Jongin was expecting to have celebratory drinks with the closing deal that night. They were having drinks alright. However, there was no celebration because Chanyeol was drinking his sorrows away. Chanyeol hadn’t said it in so many words but Jongin assumed as much, that he’d been dumped.

Jongin had never seen the man so happy. What was it? 47 minutes ago? Until he received that phone call. Park Chanyeol broke down. Jongin could only watch, not knowing what it was like to lose the love of his life. No, Jongin was too young for that. 

He definitely wasn’t ready to be drowning his sorrows, mumbling and wondering the whys and did I not love her enough. Chanyeol balled his fist, so hard that his veins popped. He slammed into the table causing the table to shake violently and his drink to spill over. 

Jongin huffed, “Chanyeol-ah” Snap out of it, he wanted to say. Then he saw the tears in his hyung’s eyes. Tears. Chanyeol didn’t do tears. 

Was a hug inappropriate? Between men... 

Jongin sank back to his seat, pouring himself another glass. 

It was gonna be a long night.

~~~

There was loud banging on Anna’s door. She answered, despite the possibilities of the source. Her worst fear at the moment came true. 

Park Chanyeol supported himself on both arms against the doorframe. There was no reasoning, he didn’t know what he would say but he had to, needed to see her.

When their eyes met, his gaze softened. “Anna..” because alcohol stripped away his sense of balance, Chanyeol stumbled towards her. “ I cannot do this. I ca- I can’t do life without you.” He pulled her close and draped himself over her, he rested his thoughts on her shoulder. “Give me another chance.” Chanyeol huffed. 

There are times in life that you cannot tell yourself that you’re not ready to face your fears, your difficulties. You just do, because you have to. This was one of the few things Anna learned from Sunday services. 

The weight of Chanyeol was a little too much, his literal weight and the one hanging in her conscience. “Yeol-ah, do you want come in?”

In response, he held her. As closely as he could, he asked “Is there someone else.” Whether it was the buzz from the alcohol, or the pain.. Chanyeol didn’t know. Tears filled his lids to the brim. He croaked “do you.. do you love him?”

Silence. Chanyeol realized he shouldn’t have come all the way. He should have just gone home. She didn’t need to see him like this. But what was the point? He slowly backed away. 

Jongin had been standing at the door, hands awkwardly stuffed in his pockets. When Anna looked up he greeted with a nod. Then his eyes, roamed away. 

Chanyeol staggered away, he wanted to be angry yet he couldn’t. Not right now. He leaned on the wall to contain himself, the alcohol, the tears and his love. 

Tao had been listening to his nightly playlist, it had just ended with ‘Haru Haru’. It seemed that shuffle was being difficult that night and he wasn’t particularly in a good mood anymore. Tao heard voices, movements outside the room he was in. 

Without much thought, he opened the door to an oncoming hazard by calling out the only name he knew then, “Bree, Is something wrong?” He spoke before he could comprehend the scene, the air. Tao should have replayed the playlist. Fate decided to let him out.

Chanyeol turned to the sound of another man’s voice in Anna’s home. Who was this person to call her that? When their eyes met, he snapped. In that instant, he knew he hated this punk. “Is that him?” he didn’t bother to look at her. “Is this the guy?” Chanyeol approached the lanky fake red head. He closed in on his target, mad.

“Please,” Anna had a hand on his chest, trying to stop him. “Chanyeol, don’t” he jerked her arm off, fueled with rage that was evident from the redness in his eyes. Park Chanyeol threw a punch across the jaw of his misery.

Tao was didn’t appreciate being attacked the second he steps out of a room, he had wanted to retaliate. But the his attacker reeked of booze and Anna, she had the look in her eyes. He knew what it was even though the language they spoke didn’t make any sense to him. He stood there and took it.

Jongin pulled Anna by the arm before she could go anywhere near the two men, telling her to stay back. “Yah, hyung.” Jongin tried to pull Chanyeol off the idiot who was now on the floor. The fellow wasn’t even fighting back. “Hyung, breath.” It wasn’t easy to pull the angry giraffe away but he succeeded. Jongin reminded him “You don’t know the whole story, chill.” 

Anna rushed to his side as soon as Jongin got her ex-boyfriend far from Tao. “Zitao? Oh God,” the bruises didn’t look pretty. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.” Anna felt responsible for this whole situation. “I shouldn’t have let him in.” 

Tao sat up, wiping the wetness from his temple. Bree’s friend had worn a ring, unfortunately. 

Chanyeol was pissed at so many levels. How Anna was way across the room and he had to be held by Jongin all over the other side. There was a reason that the red head was black and blue all over his face while he himself, hadn’t had a single mark anywhere. Maybe he deserves her. 

“Let’s leave.” Chanyeol didn’t like these thoughts, he couldn’t take another second of being there. He should have just went home. Jongin felt partially responsible for leaving Chanyeol for two minutes to the mens’ earlier that night. Jongin shared another look with Anna to indicate his departure. He closed the door behind him and again, ran after his hyung.

He made sure he was a good distance away, far enough that she couldn’t see his pathetic figure even if she had wanted to. Chanyeol stopped in the middle of the pathway, fell to his knees in tears. 

Anna never used anything out of her first aid kit except plasters that she took out when she first bought them. “You should’ve just stayed at a hotel.” The wrapping was being persistently irritating which caused her to be even more upset.

“Living here is free.” Tao took the gauze away from her and freed it with much ease. 

“It’s not like you don’t have the money.” she squeezed a pearl of medication on her fingers then applied it on his wounds. 

“I’d be alone. Right here, I have you.” Tao understood the consequences of taking away another man’s girl. Bree was worth a couple of beatings, he had decided in a brief moment. 

This was as much as the conversation could go. She wasn’t ready for the 3 words, she hadn’t decided if she wanted him. But Anna was quite certain, she was the only reason that was keeping Tao alive. 

~~~

I don't know why this chapter was so hard to write. But it's here :') 

Ururong ururong ururong~ Growl has been replaying itself in my head ever since the teaser n_n did you see the dance /intense staring