Chanyeol POV

I collapsed onto my bed, my limbs sore from the intense training. Not only was my body exhausted, I was emotionally exhausted too. I am tired of putting up a front. I’ve been doing it my entire life. I am tired of the tension, the conflict between Lay and Areum. I am tired of smiles, the tight smile that is plastered on Areum’s face and the fake smiles that are forced on my face. I am tired of pretending, pretending that everything is alright, pretending that Lay wasn’t hurting, pretending that Areum wasn’t crying before she slept, pretending that I wasn’t in pain everyday.

My eyes slowly shut as the muffled sound of a lulled me to sleep, the home of my escape.

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I opened my eyes to glare at the light raying down on me. An excited grin broke across my face. Today, was visiting day. The day I finally got to see my mother and sister. I jumped out of bed, skipping my way into my bathroom. My eyes were bloodshot and red lines ran down my face. I cried in my sleep again. They say the emotions we hide appear in our dreams, so it only makes sense that I cry whilst slumbering.

“Park Chanyeol you have to look your best today. Your eomma and Noona are coming. Don’t make them worry. Just for today, you are going to me completely fine. A hundred percent okay.”

I smiled, though I am sure I looked weird since I was half way through brushing my teeth. I looked tired. Noona and eomma would definitely notice and then they would worry. They were probably worrying already. I didn’t want to increase it.

I the shower and stripped. Training blessed me with abs. I was never really one to exercise, the only exercise I liked doing was running. That was it. My arms had gotten thicker; the muscles became more prominent than when I arrived on this island. I grew stronger on this island. I will stay strong even though Areum is turning into Yejin.

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Everyone was in a good mood. Why wouldn’t they be? We finally got to see our families and friends. Baekhyun was humming to himself and skipping along. It has only been two days since Baekhyun went through the awakening, his

“Who’s coming to visit you?” I asked him, putting on a genuine smile. His face went beet red, I narrowed my eyes at my old friend. He coughed.

“My girlfriend.” I tripped…Baekhyun had a girlfriend?

“W-who?”

“…Taeyeon…you can’t tell anyone!” I tripped again and stopped walking. Taeyeon was one of the prettiest girls in Idris. There was no way Baekhyun of all people would be dating Taeyeon. My eyes were round.

“Yah! Why are you so surprised! You don’t think Taeyeon would date me?”

“Yes.” Baekhyun glared at me, swinging a fist at my arm. It didn’t hurt.

“Well she is dating me not you so HA! I got the prettiest girl.” He crossed his arms, swishing his head to the side. To me, Areum was the prettiest girl but I didn’t say that aloud. Though I was pretty sure Baekhyun already knew, what with the knowing glances he had been sending my way.

Baekhyun started rambling about Taeyeon but my attention wasn’t on him. It was on the girl that just walked into the room. Her hair was loose and fell down her back in a purple and grey wavy curtain. She wore a long black skirt that was see through, an opaque shorter skirt underneath that ended mid thigh. It flowed around her slim legs, waving in the breeze. A loose white tank top hung from her shoulders, it was tucked into her skirt. A silver ring was on her finger; it was the ring she picked up off the floor of the castle, the castle she originally grew up in. She looked gorgeous, but her expression still lacked emotion.

“-You aren’t listening to me, are you?” Baekhyun asked, snapping me back to my senses. I felt a little guilty for tuning him out but the look on his face made it fade. He was smiling, though it lacked its usual brightness. He glanced at Areum then back at me, his eyes telling me he knew.

“You broke your pr