Comforter Men

7. Affronted

Noel runs to his house after realizing Baekhyun is not in the car parked in front of the house. Arriving inside he finds Chen as well as Baekhyun who appears to be laying his face down on the dining table. Tableware was scattered on the side of the table, as well as several bottles of alcoholic beverages that were partially empty.

“It looks like he is having a problem, therefore he is reckless to meet you here," Chen explained in reply to the confusion clearly drawn on Noel's face.

"Where is Yera?"

“She went to the room after knowing Baekhyun came here. Maybe he's asleep. You better eat. Yera made it for you."

"really?" Ask as if I can't believe it.

"I'll take Baekhyun home. The rest you do yourself, huh?" Chen said as he stared at the table that looked messy.

"Eum ..” Noel nodded while collecting the tableware scattered earlier.

"I'll take you home" whispered Chen in Baekhyun's ear.

"Euuum .." replied Baekhyun helplessly.

"I'm leaving" said Chen, carrying Baekhyun on his back.

Noel just nodded. Remembering about Yera. The man hurried to leave his job and ran to the room.

Once there, he finds Yera already asleep on the sofa.

"Why are you sleeping here?" Noel spoke to himself as he looked at the resplendent looking Yera.

Slowly Noel lifted and moved Yera to the bed and covered her. Noel looked at the woman with a smile. He was glad that the woman was okay. He was also happy to know that Yera prepared dinner for him.

"Thank you for cooking dinner for me" he said, bowing, then kissing the woman's forehead.

“Sleep ..." whispered and left Yera there.

*

I heard the door shut. Yera opened her eyes. In fact, he only pretended to sleep when he knew Noel would come to him. Without realizing it, he smiled to himself. There was a warmth that embraced his soul that had always been stricken with fear. There was a calm feeling as well as peace filling the passageways of his heart that was stuffy with hatred. Is it possible that Chen's words are starting to show evidence?

Yera. He wanted to deny that. But he himself could not deny what he felt earlier. At the moment, he couldn't fight the curiosity that forced him to get up and peek at what the man was doing out there.

Yera shook her own head trying to counter her inner desire to stay in place.

“He will not know also what I did” his other heart reasoned so that he could wake up to satisfy his curiosity.

The woman got up and opened the door slowly. But how surprised he saw the figure actually standing in front of the door. Noel's hands seemed to float wanting to grab the door algae that were rushing Yera pulled inside.

"You awake?" Noel asked in surprise.

"Akh .. I woke up to hear the door. I just want to drink" Yera said as she shifted from Noel's presence and rushed to the kitchen.

Noel. "Thank you for preparing me for dinner" he said, staring at Yera, who was behind him.

The woman nodded. Presumably he was still misbehaving because he was almost caught peeping. Luckily, Noel believed the reason.

The woman turned around. Trying to avoid eye contact with Noel, Yera accidentally stares at the messy-looking dining table.

"How can Noel eat if his desk falls apart like that?" Her thought.

Without speaking Yera walked to the dining table and began to clean the cutlery and drink bottles scattered there. Noel smiled, then helped Yera by collecting scattered bottles.

***

"Next time invite me if you need me again" said one man, tidying up his clothes.

Mory looked indifferent. The woman took the money from the drawer next to her bed and threw it on the bed in front of the man.

"You don't have to do this. It could have been fun for you to make me happy too."

"You should take it. That's a sign our relationship won't be more than this."

"Can't your girlfriend satisfy you?" Ask in a mocking tone.

Mory looked at the man cynically. "I told you our relationship wouldn't be more than this. You don't need to know my problem."

"The problem? Now you admit you're in trouble with your girlfriend?"

Mory unknowingly makes a small hole that makes the man even more curious to investigate the living space of Mory and her lover.

"You better go, I want to rest."

"Alright .." said the man as he passed.

"You left something behind."

"Other times. This is also the third time, right?. Think of it as a bonus for you" the man said, waving his hand.

***

“Lusa I'll have a birthday. There was a little celebration in my house. I hope you're coming.”

The message again flashed in the mind of Yera who was alone in the house. Noel left first. The man had no intention of inviting her at all and somehow Yera became upset herself. On the day of the meeting, Chen sent an invitation via text message to Yera. That's what made him want to come. Yera set off in a taxi.

In Chen's yard, in addition to Noel's car, there was one more car that was clearly familiar to him.

"Acc ..." Yera hesitated to go inside. But until when does he keep avoiding reality? The man would betray him, and just decide it for the sake of another woman. He even gave himself up to the stranger. His heartache had now turned into a grudge. Suddenly he wanted to show that he was okay with Baekhyun. The woman entered by pressing the password that Chen gave her. The house is not too big that makes it easy to find a group of people who party. Yera stunned. Suddenly his steps stopped looking at the scene before him. Noel sits flanked by several girls and one of them is Mory, the woman who ruined his life. Right after Baekhyun went from there to answer the call. The woman woke up and forcefully broke through sitting beside Noel. The woman who had already sat next to Noel in a fit of annoyance shifted to make room for Mory. On the other side, the other girl was twitching spoiled in Noel's arms while pulling Noel towards her away from Mory who was suddenly sitting there. He knows Mory also put his heart on Noel even though Mory already has Baekhyun.

'the 'cup' woman suddenly kissed Noel on the cheek.

Mory was unable to suppress her outburst of anger.

"Why did you kiss her?!"

"Why are you angry?! He's not yours! he belongs to everyone! You already have Baekhyun by your side.”

Yera looked shocked to find Baekhyun suddenly standing there. But he soon came to his senses and immediately resumed his steps, leaving the house.

"Yerah!! " Call Noel who realizes Yera is there. The man rushed after Yera who had already walked out of the house.

Everyone, especially Mory, cannot be separated from the feeling of surprise and disbelief in the appearance of the woman they hate.

"Did you invite him!?" Tanya Mory doesn't believe it.

Chen nodded, then got up from his seat following Noel

"Where are you going?" Noel managed to catch Yera's arm.

"Go home! I don't want to interfere with your other pleasures either!"

"No. .. That's not true! It would be even more fun if you were there. Come back," Noel pulled Yera's hand to bring her back.

"I don't want to!!"

"Why?"

"There is not where I” Yera bowed.

"May and I were there. You're gonna be fine. I'm sure you suddenly came here at Chen's request to open?"

"Yes! I came here because Chen asked me to. But ..." Yera confusedly revealed her true feelings. He was fine, because that was the basis of his courage to go there. But now he doubts. Will Noel and Chen take her side? Are they not friends too. Noel even knew them before him. So it was hard for him to believe that Noel and Chen would be on his side. He could have been oppressed there. Even worse, it could be that he is being framed right now.

"Why do you suddenly want to leave? It's better I don't see you coming than seeing you come and go straight home. You didn't even congratulate me.” scolded Chen.

“ Happy birthday .. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a gift and sorry I can't seem to celebrate together."

“ Why? Didn't you get here? Does Noel forbid you?”

“I didn't ban it at all. I prevented him from going.” Noel defended himself.

Chen looked at Yera again, asking for the woman's explanation. For a long time, however, only silence answered that question.

“The wife is Noel, my best friend too. I'm sure you came because you thought of me like that, right?”

Yes .... Yera used to feel that way. He also felt that there was no evil aura in the man's body. Quite the contrary. He felt it was Chen who had the best impression even from the first time he saw the man. Only she disagreed with Chen's words that she was Noel's wife.

Yera was doubtful. But suddenly Chen clasped his hand and took him inside.

Noel smiled happily at Yera who helplessly rejected Chen's invitation. With a carefree spirit the man followed the two back into the room earlier.

The people in the room fell silent and looked at them dislikefully. Except for Baekhyun, Mory and his comrades stood up to welcome Chen's presence and the guest they obviously hated.

Reuniting with those who beat him up made Yera a little afraid. But he tried to get rid of that feeling by embracing himself because now Noel and Chen were by his side. It was this belief that enabled Yera to rule herself before those people including Baekhyun.

"I didn't think you had another guest. It means it's our turn to go. Have fun with your new guests" said Mory, disappointed.

"Well .. thank you for coming," Chen greeted without feeling guilty at all.

Mory who felt herself special was quite surprised and unexpected by Chen's reply. He did not expect his presence as if there was no meaning compared to the woman he really hated. He really felt insulted.

“Ayo back ..." he said as he took a look at Baekhyun's arm.

"You want cake? I left you in the refrigerator." Chen said cheerfully, making the feelings of those who still left the house even more hurt.

"You want to try this," Noel who behaved similarly to Chen gave Yera wine. The mixed feelings due to the incident made Yera unable to control herself. The woman who had never touched the alcohol received Noel's gift and drank it to the toilet. Baekhyun who was in the last row had caught the moment when he closed the door. He was stunned because he knew Yera almost never touched alcohol.

*

"I didn't think you'd come" Chen smiled.

"But all of your special guests left after my arrival," replied Yera whose consciousness had begun to be influenced by the wine earlier.

"They themselves want to go. I can't help it either and force it to hold on, can I?" chen said as he served the cake that was still intact in front of Yera.

"Why do you care about them? Wouldn't not be comfortable if they were still staying here just now. Fun or not an event does not depend on how many people are present around you. It is the presence of those close to your heart that matters most. Is that right, isn't it?" Noel asked Chen who poured his wine again into their glass.

"Eum .. I also take leave tomorrow, so we can have fun as much as possible."

"Ah .. how about tomorrow we cook in the back."

"Ok .. We do it in the afternoon while enjoying the sunset. There's one more room in this house. You don't have to go home tonight. Stay here."

Yera who already felt dizzy just patted.

"Allah ...  Let's embroider for our angel" Noel said, raising his glass.

*

The atmosphere in the car was noisy with complaints from Mory's friends who did not accept Chen's attitude. Chen did not invite them personally. Same with Mory. Hearing that Bekhyun will attend Chen's birthday with Noel, Mory took the initiative. And so did his four best friends. What was really beyond their expectations was Yera's presence there as well as her relationship with Noel and Chen. They did not expect the relationship to the three people to be that close. Even they were nothing in Noel's eyes as well as Chen's. Now they regret letting Yera fall into Noel's hands.

Baekhyun who was driving also seemed to dissolve in his own mind. What he last saw in Chen's house just now just kept on disturbing his feelings. He knew very well that Yera almost never touched alcohol. Is that how fast Noel changed it? What if they are drunk. Baekhyun hoped that nothing bad would happen. Akh .. Why should he care now?

Not much different from Mory who only occasionally responds to the words of her friends. His relationship with Baekhyun after the events of Baekhyun who left him that night is still not really good. The presence of the two at the event was also coincidental. Mory also tries to cover up each other's feelings and make the relationship look okay.

"Thank you for dropping off" Mory said upon arrival in front of her apartment.

"I hope you're okay.” Baekhyun.

"It's okay. I-i understand. Go home and be careful Mory said as he got out of the car followed by his friends.

"Did you guys stop here too?"

"Yes .. Where we live is not far from here. Mory's been asking you to come home carefully. Thank you for giving me a ride.”

"Alright .. I'm leaving. Good night,” by Baekhyun.