CMOL and Fearless

52

Owen's point of view

I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. My eyes focused on the patterns above, reluctant to fall asleep for the night. The nightmares came too often these days. My anxiety had gotten worse, I kept worrying that the ceo would be let free and everything would start again.

After a while, sleep took over me.

"Happy birthday!"

I looked up from the table where the members and I were eating dinner. It was a late dinner but it had been a busy day.

The ceo was standing at the entrance to our home and he walked in without waiting for us to let him in. I noticed he didn't take off his shoes when he entered either.

"Happy birthday Owen." He spoke with a tone of mockery.

"Gosh, you guys act like me being here is ruining your little party. Do you want me to leave?"

"No! Sorry, we didn't mean that."

"Good, now serve me a piece of that pathetic cake." He gestured to the untouched birthday cake Jun Su and Si Woo had made even though they hadn't had much time. It still looked beautiful.

They had even woken up earlier than necessary to give themselves more time to make it.

Hesitantly, Jun Su walked over and picked up the cake, bringing it to where the ceo had sat down. He was siting in a chair our leader had been siting in moments ago and now  Hong Gi had nowhere to sit so he was eating standing up.

The ceo ordered Iseul to get him a plate, fork and a knife for cutting the cake and Iseul went and got them for him.

Mr. Paek cut a piece of cake for himself and put it on his plate. We all stared at him as he ate a piece of my birthday cake.

After finishing the piece, he picked up the knife again and served himself another piece and then cut the cake in half.

"Get me a container that will fit half the cake, it was better than I expected."

Iseul went back and got one. The ceo put half the cake in the container.

"Who made the cake?"

"Jun Su and I." Si Woo replied.

"I'll ask you guys to come over to my house and make me a cake sometime then."

Putting the lid on the container, the ceo finished his second piece and left with half the cake.

There was silence for a couple minutes after he left.

"Sorry." Jun Su spoke.

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked.

"Because I gave him the cake." The younger boy replied.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. It's best to just listen to the ceo anyways so nothing bad happens." I comforted him, ruffling his hair.

"He is just, he's so scary. So I feel like I need to always do what he says." Jun Su looked at me with wide eyes filled with fear.

"You did the right thing." Out leader spoke up. He walked over to our maknae and gave him a hug, rubbing his back to comfort him.

"It's going to be okay, everything is going to be okay."

We all knew he was lying but said nothing. It's best to believe the lie.

Crowding around the maknae we hugged each other, giving non-existent comfort.

There was no such thing as actual comfort for us, that was a luxury we weren't allowed. Something we hadn't had in a very long time.

I awoke sometime in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep after that. I didn't want to. I didn't want to see the CEO's face ever again. I couldn't let him haunt my dreams as well.