“Jo... My baby…” A young mother soothed a crying child at the beach, seated under the shade of an umbrella. “Why are you crying? We came here to have a wonderful time. Aren’t you a big girl now? Hmm? You’re 5 now! Look at Minseok. He’s swimming with daddy in the water.”

“But I lost him here,” She wailed looking heartbroken like she had lost something important. 

“Lost who? Honey… this is the first time you’re here.” The mom reasoned, looking worried. “You and Minseok wanted to come to an island, right? Here we are! Let us have some fun, mm?”

She, however, refused to quiet, shaking her head and wailing even louder making some heads turn to them. “I want him back, mommy. I want him back.”

Her mother timidly turns and bows to people around while going through her purse to take out tissues. Gently she began wiping away the tears. Lifting the girl's chin up, the mother fondly smiles at her crying baby. It looked as though this tantrum wasn't a common thing for the little girl. “If you keep crying we have to go back home. You don’t want that, do you?”

The girl shook her head wildly at that and turns to look at her brother and daddy playing out there in the waters but soon her eyes started scanning the people there as though looking for someone all the while slowing down her sobbings.

“Who does my baby look for every time? Hmm?” Her mom gently tucked the stray hairs of the girl's and picked her up in her lap making the girl snuggled against her mother. "I dearly hope you'll find him soon. Hmm?"

She yawns at that and nods her head, eyes slowly dropping down until her hiccups and crying all ceases and she's asleep.

Bleeding Blue

‘Jo. Would you be free today? There is something I need to tell you.’

I woke up to Baekhyun’s message this morning spreading butterflies the moment I saw his name on my screen.

“For sure he’s going to tell you that he’s BBH,” Minseok mumbles as he chews on the sandwich as I fed him since he was driving while Jongdae catches up with sleep at the backseat.

“I have a feeling as well…” I sighed taking a bite of the sandwich as well. Minseok tends to get up late so it has become a habit to sit in front and feed him every morning. “I am so darn nervous though. Why am I being nervous? It doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re going to meet your favorite poet… officially… so it makes sense if you’re nervous,” Minseok tells me with an eye-roll while opening his mouth to take another bite.

I smile at him as he takes a huge bite. “That’s true.”

I remained jittery the entire watching the clock, hoping that it’ll go by faster, and even zoned out completely on our meeting thinking about what Baekhyun might tell me.

“Earth to Eun Jo,” Park Chanyeol’s baritone voice woke me up from my scenario with Baekhyun. He was smiling brightly as he looked at me. “What happened to my favorite junior? You seemed rather spaced out today.”

I naturally blushed at his choice of words because damn. The boy is fine.

Laughing out awkwardly I rubbed my neck, “Just… something's on my mind.”

I help him out as usual as we walked to the library and talked of hundred and one things. It was honestly always a joy to talk with Chanyeol sunbae. He was really a man of much knowledge…

However, as we came out of the library, I see Baekhyun waiting for me looking much more handsome than ever! I think I am a little biased as well... But one cannot deny the beauty that Baekhyun holds.

As much as I loved Chanyeol’s presence and his talks, he could never give me the butterflies whenever I as much think of Baekhyun or the rush of oxytocin that makes my heart beat oh-so fast.

So now as Baekhyun craned his neck to look for me, my heart thunders inside my chest. Oh, dear. I am already sold.

I nearly did not hear Chanyeol bidding me goodbye like always, but thankfully could give him a small bow. I turn towards Baekhyun again, almost too quickly and it looked like he already spotted me.

Our eyes meet and his eyes quite literally shine making me almost laugh out loud. I may have been blushing, I don’t know.

He strides over to where I was, looking as though he wanted to hug the very life out of me but as he reached me, he lifted a hand, retraced it, and then lifted it to softly squeeze my arm.

I could only giggle at his actions.

“Hi…” I could only say shyly as he smiles brightly at me.

“Hello,” He says with a huge smile. “Shall I help you with your bag?”

Most of the time, Jongdae or Minseok helps me by carrying my bag because I am one spoiled girl so it felt natural when Baekhyun takes my really feminine tote bag and slung it across his arms like it did not matter.

Was it too early to say that I love him?

We walked side by side, arms almost touching while my hand itch to hold his. I wish I could just take his arm and lean on his shoulders but was it too early?

“I hope you had a good day,” He asks turning towards me, “and I hope there wasn’t anything important that I stopped you with.”

He could stop me from meeting the president of the United States and I would be okay as long as I got to spend time with him.

Shaking my head, I turn the question to him. “I am as free as free can be…”

“I am glad then,” He informs me with a small happy sigh. “I feel like we have a lot to talk about…”

“We do?” I ask getting curious by the minute. Was he really going to tell me about him being BBH?

“Yes,” He smiles, scrunching his nose a little at me spreading those butterflies all over again. “A whole lot…”

We walk to his quarter again and like usual, lost in our own little world chattering mindlessly about everything and nothing.

This time he made me mint tea and I could only smile as the fresh smell tickled my nose luring me to take another sip.

His home smelled like a comforting cocoon of love and I felt at peace being here. Holding the warm tea in my hand, legs up on the couch wrapped in a blanket to cover my legs as I was wearing a skirt, I watched as he places a plate of cut-up fruits in front of me while putting the handle of the fork in my direction.

I watched in amusement and fascination as he takes a seat right beside me as though there were absolutely no empty seats all around us. But that made me happy. Happier than ever.

He turns to me and blinked adorably as though surprised that I was already watching him.

“Eat,” He simply says with a small smile as though we’ve been together forever and that this was just something out of the ordinary. I smile and nod going ahead to pick a piece with the fork.

He naturally positions himself towards me, hand as usual perched on his head, arms resting on the rim of the couch. I love when he does this… it was as though his body itself wanted to give me all of his attention.

I too, turn towards him one hand holding my cup, the other fruit on a fork.

“You like pears?” He asked eyes looking at the fruit then slowly trailing up to meet mine. I nod and took a bite to prove that. “I’m glad.”

“So,” I decided to get to the point because I honestly just wanted to get it out of the way and discuss it at length. “What did you want to talk about?”

He squints his eyes and feign annoyance but still with a smile. “Impatient, aren’t you?”

I nod chewing my fruit slowly. “I am curious about a lot of things… most importantly what we discussed yesterday.”

I tell him but a second later, my face heats up thinking about the position we found ourselves in yesterday before we were harshly torn apart by my amazing brothers.

He seemed to have remembered that too as the tips of his ears pinked but coughing lightly, he goes to take a sip as though to cover his embarrassment.

“Yes. We will be discussing that as well…” He says a moment later, avoiding my eyes a little.

I simply nod and look at the art on the wall to seek distraction because my damn heart was beating a little too hard for him not to hear. There were several paintings there and even the first time I had been here, these had caught my eyes.

“You’ve got a beautiful collection,” I say taking a sip.

He smiles brightly turning to it as well, his eyes brightening… much like how it does whenever he sees me.

“Thank you,” He tells me looking at each of the art longingly. "They're special to me."

They were all abstract art and there was a distinct style to it indicating that it was by one artist. Soft colors with harsh … They strangely remind me of the soft blues in the harsh waves of Bleeding Blue’s cover.

“Do… you know the artist?” The last few days it felt as though Baekhyun had already known so much about me but I barely know anything about him. Perhaps now it was my turn to ask him questions.

He pauses a little but chuckles as though he found the question amusing. “Yes. I know her.”

I pause the teacup that was on the way to my lips blinking and looking at the art with new eyes. He knew… her?

From the way his eyes lit up… Why am I suddenly jealous? It wasn’t like he was my boyfriend. I did not even know what relationship he has with this artist so why do I suddenly feel insecure? Please don't tell me they are by his ex?

“I actually wanted to talk to you about… Um… something I have kept as a secret. I thought you should know.” Before I could fall into the pit of never-ending insecurities, he speaks up taking my attention.

“Is it about BBH?” My tongue spoke on its own accord because by now I was already bursting with excitement and keeping it in for so long was killing me.

Of course, his eyes widen considerably and he looked at me as though shocked. Oh boy, come on. It wa