Magical Touch ― Byun Baekhyun

3 | Stuck Together

Baekhyun is alone today since Kyungsoo ran out to stock up on the ingredients for their array of meals and desserts, not forgetting that fact that Sehun tagged along Kyungsoo because the young lad wanted Kyungsoo to make him a viral cake he saw the other day.

Junmyeon as usual, got dragged by his parents to go to the office and all their part-timers were on the evening shift, including their occasional lounge singer, Jongdae, who is in the hospital, waiting to welcome his kid, so, even he couldn't accompany Baekhyun like he usually would whenever Baekhyun asks him. Note, if Baekhyun asked nicely, that is.

And customers haven't really come in except for Jihyun and Chanyeol. But the male ran out for a meeting right after paying for Jihyun's food and drink. Jihyun's begging for Chanyeol to at least eat a sandwich with her ends in dismay because the older only ruffles her hair and waves goodbye as he walks out the shop door.

And before long, rain starts pouring down and as minutes pass by, the rain continues to grow. And it looks like it is not going to end anytime soon. Jihyun stops her writing and just leans against her seat, shoulders dropping without much energy. 

Baekhyun, on the other hand, finishes all he needed to do, from roasting the beans, filling up the fridge with milk and cream, refilling the syrups and toppings. He sits on the stool behind the counter. He leans against the counter, his vision almost blocked by the counter.

He lets out a smile as he still sees Jihyun. Baekhyun grabs a remote from above the counter and turns up the volume. After he places back the remote, he returns his gaze to Jihyun. He sees how her lips move ever so slightly, singing the lyrics of the playing song. 

He sees how her eyes shut close for a couple of seconds at some parts of the songs. He sees how her eyes look at the pouring rain as if she's overwhelmed with emotions. Emotions of saddening calmness that often comes together with the rain.

Baekhyun sighs as he lets his shoulders drop. Crossing his eyes, he leans back his head and closes his eyes. He lets himself fall into the tranquil trance of the playing song. Humming along to the beat of the acoustic guitar.

As the song comes to an end, Jihyun takes a deep breath and turns her head to her laptop. As her eyes fall into the screen, she sees makes out the top half of Baekhyun's head. She leans back into her chair and attentively looks at Baekhyun.

Jihyun notices how there are some long strands of his hair covering his eyes just by the teeniest bit. She sees just from his closed eyes, how he's somewhat at peace with the snuggling warmth of the weather.

She breaks out a timid smile and her fingers slowly glide over her keyboard.

"And his calm sleeping expression eases her worrying heart. She's sure he's safe. That's all she needed."

With a satisfied smile, she hits the publish button of her website and moves to her social media tab.

Jihyun moves her vision upwards from the screen and her eyes meet with Baekhyun's. Jihyun gives him a smile and Baekhyun slowly stands up from his stool and repays her smile.

He reaches his mug of (now) warm tea and walks up to Jihyun. He takes the seat across from Jihyun and places his mug at a safe distance from her laptop and notebooks. Legs crossed, he stares into the rain before he asks Jihyun.

"When's Chanyeol coming back?"

"He says he's stuck and he doesn't know when he's going to get back."

"How are you gonna get back?" Baekhyun asks as he reaches back to his mug and looks at her, sipping his tea.

"I'll just stay here I guess. I can't take the bus and subway since Chanyeol told me that I have to come back with him," Jihyun says as she too sips on her coffee. She lets out a sigh and gently places down her coffee, "I just don't get why I need to wait for him, we'll see each other at home anyways."

"Too strong of a big brother care is it?" Baekhyun teases with a giggle. Jihyun laughs at Baekhyun's remark.

"He talks so much about you know. He just cares for you that much. That's just how he is."

Jihyun bursts out a peal of laughter causing Baekhyun to look at her with a questioning expression. Jihyun's laugher slowly dies down and she looks at Baekhyun, who still has the curious face on him.

"It's just funny to think he would do that. I mean I know he does that but he really needs to think of better things to do, find a girlfriend or something."

Baekhyun lips grow into a smile before he lets out a sigh, "He told us drunk one night when we went out that he won't look after another girl unless you find a boyfriend."

Baekhyun laughs remembering that night, "He sounded too much like an overbearing dad, too absorbed in believing that his daughter is too fragile for the world."

"I mean I see where he gets that," Jihyun shakes her head, thinking of how similar Chanyeol and their dad are.

"But it's not all that bad," Jihyun smiles. Making eye contact with Baekhyun, she says in an almost whisper, "I don't always have to pay for food."

Baekhyun giggles at her remark. They silent for awhile before Baekhyun brings in another topic into their conversation, "What are you working on lately? I even saw Chanyeol cry the other day."

Jihyun tilts her head a little, "You sure you want to know? It's a bit too much of romantic, might make your fingers curled up."

"Not that I don't think you're not the kind of that genre or stuff since your art almost always has that element but..." Jihyun fails to explain herself and Baekhyun just smiles at her.

"Are you actually nervous to let me see it? Why? You didn't happen to write about me..." Baekhyun pushes himself away from his seat and rests his face on his fist, "...or did you?"

Jihyun laughs in disbelief. She changes back the tab to her website and turns the laptop, facing it to Baekhyun.

"Try to not cringe too much, you might have the overly excessive romance that you read strong enough that you'd puke out the tea you drank."

"But what if I like it?"

Baekhyun says with a grin on his face as he starts to read on. Jihyun sighs as she puts on her headphones and connects it to her phone. She leans against her chair and stares into the still falling rain. 

Baekhyun glances at Jihyun and smiles before continuing his read.