THIRD PERSON'S POV 

"Baekhyun?"

It was as if he was caught red-handed when Baekhyun faced Saemi. Wiping his hand on the hem of his shirt, he smiled at the girl rather awkwardly. 

"Oh, you're home.." 

"What are you doing here?" Saemi raised a brow, boring her eyes on his, disregarding the thought she had earlier. 

"A-ah.. that. I saw Mark in the company and h-he— uhm... he—"

"He what?"

"H-he told me to tell you that he couldn't come as he still has to practice—"

"Do you think this is funny? Are you kidding me?"

Baekhyun's eyebrows twitched at her tone. There's got to be something wrong. The way her eyes pierced at him made him tremble inside. He couldn't even speak straight to her. It's not like he is guilty of something— well, for one thing he came here without her permission. But, still. 

"If Min Hyung had something to say to me, he should have called me again."

"Well, he couldn't contact you as of now," he replied. "And I have something important to tell you that's why I volunteered to go here in Mark's stead."

The kitchen was drowning of the tension between them, add the seriousness in Baekhyun's voice. Saemi knew right then that it had something to do with their situation. 

Baekhyun walked out of the kitchen with Saemi tailing behind him on their way to the living room where the couch is waiting. 

"So, what's this thing you have to tell me?"

"It's about your father."

The pair sat on the same couch with Saemi making it sure that there's a good distance between them. 

"Before that, can you explain first how you got here?" She asked. 

"Mark gave me his spare key."

Her mouth agape at his statement. "I swear to god, that kid's gonna get it from me."

"Don't get him wrong. I actually asked where you were and I think he trusted me enough to give me your house's spare key. Maybe I'm the only one he could think of as someone who can be with you—"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Saemi interrupts, ridiculed.

"Why are you angry with me?" Baekhyun retorts back. 

"I—"

Why couldn't she defend herself? Why did she get tongue-tied? 

Saemi tries to find the words but she can't bring herself to say it. She was embarrassed. Embarrassed for her Hae Kyeong. Embarrassed because she was somehow related to someone who's attempting to harm the life of someone she loved. 

"Look," Baekhyun said. "Can we just put everything aside first? I know we both have questions and some things we need to clear with the both of us but," he exhaled a deep sigh. "The thing I need to tell you is something really important."

A few seconds passed. A minute. Saemi gulped down all that's bothering her and chose to listen. 

"When I got here, I saw the dishes in the sink that's why I washed them all first. And then you came." He said, fiddling with his fingers, head hanging low. 

She looked at him in utter awe. "That's embarrassing. But thank you." 

He nodded. 

"So, what did you need to tell me?"

"This may be hard for your part to take in. I may not be in the position to tell this, but I have to."

"God, just say it, Baek!"

"Mr. Eun killed your father."

Saemi was stilled to her spot. Paralyzed, she couldn't even move a muscle. Her eyes stared at Baekhyun who showed sympathy that she grew to despise. 

Does he pity her? Why is he looking at her as if she's the most unfortunate person he has ever laid his eyes upon? Heaven knows how she hated to be looked at like that. 

"Don't look at me like that." She muttered under her breath, pushing herself to stand and leave when she turned back to question Baekhyun who followed her move almost immediately. 

Her eyes began to water, and soon it was drenched with tears. How he hated to see her like this. 

"How did you know about this?" 

"I asked someone to check on—"

"Is this what you wanted the whole time?"

"What are you saying, Eun Saemi?"

"I'm not Eun Saemi!" She raised her voice, fist balling in anger. 

Baekhyun stared at her, stoned to his feet. She was heaving heavily, appearing like she wanted to calm herself from her raging madness. 

What was he doing? What's going on? How did it come to this? 

Did he push the wrong buttons? 

"What more did you want from me, Baek? You asked someone to what? To dig on my past?" The girl huffs, pain staining her doe eyes. 

"You're getting the wrong idea.."

Saemi scoffed. "I'm getting the wrong idea? Am I really?" She narrowed her eyes on him. "Was I the one who thought wrong about someone you were engaged with? Did you think I wanted your family to get killed?"

"Saemi, you're being irrational."

"Maybe you can just mind your own business." She spat back at him who was taken aback. "Leave my house. Leave just like how you did before. This time I won't bother waiting for you to come back."

Saemi head towards the door and swung it wide open for him. Baekhyun had nothing else to do but do as he was told. With heavy heart, he left without a word. Only that deep stare he left behind that was mirroring the same agony Saemi was feeling. 

Agitated, Baekhyun pulled his hair in frustration once he stepped out of her house. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did he even dip himself to this dipsht? Now he couldn't erase from his memory the sight of Saemi in pain. 

Going here and facing her again was hard enough for him to do. However, that look on her eyes. That hurdled she learned, made him question himself why he did so. 

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he got inside his car.

"Hyung?"

"Mark, your sister needs you."

"What happened, Hyung?"

"Just come over here."

"Noona!"

"Min Hyung-a!"

The younger found his sister lying on the carpet, sprawled as she cries her heart out. He picked Saemi up who held unto him for dear life. 

"What happened?" He worriedly asked. 

She couldn't speak a word. She was already choking on her own saliva at the amount of tears she's bawled out. Mark ends up getting a glass of water from the kitchen to give his sister. 

When she finally calmed down, still a few water dripping on her cheeks, Saemi faced her brother with the same look she has given Baekhyun earlier. 

"Noona, talk to me." He said, getting desperate to hear anything from her. 

"Appa..." she started. "Hae Kyeong killed—"

"Huh?" He tried to decipher her words and after so, it soon dawned to him. 

Unlike Saemi, Min Hyung became expressionless. He has gone numb. He knew something was not sitting right when he saw his father's best friend yet again. He knew something was odd. He sensed that the person their family has trusted for a long time, has some schemes behind their backs. 

"I'm gonna kill him myself." The boy muttered with gritted teeth. 

"Min Hyung-a, watch your words." 

"Are you just gonna cry here and do nothing?" He exclaimed in which she was stupefied. "Noona, I can't bear with this anymore." His voice cracked, choking on his tears that he's holding back. 

"We have to do something."

"We will. We will." The older wiped his cheeks stained with tears that swell up from his eyes. 

"What happened to Baekhyun Hyung?"

As soon as he stated that name, Saemi pushed her brother's head with much force that he winced. "Why?!"

"Why did you give him my spare key? How can you do this to your own sister?!"

"I figured you two should talk. Is everything cool with you already?"

Saemi dabbed the remaining stains on her cheeks and scoffed, shaking her head in disdain. 

"I don't want to talk about it."

***

Everytime Saemi sets foot in the company, she guarantees that she won't see even the shadow of Byun Baekhyun. In all honesty, she was actually ashamed of showing herself even more. 

It was wrong of her to not let him explain further, to not let him speak for himself. 

She was only overwhelmed by the fact that the idol searched her history when he could have just asked her. It was somehow insulting in her end. But then again, Saemi knew Baekhyun could not. They're not even in good terms, especially now that she has made it worse. 

Sipping the coffee her assistant handed her, she tapped the spacebar to play the song she's been working on with NCT 127. She finished the recording earlier than scheduled for the boys were indeed armed and ready before the day itself. 

Thanks to them, she didn't have a hard time adjusting and editing their parts because they've done it flawlessly. The producer could easily tell that this group is indeed a bunch of talented boys. Their company's future is in good hands. 

It was also a shock that Mark debuted earlier than she expected. He has been working and practicing hard these days that she barely see him in the building. It was always either he's in the practice room or he's resting in their dorm. 

"Finally..." 

Saemi stretches her arms and legs as she stands up from her seat that she's occupied for long hours. 

It was time to go home. 

She was quite feeling exceptionally hyped up today. Maybe because she's done with her work. And that she can continue watching the new drama series she's been binge watching these days. Also, there's food that's waiting for her at home because Mark told her that he ordered her some samgyeopsal and black bean noodles. 

Nothing could ruin her day. 

"Saemi Unnie!" A high-pitched tone echoed in the hallway, causing the producer to turn back to see who was calling her. 

Yeri, along with Joy, ran towards her direction and soon engulfed her with a tight embrace. 

"Oh?" She could only laugh at their attack, tapping the girls on the back. 

"You're going home already?" Joy asked in which Saemi bobbed her head yes.

"Yeah. And you?"

"We're just on our way to the new restaurant that opened at the alley. You should come with us, Unnie!" Yeri replied, ecstatic and pumped up. 

"No, it's okay. You guys go ahead—"

"Nah, I'm not taking no for an answer. Let's go!" The two pulled the older, heading outside and Saemi was left with no choice but to let them. 

The table was set for four people but the three of them were the only ones who occupied the space. 

"Where's the others?" Saemi asked, pertaining to the other three members that aren't with them. 

Yeri hummed as she scans the menu. 

"They all have schedules." Joy said, imitating what the youngest was doing. 

"Unnie," she called. "What do you want to order?" 

"Ah, I'll just have what you guys got."

"You sure? Nothing caught your eyes or something?" Joy said.

 "Yeah. I'll just take what you guys got." The older repeated her words. The two younger ones nodded in approval and ordered to the waiter who's waiting for them beside the table. 

Saemi roamed her eyes around the place. The ambiance was surprisingly relaxing and it wasn't crowded. The lights balanced the paint on the wall and it was clear that the customers loved their service. Everyone had a wide smile on their faces that welcomed the visitors pretty well. 

A small grin crept on her exhausted face, when she caught a view of someone overly familiar. Their eyes met, but Saemi looked away, refusing to hold on that eye contact just as how she held their conversation a few days ago. 

"Oh? Baekhyun Sunbaenim's here, too!" Yeri exclaimed as Joy searches for where he was sitting at. 

"We should greet him later!" Joy replied, turning from side to side. 

The pair looked back at the eldest whose sitting rather uncomfortably. Why does he have to appear every time everywhere she goes? Saemi fidgets from her seat, feeling the eyes of Baekhyun boring unto her. 

"Unnie, are you alright?" Joy asked in concern. 

The latter nodded, her eyes shaking. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just have to go to the restroom. Be right back."

Wrong move. 

When she entered the hall on the way to the restrooms, Baekhyun was already there, standing beside the gentlemen's room. Her breath hitched, coming to a halt. 

Saemi continued to head for the ladies' room and when she pushed the knob, she felt an arm pulling her arm back gently. 

"Can we talk?"