“Girls, He’s your other brother.”

This was the exact words of mister Park that sent leeteuk’s knees reach the ground.

“teuk!” heechul called out. But leeteuk was more inclined to hyoyeon and Inyoung’s reaction since the two already left without any hesitation and at once he had the instinct to follow them out of the room.

“noona, hyo!” leeteuk said, while clutching into his pained heart. inyoung and hyoyeon continued walking on the hall, unmindful of their brother tagging behind. Hyoyeon shook her head in frustration while inyoung doubted on whether to summon the needs of her brother. After all, it wasn’t entirely his fault, there must be a reason why he intended to keep the secret from them at the first place.

“please!” leeteuk pleaded. Inyoung stopped in his tracks finally as hyoyeon tried every way to get out of the situation at hand.

“jungsu.” the eldest park sibling muttered. She wanted to ask him about everything, questions that seemed to fly into her mind all of a sudden. But she was so disappointed and surprised about the incident that she didn’t know what to ask first.

“I was really planning to tell you.” Leeteuk said. “but father just---“

“jungsu.” inyoung said. “you knew all along and you even didn’t tell me a single bit, how could you?”

There. She asked the question.

Leeteuk closed his eyes and tried to think of an honest and quick answer.

“I know exactly how the two of you feel.” He said as inyoung touched the temples of her forehead. “but I wanted to tell you at the right moment. Especially starting with you. I didn’t tell you because I knew you would be mad at father. and I don’t want that to happen because I wanted to keep this family bonded ever since mother left us. I am sorry noona. I didn’t mean all of this to happen. Its just things started to get out of control.”

Inyoung sighed and crossed her arms.

“but its late already, jungsu.” she said, pacing towards him. “even an explanation from you wouldn’t change a thing.”

“noona, you have to help me deal with father. he just cant manipulate us.”

“I told you, this wouldn’t change a thing.” Inyoung  defended herself. “hyoyeon already knows. Its better if she didn’t know because she’s too young and she wouldn’t be able to digest this all. But it already happened and we cant change a single thing.”

Leeteuk nodded. After all, he really made hyoyeon mad. What should he do? he didn’t know.

“jungsu.” inyoung continued. “I don’t guarantee that your sister will like to talk to you after this. She’s mad at everything.”

“I know.” Leeteuk said. “but noona, please accept heechul. Its not his fault too.”

“I cant guarantee you that I don’t have any bad feelings for the guy.” Inyoung said, referring to heechul. “he came from another family. And it will take time for me to accept things that was kept hidden in our existence.”

“noona…”

“please understand us also, jungsu.” inyoung placed an hand on his shoulder.

Leeteuk nodded again and turned his direction towards hyoyeon’s room.

“I’ll talk to her.”

“but she won’t---“

“since it wouldn’t change a thing, at least she’ll know the reason why.” Leeteuk pressed on. Inyoung shrugged her shoulders and watched as leeteuk neared the door leading to the youngest park sibling’s room.

He knocked on thrice before gluing his ear towards the door.

“hyo, honey.” Leeteuk said. “please let me enter your room, I want to explain.”

“get out! I don’t want to talk to you!”

Of course you won’t talk to me, leeteuk thought. she was definitely mad at him for hiding the secret. And knowing the stubborn and hotblooded hyoyeon, she was just too protective of her family that she cannot stand any thing that strikes onto it.

He could hear hyoyeon’s sobs echoing from the four corners of her room, which sent an adamant wringing sensation to his chest. The pain was like a heavy load destroying every bits of his strength.

“I want to explain, hyo.” Leeteuk knocked on the door again, hoping at least someone could open.

“I don’t want to see you, get out!”

“I want to cry.” Leeteuk bit his lip. Inyoung leaned the side of her face on his arm and embraced her brother from behind.

------------------------

Taeyeon’s room, Park villa

Taeyeon opened the door and found leeteuk at her door step.

“hi.” Was all she could muster after realizing that he just went through a talk with his father. taeyeon didn’t know how to greet leeteuk after finding out from other people at the manor that mister Park was furious about their one whole week stay at the beach.

And according to the rumors from the guards and the maids, the argument between leeteuk and his father was so intense that it can be heard through out the hallway. She just wished that leeteuk was able to control his emotions though due to his sickness. After all she knew how much a single pain could just ruin his system.

She was surprised, however, with leeteuk’s arms immediately encircling her whole body after an awkward seconds of staring in silence.

“teuk---“

“just give me a minute.” Leeteuk muttered as he submerged her more towards his embrace. He was so much in pain about everything—mister park’s revelation of heechul to inyoung and hyoyeon, his sisters refusal to talk to him about the incident, taeyeon not agreeing on his wedding proposal, and still a zero possibility of AB negative heart. all of this made him felt as if the whole world was crushing his own body, and any great stimulus could just destroy his system anytime soon. He cannot breathe properly at the moment, and his head felt so dizzy that it bothered him to stand that long.

Taeyeon patted leeteuk’s back consolingly like a mother yearning for a child.

“will you get mad at me too if I didn’t tell you the truth?” leeteuk asked her. he understood perfectly well what his siblings just felt, but it pained him so much that he couldn’t stand a single bit.

“I will get mad but I will try my best to understand you.” Taeyeon hushed him. “I will always understand you.”

She always knew what goes on to his mind, and his own reasons why he was doing such things. And the incident regarding his plan to kept heechul’s identity a secret was to devise another way on how the other park siblings would welcome heechul more openly.

“thank you so much.” Leeteuk said. it is to this point that he realized that taeyeon will and will always be standing by his side no matter what happened and this was all enough for him to know that someone would be willing to stay with him.

“just let it all out.” Taeyeon rubbed his back. She could feel leeteuk’s strong heart beat bouncing on his chest and she felt so sorry for him but she cannot think of anything that can comfort him at the moment.

“taeng.”

“yes baby?”

“I love you.” Leeteuk said suddenly.

Taeyeon tightened her arms around his waist.

“even if I don’t want to marry you, you still can say that.” she said back. But thruthfully, She was really thankful that a strong man like leeteuk could muster a word that most male earthling wouldn’t divulge to their girlfriends.

“you know that my feelings wouldn’t change.” He said.

“but still I rejected you.”

“I gave myself already to you. dumping me wouldn’t change a thing.” Leeteuk said. he wanted to chuckle, but he was so much in pain that he cannot find such gesture as appropriate.

Taeyeon nodded and loosened up her embrace.

“I’m sorry.” She said. “I think its my fault that we went to a vacation. Its just, I cant stand your father being like that.”

“same to me.” leeteuk said. “but its not your fault, I insisted the whole week.”

He inhaled deep breaths and placed his palm on the door.

“are you going to sleep now?” taeyeon held his other hand.

“I might.”

“how about you sleep here?”

She can feel herself blush a bit about the scene, since the last time they slept together was during at their stay at the beach and an unexpected incident just happen between the two of them when they had a slight conflict.
“I cannot sleep.” Leeteuk squeezed her fingers intertwining his. “but you need to sleep though, we just had a long drive.”

Taeyeon nodded.

“you will let me drink a sleeping pill would you?” he asked innocently. Taeyeon nodded again.

“just one dose.” She said. “its that or you don’t sleep.”

------------------------

Taeyeon’s POV

Morning came like speed as I situated myself again to the black car that leads us to school.

And leeteuk was in his usual sitting position at the left side of the car, with the same daily routine of reading the newspaper.

“how was your sleep?” he asked, smiling, as he removed the newspaper covering his face. he must have noticed that I was quite surprised about his sudden gesture. I felt an instant shock creeping to my spine. last night he was so down, what’s with the early smile? The smile didn’t appear like it was tainted with any hardships at all.

“you’re weird.” Was all what I said.

“me, weird?” leeteuk smiled again. he propped the newspaper to his face and continued reading.

Aigoo.

I squeezed myself next to him, so close that I could hear his respiration and I could see the movements of his eyes wandering behind those glasses. I didn’t know what to say but this is the usual leeteuk that I am used to every morning--- reading the news every morning, checking the girlfriend if she’s okay. But somehow, the usual routine appeared odd to me, like an inappropriate behavior. Not that I don’t like it. but it fills my mind with certain questions.

He was really down last night. So down that he could almost faint right before my eyes.

“what?” leeteuk asked, when he noticed that I was looking at him intently.

I was trying to observe his eye movements, but even the organs seem expressionless.

“how come you’re okay?” I blurted, poking his cheek.

“why can’t I be okay?” he asked back.this guy, aish. I knew it. he’s hiding his true form again. probably because he doesn’t want me to worry. But didn’t he know that it makes me worry more when he’s acting fine when he’s not? I rehearsed my would be comforting lines last night before I went to sleep, hoping that it could ease himself up a bit. now I don’t know if those comforting lines would still be applicable.

I decided to play with his kind of trick and just let silence pass by as he continue reading his newspaper while I lay my head on his shoulder. I just scanned the news too even if some parts just doesn’t interest me. how come this guy find horrid stuffs interesting?

“boring.” I said, faking a yawn.  Leeteuk only chuckled and flipped the paper to the next page.

----------------------

Business and politics classroom

Heechul’s pov

I glanced at my brother to see what he was doing at class and I realized that he somewhat appeared and looked the same. Not in a bad condition as what I had seen yesterday where he almost fainted at the mention of father announcing to my half sisters the details about me. I know in my heart that those two people—inyoung and hyoyeon were probably mad at me because of realizing that I came from the outside family. Nevertheless leeteuk hyung never even gave a hint of anger towards me. he basically greeted me when I was late for school.

“late again bro.” he smiled and I scratched my head at such notion when I took my seat. Leeteuk watched as I invaded a space at his back and I wonder how come, after all what happened, he managed to still give the same affection towards me.

He somehow, was looking at the direction of taeyeon on the middle aisle the whole duration of our class, leaning his back comfortably on the seat and just staring at her. Siwon probably noticed it too since he was looking back and forth towards the couple, but it seemed that it was only leeteuk who was making a stare at the girl. Probably taeyeon didn’t have any idea and she was so immersed with the topic she missed for a week that she didn’t dare look at her sides to see who was looking at her.

I cannot stand the lecture on economics so I made my way out of the room to take a break. Not that I hate the subject, I just don’t like the fact that the professor kept on mentioning the same words. I had the topics learned in Canada when I was a business student there. Although its my edge that I was a bit advanced than the others, I still cant submerge myself to repetitive facts.

I sat on the window sill in front of the class bulletin board when I noticed a girl in a pink blazer walking from afar. I didn’t know that my heart can leap just by the sight of looking.

“hi.” Jessica noticed. I gave a slight bow and watched as she peered towards the small glass that led to our classroom.

“taeyeon unni.” She began. “she’s there?”

“ne. but I don’t guarantee that she’ll go out because they’re discussing a new topic.” I smiled, observing her outfit. This girl can really manage to wear anything that matches the blondeness of her mane.

Jessica and I, probably became a bit close when she invited me for a tea. But still, weirdly enough, her presence still make me nervous and unsure of myself at the same time which unfortunately is unlike me in all aspects.

“I see.” She sighed, and paced towards me. she was holding the same pink notebook that taeyeon owned, the one that I personally delivered to her a week ago. “I am supposed to return this.”

“don’t you have class?” I asked.

I really don’t ask this kind of questions but the words somehow managed to get out of my mouth.

“I do.” Jessica said. “its just I have to return this and I don’t have any time.”

I held out my hand as she looked upon her watch, checking if she still has the time.

“just give it to me so I can return.” I suggested.

“you will?” she asked, paying attention towards me.

“anything.” I said back.

Jessica bowed and placed the notebook to my hand, her own slightly touching my palm. The sensation felt weird, as if I was slightly electrocuted.

“i—erm, I will give this when I go back.” I stuttered, embarrassed at my own speech.

“why is oppa out?” Jessica suddenly asked me. I sat up straight and noticed that I, indeed, am really out of the class.

I turned to her too and smiled sheepishly.

“I learned the topic already.” I said.

“wow, you are cool.” Jessica gushed.Wow.

 The next thing I knew, I was smiling again like a fool.

The door from the classroom opened and leeteuk surprisingly came out from the door, giving Jessica a notion to squeal at the sight of him. I bit my lip and scratched my head at such notion. Leeteuk didn’t look tired from the activities last night and somehow managed to look really pleasant in white long sleeves, polka dotted scarf and black slacks, matching his slightly messed up gelled hair and rectangular framed glasses.

“I’m pretending I don’t see anything.” Was all he said when he noticed that I was probably giving out a real interest to Jessica and a look of horrid on my face when she was giggling.

“oppa… hi!” Jessica said dreamily. I glanced at leeteuk and wrinkled my nose somewhat jealously at the way she was paying attention to him.

“hi.” Leeteuk waved out a hand. he turned towards me and smiled. “yah, relax, I am heading to the rest room.”

Why didn’t I have my own fanclub at the first place??

“oppa needs a chaperone to the restroom?” Jessica raised a hand.

I looked at leeteuk with my enlarged eyes.

“what do you think of me, elderly?” leeteuk laughed at her. he took out a pill box and stared at the contents consciously under the light.

“medicine break?” I kidded as Jessica continued staring at him in awe.

“yeah.” Leeteuk nodded. He glanced at Jessica and bent his head sideways.

“oppa looks really good in white.” she smiled.

I wrinkled my nose again and pouted my lips at the same time, making leeteuk noticed the commotion.

“heenim.” He said, interrupting my thoughts. I stared back at him and raised an eyebrow.

“will a dinner at the roof top be romantic?” he asked me. I stayed silent for a minute before conveying my thoughts.

“I guess it’ll suffice.” i said. “why?”

“dinner with baby taeng later.” He said, playing with his pill box. He looked at me and smiled. “you two could come if you want.”

Aigoo, this kid. I found myself smiling again with the thought.

I forgot that Jessica was just beside me and realized that she was looking at me in a puzzled manner and I can’t ask help from my half brother anymore because he was already at least ten steps away from us.

I guess I was pretty busted.

------------------------

Seoul Hospital

Kyuhyun watched as seohyun inhaled and exhaled from the gynecologist’s check up on her back.

“good.” The gynecologist said. seohyun smiled and placed both of her hands to her lap. “in about ten weeks, you should return here to the hospital so we could have an ultra sound of your baby.”

“cant we do it now instead?” kyuhyun queried. he was so excited with all the events happening to his own family that a baby appearing in an ultrasound machine would make him feel at heaven.

Seohyun smiled again.

“jagiya.” She said. “the baby’s physicality wouldn’t be much seen until two weeks.”

“it does?” kyuhyun scratched his head.

“I got that same replies from first time fathers all the time.” The gynecologist remarked.

Kyuhyun pouted and placed his psp on the counter. He wanted to see his baby so bad. He didn’t even have any idea what the baby would look like.

“the pregnancy of your wife is not that delicate but we still have to be careful because it’s the first trimester.” The doctor added.

Kyuhyun nodded. He had already read some baby books that explained the weeks of the baby staying at the mother’s womb. Every details he really absorbed, for he wanted to be the best husband and father to seohyun and his baby.

“what gender would you want your baby to be?” the gynecologist asked kyuhyun.

Kyuhyun thought for a minute and placed his hand under his chin.

“boy or girl is fine.” He commented and looked at seohyun.

“any is fine for me too.” his wife agreed.

When seohyun was finished having her check up done, kyuhyun gently escorted his wife out of the clinic. He was gentler to her now, even opening the door for her and carrying her ultra feminine bag that somehow appeared oddly cute when he was carrying it.

“should we head home?so you can rest.” He said, placing her arm around his. Kyuhyun liked this feeling. Being this ultra close to his wife made him feel as if he’s the most important person to seohyun’s life.

“I don’t want to go home yet.”

Kyuhyun stared at his wife for a second before proceeding towards the elevator.

“why not?”
“I want to eat something.” Seohyun said.

“eat?” kyuhyun rubbed his cheek.restaurants, restaurants. “okay, you like to eat to an indian restaurant?”

“aigoo, no.” seohyun said. “I want to eat Chinese food.”

“Chinese food?” kyuhyun tried to think of a chinese food nearby and realized that the dining area is an hour away.

“but the store is an hour away.” he explained to her.

Seohyun pouted her lips and tightened her grip on his.

“but I want to eat there.” She said, facing him. He cannot ignore her for now, she’s currently having cravings to stuffs she don’t usually do. she just wanted to eat and be contented.

Kyuhyun sighed and smiled. pregnancy is indeed going to be a long ride.

-----------------------

Rooftop, Park Villa

Taeyeon’s POV

Seven in the evening…

Before we went home, leeteuk told me inside the car that he has a surprise for me at the roof top of the villa. Giddy me really gushed towards everything that he had just planned. Even though I didn’t know yet what it is, I knew that the plan will always be pleasant.

“can’t wait to go home.” I said, as leeteuk cutely bit his lip and gently ran his hand through my hair.

The evening breeze that enveloped me as I stood at the rooftop, blindfolded, will be one of the memories I’ll surely treasure. I playfully tiptoed and sway my hands to my sides like an eager child waiting for her mother to give the gift. The evening chills give me goosebumps and the excitement almost doubled the effect sending little tingling sensations on my limbs.

“ready.” Leeteuk said in my ear. I intertwined my hands as he loosened the handkerchief surrounding my eyes.

I blinked carefully so my vision could easily adapt to the bright surroundings facing me.

“omo, what’s this?” I blurted.

I rubbed my eyes to see if the view didn’t deceive me. The setting at the rooftop was just fantastic. I haven’t been at the roof top so I didn’t know if the Christmas lights were already there. The roof top, in its amazing Spanish style, was more enhanced with bright colors of different light bulbs, a red and white checkered table cloth that lay neatly on the floor, with matching square pillows at the sides. there was a brown picnic basket, two plates and pairs of utensils. I didn’t know what leeteuk personally prepared for me.

“romantic right?” leeteuk smiled and reached out for my hand. we paced towards the area where the food was, and I knew right from that instant, that we will be having a lovely dinner in a matter of minutes.

“just like the movies.” I commented.

We both sat down, with Leeteuk placing two goblets infront of me.

“care for some wine miss?” he graciously offered. I laughed and signaled him with a hand to continue.

“my pleasure.” I smiled. “you planned all of this since when?”

“I was thinking about it during class.” Leeteuk said rather blankly.

What? And he really has the time to think about me despite of what he’s experiencing right now.

I glanced around my surroundings, to the arrangement of our dinner laying neatly at the floor, and leeteuk preparing all the food out of the basket. He cautiously placed two roasted chickens on each plate, with a salsa, and a steamed rice on each. Very Italian.

“do you like it?” he asked, as I sipped some wine to outwit the cold temperature of the evening.

“of course I do.” I said.

Then we ate dinner, talked about some stuffs about our childhood and middle school years. I did most of the talking while he just leaned on the wall, looking at me intently. Occasionally he would barge in by laughing but he would just listen to all my stories. Some of my stories were worth pitying, but most of it talked about how I lived different odd jobs just as so I could pay our tuition and miscellaneous fees. Leeteuk found it funny when I opened up about the incident at the bar where kangin fought with a customer because he found out that I was a waitress.

“what’s so funny?”

“its just, I happened to be at that place but I didn’t notice you.” Leeteuk said. this guy. Of course he was wasted that time that he would frequent himself to places like that.

“maybe because there are just so many pretty girls that you didn’t identify me.” I said.

“its better that you didn’t make a contact with me then.” He confessed.

“why?”

“I would have broken your heart.”

“what if otherwise?” I looked at him. Leeteuk laughed and continued sipping his drink.

Then he told me everything about his childhood, some facts I didn’t know yet such as the time he skipped a meal because he had a fight with his father, how his doctor would chase him at the hospital because he didn’t want to get shots. Leeteuk’s life, as I deciphered, appeared oddly interesting despite of the limitations he had.

We finished the bottle of wine amazingly and just stared at the stars above us to relax, with me leaning my head on his shoulder. I imagined this on movies, but I didn’t quite expect that leeteuk would be some kind of a hopeless romantic setting up these kind of scenes. And me, a simple hopeless romantic girl too, would just submerge with open arms about everything.

“thank you.” I said. I was really thankful about everything. This simple yet romantic dinner will never be forgotten. I’d probably put this as a great entry to my scrapbook later.

“you’re welcome.”

I sat up infront of him and looked at him in the eyes. leeteuk’s eyes, unlike earlier at the car was different. something in his eyes reminded me of pain he was currently experiencing, although he would really mask the entire emotion with the curving of his lips. but somehow, I could still see it. I think he was more open to me now. 

I placed a hand on his neck and kissed him. It was the only way I could do to somehow alleviate his pain. And I felt like he was grateful for it too because of the way his lips would compress itself to mine, like a need. A kiss is a science trivia after all. Calming chemical agents would be released from the brain center to supply the person with a feeling of relaxation and a sense of belonging.

I gently broke myself from his and stared at him again.

“are you okay?” I asked, noticing his eyes twinkling.

“I’ll miss you.” He said. what is he thinking?

“yah, don’t talk like that!” I shove his chest. Leeteuk chuckled and held my hand.

“seriously.” He said, biting his lip. “please remember this. Remember me always kim taeyeon.”

“then remember me.” I kidded back. I don’t like this kind of conversation, especially when we are both having a good time.

“oh, but you’ll always be here.” leeteuk placed my hand to his chest. “my heart and soul.”

------------------------

Leeteuk’s room, Park Manor

“teuk’s not opening the door since dinner? ” taeyeon asked donghae over the phone. Donghae had been staying at leeteuk’s room until he had reminded himself that he needed to go out with his classmates from the school. “but I’ve been with him earlier and he was fine.”

“I don’t know, I’m getting worried.” Donghae responded from the receiver. “when I was changing clothes he just locked himself up. I didn’t ask him because I was hurrying that time. please do check him up.”

Taeyeon nodded and pushed the door open leading to leeteuk’s room.

“I’m inside his room now.” Taeyeon said, looking for any signs of her boyfriend. “I’ll call you back.”

“ne.”

Taeyeon wrinkled her brows and situated herself infront of leeteuk’s bathroom. She glued her ear towards the door, hoping she would hear leeteuk inside. All she heard was a loud sound coming from  the exhaust fan masking the effect.

“babe?” She said, knocking on the door. “babe, are you there? Donghae oppa told me that you’ve been there since after you had dinner, its already three hours.”

Oddly enough, she was texting leeteuk earlier when the latter checked up on her regarding the surprise he just made.

Taeyeon waited for a couple of seconds until she received not a single reply.

“teuk.” Taeyeon knocked again. “I am getting worried. You don’t want me getting worried right?”

Taeyeon pursed her lips and tried to wait for more seconds.

“park jungsu.” her voice was rising right now. “if you don’t open the door I’ll barge in, I have a spare key.”

“spare key it is.” she sighed, and pushed the silver material towards the hole. What more but to use force.

Taeyeon kicked the door open and quickly reminded herself that leeteuk would get a ton of scolding from her at instant.

“what did I tell y---“ she froze at the sight of leeteuk leaning his side over the toilet bowl, clutching heavily to his chest. Medicines were scattered everywhere, the tissue paper was rolled messily on the floor and blotches of blood stained his white polo.

 Unfortunately to her sight, the once happy man at dinner now looked like a pained human being coughing up blood.

“teuk!” taeyeon run towards leeteuk and quickly ran a hand to expose his chest. “teuk, are you okay?”

“why didn’t you call me?” was her words. “we were just communicating earlier!”

“it hurts.” Leeteuk’s tears dropped simultaneously to his cheeks as taeyeon’s hand massaged his chest. “so much.”

Taeyeon knew that he was referring to his problems with his father which now caused an ultra damage to his heart. the deep blood staining his hands appeared coming from his internal organs and not from the superficial tissue itself.

“you shouldn’t have locked yourself here.” taeyeon said, quickly patting the sides of leeteuk’s lips with a tissue. “you should have called for donghae or me. you just don’t let yourself alone when you’re sick!”

The appearance of the scarlet fluid staining his body really made her worry.

“aigoo, wait here and I’ll call dongh---“

“I don’t want to be a burden.” Leeteuk cut her off.

If leeteuk didn’t appear that weak, she would have slapped his face.

“ Locking yourself here won’t help you.” She gritted her teeth.

Leeteuk closed his eyes and tried to breathe in between.

“what did I tell you about sharing me what you feel?” taeyeon found herself crying too. “I’m your heart and soul right? I should know everything.”

“mianhe.” Leeteuk whispered.

taeyeon bit her lip and cradled leeteuk’s torso to hers.

Don’t die in here, taeyeon thought. please, no. there are still heart centers needed to be contacted, your heart must be fixed as soon as possible.

“teuk?” she noticed that leeteuk suddenly went to an unconscious state, leaving his body leaning heavily on hers.”oh my gosh.”

Taeyeon’s tears instantly dropped like rain on the ground and went to scream for help at the top of her lungs.

-------------------

What will happen to leeteuk?