Sehun had a nagging feeling that Suho hadn’t told him everything. He knew that Tao was up to something, he had to be after the phone conversation he had overheard. His answer was delivered by Tao, his eyes puffier than they usually were.

Tao showed up at the offices as the sun peeked over the horizon. He had always thought returning to Monday Enterprises would give him a feeling of bitter nostalgia over the few short days he was employed as Sehun’s assistant. It didn’t. He was too worried about Sehun to think about all of that.

The Kang’s and their inner circle had been at the office through the night, all due to the investigation. Tao tried not to draw attention to himself and make matters worse, instead he made his way to Sehun’s office.

Pushing the door open he found Sehun with his head down on his desk. Tao felt like crying some more. Instead he approached, nudging Sehun softly.

“What? How- I wasn’t sleeping!” Sehun jerked upright, blinking rapidly.

“Sorry.” Tao apologized for waking him but did not bother to move away. He leaned against the desk, watching Sehun.

“Tao?” Sehun asked, like he couldn’t quite register who was standing in front of him.

“Yeah. Hey, I know now is not a good time but I need to tell you some things.” Tao said slowly. He had begged Suho the night before to keep it all a secret, and that is exactly what he thought he wanted. But as the night wore on, as sleep eluded him, he started to think about how petty it all was. If Sehun had started things with a contest was he going to continue them with secrets?

“Go ahead, I’m all ears.” Sehun replied, leaning back in his chair to brace for the worse.

***

Luhan knew that his Mother was behind the investigation into Monday Enterprises- she had to be. Now he just had to prove it. The image of Minseok, teary eyed and exhausted, was his motivation. He had to clear his name, he just hoped he didn’t destroy his own family in the process.

The idea had come to him the night before. He needed something to leverage against his Mother, his own hand to play against hers. His Mother had always protected her image, never let any hint of scandal reach her son. But there was something – and that something was currently employed as a secretary at Monday Enterprises. Luhan felt horrible going this route, but his only hope was hinged on his half-brother. If he could find out who Yixing’s Father was, it might be enough to get his Mother to stop whatever she was doing – if she was threatened with having everything revealed to the public.

The problem was Luhan had no idea where to start looking for the man. Yixing had no idea, nor did he particularly care to find out. Asking his Father was something he could not bring himself to do. He tried to think back to his childhood, to any kind of clues or people but he could not remember a thing. Besides, Yixing was not much younger than himself. He couldn’t even remember his Mother being pregnant when he was young – he had zero memory of any of it.

He groaned in frustration. Why couldn’t things be easy?

Luhan heard his Mother’s door open. It was early for her to be up. Even as a business woman she eschewed rising before 6:30. Luhan had been the opposite of late, waking up around 4 each morning.

He heard the familiar shuffling of her slippers on the wood floors. When she appeared, Luhan offered her only a cursory glance.

“I would say good morning but you look like you would rather I have a bad one.” She moved towards the kitchen.

“Why are you up so early?” Luhan asked, having pulled out his tablet he was busy looking at his calendar for the day.

“I am going home today.” She said matter-of-factly.

“What?!” Luhan raised his head, surprised. His Mother was returning to China? That made no sense. She had touted all of the opportunities in Korea, she had been completely involved in gaining new business here. Why would she return now?

“I thought maybe you needed a break from accusing me of things. With your Dad here it will be fine. Not that you care, but I will be back in a few days.”

“Are you running away?” Luhan asked. He had no doubt she probably was. If her involvement in the fraudulent transfers at Monday Enterprises was discovered she would face arrest – of course she was smart enough to run back to China with criminal charges being a potential outcome in Korea.

“Luhan, believe whatever you want to believe. You do any way.”

Luhan watched his Mother walk away, a scowl on his face. He sat, looking at his calendar, for a few minutes before returning to his room to take a shower. He didn’t bother to tell his Mother goodbye.

***

Sehun stared at Tao. He didn’t speak, he stared.

“You probably hate me.” Tao said glumly, turning to go.

“No- “Sehun called after him. Sehun should hate him, he knew that, but for some reason he didn’t. Maybe it was the tears, the sincerity. Of course he was pissed, Tao had agreed to blackmail his family. This wasn‘t something to just forget about. But still, he didn’t hate him for it. “I don’t hate you…but I need some time to think, okay.”

“Really?” Tao was surprised. He had been prepared for Sehun to tell him to get out, to never speak to him again. He had braced himself for that.

“Yeah.  I will call you later.”

Tao left Monday Enterprises, extremely proud of himself for telling the truth.

***

“Someone is blackmailing me.” Baekhyun held the packet up, practically shoving it in Kyungsoo’s face.

“What?!” Kyungsoo had let Baekhyun drag him into the stairwell on the assumption they would have a minute or two to themselves amidst all the drama – not because he thought Baekhyun had something this important to tell him.

Kyungsoo opened the envelope, taking the pictures out, he paused. They were not just attempting to blackmail Baekhyun, they were blackmailing Kyungsoo as well. After all, he was in the pictures too.

“What do they want?”

“I don’t know. Someone dropped these pictures off at my office – they didn’t leave a note.” Baekhyun was panicked “What are we going to do?!”

Kyungsoo pushed the pictures back in the envelope and handed it back “What do you mean what are we going to do? If they haven’t asked for anything we aren’t’ going to do anything.”

“But what if my Dad finds out?!” Baekhyun whined.

“Maybe you could tell him about us?” Kyungsoo suggested, knowing Baekhyun would immediately shoot down the idea. He did.

“You mean come out? Now?!”

“Or not. Your choice. I have to get back to work.”

Kyungsoo left Baekhyun standing in the stairwell, clutching the envelope, afraid at the very thought of his Father ever finding out. Why was this so difficult for him?

***

Chanyeol knew that the press would descend on Monday Enterprises as soon as the revenue investigation became public knowledge. He knew that stepping out to get the team some coffee would result in a fight with reporters. So it was strange that he found the entrance to the building practically deserted. It was early in the morning, approaching six o’clock, but he had guessed journalistic integrity would eschew sleep. He was wrong, apparently.

Chanyeol walked the three blocks to the coffee shop, getting twelve coffees to go. He juggled the armful amidst a stream of pedestrians making their way to work, doing everything he could to not spill the steaming liquid on a passerby.

When he approached there were half a dozen newly arrived news vans parked outside the entrance of the building. Apparently the media didn’t start working until 6:00 AM. Chanyeol dreaded entering the place now, his arms full of coffee. As he approached the entrance the reporters swarmed at him, recognizing the Monday Enterprises badge around his neck.

“Can you comment on the current case?”

“What do you do at Monday Enterprises?”

“Did you have anything to do with the fraud taking place?”

Chanyeol tried to weave through the crowd, but he got stuck in the sea of reporters and cameramen. Then his savior appeared.

“No comment. Step aside or I will call security.”

Chanyeol turned around to see Song Joong Ki approaching, confidence in his voice. He took some of the coffee from Chanyeol, offering him a warm smile. As the reporters continued to throw out questions Joong Ki once again affirmed his stance. To Chanyeol’s amazement they backed down, letting him walk into the building. Once inside he thanked the other man.

“Thanks for back there, I thought I would end up burning half of them with the coffee.”

“No problem. Anything for my sister’s cutest employee.” Joong Ki answered with a wink.

Chanyeol was pretty sure he died. The wink had killed him.

***

“Are you okay?” Jongdae had a hand on Suho’s shoulder, concerned for his boyfriend’s wellbeing. The entire company was in an uproar, as they should be, but Jongdae was particularly concerned for one employee.

“I will be if we can get this investigation dropped. “ Suho was tired, so tired, but there was a lot of work left to be done. They had to find a way out of this mess and so far there was no way in sight. The auditors had not discovered the source of the transactions, the investigation was still ongoing, and a warrant for his parent’s and Minseok’s arrest was expected any day now.

“Hyung, we will. Somehow, we will.” Jongdae tried to seem positive in front of Suho, but he felt the same gnawing feeling of the dread.

“I hope so.”

“I love you.” Jongdae leaned forward, planting a kiss on Suho’s cheek. It was chaste, they were at the office after all.

“I love you too.” Suho replied, taking comfort in that fact amidst all the chaos.

***

In the early afternoon the call came – everyone needed to meet in the board room ASAP. Minseok hurried, practically running down the halls. His parents had been communicative during this whole ordeal, but obviously there was something new that had happened to facilitate the sudden meeting.

He pushed open the conference room door. Taking a seat near the head of the long table he waited for his parents to arrive. When they did, walking alongside Baekhyun’s dad, they looked infinitely more relaxed than the last time he saw them only a couple of hours prior.

Ji Hyo announced it then, her voice tinged with joy “The investigation has been called off. Evidence has been turned into the revenue office indicating the origins of the transactions.”

The entire room burst into applause – a mixture of fatigue and relief driving their actions.

“So who did it?” Chanyeol asked, never one to hold back from asking blunt questions.

“Hackers. Internet pests.” Ji Suk Jin blurted out, shaking his head.

Minseok was surprised. So it wasn’t Luhan’s family after all? He had to call Luhan, he had to let him know. As soon as the meeting was over he told himself.

“Why would hackers target Monday Enterprise’s?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes wide.

“Because, kids these days are troublemakers.” Suk Jin answered, practically shouting, “They need to go outside and play, not spend all day causing trouble.”

Murmurs of “thank god” “does that mean I can sleep now?” and “I knew I was too fragile to go to prison” were heard around the room.

After Gary and Ji Hyo told their children and employees to go home and get some rest, they hung back, stopping Minseok from leaving.

Minseok watched his brothers, his uncles, and the Byun’s leave the room. He had a feeling that the reason his parents wanted him to stay behind was not to celebrate further. He inadvertently shivered, a feeling of dread overcoming him.

***

Mr. Byun had been nice enough to drive Kyungsoo home. Baekhyun was with them as well, sitting in the back seat as Kyungsoo took the front seat.

“Thank the heavens this has been resolved.” Mr. Byun rattled on, listing the reasons why having the potential charges dismissed was a good thing.

Kyungsoo already knew that not going to prison was a positive step, but he didn’t say anything. He just listened. Maybe Baekhyun’s Dad dealt with fatigue via nonstop talking. It was fitting, given how much his son liked to talk.

“Taeyeon called, now you have time to call her back.” Mr. Byun rambled “Am I going to get some good news about a wedding soon, son?”

Maybe Kyungsoo dealt with fatigue by being brutally honest to the point of being detrimental to those around him.

“Sir, I am dating your son.” Kyungsoo piped up, which was completely unlike him. But at her name he had felt like it- at her name he had wanted to stop this entire stupid situation, with Baekhyun being blackmailed and mortified if anyone found out “So if you are okay with us getting married then I wouldn’t mind. If your son will have me that is.”

“Ha…ha!” Mr. Byun glanced at Kyungsoo. They were stopped at a red light, making the entire situation forced and heavy.

“Yah!” Baekhyun shouted from the back seat, mortified.

“I am serious. Right Baek?” Kyungsoo glanced back.

“Wait, really?” Mr. Byun asked, his eyes growing wide. The light turned green. Kyungsoo noticed it took Mr. Byun a few seconds too long to step on the gas.

“Dad..I  - um – you should-“ Baekhyun sputtered.

“Bahahaha! Your Mother and I had a bet! Guess I won twenty bucks!” Mr. Byun winked at his son through the rearview mirror.

“You what?!” Baekhyun practically shouted.

“I figured you were into guys but she swore that you were so into Taeyeon you had to be straight. Jokes on her, huh boys.” Mr. Byun laughed as he made a sharp left turn.

“Wait? So you don’t hate me because I am gay?” Baekhyun was perplexed at the sudden turn of events.

“Um, no. Should I?”

“Well, no.” Baekhyun was seriously confused.

“Good then. And I approve- you guys get married and adopt a bunch of little grandkids for me, okay?” Mr. Byun smiled then went back to rambling on about the potential fallout from the investigation like nothing had happened.

Byun Baekhyun had been on this earth for more than two decades. And in two plus decades he had never before thought his Dad was this cool. Damn. And did Kyungsoo just propose to him? Hot damn.

***

Gary shut the board room door as the last person left, leaving only his eldest son, his wife, and himself in the cavernous conference room.

“Dear..” Ji Hyo’s voice regained its edge, the same distress she had carried with her in the last day.

Minseok knew this was not going to be good. “What is it?”

“Sit down.” Ji Hyo motioned for her eldest son to sit. Minseok sat in the leather chair, leaning slightly forward in nervous anticipation. Ji Hyo sat down next to him, Gary on the other side of their son.

“Luhan’s Mother was flying back to China today.” Ji Hyo said slowly. Gary remained silent, but reached an arm out to squeeze his son’s shoulder, “She was on a Lu Industries plane. It crashed shortly before arrival. There were no survivors.”

Minseok felt the blood rush from his face. He felt sick.

“Does Yixing know?” Minseok asked, his mind torn between Luhan and his friend.

“Yes.” Gary answered.

Minseok had wondered briefly why the secretary was not at the meeting, but he had figured he was busy handling the influx of calls due to the investigation. If he had only known it was so bad…

“I’m sorry. I know she wasn’t our favorite person, but you love Luhan and he must be hurting now.” Gary said quietly.

Luhan. He must be devastated. Minseok felt the tears stream down his cheeks, he clenched his fists. He had to find Luhan, make sure he was okay. From one storm into the next. From one storm to the next.

-------------------------------

a/n- So…yeah…let me know what you think. Baekhyun is out (I just had to with this plot twist), Tao fessed up, SuChen are still very much in love and Xiuhan…well. This will have a happy ending though, trust me! I could never write a sad ending for Xiuhan, it is against everything I believe in haha.

I looked over the story tonight and I have come to the conclusion there are a max of three more chapters before we reach the end. We are nearing the stories completion, so please give me some feedback. What did you like? What drove you nuts? Hate it? Love it?

Thank you to all of the readers that have gotten this far. Sorry for any grammatical errors, and thank you for your patience with some late updates. If you want to stalk me / yell at me/ tell me I don’t / fan-girl over Exo you can find me on tumblr (I am admin L). Thanks as always for subbing, voting, and reading *hugs*