A shoulder brace & an arm sling for a week. That’s what the doctor from a hospital that they visited told Hailey. After both Luke and Hailey left the stadium, Luke insisted on having her shoulder checked by another doctor to be sure that nothing fatal happened to her. So they went straight to a hospital. Scans were done, and thankfully nothing really bad happened to her shoulder, except that it’s starting to swell and there would probably be a big bruise on her shoulder, considering how hard she was hit by the metal whip, so the doctor prescribed her with pain killers for her to drink whenever pain is unbearable anymore. After, both Wu’s headed back to their where, a furious Kieran and an overly concerned Kenzie welcomed them, seeing the current situation of their younger sister. They all decided not to tell their mom anymore, she still busy with the official production of L&M’s new line in Korea, so worrying her wouldn’t help at all.   “If only I knew this was going to happen, I shouldn’t have allowed you to go....” Kieran said his voice in a serious tone. Luke & Kenzie remained silent, “why would Tao even think of letting them do such dangerous routine in the first place?!” Kieran exclaimed, “And why would he let an untrained person use something so dangerous?!”  He continued to lecture, the younger Wu just shook her head at her brother. “The decision is not for you to make”  she suddenly said, her siblings looked at her shocked. “Pardon me?”  Kieran questioned, her statement catching him off guard. “The favour is asked from me, not you, so the decision would still come from me. Whether I agreed or should have not. Things are ought to happen whether we like it or not.” She said, Kieran just looked at her speech less while Luke & Kenzie stood at the side with a small smile in their faces.  Their little Aeris is baby no more  the thought. “I don’t blame Tao, neither Sehun, nor Baekhyun for what happened. I take responsibility of my actions, not them, not you but me. So there’s no one to be blamed here but me.” She said, her voice with full conviction. She then stood up and grabbed her back pack that was on the couch and walked out of the room with her sister Kenzie following her. Kieran stood there looking at her sister’s retreating back. This was the first time that Hailey had answered him this way. Luke patted his shoulder which got his attention. “you might want to lower down your over protectiveness, It kinda strangles the girls, and the way you’re being, you’re like more than dad.” Luke said, and then patted his shoulder again before he made his way to the bathroom to take a shower.   It was already 12 midnight, both girls are already inside the room resting, but the youngest can’t seem to feel the spirit of happiness due to her throbbing shoulder, which she has been feeling ever since they came back from the hospital. She couldn’t move at all, her shoulder brace was bothering her and she was feeling uncomfortable. She got up from her bed, took her phone with her and used it as a flash light to find her medicine that she left in the living medicine cabinet inside their comfort room. After finding her medicine and drinking them, Hailey wasn’t feeling of getting back in their room so she instead sat on one of the window seats in their suite, overlooking the night sky and lights of Seoul. She stared blankly at the clear skies, all constellations were present including the magnificent presence of the Moon, which she really loves to look at every night. It made her calm, her attention diverted away from the pain she’s feeling in her shoulder and the heated conversation she had with her brother. She spaced out, looking from a far, thinking how she should make it up with her brother, this is the first time that they had such encounter, and she regrets what she did earlier.

 

A beep from her phone cut off her day dreaming, it was already midnight, who in their right mind would try to text or contact her at this hour. She thought, she got her phone from the table near the window seat and checked it, “ HI “ she read from an unknown number, “who might this be?” she thought looking at the message in her phone. She decided to lock it back not answer the message from who knows who? She just continued to have her alone & quiet time, and after a few minutes, she went back to their room, already feeling the sleepiness that’s creeping up her consciousness.    

 

The ticking of the clock beside the bed can be heard, its pass midnight already but someone is still fully awake just staring at the ceiling as if it was the most beautiful thing to look at as of the moment. He can’t seem to feel sleepy for he was feeling various emotions right now, he felt anxious, nervous, guilty, scared...UNDECIDED actually! He doesn’t know what to feel right now. With his phone clutched in his hands, what came in his mind that she texted her that late at night?! He has been holding on to his phone ever since he typed those words and sent it to her number that he got from their choreographer and friend Tao, the girls cousin. It took him a long time of begging for his friend to give him her number, reasoning out that he’s feeling guilty with what happened and he just wants to check up on her condition. He looked at the clock at the nightstand to see that it was, already 2 in the morning, they have to wake up early tomorrow for another round of rehearsal and here he was, still not taking the rest that he needs. He heaved a heavy sigh and unlocked hi phone to see the message he sent Hailey unanswered, Again a heavy sigh escaped his mouth placing his phone under his pillow where he usually puts it when he sleeps. He closed his eyes with still an anxious mind, trying to force himself to sleep.

 

 

 

 

Hailey woke up the next day with a little frown on her face, the minute she gained her consciousness the pain of her shoulder went back to her when she tried to stretch both of her arms which her morning habit, the sensation made her groan in pain feeling the throbbing of her shoulder. She tried to get up with the help of her other one when she suddenly heard her brother’s voice...

 

“slowly Aeris...” Kieran said rushing her side trying to help her get up, it so happens that he decided to check up on her. This morning, the boys woke up earlier than the usual. They decided that they spend the morning with their sisters and just order some room service breakfast that they’ll eat in the girls room, when both of the boys came in earlier, Kenzie as usual was the first one to be up and was already watching some TV show, while Hailey was still out in dreamland. Kieran helped Hailey to sit up on the bed. The two just looked at each other not able to utter a single word towards each other. But then,

 

“SORRY!” both of them said at the same time, a fit of laughter can be heard from the room which made Luke and Kenzie check up on them, “sorry about what happened last night, I didn’t mean to talk to you like that.” Hailey said apologetically towards her brother, Kieran smiled at her, “It’s okay, I understand, I wasn’t in the position to be anyone for what happened.” Kieran told her, “I’m sorry as well for being overly protective to the point that I’m like more than dad now for being protective of you and Kenzie....” He added, which made Hailey laugh as well as Kenzie who was observing them from the doorway. “yeah! You’re becoming more than dad now...” Hailey told him, and this time it was her brother’s turn to giggle. Kieran suddenly fell silent and just looked at her sister with a small smile on her face, while Hailey just looked at him with her puppy eyes and a cute pout. “our little Aeris have grown too fast...” He suddenly said which earned him a questioning look from his sister. “what does that mean?!” Hailey asked, “it means you’ve grown into one fine lady.” Her brother answered her while patting her head. “I may have grown a lady, but I’m still the baby of the family.” She said pouting at her brother, again, Kieran can’t hide his smile hearing how her sister addressed herself, Kieran nodded at her, “Yeah! You’ll always be our baby and our little Aeris.” He said, before he gave his sister a kiss in the forehead. The scene is enough to melt the hearts of the other Wu’s, the eldest decided to break the morning drama so they can already dig in the breakfast that they ordered. “Little Aeris, you strawberry pancakes and chocolate milk is already waiting for you.” He said, leaning at the door