Chapter Sixteen

Your POV

I couldn’t deny that part of me felt as if that simple statement had managed to crumble me down into pieces in a tormenting manner. My mouth was left open slightly as words got caught in my throat, unable to come out from his sudden harsh comment. I wanted to check whether his fever had recover but all he did was responded me in a mean way. Then I remembered; I broke my promise to myself once again.

I wasn’t supposed to care for him, help him. I promised myself that he didn’t deserve anything; but yet I betrayed myself to help him.

I swallowed as the atmosphere tensed from his words. He didn’t even look at me in my eyes as he just glanced at his phone with furrowed eyebrows. His defined brows were knitted as his gaze was fixed on the phone, looking irritated. I couldn’t figure out why he was so cranky early in the morning, but then I didn’t dare to speak another word since it could earn me some reprimanding and hurting words from him too.

“Su Mi,” I heard Luhan’s gentle voice from behind as his hands reached to hold my shoulder, trying to comfort me. I turned my head to look at him as he gestured for me to leave the room first. I didn’t want to leave since I was afraid that they could start a fight, but Luhan reassured me as he gave me a nod, signalling for me to just obey him. I forced a small smile out before walking towards the door and leaving the two of them alone.

“Good morning, Su Mi!” Baekhyun greeted with his rectangle-lips smile. It seemed as if he was in a good mood since he just came out from his room, almost glowing with brightness from his presence. I looked up just to see him skipping his way to my direction. There was a snapback worn opposite on his head, covering some of his hair except for his fringe that were just framed perfectly on his forehead. His eyes turned into crescent moon but once they landed on me, there was a glint of concern.

“Are you okay? What happened?” he asked as his face turned solemn from seeing me. I bit my lips, thinking that I ed things up once again. I felt useless again, making things worse for myself and everyone around me. His hands reached to hold my shoulders as he made me face him, trying to capture how I was feeling. “I-I’m alright. Maybe I just need some time alone,” I muttered as my throat started to feel dry again. I coughed a little before removing Baekhyun’s hands. I knew he didn’t believe my words but I was thankful that he didn’t probe any further about what actually happened.

“Can you help me to wake the other members up?” I asked instead.

He instantly agreed as he went to their rooms to get them ready for leaving to the dance studio. Right then, I figured out that I needed to prepare myself from leaving the dorm too. I returned back to my room just to stand outside the door that was closed, contemplating and worrying at the same thing on whether I should opened it. What if they were fighting? Why are they taking so long?

Just what on earth are they doing?

But then, the door flung open as to my surprise, Sehun stood there with a bewildered face. He seemed to be baffled at why I was standing in front of the door like some creep but his face immediately returned back to the cold one before he left the room without saying a word. I also realized he looked more relaxed than before. Maybe Luhan really did work things out.

I walked in after making sure that he left to find the other members in their room. Luhan was laying on his bed as he scrolled through something on his phone. I was curious and before I knew it, it slipped out of my mouth. “What did you do?” He looked up from his phone before directing his attention at me. His eyes sparkled slightly before he grinned. “Nothing,” he simply said before returning to doing what he was doing. I frowned when I realized he wasn’t going to spill it.

“You did a great job yesterday,”

I shot him a look when he suddenly said that, I raised a brow at him as he stood up from bed, approaching me after a few steps. The next thing he did, his hands wrapped around my shoulder as he pulled me closer to him. Our bodies touched as my cheeks hit his firm chest. My eye bulged at his sudden intimate action as I stiffened under his warm embrace. I couldn’t yet decipher what just happened as my brain was getting slower in processing things like this.

“Everything’s alright. You did such a great job that Sehun recovered today.” He complimented me as I felt his jaw moving against my shoulder when he spoke. I blinked a couple of times but I felt a warm fuzzy feeling in my chest as I heard his compliment. It actually did helped ―it sort of calmed me down and I felt a lot better; as if a stone lifted off my shoulders.

Since his sentence had impacted me so much, I started to get teary eyed. And then before I could register it in my brain, the overwhelming feelings washed over me as I started to sniffle. I inhaled for oxygen as tears started streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably. I was actually bawling. With his one statement, I started to sobbed uncontrollably as my tears wet his shirt. Despite that, he didn’t pull me away from him, instead, his hand patted my back in a comforting rhythm. It worked in calming me down as I gasped for air.

“It’s okay, I know you’re having a hard time.” He softly confessed. And to know that someone can empathize with me, his sentence made me feel a lot consoled. I was indeed having a very hard time and Luhan was one who could help me significantly and I could rely on him. I tried my best to stop as I slightly pushed him away, wiping my tears away from my cheeks with my fingers. My face must had been crimson red from sobbing so much and I was avoiding Luhan’s gaze.

I almost tiptoed as I spun around to lock the door. I exhaled out loud, hiccupping with a few squeaks. My hands reached to clutch my chest as I was still sniffing continuously. I quickly closed the toilet bowl before sitting on it, tears still threatening to fall out. I had no idea why I was being so emotional all of a sudden. But then I remembered what Luhan said, repeating in my mind.

“Everything’s alright. You did such a great job that Sehun recovered today.” Did I really do a great job?

“It’s okay, I know you’re having a hard time.” He was right, I was having an extremely hard time.

I sniffled one last time as I told myself to muster up some courage and stop crying. My hands wiped my cheeks, only to find it sticky and wet from the tears. I groaned slightly before standing up, washing my hands thoroughly with soap. I splashed some on my face, wiping it with the towel before my eyes caught the reflection in the mirror. She looked screwed.

And it was me.

My eyes were still red and puffy and I was just staring right back at my reflection. I couldn’t help but sigh in discontent at my own feelings. I was confused and I hated myself for having such a variety of feelings in myself that I couldn’t even control myself. Su Mi, you’re a loser. I shook my head before deciding to get out of the enclosed toilet since they had to practice at the dance studio soon. I had to get them moving since I was in charge if not, I might just get sacked and Eunji will kill me by then. I slowly opened the door before making my way out. I was indeed flabbergasted to find 12 figures waiting for me in the living room. They were all dressed up in their casual clothes that they were to the studio.

“Are we late for our practice? Let’s get going.” Baekhyun spoke, earning all the attention of the members who were just talking among themselves. It was quite strange since the atmosphere was more than enough to  prove that something was off. They saw me but some of them just greeted me and continued to talk among themselves. And the particular one that stood out was just simply chattering with Jongin as if nothing had happened at all just now. My eyebrows knitted in bewilderment before Luhan just elbowed me out from nowhere. My eyes darted to beside me in surprise as he grinned boyishly.

“Come on, we should hurry.” He urged me before I nodded, realizing that we would get reprimanded badly if the choreographer was to wait for us. I reminded them again before signaling for them to go to their vans. They obediently followed as I led the way. Exo-M got on one van and Exo-K were separated as usual. I had to ensure that Exo-M had entered the van before I went to Exo-K. Luhan was the last to get on the van and when I was about to slide the door to close it, he held onto my hand. I looked up just to see him giving me a concerned look.

“Get on this car, One of our staffs are absent anyways there’s one more seat.”

I raised a brow at his sudden request as he just stared back at me, waiting for a response. I knew that he didn’t want me to feel depressed sitting in the Exo-K’s van because Sehun was inside. Without wanting him to feel disappointed, I accepted his offer and climbed on the car after I notified the other staff taking Exo-K’s van. He returned me with a smile that made the wrinkles around his eyes visible and I realized he was really handsome despite those wrinkles.

“How are you feeling?” he asked during the journey to the company. I was at the seat beside the driver and he was behind. Thus, his voice was loud enough for the other members to hear as well. “Why? Su Mi, are you feeling unwell?” Chen asked afterwards and the others looked at me, distressed to find out something was up with me. “It’s okay, I’m fine.” I replied back as Lay kept his gaze fixed on me. “Do tell us if you’re not feeling well.” He let out an angel smile as I thanked him for his caring words.

After what seemed to be long hours for me even though it was a short trip, we reached the dorm. I frowned when I realized Exo-K reached first because they were probably already waiting for us in the studio. I just didn’t like the thought of walking in with Sehun’s attention on me. It always happens and somehow, it made me feel self-conscious and nauseous. We made our way to the corridor and the studio was in front. My heart started to thump against my chest for some reason when his eyes just seemed to flash in my mind.

The Exo-M members were babbling to one another as Tao was making fun of Kris who had an irritated face. I was in the lead with Luhan behind as we made our way to the studio. When we were so close to the door, my ears perked up at the deafening noises made inside the studio. The door was closed and my eyes slightly widen at the sounds. Before I knew it, the door flung open.

“Sehun―” Baekhyun’s voice could be heard.

Sehun stood there, eyes that grew big from being astounded by our presence. It certainly seemed as if some pandemonium broke out in that studio earlier because I was standing right outside with the Exo-M members who were also perplexed by what was happening―Tao and Kris having stopped fighting to look up. I heard Sehun muttered out a string of curse before he walked past me, his hands gripping onto my wrist tightly and pulling me away from the flummoxed audience.