-Aerin’s POV-

My eyes flew open and the first thing I saw was a mahogany ceiling. I finally woke up from a slumber that felt like forever with the heavy pounding in my head as light flooded my vision. I blinked slowly, letting air fill my lungs as I shifted on the bed I was lying on. I slowly turned my head to the left and saw a glass wall that looked out into twinkling city lights. I stared at it for a while when suddenly, events before I lost consciousness filled my mind. I wasn’t supposed to be looking at city lights! My heart raced like hell hounds were after it when the idea that I was kidnapped flooded my mind. I sat up frantically, looking around me. The sight of a strange room filled my vision and I realized that I didn’t know where the hell I was.

I got up, not minding to look for shoes as I was barefoot and the first thing that came to mind was the door. I carefully crept towards it, seizing the knob as I thought of possible people who could have done this to me. I was suddenly worried about my mother. Did she have enemies I didn’t know of? What the hell was I doing in a strange room and why was I rendered unconscious?  Dread surged into me as I twisted the knob, swinging the door as noiselessly as I could. Thoughts of my mother and Sehun being tortured somewhere or asked for ransom made me break into cold sweat. I cocked my head out of the door, only to be met by a dimly lit room. It looked like a living room and by the looks of the sliding door at the east wall, I was at a penthouse.

No one was around, but I had to be very careful. I tiptoed out and thanked heavens that the entire floor was carpeted and that I didn’t have to worry about making a sound. I’ve figured that I had to figure out where I was first before I actually made my move. I went to the open door, the wind blowing past me as I neared it. I saw a glimmering pool from the threshold. I had to admit that it was breathtaking to look at the city lights.

Still, no one was around. I looked to my side and caught my reflection from the reflective glass. My eyes almost bugged out when I saw what I was wearing – red lace nighties that had an almost nonexistent strap, extending not even halfway down my thighs. What the hell? I don’t remember wearing them so I didn’t know who put them on me and stripped me bare before that. That was the least of my concerns. I didn’t know where I was and I didn’t have any sense of time.

Out of the blue, I felt a pair of hands seize me from behind, snaking their way around my waist. It was followed by a hot breath as that certain someone chuckled quietly, hugging me against him. I froze on the spot, not because I was afraid, but because of incredulity. I’ve already figured out who the person was behind me, but I couldn’t believe he would go to such extent as to scare me that way just so he could have his way around me. This was all an elaborate setup for the freaking weekend and he just went over the top.

“Like what you see?” he whispered against my bare shoulders.

Oh hell no! I turned around, ready to hurl a punch at him, but he held my hand fast. I glared at him as if condemning him to hell’s seventh circle. I was infuriated. He scared the hell out of me and I did all the worrying for nothing. I feared for my life, his and umma’s for a convoluted prank.

“Do like not, princess,” he drawled.

Without knowing it, tears fell from my eyes. I was so frustrated, but at the same time, I felt relief wash over me, knowing that both of them were safe…I was safe. It was the biggest scare I got in my life since appa’s death and he didn’t know how it felt like.

“Surprise~!” he said cheerfully, but I didn’t feel like laughing with him.

“OH SEHUN!” I yelled at him as hot tears flooded my cheeks. I wiped them away, sobbing like a stupid kid. I just felt so relieved.

His eyes widened as he took my arms. “Aerin-ah, what’s wrong?” he asked me gently with an edge of panic in his tone.

“I-I thought…I…you and umma…and-and there were these men…” my voice trailed off then. I just didn’t know what to say and my throat hurt so much from sobbing.

“You’re not making sense, you know.”

At that, my anger became fully realized. “Damn it, Sehun! You just gave me the fright of my life. Are you happy now?!” I lashed out on him and strode out of the hotel to the pool area, collapsing on one of the lounge chairs I saw as the tears fell uncontrollably. I just felt so angry that I couldn’t contain it all.

I felt him sit beside me, rubbing my back. “Aerin-ah, I’m so sorry.”

I jerked away and looked up at him, running my fingers through my hair agitatedly. “You’re sorry?” I stood up, staring him down. “Do you even know how close I was to thinking that I was about to die or suffer a damned fate because of this? I had every reason to think that I was kidnapped because some people might be coming after umma, not to mention you who will be dragged in all the trouble. Do you have any idea how it feels like to think that the people you hold dear are going to disappear and that you’ll be next?”

He tried to grab hold of my arm. “Calm down. You’re overreacting.”

I took a step back away from him. “NO! I’m not overreacting. That scene you’ve orchestrated at the school gate was real enough for me. Do you understand what I’m saying?” I was still in a state of panic.

He sighed. “I’m so sorry. I understand what you mean. I’m sorry for worrying you. I just wanted to surprise you. That’s all. I didn’t know you would react this way. I’m so sorry. Please don’t be mad anymore.”

I pinched the bridge of my noise, heaving a deep breath to calm myself down. I shook my head at him. “I’m not mad…just annoyed.”

“Are you sure? You looked like you were going to bite my head off.”

I smirked at him. “Don’t do that again, arasseo?”

He nodded solemnly and stretched his arms towards me, beckoning me over. “Come here.”

I stood right in front of him while he sat and he took my hands in his, gently rubbing the backs with his thumb. He then pulled me close, hugging my waist while he leaned his head against my stomach. I toyed with his hair, twirling my fingers through its softness. I stared out and realized that I still didn’t know where we were.

“What’s today?” I asked him.

“Still Friday.”

I shrugged, glancing down at his head. “I see. I thought I’ve been sleeping for days.”

He shook his head. “Just hours.”

“So where are we?”

He pulled back the moment I asked, taking one of my arms and slinging it around his shoulder as he pulled me down, making me sit on his lap. “Promise me something first.” He took my other hand and began planting kisses on my knuckles without taking his eyes off me. It literally made me shiver.

I pouted, covering it up. “What is it this time?” I demanded through clenched teeth. I just knew he was up to something drastic again.

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t freak out.”

“What? Why the hell should I freak out? Unless –”

“You’re already doing it.” He clucked his tongue, glancing at his side.

I tried to compose myself. “No, I’m not.”

“Just promise me.”

I nodded, taking in a deep breath, detaining the air inside my lungs. “Okay.” I let out my breath and eyed him sternly. “Where are we?”

“We’re in…Macau.”

“Macau…Oh okay.” I nodded then his words sank in. “MACAU?!” I stood up with wide eyes. What the hell were we doing in Macau? “We’re in China?”

He nodded calmly.

“What the hell possessed you to go to such extent? What are we doing one thousand three hundred miles away from Seoul? Are you nuts?” I ranted on.

He arched a brow at me. “You know the distance between Seoul and Macau? That’s amazing.”

I made a face at him. “What’s amazing about that, Sehun?! We’re out of the country for the weekend? Do you have loose bolts in you?”

He shook his head and stood up. “Uh-uh! You promised you won’t freak out.”

“You’re telling me not freak out? Does umma even know where we are?”

He nodded, showing his pearly whites as he grinned. “She’s in on it.”

My hand flew to my forehead as I thought about it. “I’m going to kill you both.”

“That’s really nice.”

I smiled sarcastically at him. “How long are we here for?”

“Uh…Five days.”

“Five days?! We have school to attend to in case you’ve lost all your sense of time.”

He made a face. “Come on. Do you think I didn’t arrange that as well?”

“That’s beside the point,” I told him through clenched teeth. I shut my eyes for a few seconds, trying to calm down, but I couldn’t. Instead of yelling at him the whole night, I just de