Finally, the door closes, and it is just Sehun, Hana, and Kai. Sehun slumps down on the sofa, running a hand through his hair.

“Well,” he says. “I don’t know Suho. I’ve only heard about him from you two. Yet I still find this shocking. Damn.”

“That’s an understatement,” Hana murmurs. She tenderly coaxes Kai down onto the coach, tucking a blanket around his body. Hana’s actions are not lost on Sehun. He studies his sister, eyes narrowed.

How did they go from being worst enemies to good friends?, Sehun wonders. They didn’t really hate each other before, but now it seems like-

And suddenly it dawns on Sehun. His eyes enlarge to the size of quarters.

“H- Hey, I think I’m going to go to bed!” Sehun chirps in an unnaturally high voice, jolting up. Hana and Kai stare at him with a disbelieving expression. “Yup, all this angst and drama has made me pretty darn sad! I guess I’d better go... uh... sob into my pillow! You know. It’s a sad guy thing. Yup! Okay! Good night!”

Sehun dashes away to his bedroom. Before he shuts the door, he can see Hana’s shocked expression. A smile lilts his lips.

Looks like the brat’s growing up, Sehun thinks affectionately. He thinks back to the very beginning, when his parents forced Hana on him. I used to hate her. But now...

I can truly say I love my sister. So I’m going to be nice. I’ll have fun playing the overprotective big brother, he adds to himself, chuckling.

“What’s wrong with him?” Hana says in a low voice. She shakes her head, heading to the kitchen. Kai already knows what is coming. Milk and honey. Of course. Although the drink is normally comforting to Kai... he feels like it will not help him tonight.

Joonmyeon lays heavy on his thoughts, and no amount of soothing will be able to out.

“We can look for Joonmyeon,” Hana says as she stirs in honey. “Or we can wait for Joonmyeon to come back. We’ll do something, anything to find him again-,”

“No,” Kai says softly. Hana looks up at him in surprise.

“Why not?”

Kai lowers his head. “I... I can’t bear to see him again, first of all. I don’t know what I’ll do. And second... I think Joonmyeon needs some time to himself.”

Hana lowers herself next to Kai, handing him the milk and honey. “I guess you’re right,” she says. “He needs time to really find himself. Honestly, after hearing Yoojin’s recording, I think Joonmyeon would have had a breakdown if he really became CEO, anyway. Learning the truth would destroy him.”

“This is horrible,” Kai groans, burying his head in his hands. “I can’t even imagine how terrible this must be for him. l- I can’t-,”

“Shh,” Hana whispers, patting Kai’s back. “Here. Drink up and feel better, okay?” She smiles.

“Thanks,” Kai says, looking forlorn. He chugs down the milk and honey, much to Hana’s amazement. “Wow. That was good.”

“You know, the whole point of milk and honey is for you to drink it slowly, so it calms you down,” Hana says, shaking her head. “And, oh my god, you have-,”

Kai has a thick white milk moustache on his upper lip. He gives Hana a confused stare, and her heart flutters in affection. God, he is so cute.

“What? What do I have?” Kai asks, tilting his head. And Hana knows that this is such a bad time, that they just discovered a shocking, saddening fact about Joonmyeon, that Kai is in a state of agony, but Kai is just so damn adorable and Hana’s crush on him is just-

Without thinking, Hana leans over and kisses Kai.

“There,” she says breathlessly. “It’s all gone now.”

Hana suddenly realizes what she has done. Oh my god. Oh my god. What is wrong with me?! What is actually wrong with me?! Jongin’s going to hate me!

“W-well, I’d better get to bed,” Hana stutters, her entire face turning redder than a stop sign. “I’m really sorry.” She hurriedly pushes herself up and scrambles out the room-

But a hand clasps her wrist. Hana freezes.

“Hey,” Kai says softly. “Hey. You-,”

“I am so sorry,” Hana says, hastily ducking her head. She feels even worse. “That was so inappropriate of me. Like, I don’t even know why I did that. I’m so sorry. Just forget it-,”

Kai pulls Hana into a hug. She goes silent. If possible, her body is getting even hotter.

“Hana,” Kai says gently. “Don’t go.”

Hana cannot say a word. She feels like her voice is stuck in . Slowly, a small flicker of hope rises up in her chest. Maybe... maybe...

“Wow, you’re silent for once,” Kai teases. “Where did your sassy attitude go?”

Hana’s jaw drops in indignation. Her head snaps up. “For your information, my ‘sassy attitude’ is still here. Okay? And by the way, that kiss? It wasn’t. I was just too lazy to get a napkin for your stupid milk moustache. What are you, 8? You drink like a slob-,”

Kai kisses her on the lips.

And Hana goes silent again.

Kai has never felt this right.

He sits, snuggled up with Hana, on the sofa, as they watch old reruns of corny kdramas. Occasionally they will jeer at a cliche scene. Occasionally they will throw a potato chip at an overdramatic character. Occasionally they will kiss. It varies.

Kai doesn’t know when these feelings towards Hana began. It seems like all throughout their relationship, whether they hated each other or liked each other, he felt protective towards her. Initially, he believed it was because she was his puppet. He needed her to give him good grades, or help him on work.

Afterwards, Kai believed he was overprotective because she was his best friend’s little sister. It was funny seeing her indignant expressions and twinkling laughs.

Finally, he thought it was because Hana was her friend. Friends had to protect friends, right? But somewhere along the line, Kai’s emotions of overprotectiveness mixed with the affection, humor, and care he possessed for Oh Hana. Those feelings blurred together, like watercolor paints bleeding into each other to form a new color.

That new color was love.

Kai loved Hana.

Kai does not know whether Hana loves him, as well. She obviously possesses emotions of affection towards him. Hana likes him too.

But Kai hopes that one day, Hana will love him like he loves her.

Maybe I’m being too philosophical about this, Kai grins to himself, and draws Hana closer to him.

“So the end of term is coming up,” Hana tells Kai, “and I was thinking me and you and Sehun should go somewhere. We could go to Busan or some place cool.”

“Busan?” Kai scoffs, putting on a false, snobbish voice. “Busan is where the commoners go. I suggest Switzerland. Maybe Macau. What say you?”

Hana replies by flicking his forehead. “Yeah, yeah, Mr. Rich Boy.”

Kai laughs along with her, until his face turns somber. Hana notices.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, concerned.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go anywhere for a long time,” Kai tells her. “I’m going to be CEO. The first few years of working will be hell. I have to consolidate my position.”

“Oh yeah,” Hana realizes. She gives Kai an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. You can definitely do it, kay? We’ll all be supporting you all the way.”

“Thanks,” Kai says, and pecks her on the nose. Butterflies flit around Hana’s stomach. She struggles to hide her blushing face, but Kai catches it and smirks. I’m going to do that to her so often, Kai thinks. Just so I can see that face.

“Hey, bigshot CEO, you’re still free this weekend, right?” Hana asks. Kai perks up. Is she going to ask me out on a date?

“Yeah,” he says, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Well... I was just thinking. After everything that’s happened...,”

“Mhm...,”

“I think... we should definitely go out with the HSC!” Hana exclaims. “We all definitely need some cheering up. And, oh, we could visit the nursing home afterwards and bring cookies!”

“Hana!” Kai protests, crossing his arms. His hopes were dashed. “You had me so excited!”

“What?” Hana asks innocently. “Oh, did you think I was going to ask you out on a date?”

This time, Kai is the one to turn red. “Y- well... maybe.”

“Hmmm...,” Hana taps her chin. “I’ll consider it.”

“Hana!” Kai shouts again, and this time he tackles her and starts tickling her so hard she can’t breathe, and she’s laughing and suddenly he’s kissing her and they’re smiling and happy and wonderful.