"Baekhyun!"

  "Don't you ing dare come closer, Song Hwe Ri! I hate you, I hate you more than anyone else in the whole wide world! Go get that bastard to be your best friend, because you are no longer mine! I hate you!"

  Tears billowed down Hwe Ri's cheeks as she stared at his disappearing silhouette. It is better that way. She'd rather be hated by him than seeing him get beaten up by Daehyun. Let her be hated, its fine, she's exhausted anyway. She's exhausted from chasing Baekhyun who was always miles away from her. Yes, he was always there physically, but his mind was never with her. There is only one girl in his mind, and she was sure it has never been Song Hwe Ri.

 

Baekhyun didn't understand; he never understood, and this time, she didn't plan on making him understand.

 

~

  Baekhyun didn't come back to their shared apartment that night. Hwe Ri knew it is because he never wants to see her again. She bitterly chuckles, so Baekhyun is the type of person who would choose a girl he met for less than a year over the best friend he knew for a little more than a decade. She didn't know, but even if she knew, so what? She knows that it is time to leave their palace, because she is not Baekhyun's princess, nor is she his royal sibling or cousin anymore. Now, she's just a poor commoner to him, or perhaps just nothing. With a last small sigh, she stands and walks back to her room. She throws away everything unnecessary and packs her clothes and important belongings. She takes a few glances at the photo album filled with her and Baekhyun, not sure what she should do with it. Throw it away? She nearly collapses at the thought of it. Leave it here? Would Baekhyun throw it away? She ponders for a moment and keeps it into her luggage, along with everything she's given to him that she could find in Baekhyun's room. She's not going to risk letting him throw them away. They are her treasures. That's when she realised, he never gave her anything before.

 

Were they even best friends? Hwe Ri didn't understand Baekhyun; she never understood, and she realises that she no longer has a chance to understand.

 

~

  Baekhyun returns to the apartment for the first time a week later, finding it empty. A wave of uneasiness hits him as he searched Hwe Ri's room for her belongings. He finds nothing. His heart plunges and he blames himself. His phone rings and he answers it immediately. It is Ah Ri! The sickening feeling is rid off and his heart swells.

  " Ah Ri!"

  "Baekhyun, can you come over for a while? I need you." Ah Ri sobs into the phone.

 Baekhyun rushes off to find Ah Ri right away and Hwe Ri is left at the back of his mind once again to collect dust.

 

Why was Hwe Ri willing to stay by Baekhyun, albeit as only a best friend, even though he never gives a about Hwe Ri?  No one understands, and they still do not.

 

~

  Bam!

  Daehyun throws a punch onto Baekhyun's face, with Ah Ri screaming in fear at the sight. Baekhyun staggers back a little but bounces back immediately and glared at Daehyun. This bastard was the person who stole Ah Ri from him.

  "Byun Baekhyun, you ing ! Stay away from my girlfriend!" Daehyun growls, pushing his fist towards Baekhyun's nose once again.

  "Ah Ri never loved you, she loves me. You snatched her away from me!" Baekhyun argues back, only to receive another punch from Daehyun.

  Finally unable to stand it anymore, Baekhyun attempts to fight back, but Ah Ri runs in front of Daehyun before he successfully hit him.

  "Byun Baekhyun, stop! Don't hit Dae! He's the one I love, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She bawls out, before hiding her face into Daehyun's chest.

  Baekhyun freezes. This was not the reality he wanted. No, this couldn't be true.

  "Baby, go back to your room first. I need to have a talk with Byun over here." Daehyun spat out, and Ah Ri follows his orders.

  Daehyun walks next to Baekhyun and sneers into his ear.

  "You are stupid, Byun Baekhyun. Congratulations on losing your love and your best friend. I win after all."

  Baekhyun processes Daehyun's words in his mind, before whispering out.

  "What, what did you do to Hwe Ri?"

  Daehyun smirks and raises an eyebrow.

  "What did I do? Oh nothing much. I simply threatened her. I told her that if she doesn't matchmake Ah Ri with me, I'll make sure your life will be a living hell. Tch. She was such an obedient one, listened to me so well. She would do anything for you. Maybe if I forced her to have with me at the stake of your well-being, she'll agree to it too."

  Daehyun let out a sinister chuckle before going into Ah Ri's room.

She would do anything for you.

She would do anything for you.

She would do anything for you.

  Baekhyun dashes out of Ah Ri's apartment.

 

For the first time in his life, Baekhyun understands Hwe Ri, but it was too late.