Elder Oh guffawed cheerily. “So you’ve met? Then, that makes dinner less complicated.”

“Yes, sir,” Jin sunk into her seat.

“I invited Jin to Sehun’s wedding. I’m pretty sure they met there.” Hwayi informed.

“You were at the wedding?” Madam Oh asked. “We must have missed each other.”

“It’s no big deal. I didn’t stay long due to personal matters.” Jin graciously smiled.

Namjoo’s gaze slid over to Sehun. He was still icily unmoved.

What a strange situation this was. Namjoo wasn’t quite sure where she fit into this puzzle. The pieces were becoming more and more misaligned. If she could just slither away…

“What are you two doing? Come sit,” Sehun’s father scolded. He waved for her to take the empty seat in front of him. Ensuring her with a gigantic smile as she sat. Leaning close to speak to her, “I had the most delicious meats put on my side. Make sure to eat up.”

Naturally smiling, Namjoo said, “Yes, thanks father.” while deep inside her internal organs quivered uncomfortably.

“You’re so busy these days, I wonder if you actually have time to stay and chat during dinner,” Sehun eyed his cousin.

“It’s hardly polite to reject a meal offered by my favorite aunt,” Hwayi’s lips curved up notoriously, “and I’d like to get to know my sister-in-law better. I hardly know her Sehun.”

Their exchange made Namjoo so overly conscious she hardly lifted her spoon. Did Hwayi intend to spill something about her? Why was Sehun already going on the offense?

“Stop being so hard on Hwayi, Sehun.” His mother chided. “Everyone deserves a good meal.”

“Your mother is right.” his father agreed. Glancing at Jin, he kindly encouraged, “Please don’t be shy and eat everything.”

“Yes, I will, sir.”

Touching her utensils, she peeked at Sehun. There was something quaint about the atmosphere loosely unthreading above them like the plenty things majority of them weren’t being vocal about. Her and Hwayi. Sehun and her web of lies. Sehun and Jin.

How was he feeling right now? Was a part of him aching now that he was seeing Jin again? Did he feel remorseful, regretful? Maybe the sight of her was conjuring the pain he’d experienced that day he’d seen her with someone. Was he currently hurting full force? Perhaps his deep feelings for her had reignited. This must be such a horribly uncomfortable position for him to be in.

Namjoo further observed his neutral expression. Seeking a hint of sadness throbbing in him. Only made proper sense for there to be something there. A faint dimness in his eyes, the downturn of his lips, anything.

She couldn’t find evidence of anything brokenhearted about him. On the other hand, she was bad at reading his face. He always looked so serious.

As if sensing her long stare, Sehun wondered. “What?”

Returning to her empty plate, she excused, “Nothing.”

There was no need for him to put her on the spot. In front of them all.

“I’ll help you.” Sehun offered.

Too late.

Leaning forward he scooped a heap of meat onto her plate before she could object. Adding to the mix, sides of healthy veggies and devil eggs.

At this, his father cooed joyously. Boasting to his wife gladly, “Would you look at that?”

Breathing an airish giggle, his mother just had to start nosing. “How’ve you been doing, dear? I know that Sehun has gone back to work. If you’re bored at home, please do come over. Your father and I would love your company.”

And how did Jin feel, witnessing firsthand the way Sehun’s parents treated her, a fake, with much affection? She could have been sitting in her spot if she had stayed loyal to her man.

The running thoughts dripped through her mind like a leaking faucet causing her to be ever more conscious of her surroundings, the people she was sitting with. Whom and what their relations to her were, the cause and effects of knowing them which would eventually lead to one consequence or the other.

She was such a liar.

Namjoo could not be herself with them either. As she could not be honest with Moonbi or her mother.

“I’ll stop by sometime, mother.” Namjoo said because she could not not say anything being glued right there with them all.

ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

Once dinner was being cleared, his father took Namjoo away to hand her a bag of tangerines he’d bought fresh from the market. While they were out of sight, Sehun dragged Hwayi down the hall to have it out with him.

“What are you up to?” Sehun hissed pushing him away around the corner.

Swatting at the arm he’d just grasped, Hwayi raised a brow, “Calm down, brother. I really just brought a nutritionist over.”

“You know she’s not one!” Sehun lowly whispered aggravated.

Raising his hands in surrender, Hwayi playfully soothed, “Hey, I mentioned at the wedding your father had a . Jin was just worried. Nothing serious.”

The cousin roved his eyes over him then smirked. Leaning over he nudged Sehun teasingly which pissed him off more.

“So, which girl is upsetting you?” Hwayi sneakily wondered. Literally moving into his face, Hwayi said at a level only he could hear, “The girlfriend?” Sehun glared at him. “Your wife?”

Gritting his jaw, he tightly pursed his lips.

“Aha!” Hwayi nodded. “So, it’s Namjoo?”

“Stay away from her.” Sehun growled. “I mean it.”

The cousin scoffed through his teeth. “But she makes good company.”

Ignoring his callous remark, Sehun swiveled around to go find his wife. Standing there with Hwayi was wasting his time.

“You probably don’t know her the way I do. All the things we’ve done together, good times,” Hwayi annoyingly called after him, intentionally egging him on. “I hope you have much happiness.”

Four, five steps later, Sehun paused.

He didn’t really know Namjoo. The things he did were the bare minimum. At most she just wanted to take the money and leave him.

Sehun couldn’t let that happen.

What if he could change her mind? What if she could feel the same way?

To get through to her, he had to know her.

Freaking Hwayi was closer to Namjoo than he was. Whatever that meant. Thinking about the number of times they’d met up was pissing him off.

Cursing every darn particle of himself, Sehun stalked back to his cousin. Stubbornly averting his eyes to keep Hwayi’s smug expression out of sight, Sehun desperately said, “Then, if you know her so well, what does she like in a man?”

For almost three minutes Sehun listened to tales of undeserving suitors all the way to ex boyfriends. There was a particular one who bore tattoos that ran up the length of his arm Namjoo found charming. Because it came out of Hwayi’s mouth Sehun could not trust that information, but he planned to verify it with Namjoo in privacy later.

Her taste! So indecent!

Huffing, Sehun cut him off, “Say no more. All that is garbage.”

He planned to walk off, but Hwayi managed to stop him. Once again. “But there is something.”

Grounding his teeth Sehun repeated lines of patience mentally. Give the guy the guy one more chance.

“She likes letters, says they’re old fashioned but romantic.” Hwayi grinned as he said this. A glint in his eye prompted Sehun to think he was playing a joke.

Finally leaving the cousin behind Sehun went to fetch his wife home. Running every piece of information he’d just gathered through his head, filing them away carefully. What were lies? What was the truth?

He found her standing in the dining room with not his mother or father, but his ex-girlfriend. The vision of them together shook his core. One woman a part of his life. The other quickly blending into his past. Some lines should remain forever tangent.

in a breath he determinedly started forward.

“Let’s go home.” Offering Jin no chance to say anything, he grabbed Namjoo’s hand pulling her away.

“Sehun!” she yelped hurrying to steady her footing and keep pace with him.

Keeping his grip firm, he charged down the hallway to the back door where evening air welcomed them outside. The glow of the low sun lit the sky in a pinkish glean soon to become a shade of darker blue and green before transitioning to shimmering black.

“You can let go now.” Namjoo said once the manor was far behind them.

“Is it true?” Sehun wondered.

“What?”

“You like tattoos?” He side eyed her for the truth.

A moment s around them as Namjoo sunk the question in. “Well, I think they’re pretty badass.”

Damn Hwayi!

Releasing a gasp in disbelief he wheeled around on her, “I can’t believe you!”

Blinking confused, Namjoo innocently shrugged, “What?”

Shaking his head, he let go of her hand, doubt growing in him. Worried that Hwayi may have spoken the truth about Namjoo, her exes, the tattoo boyfriend.

What did that make him?!

He was nowhere near anyone on that list!

What the hell was Namjoo’s taste in men?! He really wasn’t her type?!

“Have you gone crazy or what?” Namjoo muttered behind him.

Maybe he was. Increasing his pace, he started leaving her behind.

“Why are you running?” Namjoo shouted after him. It was only a matter of a few seconds before he heard her rapid footsteps catching up.

Impulsively pivoting around on a foot purposely he waited a beat for her to slam into him. She bounced into his chest with unsuspecting force.

Grumbling Namjoo rubbed her forehead. “Why, you-”

Sehun touched her arm. Really wanted to slide his arms around her to confirm the here and now. They could be heartbeat to heartbeat, but holding her a bit was enough. For now.

If he was nowhere near her type, he would just have to create a new type she’d like. Sehun was confident he could make it happen.

What did he have to lose trying? Namjoo was already wearing his ring.

“What?” Namjoo pushed him away. Judging him with a frown she sidestepped around him. “Weirdo.” Brushing past she hurried toward the house.

He smiled even if it wasn’t meant to be a word of endearment. Spinning around he followed her inside.

After showering he found Namjoo already in bed and territorially on her side. Climbing onto his side he settled comfortably on his back while also trying to keep sight of Namjoo’s shadowy figure. The silence melted around them. Calm. Quiet. Namjoo’s soft breathing.

He wanted to roll over, wrap an arm around her, hug her to sleep. Sighing he blinked. There was time yet. It would happen. One day.

“Do you miss her?”

“Huh?” He was surprised she was still even awake.

“I mean, your girlfriend.” Namjoo clarified.

“She’s not my girlfriend anymore.” Sehun corrected.

“Well then, what should I call her?” Namjoo wondered. He felt her head shifting over the pillow as if she could see him.

“Nothing.”

She breathed a kind of laugh and half snort. “How cruel.”

“I’m not. In fact, I am very generous.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Then why bring it up?” he questioned perturbed.

“Never mind then.” Shifting onto her side Namjoo ignored him. Without looking he knew she was flashing her back to him, as if to display her dissatisfaction.

Crossing his arms, he started planning his next move.

In the wee hour he woke up, sat at his desk, pulled out a pen, a loose-leaf printer paper, and went to work using his phone flashlight as lighting. Scribbling one thing after another. Shaking his head frustrated he crossed out one word and the next. Maxing out his brain usage on an early Saturday morning just to perfect a letter.

ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

Smacking her lips, Namjoo flipped onto her side. Part of her sleepy consciousness aware what side she had just turned to. Yet her hand landed on the bedside expecting to touch an arm or land on a warm chest.

There was nothing.

Instinctively opening her eyes, Namjoo first saw the pillow then the empty bedside. Sehun was up first again. Must be some honed special skill of his to get out of bed without waking her. Pushing herself up, Namjoo browsed the room yawning. froze halfway when she spotted Sehun bent over at his desk, his head burrowed in an arm, and he was asleep. At least he appeared to be.

What the heck was with him?

Curious, Namjoo climbed out of bed and crossed the span of the room to him. Pinned under his arm was some paper. Looked like something was written on it.

Pinching the lower edge, she carefully shifted the paper back and forth, freeing it from his arm. She wanted to see what he’d been writing so early in the morning. Namjoo barely made it, catching sight of Dear Namjoo when Sehun stirred and began waking. His eyes fluttered drowsily as they landed on her. In a fit of panic, he shot to his feet toppling the chair over.

“Don’t read it!” Attempting to snatch the paper he stretched an arm out for it, but Namjoo briskly pulled it away.

“What is it?” Bending her neck back she stared up at the words.

“I mean it, Namjoo! It’s nothing.” He leapt out for his drafted letter again, his face transitioning into a tomato red color.

Amused Namjoo swiftly dodged. Holding the paper up she squinted to see better. Doing it so intentionally to . “Dear, Na…”

“Namjoo!” Sehun literally screeched lunging forward.

She danced away laughing. Having fun teasing him. Jogging halfway across the room, she lowered the paper for a quick read. A humongous grin belied her lips as she started reading the penned letter.

“Dear Namjoo, I-”

At lightning speed Sehun stole the paper from behind her, folded it, squeezed it into a tight ball and tossed it into his mouth.

Namjoo’s jaw dropped. Reaching her hand up she tried to pry his mouth open, take the paper out. “Are you crazy? You’re going to choke!”

Sehun desperately flailed away from her, his mouth desperately moving, chewing. He even swatted at her hands defensively.

“Ow! Ow!” she shrieked.

Merely fighting like chickens flapping their wings Namjoo continued forward, trying to get his mouth open, but Sehun backtracked intent on destroying his letter.

And for what?!

Namjoo couldn’t understand him. He was out of his mind! Did he want to die?!

Sehun coughed in the due process of trying to eat the scrunched ball of paper. Tripping backwards in the process of running from her. She nearly fell over with him. Luckily, he ended up stupidly sitting at the foot of the bed.

Another cough came from deep in his throat as she clutched his shoulders for balance, having no desire whatsoever to clamber over him. Eyes widening Sehun deeply nodded as he gulped the paper down and finally gasped for breath.

Slapping his shoulder, she scolded, “You’re crazy! You stupid!”

“Ow,” he whined plastering a hand protectively over his shoulder. “It hurts.”

Smacking his other shoulder just to feel better Namjoo gave him a laser-like glare. “All over a stupid paper. What a freaking nutcase.”

She began shifting to stomp off, but he touched her lower arm. His hand big and warm like what she imagined him to be when she woke that morning. Only he wasn’t there but at his desk.

A kind of shiver raced up her arm. The good kind. It slightly brought on a case of anxiety.

“That paper,” he said, tone soft, “I thought about it all night.”

Yanking her hand away, she pretentiously asked uncaringly, “So?”

“Did you,” he paused, “read it?”

Namjoo thought about the only few letters she’d caught through the cursed blurry vision one suffered from right after waking. “Not really.”

Sehun literally sighed. “Thank God.”

Frowning she asked, “Are you writing ?”

“What?!” he exclaimed shocked. “No!”

Hitting his shoulder again, she shouted as she walked off, “ert!” yet cheerily laughed on her way into the hall.