He sat down at the couch with her, the cats purring on his lap. It was a cold evening, and they were watching a movie on her laptop. He wasn’t focusing on the movie entirely; his eyes darted between the cats and the open window that reveals the drizzling rain.

“My mother always loved the rain,” he started, recalling some past fond memories of his childhood. “I remember that.”

Haru smiled at that, turning her entire body to face him, “Did you meet her again?” she asked. He nodded in response.

Letting out a breath, “I don’t really like rain,” she spoke, “I'm terrified of thunders,”

He smiles at her, ruffling her hair, “When is your interview?” he asked, casually picking up the topic.

“This Wednesday,” she answered abruptly, “Don’t ask me anything else,” she said cutting him before he could speak anything.

“Am I at least allowed to drop you there?” he frowned, “I won’t do or say anything, I swear,”

She stirred slightly from her seat, correcting her posture. She didn’t say anything for a while before pointing a finger at him, “That’s a promise,”

“You have my word,” he laughed. “I won’t say a thing,”

She stares at him for a long moment and Sehun raised his left eyebrow, “Don’t stare,” He teased.

She shook her head, turning her head away, “Luhan told me about you.” She said. “Oh Sehun, son of the mighty Oh Kim,” she laughed. “It almost unbelievable how much power you and your father hold,” she mumbled slightly.

“I don’t hold any,”

“But you are his son,” she interrupted, “You must be living at a huge mansion, and all the time I was calling you an , I shouldn’t have said that.”

Sehun’s smile dropped from his face. He stared down at her cats while she went off. “Luhan said your father is one of the powerful men in Korea. I don’t have be told by him, even a child knows about Zeus. I should start treating you respectfully.” She said. There was nothing but innocence in her tone. “Perhaps you shouldn't come here oft-“

“That’s enough.” He said curtly, “You're pissing me off,”

Haru stared at him bluntly and realized that she offended him, although she doesn’t really know why, “What?”

“What are you doing?” he asks, “I wasn’t like this before wasn’t I? I was unreliable in front of your eyes, but you said you needed me all along. But now you're talking to me like a stranger. What’s with the sudden change?”

His plea was pitiful but he didn’t care. He couldn’t care about his pride right now.

Haru was taken aback with what he said and went silent for a few seconds before reacting. She closed the space between them at the couch by sitting next to him, his arm touching hers. She then leaned her head against his shoulders and smiled.

///

Oh Kim is at the precipice of 60 when he realizes how exhausting it is to be the president of the largest company in Korea. Despite keeping his physique up on constant, the lack of enthusiasm he had when he was much younger is comparable. His zeal-induced energy is barely there anymore, fervor no longer of a 17-year old, and he’s ascending the stairs to his office with a vexed huff.

He walks over to his cubicle, which is far off the corner but closer to natural light—he had chosen it, so it’s definitely worth the distance. He grimaces, though, when he sees a bundle of files rudely occupying his table.

His secretary, nodded humbly upon his arrival. “These documents need your signature.”

“The girl, Yoona,” Mr. Oh said, while being sited on his monstrous leather chair, his eyes examining one of the files, as he flips it through. “The girl called off the wedding,”

Mr. Han cleared his throat before answering his chairman, “The Im’s has been doing business with us just recently. This marriage is only a means of merge and acquisition of their business with ours. Even without them, we are doing just fine ourselves,” he said, “There is no possible loss for us even with this failed marriage arrangement,”

Mr. Oh his grey old eyebrows with his left hand, “No one is ever safe,” he said, “I’ve lost count of the number of people who love to see me fail. If I look back, I’m lost,” he smiled lightly. He raised his head to meet his secretary, “Does my son have anything to do with this?” he asked as if he already knew the answer.

Yes. He’s in love with another, Mr. Han thought, but lies went off his teeth as smooth as butter, “No, sir. Not that I know of.”

The chairman’s head cocked slightly to the right, his eyes taking the breathtaking night view of the city from his tempered glass window. “The servants have a different thing to say,” he toyed with the glass globe on his table, “Sehun is not eating in home these days, apparently. He is also said to be much,” he paused briefly before adding, “kinder than before.”

Mr. Han snorted at the notion, kinder. “Sehun is no longer a child, sir.”

His brows furrowed, and a concerned look grazes his face. I know my son better than that, he thought. “Follow him. I want to know who he meets and talks with.”

Mr. Han stood hesitantly, the laughter vanished from his face, “I don’t think he’ll be pleased if he finds out,”

“Then do it without him finding out,” the man says as he typed in his password to his laptop. “Cancel all the appointments this week,” he says, “It’s been a long time since I stayed in my own house,”

Mr. Han scroll through the iPad, taking only a few seconds to scan through the appointments, checking whether if the request is possible, “There is a fund raising event you have to attend, it was scheduled months ago,” he said before adding, “This Wednesday, and all the other company's chairman are attending as well.”

The old man nodded reluctantly and gesturing his secretary to leave the cabin.

//

“I’m so nervous,” she said shakenly, her left hand clutching the files tightly to her chest, and the other holding his arm.

The office looked small, she noticed, and there is an event going next door, the music were loud enough set blast to her ears. It was distracting, she thought, although it was not the real reason of her anxiousness. This will be her first time, trying for a job on her own accords, without any special favors.

She was digging her nails into Sehun’s arms. He wouldn’t mind, she thought, as she realized she was clinging to his arm tightly.

“Let go,” he advised, and she loosened her grip on his arms. “No, not of me,” he said smiling, putting her hand back into his arm, “You can hold onto me as long as you want. Let go of your fear. You’ll do just fine,”

She smiled back at him, feeling a bit of comfort in his presence, “This may take a while,” she said. “You can go if you want to.”

He shook his head wordlessly, sitting on a large couch in the lobby.

“It’s not for Oh Sehun to wait,” she teased.

“I’ll wait for you,” he said.

**

Haru was interviewed for almost 30 minutes. As the time passes, slowly her nervousness seemed to slip away. She looked more confident now, and took her time in answering all the question diligently.

The interviewer looked pleased, although Haru couldn’t tell it was due to what.

Finally, he closed the file and offered a huge smile, congratulating her. “You can join from the beginning of the next month,” he informed.

She felt her eyes tearing up a bit, her heart joyous with the news as she thanked him in return. She walked out of the room and into the lobby, and saw Sehun seated in the couch, playing with his iPhone, paying no attention to the world. When he realized she was walking towards him, he lifted his head and stood up, grinning as she came closer. “Positive, I take it,” he smirked.

She smiled and threw her hands around his neck, hugging him excitedly. He roared a laugh, as he wraps his arms around her waist, lifting her from the ground. He didn’t care who was watching them or where he is, and for those few rare seconds, Sehun has completely forgotten about the surroundings.

It was the receptionist who brought them back to reality. She cleared , and called Haru’s name out, wanting her to fill up a few forms.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” she said, her hand still lingers on his chest. He nodded, smiled in return and watched her as she walked towards the counter.

He was still smiling, when he turned to pick his iPhone on the table. His eyes caught on a familiar figure watching him behind the glass windows.

His smile dropped immediately when he saw the man, dressed in a black suit, his hard cold eyes looking displeased and unpleasant as he watched Sehun. Sehun stared at him back speechless, his throat constricted.

Behind those glass windows, stood his father.

///

As Sehun moves up the stairs of the mansion, the signs of another person scattered around enter his peripheral vision. There's a coat on the rack, and half-empty glass of wine on the counter that he tries not to see when he walks.

Something is quite off, something a little dubious, and the distinctness of it is questionable.

There's untouched food on the dining table, and it's likely that his father is waiting for him to join the dinner table.

He pulls up a huge chair at the end of the long table, his father seated at the other end. Sehun tries not to look at him, as the servants cut the large piece meat on his plate.

“I can do it myself,” he said, as his father watched him like a hawk from the other end.

The rest of the dinner went silent as crypt. There were no sound except the ones from the forks and plates and wine glasses. Sehun glanced his father several times. He couldn’t help but to wander the fact that he might look like him when he grows old. His father is almost identical to him, only a few inches taller and broader. His grey hair and stern features on his face are one of those traits that distinguish them apart.

He ponders that a while, as he forcefully stuff his mouth with a poached broccoli. He wasn’t hungry, but he decided to eat anyway, not wanting to add on any more bad tension between them.

“Who's the girl?” his father asked his voice raspy and rough. He always sounded like that.

“A friend,” Sehun answered curtly. He knew his father is accessing him, so he wanted to look unaffected and ignorant.

“The Im’s called off the wedding,” his father said, as he signaled a servant to fill up his glass with more wine, “The girl has anything to do with it?”

Sehun said nothing but continued to nibble on his food. He lost his appetite completely.

“So she isn’t just a friend,” his father assumed. He sipped on more wine until the glass is almost empty, “Stop meeting her,” he commanded, his tone icy cold. “You might forget who you are, but the rest of the world won’t. You. Are. My. Son.” he said, enunciating every word clearly. “Snap out of this foolishness.”

He didn’t know what went wrong, but Sehun couldn’t remember the last time his father being gentle towards him. Like all those feelings, this one in particular, he couldn't tell when it had begun, or why, but he knew exactly the moment that had triggered his mind into recognize it. He never had a strong bond with his father, especially after his mother left them.

He scoffed as he reached for his glass of water, “My personal life is not your concern.” He sounded a bit ruder than he anticipated, but he didn’t care. There was no denying it anymore, he though, now there was no lie, nor excuse well enough he could tell himself to deny the truth.

He finished off the last sip of water, and nodded slightly, “Thanks for the food,” he said, as he got up from his chair, abandoning the last portion of untouched meal on his plate. Although he wasn't expecting a response, his heart were racing fast as he walked out of the room, knowing that he provoked his father in a bad way.

There’s a gnawing feeling at his chest that he can discern. It’s unavoidable and he knows there are chances for what he expects—the good and the bad—but he can deal with all this later. Even if there hadn’t been a warning here, he will know next. It might be the most stupid or the bravest thing he's ever done.

//

“He knows,” Sehun said gravely, “He knows about Haru,” He sat in the couch, his fingers raked through his hair.

There haven’t been any warnings. The realization comes out sour and unexpected and suddenly, the world is slow, the colors are duller, and air is a little bit heavier. Sehun lived the first part of his life alone, with parents that didn't care and ridiculously high expectations to live up to, but something in Sehun fought his idiopathic nature, he accepted the constant internal fight he now had. Every action or choice made him long for those days when he was only focused on himself, caring about others really wasn’t great.

“Well, it’s about time,” Baekhyun says, smirking heavily as he sprawls out on the couch to the kitchen, “Don’t tell me you’re planning on hiding her forever.” There’s a treacherous blush crawling up his face.

“Shut up, Baek,” Kai mutters, curling up in a chair. He takes his coffee and puts his lips on the cup, watching Sehun as he asks. “What are you going to do now?”

Sehun scoffed out a short bitter laugh, shaking his head, “I really don’t know,”

Chanyeol walks up to him, his face looked hard as stone, “You got to do something.”

Chanyeol was an affable and amiable creature. It was hard to get upset with him, as he rarely did anything that warranted the rise in blood pressure that accompanied true anger. He was their friend group’s glue, he was their secret keeper, and he was the boy they all relied on.

“I’m scared,” Sehun admitted, “I have never felt so much fear. I’m constantly thinking about what could happen to her, or how people could use her to get to me. And I feel strange when she’s not around. I make decisions based on what I think she would like. I care about her feelings more than mine.”

Kai blinked and looked away from Sehun. A frown pulled at his lips, “Your father’s going to find her,”

“Unless he can’t,” Chanyeol said his voice nearly to a mumble. He and Kai shared a look.

Sehun didn't have to look up to know what they were thinking. "My father will only be in Korea until this month." He looked back up at them. "If we can hide her till then, she’s safe."

“Hide her where?”

“We have a mansion in Japan.” Sehun suggested, with a hint of hope in his voice. “She could go there,”

“Alone?” Kai swallowed, “You can’t follow her, your father will know. We can’t send her alone there too,”

Chanyeol looked at his friend, his mind scheming a perfect plot, “We can send someone to be with her. Someone who knows how to sneak out, someone who tells lies perfectly.” His eyes narrowed at Baekhyun, who was drinking milk from a glass bottle, “Someone people won’t be suspicious with, even when he’s with a girl.”

Suddenly all eyes focused towards the man in white sweatshirt. Baekhyun nearly puked, as he realized they are talking about him, his eyes went wild, “No way in hell.”