Suddenly wide awake Sehun’s eyes went wide in surprise. Hayoung…did what?

“You despicable fool! How dare you! What did you do!?” His mother screamed slapping the table.

Regaining himself he turned away tired of looking at her.

“I wasn’t going to do it anyway.”

Another bitter snort seemed to come through and his mother nodded angrily.

“Right, ok,” his mother said angrily, “don’t think this is the end of it. You just wait and see.”

Not afraid of her threats he asked, “Are you done with me then?”

Shooting her a last look he slid the chair back and walked away with his hands in his pockets. As he walked to his car he couldn’t shake it off that Hayoung had asked for the end of their engagement. He thought she wanted his answer before making her move. Sehun was definitely sure he would have been the first one to call it off, but Hayoung had beat him.

This was…quite a surprise.

Sehun found himself smiling out of surprise and guilt when he walked down the driveway toward the road. But now that that was out of the way, he just needed to get with Ki Hoon.

+++

It was so quiet in her room she could hear the sun rays jingling as they entered her room. The window beside her bed was the only view of the world she had in her room, but even that she had no energy to look at. If she looked outside she’d think of all the cruelty that existed. To know the weight of the hurt in her heart was too much.

Hayoung realized last night exactly just how much she liked Sehun.

And she liked him very much. It went on to the point that she would rather him be in happiness than in her world. Her dream wedding might not have him, but Sehun’s dream wedding wasn’t with her either. He loved Ki Hoon’s mother to the point of no return.

She never knew it could hurt so much to hear him say someone else’s name and not her own. Her heart was a pit of sorrow and emptiness; there wasn’t much there honestly. She’d wished to build memories with Sehun so that the emptiness may be replaced with a happier world. Hayoung wanted to climb a new level in life and view every beautiful thing from a new angle. Perhaps, that wish didn’t match her.

She’d have to wait some more time to find what was right for her.

To look at Sehun in his situation didn’t make her happy. In her whole life she had never seen someone cry so miserably. Because of that she realized he really needed to protect his happiness.

There was a knock on her door, “Sehun is here.”

After some mental preparation she found Sehun standing outside, his back to her as he viewed the blossoming flowers. Right in front of her even he looked as alone as ever. She suddenly thought no one deserved to be alone.

In pain, but still willing to be a part of his life anyway she bravely stepped forward.

“Hi,” Hayoung greeted pausing alongside him and clamped her hands at her back. “I’m guessing you heard.”

“Yea,” he nodded.

“Can you tell me one thing?”

Sehun slowly turned to look at her as if searching for some kind of expression in her face before nodding, “Mm…”

“Have you liked me at all? Just once, during this whole time?”

And it burned.

“I can tell,” Sehun started, “you’re very sincere. Everything you do comes from your heart with passion.”

At this Hayoung shortly smiled.

“Namjoo…that’s her name, right?” Hayoung asked.

Sehun’s eyes waved over the flowers swaying with the wind.

Slowly nodding again, “Mm…”

“Be happy, Sehun,” Hayoung said, “from the bottom of my heart, be happy.”

His head slightly lowered toward the ground before he turned to look at her with another soft smile, “Thank you, Hayoung. I’ll see you later.”

Pain threatened to sketch itself onto her face and she nodded.

“I’ll see you later,” she fought to keep her voice from cracking.

She felt him brush past and felt her heart break into a thousand shreds. Pain crippled her face and she felt the tears fall down one after another as she slowly trudged back to her room. As Sehun furthered from her she drew a hand up to wipe the useless tears of heartbreak and held back her sobs.

Hayoung had never hurt like that before.

Ki Hoon's mother was so lucky...

+++

Namjoo felt her heart blossom with happiness when she heard Ki Hoon’s laughter over the tease Luhan’s father played him with. Everything would be all right if she chose to do the right thing. This home was a perfect sanctuary for them.

The smiles stopped midway when the doorbell rang.

“I wonder who that is,” Luhan’s mother dried her hands on her apron.

“I can go get it,” Namjoo offered.

“No, no, you stay here,” Luhan’s mother stopped her before untying her apron.

Namjoo watched her walk by and turned back to Ki Hoon and Luhan’s father who had resumed their play. Luhan had earlier offered to buy beverages and was not yet back. He was taking an overly long time, she thought.

“Namjoo,” Luhan’s mother reappeared seconds later. “Someone is asking for you outside.”

Stepping away from the wall she glanced at Luhan’s mother surprised.

“Me?”

A nod came from the woman before Namjoo glanced at them wondering who it was before turning to walk down the hallway. She didn’t have much friends, so who would come look for her?

She paused in front of the door and stopped when her hand touched the doorknob. For some reason her instincts were starting to alarm her. Pressing her lips together she slowly pulled the door open and glanced outside. From the street she spotted an expensive car shining from its earlier wash. As the door caked open the man standing by the car stepped to the side; opening the passenger’s door.

Shiny heels appeared atop the concrete before the woman stood. Her eyes slowly leveled up the woman’s unique dress and the coach purse hanging off her arm. Namjoo felt her breath stop short in when she recognized the rich woman.

The world stopped spinning on its axis and her mind immediately shut down. Her brain constricted as she tried to find some kind of courage within her so that she would be able to stand up against this woman. The courage was nowhere to be found.

Namjoo uncontrollably blinked her baffled lids and found herself gripping onto the doorknob to steady herself.

“Look at you,” the woman muttered, “you should be embarrassed for making me come all the way out here.”

Her pride lowered itself to her feet where Namjoo found herself imaginatively kowtowing. Her eyes froze on the ground anyway and she pressed her lips together. Strength was nowhere to be found as if it’d fallen asleep somewhere.

“Well what are you waiting for? Do you want me to come over there?”

Her heart squeezed itself cowardly and Namjoo just wanted to fall onto her knees. Immediately obeying, she shut the door behind her not wishing for Luhan’s family to see this.

She slowly stepped forward and clasped her hands in front of her with her head lowered as it had always been.

“So you think you’re well off now, don’t you?” The woman flicked a finger against the bottom of her chin. “Look at me. Don’t you dare lower your head in front of me.”

Namjoo lifted her head up and flinched when Sehun’s mother threw a few dollar bills at her.

“I thought I was done with you already,” the woman muttered. “I believe you understood that I don’t want you anywhere near my son. You even have the guts to ruin his engagement. How dare you?”

Glancing over her shoulder Sehun’s mother peered at Luhan’s home.

“So you think you’re well off now, don’t you?” The woman muttered then snorted. “You think this measely home can be compared to what I have?”

Namjoo heard her mutter underneath her breath, “How cheap.”

Namjoo tightened her lips together.

“I thought you might have gone far away, but you’re as close as ever,” she went on. “Where do you want to go? Daegu? China? The U.S.? Tell me, I’ll give you the money to get there.”

Namjoo fought to overcome her sinking emotions, but felt even more scared.

“I didn’t do anything,” her voice was as quiet as a mouse’s shriek.

“What?” The woman questioned as if insulted by her statement.

A moment of silence flashed over them. Sehun’s mother’s stare became heavier as each second went by before she reached out to grab the collar of her shirt.

“You rascal,” the woman hissed, “you think just because you have a child now mean you’ll be able to have my son in your grasp?”

Namjoo felt her shake her so hard that even a small cry fell through her lips.

“You think you can pin Sehun down with pity?” The woman threatened. “Give up; give that silly dream of yours up. I will never allow my son to come to you, you cheap filth!”

The door slammed loudly behind her before someone started shouting, “Get off, get off her this instant!”

Namjoo staggered back when Luhan’s mother forced them apart and shielded her from Sehun’s mother’s wrath.

“Take it! Take it!” Luhan’s mother shouted throwing a packet of money at the woman. “Is this what you came for!? Is money all you’re worth? Get off my property! How dare you come assault my family member?! Even a dog wouldn’t resort to such lowly methods to protect her child.”

Namjoo felt her eyes go wide, her mind racing. It suddenly felt like her brain was unable to transmit any kind of message into her brain so that she might be able to take some kind of action. She just coward shamelessly behind this woman who didn’t know her; who knew nothing about her past.

“You’re not leaving!?” Luhan’s mother shouted.

Sehun’s mother stared at them with a glare of anguish before she turned and got into the expensive car. The door slammed shut and the car took off. Namjoo’s chest felt heavy and wary with helplessness.

She didn’t know what to do, but to look away when Luhan’s mother called her name. Tears pricked her eyes before she bent down to pick up the money left on the ground.

Namjoo was embarrassed and ashamed. Luhan’s parents knew nothing about her. They had no clue about her past, about who Ki Hoon’s father really was or what his family was like. They really had no clue about how she’d ended up on the streets. They knew nothing about her dead father.

But they still helped her willingly without any answers and that hurt…

The sheets of money crumpled up in her hand as the biggest question of all entered her head.

Why?

“Namjoo, Namjoo stop it,” Luhan’s mother bent down to grab her hands. “Leave it. Just leave it.”

Strange emotions of what had built up inside her heart welled up and she cried when the kind woman hugged her. The sobs came through shortly before the total outburst of it came through loudly. Namjoo ended up digging her face into her shoulder, hugging her as if she was really her mother.

“Mommy?” Ki Hoon climbed onto the bed. It’d only been a few minutes since the happening outside and Namjoo was forced to rest in bed.

She was sure that by now Luhan’s mother was discussing the event with his father. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to get over the embarrassment of it.

“Mommy ok?” Ki Hoon asked laying down on his side to face her and reached his hand up to pat her cheek.

Forcing a smile on Namjoo nodded.

“Why cry?”

“Mommy didn’t cry,” Namjoo lied and stretched her arms out. “Come here. Let me hug you, you big teddy.”

Ki Hoon slid over so that his mother could hug him. As he lie within her arms Namjoo leaned her chin into his head, her heart beating out in pain.

It was no lie and no truth she could take back that he was Sehun’s son. The worth of telling him who his father really was might hurt him more than Namjoo imagined. The fact that Sehun’s mother knew about Ki Hoon scared her. She knew everything. That woman probably knew about Luhan too.

Namjoo was scared.

She’d do anything; even put her life on the line to protect her son. Just as long as Ki Hoon could be shielded, she’d do anything. Right now she was most fearful that Sehun’s mom would threaten to take Ki Hoon from her, because what if…what if someday when the chance came, she would come look for Ki Hoon?

Namjoo felt the tears well up again and shut her eyes only to be awoken by footsteps minutes later. When she turned to the presence that had taken a seat at the edge of the bed she turned just as his hands ran across her forehead through her hair.

“Shh…” Luhan hushed holding a finger up to his lips.

He smiled down at her before pointing to Ki Hoon who’d fallen asleep within her arms.

Slowly removing her arms from around her son and moving the pillow down under his head Namjoo shifted to sit up. Something told her he knew about the earlier incident.

“Hey,” he quietly greeted, leaning a hand against the bed to look at her.

Namjoo glanced down at his hand before looking into his face.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

And Namjoo felt her heart spiral up into irresistible pain before the tears came by themselves again.

She wanted comfort.

“Don’t cry,” he urged using his free hand to wipe the tears.

Her brows crossed in hopes of narrowing down the pain.

“Do you want to go get some air?” He wondered.

Namjoo twisted back to look at Ki Hoon then back to him before nodding. Taking his hand they walked outside to the backyard where the sun was still up. Hurrying down the steps Luhan turned around with an extended arm.

Playfully bowing he said, “May I?”

She looked at him funny before he took her hand pulling her toward him into his arms before swaying her back and forth gently.

“This place is always open for you, twenty four-seven,” Luhan tucked her head under his chin. “You know that, don’t you?”

Closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth of his broad chest she sunk in the safe haven of his arms.

Holding his back she replied, “I know.”

“Good,” he smiled. 

***Sometimes, you need to feel like you're in a safe place before you can venture out again. 

***Everything comes at a price. In order to be with Sehun, Namjoo will have to face up to her fears and challenge Sehun's mother. Ki Hoon will have to get hurt in the process. Despite her escape, nothing comes easy for her. Everything to be thrown at her will be Sehun, Sehun, Sehun until she realizes she can't run anymore. Hayoung will play a big role in putting her on the right track again, but it's going to hurt everyone painfully. We can only imagine how heartbroken Luhan & Ki Hoon will be when they have to separate.

***To be completely honest, I felt most sad when I wrote out Hayoung's part. Sehun never realized the depth of her emotions nor acknowledged it. 

***Oh, and the money Luhan's mother threw at Sehun's mother was the money Luhan's parents came up with to pay back the money Namjoo accepted for her father's surgery; and that's a LOT of money. For them to do that means Namjoo is very important to them.