She walks towards the end of the wooden bridge and crossing her legs beside the cold water of the lake. Some of her is happy that she can come back here and let her thoughts flood away slowly, calming herself.
It's been a long time since the last time she went there; the whole family came here to celebrate Christmas and she remembered that her mother gave her a puppy, a golden retriever when she was still in elementary.
Sadly, the puppy die no later than a year, it got her crying while hugging her knees.
In-Seong got a big electronic guitar from his father and he cherished it till know even though he hated his father a year after they went to the lake house together.
Everything changed when they got home from the lake house and she promised herself that she never want to go there again, but yet again, that place was the perfect spot for healing.
Tugging her coverlet that she brought from the lake house further to her figure, she wouldn't think that the weather in the rural, where her lake house located is very different from the city.
It was cold, but the cold is where you hold a mug of hot chocolate, staring outside the window of your house, witnessing the rain dropping hitting the ground; the weather of loneliness.
As soon as they arrives at the lake house, Hanna told In-Seong that she'll be at the lake as her brother set the groceries they bought on the way and make a quick dinner for later.
She knew what will happen when she came home, facing the kids at school looking down at her and her brother in disgust.
She blames herself for that if Taeyang was cruel enough to spill the beans.
She can't forgiver herself remembering again that all of this mess starts because of her, the library and the year book. Regret it now doesn't change anything; she'll face it no matter what.
Remembering it again it makes her verge of tears; because of her curiosity, her clumsiness can bring her family down, disappoint her brother who still don't know that Taeyang might spill her secrets, the fact that she broke up with Taeyang, she just too scared to tell him.
Her brother didn't do anything wrong to deserve any of this. But if situation do get worse, In-Seong will graduate soon and he will of course leave her and have to face another few years before she graduate and study out of Korea.
"I'm sorry, Oppa." She mumbles under her breaths as she crane her neck to where the lake house was and saw In-Seong wandering around the kitchen and wave at her as In-Seong saw her from inside, "I didn't mean to let you down."
A breathy short laugh left her lips seeing how silly her brother is sometimes, but she still grateful having a nice, caring brother like him. She couldn't be more grateful.
Wiping her tears away with the back of her hands and decided to take a seat at one of the wooden benches that was placed not far from the lake house but she can still see the scenery in front of her and heave a sigh before crossing her legs and arms.
-
"Is Hanna home?" the maid bit her inner cheeks as the three fine young man stood in front of the big black gate of Hanna's house.
She didn't know what to say when Hanna totally told her not to tell anyone where she is if her friends ask.
The maid recognize the grey haired young man and the blonde one, they frequently came her not along ago.
"Err, I'm sorry, master Hanna told me that she'll be focusing on her studies." She said bowing her head to the three of them.
"But can we meet for like five minutes? It won't take too long." The maid seems confused, didn't know what to as she scratch her head nervously.
"I shouldn't be telling any of you young man, but the siblings went to their family lake house for two weeks before exam. But I never know where's the lake house is. I'm sorry, good evening." With that the maid shut the door on their face as she sprints back inside after receiving a banquet of flower from one of the male.
The air turns awkward suddenly, the only thing they do were looking around the streets while thinking what should they do next or just leave each other, pretending that they didn't know one another.
It was a coincidence that the tree of them; Juho, Rowoon and Taeyang meet up at Hanna's house.
The three of them had their own purpose on seeing Hanna.
Rowoon look back and forth towards the two shorter male and bit his lips.
He didn't know what to do and just stand there. Although he knew Juho and sometimes talk to him, he feel that he wasn't that close with him.
"What now?" Juho said under his breath as he hugged himself under the thick coat he's wearing. He was the first one who broke the ice between the three of them.
Taeyang didn't know why his feet take him to Hanna's house and he didn't realize it until he was in front of her gate with flowers on his hand.
The last time he remembers was that Hanna decided to end things even though he hadn't says yes or no.
And he told himself that he hated her now but he still went to Hanna's house.
At first Taeyang was nervous that what if Hanna was home what will he said to her then he was relieved when she's not home but he asked himself where could she be and where her family lake house is.
"Home." Taeyang curtly said before walking first, leaving the tow younger junior behind.
Rowoon and Juho decided to go home too, after they didn't know what to do after the awkward situation surround them.
-
"Hanna, come inside, dinner's ready." In-Seong called her from the lake house who was still sitting at one of the benches near the lake after In-Seong preparing dinner for two.
A sigh left Hanna's lips as she took a seat across her brother who's devouring the delicious food in front of him that was made by him and didn't even notice that his sister having a mental breakdown who she thinks she didn't have any appetite.
Hanna didn't want to ruin the moment for her brother who obviously enjoying the food like it was the last food he'd will eat and it took his time just to accompany her before exam start and took all his time just to make sure that she didn't do anything stupid.
Hanna knew that her brother needs all the "relaxing week" to study in piece so he could do excellent on the test and go to America for college.
But In-Seong was the best Brother that Hanna could ever have.
He's not like typical big brother that like drugs, drink in the middle of the night or snuck out from the house because parents issues and told the parents that he hated this family when they asked why he'd always run away from home and never comeback unless he needed something.
She's glad she had an intelligent big brother.
"Hey, are you okay?" In-Seong finally notices that something wrong in front of him; Hanna wasn't eating her dinner, all she did was playing with her food like a typical confused-situation-in-triangle love teenager.
Hanna looked up, eye to eye with her brother,.
"N-Nothing. I-I... there are a lot of things going on in my mind." She replied with a force smile before digging in her food, feeling bad towards her brother that he cooked a lot but she didn't eat it.
It was In-Seong's turn to let out a sigh before playing with his own food, and now he's the one who lose his appetite, suddenly remembering something from earlier.
"Mother called." He said.
She forgot or maybe clueless that In-Seong brings his phone with him and it took her by surprise. "S-She did?"
In-Seong nodded his head, "She said that today, three guys went to our house looking for you." Her eyes went wide.
It was obvious who are the three guys is and she knew that they would come to her house asking her because none of them knew where she is.
Hanna never told them that she had a family lake house because; first, it was her favorite place to heal or clear her mind, second, there's no point on telling them that she had a family lake house.
"D-Did the three boys have a name?" Hanna asks even though she knew. She glances over her brother through her lashes.
In-Seong mockingly scoff, "Don't act like you don't know, Hanna." He said before standing up and went to the sink after finish eating.
Hanna closes her eyes in defeat when his brother is smarter than she thought.
"Okay, fine. But can you not tell me what they do, because I really want—Never mind, I'm not in a mood to talk about... them." She said earning crease brows from her brother.
"That's new."
"Do I need to remind you that next week is exam? Exam plus boys isn't a good combination you know." In-Seong nods his head before cleaning the table as Hanna washing the dishes.
"Oppa, are you okay?" Hanna asks as Hanna was done washing the dishes and turned around to look at her brother gripping the edge of the table tightly.
In-Seong nods his head before walking towards the bathroom near the living room.
Hanna was about to go upstairs, where her room is when In-Seong called her name from the bathroom near the living room.
Her eyes shot wide when she's face to face with her brother kneeling beside the bathtub full with his blood.
"Oppa!" Hanna kneeled beside him who was weakening; his face was pale, his mouth and both palms covered with blood with his face covered with sweat; Hanna's eyes blurry as she tries to wipe the blood from his mouth and wipe the blood on her white tee.
"Hold on, I'm calling an ambulance," she said fishing her out her phone with her trembling and blood covered hands pressing the button.
"119, what's your emergency?"
heyy i hope you like this chapter and i'm sorry for the late update. i know i said i can't update until january 9th but i'm happy that my aunt bring her laptop with her and i can update. oh! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year readers! don't forget to comment and vote.
xoxo,
writer.