Chapter 26: Hurt

Baekhyun

His knuckles stung. But it wasn’t even a bother when he was overwhelming with a mixture of anger and frustration that ended up into disappointment, misery and despair that he had lost the grip of what he had been giving his all to protect it.

Giving up on Hana was the least he would ever wanted to do, probably it hadn’t slipped his mind at all yet he had said clearly to her face.

Maybe that was the right thing to do.

“You’re still here.” Baekhyun knew that voice. It was Sehun’s and it went ignored by him because he was not really into explaining at the moment. He wanted to be left alone, wanted to figure out how everything had gone all wrong, how a same incident could happen twice and how his heart was ripped into tiny pieces again.

He sneered mentally. Kim Jongin is one hell of a guy.

It was not long when suddenly he felt something cold touched his little wound that was unnoticed compared to Jongin’s huge ones that he had marked on his beautiful face and he flinched while wincing at the irritation from the contact.

“Was Jongin’s face made of steel? How can you hurt yourself too? You didn’t purposely hurting yourself, did you?” Sehun nonchalantly asked as he pulled the wrapper from the band aid before he harshly put it on the wounds on purpose.

“It hurts, you rascal!”

“Now you’re talking.”  Sehun retorted and heaved a sigh. “Hana seriously in relationship. It couldn’t be any more dramatic, did it?” he continued as Baekhyun silently sat next to him, listening. “She got dumped again. Why am I not surprised?”

Baekhyun perked up at Sehun’s statement. “I didn’t blame you. She was stupid and if you hadn’t done it, you’re the one who is stupid. Right, brother in law?”

“Brother in law.” He repeated with a slight wry laughter because it sounded ridiculous now. He then palmed his face and brushing it before his fingers covered his eyes enough to stop from his tears to flow. “I look so pathetic right now.” but it didn’t work that well because instead, his fingers were wet from the tears that kept coming out.

“You look nothing like pathetic. Men could cry too sometimes. Because we’re human with emotions too. Just because we’re men, that don’t make us any less hurt when we are in pain.”

~~~

Chanyeol had his hands on his hip, feeling completely sick looking at his friend like this.

“How long are you going to be like this?”

“You’re lucky I didn’t lock you out.” Baekhyun muttered monotonously.

“I rather being locked out than seeing you lifelessly like this, thrashing everything just to mirror your ing messed up being like it’ll do any good to you!”

“Then, get lost.”

Jongdae showed up next to Chanyeol, while shoving the last bite of Baekhyun’s leftover chocolate chip cookies which he found in the kitchen into his mouth. “I know exactly what we should do. You have to get out and let’s drink to the fullest. Like there’s no tomorrow!”

Chanyeol poked his finger hard on Jongdae’s forehead like he was an idiot, which he was being one at the moment. “What does that even make it better?”

“It makes him feel good!” Jongdae exclaimed. “There’s a reason why people turned to alcohol when things get hard. How about strip club? Drinking and ladies.”

“YA!”

“There’s a saying, when life gives you lemon, you make lemonade out of it. It’s not the end of the world and feelings don’t last. When you broke up with Yerin, you met Hana. Now it’s over with Hana, you’ll meet another girl soon. There is Jihyun, Hyeri, Sojin, Minah, Bora, Jooyeon – “

“Who are they?”

“I’m sure there are many pretty women out there with those names.” Jongdae answered Chanyeol’s question before he turned his attention back at Baekhyun. “You can’t stand of dealing with the anymore so why are you beating yourself to it?”

“You know what Hana – “ Chanyeol voiced out.

“I know that so damn well! You think she’s the one. Whether she is or not, you want her to be the one for you. You said that yourself.” Jongdae cut him off. “What is happening to that now? Looking at you like this is so frustrating. That Byun Baekhyun people have known wasn’t actually close to cool like what people have thought.” He brushed his hair to the back as he sighed at his unexpected outburst. “I’m done. If you’re not going out, I’m going alone.” He told Chanyeol before retreated.

Chanyeol stood still, watching Jongdae retreating figure before he turned back at Baekhyun who hadn’t been trying to make even an eye contact with him since he came. He had no idea how Baekhyun hadn’t gone out of his mind yet with being isolated like this at certain times because he can’t imagine himself doing it. He was sure didn’t find it interesting spending time alone to himself.

He knew no matter how long he stayed, it won’t work in any way but he was curious about something. “How did you ended up bringing Yerin to the hospital?”

~~~

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Yerin sighed for uncountable times at the same repeating question. “Seriously, I’m okay. Don’t worry too much. I even already got discharged.”

“That’s because you are okay physically.”

“If you’re concern if I might have gone crazy, I can assure you I’m not.” She was really not and she was saying partially true about being okay. But she sure was feeling stuffy. With her mother being everywhere by her side and butlers and maids were around, being the center of attention was the least she’d wished to have right now.

Yerin actually felt she had much more freedom in the hospital actually.

“Where is Jongin?” he