“I might never be the hand you put your heart in or the arms that hold you any time you want them. But that don’t mean that we can’t live here in the moment... ‘cause I can be the one you love from time to time.” - Perfect by One Direction

OC - June

He's not the typical Prince Charming every girl dreams about. The one you meet in a grand ball downed in a fine suit with medals of honor. Nor the one who carried himself with a grace that reflected the prestige of his name.

In fact, Baekhyun stumbled quite unceremoniously into her life with disheveled hair and a lazy grin that reflected his drunken state.

"Sorry." He half-giggled, his words slurring as he lifted himself from the stranger he happened to drape himself all over accidentally.

June looked down at him and immediately knew of his status; observing the designer shirt and branded shoes that definitely looked like its cost rivalled her own summer job salary in the convenience store downtown.

June was even more shocked when she looked up at the guy and saw a familiar face she vaguely remembered was plastered on every magazine cover in the past few months. (And on her cousin’s bedroom wall when she came to visit a couple of weeks ago).

She was sure she was staring at the Byun Baekhyun: the lead vocalist of EXO, a pop band that was currently sweeping the music industry like a tornado.

"Baekhyun..." She mumbled and the man huffed, shaking his head.

"No~ No. You don't know me." He slurred before giggling again.

Okay, the guy was seriously drunk.

June averted her gaze to survey the room; wondering where his entourage was. She was about to ask when she felt something poke at her cheek.

"Hey." Baekhyun called and she turned, surprised by how close he was leaning over her. The music in the club was pretty loud, so that must be the reason for his sudden invasion of her personal space. She let it slide... for now.

"Let's get out of here."

"I'm sorry?" She asked, giving him a queer look as she stepped back slightly. They were so close she could practically smell his breath which confirmed that he's been drinking.

"Let's..." He repeated, tugging at her sleeve. "Get out of here. It's too hot."

"I don't even know you." June said a matter of fact.

"You do know me. You just said my name a while ago--"

"So?" She snickered and felt oddly proud at the look of surprise on Baekhyun's face. Poor guy must be used to girls fawning over him every chance they get. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows. And, aren't you supposed to have body guards? What are you doing alone--"

"You ask way too many questions." Baekhyun slurred, giving her one of his infamous grins. "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to sneak out!"

"Why do I have to come with you?"

"Unless you're willing to leave a half-drunk man alone in the streets," he leaned close and gave her a sultry gaze. "Then you're not the kind of girl I thought you were."

"Was that supposed to insult me?" She asked aghast, while Baekhun backed away, holding his hands up teasingly with a smile on his face.

"See ya!" he saluted before stumbling across the bar; keeping his head down low. But the sway in his form was evident and she was sure he wasn't dancing to the music.

June grumbled to herself softly as she watched him disappear into the crowd; debating whether to go after him or not.

Stupid, she thought as she shook her head and took a sip of her beer. Stupid bratty pop stars. I hope his managers knock some sense into him.

But then a voice sounded in the back of her head, reminding her that he was sneaking out...and was probably alone right now in the streets.

Who knows what his drunken state could lead him to? June thought as several scenarios popped up in her head.

He could get mobbed by his fans, get into a brawl with the other drunk guys lurking by the club, or worse...

Get hit by a car while crossing the damn street.

With a huff, June finally pushed herself from the bar and followed in suit.

Who am I kidding? She thought grumpily as she moved through throngs of bodies on the dance floor; hating how her concern always got the best of her.

~~~

"Hey! You're going to get yourself killed." June called just as Baekhyun was about to cross the street.

Baekhyun turned and blinked once before grinning when he recognized her form coming out of the club's entrance. "You came~"

"Yeah well for someone who's drunk, you made some pretty good points."

"I knew you couldn't resist me."

"Shut up. It wasn't a compliment."

"But it got you out of there, didn't it?" He grinned. "Now you have to spend the rest of the night with me."

June sneered at him which caused Baekhyun to chuckle, his hands tucking in the pockets of his jeans as he started walking on the sidewalk. "What's your name?"

"June." She replied curtly.

"Well June. You can call me Baek. And I don't know about you... but I'm up for some ice cream." He puffed his cheek in a cute manner and June couldn't help but smile at the gesture. He really did look as handsome as he does on television. "Know any good places?"

"Aren't you supposed to be taking care of your voice or something?"

Baekhyun snorts and halts, facing her with a frown. "You're not getting the point of 'sneaking out'." He pointed out and June smiled before walking ahead of him.

"Fine. I know a place." She looked over her shoulder. "Don't trip while I take you there."

Baekhyun actually trips three steps later and mumbles something about the pavement not being even.

June laughed. Baekhyun laughed too. And the two of them realized how that was the first real laugh they've done in a long time.

~~~

He's not the typical boy-next-door; even if he actually does look the part. June should know...she had seen his cameo in a few dramas, playing--yes, you guessed right: a boy literally living next door whom the girl fawns over whenever he would say a simple good morning or ask if he could have some eggs because he ran out.

When in fact, Baekhyun liked to cause trouble more than his charming good-guy looks would affirm to.

Baekhyun and June had met a couple more times after the club incident. One was when June was in the city, shopping for a gift for her best friend Gill's birthday. Gill was a music lover and so she opted to buy her some albums as a present.

She was looking through the racks of CD's, seeing legendary names from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, to Michael Jackson, when a familiar song sounded through the speakers.

June smiled and bobbed her head with the beats, recognizing it as Baekhyun's band's current single (her cousin is a really huge fan). She let his voice consume her as she looked through the CD's, thinking of the incident a few days ago when she and Baekhyun had ice cream at 2 AM. She chuckled at the thought, realizing how she practically lived every fangirl's fanfiction dreams.

Too bad I'm not a fangirl.

But she couldn't help but let her thoughts drift towards that night; how she had seen a carefree and charming Baekhyun with laughing eyes and knack for lame jokes.

She liked the way he scrunched his nose in that cute manner when he disagreed with something and the way he talked with his voice down low--almost to a whisper because the shop's owner kept giving them the evil eye for being too loud. June told him about her obsession with handwritten letters and how people need to go back to tradition and make courting a little bit more romantic. That was something she had never told anyone before and to her surprise, Baekhyun agreed. He even said that people should write songs for the one’s they love too.

June had to admit that Baekhyun wasn't the worse of companies. In fact, she really enjoyed being with him. She likes--

"You like the song?"

"Yeah," she replied almost dreamily then paused when she recognized the voice. She looked up and hung open to say something but no words came out. There was a hooded figure with a black mask covering his mouth standing before her.

He might have been in disguise, but June would know those laughing eyes anywhere.

"Baek?"

Baekhyun winked and motioned his head to the side, towards the sliding doors. "Walk with me?"

"Sneaking out again?" She snickered as she placed the CD down.

"Well I was going to be a good boy and actually go with my manager but I saw you and..." His gaze softened. "Changed my mind."

June wasn't sure how to feel about his statement; but her heart seemed to skip a beat at his words.

"Won't you get in trouble?"

"Not if we hurry up and get out of here." Baekhyun said and grabbed her hand like he had done it thousands of times before. "Come on, June."

And just like that, June found herself giving in; her shopping abandoned as she let herself be pulled out of the music store and into broad day with Baekhyun still holding onto her hand tightly.

~~~

The second time around, June was sure she was already being stalked.

"Are you following me?"

"What if I am?" He smirked and June rolled her eyes, continuing to walk down the street.

She was on her way home from her job at the convenience store when hands covered her eyes, nearly killing her with fright.

"Guess who?" The voice had said and June had both the urge to lean back against his chest and to kick him in the gut.

"Don't you have something better to do? Somewhere else to be...Like I don't know, record a song or attend a gala?"

"I'm hurt by your lack of willingness to hang out with me." He mocked an expression of hurt and June laughed, shaking her head.

"I'm just wondering why you always turn up where I am."

"Maybe because where you are," he stopped, blocking her path. June tried not to appreciate the sight of his handsome form too much. "Is where I want to be at the moment."

She gulped, their close proximity almost suffocating. "W--why?"

Baekhyun bit his lip then sighed before turning away, huffing. "Let's go get some ice cream."

"What is it with you and ice cream?"

"I like ice cream."

"Yeah well how long are you going to drag me into your little ice cream escapades?" She complained but her voice was lacking conviction and Baekhyun smiled to himself, knowing that he's got her.

"Until you get that I like you that's why I'm taking you out on my little ice cream escapades." He answered then felt laughter bubbling in his chest at the look of surprise on dawning on her face.

What?!

~~~

He's Korea's iest man alive and topped every single poll as the "ideal man" to date with his good looks, good sense of humor, and charming personality.

But the thing with showbiz is that celebrities often have two sides; an alter ego that is kept hidden and private from the rest of the world. Baekhyun may be perfectly charming and good looking...

But not someone with whom you should trust your heart to.

"I'm in the back alley." Baekhyun said through the receiver and June quickly followed his instruction as she made her way pass the hotel building; squeezing through paparazzi and several fans waiting outside.

A few more blocks down, the streets were less crowded and she took a right turn as Baekhyun instructed a while ago.

It was half past eleven in the evening when Baekhyun called, asking if they could meet up.

June easily agreed, jumping at every opportunity to be with him since he released his new album and announced his participation in a new drama last month. Baekhyun had been very busy but somehow managed to remain in contact with her; making the last few weeks a collection of whispered phone calls and late night rendezvous.

Just like this one, June thought as she felt the familiar feeling of adrenaline coursing through her veins every time she secretly snuck out to meet him.

It was moment's like this when causing trouble felt too good to resist.

The streets were now half empty the minute she turned the last corner. She was about to ask herself if she had gone to the right place when a hand suddenly pulled her by the elbow; out of the street and into the dark alley.

She felt herself being dragged deeper into the narrow street until they reached a rusty back door of the building. June gasped as her back hit the cold brick wall and a hooded figure with a mask hovered over her--dangerously close.

But fear was the last thing on her mind for his eyes stared down at her with warmth and familiarity.

June smiled and reached out to pull down his mask, revealing smiling lips.

"You're late." Baekhyun grinned teasingly.

"I came, didn't I?" She retorted and he smirked before letting his arms wound around her waist to pull her flush against him.

"Yeah... You did." He whispered, smiling a smile that was reserved for when they were alone--for only June to see--before leaning down and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

It was moments like this, June thought as she tangled her fingers through his hair; tugging slightly and eliciting groans to spill from Baekhyun's mouth.

When causing trouble felt too good. And maybe...

Just right.

~~~

Baekhyun and June is not your typical love story. The one where two people meet and sparks fly; time moving slowly as they stare into each other's eyes.

They were friends but more than friends. Lovers but outside committal bounds. They had voiced it out earlier in the relationship, how the two of them are not looking for commitment as of the moment.

It was a complicated situation as other people would describe but it worked for the two of them. Simply because a "no strings attached" rule was inevitable considering Baekhyun's celebrity status.

"So he's your boyfriend now, right?" Gill asked one day.

"No...we're not dating." June answered simply; earning a puzzled expression from Gill.

"But you two--"

"We're not dating." June repeated and as she stared at her best friend, Gill immediately understood. June had her fair share of guys but never had she once seen her so...

Whipped, Gill thought, thinking how June is practically at Baekhyun's beck and call; easily agreeing to rendezvous even it meant cancelling her own plans. Even if it meant never having to be more than just a secret friend--lover maybe; hidden from everyone.

Gill frowned when she saw June busying herself with her job and obviously avoiding eye contact.

She felt bad for her but she couldn't do much about it considering that Baekhyun and she had come into terms of their no strings attached rule.

But the thing is with relationships, someone was about to get in deep; to be blinded by the illusion of love.

It's a common plot conflict: in every no strings attached relationship... Someone's bound to get attached.

And Gill wished it didn't have to be her best friend.

But she was.

June was.

~~~

June thought that if she ignored it, she'd forget about it. People often do that: ignore the obvious. Be oblivious to things that were clear as day mainly because of fear of its consequences or...

Fear of rejection and dissociated understanding.

As June stared at the bustling city of Seoul below; right from Baekhyun's luxurious penthouse, she discovered her fear of rejection was so strong she felt like she would burst and break down if she found out Baekhyun didn’t reciprocate her feelings.

It was a terrifying thought and that's why she opted to ignore it. Ignore her feelings till it went away...

But it proved to be a difficulty when Baekhyun was so kind to her, so sweet and caring. It was hard to ignore her feelings when he would wrap her up in his embrace; sending warmth that promised protection and...

Love?

June jumped slightly when she felt arms wrapping around her waist and a soft chuckle sounding against her right ear.

"Sorry." Baekhyun murmured. "My producer had to talk to me."

"It's okay." June replied and felt herself melting as Baekhyun hummed and placed light kisses against her cheek and neck. All of a sudden, her emotions were heightened and she thought about what Gill had told her earlier that day...

Flashback

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