A BITTER GOODBYE

Taeyeon drove Baekhyun home and they were standing at his doorstep, a silence enveloping them, their breath misting between them in the cold night air. With a shy smile and the scuffing of his shoe against the cement, Baekhyun looked up as he muttered, "Thanks Taeyeon, I actually liked tonight. I also hope we can be good friends."

Taeyeon nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I hope so too," she replied before leaning forward to hug him. Baekhyun laughed, caught off guard, but he hugged her back none the less. "I love you, Baek, always remember that," she whispered. Then she pulled back and kissed his cheek, and waved goodbye while climbing back into her car.

Baekhyun waved too, and with a small smile he unlocked his apartment and went inside. He flipped lights on as he made his way to his bedroom, since he about fell over Muffin when he entered the kitchen/living room area. Huffing, he shrugged out of his jacket before tossing it onto a chair and clasping onto his bed, instantly falling into a deep sleep.

All throughout the night Baekhyun's phone was lighting up with messages he wouldn't notice until later the next day.

——

Baekhyun dressed warmly the next morning and made sure Muffin did her business before he left for school.

As he walked the hallways and switched from class to class, he would notice people throwing glances his way, but he just shrugged them off. But then people started to say things like, "Congratulations, Baek!" or "It's about time you asked, she's crazy in love with you!" He was so confused, and it was made even worse when his friends, who haven't spoken to him in a week ambushed him inside their performance and arts class.

"You little bitch!" Kyungsoo yelled as he grabbed Baekhyun's arm and spun him around until he was fully facing their fury. "How could you do that without telling us first!? And what about you're little fling with the professor?" Kyungsoo hissed the last part too low for anyone else but them to hear.

"Yeah, exactly what the hell was going through your head with that one?" Luhan asked.

Baekhyun just stared at them for a moment, his mouth agape as he struggled to figure out what the hell they were yelling at him about. "I–I— What?" Baekhyun asked.

Both Kyungsoo and Luhan glared at him, and Kyungsoo was preparing to yell at him again when from behind them someone said, "Excuse me, but I would like to have a word with Mr. Byun. So if you'll excuse us." And then a large hand was clasping around Baekhyun's wrist and pulling him free from the wrath of his friends.

Baekhyun sighed in relief and smiled as he softly said, "Oh my gosh, thank you for that. They had me completely lost. I had no idea what they were yelling about." Chanyeol didn't respond back to him, and frowning in confusion, Baekhyun muttered, "Chan, is everything okay?"

By this point Chanyeol had pulled Baekhyun behind the stage curtain and dropped his wrist before spinning around to face him. Baekhyun gasped when he saw his expression.

"Ch-Chanyeol? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Baekhyun murmured as he gently reached out to touch Chanyeol's cheek.

Chanyeol just glared at him in response and smacked his hand away before hissing, "I trusted you!"

Baekhyun gasped and pulled his hand back, tears already beginning to brim around his eyes. "Wh-what are you talking about, Chan?"

Chanyeol pursed his lips and calmly muttered, "Seriously, Baekhyun? You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Baekhyun shook his head and whispered, "N-no, I don't, Chan. What are you talking about?"

Chanyeol exhaled in frustration and snapped, "Alright then, let's see you play dumb when you see this!" And then Chanyeol pulled out his phone and shoved it beneath Baekhyun's nose as he yelled, "You fucking proposed!"

Baekhyun was numb. In the picture, it had captured Baekhyun kneeling down on one knee while holding Taeyeon's hands, tears streaming down her face while picture Baekhyun wore a soft smile as he gazed up at her. With shaking hands, Baekhyun reached out to take the phone. Swiping through the pictures and reading the caption. The first one read:

I believe my baby girl is engaged! I'm so incredibly happy for them!

That one was posted with the picture of Baekhyun kneeling on one knee. The next picture was him pulling Taeyeon into his arms, and this one's caption read:

My son-in-law-to-be consoling his future bride!

And the picture after that was of Baekhyun kissing Taeyeon's forehead and his hand on her cheek. Baekhyun's eyes were too blurry to read this one's caption, but he could vaguely make out the red shape of a heart. There were other pictures as well, but he just couldn't bring himself to look at those as he hiccuped a sob and looked up at Chanyeol as he gasped, "Please. Please! Tell me you don't believe this?"

"I don't know what to believe. Those pictures look very suggestive, don't you think? Many things could be happening in that moment," Chanyeol said through gritted teeth.

"Exactly! Like me retying her shoelace in the first picture!" Baekhyun cried.

"And the others! What about those!" Chanyeol yelled.

Baekhyun bristled and clenched his teeth. His feeling of hurt taking a back seat as he was instantly filled with anger. He couldn't speak he was so angry. How could Chanyeol think he would cheat!? But then maybe he was remembering when Baekhyun cheated on Taeyeon and was thinking he was doing it again but to him now? The thought was crushing and so saddening for Baekhyun.

"You think I'm cheating on you like I did with Taeyeon? Well, I wouldn't, and you should know that. You should also know that when I cheated on her I was filled with guilt and hurting so much. And if I did that to you, you would know in an instant because I'd be one hundred times worse! I'd be a wreck, Chanyeol! So how dare you even accuse me of cheating! How dare you!" Baekhyun screamed.

Chanyeol just stared at him with a stoney expression, and then in a very calm quiet voice, he said, "Maybe we should just take a break."

His words felt like a punch to the heart, all Baekhyun's anger instantly dissipating as he struggled to fight back his tears. "Alright then maybe we should, and since you don't seem to believe me maybe that means you don't deserve me," Baekhyun weakly murmured. Then biting the inside of his cheek to keep the sobs at bay, Baekhyun turned away and walked out of the auditorium. Thankfully for Baekhyun, it was empty now.

When Baekhyun made it outside the room, he was instantly engulfed in hugs by both Kyungsoo and Luhan.

"We're so sorry, Baek. We heard everything," Luhan softly said as he rubbed Baekhyun's back.

Kyungsoo nodded and brushed a hand comfortingly over Baekhyun's hair as he asked, "Do you want us to come over tonight? We can hang out and watch a movie. How does that sound?"

Baekhyun sniffled. "That sounds nice. Thank you, guys. And . . . do you believe me? I don't feel that way for Taeyeon anymore. I love Chanyeol, but he's too upset to listen to me," Baekhyun murmured as silent tears rolling down his cheeks. "What a stupid, thick-headed giant," Baekhyun hoarsely muttered.

Luhan smiled sadly and muttered, "Oh honey, just give it some time. He'll come around, I'm sure of it."

Baekhyun wiped his face and muttered, "How do you know?"

Kyungsoo chuckled and patted Baekhyun's shoulder before asking, "Are you serious, Baek? He's always looking at you in class . . ."

"Yeah, and whenever he gets the chance to touch you he does. It makes a lot of people jealous how much he pays attention to you," Luhan finished.

"You mean people know about us?" Baekhyun whispered as his eyes widened in fear.

Luhan gave a sheepish expression and Kyungsoo pursed his lips before saying, "Not exactly, they just suspect."

Fresh tears pooled into Baekhyun's eyes while he cried, "Soo, that's not good! What if the president of the college were to find out a professor and a student were dating!? Chanyeol would be . . ." Baekhyun trailed off, unable to say it. "And me, what if they kick me out of the school?"

"But you're not dating anymore," Kyungsoo pointed out. A fact that had Baekhyun bursting into tears once again.

Luhan smacked him and yelled, "Idiot! You don't say something like that! Have some consideration!" Luhan sighed and glared at Kyungsoo for a moment longer before turning back to Baekhyun and asking, "So what are you going to do now, Baek? Are you going to wait for him?"

Baekhyun sighed and shrugged. "I don't know what to do now. He didn't believe me, Lulu. So what can I do?"

Kyungsoo linked his arm through Baekhyun's and said, "You give him time. He'll come around eventually and know he made a mistake. So in the mean time, you have to let him realize that for himself and continue on with your life. And if he's too stupid to realize his mistake then you forget him because you don't deserve that, Baek."

"But I don't want to let him go," Baekhyun murmured.

——

Later that day Baekhyun was fixing up his living room for Kyungsoo and Luhan, getting it ready for them to spend the night. Muffin was sitting on the couch while she watched him, and when the doorbell rang she ran towards it and sniffed around the crack of the door. She barked once and sat back down, as if it was her way of letting Baekhyun know the person on the other side was trustworthy and a familiar scent to her. She would usually freak out when there was a scent she didn't recognize, making her the best alarm system Baekhyun has ever had.

Chuckling, Baekhyun walked towards her and ruffled her ears before opening the door. Muffin gave the visitors one last sniff and glance over before going back to lay on the couch.

"She's so cute," Luhan cooed as he stepped inside and approached Muffin to pet her. Kyungsoo followed right after him, ruffling her ears as she licked his other hand.

Baekhyun giggled and sat down on the floor at their feet as he muttered, "Yeah, she can be really sweet some days and others it's like she's Lady Macbeth deceiving me with those big brown eyes of hers."

Luhan laughed and asked, "I don't believe you, I'd have to see it for myself, Baek. I mean, look at her!" Luhan gushed as Muffin rolled onto her back and flopped her tongue to the side.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and poked her between the eyes before asking, "Are you guys hungry? I was going to order a pizza because I suck at cooking."

"Yeah, sure," they called together.

Baekhyun laughed and rolled his eyes and called out, "Alright then, what am I getting on it?"

They both yelled out a bunch of crap that they wanted, making Baekhyun roll his eyes once again before yelling, "You know what? I'm not letting you guys decide. I will."

After placing his order for a large pizza with cheese and pepperoni he settled onto the couch, shoving his friends into the armrests as Muffin and himself settled into the middle. Kyungsoo and Luhan both shot him annoyed looked before turning their attention back to the TV as Baekhyun aimlessly scrolled through the movies on Netflix mumbling, "Hmm? What to watch . . . What to watch....?"

Eventually Baekhyun settled on a scary movie, and fifteen minutes into it they already had pillows and blankets wrapped around themselves. Luhan was holding his pillow up to his mouth as his eyes stared widely at the television. Kyungsoo had his arms crossed and he wore a poker face. While Baekhyun gapped at the stupid girl on the screen and yelled, "You stupid idiot! Do NOT go in there!"

Another five minutes had passed and the scene was an intense one with the girl hiding in one of the rooms of her house while the intruder was inside searching for her. And when their was a teasing knock on her door, there was a simultaneous knock on Baekhyun's apartment door. They all screamed — Kyungsoo the loudest as he shouted a string of profanities.

Muffin jumped up from her place on Baekhyun's lap, causing him to go "Oof!" before she ran to the door. Barking once before sitting down and looking back at them with her tongue hanging out. Baekhyun frowned in confusion, not bothering to pause the movie as he walked to the door and glanced at Muffin for reassurance before opening it.

———————————————————

Author's Notes

Hello, my love readers!

Who could be at the door this time? 🤔 And sorry for the abrupt ending. 😬

Anyway, a kinda short update that I hope you guys enjoyed. 😊 If so, please don't forget to vote, express your thoughts, and share with your friends. Thank you so much for reading! I love you, guys!!!

Well, until next time.... 🌸🌸

Love from,
BunnyBaekkiee ❤️