twenty-six

I am because we are (Ubuntu) [Permanent Hiatus]
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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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exocholic
[Ubuntu] Hello! Just to let everyone know, a little update on the last chapter, it's already on the works! It looks like it's going to be a very long chapter though. So I may have to see if I'll update with what I currently have or just the whole last chapter in one go. But finally getting there! 😭

Comments

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MyLipsOnEXOs
#1
This fic is definitely the perfect one for winter. If anyone scrolls the comments they’ll see how often I reread this! At this point I would buy a physical copy of it.
Maya1990
#2
Chapter 95: When I saw in the title that it's in permanent huatus I went to the last ch to see where did it stopped and I swear to god I cried .... the pain I felt was REAL, the last 1000 words broke my heart 💔 now I want to read the whole thing knowing very well it will get me depressed
JuliaByun #3
Chapter 95: August 2023 and I still long for this story 🥹 I keep coming back because it demands my attention. I hope you’re doing great and well authornim ❤️❤️
walkinginmoonlight #4
Chapter 95: Ahh sometimes I get reminded of this fic and just how like, lovely it is? It's been years since I've last reread it, but I still remember it fondly, gosh the times when it had just started I still clearly remember. I was just reminded of aff being a thing today and had to try and remember my login.. I cannot remember if I commented on this chapter already but! Even if it's not the complete end, it's half of the end, so we've come pretty far since the beginning 😊 I know updates went from quick to rather slow, but seeing it's been awhile I got a bit worried so checked your twitter, and it's nice to see you're still doing well! Or, seemingly doing well. That you're still around and still enjoying our EXOs~❤️ so I hope you are doing well! And thank you for the very memorable fic 😊
MyLipsOnEXOs
#5
I've lost count of which rereading this is but this shall definitely always be my comfort fic. Whether it's the writing style or the details or the flow or the characters or maybe all of that together, there's just something that has me always coming back.

I read this for the first time in 2018, 5 years later it still holds a special place in my heart. I usually avoid starting new fics that haven't been updated recently, but just like my very first comment on this fic "It's on permanent hiatus but the foreword has me entranced so I will read it", the story is truly entrancing and gosh I'm grateful I read it!
Exofanland #6
Chapter 95: had to reread the last few chap bc its been so long and yes i am still crying my eyes out.
dreaming777
#7
Chapter 95: Hi there, I've left my aff account for so long an happy to see this update!!!! And truthfully I didn't expect I would still bawled my eyes out 😭
uwuness
#8
i keep coming back here just to check if authornim's have an update but no rush authornim, i can still wait :)))))) i'll reread this again because i'm missing this so much~

take care always~
uwuness
#9
i miss this so much 😭
hearteututu #10
Chapter 95: I’m back after many years and this made me cry so much. I really love this story and can still remember every scene vividly. Tysm for this wonderful and heartfelt chapter 💕