⇋

“Seriously,” his mother clicks his tongue at him as Sehun shrinks against the couch, having just arrived home from the hospital. Sowon is out in the garden with his grandfather. “You were never a fit child, but you weren’t born sickly. So why did I have to pick you up from the hospital from stress?”

“I… didn’t feel well…” Sehun mumbles.

“Didn’t feel well enough… to the point of crying all over Sowon?”

His mother’s expression softens at the surprised look on Sehun’s face. “Sowon told me when you were doing the final check up. He was worried since he didn’t understand why his daddy was crying, but he asked me what to do to cheer you up.”

Sehun drops his head, feeling guilty. “I didn’t want to worry him. I just… couldn’t help myself…”

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me it’s your love life again. I thought you got back together with Kai? Isn’t that a good thing? Or did he dare to hurt you again? I swear if he did I’d take a pitchfork and―”

“Mother, no,” Sehun spares a wry smile at his mother’s overprotectiveness. “Kai is fine. He’s… great, actually. But it’s not―it’s not him.”

Not him as in not Sowon’s father.

His mother, of course, didn’t get the implication. “So your trouble isn’t with him? Then who―” She narrows her eyes. “Is it his brother? The one you told me you dated? Do you still love him?”

Sehun sighs, rubbing his face. “I don’t know. But I broke up with Kai.”

“Sehun!”

“Please, don’t―” Sehun puts a hand out to stop her impending scolding. “This is complicated. And don’t say I’m not thinking for Sowon’s sake, because I am. I’m trying so hard.” I just don’t know what is the right thing to do, he adds internally.

“And you can’t… tell me about it?”

“I’m sorry.” Sehun feels bad, he really does. Both his parents know he’s always been a quiet child, always kept things to himself. Even back in high school, when he tried to keep his relationship with Kai hidden, knowing his parents would disapprove. And now… “I need some time to myself. To think. I’ll tell you when I… I decide what to do.”

His mother is clearly concerned, but does not push. “Alright. I just hope you know what you’re doing, Sehun.”

“I hope so, too…” Sehun whispers, staring out into the backyard, eyes lingering on Sowon’s happy smile as he helps his grandfather waters the flowers.

◓

Out of everyone to visit him, Kai certainly wasn’t expecting this person. “What are you doing here?”

“Blame it on yourself because you refused to let your parents see you,” Kyungsoo states flatly, walking in. “So they asked me to visit you in their stead, since they think we’re still dating.”

Kai grunts, running a hand through his hair and brushing across the bandages wrapped around his forehead. “Okay. You visited. Done.”

“Seeing how your usual rude self is back,” Kyungsoo inspects him, “I’m guessing you got your memories back?”

Kai grunts again, answer enough.

“If you remember everything, then why did you tell your parents to not let Sehun know you were hospitalized?” Kyungsoo asks, setting the courtesy fruits basket down on the table with a thump. “Did you not want to see him? I thought you’d come bursting through his doors the moment you remembered everything.”

Oh trust me, I wanted to, Kai answers in his head. “Sehun is… busy. He has a lot of things to deal with. I didn’t want to bother him with a few scratches.”

“I’d hardly call a concussion from a car accident is ‘a few scratches’.”

Kai growls, “Look, I’m fine. And it has nothing to do with you, anyway.”

“On the contrary, it has everything to do with me.”

“Why? Sehun told me you’re dating Jongin now. Wasn’t that what you wanted all along?”

Kyungsoo gives him an impassive look, which Kai snorts at.

“You know, I always thought it was strange… how you were so adamant in keeping our fake relationship, when it was clear you didn’t like me that way. Now it turns out you were after my twin brother instead, huh?”

“You’re absolutely right. In fact, I flew to Monaco and approached you first after meeting Jongin and finding out he has a twin brother.”

“How are you so ing shameless?” Kai asks in disbelief at the nonchalant expression on the other’s face.

“Just as you did things in order to be with the person you like, so did I,” Kyungsoo shrugs. “And we’re getting off-topic. Why won’t you see Sehun?”

“I don’t know if he even wants to see me right now…” Kai confesses.

“What happened? I thought it was peachy in paradise with the two of you.”

“It was, until―” Kai huffs, unable to reveal more. It’s too private, this matter with Sehun and Jongin. Kyungsoo doesn’t know about it, and he shouldn’t, either.

Which makes him understandably puzzled. “Until what?”

“He broke up with me.” Kai quickly continues at the shocked expression on the other’s face. “But don’t worry. I’m not giving up. I’ll get him back. Again.”

There’s silence for a moment when Kyungsoo seems to contemplate something. Then, he speaks, “We should work together.”

“Again? It was a nightmare the last time when Sehun mistook us to actually be dating,” Kai scoffs, shaking his head.

“But we have the same goal, do we not? You want to be with Sehun, and I also want you to be with Sehun.”

“So you can have Jongin all to yourself?” Kai gives him an unimpressed look.

“Of course.”

“Sorry. Frankly, I don’t really trust you.”

“That is fine. You don’t have to, but it will be beneficial for the both of us, each working on our own side.”

Kai debates over his words, which… loathe as he is to admit, ring true.

“I’ll give you time to think about my offer. Get well soon, Kai,” Kyungsoo says before making his move to leave.

It’s when the other’s hand is on the doorknob that