GHOSTS

Baekhyun looked from left to right and breathed differently. He was at a total loss. What was he to do? He didn’t even know what was it he did that made her cry.

Then out of nowhere, he just leaned in and held Hyerin in his arms, as in a hug. Baekhyun held on to her and spoke, “I-I don’t know why you’re crying, but if it’s something you really need to let out, I’ll be right here.”

Baekhyun knew that they weren’t close but since it was him who forced her to come with him in the first place, he felt responsible and he felt like he needed to protect her.

Hyerin’s eyes grew wide as Baekhyun held her. The tears stopped flowing and she just froze. At first, she didn’t know what to do or how to respond to what he’d just said but seeing as how weak she is now, Hyerin gave in to the hug.

She responded to his hug.

After a short moment, Hyerin was the first to slowly let go of Bakehyun. She took in a deep breath and managed to clear her face.

“A-are you alright now?” Baekhyun instantly asked as he examined Hyerin’s face.

Hyerin still avoided his gaze but gave a slight nod.

Baekhyun let out a sigh and said, “You don’t know how much you scared me! Jinjja. I’ve never made a girl cry before. I really didn’t know what to do!” he exclaimed.

A soft smile escaped Hyerin’s lips as she heard how worried he was.

“What was that all about? Was it something I did?” he tried to lighten up the mood.

Hyerin did nothing but oddly enough, she looked at her watch and spoke, “Don’t you have classes?”

Baekhyun’s expression switched at once. “AISH! I cannot be late again!” he started for the door but stopped right in his tracks.

“Yah, but was it really my fault?” he asked again.

Hyerin shook her head and smiled at him.

“Oh my God, that smile…” Baekhyun was struck.

“Oh, uh.. Uhm okay. I-I guess I’ll see you later!” he hesitated and ran.

After Hyerin knew that he had left, she placed her hands on the piano keys and played the previous piece Baekhyun played a while ago.

She sang softly to herself.

LATER THAT DAY

“Ookaay~ I’ve received word that a professor of yours assigned you a new song!” Seulmi popped up from behind Hyerin who had just finished her last class.

“How did you get that information?!” Hyerin raised an eyebrow.

“I have sources. Now, spill it. What song is it?”

“It’s a new release. But it’s by Ailee.”

“Singing Got Better.” Seulmi proudly claimed. “I just watched the music video a few minutes ago.” She continued.

Hyerin gave Seulmi an odd look and spoke, “Yyeaahh… I have to learn it by Friday, and we have the school festival coming up next week. So I kind of threw a tantrum earlier.”

“Khh, I can imagine. Keke.” Seulmi remarked but inquired no further.

“Uhh, hey you’ve got classes, right?” Seulmi started.

“Yep, I’ve still got a few, why?”

“Nothing, I’ll be hanging out at the rooftop. You know where to find me!” Seulmi sang and skipped over to the stairs.

Hyerin shook her head and smiled, “Arasseo, see you!”

OVER TO SEULMI

 “I’m not bringing that damned canvass this time. That thing’s way too heavy!”

She thought to herself as she ascended the stairs.

Seulmi had just finished her last class so she decided to hang out on the rooftop again. Evidently, Seulmi loved partying with other people and having fun but when she wants to draw, sketch, or paint, she preferred to be alone because she finds peace when she does that.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, she opened the door to the rooftop and breathed in the fresh, cool air.

She strolled for a few moments around the rooftop before she took her place by the wall in the far off corner.

Seulmi took out her sketchpad and pencil, and thought for a moment. Her eyes scanned from left to right as she tapped her pencil on the pad.

Thinking…She was just thinking…

“What to draw, what do draw…”

Unconsciously, Seulmi’s hand started to for something. She turned her gaze on the pad and continued. A few more light later, a human face was taking place. It was Hyerin.

“What better thing to draw but my friend!” she claimed to herself.

Hyerin’s warm smile always made her feel welcome. It made her feel like she really had someone she can always count on, even if her life depended on it.

A small smile managed to escape her lips as she was now tracing Hyerin’s wavy hair.

Then she heard something.

The door had opened and closed. She  looked up from her sketch and looked around. She didn’t see anyone but she heard footsteps that had suddenly stopped.

She got scared. She got genuinely scared. She fully thought that she was completely alone but when she heard the footsteps suddenly stop, she closed my sketch pad and stayed alert.

“Who-Who’s there?” she muttered.

No answer.

Complete silence, then sobbing/sniffing. The person who had stepped in started sobbing. It was a really soft sob, more like just sniffing. She heard deep breaths too.

“OH MY GOD! I think it’s a ghost!” she gasped.

“Eottokhae?! What am I going to do?!?” she held on to my sketchpad.

“Wait.” she said to herself. “Pabo(Idiot/Fool).” she rolled her eyes.

“What kind of ghost would come out in broad day light?” she scolded herself.

So then she decided to look into the matter some more.

“Y-Yah, are you okay?” she managed to ask the entity.

Still no answer.

Seulmi gathered the courage she had and walked up to the sound.

Once she saw the sneakers peeking out of the view where she was hiding, she figured that it was a guy. That particular distance satisfied her.

“I mean I didn’t want to intrude or anything but I do however will need to pass by in that direction because he was near the door, so I do need to initiate interaction.” She reassured herself.

“Uhm, a-are you okay?” she began. “Why are you crying?”

“M-my parents.” The deep voice finally replied.

She was taken aback and she knew that it was more serious than she thought. Seulmi leaned on the wall and listened intently.

After a moment of reflecting with herself, she spoke again, “What about them? A-are they alright?”

The man had stopped crying and he answered, “Yeah, they’re fine. It’s just that--.” He didn’t finish.

She wasn’t aware that he had gotten up and approached her. He walked up to where she was and gazed at her.

“It’s just that I can’t talk to you when you’re this far from me.” Chanyeol snickered.

It was Chanyeol, the moron who was there before.

Feeling like an utter idiot, she scratched her head and laughed it off. “What are you doing on the rooftop again?”

Chanyeol only slid down and sat on the ground once again. Feeling a little awkward with the situation, Seulmi decided to sit down next to him as she still held onto her sketchpad.

“I’m sorry if I bothered you.” He apologized.

“Huh? A-anni. Honestly, I thought you were a ghost. But then I realized that they don’t come out in broad daylight.” Seulmi tried to lighten up his mood.

A tiny smile managed to form in his lips. “I see you’re here, drawing again?” he remarked.

“Well yeah, this is the only place I can get some peace and quiet. Or at least it was.” she joked.

“M-mianhaeyo, do you want me to go?” Chanyeol was prepared to get out.

“Wha-No! I was kidding. S-stay. It looks like you need that peace and quiet too.”

“Thanks, Seulmi.” Was all he muttered.

Silence was building up and Seulmi felt so uncomfortable.

“So,” she started. “What about your parents? Why were you crying?” Seulmi blurted out.

Chanyeol kept his gaze on the ground as he hugged his knees. Seulmi on the other hand, had her legs stretched forward.

The guy took in a deep breath, “My parents called me this morning…”

FLASHBACK

Park Chanyeol’s phone rang non stop that morning.

Once Chanyeol was able to locate the ringing device, he picked up and answered at once.

“Yobeoseyo?”

“Chanyeol? Park Chanyeol!” it was a female voice on the other line. The voice sounded firm and familiar.

“Eomma? Eomma! How have you been? I’ve missed you!” Chanyeol rejoiced.

“Oh, Chanyeol… I—“ her voice was cut off. It seemed that someone snatched the phone from her.

“Hello? Chanyeol? This is your father. Son, you have to forget getting into show business! You won’t have your future there! Just come back and work for our own company!” the annoyed male voice rang in the phone.

Chanyeol fell silent.

 In the first place, both his parents disagreed to ever let him go to an arts school to pursue his dream. They thought that he’d be better off in a desk job working for their family’s company. He turned his back and ran away.

“A-Appa. Please,” Chanyeol’s voice shook. “This is my dream and I’m on my way to achieving it.” He explained.

“DON’T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR YOUR PARENTS?!” the voice was even more enraged. “Don’t you know how much your mother and I have worried about you? How can you be this ingrateful?!”

The words were like knives thrown straight at Chanyeol’s heart. He loved his parents dearly but ever since he was a kid, they’ve shoved business school to him. They always insisted that it was the best for him. They never asked what Chanyeol really wanted because his parents believed that what they were doing was the best.

“Appa,” Chanyeol sniffed. “Please don’t do this. I love you and Eomma, please tell her that?” with that, Chanyeol shut his phone and proceeded to school.

END OF FLASHBACK

Keke, hello! I've been very inactive so here's a little something :D Please tell me what you think! :))