Chasm.| Seo Changbin

Twenty-Three.

Four days after the incident, and Stella was still at Changbin's house. In all honesty, she didn't want to ever leave and go back to her house which now terrified her the most. She enjoyed her free time in his house, especially when his two friends came to visit and brought Stella loads of delicious food and sweets to keep her in a good mood, ignoring the fact that she was an artist who had to maintain a certain diet. They were both as kind as Changbin was.

Bitna came to visit too. She brought Stella clothes and essential things that she needed for her stay in Changbin's house. The woman thanked him for protecting her Ella and keeping her safe. She even offered to take Ella home with her, but when Stella glared from behind Changbin at her, Bitna changed the topic immediately.

Felix was panicking for sure along with their parents who currently were in Canada. They wanted to fly all the way to their little girl but she assured them she was safe with Changbin. When her father objected to her stay with him, Stella made them have a video call to assure her father that Changbin was a respectful man and by the end of the call, Changbin was her parents' third favorite person right after their two kids.

Of course, the company and Hajoon didn't stop trying to contact Stella but she never picked up or replied to their texts. She was already dealing with a lot and didn't need more pressure.

Stella was only bitter because on the third day, Changbin received a call from the officer handling her case, informing them that Stella was requested the following day to ask her a few more questions before officially directing the case to the court. Stella was terrified that she might face that pervert but Changbin assured her that would never happen.

Getting ready to go to the station, Stella learned that Minho and Chan were going to accompany her and Changbin. According to Changbin, the boys were downstairs, waiting for Stella to get ready and then they could all go and get done with that investigation case before they go for the legal action. These boys were helping in many ways. Minho even recommended a friend who works as a lawyer in such cases with a very high percentage of winning. 

Changbin was already ready outside the room. He was dressed in his black suit professionally cause he was accompanying her as her personal guard once again.

Huffing out of boredom because Stella was taking a very long time to get ready, Changbin walked up and down the small space of his living area. He only stopped when the doorbell rang. It was surely Minho who got bored and came to check what was taking them that long. Without thinking or checking, Changbin snatched the apartment door open, only to stiffen once his eyes fell on the man ahead of him.

"What are you doing here?" Changbin growled.

"I got your address from the employees' dep-"

"I said," Changbin almost spat his words as he stepped forward, glaring at the male. "What are you doing here, not how you did know my address!"

"I want to meet Stella! She doesn't answer the phone or reply to the texts! I'm worried about her." He snapped.

"She's doing fine." Changbin huffed.

"Then, why isn't she replying at all?" He stepped closer to Changbin.

"Because she doesn't want to see you. She doesn't want to deal with you and your lies!" Changbin yelled.

"And who the fuck do you think you are to talk on her behalf?" He yelled too. "Unless she tells me that, I won't fucking move an inch!"

"Watch what you wish for, Hajoon." Stella talked from behind Changbin. She was at the far end of the living room, looking at them from a distance. She looked stoic, almost nonchalant about Hajoon's presence. The dark brown long-sleeved shirt tucked in black classic pants, paired with black leather shoes made her look professional. The bun-tied hair and look on her face complemented her outfit. 

Only Changbin knew she was trembling on the inside.

"Ella!" Hajoon gasped with a smile and attempted to push Changbin away, but failed drastically. "Move the fuck out of my way!" He yelled at Changbin.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Changbin asked Stella while blocking Hajoon.

"No!" Stella uttered firmly.

Hajoon froze and his smile dropped. "W-What?" He stuttered.

"What? I don't want to talk to you. You said you'd leave if I said that myself. So, leave." She uttered stoically.

The angry face that Stella witnessed more than once started to reappear. "What the hell did he tell you about me? What lies did he tell you?" He yelled.

"He told me nothing." Stella took one step closer. "I saw the footage from Jirisan, Hajoon." One more step. "I saw you stalking us, sneaking behind our backs, snapping photos, using them to your own desire, and blaming others for your actions. I saw you."

Immediately, Hajoon's face became very pale. "I-I..." He gulped and stood back, not having any power to try and fight Changbin to get in. "I.. Listen to me, Ella. It's not like what it seems to be. I was ju-"

"Was what, Hajoon?" Stella scoffed. "I would've understood if you just followed us. You might have been worried about me and that is understandable. But snapping photos and posting them? That's not something that came out of worry." She looked at him with disgust. "That's an obsession!"

"I've been by your side since day one!" Hajoon tried to defend. "I was your manager, your driver, your guard, your cook, and your friend! I played every role you were missing in your life. I was even a parent when you needed one back in high school!" He snapped. "Why? Because we are family, Stella! That's what family does to each other. It's not an obsession. What I did was to protect you. It was just a lesson so you could get back on track." He was frantic. "It's you who screwed everything with the correction statement you made in your post. If you had listened to m-"

"And I've always been thankful for that," Stella replied, cutting his nonsesne. "I've been thankful for having you by my side when no one else was. But now, I doubt that. If you've always had those ill intentions towards me, then it's meaningless. All you've done for me is meaningless and disgusting."

"D-Disgusting?" He stuttered in disbelief.

"You have no right to control my life, Hajoon. You've never had and never will." She gulped the lump in her throat. It wasn't easy for her to end it with someone who had been by her side for long years. "Leave, Hajoon! Leave before it gets uglier."

Hajoon was almost breaking down. She could see it from how he seemed to be on the verge of crying. It pained her. But she knew they needed distance so he could see things correctly. He was a manager and a friend, and that gave him no right to have a say in her personal life. Not anymore.

Changbin pushed Hajoon back softly and closed the door, and Stella fell to her feet. But Changbin was fast enough to catch her midair and pull her up to his body. He wrapped his arms around her shaking body supportingly, and Stella spared no time to rest her head on his chest and clutch the sides of his suit.

"It's okay." Changbin comforted her. "He'll come back when he's ready to accept the truth and know his limits." He patted her back softly. "It's okay."

"I-I don't want him to come back." She pushed her head away from Changbin's chest to look at him. "I won't be able to trust him anymore."

Changbin nodded, understanding how she felt. "You never told me you requested that footage and watched  it."

"Cause I never did."

"What?" Changbin questioned with confusion.

"I never did, Changbin. He just exposed himself right now." Stella shrugged.

"You tricked him?" He asked and She nodded. "What if it wasn't really him?"

"You said he followed us that day. You said it was him." Stella sighed and rested her head back on his chest. "And I trust your instincts. I trust you." She mumbled and Changbin's breath hitched.

He felt lightheaded and he was sure she could hear how his heart was beating crazily.

That was dangerous.

Seems like letting go would be harder than he thought.