“So I’ll put Elyna’s safety in your hands now, Suho. Please protect her,” Eric said before he left the house. Suho who was sending him to the door smiled.

            “Don’t worry, Lay. We will do our best to protect her.” Suho said assuringly. Lay smiled, before he vanished into thin air. Suho closed the door and got back into the house.

            The boys were still sitting in the living room, together with Elyna. She was petrified there since Lay got up from his seat. The boys were also confused about what they should do or say to her, so in the end, they were only whispering with each other. Suho sat down on the couch, facing both the boys and Elyna.

            “So, errmm.. welcome, Elyna. It’s not much of a home, plus it is what you can expect from a boys’ dorm, but I hope you can treat here like your place as well,” Suho smiled to her.

            Elyna nodded slowly. “T-thank you...” she whispered.

            “Err..we already discussed about it. Elyna, you can take Sehun’s room. He can stay with me and Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said. Chanyeol nodded, agreeing.

            “Great,” Suho replied. “Sehun, take Elyna inside first. Let her rest. Today must have been a long day for her.”

            “Come, let me show you the room,” Sehun stood up and escorted her to his room.

            “Ehem,” Sehun cleared his throat awkwardly. “This is my room. Sorry, it’s a little bit messy..” The room was not very big, but it is perfect for one person. A single bed was located near the window with a study desk beside it. The wall was painted blue, matched with the dark-blue bed sheet. The room was simple, decorated with posters of basketball games on the wall.

             Sehun quickly went in and picked up the shirt he threw on the floor before. “Why don’t you clean up and take a rest first... I’ll be outside if you need me... I mean, need anything.”

            Elyna nodded. After Sehun went out, Elyna was left alone in the room. Heavy sigh came out from . Now she felt lonely. Elyna leaned onto the wall and slowly slid down, like she had lost all her energy. Elyna hugged her knees. Tears started to form in her eyes and flowed down her cheek. “Elan... Mama... Papa... what should I do now?”

            In one day, she had lost her only brother. Her only family left. Her house was exploded. She had lost a place to stay.  No matter how much she hated to be at home before, because of her stepparents, that house meant a lot to her. It was her parents’ house. She grew up there. Her memories with her parents, with Elan, were all buried there. Although Lay had found her a place to stay, but until when? She couldn’t be living there forever. And with the Seeker targeting her, she could not imagine what her future will be like.

            The only thing in her mind was to return back in time. When her parents was alive. When her life was happy. When she did not have to go through this kind of things. When her only worries were whether to go out and play or to stay home watching television. She missed those times. Sigh turned into sobs before slowly it became louder.

            “Elyna, I brought you a blanket- Hey, are you okay?” Sehun peeked through the door before he ran inside when he saw Elyna was crying.

            Elyna was still weeping. Although she knew Sehun was there, Elyna could not stop crying.

            Sehun crouched down in front of her. Sehun slowly reached out and held her shoulder. “Hey,” he called her.

            Elyna slowly looked up, with tears still flowing down her cheeks.

            “I know it was hard for you. I don’t know how to comfort you, because I don’t know much. But I just want you to know this. You are not alone anymore, Elyna. You are not left to survive in this world alone,” Sehun wiped her tears with his thumb. “Now you can drop your burden and look forward. You have Lay with you. You have me. You have my brothers. We have got your back. We’ll take care of you.” Sehun paused.

            Elyna stared at him straight into his eyes. It was the same assurance he was showing in his eyes like when he saved her from the dog. Elyna somehow felt safe, looking into those eyes.

            “Laugh with us when you’re happy. Cry on our shoulder when you’re sad. Yell at us when you’re angry. Share with us whenever you have problems. Ask for help. We’ll be there. I’ll be there. Understood?” Sehun smiled. It was the most angelic smile Elyna had ever seen.  Seeing no response, Sehun raised his eyebrows.

            “B-but..why? Why do you want to help me? I’m just a burden to you,” Elyna finally said something.

            “You are no burden, Elyna. Don’t you dare to say you are a burden,” Sehun replied. “You are a friend. You are my friend.”

            Elyna was speechless. Those simple words had touched her heart. ‘Friend’ was a word that she could not relate to herself since long ago. No one ever called her ‘a friend’ since ages ago. Again, a drop of tears ran down her cheek. But it was not sadness; it was a tear of happiness.

            “Hey, I told you to cry only when you’re sad. Are you that sad to be my friend?” He said jokingly.

            “Shut up, Sehun,” Elyna wiped the tears. Looks like her ‘tears factory’ was working hard that day. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to cry,” she was holding back her tears when Sehun pulled her into a hug. “I told you to cry on my shoulder,” he whispered.

            Elyna burst out again. “So many things had happened today...  I lost my brother and my home... I have nowhere to go, and no one to lean on... I-I...” Her voice was shaking. “I don’t know what I should do now, Sehun.. I don’t know anymore...”

            Sehun tightened his embrace. She sank her face onto his shoulder and cried her heart out. Nothing else could be heard, except the heartbreaking cry of a fragile girl.

Updated: 17/6/2016, 7.55 p.m/2.55 p.m