As if being into a soundless space with nothing besides the two of them, Sehun’s presence became ever growing and overcame every sense Luhan had, freezing him in place. Luhan became incredibly conscious of his rapid heartbeat, the shallow breathing he was emitting and the heat that his cheek was nestling on. He wondered if Sehun could noticed how flustered he was in this very situation.

Luhan knew Sehun was a busy man. He spent more time away on business than he did at the mansion, and with all that hard work came a pressure Luhan couldn’t even begin to fathom.

Even so…

Even if that was so…

It was painful.

To have Sehun brush him off in that way was much more hurtful than anything he had experienced. The indifferent voice, coupled with Sehun’s inattention and reluctance to look his way made Luhan feel so vexed that he felt his emotions boil to the brim before it overflowed manifesting into a pathetic muffled whine as he made his way towards the door.

He felt silly getting excited all on his own for something Sehun dismissed so easily. At that moment, he felt like he was miles apart from the serious young lord that was Sehun and it made him feel a sadness that penetrated his gut.

“Luhan,” Sehun called out, his hand that was gently cupping Luhan’s cheek falling to his shoulder instead, much to Luhan’s relief. “Your answer.”

Luhan willed himself to look Sehun square in the eyes, though his heart was suffering from serious strain at the way it was beating erratically. “N-no.”

Luhan saw Sehun’s left brow flinch in surprise at his answer and a panic surged in Luhan’s mind.

“I mean! I should be sorry. I came in here knowing you were busy. I shouldn’t get emotional over this sort of matter. So,” Luhan quickly explained, shuffling his feet and finally looking down as the feeling of embarrassment kick in. “There’s nothing for you to feel sorry for.”

A low, melodious laugh entered Luhan’s ears and it melted the last bit of disappointment he had.

“Thank you, Luhan but I still have to apologise,” Sehun said in a sweet timbre that was at the opposite end of the spectrum to how he sounded before. Luhan felt a weight land at the top of his head, making him look up towards the source and he saw Sehun ruffling his hair gently, a look of satisfaction on his face. Before Luhan could register what was happening, Sehun abruptly stopped and pulled his arm quickly back to his side and gave a small smile to Luhan.

“I’ll enjoy the dessert. Thank you for bringing it all the way here,” Sehun said kindly. “You should go get some rest now.”

Luhan felt his heart soar at the mention of Sehun planning to eat the dessert and he nodded excitedly, making a sound of acknowledgment. “Tell me later on if it was good.”

After seeing Sehun nod once, Luhan left the office in a satisfactory mood, hoping that the sweet panna cotta was a tiny bit of happiness in Sehun’s day.

Inwardly sighing as he rested his head back on his office chair, Sehun closed his eyes as he tried to forget the feeling of the warm, soft cheek he held a few minutes ago and the silky strands of blonde hair that caressed through his fingers when he playfully ruffled with them.

You’ve really lost it, Sehun thought to himself, feeling both anger and happiness at the same time. Anger towards himself and happiness at the fact that Luhan smiled so brightly by just him saying he would eat the dessert he made.

Sehun turned to look at the glistening body of panna cotta on the coffee table nearby and began to walk over to it in familiar strides. Sitting down at the sofa, he took a bite into the sweet pudding that instantly melted in his mouth. The taste was sweet but it had a unique aroma thanks to the chamomile incorporated into in. Seeing the dried chamomile flowers in the small plate reminded him of Luhan and how much he enjoyed gardening and a smile automatically came to his face. Realising his err in behaviour, he quickly readjusted his expression, sighing out loud at how hopeless he was.

A knock at the door caught his attention and he allowed the person to enter. Kyungsoo professionally entered, turning Sehun’s already complicated mood even worse.

“What is it?” Sehun asked curtly.

Unfazed, Kyungsoo proceeded to hand him a letter with an all too familiar seal. “The duke has requested your presence at the Oh estate.”

Sehun scowled at the letter in his hand, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “What does that old geezer want from me now?”

***

Standing in front of the familiar eerie doors of the Oh estate, Sehun had become accustomed to the numbness that permeated within him through every crevice of his being whenever he stepped foot in this place. A place filled with memories of his depressed mother, his devil of a father and his half-brothers who were no more than mere pebbles in his eyes, with the exception of Kai.

As he reached his father’s office, the long-time butler of the residence, who was also Kyungsoo’s father, announced Sehun’s arrival and opened the door once the deep, commanding voice of Duke Oh Tora was heard.

Sehun studied his father who was reaching his 40s. He had a valiant visage with deep set eyes and thick eyebrows that made everyone shudder whenever he sent them a simple stare. Duke Oh Tora was an older version of Sehun and Sehun had been made aware of this throughout every event he attended accompanying his father before he left the estate. It made his insides fill with disgust whenever someone said he was similar in any way to his father. He had no plans to become an erectile surplus of a man child the way his father seemed to live his life.

“I see you still view me as your father seeing as you have come here willingly,” Duka Tora remarked snarkily. Sehun remained silent, not bothering to entertain his father’s childishness much to his father’s displeasure by the apparent look of discontentment on his face.

“It is time for you to come back to this house, Sehun,” Duke Tora stated. “You’re my son and the next heir to the dukedom.”

Sehun scoffed out loud. “I politely refuse.”

A loud bang resonated in the room as the wall behind Sehun was cracked by the stone paperweight thrown its way by Duke Tora. “You dare?”

Sehun rolled his eyes to look to the side where the window was, wanting this farce to be over. “If this is what you called me for, I’ve made it clear I will not have anything to do with this place.”

Duke Tora looked menacingly towards Sehun as he took a seat back in his chair. “If you refuse, I will have your little business fall to the ground.”

Sehun angrily squinted towards his father, the atmosphere in the room gradually becoming colder as seconds passed by. “I shall stay here for a few days, Father but as I said, I will not become the next Duke. You have three other heirs to choose from. It does not have to be me.”

A maniacal laugh came out of Duke Tora’s mouth, twisting the always valiant image he had into an ugly expression. “You’re right. I have three other sons. I have them and yet…”

Meeting his father’s hostile gaze, Sehun shuddered at how crazy he seemed. Even more so than usual.

“Out of all of you, you’re still the most well accomplished. Is it because of that stupid woman that you’re being this defiant?” Duke Tora asked nonchalantly, reverting back to a somewhat normal state.

Sehun clenched his fist as he heard the phrase his father used to describe his mother. “Do not talk about her with your mouth.”

A palm strike to the table sent a shockwave that incited a war of nerves between the father and son pair. Sehun kept an unfazed expression as he continued to study his father’s drastic actions.

“You, stupid boy. I’m giving you everything and you’re still being this way,” Sehun heard his father mutter under his breath.

Sehun sighed in annoyance. “That may be so but I have zero interest in you or the dukedom. You should understand that by now. I’d suggest leaving your position to Kai. He is still a better choice than Ian or Shun. If that is all…”

Sehun proceeded to turn around to leave when the sound of his father coughing relentlessly filled the room. Turning around, he saw the terrible state his father was in. Face pale and a bloody handkerchief in hand, he was a far cry from the dominant alpha male Sehun was familiar with.

“Father…” he could only say, confusion apparent.

A bitter laugh came from Duke Tora’s bloody lips. “I guess this is retribution from your mother.”

***

“Brother!” Kai called out.

Sehun was sitting cross-legged at the small table in his room when his younger brother entered enthusiastically. Seeing the cheerful Kai back from sword training, dark hair slightly dishevelled and his breathing a little quicker than normal, Sehun thought it was still a good thing he came to the estate.

“You stink,” Sehun playfully complained.

Kai pursed his lips in annoyance as his smile fell. “Can’t you be nice?”

Sehun let out a low chuckle and nodded acknowledging Kai’s complaint. “It’s nice to see you, Kai.”

A smile came back to Kai’s face and he merrily went to sit opposite Sehun. As they got caught up in talking and catching up with each other’s activities, Sehun with his business and Kai with his final year at the academy where Sehun graduated from, a comfortable silence filled the room.

“Brother,” Kai began, hesitation apparent in the way he was fidgeting with a napkin. “I’m guessing you know about father.”

Sehun paused from taking another sip of tea, his cup still mid-air before he set it down back on a saucer. “I heard.”

“Does that mean you’ll come back here to take over his duties?” Kai asked, anticipation in his eyes.

Sehun smiled guiltily, as he knew Kai was most likely hoping for him to come back and live here from now on. “You know my circumstances."

Kai seemed disappointed but nodded in understanding. “Even so, I hope you can consider it, brother. If it’s you, I’m certain you’ll be a fantastic duke.”

Sehun smiled bitterly, understanding what Kai was saying but his heart was not willing to accept it at all. “Let’s head down. Father wanted to have dinner with everyone.”

***

A quiet, suffocating dinner was in progression and Sehun wanted nothing more than to leave and go back to his house. He bought the land with half the money his mother’s family had given him, while the other half was used to start his business. That place was his true home, filled with people he cared for and who respected him. It was a place where he grew from a boy to a young man who was now the successful Oh Sehun. It was also the place where he could see Luhan every day.

Finishing the last bits of his dinner, his mind drifted back to his house and the beautiful, blonde boy that lived with him. He used to be fine not seeing him for weeks, but now after only 2 days in the Duke’s estate, he longed to see Luhan again.

“Luhan,” Duke Tora voiced out suddenly, making Sehun’s entire body freeze before turning to face his father as unfazed as possible. “Is he the reason why you’re being such a stupid boy?”

Sehun feigned calmness and proceeded to speak. “He has nothing to do with my views on the dukedom.”

A smirk formed on his father’s face. “You were so against slaves before and now look at you. How dare you act all righteous in front of me when you’re doing what I’ve been doing all this while.”

Sehun felt his nails dig into his palm, unable to contain his rage. “Don’t ever compare me to you.”

His half-brothers Shun and Ian audibly snickered.

“Brother, we’re family. Father didn’t say anything rude to you,” Ian remarked lazily.

“You, shut up,” Kai retorted, a heavy force in his words that made his younger brother instantly turn docile.

A self-satisfied look formed on Duke Tora’s face. “Blood is thicker than water. You seem to love keeping and playing with beauties just as much as I do. I’m quite proud of you.”

A shrill made from the sudden movement of the dining chair being pushed back on the wooden floors stopped the foolish conversation from proceeding. With a belligerent expression, Sehun turned to face his father, saying something both out of spite and as a promise to himself.

“I will never become a man like you.”

Adjusting his vest and tidying his hair, Kyungsoo gave one final check on his appearance before making his way to Sehun’s home office. It was already past midnight and the young lord came back home faster from the Oh estate than he had anticipated. Worrisome thoughts filled his mind as he wondered what had transpired at the Duke’s residence for the young lord to call upon him as soon as he arrived.

As he entered the office after Sehun’s acknowledgment, Kyungsoo could instantly tell how frigid the mood in the room was.

“How is it going with finding Luhan’s family?” Sehun asked sternly.

Kyungsoo paused before quickly organising his thoughts. “I’ve recently found his home address. I was going to tell you when you came back from the Duke’s.”

Sehun nodded absentmindedly. “Tell Luhan we’ll depart tomorrow. Keep the destination a secret.”

Surprise flashed across Kyungsoo’s face. “Yes, young lord.”

Excusing himself from the room, he managed to catch a glimpse of the young lord he had served for nearly all his life. The young and successful Oh Sehun, who seemed cold and uncaring with an untouchable aura eminating from every inch of his being.

That type of person who seemed above everything in this world.  

The kind of person whose very existence did not require anything but himself to move forward.

That was the Oh Sehun that he knew all his life.

But at that moment, all Kyungsoo could see was a person who seemed to be the loneliest man on earth.

Author's notes:

Short chapter. Final one is next. Took a while but this story will finally have a conclusion! TvT