NARRATOR

Kris grunted lowly as he introduced an unknown girl to his friends.

“Guys this is Park Chaerin, my childhood… friend.” His lip twitched as he took hi seat without even puling a seat for the new girl. Lay chuckled inwardly and pulled out a seat for her.

“I didn’t know you had friends, duizhang.” Tao chewed on his steak and mumbled. Kris glanced at Chaerin and nodded curtly. Chaerin smiled widely, looking at Kris before she spoke. “We grew up together, until my family had to move to Singapore.”

Xiumin nodded. “That’s nice.”

“We just can’t believe duizhang has friends.” Chen shrugged. “His personality says it all, you know.” He chuckled, avoiding the piercing stare Kris was shooting him.

Chaerin giggled. “He’s been cold ever since, but he has his good times. Right Jiaheng Ge?”

Luhan choked on his food as he heard the name. The others suppressed their laughter.

Kris sighed helplessly. He tried glaring at his friends but it was no avail. His duizhang powers were useless. “Just eat, Chaerin.”

“Okay, Jiaheng Ge!” She gleefully obliged.

Kris closed his eyes briefly, inwardly facepalming himself.

“Where’s Nara? Did you call her?” Chen eyed Tao, diverting the topic. Tao shrugged, fully engrossed in his plate of sweets. Chen rolled his eyes and turned to Luhan.

Luhan blinked back at him. “Okay, I’ll give her a call.”

“No, don’t.” Tao looked up with cream on the sides of his lips. He wiped it carelessly and chewed before talking. “She skipped work today. Must be tired. I think she’s sick.”

Luhan’s forehead creased. “What? Why? Did she work too much?”

Tao eyed Luhan knowingly. “If you want to know, why don’t you pay her a visit, Ge?” He smiled a little. Luhan ooked away and bit his lip.

Xiumin clasped his hands and eyed the boys knowingly one by one. He stood up and pulled Luhan’s chair forcefully. He looked up, baffled. “Ya! What are you doing?”

“You need to go somewhere. Now, shoo~” He grinned. Luhan looked back at the boys but they were just avoiding his troubled glances. Xiumin was forcefully pushing him away.

He sighed and gave Xiumin one last glare. “Okay, stop pushing me.” He mumbled and walked away.

Luhan drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove to the Kim Estate. He exhaled as if all his worry would go out with the carbon dioxide.

“Oh, Mr. Xi.” The head butler bowed politely. He nodded back and smiled unsurely. “Uhm.. Is Nara here?”

The old man smiled knowingly and pointed upstairs. “She’s in her room, resting.”

“Oh then can I just wait here?” He asked.

The butler again smiled warmly. “No sir, I believe she would want you to be there. I will lead you there.” For a second Luhan saw something in his eyes, but he just shrugged it off.

“Young Miss, Young Master Xi is here.”

Nara poked her head out of the big fluffy comforter, blinking innocently. Luhan smiled sheepishly and gave her a small wave. “Tao told me you were sick.”

She bolted up and smiled at him. “I’m just… tired. Come in, Ge.”

That was the butler’s cue to leave.

Luhan walked inside and sat on her bedside. “You overworked?”

She shrugged. “Nah, I just have my times when my body feels weak. But I’m fine now.” She smiled assuringly. Luhan nodded understandingly and handed her a box.

“Cupcakes?” She beamed.

He nodded. “Red velvet cheesecake, Oreo fudge and Crème Brulee.” He winked knowingly. Nara grinned and bit her lip. “You just made my day!”

“I know, best boyfriend ever?” He huffed, jabbing his chest with his thumb.

She rolled her eyes, her smile slowly fading. “Oh, so… you’re in your boyfriend publicity stunt.”

“No!” He retorted almost immediately. “I’m here because… because…”

“Because?” She urged.

“Because I was worried, as... as a friend.” He looked down.

She smiled, blood rushing to her cheeks. “Thanks Ge.”

“Anytime.” He murmured.

He watched as she ate the sweets. Her legs were crossed on the couch, and they sat side by side with a pillow separating them. He smiled as she ate like a kid, when he noticed the smallest details.

“Were you crying?” He blurted out.

Nara froze in her place. She slowly regained herself and smiled. “No, how can you say that?”

He pouted and leaned in closer that their faces were inches apart. His figers slowly traced the spaces under her eyes. “This…”

She backed away. He did too, flushed.

“Oh, it’s because I had a hard time sleeping last night.” She lied, faking a smile. She picked up another cupcake from her box and started eating, avoiding Luhan’s scrutinizing gaze.

Luhan nodded understandingly, leaning back on his place. “Oh I thought you were crying. Just tell me Na, I’ll beat up whoever made you cry!”

She chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes. “Yeah right.”

“Don’t believe me? It’s true! I will beat them up for you! I will kick them and wipe them away from the face of the earth!” He did those weird actions with his hands, trying to make her smile.

She did, grinned actually, and giggled with his actions. Luhan softened up at the sound of her laughter, but the great glint of melancholy in her eyes never failed to escape his keen eyes.

*I will find out what makes you this down, Na. I hope I can, and by that, I can make you smile genuinely.* He thought, his eyes observing her.

Nara faced the television and began munching on her cupcake. Thoughts were wild on her head. *If you knew, you would laugh at how pathetic I am. Can you wipe out this guilt inside me, ge?*

Days passed.

Nara was prohibited to set foot on the condo unit, and it pained her endlessly. Her mind would always mourn with her heart, the endless clenching slowly eating her whole.

Everyone noticed the difference.

Her attention would wander off during meetings, resulting to her failure of knowing what happened. She couldn’t concentrate on her work.

She spoke less, and her smile was approaching its fake side more. It looked less real as days passed by.

Jaejoong firmly set his decision. She couldn’t disobey his brother, and shomehow she knew he had a point. She would try to let go. She would try.

But it wasn’t that easy as it seemed.

“Nara-shhi!” Daehyun caght up with her after the board meeting.

She turned to him and gave him a small smile. “Oh, Daehyun-sshi! Sorry I’ve been missing our meetings.”

He nodded and bit his lip. “Uhm, I don’t know what happened, or if I did something wrong… but, are you okay?”

She chuckled. “You didn’t do anything, of course. I’m just thinking of things. Sorry I left early that afternoon, I suddenly remembered I had an urgent thing..” She lied. “And I… I… Thank you for saving me.”

He smiled warmly. “I was worried.”

“You needed not to be.”

“Right, Na?” Tao giggled like a child, waiting expectantly for her agreement. She stared blankly at space, sighing. Tao poked her side and she jolted up. “Mwo?”

Tao shook his head in disdain. “You weren’t listening.” He looked at her pointedly. She chuckled sheepishly and squeezed his shoulder as an apology. “I was thinking of things.”

“What things?” He urged.

Luhan noticed her unease and eyed Tao. “Tao, what was that new car model you were talking about? I think I’m going to check it out.”

Tao gleefully clapped his hands. “Oh! It’s a new Maserati model that~”

Luhan nodded aas Tao went on, and glanced meaningfully at Nara. She smiled gratefully at him and placed a hand on his shoulder as well. He smiled back and leaned on his seat.

The boys watched as Luhan interacted with Nara.

More so, they noticed Nara’s unusual behavior too. Everyone did.

“Are you okay?” Luhan softly asked her as they walked out the resto. She nodded, assuring him. “What makes you think I’m not?” She playfully socked his shoulder.

He shook his head in her attempt to look fine. “Na, just… I know. If there’s something, I’m here to listen. Okay?”

She stopped walking and faced him with a small smile. “I don’t know how to thank you, ge.”

He was frustrated that he kept on seeing her put on a fake smile. There was this weird feeling inside him that told him that he should make her smile. That he should erase whatever negative feelings nside her.

He moved a step closer and slowly pulled her to his arms. He tightened his embrace, and a smile lingered on his lips as he felt her bury her head on his chest.

“I’m here, Na.”

__________________________________________________

Double update :>

I feel bad for always updating late... so... here it is.

huhu mianhe! minahe!

though my classes will officially end on saturday! I'm a free woman, lol. not really XD

but i thank you for subbing, and waiting! I know this fic is quite different from my other fics, i wanted to try another style. :) 

okay, i feel like i blabber too much!!!

and oh, before i forget... I'd love to hear from you. keke ^^

here, a gif my cousin sent me, that i find absolutely adorable too!