After dumping the lifeless bandit leader’s body to the side, everyone decided that it had been a long enough day and decided to get some rest before helping me figure out the secret mission and actually completing it.

I, on the other hand, decided that I was too tired mentally to sleep so I left the sleeping bunch of Exo M spirits alone and went to get a take of fresh air.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled a deep breath and began walking with just my senses alert. My feet finding its own way, I walked down the familiar road I used to walk every day as a child.

When my eyes opened, I was standing outside my house.

“Hah.” I let out a small laugh, “long time no see.”

Taking a step forward, I attempted to enter my house when my feet suddenly caught onto something and sent me tumbling forwards onto the ground face first.

“A-are you okay?”

I blinked at the startled voice behind me, and my eyebrows furrowed together at the familiar voice.

Heaving myself off the ground, I brushed imaginary dust off my pants as I glanced backwards into the face…

…of Oh Sehun.

My eyes widened dramatically as I just stared at him at a loss of words.

Sehun seemed to be just as confused as me for he stared back at me with eyes as large as mine.

“H-Hey.” He finally said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

“Hi.” I replied as I finally tore my eyes away from him and glanced down at the floor.

“So,” Sehun scratched the back of his neck, “How are you lately?”

I kept my mouth shut as I focused my attention on a small ant trying to heave up a crumb on the ground.

“Soyoung…” Sehun trailed off as he saw that I wasn’t going to speak any time soon, “Are you mad at me?”

I glanced up from the ant to Sehun.

“Yes.” I answered him simply.

“Why are you mad at me?” Sehun looked a bit upset, “Is it because I didn’t prevent you from leaving me?”

I frowned slightly.

“How could you ask such an obvious question?” I kept a strong gaze on him, “Shouldn’t you know the best that the reason why I’m mad at you is because you chose to believe rumours over me?”

Sehun blinked for a bit before he let out a confused laugh.

“But I had always believed you, Soyoung.”

Another round of silence came as my strong gaze faltered into a puzzled one.

“But you said ‘sorry’ and everything…” I trailed off uncertainly, “You told me you needed time to think and-“

“-Didn’t you hear my answer to that question you asked me?”

I paused.

“I…” I stared into Sehun’s face, “I’m not sure.”

~~~

Sehun’s POV

“Do you hate me now?” Soyoung’s lips hitched upwards into a small smirk, “Can you say that you still love me? I’m not the innocent girl you thought I was. I’m just a petty, thieving, cunning little… .”

When Soyoung said those words, I didn’t need a second to think about the answer.

“I’ll never hate you Soyoung,” I answered her calmly and confidently, “Even if you turned into a monster, I will still love you with all my heart. Even if you don’t love me, I’ll still love you with all my all. You know, I felt this sort of connection to you when I first met you…it’s an indescribable feeling that I cannot explain. I…I need some time by myself to confirm some things, so I might need to leave you in this time when you need someone by your side the most so…”

I heaved a deep breath after spilling out all these words in one breath and raised my eyes to look into Soyoung’s.

“…I’m Sorry.”

Soyoung’s eyes widened.

“So…you don’t love me anymore?”

I frowned a little.

Hadn’t I just told her clearly that I will love her no matter what? Or does she think I don’t love her anymore because I need to take some time away from her?

“I…” I was at a loss for words to say, “I need time to think.”

Soyoung’s eyes hardened as she bit her lips so hard that I feared she would draw blood to her lips.

“Good. Then now that you know I’m such a horrible person. You can leave me alone.”

And pressing her lips into a thin line, Soyoung stormed into the palace without waiting for me to say anything more.

All I could do was stare at the palace walls with confusion.

Just what exactly…did I do wrong to make her so upset?

~~~

Soyoung’s POV

My intention of coming to my house was to get a breath of fresh air and maybe think about some things.

Yet all I got out of it was an even more confused state of mind after bumping into Sehun.

So…Sehun never doubted me in the first place?

I cried my heart out for nothing? I held feelings of great disappointment for nothing?

I felt a sense of relief wash over me as Sehun explained the scenar