Seryung had remained silent while she walked in line with Sehun, Hana and Tao. She had no idea where they were headed or why they’d chosen to walk together. She’d called her brother on whim. She always looked for him when she was upset, and he had always been there for her, like today.

She had been called out of the toilets by Sehun who’d then asked for the full story in a gentle tone while trying to mask his expression. Shortly after that, Hana had called Seryung asking where she was and if she was okay. Seryung had tried to assure Hana but the older girl was not convinced and had asked where she was, Seryung had given in and told her but not after receiving a reproachful look from her brother.

Tao shuffled his feet beside Hana, he was in a bad mood too. Hana hadn’t understood his story and Hana’s fiance had already taken a wrong impression of him too. Tao felt misjudged, he would have continued to feel that way until a bubble tea shop crossed their paths. Tao slapped his forehead when Hana tugged at his hand, Seryung groaned when Sehun stared at her expectantly. “Let’s get bubble tea!” Hana insisted pointing at the shop, Tao shook his head and pretended to walk away.

Hana made a face and ignored him, she turned her attention to the rest of her companions. Seryung looked away pretending to be interested in something whereas Sehun smiled and nodded.

Seryung arched an eyebrow, “Heol,” she scoffed, her brother and sister in law had something in common. A love for bubble tea!

Seryung would have been willing to spy on them but the queue for the tiny shop was too long, she decided to watch them from afar instead. She hoped Hana would use this moment to her advantage because Sehun wouldn’t suspect or question anything once his mind was filled with bubble tea.

Tao frowned as deeply as his face allowed him, Hana had just lost her cool and hurried to join Sehun in what was the longest queue he’d ever seen since he’d arrived to Korea. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because the probability of bonding had increased by 0.01%. Hana would be happy!

Tao forced a smile at the idea but his smile faded when he realized he was let with what’s-his-face’s sister! They had argued the last time they’d been left alone and judging from her eyes she’d cried quite a bit, Tao didn’t need a shamen to tell him that she’d called her brother.

Seryung stared at her shoes when she noticed Tao’s stare, he was examining her and she didn’t like it. Seryung turned around to stop the side of her head from burning, she played on her feet as she’d seen Hana do before and grinned when she found the concept entertaining enough to carry on.

Tao clenched his jaw, he wouldn’t say anything to her anymore because she would cry and make him the bad guy again, instead of wasting his energy on something unpleasant, Tao choose to do something else. He shook his head nonchalantly and slid his hands into his pockets, his fingers wrapped around a rectangular object. He grinned for a moment and glanced around, casually admiring the lighting.

Seryung clicked her tongue as she watched Tao take selcas. He began with a half-amused face before moving onto the V-pose and gradually becoming more dramatic with every new shot. Seryung laughed silently to herself while she watched him, passersby were also noticing the foreigner.

Seryung took a few steps away from him not wanting to be associated with the selca-monster but he stopped that from happening…

Meanwhile the queue for ordering bubble tea was steadily decreasing. It was busy, it was hot, and it was a weekend, hence the modest shop was packed with customers who only knew how to shove.

Hana had lost count of how many times she’d fallen on Sehun. ‘Fallen,’ meaning she’d lost her balance and crashed into him because he was standing in front of her in the queue, even then, his stoic back stood still. The crowd behind Hana was rowdy, her face turned pink and not because of the humidity. She’d even forgotten what she wanted to order! Thoughts of Sehun’s back being extremely huggable flocked her mind and feathers rained to cloud her judgment of everything.

Sehun’s expression grew sour. There were plenty of causes for his mood to turn off. Firstly, he was standing in a queue. He hated queues, there was a reason he had Seryung stand in them for him, impatient as his sister was, she had a sense of endurance about her, something Sehun hadn’t received from the genetic gene pool.

Secondly, the tapioca had just run out forcing the queue to stall as the staff hurried to make a fresh batch. Sehun growled because one of the staff members had just spilled the drink he’d been making.

Thirdly, Kim Hana. Wasn’t it enough that he’d gotten engaged in what he reckoned was the most cheesiest ceremony? Why was this girl still after him? Why was she so small that the slightest of nudges had her tripping? Twenty times, he counted. Why was he counting? He didn’t know either, he just liked counting.

“Twenty one, that’s enough!” He complained quietly. There was a limit to his patience.

Hana jumped as Sehun whipped around darkly. “Enough,” he whispered and clutched her shoulders.

It had all happened to quickly for Hana to process. She blinked when Sehun's back was no longer in front of her, he stood behind her now. Sehun had swapped places with her. Hana swallowed her lips and held her cheeks, they were burning at the thought of him trying to help her, in his own gruff way. Sehun growled, now he was one more step away from ordering. The children behind him were arguing and shoving. “Yah!” He barked at them. “Stop it now!”

The middle schoolers stopped, a tall hyung was glowering at them with intensity. He looked as if he were ready to hit them if they didn’t concur so they did what they could and nodded much to Sehun’s satisfaction.

“Let’s order together,” Sehun whispered into her ear, "I'll pay," he added as an after thought. Hana hunched at proximity, she was careful not to jump when Sehun’s sharp chin took to her shoulder. She could feel the heat radiating from him.

“Hana are you listening?” Sehun craned his neck to get a closer look. Her name tasted funny on his tongue, he wasn’t used to calling her something other than wangta.

“You’re burning up,” he pointed and instinctively placed the back of his hand against her cheek.

Hana whimpered and pushed his hand away quickly, her senses tinged at his touch, she felt her heart beat in her ears while her breathing became irregular. His whispering tickled in her ears and made her hair stand on edge, her body flushed multiple times to cope with the strains. Then to lay the icing on the cake he’d induced skin ship, It wasn’t ordinary skin ship either, his hand tickled her cheek and she brushed it away for a second time.

“You are burning," he said to her matter-of-factly. Oh Sehun frowned unaware that his presence was the cause of Hana's trouble. Hana nodded slowly, was parched but she still mumbled, “I’m fine.”

Oh Sehun’s frown deepened. “Clearly not,” he stated eyeing the tiny girl, she was tiny standing next to him. Her small frame made her tiny and her new haircut did nothing to change that fact, it only accentuated her small face. Sehun swallowed, her hair looked very much like Rae Mi's, the idea troubled Sehun more than he liked.

Kim Hana was the second friend Seryung had ever made so Sehun believed he had to treat her with some sort of respect. His sister wasn’t one to warm up to others, then again neither was he. They were both broken in a sense. Maybe that’s why they were so close? Sehun grimaced at the pain Miyoung had caused Seryung. After the death of her friend all she’d done was cry. And cry. And cry.

Their parents had been away that month and they'd been under the care of a nanny. Seryung cried relentlessly, the nanny had no choice but to call him, her brother, to help her quiet down. She eventually did quiet down until something troubled her again.

Seryung complained of seeing ghosts and refused to sleep. She had been so troublesome that he’d been forced to sleep with her. It’d eventually become habitual to let her clutch his sleeves as she slept and pat her head when she wept in her dreams while whispering words of comfort. He’d eventually gotten her to break the habit of crying only to have her cry again when he’d returned home after he’d returned home from rehab. He’d scolded her for crying nonsensically only to have her cry harder.

Seryung didn’t cry anymore, she hadn’t cried after that. Not until today when she’d rang him and asked for him to come to the mall. Her unexplained anguish perturbed him. That’s why he’d rushed over only to find out that there existed a Tao. A Tao that he suspected his sister had an infatuation with. That same Tao was clinging to Hana, Seryung’s friend.

Sehun curled his toes at the connections that had been locked in place regarding him and Hana. He listed them one by one, ‘Family-friend, sister’s-friend, ‘fiancée, someone I owe a favor to, someone whose friend Seryung has a crush on.’

Sehun clicked his tongue knowing that the bonds would only increase in number as he spent more and more time with her.

“What’s your relationship with Tao?” He asked suddenly curious. “Boyfriend? Ex?”

Hana stiffened at the question. She’d been asked the same questions already. “Tao is a friend. Just a friend.” She told him firmly.

Sehun arched an eyebrow. “He seems pretty friendly to just be a friend.”

“He is but he’s like that with everyone.”

“Are you sure? I think he likes you. Why do you insist that he’s just a friend? You should be ecstatic that he likes you. Give dating a go.”

“Dating? Tao?”

“Well yeah. If you date him I’ll have killed two birds with one stone. So how about helping me?”

Hana crossed her arms. Her new hair wasn’t doing anything in grabbing Sehun attention on the contrary it was making things worse. He was pushing her towards Tao. She couldn’t date him.

“But Seryung likes him, I can’t do that to her.”

“You think so too huh?”

The Angel of Clemency hovered not too far away. He was waiting for his moment, but instead of filing in line he breached it, bowing in pardon to humans who couldn't see him. He was 'paroling,' or at least trying to. His missions were normally dealt with those who were tied by fate. He cataloged them as family, friends, lovers and the like. Grudges were normally held between those who were close... normally. At odd times he was left to face those who he wished not to see, for their appearances were more gruesome than the Grim Reaper himself. However, that was his cause, and reason for existence. He had come for duty. It didn't take long to find it.

Little by little he could see the fading of accusations that blemished Hana in Sehun's eyes. Clemency knew them to be false. How was that? Well, of course he'd consulted the Angel of Thought for guidance, and now was alert to the blame. Clemency did what forgiveness could at such a delicate point in Sehun and Hana's relationship. There was a balance he adhered by, and he was careful not to tip it. He would not exchange anything for stability, not even his rather over-grown ears, nope. He was not Light. His job was not to make humans 'see' what they couldn't. His occupation was to hand forgiveness. 

"It doth take time, for trust is needed. Hope mustn't be forsaken, for darkness and cure are but twin of one tree." Clemency bobbed his head proudly. His job here was done for now. He would undoubtedly return because he could sense it. Forgiveness was less than a milestone away.
 

Romancing in the bubble tea shop eh? What's everyone's fav bubble tea? Me likes lots of different flavors but I thinks Sehun is a choco addict. Who else would devour chocolate bubble tea and crave nutella at odd hours of the day? Definitely a chocolate maniac! And Seryung is falling for Tao? Are we one meander short of a love triangle/square/rectangle? Haha. What do you think?