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Baekhyun turned around again for the last time before he stepped into the kitchen area of his best friend’s house. The sound of laughter from his friends could be heard echoing from the living room. He paid his attention back to the kitchen, specifically to the only person that occupied the space.
“Hey,” he approached softly.
The other guy jumped a little before sighing in relief seeing his new companion. “One day, you’re really literally gonna be the death of me.”
Baekhyun just chuckled and slowly walked towards Taeyong. “I hope not. Can’t imagine living a life without you,” he put his hands on the younger man’s hip. “What are you doing and why are you barely at the front?”
Taeyong shuddered at Baekhyun’s touch and he prayed to God that the latter didn’t feel it. And if he did, he didn’t show it. “You know I hate crowds.”
“I know,” he moved closer to Taeyong. “But that’s literally your brother and your friends–”
“My brother’s friends who become my friends,” Taeyong corrected the elder. “And his boyfriend–”
“Who is also your best friend,” Baekhyun finished for him before they both laughed. “Our circle is funny.”
Taeyong rolled his eyes. “You tell me,” he adjusted himself so he could have a better look at Baekhyun. “What are you doing here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? To see you of course.”
“Why?”
Baekhyun arched his eyebrows and gave the other a funny look. “Do I need a reason to see you now?”
I have plenty but only one that really did matter.
Taeyong merely chuckled but stopped when a pair of lips pressed against his. He’s now turning his body to properly facing Baekhyun and now he’s trapped between the said man and the kitchen counter. “Jongin hyung is just a few feet away from us.”
Baekhyun let out a breathy laugh before he rested his forehead against Taeyong’s. He’d always love this kind of private moment between them even though they could still hear Mark’s attempt to make a joke out there. “Way to ruin a moment, Taeyongie. We need to set a ground rule about bringing up your brother when we’re together.”
“Why don’t you put an idea into my brother’s head to let you stay the night? Our parents won’t be home for the weekend and the guest room is available,” Taeyong let his fingers trailed on Baekhyun’s arms and smiled when he could feel the elder slightly shudder from the contact.
The brunette just cleared his throat. “You think he’ll be fine with it?”
Taeyong just shrugged and put his palm up, seemingly to get ready to count things. “You’re his best friend, he doesn’t have to know you’ll end up in my room plus–,” he smirked. “You can always point out that he’ll let Mark stay anyway.”
*******
Baekhyun tiptoed out of Taeyong’s room with his shirt from last night in his hand, trying to be completely aware of his surroundings and being perfectly awake. One of the downsides of him staying at the Kim’s household was that he had to leave Taeyong alone in bed the very first thing in the morning to avoid his own death.
Or better known as the wrath of Kim Jongin if he knew his best friend hooked up with his brother.
Jongin and Taeyong weren’t brothers by blood but the closeness between them made it felt like they were. And they never really addressed each other as step-brothers but rather just brothers from the get go. With both being a single child and their parents married when Jongin was 6 and Taeyong was 5, getting them close wasn't too much hard work.
So Jongin had some sort of an oath to himself and their parents that he’d always take care of and protect Taeyong with all his might. That was even including who the younger would date. The sight of Taeyong’s first break up wasn’t pretty. Baekhyun was there to support his best friend or more likely to be his guardian in case it’s getting out of hand. He believed that boy would rather get interrogated by a secret service agent than dealing with a raging Kim Jongin.
If his best friend ever discovered whatever it is (friendship? relationship?) that happened between them, Baekhyun would just partly blame him, really. If Jongin wasn’t so insistent about his brother by choice to hang out and get close to his baby brother, this wouldn't have happened.
Getting close to Taeyong wasn’t easy, but to get mesmerised by him only took two minutes of Baekhyun’s life. The younger boy was a bit timid and to be open to a stranger was hard work for him. Plus he didn’t like noise and Jongin’s friends were anything but quiet. You could say that Baekhyun was the antithesis to what Taeyong would like in a companion. But with just a look at the younger's face and his shining doe eyes, with his soft voice introducing his name, he was completely sold.
He’d be up there with Jongin to care and protect Taeyong from everything or everyone bad in this world.
“Can’t believe I’d finally witnessed the Byun Baekhyun walk of shame,” a voice broke Baekhyun’s thought of the red-haired boy that he had to leave in bed a few minutes before.
Baekhyun had never whipped his head so fast in his life. He let out a sigh of relief when it was just Mark. Taeyong’s best friend who is also Jongin’s beloved boyfriend. “Fucking hell, Mark. Do you want to see me dead?”
“Of what?” Mark asked teasingly but Baekhyun was too smart to not catch the meaning behind those vague words.
“Whatever that comes first,” he sighed again before finally putting his shirt on and took a seat opposite Mark on the kitchen island. “I’m surprised Jongin lets you out of bed before him.”
Mark solely shrugged. “Sometimes it happens. When we don’t–”
“Please remember the rules.”
Mark just smiled sheepishly against his cup rim. Baekhyun has set a rule where he wanted no talk about their sex life when once he had to sit with a drunk Jongin and had to listen to their first night together for an hour and half.
“You are lucky that it’s me here and not Jongin hyung, you know,” the younger boy said while pushing Baekhyun his cup of coffee.
Baekhyun mumbled a thank you before taking a sip of it. He was glad he didn’t drink much last night so he didn’t have to deal with a nasty hangover this morning. “I know, or else you won’t see my body ever again,” he said before taking the chocolate chip cookies that he believed it was Taeyong who baked it with his mother. “What?” He asked when Mark kept on staring at him.
“I’ve always suspected it but I never know it’s true,” Mark leaned back against his chair. It’s true, he kind of saw it, they way Baekhyun and Taeyong exchanged glanced, the way the former always lingered a little longer around Taeyong, the way the younger one always light up when Baekhyun is talking and the subtle exchange of their smile when they catched each other's eyes over the table, it was hard to miss it. “You guys are subtle, I admit. Sometimes I ask myself if I’m hallucinating but the more I hang around you guys, it’s hard to miss.”
Baekhyun merely nodded before he looked at Mark intensely. “Do you think Jongin noticed it too?”
“We all know we won’t be leisurely talking over a cup of coffee if he finds out about it, hyung.”
Baekhyun gave out a breathy laugh while running his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Do you like him? Taeyong.”
“Yes.”
“Are you in love?”
Silence.
“Are you two a couple?”
Baekhyun just shrugged. “I– no we're not. We never really talk about it. I don’t want to ruin whatever we had by confessing to him. I never want to lose him, you know in case he doesn't feel the same.”
Mark just nodded in understanding. Jongin had told him how glad he was that two of the most important people in his life seemed to get along very well. If only he knew what level of very well they were on.
“You should figure it out, you know. I want both of you to be happy. You guys deserve to be happy.”
*******
“What are you thinking about?” Baekhyun asked as soon as he emerged from his bedroom, seeing his lover just staring at the wall instead of working on his assignment like he claimed moment before.
“My dissertation?”
Baekhyun stopped right behind Taeyong before leaning forward and pressed a kiss on the latter’s temple. “When you look like your body is here and your mind is miles away? And you’re literally staring at the wall instead of your writing.” He moved to pepper Taeyong’s jaw with small kisses. “Come on, tell hyung what you’re thinking.”
“Baekhyun hyung, stop it,” the younger giggled and both of them knew he never really wanted Baekhyun to stop whatever kind of affection he’s giving. “You know I can’t focus when you do that.”
Baekhyun dropped one last kiss on the side of Taeyong’s neck before he took a seat beside the latter. “I don’t hear you complain about it when we’re in bed.”
The red-haired face reddened at Baekhyun’s straightforwardness. He’d always wonder how the latter just easily affected him so much that no one else ever did.
“Taeyong? What is it?”
You. Always you.
“Nothing,” he said instead. Or more like mumbled.
Baekhyun laughed softly. He massaged Taeyong’s left shoulder for a bit before letting his index finger grazing at the side of his neck, where he left a kiss before. “Come on, don’t lie to me. You only mumble when you’re trying to keep something from me.”
“Just–,” Taeyong sighed. “How did I get so lucky?”
“To have me?” Baekhyun jokingly asked.
Taeyong turned his head to look at Baekhyun. He always loved how the right side of his lips would crook higher than the left one when he smiled. Or how his world just simply became brighter when the older man was closer to him.
Yes.
Instead, he shrugged. “Just feeling lucky for everything. To be grateful for what and who I have in my life at the moment. I kind of always thought I’m never worthy of love, you know.”
If Taeyong’s first break-up wasn’t a pretty sight in Baekhyun’s standard, the third one was even worse. That was the first time he witnessed his best friend actually use his fist to sort things out. Well, in his defense, that bastard of Taeyong’s ex-boyfriend deserves it for cheating on him. He remembered his own fists twitching to help Jongin landing some punches on that guy’s face but he kept reminding himself that he couldn’t save Jongin if he too would be going to jail for assaulting someone.
But that didn’t stop Baekhyun from smashing the said ex’s motorcycle when no one’s around two days after Jongin’s confrontation with him.
Since the end of the relationship, Taeyong developed some sort of insecurity about himself and became more closed off than ever. It worried Jongin to no end so he asked Baekhyun to talk some sense into his younger brother’s head because Baekhyun was so good at talking and giving advice. Fast forward, here they were with whatever thing that’s going on between the two of them.
Really, if there was someone to blame, it’s one and only Kim Jongin.
He cupped Taeyong’s small face between his hands and made sure the latter looked at him. “Taeyongie, listen to me,” his voice rang out through the comfortable silence around them. “You are worthy of everything good in this world. Jongin– and I promise that we’ll only give you everything good in this world.”
Taeyong tried to ignore the flutter in his stomach over Baekhyun’s promise and instead, he tilted his face deeper into the elder’s palm. “I understand that menace we called my brother. But you– why?”
Because I love you.
“Because I want to. Because I want you to be happy. Because the only thing that I want to see on your face is a smile and laugh out of happiness. Because you deserve it.” And the smile and laugh that he received at the end was worth it all. He’s more than sure that he’d keep it as his life mission for the rest of his life.
“Thank you, Baekhyun hyung. I hope I make you happy too.”
Oh, if only he knew.
*******
“Taeyongie? Where are you from?” Jongin asked as soon as he saw his younger brother walk through the front door. He took a quick glance at the clock on the wall before turning his attention back to Taeyong. “You come home later than usual.”
“I stopped by somewhere.” Not technically a lie, he just didn’t get into the specific. “Lost track of time,” he continued as he threw himself on the couch of their living room. “Hi, Mark.”
“Doing what?”
Your best friend.
“Probably his assignment, hyung. This is quite a busy period for us. What do you know, you old man?” Mark interrupted before his best friend had to create another lie, flashing him a smirk. Oh, he knew well where Taeyong was coming from now that he knew the truth.
Loud laughs echoed in Kim’s household when Jongin attacked Mark with small kisses all over his face for calling him an old man. Taeyong had always known how his older brother was absolutely smitten over his best friend the moment they met, but he never imagined Mark’s punishment for calling him an old man would gained him kisses all over the face while if Taeyong was doing the same, he got kicked in the arse.
He still didn’t know if he ever regretted introducing them to each other.
But Baekhyun said that Jongin had never been happier and that’s a good thing. Taeyong wanted his older brother to be happy, for all he did for him, he deserved it. Jongin once broke up with a girl because she said Taeyong was boring, after the dinner where the elder brought Taeyong along because he wanted his younger brother to get to know the girl that he liked a lot. He just won’t tolerate anyone who disrespect Taeyong and rather stay single than staying with someone that had a slight disrespect for his younger brother. So yes, he wanted Jongin to be happy. Even if it meant he had to witness his best friend and older brother practically sucking each other’s face, on the couch, in front of him. Like now.
“Could you guys– I don’t know, practice some self control or something? I’m still literally here,” Taeyong said deadpanned, interrupting the make out session. “Or just have some respect for other people?”
Mark smiled sheepishly while fixing his hair where Jongin just threw his younger brother a proud smile before the two of them proceeded to cuddle on the loveseat.
Taeyong sighed softly, the thought of being able to do that with Baekhyun flashed his mind. He wanted to, so bad. If only it didn’t come with the possibility of Baekhyun being murdered by his best friend.
“You alright?” Jongin asked, concern sparkles in his eyes.
“Yeah,” he exchanged glances with Mark. He knew that Mark knew and he trusted his best friend with all his life. “Just some stuff.”
“University stuff?”
“University stuff,” Taeyong nodded, confirming Jongin’s suspicion. Not technically a lie either, it was indeed a busy period at the moment but university stuff was definitely not at the front of his mind right now. “I’ll just get into bed now if you don’t mind? I’m pretty knackered today.”
Jongin still eyed his younger brother with concern. “Sure. Get all the rest you need.” He watched the younger boy walked towards the stairs. “And Taeyong?”
Taeyong halted right before he took a step on the stairs and turned to look at Jongin who’s still cuddling with Mark. “Hmm?”
“You know you can tell me everything, right?”
Including the fact that I slept with your best friend?
He just gave his older brother a reassuring smile and nodded. “Sure, hyung.” He knew because he literally told Jongin everything. But probably, not this one.
*******
The sound of the chair leg scraping against the floor broke the silence that surrounded the house. “Morning, Mark.” Taeyong greeted his friend before pouring coffee into an empty cup near him. “Thank you for not being so loud last night,” he teased.
“Your parents are home. Plus, we’re truly just sleeping. We’re not that bad,” he rolled his eyes before muttering a thank you to the red-haired boy. He stared at his best friend while waiting for the coffee to kick in. “So–,” he paused. “How long?”
The flicker of mischievousness slowly faded away from Taeyong’s face. He arched his eyebrows towards Mark, knowing well what his question meant. Their friendship didn’t require a lot of words in between. They could understand each other perfectly well.
“Oh, come on, you know what I mean. There’s no way Baekhyun hyung is keeping it from you.”
“Shh!” Taeyong desperately placed his palm against Mark’s mouth while the letter just laughed at it. He let go of it when his best friend finally finished laughing at him. “Four months,” he answered as he took back his seat.
Mark widened his eyes in disbelief. That was definitely longer than he thought. Oh, it definitely wasn’t going to be so pretty when his boyfriend found out about it.
“Four months of–,” Taeyong flails his hand in the space between them, “–whatever it is between us. But we got so much closer even before that.”
“So you’re saying that you only found out that he’s hot enough for you to sleep with him four months ago?”
“Mark!”
Mark just laughed but not loud enough to wake other people in the house. He’s having fun with this because it’s not everyday he gets to see Taeyong turned almost crimson red over someone else. It wasn’t even this bad when he got a huge crush at the new barista in the cafe near their faculty. He laughed even harder when he heard his best friend mumble something and scarily sound like ‘I’ve always known that he’s hot, it's just I got braver four months ago.’
“Do you like him?”
“Yes.”
“Is it just a casual thing for you?”
Taeyong looked at his best friend who looked at him with the same intensity. “I wouldn’t give a damn about wanting to show to the world that he’s mine if it’s something casual.”
“You would?”
“Why else do I look like I'm distracted while looking at you and my brother?”
“You want to be open like us?”
Taeyong shuddered thinking about it. “Not as disgusting as the two of you, but you get the idea, yes.”
Mark laughed softly before dropping biscuits into his coffee. If there’s one thing Baekhyun and Taeyong had in common, it’s the distaste towards him and Jongin’s amount of PDA. “You do realise that it’ll cost Baekhyun hyung’s life, do you?”
“The only reason why I agree to keep it is because I care about his life. I want him to keep living and also, that’ll save your boyfriend from becoming a criminal.”
“Mm hmm,” Mark hummed, enjoying his biscuit. “Please for the love of the God, sort it out. If I have to catch Baekhyun hyung’s hand lingering a little longer around your neck and I have to keep myself from screaming, I’d tell Jongin hyung myself.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t. But you know your brother isn’t that fool even if he acts like that most of the time, right?”
*******
Their breath evened out as Taeyong slowly climbed on top of Baekhyun and rested half of his body on it. He rested his head on the elder’s chest and wrapped his arms around his waist. Baekhyun ran his hand on the younger’s side, enjoying the warmth radiated from his body. He always loved this quiet moment between them. All those little smiles, hushed laughs, conversation and shared kisses.
“You alright there?” Baekhyun asked, now running his fingers through Taeyong’s red lock.
Taeyong shifted himself so more of him rested on Baekhyun. “Of course, I got you here.” And it wasn’t a lie. Call him dramatic, but being with Baekhyun made everything right again in his world.
Baekhyun couldn’t help but to smile hearing that. He wrapped his arms around Taeyong so he could pull the latter closer to him and now he almost completely rested his body on top of him. It just felt right, being this close to each other, in an embrace where neither of them seemed to want to leave it.
It’s the side of Taeyong that nobody could really see. That’s reserved only for private moments like this. Where he let himself be open and fragile, where he let down the walls that he built around himself over the years. And Baekhyun couldn’t be more glad that he had the privilege to be the one that Taeyong trusted enough to open up to.
I love you.
He stared at the ceiling, holding himself from saying those three words out loud.
“Will you be my boyfriend?” He said instead.
Baekhyun winced in pain the moment Taeyong decides to rest his elbow against his stomach just to get a better look at him. He muttered a quick sorry the moment he realised that he hurt the elder with it. He now resorted to rest his chin on top of the elder’s chest, looking straight at him. “You’re serious?”
A soft chuckle escaped Baekhyun’s lips and he smiled wider when Taeyong did the same. “What kind of person do you think I am to ask that question if I’m not serious?”
Taeyong just shrugged. “Jongin hyung said you used to like pulling pranks.”
“Ah, we need to set a serious rule about bringing up the You Know Who when we’re together.”
“My brother isn’t a taboo!”
Might as well be.
“We can talk about him later,” he tucked strands of Taeyong’s red lock behind his ears, just realising that his lover’s hair just got longer. “So, will you?”
“Of course, I will,” Taeyong laughs softly. “Do you expect me to say no?”
Baekhyun just shrugged, trying to conceal the tiny bit of insecurity and fear of rejection by acting nonchalant. “I am everything that you dislike. I’m loud, I socialise a lot, I meddle in people’s business and I don’t know how to give up.”
“And I thank God for that,” Taeyong hummed against Baekhyun’s chest. “Thank you for actually listening to You Know Who and insisting on talking to me. While the other point is true, I find that having someone loud around me isn’t that bad,” he paused while drawing some random patterns on the elder’s shirt. “But I can only take one of them. So I guess you are enough.”
Baekhyun laughed and Taeyong loved nothing more than the vibration that echoed from it. He loved it more knowing he’s the reason behind the laugh. He’d truly shout it off the moment he stepped into his home later after Baekhyun dropped him off if he wasn’t so worried for Baekhyun’s safety if Jongin ever found out.
The three words kept hovering inside of Baekhyun’s mind every time the younger’s breath tickled his chest, but he kept it in. He wouldn’t ruin this after approximately two minutes and thirty seconds they became boyfriends.
*******
“You’re looking happy lately,” Jongin said as soon as he took a seat beside Baekhyun on the couch of the latter’s living room. They planned a movie night where Taeyong and Mark would be joining after they were done with their university stuff for the day.
“I’m always looking happy though?” He asked as he passed Jongin the snack he’s eating. “And isn’t that a good thing? Your best friend in the world is happy?” Baekhyun laughed and he silently prayed that Jongin won’t hear the hint of nervousness in his laugh. He once told Taeyong that he preferred that if the confrontation with Jongin regarding their relationship finally happened, he wanted them both to face the devil.
He’d love it if he could see his boyfriend’s face before he died.
“It is,” Jongin just shrugged. “But you are happier. Look, I’m glad that you’re happy but you’re not this vague before. You’re usually more than glad to tell me anything.”
Baekhyun’s upcoming speech was halted by the sound of someone keyed-in the passcode of his door and followed by the hush laughs two seconds later. “Hello, beloved brothers of mine.”
“How did you come in?”
“Unlock his door?”
“You know the passcode of Baekhyun’s apartment?” Jongin arched his eyebrows, looking at his younger brother. He knew they were close, but he also knew that his best friend valued his privacy the most and the passcode to his apartment is one of them. Jongin only knew four people that had access to it. Baekhyun’s mother, father, his sister and also Jongin himself.
Taeyong exchanged a subtle glance with his boyfriend, it still feels like a dream to call Baekhyun his boyfriend, before turning his attention back to his brother. He shrugged before taking the empty seat beside Baekhyun. He hoped his brother didn’t realise that he did that purposely. “He asked me to help him buy medicine when he’s sick a few months ago. Too weak to get up, so he gave me his passcode. No big deal.”
“And you reach my brother before me?”
Baekhyun secretly slipped his right hand against Taeyong’s left one. “You were in Jeju with Mark at that time. Your anniversary vacation, remember?” This is one of those times where he was thankful for being born with a sharp memory and quick thinking.
“Hyung, are you jealous that now you’re not the only one among us who knows the access to Baekhyun hyung’s apartment?” Mark joked as he wrapped his arms around Jongin’s neck and inhaled the scent of his boyfriend, his favourite scent . He knew that if he let Jongin to dive deeper into it, the night wouldn't end prettily. And he wouldn’t let anything break his best friend’s happiness, even if it meant he had to keep a secret from his own boyfriend. Plus, he felt like if anyone would tell Jongin, it would be either Baekhyun or Taeyong.
This is why he would always be Baekhyun and Taeyong’s favourite. Bless him and his ability to divert Jongin’s attention.
“Huh, you wish,” Jongin reached up and fondly ruffled his boyfriend’s hair. “Come here,” he patted the empty space beside him. He put his arm around Mark’s shoulder before dropping a kiss on the younger’s temple and not realising how the other two people in the room were trying hard not to gag at the public display of affection. Pretty hypocritical of them when they both knew they would do more than kiss on the temple if they were allowed to do anything in front of Jongin.
Oh, how Baekhyun wished Mark was his brother so they all could get even.
“Baekhyun is keeping a secret from me,” Jongin told Mark and the latter immediately looked at the other two and his best friend was rolling his eyes. Of course he knew how dramatic his brother could be.
“What secret?”
“He’s seeing someone.”
“I didn’t say that!” Baekhyun protested a little too loud.
“So you’re not seeing someone?”
Baekhyun felt Taeyong’s grip on his hand got tighter and he reciprocated by running his thumb on top of the latter’s hand. He reverted his eyes towards Mark, then Jongin. He then sighed softly before looking down to the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the room at the moment. “Alright, there’s someone.”
Jongin’s face lit up as if it's Christmas. “I knew it! Who is it? Do I know them?”
“Uhh– yes. Kinda. Yes, I think.”
“Who?”
“That’s all I’m going to tell you for now.”
Jongin leaned back against the couch and pouted. “I am not used to you keeping things from me.”
“You went out with your brother’s best friend behind our back for three months before you told us about it,” Baekhyun raised his eyebrows and threw an accusing stare at his best friend.
“That was–”
“Hyung, do you know the word boundaries? Baekhyun hyung will tell you when he’s ready,” Taeyong interrupted before there’s going to be an unwanted confrontation.
“Do you know them, Taeyong?”
Taeyong just shrugged.
“Baekhyun, did you sleep with them?”
“Jongin hyung!” Mark shouted before slapping Jongin’s shoulder pretty hard that the elder winced in pain and rubbed his shoulder.
“He asked me if I already slept with you when I told him about us,” he said, or almost whined, while still rubbing his shoulder.
Taeyong rested his head against the couch and massaged his temple while mumbling ‘men’ before looking at his boyfriend and brother. Suddenly, an idea popped-up in his mind. “You know what, let’s hear what Baekhyun hyung had to say.”
Baekhyun’s eyes immediately widened as he turned to look at his boyfriend. “Do you wish for my death today?” He hissed urgently while Taeyong tried to suppress his laugh.
“I’m here, I can stop him,” he whispered back.
“Well– Baekhyunie?” Jongin interrupted them at the same moment Baekhyun was mumbling ‘as if’ to Taeyong.
“Ugh,” he rubbed his face frustratedly. Just because Jongin often volunteered to talk about what’s going on in bed between him and Mark or he himself had caught them in promising position thrice, it didn’t mean he’s going to talk about his sex life with his best friend. And he’s going to talk about Jongin’s little brother without him even knowing.
“It is the best I ever have,” Baekhyun finally answered.
Jongin definitely missed the triumphant smile Taeyong drew across his face as he ducked his face and squeezed Baekhyun’s hand harder and the elder returned it by doing the same.
Meanwhile, Jongin comically widened his eyes and poured all his attention towards his best friend because Baekhyun never really talked about bedroom business that way. He initially just wanted to tease his best friend and he’s sure it’s also his little brother's intention, but to hear his best friend straight out claiming it’s the best? This is new. He knew Baekhyun had a fair share of relationships before and it’s always him who talked about things, not Baekhyun.
“He must be really good, eh?”
“Well, you heard me,” Baekhyun threw his best friend a cocky smile while Mark just giggled fully knowing who Baekhyun meant. Let him have his fun now because once Jongin finally figured everything out, fun is probably the last thing he could think of. However, he silently respected the way Baekhyun got bravery to actually answer his boyfriend’s question.
“No wonder you are happy,” Jongin said while throwing a pillow to Baekhyun. “And is this why you keep it from me?”
No, it’s for the other reason that’s probably resulting in my death.
“Nah, you know me. Unlike you, I let what happened in the bedroom, stay in the bedroom.”
*******
“Taeyongie,” Baekhyun softly called as he fixed the fringe of the sleeping younger man beside him. He took his time to look at his boyfriend’s face and thought that he could do this everyday. Waking up to the love of his life beside him and taking in the fact that he is basically his. The thought of asking Taeyong to move in with him crossed his mind several times. But not before someone that matters knew about them.
Not before Kim Jongin knew the true nature of their relationship.
So they still did this. One of them had to leave the bed earlier than everyone else if they were under the same roof as Jongin. Since they were spending the night in Baekhyun’s apartment after the movie night, it’s Taeyong’s turn to leave the bed early.
“Taeyongie, wake up. It’s already 6:30 AM.” Baekhyun called again, gently trying to remove his other arm that’s trapped under his boyfriend’s weight.
“Go away,” Taeyong mumbled while weakly pushing Baekhyun’s hand away from his face. He snuggled deeper into the pillow and showed no sign of willing to leave the bed.
“Jongin will be waking up soon.”
“Shut up,” Taeyong groggily made a sound before slowly propping himself on his elbows. “What happened to the no mention of You Know Who when we’re together?” He mumbled sleepily as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on Baekhyun’s shoulder.
Baekhyun pressed a kiss on Taeyong’s temple before running his long fingers through the latter’s red hair. “I had to. Or else you refuse to wake up.”
“Call me insane if I ever want to leave your bed.”
The elder laughed softly. He loved how Taeyong could be pretty grumpy when he woke up from sleep yet so adorable in his eyes. Or maybe he’s just so biased and in love.
“Your shirt is somewhere on the floor.”
Taeyong grunted before he lifted his head off Baekhyun’s chest and slowly looked around the latter’s room in search of his shirt. He silently cursed Jongin for his overprotectiveness or else it would be easy for them to tell him about the progress of their relationship and he never had to leave Baekhyun’s bed so early in the morning.
Which is ironic considering that he used to remind Mark that he was not above violence if his best friend ended up hurting his brother in any way possible.
“Do you think we should tell Jongin hyung?” Taeyong asked while slowly leaving the bed to take his shirt.
Which left Baekhyun gaping on the bed, eyes following the movement of his boyfriend. “What brought the question out of you?”
Taeyong merely shrugged. “I know you hate keeping secrets from him.”
He did. Baekhyun did hate keeping secrets or lying to his best friend. They instantly got so close the moment they met during their time in junior high school, like a brother, hence why Jongin always called him brother by choice. And they always shared stories with each other and promised to never lie to each other.
“Are you ready for his wrath?”
Taeyong shrugged again. “It’s you that he might kill. Not me.”
Baekhyun choked a laugh by Taeyong’s act of nonchalant. “I’m ready if you’re ready. He’s welcome to punch me in the face if it means I can still be your boyfriend,” he threw a crooked smile. Truth was he couldn’t really discuss this without having his coffee.
Taeyong finally picked his shirt from the floor. “We’ll talk about it later. I feel like I need my daily dose of coffee. See you in fifteen minutes,” he said before opening the door to Baekhyun’s room. What he did not expect was the face that was going to greet him right when he took a step out of the room.
His brother.
Kim Jongin.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” Baekhyun called from inside of the bedroom and decided to approach his boyfriend once he received no response from him. “Oh, fuck indeed,” came out of his mouth once he met the deathly glare of his best friend.
“Does anyone want to explain why my little brother walked out of my best friend’s room shirtless while the said best friend is in the same condition?” Jongin asked and everyone in the room could hear the venom in his voice, including Mark who slowly walked beside him and clutched his arm. “Oh, did I hear it wrong or my best friend just called my little brother 'sweetheart’?”
“Not so little,” Taeyong mumbled slowly but he knew Jongin could hear that because he just threw him the death glare that previously aimed at Baekhyun.
“Jongin, look. It’s not–,” Baekhyun stopped right away. He couldn’t say it’s not what it looked like because it was exactly what it looked like. He took a deep breath, probably the deepest he’s ever taken after stepping in front of Taeyong. He closed his eyes before looking at Jongin intensely. “Taeyong and I are seeing each other.”
Jongin looked between his brother and best friend back and forth before settling on Baekhyun again. “As in?”
“We are dating each other.”
Silence surrounded the apartment and a competition of who could throw the most intense glare was happening between a pair of best friends. “Fucking hell, Baekhyun. Of all people–,” Jongin pressed his palm on his temple. “My little brother?”
“Not so little,” Taeyong pressed, a little louder this time. Jongin chose to ignore him.
“Wait, he is– fuck,” Jongin pinched his nose bridge. “He is the best sex you ever have?” He was shouting now, finger was pointing at Taeyong. “My baby brother?”
Baekhyun winced. He regretted bragging to Jongin last night. In his defense, he never expected the confrontation would be happening this morning and it’s going to backfire.
Taeyong choked a laugh before Baekhyun hissed to him. “Please, don’t give him a reason to commit murder.”
“How long?”
“Four months.”
“Four fucking–”
“Dear brother, you dated Mark for three months behind our backs before telling us, what right do you have to get mad at us now?” Taeyong bited back, enough of his brother lashing out on his boyfriend.
“Mark, can you believe this?”
Mark, who kept quiet since the confrontation happened, just nodded hesitantly. “Yeah.”
“You know?”
Mark merely nodded again as the answer to his boyfriends question.
“How the fu–”
“Don’t put this on Mark.”
“It’s hard to miss. The stolen glance, the lingering touch, the secret smile when they thought no one was looking. I thought I was overthinking things , until I saw Baekhyun walking out of Taeyong’s room one morning,” Mark explained calmly. He knew Jongin would not be able to stay mad at him for so long. Plus, he still believed he had no right to break the news to his boyfriend before either Taeyong or Baekhyun did it.
“Please don’t tell me it’s in our family house.”
“Unfortunately for you, it is,” Mark said while rubbing his boyfriend's arm.
“Before you said anything else, mind that sometimes I had to hear you and Mark going at it when you think nobody is home,” Taeyong said with an obvious intention to reprimand his older brother.
Jongin pinched his nose bridge again before turning to Mark. “And why don't you tell me?”
Mark shrugged again. “It’s not my place to tell you. If anyone is going to break the news, it’s going to be them and not anyone else.”
Jongin closed his eyes while trying to process everything that he knew that morning. He knew Mark meant well and he also knew his boyfriend was right. Bless Mark and his huge heart. “This feels like incest.”
“Jongin–”
“Shut the hell up,” Taeyong said, cringing because there’s no way his brother exactly thought about it. If he could choose to make Baekhyun his brother the moment they met, he could choose to un-brother his best friend now that he’s with his baby brother.
Jongin opened his eyes and looked at Taeyong and Baekhyun who now intertwined their fingers together. And he didn’t realise when his brother stepped forward to stand beside his boyfriend.
Oh God, his baby brother was dating someone who is also his best friend for life.
“Is this some kind of game to you? To piss me off? To tease me? Test me?” He asked both of them and dared any of them to answer him. “Because it’s not funny. And you–,” he pointed to Baekhyun. “How dare you sleep with my brother? Is he another notch on your bedpost?”
“Another notch– what the hell? Jongin, you know I never sleep with someone just for the fun of it!” Baekhyun defended himself. “And Taeyong is the only one where I bed more than three times.”
“I don’t need a fucking detail!”
“You need it if you try to imply I was just playing around with him!” Baekhyun raised his voice to the same level as his best friend. “I’d never do that to anyone else, let alone Taeyong. So please, don’t tell me to leave him.”
“And if I ask you to choose between him and our friendship?”
Baekhyun widened his eyes at his best friend, his mouth gaped. He would never want to make a choice. He knew his friend and he knew very well that if he chose the latter, Jongin would still go mad because of all of this drama just for Taeyong to be in second place to him. When Jongin would put Taeyong before anything and anyone else. The moment he first broke the news about him dating Mark, he would make sure Taeyong was completely fine with it and kept reminding his brother that he’d break up with Mark if he ever felt slightly uncomfortable with it.
“Don’t make me choose, Jongin.”
Jongin just arched his eyebrows as an answer.
Baekhyun closed his eyes before leaning over his boyfriend. “I’m sorry, this is not how I want you to find out about it,” he whispered. Because he really wouldn’t want to. When he imagined to finally say what he’s going to say next, it definitely wasn’t under this kind of circumstance.
Taeyong shot his boyfriend with a worried look.
“I love him,” Baekhyun announced. “I love him so much that sometimes I even wonder if I could love someone this much. I want to wake up with him beside me, I want to be the morning to his night and the sun to his sky if it gets dull. I love him, Jongin. I really do.”
The room was surrounded by silence again after Baekhyun’s love declaration. Taeyong squeezed Baekhyun’s hand harder and bited his lower lip so nobody could see it’s trembling. He took a moment to clear the lump in his throat before leaning closer to the elder just to whisper, “I love you too. So, so much that I can’t find the right word to describe it because I don’t think it gave the feeling justice.”
Because he did, and he never thought he could fall for the man that’s standing beside him so much and so quick. He admitted that at first he was pretty doubtful that he could even form a friendship with Baekhyun despite Jongin pouring so much praise for his best friend. But what would you do if someone was being the literal colour to your life that you thought was very plain, if not falling in love with him?
All started with small talk, to coffee outing while he’s waiting for Jongin to pick him up after class, to Baekhyun talked to him about life and to stargazing at one night where Baekhyun pointed out that he could be the star to his sky if is he’s the night. Taeyong had no idea what it meant but the look that Baekhyun gave him the moment he wanted to ask made him forget what he’s about to say. Because it carried so much fondness and admiration with a toothy grin on top of that. Then, they spent so much time together because Jongin was busy somewhere– or someone – else, which they did suspect was Mark. One thing escalated to another, all he remembered was the moment Baekhyun asked for his permission to kiss him on one evening where the elder brought him to his apartment because it was raining heavily and nobody was at Kim's residence.
From regular snogging, to something more and now they’re boyfriends.
Baekhyun bopped his nose onto his boyfriend’s. “I really hope the circumstances will be a little romantic.”
“We have my brother to thank for that.”
At that moment, the sound of someone clearing his throat echoing in the room. For anyone who knew Jongin very well, they could see the soft expression that he always wore had made its comeback. He no longer crossed his arms against his chest. He looked a little bit more relaxed now. “Are you happy with him, Taeyong?”
“Yes. Very. You had no idea.”
“Does he make you happy, Baekhyun?” Because as much as Jongin loved Taeyong, he loved his best friend too. He would never want to see Baekhyun get hurt. He knew his best friend very well. He knew well that when Baekhyun loved, he loved with all of him, basically wearing his heart on his sleeve. He never knew Taeyong ever loved someone after the last time he got cheated, and he never wanted his brother, who he loved with all his heart became the reason his best friend got hurt.
“Did you miss the part where I am completely smitten with him? He made me very happy, Jonginnie. He is the reason I’d look forward to the next day.”
“You guys are gross.”
Baekhyun smirked at his best friend. “Do you and Mark ever look in the mirror?”
“We suffered for two years and a half now,” Taeyong supported his boyfriend.
“Oh, look! They’re already working against us!” Jongin whined to Mark, who just laughed along.
Mark wrapped his arms around Jongin's waist. “Maybe we kind of deserve it,” he giggled before tiptoeing to whisper in Jongin’s ear. “Thank you for not getting mad at me.”
“I could never,” Jongin said before he placed a kiss on Mark’s forehead.
“SEE?” Baekhyun and Taeyong screeched in unison and they all laughed with each other. For a moment, everyone in this room thought that they might lose this but they were proven wrong.
“You know I’d hurt you if you ever hurt Taeyongie, right?” Jongin said as soon as they slowly stopped laughing. “I don’t give a damn if you’ve been my best friend since we were 11.”
Baekhyun rolled his eyes before looking at Jongin again. “Why do you think we keep this as a secret? I don’t even have the gut to tell you that I am completely in love with your brother. What makes you think I have the ball to hurt him?”
Jongin walked to his best friend to pat him on the shoulder. “Good, good. Just want you to keep that in mind. If he hurt you, probably because you deserve it,” he said with a laugh. “And honestly–,” he sighed softly at the sight of Taeyong snuggled closer to Baekhyun. “If there’s anyone I can trust to take care of my baby brother and make him happy, it’ll be you,” he said earnestly before walking back to Mark and took his hand. “Come on, I need my breakfast after all of this. And please, for the love of the God, no PDA in front of me.”
Taeyong was giggling and was about to follow his brother and best friend before he got pulled back. He looked at his boyfriend who made no move to walk to the kitchen. “What is it?”
“There’s another thing I wish to talk to you about.”
The younger of the two tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Go on.”
“I– uh,” Baekhyun bit his lower lips. “I was thinking if you want to move in with me. You know, you spend a lot of time here which is why you leave quite a lot of your stuff here. I even bought a bookshelf recently– not so big anyway– just to put your books there. And–”
Taeyong cutted Baekhyun’s rambling with a quick peck on his lips. “I would like to,” he said a little too quick to his liking. As if he’s so eager to move in with his boyfriend. “I wonder when you will ask.”
“Oh–,” Baekhyun smiled sheepishly and held his boyfriend’s face in one hand. God, he was so in love. “Good.”
“Reckon we tell Jongin hyung about this too?”
Baekhyun barked a laugh at Taeyong’s suggestion. He shook his head. “Not today, I guess. Let’s spare your brother a bit, yeah? I just get a way from a possible murder, I don’t want him to change his mind and decide to have my head.”