You close the door behind and lead the trembling Baekhyun to the nearest sofa, gently pushing him down onto the comfy seat. Plopping yourself onto the armrest next to him, you look down at Baekhyun with eyes full of concern. You question yourself on why Baekhyun is reacting this way. You look outside the window, and like how you remembered, it isn’t raining at all. The evening isn’t cold, but why is his body quivering?

“Baekhyun?” you call his name softly, then reaching forward to slide your hand onto his forehead, slightly brushing his fringe upward. “You’re not sick, are you?” you ask, and he shakes his head, still trembling a little.

Removing your hand, you sigh, not sure what you’re going to do or say to him. The both of you stay in the same position for the next few minutes when you decide to get up to get some water for him. Immediately, he grabs onto your hand, wrapping his cold hands around yours and pulls you back. You are slightly taken aback by the piercing coldness of his skin. It reminds you of Chanyeol’s hands but it has been a long time since Chanyeol ever holds your hands.

“Don’t leave,” Baekhyun stammers, not looking at you. His eyes constantly dart from one place to another, as though something is really bothering him, like he’s frighten about something. “Please,” he begs, slowly glancing up you with pleading, teary eyes.

Now, you’re beginning to worry even more. You have never seen Baekhyun in such state. In fact, you don’t think anyone has ever seen him like this. Moving closer, you then sit yourself next to Baekhyun. You search for his eyes, wanting to meet them again when Baekhyun suddenly throws his arms around you. You don’t know what to do, only because you have never been in this situation before. What are you supposed to do? Hesitatingly, your arms find their way around Baekhyun’s back and one of your hands gently his head.

“I-I’m sorry,” Baekhyun breathes out softly, and your eyes start to sting at his weak voice. You’re really worried. “I-I just need to hug someone right now.”

Confused, you pull Baekhyun away, breaking the hug. “What happened, Baekhyun?” you ask, trying to catch a glimpse of his eyes but they just seem to be avoiding yours. You shake him slightly by his arms and he reluctantly looks into your eyes. “Tell me. Will you tell me, please?”

“My d-dad,” he chokes at the word ‘dad’ and he heaves out a sigh before continuing, “my dad got drunk and violent. H-he t-then—“

“Baekhyun!” you cut him off and shake him more, wanting him to just spit everything out. “Be the gangster that you are and just tell me what happened!”

“My dad hit my mum, okay?” he exclaims in full anger and hatred flashes across his glassy eyes. Your head jerk back a little, stunned by his sudden outburst and you can’t deny that you’re partly the cause of it. “M-my dad h-he,” he stops talking and buries his face into his hands as he starts crying.

Baekhyun is crying. Baekhyun. Is crying.

You feel tears welling up, you’re about to cry as well when you mentally slap yourself back to reality. You can’t cry, not now, not when Baekhyun is already feeling weak and helpless. But what now? What are you supposed to do now?

Hug him? No. No, you can’t. That’ll just make him comfortable to cry more.

And so, you pull his hands away from his face and that cause him to stare up at you in surprise. You feel your heart softening at the sight of his wet cheeks but remind yourself to stay strong and compose.

“What are you doing? Crying like a baby when your mother is probably hurt. Where is she?” you ask but Baekhyun just remains silent. He continues to tremble and gasps for air when you shake him by his arms again. “Where is she?” you question sternly.

“She’s save!” Baekhyun chokes out, eyes wondering everywhere. “My driver saved her from my dad and managed to get her away before my dad grabbed hold of her again.” He squints his eyes shut, forcing the last tears out of his eye sockets. “They asked me to run. They asked me to save myself.”

They. You guess he meant by those people working in his house. Probably maids.

Cracking his eyes open, he then chuckles bitterly. You eye him weirdly as he wipes the remaining tears off his cheeks and you reach your hand out to help as well when he grabs your wrist, stopping you from doing so. “You must think I’m a joke now, huh?” No, no you don’t. “I don’t even know why I came here. But I guess I have nowhere to go. I don’t know where my mum is right now and I lost my phone while running all the way here. I… I just…” he sighs, not wanting to meet your eyes. “I don’t know why I’m here. This is not how I want to present myself in front of you. Ever.”

“Will it be weird if I say that I’m glad you did?” you say and he snaps his head up to you. You manage a small smile and your thumb across his cheek, wiping off that last drop of tear. “Now, doesn’t it feel a little better after crying?”

You would know. You rarely cried for the whole 18 years of your life but you actually start crying more after your parents’ death. And after you meet Chanyeol. Crying does actually makes you feel a lot better.

He chuckles. “This is not the first time I’ve done that.”

“Baekhyun, it’s okay to cry.”

“It’s not okay when you’re crying over something you regret. Probably for the rest of your life,” he responds, his eyes cold and intimidating. Realizing that he’s scaring you, he heaves out a sigh and looks away, shaking his head regretfully. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

You place your hand over his left hand and you squeeze it gently. He glances briefly at your hand that is holding his before looking away again. “Tell me?”

You’re ready to listen. As for whatever that he might, or might not, tell you, you plan to be a good friend and just listen. Baekhyun’s a friend, you guess. He might not be the most ideal friend anyone will want to have but he’s probably the only best friend you will ever have at this point, other than Kai.

He stares f