twenty-six
I am because we are (Ubuntu) [Permanent Hiatus]
Word Count: 1750
The table Team E.B. sat has been long empty since they left half an hour ago, but Baekhyun still remains out front alongside Kyungsoo sighing every now and then as he glances at their once occupied seats. Kyungsoo was affected too by their absence but was more controlled than Baekhyun – probably because the couple has more freedom of visiting each other’s place, so although missing each other was inevitable, they were still able to make up for it; to his envy.
For the nth time since their friends left, he sighs as he wipes a table that was already spotless clean. He misses them – their boisterous laughter, Tao’s sassy but adorable attitude, Junmyeon’s motherly care, Minho's apparently dorky personality, Jongdae and Jongin’s mischievous acts. He misses their gatherings, how these nights of get together makes him forget his sad reality, how he’s able to get to know them more and just simply spending time with them.
However, he misses Chanyeol the most. He misses his assuring presence, the security he feels when in the giant’s arms, the way his neck would stiffen after long moments of looking up at the taller. He misses all his smiles – the quirk of lips, faint smiles that one could easily miss, and his small smiles. Chanyeol’s radiant smile appears in his head pushing all other memories aside. He pauses his wiping for a moment as a smile makes it to his lips and a giggle escapes. That radiant smile.
The sudden tingling of chimes by the door signaling the entrance of a new customer brings Baekhyun back to reality; all reminiscing wiped out to a blank attention. Mindlessly, he readies his notebook and pen and makes his way to attend to the new customer.
“Welcome to Dulce Café. What would you like to order?” He welcomes the customer with a smile.
“Oh. You!” The customer exclaims with a point of finger towards him.
Startled, Baekhyun eyes the customer and was surprised to see the familiar face he saw back at the gift shop days ago.
“Oh! Hello!” Baekhyun greets now with more enthusiasm at the familiar face.
“Amazing to see you again!” She says excitedly and continues with glee. “So you work here?”
Baekhyun nods his head in answer amused at the girl’s equally excited look as his, but his head after a moment and wonders aloud. “Are you.. also a student at Éileeit?”
“Also? So you study at the university too?”
“Yes!” He nods again excitedly at the new information but frowns at a sudden realization. “…But I’ve never.. seen you before. Then again the campus is huge.” He mutters last.
The girl chuckles and shakes her head in reply. “Yes and no. I used to study here but I left before this semester started.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Personal reasons.” She answers with a bitter smile on her face and looks out the window with the same longing look in her eyes he saw when they first met.
Getting the hint of a sensitive topic she’d rather not talk about, all the more to a stranger, Baekhyun brings back her attention to her order, distracting her in process.
Back behind the counter alongside Kyungsoo as he was done attending to current customers, his friend wonders aloud as he looks at the girl Baekhyun met at the gift shop.
“She looks.. familiar.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. She just looks familiar, like I’ve seen her before but I can’t pinpoint where.” Kyungsoo narrows his eyes trying to remember.
Baekhyun chuckles at the ridiculous look on his friend’s face and shrug off the thought. “Maybe you’ve bumped into her before. She used to study at Éileeit.”
“Ah.. Yea. Maybe so.”
♠♠♠
Rushing his way at campus Baekhyun matrix his way through the crowded hallways – dodging students left and right, fast bowing to professors he passes by, mindless wave to
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