Treacherous | Lee Seokmin

22.

Go listen extreme sad melodies to get ya feels love hehe thanks again 💜 and i will re-edit this story for my mistakes coz i iz too lazy.

"This isn't a house. This is a palace," Hansol admiring the area as the approached at the lot.

"Whatever it is, it's still a home," she remarked and unlocked the door before getting out from the car.

"So... This is it?" Tilting his head down, looking through the opened window, taking a peek at Aeri who was already outside.

"What?"

"Nothing. Thought you would leave your number or something-"

"No."

"No? Okay. Glad to help you," he placed both of his hands back to the steering wheel.

"Hansol, you already know where I live. That's enough. By the way, thank you," she left him a smile while leaning onto the opened window.

"Bye,"

"Bye. I hope he's alright-"

"He's d- uh.. already, gone. Forever," she chimed in but ended mumbling. She wasn't ready to say it but denial would always conceal truth.

"I'm... so sorry," Hansol covered his mouth, trying not to shed a tear after listening to Aeri's statement.

How could she be so strong? He thought.

"I'll be fine. I just need some space for now," her head looked down but her palms still leaning onto the car door.

Taking a few deep breaths, she raised back her chin and gave him another smile. No one should ever see her being weak. Ever.

In the fullness of time, they went back to their own paths. He had a sister who was waiting all alone and she had a brother to be mourned.

Only the sound of her footsteps were heard before reaching the front door. Certainly it was locked for sure but she tried her luck. They used to hide another spare key in a pill bottle, sticked under the rocks in the garden.

Unfortunately there were hundreds of them, she just needed to find which rock was it.

"Where is it??" Grumbling as rummaging through every rocks.

After what it seems like eternity, she found it. Instantly, she opened the cap and poured out the key into her palm. She held it tightly and headed back to the door.

The abandoned house shuddered on the hill, wishing the morning light would come all the sooner to warm its weary walls. It felt so alone, so empty. How long had it been since it heard the laughter of a precious family? How long had it been since it felt the coolness of fresh paint or contained the fragrance of Sunday breakfast? She missed those days as reminiscing the good memories for 18 years.

The lioness has finally returned to its den.

She found herself in the kitchen after wandering around the hallway. To be surprised, the kitchen counter where she placed her hand was clean. It wasn't even layered with a single dust.

The maids must've visit here often, she thought. Though no one lived there anymore, it was still a property to her, well, soon.

Before long, she went upstairs and roamed into the library. Their library where they collected every edition of books from every bookstore they would go as they traveled. It was one of the biggest gift she received from her parents. Because she could escape to another world, she fell in love with reading. So did Seokmin.

A desk that was beside a glass window where Seokmin used to sit caught her attention. She drew herself nearer and slowly pulled out the wooden chair before taking a seat.

The desk was still messy as it would always used to be. A smile appeared on her face seeing the handwriting and notes his brother scribbled. Soon, she found a hardcover book underneath the pile of papers. She revealed it and slowly turned over the pages, that was almost full of scribbles and sticky notes.

It was a poem book that Seokmin used to bring along before he was diagnosed. He must've left it for ages ever since. The was a strand of string that marked a page where he probably stopped.

"But you didn't" she read the title aloud.

Those days where she remembered Seokmin would held the book and recited poems every morning before breakfast to the whole family. She really missed that too.

She stood up, holding onto the book with one hand and started to imitate her brother. While the other hand waved in the air, as if there was an audience giving out an applause. Warming up her throat, she recited the poem while glancing from end to end in the room.

"I borrowed your car the other day
I thought you would kill me

But you didn't

Remember that day I dragged you to beach and it was raining as you said it would?
I thought you were going to say 'I told you so'

But you didn't.

Remember that day when I forgot to tell you I won't be back home for a couple of days?
I thought you'd yell at me

But you didn't

Remember thay day when I hang around with my other friends and got you jealous?
I thought you'd leave me

But you didn't

There were lots of things you didn't do
But you put up with me,
Made me happy,
Loved me,
Protected me
There were so many things I wanted to make up to you when you... When you..."

She read the last lines in her mind and placed down the book that was still in her hand. Facing through the window, she slowly sighed,

"When you return for me to Imjado.... But...y-you didn't," a tear shed but she just lets it be.

Silence filled in the air.

"But I did," A sudden voice coming from behind astounded her.

💜 the Poem was real and titled "but you didn't" you can find the original one online