.nine.

Rather than reacting negatively like Sun thought he would, given the situation at the Verde Valle training grounds, Yixing only cleared his throat quickly and dropped his gaze to the ground, refusing to look either of them in the eye. Ernesto was confused by the whole situation, since he had no idea what was happening and Sun had assured him that there was nothing between her and Yixing anymore. But Sun knew it well. Things between her and Yixing were far from solved. 

"I'm really sorry." He muttered to them in Korean before turning and rushing out of there before either Sun or Ernesto could say anything.

"Yixing wait--" Sun tried to call him back, and she tried to go after him.

But Ernesto grabbed her arm gently, holding her back. "What's happening, Sol?" He asked her, full of confusion, his thick accent poking through his words in English. "I don't understand."

She bit down on her lip, and then turned back towards her date. Maybe it was for the best that Yixing saw them. He already knew that Sun had started seeing Ernesto. She wasn't doing anything wrong by seeing other people while she and Yixing were no longer dating. He had decided it that way. But then--deep down--her heart broke for him. She wanted to go find him and reassure him that everything was okay. That she still loved him, because she did. Ernesto was a wonderful person who adored her and he reminded her so much of Yixing. He was such an innocent and trusting person. Sun really liked him, but she didn't quite love him.

"Nothing Ernesto." She replied to him, forcing a small smile onto her lips.

He smiled, oblivious to everything and he took her by the hand, leading her back to the party. He took her to his circle of friends who were sitting at one of the main tables, closest to the front. Some of them were with their wives or girlfriends, and Ernesto waved happily at all of them. They were his team mates who made comments to him in Spanish, teasing him playfully about his new girlfriend. Sun understood most of it and smiled shyly. At the same, she tried to keep an eye out for Yixing. But he was nowhere to be found. The other EXO boys were sitting at their own table, enjoying the party together, accompanied by their girlfriends.

"This is Sol, but you already met her at the training ground today." He explained to them shyly in Spanish. 

"We know who she is." His best friend Angel--Chelo--said with a wink in Spanish. Then in English, he added, "Lately all you can talk about is her. Sol this, Sol that." He didn't say it in a tone of complaint, but rather continuing to tease his best friend. He wanted Sun to know how much he liked her.

By Chelo's side was a young woman who Sun assumed was his wife or girlfriend, and in her lap was a little girl that resembled the two of them. For an instant, Sun couldn't help but think that they both looked so young to be parents. If they were the same age as Ernesto, then they were probably around the same age as her too. 

"She's so cute and small." She gushed with a friendly smile.

At that, Ernesto agreed with a nod of his head and a playful grin as he wrapped an arm around Sun's waist. He pulled her closer to him, which was something a bit difficult to manage considering he had to balance himself on his crutches with his other arm. In that night alone, he had managed to drop his crutches at least ten times, and almost lost his balance another ten times. Sun was afraid he would fall any moment now, but she was willing to catch him if necessary. 

"The better to hold her in my arms." The football player said in response to the comment.

"We need to go on a double date before she returns to her country. Its not every day we see Ernesto liking a girl this much. Normally he's tried to keep football as his main and only focus." Chelo commented, and his wife agreed with a nod of her head. 

Sun found that to be adorable.

The boys then got into talk about their upcoming game. It was one they needed to win if they wanted crucial points on the leader board. It was still early in the tournament, but Ernesto had told Sun that they were already hoping to secure a spot in the playoffs. Ernesto was only saddened by the fact that he would be off the field the entire rest of the season because of his injury. In addition, his doctors were in talks about considering surgery if his injury didn't heal properly.

Sun stood off to the side awkwardly, since her date was busy and though he tried to include her in the conversation, his world wasn't one she knew too much about. She had been standing there for a few minutes when Junmyeon walked up behind her and grabbed her by the arm gently to get her attention. "Sun-ah," He called in a whisper. Ernesto and the others caught his words and turned towards him with curiosity and confusion. But what he had to say was for Sun's ears only, so he bowed his head towards them and smiled politely. "Can I borrow her for a moment?" He asked them in English.

Ernesto looked at Sun, then towards Junmyeon, and gave a nod of his head. "If she wants to go with you, friend. Go ahead." He offered, in case Sun were unwilling to talk to the EXO leader.

"I'll be right back." Sun assured with a smile and followed Junmyeon to a more private place at the venue.

"Do you know what happened to Yixing?" He wondered with concern.

Sun bit down on her lip nervously. She wanted to keep this to herself, since it was something only she and Yixing had to talk about. She didn't want anyone else getting in their business. At the same time, she knew Junmyeon had good intentions and only wanted to help.

"He caught me...making out with Ernesto." She admitted, her cheeks burning bright red as she remembered the moment when it happened.

EXO's leader watched her with surprise, eyes peeled. He wasn't aware that Sun and Yixing's relation ship was purely a publicity stunt this time around. As far as he and the other EXO members knew, it was all real and the two loved each other. The latter was true--they both still loved each other. Yet, they were not actually in a relationship.

He tried hard not to judge her, but he couldn't help himself as the words left his lips in disbelief. "Why?" Why would you hurt Yixing like that? He's the purest person in our group." He said, and Sun couldn't help but agree.

All the EXO members were pretty nice guys, now that she had gotten to know all of them. But Yixing was by far the nicest and purest one of all of them. He was so trusting, innocent, and forgiving. He always believed the best in people. It was the reason why he had waited for Sun for so long. He didn't think she would ever do anything to hurt him--even accidentally--just like he would have never done a single thing to hurt her.

"Its complicated to explain, oppa. Trust me." She told him with a sigh of frustration.

"You should go talk to him." Junmyeon encouraged, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He's sitting by the big fountain in the front, and he looks a mess."

He left her to return to his table, sitting by Sarang's side, always lovingly drawn to her. As leaders of their groups, they were pillars to each other. When she wasn't feeling her best these days, he was her strength. It was something Sun admired and somewhat envied about the two of them. They had been brave to admit their love to the world who didn't want to see them together, while she hid Yixing from everyone like he wasn't worthy of being seen with her. 

As soon as he sat down, she cuddled close to him, linking arms with him and laying her head on his shoulder tiredly. He kissed the top of her head tenderly and asked her again if she wanted to leave the party. The Baby Lips leader was tired, and wanted to return to Minnie's house to get some sleep. But as a former group member and friend of the vocalist, she decided to stay at the party, not matter how tired she was. She only had to endure for a few more hours.

Sun decided not to return to Ernesto yet, Junmyeon's words still echoing in her mind, but rather she went to check on Yixing. Just as Junmyeon informed her, he was sitting by a magnificent water fountain by the entrance of the wedding reception venue. He was sitting there by himself with slumped shoulders, facing away from the direction that she was coming from.

She walked up slowly, hesitantly, but her heels made a click sound as she approached. He turned in her direction when he felt her coming towards him.

"Yixing--" She started, hoping they could talk things out.

But he quickly got up and started to walk away. 

Sun was determined to talk to him, and she chased after him. "Stop running and face me, Yixing. Tell me how you're feeling. If you don't speak up, then this is never going to get fixed, or even settled." As soon as she said that, he stopped, frozen in his tracks. But he still didn't turn to face her despite what she said. It was like he was physically incapable of doing so.

In the bottom of her heart, a part of her hoped. Really hoped that he would turn around and talk to her, or at least look at her. That he would tell her that he was seething with jealousy knowing that she was with someone else and not with him. That he was afraid of losing her for good because he saw the way she looked at Ernesto. How it was obvious that she liked him and how her eyes shone like diamonds when she was around him, the same way they used to when she was with Yixing.

She wanted him to tell her that he forgave her and that he wanted to give their relationship another chance because he still loved her like he knew she still loved him. Just one word from his lips and she would be his again. That was all it would take. All he needed to do was to say something. She wanted to hear those words make their way out of his mouth. 

But they never did.

Life was funny that way--or more likely painful in that way. 

She wanted that so badly, and her parents always told her since she was a small child that wanting something so badly in that way, would make it come true. It was probably just another made up story to calm a small child because she never wanted anything more. Yet, it didn't happen the way she wished it.

Yixing didn't talk to her, never even looked at her that night. Instead he walked away without a word, returning to the party where he would pretend to have a good time in front of the camera and the other EXO members. But on the inside he was torn up and heart broken just like the time when he and Sun broke up down by the Han River back in Korea. He would be forced to watch her with someone else for the duration of their trip to Mexico and then, upon returning to Asia, he would have to pretend like nothing was wrong. That they were in love and were the Chinese-Korean power couple that everyone wanted. 

Sun was starting to get tired of chasing after him, and he was bringing it all upon himself.

-

how long has it been since i updated with story? with this update, we are about 25% done with this one. but there is still much more drama to come so stay tuned for that. 

i included my boys of chivas because i love them okay. my top boos are ernesto and chelo. they're my faves, they're best friends and have a major bromance. plus, they call them the twins bc people say they look alike. i kinda agree. but ernesto is like a more manly version of chelo. chelo has a smaller build and is kinda scrawny and lanky.

anyway, i hope you all enjoy the update. i worked really hard on it.

-clary