Empty Space | BTOB LMH

Chapter 1

Chapter 1
New Life

• •

Song Harin:

Do you know the feeling after someone so close to you died? It's like there's a hole in your chestㅡand you'll feel the emptiness in there so much you won't know what to do. Your whole body hurts, like it's being prickled by a thousand needles even though you're not sick. You lose every inch of energy in your bodyㅡnot even some left to open your mouth to speak or eat.

But then you've got to be strong. You've got to fight even though your whole being feels like giving upㅡbecause if not for yourself, you've got to live for someone else.

I stared at myself across the mirror; hair in a tight bun, bare face from any makeup, dark shadows under my eyes because I've been having a hard time sleeping, and the obvious amount of weight that I lost. I wiped my looming tears away and forced my lips into a tight smile. "Sweetie, let's go! We're leaving!" I yelled though in a sweet, honeyed voice as I called out to my three-year-old daughter.

My brow arched upwards as I heard no response. "Hwayoung-ah!" I called again.

I climbed upstairs and checked every room, and then panic crept inside me when I couldn't find her. I rushed downstairs and checked the bathroom, the kitchen, under the table where she loves to hide, the study. I scratched my head and opened the door, summer wind kissing my skin as I stepped outside. "Hwayoung!" I called out again and then my feet hit brakes.

There's a truck parked in front of the house across ours and two men moving things inside the house. Beside it, there's a man wearing a sleeveless top and with a single arm, he's carrying my daughter who's oddly smiling at him.

"Hwayoung!" I called out. I crossed the road so fast unconsciously. "There you are."

The man had a smile on his face that faltered once he saw me. "O-mma!" Hwayoung called. She always pauses after the 'eo' and puts more emphasis on 'mma'.

I took her quickly from the stranger's arm. "I told you not to go out of the house without me, didn't I?" I told her with a slight frown before kissing her forehead. "You worried me."

"O-mma, we have a new neighbor!" Hwayoung said in delight. "He said he'll... he'll p-play with me!"

I looked at the man who smiled at me friendly. "Hi! I just moved here. Lee Minhyuk, by the way." He said, adjusting his hand towards me but I just looked at it and instead of taking it, I just bent my head a little.

"I'm sorry for the trouble. She usually listens to me." I said, sincerely apologetic.

He chuckled. "No, it's okay. It must be the aquarium. She got here looking at it." He said, gesturing to a rectangular aquarium just in front of his house with fishes looking wonderful inside.

"Then, we'll be going." I said politely. I looked at Hwayoung and kissed her cheek. "Come on, sweetie, we're going to daddy."

• •

Lee Minhyuk:

"Dude! Pretty girl. Outside." I told Eunkwang as he was setting the fifty-inches flat screen TV down.

His eyes widened. "Ooh, really? Do you think she's single?" He asked with a playful smile.

I smiled back. "I think she's married. She has a kid."