Seven | Book 1 (An EXO fiction)

5.

~Chapter 5: Stop Saying the M Word, Dammit~

I realize my mistake as soon as I shut the door behind me. Why did I come upstairs? I press my back against the door and thump my head lightly against it.

"You're really an idiot..." I tell myself aloud. I look around the fairly empty room and realize that I can just take that last outfit from out of the closet and I'll get going. I might have made an utter ass of myself by coming back upstairs instead of walking out the front door, but I'll just steal these clothes and I'll be gone for real. Poof. I'll vanish. Never to be seen again.

Problem solved.

I push myself off the door and walk towards the closet. The anger that I had had before, has worn off just a bit, but because of my pride I refuse to walk out of here without making a fuss. I stomp around and murmur angrily under my breath. "Fucking Tao. Tricking me here. Thought he was my friend. Bitch ass trying to sell me out too. What kind of looney bin is this place? Some kind of cult this is. Suburban ass house. Go in to the castle? Who does he take me for? A lost princess or something..." my mumbling continues on as I rummage around the room for more stuff to take before escaping.

Maybe I'm stalling.

The door to the room creaks open and I freeze. My hand stops right as I find myself reaching in to the dresser drawer. I wait anxiously for the intruder to say something.

"I never told you much about my own life before we met, right? Well, there was a reason that I didn't...I didn't want you to pity me, or to treat me like a charity case. I was chased out of my home after my mom died. We lived in a part of the area far outside of the city. There were humans and their kind. When she died, they were going to sell me off to some woman across the world, and my dad tried to kill me to spare me from being sold in to slavery like the other motherless human boys in our community." The voice belongs to Tao and he is somber. Serious and more emotional than I've ever heard him. And I've heard him get emotional before. He is suddenly divulging in his life story, why now?

"I ran away and wandered around the capital city... I was alone, starving, and depressed. I didn't know where I was and I didn't have anyone who cared about me anymore. I felt useless. I was on the brink of killing myself, I had fully embraced the idea of my own death, but then Kris found me..." his voice cracks and I feel my own heart crack with it. He really hasn't told me about his life. Whenever I asked, he managed to change the conversation. He would worry more about my safety than his own since he said that he was happy and safe where he was. Hearing him open up so suddenly has shocked me, and I don't know how to respond.

"He took care of me," he goes on "and before I knew it I was living here with him and my other new brothers." He sniffles. "I really didn't bring you here with any bad intentions. I've wanted to bring it up to you before, b-but I knew that you'd react negatively. Kris he-he told me it was fine to let you live here nearly 2 years ago, but I was afraid to bring it up. I was scared you'd close me out and run away like you're doing right now, and I'm selfish and I don't want you to go. Please, June don't go." Tears have started to gather and drip from my eyes and I cover my mouth with the hand not in the drawer to keep from letting out any involuntary sounds. "I care for you more than myself and I might die if you go away and I don't know that you're alright. You're the most important person to me, and I know I don't tell you that enough, but you are. It's so selfish, and I don't care, but I can't live without you.

"I know you don't trust Kris...and I know you hate me right now...but please don't leave yet. You don't even have to forgive me...but don't run away until you're feeling better. I don't want you to go at all, but I...understand if you still want to. I'm sorry for everything, June, I really am. But if you do still trust me, you should know you can trust Kris. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you..." he says. He sniffles again and I find my heart breaking at how hurt he sounds by my attempt to leave and how much he seems to adore the man downstairs. "I'll go...but if you do decide to leave, I want you know that you've always been my best friend and I only did what I thought was best for you...I uh- I love you June. Really. I don't want you to just vanish, you mean the world to me, you know. If you want to go, I'll understand...just don't go without saying goodbye..." He lets his words settle before he walks out of the room and closes the door behind him softly.