Perfectly Imbalanced

Chapter 38: Perfectly Imbalanced

"Shoot him."

Yixing bites his lip.

"You know who's going to pay if you don't, Yixing, my dear. A life for a life."

A life for a life.

He closes his eyes as he tries to convince himself of the reason he is standing with a gun targeted at Baekhyun right now.

"You two are the same. Such fools." Amanda told him that one night he regretted the most. "Wufan would sacrifice everything for you. What a very beautiful display of love. Would you also do that for him? Hm?"

"What do you want?"

"What is it I desire? There are so many I believe your time is not suffice enough to hear them all. But you know what I want the most? Power. That's not so surprising, is it now?"

"And to gain power, you need to eradicate all hindrances. Do you know who hinders me?"

Yixing is too afraid to hear.

"Elliot Sky Van der Gilt." Amanda whispers carefully, making sure Yixing hears it clearly. "Or as what you people call him, Byun Baekhyun."

"I'm not going to let you touch him. Stay away from him."

"Oh, I won't have to. Because you'll do it for me."

"Did you really think you can persuade me into doing something against my will?"

"No, honey, of course not. I don't have to persuade you. Because you'll do it yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

"The obvious. I'm sure you'd do the same thing Wufan did for you. Maybe even more."

"...no."

"Yes."

"Leave him out of this you fucking bitch!"

"Did you really think you can protect everyone from me, Zhang Yixing?! You couldn't even protect yourself! If you didn't have Wufan protecting you, your father would have disowned you and you would be living in the streets! You're not a hero, Yixing. And that is your unfortunate disadvantage." Amanda licks her lip. "Sentiment. Such fools. Such pretty little fools."

That image, that feeling of helplessness, is burned in his mind.

"Come on Yixing. You know I'm not a patient person." Even hearing Amanda's voice through the earpiece sends shivers down his spine. She is more than evil, Yixing is convinced, and thus she is capable of carrying out murder after murder. A ruthless woman. A woman who has lost everything and willing to bet everything.

Yixing can feel his hand sweating through the trigger. He was trembling, which is understandable. This isn't the first time he held a sniper pointed towards an innocent person but this will be the first time he'll feel such a criminal for doing so. "Yixing!"

"Wait! Just wait! Please!"

Yixing hears Amanda chuckle. "What a beautiful sight. I didn't know you could make that face. Very well. I'll give you five minutes. If you don't shoot then, you'll be greeting your beloved's coffin when you come back to London."

What good will five minutes do?

--

Chanyeol continues to stare frozen at the reflection. He can hear Baekhyun laughing in the background as he feels the weight he's bearing. He can't do anything reckless. Telling Baekhyun about the situation is not the solution. There must be a reason why Yixing would choose to warn him and not Baekhyun himself. Moreover, what is Yixing's reason for doing this? Has he been planning this all the while he was here? What could be the root of his action?