The Assistant || Chanbaek

Chapter 30

A/N: ^ you gotta listen to this song while reading the chapter

Chanyeol was rolling up the cuffs to his jacket as hundreds of his employees bustle about.

He was an empty soul, simply going through the motions that of a human. His usual sputter of excitement before performing—gone.

His will to stay awake and simply not just drop dead on the floor—gone.

And yet he continued staring from the side stage wing at the crew members finishing up the final touches of the stage. He continued listening to the thousands of wild fans, screaming his name, and how each of them would remember this exact concert for the rest of their lives.

However in the very, very, very bottom of his stomach he had a tiny, tiny, tiny glimmer of hope.

There's still 10 minutes before the concert starts. He could still show.

His stomach flutters a bit, picturing Baekhyun walking through the door, dazzling him with his appearance like he always does.

Don't be a dumbass, you broke his heart. This is your fault—

"A few minutes Mr. Park."

He whipped his head around to meet the source of the voice, the stage manager of the venue.

He nodded, before turning back to face the stage and tuning his guitar.

Reminding himself not to get his hopes up, he continuously repeats: expectations are the main cause for disappointment.

"Alright, Mr. Park it's time to start."

"Just a little bit longer."

"Mr. Park I'm afraid we can't delay any more than we have. The concert will run too late and the fans will become too rowdy. It's already been too long, especially without an opener."

Chanyeol sighed deeply, realizing he just had to face the truth and be a professional.

"Okay."

The stage manager, surprised at how easily the famous performer complied, began to walk away while giving the cue to the sound engineer.

Walking on stage, Chanyeol heard the crowd instantly grow in volume. The screaming was almost too much to bear. It was supposed to ignite a passion within his insides to play the best he ever has. Instead it was just a deafening wall of sound.

He began picking a sweet rhythm, remembering the chords to an American song he was familiar with.

"When the lights go down, in the city
and the sun shines on the bay
do I wanna be there
in my city,
oooh"

~~~

Baekhyun was a giant mess (but what else is new). He was waiting quite impatiently in the backseat of a taxi, whom he had instructed to the theater at which Chanyeol was playing.

He obsessively checked his watch every ten seconds, expecting time to stop somehow just for him— but of course it doesn't.

Damnit! Chanyeol should've started playing twenty minutes ago! Hurry up!

"Could you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"The tapping"

Baekhyun hadn't even realized he had been anxiously tapping his foot against the door of the taxi.

"Sorry. I'm just kind of in a rush."