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"Hello loves! Tonight we will do a cover-a-thon while we wait for midnight for my new album's release." Soobin greeted the fans watching his VLive. It has been a year since the award show and he can say that he is already happy. Kai was also happy. Rumors stopped months ago and let their flame rest peacefully.
"All right, let us start with you So0b1n4hh. Let us sing Only by Lee Hi-sunbaenim." Soobin picke up his guitar and looked up the chords on his other phone.
Requests came one after the other, he could barely keep up. At around 11:30 PM, he paused singing for a break. Encouraging his viewers to ask questions or simply chat with him.
"Hi Kielish0t, I am doing good!"
"I would rather grow teeth on my hands."
It was all fun and games until a familiar name graced his screen. "Hyuka announced that he is dating someone already, how do you feel?" it read.
To be honest, that crushed his mood. In reality, he hasn't moved on yet. Especially when his album is about the boy he lost. It was for him. Nevertheless, good for Kai. At least he is secured that Kai is Happy.
"Well, it is a secret and you still need to wait until midnight to find out." He continued chatting. At around 11:45, he resumed singing.
"Okay, last song. Then we will prepare for the countdown." Soobin happily announced.
"Okay, I have been listening to Mitski a lot these days. Let's sing Once more to see you."
Bad choice.
"But with everybody watching us, our every move, we do have reputations" It struck his healing heart open in half. It reminded him of his love. Tears pooled in his eyes. Unbeknown to him, someone entered his live. His fans are going wild but he can't see through the tears.
"Once more to see you, once more to see you. Okay let's finish on that. Phew, it was so emotional I almost cried. HAHAHA." Soobin stated as he wiped his tears.
"Kai is here omg" a comment that caught his eyes. He doesn't know how to react. What if it's just a trick to see if he still loves the other, which would erupt another issue. Kai just found love again, he doesn't want to tear it apart.
That was, until his suspicion halted.
"<3" It was sent by Huening Kai.
"Uhhh, Hi Kai! Long time no see." Soobin smiled, as his heart breaks. He just learned that he has been replaced in the heart of Kai, then he reminisced through a painful song, and now Kai is here rubbing salt to his openly wounded heart in front of his fans.
"good luck to your album launch." Kai responded.
"Thank you, to you too. Anyway, It's already 11:55, let us prepare guys."
Needless to say, it was a success. His new album gathered 1 million streams within the first two hours of release. Right now it has been a week, and he is invited to a variety show to perform and promote. He was backstage when he bumped with Kai. They smiled and apologized, but Yeonjun, Kai's boyfriend glared at him and pulled the other away harshly.
Not long after, he was called inside the studio.
He sang and promoted, then sat down to be interviewed a little. It was fine until a host said an extremely uncomfortable comment.
"It's good that you let go of that Kei, is it? Oh, Kai. He was a tarnish in your flag." It angered Soobin. So much. Luckily, he vowed to be stronger this time. And fight for his Kai. Even though they are not together anymore.
"I hope you are joking. Kai is the most beauthiful thing that entered my life. He loved me more than I could love myself. What we had was one of a kind, hence the title of my album." He proudly reply.
No host attempted to ask more questions, ending his interview.
He headed to the restroom after. However, the restroom in this floor is full, the only possible restroom is next floor. When he got ther the door said out of order but it was ajar. "Well, there is nothing wrong with being bad sometimes." He thought.
But when he entered the room, he was shocked to hear conversations.
"I swear, I didn't mean it Yeonjun. It was an accident." It was Huening Kai. He peeped through one of the corners. Kai is crying while Yeonjun is smoking with wrath.
"Bullshit!" He grabbed Kai's collar. But the boy was fast enough to move away. "Don't you dare move, I'll cut your hair if you do." Yeonjun threthened.
"But I have an interview in an hour, please spar-" It was followed by a powerful punch to his cheek and a scream of pain. Soobin's fist balled, but he must not act without thinking. Yeonjun is a primed actor. He can fake this situation and turn as the victim.
"Then cover it up with concealer. Dumb bitch." Yeonjun screamed at Kai. He then headed for the exit. Soobin quickly went out and hide behind a rack of costume in the hallway. After minutes he entered the comfort room. To agitated to do his initial purpose there.
He saw Kai sitting in the corner still crying.
"Soobin, I-I was practicing my tears" "I saw what happened." Kai's eyes widen. "Please don't tell them. Please, Yeonjun will kill me."
"Listen, I made a mistake of letting you go. These days I spent crying of sadness and happiness because you finally moved on. Only for him to do this to you?" Soobin was furious. "You don't deserve this."
"I do." Kai Sobbed. Soobin slumped down beside him. "I forced him to be with me so I can move on from you. He said he'll do it if I took what he gave me. I thought it was love, but I was wrong. He's a fucking sadist Soobin. And I am the idiot that let him do it, hoping that it will make me forget you." At this point, both are crying. Soobin guided Kai's head to his shoulder and patted it until their crying subsided.
"I'm sorry for leaving you Kai. If only I could turn back time." "But we can't and now we need to live our consequences." Kai then stood up and headed to the sink.
"I lost count of how many concealer bottles I emptied within the week," Kai said as-a-matter-of-factlly.
"You don't have to do this to yourself." Soobin stood up and went to Kai. When a loud voice echoed.
"What's taking you so long, bitch?" It was Yeonjun. Soobin entered a stall and hid himself.
"It hurts so much." Kai groaned. "Let me help you." "No" A sound of a slap could be heard. Followed by a harsh dabbing of foam. Then footsteps, and lastly the door creaked.
A month have passed and Soobin is still thinking of a way to help Kai.
He was scrolling through twitter when he saw a post. It was yeonjun, he was seen walking in a motel with a co-star. Everyone in the comments are tagging Kai.
Soobin thought for a moment, if he call Kai he might trigger Yeonjun if he finds out I call. If I went to their apartment then it would be a larger issue. That is when it hit him.
He drove through the city, if he remembers correctly Kai said that he and Yeonjun are living together to be closer. And Yeonjun's penthouse is across the city.
He hoped that Yeonjun isn't home yet. He went to the receptionist and requested for Kai. It took a couple of calls until he came to the lobby, wearing sunglasses and longsleeved turtle necks at evening. Kai brought him up, and hugged him once they are already there.
"I can't do this anymore. Soobin I don't know what to do. This is so humiliating, I'm full of bruises." Kai cried.
"I need you to trust me." Was all Soobin said, and Kai nodded.
When Yeonjun arrived, Soobin is gone. Kai is there at the couch. Yeonjun removed his boots, and threw it to Kai's face.
"You bitch! It was you who reported me aren't you?" Yeonjun ran to him and gripped his hair. "No, I did not." The younger pleaded.
"Quit. Lying. To. Me. You. Pathetic. Shit." Yeonjun punched him in the face between words.
"That's it, you won't leave this house for a long time. I'm gonna burn your face." Shit, this isn't part of the plan.
"Help! Help!" Kai screamed as Yeonjun dragged him to the stove. "No one can hear you."
That is when the main door opened. Police stepped in, next was Soobin.
"You're on live." Kai whispered. Yeonjun froze in place.
Kai quickly pulled his hand and ran to Soobin. The police ran and cuffed him as he screamed "They're cheaters, they used me." But to no avail.
- earlier -
"You trust me?" Kai nodded.
"I'm afraid you need to get hurt, it's the only way we can prove that he's hurting you." "How?" Kai responded.
"You'll go live to capture the vile act. I'll call the police once he appear on the live." "I-I don't think, where will I live? He made me sell my apartment so he could keep me here."
"Then I'll be more than glad to take you in Kai."
The world moved on quite quickly after the incident. Soobin and Kai opened up about the abuse, how much damage it caused.
Yeonjun waa imprisoned, turns out Kai wasn't his only victim.
Kai lives with Soobin once again, while Kai seeked professional help to regain mental health.
As days turn to weeks, and weeks to months. The two rekindled the joys of each other's company.
"Hyung, please never let me go again?" Kai asked. "Sure thing. Actually, here is a ring." Soobin pulled out a box. He opened it to reveal a rosegold ring.
"Kai, I promise to be more understanding and patient. Here is a ring to remind you how regretful I am of the past, and how hopeful I am for the future." Soobin took his hand and put the ring in his pinky finger.
"I trust you Soobin-ah. I love you."
"I love you, too day, too morrow, and too infinity Kai."