STRAWBERRIES & CIGARETTES

CHAPTER 20

"I don't know what to do anymore", Chenle slumps on the sofa. "I clearly said no."

"Did anyone take that answer at least once?", Renjun hummed. "No."

"I don't get it", he scoffs, looking at the others. "Why can't they just merge without marriage cliché shits? If the merger has a strong foundation, it'll still be a huge success."

"I don't know Chen, but even in movies, the children don't have any choice", Sungchan says.

"Did she reply yet?", Dejun asks.

"Here", Chenle reads the girl's reply from his lockscreen: "She said she could wait for me until nighttime."

"I didn't know your new girl was a warrior", Hendery chuckles.

"She's desperate, that is why", Jisung says as he looks at his friend. "You should just go. Then personally tell her that you don't want her."

"You think I never did that?", Chenle clicked his tongue. "I didn't even have the chance to invite Harae over."

"H-harae?", Hendery clears out

"She said Harae, right?", Dejun added.

"Fuckers", Renjun smacked the two's heads. "He just told us awhile ago!"

"We were busy playing earlier", Dejun whined. "What if my head popped!"

"Deserved"

"If you're just here to freak up, just leave", Chenle said, making them zip their mouths immediately.

He let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes, his head getting a little dizzy from thinking too much.

Renjun sat beside him, tapping his shoulder in comfort. "I'll try to ask dad about the family business."

"No, it's alright. You'll be in trouble."

"I'm sure they'll understand. They're more fond of you."

"Thanks, Renj, but if this concerns the family business, then your dad would also possibly agree. If the business is really failing, he won't just stand there and watch. The business is also holding your life stable."

"This is just so unfair."

"When did it become fair?", Chenle tapped his shoulder and stood up. "You guys can stay or leave, whatever you want. Just don't trash my unit."

"Where are you going?", Jisung asks.

"Where do you think?", Chenle just flashed a small smile and went to his bedroom to prepare himself.

🚬 🚬 🚬

It was twenty minutes past—too late for their planned time.

Chenle is just scrolling on his phone with the music booming inside the car, parked in front of their family house, which he firmly declined to enter.

He will just be bombarded with annoyingly repeating questions that make his ears bleed.