Their Own Days

"I'm home~" Erim sings as she greets her sister in law, Joohyun. "What's wrong with you?" She asks the older girl who is wearing a sour expression on her face. Joohyun shakes her head a bit, letting out a small sigh. "I baked some cookies today for the kids I play with at the playground every morning. T-the cookies are salty and hard. They hate them." 

"You'll improve soon. Don't be sad. Failure leads to success, remember?" Erim pats Joohyun's back to make her feel better. 

"Did you have fun today at school?" Baekhyun crossed her mind as she heard the question. This time, it's Erim's turn to sigh as she gives a no as an answer. "Why?"

"There's a new student in my class. He is handsome and he's one of the Byuns. I guess it runs in their family. Chanyeol and Sehun are good looking too but what makes him different is he's so cold! I said hi to him but he ignored me. Worst, he is my new seatmate. I hate him already." 

"Maybe he's not used to his surroundings yet. Don't hate him first and be kind instead. Anyway, another Byun?"  Rumors going around in the school about the Byuns. Some said they were adopted, some said they are half brothers, some said they are triplets and some said they are cousins. The rumors are getting wilder especially when Baekhyun enrolled. Triplets would be too off because they don't look alike at all. Even their physical features. Baekhyun is… slightly… uh, shorter.

"Maybe they are cousins. I never asked them. I thought it's rude and it might be a sensitive issue, I prefer not to ask." Joohyun agrees with Erim. After she did some thinking, Joohyun gets up before walking to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm making some bread pudding. You can give it to them later." She answers from the kitchen. Erim brightens up at the idea. Joohyun might be bad at baking cookies and cakes but her bread pudding is to die for. Back in Canada, Joohyun learned how to make it from their neighbor, Mrs. Clark but it's been years since the last time she made it because no one will eat it anyway.

"By the way, where's that Han Taemin?" 

"He'll be away for a few days. He went back to Canada. Your dad needs him." 

Han Taemin is her older brother and her only sibling. He got married to Joohyun two years ago and Erim was too happy because she finally got a sister and one year after their marriage, her dad decided to hand over their business in Seoul to Taemin. Both of them had to return to South Korea because of that. 

A few months later, he asked Erim to live with him as he'll be too worried to leave his wife alone when he is away for business trips. They hired no maids and drivers so their dad sent Mr. Kim, the butler, to help them. 

"Alright. I'll be in my room to finish my homework. Call me when it's ready." Hearing yes from Joohyun, she leaves to her room and changes her clothes before doing her homework. In the middle of solving a math question, her words to Baekhyun earlier that day flashed in her mind. It was rude for her to say that. He must have his own reasons and forcing him isn't what she is supposed to do. Erim makes a mental note to apologize later.

"I hope you talk tomorrow. Are you a baby?"

Her words keep playing in his head. Sehun's words too. It is hard enough for him to attend school, adapting to a whole different surrounding and now people are expecting him to act lively. He is well aware that they just want the best for him but he can't. He needs encouragement, not expectations. The accident left him a really big impact and he needs more time to recover from it. When it happened, it feels like he lost his reason to live. How is he supposed to be fine with that? 

However, that Han Erim. She's different from those girls he met before. The first time he saw her in the hallway, everything about her feels different. It feels like— 

a home.

No, not home. He lost his home. Baekhyun quickly ends his thoughts.

Baek!

That voice again. The reason he changed. The reason why he is hurting badly even after years. Such a sweet and soft voice, how can he forget that? He loved the owner so much but the person is now gone. He can never see her again. The feeling of not knowing that would be the last time he heard her voice hit him hard. He missed her smile, her laughter, her beauty, and her sweet gestures. He wants her back. He needs her but all he can do now is nothing. Time has passed but he experienced nothing other than the desperation to feel her warm again every single day.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. He cries silently until he falls asleep. Maybe he is tired of crying but sleeping as the only way for him to stop thinking about the past is much more accurate. Baekhyun whimpers in his sleep. It isn't peaceful at all but it helps him to forget.

She stands in front of the mirror, eyeing her choice of clothes. A baby pink t-shirt with a pair of white pants. Cute, she thought. Satisfied with how she looks, she leaves her room to the kitchen. Joohyun is busy putting the dessert into a box. She then ties the box neatly with a blue ribbon. "Here you go. Tell them I said hi. I'm sorry, a worker called just now, they need me there so I can't go with you. Will you be okay alone?" Erim takes the box on the kitchen counter. "Nah, don't worry. I'm used to it." Joohyun grabs her handbag. "Come, I'll drop you off at the Byun's." 

She owned her own coffee shop in their neighborhood. It might be small, but it serves the best coffee in town. She really loves the coffee from Joohyun's shop, not because she is being biased but because it is special. 

The car ride to the mentioned house is short. Erim thanks Joohyun before she gets out of the car. "I'll be home before six so you don't have to pick me up. Just focus on your work, alright? Bye!" She waves Joohyun goodbye as the car drives away. The bell is pressed. "They gonna love this," Erim whispers happily.

The door is opened after she rang the bell for the second time. A middle-aged woman greets her with a big smile. "Good evening ahjumma." She greets back politely. "Miss Han! Come in. Mrs. Byun must be happy to see you." Erim chuckles as she follows the woman. "Wait here a minute. I'm going to call Mrs. Byun and the boys." Erim nods and takes a seat on the couch while waiting. 

"Erim! What brings you here? I haven't seen you for a long time. I thought you've forgotten me." Mrs. Byun pouts a little and before she can answer, Erim is pulled into a tight hug. "She gonna die from your hug if you continue to hug her like that for a few seconds more, mother." Mrs. Byun releases the hug when she heard Chanyeol. "Sorry, I missed you so much." 

"It's okay Mrs. Byun. Don't mind Chanyeol. He's jealous his mom loves me more." Of course, she won't miss the chance to tease Chanyeol. Sehun comes a minute later as soon as he heard voices from the living room. "Joohyun unnie prepared some bread pudding today and she asked me to send it to your house." Mrs. Byun happily takes the box and gives it to the maid. "Where's Joohyun?" "She has works to do but she said hi to everyone. And uh, the I'm actually here to see Baekhyun." 

"You've met Baekhyun! That's nice." Mrs. Byun's tone is excited. Her son is making a new friend to her surprise.

"Baekhyun sits next to her in class and we walked home together today," Sehun explains briefly. "And she called him a baby because he won't talk to her. Baekhyun seems angry," he added, receiving a deathly glare from Erim who is now blushing in embarrassment. Mrs. Byun laughs, amused with the girl. He's reacting to her, it's big progress for Baekhyun. After getting worried about how Baekhyun will survive school life for the whole day, Mrs. Byun can finally sink her worries. 

"Can I ask something about Baekhyun?" 

"Go on."

"I came here a lot but why I never saw him once?" Everyone turns quiet at the question until Chanyeol decides to break the silence.

"He was here but he stayed in his room. He hardly talks to people, that's why." Erim mutters an, ah indicating she understands the given answer.

"Please give me feedback on the dessert. Joohyun unnie told me if it's nice, she would add it on the menu." Sensing the awkward silence, Erim immediately changes the topic. To her luck, the maids are coming in to serve the pudding she brought.

They eat the bread pudding, praising how delicious it tastes. Mrs. Byun offers some to Erim but she declines politely. "Have some. It's rude to eat when the guest is not eating."

Erim is about to decline again when Baekhyun appeared out of nowhere. He goes to the kitchen and after a few minutes, he leaves the kitchen. The guy acts like he didn't see anything and before he disappeared to his room, Mrs. Byun calls his name.

"Baekhyun. Where are you going?" Baekhyun stops his steps.

"To my room, mother. I have homework to do," he answers, leaving the living room before anyone asks him another question. As much as she refuses to, she can't help but assume that he hates her.

"No, don't give me that sad look, Erim. Bring this to his room. You look like you have something to say to him. It's okay, give him some time." Mrs. Byun put some of the bread pudding on a plate and give it to Erim. Erim lowers her head. Mrs. Byun smiles softly, encouraging Erim. "Don't worry. He won't bite." Erim forces a smile hearing Mrs. Byun's joke. 

"Let me apologize to him and then I'll leave him alone."

"His room is the one with 'Baek' on the door." Chanyeol pats her shoulder. Erim stands up slowly and takes the plate with her. With a heavy heart, she walks to Baekhyun's room. After knocking a few times, she heard him permitting to come in. With tha