“If you EVER do that again so help me-“Ji Hyo stopped, taking a deep breathe “Okay – now how about we go around the room and tell each other what we did wrong.”

Eight pairs of eyes stared at the small woman. Eight pairs of eyes showed varying degrees of anguish. Eight pairs of eyes watched the Co-CEO of Monday Enterprises as she sat across from them in the living room of the Kang family penthouse.

“I am sorry Mrs. Kang, I shouldn’t have cried and ruined someone else’s dinner.” Chanyeol hung his head in shame.

“I shouldn’t have picked up Chanyeol’s call.” Kyungsoo followed.

“Yah!” Ji Hyo gave her middle son the look of death “You shouldn’t say things like that when your friend is hurting!”

Kyungsoo was quick to hang his head too “I am sorry I wasn’t a good friend to Chanyeol hyung.”

“I am sorry I got drunk and caused a ruckus.” Suho said, his voice barely above a whisper. Jongdae apologized for the same thing.

Tao and Sehun agreed. Ji Hyo noticed the tears in Tao’s eyes but didn’t say anything. The lot of them should feel bad for running amok at one of the Kang Families most treasured restaurants. It was a good thing Soojin had called her the night before.

Gary and Ji Hyo had driven to the restaurant, given Soojin a hefty tip, stared at Mr. Kim with shock (as he quietly took his leave), and then watched Mrs. Lu storm out of the place. They had gathered their brood and brought them back to the Kang penthouse (thankfully they had taken two cars) to sleep off their mistakes – fully intending to have a talk in the morning.

“Please don’t tell my father.” Baekhyun muttered, “I am really sorry Mrs. Kang. I should have stopped Chanyeol – been a better friend.”

“I won’t tell your Father, but you have to promise me that all of you have learned from your behavior.”

“Yes ma’am” Seven men answered, nodding furiously. Minseok was the only one who did not agree, but Ji Hyo didn’t press it. She had seen the sadness in his eyes, she had noticed how upset he looked. She knew they had to talk about it – and talk about it they would once the lecture was complete.

“Good. Then you can go. Yixing, Minseok, please stay.”

Six men left, slinking toward the door to take their leave. When they were gone Ji Hyo turned towards the two remaining men.

“Yixing…do you have something to say?” Ji Hyo implored. Out of all of her sons Yixing was closest to Minseok, she knew that having him stay behind would not impede Yixing’s honesty.

Yixing hung his head, staring at the floor he started to talk “Mrs. Kang…you know I am adopted.”

“Yes.” Ji Hyo answered, urging him to continue.

“Two years ago I found my birth Mother. I called her even…I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want to tell anyone. I tried to ignore it…” Yixing raised his head, tears streaming down his cheeks “Because of who she is. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, you poor baby. Come here.” Ji Hyo stood, pulling Yixing to his feet she embraced him. He might as well have been one of her sons given the amount of affection she felt for him “You must have had such a hard time with it all.”

“She isn’t a nice person Mrs. Kang.” Yixing sniffled.

Minseok watched in silence. So Yixing was Luhan’s brother? They had a term for things like this in the dramas that his Mom watched on TV.- makjang. Secret parents, secret siblings – a whole mess of unexpected things. What was his life turning into?!

“This doesn’t mean you are a bad person.” Ji Hyo patted Yixing’s back “And I think your Mom isn’t wholly bad, she is just a bit misguided.”

Minseok wondered if he would ever be able to think the same way. Was Luhan just misguided? Minseok had spent the night sleeping on his parent’s couch, removing his phone battery after Luhan texted him for the twentieth time. At the moment he didn’t feel so much like forgiving.

“I hope so. Thank you Mrs. Kang” Yixing hugged Ji Hyo tighter, then left to get his things, thanking the heavens for a surrogate Mother that was as caring and kind as Ji Hyo.

“Hey kiddo, we need to talk.” Ji Hyo sat next to her eldest son, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t have anything to say Mom.” Minseok didn’t feel like opening up, which didn’t surprise his Mother, he had always been guarded in his actions.

“You think Luhan planned this – to steal the Kim business away?” Ji Hyo queried, “Minseok, I don’t think he knew about it.”

“Why do you say that?” Minseok asked quietly.

“Son, he looked as upset as you did. He didn’t know.” Ji Hyo explained.

“I am not so sure of that.” Minseok said. Because he wasn’t.

“Have you talked to him?”

“No.”

“You should. I can’t make you, but I think you should.” Ji Hyo reached over and pulled her eldest into a hug “I love you and I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“I love you too Mom.” Minseok answered.

***

“So help me god, Luhan, if this falls through we are going back to China and-“

“Why did Yixing call you Mom?” Luhan asked, interrupting his Mother’s ramble.

“Who?! WHO called me Mom?” His Mother’s shrill voice rang out. They had returned to their apartment the night before in near silence. Luhan knew better than to talk to his Mother when she was this angry, it would end in nothing but a slap and angry words. He had waited, his mind plunged into the misery that was Minseok’s face as he walked into the dining room.

Luhan hadn’t talked to his Mother at all that night, instead he had gone to his room and texted. Called. Until Minseok turned his phone off. Then he cried until he fell into fitful dreams. It was morning now and he had a lot of questions. How much did his Mother know about the Kim business? Was this some sort of sick plan she had? And why did Yixing call her Mom (a fact that would have shocked him more if he wasn’t so focused on Minseok)?

“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear it!” Luhan shouted back, “Did you know that Mr. Kim was working with Monday Enterprises? Was this a plan of yours?”

His mother laughed, “You think everything is about YOU don’t you? That I live my life trying to ruin yours?”

“Why did Yixing call you Mom?” Luhan returned to the question, not willing to back down.

“Why do you suddenly care about Monday Enterprises?” She countered “Are you after that Korean boy again? The one that used you and threw you away?”

Luhan was a moment away from leaving. A moment away from turning and walking out. He wasn’t sure where he would go – wherever he went he had to make sure Minseok didn’t hate him.

And then the front door opened. A voice sounded. A man walked into the angry scene.

“My two favorite people!” His voice rang out, happiness among the turmoil.

“Dad?” Luhan froze. What was his Father doing here?

“The one and only. Now give me a kiss dear.” His Father opened his arms, beckoning his Mother forward. His Mother’s posture softened, the anger was immediately gone. She put on her mask – the mask she wore that said ‘I am always happy. I am a nice person. I am kind’ as she ran to greet her husband.

Luhan thought he would be sick.

***

Minseok clicked the phone battery back in. He had dozens of missed calls, almost all of them from Luhan.

He was back in his apartment now, lying on his bed he considered his next move. He could call Luhan – but what if his Mother was wrong? What if he had known about the deal, went ahead with it anyway? That truth would hurt too much.

He didn’t have a choice. The choice was made for him. He heard the door click open, he knew who it was. He didn’t get up.

A moment passed, then Luhan was in the doorway to the bedroom - sad, depressed, desperate. “I am sorry. I didn’t know.” It was barely above a whisper.

Minseok sat up, Luhan neared. “Please, I didn’t know you had dealings with the Kims. Please Minseok” He stared down, looking distraught, trying not to cry “Please don’t leave me now – not after we found each other again.”

It wasn’t a choice after that. It was movement. It was a tangle of limbs, of needy caresses. It was whispers.

“I won’t leave you.”

“I am sorry, god I am sorry.”

“I know.”

It was late afternoon before they left the bedroom, the pain and confusion long gone, replaced by a tired and sated feeling.

***

Baekhyun was surprised. He had shown up for dinner at his parents’ house – and there was a strange woman there.

“Baek, I would like you to meet Taeyeon, she is the daughter of the Choi’s.” His Mother beamed at him.

Baekhyun bowed awkwardly. So this was the daughter of the Chois- the family that owned the titular restaurant empire. She was pretty, beautiful even – the only problem was that he wasn’t into girls.

“I wish you had told me we had company.” Baekhyun said, trying to turn on the charm all while being serious. If he knew his parents had called over a prospective bride he would have turned down the dinner invite.

“Isn’t a surprise much more entertaining?” The woman said, giving Baekhyun a very curious look.

After the strange introduction, after a few glasses of wine before dinner (and a lot of Baekhyun’s parents gushing over Taeyeon in an obvious manner) they sat down at the long mahogany table.

“What a lovely girl you are.” Baekhyun’s Mother continued the compliments, practically beaming at Taeyeon “Don’t you think so, son?”

“Yes, very lovely.” Baekhyun answered, not bothering to look at the woman.

After dinner came cake, after cake came more conversation, and after the conversation Baekhyun found his parents deserting him in the living room with Taeyeon (a sheepish smile shared between his Mother and Father as they departed).

Baekhyun fidgeted, talked about the weather, tried to make the time pass as quickly as possible.

“We should cut the crap” Taeyeon spoke in a low voice, after glancing towards the hallway to ensure the Baekhyun’s parents were not listening.

“What?” Baekhyun was seriously confused.

Taeyeon scooted over on the couch until she was only a few inches away from Baekhyun, instinctually he scooted away.

“I don’t like you, you don’t like me. Our parents want us together. In fact-“Taeyeon grinned devilishly “I like girls and judging by your mannerisms you play for the other team.”

“What?!” Baekhyun was shocked. Was this really happening? What mannerisms? If anyone was a it was Kyungsoo or Sehun or…

“Listen- my parents don’t get it and it looks like your parents don’t either. If you want cover I can be that person – if you do the same for me.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, downing his wine.

“Don’t treat me like I am stupid. If you want to stay out all night then do it – just tell them we were on a date. If you want to leave for the weekend tell me, because I can back up your story. Now do we have a deal?”

Baekhyun scoffed. Pretend to be in a heteroual relationship to cover up his true relationship? It was ludicrous, it was silly, it spelled disaster – but then he thought of spending weekends away with Kyungsoo without having to hear his parents scold him for not dating. He imagined spending the night at Kyungsoo’s house without having to receive a call the next day asking when he would give in to a blind date. This may just work.

 Baekhyun extended his hand. They shook on it.

He had never seen his parents as happy as they were that night when Taeyeon and Baekhyun announced they wanted to see each other again. How funny it all was.

***

“Are you going home now?” Tao asked. Sehun was standing in front of the door to Tao’s apartment. After sleeping at Sehun’s parents house and then bumming around all day (Tao was surprisingly better at arcade games than he was three years ago) they had walked back to Tao’s apartment.

“Uh, yeah.” Sehun smiled. He felt better than he did the day before, despite a headache. He had actually slept for more than a few hours -which had done wonders for his mental stability.

Sehun turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“I know what you have been doing Hun-ah.”

Sehun gulped “What do you mean?” He turned to see Tao, a serious expression on his face.

“I know you live next door.” Tao smiled rather devilishly “And I was going to tease you for a while longer…but-“

“But?” Sehun asked.

“You are too cute.” Tao leaned forward, capturing Sehun’s mouth with his own.

Sehun never made it home that night.

***

“What are you doing for dinner?”

It was a simple text that required a simple answer. But yet it was not a simple answer. Jongdae stared at his phone for far too long before typing a response.

“I am going to my parents. See you tomorrow.”

“Can I come?”

It was bold, it was completely unlike Suho to be so bold. But they were together now, weren’t they? It wasn’t an unreasonable request to meet the parents of the man that he was dating?

“You probably wouldn’t like it there” Jongdae typed back, not wanting to delve into the details. Like how Suho had probably never stepped foot in a place so small, so cramped, so poor as the place that Jongdae’s parents lived.

“Doubt that. Should we meet at your place or mine?”

Jongdae sighed “Meet at my place”

At seven o’clock Suho rang the doorbell, on time as always. Jongdae had been biting his nails all afternoon, worried for what was to come. When he opened the door he noticed that Suho was dressed to perfection, conservatively clothed in a suit.

“You didn’t have to get so dressed up you know.” Jongdae was in jeans and a t-shirt.

“If I am going to meet my future in-laws I should look nice, don’t you think?” Suho grinned, causing Jongdae to blush.

On the way to the subway station Jongdae broached the subject, trying to explain without really explaining “My parents…they aren’t wealthy or anything.”

“That’s okay.” Suho smiled “They are your parents so I like them already.”

“Stop being so cheesy hyung!” Jongdae groaned, secretly dying at Suho’s comment.

They took the subway to the outskirts of Gangnam, ironically that is where the flophouses and the shantytowns of Seoul took shape. Suho knew this, Jongdae was sure. But Suho didn’t utter a word as they climbed the steps from the station. The first small store that they walked past had Suho stopping.

“I want to get something for your parents.” He explained, dragging Jongdae into the small shop.

It was rundown. The entire atmosphere made Jongdae uneasy – being here with his boyfriend who had never so much as worried about money in his entire life. He worried that Suho was uncomfortable- that Suho looked down on him.

“What do they like?” Suho asked, eying the racks of cheap products.

“Oh, um – anything is fine.” Jongdae answered. He wasn’t sure how he would make it through this evening.

In the end Suho picked out some health drinks and vitamin supplements – while they were checking out Suho told Jongdae it was a good gift because he wanted Jongdae’s parents to live a long life. Jongdae blushed, again.

A few more blocks, a few more lengths of cracked sidewalks, curious smells, day laborers milling about in their free time, smoke rising from shanties, and they were at Jongdae’s parents house. It wasn’t a shanty, but it was small structure, rundown, peeling paint and a cracked foundation.

“I always offer them money but they won’t take it.” Jongdae whispered as they approached, as if to explain why he had a nice job but his parents still lived this way. Suho didn’t respond.

When Jongdae pushed the front door open they were greeted by a barking dog.

“Yah! Gae your brother is here!” A round, cheery woman rushed to grab the yapping dog.  When she noticed Suho she bowed immediately. An older man, dressed in a shirt that had seen better days, paint stains and grease stains intermingled on the plaid, walked into the room, bowing as well once he saw Suho. Suho bowed deeply in greeting.

“Mom, Dad, this is Kang Suho.” Jongdae left it at that, not sure what to introduce him as.

“We have heard so much about you!” Jongdae’s mother rushed forward, patting Suho on the shoulder. “So handsome! Look dear, look how handsome he is!”

Suho blushed “Thank you. It is so nice to finally meet you.”

Jongdae’s father was a clone of his son – or the other way around, as it should be. He laughed, the same hearty laugh that Jongdae possessed “Such a good looking boy. No wonder my son likes his job”

Jongdae turned red as his Dad gave him a wink and a pat on the back “You should have told us he was coming, we would have made sure to put on our finest.”

“These are for you, Mom, Dad.” Suho took out the gifts, smiling brightly, “As a thank you for having such an amazing son.”

Jongdae could have died right there. Did Suho have to be so cheesy in front of his parents? Seriously?!

His parents gladly accepted the presents, thanking Suho profusely. The evening fell into a comfortable repertoire. Jongdae’s Father and Mother hit it off with Suho, they (Jongdae blushed and told them to knock it off), they pulled out Jongdae’s embarrassing baby photos (Jongdae blushed and told them to knock it off), and they told stories about how much Jongdae talked of Suho for the last seven years (Jongdae blushed and told them to knock it off). Even the dog warmed up to Suho, by the end of the visit he had his head on Suho’s lap.

When they left Jongdae’s parents hugged Suho warmly, telling him to visit any time he wanted. Jongdae got a hug too, and then they were off. As they walked back to the subway station Jongdae remained silent.

“You shouldn’t’ be embarrassed of them, you know.” Suho said.

“No, I shouldn’t.”

“I am sorry if I gave you the impression that I had a problem with poverty. I don’t.” Suho said firmly before turning to Jongdae, stopping him “I love you, I hope you know that.”

Jongdae was done blushing. “I love you too.”

They kissed, in the middle of barking dogs, the smell of grease and questionable cooking funneling through the streets, the mill of a shanty town dying down. They kissed and it was wonderful.