Everytime we talk it just hurts so bad cuz I don't even know what we are

Seowoo finshed fixing up the living room hurriedly, leaning back to stretch her tight muscles after hours of cleaning upon hearing her parents were coming back.

Wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, she huffed out a breath of air and took in the now clean room.

She wondered why her parents were away in China for so long- longer than usual and she wondered if they were purposely away from her as Jeongmin's death anniversary was less than a month away.

Maybe they couldn't face her knowing Seowoo watched the traumatic scene of her brother being brutally murdered.

"What are you up to?" Seowoo spoke out to the boy who was on the phone to her, the speaker picking up his voice in his response.

"Hm," he hummed raspy. "I'm searching for something." His tiredness seeped through the phone as Seowoo could hear him typing furiously.

"What is it? You should rest Lele."

"The CCTV footage of...the moments before my Mum died."

Seowoo's face dropped, a frown taking over as she could sense he was holding back and straining his real emotions.

"Do you want me to look at it instead?" She asked softly and there was a hesitation on his side.

"It's just weird," he almost whispered out. "Seeing her alive, walking around with the smile she always had." Chenle felt his throat closing up along with the grief clawing up his throat.

"I'm sure she'll still smiling at you Chenle." Seowoo voiced quietly in case her words were no consolation to the boy.

He was silent on the other end however, it made Seowoo uneasy so she walked over to the phone, grasping it in her hand and casting her eyes on his name illuminating the screen.

"She's happy just knowing you're continuing to be as strong as you are and seeing you healthy too.

I know...I know it hurts Chenle but all we can do is trust they're in a good- no, a better place."

After her words, she held her breath unknowingly as she anticipated his reply.

The sound of his uneven breath brought Seowoo's mind to race with thoughts. She wondered if he was alone, if Loki was with him or he had people around him.

"...thank you Seowoo, you're right." His tone was quieter, almost like if he was to speak louder then his emotions would pour out. She opened her mouth to speak again but his voice sounded through the speaker.

"We'll get to the bottom of it all...we'll get through this together, I promise."

"We'll be alright won't we?" She asked, biting down on her lip. Seowoo was clearly worried and scared about what was to come. "I just...sometimes I wish this was all some freak nightmare and I'd wake up to..."

"Me too. But at least we've got each other right?"

"Yeah, we do." She breathed out in response despite the butterflies swarming inside of her.

"I'm going to go, I've got a mission to be on." He informed and she hummed as a reply.

"Talk to you later?"

"Yeah, let me know how it goes with your parents." There was shuffling on the other side as he began to stand up from his desk.

"Okay, will do."

"Alright, bye-"

"Chenle," she interjected before he could hang up.

"Yeah?"

"Be safe...don't get hurt."

Unknown to her, his bleak dreary expression switched from her words, an uncontrollable smile grazing his lips accompanied by a warmth in his chest.

"Don't worry Angel, I'll be safe- I always come back in one piece don't I?" His tone was lighter which made Seowoo laugh under her breath.

"Whatever, no need to boast about it." She grumbled to which a hearty chuckle escaped his lips.

"I'll talk to you later and yes we'll be alright." He ended, hanging up as she smiled, throwing her phone blindly on the sofa before the sound of tires screeching on her driveway caused her heart rate to pick up.

She anxiously waited in the living room as the sound of the key turned and the door was pushed open.

Wheeling a suitcase in was her Mother, red sleek coat on her followed by her Father in a suit, briefcase in hand.

Seowoo! I thought you were at work?" Her Mother spoke, leaving her suitcase by the door and walking over whilst slipping her coat off.

"I quit."

As soon as Seowoo stated it so bluntly, her Mother's smile dropped immediately.

"What, you quit? Why?"

"I don't think me working behind a counter is the job for me."

Her parents eyed her, maybe they were cautious that it was coming up to Jeongmin's death anniversary which could explain Seowoo's behaviour.

"Okay...I'm sure you'll find something you like doing soon."

Seowoo nodded, thinking back to the gang.

"They fixed the house up well." Her Father commented and for the first time since he walked in, Seowoo looked over at him.

So shameless, standing in the living room as if nothing bothered him. Was he not living with the guilt?

She felt disgusted look at him, masking her expression to not make him suspicious.

"Halloween is soon, I think I'm going to go to that restaurant with Miyeon."

As soon as Seowoo said her name, her Father noticeably tensed.

"I didn't know you were still in contact with her."

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice to talk to her again seeing as Jeongmin used to take us to get restaurant. Don't you think it would be nice to keep up the tradition?"

"Yeah sweetheart, sounds good." He spoke tensely. "We could always join you both." He motioned to her Mum.

She shook her head.

"No it's fine, I'd like to catch up with her anyway."

He stiffly nodded, turning away to walk over to the stairs.

Seowoo noticed him halting, turning his head to the side as he caught the sight of the unlocked basement door.

Her Father immediately turned to her.

"Did you go into the basement? The door is unlocked."

"It's been unlocked since you left." She spoke, furrowed brows.

"That's weird." He shrugged. "The key was in our room...we must have forgotten to close it."

"Seowoo, we brought back some Chinese snacks!" Her Mother called from the kitchen and Seowoo looked away from her Dad to walk into the kitchen.

She was facing away from her, back turned and the girl's eyes fell to the handbag with the replica of the lipstick she saw in her room peeking out the zip.

"How was China anyway?"

"It was good, we saw so many beautiful sights."

Seowoo hummed in acknowledgement, reaching the counter and sliding her hand to the bag.

"What did you guys do there anyway, I thought business was fine there."

"There were a few complications, paper work and stuff."

"Ohh...I'm gonna go upstairs I've got school work to do- I'll take your bag and coat up." She spoke- grabbing them and walking up the stairs.

"Alright, I'll call you down for dinner."

Once she reached the top of the steps, she glanced down the hallway to see the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on, then glancing back down the stairs in case her mother came up.

Seowoo hurried into her Mother's room, dropping the stuff onto the bed and grabbing the lipstick.

Pulling the cap off, she saw the lipstick wasn't actually makeup- instead it was a needle with a substance she had no clue what it was.

Holding her breath, she peered out the door and quickly placed the lipstick back but drew her eyes over to the safe, remembering how panicked her parents were over it.

She made a mental note to check the safe when she was home alone, for now leaving the room with her mind full of thoughts she couldn't shake.

↻

"I have a bad feeling about everything." Seowoo spoke to Chenle who was sat on her sofa scrolling through his phone.

"What do you mean?" He replied uninterested and she sighed, dropping next to him with a sigh and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What are you watching?"

"Train to Busan." He mumbled, immersed into it and Seowoo cringed at the sight of the horrid looking zombies.

"There's a few places I wanna look- the safe, basement and garage."

"Now?" He asked, bringing the phone closer to his eyes to take in all the details.

"Yeah, come on. You can watch that later- my parents are back in two hours." She stood up and grabbed his free hand- pulling on it but he wouldn't move.

"Come on." She spoke more desperately and he sighed, throwing his head back in annoyance.

"I'm tired." He complained and she huffed.

"Whatever, I'm going to look." She spoke, making her way up the steps quickly and entering her parents room.

It was all so clean, nothing was out of place and she ducked her head to look under the desks before walking over to the safe.

Seowoo began to try unlock it, punching in different numbers in hope it would work but she was so immersed she didn't realize Chenle entered the room with his eyes raking over the place.

"Oh, I-" she began to speak to him but in a blink of an eye, his large palm clasped over her mouth and the other one on her shoulder.

Seowoo's eyes widened in shock, looking up at him as he put his finger to his lips to hush her then pointed to the small black device on the desk.

She was confused and then he tapped his ear, pointing to his earpiece and it dawned on her.

Grabbing his hand in hers to remove from her lips, she realised that it was some sort of device to pick up the audio in the room.

Chenle leaned into her, his cheek brushing against her own as his breath fanned against her ear which made her flinch at the ticklish feeling, squirming.

"They're listening all the time." He whispered, leaning back with his lips pursed in thought.

She nodded, making sure not to make any sudden noise or say anything- turning back to the safe and quietly trying every possible combination as he scoped for cameras but realised it was only the mic in the room thankfully.

Seowoo hesitantly typed in the day of Jeongmin's death, shocking herself as the safe opened.

😳