"Oh shit! My iPad," exclaimed Heechul hyung in a mix of frustration and disbelief as the two friends made their way along the bustling main road, the journey homeward already in progress.
Baekhyun, sitting next to him, raised an intrigued eyebrow at the sudden change in their direction. "You planning on going back for it? Hyung, couldn't you just wait until tomorrow to retrieve it?"
Heechul's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Nah, I've got plans for it later."
Baekhyun let out an incredulous sigh, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "You really are showing your age with this impulsive detour."
Heechul shot him a playful glare. "Watch it."
As minutes ticked away, the urban landscape transitioned into a more rustic setting, and the paved road eventually gave way to a dirt path that wound through a dense forest.
"Taeyeon must've had a lapse in judgment if she thought building a house out here was a good idea. A million dollar baby like her should've at least cemented the road," Heechul remarked with a shake of his head.
Baekhyun chuckled, finding Heechul's suggestion both amusing and unrealistic. "You're not considering how out of place it would look if there was suddenly a cemented road cutting through this wilderness."
"Well, then, she could've installed a gate or something."
A playful roll of Baekhyun's eyes was accompanied by another amused chuckle.
Soon enough, their destination came into view – a quaint house nestled within the trees. "It's your turn, buddy."
Baekhyun regarded Heechul with a mixture of puzzlement and suspicion, unsure of his true motives.
"Wait, what's going on?" Baekhyun asked, his confusion evident. Had he been dragged along solely to run some errand?
Heechul's grin only widened as he dangled Baekhyun's phone and wallet in front of him, held in a grip that clearly demonstrated Heechul's intent to hang on to them. Some things about Kim Heechul were constant, and his playful tricks were one of them.
"Aish," he grumbled, irritation lacing his words, as he swung open the car door and then slammed it shut upon his exit.
Staring through the glass pane of the door into the house, he scanned the interior for any sign of Taeyeon. A few raps on the door produced no response; she seemed to be nowhere in sight.
Probably in the bedroom with Dean, he speculated with a wry smirk.
Turning his gaze towards Heechul's car, he caught the older man's eye as Heechul sat there with the car window down. He motioned toward the house and mimicked knocking, conveying that Taeyeon hadn't answered his attempts.
"Just go on in!" Heechul urged, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation.
With a reluctant exhale, he gave the door a push, revealing it was unlocked. Hesitation tugged at him, but he steeled himself and stepped inside.
Moving with purpose, he navigated directly to the living room, his eyes scanning for any trace of Heechul's iPad. Thankfully, it was there, casually resting on the table.
His fingers brushed the device just as the distant sound of footsteps reached his ears. The voices were hushed and elusive, as if wrapped in a shroud of secrecy, emanating from the vicinity of the staircase.
"I can't help feeling awkward that my boyfriend is so open about my ex," her voice murmured in a low, almost conspiratorial tone. The words seemed to carry on a whisper, barely audible from this distance. They were conversing about him, weren't they?
YOU ARE READING
from afar | baekyeon
Fanfiction"We already parted our ways... But as I think about it, I can't forget you... so let me still look after you, watch you... From afar." -Byun Baekhyun
