32.

Jongin ruffled his hair in frustration as he made his way towards his car.

Who would have thought that he’d meet his mother here of all places? Certainly not him. So that’s where she was all along playing house with some man. Whom she had a kid with. He had a brother. A half-brother. Baekhyun was his half-brother. Who would have thought? This was so messed up. She left him. Left his dad. And started a life of her own. He didn’t have any ill feelings towards Baekhyun. He had done nothing wrong. Nothing at all. But her. He hated her. He couldn’t forgive her. He just couldn’t.

He felt slim arms wrap around his waist, making his tense body relax as her warmth invaded his senses. Emma rested her head against his back.

“I’m here.”

I’ll always be here,

Always.

Jongin closed his eyes, feeling content with having her by his side.

They stood like this for a minute or two, enjoying one another’s presence before they got into the car and drove away. Away from all this madness.

“He’s my brother.”

Half-brother.

“Yes.”

Baekhyun ran a hand through his hair, what a surprise.

“When were you going to tell me?”

His mother sniffled, “I didn’t think it was necessary.”

Her son scoffed, “Really?”

She wiped away her tears, “I never thought you two would meet.”

It never occurred to me.

“I mean what were the odds of you two meeting let alone becoming friends.”

Close to none?

“Still you should have told me.”

I should’ve,

I know.

“Does dad know?”

She nodded her head, “Of course he does.”

Baekhyun sighed, “Why?”

He didn’t have to ask the question for her to know, “I just loved your father more.”

She took his hand, “I could no longer be with a man I had no feelings for.”

I couldn’t condemn myself to a life of unhappiness,

I just couldn’t,

I didn’t want to be miserable,

Was that so wrong?

“What about your son? Didn’t you love him?”

Did you even think about him?

Did you?

“I did.”

Of course I did,

A part of me still does.

“But I had to put the past behind me.”

I had to start over,

I didn’t want anything to tie me down,

I didn’t want a reminder of my past mistakes.

“I was fairly young when I married Jongin’s dad, I didn’t know any better. My parents were strongly against our marriage and being the stubborn and rebellious teenager I was I went with it.”

I shouldn’t have,

But I did,

And not a day goes by when I don’t regret that decision.

“I wanted to get back at them since they were so adamant on controlling my life.”

Every single part of it,

That was childish of my part, I know,

I know now.

“But I also loved him. After all he was my first love.”

But love alone is not enough,

It never is.

“We used to fight a lot, our personalities would always clash, we’d never agree on anything. It was horrible. Then Jongin came along, he brought us closer to one another. For a while we were truly happy but even he couldn’t fix his father and I’s already damaged relationship.”

Nothing could.

“Eventually I fell out of love with him. The things that used to make me smile and happy didn’t anymore. Life with him became impossible but I stayed for Jongin, I stayed for him.”

Only him.

“Then I met your father and I realized that I couldn’t go on like this, I couldn’t.”

I could only take too much,

I’m human after all.

Baekhyun looked at her, “So you left.”

She nodded her head, “I left.”

Disappointment flashed through his eyes, “You were being selfish.”

His words hurt. But he was right. She was. She was being selfish.

“I was.”

I am.

Tears fell down her face as she spoke, “But don’t I deserve to be happy?”

Don’t I?

His gaze softened as he took in her fragile state.

“What about Jongin then?”

Doesn’t he deserve to be happy?

Doesn’t he deserve to have his mom by his side?

Doesn’t he deserve to be loved?

“If he mattered to you, even a little, you wouldn’t have acted this way. You would’ve at least kept in touch with him.”

He frowned, “He had to grow up without a mom. Do you know how hard that is?”

How awful he must’ve felt?

“What wrong did he do to deserve this?”

His mother kept on crying. It hurt him to see her like this. It really did. But this is nothing compared to how his brother must have felt all those years.

“Do you hate me?”

Baekhyun squeezed her hand, “No, I’d never hate you.”

He gently wiped away her tears, “I’m just disappointed.”

She didn’t know why but she’d rather have him hate her than be disappointed in her.

“You need to talk to her.”

You have to,

Eventually,

You have to.

“I can’t.”

He looked at Emma, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“I can’t even look her in the face.”

She nodded her head, “I know.”

I understand.

“I don’t even know if I can forgive her.”

Do I even want to?

“We don’t forgive people because they deserve it. We forgive them because they need it. Because we need it.”

Emma reached out to caress his cheek, her thumb gently wiping away his fallen tears.

“What’s the point of forgiving when deep down I know I’ll never forget?”

She blinked back her tears and smiled, “Forgiving is simply denying your pain the right to control your life.”

To ruin your life.

“It’s not about accepting what that person’s said or done.”

Not at all.

“It’s about letting go and moving on with your life.”

It’s about setting yourself free.

“After all, you can’t move on if you keep on clinging to the past.”

You can’t.

“Eventually you have to let go.”

You have to.

Then she embraced him.

He cl