Chapter eleven: Grown

One year later

Lu Han came out from the bathroom as he buttoned up his white shirt. His hair still wet and messy and his gaze monotonous.  He lifted his gaze and sighed with the sight. There was a girl on the bed, under the covers, and her back facing him. The sheets raised her perfect S body contours making her wait and hips stand up.

The girl turned the moment she heard the bathroom’s door opened and smirked at Lu Han. She had fun. She really did. And she hoped they could do it again, but Lu Han had other plans.

“Didn’t I tell you to disappear after we finish?” He said as he took the towel from his shoulders and placed it on his wet hair to massage it and dry it.

She stood up, reveling to Lu Han once again her voluptuous body and walked to him. She stop in front of him and played with the hem of his shirt.

“Yeah you did, but I was hoping we could… you know… see each other again or even… have another round.” the girl smirked and bit her lower lip provocative. Lu Han only scoffed. Didn’t she understand the meaning of a night stand? They agreed on having , but then not to see each other again. Ever. Because that was they were searching for, just a bit fun. Just a night stand.

Lu Han found her that night at the bar. He noticed the playful, suggestive and constant stares from her. But not only was she giving him those amusing and provocative looks, but Lu Han was too. Then he noticed her coming to where was he standing after some shots and talked to him. Lu Han check her out. Her black strapless and tight short dress fit her like a glove, her heavy but stunning make up and her long toned legs. She was provocative in any single way. The way she dressed, the way she walked and even the way she talked.

And Lu Han couldn’t lose the opportunity to have with her. Because both wanted it. Both wanted some fun tonight. Both searched for it. Both wanted a night stand. Nothing less nothing further.

This wasn’t the first time he had done something like this. He was already used to it. But it wasn’t like he was playing with the girl’s emotions. No, he wasn’t that cold. He was searching for something else. He wanted to forget someone. He searched on those random girls someone he couldn’t have. Even if it was selfish and not appropriate to imagine her in those situations, he was a man after all. He had his necessities. But Lu Han tried to push away his true feelings when he was with those girls. Even if he knew they aren’t her, they won’t ever usurp her place. Lu Han tried to forget her in every single way possible. Yet not even once he had brought one of those random girls to his apartment. Everything stayed inside the bar’s walls. Everything happened inside the bar’s rooms. And Lu Han wasn’t the only one who searched for some fun; the other eleven boys also did the same. They were used to see each other talking and flirting with some females that attended the bar.

The girl, whose name was unknown for Lu Han, looked up and tried to kiss him, but he stopped her. Lu Han sighed and push her away gently. “What did I tell you about the kisses?”

“We aren’t allowed to kiss before, during and after , but I…”

“No buts. Can you just go? We already finish here”

The girl scoffed and looked at him up and down. She was just rejected. But she couldn’t do anything against it because she agreed. She agreed on the night stand.

And she knew she wasn’t the first going through this situation.

She put her clothes with an irritated face. Lu Han knew she was pissed by him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care a single bit. The moment she finished with her dress, she took her heels with one hand and her purse with the other one, gazed at Lu Han with a mad gaze and didn’t bother to say good-bye, because both knew they won’t met each other again. She just slammed the door and left the place.

After her leaving, Lu Han left the room too. And the moment he closed the door, Sehun was standing in front of him with a smirk drawn on the younger’s face.

“How was it?” Sehun asked as he folded his arms and rested his back against the wall.

“I had betters”

Both laughed.

In that moment, Xiumin appeared from behind and asked about the laughs. When Sehun explained the reason Xiumin laughed a bit too.

This wasn’t the first time Lu Han had a night stand with a random girl. And he wasn’t the only one out of the twelve. All of them had at least gone through the same once. When they felt stressed or tired they search for some fun. And owing a bar had its benefits.

Since they were the only ones in the corridors, Xiumin had the guts to say to Lu Han what was bothering him during the last months. “Lu Han, you know can’t forget her by having with random girls. They aren’t her. They won’t ever be her.”

“I know,” Lu Han sighed. “But everything I do or think it’s evolving her. I can’t help it”

“You see her every day, Lu Han,” Sehun said, “It’s difficult to not think about her when she is in front of you every single day”

Lu Han bit his lower lip to hide his forming smirk and reminisced every single day he saw her sleeping and laughing. They was she smiled and blinked. He reminisced all the times he found a plate of food separated for him when he arrived late at home and he found her sleeping at the couch, waiting for him. Every single thing she did was from the bottom of her heart. And it captivated Lu Han.

Because no one was like her. No one was as caring, noble and sincere as her. No one can’t compare to Hana’s sincerity and pureness.

And it only took Lu Han less than a month to realize he was in love. It only took her less than a month to captured Lu Han’s heart in a way he never felt before. Because of her tenderness and sweet acts he was captivated by her. It only took less than a month to realize he loves her, but not as a friend or sister, but as a lover, as a girl.

Lu Han fell in love with Hana.

“Speaking of Hana,” Xiumin started, “She must be still waiting for you. You should get going”

Lu Han nodded with a slight smile and walked ahead, leaving Sehun and Xiumin with smirks on their lips.

“I can’t believe he lost the game against her a year ago already,” Sehun laughed as he turned towards Xiumin, who nodded at the younger one.

“He really loves her. We’re sure of it”

Sehun agreed with the statement.

The only ones who know about Hana’s existence are Sehun, Xiumin and Lay. Only the three of them out of the eleven. Until now Lu Han had hide her existence from the others with the support of the three.

Because he didn’t want her to get involve with the kind of people they are. It’s not like they are cold, greedy or selfish, they are the most friendly people Lu Han ever met, but because of their background. Lu Han didn’t want her to put her in danger. He didn’t want her to get involve with the dangerous background he has.

Lu Han didn’t want her to fear them or to get new fears. He didn’t want to risk her live, because until now he had done everything to protect her. Not only he had paid back her father’s debt, but also remained her hidden and protected from those people. Because they were not only searching for money from her, but something else: her innocence.

But Lu Han can’t remain her oblivious about everything, can he?

Someday, Hana will find out. But today wasn’t the day. Not yet.

The traffic lights turned red making Lu Han stopped the car and wait. With his left thumb he played with his lower lip touching it slightly and softly. Lu Han laughed softly too with the memories that played on his mind. Memories of the day Sehun, Lay and Xiumin met Hana in person.

That day Hana came back from school earlier than expected.

The three mentioned boys accompanied Lu Han back home and insisted to stay a bit. At first, Lu Han hesitated, because of the siblings’ presence. But then he realized it was too early for them to be back already so he agreed.

But Hana was already home.

Sehun and Xiumin entered the apartment first laughing with the jokes they were sharing, Lay and Lu Han followed them, but they took their time to enter the place calmly. The other two entered in a rush not noticing someone else’s presence in the kitchen.

But Hana did. She heard the different voices coming from the living room. But she didn’t panic. She remained calm because she also heard Lu Han’s voice that calmed her down. She knew the other voices were from his friends. And this was the first time he bothered to come with his friends, Hana thought.

Should she came out and say hello? Or should she stay in the kitchen and wait? Around this time she should still be in school, but she finished her duties earlier than expected.

Lu Han isn’t aware of her presence.

Maybe she’ll cause him problems. How they will explain? How they will clarify the fact she is living with Lu Han? Maybe they already know. Maybe Lu Han already told them, but Hana wasn’t sure. She still couldn’t comprehend it. The reason why Mrs. Park chose him to take care of them.

What was he? What was his true identity?

“Oh! I-I d-didn’t know there was someone else besides us here”

Hana immediately look up and gasped. One of Lu Han’s friends entered the kitchen and had a confusing gaze. He was looking at her full with curiosity.

“Why are you taking to long, Minseok?” Lu Han’s eyes grew wider as he entered the room. “H-Hana. Why … What you doing here? I mean… shouldn’t you be still at school?”

Hana calmed down as she saw Lu Han. She sighed calmly and smiled. “I finished my duties earlier”

And before Lu Han or Hana could say something else, Xiumin spoke full with happiness. “Oh my God. Lu Han, she’s really cute!”

Hana’s eyes rounded, but she showed a heartwarming smiled. She should be polite with Lu Han’s friends. Even if she doesn’t know them it doesn’t mean to ignore them. At least, she should be kind. Xiumin was still a stranger, but she lately was trying to open with others more often. She tried to smile to people she isn’t close with. She was trying to smile to strangers.

Eunjung once told her the most beautiful accessory that a girl must wear is her smile. Hana understood why the older tried to persuade her to smile more, to be more opened to strangers and not to stare them coldly. Because from the begging she was distant and cold with the people Hana didn’t know. Sometimes people misunderstood it with rudeness, but it wasn’t like that. Hana was shy and careful.

So she tried. Hana tried harder to at least show kindness with a simple smile. And it was an excellent decision because her smiles where the most sincere and beautiful, according from Lu Han.

Lu Han just laughed.

“Hana, right?” She nodded with a small smile. “I’m Kim Minseok, but most of the guys call me Xiumin”

“Nice to meet you,” Hana responded politely.

In that moment the only thing they could do was introduce her to the other two. Lu Han couldn’t let her in the kitchen until his friends were gone and another reason to introduce her was the fact Xiumin already saw her.

Before leaving the kitchen room Lu Han told Xiumin with a gaze I-will-explain-later. Xiumin nodded in response. Lu Han knew he was suspicious. Ever since the moment Lu Han didn’t let them visit his apartment anymore Xiumin grew curious and suspicious. And now he has the answer in front of his eyes. There’s a girl leaving with him. A girl who is not blood related with him at all. But she isn’t a random girl either. She was close with Lu Han. Xiumin was sure they grew comfortable with each other due to both caring gazes towards each other.

And most of all, he noticed the rather loving gazes Lu Han gave Hana.

In that moment was pretty obvious, Lu Han felt for Hana. He was in love with Hana.

Sehun and Lay turned the moment Lu Han called them. They were surprise with the sight of the younger girl in the room. They wondered if she was Lu Han’s cousin or little sister, but the latter idea was ignored because they knew Lu Han was an only child.

But then Lay recognized her. Even if it already passed almost seven years, Lay remember Hana. And in that moment, not thinking properly he mentioned her name with a whisper. “Hana?”

She turned and blinked. “Do we know each other?”

Lu Han grew anxious as well as Lay, but the latter came with an idea. “I h-hear your n-name when you talked with Xiumin and Lu Han”

Hana mouthed and “oh” and nodded slightly.

“Hana, let me introduce you to Zhang Yixing.” Lu Han signaled appropriately towards the guy who was smiling and his dimple was visible making Hana smiled in response, “Mostly know by Lay and Oh Sehun.” This time Lu Han signaled the taller one, who waved comfortably at her. The girl bit her lower lip softly and smiled once again.

“Guys, she’s Hana. A friend of mine”

This time Hana bowed a bit. “Nice to meet you all”

“You know Lu Han, she’s really cute” Lay commented as he turned towards the mentioned boy, earning a shy smile by Hana and she blushed a bit too.

“That’s what I said too.” Xiumin added as the rested his arm around Lu Han’s neck teasingly. The latter diverted his gaze from Lay towards Hana and saw her looking at her feet, her lips forming a curve up, a smile. The way he looked at her was lovingly. Not only did Xiumin noticed it, but Lay and Sehun did. The younger boy smirked at the older and the boy with the dimple did nothing but had a surprise gaze.

Lu Han was being too obvious. Or maybe it was because they knew him pretty well. They were used to his behavior and recognized his mood easily.

The Chinese boy knew Lay remembered and recognized Hana, so the explanation will be easier with his support. The moment he explained the other three boys, they were compressive. Lu Han mentioned every single detail to them. From him taking care not only for Hana, but for her little brother too, the troubles she had to endure, the threaten messages she receive and her father’s debt. Even if Hana didn’t mention a single about them to Lu Han, he knew them all. He did his research by his own about her. Because he cared about her. About her past and safety.

And the last thing he did was to promise they won’t tell the others, not yet.

Hopefully the ones who find out about Hana were the ones who Lu Han was closer with. Lay because of the same past they went through when young, Xiumin because of they were the same age and it made it more comfortable in conversations and else, and Sehun who Lu Han saw as his younger brother and the was the person he met after Yixing, meaning their friendship started years ago.

author's note:  

Finally we reached where Hana is eighteen! It took me longer than expected I'm sorry for that XD it's just that I had to write the those chapters x3

And yes Lu Han is already in love with Hana ;) Remember that it already passed a year since they live together so it can't be helped (and I explained it already how and why he felt for her) xD And for Hana.... I won't reveal things I haven't written down yet :D

Sometimes this editing format drives me crazy! It takes me about a minute to figure out where the sangria is and other stuff too >///< 

Well see you soon! (And welcome to my new readers! Thanks for giving PC an opportunity!)