I blinked rapidly a few times, not believing my own eyes. My brain was still in a state of denial, but the reactions happening throughout my entire body were signs that I had already realized that I had probably screwed up big time. Although Baekhyun had left with a loud slam of the front door, the memory of two animal eyes looking at me from his shirt with disappointment and something close to entreaty was stuck in my head, stampeding me into making the first step in his direction.

But despite the sensation of fear and the growing certainty that something bad was surely going to happen, I stood still, unable to make a single move, still digging into the abyss of my mind in order to find an excuse for my inexplicable idleness.

Why couldn’t I move?

I had all the information I needed, all the proof within reach – but now I seemed more doubtful than before. I quickly recalled all facts I knew at this point: Baekhyun was blonde. He had the t-shirt with a wolf on it. Maybe he really looked troubled and maybe he really needed help, but somehow I knew it wasn’t him. I didn’t want to believe it was him. Why? Because no matter how I looked at it, I didn’t know a single thing about Baekhyun. We’d met a few days ago, and he was just a person in a crowd of people I crossed paths with, someone I recognized but had never acknowledged as a friend or colleague. Even the word ‘acquaintance’ seemed too big to describe my current relationship with Baekhyun.

And my future self had said loud and clear that the person I had to protect was someone close to me. Someone important whose existence was crucial. No matter how many times I searched through the pile of important people in my life, Baekhyun’s name just wouldn’t appear on the list. He was simply out of the question and maybe that’s why, I’d decided to let him go.

The only person I had to protect was Luhan; I was sure of it.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Sehun angrily sputtered at me, placing his hand on my shoulder and turning my body to him with a quick, sharp jerk. “That was truly unnecessary.”

The surprise his reaction gave me vanished quickly at the sight of the ugly scowl twisting his features, and taking his hand off my shoulder, I shot him a baffled look, throwing his own question back at him. “What is wrong with you?”

He scoffed in response. I knew I had gone too far, but I also knew it wasn’t only my fault. Baekhyun had been the one asking for it.

“Seriously...” Sehun ran a frustrated hand through his hair, biting his bottom lip while thinking what to say next. I kept my eyes on him, absorbing every new mannerism and emotion he showed me, and another disturbing wave of anxiety washed onto me. Since when was he so protective of people he barely knew?

“You know the rules, Sehun,” I said, trying to calm down my conscience, “and yet you broke them, along with him. Leaving the café in your hands, I expected you to be more mature, you know?”

“And I expected you to be less y,” he retorted with anger, and I opened my mouth in surprise, speechless. How could he? A second later he threw his hands up in the air. “Jesus, since you broke up with Luhan I seriously can’t recognize you anymore!”

I looked at him with wide eyes. “Excuse me?”

“Baekhyun wasn’t even the one who proposed to turn the music on, you could’ve asked first instead of throwing the tantrum!”

“That’s not the point—’’

“Listen,” Sehun interrupted me with a furious voice, turning to me and huffing like an old locomotive. “I get that you’re bitter because of the ty situation with Luhan, but giving everyone hell isn’t the best way of dealing with it. Why don’t you just pull yourself together and stop acting like everyone is responsible for your break up with Luhan? Or I have a better idea – instead of treating innocent people like , vent your anger at Luhan, the only person who actually deserves it.”

I gritted my teeth, angry at his sudden outburst. I still couldn’t understand why he was so furious. “You don’t know a thing Sehun, so please keep your unwelcome comments to yourself.”

His head jerked in my direction, and I saw his jaw clenching with irritation before he decided to take off his apron, throwing it on the counter and muttering a resentful ‘fine’ as he passed me by, finally leaving me alone.

* * * * *

Acting without thinking.

That had never been my problem. I’d always thought twice before turning my words into actions. I’d always kept the rude comments to myself, trying to be considerate and helpful instead of rude and judgmental. I never thought I would find myself in a situation where my reckless actions got me into trouble.

And yet, I was. I’d said something I shouldn’t have due to my anger and frustration. I’d blabbed something I didn’t even mean in the first place. Sehun was right, I’d been y to the point where even I couldn’t stand myself. Ever since the whole mess with Luhan, I’d been acting like a different person – someone with anger issues, to be more specific. One small thing was enough for me to explode. But as Sehun had said, it was time to pull myself together.

It was time to have a proper talk with Luhan.

I knocked again, this time with more force since no one had bothered to open the door after the first time. I didn’t want to consider the possibility that no one was home and kept hoping Luhan would finally open the door for me. But after the 8th resignation and feeling disappointed. It seemed that my trip to Ulsan had ended up being a waste of time.

But when I my heel, I found myself facing Luhan, who was standing in front of the steps to his parents’ hou