[Year 19 of Exile]

"Jen, do you always think of your parents?"

I tore my eyes away from the window, where I was reveling in the calm of a silent rain. The raindrops pelted my window pane and slid down, racing one another in a non-existent race.

"Sometimes. When something bad happens, I would think of them." I replied softly. "Why the question, Sehun? Didn't the rest tell you to not ask anything related to them?"

His eyes widened before they reverted back to their original size and he chuckled. "Well, it isn't your birthday so I plucked up the courage." Sehun grinned. "Ain't I brave?"

I gave him a patronizing smile before returning to looking outside. Night had descended upon us and the darkness swallowed up the moon and the stars. I frowned slightly as the wind howled menacingly.

“Hey, that wasn’t me.” Sehun piped up as he tore his eyes away from his comic for a fleeting glance. “That’s nature. Not OhSehun-made alright, just to clarify.”

I sniggered and nodded as I let my eyes rest on him for a short moment. How long has it been since I’ve spent time with him, alone like this?

A small smile crept onto my face when his face crinkled as he flipped through the comic; his expressions priceless. A scowl momentarily stayed on his face and I found my eyes trailing along the contours of his facial features - his lips, the lines that formed on his face as he scowled, and his eyes that narrowed. Sehun is really good-looking, even with that ugly scowl on his face.

“Am I too handsome for you, Jen?” His voice snapped me out of my admiration and I pinked when our eyes met. He stowed the book under his pillow and came to me. I automatically wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his tummy.

“You’ve been working out!” I remarked as my hands felt the rock-hard abs hidden under his shirt. He snickered and grabbed my hand. “You could feel it for real. All you need to do is ask.” He began to guide my hand under his shirt and I shrieked in surprise. He laughed and released it.

Pulling me close, he my hair and gently said. “Jen. I may be the youngest but I am also here for you. If you meet with any difficulty or encounter hardships, please share them with me. Don't just talk to Chanyeol-hyung, or Luhan-hyung; talk to me too. I’m no longer that timid boy from the past; I have grown, I have matured.”

I cleared my throat when he mentioned ‘matured’.

“Well, I have kind of matured.” He got the hint and I snickered as I wrapped my arms even tighter around his waist. “Just, think of me when something bad happens. Aunt Aera and Uncle Nick aren’t here for you but I am."

I nodded, feeling the warmth from his stomach flooding my face.

"And I always will be.”

“Jen?”

A gentle voice woke me from my slumber. I stirred, and stretched my arms above my head. A soft hand pushed my hair away from my face and I opened my eyes.

My mother was looking fondly down at me.

“Time to get up darling, if not you’d be lat–" The door to my room crashed open and numerous men, carrying batons and dressed in black suits, stormed in. They grabbed my mother and pushed her onto the floor. I screamed as I witnessed them kicking viciously and stepping hard on her.

“Dad! Dad!” I half-shouted and half-begged for him, desperately wanting him to come running in to