November 2nd 1992

          “His condition is stable. Don’t worry, he will be fine. You can visit him now” Doctor said reassured him. Kris nodded and thanked him. Kris used to hospital rule, that’s why he was going to the changing room after got set of gown, mask, gloves. The nurse had taught him to sterilize his hand before step in the room. He took the chair beside Kevin’s bed as usual. He didn’t remember if his parents or in law did the same or followed him inside. He was sitting there and talked to Kevin about the day, weather, or just read books that he brought there. He believed even though Kevin was unconscious, he heard everything his father said.

          “Well, that’s the story of Robin Hood. What do you think about him? Is he bad or good person?” He laughed, he realized how silly he was, but he didn’t care.

          “Next time I will read you another bed time or nap time story” He said in amusement.

He squeezed Kevin’s small hand and brought it to his palm.

          “I wish your mom is here” He whispered. He looked away just to see the bouquet of lily on the vast. Kris smiled sadly. The flower that he would never ever gave to Sehun.

-----

          Kris was still sitting when his in law came. His father in law insisted that he needed to take lunch. His in law had lunch before and told him that his mother wait outside so they could went together to the cafeteria. His father in law pated his shoulder as he hesitated to leave Kevin’s side.

          “We will be here till you come back” His mother in law smiled even he couldn’t see that behind the mask she saw wearing. Kris reluctantly nodded. Sehun’s father stood behind his chair’s wife and put his hands on her shoulders.

          “Kevin will be okay. Don’t worry” He said while squeezed her shoulders. She put her right hand above his left one.

          “He must be okay. He shall be fine. I can’t imagine if it otherwise, Kris, he… he….”

          He hugged her immediately; everyone didn’t need to know Kris for a long time to realize how Kevin meant to him. Kris’ eyes mirrored affection, patient, live, happiness, sadness, desperate, hope and another emotion when it concerned on Kevin.

          “We need to be strong. Don’t ever show our sadness in front of Kris. He had lost Sehun, he doesn’t need as to mourn. Now, Kevin is sick, he doesn’t need us to rub our emotion in his face. Kevin will be fine. We will be fine” The last sentence he said was merely a whisper, he hoped they would be fine.

---

          Kris smiled a little to his mother.

          “I have reservation in the restaurant nearby” Kris was about to protest but nodded afterward.

He held her hand, placed it on his elbow and led her to his car. He held his chin up and stood straightly. He wouldn’t let anyone to see his state, he didn’t need their pity. He didn’t let his guard down, no matter the nurses gave him those look. He had let his guard down many times, he knew he didn’t need to pretend everything was okay, but in this way he found himself believed that nothing happened. Kevin was taking nap longer than any other day. Yes, he would wake immediately and played with him, talked animatedly about his day, crawled around, laughed, giggled, and smiled to him.

“Have you breakfast before you come here?” His mother broke his reverie. Kris blinked several time and looked up to her.

          “I have coffee before I step out home” He said truth. His mother sighed and ordered for them. The waiter brought their ordered to their private.

          “Eat, you need to eat and we can talk” His mother ordered and held the spoon for him to take. Kris grabbed the spoon and took a bit of the soup. His mother sipped her macchiato quietly while watched him eat slowly. His mother knew really well, not push Kris further to eat when he decided that he had enough of food to fill his stomach. Kris was never the one who eat a lot, he would go down stair on meal time just as respect for his parents, he would eat silently and never started the conversation with them, he would answer if one of his parents asked him.  

          “Mother, I’m sorry” He said. She looked up to see unreadable emotion in his eyes. Kris was good to hide his emotion; they weren’t close as son and mother. She loved him, but she knew she loved him as obligation and responsibility nothing more. He inherited his father’s features; that’s one of the reasons how hard to love him as her son.

          “Why do you need to apologize?” She asked calmly.

          “Tiffany told me everything, your cover story for Sehun and I, 9 months of Sehun’s absent, her pregnancy and our married life” Kris said calmly, his voice didn’t waver, but his hands were trembling. She was waiting for Kris to continue his speech.

          “You don’t need to pretend, you aren’t mad and disappointed, mother” He averted his gaze. She took another sip of her macchiato before set the cup down.

          “You realized you made big mistake in your life. You don’t need everyone to point it out” She waited for his reaction; Kris sighed and looked straight in her eyes.

          “I didn’t do this for you, I do this for Kevin. Our mistake led you to another mistake. I won’t let anyone bad mouthing our family; I won’t let anyone talk filthy of our family. I learn how to be Mistress Wu, but I never learn how to be the wife of Wu Hailong, I learn how to raise a good heir, but I never learn how to be good mother” Kris smiled sadly. The heir....

          “The heir of Wu” He confirmed. She nodded.

          “As the Mistress I knew something must happened, I couldn’t grasp the idea Sehun passed away because gave a birth all of sudden when we are her family, her parents and in law knew nothing. Sehun sudden absent and dissapeared. I didn't question you because I knew you have the reason or rather Sehun wasn't social butterfly and if you didn't go public events she wouldn't come as well, but I became more suspicious day by day. I’m not stupid and I need the truth. I forced Tiffany to tell me. I won’t lie I’m not mad, I was really disappointed and I knew I would let out my anger, but when I saw you and Kevin. I decided it’s for the best no one needs to know what really happened”

          “Chanyeol…. Did you ask him to…..” He didn’t need to continue his question when his mother shook her head.

          “No, before I forced Tiffany to tell me. Chanyeol and Tiffany decided to let the truth buried deep. They helped me with the story; although they didn’t want take the part of the lie. They told me about 9 months of Sehun’s pregnancy and avoided what you had did to your wife” She said the last part chilly.

          Kris looked down. Chanyeol and Tiffany had the right to hate him. They had the right to hate the bastard like him. He was the one that killed Sehun, if he didn’t be so blind Sehun would be here. Sehun…..

          “The Wu never show the weakness, the Wu was raised to be strong. Held your chin up and faces the fate. You see Sehun as victim and yourself as villain? I don’t need to see that. We don’t need to see how guilty you are. We can’t turn back the time, we live today, the future and tomorrow is another story, the past is our teacher. That’s all you need to believe. The Wu never and never break down. We can’t raise you more than heir; I believe you can raise Kevin as heir, son, grandson and good man. Don’t waste our time and control for nothing”

          “He is Oh and Wu. He won’t be cold bastard like Wu, mother” Kris spoke. His mother smiled softly and took his hand.

          “Yes, he won’t be the cold bastard like us. He won’t, not with all the love he receives from us. From us”

---

November 3th 1992 

Sehun’s parents and his parents were smiling happily to Kris when he came.

          “Kevin is wake. Doctor checks him now. Kevin was looking for you, he said baba” His mother in law said smiling widely.

          “Thanks God”

          His mother smiled softly. Kris chatted with his in law for a while before they rushed to the doctor who exited from the room. They were little disappointed when the doctor said they couldn’t see Kevin, but they smiled after the doctor told them, that they could visit him on 2 or 3 hours later. Kris and his in law decided they would walk outside, his mother in law insisted it’s good time to wander around the hospital that made his husband and Kris laughed. His mother and father shook their head and chose to wait outside Kevin’s room. When the three were nowhere to be seen, Kris’ mother started the conversation.

          “Hailong” She said softly. Kris’ father averted her gaze from the door to her.

          “Yes” It’s new for them. They wouldn’t start conversation if not needed.        

          “We won’t regret our decision; we won’t ever let ourselves down, right?” She asked shakily.

          “Ruan”

          “30 years our marriage, It’s enough to make you happy?”

          “I’m content” He answered truthfully.

          “Are you aware we never love each other?”

          “I never” She corrected. He nodded his head. The silent between them was painful. They never bring this conversation up. They came civil to each other. They tried to act as friend, not lover from the start. He loved her on the first sight, he loved her deeply. She was the reason why he was so adamant and fierce on work, to build and developed Wu’s business. He wanted her to notice him. He was conscious enough to realize she never love her back even after 30 years of their marriage life. He was the one who broke her dream; he was the one who separated her with the one she loves.

          “I know” He said calmly. She tried to search for his eyes. She still couldn’t forgive him for what he did in the past. She didn’t want to believe he loves her, not with all the way he proved. He showered her with gifts and everything women want to have, but he couldn’t make his way to her hearth. No matter how hard he tried, that wouldn’t be enough.

          “I’m sorry” He said finally, they didn’t need to talk it further. They knew the problem, they knew each other, they lived together under same roof more than half of their life. Kris’ mother shook her head.

          “We can’t turn back the time. It’s time to put the past behind. We will still live as Master and Mistress Wu, but I chose as to live as mother and father for Kris. Role that we messed to play, maybe it won’t change a lot for Kris, he never dependent on us, and I won’t change it. Now, the best we can do is support him and always by his side. I have talked to him, he wants raise Kevin as Wu and Oh. I want you to promise me, you won’t push Kris or Kevin to be someone that they don’t want to. We make Kris as Wu’s heir, we won’t do the same to Kevin. Let him to grow up as child who surround by loves and happiness, not a pressure and expectation”

          “Is that what you want?” She shook her head once again.

          “That’s what we need to do. That’s the last thing we can do for them” She smiled and moved close to him, drew him on her embrace. He smiled slightly and hugged her back.

          Kris and his parents in law who saw them from the edge of the corridor smiled.

          “Well, I guess we will wander around to another wing of this hospital”    Kris said. His parents in law smiled widely.

          “And we will wander around more when Kevin is healthy and we will celebrate you 28^th birthday” His father in law glared at her, his mother in law smiled nervously.

          Kris smiled softly. Birthday…  He didn’t remember that as his birthday anymore.

          “26^th November” He said softly.

          “Yes, we will celebrate that too for Kevin” His father in law smiled to him. Kris shook his head slightly. They maybe didn’t know what he means by that. It’s not just Kevin’s birthday, but his birthday as well.

          The day when he has the reason to live, the person to protect and fight for, the person he will willingly to die for. The person always reminds him about someone who never he loves, but loves him unconditionally. Kevin…. The person that Sehun’s live through….