.ten.

Sun went back to the party and went back to Ernesto, sitting with him and his friends from the football team for the rest of the night. Yixing sat with the other EXO members and tried to avoid her stares. All the while he was trying to act like nothing was wrong, like he wasn't pushing Sun away and very likely ruining his chances of them getting back together because she was trying. She had attempted to talk to him and salvage things, or at the very least settle things between them. It was he who didn't want to listen. Sun tried to enjoy the party, but she couldn't anymore. 

As the clock reached midnight, Minnie went to find her best friend in Baby Lips, taking both Sun's hands in hers when Sun got up to greet her. The other people at her table smiled at the bride happily. "Thank you so much for coming." She gushed, the happiness reflected in her face. Even through the fact that she was an idol who had been forced to move to another country and continue her career on her own, Sun knew it was all Minnie ever wanted because she was with Isaac and he supported her just as much as she supported him. She pulled her friend in for a tight hug, and Sun almost felt like her bones were being crushed to bits. Pulling away, she handed Sun something. It was a set of keys which opened up the house the young couple lived in. 

"Isaac and I will be spending the week in Puerto Vallarta, as a gift from the team. I know you and the girls will only be in Mexico one more day, but I want you to be comfortable and stay at our house." She said to her, and Sun was touched that her friend had that much consideration for her. "You can drop off the keys with Neto before you go." As she said his name, she dropped a hand on his shoulder. Neto was the nickname both Minnie and Isaac had for Ernesto.

The football player turned in his chair to face her. "Leaving so soon, m'ija?" 

He smiled a teasing smile at her and she stuck her tongue out at him, balling her hand into a fist and hitting him playfully. "Respect your elders, boy." She said, since both in Korean and Mexican culture, it was very important to respect people older than you. Minnie was older than Ernesto. The former Baby Lips vocalist added, "You know the newlyweds always leave the party before everyone else." When he nodded in agreement, Minnie finally finished with, "Take care of Sun. I'm trusting you with my best friend." Then she waved her goodbyes at everyone and went to find her husband to leave the party together.

With Minnie gone, the Baby Lips members and EXO didn't stay much longer. They didn't see any reason in them staying. They all gathered their things and took separate cars back to Minnie's house. Ernesto had been the one to drop Sun off, although she insisted that he didn't have to because of his injury. All the while, she could see the pain on his face while driving, that he was trying so hard to hide from her.

The two arrived first and waited for the others in Ernesto's car. "I had a really good time at the party with you." He said shyly.

She nodded her head in agreement. "Me too."

He then added, "You know, Chelo and his wife were serious about going on a double date before you return to Korea. And if you want to, we could--" 

Sun had been biting down on her lip nervously, debating on whether or not to move in for the kiss. Yixing had clearly shown that he wanted nothing to do with her and she was getting tired of chasing him. It was both exhausting and humiliating for the two of them--her chasing after him and him running away. 

When she saw him rambling, she thought to put him out of his misery by pressing her lips to his. She closed her eyes when their lips met, and her heart started beating fast. And she started to think that maybe someone else could make her feel the same way Yixing did. Maybe Ernesto could make her feel loved and not like everything she did was wrong. He wasn't from a rival company. He wasn't even an idol. No one would be against them going out. She could start over and do things right.

He shifted in his seat to get better access and just as they pulled away breathless and his lips tried finding their way down her neck, there was a knock on the window that startled the two of them. The two pulled back from each other so quickly and Sun turned towards the sound to find Rin watching her with both curiosity and confusion. Sun understood that, since the other members of Baby Lips were not aware that the relationship with Yixing was a fake. To Rin it looked like Sun was cheating on Yixing, and the Baby Lips member was disappointed in the maknae to say the least.

"Minnie said she gave you the keys to her house." She shouted through the glass window separating them. For a brief instant, she shot the slightest of glares towards Ernesto.

Sun nodded and opened the door, to which Rin responded by opening it wider and pulling the youngest member of the group out onto the sidewalk in front of the house. A few feet away, the others were standing, waiting for her to open the door. 

"Goodnight, Sol." Ernesto called as Sun was practically dragged away by her group member.

"We're going to have a serious talk tomorrow, maknae." Rin warned her in a whisper.

-

Since Sun knew Yixing would probably try his hardest to avoid her, she decided to sleep in Minnie and Isaac's room. They would be gone for the next week and their room would be empty anyway. Little did she know that Yixing, in an attempt to avoid her, had decided to sleep in the living room, leaving the room they were sharing empty for the night. 

It had been difficult for her to fall asleep, and when she finally managed it, she had been asleep for about an hour when the faint sounds of music gently shook her awake. It was coming from the back of the house, right underneath her balcony, and it appeared to be a mariachi band. Sun climbed out of bed and opened the balcony doors, stepping out into the moonlight. She glanced down below and brought her hands to her face in surprise at the sight.

There was Ernesto, accompanied by a few of his team mates who were happily filming everything for social media. Behind them was the mariachi band who was playing a song. It wasn't long before the boy started to sing to her in Spanish.

"I would cross rivers, mountains, valleys, in order to find you. I would fight storms, cyclones, dragons, without exaggerating. Just to be able to see myself in your beautiful eyes, and to bask in the glory of being by your side. Because I already feel like I need you, I'm in love. That and more, I'll do for you." He paused after the first verse as the music continued. Just then, Sun's phone vibrated in her hand and she looked down at the screen. It was a text from Minnie, probably taking a break from her honey moon to text her friend.

minnie: look down and to your right ;)

minnie: use it

Sun followed Minnie's directions until she spotted a bucket full of water by the edge of the balcony. She heaved a sigh, remembering what Minnie once told her about Mexican traditions. If a boy likes a girl, its an old custom for him to serenade her in the middle of the night. Out of tradition, if the girl liked the song, she must throw a bucket of water on him. 

It was Ernesto's voice that shook her out of her thoughts again. "To ensure your soul's smile, seeking equity. I would pawn off my most valuable belonging, my freedom. It would be an honor to be your slave, I would be your toy by my own will. And if one glorious day I perish in your arms, it would be my happiness." As the song concluded, the other backed away from him, expecting a bucked of water to be thrown over the balcony. 

But Sun wasn't accustomed to that tradition, even though it was totally normal for them. 

Still, she knew it was their tradition and she picked up the bucket using both hands. Returning to the balcony, she turned it over with some difficulty, spilling the contents of it out onto the ground below where it managed to soak the football player. But he was thrilled because it was seen as a good sign.

He received pats on the back and congratulations from his peers as Sun left the balcony and made her way down stairs and to the back door of the house. He went to find her, finding it difficult to wobble back and forth on one leg and she pulled him into the house. "I don't understand that tradition of yours." Sun informed him with honesty. "But Minnie said it was very important to you, so I had to do it. But now you should dry yourself off or you'll catch a cold."

Ernesto grinned at her, a goofy grin since he was still thrilled about her liking the serenade he brought for her. He turned for a brief instant, gesturing for his friends to get going and then he followed her into the house. They went by the living room where Yixing was still awake and he saw them walk by together and head upstairs. His hand in hers as she led him in the direction of Minnie and Isaac's bedroom. She had been careful to stay close, in case he were to stumble forward due to his injury.

She got him a towel and handed it to him. Then she texted Minnie and asked if he could use some of Isaac's clothes to sleep in. He said it was fine, since Ernesto was one of his closest friends. She rummaged through their closet with their permission and pulled out a pair of Adidas sweatpants, with a Chivas jersey for him to wear. Ernesto complimented her on her choice of clothing for him, informing her that there were Atlas and Toluca jerseys in that closet he wouldn't be caught dead wearing. And right there, in front of her, he stripped down to his boxers and changed clothes. Sun went red in the face and tried to look away, but he was just so attractive and he didn't mind her looking at him.

The two then sat on the bed together after he was finished changing clothes. As he took her hand in his, she felt bad that his skin was cold from getting wet earlier. 

"I really like you, Sol." He started, his voice low and barely above a whisper.

He was like a shy little boy confessing his feelings to his first love.

Sun nodded her head. "I really like you too."

And she did. She wasn't lying. She just couldn't stop thinking about Yixing and how his feelings would be hurt if she dated someone else. But it wasn't like she was going to wait on him forever. And thinking of Yixing getting hurt made her think of Ernesto getting hurt. She really liked him, but she wasn't in love with him. Those were two very different things, and she couldn't help but think that she was leading him on.

Still, she thought she owed it to herself and him  to at least give their love a try.

It could turn out to be one of the greatest things in her life. She just couldn't quite shake away all her doubts.

-

qotd: do you all think sun is leading ernesto on?

im going to answer what i think. i honestly think she is and she isn't. its cimplicated to explain. but she has mentioned herself that she doesn't love him, which means she IS leading him on. but then its not like she's going to wait on yixing forever since he's already decided he doesn't want her. (or does he?) 

ernesto is a good kid who loves her and sun likes him too. 

i hope you're all liking the  story. now im going to bed because i have to get up early to go to work tomorrow.

-clary