hi!!!!!!!! YAY yes update!!! the poster is done by LittleSnowflake (which will be uploaded in a while), so this chapter is also dedicated to LittleSnowflake!!!!!! (who is a freaking genius and who is freaking talented and I’m just so-) thank you so much <3 /hugs you really tight/

========

Baekhyun wanted to believe in Jongin.

Of course, when the news just hit him, his first reaction was pure unadulterated anger and indignance for Jongin and Yunseul respectively. Naturally, he told himself. But after getting back home with Jongdae from the bar - after he had summarised for Jongdae what had happened (at the same time dismissing and disregarding some of Jongdae’s questions, because surely it wasn't right telling him everything, no matter how much he trusted him) Baekhyun sat in his little recording studio at home, fiddled with the keyboard attached to the composing software and thought about it.

Even if what Haneul said was true - and he trusted every word of it, with Haneul having been his source of information of Jongin and Yunseul when they fought, since university - Jongin was Jongin. He had known the man for close to 25 years, bonded by a form of destiny that was greater than anything at the age of 5 - geography. Jongin’s and Baekhyun’s were the richest households in the neighbourhood, and the fact that Baekhyun’s parents’ house was the last residence in a cul-de-sac made the two closer and more exclusive than ever. They attended the same schools all the way to high school. Even though they were definitely very different, Baekhyun knew one of the foremost reasons he had remained friends with Jongin was the alignment of values. When two people had the same values and priorities in life, they can understand each other in a way no one else can.

There was only so much values could make a person, though, without the discipline to materialise them in their lives. But Baekhyun knew that even though there were times Jongin was weak at will, giving in to things easily, at times changing his behaviour to somehow assimilate with the A crowders (Baekhyun had escaped from the pressure of his family to London long before Jongin had to experience the same pressure of the family business), Jongin wasn't a bad person. Many things he did out of obligation at first, then slowly instilled an interest in himself; when he didn't hold his ground and agreed, despite not being very interested, to take over the family business, it wasn't just because he was highly capable to do it, but also out of duty as the only son in the family, with a couple of older sisters b with expectations for him. (Baekhyun had stood his ground and said no, especially when he had an older brother, and had wanted to pursue his dreams.) Clearly, Jongin couldn't say no - but as far as Baekhyun knew, that was only to his family and a few close friends.

Jongin wasn't a cheater. He didn’t have questionable morals. He wasn’t exactly someone who would constantly bring up moral consciousness - unlike Baekhyun - but he knew there were limits to actions, and he had his limits. He knew right from wrong. He wasn't even remotely flirtatious, let alone a cheater.

Baekhyun believed in Jongin. He believed in the Jongin he had known for 25 years, and that was the mentality he held on to as he dialled Jongin’s number the next day.

========

“Baekhyun?” Jongin picked up after a few rings.

“Jongin, what’s going on?”

“She told you?” Baekhyun was about to answer when Jongin continued, “damn it, why did she tell you, dragging someone else into this.”

That threw Baekhyun off. “She didn’t tell me about it, Jongin, I heard about it from Haneul.”

“Damn it.” Baekhyun heard Jongin sigh. “Is it spreading within our circle of friends? I can’t believe this. I’m so screwed.”

Something clicked within Baekhyun. “You know, I really don’t think that’s the point-”

“Then what is, Baekhyun? God, do you know how depressing and tiring this period of time has been? Trying to make it up to Yunseul, and Haneul practically wouldn’t get off my back-”

“Jongin,”

“-not to mention that boyfriend of hers, Oh bleeding Sehun. Who is he in this? Everyone’s telling me off and everyone’s telling me what to do, and then you call,” Jongin sighed. “And I assume that you’re here to tell me off as well-”

“Kim Jongin, I called to ask for an explanation.” Baekhyun sighed. “But I don’t think I really need one anymore.”

“See? All the same.” Jongin is exasperated. “No one truly wants to listen, no one-”

“UHM, maybe it’s because you are the one at FAULT?” Baekhyun raked his fingers through his hair. “Whatever your reasons are, Kim Jongin, call a spade a spade. You cheated on her.”

“I don’t need this from you, Baekhyun, I’ve received enough punishment from people around me.” Jongin’s voice is turning shrill. “I picked up the phone because I thought I could get some form of support from an old friend, but you’ve proven yourself to want to do nothing but yell at me for this, and I know, okay? I screwed up, Baekhyun, sometimes it happens, and I’m sorry, but I won’t have it if you continue yelling at me.”

“SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS?” Baekhyun yelled into the phone. “Listen to yourself, won’t you, Jongin, you’re not even making any sense. You don’t even feel sorry-”

“I was wrong, Baekhyun, but-”

“Do you really believe you went wrong at all? Ever since you picked up the phone all you’ve been concerned with, all you’ve been talking about is your image and how people will look at you, what about Yunseul? How do you think she feels right now?”

“I can take care of my own girlfriend myself, Baekhyun, thank you very much-”

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT! You screwed up, Kim Jongin, but you don’t even sound the slightest bit sorry.”

“I am sorry.” Said Jongin, still sounding defiant.

“Well I’m sorry, but I don’t think sorry sounds like that.” Baekhyun sighed, and he realised how much he no longer wanted to talk to Jongin about this. All he’s worried about, right now, is how Yunseul is coping with the pain that comes with this. “I gotta go, Jongin, I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Comes the reply from the other end.

========

Surely that wasn’t the real Jongin, the Jongin he knew, Baekhyun comforted himself. Somehow, along the way, Jongin- No. No. Baekhyun shook his head. He must just be very frustrated and lost. It didn’t make Jongin a bad person. Baekhyun told himself that he would have a good talk with Jongin soon.

But first, he sent a text to Yunseul.

Hey Yunseul. How are you? I met Haneul and she told me everything. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me - I'm as much your friend as I am his, and the last thing I would want is for you to hide anything as big as this from me, when I should be giving you comfort. Please talk to me, if you want to.

A few minutes later, Yunseul called.

Baekhyun picked up on the second ring.

“Baekhyun-ah.” The voice on the other end was weary.

Baekhyun could feel his heart clenching. “...Hi,” he said after a while, “how are you?”

She chuckles a little bit, and Baekhyun can feel his chest tighten at her soft, sad laugh. “Honestly? I don't know what's wrong with me, Baekhyun. I don't know what I'm doing, why things became as such, I really don't know what to do anymore. I can't do this anymore, but I have to, I have to.”

Baekhyun didn’t know what to say. It seemed like there was nothing much to say, nothing he could do to lessen the pain or to say anything equivalent of holding her in his arms and never letting her go. His thoughts very much surprised him, as well, but he couldn’t care less about his own feelings at the moment, not when Yunseul was h