“Alana. I just meet Alana, your little buddy. A while ago. About 3 or 4 hours ago…I think. We talked here, in this café. And she sat in the same seat you are sitting right now.” 
Yujie smiled full of victory, success at making Kris look desperate and looks like he need her so bad. Needed her to tell him what he wanted to hear. He’s even pleaded to her. Kris’ jaw and face tighten. He gritted his teeth, trying to surpass all the feelings that was about to explode anytime soon.
“How…can? She’s here…? I mean, in Seoul? Why…?” Kris mumbled desperately and looked so lost as he looked at the table confusedly.
Yujie smirked secretly and sipped her drink quietly. Kris looked at her again with the same desperate eyes. Yujie wiped with the napkin calmly.
“What did you talk with her? Did she say something about where she’s staying?”
Yujie shrugged uninterestedly.
“Well…we’re only exchange greetings like how she’s doing and she asked me how’s I did since it’s been a long time since we talked and we became kinda awkward. I just answered I’m doing fine because you’re here for me, and she didn’t say a lot. But we promised to have a coffee talk like that again sometime in the future.” Yujie explained and then shrugged again carelessly.
Kris tried to gulp and calm his fast heartbeat, managed his messed thoughts.
“Is…Is that mean she will stay here for…a long time?”
“I’m not sure either. I don’t know. I forgot whether she promised it or not to meet again. She only said about…mm, I think she said ‘maybe’…? And…about like ‘I hope so’…?” Yujie answered while pretending like she’s thinking, trying hard to remember it.
Kris didn’t say anything and looked miserable instead. Yujie smiled in victory.
“Ah, right. This.” Yujie handed Kris something.
A key chain with dried flower on it. The same flower he gave to Alana the last time they talked closely like a best friend, like a sibling, like a soul mate. Kris looked up at Yujie with mixed feelings all over his face.
“It’s…how this can—”
“Alana left it when we met up.” Yujie explained.
“Why did you give this to me?” Kris baffled and still surprised.
“Maybe…just…if. Maybe you don’t realize it. You don’t know she’s actually close to you. Maybe she’s near you. Or she’s beside you, but you don’t realize it. When you realize it, give it back to her. I think you have more chance to meet her than me.” Yujie explained ambiguously.
Kris still couldn’t get what Yujie said in his state condition of messed thoughts right now. He’s only looked at the key chain with somehow disbelief, hurt, relieves, and happy became one.
“Just…one thing. She’s really pretty now.” Yujie said mischievously.
“Ah…I’m sorry, Kris. I have to go now. I have another schedule after this. I think I’m late. I will go now. See you another day, babe.” Yujie added as she got up from her seat.
Kris didn’t stop her again this time. He’s still dumbfounded in his seat after the news he just heard. He didn’t believe it, but another side in him really wanted to believe the news. He stared at the key chain again and let out a deep sigh. This key chain was a proof that Alana was really here. 
Yujie smirked in the way out from the café.

That’s it. That’s the pay for ignoring me and lying to me. That’s the pay for still looking, waiting, hoping and thinking about that stupid girl.

Kris got up from his seat and exited the café not long after Yujie exited the café, but decided to follow his hand drove the car to a bar. He needed something to clear up his mind. And he knew alcohol will help.

xxx

“Goodbye eonni! Come back again here and play with Gracie, Hyunsoo, Jini, and Carson.” You waved to your unnirs as they entered your group’s van.
“Okay, we will!” Eunhee waved back vigorously. She smiled really bright.
“Don’t forget to bring my favorite food when you come here again.” You said playfully.
“Don’t worry. I will bring much of it.” Soo Ra said while joking.
The other exo members bid a goodbye with your other members.
“Please take care of our baby sister.” Jiyong said to exo members.
They chuckled while nodding, promised them to take care of you well and always protect you.
“She may seem strong, but actually she’s really soft and fragile. You really have to understand her.” 
Jiyoo said with her usual cold expression. But you were touched by her words because you knew she’s care to you a lot despite her cold and expressionless face.
“Eonni…” You smiled to her feeling touched.
“Don’t worry, Yoonhee-ya. Always call us whenever you need us, okay? Always tell us whenever you have problem. We will always be there for you.” 
Soo Ra said while caressing you caring and warmly, reassured you motherly like. You nodded and hugged her tightly. She was really like your other mom besides your real mom. She cared to you a lot.
“Don’t worry, Suho oppa is here. My brother is here. Lay ge’s also here. And there are also the other exo members. I have so many guardians here, eonni. I won’t get hurt…” 
You said while sniffling, not wanting to cry again. Suho went approaching you and patted you. Soo Ra bowed to him and handed you to your cousin.
“Be careful on the road and please arrive safely to the dorm, eonnideul.”

After the van can’t be seen anymore, you entered the house again with Suho and D.O. Not long after, the babies being picked up by the nurse and secretary from the special school where the babies from since they will continue the shooting about three weeks later due to exo and your group’s schedule. The babies will also go back to their real parents. The house felt so empty without the babies. Exo decided to laying down lazily in the living room while watching television and some of them; D.O, Suho, Kai and Chen; are in the dining room and kitchen, making and eating snacks. Meanwhile you decided to sit in sofa in the terrace in front of the house, letting the evening breeze your face gently. Then, you heard noise from spot beside you. You looked to your left and the angelic looking face already there smiling charmingly to you.
“Hey, Lu…” You greeted him softly.
He creased his eyebrows playfully, pretend to sulk at you.
“Hey…why?” You smiled seeing his cute sulk.
“How hard is it to call me with ‘oppa’ or ‘gege’? Why did you always call me only Lu or Lulu or baby Lu?” He’s continued pretending to sulk.
You laughed lightly at his silly act.
“Because you’re cute like a baby deer?” You answered but sounded like questioning, more to yourself.
“But I’m older than you baby Lio.” Luhan smacked you softly with the pillow in the sofa playfully.
You laughed more freely than before. You smacked him back. Luhan tried to stop you by catching and locking both of your hands with his hands and you ended up looking at each other’s eyes. He looked right into your eyes gently. His eyes showed so many unexplained feelings. His eyes bewitched you. You lost in those eyes of him. 
“What’s wrong actually?” He asked you, become serious all of sudden.
“Huh?” You came back to your sense when you hear his question. Your wide smile disappeared slowly.
A weak sad smile replaced it in your face. Luhan sat closer to you, as he rested your head in his shoulder. You rested your head in his shoulder comfortably. You felt warm and secure. And loved.
“No. It’s alright. I’m just kinda…tired.” You answered softly, more like whispering.
He looked at you deeply. You felt being looked by him, looking back at him. Again, you lost in his deep eyes. You know it’s crazy, but suddenly his face turn into Kris’. You stared at his eyes like being hypnotized as he stared at yours with the gap between your face and his face only few centimeters. Your face and his face became closer as your nose touched with his. You closed your eyes, and when your lips and his lips about to touched, the sound of honk from a car woke your mind as you pull yourself from him. You widen your eyes as the view of Luhan’s face seen. 
It’s Luhan, you silly girl! It’s not Kris! 
You cleared your throat while darted your eyes from him. Luhan scratched the back of his head, awkwardly. But then, you met eyes again with him. Luhan chuckled seeing your crimson cheek as you hid your face with your hand. But Luhan pulled your hand and smiled sincerely. He pulled you and kissed your forehead. 
“I’m sorry Lio. It won’t happen again. I will take care my feelings.” He said while looking at you. You just nodded and smile.
“I’m sorry too…”
“I know you’re thinking of me as Kris, right?” He asked you while chuckling. You just smiled bitterly while looking down to your hands.
“I’m sorry…” You murmured. “No need to sorry. It should be me who was sorry.” He caressed your hair.

You closed your eyes, letting him make you feel so loved, important, and special. You missed those feelings. But that’s also what’s made you remember ‘him’ again. Your eyes became warmer as the warm water was about to fall. You inhaled a deep sigh, and pulled yourself from Luhan. You smiled bitterly to him and suddenly you remember. That guy hasn’t come home yet since this afternoon.
“Lu─” 
You were about to ask Luhan about him, but closed your mouth again. Nice thing Luhan still hasn’t heard it yet. You can’t ask about him. You wanted to forget him. You wanted to hide your past. You didn’t want anyone─ Kris to be exact─ to know who you are actually. You remembered what Lay said to you earlier.

“You said you want to hide it and forget it. That means you have to hide all the respond in yourself whenever you hear his name and how you act like nothing happen.”

You sighed for the umpteenth time, and told Luhan that you want to go to your room.

xxx

After having dinner with exo members except Kris, you went back to your room right after. You excused yourself telling them that you’re really tired and need to rest more. In fact, you can’t even close your eyes for a second until the clock showed that it’s already late at night. But you still can’t sleep, worried about Kris. He’s still hasn’t come home yet. You kept on walking back and forth from your bed