Chanyeol & Kora Truth

 

Kora and Chanyeol's Playlist  Kill and Run - Sia CC - Shygirl Sweet Lies - EXO Oh No - Oh No Pat Lok If You - BIGBANG  Hold Me Tight - BTS  If I Were You - 2NE1

 

"What's the point of asking to 'Netflix and Chill', if we're gonna watch a movie and not do the chill? I know Gaspar Noe films are a head- but-"

"I have a headache, Baekhyun. I think I'd better head home." Kora sighed as she stood up from Baekhyun's bed, the burning in her forehead spreading behind her eyes. She pressed her hand underneath the freshly-cut bangs that Baekhyun helped her style, her skin boiling to the touch. 

She felt Baekhyun's strong hand on her arm, "You sure? You can stay as long as you want, I've got meds for that ."

Kora closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She knew coming here would probably end up being a bad idea.

She and her Mother had gotten into another fight the day before, and after storming out of the house, going back still seemed like the worst choice in the world. She had run out the house and down the street, away from her mother and away from her pain, refusing to let the tears that prickled at her eyes run wild. When she'd made it to the bus stop at the bottom of her road, she concentrated on breathing deeply, in and out, in and out - anything to stop herself crying. Once her feelings were under control, Kora sat down at the bus stop and breathed in the cold December air. It was twilight then, and she'd realised she couldn't stay out there forever. She couldn't bear to be alone either. At first she'd planned on going to her friends' houses, but couldn't; she knew that Kai was already busy with Kyungsoo, and Sulli wasn't answering her phone for some reason. But Baekhyun answered immediately. 

Baekhyun had a talent for taking her mind off things, and she'd figured he'd be more useful now than ever. She enjoyed spending time with him a lot; their time together was always an exciting escape from the world and their problems, and she felt comfortable around him, more alive. But what started as mere fun and bliss, was becoming confused in Kora's mind. Kora couldn't place the fun she was having with Baekhyun last night with the awkwardness she felt this morning - she just needed to leave.

Sighing, Kora said, "I'm going to go now." Turning to face Baekhyun, she brushed her fingers through his black hair which they'd spent hours styling the night before. He looked more handsome than ever with his jet locks and black undercut that Kora had styled for him. The two had fumbled playfully around the bathroom for a while, attacking each other with the shower hose and chasing each other around before their antics had eventually led them to a hot and steamy bath. But no matter how much fun Baekhyun brought her in that moment, the pain Kora had been feeling could only be kept at bay for so long. Right now, he was actually annoying her for some reason.

"Look, Kora, I-" Baekhyun started, quickly rising from his bed to meet her. 

Kora knew very well what Baekhyun wanted to say. She'd sensed he'd wanted to say something about his feelings for a while now, but being in denial was easier for her. Ignoring the issue just meant a chance to avoid how she felt about him deep down too. Seeing the look in Baekhyun's eyes made her gut wrench. He really didn't want her to leave. She felt bad for him. But she was also incredibly frustrated by him  - irritated, even. Kora wished she could reciprocate what he was clearly feeling, but she couldn't lie to herself like that. Not now at least.

Maybe in time I could tell him...But just not right now.

However, her body betrayed her thoughts; Kora leaned down to tenderly kiss Baekhyun goodbye on the lips. She never usually bothered. She wished she hadn't as soon as she pulled away. She never felt in control of herself around Baekhyun - it was just his effect on her. 

"Goodbye, Baekhyun." 

She knew leaving was the right decision: as soon as she stepped foot outside the house and allowed the fresh air to fill her lungs, the headache started to dissipate. Kora didn't look back on Baekhyun's house once as she left - not once. Not even when the Senior Mr Byun walked past her just as she walked out of the front gate. Kora hadn't ever been introduced to Baekhyun's father in the time they'd been fooling around. She hadn't even met the little brother he'd always talked of so fondly. A shame, she figured whilst she rode on the bus into Town, since Jaemin sounded like an angel from what she'd heard. Not to mention one of the only people Byun Baekhyun actually cared for around here.

Maybe if we both opened up a little more...

Just as she started to ponder a potential future with Baekhyun, Kora almost missed her stop. She cursed herself for letting her thoughts get too far this time. Feeling the chill of the December air, Kora snuggled herself tighter into her trusty leather jacket, bringing the hood of her thick jumper over her head, warmth immediately overcoming her as she made her way to the pharmacy. Making her way up to the counter, she recognised the friendly assistant, Jaehyun, whom she'd made an innocent friendship with thanks to all her visits here. 

"Kora!" the handsome guy beamed at her, his smile begrudgingly perfect for a 16-year old, "Nice new bangs. What can I help you with?"

Smirking to herself, Kora replied, "Nothing you can do sadly, kid. I'm gonna need someone a little older to help me with this."

Silently mouthing an 'oh', Jaehyun called behind the second counter for his manager to come help. 

"Back for the usual, Miss Park?" Mrs Kim sighed, crossing her arms and eyeing Kora like a disappointed mother. 

Kora could only nod. 

"Wait up here then. I'll get you more of your prescription medication for the holidays whilst I'm at it."

"Thank you Mrs Kim!" Kora beamed as friendly as she could, leaning over the counter to get into the view at her friendly neighbourhood pharmacist.

Mrs Kim peeked over her glasses from behind the second counter, "I really think you should go see a doctor and get a more permanent method of contracpetion my dear. This might mess you up."

Kora shrugged as she began to pick and and observe different coloured lip-balms on the counter, "Yeah, I thought about it."

"And?" 

"I don't think I'm gonna' be sleeping with this person for much longer. Can I get this too?" Kora changed the subject, holding up a grapefruit-flavoured lip-balm. Mrs Kim looked up and sighed - not without struggling to fight the warm smile off her face. Kora could be very charismatic when she wanted to be, and Mrs Kim could never deny her favourite customer. 

"Hey Kora," Jaehyun asked politely just as Kora had starred to apply the flavoured lip balm, "How come you don't like this guy anymore?" 

Kora sighed. To most people, she was pretty content on keeping her struggles hidden and kept secret, even sometimes from her two best friends. But it was something about the warmth in Jaehyun's smile, his innocent mind and caring nature, that made Kora feel strangely at ease around him. Or maybe being around him reminded her what is was like to have a younger brother again. 

Not that my brother would like Jaehyun at all. They're totally different.

"Listen, Jaehyun, just because you like being around someone and you like the way they make you feel, doesn't mean they're the right person for you. Especially if they're not even good for you."

A look of deep thought immediately overcame Jaehyun's face. Clearly the teen was trying to understand the true message of Kora's wise words - yet she almost struggled to take these words in herself. Having and being aware of a problem is one thing, but saying it out loud made it terrifyingly real. Kora knew then and there, that she had to stop things with Baekhyun, at least for now. Until she could figure out what was holding her back. 

More like who...

But then her answer walked right into the shop.

"Grandpa, I'm not going to go up there and pretend that I need . I don't care if it's just for prank! It's social suicide!" 

A smile immediately broke out across Kora's face at the sound of his voice, even if he was whining like a little kid.to his Grandfather, who was otherwise concerned with inspecting the rack in the row they'd chosen to walk down. Kora couldn't help but watch the scene play out before her eyes - nor could she hold back by the wry smile that came across her face as soon as she saw Chanyeol.

"My, my," the Senior Mr. Park chuckled as he picked up a special type of , "They didn't make them like this back in my day let me tell you that. Otherwise you wouldn't have so many cousins that you haven't met."

Chanyeol froze, his eyes going wide in sheer horror of his Grandfather's crude comments, "Yah! Grandpa!" Chanyeol doubled over slightly, groaning in disgust and near-screaming whilst his grandfather cackled behind. Kora bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing out loud as she watched Chanyeol's grandfather land some form of apology before they made their way to the counter where Kora stood.

Quickly spinning on heel to avoid being caught snooping, Kora quickly pushed back her hoodie, fluffing her fresh bangs slightly and quickly applying the lip-balm she was yet to pay for. What she forgot however, was that Jaehyun was still stood behind the desk, confused as to why she was suddenly cleaning herself up. He pulled a face at her. Kora pulled a face back, one that said don't say anything. It's nothing.

"Hey, look isn't that your friend, Chanyeol?" The senior Mr Park questioned. 

"Hey Chanyeol, hey Mr. Park!" Jaehyun beamed from behind the counter.

"Not you, I don't I know you." 

Jaehyun pulled a face of sheer disbelief, "Chanyeol brought me to perform at the lodge a few weeks back? You don't remember that? And how I made crazy Mrs Lee cry with my singing skills?"

Mr Park cackled devilishly, "Of course I do son. But it was the lady with the silver hair I was referring to."

Kora took a deep breath before finally turning to face Chanyeol and his grandfather. She tried to keep her cool, but couldn't stop smiling once her eyes met Chanyeol's pair. They were always so expressive, and Chanyeol's facial expressions always so transparent. Being able to tell exactly how he was feeling by the look on his face made being with him so easy for Kora, who herself truly struggled with translating her own feelings. And right now, Chanyeol looked both nervous, excited, and embarrassed. 

"Hey Mr Park, Chanyeol," Kora smiled warmly from the counter, a kind of smile she didn't think she'd had in her these days, "What brings you here on an evening like this in the holidays?"

Chanyeol sighed, looking a bit calmer than he did just before, "Grandpa here dropped a bunch of his pills down the toilet."

"They were only the good kind, I promise!" Mr Park cackled as he walked his way over to Jaehyun at the front desk, "The stuff back in my day was much weaker anyway...Young man, if you could stop staring and arrange this order for me I would be very grateful!" Mr Park ordered Jaehyun, who suddenly cowered backwards, before gaining his nerve and leading Mr Park to the computer at the counter. 

Kora smirked as she watched the senior Mr Park devilishly tease Chanyeol's protegee over the counter, before Mrs Kim came back out to settle the matter. 

"That's my future, isn't it." Chanyeol sighed as he watched his grandfather getting into an animated discussion with Jaehyun, who looked as if he was starting to fear for his safety with the excitable old man.

"Yep," Kora agreed, "I see it."

Mrs Kim left the poor Jaehyun to Mr Park's antics, and turned to the high-schoolers, "Kora, your things are ready. You know what to do with them." Mrs Kim instructed as she carefully laid Kora's packets on the counter. 

Kora's cheeks immediately burned red out of embarrassment, her fists clenching by her sides as she saw Chanyeol pull a face and eye her medication. 

Clearing , Kora held the packets up, "Antidepressants." Better she be (somewhat) honest about her presence here than let Chanyeol jump to stark conclusions.

Chanyeol nodded in understanding, "How are you finding them?" 

"They're a real blast," Kora sighed as she placed the packets inside her jacket pocket, "You know, sometimes I really do feel like all my problems are just in my head!" Kora beamed sarcastically, Chanyeol laughing along with her. 

Being around him, being able to get along and laugh together...it was just so easy. The two could have intelligent discussions and debates like they did in class, but right here, and right now, they were just two kids goofing around in a shop. As they continued to joke, Kora almost forgot about the problems that she really did have. 

Guess I was just imagining those problems didn't exist instead.

"Nice hair by the way," Chanyeol observed as he gave her fringe a gentle flick of his finger, "You look cute. But still edgy."

Kora could feel her cheeks burn, and she willed herself not to let it show.

"When did you do that?" 

Her breath hitched silently in , "Uh- last night actually."

"Well it was a genius idea." Chanyeol beamed as he fiddled with her fringe curiously, "So obviously you would never have come up with it."

"Yah!" Kora whined, gently hitting Chanyeol's chest with the back of her hand, "I actually put a lot of effort into my appearance, if you didn't notice! And all of it at my own accord!"

"Ow!" Chanyeol pouted, rubbing at the mark on his chest which clearly did not ache, "We get it, you're the Tumblr-grunge girl of this town. The epitome of every fan-fiction bad-girl."

"Oh please, that is so 2014." Kora gently shoved Chanyeol, "But I appreciate the appreciation of my aesthetic. You're not just a pretty face after all."

"Really?" Chanyeol's eyes widened like that of a small puppy. 

Kora eyed him for a second, not saying anything.

He pulled a face seeing her examine him this way, "What? Is there something on my face?" Chanyeol quickly brought his hand to his face, brushing off whatever specs he thought lay on his face.

"No, you're fine!" Kora insisted, suddenly reaching out for Chanyeol's hand and moving it away. The touch of her skin on his burned. Kora didn't know why she'd gone and reached for his hand, and she hated the sensation it caused. Dropping his hand almost as quickly as she'd moved it, she continued coolly, "Has anyone ever told you, you have big Golden Retriever Energy when you're not stoned?"

"You know what, I actually have heard that before..." Chanyeol smiled softly to himself as his eyes lowered. The way his brow furrowed, however, told Kora that whoever said this to him, was someone he'd rather not think about. She didn't know what to say. She could only watch him get lost in his own thoughts. 

Thankfully, the Senior Mr Park came to save the awkwardness, "Kora, my dear, will you be joining my family for the usual dinner?"

Kora snapped herself out of her creepy staring, "It's a family thing, isn't it?"

"All the more reason you should come!" Mr Park exclaimed, flailing his hands about in a way that was identical to his grandson's antics, "You're much more interesting company than the likes that we're forced to dine with every other week."

Kora bit her lip in the realisation that he was referring to her newfound-nemesis, Irene.

"I think it would be awesome if you came," Chanyeol agreed with his grandfather, "Luhan and Sehun came last time, so you get to come too. Will you join us?" Chanyeol look at Kora, his big brown eyes swimming with energy and excitement. 

Kora couldn't help but smile. Seeing Chanyeol like this, not mellowed out on drugs and not beating himself up over life, brought a certain warmth to herself. Outside of meeting up with Baekhyun, Amber, Kai and Sulli, Kora had been spending a lot more time with Chanyeol in the last few weeks; in that time Kora noticed that he'd been smoking less and not going as hard at parties. She'd even heard a rumour from Sulli that he'd starting seeing the school counselor for some reason. During the occasional lunchtime they spent together, Chanyeol had shown Kora some of the music he'd been working on too. Looking at Chanyeol now, the way his eyes were more alert, his eye bags gone, even his posture - Kora really saw the person Chanyeol was becoming. 

Maybe I could learn a few things from him. Maybe he's good for me. 

"Sure, I'd love to come."

 

* 

 

"I'm not sitting around waiting for you two kids when I've got to use the bathroom!" Chanyeol's Grandfather complained before slamming the car door shut and marching up to his family's home, bashing relentlessly on the front door until someone opened up and let him inside. 

Chanyeol sighed. He slouched down further into the driver's seat, mentally preparing himself for the ambush he no doubt faced at this dinner. He was beginning to second-guess himself about bringing Kora to this dinner; Chanyeol would be letting her not only into his home, but also a part of his life that, throughout the last year, he'd tried to keep somewhat muted. With everything that happened this last year -the heart-break of being dumped and losing Xiumin- Chanyeol's family struggled to understand the person he'd become since then. The more they tried to break through to him, the further away it pushed him. 

Despite the fact he'd been making an effort to work on his music, party less and even smoke less, Chanyeol knew his family well enough to know nothing would stop their prying. Especially since he was about to walk in with another pretty girl. 

"You're nervous," Kora deadpanned from the back, "Breathe."

Chanyeol obeyed her. Taking a deep breath in an out, he willed himself to focus on himself, and also to find comfort in Kora's presence. Before, merely seeing and being around her was enough to make his palms sweat, make him stumble around his words like a kid. But now being around her was as easy as breathing. No amount of prying and pestering could take that bond away. 

He stepped out of the car, breathing in deeply once again as the chill of the December air filled his lungs and strengthened his resolve. Kora stepped out too, her dark eyes observing him as he fiddled with the keys in his hands. 

"I didn't know you had a car?" she nodded to the 4-seater that he'd driven them over from Town in.

Chanyeol gulped, but figured there was no use keeping such things from Kora these days since they were starting to know each other so well, "It was my father's. Mom said I had to start using it to get more practice."

Kora nodded in understanding, opening to say something, before she abandoned the idea. She was never usually struck for words.

"What?" Chanyeol urged her.

Her dark eyes looked at him, almost with sadness, "Where is he?"

Dread immediately overcame Chanyeol, "He's been gone a long time." 

The pain over his father was something Chanyeol had to deal with a long time ago. He and his sister had gone to the counseling sessions to deal with their father's suicide years ago; but no official certificate of completion could take away the pang of that loss they felt every day of their life. Chanyeol's father was his best friend growing up. A gifted musician too, it was a talent that he passed onto both his children, and it was him that brought little Chanyeol to practice on his Grandfather's piano every week. It was him who pushed his son to always aim high and not give up chasing his dreams. It was him who reminded Chanyeol that a career in the arts was as good as any, and that without artists, culture would come to a standstill. 

It was also thanks to his father that Chanyeol and Baekhyun had essentially been brought up as brothers - he'd played lead cello in the orchestra that his mother sang and played for. Their parents had been friends since college, it was natural their kids would also be in one another's lives. The boys had shared toys as babies, but Chanyeol's first memory of him and Baekhyun, was in elementary school; Chanyeol had been playing on a kid-size piano, peaceful and quiet, until Baekhyun had come over and demanded that he play too; Chanyeol had said no, saying that Baekhyun couldn't play any instruments like he could; so Baekhyun had started to sing instead; the two had sat there together the entire lunchtime, singing and playing. 

Chanyeol couldn't remember the last time he'd heard his best friend sing. Baekhyun had given up on music altogether after the accident took his mother's life. The guilt of which would later come to take Chanyeol's father's life too. The same guilt which Chanyeol had inherited when he saw what happened to his best friend's family, and what it turned Baekhyun into. The thought of Baekhyun made Chanyeol feel even worse - the two sure hadn't been acting like best friends recently. 

"It's okay. I understand," Kora said softly, gently pressing a hand on Chanyeol's arm, drawing him out of his miserable reverie, "My father's been gone a long time too. I was a kid when he left."

Sadness spread over Chanyeol's face as he looked into Kora's eyes - her face was still and stoic as ever, "I'm sorry."

He couldn't help but think back to a comment Sulli had once made absent-mindedly, about how Kora's mother was too high on prescription meds to ever be there for her daughter, and how she was now dating a man who used to take care of Kora as a kid. A guy she had considered family. Guilt filled in Chanyeol's stomach over Kora's heart-breaking situation - but he couldn't help but feel strength in this similar, shared trauma.

Her eyes wandered over to the house across the street, the one which her mother's new beau must have lived in. Chanyeol felt another pang of guilt in his stomach - but Kora turned back to him and merely shrugged, "Don't be. We're here now, that's what matters. And thank , we're not our parents either. We won't make the mistakes they've made."

Chanyeol chuckled, the warmth of Kora's hand on his arm radiating throughout him, "Thank god for that."

He thought of his mother, the way she created the facade of the perfect family that would only mix with the other talented, wealthy families in the neighbourhood; he thought of how his sister had taken on the mother role for a couple years when she was still in high-school and their mother had to work extra hours in the office to meet ends; he thought of how he'd never really applauded the way his mother never stopped working to provide for her family despite the tragedy; even little things like how Taeyeon always used to wait up and make sure he'd gotten home safely if he was out with his friends. Chanyeol might not have been his family, but he sure needed to do better for them. 

"You're not doomed, you know that right? Your family could never hate you, no matter how much you may want them to." 

"How do you do that?"

"What?" Kora raised an eyebrow. 

Her hand hadn't left his arm. Chanyeol looked down at her hand, cold and pale in the winter air, and took it into both of his.

"You seem to know everything I'm thinking. You find all the answers before I even ask questions."

Kora shrugged, a smirk coming to her face, "Intuition." She didn't look down at her hand in Chanyeol's once. Almost as if she were ignoring it entirely. 

Chanyeol sighed, letting go of Kora's hand, "We should go inside."

 

* 

 

Kora sensed the ambush coming before she even stepped foot inside Chanyeol's home. She stood beside Chanyeol in the hallway as he fumbled about hanging his keys on the rack. The last time Kora had been here was a couple months ago, on her very first day at her new school. Back then she'd had a mere curiosity about Chanyeol, and was content with having fun with Baekhyun. Back then Kai had been firm and comfortable in his playboy ways, and back then Sulli was as special as Sulli had always been. 

Oh, how things have changed. 

"You guys get in here now! Taeyeon made it this time!" A woman called, Kora could only assume it was Chanyeol's mother. 

She grabbed onto Chanyeol's hand before he walked into the dining room, looking up at him with uncertainty, "Are you sure it's okay for me to be here?" She suddenly felt the urge to run out of the house and go back home.

Chanyeol smiled, "You're not gonna ditch me to face them by myself now, are you?"

Kora let go of his hand, slowly, "Of course not. Never."

Taking a deep breath, Kora followed Chanyeol into the dining room to face his family. Immediately, she felt Irene's dark eyes burning into her with a glare of pure hatred. Kora willed herself to remain calm as she always did; she never let Irene's cruel words and behaviour get to her before, and that wasn't about to change now. What really made Kora so curious, was the sight of a younger, pretty girl sat beside Irene - this must have been her sister, Yeri, that she'd heard about. She recognised the young girl for some reason, but just couldn't think where. Something told Kora that Irene didn't spare much love for her younger sister either when the younger sibling said something to Irene, making her stand up and storm into the kitchen. Kora fought off a smirk.

But before she went to greet her dear friend, Chanyeol went to introduce her to his family, "Guys this is my- uh- this is Kora." 

Kora was immediately enveloped in a hug by Chanyeol's mother, "Oh aren't you the most beautiful thing!" She brushed a hand gently through Kora's hair, "This reminds me of how I used to wear my hair when I met Chanyeol's father! We're most happy to have you here, dinner will be ready soon. Me and Mrs Kim will be out soon." 

Chanyeol has her smile. 

She looked up at Chanyeol, who'd gone red-face, and smiled at him reassuringly. 

"Hi, Kora," another young woman stood up to introduce herself, "I'm Taeyeon, Chanyeol's older sister."

She was ridiculously pretty, which figured since Chanyeol mentioned she was an actress and theatre performer in Seoul, but Chanyeol's sister didn't share the same warmth of welcome that their mother did. Kora didn't let that get to her, however - she actually recognised Taeyeon from a long time ago. 

"Hi, I'm Kora," she held her hand out to shake. Taeyeon's eyes inspected Kora steadily as they shook hands.

"I'm sorry I-" a smile of recognition grew on her face, "You remind me so much of someone I knew." 

"No, I get it," Kora chuckled softly, "My older brother used to date one of your friends from highschool - Jaejoong?" 

Realisation came over Taeyeon's face, "Of course! It's been years since I last saw your brother...You know I don't think Yoona ever really got over him?" 

Kora chuckled, "That doesn't surprise me. I haven't seen him in a long time either to be honest, the military has him working hard these days."

Taeyeon nodded in understanding, suddenly warming up to Kora ever so slightly, "I see the resemblance. That poker face definitely runs in the family."

"Thank you," Kora replied without even thinking about it, "I'm not the sibiling that looks most like Jaejoong, though." 

She wished she hadn't mentioned her little brother, but the words left her lips faster than she could think. Kora felt Chanyeol watch and listen to her in sheer curiosity - as far as he was concerned, Kora never spoke about her family. Kora didn't know what came over her either. The mention of her little brother was en