In the Middle of the Night [BANG CHAN FF] ✔️

28. Starry sky

It was the fifth day since princess Yona was staying with the Bang family and it was another morning where Yona and Chan didn't exchange a single word during breakfast... since the accident in the ocean two days ago. Although Yona laughed and talked casually with the rest of the family, Chan's younger sister Hannah noticed the silence between the two.

The younger girl almost ran up the stairs and just as forcefully opened the first door on her left. It was the room the princess was staying at and Chan was kneeling under the bathroom sink of the room's small bathroom, examining the pipes.

"Hey, Chan, do you know where the princess is?" Hannah leaned on the opened bathroom door, crossing her arms. Her brother didn't leave the tight spot under the sink.

"Probably playing outside with Lucas, I don't know... Why do you ask?" he kept on talking, looking through the toolbox and not at his sister.

"Wrong. She's downstairs with mom, learning how to make fried chicken," a thought of arguing with her crossed Chan's mind but he shook his head and continued searching for the right wrench. And since there was no answer from her brother, Hannah continued, "See? You're not even paying attention to her! That's not what a healthy relationship between two lovers is!"

Hannah's voice was intentionally loud and her words reached Chan so clearly that he jolted, hitting the back of his head under the ceramic sink, the hit making him sit back down and face his sister who still stood at the door, arms crossed and frowning. Bang Chan hissed in pain, massaging his head, praying that his occipital bone didn't crack.

"Wh-what are you saying?" he asked through the rising throbbing pain, looking at Hannah with one eye still closed.

She clicked her tongue and let her arms fall, hitting her thighs, "Oh, come on! You might fool mom and dad with your chit-chats but not me - I saw how you look at her, how you smile and blush. Your eyes are full of admiration and it's not a 'friend' kind of thing - you really do lo--"

Chan stood up and in a second covered Hannah's mouth with his hand. She rolled her eyes at Chan as he dragged her into the room and closed the door. He released the young girl and apologized, "I'm sorry but please keep it quiet."

"Why? You don't want mom hearing that you fell in lo-"

"Shhh!"

"Alright... whatever..."

"Was it that obvious?" Chan asked, the expression on his face reminding Hannah of a puppy.

She shrugged and walked to the window to sit on the large "treasure chest" locked with a big padlock. "I'm honestly surprised that no one caught up on it... Guess everyone is still ecstatic that a real princess is currently in their home to notice," she paused a bit, "Listen, big brother... This seems like it's your first 'fight' with her. Whatever happened that day at the beach is now in the past... Ever since then you've been... angry? At her? Why?" the questions were rhetorical and she didn't wait for Chan to answer. Hannah's heels hit the chest under her, "Do you really want to make your relationship with Yona like this one?" she glanced down at the locked object, now waiting for an answer from Chan. His lips were tight, memories of the past flooding his mind, "Listen, I don't want to... nag, or whatever... The princess is a really good girl, that much is obvious. Heck, she's downstairs, in the kitchen, frying chicken that you really love, for the first time in her life! I mean... wow!" Hannah chuckled, "She could've drowned, yeah, but she didn't - you saved her, remember? So, leave it all in the past and don't waste your days being angry at her or yourself. Don't make the same mistake twice... Enjoy your life for once, Chris."

Hannah smiled and stood up from the wooden chest, tapped her older brother on the shoulder, and exited the room. After just being lectured by a six years younger girl, Chan looked back at the locked box, approached the hanging painting of wildflowers, and pulled a small key that was hidden behind it. He gulped and knelt, unlocking memories that he hid for years. What first hit him was a nostalgic sweet smell of a perfume that still lingered after so many years. He saw a familiar silky scarf, an empty bottle of said perfume, pieces of jewelry, dozens of letters and drawings, a few signed books, framed dried hibiscus flower, and a withered bouquet of once red roses. He sighed, wanting those memories to leave him and there was only one way for that to happen. Chan closed back the wooden chest and pulled it out of the room. He'll later ask his father to dispose of it.