Hera doesn’t talk to Baekhyun for the next week. He sees her once when she was picking up coffee with another one of the designers but instead of approaching her, Baekhyun stays his distance until they’ve turned the corner towards the elevators. During that entire week, he wakes up drenched in sweat with Soondeok’s voice ringing in his ears.

“Prince, you cannot lose your way.”

Once F(x)’s final album designs are submitted, Heejin gives Hera free reign of everything until her internship officially ends. While the designers continue on to another project, Hera returns to her designs for Taeyeon’s upcoming comeback that she hasn’t been able to touch for weeks. During her internship, Hera has found comfort in the quietness of the lobby in the newer company building which is a stark contrast to the opposite side of the building which is always bustling with fans and customers because of the restaurant and store. Besides the subtle bustle and hustle from idols coming in and out of practice, it’s quiet most of the time.

With her headphones in and eyes set on perfecting a certain tedious design, Hera didn’t notice when a certain someone with broad shoulders had entered the lobby until she heard the sound of the chair across from her being pulled back. She looks up from her laptop and says nothing as Sehun situates himself across from her. His eyes are slightly hooded from his black cap and his athletic clothing tells her he’s most likely taking a break from practice.

“Has she come back?” Sehun asks and he doesn’t need to say anything more for her to know he’s talking about the sasaeng.

Hera shakes her head as she tugs her earphones out. “No. I haven’t seen her since that night but I can be wrong.”

He sighs and lifts his cap to run a hand through his hair. “Seulgi doesn’t know though?”

She shakes her head. “Can I ask?” Hera sighs. “What are you guys exactly? Like, how serious are you about her?”

“I love her,” he confesses in a barely audible whisper as his lips tremble in a mixture of fear and awe. “It scares me, sometimes. Jongin tells me we’re in over our heads and far too ahead of our time but I don’t want to lose her again.” Sehun pauses. “What if I can’t find her again?”

The popular idol looks up and Hera notices the redness in his eyes. She’s unsure if it’s from the stress of the industry, from the pain of love or maybe even both.

“Why would you lose her again?” Hera asks him.

“I lost her once,” he murmurs. “The possibility for a second time isn’t ruled out. I keep trying to assure her that I’m not going anywhere and I can tell she believes me and she opens up to me but there’s also a wall there and I can’t figure out how to knock it down.”

Hera bites down on her lip and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Sehun.

“You know why huh?” Sehun asks. “Why she hid from me.”

Sighing, Hera leans back against the soft leather of the sofa. “Of course I know,” she says. “But that’s for her to tell you when she’s ready,” Hera pauses. “And when she believes you’re ready.”

Sehun’s gaze lowers and Hera turns away as she holds her breath to prevent the tears from coming out. They’re not the only ones in over their heads and Hera can’t help but wonder how everything had come to be this way.

Not long after Sehun returns to practice, Taeyeon arrives to get a brief overview of things before heading to another recording session. Overall she likes everything which surprises Hera because Taeyeon is known for being very particular with the way she wants things.

“You have any plans after this?” Taeyeon asks as she tucks away the documents Hera had handed her.

Hera shakes her head as she closes her laptop. “No, I was going to go buy some treats and head home for a nap. I haven’t had one of those in ages.”

Taeyeon snickers while waiting for Hera to pack her things. “Well, I was going to ask you to join us during the recording but I think you should get that well deserved nap. I’ll walk with you to the restaurant, I was headed over there to get something to drink anyways.”

“Okay is it just me or does their coffee ?” Hera grunts with Taeyeon snorting in agreement. “Whew, so it’s not just me.”

They turn the final corner towards the store after a lengthy walk through the building and Hera notices him immediately. He must’ve sensed her presence too because he immediately turned towards them, his eyes latching onto hers within that same second without fail. It makes her freeze up but thankfully only for a split second.

“I see you beat me to the drinks,” says Taeyeon which makes Baekhyun look away finally.

Hera watches him shoot her a nod in response with a small smile. “Yeol’s been nagging me to involve more movement in my daily routine so I decided to take the elevator downstairs to grab us some drinks.”

Usually Hera would make some smart remark but today she just keeps her gaze slightly lowered while Taeyeon makes a face at him. Taeyeon reaches out for one of the drinks and Baekhyun passes her one while trying his best to act normal.

“You should join us today,” Baekhyun suddenly says to Hera, startling her almost.

Hera shakes her head. “I have plans. Thanks though.”

“She’s going to nap,” Taeyeon teases which gets a small chuckle out of Baekhyun.

It’s evident that he’s hurting but Hera can’t seem to bring herself to comfort him because that was all Soondeok ever did. Although it’s selfish and quite childish, Hera doesn’t want to give in so easily.

“I think I’m actually going to skip out on the sweets and just head home,” says Hera as she begins walking away towards the entrance. Fans had started to gather with Taeyeon’s appearance and she didn’t want to feel more suffocated that she already feels. “Good luck with recording!”

Before either of them could say a word to stop her, Hera skips out the door and hails down the first taxi she can get. Once Hera is gone, Taeyeon slowly turns back to Baekhyun and her gaze falters but in that following second, it’s filled with assurance and it causes a corner of her lip to curl slightly.

***

“You listened to the demo Chanyeol sent you right?”

Taeyeon hums in response to Baekhyun’s question as he struts around the room to grab things. She taps her chin with her pencil as he continues to blabber on about new songs and concept changes and what not.

“Hey.”

Baekhyun pauses momentarily to see what Taeyeon wanted to say.

“About that story,” Taeyeon tilts her head curiously as she uses one foot to slightly swivel herself in the chair. “The one about the tiny prince who fell in love with the war general's daughter.”

She notices him tense up.

“What about it?” He asks.

“How did the first ending go?” Taeyeon turns herself to face him completely and he’s surprised by the true curiosity reflecting in her eyes.

He swallows nervously. “They were killed; by his own brothers, as a statement.”

Taeyeon nods silently as she begins to digest the story. “What were their names? The prince and his wife.”

“Eun, Wang Eun and Park Soondeok.”

She nods again, making Baekhyun nervous yet curious at the same time. “Did he love her a lot?”

Baekhyun lowers his eyes momentarily. “Yeah. She died first so he begged his brother to kill him as well because he refused to let her go alone.”

Taeyeon purses her lips as she turns away to ponder more about the story.

“Why are you suddenly asking me all this?”

She shrugs with her hands already busily jotting down some notes. “I was just curious, that’s all. Ah,” Taeyeon glances over her shoulder back at him. “So for the second ending that is still pending, how does that work when they died?”

He rubs his lip nervously with his fingers as he slides into his usual chair. “They were reborned, believe it or not. There were many things he regretted as he died but the biggest one was not being able to tell his wife how much he loved her.” Baekhyun looks up from his hands. “So that’s how the second one is still pending.”

She pushes out her bottom lip even more and he’s not sure if she’s more confused or not. “So how long were they married that he didn’t get that chance?”

He scoffs at himself. “Four years? Five?”

Taeyeon gasps loudly and it causes him to laugh. “Why? Did he not like her?”

Baekhyun laughs again at her reaction. “Sorta. He was a stupid little guy who was hung up over his ‘first love’. She loved him with all her heart though, Soondeok. He didn’t deserve her honestly.”<