Shards

S e v e n

Late February winter had completely fallen upon Seoul and everything was covered in a thick blanket of white, illuminated by shop lights and the soft sunlight. It was 10am and Ju was asleep.

Baekhyun carefully opened the curtains as not to wake her and quietly observed the sleeping girl. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards seeing the way her soft lips were parted in her sleep, the way her bed hair was thrown about the pillow. She was wearing his shirt and some shorts she brought from home and her pale arms were cuddling the blanket like a teddy. He shook his head, still smiling fondly at how peaceful and beautiful she looked, before going to the kitchen to make coffee.

Today exo had a day off and Baekhyun was going to spend it well.

'Morning, Baekkie' Ju stretched and entered the kitchen tiredly, grabbing her drink and yawning.
'Morning'.

'Oh my god, look at the snow! It's so much'
'I know, and I was thinking, would you want to go ice skating today?'
'Yess, like all of us? That would be so cool, I've missed going out all together! But won't the fans noti-'
'I meant just us, actually'
Baekhyun blushed slightly, turning his head away from her a bit.

'Sure,' Ju smiled and hastily agreed.

Turns out Ju was way better than average at skating for some mysterious reason as she sped off on the ice, beckoning an adorable wobbling Baek over to her.

He reached forward unsteadily and Ju grabbed his cold hand and pulled him off with her, doing so many circuits before they were both too out of breath to go anymore and sat in the spectator seats.

They were still holding hands.
Baekhyun looked down and blinked at the fact she was still gripping on, before she realised and awkwardly let go.
The sudden disconnection and loss of contact burned Ju's brain as she felt more shards come together, ones of hope and love lost and pain.

She forced them away and smiled at Baekhyun.

Maybe that wasn't such a bad mistake.

'Want to get a drink?' Baekhyun asked as they walked out of the ice rink, holding hands again.
'A drink?'
'Like coffee or something?'
'Oh, yeah sure'
'Unless you wanted an actual drink'
'Why not?'

Night had encompassed the city as they walked, hand in hand, through blurring neon signs and endless crowds, stopping at the first bar they saw.

A table for two and 5 beers in before one thing led to another, and they were sitting on another rooftop together for the 3rd time in two months.

'Baekhyun' a lightweight Ju murmured.
'Ju'
She rested her aching head on his shoulder and pressed her tired body into his.

'Why don't I remember you? I want to, I really want to'

A tear ran down her cheek as Baekhyun lifted her chin up and gently wiped it away with his sleeve. He cupped her face in his hands stared into her eyes.

'Don't worry about it. I will tell you one day, I promise'.

'Tell me what?'

'Forget about it'.

'I think I already have,' she sighed.

They spent some time studying the stars, a tipsy Baekhyun and a drunk Ju, staring into the constellations and making wishes on shooting stars. He then studied Ju's face, how concentrated and adorable she looked, how her tiredness made her comfortable, and a bittersweet feeling of a familiar love filled him. Baekhyun thought he could stay here forever when he suddenly remembered the time.

Sighing, he stood up and offered his hand to her and she sleepily took it.
'Let's take you home,' he smiled at her lost little face and left the rooftop.
As they walked home, hand in hand, Baekhyun couldn't help but occasionally stare at her face, at her body, at her. She couldn't help but let her heart fall at his every word and movement. Any passerby would think they were a couple totally in love with eachother.

'What the fuck, Baekhyun' voices from the living room whisper yelled at him as he carried a nearly passed out Ju bridal style to his room. He tucked her in the covers, brushed her hair out of her face and took her jacket off before entering the living room again.

'What if she remembers?' A voice asked.
'I don't care, I'll tell her' mumbled Baekhyun.