sometimes loving means letting go...
 

I wake up the next morning to a pounding headache. It felt like there was an active war going on in my head. I groan feeling my forehead as my eyelids slowly lifted. My surroundings still looked muddled as I looked around. 

All I can recognize in the first few seconds were take out containers and what looked to be like colorful canvases scattered around everywhere. My vision goes from double to regular finally and then it hits me that I’m not in my room. It’s too grand and far too luxurious to be.

Somehow the rest of my body starts to unnumb as I finally feel some weight over it. My body finally detects the limbs holding me familiarly. My mind is finally caught up to my physical state as I decide to check next to me.

My eyes widened in shock to see a slumbering Baekhyun. 

I immediately check myself to see that I’m still fully clothed. I sigh in relief to find myself in the same white dress I was in last night. 

I pull myself away from him gently as I don’t want to have to deal with the consequences of him being awake. I start to regain more consciousness and my mind drifts to the events of last night. 

I recall his words of I love you but I can also picture how hammered he was. Even if he did mean those words, there was something about his drunken state that left a bad taste in my mouth.
 

I remember telling him how distasteful it was to be professing in such a manner.

“What do you expect me to do with this information, Baekhyun?” I darkly chuckled.
 

He shakes his head slowly showing me a bitter smile.
 

“I just want you to know,” He says. “And I want to be in your life again. I’m not asking you to love me. I just want us to go back to the way it was. I want my Cinderella.” He utters in a slur. 

He’s looking nauseous at this point and I sensed how heavy my heart was in the moment. As much as I wanted to hate him and leave him to rot on the floor, I couldn’t resist feeling sorry for him, because of how helpless he looked.
 

I texted my friends not to worry, letting them know that I was going to go home. I also answered to my parents to tell them that I was having a good time and that I’ll probably be out the whole night.
 

I looked to Baekhyun who was now on the floor leaning against the arm of a velvet chair. He looked like he was going to puke any minute so my first instinct was to get him to the nearest restroom. I wrapped his arm around me as I hoisted him up.

“Who needs the help now? You, idiot.” I mumbled as I finally felt him cooperating.

He pointed at the nearest door and we got in, but it’s not long before we’re stumbling onto a bed. The turn of events led to him being laid on top of me. 

There’s a restroom within the room and I encouraged him to get off me to use it, but he only refused to. I managed to slither from beneath, having him roll to the side as a result. But there’s not enough time to get up and leave because he ended up locking me in an embrace.

“Baekhyun, let go of me.” I whispered.
 

He doesn’t budge. I’m not exactly working enough energy to free myself either. It feels comfortable; safe, almost. 

“You can go back to hating me tomorrow,” I hear him breathlessly say. “Just be with me for tonight.” 

I’m snapped out of my daze when I hear the colossal clock strike 12. I find it in me to look back at Baekhyun who is still in deep sleep. I gather my purse and carry my heels as I rush out of the door. Only then do I realize where exactly Baekhyun and I are.

“Who are you?” I hear a deep voice call out to me.

I feel like I’ve been caught doing something illegal so my first impulse is to raise my hands in the air. It earns me a chuckle from the low-toned stranger. A gasp escapes out of me when I see who it belongs to.

It’s the owner of the house, Chanyeol. He has a Versace robe on and matching fuzzy slippers. His arms are crossed over his wide chest as he eyes me with a suspicious brow.

“I was here at your party last night,” I explained in a quiet fashion, hoping not to alarm Baekhyun. The last thing I wanted was to confront him this morning or rather, ever.

It’s silent for a while, but then he breaks out in genuine laughter.

“Damn. My party was that crazy, huh?” He smiles widely, showcasing the adorable dent in his cheek.

“Well, I’m glad to have hosted you. I would rather my guests be safe than sorry.” He charmingly replies.

“I really appreciate your kindness,” I want to say meaningfully, but my eyes are too busy checking the bedroom door every minute. “I owe you a big one for this, but I really have to go.”

I do my best to be polite as I slowly try to inch myself closer towards the main entrance. I think he catches on with the situation because the next thing he does relieves me entirely.

“I’ll have my driver take you home,” He insists. “I have a feeling you’re in a hurry.” He chuckles.

I nod to him and pledge him with my gratitude. He instructs one of his maids to inform his chauffeur about the situation, before beckoning me to get going.

“I’ll see you around, Marilyn!” He says, the name of choice clearly an ode to my costume. 

The driver opens the door of the black Rolls Royce for me before I escape into it. At the very last second before we are completely departed from the residence, from the giant window of Chanyeol’s home, I catch a slight glimpse of the bedroom door opening with a frazzled Baekhyun.
 

                                                                                               ★━━━━━━━━━━━━★

It’s been a couple days since the incident. I’ve been trying to keep my regular schedule, but ever since the night that Baekhyun and I had that strange encounter, I’ve been receiving texts from him. I haven’t had the courage to open them up willingly, but my finger mistakenly opens up our chat box. At this point, I decided to scroll up to find the message he sent me the morning I left Chanyeol’s place.

 

December 1st  1:01 P.M.

Baekhyun: I’m really sorry for putting you in that position last night. I hope you’d consider talking it out with me. Can we please talk...in person? <