Minho loved the feeling of Lynn in his arms, the scent of her hair, the way she always intertwined their fingers one by one. And it was the last night Minho got to hold Lynn in his arms, to cherish her. He wanted to stay for another month, an infinity to be honest. But there were things back home that needed to be taken care of, things that to be attended to. Like Brenda and his children.
He couldn't think about that, he had to focus on the now, where Lynn was. They sat at edge of the dock that was hidden beneath a weeping willow, making one slice of the lake like their own little secret since Newt and Sonya already knew about the gardens. They decided to have a picnic under the vines and leaves of the willow tree, the moonlight peeking through small spaces between the pale green leaves.
Lynn had convinced Minho to take off his shoes and socks, to let his feet sink into the crystal clear lake water up to his calves. Lynn had taken a step further and dashed to the water's edge, wading up until she was knee-deep in the water. Her dainty fingers held the front of her lilac colored dress above the water (yes, Minho had managed to get Lynn to wear the color purple again) the tails of the dress floating on the surface.
She looked absolutely stunning.
Minho watched on as she sloshed around in the lake water, searching for lily pads and water flowers. He planted his hands on the old, worn down wooden dock behind him, leaning back as he drunk in the view in front of him. Lynn's hair was swept into some sort of bun, jeweled clips holding tiny pieces of hair together. An excited smile was spread across her face, running through the water with a petty little bouquet of waterlilies in one of her hands.
A joyous laughter rang through the air, as if some mischievous plan was forming inside Lynn's mind. When Minho glanced up from his lap, he saw that Lynn was no longer in the water, no longer dashing slowly as she gathered waterlilies. But when two petite hands gave a light shove on Minho's shoulders, the ever-so-light push was just enough to force Minho off the edge of the dock; sending him right into the dark, cold lakewater.
The sharpness of the cold water pricked at his skin, his clothes sticking to his skin as he surfaced from the lake. Minho could see Lynn leaning over the edge of the dock, gazing down at him with those radiant amber eyes of hers. Her feet were kicking the air as she rested her chin on the back of her hand, an alluring smile spread across her face.
"You think this is so funny don't you?" Minho crossed his arms, a tingly feeling taking over his body for a second as his feet touched to the muddy bottom of the lake, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Lynn nodded her head vigorously, giggles burbling from her mouth. A sly smirk was brought onto Minho's face, stretching up to place a kiss on her lips. Minho gripped the place where Lynn's shoulder and neck met, taking the girl by surprise as he pulled her into the water with him; looping an arm around her waist and tugging her body flush up against his own when she fell in.
"Minho!" Lynn scolded playfully, removing her lips from Minho's as a punishment. Her amber eyes bore into his, that cute, little smile still attached to her face.
"What? You started it." Minho unraveled an arm from her waist, bringing it above the water to push a wet strand of Lynn's hair behind her ear. He let his hand cup her cheek, rubbing his thumb across her freckled cheekbone. Lynn's giggles had subsided, the only sound in the cool, summer air being the crickets chirping and the vines of the willow trees rustling.
Both of them gradually leaned forward, Lynn wrapping her arms around Minho's neck. Their lips met, moving together at a slow pace as they both savoured the moment. It was the last time they were going to be able to kiss, the treasure the feeling of hands running up and down their thighs, the love and emotion that had been put into the relationship. They had spent the last month glued to each others side, spending countless hours in the garden.
Lynn's legs were looped around Minho's waist, her hands running through his feather-like hair, which was now damp with lake water. Minho had tightened his hold on her waist, pressing every single inch of her body onto his. The two were infatuated with each other, loving every single second of what happened that night in the lake water, listening to the sound of the willow trees and the crickets.
But tomorrow, it all had to end.
xxx
Lynn and Minho came dashing up the cobblestone pathway, laughing like little school children that were trying to keep a secret. Their clothes were soaked, the material sloshing as they ran to the enormous windowed doors at the back of the mansion.
The bottoms of their feet made a smacking sound against the smooth stone of the steps leading up to the doors, the gentle glow of the house illuminating the night time sky. But a shadow caused the light to disappear, vanishing into the darkness. When Minho and Lynn looked up from the ground, they saw Newt standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. He was leaning up against the doorframe, still in his day clothes with the top few buttons of his shirt unbuttoned.
The two lovers stopped in their tracks, Lynn dropping the hem of her dress that she was holding in grasp to the ground. She used her free hand to wrap it around Minho's arm, tightening the hold that she already had on his hand.
"Lynn," Newt's voice was stern and focused, running a hand over his face as he spoke his sisters name. "Go up to your room, I'll be there shortly. I want to talk to Minho...alone." Lynn nodded her head, picking the bottom of her skirt up again and walking up the stairs, stopping by her brother's side to give him a quick glance before Newt patted her back, sending her away.
Watching his sister prance off to the staircase to go upstairs, he closed the glass doors, turning back around to face Minho. He shoved his hands into his pockets, using a waltz-like speed down the steps until he was on the same step as Minho, face to face after what seemed like forever.
"Does Lynn know about Brenda?" Newt asked, his look of sternness disappearing. He was in a more serious tone, well, that's what anyone would expect from him when his sister's lover has a wife and children that she doesn't know about.
When Minho refused to meet Newt's eyes and gazed off to the side as he heard a laugh of pity from oldest Newton. "C'mon Min," he said through an exhale. "You don't think I know? The minute Lynn came back after I threw her out last week I knew something was going on between you two. It was clear as day. I always knew you hated your relationship with Brenda, but if Lynn ever finds out you know it will break her heart right?"
Minho remained silent. His throat was closing in on itself, guilt slowly entering his body. Newt continued,
"Lynn is very important to me Minho. She is my only sister and the last thing that I have as a reminder of my mum and dad. She has been locked in her room ever since she was diagnosed with the Flare. That bloody disease has taken over her mind, body, and soul, making her hallucinate awful creatures that are so beyond description, Lynn can't even speak after it happens.
"There are reasons why Lynn doesn't leave the house and go out into village, meet people, make friends. If she forgets to take her medicine or goes a long time without retaking it her brain will start to degrade. Headaches, her words start to slur. She says her brain vibrates inside her skull, sending incredible pain throughout her body. Then the hallucinations start in, and it's really not that controllable unless you stop it at the very beginning."
Newt drew in a deep breath, looking as if he was trying to hold back tears. His eyes were cloudy, a faraway expression on his face.
"She's dying Minho." he croaked, holding his hand to cover his lips, doing his best to prevent sobs from escaping his mouth. "She's slowly dying. When Lynn was little my parents just thought she was one of those troubled kids that were in the newspaper. They thought the nightmares and the imaginary creatures were just things that a normal child would experience. My parents waited until she was ten to actually take her to a doctor, but he didn't help anything. He just told us that Lynn had the Flare and it was too late to stop its vicious ways of taking over the mind. All he said was to give her the Bliss morning, noon, and night and just hope for the best. But over the years it's gotten worse, and there is nothing that I can possibly do to stop it.
"I just want her to have a normal life, as if she never had the Flare. And when you came and you two started to spend time with each other, I felt like she was going to have someone to love and care for her besides me. Then I remembered that you have a wife, and three children Minho! And if Lynn ever finds out, if could possibly send her into a depression and she will let the Flare take over her body once and for all."
Minho finally lifted his head from the ground, meeting Newt's hazel-eyed gaze. He saw the blonde-haired boy drag his wrist across his eyes, ridding the tears that lingered in the corner of his eyes.
"Treat Lynn carefully Minho, just one wrong move can cause her downfall."
With that, Newt turned around and walked back up the steps, entering the house and closing the door behind him. Leaving Minho alone in the coolness of the summer's eve.
xxx
Newt entered Lynn's room with the white packet of pills in hand, closing the door with a loud click behind him. His eyes searched for his sister, looking for the tails of her white nightgown. Her bed was empty, she wasn't seated at her vanity, and the closet door was closed. He immediately focused on the fact that the doors leading out to the balcony were wide open, the sheer blue curtains fluttering and twisting in the breeze.
Her petite figure was kneeling at the top of the semicircle stone balcony, her elbows resting on ledge with her head leaning to the side, lying in the crook of her right elbow. Newt could tell Lynn's gaze was directed upward, towards the stars of the late night sky, searching for familiar constellations. The pale pink ribbons of her nightgown remained untied, disappearing into the white material that pooled behind her.
The eldest Newton strolled out onto the balcony, embracing the cool air as it hit the bare skin of his neck. He rested a hand on his sister's shoulder as he came up to her, using his thumb to rub tiny circles on her shoulder blade.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Lynn whispered in a dreamy state, amber eyes illuminating as she spoke.
"The stars?" Newt sighed, kneeling down on the ground beside his sister.
Lynn hummed in response, nodding her head gently. Her eyelashes fluttered slowly, a wave of tiredness washing over her body. A soft yawn escaped her lips, exhaling a long breath.
"Here," Newt waved the white packet in front of Lynn's tired eyes, "Take them before you fall asleep."
The younger blonde shifted to an upright position, taking the packet from Newt and tearing it open. She emptied the pills into her left hand, cupping her fingers and catapulting them into her mouth, swallowing all three of them whole.
Newt rose to his feet, watching as his sister rested her head back in the crook of her elbow.
"Don't stay out too late, I don't want you to catch a cold."
"The summer winds aren't that algid, Newt."
"Yeah, well, you get sick easily. I'm just trying to watch out for you."
"I know."
He bent down to press a light kiss to her forehead, smoothing back her dampened hair that still smelled of roses despite having taken a late night swim in the lake water. When his lips met the skin of her forehead, he noticed that it was slightly hot, warmness spreading onto his lips.
"I'll see you in the morning." Lynn nodded her head again, letting her eyes close as her cheek rested against the cool stone of the balcony.
Newt headed back towards the exit from the balcony, stopping in the doorway to bid his sister goodnight once more.
"Goodnight Lynn,"
"G'night." Her voice sounded weaker than it was a few moments ago, more fragile and broken. Had she overheard the conversation he had with Minho, did she find out that Minho has a wife and children in a town a trains ride away?
Maybe she did or maybe she didn't, who knows? But she couldn't be in a relationship with a married man, so Newt needed a backup plan in case all fails with Lynn and Minho's little fling.
He was going to put his sister into an arranged marriage.
xxx
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