“Sir, please pay for those before you open it.”

      Yixing noisily chewed the Peppero, before answering the supermarket staff. “Why do you care? I’m hungry. Besides, I will pay for these. I won’t run away. I’m rich!”

       The truth is, he is just standing facing the rows of Pepperos displayed in the snack aisle of the grocery store that he is in right now. It’s just that his mind went to Sehun again.

       That guy! He thinks that he’s the only handsome guy in this world. Huh! I’m in the country full of rich and handsome men! There are more handsome guys than him that I can love! Someone who will not push me away after I confessed to them! Huh! I’m getting more weird every second!

        But who is he fooling? Nothing, just himself. Because whatever happens, he will never forget Sehun and he will never replace him with another handsome guy. Because up until that moment, it is still Sehun that is in his heart. He’s getting annoyed with himself too. Because he’s hurting but he still continues to love that fool.

“I’m really sorry, sir.” The staff said. It is really not allowed to open any products before paying for it.

“Fine, fine.” He grabbed three more boxes of Peppero and marched towards the counter. “How annoying! I will make you a parrot in my next novel.” Yixing whispered.

“Yixing?”

“Why?” he snarled at the person who called him. But immediately took it back when he recognized the person. “Chanyeol.”

“That’s right.” Chanyeol playfully nudged his forehead. “You wasn’t able to attend my wedding yet you acted at me that way.”

“You better throw him in the jungle, Chanyeol.” A smaller man said. “I can help you of you want.”

Yixing’s forehead knotted. “Are you two for real?”

       Chanyeol just laughed together with the man beside him. He met Chanyeol on an event two years ago and since then, he became friends with the man. But he was surprised when he learned that Chanyeol married someone last year because he knew that Chanyeol doesn’t have a boyfriend.

“Oh, by the way. Yixing, this is Kim Jongdae. Our husbands are friends. Jongdae, this is Zhang Yixing. He’s a writer.”

      “Ah, another artist.” Jongdae extended his hand for a handshake. “I really admire writers like you. You have the power to turn someone into a villain if you wish.” Then he laughed.

“I apologize for Jongdae’s craziness. He’s really like that.” Chanyeol said.

“Guilty.” Jongdae agreed.

        Yixing just shook his head at the man’s antics. He noticed Jongdae’s wedding ring as well. It seems like he is very happy with the man he chose to be with.

Good for them. When will I find a man just like their husbands? Yixing thought to himself.

       “I heard you were having an argument with the supermarket staff earlier.” Chanyeol said. “Do you want us to throw her in the jungle instead?”

“Yeah, and we’re rich too. And Exo Riding Club is a vast place. We can throw her there instead—”

“Wait, did you just say… Exo Riding Club?”

“Yes.” Chanyeol realized something. “Oh, we weren’t able to tell you that our husbands are members of that riding club.”

“Well, now he knows.” Jongdae stared at him. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Huh?”

“He doesn’t have one.” Chanyeol answered for him. “Writers like him are busy, you know?”

“Maybe you want one? My hyungs are available. And their best friend as well.”

“I’m in favor of Ryeowook hyung. But your brother and his evil best friend? Nah, I don’t think so.”

“Why? What’s wrong with my Heechul hyung and Kyuhyun?” Jongdae pondered for a while. “You have a point, Chanyeol.”

“Ah, excuse me.” Yixing interrupted. “Do you know someone who named Sehun who is a member of that club?”

“Sehun?” Chanyeol said. “As in the Oh Sehun of Haengsong Publishings? Your boss? You talk to each other now?”

Yixing nodded. Chanyeol knew about Sehun because he often tells him about his boss. Which is now more than just his boss.

“Wow, this is new! We need to catch up more often to have an update about your life, Yixing.”

        “These members are really one of a kind, right? They were abe to spread their charms outside the club.” Jongdae playfully winked at him. “Is there something between you and Sehun?”

“Uh…”

“Oh, no.” Jongdae muttered. “Don’t tell me you’re at that stage now?”

“Huh?”

“You know, the ‘lovers misunderstanding’ stage?”

Yixing laughed. “That seems to be fine at that point. If we are lovers. But then…”

       “You’re not yet together?” Chanyeol asked. “You’re so slow, Yixing! You romance novel writers are not weak when it comes to love! Hello! You write the love stories, for Pete’s sake!”

“I know.”

“So, what happened? Why are you still not together—”

“He doesn’t like me.”

The two pulled him away from the counter. They arrived at the wine section.

“Did you tell him?”

“Do you love him?”

        Yixing answered them with a nod. He wasn’t the type of person who could easily open up his emotions to someone he hardly knew. But with these two, he didn’t know. Maybe he can see an ally in them. He isn’t a sociable person as well so he just have a few friends, which he cannot ask for some advice because they have their own lives now. And for now, he really need some people who can support him in times like this. People who will help him because he felt that his heart is grieving.

“Why doesn’t he want you?”

         “Maybe because… he doesn’t really… you know, love me as well?” Yixing drew a deep breath. His chest really hurts whenever he thinks that Sehun doesn’t feel anything for him. “But I can’t stay still. It seems like I need to know something. That’s why I need to talk to Sehun. I will ask him some questions.”

“Like what?”

        “I asked him before if he loves me. He didn’t say anything.” Chanyeol and Jongdae looked at each other. He knew what they think. That he is hopeless. Yixing thinks so, too. But the thing is, he feels restless. And his work is affected because he cannot write properly. “I need to talk to him. I will ask him again if he loves me. And I needed to hear it from him. That… that …he doesn’t love me. So that my stupid, restless heart will be still. If he’s in Exo Riding Club, can you help me go in there? Please? Just this once?”

“Yixing, do you know what might happen?”

“You would totally crush your heart if Sehun tells it to your face he doesn’t… you know.”

         “I know.” Yixing wants to cry again. But he refrained himself for doing so. He is in a public place and there’s nothing happening on his agenda for today. He will cry if Sehun will outright tell him that he doesn’t love him. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m a sadist because I want to hear it from Sehun himself that he doesn’t love me.”

“I agree.”

The two just sighed. “I can’t believe that we will be using Heechul and Kyuhyun’s meddlesomeness today.” Chanyeol said.

“Same here.” Jongdae agreed.

       The two men looked at him. Yixing can see in their eyes and smile the understanding in his situation. In the times when he thought that he doesn’t have any hope left, these two will arrive.

“I don’t know why you are helping me.” Yixing said. “But… thank you.”

“We were once a victim of love, Yixing. So we can perfectly understand you.”

       “Like you, we didn’t give up from our feelings” Jongdae playfully ruffled his hair. “This is the face of a man an Exo Riding Club member could fall in love with.”

“Treasure the feelings you’re feeling right now, Yixing. Because it just come once in your life.”

I would, Yixing promised himself. I definitely would.

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

          Yixing looked at the two men who are equally staring at him. He was finally able to enter the grandiose Exo Riding Club with the help of Chanyeol and Jongdae. He wants to appreciate the beauty of the said place but his mind is occupied with his problem with Sehun.

 After all these problems…

         Now, in front of him is two of the most handsome men that he has ever seen. They really look so good especially now that they are wearing their club’s official uniform. He can see in them the elegant personality of Sehun. If that’s the case, then the guy is really rich because the way that he talks and moves is refined. To be honest, all of the club members there have an attitude like that. It was like their wealth matched their fine attitudes.

         But he’s not that sure when it comes to the two men in front of him. Heechul and Kyuhyun looked nice enough but there was also something about the way they watched him that made him uneasy. Why did Chanyeol and Jongdae left him? But it doesn’t matter now. He wants to forget his personal feelings for his own damn peace.

“Tell us.” Heechul said. “Why do you think we have to help you with Sehun?”

“He already dumped you, didn’t he?”

Ah, there it is. The “something” that made him uneasy. These two talks brutally. But he doesn’t have any plans on backing down.

“He didn’t dump me.” Yixing said.

“If that’s the case, why are you chasing him now?”

“If he already accepted you in your life, you don’t have to face us, right? And we shouldn’t be talking like this.”

        Why do you care? I want to chase Sehun here so you can’t do anything to stop me! “I want to hear it from him that… he doesn’t love me. Because when I asked him, he didn’t answer anything.”

“Well, wasn’t that answer enough?”

Kyuhyun nodded, agreeing with Heechul. “If you want, we will answer on Sehun’s behalf. He doesn’t love you.”

        So I therefore conclude I hate these two. “You’re not Sehun. I need to hear from him those words. Then that’s the only time I will give up on him.”

“Look, Mister—”

        “Look, you two. If you don’t want to help me, fine. I will just be the one who will look for Sehun. I’m here anyway and this the world of Exo Riding Club is small for me to not find him.” He stood up. “Thank you for your time. Sorry for troubling you.”

He’s already a few steps away from them when he heard his name being called.

      “Why are you on insisting on knowing the truth about how he feels for you? You already know what his answer will be on your question without hearing it from his mouth.”

            Yixing looked at Kyuhyun and Heechul. “Because it is not every day that I feel this way and I don’t want to let go of this feeling just yet. Because my heart is still hoping. Because… because… I still love him whatever happens. If the feeling is not mutual, I want him to say it to my face at least. Until then, I will be at peace.”

“Even if it hurts?”

“It’s part of life.” Yixing answered. “And I already accepted that a long time ago. I can handle it.”

The two looked at each other, then sighed. Heechul stood up and walked in front of him.

“I like you.” Heechul smiled. “Everyone should be like this when they are in love.”

“Huh?”

       “That’s really cute.” Yixing wasn’t able to react when Heechul hugged him. It was a gentle hug, only meant for a brother or a friend. “Instead of hearing Sehun’s answer, why don’t you make him fall in love with you?”

Kyuhyun hugged him as well. “That way, you’ll have your chance with his heart. If nothing happens, then you got an answer.”

          His heavily beating heart suddenly became quiet. His irritation with the two is slowly dissipating. They were giving him a chance with their friend. Yixing just smiled. The two are not that ruthless like what he thought. If he’s not mistaken, maybe they are just putting him on a test to see how strong his feelings are towards Sehun. And now he had their approval.

“Wow, a group hug!”

“I wanna join!”

“Me too!”

“Yay!”

       Yixing felt heavy bodies weighing down on him because more club members decided to join their small group hug. He just laughed. He was surprised that the club members are very lovable. And it’s not surprising that many people from the outside world almost worshipped them. They are human too, just like him. They are reachable too. And easy to love, just like one of their members that he chose to love.

“What’s going on?”

Yixing stilled. It was Sehun’s voice!

“Oh, nothing. Just a group hug.”

“You want to join too?”

“This is so fun!”

Yixing tried to go out of the group hug to see Sehun. But he can’t do it with these guys on him so he shouted instead.

“Sehun!”

“Yixing?”

“Sehun—ow!”

“Yixing? What do you think you are doing to him? Get off him!”

         Yixing felt that the weight pressing down on him is slowly lifted off one by one. It’s because Sehun removes the men in that group hug facilitated by Heechul and Kyuhyun. When he’s finally free, his heart almost sang with joy when he saw Sehun. Oh, how he missed that gorgeous face and those lovely eyes of his! And he looked handsome wearing their club’s uniform. It’s not surprising that he didn’t reacted anything upon seeing him other than giving him the sweetest smile that he can give.

“What are you doing here?” Sehun asked though.

         Ouch! Yixing braced himself. Heechul and Kyuhyun said that he doesn’t have to hear from Sehun his answer to his question. He should do something to get Sehun’s heart. It is difficult to do so, based on what he is seeing on Sehun’s face right now.

He wasn’t happy to see him.

“Yixing.” Sehun repeated. “What are you doing here?”

But before he could say anything, a guy hugged him.

“Yixing hyung! You pretty little thing! Let me take a good look at you.” Mark said in perfect English. “You’re really cute!”

          Mark was about to hug him again when he slipped from his hold. Sehun was able to pull him away from his co-members. Yixing looked back at the men who smothered him with hugs. They are all smiling at him while Heechul and Kyuhyun have their thumbs up in the air. Mark is just waving at him.

So what happened was just a plan.

You, guys, are good!

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

Almost 2.5k words for the new chapter to make up for the past few months that I'm gone. Last 2 chapters left and we're done with this rollercoaster of a story and this might be the last for this series. (Well if the time permits, I might make another series starring the other club members (Heechul, Kyuhyun, Henry, Siwon, and the younger ones too! Mark, etc.)) Now before I end this author's note, let me explain my absence for the past 3 months. After I graduated last April, I have to prepare for the board examination to get my license for me to have  a job. And mind you, our licensure examination is one of the most difficult licensure examination in my country. So, for me to completely put an icing on the cake, I have to pass the licensure examination for me to have a job and to have a vacation on South Korea!!! I hope you understand me guys and please please please pray for me! Thank you so much and saranghae!!! 

This story still gets subscribers even if I haven't updated for the past few months. Thank you for always supporting this story! 💕