#####

Namjoo couldn’t hear a damn thing as her heart took all her senses over. The thrashing of her heart, the drumming of it in her ears, the beating of her heart pulsating through her blood, and the rush going in and out of her respiratory system. A foggy abyss threw her into a coma freezing her up. The warmth was coming closer, his lips parting in preparation. A gentle hunger was sparked awake and her lips readied in return.

It was crazy how she felt her neck incline back. Her senses sizzled, but her eyes were damn wide open. In an instant she felt her lips enclose around his; the touch of him consoling her mixed emotions. Persuaded by the onslaught of his lips Namjoo closed her eyes. Their minds interconnected and a rush of his emotions seeped into the deepest of her veins. Her hand hesitantly rose up by itself hesitating, moving closer to his face then pausing again.

A breath of cool air swept up against her lips and realized Luhan had pulled back. Feeling deaf to every possible noise she trained her eyes onto the ground. Embarrassment stole her over when she remembered his thumb was still touching her ear. A smile lit his face up and shrugged his shoulders when his arm dropped to his side.

Tapping his finger against the bottom of her chin he teased, “Why do you keep lowering your head in front of me? Am I that scary?”

Her senses crashed and burned at the small flirt. She would have punched him if it weren’t for her being so awkward with the sudden transition in their relationship. Luhan wasn’t helping her at all if he knew what she was feeling, and she was pretty damn sure that idiot knew about it.

“If you don’t lift your head up I’m going to kiss you again,” Luhan threatened jokingly.

He wouldn’t dare was all that went through her mind, but she raised her head gullibly. To this he laughed joyously sinking in enjoyment. Ten seconds later he pressed a hand on top of her head.

“I want to comb your hair,” he told then pressed his lips together determined, “then I’ll leave you alone, I promise.”

Taking the comb into his hand she felt him gently slide it through her hair, making sure to even out the ratio along the way. Luhan had never combed her hair before. This particular moment seemed to make up for his never having done it before. Namjoo would have preferred to do it herself, but she liked it this way too. She never thought Luhan would have wanted to do this for her.

When she finally climbed into bed and wrapped herself under the blanket she wasn’t sure whether she was more nervous or uncomfortable. Namjoo lay there on her side with her eyes flying from wall to wall before the lights suddenly went out. She could make out the soft of Luhan’s footsteps before he lifted the blanket to join her.

For a long time they lay there in silence until Luhan shifted onto his side. Namjoo’s mind raced in circles when she tried to figure out whether he had his back to her or if he was facing her back. The weight on the bed shifted toward her side when she felt him move closer.

“Are you asleep?”

Her eyes were wide open, but she didn’t answer. She tried to picture his face in the depth of her mind trying to figure out what kind of expression he had on. It kind of felt like she was trying to solve some kind of math problem. There was no answer and she couldn’t see anything.

Within a moment’s time Luhan ran his hand down her arm in search of her left hand. Once he discovered it he worked to entwine his fingers through hers making sure his fingers could touch her palm. A moment later she felt him slid his arm between her neck and pillow to wrap his arm around her. Luhan’s hand gently clasped her shoulder as he leaned his nose against the back of her head. There was no escaping or moving away now.

“Namjoo, you were very pretty last night,” he spoke slowly and softly so that only she could hear and only pay attention to him. “You’re pretty every day, but you were very pretty yesterday. I couldn’t tell you yesterday, so I want to tell you today.”

The plummeting of her heart raced into her rib cage melting all the pain and happiness of it into a mucky puddle. Having heard him tell her that in what seemed like ages felt like he was telling her she was beautiful the day of their wedding photo shoot.  

Since Luhan had become so busy leaving Mi Yun with just her, she had felt neglected and alone. Hearing this sent her into a whirlpool of spiraling emotions and tears eagerly watered her eyes. She’d missed him that it hurt again.

Luhan eased her into his chest and readjusted his arm around her.

“I was surprised that you came for me,” he admitted, “and I wanted you to go back home then, but I’m glad you’re stubborn and stayed. I really wanted you to stay too. It’s a relief that I don’t have to spend all my days alone. You’re really a reliever, you know?”

How did Luhan look now? What kind of expression did he have on?

“Are you really asleep?” He asked. “Remember those nights when I used to fall asleep before you? I thought you were really annoying for always disrupting my sleep. I’d have to go to work the next day feeling exhausted and it was all your fault. Those were the good days. Ah…I feel so old now that I’m talking about those days.”

Of course, Namjoo recalled all those nights and all those days. She thought it was fun annoying him and was always amused by his reactions, which made her do it even more. Tired Luhan or energetic Luhan had been fun to make victim.  

Luhan further snuggled his face into her hair and she could feel him smiling as he did so. It was a joy to be felt through psychic telepathy.

“Namjoo, I missed you.”

That water in her eye slid out and hit the pillow. Clamping her eyes shut she gently formed her right hand into a fist.

Why wasn’t she asleep already?

Missing him so much had made her literally sick the past year. She didn’t want to hear him talk anymore.

#####

Luhan awoke the next morning with Namjoo still locked in his arms. The soft of her hair tingled against his nose when his eyes opened. Twisting his neck he let out a soft groan due to the blinding sunlight and flexed his fingers before realizing Namjoo had interlocked her fingers through his. The fact that she had affirmed a hold on his fingers made him smile like a fool.

Lifting his head up to take a peek at her he saw that she was still deep asleep. Though his arm felt cramped and paralyzed from having hugged her all night, he didn’t mind so long as he was still holding her.

It had been so long since he’d had her like this that it made his heart throb menacingly. There was a conscious reminder to look at how the cut on her hand was doing, but he was afraid to wake her up with the slightest movement. Restraining himself he placed a light kiss to the back of her head and giggled mischievously. Recalling how Namjoo had reacted to his joke last night made him want to squeeze her.

He’d thought her reaction was so cute he really wanted to kiss her again, but doing it would have broken the essence of the moment. Luhan would have to trick her again, but differently this time around.

Luhan lay there the next following minutes enjoying the sensation of being beside her before Namjoo’s fingers suddenly moved. She slowly released her fingers from his and pulled her hand away to reach up and rub her eyes. Feigning sleep he felt her turn onto her back. She didn’t move during the following seconds and Luhan wondered if it was because she didn’t want to get out of his hold yet. Actually, he wanted it to be that.

A second later she slipped his arm away and sat up. The weight of the bed lightened when she got up. Upon hearing the door to the bathroom close Luhan opened his eyes to stare up at the ceiling as if in a trance.

There was an urge to complain about why the sun had to rise up so fast. Allowing himself to mope for a few minutes he continued lying there much longer than planned. When the bathroom door opened he shot up to watch Namjoo walk out.

“Morning,” he greeted with a chirpy smile unable to help himself from expecting something in return.

Namjoo simply glanced at him before turning away with a quiet, “Morning.”

Persuading himself not to become disappointed with her reaction he got up and twisted around to see her back.

“How’s your hand?”

“It’s ok,” Namjoo replied slowly turning, but still kept her eyes away from him.

She seemed to stare at the bed for a few seconds leaving him to become curious about what else it was she needed to say. Maybe she was going to ask another favor from him. His expectations to hear it climbed up into high hopes.

“I’m going to see Sungjae for a bit,” Namjoo finally turned to look at him.

Everything he’d felt earlier tumbled down the ladder of hope drowning into the pool waiting below.

Sungjae?

Why Sungjae?

Why that man when he was there, standing in front of her?

Namjoo turned away, breaking off eye contact before turning back to him as if to finally look for his permission. Luhan would never give her permission if she was asking. She was already well aware of the fact that he was jealous and doing this to him would be belittling him. Luhan didn’t think he could deal with that.

“Lets go to the coffeehouse when I come back,” Namjoo seemed to assure him that she wasn’t meeting Sungjae to go sight-seeing. “We have a date there, right?”

Even he had forgotten about the date to the coffeehouse. His weak will gave in right away when a smile drew itself onto his lips and Namjoo took it as a yes.

“I’ll be back soon,” Namjoo promised and turned to grab a change of clothes before walking back into the bathroom to change.

After Namjoo slipped her shoes on and grabbed the doorknob to leave the room Luhan reached out for her arm.

“Don’t be long, ok?”

He let his hands relax around her arm and wanted to keep holding her with the hope that she would incline to his feelings and stay. For sure, Luhan was definitely sure that Namjoo was aware of what was going through his mind.

“Ok,” Namjoo answered.

Luhan stared into her eyes before releasing her. He watched Namjoo disappear around the door before it closed in his face. Namjoo had so easily bribed him that it made him feel almost ridiculous.

#####

Namjoo almost felt the reluctance to leave, but the eagerness for air away from Luhan had forced her out the door. Now she was even more conscious of the fact that he would hang on even harder. How to feel about that…she wasn’t sure.

While she walked along the road she thought long and hard about anything she might have said to him the eve of her birthday. Had she cried to him and told him she’d missed him? Did she talk to him about the hidden box in her closet of their memories? What had she said to him?

A tiny sense of panic whirled through her. Namjoo really couldn’t remember anything other than having kissed him. There was a high chance that if there was a wall in front of her she would have slammed her head against it.

She didn’t enjoy tensing up in front of Luhan or becoming awkward and embarrassed. She hated feeling like a young woman infatuated with a man. She wasn’t a fool to love and refused to be seen as an amateur. Luhan wasn’t a stranger to her, yet why was it that she regarded him as someone far beyond her standards?

Being shy wasn’t what she was. None of yesterday has been like her at all.

Sungjae was waiting for her in front of the hotel when she appeared and he sent her a wave before walking toward her.

“You look well!” He greeted.

“Why? Did I look like a complete mess the other night?”

“Not really,” Sungjae was honest as they joined up and headed for the nearest 7-eleven. “You were a little out of it, but you weren’t that drunk. Oh…what happened to your hand?”

Namjoo turned to look at him and grasped her hand, “It’s nothing.” Then returning back onto topic she asked, “I wasn’t drunk?”

“Well I didn’t think you were drunk at all,” Sungjae admitted, “unless that’s how you are when you’re drunk. I couldn’t tell.”

Namjoo turned to stare at the ground.

“You got back ok though?” He sounded worried. “Your friend just led you out that it surprised me.”

“Luhan?” Namjoo immediately asked before wondering why Sungjae couldn’t remember his name.

“Ah…yes, him,” Sungjae nodded. “He sounded worried too. It looked like he didn’t want you to drink any more.”

Of course. It seemed like something Luhan would do after all.

“He didn’t…he didn’t say anything to you at all, did he?”

Had Luhan told Sungjae they stayed together? That they were divorced?

Sungjae shook his head. “I felt sorry for him though. It didn’t seem like he enjoyed himself much back there.”

Especially due to what she’d said to him before that night she didn’t think Luhan was ecstatic about going there with her. Then she remembered how he’d denied her invitation before dragging him to the store for clothes.

“He’s not a person who likes drinking a lot,” Namjoo said. “Luhan doesn’t go to those kinds of places anymore.”

“Oh really? Why? Is he married?” Sungjae wondered curiously. “You really know him well, don’t you?”

Namjoo offered a small laugh as they walked into 7-eleven. The cool air of the convenience store swayed against her and they walked toward the snack aisles.

“Have you eaten? Do you want something to eat?” Sungjae turned to stare at the items on stock as they walked by.

Recalling the promised date to the coffeehouse Namjoo ended up refusing the offer. It would be rude to eat before Luhan when he was starving while waiting for her.

“Coffee then?” Sungjae reached into the freezer and grabbed a can of iced coffee.

Though Namjoo really wanted something cool she ended up shaking her head to the offer too. Coffee, the back of her head said, had to be drunk with none other than Luhan. Unable to stop herself from sinking into guilt if she had coffee with Sungjae she walked out deprived.

“Luhan seems like an interesting person,” Sungjae continued. “Why don’t you bring him out with you the next time we meet up? I think the three of us would have fun. Oh yea, the tour trip to the elephant zoo; why don’t you invite him? It’ll be a lot of fun.”

Namjoo had forgotten about the trip. She had intended to bring Luhan. Then she suddenly wondered if she let Sungjae go on blindly about her and Luhan, she worried he might say something of offense to Luhan later. Not that she thought Sungjae was a bad guy, but she was worried Luhan might get hurt by something Sungjae might unintentally say. It would put her in a difficult position then too and she didn’t want to have to deal with a hurt Luhan.

Unconsciously she felt for the ring sitting on her finger.

“Sungjae,” Namjoo started.

“Hmm?”

her lips in preparation she turned to look at him, “Actually, I know Luhan really well.”

He nodded, “I know.”

Pressing her lips together she went on, “I mean, there’s a reason why.”

Sungjae paused in his steps and turned to look at her curiously without saying anything.

Namjoo felt choked up as if it was hard to tell him, but she felt like he was a good friend and lying to him wasn’t worth it.

“I have a daughter,” Namjoo said, “Luhan…Luhan and I used to be married, so she’s ours. That hotel…I’m staying there with him.” 

***It's out, it's out! Namjoo told Sungjae, but will she and Luhan continue walking in the correct path for now or will she drift again? Luhan is so ready to get back together ;A; 

***Sorry for the really slow update. I think my workload just piled up to three times it's size now. -.- Someone just shoot me. I really hate this class; it's taking over my life!!