Childhood friends

Tell me, I can be redeemed

A/N: Hello, and welcome back. This chapter is focused on Baekhyun, and Jonhten mostly. Next up, Taohun. (BTW, there's a double up at the bottom. 2 extras for the price of 1)

"Baek, you've gotta talk to them at some point"

"Jongin-"

"Don't you dare say "don't"!" Jongin yelled at him, and Baekhyun shut up.

"I've been dealing with you for the last 4- almost 5 months!" Jongin exploded, and Baekhyun looked at the ground, flinching as Jongin spoke.

"Really, I am happy we've become friends again, but seriously, if it's just for you to avoid your friends and their problems, I don't want it!"

"Jongin, you don't understand" Baekhyun calmly started out, but Jongin interrupted him again.

"The hell I don't!"

"You don't talk to me about it!" Baekhyun felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "You throw it into the deepest hole in your soul, locking it all away! How could I?!" Baekhyun knew Jongin genuinely cared about him, he also knew that he was right, but he just couldn't go back.

"You can't turn your back on them!"

"Just like you did?!" Baekhyun finally shot back "Just like how you left us after you left the team?!" Jongin was taken aback, and Baekhyun took the chance to keep ranting.

"Don't tell me what to do when you're a hypocrite!"

"That's not the same thing!" Jongin tried to argue, but Baekhyun scoffed.

"Oh, but it is!"

"No! I left the team, which made me fall out with you! But I still came to see you! Still came to your parties!" He took a deep breath "I'm not the reason why the group is falling apart now! You are!" he spoke, pushing a finger into Baekhyun's chest "You chose to abandon them!"

"Oh! Why do you care so much!" Baekhyun scoffed, shoving Jongin's hand away.

"Because I hate the person you've become!" and again, Baekhyun scoffed with a smile, but the words hit hard.

"What? I'm happy, and I'm better" he smiled, walking a few steps backward "I've healed, and you don't like that?" It was all a facade, both of them knew that.

"You'd rather, I kept being heartbroken over Chanyeol?!"

"No! But the Baekhyun back then, wouldn't do shit like this"

"Well, life demands sacrifices sometimes," Baekhyun laughed with a shrug, and that was the last straw for Jongin.

Baekhyun knocked on the apartment door with a shaky hand. His heart was beating loud in his ears. How long had it been since he had had a proper talk with Johnny?

The door opened, and Johnny looked at him confused, before turning to the bruise on his cheek.

"Oh, that" Baekhyun let out with a shaky laugh, brushing his fingers over it gently.

"Had a fight with Jongin" he vaguely explained with a shrug.

"Can I come in?"

Johnny nodded his head and moved away from the door.

"Why are you here?" he asked when Baekhyun had closed the door. He was silent for a moment, "To talk". Johnny raised an eyebrow at him but went over to sit on his bed, and Baekhyun followed him.

Baekhyun then explained why he had ignored them.

He had heard Johnny cry at The New Year's party. He hadn't realized how bad his crush on Tao was, he didn't know Johnny had confessed. He thought maybe he had moved on since he got closer to Ten.