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“Hyung,” Sehun started in his broken accent. “Ibeon jumal kyewik ie?”
Sehun’s family moved to Taiwan when he was only two years old. He was fluent in Mandarin and English, and had even dabbled in Japanese while in school. His ethnic language, though, he spoke at an embarrassingly low level. It’s how he ended up meeting twice a week with a Korean tutor named Baekhyun.
That Sehun had quickly gained feelings for his tutor and struggled to ask about him in Korean twice a week was another issue. Once he mastered it, however, he would ask Baekhyun out. That was his goal.
“About that, actually,” Baekhyun replied, switching to English. His Chinese wasn’t great. “I can’t meet up with you this weekend. I’m going to Jiufen again.”
Jiufen, a small city in the mountains, a few hours drive from Taipei, had quickly become Baekhyun’s favorite spot in the country.
“Cool.”
“And in two weeks, I’m leaving Taiwan.”
Baekhyun delivered this news with a neutral expression. Sehun tried to mimic it, despite him actually going through all five stages of grief within a short few seconds.
“Wae?” Sehun dared to ask in Korean.
“Oh, you know,” Baekhyun smiled. “I never stay anywhere long.”
Sehun wholeheartedly believed this. He happened to find Baekhyun’s tutoring services only two days after Baekhyun came to Taiwan. The older worked at a hostel for room and board, and tutored online and in-person for spending money. Sehun had learned from their conversations that Baekhyun had been to most countries in Asia more than once, the U.S., Mexico, and several countries in Europe. For some reason, though, Sehun’s silly little lovestruck mind hadn’t really anticipated that Baekhyun’s stay in Taiwan would also be just another listing in his collection.
“But—“ Sehun bit his lip. “Naneun sarang ppajida neo go-sipeo.”
That probably wasn’t right, Sehun thought. But maybe it would be better if Baekhyun couldn’t understand him.
“Huh?” Baekhyun seemed very confused. “You want to…fall in love? With me?”
Baekhyun was too good at his job, Sehun thought. Way too good.
“Ah, well…” Sehun may or may not have seen Baekhyun on Tinder, and been too scared to swipe right. It let him know that the older was into men, though. Sehun clung to that hopefulness. “I mean, I was gonna ask you out. Eventually.” He pouted.
Baekhyun blinked. “Oh. Go ahead.”
Sehun furrowed his eyebrows.
“Ask me out,” Baekhyun dared. His face was so damn neutral, though. Unfair.
“There’s no point if you’re leaving?” Sehun couldn’t believe he was having this conversation, like this.
“I could…come back. At some point.”
Sehun just stared at him.
“No?” Baekhyun questioned. “You changed your mind?”
Sehun bit his lip anxiously. “Uh, Baekhyun hyung.”
Baekhyun perked up, giving Sehun his full and undivided attention.
Sehun shrunk under his gaze, but continued on. “Could I…take you on a date sometime?”
What was he doing, Sehun thought. Baekhyun just told him he was going to leave in two weeks. How much sarang ppajida could they do in two weeks?
“Yes!” Baekhyun clapped his hands together. “Do you want to come to Jiufen with me this weekend?”
Sehun blinked. “Jiufen… Date?”
“Yeah!” Baekhyun almost yelled, and he looked so damn excited. “We can take pictures of each other and eat street food together and get drunk in public together!”
“You really want me to come?”
Baekhyun nodded enthusiastically.
Which was how they had their first date. They spent the afternoon hiking and the evening walking through the stalled streets on their sore feet. Sehun explained the street foods Baekhyun hadn’t encountered yet, and they got a little tipsy. Just a little.
They got on the last bus back to Taipei, and Baekhyun fell half-asleep against Sehun’s shoulder during the ride. It was after midnight when it finally arrived downtown.
“Naeil, uri…” Baekhyun squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again. “Are you busy?”
“Tomorrow?”
Baekhyun nodded.
“Babysitting, remember?”
They never did lessons on Sundays, since Sehun had to watch his niece on Sundays.
“Oh, right,” Baekhyun grimaced. “Monday, then?”
“Monday?”
“I can see you on Monday?”
“Okay,” Sehun said, not quite understanding. “I mean, yes.”
Baekhyun flashed him a killer smile, brighter than the streetlights. Streetlights weren’t even needed when Baekhyun smiled.
And that was how they had their second date.
As a week passed, and half of another, Sehun realized he had lost track of them. They hung out so much, the chemistry quick, and Sehun knew that they didn’t have long to be together. He squeezed it all in while he still could.
They had agreed that Baekhyun would spend his last night in Taiwan at Sehun’s apartment rather than the hostel. They were only a few kilometers apart, but Sehun’s place was closer to the subway that could take Baekhyun to the airport.
Sehun came and helped Baekhyun with his luggage, as little as it was. They grabbed takeout on the way.
There was a solemn mood as they ate their meal at Sehun’s too-small table.
Sehun looked at Baekhyun as he finished eating. The older looked stupidly cute as he ate, something Sehun had been lucky enough to learn over the past two weeks. It was far too soon to say anything, but Sehun thought that maybe the sarang ppajida had happened, even in that short time.
Baekhyun met his eyes mid-chew, but even when he finished and swallowed, didn’t say anything.
Sehun spoke up first.
“Don’t go.”
Baekhyun pursed his lips—in contemplation, not annoyance.
“Come with me.”
Sehun’s eyes widened. Surely he couldn’t just jump on a plane tomorrow to go to Tokyo with someone he hadn’t even known long. Could he?
“But—” Sehun started. “My niece. There’s no one else to watch her while my sister’s at work.”
“Right,” Baekhyun agreed. When he looked away, it was like a spell breaking. “How could I forget about your Sunday hangouts.”
It wasn’t a question, but an observation. A truce, a quip to dispel the awkward atmosphere.
And it worked for the next 16 hours, which was as long as it needed to. They made love as usual, cuddled as usual, laughed at YouTube funny dog compilation videos together as usual.
Sehun insisted on accompanying Baekhyun to the airport when the time came, even though the older assured him it was fine not to. They parted with smiles, even though they were both sad it was ending, whatever it was.
Unless.
Two weeks later, Sehun paced in front of his gate at the airport, an overstuffed backpack, Baekhyun style, digging into his shoulders.
Sehun had learned soon after Baekhyun’s departure that his sister was eligible for a promotion that would change her schedule. No more Sundays.
Sehun hated his job, and freelanced on the side anyway. He might lose a few local clients, but he could essentially work anywhere. And he’d be back to visit family in Taiwan often enough.
about to board, Sehun messaged Baekhyun on Kakaotalk.
It only took a few seconds for Baekhyun to reply.
can’t wait! <3