As promised, Sehun arrived home at 7 p.m. , he didn’t even bother to take off his coat before running to the living room to look for his wife. He sighed in relieve to see Areum sitting on the leather couch hugging her knees while watching the tv. The housekeeper must have gone home. He looked over the dining table to see untouched food on the table.

“You didn’t take your lunch again?” he asked in disbelieve, walking towards the small figure.

Areum shook her head, chewing the cushion. “I told you I’ll wait for you”

“Yes but that’s for dinner not lunch. I had mine with my co-workers so you must have yours too. Please… you keep getting thinner and that scares me” he sat beside her, leaning his head on her lap. “Can you please at least force a spoonful in your mouth?”

She played with his fringe, arranging the messy strands. “You sound just like Kris”

“I’ll be nagging a lot more if you happen to do this again. I beg you honey, how can I eat peacefully when my wife starve herself?”

“You love me too much Sehun-ah” she chuckled, rubbing her thumb on his cheek, Sehun leaned in her touch too exhausted to even lift his head.

“You need to shower before going to sleep and have dinner with me, hurry up Mr. Oh”

He lazily woke up from the couch and head upstairs to clean himself , leaving the wife alone waiting in the silence. Areum was rocking her body back and forth, as the thoughts start to fill her head.

You’re just a bother to him

You’re worthless

He’s a stupid guy to fall for a crazy girl like you

You think he loves you? He’s just sorry for you airhead

Worthless piece of trash

She covered her ears with her palms, shaking in fear of the voice that kept being played in her mind. She bit her lower lip till it bleed, pain, pain is the only way for her to get rid of the voice drumming in her brain. Her eyes wandered around the wide space to see any sharp thing for her to scrap her skin and she has to be quick before her husband come down the stairs.

The kitchen, there will be knife and plates for her to use as a blade. She began rummaging the cabinets for a knife but found nothing, so she head to the shelf where the plates are, she took one but how can she break it without Sehun knowing? She took a kitchen towel with her and walked out the backyard. She wrapped the plate with the towel to decrease the sound and smashed it on the grass. Her first trial failed but she’s not giving up and she did it after the third try.

Taking the broken piece with a sharp end, she made a cut on her arm, watching the blood oozing out from her skin, she slid down the wall, feeling a sense of satisfaction. The voice is gone and now she has to get ready for her dinner.

Kris walked down the busy street of Myeongdong alone, he’s looking for a gift that will make the birthday girl happy. Sneakers, caps, jackets are all too typical so he walked in a dress shop. Areum is not that of a feminine girl as well, she grew up the hard way in the orphanage where you have to be strong not to be bullied by the others.

“Welcome sir”

“I’m looking for a simple dress for a girl who will never wear them” he smirked at the thought of Amber’s reaction when she saw what is in her birthday gift box. “And another one for my sister”.

No matter how kind Amber is too him, he can never bring himself to call her sister because the only sister he has is the one who’s struggling with her depression right now and he missed her every single day. He devoted his life for her after their mother leave them to cure herself and now that his reason to live is not in his sight anymore, the emptiness in his heart is killing him more. He has to hurry get back on his ground as his sister is now with a better man who loves her unconditionally.

“Will these suits the ladies sir?”

“It’s perfect”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun were watching the figure in front of them with his head on the table. The famous interior designer is always crazy about work and to see him sleeping in his office is not a usual sight.

“Do you think that he’s on a baby project or something? He’s not getting enough sleep since he got married” stated the small guy, hugging the folders close to his chest.

“Baek, I don’t think he should go meet the Kim Guy this morning. You heard the rumors right? That guy is hard to please”

“Go back to your work station and stop gossiping” Sehun stretched his arms, combing his messy locks with his fingers. “Don’t worry I’ll meet the Kim Guy. I’m curious by the way”

“Of what?” asked the tall giant earning a glare from the younger.

“Don’t be such a busybody, and please get out from my office before I turn into the Incredible Hulk”.

None of his friends know about his wife’s sickness. He didn’t want to receive a special treatment of not being that committed to his job anymore, he’s trying his very best but his body is not listening to him. Drinking his coffee, he put on his coat and leave the building.

‘Is he the same Kim Jongin?’

He parked his car next to the fountain in front of the mansion. There are many men working to clean the swimming pool, basketball court and fix other things. Sehun followed a maid to meet his client.

His heart is beating fast, he’s extremely nervous, what if his wife’s supposed to be dead lover is alive? What about her feelings for him, will it change?

2 meters from where he’s standing, a guy with blonde locks, usher lips and tanned skin was busy talking on the phone. He recognized him from the pictures Areum used to stare into until a year ago when Kris decided to burn it all, to erase him from her memory.

“Nice meeting you Mr. Oh, I’m Kim Jongin”

Sehun was too stunned that he couldn’t bring his mouth to say a word. “O-Oh Sehun” he stuttered earning a chuckle from the other guy.

“Don’t be nervous, I don’t bite and the rumors are not right, I’m more difficult than that”

Sehun kept his eyes on the figure who’s perfectly healthy than what he heard from Kris that the guy was dying during his last moments with Areum and… their baby.

“Papa!”

“Hey princess” he carried the little girl in his arms when the resemblance hits him. Her eyes, the girl’s hazel eyes are the same one that looked into his every day. 4 years old, the same time when Areum lost her lover and her baby.

“Meet my little girl, Kim Nara”

“Annyeonghaseyo” she politely bowed her head, other than seeing her as a lovely girl. He couldn’t lie to himself that he hates her presence, their presence.

“You’re married?” he tried his luck that maybe he’s wrong, this guy is not Kim Jongin that is supposed to be buried 6 feet under.

He shook his head, putting the girl down. “The reason why I came back to Korea is to find her mother, my only love”

It struck him like thunder. He is Kim Jongin.

“But I can see your wedding band, isn’t too early for a normal Korean to get married?” asked Kai pointing to his wedding band.

“I love her too much that I couldn’t wait longer. I want her to be mine alone”

“So protective there right Mr. Oh? Can I call you Sehun? We’re the same age anyway”

“I don’t get close with my client, I have to oppose that” he might sound arrogant but that is better than beating him up for breaking his precious wife.

Kai nodded, leading the man up the stairs. He tried to be as professional as possible or Kim Jongin might really be dead by now. His daughter kept following them from the back, jumping up on every step.

Kim Nara

He refused to turn his back to see if the girl is still following them as her presence annoys him. His heart was beating really fast, he silently prayed that this is only a nightmare. He should be awake next to his wife later. Closing his eyes and opening them back, he was face with the other man.

“Are you ok Mr.Oh?”

“I’m fine,.it’s just a headache”

“Papa, I think I have seen this uncle before” said Nara in Japanese, Sehun didn’t get what she’s saying not that he bother anyway.

“Of course you have, this uncle is a very famous person” replied Kai, kneeling down to meet the girl’s eye-level.

Sehun turned away from the father and daughter sight. He’s containing himself very well from killing that man, he should be professional. If he pretend as if he didn’t know him, he will never be curious of who Sehun is really is. All he has to do is to make sure that this guy will never appear in front of his wife anymore.

 He’s better known as dead.

After showing Sehun the rooms he needs to design, Kai offered him to have lunch together only to get a firm rejection from the designer. He walked Sehun out the door when a sudden voice held back his step.

“That uncle was with mama!”

He heard it clear, the little girl’s scream behind him in awkward Korean.

“Nara-ah, stop saying things, papa promise to find mama. I’m sorry, my daughter missed her mother so much”.

“Where are you going to start searching? What if she didn’t want you to come back?” he didn’t realize how harsh did he sound like but this guy does not deserve a proper treatment.

Kai eyed him strangely, despite his poker face, he could sense how that man’s voice sounds stern and serious.

“I’ll find her, you don’t have to worry about that Mr.Oh”.

Sehun hurried home after getting a call from the housekeeper that Nara hasn’t woken up from her sleep yet. Early in the morning Sehun purposely didn’t wake her up to see him out as she slept late the night before after hours of crying in misery, claiming that she heard the voices again. He could do nothing about that, all he could do was to be there and calm her down.

“Where is she?”

“Still in the room sir, she’s not moving at all”

He rushed to her bed side, checking her pulse rate. He removed the cover from her body to see a bottle of opened aspirin and…

It’s empty

“Get the bag behind the door” he carried her bridal style while the housekeeper followed him downstairs. He took the bag from her asking her to lock the doors before leaving. He drove like a maniac,he kept on checking on her from the rear-view mirror , her life is on his hands.

This is not a first time but he managed to stay calm. Something must have triggered the attacks, he should have been more alert of it. He reached for her wrist, checking her pulse while waiting for the light to turn green.

“Come on, come on” he silently prayed for everything to be just fine. He knew that he’s going to reach his limits soon so he should get her fully recovered before he broke down instead of bend.

“Wake up Areum-ah!!”

“Sehun-ah” his mother pulled him into a warm hug, letting him cries on her shoulder. It must have been hard on him, her son is not the type who would easily broke down so he’s standing strong with the tears to protect his heart.

Kris and his family arrived later.

The doctor has pumped out the pills she took but she’s too weak to wake up. She’s malnourished and losing lots of weight. Sehun blamed himself for it again.

His eyes were bloodshot red when Kris took seat beside him. He pitied the other, he has been there before, at the same position, blaming himself for not taking better care of her too. So he’s the only one who can understand the other better.

“You should take care of yourself too Sehun-ah, get some rest.Amber will watch over her” he rubbed his brother-in-law’s back, comforting him.

“How can I eat and sleep so well while she’s not hyung? How can I even lift my head up to see all of you?” He’s ashamed of himself for not carrying his responsibility well. But all of them know how hard he try to keep her safe, Areum is just the one who always find her way.

“Look at you, you’re unwell yourself. Have you looked at the mirror these days? Your face shows the struggle you’re facing. You’re looking sick as well”

“At least I’m not the one on the hospital bed hyung” his gaze was locked on the transparent mirror in front of him, watching his wife lying down there helplessly. “Maybe…she will get better if she meets him”

“What are you talking about? He’s dead”

“He’s not, I was with him. That bastard and their child is here, in Korea” he gritted his teeth at the thought if how that guy is happily living while his wife is struggling to fight her disease.

“Are you sane right now?”

“Kim Jongin is my client and..he’s searching for her right now.Soon, you’ll see him too hyung”

“H-How?”

“I’m showing Areum how the guy she’s thought is dead is living a ing perfect life right now. I’ll show her how to move on. I’m sick of this hyung!! How can he live smiling while she’s…she’s..here…” he buried his face in his palms, his face reddened because of the anger while Kris clenched his fist, containing himself.

“What a game he played”.

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