A week later...

“Hyung how is she?” Kai asked Luhan who entered his home.

Every one of them were still affected with Seo hyun’s mother’s sudden death. They thought that she will be with them for a month or so, but the sudden news hit them hard like a storm.

Luhan was with her all the time, but what made him really worried was Seo hyun’s silence. After the news from the hospital she went completely silent. She never once cried not even in the funeral, Luhan got more worried seeing her like that. He knew she is burying everything inside her. Every day he went to her place and took food for her from his mother. He will sleep on the couch after she was curled inside her blanket. Every day he wanted to hear her cry, he prayed that once she breaks down and let out her cries her burden will ease a bit. But Seo hyun didn’t let a single tear drop.

“Sigh” Luhan shook his head, “I think I should to take her somewhere, I hope it will do some good changes for her. It will be a distraction.” He told turning to his parents.

“How about all of you go? Chung and your mother also?” Mr. Lu suggested.

Luhan nodded “Yeah, I came here to discuss this with you. How about bringing her to our country house? The atmosphere is calm there.” Luhan asked his dad.

“Yeah Luhan it will be good. But will she agree for that?” Mrs. Lu asked.

“I will manage that Omma. Guys pack your things, we will be leaving by noon.” I told them and turned to my mother, “Omma pack my things please. Pick me up in her place when you guys are ready.”

Seo hyun was not in her usual state to fight with him, she didn’t even minded when Luhan packed her things. She was sitting numbly in her living room couch. Luhan didn’t know if he should be happy or sad for her, she didn’t put up a fight with him that made him felt in ease but the way she is acting numb made him sad.

When their van was parked in front of her apartment Luhan went out and loaded her bag. He returned and took her arm dragging him with her to the van.

She just nodded to the boys who hugged her and bowed to Mrs. Lu who in return hugged her.

She sat in the last seat which was left empty for her and Luhan, she watched the window with many thoughts running in her mind she didn’t even realise when Luhan sat next to her.

Chung ran to them and climbed to sit in Luhan’s lap, he was the only one who was beaming and enjoying the trip.

“Nwoona, you did not give Chungie popo” Chung tugged her sleeve.

Seo hyun gave him a faint smile and bent down to give a kiss on his forehead, getting that Chung beamed.

“Hyung where are we going?” Chung asked Luhan turning and placing his foot on Seo hyun’s lap, who in turn positioned him so he will be comfortable.

“Our country house Chungie.” He answered him softly.

“Is there a plawyground there?” he asked curiously.

“There is a lawn so you can play and there is also a lake.”

“Lake?” his eyes twinkled like a bulb. “Will we go fishing?” he tugged Luhan’s sleeve repeatedly.

“Sure Chungie.”

“Nwoona, why are you not talking with Chungie?” he asked Seo hyun who was mindlessly watching outside the window.

She didn’t know he was calling her, only turned when she felt a tug in her arm.

“Huh?”

“Why are you silent?” Chung asked again.

“Chung, Kris hyung is calling you.” Luhan distracted Chung who nodded and ran to Kris who was sitting in the front seat with Sehun.

They reached the place by evening, Seo hyun was silent for the whole ride. Luhan didn’t disturb her, he placed her head on his shoulder silently for which she went stiff for a while and then let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

The boys shared the 3 bedrooms while Mrs. Lu was given the master bedroom. Luhan decided to place Chung with Seo hyun for her own well being. He didn’t want to leave her alone.

By the time of sunset the boys were sitting in circle before the lake, Chung was circling around them and playing with all of them, Seo hyun was standing away from them facing the lake absentmindedly, with Luhan a few feet behind her.

Kris POV:

“I want to see her old self, the brave Seo hyun, with that feisty side in her.”

“We all want to hyung.” Chen replied following my gaze.

“But I never Expected Luhan hyung to be like this.” Baekhyun mumbled, we turned to him.

“Like what hyung?” Sehun enquired.

“He has changed! Can’t you guys see? He is changed for good far too good for her. I’m afraid Luhan hyung can’t be without Seo noona in the future. He is always thinking about her, how to care her, without hurting her pride. After Chung he is like this only with her, he is way too attached to her.”

“Well that is true.” Kai voiced out, “Thank god it is her, I don’t want even to think someone else in her place with hyung.”

“Yeah. I only want Seo hyun with Luhan.” I told them.

“Hyung, but what if noona does not accept him? up to now she didn’t answer him.” Tao asked with a sad gaze.

Sigh.

“I don’t think she will refuse him, she is allowing him to be near her all this time. If she doesn’t like him she will not allow Luhan anywhere near her. I’m sure of that.” Suho told throwing the ball back to Chung.

“I hope no one gets hurt in the end.” Xiumin told helping Chung who fell on his lap while running.

“If only her mom didn’t leave her suddenly.” Chanyeol told plucking some grass and throwing absentmindedly.

“Sigh. No one expected that. Seo hyun was told that she will be with her for another month or so. That’s what shocked her the most, she visited her that evening and her mother was quiet normal when Seo hyun left her.”

“I hope she will be normal soon.” Lay told and stood up. “Let’s go somewhere else, I sense that Luhan hyung needs some private moment with her, to comfort her.”

We nodded and stood up, lay took Chung in his arms.

Luhan’s POV:

Should I tell her something? Should I hold her? Will she be offended if I did that. She never allows anyone to know her weak side. But I just want to be with her in her good and bad time. At a time like this I don’t intend to leave her alone.

“I thought you will be with me for some more time” I heard her mumble with her gaze on the water.

“I’m here Joo-” I thought she was talking about me

“You were fine that evening, you told me to bring Luhan oppa next time when I visit you. Why didn’t you stay? Why didn’t you wait omma?” her voice shook slightly clenching my heart.

My joohyun is breaking down! Her walls are shattering.....

“You left me without a goodbye! You broke your promise omma..... you didn’t warn me.... how dare you.... you....” she clenched her fists to her sides.

I could not bear to see her like this, my girl breaking down before me but I want her to cry and let out everything, her every pain.

I held her arms and pulled her to me so that her back was against my front side.

“You told...... you told me you will wait for me to.... I should introduce Luhan oppa to you as.... you promised you will be waiting.... why did you lie to me? Why did you fool me.... I was about to bring him to you next day..... to tell you.... but how could you leave me????? I thought I had more time with you.....”

Her legs begun to shake, she was trembling now. She was showing me her vulnerable side, which she never showed to anyone.

“You didn’t tell Luhan oppa also..... you loved him like you love me.... you wanted him to be our family.... you should at least waited to tell him that.... how could you do this to us omma? I’m angry on you.....” she was rambling whatever came on her mind, without thinking anything she kept on rambling.

I removed my hand from her arms and hugged her from behind, I was afraid my own voice will betray me.

“Let it out Joohyun. Let all your feelings out. Let you tears out, I’m her to hold you I won’t judge you love please let it out.....” I was whispering in her ear when I felt the first drop of her tear on my wrist.

It followed with few more drops before I her painful sob, closing my eyes tightly with a painful heart I held her closely while she continued to sob more.

For the rest of the days in there Seo hyun slowly returned to her normal self, she didn’t talk much but she was not numb like earlier. Each day the boys and Chung tried to bring her back, which they got slowly but they were relieved.

.......................

5 months has been passed after that, Luhan didn’t ask her anything about them. He wanted to give her some time for the loss of her mother. Seo hyun continued to work for Lu’s because of Mrs. Lu’s continuous pleading and she was not in a mind to do her work in the studio.

It was on a weekend where all of them were in the living room of Lu’s, Seo hyun was making a origami for Chung who was sitting in her lap and carefully following her lead.

Mrs. Lu who was talking with the boys suddenly let it slip out

“I didn’t expect such thing to happen that day, not on the day when she confessed to us that she likes my son and didn’t want to hurt him by-”

Mrs. Lu stopped in mid sentence by the sudden silence in the room