BGM - One Summer's Day (If you can, please do listen to it. While I was writing, I was unconsciously listening to it and it really fits the chapter, especially at the end)

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Hana gulped after she had said it. Or rather, yelled it. Her nails dug into her palm as she clenched her hand in nervousness. Now that the moment was over, the sudden courage, the sudden ignorance, all that had disappeared as well. And she was left, staring at Luhan's father with wide eyes filled with worry.

The said male was completely silent, not even blinking, as though he was still processing what he had just heard. Slowly, the bland look in his eyes was disappearing. Slowly, the information was being understood by his mind. Then, when his eyes widened and a certain look appeared, Hana knew she should have kept quiet. His lips were trembling while he pressed them together, staring at her. His eyes at the moment were hard to describe. Disbelief, or maybe denial. She couldn't exactly define it, but one thing was for sure: it wasn't positive.

“He is not my son,” was all he said, voice sharp, before the door was slammed shut in front of Hana.

The girl blinked several times in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to answer so shortly. In fact, she had thought that he would attack her with a train of words and maybe even profanities. Therefore, she needed a while to take in what happened before she stepped away from the door.

However, even as she stepped away, she didn't leave. She sat down on the ground several meters away from the door, thinking about what had just happened.

He is not my son, Mr. Lu's words echoed in her mind. A lump formed in . It couldn't be, could it? Had he just said that Luhan wasn't his son? Had he really just said that after finding out about Luhan’s illness?

It wasn't as if Hana hadn't heard it. It wasn't as if it shocked her. She just didn't want to believe it. She couldn't believe that he'd actually say that and slam the door shut after hearing about Luhan's condition. How cruel could he be to close his eyes and ears ignorantly in front of such knowledge? Hana pressed her lips together. Her heart felt heavy. This had been the wrong decision. It wouldn't bring Luhan happiness. And she could only be relieved about the fact that he didn't know of what took place. There was no need for him to-

"Excuse me?" a voice interrupted Hana's thoughts and she looked up. 

Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a certain woman. A pair of familiar and yet unfamiliar eyes was looking at her. It was Mrs. Lu. However, what surprised her even more were the glistening tears in her eyes and the trembling of her lips. 

It took Hana ten seconds to get ahold of herself and answer, "Y-Yes?" She then pushed herself up from the ground, waiting for Mrs. Lu to say something, but the reply didn't come and Hana grew confused before an assumption made itself evident in her mind. "Sorry, I'll leave your poverty immediately." Just as she finished the bow and a took a step aside, the older woman grabbed her arm.

"Please take me to my son!"

Hana's eyes widened and she spun around immediately. Tears were streaming down Mrs. Lu face; panic and helplessness were written all over it. "I overheard what you told my husband. I beg you, please take me to him." Her fingers dug into Hana's clothes. "I-Is he a-alright? How bad is his l-leukemia?" She stuttered, crying so much that for a second Hana forgot she was Luhan's mother. She looked like a child, so helpless and vulnerable, that Hana almost pitied her. Almost. Too big was the dislike toward Luhan’s parents that had grown inside her.

"I will take you to him, please stop crying," Hana mumbled as she pulled her arm back. "He is alright. For now. I don't know now about the level, though." 

Mrs. Lu's face lit up and she nodded eagerly. "Thank you!" She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "Give me the address and I'll drive us there."

"He's at a hospital in Seoul," Hana replied. Tilting her head lightly, she eyed the older woman. She looked sincerely relieved and grateful about Hana’s help. And she had seemed worried to death when she’d talked about Luhan. Unlike Mr. Lu. "But what about your husband? He seemed ..."

"It's alright. He doesn't know that I'm with you," Mrs. Lu assured as she motioned Hana to follow her. They went behind the house where a white car was parked. Hana silently entered the car and for the following thirty minutes the silence remained until Mrs. Lu broke it, "How ... do you know my son?" 

Hana side-glanced at the woman, gnawing on her lower lip as she thought about her answer. "I ... I was admitted to the same hospital.” She breathed in slowly. “We've become friends."

She watched as Mrs. Lu slowly nodded her head. "I see." Her hand, that was gripping the wheel, trembled a bit. "Did ..." the older woman took a deep breath. "Did he send you?" 

Hana's eyes widened a little and she bit hard on her lower lip as she mumbled, "No." There was a long moment of silence before she continued, "I- He doesn't even know that I'm here, actually …" The girl stole a glance at Mrs. Lu again, gnawing on her lower lip. "It wasn't my intention not to tell him, but otherwise he wouldn't have let me. I, uh, am sorry."

Mrs. Lu nodded slowly. "It's alright. I can imagine that he'd be too stubborn ... just like his father." She smiled. It was a sad smile. One that somehow reminded Hana of Luhan. "You wouldn't believe how grateful I am that you looked for us." The older woman held her breath and pressed her lips together before continuing, "I guess you know what happened?"

"Yes."

After Hana's answer silence fell upon them. The girl did not want to elaborate further. There was no need to, as she felt that she didn't have to share how Luhan's side of the story was like. It would only give Mrs. Lu a reason to share her side of the story, and Hana did not wish to hear that. She did not wish to hear any excuses within the explanation. For there was no space for any explanation, for any excuse, any whitewashing, in Hana’s opinion.

Hana had only one person to side with, and that was Luhan. She did not come all the way here to hear both sides of the story. She wasn't here to rate what's good and what’s bad, what's right and what’s wrong. To her, only Luhan mattered. Luhan and his situation. Luhan and his loneliness during the past five years.

Hana wasn’t a saint, and she’d never be. Hana wasn’t someone who had a strong sense of justice. Hana wasn’t someone who strove to make things right in this world. Hana wasn’t a hero.

She was just a broken girl clinging onto the sheer thread of what was left of reality. Her urge to help, her willingness to accept any risks wasn’t due to selflessness. No. She was a selfish person. But, she was in love. And love caused her to be selfish for another person’s sake. Ironically. Did that even make sense?

Maybe. Maybe not. But then again, love doesn’t make sense either.

Hana’s thoughts slowly disappeared as her consciousness drifted off to sleep, and for the following hour Hana slept. She had barely gotten enough sleep the past few days, using the night hours to research and rethink her plan again and again despite being tired from work and university.

The girl was pulled out of dreamland, though, as the car came to an abrupt halt. She blinked her eyes open and looked around, clearly confused as they hadn’t arrived yet. It looked similar . She turned her head to driver’s side, a wondering expression evident on her face. However, as the sight of the older woman gripping the wheel, chest heaving and falling quickly, she understood.

The woman was beyond nervous. Uncertainty was written all over her face. Hesitance, too. “Is it okay for me just to barge in?” She mumbled, half talking to herself, half asking Hana. “There has to be a reason he hasn’t gotten in touch with us … I mean, I-” “What was the reason you didn’t get in touch with him?” Hana interrupted her, voice cold.

“Don’t back down. Your reason was just your husband’s stubbornness, wasn't it? Is that a real reason? Does that reason make sense?” The girl snapped. Anger was risi