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everythingsinred · 3 years

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Let's Talk About Natsumikan: Natsume (pt. 3)

Previously, we started talking about Natsume, how cold he is, and his mannerisms. If you want, you can think of this next segment as the final analysis for this stretch of plot where Natsume is being fully introduced and his behaviors explored. After this one, things will start to get really interesting!

TW for bullying, suicidal ideation, depression, mental illness, and child abuse. Almost all of my essays will be heavily focused on one or all of these themes so if these topics are triggering to you, it might be best to not read.

Chapter Nine

We went crazy analyzing the episode counterpart in the anime, going over the dodgeball game and all of its consequences regarding Natsume’s feelings for Mikan. The manga has just as much to analyze regarding Natsume, but very little of it is as pleasant!

In the manga, Natsume does not start falling for Mikan here. There is no beautiful scene where she confesses this was all done to make him smile. There is no pretend peace for Natsume at the end of the episode where he and Ruka muse about the game.

No, this is worse.

The beginning concept is more or less the same, but with significantly less emphasis on Natsume individually. In fact, Tsubasa tells Mikan Natsume isn’t solely to blame for the chaos in Class B--that they all need a way to let out their feelings and start having fun instead.

Natsume ends up sucked into the game against his will. He does not feel like playing, but he goes along with it when the bet is made--that is, if Mikan loses, she and her team need to be servants forever, but if she wins the other team has to quit their bullying of Substitute-sensei forever. There is no focus on Natsume ditching, or even on Natsume at all. Really Natsume only gets into it when he sees Ruka has been roped into joining Mikan’s team by accident. Natsume despises Mikan and, considering that Ruka has been kidnapped by her before, is not any happier to see him in Mikan’s custody again. He hits her in the head with the ball on purpose, knowing it would be out of bounds, because he wants to hurt her more than he wants to get her out of the game.

From Natsume's perspective, it does seem like she's trying to push his buttons on purpose lmao.

Natsume’s team has way more players, but because they’re afraid to hit Ruka on accident and face Natsume’s wrath, and because they are too crowded on their side, they have some obstacles. Sumire attempts to salvage this through good old fashioned cheating. Whether Natsume is privy to this seems unimportant. He doesn’t care about winning or losing either way, and doesn’t seem like he’s actively bullying the teacher to begin with like the others are. Now he’s just playing against Mikan for stealing Ruka away.

Compared to the anime’s version, the manga’s counterpart might seem anticlimactic, or less fun. But the truth is that the dodgeball game in the manga was never about befriending Natsume. Mikan never considered that because she despises him, maybe the same amount that he hates her. Creating a friendship is the last thing on either of their minds. This chapter is about Mikan finally feeling more at place in Class B as a whole, rather than winning over Natsume.

This chapter carries weight for him on an entirely different level. Natsume might have gotten himself involved with the game, and might have even had a bit of fun, but that was never going to last.

Natsume's life vs. Class B's life. Shadows vs. Shinies!

Natsume goes to get a drink of water after the game, where he encounters Persona, who tells him he has a mission. Right after this, we have a panel of the kids of Class B wondering what they should play next. This is the most obvious visual we will get of the jarring divide between Natsume’s life and that of the rest of Class B. Even Ruka seems to fit in with the other kids, despite trying to align himself more with his best friend. Natsume truly will never be like them, even if he does let himself have fun. He will always have to stop, put away the game, and don his mask for his missions. He can’t be a child like they can; his life is too dark.

In the anime, Persona is hidden in a tree but does not confront Natsume. If anything, he is a mere shadow looming over Natsume, threatening to bring darkness on Natsume’s newfound sunshine. In the manga, Persona’s presence is more potent.

The other children can laugh and play games and the biggest worry they have is what they will play next time. For Natsume, he will never belong with the rest of them, no matter how much they might admire him. Persona is just a reminder that Natsume isn’t like the rest of them.

Chapter Ten

Natsume is in a sour mood from the mission he recently went on, and Iinchou confirms this by saying he’s been grumpy since the dodgeball game. I talked about other reasons he may have been angry in the anime but in the manga it’s indisputable that Persona is the cause.

Thus, he has no qualms telling Mikan how it is: that her grandpa isn’t receiving the letters because they aren’t being sent, and that the teachers can’t be trusted. All of the things Ruka told her before are now coming from the horse’s mouth: this school is a prison. And again he reiterates: he and Mikan are marked, and more than anybody else, they’re treated differently from the rest of the kids. He is, after all, even more isolated from his loved ones than the rest are. On New Years, when everyone gets some letters and cards from loved ones, Natsume is the only one who’s not allowed anything. For him to imagine that there’s a kind-hearted teacher willing to send a letter or two is simply not even worth his time.

Okay but. Like. Nobody asked you, though.

It’s hard to say for sure why Natsume decided to tell Mikan this (other than to plant the seed of doubt in Mikan’s head story-wise). It’s possible that he wanted to help her, but keep in mind that he still hates her at this point. It’s far more likely that he, after a period of missions and consequent depleted health, is not in the mood to tolerate her rose-colored lenses and is much more willing to destroy her idealism and say it like it is, to shut her up.

After all, his threat from the Northern Woods is still relevant: he truly thinks that she will come to regret enrolling at the academy. If nothing else has worked to dampen her spirits, maybe the realization that she has been lied to will do the trick. He's just helping that epiphany along.

Chapter Eleven

The school festival is approaching and Mikan is dead set on making friends with people she wouldn’t normally consider. Naturally, this means trying with Natsume, who burns her hair and tells her to piss off.

Comparing the manga to the anime with this particular chapter is fascinating. In the anime, Natsume has already started liking Mikan. He helps her come up with ideas for her class to do and even encourages her to make up with her senpais when they have an argument. She starts understanding his unique type of kindness and appreciating his presence. It’s a cute episode where they can relate to each other and bond.

In the manga, they still hate each other. Mikan only approaches him because of Narumi’s advice, and because he doesn’t care, Natsume doesn’t mind burning her hair to get her away from him. He is in a sour mood because he can’t participate, made clear when Seaweed-head, Sumire’s brother, makes an appearance. He taunts both Mikan and Natsume for their lame ability classes, particularly the dangerous ability class, because they’re not even allowed to enter the festival. He makes a comment, something along the lines of them being “perfect partners” as a result (exhibit who’s-even-keeping-count-anymore of them being paired off before they even like each other). Natsume burns his hair too and calls him “fried seaweed”, playing off of Mikan’s insult for him.

You can't see his eyes in these panels, and then he walks off, so it's almost easy to fall for the idea that he couldn't care less... but we know better.

Mikan later runs into him again, and this is where there is some consistency. In the anime, they are both clearly outcasts regarding the festival. Everyone expects the worst from the special ability class, and the dangerous ability class isn’t even allowed to enter the competitions. In the manga, the same things are true, and they are both aware of this.

Mikan, shocked at seeing him again, drops all her papers. She’s expecting him to insult her or use his alice again, on account of him being a “hateful person”, but Natsume does no such thing. They’re the only ones who would truly get it, being left out, so Natsume says instead that he doesn’t get what all the hype is about. Such a big fuss over nothing. Pathetic, even. He picks up her papers for her, though he doesn’t have to move much to do so. They stand in silence for a moment.

I mean... he didn't have to pick up her papers for her.

Perhaps his hatred for her is actually cooling. She is struggling through similar things as he is, and there’s room for bonding between them, even if neither of them particularly wants to. Whatever the reason, Natsume is choosing to just talk to her instead of insulting or teasing her here. Moreover, the way he says all this, so transparently, as if he wouldn’t have found the festival interesting even if he could participate, is something she can see through. You can imagine Mochu or Sumire nodding in agreement with his statement, maybe even pretending they thought so too this whole time, rather than connecting the dots as Mikan does. Natsume has a similar viewpoint on many things, things that are “all hype over nothing”, in his opinion, like the festival or even kissing that he actually does want to do.

If Natsume can't participate, then Ruka won't either...

At the end of the chapter, Ruka comes to hang out with Natsume, choosing time with his best friend over meetings about the festival. He knows better than anyone probably how Natsume feels, being left out. Ruka will always choose Natsume over everything else, as he always has done, and keeping him company so he doesn’t feel lonely is an easy thing to sacrifice. It is his way of keeping his promise that he will make sure Natsume doesn't feel alone at the academy.

Chapter Twelve

Yet another chapter where the plots diverge from the anime’s version of events, Chapter Twelve is our trip to Central Town. Just like in the anime, Natsume is Mikan’s one condition to go to Central Town, and he is only convinced by Youichi.

It would have been nice to see the time Natsume and Yo-chan first met, and how Natsume became so close to him since he doesn't seem fond of any other dangerous ability types.

It’s nice knowing that Natsume has people he loves even at the academy, other than Ruka, and things that can make him smile, if even for a brief moment. Youichi looks up to Natsume and Natsume acts like a protective big brother, which is something he’s had past experience with, as revealed in this chapter.

Once in Central Town, Natsume lingers by a jewelry story, where he sees a hair-clip that reminds him of Aoi. It’s something that would suit her, but he can’t get it for her. The reader can see that Natsume is a brother, and that his mystery sister is part of his tragic backstory (oh, to see Aoi animated ;-;). Mikan naturally misunderstands this and then Natsume is absent from the rest of the chapter. It’s almost like he was trying to prove the point that his presence could hardly be felt and wouldn’t make a difference in her trip, something she was distressed about.

Yeah, so Natsume hasn't seen his sister in two years and doesn't know if she's even safe. For people with close sibling relationships, this is like. the definition of hell.

In the anime, Mikan includes him by giving him some howalon, but in the manga no such exchange occurs. He spends this trip mostly on his own, not even with Ruka or Youichi.

I wonder if the hair-clip was upsetting to him to the extent that he wanted the time to himself, or if it was a more general feeling of not being able to fit in anyway so why even bother, similar to the dodgeball chapter. Either way, he stays gone, and that’s fine. We’ll see plenty of him in the chapters to come.

Conclusion

This is the last edition of analyzing Natsume this way, where he has disdain for Mikan while maneuvering her cheerful little antics. In the next edition, we'll see a little of what Natsume's dark secret life looks like, the one that caused him to be like this. We'll also see a monumental shift in the way he views Mikan and then this will start looking a lot more like a ship essay heheheehhehe.

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#gakuen alice #alice academy #hyuuga natsume #natsume hyuuga #natsumikan #sakura mikan #mikan sakura #my meta #ga #mine #ga meta #ga meta: nm #ga meta: manga #ga meta: manga nm #let's talk about natsumikan #let's talk about natsumikan: natsume #the scene with the papers makes me smile so much #they are FATED. they are NARRATIVELY PAIRED. they are SOULMATES.

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theladyofdeath · 5 years

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V O I D { O N E }

Chapter 1. An ACOTAR fanfiction.

Nessian. Elriel. Feysand.

"Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something." - Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park

“Who are you texting?”

Tomas’ smile quickly faded. He didn’t need to answer her question, she already knew who it was. There was only one person who made him smile so dopily into his phone.

Claire.

He was so obviously in love with her. He never tried to hide it.

But every time he and Nesta were together, Tomas would get text messages that made him smile, made him laugh, made his eyes sparkle.

Nesta hated Claire.

If only because Nesta had never made Tomas laugh like that. Tomas looked at a text message from Claire a hell of a lot more lovingly than he ever looked at Nesta.

“None of your business,” he said, meeting her gaze. “Why do you get so jealous?”

“I’m not jealous,” she snapped. “I just think when you’re with someone you shouldn’t be spending all your time staring and laughing at your phone.”

Tomas snorted. “Stop being an idiot.”

Nesta stared down at her plate of fries, which she hadn’t touched. “Do you think I’m pretty?”

Tomas waited until she looked back up at him to say, “Obviously.”

“Prettier than Claire?”

Tomas rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath. “That’s a stupid question.”

“Is it? Because I’m trying to figure out what Claire has that your so in love with that I don’t have.” she sounded pitiful, but she couldn’t stop the words that had been building up for months from slipping out of her mouth.

Tomas just shook his head. “Being pretty isn’t everything. People aren’t just going to like you because you’re pretty.” Nesta looked back down at her plate when he muttered, “It helps to have a damn personality, too.”

Nesta blinked. “Are you saying I don’t have a personality?”

Tomas didn’t respond. He simply picked up his phone, smling at whatever text he’d gotten next.

Nesta didn’t touch her food.

She didn’t say anything else for the rest of the meal, either.

They sat there for another thirty minutes and all the while all she could hear was: no personality, no personality, boring, dull, pathetic. He’s never going to love you. No fucking personality.

Perhaps it was because he had stolen her personality from her long ago.

~~~~

It had been three days since she’d seen Tomas, but he still texted Nesta every little bit to make sure she was at home, alone, and not doing anything he referred to as stupid.

She wasn’t doing anything stupid.

She wasn’t doing anything at all.

Nesta stared at her bedroom wall, lying on her side on her bed. She used to have posters up, used to have pictures up of herself and her sisters, but now her wall was bare.

Her breathing was slow but steady. Her head hurt, probably due to lack of food or water or the fact that she hadn’t gotten out of bed all day and it was nearly nightfall.

The last time she had seen Tomas, he’d hit her in the stomach because she was late. Her period began two days later, two weeks after it was meant to. The bleeding was different. Unnormal. Irregular.

Different.

If she had been carrying his child, she no longer was.

So Nesta stared at the wall.

Her phone rang, startling her out of her daze.

Elain, her screen read.

She didn’t want to answer.

But, if she didn’t answer, Elain would just keep calling until she knew that Nesta was alright.

“Hello?” she answered, sighing into her phone.

“Hey!” Elain said, bright and cheery. “Whatcha doin?”

Nesta took a moment to say, “Just relaxing at home. You?”

“School starts tomorrow,” she said. “I’m organizing my backpack.”

Nesta almost laughed. Organizing her backpack? It was something that was so Elain that Nesta’s chest began to ache.

“We miss you,” Elain said. “I wish you would’ve come home for the summer. Seen the new place.”

But she hadn’t. She had remained near campus so that she could see Tomas whenever she wanted. She didn’t go to Velaris to stay with her sisters, their dad, all because she wanted to stay near Tomas.

“How’s Feyre?” Nesta asked, when she wasn’t sure what else to say.

Elain cleared her throat. “Um, she’s okay. Her and dad are fighting a lot.”

Nesta wasn’t surprised. They had always fought, ever since their mom died. Elain was hoping that moving to the city, a new change of scenery, would help with all the fighting, but it seems it hadn’t.

“I’ll come up for fall break, okay?” Nesta promised.

Elain beamed. “Okay! Great! I’m so excited to show you the city. You’re going to love it here.”

Nesta felt like Elain was talking painfully slow, even though she knew her sister was probably speaking completely normal.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

Elain sounded disappointed when she said, “Oh, okay. I love you.”

“Love you,” Nesta said, and hung up.

She should get up.

She should walk around.

Eat.

Pee.

Bathe.

With a sigh, Nesta meandered to the washroom across the hall.

She flipped on the lights, the brightness hurting her eyes.

When she saw herself in the mirror, she should have cringed, but she didn’t feel a thing. With a tilt of her head, she made note of the dark circles beneath her eyes, the tangles in her hair for not brushing it in days. She made note of the emptiness in her eyes, the dullness, the lack of life.

She was a ghost.

No personality.

She supposed she should be happy that Tomas found her pretty, though. Perhaps it was her beauty that caught his attention in the first place. Perhaps it was her beauty that caused him to smoothtalk his way into her heart, into her bed.

He had been her first.

Not that he believed her. When she told Tomas that she had been a virgin before him, he laughed in her face. Fucking liar. Don’t tell me that bullshit. Don’t lie.

But she hadn’t lied. He was her first, and it was why she loved him, why she was connected to him, why she wanted so desperately for him to love her, too.

But he thought nothing of her.

Only that she was beautiful.

Beauty.

That’s what she was.

That’s all she was.

She was a boring, personalityless girl caught in a beautiful woman’s body.

Nesta stared at herself in the mirror as a single tear slid down her cheek.

She was beautiful, she supposed. People had always told her that she looked like her mother. Men had always found her pretty, just like Tomas did.

Pretty, but nothing more.

All she was good for was sex. Tomas only wanted her for the physical stuff, and then he went to Claire for the real connection.

Beautiful.

All she was to him was a beautiful piece of fucking property.

Before Nesta knew what she was doing, Nesta opened the top drawer of her vanity and found an old set of clippers. She had used to cut her dad’s hair with those clippers, before their mom had died.

Beautiful.

It’s all he saw her as.

But she wanted to be more. She needed to be more to him. Maybe he would see the real her if he wasn’t focused on her damn beauty anymore.

She had a fucking personality.

She was more than just a pretty girl.

Nesta didn’t even realized she had plugged the clippers in, didn’t even realized she had raised the razor sharp tip to her scalp.

It was until she saw half of her hair lying on the bathroom tile that she knew what she was doing. Her hands were shaking as she placed the clippers gently back on the counter. Her blue eyes were red, puffy. Her lips were wet with tears, swollen, covered in snot that had been running from her nose.

Her fingers rose to graze the buzzed side of her head.

With half of her hair gone, the other half a tangled mess, Nesta fell to the tiled floor and cried. She cried loudly, angrily. She cursed his name, cursed her worthless, stupid fucking life. She cursed the fact that she felt absolutely nothing and everything all at once.

She cursed the fact that she cared about Tomas, still. That she cared what he thought of her.

She cried and she screamed until there was nothing left in her, and her face fell into neutral territory.

Nesta rose to her feet and wiped her cheeks dry before taking the clippers and removing the other half of her hair.

Tomas would not think she was only a pretty girl, now.

~~~~

Elain continued to stare at her phone for a long while after she hung up with Nesta.

Nesta wasn’t doing well, she knew that, but it made it a lot more difficult to try and help her when Nesta was so private.

“Done organizing?”

Elain jumped, completely unaware how much time had passed.

Feyre leaned against her door frame.

“I think so,” Elain said, keeping her voice light. “Talked to Nesta.”

Feyre raised a brow. “She actually answered? Shocking.”

Elain nibbled on her lip. “Are you ready for your first day of junior year?”

Feyre groaned. “Wishing I was a senior with you. Two more years of school sounds like a lifetime.”

Elain laughed, quietly. “I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t super excited to be a senior.”

Feyre rolled her eyes. “Rub it in why don’t you.”

“Girls! Dinner! Come eat!”

Feyre raised a brow. “Warning- he made meatloaf.”

Elain scrunched her nose. “Gross.”

“Don’t tell him that. He’s proud.”

“Girls! Come on! Before it gets cold!”

Elain and Feyre looked at one another, trying not to laugh as they headed down the staircase together.

Their father had come a long way since the death of their mother. At first, he was a shell of a man. As time went on, and after Nesta left, he’d learned how to cope. He’d never moved on, had never gone a day without missing her, but he had learned to cope. He had learned to smile, learned to laugh, learned how to have a good time for his daughters.

Unfortunately, in his healing process, he’d picked up cooking.

It was unfortunate because it was always disgusting.

Nine times out of ten, at least.

The three of them sat down at the dinner table, their father anxiously awaiting his daughters’ first bites.

Feyre cleared her throat. “Dad, I have to admit that meatloaf isn’t my favorite.”

“Is meatloaf anyone’s favorite?” Elain whispered.

“Okay, okay,” Isaac said, hands raised. “It may not be a fan favorite, but it was the recipe of the day in the cookbook Elain got me for Christmas. So.”

“Way to go Elain,” Feyre mumbled.

“Okay,” Elain said, cutting off a piece of meatloaf. “Here goes.”

She put the piece into her mouth and chewed, slowly. “Yummy. Is it...supposed to be hard?”

Isaac groaned. “I’m just going to order a pizza.”

Their dad got up from the table and walked into the kitchen.

“No, dad!” Elain called after him. “It's good!”

But she was laughing. Feyre was laughing. And Isaac was not buying it.

“Has anyone talked to Nesta recently?” Isaac asked, after ordering a large pepperoni pizza from the corner pizza shop.

Elain’s laughter faded away. “I did this afternoon. She didn’t sound too good. But, she said she’d come visit for fall break next month.”

They had moved to Velaris at the beginning of the summer, in hopes of starting anew. Nesta would have come, too, if she wasn’t going to school in their old city.

Elain loved the city of Velaris. She had loved it from the first day she’d seen it, and she knew Nesta would love it, too.

“Maybe we can go see her next weekend,” Feyre suggested.

“Yeah,” Elain agreed, forcing herself to smile. “We should.”

“I’ll have to give her a call tomorrow,” Isaac said, clearing the meatloaf from the table.

As he brought it into the kitchen, Feyre and Elain erupted into laughter, once more.

For twenty minutes, they tried to encourage their father in his cooking endeavors, but he just kept rolling his eyes, telling them his cooking was award winning.

Even his brick hard meatloaf.

When that twenty minutes was up, the doorbell rang and Feyre hurried to the door.

“Finally,” she mumbled, “I’m starving.”

When she threw open the door, she froze.

Pizza delivery boys were bred differently in Velaris, apparently, because the boy standing in front of her was gorgeous. His dark hair wasn’t covered by a hat, although Feyre was certain that a hat was part of his uniform. But it was his eyes that were captivating.

Violet. Bright. Humored.

“Large pepperoni?” He asked, brow raised.

Feyre cleared her throat. “Oh. Yeah. Yes. Thanks.”

“Twelve dollars even,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“For...the pizza?” He said, laughing quietly. “Which is the reason I’m standing on your porch.”

Feyre turned pink to the tips of her ears. “Your sarcasm isn’t needed.”

He lifted a brow as Elain came up behind her with some cash.

“Thanks,” He said, keeping his eyes on Feyre’s.

Elain took the pizza box, giving Feyre a nudge forward as she brought it back to the kitchen.

“You’re new to this house.”

Feyre blinked. “Excuse me?”

He grinned. “I’ve delivered to this house before.”

“We just moved in,” Feyre said, taking a step back. “You may leave now.”

Laughing quietly, he shook his head and descended the front porch steps.

Feyre didn’t realize that she had watched him go until he drove away.

_______

Chapter 2 coming soon.

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ohh-baekhyun · 5 years

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Just For One Night | Final (5-8)

✨Foreword: Baekhyun has always been carefully platonic in his interactions with his best friend’s little sister. He resolved to keep her at arm’s length despite his attraction towards her. But one night, one kiss changes everything.

✨Genre: romance, there’s a bit of badly written smut in there sorry, fluff!

✨Word Count: 10.5k (it’s long)

Turn out, the pianist who was supposed to play for Kyungsoo’s wedding backed out last minute for an urgent matter. There's not enough time to hire a replacement, hence, I was asked to help out since I was the only who knew how to play the instrument. I was freaking out. It had been years since the last time I performed in public. Hell, I couldn't even remember the last time I played the piano. I'd stopped completely after that one incident in which I broke down during a performance for a national competition. It was embarrassing and also traumatizing.

I was all alone in the backstage waiting room, sitting on the cold ground with my legs crossed. I was nervous and my head was spinning like a washing machine as I worried about all the worst case scenarios that might or might not happened.

As my thoughts were running, a click from the door startled me and I looked up. The door slid open and Baekhyun stood in the doorway, one hand grabbing the doorknob to hold the door open. He made quick glances across the room until his eyes found me, "Why are you sitting on the floor?"

I gave him a small smile, "Come sit with me."

He stepped in and pushed the door closed behind him, "I’m starting to think you are anti-social.” he teased as he made his way towards me.

I chuckled half-heartedly, “I just need some time to calm myself down.”

When he reached me, I tilted my head up to look at him. "Is everything okay?" he asked, eyeing me down with concern.

I shook my head hopelessly.

Sighing, he lowered himself to the empty spot next to me. "Nervous?" he asked.

"Very."

He placed his palm over my hand on my thigh and gave it a light squeeze, "I think it's perfectly normal to feel that way. I'd be very nervous too if I were you."

"I'm afraid I'll screw up and ruin everything for Kyungsoo, it's a big day for him."

And I went on and on about it, telling him all the worst case scenarios that might happen in a long endless ramble.

As I finished, I looked to my side and found him smiling at my rambling. I return his stare with knitted eyebrows. "Why are you smiling? I'm freaking out right now."

Shaking his head, he moved his hand to cup the side of my head, and then he gently pushed it down so I was leaning on his shoulder. “You need to stop doubting yourself, sweetheart,” he said, stroking my hair comfortingly. "You did well for the rehearsal and I'm sure you'll do well later."

“What if-“

"No more," He cut me off sternly. ”You are going to be fine."

“How can you be so sure?”

He didn’t answer to that, instead, he slipped his free hand beneath the jacket of his suit and pulled something out of it. “I know whatever I say is not going to help, so I have something else that might help.”

“What is it?” I lifted my head from his shoulder and peered at the shiny object in his palm.

He reached for my wrist and tugged it to him. “It’s a lucky bracelet.” he circled the chain around my wrist and fastened the clasp. When he was done, I pulled my hand back and observed the new piece of jewelry on my wrist. It was a rose-gold bracelet with six mini charms dangling around it.

Dolphins, piano, books, snowflake, four-leaf clover and a heart-shaped locket.

They were all my favorite things.

I grinned from ear to ear while eyeing closely at the cute little charms, “Thank you. I really love it.”

“It's not for you,” he replied, surprising me. “I’m lending it to you just for a day.”

Lend?

Not expecting that answer, I squinted my eyes at him, “Why do you have this girly thing with you?”

“I found it under my bed on a Christmas Day when I was ten.” he explained, surprising me again, “I believe Santa gave it to me."

I snorted once, twice and then I laughed, “Remind me you’re twenty-nine.”

“You can laugh all you want." he muttered. “this bracelet brings good luck everytime I wear it."

"You wear this?" I asked in awe and at the same time suppressing my grin. It was hard not to laugh at the visual of him wearing such a cutesy piece of jewelry.

He nodded, “Only on special occasion."

“And it works?"

“Every damn time.”

If it wasn't for the fact that he and my brother used to fool me a lot when I was little, I'd easily fall for his silly lie.

I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously, “You sure you are not messing around with me?”

Baekhyun curled his lips in annoyance, "Hand it back to me.”

I retracted my hand and hid it behind my back before he reached it, “I trust you. Sorry."

“You better do because the magic is not going to work if you don't believe it."

Is he telling me to believe in magic?

Must. Not. Laugh.

"What? You still think I'm lying to you?" he frowned at me.

“I believe in you.” I muttered through my pressed lips, trying to hold back my laughter.

“Good.” he said, “You’re going to be okay now.”

“I hope so."

“Are you still feeling nervous?”

For some reason, I wasn't feeling as nervous as I was before. Was it the bracelet? or Was it him?

“I told you it works.”

He must be right about the magic. I was suddenly so in love with this bracelet.....

"You know," I climbed onto his lap, straddling him in kneeling position. He looked perplexed as I circled my arm around him. “Christmas is just around the corner,” I hinted.

Finally understanding my intention, Baekhyun smirked, resting his hands on my hips to hold me still. "Trying to lure me, sweetheart?"

“I'm just saying you can forgo the hassle of choosing a gift for me." I coaxed. "I don't mind having this as a gift, even though it has been used."

He didn't spare any time to consider my request, instead, he just answered, “No."

"Please?" I begged him with my voice, and then my eye.

He stared at me, completely unmoved.

Dammit, it used to work when I wasyounger...

I harrumphed. “You are so not generous.”

"It's good enough that I'm lending it to you. Stop complaining."

“You know, If it were Chanyeol, he would gladly give it to Soyeon if she asked for it."

"Do I look like a Chanyeol to you?"

"No."

He raised one brow at me, "So?"

"I mean, If it were me, I'd give it to you as well. You don't even have to beg for it."

"Are you guilt-tripping me?"

"No." I denied, "I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to be nicer to your girlfriend."

"I'm lending it to you for a day. That's nice enough." he said firmly, "Take it or leave it."

I wrinkled my nose, "You stingy human."

"Don't make me change my mind, you ungrateful woman."

"You are so not getting any gift from me." I lied. I had actually bought him a watch for Christmas.

A knock on the door surprised me and I scrambled off his lap immediately and looked over my shoulder. The door slid open and this time my brother appeared peeking into the room. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked when he saw us on the floor.

"Chatting," Baekhyun answered calmly.

"Come and join us." I patted on the space next to me.

"The ceremony is starting soon. We have to go now," he said.

"Let's go." Baekhyun said as he raised himself off the ground and then helped me up.

Chanyeol held the door open with his elbow and once Baekhyun and I stepped out of the room, he shut the door closed and fell into step next to me. I was now sandwiched between the two males as we made our way into the main hall.

"You feeling okay?" my brother asked, sounding worried.

I nodded and raised my hand to show him my bracelet, "Baekhyun lend this to me. It's a magic bracelet from Santa."

"Santa?" Chanyeol peered at Baekhyun and threw him an incredulous stare. "For real?"

Not liking the look Chanyeol gave him, Baekhyun frowned at him, "What?"

"Stop messing around with my sister, dude." he accused, "She's not five anymore."

"Shh," I nudged at my brother's elbow and whispered to him, "He's quite sensitive about it."

"You know that asshole is lying to you right?" my brother whispered back to me.

"Fuck you all," Baekhyun cursed his breath.

"See. I told you he's sensitive."

The room was quiet as everyone waited in anticipation for the bride to walk down the aisle.

I placed my fingers on the keys and looked up at the cellist seated across the piano. Once he nodded at me, I knew it was my cue to start. Inhaling a deep breath, I pushed the keys down to the very first chord of the song. The strings followed afterward, blending in beautifully with the melody. My heart beat a little faster, but my mind was calm and my hand wasn't trembling as they did earlier. The bracelet really worked its magic.

The music lasted around three minutes before it finally drew into a stop the moment the bride reached the groom at the altar. I was glad I could finally watch the rest of the ceremony and I couldn't take my eyes off the couple. By the time the couple finished exchanging their vows, and kissed, I had tears all over my eyes.

The speeches that followed afterward was like a breath of fresh air. Suho cracked us up with his hilarious speech, keeping the atmosphere bright and far from sentimental. Jisoo's father was next to deliver his heartfelt speech as he spoke about her in glowing terms. We ended up with teary eyes again. Lastly, it's Kyungsoo's turn to give his speech, swooning all the girls in the room with his loving words as he sang his wife's praises.

The moment Kyungsoo ended his speech and the MC announced that the dinner started, everyone swarmed towards the buffet station to queue for food. I walked off the stage and glanced around the crowded hall to look for a toilet but midway through searching, an arm stopped me.

"Can I speak to you?" the EO asked.

"Sure."

"Come with me."

I followed behind him as he led me to a quieter place backstage. We stopped at the dark corner of the hallway and he turned around. "I need your help again," he said, passing me a few set of papers.

I glance down at the music score, confirming that the song was famiiar before glancing up at him. "Sure, I can help."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you so much. You’re really a lifesaver.”

“Don’t worry about it,” You assure. "May I know when is it starting?

"Once I get all the guests to be seated, we're ready to go. It'll take about fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Enough time for toilet break?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Inside the restroom, I bumped into Aera and our encounter was awkward to say the least. The girl sounded so excited as she told me about Baekhyun, how funny and sweet he was, how good-looking he was. Instead of feeling envious, I felt guilty. It was bad enough that I had to lie to her about my secret relationship with Baekhyun, now I had to also pretend that I was happy for her. It's a good thing what she had for Baekhyun was merely just a crush, because anything deeper than that would result in a heartbreak. I'd be the worst person on the planet if that ever happened to her.

Aera and I headed back into the main hall together. As we walked, she did most of the talking and I listened. When we entered the hall, people were scattering all over the place, some were chatting, some were taking pictures and some holding plates with a mountain full of food. We parted halfway as she returned to her table and I walked back to my seat behind the piano on stage.

Around twenty minutes later, I had played a total of four songs and I was starting to feel hungry. Good thing this was the last because I'd been eyeing the food at the buffet table for a long time now. As soon as I hit the last note of the song and the guests cheered, I hurried down the stage towards the food station. I made a stop at the dessert table, picked a piece of mini fruit tart and shoved it into my mouth immediately.

"You seem very hungry."

A voice caught my attention and I looked up at the man standing before me. He grinned, and I flash him a polite smile with my mouth full, "I am."

"It was a nice performance. I forgot how much I enjoyed listening to your music."

I tilted my head to the side, "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

"We used to be duet partners, remember?" he hinted.

My brows knitted together in a deep thought, trying to remember him and his name. I had numerous duet partners a few years back when I was still attending the music academy.

"I'm Kai."

Kai....kai.....kai.....

"Oh! Kai as in Kim Kai?" I guessed, finally remembering. He smiled an nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't recognize you earlier. You look so different from the last time I saw you."

"You mean I look older now?" he deduced.

"No, that's not what I meant." I corrected, afraid that he'd be offended. "You look young, just slightly older.... but still not that old...you know....” I giggle nervously. “gosh why am I saying....you know what...I look older too. We've both aged."

"Relax, gorgeous, I was just teasing you." he laughed.

I couldn't help but blush, feeling embarrassed at my own rambling.

"Are you here alone?" he asked.

"Not really."

"Not really? So where's your date?"

As if he was answering to Kai's question, Baekhyun suddenly appeared at my side, one hand slid around my waist to pull me close. "Can I speak to you for a moment?" his voice brusque in my ear.

I shifted my gaze to Kai who looked perplexed at the moment, "Will you please excuse us?"

"Sure. I'll talk to you later then."

I had no time to reply to him as Baekhyun wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled me away.

"Where are we going?" I asked to his back as he hauled me through the crowds and dragged out of the main hall. "Baekhyun?"

He wouldn't answer to me.

We were now reaching a dark hallway where the female's toilet was located at. He banged on the door and when there's no response, he pushed it open and shoved me inside.

"What's wrong?" I asked, still confused by his frantic actions.

He locked the door behind us.

"That guy was flirting with you." he kept his voice low despite the anger vibrating off him.

I finally understood where his anger was coming from. He was jealous. But I was honestly clueless that Kai was flirting with me.

"Is that how it looked like?" I asked, "I wasn't aware."

His jaw clenched, "Jesus, how could you be so oblivious?"

"We were just having a conversation," I explained softly. "I didn't know he was flirting."

His dark eyes stared deeply into me and I could tell he wasn't convinced. I'd be lying if I said him acting all jealous hadn't thrilled me. But I'd still like him to put more trust in me.

My hand moved up to squeeze his arm as a gesture of reassurance, "I wasn't flirting with him."

The tension slowly eased from his hardened face and he sighed wearily, "I know. I trust you." he said gruffly, "But that doesn't mean I can just sit back and watch some good-looking guy younger than me ogling at my girlfriend like she's his last fucking meal."

I hadn't noticed Kai was good-looking until Baekhyun mentioned it. Maybe because all along, I only had my eyes on one man. And he's right here with me.

"You are the only one I'm attracted to, Baekhyun," I told him sincerely.

His response was to push me up against the wooden door, pinning my hands next to my head as he kissed me hard. It took me half a second to get over my surprise and I kissed him back. He pressed his body into mine as though he couldn't get any closer and I gasped at the feel of his erection against my crotch.

"Mine." he breathed over my lips as he continued to grind his hard-on against me.

A rush of tingling pleasure strike right through my core and my breathing hitched, "Baekhyun," I panted, "W- we are in the toilet..."

"There's no one here." his lips traveled down the side of my neck and I arched into his kisses.

"What if someone hears us." I whispered frantically.

"There's no one here," he repeated, his voice thick with arousal.

"But- Ohhh," I whimpered at the feel of his teeth piercing down my skin. Another pleasured sigh slipped through my lips as the tip of his tongue darted out to lick the bruised skin, then it trailed its way back to my mouth.

My hands were suddenly free as his hands slid down to shove the hem of my dress up so it was bunched around my waist, his fingers immediately found its way to the wetness he had caused down there.

"B-Baekhyun." I moaned as I felt a subtle brush of his thumb over my clit.

"Shh, baby, Let me take care of you." he pushed two fingers inside me, pumping them in and out and edging me closer to climax.

My legs quivered and I gripped his arms tightly. His fingers worked me rough and fast. I dropped my head to his shoulder and let out a muffled cry against his neck as my first orgasm rolled over me.

"Fuck!" His chest heaving as he watched me and his breathing grew harsher.

Baekhyun pulled his fingers out of my throbbing heat and his hand went down to his trousers. My stomach flipped with need and anticipation as he unzipped. He shoved his trousers down his legs and his erection sprung free.

Keeping his eyes on me, he tore my knickers down. "Put your legs around me," he ordered.

I did as he asked me to, my legs went up around his waist and my arms wrapped around his shoulders. His erection poked against my entrance and I gasped at the sensation. For a few torturing seconds, he ground his dick against my aching heat while his mouth latches on my neck, sucking and licking until I begged him to fuck me right there and then.

"Say it."

"I want you inside me." my plea came out desperate.

He didn't need to be told twice.

His fingers dug into my hips and he thrust into me, filling me completely with his thick length.

"Oh God!" My head slammed back against the door with a loud cry of pleasure.

Baekhyun let out a low grunt as he continued to move his hips and drove his cock deeper inside of me. My whimpers grew louder and I bit my lower lip to suppress the lewd sound, worried someone might hear us.

"Louder!" he growled, as he thrust harder. "Let me hear how good I make you feel."

The lewd sound of my moan blended together with the loud sound of my back pounding against the toilet's door. I clenched my fingers into his shoulders, watching the restrained on his face as his cock slid in and out of me.

"Come!" he ordered.

"Baekhyun!" My body shuddered and I clenched around him as I came hard for the second time.

"Fuck baby, you feel like fucking heaven," he groaned huskily, "Keep squeezing my cock like that, I'm coming."

And I gave him what he wanted. My inner muscles squeezed around him and a low guttural growl emitted from the back of his throat as his own climax hit him hard.

His body slumped against me, and for a while, we just stood there trying to catch our breath and gain back our senses. When we finally came down from our high and our breathing was more controlled, he pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"I'm sorry I got jealous for a stupid reason," he whispered, affection and tenderness shone in his brown eyes.

A smile touched my lips. "You need to get jealous more often," I joked. "That was hot."

Chuckling, he pulled me into a long kiss. I ran my hand through his locks and sighed into his mouth, feeling the contentment rose in my chest.

"You really didn't notice he's good looking?" he asked as he pulled back.

"You think he is?"

"I mean...he's tall." He shrugged. "Women prefer taller guys. Right?"

"That's not true. You aren't tall but I still like you very much." I said. "Aera likes you too," I added. "Oh and don't forget Jaesi."

His forehead creased at the mention of the two girls, "You know I'm still inside you right?"

I hummed. "I can feel it."

"Can't you at least wait until I pull out before you mention about my ex?"

Baekhyun pushed the toilet’s door open, making just enough space for his head to peek through. Once he checked that the corridor was empty, he turned to give me a nod before shoving the door further open. We sneaked out and strode down the hallway towards the revolving door at the lobby hall.

We were leaving the venue to get some cakes at a well-known pastry cafe nearby. The wild bathroom sex had left me famished since I barely eaten anything for dinner. I could’ve gone back into the hall to get some food but Baekhyun insisted that we leave this place for a little while. I couldn’t say no to him and of course I couldn’t say no to to cake...

The parking valet approached us as soon as we came through the door, “Should I get you your car, sir?”

Baekhyun turned to me for an answer.

“Let's walk.” I said, "It's not that far anyway."

The valet guy took my answer and gave us a courtesy nod before stepping away.

"Let's go."

I was feeling like one of that child on Christmas Day while we strolled side by side down the peaceful street. My eyes wandered restlessly at the beautiful lights and decorations twinkling all around us. That, along with my present company, gave me an immense sense of joy. I’d never thought it was possible to be this happy. But I was. Deliriously, exhilaratingly, and wonderfully happy.

Every so often, as my eyes caught something I admired, I’d stop and stare at it for a long time, and I loved how Baekhyun would wait patiently next to me and let me have my own sweet time. He told me he used to not understand why people love Christmas so much, but now, he had started to get it. When I asked him how so, he shrugged and told me he simply loved how much I loved it.

My my, If this man isn’t perfect, I don’t know what is.

“I am going for Christmas shopping next Saturday.” Baekhyun announced, breaking our comfortable silence.

I looked at him, cocking my head in thought, “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying.” he said, “I might start putting up Christmas tree from this year onwards.”

It was strange because Baekhyun had never put up a Christmas tree before. He thought it was a hassle and he didn't quite like the smell of pine tree.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” I asked, curious.

“Because you’ll be staying over at my place more often now.”

“What does thathas to do with Christmas tree?” I asked, still clueless.

“You are just as slow as your brother,” he muttered, shaking his head at me.

“Come on, it’s not like you to beat around the bush.” I muttered with quirked eyebrows, “Why do you all of a sudden decide you want a Christmas tree?”

“Christmas tree makes you happy and I love seeing you happy.”

I see now...

Liking that a lot, I beamed, “You really know how to impress a girl.”

“Only you, baby. Only for you.”

Grateful that I had a boyfriend who loved to make me feel happy and special, there’s nothing more I could say but a simple thank you.

“So, would you like to join me?” He asked.

“For what? Christmas tree shopping?”

“Yes, and we can decorate our first Christmas tree together.”

There’s something blissfully warm in the way he said “Our”. Right then, it occurred to me that we'd soon be spending our first Christmas together as a couple. The idea alone put a smile on my face. I wished this wouldn’t be the last.

“So? Is that a yes?” he asked, breaking into my thoughts.

“I’ll have to check my schedule for that day.” I was completely messing with him.

Baekhyun skidded intoa halt and turned to face me with furrowed eyebrows, “Do you have to work on Saturday too?”

Enjoying his reaction, I giggled on the inside. “You know I am a very busy woman.”

“What about Sunday?”

Has he really thought I was serious? How cute…

“Don’t worry, my love. I’ll clear my schedule just for you.”

His eyes rolled at me, “Glad to know I have such a thoughtful girlfriend.” He said in a tone laced with sarcasm.

I chuckled, tugging at our entwined hands to cue him to move, “Then maybe you should treat her better.”

“Do I not treat her well enough?”

“You do, but, she’ll be happier if you let her have your bracelet.” I hinted.

He snorted, looking down at my wrist and back at me, “Say I let you have the bracelet, what do I get in return?”

“Hmm…” I pondered, “Me?”

“What can you do for me?

“Anything.”

“You’ll stay with me tonight?”

“OK.”

He smirked, likingmy offer. “And you’ll let me do anything to you?”

“What will you do to me anyway?” I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Something that involves lots and lots of orgasms.”

A smug grin spread across my face, “That sounds like a very good deal.”

“After you.” Baekhyun said, opening the door for me.

“Thank you.” I said, stepping into the two-storey cafe.

The smell of freshly baked pastry welcomed me us. I glanced around and noticed a few pairs of curious eyes turning to us, some started to whisper something to their company. I immediately felt out of place in my attire, and knowing that people were talking about it made me feel a little self-conscious.

Sensing my discomfort, Baekhyun pulled me to him and let me stand in front of him in a queue. “What do you feel like eating?” he asked.

I knew he was just trying to distract me and I was thankful for that. I looked down at cake slices sitting insidethe display fridge next to me. There were too many choices that I had a hard time choosing. “Should I order this, this or that one?” I pointed to the strawberry shortcake, mango mousse and tiramisu.

His face appeared next to mine as he stared down at the cakes I was pointing at, and his arm naturally came around me, “We can order three and share.”

“Oh okay.” I mumbled, feeling my heart race at his closeness.

“Next order, please.”

“It’s our turn.” Baekhyun prompted, kissing me on the cheek before letting me go.

At the same instance, my eyes met with a female counter attendant who was eyeing me with slight disgust on her face. “Next order.” she repeated, sounding impatient this time.

Too mortified to face her, I pulled at Baekhyun’s wrist and pushed him forward towards the counter. He glanced back with question in his eyes. I hurriedly whispered to him to order for me before leaving his side to find a table for us.

It was amazing how completely unbothered Baekhyun was. Sometimes I wished I had that attitude in me.

The seats on the first floor were fully occupied. I went upstairs instead. As I reached the second floor, I felt a small relief seeing the almost vacant space with only three tables occupied by two young couples, and a middle-aged lady with her little boy.

I sat in the corner at a table next to the window, waiting for Baekhyun to come up with the cakes. He appeared not too long later, carrying a tray of cakes and drinks. He’d ordered an Espresso for himself and a Latte Macchiato for me. I praised him for ordering the right drink without me having to tell him, though I thought it was a little too late for caffeine. Baekhyun insisted that we needed it to keep us awake. I didn’t need further explanation.

“Why are you rushing?”

“They should be looking for us now, we’ve been away for so long.”

“Your brother knows we’re here.” He said, lifting his phone up to show me the text he had sent to Chanyeol.

“What about your date?”

Baekhyun took a slow sip of his drink before calmly answered tomy question, “I told her that we’re together.”

At that, I choked on my cake and couldn’t stop coughing. Baekhyun pushed a cup of water to my side, suppressing his laughter. I downed the liquid in one go and set the cup down on the table.

“When did you tell her about it?” I asked, giving him the nervous stare.

“When you were on stage. She asked me to dance but I told her I can’t.”

I frowned, “Why can’t you dance with her?”

“Just holding hands.” He recited my words, “Remember?”

Of course Baekhyun took my words literally. I couldn’t decide if I should be happy or...

“What did she say? Was she upset?” I asked in a hurry.

“She’s pretty cool about it, she said she wasn’t surprised.”

“Wasn’t surprised? What do you mean?”

He shrugged, “No idea. That’s all that she said.

I let out a sigh, yet I wasn’t completely relief. I needed to find a way to explain to her that I wasn’t in any way trying to hurt her. I didn’t want this to destroy our friendship. I might not be as close to her as I was to Soyeon, but that didn’t diminish her value to me.

“Stop worrying about it,” his hand came resting on mine, “I’ve explained everything to her. I’m sure she understands.”

I gave him a small, uncertain smile, “I hope so.”

“Just don’t think too much and enjoy your cake.”

I nodded, eyeing the strawberry shortcake now. I was about to pull the plate to my side when a little boy appeared at next to Baekhyun, staring keenly at the cake. I gave Baekhyun a curious look and he shrugged.

“Want some?” I offered.

The boy hesitated, looking back and forth at the both of us, probably considering if it’s safe to accept foodfrom strangers.

I picked a new set of pastry fork, place it on the plate next to the cake and shoved it forward to him, “You can have it. It’s very yummy.” I smiled.

He was still doubtful.

“Don’t worry, we are not bad guys.” Baekhyun re-assured, patting on his back gently.

The boy finally picked up the fork, and I watched with amusement at how his face lit up as he shoveda piece into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it.

“Like it?” I asked.

He nodded enthusiastically, scooping up another big piece and quickly dove in for another bite. That last piece was too huge for his tiny mouth that he had icingall over his lips.

Chuckling, I grabbed a serviette and leaned over to wipe the mess on his mouth.

The boy stared at my face quietly and his gaze drifted down to my blue dress, then, he turned to look at Baekhyun, “She looks like a princess.”

Baekhyun gaze onme turned deeply affectionate as our eyes met, “She’s my girlfriend.”

I felt a giddy flutter in my tummy. This was the first time Baekhyun introduced me as his girlfriend instead of his sister like how he used to do.

“Your girlfriend is very pretty.” the boy said to Baekhyun again.

I smiled on the inside, wondering if he was too shy to say it to me that he had to tell Baekhyun instead.

Baekhyun hummed in acknowledgment at the compliment, “She’s more than just pretty. She’s perfect.”

I nearly choked from the embarrassment. His cheesy side was one that I loved (oddly but true), and I wouldn’t mind hearing it when there's nobody around.

Baekhyun laughed. His laughter was so infectious that the boy started laughing along with him. I wasn't sure if he understood what he was laughing about.

My cheek blushed furiously as Baekhyun continued teasing me with compliments. Thankfully, the boy’s mother came to my rescue. She apologized profusely upon discovering that his son had finished our cake. We assured her that it’s fine since we were the one who offered it to him but she insisted to pay for the cake. Inthe end, she broughtus two extra cakes and two chocolate croissants, telling us it’s a must-try.

"I don't think I can finish all of these," I told Baekhyun once I finished eating my share of croissant. There were two more cakes left untouched. I didn't like to waste food but I was too full.

“I’ll get the server to wrap it for us.” he said, sliding back in his chair as he stood up.

“Thanks.”

While Baekhyun was downstairs, I went to the toilet to freshen up.

I looked into the mirror and nagged inwardly at myself when I found a chocolate stain on my dress. I unrolled layers of toilet paper, dampened it and wiped the brown stain carefully.

A loud explosion startled me. The sound was later followed by a terror scream coming from the outside. I wasted no time to rush towards the door, but pulling it, the door wouldn’t open. I tried again, it didn’t work. My heart sank. I called out for help and pounded onthe wooden door repeatedly, yet there was no answer, all that I could hear were bloody screams. I paced back and forth in the small confined space, anxiously searching for tools I could use to open the door.

“Sweetheart, are you in there? You need to come out now.”

Baekhyun's voice alerted me and I moved nearer to the door, "I can't get out, it's locked. What’s going on out there?”

“This place is on fire.”

His answer was followed by another sound of explosion. My shoulders jumped at the shock and fear quickly overcame me. I held onto the door handle and started pulling at it frantically. I needed to get out of here.

“Step away from the door.”

Fifteen minutes later…..

Sweats were trickling down my forehead from the heat and the trepidation. I’d lost count of how many times Baekhyun repeatedly crashed himself against the door, trying to knock it down to get me out of here. But the door wouldn’t open and the scariest part was, I was starting to lose hope. As much as I feared to be left alone to die, I couldn’t let him stay with me any longer. He’d been out there inhaling far too much smoke. He’d die too if he didn't leave.

“Baekhyun.”

He wasn’t listening.

“Baekhyun. Stop." I begged, my voice broke and I was nearly in tears.

He did and we were left with the soundof blazing fire. My heart was slamming hard against my ribcage and I inhaled a long deep breath, mustering every ounce of courage left to say what I was about to say.

“You need to get out of this place.” I tried to sound tough but my voice came out just as hopeless as I felt.

“No!” he refused strongly, voice loud and determined, “I’m not leaving you alone.”

And just as determined as his words were, he continued crashing and slamming himself against the door, each time harder than the last. My chest hurt so bad thinking of how much pain he had to endure just to saveme.

Suddenly, the smell of burning oak hit my nose and stared down with horror as I saw wispy fingers of white smoke seeping in through the gap beneath the door. My knees almost buckled seeing how the smoke crept in, traveled up and spread in the air

“Baekhyun, please listen to me.” I begged, panic filling my voice.

He still wouldn’t listen.

“You have to leave now. I will be okay.” I convinced, "The firemen will arrive soon and they'll come and save me.”

Tears were welling up in my eyes as I said that because honestly, I wasn’t sure if I’d still be alive by then.

“Please stop, I don't want you to die because of me.” my voice broke as my tears flowed freely. The thought of me dying had scared me, but the thought of himdying had terrified me to my very soul.

“No one is going to die.” He persisted. “I’ll get you out of there.”

Baekhyun did as he promised. With one hard slam, he managed to shove the door open and stumbled inside. His eyes found me, in no time, I was in his arms, hugging him tight

“Are you okay?” He pulled back, staring at me with deep concern filling his eyes.

"I'm okay, what about you?" I asked, making a quick scan from his head down to his toe. I felt more than relief that he wasn't injured, "Let’s get out of here.”

Baekhyun glanced around the toilet and headed towards the sink. He shrugged off his jacket, dunk it into the sink and jerk at the faucet, letting the water soak the fabric. “Go and wet your dress with water, quick.” he directed.

I did as told, hurrying into the toilet cubicles, reaching for the bidet and started spraying water all over myself. Baekhyun came in not too long later to help.

"Ready?" he asked once we were all set.

For all I knew, we might or might not survive the blaze. If there’s one thing I regretted, I regretted those years I wasted not telling him how I truly felt. Now that we only had hours, maybe minutes, to be together, I wanted him to know that I loved him, even if it’s a little too late.

"Thank you for staying back for me.” I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around him. "I love you and I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you that.”

Baekhyun leaned back so he could look into my eyes, “Say that to me again when we are out of here.” he said it as if he knew everything would be just fine.

“But we might not-.” I trailed off. Saying it out made it even more frightening than it already was.

"We will," he said confidently. “We will survive this.”

With that, I gained a little courage. Baekhyun had always been right. This time, I hope he’s right too.

“If we made it out of here alive,” I said, “I’m marrying you, Baekhyun.” I wasn't kidding. "I'll be the one to propose.”

That's a promise because I told myself if I were able to survive this, I'd be able to do anything.

The corner of his lips curled into an amused grin. One that managed to grant me hope in such a hopeless situation.

“We’re getting married, baby.” He promised.

And I prayed so hard that we will.

Even though we managed to escape the fire, Baekhyun had unfortunately sustained a second-degree burn on his left arm caused by the falling debris. We were rushed to the ER and he was treated in the trauma room at the moment.

By right, I wasn’t supposed to be in here. A few nurses had tried to drag me out but I wouldn’t budge. At last, they gave up and allowed me to stay next to Baekhyun so long as I remained calm.

The pungent smell of disinfectant, in which I’d describe as the smell of death, brought uneasiness down the pit of my stomach. Sitting on a chair next to the gurney, I kept my eyes trained on the blisters on Baekhyun’s forearm. They were excruciating and my gut wrenched just by the look of it.

“I’m going to scrub the wound on your arm and peel off the dead skin. You might want to take a deep breath first.” the nurse instructed, causing my stomach to twist unpleasantly.

I reached for Baekhyun’s hand and held it tight. He turned to look at me and still managed a smile despite the pain he was enduring. “Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.” he ensured.

“This is going to sting just a little,” the nurse said before landing the tip of the forceps on his blistered skin.

I knew by a little, she meant the opposite.

Baekhyun dropped his head to my shoulder, his grip on my wrist turned bruising as he roared in pain. I reached behind him and ran my hand up and down his back soothingly. My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Nothing hurts deeper than watching your loved one suffers yet unable to do anything to help.

“Can you give him something to ease his pain?” I begged the nurse.

“I’m sorry but Mr. Byun is allergic to pain medication.” she said, sympathy masking her eyes as she spoke.

Baekhyun lifted his head from my shoulder, his chest heaving and beads of sweat were trickling down his neck. I sighed helplessly and brushed his hair from his face. The anguish onhis face was piercing through me. “I’m so sorry.” I whispered, tears burning in my eyes.

Noting that I was about to start weeping, Baekhyun frowned. “I’m not letting you sit here if you’re gonna cry.”

I returned his frown with a deeper one, “You’re weird. Why am I not allowed to cry?” I said, fighting back the tears in my eyes. (just in case he kicked me out of here, he might, who knew).

He quirked an eyebrow at me, “Will your crying help with my pain?”

“It won’t but-“

“Then there’s no need to cry.”

“Nonsense.” I argued, “It’s only natural to feel sad or cry when someone you love is in pain.”

A slow smile forming on his lips, “You love me huh?” he asked.

Silly man.“Of courseI do.”

“You are right, of courseyou do, I saved your life.” Baekhyun said smugly.

“And I’m thankful for that.”

“You shouldbe, I saved your life.”

I rolled my eyes at his bragging, “You are going to use that to your advantage aren’t you?”

“Of course. I saved your life.” he said it again.

“I believe you’ve said that three times, Sir.”

My gaze moved to the nurse who had just joined our little argument, “Thank you.” I mouthed to her, giggling.

Baekhyun shot me a glare for laughing, “How dare you. I saved your life.”

“Four times, sir.” she reminded.

I really liked her...

Baekhyun parted his mouth, about to mutter something, but a loud hiss left through his clenched teeth. "Shit, that hurt like a bitch." he grimaced.

Feeling my heart ached at his pain, I brushed the back of my thumb across his knuckles comfortingly.

“We are almost done here,” the nurse informed. “I’m just going to apply an antibiotic onyour skin to prevent infection. You’re not going to feel a thing, I promise.”

With a heavy sigh, Baekhyun slumped back against the pillow.

Relief moved through me as I stared deeply at the man who had just risked his own life to save mine. He looked exhausted and I felt sorry he had to go through such pain because of me. No amount of words could ever be enough to express my love and gratitude for him, not only for saving me today, but for the countless time he stepped in to rescue me from dangerous situations since I was little.

Always and forever fighting my battle for me.

Leaning down, I pressed my lips to his forehead, “I can never thank you enough for what you did.”

“Don’t need to thank me, you just have to marry me.” he said, a tinged of amusement in his voice.

I couldn’t tell if he was being serious but I wasn’t kidding when I said, “I’ll marry the hell out of you, Byun Baekhyun.”

That got him to smile. And naturally, I smiled too.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” the nurse chimed in, earning our attention. “How long have you two been together?” she asked.

“Just for a day.” I answered honestly.

She gazed at me in disbelief, “No way.”

“She’s telling the truth.” Baekhyun convinced. “We just got together this morning.”

“But you two look like you’ve known each other for life.” she remarked. “And you’re already talking about getting married?”

“You’re right, we’ve known each other for life,” Baekhyun agreed, then I saw a glint of mischief in the back of his eyes before he said, “She’s my sister.”

The nurse was struck mute by his revelation. Eyes and mouth agape as she stared back forth at the both of us.

”My best friend'ssister I mean.” Baekhyun clarified, snorting loudly at her dumb-founded expression.

“Thank God,” she muttered sarcastically, “I was planning to file a police report.”

At her remarks, Baekhyun threw his head back and burst into deep laughter. The nurse giggled along with him while dressing a bandage on his injured arm. I was last to join the bubble.

Frankly, I didn't find that funny at all, but I felt warm all over at the sight of Baekhyun laughing again. Happy that he was no longer in pain, happy that he was safe, happy that we were together.

One week later...

“Baekhyun,” I whispered into his ear, tugging lightly on his t-shirt.

He made a little groan of protest under his breath, turning away to give me his back.

I grip his shoulder and pull him back so he’s lying supine. “Baekhyun, wake up,” I try again, tugging a little harder than before.

His arm moved to cover his eyes as he groaned. “What time is it?” He asked sleepily.

“Four.”

He removes his hand to stare at me in disbelief. “Are you crazy?”

“No, I’m not. Wake up,” I urge.

He finally propped himself up by the elbows. “What do you need?”

I smiled at him. “I love you.”

There’s a pause where he narrowed his eyes at me, then he finally mutters, “You’re definitely crazy.”

My lower lips jut forward in a pout. “Can you at least say it back?”

His eyes softened and he reached out to cup my face. “I love you too, baby, but it's four freaking a.m.”

“But there’s something I want to say to you,” I told him enthusiastically.

“This better be important.”

“So, I was thinking, since we both love each other very much and we’re both so perfect for each other. Isn't it a good idea to, you know, get married?”

He gives a bark of laughter. “Are you proposing to me right now?” He asked. You nodded in response. A flicker of mischief flashed in his eyes as he realized what this was about. “Come on baby, you can do better than that. Why don’t you try again?”

Now that he is fully awake, I was suddenly feeling shy. “Uhh, will you...” I hesitated, my cheek growing red. “Will you marry me?” I finally say with a small voice.

He pursed his lips, contemplating. “Uh, shouldn't you be getting down on one knee when you propose?”

I grabbed a pillow from my side and threw it at him. He caught it with a bark of laughter. I grumble. “You are just being annoying, Baekhyun.”

His brows went skyward in a teasing way. “Do you want to marry me or what?”

I slumped back against the mattress and rolled to my side, giving him my back. “Just go back to sleep.”

“I’m not sleepy.” He said, a hint of smile in his voice.

“You were sleepy just a few seconds ago,” I said, huffing in annoyance.

“But I’m not anymore. Come on baby, try again.”

Two weeks later...

Christmas Eve-05:30pm.

Weeks had passed since the fire incident at the cafe. Aside from the injury on Baekhyun’s arm, we were both very alive and well.

That night, Chanyeol and Soyeon arrived at the hospital just as the nurse was done treating Baekhyun's arm. We had completely forgotten about the wedding and missed to inform them about the accident. They were upset, worried upset, and still very upset at us for not letting them know earlier. In the end, we forgo the chance to share the news about our relationship and decided to wait until today. We agreed it was the right time since everyone would be present. Not sure how my brother would react but I wasn't afraid anymore. Maybe it was the near-death experience that made me a little braver than I used to be. It did change my perspective and made me realize how fragile life could be.

I was spending my afternoon at my parent’s house, helping them prepare for the gathering tonight. My only duty was to clean up the place. My mom could no longer trust me with the cooking task after I nearly exploded her oven last year while attempting to bake brownies.

Once I finished my chores and the house was immaculate, I headed back into the kitchen. Leaning back against the counter, I watched as my mom busied herself with her signature shepherd's pie. The house was unusually quiet that afternoon. My dad had gone to the grocery stores to stock up on snacks and drinks. My brother was out for lunch with Soyeon and her parents. Meanwhile, Baekhyun was visiting his parents in his hometown. He’d been away for three days and would be back tonight in time for the dinner.

Baekhyun: I'll be there around 6. 05:35PM

Me: Noted. 05:35PM✓

Baekhyun: See you soon. 05:36PM

Me: Ok. 05:36PM✓

Baekhyun: Love you. 05:36PM

Me: Thank you. 05:37PM✓

Baekhyun: WTF 05:37PM

Me: ;-) 05:37PM✓

Christmas Eve-9:45pm.

The dining room was empty once everyone left the table and moved to the sitting room. Since no one volunteered to help with the kitchen duty, I had to do it all by myself. Not that I was complaining, but again, no one loved doing the dishes.

For not once I thanked God for the men who created the dishwasher. After loading the life-saving machine with bowls, plates, and the cutleries, I went on to hand-wash the mugs, cups and those that couldn’t go in.

Minutes into my lonely chore, Soyeon walked into my mum’s kitchen, humming a tune I didn’t recognize.

“Please tell me you’re here to help.” I begged, turning my head towards her.

“Nah.” she muttered offhandedly as she moved past behind me to get to the fridge.

“Your lack of consideration is fantastic.” I rolled my eyes at her back as she held the handle open.

“I need soda.”

“There’s no soda,” I said as I continued washing the mug in my hand. “We have lager though.”

“But I’m craving for coke.” she whined, closing the fridge just as I turned my head to look at her again.

“Wine?” I suggested.

“No.”

That’s odd...I narrowed my eyes, “You never said no to wine."

There was a pause before she revealed, “I’m pregnant.”

The mug slipped from my grip and fell into the sink with a loud clank, “You’re PREGNANT?” I asked hysterically.

Soyeon raised her finger to her lips, gesturing me to keep my voice down.

“You are pregnant?” I asked again, softer this time. She nodded to my question. “Like pregnant pregnant?”

“Is there any other type of pregnant?” she quipped, grinning.

“Oh my god. Congratulations.” my face beamed a thousand colors, “How pregnant are you?”

I meant to ask how many months was she into pregnancy but I was too thrilled I couldn’t form a proper sentence.

She snorted at my question, "What's the scale?”

"One to nine."

"Two."

“Does Chanyeol know?"

“I’m going to surprise him later."

I cooed, imagining how thrilled my brother would be. He loved kids to bits. "Is that your Christmas gift for him?"

She nodded, smoothing her hand over her tummy as she stared down at it lovingly. I was so happy for her I nearly teared.

“Can I hug you? I really want to hug you.” I pleaded.

She glanced up, eyes drifted from my wet lathery hands to my face, contemplating.

“No, thanks.” she said eventually.

I jutted my lips forward grumpily, “Mean.”

“Bye.” she patted on my bump before dissapearingfrom my mum’s kitchen.

Back to being alone but feeling a whole lot brighter this time, I picked up the mug I had just dropped and started humming happily as I did my chore. When I was nearly finished, someone else sneaked into the kitchen causing the skin on my neck to prickle.

I knew it was him just by the sound of his footsteps.

Excitement danced wildly in my belly. He stopped a few meters away from me, and then he just stood there and stared at my back silently.

“I can feel you there, Baekhyun.” I muttered without looking back.

Then, his footsteps came closer and they drew intoa halt when the warmth of his sturdy chest met with my back. My heart pounded hard and fast. I gasped softly as he slid his arms around me, “Need my help?” his low voice whispered in my ear.

“A little too late, don’t you think?” I said, already washing the last mug.

Soon as I placed the mug down on the drying rack, he twirled me around and pressed closer to me. Two hands moved to cup my face and he welcomed me with a deep loving kiss on my lips.

Suffused with contentment, I sighed into his mouth, slid my hands up around his neck and kissed him back with all the love in the world. We didn’t even care about getting caught anymore, well, they’d find out soon anyway.

“You have no idea how much I missed you" he murmured against my lips.

I was going to tell him how much I’ve missed him too but he started dusting butterfly kisses all over my face, eliciting giggles from me.

"Baekhyun," I smoothed my hand over his chest and pushed him back gently. He stopped and stared down at me with amusement flittering in his eyes. "How did the talk with your parents go?” I asked.

He brushed a strand of hair from my face and tuck it behind my ear, “They got the shock of their life when I told them we’re getting married.” he said.

“I figured too.”

Who wouldn’t be? We’d been together for less than a month and already the talk about marriage. It was too quick, I agreed, but taking into account our history, and the fact that we loved each other to bits, why bother taking it slow? Life is short, take a chance.Marrying Baekhyun was a chance worth taking. He’d be the most wonderful chance I'd ever take.

“Were your parents against it?” I asked.

“Not at all,” he smiled, “In fact, they couldn’t stop bugging me about wanting to meet their daughter-in-law.”

Heart blooming, my cheek flushed and I burst into a shy smile.

His gaze on me softened, filled with warmth and tenderness, “I wish you were there with me.”

“I know.” I heaved a regretful sigh, “I’m sorry I couldn’t go.”

Baekhyun and I were supposed to go on this trip together. I’d even requested for annual leave and it had been approved. But our plan was canceled when my boss called to inform that the company was short of staff and that they needed me at the office.

“It’s alright.” he consoled, “We’ll plan a visit again soon, and we'll visit my grandparents too.”

”Oh yeah!” I chirped.

As usual, my excitement over his grandmother’s house amused him, “Since you are so obsessed with my grandmama’s house-“ he said, hand digging into the pocket of his jeans. My eyes followed the movement of his hand. “This is for you.”

A key.

I looked up from his hand, puzzled, “You’ve passed me your spare key, remember?”

”I know.”

”So? what’s this?”

”I should’ve asked you first before I decided to buy it." he said apologetically, "I hope you are not mad.”

“You bought a house." I deduced. "Where?"

He bobbed his head, ”At Dolphin Island."

I was so speechless I couldn't say a thing.

Baekhyun chuckled at my astonishment, "It's a villa just a few blocks away from my grandparent’s beach house.”

Still speechless...

“I thought it would be great to have our own place to stay whenever we visit.” he said, “In the future when we have kids, we should bring them along too.”

Overwhelmed with joyful emotions, I enveloping him in a big tight hug and kissed both sides of his cheek. He shook in laughter against me, burying his face in my neck.

”How many kids do you want?” I pulled back to ask, likingthis conversation about our future.

He shrugged, “Doesn’t matter to me. As long as it’s ours, I’m happy.”

"Why do you have to be so perfect, Mr. Byun?"

My words pleased him very much that he smirked, “Can't help that I'm born this way, Mrs. Byun."

"Mrs. Byun huh?"

"Soon to be," he said surely, "Let's go tell yourbrother now."

"Right now?"

"Right now." Baekhyun asserted, backing away from me.

Before he took my hand and pulled me away with him, I clenched the sleeve of his sweater and pulled him back to me. "Wait."

He quirked an eyebrow, "Are we waiting til' next Christmas?"

"Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll stay together."

His gaze on me softened. And as a promise, he leaned forward and kiss me on the forehead. “Always and forever.” he vowed.

I smiled up into his beautiful eyes, and as always, feeling fulfilled that I’d found a lover, a confidant anda home in this man.

“I love you." I whispered earnestly.

For a while, I waited for him to return the three words, but instead, he turned his back to me and walked away.

"Love you?" I repeated.

"Thank you."

Huffing in annoyance, I reached for a washcloth and tossed it to his back. "Asshole."

His steps halted and he looked over his shoulder.

”What?" I said, two brows raising in defiance.

A slow devilish grin spread across his face, “We're screwing like a teenager tonight."

Christmas Eve-10:30pm

"Ready?"

I nodded.

With our hands intertwined, we walked into the sitting room where everyone was gathered. The TV was on and all eyes were fixed on the screen. Hana, seated in between my parents, was first to notice our appearance and her eyes drifted down to our hands before she looked back at us. Confused, she nudged her elbows on my mum and dad's arms and nodded in our direction. My parents looked clueless as well.

Soyeon was next to lift her head from Chanyeol's shoulder and looked at us. Once she understood what's going on, she turned to the man next to her. Chanyeol was unaware and she smacked him hard across his arm, causing his body to jump in complete shock, eyes widened.Baekhyun chuckled next to me and I tried my best to hold my laughter.

"What was that for?" Chanyeol whined, frowning at her.

She grinned, grabbing his face and turned his face towards us.

Tension permeated the air now that everyone was staring at us, eagerly and anxiously waiting for our announcement. This was more nerve-wracking than I imagined it would be.

”Chanyeol,” Baekhyun started. “You are like a family to me and I know years ago I’ve made a promise to you that I will never date your little sister.”

There’s a momentary silence that caused my heart slammed harder against my ribcage. I squeezed his hand tighter and held my breath.

“I’m sorry I have to break that promise now.”

Chanyeol frowned, his eyes shifting from Baekhyun to me, and then to Baekhyun again, “What are you talking about?”

“I love your sister, Chanyeol. I've loved her for a very long time now. And I-“

“You sick bastard.” my brother’ voice roared across the room as he rose from the couch, his hands fisting on his sides.

Taken aback by his anger, everyone in the room turned wide-eyed. Never had I ever seen my brother this furious before, it's as if he was possessed.

“Listen-"

My brother’s tall figure prowled towards us until he stood face to face with Baekhyun, his jaw clenched and his glare at Baekhyun was menacing. Panic rippled through me when he had Baekhyun by his throat. My body acted on reflex and I moved to step in between the two male, “You should calm down, Chanyeol.” I confounded, pressing my palm to his chest.

“Get the hell out of my way.” he barked, scaring me so much that I flinched away.

Suddenly I was standing behind Baekhyun's back as he lunged forward on my defense, “Don't you dare talk to her like that ever again." he warned, tension vibrating from his body.

When I peered through his shoulder, Soyeon was already standing close to my brother, one hand resting on his shoulder, “Hey, you really need to calm down.”

"Shut the fuck up." he snapped, riping her hand away roughly.

My jaw clenched and I was about to step in to defend my best friend, but Baekhyun held me back. My eyes instinctively searched for my parents, but I was bewildered when I found out how unbothered they seemed to be. My mum had his arms tangled around my sister, while my dad was lying back with his legs and arms crossed.

"Are you guys just going to sit there watch?" I chastised, frowning deeply at them.

Three of them shrugged.

Annoyed by their lack of concern, I huffed and glanced back at Soyeon. From the fury in her eye, I knew she wasn't going to let my brother get away so easily.

I was right.

Her next move sucked the soul out of me. I had no idea where did the glass of water in her hand came from, everything happened too quickly, the next thing I knew, my brother had water splashed all over his face.

My brother looked completely lost, but in a jiffy, he returned to being enraged again.

I thought I heard Baekhyun sniggered but maybe I heard it wrong because when I looked at him, his expression was still tense.

“What the hell is your problem?” Chanyeol growled.

Urged by the need to stop the fight before it turned nastier, I pushed past Baekhyun and marched towards the couple. As I reached, Soyeon had this knowing smile spreading across her face, then out of the blue, she announced,

“I am pregnant."

Chanyeol blinked in perplexity, then he leaned forward and whisper in her ear, “Babe, that’s not part of the script.”

Script?

"I know it's not in the script, but I'm really pregnant," she whispered back.

They probably thought I couldn't hear them but I could, and I was confused.

“What are you talking a-”

Chanyeol’s word was being cut short by my mom's dramatic entry, “Did you just say you're pregnant?"

Soyeon turned to my mum with a smile and a nod.

"Oh my god!" she shouted in victory as he looked over to my dad's side, "We're having a grandchild, honey."

"Congratulations." Hana and Dad said concurrently.

"Thank you."

However, Chanyeol wasn’t fully convinced yet. He took a step closer and stared down skeptically at his girlfriend, “Are you joking? Because if you are, babe, that’s cruel.”

She giggled, “I’m not joking, darling. there’s a baby in here.” she convinced, rubbing her palm over her belly, “Our baby.”

With his lips falling agape, Chanyeol stared down at her stomach, then back at her face. Their eyes locked and there’s this silent conversation going on between them before Chanyeol finally believed. An elated smile spread across his face. In one rapid motion, Soyeon was in his arm as he lifted her feet off the ground and spun her around. She clung to his neck and squealed with delight. As he lowered her down, he cupped her tiny face in his big hands, "I fucking love you, Jung Soyeon." he whispered before leaning down to kiss her lips.

The sight of their happiness warmed me through and through. It was such a beautiful distraction that for a moment I'd completely forgotten about the chaos we had earlier. Now that I remembered, I twisted my head around to look at Baekhyun for an answer.

And there he stood, arms crossing over his chest as he gazed at me with that signature smirk resting on his lips.

That was when I realized I'd been fooled.

Christmas Eve-11:38pm.

The eventful gathering ended with me jokingly threatening my family that they were not invited to my wedding. And for some reason, Baekhyun was under a wrong impression that I was changing my mind about wanting to marry him. As a form of retaliation for the prank he pulled on me, and also because I was enjoying his panic very much, I decided to remain silent.

As we bimbled down the pathway in a quiet park, I ignored him for a good ten minutes. For that good ten minutes, he talked and he couldn't stop. It was until he pulled the 'I saved your life'card on me that I finally spoke up. Partly because a tiny fraction of me felt guilty, but mostly because I loved him so much that ignoring him became such a difficult task.

We spent the next twenty minutes strolling around the park with him chattering away and memostly listened. This place used to be our playground when we were both young.

When we walked past a bench under a willow tree, I remembered having a crush on him for the first time there.

And then, I led him up the bridge over a water lilies pond in the center of the park. There, we stood behind the railing and stared out into the calm water.

Eight years ago, on the same day and right at the very same spot, was the day I knew I loved him.

That was why I decided to take him here tonight because when the clock stroke twelve, I was going to propose to him. The idea had been stuck in my head since the day he saved me from the fire. It was my Christmas gift for him and also my way to repay him for all the good things he had done for me.

"It's getting cold sweetheart, should we go now?" he asked, huddling closer to me.

I stared down at my wristwatch that said two minutes before midnight, “Let’s stay here just for a bit."

”We can come back in the morning when it’s not freezing, I don'twant you to get sick.” he advised, adjusting the scarf around my neck.

”Just one more minute.”

”Fine. One minute and I’m dragging you away.”

I nodded and started counting backward from sixty. When I reached zero, I turned to his side. Slowly, I lowered myself on one knee and looked up.

His brows furrowed as he dropped his gaze to me, “Wha-”

“You are my best friend, Baekhyun. Always and forever will be.” I said and inhaled deeply. “I loved you since I was fourteen and that feeling never stopped growing...I doubt it will ever stop because you are too perfect you made it so hard not to love you...You are too perfect that sometimes I get worried I’ll never be enough for you.”

I smiled shyly, feeling vulnerable and a little frightened, but, they eased away as Baekhyun gazed down at me with a growing tenderness that calmed me.

“I know you deserve all the best in the world, but I’m nowhere near that. And I know that I will never pass as a good wife material because I can’t cook and will likely burn the house if I tried.” I said, scoffing at my own words.

While watching him chuckled at my confession, I tucked my hand into the pocket of my coat.

“There’s nothing I can give you other than me and my promise to love you forever as long as I’m living...and I am not sure whether that’s good enough for you, but if it is,” pulling my hand out, I held the ring up to him. “Will you take me as I am and marry me, Byun Baekhyun?”

THE END

A/N: Hiiii, thank you for reading even though it’s so lenghty! That’s chapter 5-8 combined. I hope you enjoyed it! I personally love the part where she proposed 💕 It’d be nice if you could leave your thoughts in my ask!! Thank you💕😚

#baekhyun #baekhyun smut #baekhyun fanfiction #exo smut #baekhyun fanfic #baekhyun scenario #baekhyun ff #exo fanfiction #baekhyun fluff #byun baekhyun #baekhyun imagine #baekhyun x reader #baekhyun x reader smut #baekhyun angst

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noonachronicles · 5 years

Text

Everlong Pt. 4

Kwon Jiyong/ G Dragon X Reader

Word count: 6k

Warnings: mild language, discussions/themes of death, mentions of infidelity.

Genre: Hades/Jiyong. Greek God AU. Fantasy.

A/N: I took extra care with this one because it’s important. I feel like it’s the part where the actual plot comes into play and I hope everyone is excited as I am about it. :D

Update Tag: @kathrynwynterbourne (do you still want this? lol)

Moodboard by bae @memoiresofaneternaldreamer

The throne room in the Judgement Pavilion was truly a sight to behold. An architectural scholars wet dream, if only they knew it existed before they were dead. It was imposing to say the very least. A long room with magnificently high ceilings. Expertly peaked arches, and ribbed vaulting that lined the narrow length of the hall. Ivory columns stood like centurions at uniform intervals, every three yards. The walls were a dark rosewood. They looked black in the dim lighting of the room. It was difficult for anyone not looking for it to notice the fine details of the wood that had been carved to reflect the faces of the suffering souls that occupied the underworld. Some of the faces had their features scrunched in pain. Others were stretched long, mouths wide open, screaming in agony as waves of hellfire washed over their outreaching arms. Hades always found it a bit dramatic and not at all how he would represent his home, but everyone had said it fit the aesthetic of what was otherwise known as the Hall of Judgement. To break up the intricate and macabre details, panel windows of stained glass were inlaid along the walls. There was one window for each of the Titans, one for each of the Olympians, and several panels dedicated to some of the greater battles that occurred during the Titanomachy.

At the end of the long hall sat a single throne made of what looked like black onyx. Completely dominating the wall behind the throne was a marvelously large rose window that could rival those at some of the most famed cathedrals. It was easily done as Hades had immediate access to Louis Barillet who more than willingly designed the window in exchange for a spot in Elysium.

The throne on its own was just as intimidating as the room as a whole, and purposefully so. The back was unnecessarily high. It’s highest peak reaching the bottom curve of the rose window. It’s crest rail had several horned peaks that were so aggressively pointed it looked like a person could be impaled on them. Even still, after all of that, the most threatening thing about the lone chair was often the god that sat upon its seat. This was especially the case on this particular day.

In the past, the judgement of souls had been the burden of three. Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus. However, in an effort to make Persephone feel more involved, Hades relieved the trio of their responsibilities quite a long time ago. He’d taken over the important task alongside his wife. It had worked out well for awhile, until she had become disinterested and restless. Preferring to wander the underworld alone instead of staying seated next to him. Hades suspected she just disliked how much time they were spending together. It had been just him taking the brunt of the work for some time before she’d left him. And it was in fact she who left him, despite all of his strongest arguments. For so long he fought to keep her but eventually he just got tired and let her go like she’d always wanted and that was the truth of it. After she’d gone he overburdened himself with work, letting it mask the aching loneliness he felt. Everything had been going smoothly for such a long time, but then he found you.

As Hades sat lazily slumped on his throne, his notebook flipped open on one arm and his own arm hanging down from the other with his fingers loosely holding onto his scepter, he knew he had no one else to blame but himself. No one else to blame for the line of souls waiting for judgement that stretched the entire length of the throne room and then some. No one else to blame because he’d been the one neglecting his duties to spend time with you instead, causing a backlog of unjudged souls. What made things worse for everyone, was that he hadn’t seen you in days. It was nearing a full week since you’d been at the bakery and he had no other real way of contacting you. Every moment that passed without him being able to make you blush over something stupid or every moment that passed without you sassing him so much he wanted to flick your forehead, he became more and more irritable. Everyone could tell he wasn’t in his best mood even if they didn’t know the reason behind it.

“Next!” Phobos called out as Hades drummed his fingers on the pages of his notebook impatiently.

He’d already sent five souls to Tartarus just for what he’d claimed was ‘speaking out of term’. Though he would argue in his own defense that they had been right on the cusp of being sent there anyway, so it wasn’t as harsh as people were making it out to be. Even still, Eris had become so uncomfortable that he had to leave the hall before his nerves turned into an actual anxiety attack. No one, not even the Personifications would look at or speak to Hades when he was like this. Only the poor souls that were there for judgement were forced to address him and they did so with an almost comedic amount of caution.

Good. He thought grumpily to himself as the next soul in line stepped forward.

“Name!” Phobos called out from his place just off to the side of the throne.

“Jiho.. Woo Jiho.” the man stuttered out. He’d had an air of confidence as he stepped forward but it faltered before the god, they always did.

Hades brow furrowed, the name sounded familiar but he didn’t know why. He flipped the page of his notebook and the page started to fill up with information about the soul before him.

Woo Jiho, twenty-eight. Date of birth, September fourteenth. Date of death, April seventh.

Hades was almost positive he’d read this page before, but had no idea why he ever would have. He thought perhaps he’d been one of the customers in the bakery that he’d recently played his game with. It would be quite the coincidence but he couldn’t think of another reason. He browsed through the list of things Jiho had done in his lifetime.

Petty thievery starting as a child. Money from his mother's wallet, age seven. Candy from a convenience store, age nine.

Common. Boring. Hades thought to himself. Perhaps that it was why he’d seemed so familiar, he was just like everyone else. He moved his eyes down the page and he let out a long sigh. Things did get a little more interesting as he got older.

One hundred and eighty-seven acts of infidelity between the ages of sixteen and twenty-eight, most of which were committed against his current partner.

Poor soul, he thought to himself before moving on.

Ten different instances of assault, mostly bar fights but once was against a woman when he was eighteen. There were several instances of blackmail, bribery, and extortion. The list of lies he had told in his lifetime between small white and bold faced was countless. Longer than most people who died at his age. Clearly a master manipulator. Under the list of things that he had done in his life that were considered as redemption there was barely anything. Hades made a half disgusted face and looked up at the man before him, already knowing his fate would be Tartarus, no question.

“What can I do for you, Jiho? Have you come for your judgement?” he asked idly.

“Actually...sir...god...Hades?” he tripped over every word. Hades would have found it much more funny if it didn’t happen nearly every time a soul had addressed him for millenniums, “I was told I could offer you a soul, in place of mine? That you had the power to resurrect my soul.”

“The second soul must be willing.” He said slowly stretching his legs out in front of him and sitting up straight. It had been some time since someone had propositioned him with an exchange. “You know you can’t just offer up someone else’s soul? It’s not how it works.”

“No, of course.” The desperate soul shook his head “There is someone I left back in life and I just know that she would do this for me. I know she would give you her soul in place of mine. No one has ever loved me like she does. I love her too, she’s so loyal, I just need to get to her…”

“I don’t care about your love story, just give me the name so we can find out if she’s willing.”

As he stuttered out the name of the soul he hoped would replace his in death Hades finally, and truly, looked at him. It had been your name that fell from his lips. Surely, he thought, this was a mistake. There had to be at least one other on earth who shared your name, and of course he must be talking about her. It could not possibly be you.

He flipped through his notebook until the pages reflected the name he was looking for. The page that showed your name and whose timeline was connected to Jiho. His heart began to race as his eyes flashed over the page. Age, location, life history. The page he’d read a hundred times already. He couldn’t deny it. It really was you. He gulped as he flipped back and forth between your page and Jiho’s, confirming the relation to each other. His breathing remained steady but it was clear he was upset. Phobos watched wide eyed with fear as Hades whole chest lifted visibly with every heavy breath, subconsciously he leaned his body away from the god.

Hades face was calm and reposed, but his eyes were aflame with unspeakable anger as he looked back up at Jiho. “This woman, the one whose soul your offering me, is she perhaps the same woman that you’ve been unfaithful to, lied to, and had a hand in emotionally abusing for years?”

“Woah, no! I have never laid a hand on her like that. I’m not like that!” he denied vehemently.

Hades sighed with immediate annoyance, his hands vibrating with anger, “That would constitute as physical abuse where I had said emotiontionally, you... moron. And before you deny having done that as well, you should now that I do have a record of every instance of your emotional abuse and manipulation of this woman. Not to mention your counts of infidelity, lies, et cetera.”

“Everyone manipulates people to get what they need and want. That’s just the way the world works. I didn’t do anything that any of these other souls haven’t done.” Jiho argued gesturing to the line behind him.

“Wrong.” Hades lifted his open notebook towards Jiho, “All this girl has ever done is trust you, and try to do right by you. And still you would deny her a future so that you could prolong your own.”

“I mean, I guess so, but she doesn’t know all that stuff that I did! She would definitely be willing to give up her soul for mine and isn’t that what matters anyway? What do you care about morality?”

“Just so we are being clear, even in death, you would manipulate this soul into offering up her life for you just to be set free? I want you to look me in the eyes, not just past my shoulder, which is a cowards trick. And I want you to say to me, very clearly, that you upon her willingness, are offering me this soul in place of yours for all eternity.”

“Well...yeah. She just has to be willing, right? I know she will be, I won’t even have to really do anything.” He said more to himself than anything. He squared his shoulders and looked up at Hades, “I, upon her willingness, offer you this soul in place of mine for all of eternity.”

“As you wish then. Go back to holding and wait for my summons. I will go and retrieve the soul tomorrow. I will bring her back here where you will explain to her the exchange you have propositioned me with. If she agrees, you may go free.” He said with a now barely contained rage. “If she doesn’t agree, then you will wish you’d never asked for the opportunity.”

As Hades watched Jiho get escorted back down the length of the hall and towards holding his nostrils flared and his hands gripped the arms of his throne so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. His back was stiff and he sat forward on the seat as if he was preparing to attack the next thing that moved or spoke.

Deimos cleared his throat from beside the throne, “I can get the soul for you, Hades. It would be my pleasure to assist you.”

“If I wanted you to go, I would have asked you to go. Don’t you think?” Flames were flickering visibly in the darks of his eyes.

“It’s just that,” Hades whipped his head around to Phobos, who was already shaken before and looked, now, like he might truly cry from fear, “you’ve been ‘topside’ so much recently. Surely you wouldn’t want to waste your time on a task one of us could and would happily complete for you.”

“Oh, have I been ‘topside’ too much? Is that what everyone has been talking about while I’ve been away?” He asked looking around the room. There was nobody with the courage to look back at him. “Have you all been very concerned about my whereabouts? Are you all worried that I’ve not been here enough to do my job properly AS THE FUCKING GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD? Everyone here in such a rush to get to Tartarus?”

Many of the souls murmured at that but otherwise the throne room trembled with only the boom of his furious voice. Everyone who stood around him shook their heads in denial and a shaky chorus of “No, sir” rang out around him.

“Good, and now that we’ve cleared that up,” Hades took a long, deep breathe and then let his next words ooze with sarcasm, “I will happily judge this entire line of souls today, if it so pleases the court of Personification. And then tomorrow, I will go get the girl who holds the soul that has been promised to me, because I am Hades and this is still my domain. Does anyone hold issue with that?”

This time no one disagreed.

It had been an atypically quiet day at the bakery, which you’d been grateful for. A nice calm way to come back to work after what was essentially a week of laying around in your pajamas crying hysterically for any and every reason until your eyes burned red and the only relief you could find was through sleep. At least the funeral had been nice and you felt like you finally had a little closure which made things slightly more tolerable.

You placed an oversized mug filled with hot coffee and a matching plate with a muffin in the center down in front of a waiting customer who was sitting at one of the tables in front of the large window that opened to the street. When you looked out at the busy sidewalk you felt a spark in your chest as you laid eyes on the one person you’d hoped you’d see all day long.

Jiyong looked expensive, as usual. Black on black on black on black outfit. From his black blazer to his shiny black wingtips. Sunglasses sat propped on his nose and his hair was slicked back. His undercut looked fresh, like he was just coming from the barber, and it reminded you of the first time he walked into the bakery. His lips were thick and pouty, making him look worried instead of his usual disinterested expression. He had one hand casually in the pocket of his dress pants, and the other was gripping a bouquet of flowers at his side.

You bit your lip, unsure if you should just assume that he’d gotten them for you. Maybe he made another friend over the last week, someone he liked a lot and wanted to give flowers too. The sweet feeling in your stomach turned sour at the idea. When you first saw him he was walking so casually confident towards the bakery. Once he finally got to the door, however, he paused as if he’d just thought about something. You watched curiously as he turned and walked back down the sidewalk a little ways. He tucked the flowers into the skeleton of what used to be a payphone. He nodded to himself and then turned back around making his way to the door once more. This time he got as far as having his fingers around the handle before he shook his head and anxiously turned back around, hurriedly lunging for the flowers before they were snatched up by a passerby.

Now incredibly amused by the show he didn’t realize he was putting on for you, you leaned against an unoccupied table and continued to enjoy. With the flowers back in his hand he looked down at them. It was clear to you that they were brand new, just purchased flowers, still in their plastic sleeve. It seemed he had thought about that too as you watched him tug the flowers out of the cellophane and stuffed the sleeve into the trash near the payphone. For the briefest moment you thought that was going to be it, that he was going to make his way inside for real. Instead he stepped towards the trash and began to pluck out all of the filler foliage, the baby's breath and the fern palms, and shoved them in the trash with the plastic sleeve. Finally it was just the flowers left in his fist. He looked down at them once more, very thoughtfully, and then slammed the bouquet against the side of the payphone for good measure. You bit down on your lip to keep from laughing too hard. Then your whole chest warmed at the realization that for the first time in a week you’d even had the urge to laugh at all.

“Hey stranger, what are you thinking about?” his voice snapped you out of your daze and you looked up at him with a small but very genuine smile.

“Hey, Ji.”

He beamed at the sound of his name on your lips again and shoved the flowers at you quite roughly. “I, uh, found these for you.”

Taking the bouquet from him you fingered one of the red gerberas that had nearly snapped from its stem after the collision with the payphone and was now just sort of dangling sadly.

“Found them,” you asked skeptically, “or bought them?”

“Why would I buy you flowers? And hideous ones at that.” he asked as if it was the most insane thing you’d ever suggested to him.

“Hmm.” you smiled cheekily as you hummed, giving the flowers a sniff, “Okay, so say you didn’t buy them. What you did do was see a bunch of flowers somewhere...on the ground or poking out of a trash can...wherever. You saw these flowers just waiting to be appreciated and snatched them up, and then thought to yourself with no hesitation, ‘I know exactly who I want to give these to’ and in that moment you thought only of me. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Give them back.” he said and held out his hand, “I think I saw a vagrant outside who I can give them to who would certainly be more grateful than you are.”

“No way!” you turned and hurried away from him to your safe, no customers allowed, space behind the counter. “They’re mine. You found them, just for me, remember?”

“You’re welcome.” he grinned.

“Thank you.” you smiled quite happily as you found a cup that you could put them in that wouldn’t tip over from the weight and filled it with water before dropping them in. “Would you like your usual rocket fuel?”

He leaned against the counter, “Yes, please.”

“A treat? On me, as a real thank you for the flowers?” you asked.

“No, not today, thank you.”

As well as he was hiding it, he actually felt sick with nerves. He had to find a way to get you to go with him to the underworld but he wanted to gentle about it. It was the reason he was so adamant about being the one to bring you in the first place. Anyone else would have dragged you kicking and screaming, and he could never allow that. If he was being honest, he didn’t want to do it at all. Bringing you there meant ultimately having to explain to you who he was and he was positive that it wouldn’t go over very well. How could it? No matter what it would have to be done because he had been too thoughtless in his anger when he agreed to the deal with Jiho and he never went back on his word. He tried to think of this as a positive, at least you would finally see what a worthless worm your dead boyfriend was.

“Let’s go sit.” you said suddenly pulling him from his thoughts.

He nodded and followed you as you came around the counter. You nodded over to a table against the wall, sitting beneath the painting of Posiedon. You placed his cup in front of one chair and sat down in the other with a deeply exhausted sigh.

“You haven’t been around for a few days. I’ve...missed you.” Jiyong said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. He graced you with a small smile and it really did warm you to see it. “The guy whose been making my drinks for me doesn’t even make fun of me like you do.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that, I had to take some personal days. My boyfriend…” you froze. It happened like that, and often, in an instant you could be teetering on a breakdown. You sat quietly willing the tears that threatened the backs of your eyes to go away.

You looked so tired. Jiyong felt horrible. He wanted to tell you everything, wanted you to know that the man you knew had not been worth the pain you were enduring. He wasn’t worth it in life and was even less deserving in death. Still, he couldn’t just tell you. Delicate, he reminded himself, confess everything slowly and delicately.

“What did he do? Cheat on you or something.” He asked, you said nothing in response, only looked at him with big glistening doe eyes. “Did he break up with you? What...did he die?”

You looked down at your hands on the table. They didn’t feel like your hands, like they were real. None of this felt real. Nothing had felt real for days. Then almost sounding completely out of context you said, “It was a freak elevator accident.”

Still staring down at your hands, you waited for the sound of his laughter. Everyone else you’d had to tell laughed instantly, as if you were undoubtedly joking. You knew it sounded like a lie. What a stupid way for a person to die. So people laughed and would say something like “You’re fucking with me, right?” or “Did Jiho put you up to this? Where is that asshole?” You waited for longer than you expected and still Jiyong did not laugh. Part of you actually thought that when you looked up he would be gone from the table, having left without a word. When you finally did look up he was still there, looking at you with a genuine concern.

“You don’t think it’s funny?” you asked with a sniff.

“Why would I? You’ve just lost someone you cared very much for. Death isn’t typically a joke for mortals.”

“Everyone laughs when they hear. I laughed.” you admitted, only half hearing his response “When they told me, I laughed. The hospital called and they said...they said he was dead. I laughed and I asked the doctor who he really was, what kind of stupid prank he was playing. Seriously… freak elevator accident! Who dies that way?”

“Nearly fifty people die in elevator related accidents every year, worldwide. You’re less likely to be killed by a shark than an elevator.” Jiyong shrugged and then mumbled, “You’d never know because my brother has a horrible PR team.”

You stared curiously at him, “I-I don’t know how to respond to that.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” He regurgitated the words he knew that most people would say in this sort of situation.

“Are you though?” As hard as he had tried to sound genuine, you saw through it. “You weren’t exactly Jiho’s biggest fan as I remember.”

Jiyong sighed, there was never usually any use in lying to you. It’s why he liked you so much. “I’m not sorry about his death. I am sorry that you’re dealing with the repercussions of having lost a loved one. Especially someone who didn’t earn or deserve the love and care you provided them with in the first place.”

“I missed you.” you said quietly, and you really had. It had been a week and everyone you talked to was exactly the same. Full of pity, lying to make you feel better, treating you like something that would crack and break at the slightest disturbance. You felt like you should have known you could depend on Jiyong to remain brutally honest with you even now. That he would treat you like you were still you. “Why am I not surprised you have no qualms with speaking ill of the dead?”

“Despite popular belief, dying doesn’t change what you did and who you were in life.” he said simply.

“I mean,” you hummed lightly, “it sounds a little harsh when you say it out loud but I suppose it does make sense.”

“I’m pretty smart.” he grinned, and you couldn’t help but smile, however small.

“You’re more cocky than intelligent, sometimes it just works out in your favor.” you joked. He didn’t come back with anything witty like you expected, he just met your gaze. The smile fell from your lips and very seriously you asked, “Can I...confess something to you?”

“Anything.”

You gnawed slightly on your bottom lip nervously for a moment before blurting out the words, “It’s my fault he’s dead.”

Jiyong raised his eyebrows in definite surprise. “Did you fuck with the elevator mechanics or something?”

“No, no. I don’t mean intentionally.” You shook your head fervently and swallowed the small lump in your throat, “We got into a fight the night he died. I told him to leave. I locked him out of the apartment. If I hadn’t done that he never would have gone to stay with his friend that night. He never would have been in that elevator.”

His friend. Jiyong held in his urge to scoff. According to his notebook, Jiho’s friend had been the girl he’d been sleeping with behind your back for almost a year now. He contemplated the best way to proceed with the conversation. The guilt you had been feeling was so clear on your face, he couldn’t just dismiss it.

“Have you considered,” He began slowly, “that if he hadn’t been in the elevator that night, that it wouldn’t have malfunctioned? That you were never the catalyst for the accident, he was?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I’m saying that I believe that fate is real. Everything from birth to death is predetermined. Which means even if you hadn’t fought that night and he hadn’t died in a faulty elevator, he would still be dead today. Maybe he would have choked on a crouton or tripped over something and crushed his temple on the kitchen counter.”

“Morbid much?” you commented, still processing his theory.

“I don’t think so. I’m just saying that life is life and death happens. You can’t allow yourself to feel guilt over something that probably would have happened regardless of whatever actions you actually took.”

“I just- I didn’t,” you looked away from him quickly, but he could still see the tremble in your lips and glisten in your eyes from the tears that threatened to fall again.

“What was the fight about?” he asked calmly.

“What?” you were clearly surprised by the question. However your lip stopped trembling and your breathing was less panicked. He’d accomplished what he wanted and you didn’t even realize you’d been distracted.

“You said you two had been in a fight that night. It’s why he left. What was the subject matter of the argument?”

“Oh.” you turned away again, but this time to hide the blush that passed over your cheeks.

“What was it?” Jiyong asked, now completely curious, “You can tell me you think you’re the cause of someone’s death but you can’t tell me what you had fought about? Must have been bad.”

You let out a long slow sigh. “It was you. We were arguing about you.”

One of his flawlessly shaped eyebrows lifted to its highest possible point. “Me? Please, do go on.”

You restrained yourself from your regular eyeroll, “There is this stupid cherry blossom festival every spring. They have it at the friendship gardens just outside of town. I went once, and it was so beautiful and remember thinking how romantic it would be. I had really wanted to go so I asked him if he would take me as a date. We hadn’t been on a real date in such a long time. Which I guess I just assumed was what happens when you’re with someone for so long.”

“He said no?”

“He didn’t even pay enough attention to what I was saying to hear the question.” You could hear the annoyed intake of breath, but Jiyong politely said nothing so you continued. “I got so upset. I said if it was too much to ask for him to make an effort, I would just go alone. And he said, ‘Fine, what do I care if you go alone”. Then I...made a comment about how he should start to care because I was going to ask you to take me instead.”

Jiyong dawned the smallest smile at the thought of you thinking of him taking you out. Somewhere you had just said you thought would be romantic, his heart flipped. He wiped the smile from his face fast enough, realizing that this was not at all the time, and he was serious with you once more. “And that, I assume, got his attention.”

“Big time. He wouldn’t let it go. He kept asking me all these crazy questions. He wanted to know where we met. How long we’d known each other. Why you came around so much…”

“If we’ve ever fucked?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“How’d you guess?”

“They always ask that.” he muttered. Cheaters almost always assumed infidelity. “Of course it would be a concern of physical intimacy, as if emotional attachment isn’t just as significant.”

“Right.” you said looking at him with big eyes, taken back by his comment.

“Not… that I’ve assumed you have an emotional attachment to me. Or that I have one for you…” he spewed out the blantent lie, that neither of you really believed.

“No, right. Of course.” you stuttered out your own words.

The table fell into a silence that wasn’t entirely uncomfortable, just an awkward energy as the two of you privately tried to decipher your actual feelings towards one another. Jiyong gulped down the rest of his drink, that had gone slightly cold by now, as you picked at something sticking to your apron. The silence lasted long enough for your thoughts to circle back around to Jiho and you felt the overwhelming sadness attempt its return.

“I guess,” you started, “I guess I just wish I’d had the chance to say goodbye and make things right between us.”

This was the opportunity he was hoping wouldn’t come. If there was ever going to be such a thing as a perfect moment this was his. He formed the words inside of his brain, the ones that he would say so simply to anyone else, but because it was you his heart seemed unwilling to release. This was the burden he had placed on himself. As much as he didn’t like it, he still preferred to be the one to do it. He felt you deserved at least that much.

“What if I told you I know how to get to the underworld? Would it interest you to go?” Jiyong asked staring into his now empty mug hoping you’d say no immediately.

You looked at him for a long time without saying a word. When he finally looked up at you expectantly you couldn’t help but to let out a small chuckle. “That’s good. That’s a good one. For a second I thought you were serious.”

“I was.” He replied calmly, “I am.”

Suddenly you found yourself uncomfortable and no longer understanding the joke. “That’s not... funny.”

“It’s not meant to be. I can bring you to the entrance of the underworld. Down the river Styx. I can get you passed the main gate and Cerberus. I know a way to get you to Hades palace undetected. It’s safe, most of the journey is through the Fields of Asphodel. If you really wanted me too, I could help you see him again. Possibly even help you free his soul, but ...only if you want to.”

“I-” you scratched the back of your neck, unable to meet his eyes. “I have to get back to work.”

“Y/N…”

You pushed yourself out of the chair, it slid across the polished concrete floor with a loud scraping sound. He watched as you went around the counter and through the swinging doors to the back. His chest felt heavy, you’d never disappeared from him completely like that before. Anger rose up inside him at Jiho and then a fear that he had gone too far, upset you too much. He wasn’t sure how he could have been anymore gentle about it.

Sitting for a while longer he watched as your coworker helped customers and cleaned around the register while you remained hidden away, but then he decided to give up for the day. It was likely you weren’t coming back out while he was present and he even wondered after a point if maybe you’d left through a back entrance. Standing up he slipped back into his jacket and prepared to leave.

“Jiyong.”

Your voice was soft, but he was sure at this point he’d hear you say his name, that wasn’t even his name at all, from miles away. When he turned around you were standing at the door to the back room. He’d never seen you look so nervous. It almost looked like you were scared of him. For a moment he thought to smile, to try and comfort you, but worried it wasn’t the right time and would come off creepy. Instead he stood straight faced, hands in his pockets, and waited for you to reach him with your small, uncertain steps.

“I get off work tomorrow at 5.” You said shakily, his eyebrows raised with interest. “Can you take me then?”

“Of course.” He replied. His heart ached slightly. Was it possible that you really loved this man so much you’d offer up your soul for his? He looked down at his polished shoes, “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow then.”

“Wait.” You said quickly as he looked like he was about to sprint away from you. “Do I need to bring anything?”

He’d wanted to be sarcastic and mean to push you away. He wanted to snap at you and prove to himself that really you meant nothing to him. Your eyes were so big, so beautiful and so filled with sadness that he couldn’t do it. He sighed, “Like what?”

“I don’t know...a passport?” He looked up at you stunned and then realized you’d been joking. You let out a breath of a laugh, “You really thought I was that stupid.”

“No, I’d never think-”

You shook your head, “It’s okay. Maybe I am that stupid. I just agreed to let you take me to a place that doesn’t even exist.”

“It does.” He smiled small. “You’ll see. Tomorrow”.

#kwon jiyong scenario #g dragon scenario #big bang scenarios #kpop scenarios #Everlong

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clarasimone · 5 years

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Ser Jorah and the peach

I haven’t read the novels yet but I have just stumbled on this excerpt (thankfully devoid of descriptive detail that would stop me from seeing Iain Glen in our Knight) and I am reading this wonderful account in pure awe and bliss... because Jorah gifts his Love and Queen with a ripe peach, and do you know what a ripe peach one bites into should remind you of ?

Ahhh if Tumblr was a bot-free space, I would include a pic !

Here is the excerpt, authored, of course, by George R. R. Martin, and taken from "A Clash of Kings". While traveling in the Red Waste, Jorah and Dany find an abandoned city beyond the Dothraki Sea. Ser Jorah comes to Daenerys tent, they have been without food and water for days...

“I’ve brought you a peach,” Ser Jorah said, kneeling. It was so small she could almost hide it in her palm, and overripe too, but when she took the first bite, the flesh was so sweet she almost cried. She ate it slowly, savoring every mouthful, while Ser Jorah told her of the tree it had been plucked from, in a garden near the western wal.

“Fruit and water and shade,” Dany said, her cheeks sticky with peach juice. “The gods were good to bring us to this place.”

“We should rest here until we are stronger,” the knight urged. “The red lands are not kind to the weak.” “My handmaids say there are ghosts here.”

“There are ghosts everywhere,” Ser Jorah said softly. “We carry them with us wherever we go.”

Yes, she thought. Viserys, Khal Drogo, my son Rhaego, they are with me always. “Tell me the name of your ghost, Jorah. You know al of mine.”

His face grew very stil . “Her name was Lynesse.” “Your wife?”

“My second wife.”

It pains him to speak of her, Dany saw, but she wanted to know the truth. “Is that al you would say of her?” The lion pelt slid off one shoulder and she tugged it back into place. “Was she beautiful?”

“Very beautiful.” Ser Jorah lifted his eyes from her shoulder to her face. “The first time I beheld her, I thought she was a goddess come to earth, the Maid herself made flesh. Her birth was far above my own. She was the youngest daughter of Lord Leyton Hightower of Oldtown. The White Bull who commanded your father’s Kingsguard was her greatuncle. The Hightowers are an ancient family, very rich and very proud.”

“And loyal,” Dany said. “I remember, Viserys said the Hightowers were among those who stayed true to my father.”

“That’s so,” he admitted.

“Did your fathers make the match?”

“No,” he said. “Our marriage... that makes a long tale and a dul one, Your Grace. I would not trouble you with it.”

“I have nowhere to go,” she said. “Please.”

“As my queen commands.” Ser Jorah frowned. “My home... you must understand that to understand the rest. Bear island is beautiful, but remote. Imagine old gnarled oaks and tall pines, flowering thornbushes, grey stones bearded with moss, little creeks running icy down steep hillsides. The hall of the Mormonts is built of huge logs and surrounded by an earthen palisade. Aside from a few crofters, my people live along the coasts and fish the seas. The island lies far to the north, and our winters are more terrible than you can imagine, Khaleesi.

“Still, the island suited me well enough, and I never lacked for women. I had my share of fishwives and crofter’s daughters, before and after I was wed. I married young, to a bride of my father’s choosing, a Glover of Deepwood Motte. Ten years we were wed, or near enough as makes no matter. She was a plain-faced woman, but not unkind. I suppose I came to love her after a fashion, though our relations were dutiful rather than passionate. Three times she miscarried while trying to give me an heir. The last time she never recovered. She died not long after.”

Dany put her hand on his and gave his fingers a squeeze. “I am sorry for you, truly.”

Ser Jorah nodded. “By then my father had taken the black, so I was Lord of Bear Island in my own right. I had no lack of marriage offers, but before I could reach a decision Lord Balon Greyjoy rose in rebel ion against the Usurper, and Ned Stark cal ed his banners to help his friend Robert. The final battle was on Pyke. When Robert’s stonethrowers opened a breach in King Balon’s wal , a priest from Myr was the first man through, but I was not far behind. For that I won my knighthood.

“To celebrate his victory, Robert ordained that a tourney should be held outside Lannisport. It was there I saw Lynesse, a maid half my age. She had come up from Oldtown with her father to see her brothers joust. I could not take my eyes off her. In a fit of madness, I begged her favor to wear in the tourney, never dreaming she would grant my request, yet she did.

“I fight as well as any man, Khaleesi, but I have never been a tourney knight. Yet with Lynesse’s favor knotted round my arm, I was a different man. I won joust after joust. Lord Jason Mal ister fell before me, and Bronze Yohn Royce. Ser Ryman Frey, his brother Ser Hosteen, Lord Whent, Strongboar, even Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard, I unhorsed them all. In the last match, I broke nine lances against Jaime Lannister to no result, and King Robert gave me the champion’s laurel. I crowned Lynesse queen of love and beauty, and that very night went to her father and asked for her hand. I was drunk, as much on glory as on wine. By rights I should have gotten a contemptuous refusal, but Lord Leyton accepted my offer. We were married there in Lannisport, and for a fortnight I was the happiest man in the wide world.”

“Only a fortnight?” asked Dany. Even I was given more happiness than that, with Drogo who was my sun-and-stars.

“A fortnight was how long it took us to sail from Lannisport back to Bear island. My home was a great disappointment to Lynesse. It was too cold, too damp, too far away, my castle no more than a wooden longhall. We had no masques, no mummer shows, no bal s or fairs. Seasons might pass without a singer ever coming to play for us, and there’s not a goldsmith on the island. Even meals became a trial. My cook knew little beyond his roasts and stews, and Lynesse soon lost her taste for fish and venison.

“I lived for her smiles, so I sent al the way to Oldtown for a new cook, and brought a harper from Lannisport. Goldsmiths, jewelers, dressmakers, whatever she wanted I found for her, but it was never enough. Bear Island is rich in bears and trees, and poor in aught else. I built a fine ship for her and we sailed to Lannisport and Oldtown for festivals and fairs, and once even to Braavos, where I borrowed heavily from the money-lenders. It was as a tourney champion that I had won her hand and heart, so I entered other tourneys for her sake, but the magic was gone. I never distinguished myself again, and each defeat meant the loss of another charger and another suit of jousting armor, which must needs be ransomed or replaced. The cost could not be borne. Finally I insisted we return home, but there matters soon grew even worse than before. I could no longer pay the cook and the harper, and Lynesse grew wild when I spoke of pawning her jewels.

“The rest... I did things it shames me to speak of. For gold. So Lynesse might keep her jewels, her harper, and her cook. In the end it cost me al . When I heard that Eddard Stark was coming to Bear Island, I was so lost to honor that rather than stay and face his judgment, I took her with me into exile. Nothing mattered but our love, I told myself. We fled to Lys, where I sold my ship for gold to keep us.”

His voice was thick with grief, and Dany was reluctant to press him any further, yet she had to know how it ended. “Did she die there?” she asked him gently.

“Only to me,” he said. “In half a year my gold was gone, and I was obliged to take service as a sel sword. While I was fighting Braavosi on the Rhoyne, Lynesse moved into the manse of a merchant prince named Tregar Ormol en. They say she is his chief concubine now, and even his wife goes in fear of her.”

Dany was horrified. “Do you hate her?”

“Almost as much as I love her,” Ser Jorah answered. “Pray excuse me, my queen. I find I am very tired.”

She gave him leave to go, but as he was lifting the flap of her tent, she could not stop herself cal ing after him with one last question. “What did she look like, your Lady Lynesse?”

Ser Jorah smiled sadly. “Why, she looked a bit like you, Daenerys.” He bowed low. “Sleep well, my queen.”

-------

Ache galore !

https://www.deviantart.com/jashykins/art/Jorah-Dany-and-the-Peach-Without-Words-788307601

#asoiaf #Ser Jorah Mormont #daenerys targaryen #Dany x Jorah #the peach

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aala-13jellychocolate · 5 years

Text

THEY NEVER KNOW (Chapter Fifteen)

Author’s note: This is my first time writing, so I hope you all will forgive my mistake and grammar too.

This story has taken little inspiration from Sehun web story “ Dokgo Rewind”.

Pairing: Sehun x reader

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Mature, Language (some time will be there), Violence, Smut, Crime au, College au

Summary, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven(M), Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen

-Sehun pov-

Twenty-four critical hours have passed. She hasn't wake up yet, though she is okay. Mr. Kim remembers Sehyun as a school topper, so I was allowed to be around her without any suspicious, and it also means Y/N knows him from school. Mr. Kim asks lots of questions. About the accident, what I was doing there and other things. I lied in every answer. Not knowing how to say, she was trying to kill herself because she lost my brother. Or how crazy she was.

I don't know what the hell is happening with me? First same hospital and now the same investigating officer. Officer Kwon, he was appointed for Sehyun and my case. The lazy ass is no help. I'm sure he is a corrupt person. Or else why he didn't do anything after knowing Sehyun was beaten to death by college gang.

Mr. Kim greets him and tells I'm the eye witness of the accident. He shakes my hand, "How it is going, Oh Sehyun? I hope everything is good with you and I'm sorry. I promise to find those criminals. Your case is still open." I nod and mentally curse him. After question and answer, he fake promise to Mr. Kim and come back after Y/N wake up for her statement. As soon as Y/n wake up, I have to let her know about all the lie I said.

I went to college. I cannot find Jaehyun after Junsu inform him about my fighting skill, I thought, he would at least try to confront. After college, I went to the hospital again. Which was okay with Jinwoo, Teayong shows his dislike, and Yuna was neutral. Y/n was still sleeping like she doesn't want to wake up. Mr. Kim was skipping work since he is in hospital. I offer to stay at night so he can go home and work a bit. After hesitation, he accepts it. As Y/N stayed in hospital private room, I get a couch to sleep.

-Y/N P.O.V-

You woke up by the bright light. You blink a few times before fully able to open it. You can hear the sea waves. You look around, see him cooking in the kitchen which front of your bed. But where were you? You sit up, look at him for a minute. Then you call him, "Sehun?" He gives the brightest smile and says, "Why are you getting confused between us? And haven't I told you so many time my stupid brother cannot cook." Your eyes grow wider, tears fall from it. You run to him, tightly wrap yourself around him. It feels the same as always. There was no doubt inside you; he is Sehyun. He is your Sehyun. He hugs you back, runs his hand on your hair. You sob, "Where were you?" "In your heart." He jokes, you giggle and rolls your eyes at the same time. You look into his eyes. It is like you remember. You ask, "Where are we?" He lightly presses his lips to your and says, "I'm giving your long waited gift. I'm going to spend time with you and only you. I won't even think about my brother until the next morning." You couldn't be happier than these. The room was so small. In a tiny space, there was a kitchen, bedroom, and doorless bathroom. While brushing your teeth, you keep looking at Sehyun. Whenever he looks toward you while cooking, he smiles. Confirming he is here. He is with you. After a long time, someone had cooked your favorite food. It tastes perfect as you recognize. It was a good day like you imagine as you want for a long time. Two of you in the beach house, breakfast to dinner, from morning to night together; you had a great beach walk, long talk, movies, and feeling close to each other. You are getting everything you wanted from him. You were in his arms, sleeping. He wakes you up and says, "Hey, it is time to go." You hug him tightly in denial. You want to stay like this. He laughs, "But it is time now you have to go back." You got up to look at him. You cannot understand, go where? And alone? Why? He pulls you back in his arms, "I have fulfilled your dream. I have gifted you this. See outside the sun is rising, it time you need to go back." You snap, "I don't want t o go anywhere without you. I didn't have enough of your time." How could this small-time be enough? He created distance between both of you. With a smile and said, "I know it is not enough, it is not enough for me too, but you have to go back for every one good. If I had the power, I would have never let you go. You need to go back, love. People need you there. " You huff, "People? You mean Sehun. You are still thinking about him. He is still the most important person. For once, you cannot you put me above him?" He cups your face while saying, "You took Sehun name, I don't. Y/N, I love you both there is no one above another. And yes, he also needs you." You start crying, try to hold on him but no use. He pushes you away from him. After that, you didn't understand what happened.

You wake up and look around. Panic rose in you. You remember being hit by something while you were on the road. You are sure you were in the hospital. You sit up and see him. He saw you sitting up. He rushes toward, runs his hand on your hair, and asks, "Are you feeling okay?" You hug him by his waist, and weeping, "Sehyun." He stops caring your hair, creates distance, "Y/N, Sehyun is not with us anymore. I'm Sehun. Anyways, I'll go and call the Doctor." As he left, you look around realizing where you are, you start crying again. He leaves, never coming back. You hate him. How could he leave? Just a minute ago, you had him. Sehun comes back with Doctor. As you couldn't stop crying, he gives you a sleeping injection to make you relax.

-Sehun pov-

She woke up, finally. I was happy, but it didn't last even for a minute. She was finding Sehyun again. As Doctor makes her sleeps, I also dozed off.

I woke up after getting irritated by chatting noise. My irritation is left as she wakes up and seems relaxed. I smile at Mr. Kim as they talk with her. As Mr. Kim left room to call Mrs. Kim, I informed her about the story and lies I told to Mr. Kim and Officer Kwon. She nods.

After a while, I was about to leave. Mr. Kim stop me, ask to have breakfast with them. Mrs. Kim came along with a girl and breakfast. I guess the girl is their daughter. She just kept looking at me, I ignore her and concentrate on food. After a long time, I have homemade food. "Hey, Sehyun. Right? I'm Kim Sol-Mae." Y/N look amused by her behavior. I nod and take my last bite. I choke as she said, "Y/n if you are not dating him, can I have him?" Mr. Kim angrily said, "Sol-Mae. Stop the nonsense, or else you are grounded forever." As he gives me an apologetic look, I awkwardly smile. My eyes meet Y/n eyes for a second. She looks angry. And I don't if I was imagining or not, I saw a slight amount of jealous. Sol-Mae storm out of the room so does Mr. and Mrs. Kim too. Avoiding meeting eyes with Y/N, I again try to leave, and Office Kwon comes and stop me. Mr. Kim joins as he starts to ask questions to Y/N. I assume Mrs. Kim, and Sol-Mae has left. I don't know how Y/n manage to answer adjusting with my story and lie.

I left with Office Kwon. He asks, "Sehyun, I'll ask you again. How do you know Y/N and how much you know her?" I lied again, "I told you. She was my classmate in school. What else?" I try to leave again he stops me, "You are lying. Just a classmate doesn't have an infinite amount of long call logs. I've checked yours, and your brother calls detail. She seems your only friend or more than a friend."

"What are you trying to say? Why does it even matter?"

"Nowadays young boys are interested in other girlfriends. I want to know if you fought because of it? There is no other reason to justify your incident beside the girl. Don't worry, if you want to hide your relationship with her and protect her, I will help you. But I need to know, why did you guys start fighting that night and what happened in recent accident night.", he seems genuine while saying it. What a good actor. There was no meaning of denying Sehyun relationship. "Yes, she is my girlfriend. I want to hide this relationship until studies get complete. However, she has nothing to do with my fight that night. No one knows about us, and no one will know. I already told you. They suddenly come, start beating me, and later my brother tries to rescue me. I don't remember them besides my college mates. As for Y/N accident, I admit having an argument with her. She ended up saying some nonsense. I left her place in angry. I turn around to go back again to her place and see her getting hit my min-truck. End of story."

"Hmm, I don't think the person who killed your brother is your collegemates. I already told the name which you took as the suspect were not in town." I cannot believe it. My memory vague, I cannot remember any faces although I remember that laugh. But it is crystal clear, Jaehyun and his gang were there. Even Junsu admit it and here Officer Kwon denying it, my blood was boiling, I wanted to tell him, I don't his help anymore.

I keep my face neutral and nod to him. As soon as Officer Kwon left, Mrs. Kim come in front of my face, angrily asked, "Y/N is your girlfriend? How long it has been going on?" I was speechless. I cannot deny because I'm Sehyun for everyone, cannot say yes because I'm Sehun and how long? Only Sehyun and Y/N know the answer. Without waiting for my answer, she rushes toward the Y/N room. I also run after Mrs. Kim.

Mr. Kim help her to set up on the bed as Mrs. Kim entry and shout, "Y/N, This is why you like to stay alone, so you can call him anytime you want?" She turns toward Mr. Kim "Jin Ho I told you, send her to hostile or to foster home. It is not right for 16 years old girl to start leaving alone. Look now, what she is doing. She has a boyfriend, never told us about it, and she almost kills herself because she argued with him." I cannot understand her, her daughter was openly flirting and Y/N couldn’t even date. Y/N looks confuse and shock. I try to control the damage, "Ma'am it is my fault. I wanted to wait. I'm sorry. She......" Y/N cut me, "Mr. Kim, I want to talk with him, alone. Please. After that, I'll answer your question." I cannot read Mr. Kim face he nods and pushes Mrs. Kim out as she protests. Sol-Mae comment with a pout while passing me, "My bad luck. Anyways, if you guys break up anytime, I'll be forever available for you." Oh God, not even Yuna was this bold. Sol-Mae is something.

In harsh, low voices with fiery eyes, Y/N said, "How dare you?" I look at her with a blank face. "What did you said to Mrs. Kim? Who gave you the right you to call me your girlfriend?" Cardiac monitoring starts beeping as her heart rates increase with angry. In a calm voice, I said, "Get rest and let me explain. I didn't say anything to anyone. I was talking with Officer Kwon. He had Sehyun call logs, obviously your number there. He figures out about you and Sehyun was together. I have just confirmed it, and Mrs. Kim heard......" "Sehyun is death; you are him for everyone. Why the fuck did you confirmed it? You are the best liar and actor I have ever seen, cannot you come up anything. Let me guess, after our fight, you needed a reason to stay close to me, right?" I cannot believe it. What shit is running on her mind? She tries to get up from the bed. As stop her, suddenly she smirks, "What wrong, Sehun? I said this much you still didn't say 'I did it because I love you.' Come on, Sehun says it." What the fuck? That is it. I was angry now, "Y/N, don't. Don't cross the line. You have no right to.........." She cut me with the laugh, lean back in the bed and said, "Line? You are the one was the one who crossed it. You pretend to be Sehyun, kiss me and then reason it out with I love you. It wasn't enough. Now you start to tell the world I'm your girlfriend. You know what, if you won't stay here, nor Mrs. Kim would have come to know nor Officer Kwon asked you a question. Wait, this reminds me. What the fuck are you doing here anyway? Didn't you say 'I won't see you again.' I get it. You bring me to the hospital, then what? Why didn't you leave? You even spend the night next to me. Why?" I become voiceless. I don't know what is burning more, my heart with her word or my body with angry. She is lost her mind completely. I thought her death would hurt, but on, her words were hurting more. Previously, whenever I heard her, it makes me think, she will understand me after knowing the truth. Before I say anything I regret or cry, I decide to leave.

I open the door, she shouts, "What happen? Don't want to stay? Wait, I didn't get a chance to say, Thank you for saving me." Mr. and Mrs. Kim heard her. Without looking at her, I said, "No need for your Thank you. I bring you to the hospital on base on humanity. And don't worry, I'll keep my words. You will never see me again." shutting door behind, I run out. Mr. Kim surely sees my teary eyes, but I don't care.

Going straight to home. I let out my pain. Yes, I cried and break a few things same as I did after y brother death. After crying for a while and thinking, I've made up my mind. From today onwards I won't look at her as a person I love. I'll treat her as my brother girlfriend if we ever cross paths. Today is the last day I will cry for her. Even if she ends up killer herself, it won't be my concern. Only thing I want is to find those murders. After that, I don't care what happens to me. If I end up killing some of them and go to prison, it will be okay. I will never get distracted again.

-Y/N P.O.V-

You couldn't believe what you have done or why. You only know you were angry. He cannot call you his girlfriend. He was pretending to be Sehyun. He wasn't him. Sehyun always manages to hide our relationship, and he, in a one day, everything was out. Mrs. Kim is going to ask a lot of questions, which you didn't desire to answer.

You know you were rude. You should have thanked him for saving you and staying with you. Love or not, truth or lie, Sehun has helped you a lot. You don't know if you were angry on Sehun for calling his girlfriend or confessing his love. Or you were angry on Sehyun for dying and filling up your mind with unless talking about Sehun being my option after him. Or on both of them. Unhappily, you can take your anger out on Sehun only. Now there is no step back. What done is done. You will go on this road. And remembering Sehyun pushing you away from him in your dream will help you. Again love or not, he never acknowledges your relationship, he was selfish. And his brother, he is also same, he has used you. You will change yourself. You won't depend on anyone, anymore.

Mr. and Mrs. Kim come inside. Mrs. Kim demand, "What was that? You break up also." You look at her with blink face and, "I'm tired, I will sleep." with this you lying down, pulling the cover over you. Today for the first time to disrespected her like this. You regret from inside but won't let it come on your face.

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