A/N since it's been almost a year since my last update, I'm guessing a lot of you forgot the plot so here's a quick summary of what happened thus far. This story follows Changmin and Yoona's story from childhood to their adult years. Changmin first met Yoona when she was at the tender age of three. He didn't immeditly like her but as time passed she became attached to him as he was the closest thing to a father and mother figure to her. Although he didn't like to admit it, he too became attached to the innocent child he raised and took care of. Changmin is level headed, smart, kind and ambitous. Kind of like the perfect son. And that got Hani, his classmate to be jealous of him and hate him. Hani as a revenge on Changmin, kidnapped Yoona and when Changmin got there, he was a little too late. In a moment of complete anger, he threw a rock to his head and Hani fell to his death. Changmin was taken into jail from the age of 16 to 23 while Yoona was left with his family from the age of 12 and a few months to the age of 19. And now Changmin's back...let's see how this will unfold from here on. 

This chapter is on the short side but another update is coming up soon! Thank you and sorry for taking so long to update! 

Of course that night, nobody fell asleep. Nobody except for Changmin that is.

It felt like a dream for me. I have always assumed Changmin had preferred being abroad where it’s safe and quite to Aerok which is going through tough times, I gave up praying for him to ever re-exist in our lives.

But here he was, as tall as ever yet much, much skinner. His usual tan skin so pale I wondered if the sun ever rose where he lived. And his nose was pointier and straighter, a little crooked too. I liked it.

God, how I wished I was still five so I could run to him and lay next to him.

Mom had us propped in the kitchen a quarter to seven that morning.  She made an oath years ago that the day Changmin gets back, she’d make him every single dish he liked for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"For how long will you be standing there watching it burn?" Neya's scolding voice startled me.

While Neya prepared the table, I was making pancakes or should I say, burning the pancakes?

It's just I can't help remembering that long and strong hug we shared last night. And his smell…he smelled like cigarette and coffee. Something I usually would hate but because it was Changmin, I loved it.

"Move away from the stove, your face is burning up!" Neya demanded.

I felt my face burning up too! But not from the stove!

"I'm already done,” I retorted, placing the last one in its plate and successfully hiding the blush.

"There’s still the juice left," Neya said, hinting that I’m the one who has to make it.

I decided to make Changmin's favorite juice but I didn't seem to remember what it was.

"Neya?"

"Hm..."

"What's Changmin's favorite juice? Orange or cherry?"

"And how should I know?" she rolled her eyes, “just make Orange juice.”

"But I want to make his favorite juice," I whined. Neya rolled her eyes, again probably thinking how immature can a person be.

“Yoona!”

“Try to remember, Neya, this is important!”

"God, Yoona, go ask Mom okay?!" Neya finally burst.

I stood in my place, calmly thinking over her idea. It made sense to me!

I ran upstairs towards Kris'a room where I knew Mom is and opened the door.

The first thing my eyes fell on was Changmin's smiling and very, very very captivating eyes. I took a step back and hid behind the door.

"What is it Yoona?" Mom asked.

"Should I make orange or cherry juice?" I managed to ask.

"Whichever dear," she replied.

"What does he like more?" I said, my eyes locked on mom’s.

I just couldn't say his name!

"Orange of course!" Changmin's melodious voice rang through my ears, making me unconsciously break into a smile.

"Are you guys done?" Mom asked.

"Just the juice and the boiled eggs are left, I think, Neya is finishing setting the table," I replied.

"Good, let’s go then,” she said, standing up but not before patting Changmin’s cheeks.

And just like that, we headed back towards the kitchen.

I was so busy thinking about Changmin that I didn’t notice Kris standing there, with a smile on his face.

"Good morning, babe," he said to me and kissed my forehead.

"Good morning,” I replied, grinning up at him, “are you here to help?"

"Actually...Mom, did Changmin hyung wake up?" He directed his attention to his Mom, thus completely ignoring me.

"Yes," Mom answered.

He smiled at me apologetically,” I want to catch up with hyung now, but I promise I'll help with the washing later!"

"I'm done with this too," Neya said cheerfully, "I want to go catch up with Oppa too!"

I looked up at Mom, silently begging her to tell me to follow.

"Get to the juice," she said.

*******

I was still giddy from Yoona's earlier visit to my room when my two siblings walked in, hugging me all over again.

"Hyung you really need a long shower," Kris pointed out and tossed me a plastic bag, "I got you new clothes."

I smiled at him, a little embarrassed. When I shopped for this outfit with Kyuhyun, I was in a hurry so I picked the cheapest ones. And I didn't let Kyuhyun stop at a barber shop either so my hair was long and I had what is, the beginning of a beard.

"Do I look that bad?"

"You look like the main character of a movie!" Neya said encouragingly.

"Main character without muscles? I'm not even fit for the criminal role," I joked.

The words came out so naturally, yet the resulting feelings were so bitter. I felt myself tense.

I am really a criminal right?

Thankfully, neither Kris or Neya seemed to notice my sudden change of expression.

"No, but like the main character Oppa! Even Yoona said the same thing," she said.

 Her last statement made all the bad feelings diminish. I wondered what Yoona thought about me then. When we were kids, she looked up to me. And now that I was a man without a future, I wondered if she still had the same thought.

I took a long shower like Kris had suggested. I cleaned off the remaining dirt and bad memories of jail so that the moment I walked out, I looked like a gentlemen.

When Kris came in later to call me down for breakfast, he playfully got out a long whistle that echoed throughout the house, I’m sure.

"Dude, the girls will eat you if you go out like this!" he said, making me laugh, "no homo, of course."

"You have to take me to the barber's shop today!" I said to him.

"Dude! Yoona wasn't exaggerating when she said you looked like a movie star!" he said, "leave the hair and that beard, you look really handsome with them."

It was then decided that a barber shop was not needed.

We headed down for a feast of a breakfast. We chatted while we ate. They told me about the new changes in technology, around the house and the family. Kris told me stories from his university and why he decided to pursue economics. Neya volunteered to tell us about her professors who didn’t have positive thoughts for nurses. Nobody brought up jail and I was in no hurry to bring it up either.

Yoona stayed quiet the entire time but I had missed her and wanted to hear her voice so I tried to get her to talk.

“What about you, Yoong?” I questioned. She looked up at me then smiled shyly.

“I just graduated. I had to stop for a year because of the war so I graduated a year late and now I got accepted into the art college near the house,” Yoona answered, “So that’s where I’ll be going in the fall.”

“Congrats, Yoong. I’m very proud of you,” I said proudly, “You used to love painting when you were a kid too.”

“What about you? How did you like it abroad?” she asked, “are you going back there again?”

My parents and Kris froze at her question. I looked at them and realized what happened.

“Of course I won’t let him go anywhere,” my mom replied, “if you’re done eating, go with Neya and clean up the guest room.”

Yoona didn’t know that I was in jail! My parents told her I was gone for college! Didn’t I tell him to say that in the past?

Now I was left with fear of how Yoona and Neya would react to my secret.

I suddenly lost my appetite and only drank the juice due to my prior knowledge that Yoona made it specially for me.

When I finally got the chance to question my Dad privately, he apologized with a sad look.

“They were young when they took you. And then they grew up, and we found no need to tell them,” he said apologetically.

He noticed my expression going glum so he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. It didn’t ease the pain.

“Cheer up kiddo, it will all be alright,” he said.

I decided that I needed to tell Yoona the truth right now. And might as well tell her how I feel about her. You could tell me that it was too early but I had waited for so long. I was sure about my feelings. I was sure that my heart will always be hers. I was sure that I wanted her and only her for the rest of my life.

As I held my hand up, ready to knock on her door Neya walked into the hall.

“Oppa! What are you doing?” Neya asked suspiciously.

“I wanted to talk to Yoona about something---“

“I don’t know if the western world changed you but you know it’s frowned upon in our culture to go into a girl’s room, right?” she scolded me.

I was speechless. I used to go into Yoona’s room and sleep next to her and now I was told not to enter?

Things have to change. And change now.

“You don’t understand Neya. Listen, keep this a secret but I’m going to--- “

“NEYA! COME DOWN RIGHT NOW!” my mom’s yelling vibrated into the hall, making the two of us jump in fear.

“I have to take this, tell me later,” Neya grimaced as she dashed towards the staircase.

“Good luck,” I told her then turned towards the door again.

I took a deep breath and as I brought my hand up, the door swung open, revealing a happy Kris.

“Hyung, I called her down already,” he said as he locked the door behind him.

“Yoona’s inside?” I asked.

“Yes,” Kris replied, making the hairs of my back stand up.

I am not allowed in. Kris is allowed in.

“Then…?” my dumbfounded expression must have made Kris realize my issue for he broke into a grin.

“Oh us?” he said, smiling, “we’re engaged.”

***********