EVERLAST [EXO Baekhyun]

CHAPTER 6 - 21 QUESTIONS?

Thankfully, they found berries. Elderberries, Baekhyun believed. There was a bush on the other side of the beach that contained a lot of them, so the two of them were peacefully eating. It wasn't much, but it satisfied the growl Baekhyun has had in his stomach for a day now. He wasn't sure how long they were on the island, but it had been nearly a full day since the porcupine and cobra incident. The sun was setting on them now, Baekhyun glancing around for any signs that another predator would come to finish them off. He found none.

"Well, now would be a good time to talk, don't you think?" she asked, plopping another berry in her mouth. They didn't have an unlimited supply, but there had to be several dozen in those two bushes, so there was that. He had to admit she was a delicate eater, if that made sense. Always chewing with her mouth closed and never got even a splash of juice on her face. Him on the other hand...

Baekhyun used the pad of his thumb to brush off a spec of juice on the left corner of his lips, his eyebrows shooting up. "Talk about what exactly?"

"Each other. Play 21 questions. Do you have any better ideas? We're kind of each other's only source of entertainment."

"I thought girls liked to have imaginary scenarios in their head and fall into them all day," he said, but he phrased it more like a question. She picked up on the questioning tone and tilted her head. "My ex-girlfriends were all that way."

"When I was in high school and college, sure, I did it all the time. Not much anymore though." She held another berry to her lips, a sigh passing. "Times change, just like people." She ate the berry in seemingly one gulp, Baekhyun noticing how this time, she did get some juice on her lips.

When he chuckled, she stared at him with wide eyes. Ah, this girl had some innocence left in her after all. He couldn't help but admire it. So, he leaned forward, using his thumb to brush it off her flesh. "You don't have to worry about being so clean around me, I spilled juice on my clothes like 8 times."

Despite his thumb being on her lips and their proximity, she smiled. "9. I was counting."

"Of course you were."

He went to pull back, but she nearly hopped and kept his hand in place. "Double-check. I want to look presentable." He raised one brow. Mentally, he was dying a little. Why was she being a bit... flirty? No, this couldn't be flirting. Not when they started off on such a bad foot. "If I'm gonna die here, I'm dying in style. And if we get rescued, I'm doing that in style too."

"Being cool isn't everything you know."

"Of course not, but it sure as hell helps." She sighed and backed away once and for all, and he felt empty as a result. His hand floated in the air a second longer than it needed to before it returned to his side. "I wish we could play this game and have a drink or something. This berry juice is boring. If now isn't a time to get wasted, I don't know what is."

Baekhyun grimaced without meaning to. "Alcohol is disgusting. Not my style."

"Then how do you de-stress?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Uh... a lot of lotion?"

"I took that in a really bad way-"

"Rona!" She laughed at his reaction, him softening. Her, joking? Since when? "I'll have you know I don't need lotion for that." It was her turn to be embarrassed, her face flushing from the sudden words. "What's this? Miss Kim is being shy? I didn't think you knew what that word meant."

"Well, as nice of a distraction as this is, we haven't discussed night plans."

"Night plans?"

"The sun's setting," she said, her eyes in the sky as always, "meaning that we need rest. Shouldn't we set up maybe a watch schedule? There's dangerous creatures on this island. Cobras and porcupines for whatever fucking reason. Doesn't that terrify you?"