Believing that Ki Hoon would be asleep for another half hour, Namjoo led Hayoung down an alley between the houses nearby. Chipped pieces of the buildings lay on the ground in rumbles and Namjoo had to step over them carefully in order not to trip or fall forward. At the end of the passageway was a thicket of trees on the top of a hill deeply curving downward. So far as Namjoo knew, no one had tried going down the steep hill where branches and other rocks were set as spikes.

Right at the peak of the curve some students had dug and built a few intelligent stairways where they could sit and smoke secretly. Namjoo had heard the report about it after the cops busted them. This was where she plopped down quietly and waited for Hayoung to do the same.  

Wild grass and strange plants she’d never seen before busied themselves around the trees, covering the area in a typical green. Namjoo twisted her wrist over to glance at the time.

“I have some things to get to,” Namjoo explained, “I can only give you ten minutes.”

Without saying anything Hayoung took to the empty spot beside her and dug inside her bag. A juice box was offered to her a second later.

“I often carry it around as a treat,” she told, “would you like one?”

Namjoo shook her head. Firmly pressing her lips together Hayoung stuck it back into her bag and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“My name’s Hayoung,” she introduced herself, “you’re Namjoo, right?”

There was a slight pause. Namjoo felt her jaws tense up.

“Sehun,” she started then stopped herself in case she might say something unnecessary, “he told me about you. He didn’t say a lot, but he always said good things about you. And I don’t think I got to know the real Sehun until you came along.”

Namjoo wanted to say something spiteful; wondering if she was reminiscing in front of her on purpose. If this was to make her feel guilty, Namjoo wanted to tell her not to worry. She would have nothing to do with Sehun. Whatever it took; she’d find some way to disappear.

“Sehun has never been happy. He doesn’t have anyone to talk to and there’s no one to understand him. His mother is a businesswoman who doesn’t know anything about childrearing. Her specialties lay in trade and meeting rooms. She’s not there to comfort him like you are for Ki Hoon. Sehun is a lonely person. He doesn’t know anyone, but the few he’s let into his world. I think you’re the only one who’s been there.”

“Namjoo, I want to take you somewhere.”

They were sitting in her small home with their homework spread across a table. As usual they were supposed to be studying, but Sehun was only talking.

“Where?” Namjoo turned around with the eraser of his pencil tucked against her teeth.

Sehun let out a shout before snatching the pencil, “Don’t eat my pencil!”

Ignoring his complaint she shifted around hooking her arms around his neck.

“So, where are we going?” She smiled into his ear.

“You’ll come with me then, right?”

Namjoo raised her brow, smirking mischievously.

“You little,” placing a hand at the back of her head he held her for a long kiss. In both their hearts they knew they’d go to wherever it was he wanted to take her. She didn’t need to confirm her answer and Sehun didn’t need to hear it. They felt it in both their hearts with the trust they shared.

She never found out exactly where it was he’d wanted to take her. She never met up with him that day because her father was admitted to the hospital. The memory triggered a burn in her heart and Namjoo barely laughed underneath her breath when the hot tears scourged her eyes.

It burned…really bad.

That day started everything…

“I broke off the engagement,” Hayoung’s voice reentered her ears, “so that Sehun could come find you. Just once…I want him to be happy. He loves you, he really loves you.”

Her voice shook a little and Namjoo spitefully smiled as a tear she couldn’t suppress dropped down her face.

“I’m sorry,” Namjoo sarcastically apologized, reaching a hand up to wipe the tear. “Who are you again? Why are we talking about this?”

The pursed lips of the woman sitting beside her fell apart as she became speechless. Turning away slightly dazed and remorseful for having come out she trudged back to the house.

“He loves you, he really loves you.”

The words went round and round inside her head till she had to drop the knife in her hand to rub her face. Namjoo was currently prepping for dinner so that she could give Luhan what she’d promised, but she couldn’t focus. Her chest hurt and she couldn’t breathe correctly. It felt like she was walking with half her body submerged in water. Even a doctor wouldn’t be able to drill her parts back into place.

Closing her eyes she heaved a deep breath to steady herself. Silence penetrated her atmosphere and she felt nothing for a moment. The pulse in her neck drummed against her skin loudly and she heard herself easing a breath in and out deeply.

The memories mentally pained her. The more they entered her mind, the more she thought about Sehun. The more she thought about Sehun, the more it stabbed her heart like arrows at a dartboard. And Namjoo knew she still hurt because of Sehun.

She hated it.

Her eyes opened at the knock on the door and she turned to stare at it.

There was another knock and she heard, “Namjoo?”

Relieved that it was Luhan she hurried toward it and met with his smile.

Lifting a bag up he said, “I bought some treats.”

Easily smiling she let him in and turned to see him searching around.

“Where’s Ki Hoon?”

“Knocked out.”

“Really? Did you two do something?”

Luhan, as always, looked dominantly cheery. In his presence she always felt calm and security. And it was always that that lured her back to him and his home. Nowhere else would she discover these feelings offered to her without a price.

Her face unconditionally broke before she stepped forward to hug him. The warmth and comfort there enveloped her when she leaned her head against him.

A surprised gasp escaped him before he held her back, “I didn’t expect a greeting like this.”

Suddenly feeling better she broke out into a short laugh, “I missed you.”

“Is that why you haven’t started dinner?”

Withdrawing from him she managed a guilt driven smile before they turned at the sound of footsteps. Ki Hoon brightened up when he saw Luhan and immediately ran forward to hug his legs. Namjoo subconsciously thought she’d never see this picture with Sehun when Ki Hoon was frightened of him.

“Hey,” Luhan happily chuckled and bent down to greet him. “I heard you were sleeping.”

Ki Hoon smiled explaining right away, “Nice Man said we go play. I don’t know Nice Man. Mommy send me away, b…but Nice Man come with. We eat ice cream and come home.”

Luhan smiled positively at Ki Hoon before turning around to look at her for help to explain what it was Ki Hoon just told him. Namjoo dodged his eyes at first before clasping her hands in front of her. She didn’t want to tell Luhan about Sehun or his girlfriend who’d stopped by.

She hated thinking back to it.

“Just…Sehun stopped by to spend some time with Ki Hoon,” Namjoo went on making sure to take a deep breath to steady herself, “and Ki Hoon just managed to…”

He reached out to grab her arm to stop her, having seen the discomfort there and smiled comfortingly, “You can stop.”

Luhan turned to Ki Hoon and asked, “Go play with your toys, ok? Han Han is going to help mommy with dinner.”

Ki Hoon glanced up at her before nodding and turned to run back into his bedroom. When he was out of sight Luhan turned back to her.

“Are you ok?”

Namjoo debated for a long time for what answer to give, but instead thought that he knew her too well by now. A lie in this state would be meaningless.

“No.”

Pressing a hand against her face and running his fingers through her hair he smiled comfortingly again before hugging her. Just like that day at the police station, safety beckoned for her against his neck where she hid her face.

+++

Like a prisoner in the back seat, Sehun stared out the window at the yard he hadn’t seen since the last visit. This time it felt like this greenery would greet him every morning. It was a nightmare come alive to be dragged back here like this. He couldn’t bear the thought that someone had gone through his belongings.

What had been done to his pictures of Namjoo? What had been done to the letters they passed back and forth for fun? What had been done to the little handmade gifts he’d received from her?

Who had touched them and how roughly had they been stashed into boxes? Those few items were more valuable than his life. Sehun was just upset that someone had touched his memories of Namjoo.

When the car finally came to a stop Sehun impatiently opened the door without waiting for the Chauffeur to unlock it. Without further comment he started up the steps to find his mother, wherever she was.

He, unlike his father, simply dismissed the fact that she was the power holder in the house. He, unlike his father, wasn’t afraid of his mother.

Not anymore.

“I knew you’d come,” his mother spoke; her back to him, an elbow propped up on the table, and a wine glass in front of her.

He used to think the curls around her head were pretty, but now they were just salon work done for a few hundred dollars each morning. Sehun now preferred casual hair left drifting down one’s shoulder or hair tied back. The simplicity of such styling appealed to him more as he grew older.

“What do you want?”

“Don’t you know the answer very well yourself?”

“You have no right to touch my stuff.”

His mother snorted before she turned around. She twisted around to look at him, her face done in a mask of heavy foundation and lipstick.

“The engagement has been pushed up to two weeks from now,” she coolly told, “you’re not allowed to leave this house if it’s not to meet Hayoung or to finish your engagement planning. I will have the guards out and the maids will ring me and your father if you try anything funny.”

Their gazes met and stuck, Sehun refusing to back down from her heavy glare.

“You’re going to get married to Hayoung,” his mother profusely stated underneath her breath strictly. “Hayoung, Oh Hayoung will be the only wife I will allow for you to have.”

“I’m not doing it.” Sehun stubbornly stated.

“Try me,” his mother stood, shifting around to continue shooting at him her laser eyes. “Try bringing anyone else into this home and just see what I will do.”

Though Sehun wanted to laugh at her, he knew she meant it. That guise of business in her face meant she would keep her words and she’d do just that. There was no use in arguing with her, but he was still adamant that the engagement would not go on. There was absolutely no chance in the world that he would wed anyone else, but Namjoo. He was going to take back his son and who should be his wife. In all, his mother didn’t need to know. What use was telling her?

Spinning around on his feet he trudged down the hall unable to stand the sight of her and her ways. Chauffeur Kim was standing by the foot of the stairs when he neared, but Sehun didn’t plan on stopping to talk with him. As he passed, the Chauffeur still reached out for his arm in a friendly manner.

Forced to come to a stop Sehun lifted his up from the ground darkly, but refused to look at him. The Chauffeur was one of his mother’s henchmen. It was impossible to trust anyone.

“I hid your pictures in a box inside your clothes,” he quietly whispered, “I made sure your mother wouldn’t see them.”

Lightly gritting his teeth he pulled away and started up the stairs to his room where he found a few fat boxes stacked up. As soon as the door closed after him he hurried forward to rip the boxes open in search of his memories. The sound of tape ripping folded into the air before he threw his clothes out and found the box as promised.

Relieved, he felt his heart tremble. Slowly reaching a hand out he lifted the small box up, setting the cover aside, and smiled immediately when a picture of him and Namjoo appeared. They were there…everything was there. Nothing had been misplaced.

Without dinner he lay alone on his large empty bed with the moon shining in on him through his large window. While loneliness ate at him he thought of the nights when Namjoo lay bundled up beside him. The light weight of her head by his shoulder as she slept could be felt by his arm, but when he turned it hit him hard. No one was there. Not a bit of warmth was there to offer him any comfort.

Sehun…was lonely.

Opening his lips he let a small breath sink out and thought of the way Ki Hoon had slept with his tiny head on his shoulder. If he had been there for his son at birth, what kind of things would he have experienced?

He imagined baby Ki Hoon sleeping on his chest while Namjoo tended to the house. He saw Ki Hoon learning how to crawl. He saw himself feeding Ki Hoon a bottle of milk as he lay there in his arms. He heard Ki Hoon repeating after him as he learned to talk. And he saw himself holding Ki Hoon’s hands as he taught him to walk.

While wondering these many experiences of a father he’d missed out on Sehun drifted off to sleep in his lonely room in a lonesome manner. The spot next to him remained empty and devoid of warmth all through the night.

After long hours of preparation in the morning he was forced out of bed, into the shower, and into the clothes his mother had specially prepared for him. To prevent any means of escape he was driven toward the location of the hotel where his engagement ceremony would be held with his mother beside him.

The anger and the bitterness of it burned within his chest, but Sehun held it in for now. As cliché as it would be, the hotel his mother had reserved was glamorous with sparkling lights. A huge chandelier shining with beads of diamonds hung in the center of the room over the red rich carpet. Though empty right now, tables were in planning as well as the dining and entertainment.

Sehun’s attention strayed while his mother spoke to the owner of the hotel about the expectations of the event. He didn’t want anything grand. If he were to marry, even just he and Namjoo were enough. He didn’t need an audience. He didn’t crave for applause or for a rich atmosphere with champagne, expensive food, or music. Sehun would use the wind, the chirping of birds and dance around with Namjoo. That itself was enjoyable.

Namjoo would have liked it like that too.

He awoke from his thoughts upon hearing a loud voice and turned to see Hayoung’s mother walking toward them. Her long dress trailed after her as she greeted him in a family-like manner as if he’d already married her daughter. Sehun just nodded and watched her trail past before turning to see Hayoung quietly walking toward him. He spotted loose curls in her hair and an expensive outfit at the taste of her mother’s that didn’t quite suit her casual image.

“I heard you’re back home,” Hayoung greeted.

Sehun turned away to watch the two masterminds behind their engagement talk excitedly as if this was their own wedding.

“Not for long.”

“What are you going to do?”

Sehun concealed his lips with no answer to give.

“I stopped by the Day Care this morning,” Hayoung started after a relapse of silence, “Ki Hoon’s been pulled out.”

Sehun turned to look at her surprised.

Looking into his eyes she continued to explain, “His mother withdrew his name from the registry. Has she told you about it?”

Sehun turned to look toward their mothers quietly keeping to himself. He didn’t know. Namjoo never told him anything. She wasn’t telling him anything. He really feared that Namjoo would try to run from him again. If she disappeared this time too he didn’t think he’d be able to live. Yet, if he was foolish and ran off on the spot, that wouldn’t help either.

When they finally left about an hour later Sehun obediently followed to the car; his eyes straying toward the road secretly. He played along and waited for his mom to first get into the car. In pretense he entered the car with eyes still toward the busy street on his right, waiting for the Chauffeur to start the engine. Once the car slowly started forward Sehun pushed the door open running away as fast as his legs could carry him. At this rate even his mother wouldn’t be able to chase him nor the old Chauffeur.

Behind him the car heavily braked, but the road came clearer in sight. Waving his arm out for a cab he glanced back to see his mother getting out of the car, her stare heavy on him.

+++

“You’re going to pick Namjoo up from work?” His mother questioned stepping out of the kitchen. “Why don’t you eat something first?”

“We’re going to get Ki Hoon and eat something after,” Luhan explained hurrying out of his room after changing out of his work outfit.

“Tell them to come over sometime,” his mother shouted. “I miss Ki Hoon.”

“I will!” Throwing on a jacket he started out the front door and slowly shut the door after him when he spotted an unfamiliar car parked outside of their home.

Luhan’s gaze fell on the Chauffeur dressed in a neat suit, who’d gotten out of his seat to open the back door for a woman he’d never seen before. He caught her expensive dress and the fur cloaked around her shoulders as she stood before him like a mannequin. 

***Namjoo doesn't believe Hayoung, but she's become distressed after the sudden memory. 

***Obviously Sehun isn't giving up and Hayoung will become his aid in many ways huhu~~~ 

***But now, Luhan & Sehun's mother go at it. :0

***Next chapter, Luhan & Sehun finally talk! Bwuahahahah!