she had. She looked right at him when she said:

"I might be pregnant now, Hunnie."

It was a sunny Saturday, one of those days when you could go to the park or the beach, have some ice cream, and do outdoor activities. Unfortunately, Baekhyun was not in any of those places.

He was waiting for Kyungsoo in front of Dyo's.

For what? That's what he wanted to know.

His boss had just sent a message, saying they should meet to discuss some business matters this time. So he had no idea what to expect. Besides, the chef hadn't shown up for the morning shift, leaving Baekhyun once again in charge, filling in for him as the personal sous chef of that kitchen.

He didn't mind at all.

The redhead was dressed in light clothes, with a cap on his head to keep his hair in place. That's what he always wore. If it were something more formal, they would have to go back to the bald guy's apartment to fetch the suits again. Or perhaps Kyungsoo would bring them? Aish. He should stop being so anxious.

It had been almost two weeks since they had started this. He wasn't sure if it was a relationship or what, but he knew he was enjoying it. Despite misunderstandings and disagreements (mainly on his part), it was the best relationship he had ever had.

Kyungsoo was understanding. Much more than Baekhyun had imagined. And Baekhyun, he was quite spoiled, which somehow made up for the chef's cold side and warmed him up. They complemented each other in a strange way that had somehow worked.

At the beginning, the redhead had doubts about it. He didn't think he would be compatible with the chef, and that they would probably end up getting really annoyed with each other at some point. But every time they argued, they couldn't resist each other. It was ridiculous. He felt like he was 5 years old again, arguing with his older brother over silly things and then making up and playing together again. And they played in a way...

Baekhyun smiled wide at the memories.

The rumbling sound of Kyungsoo's car engine snapped him out of his dark thoughts, putting him on alert.

He had finally arrived.

He parked the car in the reserved spot in front of the restaurant. That only made Baekhyun nervous. Was it another gala event? Would they have to use Dyo's bathroom to get ready? All his stuff was in his apartment. They would have to figure out how to get the hair gel and probably some dress shoes.

The problem was: he didn't know if Sehun was there. On Saturdays, he usually left the house, going to Irene's apartment or something like that. He was always a busy guy. Unlike Baekhyun, who only had energy to sleep and...

"Baekkie..." The redhead was startled, turning around to look at him. He hadn't noticed that Kyungsoo was getting closer. But when he looked at him, he almost wanted to cry.

The brunette looked so handsome. He was wearing skinny jeans so tight that they highlighted everything they shouldn't. It was torture. And there was also the brown polo shirt that accentuated his beauty so much that it was an injustice against the confectioner's heart. He had never felt like this before with other guys. The bald guy seemed to be on another level.

"Soo..." He replied weakly, making the other smile.

He was already standing right in front of him, exuding whatever wonderful perfume he was wearing.

"What's the matter?" Kyungsoo answered with a smile.

Ah, it was quite obvious how much Baekhyun admired him. He could see that he was enjoying seeing him falling for him.

Hm.

Did Kyungsoo like being adored?

"You. Where did you get that shirt?" Kyungsoo chuckled softly, a little embarrassed.

Ah, damn it. As if he could resist him with that smile...

The redhead approached him with a sigh, pulling him close. Baekhyun was startled when Kyungsoo planted a quick kiss on his full lips. He probably wasn't expecting that. But Baekhyun also wasn't expecting him to show up like this.

"Baekkie..." He laughed, pulling away. "What are you doing?" His brown eyes, so close like that, looked like his favorite chocolate.

Baekhyun smiled. He truly was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on.

"I'm kissing you." The brunette smiled.

"I noticed that. But... we're in the middle of the street." Kyungsoo glanced around, as if looking for some Russian spy.

The redhead laughed at his concern.

"It's okay, love. There's no one here. We're safe." Kyungsoo turned his gaze back to him like a lightning bolt.

"What?"

"I said there's no one around." He shook his head.

"No. You... said something else." Baekhyun looked at him confused.

What was he talking about? He had said... ah. The word with an "L."

It was the first time he said that out loud.

"Did you mean it?" And now? What could he say?

If he said yes, would he get scared? Think they were moving too fast?

Baekhyun didn't feel that way, though. He liked being like this with him, and intimacy was something he was looking forward to building. The first step... had already been taken without them realizing it, during Yuri's wedding rehearsal. Now it was time to move forward with the adjustments.

"Baekkie?" He asked with a whisper.

The redhead smiled. It was Kyungsoo's code when he wanted to talk about something important. He suspected that not even the brunette realized he did that.

"Yes..." He looked at him. "Is it a problem?" He wanted to make it clear that he didn't regret it. He knew Kyungsoo was still insecure about the relationship, he couldn't ruin things with him again.

Kyungsoo averted his gaze, shaking his head slightly. He seemed cute being all shy like that.

"No, no. Of course not, Baekkie." Kyungsoo laughed.

"You liked it?" He smiled a little.

"Yes... please, don't stop." Baekhyun pulled him closer, his fingers resting on the chef's waist. He really wanted to hug him. But if he did that, he doubted they would leave that spot anytime soon.

"I won't stop, love." He said playfully to .

Kyungsoo chuckled reflexively.

"This is quite new to me... but I like how it sounds."

"I'm glad." And he really was. It was a sign that he could start moving forward with him as he had been wanting to do for a few days now.

He couldn't contain his cheesy side anymore. He was terrible when he was in love, and he was determined to make the brunette experience all of it.

"I do too..." Kyungsoo chuckled softly. "But... we need to go. I... wanted you to come with me again for the restaurant's shopping." Baekhyun was surprised.

It had been a long time since they did that. Kyungsoo, in fact, loved to shop alone. Due to the time he took to make choices and because there was always something new to be tested in the market, he usually did some research before making any purchases.

His extreme dedication was one of the things that the redhead admired most about him.

"We can go then."

"Alright. I think we can walk. There's a store about four blocks from here that I'd like to check out."

"Okay." The bald guy agreed with a nod.

Both got up and walked down the street from the restaurant, heading towards the shop Kyungsoo had mentioned. There weren't many people on the sidewalk, but Baekhyun noticed that Kyungsoo was still walking a bit distant, with his arms crossed, as if he didn't quite know what to do with them.

The redhead wanted to laugh.

It was really the first time they were going out like this after making things right, so it was funny to see him acting so... him.

Baekhyun moved closer slightly, trying not to give anything away. He reached for his hand, finding the fingers on the way and slowly intertwining them with a comfortable grip. He felt the warmth of Kyungsoo's palm nestling against his, creating a feeling of well-being.

He never thought he would find so much comfort in holding someone's hand, but until then, he had never held someone's hand like Kyungsoo's.

The brunette looked at him. The chocolate of his eyes was so intense it looked like it was about to melt. A small smile appeared on his full lips, making the redhead see exactly what he was saying. It seemed like he was grateful that Baekhyun had taken the initiative.

They continued to walk in silence, not saying a word. But the redhead knew there was a silent whisper saying that this was the first affectionate gesture they exchanged. So simple, yet so powerful.

It conveyed things that Baekhyun couldn't put into words.

Even though there were evaluating looks directed at them, Baekhyun didn't care. He squeezed Kyungsoo's hand tighter when that happened, as he noticed the bald guy getting more nervous. However, he wouldn't let other people ruin it. This moment was entirely theirs and no one else's.

They were already very close to the shop when Kyungsoo stopped. Baekhyun turned around, trying to understand what had happened when he pulled him towards the other side of the street.

"Come with me for a moment." The redhead furrowed his brow. What was that?

Kyungsoo went to the pedestrian crossing, still holding their hands together. On the other side, there was a shop that seemed to be under construction. Several workers were there, hammering the walls efficiently. It looked like they were going to demolish a large part of the front area.

"Soo... what's this?" Kyungsoo smiled widely.

"This... is the next step." Baekhyun didn't understand.

"Next step?" The bald guy nodded excitedly.

"I've been wanting to tell you for a while..." He pulled him a little closer. "I'm expanding Dyo's. And... it'll be here." The redhead's eyes widened at that moment.

"Since when?" Kyungsoo bit his lip. The redhead seemed lost in thought for a few seconds before returning his attention to him.

"It's been a while, Baekkie..." Was he being serious?

"You never told me anything!" The chef smiled softly.

"It was supposed to be a surprise. But... I just felt different today. I needed to show you." Baekhyun smiled, turning his attention to the place.

It was quite spacious. Comfortable. It looked a bit like a space with outdoor tables, which reminded him of France. It could really be one of those French cafes where he had worked for the past seven years.

He felt a pang of nostalgia in his chest.

That was when he felt happy. And he was far from where he wanted to be, at the same time...

The redhead looked at the guy by his side.

Sometimes he felt like Kyungsoo was the turning point in his life. He had to pass through him to continue his journey.

He rested his head on Kyungsoo's shoulder, looking at the people working so hard in the small bistro. Or at least, that's what he thought it was.

"Is it going to be another restaurant?" The bald guy pulled away, looking at him.

He was silent for a few seconds.

It seemed like he didn't really know what to say.

"Soo? Is everything okay?" He shook his head, shaking off some thought that the redhead didn't understand.

"Everything's fine." Kyungsoo sighed. "Let's go. I think we're already a little late." That left the redhead a little confused.

Why didn't he answer his question?

"Soo... you-"

"Look! The store is almost closing!" What?

Kyungsoo started running, pulling him along. Baekhyun couldn't believe it! He must have gone crazy!

"Kyungsoo!" But even his protests weren't enough to make him stop.

They crossed the street again, and Kyungsoo was trying to catch the attention of someone on the other side of the street.

It was the craziest situation he had ever been in.

"Please..." The chef pleaded. "I just need the Fleur de Sel." Baekhyun furrowed his brow. That was French for "Flower of Salt."

He didn't know he spoke French.

"Come on, Chef Dyo. We're already closing..." The guy replied, unable to do anything.

"I swear I won't take long, Taeyang." Taeyang seemed to be considering it. He'd probably get in trouble with the boss for this, the place seemed to have cameras.

"It's for an important dinner at Dyo's. Other chefs are considering a partnership. We could use your ingredients as a recommendation." Baekhyun shrugged nonchalantly, as if he didn't really care. He had just made up a situation to get into that damn store. He must have gone mad.

Kyungsoo looked at him at that moment. His smile was so big that Baekhyun's heart finally showed up.

"If that's the case... be quick."

"We will! Thank you so much, Taeyang!" Baekhyun didn't even let the guy thank him, already stepping into the store's doors.

It smelled like wood. Because there was wood everywhere. It almost seemed like a place where people bought potions or something. It was really noble.

"You're crazy, Baekkie! How could you just say all that stuff to him?" Kyungsoo was laughing. The redhead turned to him with a half-smile on his face.

He didn't even know what had gotten into him. He just felt like he needed that damn Fleur de Sel.

"Well, at least now you have your Fleur de Sel." He exaggerated the accent on purpose, but the chef only looked at him affectionately.

"I do..." He said softly, holding Baekhyun's hand in his.

The redhead didn't understand what he was talking about. But he had liked this hand-holding thing, they hadn't stopped since he took Kyungsoo's hand for the first time.

"What place is this, anyway? I've never seen it before." The bald guy was rummaging through the shelves as he talked to himself.

"Caramel... it's a shop for French ingredients, mainly focused on confectionery." He looked back at Kyungsoo. "I think you'll be coming here a lot from now on." The redhead smiled.

He was happy that Kyungsoo had accepted his position as a patissier. It was what he wanted most, since he was still in culinary school. Even though his ultimate dream was to have his own pastry shop.

"Ah... here it is." The bald guy pointed to a small jar that seemed to contain very dark sand.

The pastry chef furrowed his brow.

"It's a little dark..." He stated the obvious. He had never seen anything like it before. All the Fleur de Sel he had bought in his life was extremely white. Nothing like this.

"That's because this one is smoked." Baekhyun widened his eyes.

"That sounds... hard to find."

"And it is... it's one of the most expensive ingredients in the world." Kyungsoo smiled, carefully picking up the jar with his hand.

"But the taste... aah, Baekkie. It's the most magical thing in the world." He handed Baekhyun a jar, picking up another one while reading something on the label of the product. "Fleur de Sel is the first formation that appears when seawater is drying in salt flats. In the Normandy region of France, this first salt that appears usually carries the flavors of the minerals and rocks where it is found. It's that peculiar taste that makes it such a distinctive ingredient." The chef smiled, amazed.

It was so beautiful. Hearing him talk like that with so much knowledge and passion for what he did. That's why he was such a wonderful chef. Do Kyungsoo was extremely dedicated to gastronomy.

"So... that's why they're quite rare?" Baekhyun asked genuinely.

"Yes... the smoked salt carries the fragrance of an oak barrel where French wines are usually aged. The scent of the wine, the rocks, and the smokiness creates a bouquet of flavors in this salt. It's entirely different from anything you'll ever taste." It almost seemed like he was talking about himself. At least, from Baekhyun's perspective.

"Like you, Chef." Baekhyun teased.

The bald guy shook his head, getting closer to him.

"No, Baekkie." The chocolate was burning there again, with the same shine as before. "Like you." Oh, what was he talking about? The redhead's heart began to race.

He was lost.

"Hey, guys... sorry to interrupt..." Taeyang appeared from somewhere that Byun wasn't interested in knowing. He just wanted Kyungsoo to repeat that to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

The bald guy still had his eyes on him. The shy smile didn't take long to appear, at the same time that he saw him getting closer.

And he felt like he was spinning again.

His lips were there, pressed against his. Sealed with a different kind of kiss. Things were starting to blend together. He wouldn't be able to separate from this little man attached to his lips anymore. It was one of the best feelings in the world, and he hadn't experienced all the sensations with him yet. But it felt like a constant explosion inside him, each of them written with a little part of him.

He had been feeling the three words whispering inside him for a while now, but he didn't want to rush everything like a crazy in love. Even though he was one. Even though his heart was now about to explode.

Everything he felt seemed to have doubled in size with a simple little word. And suddenly, everything began to grow like a beanstalk.

"Guys..." Kyungsoo laughed in the middle of their lips.

Baekhyun pulled away in the same moment, resting his head on his shoulder.

He loved hugging him. He also loved smelling the perfume up close, just as much as he loved his lips on his. So, with a lot of effort, he decided to be the voice of reason there:

"We have to go, Chef." He said, and Kyungsoo nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry for that." He seemed slightly embarrassed.

"Don't apologize for kissing me." Baekhyun protested, and the guy laughed again.

"Let's go, Baekkie." He said, pulling his hand back to himself.

Baekhyun watched them as they left the store.

He still felt the same warmth slipping through his palm, but now it was much more familiar. It felt natural.

And maybe it was.

Maybe it was the most natural thing he had experienced in a long time.