from afar | baekyeon

Chapter 18

"Karma's a real bitch, isn't it?" Byun Baekhyun's brows furrowed as he glanced at his phone's screen, confirming that the caller was indeed her. The words she used were a mix of tipsiness and frustration, her voice slightly wobbly. A soft chuckle followed, tugging at the corners of his lips in response.

He held the phone back to his ear, curiosity piqued. He wanted to figure out what had prompted this unexpected call on a night when the world was settling into slumber. A glance at the clock told him it was 11:34 PM – not an hour for casual conversations. His gaze drifted from the screen to the cityscape outside his window, a serene canvas of twinkling lights and stars.

For a moment, Baekhyun's mind wandered, picturing her on the other end of the line. He hadn't heard her voice in a while, and now it carried a hint of nostalgia that sent shivers down his spine. He sighed as he returned to reality, suddenly aware of the urgency in her tone.

"Where are you?" His voice was a mix of concern and curiosity, a gentle inquiry into her late-night escapade.

"Baekhyun..." Her words danced with the timbre he'd missed, pulling him into her world even from a distance. Unconsciously, his mouth hung open as his gaze turned distant, lost in a momentary reverie.

Then her questions came, stumbling over each other like pebbles in a stream. Baekhyun listened, piecing together the puzzle of her words, her situation. She was intoxicated, that much was clear. And her voice, so honest in its slurred vulnerability, painted a picture of someone struggling with emotions far too complex for a sober heart to unravel.

"Where are you?" He repeated the question, urgency evident. In his mind, the pieces fell into place. The pieces of a breakup. Taeyeon and Dean. Her drinking, her wandering. It wasn't hard for him to connect the dots.

He wasted no time, springing into action. Jacket, keys, cap, wallet – he gathered the essentials in a rush. He headed for the door, took the elevator down, and hopped into his car. The engine roared to life as he drove with purpose.

"Taeyeon, tell me where you are." The words carried an undercurrent of anxiety, his knuckles white on the steering wheel as he navigated the streets with a single thought in mind: finding her, making sure she was safe.

"If I told you where I am now, then I have to go somewhere far from here. So that you won't be able to catch me."

Her response caught him off guard, a playful evasion that masked the rawness beneath. It solidified his determination, his role in her life undeniable at this moment. With the gas pedal pressed, he sped through the night, ready to untangle the mess and lend her the strength she needed.

"Should I call the police?" Baekhyun's voice edged with a mix of exasperation and concern. He hoped the threat would jolt Taeyeon out of her intoxicated antics and into a sense of responsibility.

"You should. Let's make the headlines together, shall we?" Her tone, while playful, held a trace of defiance that grated on Baekhyun's nerves. Frustration was beginning to seep through his usually calm demeanor.

This facet of Taeyeon was equal parts amusing and irksome, like a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. Annoyingly, it was also coupled with an element of danger. Baekhyun knew her alcohol tolerance was low, and he suspected she had only downed a few cans of beer to reach her current state.

His biggest concern right now was ensuring she didn't do anything reckless. As he drove, his destination hazy in his determination to locate her, he mentally pleaded for her to retain some shred of sanity.

"Turn on your GPS and stay where you are. Don't be stupid." His words were curt, a testament to his own fraying patience. The sunbae-junior dynamic was momentarily forgotten – he just needed her to listen.