Chapter 9

And he did.

Much to her dismay. For the first time, Sehun did what he was told.

What Bambi didn't expect is that it bothered her a lot. There were numerous occasions when she wanted to talk to him first, but she always ended up deciding against it. The main reason being, she felt like he was getting back at her on purpose by bringing a different girl night after night. The constant moaning a few meters away woke her up each time and she'd always have to drag herself over at Kyungsoo and Jongdae's. She looked like a resident of 403 now as opposed to 404.

She has no idea what's going through his mind, but it does prove one thing: he's just like everyone else. It hurt thinking about it and she cursed herself for feeling that way.

Why? It's not like they had a deep relationship, to begin with. He probably pestered her out of boredom. Fucked up girl appearing to be mysterious, but the equation is simple, isn't it? She isn't as complex as he thought she would be.

"You know, I think it's about time you talked to him," Kyungsoo declares in monotone. He's been watching her get lost in her own thoughts for several minutes. It only seemed right to state what she so obviously wants to do, but won't admit.

"And what? Make it worse than it already is?" Bambi sasses heatedly.

"What could be worse than you waking up in the middle of the night to crawl into our apartment like some needy rat?" Kyungsoo snaps in the same tone.

"Stop talking to her like that! If there's anyone you should be scolding, it's the fuckboy that lives with her," Jongdae exclaims with a pained frown.

"'Ugh! Yes, Sehun! Right there, right there!! Oh my God, Sehun! Sehun!! Faster!! Harder! Sehun, please!!'" Bambi moans in a mocking voice. She rolls her eyes at the thought of her loftmate's latest conquest the night before.

"You actually sound like you're enjoying it." Kyungsoo sends her a sarcastic smile.

"Doesn't he ever moan?" Jongdae makes a face, trying his best to get the R rated visual out of his mind.

"He probably does, but he's just not as vocal as his women. Maybe he likes them noisy. Who the fuck knows?!" Bambi shudders as she hears the boisterous pleas of the woman from last night in her head again.

"You need to assert your rights as the actual owner of the loft," Kyungsoo points out.

"But then that would mean I'd be caving in first," Bambi counters, wrinkling her nose in annoyance.

"Who cares about who caves in first? You're both wrong," Kyungsoo maintains his ground by raising his voice a notch.

"Well, she's been our friend longer than he has. So, she's right...er," Jongdae interjects while giving Bambi an encouraging look.

"That's not even a word." Kyungsoo cocks an eyebrow at him unamused.

"Ugh. Whatever." Jongdae rolls his eyes as he turns to their female friend. "Just know that I'm 100% with you, Bambs."

"Thanks, Dae." She smiles at him warmly, but quickly changes her expression as soon as she meets her best friend's wide eyes. "Everyone else seems to be against me."

"I never said I was against you. I'm saying you're BOTH wrong. Meaning I'm neutral. Switzerland, hello?" Kyungsoo further argues, throwing both his arms up in surrender.

"Bye!" Jongdae chirps as he gets up from the couch.

The two stare at him confused.

"Right. Girlfriend time," He explains briefly before leaving the apartment.

"It's been two weeks, Bambi. Are you really going to live the rest of your life with a roommate who humps anything that moves?" Kyungsoo gets back on topic.

"Well, have YOU talked to him?" Bambi folds her arms across her chest, still unconvinced.

He nods a yes. "But that's confidential information." He continues to vaguely describe Sehun's side, "Basically, he knows he's wrong. But--"

"But he's too chicken to actually apologize first, because I'm screechy and mean," She finishes for him.

"You know what? That might've been his exact words."

"Ugh."

"You two are acting like my kids in kindergarten. Jesus Christ, you're both adults. We wouldn't be here if you whiny babies would just knock it off and talk like normal human beings."

"Oh, I'm sorry, dad. I didn't know you've been handed the baton that is my life."

"Further proving my point."

"Why? Why are you so jacked up about me apologizing first?" She questions with a sharp glower.

He stares back, unfazed by her attempt to intimidate him. "Look, it's a give and take thing. And you kind of went too far with the take."

"ME?! I'VE gone too far?! WHAT ABOUT HIM?!?!?!" She shrieks at the top of her lungs.

"You've both gone too far. What we're talking about now is you since YOU are HERE with ME," He retorts calmly.

"Kyungsoo, you've been my best friend since I could remember. This is the first time I don't get why you can't understand my--"

"I'm not saying that I don't understand your side, Bambi. I do. I just--" He sighs, knowing he's going to regret saying it out loud, "Look, I didn't want to say anything, but that thing you were so bothered about before all this? You were right. It wasn't a tree that night. It was Sehun."

Bambi freezes in place and contemplates what exactly her best friend is on.

Why would he bring that up now? She's forgotten about it since it holds no importance to any of the people involved. Even if it was Sehun, she was drunk that night. How could he have possibly taken any of the things she did seriously back then? Granted that she still can't remember squat about it, it still isn't that relevant.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She finally speaks in a soft, but warning tone.

"He took care of you. Twice," Kyungsoo sighs as the memory of that night plays in his head. "I'm not saying he probably did it because he wanted something in return; like what you're thinking right now."

She avoids his eyes guiltily and he continues, "He just...he genuinely seems to care about you. Just like me and the others." He has to bite his tongue from saying more.

As much as he wants to, Sehun pleaded him several times not to tell her about the little good deeds he did for her secretly in the middle of all this cold shoulder war.

The first time he caught him was when he came over their loft to borrow pliers. Bambi fell asleep by the kitchen counter while reading something work-related, face down and on one hand. Sehun wrapped one of her blankets around her and gently placed her head out of her hand and onto a cushion he grabbed from the couch.

Why exactly is it always me who witnesses these things??? Kyungsoo remembers thinking to himself.

The second time he caught him was in her office. Bambi called Kyungsoo for lunch and when he was about to enter the building, he saw Sehun come out of it. He denied it at first, but he caved in, explaining that Bambi left her packed lunch in the loft, so he asked the receptionist to hand it to her without revealing his identity. When Kyungsoo finally met with Bambi, she kept rambling on about the packed lunch, saying that a secret admirer probably saw her leave it by accident on the train. Seeing as to how daft she was being, he decided to say it was him and not some creepy stalker. She didn't believe a single word he said though, which frustrated him further.

How stupid could she be??? He recalls thinking with utmost annoyance.

Although those were only two incidents, who knows how many more Sehun has been doing? Kyungsoo never got to ask him why, but he didn't need to. He could feel his sincerity even if he didn't say it out loud.

"If he really does care, would it be so hard for him to come and talk to me first?" She insists harshly, snapping him back to reality.

"I...can't help you anymore." He breathes in deeply. Why does she have to be so stubborn? "Just please think it over, Bambi. Please."

"Whatever," She spouts as she leaves the apartment abruptly.

She couldn't believe that Kyungsoo still couldn't understand her side of the situation. Yes, she went berserk on Sehun, but didn't he ask too much for someone who's been living as her acquaintance level roommate for a few months? If anything, he should be lecturing Sehun about her boundaries and how difficult it is for her to open up to people.

"And here I thought you've completely moved in with Bert and Ernie," Sandara interrupts her thoughts as she enters her own loft.

"Jesus! What the hell?" Bambi jumps at the sight of not only her neighbor, but also her best friend.

"You two still aren't talking?" Amber asks cautiously.

Bambi consciously has to stop herself from rolling her eyes then and there. "Is that all we can converse about these days?"

"Well, you haven't exactly given us a choice. We feel like children of a divorced couple," Sandara reminds her.

Ever since the incident, Sehun and Bambi couldn't be in the same room without making the atmosphere awkward or tense. So, the rest who got stuck in the middle set a 'first come, first serve' rule. Either one of the two had to inform them ahead of time if they had any plans to hang out.

Just a few days after the fight, Bambi invited them to go ice skating for the weekend. Unfortunately, the four already promised they would go to a 4D movie showcase and exhibition with Sehun on the same dates. She couldn't do anything about it, naturally; which made the rest feel bad for her. She assured them it wasn't a big deal even if it pinched her heart a bit. She could tell that they had a great time, but she knew they couldn't exactly talk to her about it without making her feel left out.

The same applied to Sehun whenever she got to reserve her friends' companionship first. So, in a way, it did feel like the two of them are a divorced couple who have still yet to figure out who gets custody of their four children.

"I'm sorry about that," Bambi meekly says.

"Well, talk to him! That's the least you can do as a nasty ass ex-wife," Sandara sasses in a slightly more serious than joking tone.

"Really, Dara?" Bambi raises an eyebrow unimpressed. "You wouldn't think he's so precious if you heard how much he's violated the numerous women he's brought home every night."

"Well, that depends. Violated as in forced her to do blowjob after blowjob or violated her with consent it resulted in her becoming an utterly pleasured screaming mess?"

"Does it matter?!"

"As long as he's pleasing her just fine, then he's doing a good job."

"Oh, good Lord, this is giving me a headache." Amber massages her temples as she gives both her friends incredulous looks. "Can we please drop the sex talk? That isn't the matter at hand."

All of a sudden, someone's ringtone interrupts the heated discussion.

"Ah, crap. My dad's calling me again." Sandara sighs, looking down at her phone. She excuses herself and runs off to the roof terrace.

"Then what is?" Bambi questions her best friend, picking up where they left off.

"Look, I'm not taking any sides. I see where you both are coming from," Amber starts in a gentle tone as she reaches for Bambi's hand and meets her eyes. "He wants to help. It's true that he's always left standing like an idiot whenever you..."

She looks away, wanting to take her words back, but decides to steer the topic elsewhere, "You...you've been through a lot; more than, even. Something traumatic and emotionally scarring."

They sit in silence for a while.

Bambi remains indifferent, but several thoughts run wild in her mind.

Why exactly am I so fucked up when I've got so many people around me who love and care about me for who I am? Am I really that upset about the past that it has to affect my present? What ever happened to gradually accepting what Aaron had done while recognizing my own mistakes?

"It pains me so much to see you like this. And all because of my brother. Not every guy you're going to meet will be Aaron. Sehun's...Sehun. Just some other guy. Not Kyungsoo or Jongdae, for sure. But just him." Amber squeezes her hand comfortingly with a sad smile. "I know it's difficult and I may never truly understand how it is, but please Bambi...please allow yourself...to live."

Bambi still offers no answer but gazes back at her.

Why is this lovely person in front of me fussing over someone foolish and petty like me? What good have I done for Amber to be this kind and patient?

"He asked for too much all at once. I know that. But if..."

"'But if' what?" Bambi croaks, trying not to let her voice shake, "Look, I get it. I just--"

"I know you're scared. It's okay. We all get scared once in a while." Tears are falling from Amber's eyes as she sniffs. "But wouldn't it be better if you did something than nothing at all? Won't you regret it more if you just let the moment pass by without saying anything?"

"Well..." Bambi bit her lip, holding back her tears.

"You know..." Amber clears her throat and continues, "I've never seen him like this before. When we first met, he was pretty quiet. Stoic. Intimidating. It took a while for him to warm up to me. But with you..."

Bambi eyes her suspiciously. "That's because I was laughable when I first met him."

"Well, he could've just ignored you and made fun of you in his thoughts instead." But he didn't.

"Whatever it is...that was then and this is now," She sighs in remorse. She had zero desire to continue on, given that the conversation's taking yet another emotional turn.

"Alright, poopy mcpoop," Amber retorts playfully, sensing that Bambi has heard enough.

"We'll just see how it goes." Bambi shares a half-smile and her best friend immediately nods in agreement.

"GUESS WHAT!!!" Sandara cheers gleefully, joining them again in the living room.

"What?" The two say simultaneously.

"I'M GETTING A NEW CAR, BITCHES!!!" Sandara reveals in the wildest and most enthusiastic way possible.

"This calls for a pizza party!!!!!" Bambi suggests, getting excited by the second.

"What about the others?" Amber asks, referring to their male friends.

"It's aight if it's just us girls," Sandara replies with a giddy smile, "It'll be like our little secret."

Bambi offers to call their favorite pizza place while the two head out to the roof terrace to talk more about the crazy possibilities to do with the pristine car coming their way.

As she waits for the other line to pick up, her mind fills with numerous pizza flavors to order. If there's anything that can uplift her mood, it's food, especially pizza.

The familiar buzzing from the front door suddenly disrupts her joyous thoughts.

"Ooh lala! Who might you be?" A petite brunette inquires with a bright grin.

Just as Bambi's about to turn the question back at her, Sehun wobbles next to the girl and chuckles mockingly.

"No one," He slurs evidently drunk as he puts his arm around her. He continues to ignore Bambi's presence, attempting to pull his female companion away from the room. "She's no one. Let's go."

Bambi lets out a sarcastic laugh in disbelief.

"Hello, Zoe's Pizzeria, how may I help you?" She hears from the other line but says nothing. She keeps her gaze at the exact spot where Sehun stood and humiliated her only seconds ago. "Hello? Are you there, ma'am? Sir?"

So much for seeing how it goes. Her thoughts echo as she wipes a tear.