There are two advantages of switching shifts with Sehun, Baekhyun thinks while lying in fetal position in the corner of the staff room.

Firstly, no encountering Chanyeol in the morning. It feels nice to walk the streets without feeling like he needs to be at the tip of his toes. Now that he thinks about it there’s still a chance that he could be out during the midday too… it would make sense. Maybe Chanyeol goes home from his work when Baekhyun leaves for his afternoon shift…  , what if I passed him without noticing!  

Secondly, he can pretend to be new. Why is purposely stuttering, not understanding, having trouble guiding his way through the store and ask Tao to take the costumer for him a good a thing you ask? Well, the afternoon shift is the home for some really creepy people, and while he is used to people thinking he’s a cute 16 year old school dropout, a selected few of the people here are more into ogling than cooing over him.

This happens at his morning shift too, but only every once in a while. Then he also has Jongin or a regular costumer coming to his rescue, and to be honest it doesn’t scare him that much anymore as it did in the beginning.

The afternoon shift is another story. He’s only halfway into his second day and he’s had enough. He’s not being bombarded by them, but it’s getting really annoying and he wants to snap at them so bad. He can’t, because from experience these people are quick to call out his bad costumer service if he does, so he goes for the second best option. Hence why Baekhyun is seeking refuge in the staff room while Tao handles the old, disgusting, obviously alcoholic who tried to flirt with him.

Baekhyun is glad Jongin didn’t make it to this shift as he had initially applied for. While Baekhyun has a majority of men after him, the women are ers for Jongin’s killer body. They can be just as nasty as Baekhyun’s encounters, and even though Jongin can better defend himself if needed, he’s really awkward with girls unless they’re over 60 with grandchildren or a dog.

Baekhyun is starting to understand how Sehun is keeping his job too. And why Tao keep snagging the employee of the month title.

He steps into the store again when he deems it safe to return, before continuing like nothing happened. Tao is already helping another costumer across the store, and Baekhyun makes sure to subtly make himself noticed by a brief eye contact.

The rest of the shift goes by fairly smoothly. Baekhyun sticks to his I’m new tactic just in case. There’s a young girl around his age, who probably had noticed his expensive shoes, that sticks too close for too long, and at some point during the last hour Tao throws out an intoxicated businessman who had decided to take out his anger on a poor mannequin.

They close the shop in silence. Tao swipes the floor and handles the cash register, while Baekhyun refolds the clothes and make sure everything is in the right section. They keep a distance between each other, intentional or not, and doesn’t make eye contact. It’s a bit too awkward for Baekhyun’s liking.

He doesn’t dare to start a conversation. Tao is more than ten years older than him, and he has no idea what people in their late thirties might be up to these days. He doesn’t know much about the other aside from being Chinese and that he has mastered some martial arts. He’s been working in the store for a long time too, way longer than any other employee, and although worthy, he has never taken the manager position.

He wonders what Tao might know about him.

Actually, he’s not sure if he really wants to know.

“Are you alright?” They are standing outside the store. Tao turns to him while pocketing the keys. Baekhyun was already on his way to say a proper goodbye, and his mouth closes into a pout adorned with a small frown. Tao mirrors his expression, except his eyes are sad and not questioning.

It takes a second before Baekhyun understands what he’s talking about. He had been too distracted by the awkward silence they had shared the past hour that he had forgotten about his escape to the staff room.

“I’m really sorry this keeps happening to you.”

“It’s alright really… I-“ but Baekhyun knows it isn’t. He lowers his head in embarrassment and fiddles with his mittens. He feels like such a kid for seeking out Tao to save him. He’s an adult dammit, he should be able to take care of himself. He breathes out a big sigh before bowing.

“Thank you so much for being understanding.”

Because that’s what Tao has been, he understood from the very beginning. Tao has been working here for so long. He must have seen and experienced a lot, and definitely worked with several different people. The fact that Tao had seemed to understand the moment Baekhyun appeared before him with a tired looking man in a cheap business suit trailing close behind him both amazes and concerns him. He didn’t even have to look into Baekhyun’s desperate eyes for less than a second.

Tao lets out an audible sigh and drags a hand through his hair, his eyes filled with concern.

“I wish we could do something about them, but they’re important to this business too you know. The shop… it isn’t doing so well.” He smiles then. “I think we need a couple more of that chair you sold to be safe the coming year.”

Baekhyun chuckles at the memory of the chair he made Jongin lift on top of the table, and the collector noticing it when looking for shoes at the other side of the store. His smile faults fast though at the thought of the store closing down. Losing this job is one thing, but what about all those people who need this store to get by?

They stand in silence. Tao is looking directly at him, still his mind seems far away. It’s a great opportunity for Baekhyun to leave, but something tells him that he shouldn’t.

“I have a young brother around your age.” Tao starts. “You remind me a bit of him; stubborn and independent, but still so kind and fragile.”

Baekhyun stays quite, so Tao can continue. It takes a couple of seconds before he lets out a small sad laugh.

“I don’t know where is, he just suddenly disappeared.”

Tao breaks their eye contact to look up in the sky, and stays like that. Baekhyun doesn’t move an inch.

“Sometimes I think he left us because I didn’t pay enough attention to him… My mom was bedridden and ill, and I spent hours upon hours working to pay for us. On night I came home and he just wasn’t there. We tried to look for him, hired in a search party and everything, but we found nothing.”

Why is he telling me this?

 “I just hope he’s not dead, or maybe kidnapped and kept somewhere.”

Baekhyun notices Tao’s voice getting shaky at the end, and when their eyes meet there’s tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

“Baekhyun, some of the people that enter our store are potentially dangerous, especially at my hours. That’s why I and Sehun are here, because we can handle them, but you should be able to do so too.“

“You know I know some martial arts right? I can teach you a thing or two if you want?”

It’s a lot to take in for Baekhyun. Suddenly he knows Tao very well. A lost brother, a sick mom, bills to pay and money earned from several jobs. It doesn’t seem like he has much time for friends, or talking, or sharing his thoughts. It’s unexpected, but Baekhyun doesn’t mind Tao opening up to him like this. Tao might be a lot older than him, but he’s still lost many years of his life to the point where they’re almost equals. Being friends with him can’t be that bad Baekhyun concludes.

“Yeah… That would be nice.”

Tao smiles fondly down at him, and Baekhyun can’t help but notice how it makes him look younger, warmer and more brotherly.

He feels Tao’s arm fall heavily around his shoulder, and although he is slightly startled, he finds himself not minding.

“Let’s get you home now, shall we?” and Baekhyun enjoys the company.

1432 words

We got to know the Kung Fu Panda at the afternoon shift aka Tao

Don't worry! There will be some BaekYeol interaction in the next chapter!

100 subscribers!!! Thank you guys so much!!!