The next day, Kris, Xiumin and Lay went down with happy faces. They received approval from their mothers. Soo and Kai looked sullen for they haven’t received any calls or messages from their moms. As soon as papa came out of their room, the 3 greeted him with the good news. Papa made a mental note to start arranging the itinerary and booking the plane tickets. Then he asked Soo and Kai about their approvals, but when they shook their heads, papa just said, “I see,” and went to his office. He then called Soo and Kai to come in his office. We tried eavesdropping, but mama came out from their room and saw us. She scolded us and asked Lay and Luhan to help prepare breakfast.

During breakfast, papa told us that he already called grandpa Wu and informed hum of the circumstances. Grandpa was more than happy taking in Soo and Kai for the month we were in Florida. He’d come pick them up day after tomorrow, for he still had business to attend to.

Grandpa Wu owned a Chinese restaurant just in front of his house. We haven’t really been there in a long time, so we didn’t remember what the house looked like, or the restaurant.

If it was any consolation to Kai and Soo, it was the fact that grandpa was proud to have 13 grandchildren from papa, and that 12 of them were boys. 12 boys who would carry the Wu name for generations. Not that he didn’t have other grandchildren from their his other children, but because papa was his oldest son.

Soo and Kai were still hopeful. They still had one more day to expect a reply or approval from their moms.

Around midday, our parents went out to have lunch with one of papa’s friends who was in the area.  Again, all 13 of us were left to fend for ourselves, while they were out. Luhan and Xiumin automatically assumed their posts. Suho became his fatherly figure self and fussed about the state of the house. He had Baekhyun and Sehun mow the lawn; Chen and Lay clean the pool. Then he handed me, Kris and Chanyeol each a feather duster and commanded us to start dusting off the living room. He grabbed Tao and Kai by the wrists and led the to the laundry room. Then Luha, Xiumin and Soo became busy in the kitchen to prepare lunch.

As we moved about the house doing our chores, I saw Baekhyun and Sehun playing with the lawn mower. They were trying to recreate the Nazca lines. Sehun was pointing here and there, while Baekhyun pushed the mower. Kris was already vacuuming the living room floor and Chanyeol was cleaning the windows. I dusted off every space I can reach. Then I moved to the backdoor to start dusting off the area. I found Suho-oppa stepping out to the pool area to scold Chen and Lay who were having a diving contest instead of cleaning the pool.

The laundry room was through the hall going to the backdoor, and as I watched Suho scold the two by the pool, Tao and Kai came beside me, each of them carrying a clothes hamper in their arms.

Luhan probably noticed the commotion, because I saw him walk past us and out to the pool area. Chen and Lay were already both in the pool laughing at Suho and splashing water at him.

Luhan didn’t say anything, but went to drain the pool, then got back up and went inside to change his clothes. Suho smirked and told the two to weed off the garden instead, then went back inside pushing Tao an Kai back to the laundry room. I didn’t waste time, afraid to be scolded by Luhan, so I went back to dusting off the family area. Luhan came down the stairs with a change of clothes, then back to helping Soo and Xiumin.

As soon as the Luhan law was unleashed, no one dared to break it. Even Baekhyun and Sehun stopped with the Nazca lines when they learned what Luhan did with the pool.

All of us were done by lunchtime, except weeding off the garden. Luhan decided we’d all help out after we ate lunch. The laundry was in the dryer and Suho volunteered to finish it by himself.

During lunch, nobody mentioned about Florida. It was a touchy subject now, since Kai and Soo were doomed to stay behind. Instead, Baekhyun suggested we just mow the garden, but Luhan said it was more fun if we did it by hand, and we’d be able to appreciate the gardener’s job, who was on holiday since we left for Hong Kong.

Tao: Then, Suho gege wanted us to appreciate the housekeeper’s job?

Kai: Probably. I know how it feels like to be a housekeeper eversince I lived in this house, anyway.

Sehun: I’ve been a gardener almost half my life. I almost always get the chore to either mow the lawn or weed of the garden.

Luhan: And I get to be your papa and mama at the same time. (And he rolled his eyes.)

Suho: Me, too.

Xiumin: And who am I? Your next door neighbor?

Kris: And I’m your jail warden.

Me: And your invisible sister. I always camouflage as one of the”boys.”

Luhan: I have a dual role, too.

Lay: I used to be just a visitor. Hahaha!

Xiumin: Me too. A neighbor who stayed for dinner and slept over. But my house is in Korea. Your neighbot from Korea.

Suho: And I’m usually the housekeeper. Maybe I’d ask papa for wages started now.

Kris: I’ll ask for wages for using my car to bring some of you to school and back.

Xiumin: I should ask for wages too.

Kris: No. LOL.

Xiumin: You’re a fool if you really ask papa for wages. Hahaha!

Suho: I’m not joking. LOL. I’ll ask it on top of my allowance. Hahaha!

Xiumin: You really will ask papa for wages? Hahaha!

Suho: Yeah. LOL. I’ll ask for a monthly fee.

Kris: Okay, let’s call papa. LOL.

Suho: Later, when they return. LOL.

And I knew they were just joking.

After lunch, Baekhyun, Tao and Sehun were tasked to do the dishes, then the rest of us proceeded to the backyard. The 3 were to follow after doing the dishes. Luhan and Suho went to the garden shed and brought out rakes and trowels. And then the weeding off began. Yes, it was more fun with all of us working in the garden. There wasn’t really much to do anyway, because the plants were neatly arranged around the backyard. The landscaping was such, that not a flowering shrub or tree was in the middle of the garden.

The 3 who did the dishes were tasked to rake the weeds and put them in the garbage can. And since the ater was drained from the pool, no one got to play in there.

Sehun asked Luhan to fill the pool again. But Luhan said not yet. Not until all chores were done. Suho was done with the laundry and he put it on himself to prepare sandwiches for snacks. Then he called us all inside. After snacks, Luhan’s mood lightened and he himself the hose and filled the pool with water. Sehun smiled and went up to get his towel. When the pool was filled, he didn’t wait for Luhan to give permission or anything. He took off his shirt and jumped in the water. The garden was forgotten, because the others followed suit. Except Sehun, they didn’t prepare any towel, so because they were dripping wet and I was the only one dry, they all asked me to get towels for them. I only brought 2 large beach towels and draped them on one of the backrest of the garden benches.

Nobody complained. They took turned drying themselves with the towels. Sehun dried himself with his towel and Tao grabbed it from him after, then he ran inside and upstairs to get his own. The others went inside and lined up outside the downstairs bathroom. The carpet was drenched with their wet feet. Sehun and Tao got towels for them because the beach towels were already dripping wet and was left in the laundry room to dry.

Because the downstairs bathroom was situated under the stairs, and by the sitting area, the carpet was drenched. If our parents arrived with the house in this condition, I’m sure all of us would stay at home the whole summer vacation.

Baekhyun noticed and he sprinted upstairs. He came back down, already dry and carrying a blowdryer. The others lining up outside the bathroom banged on the door. Luhan, Suho and Soo were inside and opened the door for them. The others squeezed themselves inside as Baekhyun blowdried the carpet. Then out of desperation, Chanyeol raised his feet and ordered Baekhyun to dry his feet that way. LOL. After he was done, he went out of the bathroom and ran upstairs to change his clothes. The others followed his example, drying their feet with the blowdryer. I went upstairs and took a bath in the upstairs bathroom.

After, I went down. Tao and Sehun were mopping the stairs, Lay was mopping the floor downstairs, and Baekhyung was still blowdrying the carpet, Suho, also had a blowdryer, helped him. It was a funny sight and I chuckled. I went out the front door to check if dad’s car was approaching. Kris and Luhan were already there, waiting. I saw Xiumin and Kai coming rouond the side of the house from the backyard.

Xiumin: Good thing I remembered to return the trowels and rake in the shed, or else…

Luhan: Damn! I forgot about that. How about the pool?

Kai: I drained it again. I’m filling it up again now. Remind me to check back in 5 minutes.

Luhan: Don’t leave it. Go back there!

Kai: Okay fine.

And he went back. I followed him. We sat on the edge of the pool waiting for the water to fill.  Then we heard the gate open. Mama and papa were home. I hope baekhyun and Suho oppa were done blowdrying the carpet. I’m sure Lay, Tao and Sehun would’ve finished mopping by now. We listened for any unusual noises. And by unusual, I meant scolding. LOL. But there was none. Tao and Sehun appeared behind us and sat on either side of me.

Sehun: They’re home.

Tao: Papa called Soo to his office.

Kai: Did papa ask for me?

Tao: Nope. He just asked Soo to follow him.

Kai: I have a feelling I’m the only one who’s doomed.

Tao: Don’t say that. There’s still hope for you. Why not call your mama?

Kai: I’ve been trying since the day we arrived from HK. She’s not answering her phone. It’s either she’s really busy or she just doesn’t wanna talk about it.

Tao: Why wouldn’t she?

Sehun: You have to try again and call her, you know.

Kai: I will, later.

Tao: Better do it ASAP, or else.

Kai: Yes, yes… I will.

Then he got up, turned off the hose, because the pool was filled with water already. Then he went inside the house. The 3 of us, me, Sehun and Tao, followed him. Kai went upstairs to their room and the 3 of us stayed in the sitting area. I walked barefoot on the carpet and felt it was dry. I smiled and caught Baekhyun’s eyes, who was in the living room, watching TV with the others.

Mama was in the kitchen with Lay, making spaghetti, or that’s what it smelled like. Then Soo went out of papa’s office with a smile on his face. Then he announced:

Soo: I’m going to Florida with you guys! Mama called papa to verify if it was true. I don’t know why my mother don’t trust me, but I’m glad she said yes when papa affirmed. Hahaha!

Tao: Does it mean your mama thinks you’re a liar?

Soo: Shut up!

Tao: Duh. Why did she have to call papa to verify? LOL.

Soo: I don’t care. Now she knows I’m not lying.

Sehun: But you can’t erase the fact that she first thought you were lying.

Soo: Yeah, yeah. Shut up about it already.

Sehun: Okay fine. Shutting up.

Then we moved to the living room to wath TV with the others. They were watching a Jackie Chan movie. One thing with living with 12 brothers was watching mostly action-comedy or fantasy-adventure movies. I learned to appreciate those kinds of films instead of chick-flicks. We would also watch animated and documentary films. Kai went down the stairs and watched with us. But he looked sullen. He didn’t say anything about it though, and we didn’t ask. After the movie, he went to papa’s office. He probably went to talk about the Florida issue.

Lay and mama were done making spaghetti and garlic bread. They called us for an early dinner. Papa and Kai went out of his office. Papa didn’t say anything until after everyone was almost done with eating. Then he broke the bad news.

Papa: So, Kai won’t be joining us in Florida. His mother simply refused to permit him going out of the country. So, I arranged for your grandpa to fetch him the day before we leave for Florida.

Sehun: What? Why?

Papa: I did what I could, but she just won’t approve…

Kai: Unless…

Papa: Kai…

Kai: Oh… Sorry papa.

Papa: Okay. Enough of this talk. I know it’s not a cheerful news, but your grandpa Wu will fetch you day after

tomorrow. One thing though…

Kai: Yes?

Papa: don’t be a headache to grandpa or grandma.

Kai: Oaoa,,, I’m not a bad kid.

Papa: I just wanted to remind you.

Kris: So… So… Kai will stay with grandpa and grandma for a whole month?

Papa: Yes.

Kris: His mama won’t fetch him but she won’t allow him to go to Florida. What kind of logic is that?

Baekhyun: It does seem like it.

Chen: What was she thinking?

Sehun: Apparently, she wasn’t thinking.

Papa: Okay, enough. Don’t make this hard for Kai and everyone. Just think that Kai would be visiting the Wu

ancestral home.

Kai: What to expect at grandpa’s?

Kris: Hahaha! Boredom.

Papa: No, I don’t think so. Papa owns a restaurant, so I think he’ll have Kai help him run it.

Kai: I know nothing of running a restaurant, papa.

Papa: Your grandpa will teach you.

Suho: After Florida, can we spend the rest of summer vacation there?

Papa: Maybe, maybe not. Let’s see.

Lay: Restaurant. Soo and I can work there, hmm…

Soo: Yeah. I bet grandpa will teach us the secret recipes to his best sellers.

Lay: Hmm… Yeah. Maybe during Christmas, we can ask grandpa to give us recipes.

Papa: It’s good to hear you being interested in the family business.

Kris: Uhm… You mean, interested in food, papa. Hahaha!

Baekhyun: All I’m interested in is how the food will taste. Yummmmm…

Chanyeol: Nobody should bother Lay-ge and Soo when they cook, so it’ll turn out perfect. LOL.

Chen: You mean, no toppling over of a bowl of cherries? Hahaha!

Soo: Shut up!

Luhan: Timbuktu?

Sehun: Shhh… Grrr…

Papa: What is that?

Mama: Timbuktu? Isn’t that a place somewhere in Africa?

Me: Africa?

Luhan: So… Who wants to go to Africa? LOL.

Sehun pursed his lips and shot Luhan an evil stare. Luhan chuckled. Then he kept mouthing “Africa” and “Timbuktu” to annoy Sehun. Chen caught up and sang a tuneless song, using “Timbuktu” and “Africa” as lyrics. Papa, noticing something was amiss, he looked from Luhan to Chen who stopped at once. Sehun stuck his tongue out.

Mama: Africa is a beautiful continent. Most of my classmates in medical school are there in medical missions. The people are so nice and simple.

Papa: If possible, maybe we can go on an African safari next summer. Hmmm… If we can afford, too though…

Kris: Is it expensive papa?

Papa: African safari? Well, yes.

Xiumin: Somewhere around a Caribbean cruise cost?

Papa: I’m not sure, but possibly?

Kai won't be going to Florida. Awwww...my heart hurts. OT13 won't be together. Tsk, tsk... LOL. I am excited to post the following chapters. I have been away for a very long time, so I'm posting the chapters I have finished and encoded. I hope you are all still following this story. Thank you and enjoy!