“Yixing hyung.”

Yixing looked at the person who called him. “Hi, Mark.”

Mark looked at him, puzzled. “What happened?”

         “Oh? Uhm…” He smiled sadly. “I’m going home now. I’m done with my mission here. Do you know someone whom I can talk to so that I can leave this place?”

“Is my cousin being stupid again?”

Yixing looked at his wristwatch. “I want to leave as soon as possible. I still have deadlines to meet so…”

“That Sehun hyung, really…”

         Yixing doesn’t complain when Mark hugged him again. Besides, he doesn’t have any strength left. If someone decides to fight him, he will just surrender without any questions asked. He felt so tired all of a sudden. And he’s really thankful for Mark for not letting him go and just continue to hold him. But then he saw Sehun. He was standing a few meters away from them, looking at him intently. He doesn’t have an idea what’s going in Sehun’s mind because his handsome face is devoid of any emotion.

And that may be the reason why he felt his tears are threatening to fall.

Why can’t you do it? You fool.

Yixing saw Kyuhyun and Heechul appeared behind Sehun. He can see understanding and disappointment in their faces.

“Wow, another group hug!” Heechul loudly exclaimed.

“I want to join again!”           

          The two approached him and shielded him from Sehun’s view. Yixing just cried harder. Why do these people—whom he doesn’t really know—are taking care of his feelings? Why is the man that he love is letting him go? To think that Sehun loves him too.

Wasn’t he worth keeping?

“I want to go home.”

“Let’s go then.” Heechul said. “Kyuhyun and I will bring you back to Seoul.”

“I’m taking him home.” He hears Sehun say.

         Yixing bit his lower lip to keep himself from crying even more. But nothing happened. His tears continued to flow. He’s really grateful with that group hug because somehow, he can hide his tears from Sehun. He doesn’t want Sehun to pity him and use that as a reason to go to him.

“Yixing, do you want Sehun to bring you back to Seoul?” Yixing shook his head. “He doesn’t want to, Sehun. Let’s go.”

Without breaking the group, and still shielding him from Sehun, they started walking. But after a few steps, they stopped.

“Yixing.” Sehun called him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

“Be specific with what you are sorry for, hyung.” Mark said.

“Let him go.”

        “You should ask Yixing hyung if he wants us to let go of him. We are just helping here.” Yixing shook his head again. “Sorry, hyung. Yixing hyung doesn’t want to. It’s totally your fault, what did you do anyway—”

“Okay!” Heechul said. “We really should go now. So much gasoline is wasted now.”

          But they weren’t able to go anywhere. Sehun is probably stopping them from leaving. His hunch is right when he heard Sehun’s voice.

         “Yixing. I’m sorry if I hurt you. God knows this isn’t what I wanted. That’s why I chose to let you go because I don’t want you to be hurt…” Sehun stays quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry. Please don’t leave.”

Yixing lets out a loud sob that he tries to stop from coming out earlier. He hears Mark clicking his tongue.

“If I am not younger than you and my cousin, I would have given you a solid kick, hyung.”

“You can do that later. For now, just let me talk properly with Yixing.”

“He said he doesn’t want to talk to you.” Heechul said. “Damn, I hate seeing people cry.”

“I said I was sorry.”

“That’s not enough. If everything’s can be settled with just a simple sorry, then there’s no need for law enforcers to exist, right?”

“Can you just leave?”

        “We are just following Yixing now. If you want to talk, then you should also endure our faces because we’re not going anywhere.”

Yixing was just too grateful that Kyuhyun, Heechul and Mark is not leaving his side. He is not ready to see Sehun just yet.

         “I only asked you to leave me because I don’t want to hurt you.” Sehun started. “I want to protect your feelings, Yixing. Because I love you. I did it for your own good.”

    “I know.” Yixing finally managed to say. “That’s why I’m leaving.”

            “No. I changed my mind. Right after you disappeared from my sight. I changed my mind. I can’t bear to be away from you. I don’t want you gone. I’m sorry I said those words. I take all of my words back. I changed myself the day Eunbin and I broke up. You were right in front of me when that happened so I promised myself that I won’t hurt the next person that I love. I was ready to change myself then. But the problem is, I’ve known you better. I’ve fallen in love with you while I was changing myself for the better. That’s why I haven’t noticed it immediately. What I know is that I’m happy when I’m with you. I’m happy when I see you. That’s the reason why you always see me in front of you. I keep coming back to you because I want to be with you. All the time.

            “When we saw Eunbin last Halloween, I just remembered the reason why I am changing myself. I was too afraid to hurt you because you have become too important to me, Yixing. I will do everything just to protect you. I was afraid to hurt you. So that I chose to put away my feelings for you. That’s why I chose to let you go.”

           “You’re stupid. If I was hurt, it’s not your fault. I let myself love you. So I’m aware that since then, I can hurt myself in the process.”

           “I know. But I can’t help but blame myself especially when I remembered what you said when Eunbin and I broke up. That I don’t deserve to love someone when I will hurt them in the end.”

           “But that’s not what I’ve said! What I meant is that you shouldn’t hit on someone on the first place if you don’t feel anything for them. I didn’t say that if you love someone, you should let them go.” Yixing felt his heart beat again. And just like the first time he realized what those heartbeats were for, he still couldn’t get rid of the feelings. He still loves this man very much. “You’re so annoying, Sehun.”

        “I’m sorry. Give me another chance. I promise I’ll do everything to make things right. And I promise… I won’t let you cry again.”

         Yixing didn’t answer. He just continued crying while hiding those three men who weren’t planning on letting him go anytime soon.

“Please…” Sehun repeated. “Ugly.”

Yixing bursts into tears again. But this time, it wasn’t because he’s hurt. It’s because he’s happy. Very happy. His efforts on love wasn’t wasted.

“Well, Yixing, what should we do now?” Kyuhyun asked. “Are we still going to  the helipad?”

“No need.”

“Yeah. It seems like our “new client” has already made his decision.”

          He felt the hug loosened until the three men finally let go of him. And there, standing right before him, waiting so patiently, was Sehun himself.”

“Don’t go, Yixing.” Sehun pleaded with all his heart. “I need you… I love you.”

       Yixing just sobbed. This time, it wasn’t the club members who hugged him. Because this time, it was Sehun who did it. He hugged him with all the tenderness he could muster. Through his hugs, he is conveying that he will never hurt him forever.

“Our role’s done here.”

“Right.”

“Wait, who are you? I just saw you here at Exo Riding Club.”

“Lee Min Hyung. Sehun hyung here is my cousin and I’m the newest member of this chaotic club of yours.”

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner? Let’s drink to that.”

“By the way, what should we call you?”

“‘Mark’ would be fine.”

“Do you have someone right now?”

“Yes.”

“That’s sad.”

“Why?

“We don’t have anything to do.”

“You two are quite evil. Just like the people here said.”

“They’re just not used to our ways of getting people together.”

        When the noise finally went down, he and Sehun had a chance to finally talk privately. Sehun kissed him on the head as he looked up at him. Yixing kissed Sehun on his lips. Sehun didn’t protest and returned his kiss with much fervor.

          There are really times when people get hurt because of love. But as others have said, you won’t get the true feeling of love if you are not able to experience the pain that comes with it. It was such a weird idea but he quite understood it now. And maybe the ones who can understand that crazy statement is the people who get to experience it firsthand.

“I love you, ugly.”

“I love you too, idiot.”

They both just laughed at their foolishness.

         “Ah, before I forgot.” Sehun said while hugging him tight, but careful at the same time. “I don’t want to see you hugging other men. I know you use them as inspiration for your novel. But can you just use them as inspiration? And you will only get to hug me. Because the next time I see them hugging you, I might get into trouble.”

“Oh, okay.”

“And don’t frequently go with Mark again. That kid has someone else now.”

“Sure. You still have something to say?”

“Remind me to thank Heechul and Kyuhyun later.”

“And Mark.”

“And Mark.” Sehun brushed Yixing’s hair with his fingertips. “You smell so good.”

       “Jongdae recommended this lavender-scented shampoo. He said that is effective to make men fall in love with him because Junmyeon—”

          Yixing wasn’t able to finish his dialogue because Sehun deeply kissed his lips. Oh, well, he liked this much better anyway…

-----------------------------

Aaaaand that'a a wrap. Thank you so much for everyone who read, commented, subscribed and left upvotes on this story. After almost 2 years, I have finally finished this chapter and this series. Yes. This is the last story for the EXO Riding Club series but it doesn't mean that I won't post the other stories for the side characters as well. If time would allow, I might start with the other side characters as well. And I might write another story in the next few weeks or so. And I plan it to be a Sehun x Kai story. Again, thank you everyone for the support since the first book, Something Like Love. Saranghae <3 

Always remember this iconic ing kiss ;)