Today, I feel blue
Feeling like I’m trapped, that kind of mood
But you’re the master key who’ll unlock me
Your joyful colors change my days

Like a babbling brook, Baekhyun’s words threaten to rush out. There are so many phrases in his mind that he can’t settle on just one. Baekhyun doesn’t understand where this sudden lack of confidence came from. His friends used to call him the playboy of the group, not because he would sleep around though. He was a stealer of hearts, but none of them turned out to be the special one he wanted to keep.

Maybe he was wasting his time then by even thinking of trying with the girl who was already being taken away from him by a guy that didn’t seem much younger than him. Any moment they may have had was effectively ruined. Her eyes that had seemed to be placing him were now focused on the newcomer instead.

He can see them bickering from the corner of his eye. Perhaps he is her boyfriend. There is no way, Baekhyun thinks, a girl that lovely wouldn’t already be taken.

Trying not to, he can’t help but hear snippets of their conversation.

“I told you I’m fine on my own, Luhan. Weren’t you staying at-”

“He closed the door on my face. Apparently, he was in the middle of an ‘ appointment’.” The guy cuts her off, exasperated. Baekhyun has to resist the urge to laugh out loud at the turn of the conversation.

“A what?” With her head tilted to the side and nose scrunched up like a bunny, Baekhyun thinks she’s the definition of cute.

The bus arrives, prompting everyone to move from the bench. Somehow, Baekhyun ends up behind the two. He ignores the slight sting of jealousy he gets when he sees the blondie wrapping his arm around her shoulders, moving her towards the steps.

“I don’t blame him though. If I was suddenly getting dicked down by Sehun, I’d cancel my plans too. Hoes before bros, am I right?” This time, Baekhyun really does choke on his saliva. So that was definitely not her boyfriend. He’s thankful they don’t notice his mishap and decides to seat himself quite a ways from them once on board.

Now that he thinks about it, there’s a vague air of similarity about them as if they’re related. But maybe that’s just his wishful thinking.

Because that guy, he doesn’t have those bold, black eyes that had seemed to reflect him earlier. Or those soft, cherry lips that were about to whisper to him. Her hands that might’ve touched him looked like they’d fit perfectly with his.

“So beautiful…” He doesn’t realize he’s uttered this until the girl next to him smiles at him, tucking her hair behind her ear and batting her lashes. He’s not really surprised when it has no effect on him. But catching sight of his favorite passenger doing something as uncouth as nibbling the hem of her sweater paw leaves him with light flutterings in his chest.

Baekhyun’s heart had always been a fickle thing. He wasn’t really sure what love was. His heart had never really had a reason to race. Even his flings, he admits now that’s what they were, left him feeling even emptier than how he began.

His life had been a muddled mix of gray.

But suddenly, like a fresh breath of spring, she came into his life.

He figures there must be something wrong with him. Without even talking to her, her joyful colors had already began to change his days. He’s worried if he continues down this path, like a bud she’ll start to grow in his heart. But deep down, he knows love does not favor him and she’ll just end up blooming out of season.

He’s arrived at his stop, but the girl next to him is trying to pass him her number. The old Baekhyun would’ve taken it and charmed his way into her heart. He would’ve seen where the next few dates would take him, but it would feel, like always, as if he was driving on a dead end road. The present Baekhyun decides to just feign ignorance.

He doesn’t steal hearts anymore. He learned how easy it is to have one crushed near the point of no repair.

Suddenly feeling blue, he steps into his apartment. Mongryeong, his corgi, is off with his family for the week. The silence that greets him has him feeling some kind of mood.

He gets ready for bed early. Tomorrow couldn’t come sooner.

~

“I can’t believe I have to step foot in the library.” Krystal groaned.

“Same.” She mumbled, with lack of emotion.

Krystal rolled her eyes.

“We get it, you love the library.” Krystal smiled anyways.. The girl was just too excited for her own good. Sure the research project didn’t sound like a drag but it was still schoolwork and that’s no no.

“He looks so good.”

“When he bit the end of his glasses, I came.”

Girls, and even some boys that they passed in the hallway, were gushing about a mysterious guy. Krystal was unfazed and knowing her friend quite well, she knew she was correct in thinking her friend was more excited over what books to get than a new, supposedly hot, kid.

“Krystal!!” The duo stop at the sudden shout.

“Chungha called an emergency meeting. Something about the school not wanting to fund the club’s cameras anymore.”

“Okay, thanks Taemin. I’ll be there in a sec.” She turns, only to feel regretful at her best friend’s downtrodden expression.

“I promise I’ll start working on the internet resource portion tonight. It must be big...she never calls emergency meetings. I’m really sorry…”

“Go. It’s alright! You’re better at the internet portion anyways. Plus, I know photography club means a lot to you. I can handle the book portion!”

A bone-crushing hug later, she is released and making her way back towards the library. She hopes the librarian isn’t too busy. She had made her a few mochi cupcakes (Luhan ate most of the batch) and a cute card to thank her for the journal.

But at her usual place, there’s a boy standing instead. The longer she looks at him, the more familiar he appears.

When he looks up, those slanted, puppy dog eyes are a dead giveaway. It’s the boy from the bus. The one she once paid for when he forgot his pass.

His hair was no longer blonde. He must’ve dyed it black. It was only when he moved under the lighting of the circulation desk that she noticed it was more akin to a soft brown. How deeply rooted in her subconscious memory he must’ve been for her to be focusing on details as minute as hair colors.

He looked like a puppy more so today than ever, especially with his round framed glasses and fluffy hair.

Baekhyun can’t believe his eyes. She attended this university? He realizes he doesn’t know anything about his bus girl other than they share the same ride.

“Are you filling in for the librarian today?” Today is the first time he’s heard her voice directed at him. It’s so pleasant that he wants to hear more. He hadn’t even noticed that she had made her way to his desk. She’s suddenly there, her light jasmine scent slightly washing over him and