CHAPTER 20

A hand lands on her shoulder and she turns around; Tao smiles at Hana and joins her outside the front steps. The day was rather gloomy; a car stops at a distance and a number of people step out in black suits. Just in time... Tao thinks.

“Are you ready to go?” he asks her. Hana returns her attention to him and casts him a small, tired smile “Kris isn't here yet...” she mumbles. Low thunder rumbles; Tao looks over her shoulder and see the men approaching. He smiles upon seeing the familiar faces.

Kyungsoo was first to give her an embrace. He pulls her to arms length and smiles at her “You okay?” she nods her head. The others give their quiet greetings before heading inside with Tao.

But just as Hana thought she was alone, she was wrong.

“Aren't you heading inside?” came a voice. She turns towards the direction it came from and saw Kai; she shook her head “I'm waiting for Kris”

He pockets his hands and looks up at the gloomy sky then back to her; her neck seeming to have stretched as she looked at entryway of the place. Just as he decides to leave, his feet remained rooted onto the ground upon seeing a car enter and stop infront of the steps.

The driver exits and walks around the sleek black vehicle, opening the passenger seat door. Hana's smile brightens a little and clasps her hands together upon seeing who it was. Kris steps out of the vehicle, his eyes covered with a pair of sunglasses and his once blonde hair now dyed black. His eyes meet Kai's for a moment but then the latter looks away.

He walks up the steps and places a hand behind her waist as soon as he reaches her.

“My deepest condolences... hyung” Kai says. Kris stares at him from behind his glasses for a number of seconds before giving an acknowledging nod of the head and makes his way inside with Hana.

Kris.

They say that we don't really know how valuable someone is... until we lose them.

I never believed such sayings before until I lost my mother and I thought I would never ever feel such a thing ever again, not even if I lost the other side.

But maybe it was the angered side of me that was speaking during those moments; Tao warned me. He said that no one –no matter how angry they may be at someone- can stay angry forever. He said that someone will always have a certain value in our lives despite the gravest mistakes they have.

I always rolled my eyes at him but now... I seemed to have eaten my words.

It hurts.

Water began to sink into my clothes.

My eyes were fixated onto the back of the car as I slowly followed it.

“Oh honey, you can't!” came a woman's amused and teasing voice followed by laughter. The young boy ignores her in the background as he continues to tail behind the man in a suit.

He reaches out a hand and tugs on the end of the suit. The man turns around and raises a brow at the young boy –who looked up at him with an angry pout “Appa...” the man sighs and bends down to the boys level “Where are you going?” the young boy questions.

The man snorts an amused chuckle “I'm going to work, sir” the woman appears and bends down beside the young boy “Kris, you can't go with daddy” she tells him.

“Ani... go get dressed and we'll get ice cream” the man smiles at the boy and ruffles his hair; eagerly, the young boy turns to his mother and grabs her by the arm “Mom! Hurry, dress me up!”

Thunder lowly rumbles and slowly, drops of rain came falling from the gray clouds that covered the sky. The faint sound of umbrellas being opened trained across my ears but seeking shelter was the least of my concerns. With another rumble of thunder, the drops increase, soaking my clothes.

I wish the rain would help wash away the feeling. I wish.

Something warm clasps over my cold hand bringing my whole being back to earth and as I look to my side, I saw Hana. She smiled at me and right at that moment, I knew what true strength meant.

You see that girl, Kris? I ask myself. She will show you how to smile again.

Suddenly, Lay appears by her side, holding the umbrella over her head. She turns to Lay, gently pushing his hand away “It's okay...” she assures him and turns to me “It's gonna be okay”

So, don't ever let her go.

Kris stood alone; his hands inside his pockets as he continued to stare at the polished marble stone. Everyone else had gone after the tomb was sealed, Hana accompanied Stephanie home upon Kris's request while he decided to stay for awhile longer.

A sigh comes from behind him but he doesn't turn his attention away “Are you still not going home?” the person walks and stands beside him, pocketing his hands aswell. Kris doesn't answer.

Silence.

“You're lucky, you know” Kris mumbles and Kai turns his head to look at him. He swallows the lump in his throat before looking away and asks “Am I?”

A sigh escapes Kris's lips “In many ways, Kai”

Kai falls silent upon the older guy's words. In all honesty, it was he who thought that Kris was lucky. Kris had the world under the palm of his hands, he had the girl that he so badly wanted; Kris could have anything and everything that he so desires and the boundaries were nowhere near him.

A smirk crept on Kai's face “You have everything, hyung... you have Hana” and upon hearing the name, Kris turns to look at him “Exactly...” Kris said.

Kai's face falls blank as Kris continued to speak.

“She's all that will be left of me... so I'm asking you...”

The next events shocked him. Kai's heart seemed to have stopped and his eyes widened in astonishment and shock as he beheld the sight before him.

“I'm begging you, Jongin... don't take her away from me”

Kris was down on both of his knees at his weakest moment in life.

Hana.

We sat in the living room area of the Wu home.

Two people were missing from the bunch: Kai and Kris. They still had not come back from the cemetery and I'm beginning to worry but... Sigh. Calm down, Hana... they probably got stuck in traffic. Slam. The sound cuts me off of my thoughts and my head whips towards the direction where it came from.

Seconds later, Stephanie appears with a tired look on her face and standing beside her was Sonya. The latter casts me a sympathetic smile and guides the young girl down the stairs. Maids in uniform appear, placing down trays of drinks for the guests amidst including me.

Xiumin gets up from his chair and gives the young girl a brief embrace, patting her back in comfort “You'll be fine” he tells her.

“Eherm...” came the sound of someone, purposely clearing their throat to catch attentions and I see a familiar face. Yookyung... I haven't seen her earlier. Xiumin breaks away from the embrace and turns to look at her; she frowns, unlike the first time I saw her, she was so serious now “Forgive me for breaking the moment but I don't think this is the best time to get romantically acquainted”

Xiumin turns back to Stephanie and pats her head lightly, smiling at her before turning back to the newly arrived family member and speaks “With all due respect... Yookyung-ssi, I was just merely giving a sympathetic embrace. No need to get fussed up over it”

Am I missing something? Stephanie didn't seem to hear everything that had just went on now; too dazed. I got up from my chair and walked towards her “Stephanie-ah, let's go get some fresh air...” I glance at Sonya for permission and she gives me a nod as I then guide out the girl outside of the house.

We sat under the gazebo in the garden in the back of the large home.

The grass was wet because of the drizzle earlier, the scent of flowers filled my nose as I sat down opposite as her. She still looked lost, her eyes fixated on the rose bushes at a distance.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do, really but seeing as I have been in China all week because I could not bear to leave Kris and because he pleaded me –though it was not necessary- not to go just yet. Ever since the wake, it's the first time today that I'm seeing Stephanie.

“Unnie” Looks like she beat me at speaking first. I smiled “Yes?”

“Was it also like this?”

“Like what?” I question, a little confused. Tears fell from her eyes but she kept a blank look on her face “Losing a father... it feels different from losing a mother”

I swallow hard and stare at her for a moment. Actually... it's just... the same. The only reason why people tend to think it hurts more is because the deceased lived longer and made more memories with the living. It's not the death that hurts, it's the aftermath. The road to acceptance. However, I dismiss my thoughts and nod my head.

Stephanie turns to look at me and slowly, her lips curve upwards in a smile “You know how we feel, right? You know what Yi Fan and I feel... right?”

Yes... but not in a way that you think I do. I nod my head. She looks away and wipes her tears, sniffling in the process. As she turns back to me she asks

“What did my father talk to you about?”

And what I thought I forgot, I remembered. Gulp. Hana... say something.

“He made me promise...” she started; Stephanie patiently waits for her to continue and she does “Not to leave your brother”

It's not a lie but it's not the truth either... but... I just really have to keep my word. I'm sorry, Stephanie.

That night.

Kris enters his condo, closing the door behind him and it automatically locks. He hears the faucet in the kitchen being turned off and Hana appears. She was leaving tomorrow morning for Seoul after rejecting Suho's offer that she goes back with them aboard the private plane.

“Hi” she smiles at him. He stands there, staring at her for a moment before he walks forward and wraps his arms around her; he lets out a breath before pulling her to arms length, her hands resting on his waist “You've been gone the whole day... aren't you tired?” she asks, noticing the dark circles and the tired look in his eyes.

Crack. She could hear her heart say. He's been crying... Hana continues to smile at him before letting out a bright laugh “Baby ~” she coos and a small smile tugs on the corner of his lips. She notices and continues “Baby ~ smile for me?” she asks him, her hand cupping his face gently.

Kris felt sudden warmth surge through his veins and for a moment, he felt his chest lighten. He complies with her wish and curves his lips upward in a gentle smile making her laugh.

“You're so handsome when you smile” she says, looking at him lovingly. Upon seeing that curve on his face, she too felt her chest lighten. It has been so suffocated the past few days that she almost felt like she could no longer take it and break down.

How she managed to keep her knees from reaching the ground, she didn't know but seeing Kris smile now has made all the bearing worth it.

“Sorry for making you worry...” he apologizes, keeping his eyes fixated on hers. “It's okay... but I'm leaving tomorrow, will you be fine?” he nods his head and puffs out a breath as her hands fall from his face onto his shoulders.

He smirks “I'm Kris Wu, remember?”

Hana chuckles lightly before raising herself, tip toeing and places her lips against his making him smile at the contact. He'll be okay, Hana. He'll be okay.

"Call me if you need something, okay?"

He nods. "Promise?"

"Promise"