The Contract (complete)

Baekhyun: Chapter 9

"So where are we going?" You ask Baekhyun as he swings your hand back and forth repeatedly. Your fingers tingle. You shouldn't like this - holding his hand, acting sweet - but you do. And you don't know why. Or maybe, deep inside, you're just afraid to find out.

"Anywhere. Do we need to have a plan?" He asks you, smiling.

"Yes ... ?"

"Do I need to follow a criteria in order to hang out with my girlfriend?" He breezily says. Geez. He's making this so difficult. 

"Baek ... do you actually want to date me?"

Before you can close your mouth, the words have escaped, and Baekhyun pauses just long enough for you to feel the tremor spread through his hand. He looks over at you, his eyes glimmering with subdued darkness. "Of course," he says, but his voice has a different quality to it. "Why?"

No. That's not what you want to hear. The way he said it ... no. None of that. None of that is real. "Never mind," you say, shaking your head, urging him to move forward again. Maybe if you walk, you can escape the situation you had just put yourself in. Put it behind you. Forget about it. "I was just thinking." 

Baekhyun quiets at your words. His fingers slowly slip from yours, and your palm feels empty, unwholesome, even. You stare at your hand before returning it to your side and burying it in your pockets. Baekhyun clears his throat uncomfortably and, after glancing at you a bit more, awkwardly says, "Well ... do you want to watch a movie?"

You nod, unwilling to make the effort to think. You follow him as he leads you to the closest theater. You barely pay attention as he asks you if you like this movie, or this, and you just pick the one that sounds interesting at the time. Do you want snacks? - he asks. No, you say. You enter the movie theater, and although you sit together, he makes no move to romantically interact with you. Your hand is inches from his own as they relax on that same armrest, the darkness enveloping you in a refuge of privacy, but ... nothing. Nothing.

A length of two hours pass, and he doesn't do anything. You laugh at the funny parts of the movie. You sadden at the mournful ones. You react in all the right ways in all the right places, but you feel detached. 

You had made a mistake, hadn't you? Asking that question. You had compromised the Contract. And the Contract is not to be touched.

You have to remind yourself that. Whatever you're feeling or beginning to feel are the consequences of the Contract. Nothing else. Nothing more. Side effects are what they are, that's all.

The movie ends, and Baekhyun silently walks beside you as you exit the theater. Did you like it? - he asks. It was okay, you reply. 'Good'. 'Fine'. Because all those words mean the same things, and even though they're overused, they're the perfect replies to fall back on.

It's gotten darker outside, and the sun is beginning to melt over the horizon in bold colors of orange, purple, and pink. It casts the city in a rainbow-like hue, and as people walk, the ground shimmers with color at each disturbance. Baekhyun smiles as he looks down at his feet, playing a little game with himself by only stepping on whole stones. He almost trips multiple times in the process, but he prevails and continues until he runs straight into a pole.

"Are you okay?" You ask him, although you can't help but laugh a little. He pouts at you as he rubs his head, and you just push him gently on the shoulder. Whatever tension had enamored you both before disperses, and Baekhyun taps his head.

"Do I get a feel-better kiss?"

"No, you dork," you reply, glaring at him in an effort to cover up the blush that is surely creeping up your neck. He rubs his forehead, wincing a little. 

"I'm going to get a bruise, you know?"

"You won't. Cover it up with your bangs," you say, reaching over to style them accordingly. You pause. His hair is soft, softer than you had originally thought. You take your time running your fingers through his hair, pretending to cover his nonexistent bruise. He watches you as you do it, a small smile on his lips and a serene look in his eyes. He reaches a hand out to clasp your wrist, stopping you, and for a moment all you can see is Baekhyun, staring back at you with those endless brown eyes.

"You know," he says, his voice low and confidential, "I - "

"Baekhyun!" Someone yells. You both scramble backwards, as if you had been caught doing something bad, and turn to see Min running towards you, waving her purse in the air to get your attention. Behind her is a guy with a mess of curly hair and full lips, looking at her with worried, almost confused eyes as he tries to keep up. "What are you guys doing here?" She says, stepping closely to Baekhyun, who just smiles politely. "You weren't on a date, were you?" She teases.

"Oh, we were," you admit bluntly. She shoots you a glare, and you shrug. "You?" You gesture to her friend, who is standing by her side quietly. "You on a date?"

"This is perfect!" She exclaims, ignoring your question. "Don't you remember? This morning? I asked you about double dating, didn't I?" She laughs. "It's about dinner time. Do you guys want to?" You glance at Baekhyun, pleading him with your eyes to please, please, please don't agree to her terms ... 

"That sounds fun," Baekhyun promptly says. You make a face, and Baekhyun makes a little wave with his hand in reassurance. Min's expression brightens, and she links her arm through Baekhyun's.

"Let's go, then. I know a good place," she says, beginning to walk away.

Wait, wait, wait. You don't want to sound like a clingy 'girlfriend', but, what is she doing? What? The heck? Is she doing? 

No. You shouldn't care. You're not supposed to care.

No, wait, it's totally okay to care. Because you're his 'girlfriend'. Right. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you smile and sweetly say, "Min, aren't you stealing my date?"

"I don't think so ... ?" She says, cocking her head. "I remember saying double date. But ... I brought someone for you," she says, pointing to the guy beside her.

What? "Didn't he confess to you earlier?" You point out.

She scoffs, and before her 'date' can reply, she cuts in, "No, you must've remembered wrong! Look, he's been looking for a girl for a while now. Can't you entertain him for a bit?" 

"Um ... "

"You don't mind, do you, Baekhyun?" She says, looking up at him and batting those insanely long eyelashes. Having trouble searching for the proper reply, Baekhyun just gives her a crooked grin (which definitely does not help the situation, since she visibly swoons at the sight of his dorky adorableness). 

"Are you two dating already?" The guy asks you. You shoot Baekhyun a look, but he's too focused on being nice. 

"They're just friends," Min smirks, "who like to play couple."