A too long plane ride and an endless train of paining thoughts had drained Luna by the time she had reached Australia, the place she had sworn she wouldnt come back to.
Changmin gave her a side hug and said that everything would be okay but it had the same effect on her as when she had told herself that a million times earlier, absolutely nothing.
She had figured that Francis went back early and without meeting her because he was informed of their Grandma's urgent health condition as well.
But this was Francis! Her once incredibly doting brother who'd lay the world at her feet, he was far from a person who'd neglect her like this.
Something was wrong, and she was scared to find out.
At the hospital, outside Brienne's ward were some cousins of Luna's, and her mother's family.
"You go in first." Changmin told her.
She nodded and with a deep breath entered just as Francis exited the room, he didnt look at her and she told herself that meeting her Grandma was her first priority at the moment.
But before she could look at Brienne, her eyes went to her parents standing on the right, Charlize was on her phone and Raymond was looking out the window.
She didn't feel it, the resentment and loathing she had harbored all her life, they weren't worth it anymore, they only gave birth to her, never gave time to the rest of the parenting ordeal.
Luna surprised herself by not being able to suppress the urge to roll her eyes, and walked forward. On her left were another bunch of family statues, her dad's sister, Aunt Martha and her three sons and husband, also her dad's cousin and his son.
She looked at Brienne and to her relief she didn't look that bad or sick. She was a tough cookie, and a gorgeous cookie at that.
"Grandma." Luna smiled widely and hugged her.
Brienne hugged back with a small smile, "If it isn't my favourite grandchild." She cupped her mouth and whispered, "Dont tell Jihoon I said that."
Luna gaped and laughed, this was the first time Brienne had ever cracked a joke.
The last time they had seen each other was in the visitor room at juvie when Luna had lashed out at her.
"So, How have you been? what have you been up to? tell me everything, including how you ended up getting blue hair, you're not turning into those pastel goths are you?"
Flabbergasted by the unexpected questions from a woman who had just had a heart surgery, she reluctantly pulled a chair to her bedside and sat down, "Well uhh, I live with uncle Changmin now."
"Uhuh," Brienne gave Raymond a look and slid her eyes back to Luna, "Have you made any friends?"
Luna chuckled, "Yeah, many. I made some of them at my university and I joined a photography club for which I had to dye my hair."
"You're going to university! Oh that's wonderful. What are you studying?"
"Engineering, I told uncle he could choose."
"Why didn't you choose it yourself?"
"Doesn't really matter.. I mean, with this I could get a job at uncle's company, that's good enough."
Brienne wanted to count all of the ambitions Luna had before her arrest, she wanted to remind her, yet Luna looked fine, and happier. Thats all that mattered now.
"So, you're okay?"
Luna tilted her head and smiled at her grandma, she had changed for the better, though she was on a hospital bed, she seemed livelier than ever.
"Definitely. And you have to get better soon so that you can come to Korea and Ill show you the cafe I work at. I used some of the recipes that you once gave me and mashed them with recipes from the internet, made them better!"
Brienne chuckled, "You changed my recipes, wanna get smacked?"
"Mom needs to rest, Luna. And still Jihoon and Changmin have to meet her." Martha said annoyedly.
But Brienne glared at her and she shut up instantly, "Go get some sleep, you look tired. And tomorrow maybe the doctors will let me go on a walk and you have to come with me." Said Brienne.
Luna nodded and left.
Outside she instantly looked around for Francis but saw everyone but him,
Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around, anxious to see her brother but saw Mark instead.
She narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you want?"
He raised his eyebrows, "What, no hello or nice to see you? Not to be that person but remember how I helped you when you got out? And what have you dine to your beautiful black hair."
She glared at him, "Oh right, how could I forget how you so generously kicked me out of your house."
"That is not my fault! You know how my mom is!"
"Oh for fuck's sake when will you stop being such a a pussy you mama's boy!" She said harshly and a little too loudly, her other grandma hissed, "This is a hospital!"
"I know." Luna snapped back at her, grandma Cece was the most annoying woman she knew, her grandpa had hit big with the production company of his and Cece never really evolved from the embarassing new money attitude.
Mark pursed his lips, he was embarrassed and Luna smirked, "Grow up, Mark. You're an embarrassment for me to be even acquainted with."
He clenched his jaw, he probably wanted to retaliate but it gave him the odd satisfaction of having gotten his old best friend back, "Francis asked me to take you to him."
Luna straightened, "Well then take me to him."
Pleased that she got her anger through to him and happy that Francis had called her, she walked with a skip in her step.
Mark stopped in front of the chapel door, "He's in there."
Luna entered and beamed when she saw him standing in between the pews.
She ran to him and hugged him warmly. Francis put his hands on her arms and pushed her away.
Luna's eyes widened and she stared back at his muted eyes. Her mouth fell open, she knew that expression. It was the most wrong thing in her life before juvie.
Her Dad always had that expression, unimpressed and stoic.
"Sit down, we have business to discuss."
She still stared after him as he sat down, business?