{ chapter two -

Baekhyun shut off his laptop closed. Another video edited and uploaded to share with the world. He filmed his long journey from the States to Seoul, South Korea. It was tire-some 14 hour flight but Baekhyun seemed to manage the whole trip. 

The shot of energy meeting new friends helped him calm down his nerves of that fact he's moving to a foreign country. During the flight, Baekhyun made friends with a immigrant from Canada. He was a proper but extremely intimidating man at the same time with his sharp keen eyes. Instead of going to Seoul, he was on a stop over then going on another plane to Beijing. 

It was fun talking to him once you over look the cold image. Nevertheless, the two parted their ways and decided to keep in touch in the future. 

After finishing up editing the videos, Baekhyun jumped out of his bed and continued to explore his new apartment. The boxes and the belongings were freshly delivered the day-before he arrived. It was difficult packing them, it will be more difficult unpacking and rearranging every single thing to his liking.

The one-room apartment was tiny and little space for anything else. A kitchen, a bedroom and a small living room. Baekhyun didn't mind, it way better than sharing a room with his not-so-clean of a brother. 

He walked around like a little penguin with his pajamas while rubbing his arms. It was way colder here than in the States. Much, much colder. Baekhyun shuttered and noticed the balcony glass door was slid open, letting the autumn breeze seep in. Before closing the glass door, Baekhyun hesitated once the beautiful view of the city caught his attention. 

It was the late afternoon. The sun was finally setting down for a days rest and it was time for the moon to over shadow the city. The skies were a pinkish orange shade. City lights are beginning to light up, making it glow in the distance. The little children down below were running back into the lobby because it was time for dinner. Baekhyun smiled at the beautiful scene.

He could of came back inside and took out his camcorder but instead, he would rather take in this moment by himself. For his eyes to see and remember. Capturing this memory. 

Not minding the breeze, Baekhyun lean against the railing to get a better view. He waved at the little kids down below and they responded back by shouting and screaming. He laughed. 

It has been 6 years ever since Byun Baekhyun visited his home country. His mother persuaded him to continued his studies traditionally and learn the culture for once rather than to stay home, bored. Ironically, Baekhyun's life is completely insane if you look through his vlogs. Insane indeed. 

The temperature suddenly dropped, the wind starting to pick up speed. Baekhyun shivered and went back inside, taking one more glimpse of the city lights. He turned up the heater and walked back into the room. With that, the new school uniform neatly folded besides the desk welcomed him. 

Baekhyun picked it up and sighed. He a small smile krept up his face, trying his best to keep positive thoughts.

---

Tae Yun stared at her laptop screen, stunned. Are her eyes fooling her? Is Baekhyun really in South Korea? Seoul to be exact? 

"I seriously need some sleep...." she rubbed her eyes and blinked a few time then continued to stare at the paused video vlog. Is she seeing the correct words? On the screen it said Incheon International. Tae Yun sighed and slammed her laptop shut, burying her head into her pillow. 

"In you're dreams Go Tae Yun," she huffed.

---

Although it was the beginning of Autumn temperature this time of the year are below zero. Sadly, students are forced to walk in this undesirable weather in their uniforms. It's more unfortunate for the girls wearing skirts. 

Tae Yun wore her uniform under a long cold-proof coat above her knees. She slung her one shoulder backpack over her shoulder and held onto her camera tightly in her frozen hands. A huff of smoke appeared in front of her every time she exhaled as she walked down the hill to Seoul Center. 

While walking down the the hill, Tae Yun takes her regular route to school; through the market, down the apartment alley and take a left near the park. She passes wistfully through the bust fish market. Bowing to the elders greeting her happily as they scale the fish down. The Butchers happily waved at the familiar child they see every single day. 

Once passed the market. Tae Yun timidly looked through the apartment alley famous for the breath taking view of the city from afar. Tae Yun is and always will be jealous of the people living in the buildings. Always seeing that sunset every single afternoon. In her case, living in the shadows is difficult to capture the sunset. 

One day she will get that photo. Tae Yun sighed and continued to walk forward to the next stop. 

At the same time, Baekhyun walked out of the lobby of the apartment with his one shoulder black backpack and his hands beginning to warm up. He looked to left then to the right, not knowing where to go. Freezing his off in the weather in the meantime. Then, he noticed a little figure with curly brown hair not very far from the distance exiting the alley. 

Baekhyun was lost and not knowing what to do he called out, "Excuse me! Adjumma! Do you know where the nearest bus stop is?" he began to scurry his way towards her. Tae Yun froze, her back still facing him. Baekhyun tapped on her shoulder and repeated his question. 

She turned around with her head down. 

*That voice sounds so familiar...* Tae Yun thought. She hesitated but the man was lost and needed some directions. "Take a left near the park..." Tae Yun stuttered. Her eyes were glued onto the floor onto the boy's shoes. 

"Oh! Thank you adjumma!" Baekhyun exclaimed happily and followed Tae Yun's directions. Once he was out of sight. Tae Yun finally looked up then checked if the strange boy was there. He wasn't She was somehow offended at the boy calling her 'old lady. Probably it's the curly brown adjumma hair that caused the misunderstanding. And don't forget the old hand-me-down clothes. 

 "Adjumma? Aish, I don't look that old..." Tae Yun muttered.

--- 

Tae Yun immediately her hand phone once it alarmed her that 'SunGun-Baekhyun' was doing a live vlog at this moment! She smiled happily as she settled herself on the top of the grand steps in front of the school offices. 

There was about 30 minutes before the attendance bell rings and everyone else was in the gym playing their school activities. Tae Yun decided to isolate herself from her classmates and sit down on the big steps where it was quiet and peaceful. The heat coming from the office convinced Tae Yun there was no need to wear that stuffy coat. So she hanged it in the classroom. 

She quickly pressed the play button and suddenly she sees Baekhyun walking down a familiar road. The same road to she takes to school. He was wearing a blue blazer -similiar to the ones the boys at school wear- and he had a backpack on. "Aigo. Hey. Guys. Baekhyun here-Mother- Why is this hill so steep!" He whined breathlessly. 

Tae Yun continued to smile at him just like every video he posted. Sun Gun never failed to make her smile even on a rough day, he's just a ball full of happiness and energy. As Baekhyun continues to video tape himself, he walks past the school gates making Tae Yun a bit more uneasy. 

It was same set of gates that she passes every single day. What the? Tae Yun shook her head at the implausible idea, just no way. Never. Only in her dreams. She continued to watch the video vlog with such eagerness it almost made her fall off the stairs itself.

Baekhyun stopped with his jaw dropping onto the floor with the monstrous big steps right in front of him. He turned the camera so the audience could see it as well. "Dang those are alot of steps..." he whistled.

Tae Yun squinted at her phone screen, seeing the same big steps she was sitting on appeared out of no where. She saw a tiny body on the side of the screen, it was doing the same movements as her. The figure was looking at her phone intensly and it was shoved near her face. 

Then it hit her. 

Tae Yun's eyes widened. It was her. At the corner of her eye she saw a pair of leather shoes. Those shoes. Her eyes continued to gaze up the boy's pants, blazer and finally his face. That face. His face. The boy was holding a camcorder, looking around curiously like a little kid. A new student. 

He slowly lowered the camcorder when he saw the alarmed girl on the steps looking at him strangely. Tae Yun immediately looked down at her phone, trying her best not to look at the new student. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, curious. Why was she alone? Did he scare her already? 

Without even thinking twice, he began to walk up the steps. Tae Yun crossed her fingers, praying to the lord to not be noticed. A hand appeared in right front of her. She didn't look up but just stared at that pale hand. He flashed a sheepish smile. 

"Hey... I'm Baekhyun and I'm kinda new...can you show me where the office is?". 

Tae Yun 's eyes widened and accidently looked up seeing that innocent pale face. He was looking around curiously and didn't notice that small glance. 'It's really him." Tae Yun thought with wide eyes. She immediately looked back down on her phone, not knowing what to say. 

She tried to answer his question straight forwardly but ended up sounding like gibberish. "...it's over there...." she mumbled as she pointed at the brick building to the right near the flag pole. Baekhyun didn't understand and asked for her to repeat the directions. Tae Yun sighed and cleared her voice. She's already cursing the heavens for the fact this guy is practically deaf.

"The office is over there," she said loud and clear, "see the flagpole? Take a right and enter the glass doors." 

Baekhyun's lips formed an 'o' shape as he saw the building in the distance. "Ah. Thank you!" he chimed as he scurried- more like skipping his way to the school office. Once the sound of the glass doors slammed shut, Tae Yun's head immediately shot up, looking around the staircase if he was still there. She was all alone again. Just like how she liked it.

Tae Yun rubbed her temples, trying her best to process this in all at once. But she can't just believe that just happened. In all her dreams she wanted to meet her favorite blogger in person but not like this! She just kept replaying that moment over and over again. At the end, Tae Yun both mentally and physically face palmed herself after realizing how stupid shesouned.

She checked her phone for the time. Only a couple of minutes until the attendance bell rings. Tae Yun stood up from the steps, dusted off her skirt, slipped her phone back into her blazer pocket and began to walk into the school grounds. She passed the office, seeing the secretary giving Baekhyun some information and papers through the glass windows. They were almost finishing up filling out emergency sheets and other stuff. He smiled and bowed.

Before leaving the office, the secretary pulled him back for a moment. "Excuse me Mr. Byun, but do you know how to get around your homeroom?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head.

"No, I do not actually." Baekhyun has a bad sense of a direction and he gets lost easily. He once got lost in the city while on a field trip back a couple years back. Somehow he ended up 20 miles away in a gas station. 

The secretary pressed her lip into a straight line in irritation. "Well then...since it's almost time...." she said as she craned her neck to see through the window, her eyes brightened as she see a female student passing by, "...for the bell to ring. Mr. Byun I will have a person to guide you to your assigned homeroom." 

Baekhyun looked at her, confused. The secretary shimmed her way towards the main glass doors and yelled at the female student. "Excuse me Miss! Can you come here for a second!" 

Tae Yun froze and timidly turned her head to the cranky old lady by the door. Oh today is so not her day. She slowly pointed at herself, "M-Me?" she squeaked. The older women rolled her eyes and nodded. She held the door open and gestured the student to come in. Tae Yun gulped and walked in. It's rare for her to enter the office. 

Baekhyun turned his head to see a girl around his age entering. It was same person he asked for directions a few moments ago. Her eyes were glued to the floor as she and the secretary began to speak. He couldn't really seem to see the girl's face but he can make out that she's has long eyelashes and typical wavy hairstyle that adjummas have. 

"Miss. Go this is Mr. Byun. Mr. Byun this is Miss. Go. She'll show you the way there." the women introduced. Tae Yun's head began to spin once the name 'Byun' came into the picture. Oh gosh, this is really happening right now. She slowly took a glance at him and bowed. Nothing more, nothing less.

Baekhyun followed. "Anyeonghasayo." he greeted as he stood up from his seat. He looked around awkwardly then looked at the secretary uneasily. Is this quiet girl is seriously going to guide him to class? This is going to be difficult. The secretary nudged Tae Yun's side, signaling her it's time to go. Tae Yun nodded while quickly walking her way towards the door with Baekhyun following right behind her.

--- 

Tae Yun and Baekhyun walked to homeroom with a safe distance from each other. She was in front while he was in the back looking at everything in awe. The school was much bigger than the ones back home. Everyone looked the same than having people dressed differently. His homeland is completely different than he expected it to be.

He passed a group of girls and immediately they were whispering to each other about the good-looking new student. Baekhyun smiled brightly at them before Tae Yun walked around the corner, disappearing to another hallway. She secretly glanced at him as she walked to the other side of the building. He was like a little kid in a candy shop, completely amazed. Not a hint of nervousness.

There was couple of moments that he almost lost her in the crowd of people. 

Baekhyun caught her one of her glimpses, seeing a the side view of her face. It was first time to see a proportion of his tour guide's face. Before he knew it, they were at homeroom 3-B. 

---

"Theres a new addition in our class today." the homeroom teacher announced. "He's from the states so please let him adjust and welcome him!" 

Baekhyun stood there in front of the classroom, trying his best to shorten the introductions. He didn't want any special treatment since he's from a different country, but highly doubted that from the sudden attention from the female students he attracted from earlier. 

"Er. Hi?" he waved awkwardly. The girls in the class began to inspect him intriguingly at the foreigner. Some even cooed and sighed heavily. His eyes fell on Park Chanyeol, his childhood friend smiling at him wildly. Baekhyun snorted and bit his lip trying his best to hold onto his laughter. He scanned through the rows of classmates. He stopped when he saw the girl from earlier. Again.

She had a quite different reaction from the rest of the girls in class. She didn't bother to look at him, she couldn't even care less to do anything regarding to him. She just sat there looking down at her hands, lifelessly. 

Baekhyun's attention was quickly taken up by the homeroom teacher as he was assigned to sit next to Go Tae Yun. And everyone's attention was soon transferred to the empty desk next to her. She simply shrugged and moved her bag off of the chair next to her so he could sit. 

Once seated, Baekhyun glanced at Tae Yun and shook his head, looking back at the board. He noticed there was a camera hanging from her bag. 

"A photographer huh?" he murmured.

[ mochii's corner ]

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