something new ¡! baekyeon

chapter eighteen

018

"I'll be there at five." Taeyeon tells Irene through the phone as she lazily spills dog's food into Zero's pot, who comes running as he smells his food.

"See you there Eonnie! I will hang up now." Irene says through the line and Taeyeon nods, letting out a soft "ok" as she removes the phone from her ear, hanging up.

She sighs, leaning against the counter as she stares at Zero. "Wish I could be happy like you." She muses as her gaze drifts to the window, showing the usually busy streets of Seoul.

Taeyeon hasn't came out of her penthouse for about a week and a half, ever since the day Baekhyun left her house the day after they publicly went on a date.

He called her a lot of times, he texted her a lot of times, but she didn't reply or answer to any of them. She needed some time alone and if she happened to talk to him, she would blame him for what is currently happening.

It's all her fault, she wasn't ready yet, she should've known. She should've known that she wouldn't be able to take all the hate she would get. She should've known that people are much more crueler than she thinks, and that she can never expect what kind of response the public would have.She should've known.

But the longer the time she spent with Baekhyun was, the more she realized how she needed him by her side. She longed for him even more and wished if she could go back to the time when they were still secretly dating.

Yet, she doesn't regret publicizing their relationship, she doesn't regret letting Korea know that she found love, she doesn't regret being hated, even if it hurts.

Her doorbell rings, startling her. Taeyeon jumps in her place,rolling her eyes and groaning before she starts walking to the door, even if she won't open it and won't let anybody in.

The indoor monitor shows Baekhyun, really messy hair and dark circles under his eyes , looking the most exhausted he has ever been.

Her heart shatters at the sight of him, and a knot forms in her throat, tears starting to well up in her eyes. She has never seen him in this state, and she almost blames herself for it.

"Taeyeon," He starts, running a hand through his hair, making it messier than it already was. "I know you're there." A breath follows, "Open the door, I just want to make sure you're alright."

They are only a door away, only a twist of a handle apart. But she can't.

She wants to open the door, she wants to hug him, feel his skin on hers, she wants to greet him with a kiss, a long and a passionate one to let him know how much she missed him during the last few days.

But she can't, she knows that she will blame him for everything, or at least that's what she thinks.

"I won't talk to you, I just want to see you." He seems out of breath, as if he will collapse at any moment. Then in a pleading tone, "Give me three seconds, only three seconds. They will be enough. Please."

It's as if she was waiting for a push, and what he just said was that push she needed. And she lifts her hand, her fingers reaching for the handle, twisting it and pulling the door to her.

They stand still in front of each other, not moving an inch, staring at each other, wanting to do something, to say something, but they both stop themselves.

Because they only have three seconds, and they'd rather spend them taking in one another's features, breathing in each other's air, for when they part, they will be able to remember the smallest details about each other.