Aerin quickly forces herself to get it together. She turns the door knob and whips it open.

Chanyeol is there, pursing his lips together, and has his hands on his hips. “I, uh, just was trying to find you guys, because Jongin’s solo is coming up soon. So, just come whenever you guys are done.” He nods a single time, before turning his heels around and leaving.

“Chanyeol, wait,” Aerin shouts, and quickly chases after him.

Chanyeol doesn’t beat around the bush. He turns to a flailing Aerin and just says in a firm tone, “This isn’t the place. We can talk about whatever just happened later, but now, I just want to enjoy my friend’s performance.”

“Okay.”

Aerin looks back, and Baekhyun appears from the closet door.

“You can walk back with me.” Chanyeol says. “Come on.”

Aerin does just that and continues walking back to the auditorium, not taking a second look back behind her.

Baekhyun texts Aerin’s phone like crazy. Her inbox is filled with repeats of “Please call me”, “We need to talk”, and so many of “I’m sorry”. Talking to Baekhyun is the last thing she wants to do right now; her only priority is talking to Chanyeol right now. She doesn’t want him to think that she’s completely moved on and that it took a short amount of time to--it wasn’t like that at all.

Chanyeol agreed to meet Aerin at her place to talk. Through his texts, his demeanor has been calm and relaxed this whole time, and it only makes Aerin more scared.

“Chanyeol,” Aerin says, when she opens the door to see the curly-haired boy. “Come in.”

“Aerin, if you were planning to apologize for any reason,” Chanyeol starts right away, “don’t. You don’t have to say sorry for anything.”

“Well, I’m going to say it anyways. I’m sorry you saw that, and I want to explain to you that I didn’t willingly kiss him.”

“So it was against your will?”

“No, I didn’t say that--Baekhyun wouldn’t never. I’m just saying, I didn’t initiate it. I wouldn’t do that.” Aerin looks at him. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Chanyeol lets out a heavy sigh. “You need to stop thinking like this.”

“Like what? Chanyeol, we’re okay. At least that’s what I thought.”

“We are okay. But Aerin, you don’t have to continue considering me first in all your decisions before yourself. It’s tiring, for you to keep up with and me to continue seeing.”

“I do not do that!”

“You don’t think I notice it? You’ve been subtly doing it all the time, and it makes me feel terrible.” Chanyeol doesn’t hold back. “We’re not together anymore, Aerin. You’re free to do anything you want. If you want to kiss Baekhyun, kiss him. If you wanted to date him the second we broke up, you were free to do that too. I don’t want to be in your head all the time anymore.”

Chanyeol knows that’s too much information to process at once, so he takes a breather. He takes Aerin by the hands, hands that were so common to hold before, and grasps them tightly. “I told you that we are okay.”

“We are okay,” Aerin repeats.

Chanyeol brings Aerin into an embrace. His large build envelopes her completely, and in this moment, she feels a sense of serenity and comfort--something she hasn’t felt in a long time. When they part, Aerin looks up to Chanyeol, and he smiles softly. She does the same, and hugs him once more.

“Now, tell me the truth. Are the rumors true? Is he actually that good of a kisser?” Chanyeol jokes, bringing some light to this heavy talk.

“Shut up,” Aerin chuckles. “Don’t lie, I know you guys have smooched from time to time.”

“Oh duh, we’re roommates--what do you expect?”

They laugh together. Chanyeol looks at her for an extended period of time, no longer feeling the same guilt as before.

“Do you remember when you needed that spa day, and I treated you out to a whole day out?” Aerin says on the phone.

“I remember,” Soojin chuckles from the other line. “Why?”

“Because I’m gonna need it now.” Aerin takes a second before continuing, “I have a lot to tell you. Please don’t get mad.”

Soojin audibly sighs. “I know by now, that you would never do anything to make me mad. But I’m sorry--I’m stuck in the cosmetology room for the day. Can you come here instead?”

“I can do that.” Aerin replies in the phone and hangs up shortly after. This was actually getting exhausting--she has one break up, a