lights off | baekyeon

chapter eight

LEE HI // MY LOVE

10:11

-

Baekhyun was right. The company really did plan to use Taeyeon and Jaehyeong as stepping stones to garner more attention from the public, and from the looks of it, it was working well. Two well-liked vocalists, coupled with their favourable ages with both Taeyeon and Jaehyeong being the same age, it was more than enough to drive netizens crazy.

He was already seeing numerous photoshopped pictures of the 'Jaeyeon' ship on instagram, and he wasn't entirely sure if going onto instagram was a stress-reliever anymore. Especially when people who were against his relationship with Taeyeon purposely tagged him in the Jaeyeon pictures.

"Baekhyun!"

The boy snapped out of his thoughts and turned to find Junmyeon walking briskly towards him. Wearing a large trench coat, thick wool scarf, and covered boots in the middle of summer, the leader was shining with confidence, and Baekhyun had had to suppress his laughter.

"Hyung, we are not in London yet." The amused boy commented, earning a light smack on the head from Junmyeon.

"This is fashion. Fashion." Junmyeon emphasized. "I can guarantee you that they will be fawning all over me when we reach London. Also, why didn't anyone wait for me? I thought I said ten more minutes so that I could shower-"

"Your definition of ten minutes is an hour."

"What? No-"

Baekhyun cut his words off by rushing behind him and pushing his shoulders so that Junmyeon stumbled forward in the direction of carpark where the members were waiting at. "We are going to miss the flight at this rate!" He announced loudly, finally getting the leader to snap into action, and chuckled when Junmyeon evidently fretted.

//

A pleasant smell of clean sheets, toiletries, and wood greeted Baekhyun as the door to his room clicked open. Pocketing the hotel access card, he set his luggage in the corner of the room before drawing the heavy beige drapes open.

For a moment, only his reflection stared back at him. Then, he dragged his gaze across the greenery that lay in the far distance, a vast sea separating them. The weather was pleasing - grey clouds loomed overhead, but not too many to signal an incoming rainfall. He was already itching to have fun with the boys in the outdoor pool.

Leaving the curtains partially closed, Baekhyun grabbed a clean set of clothes and washed up before heading out again to meet the other members. On his way, he bumped into many other SM artistes ; they were all attending a SM showcase, which was a new project introduced just not too long ago. Spending a week over in London, the various groups performed on different days, and hence on the days where EXO wasn't performing, they were considered rest days. Except that it wasn't really a vacation, seeing the massive groups of fans waiting outside their hotel.

He wished he had the choice to stay home instead.

After meeting up with Chanyeol, who had complained about him starving, Baekhyun led the way to the hotel cafe that he had caught sight of earlier on. The thought of having pancakes with loads and loads of honey syrup made his stomach growl, but a few feet away stood two figures, causing him to come to a complete halt.

Chanyeol had looked up from his phone and his mouth was agape, probably to chide Baekhyun for stopping so suddenly, when he saw them as well. In the cafe they were heading to sat Taeyeon and Jaehyeong, with the latter staring adoringly at his work partner, who, was clearly focusing on the paperwork set before them.