We reached the park that painted in the colors of autumn, located right behind our campus. This place fundamentally provided as a secret spot for couples to hold their cherished rendezvous, or for close acquaintances who just wanted a private chat to spill their beans on life issues.

Chan released the tight hold he had on my wrist, letting his body down on the stone seating edge as I followed those calculated steps in a slow pace. We remained in complete quietness for a while, taking all the fresh greenery and oxygen into our systems as birds chirped soothing melodies.

His boxy jawline appeared in the right corner of my view, grabbing my attention in seconds. 'Dohee-yah, I can see it in your eyes. And your fists that are about to bleed out if you do not stop clenching them. You still have not fixed that bad habit of yours.'

While I decided to stay determinedly silent, his solacing chuckle sounded as if he had told a silly joke the minute before with a mix of concern, giving me a meager smile. 'What happened? I thought that you wanted to confess your feelings to that Jeon guy.'

The unbearable load was too much, tightly closing my eyelids together as I did not want to show any vulnerability. 'DIAMOND happened.'

I did not have to elaborate to that.

Chan knew exactly from what position I came from. He is one of the few people in my life who saw me going through those heights and lows, many of my tears were wiped clean by him without even asking what was precisely going on.

And even when he did find out about my past, his wholehearted support became my iris...

Seconds of muteness passed.

The lamentable sigh pleaded the anecdote I had not heard about ever since the salvation on that rainy day. 'Remember what I told you in high school? If anything happened to you, whatever the unbearable weight might be, we will always be in it together...'

Finishing the simple sentence without looking at him, I whispered the word that carried so much significance. 'Forever.'

Chan snapped his fingers together, making me smile genuinely in reaction to his youthful optimism. 'That is right. Tell me more.'

Biting my lower lip's flesh on the inside, I conveyed my jammed-up thoughts. 'Jeon Wonwoo is not the guy he seemed to be which eventually contributed to my downgraded expectations in men. Somehow, he and Inguk are connected to one another, and I honestly do not want to know what that is supposed to mean.'

Chan assumingly spaced out to gather his plain-spoken judgment, not wanting to hurt me more in any way possible.

And with one firm nod, he faced me with a little motivational pep-talk leaving his thoughtful mind. 'Do Dohee, listen to me. I have given this advice to you a million times now, but I am going to repeat myself again. Leave that job while you still can. You are embarking on a new life, a normal office job in a couple of years and probably giving this handsome samchon (uncle) a couple of cute jokha's (nieces and nephews) to play with in the future.'

Not helping myself from laughing at his slightly narcissistic reasoning, the snicker faded in the oxygen filled air around us as Chan had not moved his caring eyes off my frame. 'I am trying to be serious here, Dohee-yah.'

I moved my dark brown eyes to meet his ones, making the solicitude disappear at instant. 'Chan, you know I cannot leave the job.'

Obligated.

How much I hated that word could not compare with how I had literally no choice but to live by those principals. Inguk's virtuous deeds were positively loaded, something that even a parent might not be able to give to their children.

Chan patted my right shoulder, nodding to make sure I had his full support. 'And I know I cannot change your mind unless you do it yourself. Just know that if you find yourself in life-threatening trouble, I will pull your ass out immediately. Yaksok (Promise)?

Linking my pinky finger with his, we closed it by touching our thumbs together. 'Yaksok, Lee Chan.'

A regular Friday would see more grateful smiles than any other day of the workweek. Unfortunately, not contingent upon today because yet again, someone decided to pour black staining ink onto the white canvas.

Each reactive cell in my jittery body was filled up to the dreading edge, full of avenging ire and fury. The animosity got reflected onto the manager of DIAMOND, who was in his usual attire of a fancy suit.

Baekhyun opted for an anthracite color this time, pairing the ensemble with a burgundy-colored dress shirt that showed a meager amount of bare skin as he had opened the first two buttons.

His fluffy eyes displayed nothing else but strong disapproval, caused by the mix of the occurrences from last week and the request that came into our recent account. 'Andwae (No). I allowed you only one time near the customers just because it was in the state of emergency. And what did you do to make this michinsaekki (crazy asshole) thus impressed to make you serve him again?'

The frown on his forehead became even more undistinguished, Baekhyun turning his vision fully towards me where I was barely standing straight due to the nervousness.

My mouth opened to murmur an assertion which negated its value instantly. 'We do both go to the same university. The chance that he might have spotted me there is not far-fetched if you asked me.'

While his fluffy eyes expanded larger in stupefaction and a distinct gasp was let out, I held my left hand high up to halt his impending chiding. 'Oppa, let me finish because there is more to the story. I might have puppy-loved the man in question for over two years until...'

I did not even have to finish my sentence because before Baekhyun could even react to my honest confession, a familiar female intruded our feverish talk.

Striding elegantly into my routine workplace with a fulgid red apple in her right hand, Jennie took a generous bite while the woman winked at my side. 'I could not agree with you more. Jeon Wonwoo is one fine man. His good looks are a full food feast to savor!'

Was. Used to. Something in that alley.

My conflicted mind wanted to correct her with all power, but I could not bring myself to do it. To put it in simpler terms, I guess that I am just exhausted. Tired of giving in to someone else's games.

The pressure cooker in Baekhyun's head probably exploded, yelling his frustration out as he ruffled his styled-up hair messier. 'Jiral hajimara (Do not bullshit me)!'

Jennie looking dazzling as always leaned her well-portioned body on the stack of Guinness filled boxes, shrugging her slender shoulders to subtly convey her cavalier stance while the cat eyes positioned themselves on me. 'I am not lying. Although his detective friend is way better in bed. Actually, Seungcheol oppa is a beast!'

Her high-pitched laugh was the only sound surrounding us, immediately stopping as she sensed the undeniable tough air.

Tightly clenching fists were formed alongside my frame as the manager had diverted his lecturing conversation to the other lady in the backroom. 'Yah Jennie-yah, you only like that dirty cop because he makes your speeding tickets go away.'

Another audible sound of something being gnawed through resonated, Jennie whispering her pending demand through the mouthful of food. 'Choi Seungcheol still owes me one.'

Baekhyun was in no mood for jokes, walking back and forth in the middle of the narrow place. 'Chwe Vernon is an idiot too, and I am still confused why that studious lion-haired guy is friends with them. Nevertheless, if I knew you were going to assign that psycho group to her, I would have stopped you right there and then.'

The elegant woman chewed soundly on the delicious piece of fruit, distinctly being annoyed at our manager as she tapped her nude colored heeled-clad feet onto the wooden floor. 'They were the only choice left and you know that oppa. Decent options do not exist here at DIAMOND.'

Jennie was absolutely right. It is however only in levels of authority to who we decide to listen and obey. 

That night, our club was put in a tight position and as a loyal employee I did what I thought was the best. Yet, little did I know that it would become my worst nightmare.

Baekhyun neared me in two steps, concern suiting his voice as this worriment made me look right at him. 'Dohee-yah, I am not letting you near that bastard again. Affection does not go away that easily and Jeon Wonwoo is far more dangerous than you think.'

An irritating beast started nibbling on the one place I could not reach with my bare hands. Menace is what I had directly perceived of the enigmatic man.

Only more confirmation of this observation came to show, Baekhyun stating that someone appeared frightening is a one-time wonder.

The glint of scariness in his fluffy eyes was noticeable, Jennie nearing me while she voluntarily took the job of a woman's advocate as she settled me in a side hug. 'And our makdoongie (youngest) is even stronger. Although I must agree with oppa on one thing. Our boss is not fond of pleasant surprises, especially one that involves his favorite person.'

A moment of silence broke the lingering atmosphere, Baekhyun letting himself down on the wooden sitting area while the intimate groan showed in bright light. 'What are you even saying Jennie? She is not going in there. I cannot let you go through this all alone Dohee-yah. Not again...'

The bitter undertone that the manager's last sentence presented carried a much more profound meaning, knowing deep down at what Baekhyun was explicitly mentioning.

At that time, I was literally trapped in the darkest pit on planet earth. I had truly no hope left but the first helping hand grabbed mine without asking anything in return. 

That saving-the-skin hold belonged to the one and only Seo Inguk.

Main point right now is that two of my most precious people were arguing with each other what should have been a sole inner fight with myself.

Gulping my nervousness down my dry throat, I clenched my anchor tightly as I gathered my leftover courage together. 'I am.'

The manager's head shook in disbelieve, Baekhyun's fluffy eyes making their way to my dark brown orbs as he gritted through his teeth. 'Mworago (What)?'

My feelings were scattered in different departments, yet I knew that Jeon Wonwoo should see a reflection of me that would not show any susceptibility.

The seriousness that I gave withered for no second, speaking to both with all my honesty. 'Oppa and unnie, I cannot let someone take advantage of me like that anymore. Jeon Wonwoo needs a check of reality, even if it will bring me to the edge with Inguk.'

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To make y'all jealous, after fangirling for so many years, your girl saw Seventeen irl at Lollapalooza Berlin. Here is a photo that I took:

It still feels surreal to me that I've actually seen them with my own eyes (*cries)

Song of the Update: Pineapple Slice by Baekhyun (basically told everyone at Lolla that his album should get more appreciation)

And as always, thank you for the support <3

Love,

dahliainjeolmi01