Baekhyun's POV~

We arrived at the hotel and I parked the car on the side of the street. I turned to Mina and asked, "You've got the key card, right?"

She nodded. 

"Then you go on ahead," I continued and she snapped her head up to look at me. 

"But what about you?" she asked and I gave a soft smile. 

"I thought I'd go buy dinner while you rest in the room," I replied. "Bacon seems exhausted too."

She looked back to where Bacon was then turned back to me. It was quiet between the two of us, but I could tell that she was hesitating. 

"What are you waiting for? Go in the hotel and rest. I'll be back before you know it," I said and she pressed her lips together. "...Mina?"

She let out a sigh and glanced up at me. 

"It's nothing," she quietly said and quickly got out of the car. She grabbed Bacon and headed towards the hotel. I watched her and she turned around, looking at me for a moment, then left. 

There was just something about the expression she made just now; she looked like she wanted to say something; she looked like she was almost sorry. But she's not the type to apologize, that I know. 

I sighed and put the car in drive, heading to a restaurant that was recommended by a woman I had met at the conference. 

While driving, my mind was occupied by Mina only. She's all I ever think about, honestly. 

My face still stung too from her slap earlier and I placed my hand over my cheek. I wondered how much more patient I'd have to be for things to work out between the two of us. I've been patient since day one with her and yet, she's still violent towards me...she still hates me. Maybe my mother and Sejong are just wrong about having patience, but then again it's only been half a year so I can't expect things to happen in a flash. 

A lot has happened between us though within these past few months. I've seen sides of her I've never seen before and I was able to get close to her, close enough that I can hug her when she's at her breaking point.  But why is it that she keeps holding back? She's always apologizing once she stops crying, like she's embarrassed of herself. Why is it that she keeps pushing people out of her life? Does she just hate everyone? No, she treats my mother better than me, so that can't be true. 

So then why? Why is it only me? Why does she not want me in her life? What exactly have I done wrong?

I was stopped at a red light and decided to bang my forehead against the steering wheel. There was just too much going on in my head that I was starting to get a headache. 

I let out a sigh and rested my head against the headrest when another woman's face entered my thoughts...her mother. Does she have something to do with Mina's behavior? I know their relationship isn't all that great, but where did it go wrong? Just what did Mrs. Kim do to Mina in the past? 

The lights turned green and I drove off with my mind all jumbled up. 

Mina's POV~

I fed Bacon and watched him eat happily. As I watched him, I didn't feel like my usual self...I felt down. I could only remember Baekhyun's shocked face when I slapped him; I didn't mean to do it, but I did warn him beforehand that if he were to tease me then I'd hit him. But even still, I couldn't stop remembering his facial expression. 

Why did he have to tease me like that? It's as if he was serious...like he really was happy to be marrying a woman like me. 

I felt a painful sensation flood my chest and I clenched my jaw. Not only that, but I've upset him once again. He looked so hurt when we were coming back to the hotel. I frowned and let out a long sigh. 

"Bacon," I quietly said his name once he was done with his meal. "Do you really think Baekhyun likes me?"

Bacon his mouth and walked to me, snuggling against my leg.

"What's there to like about me?" I wondered and knelt down to pet him. "All I ever do is treat him coldly and yet, he treats me well. How is that possible? And what's with this painful feeling I've been getting? It makes me sick."

Bacon looked up at me and laid down under my touch. I continued to sigh and Bacon's back. 

"Remind me again...why do I hate him?" I asked in a whisper. "Is it because he's affiliated with her? The woman who ruined me?"

I swallowed hard and wondered, "Or is it because he really likes a woman like me?"

I went quiet and felt my heart clench. 

"If so, I can't let that happen," I softly said with my eyes burning. "He doesn't deserve me, a woman who can't provide him happiness, love or even a family. I'd only betray him in the end...like my mother did to my father."

I held Bacon in my arms and sat against the bed. 

"Baekhyun deserves better, whereas I don't deserve anything," I said and held Bacon close to my chest. "I don't belong to a man like him...I should've rejected this marriage and lived a worthless life on the streets. I was perfectly fine living that way anyways...."

My heart seemed to have only been ripping itself apart from the words I've just said. It was painful...really painful that I wanted to cry. 

"I don't want to be like her," I whispered and felt a tear slip out. "I don't want to be like my mother...I don't want to hurt him with a false love."

I swallowed hard and let the last tear fall before wiping it away with the back of my hand. I looked down at Bacon as he had fallen asleep in my arms, then looked at the clock, wondering when Baekhyun would return. He had been gone for over 20 minutes now.

I waited in the position I was in when I heard a beep, followed by the door opening. I snapped my head up from looking at Bacon to see Baekhyun coming in with his hands full. He gave me a smile as soon as he saw me and I felt a thump. 

"Sorry it took me awhile," he said and let the door shut by itself. "For some reason, there were a lot of people at the restaurant, so it took a little longer for the staff to prepare our food."

I shook my head, "It's okay. I wasn't in a rush to eat anyways."

He set the food on the table and looked at me, then to Bacon. 

"He really must've been tired from playing with the twins all day," he quietly snickered and I nodded. 

"He fell asleep as soon as I held him," I said, flatly, and looked down to the small pup. He was breathing steadily and slept peacefully; I envied him. He had nothing to worry about and could sleep without nightmares, just like Baekhyun. 

"Well, lets eat before it gets cold," Baekhyun said and I carefully got up, setting Bacon on the bed.  I walked to him when I saw his face up close; I widened my eyes and silently gasped. Baekhyun saw my reaction and gave a soft chuckle. 

"Don't worry about me," he said and covered his cheek with his hand. "It's fine if it doesn't hurt anymore."

I didn't think the slap was that bad until I saw him up close. That side of his face was red, but it wasn't beet red either. 

"Did you walk around like that?" I asked and he shrugged. 

"What choice did I have?" he said. "Besides, why do you look so surprised? You were the one who slapped me."

At his statement, I would've gotten angry, but instead, I felt guilty. I honestly felt bad that he had to embarrass himself going out like that. I looked away, apologetic, when I heard a sigh. 

"Mina, I'm okay," he assured and I glanced up at him. "Lets just have our dinner."

I bit my bottom lip and slowly took my seat at the tiny table. He took his seat and began unwrapping the plastic from the containers. Inside the containers were spicy fish stew with clams and shrimps; the rest were side dishes and rice.

We ate in silence, as usual, but I couldn't really swallow my food. I kept glancing up at Baekhyun's cheek and everytime I did, I felt bad for what I did. 

A few minutes later, as we were finishing up, Baekhyun's phone began to ring. We both looked at the phone that was sitting on the counter and Baekhyun stood up to get it. He answered and I heard a man's voice on the other end; must've been about work. 

He excused himself and headed out onto the balcony, closing the door behind him. I stared at him for awhile, then returned to my dinner to finish it, but I didn't feel angry anymore. 

I cleaned up my area and washed my dishes. As I was doing that, I looked over my shoulders to see Baekhyun walking back and forth on the balcony, nodding here and there. It must be hard to be a full-time worker and on top of that, being the child of a CEO. 

I finished my dishes and looked at his now cold dinner. I knew he wasn't going to end his conversation anytime soon, so I decided to cover it with a plastic wrap. I then grabbed my pajamas to shower and change into for the night. 

Baekhyun's POV~

I was on the phone with the businessman I had met today, regarding my project set for Japan. He was a great partner to work with for this project and so we continued to talk about ways to make it successful. 

I hadn't noticed how long I was chatting with him when I saw the bedroom lights shut off. I looked over my shoulder and saw Mina in bed with the lamp on. 

"Mr. Yang, let's continue our talk in the morning," I said and he agreed, so we said our goodbyes and I hung up. I opened the sliding door and stepped in. 

I looked over to Mina and she was snuggled under the blanket with Bacon now sleeping next to her. I let out a quiet sigh and cleaned up my dinner, storing it in the fridge, then headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. 

Once I was done, I headed out to fix my bed made of blankets on the floor and tucked myself in after turning off the lamp. I laid on my side and heard the bed creak. I didn't think too much of it, it was probably just Mina changing her position. 

"Baekhyun?" I heard her whisper my name. I looked up at her and she was slightly leaning over the bed, looking down at me. 

I'll admit it, I was pretty scared and shocked at first with her hair hanging down and the moon's light shining on her face, but her expression was soft...almost regretful. 

"What is it, Mina?" I asked and she looked at something on my face. Most likely my cheek, which wasn't red anymore or hurting. 

She reached her hand down and gently brushed her fingers against my cheek, taking me by surprise. 

"Does it hurt?" she asked and I couldn't reply. My heart was racing and I could only look at her with wide eyes. "Well, does it?"

"U-uhm...uh, no. Not anymore," I stuttered and she sighed like she was relieved. 

"About what happened earlier...I'm...I...," she was now hesitating. "I'm...really...s-sorry."

And with that I felt like time had stopped along with my heart. There's no way she just apologized to me or touch me on her own will!

"I really didn't mean to, although I did say I'd hit you if you did anything like that," she said and she turned her eyes away. I could tell she was embarrassed. "I didn't think it'd be that bad."

I was still speechless, but I felt something warm light up in me. She was being sincere, I felt it through her soft voice. 

"Sorry," she said, once again and pulled her hand away, but I wasn't going to let her go that quick. So, I grabbed her hand and pushed myself up with my free arm, meeting her eyes. 

Her eyes were wide and it sparkled under the moonlight. I must have been imagining it, but I saw her face flush. 

"Its okay," I said and raised her hand up to my lips, giving it a quick peck. "You're forgiven."

I heard a tiny gasp come out of her lips and I grinned at her. 

"And you can't hit me this time," I said and gently squeezed her hand. "Because I wasn't joking nor was I joking earlier."

Her eyes were now wavering and her breathing became unsteady. 

"Mina, I wasn't teasing you just to piss you off," I said spilling out the truth; I was in the moment to say these words. "I'm happy to be marrying you; I really am. I don't need Sejong or any other woman...I need you."

Her eyes grew bigger and I felt a weight lift off my chest. I only hoped for the message to get through to her and I felt like this was the right time to tell her. 

I sat straight up and gazed into her eyes. Seeing how uncertain she felt, I knew I just had to tell her this. 

"Mina," I softly said her name. "I'm going to say this for the last time...I'm not going to marry someone I don't love."

"What?" she said, her voice shaking. 

"Do you not get it?" I asked with a small head shake. I felt her hand trembling in mine. "I...I love you."

"W-what?" she questioned and she pulled her hand away. This kind of reaction was expected. 

"I mean it, I love you, Mina. And I hope you will one day come to love me too," I said and she shook her head, not wanting to believe what I just said. But the look on her face...why did she look so afraid?

I swallowed hard and looked away. Was I too quick to confess to her? 

"I'm sorry," was the last thing she said before hiding under the covers. I seriously felt like a thousand needles were being jabbed into my chest, but again...this was expected and I was not going to give up on her after confessing. 

I let out a sigh and looked at the huge lump on the bed where she was hiding. 

"Mina, please do consider my feelings," I said as my last words for the night and laid on the floor, unable to fall back asleep. 

Mina's POV~

I wasn't able to sleep at all that night; I remained under the covers. I didn't know it was morning until I heard Baekhyun shuffling around the room. I decided to take a peek and saw him putting on his shoes. 

I wanted to know where he was going, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to him or look at his face without remembering everything he said last night. 

I watched him leave and once he did, I sat up in bed and looked at the closed door. I let out a sigh and rubbed my dried eyes when I saw a note tapped on the TV screen in front of me. I narrowed my eyes and crawled to the end of the bed to read what it said. 

"Looks like I won't be able to relax during our vacation," I read aloud. "I'll be with a businessman from Japan to talk about me and my father's project. If anything, call me."

I finished reading that part, but there was another few sentences a couple of spaces below. 

"Mina, about last night...don't try to forget it. I want you to remember what I've told you even if it annoys the hell out of you. You can hate me more, but that's okay because I'm confident."

I frowned and sat back onto the bed, feeling my heart tighten. 

"What do I do now?" I whispered the question. "I can't make him fall in love with me anymore than this...he'll only regret it...he'll only end up breaking his own heart."

I clenched my jaw and laid back in bed to stare up at the ceiling. 

"Just what am I going to do?" I repeated another 10 times, or so it felt like it. 

I don't know how long I was laying in bed for thinking about last night, but time was going by really slow and the longer I thought about it, the more restless I became.

I pushed myself up and sat on the edge of the bed, just thinking again. Although I was in a different city, nothing changed for me. I was alone again, in the same position I was left in. Being here wasn't any different from being at home...it was boring, even with Bacon. 

"Should we go out?" I asked, looking down at Bacon, who was chewing on his stuffed rabbit toy. "Or should we just stay in and be a bum all day? This way you could experience my lifestyle."

Bacon literally flipped around, ignoring me. I pouted and let out a sigh. 

"The longer I stay in here, the more I feel like suffocating," I said and hopped off the bed. I went to wash up and came out in fresh, new clothes. The only question now was; where do I go from here? Do I go back to the beach? For now, that was my only option. 

I packed his stuff and put the leash on Bacon and we headed out of the room, then down the hallway. I saw a bigger dog up ahead and once we passed it, I looked down at Bacon. 

"When will you get that big?" I asked as if he could answer back. Of course, with the size he's at right now he won't be as big as the one we walked by; nothing close. It'd be stupid of me to think that all dogs are the same in height. 

Bacon and I walked out of the hotel, heading straight to the beach. The weather didn't look all that great, but it wasn't raining, so I was going to enjoy being outside while I still can. What was even better was that there was no one out due to the wind and the waves. 

We walked along the shoreline, taking in the ocean air and letting the wind carry my thoughts away; it was nice being out. Even if the sky was gray, it still felt nice. 

I stopped walking and stood where I was, facing towards the ocean as the waves pushed up against my ankles. I gazed at the horizon with the breeze gently caressing my body and I deeply inhaled with my eyes closed, then slowly exhaled. I opened my eyes and felt my chest lighten up just a bit, but I suddenly felt a sense of loneliness. 

There was no one out besides Bacon and I; the only sound I could hear were the waves. I did enjoy being out, but at the same time, I didn't. I blame the weather...it's killing my mood.

I stood there a little longer when I felt something wet hit my cheek followed by another. I looked up and small drops of rain were making its way down. It wasn't long when it started to pour and Bacon started to pull on his leash. 

I took off my cardigan and wrapped him in it, then carried him in my arms heading back to the hotel. People were running for shelter with and without umbrellas. 

The rain was cold and with the wind it made it worse, so I hurriedly ran back to the hotel. Once I did, I set Bacon down and let him shake off the water. I was soaked and made my way to the room, opening it. 

I let Bacon in first and he ran straight to someone. I looked up and saw Baekhyun leaning against the wall, looking at me. Seeing him, my heart throbbed. I then noticed he had a towel over his shoulders...did he just finish taking a shower? But it's still so early for that. 

"Geez, you even wore a skirt out," he sighed and walked over to me. He pulled my hand away from the door and shut it behind us. He then covered my head with the towel, which caught me off guard. "You're more likely to get sick if you're only wearing a skirt and t-shirt."

The towel was pulled down, revealing Baekhyun's concerned expression in front of me. 

"I wouldn't want you to get sick," he softly said and I turned my gaze away from his.  

"I didn't think it'd rain today," I said and he dried my hair with the towel. 

"Was the dark sky not a sign?" he asked and I pressed my lips together. Was he upset with me again? "When it started to pour, I got worried, so I thought about finding you."

With my face still turned away, I felt his big, warm hands cupping my cheeks. He made me look at him and gave me a soft smile. 

"I'm glad you came back though," he said and I felt his warmth embrace my body. 

It felt good, it made my heart content...I wanted more of that warmth; it was drawing me in. And without thinking, my hands brushed over his as I closed my eyes and I held them in place, not wanting to let go. It really was a nice feeling. 

"Mina...?" I heard his faint voice. My eyes shot open and I gasped, seeing Baekhyun blushing. I pulled away and hit my back against the door. 

"Sorry!" I quickly said. "I-I...I'm going to shower!"

I ran passed him to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. With my eyes still wide and in shock, I pressed my back against the door and felt it hard to breathe. 

I got caught in the moment...I made a mistake. I can't let him misunderstand my actions....

My body was burning and my legs were getting weak; I felt dizzy. Even worse, my chest felt like bursting. I placed a hand over my chest and swallowed hard.

"What do I do?" I whispered. "No, what did I just do?"

Baekhyun's POV~

The next following days, I wasn't able to see or talk to Mina. She was avoiding me and I was busy with work...so much for a vacation, right?

I wanted to know what her action meant when she grabbed my hands and for her to look at ease when she closed her eyes. Was she finally accepting me? But if she was, then she wouldn't me avoiding me. Was she embarrassed? God, I just wanted to know what it all meant!

There was only two days left of this trip and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to talk to her until we get back home. I was so occupied with others that I couldn't meet her until late in the night. But! There was good news.

"We'll have to continue our discussion when I return to Japan," Mr. Yang said as we were sitting in a cafe. I looked at him, wondering if he was really heading back. "I was supposed to return tomorrow, but things came up and I have to leave today."

Yes! As bad as that may sound, he's really leaving.

"Of course. I'll contact you once I return to Seoul. That way, I'll have more of my documents to show you through video chat," I said and he nodded. We talked for a few more hours when he had to head back to the hotel to retrieve his stuff. 

"Should I see you off?" I asked once we stepped out of the cafe. 

"No thank you, I can go myself," he smiled and I bowed to him. 

"Have a safe trip back," I said and he nodded with a bow of his own. He got in the taxi he had called earlier and left. 

I let out a long sigh and smiled, "Now I can go see Mina."

I wasn't far from the hotel, so I ran back. For all I know, I could only hope that she would tell me what she's feeling right now. Not to mention, it made me wonder if my words got to her that night; I hope it did. 

I got back to the hotel, panting, and went straight to the room. I swiped my key card and opened the door, "Mina!"

Silence. 

I furrowed my brows and walked further into the room seeing it completely empty. I checked the bathroom and the balcony...no sign of her...or Bacon. 

"Don't tell me...she ran away?" I thought and that's the worst I can think of. 

I tried calling her, but her phone was turned off. I even messaged her, but she didn't reply or read my messages. 

"So, she really left...?" I wondered and felt my heart clench. "She still hates me."

I sighed and flopped onto the bed, covering my eyes with my arms when my phone started to vibrate. I shot up to sit on the edge of the bed and pulled out my phone hoping it was Mina, but I was too hopeful. 

"What is it, umma?" I answered, almost flatly. 

"Baekhyun?" I heard a different woman's voice and I could tell who it was. 

"M-Mina?" I asked. 

"Yeah, it's me," she said and I felt my pulse racing. 

"Why do you have my mother's phone? Uh, wait, no. Where are you?" I asked. 

"Well, it's quite obvious that I'm with your mom and my phone's dead, so I borrowed this phone to check up on you," she said and I felt my chest burst into happiness. She was worried about me!

"I wanted to make sure you weren't lost or possibly dead, although I wouldn't mind that," she said and my heart shattered. I was too quick to speak, she wasn't that worried about me at all. 

"That was mean," I pouted and laid down on the bed. "But I thought you left. I got scared for a moment."

"Uh, are my clothes still not there or what?" she questioned and I mentally face palmed myself. Of course, only someone as dumb as me would not look in the closet to see if her clothes were still there or not. 

Regardless, I was relieved to know she didn't leave and I was happy to hear her voice. 

"Since we're on that topic, can you bring my clothes here?" she asked and I raised an eyebrow. "I'm currently at your cousin's house and they'd like us to spend the rest of our nights here. I told them no at first, but they were persistent and somewhat pressuring me, so I said yes. I hope you don't mind."

I chuckled and rolled onto my side. 

"I don't mind at all," I smiled. "I'll be there in an hour."

"Cool," she said. "Oh, and bring a gift. I wouldn't want you to come empty-handed since I heard it's been years since you've met them."

"Yeah, I'll bring something," I said and it went quiet. This silence was different; maybe it was because we were on the phone with one another, but it was different. It felt...nice. 

"Are you going to hang up?" I asked after a moment of silence. 

"Oh!" she sounded surprised. "Y-yeah, I'm hanging up. I'll see you then."

I snickered, "Yeah, see ya."

And like that, we hung up the phone. I stared at the screen and smiled to myself. We talked for 2 minutes, that's the longest we've had a conversation over the phone. That was progress in my book. 

I quickly got out of bed and packed all of our things within 40 minutes. So much for being there in an hour.

I returned the key cards to the front desk and made my way to the doors when the receptionist stopped me. 

"Baekhyun-ssi," he called out and I turned to look at I'm. He used a finger to call me over and so I walked back to the front desk. 

"Is there a problem?" I asked and he typed something on his computer, then turned the screen around for me to see. 

"This is the bill for the past days we've had to continously come to clean the room," he said and I gasped at the amount. It was in the four digits!

"W-what? How is that possible? I've only called you guys once," I said, shocked. 

"Yes, you may have called us once, but your female friend has called us multiple times," he sighed and I should've known. "If you plan to stay here then please do make sure your pet is potty trained."

"Ah, I'm sorry," I said and bowed, embarrassed. 

"We'll send the bill via email," he said and I nodded. "You're free to go now."

I nodded again and walked out of the hotel. I was really embarrassed and the amount was way too much. Exactly just how much did Bacon poop and pee? Or was it Mina who caused the accidents?!

I finally arrived at my cousin's house 2 hours later after buying them gifts and getting lost on my way there. It really has been years since I've visited them, so the roads were different, that's why I got lost. 

I walked up the steps and pressed the doorbell, announcing my arrival. I heard a sweet voice answer and I didn't recognize it at all. 

"Uhm, is this the Kang resident?" I asked and she said that it was. "Hello, this is Baekhyun."

"Ah! Umma!" I heard this girl shout. She was obviously a little kid, but I don't remember having any little kids in my family. 

I heard a buzz and that was a sign that the gate was opened, so I walked in and was greeted by Bacon and a dog double his size; it was a full grown jindo dog. They were excitedly running around me, making it hard to walk. 

"Tofu, don't do that to our guests!" I heard an older woman's husky voice and looked up to see my cousin, Byun Haerin, now Kang Haerin. "Baekhyun-ah~"

"Noona," I smiled and walked up to her to give her a hug, but there was something between us. I looked down and saw her stomach was popping out; it was hard to see from afar with the dress she was wearing. 

"Noona, are you-"

"Yep, I'm expecting child number two," she giggled and I widened my eyes. I didn't know she even had a first child! "From your reaction, I can tell you're shocked. You were in Japan when we had our first daughter, so we couldn't tell you the news."

So that's who I was talking too; it was her daughter. I can't believe I missed such a great thing too. 

"Oh, I brought gifts. It's not much though," I said showing her the pack of toilet paper and a basket full of fruits. 

"You didn't have to," she said. "But thank you."

"It's not a problem," I smiled and she stepped to the side. 

"Come inside, everyone's waiting for you," she smiled and I followed her in. I heard laughter and I wondered, was Mina one of the ones laughing? I looked in and was not surprised to see that she was the only one with an expressionless face. 

"Baekhyun-ah," my mother beamed and I went to give her a hug. I saw Haerin's husband and greeted him. 

"We haven't seen each other since the wedding," he chuckled as we shook hands and I snickered. "It's nice to see you again, Baekhyun."

"You too hyung," I smiled and saw a little girl hiding behind his legs. "So, this must your daughter."

"Ah, that's right. You two haven't met yet," he smiled and tried to move his daughter to the front, but she wouldn't budge and he sighed. "I'm sorry. She's being shy."

"That's fine. I don't want to rush her," I lightly laughed and thought she was adorable. I knelt down and looked at her. "It's okay if you're shy, but I should at least introduce myself. I'm your mommy's cousin, Byun Baekhyun, which makes me your uncle. It's nice to meet you."

I caught a glimpse of her eyes and she immediately turned away when we made contact. She's really too adorable. 

I straightened myself up and looked at Mina. She was looking at me too, but she turned away, avoiding me again. 

"Why don't you take a seat and join our conversation. We were talking about you," Haerin said and I raised an eyebrow. 

"I hope they were good things," I said and sat right next to Mina, who scooted away from me. 

"Just reminiscing the past," she giggled. "Do you remember when you acted all tough and climbed up the tree at grandma's place and you cried because you couldn't get down?"

I felt my face flush at the memory and how uncool I was back then. I looked at Mina's expression and she was looking at Haerin, like she wanted to know more. Mina can't know about my embarrassing, dark past. 

"Remember how you kept saying you were going to die up there on the tree? You clung to the tree for your life," she continued and the family laughed. 

"C'mon noona, don't exaggerate the story," I said, although it was true, but I can't lose my image in front of Mina. 

"Oh, Baekhyun, don't try to look cool in front of Mina," she said, catching on. "I think she should know these embarrassing things about you."

"Yeah, Baekhyun. This way I can tease you," she said with an evil smirk and I felt like my life was over if she knew everything. 

My mother and Haerin continued to tease me and tell lies. Okay, no, they were telling the truth, but I wish they were lies. Like how I was a scaredy-cat and a crybaby as a child. Not only that, but they showed photos of me crying. 

I wanted to dig a hole and just crawl into it, hiding forever. Mina is going to tease me endlessly. The worst part was when they showed her a photo of me wearing makeup and a dress that was way too big for me, revealing my chest. That was because I was only around girls and Haerin was 7 years older than I was, so she used me as her model. 

My face burned even more out of shame and embarrassment. Rather than hiding in a hole, I wanted to perish. I covered my face, groaning when I heard a faint giggle. It didn't sound anything like my mother, Haerin or even my niece, whom I still don't know her name. There was only one girl left. 

I peeked through my fingers to see Mina smiling gently. I swear, she looked completely different when she was smiling like that. It was as if I saw an angel before me. 

"Baekhyun looks ugly in this one," she said and that image shattered. 

"Yah," I pouted and Haerin laughed. 

"She's right though, in this one you really are ugly," she said and I looked at the picture they were looking at. You could barely see my eyes and my lips were twisted; I couldn't even recognize myself. 

We continued to go through memory lane when the sun started setting and my cousin prepared dinner while I was finally in the room alone with Mina unpacking. 

She and I didn't talk to each other nor look at one another as we were laying out new bed sheets and blankets onto the bed. She was avoiding me again. 

I moved closer to her with a pillow in my arms and she glanced at me for a second before turning away, so I decided to be straightforward with her. 

"Why are you ignoring me?" I asked and she walked away as if she didn't hear me. "Yah."

"I'm not ignoring you," she said and grabbed Bacon's food bowl, heading to the door, but I blocked her. 

"You are definitely ignoring me," I said and narrowed my eyes at her, trying to see through her. "Did I do something?"

She pressed her lips together and her eyes traveled down. 

"It's not you," she quietly said. "It was me."

And she pushed passed me to join the family. I let out a sigh and leaned against the door frame, leaning my head against it. 

"What does she mean it was her? Did she do something she regretted? By making contact with me?" I wondered and it all just got more confusing. 

"Baekhyun! Dinners ready!" I heard my mother call out for me and I threw the pillow I was holding onto the bed. I let out another long sigh and walked out the room to join them for dinner.