He just never came back. No knock on the door, nothing. At first we never suspected anything because Luhan does that. Luhan comes back late after a night out and randomly shows up somewhere, like at home or in the office. Once he even met my mother at the mall in the women’s lingerie section. Mom get a heart attack when she saw her son checking out pink bras.

                But to disappear unannounced? That wasn’t quite like him. Luhan would never say “I’ll fix the fireworks and never come back.” It’s like saying “I’ll fix the toaster” and dying afterwards.

                Mom was hysterical, Dad was furious and I was worried. Tao stayed the night with me and he was kind of like the glue trying to hold us down. The press conference announcing Dad’s retirement was starting in 2 hours and Luhan had not returned. This was really not like him. Luhan would never be late on purpose, especially work related.

                “We have to call the police, do something Weiming!” Mom grabbed Dad and shook him as hard as she could. Dad pried her off him and sighed.

                “The police will not attend to this unless Luhan has been missing for 24 hours. Maybe he’s just late, and he better be or else I will kill him.”

                “What do we do Dad?” I asked him.

                “The press conference will go on as scheduled. I will just explain that Luhan is not present.”

                “Wouldn’t it look bad in the papers if the future president and CEO of EXO Corporation doesn’t show up?”

                “So what if it does? It’s too late now isn’t it?” Dad rolled his eyes. “Your mother and Tao will wait here just in case he returns. You and I will go straight to the venue, and keep all of your phones on. He may call us.”

                “I still can’t get through to him. The phone is ringing but no one is picking up.”

                “If I know that boy well he’s probably knocked out somewhere at the back of some cheesy club lying in a garbage truck with his phone stolen.” Dad grabbed his coat and pulled my arm. “Let’s go son.”

                “But Dad…Luhan…”

                “Let’s GO.”

                I didn’t want to go anywhere without Luhan and I certainly didn’t want to be anointed CEO without him either. Something was pulling in me as we sat in the car. I couldn’t help thinking of Luhan’s last words and the way he looked before he left. Sure, call it dismal thinking and Dad was pretty confident that Luhan would return.

                So why was it that I couldn’t be the same?

                The press conference went as scheduled. Dad announced his retirement and I took my place on the podium to deliver my speech. God I have practiced this so much I knew the speech like the back of my hand.

                “My brother and I are honoured to have risen up to the challenge to take this position. We will continue the family name and take this company to new heights.”

                No questions were allowed and in 1 hour we were all dismissed. I checked my phone over and over again. Nothing.

                Lunch was at home. Chef Yoon made us pea soup. Nothing.

                I had a meeting at 4 to formally introduce myself to the board of directors. Shook a few hands, complimented on their looks, smiled graciously blah blah blah. Nothing.

                Went back in the limo. Nothing.

                Took Tao out to dinner. He was dressed in a gorgeous pastel blue dress shirt and his eyes are beautiful. He smelled great too. Still nothing.

                Arrived home to find my mother crying (still) and my father dousing himself in whisky. Nothing.

                “Can we please call the police now?!” I begged my parents. “If you don’t do something then I will.”

                “Give it another hour Kris.” My dad replied gruffly. “He will be home soon. I know my son.”

                Another hour passed and still nothing. My mother was too weak to call so I did. And I also learnt that my father did not know his son at all.

A/N: This is a double update so read this one first!!