10 Centimeters Ahead (Byun Baekhyun & EXO)

Catch up.

3pm. June 8th, 2012

       "Please try to catch up!" I mock as I huff down the street.
       "Your running....too....fast" I hear from behind me. Baekhyun speeds up to reach me and smiles with a couple puffs of breath.
      "If you want to become that dancer or whatever your going to need to get skinnier" I smile.
      He frowns.
        "Korean pop star, and I'm already really skinny" he announces.
      I laugh and speed up to run in front of him.
       "I'm going to be big someday. Even bigger than you" he smirks with confidence.
     How tedious.
    "You go ahead and try. But you'll have a long way to go" I laugh. "But, at least try to run 10 centimeters ahead of me ok?" I smile.
        He frowns and then smiles, his cheeks puffing out of his face.

***

     We reach the nearest market and pick up snacks. Pepero and chips are always our pick, something sweet and salty.
    
       A lot like our friendship.
      We sit at the curb of the street. People watching is fun. Me and Baekhyun try to decide the future of the person that passes by us. "Doctor" he'd say. Usually I'd disagree and shake my head. My most popular future these days is 'librarian'.

     "Chef" I say as I pop a chip in my mouth.
    "Why doctor?" Baekhyun asks curiously.
    "Well" I say, tilting my head. "He carries a big case, probably with all his special knifes. He carries an apron in his hand and has a creative look on his face."
       "OHHHHH I see" The boy ponders. "He could be an artist" he says.
       "I doubt it."
       "Why?"
       "Because on his name tag it said chef" I laugh.
     Baekhyun gaps at me and pushes me softly. "You cheated!" He says as I laugh like an idiot.

***

     Usually I'd watch Baek practice dancing at his house yard.
We set up a huge mirror outside, so he could see himself. It was fun.

   "Like this" he says to himself, fixing his position.
     The dance is complicated, lots of turns and pointing.
      "You should try singing" I say as he shakes his wrist. I guess it started to hurt.
      "No way. I'm horrible at it" he says with a scowl.
      "I've never heard you sing" I say to myself.
      He turns to me with a sigh. "I won't need to. I'm auditioning to be a dancer." He says.
       "But don't they sing and dance?" I ask puzzled.
       He ignores me and looks at his hand as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

7pm. August 6th 2013

     "I got signed!" Baekhyun announces to me. He was jumping up and down like a little girl, I smiled at the thought.
     "They signed you?" I asked in disbelief. The truth was I wasn't that happy. Probably due to the fact I didn't care much about K-pop anything.
       "I'm in a group called EXO. It's the companies biggest boy group yet" he smiles.
     A boy group? Wow, that's real cringe worthy.
      "I can't wait to see you practice! Is it in that house building around the corner?" I ask.
      "Oh..." He says, looking at the ground. "The company is in.... Seoul..." He says.
       "What do you mean?" I ask.
      "I'll have to move there. And I won't be coming back for awhile" he says.
       I stare at the wall behind him. I've never thought of Baekhyun and me being apart. It was always me and Baekhyun, Baekhyun and me.

I blow up.

     "You can't just move away!" I burst, slamming the table with such force a cup falls over.
     "I have to" he says to me. "I need to train there till I debut."
     "Seoul is such a big city!" I say.
    "The plane trip is only a few hours away. Since we already live in Korea" he says, raising his voice.
      "You can't go. I won't let you" I say. I feel hot tears drip down my face.
      "It's my dream!" Baekhyun frowns. "Shouldn't you support me with that?"
     "I don't care!" I scream.
    He freezes.
      The funny thing is, I freeze as well.