It was breezy that evening when Hongbin made his way home from Sanghyuk’s tutor session. He had his coat hung on the briefcase he brought with him which was quickly fetched by the maid as soon as he stepped into the bungalow his family owned. Hongbin heaved a deep sigh upon breathing the familiar air in his house. Yes. This was exactly what made him happy and content; having enough sources to live by, which, in his interpretation, having surplus money even after spending them.

His decision to elope with Hakyeon was not thought through. It was rash of him, blinded by what he deemed was love at that age. If only he could ask for Hakyeon’s forgiveness.

After that night he made the decision to come back to his family, his mother had been even stricter than ever to ensure every steps Hongbin took had nothing to do with the man called Cha Hakyeon. His mother made sure his car and his phone was installed with a tracker device that was monitored 24 hour, everyday by his mother. Then, she made sure Hongbin landed a job at the company which was associated with the company his mother co-own right after his graduation. On top of that, she also made him a CEO in training at her other company. This was all to make him occupied, to distract him from ever had the thought to search for Hakyeon. And dare Hongbin said, it was a success.

He forgot about Hakyeon for a while, too busy juggling with two jobs and having to spend his time with his family. That was all until his mother introduced Jiyeon to him. Jiyeon was a nice girl. A pretty doctor undergoing housemanship at his father’s hospital. However, Hongbin was not interested with her at all. He was reminded of the fact that he was not normal man who would be ually attracted to a woman. Then only he remembered Hakyeon. For a week, he locked himself up in his room, bawling his eyes out out of sheer guilty.

[Flashback]

“Eomma, I need to go to find Hakyeon… I have to!” Hongbin yelled after he finally emerged from his room after a week locking himself up.

“No! Never in my life I would allow that Lee Hongbin!” Mrs Lee spoke up with a stern tone. Her voice loud, ringing throughout the house.

“No no no! I have to! I have to apologize, I have to ask for his forgiveness!” Hongbin kneeled in front of his mother.

“My son, you have done nothing wrong.. And you will not associate yourself with Cha Hakyeon ever again. Remember, you have to carry the honor of the Lee’s family name with you.”

“No! You don’t understand… Hakyeon.. he left everything behind to live with me! He gave up his studies for me, he gave up his money for me! He went through so much for me! I have to see him, to make amend with him… P-Please… Eomma… Please, let me see Hakyeon one last time…” Hongbin continued to beg his mother, kneeling as he refused to stand even when his mother tried to make him stand.

“Hongbin!” Mrs Lee yelled at him, having enough hearing her beloved son babbling about Hakyeon did this and that for him. “That’s enough! I’ve made myself clear! All those things he did, that was all because of his stupidity!” She roared, seething with anger. “There are differences between being in love and being so utterly stupid to sacrifice your all for one person, and Cha Hakyeon is that one stupid person and I hate stupid people! Do you understand that?!”

Hongbin still not having it. He went to the extent of trying to hold on to his mother’s legs, continuing to beg her for the chance to see Hakyeon. That was when his father interrupted..

“Lee Hongbin.” He said with his deep thick voice. It was not a yell but it was as if the whole house came to a still the moment Mr Lee opened his mouth.

Hongbin’s breathe hitching as he instinctively holding his breathe, awaiting for his father’s words. He cowered and slowly retracted his hands from trying to hold on to his mother’s legs, earning few sympathetic look from the maids there.

“Listen to your mother and I’m not having more of this argument between you and your mother.” Mr Lee instructed before he put away the magazine he had been reading and stood up from the sofa. “We’ll meet with Jiyeon’s family tonight. Go to your room and pick a suit.”

[End of flashback]

That was few months back. Even after he agreed to get engaged to Jiyeon and had been living his life accordingly; to what his mother would like him to be, Hongbin was still being questioned each time he came home.

“Where have you been, Hongbin?” Mrs Lee questioned once the maid was away, disrupting the peace Hongbin had just felt.

“You have the tracker in my car.” He answered briefly.

“I want to know reasons from your own mouth. Why were you at Sanghyuk’s and not the company?” Mrs Lee crossed her arms, hoping Hongbin would give reasonable answers, something that would please her and not adding fuel to the fire she suffered from meeting Hakyeon.

“Tutor session.” Hongbin answered. “You arranged me for a date with Jiyeon this weekend, remember? I can’t have the tutor session with him, so I move it forward. Today.”

“Good enough reason.” Mrs Lee stood from her seat. She came closer and cupped Hongbin’s cheek. “I hope the session went well.”

Hongbin swore his heartbeats just went crazy at her words. But he tried to remain calm. “Yes, it did, Eomma…” his mother must not know about what happened between him and Sanghyuk or she would get rid of Sanghyuk too from his life. She could not do that. She must not, when Sanghyuk was the only place for Hongbin to be himself. The only place where he was comfortable enough to act the way that he wanted to.

“Good. Do your best, Hongbin-ah, while you can help him now. Once you are married, I don’t want you to get involved with things outside the company. Focus on our family.” Mrs Lee made sure she said each words loud and clear, patting Hongbin’s cheek lightly. She smiled but her tone was strict. She knew her son well enough to ensure she took steps to prevent Hongbin from ever swerving to the way he was before.

Hongbin felt his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach upon hearing that.

Hakyeon was comfortably spooned inside of Taekwoon’s embrace. His head rested on Taekwoon’s chest as the latter had his arms wrapped around Hakyeon’s figure, for as much as his arms could reach. Taekwoon had made himself comfortable, lying down beside Hakyeon on the bed and they eventually cuddled with each other as Hakyeon always find comfort in Taekwoon’s warm touch and Taekwoon kept saying he would help Hakyeon to fall asleep. True to his words, it did not take long for Hakyeon’s eyes to become droopy. Blinking so slowly as if he was half-heartedly fighting the sleep away, only t