"Come on in!" Kim Taeyeon's smile stretched across her face, concealing the underlying unease as she welcomed them warmly. "Feel free to make yourselves comfortable."
"Hey, I've got a colleague with me. He's a pro at games too," Heechul claimed a spot on the couch, acting as if he owned the place, while his companion settled in somewhat awkwardly beside him.
"Oppa, you're coming with me," Taeyeon seized his arm, her patience thinning. She didn't know if he lacked understanding of personal boundaries or simply chose to ignore them.
"What's the rush? Can't you see I'm exhausted? You roped me in with an offer I couldn't decline, had me endure an hour-long drive followed by an extra five-minute mudfest. Don't I at least deserve a complimentary car wash for my troubles?" Heechul complained.
Rolling her eyes, she retorted, "You're rambling. I need to have a word with you."
"Uhm... won't take long, make yourself comfortable." Taeyeon addressed Baekhyun with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Reluctantly, Heechul complied. They moved toward the kitchen, with Taeyeon leading the way. "What's on your mind?" he inquired, feigning innocence as if he hadn't just imposed an inconvenient guest on her sanctuary.
"I guess I built this house for you to expose. Who else knows about this place? Spill," she probed, her irritation simmering beneath the surface.
"Besides me, your fellow members, your family, and your boyfriend... Baekhyun's also clued in. I filled him in about an hour ago," Heechul admitted.
Taeyeon couldn't decide if he was deliberately playing innocent to get on her nerves or genuinely oblivious to the concept of subtlety. His demeanor was either infuriatingly calculated or simply obtuse.
"Why on earth out of all your friends... Why him?" Taeyeon muttered, her words a careful whisper to ensure he wouldn't overhear their conversation.
"Why not?" Heechul raised his eyebrows with feigned innocence. "It's not like he's still your boyfriend."
Taeyeon pressed her palm against her face, exasperated. This was the Heechul she could do without, the one she wanted to toss into the deepest ocean.
"Seriously? You just lay it all out there like that? That's exactly the point! Yes, he was my boyfriend. Past tense. WAS. Now, he's my ex-boyfriend. EX. Is that so hard to grasp?"
"What's there to grasp? Can't exes be friends? I'm friends with some of my ex-girlfriends," Heechul munched on a gummy worm, avoiding her fierce glare as he continued nonchalantly.
Gritting her teeth, Taeyeon was thoroughly irritated. "Well, you're a damn friendly dumbass!"
"You hate him, don't you?" He asked with an eerie calmness.
"What? No, why would I? What did he even do for me to hate him?"
"Then why do you act like he's someone you'd happily banish to hell? Can't you be civil? I'm the one who pushed for him to join us here."
Anger flushed through her veins, her face reddening. She conjured a tight smile, squeezed her eyes shut, and released a controlled exhale, reigning in her urge to punch the man before her.
"Are you being dense or what? What do you mean 'can't you be civil'? I am being civil! I welcomed him, didn't I? If I weren't, I would have sent him packing before he even set foot inside."
"Then why drag me away and unleash your rant on me? This is so juvenile! Or could it be you're still hung up on your past relationship?" Heechul's words sliced through the air, the truth behind them stinging like a wound that hadn't fully healed.
YOU ARE READING
from afar | baekyeon
Fanfic"We already parted our ways... But as I think about it, I can't forget you... so let me still look after you, watch you... From afar." -Byun Baekhyun
