Kai clenches his jaw. So these are Sehun’s parents.

 

“How did you dislocate your shoulder?” Mrs. Oh clucks, picking up Hana’s injured arm. Hana hisses with pain and jerks backwards.

 

“I was playing in the school teacher-student tennis tournament,” Hana says, and her parents roll their eyes.

 

“You’re still playing tennis? How many times did we say that it would get you nowhere, sweetie?” Mr. Oh says, heaving an exasperated sigh. Hana looks down at her feet.

 

“I don’t know why you’re a professor, Hana,” Mrs. Oh crosses her arms. “I was talking to Ahri the other day- you know, Su Yeon’s mom- and she said that her daughter got a job with Google. Why’re you stuck in this dead-end job?”

 

“It’s not a dead end job,” Hana protests. “I... I like my job...,” She trails off uncertainly, not looking at Kai.

 

“Sure you do, honey” Mr. Oh says sarcastically, chuckling. “Anyway, you’re coming with us. We’re going to take care of you at home, okay?”

 

“No.” Sehun has spoken for the first time since his parents got here. He turns to Mr. and Mrs. Oh, crossing his arms. An angry glare is in his eyes.

 

“Oh! Sehun! I didn’t see you.” Mrs. Oh offers him a half-hearted smile.

 

“How’s your singing going?” Mr. Oh asks.

 

“I’m a dancer,” Sehun replies testily. “And Hana’s not going anywhere.”

 

An ugly simper appears on Mrs. Oh’s face as she strides over to Sehun. “Oh, really? Says who, Sehun?”

 

Sehun’s gut clenches in revulsion. He resists the urge to punch his mother in the face. “Says me. Hana’s staying here. You two are the ones who told me to take care of Hana. So I’m doing my job.”

 

“Doing your job?” Mr. Oh sneers. “Well, judging from the past, you haven’t been very good at that.”

 

Kai’s mouth falls open in shock. The disparity between Mr. and Mrs. Oh’s behavior towards their two children is sickening. Kai feels like this is something he should not be witnessing. He is in half a mind to sneak out of the Oh’s apartment, pretend like he never witnessed anything.

 

“You’re one to be talking,” Sehun retaliates. “You two were the worst parents in the world.”

 

“Worst parents?!” Mrs. Oh exclaims. “Who do you think put a roof over your head for 17 years? Who do you think fed you?”

 

“If we were the worst parents in the world, would we have a daughter who was named one of the smartest children in history? We aren’t bad. It’s you who is bad, Sehun.” Mr. Oh bites back.

 

“You put Hana through hell!” Sehun roars. “Constantly pressuring her, constantly harping on her to be better! I know about her therapy. And I know what Hana tried to do-,”

 

“Sehun, no.” Hana says, shooting up. There is a look of wild urgency on her face as she quickly shakes her head. “Don’t say it.”

 

“Hana was just-just being a teenager,” Mrs. Oh stutters. “All teenagers go through that phase-,”

 

“It wasn’t a phase,” Sehun growls. “You never think it’s your own damn fault.”

 

“Stop talking,” Hana says, her voice rising.

 

“You stupid boy. You don’t know what you’re talking about, so keep your mouth shut!” Mr. Oh bellows. “Just because you were screwed up in the head-,”

 

“Be quiet!” Hana exclaims.

 

“Don’t you think there’s a pattern here?” Sehun shouts. “Both of your children tried to-,”

 

“ENOUGH!”

 

Hana is trembling. Her fist are balled. A furious expression contorts her features into an angry, desperate glare.

 

“I’m done. I’m leaving.”

 

And Hana shoves past her parents and storms out the door.

 

---

 

Hana is curled up on a plushy, soft chair in the corner of some random cafe, sipping an iced mocha latte. There is barely anyone at the restaurant; only a few people sit at tall brown tables, tapping away on their laptops or reading novels. Faint violins play from speakers attached to the ceiling. The pleasant aroma of freshly baked scones wafts up into Hana’s nose.

 

She has cooled down. The fear rising in her chest- the fear that her worst memory would be dredged up to the surface of her mind, the fear that Kai would discover her deepest, darkest secret- has gradually ebbed away.

 

Now, Hana is left alone. Away from her parents, away from Sehun, away from Kai.

 

Just the way I like it, Hana smiles to herself, taking another sip of her latte.

 

Suddenly, her peace is broken.

 

“Mind if I sit here?” a smooth voice asks.

 

Hana looks up. Kim Joonmyeon is smiling at her, holding a stout white mug of coffee.  

 

“Oh my god,” Hana gasps, standing up so quickly she almost knocks over her drink. “I- what are you doing here, Joonmyeon?”

 

“So it is you, Professor Oh. Is your arm alright?”

 

Hana glances at her arm, which is sitting in its navy blue sling. “I dislocated it, but the doctor was able to take care of it. I need to keep my arm stabilized for a few weeks, though. Hey, what happened to the tennis tournament?”

 

“We had to drop out because you were injured. Kai and Professor Dae won by default."

 

Hana winces. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Joonmyeon chuckles. He sets down his mug on Hana’s table. “You played very well today.”

 

“As did you,” Hana smiles.

 

“Professor, have I mentioned how young you look?” Joonmyeon says, flashing her a knowing smile. “Even I look older than you.”

 

Hana reddens. After a pause, she says, “Well, I suppose you know already, don’t you Joonmyeon?”

 

“Of course. Google can tell you many things.”

 

“I see.” Hana exhales slowly. "Don’t spread the word.”

 

“Of course.” Joonmyeon takes a seat. “19 years old, huh? You’re only 2 years younger than me. Well, it certainly is amazing that you graduated from Yale University, and then MIT. I didn’t even know it was possible to obtain a phD in 2 years.”

 

Hana’s stiffens. “How do you know that?”

 

Joonmyeon smiles. “Google.”

 

“Ah.”

 

“So why did you decide to pursue teaching? I’m sure you could have obtained a more high-paying job, correct?”

 

“I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives,” Hana explains. “Teaching was really appealing to me.”

 

“And is it still?” Joonmyeon inquires.

 

Hana’s mouth twists upwards into a smirk. “I’m not sure anymore. My students have put me through a lot.”

 

“I heard it’s mostly Kai,” Joonmyeon says.

 

She nods. “It’s frustrating. Saying that I wished that he would stop is an understatement. Sometimes I just wish he would leave forever.”

 

Joonmyeon chortles with laughter. “Tell me about it.”

 

“Why does he seem to hate you so much anyway?” Hana says, tilting her head. “He seemed really angry at you throughout the entire tennis tournament.”

 

“He’s jealous, I suppose,” Joonmyeon sighs. “I’ve known him since he was little. We’ve been compared our entire lives. He hates it when I beat him at anything.”

 

“That sounds like Jongin, alright,” Hana says, rolling his eyes.

 

“Now you tell me: why is Jongin so interested in you?” Joonmyeon asks her. “He couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire day. And he was the first to run to you when you got hurt.”

 

“Oh.” Hana shakes her head. “It’s not why you think it is. He was glaring at me the entire time. And he ran to help me because he didn’t want to be held accountable for getting me hurt.”

 

Joonmyeon leans back in his chair. “Ah, that makes sense.”

 

“Trust me, Jongin hates me the most.”

 

Suddenly, the cafe door slams open.

 

And standing on the ledge of the restaurant is Kai, his chest heaving. When he sees Hana sitting at the table he rushes over to her.

 

“I’ve been looking for you for an hour,” he pants. “You’re hurt! Why did you just run away like that-,”

 

Joonmyeon turns around from his seat to face Kai. “Good evening,” he says evenly.

Kai freezes.

---

A/N: YAY school was canceled tomorrow because the roads are totally frozen over! I'm so happy! Anyway, Hana's parents . And ooh, she found Joonmyeon in the cafe! Hmm.....