Kris straightened his tie and dress shirt when Chanyeol came to his table telling him that their boss called for him. He asked Chanyeol if anything was the matter but all he got was a mischievous grin from the younger. He brushed pass the younger mumbling something about the sudden meeting better be good before he would personally hunt him down. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door and heard a low and quiet come in from the other side. Kris opened the door to see his boss going through some of the files that he recognised from their newly signed contract.

“Take a seat, Yifan,” His boss, Mr Lee gestured to the empty chair in front of the table.

Kris took the seat carefully as he eyed the older man who seems to be paying more attention to the file in front of him rather than his employee. Kris fiddled with his fingers as cold sweat starts to break out. After what felt like forever, Mr Lee finally closed the file and placed it on the table in front of him.

“So, I've heard,” he began.

“I'm sorry, sir. I don't know what you mean,” Kris replied.

“I heard from Chanyeol that your fiancé is pregnant,” he explained himself as Kris breathed out the breath that he didn't realise that he was holding. “He even told me that you proposed to him recently while you guys were in Jeju.” He continued.

Mr Lee got up from his seat as he held out his right arm. Kris took it gladly as the older man shook it. “Congratulations, Kris!” He said. “But, that is not all to today's meeting!” He said as Kris sat back down.

“Have you heard about how number 4 means death to the Chinese and Japanese culture?” Mr Lee asked to which Kris nodded in response. “I have to say that number 4 would be your lucky number. When your fiancé hit his fourth month, you've gotten us a billion dollar contract, you proposed to your fiance and last but not least, I am promoting you as the assistant manager!” Mr Lee exclaimed as he smiled at Kris.

Kris was shocked when he heard the news that he is promoted to being the assistant manager. He did not see this coming. He never expected that he would get that position despite working for the company since the time he graduated from college. His face lit up as he took his boss' hand in a handshake and shook it.

“Thank you, sir! Thank you so much for this promotion!” He thanked. “I really don't know how to thank you and how I have to reveal this news to my fiancé and my future mother-in-law.” Kris said.

“Well, now that I have told you this news, I think you should head back home and celebrate this moment! And I am giving you your leave for tomorrow so that you can spend time with your family,” Mr Lee said as he watched Kris walked out of his office.

Kris got into his car and starts his engine. His mind went wild on the reactions that he would receive from both Yixing and his mama. He did not expect a promotion in just a short while and he should thank Yixing's pregnancy for all that is happening in his life. He drove past one of Yixing's favourite tteokbukki stall and got one huge container for the Chinese male. Kris also ordered more Changsha dishes take-out for mama in order for them to celebrate the special occasion. Kris then stopped by a jewellery store and bought the wing and unicorn pendant that Yixing have always had his eyes on. He remembered how his Yixing said that the wing pendant represents Kris' ability to protect him from any harm and how the unicorn pendant represents Yixing's ability of saving Kris from all his loneliness. Kris drove back to their apartment at the thoughts of seeing Lay's smile after a long day at work.

But Kris did not know the condition of his apartment right now.

Lay slid back on the living room carpeted floor once Li Han had left their apartment. His body shook out of fear and he let out choked sobs. The memories of the times when he was abused came flashing through his head. He remembered how Li Han used to pull him by his hand as he dragged him to the kitchen. Li Han stuffed the food that he deemed as inedible into his mouth causing him to gag. Sometimes, Li Han would strip him on their kitchen floor and him right then and there. It burnt into his mind the lustful look that Li Han had when he forced himself on him. All he could do after that incident was to just lay there on the kitchen floor and watched the day as it goes by.

Lay rubbed on his skin violently as he tried to remove the 'marks' that Li Han left on his body. He took a cloth right next to him as he rubbed his skin till it turned a dark shade of red. Tears stained his cheeks as he recalled all the things that Li Han said to him before he left them in the apartment. Lay slid himself across the floor and took one piece of the broken glass, intending to throw it in the bin. He did not realise it that he was pressing it too hard on his palm that he started to bleed.

“Yixing! What are you doing?!” Mrs Zhang's voice came into the living room when he sees blood dripping from Lay's palms.

She rushed over to her son and took the piece of glass away, removing all the other glasses on the ground. She quickly wiped the traces of blood away and disinfected Lay's wound. They were lucky that the wound wasn't as deep as she thought it would be. She bandaged it up and gazed into her son's eyes that only had a distant look. Lay moved over to the couch with the help of his mother and he snuggled closer to the pillows, one arm wrapping around his belly protectively.

“Why am I still here? Why am I still alive when all I ever did was to put my loved ones in danger?” Lay asked monotonously.

Mrs Zhang looked over at her son and laid his head on her shoulders. She patted his head slowly in hopes that it would calm him down of all his anxiety. “Mama? What did I do wrong in my previous life for me to receive all these punishments?” He asked.

“You did nothing wrong, honey. This is all God's test,” she replied soon after.

“Why can't Li Han leave me alone?” He asked. “Am I fated to be with him? Is that the reason why I can never be happy with Yifan and our little peach?” He continued.

A tear stained Mrs Zhang's shirt as Lay continued mumbling to himself, “Mama? Should I get rid of little peach and leave Yifan? So that no one around me gets hurt and everyone can be happy again?” Lay asked.

Mrs Zhang took Lay's face in between her fingers as she wiped away the tears. Her heart broke looking at her son's condition. Lay doesn't deserve everything. All he ever asked for was a happy life. Not all these heart aches. She could see how happy her son is whenever Yifan was there and she would never allow her son to abort the baby just so Li Han could be happy. What's the point of living when he is living his life in pain? She would rather have herself killed just to see her son happy. She would do anything just so her son could have all the happiness he deserves.

“Don't say that ever again, honey. Don't ever say that you would abort your little peach for Li Han. Don't ever give up on Yifan when you know it yourself that you would be happier with Yifan than you are with Li Han.” Mrs Zhang said. “Yixing, promise mama. Promise mama that you would do anything you can to keep both your little peach and Yifan safe.” She asked.

Lay nodded in response as he snuggled closer to the warmth that he loved since he was a kid. The warmth that always made him feels better. Mrs Zhang rubbed Lay's back continuously as Lay drifted to sleep again that day.

Kris walked into his apartment to see Lay all snuggled up in the blankets on the couch. His body curled up as he tried to find warmth in that cold winter night. He placed his briefcase in his home office and walked over to the kitchen to get him a drink. Kris greeted his mother with a smile and noticed that she has a cut on her arm. It looks fresh to him and he knows that it looks like she was attacked by someone. Kris walked over to the older woman and examined the wound. Mrs Zhang jumped when she feels Kris hand tracing the wound on her hand.

“What happened, mama?” Kris asked.

“Nothing. I just cut myself,” she replied because she knows that she shouldn't be telling Kris about it, yet.

“This doesn't look like nothing to me,” Kris replied.

“Its nothing really--” She was cut short when Lay walked into the kitchen with the blanket covering his body. He rubbed his eyes with a balled fist as he smiled over at Kris, the bandaged hand did not go unnoticed by Kris.

Kris glared at Mrs Zhang for lying to him about her cut. He postponed his plans of informing his family about his promotion and the gift that was sitting heavily in his pocket. He sat both the mother and son pair in the living room as he forced them to inform him about what happened.

That night, Kris spent his time soothing a sobbing Lay. He tried convincing his pregnant fiancé that they would be together no matter what and Li Han can't do anything to take their well-deserved happiness away. Lay punched at Kris arms as he chanted how they would not be together when tomorrow comes because Li Han would do anything to have him back. Kris clenched his fist when he imagined how much pain Li Han has inflicted to his fiancé and still is. He turned to his side as he sees the box containing his gift for them.

His boss' voice kept replaying in his head how the number 4 means death in the Japanese and Chinese culture and how lucky he was that he didn't meet with any misfortune when Lay hit his fourth month. At that moment when he sees the state that his fiancé is in, he knew that he is not as fortunate like how his boss perceived to be. Because Kris knows that from that day onwards, they would be facing with bigger problems.

A/N: so this number 4 thingy was something I read by chance on the net and you guys can feel free to correct me if im wrong.  

Who read CIBTR? Because I have already planned the sequel(s) and it would be posted once I am done with the first chapter! So look forward to it!

Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

xoxo.