38.

You: Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?

User9011: because you were snoring LOL

You: I don't snore!... Do I?

He took a few minutes to reply

User9011: sorry but you do. But if it makes you feel better, you were cutely snoring.

He pictured your face turning bright red and an embarrassed smile appeared on your lips. Leo giggled as he bit his bottom lip, somethi8ng he did to contain his laughter. Phone in his hands and eyes focused on the screen. His room was half-lightened and there was a cup of hot coffee resting on the nightstand table next to his bed where he was sitting.

He sent a sleeping emoji with a bubble coming out of his nose

You: Stop it!

You yelped and covered your face as if he could see you but you were alone in your room. the noted he had brought you were scattered on your bed as you tried to decide where to start to study.

You: Thanks for today. It was amazing and I really needed it.

User9011: Call me every time you need it.

You sighed.

You: But Leo, I don't want to feel like I'm using you to forget about Kris.

User9011: it was me who went to find you; if you are using me or not it's my choice. You don't have to feel guilty.

You felt your cheeks warming up but the guilt started to crawl up you throat so you decided to change the subject.

You: I think I'll start going to school next week

User9011: why not tomorrow?

You: tomorrow is Friday so I might as well miss it :P. Besides, I have the notes you brought me, I'll be fine.

Leo smiled again 

User9011: then what should we do tomorrow?

You: what do you mean?

User9011: I meant let's go out.

You: leo... you are doing it again.

User9011: then sorry.

After that there were no more messages.

The next morning Hakyeon and Leo walked to school without a word until the older broke the ice.

"So... how did it go yesterday?"

"Good" Leo answered briefly, not hiding the edge on his voice.

"Doesn’t sound like it. But its okay if you don’t want to talk about it" he shrugged

"Reverse psychology won’t work with me"

"Just wanted to try" he then remembered something "Oh, guess what?”

Leo just looked at him

“I got news from my father" the mention of hakyeon's real father rang all the alarms.

"What? Did he threaten you?"

"No. Well, kind of... He offered me to go study abroad to some place in Europe"

Leo froze and everything went silence, he could only hear Hakyeon's voice. It was his fault, just because he tried to help him now he was going to be sent to another country.

"Of course he sugar coated saying it is a great chance for me to broaden my resume and to know the world but we all know it's because I'm a threat to his empire"

It took a lot in Leo to ask "Are you going?"

Hakyeon stopped on his tracks and stared at Leo who stopped a few steps away before facing him.

"And leave the school's most feared thug alone?" A grin appeared on his face "that man will need more than that to get rid of me. You underestimate my power"

Leo could breathe again but he didn’t show it, he just stood there looking at Hakyeon.

"Then?"

"We made a deal" he caught up to Leo and both resumed their way to school "he agreed to let me stay if I gave up my rights as an heir"

"But you never wanted to be a heir"

"Yeah, but this time I signed a paper. Just to make sure"

Leo had mixed feeling, one side of him was relieved that his friend was staying. The other one felt guilty that he had to give up something that was him by birthright.

"Don't look so depressed" Hakyeon smacked Leo's back harder than he intended "oops, sorry"

"I'm not depressed" Leo protested, hiding his face from his friend "I'm upset! Why are those people like that? That man and that... Blonde...Kris"

"Because they were raised with a silver spoon in their mouths! And they grew up thinking that everyone wants their money or destroy them"

Leo groaned and speeded up.

"soo..." Hakyeon caught up with Leo "did you guys kiss?"

Leo didn’t reply and kept walking but his ears were blushing bright red. Hakyeon gasped and smiled st the same time.

"Oh My God!!" He exclaimed pointing at his friend "stop right there! Jung Taekwoon! You have some questions to answers!"

"agh! Shut up!" Leo roared embarrassed and kept walking, leaving his smiling friend behind.

You were in the middle of cleaning up your room, you had been neglecting it until Leo's visit when you realized it was a mess: clothes and munchies bags were scattered around the room, there was dust on your desk something that you really hated but you were absent minded all this time because of Kris. 

The house was very peaceful since your little brother was at school and it felt weird so you turned the TV to not felt alone with your thoughts. But the world seemed to be against you that day; your heart dropped as soon as the images appeared on the screen: they showed Kris and Charlotte at the airport surrounded by reporters and cameras.

"The 'it' couple came back yesterday from their honeymoon and are ready to take the business world by storm" a woman's voice announced on an entertainment show.

Kris' face showed how annoyed he was even though he was wearing sunglasses that hid almost half of it. Next to him, Charlotte was all smiles, even waving her hand for the cameras or answering some questions.

"We'll focus on building a loving home, right" she replied with a fake smile wrapping her arms around Kris' arm.

"yes" Kris answered politely but you knew him well enough to know he wasn't paying attention to her and he wanted to escape the place.

You felt relieved for a moment but snapped out of it quickly. Karma wouldn’t care if you are the victim or not, it'll will hit you back if you rejoiced in someone else disgrace.

"This marriage unified two powerhouses that will result in the broadening of their companies and thus creating a large amount of new employments"

it hit you hard but it made realize that it probably was for the best. It would be very selfish from you to wish for them to split apart and leaving  a lot of people unemployed. It was just as Charlotte said before: Kris was in a world you'd probably never understand. 

"I guess it's time to move on" you said under you breathe but not convinced.

Your phone buzzed on your pocket, just in time; a new inbox.

Hack-yeon: we need to talk.

You: ?????

Hack-yeon: I want to eat cake and you owe me.

You rolled your eyes and snorted. That was probably a divine sign for you to go out of your self-imprisonment and face reality.

You: ok, where and when?

"That was easy" Hakyeon said to himself after opening the new message

Hack-yeon: Cafe de Sol, let's meet there in an hour ;)

You: is Leo going too?

Hack-yeon: why do you care? ;) ;) ;) ;) ;D

"What's with the winking?" you giggled.

You: I WAS JUST ASKING.

The message was seen but you didn’t get a reply.

You finished cleaning at light speed and changed into something warm since the weather was still cold. Of course you didn’t forget the huge scarf that Leo gave you on your date. You pulled it out of your drawer and a little box fell on the floor: the ring that Kris gave you that day; he probably his sit there since you didn’t accept it that day.

"Move on" you closed the box and shove it inside the drawer again and made your way to meet Hakyeon.
 

The library was almost empty that day. just a few students were seen in it including Leo who looked at his friend who was unexpectedly happy taking notes from a book, even humming a song.

"What?" Hakyeon looked up.

"Nothing" Leo looked down

Hakyeon shrugged and continued humming. Leo stared at him again.

"Oops.Sorry" he smiled

"Why are you so happy?"

"Because I got free cake at Cafe de Sol"

"For what?"

"Just because" he shrugged "of course you are coming with me"

Leo sighed. It's not like he could oppose Hakyeon now that he felt he owes him so much.

"I need to go to student's services" he stood up "see you at Cafe de Sol"

Hakyeon nodded and continued taking notes happily.

Leo was walking to the office when he noticed a suspicious familiar silhouette, even though he was hiding his face under a hoodie, he stood up among the other students because of his height; same as Leo whose eyebrows furrowed as soon as their eyes met; Kris walked towards him with an equal expression on his face until he was just a few inches from him so that other people won;t hear their conversation.

"so you are back"

"Don’t you watch the news?"

"Not the type where you appear"

Kris scoffed.

"If you are looking for her, she is not here"

"What makes you think I am looking for here?"

"Because that's the patron with you: you screw up, she suffers and then come back with your tail between your legs begging for forgiveness" Leo said nonchalantly, trying to stir up Kris' nerves for all he's done to you.

And he did it. Kris lost his cool and grabbed Leo's collar pulling it up but the black haired boy didnt stop grinning.

"And what do you know about her? Do you know about her parents? Do you know what she is affraid of? Do you know what she is been trough? huh?" Kris spit fiercely.

That was a low blow to Leo, his face turned serious and he grabbed Kris' wrist and pulled him away from him.

"I know what you've put her through! Do you know that?" 

Kris let go of him and backed away but still looking straight into Leo's eyes.

"Of course I know" he admitted under his breath but Leo could hear him clearly.

"Then leave her alone. She doesn’t deserve this"

"I know that as well. You can't say something I don't already know, you just know her since a couple of months ago, and I’ve known her for years"

'He's got point' Leo said to himself

"I wouldn't care less about that. The thing is that she already gave you a chance and you didnt take it. Now is my turn to make her happy, either she wants it or not"

That being said, Leo resumed his way towards the student's service office.

"I know you have an scholarship from my family" Kris said before he was too far from him "I could take it away easily if I wanted too"

Leo stopped suddenly, turning back slowly surprising Kris with the fearless face he had.

"no, you can't" the corners of his lips lifted "take care of your wife" he excused himself with a nod.

Kris was left dumbfounded for a few second before recovering and adjusting his hoodie as he made his to same office as Leo.

"How can I help you?" One of the girls behind the front desks greeted him with a trained smile.

Leo, who was filling a form up, looked from the corner of his eye how Kris removed the hoodie and the girl's eyes widened in surprise.

"Mr. Wu, we got your call, this way please" she said standing up and guiding Kris to an office made of glass' walls but where they couldn’t hear a thing.

He clicked his tongue and mentally rolled his eyes.

"Take a seat please" she gestured towards a seat across from hers in front of the desk.

"We have everything prepared for your temporally withdrawal" the girl slit a folder with some documents on the desk to Kris "you just have to sign on the marked lines"

"Thank you" Kris answered politely but avoiding eye contact with her.

He read the documents and started signing. The girl shifted impatiently, trying to find the time to ask something.

"Is Mrs. Wu taking a temporary leave as well?" 

The name sounded foreign to him, it was the first time he heard someone calling Charlotte like that and it made him feel uncomfortable.

"She is still thinking about it" he didn’t looked up at her when he replied, fearing he would reveal how angry he was. Even though it wasn't her mistake.

His tone made it clear for her that she should stop asking any more questions.

"Is this everything I need to do?" he questioned.

"yes" she took the documents and separated them in two sets before giving one to Kris.

"Then, thank you" he stood up and got his hoodie on and just when he was about to leave the office he turned back at her with a serious face “no one has to know about this, okay? No one”.

“Of course” she nodded.

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Hi there!!

First of all, thanks to the reader that recommended “Like I’m gonna lose you” to me. I can’t stop listening to it when I’m writing *claps*

And I’m sad because I couldn’t get tickets for infinite’s concert so I hope it doesn’t happen the same for EXO’s concert in Dallas! I’M SO EXCITED!

I’m thinking about my next fic: it will be a GOT7’s fanfic but I’m thinking about a love triangle with JB and EXO’s Kai or JB and Junior. It’s a though decision.

See you later! I will start writing the next chapter right now! VOTE AND COMMENT! (and read Blank!!! )