You are running late for your RE tutorial. You're rushing from another lecture because you had questions for the lecturer and had to stay back for a bit. While you hurry to your class, you receive a text from your boyfriend. 

> Where are u?
3:04PM

> Omw!!! sorry baby, had to stay back to ask my lecturer a question
3:04PM

> alright, get here soon, I don't think I can survive another 2 hour class without ur pretty face
3:04PM

You are smiling as you lock your phone. You fasten your footsteps, trying to get to class quick. You have been waiting for this class since morning, too excited to have a class with your favourite teacher. At ten past three on the dot, you enter your classroom, all embarrassed and red with everyone's attention on you — especially now that Baekhyun has stopped talking to stare at you.

His eyes take in your appearance; tight jeans and a tanktop, hair in a messy bun, stray strands unkempt from the heat and the wind. You feel flushed from the exercise and the stare, your cheeks warm and pink. Baekhyun finally smiles; that same cute and loving smile he reserves only for you and no one else.

"Take a seat, you haven't missed much," he tells you, tilting his chin at an empty spot.

While he goes on with his lesson, you settle in your seat and take out all your learning materials. You glance around the room and notice that Dongwoo and Soonkyu are sitting next to each other. He catches your eye and smiles. Soonkyu is glaring at you when you smile back at the male. You look away when you realise that Soonkyu probably has a crush on Dongwoo. That has to be the case, right? Why else would she glare at you like this? You make a mental note to stay away from Dongwoo.

Half an hour into the class, Baekhyun gives all of you an in-class assignment to do in your groups. He goes around the class to help each table. When he gets to your table, he takes the empty seat next to you, scooting closer as your tablemates huddle together to hear him better. His hand is on the inside of your thigh already, caressing your leg as he explains the assignment. You watch him talk just like how you always do, feeling so awed and in love with how his lips move to form words.

Baekhyun stares at you and you fluster, looking away quickly. His lips are quirked in a smile as he continues to aid you guys through the worksheet. You slip your hand into his and he squeezes your palm as he talks. He stays longer here than he did on other tables, just sitting next to you and watching you guys discuss on the worksheet. You rub your thumb on the back of his hand, resting your hands on your lap.

A student raises his hand and Baekhyun lets go of you reluctantly. He stands and nods at your group, "Keep working."

He leaves and you turn your attention to your group mates. In fifteen minutes, Baekhyun calls for everyone's attention again as he goes through the assignment together as a class. Class goes on without another disruption and the two hours with Baekhyun is finally up. Without Dongwoo with you this time, you take your time to stay back in class.

There are people asking Baekhyun questions, but you're patient. And when Baekhyun is finally free, he is half-sitting on his table, his arms crossed, and staring at you with a smile on his lips. You blush from his gaze and his grin widens.

"You look pretty today," he compliments, now going to pack up his things.

"Just today?" you tilt your head as you stand.

Baekhyun laughs, "Yes." You make a face. He says when he meets you at the door, "Wanna come over to the teachers' room?"

"Hmm, I don't know," you hum. "I kinda wanna be alone."

"Is there something wrong?" he frowns, touching your arm slightly before remembering that he shouldn't be touching you — especially not this affectionately.

You sigh, shaking your head, "No."

"Come on, baby," he murmurs, caressing your cheek when you guys enter the lift. "Tell oppa what's bugging you."

You bite your lip, shaking your head again. The lift stops halfway down to the ground floor and Baekhyun steps away from you, his expression pained. Some people pile into the elevator and you try to ignore Baekhyun boring holes into your face with his gaze. When the lift touches ground floor, you try to scamper out of the confined space with the other few passengers. But Baekhyun grabs your wrist, pulling you back.

"Sweetheart," he murmurs, warm breath on your earlobe. "Please tell me if you're hurting. I don't like this; I don't like that I can't help."

You sigh, melting against your boyfriend's firm chest. You glance at him and whisper, "Can we go somewhere else?"

"Of course," he nods, eyes showing worry and concern.

"Sehun's been avoiding me again," you tell Baekhyun, head on your folded arms. "It's like the period after our break-up all over again."

"Why isn't he talking to you?" he enquires softly, rubbing your back.

You bury your face in your arms. "I don't know, Baekhyun... Ever since Sunday... he just started avoiding me. I've asked Kai if Sehun's okay and he said he is. They're talking and all, but Sehun isn't texting me or coming over to my house. He leaves before we go to classes together too."

"Huh," Baekhyun hums. After a while, he asks you, "Would you believe it if he still loves you?"

"I told you that's not the case!" you raise your head and snap at him. Your eyes widen and you groan. "I'm sorry, I just—"

"No, it's okay," he smiles gently, scooching closer to you. "You're frustrated and I get that."

You sigh. "I just don't know what to do, Baekhyun... Sehun can't love me. I mean, he can — as a friend, but not as a lover should. It makes me feel bad that I can't love him back. Do you know what I mean, Baekhyun?"

Maybe it's the way you look at him because Baekhyun's face falls. He quickly hugs you to him while caressing the back of your head. "Oh baby, I'm sorry I can't take this burden off of you..."

Tears easily fall out of your eyes at how caring your boyfriend is and you just can't feel anymore blessed. "I hate this, Baekhyun... I don't want to lose Sehun. But I don't— I can't give you up, either."

Baekhyun doesn't answer, but he presses a kiss to your head. Your tears eventually stop and you push away from him, wiping at your face.

"Maybe we should talk to Sehun," Baekhyun suggests as he uses the back of his fingers to clean your tears streaks.

You shake your head, "He doesn't want to talk to me, Baekhyun. He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," he tells you gently. "No one can, sweetheart."

You make a noise at the back of your throat in disagreement. "You're my boyfriend, you're saying that just to make me feel better."

"No, I'm saying that because it's true." Baekhyun cups the sides of your face and kisses your forehead. "You—"

"Hey..." you hear Kai trail off and the both of you turn to him abruptly. His eyes drop to Baekhyun's hands on your face and your boyfriend quickly drops them, moving away slightly. "I, um... I came by just to see if you were here... Did I, uh, interrupt something?"

It is awkward and no one speaks. But Baekhyun, being the older one and more mature one, he sighs and motions for Kai to take a seat. "We were just talking. About Sehun."

"Oh," he makes a face as he climbs into the bench opposite you. He looks concerned when he looks at you. "You don't look very good."

You groan softly and Baekhyun answers for you, "Yeah, she's stressing over Sehun."

"Is he still avoiding you?" Kai asks you, pursing his lips.

You nod, sighing loudly before you question him, "Do you know why he's avoiding me?"

He shakes his head. "He wouldn't tell me. I thought it was because you ate his food or something."

You laugh bitterly. "I wish it was that simple."

Baekhyun rubs your thigh under the table and you sigh even louder than before. Kai seems to notice something and you know he isn't stupid to brush off your interaction with Baekhyun.

"Are you guys... together? Or something?"

You look at Baekhyun, but he is staring back at you. A silent conversation occurs between the both of you, each of you asking the other if you should tell him about your relationship. You're not sure because you don't know Kai well enough and you don't know if you can trust him.

"I won't tell," he murmurs softly, noticing your reluctance. "I'm just... making sure."

"Making sure of what?" you your head to the side.

"That you're attached and I don't stand a chance."

Baekhyun immediately answers, almost snappily, "She has a boyfriend."

Kai stares at him, a moment too long. He hums. "You guys do know that a teacher dating a student is kind of against the rules of the university, right?" You swallow. But then he shakes his head, "But I guess we can't choose who we fall in love with, can we?"

You smile wryly, glad that he understands. Baekhyun, being the protective and jealous boyfriend he is, states bluntly, "So you don't stand a chance."

Kai gives a sad smile and a shrug, glancing at you. "I know."

It is quiet before you ask for a request from Kai, "Can you call Sehun here, please? He won't pick up my calls."

"Yes, of course," he nods, voice soft.

As he calls Sehun over, Baekhyun is holding your hand under the table, relaxing you. You move a little closer to him. It is quiet when you wait for Sehun to arrive. You're nervous and scared and the two boys seem to know it. Kai gives you reassuring smiles and Baekhyun smooths the back of your hand with his thumb comfortingly. When Sehun finally arrives, you stand and he stops in his tracks.

He looks at Kai with a betrayed look in his eyes and turns to walk away. But you entangle your hand from Baekhyun's and run after your best friend. You clutch onto his shirt, pulling him to a stop.

"Sehun," you breathe. "I'm— I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sehun. Stop avoiding me..." your voice cracks at the last word, "Please."

He turns slowly, witnessing the first teardrop fall to your cheek. He sighs, taking your hand away from his shirt as he faces you. Sehun glances to the table behind you before dropping his eyes to you again.

"Sehun," you whisper. "Please say something. Don't leave me hanging."

"I..." he swallows, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for, Sehun?" you are desperate now as you step closer to him. "Please don't leave me, I—" you are already sobbing as you cover your mouth. "I can't take it, Sehun. You can't leave me."

Your best friend looks terrified that you're crying so bad. You can tell by the way he slightly opens his arms that he wants to envelop you in a hug. But he drops his arms and you cry harder.

"I can't do this," he shakes his head rapidly. "I thought—" He takes a deep breath, trying to clear out the sound of your sobs. You know it is killing him, but he still doesn't touch you. "I thought after so long, I'd get over you, but I just... I can't. Minji is nothing like you and I find that no matter which girl catches my eye, I'm always going to compare them to you. And it hurts. It hurts so much that you're moving on so fast, that you love Baekhyun hyung, that you've totally forgotten about me—"

"That's not true," you shake your head desperately. "I loved you and I still do, you know that!—"

"I do, but it's different," he murmurs. "Can't you tell, darling? You don't love me the same anymore." Sehun turns, ready to leave. But you hug his back, stopping his from walking away.

"I'm sorry, Sehun, I— I'll break up with Baekhyun if you want me to—"

"No," you hear him sigh. "I don't want you to give up on he who makes you happy. Just... Just give me time, I'll come back to you. Just like how I always do."

He brings your hand up to leave a kiss on your palm before he really leaves you. You don't have the energy to chase after him. Your heart is breaking, just watching him leave and not giving you a second glance. Just before you fall into a heap on the ground, someone catches you.

Even Baekhyun's familiar scent doesn't calm you down this time.

It has been days and Sehun is still avoiding you. It has gotten to the stage where he turns away the moment he sees you. You're slowly breaking down and shutting people out, especially Baekhyun. Because though it isn't technically his fault, it is due to your relationship with him that things are the way they are now. You even skipped his class the next week, just so you don't see his face.

Eventually, Baekhyun cannot take your indifference towards him any longer and he drives to your place on Saturday morning. It is still too early for you to be up when he slips into the bed with you, courtesy of your mother letting him into the house. You let him hold you, let him tangle his legs with yours, let him drop kisses on your face. Because when you're asleep, you don't feel the guilt.

When you wake up, Baekhyun is already sleeping, having woken up too early. You see the eyebags under his eyes, his dark eye circles prominent. His lips form a firm frown and his eyebrows are scrunched even in his sleep. It pains you that he is in a bad shape all because you are feeling bad and you're putting it all out on him.

You kiss his eyelids, his nose, his lips, the wrinkle between his eyebrows, the crease on his forehead, the turned down corners of his lips. Baekhyun wakes up from the kisses, smiling as he hugs you close to him. You gently touch the shadow under his eye with your fingers.

"I'm sorry," you murmur.

"What for, hmm?" he takes your hand and kisses the pads of your fingers.

"For making you worry," you whisper.

Baekhyun shakes his head. "Don't be sorry. I'm sorry that you're going through such a tough time because of me."

"It's not a tough time," you sigh softly. "It's just..." you shut your eyes and let out a breath. "I guess it is a tough time..."

Baekhyun chuckles bitterly. "What do you want me to do then, sweetheart? Do you want me to leave you alone? Leave you and Sehun alone?"

"Are you breaking up with me?" you look at him, shocked. You've just told each other the three important words just a week ago and it hasn't even been two months with him.

"No. But are you breaking up with me?" Baekhyun looks at you, a wall already up to guard his vulnerability.

You shake your head. "No."

He visibly deflates in relief, his wall now down and his expressions an open book for you to read. He looks tired, sad, stressed, everything negative. You go even closer to him and twist your bodies so that you're straddling on top of him, your head on his chest. Baekhyun plays with your hair, his other hand on the slope of your . You let out a sigh.

"Baekhyun," you say softly. Saying his name makes you calm but it also makes you feel like you're sinning too.

"Yes, baby?" he murmurs, burying his nose into your hair.

"What should I do?" you ask, propping your chin on his chest and staring up at him.

"Give Sehun time," he answers, a finger tracing the side of your face before he curls a tendril of hair behind your ear. "Kai's with him, isn't he?" You nod. "He'll be okay. I promise."

You sigh, dropping your head to press your face to his chest again. Baekhyun caresses the back of your head as he holds you to him. You wish you could believe in him. You wish you weren't Sehun's best friend so you could lie to yourself that Sehun would be okay. You wish Sehun hadn't met you at all so he wouldn't go through this heartbreak.

"Are you staying for dinner, Baekhyun?" your mother pokes her head into your room after lunch. She glances at you, all curled up in Baekhyun's arms. She smiles sadly. "Did you eat?" 

You nod glumly. Baekhyun had gone down to get you some food despite you insisting that you weren't hungry. He forced you to take a few spoons of the fried rice your mother though. You sigh tiredly, closing your eyes and snuggling closer to Baekhyun. 

"And you, Baekhyun?" your mother asks quietly, not wanting to perturb your peace

"I've eaten too, thank you," he murmurs against your hair as his hand your arm comfortingly.

"Will you stay for dinner? She seems to only eat with you around." 

"Of course," Baekhyun nods. Just before your mother leaves, he says, "Thank you, auntie." 

She laughs, "You're welcome, Baekhyun-ah." 

When the door clicks shut, signalling her departure, you let out a deep sigh. Your boyfriend wraps his arms tighter around you, pulling the blanket to your chin. Baekhyun doesn't say anything, but you know he is worried for you. You can feel his emotions and the way it seems to pulsate through his entire being.

"I'm okay, Baekhyun," you murmur softly, finding his hand to hold. He gives it to you easily and you thread your fingers through his.

"You're not," he sighs. "But that's okay. I'll be with you and you can be as not okay as you want. I will take care of you." 

Your nose prickles. "Why are you so sweet?" 

His raspy chuckle sends a whirlwind to mess up your insides. "Am I? I'm just taking care of my girlfriend." 

"I don't deserve you, Baekhyun oppa." 

"Don't say that, baby," he counters right away, clenching your hand, his lips by your ear. 

"I'm a mess," you mutter, pursing your lips. "I'm stupid, I'm clumsy, I can't even keep my best friend... I—"

"You're not all that," Baekhyun cuts you off, his tone a bit aggressive. "Everyone's a mess, kitten. You're not that special to be the only one having problems. You're smart and you know it. You're clumsy, yes. But that just makes me want to protect you more and I'm not complaining. And of course you can keep your best friend. He's just next door." 

You stay silent, just digesting his words. But only one sentence seemed to have stood out to you.

"Do you have problems, Baekhyun?"

Baekhyun freezes for a millisecond, but because of your intimacy, you sense it. He smooths the back of your hand with his thumb. 

His voice is soft and too calming when he says, "No."

"You do," you accuse.

You dare to turn your head to look at him and see that he has his lips in a thin line. You know that his walls are up, his eyes not saying anything. So you don't push it. All you do is lean in and kiss his chin before turning back and closing your eyes. You're tired from thinking so much and you're just so exhausted that all you you want to do is sleep for a lifetime.

After a few minutes of silence, Baekhyun untangles your fingers slowly before slipping his hand under your shirt, pressing his palm to your stomach. He uses his nose to push your hair away from the side of your neck. He kisses the back of your ear. 

"I'll deal with my problems and yours," he whispers just as you're about to fall asleep. "I'll take care of the both of us, kitten."

Author's note:

If you see any mistakes, I'm sorry!! I haven't proofread and this is a very raw version with no editing.. 

Also, for those of you on your phones, please help the children in third world countries have access to a day's worth of clean water by clicking this >>link<< and letting the timer count to at least 15 minutes! (15 mins = 1 day's worth of clean water). It's a super good cause and i hope you guys can join me in doing this!!! 

Till next time
xoxo