Luhan’s POV

“I am sorry; I cannot do more than this.” The words echoed in my head all the way back to our house. The bank man hadn’t been able to unfreeze my assets without a court order, and I could not go to court against my father again. There was no way. I parked the car and Mirae got out, though I didn’t move. I just sat with my eyes fixed on the steering wheel. We were going to have to sell the house. It was worth millions, so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was my feelings: I did not want to sell the house. I wanted to have it, live in it. Not for my own personal satisfaction but as a reminder that my parents did love me, did care for me and did think of me. I glanced at my watch, seeing that it was four in the afternoon. My father had to be at work. I bit my lip and restarted the engine. Mirae, who stood on the steps, turned around. I saw how her eyebrows furrowed and she said something which I obviously couldn’t hear. With a loud growl from the engine, I reversed and drove down the street. I stopped outside my parents’ house and stared up at it. Once it had been my home, but I knew it would change if my father and I went our seperate ways. My poor mother, whom I loved so dearly, wouldn’t even have a say if one of us didn’t give it to her. This was exactly what I was planning to do now; I would give my mother the right to tell me what she felt, what she went around thinking about, but after I had taken what belonged to me. I stepped out of the car and made my way up to the house. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I picked it up, looking down at the picture of Mirae and turned it off. I rang the doorbell and waited until it opened. I expected one of our maidens to open, so I wasn’t prepared to see my mother’s face. “M-Mother?”

“Oh, my boy!” she exclaimed and locked me in her embrace. I could hear her sniffle and took a step inside to close the door behind us. Why was my mother crying? Where were all the maidens? Had she been sitting here by herself? I looked around the hallway, noticing how not even one lamp was lit. I buried my face into my mother’s shoulder and tightened the hug around her. After a while she pulled away and took my face in between her hands. I saw the wetness on her cheeks and instantly felt bad. Had I done this to her?

“M-Mother... I’m sorry. I-”

“My dear boy, you don’t need to apologise for anything. You did what you had to do,” she cut in. “I am so proud of you for standing up to your father. What he did is unforgivable and I am so, so sorry I couldn’t stand by your side. I wish I could’ve been a good mother to you but-”

“Mother, stop. I don’t want to hear this. You’ve been the best mother any child could ask for. It’s me who should apologise. I never realised how much love you had for me. A boy often looks to his father to be there for him. Please, mother, don’t cry. I’ve had enough of that. I just want to be happy and laugh and smile instead of feeling tormented every single day!”

“My little boy feels that?” my mother wondered worriedly.

“Not because of you, mother. Everything else. For the things I did to my friends, to Mirae, to Sehun... I think about it so much it doesn’t let me be happy around them, not as happy as I want to be. But now is not the time to speak of that, I need your help.” My mother’s hand grabbed mine tightly.

“Anything, my son, anything. Tell me.” I led her to my father’s study room and turned to her.

“Father has frozen my assets, all of them. I need you to unfreeze them so that I can send the money over to Mirae’s account. Her parents have no access to her account.”

“Ah, I understand. Your father put your account to flow through the company’s security system first, didn’t he?” I nodded. My mother lowered her head. I could see that she felt guilty for going behind my father’s back and doing something she wasn’t allowed. I could only hope that she loved me enough to help me out this final time. “Han, I will give you the password and in exchange I want you and Mirae to talk to your father and solve this once and for all. You cannot hold grudges towards him for the rest of your life! It will destroy the both of you and I will not have it!” She had raised her voice, almost sounding desperate in her tone. I thought back on what Mirae had told me the other evening; it had been nearly identical to my mother’s request. If I secure the money, he can’t touch me even if it all goes to hell. Worth a shot then I guess.

“As you wish, mother. Give me the password and leave me in here for a while. You can call Mirae and ask her to come here. I will try my best. I promise.” My mother smiled and caressed my cheek. She led me to the desk and took out a key from behind one of the flowers on the bureau and open