Warnings: mentions of abuse and family loss

Your eyes dig into me

 Without anyone knowing My hidden heart was stolen 

It feels like I'm walking on a path 

In a faraway dream 

it's an emotion that has never Touched me before...

The following day was quiet, even in the frantic kitchen at 8 am in the morning. Although Mrs. Byun was yelling orders, as usual, everything seemed so far away, so quiet. The girl was kneading her dough next to Byun Baekhyun who was doing the same but while she made bread he had the task of making pastries since they were harder to succeed. Yesterday night's events replayed in her head like a movie. The fact he was standing at such a distance from her although they were working on the same counter was extremely disheartening for her who only wanted to be his friend.

 While glancing hesitantly at the boy from the corner of her eyes, she bit her lip, she had to say something. She never backed down, not even in this situation. It wasn't just the simple fact that she wanted to be his friend that kept her insisting. It was the ice in his gaze, she knew it had to be broken, there was so much more to him than a quiet bakery boy. He was doing everything to hide it but she could see it in him. This strong pull in his regards, she wanted to drag him out of this lonely bubble he seemed to have built around himself. Maybe it wasn't her business, maybe she was just being nosy, but she believed that everything happened for a reason, and if coming to this island let her meet Baekhyun, she knew she couldn't let it be at that.

With her eyes tightly shut, she turned her body in his direction, parting her lips to speak;

"Baek-" And when her eyes shot open, he wasn't there anymore, she could see him put pastries in the distant ovens. A frustrated huff left her pouted lips as a light blush crept on her cheeks, the whole situation making her feel extremely awkward although he hadn't witnessed it.

"Do you need any help?" Came Mrs. Byun curiously, the girl reddened even more but nonetheless greeted the middle-aged lady with a grateful smile. "Could you explain this recipe for me again?" She said and showed her the one step that she hadn't been able to get through. Mrs. Byun was genuinely happy to help. Whenever she got help from the lady, she couldn't help but become extremely captivated by the passion burning in her eyes, how every inch of her body screamed how zealous she was about her work.

After a couple of moments, they were making small buns together, talking about anything that came to their minds. It was hard avoiding the topic of where she came from, she knew it would only worry the woman if she knew how and why she had come to this place. Though, she didn't find it dangerous to give subtle answers.

"You know..." Mrs. Byun started softly, "Give Baekhyun some time, he'll warm up eventually." She smiled kindly at her while placing a bun on the tray. The girl let out a little laugh, wondering if she looked that obvious and desperate in front of the boy.

"I don't want to be a nuisance" She sighed helplessly, somehow finding herself feeling extremely comfortable around the lady, letting her emotions flow without any worries. It was as if all the warmth that Baekhyun hid was completely unraveled in this lady, her eyes which resembled Baekhyun's so much, they were the kindest she had ever seen, and she found herself succumbing to their motherly warmth.

"I just want to be his friend, but maybe I'm doing the opposite." A frown twisted her lips as she eyed the bun in her palms with an unsatisfied expression, puffing out a breath as she started forming it from scratch.

"Aigoo! No, don't say that!" Mrs. Byun was extremely fast to disagree, waving her hands in disagreement.

"You're exactly what my boy needs, you know? Apart from Junmyeon and Jongdae, he barely has any friends. He's mostly on his own, it's bad for him-" Mrs. Byun spoke softly and kindly, but even in her affectionate eyes lingered a hint of sadness that she couldn't decipher. " I've done what I could, but I can only do so much. He wasn't like this before, he's hurt but he's not letting anyone help him." She bit her lip as her heart painfully clenched at the words of Mrs. Byun.

"He's hurt?" She began, not being able to mask the concern and disbelief in her voice, "W-why?"

Mrs. Byun only gave her a solemn and saddened smile, by then she knew it wasn't her story to tell.

"Please, don't give up on my boy."

The girl let a smile that turned her eyes into crescent moons spread on her face, a hopeful smile, one that gently soothed a mother's broken heart.

"I will do my best."

☀️☀️☀️

The next day, Mrs. Byun was as radiant as ever when she greeted her apprentice crew a good morning, telling them that they'd be splitting into themes for the various chores of the day. Before she knows it, the Kim brothers are ushered to the kitchen while she gets a long list of ingredients pushed into her face, which gave her the chills down her spine when she thought about her last attempt and how it had gone. She parted her lips to ask Mrs. Byun to change her task but the lady only winked at her playfully, as she called after her son.

"Baekhyun-ah! Come here!"

Once Baekhyun was there, Mrs. Byun nodded in her direction, the smile still as bright as ever on her lips. Seeing her in such high spirits made the girl grin as well.

"Please, accompany her to the market, there's a lot of ingredients needed, plus she's not good with orientation around here yet." Ah, now she understood it, a little chuckle left her lips when she realized that Mrs. Byun was setting her up with baekhyun on purpose. She ignored Baekhyun's questioning gaze on her and feigned cluelessness, pretending that she wasn't aware of the fact that he was looking at her. The boy gave a polite smile to his mother, "Of course," He said shortly before walking past her, muttering a soft let's go behind her to which she happily complied.

Although the sun was the warmest, the sea was gracing them with a caressing and refreshing breeze, balancing down the overly hot temperature. She inhaled the salty air and heaved a long sigh.

"The weather is so nice," She commented, directing her words to Baekhyun, wondering if he'd react since he was walking in front of her instead of next to her. It was a Baekhyun thing, it reflected the distance between them. He never walked with her, just enough to know she was there, but never with her. Though she was surprised when the boy answered with contently.

"Yeah, it really is," The tone in his voice seemed so carefree, so gentle that she felt disappointed for not being able to see his facial expression, was he smiling? Or was it the typical blank face that he was sporting? Nonetheless, just that simple answer made her heart skip a little beat, she felt energized and couldn't help herself when she started another conversation with him, even though 98% of it would be her talking alone, perhaps the boy was still listening after all.

"Where are we going first? To the supermarket or to the bazaar?" She wondered happily.

"Supermarket." Baekhyun said.

"How do you know? You haven't even read the list though?" The girl pointed out half curious half confused, knowing she hadn't shown him the list since the moment they met in the lobby, it was still in her hands.

Baekhyun let out an exasperated sigh, " It was me who wrote it."

"Oh.." She breathed out, feeling a little dumb, she didn't catch on the little glance that Baekhyun threw over his shoulder- biting his lip to suppress the tiniest hint of a smile at her flushed cheeks and pouty expression.

"Do you seriously only know how to give short answers!? You're no fun!" She eventually burst, her voice a whine as she ran to catch up with him, finally sharing steps with him, and she was to be frustrated once more when baekhyun only shrugged his shoulders in response.

"If I'm no fun then don't talk to me," She gathered air in her cheeks, suppressing the groan that was threatening to erupt from . Oh, so Byun Baekhyun wanted war? Okay!

"But like any normal person, I want to converse and make friends! Can't you collaborate?" She begged, almost cried. At this point, Baekhyun was having a really hard time keeping in the chuckle bubbling in his throat, he didn't know why her stubbornness was endearing him today, she sounded so silly and he couldn't help but find her amusing.

"You're not normal though, you talk way too much." There was no hostility or coldness in his words as he spoke, he wasn't realizing it himself, that he had let cheerful emotions flow through his voice, the girl's lips split into a beam although he couldn't see it.

"Baekhyun!" She whined, on purpose, this time. Her bright smile reached all the way to her ears while her heart burst at the chuckle that left his lips, shaking her head at the way he faked a cough right after as to conceal his actions. Nuh-uh, she thought, too late Byun Baekhyun, I heard you!

The rest of the day went smoothly. The girl's heart wouldn't stop beating joyfully in her chest, although Baekhyun acted as if he wasn't willing to talk when she engaged him in a conversation, he wouldn't back out. Even if his answers were the most minimal, she wouldn't mind because the interaction was as precious as it could possibly be. Perhaps he was only temporarily in a good mood and she would never have this kind of interaction with him ever again, but that was why she was going to treasure this moment.

While Baekhyun paid the cashier, she occupied herself with stuffing the groceries in the bags, in total there were four. She was already on her way to take the fourth one when a soft and slender hand stopped her from doing that.

"Let me help you," He mumbled, reaching out for her wrist and she cursed her body for tingling when his silk-like skin touched hers, an unexpected warmth seeping from his fingertips into her own. He slid a bag off her hold only to take it himself.

"Thank you, Baekhyun." She smiled to which he didn't reciprocate but simply nodded in acknowledgment.

Once back at the bakery they were greeted by a happy Mr. Byun by the cashier.

"Good morning! You didn't get lost did you?" He joked loudly, his forehead glistening with a thin layer of sweat caused by the bright and warm sun shining down on the island. The girl, despite her blush, laughed along at Mr. Byun's genuine ways, whining out a playful: "Oh, Uncle!"

Just a moment later, she and Baekhyun were sorting out the groceries by the things that go into the fridge and the ones that go into the storeroom. Baekhyun handed her a couple of things, most of them were dry products such as bags of sugar and flour. "Do you think you can bring these to the storeroom?" He asked, just in case she didn't know where it was, but the girl did since she had been there with Jongdae and Junmyeon before.

"Will do, Captain!" She exclaimed playfully, setting her hand by her forehead before taking the things that Baekhyun had sorted out and made her way to the destined place. The boy only shook his head at her childish ways, but why does it make him smile?

The door to the storeroom had been quiet the hassle to open, she had struggled to open it for good five minutes before succeeding. She put all of the products on their respective places and clasped her hands contentedly, satisfied with her work. Just when she was about to turn around and head out, the door shut behind her back, making her freeze in her spot, heart ever so slightly picking up its rate. Oh no.

She sprinted to the door and pulled it by the handle, only to have it not budge the slightest bit. The girl could feel her calmness and rationality slip through the cracks of her fingers, sweat covering her skin and quick breaths leaving her lips as she knocked violently on the door. The light was automatic, thankfully, it was still on. She had always despised being closed in cramped places because of how it brought her back too many painful memories. She was screaming out the word help and banging on the door, bumping her body against it, hoping that it would magically open.

She was on her way try it again when the door swung open and it wasn't there to meet her shoulder causing her to fly outside while gasping at the lack of contact. Her eyes shut to embrace the hurtful fall that in the end never occurred. She grunted as she hit against a hard chest. The scent that immediately sneaked into her senses was by now a smell that she could recognize anywhere. His arms so very tense and his hold feather-light around her waist as he held her into place, but to her dismay, it disappeared before she could even acknowledge it.

"Bekhyun-" She breathed out frantically, her view blurry and a lump closing up . " the door, it wouldn't ope-"

"Do you seriously only know how to get yourself into trouble?" He hissed, a little too harshly for her liking, it wasn't her fault that the door was bugging. Confusion surged within her at the contrast of his cold words and lack of iciness anywhere in his eyes. Nonetheless, she felt hurt by his insensibility. She pushed him away by the chest, "Yeah, sorry about that, and thanks." She kept her eyes low before storming off, leaving Baekhyun slightly dumbfounded and guilty.

☀️☀️☀️

A loud scream echoed in the middle of the night and the girl bolted awake at the