from afar | baekyeon

Prologue

(THIS IS PURE FICTION.)

The cafeteria hummed with the low murmur of staff conversations, a backdrop to the snippets of gossip that wafted towards Baekhyun's ears. Leaning back into the comfort of a solitary couch, he listened, a silent observer to the casual chatter. The staff members, their voices mingling with the clinks of cutlery and distant laughter, speculated about the upcoming collaboration between Taeyeon and Crush, their words a cascade of conjectures.

"Wow. Another Taeyeon and Crush collaboration? I bet their song would be the title track in Crush's album," he overheard, his attention piqued.

The response came swift, accompanied by a note of certainty. "Yeah, it is. Crush's album is entitled 'With Her', and all of his songs are collaborations with female singers. He's lucky Taeyeon accepted the project."

A sip of iced americano punctuated Baekhyun's focus, his cap adjusted as he settled in to absorb their conversation. Unbeknownst to the staff, he was an uninvited audience, attuned to their discussions.

"And also, Taeyeon will be a fixed panelist in Amazing Saturday, you know the game show on TvN?"

The rhythm of conversation flowed effortlessly, details unfurling like an unscripted drama. "Yeah, I've heard about it. And Kim Ki Bum too, he's back from the military."

As the dialogue meandered, Baekhyun's mind wandered along with it, the words carving intricate pathways into his thoughts. His focus sharpened as their speculations veered toward a familiar territory.

"Are you sure they aren't dating? There's a lot of evidence, right? The most rumored one is that Taeyeon visited him during his military days."

Baekhyun's heart clenched, though he masked his reaction with a practiced nonchalance, his fingers tracing the rim of his cup.

"Maybe they're just good friends. Or it would be better if they're dating, though. They'd be a cute couple."

The bittersweet smile that tugged at his lips was fleeting, a shadow of emotions he kept hidden beneath a veneer of indifference.

"But Baekhyun's cuter. Pity them, because of the immature fans, they didn't end up together."

The words echoed like a distant refrain, a reminder of the past that he had both embraced and sought to move beyond.

"But do you think they really broke up? I mean, SM did not confirm it, the media did. They also didn't."

The question lingered, a question he had grappled with in the quiet solitude of his thoughts.

"Duh, it's so obvious that they did. Notice how they avoid each other. Like one will be dead when one interacted with one another."

"You're right, though."

A bittersweet symphony of reminiscence and longing played within him as he absorbed their words, a silent participant in a dialogue that revolved around the person he had loved and lost.

"Baekhyun! Why are you alone?" A voice broke through the contemplative silence, belonging to none other than Heechul, who joined him at the table.

"Just taking a short break," Baekhyun responded, his gaze shifting from the ongoing conversation to the familiar face before him. "What are you doing here, by the way? Don't you have a broadcast?" he inquired, acknowledging Heechul's role as one of the fixed cast members of 'Knowing Brothers'.

"Why didn't you tell me he's just at the next table? Uhh, this is so embarrassing," one of the staff members whispered to the other, their realization dawning too late.