CHAPTER 11

I’m not ready, wait a minute…

Chanyeol asked everyone to leave and go to their respective works, including Baekhyun who still had no idea of what happened and what was still happening. He and Kevin went up to his office, no words exchanged throughout their ride in the lift. When they were safe from public’s eye and ears, Chanyeol locked the doors to his office and turned to the taller man, standing in the middle of his office, probably judging every nook and cranny of it.

“Sit anywhere you like,” Chanyeol ordered, gesturing to the sofa set before his table. Kevin took the offer and made himself comfortable on the long cushion, crossing his legs, leaning his back against it. He propped his elbow on the armrest, watching the CEO did the same in front of him.

Chanyeol took a deep breath before opening the topic again. “You shouldn’t barge in the company like you own it, Kevin. You could’ve made an appointment like all educated people do.”  The CEO was fluent with the international language, but it was still obvious on how it was not his mother tongue.

Kevin raised his brow and tilted his head, “I’ve tried to call you a hundred times for one whole week, Chanyeol, yet you didn’t answer any. What do you expect me to do?”

Chanyeol pressed the bridge of his nose and exhaled, “What brings you here then?”

“I told you.” Kevin lifted his shoulders. “Tell me where your sister is hiding.”

The CEO’s jaws clenched as his eyes narrowed into slits. “What makes you think that my sister is hiding? She left Korea to live a peaceful life! Away from your nonsense accusations and schemes.”

Kevin chuckled darkly and shook his head in disbelief. “You don’t know your sister at all, Chanyeol. She’s a hungry beast, a monster,” he spat, the laugh in his eyes gone in a second when he said, “She’s a selfish little motherer.”

“Don’t talk to her that way, Kevin. She was your friend!” the CEO warned.

“Was—Chanyeol,” Kevin laughed. “Yoora was my friend until I realized how greedy she was. I used to love her, but now I couldn’t even swallow the fact that I did.” Kevin stood up and walked towards the window walls, looking down at the miniature vehicles and people in the big city of Seoul.

With his hands clasped behind him, Kevin reminisced the past when he found out that the woman he loved the most would marry his elder brother. He couldn’t believe it, that wass why he confronted Yoora that time. He asked her why his brother, his brother who was definitely older than them by ten years. He could still hear her voice when she said, “Karlile definitely has larger share from your family’s wealth than you, Kevin. Of course I will choose him. I am sorry.”

“She chose him for money,” Kevin huffed. “I was hurt at first, but then I realized how lucky I was that I didn’t end up with a woman like your sister. And how unfortunate my brother was to fall into her trap.” Kevin turned his heels around and faced the CEO.

“I have all the evidences against her, Chanyeol. How she slowly steals from my brother, transferring properties into her name, how she even sold my first sister-in-law’s properties.” Kevin couldn’t stop himself from raising his voice. “And when my brother died from heart failure, she took everything away, claimed it as her own and left.”

Chanyeol had his hands into fists, glaring at the elder. “Lies.”

“Believe what you want to believe, Chanyeol. But the facts are in my hands.” Kevin went back to him, but didn’t sit back anymore. Instead he towered over the CEO when he continued. “I could care less about the properties and the money she stole. Heinsworth is a noble family in England, and we could earn it in a year or less. But what I can’t let go, is that she took my brother’s son with her.”

Chanyeol’s jaw fell in disbelief. “You accused Yoora for theft now you’re putting a title of a kidnapper on her head as well?! I may know where my sister is right now and I will never tell you, Kevin. I don’t believe that she could do such thing, she’s my sister and I know her, even if I don’t have evidence, I will always believe in my family. But now, I can slap you with the truth that when she left this country, she doesn’t have any kid with her. I was there, so don’t tell me that she took your nephew because I am sure as hell she left Korea alone.”

Kevin’s face was blank after that. Chanyeol couldn’t see the emotion beneath his golden brown eyes, but when the other’s jaws clenched, he knew by then that Kevin was not expecting it.

“Kristian is not with her?” he asked softly, but with every bit of restraint.

“No.”

“When did she leave the country,” Kevin asked, glaring at him. Chanyeol gritted his teeth. “I don’t know, around eight or nine years ago?”

Kevin closed his eyes in frustration rubbing his temples with his middle finger and thumb and it didn’t escape his hearing range when the other muttered a chain of profanities. Kevin took a deep breath when he gathered his composure, eyes fixed on the CEO. “She left my nephew on his own. He’s still a bloody minor that time!” Kevin walked towards the door and said before he opened it, “If something happened to Kristian, by any chance, I will not just hunt your sister down. I will have her kiss the bars of prison for the rest of her life.”

And Kevin was out of the office with a loud slamming of the door.

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As Kevin left the office, he went straight to the direction of the restroom. His head was pounding in stress and frustration. The last time he saw his nephew was when he was seven years old, and after that, he got so busy in his studies. If Yoora left Kristian around the time Chanyeol was talking about, he was sure he’s just thirteen back then. When Yoora left, where did Kristian go? If Yoora took everything that was supposed to be his when Karlile, his father died, what was left for him?

How was he right now?

More importantly, where in the world was he right now?

As Kevin entered the restroom, he found someone already there. It was Baekhyun, the man he saw earlier at the lobby. Head hang low, hands on the sink, the illustrator’s shoulder was shaking and Kevin realized that the man was crying when he heard his sniffles and whimpers.

“Baekhyun?”

Startled, the other quickly wiped his wet face, brushing his bangs away before turning around. He met Kevin’s concerned gaze and it brought blood to his cheeks in shame. “M-Mr. Heinsworth…”

“Why are you crying…?” he asked, walking closer to the man.

“I wasn’t,” Baekhyun lied, sniffing. “I um… just got something in my eye.”

Kevin knew that the younger was lying, but if Baekhyun wouldn’t want him to know, he wouldn’t force him. “Okay, then are your eyes okay now? They’re pretty red…”

Baekhyun laughed, blinking away. “Yeah, they’re fine now. Anyway, w-what brought you here? I thought you were with Mr. Park, sir.”

Kevin groaned. “Park’s being stupid, so I left him. Plus, what do you think people do when they go to the restroom?” he chuckled when he saw the pink flush in the younger’s eyes. Kevin reached out and ruffled Baekhyun’s hair. “Ah, so cute.”

Baekhyun pressed his lips into thin line and looked down, playing with his fingers. Kevin noticed this and he smiled, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Baekhyun whispered. When the illustrator looked up and met the other’s gaze, Kevin couldn’t help but to feel a little bit nostalgic on the gesture. Before he could even think when and where he last felt that, Baekhyun bowed politely at him and said, “I should get back to work, Mr. Heinsworth, it’s really a pleasure to meet you.” Then he ran out of the restroom.

Kevin’s hand was left in the air and he stood there wondering why he felt light whenever he saw the illustrator.

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It was past five when Baekhyun remembered that Chanyeol and he were supposed to go to another dinner date, as always. It had been a habit for him to wait for the other in front of his office. However, he also remembered how Chanyeol reacted when he saw Mr. Heinsworth that morning. He was angry, and the way he gripped his wrist was enough to mark a bruise there.

Baekhyun, worried, knocked on his door. He heard the other said a soft, “Come in”, so he entered. He found Chanyeol preoccupied with the papers on his table. Like always, when he was working, the CEO was using his reading glasses. Baekhyun shivered at the coldness in the office, and maybe also, from the lack of recognition from Chanyeol.

“Hey… you okay?” Baekhyun said once he sat in front of his table.

He merely received a grunt, which was unusual. Baekhyun was used to the warm Chanyeol, the overly affectionate giant and not this cold and unresponsive business man. However, he couldn’t help himself but asked that time the things that flood his mind the whole day.

“Chanyeol, how did you know Mr. Heinsworth?”

The CEO paused from typing, and he took a deep breath.  “He used to be my sister’s classmate back in the old days…”

“Oh…” Baekhyun muttered. But if they were old acquaintances, why was he so angry when he saw Kevin earlier? Why did it looked like they were ready to slit each other’s throat out?

Baekhyun looked at the elder in curiosity, and he told himself that he shouldn’t ask more. He should consider that Chanyeol was in a bad moon and maybe cancel the date tonight. He didn’t know why, but he pushed himself to ask again.

“You looked angry this morning… you know whatever bothers you, you can share it Chanyeol. You don’t have to keep it in.”

Chanyeol dropped his glasses on the table with a deep sigh. “Baek, just leave it okay? It’s not even your business!”

The silence that followed could be cut by a knife if you’d ask Baekhyun. He was surprised that Chanyeol raised his voice at him, much more by the words that slipped from his mouth. True, Baekhyun knew that it wasn’t his business, that it was not something he should be poking his nose into. But Baekhyun thought that for all the times he and Chanyeol spent together, for all the things that Chanyeol said to him… all the kisses, all the sweet words…

…He thought that maybe there was something more between them.

…He thought that maybe, because the CEO was pursuing him so much, he was serious about him.

…He thought that maybe, opening his heart up and giving him a chance would be worth it.

But why was it that when Baekhyun started loosening up, when he started caring, Chanyeol brushed him off and said that Chanyeol’s problem wasn’t his business? It sounded like he had no place in Chanyeol’s life aside from the short dinner dates and hidden kisses when no one was looking.

It stung. Baekhyun felt the pain in his chest but he was so used to being hurt like this so he didn’t even mind it and acted like what he was supposed to do.

He guessed that he’d been wrong. He guessed that he opened up to the wrong person. He should’ve listened to the other side of him. Of course, why would he thought that Park Chanyeol would be interested in him? He was a man with a high status, and he might not be serious about him at all. Who knows, maybe Chanyeol just wooed him to get him into the company and nothing more.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun whispered, standing up. “You’re right, it’s not my business. I’ll get going Mr. Park.”

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Baekhyun was already gone when Chanyeol realized what he had just done. He cupped his face as he groaned, thinking why the hell did he lashed out like that. He was never like that to the younger. Chanyeol put his PC to sleep right after he saved his documents. All his thoughts about Kevin and the things they talked about the other day vanished the moment he left the office.

“Baek,” Chanyeol knocked on his door. He didn’t get a response. He wanted to barge in but it wouldn’t be appropriate for the time being. If Baekhyun wasn’t in the mood to talk to him, he shouldn’t be pushing the other to.

“Baek, princess, let’s talk. I’m sorry.” He tried once again. He heard nothing again. Chanyeol decided to disregard his previous thoughts when he twisted the knob open and went inside the office.

But he found the place empty of Byun Baekhyun.

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Baekhyun threw himself on the couch, tired and stressed out for the day. He just ate ramyun as his dinner and finished taking a shower thirty minutes ago. He planned to watch a movie tonight, but he wasn’t in the mood. There were a lot of things that occupied his mind. Things he decided to bury a long, long time ago. Things that haunt him…things that scared him.

He was holding the briefcase he kept under his bed all the time. He always called them treasures, because they were something that neither gold nor status could replace. Baekhyun removed the lock of the brief case that he placed on his lap. His fingers traced the texture of the paper, eyes lingering on the faded color of every image that preserved the only happiness he had in his childhood.

Baekhyun laughed at his photo when he was a kid, baby him who only had five teeth, two on the upper part and three on the lower part. There was a smudge of water color on his cheeks and he was holding a paintbrush, attempting to throw it at the person who was holding the camera that time.

Then his eyes went to another picture, he was asleep on his mother’s lap, and his mother was caught doing the hushing sound at the person who was holding the camera.

And then there was also a photo of him riding his first bike with his father trying to balance him from behind. His smile was ranging from ear to ear back then.

The last one that he saw was a picture of a seven years old him, riding the back of a teenager boy. His arms was wrapped around his neck and they were both wet from the swimming pool they just got out from. On the lower part of the picture was a faded caption….

Kris’ first swimming lesson with Kev~

Baekhyun closed his eyes as he closed the briefcase, just in time the doorbell rang. Jumping from his seat, Baekhyun walked towards the door, and before he opened it, he checked who the hell it was ringing him in the middle of the night.

Chanyeol didn’t expect the door to open, given that Baekhyun must have been upset. He wasn’t wrong. Because it was obvious in the younger’s face that he wasn’t pleased to have him at his doorstep after the incident in the office.

“Is there anything you need, Mr. Park?” Baekhyun asked, seeing that the elder was still in the same suit he had this morning, it only meant that Chanyeol went straight to him and not in his pad.

“Baekhyun, let’s talk. I’m sorry about earlier I didn’t mean to—“

“It’s okay, sir. I was sticking my nose in other’s business. It’s my fault,” he said in a flat tone.

“It’s not that, Baek I—“

“Mr. Park,” Baekhyun cut. “Whatever it is that you want to tell me that is not part of work, please don’t say it anymore. I realized that what we’ve been doing is wrong and that I shouldn’t have given in. I’m sorry for taking advantage of our friendship to the point that I crossed the line… Good night, sir. See you tomorrow.”

Baekhyun closed the door and took a deep breath, he didn’t even heard Chanyeol when he asked him to wait and to not shut the door.

-beta-

5.6.16