Things We Aren’t Supposed to See

Kai and Sehun – their story

            People usually say that boys tend to get better along with each other as compared to girls. That can be true for most of the male population, but there’s that 0.1% that doesn’t follow this theory. Kai and I were apart this minority.

            Even since we were little, we wrapped in a competition of our own. We always had to beat the other, whether it be a sport competition or a spelling bee. Kai may dislike me, but I hated his guts. It wasn’t just because my father constantly compared Kai to me. No, it was much different than that. Because of Kai, he broke apart my family.

****

            When we were six, we saw my mom kiss another man. They were standing right outside our house, as if flaunting around the fact that she was cheating on my dad. We didn’t know what was going on then, but I knew that my mom kissing someone besides my dad was not good news.

            I made Kai promise not to say a word. But he was so naïve, immediately telling his father upon his arrival at his house. The word spread to my own father. He didn’t believe it at first, but we checked security cameras, and as Kai had claimed, my mother was indeed cheating on my dad. A simple sighting like that made my family shatter into pieces.

            My mom married the unknown man a month after she filed the divorce with my dad.

            Since then, I refused to exchange any words with her.

****

            With the money in my trembling hands, I ascended the marble steps ready to bail my father out. Too focused with the pen markings on the check, I didn’t even see what was ahead of me. I bumped into them, muttering an apology. Just as I was about to advance towards the automatic sliding doors, a familiar voice stopped me.

            “Sehun, you’re here.” I quickly spun around and saw my mom.

            “…” I refused to address my mom, so instead I merely shrugged. My eyes darted to the people next to her. Lawyer Lee, Hayoung – my younger step sister and…my father? I hadn’t even realized my father was standing next to them. Before I knew it, I was barreling towards him.

            “Abeoji!” I threw my arms around my dad. “How – did you – who – “

            “I think we should talk in private – there’s a chance the paparazzi haven’t left yet,” Lawyer Lee suggested.

****

            “Your mother bailed me out, Sehun,” my father explained. Although the five of us were seated closely together, I completely disregarded her presence and went on to speak rudely of her as if he wasn’t even there.

            “Who told her?” My voice was accusing.

            “I did,” confessed Lawyer Lee. I sent him an icy glare, “I had no choice, Sehun. I thought you couldn’t do it even though you released those articles. There just wasn’t enough time.”

            “So in the end, all my efforts went to waste.” I bitterly laughed.

            “You should have come to me first,” my mother gently said, “you wouldn’t have to go to this extent of cheating someone of money.”

            “Like you cheated on my father fifteen years ago?” I shook my head. “I appreciate your efforts but this is not necessary. I’ll pay you back – we don’t need your sympathy.” Right after I said that, I felt a searing pain on my left cheek. I cupped my swelli