It was surprising to find him like that. Never in ages did she ever imagine he'd be there with her, actually getting to share some laughter.  He's always been mean to her or if not the other way around. He's the one that'll always make fun of her and seeing him smile even at least a little is rewarding. But it had to be cut short.

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It was Jackie's name displayed on her phone. She had called several times and Amber neglected it, or maybe not noticing since she was too preoccupied with painting with the balloons. It's been some time since she's done that and it was fun. It felt like she was teaching some kid to paint. He wasn't such a bad student but he needed an art gene injected in him. His choice for color was bad and he throws like a girl.

She stopped for a while and reached for her phone that was placed in her bag. Key had his moment throwing the balloons as if enjoying what he was doing.

"Hello Jack??"

.
.
.
.
.

It was like what'd you see in a movie with a slow-motion camera. Amber was holding a paint balloon but she soon dropped her balloon. It seemed as if time stood still and the paint splashed unto the floor. Amber also dropped her phone. Key stopped what he was doing when he heard the splat sound the balloon made. Upon seeing what Amber had done, Key approached Amber as if he was mad. Newspaper covered the floor but he felt it was careless for Amber to drop the entire thing.

"Hey! Why did you drop that?? You'll have to clean this up when you finish. "

Amber didn't respond. Key only annoyed her yet again.. "Don't tell me you can't clean this up? Are you just slow or what?"

Amber then glared at Key. Key stopped and choked on his words. He's never witnessed Amber's eyes look at him like that. He can't explain what they showed but they made him shut his mouth.

Amber then bit on her lips with tears verging in her eyes and with surprising strength, she pushed Key away as she walked out of the garage and eventually out of the house. Suho and the maids saw what happened. They were about to ask why she was dirty but only managed to keep their thoughts since Amber walked out of the door. Suho made his way to the garage..

"Woah.. That's some artwork you did there. What happened? Why did she walk out so suddenly?"

Key heaved a sigh. He had no clue what was going on and he doesn't know what to tell everybody else. He went near where Amber stood and found her phone. He picked it up but surprised to know it cracked when she dropped it moments ago. Key gripped it and walked back into the house, locking into his room and no longer eating dinner as he headed back to sleep.

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The following morning Key slowly made his way downstairs, making sure he won't be making a creak with his footsteps. He placed his back against the wall near the entrance of the dining area as he suddenly leaped. Surprisingly though, he found no one. Suho was busy at the kitchen. He was kind of lost and asked one of the maids where was everyone. She didn't know as well. Moments later, Suho entered.

"She left so early to go to work? That's new.."

"No. She didn't go."

"Well, she's obviously isn't here? Isn't she?"

"She didn't come home last night in case you didn't noticed. Why? You miss her already?" Suho gave at a smirk towards Key which only made the boy cringe.. "Shut up hyung.." And left to head back to his room. He had no choice to leave for work as soon as he finished breakfast. It was a quick one. He ate his portions in three big bites and he was gone.

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Key had nothing to do much that day. The monthly meeting isn't scheduled in a few more days, clients had been talked to since the other day, company issues were slowly being resolved and handled by his cousins. He was stuck with nothing which made him feel bored and a little unproductive. He didn't like the fact that he wasn't doing anything. He was playfully tossing his pen around when Minho entered the room.

"Key? The mural downstairs, why isn't anybody working on it? I mean, where is the girl that was painting it? She's the one I met last time right?"

"Yeah.. It's her. Why are you looking for her?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering.. That wall won't finish itself you know?"

And Minho left. Key found Minho's question rather odd. It was so out of the blue which is so not his personality. Minho is always precise, exact and quite predictable. Key eventually brushed it off and went back to playing with his pen. Key was so bored that he pretty much went downstairs to check at the offices and see what they were doing. He would steal glances at what the employees were doing as they were so immersed in their work. He hasn't really taken the time to check his employees before. Seeing their reactions as he passed by amused him. They cringe like little kids during exams and would seem so busy with what they were doing.

He left the office at around 5:00pm and headed home. He was kind of expecting Amber would be there since she hasn't been in the entire day and Key kind of wondered where she could be. He arrived and the house sounded quiet. Amber wasn't back.

"Suho hyung.."

"Ohh.. hey. Welcome back.."

Key didn't notice but he walked slowly and looked from left to right as if he was searching for something or rather, someone. Suho noticed and let out a huckle which somewhat snapped Key out of it.

"What?"

"Nothing.. You should see the expression on your face moments ago.. It was priceless!" And he finally let out a laugh which made Key smack him in the arm. "Okay, I'm just kidding. Get changed."

And he did. He made it quick and headed downstairs to eat his dinner. He was about to make a nasty remark when he realized the girl he loved to piss off wasn't there eating with him. It felt annoying she wasn't there. He just read some proposals that night and headed on to his bed.
The following day was no different. Amber still hasn't come back and Key didn't bother to eat his breakfast and just headed straight to work.

He was about to enter when he noticed some of his employees apologizing to one of the supervisors. He went a little closer. Apparently it was Woori, Sulli and Hyorin. They apologized that they left work early yesterday saying they had personal matters to attend to. Key went on when their conversation finished.
And yes, that day was just the same as yesterday. Boring. Lonely. Unproductive.

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Key ran to his room when he came home. He said that he already ate dinner out and was tired so he headed to his room to sleep. Suho kind of wondered why he's been acting like that but later on realized the reason behind it. He went to Key's room and entered only finding the boy lying so casually on his bed.

"You could just go get her if you wanted to.. You're still bound by a contract so no matter what she has to go back.  You're lucky the househelpers get to come up with excuses why Amber isn't around.."  Key then hid under his pillow. Suho ran to his side and removed the pillow.

"Stop being a kid Key.. You're a grown man and you're actually married..Try acting like one." and he left. Key lied on his bed but minutes later he stood up and got his keys and went to the driveway to drive a car. 

"Finally.." Suho mustered.

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Key drove and drove; thanking God he has GPRS in his car. He was never familiar in driving the streets of Seoul since most of the time a driver takes him around. He was bound for a certain place quite far from his house. He made a few misses but soon arrived where he was supposed to go. It was Amber's house. 

He stood by the door, heaved in a sigh and knocked. No one answered just yet so he knocked again. This time around, he heard the door unlock and found a woman who looked a lot like Amber greet him by the door. She was a little tan and was definitely taller but you can see the great resemblance between the two..

"Come in."

Key politely removed his shoes and entered. It's his first time being in a house that size. Amber's profile didn't lie when it mentioned she lived in a house several years old that was in bad condition. The floors were creaky, paint was peeling off and the ceilings had marks of waterleaks from the rain. He walked slowly but surprisingly, Amber wasn't home.

"If you're looking for Amber, she went out for a bit. She'll be back in a few.. You can wait if you want."

Key intended to wait. He had to come home with Amber or else the tutor may suspect that something's up since she hasn't showed up several times. The mural at the office has also been left undone since she also doesn't come to work. Jackie poured some tea and offered a cup to Key. The boy gladly accepted.

"It's not expensive tea but it tastes just the same if you ask me.." Jackie remarked. Key only replied by taking a sip.

"You must be Key?" Jackie asked as she sat down opposite Key at the dining area. Key spurted a few of the beverage he was drinking, coughed and only asked how did she know.

"She's my sister and we practically share everything together..She can't hide anything from me. I forced her to tell me what was happening and what was going on the past few weeks. She didn't want to tell me at first but eventually she did. But please, don't be mad at Amber. I forced her and I believe she knows she can't really keep it from me forever. I'll find it out sooner or later anyway.."

"Then, you know about??"

"The whole marriage thing? Yeah. It shocked me actually. I never knew she'd go to such extremes but  I can't blame her though. We were both desperate."

Key didn't answer. He didn't have anything to say.

"I think you've realized by now that Amber's never been in a relationship, haven't you?"

Key nodded. "I kind of figured that out on my own.." 
Jackie smiled until tears started to verge on her eyes.. "Ohh my, I'm sorry.. Why am I acting like this?" She then bowed her head since the tears that crept can no longer be stopped. "I'm sorry.. It's just that.. Amber, I care for my sister so much yet I'm so useless. I'm so helpless.. All these years, she was forced to take the burden of taking care not only of our father but also of me..Amber, my dear little sister.. She's been through so much despite being 20. It pains me to see her like that but I can't do anything about it.."

Jackie cried on and on until she's calmed down. She wiped her tears and looked at Key straight in the eye..

"To be honest, I don't know anything about you.. But thank you. Thank you for doing this for us.. You don't have to worry. I practically don't know those people around you so I can't really tell on anybody.. Don't let Amber take responsibility. But I do have one thing to say to you though.."

Key tilted his head.

"If you have no plans of catching her, please.. I'm begging you. Don't make Amber fall for you..She's experienced enough pain in her life and a heartbreak can only make things worse. So please..."

Their conversation has been cut short when Amber entered the door. She was surprised to find Key was there. Key noticed however that Amber's eyes were a little swollen and it was evident she lacked adequate sleep. Jackie left the two of them alone and headed to her room.

"What brings you here?" Amber asked as she made her way to the living room to sit by the floor.

"Your tutor has been pestering the house. The maids are smart enough to come up with excuses why you aren't there.."

Amber forced a giggle and continued to stare at the fire that she lit at the fireplace. "I don't think the contract is still valid.."

"I didn't say it has ended.. What are you talking about?"

"I don't know.. It's just.." Amber quickly turned around to have her back face Key and slowly wiped her face. Key then stood up on his chair and made his way to the living room as well to join Amber.

"The temperature in California is a lot different in Korea.. It's practically sunny everytime and even though it's December when it's raining snow here, there the temperature will just cool down a bit but no near how cold it is here. There was a time when I was alone here at home that I looked at some childhood photos and started crying like a baby..It was Jackie and I. We're walking at the beach and there were waves. Our parents knew how much we loved going to the beach so as much as possible we'd go there every weekend. I remember.."

Amber stuttered. "I remember our dad chasing after us by the shore as our mother took the pictures. He'd chase us until he was tired. He'd pin us down and tickle us, while my sister and I would laugh our hearts out like there was no tomorrow.. Appa is an amazing amazing person. I've never told this to anyone but our mother died here in Korea.. We tried our fate to see how things would work out. We were never rich but we had enough. We were a happy family until eomma died. We were devastated but our father worked very hard, until he can.."

"But his age has taken its toll.. Our father developed hypertension which eventually developed into a . I was still young so Jackie decided to stop studying for university so I can continue with my studies and be able to fend for our dad's medicine. She worked at the evening when I take care of our dad. It was hard but I love them. We were happy.."

As tough as he is, Key moved so that his back would be facing Amber's back. Amber then leaned on Key's back minutes later and the tears just fell..

"But now.. How can I say I'm still happy with them. The only one I have left is Jackie. Our dad is gone! It's painful. It's painful to know that despite your efforts to save him and providing his needs it still happened. I knew he was having a hard time but I didn't want to lose him just yet! His heart stopped in his sleep.. I can't bear the thought that though we tried, he still passed away. I just.."

Amber was choking on her words as sobs were trying to prevail. "I miss him already.. I miss appa. I miss my dad. I miss the way he'd smile at us to show how thankful he is. How much he'll try to say he loves us. I know he's with our mom now. But I miss them.. The both of them.."

Amber no longer said anything when the sobs have won over the words and she cried on and on while leaning unto Key's back. No words can really explain the pain she felt at that moment. But it was hard, it was painful. The first man in her life was now gone..

Key listened patiently. Amber cried on. That was just it.. No words can be said to express what it was.

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As promised, Chapter 11 ^^ I wanted to finish it since I won't be home for the entire day tomorrow since there's some things I've got to do in University. I hope you liked this chapter though. Not a lot of conversations.. More of a brief narration on what happened to Amber's youth and why she had to grow up so early. Stay tuned for the next chapter!