"If music be the food of love,
play on...."

- William Shakespeare.

 

Melancholic.

That would be the first word to describe Byun Baekhyun. 

Almost everything about him was melancholic. The way he looks, his apartment, his personality, his feelings, his past, the music he plays in the piano every 6 in the evening until 12 in the midnight in an upper-class hotel bar. 

You'd think they would allow such melancholic music entertain their upper-class customers, but surprisingly (it still suprises Baekhyun until now) he wasn't fired and continued to play the piano for sad rich people looking for a hard drink and a lover for 2 years.

Before and after his shift he did not do much. Before work he would play the piano. Sometimes he would compose. His life pretty much revolves around his work, playing the piano until his fingers were stiff and calloused, playing the different songs but expressed the same emotions. After his shift he would get a drink, but no lovers. No. Not even once had he thought of getting a lover. 

Why?

Why can't a man like him, a completely fertile and ually active 26 year old male, not want a lover?

Not even a one-night stand or a fling?

No. 

Why?

He had this thing called loyalty. He felt like he was bound to one person, and one person only. If he 'disobeyed' that person, he would feel dirty and used and useless

That one person who he has kept loyal to all these years changed him.

His life, the way he was living it.

His past, his present, and maybe his future if he doesn't do anything about it now.

Her name was Park Ahri. They were both from good, upper-class families, just like the kind of people he entertained with his piano, but he was richer, or maybe not. He doesn't care, he doesn't care because it doesn't matter. Riches don't matter, wealth doesn't matter to him now.

They met when they were just 18, at Baekhyun's piano recital. That age when you're at the peak of adolescence but still with young hearts, maybe unexperienced, and young minds. 

 

 

 

1: every now and then the stars align, 
boy and girl meet by the great design, 
could it be that we are the lucky ones?

 

"Baekhyun, let me introduce you to Park Ahri. She's the daughter of one of the close friends of our family." Baekhyun's mother said.

Baekhyun bowed, said formalities and looked at her face.  Oh, Baekhyun thought he was seeing angels the moment he looked at this Park Ahri's face. She was small, smaller than Baekhyun, but she wore heels so they could almost be the same height. She had nice hazel eyes framed by thick eyelashes. They were sparkly and spoke of kindness to Baekhyun. She had pretty pink lips and her petite body was covered in a deep blue dress.

She was so beautiful, Baekhyun thought. 

"H-Hello, Baekhyun sunbaenim. It’s nice to meet you." She greeted and bowed low from the waist, telling Baekhyun she was his junior.

"You're pretty." Baekhyun blurted out his thoughts and he regretted doing so. He felt so embarrassed. This was the first time he had said up front that a girl was pretty, and it turned out so awkward. Ahri blushed, her cheeks tainted pink, and she hung her head low and covered by her curtain of hair.

"T-Thank you, sunbaenim."

"W-Will you perform today, at the recital?" Baekhyun asked her.

"I-If you want me to, I will." Ahri said, her cheeks turning red from its previous pink.

"Mother, can I ask her to play later, after all my performances?" Baekhyun immediately asked his mother, who nodded in approval. He tried hard not to show his excitement. Ahri blushed again at what Baekhyun's mother said.

"T-Thank you eomeonie." She said sincerely.

"Oh dear it's not a problem. Baekhyun, don't you know that Ahri's a pianist too? A very good one at that."

"Oh really? I'd like to hear it later." Baekhyun smiled and went back backstage to prepare for his next performance.

Time was slow, so slow, and Baekhyun could not wait. He also couldn't do anything. He could not speed up what was a slow piano piece and played fast piano pieces as they were in fear of making a mistake even though he has practiced them countless times perfectly. At last, he was playing the last few notes of his last performance, and he could not wait. He's an impatient man, Baekhyun. He practiced in his head what he will say to call Ahri to come to the stage and ask her to play. Somehow, to Baekhyun, it felt like asking her out on a date.

So soon Baekhyun? Slow down.

He finished the last closing piece of his recital and people started clapping. He even saw a few elder people crying silently. Then slowly, they started standing up, rising up their seats and clapping harder. It overwhelmed Baekhyun. He was just playing a few pieces he had practiced and sacrificed time for. He had no idea that just him, the small Byun Baekhyun, sitting there playing these pieces could bring people to tears. He bowed from the waist several times, thanking them for attending and listening.

Once the clapping has died down he was handed a microphone and he took it nervously. He cleared his throat to make his presence known.

"Uh... H-Hello everybody. Thank you for taking the time to attend my recital. I would like to express my endless gratitude to my parents, who have supported and encouraged my talent for music and playing the piano. To everyone involved in making this recital come true, thank you very much. I know you must be tired and hungry, but as an encore, let me please call Park Ahri to play the piano. Ahri?"

He called her name, looking at her among the crowds. He recognized her among the many many people, her face shining of happiness that he indeed kept to his 'promise' of letting her play. She silently stood up and made her way towards the stage and bowed to Baekhyun.

"Thank you sunbaenim, for letting me play."

"It's no problem, I really want to hear you play. And please just call me Baekhyun." Baekhyun pulled the piano bench back, like a proper gentleman should when a lady wants to take a seat, and Ahri sat on the piano bench and straightened her posture to play.

"Do you have sheet music with you? I could lend you one of mine." Baekhyun said.

"No, sunbae--"

"Baekhyun, please. Just Baekhyun."

"No B-Baekhyun, I'd like to play from memory." Ahri smiled and Baekhyun gave her space to play. Her hands hovered on the black and white keys of the marble white grand piano, and then she started playing.

{ Chopin Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 }

Ahri played the first parts of the piece, her hands moving across the piano keys gracefully. The whole room was silent, everybody listening to Ahri's playing.

Her choice of music saddened Baekhyun. It was a sad, slow piece played with elegance. It spoke volumes about this Park Ahri, even though he knew nothing about her but her name. Only someone so sad would play such a sad song, because music speaks when words can't.

She finished the piece nicely and the audience clapped in appreciation, but Baekhyun stared at her. What sadness is she experiencing that she has to play such an emotional piece? She bowed endlessly to express thanks, and she smiled to Baekhyun which he returned back absentmindedly.

She walked to him and bowed, "Thank you, Baekhyun." She smiled to him again, this time the most beautiful smile Baekhyun has seen.

The ride back home was uneasy and the night passed without a wink of sleep.

 

 

~ * ~

 

 

2: there is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed. - Napoleon Bonaparte

 

The doors of the Byun household opened to welcome the Park family: Park Young Jae, Park Ji Ae, and their daughter, Park Ahri. 

"Hello! You haven't visited in a while. What brings you to visit?" Mrs. Byun asked. 

"Ah well, just a visit out of the blue. Congratulations by the way on Baekhyun's successful recital." Mrs. Park said.

"Yes, he has done well. Please, come in. I'll alert the cook for lunch." Mr. and Mrs. Byun welcomed the Park family into their home and they sat on the plush couch.

"Mrs. Byun, where is Baekhyun?" Ahri asked.

"Baekhyun? I believe he's in his room. Feel free to see him." Mrs. Byun said. Ahri bowed and made her way upstairs, looking for Baekhyun's room. 

Ahri checked every room unlocked and she did not see Baekhyun in any of them. She gave up on looking for him when at the last room she did not see him. The room looked like a normal bedroom, but it had a mahogany brown grand piano by the wall, and the sound of a shower can be heard distantly. Ahri sat down on the piano bench and raised the covers of the piano keys. It looked brand new (or just really clean) and still retained the smell of a shop with a mix of a cool manly perfume. A few music sheets were placed on piano desk but she paid them no mind; she wanted to play on her own, without any music sheets. And they seemed like they were composed by whoever in the Byun family composes because the notes were not printed, rather, written with a pencil with several additional notes on the margins.

She positioned herself comfortably on the piano bench and placed her fingers on the respective keys and with a deep breath, she began playing. She put herself in the same atmosphere as a recital, but instead of playing to please the audience, she played to please herself and her soul.

My sad, broken soul.

{ Young and Beautiful - Lana del Rey }

 

 

Baekhyun walked out of the shower, his hair wet and sticking to his forehead. He grabbed a small towel to pat his hair dry, making his hair messy. He covered his lower half with a towel. He brushed his teeth and was about to step out of the bathroom when he heard music, piano music, playing.

Who is playing my piano right now?

Who is in my room right now, and thought to themselves that they can play my priceless piano so carelessly?

But he listened to the music playing, and it reminded him of Park Ahri, the girl who he invited to play in his recital and played sad music that made him think what she was experiencing that made her play such, because music is an outlet for the  feelings you can't put into words but can put into musical notes. He was kind of put into a trance when he heard the music play but a moment later he wanted to confront who was playing his piano without asking permission so he opened the door to see Park Ahri, sitting on the piano bench and playing his piano.

Ahri heard a door open and abruptly stopped playing. She looked at where the sound came from and there stood Baekhyun, the person she was looking for earlier, in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and water still dripping from his wet body on the floor. She immediately covered her eyes and stammered an apology.

"Sun– Baekhyun! I'm so s-sorry. I- I didn't know this was your room and that you were the one showering. I'll j-just leave now. I'm so sorry-"

"No!" Baekhyun said, stronger than he intended it to be. "I mean, don't leave. I'm sorry for showing up to you like this. I- Just wait. Keep your eyes closed." Ahri heard a scurry of footsteps and Baekhyun slipped on his clothes hurriedly. "You can open them now."

Ahri opened her eyes and saw a fully clothed Baekhyun, hair still messy and all. She took a deep breath; he was really handsome even if he just came out of a shower. She covered the piano keys and put back the bench as it were before and bowed to him.

"Don't leave, I want to talk to you. Oh and why are you here?" Baekhyun said.

"Uhm... my family visited and I asked permission from your mother if I can visit you." Ahri said shyly.

"Oh. It's alright. I'm a bit sensitive about my piano, sometimes I care for it more than I do for my well being, so I was kind of shocked when I saw you in my room. But there's no need to apologize." Baekhyun said.

"I get it. I'm like that with my personal belongings too. You have a really nice room by the way. I haven't seen a man this neat." Ahri said, sitting on a chair near Baekhyun.

"Feel free to roam around." Baekhyun smiled as he fixed himself to be more appropriate for the guests.

Ahri looked around the room. It was simple and did not have many small trinkets around. The room was painted a soft blue. He had a queen-sized bed with white sheets and beddings, a bedside with a lamp and an alarm clock, his laptop and a book. Directly in front of the bed was a TV mounted on the wall and a wide TV stand below it containing a DVD player, video game consoles, CDs, even an LP player. There was a large rug and bean bags for people to sit on and the rest of the flooring was white carpet. There were a couple of paintings and picture frames with pictures of his family hanging on the walls. There was a tall bookshelf stocked full with books with various different genres, a couple of his notebooks and many piano compositions. And of course Baekhyun's piano which was the first thing you would see once you enter Baekhyun's room. Compared to the many things in his room his piano is easily the most expensive and most treasured in his room.

"You've got a really nice room. You seem to like books a lot."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I like reading. Don't be fooled though quite a lot of them are cookbooks." Baekhyun said.

"Cookbooks? You like to cook too?" Ahri found it amusing.

"Yeah." Baekhyun said shyly. “But I always fail, so I kind of depend on them.”

"You're cute." Ahri blurted out, smiling a smile that made her eyes turn like crescents. 

"Yah! You're quitting on using honorifics on me?"

"I just said you're cute! What's informal about that?" Ahri asked in a seemingly panicked way.

"I'm just kidding," Baekhyun smiled to assure her. "For the record, you can stop honorifics me with me. It makes me feel old just because I'm better at playing the piano than you."

"When did you start playing the piano?" Ahri asked.

Baekhyun seemed to give it some thought when he said, "As long as I can remember, I think. I saw my mother once play the piano and I said I wanted to play with her, so from that moment on she started teaching me."

"Oh. So I guess you're really an accomplished pianist now." Ahri said with admiration.

"No I don't think so." Baekhyun said humbly. "What about you? When did you start playing the piano?"

"Just recently, as a way to release what's in my mind." Ahri said. Because music speaks when words can't.

"That's nice. Playing an instrument is a nice way to release what's in your mind." Baekhyun agreed.

"What do you listen to? You seem a bit into the old stuff since you have an LP player and LPs." Ahri asked.

"Mostly ballads, some RnB. Those LPs are... quite a bit outdated if you want to question my music taste. I used to like rock a lot, like Queen, Guns and Roses, ACDC." Baekhyun said, remembering the days when he sported long hair and leather jackets.

"I can imagine you in a leather jacket now. You look good." Ahri laughed. It was a melody Baekhyun wouldn't mind to put on repeat.

"Oh really? How do I look then?" Baekhyun asked, curious himself.

"It wouldn't really suit you with the hair you have. So like... jet black, shoulder length hair, then those leather clothes... you can pass." Ahri laughed again. Baekhyun stood up and opened a cabinet with his clothes and pulled out a thick leather jacket. He wore it and showed it to Ahri, "Do I look good?" He asked.

"Yes, yes you do." Ahri replied with giggles. Truth be told, he didn't really look good, she just said that to appease Baekhyun. Baekhyun took off the jacket and put it back in its proper place in the cabinet and closed it

"It must be time for lunch. You said your parents were here right? They and my parents will kill me if I don't introduce myself." Baekhyun said and Ahri laughed. They went downstairs and both of their parents conversing in the sitting room.

"Baekhyun, Ahri! Where have both of you been?" Mrs. Park Ji Ae asked after Baekhyun and Ahri bowed and said their formal greetings.

"We were in my room, eomeoni." Baekhyun said, carefully wording it so as to not sound like they did 'something' in his room.

"Oh I see. Why don't we take lunch?" Mrs. Byun asked and told a female servant to bring out the lunch cooked beforehand.

That day, that faithful day, was the start of a beautiful friendship.

 

 

~ * ~

 

 

3: oh dear diary, i met a boy.
he made my dull heart light up with joy.

 

"Baekhyun!"

"Baekhyun wake up!"

The call of his name became Baekhyun's alarm clock. It serves as a sign that Baekhyun should wake up and make himself presentable, because Ahri was downstairs, standing below the view of his bedroom window, waiting for him to come down and go with her on some 'adventure'.

He isn't really an outgoing person. His best friend is music who he gets to play with on his piano. He's shy and reserved most of the time and he doesn't know how to properly socialize with people unless given a script. Then he met Park Ahri and started to become close friends with her. That day when she visited with his family and she played the piano in his room, not knowing it was his, was the start of his blooming 'social life', albeit with just one person. But it was fine. Better little than nothing. 

He rubbed his eyes of sleep and sat upright. He checked the alarm clock; it read 4:10am. He stood up and looked at the window. It was barely morning. Why is Ahri awake at an ungodly hour? He dressed in a somewhat presentable way because he was still sleepy and quietly made his way downstairs and out of the house.

"Usually you come here at 8am, so why are you wide awake 4 hours earlier?" Baekhyun said with a yawn.

"Sorry I didn't give you a heads up earlier, but we're going somewhere!." Ahri said. "Do you know what a drive through cinema is?" Ahri asked, the familiar adventurous twinkle in her eyes.

"W-What? Drive through cinema? No, why? Do you want to go there?"

"Yeah! It sounds really fun and it's free, I think. We have to bring our own food though. So, you wanna go?" Ahri asked.

"Where is this drive through cinema you speak of?" Baekhyun asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really far. You have a GPS in your car right?"

"Is this going to be one of those road trips again?" Baekhyun asked with a stiff face and Ahri gave him a pleading look.

"Uhm... yes? But we're not going to get lost in the middle of nowhere again with no signal, I promise! Come on, this is going to be really fun, and my favorite movie is showing!"

"What is your favorite movie? You always change your favorite movie."

"The Notebook." Ahri said simply. "Come on Baekhyun please. I'll do anything you want." Ahri pouted. Baekhyun smirked.

"Anything I want?" Baekhyun asked. "Yes, anything! This is a once in a lifetime chance to experience this drive through cinema thing, so can we please go?"

"Hmm... why not? If you get to do anything I want." Baekhyun said and Ahri's face lit up with happiness. "We'll just drive-through for the food or stop by a convenience store?"

"Whichever as long as we have money and enough food for the trip and the movie, of course." Ahri said.

Baekhyun left a note and tacked it somewhere for his parents to inform them of his whereabouts and grabbed his keys. Ahri happily settled on the passenger seat next to the driver's and turned the radio on, which blasted Western music. Baekhyun the GPS system and asked Ahri where the drive through cinema is.

"It's so far!" Baekhyun widened his eyes. It was out of Seoul and it was in the northern countryside.

"That's why we're going there at 4 in the morning." Ahri said like it was the most obvious thing. Baekhyun looked at her incredulously while she just shrugged. "What? We're wasting time actually so let's go!"

And so they went, Baekhyun carefully following the directions as shown in the GPS. They stopped in a couple of convenience stores and gas stations. The radio they were on blasted the voice of an American woman. Though they can't completely understand what she was singing, it had like an old vibe to it, like it was from a mixtape.

 

Hold me in your arms, love me like your best friends did.

Promise I won't hurt you kid.

Hold me really tight until the stars look big.

Never let me go.

All the world is ours, like they say in Scarface kid.

You can push your drugs and I can make it big

Sing at CBGB's have a real good gig, hey you never know.

Cause baby we were born to live fast and die young.

Born to be bad and have  fun.

Honey you and me can be one.

Just believe, come on.

 

If you love me hardcore, then don't walk away

It's a game boy I don't wanna play.

I just wanna be yours, like I always say.

Never let me go.

 

Ahri looked out of the window, surveying the scenery. It was really away from the city. There were little people out and about, preparing for the fields. The sun has not risen yet so most of the people were asleep. An exception of this would be the capitol-like area where some shops were open or were opening for the day ahead. Finally, Ahri saw a big and bright sign lit by fluorescent lighting saying "Drive In" with letters forming what movie is showing. Today, it was "The Notebook." Many cars have parked inside the venue and many people were waiting for the movie to start on the roof of their cars. Baekhyun paid for the entrance and ticket for two and parked in the 'middle seat'.

"Is this what you're talking about? Drive in cinema?" Baekhyun asked. He has never seen any of this except in Western movies.

"Yeah! I'm suprised we didn't get lost. Come on! Get the food and let's watch from the roof." Ahri said enthusiastically. "You know this has a really good view too. We can watch the sunrise." So Baekhyun turned off the engine and helped Ahri climb up to the roof of the car and climbed up himself next to Ahri, bringing the bag of food with him. 

"Wait, how are we supposed to understand the movie if the movie is in English?" Baekhyun asked.

"Korean subtitles of course." Ahri said like it was the most obvious thing. "Have you watched an English movie before?"

"No, I stick to Korean ones. Oh look the movie's starting." Baekhyun pointed at the big screen which started to light up with English words. There were indeed Korean subtitles for the locals to understand the movie.

"I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough." The male character called Noah said. The movie starts off in a nursing home, a man reading a story from his notebook to a woman. The movie shifted to another time, in the 1940s in a town called Seabrook, South Carolina. It was in a carnival. 

"I want to go to a carnival someday." Ahri whispered. The male lead, Noah, saw this girl playing in the bump cars area of the carnival and looked smitten by her. He was informed by his friend, Fin, that her name was Allie and that she was here for the summer. Then he followed her to the ferris wheel ride and when it shifted to a scene where Noah was hanging off the ferris wheel, Ahri gasped.

"Will you go out with me?" Noah asked in a strained voice.

"What? No." Allie said incredulously.

"No?" He asked again. "No." She said firmly.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, because I don't want to?" Allie said.

"Then you leave no choice." One of Noah's hands lets go of the railing and Allie screamed along with some of the witnesses and the people watching the movie.

"I'm going to ask you again. Will you or will you not go out with me? I think my hand's slipping." Noah asked.

"Okay okay fine, I'll go out with you." Allie said hurriedly.

"No don't give me any favors." Noah said. "No no, I want to." Allie replied.

"Say it." Noah said. "I want to go out with you." Allie said.

"Say it again."

"I WANT TO GO OUT WITH YOU!" Allie screamed.

"All right, all right we'll go out." Noah said. But then Allie reached forward and undid his belt and pulled down his pants, which made the audience laugh. Allie smiled smugly.

"Who asks if they want to go out with them like that?" Baekhyun asked.

"Shut up Baekhyun it's supposed to be romantic." Ahri said. Baekhyun looked at her, amused.

"How is hanging off a ferris wheel romantic?" Baekhyun asked.

"The boy does anything to get her attention or to make her agree to something, even if it's life-threatening, so the girl has no choice but to accept." Ahri replied.

"If you say so." Baekhyun shrugged. The movie continued on to Noah and Allie 'going out' on their date and forward to when Fin and Noah were supposed to watch a movie and met with Fin's date who was with Allie. After the date, Noah and Allie wandered an empty Seabrook with the excuse of walking home, talking and learning more about themselves and even laying down in the middle of the street in front of traffic lights.

"What happens if a car comes?" Allie asked. "We die." Noah answered simply. They lay down there silently, until Allie broke it.

"Painting." She said. "What?"

"You asked me what I do for me."

"What now?" Noah asked. "I love to paint." Allie said.

"Really?" Allie nodded.

"Most of the time I have all these thoughts bouncin' around in my head... but with a brush in my hand, the world just gets kinda quiet." Allie said. They stayed silent again until they saw a light and the sound of a horn and quickly stood up. Allie laughed until Noah asked if she wanted to dance, and they danced a slow dance in the same place they lay down.

"I want to dance with someone like that." Ahri said dreamily. "Goodluck finding a dance partner then. You're a terrible dancer." Baekhyun said which earned him a sharp slap on the arms from Ahri.

"They didn't agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and they challenged each other everyday. But in spite their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were crazy about each other."

The movie showed a typical summer romance. They kissed, they went out on dates. Allie even met Noah's father. They looked like they had no care in the world and all that they could think was that they were in love without a care for the time. Noah took Allie to the 'Windsor Plantation' and told her of his plans to buy the house someday and renovate it. Then Allie specified what she wanted the house to look like and then they made love. Allie’s parents found out, Noah and Allie had a fight and broke up. Allie was to go back home a week earlier than planned and asked Fin to relay to Noah that she still loves him. But Noah was too late and Allie has already gone back.

"Summer romances begin for all kinds of reasons, but when all is said and done, they have one thing in common. They're shooting stars, a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, fleeting glimpse of eternity, and in a flash they're gone."

He began writing letters to her every single day for one year, 365 letters, but none were received by Allie. Because Noah received no replies, he wrote Allie his last letter and wanted to begin a new life. He along with Fin volunteered for the army and fought in the Second World War. Allie was in her third year of college when she volunteered to be a nurse. There she met Lon Hammond, described as 'handsome, smart, funny, sophisticated and charming' and 'fabulously wealthy'. She fell in love fast and Lon proposed to her.

"How can they just forget each other?" Ahri said to nobody in particular.

"Because sometimes you just gotta have to move on, you know." Baekhyun answered.

"You sound like you've been in love. Have you been in love?"

"No, but I learned a lot from this movie so far."

"He got the notion into his head that if he restored the old house where they had come that night, Allie would find a way to come back to him. Some called it a labor of love. Others called it something else. But in fact, Noah had gone a little mad."

After seeing Noah and the renovated Windsor Plantation, Allie went back to Seabrook and tried to reconcile with Noah.

"She had come back into his life like a sudden flame; blazing and streaming into his heart. Noah stayed up all night contemplating the certain agony he knew would be his if he were to lose her twice."

"Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late." Allie said, both her and Noah soaking wet because of heavy rain.

"I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year."

"You wrote me?"

"Yes... it wasn't over. It still isn't over." Noah kissed her and they made their way back into the house and made love all day. An unexpected visitor in the form of Allie's mother came. She took Allie to the workplace of her summer fling 25 years ago and revealed that what happened to her daughter happened to her too but she ended up marrying a different man. In the end, she gave Allie the 365 letters from Noah that she intercepted and hoped she will make the right choice.

"Well that's what we do, we fight... You tell me when I am being an arrogant son of a and I tell you when you are a pain in the . Which you are, 99% of the time. I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings. You have like a 2 second rebound rate, then you're back doing the next pain-in-the- thing." Noah and Allie argued.

"So what?"

"So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, for ever, you and me, every day. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out."

"What easy way? There is no easy way, no matter what I do, somebody gets hurt."

"No one would get hurt if you didn't force yourself upon Lon." Ahri said.

"None of this would've happened if she didn't get curious and go back to Noah in the first place." Baekhyun countered.

"This is romantic Baekhyun!"

"Just a punch of reality Ahri."

"My Dearest Allie. I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you. Noah."

Allie left and Lon found out. But in the end, she chose Noah. In the present time, Duke, the old man, prepared a candlelit dinner for the old woman, who was Allie with dementia. She wrote the story in the notebook and Duke or Noah reads it to her to help Allie remember him. Allie remembered Noah but her memory relapsed causing her to forget who she was again and have an attack to the point that she had to be sedated. 

"Do you think our love can make miracles." Allie asked. "I do. That's what keeps me coming back to you."

"Do you think our love, can take us away together?"

"I think our love can do anything we want it to do."

"I love you."

"I love you Allie."

"Good night."

"Good night. I'll be seeing you." 

Ahri was a mess of tears and so were most of the female audience. Baekhyun moved closer to her so there was no gap between them and awkwardly put his arm around her shoulders. Ahri eagerly welcomed it as she buried herself in the crook of Baekhyun's neck, using his shirt as her tissue. They stayed like that for quite sometime.

"Ahri? The movie was long finished." Baekhyun cleared his throat.

"I know. I just... I relate to it a bit." Ahri said, muffled because she was still buried in Baekhyun's shirt.

"How can you relate to it? Ever been in a summer romance?"

"No. Just... Sorry. You have to deal with me and my girl issues."

"You're my friend. I can listen all day to your 'girl issues' as long as I can help." Baekhyun said.

"Maybe I'm just too emotional today, or I'm over thinking too much. Let's watch the sunrise from here." Ahri wiped her tears away. She rested her head on Baekhyun's shoulder and watched the dark sky change to hues of reds and oranges and yellows until the big sun rose and took its position.

It was a warm summer morning, made even warmer because Ahri was with Baekhyun. Baekhyun wanted to stop this moment just for a while so he can treasure the moment. The feeling of a hundred different butterflies with frogs in your stomach, a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart that makes it beat faster and—

"We can be like this all day." Baekhyun whispered.

"What?"

"I said if you want to be like this all day it's fine, but our parents are probably looking for us. I'm surprised they're not flooding us with calls." Baekhyun made an excuse and climbed down the roof of his car and helped Ahri. They settled back inside the car and drove back to the city and back to their homes. Another one of their summer escapades before their final year comes.

 

 

~ * ~

 

 

4: good things come to those who wait.

 

Final year of high school for Baekhyun and Ahri came and went fast and suddenly there was a sudden tense pressure because this thing called prom is nearing, and the boy:girl student ratio of the school isn't exactly equal. Ahri thought she was a target, a game of darts and the bullseye being that she can be a boy's prom date. But all who striked did not reach that bullseye, and of course if you did not get it the first try you would have to get it the second, but no. Ahri refused them the pleasure of getting the bullseye. She denied them without question because as the adage goes, good things come to does who wait. 

Baekhyun didn't mind that no one has yet to ask him if he would like to be their date. He knew himself that he isn't date material anyway, with his short stature and nerd-like tendencies. He himself thinks that he would much rather go to prom alone than have a girl with him that he could not take care of.

Meanwhile, he is also torn with asking Ahri out to prom. It looks like a perfect plan: he has no date yet, she has no date yet and is looking for one. He could ask her to go to prom with him and voilá, he has a date and a partner. Except it's not that easy. How easy is asking your girl best friend out that is the conventional idea of 'beautiful' when you are not? How easy is asking your girl best friend that grew into a crush? For Baekhyun, it's not easy.

 

"Hey." A boy, a tall handsome boy, called Ahri when she was getting her books from her locker. It was a crowded hallway.

"Me?" Ahri asked, knowing full well that it was her he was calling. 

Here we go again. She sighed.

"Yeah, you. Park Ahri?" He asked.

"Mhm-hmm. What do you want?" She acted all innocent and sweet. Boys always like the innocent, the pure. 

"Can you be my date to prom?" He asked casually. Ahri looked down shyly.

"Why?" She asked. "What do you mean why? Well, we'll look good together. Me in that tuxedo, you in a nice short dress. Maybe we can even be Prom King and Queen. Isn't that what you all girls want?" He walked bearer to her, nearer and nearer until her back hit the door of her locker.

"No." was Ahri's simple answer.

"No?"

"No." She repeated. "I don't even know your name. How am I supposed to have a stranger as a date?"

"I'm Choi Jae-hwa. There, I introduced myself. Now will you go to prom with me?"

"No." 

"What do you need?"

"I need nothing but for you to back off and let me go. I know you, Choi Jae-hwa. Who doesn't know you? Why don't you ask your girlfriend who has been waiting for you to ask her out?"

"Because we don't click together. While you and I babe, we'd be that pair that everyone wants to be." He said. It disgusted Ahri.

"No, Choi Jae-hwa, and that's my final answer." Ahri pushed him away and continued on her way to her class, Jae-hwa cursing her for rejecting him.

"Hey what happened back there?" Baekhyun asked as Ahri sat down on the seat next to him.

"Don't act like you don't know. I got asked out again, but I don't want to go out with a stranger and who has a girlfriend waiting for him. Do you have a date yet?" Ahri asked Baekhyun.

Please say you don't.

"No. I'm actually planning to go alone." Baekhyun said. Ahri breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why won't you accept any of them?"

"Because I don't like them. I don't want this night to go to to waste just because of a boy."

"All right class, please settle down. I would like to sympathize with you girls and your boy problems but I can't so I shan't because now is the time to study your Geometry which believe it or not could help you in real life. Now..." Mr. Byun the Geometry teacher said and began today's lesson.

How do you ask your girl best friend slash crush out to prom?

Is there an instruction manual for it?

She has already rejected a lot of boys much better than me.

What slim chance do I have of getting accepted?

 

When will ask me out?

Shouldn't best friends go together if they both don't have dates?

Maybe he's lying to me.

Maybe he already has a date.

And now he's left me, his best friend, all alone.

I can't just ask him directly.

I'm running out of time and patience.

 

 

"How's the boys-rejected meter going on? What's the count today?" Baekhyun asked.

"Five today. All rejected in one go but most of them questioned me and I especially don't like that Choi Jae-hwa guy. He’s very sketchy looking."

"Oh, I see. So do you really want to have a date? Because a lot of men want you for a date yet you reject them, and you told me you need a date. So why don't you just accept them, someone who you know at least or close with."

Like me.

"Because good things come to those who wait." Ahri said firmly. And I'm waiting for you. They remained silent on the drive to their houses. Baekhyun pulled up in front of Ahri's house.

"Can you... Can you go to the gymnasium tomorrow early in the morning?" Baekhyun asked.

"Why?" Ahri asked inquisitively.

"Just... Can you please go? Please?" 

"It better not waste my time."

"It won't I promise."

Time to get my plan into action.

Once Baekhyun got home, he took it to his piano and to music to express the happiness he feels, that warm fuzzy feeling in his heart that he feels right at this moment.

Because finally,

Something's going according to plan.

{ Claude Debussy - Arabesque No. 1 }

 

 

Ahri walked to the gymnasium of their school. She came to school earlier as Baekhyun had requested of her. The hallways were empty, the classrooms locked, a few lights open, no person was there other than her and a few janitors. It was like the perfect scene for a horror movie, but no.

Not according to Baekhyun anyway.

In the dark gymnasium he prepared a little surprise. Due to the size of his piano (and honestly if he had a shrink ray he still wouldn't bring his piano with him) he instead used a keyboard. He prepared the bouquet of flowers (not roses, that would be too romantic and Baekhyun didn't want to get ahead of himself.) which lay atop a speaker. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Ahri called his name. It was his cue to start playing his chosen piece.

{ Straylight Run - Existentialism on Prom Night Piano }

"Hello? Anybody there?" Ahri said and it echoed into the empty hallways. Then she heard a melody playing distantly, sounding like a piano. It was one of her favorite songs that she likes so much played in a piano or keyboard so she followed the sound until she reached the doors of the gymnasium.

"Hello? Baekhyun? Are you there?" Ahri asked, but received no answer. She opened the doors and she was greeted with darkness, with the silhouette of somebody playing a piano. She opened the lights and the person revealed to be playing the piano was Baekhyun.

Baekhyun heard Ahri's voice and out of his peripheral vision he saw her standing there but made no move to stop playing the piano as he planned beforehand. He finished the piece and walked to where Ahri was standing, discreetly getting the bouquet of flowers and hiding it behind his back.

"What's this all about Baekhyun?" Ahri asked, laughing slightly. 

"Uhh... Park Ahri..." He started and cleared his throat. "Uhh..."

Oh dear god it's not going according to plan.

Okay Baekhyun don't be a wuss.

Breathe in, breathe out.

You've rehearsed this before you should've memorized how it goes.

"Yeah?"

"Uhh.. Will you... Will you... go to prom with me?" He asked, his face turning red the shade of a tomato and presented the bouquet of flowers to Ahri. 

Ahri blushed, smiling bashfully and taking the bouquet from Baekhyun's shaking hands. She looked at her feet, shy and feeling slightly awkward despite dreaming of this certain encounter with Baekhyun and dreaming of that certain question being asked to her.

Will you go to prom with me?

"Ahri?" Baekhyun called, seeing as he didn't hear an answer to his question. "It's fine if you don't want to–"

"Yes I'll go with you." Ahri immediately clarified. "I'll... I'll go with you Baekhyun."

"R-Really?"

"Why, you don't want to?"

"No no! I mean... you've rejected a lot of boys and then you agree to me?"

"Why... Why would I reject on my best friend anyway? I mean, isn't it better to go with your best friend? Oh uhm..." Their conversation had taken a turn to awkward lane when Ahri mentioned 'best friend'. Ahri tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and Baekhyun tapped his shoes.

"So... are you really sure you'd like to go to prom with me?"

"Yes of course Baekhyun." Ahri reassured. "You don't mind that we go as best friends right?"

I do Baekhyun. If only we could go as a couple.

I do Ahri. If only we could go as a couple.

"No no of course I don't." Baekhyun said, careful to conceal his frown inside. Because really I do mind that we go as best friends.

Ahri smiled and thanked Baekhyun for the bouquet. "How did you know lilies are my favorite? I never really explicitly told you that lilies are my favorite."

"How could I not know? You always tell me you'd rather receive lilies than roses."

"Oh, thank you Baekhyun. They're beautiful."

"Good to know. Where are you going to put that though?"

"If I have to carry it to class it's fine with me. I can't let this rot in my locker."

Ahri took Baekhyun's hand and held it in her own small hand and went to their classrooms. It felt warm in her hands, Baekhyun's lithe and slim and graceful hands from years of playing the piano. It felt warm in his hands, Ahri's small and thin hands and fingernails coated in nail polish. Their fingers fit the gaps perfectly, their hands molded perfectly for each other.

Oh it felt beautiful, the feeling of holding someone's hands without the stigma of being romantic with each other. But inside, they hoped that they could someday hold each other's hands as a couple, as two people who love each other and not as best friends.

But as the adage goes, good things come to those who wait.

 

 

~ * ~

 

 

5: been trying hard not to get into trouble
but I, I got a war in my mind.

 

"What color is your tie? So I can match it with my dress." Ahri asked one day after school when they were having coffee in their favorite cafè.

"Do you have to match your dress with the color or my tie? You could wear any color and we would look fine honestly." Baekhyun said.

"Of course we have to match colors! What if I wore yellow and you had a green tie? That wouldn't look good." Ahri said.

"Why would I wear a green tie?"

"Baekhyun!"

"Seriously why would I wear a green tie?" Baekhyun asked, a smile tugging at his lips. Ahri just looked at him with an annoyed look and continued eating her food.

"I'm just kidding Ahri. But really, you could wear a yellow dress and I'll wear a green tie and we could still have fun. We would stand out actually and that's nice. How does the color of what you wear keep you from having your dream prom?"

"Because in movies, the boy's tie and the girl's dress are the same color."

"You don't have to follow what the movies show Ahri, because usually they don't portray what happens in real life. They set unrealistic standards. But if you really want to, we can have that matching tie and dress if it's what makes you happy." Baekhyun said and suddenly Ahri stood up and hugged Baekhyun tightly. Baekhyun awkwardly hugged her back, his heart beating fast or missing a beat or both at the same time because Ahri just hugged him for no reason. Ahri let go and gave Baekhyun a bright smile.

"W-What did you hug me for?"

"I can't hug you now?" Ahri's smile turned upside down. "Just... You're so cooperative and understanding with my desire to achieve that 'dream prom' that I so wanted even if you didn't really like it much. So... Thank you."

"Hey it's fine really. If it makes you happy, then it makes me happy too." Baekhyun ruffled Ahri's hair.

"Oh that reminds me. I told Mother that you were my date to prom yesterday and she said we should shop for the clothes. Do you want to shop now?" Ahri asked.

"Uh... Sure, why not. So you can have your matching tie and dress." Baekhyun smiled and they finished their coffees. Later on, they rode in Baekhyun's car and went to a high end department store ("I want my dress to be the best. Don't you want your tuxedo to be the best?" Ahri reasoned.) to shop for what they will wear ahead of time.

"What color should we get? Blue?" Ahri asked as she checked the racks for a dress. "What shade though? Deep blue, light blue, sky blue, turquoise..." She skimmed another rack while Baekhyun simply looked at her, smiling.

"Baekhyun? Are you still with me?" Ahri looked at the dazed and smiling Baekhyun and snapped which brought Baekhyun out of his trance. "What?"

"Do you want blue? Deep blue? Light blue? Turquoise?"

"Deep blue sounds good." Baekhyun said. Ahri looked for deep blue dresses when she found two and raised them up for Baekhyun to pick. "Which one?"

"Why don't you try them on? Then I'll pick." Baekhyun suggested. Ahri went to a fitting room why Baekhyun looked for his tie.

"You're with that girl? Are you in a relationship?" A saleslady asked him. Baekhyun's eyes widened and quickly shook his head. "No no! We're friends, best friends." Baekhyun clarified

"You look smitten with her. You should ask her out to you know, a date, before someone else snaps her up. You don't want to be stuck in the friendzone do you? Trust me I've been through that stage." The saleslady said. "Anyway, which one would you like?"

"Ask who out Baekhyun?" Ahri opened the door of the fitting room. She seemed to have heard the conversation between the saleslady and Baekhyun and looked curious.

"Uh.. no one Ahri I-" Baekhyun stopped after noticing what Ahri was wearing.

Ahri wore this deep blue dress that faded into darker shades with a sprinkle of gold that looked like stars in a night sky. There was a gold sequined belt that cinched her waist. The dress flowed smoothly downwards. The fabric was soft and slightly sheer and her upper back was not covered so she was shy to show it to Baekhyun because it showed too much skin. Baekhyun blinked his eyes several times as Ahri moved her hands to her hair to comb it using her hand and sweep it to rest on one side. She even did a twirl in front of Baekhyun, though it was a bit fast because he didn't want him to see her .

"Baekhyun? You're in a trance again." Ahri cleared . Baekhyun immediately rubbed his eyes and took a better look at Ahri. 

"You... You... You look good." Was all Baekhyun uttered out.

She deserves better than 'look good'.

Because she looks like a goddess.

"That's all? No further comments?"

"I mean... It looks good on you, it fits you perfectly... yeah. You should get it." Baekhyun said. Ahri looked at herself in the mirror inside the fitting room and seemed to agree with Baekhyun. In a few minutes she came back with her normal clothes on and holding the dress in her hands.

"Have you got your tie?"

"Yeah." Baekhyun said. "Oh and I'll pay for your dress."

"What? Baekhyun really I could afford it easily–"

"No I'll pay." They continued to argue about who will pay when another saleslady approached them.

"Is there a problem here?" She asked.

"Oh.. uh... no. There's no problem here." Baekhyun said.

"Are you a couple? I could give you a discount on that dress if you are." Another saleslady chirped, which earned her a glare from a senior saleslady. "What? They look cute."

Baekhyun checked the price on the tag with this peripheral vision. Upon seeing it he slung his arm on Ahri's waist and pulled her closer and smiled. "Yes we are a couple. Aren't we, yeobo?" He winked and Ahri plastered a fake smile pressing a small, barely-there kiss on Baekhyun's cheek.

"Yes we are yeobo. It's fine if you want to pay for the dress yourself. Isn't that what a good boyfriend should do?"

"Yes of course." The saleslady squealed in delight unprofessionally as she led them the way to the cashier. Baekhyun paid for the dress and his tie and thanked the salesladies and left. An awkward air settled between them and Ahri addressed the issue first.

"Hey... uh... back there–" Ahri started.

I wish there would be a time

That if someone asked us that question

I would be able to agree

That yes, we are a couple.

"I know Ahri. We're just friends." Baekhyun tried to smile but it turned into a grimace. He just continued driving and dropped Ahri home with the same awkward atmosphere and went to bed with a heavy heart.

Pretending is hard.

I wonder how people learn how to act.

Acting that we were a 'couple' was hard.

Because I would really want to be with you.

Oh, the perks of being in love with your best friend.

 

 

Prom night came. To say that Ahri and Baekhyun were stressed is an understatement. Baekhyun isn't really stressed about his appearance; he's basically lived his life wearing suits and tuxedos due to his piano performances and recitals. He is stressed on how he's going to make a good impression and act as a proper "date". He knows how to be a gentleman, but how do you dance? After the dance floor, what do you do? Really, he would feel better if he was given a script of the night's overview.

Meanwhile, Ahri is stressed about... everything. Aside from setting a good impression in Baekhyun, she also worries about what other people think, their opinions and what goes on around their heads concerning her. As a female, she has this kind of problems. Do I look nice enough? Presentable enough? Beautiful enough for Baekhyun? Ahri knows she won't have that "walking down a spiralling staircase with your parents and date beaming at you" kind of scenario, but she still worries too much about having that kind of scenario.

Baekhyun borrowed his family's limousine for the night and asked their driver to drive them to the venue and back home so transportation isn't a problem. He checked himself in the mirror. His tuxedo was crisp and sharp, not drowning him in fabrics and making him look shorter than he is already. His dark blue tie, the color as agreed upon by him and Ahri, was knotted perfectly yet he repeatedly loosened and tightened it, like he would do so whenever he is nervous.

A knock disturbed Baekhyun's nervous thoughts. "Baekhyun?"

"Hey mom." Baekhyun smiled as he saw the reflection of his mother standing by the doorway.

"Hey baby. You're so grown up already. It seems like it was just yesterday that I gave birth to you."

"Mom! I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a man."

"Yes, a man in love. But you're still my baby don't forget that." Mrs. Byun ruffled her son's hair and straightened his tie. "Ahri wouldn't like to see a messed up tie Baekhyunnie."

"Mom, did you just say... that I'm a man in love?" Baekhyun asked. Mothers really do know all.

"Yes dear. Aren't you?" Mrs. Byun smiled.

"I'm not.. I'm not.. in love. That's.."

"Don't try to deny it in front of your mother Baekhyunnie. I know and you know that you like Park Ahri. I wouldn't mind if she became my daughter-in-law someday. In fact I would even love it. You two are very good-looking together." Mrs. Byun said.

"Mom! I think you're getting too far-fetched. Marriage already when I'm only in high school?"

"Well why not?" Mrs. Byun defended. "You are just a few months away from university and soon you're going to marry someone. Isn't it a beautiful prospect?"

"A beautiful but far-fetched prospect. I'm but a boy mom. This young heart does not know love yet. Give it some time." Baekhyun said.

"Aigoo. You're really grown up now and very maturely and wisely too." Mrs. Byun kissed the cheeks of her son despite his protests and sent him off.

"Oh my boy." She said, clutching her chest. "You've really grown up now Baekhyun."

 

 

 

Baekhyun entered the Park estate and entered their home. He greeted Mr. and Mrs. Park, bowing and asking where Ahri was.

"Oh you know girls. They take quite a long time to finish." Mr. Park Youngjae chuckled. Baekhyun nodded and waited patiently standing up.

"You know Baekhyun, you are a very nice boy.  Well mannered, polished, talented, handsome, you are the very epitome of a gentleman. The perfect man a parent would like for their daughter." Mrs. Park Ji Ae said, looking at Baekhyun in the eyes with much... sadness?... in her eyes. Baekhyun looked back at her, confused.

Why would she tell me this kind of things?

"But Baekhyun... Ahri... she is-"

"Mom, Baekhyun. What are you talking about?" Baekhyun heard the voice of Ahri say and he turned around to face the owner of said voice. Baekhyun looked at her for a very long time, looking at her from head to toe, mesmerized by her beauty. Ahri wore her hair down but curled, her brown eyes enhanced by eye makeup, her lips painted a shade of pink, her face free of blemishes. Her dress, the dress that she and Baekhyun chose and the latter paid for, clung to her body nicely. She appeared similar of height to Baekhyun because she wore heels and she carried herself confidently.

"Baekhyun?" Ahri waved her hands in front of Baekhyun and he shaked his head out of his trance. Ahri chuckled.

"H..H-Hi Ahri." Baekhyun said, flustered. "You.. You look beautiful."

"Hello Baekhyun. You look dapper yourself." Ahri said, smiling. Clearly Baekhyun was flustered and embarrassed so she tried to clear the awkwardness. Baekhyun offered his arm to Ahri, which she gladly took.

"Eomma, appa, we'll be going."

"Alright darling. Have fun, be safe, and I want you home by midnight okay." Mr. Park Youngjae said, kissing the forehead of his daughter. Then he looked at Baekhyun. "You, Mr. Byun, I trust my princess with you. Take care of her or there will be hell to pay." He said. Ahri hit her dad playfully.

"Dad! Of course he'll take care of me."

"Just making sure.. Now go. We wouldn't want to stop you from your magical night." Ahri's parents bid Baekhyun and Ahri goodbye and soon they were on the way to the venue.

 

 

 

Slow music filled the hotel ballroom, along with couples and dates and dance partners. Among them were Baekhyun and Ahri.

Baekhyun had his arms slung on her waist lightly and Ahri's hands on Baekhyun's shoulders. They looked far from best friends. Maybe they're just so comfortable with each other. But in their minds, they already thought they are together, like every couple dancing to the slow song.

"Baekhyun."

"Hmmm?"

"What do you feel right now? Tell me." Ahri asked.

What do I feel right now?

I feel like I want to stay like this forever.

I want to hug you and make you feel my feelings for you.

Make you know that I like you without using words.

And so much more.

"Why would you ask me that?" Baekhyun said.

"Just answer the question." Ahri said.

"I feel nervous that I won't be able to do what your parents asked of me. They asked me to protect you and take you home safely, and I feel like I can't do that."

"What's that to be so nervous about? I'm old enough to handle myself. You should worry about yourself. You have hardly any muscle." Ahri laughed and Baekhyun followed.

"Yah! I have muscles, and I'm being serious here." Baekhyun said.

"Alright alright, I know you're being serious. I promise I'll take care of myself." Ahri said sincerely as the last tune of the slow song played. The DJ changed it to a steady but still slow beat. Baekhyun and Ahri took their seats to refresh themselves and rest.

"Is that Park Ahri?"

"Wow, she looks like a goddess."

"Who's her date?"

"Byun Baekhyun? That nerd?"

"Wow, if Byun Baekhyun can have a date like Park Ahri then I can have a date like SNSD!"

"They're best friends. It's natural that they go together."

"Best friends my . Of all the people Ahri has to take as a date, she has to pick that Baekhyun nerd? She even refused Choi Jaehwa."

Baekhyun was staring into nothing in particular. For him, it seemed the world stopped and inly the mouth of people kept moving. He could hear everything they said about him and about Ahri. He didn't mind about the things they said about him, but the things they said to Ahri.

Talk about me all you want,

But don't you dare talk about my Ahri like that.

Wait... my Ahri?

"Baekhyun? You're spacing out again." Ahri said.

"Sorry." Baekhyun said sheepishly.

"What's wrong? You're always spacing out." 

"Just... your mother was a bit vague earlier and I don't like the way they talk about you." Baekhyun blurted out. Ahri froze at the mention of his mother, but gained her composure a moment later.

"D-Don't worry about my mother, she's like that whenever I get close to a boy. And I guess they're asking why I got you as a date when I could've had Jaehwa? Don't mind them, I'd rather have my parents trust my best friend than a complete stranger. I don't want somebody who spews out empty promises in front of my parents." Ahri reassured Baekhyun, which put his mind at ease.

"Thanks. Do you want to eat? I'll get you something." Baekhyun asked and Ahri nodded. "Anything light would be fine."

Baekhyun walked to the buffet area of the ballroom and filled a small plate with little cocktail food and asked for two flutes of light alcoholic champagne. Once done, he went back to their table and Ahri wasn't there. Baekhyun didn't immediately panic; perhaps she was just socialising somewhere. He took a few sips of champagne. It was a nice and very expensive Moët. He took a few bites of the food he got, watched the other people enjoy themselves on the dancefloor. Some have already paid no attention to the public and kissed their dates like there was no tomorrow.

5 minutes...

10 minutes...

15 minutes...

Ahri was still nowhere to be found, so Baekhyun decided to just wander and walk, absorbing the luxurious hotel they were in. Even though he's been in and has performed in hotels more expensive than this, a new environment is a new environment. He decided to go out of the ballroom and explore the hotel more. Everything looked new and shiny or just well-kept. He didn't know where he was going honestly, but just as turned a corner, everything wasn't so new and shiny or just well-kept anymore.

It was a woman, pressed to the wall by a man with no means to escape. Her dress was ruined, her hair a mess, mascara running down her porcelain cheeks. The man pinned her arms behind her, grip like a vice, his teeth bared to eat his prey. And that was when Baekhyun attacked.

Because the prey was Ahri, and the predator was Choi Jaehwa.

Baekhyun's fist connected with Jaehwa's face, making a mark on his chiseled face and releasing his grip on Ahri. A few more punches from Baekhyun and Jaehwa finally backed out. Baekhyun held Ahri's hand tightly and pushed her away. Taking a closer look at her, it looked like something was already going on long before Baekhyun appeared.

"What the hell did you do to Ahri?" Baekhyun asked through gritted teeth.

"Who the hell are you man and what do you care about Ahri?" Jaehwa asked.

"Ahri's with me. So what did you do to her?"

"I just wanted to... spend the night with her." Jaehwa smirked, which angered Baekhyun even more.

"Who the are you to spend the night with Ahri? Do you think she wants to spend the ing night with you too?" Baekhyun raised his fist, ready to aim, when Ahri grabbed his arm.

"Baekhyun! Stop... just stop. Let's go back." Baekhyun immediately softened at Ahri's touch and his eyes expressed concern and worry for Ahri. He helped her go back to the lobby, sat down on one of the couches. As soon as they sat down, Ahri began to cry, tears streaming down her face like uncontrollable rain. Baekhyun took the fragile Ahri in his arms, rubbing her back to calm her down.

"T-Thank god you were there... I was so s-scared you wouldn't be able to find me... I don't know what happened honestly..."

"Ahri calm down... I'm here, I'm here now. There's nothing to be scared of." Baekhyun said in a soothing voice, calming Ahri down.

"I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.. I promised you I'd take care of myself right? I feel like I failed you..." Ahri buried her face in the crook of Baekhyun's neck, staining his tuxedo. But Baekhyun didn't really care if his tuxedo was ruined right now. It doesn't matter. Only Ahri matters.

"No no, I should be sorry. I didn't take care of you well. Your parents trusted me with you and I failed them."

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry Baekhyun. I ruined our night together because I was so irresponsible."

"What happened? Can you tell me?" Baekhyun asked quietly, hesitating.

"Can we… Can we not talk about it now? Maybe some other time."

"Whenever you feel comfortable to talk about it, I'll be here." Baekhyun assured Ahri, which made her more emotional.

"Let's get you home. I'm sorry I ruined your dream night, but your safety is more important than anything else." Baekhyun called the driver and in a matter of minutes they were already in front of the gates of the Byun household.

"Sir Baekhyun, shouldn't you take Miss Ahri to her home? Did she... consent?" A maid asked Baekhyun as he took her to his bedroom, helping her lie down. At the last question he stopped and faced the maid, his face red and embarrassed.

"A-A-Ahjumma! I.. I'm not that kind of person! I-I respect her and w-why would I do that to her a-anyway?" Baekhyun said in a flushed and stuttering manner, quickly covering the sleeping Ahri with a blanket and cleaned himself.

The maid shrugged and left Baekhyun, making the latter release his breath. He slipped on his pajamas and under the covers, making sure to keep a space between him and Ahri and facing his back on her. He was about to sleep when Ahri turned around and slung an arm on him, her face in the crook of his neck. There was no more space, no more distance and she was too close for comfort and Baekhyun liked it and didn't like it at the same time. Baekhyun may be a man and he may have needs, but he isn't going to take that out on Ahri because he respects her as his bestfriend and as a person he likes. So he carefully put away Ahri's arm and got out of the bed, getting a blanket and a pillow to sleep on the floor when he heard Ahri's quiet voice,

"Baekhyun."

"Hmm?"

"Don't sleep on the floor, sleep here." Ahri said, patting the empty space on the bed.

Baekhyun shook his head, "No, I'll sleep here. Make yourself comfortable there."

"I... I'm not comfortable here without you. And you're making me ashamed of myself, taking advantage of one's house."

"There's no need to feel ashamed, you're welcome here anytime."

"Just come here and help me sleep please, or I'll drag you up here." Ahri said with finality and Baekhyun sighed. He put away the blankets and lied down on the bed reluctantly.

"Thank you. Sorry I had to pressure you like that. I'm not used to sleeping in another person's bed and I can't really sleep in the first place, so I need someone I'm comfortable with." Ahri said. "Can I... Can I hug you?"

"W-Why do you need to hug me?" Baekhyun asked, his voice an octave higher.

"Because I can't sleep without hugging something."

"Then hug a pillow."

"Please?" Baekhyun then nodded and Ahri wrapped her arm around his waist, making him exhale a bit too loudly. He felt Ahri's breath on his neck again, sending shivers down his spine. She was really too close but anything to make her comfortable.

"Thank you. You smell nice."

"I d-don't."

"Yeah you do. Anyway, good night Baekhyun.

"G-Good night Ahri." They finally closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep, a smile in their faces.

That night, Baekhyun and Ahri had their best, deepest sleep and dreamed the best dream.