"I suppose I could just—"
"Actually, I've got a schedule in, like, half an hour. I better jet. My manager's probably searching high and low for me by now," Taeyeon's attempted explanation got sliced off by Byun Baekhyun's words, followed by a swift rise from his seat.
A near encounter of their eyes was thwarted as the lead vocalist turned her attention to her shoes, as if engaged in an intense shoe-fixing operation. There was a flush of embarrassment tinting her cheeks—she felt awkward knowing he was making an exit just to spare her discomfort. She wasn't quite sure if the whole spiel about schedules held water, but she had a hunch it didn't. The guy was practically a walking signboard of transparency.
Despite all this, Byun Baekhyun ambled away from the awkward atmosphere, letting out a sigh of relief that he had been withholding. He walked with no particular destination in mind, almost in a daze, until he found himself sliding into his own car. Not that he intended to leave the building. There were still a bunch of career-related knots to untangle with the folks from SM, but he had time. Right now, what he craved was solitude. Or did he? He couldn't quite tell. All he knew was he wanted to shoo away her presence that felt like an ailment gnawing at him.
He glanced out from his plush car, taking in the serene surroundings. SM had already clamped down on fans lingering around the building, a decision that might not please his most dedicated admirers, but a small part of him embraced the freedom it brought. No longer did he have to sprint to the main entrance to dodge the prying lenses of the paparazzi.
He remained inside for who knew how long—maybe an hour, perhaps more. Time felt elusive as he wrestled with thoughts of her. No matter how hard he tried to scrub them from his mind, they clung to him more stubbornly than ever. Memories, especially the ones involving her, refused to be buried.
"The more I want to erase them, the sharper they become," he chuckled, a hint of madness tingeing his laughter. He felt like he was teetering on the edge of losing his sanity, a dangerous precipice to dangle over.
But then, like a wave washing over, his thoughts cleared as a familiar figure appeared suddenly. A friend who was closer than a brother—Kim Junmyeon—slid into the car uninvited.
"I had a feeling I'd see you here," the leader remarked, gaze fixed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to the weariness radiating from the person beside him. By now, Baekhyun looked exhausted from nothing more than his own thoughts.
Baekhyun found himself wordless, unsure of what to say next. The absence of conversation stretched on for several minutes, the quiet hanging between them like a fog. Eventually, Baekhyun's attention was drawn to his bandmate who seemed to be offering him something without uttering a single syllable. "What's all this?" he inquired, a perplexed frown knitting his brows.
A plate of salad and a neatly wrapped sandwich—his stomach growled in response.
"You haven't eaten, have you? Time to dig in, my friend. Your well-being's got to take the top spot on your priority list," Suho's tone was more directive than persuasive.
"Thanks," Baekhyun mumbled in reply, not that he was ungrateful or disliked the gesture. It was just that he felt an unexpected weight on his shoulders, being in a state like this all because of a woman.
Baekhyun, a known aficionado of all things edible, grabbed a disposable fork and poked at the salad, his favorite. With his stomach rumbling its agreement, he plowed through nearly half the portion, still chewing when Suho's voice broke the silence again, making him halt in surprise. "She gave this to me, along with the message to pass it on to you."
"Who?" Baekhyun asked, his heart hoping against hope that it wasn't who he suspected it to be. But deep down, he knew better.
"The first person that flashed into your thoughts. That's the one," Kim chuckled, his handsome features creasing with amusement as he casually inspected the interior of Baekhyun's car.
"How... I mean, is that even possible?" Baekhyun stammered, the notion still feeling almost surreal.
Of course, there was only one person they both could think of—Kim Taeyeon.
"Hey, Suho, can you come with me for a sec?" The request came from none other than the Girls' Generation leader to the EXO leader. The group had polished off their meal and were deep into the realm of jovial banter and storytelling.
Quickly nodding, the junior rose and followed her, curious but patient as he awaited whatever was on her mind. They walked side by side, a few words hanging on the tip of his tongue, yet none were voiced until they found themselves inside the familiar confines of the SM cafeteria. It wasn't a restaurant with counters for ordering, but Taeyeon opted for the takeout route. She put in an order for a salad and a sandwich.
Junmyeon's brow quirked with intrigue, but he decided to maintain his silence, watching her intently. He pondered why she'd called him over just for this, if she was planning to order some more food.
"Should've gone for another round of feasting, Noona. Chanyeol would've gladly treated you," he ventured, starting the conversation, despite the increasing number of curious glances cast their way. However, the duo seemed unperturbed, engrossed in their own comfortable exchange.
Before Taeyeon could reply, the head chef himself (as indicated by his chef's attire) arrived, handing over her order with a nod. She accepted it with gratitude, utilizing her points to cover the bill. Bag in hand, she began walking toward the exit, with Junmyeon trailing behind, not entirely certain of her intentions.
"Got anything lined up after this? Maybe just 10 minutes? Or even 5?" Her question hung in the air, laced with the concern that she wasn't disrupting his schedule.
A soft smile curved Suho's lips as he shook his head, "We've all got some free time today. All of us in EXO."
A bittersweet smile tugged at Taeyeon's lips, confirming her suspicions that he had merely found a pretext to escape her company. "Could you find him and give this to him?" With those words, she handed over the paper bag, which he accepted without much thought.
"To whom?" he inquired, genuinely intrigued.
"You-know-who," she replied, her tone laden with meaning. With that, she bid her obedient junior goodbye and began to walk away, her steps holding a purpose that only she understood.
"I think there might be a note in there, left by her. You might want to check it," Suho pointed to the paper bag, his curiosity piqued as he examined it closely.
Baekhyun delved into the bag and, sure enough, discovered a small piece of paper tucked inside.
The note read,
'I forgot to properly thank you. Consider this a token of appreciation for your help. Let's hope there won't be a next time.'
A smile tugged at the corners of Byun Baekhyun's lips—not a smile of joy or satisfaction, but one tinged with bitterness, particularly at the last sentence of her message.
"You see, she cares about you. She took the time to get you a meal. That's not something that happens often," Suho remarked, his words sincere but tinged with his own confusion.
Baekhyun managed to force a smile in response, though it didn't reach his eyes. His gaze remained fixed on the note, reading and rereading her words, each one leaving an impression that he couldn't quite shake off.
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
