Truth
Title: Truth
Pairing: Krisho
Summary: It took Yifan so many years before he was finally told the truth.
so many years that even his children didn't want him to know.
Note: Cross posted on AFF :))
~
Yifan looked up from his wine when he noticed someone entered his room, he looks up and he sees those same eyes he used to love.
"Hey Jongin."
"It's been awhile, baba."
"How are you?"
"I've been well."
Yifan nods as silence engulfed them, both deep in thought.
"Baba?"
"Hmm?"
"I want you to meet someone, no, two someones."
"Who?" The brown haired male said.
Jongin broke into a smile as someone entered the room. The petite male was holding a baby in his arms.
"Baba, meet my wife Wu Kyungsoo. We got married last year when you were on your business trip in Beijing, remember?"
"Ahh. I think I remember."
"And this. This my child, Wu Zitao. Kyungsoo gave birth to him a few months back."
Yifan wide eyed at the name of the child.
"What?"
"Wu Zitao."
"Jongin-"
"Umma wanted him to have that name." Jongin cut in and Yifan narrowed his eyes.
"If-"
"He said he knows you still love Zitao, that Zitao he told me about. He says he's sorry he didn't divorce you earlier."
"Where is he?" Yifan snarled.
"He loved you, you know."
A slap was given to Jongin.
"Umma, Junmyeon. H-He loved you, you just never noticed it under all that hatred towards him."
The petite male in the room eyed Jongin with his wide eyes, hand never failed to protect his baby. He knew it wasn't his place to say anything, he was after just doing what his husband told him to do.
"Come along, Kyungsoo. Appa needs to have a moment to himself."
"But-"
"Come on, Soo. Little Tao needs to meet my other siblings."
The said male looked at Jongin then at his father-in-law and back to Jongin, his hand protectively placed on his child. He slowly nodded and was led out the room. Just as the Wu child was about to exit the room, he turned and looked at his father.
"I hope I didn't make a mistake to granting umma's last wish, baba."
Jongin shut the door and Yifan continued staring at his wine glass.
"Where is he?"
~
Dinner than night was warm. It felt warm from all the laughter, all the teasing and of course from all the happiness emitted from all the Wu kids and grandkids. Everyone was happy, everyone was busying sharing their memories, their happiness, their lives and of course, everyone was enjoying the food in front of them, it was Thanksgiving after all.
Everyone was happy except for Wu Yifan. Sure he has his signature smile on his face, his happy and proud smile that eased all the tension and carefully shielded all the sadness conflicted in him. He was in misery but one glance to his granddaughter and the little one giggled at him, knowing she loves him even if he doesn't speak much and he tried. He tried to be genuinely happy, really he did but when he looked at his kids and how they all resembled his once loved on, he couldn't help but stare at the empty chair across the table. His smiled flattened a bit and even if all his kids saw it, no one said a word and just played along.
Because no words were needed to be said.
No words after what has been done.
No words after the pain everyone had to go through.
No words after what it felt to be betrayed.
No words after their mother had turned his back on them.
No words when they all but begged him not to do it.
No words when they saw how he made someone suffer so much in misery.
No words when they saw him destroy the one person they saw was the strongest.
No words when they found him after years of disappearance.
No words when they heard of the truth.
And definitely no words when they found out what truthly had happened and how they were prohibited to tell their father about it.
Tension seeped into the dining hall but not one person dropped their smile, everyone continued talking to each other, laughing and telling each other their happy days. But of course Yifan saw it all.
He saw the strain in Yixing's movements, how Jongdae subconsciously placed his hand on the other to calm his nerves, he saw how Jongin didn't drop the smile on his face that even Kyungsoo glanced at him warningly a few times, Yifan noticed the cautious look in Baekhyun's eyes when he fed his daughter and of course, the father of the family obviously noticed how Sehun was smooth talking things, casually brushing and being the cool one amongst all kids. His eyes didn't even give anything away but through years of telepathy with his much too silent and passive child, he knew Sehun knew more than anyone else at that table.
Even so, no one said a single word.
~
After dinner, kids were served desserts as the adults drank wine from one of the many - endless amounts of- wine bottles in their mansion. They continued their bonding there in front of the fireplace, warming themselves up as they walked down memory lane. Within time after hours of talking, a movie here and there, more genuine laughters, more desserts and some child shrieking here and there, everyone was seated in front of the fireplace. Some were sleeping, some just watching the fire consuming the firewood, some still softly talking and one just continued drinking his endless amount of wine.
Kids were removed from the floors to their beds and spouses were tucked in, most of the Wu kids has retired to the bed and after a round of check up on all his siblings and all the kids, Yixing sees the dim living room light still on. He peaks in and he sees his father twirling the wine glass in his hand, a hand supporting his head as the male just all but stared at the fire place.
"Sometimes I wonder Yixing." Yifan started as Yixing entered the room and sat in front of his father,"Sometimes I wonder where Junmyeon is. I wonder what he is doing, I wonder how far away he is, I wonder why he left us, I wonder why he did all those things, I wonder about him sometimes, Yixing. And I know I shouldn't."
"Yes, you shouldn't be, baba."
"Why shouldn't I? Wouldn't you? He is your mother after all."
"Maybe he has his reasons."
"That doesn't explain why he had to put Tao in misery." Yixing flinched at that but remained calm.
"Who knows."
"It doesn't explain anything." Yifan said, his eyes still on the fire as his hand continously swirled his wine,"It doesn't explain why he left, what reason he did it for, why he did it, who did it, who he made to do the work, how he did it, where he did it and it clearly, clearly doesn't explain one thing."
Silence dropped between them when Yifan stopped talking. Yixing glanced at his father, his eyes unwavering but deep with emotions.
"And that's that?"
"It doesn't explain to me why you kids wouldn't explain anything to me either."
"Baba-"
"It doesn't explain anything when you all clearly know something about him or at least about what he did, why he did it."
"Ba-"
"Tell me, Yixing. Explain to me what happened. Maybe we could go back to the way things were-"
"We can't do that, baba."
"And why not."
"Because it was not meant to be."
Yixing stood up before Yifan had the chance to say a word.
"You're drunk, appa. Go to sleep."
Yixing left the room and Yifan continued staring at the fire place.
The kids only called me appa when Junmyeon was around.
~
The next morning and everything was back to normal. Normal as in the fakeness and the anxiety of making sure no one spilt a word that is. The grandkids made sure there was not a loop at all where there would be silence and they definitely made sure there was always a mess so that everyone would constantly be busy. Yifan didn't say a word to his eldest son about their conversation the night before and no one brought up the topic of their mother.
Everyone knew though that their father wouldn't and couldn't stand it much longer. He needed to know about his wife and he needed to know the truth.
~
Thanksgiving passed within a flash and soon it was already Christmas. Again they were all gathered at the table laughing and singing to Christmas songs, they ate all the food on the table and no one paid attention to the once occupied chair at the end of the table. That night the Wu-s were all happy, no one faked a laughter, no one was tense and no spouse was glancing oh so lovingly towards each other. The atmosphere at the table was so much more lively than the night during Thanks giving, so much more conversations, so much more mess, so much more teasing, so much more laughter and Yifan couldn't help but wonder if his wife had anything got to do with this within the few days where they were separated.
That night, the Wu-s all opened their presents, everyone ohh-ed and ahh-ed at their given presents. Happiness radiated from them as they opened their wrapped boxes, smiling and eyes shining with pure joy. Yifan didn't even see a hint of sadness in any of their eyes, not even in Sehun's.
The kids immediately started playing with their toys, all shrieking and crashing into each other as they all played with their dolls and robots. Their parents happily smiling at each other as they got jumpers, cooking utensils, cups and even that box of condom for Sehun. The father of the family watched as Luhan laughed at Sehun's present causing the latter to immediately hide it away from the eyes of the underage, he saw how Kyungsoo glared at Jongin cause he was the one who gave him that and how Jongin laughed sheepishly and how he defended himself from his raging wife. Yixing quickly stepped in as he shoved his present to Jongin, soon Baekhyun started shrieking at how expensive the couple shoes were at Yixing. Everyone was teasing everyone, some already wearing their christmas gifts, some happily munching on their christmas gifts, Yifan tried his best to put on the best smile as he opened present after present gifted to him. He got many things, jumpers, sweaters, cups, an acorn, a handmade bracelet, a photoframe, a wine bottle, aroma therapy candles, imported chocolates and of course a big hug from everyone.
It was Thanks giving night all over again as Yifan watched Luhan and Sehun carry the kids to the children's room since Yixing and Jongdae had hinted to them they were having private time, Jongin and Kyungsoo did the dishes and helped clean up and soon retired to bed, Chanyeol was carrying Tao, Kyungsoo's new born and Yifan stared at him. Baekhyun cleared his throat and his husband turned to him.
"Yeollie why don't you put Tao to bed?"
Chanyeol stood up, kissed his wife on the cheeks, wished his father-in-law goodnight and left the living room. Baekhyun looked at his baba as he poured himself half a cup of wine.
"Some-"
"There's another present under the christmas tree." Baekhyun shut his trap once that was said.
"Who is it for?"
"I don't know. I don't want to find out."
But Baekhyun being the ever stubborn son he always was, stood up, walked to the Christmas tree, carefully took the present, read the label, smiled a soft smile, walked to his father and handed it to him.
"It's from him isn't it?"
"Mhmm."
"I don't want it." Yifan missed the twitch in Baekhyun's eyes.
"Maybe you should. It's the only source for us to know that he is still alive."
"Maybe he should had been better off-"
"Dead?" A voice at the door said. Baekhyun turned as he watched Sehun enter the room.
"Would you rather Junmyeon dead?"
"Sehun, it's Christmas."
"Hyung he needs to know."
"Cant you wait for tomorrow?"
"He needs to know it now seeing as he prefers umma dead."
"Wu Sehun-"
"It's okay, Baek." Yifan said,"Now tell me."
"I'll get Yixing hyung." Another voice said. Yifan didn't need to turn to know that Jongin was the one who said it.
Several minutes later and the four kids were all sitted in front of the fire, wine glasses in their hands. Everyone was engulfed in silence.
"What do I need to know?"
"Always the straight forward man baba is." Baekhyun smiled slightly,"Where should we start?"
Yixing took a sip of wine.
"From the start." The eldest amongst them said,"We'll start from umma."
~
(The kids here are telling the story so each paragraph is another person talking except for Yifan whose words would be in Italics)
Fifteen years ago when appa you were still fighting to be on top of the bussiness chain, umma was constantly in great stress cause there you were living and catching your dream but here he was struggling to keep his kids safe. Every other day, umma would be faced with a kidnapping, a tressome, violation of private property and of course occasionally a beaten up son. Bodyguards didn't help but attract more attention and even when they were switched schools, transfering from one school to another till they finally landed in a tight security private school, umma still had to face the dangers of us getting kidnapped. Everyday we would try our best to lay low, hiding and quickly making it to our car safely without gaining any attention. Umma didn't say a word to you cause you were much too busy climbing up the ladder to success, much too into your bussiness than you had cared for our little struggling family. Umma would tell us stories about appa, telling us how successful and how good you are, there were times were we threw tantrums demanding to want to see you and on these occasions umma always seemed to be affected by this. We didn't know back then since we were a bunch of kids and confused teenagers, we didn't realize the pain umma was having cause of us wanting to meet you.
Back then, we didn't know about Tao.
Yifan flinched at the said name.
We didn't know about Tao being your secretary, your friend, your close friend and not even Tao your fuck buddy. All we knew was that appa was busy with his work, appa was on tv, appa was expanding his business, appa was working on more hotels, appa this, appa that. We didn't know about Huang Zitao, the home wrecker.
When umma changed from the kind hearted soul he was to the cold heart man he became, we didn't understand why. We only thought he got sick of us being kidnapped or how he was sick of us making him tired and always so worried. We only saw that he began to hate us for being weak, for always getting into trouble and of course we only saw the bad side of all his doings. We saw umma instruct our bodyguards to be executed seeing as they couldn't protect us, he instructed our driver to be stoned cause he could never drive us out of safety, we saw him destroy kidnappers whom came into our way, how he mercilessly shot people to oblivion because things didn't go his way, we saw how cruel umma became.
Umma killed people, destroyed people, he wrecked homes, he eliminated any one in his way and of course he did things that would make people hate him forever. People started to hate him cause he cruelly destroyed their families, throwing money to people to shut them up, killing anyone who is necassary, he didn't even spare a glance towards little Sehun who drew him a picture. Us being kids, of course we were devastated to the sudden change, we began to hate him like everyone else. We bad talked him and most times we never even looked at him when he was home, how could someone so cruel be our mother? We hated him, we hated him so badly.
Yixing hyung disowned umma, claiming he didn't have a mother, Baekhyun would only be sad at his mother, I would outright say that my mother was a bitch but Sehun, Sehun never said a word. Because all these while, Sehun had been the only one who knew the truth. His quiet and passive behaviour gained him the truth.
All eyes turned to the youngest Wu twirling his wine glass. His eyes never leaving the glass as he collected his thoughts.
(Note: this is Sehun talking)
Everyone only saw the bad side of umma, but no one saw how much he was suffering internally. Sure he acted cold and heartless outside but when night falls and everyone is asleep, everyone being at the other end of the mansion, tears of regret and despair rolled down his eyes. It was raining heavily that night I found out. I wanted to go hug Baekhyun hug cause the thunders were scary but on my way there I heard a soft cry. I was curious and I saw Himchan umma, he stood there silently hugging himself at the end of the corridor of umma's room. He looked up when he heard me coming and the look on his eyes told me that my mother was suffering. We both heard the loud cries but said nothing. That night I hugged umma Chan listening to umma's sobbing that night.
I came to find out about umma's cruel doings and how that face that held no emotions came to cry and pour his eyes out every single night. He was in so much misery that one night when I was walking to their way there were a lot more guys. Guys whom I came to find out were Umma Chan's family, they stopped me from walking any further but I had a strong feeling umma needed me. Daehyun stopped me, he tried to block me but I was much smaller back then and I just barged into the room, then I saw it. Umma was bleeding, in his hands were razors and he was continously just staring at the endless amounts of blood seeping down his arm. Umma Chan wide eyed when he saw me there and instructed his husband to put me back to bed, I refused to be pulled back and when I touched umma's hands, it was cold. Umma turned to look at me and he saw me struggling the the grasp of Appa Guk. Tears wound up in his eyes and I ran to him, hugging him and crying with him. We snuggled together that night after Himchan umma stopped the bleeding. I didn't know how I ended up on my own bed the next morning but that image of umma never left me.
I started talking to Umma Chan every night. Ignorance by day but family at night, I began noticing the people secretly and ever so shamelessly guarding us, Luhan hyung amongst them. I began to understand that what umma was doing was for us. He was protecting us, our first bodyguards and drivers did nothing to protect us. They were paid over and over so that we would be separated from them and that they could easily take us in. Umma destroyed the families whom wanted to kidnap us for money, he eliminated all your business competitors and he removed the people in your way. He did it so that you would stop climbing up your ladder of success and so that you will have the time to turn around and look at us whom needed their father.
That was when Tao came into the picture.
Tao?
Yes, Huang Zitao. The man whom you loved so much. The man who would say he would take a bullet for you, the one who made you disappoint umma, the one whom purposely not remind you about your wedding anniversary, our birthdays and even umma's birthday. He purposely made it as if you forgotten it yourself and he back stabbed you. You were too blinded in the love to notice the signs, slowly he took your money, slowly he changed the names to your properties, slowly he wrecked your family.
But I was giving it to him.
Exactly. What better reason than to use the excuse of presents to your loved ones to take their belongings? Umma saw this, sure he easily eliminated people with the help of Umma Chan, but he couldn't destroy the one person who was making you happy. He didn't have the heart to take away your happiness, you were so happy with Zitao, so happy that Umma didn't have the heart to tell you the truth.
Umma had already known you stopped loving him.
I never did.
Well then he felt that you stopped loving him, he felt like he was the thrid wheel even when he was your wife. When Zitao threw the papers of divorce to his face telling him to sign it cause he was hurting you, cause he was better than umma, cause you loved him more and cause umma was spoiling your name, umma said nothing. Instead he stood up, glared at Tao and said he will destroy him and that was when you entered the room. You barely heard the whole conersation but you only heard the last line. And you being biased to Tao immediately signed the divorce papers and since then umma made the decision.
(Note: this part is back to all of the kids talking)
He made a promise to himself and somehow to Jongdae, whom back then when he and I were dating, when my wife was curious and so crushed to know that umma was doing such things and was the only one whom was brave enough to ask him, umma promised that he will protect this family. He will provide us happiness, the roof on top of our heads, the food on our table and even to get back the money that appa you worked so hard for. He told Jongdae that no matter what happens to him, he should stay with us no matter what. He didn't say what he'll do nor what he is planning on doing but Jongdae said the look in his eyes was nothing but love. Then it all happened, the drama.
Umma took matters in his own hands as he slowly extracted the money from Tao's accounts to our accounts, your money which was once given to Tao was sent to accounts with all our names without us knowing. The money was decreasing slowly but surely and soon even the properties given to him were revoked. Umma took everything you gave him away from him, he hunt down Zitao's family, his lover namely Minseok and everyone related to him, and he destroyed them. Umma mercilessly destroyed them with the truth, umma told them about Zitao. How he was taking money away from you, the properties, the business, the kidnapping, the deaths and how he wrecked our home. Immediately Zitao's parents flew to Korea and havock happened. Zitao cried saying he was framed and Umma pulled his last straw. He framed Zitao like how he claimed he was, he made Himchan shoot in the head and made sure Zitao was the one holding the gun, how he made it happen no one could figure it out but that destroyed your lover. He was arrested and his family disowned him, even when he was finally telling the truth, no one protected him. Of course appa you helped him and got him out, putting the blame on umma. We, me and Jongdae wanted to scream the truth to you but Sehun stopped us. Zitao was saved from trial, he didn't have a family and he didn't have trust but he had you. He tried to erase the look of pure determination in umma's eyes when he shot himself, he tried to forget umma, he tried his best to wipe off the guilt when he mentioned umma to you and all you felt was hatred. He couldn't stand the pain when we looked at him with eyes that were in so much pain cause of him, he couldn't stand how a little part or a small movement of us reminded him of umma.
And when he saw umma in the ICU ward alone, struggling to keep alive, he broke down. He saw how umma looked so lonely there with no one by his side, no flowers, no messages of support, not even one visitor had signed in to visit him. Himchan umma said Tao cried holding onto Umma hands, he cried saying he was sorry and that he was too foolish and too blinded by money and by greed, he cried as he watched Umma's heart beat decrease and how shocked he was when docters and nursers barged in and gently pushed him out. Himchan umma said Tao's last bit broke that day when he saw Umma, whom was at the border line of life and death, being revived by the docters.
And that's when he commited suicide. Tao's letter was to tell you the truth but you took it the wrong way and instead of feeling remorse about umma, you hated him even more for killing Zitao. Once out of the hospital and one glance from you and Umma nodded understandingly, umma read Zitao's note by ways which none of us know how and he left. He left us even when we begged him not to, he left us when he told him we could start over and he left us when you didn't even spare him a glance upon hearing us begging him not to go.
He left when you only saw hatred in him when it fact he had saved all our lives, your hardwork, your properties, and your life in exchange of his own.
~
"Where is he?"
"We don't know."
"Where is he, Yixing?"
"Like we said appa, we don't know."
A cry of a baby was heard and Jongin left the room, carefully placing his now empty cup and tending to his child. Baekhyun placed his cup, excused himself and went to bed and Yixing looked at his father. The man had aged a lot but his handsome features were still there, he was tall, he was fit, healthy, rich, he had all the reasons to be happy but he didn't have the love of his life. Yixing sighed as he gulped down the rest of his cup of wine, he gave one last look to his father and youngest brother and left the room.
Yifan turned to Sehun when Yixing left.
"How did you find him?"
"He was closer than I thought."
"Where?"
Sehun stood up.
"So close we didn't even need to man hunt for him."
And Sehun left the room.
Yifan stared at the gift in his hand. After staring at it for a while, he opened it.
Upon seeing just a glimpse of it, he broke down crying. He was helpless at the reality of his life and he felt so betrayed and so stupid for all that he has done. He felt as if he has wasted his life and he felt so lonely that now even his kids wouldn't tell him where his own husband his. Was it his fault that Junmyeon had to kill so many people just for the sake of him turning to his kids? Was it his fault that he wanted to climb up the ladder of success where once upon a time was just a stepping stone to prove to Junmyeon that he will keep him happy? Was it his fault that his children now have to put on an act in front of him? His grandchildren? Was it all his fault for trusting Zitao in the first place? And was it really his fault that Junmyeon had almost died because of him?
Yifan cried harder as his questions was and would never be answered.
It was after all, his favourite alpaca doll.
End
how was it? ;www; i wanted it angsty but im scared it not angst enough... Do leave me comments kayyy :DDD
Pairing: Krisho
Summary: It took Yifan so many years before he was finally told the truth.
so many years that even his children didn't want him to know.
Note: Cross posted on AFF :))
~
Yifan looked up from his wine when he noticed someone entered his room, he looks up and he sees those same eyes he used to love.
"Hey Jongin."
"It's been awhile, baba."
"How are you?"
"I've been well."
Yifan nods as silence engulfed them, both deep in thought.
"Baba?"
"Hmm?"
"I want you to meet someone, no, two someones."
"Who?" The brown haired male said.
Jongin broke into a smile as someone entered the room. The petite male was holding a baby in his arms.
"Baba, meet my wife Wu Kyungsoo. We got married last year when you were on your business trip in Beijing, remember?"
"Ahh. I think I remember."
"And this. This my child, Wu Zitao. Kyungsoo gave birth to him a few months back."
Yifan wide eyed at the name of the child.
"What?"
"Wu Zitao."
"Jongin-"
"Umma wanted him to have that name." Jongin cut in and Yifan narrowed his eyes.
"If-"
"He said he knows you still love Zitao, that Zitao he told me about. He says he's sorry he didn't divorce you earlier."
"Where is he?" Yifan snarled.
"He loved you, you know."
A slap was given to Jongin.
"Umma, Junmyeon. H-He loved you, you just never noticed it under all that hatred towards him."
The petite male in the room eyed Jongin with his wide eyes, hand never failed to protect his baby. He knew it wasn't his place to say anything, he was after just doing what his husband told him to do.
"Come along, Kyungsoo. Appa needs to have a moment to himself."
"But-"
"Come on, Soo. Little Tao needs to meet my other siblings."
The said male looked at Jongin then at his father-in-law and back to Jongin, his hand protectively placed on his child. He slowly nodded and was led out the room. Just as the Wu child was about to exit the room, he turned and looked at his father.
"I hope I didn't make a mistake to granting umma's last wish, baba."
Jongin shut the door and Yifan continued staring at his wine glass.
"Where is he?"
~
Dinner than night was warm. It felt warm from all the laughter, all the teasing and of course from all the happiness emitted from all the Wu kids and grandkids. Everyone was happy, everyone was busying sharing their memories, their happiness, their lives and of course, everyone was enjoying the food in front of them, it was Thanksgiving after all.
Everyone was happy except for Wu Yifan. Sure he has his signature smile on his face, his happy and proud smile that eased all the tension and carefully shielded all the sadness conflicted in him. He was in misery but one glance to his granddaughter and the little one giggled at him, knowing she loves him even if he doesn't speak much and he tried. He tried to be genuinely happy, really he did but when he looked at his kids and how they all resembled his once loved on, he couldn't help but stare at the empty chair across the table. His smiled flattened a bit and even if all his kids saw it, no one said a word and just played along.
Because no words were needed to be said.
No words after what has been done.
No words after the pain everyone had to go through.
No words after what it felt to be betrayed.
No words after their mother had turned his back on them.
No words when they all but begged him not to do it.
No words when they saw how he made someone suffer so much in misery.
No words when they saw him destroy the one person they saw was the strongest.
No words when they found him after years of disappearance.
No words when they heard of the truth.
And definitely no words when they found out what truthly had happened and how they were prohibited to tell their father about it.
Tension seeped into the dining hall but not one person dropped their smile, everyone continued talking to each other, laughing and telling each other their happy days. But of course Yifan saw it all.
He saw the strain in Yixing's movements, how Jongdae subconsciously placed his hand on the other to calm his nerves, he saw how Jongin didn't drop the smile on his face that even Kyungsoo glanced at him warningly a few times, Yifan noticed the cautious look in Baekhyun's eyes when he fed his daughter and of course, the father of the family obviously noticed how Sehun was smooth talking things, casually brushing and being the cool one amongst all kids. His eyes didn't even give anything away but through years of telepathy with his much too silent and passive child, he knew Sehun knew more than anyone else at that table.
Even so, no one said a single word.
~
After dinner, kids were served desserts as the adults drank wine from one of the many - endless amounts of- wine bottles in their mansion. They continued their bonding there in front of the fireplace, warming themselves up as they walked down memory lane. Within time after hours of talking, a movie here and there, more genuine laughters, more desserts and some child shrieking here and there, everyone was seated in front of the fireplace. Some were sleeping, some just watching the fire consuming the firewood, some still softly talking and one just continued drinking his endless amount of wine.
Kids were removed from the floors to their beds and spouses were tucked in, most of the Wu kids has retired to the bed and after a round of check up on all his siblings and all the kids, Yixing sees the dim living room light still on. He peaks in and he sees his father twirling the wine glass in his hand, a hand supporting his head as the male just all but stared at the fire place.
"Sometimes I wonder Yixing." Yifan started as Yixing entered the room and sat in front of his father,"Sometimes I wonder where Junmyeon is. I wonder what he is doing, I wonder how far away he is, I wonder why he left us, I wonder why he did all those things, I wonder about him sometimes, Yixing. And I know I shouldn't."
"Yes, you shouldn't be, baba."
"Why shouldn't I? Wouldn't you? He is your mother after all."
"Maybe he has his reasons."
"That doesn't explain why he had to put Tao in misery." Yixing flinched at that but remained calm.
"Who knows."
"It doesn't explain anything." Yifan said, his eyes still on the fire as his hand continously swirled his wine,"It doesn't explain why he left, what reason he did it for, why he did it, who did it, who he made to do the work, how he did it, where he did it and it clearly, clearly doesn't explain one thing."
Silence dropped between them when Yifan stopped talking. Yixing glanced at his father, his eyes unwavering but deep with emotions.
"And that's that?"
"It doesn't explain to me why you kids wouldn't explain anything to me either."
"Baba-"
"It doesn't explain anything when you all clearly know something about him or at least about what he did, why he did it."
"Ba-"
"Tell me, Yixing. Explain to me what happened. Maybe we could go back to the way things were-"
"We can't do that, baba."
"And why not."
"Because it was not meant to be."
Yixing stood up before Yifan had the chance to say a word.
"You're drunk, appa. Go to sleep."
Yixing left the room and Yifan continued staring at the fire place.
The kids only called me appa when Junmyeon was around.
~
The next morning and everything was back to normal. Normal as in the fakeness and the anxiety of making sure no one spilt a word that is. The grandkids made sure there was not a loop at all where there would be silence and they definitely made sure there was always a mess so that everyone would constantly be busy. Yifan didn't say a word to his eldest son about their conversation the night before and no one brought up the topic of their mother.
Everyone knew though that their father wouldn't and couldn't stand it much longer. He needed to know about his wife and he needed to know the truth.
~
Thanksgiving passed within a flash and soon it was already Christmas. Again they were all gathered at the table laughing and singing to Christmas songs, they ate all the food on the table and no one paid attention to the once occupied chair at the end of the table. That night the Wu-s were all happy, no one faked a laughter, no one was tense and no spouse was glancing oh so lovingly towards each other. The atmosphere at the table was so much more lively than the night during Thanks giving, so much more conversations, so much more mess, so much more teasing, so much more laughter and Yifan couldn't help but wonder if his wife had anything got to do with this within the few days where they were separated.
That night, the Wu-s all opened their presents, everyone ohh-ed and ahh-ed at their given presents. Happiness radiated from them as they opened their wrapped boxes, smiling and eyes shining with pure joy. Yifan didn't even see a hint of sadness in any of their eyes, not even in Sehun's.
The kids immediately started playing with their toys, all shrieking and crashing into each other as they all played with their dolls and robots. Their parents happily smiling at each other as they got jumpers, cooking utensils, cups and even that box of condom for Sehun. The father of the family watched as Luhan laughed at Sehun's present causing the latter to immediately hide it away from the eyes of the underage, he saw how Kyungsoo glared at Jongin cause he was the one who gave him that and how Jongin laughed sheepishly and how he defended himself from his raging wife. Yixing quickly stepped in as he shoved his present to Jongin, soon Baekhyun started shrieking at how expensive the couple shoes were at Yixing. Everyone was teasing everyone, some already wearing their christmas gifts, some happily munching on their christmas gifts, Yifan tried his best to put on the best smile as he opened present after present gifted to him. He got many things, jumpers, sweaters, cups, an acorn, a handmade bracelet, a photoframe, a wine bottle, aroma therapy candles, imported chocolates and of course a big hug from everyone.
It was Thanks giving night all over again as Yifan watched Luhan and Sehun carry the kids to the children's room since Yixing and Jongdae had hinted to them they were having private time, Jongin and Kyungsoo did the dishes and helped clean up and soon retired to bed, Chanyeol was carrying Tao, Kyungsoo's new born and Yifan stared at him. Baekhyun cleared his throat and his husband turned to him.
"Yeollie why don't you put Tao to bed?"
Chanyeol stood up, kissed his wife on the cheeks, wished his father-in-law goodnight and left the living room. Baekhyun looked at his baba as he poured himself half a cup of wine.
"Some-"
"There's another present under the christmas tree." Baekhyun shut his trap once that was said.
"Who is it for?"
"I don't know. I don't want to find out."
But Baekhyun being the ever stubborn son he always was, stood up, walked to the Christmas tree, carefully took the present, read the label, smiled a soft smile, walked to his father and handed it to him.
"It's from him isn't it?"
"Mhmm."
"I don't want it." Yifan missed the twitch in Baekhyun's eyes.
"Maybe you should. It's the only source for us to know that he is still alive."
"Maybe he should had been better off-"
"Dead?" A voice at the door said. Baekhyun turned as he watched Sehun enter the room.
"Would you rather Junmyeon dead?"
"Sehun, it's Christmas."
"Hyung he needs to know."
"Cant you wait for tomorrow?"
"He needs to know it now seeing as he prefers umma dead."
"Wu Sehun-"
"It's okay, Baek." Yifan said,"Now tell me."
"I'll get Yixing hyung." Another voice said. Yifan didn't need to turn to know that Jongin was the one who said it.
Several minutes later and the four kids were all sitted in front of the fire, wine glasses in their hands. Everyone was engulfed in silence.
"What do I need to know?"
"Always the straight forward man baba is." Baekhyun smiled slightly,"Where should we start?"
Yixing took a sip of wine.
"From the start." The eldest amongst them said,"We'll start from umma."
~
(The kids here are telling the story so each paragraph is another person talking except for Yifan whose words would be in Italics)
Fifteen years ago when appa you were still fighting to be on top of the bussiness chain, umma was constantly in great stress cause there you were living and catching your dream but here he was struggling to keep his kids safe. Every other day, umma would be faced with a kidnapping, a tressome, violation of private property and of course occasionally a beaten up son. Bodyguards didn't help but attract more attention and even when they were switched schools, transfering from one school to another till they finally landed in a tight security private school, umma still had to face the dangers of us getting kidnapped. Everyday we would try our best to lay low, hiding and quickly making it to our car safely without gaining any attention. Umma didn't say a word to you cause you were much too busy climbing up the ladder to success, much too into your bussiness than you had cared for our little struggling family. Umma would tell us stories about appa, telling us how successful and how good you are, there were times were we threw tantrums demanding to want to see you and on these occasions umma always seemed to be affected by this. We didn't know back then since we were a bunch of kids and confused teenagers, we didn't realize the pain umma was having cause of us wanting to meet you.
Back then, we didn't know about Tao.
Yifan flinched at the said name.
We didn't know about Tao being your secretary, your friend, your close friend and not even Tao your fuck buddy. All we knew was that appa was busy with his work, appa was on tv, appa was expanding his business, appa was working on more hotels, appa this, appa that. We didn't know about Huang Zitao, the home wrecker.
When umma changed from the kind hearted soul he was to the cold heart man he became, we didn't understand why. We only thought he got sick of us being kidnapped or how he was sick of us making him tired and always so worried. We only saw that he began to hate us for being weak, for always getting into trouble and of course we only saw the bad side of all his doings. We saw umma instruct our bodyguards to be executed seeing as they couldn't protect us, he instructed our driver to be stoned cause he could never drive us out of safety, we saw him destroy kidnappers whom came into our way, how he mercilessly shot people to oblivion because things didn't go his way, we saw how cruel umma became.
Umma killed people, destroyed people, he wrecked homes, he eliminated any one in his way and of course he did things that would make people hate him forever. People started to hate him cause he cruelly destroyed their families, throwing money to people to shut them up, killing anyone who is necassary, he didn't even spare a glance towards little Sehun who drew him a picture. Us being kids, of course we were devastated to the sudden change, we began to hate him like everyone else. We bad talked him and most times we never even looked at him when he was home, how could someone so cruel be our mother? We hated him, we hated him so badly.
Yixing hyung disowned umma, claiming he didn't have a mother, Baekhyun would only be sad at his mother, I would outright say that my mother was a bitch but Sehun, Sehun never said a word. Because all these while, Sehun had been the only one who knew the truth. His quiet and passive behaviour gained him the truth.
All eyes turned to the youngest Wu twirling his wine glass. His eyes never leaving the glass as he collected his thoughts.
(Note: this is Sehun talking)
Everyone only saw the bad side of umma, but no one saw how much he was suffering internally. Sure he acted cold and heartless outside but when night falls and everyone is asleep, everyone being at the other end of the mansion, tears of regret and despair rolled down his eyes. It was raining heavily that night I found out. I wanted to go hug Baekhyun hug cause the thunders were scary but on my way there I heard a soft cry. I was curious and I saw Himchan umma, he stood there silently hugging himself at the end of the corridor of umma's room. He looked up when he heard me coming and the look on his eyes told me that my mother was suffering. We both heard the loud cries but said nothing. That night I hugged umma Chan listening to umma's sobbing that night.
I came to find out about umma's cruel doings and how that face that held no emotions came to cry and pour his eyes out every single night. He was in so much misery that one night when I was walking to their way there were a lot more guys. Guys whom I came to find out were Umma Chan's family, they stopped me from walking any further but I had a strong feeling umma needed me. Daehyun stopped me, he tried to block me but I was much smaller back then and I just barged into the room, then I saw it. Umma was bleeding, in his hands were razors and he was continously just staring at the endless amounts of blood seeping down his arm. Umma Chan wide eyed when he saw me there and instructed his husband to put me back to bed, I refused to be pulled back and when I touched umma's hands, it was cold. Umma turned to look at me and he saw me struggling the the grasp of Appa Guk. Tears wound up in his eyes and I ran to him, hugging him and crying with him. We snuggled together that night after Himchan umma stopped the bleeding. I didn't know how I ended up on my own bed the next morning but that image of umma never left me.
I started talking to Umma Chan every night. Ignorance by day but family at night, I began noticing the people secretly and ever so shamelessly guarding us, Luhan hyung amongst them. I began to understand that what umma was doing was for us. He was protecting us, our first bodyguards and drivers did nothing to protect us. They were paid over and over so that we would be separated from them and that they could easily take us in. Umma destroyed the families whom wanted to kidnap us for money, he eliminated all your business competitors and he removed the people in your way. He did it so that you would stop climbing up your ladder of success and so that you will have the time to turn around and look at us whom needed their father.
That was when Tao came into the picture.
Tao?
Yes, Huang Zitao. The man whom you loved so much. The man who would say he would take a bullet for you, the one who made you disappoint umma, the one whom purposely not remind you about your wedding anniversary, our birthdays and even umma's birthday. He purposely made it as if you forgotten it yourself and he back stabbed you. You were too blinded in the love to notice the signs, slowly he took your money, slowly he changed the names to your properties, slowly he wrecked your family.
But I was giving it to him.
Exactly. What better reason than to use the excuse of presents to your loved ones to take their belongings? Umma saw this, sure he easily eliminated people with the help of Umma Chan, but he couldn't destroy the one person who was making you happy. He didn't have the heart to take away your happiness, you were so happy with Zitao, so happy that Umma didn't have the heart to tell you the truth.
Umma had already known you stopped loving him.
I never did.
Well then he felt that you stopped loving him, he felt like he was the thrid wheel even when he was your wife. When Zitao threw the papers of divorce to his face telling him to sign it cause he was hurting you, cause he was better than umma, cause you loved him more and cause umma was spoiling your name, umma said nothing. Instead he stood up, glared at Tao and said he will destroy him and that was when you entered the room. You barely heard the whole conersation but you only heard the last line. And you being biased to Tao immediately signed the divorce papers and since then umma made the decision.
(Note: this part is back to all of the kids talking)
He made a promise to himself and somehow to Jongdae, whom back then when he and I were dating, when my wife was curious and so crushed to know that umma was doing such things and was the only one whom was brave enough to ask him, umma promised that he will protect this family. He will provide us happiness, the roof on top of our heads, the food on our table and even to get back the money that appa you worked so hard for. He told Jongdae that no matter what happens to him, he should stay with us no matter what. He didn't say what he'll do nor what he is planning on doing but Jongdae said the look in his eyes was nothing but love. Then it all happened, the drama.
Umma took matters in his own hands as he slowly extracted the money from Tao's accounts to our accounts, your money which was once given to Tao was sent to accounts with all our names without us knowing. The money was decreasing slowly but surely and soon even the properties given to him were revoked. Umma took everything you gave him away from him, he hunt down Zitao's family, his lover namely Minseok and everyone related to him, and he destroyed them. Umma mercilessly destroyed them with the truth, umma told them about Zitao. How he was taking money away from you, the properties, the business, the kidnapping, the deaths and how he wrecked our home. Immediately Zitao's parents flew to Korea and havock happened. Zitao cried saying he was framed and Umma pulled his last straw. He framed Zitao like how he claimed he was, he made Himchan shoot in the head and made sure Zitao was the one holding the gun, how he made it happen no one could figure it out but that destroyed your lover. He was arrested and his family disowned him, even when he was finally telling the truth, no one protected him. Of course appa you helped him and got him out, putting the blame on umma. We, me and Jongdae wanted to scream the truth to you but Sehun stopped us. Zitao was saved from trial, he didn't have a family and he didn't have trust but he had you. He tried to erase the look of pure determination in umma's eyes when he shot himself, he tried to forget umma, he tried his best to wipe off the guilt when he mentioned umma to you and all you felt was hatred. He couldn't stand the pain when we looked at him with eyes that were in so much pain cause of him, he couldn't stand how a little part or a small movement of us reminded him of umma.
And when he saw umma in the ICU ward alone, struggling to keep alive, he broke down. He saw how umma looked so lonely there with no one by his side, no flowers, no messages of support, not even one visitor had signed in to visit him. Himchan umma said Tao cried holding onto Umma hands, he cried saying he was sorry and that he was too foolish and too blinded by money and by greed, he cried as he watched Umma's heart beat decrease and how shocked he was when docters and nursers barged in and gently pushed him out. Himchan umma said Tao's last bit broke that day when he saw Umma, whom was at the border line of life and death, being revived by the docters.
And that's when he commited suicide. Tao's letter was to tell you the truth but you took it the wrong way and instead of feeling remorse about umma, you hated him even more for killing Zitao. Once out of the hospital and one glance from you and Umma nodded understandingly, umma read Zitao's note by ways which none of us know how and he left. He left us even when we begged him not to, he left us when he told him we could start over and he left us when you didn't even spare him a glance upon hearing us begging him not to go.
He left when you only saw hatred in him when it fact he had saved all our lives, your hardwork, your properties, and your life in exchange of his own.
~
"Where is he?"
"We don't know."
"Where is he, Yixing?"
"Like we said appa, we don't know."
A cry of a baby was heard and Jongin left the room, carefully placing his now empty cup and tending to his child. Baekhyun placed his cup, excused himself and went to bed and Yixing looked at his father. The man had aged a lot but his handsome features were still there, he was tall, he was fit, healthy, rich, he had all the reasons to be happy but he didn't have the love of his life. Yixing sighed as he gulped down the rest of his cup of wine, he gave one last look to his father and youngest brother and left the room.
Yifan turned to Sehun when Yixing left.
"How did you find him?"
"He was closer than I thought."
"Where?"
Sehun stood up.
"So close we didn't even need to man hunt for him."
And Sehun left the room.
Yifan stared at the gift in his hand. After staring at it for a while, he opened it.
Upon seeing just a glimpse of it, he broke down crying. He was helpless at the reality of his life and he felt so betrayed and so stupid for all that he has done. He felt as if he has wasted his life and he felt so lonely that now even his kids wouldn't tell him where his own husband his. Was it his fault that Junmyeon had to kill so many people just for the sake of him turning to his kids? Was it his fault that he wanted to climb up the ladder of success where once upon a time was just a stepping stone to prove to Junmyeon that he will keep him happy? Was it his fault that his children now have to put on an act in front of him? His grandchildren? Was it all his fault for trusting Zitao in the first place? And was it really his fault that Junmyeon had almost died because of him?
Yifan cried harder as his questions was and would never be answered.
It was after all, his favourite alpaca doll.
End
how was it? ;www; i wanted it angsty but im scared it not angst enough... Do leave me comments kayyy :DDD