Morning came a lot faster than he expected. The curtains were already pulled to the side to let the sun in when his eyes blinked open. There was a slight weight on his right arm when he attempted to move. He looked down and saw Leo hugging his arm. Arthur, on the other hand, on his other side. He slowly lifted Leo’s arms so he could pull his arm back and carefully placed it back on the now free space. He hopped off the bed as silently as he could and searched around for Tristan when his, or Luhan’s, phone rang. They agreed to exchange in case Chanyeol will call him and find out he’s not actually calling internationally.

“Hello?”

“B, Chanyeol called! I told him I’ll call back because you were like…gone.”

“Okay, do that conference thing. Then call him.”

“Okay, okay,” There were a few beeps before Luhan spoke again. “It’s done. Can you hear Chanyeol’s phone ringing?”

“Yeah,” After three rings, Chanyeol finally answered. Baekhyun’s breath autmotically hitched.

“Baekhyun?”

His voice.

He misses his voice so much.

“Hey,”

“Hey Baek! How are you? I called you earlier! Luhan said you were gone.” Somehow, he can imagine Chanyeol grinning and then switching to frowning in an instant.

“Y-Yeah. I was sleeping actually.”

“Oh, right, it’s afternoon there right?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun closes his eyes and inhales deeply. He thinks of Chanyeol’s face, his smile, and those little twitches. He imagines himself sitting inside his room, on his bed, talking to Chanyeol like everything is normal, like everything’s fine. He hears birds tweeting and leaves ruffling outside. He can smell his own room. He can feel the texture of his bed. And he stays like that. “So, how’s…London?”

“London’s nice! I took a lot of pictures! The people are nice too! I wish you were here with me.” Baekhyun smiles. “Oh I know! I’ll send you a picture of me with the Big Ben!” He can hear clicking, clicking and more clicking. “There! You see it?”

Baekhyun pulls away the phone to see the picture Luhan forwarded to him and couldn’t help but smile. There’s the Big Ben. And there’s Chanyeol’s huge face at the corner of the picture, grinning widely. He looks so stupid. “I see it.” Baekhyun replies.

“Looks good right?” Chanyeol laughs. “When I get home, I’ll bring lots of fruits for you. You’re going to watch me later right?”

“Y-yeah. Of course I will.”

“Great! I have to go now.” Chanyeol says. “Hey Baekhyun,”

“Hm?”

There was a short pause, but it doesn’t matter, because Baekhyun likes the sound of Chanyeol’s breathing.

“I miss you,”

Baekhyun lowers his head. Somehow looking up straight becomes so different. He’s so weak. He hates the fact that he’s weak against Chanyeol’s words. And how it hurts that he misses him so much, even more than he should.

“I…I miss you too, Chanyeol,” He bites his lip to prevent the tears.

He can practically hear Chanyeol’s smile and he feels good. It feels good knowing that he can make Chanyeol smile, that simple things like these can make him happy. And he wants to keep him happy but he couldn’t. That’s why it hurts.

“I’ll see you soon, Baek,” Chanyeol hangs up. Baekhyun can only hold on to those words.

“Baekhyun,” Luhan says on the other line. “It’s going to be fine,”

And there goes the tears. “I know,” He wipes them immediately and looks up to stop more from coming. “Thank you,”

Luhan ends the conference call.

Baekhyun walks to the floor-to-ceiling window and stares outside. He just stands there and watches as the sun slowly envelopes the morning sky. Today it begins. Today he’s going to claim what’s mine. He can’t hide anymore. It’s enough. It’s time to tell the people who he is. Even though it means losing the person he loves the most, he can’t afford to let all of his father’s hard work go to waste. It’s hard but it has to be or his sacrifice wouldn’t mean a thing.

He felt something grab the hem of his shirt so he looks down. “Ellie,” Leo calls while rubbing his eye. “I’m hungry,”

Baekhyun kneels down to carry Leo in his arms. It takes him back when he used to carry Yuan around. He would like the two of them to meet. They might be good friends. He turns to their bed and saw Arthur still snoring. “Your brother’s still asleep,”

“He always sleeps in…” Leo murmurs while wrapping his tiny arms around Baekhyun’s neck.

Baekhyun walks over the bed and shakes Arthur’s arm softly. “Arthur, wake up,”

“He’s not going to wake up like that,” Leo says.

“Oh? Why not?”

“You need to shout,”

Baekhyun crooked his eyebrows. “Shout?”

Leo nods. “Tristan always shouts at him,”

Baekhyun chuckles and slowly put Leo down the floor. Then he leans on Arthur’s ear.

“ARTHUR WAKE UP THERE’S FIRE WAKE UP WE’RE GONNA DIE!”

Arthur bolts up and starts panicking and ends up falling down at the other side of the bed to the floor with a loud thud. Leo starts cracking up and Baekhyun does the same.

Arthur sits up. “Damn it,”

Baekhyun just shrugs. As if on cue, the door opens and Tristan walks in with arms full of paper bags. “I got you guys clothes and food’s here,” He walks aside to let the staff push in the cart with their breakfast. Leo happily walked over as soon as he saw the food. Arthur followed him awhile after.

“Hey,” Tristan says to Baekhyun with a smile. “So, you ready for this?”

“Well, there’s no turning back now right?” Baekhyun chuckles. “How are we gonna do this exactly? I’m just going to…walk in the middle of the banquet and introduce myself? Or?”

“That’s exactly what you have to do. But, we also have to be careful.”

“Wait, isn’t it like an exclusive event? That means there will be securities everywhere. How am I supposed to get in?”

“That is exactly why we need Yixing,” Tristan answers simply. “He controls the securities,”

“Oh, right, Yixing,” Baekhyun huffs.

Tristan sighs. “Look, I know you don’t want to see Yixing but—“

“It’s not that,” Baekhyun cuts off. “It’s just that…I don’t know what to say to him. But I’ll be fine.”

“I know you can do this. You’re a Van der Gilt,”

It’s funny how most of the time he tries to deny the fact that he is indeed a Van der Gilt. Edward might not be his biological father but his mother loved his father so much and he could see it every day. Edward has been with him since he was born and he has loved him unconditionally like his own son. There’s no denying this. No matter how much he’ll try to run away he’ll always fall back to where he started.

He just wished that he didn’t make a few turns on the way because now falling back hurts so much. Just thinking of all the people he has to leave makes him want to stop halfway immediately. But as his mother used to say, those who part will meet again someday. And he’ll hold on to that that thought for as long as he could because he knows that will keep going, hoping and hoping and hoping.

--

The time is three o’clock in the afternoon. The banquet doesn’t start until five. But not for him. The moment he steps out of this room is when everything changes—his life and everybody else’. Baekhyun has been staring at the mirror for a long time, trying to familiarize that face the plan takes action. He’s wearing a baby blue sweater, with the polo’s collar sticking out, matched with black jeans and finally a black long coat as cover from the cold. He looks…normal. And it’s perfect because he wants to be normal.

“What are you wearing?” Tristan asks after coming out of the bathroom.

“Uh, clothes?”

“You’re going to wear that to the banquet?” Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “Ellie, I bought you a suit—“

“I’m not gonna wear a suit.” Baekhyun says while slowly turning around to face Tristan.

“What? What do you mean you’re not gonna wear a suit?”

“I mean, I’m not gonna wear a suit.”

“You have to wear a suit. We’re going to a formal event!”

“Tristan, I’m not going to wear a ing suit! I didn’t come here for this. I came here to claim what’s mine. I’m not going to be your Ellie! I want to be me!”

Tristan just stares at him, obviously caught off guard by the manners Baekhyun displayed before him. He remembers Baekhyun as someone obedient and polite, not like this.

“I-I’m sorry, Tristan. It’s just the anxiety…” Baekhyun turns around and fans his face with his hand.

“It’s okay.” Tristan says. “I understand. I’m not going to force you to wear a suit. Just…make sure that you can do this. This isn’t a joke Ellie.”

“I know. I’ll make sure to claim what’s mine,”

--

The venue is majestic, as what Yixing would say. He’s been in and out since this morning to check on the preparations and other things that he doesn’t even feel the pressure yet. He’s tired but he likes working. It keeps him busy and from thinking about unnecessary things. It’s half an hour before the banquet officially starts so the organizers are a little off the edge lately with all the last minute changes and problems that pop out anywhere.

“Sir Zhang, we have a problem,” One of the organizers says.

“What now?” Yixing asks with a heavy sigh.

“The flowers that Ms. Amanda ordered, uh,” The organizer then referred to her records. “The Dandelions…were delivered to the wrong venue and it’s going to take an hour and a half to get in here,”

“What?! How could you let this happen?! You had one job!” Yixing yells in exasperation. “My god—“ He peeked over the staff’s name tag. “—Susan! Go find some replacements!”

“But sir—“

“GO FIND REPLACEMENTS OR I’M GOING TO DISPLAY YOU THERE INSTEAD.”

Susan gasped and started running. “Okay sir!”

Yixing sighed.

“Sir!” Yixing turns around and sees one of his men running to him. “Sir, all of the men are gathered outside, sir!”

Yixing secretly thanks the heavens he can finally do his job. That’s right, he leads the police officers on duty for today’s event, every one of them. There are officers who are assigned to guard the venue, the gates, and there are also others who are stand by outside the venue and on the roads. This event is one of the biggest events this year, not to mention there are a few important personalities and businessmen present. Securing the place is his top priority.

He meets the officers lined up outside with confidence. “Alright. You all know how important this event is, right?”

“Yes, sir!”

“NOW I WANT ALL OF YOU TO BE FOCUSED AND ATTENTIVE! PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE SURROUNDINGS AROUND YOU! REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS TO ME IMMEDIATELY!”

“Yes, sir!”

“DON’T LET ANYTHING RUIN THIS EVENT AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE CORNERS OF THIS PLACE IS WELL SECURED! YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Good. Now go to your places!”

The officers immediately scattered around and started running to their areas. Yixing looks around from his spot to check the whole place and to see if his men are all doing their jobs. He’s quite contented with the results but he can never be assured. Things happen unexpectedly in this kind of events so he needs to be as focused and as attentive as his own men. He’s only given this one chance to prove his worth to his father so he’s not going to blow this up. He’s determined to make this work no matter what it takes.

Even though he’s doing all of this half-heartedly. Baekhyun’s absence made everything a lot worse than expected. Especially with the news of Edward dying, Amanda is one step closer to robbing the company now. He made various attempts to screw Amanda’s plan but he doesn’t have that much power. The best thing he could do is gain Amanda’s trust and if Amanda succeeds with changing the last will and testament, he’s going to stay with her until the time he can get it back with his own power. It’s a dangerous gamble but he knows that Baekhyun will be back.

“Sir,”

Yixing turns around to meet one of his officers. “What is it?”

“There are reports of suspicious looking men hanging around near Gate 3.”

“How suspicious?”

“Uh…it seems like they’re drunk.”

“Get rid of them. The media are going to use Gate 3. I don’t want them reporting about those drunk men.”

“Right away, sir.” The officer turned around to leave but turned back to him. “There’s one more thing sir. These reports came in today…about that person you were looking for?”

Yixing immediately took the files to scan it. He was startled when there was a sudden weight pulling the edge of his uniform. He looked down and saw Leo. “Leo? What are you—wait a moment, I’m busy.” He turned back to the files.

“Yixing!”

Yixing crooked his eyebrows when he saw Arthur beside him. “You, too? Wait, what are you doing here?”

“We need to show you something!”

“I can’t. I’m busy. Go play somewhere else,”

“But it’s important!”

“And I have more important things to do, okay?”

Arthur then pulled Yixing’s arm and started walking.

“Arthur! What are you doing?! I have work to do!”

Leo, on the other hand, pushed Yixing from behind.

“Where are you kids taking me?”

Nobody answered so Yixing didn’t bother repeating the question. They arrive behind the venue and entered the hallways where the catering staffs are working. Then they made a few turns, left and right, before finally stopping in front of a room.

“Okay, what is this?” Yixing asks.

“Just go in,” Arthur replies simply.

Yixing rolls his eyes and pushes the doors open. He sees Tristan standing at the center of the room, staring at him. “Okay…uh…Tristan, what the hell is—“ He stops when Tristan moves aside and reveals someone standing behind him. “Oh my god…” Yixing breathes in surprise, not really sure whether to cry or laugh. “Oh my god—“ He immediately runs to Baekhyun and hugs him tightly. “You’re okay…you’re here…I don’t believe this,” He pulls away and cups Baekhyun’s face who’s smiling at him. “It’s really you…how did you get here…what are you doing here? Oh my god,” Yixing bursts out crying then. But he was smiling. And Baekhyun’s thankful that Yixing smiled at him because until then, he wasn’t sure how to react himself. But he was happy and relieved to see that Yixing hasn’t changed a bit. He should’ve known that no matter what happens, Yixing will always smile at him.

“How…how are you?” Baekhyun asks. Yixing just laughs at him.

“How did you get here? How did they find you?”

Tristan walks to them. “Well, that’s thanks to Arthur,”

They all turn to Arthur who grins back at them.

Yixing starts wiping his tears away and eventually calms down. “What are you doing here?”

Baekhyun glances at Tristan before finally answering. He looks at Yixing straight in the eye for that one important request. “I need your help,”

--

“AAAAND WE ARE LIVE HERE FOR THE VAN DER GIL BANQUET! IT’S ONLY 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE EVENT BEGINS AND ONE BY ONE THE PEOPLE ARE FILLING UP THE SEATS! ISN’T THIS SO EXCITING?!”

Luhan rolls his eyes. “That reporter is so nosy,”

Sehun just laughs beside him. “She’s probably drunk,”

Luhan sighs. “I feel kinda bad for not being there to support Baekhyun…”

“Come on. You did everything you can already.”

“And Kai’s nowhere to be found. What the hell’s happening to the world?”

Sehun laughs again and leans forward to grab the popcorn on the table. “It’s going to be fine.”

“Yeah,” Luhan says. “Easier said than done,”

It’s a lot harder when all you can do is stand and watch all the people important to you get hurt. When you just feel so useless or something when in fact you could have done something. That’s what Luhan feels right now. Ever since Baekhyun left, there wasn’t a time he didn’t think of what would happen if he stopped Baekhyun from going, if he just became selfish and begged him to stay. Would he also make a difference?

But there’s no turning back now.

He can only hope that after everything, Baekhyun can find his happiness, even though it’s a blur right now.

--

Yixing stands firm at the corner at the back of the hall. The banquet already started minutes ago. Amanda and the other Elliot Van der Gilt had already entered when he got inside. All of the tables are filled up, a perfect reminder that this really is an important event. One of Amanda’s trusted business partner is giving a speech in front to formally start the event. He glances at his men, who in turn nodded at him. Wu Fan and Park Chanyeol are seated at the front, a few chairs beside Amanda. They were to give a presentation and a speech afterwards and then the guests are given a chance to ask questions, which is why there’s a mic stand at the center of the hall. Before Amanda will announce which company she picked, the guests will be catered meals for a short while. Yixing wonders if they will ever get to that point. He stands there firmly with a new purpose in mind.

“I need your help,”

Yixing crooks his eyebrows. “What for?”

Baekhyun sighs deeply. “I know about Amanda’s plan and I know you do too. I want to stop her,”

“How…how are you going to do that?”

“I’m going to interrupt the banquet and introduce myself,”

“What?”

“It’s the only way right now.”

“Then what do you need my help for?”

Baekhyun looks at Tristan, asking him to continue. He’s never good at explaining things so he’ll probably just make it sound like a big joke.

Tristan clears his throat. “Listen, since Amanda has that impostor to play Elliot, it would be hard to prove that the Ellie who’s here right now is the real Elliot Van der Gilt. So we need you to back us up and push Amanda into admitting,”

It’s one selfish request for all of them.

Baekhyun leans closer, his expression close to begging now. And Yixing doesn’t want to see him beg because no matter what happens, he’ll always be Baekhyun’s number 1 ally. “Can you help us?”

He need not ask.

“Of course,”

Anything for you.

Yixing snaps just in time the speaker calls Amanda to say a few words. Normally, it’s supposed to be Elliot since he’s the heir, actually, he’s the owner already since Edward has passed away. But it seems like impostor Elliot is still not trained enough for this job to give his own speech. Amanda slowly walks in front.

“First of all, I want to thank each one of you for being present here tonight, even with the recent news of my husband passing away,” Amanda sighs. “I could not move this event to a later time because I know how important this is to him. His legacy will always be in my heart.” The guests nodded in agreement. “I hope he’s able to see from above just how far the company has gotten.”

Yixing can just laugh now.

“He was a great man,”

“He still is.”

Baekhyun slowly pushes the door slowly, the creaking sound capturing the guests and before he knew it, everyone is staring at him. But he doesn’t run instead he walks inside, his heels tapping the floor being the only sound to negate the silence. He looks straight ahead to Amanda who is staring wide-eyed at him. He doesn’t glance at his sides. He doesn’t look at Chanyeol because he knows that the moment he sees Chanyeol’s face, he won’t be able to make it. And he has to make it. He has to finish this.

Yixing watches him carefully. It always amazes him how much confidence Baekhyun has, even in the roughest times. Baekhyun always had the aura around him, that strong feeling you get when you look at him. He intimidates even the most successful people. Just like his father.

Baekhyun stops in front of the mic stand and grabs the mic.

He taps it lightly and clears his throat.

“My name is Elliot Van der Gilt—“ There were disoriented gasps coming from the guests. “The son of Edward Van der Gilt and the sole heir of the Van der Gilt Corporation. That man,” He lifts his hand to point as the impostor who is sitting calmly at the front. “Is an impostor!”

The whispers are growing louder and louder.

Chanyeol is stupified. He couldn’t even react. He just stands there and watches everything around him. He doesn’t know his place.

Kris, on the other hand, is the one most amused by this. “Well, this is interesting,”

Amanda immediately grabs the microphone when she finally snaps. “HE’S LYING! HE’S THE IMPOSTOR! SECURITIES! SEIZE HIM!” She yells to the officers around the place but no one was moving. The whispers and grew even louder that she can hear what they were saying now. And then she panics. “WHY AREN’T YOU MOVING?!”

“Are you forgetting, Miss Amanda,” Yixing slowly walks to the center. “That these men only receive orders from me?” Then he stops beside Baekhyun.

“EVERYONE, WHAT THIS GUY SAID HERE IS TRUE! HE’S THE REAL ELLIOT VAN DER GILT! THAT MAN, WHO’S REAL NAME IS SONG JOONG KI, IS AN IMPOSTOR HIRED BY MISS AMANDA AS PART OF HER PLAN TO CHANGE MR. EDWARD’ WILL SO SHE CAN HAVE ALL THE MONEY BY HERSELF, LEAVING NOTHING FOR HER SONS!”

Now, there’s no whisper. All of the guests are simply going around talking and talking that the hall is filled with noise. Especially with the reporters present who all have moved from their seats to the center of the hall, trying to get a scoop from both parties.

“LIAR! HE’S LYING!” Amanda yells in panic.

“He’s not lying,” It was Tristan who answered this time. He stops beside Baekhyun, with Leo and Arthur standing close to him.

“YOU TRAITORS! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE GIVEN YOU! ALL OF YOU ARE TRAITORS!”

Yixing motioned for the officers to seize Amanda as well as the impostor and they quickly obliged while the others came to prevent the reporters from crowding around the Van der Gilts. There are clicks and flashes everywhere. Not just that, the guests have also scattered around the hall. Tristan is trying to shoo the reporters away while looking out for his younger brothers while Yixing orders the officers to make a way for them.

But Baekhyun couldn’t care less.

He looks up front, craning his neck a bit to see past the reporters and the cameras and sees Chanyeol staring blankly at him. He doesn’t know what it means or what Chanyeol is trying to tell him but there was nothing in his eyes, as if Chanyeol stopped wondering anymore, wondering what happened or why it happened. He’s just staring at him.

“Baekhyun let’s go!”

He turns when Yixing grabs his arm to pull him out of the crowd. He looks back and sees Chanyeol nowhere. He pulls his arm back and Yixing turns to him in confusion. “I can’t! I have to look for someone!”

“Baekhyun this isn’t the time to argue! We have to go!” Yixing yells back and pulls him harder. Baekhyun doesn’t have a choice. He lets Yixing lead him to the door and sees Kris smirking at him. He stares at the taller as he walks, and Kris just waves at him and leaves.

When the door finally closes behind him, the noise from the hall started dissolving as he walks further into the hallway. They walk pass the officers running to the other side of the hallway, possibly to the parking lot and that’s when he remembers that they used the parking a lot to get inside. He immediately turns around and runs to the other side of the hallway, bumping some officers.

“Wait Baekhyun where are you going?!” Yixing yells and is about to order the officers to chase him when Tristan raises his arm to stop him. Yixing turns to him in question.

“Let him be,” Tristan says simply.

--

The hallways are almost like a labyrinth. He couldn’t remember well where he walked in from earlier or what directions he took (to be honest, it wasn’t even a concern that time) so he just relies on his instinct to take him to the parking lot. He’s not even sure why he thinks Chanyeol is in the parking lot but thinking about it, if he wants to leave, his car would be parked in there. He has to be there. He has to see him. He has to talk to him. He has to hear his voice. He has to see his face. He has to.

He pushes the doors open wide when he arrives and he walks to the railings. The parking lot is wide beneath him. He looks around the open space, trying to spot a familiar noodle-head. He gasps when he sees him far from him. He immediately runs down the stairs and to where Chanyeol is. He doesn’t see his face. Even when the distance gets smaller the faster he runs. He’s not even sure if he’s ready to face Chanyeol but it isn’t an excuse. Whether he’s ready or not he has to face Chanyeol.

He’s only a few meters way when he yells. “Chanyeol!” And he stops when he sees Chanyeol slowly turning around. He catches his breath but he continues to lose them as Chanyeol slowly looks up at him, staring straight into his eyes, as if trying to find an explanation there and thinking maybe that they don’t need to talk. Because they weren’t supposed to. If Baekhyun had only been honest, nobody would have to explain anything.

Baekhyun gathers his courage to talk. “Y-your driver left?” He ought to pumch himself in the face right now but there is nothing he could think of.

“He’s from Yixing’s company.” Chanyeol replies.

Baekhyun inhales deeply. “Yeol, I’m sorry—“

“I don’t remember getting familiar with someone named Elliot Van der Gilt,”

Surprisingly, or not at all, hearing Chanyeol say that name in front of him feels like he just took multiple stabs in the heart.

Baekhyun takes a step forward. “Please, just let me explain—“

“EXPLAIN WHAT?!” Chanyeol yells. He looks so angry that even Baekhyun is feeling terrified. “All these time I’m making a fool out of myself! Why didn’t you just tell me?! You had all the chances to tell me the truth! Is this why you didn’t want to come?! So you could come here on your own and slap me in the face with this?! Why didn’t you just tell me you’re a Van der Gilt?! Not even a hint!”

“BECAUSE I DON’T WANT IT!” Baekhyun finally yells back. “I don’t want it. That’s why I ran away.”

It was quiet for a moment, as if both of them are trying to make mental arguments while wanting to just embrace each other. But there’s the pain. Pain changes everything.

“You could’ve just told me.” Chanyeol said softly, so soft he sounds like he is giving up. “Then I wouldn’t be standing here right now, trying to show you just how much it hurts.” That the person you’re willing to give everything you have for, is someone who is insensitive enough to drag something this long that it had to end like this. This was the limit. He’s on his limit. He’s got enough trust issues that this is where it ends. This is what a lie can do to someone who had given all his trust.

“Please Yeol, I didn’t want any of this to happen. I’m still Baekhyun. Just let me explain, please.” Baekhyun asks, even close to begging now. “I had to this. I didn’t have any choice—“

“I know.” I know you wouldn’t do something so reckless if you didn’t have a good reason. “But do you know why it hurts?” Do you know why I’m mad, Baekhyun?

Baekhyun stares at him.

Please, Baekhyun.

Tell me you know.

Baekhyun gulps, his eyes close in tears. “Because I lied.”

No.

Chanyeol lowers his head.

I could forgive you for that alone.

He turns to the car and grabs the keys.

But I can’t forgive you for not knowing how much I love you that you couldn’t even welcome me in this world of yours.

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun calls when Chanyeol opens the door. “What are you doing? You’re leaving?”

And for doing this alone, completely shutting me away.

Chanyeol closes the door and starts the engine.

“Wait, Chanyeol!” Baekhyun taps on the window lightly.

Chanyeol doesn’t look at him, not even a glance. He backs the car, forcing Baekhyun to stand back, and turns to the open way leading to the gates.

“Chanyeol! No! Please!” Baekhyun yells helpless while chasing him, his tears streaming down to infinity.

I’m always here, Baekhyun.

Chanyeol bites his lip. This isn’t the right time to cry. No. He shouldn’t let Baekhyun’s cries get to him.

But you never see me.

He speeds up and Baekhyun stops running. He speeds up because he wants it to end. He doesn’t like seeing Baekhyun cry but there’s nothing he could do at this point. It already hurts too much. From his mirror he can see Baekhyun kneeling down the ground, and he looks away as the figure fades.

Baekhyun stays on the ground, finally letting out all the pain, yelling and groaning. Losing someone the third time, and actually witnessing it happening, he actually thought he’d be used to that feeling by now. But no. Because Chanyeol is different. Chanyeol wasn’t dying. Chanyeol is leaving and the pain stays there because the love is alive. It’s sad—losing someone and being the reason why, because you know no matter how much you try to turn back the time now, or how much you regret what happened, it’s not going to be the same anymore.

He’s completely driven Chanyeol away.

And there’s no love he can fall back to anymore.

My parents are dead, what else do you want me to do?

--

“Interesting,” Kris whispers to himself while watching from the railings, watching as Baekhyun sinks in the sadness. He saw everything and he was never this amused in his life before. He knew Baekhyun is something the first time he saw the brunette back in Seoul and so far, he has never failed to interest him with his every presence. He checks the time and decides to leave. On the way, he sees Yixing walking to his direction and stops but Yixing doesn’t.

He smirks. “He’s quite a catch.”

Yixing stops. “This is none of your business.”

“For now.”

Yixing decides to ignore him and continues walking to the parking lot.

Kris fishes his phone out from his pocket and dials someone. “Where is that Amanda right now? Isee. Send me a car. We’re going to have a little chat.”

--

Baekhyun doesn’t know how he ended up back in limor but fragments showed him that Yixing had dragged him out of the parking lot before he passed out from exhaustion. Then he just slept until now. He wakes up when the rain drops start tapping the window. He looks around from his view and sees Arthur and Leo sleeping together on one seat while Tristan is sitting opposite to them, attention fixed on the files he’s scanning.

“Tristan,” Baekhyun calls while sitting straight up.

Tristan immediately pushes the files away and leans closer to him. “You’re awake. Do you want some water?” Baekhyun nods. Tristan immediately takes a bottle from the mini fridge at the end of his seat and gives it to him. “How are you feeling? Yixing said you passed out.”

“I’m fine,” Baekhyun answers after filling up his thirst. “I was just exhausted. Where’s Yixing?”

“He stayed there take care of the aftermath. There were still a lot of reporters.”

“Where are we headed?”

“We’re going home,”

Home.

“To the mansion. Some of the maids are really thrilled to see you,” Tristan informs him with a smile. Baekhyun just stares at him, wondering how he could smile like that when he couldn’t. The limo pulls into a stop before he knew it. “We’re here,”

Arthur and Leo eventually woke up when Tristan started shuffling around. The workers went to them with an umbrella one by one with Baekhyun being the last one to arrive in the house. Somewhere, stepping inside the house he ran away from gave a strange feeling. He couldn’t quite understand what kind of feeling it was given that he’s in a mess right now.

“Sir Elliot! We’re happy you’re finally back!” One of the maids says.

“Sir Elliot, is there anything you want to eat right now? We’ll cook it for you right away!”

Baekhyun turns away. “No, I’m going to my room.”

“Oh, we’ll you there!”

Baekhyun pauses. “Don’t bother me.” He says sternly and proceeds to his room, leaving the maids dumbfounded.

“Just let him rest for now,” Tristan tells them then he turns to Arthur and Leo. “Go to your rooms now,”

Arthur and Leo nods and starts running upstairs.

--

Baekhyun stands at the doorway of his room and looks around every corner. It’s still the same. The pictures, the books, his clothes, everything is where it is when he left them three years ago. The windows are clean though, seems like the maids still keep the room clean without reorganizing his things which is good because then he wouldn’t have to adjust.

Seeing his room feels like he just went back from a long trip of disappointment. He remembered how he swore he’s never going back but here he is, forced to take over the company, forced to live a life he doesn’t want.

“Welcome back,” He murmurs. “Elliot,”

--

“Sir Zhang decided to keep her here for a while. Her case is still being finalized so she’s sent here in the observation room,” One of the police officers informs Kris while leading him to the said room. “Did Mr. Zhang send you, perhaps, Sir Wu?”

Kris shakes his head. “No, I’m only here for a visit. It won’t take long.”

They stop in front of the room. “Alright. I’ll be waiting here.” The officer opens the door and he walks in. Amanda is staring into nothing while sitting quietly. Her make-up is also a bit smudged and her wrinkles started showing. Such a pitiful appearance for a woman with a powerful image.

The door closes and Kris stands on the opposite side of the table. “Hello, Amanda,”

Amanda smirks. “My, if it isn’t Wu Fan. Are you here for the deal? Sorry, my position is already nullified.” She tsks and shakes her head. “You should beg that spawn of Satan Elliot for it,”

“I’m not here for that deal,” Kris says. “I’m here for a different deal.”

There was a pause.

“Do you know what jail feels like, Amanda?”

Amanda doesn’t say anything, instead she just watches Kris amuse himself.

“That’s where you’re going.”

“What do you want?”

“I can keep you from ending in jail, or even from losing all the money under your name,” Kris continues.

“And in return?”

“You grant my wish.” Kris says simply, leaning closer. “Your position isn’t completely nullified. I’m sure you have people under your reign who you can make use of,”

There was a pause again.

“What do you say, Amanda? It’s a win-win situation,”

“I don’t know why you’re willing to stick your nose into this but fine,” Amanda stares at him coldly, her pride still overpowering the situation she was in. “What’s your wish?”

Kris smiles and leans even closer to whisper.

A/N:

I

AM

SORRY

FORGIVE

ME

PLEASEU

T___T

-gelie