"Did you manage to find your phone?" Baekhyun's voice cut through the air, concern lacing his words as he continued washing the dishes. His focus was divided, part of him engaged in the task at hand, while another part monitored Taeyeon's response.
Taeyeon's mind buzzed with a flurry of thoughts, yet she held back her immediate reactions. Instead, she sought to appear composed and nonchalant, aware of the lingering tension. "Yeah, I got it," she replied, a hint of unease coloring her voice as she struggled to regain her equilibrium.
Baekhyun's smile returned, a reassured expression that mirrored his earlier concern. He returned to washing the dishes, the clinking of cutlery and water splashing providing a semblance of normalcy.
The itch of curiosity persisted within Taeyeon, compelling her to seek answers amidst the lingering tension. "Do you mind if I explore a bit? You know, take a look around your place?" she casually inquired, her tone almost masking the whirlwind of thoughts beneath.
Baekhyun's response was a mixture of hesitation and subtle discomfort. He paused in his dishwashing, and his laughter, tinged with unease, punctuated the air. "Why the sudden urge to explore? I mean... there's really nothing special to see," he responded, his unease evident in his chuckle, even if he tried to downplay it.
Taeyeon's eyes lingered on him, absorbing his reaction before she nodded, seemingly satisfied. Yet, beneath the surface, her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and determination. She couldn't let her emotions get the better of her. Not yet.
"I found something," she calmly stated, her tone devoid of any emotional inflection, even as her heart raced.
Baekhyun's pulse quickened, an anticipatory tension gripping him as he braced for the impending confrontation.
"Tell me... what does it mean?" she demanded, her voice unyielding. The ensuing silence felt like an unspoken battlefield, charged with the weight of years of history and emotions long left unsaid.
"Kept them because I'm a fan," Baekhyun's voice wavered as he faced her, his tone laced with trepidation. He had always feared this conversation – the one where he would need to explain himself, to justify his actions in the face of her gaze.
"A fan? But do you forget what I used to mean to you? I'm not just a fan. I'm your ex-girlfriend, a part of your past we both wished to move on from. So, what's all that?" Her pointed finger directed his attention to his bedroom door, her words a mix of frustration and confusion.
"Just there, that's all," his response was shaky, the tension between them so thick it seemed to pulse in the air. He had hoped she would see the sentiment behind it, a gesture of appreciation perhaps. But now he realized he had grossly miscalculated.
"Did you ever think about how this could blow up? What if rumors spread that you've been doing this all along?" Her words held a hint of concern, a worry she was struggling to articulate. Her emotions were a tangled mess, reflecting the inner turmoil she was experiencing.
"It doesn't matter, does it? People already think we're a couple now," Baekhyun's voice carried a note of reason, an attempt to put the situation in perspective. But Taeyeon's apprehensions ran far deeper than surface perceptions.
"Couple my ass," she retorted, her frustration evident. Her reaction seemed contrary to her own earlier words, an irony not lost on Baekhyun. He hadn't known she was intoxicated when she had spoken those words, now the inconsistency was a harsh revelation.
"If you want, I can just get rid of it all. Just... please don't be upset," he offered, his voice a blend of uncertainty and genuine concern. He had hoped to please her with this gesture, but the reality had proven far more complex.
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from afar | baekyeon
Fanfiction"We already parted our ways... But as I think about it, I can't forget you... so let me still look after you, watch you... From afar." -Byun Baekhyun
