chapter sixteen: cherish

"since when have we lost the wonderful things we needed somewhere?"   

"Kai'll be next."

With Chanyeol finally joining the search team, the six of them head off to find the famous bronze-skinned, chocolate-abs owner, and rather the iest dancer and member alive within EXO that had existed– Kim "Kai" Jongin.

"You think he's stil tanned skin as he can be?" Chanyeol chuckled at the backseat with his feet stretched out, enough to bother Chen and Sehun who were sitting in front of him. "I bet his prized abs are long melted. Well, chocolate does melt, especially in summer. Am'irite, or am I right?"

"Yeol," Baekhyun huffed as he looked behind Chanyeol with those sharp-looking eyes lined with Baekhyun's self-made eyeline from his favorite eyeliner brand. Of course, the group's loudest beagle was totally proud of it that he didn't stop bragging about it two hours after they left the hotel they had stayed in the night before. "Seriously, put your stinky giant feet down before I chop 'em off!"

"Pfft, like you can." the giant mocked.

"Oh, hella yeah I can." the beagle glared back. "You never know if I carry a butterknife or some sort."

"You don't."

"He does." Suho gulped, eyes still on the road. "One time we went out after Show Champion, I nearly got a heart attack when he pulled out a freaking bread knife from his bag!"

"Why do you carry a knife in your bag?" Sehun chortled. "Like, you can't just go stabbing people around!"

"Sometimes, a beagle's instincts just gets to his head." Chen joked as he leaned back before he eyed Baekhyun mischievously.

"And what instint might that be, you troll?" Baekhyun hissed.

"The instinct to stab someone's eyeballs and feed those to its young."

"Yeah, I sure am stabbing your eyes out, Jongdae! Suho, hold my earrings!"

"You don't have earrings– oh, wait, you do."

Jonathan, on the other side, was just dying in laughter beside Chanyeol, who was now slowly putting his feet down after Baekhyun assumingly pulls out a plastic knife from the car compartment. Of course, Chanyeol wasn't really able to see that the knife was apparently just one of those toys one finds in dollhouse packages. The plastic utensil, that was. 

Before they left the hotel room, Suho was definite in changing their normal vehicle into a mini-van enough to contain the six of them, plus Kai if ever he'd agree to join them. One way or another, they still fit in the vehicle, and that's clearly obvious since Chanyeol can still stretch his giant legs. Jonathan can still sleep comfily and Sehun can stil stretch his long arms up. "So," Sehun began as he eyed the rest. "Where do we suppose find Jongin?"

"Well, it's quite easy." Chen smirked. "Tell him, Jo."

"Of course." Jonathan nodded before he fished for his phone in his jeans' pockets before he swiped left and right before he shows it to Sehun, who rather appeared confused.

"Lexon Corporation?" Sehun blinked, noticing the familiar logo of one of the Top Three biggest and most famous companies now a days in South Korea, "What 'bout it?"

"Look closer." Suho says behind the sterring wheel. Being the obedient yet sassy youngest he was and is, Sehun squints his eyes as he does what his dear Suho-hyung had told him to do. It took a bit more minutes (basically because the vehicle was a bit shaky due to the motion and so) for Sehun to gasp and point a rather accussing finger at Jonathan's phone screen. "Oh, dear Krisus, is that EXO's logo I see in it?!"

"Lemme see." Chanyeol cried as he snatched Jonathan's phone. Not long, he had the same expression with that of Sehun's.  "Dear go– it is our logo! What the  is EXO's logo doing in there–"

"Park Chanyeol! Language!" cried Baekhyun sassily.

But without joking, EXO's logo was indeed in the popular Lexon Corporation. At first, it looks pretty much like a creative logo some genius had come up with. But at closer inspection, a true fan or most likely, any EXO member could highlight the hidden EXO logo hidden in the company's unique logo. The logo the group had used during their debut, which was rather a symbolism that the said logo carries and had started everything. That it was a sign of everything. That it was the sign of their beginning... as a twelve. 

"What the heck is our logo doing in there?" Chanyeol exclaimed in pure astonishment as he returned Jonathan's phone.

"Because Kai's there." Baekhyun explained.

"What gives you the way that Kai is really there?"

"Ask the genius one." Baekhyun says as he throws a look at Jonathan. "Jonathan was the one who came up with that theory to start off anyway."

"Then, lay it down." Chanyeol nodded. "What gives, buddy?"

"Well," Joanthan began as he leaned back, secretly imitating the way his sister, Huiying, does whenever she goes in her "deep thinking- genius Einstein-like" mode whenever she somewhat comes up with some random yet legit conspiracy theories. "At first, I was really intruiged by this company. The company's originally under someone named Kim Jongin and Jang Jinmi. At first, it was kind of a thing because as we all know—"

"Kim Jongin was his name." Chen cuts in. "Get to the straight point."

"Alright. It was kind of fishy, but after a few observing, Lexon Corporation was made around a year and a half after Kai-appa had left the group. There were no photos of this so called 'Kim Jongin' CEO neither, and all results in search engines were EXO's Kai. So, it was kind of a theory that Lexon Corporation's CEO is originally EXO's former member, Kai."

"Wait, wait, hold up." Chanyeol interupts. "You aren't really sure if Kai's really there."

"Well, no–"

"Then what if he's not there?"

"Then we search somewhere else." Suho replied. "Chill out, okay? We won't run out of fuel, okay?"

"Yeah, I know that. But the fans... what 'bout them? Aren't at least a bit worried over our rabid EXO-L's? They did do lots of horrid and practically outta this world things when our group was still a hot trend." Chanyeol bargained. "So... yeah, you get me, right?"

"We've been out searching for you guys, but we never really got into trouble." Baekhyun answers. 

"Point taken." the giant nodded before he leans back, grabbing his guitar and strumming expertly a song they used to perform. Upon hearing it, everyone had that "smile" patched on their faces. Of course, if there's anything that can make the former EXO members smile, it would be their hit songs. What Chanyeol was, by any chance, playing, was one of the songs they often sang in the car. 

An old choice, but something with perfect meaning. Black Pearl is something that reminds everyone of each other for some reason. 

They sang it before. Everytime they found a time to sing that one song, they would. Chanyeol used to bring a ukelele or a guitar everywhere, or sometimes, when their song would be live on the radio, they'd sing along. They've been doing that since who knows when. It really carried off numerous memories. 

"So, Lexon Corporation it is?" Suho asks, which got everyone nodding their heads. With that fixed, Suho then headed to the company said.

Upon arrival, their hearts were practically racing fast. Jonathan, as per usual, leads the way inside and after convincing the security that they have to visit the company's head CEO, they eventually got in. They were directed instantly to the the supposedly-thought Kai's office, which had everyone's jaws drop. 

The office was more of a fancy living room. The curtains were rather in a dark bluish color which somewhat darkens the room when it's untied and surely covers the enormous glass window facing towards them once they entered. The seemingly "office table" is rather a fancily elongated mahogany table designed with numerous paper works neatly placed in an equally huge number of folders, a fancy-looking pen holder, a paper holder rather garnered out of country, and so on and so forth. The so-called office chair wasn't simply a normal rotating one. It looked like a leaning, leather seat which was somewhat twice bigger than Kai. There were leather sofas even. And the flooring was something better than simple marble or whatever sweet, luxurious flooring there is. 

"Please wait here," the secretary that directed them to "Kai's" office. "Sir Jongin will be out from his meeting in less than fifteen minutes." 

As told by the female secretary, everyone waits. Chanyeol had rather adjusted faster than the rest and was then found laying comfortably on the leather sofa on one side of the room. Baekhyun sat on the same sofa, having the red hair's long legs over his lap. Jonathan paced around nervously, Suho did the same, Chen sat on the floor and Sehun was too busy admiring the former groupmate's office. "I never knew Kai'll be this rich after he left." Sehun remarked as he gazed at the view from Kai's office. 

"I never knew that kid's interested in business works!" Chen cried in a dumbfounded manner. "Like, who knew he's going to be the head CEO of Korea's third-most famous and biggest company? Like, really? How come?"

"I never though Jongin's even good at handling greens." Chanyeol breathed out as he stretched his arms, accidentally hitting Baekhyun's jaw, causing him to receive a hard slap on his thigh from the shorter.

"What if we got the wrong Kim Jongin?" Jonathan nervously asks as he clasped his hands together. "What if... he's not the one we're after."

"Then we make a smooth escape." Chanyeol smirked. "Jump outta the window? Knock 'em out? Baek, if you've got a tazzer in there, you better put it in good use."

"I don't have a freaking tazzer." Baekhyun leered.

"Yet you bring a knife."

"It's a toy knife found in doll houses!"

"You play doll houses?"

"No!"

"Then how?"

"Why are you even asking?"

"Don't try changing the topic, eyeliner-boy. I ain't falling for that trick again."

Just beneath the chaos, the office door began to open and soon, a tanned male, around two and a half inches shorter than Sehun, enters the scene. His built body was rather clothed with a formal suit with a brownish necktie to match it. Not to leave it out, his brownish-black colored hair was combed neatly, perfectly matched with those gentle yet somewhat sharp looking eyes. Seeing the formal-attired guy made everyone simmer down into an awkward silence before they jolted up, especially Chanyeol. Suho tried to call out for Kai despite his voice shaking and cracking up anytime it comes out, so instead, Jonathan does it. 

"Kai-appa?" he croaks out.

Of course, there was that dramatic pause before this "Kai" finally parted his lips and curled them into a gentle yet confusing smile.

"Hello, how may I help you?" he smiles sweetly, making everyone's dreams crash.

"You're not..." Chen faltered. "Our Kai?"

Another set of awkward minutes passed as the silence surfaced. Hope somewhat got crushed into bits when there was no reply for around a minute and a half before they heard laughter echo through the enormous office room.

"Got you tricked." the tanned latter chuckled softly before he smiles at everyone lovingly. "It's been quite some time now, huh, EXO?"

Everyone's smiles found their way back before everyone jumped up and down. Suho charged and gave the younger a tight hug, which was returned lovingly by Kai. Sehun followed and hugged Kai, in hopes of conveying the years they had not seen or contacted each other. The others followed close and busily exchanged greetings, handshakes and hugs. It was the most gentle and smooth-going reunion between members so far. 

By the sight of the frozen Jonathan, Kai lets out a formal giggle before he paces nearer and nearer towards the younger. "You've grown into a well-looking man, Jonathan Lee." Kai grinned as he ruffled Jonathan's hair. By the way Jonathan was nearly the same height as him, he smiled proudly. "A better man than I've imagined before, I see. I missed you, son."

Just one word had tears pooling on his lids before Jonathan finally wrapped his arms around Kai. Kai didn't hesitate to hug him back tighter, the tightness expressing how he missed everyone greatly.

"I missed you too." Jonathan smiled with teary eyes. "How've you been?"

"Well, running busily with the Lexon Corporation, but fine." Kai smiled. "Have a seat, please. Would you like some drinks? Snacks? Anything, maybe?"

"You've got beer?" Chanyeol asks.

"Park Chanyeol!" exclaimed Baekhyun, slashing the giant's neck. Barely. Height differences though.

"I see Chanyeol-hyung grew kind of bad-." Kai laughed. "Based on the red hair and that visible tattoo on his collar bone, I bet he's a rocker now, huh? Got a bit off-path from the manners maybe?"

"Yeah." Chanyeol nodded, fixing his red hair lazily. "Noona even got quite a shock."

"I've figured that out." Kai nodded.

"Talk about changes, look at this place though!" Sehun whined. "Since when were you the business-type man? I thought you were all lip-bite, abs-rocker, y-backed beast back during our active days! Never knew our dancer can be a formal guy too!"

"Never judge a book by its cover, as they say, Sehun." Kai smiled, speaking in fluent Engish, which rather caught everyone in surprise.

"And by the way you talk now, I suppose you've been overseas for quite some often times, huh?" Suho smiled. "You've achieved rather numerous things after you left. Kind of surprising. Head CEO of the third most popular and biggest company, being all rich, everything."

"Not really, but thanks."

"So, what've we missed, dear ol' Kkamjong?" Baekhyun smirked as he leaned back on the leather couch, finally getting comfortable after their touching reunion minutes ago. "Mind giving us a headstart?"

"Of course." he nodded, speaking in English again before he reverted back to speaking in Korean. "Well, I'm the head CEO of Lexon Corporation, what else... well, this company's originally my uncle's. He kind of handed it to me after I left EXO. Claimed that I might fit the business area, and what'd you know, I did."

"How about love life?" Sehun grinned cheekily, making Jonathan fire him a suspecting look.

"Appa!" Jonathan giggled, making Sehun shriek and nearly cover his mouth, only to be stopped by Chen. "Do you know Sehun-appa here has a girlfriend?"

"He has?" Kai gasped. "Never knew that vegetable'll have one!"

"And guess who the lucky lady is!" Chen chuckled.

"... Hm, Chanmi? Youngji? Is she older? Younger?" Kai guessed.

"Nope~" Baekhyun chirpped. "Daeun."

"Daeun?!" Kai gasped, jumping up in surprise. "I knew that pairing will eventually sail! Suho-hyung!"

"Yeah?" Suho blinked.

"You owe me the bet money!"

"That was years ago!"

"Still~"

"Come on!"

"I was kidding." Kai grinned, sitting down once more. "Congratulation, Sehun. I knew you two'll eventually be together. Great choice, to be honest." he added, only to make Sehun blush into a brighter shade of red before he covers his face with his hands, making everyone smile.

"How about you, Kkamjong?" Baekhyun grinned.

"I do have a fiancee." he proudly says.

"Hu-what?!" everyone cries in chorus with widened eyes. "Are you serious?" Chen cries in surprise. "Chanyeol here doesn't even have a girlfriend, how come you've got a fiancee?!"

"I must say, the abs-wielder really has this y aura that gets the chicks." Chanyeol laughed. "Good job, kiddo. Congrats on your engagement."

"Thanks." Kai smiled.

"Where is the future sister-in-law then?" Baekhyun teased. "Shouldn't the soon-to-be husband and wife be together at all times?"

"Oh, we are." Kai nodded. "She's the other head CEO."

"The Jang Jinmi girl?" Chen asks.

"Don't address her as if she's no one special!" Jonathan scolded. "She's my soon-to-be mother!" he cried out in total innocence, making a few laugh and a few adore on how adorable Jonathan was just seconds ago. A series of "aw's" and so on echoed throughout the room. Kai could only smile proudly as he continued to update the members on what had happened to him. He even showed  a selca in his phone consisting of him and this Jinmi fiancee of his. Everyone adored how sweet and fitting they were for each other. There were more things told by Kai and indeed, at a short amount of hours, the group somewhat caught up with Kai's current life easily.

Things were smooth. It was the best reunion so far. Kai had reacted nicely and no hatred was bombed at them.

"So, how're you guys?" Kai asks. "I always see you three in the television." he says as he eyes the three soloists: Chen, Baekhyun and Suho. 

"Well, underground band leader here!" Chanyeol smirked as he raises his hand. "Drummer too. Got a tattoo right here at the collar bone and at my back. I dyed my hair numerous colors. What else... oh, I've went on my way after disbandment by the name Chan-Y."

"Pretty awesome after-disbandment life you've got there." Kai complimented. "How about Sehun?"

"Normal life." Sehun smiled. "I stopped attending in the entertainment career limelight while Daeun's a model now. Aside from that, we've got a small business of making pastries like cupcakes and others. We've bought our own apartment too, we're a live-in couple now."

"Sweet." Kai smiled.

"Soon enough, Sehunnie here'll just pop out and tell us that he's engaged too." Chen smirked, making Sehun blush more.

"By the way, how'd you propose to your Jinmi?" Suho curiously asked.

"Yeah!" Baekhyun nodded. "Knowing you, you're a sweet guy! You must've done something grand!" he grinned ear-to-ear.

"Nothing special. We went to a beach, I proposed there, she said yes. That's it. It was a normal yet special proposal for the two of us. I didn't want our proposal to be more grand than our wedding, you know."

"As expected." everyone nods.

"By the way," Jonathan interupts. "What's your plan now? You're engaged, you're a rich CEO, what's your future plans?"

"Well," Kai began. "I'm not sure if I kind of told you guys, but I'm going to search for a special someone."

"Don't tell me you're a two-timer, you punk." Chanyeol hissed.

"What? No!" Kai cried. "I'm, well, I've got a lost sister."

"Lost?" Suho blinked. "Like, lost as in... lost?"

"Technically lost. Lost since birth." Kai explained, the atmopshere suddenly serious. "I never met her. My mother just told me that one month after I left the group. She... was lost since birth. She's apparently younger than me, but I don't recall her. So, if possible, me and Jinmi are going to try to track her down and so. I want to meet her, you know?"

"How long has she been missing?" Jonathan asks.

"Years. I don't know how many, but years. She's probably an adult now. I hope she's doing fine." 

"Surely, she is." Suho smiles. 

"Anyways!" Kai clapped his hand, smiling brightly again as he shrugs the topic off. "How are you three anyways? Pandora Street still active? I heard Eunseo left not long ago. Are you coping up well? Is Hyerin okay? How about Huiying? She was close to Eunseo, right? You two! You were bestfriends with that guy. Being a rapper you are like him, that is."

By the sudden mentioning of Hyerin's name, Jonathan recalled the reason they were there and instantly grew pale. "Appa," he began nervously with his voice shaking a bit. "I've... got some bad news for you."

"Hm?"

"We're at a crucial moment here. We need to reunite the whole EXO again."

"Reunite?" Kai blinked. "I don't think that's a nice idea to start with. A few of the members are bearing some ill-emotions with each other. Putting those people with such emotions might cause a ruckus, Jo. That's not gonna be good."

"That's not the main reason at all, Jongin." Baekhyun softly mumbles. "It's... bascially about Hyerin."

"Hyerin? Why? What happened to her?"

"She's suffering brain tumor, Kai." Suho softly says. "And her days are slowly being counted down. It's one of the girl's wish to have EXO reunited again and we're off to grant that one dying wish of hers. At least give the kid a chance to witness us as a twelve again before she, well, forever shuts her eyes close."

Kai felt the difficulty in breathing. It was all so sudden. As if the cheery atmopshere from earlier quickly diminished and fell. "B-but, if I leave, who'll watch over Lexon? We're in a crisis too. We're facing the biggest project offering yet from the States. If we accept it, Lexon will really advance to the next level. If not, it's a big loss. I can't just throw that away, can I? It was what my uncle had always wanted. What me and Jinmi had wanted."

"What's more important though?" Chanyeol questions. "This company your uncle had just handed to you, a company you can still save after this crisis, a company you can always return to... or a daughter who's in the brink of life and death? A daughter we're not sure of seeing by the next few hours? A daughter that literally means the world for us before and perhaps, 'til now? The daughter... who stood all alone throughout all those years of difficulty and is now crumbling? Which?"

"O-of course Hyerin!"

"Then there' no more hesitating." the red hair smirked as he swung his arm around Kai's shoulder. "Let's go and see our lil' girl now, 'kay?"

"Alright." Kai nodded before he grabs his office phone and contacts his secretary. "Hello, yes. ... Seulhyun, I want you to contact Jinmi. Tell her to take over the company pronto. Tell her too that I'll explain everything to her at exactly five hours from now. ... Alright. Yes. ... I'm sure I'll explain all later. Alright. Contact Jinmi, okay? ... Yeah, thanks."

With that, Kai eyes his brothers and son and exits the office door.

They all did.