The next day Tao dropped Kris off for therapy and then left to get some of his work done. Kris sat across from Minah and answered her questions. It wasn’t long before his responses were turning from single words to small sentences to several small sentences at once. Minah praised Kris and herself mentally.

“Look Kris, you’re not the only one who has cheated or slept around. Especially when the relationship is in a rough patch or you’re on a break. But by leaving him completely how are you showing you’re sorry. You need to prove that you regret it, that it will never happen again. Do you understand?”

Kris slowly looked up, nodding. Then he did something he hadn’t done in a long while, he looked Minah straight in the eye. Kris couldn’t remember the last time he’d made eye contact.

Minah smiled at Kris and tried not to break the eye contact, instead using it to communicate with Kris more deeply.

“If you love someone you have to show it.” The eye contact was broken, Minah frowned internally. The minute she said love he broke away, closed himself off and looked down at the floor. She saw him flinch at the word and knew that she’d undone some of the work that she’d done before.

“Why are you scared of love Kris?” He flinched again. “It’s something everyone does, they might love a story as a child, and they might love a pet or teddy bear. They love their mother and father too, usually more than anything or anyone else. Then when they grow up they’ll start to love other people. Some as friends and some as more. It might be unrequited but that should be a feeling to treasure. Just because they don’t feel the same way back doesn’t mean you should stop caring, in some cases you might not be able to. And even though they can’t love you back you’re just happy enough to be close to them and see them smile.  It’s a painful love, and some may say that it’s selfish and that you should move on, but so long as you’re not imposing on them by feeling that way, acting out of jealousy or lust who should tell you to stop?  But this isn’t about unrequited love is it?”

Kris still hadn’t moved and he trembled every time that the word love was used.

“Lay loves you Kris. He loves you and he’s waiting for you, and you might have done things you regret but hiding from him will only hurt him more. Forgetting him completely will break his heart because now not only did the one he love leave, but he’s erasing him and moving on without him.  It’s selfish Kris. More selfish than unrequited love because you’re not fixing things, you’re running away.  You need to prove yourself to him. Prove that you won’t hurt him again, or else talk about it like a civilised person and make arrangements together. You can’t just leave and expect him to take whatever fate you give him. Give yourself another chance, and let him have a chance too.”

She softened her voice and leant closer to Kris.

“Or at least give him the chance to allow you another chance. If he says he doesn’t want to try again then you’re losing exactly the same as what you’re losing now, so nothing has changed. If he says he wants to try again you have the opportunity to prove yourself and it shows that he is willing to forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Minah saw the time and decided that she had talked to him for long enough today and had hopefully drilled the message into his head enough for him to make decisions about his action.

“Just think it over. You don’t have to make a decision right away; just don’t keep him and yourself waiting.”

Minah stood and Kris stiffly followed her to the door. 

“Is Tao not here yet?” Minah mused quietly to herself.

Kris glanced around and suddenly Tao came walking quickly around the corner, puffing and out of breath. It was obvious he had been rushing. Sehun walked around the corner several paces behind, a smug look slipping onto his face and his arms crossed as he walked around the corner.

“Kris!” Tao called out. He then addressed Kris and Minah together. “Sorry I’m late. Someone was distracting me.” Tao glared back at Sehun who simply raised an eyebrow at him and leant against the wall, obviously amused.

Kris looked at Sehun in confusion as if trying to work out who he was and why he was here.

Tao noticed the look, as did Minah.

“What is it Kris?” Tao asked.

Kris looked Sehun up and down and a small frown formed but he looked away and shrugged.

Tao and Minah looked at each other in confusion but decided to ignore the matter. Tao signed some paperwork for Minah and they said their goodbyes. Kris followed behind Tao and Sehun as they led the way back to the car.

Kris stared at the back of Sehun’s head. The block in his mind was stopping him from remembering who he was, but he had an odd feeling about him. His brain kept asking him how he could be with them when he was supposed to be in_ then another wall got in the way because Kris had no idea where Sehun should be. Another question arose in his brain.

If he is out then surely they’re all out, even_ another wall blocked Kris from knowing who this person was. It frustrated him.

He watched Tao gossip to Sehun and pretend to be angry that he hadn’t finished his paper work and had been late to get Kris all because of him. Then Sehun would reply looking smug and Kris’s insides turned into a furnace of hate.

They got to the car and Tao’s driver opened the door. Sehun got in first, then Tao, then finally Kris.

Before the driver could close the door Kris took the handle and slammed in shut. Tao and Sehun looked at each other in confusion and the driver stood startled for a moment before going to the driver’s seat.

Kris crossed his arms and leaned backwards into the chair making Sehun and Tao looked at each other and try not to grin in amusement. Tao was just glad Kris was showing some emotion, if not slightly tickled by it. 

Joonmyeon opened the door to his top floor apartment building and led Lay inside. Lay looked around in bewilderment. The building itself was huge and classy but he hadn’t expected the sheer size of the apartment within. It was a large open plan building with a wall of glass that looked out over the city. In the slowly setting sun the buildings stood against the orange sky, lights starting to turn on and add to the glow. The view was magnificent.

“You live here?” Lay asked in disbelief.

“That’s right.” Joonmyeon said, dropping off some shopping he’d bought on the way to get Lay from the station. He started to pour himself a drink then turned to Lay. “Want anything to drink?”

“Just water please.” Lay said, turning from the window and looking at Joonmyeon as he busied himself in the kitchen.

“Now I know that you might know me as Suho…” Joonmyeon started, handing a glass of water to Lay.

“Suho? Why would know you as Suho? You introduced to me as Joonmyeon.” Suho tried not to fangirl over the cute accent and he sat down on his sofa, patting the seat to tell Lay to sit down too.

“Oh, no reason. A few friends call me that and I wondered if you heard. If not then that’s good, just call me Joonmyeon please.” Joonmyeon said smiling. He didn’t want people to know him from his reputation as a lawyer; he much preferred to be viewed as a normal human being.

Lay nodded and sipped from his glass, unable to keep his eyes from roaming across the apartment.

“So have you been fully informed on the situation with SM?” Joonmyeon asked Lay, watching him as he looked around his apartment in awe.

“Well, Tao only told me small amount of what happened. Kris ran from SM and went to Tao, used help to take down SM and soon there will be court case.”

“That’s basically it. But obviously until the case is done the hosts and workers of SM need to be kept hidden so that SM agents and the media can’t get to you. You, being the closest to Kris, who was the one who had the main involvement in this issue, must be kept safest of all since they could use you to blackmail Kris.”

“So I’m stay here until the case is over?” Lay asked.

“Yes, until you’re safe enough to live somewhere else, or unless you find somewhere else that is safe enough to live in until the case is over. Your welcome here for as long as you like though, I can’t say I get company very often.”

Lay looked at Suho sympathetically and smiled. “Thank you.”

Joonmyeon just shrugged then stood up. “Oh by the way before I forget, I have to give you something.”

Lay followed Suho to the kitchen where some bags were on the counter top.

“These are for you, since all of your belongings are in SM and still haven’t been collected.”

Lay opened the bags and saw clothes. Designer brands and even some items of clothing that he and Kris had tried on. Though they hadn’t had anywhere near enough money to buy even one item. Lay’s mouth hung open and he pushed the bag away shaking his head.

“太贵了!”

“Pardon?” Suho asked, shocked by the sudden outburst in Chinese.

“Too expensive! I can’t!” Lay shook his head and pushed the bag nearer to Suho.

Joonmyeon chuckled pushed the bags back towards Lay.
 

“You deserve them, okay? You’ve been through a lot so just accept them before I feel bad.”

Lay hesitated before taking the bag.

“Thank you. You’ve already done too much for me.”

“Not at all, I’m here to look out for you now, that’s my job but also just as a friend.”

Lay took the bag with him when he sat back on the sofa. The two relaxed and occasionally made small talk. Suho had turned the TV on but Lay was more distracted by the view from the windows.

After a few minutes of silence Lay turned to Joonmyeon.

“So Kris really did do all this? Wow~ I wish I could see him again.”

“You will see him again Yixing, but right now for his own safety he is staying on Jeju Island to escape until the court case.” Lay nodded and frowned.

“But still, I want see him sooner.”

“I know, I know.” Suho said soothingly, rubbing Lay’s shoulder. “You’ll see him.”

“So why jeju of all places?” Lay asked.

“He’s helping out at Tao’s grandma’s. Since he can’t repay Tao with money for the help Tao has given him on the case, he’s staying there for his own safety but also repaying Tao. Killing two birds with one stone…” Joonmyeon hated to lie, especially to Lay who seemed so innocent yet gullible. If anyone was a victim of this case, he couldn’t see why it should be Lay.

After a little while Lay started to slowly nod off to sleep, and seeing this Suho showed Lay to his room and told him where the bathroom was. Lay changed into some pyjamas and brushed his teeth. His head had just hit the pillow when a thought struck him. Tao had said something about Kris leaving the country and doing work to help the case. Did Jeju count as leaving the country? And did helping his grandma really count as helping the case? Lay felt a strange twinge in his heart as if he was being lied to. He began to panic a little at this. What if they didn’t really know where Kris was and were making excuses? Maybe Kris really did leave for good or is telling them not to tell Lay where he is because he never wants to see him again.

A tear ran down Lay’s cheek as he finally fell asleep, absolutely exhausted from the past few weeks. 

OH MY GOD OMG OMGGGG I GOT TO UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!

Hi guys I missed you! I MISSED YOU I MISSED YOU I MISSED YOU.

Things are still a little crappy and I'm going away for three weeks from Monday 4th but I can hopefully now update more regularly. I don't want you to think I've abandoned the story, it's just really hard to find the time for this at the minute.

Comment what you think of this long awaited chapter (too long in my opinion) I always read your comments and find so much support and motivation in reading them so don't forget. I'M TALKING TO YOU SILENT READERS WHOM I STILL ADORE! :P

1990stalker