CHAPTER 10 : Luhan's Secret

MINA’S POV

The first two weeks back in Seoul was hectic and tiring for us assistants and for EXO. All days were spent rehearsing for the Music Festival where they will have their comeback performance. Luhan was still his usual self, spurting mean words and embarrassing me on his free time. Get this, get that, get out, can you do nothing right? Are you stupid? - Those words pretty much summarized my past two weeks.

Gradually though, I became used to Luhan’s words that it no longer offended me. Woo Jin, on the other hand, would regard me with a knowing look every time Luhan shouted at me. Although he never breathed a word about my dad and Luhan again, I knew he still had a lot of questions.

As expected, seeing Luhan never became easier. Every morning, I’d go up to his room and wake him up and I’d still be amazed at how good he looked even in his sleep. And half the time, I find myself on edge just by looking at his perfect face.

“You don’t have to come tomorrow.” Luhan said one Friday.

“I don’t have to come tomorrow?” I asked, confused.

“That’s what I just said.”

I didn’t know what he meant exactly, and the first thing that came to mind, “A- am I… am I fired?”

“Do you want to be?” he retorted quickly.

“No! Of course not.” I convincingly repulsed.

“You’ve never heard of the word day-off?” he rolled his eyes.

You should’ve said that earlier. I nodded in understanding and left when he motioned me to. I honestly thought I’d never have a single day-off. Because even in sundays, Luhan would call and ask me where did you put my headphones or why didn’t you clean my rubber shoes. At one point I realized that my job entailed a lot of other things such as being a maid, a cook, a bodyguard, a punching bag etc.

And so, I was really looking forward to my day-off. I wanted to spend it alone at home with a cup of tea and a good book, thinking it would probably take a lifetime for my next real holiday to come. However my plans changed when EXO came over to my place uninvited.

“MINA!” They all greeted in symphony when I opened the door.

“Why are you guys - How did you know where I live?” I asked in confusion and noticed that Luhan was not with them.

Of course, they didn’t answer me, and instead dragged me out of my house and brought me to their van. They seemed too cheerful for their own good.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“We’re eating out.” Kris explained.

“Oh.” I was left dumbfounded.

When we got to the restaurant, we were immediately led to a private dining room. The room was exquisitely decorated with traditional Japanese ornaments, on the center was a big Kyoto-style coffee table and a couple of floor chairs. They ordered some sort of hotpot that bore a too fancy name for my taste. When the food arrived, I didn’t know where to start coz from the looks of it, they have ordered enough to last us for a week.

“Luhan’s in China, if you’re wondering.” Lay said out of the blue.

“I’m not um” I stuttered while playing with my food “wondering…”

They all looked at each other and smiled as if there was some sort of scandalous secret that they held.

“Why did you guys invite me?” I’ve been dying to ask them.

“No reason.” Kris shrugged his shoulders. But I wasn’t buying it, there had to be some sort of agenda.

As if Kris read my thoughts, he added, “Look. We know you’ve been having a hard time.” The atmosphere suddenly turned tense.

“Everyone’s been working hard too, so… I guess I’m okay.”

“Well, yeah but not everyone gets scolded every hou-“ Chen carelessly blurted before Tao mouthed him to stop.

I let out a small laugh, “I think I’m getting used to it.”

“Don’t mind Luhan too much, he’s always been like that.” Xiumin said.

Then Kris added, “True, and he might be worse when he gets back from China.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“It’s just like that.” Lay said as if I had touched a taboo subject.

I caught the hint and decided not to ask about it anymore.

“So, how about you guys? Aren’t you visiting your hometown?”

“We are!” Tao cheered. “We’re leaving later but we will all be back by Monday.”

They all seemed very excited about seeing their families. I suddenly thought of Paris and how much I missed my mom. If only I had enough money, I would’ve taken this time as well to go back and visit her. Anyway, I would be receiving my salary soon, and next month maybe I could ask Luhan if I could take a leave to go to France. A part of me though, felt like he was not going to allow me.

When we had all finished our meals, EXO brought me back home and bid their goodbyes. I thanked them for showing me a good time, and informed them that I’d be heading to their dorm early Monday to fix Luhan’s schedule. As soon as they were gone, I threw myself on the bed and wondered how Luhan was doing in China.

LUHAN’S POV

“You should’ve called me!” the intensity of my voice had startled my mom into dropping the plate.

“I’m fine…” She said gently but her words did not comfort me one bit. “it wasn’t that serious.”

“Not serious?” I sneered in disbelief, “You were in the hospital for a week! And you’re saying it wasn’t serious?”

I put both of my hands in my face in frustration. She was going to say something to me but I immediately cut her off.

“Did that man even come to visit you?” I felt anger rush over my entire body, making me want to break something. “I bet he didn’t, did he?”

“Luhan, he was-“

“Stop it mom! I’m sick of you always trying to protect him when he clearly does not take care of you!” I said in a fit of rage. I could see through the blur of my eyes that tears were welling in her face. I didn’t want to shout at her, I didn’t want to make her cry, but that man had left me no choice. Guilty of my actions, I went to my room without another word.

I tried my best to remember the last time I went to China and actually had a happy moment with my mom. I realized there was none. Ever since I had gone to Korea, things had gotten worse. She had started keeping things from me, in hopes that I will reconcile with that man. But every part of me screamed anger and contempt just by the thought of him. We will never ever make up, I’m sure of it. Just as I am sure that their marriage will no longer work.

To be honest, I wanted to go out and face my mom once more. I wanted her to wake up and make her understand that the man she had married will never ever be a husband to her, or a father to me. But when I was reminded of her disheartened face, I kept my anger on hold and decided to call Lay. As soon as he picked up, the first thing he asked was if I were okay, it was like he knew what had happened without me having to say it.

“Are you okay?” his voice concerned.

“Are you in China now?”

“I arrived an hour ago. Do you want me to go to your place?”

“No, I’ll go there.”

When I arrived at Lay’s house, his entire family was eating lunch. They invited me to eat with them, and though I didn’t want to at first, I ended up doing so. Throughout the meal, they talked about anything under the sun, laughed about the corniest jokes I’ve ever heard. And It was weird for me, because I’ve never really experienced something like that. I always thought that I had everything anyone I could ever want, but for the first time, I felt envious of what Lay had.

After eating, Lay and I headed to the park near their house. We played soccer for hours, not minding how tired we were. When the sun was close to setting, we decided to call it a day, and instead sat on the grass. He then started up the conversation I least wanted to have.

“Did you see him?” He asked, referring to that man.

“No.”

“So what happened?”

“Mom was in the hospital last week.”

He turned his complete attention to me, “What happened? Is she okay now?”

“She had a high fever and that man didn’t even know. It was the maids who rushed her to the hospital.”

“You shouldn’t call your dad ‘that man’ Lu.”

I sent him a glare, “You’re overreaching Lay.”

“I’m just saying,” Lay looked afar, “your mom still cares about your dad. Maybe you should give him another chance for her sake.”

“I’m not giving him squat!” I clenched my fists, “Another chance? For crying out loud I can count with one hand the number of times he was there when me and mom needed him!”

“He’s working all the time because he wants to provide for you.”

“That’s a lame excuse and you know it.” I stood up, “If he would be this kind of husband, he shouldn’t have married my mom at all.”

With that, I left. Lay called out to me, but I didn’t bother to go back and have that dammed conversation again. I knew what he was going to say because everyone I’ve ever met says the exact same thing. People just don’t get it. I hate that man, and nothing, no one can change that.

MINA’S POV

When I arrived at EXO’s dormitory, no one had arrived yet. I let myself in and started to fix Luhan’s room like I have been doing the past two weeks. Every time he would go home he would complain how nothing was in order, and so I decided to take the initiative to make everything look perfect. It made him less grumpy that way, and made his commands less meaner. As soon as I was done, I settled on the living room and took out my planner. I carefully noted all the schedules that Luhan would be having, including their comeback performance the tomorrow. When I had finally finished it, I called for pizza delivery so when EXO arrives there will be food waiting.

A few minutes after the delivery arrived, EXO turned up with their luggages looking incredibly contented. Luhan went straight to his room while the others went to the dining table and immediately feasted on the humongous pizza. They invited me to eat with them and I listened to their stories about their hometown, and how their weekend went about. We were chatting happily when Luhan suddenly bolted out of his room, enraged. Like instinct, I stood up and waited for the painful words I knew would come out.

“Where is my script?” Luhan snarled furiously.

“Where is - is your script?” I moved a step back, afraid of the vicious eyes before me. I did not know which script he was talking about, but from the way things looked, it was very important. And I had just dug my grave.

“You cleaned my room, right?” he asked abruptly, “So where is the freaking script that was placed on my table?”

“I didn’t see any-“

He slammed the table with his hand, “Where the hell is the script Mina?”

I started to shake. I grabbed the nearest chair I could find for support. HIs thunderous expression waited impatiently for the answer I did not have. I glanced over at EXO who had their heads down as if they felt as humiliated as I was.

“What?” Luhan snapped, “Didn’t you hear me ask you where the script is?”

“I’m sorry… but I really don’t-“ Tears started to well on my eyes. Luhan had shouted at me a lot before, but for some reason, his anger was different this time. It was as if he was not in control of his actions, and that scared me.

“Find that goddamn script!” He said unreasonably, “I don’t care if you have to turn this house upside down!”

I was stupefied by how I could still stand up straight despite the terror that shook my insides. Luhan had walked out of the room, and out of the house, slamming the gate loud enough for all of us to hear. I immediately went to his room and rummaged every drawer, desperately emptying out each of them like a crazy woman. Please be here, please be here, I pleaded and pleaded, but luck was not on my side. After an hour, I still had no script in my hand. Someone suddenly knocked on the door, and I jumped in fright thinking it was Luhan.

“Do you need help?” Lay asked.

“It’s not here Lay…” I said while turning my head to every corner, “I can’t find it, I don’t even know what I’m looking for.”

“Luhan will be the host in tomorrow’s festival and that’s his script. He probably wrote notes on it, that’s why he’s eager to find it…” Lay explained.

“I’m going to get fired, aren’t I?”

“Don’t worry, just go home and we’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

“No.” I revolted, “I’ll look for it, maybe I threw it in the trash accidentally, I’ll look for it in the dump.”

“In the dump?” Lay had flinched at the thought.

“I won’t go home till I find it.” I said before leaving the room.

I immediately regretted the idea as soon as I reached the rubbish heap. But since I was already there, I fought the smell and the sight that sickened my stomach. When the sun had already settled down, it became harder and harder to see through the mess.

LUHAN’S POV

It was already night time when I got home. All of the other members were already in their rooms, so I entered mine and threw myself on the bed. I had spent the entire day playing soccer in the field, letting my anger subside. Mina still hasn’t called me, and the script was still not there but I decided to just let it slide. She wasn’t the reason I was angry in the first place and it wasn’t her fault that I was in a bad mood.

“Ya, how could you sleep at this time?” Lay swung my door open.

“Don’t you knock?” I sat up in annoyance.

“Mina is in the dump and you’re actually here lying down on your bed?”

“What? Mina’s in the what?”

“She’s looking for your precious script. Now go there before anything happens.”

Lay closed the door and I shouted, “I’m not going!”

I am sorry that I misdirected my anger to Mina, but I did not ask her to go to a freaking dump for crying out loud. So if anything happens, that is her fault, and definitely not mine. I stood up and took my luggage to take out some clothes. I decided to take a shower and go to bed without a care in the world.

Except when I pulled out a shirt, some sort of karma stuck out as well. It was the script. I had the freaking script in my luggage the entire time.

I heaved a sigh knowing that I really had no choice but to go find my pitiful assistant.

MINA’S POV

It was already midnight and I have lost every hope of finding the script. My eyes were swollen from crying the entire time, and my whole body was plummeting in extreme fatigue. I rummaged through the mass of junk despite the trembling of my hands. I wanted to stop, I wanted to just go home and forget about all of it. Luhan would probably fire me tomorrow and I would go back to Paris and realize how stupid this whole idea was.

But before I could settle on a decision, I felt a sudden crash in my body. In an instant, exhaustion had taken its toll on me. My whole body weighed down as I was about to faint. My eyes shut and before I lost consciousness, a pair of warm hands had captured me into its arms. Could it be Luhan?

LUHAN’S POV

I headed to where Mina was, and when I finally saw her, for some reason, I gasped in relief. I approached her slowly, wanting to startle her with the script. But it was I who was surprised.

Woo Jin suddenly appeared and wrapped her arms around her.

Blood suddenly rushed to my face, my heartbeat quickened like it was set on overdrive, a mixture of rage and revulsion turning my insides on fire. I wanted to pull him away from her, I wanted to beat him up six ways to sunday for even touching her.

But before I could even react on my impulses, my whole body froze, everything else stopped, and a small voice inside me said, you’re jealous.

A/N : Thank you for those subscribing and commenting, it means a lot! :D I hope you liked this chapter.

Lots of love <3