A/N: I tried my best, but it is still...ugh. T_T Forgive me.

but you may want to play the song while reading this.

*shorter than usual, it's an interlude*

INTERLUDE

Once Again

The day where they were supposed to face each other from different party came faster than anticipated. When Baekhyun woke up without Chanyeol by his side, he knew that he had to leave on his own to sit on the other side of the court. Tortured by equal guilt and helplessness, he pushed himself to get up and prepare for the hearing. He received messages from Kevin, saying that they will pick him up around nine but he doesn't ing care. In fact, he doesn't give a damn anymore. 

During their ride, he turned blind eye to Kevin's worried glance and turned deaf to his grandfather's reassurance. Who are they kidding? 

Don’t worry.

Kristian, we’ll fight for justice.

Everything will be alright.

How is that possible? By the time Baekhyun becomes a witness, his world will fall apart. He'd have to cause his lover's pain by helping his sister be sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. But even the guilt eats him up from inside out, a part of him says that it was just right. 

Yoora killed father.

She deserves to rot in jail.

She deserves to suffer more than just death.

Because dying is too simple for the crime she did. 

The irony of fate, Baekhyun thought. He was so sick of it that he wanted to throw up and turn his back on everyone. Why must this happen to both of them? Why must their paths cross even before they see each other? Why must the loose ends of their past must connect this way?

Endless questions, but there seems to be no answer.

Time passed like a bullet train, everything else around him was blurry, and the only person that mattered the most was the only one he could see and the only one he could hear. Inside the four cornered room with lots of insignificant people, Baekhyun felt that it was only him and Chanyeol there; even when they were several feet away from each other. 

There were nonsensical speeches, those that Baekhyun didn't bother to take note. He just wanted this to end, he just wanted to leave and breathe--though the last thing might not be the same as how he does with Chanyeol beside him.

When it was his time to state the events of the past, Baekhyun sat in front of everyone and kept his face straight, void of emotions. He built layers of walls to protect his shattering heart while reminiscing the times he spent with his father after his second marriage.

"I hated the fact that my father remarried after a short span of time since mother died. But I respected his decision, though, our relationship changed after that." he started. He went on with the story, of how he rarely spend his time with Yoora and his father, until he got to the part where he noticed his father's deteriorating immune system. 

"As his child, I was there when the doctor said that he has complications in heart. But he reassured us that with proper medication, the worst could be prevented. Of course, the medicine was trusted in my stepmom's hands."

Baekhyun swallowed the lump on his throat as his story goes on. He told them that every after dinner, Yoora would ask him to give his father his medicines that she prepared together with Karlile's night tea. Baekhyun was oblivious by then because, Yoora would always give the tray to him, all set and ready to be carried. 

Baekhyun said that it lasted for a year at most, until he caught Yoora throwing the contents of the new bottle of medicines the doctor gave her since Karlile's condition didn't improve.

"I might be a kid, but I am not stupid. I realized that the reason why my father was still sick because my stepmom never gave him the prescribed medicine. If she meant good for him, why would she do that? And I asked myself, if Dad's medicine were thrown away just like that, then what are those pills that I'm delivering him every night for the past year of his medication?"

Right then, Baekhyun took all his courage to turn his gaze on the Park Family's direction. His eyes automatically fell on a pair of almond ones--glassy and red rimmed. They held each other's gaze for a moment. Chanyeol was clearly fighting the urge to let those saline beads fall, but Baekhyun couldn't. They dripped down his chin as they streamed down his cheeks. He could see how hurt Chanyeol was--and he hated himself for being the one who put it there. But one thing is not clear for Baekhyun. It was the sad smile that adorned his plush lips. 

Baekhyun frowned upon seeing that. He couldn't decode the meaning of that smile. He couldn't even ask him why.

It seemed like he out for a moment. Throughout Yoora’s interrogation, he wasn’t listening. Numerous of voices were drowned down when the vital question was asked. His heart stopped, his breath hitched, and he looked up at her who was a sobbing mess. Yoora covered half of her face. Baekhyun couldn’t even bear to feel pity on her. No… not for her. Not even after she admitted her crime.

There was a loud protest from the other side. Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol’s parents, mostly his mother, crying and begging not to take her daughter away. Chanyeol stood there like a statue, looking ahead but not really seeing. There was a commotion in the court, but at last they took Yoora away after cuffing his wrists. And as she passed him who was sitting by the isle, Yoora stopped before him. “Kristian…”

Baekhyun raised his head and fought hard to keep a straight face. “I’m sorry.” She apologized, before she got dragged away. She kept crying, and kept calling him in his other name. Kristian, forgive me!

 I’m so sorry!

Kristian, I’m sorry…

Baekhyun wished he was sorry too. But his stubborn heart was only sorry for being the man whom Chanyeol had to love, not for being the man who wanted justice for his father, for his family.

“We should go, Kristian. We’ll have a lot to discuss after this,” he heard his grandfather. They tried to lead the way out, but Baekhyun couldn’t take the heaviness of his chest anymore. He ran through the crowd—he made a beeline towards the exit. He looked for a secluded place, which turned out to be one of the hallways to the fire exit. Once he felt his legs give out, Baekhyun slid down on the floor, biting his knuckles and cried.

“Kristian!”

Chanyeol heard from Kayne. But when he turned around, he only had a glimpse of Baekhyun’s light ash blonde hair before he left the room.

Nothing had ever made him so scared until now. It was so sudden but it was real—the fear of not seeing Baekhyun after this. It pushed him to move his limbs and search for him.

No…no he doesn’t hate Baekhyun. He doesn’t hate him even after all that has happened. Yes, it was painful to accept what his sister did, but it was more painful to know how much Baekhyun hates him after being related to his father’s murderer. It’s much harder to take it if Baekhyun would not look at him the same way as before.

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol turned from different corners, took the stairs thrice and coming back down when he didn’t find who he was looking for. “Princess!”

Where are you?

Chanyeol ran to the end of that hallway. “Baekhyun, answer me!” he cried out just as he finally saw the man crouching against the wall to his right. Curled up, hunched over, and hugging his knees, Baekhyun was sobbing his heart out in a place where no one could see him.

Carefully, Chanyeol took baby steps to get closer to him. Baekhyun slowly looked up when he was just a foot away, kneeling down and with a hand combing his hair.

Eyes red and wet, Baekhyun called his name with remorse. Torn between being Kristian who had to face his past, and just being Baekhyun who just dreams to have a future with him, he threw himself to Chanyeol. His arms around his neck, his body pressed against his.

Chanyeol wrapped his arms around his fragile state and kissed his temple. “It’s okay,” Chanyeol’s voice cracked. “I’m okay, princess…” he whispered once Baekhyun chanted thousands of apologies against his neck.

I’m so sorry Chanyeol… I’m sorry.

Chanyeol pulled themselves up, and he didn’t waste time before capturing his lips in his. They shared their tears, tasted them, soothing themselves with it. Baekhyun mapped his lover’s petals, tracing them feverishly with his tongue just as Chanyeol did the same to him. Chanyeol deepened the lock, the salty liquid on the plush rose.

They should suffocate themselves in love. They should stay like that, forever.

They should care less about the world and start a new beginning.

They should make their way out of this place, without looking and turning back.

But they couldn’t.

Abruptly taken away from his grasp, Baekhyun suddenly disappeared in his hands. As Chanyeol opened his eyes, he found his other half taken by his elbow, his uncle pulling him away from Chanyeol. Kevin was cursing him between gritted teeth, but all was blurry to him except for Baekhyun.

Soon after, Chanyeol’s arms were wrapped with another set of limbs. He heard muffled cries and shouts from his mother, tugging him away from Baekhyun.

Baekhyun, who was crying out for him.

“Let me go! No!” He cried. He struggled against Kevin who was pulling him away. Then there it was, Baekhyun, turning back to him, a hand reaching out for Chanyeol to take—

And Chanyeol did, ready to run and take back Baekhyun—only that someone—again—had tugged him by the collar and give him one strong punch on the face.

“How dare you have an affair with that man?!” His father’s voice rang in his ears but it was so far away. “Have you forgotten what they did to your sister?!”

Chanyeol could barely register what they were saying. His head hurts and his heart burns when he heard Baekhyun’s last cry of his name before he disappeared from his sight. With wide, disbelieving eyes, Chanyeol caught a glimpse of reflected light on the white tiles. Shrugging them off, Chanyeol took large steps and fell on his knees when he saw what it was.

With shaking hands he took the chain, held the band hanging on it, which was blessed to symbolize their love for each other. It was there, on his palm, cold and meaningless without the person who was supposed to have it.

“No…” Chanyeol gritted his teeth in anger, his eyes burning with tears. “No!” He cried.

They couldn’t just take him like that. Chanyeol’s jaws clenched as pain started seeping in his chest, spreading out in his veins.

They could take or steal anything—anything­­—from him; they could ing strip him off of his inheritance, his wealth, his fame; tear his family apart—but they couldn’t take him away.

They don’t have the right to take Baekhyun away from him.

Chanyeol dragged his feet as fast as he can and left the building. He passed the front yard, bumping into strangers but he doesn’t ing care. He ran as fast as he could. Held in his right hand was his ring that Baekhyun should be wearing. In his hand was their love—that fragile, innocent thing that they tried to take away and destroy. Chanyeol will not let go of that love.

He found that silver limousine convoyed by two black cars. And he knew—he knew it was them. He knew they have him. Chanyeol called out his name while running almost the reckless track of his life.

It was pointless, he knew. But before his lungs gave up and before his legs give in and fell on the asphalt, at least he saw Baekhyun’s face through the glass. Baekhyun was crying—he was mouthing Chanyeol’s name.

At least Chanyeol knew, he didn’t want this either.

Didn’t want to be taken away from him. Didn’t want to leave Chanyeol.

Chanyeol panted and sat on his shins. He tilted his head up and screamed.

Baekhyun.

I’ll find you one day.

Chanyeol promised while gazing at the clear blue sky.

I’ll make it so I’ll be able to reach you.

I’ll be someone your family would look up to.

He glanced down the wedding band on his hand, and Chanyeol put them around his neck while crying.

By then I’ll be able to take you away without them touching you.

I’ll bring you back home.

We’ll be together once again.