🚪35

Third POV.
Hours earlier.

Chanyeol hardly pictured himself as a coward.

Newspapers told him and showed him as a young man that held power, wealthy and handsome.

Chanyeol had pride in those words that described him as such.

However, he knew his image was a black and white depiction.

Every time he was with his father it was a reminder. That he was a mere fraud, he wasn't all that powerful. Neither was he that courageous.

The moment he pushed away Eunji was another time his cowardliness won over his heart.

He didn't even have the courage to look into her eyes as he spoke words that pierce her heart into resentment of him.

As her footsteps no longer resounded throughout the hallway. The stress didn't relieve him like he originally thought. Instead, it weighed him down.

He did what he was suppose to do by his father. For himself, it wasn't what he wanted.

His own cold words stuck with him. Chanyeol was partly lying to himself and Eunji. He knew that he was still in love with Yoona. His love, anger, and guilt drove him to try to figure out who would hurt the women he loved.

But he also knew that apart of him was resisting the feelings he was growing towards Eunji. He reasoned that it was because she was somewhat similar to his deceased lover. His heart filled with despair made him gravitate to Jung Eunji. However, he was proven wrong when he pressed his lips against hers in a spree of the moment. The care for Jung Eunji that he felt was beyond what he wanted to feel.

It was a betrayal to Yoona and his vengeance that he yearned for. The unresolved grievances.

"Sorry to disturb you, Park." The man's voice took him away from his consuming thoughts. "Something has come up. Your father is waiting for you." The man bowed closing the door after once Chanyeol responded with an exhausted nod. Normally his father didn't wait for him.

Chanyeol shifted his gaze away from the door taking a moment before getting dress. He just recently got discharged from the hospital a few days ago. He hasn't gone out very much since he arrived back here.

Chanyeol leaves his bed and walks to his closet full of suits all of the same colors. He picks the one closest to him without much thought.

He gets himself dressed with great speed. Adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves, choosing the most neatly polished shoes, and his final accessory in the form of a gold Rolex watch.

Within a few minutes, he is outside his room and spots his father standing tall near the elevator. His male assistant a few feet away from where he is holding his stance.

His father's employee presses the button down upon his demand to do so. Chanyeol is next to his father. No exchanges between the two.

"What are the circumstances?" Chanyeol dared to ask. His father doesn't call him for trivial, meaningless meetings.

"The police are here. There was a body found." Chanyeol instantly thought of Eunji. He hasn't seen her since he said for her to leave him alone.

"Do they know who?" The elevator opened up for them. Temporarily halting his father's response.

"Im Krystal." He answered. His hands gathered properly behind his back. Krystal...

"She's my sister." Yoona sighed.

"You two look alike. Are you twins?" Yoona laughs lightly.

"People always say that. No, we aren't twins. We are close despite the age gap." She fondly smiled at the picture of them saved on her phone.

"I think she would like you."

"Are you sure? My height can be intimidating."

"She could careless about that, Chanyeol." Yoona looked down at the photo. "Besides..." She gazed lovingly into Chanyeol's dark brown eyes like precious gems. "I think once she sees your smile it will cancel out all her snap judgments."

"For the sake of this hotel. We must act accordingly. Appearance is critical." Soohyuk's words entered one ear and out the other, his thoughts already filled.

"She's dead..." Chanyeol whispered under his breath. He never got the chance to meet the sister that Yoona held so close to her heart. In a cruel twist of fate, both sisters were gone.

"Suicide. A very pitiful death." Park Soohyuk voiced out in a flat tone as he glanced up at the numbers signalling each floor that has passed.

↓14

The present expression on Chanyeol's face doesn't slip as the numbers decrease. He knew his father wasn't the type to express his feelings but the way he speaks about Krystal's death bothers him. How could anyone speak this way? Pitiful? She lost her sister.

A ding enters into the space containing the three men. Through the closed doors they can all hear the ruckus from guests, police, and reporters alike from the other side. Upon the command of the sliding of the two doors, their persona was made of ironed suits, expensive cologne, and perfectly styled hair.

Chanyeol's eyes are met with Eunji's when they step out into the crowd surrounding. For a moment he stalls in his step next to his father at the relief of seeing her. His eyes staring into hers. He almost forgets the situation he is currently in as he notices the shimmer lingering on the brim of her eyes a mixture of unexpected sorrow and shock looming.

His invisible mask is about to slip off him when his father firmly grasps onto Chanyeol's nape tugging his attention away from her to be alongside with his father through the crowd of people thrusting microphones into their faces.

"How much longer will I have to keep this up?" Chanyeol thought.

An hour later, Park Chanyeol founds himself sitting in the police station inside one of those questioning rooms.

Answering questions that the person cross the table from him would ask. The typical questions. What Chanyeol couldn't grasp was the reason why he was being asked these questions about Krystal when he had never met her. Only the stories Yoona would tell is all he knew of her sister.

Even as he answers these questions simply, the man has a skeptical eye on him. Like he thought Chanyeol was lying.

"Is there a reason for these questions?" Chanyeol's real question hidden under his words. Am I a suspect?

"It's standard to question anybody we believe to be important or related." He vaguely replies, glancing up at him for a moment.

He didn't voice it but he opposed the man's answer because when Yoona was found dead no one took him in for questioning. He was expecting them to. He was her fiancee, a direct relation to her. He was ready to help at all costs.

They ended up never asking him a thing which was part of the reason why he was in that room. Out of frustration from lack of care and his own determination.

He tried to convince himself not to go because he knew couldn't handle the thought of her taking her final breath there. It was too soon for him to face which was proven true later.

"We're done here, Park. You can leave."

The man opens the door first and he steps into the hallway. He finds Eunji standing near where he exited. Her eyes on the floor travel up to his. He could tell she was exhausted by her posture, her shoulders weighing her down. Why is she here? How is she still involved?

My thoughts fall short by the sight of a women lingering down the hall. By her clothes I knew she was a detective and by her stare I knew I couldn't afford to stand there any longer. I stride over to the detective and greet her.

Hoping that Eunji wouldn't get more involved into this situation than she already is.

🚪35

Phew! Long update considering the usual word count. Thank you for reading.

This is the most revealing chapter on Chanyeol's character. I tried to explain his cold front as best I could and show that his thoughts contrast with his looks.

I added some Chanji because why not ( I hope it wasn't sappy 😅). Also some Yoona and Chanyeol to show his guilt and motivation.

Based on this update, Chanyeol's father is still an ass.

So that concludes this update.

Just in case, I want to let you guys know that Chanyeol has no recollection of meeting Krystal. He was barely unconscious when Krystal helped both him and Eunji.

I barely realized this story has been posted for a year now. For me, it doesn't feel like it has been this long. Hopefully, we are close to done. Thank you to the people that have had endless support for this story. 😘

- Moonbae🌸