I opted for knocking politely when I stood in front of Sehun’s house later that evening—a choice that I was glad I went with because it opened and it was the little lady from last time that had let me in: the housemaid known as Wei.

“Can I help you?” she asked, a bit of recognition flickering in her eyes as she looked me over.

I nodded, a bit nervous. “Is Sehun home?”

She paused for a moment before shaking her head. “He went over to his friend’s,” she answered. Right after she finished speaking, someone called from within the house. “Just a moment,” she said before closing the door.

Friend’s? Did she mean Jongin’s? I glanced around, although I couldn’t see the street from within the fence. I had no idea where Jongin lived but I guessed it was near. Was I really willing to go all the way there to return his charm? I didn’t get another moment to question myself before the door sprang back open and Wei reappeared.

“Mrs. Oh requested you to come inside and have tea while you wait for Sehun. He shouldn’t be long,” she told me, beckoning me in. I followed, although a bit unsure.

I had promised I would come back but that had mostly been a lie because I feared Sehun would crucify me if I ever came near his neighborhood ever again. My plan had been to hand the scarf and charm over to him over the threshold and take my leave. Being invited in by his mother was not part of that plan. Although I had a sort of adoration for the sweet lady, I wasn’t sure Sehun was going to take too lightly to me spending time with her. But it was too late to turn back once I was following Wei down the hallway, in the direction of the room I had been taken to last time.

Wei ushered me in and I saw Mrs. Oh sitting in the armchair by the window. She smiled broadly when she spotted me and waved me over.

“How are you?” I bowed.

Like before, she grabbed my hands and patted them. “I think you got prettier since I last saw you, Eunhui.” Her round cheeks caused her eyes to momentarily disappeared from sight as she smiled up at me.

I mumbled a small thank you, unsure of how to respond to someone complimenting me. Seeming to not have noticed my edginess, she looked to Wei.

“Go prepare some tea and then I’d like to go out to the garden. I want Eunhui to see my flowers,” she said, looking back at me like a giddy kid.

With a curt nod, Wei went out the door.

“Have a seat,” Mrs. Oh said, pointing to the chair across from her. I complied and sank into the cushion, still holding the scarf in my hand.

“Is that why you came to see Sehun?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed. “Did he give that back to you last time?”

I hadn’t expected her to remember such a detail and I stuttered for a moment before coming up with an excuse.

“Ah, he’s borrowed it so many times I decided to just let him have it.”

The  confusion disappeared and was replaced by a small smile again. “I see.” Then she excitedly patted my hands. “I can’t wait for you to see my flowers. Sehun helped plant them,” she said, a bit dreamily. “When anyone else touches them, they usually wither but he’s got such a green thumb. They always bloom so beautifully around his birthday.” She smiled proudly at me. “They’re almost as beautiful as you.”

I turned a bit red at the tips of my ears. “Home grown is better than store bought,” I commented.

“Oh, yes,” she said with a vigorous nod.

We both turned our attention towards the door when Wei returned and I paused for a moment. I stole a glance at Mrs. Oh before looking back to Wei as she rolled a wheelchair into the room. It was a moment before realization swelled inside of me and goosebumps rose on my skin. I took a deep breath, trying to mask my surprise and watched as Wei rolled the wheelchair close enough and then began to help Mrs. Oh from her chair.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I looked away as the fleece blanket that had been over her delicate legs was removed and laid over the back of the chair. Too many fleeting thoughts of curiosity, realization, and sadness washed over me at once and I felt a bit sick to my stomach. It wasn’t because I just discovered that Sehun’s mother was paralyzed but because such a beautiful and kind woman was taken over by such a dreadful thing. I had a sudden urge to burst into tears.

Then Wei had finished settling her in and Mrs. Oh helped her settle the blanket back over her legs. I composed myself and sent her a small smile when she looked up at me.

“Do you think you could push me out to the garden while Wei gets our tea?” she asked.

I stood quickly. “Yes, of course.” Brushing off my shock still, I was glad to be behind her back for a moment to compose my expression. Never would I let on about my surprise. My parents had made sure to teach me of never treating anyone differentlyt for how they looked or what condition they may have had. It never was and never was going to be my place to judge another human. Mrs. Oh was the same as everyone else.

Once I was behind the wheelchair, she directed me where to go while Wei went to get the tea. After going back down the hall and through the foyer then out of a set of more french doors set on the backside of the house, we found ourselves in a large expanse of backyard that was made up entirely of a garden. From the street, you would never be able to tell this place existed.

“Wow,” I couldn’t help but say as I pushed her down the only pathway in the garden. It led us to a round clearing, set in with grey stones, a black metal set of patio furniture stationed in the middle.

“Just push me a little closer and I’ll be fine,” she said, pointing to the space between the two chairs. I did as told as Wei came with the tea. Then I sat down across from her.

Once the tea was all poured, Mrs. Oh told Wei to go continue her work inside and not to worry about her for the moment. When she left, Mrs. Oh turned back to me after a proud look around the garden.

“Do you like flowers?” she asked, eyeing a vine of something I didn’t know the name of that hung above our heads.

I followed her line of sight. “Don’t all girls?”

Looking back at me, she gave a small laugh and nodded. “Most do, but I know some are different,” she answered.

I sat in thought for a moment as she sipped her tea. In all hones