Nodus Tollens|| Haowoongbin

3

Xie looked at the driver who stood beside their car as he looked for her. She looked away and continued walking.

She stopped in front of the beach. Looking at it from afar. The clouds stained with a pink hue. She held her bag and walked closer.

She placed her bag beside her as she sat on the sand.
She plugged in her earphones and hugged her knees as she watched the waves.

"Dad! Look at what I made!" Xie yelled, pointing at the sand castle she made.

"Yah!" Zhanghao yelled laughing when Hanbin dumped him into the water to go to Xie.
Hanbin ruffled her hair and squatted beside her.

"What's it baby?" Hanbin asked in confusion when he didn't see anything. Xie giggled and took out her hands from her back as she threw the sand in her hands on Hanbin.

She quickly stood up giggling and tried running away but Zhanghao held her from behind.
"Caught you! Stop being naughty" Zhanghao said and she squirmed in Zhanghao's hands giggling.

"You betrayed me Xie. Time to have revenge!"
Hanbin dramatically said and began to tickle her.

Xie unconsciously smiled, remembering the memory from years ago. Her smile slowly died down as she looked at the quiet beach.

Her head fell to her knees as she sighed.

-

"Look at the time Xie! Where were you?! Don't you know how worried I was?!" Zhanghao yelled when he saw Xie walk in. Xie opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed her mouth as Zhanghao pulled her in for a hug.

"Are you okay? Did anyone touch you? Tell me-
Wait are you hungry? Come and eat first—

"I went to Chungju" Xie said. Zhanghao kept quiet for some seconds as he stared at Xie.

"Wha- why? What were you doing there? And so far away? You went to another city Xie, what if something happened to you, how would I—

"The beach. I was missing Dad"

Zhanghao closed his eyes sighing. "You should have just called him Xie. You're making it look like he's dead."

"He's probably asleep. And..it's almost as if he's dead. He didn't pick up my calls this morning nor did he pick up yesterday" Xie said and Zhanghao sighed yet again.

She was right. He tried calling Hanbin too but it just said he was unavailable.

"It's okay. Next time you want to go, tell me. We can go together next time" Zhanghao said and and Xie sighed as she reluctantly nodded.

-

"Yes, they're meeting up after school. Thank goodness, we can hang out"

"I know right? My mom kept talking about meeting the others. Finally some breathing space. I can skip my homework today"

"My dad even baked cookies to bring for their outing. He's too much I swear"

"Yeah mine..."

Xie kept quiet. She was reading and also not reading as she kept getting distracted by the conversations her classmates had.

Their parents were meeting up with the others.
It was then it clicked to Xie that she hadn't seen Zhanghao out before. The only friend she knows he has is Chenle whom she has only seen at home.

The first thought that came into her mind was that Zhanghao couldn't leave and didn't have time to leave because of her as he's always taking care of her.

She bit on her lip in guilt as she looked back to her books.

-

Zhanghao looked down the window as he watched his neighbors. They were laughing as they conversed. He folded his arms sighing as he leaned on the wall watching them.

He bit his lip unconsciously as he was very much interested in what could be so funny for them to laugh that hard and so freely with each other.

He sighed yet again. He knew he couldn't join them even if he wanted to. They had been neighbors for thirteen years, ever since he got married.

Right from then, they didn't have a bond to be friends and they all lived their separate lives.

He shook his head and moved away from the window, closing the curtain.

"Daddy!"

Zhanghao heard from downstairs and a broad smile appeared on his face. "Xie?! Are you back?!" He yelled back, leaving his room.

He walked down the stairs and saw Xie gulping down a glass of water. "Woah calm down, you'll choke" He said chuckling.

Xie dropped the glass and wiped her lips as she rushed to Zhanghao. "Daddy, go out with Uncle Chenle."

"Huh?"

"Go out with him. Tonight. Please please please"
Xie pled as she shook Zhanghao's arms.

"Woah woah, what's the rush? Why do you want me to go out with Chenle?"

"You've never spent sometime alone or with your friends. You've always spent your time with me. I want you to dress up, have some fun and forget about me tonight"

"You'll be alone here, I can't leave you" He said and Xie groaned loudly. "Daddy I'll be with Somin, she's around and by the time you'll be back, I'll be in bed by then"

She said and Zhanghao kept quiet as he thought.
"Come onnnn. Call uncle and let him know"

"Fine fine. I will. You're being so funny Xie"
Zhanghao said chuckling as he rubbed Xie's hair.