Boss Complex

16. Feelings Develop

Byun Baekhyun pulls on his turtleneck of shame and sighs at his reflection in the mirror. He knew he should be focusing on his new relationship and now be hung up on his sister's fiancé. Assuming that was still a thing, since it seemed to have been brushed aside without any further advancement. Baekhyun had to wonder why Chanyeol was over the night before. He wanted to know why his boss had been over at his house, talking to his parents and why he so easily called his mom "Mother" as if he were already part of the family. He rubs in his bb cream and tries to cover the dark circles under his eyes. You'd think with the short coma he'd taken for something like 12 hours, the circles under his eyes would have cleared up, but alas, no. His stress showed in the lines of his face, and he knew it wouldn't lift any time soon. He tugs on a cardigan and makes his way downstairs to greet his parents, and for one brief moment, he could have sworn he smelled cotton candy.

Baekhee. He missed her. He missed his precious trouble-making sister, and though they'd both gotten into trouble over the years, his rebellions were not like hers. He wished their twin telepathy would work now so that she would know that he was secretly happy that she wasn't around to tempt his boss. He misses his sister dearly, but he was secretly looking forward to spending more time with his boss. He wants to push the envelope just a little further, and he wouldn't admit it to anyone, but his boss was good at what he did. Both to Baekhyun on top of his desk and what he did when he sat at his desk. Baekhyun understood that his respect for the man was partially due to the fact that he was impressed with the man's work ethic. He punctuated his day with foreplay but the very next minute, he would be composed, serious, working diligently with subordinates, going to meetings. He might be an asshole, but he's a good-looking, hard-working, multi-talented asshole of a boss.

He glances at his watch as he reaches the foot of the stairs. He could swing by and get coffee if he left now, but he could sit down and pry about Mr. Park if he ate with his parents. But then he ran the risk of being interrogated about both the unusual turtle neck and embarrassing his parents in front of their important son in law by showing up late at night, unconscious in a taxi.

Yeah. Best not piss them off too early in the day.

He makes his way out the door and jumps on his bicycle to make his way to the train station. His neighborhood wasn't as rich as others, it was an upper middle class area and he just happened to be the upper class with their estate gated off. So making his way down the street he was greeted by more scenic family portraits than he was accustomed to at home, and maybe he liked that. Mothers walking with a child on either hand, Fathers who teach their son how to garden, and school chums sitting around playing portable video games on the street. He was sure he had some of these memories or similar ones tucked away somewhere, but he could only really remember Baekhee and Kyungsoo. He felt another shift in his chest as his guilt towards his sister stirred. He was not only cheating on his own boyfriend, he was cheating with his sister's fiancé. Granted, she could do better and they'd never met. But it still felt undeniably wrong.

And then a thought struck him. Maybe Chanyeol came over to speak to his parents about him. Maybe he came over to break off his engagement with Baekhee and to propose marriage to Baekhyun. Unconventional and crazy as that was, the merger would still go through and he could get his sister off the hook. He would be forced to marry Chanyeol but he could bite that bullet. His heart starts to flutter in his chest, torn between turning around to ask his parents and speeding up to get to work faster and ask his boss himself. He tells himself that he's only interested in saving Baekhee, that the irrational excitement is at the possibility of saving her from marrying such an awful person, but there was part of him that wanted to keep Chanyeol as his secret for just a little longer.

Chanyeol sips the espresso with a wince at the thick dark liquid as it settles on his tongue. He pulls away his sunglasses and takes in the morning's cool breeze, not feeling at all anxious or nervous. Yifan's taunting would now at last be put to rest, and he could finally get this ball rolling. He can't help but smile as he hums to himself, in a particularly good mood still. Things are finally going his way. Baekhyun was submissive and docile, his work was swimming nicely, and his engagement is a few short hours from being finalized. He glances at his phone again, smiling at the message. "This is Byun Baekhee, please save this number. I accept the proposal."