THIS KISS (EXO BAEKHYUN FANFICTION)

Chapter 12

Baekhyun received the harshest tongue lashing he ever got in his life and just stood there with his head bowed in contrition.  He's been an idol long enough to know that abandoning his commitments in Japan without any proper explanation was considered rude and insulting in this business.  He was just glad that in all of this, his wife's name never even came up.

"Baekhyun!  Are you even listening to me!" The president of the company roared at him.

"Yes sir!  I'm sorry..." he started but trailed off when another glare was sent his way. 

"Your shenanigans are not funny anymore!  You're getting older and we were transitioning you slowly to a more mature image and you just had to pull an immature stunt like this!" The president was muttering under his breath.

Baekhyun wisely kept his mouth shut and looked warily at him.  He was still worried that Yoo Mi will be brought up.  Never mind his career.  His priority right now is to keep his pregnant wife safe.

Outside in the anteroom to the president's office, the rest of the group were in various states of anxiety driven fidgeting and pacing.  Muffled yelling were all they could hear but the exact words were unintelligible.  However, they haven't heard Baek say anything but apologies for nearly half an hour.  Yoo Mi had been texting Chanyeol and repeatedly asking for updates on Baek.  He was running out of excuses especially since his own anxiety was making him crazy.

"She's my wife!!!!"

All their heads whipped around to look at the tightly shut wooden doors.  Baekhyun just shouted back at the president which was so atypical of him.  Seconds later, Baekhyun stormed out and slammed the door on its hinges.  He walked with angry strides towards the nearest elevator.  Shock, confusion and worry streaked across the members faces in split seconds.
"BAEKHYUN! If you step out of those doors, you're done!" The president's face was red with anger.  Baekhyun angrily stormed back just to shout at the president.

"Do you think I'm stupid?  Do you think if you back me into a tight corner, I will choose my career over my wife?  What's so hard to understand?  SHE IS MY LIFE!" Chest heaving in anger Baekhyun whirled around and strode back into the open elevator, walking out on his career.  He will most assuredly be blackballed in the industry for the rest of his life.

Seven pairs of eyes looked at each other hurriedly, asking each other the same thing silently. Did Baek really just commit career suicide?  A sudden explosion of expletives from the president brought everyone back to reality.

"If anyone of you dares to go after him, you are done as well." The president threatened them. 

Silence filled the anteroom.  The president did forget something very important.  EXO are not boys anymore.  They are full grown men whose friendships had been tested, and forged by pain, love and time. Chanyeol was the first to stand up, he gave the president a full bow of respect, then turned around and went to catch the next elevator.  Suho followed, and then one by one each member did the same thing until the anteroom was empty and the livid president was left clenching his hand in frustration.

"Uh, anyone going to tell Lay hyung what just happened?" Kai spoke up from the side of the packed elevator.

"I'll do it." Suho took a deep breath and pressed a number on speed dial.  He switched to speaker phone.  Lay picked up on the third ring. 

"Hey! I miss you guys, what took you so long.....?"  Lay trailed off as Suho quickly explained the situation. 

"Look I know I'm physically too far to be of much help.  But I promised never to leave EXO.  So I guess the only thing to say is...EXO...." Lay prompted the members.