Blindsided

Ice & Fire

ᴤᴤᴤᴤᴤ

They parked in front of a blue home. A cute white arch welcomed them upon first sight. Dense vines crawled up the structure and stayed there tightly. Other wild plants crowded behind it creating a natural fence of greens that flanked the yard. It was as if she was staring inside a greenhouse of bushes, tiny trees, and exotic shrubs.

The windows were scrubbed so well Namjoo wouldn't be surprised if a bird tried flying into it. From where she sat, she spotted a potted plant blooming vividly. Beyond that a television set and a long wooden table. And from here, the sun shone directly on the house as if blessing it.

The blue popped among the green foliage. The asphalt roof even seemed to twinkle sending a sort of nostalgia through Namjoo. Sensing that this was a happy place. Belonging to a good family. It felt like a place that deserved to be in a painting that should be preserved well, so that the colors wouldn't dull, the ambience surrounding the house would never disappear; so that life could not take away what should be.

"Are you going to stay in the car?" Sehun's crude tone broke her thoughts. He was standing outside the open door. "Come eat."

Surprised, Namjoo's eyes veered to the side. Hurriedly undoing her seatbelt, she pushed the door open and followed him. The air was so pure, as if she had stepped right into the woods embarking on an adventure or gone hunting for treasure. As if she'd flown off to a faraway land. Namjoo looked at the green leaves with awe. Inhaled the deep scent of nature. Appreciating the troves that mother earth gave them useless humans.

In the yard Namjoo noticed a little boy play with a group of plastic trucks. He looked like a toddler. Head so small, so tiny in his blue overalls. His fringe landed right above his eyes. Namjoo adored his bloated cheeks even from afar. When he looked up, she waved. Smiling giddily, "Hello!"

The little boy stared back. Namjoo recognized the slant in his eyes, the cute menacing gaze. His lips smiled and he rushed toward them.

"Hoon!" Stopping right in front of her, but looking not at her.

Namjoo smiled down at him. Out of pure urge she touched his hand. Discovered his hair so fine and soft. "How cute."

"Hoon-Hoon!" He called again.

Lips still smiling, Namjoo turned to peer at Sehun standing several steps away. A dark frown on his face. He stared at the boy with animosity then at her detestably.

Glancing at the little boy again, Namjoo turned to Sehun, "Is he your child?"

She received a nasty glare before Sehun stepped toward the white door and headed inside.

ᴤᴤᴤᴤᴤ

"You're here?" Jinyi shuffled toward him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with spite. Somewhere down the hall he heard the old man hoarsely coughing.

"Father isn't feeling well," Jinyi explained. "It's not easy taking care of a child and your father, so I thought I could help."

"You don't need to," he frowned at her. "Don't overstep your boundaries."

"I'm just trying to help." Jinyi argued. "Just because we're divorced doesn't mean I can't think of your family as mine."

He glared at her. "We don't need your help."

"Then you should be around more," Jinyi bit back. "Aren't you the only one capable of doing something, so why aren't you?"

"You should leave," he immediately cut her off.

"Sehun..." she started but turned when the door opened and Namjoo and Jehoon walked in. Hand in hand. He looked at her angry for intervening with his family business.