Chapter 34: Start 1.2

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 [Tao’s Point of View]

I tiredly took a sip on my strawberry shake, carelessly playing with the slice of strawberry cake with the fork. I sighed; last night was hectic and hell. Luhan couldn’t stop bothering me with damn questions asking me that and that, blah blah blah.

I told him everything that there is to be known because sooner or later, he’ll find out anyways. I told him about how Kris and I met each other and how we see each other the past few days, unexpectedly or planned.

And to my shock, Luhan only blinked, he didn’t even shout at me or yelled for coming with a stranger and such. He’s usually protective over me and hearing when I go out with some stranger, he usually scolds me and others because he says that they are bad.

Yeah, like a mother-how wonderful-no, it’s not.

After hearing no response for over a minute, I planned to drag him outside when he asked me if the person that I met Kris. I told him that I indeed met Kris and instead of hearing his scolding that I was waiting for, he gave me a hearty chuckle instead.

I’m surprised, really.

I was confused, way beyond confused for my liking, but how the hell must I react? Happy that he didn’t scold me? Nah, that’s just plain weird. That would only happen when it’s the end of the world, believe me.

I asked him why he isn’t scolding and then to my shock and surprise, Luhan stated that he knows Kris and that he doesn’t need to worry about my being with his care because he could fully trust Kris being with me. I was shocked, okay? Dumbfounded to the core that Luhan actually knew Kris, but I was relieved that Luhan and Kris knows each other making me know that I could trust Kris fully unlike others.

I don’t trust people easily after the incident with my parents back then, kicking me out from the house, their own blood being kicked out, how wonderful, huh? Yeah, that’s the time when I don’t have anyone and don’t have anything with me. I was cold to the world, angry yet sad and lonely because I was all alone. I hate being alone, to be truthful. I hate being alone in this world where I know that no one will be by my side to comfort me, laugh with me and stay by my side.

But somehow, heavens love me because I met Luhan. I was sitting on the ground, soaked under the rain. It was probably my third day at the street, hungry and worn out. I was sitting, trying to think through things if I would accept the proposal of my father of taking the company but the fact that I don’t like business, completely makes it hard for me to decide at that time.

But then, Luhan came. It was kind of funny when I first look at him that I concluded him pitying me. He was looking down at me, his brown hue eyes staring at me, at my soul and for a moment I was scared. He looks so cold, majestic and untouchable that I almost cowered for a moment, but my pride and self refused to cower under a mere human like him.

Old or not, I refuse to cower under him and I just stared back at him with the same stare. For a few minutes with locked eyes, looking at each other’s soul, I saw that emotions circle around in his eyes.

Broken.

That was the emotion I saw from his eyes. And then I understood, both of us are the same. We are the same. I was sad and lonely while he was broken. Not the same, but likely relevant that made us one. I knew from that time, he came up to me for a reason. That his appearance will change my life.

That he will save me from my misery.

Luhan looks at him, eyes judging his condition and Tao looks down, completely not going to bother the person who seems to only stare at him. With the drops of rain, Luhan spoke up, “Would you like to come with me?”

It was merely a whisper, but Tao could hear it clearly that a burst of emotion filled him. He slowly looked from the wet ground, shifting his gaze to Luhan’s face.

A warm smile was a greeting to him when he looked up.

He blinks and for somehow, he felt an untangling feeling in his heart, as if his heart told him to trust the person in front of him that he will help him, will comfort him and will be by his side. And unconsciously, he nods his head, taking his offer.

Luhan’s smile grew a bit wider, completely satisfied by his answer.

“Then come,” he says as he reached out his hand to him, bending his body a bit as he holds out his hand to him. Tao looks at him before looking at his hand and slowly brought his hand up and take his hand. A familiar warm feeling filled his hand that makes a smile bloom at his face unexpectedly and unconsciously, filling his heart with warmth discarding away the cold.

He was brought back again to the world.

And from that forth, everything changed in my life. I was brought back to my parent’s level of status, living in a 5-star hotel for free and having the things that  I need in life to make me live again in this world. Luhan is generous, very generous. He supplied me things that I didn’t expect and completely not expecting at all.

He tried his best to help me with all his can and he did, for all the years I’m with him. He did everything for me. But it saddens me a little, that I can’t do anything to help him at all with his problem. Even though I wanted to, I can’t because I don’t know how to help him at all and even if I wanted to, Luhan wouldn’t allow it. He would tell me that it’s his problem and that I shouldn’t bother it. And because of that, I didn’t bother anymore because it’s not my problem and probably the only thing I could do to help him.

I let out a long sigh, completely tired from last night. I took a bite on my strawberry cake, taking in the sweetness and somehow this lightens up my mood. I smiled a bit, taking another bite on the cake when my phone rang. Blinking, I took out my phone and found myself smiling.

From: Kris         

Hi. What are you doing right now?

Asking what I’m doing right now, huh? This guy is really full of surprises. After giving me his scarf, now he is asking what I’m doing right now. What an amusing guy.

To: Kris

Hello, too. I’m currently at a café with a slice of strawberry cake and shake as my pabulum. Why do you ask so?

Grinning, I pressed the send button and placed my phone on the table and taking my fork to take another bite on my strawberry cake. I could feel my fatigue lighten up by his text. Just by his text of asking what I’m doing right now definitely discarded my fatigue and made me feel warm and light.

My phone rang again that made me startle a bit. Taking it from the table, I opened the message.

From: Kris

Just wanted to know. Is it bad?

For some reason, I snickered before replying back.

To: Kris

Nope, it’s not. So what are you doing?

Taking another sip on my shake, I took my last bite on my strawberry cake when my phone rang again.

From: Kris

I’m waiting in a line. Need to go now.

I frowned. I don’t know why, but I frowned. I still wanted to talk to him and he leaving somehow makes me sad. I was about to reply when another message came up.

From: Kris

Yah! Don’t frown. It doesn’t look good on you. Smile, it looks better on you.

I blinked. Wait. What? What does he mean I shouldn’t frown? And that I should smile?

To: Kris

What do you mean I shouldn’t frown?

What the hell is he talking about?

From: Kris

I could see you, you know. So stop frowning. I ordered another strawberry cake and strawberry shake for you. I have mine, don’t worry.

What the hell? Wait. So that means…

“Hey, Tao.”

I look up from my phone, looking up to the source of voice. My eyes widen at the person in front of me.

It’s Kris.

[End of Point of View]

---

Suho cheerily makes an egg roll, a slightly spicy beef soup with the leaf of onion and a bowl of rice for Lay. It’s been a week since that day and that he had felt a bountiful of happiness in his heart for the past few days because of it. He mentally checks that he is making a progress; a progress where Lay is slowly opening up to him, letting their touch linger for some seconds and that Lay doesn’t seem to be all scared being touched. He was so happy that he treated all the doctors and nurses in the hospital for dinner for the past week.

They are making a progress, he concluded with a smile blooming on his face. It wasn’t rushed nor slow, but enough. Their touches linger for seconds, filling up the gap that was once lost. The wall seems to shorten, the gap seems to shorten and especially their distance seems to shorten.

It was quite hard, Suho admits, for the first few weeks he was with Lay. The latter doesn’t want to be touched, to be held, and that completely makes it hard for him because he needs to hold the latter whether he like it or not. It would take hours for a reluctant Lay to hold out his arm just to get some blood, but it must be fast and rushed and that Suho panics when he is taking blood from the younger.

Every day he lives in fear, exhaustion, panic and worry for Lay. He views Lay a very delicate person made from glass or flower, so easily to break and wither in a second if mishandled. Truthfully, he views the younger that way, that’s why he often busied himself in the hospital, always in his office or Lay’s room to accompany him. His reason is so that to check the younger is okay and not harmed-that was his reason for the first few weeks he had with the younger.

But as the days passed, as they grew closer to each other than before, and now that Suho has his mission on the roll, to help Lay overcome his fear of being touched, Suho, now, had the reason the stay at the hospital for longer hours, for a day or two or weeks. Even though, his time with Kyungsoo might be limited and that they aren’t interacting any more, he finds it okay since they are cool off and not really on a relationship for awhile.

He finds himself thinking, halting what he was doing, thinking his relationship with Kyungsoo. He knows that he loves the younger with all his heart, but knowing also that what he is thinking is a lie and that his emotions and feelings are not what it seems to be, he isn’t sure of what to think anymore.

Truth to be told, yes, he still loves Kyungsoo but his feelings for the younger seems to deplete these days, seems to waver and decrease. They haven’t met each other for some time now and that for the past few weeks of being busy, he have no time for the younger nor was able to reply to his texts and calls. Yes, he might call for a few times and text sometimes, but it’s not like before at all. It’s different and definitely not okay.

Now, he wonders why his feelings waver, why his feelings is changing for the younger. He doesn’t like it at all, but his heart seems to tell that it is right; right that his feelings should waver and disappear for the younger.

Then, something popped up in his head: Lay. The young, cute and delicate boy that caught Suho’s heart. He remembers the first time he met the younger, so beautiful and delicate. He had this liking for the younger, small and innocent liking for the younger. Even though he lived with mixed emotions together with the younger, Suho finds himself liking Lay.

He doesn’t know why he ends up that way, but he did and that causes him trouble and such, leaving him be confused and let him do things that are not seems to be right for him, but feels so right and true.

He lets out a sigh, ruffling his hair. It definitely tired him so easily, thinking so many things at the same time. He lets out a shaky breath, before nodding his head and continuing to cook the breakfast of Lay, humming a song along and a smile playing on his lips.

~*~

Lay was looking at the window, declined with emotion but daze, thinking something hard and deep. He had a feeling, a very strange feeling since he woke up from his slumber. He couldn’t point out what was that feeling, but he knew it was a feeling that he should pay attention on.

His heart ached in pain, troubling and confusing for him. He doesn’t know why but his breath seems to shorten this day, feeling an unused pain in his chest and seems to think a lot than before. Everything is off, he concludes, but he pushes it back in the back of his mind, thinking that it’s only his imagination.

But when he takes a look at the room and feels the emptiness of the room, the feeling of being alone and uselessness comes back to him. Telling him how pathetic he is, mocking his worth of living; telling him that he shouldn’t live in this world because he’s merely burden to everyone.

Everything seems to come back, the memories of the past playing in front of him, playing like a film, showing the days back then, and showing how worthless he is in the world.

The pain in his chest increases, shortening his breath more and Lay feels the yearn to breathe. He feels the need to breathe, because if not, he doesn’t know what will happen to him if he doesn’t breath.

So he breathes, counting one, two and three...

The film of memories fades into nothing, showing once again the room that he knew for all of his life. The room seems to grow colder and lonely as he casts a look again to the room, sweat trickling down across his face to his neck after he regains his breathing.

The room is empty, cold and lonely. He felt out casted, so lonely and empty that he could feel the tears pool up in his eyes. Pulling his knees to his chest, he buries his head on his knees, sobbing so quietly and mournfully. Silently, grieving for his existence in the world and the loneliness and emptiness his heart feels.

He feels so torn, pained and broken.

He cries.

But no one hears.

Suho closes the door behind him, holding the tray in his hand. He saw the younger on his bed, silently watching the world outside when Lay turns his head towards him and flashes him a small smile and nods his head a little.

“I brought your breakfast,” Suho spoke softly as he approaches the younger, placing a small table on the younger’s lap before setting the tray on it. Lay smiles a little in appreciation and his slender fingers grabbed the chopsticks to eat his rice and egg roll.

He slowly takes the rice and takes a bite on it, his eyes staring at the food in daze. He slowly pulls away the chopsticks from his mouth and takes a piece of egg roll and takes a bite and takes a spoon of beef soup. Suho notices how Lay slowly eats his food and notices the younger in daze. He furrows his eyebrows together, face filled with worry and concern.

“Lay, are you okay?” he asks worriedly. Lay didn’t hear him and continues to eat. Suho grew more worried and decides to call him out.

“Lay?”

No answer.

“Lay?”

Still no answer.

“Lay?” Suho calls out, a bit desperate and pleadingly for the younger to notice him and to answer his call. He’s getting more worried than ever since the younger kept on eating and ignoring his calls. After his last call, Lay seems to snap out from his world and turns his head to Suho and tilts his head to the side indicating that he is confused why he is calling him.

Suho sighs in relief a little bit and looks at Lay with concern.

“Are you okay?” Suho asks once again. Lay nods his head, eyes defying his current condition, but Suho misses it.

“I’m okay. What’s wrong?”

Suho’s left eye twitches at ‘I’m okay’ and he felt his heart was being scratched.

“Yeah, you seem to be in a daze while eating. Is there something wrong?”

Lay tensed a bit, but quickly regained composure and nods his head slowly, “I-I’m okay, Suho. You don’t need to worry. I just missed my father that’s all. So there’s no need to worry about me. Could you get my tea?”

 Suho felt uneasy with Lay’s ‘I’m okay’ and ‘don’t need to worry.’ He knew something is behind from Lay’s answer to him and he wasn’t convinced.

And as if reading his mind, Lay quickly added,

“I’m okay Suho. You don’t need to worry. I just really missed my father that much. I couldn’t call him because I can’t speak and all. That’s all to it is. And thank you for worrying about me.”

Even after the younger told him that, Suho wasn’t still convinced. Slowly holding out his hand,  he tucks in the hair beside Lay’s ear, causing the younger look at him in surprise, a blush spreading slowly in his cheeks.

“If you need something, if you need someone to lean on, if you have something that you’re shouldering on, don’t hesitate to call me, to lean on me and to share the things that you’ve been carrying on all alone. I’m here, Lay. I’m here. And until then, I’ll wait for you to tell me, but just remember that I’m here for you, okay?” he says, caressing the younger’s cheek before pulling away, gaze still locked with the younger’s.

He smiles a bit, bowing a little before saying, “I’ll get your tea.”

---

After Suho left him, Lay placed the chopsticks down, before letting out a shaky breath. A tear rolls down to his cheek as his lips curved into a bitter smile.

“I’m so sorry, Suho. I’m so sorry.”

---

At the blinding sun rays, plainly warming the place all over, the wisp of autumn seems to come, letting summer remain a bit longer, still longer than it should be because it has its reason; the chirps of the bird rings around following the whistle of the breeze moving along.

A young-looking lady step out of the airport and a young-looking man followed behind her. Multiple luggages are found in the hands of the butler, holding bags and lots of luggage in his hands, occupied. The lady wore a sundress, mythical blue with enchanting embroideries decorated in the side and front donned with blue strap heels, matching perfectly with her dress. Her dress complimented her dark brown hair, beautifying herself more with her baby face and dazzling rare purple-brown hue eyes that seemed to look at your soul. Her beauty is still the same; she’s still same as of like a goddess- cold, majestic and untouchable.

Her long, slender fingers tucks in her silky, soft hair behind her ear, eyes flickering before she speaks in her melodious, silky and soothing voice,

“Let us head to my sister. To the Wu’s.”

The butler nods his head, bowing in respect before opening the door for them, letting them enter the car before closing the door and proceeds on driving them to the Wu’s.

They’re back.

~*~

Kris wasn’t supposed to be in the café, nope, he wasn’t supposed to be there. It was early in the morning where he decides to ditch teaching classes and make his colleagues suffer in substituting his classes and ends up walking around the town.

He plans to visit Baekhyun in the café, but then, he came across the café where he took the younger when they first met. It was unexpected and uncalled for, but Kris thinks it’s likely a weird yet sweet way to meet each other. It was a good memory, quite weird, but still a good memory.

And when he was remembering the memory, he spotted a familiar raven haired boy in the café, eating the food that he once ordered for him when they first met. And that’s where Kris finds himself smiling, ditching the plan to meet his younger brother and just thought of having breakfast with the younger inside the café.

It wasn’t part of the plan, really, but somehow it ended up this way, and Kris thinks it is okay. Plainly waiting on the line, he decides to text the younger, wondering what his reaction would be when he pops out of nowhere to the younger.

He received the reply from the younger and glances at the younger while in the line, finding him placing the phone on the table. A cheeky smile painted his face, texting back to the younger while waiting on the line.

After a few more texts with the younger, his order was finally up and was already approaching the younger. He found the younger frowning and he suppresses his laughter by smiling instead as he messages the younger with his one hand.

He eyes the reaction from the younger, pocketing his phone without breaking the gaze. He arrives in front of him, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

“Hey, Tao.”

And this was how they ended up meeting each other in the café. Tao was shocked to see Kris in front of him, moreover, seeing him with a cheeky smile on his face and a tray containing the foods that he told earlier. Tao could feel his jaw slacken at the sudden appearance of Kris causing the male in front of him, chuckle at his reaction because it was damn priceless. Kris had the urge to hold back his laughter from bursting out because he doesn’t want to make fun the younger (which he really wants to, but that’s a different story).

He settles comfortable in front of the younger, setting the tray on the table before replacing the empty plate with a new one.  He also hands over the shake to the younger, placing his food in front of him before discarding the tray away.

Tao regained his composure, shutting his mouth with cheeks burning in embarrassment. He cast the older male a wary glance that Kris had to smile at him that causes him to blush in a different matter.

“Sorry for the unexpected visit. Hope you don’t mind if I join you?”

Tao shakes his head, telling him that it is okay, before flashing him a small smile that Kris caught and smiled back in response.

“Thanks, Tao.”

Tao nods his head, taking a sip on his shake before placing it down.

“What are you doing here, anyways? Don’t you have any work?”

“Oh, that. I decided to ditch classes since it’s only recapping of lessons and somehow, by chances, I saw you here and decided to join you for breakfast.”

Kris shrugs as if it’s so normal to ditch classes, and Tao was, for a moment, awed at his casualness over this kind of things, but then, he shrugs, not minding what the older male did, but he did pity the other teachers that are going to handle his classes, though.

He remembers Kris telling him the subjects that he teaches and the teachers that are likely to handle his classes if he did not happen to show up in the university. Shaking his head, he welcomes the food as he takes a bite on the strawberry cake.

Silence enveloped their table, but they didn’t mind. It was normal for them. Sooner or later, one of them would start it again and silence would again envelop their table after. But that’s okay, because somehow, they liked the silence that envelops their table. It’s comfortable, not awkward, but comfortable. It is as if the silence holds their conversation instead, boring for others, but both of them find this as their silent conversation with each other, understanding one another.

They continue to eat, the buzzes and chatters of people around them blurs, but they paid no heed to it and  just remain in their world as Kris was the first one to break down, and tells something about a piece of his life to Tao and the younger listens to him.

They accompanied each other with their presence, talking, smiling and laughing together with time passing by and until then before they bid one another a goodbye.

~*~

After his meeting with Tao, Kris decides to continue his plan to visit his younger brother. It’s been some time, since he last visited the café that his younger brother owns and he misses the homey feeling that the café has and the sweet melodies of the piano that he loves to hear back then when he often comes to visit the café.

He arrives at the café, waiters and waitress greeting him before scurrying off to continue what they are doing. He looks around, trying to spot his younger brother anywhere around the café when he spotted him at the corner dine of the café.

He smiled a bit to himself but then, he notices Baekhyun wasn’t alone, in fact he was with someone. Curiosity filled him as he takes careful steps toward the corner dine when he spots a familiar hair of the person that he knew.

It’s Chanyeol and he was with Baekhyun.

They seem to be having a nice time together, hearing Chanyeol’s melodious laughter and seeing how Baekhyun was laughing also, nothing, but obvious that he was laughing about something. It hurts a bit, to see Chanyeol having a nice time together with his brother, but he ignores it. Telling himself that it is okay before turning his heels away and was about to leave when Sungyeol approaches him.

“Kris?”

And since, the stalling of time and the unexpected appearance of Sungyeol, Kris was left hanging to desperately hoping that Baekhyun doesn’t notice him, but unfortunately, luck doesn’t like him.

Baekhyun was about to tell Chanyeol something funny when glanced at the side and caught sight of a tall man that he knows too well. He eyes Chanyeol and the younger nods his head, telling him that it’s okay. He flashes him a smile of appreciation and stood up to approach the tall man.

So when Kris felt a tug on his sleeve, he knew that Baekhyun caught him. He didn’t turned around first because Sungyeol turned his attention to Baekhyun.

“Ah, Baekhyun, Kris is here. I think he was looking for you,” Sungyeol says with a smile before leaving them to go to the kitchen since he has orders to take care up. And Kris has been thinking to put Sungyeol in the disposing of employees list later.

He turns around, meeting Baekhyun’s smile. He smiles at him, ruffling his brown hair, admiring his younger’s brother’s adorableness.

“Hey, Baekhyun. Is my younger brother doing okay?” he asks, a smile playing on his lips. The said male, nods his head, a smile playing on his lips also.

“Yeah, I’m doing fine, Kris hyung. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just decided to visit you and the café again. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here so, yeah, I decided to visit.”

“Ah, I see. Would you like to join us? I mean Chanyeol is here. He’s your friend, right?”

“Um, that’s okay, Baekhyun. It’s definitely fine. I don’t want to interrupt the both of you and I bet both of you were having your time together.”

It wasn’t suppose to come out like that, but somehow it ended up that way and Kris silently cursed in his head for sounding so jealous and that he hopes that Baekhyun wouldn’t notice it and fortunately, Baekhyun didn’t notice it. Instead, Baekhyun pouts at him, completely in disbelief that Kris doesn’t want to join them.

Kris, for one, has a reason why he doesn’t want to join them: first, he doesn’t want to interrupt them, second, he doesn’t want to have this jealous feeling inside of him to burst out whenever Chanyeol and Baekhyun would have their slight glances and such (yes, Kris already had a sighting of what will happen if he was to be dragged to their table.) and third, he doesn’t want to hear his heart in pain.

“Come on! Join us Kris hyung!”

Baekhyun was like begging, but he ignores it, ready to give his ‘no’ when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

“Hey, Kris!”

He shifts his gaze toward the source of the voice, finding Chanyeol’s hand waving at him and his usual excited smile plastered on his face.

“Come on! Join us, hyung!”

Kris didn’t stay for long, for half an hour only before he left when Baekhyun was in the comfort room. He had a short conversation with Chanyeol but quickly ended when all of a sudden his body stood up, startling both Chanyeol and him.

He makes his excuse of going to see Minho and leaves with a breaking heart. Their conversation was merely nothing but school at first when Chanyeol changed it to Baekhyun. Their conversation revolved around Baekhyun, and somehow he couldn’t handle it so that’s why his body reacted.

He felt embarrassed, disappointed and sad, but at the same time angry at himself for having those feelings for the younger male.

It was merely a like, not really love, but Jongin concludes for him that it is indeed love. Being jealous and such, shows that he is in love with Chanyeol, but he denied that it is merely a like. He struggles to not show it back then when they still hanged out, the three of them. Always, showing his cold exterior and not bothering attitude were always often on back then and it was so real that Jongin would mistaken that he doesn’t like Chanyeol at all.

But that was proven wrong when Chanyeol had a girlfriend. He was happy at first since he deemed that it merely a crush back then, but as Chanyeol spend less time for Jongin and him, he finds himself feeling the jealous feeling and ended up drinking in a bar and ends up calling Jongin, confessing his feelings for Chanyeol and how he is going to get rid of the girl. Jongin was the one who tend to him back then, comforting his broken soul and by the next day, he doesn’t remember and Jongin doesn’t tell him.

But after a few weeks, he remembers and he regrets drinking alcohol in his entire life, and that’s where Jongin told him that he loves Chanyeol and doesn’t really like him but love him instead. But Kris is stubborn; he himself is stubborn and won’t listen. So up to now, he concludes it only as a like and nothing more, telling himself that his feelings for the younger would vanish soon and slips away as nothing and it’s be okay and he won’t be hurting anymore.

He sees that Chanyeol is happy again, happy with Baekhyun’s company, glad and likely been a reborn person than the person he was back then after the break-up with his girlfriend. He finds the happy Chanyeol these past few days back then, when he announced to them that he has a girlfriend. It was like back then, happy and cheerful.

It was a mistake back then, Chanyeol’s girlfriend, he assumes, telling the latter that the girl is not for him at all and someday, someone would be truly for him and seeing Chanyeol together with his younger brother, Baekhyun, for some reason, he finds them cute together. As if they were bound to be together, and he doesn’t know why how he came up with that but it ended up that way.

Kris comes home around 7 in the evening, a bit drunk but still sober enough to know where his house is and where the door is. He was dragging his tired body on the way to his room, but decided to take a glass of water to cast away his alcohol effect and to take some painkillers and a glass of water to his room so that when he wake up he wouldn’t be experiencing a headache throughout the day tomorrow.

He was on his way to the kitchen when some laughters and chatters of people were heard in the living room; voices of an unknown and voices of his parents were heard. He makes a turn to the living room, trying to see who the guests were present together with his parents.

“Mom?” he calls out.

He found his mother and father laughing and when they heard his call, his mother was the first one to greet him with a wide smile as she stood up in her imperial maroon dress, hair styled so beautifully and her face dolled up with light make-up.

“Sweetie! Welcome home!”

“Ah, yes, mom. I’m back. Um, may I know what’s happening here?”

His mom’s eyes twinkled in delight at his question, happiness filled her face as she was delighted with his question as if she was expecting it and ready to showcase the answer to him.

“Why, dear, what a good question you have there!”

He approaches them, drawing closer to the couches but stopped a two yards away from the couches, sighting a female and male on the couch across his parents.

“I suppose you remember them?”

“Remember them?”

“Yes, dear, my sister and her husband.”

“Your sister and her husband?” he dumbly asks, but then, the information processed in his mind and after a few seconds, it snapped on him who they are. His eyes widen in surprise, shock registering in his body as his sputtered in disbelief, incoherent words slips silently out of his mouth.

“Yes, dear, my sister and her husband. Zhang Li Mei and Zhang Cha Liao. The Zhang’s.”

Kris could feel himself rooted on the ground, watching his mother’s sister, Zhang Li Mei and her husband stand up, turning their body around and cast him a look. Kris could still see their young features when he last met them. Still the same, beautiful, majestic, cold, untouchable and as of like a god and goddesses.

He remembers Zhang Cha Liao, the man who is deemed to be nice and caring yet a cold person when needed to, he is still the same, maroon hair combed down, eyes gentle yet has a cold feeling and face constructed with a poker face, but Kris sees beyond those.

Then, he shifts his gaze back to the beauty beside him, Zhang Li Mei, his mother’s sister and also her aunt. She’s still the same as he last saw her, hair long, soft and silky, flowing elegantly down until her waist, purple-brown eyes that seems to look at your soul, cold like ice and blank, lips in hue salmon and face dolled up with powder only yet shows how beautiful and majestic she is, so elegant and untouchable. But Kris knows her character so well, that it’s frightening to be with her presence.

He bows showing his respect and acknowledgement after regaining the strength in his body.

“My, my, he is still the same, Hao Min,” Li Mei says after Kris bows and Cha Liao nods his head in acknowledgment.

“Yeah, the boy that we once knew is still the same, Hao.”

Hao Min, Kris’s mother, laughs in delight at their compliment, a smile playing on her lips.

“You think so? I think not, he grew worse, you know,” Hao Min says playfully, eyes twinkling in mischief.

“Mom!” Kris yells, completely not agreeing at her words, a blush praising his cheeks in embarrassment. Li Mei and Cha Liao laughs together with Hao Min. Kris joined them and the four settled back on their seats and conversation were held.

After a few hours had passed, Hao Min asks her sister about someone.

“Hey, Mei. How is your son? I haven’t heard from him, you know.”

Li Mei freezes at the question and Kris’ father joins in.

“Yeah, Cha, where is your son?”

Cha Liao’s poker face seems to break down as a sigh slips out from his lips. Kris raised an eyebrow, wondering what they are talking about. Son? Who?

“They have a son, mom?” he asks her mother. Hao Min nods her head.

“Yeah, they have. Don’t you remember Yi Fan? You always play with their son. He’s younger than you, as I have remembered it. And not to mention he is mute but the two of you get along so well before my sister and Cha decides to leave Korea and after a month when we adopted Baekhyun to our family. Don’t you remember?”

Kris racks his brain for any memory for the Zhang’s son and after a moment, he remembers the memories he had back then. The few months he had with the Zhang’s son. He looks at the frozen couple, wondering where their son is and why he isn’t with them at all.

He raised an eyebrow at them, feeling something is off from the couple when they are not answering at all to the questions that were thrown to them.

“Mr. and Mrs. Zhang?” he starts and when the two couple had their attention to him, he continues slowly, emphasizing the words clearly,

“Where is Yixing?”

---

A/N: Woot! So yeah, this is how the chapter ends up. So i hope you like this chapter and tell me what you think of. And i apologize for Hanhun's chapter, once again letting them miss again, but I assure you that they'll meet...or not. But let's see, shall we?

So our daily question and this time it's regarding about this story.Whether you guys wanted to let Chemin have more screen time.

So yep, that's all. Thanks a lot guys and hugs! :3