#exo fluff

“can you please slow down??” you’re struggling to keep up with baekhyun’s fast pace. he only spares you a glare and slight huff before approaching you begrudgingly. you gulp, but stand your ground. he doesn’t scare you! 

you yelp when he snatches your backpack and wears it himself. 

“why do you always bring so much? no wonder you’re so slow.” he scoffs, turning back to continue trudging towards the forest. 

“because you eat four noodles for a meal, baek!” your slow human legs play catch up, moving double his regular speed. stupid baekhyun, never considerate to the fact that you aren’t part demon like he is. 

“ow!” you slam into his back. “what’s your problem, seriously?” you grunt, slapping his back, annoyed by his lack of spatial awareness. you’d think a half-demon dog who can hop off trees would know not to stop abruptly in front of someone. 

“whatcha bring?” he stops and starts rummaging through your backpack, forgetting that you are literally on the way to find shards of the shikon jewel.  

his ears perk up. 

“jajangmyeon!!! cook this for me.” he shoves the packs of ramen into your chest and starts taking out all the kitchen supplies you managed to fit in your bag. you release a very loud sigh, but baekhyun does not give a single fuck, ignoring you as he sets everything up for you.  

“why are you just standing there? cook it, lady.” 

oh. OH. 

your body slowly burns up in anger. you feel your face turn red first then your ears. you’re huffing and puffing. you have never met someone as insufferable and cocky as he is. lady?! you have a name!!! 

your eye twitches one last time before the rage takes over your body. 

“sit boy!! sit boy!! sit boy!!” you exclaim, hands balled up in fists on your sides.  

baekhyun screams as his face plops to the ground three painful times.  

“ahhh!! i’m sorry, i’m sorry!!” he shouts out of desperation for you to stop, as he lies face burried in the grass.  

“you don’t know how to say please! you think i’m here to babysit you, huh?!” you scold him, slapping the back of his head this time. “the fuck is wrong with you? they dont teach manners in the sengoku era?!” 

“i said i’m sorry!!” he looks up at you with the most pathetic pout he could garner. your eyes reach his and you frown when your heart stutters at the sight of him being genuinely apologetic. “y/n, i’m sorry. can you please cook this for me? i’m starved.”  

the more you look at him, the more you see the human in him being true and remorseful. 

you sigh, “you’re so tiring.” 

you grab the gas burner and pot from him, still annoyed, and start preparing the ramen quietly. baekhyun sits across from you stealthily, careful not to piss you off any more than he has. you pour a bottle into the pot and wait for the water to boil. you don’t look in his direction. you can feel his gaze on you. 

he’s being quiet but the way he’s staring at you is so loud. he doesn’t want you to be upset with him. “um,” he attempts to speak but backs out when you don’t even flinch at his voice.  

he bites his lip and frowns. 

“y/n?” he calls out your name to get your attention. 

“hm?” you hum, refusing to look up. you’re not done being upset with him and you knew the moment you set eyes on his pouty puppy face, it would be over for you.  

“are you really tired of me?”  

oh, nevermind, it’s still over for you. 

you look up and baekhyun’s trying to suppress his pout, his lips scrunching up at the side of his mouth. his ears lightly shift down and he’s looking at you with eyes so dark and glossy that you can’t help but surrender. 

you bite the side of your cheek and start putting the ramen in the boiling pot.  

“no,” you say, trying to balance all the noodles so they wouldn’t overflow. “but i’m really fucking close.” 

baekhyun perks up and grabs all the seasoning packets, ripping them open for you. at least you weren’t tired of him, he thinks.  

you scoff, taking the packets and adding them to the pot when the water was evaporated and no longer in sight. you give it one last mix before baekhyun is all over it, grabbing a bunch of noodles with the chopsticks and shoving it whole in his mouth. 

“at least chew...” you mumble, brows furrowed in disgust as you watch him guzzle the entire steaming pot.  

he burps in your face. 

“thank you, y/n!” he smiles with his eyes as if he didn’t just blow the entire meal in your face. “did you bring more?” 

your eye twitches and baekhyun notices it immediately, eyes widening and lips pursing, knowing he just fucked up again.  

“i’m going home. good luck finding the shards.” you get up, leaving the mess on the floor for baekhyun to clean up. you start walking in the opposite direction, instead heading back to the well.  

“waaaaait! you just got here! you can’t go home yet.” baekhyun runs and jumps in front of you, blocking you from leaving.  

“i don’t like getting burped on, baek.” you walk around him, your nose is up in the air, refusing to look at him once again. if he was going to continue to be rude, you’ll just go home. you’re sure your family misses you. you’ll return after a week. that should show him. 

“i’m sorryyyyy! i couldn’t help it!” even though he’s a lot faster than you, he’s moving as if you had the advantage. and maybe that means he actually is sorry.  

no. you stop yourself from feeling bad. he’s been rude all day. he doesn’t deserve your help. 

“oh.” he says as he notices you’re not backing down. he decides to quietly walk by your side, thinking up a plan to get you to stay with him a little longer. he lets you go ahead smugly once he comes up with an idea. 

this would be a lot faster if baekhyun hadn’t broken your bike the other day. your bike was the only thing that got you to keep up with him. saving the world was a bit hard when you only had your two human feet.  

baekhyun rushes in front of you and kneels down with his back facing towards you. 

“what?” 

“get on.” he says curtly.  

“no.” you move to the right. he moves even quicker. 

“just get on. i can see you’re getting tired.” 

you purse your lips. your feet were getting a bit swollen from walking such a long distance. before you could think any further, your body leans into his back and you let him carry you. you’ve never been on his back before. it’s warm.  

you didn’t know what you expected to feel like, but it wasn’t this. 

it wasn’t supposed to feel cozy. you thought you would be overwhelmed by his scent, but it’s actually quite pleasant and comforting. you can’t quite place it. it just smells like him. and you don’t hate it. not at all. it’s as if you can’t get enough of it, burying your face in his hair. 

once he feels you’re secure on his back, baekhyun speeds through the field, no longer having to wait for you. the breeze was soft against your skin. it felt nice, soothing. slowly, you feel yourself fighting the urge to drift off into a nap. it won’t hurt to get a bit of shut eye. 

---- 

you were wrong to assume baekhyun wouldn’t do anything to piss you off while you were asleep.  

you awake to the sight of a mountain – far, far, away from the well.  

“sit boy!” you scream into his ear. baekhyun falls to the ground with a screech, not expecting you to wake up this early. he was so close. you get off his back and cross your arms in front of him. he tries to get up. “sit-” 

“stopstopstop!!” baekhyun begs, waving his hands in the air. “i smelled a demon and- and- it's not that bad if we get rid of it before you go, hm?” 

you frown.  

“one demon? please?” 

you roll your eyes and groan exceptionally loud.  

“you really are getting on my last nerves. one demon! one!” you point a finger at him, emphasizing the one. you really do need a break from him. it’s not normal for you to want to put him in a chokehold this early on.  

baekhyun perks up, jumping up in delight. “this way! i can smell the demon stink.” 

he grabs you and puts you on his back, holding you tightly as he jumps his way up the mountain. you’re met with a small and quaint house. it seems peaceful. you’ve learned in your first week here that the peaceful and silent sounds of nature should not be fooled for safety.  

baekhyun lets you down and approaches the house. you follow right behind him, grabbing your bow and quiver. your heart’s racing at how quiet it is. when you both enter the house, the door shuts with full force. 

that can’t be a good sign. 

you grab an arrow from your quiver, preparing for whatever the demon has in store for you both. baekhyun has one hand on his word, ready to wield it. it’s dark but you can vaguely see the creaky boards and the cobwebs in the corners of the room. it’s creepy – eerie how quiet it is. you try to take a step forward but baekhyun puts a hand out in front of you.  

“i smell it.”  

a loud hiss rings behind you and baekhyun shouts your name to watch out. you don’t have the reflexes to turn around fast enough before the demon lunges towards you and shoves you through the floorboards.  

“baekhyun!!” you shout, trapped by a large spider demon. you try to grab an arrow from behind so you could attempt to stab it but it hisses and sprays a web to your wrist. 

“where is it??” the spider speaks and you’re met with an overwhelming stench of decay. 

“i dont know what youre talking about.” you reach for your nose but he traps it with a web too. fuck, he’s so stinky. “baekhyun!!! get your ass here now!!” 

“the shikon jewel, girl. i can sense it.” his eight eyes scan your body for the jewel, only to be disappointed. he grunts and leaves you tied to the dusty basement floor. you were really regretting taking a nap on baekhyun’s back.  

you hear a bunch of noises above you and some debris falls onto you. you have to shut your eyes from how much dust was getting in them. forcefully trying to remove yourself from the web, you pull a muscle. “ow, fuck.” guess you’ll just die then. baekhyun’s clearly abandoned you here. 

thump 

speak of the devil. 

baekhyun stands over you, out of breath and hair flat on his face, covered in sweat. he’s looking at you with a new expression you don’t quite recognize. 

it’s weird. you shake your head and remember what predicament you’re currently in.  

“where have you been? i’ve been calling you.” immediate scolding.  

he rushes to your side and cuts through the webs with tessaiga, setting you free.  

“he was really big...” he mutters, embarrassed of how long it took him to fight the spider. “i- i thought he-” 

finally free, you rub your wrists and arm. you’re going to have to wrap it up with medicinal herbs later. the pulled muscle was hurting a lot more than you thought it would. baekhyun is uncharacteristically quiet. he’s staring at you a lot longer than you’re used to, making you a bit uncomfortable. 

“you thought he?” you help him finish his thought. but baekhyun doesn’t reply. “hello? earth to baekhyun-” 

baekhyun’s arm pulls you in for a hug so tight you’re not sure where to put your hands. you settle for his back. he squeezes you tighter. you bury your face in his robe and hug him back. it was rare for baekhyun to show affection like this. it was refreshing to see his human side. 

you’re the first to pull away. you weren’t ready to see his face. 

your heart aches at the sight of his tear-stained cheeks. not thinking, you reach for his cheeks and wipe them with your thumbs. you give him a reassuring smile. 

“i’m okay.” you tell him, but he refuses to look at you, opting to stare at your feet instead. wanting him to see that you are fine, you nudge him delicately with a finger under his chin. “i’m fine, baekhyun. my wrists hurt and i think i pulled something but really, i’m fine.” 

it doesn’t dawn on you how close you two have become. baekhyun’s eyes scan your face, staring at your eyes first, then your nose, your cheeks, and finally your lips. you notice his head leaning in closer to you and your breath stops.  

is he going to kiss you? 

he tucks strand of your hair behind your ear and strokes your ear with his thumb. you feel yourself redden at the action. and without a second thought. 

SLAM 

“ow!! what the hell was that for?!” baekhyun flies across the room with a huge frown on his face, shocked by your strength. 

“i’m sorry!! i’ve never kissed anyone before!” you cover your face in embarrassment.  

“that’s not how you do it, idiot!!” he yells under the broken floorboards pile at the end of the room. you run to help him, pushing the rotten wood off him. baekhyun is shooting glares at you, deeply offended that you would push him off instead of kiss him. 

which could not be any true.  

you give him a peck on his cheek when he stands up and dusts off the debris off his robe.  

“i was scared.” you bite your lip nervously.  

“whatever.” baekhyun scoffs, brushing you off. 

you don’t miss the grin on his face when he thinks you’re not looking. 

he bends his knees.  

“come on, let’s get you home.”  

you wrap your arms around him, hands resting on his chest, and get on his back. 

“actually, is it okay if i stay a bit longer?” 

baekhyun simply shrugs. he doesn’t know you can feel his heart racing. you snuggle into his long silver hair, his scent comforting you once more before your eyes shut from the exhaustion. 

“Doh Kyungsoo?”

The name left your lips easily, but its effect on him was instant. Kyungsoo lifted his gaze, and for a second, he looked utterly disoriented, as if you had pulled him back from another world. His eyes widened, darting quickly to the open pages of his notebook before snapping back to you, a flush of color creeping up his neck. He looked caught, his posture stiffening as if he suddenly felt dangerously exposed.

“Y-yes,” he breathed, the word hitching in his throat. “It’s me… here.”

“I knew it was you,” you said with a bright smile. You didn’t wait for an invitation, instead pulling out the heavy wooden chair to take a seat directly across from him. The library was quiet. “I saw you from the stacks and hoped I wasn’t mistaken.”

Kyungsoo blinked, his hands hovering uncertainly over his notes. “You were looking for me?”

“Actually, the professor told me you were the person to talk to,” you explained, leaning in slightly. “He said you could help me clarify a few things from the lecture. If that’s not too much to ask, of course? I know you’re probably busy.”

“Yeah... sure, sure. Of course. It’s no trouble,” he stammered, his voice gaining a tiny bit of steadiness despite the way his heart hammered against his ribs. He closed his notebook halfway, then opened it again, seemingly unsure of what to do with his hands now that you were actually there. “What is it? What do you need help with?”

“Well, I was struggling with the second chapter,” you said, watching the way he carefully avoided holding your gaze for too long. “But honestly, I’m just glad I found you. I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me.”

“I do,” he whispered, finally meeting your eyes for a fleeting, intense second. “I definitely remember.”

He gripped his pen, looking down at the diagram in his textbook, his thumb tracing the edge of the page with a nervous rhythm.

“So, the fundamental concept is…” he started, but his voice cracked, and he immediately cleared his throat, his face deepening into a shade of red. “Sorry. The concept is based on… well…”

“Kyungsoo,” you murmured softly, letting out a small laugh as you leaned your chin on your hand. “Are you secretly hiding the answers to the midterm in that notebook?”

He let out a sharp, startled breath that turned into a shy, stifled chuckle. “No secrets here. I’m just... I didn’t expect to be explaining this to anyone today.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job so far. I can tell why the professor recommended you.” You reached out to tap the corner of his page to bring him back to the lesson. “Show me that graph again, please? The one you were scrawling over when I walked up.”

Kyungsoo nodded, visibly trying to settle his racing pulse. As he began to explain the technicalities, his natural intelligence started to override his shyness. He spoke with a quiet passion, his hands moving slightly to emphasize a point, though he still paused every time your sleeve brushed against his arm.

“Does that make sense?” he asked tentatively, finally risking a longer look at your face. “Or did I just ramble for ten minutes straight?”

“Total sense,” you reassured him, giving him an encouraging grin. “You’re a natural. Thank you!”

Kyungsoo finally relaxed his shoulders, a genuine, tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “It’s okay… and sorry for being so awkward. It’s been a long afternoon.”

“Awkward?” You leaned back in your chair, studying the way he carefully reorganized his pens. “Actually,” you said, the thought slipping out before you could filter it, “you’re actually really cute when you’re focused like this.”

Kyungsoo jumped, his pen clattering onto the table. He looked at you with wide, startled eyes, his face instantly blooming into a deep, unmistakable red. He looked so shaken by the word ‘cute’.

“Hell no, scratch that,” you corrected with a grin, leaning closer. “You’re handsome. Definitely handsome is the right word.”

A small, breathless laugh escaped him—not the laugh of someone who knew he looked good, but the panicked, airy sound of someone who couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kyungsoo ducked his head, his fingers trembling slightly as he closed his textbook. He was clearly trying to find a way to keep the moment from ending, his mind racing to find any excuse to keep you with him.

“Are you... are you hungry?” he blurted out, finally looking up. “It’s getting late, and studying works up an appetite. We could go get something to eat… if you want.”

You looked at him with soft, knowing eyes, a teasing smile tugging at your lips. “Doh Kyungsoo, are you asking me out on a date?”

“No! I mean—yes—no, it’s just—” He started waving his hands frantically, his words tripping over each other. “It’s for the lecture! It’s just to... to continue the explanation in a more comfortable environment. Entirely academic. Promise!”

You broke into a loud, genuine laugh at his flustered defense, the sound echoing through the quiet stacks. “SHHHH!” a sharp hiss came from a few rows over, followed by a stern glare from a student buried in books.

The sudden reprimand caught you off guard, and you felt your own cheeks turn hot as you realized how loud you’d been. You looked back at Kyungsoo, who was also half blushing furiously, half laughing from embarrassment, both of you realizing you had completely forgotten you were in a library.

“Okay, okay,” you whispered, ducking your head to hide your red face. “I’ll go. Because I’m definitely hungry and… because you’re cute.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes lit up, a small smile breaking through his nerves. “Then it’s a... a lecture dinner,” he whispered back, his heart racing as he began to pack his bag, finally feeling like his daydreams might actually be coming true.

“five more minutes!” you call out. chanyeol can't see you, but he knows your voice is shaky. the way it is when you're on the brink of tears. your lips wobble when you make an effort to keep your tears from falling out.

chanyeol would much rather you cry, in front of him, while he holds you in his arms.

“that's the third time you've said that,” he reminds you gently, placing his palm on the wooden door separating you, like it'll help him feel you better. it doesn't. but he doesn't give up.

“just...some more time,” you say, and he swears he hears a sniff this time.

there's a bunch of scenarios running through chanyeol's head, each of them not making a lot of sense.

one; there was something wrong with what you had for dinner last night. even though kyungsoo's cooking is nothing short of stellar, there could have been something off with some ingredient. which is okay! accidents happen all the time. if that's the case, chanyeol's not going to give you a tough time about it.

two; you're upset with him for some reason. he's not sure what he did to upset you. you went to bed cuddled together like two octopuses unable to let go of each other. he woke up to find you still clinging to him, face buried in his shoulder, your warmth even better than the sun streaming in through the windows. maybe he was too hot. like a furnace. and you didn't like it.

or the fact that he'd turned to check his phone for a few minutes, reading through mails, replying to texts from his manager, and pushing back a hangout with his friends to the next day so that he could spend more time with you. somewhere amidst all that, he found you no longer in the bed. did him checking his phone upset you? or was it something else, something you'd rather not tell him, because both of you prefer silent arguments to outright conflicts?

probably not. both of you are mature adults.

three; and this might sound crazy, but...

you're pregnant.

maybe.

the thought excites him as much as it scares him. being a father, especially when he's as famous as he is, is not an easy thing. for you, or the baby. it'll be hectic. managing a baby with both of your jobs. running on even lesser sleep than he already does. a whole person he's going to be responsible for, for the rest of his life.

but it's not impossible. his sister already has a child, and has been not-so-subtly wondering when the two of you might have your own.

whatever it is, chanyeol's here for you.

and he knows the signs of pregnancy thanks to his sister. mood swings, nausea, tiredness. and that's just the beginning.

that could be it. it makes sense. given that you've been in there for a while now, and he's sure he's heard you cry at this point.

“babe?” he asks, voice a little louder this time, hoping it doesn't worry you too much. “i want to come in, is that okay?”

“no!” you call out, but chanyeol can't stand not seeing you and not knowing why you're crying.

“babe...” he says, pushing the handle. it's locked. obviously. he gives it a coupel more tries, not actually trying to force it open, but you must think otherwise because the next thing he knows is that he's tumbled into the bathroom, holding onto you to steady himself.

you're shaking under his arms like a leaf, hiding your face from him. he can feel some tears slide from your skin and wet his shirt. so he does what he knows best—gathering you into his arms and rocking you slowly. the way he'd rock a baby. because you're his baby.

is that cheesy? probably. chanyeol doesn't care. he kisses your forehead and rests his head on yours and sways you from side to side. your sobs make your body shake a little, but your tears dry up, and you end up resting your forehead against his chest.

chanyeol lifts his head to sneak a glance at the counter. not that he's trying to find some pregnancy tests, but his heart twinges when he sees nothing. it's fine. he knows you'll tell him when the time is right. he just hopes it comes soon.

“it's okay,” he says, giving you his best smile. “it's going to be okay. i promise.”

you shake your head, breath stuttering. “you don't even know what happened.”

“because you're going to tell me what's up, and i'm going to be right here. you don't need to worry.”

you take in a deep breath. “you sound awfully calm about something you don't even know anything about.”

“because you're panicking, and it's making me panic.”

you sigh, looking down at the floor. “you're going to be mad at me.”

chanyeol bristles at that. not at you. at the idea that he'd be mad at you for something as important, as life-changing as this.

“impossible.”

“it could...hurt our marriage?”

“absolutely not,” he says, gripping your shoulders. “it's my fault, too. it's my fault, fullstop. it wouldn't have happened if i didn't start.”

you frown at him. “what?”

he nods. “nothing could ever touch our marriage, baby. we're going to figure this out together.”

“figure things out? it's expensive, what else is there to figure out about it?”

“so? you think i can't support us? you're worried about the money?”

“not what i said, yeol. i just don't get why this isn't a big deal to you.”

chanyeol shakes his head. “it is a big deal to me, but i just want you to be comfortable talking about it. we'll do things your way. it's sudden, but it's okay. we'll figure this out together.”

you blink at him. “you're...not upset?”

“of course not,” chanyeol says, wiping away the sticky trail of tears from your cheeks. “i could never be upset with you, baby. not about something as big as this.”

“you're not upset even though this is a big thing? are you being sarcastic?”

chanyeol frowns. “what? no, i'm not. why would i be? i mean, i sort of figured it out,” he says, “when you felt nauseous yesterday morning. i just connected the dots too late.”

“what does my nausea have to do with anything?” you ask, sounding genuinely confused.

but chanyeol does not let up, not in this moment. “you're pregnant!” he exclaims, with the air of a man whose proudest accomplished is being called his wife's husband. the sparkle in his eyes dies out when you fix him with the coldest stare he's ever seen. you've never once looked at him like that. it's enough to level out whole cities, and chanyeol feels his knees tremble a little under your gaze.

“what,” you say flatly, the single word carrying enough murderous intent that chanyeol could have actually died had it been an actual weapon.

“you're...not?”

“what the hell are you talking about?” you ask, voice finally back to its normal volume. chanyeol's glad, even though you sound upset with him. “why did you even think—what? did i put on some weight? is that your way of telling me?”

chanyeol's eyes widen. “what? no! i never thought that! and even if you did, why would that be an issue? i love you exactly the way you look. fuck, no. what are you talking about?”

“my ring,” you say with a wail, and the tears come back to your eyes. “i must have lost it sometime last night and i just realized it when i woke up. i was afraid you'd be mad at me because it's our wedding ring and it's so damn expensive and i can't fucking find it—”

“babe,” chanyeol says, with a big sigh. “that's it?”

“that's it? that's the ring you gave me when you proposed to me, the one i've had for years, and you don't care that i can't find it?”

“i'll get you another one.”

“it won't have the same meaning!”

“then i'll propose to you again,” chanyeol says, the truth spilling out of him like waves. “and i'll marry you again. but i don't want to see you crying because of something as small as this.”

you sigh, running your hands through the mess of hair on your head. you'd hate it if you took a look at yourself in the mirror right now. chanyeol thinks you look beautiful like this. he makes sure to tell you.

“so...you're really not mad at me?”

chanyeol shakes his head, kissing your forehead again. “i thought something really big happened. don't worry, baby. i'll help you find it.”

“promise?”

“promise,” he assures you, holding your hand. his gaze darts to your stomach for just a moment, then away, but you catch it.

“you're not even upset that you're not becoming a dad?”

his ears heat up, and he looks anywhere but towards you. “no, why would i be...”

“you can be honest with me, yeol.”

chanyeol looks at you, shy. “is it so bad? that i might want to become a dad?”

“no. not at all, yeol. but it seems like you've put some thought into this, no?”

he shrugs, happy and helpless. “i was thinking about how it would be if she had your eyes. and my ears. and your smile.”

you cup his cheeks in your hands. “she?”

“i don't mind having a boy, either. but i want them to be like you. so i'm just a little biased when it comes to having a daughter.”

“one day,” you promise him. “just...not now. one day.”

“one day,” chanyeol agrees, heart full at the thought of another voice or two added to the atmosphere of your house. little footsteps. all the tiny clothes. the inevitable heartbreak when they grow up.

“I usually only come here in the summer,” you say. The amusement park is much less crowded than what you’re used to, though families and couples still mill around. You pass by the log ride, closed for the season, and reminisce on memories of skirting around the area of the sidewalk where the incoming ride vehicles would splash water everywhere.

“It’s nice right now,” Baekhyun hums. “Not so hot.” 

You don’t know much about your next-door neighbor, only that he very considerately lets you and your roommate know whenever he’s about to host a rowdy gathering, and that he seems to never have anything in his kitchen. You’ve lost count of how many times he’s knocked on your door, desperately looking for some sugar or rice. He’s always seemed a bit catastrophic, a big ball of frantic energy, but here he’s more subdued. Still chatty by all means, but more down to earth. More real.  

“I bet I could win you that,” Baekhyun grins, pointing at a giant puppy plush overlooking one of those carnival shooting games. 

You squint at the rules and raise an eyebrow dubiously. “It says you have to hit the target perfectly eight times in the time limit to get it. You really got that in you, Byun?”

He scoffs, mock offended, putting his hand to his chest. “Watch and learn, neighbor.” He pays for a game and picks up the toy rifle, aiming at the smallest target, shooting you a confident smirk over his shoulder.

Bang! Bang!

You watch in awe as he proceeds to hit the target dead-on ten times. The bored teenager working the booth even looks up from his phone to nod in approval before reaching underneath the counter to pull out the large stuffed puppy. Baekhyun hands it to you with a giant grin plastered on his face. 

“Ta-da!” he sings proudly. 

“Impressive,” you say, holding the plush in your arms. “I stand corrected.”

The two of you continue to walk around the fairgrounds, both not particularly in the mood for any big thrill rides (“I’m definitely not afraid,” Baekhyun claims, “I’m just concerned about the wind hurting since it’s kinda cold today.”), more so wanting to get to know each other a little better. 

“Why don’t you ever stock your pantry?” you ask him.

Baekhyun winces. “I’m trying to get better at cooking myself actual food instead of quick meals or frozen stuff. But the problem is I’m bad at knowing what I need when I go shopping versus what I want when I’m hungry for dinner. And I hate eating the same stuff over and over again, so I don’t really think about buying stuff in bulk.”

You laugh. “You don’t need to buy in bulk, you just need to have more than one serving of rice at a time.”

He sighs, an easy smile slipping onto his face afterwards. “You should just come over and evaluate my situation and give me suggestions. Like a kitchen diagnosis.”

“Wow,” you tease, jostling his shoulder with yours. “Already inviting me back to your place?”

Baekhyun sputters, ears turning bright red. “I-I didn’t mean it like that!”

“I know, I know. But if I do come over I expect you to let me play with that dog I keep hearing through the wall.”

This launches Baekhyun into a passionate monologue about his beloved dog, whose name you soon learn is Mongryong, and doesn’t stop even when you step into line for funnel cake. He scrolls through photos of the adorable corgi until you pull him into the short queue for the merry-go-round, plate of piping hot funnel cake in hand. 

The ride stops and the two of you step on, sitting down side by side on one of the benches. You rip off a piece of the funnel cake and stuff it in your mouth, immediately sighing in contentment when the sugary dough hits your lips. 

“Good?” Baekhyun asks, reaching over to tear off a piece of his own. “Mmm,” he hums. “Fried dough and sugar.”

“Can’t go wrong with that.”

The ride starts to move, the twinkling jingle playing over the tinny speakers. The sun is low in its descent, painting the sky in a purple-ish tinge. The lights of the merry-go-round turn on, washing Baekhyun in warm light. 

“Whenever I would go on one of these as a kid I would always look for a dolphin,” he says, smiling wistfully. “One time my family was on vacation and we went on one, but they didn’t have a dolphin and I begged to get off.”

“You sound like you were a handful,” you remark.

“Still am.”

You hum, looking him over once. “I think I can handle it.”

Baekhyun barks out a surprised laugh. “Hey, your flirting style is so forward, you know.”

“You don’t like it?”

“Nah, I didn’t say that.” He meets your gaze and his eyes widen slightly, his demeanor shifting from teasing to soft. “Oh, you have a little something…”

Before you can reach up to wipe it yourself, his hand outstretches, brushing his thumb softly against your bottom lip. His touch lingers for a brief moment, hand cupped against your chin. You swallow, your heart thudding in your chest as his thumb swipes back over the soft skin of your lips, his gaze softening. His eyes flicker down toward your lips and then back up to meet you. You think that you could lean in right here, fall into the warmth of his touch, his lips seeming so soft and inviting…

The ride stutters a bit as it comes to a halt, the music slowing down and then stopping completely. Baekhyun pulls his hand away and blinks as if coming out of a trance. 

“Did you get it off?” you whisper.

Baekhyun sucks in a breath and then nods. “Mhm.”

The rides have all lit up now, lighting your path back to the amusement park entrance. Your knuckles brush against his once, twice, three times before he reaches out and intertwines your fingers. You look at him and he gives you a bashful smile.

“You’re pretty forward yourself, you know,” you say.

“Hardly.” He gets a thoughtful expression on his face before he grins. “I had to fake not having any rice for over a year before I got the courage to ask you out.”

Your feet stop dead in their tracks and your jaw drops.

“You’re joking.”

Baekhyun just shrugs and whistles, tugging your hand lightly as he leads the way.

(You learn later when you eventually visit his place that he actually wasn’t totally lying.

“Baekhyun, you have three loaves of bread in the fridge.”

“So? I like toast in the morning.”

“That’s all you have in the fridge.”)

well, that was fun! want to try another?

“Have you ever been to this place before?” Minseok asks, holding the door open for you. The warmth of the restaurant immediately sets your frigid bones at ease, the smell of spices enticing you to move further into the building.

“No, but I’ve always wanted to try it,” you say. “I’m surprised you could get a reservation so close to Valentine’s Day.”

“Really? Hotpot isn’t what I’d think of first when I think of Valentine’s.” His eyes widen suddenly. “Oh God, I hope this is okay with you! I didn’t even consider if you wanted something more traditional for the holiday.”

“It’s okay,” you laugh, shaking your head. “This is perfect.” Despite Minseok’s feelings about whether or not hotpot is a romantic dinner spot, the place is packed. Luckily, the two of you are seated in a quiet corner where the hustle and bustle of the dining room isn’t too invasive. You put in your order for your broth, plus some meats and vegetables for the both of you to share. 

“Hopefully I don’t spill everything all over you this time,” you joke once the waiter leaves.

Minseok makes a tsk sound and waves a hand as if to say, don’t worry about it. “It’s my fault. I should have been watching where I was going. I had been waiting on an important email and I got it while I was walking. I really should have stopped to read it but I was so excited that I kept moving.”

“Still, I should have had a tighter grip on my drink.” You grimace, remembering the way that your beloved iced coffee splattered all over the front of Minseok’s hoodie, dripping onto the concrete of the sidewalk below. “At least it was iced?”

“Yeah, I have a couple questions about why you’re drinking iced coffee in the middle of February, but I digress. I’m really thankful that you stopped to help me get a new shirt, even if we had to duck into the closest shop.” 

You laugh, scooting over so that the waiter can put the pot of broth onto the burner in front of you. “What was the email about?”

“Oh!” Minseok’s eyes light up. “I’m an artist, and I finally got the details for my exhibition. It’s my first one since I moved here so it’s kind of a big deal for me.” He pulls out his phone and turns his screen towards you, scrolling through a couple of photos of paintings. “These are some of the works that I’ll be displaying.”

“Wow, you painted these?” You examine an intricately detailed close-up painting of a plumeria flower. “That’s incredible.” 

“Thanks.” Minseok puts his phone away and starts to throw some vegetables into his pot. “I did a couple of exhibitions in the past but I’m not too familiar with the art scene here, so it’s pretty intimidating.”

“Well, I’d love to go if that’s okay with you. When is it?”

Minseok perks up. “Next Saturday. You don’t have to feel pressured to come if you’re busy.”

“I want to. Besides,” you say, starting to pile food into your boiling pot, “I think that seeing a familiar face will calm your nerves.”

Conversation begins to flow easily as the dinner goes on and you learn more about each other. He’s different from the artists that you’ve met in the past as in he doesn’t take himself or anything much too seriously. He pokes fun at himself while still being confident in his work, while also asking you all about your life. You don’t realize just how much you’ve been caught up in the comforting rhythm of eating and talking until you notice that your soup is running dangerously low and you’re actually getting quite full. 

“Did you like the food?” Minseok asks.

“Oh, it was delicious.” You point with your chopsticks at Minseok’s broth, which is a dark red color compared to your pale brown one. “Which broth did you get again?”

“The house spicy. It’s my favorite. Why?” He lifts an eyebrow, eye glinting in challenge. “Curious?”

“A little.”

“Well, be careful. My spice tolerance is pretty high.”

You scoff at his words. “Mine isn’t so bad myself, you know.”

“I don’t know…” he hums. “Why don’t you take a big spoonful then?”

You reach over and scoop some broth out of his pot and blow to cool it down. Minseok’s eyes glimmer with glee as your spoon gets closer and closer to your mouth. Your lips close around the spoon and…

You cough.

Hard. 

“Whoa,” you manage to say in between the sputters. 

Minseok’s expression immediately shifts from triumphant to panicked. He hands you his water cup and quickly stands. “I’ll be right back,” he says, voice tight. He’s gone for less than a minute before he returns with a small cup of ice cream and a plastic spoon.

You laugh, in spite of everything. “Thank you.” You take a big bite, immediately soothing your burning tongue. When you see the absolute concern on Minseok’s face, you laugh again.

“It’s okay, the soup didn’t kill me,” you say. 

“I know,” he frowns. “But I shouldn’t have teased you so far. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, really.” Now that the fire in your mouth has been extinguished, you’re able to taste the delicious flavor of the ice cream. “Hey, this is really good.” You hold out a spoonful across the table for Minseok to try.

Carefully, he takes a small bite from your outstretched spoon. “Mm,” he hums.

“You know, you can always just make it up to me by taking me out again,” you say.

He laughs, the apples of his cheek flushing pink. “We can’t just keep treating dates as our way of paying back the other.”

“Okay then,” you say softly. “Why not just take me out because I want you to?”

Minseok nods, grinning. “I like the sound of that.”

well, that was fun! want to try another?