Leave if you’re disgusted. Or just cuss at me… or slap me.

Baekhyun thought, as he waited for her to show any kind of reaction.

At least cry Lee Yoon! Show me what getting to know my past and true self has done to you.

“Chaerin. That’s her name, right?”

She asked, watching him cautiously, instead of reacting in any way he had expected her to do.

Baekhyun nodded. “Na Chaerin.”

“Was she pretty?”

“Average.”

“Same age as you?”

“Yeah.”

“Is she still in Canada?”

“Why do you keep asking about her?” Baekhyun raised his voice when he couldn’t take it anymore.

Ignoring his temper, Yoon was coming up with more questions. “So when did you return to Korea?”

“Right after I found about them. Couldn’t get myself to live there…so within about a week.”

“Came straight to your parents?”

“How could I? After all the third rated things I did to them, after all the deceiving…”

“Stayed somewhere else then?”

“Rented an apartment and started looking for a job from there. Then abhuji got to know that I’m back in Korea somehow and came to take me home.” Tears had started glistening in his eyes for the first time since he had started talking. “Asked me to come and live with them just like before. They’d forgiven me without asking a single question. That’s why I decided to live the rest of my life obeying them and doing whatever that pleased them. That was the only way I could pay for all the wrong I had done to them. So in the end I had to marry you as well.”

“This drinking habit…when did it start?”

“I’m naturally a heavy drinker. So I’m not sure…must be during my stay in an apartment before returning home. I lived alone for nearly six months.”

And the questioning seemed to have come to an end, when Yoon brought her hand up to his face. “It must have hurt a lot.” She placed the palm on his cheek and smoothened her thumb over the skin reddened with anger. “You’ve been through so much…it must have hurt a lot.”

He stared at her as she continued to caress his face. “You can’t be good to me like this. After how I’ve treated you.”

“Don’t you feel less burdened at heart now?” she asked, ignoring his words once again. “Now you’ve told me everything, doesn’t it feel like a heavy weight has been lifted off your shoulders?”

Baekhyun sighed, silently agreeing her.

“Let’s go out for breakfast.” Yoon stood up with a bright smile. “Now all the bad energy has gone away, we need to fuel ourselves with something delicious.” The girl reached down for his hand and grabbed it. “Come on! Take a shower, shave that stubble and come out. I’m starving!”

He entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. ing his shirt, he let himself get lost in thoughts again, as that was all he did when he was sober and alone.

Strange enough, it wasn’t the days in Canada which came to his mind as it usually did.

This time it was her words.

Lee Yoon’s words.

“Shave that stubble and come out.”

He walked up to the mirror, and stared at his own reflexion. There was a stubble appearing down the way from his sideburns, over his sunken cheeks, on his chin and downwards to his neck, emerging in a bluish black against his pale skin.

Closely matching the dark circles around his eyes.

Plus the hair, which needed at least thrice the usual amount of shampoo he used on it, to reach an actual clean state.

Thanks to the nearly full week on alcohol, and nothing but alcohol only.

Maybe she’s right.

Telling her everything made the burden lift off my chest.

His eyes ran down to the crystal toothbrush holder, which held two identical brushed of purple and red. Taking the purple one he reached for the tube of toothpaste next, only to find it finished and thrown to the trash can.

He opened the bathroom cabinet to get a new one.

Taking the tube out, his eyes landed on the sleek pink and white body lotion bottle.

English Rose. So the fragrant of the lotion named.

He blinked, trying to recall where he had smelled the fragrance of roses recently, which his mind had suddenly decided to bring up out of nowhere.

It can’t be her.

Why would I remember her scent?

And there was a knock on the bathroom door. Baekhyun went back and opened it.

Standing there, was Yoon, holding a neatly folded jade green towel. “Shindong-ssi said he couldn’t renew the tow-”

Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell on his torso behind the ed shirt. “Um…here. Take it.” The girl basically shoved the towel in his hands before turning around and walking away. Instead of closing the door, Baekhyun called her back.

“Yoon,”

She turned around, revealing a cherry red face.

It made his blurry flashbacks come flooding again.

The blushing cheeks he had brushed the stray hair off…

She was on his lap…

His hand was definitely trying to feel her skin underneath the nightdress…

“When I was drunk, did I... by any chance…” he began struggling for words.

“Don’t say those annoying words like ‘inappropriate movement’ and ‘mistake’ again...you’ll lose your breakfast!” Yoon snapped at him.

“Then…by any chance…”

“By any chance what?”

“Did I kiss you?”

The girl pressed her lips tight together.

“So I did?” he asked again.

The girl shook her head. “No you didn’t.”

“I- I didn’t?”

He asked back in surprise, much sure that his blurred memories and visions weren’t lying to him.

“No Baekhyun-ssi.” Yoon stated as a matter of fact.

After a moment of pondering, Baekhyun slowly nodded. “That’s good. Because I don’t want things to get awkward between you and me.”

Yoon listened in silence, trying her best not to glare at him.

“Still, if you think I’m getting too close, please keep your distance from me when I’m drunk. I’m much comfortable that way.”

And he returned to the bathroom, feeling confused.

And somewhat dejected.

Meanwhile Yoon ran to find an outfit for herself, and released the sigh she was holding in as she leaned on the shoe cupboard.

She didn’t want him to know. She didn’t want him to be horrified by thinking he had made advances on her while being drunk as she feared that would make him even more distanced from her.

Let’s take things slowly. Well done Lee Yoon.

* * *

“Byun Baekhyun is a WHAT?”

“You heard me Kim Minji.” Yoon sighed.

“Yah, YAAAAA LEE YOON! How could you not tell me earlier???” her closest friend Minji was screaming at the other end of the call. “How did you get through everything by yourself? Did you even tell your parents? I bet you didn’t!”

“Yeah, I didn’t.” Yoon smiled.

“You idiot… Did you think you can get through this all by yourself?”

“He’s shown lots of improvement Minji-yah… He’ll get over it. I’m sure.”

“What do you mean by improvement? You just said he’s been drinking nonstop for a week now!” Minji was screaming again.

“Ani… I mean, he talked with me. He finally opened up to me and told me what dragged him into this.”

“Aish…whatever. And about that dimwit of a doctor. What was Minseok thinking huh? How could he not tell me when he knew everything?”

“He too didn’t actually know anything Minji-yah. We’re talking about Byun Baekhyun. Will the Byun’s let anything scandalous be known to the world about their only heir? That’s why even Doctor Shim hadn’t revealed anything to your oppa. So you can’t blame him!”

“Still he’s a dimwit.” Minji huffed. “By the way, how about hanging out with us tonight? Got any other plans?”

“No plans, so yeah, I’ll come over to your place.”

“Nah…let’s meet in Han Gang park. And bring that husband of yours. I need to give him a good lecture so he won’t ever look at even an empty glass.”

“Yah,” Yoon couldn’t help but chuckle at her feisty friend. “Don’t you dare tell him anything.”

“Protecting your husband huh? I smell love even from here. By the way Yoon-ah…did it happen?”

“What’s ‘it’?” Yoon blinked.

“I’m rolling my eyes here. Did you two sleep together or not?” Minji asked through gritted teeth.

“What the hell Kim Minji!”

“You mean it was hot as hell eh?”

“Shut it or I won’t meet you tonight.” Yoon muttered.

“Oh…right. Your tone says it didn’t happen yet…whatever. You shouldn’t change the nature’s timing and let things happen naturally… Now back to topic. I won’t scare off your baby-faced husband. So bring him along. Oppa’s joining us so it’ll be a double date.”

“Fine… I’ll ask if he’s free of appointments tonight okay?”

* * *

Yoon leaned in through the half open door to his study. And there he was, still clad in the checkered shirt and black denim pants, sitting at his table and staring at his PC screen.

The slight crease between his eyebrows, and the way he pushed up the wire rimmed glasses before taking a cardboard folder and opening it up, made her smile to herself.

“Look how great you look when you’re so engrossed in work like that.” She finally spoke up, making him look up over his glasses. “The typical girl fantasies about working men. I see.” He returned his eyes to the document.

“This typical girl is here to ask you for a favour.” Yoon pouted after entering the room. “My friend Minji…remember that shortie with blonde hair?”

“Your best friend…right? You introduced her to me on our wedding day.” He suddenly remembered something, that made him look up at her with confused eyes. “Wasn’t her brother the one who works with Doctor Shim?”

“He is. Minseok sunbae.” Yoon nodded.

“Why d’you call him sunbae?”

“Because he was my senior in high school. Actually I knew him before Minji transferred to our school and became my bestie.”

Baekhyun nodded and returned to his work. “So what’s the favour?”

“Minji wants to hangout…near Han Gang, tonight. Mind joining us?”

“Am I wanted there?”

“Of course you’re wanted there!” The girl glared at him.

Let’s go out, so you won’t be staying home and drinking alone.

“They’d like it very much, if you can show up.”

“But Yoon-”

“It’s alright if you don’t wanna come.” Yoon sighed. “It’s not like I can press you to do it. It’s alright.” She pursed her lips with a nod, and turned around to walk out of the room. And just then she heard his phone start ringing.

“What’s it Krystal?”

He listened to the assistant for a moment.

“It’s just the next month’s magazine issue release so why am I needed?....What’s so hard about it that you need a sudden planning meeting?”

Yoon continued to