"Noona, have you seen Baekhyun?" Minhyuk's voice interrupted the morning stillness as Taeyeon emerged from her room. She had roused herself not long ago, managing to freshen up and tie back her hair, ensuring she looked presentable.
Rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes, she gave a gentle shake of her head, her hand grazing the door, preparing to close it. "Good morning," she murmured, her voice soft with remnants of sleep.
"Morning, noona," Minhyuk returned, his gaze sweeping across the corridor with a hint of concern. "He's not in his room," his voice betraying the confusion and worry he felt, having checked Baekhyun's room one last time.
A cold realization trickled down Taeyeon's spine. Memories of the previous evening rushed back: the midnight rendezvous, Baekhyun's fervent promise to wait.
Heart pounding, a nagging fear propelled her toward the balcony. Perhaps her uneasy intuition was wrong. Perhaps she'd find nothing.
But as she stepped out, the sight that greeted her confirmed her worst fears. Baekhyun was huddled on the bench, his form almost shivering from the cold, his complexion ghostly pale under the dawning light.
"Baekhyun!" Panic edged her voice, resonating in the quiet morning like an alarm bell.
At her voice, Baekhyun slowly, almost painfully, shifted his gaze toward her. The shadows under his eyes and the weariness of his features were a testament to the night's ordeal.
Without hesitation, Taeyeon was at his side, her hands frantically rubbing warmth into his stiffened arms. "What on earth were you thinking? Why would you do this to yourself?" she demanded, a mixture of anxiety and disbelief coloring her tone.
Baekhyun's eyes, despite the evident exhaustion, shimmered with a stubborn resolve. A hint of a smile, both pained and relieved, played on his lips. "You came," his voice was barely a whisper, raspy from the cold, but the emotion in it was palpable. "I promised I'd wait for you." The intensity of his commitment was overwhelming, and while he longed to embrace her, the cold had rendered him weak, sapping the energy from his limbs.
Taeyeon felt a rush of emotions - anger, guilt, affection - all colliding at once. Here was a man who had taken his words, his promises, so seriously that he'd endured a frigid night, all in hopes of a moment with her.
"Minhyuk, could you bring a basin of lukewarm water, a cup of warm water for drinking, and a towel?" Taeyeon requested, noting Minhyuk's evident shock at the situation. Without a word, he acknowledged with a nod and hastened downstairs.
"Can you manage to stand? My room has a heater, it'll be warmer," she gently offered, reaching out to help him up.
Baekhyun, despite his feeble condition, attempted to rise. Every tremble, every limping step he took was supported by Taeyeon as she looped his arm over her shoulder, guiding him inside her room.
Guilt was gnawing at her insides. The thought of what could have happened to him in the cold haunted her.
"Here, lie down," she coaxed, draping a plush blanket over him. She rummaged through her belongings to find a sweatshirt that would fit him and a cozy pair of socks.
Soon after, Minhyuk returned, holding the items she'd asked for. "Thanks," she muttered, her attention fixed on Baekhyun.
The other members walked in, concern evident on their faces. They bombarded Baekhyun with questions about his well-being, but he remained silent.
Focused on her task, Taeyeon had Baekhyun sip the warm water. She then used the hot towel to gently rub warmth back into his skin, following it with compresses the others had fetched.
"Is your breathing alright?" Hyunwoo's voice broke the tense silence.
Baekhyun, with a weak smile, nodded in affirmation.
"I'd appreciate some privacy right now," he said softly.
Understanding the need for the moment, the boys agreed. "We'll prepare breakfast; join us when you're ready," Jukjae said, pulling the door shut behind him.
The sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue throughout the room. Within this ambiance, Baekhyun was clad in Taeyeon's sweatshirt and socks, which seemed oddly comforting on him. While his complexion had regained some of its normal color, the dark circles under his eyes were a testament to the sleep he had been deprived of.
"You might get sick after spending the night out in the cold. Here," she handed him a strip of pills, "these are fever reducers. Make sure to take them after breakfast." She spoke with the pure concern of someone looking after another's wellbeing, momentarily forgetting their complex history.
As she was about to leave the room to fetch his breakfast, Baekhyun's hand reached out, gently clasping hers. She could feel the warmth from his hand, a stark contrast to the cold she had felt earlier. But she gently extricated her hand, giving him a brief glance. "I'll be right back," she assured.
Once outside the room, Taeyeon finally allowed herself a deep breath. The weight of the morning's events, the rush of emotions, and the remnants of their past had been momentarily overwhelming.
"Where's Baekhyun?" Jukjae immediately asked upon seeing her.
"He's resting upstairs. I thought it best for him to have breakfast there," she replied.
Fortunately, the house was equipped for such occasions. An old-fashioned breakfast tray stood in the corner of the kitchen, reminding her of scenes from old movies. The guys pitched in, helping her load the tray with a warm breakfast, ensuring Baekhyun would have a nourishing start to the day.
"Why did he end up sleeping out there?" Minhyuk inquired curiously as they prepped the meal.
"He waited for me," Taeyeon admitted, her voice even. Given the circumstances, it seemed futile to hide the obvious, especially when it felt like these boys had a hint of their intricate relationship.
Respecting the sensitivity of the topic, the other musicians refrained from further questioning.
"You two should share this. I'll carry it up for you," Hyunwoo offered, lifting the breakfast tray and motioning for Taeyeon to lead the way.
When they arrived at the room, Baekhyun was still stretched out on the bed, seemingly unchanged from earlier. Taeyeon noticed the beads of sweat on his forehead, and without hesitation, she gently dabbed them away with a towel. "Do you want me to switch off the heater?" she questioned, still attending to him.
His response was a grateful smile and a nod.
Hyunwoo, after a brief pause, suggested, "We could all hang out here and explore tomorrow."
But Baekhyun shook his head, "You guys should go. Enjoy yourselves. I'll be alright."
Hyunwoo responded with an understanding smile and then made his exit.
"Time to eat," Taeyeon mentioned, switching off the heater.
As Baekhyun reached for his spoon, a sudden uncertainty seemed to grip him. "You're not going to go, right?"
Meeting his gaze squarely, a myriad of emotions passing between them, Taeyeon affirmed, "I'm staying."
YOU ARE READING
begin again | baekyeon
Fanfiction"Why did you leave me alone in this harsh world without contacting me even once? There's nothing you did for me, you only took things... That's why I hate you." -Kim Taeyeon Jukjae, Dickpunks' Hyunwoo, CNBLUE's Kang Minhyuk, EXO's Baekhyun and Girls...
