Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1: Prelude:
“You’re not attending Mr. Byun’s music class again today?” Soojin, Aera’s best friend, asked.
“I can’t. I have to go home early. Grandma is coming to visit.” Aera answered.
“Oh, okay. Mr. Byun has been looking for you and asking why you haven’t attended practice for the past couple of weeks. Didn’t you tell him about your mom?” Aera shook her head,
“I couldn’t. I don’t have the time to pass by his office these days. Dad had been…I dunno, too scared, I guess, to let me be out of the house for too long. I understand though, it’s only been a couple of months since mom died.”
“How is he, by the way?”
“Trying. I mean…even before mom died, she prepared us and made us promise not to mourn her too long. Easier said than done.” Aera chuckled, humorlessly,
“As if anyone can be prepared for someone’s death.”
Soojin wrapped an arm around her best friend’s shoulders and walked her out of the school building.
“Are you going to walk home?” Soojin asked.
“Yeah, Dad is still at the hospital, but he’s coming home with groceries he said. For the first time in a while, Dad’s coming home earlier than expected.” Aera responded with a light chuckle.
“Well, that’s good! I hope he comes home early more frequently. And tell Grandma Youngmi I said hi. Be careful on your way home, okay?” Soojin moved to hug Aera that the little girl returned.
“Thanks, Soojinnie,” she said before waving another goodbye and walking towards the direction of her house.
“Park Aera isn’t here again?” Baekhyun asked his students who looked around each other.
Baekhyun was Haneul Elementary School’s music teacher and choir master. Aside from his regular classes, Baekhyun conducts choir practice among the club’s members after school hours. Soojin raised her hand,
“She said she had to go home early again today, sir.”
“I see. She’s been missing sessions too often. Hmm…” Baekhyun thought deeply.
He doesn’t have any idea why his favorite student had been missing choir practice. It only started with missing a couple of sessions until it became so frequent that the girl barely attended anymore. He didn’t dare ask the school administration or her teachers about her, lest it spark rumors around the campus.
Kids these days oftentimes twist stories about their classmates, especially about those who they didn’t like. Not that Aera was hated, but he knows that there are some who are jealous of her for being talented, good looking, and smart.
“Maybe she has a secret boyfriend. Someone from the high school department,” Choi Danbi half-jokingly quipped.
Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows. Yep, Danbi is one of the few that he knew was envious of Aera. For what reason? He really didn’t know the specifics. With her statement, some sniggered at the idea but there were more who he saw either rolled their eyes or glared at the girl.
“Enough. Let’s not make stuff up about people we don’t know, alright? Come on, positions everyone, it’s time for a warmup,” he instructed, moving to sit behind the grand piano at the corner of the music room.
It wasn’t the same, his choir, that is. Aera was their ace, their lead soprano and it was difficult for Baekhyun to train Danbi since she wasn’t as receptive to his strict training compared to Aera who knows how and what to practice, especially when they have a competition. Danbi was impatient and Baekhyun felt frustrated that the girl seemed to get even more irritated every time he stopped them because she refused to switch techniques in between notes, causing her to sing off key or off beat due to lack of air.
Baekhyun sighed, looking at the wall clock by the end of the room. They had been practicing for a good two hours and the kids already looked exhausted. So, he decided to wrap it up and call it a night.
“Make sure you guys don’t drink anything fizzy or sweet or cold. Remember to hydrate always, okay? I’ll see you again on Tuesday. Take care going home!”
The kids packed up their music sheets and trickled out of the music room, waving and bidding goodbye to Baekhyun adorably. A series of “Drive safely, teach!” or “See you on Tuesday, Mr. Byun!” or “Thank you, Mr. Byun!” were said while the kids were walking out of the door. Except for Danbi who just went out without a word to him and joined her small clique.
Baekhyun shook his head and decided to pack his things as well after the kids went out. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It’s been doing that for the past two hours. He just knew that it was Jongdae, his best friend.
March 8, 2024, 4:23PM
KJD: Don’t forget about this Sunday!
KJD: Kyungsoo asked if you can find him a liter of half and half.
KJD: For some reason, his local grocery store is out of stock of his favorite brand.
KJD: Hello?
KJD: Right. Friday choir practice.
KJD: Let me know if you get my messages!
KJD: See you, Sunday!
Baekhyun chuckled at the series of messages and typed in a reply, telling him that he can pass by the grocery store tonight and check whatever their other best friend needed. He pocketed his cellphone and saw the other kids, as he went outside to the parking lot, getting picked up by their parents. Some even waved at him, and he waved back. Baekhyun went to his car, put his messenger bag at the back seat before driving off to the local supermarket to pick up ingredients for his other best friend.
It was a bi-weekly kind of thing he has with the two. Every two Sundays, the trio would gather at his apartment just to catch up and hang out, take a breather from their hectic schedules and just chill. Kyungsoo, who was a few months younger than them, was a chef and owned a posh restaurant in the city and a diner somewhere downtown. Jongdae, who is a couple of months younger than Baekhyun was an accountant at a law firm, who is currently taking his MBA. Which was why they had to meet on Sundays instead of Saturdays because of his classes.
Baekhyun, on the other hand, was a graduate of a prestigious music school with a bachelor’s degree in music performance under his belt. He would have been a famous musical actor if not for his severe stage fright and crowd anxiety. Which is why he teaches music to kids now rather than being up on stage and performing. It was easier for him to handle a room full of kids rather than handle a crowd watching his every move as he sang. He wasn’t like that at first but…life just has a funny way of traumatizing you while you’re in your formative years that it even follows you until adulthood. But that’s another story for another day.
Baekhyun stopped and parked his car at the local supermarket. Its neon sign reflected on his windshield, illuminating the inside of his car. He turned off the engine and got off, taking his phone out to read the list of things to buy, as requested by his chef of a best friend.
March 8, 2024, 7:37PM
BBH: What’s the two pounds of cream cheese for, Soo?
DKS: Didn’t you ask me to make Kai’s New York Cheesecake the other day?
BBH: Wow, that thing is two pounds cream cheese? Yikes.
KJD: As if you won’t burn that in two hours of workout. I know I would. 😏
BBH: TMI Dae.
DKS: He won’t be Jongdae if he wasn’t throwing TMIs and always horny.
DKS: Anyway, unless you don’t want me to bake one anymore, you can just opt it out and all the other baking ingredients but I’m good at making you one.
BBH: Naaah, two pounds of cream cheese it is. Anything else you guys want me to buy that’s not on the list?
KJD: Would you be open to buying condoms for me?
BBH: No.
KJD: Fine. I’ll get them myself. 🙄
Baekhyun chuckled to himself after seeing Dae’s rolling eyes emoji. He entered the supermarket and took a cart from the side, starting from the non-food section. He picked out resealable bags, cling wrap, aluminum foil, paper towels, and everything a three-person party would need. Little by little his cart started to fill out as he walked through each aisle of the supermarket.
Baekhyun heard a familiar tune being sung from behind him as he browsed through a series of different jars of marinades for chicken breast. He decided to pick Kyungsoo’s favorite, Honey Sriracha which was two shelves above him.
“Why do they put it so high up?” he huffed, trying to reach the said jar.
In his desperation, he tried to step on the bottom rack of his cart so he could get a little leverage. Of course, because the cart’s wheels were well-oiled, it was bound to be wobbly, but Baekhyun still tried to use it as leverage.
“Hey! That’s a bad idea, sir!” said a man behind him, suddenly holding his waist and pulling him against his chest as his cart nearly rolled off under his foot.
He got off the cart that rolled away a couple of inches from them. Baekhyun turned towards his savior with a heavy blush on his cheeks.
“You’re going to cause an accident and break something,” the stranger chuckled, Baekhyun still wrapped in his arms,
“What were you trying to reach anyway?” he asked.
“U-uhm…Honey…sriracha…” Baekhyun responded sheepishly.
“Here, let me,” he said, gently moving Baekhyun to his side and tiptoeing to reach the said jar.
The stranger handed Baekhyun what he had been trying to reach for, looking at him in the eyes and giving him a small smile.
“Next time you try to reach high places, you could just call someone for help. Those carts are dangerous to step on,” he said.
It was only that time that Baekhyun got a good look at the stranger’s face and he nearly gasped.
‘Oh, he’s stunning,’ he thought, eyes widening and cheeks flushing.
“I-I’ll take note of that, thanks,” he responded awkwardly, taking the big jar of marinade from his big hands.
Before Baekhyun could ask for the name of his savior, the stranger’s phone rang.
“Sorry, I’ll see you around. Don’t step on those carts again, alright?” then threw him a dimpled smile.
Baekhyun could only nod and watch the tall stranger take the call and turn away from him. Following him with his eyes, Baekhyun stared and observed how his broad shoulders and back flexed as he pushed his cart.
‘Gosh, he’s handsome,’ he thought as he stared.
“Everything alright, dear?” a voice broke through his stupor, making him jump.
“Oh. Oh! Yeah. Yes, ma’am. Everything’s fine,” he laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck as the old woman smiled at him kindly, nodding before walking away.
“Too bad I didn’t get his name. Oh well,” he shrugged before putting the jar of chicken marinade to his cart and continued with his grocery shopping.
Unfortunately, he didn’t bump into the handsome, tall stranger again.