Chapter twenty-two: Trapped

Lu Han smiled as soon as he noticed the apartment building. He had carried Hana, who was sitting next to him and her eyes closed, to his car and drove home. Hana wasn't far, but she wasn't close to a place she could easily identify.

He still remembered Junwoo's words when the latter arrived. "Noona? She wanted to walk for a while. Don't worry, she'll come back early". Lu Han believed the young's words, but there was something else. He felt something different. And he did noticed it since he tried to message Hana around noon. He asked her if she was still at her friend's house. If she will come back early. If she was ok. At what time will she be back?

But she never responded. Neither his multiple call attempts.

He still remembered when Danbi looked at him with a smile when she arrived with Junwoo. She said nothing, but "She needs to be alone for a while." Then she left.

Lu Han wasn't stupid. Something had happened with Hana. Something had bothered her. And Lu Han cursed at his inner self for being an idiot. A complete idiot. He had done or said something to Hana that troubled her. He's sure of it, but he couldn't remember what was. They might have fought. They might have yelled at each other.

Lu Han only hoped he didn't say those words: words of confession.

Lu Han carried Hana bride style until they reach the apartment and placed her down when they entered. Her skin still wet from the rain from head to toe, but at least his jacket was warming her enough even if it was getting drench because of her sodden clothes.

"We finally arrived." He heard her whispered as soon as they step into the room and coughed afterwards. The sound of her voice was coarse and husky.

"Hana, you sound terrible"

"Just hurry up and change. Your clothes are all wet because of me"

"You too. And get some sleep, silly," Lu Han said with a smiled and Hana did too. But before Hana could go to her room Lu Han noticed her cheeks colored and the tired look on her eyes. He touched her forehead and noticed it warmness.

"You have fever," he said not pleased at all. "Go to room now and change your clothes immediately. I'll bring you some medicine and the thermometer"

"I'm fine." Hana took a step, but almost fell. She looked at her side and noticed Lu Han holding her.

Hana said nothing because of the judgmental look he was giving her. Lu Han leaded her to her room and helped stand as she choose some dry clothes.

Lu Han placed a towel on Hana's bed and sat her on it. And with other towel he dried her hair with care as Hana tried to dry her clothes, which because of her fever it had been difficult for her. Her strength had vanished just like that. So Lu Han also helped her dry her face and arms. He didn't touch further, he couldn't because he respected her. He left her room to let her change and came back with the stuff he mentioned her. He noticed her with dry clothes and laying on her bed, breathing with difficulty and coughing. Lu Han started to panic until he heard her speak, her voice still weak and rough.

"I guess I got sick," Hana mumbled with a small smile. "I'm sorry"

Lu Han couldn't get angry with her, even he wanted to. Even if he wanted to reprimand her for being careless, he didn't. Not now, when she was this debilitated. For now, his main priority was her health. He placed the covers on her top and gave her some medicine after he checked her temperature. Hana had fever. Walking so much under the rain with her dry clothes leaded her to end up like this.

"Is noona ok?"

Lu Han turned and noticed Junwwo walking towards him.

"Hey, shouldn't you be asleep? It's still four in the morning"

"I was worried for noona," Junwoo added with a pout.

"She had fever, but don't worry I already gave her some medicine"

"Is she asleep?" Lu Han nodded, but Hana wasn't. Her eyes were just closed. She was listening everything, but she indeed was really tired. She was forcing herself to be awake and hear what happen.

"Lu Han hyung, you should try to drop her fever too! You can do it with a wet towel and caressing it on her forehead and cheeks. That's how noona did it when I was sick," Junwwo said not pleased with only the painkillers the older gave her. "I'll go and bring the towels!"

Lu Han giggled at his worried behavior. Then he turned towards Hana and smiled. She was still coughing, but it was lighter than before. The medicine was making its effects.

Junwoo came back and taught Lu Han how to, even if it was a simple task, the older let the younger showed him the way how it was done. Lu Han noticed the softly and caring touches Junwoo gave Hana with the wet towel. The younger brought a small bucket of water to soak the towel too.

"You should go to sleep. I'll take good care of her. Thanks for your help," Lu Han said softly as he started caring Hana's forehead with the towel.

Junwoo nodded. He looked at Hana and then Lu Han. The little boy knew she was in good hands. Lu Han really care of his older sister, Junwoo did noticed. Junwoo didn't know about love, but at least he could see Lu Han likes Hana.

The moment Junwoo left, Hana opened her eyes softly. felt dry and her saliva bitter, but she was still able to say some words.

"Are you still here? Why?"

Lu Han frowned at her words, which might sounded rude, but Hana didn't mean it that way, Lu Han was sure of it. "Why?" He paused and sighed. "Because you are sick". And he continued caressing her forehead with the towel.

Hana's sight was blurry and her eyes were almost closing. "You are taking care of me because you feel responsible for my safety, aren't you?"

Why? Why was Lu Han so preoccupied for her? Why was he so worried for her? Hana knew the answer, but wanted to be sure. She needed to hear those words from Lu Han's mouth before she could sleep.

"No. It's because I care. I truly care for you"

And it was a sincere answer. Hana smiled and fall asleep with his gentle touches.

Hana did the same for Lu Han. She took care of him when he was weak. And she was happy he reciprocated the actions. Both were preoccupied for each other safety. Not because of responsibility, but due to love.

-

Hana woke up. Her body felt heavy, but not as before. Her lips were dry still and her eyes were a bit tired too. She was weak, but at the same time she felt better.

“How you feel?”

She turned towards the sound of the voice and the moment their eyes locked, Hana’s heart felt contented.

“Better. I guess”

Hana noticed someone next to Lu Han, that small person was sitting next to the latter, but his head buried on his arms that lay on her bed. Hana smiled at the sight of her younger brother sleeping.

“How long had Junwoo been here?” Hana asked not looking away from the little kid.

“After he left the first time, He came about two hours later saying he wanting to make you company”

“Maybe he couldn't sleep because of my state”

“I guess so”

Hana looked at Lu Han after his words, then her eyes turned towards at Junwoo. The difference was obvious. The difference between the love she has for each is truly different. Junwoo, who is her brother, the person she cares and spoils so much; and Lu Han, a person she can address as a friend, her first male friend, the person who had helped so much, and the person who is in love with her, the absentminded Hana.

In those few seconds Hana looked at Lu Han, she realized it. She gulped and thought about it. She didn’t love him as a brother. She had been confused all this time. Why? Because he was so near her that Hana didn’t realize it. It might sound stupid, but it’s the truth. She was so overcast with the idea of seeing him just a brother that she actually believed in her ideal. And it wasn’t sincere for her neither for him, because it had cause him pain.

But does she loves him more than a friend? Does she sees him as a man? Probably… Her heart felt warm and beat with the idea, being in love with somebody, being in love with him.

Was love always so difficult to realize and reciprocate?

Hana doesn’t have experience in this topic, so she has to come with her own ways to find the answers she´s waiting for. She has to find her heart, her true feelings, to finally ease her mind and messy thoughts. And of course, to tell Lu Han how she truly feels about him.

“Hana,” she heard him call her. “I’m sorry”

“What for?”

“For arriving drunk two days ago. I have must scare you, haven’t I?” Lu Han said sincerely and softly. “I’m really sorry about it”

Hana just shook her head as the events played on her mind making her cheeks blushed cutely.

“I´m sorry for not remembering”

Hana sighed and smiled a bit. “It’s ok. Don’t worry about it”

What happened wasn’t important. She wanted to add to ease his guilt, but couldn’t. She’d be lying if she said those. Because his words are important. His feelings are really important. Later on Lu Han might remember, but for the time being Hana wished he doesn’t.

“Was there something bothering you that night?” Hana asked with curiosity as her eyes turned towards Junwoo’s sleeping body. She smiled at how peacefully he was and then turned to Lu Han, who had a troubled look showed on his face.

“What’s the point on lying to you when you are might already have noticed it?” Lu Han sighed and Hana laughed softly. He was indeed troubled by something that night.

“You ended up pretty wasted if you ask me. Even if I told you to take care of yourself, you chose to ignore me,” Hana pouted innocently making now Lu Han laughed, to which cause Hana heartbeat increase with his is giggling voice and happy features.

“Sorry for that too. I’ll listen to you next time,” Lu Han reassured her.

“When you arrived with your friends I had a pretty good laugh,” Hana joked. A little white lie won’t hurt anybody. “You started dancing some girl group dances and clamming you were Superman”

Lu Han’s eyes were wide as saucers. “I-I… W-What?”

Hana nodded with a pretty serious face. “If it wasn’t for your friends, you would have been in the hospital by now. They stooped you from jumping out of the window, because you wanted to show us your superpowers”

“Oh ,” Lu Han mumbled with an embarrassment face. He was really ashamed of his supposed done actions. “This is the craziest thing I ever done so far”

Hana couldn’t help it and burst out laughing. Lu Han looked at her weirdly and soon got the message. “Yah, Hana, I didn’t do anything you mentioned, did I?!”

“No, in fact, you didn’t,” Hana took a breath and calmed down. “I’m sorry, but your reaction was worth the lie”

“You silly girl,” Lu Han stood up making Hana blinked when he got near her. Her heart vibrated faster and her cheeks turned pink. Lu Han started to tickle her and Hana tried to stop him, both laughing fondly and contented. The moment Lu Han stopped, Hana realized he was looking directly at her eyes, making her flustered and nervous. Lu Han smiled at her caringly and stood up to leave the room.

“Rest a bit more,” he said. “Your face is still all red”

Hana blinked and dragged her hands to her cheeks. She felt the hotness from them and sighed in embarrassment. Luckily, Lu Han misinterpreted her blush as sickness.

Hana slept a few more hours and woke up around afternoon. She realized Junwoo was gone and went out of her room to search for him. She saw him watching cartoons with a plate of food. Hana assumed Lu Han cooked and smiled at the simple thought. Hana asked her little brother about Lu Han, because he was nowhere to be seen in the apartment. Junwoo informed her that Lu Han left minutes ago to work.

Hana pouted sadly, but the sound of her stomach growling made her woke up from her senses. Junwoo laughed at her older sister.

“Noona, Lu Han hyung left you a portion in the kitchen,” Junwoo said still paying attention to the cartoon.

Hana sighed when noticed her little brother too distracted with the television, but as soon as she heard him laughing she smiled. Hana walked towards the kitchen and find a bowl in the middle of the table. She put it in the microwave and ate it happily.

Realizing the fact Lu Han cooked for her brother and she made her content. It might be just a small action, but it reflected a fact Hana really treasures: care. Lu Han’s little actions reflected he really cared for her.

Hana just have to be more observant in order to presence his true feelings.

Just as Hana finished cleaning the plates she heard someone knocking on the door. She blinked and walked towards the main door. Junwoo was pecking from behind the couch with curiosity.

“Have you invited your friend?” Hana asked as she stood in front of the door.

Junwoo shook his head innocently. At this time of the day, Lu Han, who was probably in the middle of working, couldn’t be the one standing behind the white wood door because the own this spare of keys, which aren’t at the place he normally leaves them. He had taken them with him.

Hana jumped slightly when the knocked continued.

She walked towards the door and twisted the knob softly opening it enough to see the person standing on the other side. Hana saw a handsome tall man with a piercing gaze. He was glaring at her.

“So it’s true,” he whispered almost inaudible with a bitter smirk.

“What can I help you with?” Hana asked politely. She turned her gaze to the side and saw another person next to him, but he had a gentler gaze and paler skin tone. He was smaller too.

The taller scoffed and rolled his eyes. He was being rude, really rude. Hana glared at his actions.

“I’m sorry, but isn’t this Lu Han’s apartment?” Hana heard the smaller person asked. She nodded shyly.

He smiled softly. “Nice to meet you. My name is Kim Junmyeon and he is Wu Yi Fan. We are Lu Han’s friends”

Hana blinked multiple times. This people weren’t strangers, but Lu Han’s friends but why? Why are they here?

Except from Sehun, Lay and Xiumin, who are the ones Lu Han trust the most, she wasn’t supposed to meet the rest at any circumstances yet, those were Lu Han’s words.

But two of them were already standing in front of her.

Why she doesn’t have a good feeling about this?

author's note: 

Hello there. I know it's been long since my last update. I had actually wrote it a few months ago. I soon as I finished the last chapter I had started this one, but sadly I wasnt able to complete it until now. I was really really really busy these days. In a few days I'll be free to write whatever I want! Just wait a bit :) I have already planned what will happen next.