I remember the day he moved in next door.

It was like every other day, except this time when I left to go to work there was a new car parked next to mine in the apartment lot. I didn’t note much except that there was a few packing boxes placed on the back and the door was open.

I was already a few minutes late so I just ignored it and drove off. 

When I arrived at work I yawned and waved to my co-workers. I was a friendly cashier at our local bakery, greeting the morning customers with a smile and some warm pastries.

What? Just because I didn’t believe in love didn’t mean I was a god-awful person. I was cheerful, enjoyed going out with my friends, I lived normally.

The only thing different about me was when I saw cute couples I would sigh sadly and think “what fools” because I knew that it would all come crashing down eventually.

Every time one of my friends got a new boyfriend they would proudly show them off on our little outings, and though I would smile and get to know them, I knew in the back of my mind that sooner or later, the next one would come down the same road.

To me love was almost like a routine. Lonely girls would find lonely boys and together they would be a little less lonely for a while until they decided that they were getting lonely again, and go off in separate directions, never to cross paths or feel those feelings again.

It was a useless waste of time to me. So I preferred to live without it, personally.

From nine to seven I worked, and by the time I was on my way home, I had completely forgotten about the prospective new neighbour. I lived in a quiet part of the city, mostly older people and the odd spinster.

The last thing I expected was the cheerful young man that greeted me as I walked in to the apartment lobby.

We were both waiting for the elevator, him holding his mail, I with my bag. He made small talk, and that’s when I found out he was my new neighbour. I smiled and introduced myself.

“Hi. I’m Lee Tae Jin. I live in apartment 212.”

His eyes lit up. “Byun Baekhyun. Apartment 213.”

I couldn’t help but smile and laugh a little at the enthusiasm he put in to the sentence. When we reached our floor and stepped in to the hall, he held his hand out and smiled, staring at me in the eye.

I felt a strange stirring in my stomach as I reached for his hand tentatively. I don’t think I have ever felt that sick in my life, but he grabbed my hand with as much strength and positivity as he had when he spoke and I felt a rush of safety from his touch.

“I hope I get to see you around, Lee Tae Jin, in apartment 212.” His smile was almost physically painful for me. I laughed lightly. “And the same goes to you, Byun Baekhyun in apartment 213.”

He smiled and seemed to be about to say something else when he opened his door and disappeared in to the dark house. The air left swirling from his presence almost had it’s own scent.

It definitely had it’s own scent.

I didn’t know what it was though.

I stood outside my door for a moment more, before pushing in to my warmly lit house.

“I’m home..” I called out to no one.

I shuffled in to the living room and was about to turn on the television when I caught faint noises. I placed the remote on the table and walked to the wall, placing my hand against the cold surface and pressing my ear against it.

There was light classical music coming from apartment 213, where no one had previously lived in until this day.

Over the music was a soft sweet, but deep and strong voice singing a song I had never heard.

I stood there listening for a while until the music stopped and the sounds ceased.

“Byun Baekhyun..”

The way the name tasted was so… perfect..

I let my hand fall from the wall and pulled away.

“Byun.. Baekhyun..”

I went back to my night, but I didn’t realise that I was smiling and stealing glances at that blank wall every once in a while, as the blossoms from the tree outside my window fell as cold weather approached.