Soyu shuffled into the café, realizing that she was several minutes past their appointed time; with all the business formalities, contracts, letting the coordi-eonnis get her measurements and whatnots, she hardly made it home for a quick shower, change of clothes, and to grab her bag.

Chanyeol spotted her from a more secluded corner of the café; if it weren’t for the same blazing red snapback, he wouldn’t have noticed her in a black quarter-sleeve shirt, sleeveless jacket, denim shorts, and black tights. He rose halfway from his seat and beckoned her over with two fingers.

She puffed out her cheeks a bit as she sat, huffing out a quick breath. “Did you wait long?”

“Nah,” he pushed a tall cup in her direction and received a quirked brow in response.

“Jasmine milk tea?”

“Your usual, right?”

She made a noise that sounded like a scoff, “You remembered?” She grinned as she took a sip, but was quick to cringe.

“There’s boba.”

“...I thought I forgot something.” Chanyeol leaned back in his seat. “So do you wanna tell me what happened to you in a year? That caused you to suddenly reappear at SM of all places?” He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair before readjusting the cap.

She cast her eyes downward and gently traced hangul onto the surface of the table with a fingertip. “I guess my pride was hurt, being left for someone else and all. Even if it was someone like Taeyeon.”

Even if Soyu acknowledged that Baekhyun tossed a rhinestone away for a diamond, it didn’t make the fact any less defeating or insulting.

A frown tugged Chanyeol's lips. "I know that was a douchebag thing of him to do, and I'm sorry."

She smiled instead.

That smile lingering with melancholy.

"Why sorry? Unless you're the one who pointed out to Baekhyun that Taeyeon would be a trophy girlfriend." Her smile elevated into a grin and she stirred the straw in her milk tea.

Chanyeol wanted to wince at how lightheartedly she was sitting there making jokes about her cheating ex-boyfriend over a cup of boba — and at how much loathing she would have had to indulge in to be able to do such a thing.

He reached across the table and grasped her hand, “You know you don’t have to pretend to be okay about it.”

Soyu took a short while just just to stare at him as if searching for something in his expression.

“Shouldn’t you be worried in case your fans see us like this?” Despite her words, her fingers intertwined with his.

He made a motion as if to retract his hand, lips already pursing into another pout, “Yah, Kwon Soyu, don’t change the subject.”

She glanced at the window as raindrops gently began to tap at the glass. “I had three months to really be devastated over it. I had the rest of the year to continue to be hurt by it, oppa.” She didn’t turn away from the window as she spoke.

Her voice was underlined with resentment and Chanyeol knew it was more towards herself than Baekhyun or Taeyeon.

“In hindsight, I feel more like a fool than at any other time when I think that I really should have known or believed it sooner.”

Because she had been naive enough to believe that her boyfriend (member to arguably the biggest name in K-pop) would still want her when at that point she didn’t even have the qualifications to be the girlfriend of someone like that. She was that naive, even when he had his open crush on Taeyeon. (And why wouldn’t it evolve into full-blown chemistry when they actually worked together?)

“But you didn’t spend a whole year just being hurt, right?” Chanyeol’s gaze fell over her, still having a hard time adjusting to her change in style; his mind flitted to the images of her in the practice room.

“No,” Soyu loosely twirled a lock around her finger when she saw him eyeing her hair, “of course not. I took all that hurt,” she took off her snapback and set it down on the table, pushed her hair back and swallowed, “and made myself someone who wouldn’t be left.”

“Not so easily anyways.”

It was unspoken but they were both aware that the afterthought was there.

“You’re off to a good start. You dance better than I do, I didn’t even know you danced.” Chanyeol beamed. It was just like him to try and flatter her back to good spirits.

Soyu gave him a look like “Why are you so behind on the times?”

“Yah, what are you saying? EXO is known for dancing, which includes your ungraceful self,” she took a sip of her milk tea, “and I started learning contemporary when I was fifteen, it’s just that I stopped dancing for a few years.”

(Chanyeol subconsciously remembered how Soyu was dedicated to gaming and was a devout player of League. Good to know she found a productive hobby instead of dancing.)

“What about hip hop then?”

“I started learning last year.” They exchanged a knowing glance and Chanyeol’s expression fell a bit.

Silence overtook them and Chanyeol alternated between drinking his coffee and drumming his fingers against the wood of the table; he didn’t want to — he couldn’t sit still — but even more than that he didn’t want to ask the wrong questions or push Soyu.

A sigh finally escaped her lips before she removed her hand from Chanyeol’s and proceeded to rummage through her bag. She pulled a small plaid-print notebook out but kept it pressed under her palms.

Her eyes lifted to meet his but they quickly went out of focus; she was looking through him.

“As you’ve probably figured, I haven’t moved. My number’s the same and I kept my SNS accounts up because you know I don’t check them much anyways. And I’m sorry I never replied to your text messages or voicemails. And for never writing back to your e-mails.” Even though she wasn’t truly looking at him she cast her gaze back downwards.

“So you saw all of them?” Chanyeol sounded confused and, having known him well enough, Soyu could detect a sliver of disappointment.

“From you, from my family, from my friends—” from Baekhyun “— yes. I still kept in touch with my parents, but…” She bit her lip.

Browns drawn together, he only patiently waited for her to continue.

Her voice just barely trembled. “I saw how people pitied me, and their concern — and how worried you were, oppa. So I took those as reminders to become a different Kwon Soyu. One people wouldn’t have to feel so sorry for.”

She her lips and swallowed; felt increasingly dry while her eyes only dampened. “I didn’t talk to anyone else because I didn’t want to allow myself that comfort. I knew that if I spoke to someone about it I’d end up just talking about it until I felt better,” a bitter smirk lips and her eyes became steely, “and I wouldn’t have become this Kwon Soyu.”

Like someone had turned off a faucet, the bit of moisture pooling in her eyes came to a stop and slowly began to dissipate.

She pushed the notebook across the table to Chanyeol who only looked more and more deflated. “The short end of it is that I made myself into someone. I rediscovered dancing, put a little effort into my appearance, and learned to open up a little bit. But the whole of it is there if you really want to know.”

“So she’s handing me… her diary?”

He absently flipped through the pages before tucking it into his jacket. “Now that you’re back you know you can just talk to me, right?” His grin returned.

“Yes. I’m sorry, oppa.” She replied with a sheepish smile.

Chanyeol propped her arm up on its elbow for her and grasped her hand again, waving their arms from side to side and they simultaneously took a sip of their drinks again.

They passed some number of minutes in silence, and then:

“So do we still have to pretend to be strangers?”

Chanyeol and his priorities.

Baekhyun stared at Soyu’s profile from where he sat. Chanyeol returned to the dorm that week and a half ago in a mix of contentment and unease — and he didn’t doubt for a moment that Chanyeol had gone to meet with her, and at that, he couldn’t help the jealousy creeping at his consciousness.

That gnawing jealousy was intent on eating him into a mess of remorse and envy as he watched a smile stay stamped on her face while she got her makeup done next to Chen. Chen made some remark that caused Soyu to laugh loudly and she raised her hand to cover but she quickly apologized to the makeup-noona between her giggling.

“Chen oppa, you have really pretty eyelashes.” She mused while she watched the other makeup artist applied mascara on him.

“Really? Yours are pretty, too.” His mouth curled up in a way that made Baekhyun want to hapkido kick him in the face.

“Oppa, you flatter me.” She rolled her eyes upwards as if she was trying to catch a glimpse of those lashes for herself.

Those eyelashes definitely didn’t use to be so long.

Baekhyun, fuming, ed the collar of his shirt and quite frankly looked like he was ready to strip off his suit jacket and throw down. He didn’t even comprehend his own frustration or jealousy; he shouldn’t have been, but he was so put off that she didn’t seem to be blinking an eye over what had happened — didn’t even bother blinking at eye at him. He shouldn’t have, but he felt something bitter rolling on his tongue every time Soyu smiled at another member or if someone else made her laugh.

What right did he have to harbor this kind of contempt towards her?

He didn’t. But his persisting discontentment wasn’t overriding his guilt.

Lay suddenly slid beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Baekhyun, you’ve been unusually quiet. Is everything okay?”

“Hm? Yeah.” Baekhyun hardly looked in his direction, which prompted Lay to follow his line of sight.

“Oh, do you not like Soyu-ssi?”

Did he not?

“No, I just haven’t gotten the chance to talk to her.” He finally shifted his attention to Lay and gave his hyung a reassuring smile. It was mostly true. Soyu pretty much looked right over him every time they met over the last several days, and he knew she was just looking through him whenever she bowed hello or goodbye.

“Oh. She’s nice, I think you’ll like her.” Lay patted him on the back and got up.

When Baekhyun looked up again, Soyu had turned her head just slightly and was staring right at him.

“Ten minutes, everyone.” Manager Im peered into the room for a second and disappeared again.

They were borrowing and shooting at Kamong Café, the coffee shop owned by Kai’s sister. The concept of the new MV was in part a drama (“tragic love story” cliché), a classy date in which the handsome flower boy and his beautiful girlfriend showcase their love-hate (sometimes (often) one-way) relationship.

They were actually supposed to film on the street and then in the café, which was a bit risky trying to film an MV in such a public area, but that’s why they waited until 9PM; they were scheduled to start shooting by 9:45.

“Oppa, I need some fresh air so I’m just going to head out first.” Soyu placed her hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder to get his attention.

He turned around, “Okay, stay safe.” He gave her his trademark grin which prompted an eyeroll in return.

Baekhyun was fixing his hair when he saw Soyu leave in the mirror. He rebuttoned the collar of his shirt and slipped out the door.

By the time Baekhyun made it down the stairs, Soyu was already pushing the door open. As soon as she stepped outside she began to tap away at her phone and Baekhyun couldn’t help but admire her for a moment, how she stood illuminated by the dim outdoor lighting.

For the café part of the shoot she had been fitted in a very flattering black dress that had a collar and buttoned down halfway at the front; there were large cutouts that extended from the strip of buttons in the center to the sleeves on both sides (from the front, the sleeves looked detached). It hugged her body and was short but had some stretch to it (and she had to wear shorts underneath, of course). Paired with thigh-high stockings and thickly heeled ankle boots, Soyu was dressed to kill — and boy, was Sehun¹ lucky to have her play his counterpart.

Baekhyun approached her and it dawned on him that he didn’t even know what to say. Was it appropriate for him to ask how she had been? Maybe he didn’t even want to know.

“Soyu.” For him to say and for her to hear her own name from him was strange. It was almost foreign — and borderlining wrong.

A breeze hit as she turned, waved hair blowing in wisps around her face. Her eyes were wide, full of surprise and panic but they quickly steeled back over. pressed into a tight line like she was afraid to say anything.

Soyu’s eyes flickered downwards to the ground and then back up, but only as far up as his chest. “Baekhyun.” Her voice was so full of disdain, even with the way his name fell from her lips.

Regardless, Baekhyun cleared his throat and did his best to smile a little, “We should talk… shouldn’t we?”

She scoffed — a mocking huff of air — but she didn’t say anything. It was a slap to Baekhyun’s face, not because she couldn’t even grace him with a reply, but because he couldn’t shake the feeling that he made her into the person who stood in front of him now: a beautiful, unforgiving woman.

“If you won’t say anything, you should at least look at me.” He already sounded defeated.

He didn’t expect her to, but she actually raised her gaze to meet his and it almost took his breath away; her eyes were lined with black and it made her stare that much more intense.

The intensity of the emptiness in her eyes threatened to swallow him in an instant.

“What makes you think I should do even that?” Even Soyu was taken aback by the hostility in her tone. She practically spat out her words at him.

He blinked a few times and opened his mouth before closing it again, jaw clenched. “I just wanted to know that you’ve been alright in the last year or so.”

Soyu’s jaw dropped and it was a miracle the glare she shot him didn’t kill him on the spot. Her eyes wavered momentarily and all her grief that pooled in them made Baekhyun want to drop to his knees. As quickly as her emotions had shown, they fled again.

“You left me for another woman. And even worse, I found out through the media because you couldn’t even bother saying anything to me. Not, ‘I have someone else,’ not, ‘I think we should break up.’ And yet you want me to say something to you now? You broke my heart and yet you want the reassurance? That it was okay?” Her voice was raising with every question before she managed to collect herself a bit; she scoffed again, sounding more exhausted (and perhaps a bit disgusted) than sarcastic now.

“Yah, Byun Baekhyun, you’re really despicable.”

Baekhyun swallowed and it was his turn to look away, despite the fact that he had asked for her response. Honestly, why did he expect that Soyu would have had a positive outlook on the situation at all? And then what, was she supposed to wish them happiness and ask when the wedding was?

“That isn’t what I mean,” he sighed and hesitated.

Isn’t it?

“I—” The sudden vibrate of his phone was loud in the silence outside the building.

“Hesitating costs you.” Soyu frowned, “Better not keep your girlfriend waiting.” Her gaze moved upwards, seeing the rest of EXO begin to file down the stairs inside. With that, she shifted her attention back to her own phone and tried to ease her expression back out (to little avail).

Among the small talk while they made their way down to the ground floor, Luhan caught sight of Baekhyun’s back as he faced a distraught-looking Soyu and quickly descended the remaining stairs two steps at a time and booked it towards the door. Seeing his hyung rush by, Chanyeol watched for the route Luhan was paving and followed suit.

At the sudden bursting open of the glass door Baekhyun jumped a little and swiveled on his heels to find a very concerned Luhan. “Luhan-hyung?”

The elder hardly looked at him but frowned. “What’s going on? Soyu-ssi?”

Soyu bit her lip (and internally slapped herself; the makeup-eonni was going to scold her for ruining her lipgloss), repeatedly hitting the power button on her phone to light and dim the screen but said nothing.

The remaining eight who were still making their way across the lobby were clouded by confusion.

“Baekhyun and Soyu-ssi’s relationship seems a little weird, doesn’t it?” Lay murmured.

“Maybe she thinks Baekhyun-hyung is annoying. If I were a girl I wouldn’t bother with someone like him, either.” Sehun pointed out casually with a devious smirk on his face, earning laughs from Tao and Chen.

“Soyu-ssi really doesn’t look happy, though. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious?” Xiumin frowned and peered around his tall dongsaengs to try and catch another glimpse at the growing crowd outside.

Chanyeol had pushed the door open and was hovering beside Luhan. “What’s going on?”

Seeing Suho and Chen also making their way to the door, Soyu tugged on a section of her hair.

“I was just asking Baekhyun-ssi to help me practice for the scene. I couldn’t get the feeling down so he rehearsed with me.” She tossed her hair back and laughed a little, “I guess I got too into it.”

At least Baekhyun really helped her get that love-hate feeling down.

“Ah… really?” Luhan sounded as unconvinced as Chanyeol looked.

“Yes, really. Don’t look so worried Luhan oppa, it doesn’t suit you.” She smiled wider and stepped forward to fix his tie (not that it was actually out of place), casting Chanyeol a sideways “I’ll tell you later” glance.

Luhan sighed; he wasn’t going to press it, so he just put a hand on her shoulder, “You can ask me too, okay?”

Soyu knew the look in those doe eyes meant “If there’s something wrong, don’t hesitate to tell us.”

“Oh right~ Oppa, did I mention that Baekhyun is a total bastard? He might have cheated on me for that SNSD leader — Taeyeon, was it?”

Sarcasm and attitude was prodding her tongue, but she somehow managed to restrain herself.

She sighed back at him, “Okay, I’ll ask you next time, oppa.”

The rest of EXO was finally making their way outside, managers not far behind them. Too busy looking at his watch, Lee Seunghwan² stated a “let’s go” without taking any notice of the tense atmosphere and hit the unlock button for one car.

Soyu wordlessly strode away from the group (and was she a sight, walking in that little black dress) and boarded M’s van. To avoid interrogation, Baekhyun shuffled to the K van and took a seat in the back. No one else wanted to bring any issues up (especially in front of the manager-hyungs) and got in their respective cars as well.

As soon as everyone was settled in the K-van, there was a vibrate and Chanyeol pulled out his phone. Baekhyun knew it was Soyu, no doubt — and he was suddenly reminded to check his own messages.

He almost choked when he unlocked his screen.

“Better not keep your girlfriend waiting.”

Soyu’s intuition was as ominous as ever.

¹The MV setting/plot I imagine has that very smoky, semi-sensual and bittersweet feel, kind of like Hyolyn's "One Way Love" (and kind of her whole Love & Hate album). I can't help but feel like Sehun would be really fitting or that kind of song asdfksjgdg Maybe Kai or Tao, too, but Sehun is really the one who comes to mind first.

²Lee Seunghwan is EXO-K's manager to clear up any confusion.

I'm sorry that I'm actually having to split this into now three parts. I believe I start fall break on Friday so I'll work more diligently on finishing this sequel. Feedback would be helpful, and thank you for continuing to read "No Room for Forgiveness~" I have other scenario/story ideas in mind that I really want to get around to writing but I'm trying not to write multiple things at once ^^;; Also, please don't be afraid to upvote if you like the story so far. ;A; If you like my writing but would like to see something different, my scenario and oneshot requests are open~:

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