secret pain | baekyeon (on-going)

Chapter 19

"Hey, mom," Baekhyun greeted warmly, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace as she stepped into his new apartment. Despite having moved quite a while ago, this was the first time she'd seen his place. "I've missed you so much."

His mother hugged him back, a soft smile on her face. "Oh, my boy, no matter how grown up you get, you'll always be my little one." She pulled away slightly, giving him a teasing look. "Still as clingy as ever, I see."

Baekhyun chuckled, guiding her inside. "Some things never change."

She began unpacking the bags she brought, revealing homemade side dishes and fresh fruits. "I know how you can be. Living alone, probably surviving on instant meals and takeouts."

He feigned a look of indignation, resting his elbows on the countertop. "Come on, mom, I've gotten better. I do cook, you know."

She opened his fridge with a knowing smirk, "Is that why this looks an abandoned fridge 20 years ago?"

Baekhyun's mom peered at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You know, back when you were seeing someone, your fridge was always stocked. Were you just trying to impress her with your domestic side?"

"Mom, it wasn't about impressing her," Baekhyun protested, albeit with a sheepish grin. "I just wanted to be prepared in case she ever got hungry. You know I care about my guests."

His mom chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "I was hoping you'd have found someone by now. Your brother told me about the articles linking you with that model. He thought you'd finally moved on."

Baekhyun's face went a shade redder. "It was just a misunderstanding, mom."

She pursed her lips, trying to stifle a laugh. "What went wrong with that American model, hmm? If you're thinking I wouldn't approve because she's from another country, let me remind you I probably speak better English than you!"

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by his mom's humor. "Wow, really mom?"

She simply shrugged, "Well, I do learn."

"To be honest, she's wonderful. But there just wasn't a romantic spark between us," Baekhyun tried to explain.

His mom gave him a playful side-eye. "Are you subtly hinting that you might be gay?"

Baekhyun smirked, leaning against the counter. "What if I were?"

She waved her hand dismissively, "That's perfectly fine with me. I've never been one to judge based on gender preference. My main concern is your well-being... and apparently the state of your fridge."

Baekhyun chuckled, "You're one of a kind, mom. But for the record, if I were gay, Chanyeol and I would probably be on our honeymoon by now."

"Why haven't you and Taeyeon ever considered getting back together? Even after all these years, I still don't get it why you guys broke up. As far as I remember, you didn't have any issue with the public back then as the people knew you already broke up in 2015. And you telling me you broke up made me really shocked."

The light in Baekhyun's eyes dimmed. If only mother knew the entire story.

Many of Baekhyun's close circles, who were aware about their relationship status till 2017, remained unaware of the painful truth behind their breakup. Baekhyun had always refrained from sharing the true reason. He didn't want the world to cast a judgmental shadow over her. In his heart, he still harbored a protective instinct towards her. To divulge that she had betrayed him to someone not entirely trustworthy felt like a breach of their shared past.

The mention of Taeyeon's name and their past brought a pang of pain, making Baekhyun's usual radiant eyes cloud over with mixed emotions. "It's... a complex history, mom. Let's not revisit it now." He took a deep breath, attempting to steady his thoughts.