A House Divided - Changbin Ending

Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Elena tore through the lower level of the wing with no sight of Changbin. Having searched the entire lower floor, he was nowhere to be found. Just as she was about to leave and tear through the other wing, she heard the frustrated clang of piano keys. Knowing no one else dared to enter her studio uninvited, she frantically ascended the stairs.

Breathless, she stood in the doorway. Sitting at the piano, hidden by the darkness of the room, he refused to look up from the keys.

"You'd be a terrible sniper, E. Can't sneak around for shit" Though he joked, his voice hummed dully.

"What..." she gasped, doing her best to catch her breath, "what happened?" Keeping her distance, they remained far apart from one another.

"What did he tell you?" He grumbled back.

"He didn't tell me anything. He wouldn't even let me check on him." Both arms outstretched, she braced herself with the frame of the door. The frantic searching had been draining.

Changbin remained silent, infuriating the mistress. "You always act like you're invincible, but you can't even look at me right now." All grace and elegance came undone before him. The woman who appeared before him was bold and ruthless. It was thrilling to see yet another facet of her. "Talk to me!" She yelled, bringing his focus back to her words. "You've been avoiding me for days now, with no explanation. Is that really who you are?" The question stung, prompting him to rise from the piano bench.

Standing perfectly still, he hung on her every word. That bleeding heart of hers was one of the things he cherished most. "Are you so afraid of your own feelings that you'd rather avoid someone who cares for you than address them?" He slowly moved towards her. Drawing closer he became visible, illuminated by the light in the hall. Her heart pounded, feeling like it was trying to crawl up into her throat. The sensation made her sick.

Stopping within a foot of her, he looked her dead in the eye. Regaining some of her breath and strength, she stood tall to face him.

"I know about Chan and Mo. I know about the ultimatum." She could tell the information had thrown him off when his face softened. Searching for even the smallest morsel of understanding, she attempted to read his every expression. The only thing she could tell was that he wasn't mad or upset. He was defeated.

"Do you love him, E?" His voice trembled ever-so-slightly.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Just answer the question. Do you love him?"

The gentleness of his eyes spoke louder than his words ever could. She saw the worry, the sadness, and the regret that made them look so heavy and tired. The question felt out of place and somewhat accusatory.

"I'm not answering that." Maintaining eye-contact, she refused his query. Closing the space between them, he stood toe to toe with her.

"Elena, do you love him?" Her floodgates had opened, sending tears cascading down her face.

"Stop!" She sobbed, reaching out to strike his arm. He caught her flying hand, gently taking hold of her wrist.

With his free hand he wiped a runaway teardrop from her lips. He felt the tension in her arm ease, prompting the release of his light grip. There were two outcomes he expected, neither of them being in his favor. She would either admit that she did in fact have feelings for Hyunjin, or, she'd ignore him all together. When words intermingled with the crying, he strained to hear.

"I don't love him, you fool." She admitted, voice just barely louder than a whisper. "I'm in love with you."

Now she was the one who couldn't bear to look at him. Eyes glued to the floor, she had been unable to see the stone exterior crumble.