She was stuck. It was a blur before they stumbled upon that scene. They were sharing epmty smiles and the next thing they knew, lights blinded them before they stumbled upon the scene they were in. He can't remember clearly how it happened. He has a serious headache but matters only worsened when he saw her unconscious and hanging like a ragdoll in between the chair and the almost ripped engine. No words were coming out of his mouth. He wanted to shout. He wanted to cry. He had blood in his hands and the last thing he knew before passing out were the sounds of sirens that were getting louder as it approached them.

------------------

Last night had been better. She no longer had in her mind her loss and she made it through her comeback to work just fine. She hasn't had the chance to talk to Hyorin since the girl got married. It would be lovely to know how she's been faring with the reality of being married. Last night was a sigh of relief and contentment. Hearing him utter it somehow felt satisfying. Since she's been in the house for the last few weeks, last night was the first time she heard it.

"Hey!"

Removing her from deep thoughts, "Huh?"

"I said, are you okay? You look stoned yet again.."

"I'm fine.." 

Amber was at the backyard with the painting she started about a week ago when Key's mother stayed with them overnight. Key was by the door looking at what she was doing. "How long have you been there?" she asked. Key walked towards her while Amber went back to painting. "Not for long.. You have to get dressed by 11:00am. We'll be going somewhere.."

"I'll be preparing in a bit. I just need to finish at least half of this.."

"What are you painting anyway?"

"I don't know. The backyard? So that I at least have something with me when all of this is over.."

"Over". When Key heard it, he felt a little pain. Does she really want to end the contract so soon? She doesn't seem to have any complains so he wondered why she was such in a hurry. He left in a few to prepare while Amber continued with her business. Truth be told, she doesn't know if she can finish that painting on time or maybe even before she leaves Key's house. She feels a little stuck when she loses her momentum and getting back the feel of things takes some time. She opted to change a few minutes later.

-----------------

She wanted to do Key a favor. She asked one of the maids to buy hair dye earlier that morning so she could dye her hair back to a brown shade. Key wasn't all to pleased with her hair and she grew tired of it immediately, feeling letting go of the new look isn't so painful since it was a whim of the moment. She took her bath and scrubbed every bit in her body. She wanted to look presentable since she'll be meeting Key's closer circle of relatives, his cousins. All that she knows about them is that they established the company and that was all. She's never seen them. She wasn't one of those girls that would pile with the crowd at the entrance when it's time for the monthly meetings.

Amber chose to wear a dress that day. She's been getting used to them. The feel of wearing a dress was getting to her but she still despised wearing heels. Key was already waiting downstairs. He'll be driving yet again that day without the driver. Amber made her way to the stairs and walked carefully. Key was waiting for her at the door.

"You ready?" He asked while he was looking outside.

"Yeah.."

Key turned around when she responded but was surprised to find she dyed her back to a brown shade.

"Where did the blonde go?" Key asked.

"Ohh.. Well, I thought of dying it back to brown at least? You said you despised the blonde.."

"I didn't despise it..I was just surprised.. But oh well.  This looks a lot better.."

Amber smiled. She then reached for Key's tie which was quite crookedly tied and fixed it. Suho was watching the entire time and coughed. Amber withdrew her hands after hearing it and walked out the door. Key followed her as he bid goodbye to Suho.

---------------------

She was quiet the entire way. The only motion she'd do was steal glances at him. Key barely noticed since he was too busy and focused on the steering wheel to catch what Amber was doing. She lightly patted her face with both hands when she felt blood rushing to her cheeks.

"Chill out. We've got a few more kilometers left before we arrive. Besides, all of us wouldn't be there.. Minho and Taemin aren't around. Only Jonghyun hyung besides me is going.."

"I'm not nervous.. It's just. I don't know..Too much excitement? I want to meet them actually. They seem closer to our age so I'm not worrying to much." 

Key chuckled upon hearing her response. He then ruffled her hair. She flinched a little with his actions but only slapping his hand off, saying it takes hours of work for her to look neat and clean since it was short.

"Isn't that ironic? You have short hair but it takes you hours? Blow drying it is enough.."

"Well, that's what I usually do.. But not today?"

"You want to look good in front of them don't you??"

"Not really.. Decent is the proper term to use.."

Key no longer responded and brought his focus back to driving. Amber no longer talked the rest of the way and just focused on the view outside and thought of the different things that she'll be saying to Key's cousins. She wore the ring Key gave her before the party almost two weeks ago, saying it's "proof" of their marriage.

-----------------

He tapped her shoulders. Apparently, she fell asleep minutes before they arrived.

"Are we here?" She asked. Key nodded.

Amber made her way out of the car and saw a two storey house. It wasn't so big. In fact, it's a wee bit smaller than Key's bachelor pad. It had a nice front porch, a terrace that was overlooking the wide garden and yard. The house also had a small koi pond. Amber followed Key who was already making his way to the door.

-------------

"Kibum-ah!" A man with a rather muscular physique shouted out. Amber didn't realize who Kibum was, not until Key waved his hello.

"So, Kibum is your real name?" Amber whispered.

"Thought you wouldn't be coming.. Onew hyung would be rather disappointed. Is she?" He asked. Key nodded. Jonghyun then started walking towards Amber. He had a friendly aura around him which made Amber feel at ease. The lad gestured a hug. Amber didn't know how to react when he wrapped Amber in his muscular arms..

"Welcome to the family!!!" He shouted cheerfully.

He let go of Amber, pinched her cheek and went back to sit at the couch at the living room. Amber didn't know how to react but Jonghyun made a weird first impression on her. She later sat down at the loveseat with Key that was opposite Jonghyun. The lad's house wasn't so big but Amber noticed a ramp that was transversing the first and second floor. Amber felt it was a little odd to have a ramp instread of stairs. A man soon came sliding down the ramp.

"HEEY!" He shouted full of energy. Key and Jonghyun stood and hugged the man back.

"I thought no one wouldn't be coming. She'll be disappointed if no one came."

"She?" Amber thought she heard it correctly. If she understood it right, perhaps the board members of KJMTO aren't all bachelors after all. Onew was married.

"Kibum, is she your wife?" Onew whispered.

"Yeah. She's Amber.." Key answered.

Onew then walked towards Amber. The girl wiped her hands and reached out for a handshake. He answered with the same gesture and just smiled at her. He was adorable. He looked mature but younger for his age. "Nice to meet you Amber.. Hope Key hasn't been rough on you?"

Amber didn't get what Onew was talking about. She was completely clueless. The boys seemed to have understood it though and Key smacked his hyung's back.. "Stop it!!!"

"What? It's natural isn't it?" Onew replied and later on laughed while Jonghyun joined in. "Be right back.. You guys can go ahead to the garden if you want. We'll be there in a bit."

Jonghyun lead the way as Onew skipped his way to the second floor. The garden looked a lot bigger closer than it was from the view outside. There were seats everywhere and a grill. It felt really homey and Amber saw it's similarities to an American home.

"Onew oppa is in charge of the international affairs right?" Amber asked. But instead of having Key answer her question, he questioned the way she addressed Onew. "Oppa? Right after meeting him, there's already an oppa?"

"What? How am I supposed to call him?"

"Then you have to call me like that as well.."

"Oppa? Ohh my.. You're making me laugh.."

"Shut up." He answered coldly. Amber giggled. Key looked like a little kid throwing a tantrum which she found adorable. "Okay, opppaaa~~~!" She said cutely and ran away from Key's side. He only smiled with her gestures.

----------------

"They're here.. You ready?" He asked. She nodded in response as she went closer.
"Okay, let's go."

Jonghyun was busy with the Koi pond and feeding the fish with the feeds that were placed near the rocks. Amber observed him and found it funny he finds happiness in such simple things. He was throwing the feeds and smiled like a little kid everytime he'd see the fish eating what he gave. Amber's attention was averted though when two figures came out of the door from the house. 

One was Onew but the other one surprised her. It was a girl. She was bound in a wheelchair while there was a sketch pad and pen on her lap. She had a cheerful smile on her face as she stretched her arms out wide to hug Jonghyun. Amber saw the shift of Jonghyun's facade. He looked sad and there was emptiness in his eyes. She doesn't know what it meant but she felt his pain. 

"That's Sunyoung. or Luna." Key remarked. 

"You guys love using aliases don't you? Anyway, I thought all of you were bachelors?"

"Pretty much, but Onew hyung has a totally different case."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say he's not married but is bound and has decided to be bound to it forever. After all, he has to take responsibility for it."

"Responsibility for what?"

"Luna is obviously bound on a wheelchair right? It was Onew hyung's fault why she became like that. They had a car accident about two years ago. Luna's back was sandwiched between the chair beside the driver's seat and half of the engine of the car they were in. It damaged her spinal cord. She was hospitalized for three weeks hoping they could let her motor functions return. The upper body was fine but her lower body motor functions and speech has been affected. She can no longer walk or speak and therapy nor surgery would work. She can still hear though. She'd speak with a sketch pad and pen to talk to other people."

Amber came to a realization that it must be why Jonghyun looked so sad towards Amber. Perhaps he pitied the girl's situation. Amber can somehow feel for Onew. The feeling of responsibility and the feeling that your efforts are sometimes just never enough. Later on, Key and her approached to greet the two. Luna still had a bright smile on her face which touched Amber's heart because despite the fact she's in such state, she has the guts to smile and be positive about it.

They ate their lunch which was prepared by Onew's house help. It wasn't luxurious. They had bibimpap individually served. Soft Tofu stew, Japchae and steak. It was a very interesting to see the combination and they turned out really well. Amber smiled when she'd see Onew and Luna. They'd smile at each other and feed one another which was more than adorable. Jonghyun on the other looked a little quiet. They ended up feeling bloated after eating.

--------------

Mid-afternoon came. Jonghyun, Key and Onew were at Onew's office at the second floor to talk about some business affairs while Amber remained at the terrace that was overlooking the yard. The koi in the pond looked a lot smaller but the breeze outside calmed her. Onew's house was a lot calmer than Key's place which always felt like bustling city. Amber was too busy in her thought that she didn't notice Luna arrive beside her. Again, with a smile on her face, she waved Amber hello.

"Hello! Sorry if I drifted off and was a little quiet over lunch.. But I loved the food. for real!" 

Luna started writing and showed it to Amber after she finished. "It's okay. You were looking at me and Onew oppa, right? Thought I wouldn't notice, right? keke.. You're Key oppa's wife right?" It read. Amber nodded.

"How has he been?"

"He's been okay. He's loosened up? I think loosened up is the right term. He has such a stiff personality so seeing him fool around at times is refreshing."

"I see. Just be patient with him.. He isn't really like that before. I'm not in the position to tell you but maybe he'll tell you soon enough? Fighting!"

Amber smiled. "You have this amazing fighting spirit..It's infectious."

"Thank you! I have to.. I can't let what has happened to me bring me down.. I've brought enough heartache to Onew oppa's life.. The least I can do is assure him I'm okay.."

Again, Amber smiled. She admired the girl's strength. She's never seen someone fight with such enthusiasm, not even her father. Added to that, she's right.  You can never dwell on something too long because you'll end up hurting other people beside you. Luna then started writing again. Amber read the question carefully; her eyes widened after it. She stuttered. "I.. I ugh." But right before she could answer, the men made their way out of Onew's office. Jonghyun went on ahead without saying goodbye while Onew remained by the door. Key approached Amber and Luna.

"Let's go.." He said.

"But.." Amber hesitated. Luna only smiled. She flipped her sketchpad and wrote "Next time.. Tell me next time, okay? Bye. See you Amber.." Amber bid her farewell and walked out of Luna's side to approach Key who was already midway down the ramp.

Amber turned around. "I'll tell you, don't worry.."

"Amber, come on. Let's go.." Key called while reaching out his hand. Amber finally turned her back on Luna, faced Key and grabbed unto his hand. And then she thought, maybe it's a yes to Luna's question after all.

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Sorry if I posted this update a little late! :( I wasn't home majority of the day and had to write this when I got home this afternoon. Forgive me for any mistakes or what! XD This chapter? Hmm.. I'd just like everyone to take note of very minor details in this chapter. Those minor details would be hints for the later events in this fic! XD I said that I'll be revealing why Amber gave up the chase fight the previous chapter but I thought I'll save it for the next one. XD School starts tomorrow! *crying. Good night everyone! Stay tuned for my next update. ^^