Love Contract novel Chapter 9

Frank's apartment was as warm and homey as it had always been.

The pictures on the wall showed happier times when the sun always seemed to shine on them.

Their youth had frozen in time. They had been so innocent then.

William always found himself drawn to this wall whenever he was around, reminiscing on their younger years. And on Sansa Liang.

"You really miss my sister, don't you? The first thing you always do here is stare at those photos," Frank said with a wan smile, coming up behind him.

"I can't help it. Memory is a fickle thing." William smiled sadly to himself. He tore his gaze from the wall. He turned to find Frank looking at him with puppy-dog eyes.

"Stay with me for the night?" Frank always wheedled at William like a spoiled child whenever he came by.

William chuckled and mussed Frank's hair affectionately. "I just want to spend some time with your sister now. Next time, I'm all yours. I promise." Frank pouted but nodded begrudgingly. He stepped aside and motioned for William to enter his sister's room. Five years had passed. William and Frank had had the same exchange every time.

William plopped down on Sansa's bed, closed his eyes, and immediately felt himself relax. He always felt better resting here.

William let his mind wander off to his memories with Sansa, Frank's twin sister.

It was Frank who William became friends with first. They were so close they hid nothing from each other. Their little circle, of course, soon came to include Sansa. As Frank's protective sister, she was never far away, always there to disturb Frank and eventually, William, too.

"William! What are you still doing here? Frank failed the exams! Go cheer him up!" A huffy Sansa stood in front of William, hands planted on her hips.

William continued to lie on the sofa, completely unhurried. He looked up at Sansa and smirked. "No, thanks."

Sansa widened her eyes at him menacingly. "I'm not asking! Get a move on! Or else, I'll make sure you never get up from there again!"

Sansa began swinging a mop threateningly at William. "Whoa, wait! Stop!" William shouted as he jumped up off the sofa and started scrambling away. "I swear I'll hit you back even if you're a girl! Don't make me!"

"Really, now? I'd like to see you try! Come back here!" Sansa began to chase after William with the mop.

Both of them ended up looking pretty roughed up half an hour later.

But Sansa was finally able to drag William to Frank, who had remained morose in his bedroom the whole time. When Sansa and William barged in, Frank did a double-take at their disheveled state.

"What happened to you guys?! Are you okay?"

William wiped the corner of his bleeding mouth and Sansa smoothened her wrinkled clothes, before stubbornly pronouncing "Nothing! I'm fine! " in unison.

William couldn't remember when he began to notice that Frank had feelings for him. But by then, he had also already fallen in love with Sansa. It was a complicated situation.

"I'm in love with you, Sansa. Be with me." An eighteen-year-old William stood in front of Sansa nervously, finally able to confess his long-kept feelings.

Sansa just shook her head. "I don't like you that way, and no, I can't be your girlfriend," she said firmly. "Frank is in love with you."

William threw his hands up exasperatedly. "But I don't feel the same for him. He's like a brother to me." "Besides," he continued, "he's a guy!" William had his pride even at eighteen.

"And so what of it? Give him a chance!" Sansa insisted.

"Why don't you give me a chance, then?" William countered.

"I..." Sansa had no ready response to that. She bit her lips and took a deep breath to steady herself. "Look. Frank and I, we don't have a mom. We have had only each other since childhood. I'm his sister, and I will always, always look after him. I would never do anything to hurt him. That's why I can never like you."

William remained silent as Sansa's words sunk in. After a long pause, he began to speak slowly. "It's okay. It's okay if you don't return my feelings. Just let me stay by your side." William looked pleadingly at Sansa. "We can look after Frank together."

But Sansa shook her head. "It will still hurt him just to see us together."

William shook his head and barked out a bitter laugh. "You only think about his feelings. What about me? I'm also hurting. But I guess you couldn't care less, huh?"

William stormed out of the room and slammed the door after him. Bang!

At the sound, Sansa finally allowed herself to break down crying.