The flaws in Park Chanyeol

Five.

He watches as Yi Xing and Lu Han begin to sing a song together, swaying from side to side. What they're doing is eye-catching, and he's sure if he diverts the topic from Kyungsoo, then everyone will forget what he had said (or rather, just Jongin).

"That's Baekhyun's favourite song." It comes out so naturally that for a moment he forgets everything that had happened between them. Even though he didn't say it too loudly, he knows everyone has heard it, because the table stills once more.

A serious aura floats over everyone.

"I really don't know what's gotten into Baekhyun this time." Joonmyun mutters.

"Just who the hell is he with anyway?"

"Why the fuck is that guy so important? Wait 'till I get a closer look ..."

"The thing is, you can't even get close to them because they somehow disappear when you try to approach them."

"I just want to know how good he is such that he forgot all of us. Such that he forgot Chanyeol." The table quietens once again, and everyone glances at Chanyeol carefully. They know. They probably knew for a long time. Chanyeol laughs, trying to make everything sound light-hearted, but somehow, them knowing what had happened still hurts.

"Uh, I'm fine, guys." He says, watching their concerned eyes fall on him. "Really."

"Just what the fuck is going on ..."

"I've always tried to support him in whatever he did, but I'm really not sure now."

"Yeah, same."

"Yeah." They all turn to him once more.

"Don't worry, Chanyeol, we're on your side!"

"Yeah, we'll beat the sense into Baekhyun if we have to!"

"Everyone knows you guys are perfect together. Baekhyun will come back to you sooner or later!"

"And even if he doesn't, we're still here for you, yeah?"

"What he's doing is wrong and he shouldn't have any other excuses anymore!"

"I'm by your side!"

"Listen to SheunSays. SheunSays supports you!" Just then, Jungsoo joins their table, grinning from ear to ear, not understanding what they're talking about.

Chanyeol is supposed to feel touched. He is, more than he's ever been before, but they're wrong about Baekhyun.

"Don't talk about him like that." Chanyeol whispers. Their encouraging smiles falter. "You don't understand what he's been through." Suddenly, their presence is unbearable. "He's happy. Just ... just be happy for him." With that, Chanyeol leaves the table and walks away quickly. He hears Jongin calling out his name, but he ignores it.

Conflict worms itself into every crevice of his body. Their support is supposed to make him feel more confident that he's right, but somehow he feels angry for Baekhyun, because people always seem to misunderstand him. Baekhyun abandoned him, but so what? Baekhyun abandoned him for happiness, so isn't that a good decision to make?

And Chanyeol let him.

Feeling angrier than he had in a long time, Chanyeol barges into his room and tears open his drawers, taking out every single fucking can he had bought. It's a fucking mistake. It's a fucking shitty excuse to forget and move on, because every time he drinks, he winds up in the exact same situation – dejected, lethargic, and lonely.

Then he picks up all the fucking cans that had made him hurt the people he cares about, throwing them in a plastic bag he got from another one of his drawers. He's moving on from this. He doesn't want to use the easy way out anymore.