tempted » baekhyun ✓

epilogue

Park Chanyeol was doing well after high school. It seemed like he finally decided to get serious, because he stopped dating a different girl every day and found one that he was together with for two years now. He was slowly making a career for himself as an actor and model and Yoori was certain he wasn't going to have any problems handling life. She was also extremely happy to tell me about Kyungsoo, who came to terms with his sister's suicide and started playing piano again. He was the owner of his own small theatre where he organised plays and music shows and he was living simply and diligently. Baekhyun seemed to be doing well too, even if he shut himself in his apartment to do art a lot. The four of them still met up a lot and when they saw each other for drinks he always had paint that he forgot to clean from his cheeks or splatters on his pants.

Hearing about Baekhyun and his passion for art couldn't help but to make me smile.

I still clearly remembered the art competition that Chanyeol wanted him to pursuit in to joining. I was bugging him about it too and he said that he was going to do it, but I thought that he was lying just to get us stop annoying him. It turned out that he really did it and I was watching television once when the winner was announced. I was sitting on the couch, Sehun just walked out of the kitchen and the two of us simultaneously dropped the glasses we were holding in our hands.

My eyes slowly grew wide at the sight of the video of the art cafe where I took Baekhyun once. The small and dusty underground place was full of people every day after that and everyone was painting and doodling on the walls, but no one could touch the piece that was done by him. It was kind of embarrassing actually, because covering one of the walls was a giant portrait of me. I had a wide smile, my eyes were shining and I was radiating happiness that I didn't know I could feel. 

Was that how I look when I was with Byun Baekhyun?

It was strange because most of the time during those years my mind was at a completely different place. Revenge was my main priority and the most important thing that I had to accomplish. I thought that putting Gang Sungho in prison was somehow going to end my suffering and stop the voices that I was hearing in my head: '' Do I kill him or do I kill myself? '' 

Life really was much happier now, but there were still certain things that I had to leave behind. I was trying to get over that and move on, but it was difficult and when times were tough I still found myself thinking about some people. Looking at Yoori that afternoon, when the two of us went out to eat with some of my other colleagues, I couldn't help it but to remember Jiyong. Then when one of the other nurses started talking about her loving boyfriend, my mind instantly wandered to Baekhyun.

The restaurant where we went to that afternoon was quite crowded. We were sitting at the ordinary low tables and eating grilled meat, but there seemed to be two private gatherings going on too. The smell of food filled the air and the sound of laughter was resounding through the room when I felt the phone in my pocket buzz. I looked at the text message with surprise and my eyes grew wide as saucers. 

Your boyfriend may or may not be on the way to that restaurant where you are to break up with you. Should I pick up some ice cream on the way home or are you feeling more like soju tonight?

The message was from my roommate and best friend Sehun and I couldn't believe that another one of my boyfriends did the same thing. I tried to date and find somebody, but guys somehow kept breaking up with me after the first few weeks together. Sehun and I were both kind of used to it by now and he always knew that when he saw them at his bakery, it was never really because they wanted to connect with the other man in my life. 

I frowned in anger when the phone in my hand started buzzing again. Yoori glanced at me and knowingly raised an eyebrow. I shook my head and mumbled to her to not even ask before I grabbed my soju glass, stood up and stormed outside. The sky outside was dark, it was raining and there were some people gathering under the roof that was covering the entrance of the restaurant. My boyfriend was already waiting there and looking extremely nervous. He forced a smile on his face when he saw me, then I splashed my soju glass in his face.

'' Don't bother, I already heard everything from Sehun! '' I hissed and grabbed the collar of his shirt. Some people turned their heads and he stared at me with a frightened expression on his face. '' What is it now? What supposedly wrong thing did I do? Is it because I spend too much time at the hospital? Do you hate the gossip tv shows that I like to watch? Or is it the classic and you are intimidated by my relationship with Sehun?! When will boys finally get it?! He has a girlfriend! He is engaged! ''

My now former boyfriend pushed me back and snapped: '' You are just crazy! ''

He rushed in the rain and disappeared in the night, while I stumbled back and fell in to one of the puddles. I let out a deep sigh, lowered my head and mumbled to myself: '' I guess that's another pretty common answer. ''

Someone stepped closer to me and I saw a hand reach towards me. I grabbed without really thinking too much and let the stranger pull me up on my feet again. I turned away from him without saying anything and dusted of my jeans. Then I was about to walk back in the restaurant, when I realised that the stranger was still holding my hand. '' Can you let go? Didn't you hear that guy? Do you really want to mess with a crazy girl that just got broken up with? Do you want to find out if I'm lying when I say that I have a black belt in karate? I'll gladly show you and take out my anger on you. ''

'' I am really good at boxing, so I wouldn't recommend that, '' he lazily answered and somehow the sound of his voice instantly made me wary.

'' Tch. '' I rolled my eyes and tried to pull my hand from his grip. '' I bet I can win at arm wrestling any day. ''

I frowned in annoyance when he wouldn't let go and chuckled in amusement instead. '' How about we bet your phone number? ''

I narrowed my eyes and attacked. I tried to pull his arm towards me and hit it with my elbow, but he anticipated the attack. He managed to twist my hand on my back and put me in a headlock. I clenched my teeth in anger and he let out a quiet laugh. '' Wow, so you weren't messing around! You really do want to play! ''

He turned me around so that I would face him and I raised my fist towards his face. He grabbed my wrist at the last moment, the two of us fully looked at each other for the first time and I felt like the air got knocked out of my lungs. My eyes slowly grew wide in shock, moving left and right and scanning the stranger's features. He was dressed in all black and his messy dark hair was slightly wet from running to the restaurant without an umbrella. It was falling on his forehead in the front and there was an unlit cigarette hanging between his lips. His eyes were was black as night, but at the same time they were soft and kind and there was a certain light twinkling and shining in them, while he was looking at me in bewilderment.

His gaze moved at the old burn scars covering my hands and my bottom lip began to tremble. My heart was racing in my chest and my head was spinning. I could feel tears gathering in my eyes and he was the first one to speak.

'' Som, is there still any space left for me in your heart? '' 

We were two completely different, a lot kinder and warmer people now and yet life brought us together again. I couldn't say that everything wasn't going to crumble again, because it was difficult to be with someone who saw you that vulnerable, but I wanted to have hope. That was why I held on to him and cried and he immediately hugged me back and cursed me for disappearing. 

The rain was softly falling from the sky and in that stormy night, the story continued. 

THE END 

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an: thank you for being the best readers ever and supporting this story! your nice comments always warm my heart and make me smile and i am extremely thankful to have kind readers like you! as always, i hope we'll see each other in my future stories too c: 

*sending rays of sunshine, positive thoughts and smiles to everyone* 

you are stronger than you think and you can do anything!