Duizhang: I got called in unexpectedly. I'll be home in time to take you and your friends out for dinner. Lu-ge has the keys to the house and said he will meet you guys at at the airport in my place. Make yourself at home, but please, stay out of my room. You know which room is mine. 
 

Duizhang: Also, I am not doing this on purpose. I'll make it up to you next time I swear.
 

Duizhang: P.S. I am happy your coming home. See you this evening.

Shixun looked down at the messages with a disappointed expression. Their plane had just landed and he had turned his phone back on to see older brother had left messages while they were in the air. He was about to reply to the messages when he felt a gentle squeeze on his thigh and he looked up to see Minseok was looking at him with a concern look.
 

"Is everything okay Sehun?" Minseok asked carefully as he watched his boyfriend/fiancé tuck his phone back in his pocket.
 

"Ge said he got called into work," mumbled Sehun, staring down at his hands, "Our friend Luhan ge is picking us up."
 

"I thought you said he got a day off today?" inquired Minseok as he grabbed the backpack he brought on the plane and hugged it to his chest, feeling sad by Sehun's unhappy expression.
 

"He told me he did," sighed Sehun, grabbing the leather pouch from the small table in front of him tucking his tablet back inside it with his headphones, "But things came up. He did say he will be back before dinner, he's taking us out to eat."
 

"That was nice of him." said Minseok optimistically, scooting forward and sliding the bag straps over his shoulders and sitting back in his seat. "It’s not as bad as it seems, baby, so cheer up."
 

"I just," sighed Sehun once again, running his fingers through his sandy brown hair, "I just really wanted to see him when we landed, is all."
 

"Patience is a virtue my love," smiled Minseok warmly as he reached across and intertwined their fingers. "And absence makes the heart grow fonder."
 

Sehun made a sound of agreement and stood up from his seat and pulled Minseok along with him as their row got ready to exit the plane.

Pushing his shorter finance in front of him, Sehun nudged them down the aisle and out of the compact plane. They were finally outside walking to the nearby terminal when they both jumped in confusion because of a huge commotion behind them, followed by several people shouting out in terror.
 

"I am so sorry!" exclaimed an upset voice "I didn't even notice the stairs were that close and I lost my footing. Are you hurt sir?"
 

"We forgot about our walking hazard," muttered Sehun as he turned around slowly and saw his friend helping a middle aged man back on his feet while trying to pull his backpack over his shoulder.
 

"Oh right," said Minseok halfheartedly as he turned around and waved down their friend with a patient smile, "Chanyeol, here!"
 

"There you guys are!" sighed Chanyeol in relief, stumbling over to the couple, "I thought for sure I was on the wrong plane when I didn't see you guys exit the same time I did!"
 

"Sorry about that hyung," apologized Sehun smiling at his loud friend "We got caught up talking and—"
 

"Yeah, yeah, I know," interrupted Chanyeol waving off Sehun's words with a smile, "happens all the time, I'm used to it."
 

"Sorry about that too," grinned Sehun turning around and grabbing his boyfriends hand, leading them away from the plane to the inside terminal. "C'mon, if I don’t know better, my Lu-ge is already waiting for us by the baggage claim."

YiFan finally got time to catch his breath from a hectic work load and was standing alone in the empty alley way leaning up against a pile of plastic crates, inhaling deeply through his nose trying to will the on coming headache away that had been gnawing at his temple for the past two hours since he had arrived at work. 
 

"Four more hours to go," muttered YiFan to himself, applying pressure to the left side of his temple "You can do this man, you can do this."
 

Groaning under his breath, YiFan squatted down to the ground and stayed in that position for several minutes before rising to his normal posture and pulled out his phone wondering if Shixun or Luhan had tried calling or texting him. He unlocked his phone and saw three messages from his brother and two missed calls from both Shixun and Luhan. Glancing down at his clock and realizing he had a few more minutes to spare, he opened up the messages and read them.
 

Stupid little brother: Ge, we made it to the house. You need to seriously upgrade the living room. Kidding. 
 

Stupid little brother: So...don't be alarmed but my friend accidently walked into your room...annnd he may or may not have, broken a lamp. Why do you keep a lamp right by the door?
 

Stupid little brother: Is there a music store nearby within walking distance? My friend snapped one of his guitar strings and wants to find a replacement. 
 

YiFan scowled in disapproval at the messages and decided not to send a message back just yet, he will ask his coworker about that information about a music store when he got back inside. He closed his message app and decided to listen in on the voice mails his brother and friend left him.

You have two new messages. 

First message sent at 9:56 AM. Sent by 'Annoying Deer' -beep-: Yo, yo, YiFan-ah. I got your little brother and his faithful companions. Dude, his boyfriend is like the cutest thing, you have to meet him! His other friend is...hahaha, dude he is a trip. I think you will have 'fun' talking to that guy. I certainly did. Anyway, I just dropped them off at the house for you. You're welcome by the way. Talk to you later. Oh! Remember to be nice. Shixun's friends are good guys.
 

Second message sent at 11:32 AM. Sent by 'Stupid little brother -beep-:  Hey listen, ignore my last text. My friend; Chanyeol, decided to just 'wing' it and go off and look for a music shop on his own. Ge...Chanyeol isn't exactly one of those dudes that have a compass embedded in his DNA. So, I sent him in the direction of the 'Galaxy', I know he won't get too lost if there's a familiar place for him to run to if he needs it. Just in case he does get as far as the 'Galaxy' be on the lookout for a tall guy, dark brown hair, backwards cap, looking like a lost puppy carrying a guitar case. If he shows up in your area, please be nice and keep him till we meet for dinner. I'm going to take a nap now, later ge.
 

"Great," muttered YiFan to himself, rubbing his temple again when he felt a sharp pain suddenly attack him "Just great."
 

"Duizhang!" came a shout a panicked voice suddenly "You're needed in the front!"
 

"Coming." said YiFan in a tired voice. Tucking his phone back into his back pocket, straightening out his black button up shirt and brushing his hair out of his eyes, YiFan shook his head and walked back to the door and disappeared inside.
 

"Aw man!" sighed Chanyeol sadly, staring up at the crowded street with dread "this isn't the way back either."
 

Chanyeol had been wandering the streets for the past few hours trying to find his way back to Sehun's house, and had once again ended up in a different street that didn't look familiar. When he first started his journey he was confident that he wouldn't get lost, but now facing yet another different dead end his confidence was now wavering like a fluttering leaf on a cool autumn day. 
 

"Alright," muttered Chanyeol to himself, hoisting his guitar strap over his shoulders, "You’re not lost Chanyeol, you're just taking an unexpected journey into the urban wilderness." he nodded his head and clenched his fist. "Right. I'm not lost; I know exactly where I am!"
 

Chanyeol looked around nervously and tried to locate a welcoming and nice face in the crowd who could be kind enough to offer him directions. 
 

All he got was strange stares and nervous glances whenever he tried to approach someone and ask for directions. He managed to ask a nice old lady if she could help, but mentally kicked himself when he realized he didn't even know what street the house was located on. After politely declining to purchase some green onions from her, Chanyeol left the busy street corner with a bowed head and found a deserted bench in the middle of the busy park and sat down, taking off his guitar case and hugging it close to his chest. 
 

He couldn't help but stick out his lower lip in a pout as he stared down at the clean sidewalk, thinking hard. Chanyeol knew now he should have waited at the house till Sehun got a text or call back from his big brother about where the nearest music store was like Sehun had said he would. He also should have asked what the house address was just in case (god forbid) he got lost and needed to find his way back. But all logical reason flew out the window when he started to get antsy and nervous from being around Sehun and Minseok. 
 

Don't get Chanyeol wrong, he loved his hyung and said hyung’s loveable boyfriend Sehun—it was just unnerving being around them for long periods of time. The couple could be overwhelming with the love and affection they had for each other. In Chanyeol's opinion, it was like watching two magnets gravitating toward each other with their love and watching them felt so intrusive. The way the couple displayed their affection toward each other always felt private to Chanyeol and he had to find the nearest exit so he couldn't intrude on their love. 
 

Chanyeol was very envious of what they had, however, like the way he was envious of all his friends who were fortunate to find their 'red string of fate' partners. He wanted something like that, a person he could call his own and be able to feel that much love for them the same way Minseok and Sehun loved each other. 
 

Chanyeol sighed and stared down at his hands and thumbed his pinky longingly, wishing that there was a red line on his finger the same way it was for everyone he knew that had found their soul mate. His pinky looked bare and lonely. 
 

Shaking his head and clearing his throat, Chanyeol busied his hands and averted his thoughts from his depressing nonexistent love life and thought about more important things: like applying the new nylon string he got for his guitar.
 

"Okay, happy thoughts!" he said to himself with a smile as he laid his guitar case over his lap and ped it. "My baby needs a new string on her!"
 

Pulling the beautifully crafted guitar out of its black case, the optimistic young man placed the guitar case carefully on the ground below him and laid the instrument over his thighs and began to busy himself with applying the string onto his guitar. Chanyeol hummed under his breath, getting lost in his own little world. After the new string was on, he lightly strummed his fingers delicately over the strings, closing his eyes in pleasure at the soft notes it played. Straightening up in his seat, he placed his long fingers along the neck of the dark wood and pressed his finger tips down on the metal strings and with his other hand he gently strummed the base of the guitar strings and started to play a song that he knew by heart. 
 

As Chanyeol continued to play his sad disposition began to disappear and delight soon replaced that; Chanyeol couldn't help but play a little more loudly and sing out loud causing a few onlookers to stop and stare at him. Before long there was a little crowd around him as he kept singing without a care in the world.
 

"'Cause everytime I close my eyes," sang Chanyeol, closing his eyes "I see my name in shining lights."
 

Chanyeol got lost in the music and wasn't aware that people were dropping bills into his guitar case till after the song was over and he snapped out of his reverie. He blushed in embarrassment when people started to clap and compliment him on his playing and singing.

Feeling bashful, Chanyeol swiftly (yet gently) he put his guitar back into its case and rose from his seat, bowing to everyone in gratitude.

Hoisting his case back on his back, Chanyeol started walking through the park, continuing on his journey to find his way back to the house.

"Alright," said YiFan matter-of-factly as he faced his employees, "the boxes on the right go in the back with the rest of inventory, the center ones in the white crates are to be shelved with our previous stock in the bar, these boxes to the left take them to the office, I'll sort them out myself." He clapped his hands gestured for the rest to start moving, "Okay guys, the sooner we get this stuff out of the way, the sooner we can get back on schedule. Back to work!"

YiFan watched closely as his employees started to move about picking up boxes and disappearing from the lounge area. Turning his back from the pile of delivered goods, YiFan started to rub his temple again as another sharp pain hit him while he spoke. The scraping on the floor caused him to inwardly groan and he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes when he felt a small tap on his shoulder and turned his head to the side and saw a small orange cylinder bottle. YiFan looked behind the bottle and saw his business partner smiling gently, pushing the vial into his hands, telling him to take an aspirin before he started seeing double from his headache before he walked away humming to himself, picking up the boxes that were suppose to be taken to the office to be sorted. Nodding his head at the receding back that disappeared down a lowly lit hallway, Yifan opened the bottle and popped two aspirins into his mouth and went about his business as usual.

Chanyeol breathed a sigh of relief when the cool blow of the AC hit him square in the face, cooling him down. He took a step forward and raised his arms up to let the air flow around him with a smile. 
 

Chanyeol had walked around the corner away from the park and saw a building across from where he was with an eye catching sign that said 'Galaxy. Wine and Spirits Bar.' Before he had left the house he remembered Sehun telling him something about a 'Galaxy', he wasn't sure if it was about this bar in particular but he thought there wasn't a lot of places around here called 'Galaxy'. Chanyeol looked around the dimly lit bar and saw there was hardly anyone here except for a couple sitting in the corner with drinks in front of them talking amongst themselves, a few workers wandering around cleaning and moving things around. He saw a piano and a stage with a microphone and a drum set at the far end of the bar, right in the center. 
 

"This is rather nice," he muttered to himself as he walked over to the bar area and sat down, resting his guitar case up against the empty stool next to his.
 

As he was busy fiddling with a table coaster in his hands, a hand came and snatched the coaster from his fingers and slowly pulled Chanyeol's attention from the table, smiling when Chanyeol looked him the face.
 

"Been waiting long sir?" asked the stranger.
 

"Uh," stuttered Chanyeol, feeling a little shy by the bartenders dimpled smile, "not, really, no."
 

The bartender and the lost tourist shook hands and politely exchanged pleasantries with one another while the bartender, who introduced himself as Yixing, poured him his drink. Chanyeol took the glass from YIxing and took a small sip and smiled at the taste. Tasted just like apples. Seeing the customer's smile of approval, Yixing patted the table before excusing himself. Chanyeol nodded his head and started to hum to himself while taking another drink from his glass. 
 

His right hand slipped into his jean pocket and he pulled out his phone and started to browse through his apps, hoping to find something to occupy his mind when he felt something sticking to the back of his phone. Turning his phone around, Chanyeol spit out his drink and shouted in protest when he saw a sticky note on the back of his phone that said: If lost return to Sehun and Minseok. And an address written in Mandarin that he couldn't understand was scribbled underneath the note.
 

"Those jerks!" grumbled Chanyeol feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. 
 

An idea struck him and he quickly pulled off his jacket and turned it around in case there was another note on it. Because you never could be too careful with those two when they decided gang up and .
 

"Ah, so they didn't bother to write 'kick me I'm stupid' to go along with the lost and found note," muttered Chanyeol laying his jacket over his guitar case and resting his elbows on the bar table, picking his glass up again and raising it to his lips.

YiFan was flipping through his record books when he felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. Not bothering to see who it was that was calling, he slid his finger across the screen and raised the device to his ear.
 

"Yeah," he said under his breath, turning the page of the book, eyes scanning through the entries.
 

"I was wondering if we could just meet you down at the bar right now before we go to dinner?" asked Shixun, in a slight nonchalant voice, as if implying it wasn't a big deal if his brother said no, but was still hopeful.
 

YiFan smiled into the phone and scribbled down on the blank line of the book, entering the date and time as well as the delivery before he closed the book with a loud noise, causing some papers to fly up from the impact.
 

"The three of you?" asked YiFan as he capped his pen and put it back in the cup on his desk. "Did your friend make it back to the house by himself?"
 

"Uh," said Shixun dazed slightly, "Oh, you mean Chanyeol." snapping his fingers through the other line.
 

"You seriously forgot about him?" inquired YiFan, shaking his head "I thought he was your 'best man'."
 

"I have been preoccupied." replied Shixun quietly
 

"Ew." said YiFan in a disapproving voice, "But did he make it back to the house right?"
 

There was a pause and some shuffling before Shixun spoke again and by then Yixing had walked in with a smile and rose a finger to his lips smiling and tiptoed to the desk and picked up the records book and silently walked back out.
 

"Okay, no, he's not back." muttered Shixun breathing out heavily "I just checked his room and he's not there."
 

"Did you check the rest of the house?" asked YiFan ing his first two buttons of his black shirt, leaning back into his chair "I mean he could be taking a nap somewhere."
 

"Trust me, I would know if he was," said Shixun anxiously, "the guy is hard to miss."
 

"Your friend sounds like he stands out, “commented YiFan. "How can you misplace him?"
 

"I should have taken it as a red flag when I realized how quiet it was around here." muttered Shixun, sighing ignoring his brother's question

"Did he manage to make it down to the 'Galaxy'?"
 

"I've been in the office all day," replied YiFan, running his fingers through his golden blond hair.
 

There was uncomfortable silence on the other end and YiFan quickly jumped up from his seat, straightening up his shirt and rolled up his sleeves, feeling worried about his brother not speaking. If there was one thing YiFan couldn't stand about his brother is when he was quiet because of him. 
 

"It's actually my turn to run the bar right now," said YiFan quickly, "I'll ask Yixing if he has seen your friend and if he hasn't, I'll be on the look out for him okay?"
 

"I really hope he isn't 'lost' lost out there," mumbled Shixun "His phone is out of service here so I have no way of getting hold of him."
 

"Man, your friend sounds like a pain the ," muttered YiFan under his breath as he folded his sleeves up his arms.
 

"He has his moments," defended Shixun, "I did write the address on the back of his phone but, he hardly uses it when he is out."
 

"Calm down. You sound like a mother," retorted YiFan, walking across the small office and opening the door, "I'll call if I see him okay?"
 

"Okay ge," sighed Shixun, "remember, his name is Chanyeol. He's tall, wearing a backwards cap, dark brown hair, and he's carrying a black guitar case."
 

"Got it." said YiFan with a nod. "Don't worry, if I see him I'll keep him around till you and your other friend get here."
 

"Minseok is not just a friend. He's my fiancé, ge," said Shixun in mild frustration.
 

"Sure, sure." replied YiFan, hanging up his phone and walking into the lounge area of the bar.
 

"Wow!" said Chanyeol in awe as he stared at the empty space in front of him while standing next to Yixing who was smiling in approval.
 

"Yeah, I know." nodded Yixing "This was actually a run down coffee shop before me and my buddy transformed it into the glorious watering hole that it is now."
 

"Awesome," breathed Chanyeol, reaching out and grasping the microphone thoughtfully, "I work at a coffee shop back in Seoul."
 

"Is that so?" asked Yixing staring at the taller male curiously.
 

"Yeah, me and couple of my college friends help run it with our lame boss Joonmyun." nodded Chanyeol, adjusting the mic stand unconsciously to raise it up to his height.
 

"Are you a singer perhaps?" asked Yixing tilting his head upwards
 

"Of sorts," mumbled Chanyeol "I'm studying music entrepreneurship...wow that sounds incredibly fake." he laughed nervously rubbing the back of his head.
 

"Eh, to each to their own," smiled Yixing, "I was studying liberal arts before I found my real calling. Bartending!" he said with a barking laugh.
 

"Yixing!" came a curt shout, making them perk up.
 

"That would be the 'Duizhang'," said Yixing slightly uneasy, stepping off the low-raised staged.
 

"I should probably get down too, huh?" said Chanyeol nervously; bumping the microphone with is shoulder.
 

"You can if you want," said Yixing shrugging. "Or just, fiddle around with what's on the stage. We won't be using this part of the bar till this evening."
 

"I'll try not to make too much noise," smiled Chanyeol.
 

"Do your thing Chanyeol," smiled Yixing.
 

"Yixing!" 
 

"I gotta go."
 

Chanyeol watched as the nice bartender quickly jogged around the empty tables and up the stairs disappearing around the island bar to where a tall figure was standing just beyond Chanyeol's line of sight. Chanyeol tried to lean forward more to see what this 'Duizhang' looked like, because he sounded really mean—well, for a boss anyway. He could see a truffle of golden blonde hair but that was all before his vision went askew and he went crashing to the ground, taking the microphone and his guitar case landing on switch bar causing several of the lighting on the stage to splash the whole floor with a variety of colors ranging from deep sea blue to bright red.

Several things happened all at one single moment it took for Chanyeol to fall from the stage and onto the wooden floor below:
 

One.
 

Sehun and Minseok had walked into the bar, hand in hand, looking around frantically for their good friend. Sehun closed his eyes in disdain as he saw Chanyeol's arms waving in the air as he cried out. Minseok had let go of his fiancé’s hand to cover his mouth in horror as his eyes landed on Chanyeol.
 

Two.
 

Yixing was trying about ready to reply to YiFan's question about whether he had seen a tall guy with a backwards cap when there was a loud crash from the stage where he left Chanyeol at and he whipped around and saw the poor guy fall in slow motion. His eyes darted to his business partner and saw YiFan's eyes widen in horror at the catastrophe. Yixing reached out and tried to direct the blonds attention back to him, but failed when YiFan hissed loudly and grabbed the side of his temple in pain before he fainted to the condense space that served as the floor inside the bar.
 

Three.
 

As Chanyeol fell from the stage, he managed to hit the sharp end of the seat of a wooden chair nearby, knocking him out from the impact. Before he passed out his vision went red from the lights above him. Or was it?
 

"Duizhang!"
 

"Chanyeol!"
 

"Ge!"