-Baekhyun’s POV-

I still can’t believe what had befallen Aerin. After hanging out with her the previous day, seeing her well and laughing with us, it was hard to imagine that she would get beaten and end up lying on a hospital bed. She was such a cool and good person and I didn’t understand why anybody would want to hurt her the way they did. She was just a girl. What can she do to defend herself? In fact, I don’t understand the whole concept of hurting women. It’s like beating a helpless punching bag except that the punching bag is capable of feeling. It’s really saddening how people nowadays behave.

Whoever had done it to Aerin would surely answer directly to Sehun. Judging by the way he keeps a close watch on her, it looks like he would definitely do anything to make those people pay and I was willing to help no matter what. It doesn’t matter what their reason was, but if one of our own gets into trouble, we’d surely do anything in our ability to take what’s due us.

I sat outside her room with the rest of the boys except for Chan Yeol, waiting for the nurse to allow us to get inside. They said they were still tending to her wounds and right after that, we could come and see her. I looked around me, observing everyone. Sehun sat quietly on one corner of the hallway, staring at the floor. He’d been like that since he got there and his behavior was really odd. Whenever he talked, he never included Chan Yeol. He’d just refer to the five of us and act as if he doesn’t exist. Suho hyung and Kai sat quietly beside him while D.O. stood up, leaning against the wall, trying to see though the blinds that covered the glass walls. We were all worried for her welfare. She was still unconscious and until she wakes up, there was just no way we could rest easy.

Soon, the nurse came out, smiling at us. “You can go in, now.”

Sehun just stared blankly at her then nodded. We all stood up, eager to see Aerin. Sehun was the last one to get up from his seat. I waited for him by the threshold of the door, nodding at him to come and follow us, but then, he paused and turned his head, looking at the other end of the hallway. I followed the direction of his gaze and saw Chan Yeol approaching. I returned my gaze to Sehun only to find him glaring at the older boy’s direction.

“Hunnie…” I called softly, coaxing him to follow us, but he didn’t. Instead, he stood still by the door, still holding Chan Yeol in his death glare. I knew I smelled trouble when he flashed that look and I immediately pulled Suho hyung out of the room.

“What is it?” he asked.

I pointed sneakily at our maknae. “What’s the matter with the two of them?” Chan Yeol came into view just in time for Suho hyung to get what I was saying. We exchanged glances and we both decided to get out of the room and join the other two.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing yourself here,” Sehun said before we could reach the hallway, his words flowing with venom.

Chan Yeol took his words without complaint and just sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s beyond my control, Sehun. You know that,” he answered, but Sehun wasn’t about to take his excuses.

Kai and D.O. followed us out. “What’s going on?” one of them asked. I didn’t know which one since I wasn’t paying attention to them. Suho hyung shushed them quickly.

Sehun sneered at Chan Yeol. “That’s a lie! You knew what to do from the beginning and you still ignored it. When are you actually going to listen to me before something bad happens, huh, hyung? I told you from the start to steer clear of her way and still, you let your arrogance and overconfidence carry you away.”

“I’m deeply sorry, but I didn’t do this.”

“Not directly, no, but you caused it.”

“What do you want me to do then?” Chan Yeol asked, almost begged. Sadness filled his eyes as he tried to appeal to Sehun’s better side.

“Stay away. Don’t show yourself. That’s what I want you to do. Hyung, don’t make me do anything that we’d both regret,” Sehun said to him, about to turn away when Chan Yeol reached out, grabbing him by the shoulder.

“Sehun…Don’t do this. I beg you,” he said in all but a whisper. “You know I can’t.”

What did he mean he can’t? Was he that in love with Aerin? What on earth did I miss?

Sehun brushed his hand off then grabbed him by the collar. His eyes were bloodshot as he gazed squarely into Chan Yeol’s eyes. “What else do you want? Isn’t this enough?!” he growled through clenched teeth. He withdrew one hand from Chan Yeol’s collar and pointed at the direction of Aerin’s bed. “She’s there because you didn’t