Lei walked into her bedroom and set her bag on the ground with a small sigh.
She looked around the room before sitting down on the bed and staring down at the floor.
She couldn't bring herself to look up, as the room across the hall was Naya's.
Lei softly bit her lip as she placed her hands together.
Footsteps were heard coming up the steps and inside her room, but she didn't look up.
"Lei."
Her father called to her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him either.
Tears welded up in her eyes at the sound of his voice.
She felt him sit next to her as she watched her tears fall against her jeans.
Mr. Pines placed his arm around her shoulders making her close her eyes.
"I will make sure to move before the summer ends." She whispered softly making her father look at her in confusion.
"What are you saying?"
"You don't remember?" She questioned shakily as she finally looked at him.
He shook his head as his eyebrows were furrowed.
"You said that Naya will probably leave the home before I do, and that as soon as that happens, I'll be out in the curb too." She said quietly. "Well, she's gone now. That means I get to leave."
"Lei, what you're saying makes no sense."
"You said it. You thought I didn't hear you say it? The day I moved into this house, dad. I heard you. But that doesn't matter anymore. Your daughter is... not with us anymore, so there's no use to me being here."
Mr. Pines stared at her in slight shock, as Lei's heartbroken tone was barely audible, but it was enough to pierce through his heart.
"You're my daughter too, Lei."
Lei softly shook her head as she looked down at her hands.
"You are."
She stayed quiet as she sniffled, shaking her head again.
Mr. Pines pulled her into a tight hug as she sobbed.
"I'm sorry." He whispered as he felt his own tears fall down his cheeks. "I was heartbroken, and I was... I didn't know what I was saying or doing Lei. It was not my intention to make you feel this way, I promise. I didn't mean to place all of my anger and sadness on you. The things that happened between me and your mother have nothing to do with you. And her death didn't either."
Her arms were wrapped tightly around her father as she continued to sob. She opened her eyes slightly, looking at Naya's room door that was still ajar, making her cry even harder.
***One Year Later***
Beomgyu, Lei, Lisa and Sara stood together as they looked at the graves that were set with no bodies.
Ji Ah's parents didn't want her to come to an event like this as her mental health had been heavily hindered by the things that had happened in that camp.
Lei tightly held Beomgyu's hand as she stared at Naya's grave.
This was a weird place to reunite with everyone after a few months but this was the place where it made sense.
They had seen their friends get murdered right in front of them, and it was odd to think that those bodies aren't in those caskets.
"There's nothing we could've done, right?" Lisa questioned, her voice slightly breaking as she carried Sara.
Beomgyu shook his head as he moved a strand of hair away from his eyes with his finger.
"It wasn't something we could've controlled." He whispered as he reached for her hand.
"I miss counselor Jun, and Ms. Juri, and Naya. I miss all of them." Sara said quietly making them all fall quiet.
Lei felt the familiar lump in her throat again as she heard the name of her sister, and even the names of Jun and Juri, who were two of the people she thought she disliked the most.
She found herself missing them too.
"I miss playing with Ali." Sara spoke again as she placed her arm around Lisa's shoulder.
"I miss scaring Ms. Juri in the bathroom at night." Lisa chuckled making them smile slightly.
"I miss fighting with Jun over the leftover sodas." Beomgyu said as he smiled through the tears in his eyes.
"I miss fighting over my clothes with Naya." Lei said as she leaned her head against Beomgyu's shoulder.
They all went quiet again as they stared at the graves with small smiles.
"We have good memories of them. So let's just let it stay that way." Lisa said wisely as she nodded her head, looking over at Beomgyu and Lei.
Lei nodded her head softly as she closed her eyes.
"You're right."
*******
"Hey, be careful!"
Lei's stepmother warned as Lei ran down the steps of the house with one of her last bags.
"I know you're excited but calm down." Mr. Pines chuckled as he placed her bag in the trunk.
Lei only smiled brightly as she got in the car.
*****
Lei unlocked the front door to the apartment, letting her father inside with some of her bags.
She looked around with a smile as it looks exactly like she had wanted it to look like.
Her father let out a huff as he let go of the bags, dropping them on the floor.
"It's nice. Why is it better than my first apartment?" He joked as he rolled her suitcase inside.
Lei rolled her eyes playfully as she closed the door behind her.
"Well, you're here now, and I'm supposed to meet with a friend, that's why I drove you here remember?" Mr. Pines rushed out the words as he rushed towards the door.
"Dad, I thought you were being nice and bringing your daughter to her new home."
"I am, but I'm also here to meet a friend. Now, I'll see you tonight, we're having dinner together." He said as he opened the door.
"I still don't see why you would want to stay in a hotel when my new apartment is furnished." She smirked making her father roll his eyes just like she did.
"I'll see you tonight." He murmured as he closed the door.
Lei let out a sigh as she looked around again.
She couldn't resist the temptation and practically ran to check every single room. She inspected the kitchen and the guest room, and the living room, she even looked inside the fridge.
The last room to check was the master bedroom which she was saving for last, to give herself a surprise.
She had asked for very specific furniture and very specific colors.
She opened the door and let out a squeal.
"You're here already? Why didn't you tell me you were here?!" She screamed as she practically jumped at a smiling Beomgyu, who was sitting on the bed like an evil scientist.
Beomgyu groaned in pain and fell back on the bed with Lei on top of him.
"That's the most girly thing I have ever seen you do. I told you I was getting here earlier to set some things up, Hawaii." He chuckled breathlessly as he hugged her tightly, placing a kiss on her temple.
Lei pulled away to look at his face and smiled softly.
"I missed you." She whispered making him smile back at her.
"I missed you too Hawaii."
He placed a soft and slow kiss onto her lips making her stomach do flips and her heart to go array.
Beomgyu pulled away with a small smirk making her narrow her eyes at him.
"What are you going to say?"
"You know, this is no longer just my bedroom, or just your bedroom, this is OUR bedroom."
"Okay, and?"
"We don't have our parents to tell us to keep the door open, and we also don't have my mother bringing in fruits all the time when you come visit." He raised his eyebrows at her making her let out a small giggle.
"Okay, and?" She repeated in amusement.
"That means we can do whatever we want. Let's test out the new room." He whispered against her lips as he placed a hand on the nape of her neck.
Lei raised her eyebrows as she tilted her head.
"Are you talking about making a fort with all the blankets?"
"Yes, of course I am, Hawaii." He rolled his eyes sarcastically making her smile brightly.
Lei softly moved the ashy blonde hair from Beomgyu's forehead as he stared into her eyes.
"I like the new hair color." She complimented as she gave him a small smile.
"It looks better than the last one, doesn't it? I kind of didn't like the last one."
"Which last one? You've dyed your hair more than three times in the last few months." Lei chuckled as she tried to get off him, but he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her in place.
"Last time we saw each other was two months ago Lei, you don't remember my hair color? How rude. You never pay attention to me." He complained like an angry wife as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"I'm sorry, honeybun, you just look gorgeous in every color. I only remember your beautiful face when my father would tell us to keep the door open and the beautiful memory of getting off of you, trying to not show my chest when your mother walked in the room. " Lei dramatically said as she shook her head making Beomgyu smile in amusement.
"That is no excuse. You're trying to butter me up by talking about your chest. What was my last hair color-"
Lei interrupted him with a peck, making him narrow his eyes at her.
"I'm still angry."
"Then what do you want?" Lei said as she sat up, straddling his waist as she crossed her arms.
"Show me your chest and maybe we can negotiate." Beomgyu raised his eyebrows making Lei shake her head in amusement.
"You're so stupid. And lustful." She spoke as she watched him remove the buttons on her shirt with an amused smile.
"Now you're offending me. Great. You do realize I am a man with needs and my girlfriend lived hours upon hours away, right?" He sassed as he grabbed one of the pillows and softly hitting her side.
Lei took the pillow from him and held it up.
"You know, I can easily smuggle you with this pillow." She cheekily said as she placed it against his chest and leaned forward.
"Oouu, is that some type of kink? I'm into it. Let's try it." He gave her a wink making Lei laugh out loud.
"This is the reason why I chose a hotel room."
Lei and Beomgyu quickly pulled away from each other at the sound of Mr. Pines at the open bedroom door.
"Good morning, Mr. Pines." Beomgyu greeted awkwardly as he fixed his jacket and gave Lei the pillow to cover her chest making her contain her smirk.
"Morning, Beomgyu."
Lei cleared her throat as she held the pillow tightly to her chest.
"Why'd you come back?" She asked softly.
"You forgot your purse." He said as he lifted it in his hand.
"Oh."
Lei stood up and walk towards her father to grab her purse.
"Where are your bags, Lei? I'll help you bring them inside." Beomgyu rushed as he walked towards them, "Sorry, Mr. Pines, excuse me." He said in a whisper as he brushed past Lei's father.
"You're lucky this is your place and not mine, if this was my house you wouldn't be breathing right now!" Mr. Pines warned making Beomgyu hurry his steps.