CHAPTER 15

[Byun Baek Hyun’s POV]

“Don’t you dare,” I heard Taeyeon spoke threateningly as I took a step towards the retreating figures of L and Hanna. It broke my heart when I saw him arrived –  broke it even more the moment I watched him held Hanna’s face and wipe her tears. Now I feel like slowly dying as I watched them walk away, their hands interlaced with one another.

Don’t touch her, I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to yank him off of her and tell him he has no right to touch what is mine. But then it hit me. Hanna’s not mine. Not anymore.

“Stop looking at her,” Taeyeon spat again, her teeth gritted in anger. I turned to her and felt my own anger flare up again but one look at the bruises forming on her shoulders made me stop from doing anything rash. I shifted my attention back ahead of me only to realize that the two people were already out of sight.

I sighed in pain before turning to walk away.

“You still love her,” Taeyeon spoke; her tone sounding more of an accusation. I barely stopped before continuing on my path again.

She grabbed my wrist and hauled me back to face her.

“You still love her,” she repeated, more dangerously this time. I could see the look in her eyes – could almost imagine her mind working, planning ways to harm Hanna and unleash her vengeance upon her. But I can’t let that happen. I need to protect her. It was the reason I left her in the first place. I want her to be happy. I want her to be away from all the dangers and problems she’ll only encounter if she stays with me. I want her to live in peace. And if staying away from her is the key for her to experience all that… then so be it.

“I don’t,” I answered as sincere as I can.

Taeyeon only scoffed and glared at me.

“Bull,” she muttered and hearing her say that almost made me flinch. I never heard her speak this way before. I know she can become uncontrollable and rude when she’s mad but never this way. She sounded like a whole new person.

“If you’re not going to believe anything I say then I guess I better leave,” I said as I tugged her hand away from me and walked again.

“If you still love her… then why did you kiss me?”

Taeyeon’s question made stop. My whole body went rigid. It’s here, finally here, the question I’ve been dreading the most. She made her way towards me and gazed with eyes full of expectations. I turned away, suddenly filled with undeniable self-loathing.

It was never in my plan to kiss her. It just happened that she came during my weakest time – a time I barely have any control over my emotions and my decisions. She called me while I was waiting for Hanna to arrive, my heart filled with pain over Luhan’s departure and Hanna and L’s kiss. She asked to talk to me and when we did, she sounded like the woman I know years ago: the woman I would go to every time I have troubles during training, the one who would give me endless advices about singing. That time she sounded like the Taeyeon I knew – my friend and my mentor. She spoke so sweetly and softly to me then than I just found myself compelled to kiss her. And I did. Because that time all I needed was someone to comfort me, someone to tell me I’m not alone and everything will be alright. I was expecting Hanna to be that one but Taeyeon came at the wrong moment.

And that’s when everything blew apart.

I know my reasons may not be that meaningful and I know I am at fault here. I was a jerk. I know and I am claiming it.

Taeyeon still stood waiting for my response that I literally just said the first thing that entered my mind, “I just felt like doing it that time.”

Jerk. . You are worthless, Byun Baekhyun.

I was waiting for Taeyeon’s painful words or slap to come but nothing happened. She just stared at me with tears forming in her eyes. I can’t believe I’m seeing her cry again. After all those times she showed me how fearless and tough she is… now I’m seeing her break down.

Just how many more women will cry because of me?

“’Felt like doing it’?” she repeated breathlessly.

“I was hurt that time. I needed someone to comfort me. I wouldn’t have done that to you if you didn’t came,” I spoke, almost telling the truth. I know I’m sounding like a complete monster right now – a complete idiot. But if this may lead Taeyeon from leaving me alone and forgetting about me, then I don’t care about how my reputation would turn out. It’s about time she lets go of me anyway.

“So you’re saying…” she began, tears falling now. “That if I didn’t come to you that night… you might have just ended up kissing Hanna instead of me?”

I shrugged and put on a blank face as I answered, “Most probably.”

*slap*

There was it. The response I’ve long been waiting for.

My head snapped to the side and I slowly touched my cheek as I felt the stinging pain. I smiled. I deserved it. I’d be more worried if Taeyeon didn’t do that. It somehow made me feel better, knowing that she’d been able to vent out her anger even for a bit.

“ you,” she muttered, her voice shaking with rage.

I stared at her indifferently as I let her blurt out everything she wants to say.

“Have you ever considered about me even for a moment?” she demanded, tears falling more rapidly. “Have you ever even thought of me and how I would feel? Or all this time you just actually saw me as a friend – a person who loves you but you could never reciprocate your feelings to? Didn’t I ever matter to you, Baekhyun? Has it been really Hanna all this time?”

Yes. Yes. Only her. No one else but her, I wanted to tell her but know that when I do, more danger would only come in Hanna’s way. But no matter how much I fought to hide it, Taeyeon must have still seen the answer clear in my face.

For she suddenly spoke, “Never… Never will I let the two of you become happy… Not when I a