Most high school students in South Korea, due to the gruesome schedule and demands of their education standard, had dinner in school. The same applied to the students of Chanyeol and Seulgi’s school. That evening, they found themselves sitting facing each other, their tray of meal (cooked by chefs trained for five stars hotel and the menu decided by an expert nutritionist) in front of them.

“Can you treat me like a friend?”

Chanyeol halted in polishing his dinner. Everything tasted so good. It’s the best meal he had in a while.

“Ahrasseo” he replied, his mouth full of food. He cleared it down his throat with a big gulp of green tea.

“But you haven’t changed your mind, right? You’ll let me announce that we’re engaged on Saturday night.”

She nodded.

“It’s just another science project.”

Chanyeol sat very still for a few seconds.

If that’s how she wanted to treat this, then so be it.

“You do realize it’s going to be announced publicly right? The media will announce it all over the country.”

Seulgi pondered over it seriously.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

Chanyeol didn’t expect her to be over the moon. On the contrary, it was so Seulgi to be so cold and calm about it. As if they’re just finishing a school project.

“I need to talk to your family, right?”

Seulgi stopped eating at that.

Her family. It started to feel real, then. She had a feeling it wouldn’t go well.

She couldn’t bring herself to just breezily come home, bringing Chanyeol, and say that she’d marry him some time in the future. Regardless whether it would really happen or not in the foggy future, it’s still a very big deal.

Her grandmother and brother might resist the very idea.

“It would be better than letting them hear from the internet. They’d be angrier.”

Seulgi swirled her seaweed soup with her spoon.

“Saturday is two days away. If we’re really going to do this, you might have to talk to them tonight.”

“I know” Chanyeol said.

“Would you do it?”

“Of course.”

This was starting to become scarier.

“Do you want to change your mind?”

Chanyeol waited as she looked up to him, and looked at him with her signature way of looking, cutting through into his soul.

“No.”

Chanyeol couldn’t decide it was solid stubbornness or pity from her side, but he was not going to question it.

*****************************************************

As their cars drove into Seulgi’s house, with Sehun following in Chanyeol’s car behind them, and the servants opened their car doors, Chanyeol said, “It’s just another school project, right, Seul?”

She looked nervous then. Still, she replied.

“Just another school project.”

Chanyeol could tell this was a game they would play for a long time. Downgrading everything. If it made it easier for her, he’d play along.

And so, they walked into her house. Her brother and grandmother were waiting inside.

*******************************************************

Chanyeol would have admired Seulgi’s house if he wasn’t that nervous. His tongue felt bitter without and his palms were cold to the tips of his fingers.

Kang Min Hyuk and Mrs. Choi (Seulgi’s grandmother) looked apprehensive and confused. It might be the first time the introvert Kang Seulgi brought a boy home, and introducing him to them as well.

Time was of the utmost important. It was Thursday, and the engagement had to be announced on Saturday night. Seulgi would not, no matter what their real intentions were, let her family knew it from the press.

So there they were, sitting side by side in the sitting room of Kang mansion, facing the scrutiny of two people who meant the world to her.

“So,” Kang Min Hyuk started, “You asked us both to wait and sit nicely for you. You said you’re going to tell us something important. What is it?”

Seulgi’s grandmother thought that it’s strange how these two seemed to speak to each other even with their silence.

Min Hyuk imagined that they were doing a school project and needed donation from him to see it though. Perhaps the boy was her friend in the science club? They’re going to compete for the world level in Rome soon, right?

“Oppa, Haelmoni. Let me introduce you to Park Chanyeol.”

At that, Chanyeol bowed to the two people sitting in front of him.

“He’s the youngest son from the Park Global Communications company.”

Seulgi gave a leather bound folder to her brother.

“This is his family’s asset portfolio.”

Seulgi and Chanyeol glanced at each other, and Chanyeol nodded at her, a form of encouragement. They had practiced this dialogue all the way here, wanting to be prepared when they had to inform their intention.

Seulgi was sure the dialogue she prepared sounded believable enough.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Choi Haelmoni asked, stomping her cane on the floor anxiously. “Why are you showing your brother Park’s asset portfolio?”

“Haelmoni, Oppa, please don’t be shocked. What I’m going to say is something I’ve decided without being forced”

Kang Min Hyuk frowned.

“Chanyeol is my friend. A good friend. His family is very, very strict. He has a very—demanding brother. And he has to announce to the world that he’s engaged to someone this Saturday, on his company’s anniversary party. I want to help him. I volunteered to be his fiancé. Because if he couldn’t announce he’s engaged on Saturday night, his brother would punish him badly.”

Utter silence filled the room.

“You – want to get married? With this boy?” Min Hyuk asked, incredulous, as if Seulgi asked to be allowed to go and live in the Antarctica.

“I’m sorry for shocking both of you. This is just a formal announcement. We could marry in the future. When Seulgi is ready, when we’re both ready.”

“I’ve never heard you mentioning him before” Min Hyuk confronted, speaking to his sister, “And suddenly you want to tell me you’re close enough to this boy, that you’re willing to be his future –wife?” Min Hyuk choked the last word to her.

Seulgi turned to Chanyeol.

“Seulgi is very kind. I’m very grateful because she decided to help me. She doesn’t want me to get beaten by my brother, that’s why.”

“Even if—“

And then they heard a gurgling sound.

The three of them turned to one direction.

Choi Haelmoni threw back her head, gasping for breath.

Seulgi knew what was going to happen.

Her grandmother struggled to get up, to walk to Chanyeol.

But before she could even move a step, she crumpled to the floor.

Seulgi’s haelmoni was having a heart attack.

***************************************************

“HAELMONI!!!”

Chanyeol felt he would never forget the way Seulgi cried in anguish. She jumped to hold her, as Min Hyuk turned pale with horror. A second later he set to motion though.

“Get the car ready!” he ordered to a servant.

The servant ran outside.

Min Hyuk held his grandmother and lifted her off the floor, as Seulgi sobbed, “Haelmoni! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Haelmoni! Please wake up!”

Chanyeol moved forward and reached the old lady as well.

“Let me help carrying her to the car.”

“TAKE YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!!! YOU’VE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE ALREADY!!!” Min Hyuk yelled.

He stepped back instantly.

In that chaotic situation, he turned to Seulgi. She was also shocked with her brother’s reaction, and mouthed “Mianhe.”

Two servants came to help carry Choi Haelmoni to the car.

The Kang siblings ran and entered the car, trying to save the only adult relative they had left.

As the car sped away, Chanyeol entered his own car. “Let’s follow them.”

“It didn’t go well, I suppose?” Sehun asked, witnessing the fainting grandmother being carried into the car and how the two siblings chased after her and entered the car with her.

Chanyeol only shook his head grimly.

“I hope her grandmother will be alright”

And off they went racing together to follow the Kang family to the hospital.

***********************************************

Mercifully, the nearest hospital was five minutes away. With the traffic, they pulled up on the ER ten minutes after Choi Haelmoni collapsed.

Chanyeol watched as she was hauled by the nurses into a bed.

There was the blurry chaos of people passing by quickly. Nurses walking around and doctors shouting orders to save different patients.

Kang Min Hyuk quickly explained what happened, then a doctor checked on Choi Haelmoni’s condition. First her pulse on the wrist then with the stethoscope dangling around his neck.

“There’s a pulse” the doctor reported, “but it’s very weak. She’s in critical condition.”

The doctor’s tone was matter-of-fact and rushed, before he told a team of nurses to prepare an injection, IV drip, and an oxygen mask for Choi Haelmoni.

In front of him, it was Seulgi’s turn to collapse on the ground.

Her knees seemed to give way and she knelt on the ground, choking on her own sobs.

Chanyeol reached out for her the next second, half asking, half pulling her to stand up.

“Are you the relative of this patient? We need you to fill several forms” a nurse said, appearing at Min Hyuk’s elbow.

In that chaotic situation, Min Hyuk wordlessly turned to his grandmother, the doctor and a team nurses putting the cables of the heartbeat detector on her body, and his sister.

“I’ll take care of her” Chanyeol said.

Min Hyuk couldn’t do anything but nodding

“You must wait outside. This area is strictly for patients” another nurse informed.

“There’s a waiting area outside” Sehun added, “We better wait there.”

“No. Haelmoni. I want to stay here. Haelmo—“

“Let’s side outside. They’ll tell us when there’s news. Come on. You can barely stand.”

Seulgi tried to resist, wanting to go beside her grandmother’s bed, but her feet and mind couldn’t work together anymore that evening.

She was directly caught by Chanyeol’s arms, who firmly led her outside the ER.

The farther they walked away from her grandmother, the harder Seulgi sobbed.

*********************************************************

If there’s a dimension of hell created for each person, his own private hell would be this, Chanyeol thought. Full of the sounds of Seulgi breaking, sobbing hard until she had to gasp for breath, choking and coughing, repeated to the end of eternity.

She was falling apart exactly right there in front of him, and he held her shoulders, peering on her face, saying, “Breathe. Breathe, Seul. Or you’ll be the next one who passes out.”

Her response was a croak of “Haelmoni” and the next thing he did was pulling her into his arms. He didn’t know what else to do except hugging her. There’s nothing useful he could say, so he just held her close, hoping it could calm her down, even for a little, before he too, lose his mind.

He didn’t even remember to enjoy holding her that close. That tight.

All he had inside him was the wish to make her stop crying.

He could feel her grasping at his jacket, the broken sobs and gasps of a girl who had lost her parents, and was afraid she would lose another person. Forever.

He wanted to say “Everything would be alright”, but it felt so wrong. Seulgi could be spared from bull. She didn’t need it.

He felt her grabbing at him for dear life, in her effort to not entirely drown within the thought she wouldn’t voice out. Of the worst that could happen.

**************************************************

The seconds ticked so slowly, and Chanyeol began to wonder whether they would all survive the night or not. The whole universe faded into a foggy existence in his mind. His whole senses recognized only the girl beside him.

After her loud, choked sobs, Seulgi’s grief turned to silent tears. She made no sound, and that’s terrified him the most. He had to turn and see her face clearly every few seconds to make sure she was still conscious.

Her face was fixed to the ER doors, and she wouldn’t say a word, her hands her own uniform skirt.

It was a new definition of pain. He didn’t know seeing her feeling desperately sad could be this devastating. After thirty minutes that felt like thirty years, Kang Min Hyuk appeared to sit near them, choosing a few seats away, also facing the ER doors.

Another thirty minutes passed, and they heard a doctor, who appeared from the ER, called, “Family of Mrs. Choi So Hee?”

Min Hyuk and Seulgi stood up abruptly.

They watched the doctor spoke to Min Hyuk in a sombre expression, before Min Hyuk nodded and the doctor returned inside the ER.

Chanyeol didn’t understand where Seulgi found the energy, but after the doctor left, she made her feet ran to her brother.

“What is it?” she gasped, horror-stricken, “What happened to Haelmoni?”

“She’s improved a little. She responds well to all the treatments they’re giving her. She’s still unconscious, but she’s stabilized a little. He said she’s still in critical condition, though. If she survived the night, there’s a bigger chance that she could recover. They’re moving her to the ICU.”

Seulgi began crying a bit louder once more when they all marched behind her grandmother’s mobile bed being led to the ICU. Choi Haemoni was unconscious, two IV were attached to her body (carried by two nurses, high above their head), her face was pale and had a blue tinge to it. It’s as if she’s having a nightmare. She’s definitely a far different woman than the dignified lady who sat at the sitting room of Kang family’s mansion earlier.

The only thing they could do was still, just waiting. Waiting for good news, waiting for their prayers to be answered, praying that Choi Haelmoni would be strong enough to survive this ordeal.

Sehun, who had waited nearby with all them the whole time, disappeared some time at midnight. He returned carrying kimbap in boxes for all of them, with a cup of iced coffee to give them some energy for the long night.

Seulgi only stared blankly at the food and drink in her hands.

“Have some, Seul, before you turn into a zombie.”

She turned to him, as if she’s surprised he could speak.

“I said,” he repeated slowly and exaggeratingly clearly, “Have some.”

He took it upon himself to open the cover of the kimbap box and put one on her lips. She automatically held it with her fingers and ate it, munching then swallowing.

Once done, she stared blankly at the ICU door.

“Finish it.” Chanyeol demanded. “Or do you want me to feed you?”

It was a sarcastic remark, one designed to make her snap out of her blank state. But she shook her head and ate it. Her moves were stiff, mechanical, as if she was merely a robot listening to a default order. Chanyeol doubted she had an idea of what it tasted at all.

It was a long night. A very long one. At 1 AM, Chanyeol led Seulgi to a couch a few steps away from the ICU doors. They’d been sitting on the plastic seats for hours. On another side of the waiting room, Kang Min Hyuk never stirred, he stayed vigil there, as if he was meditating.

Around 3 AM, Seulgi fell asleep.

Chanyeol turned and took a long look at her. Despite the situation, it’s hard not to stare. She’s very pale, and there were dark shadows under her eyes. Her hair had fallen out of her bun, and he couldn’t help tidying some tendrils and pulling them behind her ear.

She looked completely like a sad child. But God, how beautiful, he thought.

Something made him stopped his staring and he turned to stare directly at Kang Min Hyuk’s eyes. His expression was of suppressed anger, but he chose to not say anything or moved at all.

At dawn, a nurse appeared out of the ICU, calling “Choi So Hee family!”

Min Hyuk instantly stood up and approached the nurse.

Oh, no....Is she.....?

Min Hyuk then looked at his sister, who was still sleeping, then walked inside the ICU with the nurse.

The hospital windows showed the sky changing from inky black to purple, then slowly to dark orange.

There were other families waiting for the loved ones at the ICU. Most of them were asleep on the chairs or couches, or on sleeping bags and folded mattress at the corners of the spacious waiting room.

Those who were awake spoke in hushed voices.

Soon after, Kang Min Hyuk reappeared, walking resolutely to their direction.

“Wh – what is it?” Chanyeol asked, in terror of how Seulgi would take it, whatever that was.

“She’s regained consciousness. The doctor said she’d be in and out of consciousness for a few days. But he said the signs showed that she’s going to make it.”

“Thank God!” Chanyeol exclaimed, loud enough to wake Seulgi.

She sat straight and looked around in panic.

Seeing her brother and Chanyeol around her confused her. She frowned and remembered where she was in a few seconds, what had happened, and – “Haelmoni!” she said, as if she just discovered what they were there for.

“Haelmoni. How is he?”

Both men stared at her silently for a few seconds.

“It seems your Haelmoni will be alright” Chanyeol said carefully.

“She’s past her critical state. She’s still very ill, though. She will be in and out of consciousness for a few days. That’s what the doctor said.”

“Is she still awake now? Can I see her?”

“She’s awake just now, you can try going in.”

“Can she—did she talk to you?”

“No. She still has the oxygen mask. But she recognized me.”

“Can I really see her?” she asked, standing up.

“Yes. Go. But don’t excite her. She needs a calm environment to recover.”

She didn’t need to hear another word. She sprinted into the ICU in one intake of breath.

It was disconcerting to have Kang Min Hyuk, probably from exhaustion, or probably not, sat down on the couch beside Chanyeol.

They said absolutely nothing to each other. Chanyeol could understand him, for not wanting to speak to him. After all, he’s the stranger who appeared all of a sudden, saying he’d marry the daughter of the house in the future, and afterwards causing Choi Haelmoni to have a heart attack and became very ill.

Seulgi returned five minutes later, the maximum amount of time someone could stay in the ICU with their loved one in that hospital.

“She squeezed my hand” she said in a small voice, before bursting into another series of sobs, and Min Hyuk embraced her. Seulgi broke to relieved sobs, her shoulders rising and falling, as her brother brushed her back.

It’s a scene that must be repeated quite often in their lifetime. Seulgi leaning thankfully onto her brother’s chest and her brother holding her so steadily and with ease, as if he already did that a thousand times.

A pang of jealousy flashed inside Chanyeol. He missed his noona, Yura. She had her own kingdom to lead, and was always busy. Although she made time to call him once a week, and invited him over to her house once a month for dinner, it was far from enough.

And his brother.......he was even sure that his brother had never hugged him. Never. Not as long as he could remember.

How would it feel, to live with two family members everyday and actually have them—have them.....care for you?

Despite of everything, Chanyeol felt Seulgi was lucky, and he’s jealous of that.

These thoughts only flashed for a few seconds, though.

When Seulgi’s cry subsided, her brother told her to go home.

“.........Haelmoni is here! Why would I go home?”

“Because you need to go to school.”

Seulgi stared at Min Hyuk as if he was mad.

“Haelmoni was in a critical condition last night. I’m not going to school!”

“Yes, you are. One, you can’t do anything for her here. You’ll only worry yourself sick, and I don’t want that to happen. And second, Cambridge said they want your grades updates until you graduate high school, remember? They already accept you but they’ll want you to stay on top of your studies in the next one and a half years. You can’t forget that. And I’m not letting you do that.”

“But—“

“You’ll do as I say, Maknae. I’ll wait here for a few more hours then I’ll go home as well and go to work. I’ll visit haemoni again at lunch.”

“I’ll also—“

“No. You’re going to finish school, then go to your English course. After that, and only after that, you can come back here and see your haelmoni.”

“But who will be here when we’re gone?”

“I can easily send someone from our house.”

Seulgi frowned at that, but she seemed to be done arguing.

“Take her home and drive her to work. Then drive her to her course, then bring her back here tonight.”

It took them all a while to realize that Min Hyuk was speaking to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol was shocked to the content of his bones, but he quickly nodded and said readily, “I will.”

Min Hyuk signalled them to go, and Chanyeol reached Seulgi’s hand, “Let’s go.”

“Call me if anything happens!” Seulgi said quickly, before Chanyeol brought her to the elevator.

Before the doors closed, they saw Min Hyuk sitting back on the plastic chair in front of the ICU.

**************************************************

Chanyeol drove Seulgi back to Kang Mansion, while sending Sehun back to his own to take his uniforms. It was 6 AM when they arrived in her house, the entrance foyer felt familiar, as he just went there last night, yet so different, as if it’s been a year since the previous night, when their most heavy problem was only how to tell her family that they plan to announce their engagement.

It sounded so unimportant now that Choi Haelmoni lied ill in the ICU, having a near-death escape due to the shock they caused her. Or he caused her.

Seulgi brought him to the wing of the mansion where she lived, pointing to the guest room beside hers.

“I’d offer you to take a nap, but it’s already 6 AM.”

Chanyeol sighed. “Yeah, it’s time to prepare for school.”

Seulgi nodded. They were standing in the spacious sitting room, decorated in classic brown and ivory. Sunlight was streaming inside the room, and Chanyeol liked how simple her house was, although no doubt everything cost a fortune.

All the paintings in the house had the same theme. They’re all landscapes.

Chanyeol would like a tour to appreciate everything one day. Everything looked calm and very simple. And yet it looked dignified and elegant to him.

Kang Mansion didn’t show off, except, he thought, for the art pieces that must be selected with great care. It felt so different with his own house, full of lavish furniture and art pieces that would turn Sotheby to shame. Still, there were times when his own house felt too cold, as if it was a mere art gallery, and not a real home.

One day, he’d tell that to Seulgi. One day, when he’s not having a headache and would fall asleep in his own feet if he’d let himself.

“Do we really have to go to school?”

“Yes. Because if not, why would I leave Haelmoni today? It’d be a huge waste of time.”

“Right. Knew you’d say that.”

With that, Chanyeol entered the guest room and went straight for the shower.

************************************************

Freshly showered and wearing a clean uniform delivered by Sehun, Chanyeol left the guest room. The spacious sitting room was bright with sunlight. He could smell breakfast – Korean food, he was sure, not western food. It was set on a circular table on the balcony, for two. She was also there, freshly showered as well, her hair combed all the way up onto her head in her usual bun. Lost in thought though, the point that she didn’t realize Chanyeol was standing there.

“Hi.”

She turned abruptly.

And she was staring at him so seriously that he had to break the silence with an, “What’s wrong? Did you hear anything new about your Haelmoni?”

She shook her head. “No. Oppa texted me and said she’s pretty much stable now—as stable as a 70 year old Haemoni could be after a heart attack and in an ICU. But still, at least she hasn’t worsened.”

“That’s good.”

Seulgi sat on one of the chair, and she waved for Chanyeol to follow.

Despite her invitation, she just stared onto her set of bowl and plates.

“If she’s ok, then what’s bothering you?”

“I just.....” her voice was cut abruptly, “I just fully realized, you know. That you were there. The whole night. Waiting for my haelmoni.”

He saw confusion in her face, even a tinge of fear, as she looked at him.

“Oh.”

That’s the only thing he could utter.

“You didn’t have to” she continued, “But you did.”

He stared at her for a heartbeat. “She’s your haelmoni and she’s very ill. Where else should I be?”

“I don’t know. Home.”

“........she had the heart attack because of me.”

Seulgi’s eyes widened.

“No. You didn’t force me to inform our plan. If you’re guilty, then I share the same blame.”

She began staring at her bowl again.

“Are you cancelling the engagement?”

“........how can I? You were there the whole time last night.”

“Don’t pressure yourself” he said gallantly, although he wanted to kick himself for saying that. The engagement was tomorrow night, and if Seulgi changed her mind.....

“I thought pressure is our middle name?” Seulgi asked, half-attempting for humour. “And you were on your knees yesterday, begging for me. Have you changed your mind?”

“Your grandma became ill. If we go on, I might only hurt you and your family.”

“It’s tomorrow evening, Park Chanyeol. If it’s not me, who will you bring to the party?”

“I’ll just grab somebody.”

Seulgi chuckled at that.

He saw that so rarely that the prettiness of the sight was almost painful for him.

“I’m sure you can do that. I believe in your skills. Girls would jump at the chance.”

His tongue felt bitter.

She’s going to cancel this......

“But I’m very grateful, Park Chanyeol, because you didn’t leave me last night. That you were there the whole time. You don’t lie after all.”

He did say he’d never leave her alone.

Although her brother was there, Chanyeol’s presence was a solid rock of comfort. That’s how she remembered him, whenever she looked back at that fateful night.

“I’ll do my best to calm my family. So they wouldn’t think badly of you. Helping you feels like the least I could do.”

For her, Chanyeol thought, it’s really just helping him when he needed it. It’s a lot more than that for him. He was quite sure it’s close to everything for him, even. He’d take that, though. It’s better than what he hoped for.

“Thank you, Seul. Thank you so much.”

She smiled again, signalling that the matter was settled, before she began putting food in her bowls and plates. Chanyeol copied the action. It was a beautiful morning. The birds were chirping, the smell of the trees, flowers and grass mixed into a fresh concoction. And moreover, she was there, right in front of him.

Chanyeol decided that it’s the best morning in his life.

****************************************************

When they returned to the hospital, Choi Haelmoni had been moved to a VVIP room. It was 10 PM. Chanyeol helped her carried a big bag of food from Kang family’s chef, especially for Min Hyuk who seemed to forget to eat anything, as reported by his secretary to Seulgi.

“She’s alright” he informed, before his sister even voiced a word. “She’d like to talk to you.”

The smell of the dinner wafted from the bag.

“Dinner?” Min Hyuk invited.

Surprised that Min Hyuk was willing to talk to him, Chanyeol froze for a second, before answering, “I had some already, thank you.”

“Then you can sit with me in the cafeteria. Come on. Waiting here while she’s there will do you no good. Text her, tell her we’d be at the cafeteria.”

Needless to say, Chanyeol followed the older guy.

Min Hyuk finished his dinner silently, but it was not unpleasant. There were boxes filled with soup and omelettes, rice and kimchi, stir fried beef and veggies. There’s also a box of fruit and a flask of cold green tea.

Chanyeol had the exact same set of meal previously, at Kang’s mansion.

We’ve been together a lot these days, he mused inside, thinking of himself and Seulgi. Even his inner voice sounded disbelieving to his own ears.

“Are you playing with her?”

Chanyeol had been randomly watching the people around him silently when the question was shot to him.

Min Hyuk looked dead serious. Like he’d shoot Chanyeol to death if he dared joke about it.

Of course, he didn’t dare.

“No” he answered, taking a deep breath, “No, I’m not.”

“Why her?”

“.........because there’s no other Kang Seulgi in this world.”

Min Hyuk blinked.

“Does she even like you too?”

“No.”

His voice sounded honest, even in his own ears. It’s the truth. And he’s fine with it.

“She’s just starting to get to know me. She sees me just as a friend.”

Min Hyuk stared at Chanyeol mercilessly, peering to see lies or hidden secrets.

“She’s always been an introvert. But after our parents died, she closed herself to the whole world. The only person she let into her walls was Yeri. I haven’t seen her around lately. I heard they had a fight.”

Chanyeol waited, but it seemed that Min Hyuk didn’t know that the cause of the fight was him. Yeri liked him, he liked Seulgi and Yeri lashed at her for that, among other things, like a control-freak brother who decided it’s his right to mess up a friendship between two girls.

“I’m actually surprised she could stand sitting with you for longer than fifteen minutes. I’ve never seen something like that before, except if it’s for school or, like I mentioned, Yeri. So I guess she sees you as someone she could spend her time with.”

“I’m fine if Seulgi doesn’t want to marry all her life. She could play with animals as long as she wants, be a vet, open a clinic, whatever that is. Whatever she wants, I’ll be happy to make it happen. Because, I’m just grateful that she’s alive and well.”

Somebody must have stopped the time from continuing to tick, and wrenched his heart in a painful squeeze.

“........what do you mean a—alive?”

“After our father died, and our mother committed suicide, Seulgi tried to kill herself, thrice.”

His heart must have dropped to the floor.

“The first time was with Omma’s sleeping pills. A servant found her on time. The second time was cutting her wrist. She was eight. Smart enough to know that doing that could kill herself. Haelmoni found her on time. The last and hopefully the final time, was drowning herself in the deepest part of our swimming pool. Seulgi can’t swim. Has always been afraid of swimming. But she jumped there and tried her best to die. I was the one who found her on time then.”

Min Hyuk could see Chanyeol’s eyes brimmed with tears. He should’ve stopped there, believed the boy then, but he didn’t. He pushed through. After all, he’s Seulgi’s brother.

“When I asked her why she did all of those things, she said she wanted to meet our parents.”

Min Hyuk successfully made Park Chanyeol shed tears.

“Haelmoni and I managed to make her understand that we all could only leave this life when we’re old and we have no more strength to live. But it took years of hard work, therapy, and of her screaming with nightmares and waking up crying several times a week.”

“Her driver is a licensed psychiatrist that I pay high enough to make him happy to just drive her around the city and be her all-around bodyguard. When you see her texting once every hour, that would be her notifying me that she’s still alive and breathing. That she’s going through her day well and she’s eating properly. She is my and uri Haelmoni’s everything. We don’t pressure her and demand her to reach our goals. We mould our lives to fit her wishes. We are grateful to be able to do that.”

“So, Park Chanyeol-ssi, if you ever, ever abandon my sister, I will end your life.”

A chill ran down Chanyeol’s spine. Because he believed Min Hyuk meant it, and would do it.

“I’ll tolerate you if Seulgi thinks you’re good enough. If there’s anyone in your family who degrades her, or her wealth, accusing her to be a gold digger, you defend her, or I swear to God, I’ll skin you alive.”

“I’m going back now. Haelmoni most probably just asked her about you. She’d need me there. Think about what I told you. Think about who she really is and what she’s been through. I know you lost your parents too and your family is irrationally demanding. Come to Haelmoni’s room only if you’re absolutely sure you’ll be able to take care of uri Seulgi. If you think she’s too much for you, then do us all a favour, walk away now, and never go near my sister again.”

Min Hyuk said these things while stacking the empty meal boxes into the bag. Afterwards, he left Chanyeol alone.

Chanyeol had to put five minutes on his phone timer, just to convince Min Hyuk that he had seriously thought about it properly.

Instead of wanting to run away, everything Min Hyuk said about Seulgi’s past made him wanted to run to her.

If it’s all up to him, he’d never spend another day apart from her.

*******************************************************

Author's Note:

I hope you like how the story is going so far.

Not sure about you guys, but I am in love with these version of Chanyeol and Seulgi. 

Nanowrimo really works for me. 

Oh, and I finally start that side hustle for a little extra income I've always wanted to do.

November is proving to be a great month. 

See you next time!