Once A Park : Love Again

Breaking

Chanyeol heard a soft knock on the door cutting him from his thoughts. He readied himself to whomever behind his close door hoping it's not Yeri or Junmyeon or Kyungsoo, Chanyeol just wants to take a break from their worried eyes. He let out a tired sigh before answering the knock, a little relief washed him when Kris stepped inside the room.

" You okay there, dude? " Kris asked him, face blank with emotion which Chanyeol appreciates most.

" Yeah. " He managed to hummed as his gaze returned to the view outside the glass wall looking over the busy side of the city.

" We.. uhmmm.. We will be choosing Elyxion. " Kris informed him to which Chanyeol just nodded, jaw tensing, he leaned forward the glass wall resting his forehead to the coldness of the glass, eyes closed.

" Are you coming to the announcement? " Kris walked towards his friend, carefully assessing Chanyeol's temperament.

" No. " Chanyeol's word came out firm and strong.

" I understand. " Kris nodded even Chanyeol had his back on him. He stayed standing a meter away from the man who seemed to finding a rest on the glass wall.

" Is there anything else? " Chanyeol asked after a long silence , he can feel Kris' eyes on his back. He separated his self from the glass wall and faced Kris.

" When are you going to tell Yeri about the d-divorce?" Kris' voice faltered with the word but eyes were intent on him.

Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, looking elsewhere other than Kris. " Soon. "

" Yeol, we've been best of friends since our potty days, I know how ridiculous and hard this situation for you to take in but.. " Kris let out a deep sigh. " I will still say this, think how hurt Yeri will be.. "

" Am I not hurting her now for being a damn coward? " Chanyeol cut his friend, hand running to his hair, frustration crawling over him. " All I can do is hurt and disappoint her! " Chanyeol closed his eyes tightly, trying to calm the anger that building inside his chest. " Since we got here, she's been crying herself to sleep! She's even crying in her sleep! Only God knows how much she cried when I'm not around! Yeri doesn't deserve any of this, she doesn't deserve to suffer with me. " The last seven words came out as whisper in Chanyeol's trembling lips. " Yeri doesn't deserve to see me like this. " Chanyeol plopped on the couch near him, hand on his face trying to cover his eyes as tears started streaming. " Yeri needs to be free from this, she needs to.. " Chanyeol started sobbing, one hand balled into a tight fist. Kris sat quietly beside him, pulling Chanyeol's shoulder gently towards him for a hug, letting his best friend poured his pain through his tears. Kris is used of Chanyeol's breaking down like this in front of him but still he can't get used of the unsettling feeling inside him. Kris knows how much Chanyeol hated when they show how worried they are for him, how Chanyeol through the years without Baekhyun battling the guilt that eating him inside and living everyday in fear for the day that Baekhyun will appear again. Kris knows well how Chanyeol trying to appear living when he already dead inside. Chanyeol has been trying his best for his family. For them. For Yeri.

Kris felt Chanyeol's shoulders slowly stopped shaking, pushing himself softly away from his shoulder , wiping his tears with the back of his hand. Kris stands up and walked to the mini bar to get some water, silently thanking that even though there's a mini bar, Chanyeol didn't resort to drinking. He handed the opened bottle of water to Chanyeol who looked up at him with his red and puffy yet appreciative eyes and gulped the said liquid in one go.

" Feeling a bit better? "

" Hmmm.." Chanyeol hummed, eyes closed while leaning back against the couch.

" Whatever you feel is right for you. " Kris tapped Chanyeol's shoulder. " I will tell the others you're not coming. "

" Thanks. " Chanyeol managed to whisper, consciousness drifting away slowly, exhaustions crawling like it always does after a breakdown.

Kris helped Chanyeol to lay down in the couch, he knew Chanyeol will be out for a few hours. " But be there for dinner. We will be hosting a celebratory dinner together. " Kris's words were like a distant echo but before Chanyeol drifted to unconsciousness he managed to whisper..

" Okay. "

🍒🍓🍒🍓🍓🍒🍓🍒

" Congratulations! " Yixing grabbed Baekhyun's delicate hand for a handshake. Satisfied smile spread across his face showing his dimples.

" Thank you for choosing and trusting our works. " Baekhyun returned a dazzling smile making Yixing blink twice. Baekhyun moved to shakes hands to others, Minseok, Luhan and Jongdae behind him. Baekhyun hesitated to shakes hands with Yeri but he still tried to be civil for the sake of being professional. Unlike Luhan who totally ignored the whole existence of Sehun, Jongdae's face though wearing a professional mask, his eyes were dancing in amusement at Luhan's action which pulled an unimpressed frown on Sehun's ever stoic face. Yeri's hand is delicate and soft like him but at the moment it is clammy, Baekhyun didn't let their skin contact last a second.

Baekhyun let out a silent sigh of relief knowing that Chanyeol is not in the room but if he will be honest enough, he was disappointed that Chanyeol was not there.

" He is busy. " Baekhyun heard Junmyeon said when Jongdae asked where was Chanyeol. Baekhyun had a feeling that Jongdae asked it for his sake. " But he will join us later for the celebratory dinner. "

" Oh! That's very lovely of you to host a dinner for us. " Jongdae sounds grateful but Baekhyun knows for a different reason. Baekhyun almost rolled his eyes but snorted when he didn't missed how Minseok rolled his own. Seems like it's not only him who catches Jongdae's grand scheme .

" It will be our pleasure working with your company. " Yixing smiled charmingly but his smile dropped a little when Luhan snaked his arm around Baekhyun's waist. Sehun stiffened beside him, a flash of displeased expression on his face.

" Lovely! " Jongdae beamed enthusiastically. " Our head engineer will arrive later today.."

" He can join the dinner too.." Junmyeon offered.

" Perfect! " Jongdae smiling ear to ear, pleased with the perfect scene for the drama that will unfold later that night.

Though Baekhyun is not so okay with Jongdae so much love for drama, knowing that this person is coming later today brings a warm feeling to his heart. Baekhyun didn't notice he is smiling, looking forward hugging their head engineer to sleep tonight.

A/N:

An update as promised. 😁 I took a day off today so I can write an update. To be honest, I was excited with all the ideas pouring in my head and if I only have a time to write regularly, this story will be finished soon. But at the same time, the thoughts of ending this made me sad. 🥹 Well, I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed working on this. Look forward for the next chapter, though I can't promise anything good, but I can promise it will be a total circus. 🤣 Please leave your thoughts for this chapter and you are free to leave if you think you can't handle how chaotic this story will end up. 😆 So much love from me to you! 🫶🏻

🍒JD🍓