Luhan almost literally jumped out from the car that Sehun had pulled over in front of the Hospital’s lobby. He quickly entered the hospital, half-running because he remembered where he was at. His heart was drumming against his chest as the message that he received from Xiumin a while ago playing on his mind.

Xiumin was telling him that he and Chen had come to the hospital due to an unexplained circumstance that had happened to Suho and Ling. He had told him not to worry about them. But reading the word hospital itself had enough to make him panicking.

How could he not?

Both of them were equally precious for him. Ling was a special girl and a precious sister for him; while Suho was his best friend and an important colleague. There was only one thing in his mind right now; for both Ling and Suho to be fine.

As he arrived on the hospital waiting room, he saw a familiar girl figure sitting on the bench while burying her face on her palm. Luhan quickly rushed approaching her.

“Ling!”

The girl lifted her head and turned as she heard the call. She stood up and Luhan quickly scooped her into a tight hug; relief washed over him as he felt her lean figure in his arms. “Thank God that you’re fine,” he heaved in relief. But he noticed that her body was trembling and she was tightening her arms around his neck. “Ge…”

He heard her whimpering and sobbing weakly. It made him thinking about the other one. Worry rushed back to him, thinking that Suho might be the one who was hurt. He grabbed her arms and distanced himself an arm length. She looked shock and he could see trail of tears on her cheeks. Somehow, it made him frowning.

“Ling, where’s Suho?”

The girl bit her lower lip; a hint of guilt and worry was within her eyes. And tears were back in her clear eyes. On that moment, Luhan felt as if his heart dropped. “Don’t tell me…” his voice trailed off as he couldn’t continue his words.

“I’m fine, Luhan.”

The familiar voice was heard behind him, as well as the sound of tackling heels came closer. Luhan turned and saw the CEO approaching, along with Xiumin and Chen. His sleeves were rolled up; his suit was draped over his left arm and a band aid was stuck on the corner of his left palm. But other than that, he was healthy and unharmed.

To see the guy, Ling freed herself from Luhan’s embrace and came to the CEO. Suho had awaited her and engulfed her as she slung her arms around his neck and buried her face on his shoulder. He was shushing her and assuring her that he was fine. But the girl kept saying that she was sorry. Suho only let out a gentle smile and distanced her, an arm length.

“I’m really fine, Ling.” He brought his right palm against her cheek and gently brushed away her tear with his thumb. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I just sprained my ankle a bit. Other than that, I’m perfectly fine.” But she still gave him the sorry look. Suho sighed inwardly. Why is it so hard to convince this girl?

He pulled her to his embrace again and hugged her securely. He gave her a peek on her forehead. “It’s not your fault, okay. It’s never been your fault,” he said softly as he rubbed his palm against her back.

He lifted his gaze and saw Luhan approaching with serious look on his face. But Suho understood the meaning of the latter’s look. So his lifted his palm at him, signaling him to save the talk for later. Luhan nodded to the gesture.

Suho turned his face to Ling and pushed Ling a little apart. He lifted her chin to have her looking at him. “Let’s get you home, okay. You need to rest.” She nodded.

Suho looked back to Luhan. “You come with Sehun?” Luhan nodded and said, “Yeah. He’s waiting outside.” Suho then turned his gaze to the side. “Chen.” He called the head of Legal Department. “Yeah?” “Do you mind to drive us to Luhan’s place?” “Sure.”

“Then I’ll go with Sehun,” Xiumin added, as if he understood what Suho had planned. He turned to Suho. “I’ll bring your car back to your place.” Suho nodded and muttered him a ‘thanks’, in which Xiumin replied with a smile. “See you.” He patted the CEO’s back and left. Suho looked back to Luhan. “Let’s go.”

It was a cue for them to leave the hospital. As they walked, Suho rounded his arm around Ling’s waist, letting the girl to cling onto him. In the car, he pulled the girl to lean on him, rounding his arm across her shoulders and held her hand. He didn’t know why he didn’t want to let her apart from him right now. She was his girlfriend, yes. But the reason on why he wanted to keep her near was probably because he just wanted to make himself believing that she was still alive and well. Feeling her warmth against his had convinced him.

To think about the incident earlier, he didn’t know why he had the strength to run and pushed her away before dodging the car. He only thought of saving her. He couldn’t save Hyejin before and lost her in a car accident that happened in front of his eyes. So he didn’t want to lose Ling in the same way. And with everything that had happened today, he was thankful that they both were still alive.

At Luhan’s condo, Suho finally came out from Ling’s room after the girl had fallen asleep. He closed the door quietly and went to the living room where Luhan and Chen had waited for him. The two guys turned their gaze on him as they heard him approaching. Suho dropped himself on the couch beside Chen and heaved as he rested his back and head against the leather surface.

“Has she fallen asleep?” Chen asked him. Suho nodded. “Yeah.” “But how can it be? Someone was trying to kill Ling?” Luhan voiced out his mind. Suho turned his look at Chen, knowing that the guy might have told him about the incident earlier. “Who is trying to kill her?” Luhan asked again.

Suho turned his look back to his front but he didn’t try to look at Luhan. “I have a guess. But I don’t want to blame someone without any proof.”

“Who is it?”

Suho looked up with Luhan’s question. “I think it’s too early to put blame on someone—“

“Who is it?” Luhan repeated the question sternly.

Suho became silent. With the glaring eyes and clenched jaws, he knew that Luhan was serious; he demanded an answer. He heaved a sigh. “I’m not in the place to tell you, Luhan. I don’t have the right.” “But someone is trying to kill her, Joonmyeon!”

Suho heaved another sigh. As much as he felt his anger arising, he needed to stay calm. “I know. And please don’t think that I’m not angry and worry as well. Honestly, seeing her almost ran over by a car, it made me terrified to death. I’m afraid of losing her, Luhan. But Ling has decided to tell you by herself. Just let her calm down for now. She will tell you eventually.”

Luhan could only drop his gaze as he rested his hands on his hip and heaved a sigh. “Fine,” he said, feeling defeated. He then looked at the guy. “You look tired. Why don’t you go home and rest as well?”

“Yeah. I think I will.” Suho only nodded.

Suho’s reply seemed to be a cue for Chen to move. He patted his knees and stood up. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you home.”

Suho pushed himself to stand and took his jacket that he had slung on the couch earlier. He turned back to Luhan. “Good night, Luhan.” “Yeah. See you on Monday.” Luhan turned the younger guy’s body and patted him on his shoulders before pushing him to walk. He accompanied his two friends to the door.

“Will Ling be alright?” Chen asked as they were already in the car. Suho leaned back and sighed. “I hope so.” He crossed his arms then looked at him. “But I’m going to need your help, Jongdae.” A smirk came to Chen’s face. “Anytime, boss,” he replied as he started the engine. Suho scoffed in amusement to hear the reply.

The car drove away. “But seriously, Joonmyeon, what’s wrong with Ling? Why did someone try to hit her with a car?”

Suho dropped his expression and scrunched his brows. “Ling doesn’t tell me why either. But I can guess that her father’s wife is behind all of this.”

Chen quickly hit the break to hear it. Lucky for him, the street was empty in the midnight. “What?” He turned his body to face the CEO. “Her father’s wife?” Suho nodded. “I don’t get it. Does her father’s wife mean her mother?”

This time, Suho shook his head. “No.” He lowered his sitting position and went silent for a while. “Ling is an illegitimate child, Jongdae. Her mother is a mistress.”

Chen opened his mouth but somehow lost in words. “Okay.” It was the only thing that could come out through his mouth. He turned back to the steering wheel and back to drive his car. “Then, do you know who her father is?”

Suho nodded. “I’ve seen her brothers. In fact, I think we all have met her father and his family.”

“Who?”

Suho went silent again for a while. He was considering whether he could believe him or not. He knew that he would break his promise to Ling if he told Chen. But Suho knew that he would need Chen to help him later. “JYJ Enterprise’s chairman.” Chen’s eyes became wider again to hear the answer. “And her real name is Park Yoori,” Suho added.

“Seriously, hyung?”

Suho turned his look to his left. “Why would I lie to you?”

Chen tilted his head. “But Mr. Park seems to be a fine man to me. He looks nice and…” He stopped to think of a proper word to describe the man. But he couldn’t think of any other than this word. “…straight.”

Suho scoffed sarcastically to hear Chen’s choice of word. “We’re all thinking the same way when we saw Kris’ father. Yet, we have Stephanie.”

Chen only nodded. “But to be honest, I don’t like Madam Park. She looks arrogant and creepy for me.”

A lopsided smile came to Suho’s lips. “I feel it too. I’ve heard rumors about her. But I’m surprised to know that she will go too far to these extend.” Suho heaved. “Honestly, I think something’s fishy about her.” He looked at Chen. “Can you help me to investigate the incident earlier? We need to find out who has tried to harm Ling. And while you’re on it, try to find something about Madam Park, especially for something that related to Ling and her mother.” “Will do, Hyung.”

“And can you drive me to my parent’s house instead?”

Chuckles broke from Chen. “Why? Do you want them to spoil you again?”

Suho only scoffed. “Everything that has happened lately makes me realize that I’m lucky to have my parents. Even though their affection makes me uncomfortable in most of times, at least I know that they love each other. And I haven’t visited them for a while. So I think I will spend my time on my parents’ house tonight.”

“Okay.” That was Chen’s reply and he turned his car toward Suho parents’ house.

Suho’s visit to his house had awakened his parents from their sleep. They went down from their room when the maid told them if their son had come. His mother quickly came, welcoming him with her warm embrace. Suho hugged his mother. “Sorry to wake you up, Mom,” he said as he tightened his embrace.

“It’s fine, Joonmyeon,” she replied. Suho released his mother then turned to his father. “Hi, Dad.” “Hello, Son. How’s Thailand?” “It’s fine.” But his mother stopped them from talking about business with her gentle yet stern voice. “Honey, do you think it’s proper to discuss about work in this late night? Joonmyeon is tired.”

Mr. Kim only rolled his eyes in defeat, causing his son to smile on his reaction. Mrs. Kim turned back to Suho. “And what have happened to you? You look messed.” She lifted his left palm and gasped in concern. “And you got band aid on your hand. Are you hurt?”

The question made Suho thinking about a logical reason to reply her. “I just caught in a small accident, Mom. But it’s nothing to worry about.” His mother pouted to hear his reply but decided not to question him further more. “Then, do you want something before resting? Something to eat, maybe?”

The latter question made Suho realize that he hadn’t eaten. He nodded. “Perhaps something to eat is fine, Mom. I didn’t have the chance to get dinner actually.”

Mrs. Kim smiled. “Then I’ll cook you something to eat. Why don’t you go up to your room and get change? You’re going to stay for tonight, right?” Suho nodded, replying his mother. “Then go and come back again after you’ve cleaned yourself.”

As an obedient son he was, Suho agreed. He took a peek on his mother’s cheek. “Later, Dad.” He greeted his father before going upstairs to his room.

After cleaning up himself, Suho came back down to the dining room. He only found his mother on the room. He asked his father’s whereabouts and his mother explained that his father would have a meeting in the morning so he couldn’t join them. Suho only nodded and proceed to eat the meal that his mother had prepared for him. But the thought about the incident earlier couldn’t leave his mind. He was thinking about Ling and worried about her.

“Joonmyeon.”

Mrs. Kim’s voice broke through his thought. Suho lifted his gaze to his mother. “Yes, Mom?”

“Is there something that bothers you?”

Realizing that he shouldn’t have made her worry, Suho shook his head as he dropped his gaze back to his plate. “It’s nothing serious, Mom. You don’t need to worry.” “Is this about a girl?”

To hear the question, Suho lifted his gaze back to his mother. “What makes you thinking like that?”

A knowing look came onto Mrs. Kim’s face. “Oh, Kim Joonmyeon. I have lived long enough to know when someone is in love.” She furrowed her brows, giving out a warning look. “And don’t think that I’m not paying attention on you lately, young man. I’m sure enough that you’ve been dating someone for these past few months.” She then continued her speech with softer tone and gentler look. “Besides, I’m your mother. You can’t underestimate mother’s instinct, especially to her children.” She smiled gently. “Besides, you always have that feign innocent look whenever you try to hide something.”

Suho scoffed, feeling defeated yet amazed to know how well his mother knew him.

“So… which lucky girl that has captured my son’s heart?”

Suho dropped his gaze. “You’ve met her, Mom,” he said and raised his gaze back to his mother. “Really? Then why did you not introduce her to me?” “She said that she hasn’t ready yet to meet you and Dad. But she’s a nice girl, Mom, and an amazing one. She’s a smart girl, humble, kind, beautiful, and a good cook. I’m sure that you’re going to like her when you know her.”

Mrs. Kim rested her chin on her palm as she saw her son talking. She couldn’t help but to smile gently when she saw him telling her about this girl that he was in love with. There was a different gentle look on his face and an adoration tone on his voice when he talked about her.

It had been a while since she last saw those things from him. She remembered that Kim Hyeri was the latest girl who could make him like that. So it hurt her to see how devastated Suho was when the girl had died in an accident. It took a while for him to get his feet back on the ground. But now, it made her relieved that Kim Joonmyeon had finally found someone and she knew that he loved this girl so much.

“If it's so, why does she not want to meet us yet? What's wrong with her?”

Suho’s expression dropped to hear the question. He looked back to his plate, considering whether he would need to tell her or to avoid the question. His mother might look cold because she was needed to be one when she had married with one of the top businessmen across the globe. But she had always been kind, nice and patient as long as he could remember… and a wise mother as well.

“Mom.” He started out with calling his mother with more serious tone in his voice. “What do you think about an illegitimate child?”

Sorry, I just really need to post these gif series of Kim Joonmyeon's dancing here. They are so... interesting XD

There... I have given you answer for all of your comments for the previous chapter. Now you know what have happened to Suho, right? Are you feeling relief ?? :)

As usual, for your info, this chapter is still un-beta-ed. Wanna help me with this one? Just PM me if you're interested.

Thank you so much for all the readers, the subscribers, the upvoters. See you in the next chapter.

Toodles~ *waves*

Sincerely,

Alize Sakura (@AFFalize_sakura and alizesakura @ instagram)

And for these following upvoters, thank you so much

dazzlingdep

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