Hello, fifth chap is finally here...*celebrates*. Enjoy reading^^

“Pain beats inside me like a second heart.”

The freshly torn envelope was placed really carefully on the dinner table, a bundle of typed papers wounded with a stapler peaking out of it.

Keimyung University

Sehun had been in the safe confines of his room the whole day, glued to his iphone- eyes struck to the picture of the stranger that had made an erratic entry to his heart. The night before had worn him off, he was tired, very tired of the situations that had made a home within him. And the sad part was- he couldn’t even do anything. He wasn’t scared of taking a bold step but was aghast of the consequences that lay before him if he did take them. He would lose someone again.

“Noooooooooo.........I refuse.” Five year sehun wailed on top off his lungs, chubby hands flailing all around him as he ran around the room as fast his stubby legs allowed him. The warm air emitted by the auto-fitted heater saving him from getting cold despite his current state of undress.

“But...honey!...Sehunnie!!” Warm hands that were following him suddenly caught him by his belly, stopping the boy from moving farther. All Sehun’s protests came into a halt, as those frail fingers started tickling him on the sides, eliciting a loud laugh from the kindergartner.

“Comeon now, Blue Ranger needs to get inside the warzone. Else, Germ Krybots will start their attacks...Whoooom...whooom!!” A determined voice imitating that of his favourite character called out to him. “Help Yellow Ranger kill them all off.”

“Blue Ranger is all set for the war with Krybots. Yellow Ranger, can you get my Duckkie Kruger???”

The fight with the Germ Krybots was rather soapy amidst warm hands roaming all around his body, cleaning him from the remnants of the unseen dead enemies and the weapon used to kill them- his SPD bubble gun. After getting wrapped in a clean action figure towel, Sehun made grabby hands at the figure by his side that was busy rubbing his mess of a head.

“Outside.” He whined as he got picked into a homey embrace, legs automatically finding their place at the sides of the feminine waist.  

“No, Sehunnie. We cannot go out today. But pinky promise that we will go out tomorrow.” She answered with a sweet smile, shifting the boy that had clung to her like a koala. Freeing her right hand from Sehun’s bottom, she tapped the giggling boy’s nose gently -one, twice, thrice. “Only if you are a good boy today, okay?”

“I promise, Nana. Sehunnie will be a good boy today. Now, where are my berries? Sehunnie needs to eat good if he wants to grow taller.”

A low chuckle could be heard from the beautiful mouth, as the owner tucked an escaping wet lock from Sehun’s head to the back of his ear.

“You need a haircut, Hunnie. Not that I don’t like you with long hair.”

“Shiro.”

“Sehun.” The stern voice melted into a soft smile laden tone upon witnessing an adorable pout grazing the five year old’s face. “Hahaha...You surely know how to make someone kneel to your command, master. Okay, okay, I won’t force you to get a haircut. What about berries? Comeon, let us have some berries. Yummy.”

“Yay! We will have berries. Nana, What about bubble tea?”

The ghost of the past cornered Sehun into its strong clasps, making him forget that he was no longer a carefree five year old but a youth in his early twenties. The events that had occurred in the same house, the same room haunted him to no end. He was a responsible hand into turning them into memories forever- a painful memory. Childhood was better, with minimum understanding of the world, minimum understanding of the changes in the surrounding, hatred, jealousy and other negative things but full of dreams and love.

“I am really sorry Nana.” Sehun sobbed, whispering into nothingness, hands lying crossed upon his chest, head hung low. Phone settled upside down on the clumsily made bed, who cared if the bed wasn’t clean, who cared that he didn’t bathe for days. Germ Krybot that once scared him to clean himself were a long lost tale now, lost into the shadows of that one person who was not his mother, but nowhere less. “If only I knew....”

His weak monologue got cut by a soft knock on the room’s hardwood door. A small head peeped inside, eyes uncertain as he made an apologetic face. “Hyung...Can I come in?”

Sehun hurriedly wiped his face with the sleeve, his other hand gesturing for the boy to enter his room. Daehyun hesitantly slipped inside, closing and locking the door as he plopped on to his hyung’s side. Not knowing what to say of Sehun’s current posture and blood shot eyes, he kept looking at the floor, marking lines on it with his socks clad toe.

“Daehyun. Have you ever watched Power Rangers?” Sehun asked his little brother. Daehyun looked up noticing his hyung’s soft eyes upon him and gently shook his head in negation. Sehun chuckled at the answer, humourlessly. “Thought so.”

“Hyung, May I know what is bothering you? Can I do anything to make it better?”The ten, almost eleven year old boy looked worried almost scared of the blankness surrounding Sehun.

“You are too sweet, Dae. But, you shouldn’t have killed yourself with all these studies. They take you nowhere. You are a kid, just a kid. You should worry about missing teeth and cartoons, fuss about extending playtimes, and eat up all the sugary treats in the world. Not about how much to score in next test series, and pondering over your hyung’s worrisome state,” Sehun slurred in his croaky voice fresh from crying as he patted the other’s curly head gently, “Listen to hyung, Daehyun. Live for you for once; life is too long to be living for others. I had realised it too, but it was late, very late...”Soft arms hugged him then, wrapping themselves round his neck, dropping their head on Sehun’s broad shoulder.

“Hyung, Shhh.........I know that, I know....Please don’t cry.” Daehyun mumbled onto Sehun’s shoulder, clinging to him harder.

They remained like this for god knows how long, Sehun kept drawing shapes onto Daehyun’s back as he stared into the bare space. He felt soft snores grazing his ears as an indication of Daehyun falling asleep on his shoulder. Sehun didn’t mind the situation, the time or even the drool that now adorned his unwashed t-shirt, the innocence imparted by his brother soothed him, warmed him. He felt loved once again- after Nana, after Jongin. Unwilling to let go of the warmth, he let Daehyun be, wrapping his hands firmly behind the boys back.

Dinner time arrived too soon for Sehun’s likes, forcing him to unlatch from Daehyun in order to wake the boy up. They had been summoned at the dinner table; an information that had been professionally passed by the new butler his Mom had hired seeing a new entrant to their home.

Sehun gently shook the boy but to no avail. He had never known about the boy’s sleeping habits because of many factors- Daehyun’s room was on the farthest corner of the second floor whereas Sehun’s was on the mid of first floor, Daehyun was always locked in his room just like when Sehun was a kid, tutors entering and leaving his room at defined timings and the last one, Sehun was worst of a brother, refusing Daehyun’s mere existence due to factors and situations that had brought the boy into this world.

Ignoring the facts and events entering his mind, he focused on the situation in hand. Sehun had to wake Daehyun up, before his Dad gets on the Dinner table. Soft smile crept up his lips as he used the ultimate weapon his Nana used to use. A Tickle Attack.

“Hyung....Hyung...ahahhahah, Stop....hahahh”

“Get up, lazy boy. Dinner time.” Sehun laughed along with his brother, fingers continuing with the brutal attack.

“Okay, okay. Fine.”

They hurried down the steps, laughing and giggling, chasing after one another at the steps, circling the vacant dinner table. Lost in their own world. The caretaker, the servants, they were all looking them with aroused curiosity, noticing a bloom that had been absent for so long.

“Aish, these boys. Sehun, Daehyun stop this now. Stop behaving like a retard. Do you think this is your aunt’s school?” A voice bellowed from the end of the steps, startling the pair that had been fooling around.

“Aunt? Who Dad?” Daehyun peeped curiously. Unknown to him, Sehun seethed in anger, blunt nails marking the lines on his palm as he stood there, face giving away nothing.

“Leave it Daehyun.” It was their Mom who spoke now, voice devoid of any emotions. Knowing the meaning, Daehyun kept quiet, eyes fixed upon his brother, pondering over the pros and cons of asking the same question from Sehun.

Silence surrounded them as they sat quietly on the dinner table, munching lowly on the dinner served to them. The taste was bland, the colours were non-existent, the feelings were a null in the food but he had grown up eating this only, leaving the random meals that Nana prepared (she was a bad cook but food was still better than that of the gourmet chefs) and the only dose of motherly cooking he had from Jongin’s tiffins for two years. That was made with love not from money.

Sehun was already done with the food and was currently playing with the fork as he sat across his parents. Daehyun looking absurdly at his dinner adjacent to him while his Dad and Mom were taking occasional bites as they sipped their costly wine. The Oh’s owned a wine cellar and Sehun had sneaked in several bottles from it when young. It was almost funny that his parents were never aware of the amount of thievery that he had done from his own mansion, back in those days. It was fun but is history now. He will never dare to do something like that ever again.

“Sehun, I have news for you.” Prosecutor Oh’s tone was clear and confident, power dripping from his gesture as he bellowed for a servant to bring him his briefcase. Sehun knew what was coming but atleast this was for better.

“I have admitted you to Keimyung University. With a Criminal Law major.”

Sehun nodded without looking at his father, he knew his fate, and he accepted it. His sacrifices were better that someone’s life, someone that was dearest to him, someone that was unaware of the whole thing. Someone who should never know that the deeds done for his favour are based upon a barter deal with Sehun.

Sehun can do anything to save an innocent soul from the hands of the law and this wasn’t any soul, this was his best friend, his source of love. He cannot let him meet with the same fate as his Nana did, Jongin could be saved. He will save him.

Keimyung University be it. Criminal Law be it.

Suzy.....

Sehun wants to leave everything to fate. He had been guided before; he hopes to be guided now as well.

Some 2,500 kilo meters away, a frail girl enters a dingy prison cellar, eyes sparkling in a hope to see someone very dear to her.

“Nana ssi, anneyeong. It’s me Suzy. See, I’m here again.”

AN:

How are you all?

I m so happy with the amount of love I have been recieving from you guys. It motivates me to no end to see your beautiful comments, your lovely suggestions. What else an author wants?

Anyways, coming to the chap....Well many of you want an Hunzy interaction but 'patience' is the key....There are some webs that need to be cleared before their lovely meeting and I assure you the time isnt that far.

This chap is my favourite till now, reason?? ..It has my Power Ranger feels!! That's why it is named Childhood Ghosts.I really wish to go back in time, back when I was a kid so that I wouldnot have to worry about the world and what I speak. I'm sure you all must be feeling the same.

Anyhow, enough rambling and thanks again for being by my side and did I mention before? Yup that is right..I love you guys<3

PS: I'm so engrossed in the story that I m already done with the half of the next chap.....Hurray!!!!!^^^

PPS: Heheh....Sehun, Kai and Suzy's baby pictures.....XD..Adorbs:)