-Shinhye’s POV-

Everything’s fine…I guess.

With the unification of the Water Noble and his father, I guess I could say that it was alright. At first, while Suho oppa was away, this person, who looked like his older version, suddenly appeared by the doorstep of the castle. I met him while I was tossing the ball I bought in town against the wall adjacent to the door. It was very awkward as I felt like I was looking through a mirror that showed the future. I actually mistook him as Suho oppa since I suspected that his test must’ve taken a toll on his body and he’d gotten old and he’d also grown a Vandyke beard which was cool.

I only found out that he was the father who rejected oppa before. I felt sorry for him. He didn’t know what it was like to have someone like his son around. He’s like the best person there is, both in personality and brain capacity. He’s very understanding, too. I don’t understand why this person blamed him for the death of his wife. That’s dumb. Still, I showed my respect. He’s still Suho oppa’s father and I didn’t have the right to be mad at him for anything. Like oppa said, we can’t possibly hate someone we’ve never come to know.

He must’ve noticed my rather aloof disposition towards him and he spoke to me. It was one of those days when everybody’s doing their researches and I was left to fend for myself against the boredom. Baekhyun was still not apt for hanging out with me. He couldn’t take staying out then so as always, I was training at the courtyard alone when Suho’s appa came and tried to strike up a conversation. He said he knew that I knew something about him. Evidently, but I just told him that it wasn’t in detail. He apologized for it and in return, I told him to ask it from his son, not me. He followed him then to the north.

They arrived together a few days ago. I didn’t know how Suho oppa managed it, but they were chatting as if they were old friends. It was a puzzle since he told me he understood my antagonism towards my father and he’d probably feel the same way, but I found out that his situation was worse. My father had been a father, always taking care of me and Jinhae, but the thing was that he lied. His father never played his role and when I asked about it, he said that he wouldn’t be back with us if his father didn’t come to his rescue. I realized that it wasn’t about the time, the role and anything else. It’s there. It couldn’t be changed and finally, he proved his worth as a father, helping his son who was in need at the right time.

It was our final week in Hydris. Harabeoji insisted that we should stay longer. I totally agreed, not that I didn’t want to go to Portia yet, but I liked being in the company of the man. He was really sweet once one gets through his rather cold exterior. Aside from that, I felt sad leaving him. Though he had Suho oppa’s father to live with him in the castle, it’s still different knowing that he’s okay. Being there for him was nice, having tea with his equally adorable amigos. It was great.

One the other hand, two people worried me at the moment – Jinhae and Sehun. Jinhae had been distraught no matter how much she denied it. She loved Lu Han. I just knew it. Though Lay was with her, there wasn’t any use to it. He couldn’t bring out the real Jinhae after that Lu Han decided to leave. I guess it was the right time to be plaguing him with nightmares, but I understood him as well. Not being able to accept my sister’s real circumstance was a natural thing. Chan Yeol reacted the same way, but he didn’t decide to leave, but ignored me like hell. Those were two different things though. At least, I still saw him. Jinhae hated parting from people more than I did and that Lu Han person was going to pay for it once we’re face to face. He knew exactly what it would do to her, but he still chose to go. Ugh! He’s really going to get it.

As for Sehun, he had been hanging around me for the past days. He would, but not as often as he did lately. It was driving me nuts. He’d always look at me as if he wanted to say something, but I refused to read his thoughts unless he decides to tell me about it. I’ve been very careful with reading everyone’s minds since getting to Hydris. As their friend, the least I could do was to keep the things they wanted to keep private, private. No more reading the minds of the nobles unless it’s necessary and though it was bothering me, I won’t read Sehun’s mind.

Since that incident by the stairs, he had been acting rather weird. He would sigh, talk cryptically and look as if he was miserable. I asked him too many times already and when he was being catatonic during dinner hours ago, I was afraid to ask. He had been staring out the window like he saw something interesting there then he played with his food until I couldn’t take it anymore and I offered to feed him. He just smiled at me then shook his head, regressing to that peculiar disposition like he was trying to solve a metaphysical jam or something.

After dinner, he immediately told everyone that he wanted to retire to bed. I just couldn’t help it anymore. As much as Chan Yeol’s sappy thoughts about me bothered the hell out me, I couldn’t bear seeing one of them out of their element, not even D.O. when he always felt so confident about himself and I just wanted to smack the back of his head already. Something’s bothering the youngest and I wasn’t just going to watch. I stood up as well and followed him despite of Baekhyun and Chan Yeol telling me that Sehun usually had his mood swings. I knew that, damn it, and this time, it wasn’t just his mood swings going on hyper-drive.

When I came out, I found him beginning to climb the stairs. I ran outside and levitated up to the balcony and went to the salon by the edge of the stairs. The moment he passed by, I pulled him into the room. Oh yes. He was startled like he saw the devil himself. I was going to catch him off guard. I slammed the door shut and him against it.

“Okay. I won’t beat around the bush, Mr. Wind. What’s going on?” I said rapidly.

He slowly blinked at me and shook his head.

“Naw~! Come on. I deserve better than that, Sehun.”

He shrugged. “Why don’t you just read my mind?”

I flashed a mocking smile at him. “Do you really want me to do that?”

“No.”

“See? Sehun, I don’t want to either. Now you’re making me worry.”

He shook his head. “You’re worried?”

“Yeah, now do you mind telling me what’s been making you behave like you’ve got something shoved up your –”

He turned the tables and backed me up against the door instead, slamming his palm just beside my head. I swallowed hard, wondering what he was going to do, but he just looked down, bending slightly. After that, he leaned closer and I bit my lower lip until I thought it would bleed, my heart racing in its cage, but he just leaned his forehead on my shoulder, whispering two words: “I can’t.” I don’t know why, but I felt as if it meant more than that.

I shrugged, feeling stupid and feeling sorrier for him. I pushed him back and placed both of my hand on his shoulders. “Okay. Fine. I won’t ask, but if you want to talk, you can tell me anytime. Deal?”

He smiled at me, but his eyes continued to express almost-agony. “Deal.”

I patted his shoulder and left him after that. It didn’t really solve anything, but I was glad he was willing to talk to me if ever.

So there I was, trying to get ready for bed, but still, I couldn’t sleep. It had been around three hours since I crept into the library to get something to read, but everything’s written in ancient Elyxian so I settled for my English essay collection. I heard the chime that signaled the first hour of the morning. I glanced at the wide window, making a face. It’s one of those unusually dark nights and I wondered why the moon wasn’t out again. It’s too big to even be obscured, but it wasn’t there. New moon, I guess. Why was it called a new moon when I couldn’t see the moon anywhere? It’s ironic.

I returned my attention back to the book I was reading, squinting at the letters through the dim light of the candle I’ve lit, now halfway gone. It’s been hours and soon, I would hear the next chime. I just concentrated on reading when I felt a cold wind hit me. It was so unusual since it had been balmy all day and I had to settle for my razor back and shorts. I shivered, getting distracted by the annoyingly huge windows. I looked to that direction and saw one of the windows by the edge ajar. I didn’t remember opening it, but I guess I forgot closing it so I just went to close it anyway.

I rolled my eyes. The moment the window was closed, I felt the air inside the room getting that humid, tropical feel to it and in no time, I was sweating. Aish! I didn’t dare open the window again as if something was going to pounce on me if I did and just looked up to the skies. I couldn’t even see stars or the outline of the forest or the mountain just outside. It’s just pitch black just like that night in the capital…I shook my head. No. I’m not going to think about that crazy stuff going on there. Whoever that mystery person was, I’m going to catch him if he ever comes prowling in my room again. He’d been doing a great job steering clear of my way and I wasn’t going to reminisce about it or anything.

I went back to sitting o