Warning(s): cursing
Length: 4.2k words

[ 1 ]

Miyoung’s father called Miyoung and Doyoung to go downstairs after nearly two hours of torturous waiting. When he called them down to his office, Miyoung clutched Doyoung’s hand in hers and tried not to break down and cry, but she ultimately started sobbing in fear of what would happen. Doyoung, however, had regained his composure and was far from shedding another tear. For that, Miyoung was forever glad. If Doyoung—her rock—started weeping, she would have felt defeated in every way possible.

“I am very disappointed in the two of you,” their father said to them in a still voice, “and I would like to berate the both of you, but,” he paused, “it is a Monday.” Their father shook his head as if his own children were a waste of time. “I have an important meeting tomorrow, and you,” he eyed Miyoung, “have school tomorrow. As for you…” Their father glared at Doyoung. “You have to go look for a hotel tonight.”

Doyoung’s jaw dropped. “You’re kicking me out? Seriously?”

“If,” their father hissed, “you know what’s best for you, then you will do as I say and get out of this house immediately.” Miyoung instinctively opened to defend her brother, but it seemed as if their father foresaw her intentions. “And you will not leave this house, Miyoung. You are going to stay here,” he pointed to the floor, “and I will have my security team guard the perimeter just in case you think you can sneak out.”

Miyoung was offended—but not surprised. She loved Baekhyun; if she had the chance, she would have definitely tried to sneak out to see him. “Dad,” she whined, “I’m not going to—”

“I’ve heard enough,” their father interrupted. “Doyoung, get out. Miyoung, go to your room.” He tapped the face on his watch, and Miyoung glanced at the clock behind him. It was almost midnight. “We will discuss this further tomorrow evening.” Both Doyoung and Miyoung opened their mouth to protest, but their father silenced them with one glare. “I don’t want to hear anymore. I shall see the both of you tomorrow.”

On cue, Doyoung and Miyoung and turned around to walk out of their father’s office. Neither of them said a word. Both of them knew that they had their own respective storms coming for them. The clock was ticking. There were now less than 24 hours until their father unleashed his wrath.

Once they were back upstairs, Miyoung clutched her brother’s hand and looked at him with eyes that pled.

“Miyoung,” Doyoung mumbled, trying but not really trying to shake her off. “You’re going to be fine. I don’t think dad’s that mad at you. At least he still wants you here. He’s kicking me out.”

“Just don’t leave, Doyoung,” Miyoung still pled. “I don’t want to be here all alone. I,” she choked out a sob, “don’t know what to do. How-How do I even tell him?” Him meaning Baekhyun. Oh god, the longer she thought about breaking the news to him, the more she felt terrible. How she wished that she could run away or teleport to a different country right this instant. “Doyoung, please don’t go.”

“I’m sorry,” Doyoung whispered, “but I have to. I have to make sure Chaeyoung is okay anyways.”

Miyoung only had to hear her brother say that before she realized that he was going to leave no matter what she said because of Chaeyoung. At that, Miyoung couldn’t feel betrayed or even the slightest bit of hurt. She understood. This was most likely the last time they were going to be able to see each other in peace. If Miyoung had the same chance with Baekhyun, she would most definitely take it. So, in the place of begging and whining, Miyoung nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Miyoung whispered back as she pulled Doyoung in for a hug, “good luck.”

“It’s going to be okay.” Doyoung squeezed her tightly, and they didn’t let go to continue speaking. “I don’t think dad will punish us that hard. He risks too much.”

“You think?”

“He risks way too much,” Doyoung reiterated. “Come to think of it, we can blackmail him with this.” Miyoung froze when she heard the word blackmail. She had learned it as another word for extortion, and that was illegal. “He wouldn’t want Dispatch to get anywhere near these stories, huh?”

“I don’t know, Doyoung. If people knew that you had a child out of wedlock, your life is over, and so is Chaeyoung’s.” Miyoung winced. “You wouldn’t actually use that information to blackmail dad, right?”

“I don’t know, Miyoung,” Doyoung mocked her tone. “I’m just trying to protect you like you protected me.”

Miyoung, at that point, started to cry in Doyoung’s shoulder. Once again, the consequences were hitting her in full force, and it left a bitter taste in like she had swallowed a cyanide pill. She felt it coming—the heartbreak, the sadness, the torn-up feeling of being punched in the mouth. Baekhyun was levelheaded, but he didn’t have to be an inch of smart to know that the best course of action would be to break up with her for outing their relationship like that. The more she imagined a frown spreading across his features as she broke the news to him, the more she cried, and the more it hurt and hurt until she was hiccupping and begging Doyoung not to go.

But he had to go, and he eventually did. And so, Baekhyun would eventually find out, and he would most likely tell her she was a crazy, stupid fool before walking out never to be seen again.  

[ 2 ]

Miyoung thought she had done a great job of feigning normalcy throughout the entire day. She had pretended to be interested in the lengthy conversation Somi and Yuqi had regarding the transfer student from Hong Kong. When Jeno asked for her number, she gladly gave it to him and pretended like she wanted to go see a movie with him in the following weekend—despite the fact that it was only Tuesday. Then, when she was in Baekhyun’s class, she raised her hand like normal, quarreled with Mingi like normal, rolled her eyes at Naeun’s less-than-intelligent questions, and even engaged in playful banter. Later, during her tutoring session with Baekhyun, she vested her attention in revising her essay and hardly spoke to him to give the illusion that she was interested in completing her work—and not suffering from a legitimate mental breakdown.

Point was, she thought she gave portrayed feeling alright perfectly. But how foolish could she be? Baekhyun was a teacher; it was his job to pay attention to his students and grade papers with precision. His observation skills could cut through her veneer easily.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” Baekhyun finally, inevitably asked her when they had finished putting away their things away. “You seem really distant today, baby.”

Baby, oh, baby. When he said that—, when he said that—Miyoung’s defenses shut down and melted into a harmless puddle of goop. All sense, all bearings disappeared flew out the window when he said baby like it was honey and gold and magic and falling in love. Words weren’t just words when he said baby like it was a feeling, like it was a present. And he said it so earnestly, so genuinely and wholly filled with concern that it hurt to know he cared about her. What was there to care for anyway? Miyoung had outed their relationship to her father; she didn’t deserve his worry.

Miyoung tried to play it dumb. “I’m fine, Baekhyun.”

“You’re not fine, though,” he insisted. “I know something’s bothering you.” He looked at her in the eye and tilted his head for observation. “You busy yourself with work when you want to distract yourself. And today,” he tapped his fingers on the wooden table, “you were very active in the class discussion regarding The Merchant of Venice.”

“So?”

“You hate Shakespeare’s comedy. A lot.”

Miyoung bit the inside of her cheek and averted her gaze from Baekhyun. “I’m trying to get more interested in it,” she insisted, “because you like comedy, and I wouldn’t want to hate something that you liked so much.”

Baekhyun kept tapping his fingers on the table, and that told Miyoung enough; he was frustrated with her. “Don’t lie to me,” he said calmly. “Yesterday, you were whining about how much you didn’t want to participate in the discussion. There’s no way you would have changed your heart so quickly if something wasn’t bothering you. Look at me. Hey. Miyoung.” She hesitantly lifted her head to look at him in the eye. His expression wasn’t angry, thankfully. “You can be honest with me.”

Could she?

“I-I-I-I don’t know,” Miyoung stammered. “It-It’s bad.”

“Get on my lap, and tell me,” Baekhyun asserted anyways. “I want to know what’s bothering you.” When Miyoung refused to budge, Baekhyun only patted his lap impatiently. It was even in the tone of his voice. “Miyoung, I know you’re nervous,” Baekhyun said in his teacher voice, “but you’ll feel worse if you hold it inside and let it fester.” Then, like a flick of a switch, his voice grew soft. “So come here, and tell me.”

Miyoung gave in with great reluctance; it was inevitable anyway. He would have to know from her or her father, but there was more dignity in telling him first. She walked closer to Baekhyun and sat on his lap, enabling him to hold her with one arm and her cheek with one hand.

“My,” she started shakily, “my dad found out about Doyoung and Chaeyoung.”

“Oh god,” Baekhyun gasped. His eyes widened with genuine concern. “Is he alright? Your father didn’t do anything like kick him out, right?” Miyoung’s silence was an answer. “Oh no,” Baekhyun murmured. He squeezed Miyoung to reassure her. “I’m sorry to hear that. He’ll come around, though—your father.”

“Yeah, he has to.” Miyoung swallowed her dry spit with immense difficulty. Her hands had broken out in a cold sweat, so she refused to hold Baekhyun’s hand even when he opened his palm and invited her to seek comfort in him. “Baekhyun, he was going to disown Doyoung.” was a ing pit of sand filled with razor blades. “I-I-I-If it weren’t for me, Doyoung would probably be out on the streets or something with nothing to his name.”

“Well, it’s good that you prevented your father from disowning him.” Baekhyun placed his warm hand on Miyoung’s thigh when she continued to refuse to hold his hand. “You’re a good sister, M’young.”

“I’m not a good girlfriend, though.”

Baekhyun tensed up. “What do you mean? Is there something else you want to tell me?”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter