❝safe

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If there was one thing Jessica hated most in the world, it would be cleaning random people’s tables in the café. “One more table and I’ll quit.” Jessica huffed, wiping her hand on her stained waitress’ apron. Taeyeon chuckled. “I’m serious.” Jessica warned her best friend, eyeing her. “Yah, Kim Taeyeon. You’ll be here at the party for tonight’s shift right?”

Taeyeon nodded “I might be a little late though.”

“W-wae?”

“I have another one of those nasty check-ups. You know how protective my mom gets. She was worried because I had a bad cold last week.”

“Let me tell you why. It’s this stinking job!” Jessica pinched her nose with one hand, and held up a dirty cloth on the other hand. “You’re getting all the germs from strangers. Taeyeon-ah, let’s move to New York.” Jessica laughed.

Taeyeon chuckled again, shaking her head. “I can’t. I’m getting married, remember?”

“ugh.” Jessica rolled her eyes. “When is the wedding? Am I still going to be your maid of honor?” her tone changed from disgust to excitement.

“Of course. You’re my best friend.” Taeyeon smiled. And Jessica was, in fact, Taeyeon’s only friend. Taeyeon was so used to being left and being lonely, and Jessica understood it and felt the same way. They depended on each other. If Taeyeon was feeling down, Jessica wouldn’t question her because Taeyeon liked being alone when she gets sad. Taeyeon hated receiving affection and Jessica hated showing affection, so it both worked. 

“There’s no one else in the world whom I would want to be my maid of honor.” Jessica smiled at this.

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“Should I dress up?” Taeyeon questioned as she tapped her chin, staring at her own reflection from the window. Her medical appointment was done and she had three hours until the party would end. She knew she was late, but she knew Suho would understand. Though Suho was her boss, Suho was also her fiancé. It will work.

She still had time to walk back to her house and then walk to the café before the party ends. She held her sling bag tightly, it was dark. 9.30p.m, she checked. It looked as if it was going to rain, too. Taeyeon knew she’d be cursed with bad luck. She couldn’t ask anyone to pick her up, they were all at the café.

“Should I really dress up? Or is this okay?” she looked down towards her outfit. She was wearing a white skin-tight t-shirt with a pair of jeans and a pair of maroon sneakers. It was casual and simple. “I look like I came out of SNSD’s Gee music video or something.” Taeyeon scowled.

She ignored her own criticism and ran under the rain. It was about a 10 minute walk from the hospital to the café, and she made it in time but by the time she did, she was already soaking wet. But no one seemed to take notice of her as everyone was partying hard.

Taeyeon didn’t think a simple café would turn like a club at night so she was fully impressed. “Chen did a great job at decorating the place.” Taeyeon screamed at Jessica’s ear as she approached.

Jessica nodded as she swayed to the music.

“Swam here, did you?” Jessica looked at Taeyeon.

“It was raining outside.” Taeyeon grabbed her mini waist apron and wrapped it around her waist.

“How was the check up?”

“They will contact me with the results when it’s ready.” Taeyeon smiled slightly, almost as if she was telling Jessica that she will be okay. Jessica believed her.

“Well you better start working now.” Jessica handed Taeyeon a tray and Taeyeon began to sigh, she made way towards the crowd, they didn’t seem to notice her.

Not that Taeyeon wasn’t used to it already

. She walked over towards a group of guys and she could smell how drunk they were. Taeyeon’s nose began to scrunch at disgust.

“Baekhyun. Take this lady to dance.” One of the drunk men yelled.

“No, Chanyeol. No.” Baekhyun, who was also drunk, slurred.

Taeyeon looked at them and took their empty glasses and left before they could say anything else. Taeyeon came back to the bar counter and said “ugh” in disgust. Jessica gave her a questioning look. “There were two drunk pathetics out there.” Taeyeon secretly pointed towards the two men.

“Just leave them, Taeyeon.” Jessica said, also annoyed. “What’s wrong with them, really? This is why I don’t have a boyfriend.” Jessica said again, suddenly sounding sad.

“You don’t need boyfriends like them.” Taeyeon nodded. Without a warning, Baekhyun who was staring from afar, walked towards the bar counter. Jessica who saw this as a warning, left Taeyeon alone with him.

“M-may I help you?”

“A-are you Heeyoung?” Baekhyun slurred. “You’re Heeyoung aren’t you?”

“Ahjussi,-- look, I don’t know who that is—“ Taeyeon tried to say, but Baekhyun groaned. “You are. You’re Heeyoung. Why did you leave me?”

“Sir, you’re drunk.”

“Why did you leave me… and changed your hair colour?” his facial expression seemed to change. As if for a moment, he was sober. Taeyeon panicked and didn’t know what to do. “You could’ve just waited for me for a while… Heeyoung, why won’t you come back to me?” Taeyeon stayed silent and stared at the man, and he stared back. She suddenly felt curious and a little bit guilty…. Until she realised he was staring at her chest. She realised that the rain made her white shirt see-through, and Baekhyun could clearly see her dark purple bra underneath her shirt. She gasped and covered her chest, slapping him.

“That is why she left you. Don’t stare at girls like that.” Taeyeon stormed off from the café and at that exact moment, she regretted her decision because she was soaked in rain again. She didn’t realise she was outside for a very long time until she could hear cheers from inside the café wishing Luhan a happy birthday and singing songs for him and there were a lot of cheers. 12.00 a.m.

Taeyeon wanted to go home. She really wanted to go home.

Baekhyun, as if having a late reaction, looked for Taeyeon outside. He was clearly still drunk, but even drunk he knew that what he did was wrong. Baekhyun has always been an honest drunker. He would turn brutally honest whenever he consumed alcohol and it usually became the trigger for laughter from his friends but today it would mean something different to Taeyeon.

When he saw Taeyeon in the rain, he quickly gave her his jacket.

“This will not make me like you.” Taeyeon warned and took his jacket anyway, and Baekhyun gave a slight smile.

“I know.” He said. “I’m sorry…. And I’m sorry I’m still drunk.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of how to explain himself. “I’m at my old’s friend’s birthday party. A party I didn’t even want to go to.”

“That makes the both of us.” Taeyeon laughed. “I’m here for work, and as you can tell, I’m not too excited about it.” She grinned. Baekhyun grinned too, but he didn’t say any other word. “Why don’t you want to be here? I thought he’s your friend.”

“It’s a long story.”

“D-do you want to talk about it…? That is—if you’re not too drunk.”

“sure.”

“Let’s go inside… you’re getting wet.” Taeyeon grabbed his hand to pull him inside

. “N…no. not there. Let’s go somewhere else.” Baekhyun stopped her and grabbed her hand instead.

Her heart beat increased as she was never this brave before. She didn’t know this man. He was a stranger. She had work to do. Suho and Jessica will be furious. Baekhyun is a stranger… well, not anymore now that they have shared jackets and exchanged emotional thoughts… and she did know his name… although not officially introduced. She might even get . But, she has always been a little daredevil right? She glanced at her pink extensions and was reminded of her little rebellion. She will be fearless and she was not scared. In fact, she felt safe with him.

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✉(A/N).

Hey guys sorry for a rather brief and short update. Hope you like their first meeting. Sorry for any mistakes, it's really late at the moment.
 

( h a r l e q u i n. )