[Year 19 of Exile]

“Where are we going?” Zitao gingerly asked as he the hem of his shirt. “Do we have a destination?”

“Yeah, where are we even headed to?” I lifted my head up from Yixing’s shoulder and tilted it left and right before massaging it with my fingers. I patted his shoulder in thanks for letting me sleep on it and he pinched my cheek in response. “We’ve been on the road for hours and I need to go to the washroom.”

“Have you seen any goddamned washrooms along this highway?” Kris clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “And you should have gone before we left.”

“Well sorry for having a weak bladder and not knowing beforehand that I was to go on a road trip with you guys!” I retorted, crossing my arms and slumping until my knees touched the back of the passenger seat.

Kris sighed as the headlights slightly illuminated his features. In a matter of hours, his face had grown haggard and unshaven. Small bags hung under his eyes and they were devoid of any positive emotions. Well, he has been out looking for me for the whole afternoon.

I glanced around and realised that the boys sharing the same vehicle as me looked similar to Kris. And so were they.

I sat back upright and turned to look behind. The headlights of the vehicle following behind us were too bright and prevented me from seeing the boys inside but I knew that they were exhausted as well. The rest of them too. I visualised the last vehicle that trailed behind the second.

I turned back to the front and rested my head on Kai’s shoulder as he adjusted his sitting position to suit me. I began to wring my hands as I looked beyond Kris’ shoulder and fixed my gaze on the passing tar road lit aglow by the headlights. Nervousness started to gnaw at my heart and I couldn’t stop wringing my hands. Suddenly, I felt a pair of warm and large hands over mine and I looked up to see Kai smiling down at me.

“Don’t be afraid, princess.” He whispered softly as his head dipped towards mine and our foreheads touched. “Don’t be afraid. We’re all here with you.”

His eyes, reflecting a strong sense of determination, pierced through mine and I felt safe just by gazing at them. I nodded slowly and he pulled away to look outside the window. I rested my head on his shoulder and felt my hands relaxing in his. He gripped them tightly and I wished he would never let go.

[Kris]

“We’re here.”

I turned into a hidden path and pulled into a rather large dirt mound. Blindly groping for the light switch in the land rover, I turned it on and whirled back to see her sleeping soundly on Kai’s shoulder. My eyes softened at the sight of her as I gestured for Kai to carry her out. He nodded.

Turning to my left, I spied a sleeping Zitao and sighed before shaking him awake. “W-We’ve reached?” He groggily asked as I stepped out of the vehicle and gave the infrastructure that stood before me a scan.

Two-storied cabin complete with a basement. I eyed a door that protruded out of the side of the house. And an attic. My eyes drifted up to a single window above the second story of the cabin. Not too shabby. I smiled, impressed. How did Kai’s father manage to find this place on such a short notice? My smile disappeared as I felt a cold and hard object in my pocket. He even got himself a non-traceable GPS device with this cabin’s coordinates set inside.

It’s like the parents knew that this day would come.  

“So we’d be living here huh.” I felt someone coming up from behind me and turned to see Chanyeol carrying a few duffel bags on his shoulders. I took two from him and he smiled at me in thanks. “Feels like a real road trip!” He gave a throaty laugh and he proceeded up the stairs and into the cabin where some of the boys had already entered.

Glancing towards the other vehicles that had parked on the mound and ensuring that the