The sun illuminates the house with a bright glow as Seunghyun walks into the living room, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His steps are light as he sneaks toward the couch where Chaerin has curled up into a midday nap. She snores slightly, leaning against the arm of the couch with a novel loosely gripped in her hand. He crouches in front of her, taking a moment to study her sleeping features.

He carefully takes the book from her and places it on the coffee table. With a gentle caress he moves a strand of hair from her face and her cheek. He cautiously looks around the room before leaning down to softly kiss her lips. Her eyes flutter open at the sensation and she peeks up at him through her lashes, a sleepy smile on her face.

“It’s starting to get warmer, would you like to go on a short hike with me before dinner to get some fresh air?” He asks her, nuzzling her nose sweetly and tangling her fingers with his own. “I want to walk with you hand in hand.”   

“You’re being very affectionate today.” She observes with a small yawn, her body still curled up on the couch from her afternoon nap.

“I had a dream about you.” He kisses her lightly on the forehead. “We were walking in the forest and you looked so beautiful in the sun. I’d like to see that with my own eyes.”

“Alright, alright. We’ll go.” She laughs as she slowly sits up, her cheeks pink and hot at his words.

As they laces up their boots by the door, Chaerin looks up to see Hayi walking down the stairs.

“My homework is done!” The high school student announces triumphantly before peering at the two adults curiously. “Where are you going?”

“We’re going for a hike to see some of the scenery in the snow before it melts tomorrow.” Chaerin answers with a smile, tying her laces into neat bows.

Hayi frowns and nods before her face suddenly lights up.

“Can I join?”

“We were just about to leave.” Chaerin says hesitantly, looking over at Seunghyun and sighing. “If you go hurry and get ready soon you can come with us!”

“It’s almost spring, isn’t it?” Hayi asks, hopping up on a snow bare rock off the path.

The air is crisp as it hits their lungs, unlike the cold and biting weather they had been having. The mountains are covered with snow but the sun shines obstinately in the afternoon sky, determined to melt the fields of white around them. Seunghyun and Chaerin walk behind Hayi, staying to the worn path that had carved by villagers for centuries.

“Not for another month.” Seunghyun answers with an amused chuckle, eyeing her carefully though he knows she grew up jumping on these rocks. “You’ll be on vacation from school soon, won’t you? We’ll have to go on an adventure.”

“Do you mean it?” Hayi asks in excitement, getting down from the rock to walk with Seunghyun and her sister on the path again.

“You should probably spend that time studying.” Chaerin adds, patting Hayi’s back as the younger girl glares up at her. “Don’t give me that look, you’re the one who wants to go to university.”

“Unnie, you’re too cruel.” Hayi sighs dramatically, causing Seunghyun to laugh behind her.

“If you go to university you’ll be able to get a good job. It’s not like it used to be, more women are going to school now.” He reassures her lamely.

“Dad sent aside tuition money so one of us should use it.” Hayi says matter-of-factly. “Did you go to school, oppa? You didn’t, right?”

“I did go. I went to a music school in Paris while Mr. Lee taught me outside of classes.”

“I didn’t know that.” Chaerin says, looking at him in surprise.

“I can’t tell you everything about me.” He winks. “I’m a mysterious man.”

Hayi jumps back onto a large stone along the path, moving from rock to rock as she goes ahead of the pianist and her sister.

“What job do you have, oppa?” Hayi asks, balancing on a thinner rock. “You don’t have one, right? Chaerin doesn’t have one but our father gives her an allowance for taking care of the house.”

“I’m a pianist.” He answers her gruffly, causing Chaerin to laugh.

“It doesn’t seem like he does much, does it, Hayi?” Chaerin giggles as Seunghyun playfully hits her arm in revenge.

“What do you mean? I do chores, I help you cook meals and clean!” He defends himself with a pout. “I do a lot.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Chaerin apologizes sweetly, rubbing his shoulder in reassurance. She looks over at Hayi and her eyes widen as she watches the younger girl slip while jumping to another rock. “Hayi!”

Chaerin runs to her, making sure she hadn’t hit her head as she fell. She checks her sister’s ankle for swelling and bruising as Hayi whimpers in pain.

“It’s swollen, did she sprain her ankle?” Seunghyun asks in concern.

“I think so.” Chaerin bites her lip in concern, wiping pained tears from her little sister’s eyes. “Hayi, why weren’t you careful?”

“I’m sorry.” Hayi mumbles through tears. “Unnie, it hurts.”

“I know, I know.” Chaerin sighs, helping Hayi up to her feet, leaning heavily against her. “We’ll have to alternate carrying her, it’s too far for only one of us to do it.”

“I’ll carry her first.” He offers, hoisting the young girl onto his back, careful not to jostle her injured leg.

As they make their way back to the house, Seunghyun stops suddenly.

“What is it?” Chaerin asks, standing next to him closely because he wouldn’t let her take turns carrying Hayi. She follows his line of sight and is for the first time in her life relieved to see Kwon Jiyong as he drives up closer to them.

“Hayi, are you hurt?” Jiyong shouts out from his open window until he finally stops near them. He gets out of the car and runs up to them.

“It’s her ankle.” Seunghyun answers him as Hayi tries her best to stop her tears for the sake of her pride and hatred toward Jiyong.

“Let me check it.” Jiyong immediately offers. “I can drive you to the hospital.”

“You’re not a real doctor!” Chaerin scoffs but Jiyong doesn’t look up as he carefully unlaces Hayi’s boot, checking her ankle and then running his hand along the sole of her foot.

“I do need to take her to the hospital. She’s lost circulation in her foot, it’s worse than a simple sprain.” Jiyong says urgently, opening up the car door and helping Seunghyun get Hayi into the backseat.

Chaerin’s prickly mood softens after Hayi is seen by a real doctor and patched up at the hospital. She sits by Hayi’s bedside, holding onto her hand and squeezing it gently.

“I’m sorry, Hayi.” Chaerin apologizes quietly and Hayi shakes her head, tears in her eyes.

“No, I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” Hayi chokes out. “I’ve been so lonely, I wanted to spend time with you. I just missed my sister.”

“I’m so sorry, Hayi, I’ve been bad.” Chaerin leans over and hugs her in her bed. “I love you so much, you’re my world.”

She looks up to see Seunghyun and Jiyong speaking to each other around the corner and feels angry at herself for being helpless. Hayi was hurt because of her and she almost didn’t accept help because she was too petty. Her expression softens when she sees how the two men smile and laugh together like children, pure and harmless.

She’s the only one holding onto the past.

“Thank you, and I’m sorry, Kwon Jiyong.” She says reluctantly after the two men had joined them. “The doctor said the problem could have been really bad if left untreated.”

“No, I’m sorry, Chaerin.” He apologizes sincerely, bowing to her as she looks at him surprise. “For everything, I’m so sorry.”

“You saved my sister so we’re even.” Chaerin smiles. Her wounds won't be healed immediately, her grudges won't be solved that night, but she knows it's time she started to let go. Jiyong seemed to genuinely want to change and show another side of himself. If Seunghyun respected him, there had to be something good.

Lee Soohyuk sits waiting in the living room when they return to the house. Seunghyun and Jiyong carry Hayi to her room before Jiyong excuses himself, still feeling awkward in the house he'd been kicked out of. Chaerin goes to make tea in the kitchen as Soohyuk pulls the other pianist away to the piano room to speak privately.

By the time the water is done boiling, the two pianists walk over to Chaerin.

“Thank you for making tea but I’ll actually be going now.” Soohyuk says with a strange expression, nodding his head in apology. “I need to go to Wu Yifan’s.”

He leaves after giving Seunghyun an excited handshake turned into an awkward and enthusiastic hug.

“What was that about?” Chaerin asks quietly, never having seen Lee Soohyuk behave that way before.

Seunghyun sighs, wrapping his long arms around her body. He rests his chin on her shoulder as he slumps against her back. He pulls away as they hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

“Meet me in the piano room tonight.” He whispers to her. “I need to talk to you.”

When everyone is sleeping Chaerin waits for the soft sound of Seunghyun’s door as he goes downstairs. She quietly follows behind him, down the stairs, through the hallway and into the piano room with mouse like steps.

“I’m sorry.” He apologizes suddenly in a whisper, holding her body closely to his own. “I’m so sorry.”

“What is it?” She looks up him in confusion, searching his eyes in the dark. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m going to Paris with Soohyuk and Yifan.” He tells her quietly and she pulls away from his embrace to look at him.

“Is that what you two spoke about today?” She asks in a calm voice.

“Yes.” He admits, almost ashamed. “But it’ll only be until April.”

“April?” She asks miserably.

“I’ll miss you everyday.” He promises, leaving kisses on her forehead, on her cheeks, her nose, and then her lips.

“Just forget about me.” She sighs as he pulls her back into a tight embrace. “Don’t miss me, don’t think about me at all. Don’t even come back, just stay there.”

“Should I?” He muses with a smirk, her hair as she buries her head into his chest.

---

Author's Note: Thank you for everyone who has read and subscribed! I know this chapter is a little shorter than usual but I really wanted to get this posted and felt this was the best place to end. So is Seunghyun really leaving? What will it be like when he's gone? Will he return? We'll find out next chapter, lots of changes and things to look forward to! As always, comments and questions are appreciated, I love to hear feedback!