Chapter 68

ICE: Thaw the Frozen Heart [EDITING]

Chapter 68

 

Kris looked up from the sink when he heard her footsteps entering the kitchen. Shutting the tap, he turned around to face Yeojin.

"You're finally up." He pushed a bowl on the counter toward her when she took a seat. "I ordered porridge for you. I've already ate mine." He nodded at the washed bowl on the sink.

Yeojin pursed her lips and nodded. "Thanks." She lightly rubbed her swollen eye and glanced at the window realizing it was already getting dark outside.

She really loathed whenever she had panic attack. She would always wake up feeling wasted.

"I've told your mom about what happened." He told her as he handed her a spoon and took a seat beside her.

"Ah..." She nodded then looked away with a sniff. A tinge of guilt was poking her because she disregarded Kris' warning and got herself at this stage.

"We'll go to the mansion after you eat."

"Okay." Yeojin spooned some porridge but didn't immediately eat it. Sighing, she turned to look at Kris. "I'm sorry." When Kris stared at her, she lowered her gaze. 

He huffed. "I told you to stay put," he reprimanded, but his voice wasn't stern. Instead, it carried tiredness.

Her lower lip slightly jutted out while her head was lowered. "I was hungry."

"You could've ordered something by phone."

"I know. I didn't think of it. I'm sorry." She heard him sigh before she felt warm palms pressed against her cheeks. 

Kris lifted her head and squeezed her cheeks. "You little pancake! Do you know how much you scared me?!"

"Pancake?" Yeojin frowned with cheeks still squished. "I was scared too! It's not like I wanted to get chased by two jerks!"

A corner of Kris' lips tugged up as he released her cheeks. "You were, huh?" He patted her head smoothening her hair. Somehow, despite his small smile, his eyes didn't smile along. "That's why you should listen to me next time." Yeojin nodded and Kris continued her head. "Your panic attack wasn't that bad this time though. It was hard, wasn't it? Holding it back, I meant."

It was a torture! Yeojin silently agreed and nodded lowering her head before suddenly snapping it up. "Ah! Wasn't Sehun there? Is he okay? Did he got beaten up?"

Kris' hand immediately froze, and he slowly retracted it. Realizing what she was asking a little too late, Yeojin clamped and looked away.

"I mean..."

"He's alright," Kris told her with a small smile. "He was beaten up, but not so much. At least he didn't get too much bruises like the ones his brother gave me," he half-joked.

Yeojin sighed in relief and returned his smile while carefully caressing the bruises on his face. She couldn't ignore how his gaze looked...tired and a little empty. He was there, but his mind was somewhere else, she observed.

Somewhere chaotic and burdensome.

Standing up from his seat, Kris patted her head again. "Finish your porridge. I'll go wash up first. Then we'll go to the mansion. It's better if we stay there this week. For your safety's sake. You've packed some clothes right?"

Yeojin nodded.

"Alright." He walked to exit the kitchen before suddenly stopping and looking back at her over his shoulder. 

Yeojin raised a brow and just blinked at him.

"You should call Sehun later," he told her nonchalantly.

Her blinks turned rapid. Was I hearing right? She wondered.

"He helped save you earlier. You should thank him." A tight smile grazed his lips before he turned back leaving the kitchen.

Empty eyes.

Something's definitely occupying his mind!


Yeojin closed the library door behind her and locked it. Bringing her phone to her ear, she set down the two bag of chips on the table. As she waited for the call to be picked up, she sat on the window seat smacked between the book shelves.

She had been trying to find the time to call Sehun but got immediately interrogated by the mothers when she arrived at the mansion. Afterwards, it simply slipped off her mind when Lin decided to hog her all to herself. 

Lin and Jongin seemed to have made a progression though the girl kept on masking her stories with complains. They were going to continue their girls' night—as Lin had called it—with watching drama when Yeojin remembered wanting to call Sehun. With an excuse to get them some snacks, she went downstairs.

The line rang longer and she bit the tip of her thumb. She could have just texted him, but there was this little desire to call him instead that she couldn't brush away. The ringing finally stopped and Yeojin held her breath.

["Yeojin?"]

"H-hi." She cleared . "Am I bothering you?"

["No."] She heard him let out a long breath. Then, a brief pause ensued. ["What's up?"]

"I-I just... I just want to thank you for helping me earlier."

He hummed. ["It's nothing."]

Another pause and Yeojin her lips.

Why was she feeling awkward toward him again? They were already on good terms the last time they met. She wondered if she was just embarrassed or feeling guilty because she broke down into panic attack in front of him earlier.

"Kris told me you got beaten up. Are you okay?"

["I'm alright. Don't worry. What about you? Are you okay now?"]

Yeojin hummed. This time, she grew silent.

["Good then. You looked... horrible earlier."]

"Ya!" Yeojin hissed while she heard him let out a short soft chuckle.

["Listen, I gotta go now. You stay safe, okay? Rest well, Yeojin."]

"A-alright."

Pause.

The seconds stretched longer resonating with their reluctance to end the call. It was as if they wanted to say something more, but both knew what they had to say was a closure. A good bye. Maybe for good. She hoped not for good.

["..bye."]

"Bye." Yeojin pursed her lips as she ended the call. 

Sehun was obviously trying to put a distance between them. Something she should learn to accept and do sooner than later. Sighing, she briefly glanced out at the garden through the window. She took a second glance when she noticed Kris standing outside. 

Winter was still ruling, but there was Kris standing outside in just a pullover and track pants. He tipped his head back looking at the dark sky before huffing a visible breath. Yeojin frowned wondering what he was doing. Or to be exact, what he had been thinking the whole day.

Kris caught sight of her and froze mid-turn. He raised a brow looking confused, probably wondering why she was in the library. Caught off guard, Yeojin only blinked at him before awkwardly grinning and waving her hand. He scoffed to the side then gave her a lopsided smile before turning to go inside.

Yeojin grabbed the snacks on the table and quickly exit the library meeting him in the hallway. Silently, they walked up the stairs side by side.

"Why are you still up?" He finally asked when they reached the top of the stairs.

"Lin suggested watching a drama to celebrate finishing exam. I just went down to get us some snacks." She shook the bag of chips in her hands, inwardly hoping he wouldn't ask about why she was in the library. He didn't.

"Oh." Kris nodded. "Alright. Don't stay up too late, you two." He patted her head. "Good night."

He turned to enter his bedroom, but Yeojin grabbed his elbow. When he looked back at her, she took a step closer and gazed up at him; brows knitted into a frown. "Are you okay? You've been looking out of it since earlier."

"It's nothing." He mustered a smile.

Yeojin didn't buy it for even one second, but decided to let it slide. "You know you're not the only one who has ears, right? I'm all ears for you if you need me."

This time, Kris didn't even try to smile and only blankly stared at her. He sighed, nodded, then leaned down to peck her on the lips. "Good night, Jin." With that, he entered his room.

Just what is bothering you, Kris? She huffed a frustrated breath.


Good news greeted the Wu's the next morning. Suho's team won the bid by a narrow margin of votes.

Yet somehow, Kris looked more troubled. At least to Yeojin's eyes, he was. The others seemed to buy his fake smile. It bugged her and she wanted to ask him, but he left after breakfast to discuss the following steps to be taken with Suho and Luhan, and supposedly to "celebrate" the win.

The rest of her day was, thus, spent playing some board games with Jinho, Lin, and Mr. Ahn while she waited for Kris to come home. During dinner, she received a text from him saying he would be coming home really late because he would be having some drinks with the guys. In the end, she ended the day with another drama marathon with Lin until their eyes couldn't resist the heaviness anymore, and they decided to call it a night.

It was past midnight when Yeojin was awaken by the sound of a closing door from down the hall. Most probably from Kris' room.

She wondered if Kris just got home. Her eyes begged to rest, but curiosity got the better of her. After carefully slipping out of Lin's bed and room, she came to Kris' room only to find it empty. However, she noticed the clothes Kris was wearing in the morning strewn on the floor. His bed looked like it had been slept on, so she came to the conclusion that he might have got home a long while ago.

But where is he? Yeojin yawned and rubbed her heavy eyes.

Deciding to look for him, she trudged down the stairs. For several minutes, Yeojin aimlessly wandered around the mansion until the only option left was the back garden. Too sleepy and tired to go back up the stairs just to get her jacket, she pulled up the hood of her pullover to cover her head, hugged herself tight and braced herself for the winter night breeze. 

Upon opening the door to the back garden, she shivered. Still, she walked further out the garden. The dim lamp posts lit up the garden making it look beautiful even at night. With half-lifded eyes, she spotted someone under the gazebo and figured it was Kris.

Kris was slouching on the bench with head tipping back and an arm over his eyes. A soft yawn escaped her lips as she approached then stood in front of him.

"Isn't it cold out here?" She asked while rubbing her eyes.

Kris sighed. "Why are you here?" He asked back without removing the arm over his eyes.

"Well, what are you doing here? What time did you get back anyway?" Another yawn couldn't be hold back by her. "You should sleep in your room, Kris. Not here."

"You go sleep," he told her still not letting his eyes uncovered.

"Well, you should sleep too."

"I'll just stay here for a bit. You go ahead."

Annoyed, Yeojin clicked her tongue. "Seriously! What's been getting into you?" She grabbed his forearm and pried it away from his face only to be stunned.

Suddenly, sleep wasn't trying to overtake her anymore. She blinked the drowsiness away and even shook her head. 

Yeojin just couldn't believe that Kris was crying.

Letting out a deep sigh, Kris sat up and stared up at her with tearful eyes. "Damn it! Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" He gritted his teeth. "I didn't want you to see me like this!"

Yeojin was still too stunned to give an immediate reaction. She gulped then pursed her lips watching him try to wipe away the tears that kept streaming out of his eyes. "W-what happened? Why are you crying?"

Propping an elbow on his thigh, Kris rested his hand over his eyes. "Please... Just leave me for a while, Jin."

Frustrated, Yeojin scowled. "No! You've been acting weirdly since yesterday and it's been bugging me. Kris, aren't I your best friend? I don't like seeing you keeping things to yourself like this! Please just tell me what happened?"

"You married me!" He finally yelled gazing up at her. "That's what happened!"

Yeojin's eyes rounded. Her heart was pricked.

"If only you didn't marry me, I wouldn't need to be a chairman that everyone tries to impeach!" His raised voice made her flinch, and she frowned hating how he was suddenly putting the blame on her.

"If I weren't a chairman"—he choked a sob and lowered his head—"no one would try to hurt you."

Her gaze softened at that, but she was no less bewildered than before with what he was saying. She stayed silent, nonetheless, to let him let out whatever had been suffocating him the past days.

Kris held his head in his hands as if it could stop all his bothering thoughts from spilling. "If we didn't get married, I wouldn't have fallen for you again. We could go on hating each other. You could go on blaming me for your dad's and Baekhyun's death." A sob was caught on his throat again, before he took a deep breath to continue, "You could have your normal life. I wouldn't have to worry about what Changsun will do to you again now that I've won. And I"—he couldn't hold back his sobs anymore and hid his face with his hands while he cried.

Yeojin just stood there not knowing what to do. The air was biting, but she didn't care about it anymore. Kris' sobs pricked her more than the biting winter air.

"I wouldn't have to see you hurt," Kris' muffled voice spoke again. Trying to wipe his tears, he gazed up at her again and the sight only broke her heart even more. "But I guess... You couldn't have a normal life even without marrying me. Because of me, you had to suffer that panic attack. Maybe it would have been much better if we had never become friends!"

A roaring groan escaped his lips as he roughly tousled his hair in frustration then pulled on his hair. "I'm such a failure!" He hit his chest several times. "Such a failure! I don't deserve you!" He flung his hand gesturing at her. "But what should I do?" His teary eyes stared up at her again. "I don't want a life without you either!" His voice cracked. "Still, it hurts so much. Seeing you hurt hurts me!" As tears continued to pour out of his eyes and a wail left his lips, his eyes strayed from her and his head was dragged down with guilt.

Yeojin could feel herself breaking as each seconds passed. Slowly she stepped closer then ran a hand through his hair and rested the other hand on his shoulder. Patting his head, she gently pulled him close letting his forehead rest on her stomach. 

Gentle hands his back and patted his head while grief spilled out of his being. Cold wind hushed around them and made her skin numb, yet it couldn't numb the pain inside her. Her eyes dropped to a close as a drop of tear escaped her eye. While his cry continuously entered her ears and abused her heart, she wondered why pain had to coexist with love.


The saying goes:
"When a girl cries over a guy, she really loves him.  When a guy cries over a girl, he will never love another girl like her."

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190506 ICE: Chapter 72 updated!

Comments

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krisxoxo23
#1
Chapter 82: Missed the story, been few years already, hoping there'll be an update 😭😭😭
Emily345 #2
Chapter 82: Ohh how I miss this story... ?
Will you be updating again ??
2407briana #3
Chapter 82: Whoa whoa whoa I was not prepared for that
mznary #4
Chapter 82: WHAT?!! NOOOO NOO! Yifannnnn!!
miyoonji #5
Chapter 82: So, who is Yeojin going to choose?
tutialawiyah #6
Chapter 82: I was thinking Kris want to step down from his position to protect Yeojin. But what now? Is he seriously wanna give up on everything?? Cmon, atleast you should have one whether it's yeojin or your company T.T
gogogirl26 #7
Chapter 82: Aishhhh.. kris :(
chichiba #8
Chapter 82: Kris is ready to let Yeojin go... im sad?
chonanay
#9
Chapter 82: :'((
Shinhye-ssi
#10
Chapter 82: Are they breaking up?