Luhan excuses himself and walks away from the guests' prying eyes. He drags his feet towards his mother's private botanical garden and sits down cross-legged on the grass, situating himself right in front of the vast water fountain, the sound of water droplets instantly soothing his tired mind. 

He isn't sure how long he has been sitting there, just mindlessly watching the clear water trickle down from the giant Koi fish statue's mouth. Suddenly it occurs to him, this one thought — why is he wasting his life like this? Where is he going in the future with all these tangled messes right now? Picturing his future with Sehun, it feels faint, and blurry like a dirty musky river. 

All this time, he internally believed that they could have a beautiful future to paint together, lovely memories to remember and countless moments to capture but now everything seems to fall into vain, they're not moving forward and whatever the hell they have right now, it isn't going anywhere.

Sometimes he thought to himself, why is he the one that needs to sacrifice in every case. Why can't Sehun sacrifice his love for Miyoung instead or vice versa? Why can't Miyoung learn how to forget her love for his husband, the man in his vows, the one he vowed to love forever? Sehun is his spouse for goodness sake, he is rightfully his!

Luhan scoffs, of course, he knows. He knows damn well why. 

Selfishness.

It's all because of one's selfishness.

Because now he's stuck in the middle of this unrefined future, now in the twilight zone, unclear and unsure. 

He's given Sehun the choice to choose when he brought up the divorce papers but up until now, the awaited subject has never come out of the latter's mouth again, like it was never mentioned before. 

He's already making everything easier for them to be together, so just... why? Why aren't they grabbing this golden opportunity to just reach for their happiness together?! Now vastly frustrated, Luhan ruffles his hair roughly, tousling his hair in every direction. 

Perhaps it's because Sehun is still mad at her and he wants her to suffer first for breaking his heart. Yes, that must be why. But, for how long? Can't Sehun just open his goddamn mind and just think, whether he likes it or not, Miyoung is also the victim in this!

"Does your head hurt?" Luhan shakes in surprise, startled at the sudden baritone voice asking and turns his head to look at the new company.

"Migraine?" Sehun adds and sits beside Luhan despite the obvious glare coming from the smaller.

Luhan rolls his eyes and scoots away, adding a distance between them and faces the front again, ignoring the taller. He can feel the latter's eyes boring into him, watching him closely with his menacing faux eyes.

"What did Kai tell you that you now have a headache?" Sehun questions again.

Luhan glares at him again. He had clearly told Sehun to invite Miyoung but the latter invited whom? Kai.

Luhan doesn't know what his agenda is and he is so enraged that he doesn't even want to look at the perfectly sculpted face. If Sehun is thinking of setting him together with Kai, then the man can keep on dreaming— because Luhan doesn't have that kind of feeling for his friend.

"Why are you glaring at me, Lu?"

Luhan rolls his eyes discreetly at the fake obliviousness. He is hundred-percent sure that Sehun knows exactly why he is being like that. Without answering, Luhan continues looking at the front, not caring about the figure sitting beside him.

"What did you talk about with Kai— that was quite a long conversation you two had there...?"

"We talked about all the things that you've never told me..." Right after answering that, Luhan gets up, wanting to escape being in the same place as the taller male. However, Sehun is fast with his reflex as he immediately grabs Luhan's arm from walking away. 

"Tomorrow morning, we're going back to my parent's house— we're going to Busan toon so pack up your bags tonight, alright?"

Luhan shuts his eyes and slowly calms himself down. What even is the purpose of the vacation? When all Luhan did is fake his sickness? What is the need for it?

"Can't I just not go?" Luhan exasperates; feeling uneasy at having to pretend that everything is fine between them in front of his in-laws. Though he knows the answer already it doesn't hurt to try.

"You know what my answer will be, right?" Sehun also gets up, dusting his pants before standing close to the smaller male. "You shouldn't be asking me that question, Luhan— you know that it wasn't mine but my parent's plan. They really want you there, Lu..."

Yes, they want him there, not his husband, not Sehun. Luhan internally chuckles to himself. Perhaps Sehun doesn't even care if he didn't go at all— the latter must be happier without him joining the trip.

What even did he do to deserve living like this?

"Okay then," Luhan pulls his arm away and strides back into the house; politely declining when the guests want to talk to him, saying that he is not feeling well. They didn't say much as they understand since, to them, he just 'recovered'. 

At first, he really thought that the vacation is going to help rekindle his relationship with Sehun— but now he knows better than to not put his hopes so high up. 

Because in the end, he is the one hurt.

Once Luhan dives into his duvet, all sorts of thoughts start running through his mind; he recalls the conversation he had with Kris and also Xiumin. Is divorce the only way now?

Luhan is pulled to the kitchen as soon as he arrives at his in-law's house. Mrs Oh goes to peek outside the kitchen, leaving Luhan at the table bewildered before the woman comes back and sits down beside him after making sure that everything is cleared. 

Luhan could only crook his eyebrow at her weird behaviour.

"Luhannie, I have something to tell you!" she starts giddily.

"What is it, mom?'"

"I have prepared a surprise during our vacation later!"

"A surprise? What do you mean?" 

"During our stay in Busan, it will be Sehun and also my husband's birthday so I am planning to hold a surprise party for them..." Mrs Oh speaks in a hushed tone, afraid that someone will eavesdrop even when no one is in the kitchen.

"Sehun and dad's birthday?" Luhan questions curiously. If he isn't wrong, it's only gonna be Sehun's birthday in the next few days... what does it have to do with Mr Oh? "Is dad's birthday also this month, mom?"

"Of course, didn't Sehun tell you that he shares the same birthday as his dad?" 

Luhan is frozen in his spot at the sudden take of information.

Sehun didn't.

Sehun never told him that they share the same birth date. Luhan again is reminded of his place— Sehun doesn't care about him at all. 

The male doesn't want to tell him any of his personal matters— even if they are already wedded for months.

Noticing the solemn look on his son-in-law's face, Mrs Oh holds his arm. "Don't tell me he didn't tell you, Luhan?"

Luhan smiles apologetically, choosing not to answer.

"Goodness, I will make sure t