Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Excuse me!"
The crowd parts in confusion to allow a petite figure to rush past them, shoulders bumping and apologies muttered along the way. An announcement blasts through the overhead speakers, urging all artistes to make their way to the stage in about 15 more minutes, and all that does is to cause the petite girl to skid around the corner at the end of the corridor, making her more flustered than she already is.
Finally spotting the cafeteria, Kim Taeyeon slows down to a half-jog before she scans the area for empty seats. Seeing how everyone, except the staff, is already preparing to head to stage for their final ending song, there are only a few authorized personnel having their late dinner. Otherwise, she has plenty of seats to choose from.
As Taeyeon picks up a paper plate and starts filling it with a small portion of rice, she silently fumes at the events that happened earlier in the day.
One of the producers of 'Petals', the duet song she's supposed to have with Baekhyun, asked for an impromptu meeting to discuss about her parts in the song. Not only did she have to rush off the stage after her group's performance, she also had to adhere to the producer's strict preferences which in turn downplays her potential and strengths. To add fuel to the fire, the producer had to leave urgently (only muttering a small "sorry" when he realized the meeting had eaten into her dinner time) and said there'll be a further discussion with another producer after the concert's ending song.
Balancing the plate in one hand and her phone in the other, Taeyeon makes a beeline for one of the long benches at the corner and settles down near the aisle. For a few minutes, there's just the comforting muffled sound of small chatter around her and the soft clanking of cutlery. The whirring of the ceiling fan, sets of footsteps echoing down the corridor at different paces. She concentrates on her phone while eating at a steady pace, relieved to realize that she actually has ample time to finish her meal.
She's so engrossed in scrolling through the online catalog for candles, her concentration snatched by a particular vanilla scented one, that it takes her a moment to realize a presence in front of her. A metal tray, filled with a very small amount of dishes, now occupies the previously empty space before her.
Taeyeon stops scrolling immediately and looks up.
Byun Baekhyun is sitting before her, already scooping large spoonfuls of steaming potatoes into his mouth, paying no heed to Taeyeon's questioning gaze. His eyes are kohl-lined as always, hair styled into a tousled yet entrancing look. Judging from his outfit - the black royalty suit with chains hanging from his coat pocket and shoulder blades - he should be more or less done preparing for the ending stage.
Unconsciously, Taeyeon's gaze roams his facial features before dropping to his lips. She gulps as the memories of that night in Lyon, 3 weeks ago, surfaces in her mind. Ever since returning to South Korea, the pair hadn't had time to meet up or have any interactions even. In fact, this is the first time, in weeks, that she is meeting him face to face. A shade of red dusts her cheeks as the gears in her mind turn furiously, and she dares not speak for she knows she will stumble over her words.
