"Your light voice passes me by,

would you please call my name one more time?"

The clock struck six along with the slowly rising sun, its gentle rays warmed up the messy blanket covering half of Park Soon-ok's body. With her tear-stained cheek pressed against the cool side of the pillow, she hollowly stared into the screen of her smartphone. It felt like her dry eyes were burning in front of the displayed text messages that she had spent the whole night staring at. Her thoughts would always wander back to that one question she truly didn't deserve to ask herself.

Where did I go wrong? Where did I lack?

Blaming herself was naturally the first reaction, but so wrong. So extremely wrong, Soon-ok had to remind herself that none of this was her fault. Never was and never will be no matter how much she reflected upon the matter.

It's over between us

seen, 07:00 am, yesterday

Her heart painfully clenched as she once again glanced at the text she had sent a day ago. The fact that he had seen it and not bothered to answer made her feel completely worthless, embarrassed, and miserable. The next set of surging emotions quickly morphed from despair to anger, a flame of rage erupted within her chest, licking and consuming her clenching organ. To think that she had let such a man feed her empty words and lies- that she had let him touch her intimately and take her for granted. If there was something she wouldn't be able to forgive herself for, it would be letting a man take advantage of her. But most of all, letting herself be deceived by such insincerity. This pain was going to serve her as a very important lesson in life. Sighing, she turned to lay on her back with one arm resting on her forehead as she looked into the white ceiling where there used to hang countless photos of her and the said male, but was now almost completely empty.

"If you can't imagine your future with him..." Soon-ok rasped in her morning-dry throat and started reminiscing on a set of words that her mother always sent her way when she had the chance. "Then he isn't the one for you." She finished into a soft whisper. A disappointed laugh left her throat as she finally forced herself to get out of the beautiful trap that was her fluffy bed. "I guess she is right after all." the girl hummed thoughtfully. The man had left her to her destiny after being partially responsible for their relationship becoming complicated, throwing three precious years away, as if ashes, as if they had never even happened. She wondered what she has been doing all this time, she felt so foolish for having been infatuated with a lie.

Those three years with him, perhaps...No, surely, they hadn't been so precious after all. Soon-ok figured she had wasted three years of her life which soured her mood gravely, a bitter taste spread immediately into her mouth along with a fresh set of frustrated tears that she allowed herself to spill.

Soon-Ok threw on a semi-elegant button-up and a pair of black trousers. Usually, she would've opted for a pencil skirt, but her condition would protest against the tightness of that clothing, which was why she had recently started wearing softer pants, to keep her body comfortable throughout the long office workdays. Having fixed her hair but not bothered to do much about her face, Soon-Ok took off to her workplace. A part of her nagged at herself with regret for having left the house while looking so wrecked, but at the same time, she would remind herself that it would've been foolish, as well as futile, to try to cover her bloodshot and swollen eyes. What she truly needed was time to get herself back together, but time had always been precious and expensive, something she couldn't afford.

A promotion and a bothersome rival wouldn't be waiting for her to get better. Thus, she had to grit her teeth and move on physically, even if she was still hurting in her mind and heart.

With a deep sigh, the woman prayed for the day to go smoothly. Little did she know that on the other side of those glass doors was a person who couldn't wait to ruin her day. That person was none other than Byun Baekhyun. The fact that they were in the same department and team, in the ad and designing company, did her absolutely no favor- hence it felt as if life had been throwing every little imaginable obstacle at her, just to make sure she wouldn't have it easy.

With a huff, Soon-Ok ignored the echoing noise of her heels in the quiet office where her team members were diligently clicking and typing into their keyboards, faces immersed into the massive screens of their computers. The display of editing programs would reflect in each of their gazes. Byun Baekhyun had seemed particularly taken by his work as well, which gave the woman the tiniest hint of hope that perhaps he wouldn't bother enough to talk to her. Going a day without having interacted with the man would be equal to winning the lottery. When he wouldn't even gaze at her...those were truly special occasions, where she would jump with happiness once at home, knowing that his tormenting voice wouldn't be replaying in her head like a nightmare and her day would be able to proceed sweetly.

Well, to be honest, those days had yet to come. Since day one, she and Baekhyun had never gotten along and there hadn't ever been a moment at work where the two wouldn't fight with each other at least once. It was unavoidable after all since they were forced to share their workspace as well. To Soon-Ok's utter luck, Baekhyun had been the first to take notice of the sadness aligning on her exhausted features.

"Did someone get dumped?" Baekhyun jeered without really meaning what he had said. However, when dead silence was all that met him, he noticed soon that he had unintentionally hit the jackpot. He could tell that his statement held a certain weight the moment that Soon-Ok sent him a chilling glare. The male's obnoxious and insensible words caused a good amount of heads in the office to turn, making the girl's body covered with cold sweat at the unwanted attention.

"You're so full of shit." Soon-Ok found herself snapping at the man, as usual, except for this time, even though she had gritted the words through her teeth to try maintaining her calm, it had been fruitless. Her veins were bulging with a rage that she usually wouldn't even spare the annoying individual. Deep down she knew why it was happening and that it simply wasn't rational to tear the silky hair of his precious scalp, as for a few seconds, she had imagined doing. With a deep sigh, the woman reminded herself to take it easy and that further stress and negative emotions would do anything but good for her body in her current situation. Baekhyun did not look the least fazed by her threatening and warning undertone, instead, he curled his lips onto an infuriating smirk while once again taking in her features mockingly.

"It wasn't me who got dumped." On a regular day, this kind of retort was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would've hurt her. But because of today, it had hit so close to home, reminding her of the sleepless night, of the tears spent just physically hurting. Those words had hurt her. Soon-Ok found a lump forming in her throat that she quickly swallowed down before it could bring unnecessary tears to her eyes.

This day was already atrocious, the last thing she needed was one of her daily bickers with that horrible male to spoil her mood any further. Many wondered why they were always at each other's throats, and sometimes even Soon-Ok would forget when it had become like that, but it was because they crashed from the very first time they met. Their ill-tempered relationship had sparked to life the moment Soon-Ok and Baekhyun had simultaneously achieved the same high positions and titles as best employees in their department. Without a doubt, the matter had initiated rivalry between the two, prompting them to endlessly compete for that next promotion that couldn't be shared. Soon-Ok couldn't stand Baekhyun, the way he always seemed to do everything ever so effortlessly, like it meant nothing to him...While she would find herself painfully working until the late hours of the night, even in the comfort of her own home, to diligently do her work.

"Don't talk to me," She sighed through her nose, but saw by the look on his face that asking it that way would never be enough. "Got it? Leave me the fuck alone Byun." Baekhyun seemed just a tiny bit taken aback when Soon-Ok spat the words without sparing him a glance but quickly shrugged it off. Perhaps he had overstepped the line today, though he would never admit it, not less give her any sort of apology that he owed her. She was always breathing down his neck for whatever he did, it wasn't like getting along with her was going to provide him with the promotion they had been competing over for the past six months. Their relationship was nothing but childish banter and on many occasions, even filled with hurtful and degrading words, depending on how sour their moods were. They fed off each other's insults and someone would think they would miss each other's presence if gone, but in actuality, it would always be considered a wonderful, good day with an opportunity to get a step ahead.

***

Without really paying attention, the woman sat down at her desk, turned on the computer, and sank into the comfortable chair. It was by now a routine that she did whilst lost in her thoughts, letting her muscle memory do most of the work for her. Besides her sat none other than her rival that, fortunately, was deeply concentrated on his projects. Soon-Ok had attempted to change desk neighbors many times, but her boss had never been that generous to her dismay. Soon-Ok clicked open her ongoing submission with a dejected sigh, and before she knew it, the whole morning had gone. Time had, as always, flown away as there would never be enough of it. She wondered if she would ever manage to finish this requested poster in time at this pace.

It was barely lunchtime and her body was already starting to ache and protest at the obligation to sit down in front of the computer for endless hours. The quiet tapping noises of fingers clicking on keyboards and mouses felt like loud rings echoing in her ears, each click pounded into her growing headache. Despite the good flow in her work, the woman figured out it would be best to put some nutrition into her system before it was too late. A part of her wasn't really keen on the food that waited in the lunchbox and despite her hunger, she felt herself craving for something completely different. Her palate imagined the salty flavor of Mcdonald's fries dipped gently into the sweet, vanilla ice cream they offered. A dejected sigh left her slightly chapped lips, daydreaming about McDonald's was definitely not what she had imagined herself doing, ever, but her hormones were raging, her body was changing. She had no control over herself. She wished she did. She wished she could just foresee every bad, unnecessary thought and save herself from the pain. She longed to be able to control her weight from constantly increasing- to have a hold of her emotions. But that ability had long ago slipped through the cracks of her fingers, helplessly, like sand.

Discreetly, Soon-Ok left her desk, making sure that she wouldn't disturb anyone in the process. A curse threatened to leave her lips when she stood up a little too quickly, causing her head to spin heavily. You just have to reach the kitchen, she told herself as she took one more step. It didn't stop. The more she moved, the darker her view became while black and white spots moving like ants slowly took over her dilating orbs. Deep but quick breaths were leaving her lips and her chest was visibly heaving for more oxygen. Before she knew it, the ground had disappeared from underneath her feet and a soft gush of air brushed her cheeks as she fell to the ground.

Soon-Ok couldn't see anything, nor move, and yet she could make out every single sound around her. The voices of her female colleagues calling frantically for her name, asking her if she was alright. She wanted to answer, to tell them that she was fine, but it was like her tongue had tied itself into a knot in her mouth, her throat dry and vocal cords completely refusing to produce any kind of noise. The fuss around her gradually grew and in the meantime, her view had shifted from black spots to prickling colors, but not yet clear enough to make out anything that was going on around her. She could only remark how she felt her body suddenly spinning, the voices had finally become a distant noise in the background, letting her headrest.

Baekhyun noticed that something was off when he suddenly looked up from his work and saw that all of his seatmates had gone to circle the unconscious woman. People's worried voices filled the otherwise quiet office. Peeking from behind the screen of the computer, the rival leaned a cheek into his fist and eyed the situation with uninterested eyes. It wasn't until he saw Soon-Ok being lifted from the ground that a twinge of curiosity swam through his chest. No one would ever see Soon-Ok out of shape, ever, especially not in the work area. It had been surprising enough how she'd showed up with red, swollen eyes that could've only meant one thing. But her sudden faint in the middle of the office had caught even Baekhyun off guard. However, the incident had caused a great fuss in the peaceful workplace and the fact brought him irritation and discomfort. He knew that the matter was going to be talked about repeatedly within the walls of the company, rising gossip, and reasons to get distracted. There was nothing he despised more than his peace of mind getting ruined at work.

Slowly, his colleagues returned to their seats, resuming the endless keyboard clicking and tapping. It should have been enough for the rival to peacefully get back to his work, but on the contrary, one look at the screen had him realize how he really wasn't in the mood to concentrate anymore. It ticked him off. He had been in such a nice flow until that woman had brought distraught to him and the rest of the office. Without another glance at the screen, Baekhyun stood up from his chair and left for the infirmary. Contemplatively, the man leaned his shoulder into the doorframe, meeting Soon-Ok's tired gaze from across the room. She was lying in the only bed available, tucked in the soft, plain blankets. Baekhyun wondered how much she was out of it today- but her hardening gaze revealed to him that perhaps, she was in better shape than it had looked like.

"Get out." Was the first thing Soon-Ok had hissed, rasping her parched throat in the process.

Baekhyun scoffed at her words before doing the exact opposite, feeling the irritation buzz through his system, every ounce of potential pity towards her disappeared before he could even acknowledge it and he narrowed his eyes coldly at the woman. "This is not your private room, if you want one, stay the hell home." He snarled while going to the painkiller aisle.

"Why be home when I can bother the hell out of you?" She chuckled mirthlessly, prompting him to throw an offended look behind his shoulder. Baekhyun sighed with exasperation as he poured two pills of paracetamol into his palm. The hint of playfulness was now gone.

"I mean it." He started seriously. "If you're ill, don't come here, it's going to distract the work of everyone. It's a bother." He lamented before heading out, leaving Soon-Ok with his harsh words sinking into her skin like ink.

Now that he was gone, she let her brimming emotions surface the slightest- just so she could breathe. She couldn't lie, it felt suffocating. She hated to say it, but today his remarks were hurtful.

Yeah.

She was bothersome. That was probably also why he had left her, wasn't it?

***

A frown twisted Soon-Ok's lips, soon they pressed into a thin line. The midi dress hugged each and every curve lining her body, and yet she couldn't bring herself to feel entirely comfortable with the way her figure appeared to be bigger than usual. Had she gained weight again? A part of Soon-Ok urged her to the scale, while the other half feared and didn't want to see the results of her carelessness. With much difficulty, the woman pushed the whirling thoughts to the back of her head.

A heavy and dizzy sensation had been following her for the past few hours although she had taken painkillers, not to mention the pressure that her unusually heavy breasts had been putting on her legs. Nowhere in her body did she actually have the energy to join tonight's event, but even so, the woman continued to the bathroom, applying a necessary amount of makeup. Twinkling crystals adorned her earlobes as she drew the dark shade of lipstick onto the plumpness of her lips. Tonight served as a very important work dinner with her boss and colleagues. There was no way she could not attend it because of a few headaches, especially not when Baekhyun was without a doubt going to be there. She couldn't let him get a step ahead of her for any reason.

Soon-Ok, not owning a car, had no choice but to ride the bus. She didn't really mind. Sure, it consumed way more of her energy but she reminded herself that it was a little thing she could do for the environment. Once she arrived, Soon-Ok could see the luminous building of the luxurious restaurant. The woman couldn't help but remark how she would've never even been able to step foot in there hadn't it been for her company offering the dinner to all the present employees. Her heels clicked against the concrete with a satisfying noise as she made her way towards the entrance. From the distance, she could already spot a few of her male colleagues chatting right outside the entrance. Their dark voices resounded in the area as smoke from their cigarettes danced, and with serpentine moves lingered along with their bodies.

It took her a few more meters to notice that a certain someone had also been a part of the chat, however, he was keeping himself a little more in the back. Baekhyun was leaning cooly against the marmorated wall, stepping in the conversation occasionally. Everyone had been smoking except for him. Baekhyun's and the woman's gazes found each other within seconds, the sight of her never failing to make a mocking smirk dance across his lips while she forced herself to remain expressionless. Soon-Ok wanted to roll her eyes at his obvious stare, and the way he was ridiculing her with his eyes solely urged her to plant a fist on his cheek. Yet, she found herself almost victorious when she caught the way that Baekhyun's eyes helplessly strayed down to take in the rest of her walking curves. She couldn't deny to herself the obvious way butterflies had fluttered in her tummy when the male had not so discreetly gulped at the sight of her. Just an hour ago her head had been filled with negative thoughts and insecurities, but perhaps there was nothing to worry about after all. Normally, she wouldn't waste her thoughts on male validation, but for some reason it made her feel confident that Baekhyun had to swallow at the sight of her.

Despite everything, it was a beautiful spring night, the moon was full and tall up in the sky, emanating a glittering, silver light. The breeze was nothing but gentle and comforting, somewhat lukewarm, allowing Soon-Ok not to worry about having to freeze anytime soon. Much to her dismay, she couldn't find it in herself to wholeheartedly enjoy the nightly weather. A headache had never stopped penetrating her head while the length of her heels was already feeling atrocious on her feet, but the night had barely started yet. She had to bite through the multiple uncomfortable sensations taking place in her exhausted body.

The male colleagues distracted her from the unpleasant feelings for a few moments, they all greeted her cheerfully, each of them commenting on her lovely looks that evening, making her feel slightly flustered at the unexpected attention. A familiar scoff just a few meters away prompted her to turn around, and once again, she met those oceanic deep eyes of his.

"Can I help you?" Soon-Ok asked and made sure that her gaze was cold and hard, to which Baekhyun responded by lifting a lazy brow.

"Don't get ahead of yourself just because of a few compliments, or are you that easy to charm?" His pretentious words ignited a fit of very strong anger to burst in her chest, however, she didn't allow herself to show any of it. The woman let out an airy chuckle while eyeing him up and down with mock flirtatiousness.

"Says the one who was busy checking me out just now." It looked like the blood had drained from his face for a second, but he quickly regained his composure as his lips parted for a sneer. "You got it wrong." He stated and crossed his arms over his chest, "Isn't this dress a bit too tight for you, love? It'll burst." At the mirthless words of Baekhyun, her heart sped up against her will. Emotions were uncontrollably brimming her heaving chest, but for no reason would she allow him to see how his words affected her. She, too, had noticed the growth of her weight, but at the same time, a part of her was really quick to defend herself; it was a fact that this new weight of hers was just a natural process for her body and she couldn't control it whether she liked it or not.

Soon-Ok had spent many occasions reassuring herself away from the negative thoughts that her inner self preserved...However, the more days passed, the more she realized how weak her resolve truly was, it was always only a matter of time before the hostility towards herself would cloud her mind once again. Blinking away the wetness in her eyes, Soon-Ok surprised herself with the realistic, cocky smirk that curled at her luscious lips, drawing his attention there within no time as she walked to stand right in front of him. The scent of his cologne cascaded onto her upon standing so close, it was a musky fragrance that for a moment made her forget her reasons for the current proximity, but she knew better than to fall under this man's spell. Baekhyun was a handsome lad, he could charm anyone he wanted with his undeserved beautiful features, however, Soon-Ok was never going to be fooled by his appearance, knowing just how ugly his personality was.

"Shouldn't we get some water for this dry throat of yours, hm?" She whispered huskily just so he could hear, and brushed her index finger down his Adam's apple, making the male's muscles tense in the process. Jaw clenching, he swatted her hand gently away and pushed past her shoulder, heading inside.

"As if," he grumbled to himself.

***

A serious and professional aura had settled all over the long table where at the head of it, sat the chief of their department, holding a glass of wine in his hand and openly talking with his employees. Soon-Ok could tell that everyone was extremely careful while picking their words, no one wanted to accidentally say anything inappropriate in front of the boss. She was thankful that she was sitting as far away from him as possible, and not because he was unpleasant or anything of the sort. Hence, the woman had always found her boss generous and friendly despite his strict work ethic. Furthermore, as life loved to play dirty tricks on her, she obviously found her rival sitting at her opposite seat, facing her amusingly. Soon-Ok had been close to thinking that perhaps this dinner could've proceeded smoothly, but as always she had joyed way too soon. Now, she was sharing the hundredth glare with the said male. It had been going on for the entire meal, a silent war of locking gazes, unspoken threats, and insults shooting like lasers from their orbs. It would have been no good if the two had gotten a seat near the boss. Soon-Ok couldn't help but internally cringe at the thought, she admitted they could act like children at times, and she didn't want him to witness that for any reason in the world.

Baekhyun's slender fingers moved slowly towards his wine glass, the woman found herself observing his every move. Gently, the male twirled the glass, letting the alcoholic beverage dance within its crystal walls before he brought it to his plump lips and drank, his lazy gaze never once leaving Soon-Ok's. It was a challenge, but one she couldn't accept, no matter how strong the urge was to show him who he was messing with, the alcohol was a dangerous beverage for her sensitive body. The headache from earlier had developed into crippling nausea that might've caused her to faint if she were to stand up the slightest bit too quickly.

Abrupt laughter erupted at the table, echoing within the expensive walls of the restaurant, and the trance the two had been trapped within shattered like glass. It was then that Soon-Ok realized how she hadn't been paying any attention to what was being said, and she cursed herself for letting Baekhyun distract her. She had come here to show her boss that she was trustworthy, a great employee, and yet living up to such a given thing couldn't have been harder for her at the moment when her eyelids had gradually grown heavier. Tired. Exhausted. She concluded, it was beyond her control that her energy had consumed this quickly, the fatigue had just suddenly crashed upon her like waves during the stormy weather. And yet, she couldn't help but find her own lack of concentration unacceptable. The matter led her into spacing out once again, Baekhyun noticed how something had shifted in her orbs, how the usual fire directed towards him died down and her eyes were clouded with something he couldn't place his finger on. For a second, he swore he'd seen pain twisting her painted lips but it had gone just as quick as it had appeared.

Soon-Ok might've looked calm on the outside, but in reality, she was slowly losing her perception to the intensified sensations taking over her body, different sorts of pain crawling underneath her skin in the most crippling ways. As if tied to a reeling chair, her head was spinning along with an extremely unpleasant constricting of her throat. It was as if a brick weighed down on her chest, ever so unbearably, and soon she felt herself go breathless. The high heels felt like needles piercing through her tired feet and Soon-Ok suppressed the very needed whimper of pain bubbling in her throat. Oh, how she longed for her bed, to sink and melt into those fluffy sheets. She felt so incredibly silly and stupid for having the comfort of her home seem like such a distant dream although she wasn't too far away from it.

Once again, the fork in her hand moved the food aimlessly across the plate, messing up the pretty plating it had been served in. Though, not a single bite had pushed past her lips ever since the start of this dinner, somehow she felt like anything she'd try to eat would end up resurfacing in no time.

"Soon-Ok," Baekhyun called, earning a frown from her, but it was only because of how she couldn't quite manage to focus her blurry gaze upon him. The male kept silent for a little longer, and even in her state could she tell how he was openly staring at her, which she didn't appreciate one bit. "Why haven't you eaten anything?" he then questioned. To Soon-Ok, his voice sounded ever so judging and hostile, putting her in a bad spotlight.

Hurt flashed in her orbs, throwing the rival off guard with her suddenly glossy eyes. Soon-ok could feel how her lips trembled beyond her control, a whimper bubbled in her throat, but the last thing she wanted was to cause a scene. It was hard on her when she realized that Baekhyun hadn't said anything that was meant to hurt her, and yet her chest was constricted as if he had. Drops of tears had reached her eyes without her permission. She couldn't recognize herself in this vulnerability that had never been a part of her.

Before she could start straight out crying in front of her colleagues, the woman stood up from her chair and stormed off. As soon as she was gone, all eyes were on Baekhyun. The co-workers didn't hesitate to throw dirty stares at the male. It wasn't their first time witnessing an interaction of the sort between the two.

"What did you say to her now," Jongin sighed while leaning his back onto the chair, sounding exasperated and disappointed, but not the least surprised. Minseok joined the chat with a disapproving look on his face, "You can't just treat a woman with no sensibility like that," Baekhyun could only scoff at his friends taking Soon-Ok's side.

"I think you should apologize." Minseok continued calmly, igniting the complete opposite reaction from the rival. "But I didn't even do anything this time!" Baekhyun barely managed to keep his voice low as he hissed the genuine words.

"I swear!" He insisted desperately and threw his back against the chair rest. The two males didn't waver in their opinions, their pointed looks told him exactly what they were thinking. Whether he had done it intentionally or not, what he'd said had provoked her and he was responsible for that. In no way did Baekhyun feel the need or want to talk to her, hence apologize for asking her a simple question. It wasn't his fault that Soon-Ok couldn't handle such. Despite that, he couldn't remain unbothered. A little part of him felt guilty because of the tears in her eyes.

"Whatever," He grumbled underneath his breath before standing up from his chair and leaving off in the same direction that Soon-Ok had gone into.

The male had a hard time finding the woman at first, but after a few moments of searching, he caught her figure standing outside the bathroom stalls.

"Hey," He found himself calling out gently as he approached her, with much-needed effort biting back the snarky tone in his voice. The woman didn't show him any sign of acknowledgment and for a moment he wondered whether she'd heard him, though, the way she was giving him her back felt way too intentional.

"Oy, Park Soon-Ok," Baekhyun attempted once again while trying to get a glimpse of her face, but she wouldn't let him see past her shoulder. He was sure that she had heard him the second time, but the stubbornness was starting to thin out his patience. Why did he follow her here? To look like a fool? He was ignored by a woman he didn't want to talk to.

"Did I really hurt your feelings that much?" The man swore to himself that it was going to be his last attempt as he witnessed his words hanging heavily in the air, unanswered. Just like he had expected, no reaction. However, his sharp eyes caught the trembling movement of her shoulders. A frown drew his eyebrows and before he knew it he had reached his hand out to her arm- and Baekhyun didn't even get to think through his actions when Soon-Ok had already yanked herself away from him as if his touch had been scalding against her skin, revealing her furious, bloodshot eyes. The view startled him, she looked way more upset than she had done when she left...

Had that simple question really riled her up like that?

"Hey I'm sorry-" Baekhyun barely gasped when Soon-Ok cut him off.

"Don't. Touch me." She spat and he instantly frowned. "Leave me alone." Venom withered her words, almost as if she was dangerous to approach.

"Woah, what the hell?" Baekhyun bit back defensively, "I was trying to be nice, but you're being a bitch!" Soon-Ok sighed loudly through her nose, struggling to keep the calm. She couldn't help it, whenever he was around it was like she became a ticking bomb. In the end, the same could be said about him.

"What part of don't talk to me don't you understand, Baekhyun? Leave me the fuck alone, it's not like you know how to be fucking nice anyway." She relented, hoping that it would be enough to send him away.

"What the hell? You're such a bitch."

"And you're making me sick, piss the fuck off." She raised her voice, suddenly almost losing her balance, leaning against the wall for support. It was no good, straining herself to fight with Baekhyun was just enhancing the dizziness clouding her senses. Thankfully, the cool temperature of the stone wall gave her a great sense of relief, but it wasn't nearly enough to wipe off the disgusting aftertaste of vomit slowly surging up her throat. Baekhyun would've left on the spot if it hadn't been for her features seeming to be turning pale and almost green in no time.

"Hey, what is going on?" Baekhyun shrunk in confusion as Soon-Ok's hand flew to her mouth to prevent any reflux to leak.

"Baekhyun, open the fucking bathroom door."

"What?"

"I have to vomit, OPEN."

Although in his head was a whirlpool of questions, he didn't clear out a single one of them that he had already started moving. With quick movements he immediately helped her into the bathroom where Soon-Ok wasted no time crouching to the toilet seat, the meals of her day within seconds spilling out of her throat. Tears sprung in the eyes, stinging and blurring her view. The heart in her chest was frantically palpitating, ever so fearfully so. Vomiting had always scared her, the fact that the contents of her meals would surge up her throat, and the suffocating sensation that she couldn't control had always made her fearful. Coughs and sobs continuously left her trembling lips, igniting more vomit to the surface. The sour taste of reflux was disgusting on her tongue, Soon-Ok wished she could down a whole bottle of mouthwash when all of this was over. Cold sweat had been gathering underneath her now sticky hair and her armpits felt moist with perspiration, she had never felt so nasty. She felt embarrassed, disgusting, and incredibly sorrowful all at once.

All the while, behind her, had been Bakhyun, feeling incredibly useless and uncomfortable standing there watching, but it wasn't like he could leave her there either. With teeth drilling into his lips, Baekhyun decided to put aside his dislike for the woman just this once and tentatively stepped closer, while making sure to not rush any movements, he crouched down behind her. Soon-Ok sensed Baekhyun coming closer, but she found no strength in herself to push him away. She was surprised when, suddenly, his cold fingertips were touching the skin of her neck, providing an unintentional relief to the woman as he gently gathered her hair in his hands and silently held it up during her illness.

Soon-ok was, to say the least, confused. Despite the crippling anxiety and embarrassment clenching her chest upon having her biggest rival had to see her so vulnerable, a part of her felt reassured that he was there. She couldn't understand why it was that at the moment, Baekhyun's proximity wasn't bothering her like she thought it would. Normally, she wouldn't want him anywhere near her. Perhaps, because she was in this state, it didn't really matter who was helping her. His other hand had been giving extremely hesitant, shy pats on her back, to help and calm down her exploding gasps for air. She could tell how uncomfortable he was in that situation, she could tell in his body language, even without seeing it before her. But there was nothing to blame. Had this been him, she would've done the same thing, not out of care, moreover, pity perhaps.

They hated each other, but they still saw each other as humans.

It felt like ages when her sickness had finally worn off, her legs felt non-existent at that point, they had turned into pure jelly. Not being able to hold her own weight anymore, the woman slumped backward, her back landing safely against Baekhyun's chest, his hands had flown to her arms immediately, holding her into place. Soon-Ok had no control over her lifeless body as her head fell upon his shoulder, heavy and quick puffs left her lips as she fought to catch her breath. Gosh, she must've smelled horrible, disgusting. But Baekhyun was holding her so close. She wanted to shrink into the floor. However, the rival had remained silent, not uttering a single complaint as he for a moment reached his arm up to grab a couple of napkins. His musky scent cascaded onto her like a warm hug when he shifted her in his hold, almost as if he was cradling a child. Ever so gently, the male wiped her lips thoroughly, cleaning her up. A lump formed in her throat, fresh, hot new tears formed in her already swollen eyes. The shame she felt, for having him handle her with such grace, she couldn't explain it, nor understand it.

She just wanted this to be over, she wanted him to forget this ever happened, she wanted to go home. She wanted to rest, to forget about the stupid man that had broken her heart. She wanted to sleep.

The next thing she knew was how Baekhyun had called a cab for her, paying for the ride as he pulled the seatbelt across her chest.

***

The next few days at work had been extremely hectic, not to mention the way her body hadn't been giving her much of a break either. Nausea seemed to cling onto her as if a drenched shirt. On top of that, her extremely sensitive bladder forced her to attend the bathroom questionable amounts of times in the span of every ten minutes. At first, no one had minded it, however, it had soon changed after a week where the behavior hadn't gone unnoticed by her coworkers. Her female colleagues often asked her if she was alright, to which she could always only press her lips into a tight smile and nod.

There had been one certain soul in her department that had seemed to catch on way earlier than everybody else. Ever since that night, Soon-Ok found Baekhyun's hot gaze lingering on her whenever she would leave her chair to do something, anything really.

His orbs were extremely scrutinizing, making her uncomfortable in her own skin. He would look at her as if trying to figure out why she was there and not at home resting, a little expectant too, alert, wondering when the next time her body was going to give up would be.

Soon-Ok couldn't quite wrap her head around this unusually quiet Baekhyun, nor could she bring herself to confront him about it, which was what confused her the most. A regular, what the hell is your problem? would've worked in her mind, but it felt like he was...looking after her? Gosh, it sounded so wrong on so many levels that she had to shake away the memory of him paying her cab and also wiping away her lips clean from reflux. Baekhyun's regular snarky comments had ceased, making their interactions close to none except the glares that would meet each other in heated, silent arguments. Soon-Ok should've been happy, relieved even, that this eternal torment had finally come to end, but instead, she found herself even emptier than before.

The woman had been so deep within her thoughts that she had barely noticed how late it had become. Ten in the night was just around the corner and she was alone in the office. It wasn't anything new that she would stay overtime, in the end, all of these distracting thoughts were what hindered her from doing her absolute best, therefore, she found herself catching up during the late hours of the night. The seat next to hers that usually was occupied by Baekhyun, was now empty, which per se wasn't odd despite the fact that he always was the one to leave the office with her. His computer was still on, but she supposed he had simply forgotten to turn it off.

It felt like she had been in the bathroom just a few minutes ago when a certain urge pressed her to go once again, this time though, she was glad to have no one witness it. She couldn't even begin to wonder what they must be thinking of her behavior, perhaps someone that couldn't hold it together for more than a few seconds. She sighed, embarrassing, but she allowed herself to brush it off. It was something that she couldn't do anything about, it was beyond her power.

"You're doing good, Soon-Ok," she muttered to herself as she made her way to the bathrooms. As expected, the suffocating sensation lumped in her throat as soon as she stood up from her seat. Her heart started throbbing fearfully at the familiar taste slowly spreading onto her palate.

What was supposed to be a little walk to the bathroom had just turned into a sprint, her legs quickly succumbing to the trembling tickling her nerves. Cold sweat was forming underneath her arms and it made her feel like she was having a fever. Soon-Ok didn't waste a second to rip the unoccupied bathroom door open, throwing herself to the curve of the toilet seat, internally screaming because she would've never wanted to ever put her face this close to the unhygienic furniture. As soon as she bent over the seat, the contents of her stomach spilled along with the distorted noise of her gags. Soon-Ok's fingers turned white as she gripped, whatever had been in her proximity, for strength.

For a little while, the reflux had stopped, giving her time to gasp for air. Soon-Ok couldn't even differnciate her attempts to breathe and her sob were. Salty tears fell down her cheeks, eventually melting on her lips as her view became all the more blurred and stingy.

The sudden noise of a lock turning had her flinch. She spun her head around, only to see a serious Baekhyun, in which the eyes shone the smallest glint of what you could've called worry. Before the male could even utter a single word, the woman had turned around to vomit once again, letting out a loud gag, on her part slightly embarrassing. While Baekhyun found himself cringing internally, wondering if he was that much of an eyesore.

As the tedious sickness continued, Baekhyun had decided to step out of the bathroom, not that he really cared about her in that way, it wasn't like he was taking her privacy into consideration. Not at all, it was because of the undeniable odor of the vomit that had him leave. Despite this, he hadn't walked further than outside the door. His back leaned against the wall as he allowed himself to get lost in thought. His hands laid nonchalantly in his pockets, but secretly, it was to hide the fidgeting of his nervous fingers. As her noises reached his ears, a strange feeling would constrict his chest, a sensation that urged him to move, to act up. However, the man believed he knew better than to act upon feelings.

Teeth drilled into his lip, once again, despite his own words, the only person occupying his thoughts was none other than Soon-ok and her odd behaviors. It had been bugging him for days, serving as a torment, an annoyment. Whenever she'd cross his mind, the blood in his veins would heat up, bubbling with anger because he couldn't pinpoint a single feeling of his, nor could he figure out the woman. But why would he want to when he hated her?

Once the noise of water running resounded, Baekhyun stormed back in, startling Soon-Ok.

"Park," He called firmly as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. "Don't you think you've been acting weird? What the hell is wrong with you?"

The paper towel's rough material brushed harshly against her lips as she dried herself from the water, looking at Baekhyun in the reflection of the mirror above the sink. Swallowing her surprise, she threw the paper and gripped the sink for any kind of support.

"What are you doing here?" She evaded the question, "I thought you left," Soon-ok found it extremely straining to speak, all the acid from the previous reflux had torn her vocal cords and throat.

"Answer me," Baekhyun pressed on pointedly, and the woman felt a vein pop on her forehead. Without sparing him a glance she gritted through her teeth, "And why would I ever owe you any kind of answer?" She took a few breaths before continuing, "Have you forgotten who we are to each other? What is wrong with you, is the question." Soon-ok spat, throwing Baekhyun off with words that he himself had been having a hard time confronting.

Her words managed to bring a heavy silence into the space between them, nonetheless, Baekhyun's stubbornness lingered in the air as he remained rooted in his spot, as if his feet had been glued into the pavement. Soon-ok's steps were weak and trembling as she attempted to bring herself past that door, but to her utter dismay, there was a Baekhyun to surpass, and he wasn't looking keen on leaving without answers. Before she could fall, the rival was once again the one to grip her arms with his undeniably strong hands, the warmth of his palms easily seeped into her skin, the feeling was pleasant and disagreeable all at the same time. Why was it that whenever she was this vulnerable, the only person to witness it was none other than Baekhyun? And why were his hands always so ready to steady her? Why him out of all people? All of a sudden, his touch felt like nothing but scorching, scalding her. The girl attempted to rip herself away from him but to no avail.

"Let.Me.Go." She roared, not intending to repeat herself, but the man wasn't phased the least.

"Park Soon-ok, just spill it, what the hell-"

"Oh my God, Fine!" She finally regained her long-lost strength and pushed him away from her, throwing her hands in the air, not noticing the fresh tears that were pooling in her eyes again. "I am pregnant, happy?! Do you feel satisfied now?"

Her strong push had Baekhyun stumble a few steps backward until his back met with the wall. The evident shock traveled along with his features, his lips closing and opening in the attempt to say something, but he himself did not know what exactly he wanted to say.

He had no idea what he had expected her to say, but pregnancy had never even crossed his mind. His thoughts rushed when he suddenly fumbled for his phone, remembering that she wasn't only pregnant, but also having sickness at the moment.

"What are you doing?" Soon-ok frowned confusedly at his frantic actions, not used to seeing a stressed Baekhyun. Quick puffs of air left her lips when black spots started pricking her view.

"Let's call your boyfriend," Baekhyun said, holding out his phone to her. Never had he thought that he would be here, in his office's bathroom, trying to help his biggest rival? Neither did he want to be there, but he wasn't that cruel either. He just wanted to make sure she got home and got it over with. But his offer hung in the air as Soon-ok pressed her lips tightly.

"Hey? Did you hear what I said?" He nagged impatiently.

"I don't have a boyfriend." Soon-ok broke the news to him. The situation felt so comical. He and her, in this bathroom after a typical sickness from pregnancy. They hated each other and yet once again, in one way or another, with no choice but to tend each other.

"What the fuck-" His expression morphed into a mix between disbelief and anger.

"I was dumped." She uttered, reminding him of his insensitive joke from the other day.

The next thing Soon-ok knew was that she was sitting in Baekhyun's car, her senses overwhelmed by the strong scent of musk surrounding her from every direction. His hands were tight on the steering wheel as he drove her home.

"You're one hell of an annoying woman." Baekhyun fussed.

"I'd rather be with that piece of shit of my ex than to be in this car too sweetheart."

♡♡♡

A/N: Aaaand cut! Hi I'm so happy to see you here after chapter one! As I was proofreading this, i really hated it but I'm posting it nonetheless because I know I won't ever do it if I keep on being this stubborn.

I'm really nervous and excited to know what you all think! Did any of you expect pregnancy throughout the hints? What do you think of the two leads? Please comment down your thoughts and let me know, It really means a lot to me. Don't be a silent reader and let's conversate! Don't be scared♡♡

Stay safe and have an amazing week, I'll see you next monday!

Mwuah! // P.