Little things, yet fills him with undying happiness. 

Not like the happiness when he got his first pair of soccer cleats in 4^th grade. Not like the happiness when he got voted MVP for the team. Not like the happiness when he got his first 100 on a test he hadn’t studied for. But the kind that made him feel warm inside. Like when his mother complimented him on his piano skills when he was little, when his Uncle came home early from work when he was ill just to take care of him when he was six, like the time…like the time he took Zora outside for the first time.

Yes, looking back, Baekhyun realized that at that time, he was truly happy; to do something nice to his sister who he thought he always hated; to see the fascination sparkle in her eyes. Yet he didn’t know whether he wanted to treasure that memory or completely destroy it.

Even so, Baekhyun denied and suppressed the happiness, freezing the warmth and love that he received with his usual façade and became used to dashing right up to his room, not greeting anyone, not looking at anyone, yes, as if there was no one home, as if it had always been empty.

Why he was doing this?

Because he could feel it. Something was changing about him. He wasn’t sure what, when and how but surely, he’d changed. And it was scaring him. He didn’t want to admit that he was changing, but denying it meant nothing. Denying that he wasn’t changing didn’t stop him from doing so. His friends could already tell, even before he could realize it himself. 

Dude, you’re in love with her!  

No. He was changing but not to that freakish extent; Baekhyun had finalized.

So why was there a tug at his heart whenever he passed her desk in school? Why did he flinch whenever his friends suggested ddeokbokki? Why…Why was he sat in her bedroom, reminicing in such memories?

Yes, it was once again a sleepless night. Apparently tiring himself out with school work only worked when he actually had school. Since Christmas was dangerously near, the school decided on a two week vacation for students to buy presents for friends and family and for the first time, Baekhyun would rather be in school. No school meant no work. No work meant more free time. More free time meant more thinking. And more thinking…would lead to this.

Baekhyun stood gormlessly in Zora’s empty bedroom, staring at the blank canvas walls that used to be full of drawings and the spotless bookshelves that used to house hundreds of sketchpads. The blankness of her room was somewhat comforting to Baekhyun; soothing. But the sight was too strange and unfamiliar to Baekhyun for it to sooth him 

I love her. Baekhyun assessed Kai’s words that were still fresh in his mind. Do you love her?

“She’s my sis…” . His heart clenched. He still couldn’t say it. Why couldn’t he say it?

All of a sudden, Baekhyun felt dizzy. But other voices echo in his ears.

It's the way you look at her. It's not how a brother should be looking at a sister. Don't tell me you didn't realize. Dude, you're in love with her. 

Vigorously shaking his head, Baekhyun left Zora’s room and stormed into his own. Although the only thing that separated them was a wall, it was better than to be standing in her room with such things floating around in his head.

Immediately, Baekhyun jumps into his bed and buries himself in his thick duvet covers, forcing his eyes shut and demanding his mind to shut down for at least a decent amount of time. He lets out a heavy sigh.

Another nightmare filled with screams, cries and desperate running and searching consumed his dreams once again. Baekhyun woke up with a jolt, his palms clammy and breathing heavily as though he really had been running.

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeols voice boomed through the house early in the morning. The boy being called jolted when his name was yelled, but then sighed heavily, feeling the heavy throb at his temples worsen as he forcefully hut his eyelids, trying to drown out the other males voice. “Baaeeeeeekkkkhyyyyuunnnn!” Chanyeol continued to yell, forcing the summoned male to drag himself off his bed to open the door. Baekhyun was greeted with a smile on Chanyeol’s face the moment he flung the door open. “Morning” The male greeted and Baekhyun was tempted just to slam the door in the taller males face, but he knew Chanyeol too well now. If he closed the door then he would just carry on knocking.

“What is it Chanyeol?” He croaked, his throat hoarse from the lack of sleep, his shoulders and his body left like they weighed about a ton more.

“Someone’s at the door…Luna isn’t here so can I answer it?” He asked with a hopeful smile. For some reason, Chanyeol has always wanted to answer the front door, but for obvious reasons, Baekhyun would never let him.

“No, I’ll get it myself” He said, having to clear his throat. He grabbed himself a jacket and ruffled his hair to look somewhat presentable before heading downstairs.

Without expecting much, Baekhyun swung the door open. It had taken him several blinks before the shock kicked in – hard, so hard in fact that he suddenly slammed the door closed without thinking. Was he dreaming? What day is it? It’s not Saturday. It’s not possible. It can’t be. Not now. Why now?

He stood there dumbfounded for a while before there was another knock at the door.

“Not nice to refuse someone’s Christmas present” A male voice could be heard from the other side. Only did he recognize it as Kris’s voice when he strung together his thoughts. A second later and Baekhyun swung the door open again, and there she was. Standing there, in front of him, the same expression on her face, the same loose plaits, and the same twinkling eyes…the only difference was that she…wasn’t wearing her glasses. “Surprised?” Kris’s voice brings Baekhyun back to earth. The taller male grinned at him with a cheeky expression that Baekhyun didn’t quite know how to interpret.

After clearing his throat, Baekhyun asked, “What’re you doing here…It’s not Saturday” His voice came out sort of shaky. Why was his heart racing? No. It’s from surprise. He wasn’t expecting a visit. He was caught off guard.

“Forgot what day it is today?” Kris raised an eyebrow.

“December” Baekhyun answered bluntly.

“25^th” Kris added before lightly shoving Zora forward. “Took a lot of convincing but we got her here. Take it as a small gift from me and Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun wasn’t sure whether he felt grateful or utterly devastated. Admittedly, he missed her. But why, of all the days where he missed Zora, it had to be now for them to let her visit. Forgetting about Christmas isn’t strange for Baekhyun, he wasn’t surprised that he lost track of time during such a hectic time. But for Kris and Kyungsoo to even think of…he was somewhat speechless.

“No need to thank us, just enjoy your Christm-“

“ZORA!” A force shoves Baekhyun out of the way and a wild Chanyeol appeared, startling Kris who was still talking mid-sentence. Chanyeol suddenly wrapped his arms around Zora’s small frame and lifted her up happily. “I missed you so much~~” He cried.

All of a sudden, there was a small pinch of jealousy at Baekhyun’s heart. But the feeling went as quick as it came.

Zora chuckled before hitting the giraffe lightly to put her down. And he did so, unwillingly, however his beaming grin remained on his face as he gazed at her.

“Do you live together or something? Every time I come here he’s over at your place” Kris asked. Baekhyun knew that he didn’t mean to sound suspicious or interrogative. His voice was rather friendly, like it was a pleasant surprise.

“No, he just comes over too often…” Baekhyun glanced over to Chanyeol, his gaze sharp, “Too often”

“Okay then. We’ll come and pick her up in two days. Sunday morning, the usual. Have fun and Merry Christmas” He winked before turning his back. But before he could stop himself, Baekhyun called out.

“W-Wait!” Baekhyun stopped him. “…I need a word with you”

“You seem sleep deprived” Kris inspected Baekhyun’s face whilst he sits perhaps a bit too comfortably on Baekhyun bed.

The sleep deprived boy decided to ignore the comment and stood there, an unimpressed expression on his face. “It’s almost been four weeks Kris…” Baekhyun started, but it seemed like Kris was expecting those words from the start. He just nodded his head, understandingly.

“I am aware” He said calmly.

“And? Has nothing come up at all?” Baekhyun pushed, trying hard not to sound too agitated. But Kris could already sense the impatience in his actions.

“You know, it’s proper etiquette for the owner of the household to serve drinks and for the guest to sit on a proper seat in a-“

“Kris” Baekhyun’s gaze sharpened. He knew Kris was avoiding his question on purpose. But he wasn’t sure why, was it true that they really couldn’t find anything out? That there was no evidence to prove Zora’s innocence.

Kris clicks his tongue and straightens, “It’s been hard. The police had already presumed Zora as guilty from the very beginning and aren’t willing to give any helping hands for the case”

“But that’s –“

“However, Kyungsoo and I are trying our best. The data itself doesn’t make sense, therefore, to say that Little miss Zora is guilty off the bat would be wrong” Kris explained, his voice strong and confident, a somewhat comforting tone, one worthy of trust.

But even so, it wasn’t answering Baekhyun’s question, “So there’s no progress? Just data that doesn’t match up?”

“That information confidential” Kris stated to his frustration. But he couldn’t even argue. He knew that he wasn’t in the position to get the truth out of Kris, to meddle in with so-called ‘confidential’ information. However…he just wasn’t at ease.

Too lost in thought, Baekhyun hadn’t even noticed Kris get up and place a supportive hand on his shoulder. “You’re at war with yourself, Baekhyun”

Baekhyun jerked, his eyes immediately darted to Kris who was staring him down, again with the upmost confidence in his gaze that it almost made Baekhyun feel small. The height difference didn’t help either. “What?”

“I’ve done more interrogations than you probably think. The way someone talks, the way they look at things, how they say something…I can read them like a map, Baekhyun” The statement didn’t come out boastful, just a very matter-of-factly.

Baekhyun scoffed, “So what, you think you have me figured out?”

“…Things take time, Baekhyun…” Kris said, “And although time is merely a human perception, it’s no doubt that things can change in that time”

Baekhyun felt something inside him click and all of a sudden, he slaps away Kris’s hand that was resting on his shoulder. “There’s nothing different about me!”

“I’m not saying there is” Kris shrugs. But Baekhyun knew better. He was implying it in his words; that Baekhyun was changing. No. No, no, no, no. Not Kris as well. First Kai, then his friends, and now Kris? Who else is assuming that he's changed? “Three and a half weeks seems like a long time…for some, it’s a very short time. That’s the human perception. The measurements of father-time only bound us to superficial –“

“Get to the point, Kris”

All of a sudden, Kris’s gaze becomes intense, like he’s staring right into Baekhyun’s inner soul. “Trying to occupy your mind with other things won't work Baekhyun. Not if you're feelings are strong. You’re rushing us, impaitent, like a child because time is going too slow...but is it? Isn’t it just your human perception that prolongs that time because you’re away from her? Because you love her?”

ing bull’s eye.

A wave of emotions crashed down on him. A tide of flashbacks choked him.

Do I sense the ice-prince melting? You must really care about your sister. I love her, do you love her? Dude, you're in love with her! 

“Two days, Baekhyun…I’m giving you two days with her…figure yourself out within those days, or you’ll regret it” With that last statement, Kris leaves the room and presumably the house, leaving behind Baekhyun who stands there, utterly bewildered and shocked.

Baekhyun went back downstairs, where everyone was gathered around in the living room, everyone apart from Kai – he noticed. Apart from that, Luna, Chanyeol and King were sat in the living room, Baekhyun leaning on the wall watching them consume snacks and fruit he didn’t remember buying.

“What a lovely surprise! Those police men are so thoughtful, isn’t that right, Baekhyun?” Luna beamed at Baekhyun who had even yet to finish coming down the flight of stairs. It was normal having her over now. 

“…Mm” Not a word, but a noise of slight agreement.

Zora glanced over to him and for a split second, there was eye contact, which was broken immediately by the later.

Dude, you’re in love with her!

Baekhyun quickly shook his head. Impossible. He knew it was impossible. There was no way…So why was his heart going crazy?

Two days, Baekhyun...Figure yourself out within those two days, or you'll regret it. 

He didn't want to admit it, but Kris had a point. He needed to prove somehow that he only loved her as a sister, nothing more. That he should take this oppotunitiy whilst he still could. But...His heart was racing. And that wasn't a very good sign. “Aish” Baekhyun ran a frustrated hand through his hair before striding into the kitchen to calm himself. Luna and Chanyeol watched him dash into the other room and glanced at each other.

“What’s up with ByunBaek?” Chanyeol chuckled, for some reason finding Baekhyun’s random outburst amusing.

“What the is wrong with me?” He spoke to the kitchen walls as he fills his glass up with tap water. Because he really doesn’t know. Why is he hesitating? Why won’t he ask her the questions that have been eating away at his brain since last week? Is he scared? No way. 

Dude, you’re in love with- 

Baekhyun slapped himself before the sentence could ring in his ears again.

Shut up, shut up, shut up. He chanted in his head before chugging down the cold water down his throat to calm himself. And for a moment, it worked. Baekhyun could feel his heart rate drop, but the thoughts were still floating around in his head. There were so many questions, so many things he wanted to ask her and tell her about, but right now, he was at war with himself. Kris was right. But if he was to talk to her like he wanted then it's evident that he's changed. And he doesn't want that. 

Or do I? 

Baekhyun had to slap himself again. The throbbing pain on his cheek somehow comforting him. It made him feel alive, somewhat. But still, the ache in his chest was painful. Why was this even bothering him so much? Surely, the truth itself should be enough for him. The fact was – Zora was his sister. Fact was – he was her step-brother. Fact was – he had no feelings for her. That was final. So why was his heart going crazy?