TIP #10: “Amour veut tout sans nombre, amour n’a point de loi.”
(Love wants everything without condition, love has no laws)

To err is human.

To forgive is human.

Everyone errs.

But not everyone can forgive.

“Here are you fruits.” The auntie in straw hat hands over a full plastic of apples towards her customers, “Please come again.” She smiles sweetly.

She salivates her thumb before counting each and every one of her bills with precision. The bills that came from her hard work all day long.

It’s a really scorching hot day to be working outdoors without minimal sunscreen, but just a little more, she convinces herself.

To restart a better life for herself.

With her precious daughter.

She looks around and hastily folds the money into her tattered waist pouch, ready to re-enter the shop to get a cooling cup of ice water.

“Excuse me.”

She turns around and sluggishly fixes her hat, soon forgetting about her agenda to drink.

“How much for a dozen of apples?”

The auntie blinks emotionlessly before promptly answering, “$10.”

She can’t help but study the poise-looking man from head to toe in a pleasant manner. It’s really not everyday that a dashing young lad comes to the countryside to buy some fruits.

The man takes out his wallet and plucks out some of his notes before darting back to the fruit seller, “Ah, I’ve only got a $100 note because I just came back from my trip.”

The auntie smiles and waves off her hand, “Don’t worry.” She speaks as she inches towards her cash register, “I think I’ve got some smaller notes.”

“Mdm Bae.”

falls apart in surprise, “How did you know my name?”

The man donning a bomber jacket flaunts an amicable smile, “I heard the other customers call you on my way here.”

How he hates this woman standing right in front of him.

He imagines his diabolical hands coiled nicely around her neck, the sweet shrilling of her voice amplified.

It disgusts him to put up a show for the woman who shares any DNA with her.

It is painful just to be in the presence of them. He could’ve simply killed her off there and then, but again, that would be no fun.

He is waiting to strike at the perfect moment.

It didn’t take Wonwoo long to find out about her whereabouts unlike her stupid daughter. Simply by tailing her led him to this rural countryside. She thought she was smart, but he begs to differ.

She could escape till the ends of the Earth but he would still be able to find her.

Mdm Bae bobs her head in sheer belief at his words, “Oh no wonder.” She laughs it off heartily while heading in to get some small change.

Wonwoo returns the laughter in a foolproof façade. As soon as she is out of sight, his smile gets ripped immediately by a macabre of animosity as the chilling temptation of bloodlust echoes throughout his system.

Of course he knows her name.

It’s not the first time they’ve met.

* *

“Is this the dinner you were talking about the other day?”

Baekhyun is unpleased with Jongin for tricking him into wearing a lavishing suit, ready to spend the night in a posh seafood restaurant, only to get invited to a simple roadside food stall again.

Are Jongin and In Hya in some sort of cahoots?

“Sorry, I’m broke.” Jongin croons into a mischievous laugh.

It’s really funny to see how gullible casanova Byun Baekhyun is despite how strongly cautious he has been around people whom he has built high walls against.

Baekhyun merely clicks his tongue before he gets a pair of chopsticks to snatch some of Jongin’s food.

He gnaws on the piece of fishcake like it’s an expensive piece of Sirloin steak.

Jongin suddenly presses a palm to his forehead.

“The you doing?” Baekhyun eyes him.

Jongin has his jaw gape with only airy sounds exhaled.

“Earth to Jongin?” Baekhyun calls out to snap the dazed lad.

“No way.” Jongin mumbles under his breath.

“Seriously, what the is wrong with you?” Baekhyun balks indifferently before chomping on a small sausage.

“Why are you eating that?”

Baekhyun narrows his eyes, “What the hell kind of question is that? Isn’t that the purpose of this dinner?”

“I’m not joking.” Jongin raises his voice, “Why?”

“Okay now you’re starting to freak me out.” Baekhyun deadpans.

“Yeah I brought you here to accompany me just because I felt like getting snacks, but the real dinner on me will be later.” Jongin explains as if Baekhyun has committed a terrible taboo.

“And your point?” Baekhyun asks with a quirk brow.

“Do you not realize it?” Jongin points to his plate, “You’ve never wanted to eat cheap food like this!”

Oh, is that why Jongin is acting up? Because it’s a novelty to see him adjusting to the commoners’ life?

Baekhyun hurls his chopsticks accusingly at the still shocked guy, “Now you’re making me look like I’m stuck-up jerk.”

“You aren’t?”

Baekhyun smacks his head with the alleged weapon in his hand, “I’m not, you . I just didn’t bother to try it.

“How’s the food?” Jongin closes in and wriggles his eyebrows, “Not bad eh?”

Baekhyun ruffles his hair and moves away, “Can you just let me eat in peace? You’re starting to sound more and more like her.”

“Like who?”

Baekhyun feels his stomach churn into a knot, “Uh— did I say a her? I meant no one. Yeah, no one.” He clears his throat awkwardly.

Jongin passes it off and orders another plate of fishcakes. Baekhyun glances at him meekly, unsure of how to broach the topic. It can come off as sensitive, or rather offensive, however way Jongin interprets it. He circles the circumference of his glass with his index finger mindlessly as the another fresh set gets served to their plate.

“Listen, Jongin.” He starts off with a firm tone.

Jongin hums in response as he devours the scrumptious snack without paying much attention.

“You know, about that.”

“Yeah?”

Baekhyun quickly changes his choice of words, “I mean her, about her.”

“Who’s her?” Jongin continues.

“In Hya.”

He stops eating and looks straight at his friend, “Huh?”

Baekhyun starts to sweat and takes a deep breath, “I think you should stay away from her.”

Jongin observes him wryly, unable to decipher the atmosphere, “Excuse me?”

Baekhyun notices Jongin’s orbs harden with a vortex of confusion and disbelief but he manages to breathe out, “It’s for your own sake.”

“There must be something, that’s why you’re saying this.” Jongin’s voice is hauntingly transparent, demanding for solid reasons.

Baekhyun debates with his inner dilemma as he purses his lips, “No. There isn’t. I just feel that you’re more suited with a better girl.”

“Better? Hyung, you only met her that one day when I asked you to tag with Yunae for her field trip. How can you judge her so easily like that?”

Baekhyun moistens his dry lips, “Jongin, she’s not the person you think she is.”

“And wha