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It has been almost 3 weeks now since the last time I talked to Baekhyeon, maybe he didn't take the confession well. I've held in my feelings for so long and now that I've spilled them out to him I'm very hurt by his reaction, I already knew this was going to happen eventually. But now that I'm In the situation I feel like dying, going three weeks without talking or hearing his voice was so unusual to me. He was like a routine, I never went a day without talking to him, but now I have to learn how because this is the end of our friendship. The end of all the things we've been through.

"Snap out of it Chris!" Jake exclaimed snapping his finger in my face, "Man we brought you out here just so you can get your mind off BaekHyeon, but seems like you're still thinking about him." Sophie added, "He obviously doesn't care about your feelings Chris, if he hasn't checked on you until now he obviously has found himself a new boyfriend." Jake continued. "You need to stop wasting you're time on someone who doesn't care, someone who doesn't give a shit about you. Now you need to put yourself first and finally go out and explore true love from someone who really cares." Sohpie stated.

Everything they were saying is true but, why does the thought of leaving BaekHyeon behind break my heart even more? "Fuck BaekHyeon at this point, let's go find someone for you so you can get laid." Sophie exclaimed, "Don't say that about him," I told her, "What else do you want me to say, do you want me to tell you to go fly back to Korea and beg him to forgive you just because you like him?"

"NO CHRIS, I'M ACTUALLY SICK AND TIRED OF THIS!" She snapped, "For years you liked BaekHyeon but what does he do, push you away into the dark and treat you like shit!" She exclaimed. "BaekHyeon does not treat me like shit, He just hasn't realized his true feelings." "Way to be delusional Chris I'm telling you this now, BaekHyeon will never view you as a lover. You're just the friend he runs to when he is heartbroken," "I guarantee you that he doesn't know a single thing about you, even after being friends with him for almost 17 years of your life he has never given a shit about you. He does what he wants because he knows you don't mind, he knows that you will always be there by his side no matter what." She hissed

"You know that if he calls you right now you'll drop everything you're doing and you will run to him, but what if you call him crying and sobbing what would he do for you?" She asked, "NO SHIT, because you know he doesn't give two fucks about you Chris. He will never care about you Chris, so learn how to put yourself first; push him away, and don't give him the attention he wants. Cause the more you give him the more he will want, if you don't push him away he will own you forever." She stated.

Sophie's words hit me hard, a harsh reality that I had avoided acknowledging for years. As much as it hurt, she was right. Baekhyeon's actions spoke louder than his words, and I needed to confront the painful truth.

"Maybe you're right, Sophie," I mumbled, looking down at the ground. "I just... I can't imagine my life without him. We've been through so much together."

"No Chris, you've been through a lot because of him."

Jake placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Chris, it's time to break free from this toxic cycle. You deserve someone who appreciates you, not someone who takes you for granted. Let's focus on you for a change."

But how was I going to move on from him, how could I just leave Hyeon behind and forget about him?

Despite the support from Jake and Sophie, the weight of my emotions clung to me like a shadow. How could I sever ties with Baekhyeon, the person who had been an integral part of my life for nearly two decades?

Over the next few days, I tried to distract myself with various activities, but the absence of Baekhyeon's presence echoed loudly in my mind. I found solace in moments of laughter with Jake and Sophie, yet the void left by our severed friendship lingered.

One evening, as I aimlessly scrolled through my phone, my thumb hovered over Baekhyeon's contact. The urge to call him, to hear his voice and pretend that everything was okay, overwhelmed me. Sophie's stern words echoed in my ears, urging me to put myself first, but the heartache was hard to ignore.

Jake noticed my internal struggle and sat down beside me. "Chris, I know it's tough, but you need to stay strong. You're worth more than being someone's emotional crutch. You deserve genuine love and care."

——————

At the Kim's mansion

"Hyung!" Baek Hyeon rejoiced as he came downstairs and saw his brother in the living room with his parents and grandparents. "Aww, look at you out little Haetbyeoli." His brother chuckled as he hugged him. "I've missed you so much Hyung, don't leave again." He said hugging him really tight. "Okay little champ, I can't breathe now" his brother replied as he slightly pushed him off.

Looked up at the stairs expecting someone else but no one came down. "Where's your Double Ganger?" He asked, "I don't know he might be with his boyfriend somewhere." Hyeon replied shrugging his shoulders, "Same old Jihoon" he smiled shaking his head. "Don't worry about him son, let's go eat. You must be tired and hungry from the flight." His mom said as he grabbed him by the arm and took him to the dining room.

"So how are things going with you and Chris?" Jaehoon asked as they sat down, "What do you mean?" "Aren't you guys dating?" He remarked that Baekhyeon laughed. "No Hyung, I'm not dating my best friend. Why would I date Chris, I don't think I will ever be interested in Chris as a boyfriend." "Oh," JaeHoon sighed as he slightly smiled.

As they enjoyed their family dinner, laughter filled the air at the Kim mansion. Baek Hyeon recounted tales of his adventures abroad, while his brother JaeHoon shared stories from his own life. The clinking of utensils and the warmth of familial bonds created a comforting ambiance.

Later that evening, as they gathered in the cozy living room, Baek Hyeon's grandmother, Halmeoni, joined the conversation. "Baek Hyeon, you should find someone special. It's good to have a partner who cares for you," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "How about Chris, Chris is a very nice boy." She suggested.

Baek Hyeon chuckled, "Halmeoni, Chris is my best friend I can't date him. After all, I'm talking to someone at the moment." Halmeoni sighed as she looked over at JaeHoon. "I like Chris better than all those other boys you talk to." She said. "That reminds me, we should invite his family to the Christmas ball we're throwing." Baekhyeon's mom chimed in, "That's an amazing idea, I haven't seen Mary in a long time." Halmeoni agreed, "Great idea ma, now baekie can see Chris." Jaehoon added.

"I don't know what you guys are planning but it's not going to work," Baekhyeon said as he got up and walked upstairs. "Kids." Halmeoni shook her head with a smile on her face.

Baekhyeon closed the door behind him and jumped onto his bed. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed, even though he tried so hard to think about Chris he kept thinking of the night Chris told me he liked him. He couldn't shake the feeling off, Chris has been his friend since childhood and dating Chris never even crossed his mind. Chris was his comfort person, anytime he was feeling down, angry, in pain Chris was always there. Now everything has changed between them.

"Why does he have to like me!" He whined as he tossed left and right in his bed, "Why couldn't we just stay friends!?"

To be continued