Maroon 5 - Maps

http://listenonrepeat.com/?v=Y7ix6RITXM0#Maroon_5_-_Maps

In the previous chapter ...

"That ing bastard. He lied," Luhan crushed the letter with his palm, while spinning around. He was about to march off towards the exit, when Yoona asked," Are you sure you have no idea what is going on?" 

The doed-eyed male glanced over his shoulder, and his friends cringed for a second at the sight of Luhan's flaring eyes. "If you think that I am collaborating with Yixing to lie to everyone here, no. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I do know that idiot is going to die." 

"Luhan, don't do anything rash. Trust in him, he said he will be back." 

Luhan then turned around, and shouted," Trust him? You want me to trust my own best friend, who can't even do anything to protect himself from his family? How do you want me to trust him when he is alone, and he doesn't have anyone with him. I trust him, but I can't trust that he will come back in a new way. H-He ne-" 

"I know, we know but you need to control," Kyungsoo walked over to Luhan, and held his hand. "It is hard for you, but this time, let's trust Yixing. We believe that he will come back, so please, Luhan-ah, don't cry." 

The male then collasped into Kyungsoo's embrace, while allowing his tears to flow. Clutching his fist tightly, he then thought silently,' Please, please let Yixing to be fine. I beg you, Lord.' 

Joohyun looked at the doctor before her, Doctor Park, who was looking through the contents of a paper that is clipped to the clipboard. "Can I be discharged today, doctor?" she asked, with the high and excited tone. 

"Looking through your progress for the past few days, I can assure you that you are ready to be discharged. However, to ensure that the injury will not flare up that often when you are doing vigorous stuff, or things that can exert  certain amout of pressure on the injury, I will suggest or  advise you to come back to this hospital at least twice a week, and to go for therapy sessions. Ever since you began to start the therapy, I can see the progress in your shoulder but, Miss.Joo, it takes time and patience so please do not further injure yourself." 

Joohyun let out a relieved smile when she heard the doctor said that, and she nodded her head," I understand, and I will do as you say. Do I need to book an appointment for the therapy sessions?" Doctor.Park shook his head, while smiling down at his patient," However, at least twice a month, please do come for a check-up to see how your injury is faring." 

"Thank you so much, Doctor.Park!" 

"Lady Joohyun, you aren't supposed to be carrying this on your own! Please pass it to the butler, and do not further strain yourself," an old man hastily chided the latter, as he reached for her small bag. Joohyun chuckled, while passing the small bag to a young butler, before facing the old man. "Butler.Lee, it has indeed been a long time since we last met, and I can't believe that we are meeting in a siituation where I am injured." 

The old man, Butler.Lee, is the oldest butlers in the family, who has been serving them for at least more than twenty years and both Mr. and Mrs.Seo trust their children into his hands whenever they are on business trips or holidays. Joohyun and Jongin were brought up under the care of Butler.Lee, who had looked after them ever since their birth, and you can say that Butler.Lee is like a seonc d father to the kids. 

"Neither can I believe it too," Butler.Lee rumbled loudly, while opening the back door of the car and gestured. "My Lady, please." "Oh my, Butler.Lee, you need not to be this formal. I should actually be doing this." 

The old man shook his head, as Joohyun boarded the car," I am afraid that I can't let you. Where do you like to go for now? School or your home?" 

"School, I need to catch up with my schoolwork. You can leave the bag at home, and on the way, just cook some food for us, please, Butler.Lee," Joohyun grinned sheepishly, as the old man took the front seat beside the driver. "Have the three of you been starving on instant noodles? I might have to send a chef down if this carries on." 

The young lady laughed, as she looked at the window with her heart thumping. She was excited to head back to school, not to see Baekhyun or what, but to surprise her friends. 

***

Luhan was sitting alone the specators' bench along the soccer field, as he leaned forward with his hands clasped together. It was not usual for Luhan to skip classes, but on the day like this, he had no mood to attend class. Looking out to the green and grassy field, he let out a small and shaky sigh while lowering his head. His mind then replayed to the scene in the morning, where the group of them were crowding around the lockers with a depressed look. 

He felt like an for not noticing Yixing's change of behaviour and everything, but it wasn't really his fault because Yixing knows how to act and not to show his emotions or his feelings to his friends. Luhan felt that he is the worst best friend on Earth, and that everything is happening to Yixing, he felt hopeless because he can't be there to support and help his friend. 

"God damn this," he growled, while swatting his bag away as it landed on the ground with a thump. Luhan was mad, he was raging not because of the way Yixing left, but because of his own attitude as Yixing's best friend. 

Luhan then thought back to the moments where Yixing and he spent most of their times togehter, playing and having fun and whenever Luhan gets into trouble, Yixing is always there with a cheeky smile, standing beside Luhan as both boys bear the punishment. Yixing has always been a good friend, but when he needed Luhan at the most precious time, the doed-eyed male was never there. 

"I am so sorry," he whispered, as he stared at his shoes with tears stinging his eyes. He felt like running after Yixing, but it was pointless. The male was already on his way back home, and he already warned Luhan not to find him unless he told him to. 

Luhan then let out a scream, a scream filled with sadness and anger before punching his hand against the seat beside him hardly. There was a crack, not from the chair, but from his clenched fist as he stared at the blood from the graze oozed out. It wasn't paniful at all, but he was crying. 

"L-Luhan?" 

The doed-eyed male froze, as he listened to the familiar voice. He blinked, while turning his head behind just to see Joohyun standing along the same row of the seats where he was. Joohyun looked at Luhan for a second, before gasping," Luhan. W-What happened?" 

"I-I-" he croaked, while staring at the girl before him. Luhan didn't understand why Joohyun was in school, and why was she carrying her normal schoolbag. She then rushed towards him, as she sat down beside him while grabbing her brusied knuckle. "What the hell did you do?" she questioned, while reaching for a tissue in her bag. 

Luhan looked at his knuckle, and replied softly," I punched the chair." Joohyun made no response, not because she had nothing to say but because she knew he had a reason to do such a thing. She then slowly dabbed the wet tissue on his graze, while stealing occasional glances at him. She couldn't understand why was he crying. 

"Are you okay? W-" Joohyun asked, when she got cut off when  a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, and a heavy chin was placed on her left shoulder. She froze, as she stared at the few empty seats before her. She then turned her head slightly," L-Luhan." 

The male then buried his face into her shoulder, while wrapping his arms tighter. "Just a minute please," he pleaded silently, as his tears spilled and permeated through Joohyun's shirt. The latter then reached her hands out, and patted Luhan's back, trying to comfort him. 

"L-Let it all out," she whispered softly, while caressing his hair as she heard him whimpered softly. Luhan then began to sob, as his shoulder shook violently and Joohyun wrapped her arms around his, while pressing her head against his shoulder. She didn't know what was going on, but all she knows was that Luhan needed her at that point of time. 

After a few minutes in that position, Luhan calmed down as he pulled away from Joohyun. "I-I'm sorry," he apologised, while rubbing his red nose while wiping away his tears. Joohyun nodded her head, while keeping her eyes on him. She couldn't understand why her heart was thumping quickly, and that, anything on her mind was about Luhan and only Luhan. 

"Are you okay?" Joohyun asked, while looking at the male, who was looking down at the conrete ground. He nodded his head, while raising his head and giving her a small smile," Thank you." 

The latter then smiled, at the sight of Luhan's usual smile even though it was a small one. She then turned her attention towards the field, while sitting silently beside Luhan. Thte both of them sat there quietly, as none of them made a sound. "Y-Yixing," he began softly, and Joohyun turned her head. 

"W-What?" 

"Yixing, he left this morning," Luhan broke shakily, while keeping his gaze on the field. She then frowned slightly," I know, he told us, didn't he? He will be back in a week." 

Luhan then chuckled softly, and also, bitterly," That ing rascal lied." Joohyun furrowed her eyebrows, not because he used crude words but because she was confused by his words. What did he meant that Yixing lied.. 

"He said he will be in a week, but actually, he won't. He might be gone for more than a month or something because of his damn family who wants him back all of a sudden. He told me that it was going to be a small event, and that he will be back. However, it turns out to be more than that. His family wants him back because something screwed up, or his sister decided to officially and finally get rid of him." 

Joohyun then frowned deeper,"I-I don't get it. I mena, why will his family treat him like this? I don't think that's why, s-" 

"You don't know him enough. I am his best friend ever since his four, and I can still remember the time when he ran to my house in tears, and bare-footed. He cried in my arms, when we were 4, saying that he wanted to run away because his family didn't want him. J-Joohyun-ah, I feel that I am probably the worst best friend ever. Y-Y-Yixing has always been there for me through the hard and good times, but when he needs me the most right now, I can't go and find him." 

The latter then reached her hand out, and interwined her fingers around Luhan's," I am sure that Yixing will thank you for caring for him, even though you two aren't beside one another. You can always fly over, and find him and protect him." 

"He doesn't want me to. It is because of one stupid promise that we made when we were young. We made this oath that when we grow up, we will break free from everything and become a new person, a new us. Because of that damn oath, he went back and told me not to go after him because he wants to come back to Seoul as a new Yixing." 

Joohyun then squeezed his hand reassuringly, as he carried on to speak," B-But the thing is that Yixing's sister hates him alot, and might just get rid of him there. I-I-" Luhan began to choke on his words again, as tears flowed down from his eyes. It was her first time seeing Luhan broke down in such a state, and she automatically wrapped her arms around him while pulling him closer to him. 

"I don't know what to say to make you feel better, but everytime I cry, you have always been there for me. I might not find the right words, but I hope that my presence here can comfort you. I am sure that Yixing wants you to know that he can get through this, and he wants you to support him from here. Even though you don't know what might happened to him, just remember that he wants you to not give up and to also, cheer him on. Because, that oath the both of you made, you two have became brothers and brothers support one another. You are not the worst best friend ever, and I can tell you that you are one of the greatest friends that anyone could ever have. Look, I don't really know what is going on, but through this moment just, I know that Yixing is going through a hard time and he needs you, but he also needs to complete this alone. Luhan-ah, even though you aren't there beside him, your heart is. He can know, and he will always know that you are there." 

She then patted his back gently, while listening to his silent cries. Joohyun looked down at the sobbing boy in her embrace, and she felt her heart shattering. It wasn't that kind of shattering of sympathy, but there was something more than that. Luhan had always been her pillar ever since then, and now, she got to be his. 

"Where the did you go? Do you know that everyone has been looking for you? Look, you aren't the only one who is disappointed or hurt here, okay. I am, we are all. Skipping class isn't going to make things different, it isn't going to change things. Don't be an , you rascal," Chanyeol grabbed Luhan's collar, and jerked forward while shoving him towards the locker. 

The other students widened their eyes in surprise. Joohyun, along with the other students, widened her eyes in horror, as she watched the scene before her. Chanyeol then tightened his grip on Luhan’s collar tightly, while snarling furiously,” You aren’t the only one here, who is hurt in the inside. Everyone is, so stop acting like a ing wimpy kid trying to gain all our sympathy so that you can get away with everything. You knew, you knew that this was going to happen but you said nothing about it!”

“Chanyeol, god, please, just let him go! Both of you can talk through this,” Joohyun stepped in, as she placed her hand on the tight grip. The tallest male then jerked it away, while glaring at Luhan, who was standing there with a dazed look. Without any further hesitation, Chanyeol threw a punch across the male, causing him to sprawl across the floor.

Joohyun let out a cry, along with some other female students. Chanyeol then exclaimed,” You are a big coward, what kind of friend are you? H-He eve-“

“Shut the up, Park Chanyeol. You don’t know anything, so just shut the up. I know, skipping classes to gain sympathy is what you see of me today, but you ing don’t know anything. You think that I know about this all along, and skipped classes just to put on an act, but let me tell you something. I don’t know nothing about this, and I knew about today. If you think that I knew about it, then go ahead and call me names. At least, I don’t hide behind chairs and tables and try to push thoughts of him away. I ing face the fact that he isn’t here anymore. I know that running away is a stupid, and a action but look,, I am also trying to figure things out,” Luhan spat the blood out, while staggering to his feet.

Joohyun then ran towards him, while supporting him. “S-Stop, please. Don’t make a scene here. You will be caught and punishments are severe.”

“I know that you hate me like hell, so just hate. I don’t give a damn, because I am worried for Yixing, and I don’t want anything to happen to him. You don’t even know him well, that few three years of friendship is nothing compared to our decade friendship. Don’t act like you know everything, you bastard,” the doed-eyed male hissed, while clenching his fist. He was mad, he was angry and he wanted to rage but he couldn’t. Joohyun doesn’t like it, and so does Yixing, but Chanyeol pushing him to the limits.

The taller male then roared, while lunging at Luhan and shoved him towards the ground and threw a few punches across the male’s face. Joohyun then scrambled towards them, as she grabbed Chanyeol’s right hand from hitting Luhan. However, she was thrown to the side as the taller male shoved her aside hardly, causing her to hit her shoulder against the locker.

“Ouch,” she groaned, while holding her right shoulder. Her right shoulder began to feel numb for a second, and then, came the excruciating pain that hit her. Joohyun can feel her tears stinging, and was about to crawl towards the two boys, when someone placed his or her hands on her shoulder.

She lifted her head just to see Sooyeon, with a worried face as she crouched down beside the younger latter,” Are you okay? God, what happened?”

“S-Stop them, please,” Joohyun mumbled, while fighting back against the pain. Just as Sooyeon was about to reply her, a loud bang rang through the hallway, and everyone gasped out loudly.

Joohyun turned her head, just to see Kyungsoo pinning Chanyeol to the lockers with a tight grasp as he controlled the squirming boy. Jongdae then rushed to support Luhan, whose face was badly bruised, as he staggered to his feet with slight trouble.

“What the hell. Park Chanyeol, what the hell do you think you are doing? We promise to talk things out, talk but not fighting and furthermore, he is your friend!” Kyungsoo snapped in annoyance, as the taller male growled. “He is no friend of mine.”

Jongdae glared at Chanyeol for a second, before looking at Luhan,” Hey, are you okay? Your face, let’s take you to the nurse.” Just as the male was about to bring Luhan to the school’s nurse, the male stopped him by staring at Joohyun. 

“H-Her,” he croaked weakly, while wiping the blood that was oozing out from his lips. Jongdae turned to look, just to see tears flowing down Joohyun’s face. He then looked at Luhan, who was still coughing but his gaze strongly fixated on Joohyun.

Kyungsoo glanced at the female, who was in tears and also, in pain before facing Chanyeol,” That wasn’t cool. We promised no fighting, and worse, you injured her, you ing idiot. What the hell were you thinking? S-S-“ The shorter male was trying to find words to yell at Chanyeol, but at the sight and the memory of Joohyun in the hospital and her teary eyes, he didn’t know what to say anymore. He was not the one going through the pain, but he can feel it.

“J-Joo, are you okay?” Sooyeon whispered, while looking around the crowd as she hoped that Yifan will appear. The latter then nodded her head, while looking at Luhan through her teary eyes,” B-Bring him to the nurse, please.”

Sooyeon then looked at Jongdae, with the badly-beaten Luhan, and she called out,” The nurse, now.” Jongdae understood, as he went against the male’s protests, while bringing him towards the direction of the school’s nurse.  

“Soo, what the hell happened?”

Sooyeon turned around, and let out a relieved sigh. “Not the moment now, Yifan. C-Carry her to the nurse. She hit her shoulder against the locker, again.”

***

Luhan’s eyes fluttered open and he looked around him. He was facing the white ceiling, which was staring back at him. He wanted to make a face, but his cheeks were numb and too weak to make a face. He then turned around to get a feel of his surroundings, when he spotted a familiar figure’s head lying against his hand.

“J-Joohyun,” he whispered softly, while reaching out to pat her head. Just then, the latter shifted and the next thing Luhan knew, she was also awake.

She then held his hand,” Luhan, you finally woke up.”

“W-Where am I?”

Joohyun then gave a small smile,” In the nurse’s office. You went blank the moment you entered the room, and she bandaged the bruises. Please do not do such a thing ever again.”

“Fainting?”

“No. Provoking your friend with words. That is the most stupid thing you ever done. Did you even think about the consequences? See, this is what happened. You made me worried for a moment, and even your friends, and an-“

Luhan cracked a smile, while looking at his crush before him,” You are worried for me.”

“Who wouldn’t be? Everyone was. Do you know how badly you got beaten up?” Joohyun questioned back, while looking at the male. She then sighed, while reaching and touching his left cheek. He then winced slightly, and he asked,” Did he smashed my face that badly?”

Joohyun rolled her eyes, before pulling her hand away as she reached for a glass of water. “Yes, he did. C-Can you drink water?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Just then, the room’s door opened and both heads turned to see Jongdae, Kyungsoo and Yoona standing at the entrance. “Luhan,” Kyungsoo let out a sigh of relief, as he threw his arms around the male, crushing him with a tight hug.

“O-Ow. I can’t breathe,” Luhan gasped slightly, as Kyungsoo loosened his grasp. The wide-eyed boy then grinned, while staring at his friend,” You are alive.”

Jongdae then scoffed at his best friend’s stupidity,” Of course he is, idiot. That few punches wouldn’t had killed him in the end. Look at him, still in one fine piece and you worried for nothing. That tears should have been saved for the day you debut, you idiot.”

“You cried?” Luhan asked, as he chuckled while Kyungsoo attacked Jongdae. Yoona then laughed, while wrapping her arms around Joohyun’s shoulder,” How about you? Are you okay?”

Joohyun nodded her head, while smiling,” I am fine, there is nothing to worry.” “What happened to her?”

“Chanyeol kind of shoved her away, and she hit her right shoulder against the locker.”

Luhan stared at Joohhyun, and then at Kyungsoo,” Where the hell is that idiot?” He then removed the blanket, when Joohyun held him back.

“It isn’t his fault. I can swear on that, he didn’t mean to hurt me. He just wanted to teach you a lesson, and he is sorry. Please, don’t,” she pleaded as she stared into Luhan’s eyes. The male hesitated for a moment, before nodding his head. 

Yoona then smiled,” Come on, Joo. Let’s head out for a while, and get some air. Furthermore, we can go get food. The guys can stay here.” She then led Joohyun out of the nurse’s room, while the other three guys stood there in silence.

“Are you sure you don’t know anything about this?” Jongdae asked, breaking the silence as Luhan looked at the two males. He then sighed,” You’ll won’t believe me, but I honestly had no idea. He said he is going for a week, for some event or something. He said he will be back, but this is a totally surprise. I know nothing about it, and that I can swear.”

Kyungsoo then nodded his head,” I trust him for this. Among all of us, he understands Yixing the best and he believes the latter. Looking at him, I think Yixing really didn’t tell anyone and lied from us. Luhan is a victim.”

“Chanyeol honestly has a problem with his anger.  He got to control that.”

Luhan then asked,” What is going on? Like, with Chanyeol and the others.”

“Yifan wants to kill him.”

Kyungsoo then smacked his friend on the head, before facing Luhan,” That is bull. They are trying to make Chanyeol apologise, but that hot-headed boydecided to not give up on his pride and insists that he is correct when the truth is that he isn’t.”  

[ A/N ] hello everyone, so yes, anotherchapter. so, i am really thankful to those who have been subscribing and stuff and i know that my updates aren't that frequent because recently, i have been hooked on to manga, and anime to get some ideas so haha. thank you to those who have been subscribing, and i hope that my other stories will also gain such a great response! 

wishing all of you guys a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! i am going for a trip overseas, so now updates till monday :) 

_insanegirl_