a/n: Check out the foreword. :>

January 20XX,  Junior Year

Minae puffed her cheeks as she pedaled harder, she only had less than ten minutes to get to class and hand in her report on time.

She was only a few meters away from her department’s building when a car suddenly appeared out of nowhere, her eyes widened as as she gripped on the brakes.

The car’s wheels screeched loudly and the other students watched in horror, Minae flinched as she landed on the cold pavement.

“Ya!” A painstakingly familiar whine could be heard from across the street, Minae was wincing as she tried to pull herself up.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry, I was in a rush and~”

“You!” Her friend, Jongdae finally reached her and pulled her up, Minae looked up and saw the tall male looking at her with concern.

“How could you kill our brain?” Jongdae nagged him as Minae brushed off the dirt on her jeans, she finally took a good look on the male with the Mercedes Benz sedan which almost run her over.

“It’s fine. My head is still intact.” She said in her usual calm tone.

“You’re bleeding.” The male spoke, his eyes were on her elbow and that was when Minae felt the sharp sting rise up to her arm.

“You should totally press charges. Let’s milk him out.” Jongdae stated, the male eyed him warily.

“You guys know each other?” Minae asked, the male ran back to his car and came back with a shirt.

“You should tie this around the wound.” He was frowning as he offered his shirt to her, Minae took it from him and quickly pressed it on her wound.

“We do. This is Park Chanyeol, we’re from the same department but another major.” Jongdae said quickly, the male started to smile and offered his hand to her.

“Nice to meet you, well, not…really nice, with what happened.” He murmured as he glanced back at her fallen bicycle.

“Jung Minae. Don’t worry, I don’t think anything’s broken.” She said with a polite smile.

“Nothing better be broken, our class’s genius needs her head intact because we have a project coming~”

“Let it go, Kim Jongdae.” She chuckled before taking her bag from the male.

“Are you sure? I can take you to the infir~”

“It’s fine. Nice to meet you though. Eyes on the road next time.” Minae gave the two males a small wave before heading towards the building.

“You better get this fixed,” Jongdae said as he pulled up the girl’s bicycly, Chanyeol just bit his lip and nodded.

August 20XX

“You were late. Again.” Minae pointed out as they headed down the steps.

“I didn’t know my father was home.”

“Oh, that bad?” Minae paused, Chanyeol shrugged at her while taking out his phone.

“It’s the same thing, music is crap. It wont get my anywhere, but working for the company is actually better. Did I mention that it’s also similar to forced labor?”

She chuckled and shook her head at him, Chanyeol had her backpack on his other shoulder as they walked towards the library.

“Why not give it a chance? Give it a few weeks or days~”

Chanyeol looked at her, his nose scrunched.

“Or not.” She finished, he grinned at her.

“Are you going to stay long today? How about we grab lunch first? Baekhyun wants to try this new place in Itaewon.”

“I’ll probably pass. I have a report to finish. But have fun.” Minae raised her fist towards him.

“Nope, you’re not passing tonight. I’ll come by to pick you up.”

“Chan~” She started to take her backpack from him, but he wouldn’t budge.

“You promised you’d help me with review for the finance quiz.”

“I was actually hoping you’d forget about that.” She muttered, letting go of her bag. Chanyeol beamed at her.

“I would never. I’ll buy you ice cream.” Chanyeol said as he bumped his fist with her.

“See you later, Park Yeol.” She rolled her eyes at him before walking towards the library’s doors.

“Okay, move the pork away from the princess.” Baekhyun announced as Minae sat down beside him.

“This is the new place you were raving about? It’s just barbequed meat.” She mumbled, Jongdae chuckled at her.

“Chanyeol?”

“He’s still looking for a parking spot.”

“That’s good he went out with us tonight, things..were..kind of bad, fomr what I’ve hear.” Baekhyun started, Minae’s brows rose.

“What do you mean?” She asked him, Jongdae shook his head.

“Well, you know how he and his father have always been..at odds, right? He mentioned it to you.”

“Yeah, he did.”

“Today, they got in another huge argument. Chanyeol left home.”

Jongdae and Minae both halted, stunned.

“He arrived at our house earlier, with his things. His guitar, drum set and~”

“Wait, so..he..he really did leave his parents’ home?” Minae questioned.

“Yes, it’s pretty intense this time, Min. He swore he would never step back in there again.”

“It’s really getting worse then.” Jongdae murmured to himself, Minae looked up when she saw Chanyeol walk in the restaurant.

“It’s like they don’t understand him. How hard is it to just let him do his music? It’s not like it will~”

“Shh.” Minae shushed Baekhyun as Chanyeol plopped down across her.

“What took you so long?” Jongdae said to him, Chanyeol rolled his eyes, Minae noticed the dark shadows under his eyes.

“Let’s order, I’m sure we’re all hungry. And Chanyeol has to study.” She said jokingly.

“Ugh, we’re out here, having dinner, enjoying the night and Minae really has to talk about school.” Baekhyun shuddered, Minae glared at him.

“Cut it out, please don’t put her in a foul mood. She still has to tutor me.” Chanyeol joked, Minae smiled at him and patted his hand.

“Oh, did Min ever mention? She got in your family’s company for her internship?” Jongdae blurted out, Chanyeol looked at her, his brows rose at the mention of his family’s company.

“Wow, what great friends you have.” Minae murmured under her breath.

“Really? Good luck then, I hope you don't get into the system.” Chanyeol said dryly, Baekhyun puffed his cheeks and shook his head.

Chanyeol stepped out of the lecture hall, he had asked to be excused to buy something to drink. He made his way to the elevator and chose not to buy drinks from the vending machine, instead, he planned to take long route to the cafeteria.

He was walking listlessly; he could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket. His mother had been calling him nonstop ever since he left home. He had no plans of ever coming back, so it was useless answering. He couldn’t stand living with his father, not anymore.

He sighed as he got inside the elevator, he leaned back and took out his phone. He swiped on the red icon before opening a messaging app. He tapped on Min’s name before typing in a text.

Where are you? Class?

He arrived at the ground floor and padded towards the cafeteria doors, he got inside and walked towards one of the stalls.

And then he paused, on one of the tables lay a familiar backpack, he knew who the owner was when his eyes laid on the familiar ferret plushie keychain.

“She’s here. I thought she had class.” He murmured, his eyes roamed around the area. He paid for his fruit smoothie before heading back to class and then he heard it.

Chanyeol halted, his eyes were on the door to one of the spare audio visual rooms just across the cafeteria. He could hear someone arguing or yelling, his forehead creased as he silently walked towards the doors.

“I told you to stay away from us!”

“But, aunt~”

“Your father is already dead. You have no connection to us anymore.” The lady yelled back, Chanyeol bit his lip and peeked over the double doors, he halted when he saw the two women. One of them was Minae. Baekhyun’s princess, Minae.

It was clear that she was just holding back her tears.

“I don’t know what else you want, you brat. We’re already paying for education, your dormitory, now you try showing up at the company? Are you trying to destroy us too? Just like how you and your mother did to my brother?”

The girl looked away, her eyes cast down.

“Just study quietly, we don’t want to see you. You will never be one of us.”

“Aunt, I just wanted to see gran~”

“They don’t want to see you. You are the reason why their son died, Minae. So, disappear, get lost!” The woman yelled at her, Chanyeol’s forehead creased, he wanted to barge in and stop the lady. But he knew Minae would not appreciate that.

“Just take the money and stay away from us. That’s what you’re good at anyway.” The woman finished before walking away from her, Chanyeol watched as Minae let out a shaky breath and sat down on one of the seats.

And then she leaned over and let her tears roll down silently.

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