2 The Vision

The moment Tzuyu has sat on her seat on the bus, her phone suddenly rings from inside her bag. She knows who the caller could be. Every day, before she goes to work, he never misses calling her, asking her who she is going to have photo-shoot with. Sometimes even on her non-working days, he calls but eventually gets being dismayed. What does he want? He wants to know what Tzuyu will possibly see. He’s very much curious about it but he knows just where to draw the line.

Her phone keeps on ringing for the past two minutes, drawing in more attention from her fellow bus passengers. Without much enthusiasm, she answers the phone call. “Hmm?”

“Who are you with on the photo-shoot today?” The person on the other line asked with too much enthusiasm in contrary with her tone.

“I’ll never tell you his story, Baekhyun. Or should I?” Tzuyu teasesd. Baekhyun has always bothered Tzuyu asking her what she has seen on the photo-shoots she has been with other artists.

***

Baekhyun knows Tzuyu can see the past and the future through her camera lenses. It just so happened that her vision started when she was having a photo-shoot with him for The Face Shop. She saw a glimpse of his past. It isn’t that controversial actually – just a moment with his fellow EXO members…once when they were still OT12. It is a happy memory, OT12 stans would want to pay a huge sum of money for to see. During the photo-shoot, Tzuyu was so shocked that it took her 5 minutes to recover. They even took a break before any photo was captured and when they resumed, she saw his future – him being together with her housemate-slash-bestfriend Jennie. When she didn’t focus too much on seeing more of his future, the viewing of his future stopped. They went on another 5 hours and after wrapping up, Baekhyun approached her.

“Photographer Tzuyu, what made you turn pale earlier? Was I that handsome you weren’t able to handle it?” Baekhyun moved an inch closer to her face.

“No… It’s not that.” Tzuyu has considered telling him that she has accidentally invaded his privacy. It was his memories in the first place. She thinks she isn’t in the right place to intrude to his memories but still, she did. How? She doesn’t know. “I saw your…”

Baekhyun didn’t let her finish. “My out-of-this-world beauty? C’mon, Tzuyu! Everyone can see that.”

Tzuyu brushed off Baekhyun’s remarks and said, “I’m going to tell you something. Promise me you’ll never tell anyone.” She told him about what she has seen and talked for God-knows-how-long at the building’s rooftop. And that is how she has sold her secret to Byun Baekhyun along with her soul…Tragic.

***

“Really? You’re going to tell me? Baekhyun exclaimed. His excitement is evident on his tone.

Tzuyu shakes her head. “Which ones do you want me to tell you? That time you picked the lock when Chanyeol was taking a bath? Or that time when you were shooting EXO Next Door?” She hinted.

“You’re going to have a photo-shoot with Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asked and sounds of annoyance and dismay are all over the other line.

“Yes, Baek. What? Call?”

“No, thanks. I’ve already lived a fair amount of time with that yoda. I already feel like throwing up at the mention of him,” he said then hangs up. EXO lived in the dorms for so long that Baekhyun actually doesn’t want to have anything to do with them anymore. Not that he hates them already but – “Living half of your live with all those crazies? Give me a break, man.” – is how Baekhyun puts it.

The ride stops in front of a hotel in Busan. She didn’t go to Seoul anymore to meet the crew but instead, went directly to where the photo-shoot will take place to save money and time. At her arrival, the hotel lobby is swarmed with Chanyeol’s fans. Most of them are of her age, unbelievably. She thinks to herself: “How long have they been following him?”

She enters the hotel room the crew rented. She expects to see the equipment ready and also Chanyeol with his makeup and hair done…much more so, she expects a hell of a ride with Chanyeol’s memories.

She goes home to the smell of buttered popcorn coming from the kitchen. She places her bag on the floor beside the coffee table. With her eyes closed, she goes straight to where the smell is coming from. She claims her smelling instincts are stronger when she closes her eyes…

“Oh, you’re here.” Tzuyu’s eyes shot open at the sound of the man’s voice. She forgot that Baekhyun’s cousin already got in their house earlier that day. Youngkyun stands before her flashing a warm smile and a bowl of popcorn on his hands, fresh from the microwave.

“Hi, Youngkyun,” she pauses. Why did I not research if he’s older than me or not? She groans internally. “…Youngkyun-ssi?”

Youngkyun chuckled. “You may call me Youngkyun or oppa. But please, not Hwiyoung. I am not SF9’s Hwiyoung when I’m with people in my personal life.”

“Okay, then, Youngkyun.”

“You know what? Just call me oppa. I’d like that especially when I’m older than you,” he smiles and leaves me in the kitchen to continue watching whatever’s on the television.

Tzuyu blinks for how many times. Did he just really leave me here? Not even offering me his popcorn?