FORTRESS 'kailisa'

o37

       The moment the hover lands, I felt shifting on my lap and that caused me to open my eyes, only to first seeing Kai. Whose arms were going around Taeoh, who was still unconscious.

       We stare at each other until the male retreated with a shake of his head. "Sorry, I thought you'd be too tired and I was ready to take him to somewhere better to sleep." He explained in just one breath. Hesitantly, I nod my head before my arms seemed to tighten around the younger boy on my lap.

        We arrived in Busan, with that, we have no idea of who might be taking care of Taeoh from now on. And a part of me then did feel really attached to him.

        "It's fine." I let out before looking outside and seeing the familiar area of Taemin and Sunmi's garage, the oranges of dawn spreading more and more into the blue over the sandy concrete. "I'll just take him myself."

        Standing myself with Kai's help, his hand didn't leave my shoulder as we make our way out of the hover. Where his hand laid, I felt a tingling sensation that made me want to shake it off, but I didn't. And like that, we also went into the garage.

       It seemed as if our arrival was sensed, and footsteps were heard from the stairs and I saw Sunmi. Her eyes showed relief as she ran up to me, but just before her arms were about to be thrown upon me, Kai held her back.

        And her eyes caught sight of Taeoh. She seemed speechless. Eyes going in between me and Kai for some time until gasping. "I didn't know you guys just skipped to adopting children so quickly." For a while, I was confused at what she meant but upon seeing the blush that rose to Kai's cheeks, realization came to me.

       "N-No!" I had to keep my voice low.

       "We just found this boy there and he..." Kai peered at me before looking to Sunmi. "He has no parents, and Lisa found him so she just wanted to make sure he would have a family..." I saw how the taller became quieter and quieter until his eyes no longer met anyone's.

        At that, even the woman before us had her smug smirk fall and a worried expression show. I could see how her hand wanted to reach for Kai, but before anything else could happen, in a quickened murmur, he excused himself and strides out of the garage and towards the streets of Busan, and leaving me behind, confused.

        My eyes glance to Sunmi, who stares at the young child in my eyes with warmth before raising them to me. Her arms stretching. "Would you mind if I held him instead?" She saw the hesitance in my actions before giggling. "Don't worry, I'll just take him upstairs and put him in bed. Your arms might tire out soon."

        I look down at him. It was just Sunmi. Why did I become so attached to this little boy? I could only think it was the guilt of hiding the truth from him which kept me captive from giving him to anyone else. Albeit, I let Sunmi slither her arms around his body and watching his head find comfort on her shoulders.

       She peers at me before smiling. "It's okay, come with me."

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          I was sat in the living room couch, hands around myself as Sunmi walked around in her kitchen area. She said she would make us something to eat since I haven't eaten anything for so many hours.

          Taeoh was in her room, still lying asleep on her bed but I knew that he might wake up any time now.

           "You should go to Kai after this." My eyes widen at the female's sudden words. She approached with two bowls of soup, placing one in my lap and the other in her own. "Even I could sense the distance between you two."

           "You could?"

           "So, you're going to have to tell me about everything that happened and why this happened." She turns to me with an arched brow while raising the spoon to her lips. "Did you two have your first couple fight?"

          "Nonsense..." I sigh, stirring the coloured liquid of the soup before also doing as she did. "Even I don't know what happened." My eyes remain down, and a terrifying thought trailed past my mind. "Maybe he finally realised that I do no good for him, after all and feels disgusted." My skin jumps when hearing the loud clink that Sunmi's bowl made upon colliding with the table. 

       And I realised that I should be more careful with my words.

      "Do no good for him? You?" She scoffed. "Lisa, if anything, I think you're the best thing to happen to him since he learned how to deal with a rover." She doesn't get it, she doesn't need to and so I will only keep my head down. For a moment, Sunmi stops eating and goes quiet. I figured she took notice that I won't speak my mind aloud soon enough, and decided to give up given her shoulders dropped and her fingers mindlessly play with the spoon of her soup after taking another bite.

       "... Sorry," She apologised in a whisper and reached for me, "Let's take this off our minds, hm? Let's forget about this ― for now at least." The woman smiled suggestively but at the same time with warmth at me and it made my shoulders lax. "But instead, I will declare right now that I am taking Taeoh from you." Joked Sunmi.

       Laughing, I nodded my head with some relief. "... Okay, I can let that happen." Her eyes widened slightly and they look over me cautiously. "I mean it. There's... there's too much happening at the moment and I fear what can happen to him if he stays with me, so right now, the only place that's safe for him ― is the garage." I sighed. "And you seem to know how to raise boys more than I do."

         Her head goes back with laughter, knowing I had been referring to Kai and Taemin as she playfully slaps me. "The cheek you have." she chuckled before nodding. "Very well, I'll take care of him for you."

         "For me, that's more than enough for now." And now, I'll have time to think to myself what it will be of me and Kai. And the only resolve that comes to mind, is directly solving it myself ― and confronting him about it, just the two of us.