The following night and day passed uneventful. No one seemed to have realized the tv wasn’t working, and she was sure going to keep quiet about it. Sehun acted normal, too. Still, she grew increasingly worrisome when they, for once the whole family, sat around the kitchen table eating dinner, and her stepfather mentioned the tv. “Does anyone know why it isn’t starting?” Eunbi spared Sehun a hurried glance, but he wasn’t looking her way, so she returned to her food. One who’d seen the glance though, was Luhan. And he was fast to make assumptions. “Ask Eunbi. I think she knows.” just like that she received the attention of everyone around the table, including Sehun who frowned. “Eunbi, do you know anything about it?” her mother asked nicely, but the girl could hear the slight irritation in the older woman’s voice, and hesitated. To tell them Sehun had done it was completely out of the question. “I -,” she gulped, “eh -,” the girl looked at Sehun once again, as if asking him what to do. But deep within she knew he couldn’t say anything, for the secret would be revealed then, something Eunbi couldn’t allow.

“I broke it.” the secret needed to stay intact even if it meant she herself had to take the blame, and seeing the look on her mother’s face, Eunbi knew she was in trouble. There were no doubt about that. “You know I’ll deduct that from your monthly allowance.” great. No money for months to follow. And for what? Just so Luhan wouldn’t touch her. Then again, could she actually believe Sehun, that he was telling the truth? For all she knew he could be lying about the threat. Eunbi wasn’t sure and she would definitely not take any chances. “Yes.” there were no use trying to make her mother change her mind. It’d never worked before and would probably not work this time around either. One thing was sure though, that never again would she take the blame for something someone else caused. Even if it meant having to face Luhan.

Eunbi excused herself once dinner was over, taking the stairs up she disappeared into her room and locked the door. To study wasn’t possible, not when her inner was blazing in fury. The girl hated Sehun for what he’d forced her to. And she hated Luhan just as much, for if it hadn’t been for him, the situation wouldn’t be like this. Eunbi could’ve revealed the truth, told them what’d happened and how Sehun succeeded in destroying the tv all by himself. But the uncertainty of not knowing what could happen refrained her from doing so. She was a coward. A coward who wanted vengeance for everything they’d caused, for the pain and suffering she’d endured the past couple of months.

A knock on the door interrupted the girl from her thoughts and she spun around to face the door, a slight bothersome feeling lingering in the pit of her stomach. “What?” Eunbi’s voice were stern, much harsher than she’d wanted, and she’d almost come to regret her choice of tone when Luhan spoke, “want to earn some money?” yes, but not from you. Never in her life would she accept money from him. For all Eunbi knew he could’ve used it to snort up drugs or done something else disgusting with it. Plus, she couldn’t know what he did in his spare time. If he robbed banks and the police had set out to track down the money. Not that she actually thought he had enough brain cells to pull of anything like that, but still. “No. I don’t need any.” second biggest lie of the day. “Really? So you’re saying your mother is a liar?” oh how she wanted to go out there and strangle him. Better yet, to feel his pathetic life slip away beneath her hands. No. To become a murdered merely because of him wasn’t worth it, he wasn’t worth it. “Get lost.”

Luhan ignored her. Just like he usually did. “I could always work something out.” was he for real? Did he really imply that. She shuddered at the thought right as he added on, “you know. Isn’t it better to keep it between us? I mean, everyone at school will know if you go around yourself to other people for money.” Eunbi was baffled at his words, so enraged she hadn’t even noticed how her nails were digging into the palm of her hands. He’d gone too far now. “Shut up.” laughter boomed from the other side of the door, “you sure? I c -.” she flung the door open, more furious than she’d been in quite a while, and was right about to send her fist at his face when she spotted the other person, Sehun, heading up the staircase behind Luhan. Seeing the other male caused Eunbi to stop halfway, her arm hanging in mid-air. Luhan spared a quick glance behind himself, a frown becoming evident as he saw his younger brother standing there.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Luhan asked, irritation obvious. Sehun however, sighed, his conscious making itself known for a brief moment. He didn’t think Luhan would dare do anything with their parents home. Still, she’d saved him and he was going to keep his end the deal. “Leave her alone.” two pair of eyes glanced his way, both of them filled with surprise and shock. It showed how unexpected the action were. “You’re defending her?” Luhan laughed once more, this time less amused though, before continuing, “why the should I listen to you?” Eunbi gulped, her pulse quickened as she watched the older male turn his full attention toward Sehun, who scoffed. “Because if you don’t, I’ll tell everyone what happened last summer.” whatever took place must’ve been bad, for Luhan paled, gave his brother a hard stare and then retreated back to his room. Thereby leaving Eunbi, who stood rooted to the ground, unsure of what to say. She wasn’t even sure why Sehun helped. Not that it changed anything because he was still someone who’d put her in trouble. “I’m not -. I mean, I won’t -,” she cut herself short, the words ‘thank you’ wouldn’t slip past her lips, which, after all, weren’t too hard to understand. “I’m not expecting you to.” Eunbi decided it was best to get it over and done with, and therefore nodded, thankful that he’d gotten rid of Luhan.

The evening and night passed just like that, with Eunbi keeping herself in her bedroom studying. And that’s also how she fell asleep, her body slumped over the desk and her cheek pressed against the math book. It was okay up until she awoke a few hours later, her neck stiff and back throbbing. What’d woke her up weren’t the pain though, but rather the sound of motion outside the room and the first rays of sunshine illuminating the area around her. Morning arrived faster than she’d wanted and Eunbi groaned when she noticed what time it was. The information had her moving over to the bed, one she slipped inside, thus burying herself under the duvet. To fall back into slumberland proved to be difficult, and half an hour later the girl were wide awake and unable to sleep.

Eunbi headed downstairs as soon as her mother and stepfather left for work. She’d even stayed in bed until she was certain they were gone, all to avoid any possible questions regarding the incident with the tv. Heaving a sigh the said girl walked into the kitchen, only to come to a halt when seeing Luhan sitting at the table. The sight caused Eunbi’s pulse to skyrocket and she hoped he hadn’t noticed her as she her heel and began to head back. Unfortunately for her, Luhan were quick and within seconds did he manage to block her path by placing himself at the bottom of the staircase, thus making it impossible for her to get up. “Leaving so soon?” he taunted her, he made it so obvious how vulnerable she was in front of him. It wasn’t just his ual advances that made Eunbi uneasy, but the power he held at their school, too. She knew how easy it was for him to order people around, and who knew what he were capable of. “Yes, so can you please step aside?” it was too early in the morning for bickering and to listen to Luhan’s irritating voice. “No,” he paused, as if to add effect, “I sort of like it here.” fine. He gave her no choice, and with much delight she kicked him in the shin. Not too hard but enough so she could slip past him.  

It seemed to be one of those rare days she succeeded in escaping his claws. Everything worked perfectly, maybe a bit too well even. And she was right about to push open her bedroom door when arms latched onto the back of her shirt. The sudden action took Eunbi by surprise for she’d been certain Luhan would let it go. At least for the time being. But apparently not. “Did I say you could leave?” the words were laced with malice and contempt. His voice tore into her bone and the whole situation sent shivers to up-and-down her spine. It was uncomfortable and scary and Eunbi contemplated whether to scream for help. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to make that decision, for Sehun’s door were slung open. “What are you doing?” he asked no one in particular, his eyelids half closed.

Several thoughts crossed her mind and Eunbi tried to grasp onto them, she tried to find a way out of Luhan’s hold. But it all molded together, none of it made sense, and the girl was left trying to come up with something else. She even tried to kick about, but he’d already s one arm around her waist whilst his other hand pressed at , thereby making it impossible. “Why must you do this?” the question was directed at Luhan, who now stood behind her. “Because I want to play with you before Sehun does.” and when had she ever said she was interested in Sehun? Never. “Don’t think I haven’t seen the looks you’ve given him.” Eunbi didn’t understand him at first, how he’d come up with such a ridiculous statement. But then she remembered, the pieces began to fall into place and she finally understood. He’d misinterpreted the glances for something more than it actually were. The broken tv was the only reason to why she’d even looked at Sehun.

“I thought I told you to stay away.” Sehun made himself known once again, though this time by raising his voice. He weren’t the lightest happy about the sight. Not only did Luhan’s presence annoy him, but Eunbi’s as well. Sehun found it irritating how the younger girl always ended up in Luhan’s grasp, and he wondered why she didn’t defend herself more. “Don’t you have someone else to assault?” Luhan scoffed, “when did you become such a wuss?” as if to mark his statement he smirked, tightened his grip around Eunbi and added, “aren’t you supposed to save your damsel in distress?” Sehun was mildly amused and rolled his eyes at the pathetic act his older brother used. “You then, shouldn’t you think about your reputation?”

Eunbi thought Sehun would leave her there, for the older male his heel all of a sudden and headed back to his room. “Now you see, he doesn’t care for anyone.” she believed Luhan for the first time, as Sehun had made it obvious several times how he couldn’t care less about the people around him. Therefore did it come as a huge relief when the male returned, his cell phone in hand. “I’ll send the pictures.”

Everything happened so fast after that and Eunbi was given no time to prevent any of it. She could only watch as Luhan, after he’d let go of her, stalked forward, snatched the phone from Sehun, and threw it over the railing. The object crashed against the floor three -four meters beneath them, and Eunbi didn’t have to look at it to know it was broken. “There. And don’t threaten me again.” they were brothers, yet they treated one another like their worst enemy. It was confusing to say the least and Eunbi began to question how deep their hate for each other was. Moreover, what’d changed? She remembered Sehun’s photo album, the one she’d accidentally flipped through a few month’s earlier. The photos with them both side-by-side and together with their mother said something though, that he hadn’t completely forgotten about the past.

Luhan was halfway down the stairs when Sehun spoke once more, “you think I don’t have copies?” the male laughed, amused. That his cell phone were destroyed just moments earlier didn’t bother him the slightest, it was simply an object he could replace with ease. Luhan on the other hand, weren’t quite as amused and turned to face them, his expression calm. “Copies or not. I will destroy you if you release it to anyone,” the oldest of the brothers paused, as if to add effect, “and you know that too. Don’t you?” Eunbi wasn’t sure what to think, heck, she wasn’t even sure what was going on between those two. Feeling uneasy about the threat from Luhan, she glanced at Sehun, who displayed a pretty obvious frown. He looked distressed, like something bothered him. He even remained quiet as his brother smirked, said a snarky goodbye, and left for school.

~~~~

Author’s Note
Hi, I’m having some problems with my internet right now and I’m just happy I was able to get this up.