Nobody's POV

Qian glanced down to the object in her hand, before looking back up to see Changmin as he dug through his drawers. Each time she did so, she would feel the need to rub her eyes. He was really here, she knew that, but it was almost bizzare the level to which things had returned to normal... well, almost normal. So much so that she was now in his brothers house, watching him search for his lost sock, like it was perfectly regular. With him, things seemed in a kind of dream state.

"Are you sure about this?" Qian asked, for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Yes," Changmin didn't even look up as he pulled a sock - just as Qian had guessed - from the drawer triumphantly. "Got you."

Flash back - a week ago

"He did what?!" Lian's cool exterior slipped as she sat beside her younger sister, and for once she was really and truly lost.

She didn't see this coming. Not after Yunho had called her to tell her Changmin had returned; not even when she knew Qian had left with him. Things would be complicated, and yes she knew her sister would have to make this decision alone. But the last thing she had expected, was for Qian to be gone for nearly two days after the showcase, only to return and tell her this. No, never had she imagined that Changmin, the boy who had been missing for a year, would bounce back and have the nerve to pull a stunt like this.

"Li... I know," she exhaled, drained.

"How?" Lian made a conscious effort to calm down as she saw Qian's exhaustion.

"It's complicated... his family want him to inherit the business early, the condition being marriage and they're trying to rush through with this girl, but Changmin left. He said he... it couldn't be anyone else."

As she registered the words, Lian began to understand something, something in the way Qian was talking and behaving - even now, staring down at her hands.

"Qian, don't tell me you're actually considering this!" Lian all but exploded, more in disbelief than outrage, as she stood again, her eyes searching for a ring on Qian's finger. There was none, but her relief was short lived.

"I- I said I needed time."

"Time? What will that change? Qian, you know better than this."

The younger bowed her head at the scolding tone.

"He's been gone for a year! 365 days. Do you know how much can change in that year? Or say its the same, how is that any better? Do you remember what it was like being with him Qian? You're at the honey moon stage right now, but it always wears off, I've seen this so many times.

"What about your parents? They're back in under a month; that's way too soon to bring him back, let alone tell them you're engaged!"

Lian voiced all the concerns in her mind.

"Lian-"

But she couldn't stop herself now, as she paced.

"And even without all that, think about the practicalities. You moving with him to the states? You're gonna pack up and leave everything? That's insane! You're 19 years old Qian, what are you thinking?"

"Jiejie, I-"

"Your parents, family, your friends... not even mentioning what's been happening since he's been gone. How could you be so foolish? Don't be a child, this is absolutely ridicu-"

"Stop," Qian stood up to Lian's height, her tone low but it stopped Lian in her tracks any way.

Silence resounded as Lian's thoughts caught up with her, and she looked back at her little sister again. She saw the confusion in her eyes from before was gone, leaving contempt. She'd let her protective instincts get ahead of her, but she also wouldn't stand for much more of this. She knew where this would end.

"Qian, you know I'm right-"

But she was already walking away, disappearing into her room as the older exhaled heavily, fighting the urge to rant again. She needed to hear this, she wouldn't let her do something stupid. But this wasn't the way to handle Qian. The younger wouldn't be told what to do. By the time Qian returned, Lian had succeeded in collecting herself.

"Meimei," Lian's tone softened as the younger turned away. "You know I'm just worried."

"I know," Qian made her way to the door, opening it before pausing.

Sighing, Qian closed her eyes.

"I'm gonna stay with Changmin until mom and dad are back. Talk to you later."

Lian didn't stop her, still not quite calm enough and knowing that Qian had made up her mind and didn't want to fight.

End of flashback

Of course, Qian knew she was only trying to help. And she definitely didn't want to fight with her sister, but she saw no other way. She knew she had to figure some things out. But she couldn't balance the arguments herself whilst arguing, and she couldn't stay at her own home alone; rather she didn't want to.

He hadn't asked too many questions after seeing Qian's face, he just let her rest, prompting Yunho to update Lian on the situation. A week passed, the two together.

She looked back down now, to the ring she fiddled with, the same one she had refused to take when she had gone home last week - she hadn't even given him an answer and yet he wanted her to keep the ring. The next morning she had woken with the jewel on her ring finger. Despite herself, she smiled.

Every day felt more dreamlike, and she could almost see herself, her life with Changmin. A week like this, just of the two of them together, made it hard to see where anything had gone wrong. There was no factor to mess it up; the same as a fresh start would be with Changmin.

A fresh start... without any one else.

It meant no one else. She was already seeing it. With this week, came detachment. A week since she had seen Lian, and over a week since the showcase with the girls. Naturally, they had all found out about Changmin's return; but no more or less than that. Qian had been taken by surprise when Soeun had called this morning, thankful when she didn't probe. But all the same a lot came rushing back with it - along with the question of whether she really could live with Changmin - even if it meant everyone else would be unreachable.

So when Changmin told Qian about the welcome home get together he and a few friends were having - as well as a few business associates - she knew she wanted them to be there, no matter where she was in her own life, even if she had Changmin and enough that she wanted; she couldn't leave them hanging like this. She didn't want to; which introduced the idea of coexisting - her friends, her family, Changmin, as it would have to be if they stayed. And that's what saw her and Changmin getting ready to meet the girls, together for the first time in a year.

"Are you?"

Qian snapped out of it as Changmin's voice spoke up, turning to his watchful gaze.

"What?"

"Well, you've asked me the same question about ten times in the last hour. Are you sure you're ready?" his eyes were soft but guarded, and Qian knew he wanted honesty, even though it may pain him.

Naturally, before this year apart Qian had spent a lot of time going to events with Changmin; family dinners, business parties, even weddings. It was symbolic; just as he did for her. It was their united front, just like Changmin was there to see off Jin before... was. It was their first appearance as a couple - even if just amongst a few friends in a less than semi formal setting - and somehow... it made everything a bit more official. A year ago, she was used to being the significant other to the heir of a massive Seoul based corporaion... but now? No doubt all their friends, who were in attendance, would understand exactly what it meant.

And yet as her gaze focused back on him, she felt the worries drift away yet again.

"Of course I'm sure," she stood, walking up to him. "I'm just... I want to make sure everything's set."

He smiled as she fixed his tie, straightening it before meeting his gaze, the familiar nostalgic light feel setting in. Changmin took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers, a soft warmth washing over her as she noted another thing that had changed. The flames, the fire from before. It had dampened - less dangerous and more comfortable. Not at first; she was uncomfortably full for a while, as she adjusted to him being around again. But now, it was more just familiar longing.

She wasn't sure why.

"My place has been cleaned," Changmin nodded, listing the practicalities. "The guys have all touched down this week, and everyone my dad wanted me to meet with is sending someone."

He knew the last comment would placate Qian, given that since he had been home she had been on his back about contacting his family... even though she was his reason for staying away. Still, he knew she couldn't let him cut them off. She was too kind hearted to even be flattered. Her face relaxed a little, but not enough.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" he tapped her chin prompting her to meet his gaze which had previously fallen.

"Lian..."

"It'll be okay," Changmin smiled down at her, knowing she was nervous. "You can't avoid her forever... and you shouldn't."

Even hearing about the disagreement, or a limited summary from Qian, he was shaken by it. The two of them never argued, and even to him - who wasn't Lian's biggest fan - it was wrong.

"Soeun sounded off," Qian almost listed, inhaling again, causing him to shake his head.

"Even with everything on your plate, you put others first," he grinned, resting his index finger beneath her chin again, so her face was angled up.

She smiled again, pulling away. His eyes followed her as she moved back to the bed, grabbing her phone again and keeping her eyes on it as she spoke.

"Really," she insisted. "She sounded nervous."

"Something to do with me?" he finally dropped his gaze, fixing his cuffs.

"I don't think so," she frowned, yet again reminded of how Soeun failed to linger on the topic. True, Qian knew Soeun trusted her judgement, but usually she would have made more of an effort to get her to open up; especially as she invited her to Changmin's house.

"Well," he replied, checking his watch as Qian glanced back to him. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. We should head out."

She inhaled, the nerves hiting her once again; this was it. Her friends would meet him again, they would go back to how they were. Right?

Standing up, she nodded.

"Let's go."

* * *

"Princess."

Soeun bit back a grin as she felt him hovering behind her, his arms drooped lazily around her waist in a light back hug as she waited in front of the car, her mind momentarily distracted from the huge complex in front of them. If it was any other voice, it would have surprised the otherwise alone girl. But this was just who she was waiting for.

That's right, the nickname was back.

Willing herself to turn around calmly and face him with an unimpressed face, she raised an eyebrow.

"Did you need something?"

And so was the teasing.

He smirked as he stood tall, and even though she had already become accustomed to him regaining his confidence, her heart skipped a beat to see it was back again.

"Only you~"

Okay, and it was a little more cheesy.

Rolling her eyes and fighting a smile, she pushed him away as he grumbled, but stood next to her instead.

"Player," she murmured, as he just stayed put.

It had been just over a week since Junho's spontaneous confession, and a week since they had been official; well as official as they could be so far. Most of that time was spent together, first getting back to where they had been, both relieved to find their chemistry again, and then adjusting to their new relationship. It was everything it was before, but more. Soeun was still more than capable of matching Junho, and Junho was still... Well, Junho. Except... he had seemed to develop a new puppy dog streak; something Soeun was fighting with herself not to call