The Golden Ring • ChanBaek | ENG

[CHAPTER 2. 011]

        I looked at Jessi's message with a sour face.. She doesn't feel like partying, and she even asked why I'm going when I work tomorrow. Her question is completely legitimate, and I could not answer it precisely.

I'm not even sure what the hell I'm doing here.

No matter how hysterical Jaebum was that he didn't want to stand in line, unfortunately we didn't make it in time and I started to feel incredibly uncomfortable in the clothes I came in.

People's stares bothered me mercilessly, I even started sweating under the sweater, but I couldn't take it off because the black t-shirt was transparent underneath.

The only thing missed from my boring little broken life is people staring at me non-stop.

If I wanted to, I could actually turn around and walk away right now, but my guess is Jaebum would cry about it to Jongdae, telling him how I left him here and I would be scolded again. No thank you.

Dae is our boss now, and I have to admit, Minseok has always been the more forgiving type, especially with me, Jongdae.. well he is... He is a completely different topic.

I think this whole restaurant opening is very stressful on the two of them. If I understood correctly, whenever Dae talked about Seok, it always seemed like that they are together.

I've never heard them fight and they've been working together until now.. But now Minseok is working on something completely different... I hope everything is fine between them.

And the fact that he wants to transfer me to the restaurant. Honestly, I'm still.. not sure I want to go downtown. The pastry shop is close by, if I don't feel like getting in the car I can walk there in a short time.

And anyway... there are so many memories associated with the pastry shop. When we used to go there every Friday after school and talk about even the biggest nonsense.

Ah.. Kibum.. I can't even put to words how much I miss him. I want to hug him so badly, to tell him that I'm sorry for the words I said to him.. For slapping him, unjustly.

Without him... I'm so lost, I need him, but I'm a coward. I don't dare to text him, because what if he blocked my number? I don't want to be even sadder than this, and I would be if I saw the 'blocked' word.

I hope.. that he is happy with Seunghyun as they make their dreams come true. I will probably never see hhim again.. or hear his voice.

"Baekhyun, are you okay?" I heard Jaebum's voice, to which I looked up at him with a bored but sad expression.

"Ah.. just," I waved my hands back and forth, trying to find the words.

"Do you want to go home? I know a 24-hour shop not far away, they sell alcohol there, we buy a few and... drink at your place, hm?"

"No, we don't have to, if we're already here... we'll reach the entrance soon anyway, it would make the twenty minutes we wasted standing in line completely unnecessary."

Although I have to admit, going home doesn't sound so bad.

"Okay," he nodded and put his arm around my shoulder, to which I didn't react..

To be honest, I have no idea what this guy wants from me. We definitely don't like each other, at least I don't like him, I don't even know him, in fact, at any time he opens those... a-! His attractive lips.. only annoying words leave his throat.

I can't stand people fooling around! Over a month ago, my life literally fell to pieces.

Am I sane enough? Can I make rational decisions after my heart broke? Is it really a good idea to let new people into my life?

Questions.. I'm full of questions, I haven't changed for God's sake! Because... there were so many doubts in my mind when Chan-... I don't want to think about him now, I shouldn't, because it will break my heart even more.

Ah.. I'm about to cry again!

What jolted me out of my inner panic attack was Jaebum wrapping his arms around my waist and leading me into the building.

I stared at him with wide eyes, because well... it's quite confusing, it's like we're together, and the people here in Korea are... not the most accepting.

Even my own father couldn't accept me, they bullied me at school when they found out I was gay, what will actual, complete strangers think?!

"Hey, Baek.. you are out of it again. What's on your beautiful mind?"

"Jaebum.. I'd be happy if you let me go, this is-," I grabbed his wrist. "It's not appropriate, people will-"

"Relax princess, no one here will look at us strangely," he pointed forward, and I looked to see what he meant by this sentence.

I raised my eyebrows. "Did you bring me to a gay bar?"

"Tch, no! Here... people are simply accepting. You can hug, kiss and dance with whoever you want. Plus, the staff are also very good people. No matter how many times I came here, there was never any problem," he smiled at me encouragingly.

"Okay.. but I swear, if some psychopathic homicidal homophobe gets his brain shut today and comes in here to kill people, you'll be the first one I'll push in front of him."

"You-... that's morbid and very bad to say!"

"I'm all for dark humor," I grinned fondly. "Well, will you get me a drink? I was parched in anticipation," I faked a cough, to which he rolled his eyes, but as soon as he saw something or someone, his face lit up.

"Sure, but first I have to introduce you to someone!" he grabbed my arm. "Finally I can talk to him in person, he has been avoiding me for a week!"

I didn't really pay attention to what he was saying, but rather tried to find who he was pulling me towards, and when I saw the familiar face, I stopped, pulling my hand out of Jae's grip.

"What's the problem?" he looked at me.

"I.. I don't umm- want to," I started shaking my head, backing away, and my eyes welled up. "I uh, I have to-" I turned away, I suddenly bumped into someone, I couldn't even apologize, I looked for the sign of the bathroom with my eyes and when I found it, I ran towards it.

What is he doing here?