Chanyeol was deep in thought, over new work proposals that he had been looking through all yesterday, when Kyungsoo and Kai nervously fumbled into the room. Chanyeol didn’t notice until Luhan announced their presence. Chanyeol turned to them and raised an eyebrow questioning as to why they were disturbing him when he was busy with work.

“Uh...we were just thinking that you should maybe think about letting Baekhyun go home for a while to let his friends know that he’s ok” Kyungsoo spilled. 

“You mean let her leave me?” Chanyeol asked, feeling rage fill him.

“N-not e-exactly. Maybe just for a day or so...” she trailed off seeing his unsettled face.

“What she meant to say was, we don’t want people who know her to worry and start asking unwanted questions as to what happened to her sudden disappearance. It would be a very troubling situation for you.” Kai finished. His sensible words left Chanyeol quite surprised at this new change. He’s been spending so much time with Kyungsoo lately. Maybe Kyungsoo is rubbing off on Kai, Chanyeol thought to himself then shook his head not wanting to think about that now.

As he was about to approve, a fear spread through Chanyeol. “But what if she doesn’t come back? No, i can’t risk that. I won’t allow it” Chanyeol said sternly. Luhan looked to the others then back to her master. 

“I understand you care for the girl but you must understand the situation you could be in. And i am sure that she would come back, master. You must be confident” she assured him.

“But what if she doesn’t. I don’t think i could last without her and i can’t stand the thought of her with anyone else. And to add to everything, i don’t even understand my own feelings. My heart is acting strange when she’s around and so many thoughts of unknown feelings worry me and-”

“Calm down master. You have to trust her and those strange things your feeling could be the beginning of something amazing.” But Chanyeol still stood firmly about not letting her leave with the fear of her not coming back.

                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening Baekhyun was wondering the halls when she came across the portrait of Chanyeols father. She stood there for a while admiring it before she remembered that Chanyeol had said that he was gone. Where did he go? she wondered.

“Mysterious, isn’t he?” Sehuns voice came from behind her. 

“What do you mean?”

“At first glance you see him as confident and charming but the more you look you notice that his gaze is too confident, even demanding and his charming-ness becomes nearly non-existent when you see the anger and objection in his eyes.” Sehun explained squinting at the painting slightly. Baekhyun looked even more closely and carefully at the portrait and noticed something negative about the man.

“I can see where Chanyeol gets his bad temper from” Baekhyun said trying to lift the mood. They shared a smile.

“He may have his fathers temper but i heard his mother was completely the opposite. Fairer then Snow White i believe were their exact words”

“By ‘their’ do you mean previous maids and butlers?”

“Yes. Everyone loved her but were scared of him” Sehun told her placing his hands in his pant pockets.

“But if they’re so different how-”

“How in the world did they end up together and so in-love? Supposedly there was a time when they were our age and he was a lot nicer and more carefree but then things changed after...” he trailed off, not sure if she should know.

“After what? Sehun, please”

“Well, Chanyeols mother and father were very much in love and so happy when they found out she was pregnant but just after he was born she died and he changed. I got a job here when i was five as a simple kitchen hand. I saw how cruel he was to Chanyeol” Baekhyun tried to think of Chanyeol as a small child getting scolded by his father for maybe talking when he wasn’t supposed to or accidentally knocking over a vase.

“Chanyeols mother died while giving birth to him, so, his father hates Chanyeol because he thinks his son killed his wife?” Baekhyun asked and Sehun nodded. That’s ridiculous, Baekhyun thought.

“But it wasn’t Chanyeols fault, i mean he was just a baby.” Baekhyun frowned.

“He was very strict and never showed Chanyeol any affection which is why Chanyeol has a huge defensive wall around him. But he passed away when Chanyeol was 6 and since then Chanyeol has been in charge.” Sehun ended. Baekhyun felt sorry towards Chanyeol for having to go through so much pain and hurt. Then a thought crossed her mind.

“But, if you worked in the kitchen how did your position change to taking care of me, i guess” she asked curiously, now no longer looking at the portrait.

“Chanyeol used to come into the kitchen when he was younger and eat lots of ice cream when he was upset. As the only other children in the mansion were Kyungsoo, Luhan, Kai and me, we just kind of all became close.” he gave a small smile.

                                               ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was such a lovely day outside as snowflakes lightly flitted down onto the white snow and a little stream of sunlight spotlighted birds that were singing wonderfully. Baekhyun had never seen a sight so beautiful before. 

The noise of someone clearing their throat made Baekhyun turn away. Chanyeol was standing next to Baekhyun with a sheepish smile on his face.

“Isn’t it a beautiful day” she said with a bright smile. Chanyeol looked outside and nodded in agreement.

“It is, but not as beautiful as you” he said, as pink blushed his cheeks. Baekhyun immediately felt warm and knew her face must have turned as red as a tomato at his sudden compliment. What was with his sudden confidence? Where did it come from? And why did he have to make my heart flutter all the time! she thought.

“T-thank you” Baekhyun stuttered, not being able to hide her shy smile.

“Actually i was wondering... well, hoping if you...would like to go to the gardens with me to feed the birds?” she asked. His smile faltered and turned into confusion and then suddenly he looked into her eyes disappointed. She didn’t understand. Did she say something wrong?

“No, i have come to a decision and i am enforcing that you will not leave this mansion. Not now. Not ever. Do you understand” he said with a stern face. Baekhyun was confused, a second ago he complimented her and now he was forbidding her from leaving the mansion.

“Well, technically i wouldn’t be leaving the mansion. The gardens are just-”

“I said NO” his temper was rising but so was Baekhyuns patience.

“Why can’t i leave?!”

“Because i said so. Now stop asking questions and go to your room!”

“No, you can’t force me, and you most certainly do not own me!” she said outraged.

“I can and i will! You are my prisoner and you will do as i please! NOW GO TO YOUR ROOM!” his voice boomed with anger and his words echoed off the silent walls. Baekhyun stood there tears brimmed in her eyes. Prisoner, was the one word that kept repeated itself in her mind. Is that all i am? A prisoner? she thought. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears spilled down her face and a shocked yet apologetic look fell upon his face. Before he could take back his words or say anything at all she ran past him. Once she got to her room she slammed the door behind her. Sehun was standing there looking confused as she ran over to him and hugged him, letting her tears fall from her ever watering eyes. When Sehun tried to ask what had happened she just shook her head not wanting to talk and letting even more tears and wails come.

                                           ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessica was once again outside Baekhyun house knocking on her door and trying to ring her phone which Baekhyun was once again not answering. “Where is she?” Jessica asked herself, worried. Baekhyun had been missing for days and Jessica had no idea where she was and didn’t know if she was hurt or not. 

There was only one option left. Jessica dialed the numbers 119 into her phone.

“Hello, this is the police department. What can i help you with?” the man on the other line said.

“Hello, my name is Jessica and my best friend has been missing for more than 48 hours” her voice was trembling and she was holding back her tears as best as she could. If the police couldn’t help then no one could. The thought of Baekhyun lost, hungry and cold made her worry even more.

“And what is your friends name, miss Jessica?”

“Her name is Byun Baekhyun.”