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THIRD PERSON
Hangyul can't believe what he just heard a while ago. His heart is racing and he can't help but get mad at wooseok for being an asshole.
"Did he just indirectly said that he wouldn't take responsibility for yuri?"
Although he can't blame wooseok for how he reacted, he is pretty disappointed. All he has in mind is wooseok needs to man up and go after the consequences of his action. He's far too concerned about yuri facing this matter alone.
Hangyul knows exactly where he can find wooseok and the rest of the x1 members so he did not hesitate to make his way to the place where they usually hang out. Seungwoo's dormitory which is also a partner institution of SNU.
"He better be here-- there you are."
Everyone bawled their eyes out when Hangyul opened the door harshly. Wooseok, on the other hand, was just sitting on a corner spacing out. It seems like he's still not back into his senses after hearing the news from nayeon a while ago.
Hangyul rushed into wooseok's direction and pulled his collar making him stand on his feet. Their face is inches apart and hangyul's eyes are fiery. Wooseok didn't mutter a single word and he's confused as to why hangyul is reacting like this.
"What the fuck are you doing, Wooseok?!" Hangyul said. His eyes are infuriating with anger as he punched Wooseok in the face.
"What..? Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? What the fuck are you doing, Hangyul?! You just gushed in all of a sudden and punched me in the face. What's wrong with you?!" Wooseok said as he wipes out blood traces from the side of his lip. Hangyul's hit got him good.
"Hey, can the two of you chill out! You should talk instead of beating the hell out of each other!" Yohan said as he
"Man up, Wooseok! If you can't take responsibility for Yuri, then at least be a father to her child. To your child. Stop running away from the consequences of your actions!" Hangyul yelled as he tries to stop himself from hitting Wooseok again.
Wooseok's eyes grew wider and he sighed heavily. He was not aware that hangyul overheard their conversation earlier and he's confused as to why hangyul knows about it.
"So you know about it, huh? How are you related to Yuri anyways?" Wooseok asked.
"Does it even matter? What I'm trying to say is go after your responsibilities and face the consequences of your actions!"
Hangyul's aura is different from his usual self. Most of the time, he's that dork that makes everyone laugh with his humor but his actions right now are way different from how he usually behaves. His eyes are serious and everyone can see that he is trying to be patient.
The other X1 members look puzzled. They don't have any slightest idea on what wooseok and hangyul is talking about but they are trying their best to handle the situation. Hangyul and wooseok are both their friends and they are trying to be fair to both of them.
"You know I'm not ready for that, Hangyul!" Wooseok retorted.
"Then why the fuck did you do that? Yuri needs you right now more than ever. And the child needs a father too."
"What? What child? What the hell is going on?!" Seungwoo asked. Wooseok and hangyul are both deep in their conversation that they did not answer seungwoo's question.
"Well if you want that baby to have a father then why don't you be the father then?" Wooseok stated sarcastically. Hangyul looked displeased with wooseok after hearing what he said.
"You really are a jerk, wooseok. Why does it have to be you?" Hangyul said in the most disappointed tone he could ever. Wooseok on the other hand, remained silent as he avoided hangyul's gaze.
"Don't you ever come and chase after yuri and your child when the time comes, wooseok. I hope you won't regret this stupid decision of yours. I hope you won't regret not accepting the truth. I hope you won't regret shutting them out of your life."
Hangyul meant everything he said. Truth is, he knew yuri for a long time already. She's one of the top students in SNU that's why her name resounds in the campus and having said that, she caught hangyul's attention right away. From then on, he found yuri attractive and admired her even more as days passed by.
Wooseok felt guilty on the inside. He knew for some instances that he has this feeling of wanting to protect Yuri because after all, she is carrying his child. But the situation itself is difficult to handle. He is from a well-known family, has a complete future ahead of him and has a name that he has to protect.
"And now, you're giving me that silent treatment? This will not be kept a secret forever, wooseok. Well, why am I even telling you what to do when in the first place, you're already decided."
"I won't meddle with your decisions anymore, wooseok. But please take note that yuri is not forcing you to stand with her. This is my decision to come to you for her own good. It's okay for her if you won't take responsibility because she's thinking of your reputation, your future. And I hope you realize how much she can sacrifice for you."
"And please understand that even if it's okay for her, she is hurting. But she is taking it all to cover you up once again. She always did things for you that she already forgot about herself, wooseok."
Hangyul suddenly teared up. His heart sympathizes with yuri for some ways.
"If you really don't have any plans of helping Yuri in this situation, at least tell her. Stop storming her off. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. At least don't leave her hanging."
Hangyul said as he went away, thinking of how else can he help Yuri, the only girl he loved and still loves up until now. On the other hand, Wooseok is dumbfounded and chaos just won't leave his mind. He doesn't know what to do. He knows he is being a jerk right now but he has a lot of things to take into consideration.
"What the hell was that? Now that hangyul's gone, can you start explaining wooseok?" Seungwoo said in an authoritative manner.
Wooseok started to breathe heavily as he knows that his friends won't stop asking him unless he tells them what really happened. Somehow, he's pissed at hangyul for bringing it up in this situation. Well, they could have just talked about it between the two of them but he did it this way.
"W-well... as hangyul said, yuri is pregnant and I-i'm the father..."
"What? We don't even know who's yuri. Is that the girl in the cafeteria last time? SNU's top 2 achiever?" Seungyoun interrogated.
"Y-yes."
"So that's why you seem so affected when she started throwing up. And you even gave her your lunch box." Yohan stated.
"And that's why you exchanged glances as if you knew each other for a long time," Eunsang added.
"What was that all about hyung? Are the two of you dating or something?" Junho asked wooseok. Wooseok can't seem to start talking since they have a lot of questions and he doesn't know what to answer first.
"Calm down. I'll answer you one by one."
"You better, hyung." Dongpyo spoke.
"No, we are not dating. To be honest, the night when everything happened was actually the first time I met her." Wooseok said which put the group in chaos.
"You see, that time I drank a lot. You know how I hated the engagement thing with eunbi right? I went out that night and drowned myself in alcohol. The thing is, yuri was also drinking that night for... who knows what reason."
"Then, she just lost balance, hit me and we both fell to the ground. Seriously, she was blacked out that time and I can't just leave her on the streets like that. She doesn't know a single thing about what's going on at that time. She was just seriously sleeping on the ground that's why I... I, uhh... brought her home."
"You shared the same beds?!" Hyeongjun yelled in surprise.
"You let her sleep in your room?!" Minhee added.
Wooseok ruffled his hair harshly as the other X1 members questioned him one after another.
"I was drunk at that time. I can't even move my body and my energy was sapped out of my body that's why I laid her in my bed. And I swear, I went out of my mind at that time. I totally forgot that I brought someone home and I just realized what's happening when yuri hugged me suddenly. By the looks of it, she was having a nightmare."
Wooseok remembered every detail after that. He remembers how yuri shed a tear that night and how she called for his name countless times. At first, he was uncertain as to why she keeps calling him. But after hearing what nayeon said, he somehow understood everything.
"I have her between my arms and...and our faces are inches apart. I can feel her heavy breathing and I had a glimpse in her face. S-she was crying and I don't know why..."
"She pulled me into a kiss and... that's how things happened. I don't have to explain things any further." Wooseok said as he shook his head. He knows that what he did was wrong and he's just making things worse by trying to abandon yuri and the child.
"Dongpyo, hyeongjun, minhee, eunsang, junho and dohyon. Pretend you guys didn't hear anything." Seungyoun said playfully, trying to light up the heavy atmosphere.
"Hyung. It's fine. We're young but we know what's wrong and right. Don't worry much about us." Dongpyo assured which made the hyung line nod.
"If that's what happened, you can't deny the fact that you're involved in that matter. Whatever you do wooseok, you're responsible. Maybe you can deny, or maybe it's okay for yuri if you won't stand with them but your conscience won't let you rest."
Seungwoo's words hit directly right into wooseok's heart. He knows that no matter what happens, he's already involved and he feels like a complete asshole for totally wanting to ghost them out.
"I know...hyung. I already thought about all of that. But I guess I need more time to think about what I should do. You know the case with my family, eunbi and our company. I can't decide recklessly and I need to be careful in making my decisions. I'm at a big stake right now."
"I'm not deciding only for myself but also for the sake of our company."
Wooseok looked pitiful. His thoughts are in a total commotion and it shows. His aura is unbelievably gloomy and he looks stressed.
"D-does eunbi knows about this?" Yohan asked.
"No. She doesn't know anything as of the moment. So please, can I ask you all to keep silent about this for now? Please..."
"Sure, of course. We won't interfere with your decisions. We are always here to support you so please, do what's best for everyone. We know you're wise, wooseok." Seungwoo said as he tapped wooseok's shoulders.
"We won't disclose this hyung, promise." Dohyon said as he smiled cutely.
Almost half of the X1 members are quite young but that didn't stop them from being friends and from being comfortable with each other. After all, their family businesses are working with one another which brought them to friendship. Even the students at their school, Seoul National University and students from Korea University, and Yonsei University heard of their names before. X1 is that big in Korea.
"Thank you. Just trust me, I'll make a way for everything to happen accordingly. Just... not now." Wooseok mumbled.
The other X1 members nodded as they gave wooseok a comforting tap on his back assuring him that no matter what happens, they got wooseok's back.
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CHOI YURI
"No, nayeon. You didn't." Yuri said, shaking her head. She refused to believe what nayeon was telling her right now.
"I'm sorry, yuri. But I really did. I really told wooseok about it. He has to know." Nayeon said hesitantly. She just realized that she shouldn't have interfered with yuri's decision but she doesn't regret it. Not telling wooseok won't even help.
"Why? Haven't I told you that he should not know? At least not now!" Yuri yelled. Nayeon is her best friend but right now, she just can't believe that nayeon really told wooseok about her pregnancy.
"I'm sorry. I just can't let you go through this alone while he's living his life normally. Enough with all the sacrifices, yuri! You've gone through a lot already because of wooseok and I won't let you do it again this time. This is not a simple matter. This will impact your whole life!"
Nayeon started bursting out in tears. Yuri and nayeon have been best friends since they were kids and nayeon knew how genuine of a person yuri is and her heart aches for yuri.
"Nayeon, I can't thank you enough for not leaving my side after all this time... but you shouldn't have told wooseok. I told you he won't listen... now you experienced it first hand and I should apologize for that." Yuri started bawling her eyes out as she hugged nayeon.
"It's okay, yuri. It was my decision and if I needed to beat the shit out of that guy just to make him realize what's he's losing, I would."
"Well, he'll face an even greater loss if he would choose me." Yuri insisted.
Both of them know how successful wooseok's family is in their industry and choosing her would cost him his world.
"But that's the consequence of his and your actions yuri. This will also cost you your world not only his. It seems like you already forgot that you are a freaking heiress. Good lord! You're wealthy as hell, yuri! I don't know why you're not breaking your silence up until now."
Yuri smiled at her best friend.
"It will be okay, nayeon. I know eventually, it will. With or without wooseok, I can manage. I will manage."
"I know you can!"
Nayeon and Yuri were taken aback when they heard someone behind them spoke up. Both turned their heads to see who is it and they were quite surprised to see a familiar face.
"L-Lee Hangyul? You're Lee Hangyul, right? X1's Lee Hangyul?" Nayeon said as she tries to figure out what's going on. Yuri, on the other hand, remained silently puzzled. What is hangyul doing here?
"Hmm, yes." Hangyul answered.
"What are you doing here? I-I mean, you heard our conversation?" Yuri asked, inquisitively.
"Actually, I heard wooseok and nayeon's conversation a while ago." Nayeon and Yuri's eyes grew wider when they heard what hangyul said.
"Now, another X1 member knows. Great!" Yuri said sarcastically.
"Well to tell you honestly, all the X1 members know already," Hangyul said in a relaxed manner while nayeon and yuri started to panic.
"What do you mean all of the X1 members know?! How--"
"I'm sorry. I got pissed when I heard that wooseok don't want to acknowledge you and his child and so I... uh.. I attacked him without thinking clearly, in front of the other X1 members and uh... basically, we fought and I hit him--"
"But why would you do that?" Yuri briskly asked, cutting hangyul off.
"I'm sorry, hangyul. She tends to react like that whenever she finds out that someone's attacking or hurting wooseok." Nayeon said then chuckled.
"It's because he's being an asshole and he shouldn't be tolerated." Hangyul said directly.
"We share the same brain cells, mr. hangyul." Nayeon proudly said which made yuri rolled her eyes at both of them.
"I'm asking for an apology in wooseok's behalf, yuri. But please, I know that he is just confused as of the moment but eventually, I hope he chooses what's the best for everyone. Don't worry. You can rely on me....and to the other X1 members as well until wooseok makes up his mind."
"But why are you doing this?" Yuri asked. Hangyul smiled in embarrassment. He doesn't want to confess.
"D-don't get me wrong. I'm doing this for wooseok because he is confused right now but I know he is wise."
Hangyul lied. He doesn't want to tell yuri how he feels for her and instead, he just wants to help her out. Once wooseok made up his mind already and decided to be with yuri, he won't get in between them. But if wooseok would continue wanting to abandon them, he would probably pull that heroic stunt to take responsibility for yuri.
"Thank you, then."
"Don't worry. Everything will be okay."
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