“Good job boys!”

Coach Kwon claps his hand and the basketball practice is over. Sehun wipes out his sweat with his arms as he walks back to the side court with Jongin. Hanhwa’s basketball team currently in the semifinal and just one step away from the final to keep their title as the tournament’s champion. Minwoo isn’t be able to join the practice because the team’s doctor simply threatened him not to play with the ‘you wouldn’t dare unless you want to lose your leg’ sentences. Sehun has been holding all the captain’s job for almost a week now and they’re just two steps away from the title.

“Go get some rest for tomorrow, I trust you that we’ll kill it again.”

They gather to do their chant before going to change their uniform. Minwoo, still in his crutches, walks to Sehun who still trying to catch his breath in the side court.

“You know I’ll tell the others about your captain job officially in a few days right?” Minwoo asks him and the younger male nods, “You sure about choosing me?” Sehun asks him back and the older male just laughs. “Well, your first tournament and you got us to the semifinal. I don’t think anyone needs more proofs whether you’re the right person or not.” Minwoo answers him as they starts to leave the court.

“Thank you, hyeong.” Sehun says to him and the older male nods, “Sure, anytime brother.” Minwoo chuckles.

Miyoung walks in the hallways and quickly approaches the two male, “You’re done?” Miyoung asks Minwoo and the male nods. “Practice finished?” Minwoo asks her back as she stand right beside him and she nods, “Hey Sehun,” Miyoung greets Sehun and he greets her back.

“Let’s go,” Miyoung hold Minwoo’s arm, “See you tomorrow, get some rest or have some fun.” Minwoo suggests and Sehun nods while laughing at his suggestion.

Minwoo and Miyoung walk away with Miyoung’s arm around his hip to help him walk and his arm around her shoulder. Sehun looks at the sophomore couple as they walk away, he smiles and then walks to the opposite way to the locker room. Most of the other players have already left as they’ve finished showering, some are still there to change their clothes after showering or just freshening up. Sehun goes up to his locker and takes out some towel.

“Want to grab some dinner later?”

Jongin asks Sehun as the latter enters the shower stalls, “Nah, I have things to do.” Sehun declines his friend’s offer.

“Alright then, I’ll just annoy my sisters in their office by myself. It’s Wednesday anyway,” Jongin shrugs as he finishes showering.

“Wednesday? Oh, you mean you sisters’ pasta day at office?” Sehun raises his brows and Jongin laughs as he nods, “I don’t know what kind of catering or chef they use, but those pasta are amazing. You sure you don’t want to come?” Jongin offers him again and Sehun shakes his head.

“See you tomorrow!” Jongin bid goodbye to Sehun as he leaves first.

Haewon sighs as she walks along the hallway, the teacher wants to talk to her about the senior’s prom as she is a part of the prom committee for the upcoming prom. In Hanhwa, each grade will have five representatives for the prom committee although the prom itself is limited to senior students, the chosen junior and sophomore will be dealing with most works than the senior because the seniors’ schedule are filled with trial exam and exams. CSAT is coming very soon so juniors and sophomores are busier now.

Haewon walks past the classrooms that are already empty, cheerleading practices are over almost an hour ago so no one is really around at this hour. She looks at the phone, it’s almost six. She opens up some messages from her friends who ae mostly talking about foods, tomorrow’s match, and upcoming mid-term exams which will start right after next week’s tournament’s final championship.

“Oh, . It’s raining,”

She huffs as the rain is slowly getting bigger, she doesn’t bring her umbrella so she stays in the foyer. The rain is getting bigger and there’s a little chance that it will stop in any moment soon.

“I thought the cheers’ practice is over hours ago,”

Haewon gasped at the voice but then turn around to see Sehun standing right behind her.

“Why are you still here too?” she asks him back, “I ask my question first.” Sehun tilts his head and Haewon rolls her eyes with a chuckle.

“Prom committee, I’m a member. Your turn,” Haewon says.

“Just finished taking a shower, tidying up the balls and things.” Sehun says as he looks at the rain outside.

“You didn’t bring your umbrella, did you?” Sehun turns to the girl and she nods, “Did you?” she asks back. Sehun shakes his head, “But I bring this,” he lifts his jacket that was in his arm. Haewon throws him an ‘are-you-joking’ look and he just laughs. “Seriously, are you going to wait until it stops? It will be around midnight if you do,” Sehun looks up the dark gloomy sky. Haewon can’t agree because he’s right but Haewon isn’t really a fan of sharing jacket under the rain. It’s too cheesy.

Haewon isn’t really interested with something cheesy. Not at all.

“Oh, come on. You don’t want to stay here all night long.”

Sehun put the jacket over them and bring her with him to leave the school building. Haewon takes a glance at him but he just laughs as they keep walking to the nearest bus station. There’s only the two of them as it is quite late for students in the area to go home.

“That was unexpected,” Haewon refers to his actions earlier and Sehun just laughs as he tries to shake his jacket so it won’t really drench.

“You’re going home?” he asks her and she nods, “You?” she asks and Sehun shrugs. She frowns at his response but she doesn’t dare to ask why. Sehun senses her gaze and he takes a seat beside her, “No one’s home, I’m the only child and my parents are gone overseas. Coming home to no one isn’t really something I fond of.” Sehun tells her his reason.

“So where are you going if you’re not coming home?” Haewon carefully asks him, Sehun roams his eyes as if he’s searching for something.

“Taemin’s house, maybe? Kyungsoo is out with his family every Wednesday for a movie night and Jongin is annoying his sisters in their office. Or maybe auntie’s place, anywhere away from home until it’s pass dinner time.”

Haewon could senses the loneliness in his tone, she’s there too. She has the same issues as him, something that makes her quite amazed with the fate.

“I don’t have anyone else waiting for me at home but I think people has different preferences,” Haewon says, still looking straight into the rain.

Hearing people say that it’s not fun to be at home because there’s no one waiting for them or they’re lonely just like Sehun or Areum is always fascinating for her. Areum is always left alone by her parents since she entered school, they’re rarely at home but always provide her with everything. Lavish birthday party, expensive gifts, Areum have those every year. By the time she reached junior high, she’s sick f them and qould always find any excuse to get away from her parents. Haewon suspects the similar things happen to Sehun though she doesn’t know for sure, yet.

“Oh, right. You live alone, I’m sorry.” Sehun realizes what she’s implying to, Hewon smiles and say,” It’s okay, I love it being alone.” she assures him that it’s okay.

They don’t shares any word, the rain sound fills their silence. The two of them sitting in the bus stop and just staring at the falling rain. Haewon really loves rain, for her it just like a sanctuary. There won’t be silence during rain, she will have to stay at home and spend her time cuddling with her blanket on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate. But not for Sehun, he prefers going out with his friends and strolling around with his bike. Rain is the only reason that stops him from going outside especially when his parents are home. He feels that they’re too far though physically they’re close. He is the only child in his family so loneliness is kind of his middle name although he never really fond of it.

“I have an idea but you can decline this if you don’t want to,”

Sehun tilts his head curiously at her.

“You live here alone?”

“Yeah, come on in. I’ll get you some towel,”

Haewon says as she put her shoes on the rack and uses he slipper, Sehun ooks at the spacious yet tidy apartment. She searches for an extra slippers and put it in front of him, “Use that,” she says and walks ahead of him to the living room. Sehun looks around and notices that it’s a really big place. Although his house is big too but his place for for several people, Haewoon’s place is almost as big for his place but she’s alone.

“Make yourself at home, I’ll get you some towel.”

Haewon says as she goes to the nearest room. Meanwhile Sehun carefully steps in to the center of living room. The apartment looks warm for him, the lights are placed beautifully. There’s a big teddy bear and blanket on the sofa, he suspects she spends most of her time cuddled up on the sofa. He looks around and finds a Google Home assistant device near the television.

“Use this, just put your bag on the table.”

Haewon hands him a towel and Sehun put down his bag. He starts to dries himself as he watches the home owner walks to the kitchen. She pulls out a mug and turns around facing him, “Coffee? Tea? Chocolate? Or maybe wine?” Haewon’s tease makes the other person laughs. “Tea would be fine, you drink? We’re not even at the age yet,” Sehun asks her carefully as he feels he’s quite dry, “I do, only at home with my mom’s persona collection. She loves stuffing my wine cellar whenever she’s visiting,” Haewon shakes her head while she put some tea and hot water to Sehun’s mug. She then turns on her coffee machine and it let out a freshly brewed espresso to her mug.

 “You love coffee?” Sehun asks again and she nods, “Coffee is like my obsession, I know this is not healthy but what can I do?” Haewon shrugs as they both laugh together. Haewon gives him his mug filled with hot tea, “Oh, I’ll look for a clean clothes for you. I think I have some clothes,” Haewon says and leaves again.

Sehun put both of his hands around the mug to feel the warm because the rain obviously makes him wet and feels quite cold although there’s towel wrapped around him. He sits by the kitchen island whie waiting for Haewon. At last, she comes back with a few clothes with her.

“These are hoodies and shorts, I think you’ll fit in.”

Haewon hands him a broken white oversize hoodie and black shorts with ‘obey worldwide’ on the left side. Sehun looks at the clothes, “I can live with these, hey is this one DNA?” Sehun raises his left hand that has the hoodie. Haewon looks up from her coffee mug and nods, “Yeah, you know that brand? I thought it’s not really famous outside the States,” Haewon asks him back and he nods. “Yeah, Taemin has a bunch of these back at his home.” Sehun says again, Haewon take a sip of her coffee and put it back on the kitchen island. Sehun lso takes a sip of his tea and both of them just stay quiet.

“You can take a shower on the first floor bathroom, just freshen up and make yourself at home. I’ll be cooking dinner if you don’t mind,” Haewon suggesting and asking at the same time, “Of course I don’t mind, thank you for this.” Sehun points at the clothes. Haewon smiles, “Anything you have in mind for dinner?” she asks again and he shakes his head. “Alright then,” Haewon says but then Sehun looks around, “Uh, where’s the bathroom?” he asks.

“Second door on the left,”

A voice comes out from the speakers and Sehun furrows his brows, “That’s Google, Jisoo’s father is a technician in Google Korea. He helps me to turn this house into some kind of smart home. Like, really smart. Questions like that, she’ll answer it. Not me,” Haewon explains and Sehun nods his head in understanding manner. “That’s cool,” he says before leaving for the bathroom.

Haewon smiles and then goes up to the second floor after Sehun disappear to the bathroom. She takes a quick shower and changes her clothes to her everyday clothes before going back to the kitchen to cook dinner. She opens her fridge and thinks for a moment before she decides to make some spaghetti for her and Sehun.

“Google, play my playlist please.”

Not long after that, music starts fill in the house. Haewon continues to cook while waiting for Sehun to get out from the bathroom.

“This is delicious,”

Sehun says after he finished his dinner, Haewon thanks him for the compliment as she puts away their plates. “I’ll do the dishes,” Sehun says as he gets up from his seat.

“No, it’s okay. There’s not much to do after all,” Haewon points at the dishes which just oncists of their plates and the pan she uses earlier to cook.

“Nah, let me. You’ve done a lot for me,” Sehun takes over the plates from her hand and she just chuckles, “Alright then, suit yourself.” Haewon gives up and finally let him to do the dishes.

While Sehun washes the dishes, Haewon pulls out a carton of milk from the fridge and drink it all before throwing it to the trash bin.

“You have a nice house, like really great house.” Sehun says while he dries his hands after he finishes washing all the plates and cups.

“Thank you, that’s really nice.” Haewon thanks him as they walk to the living room together, they sit on the sofa together as she flips the channel to Netflix. Sehun looks at his phone and put it down, looking around and still wondering how she affords it. Well, that’s what people think whenever they see a teenager with quite a lavish lifestyle. At least, that’s what people always asks him whenever he eats alone at a five star restaurant on his birthday because his parents are rarely around or when he’s walking alone at Beverly Hills simply because his parents can’t go with him to LA but still bought him a ticket so he travels by himself.

“I bet you’re asking how the hell I can afford these, you can ask. I get that questions a lot when I first move in,” Haewon says as she finds her favorite show, Sehun watches her settles herself at the other end of the sofa.

“My mom’s a lawyer and my father’s a neurosurgeon.” Sehun let out a whistle and Haewon just laughs at his reaction.

“You? I mean, if you don’t mind.”

“My parents are in business world, different companies. My dad do a lot of things, my mom is in online shopping world recently got into cosmetic I don’t know how.” he answers the question and makes her laugh because of his last comment on her mother’s new advancement.

“Are you the only child in the family?” Haewon asks him again and he nods, “Guess you can read it from my behavior.” Sehun says again.

“Well, I’m the only child now. I guess we’re on the same boat,” Haewon chuckles. That remarks remind him about Haewon having an older brother that’s not around anymore. He wants to say it but hesitate because it might be something she doesn’t talk a lot with other people.

“You have something to day, say it. I’m no mind reader but I do senses things.” Haewon jokes and he just chuckles at it.

“You said you had a brother … right?” he asks and she turns to him, her overall expression doesn’t change but he knows it’s something sensitive to her.

“If you don’t want to—“

“No, it’s okay. Yes, that’s right. My brother passed away five years ago, he … he killed himself.” Haewon starts off, eyes still on the television but she doesn’t really pay attention to it.

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to talk about it.” Sehun understands but she shakes her head, “I want to, people say that time heals. Maybe it’s time for me to prove whether it’s true or not.” Haewon chuckles and starts to recount that memory again.

“He was the best in his class, front runner for valedictorian at Exeter. Student body president, student role model. He’s perfect.” Haewon mutters, “Exeter? That’s incredible,” Sehun comments and she nods with a smile.

“He was the best but… he hang himself in his bedroom back at his apartment in Exeter. I was the one who found him….” Haewon closes her eyes and the memories are back, Sehun soothes her by rubbing her back. Trying to do something to eases her pain although he knows it’s not working. The pain might be too much for her.

“That’s why I never really sleep well during the night, I chose to sleep during class or lunch break. Darkness isn’t really my friend,” she opens her eyes and let out a laugh, they go silent for a couple minutes. They let the soft falling rain and television to fill their silence for a moment. Haewon is thinking about her brother meanwhile Sehun is thinking about how they come this far to get know each other.

“My friends don’t know about this details,

Haewon breaks the silence, Sehun looks at her and smile. “I’m honored,” he says and she just chuckles. “I’m on a therapy.” Sehun breaks the silence again and this time she turns her head at him with a furrowed brows, “CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The doctor said it’s helping me but I just can’t see the progress in me.” Sehun chuckles as he looks down.

“Well, this is weird.” Haewon says,

“Which part?”

“Both of us being in a therapy. I’ve done that but it’s not helping at all so the doctor suggests a new cbt on me. Still on progress though,”

They both looking at each other deeply, so deep that Haewon could almost feel he sees her inside and out.

“No one know about this—” both suddenly saying the same things and they laugh together, “We keep exchanging secrets to each other like this, this is dangerous.” Sehun jokes then Haewon laughs at it.

“This is weird,” she remarks,

“Yeah, we’re weird.” he chuckles.

Haewon plays with her fingers to busying herself, trying to make herself not awkward around the boy that has been her confidant for weeks now. This is her home yet she feels all unfamiliar because Sehun is with her. She never invites any boy to her house, her friends do sleep over but she never have a male visitor aside from his father and fixer maintenance.

“So, you’re staying or….?”

Haewon asks the question that has been lingering in her head for a few minutes. Sehun shakes his head, “I’ve told someone to come and pick me up. I think coming to your house is far enough…?” he refers to their relationship and she rolls her eyes. “Well, Mr.Oh. You’re the first male guest so give yourself some credit for being the first.” she stands up to search for some snacks in her pantry.

“Not even Jaehyun?” Sehun accidentally slips out the name and mentally palmed himself but Haewon pantry. She comes back a couple minutes later with a bag of potato chips.

“You’re okay with Criminal Minds?” she asks as she sits on the sofa again and he nods, “I’m a huge fan of Reid.” Sehun answers and Haewon changes the channel as they eat the chips together.

“See you tomorrow?”

Haewon nods as Sehun already get out of her door with his bag and drenched uniform.

“Get some rest, you have to beat them again, captain.” Haewon says and Sehun just laughs, “Good night,” Sehun waves his hand at her and she waves back as she looks at Sehun who approached a black Mercedes car with a motorcycle in front of it. She closes her door but watch him until he leaves.

Meanwhile Sehun walks to the black Mercedes but then notices something, his motorcycle that his father gave him as his birthday gift. A gift he loves but never really want to touch it.

“Enjoying the view, master?”

He looks back and see the one he looks up as an olde brother, Sehun quickly approaches the guy in black suit who gives him a bow. Sehun hugs him and the older guy laughs, “Nice to meet you again, master.” the guy says again.

“Jaewon, you’re back?” Sehun still can’t believe his eyes, Jaewon nods politely. “My service is done, I’m back as your security detail. Looks like nobody replace me while I’m gone?” Jaewon asks and Sehun nods.

“No one can replace you,” Sehun shakes his head, “Anyway, I got the news about this from my father. I bet you dying to ride this one,” Jaewon nods at the motorcycle and Sehun laughs. “You’ll have to chase me, then.” Sehun takes the helm and quickly turns on the engine. “I will be coming right behind you, master.” Jaewon says as he opens the passenger seat of the car. With that, Sehun drives off with his motorcycle with Jaewon and another security detail follows him with the car.

Lee Jaewon is Mr.Lee’s son, Mr.Lee has been with the family for almost 30 years. Jaewon is 10 years older than Sehun and has been Sehun’s confidant slash brother slash bodyguard since he was ten years old. Jaewon served for the air force and left for two and a half years. Now that he’s back, Sehun sure things will be okay.

“I don’t care about the company, tell my father he could do whatever he wants but I’m not leaving her side.”

Sehun firmly says and Jaewon nods politely, “I understand, master. But…” Sehun throws him a glare but the older male doesn’t budge.

“It’s been six months, you need to get a proper sleep and meal. I’m saying this as a friend and brother, not as your security detail or bodyguard or someone who works for your father. I’m sure miss will be fine.” Jaewon refers to Haewon, Sehun holds her hand.

“When wil her parents visit her again?” he asks the older male, “This afternoon, they will arrive at Incheon Airport on twelve.” Jaewon answers him, “I’ll wait until they come, this time I’ll go home and let them to spend time with her.”

Jaewon nods in understanding manner, he nods to his other men and they leave the room again. “Then, I’ll excuse myself.”

Sehun nods in acknowledgment and Jaewon leaves.

“Baby, how much more time do you need?”

⇒ Updated!! Actually I was going to skip all these and go for the final tournament but then I thought it would be too fast. I hope you like it! Please do leave a commentT_T why do people never leave one? I'm all in for comment, I love comments!^^ I'm sorry for the short update, I promise you longer update like previous chapter!^^ Well then, SEE YA!