EDITED: 15/06/2013 AT 14:08:11

Busan was in a buzz. Although it wouldn't be all that surprising if the whole of Korea was in a buzz, or even the whole world for that matter. One seemingly fine Sunday, almost all major newspapers within the city had a common subject of interest in its front page: Byun Baekhyun's Scandalous Life Before His Rise to Stardom.

Pictures were posted everywhere, from newspapers to magazines, and from tabloids to random websites over the internet, of the photos that were taken during the actor's long weekend escapade with an unknown woman and three children.

Before that piece of gossip could grow any further however, immediately the day after, another headline graced the front pages of the Monday newspapers, and it simply read: The Not-So-Scandalous Life of Byun Baekhyun.

This particular issue sold even more than that of the previous day due to the relevance of the one news report broadcasted in the nightly news that very same day: Byun Baekhyun Sacks Long-Term Manager, Choi Jinri.

- - -

The Not-So-Scandalous Life of Byun Baekhyun

Written by: Kwon Boa

We all know the talented, rich and famous actor, Byun Baekhyun. We also all know that rumors are erupting everywhere regarding his relationship with a one, Im Yeonhee, due to the rather shocking photos revealed almost everywhere since yesterday.

I would personally want to extend my apologies to Mr. Byun and Ms. Im for being the root cause of all the said photos taken the night they had their romantic dinner on Byun's yacht along with their three children. As much as I would want to deny ever having taken part of the acquisition of those photos, it is crucial that I admit the truth.

Yesterday's news may have revealed Byun's relationship with Im and the nature of the three children who were seen with them on the yacht by making obvious conclusions. But Byun himself has personally sat down with me to talk about it all willingly just to clear things up to everyone.

For the detailed interview with Byun baekhyun, turn to page C7…

- - -

"Oh this is ridiculous!" Taeyeon said exasperatedly as she flipped through the pages of the newspaper. "Honestly, this reporter's more like a gossip columnist in a magazine than an actual journalist," she muttered before she found the page and area of the paper she was looking for.

- - -

Boa: So Baekhyun, who really are those kids who were seen with you on your yacht?

Byun: The kids everyone saw me with that day are my children. You all know Taehyun and Raehyun from a previous event in Haeundae. They were on stage with me that day, although I didn't know they were my kids that time. And the third child, the little girl, is Yuna, my daughter. The three of them are triplets.

Boa: Oh that's adorable! And what about the woman you were caught kissing and embracing with when the kids were out of sight later during that first night at sea?

Byun: Her name is Im Yeonhee. She was my long-term girlfriend since I was in high school, all the way until I got my big break as an actor. I suppose you can see the pattern as to how I didn't know about my children until just recently.

Boa: Yes, indeed we can. So, exactly what happened since your cruiser docked? It was reported that a lot of drama took place at the Busan ports as you arrived there and even after you had left.

Byun: I never expected the media to find out about that little trip. I planned that all out on a whim, so you can imagine my surprise and annoyance to find a hoard of people waiting for our arrival. The only person who knew that I had even left on that yacht with Yeonhee and our kids was my bodyguard, Kris– who, by the way, was the one who informed Sulli of where I was and who I was with, thinking she had to know since she's my manager. He apparently did not give her full details except that I was with my boys but I suppose Sulli was smart enough to know the specifics anyway to give us away. She was already suspicious of Yeonhee from the start so I suppose she already figured out she had to be on that yacht with me too. Anyway, on our way to the car when we arrived, the kids got pretty shaken up. You know how the media can be, seeing as you are one yourself. Questions were thrown from every direction and the ceaseless camera flashes were too much for the kids, so we decided to head straight to the hospital. That's where my manager, or rather, now ex-manager, turned up...

- - -

Taeyeon scanned the next few lines, already knowing most of the parts of what happened within the hospital since she was there as well.

"Ah, here it is..." she said aloud before slowing down and reading more properly again.

- - -

Boa: Yes, I figured it must have been Choi who had made the call to our studio. I was suspicious of the tip at first of course but then, a tip's a tip. We were quite desperate for a worthy enough story at the time. Busan's been in a drought for juicy news lately.

Byun: And when you found out that the tip was pretty accurate...?

Boa: I immediately thought it must be someone rather close to you. And since we don't know anyone here in Busan whom you actually trust to share such information with, she was the immediate suspect.

Byun: That was very smart of you.

Boa: Well, you've never really done any work here in Busan. It was easy to round off the people close to you who're currently residing here. So anyway, after your security team rounded up a bunch of us, asking about the photos and who got the tip, the rest is history. I told them it was my team who took the shots and as it so happens, I had already spoken to Choi beforehand, thanking her for the tip. She didn't admit she was the one who called us but I recognized her voice easily enough through the phone.

Byun: I really appreciate it that you cooperated with us on this and openly admitted all that you know. Sulli's done a lot of deceitful things in the past, some I would rather not reveal to the public since it has affected my family and I personally. With you admitting all this, about her involvement in starting this whole mess about my personal life, is already enough for the public to know just what kind of person she is. So, again, thank you.

Boa: Not a problem, Baekhyun. Glad to be of help. Now, is there anything else you want to tell our readers?

Byun: Yes. I hope the media, as well as my fans, will be more compassionate the next time I decide to go out in public like that with my family. My kids were actually frightened that time. They aren't used to how the paparazzi act around celebrities. They mean the world to me and I don't want them to take the wrong end of the stick to having a father who is famous. So I hope you can all try to tone it down a bit if ever you do spot me in public with them.

- - -

Taeyeon read the parting note of the writer before folding the paper up and throwing it on top of the Sunday paper, covering its heading:

Byun Baekhyun's Scandalous Life Before His Rise to Stardom

"I really should learn to read newspapers the day they're dated," Taeyeon said regretfully with a sigh.

Yeonhee smiled at the older woman from the sink as she washed the plate and glass she had just used. "It's not that important anyway."

"Not important?" Taeyeon repeated incredulously. "Yeonhee, this is the first time the news has ever featured someone I actually know! Not only that, they featured five people whom I know so well! And I can't believe it, why didn't you tell me about your history with Baekhyun? I should have suspected it the moment I noticed his increased visits over the past few months! I really can't believe it. A famous actor is the triplet's father? Who would've thought?"

"You're not that late. So it doesn't really matter," Yeonhee reasoned, completely ignoring the rest of her comment. "It's only Thursday today. You just missed the news for four days."

"Oh stop trying to make me feel better," she said with a wave of her hand and looking depressed, making Yeonhee giggle.

Sighing, Taeyeon stacked the newspapers of the previous days in a neat pile before opening the paper for that day. "I suppose it's never too late to start keeping up with the news in time. And with you as my witness Yeonhee, I promise I'll read every single detail in the paper from now on," she said in a sigh as she started reading.

"You do that," Yeonhee said with a grin before glancing at her watch. "Anyway, I have to get going. I have to get to the studio by 1 o'clock. Baekhyun might be bringing the kids over here later if Yuna gets discharged today. So can you wait around here until I get back?"

Taeyeon nodded, not looking up at her as Yeonhee shuffled around the kitchen for a while before leaving through the front door.

After a few minutes of reading the rather boring article on the front page however, Taeyeon found herself already losing on her promise and was now scanning the pages of the newspaper for anything more interesting. Then something caught her eye.

Taeyeon's brows furrowed as she quickly read the article.

"Oh dear," she said when she finished. She held a hand over her heart as she read the short article again, now with a wide smile and a proud look on her face.

- - -

Im Yeonhee, South Korea's Next Big Celebrity?

Im Yeonhee. We all heard that name lately ever since pictures of her and the famous Byun Baekhyun were revealed in newspapers and magazines around the globe.

But who is Im Yeonhee?

In due time, that name will be known to every citizen across the nation as Korea's next singing sensation!

MBC has formally made a statement late yesterday about this very woman. It is confirmed that Lee Sooman, the founder and proprietor of both MBC and SM Entertainment and Lee Jinki, the CEO of the famed record company, SHINee Studios (both who are known to be good and long-time friends) are currently under collaboration to ensure the successful kick-off of Im's career.

The pair had confessed that they had originally meant to keep this under wraps until the completion of Im's album which is currently still undergoing its pre-recording. But due to the buzz about her standing where Byun is concerned, they decided to make the announcement far earlier than they intended in case rumors begin about the coincidence of her working with Lee Sooman, who is also widely known for instigating Byun's acting career years ago. Lee JInki has even disclosed that he was the one who had originally discovered Im and had immediately seen potential in her, and soon after sought collaboration with Sooman. Im has worked closely with Jinki in recent months ever since his offer of a record deal. It was also revealed that Im had no idea of Lee Sooman's working relationship with Byun, and was actually surprised to find out the truth of their affiliation only a few days ago.

A lot of coincidences have certainly occurred where Im and Byun are concerned but both MBC and SHINee Studios have assured everyone of Im's potential and say that Byun's association with her has nothing to do with all the luck that she's been getting lately where her career and impending fame is concerned.

- - -

"Daddy?"

Baekhyun looked up from his newspaper and towards Yuna, a smile immediately on his face. She's been calling him that ever since the day she collapsed five days ago and still Baekhyun can't help the grin that breaks out of his face whenever she does.

He and Yeonhee still found it hard to believe the kids had somehow figured out that he was their father. They truly were too smart for their age. Neither he nor Yeonhee were complaining of course. They were, in fact, grateful that they didn't have to explain to them the truth in a very uncomfortable manner. But they also know that they have to one day explain to them just how things ended up as they are now, from when Yeonhee had left him to when Baekhyun returned to Korea and also about Sulli's involvement. They knew the kids would be smart enough to understand it for the most part but it still wasn't something they both wanted to do so soon, so they agreed to do the explanations when things between all of them settled down again.

"Hmm?"

"Why can't we leave yet?" Yuna said with a frown. She was sitting up on her bed with Taehyun and Raehyun at the edge of the bed, trying to make a tower out of a deck of cards with little success due to all their moving around.

"We have to wait for Luhan. He has to check the results to your tests last night first," he explained making her sigh. "We should be able to leave in the afternoon."

"It's just going to be like the last check-up. I'm really okay now," she said just as her brothers managed to keep six cards up. She wiggled in her spot a little before doing a not-so-innocent bounce, sending the cards falling in a heap.

"Hey!" the boys shouted simultaneously, turning to her. "You did that on purpose!"

"I did what on purpose?" she asked in an innocent tone.

"Dad!" Taehyun and Raehyun shouted, turning to Baekhyun for back-up. It took a while for them to adjust to addressing Baekhyun as their father but they finally caught on just two days ago after Yuna addressed him numerous times a day as 'daddy'.

"Mmm..." Baekhyun replied, not paying attention as he read an article holding the name of someone very familiar. "Don't bully your sister boys," he said absently before silently and quickly reading the short article.

The boys looked at him, appalled, before turning back to their sister who was grinning at them smugly.

"Oh, you're so gonna get it!" Taehyun threatened, crawling over to her side of the bed with Raehyun.

"Don't come any closer!" Yuna warned, trying to shoo them away with her hands though it did nothing to keep them away.

"Get her!" Raehyun shouted before he and his brother pounced on her and started tickling her everywhere.

Yuna shrieked out loud, causing Baekhyun to fall from his seat in surprise.

"Oy!" he said over the noise as he scrambled back to his feet, still smiling from ear to ear from what he had just read.

The triplets stared at him expecting to be reprimanded for the noise they were making but was surprised to see him grinning broadly at them.

"Do you guys want to go visit your mom at the recording studio when we get out of here?"

- - -

Two worlds apart, separated by lies,

Two worlds apart, heed my unheard cries.

You're so near now, but you're still out of reach.

Just come close? Please don't let me preach.

My love for you has always been there,

Through all the hurt and wounds we've been through,

Can you not bear it with me? Can we not share?

 

I just want you here with me. I love you.

Two worlds apart, separated by deceit,

Two worlds apart, I'm longing for us to meet.

But you're here now, you've come for me.

"Have you forgotten, the t-" Yeonhee stopped immediately, letting the band's tunes die down soon after her.

"Yeonhee?" Jinki said, his voice emanating through the speakers above. He was looking at Yeonhee through the clear glass that separated the recording area from the control room he was sitting in with his staff.

Yeonhee sent him an apologetic look before waving at someone behind him.

- - -

Jinki looked over his shoulder, and by the door stood Baekhyun and three little kids.

The triplets were grinning at Yeonhee and waving enthusiastically in her direction.

"Sorry, Jinki," Sooman said with a guilty expression as he entered after the newcomers. "These are Yeonhee's children, they insisted on watching her sing."

"Oh," Jinki said, caught by surprise at the three kids but all the more surprised at seeing Baekhyun.

"This is Byun Baekhyun, by the way," Sooman introduced, gesturing to him. "Baekhyun, this is a good friend of mine, Lee Jinki."

"Nice to meet you," Baekhyun said and offered his hand out towards the man who was slightly gaping at him.

"Of course, of course. Byun Baekhyun!" Jinki said, sounding quite flustered. "I'm a big fan!" he said, grinning widely and shaking his hand with his rather vigorously.

Baekhyun looked at him, amused. "Please, don't let us disturb Yeonhee's recording, we-" he cut off, noticing the absence of the triplets.

"Oh, how cute!" the back-up singers cooed, pinching the kids' cheeks.

Baekhyun looked up and saw the three in the recording area with Yeonhee. The rest of the occupants had long abandoned their instruments and were now huddled around them.

"I guess we already disturbed you all by coming here," Baekhyun told Jinki with an apologetic smile.

"Not at all!" he said with a careless wave of his hand. "We all needed a break anyway."

"I read the article by the way, does Yeonhee know about it?" Baekhyun asked the two men who beamed at the mention of it.

"If she does, she isn't showing any sign that she does," Jinki said. Yeonhee had indeed not mentioned anything about the article in the day's paper.

"I need to thank you both for doing that for her," Baekhyun said sincerely. "That's also why I came here, to thank you personally."

Sooman and Jinki chuckled at this.

"Oh Baekhyun, it was nothing at all!" Sooman said indifferently. "After that meeting we had in my office late last Sunday, how can I not do this for her?"

 

Sooman watched the news on TV in his office, his brows furrowed. What was going on? He had been getting nonstop calls all afternoon regarding Baekhyun and none of it was pleasing in the least.

"Come in!" he called out tiredly when he heard the knock. He had only just turned the TV off before his door burst open and in strode the very subject of his concern. "Baekhyun!" he said in surprise.

Baekhyun walked towards him and sat on the chair before his desk and pointing to the empty seat across him.

"Sit!" he barked harshly.

Sulli jumped and did as he instructed. Never had she seen Baekhyun this furious and never has she heard him use such a tone on her. She had only just returned to their hotel room that day, after grabbing a small snack at the restaurant across the street, and when she entered the room, he was there, sitting in the living room sofa, waiting for her and looking almost murderous.

Sooman watched the exchange and waited for Baekhyun to speak first.

"Sooman, I expect you saw the news earlier?" he asked, his voice calm albeit he looked like he wanted nothing more than to start shouting.

He nodded. "Right after you and Yeonhee called me earlier this afternoon," Sulli's eyes widened with shock and understanding as he said this, making Baekhyun throw her a nasty look. "I started getting calls from the press, requesting to have a word with me regarding you and Yeonhee. I didn't understand it at all until I saw the news."

Baekhyun ran a hand through his hair before he started explaining his and Yeonhee's story from years ago until he got around to talk about the events that took place that very day.

"So I want this fired," Baekhyun ended coldly, glaring over at Sulli who was now hunched down in her seat, tears spilling from her eyes. "She's a manipulative, scheming little traitor and I don't ever want to see her again," he added, breathing deeply now. "Not only has she emotionally afflicted Yeonhee but what she's done, everything she's done, has distressed my kids as well."

"Very well," Sooman said, sighing and looking at Sulli in disappointment. "Jinri-ssi, I can't even find the right words to say to you right now," he said, frowning at her and shaking his head. "By Baekhyun's request, your contract is officially terminated, but not only the contract between you and Baekhyun but I will also have to terminate your contract with both MBC and SM. I'm sorry but even I can't have you work in my company anymore after everything you've done. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Sulli was crying even harder now but she didn't say a word.

"Baekhyun, do you want to file a case against her?" Sooman asked, although personally he didn't want the problem to get any more complicated that it already was. The press will have a field day when this gets out, he was sure of it.

Baekhyun immediately shook his head, making Sulli look up at him with an almost thankful expression.

He looked down at her and glared even harder. "If Yeonhee and my kids aren't a part of this whole mess, believe me Sulli, I would sue you for everything you earned ever since you started working for me. You should be thankful of the very people whom you've hurt. If I could put charges against you without having them appear in court to make any sort of statement against you, I wouldn't even think twice about suing you!"

 

Jinki nodded at his assistant before excusing himself and leaving to adjust the equipment situated in the other side of the room.

"I mean," Sooman continued with a glance in Yeonhee's direction before grinning back at Baekhyun. "The way you talked about her that day, I could tell she meant a great deal to you."

"She did and she still does," Baekhyun said, smiling.

"I take it she's the reason for your change of personality ever since you got back to Korea?" the older man guessed looking at Baekhyun with a knowing look.

"Her," he agreed before nodding thrice at the triplet's direction. "Taehyun, Raehyun, and Yuna. All four of them are the reason, Sooman," he said with an almost wistful look on his face. "I don't even think my personality even really did change. It just, sort of disappeared the day Yeonhee did those years ago."

Sooman stared at Baekhyun for a while before sighing in content. "This is why I wanted you to come back to Busan."

Baekhyun looked at him with raised brows, not understanding his statement.

"This is why I wanted you to come back here," he repeated with a smile and squeezing his shoulder in approval. "This is why I was so insistent on you taking the job here. I had been concerned for awhile. You've been so hard over the years, almost rigid and unfeeling. I knew I had to do something to get the life in you again. I wanted to see that young man I had seen on TV during MBC's contest five years ago. The lively, interesting, emotional and even cocky young man, I wanted to see him alive again in you."

"And do you think you found him again?" Baekhyun asked, grinning.

"I'm pretty sure I have my dear boy," Sooman said confidently and patted Baekhyun's back. "I'm pretty sure I have."

- - -

"You didn't have to bring them all the way to the studio," Yeonhee said as she and Baekhyun walked through the park at a leisurely pace, following the kids who were running around ahead of them. "Yuna just got out of the hospital after all."

"We all had the sudden urge to want to see you sing," Baekhyun said with a shrug while struggling to take a off his ice cream what with his cap and glasses on. "Besides, Luhan said Yuna's been fine since yesterday morning. He just wanted to keep her there to make sure she gets her rest while they checked on the results of her tests."

Kris had dropped them off at the park by the kids' request. Though the sky revealed that it was close to dusk, and the park was close to being empty except for the occasional jogger or people walking quickly past, probably heading home, Yeonhee had still insisted that they all wear hats, though in Baekhyun's case, she had also forced him to wear a pair of semi-tinted glasses.

"Can't we just take these things off now? It's getting dark, it'll be hard to recognize me, and besides, there are hardly any people around," Baekhyun tried to reason as the end of his cap hit his ice cream... again.

Yeonhee had to stifle a giggle but nodded.

"Thank you," he said exaggeratedly before he took his and Yeonhee's caps and stuffed them into his jacket pocket along with his glasses all too eagerly. He grinned down at her before he resumed away his ice cream.

A smile lingered on Yeonhee's lips as she continued to her own ice cream while keeping a close watch on the triplets.

Baekhyun made a side-along glance at her before taking a deep breath. "Yeonhee, can you forgive me?"

Yeonhee looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Forgive you for what?"

"Everything," Baekhyun said with a frown and sighed. "I said a lot of cruel things to you not just recently but ever since we saw each other again at the theme park. I know Sulli's the cause, the main reason why things happened as they did, but if I weren't so..." his brows furrowed at this, at a loss of the right word to use to describe himself. "If I weren't so... well, me, then things wouldn't have become this complicated and difficult between us."

Yeonhee took a moment to stare at him before smiling sadly. She didn't reply.\

"So can you forgive me?" he asked again, not liking her silence at all.

"You already apologized and I already said I forgive you, Baekhyun," she pointed out.

"Well, you said you forgive me that time when Yuna woke up," he countered a bit uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about the moment Yuna had collapsed until the time she had revived. Those moments, he can live without ever reliving or recalling again. "I thought you were just saying that since you were so happy that she was okay. You forgave me too easily."

It was too much for him. After everything they've been through, Yeonhee should put him through hell, but instead she forgave him all too quickly. He didn't feel at all that he deserved it.

"That's true, but I still meant it though. I do forgive you. Forgive and forget."

"You can't just forgive and forget," Baekhyun countered, surprising her.

"Why not?" she asked with raised brows.

"I mean, you can forgive or forget. You can't do both."

"Yes I can," Yeonhee said with laughter in her voice. "I forgive you, and I'll try to forget it ever happened."

"But it's impossible for you to forget what's happened. Not after all we went through. Not after everything that's happened," he pointed out, making her look thoughtful. "Well, unless you start losing your memory when you grow into an old woman or if you acquire an early onset of Alzheimer's disease, or if you somehow get amnesia," he added smartly.

Yeonhee looked at him incredulously before laughing loudly, making the triplets turn to them. She waved them off before giggling and turning back to the man beside her.

"Fine then," she said when she recovered from her fit. "I forgive you. And I suppose you have a point, I don't think I really can forget everything's that happened. But I really do, sincerely, forgive you Baekhyun."

Although still not entirely convinced, Baekhyun smiled a thank you at her before continuing with his ice cream .

"We seem to have the habit of apologizing and asking for forgiveness from each other a lot," she added, remembering the first night they spent on his yacht when she was apologizing for every wrong she had done to him. And she can distinctly remember Baekhyun telling her that verbal apologies are sometimes not enough. Yeonhee can't even remember if he actually did say that he forgave her for her own mistakes.

For a moment, she seriously considered bringing his exact line up but then decided against it. They have gone through enough remorse already.

It was a few more silent minutes until they saw the opposite entrance to the park and Baekhyun could only just make out Kris waiting for them with the car parked by the sidewalk, just as he had instructed him to. By now the night chill had already come, their ice creams long gone and the triplets were playing leap frog on the path and getting closer towards his bodyguard.\

"Yeonhee," Baekhyun said, stopping her from walking with a hand on her arm.

"Hmm?"

A faint blush crept up to Yeonhee's cheeks due to the night breeze that had picked up considerably since they started their walk. She looked up at him, staring at him with pure curiosity.

"Do you think," Baekhyun started, still trying to find his nerve to say the words he's been longing to tell her ever since they left Luhan's office in the hospital.

"Do I think...?" she repeated, seeing as Baekhyun looked like he wasn't planning to finish his sentence anytime soon.

"Do you think there's a chance we could get back together?" he said rather quickly.

This caught Yeonhee in surprise even more.

"You actually considered getting back together with me?" she asked.

"Yes, but it would involve you agreeing first," he pointed out in a joking tone although he was perfectly serious.

Yeonhee smiled at him before starting down the path again, looking in the distance as she did. "A lot has happened."

"I know."

"A few more weeks, then it'll be exactly six years since the day I left you," she said before starting to walk along the path again, although more slowly now.

"For which I have already forgiven you for doing," Baekhyun said, making her smile at him in thanks.

"Can we really get back together after so long?"

"I certainly think so," he answered without hesitation.

"Can we really forget everything that's happened since then?"

"I thought we already agreed that we can't forget but we'll just forgive instead?" he said, making Yeonhee giggle and nod.

"Well, yes, but I mean... can we really act as if nothing happened?" she asked reasonably.

"We can try. I mean, forgiving entails trying to act as if nothing ever happened."

"It does?"

"To me it does," he said, grinning at her before turning serious again. "Yeonhee, do you want to get back together with me?"

Yeonhee stopped just as the kids entered the door to the limo that Kris held open for them. She turned and looked up at Baekhyun, looking quite torn. In all honesty, she did. She loved him, there was no question about it, and right now it was easy enough to assume that he loved her just as much.

"I do," she admitted. "But..."

That single word tore at Baekhyun's heart even if he didn't know what her next words were yet. He wanted her. Not just wanted, he actually felt that he needed her. Over the past few days he's been caught in his own emotional turmoil, actually thinking of the possibilities of their relationship. He missed her. He missed them. He missed what he had with her before Sulli ever came between them and now Sulli was gone. And all that had occupied his mind- ever since he ensured Sulli was out of their lives- was of Yeonhee. He needed her to be with him.

"But?" he persisted.

"The kids-"

"They'll be jumping for joy if we get back together, no doubt about that," he interrupted in a sure tone. "But Yeonhee, I don't want you to get back together with me- if you are seriously considering getting back together with me- for their sake. I do care about them; in fact, I love them down to the damnedest part of my heart. But for once, try thinking about yourself, think about what you want."

"What?" she asked, somewhat rattled. "I do think about myself," she said defensively, making Baekhyun raise a brow at her.

"Then what do you want?" he asked, closing their distance and looking down at her, straight in the eye.

He seriously wanted to know her answer. She was the most selfless person he knew. She had left him for his sake so he could live his dream five years ago. Yes it hurt him like hell but he knew it hurt her even more since she had to force herself to leave despite how she felt for him and actually live out years in guilt. She had also given up her dream of being a singer for the sake of their kids. She had bore them, raised them, took care of them, and worked hard all this time, without a single complaint and without his help. God only knows what else she's done over the years. Not to mention the hell he put her through ever since he came back to Korea. She had suffered a lot without a single complaint it almost seemed maddening to believe there was such a person like her. If he were in her place, he would have at least lashed out and launched his anger on someone a couple of times.

Yeonhee looked up at him, feeling his warmth radiating from his body and actually feel it engulf her.

"What do I want?" she asked in a weak voice, looking back at him. His gaze was almost penetrating.

Baekhyun cupped her cheek in his hand, and slipped his other arm around her waist, holding her in place.

"What do you want Yeonhee?" he asked in a gentler voice.

"I," Yeonhee whispered, looking back at her reflection through his darlk brown eyes. She swallowed before her gaze fell on his lips. She lifted her hand up and ran it along the side of his face before tracing her thumb along his lower lip. "Baekhyun, I..."

"Yeonhee," he whispered, leaning down towards her slightly and very slowly. "What do you want?"

Baekhyun literally felt like he was on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump. He looked into her similarly brown eyes, trying almost desperately to read her thoughts.

"What do you want?" he whispered in an even lower voice though he could still hear the slight unease and insistence in his voice.

"I..." she trailed off. Her hand was still resting on his cheek while her other hand was now clutching desperately onto the front of his jacket, trying to keep herself steady with him getting even closer over her.

"You?" Baekhyun pressed on and his gaze fell to her slightly parted pink lips. Her breathing had hitched considerably.

"I want..."

There was a moment's pause in which Baekhyun couldn't find himself to say anything anymore.

"I want..." she whispered again.

Baekhyun held his breath.

"You," she finished rather breathlessly and she threw her arms around his neck just before he caught her lips with his own in a passionate kiss.

Baekhyun was caught in surprise but he held her tightly against his chest all the same. Her lips were soft against his; her hands delicate as they held the hair at the back of his head firmly; her body soft and fitting in perfectly against his own. She was absolutely perfect. Absolutely perfect for him.

"I'm really sorry for everything," Baekhyun said in a broken voice after their kisses slowed down.

Yeonhee pulled back slightly and looked at him with a loving smile on her face. She wiped the single tear that had escaped and had run down his cheek. "Don't cry Baekhyun, I already forgive you remember?" she whispered, kissing his cheek lightly where the tear fell.

"I still don't think I deserve your forgiveness after everything that's happened," he said. His voice was still broken although tears didn't continue to fall anymore. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I don't deserve the kids' forgiveness either. I really don't."

She pulled back more and looked at him closely. He really felt genuinely bad about himself and at everything that's happened. It was heart wrenching for Yeonhee to see him this way. Ever since she'd known him when they were still kids, he was always so stubborn, so strong, so confident, and so emotional, so humorous, so lively.

"Baekhyun," she whispered, pulling his gaze up to look at her.

He looked at her with all the guilt and remorse he felt that was tearing at him in the inside.

"I forgive you. And do you know why I'm forgiving you so easily?"

Baekhyun shook his head, not trusting his voice to sound anything close to normal.

"It's because," Yeonhee held his face gently between her palms and smiled up at him. "I love you. I always have, I always will," she explained softly. "I never stopped loving you ever since I left. I tried, well I didn't try all that hard but I tried. And no one can possibly take the place you have in my heart. It's impossible."

She looked at him affectionately and Baekhyun knew her words were as sincere as they could possibly get.

"God," he said in a rather pained voice as he engulfed her in his arms again into a close embrace. "I love you so damn much that it hurts. That's why I worked so hard to hate you and to hurt you all this time. I couldn't take it if you moved on or forgotten about me when I couldn't."

Yeonhee nodded in understanding and sighed contentedly against his chest. They didn't know how long they stayed that way but it was Baekhyun who finally broke the silence.

"Promise me?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't ever leave me again," Baekhyun said huskily into her thick, dark brown hair.

"I promise," she said with a little nod of her head, making him smile as he pulled back to look down at her.

"Good, because I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again," he said making her giggle lightly. He ran the back of his hand against her cheek lovingly, making Yeonhee lean into his touch. "Yeonhee," he whispered, placing a kiss atop her head. "My best friend," he added with a kiss on her forehead. "My soul mate," he kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose. "My love," he finished as his lips met hers again in a slow and tender kiss.

After years of separation, trials, and hardship on both their parts, fate has finally brought them together again.