20XX

“Sehun-ah, we’re expecting you to be there.”

Sehun was facing the mirror, he was in the process of straightening his tie, his mother had been lecturing him for about ten minutes, her voice was echoing from his phone’s speakers.

“Yes, eomma. We’ll be there. I already spoke with Jongin, so you don’t have to call auntie.” Sehun sighed, he picked up his custom-made Versace coat and put it on.

“Of course we have to call you boys, you never listen and love creating headaches.” She nagged again, Sehun winced.

“Eomma, I’ll see you there. Take care.” Sehun said, his mother grunted and the line went dead. He grinned to himself before picking up his phone and sliding it in his pocket, he stepped out of the room and found Kai already dressed for the party, he was lounging on the sofa, listlessly watching a basketball game rerun.

“I’m not really up for this ribbon cutting thing, it’s always the same people.” Kai rolled his eyes as his friend joined him, Sehun exhaled and leaned back on the soft leather seat.

“Then, don’t go then.” Sehun’s reply was simple, Kai smirked and turned his attention to the male.

“You’ve already made your mind, huh?”

“I’ll see you there. The usual.” Sehun stood up, he grabbed his car keys, Kai whistled and leapt up from the sofa.

“I knew I could count on you, Oh Sehun.”

“You were just looking for an excuse not to be there, Kai.”

“At least we’ll get yelled at together.” Kai joked as they left their unit.

Chaewon sighed as she stepped out of her room, she was already dressed for bed when she heard loud bangs coming from downstairs. She headed down to her brother’s study and stopped outside the doors.

“You come here disturbing us just to tell me to back off? What are you thinking, abeoji?”

Chaewon pressed herself against the wall and exhaled.

“Son, please~”

“Don’t even try to explain. Your woman barged into the office and harassed our mother. You can’t cover that up. I wont let you.” Her brother’s tone was arctic.

“Just let me talk to your mother, please.”

“Get out, abeoji.”

“Son~”

“Since this is my house, I can ask you to do that. Please, leave. We don’t want to see you”

“Is Chaewon~”

“Don’t bother her, you’ve already done enough.”

Chaewon ran back for her room while holding back her tears. She winced as she tripped on her way up, and she knew, she just knew that her father heard her on his way out.

“Chae-Chaewon-ah!” He called for her, she pulled herself up and didn’t look back.

“Chae~”

“Just leave, appa.” She said without turning back and went straight for her room. She shut the doors close and went straight for her bed, she leaned back on the headboard and closed her eyes.

“Hey,” She heard her brother’s voice, she looked up and saw him standing by the doors.

“You okay?” He asked her, Chaewon swallowed and nodded back, he exhaled and walked towards her.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Oppa…things won’t be the same, huh?” She stammered, she saw how he paused, he was also confused himself.

“I’ll think of a way, you have exams tomorrow, go to sleep.” He said as he cupped her cheek.

“I’m really sorry that this happened, oppa. But eomma…eomma’s hurting.”

“I know, pumpkin. Oppa will fix this, go to bed.” He said before standing up and stepping out of her room.

“What’s this? You’re actually out here with the masses.”

Sehun looked up from his drink, his friend had joined him at the bar.

“The room was getting too crowded, Kai has his girls over.” He said simply as he took a long swing of his beer.

“And, of course, you have no interest in them or whatsoever.” His friend said with a roll of his eyes, he noticed the two females who were eyeing Sehun from across the bar.

But Sehun didn’t even glance at them, he just kept his eyes straight on the DJ’s booth, looking uninterested and bored.

“I thought you and Kai had other plans for tonight, he did mention you might cancel coming here.”

“It was some formal party, I decided to ditch, he followed.”

“Of course, you rich brats do whatever you want whenever you feel like it.”

Sehun didn’t react, he leaned back on his seat. He noticed his friend stepping out from their private room with a huge grin on his face.

“Your phone’s off again?” Kai asked as he reached him, Sehun took out the device from his coat pocket and checked it.

“It’s dead. Why?”

“Your mother just called, no, our mothers just called.”

Sehun shook his head and finished his beer.

“The ribbon’s cutting in a few minutes, we should get there.”

“You reek of alcohol, Kai.” Their friend commented, Sehun slid down from the stool and tossed Kai’s coat to him.

“Sehun’s driving then.” Kai chuckled as he tucked his shirt back in his pants and jogged after his friend.

Chaewon picked up her fork and stared at her mother’s empty seat, she diverted her gaze as soon as her sister-in-law sat beside her.

“Hey, you okay?” Hyebin asked as she placed her hand over the girl’s.

“I’m fine, unnie. Is oppa late?”

“No, he just has some calls to make. Let’s start.” Hyebin said with a smile as she poured some coffee on her cup.

“What’s going to happen, unnie? Eomma disappeared, I checked with the airport yesterday, she’s still in the country.” Chaewon said, worry was etched on her face.

“But Tokyo isn’t exactly easy to search on, unnie. I’m worried.”

Hyebin frowned and looked at her.

“Eommonim will be back to us soon, I’m sure she’s safe, she just needs some time alone.”

Chaewon was about to pick up her fork again but her brother walked in the room, she looked at him.

“I just got a call, eomma’s in Seoul. Her flight just arrived this morning.”

Chaewon paused and then a wave of relief washed through her, Hyebin let out a sigh and nodded.

“She’s now with her side of the family, she sent me an email too.”

“What did she say?” Hyebin asked, Chaewon looked at her brother expectantly.

“She wants us to join her there.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++