4.

Chapter Four

Luhan's eyes widened at his cousin's surprising and sudden appearance. "T-Taeyeon."

“How, Luhan? How could you?" Her shell-shocked look quickly turned to one of anger. "You ! My own blood, how could you?!"

"Taeyeon, please you have to understand, it happened before I knew. It happened before any of this. " Luhan's eyes welled with tears and he stepped forward to touch his cousin's shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

She jerked back, eyes burning with fury. "I should report you to the Tribunal. Surely they'd end your miserable life. Maybe make you abort it."

Luhan shrank back, hands wrapped around his non-existent belly. "Please, Taeyeon, you mustn't. I'm leaving in a few days. I won't be back after that. I swear."

Taeyeon's lip curled back in anger and disgust. "Fine. Mother wouldn't forgive me if reported you, anyway. Leave tonight. Pack your things and go away forever. I'll pay for your flight, just leave."

Solemnly, Luhan nodded and walked down the stairs, quietly slipping out of the front door.

~

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Kai thought to himself angrily.

His head was so befuddled, with different needs and wants pulling at him, all at once. The Kim family has been waiting nearly three decades for an alpha son to replace his grandfather’s role as Head Alpha. Kai's birth was a blessing sent from heaven, especially since Kai's older brother, Tao, was born a strong beta instead of the alpha they’d hoped for.

As Head Alpha, Kai was expected to lead the whole West River Pack, one of the most powerful packs in Korea. He was expected to be a sound leader and protect his pack, even with his life. It frustrated him that now, none of it mattered. Now he just wanted to hold Luhan and protect his child instead.

His father and grandfather had prepped Kai his whole life, teaching him how to act, how to lead and how to be a good person overall. It felt like Kai was letting down his father and his late grandfather. To be a good man, Kai couldn’t let Luhan walk out that door and leave him forever, but to be a good leader, he had to marry Taeyeon, have successful offspring, and let Luhan go.

How was he to make a decision without being selfish? Without being a bad father?

Kai didn't know and it made his head hurt, just to think about it.

~

By 11:30, Luhan had all of his things packed up and ready to go.  He couldn’t believe Kai. The man he loved and made a child with was very different from the man that he’d just talked to. There was even a time before when Kai and Luhan had talked about having kids:

“I’d like to have kids.” Kai mumbled against Luhan’s neck. They were wrapped up in his sheets, post-love making.

“Oh really?” the younger giggled, the feeling of Kai’s breath tickling his skin. “How many?”

“How many do you want?” Kai fired back, flipping over so Luhan was curled up on his chest.

“I don’t know. Maybe like 3 or 4.” Luhan shrugged. “I don’t even know if I’m fertile.”

“Really? You should get checked out. Maybe we’ll make a love-child or something and ride off to the sunset together with our baby.” Kai joked, hand running up and down Luhan’s arm.

Luhan giggled. “Sure. We’ll buy a little cottage on the countryside and run away from it all…. As if.”

“Still, I wouldn’t mind having a kid or two.” Kai shrugged, voice sheepish. “I don’t know if I’d make a good father, though.”

“You’d make a great father, Kai.” Luhan smiled, pressing a soft kiss to Kai’s chest.

~

Now, however, Luhan had his doubts. Brushing the thoughts away, he lugged the bag downstairs, where Taeyeon was waiting.

"Here." She pressed a debit card into his hand. "It's loaded with $4,000.“

Luhan gaped at her. "How'd you get so much?"

Luhan had his own bank account that his aunt refilled every month, even if Luhan hadn't even used any of the money.

"A college gift from umma. I never used it, so just take it, Luhan. Buy the plane ticket, baby stuff, or things for you. I really don't care." Taeyeon sounded defeated. "I called a cab. It should be here in a few. I have to go back to the party." She tiptoed down the stairs and walked back to Kai's house, leaving Luhan in the cold.

A few minutes later, the cab pulled up and the driver got out to help Luhan put the heavy suitcase into the trunk. He told the driver the address and sat in the back, the steady motion of the car lulling him to sleep.

“Son? Wake up, we’re here.” Blinking, Luhan arose from his dreamless sleep and got out of the car. On the sidewalk, his bag was waiting for him.

“How much?” Luhan asked, ruffling through his backpack for his wallet.

“It’s okay, my pleasure.” the driver patted his shoulder before getting back in the cab and driving away.

~

Luhan wanted a coffee. Badly.

Every store he passed in the terminal seemed to be selling coffee and the smell made his mouth water. His hands itched for the warmth a simple coffee would provide for him. Once he made it to the correct gate, Luhan quickly searched for a place selling tea, or preferably, decaf coffee.

“One medium decaf coffee, please.” Luhan ordered at the closest merchant. “And a blueberry scone.”

A few minutes later, Luhan settled into the waiting area with a few other people on the same flight. The coffee didn’t wake Luhan up like he wanted, but it did warm his chilled hands and satisfy his craving.

~

Hours later, Luhan stepped inside the silent apartment. For now, Luhan couldn’t bare to sleep in the bed he and Kai shared and settled for the bed in their extra room. He crashed as soon as his head hit the pillow and didn’t wake up the next day, around 12.

Luhan stayed in bed even after he woke up, simply adjusting to his new life. “What am I going to do now?” he mumbled into his hands.

Now, he had to finish college and take care of a baby, without any help from family. Figuring, he should start with the more imminent problems like Kai’s stuff, doctor appointments and school.

Digging out the boxes Luhan used to move in, he began packing all of Kai’s clothes, and hopefully giving Kai less of an reason to send anybody to their apartment in the near future. He only paused in the meticulous work to shower and go out to buy lunch.

Several hour later, all of Kai’s things were neatly packed up into 6 boxes. He had them all pushed out to the front door, deciding on how to get them downstairs (since the apartment complex’s elevator conveniently stopped working) without falling and breaking his neck or over exerting himself. A pout took over Luhan’s face and his plopped on the floor next to the boxes, thinking intently.

“Need help there?” a voice interrupted Luhan’s frustrated thoughts. From his spot on the floor, Luhan eyed the familiar stranger.

“Uh…” was all he could get out.

“I’m Sehun. I live a few door over. You’re Luhan, right?” Sehun smiled softly, reaching a hand out to Luhan. He accepted the hand and stood up, blushing at the height difference.

“How do you know my name?” the shorter asked bluntly, forehead crinkling in confusion.

“Well, Kai was in my dance class, so sometimes we would hang out. He talked a lot about you.” Sehun frowned, glancing around. “Where is he?”

“We, uh, broke up. He moved back to his hometown.” Luhan informed the other quietly. “I’m sending him all this stuff.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Sehun drifted off before bending down and picking up one of the boxes. “Here, I’ll help you.”

“You really don’t have to, Sehun. I’ll be fine on my own.” Luhan said quickly.

“I want to. Go on, I’ll do this. Where do I put all the boxes?” Sehun asked before starting down the steps.

“I guess you just leave them in the foyer. The mailman is coming to get them soon.” Luhan watched as the other maneuvered the stairs successfully.  

~

“Last one.” Sehun said as he trekked up the stairs the tenth time. On the last step, Luhan was sitting an opened energy drink in his hands.

“Take another sip before you go.” he demanded, handing the bottle over to Sehun “You really didn’t have to.”

“It’s okay, I promise. Besides, you being all nice and motherly to me totally makes it up.” he smiled before stepping around Luhan and picking up the last box. Sehun’s legs burned with each step, but he was finally done when he rounded the corner to his floor.

“Thanks again, Sehun.” Luhan was waiting in the doorway of his apartment for Sehun. “It means a lot.”

“No biggy, Luhan. I’m going to take a shower. See you around.” Sehun disappeared into his apartment before Luhan could offer his thanks again.