By the time their secretaries paid for their hospital fees, Chanyeol couldn’t contain the guilt in his heart. It has been ten minutes after Sulli left the hospital when he turned to him. “Baekhyun-ah, I have something to tell you.”

They rushed out of the hospital, taking Kyungsoo’s car the same time Chanyeol called Krystal and asked for her address. Baekhyun kept on dialling her number but she never picked up. When they got there, it was empty. The doors and windows were locked, no curtains hanging; white cloths covered the furniture inside. But the familiarity still lingered in the house. They weren’t gone for long. He looked around, and found a gardener in the backyard.

“They moved out yesterday. If I am not mistaken, Miss Jinri would take the train to her hometown today.” The gardener said.

“What is her hometown?” Chanyeol asked, but Baekhyun dashed off, pulling Chanyeol with him.

“It’s in Busan.” Baekhyun muttered under his breath as Chanyeol told Kyungsoo to drive.

“Woah, hold it right there. I am not driving to Busan.” Kyungsoo said.

“Just ing drive!” Baekhyun yelled at Kyungsoo.

“Baekhyun-ah, do you know her exact address?” Kai asked who was in front with Kyungsoo.

“I don’t ing know.” Baekhyun said, already calling Krystal again to ask for it. “Krystal, do you know her exact address in Busan?”

“Busan is so ing huge, Baekhyun. You can’t find her in just a day.” Kai said.

“Look through her application form, or your slam book, or whatever, just ing find her address in Busan!” Baekhyun screamed through his phone, tears breaking out of his eyes.

“Baekhyun-ah, I can’t drive all the way to Busan.” Kyungsoo said.

“Just drive me to the rail terminal, please.” Baekhyun pleaded, and Kyungsoo did.

He had been calling for a million times, but she never answered it. He thought he could at least see her before boarding the train, but the train already left, leaving him clueless on where to go. He couldn’t believe that she would leave him in the first place, without him even knowing it. He tried to talk the manager into giving him a list of credit card users for that day, but they won’t allow him. He just stayed there, staring into nothing, until darkness consumed him.

It has been two years since Sulli left him. At the same time, she had closed all her connections to the people everywhere. No one could contact her, even her closest friends. They were able to get her exact address in Busan, but the house was also empty. He tried tracking her credit card but it was invalidated on the day she left. He went as far as visiting her elementary school, getting all information on her, but there was nothing significant that the world could give him.

Baekhyun has never felt so broken in all his life. He knows what is hardship and its value, he knows what is means to fail, he knows a lot of things, but he never knew how to deal with a broken heart. Sulli is the only person who he hated and loved at the same time. She makes his life miserable, yet she is the one who makes his life complete.

“Hello. My name is Choi Jinri and I came from Busan. I hope we can all be good friends.” The new transfer smiled sweetly to everyone. All the other students acknowledged her greetings because she looked like an angel to everybody. Except one.

Byun Baekhyun hated her competency. In their class, their seating arrangement depends on their rank. Baekhyun has been seating in front and at the corner for so many years, as expected of him. But after their preliminary examinations, he had to move to the next seat for Choi Jinri has to take the throne.

“Hi! I hope we could be good friends!” Was the first conversation she initiated with him. Baekhyun barely nodded, but Choi Jinri didn’t stop bugging him.

Byun Baekhyun hated her sweet smiles. Choi Jinri was the first person to get in class, and he was the second. Early in the morning, Baekhyun would have just ignored her and continued to his seat. He would have just stayed quiet as if she doesn’t exist. But early in the morning, she would wave her hand to him, with her bright smiles and eyes shifting into crescents. He could not ignore her; he could not stay quiet in his seat as Choi Jinri continued on talking to him. And they became friends.

“So, your father is a famous businessman?” Jinri asked.

“Yes, he is pretty popular.”

“Are you going to pursue business when the time comes?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It means that we would be classmates until then.”

“I guess so.”

He hated her softness. It was on their finals when the issue came up about Choi Jinri liking Byun Baekhyun. Everyone in their class pairs them up. Soon enough, rumours started to spread that they were actually dating.

“How could they not be cute together? They are both running for the first rank. And their ideal partners resemble to each other.” Baekhyun frowned at his best friend, overhearing Park Sunyoung talking with Jung Soojung in the adjacent table.

“I swear Chanyeol, if Sunyoung can’t control I’d kill her.” Baekhyun said pertaining to Chanyeol’s cousin.

“So it’s true, then?” Chanyeol asked.

“No!”

“Speaking of it, here comes your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Baekhyun hissed at Chanyeol before turning around to find Choi Jinri walking in their direction.

She shyly waved her hand towards the two and spoke, “Baekhyun-sshi, can we talk for a moment?”

“It is my pleasure.” It was Chanyeol who spoke and pushed Baekhyun away.

Baekhyun followed Jinri inside their classroom. Surprisingly no one else is around. “What do you want to talk about?” He asked.

“I think it would be best if we stop talking to each other. I think it is the only way the rumours would stop.” Jinri said.

“Is it true that you like me?” Baekhyun asked, intently staring at her. And suddenly becoming aware of what everyone else is saying—Choi Jinri is perfect. She’s an angel sent from heavens. She is everyone’s ideal type. Baekhyun is lucky to receive her admiration. Baekhyun swallowed, suddenly anticipating her answer. Jinri looked so innocent, staring back at him. For once, he wanted those rumours to be true. Indeed, you are lucky if someone like Choi Jinri likes you.

Jinri frowned, “No.”

Baekhyun felt his heart breaking, but somehow he felt relieved. “We don’t have to act as if nothing is going on between us, because there is nothing to hide. The rumours will stop eventually. We’re friends, right?”

Jinri thought about it for a moment, and smiled at him. “Okay, then.”

He was disappointed, mad even, that Jinri didn’t like him. He swore to kill whoever spread the rumours about the two of them. Jinri exited the classroom, and Baekhyun followed. As soon as they got out, their classmates loitering outside have knowing looks in their faces, and suddenly, they were both sent to the Principal’s office.

 “Are the rumours true?” The principal asked as the two prominent students took the seats in front of her.

“They are all mistaken, ma’am.” Baekhyun was the one who spoke.

 “I received reports that the both of you go to school on early hours just to see each other. Is that true?” Principal Lee asked again.

“My father doesn’t want me to be late, and I believe that Miss Choi also have the same reason, ma’am.” Baekhyun said.

“Very well. Both of you, you can proceed to your classes. I will call for your parents to answer for your behaviours.” The principal said.

“Ma’am, excuse me, but why would you need to call for our parents when we told you the truth?” Jinri asked.

“This school advocates the conventional. It has been only a year when the administration decided to combine boys and girls in the sections, and these things happen to my role models. The both of you represent this school and our principles. If legal action were not taken, I am afraid that everyone else will follow.”

With that, they were sent out of the office and back to their classrooms.

“I can’t believe they are doing this to us, Jinri.” Baekhyun said, maintaining the one-metre restraining order the principal gave them.

“We will go with my plan, Baekhyun-sshi.” Jinri quietly said.

“If we go with your plan, I’ll stop being your friend.” Baekhyun said, stopping in his tracks.

“That’s better than to get expelled. The last thing I want to do is to start an uprising in this school.” Jinri said, completely shutting him. “Just, stay away from me, okay?” And she walked on, completely shutting him out of her life.

That was when they stopped being friends, and became enemies instead. The friendly competition grew into a competition for life. It didn’t matter who is having fun, the vital part is who gets the number one. They started being callous to each other. They started hating each other.

For three reasons, Baekhyun hated her. But at the same time, these reasons make him appreciate her competency, her smiles, and her softness. At that time, his ideal type of cute, cheerful, and smart changed to very smart, adorable, and quiet.

It has been two years since Choi Jinri left without his knowledge. It has been two years since he stopped looking at women. He learned to take care of himself. And most importantly, he learned that it takes a while before you can truly love someone. It has been two years since he started looking for her, and he is on the verge of giving up. He almost gave up, until he learned that he is engaged to be married to someone else.

“Let me tell you and inspiring story of this one girl. She belongs to a prestigious family but she had to learn about life’s malevolence before she could actually inherit their company. The girl suffered so much in her life; you could only imagine how much money she makes today!” His father said, Baekhyun hated it when his father talked about money.

“You’ve been telling me this story since last year every time you tell me to obey you, Father.” Baekhyun said. “Please, cut to the chase.”

“Ten years ago when you were still in high school, we met her and her parents. Believe it or not, she worked for us for a while until she was sent to America to study. You are engaged to her, Baekhyun, for ten years now.”

“Engaged?” Baekhyun looked at his father in dismay.

“To be married! My goodness Baekhyun, what else do you think engaged means?”

“I will not obey to your wishes, Father. I will marry whom I choose, even if I’ve been engaged, I will break it off. How could you do this, Father?”

“Son, you must obey first before you complain. Your mother and I wanted the best for you, and we are just trying to help you.”

“Give me more time to look for Jinri, Father. I can find her, and I will marry her. I beg you, don’t let me do this.” Baekhyun pleaded.

“She could never be found, Byun Baekhyun. We’ve been looking for two years now. Why can’t you just accept that she’s gone? You will go to the dinner tonight whether you like it or not. Respect my wishes first, and then I’ll respect your decision.”

Baekhyun thinks that his father is a crazy, old man. He made it clear that there is only one girl that he would marry, even if it takes forever to find her in this cursed world. He had been thinking how odd it was for the girl’s father to do such cruel thing. His father on the other hand thinks that it was a good thought to live with, and he regretted raising Baekhyun as a spoiled kid.

“Sir, the guest has arrived.” A bodyguard outside reported to Baekhyun and he barely nodded. He thought that his bodyguard looked tense but he brushed it off thinking it must be because of the weather.

As if it was theatrical, Baekhyun thought that the light was playing tricks on his eye. The ornaments on the table blocked the view as the girl finally went inside the room. Dressed in a floral patterned dress and doll shoes, Baekhyun thought that the girl is too tall for her age. The dress barely reached her knees and even though she wears flats, she had long legs to come by.

When Baekhyun finally had the opportunity to see her face, she bowed down to him. “Forgive me for being late,” she said, he thought her voice was soft. She straightened up, and the beads on her necklace reflected light, making him blink in an awfully long two seconds as she took the seat in front of him.

He brought his hand to his eyes, and by the time he opens them, he found two pairs of beautiful orbs staring at him. Her being the silence out of his heart. Baekhyun thought that he was dreaming, or having hallucinations, but she is so much alive.

He thought of crying, for all the emotions and pain suddenly came back to him. But she came back, returning as the daughter of an elite businessman who’s been missing in action for a long time. She is very much related to the famous Choi siblings, explaining the long legs that she possessed. Recalling the story his father told him, he thought he must be fantasizing, but she spoke again, “Would you forgive me?” She said, smiling.

“Were you the heir to the Choi Corporation, all these time?” Baekhyun asked.

“I never knew about it.” She shrugged. “That day I flew to America to study and that is where I figured out that I am. I hated my parents for keeping my identity away for a long time. But I was thankful because I learned a lot, and yes, I am the heir to the Choi Corporation.”

It turned out that he is betrothed to marry Choi Jinri ever since he fell in love with her. She was a beautiful, sweet, well-dressed woman with a cheerful spirit. Many have asked her hand in marriage while she was away, but she had to turn them down because she was engaged to the love of her life.

And Byun Baekhyun is honoured to be engaged to her.

“How have you been?” It was him who asked first.

“Well.” She smiled.

Baekhyun pushed the parcel prepared by his father—a gift to her. She opened it, and found that it was a betrothal necklace. It was evident in her eyes that she liked it and that she is more than willing to wear it. Baekhyun got up from his seat, walked across and took the necklace in his hands.

Without words, she allowed him to put the jewel around her neck, his soft and slender hands brushing her hair in the process. Baekhyun had missed the softness of her hair, and the whiteness of her skin. He was more than tempted to pull her out of her seat, and take her with him to eternity.

“You are beautiful.” He said, staring at her.

“You are cocky.” She said.

And Choi Jinri pulled him into a long, passionate, authoritative set of kisses.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this. Thank you so much to everyone who subscribed, commented, upvoted, you guys are really awesome. Thank you, and I love each and everyone of you, including you who is reading this right now, you are an angel.