Chapter Eleven

Yifan

Kris had no idea how he got here.  He didn't know what was going on or how this happened.  Taking a moment to look back, he did suppose that the past month was rather peculiar. Concerning Chanyeol and Luhan, of course.  The two were especially strange the past three days.  More especially the past three hours.  Here Chanyeol was, in his arms, bawling his eyes out like a little girl. 

'Kind of like Luhan-ge just a few hours ago.'  The space cowboy thought. As far as he knew, Luhan was currently crying his eyes out in Kyungsoo's arms.  He found them like that a while ago backstage away from prying eyes.  He didn't think much of it.  Kris was going to ask Luhan about it later.  That was, until, Chanyeol burst through his personal powder room door and fell into his waiting arms.  Now he was here, backstage after their concert, supposing to comfort his friend.

'What did I do to deserve this?'  He wondered in slight disdain.  "Umm..."  Kris began with uncertainty.  "What's wrong?"  The older man wasn't answered with words and only received and even louder sob.  'Oh my God.'  More confused than ever, Kris slowly brought one hand to Chanyeol's back and patted him in the same spot.  "Calm down Chanyeol-ah."  Whispered Kris.  "Tell me what happened."

"Nnmf!  B-Bom-n-noona h-hate...  R-Re..." Chanyeol mumbled into his chest.  Kris couldn't make out most of it, but the name Bom did bring more clarity to the situation.  Kris sighed softly and then began to rub his friend's back in a soothing manner.

'So it's about her.'  He thought.  Kris waited patiently for Chanyeol to calm down.  His tears soaked through Kris' expensive SpongeBob shirt.  At any other given moment, Kris would scold Chanyeol about it but not tonight.  

It took a few minutes before Chanyeol finally had a chance to catch his breath.  Every now and then, the crying male would choke out a grumble or in a deep breath.  Kris cringed a bit at this.  He has never seen or heard Chanyeol in so much pain before.  Kris found himself sighing and wanted to ease the pain a bit.

"You okay now?"  Asked Kris to Chanyeol.  The latter gave a few more deep breaths before letting go of his older and taller friend.  Kris in a deep breath at the sight of Chanyeol's face.  His large eyes were small and puffy now.  Red rimmed and sad, so heartbroken and weak before him.  Chanyeol's face sported a deep flush and his cheeks were a kind of blotchy, wet mess.  His nose was running and Kris didn't miss the the little spit going down Chanyeol's chin.  'That's...  That's on my shirt?'  Kris wondered for a moment.  

"I-I'm..."  Began Chanyeol with a shaky breath.  "I will be okay.  I'll be okay, right?"  Chanyeol swiped at his chin using the sleeve of his expensive outfit he performed in earlier.

"What's wrong?"  Questioned Kris as Chanyeol's breathing slowly, but surely became steady.  A moment passed between them.  Chanyeol in a deep breath.

"I-I invited B-Bom-n-noona for t-tonight's con-concert."  He stuttered a reply.  Nodding his head, Kris waited for him to continue.  Tears swelled in Chanyeol's eyes again as a wretched choke came out.  "I-I confessed!"  Chanyeol's voice pitched higher than Kris has ever heard before.  "I-It had to be t-tonight!"  Kris could hear the heartbreak all over again.  Slowly, Chanyeol slid to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his head inside.  "I-I knew!  I knew!"  He confessed.  

Kris lowered himself to Chanyeol's level.  "Knew what?"  

"I knew she wouldn't feel the same way!"  Kris pulled away, surprised at the sudden tone Chanyeol used.  It wasn't angry, just very sad and upset.  Kris squirmed a bit at his friend's anguish.  Chanyeol began crying again.  "I knew Bom-noona would say no!  Sh-She's dating Dongwook-hyung!  And she is so in love with him!  But!  But!"  Chanyeol sniffed loudly.

"Chanyeol-ah."  Kris tried to put a hand on the younger man's shoulder.  He was only turned away though.

"I invited her tonight because it felt like I was losing her!"  Kris' eyes widened a bit at this.  "I was so nervous!  A-And even though I knew she would say no, that she would reject me, that it would hurt..."  Chanyeol's entire body began to shake and Kris found himself at a loss of what to do.  He instead just slid next to Chanyeol and did not move a muscle.  He didn't know what to do but to give Chanyeol an ear to listen to.  

'That's all I can do.'  He thought sadly.

"I didn't think it would hurt so much."  Chanyeol mumbled in his arms.  "A-And what's even worse it that B-Bom-noona began crying too!  It hurt to see her hurt that way.  So guilty and angry at herself."

Kris gulped.  He could just imagine Bom's face at Chanyeol's confession.  He knew Chanyeol well.  Kris knew Chanyeol to be a really good, honest, hard-working kind of guy with no ill bone in his body.  He always wanted to do his best for everyone and...

Kris felt his heart break for his friend.

'The pressure he must be feeling right now.'  Kris said to himself.

"Bom-noona was so sad she s-said "no" to me.  And I," choked Chanyeol, "I never want to see her like that again.  She hates herself now.  I know she does."

"It will be okay Chanyeol."  Kris whispered, more to himself than anything.

"I t-tried to send her off with a s-s-smile.  B-But...  I cried in front of her instead."  Chanyeol's voice became quieter than Kris had to strain his ears to continue listening to his friend.  "Gosh, she was so sad.  I wanted to take it all back.  B-But I couldn't.  Sh-She has to know."  

"It's okay Chanyeol."  Kris spoke softly.  The body next to him began crying again.

"You know, I love her.  You know?"  

"Yeah."  Replied Kris.

"A-And she's the best person in the world, you know?" Murmured Chanyeol.

"Yeah, I know."  Answered Kris.

There was a long moment of silence.  Kris waited for Chanyeol to finish, knowing he wasn't done yet.  The silence seemed to linger for hours and Kris faintly began to wonder if the production crew was nearly done putting equipment away outside.  It was then Chanyeol spoke.  His voice, though soft, was filled with passion.

"She's amazing and caring and awesome and so, so, so kind."

"Yeah."

"I told her, I love her.  She r-rejected me, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"..."

"..."

"...I-I want Bom-noona to be the happiest in the world.  E-Even after this."

"I know."

"...hyung?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think she hates me?"

"No."

A sniffle.  "I think I'll be o-okay."

"Glad to hear it."

The two stayed quiet for a moment longer.  Kris didn't hear anymore crying or sobs or chokes.  There was no more heavy breathing filling the room.  It was just...  Quiet.  Just quiet.

"... ... ...Kris-hyung?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"...yeah."

Quiet quiet quiet.

(AN: I actually teared up a bit at this.  Kyungsoo is the last one!)