To think that Chorong has already burst to tears twice around him made Luhan feel really uncomfortable with their budding friendship. Luhan, however, felt breathless having Chorong wrapping her arms around him and the taste of warm body of a woman he really likes against his own was a little surreal for him to process. Nevertheless, he took no advantage of her fragility and was ready to lend his shoulder if she wanted, or in this case, his waist.

"I had a fight with my family yesterday." Chorong let go of her arms slowly as she fixed her own hair that was sticking to her face. Luhan pulled out a chair and sank in. "Big one."

 "You looked fine for someone who just had a big fight with her family," Luhan said lightly, hoping it would make her heart less aching.

"I tried," she stifled a sad smile at him. Chorong drew empty sketches on the marble surface with her fingertips as she began to open up about her story. "I messed up. I have to admit it that the whole thing was my fault-" Chorong paused as she began to tear up upon recalling the incident that cause the fury of her parents.

Luhan felt a knot twisting in his stomach looking at the sullen Chorong. All Luhan could think of at that point was to reach her trembling hands and hold it warm and firm inside his own, telling her that if it hurts less when she cries than when she speaks about her pain, Luhan would be okay with just that. Seeing her broken and unhappy like this drove him nuts.

"You don't have to tell me if it hurts you," Luhan said with a hint of cautious look in his eyes. "I'm not gonna judge you, Chorong."

"I know I was stupid, and probably ignorant but it still hurts to know where you actually stands in her life." Chorong cried; tears trickled down her cheek non-stop as if they have been waiting for this moment to come. "I had a hunch about it even since I was a kid, but I just don't understand why didn't those feelings change after all these years?"

Luhan nodded as though he understood her and all her sad stories about the person she addressed as 'her'. He eyed her every single movement, looking both sad and relieved as she patted dry her two red cheeks. Chorong almost smiled as she gazed at his serious look as if he has the right to share her pain, but it moved her heart just the same. "It was my mom- wait, no, actually", Chorong swallowed bitter lump hardly a she spat more words out. "My step mom. She's actually my step mom."

Step moms.

Luhan have always thought these kind of mothers are here to destroy childhood of any kids. Or worse- our whole life in existence. The pain of calling an outsider with the noble 'mom' title is always burdensome and overwhelming. The scars that don't disappear; the memories that linger behind to haunt- tragic. Luhan has never felt so grateful that his parents never had much issues that coud divide or break his small family, but he began to sympathise his friends that have family issues, especially the ones revolving step moms. However things weren't always dreadful. The thought of having no mother at all is probably much more grave and heart-breaking.

"My dad got married with my step mom after they were pregnant with Hayoung after 3 years of dating. I didn't actually remember the details, but all I know is that, I've been calling mom to someone unfamiliar. Five months after fitting in my new family, I learned that she was the one that killed my real mom."

"I don't understand," Luhan admitted politely as he stared hard into Chorong's sad eyes.

"My mom died in a car crash, and the one that hit my mom was my step mom. It was not malicious or intentional because we didn't know one another. It was just fate playing jokes on us," Chorong said simply with a wry smile. "I slept every night thinking how lucky I was to have someone to hold me again only to realise that the whole reason she tried so hard to win me over was because she felt indebted towards me. She took away two most important persons in my life, and she knew she needed to make it up to me for that. I tried to stay away from these kinds of negative thoughts but it was hopeless, even more after what she said to me yesterday."

"What?" Luhan asked firmly though he heard his voice wrong. It sounded hoarse and awkward, probably because he was still processing hard all the information.

"I taught Hayoung driving yesterday since she's gonna start taking her driver's license soon enough. But she got flustered when she saw my parents' car approaching in our direction that she accidentally hit the gas pedal and turned the wheel ferociously around that we switched lanes and was a breadth close into colliding with each other. My mom, of course got hysterical about it and began scolding us, me particularly because I was the elder sister. Look, I know what I did was wrong, but after what she confessed to me, I was glad I did what I did."

"What was that?"

"She yelled at me, telling me about her nightmares she got after hitting my mom, and that she was tired of trying when all I did was add up to her guilt. I told her I moved on from the accident. Like I said, it was just an accident. But the fact that she saw me like a debt she had to repay, I began to wonder if she actually, has ever cared for me without having my mom's tragic death playing in the back of her mind." And one drop of tear hit the marble counter and splashed into tiny droplets in all direction, just like her heart now. "Now tell me Luhan, how do you accept your family- my mom in this case, for who she is when all she could think of when she looked right in my eyes was 'Hold tight sweetheart, I can make it up to you'?"

 Luhan swallowed down empty bitterness as he looked back into her dark gaze. Tears welled up around the corner of her big, beautiful eyes and Luhan was almost certain he could his own reflection in her eyes- a still, frozen but much more diminished figure looking back at him, also awaiting an answer.

"We can only be happy if we don't hold on to the things make us sad. And I'm not saying that you should walk away from your problems. I'm saying that, you and your happiness do matter. Things don't change, unless you fix them."

"Luhan," Chorong said,choking in her shaking voice. "How do I fix them? Wait- what is there to fix? I don't see the point of fixing broken things when they were never really there. The fact that my mom cared for me is like a play on a stage. It seemed real, but it feels empty once you're in it. There's no real, sturdy rope to hold on to."

"That's because you see it as a play, Chorong. You cannot force yourself to think of it that way. It's not fair to either of you or your mom. Take a step back, and why not, for this once, get down from that stage, and become an audience. D'you remember when you said your family is different? I'm beginning to think it's actually a good kind of different."

Chorong fell silent for few seconds. She mused, digesting every rational and logical explanation behind Luhan's advice. She couldn't help but to think how handsome he looked when he talked like that, and when he raised a brow and gave her a playful yet sly smirk. Chorong felt fortunate to have him in her life.

 "It's difficult. Since yesterday, I cannot ignore the fact that I now know where I actually stand in her life. It makes me feel unappreciated, and unwanted."

"Chorong," Luhan smiled as he finally reached for her after minutes long of holding back from holding her again. His heart has been aching not being able to keep her longer in his embrace right after she drew away earlier. Luhan pressed his hands against her cold cheeks, and caressed them softly. "No one has the right to make you feel that way. Not your mom, your dad and not even you. Don't be too hard on yourself and why not, instead, have a talk with your mom about how you actually feel. Don't assume things, Chorong, or it will backfire."

Despite the drumming silence that lingered in air, Chorong couldn't help to notice the sound of her heart racing was very disturbing. Luhan was staring right into her eyes with his own gorgeous eyes; his long fingers still moving against her skin, and she didn't know how he could do that for so long when all she wanted now was to break free from his piercing gaze and just put a force field against it. It was very, very intense and Chorong didn't feel comfortable with it, but she could not pull herself into reality.

 "But if you ever feel like breaking apart again, I will pick you up," Luhan said carefully under his breath.

 "How?" Her eyes looked upon him searchingly.

"I have my own way," Luhan winked at her before drawing back his hand forcefully. He sat back and gave a pleasant beam at her. Chorong eyed Luhan with a studious look; doubtful of his words. She made a face at him, brows colliding onto one another.

"You look suspicious," Chorong said flatly, causing Luhan to burst out laughing in disbelief. It wasn't long until rustling sounds hurryingly made its way into the kitchen, making both Luhan and Chorong looked up right away, stifling awkward smiles at her friends that come over.

"Chorong, I think your family's home."

⊙ω⊙

 Luhan picked up his football, and began tossing it in the air. He caught it with his knees and juggled it between his two knees repeatedly. Luhan's mom, Tianyu came in and started nagging right away when she caught him playing football.

 "Luhan, I swear to God I will kill every ball out there if you keep doing this in the house. Don't do that. You'll break something else, if not your bones."

"Okay that does not sound pleasant, or normal." He casually stopped as he made a last toss into the air and caught it with one hand. Luhan leaned in to hug her mom who only managed to show face after arriving late last night.

"Morning, Xiao Lu. How have you been?"

"Morning, mom. Just fine," Luhan answered lightly.

"Where's dad though? And how did you find your travel?"

"Dad is in China," Tianyu's face fell at the mention of her husband's whereabout. She forced a smile, but her heart was not at ease of pulling such movement.

Luhan pursed his lips, confused at the news. "I thought you two were going to Vietnam?"

"We did. But then dad received a call from your Uncle Tong only three hours before our flight back here, saying that Grampa is sick. He barely managed to buy ticket to China right at that very time, and he asked me to come back alone to pick you up."

"Pick me up?"

"Grampa needs us, Xiao Lu. We need to go back to Beijing this weekend."

"Wow- I did not see that coming."

...

Hi guys~

Thought you guys should know that, if you guys ever watched Taiwanese drama titled 'Prince who turns into a Frog', you'll realize I just used as Tianyu as Luhan's mom' s name (and Junhao for his dad but I didn't mention it yet). I'm not familiar with Chinese names enough to make up names, so I decided to use some drama characters' names. I liked the dama a lot and still like it until today :)

Oh and one more thing, how do you like this new font? I thought the old one seemed too common and just weirdly large, so I decided to find suitable font that is neat and pleasant for your eyes *^^*

P/S: Sorry for the late update this time, though I hope weekly update is good enough for y'all :3

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