secret pain | baekyeon (on-going)

Chapter 23

Late into the night, Taeyeon was settling into her comfortable sheets, getting ready to drift off into sleep. However, the unexpected sound of the doorbell interrupted her cozy solitude. Startled and a bit wary, she made her way out of the bedroom to check who it might be at such an hour. To her astonishment, the intercom displayed Baekhyun's face, his eyes revealing a mix of concern and uncertainty.

Her heart raced a little, "Baekhyun? Why are you here so late?" Taeyeon inquired, genuinely puzzled by his unexpected visit.

Baekhyun cleared his throat, searching for the right words. "Ginna mentioned you tried to reach out earlier. I thought it might be something pressing. I did try calling back soon as I got my phone back, but you weren't picking up. I just... I felt I should come and see if everything was alright." There was a hesitancy in his tone, coupled with genuine concern. Baekhyun knew Taeyeon well enough to understand that when she reached out, it usually held significance.

Trying to ease the apparent tension and his evident worry, Taeyeon replied, "It was an accidental call, Baekhyun. Didn't Ginna tell you? There's no emergency."

A touch of bitterness and sarcasm tinted his voice as he responded, "Of course, it was unintended. Why would you intentionally call me?" The words hung heavily in the space between them.

They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments, each trying to gauge the other's emotions and intentions. Noticing that Baekhyun wasn't intending to leave and acutely aware of the potential implications of being seen in public with a high-profile figure like him, especially at this hour, Taeyeon decided to extend an invitation. "It's late, and we're standing out here... Do you want to come in?"

Baekhyun took a moment, seemingly weighing his options before slowly stepping inside Taeyeon's apartment. "Can I get you anything? Coffee, perhaps? Or something else?" Taeyeon inquired, trying to extend some hospitality amidst the tension.

With a slight shake of his head, Baekhyun replied, "No, I'm good. Thanks for offering, though."

Selecting a spot on the larger sofa, Baekhyun seated himself with a measured formality, his posture hinting at his discomfort. Taeyeon, meanwhile, chose a single chair positioned a short distance away, creating a tangible space between them.

Feeling the need to acknowledge the evident awkwardness, Baekhyun voiced his concern, "I noticed it looked like you were getting ready for bed when I arrived. I apologize if I disrupted your rest."

Brushing off the apology, Taeyeon responded, "Don't worry about it. Sleep wasn't really coming to me tonight." She paused, collecting her thoughts. Then, taking a deep breath, she ventured into the subject that had been weighing on her mind, "Baekhyun, about the other night..."

Baekhyun gave a nod of acknowledgment, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "I heard about it on the news. Congrats to you two." There was an undeniable undercurrent of melancholy in his voice, a remnant of the feelings that once tied him to Taeyeon.

Clearing his throat slightly, he continued, "Anyway, since everything seems to be in order here, I should be heading out." He began to rise from his seat, preparing to make his exit, but as he did, he felt the light grasp of Taeyeon's fingers around his wrist, anchoring him in place. "Baekhyun..."

The unexpected touch sent a jolt through him. The warmth of her hand was familiar, yet foreign, evoking memories and emotions that he had been trying to compartmentalize. It felt like a surge of electricity, a reminder of the connection they once shared, and it threw him off balance.

Recognizing the inappropriateness of the moment, Taeyeon quickly withdrew her hand, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice filled with a mix of regret and longing.

Hoping to diffuse the tension, Baekhyun quickly added, "And regarding Ginna, I just wanted to clarify – it was simply a friendly dinner. My mother expressed an interest in meeting her, and I made it clear to everyone that we're nothing more than friends."

But as the words left his mouth, Baekhyun felt an odd sense of confusion. Why was he explaining himself? Wasn't the dinner with Ginna supposed to be a step towards moving on, a symbolic gesture of letting go and opening up to new possibilities? Wasn't this his way of telling himself that he was ready to explore new horizons, to free his heart from past entanglements?

Yet, standing close to Taeyeon, those very intentions seemed to crumble. In her proximity, his carefully constructed facade began to show cracks. He had hoped to convey to Taeyeon that he was over their past, that he harbored no lingering feelings. But why did he now feel as though he was betraying her? Why did her opinions and feelings still hold such sway over him?

Pausing just before he could resume his steps, Baekhyun halted as Taeyeon's voice resonated in the room once more. "It appears there have been a series of misunderstandings between us, doesn't it?"

She took a deep breath, searching for the right words. "Kevin and I, we're just friends. What you saw last night, it was just a farewell gesture, Kevin was going back to LA and I took the time to say goodbye. I didn't choose Kevin over you and your mother. I just thought it could be our last time so I promised him a dinner. So we're now even."

Baekhyun, however, was still processing, grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. He inquired, his back still towards her, "But what about the news? Why is SM taking long to deny the rumors?"

Taeyeon sighed, "It has been making a more controversial noise after your dating rumors with Ginna just a few weeks ago. Fans kept connecting the dating thing between you and me, SM is yet to strategize the situation so they took the report on hold."

The weight of the moment was palpable, with the silence between them speaking volumes. Baekhyun seemed frozen in place, as if he was trapped in his thoughts, processing everything.

Taeyeon took a shaky breath, trying to find the right words, "Baekhyun... surely you can discern what I'm driving at, right? Why I swallowed my pride and opened up to you, why I asked you inside, why I offered you that glass of wine, why our lips met without any reservations, and why... why I felt that pang of jealousy when it was Ginna who picked up your call, not you. You do grasp the gravity of all these subtle hints, don't you?"

Baekhyun looked deep into her eyes, searching for the answers. "I believe I do, Taeyeon. But I need clarity, I need to hear it spoken aloud. Unless you articulate it, I'll walk out that door and we can consider this chapter closed, once and for all. But if you voice it out, then..."

Hesitation lingered for a brief moment before she uttered, "I love you, Baekhyun."

With those words, Baekhyun's restraint shattered. "Then to hell with everything else." Before she could react, he closed the distance between them, pulling her into a passionate embrace, their lips melding together as they surrendered to the emotions that had been held back for far too long.

The world around them seemed to fade as the intensity of their kiss took center stage. All the pent-up emotions, the pain of misunderstandings, and the depth of their feelings found an outlet in that moment. Their past and the weight of public scrutiny momentarily forgotten, it was just them, raw and unfiltered.

"I love you too," He whispered, the huskiness in his voice sent off a wave of sensations within Taeyeon. With every word, she felt himself being pulled further into the depths of their shared passion.

She reached out, drawing him closer, their lips meeting in a fervent kiss, filled with years of suppressed longing and heartfelt confessions. It felt like the cacophony of the world faded, leaving them enveloped in their shared moment.

But the depths of their feelings couldn't be conveyed with just a kiss. Baekhyun, with gentle precision, began trailing a path of soft, tender kisses from her lips to her neck, each touch igniting the warmth within her.

As the intensity grew, he carefully guided Taeyeon, ensuring she was comfortably laid back on the sofa, as he positioned himself above her, their gazes locking in a silent promise of more intimate moments to be shared.