Thia's Atonement.

A week ago.

Thia has been restless ever since her cousin disappearance. She couldn't sit still inside the hotel knowing nothing about her older cousin. If something happen toward her, she doesn't know how to explain to her uncle and aunt.

After a long time, an incoming call flashed on her phone screen. Without thinking she pressed the answer button.

"Hello." she said nervously.

It was Du Anxing. They talked quite long regarding Eru's situation. Their conversation gets quite tense as the stories took place. Thia's gripped her phone tightly when she heard the real story why her cousin got kidnapped.

Single tears rolled down her cheeks from the corner of her eyes. When the call disconnected, Thia slumped hard on the floor bawling her eyes out.

Eru got into trouble because of her! She never would've thought that her playful prank would shoved her cousin into misery!

She completely regretted her course of action this time. The small prank she always pulled never done any harm before. But today everything changed. If she listened to her cousin warnings, everything wouldn't happen. She cried through out the night.

The next morning, she woke up with red and puffy eyes. Currently she looked like some cave woman that hadn't came out from her hideout for decade. She's completely miserable.

Thia took a shower, wore a comfy outfit as she stared at the window blankly. A knock from her hotel room snapped her instantly. On the other side of the door stood a man wearing a black suit.

"Mr. Du, good morning." she greeted him. Du Anxing frowned a bit when the tiny silhouette popped behind the door. Anyone could tell that she had been crying. Was she crying for the whole night? He pondered.

"Before we went to see my cousin, could you bring me to the barbershop?" she asked looking at him straight in the eye. Du Anxing just nod his head slightly before leaving her toward his car.

..............

In front of the mirror sat a young petite girl. Her long hair had been cut short. A haircut that she herself didn't fancied.

This is my atonement for the trouble I caused. Thia said inwardly. For everyone this might looked small compared to what happen to Eru, but for Thia this is very big. Because she loved her hair more than anything in the world!

Determined, she left the shop with Du Anxing. On their way to the hospital, they haven't spoke anything.

..............

Looking at her older cousin laying still on the bed covered with bandages and wires broke her heart. Her eyes started heating up as tears accumulated on her eyes. She bit her tiny lips suppressing herself from crying on spot.

"Don't worry. Your cousin is out of danger, she'll regain consciousness soon." Du Anxing coaxed Thia by tapping her shoulder lightly.

"What happen to the people whom kidnapped Eru?" she asked hoarsely.

"They have been captured." said Du Anxing before continuing inwardly 'and been ate by the President Piranhas'. "Is that so." she replied.

Xing Hong Sheng was there when she arrived. All her expression revealed on her face like an open book. He knew that it wasn't her intention to put her cousin into danger but he couldn't help but blame her carelessness. Nevertheless, his poker face masked his true feelings to avoid hurting his woman's cousin.

He knew how important family are for his beloved. This woman of his treasure family more than anything the complete opposite of his family. In his case, 'family' is his greatest nemesis. So he wondered how is the feeling of having a family.

Feeling the need of discussing this matter with her uncle and aunt, Thia went down to the lobby and called her Aunt. She's quite scared to know their reaction would be. She knew that her family really treasure each other.

Du Anxing watched the young girl as she talked with her Aunt. Her small frame was visibly shaking that people couldn't help but stare at her for a moment. Sometimes she would stammer and sometimes she would bit her inner cheeks.

Her fist opened and closed nervously. There were a time when she would stayed silent listening to their conversation. Perhaps getting scolded?

But by the looks of it, it wasn't anything pleasant. After a long while, their conversation came into an end.

..........

When Eru woke up a week later, Thia decided to bring her home as per her Aunt request. Xing Hong Sheng rejected the idea saying that Eru wasn't in her best condition to be brought home.

As her mental welfare wasn't stable. So Eru decided to call her parent saying that she's staying because of her condition.

(A/N: you just didn't wanna leave your babe;-) )

At first they didn't agreed to her but after they talked, her parent allowed her to stay. Eru contacted her boss saying that she wasn't in a shape to work because of personal reason and that she would sent them a resignation letter.

The day of Thia's departure arrived and Eru wasn't there to send her off because she wasn't brave enough to leave the hospital room. So, Du Anxing accompanied Thia all the to the airport.

"Please take good care of my cousin. She might looked strong but she's also a woman at heart. There's always something that she couldn't do or solve alone. When that time comes, please support my cousin." was the last word she uttered to Xing Hong Sheng before leaving the hospital.

"What are you thinking?" Du Anxing asked when he caught her starting blankly into the space. "I was thinking about my daughter." she said nonchalantly. Du Anxing frowned a bit before easing his brows again.

"Daughter?" he asked. "En. My daughter. I got her when I was still in high school. I was a wild girl back then" she blurted out and stayed silent ever since. He thought that that experience wasn't something she could told some stranger so he didn't ask further.

When they parted ways, Thia uttered a small thank you and boarded the plane. While Eru on the other side stared at the blue sky thinking of her cousin. Deep inside she knew what her little cousin is thinking of but there's nothing she could do about it.

Even if she said that everything wasn't her fault and that it's completely okay, Thia would still blame herself. Instead of telling her cousin that she alright, she acted as if nothing happened and treated her like she always did.

"Don't think about it anymore. Don't strain your brain like that." A voice snapped Eru from her thought. Xing Hong Sheng stood upright on the doorway as he spoke.

Eru pouted a bit as she cast her head downward. That sight stunned the cold unfeeling man. He stood rooted on the floor trying to suppress his emotion.