“Minho!”, Amber exclaimed the moment she saw her cousin. She didn’t want to call him but she did not have a choice. His mom is not in a good condition and would not listen to her. The moment Mrs. Choi knew that Sulli was back she immediately went to where Sulli lives.

“Is she inside?”, he asked her when she nodded her head Minho reached out for the knob but Amber pulled him.

“Uhm just maybe I’ll go inside first –“, Amber did not even finish her words and Minho had let himself in.

He saw his mom sitting across Sulli who was crying.

“Eomoni, I can no longer stay away…”, Sulli said between her sobs. “I really love your son.”

“Bwoh? You can’t do this, you promised to stay away”, Mrs. Choi replied no longer hiding her anger. “How much?”

Minho stood their unnoticed by both women.

“Eomoni…”

“How much do you want? I’ll give it to right now, just go away. Stay away from my son. I told you to never return again. Haven’t I made myself clear before? I don’t want you to be a part of my family. You’re not good enough, I can’t have someone like you for a daughter-in-law.” Mrs. Choi took an envelop from her small bag and placed it on the table between them. “Take this and leave. Never come back again. Minho will marry Luna and not you. Don’t ruin our plans. We’d done everything just to convince him. Luna would be a good wife.”

“He does not love her. I love your son, I really do. I can’t –“

“You’ve left him before why did you come back?”

“I thought I could make it without him, I thought my heart would just forget. Like you eomoni, I also want what’s best for him. But I love him too much to stay away.”

“Love?”,  Mrs. Choi said with pain in her voice. “How could you say –“

“Oppa…”, Sulli saw him this time and his mom turned around and met his eyes. He stared at his mom for a few seconds then looked at Sulli. His mom stood and up and took a step towards him but he backed away.

“I don’t understand...”

“Minho –“, Mrs. Choi did not know what to say.

“Why would you? Why?”, he said looking straight into his mom’s eyes. “All this time you were the one who made her leave? All this time you were the reason I suffered?”

“Minho it’s not like that?”

“Then what?’, Minho shouted this time not able to control his anger. His own mother controlled him and manipulated his life just so they could get what they want. “You did all these for money?”

“No, it’s not that –“

“Do you really love me that much? Or is it money you love?”

Mrs. Choi was too stunned to hear him ask her those questions that she just stood there as her eldest son looked at her in anger.

_

He forgot about time and where he was. His mind was too clouded to even think straight. All he wanted was to get away, he never thought his own mom would do that to him. All his life his mom showered them with love. He never thought that that love would turn into something like this.

“Where did you go when you left?”, Minho asked Sulli they were alone in his car leaving Amber and his mom in her apartment he grabbed her hand and ran to his car to escape and drove to wherever place they were now. She had stopped crying but he could tell she was in a lot of pain.

“I came back to Bussan”, she answered after a while.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sulli turned to him and reached out for his hand. “I’m sorry oppa…” Tears started to fall again from her eyes and Minho could tell she had suffered too just like him. Maybe that’s the reason why he could still not forget her, because they were not supposed to end yet. At this moment where everything felt unreal and all he could think about is what they had in the past it was only natural for him to reach out and hug her, take her in his arms and comfort her.

Sulli laid her head on his shoulders and cried. Minho patted her back until the sobs eased and the crying stopped.

“There was not a day that I did not think of you oppa”, Sulli confessed. “I still love you so much.”

Minho could not respond, he knew in his heart that she still has a place in it. Things changed that’s for sure but their story is not finished yet.

“Oppa, what would we do? Luna – “

Minho’s eyes snapped and he let go of Sulli right away. In all this mess he had forgotten about Luna. He told her to wait for him at the restaurant.

“Sulli I’m sorry but I have to go, I’ll take you home first. Amber and mom would be gone now. We’ll talk some other time.”

Sulli nodded her head and Minho started the car. He reached out for his phone only to find it dead.

When they reached Sulli’s apartment she was already fast asleep. “Sulli we’re here.”

She stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes. “Oh, sorry I fell sleep.” She sat up straight and unbuckled her seatbelt. “Oppa promise me we’ll talk.”

Minho nodded at her but when Sulli got out of the car she lost her balance and slumped on the ground. Minho quickly went to her side and helped her.

“Are you okay? Sulli?”, he carried her when she did not respond and brought her to her apartment. She must have been exhausted and might not have been eating well that she fainted. He could not just leave her now, who would take care of her?

But Luna…

He knew he might be risking something but he completely trusts his brother and he knew he’d come. He found himself using Sulli’s home phone.

“Taemin, hey could you come –“ He turned to Sulli who had slowly opened her eyes.

“Minho oppa, don’t leave. Please… just stay here. Don’t leave me.”

Minho’s heart was torn. He knew how it felt to ask for someone to stay by his side. To need someone, that someone who could ease the pain in your heart. He saw himself in Sulli.

He heard Taemin calling him from the other line asking him what’s wrong. “Taemin, could you pick up Luna and send her home?” He finally decided and told Taemin where Luna was. He decided to stay here with Sulli instead and let Taemin get Luna.

His mind told him it was the right thing to do but his heart tells him something else. But as he looks at Sulli he could not help but feel guilty, she too had suffered just like him. He promised to take care of her and yet his own mother had cause the pain both of them are feeling right now.

_

Luna waited for Minho, waited for his return. With every breath she took each second lasted longer than normal. Twenty minutes after he left the rain started to pour. Another fifteen minutes passed but still Minho did not return, she watched as other customers come and go. She called him at last only to be transferred to his voice mail. One hour had passed but still there was no sign of him.

What could have happened? She prayed for Minho to be okay wherever he is and return to her just as he said. Another thirty minutes passed and she was nervous now, well she had been nervous the moment he left but she could only admit it now.

“Luna.”

She looked up right away hoping to find Minho there only to see Taemin with his warm eyes and a ready smile on his face.

“Oh you’re here”, she looked around as if Minho would turn up too.

Taemin noticed this and sat opposite her. “Hyung sent me, uhm he hand an emergency.” Taemin prepared himself for the questions she might ask. He had already thought of what she ask the moment he shows up and not his hyung. He has a ready answer for whatever question she might ask given the situation and her position in his brother’s life now.

Of course she’d want to know where his brother is right now and what happened. Why he could not return as he promised her and why he is here right now sitting across her instead of her fiancé.

Taemin decided to talk first rather than let her ask the questions. But before he could open his mouth Luna had already spoken. “Neh? What was that?”

“Is Minho okay?”, Luna asked again.

Taemin secretly smiled the moment he heard her question, she’s Luna after all. “He’s okay, he just had to take care of some things”, he saw her face lighten up and relief was now written all over her face. He waited for another question to come but it seems like Luna does not care of the other details just as long as his brother is okay.

“Uhm so he sent you here?”, Luna said after some time.

“Neh, he wanted me to accompany you. Sorry it took me so long, you must have waited for a long time”, Taemin said.

“Not at all, I was just worried something bad had happened to him since he never called”, Luna confessed at least now she’s assured that Minho is fine.

Minho told him just to get Luna home but Taemin decided to stay at the restaurant and just eat there with her. She must be hungry because the moment the food was served she had stuffed herself with food. She looked too cute he could only watch her eat.

“Taemin aren’t you eating?”, she asked when she noticed him just sitting there holding his chopsticks but not touching the food. She placed some food on his plate smiling as she told him it was her favorite.

“Really? Me too”, he said. “I think we have a lot in common.”

Luna smiled when he said this. “Uhm, what’s Minho’s favorite food?”

“Hyung?”, he asked looking at her nodding in answer “Well hyung likes seafood. And he can’t eat anything with nuts.”

“Oh really?”, Luna said keeping that In mind.

“Wae? Are you planning to cook for him?”

“Aniyo, well I’m not really good with it yet but I’m learning”, Luna found herself telling Taemin how she’s learning to cook.

“Well I can help you with that”, Taemin said. “Just don’t tell hyung about it.”

“Omo don’t tell me you’re a good cook?”, Luna said.

Taemin chuckled looking at her amused face. “Aniyo, I’m not a good cook but I’m the best at tasting them. Plus hyung and I pretty much like the same food, I can tell you if what you prepared would be acceptable to him or not.”

“Really?’, Luna thought this was kind of Taemin offering to help her. “Then I’ll bring lunch every day and I’ll let you taste it.”

“That’s fine with me but what will you give in return?”, Taemin suddenly said and Luna just smiled thinking Taemin’s playing with her. “Here’s the deal, I’ll help you and if you succeed you’ll grant me one wish.”

“One wish?”, Luna asked getting curious as Taemin said this.

“Yes, just one wish in return I’ll tell you everything about hyung not just the food he likes”, Taemin said.

“What’s your wish then?”, Luna asked.

“I’ll tell you in time. So it’s a deal?”, Taemin said and held out his hand Luna looked at him and then his hand then after a few seconds she took it sealing their agreement.

__________________

written 07-21-12 

time: 11:19pm

hello dear friends :)

just a head up, i did not bother editing this chater so please just bear with the errors.. i'm quite busy at the moment but i'll look into it later...

i just hope the site won't delete this chapter :)