Moonlight descended upon the damp sand as bare feet tread softly on the golden brown particles. This late into the night, streetlamps lit Taeyeon's way up, but still, she had relied on the soft, dim glow that came from the moon. It was mysterious, calming, yet comforting at the same time. Together with the gentle lapping of waves, she ventured across the beach with the straps of a pair of sandals held loosely between her fingers.
Over the years, she had gradually morphed into a quiet being. But even so, the wild beast in her demands attention every now and then, and tonight was one of the nights where it got its wish.
She didn't like being alone, but she had wanted to be alone.
The cheering from crowds earlier in the Osaka SMTown Concert was still vivid in her mind, and caused a tiny smile to break from her tired face. Everything from the planning, to the practice, and finally to the performance itself was tiring. However, such fatigue washed away every time she sees someone—anyone—enjoying her performance. It made Taeyeon feel appreciated, and it was a very nice feeling indeed.
Despite that, she had decided to come out for a walk since the night was still relatively young, and the girl needed a break from all that hype.
Or, rather, from him.
It wasn't her who avoided Baekhyun this time round. He was getting so good at it that he didn't end up in her line of sight — not even once. For the first time ever, Taeyeon hadn't had to detour, duck her head, or avoid his gaze.
There wasn't even any gaze to avoid.
Facing the tides, Taeyeon tightened the knitted sweater's embrace before she plopped down cross-legged on the sand. Gusts of strong winds lifted her hair, sending them in all sorts of directions. When the wind had finally died down, Taeyeon brushed loose strands of hair away from her eyes and gazed into the distance. Inhaled the sea breeze deeply. Eyes that idly watched the retreating waves wished that they would take her worries away as well.
She pulled her knees up to rest them against her chest, and simply let her mind wander. She wasn't really sure of what to think, even, but she knew she would have to make a decision sooner or later.
Yet, she hesitated.
She wasn't ready to turn the light off.
;
BYUN BAEKHYUN 변백현
Stepping out of the shower with a pleasant smell clinging onto his skin, Baekhyun felt a whole lot better. He absolutely hated the feeling of having evaporated sweat on him for it always made him feel 'sticky', and so he was always one of the first members to take a bath. Now that they had separate hotel rooms, it made everything much better since he didn't have to wait for his turn to bathe.
With a heart that felt light as feather, the brown-haired boy used a thick scratchy towel to dry his hair before heading over to the curtains. Pulling the grey drapes apart, a breathtaking view of the night in Osaka was revealed. From his room, he could see the still bustling city, crawling traffic in certain areas, serene streets in the far distance where quaint houses were built.
But what stood out the most was the beach.
4 stories high, Baekhyun could see how the sea stretched into the distance, clear reflections of the moon rippling slightly with each rising of the waves. A few boats were docked at the far end, and he managed to spot a few figures roaming idly. A particular figure seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't put his finger on who it was.
It was only when she tilted her head, as if to get a better view of the stars, that he recognized the girl. She looked so very alone, sitting just by herself under the starry nightsky and surrounded by sand. Subconsciously, Baekhyun had sat on the windowsill, tentatively raised a hand, and started tracing her form through the cool glass windows.
I miss you, he had wanted to say. Because maybe through the glass, and even with the ridiculous amount of distance put between them, the winds could carry his words over.
But the boy continued to sit where he was, perched at the same spot, gazing at the same person. His heart lurched at the thought of having to avoid her yet again. No one, no one, should know how much he hated that, how much he wanted to throw up whenever he did so.
He longed for her, but there was a fine line between a wish and a fact. He could have wished as many wishes as he wanted, but not one of them would come true because it was a fact that they were star-crossed lovers, fated to travel on parallel lines.
When the chords break, you're supposed to replace them with new ones. Baekhyun, however, refused to let go of the loose strands.
But he did. He did, eventually.
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❝so forget about me and run on to find an even brighter star, love.❞
