hearts at odds | baekyeon

15

With delicate fingers, Taeyeon meticulously weaves the tiny beads into the string. She has recently gotten into the hobby of making beaded bracelets, which Baekhyun thinks the house is turning into a factory soon.

Her concentration is unbroken until he approaches, leaving the bowl of washed strawberries on the coffee table.

She halts her bracelet factory to savour her favourite fruit, taking this chance to watch the television that has been on.

As she focuses on the programme, she is unable to shake off the feeling of being watched, a tingling sensation crippling up her spine. Glancing over her shoulder, she sees Baekhyun's gaze fixating on her.

He calmly takes the strawberry from her when she offers, contrasting to his heart that is beating hysterically.

It is the time of the annual dinner and dance his company usually hosts. All employees are invited, and they are allowed to bring family members.

He certainly can attend this event alone. However, the company knows he is a married man. It doesn't help that he is also the CEO of the company. That means, people are expecting him to turn up with his wife.

He grapples with how to broach the topic to her. Feeling a flood of irritation in his nerves, he takes the control to switch the channel.

"I am watching!"

The anger grows in Taeyeon when she grasps that he did it to annoy her. He presses the button continually to jump the channels.

Doing it like he doesn't know what channels the television has. Hmph!

She tries to gain possession of the device, but all attempts are futile. Surrendering to fate, she reminds herself to watch the rerun of the programme. Her attention goes back to the colourful tiny beads, thinking what designs she should create next.

Baekhyun settles beside her on the ground, their knees brush against each other, eliciting an involuntary flinch from her.

Despite the sudden proximity that sends shiver down her spine, she makes it very visible on her face that she is still mad. She shifts slightly, creating a small distance between them.

Baekhyun however, can't seem to do things the way his feelings want. He puts the card above her fingers that are trying to create a flower with the beads.

"Byun Baekhyun!" Flames of anger ripple through her. She has enough of his nonsense.

He isn't expecting to receive a scream of his full name. That's when he knows the queen of the household, is mad at him, to the fullest degree.

The death glare she gives feels like flames and laser beams are burning his eyes. He senses his blood freezing in his system.

He urgently removes the card from her hands. Of course, luck is not on his side for pranking her. The shock he gave her made her release the string. And now, beads are falling off the coffee table like rain drops.

Wordlessly, they hastily pick the beads up before they roll under the couch.

Crestfallen, Taeyeon puckers her lips and her eyebrows tighten, staring at her destroyed craft.

"Sorry," he purses his lips into a narrow line. He is sincere with his apology, feeling terribly apologetic after observing how disappointed his wife looks.

She's so cute when she's mad though. The puckered lips.

Drawing in a sharp breath, she faces him. "What was that card?"