Can You Hear Me?
CAN YOU HEAR ME? (EXO Cheese Challenge Day 10)
BaekChen
PG | 1329 words
There could be plenty of reasons as to why Kim Jongdae is having Byun Baekhyun walk around Lotte World.
Baekhyun unfolded the numbered list of rides that Jongdae scribbled onto a piece of paper. The rides weren't even near each other--scattered all throughout the building.
They could be on a scavenger hunt or impersonating a Running Man mission. Or maybe there was a special occasion that they were celebrating.
Baekhyun paused mid-step at that thought. He'd be in big trouble if that was the case because there wasn't an occasion he could think of that they would be celebrating today.
So, cross that last one out.
Baekhyun continued walking and puffed his cheeks out, trying to think of what could be going on.
Or (and this is, like, a big "if" or), or SNSD could be here again for a performance.
No, never mind. Cross that out too.
If they really were coming, he would be the first person to know about it. Jongdae paid no attention to them anyway. And it would be super obvious because the place wouldn't be packed with only kids and adults.
It didn't help that all the same-aged boy said was to call him when he reached certain places of the theme park when all Baekhyun wanted to do was go on some rides and get cotton candy.
Actually, he just wanted to do something. Most importantly, he didn't want to be walking around a theme park alone.
So, finally, when the damn Conquistador was in sight, Baekhyun flipped open his phone and dialed Jongdae.
"'Ello!" Jongdae's cheery voice answered immediately.
"Hey, I'm here." Baekhyun said, looking around. He could hear the ride's music on his end as well, so Jongdae must have been nearby too.
"Do you see the ticket stand?" Jongdae inquired.
"Yes?" Baekhyun said. "But, what does that--"
"Okay, go over there."
Beep, beep, beep.
Baekhyun looked at his phone and furrowed his eyebrows. He then pressed on Jongdae's name again.
"Heey, you've reached Kim Jongdae..."
Baekhyun hung up and shoved his phone into his jacket pocket.
Baekhyun went to the ticket stand.
"Hi, are you going on the ride?" The ride attendant asked him.
"Oh, no, sorry, I'm waiting for someone."
The attendant nodded. "Okay, but I have to ask you to you have to wait on the other side."
Baekhyun apologized and went to where she indicated.
Five minutes had passed.
When Jongdae didn't answer the call for the fifth time, Baekhyun huffed and moved onto the next ride on the list.
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Nine rides later, and Baekhyun still couldn't find Jongdae.
He was officially pissed.
Baekhyun stared at the next ride on the list. The merry-go-round, but with more than half the day gone just from walking and waiting, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to go.
On the fifth ring, Jongdae picked up. Baekhyun was tempted to scream into the phone as loud as he could, but remained calm.
"Jongdae, I'm leaving soon if you keep this up." Baekhyun pinched his nose bridge.
"...Hello?" Jongdae simply said. "Baekhyun?"
"Can you hear me?" Baekhyun asked loudly, and looked to the right where he saw two startled women staring at him. He bowed to them for the sudden outburst.
"What?"
"Hello? Jongdae?" Baekhyun said, trying to walk around for better reception.
A few feet behind him, a young man holding a phone was walking the same direction.
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“You’re breaking up, I really can’t hear you.” Jongdae said in an almost sing-song voice while laughing. He was now turning where Baekhyun had just gone not too long ago, but when he turned the corner of the merry-go-round, Baekhyun was nowhere in sight.
Jongdae squinted, confused. He removed the phone from his ear, looking around.
Sounds of Laughter and carnival music along with jumbled voices surrounded him.
“How about now?” Baekhyun’s voice piped up from behind and Jongdae slightly jumped and swiftly turned around.
“Baaaaaaaekhyun!” Jongdae exclaimed while smiling awkwardly. He tried to casually extend an arm out for a hug.
Baekhyun briefly laughed before his expression quickly turned serious. He pressed “end” on his phone before walking up to Jongdae and poking him at the chest.
“Kim Jongdae, I have better things than wandering aimlessly for the entire day around Lotte World. I thought we were supposed to hang out. Or...I don't know, do anything. Did you know how tempting it was to go on some rides? But I actually refrained because I was waiting for you!”
Jongdae's smile wavered as Baekhyun went on. As Baekhyun continued yelling, it disappeared completely and his eyes widened to a sudden realization.
“So...you…didn’t ride the rides...and you didn't get the envelopes?” Jongdae asked, not looking at him.
“What?” Baekhyun huffed out, clearly frustrated. "Did you even hear anything I just said?"
He was tired. All he wanted to do was go home and jump into bed. He didn't even care he spent money coming into the theme park. He didn't even care that he just walked around Lotte World and did absolutely nothing. Byun Baekhyun was just done.
"O-oh, um..." Jongdae scratched the back of his head, quickly hiding his arm behind him.
With Jongdae acting super awkward and weird, Baekhyun took a better look at what he was wearing--and more importantly, what he was holding behind his back.
"What are you doing with a bouquet?" Baekhyun excruciatingly obviously pointed out.
He then looked at Jongdae's hair. "And what did you do to your hair?" He was almost tempted to reach out and see how much hair product was on the usually flat and soft hair, but suddenly Jongdae turned around.
"Sorry." Jongdae muttered. "Just, try to forget about today. Um, I'll make it up to you later."
Before Baekhyun could react, Jongdae was already walking away.
"Jongdae?" Baekhyun called out. "Hey!"
Jongdae disappeared into the crowd and out of sight.
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Purely out of curiosity and concern, Baekhyun decided to backtrack through the different rides again.
As he waited in line at the Flume Ride, Baekhyun wondered what Jongdae was up to. When he was closer to the front, he finally noticed an envelope that was attached to the ticket stand with his name on it.
Baekhyun rose his eyebrows in surprise. How was it that no one had taken it already? He didn't know but, regardless, Kim Jongdae was the worst at hosting any type of scavenger hunt games.
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Finally back at home, Baekhyun now had nine numbered envelopes spread out in front of him. He hadn't tried calling Jongdae again, and he wasn't sure what the guy was even trying to do.
Baekhyun carefully opened one envelope that had a small slip of paper.
Byun Baekhyun, it started off...
Seven opened envelopes later, Baekhyun was trying his best to contain his grin.
He held onto the last envelope and flipped it over, already knowing what it would contain.
"Kim Jongdae, you're an idiot." Baekhyun laughed to himself, pulling out his phone.
He scrolled through his contacts, until he reached Jongdae's name. Still smiling, he pressed on the name and waited for the latter to pick up.
Ring...
Baekhyun hoped that Jongdae would pick up, even after today's failure.
Ring...
Most of all, he hoped that Jongdae hadn't change his mind in the past two hours or so.
Ri--
Silence met his ear, and Baekhyun blinked a couple of times.
He brought the phone's screen to his face, to see if Jongdae had hung up, but saw that the call was still connected.
Twenty seconds had passed, but neither had said anything.
Baekhyun was still holding onto the unopened final letter.
"Jongdae?"
Silence.
"Look, you don't have to say anything, but...we do have a lot to talk about,so...Just please listen and for goodness sake, don't you dare hang up again."
Baekhyun heard Jongdae chuckle. He waited for him to reply.
Finally, Jongdae said, "I won't. Promise."