SILENT TEARS.

He frowned, eyes staring at the girl ahead of him, that just walked in and his worried and anxious feeling went skyrocketing when he saw her went crying.

“Jihae!” he called. 

“W - what’s the matter - why are you crying - ”

“Take it!” she went slamming her hand on the reception desk he blinked - seeing the cheque with the numbers on it. 

“What is this?” 

“Take it.” she said, through her gritted teeth, tears went rolling and snots went coming out as she continued on her cries.

“Let’s take the ing money and get out of here.”

“Jihae - ”

“I said let’s take the ing money and get out from here!” she shouted. 

Junmyeon went gasping, eyes shuttered to look around his office and released a relief sigh at that - glad that it was all a dream. 

He let out a low groan, massaging his sore neck that was aching from the quick nap that he had took on the seat.

Probably was too tired that he ended up sleeping on his own seat. 

If Jihae knew about it - he wouldn’t stop hearing about it. His sister was always the one who nagged him the most - despite she didn’t look like she have the strength to do. 

He sighed at that, somehow remembered on his own sister and wondered if she was alright in Jeju with Sehun.

He didn’t trust that guy.

Not after the stunts that he had pulled. 

Perhaps he should fly over there, but since he was still busy with the China group, he couldn’t just abandon the work just like that - again, Jihae would have nagged him.

For her - family is important, and so does works. 

He glanced the view of the wild city from his office’s window and looked upon the flashy and bright light from the buildings outside. 

Slowly, his fingers reached for his phone and searched for Jihae’s number. 

Jihae noticed that her phone was ringing, but she was too busy driving on the road to even care about it. 

Also, her voice probably gonna give out that she was in such a devastating state at the moment, and she really didn’t want the person on the line to feel sympathy for her. 

She don’t need that. 

So, she ignored it - letting it vibrated for a while before it finally died down and she heaved a soft sigh at that.

When she had pulled at her house - her brows went frowning as she stared at an unfamiliar car in front of her gate. 

She parked at the back of the car, staring at the plate number and wondered if she knew the car or maybe the person that was driving the car. 

But, clueless - she went out from her car with an anxious feeling, somehow getting scared of someone that she didn’t know was at her house. 

But, Jeju was a safe place - and with that thoughts, she went out, opening the gate wide and glanced at the car that was empty with nobody inside. 

Though, her anxious feeling went crumbling down when she saw Chanyeol standing at the entrance of her house, phone pressed against his ear as he walked back and forth on the ground. 

“Yeah, I’m here - not, she’s not home - yeah, I get it - ” his deep voice soothed Jihae in a way. 

Just earlier, she was sad to be alone and crying silently at the thoughts of Sehun - but seeing Chanyeol with his awkward tall figure, wide sparkling eyes and pointy ears - she felt relieved and weirdly safe. 

As if nobody gonna touch her anymore with him by her side. 

His senses must have alarmed by the way she went staring at him - because he quickly whipped his head at her direction and Jihae couldn’t help the smile on her lips when she saw his big smile towards her. 

“There she is!” he shouted, practically letting the whole neighborhood knew about his presence and her sudden arrival. 

When he trudged closer to her, Jihae went smiling more and she just let him ruffling on her head affectionately before giving her - his phone. 

His eyes looked at her in a way that makes her wanted to hug him tight, wanting to bawl all her frustration towards him - he stared at her, as if he knew that she was aching inside. 

But, he just smiled afterwards and Jihae sighed ridiculously at her own thoughts. 

Before she looked at his phone that he was holding for her and raised a brow when he just urged her take it, muttering -

“Junmyeon is worried, you didn’t take his calls.”

Jihae quickly took the call and chuckled at hearing her brother’s voice that was muttering loudly on where she had been and how worried he had been.

Somehow, Jihae felt relieved. 

“I thought I already told you not to come.” Jihae purposely glared at Chanyeol who just walked out from the bathroom, drying on his hair as he walked closer towards her, who was in the kitchen - making light dinner for the guy. 

Who apparently just flew to Jeju just because he wanted to - but Jihae knew, that the guy purposely came so he wouldn’t need to come work the next day. 

And he had been waiting for her at the entrance of her house - courtesy of Junmyeon that told him where their house was, and have him waiting there, like a dog waiting for its owner and he didn’t bother to call her because he wanted it to be a surprise. 

While Junmyeon couldn’t come, busy with the China group and had Chanyeol came alone at that. 

Though, Jihae didn’t mind their presence - she didn’t want them to burden themselves with her. 

“You’re not the boss of me.” he said, before leaning down to level up with her, and Jihae went frowning. 

“Shorty, smell my hair.”

She make a weird face to that, but ended up taking a quick whiff using her nose and blinked, while Chanyeol straightened on his back and beamed. 

“I use your shampoo.” he shamelessly confessed and Jihae went scowling at that, almost kicking him in the shin, but he just moved away and she scowled more. 

“Now I smell like you.” he happily said, scenting on his towel that he had used for his hair earlier while Jihae flattened her lips at him. 

Noticing that he was already changed to his plain shirt and sweats while having the brightest smile when looking at her. 

“You sound like a ert.”

And he gasped at that, acting dramatic for her, that have her chuckled at it and placed the dinner on the table. 

“Well, I’m being a ert just for you, so be glad.”

“Wow, I’m glad being a hero to all the girls out there.” 

“Hey!”

She laughed lightly when Chanyeol went kicking on her own shin. 

“Your eyebags are getting worse.”

Jihae felt his fingertips gazing the skin below her eyes and have her eyes fluttered at the action. She focused on Chanyeol who was sitting beside her at the balcony. 

Chanyeol wanted to enjoy the cool night air from the balcony after their late dinner, and Jihae somehow had to accompany him after he had been whining at her. 

But, instead of enjoying the cool air and maybe listened to the sound of the waves - Chanyeol had his eyes set on her, never minding about anything at all and Jihae was wondering whether the guy was just playing with her or something. 

“Thanks. It took eight years to achieve this.” she remarked and Chanyeol didn’t seemed amused at that and rested his head on his palm, still staring at her. 

“Thankfully, I’m here for the night. So, you can sleep soundlessly by my side.” he announced, smiling at her.

His words sounded innocent - mostly mirroring his attention on making her sleep well for the night, and have nothing hidden by it. 

And Jihae went scoffing at that, before staring ahead of her, staring at nothingness as she tried to act nonchalant about it. 

“You really sound like a ert.” 

He scrunched his nose at that, making her giggled a bit, and when he tried to bite her, she just moved a away from his incoming teeth.

Making him chuckled at it while she just looked to the front again, staring at the starry night on top of her and heaved a heavy sigh. 

She still remembered her words on Sehun and her heart went clenching at that, aching so much that her expression went frowning again. 

Having Chanyeol pushed the frown between her brows and smiled when she looked at him. 

“Wanna share your problem?”

Jihae gulped at that - whether the sudden words, or the way he looked so concern upon looking at her. 

“It’s nothing.” she forced a smile. 

“It’s obviously something, shorty.” his fingertips soothed on her temple and she sighed at the touches.

“You look on the verge of breaking down when you arrive home.” his deep voice went gentle towards her, that Jihae looked at him immediately. 

“Just because I didn’t say anything, doesn’t mean that I’m not worried.”

His voice went much softer - almost whispering towards her, and Jihae just smiled ridiculously at that, shaking her