“Mom!!”

“Luhan!!”

 

Luhan hurriedly stepped inside the house, with his shoes still on, and hugged the small woman who had just opened the door. Not expecting the hug attack, his mother let out an adorable “Eeep,” but nonetheless she hugged him back.

 

“I miss you,” Luhan said as he pulled back and took a nice long look at his mother. He really did miss her.

 

His mother has always looked young for her age. She was a pale, dainty woman with short curly hair. Her delicate features becoming all the more brilliant when she smiles. Her smile was one of Luhan's favorite thing about his mother.

 

Seeing her smile at him, he felt like he was truly home.

 

“Take off your shoes,” She ordered. Yup, he really was home.

 

“Aren't you too old to miss me?” She joked while inspecting him with her eyes, taking in his appearance. He knew she was checking for two things – whether or not he had gotten skinnier and whether he had any bodily injuries.

 

“You're never too old to miss your mom,” Luhan declared as he hugged her again. She laughed and playfully gave him a pat on the . “But I am too old for pats,” Luhan added. She ignored that and inspected him once again.

 

“Now tell me why you're really here.” She gets straight to the point. Apparently, she did not believe him when he had explained over the phone. Call it mom intuition.

 

“I just wanted to see you. Honest,” Luhan replied with a smile.

 

She raised a suspicious eyebrow. “You could just video chat me like you did before.” His mother was determined to get the truth out of him one way or another.

 

Luhan sighed. “I-I needed to leave the city for awhile.....I felt overwhelmed and I...just wanted to see you.”

 

“What happened? Why are you overwhelmed?” She asked, voice sounding clearly worried.

 

“School is just stressful, Mom, but now that I'm here, I feel like the stress has lifted itself from my shoulders,” Luhan said with a smile.

 

Even though she was unconvinced, she decided to let it slide and led him into the kitchen, where there was a “welcome home” feast waiting for him. He took a look at all of the mouthwatering dishes, ready to hug his mother once again when he realized something was missing......Dessert.

 

“No chocolate pudding? No brownie? No strawberry cake?” He pouted.

 

She shook her head. “I know that when you're at school, you stuff yourself with all kinds of sweets, so you're not getting any more at home.”

 

Aish. One of his least favorite things about his mother was her insistence on him cutting down on anything with sugar.

 

“Okay okay. Thanks Mom.” He sat down and started eating. He had been hungry for hours, but it was all worth it when he took a bite of his mom's cooking. She watched him eat, occasionally ruffling his hair or demanding that he wipes his mouth.

 

After dinner, they sat on the couch and watched a tv show (her current favorite drama). Every time the show went to a commercial break, she would ask him about school, his new house, his friends and roommates and Luhan would answer her, only to be cut off as soon as the drama came back on.

 

Not able to focus on the show, Luhan started looking around the small living room, seeing if anything changed since the last time he was here.

 

On the small table against the wall where his mother kept all the photos in gold glittery frames, he spotted a family photo. His stomach did a flip, but not like the way it does when he's near the person he likes. It was an ominous feeling.

 

“You still have the photo,” Luhan said softly, expression unreadable.

 

His mother followed his gaze, she shifted slightly in her seat after realizing which photo he was referring to.

 

“You know I can't throw it away..” She answered, not willing to look him in the eyes.

 

“Why not? It's been 4 years Mom,” Luhan said, voice sounding a little desperate.

 

He looked at her, carefully watching as she starts fiddling with her fingers. He knew she was deciding on how she should respond, carefully choosing her words.

 

After a minute of silence, she spoke with a sad voice. “It's the last photo I have of...him.”

 

Him.

 

Luhan leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes.

 

“Mom, why can't you forget him?” He mumbled.

 

She doesn't answer. Luhan sighed. His mother was still stuck on the past. On his stepfather.

 

He grimaced at the memory of the man.

 

It still hurts every time he thinks about her and his stepfather. Angry questions would always appear, like how could she still love the man that beats her whenever he was having a bad day, or like how is it possible that she lives day to day pretending that those bruises were caused by someone who wasn't the husband she married.

 

His mother has always believed the good in the person, often a bit too much...ignoring the bad. His stepfather wasn't a bad man when he was sober, but after a few drinks, it's a different story. He becomes a monster.

 

Luhan realized that all those times when his mother sent him outside or to the store was to keep him away from harm. Coming to that realization was painful. It meant that while he was innocently playing with the neighborhood kids, his mother got beaten. The thought terrified him at first, but that terror turned to anger.

 

After that first incident (when he found out that his stepfather was drunkenly beating his mother), his stepfather stayed sober for quite some time, but Luhan was always wary whenever he was near the man.

 

He would get paranoid whenever his mother sent him out to do something, always refusing to do it at first, but giving in when she insist that everything will be fine. Luhan would always quickly complete the task and run back home, praying that she wasn't lying to him.

 

Things took a turn for the worst when he entered high school. While walking home from school, Luhan saw his stepfather sloppily walking out of a bar....He had relapsed.

 

Fearing for what was coming to his mother, he ran home. He told himself that no matter what, he'll stop the man from hurting his mother. Once he got home, he lied to his mother that he needed new clothes for gym class and new notebooks for class. Anything to get her out of the house. She left the house right before his stepfather came in, slurring curses. After failing to find Luhan's mother, the man started throwing things.

 

Luhan decided that he had enough and stepped in. His whole body shook.

 

He angrily asked the man why he drank and why he acted that way, only to receive more objects thrown at him. The man continued to tell him that he was just a kid and that he needed to learn his place. He had punched Luhan and kicked him a few times in the stomach before leaving the house, claiming that he didn't want to be in the presence of a “.”

 

Luhan hastily threw away the broken objects, ignoring the aches and pain coming from his chest and abdomen, before his mom got back.

 

His stepfather doesn't return that night, causing his mother to be worried – which hurt Luhan a lot more than those punches and kicks ever will.

 

To be fair, he never told his mother that he was beaten by his stepfather. He didn't think she could handle it, so he hid his bruises. She had makeup to hide hers; Luhan had a large hoodie to hide his.

 

Throughout Luhan's time in high school, his stepfather would relapse every few months, always resorting to alcohol whenever things were bad at work.

 

Luhan vehemently sees the man as a coward for choosing to drink his problems away and beating his family whenever he was intoxicated.

 

Luhan thought that the only thing that could be as bad (but not quite) as beating one's wife and stepson is the convenient “memory loss” that took place the next morning. The man would never acknowledge what he had done the previous nights, choosing to ignore the wince his wife would let slip whenever he came near her. He ignored the missing plates and ornaments.

 

A part of Luhan was annoyed at his mother for hiding the evidence, always cleaning up before his stepfather woke up.

 

A part of Luhan was angry at his mother for telling him to pretend like it never happened.

 

Finally graduating from high school, he made the fateful decision to leave the house he had grew up in to go to college far away, taking his mother along. She was strictly against it, but after a lot of convincing on his part, she gave in.

 

He never told her how extremely relieved she had made him feel when she picked him over the man she has blindly love. He knows that he'll always be her priority, but there were times he felt that her love for his stepfather was far greater.

 

Those were dreadful times.

 

“You look tired. Go rest,” his mother finally spoke. Luhan opened his eyes and there she was – gazing at him fondly.

 

He nodded and got up to walk towards his room. He said goodnight to his mother and closed the bedroom door. Laying on his bed, he stared at the ceiling and frowned.

 

His mother had suggested he'd go to bed and in his mind he knew that she simply wanted to avoid talking about the past.

 

I guess it still hurts her.....

 

The next morning, Luhan woke up to a breakfast table with chocolate chip muffins.

 

“Luhan honey, when are you leaving? And when will you arrive at your place?” She sweetly asked as she drank her coffee.

 

“The bus for Seoul leaves at 12 noon and I'll get to the house late in the afternoon,” Luhan answered.

 

“I'm sure your housemates will be glad to see you again since you probably didn't tell them where you went.”

 

Luhan opened his mouth, ready to ask his mother how she knew, but she waved her hands and proclaimed, “I'm your mother, how else?”

 

He laughed when he saw that she was smirking.

 

“Anyways, I'm sure your roommate will especially be happy to see you come back.”

 

Luhan stopped laughing. My roommate.......

 

Sehun.

 

******

 

“Morning hyungs,” Sehun said lifelessly as he got in the kitchen. He may have been in bed for hours but he only got about one hour of sleep.

 

The rest of the time, he was thinking about Luhan and cupcakes and baking and....ughhhh why couldn't I fall asleep last night!?!

 

Why am I so worried?

 

Baekyeol gestured for him to come sit near them so he did. They kept talking in low voices (to avoid being heard by the other hyungs) about getting the supplies and making sure everybody was out of the house, and etc... Sehun wasn't really paying attention. All of the planning was too much for his sanity.

 

Isn't there a better option? An easier option?....

 

Sehun perked up. Why didn't I think of this before?

 

“Can't I just buy some at the local bakery?”

 

Baekyeol shook their heads. Sehun immediately went back to his previous state. “Why not?”

 

“Because you need to be sincere.”

 

“I think Luhan will be very touch if he knew you made them yourselves.” Baekhyun held his hand over his heart, pretending to wipe a tear – suggesting that Luhan may cry after receiving cupcakes made by the maknae. Sehun rolled his eyes. Doubt it.

 

“I'm still feeling uneasy about this...I don't know if we should do this..” Sehun confessed but Baekyeol just disregarded him.

 

Sehun was sitting in his last class of the day when he got a text from Chanyeol saying that Luhan has return.

 

L-Luhan?? He's back!?!?

 

He almost stood up to leave, but then it hit him that he was still in the middle of class, and his professor did not appreciate any sort of disruption. He mentally groaned.

 

When class was let out, he basically bolted out the door. For reasons unclear, he really wanted to see the older boy.

 

Something inside of him ignited.

 

Breathing hard from all that running, Sehun eagerly opened the front door. Once he was inside, he heard commotion coming from the living room.

 

He arrived at the entrance to the living room...straightaway his eyes searched for that head of honey brown.

 

There he is.

 

Luhan was in the center, surrounded by Sehun's other hyungs. The boy was grinning as he talked to the other boys. Sehun decided right there that Luhan had the most beautiful smile......for a guy.....yeah...

 

Everyone was so focus on Luhan that no one noticed the maknae was standing there, sweating buckets. He looked like he ran a marathon.

 

“Where did you go?” Suho asked.

 

“I went to visit my mom...in Busan,” Luhan sheepishly admitted. He felt bad for not telling his friends.

 

“Don't let what happened get to you. You're better than that,” Xiumin advised, putting a hand on Luhan's shoulder.

 

“If anyone messes with you again, you got us!” Chanyeol announced, holding up his fist. Luhan giggled.

 

“Oi! Sehun when did you get here?” Kyungsoo asked, shocked at seeing the maknae standing behind him.

 

Everyone shifted their focus to the youngest boy – including Luhan.

 

Sehun gulped. His roommate was looking at him, but he couldn't read what the older boy was thinking.

 

With hesitant steps, as if he was walking to the pit of doom, he cleared his throat and waved shyly at Luhan. “Hey.”

 

“Hi,” Luhan blankly greeted.

 

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Luhan broke contact.

 

Sehun's face dropped when he saw that Luhan turned his attention towards the other boys.

 

“I think I'm going to rest right after showering. It was a long trip..”

 

Is he leaving because I'm here?...

 

Luhan made his way out of the living room, pointedly brushing by the youngest boy without a glance. Sehun's felt a twinge in his chest area. He is mad at me...

 

As soon as Luhan got upstairs, Baekyeol ran over to Sehun and asked him if he was okay.

 

He scoffed, “Why wouldn't I be?” Trying his best to keep his voice strong.

 

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. “Well, your roommate just walked past you as if you weren't there...”

 

“Thanks hyung,” Sehun sarcastically responded. I didn't need you to point it out.

 

“Now are we baking cupcakes or not?” Chanyeol asked, his creepy grin plastered all over his face.

 

“Where's the flour?” Sehun began, determined, as Baekyeol high-fived each other.

 

Bambi, I'm baking you some darn cupcakes!

 

Baekhyun and Sehun were in the kitchen, huddling over the dessert cookbook. Chanyeol was with the other boys at the arcade; he had the task of keeping the other boys away from the house so Sehun and Baekhyun can peacefully bake. (He wasn't too happy about it but Baekhyun had convinced him that it was better he doesn't do anything that could burn the house down)

 

The two “bakers” kept scratching their heads at the unfamiliar terminology.

 

“What's a sifter?” Sehun asked as he came across the word in the directions. Baekhyun shrugged.

 

“We should just look it up on the internet. Find something in this kitchen that looks remotely like it.”

 

After a few minutes, they finally found the sifter (or at least they hope it was).

 

“Now where is the electric mixer?” Baekhyun asked as he looked around the cabinets. “Kyungsoo could have at least labeled the darn cabinets so I wouldn't have to open all of them.”

 

Thirty minutes later, they had all the supplies and ingredients listed – it was time to start baking!

---

“Sehun, what are you pouring in?” Baekhyun eyed the suspicious dark liquid that Sehun was pouring into the bowl.

“Food coloring.....at least I think it is..”

---

“Umm hyung, am I mixing it right?” Sehun asked as he stirred the batter, it was getting liquidity - too liquidity. 

Baekhyun peeked inside the bowl. “I think it's okay. Better to over mix than under right?”

---

“Hyung! Let go of the button! You're spraying the mix everywhere!”

---

“Sehun! Don't pour too much! It'll overflow. That's what the internet says.”

---

“Hyung, is it supposed to be this dark?” Sehun gave a disgusted look at the dark lump that came out of the oven.

“Aren't we making chocolate?” Baekhyun asked, puzzled as to why Sehun was worried about the color.

“Um....No. We're making butter cream and red velvet....”

---

One hour later....

 

“This is a nightmare,” Sehun declared as he puts the tray of finished cupcakes down on the counter.

 

“It's not so bad...” Baekhyun assured, though he knew those were some ugly cupcakes.

 

“Not so bad?? I'm pretty sure 96% of it is burnt. And the frosting...ughhhh,” Sehun moaned.

 

“Hey, don't be negative. Four percent of it is edible. That's better than zero!” Baekhyun patted the younger boy's back.

 

******

Luhan, who had been asleep the whole time, crept downstairs when he woke up to the smell of burnt pastries.

 

He entered the kitchen, or what was the kitchen....

 

There were utensils, white lumpy substances and dark looking goo everywhere. The oven was emitting tiny wisps of smoke.

 

In the middle stood Baekhyun and Sehun, who didn't notice that he was there. They were hovering over something on the counter. Luhan stood on his toes to get a better look.

 

What in the world is that?....

 

 

~~~~~~ How was the chapter?? More info on Luhan's past. Sad sad :(  BUT I lighten the mood with the baking part!!  Lol. Such fails.

I think it's cute that Sehunnie is starting to come out of his comfort zone and do stuff for Luhan, even if he at it :D

Feelings are blooming? Hmmm ^_^

Subscribe and comment!! I really do read all the comments. My readers are pretty vocal. I like that :))