Partial Eclipse Of Heart

Part 4

I sat back in the chair, my legs dangling a little above the floor, "I wonder if things would have turned differently for us, if we had met a later, when we were a little older. You know? Maybe if we had met somewhere else, or if we had been a little older; he wouldn’t have refused to be my friend. If he hadn’t walked me home that one scary night or if he hadn’t waited for me outside my part-time workplace, our love story would have folded differently.” I was out of breath as I explained the thoughts hidden deep inside my head.

I heard Jin sigh and he stopped looking at the picture of Baekhyun I gave him. There was something about the look in his eyes, that I just couldn’t decipher. “Noona, you overthink a lot of things, I’m sure that you’re scared to move on because moving on means accepting your fates as strangers and I think you’d rather be heartbroken than forget about him.”

‘I’m trapped in this world, lonely, fading, and heartbroken but still waiting for you to come back. So please show up. I miss you so badly.’ I found myself praying as Jin finished. 

“Monsters don’t sleep under your bed. They scream inside your head.” I blurted out and glanced at him. 

“How did it end? Your relationship.” Jin quizzed me.

“Actually, he didn’t even tell me why, he just decided one day that I wasn’t good enough for him anymore and left, that's how it ended.”

“Maybe this happy ending doesn’t include a wonderful guy, maybe it's you, on your own picking up the pieces and starting over again, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending that you’re seeking is just—“ He stopped, "Moving on."

“You think you have forgiven him. Noona, you only think that you have.” 

“I knew it,” Chanyeol announced when he accidentally caught us with our lips locked in Baekhyun’s bedroom. He turned his face away right away and mumbled to himself, he was probably chiding himself on his manners.

“You punk! At least knock, you little !” Baekhyun growled, fixing his ruffled hair and buttoning his shirt up. 

“Hyung! I’m sorry but I have to ask this! Is it a one-time thing or—“ Chanyeol stopped instantly when he saw Baekhyun approaching him with his sleeves rolled up, “You better run, er.” And he did, for his life.

“Taeyeon-shi.” I was greeted nicely when I entered the deserted cafe. I walked towards to where he was seated.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Kwon.” I smiled as I took the seat across from him.

“Oh please, just call  me Jiyong or better— Oppa.”  He grinned ear to ear and I found myself nodding to him but reluctantly. “Shall we start the interview?” I pulled out my phone and was about to press the record button, “Let's get to know each other better first. Is that okay?” 

“Ah… There is no need—“

He smiled. "I want to." 

“You’re such a beauty.” A smirk was hovering over his lips.

“Th-thanks.” I stuttered, embarrassed by his straightforward remark. “Aw, are you blushing. What a doll.” I cleared my throat.

“Thanks, shall we start?” I pressed the recording button but once again stopped when he pulled away my phone. I raised my brows. “I don’t like being recorded. “

I took out my notebook from my purse along with a pen. “Okay, let's start.”

“You said that it was your dream—“ I was getting annoyed because he kept cutting me off, “Let me ask you questions first, only then will I answer.” As each second passed he was getting weirder than before.

‘Do it for the article.’ 

“I already ordered drinks, I hope you don’t mind.” He gestured me towards the two glasses filled with soft drinks sitting on the table.

“I don’t, thank you.” He smiled again.

“Not yet, Taeyeon-ah.” My eyes rounded in surprise, did he just call me that?

“…Okay?” I said sipping the drink.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” I had only taken a sip from the glass but when Jiyong asked me, I ended up choking on it. Regaining my posture, I put the glass back on the table and shifted uncomfortably. This dude , should stay in his lane.

He chuckled and handed me a napkin, “I’ll take that as a no.”

There was a period of brief silence between us, “Well… are you looking for one?” 

I tried to smile but it was painfully hard to do, “I really think we should start.”

He didn’t say anything so I started, “Tell me about yourself.” My question was simple. “I think most people answer this question the wrong way.” I was glad for a second that he was being serious.

“Open your mouth ahh…” Baekhyun chuckled. “

I can eat by myself, Baek.”  I whispered.

He gave me a pouty look, and faked a tear, “But… Oppa wants you to feed you.” I giggled at him. How lucky I was to have someone like him in my life. He made all of my dreams about love come true. 

“There is something on your lips.” He tried whispering seductively. 

“Sheesh.” I wiped it away and as soon as I did he frowned. 

“Why did you do that? I was supposed to do that!” He raged out and whined. I stared at him, so cute. “Well was I supposed to leave it there?” He shook his head when he heard my response.

 “N-no! But you know in dramas? The male lead is supposed to wipe it away, and when he does, both of them stare deeply into each other'seyes and they kiss. You ruined my chance—“ I cut him off by smashing my lips against him and pushing him on the couch we were sitting on. 

“Let's not waste any time.” He tasted like the ice cream we were eating just a few moments ago.

“Wanna know about me? I’m currently looking at a beautiful woman with long legs, she’s right in front of me, damn those legs.” As soon as he was finished, my head jerked towards my legs and he indeed was looking at my legs. I was cursing Tiffany for suggesting me to wear such a short skirt.

“Answer it properly.” I sipped the drink again, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

“Are you getting mad at me?” I decided to ignore him and asked him something that I was dying to ask, “Why is this place empty?” 

“Oh, I booked it for us. We have to spend our quality time together too, right? Don’t you like it?” I deadpanned, wanting to say something, “Would you rather be somewhere else? Perhaps where there is a bed?” He dared.

“E-excuse me?” 

“Baek! look!” I gestured him to look at my phone in my hand. He had an unimpressed bored expression on his face, I pushed it away. “Sooyeon sent me a text message! I’m glad she ended the fight first.” I kept going on and on, not noticing that he was getting annoyed. “And next—“ 

Baekhyun frowned, “Shut up.” I stopped and looked at him with my eyes widened. Did I just hear it right? “

“I need to tell you something.” I remained silent, “I want to confess that, I guess I’ve lost interest in you. It doesn’t feel the same anymore. Your problems don’t feel like mine anymore. I'm not concerned about you the way I was before at one point. I forget talking to you, calling you or even texting you; it doesn’t make a difference to me anymore. I want to break up.”

Something inside me broke as he finished, I could feel the pain in my chest, but I pretended to be okay as I didn’t want him to know how miserable his words have left me. I, in fact, thanked him for being honest. I was not easy to love but I was glad he did. “I’m going, bye.” I stopped, tears wouldn’t stop coming from my eyes, 

“Kiss me before you go, it’ll be our last kiss.” I approached waiting for him to fulfil my wish. 

“It will dirty my mouth, bye.” 

I spent the entire night sitting in a corner staring at the stars from my window. That was the night I would not forget.

“You know… where we could make use of those slender fingers and that fine tongue.” He winked at me, I felt so disgusted by him at that moment. “You’re crossing the line, sir.”

“I’m sure you’ll feel good, baby. And why call me sir? When you can just call me daddy in bed?” I shook my head, ‘ this.’ I reached for my purse. “Stop.” He grabbed my wrist tightly when I rose up.

“ing leave me alone.” I spat but I heard him clicking his tongue, “Don’t be embarrassed, I’ll arrange a nice suite for us.”

I jerked my hand away, feeling terrified, I had to get out of here. “You are horrifying.” I my heel and was about to walk away when he grabbed me by my ponytail and pulled me back. I winced in pain. I thrashed to free myself from his grip. “Let go… Please…” 

I was panicking but suddenly the grip on my hair was gone, “She ing said let her go.” My back was turned but I swear I could recognise that voice anywhere. I finally turned around to find the monster from my nightmare but the prince charming from my dreams; Byun Baekhyun.