chapter eighteen: when i miss you

"feeling a bit lonely, i kept wandering through past memories"   

"I am coming home, don't worry. Yes... yes. Okay, bye."

Instead of getting worried to the bones, Jonathan was rather smiling after he ended the call he had with no other than his older sister, Hyerin. After having D.O join the team with ease, and all of the sudden, the growing team hurriedly drives back to the apartment Jonathan had arranged for them to temporarily live in.  Thankfully, the apartment owner was a relative of Jonathan's best friends in the music industry. After talking over it, he got to make his best friend agree and ask a relative to arrange them an apartment for this specific number of days.

Going back to the main topic, Hyerin had yet again phoned Jonathan. Worried sick she is, she was bombarding him with questions about his whereabouts, when he was coming home, and so. After she was assured that he would be coming home today, Hyerin seemed to be a bit more calmer than her past calls. He heard the relieve and the slight excitement in Hyerin's voice before she finally hangs up and ends their call. 

"Let me guess," Chen snickered as he nudged the younger. "It's Hyerin, wasn't it?"

"Of course, who else?" Jonathan smiled angelically back. "She's worried sick about where I am and when I'll be coming home... or if I would be coming home still."

"You should've joked around." Chanyeol pouted. "You could've kidded her that you wouldn't be."

"Yeol, you're gonna kill Hyerin earlier if Jo does that!" Baekhyun scolded, throwing Suho's bobble-head dog display lying peacefully in front of the eyeliner-male. Of course, with such sudden attack, Chanyeol had no time to react. As for Suho, seeing his precious dog-display being thrown like that, carelessly wielded by Baekhyun, made him jolt up and loose control over the car, causing their vehicle to sway a bit from their lane by a nanosecond or two.

"Baekhyun Byun, put my bobble head down or I will crash this vehicle!" Suho shrieked as he shot a deadly glare at the one seated on the passenger's seat.

"Tell Chanyeol here then!" Baekhyun whined.

"Why me again?!"

"You kids, if we die before we can even meet Hyerin, I will stab holes onto your puny lil' bodies!" D.O angrily scolded, causing Baekhyun and Chanyeol to instantly shut up and resume to whatever they were doing last. Contented, D.O went back to playing a game in his phone, a soft smile plastered on his face.

"Kyungsoo-hyung never really changes." Sehun softly mumbled, a soft smile glued on his face as he nudged Kai, who he had just waken up a few minutes ago. "Physically and personality-wise."

"Tell me about it." Kai yawned as he rubbed his eyes, attempting to shoo away the sleepiness still lurking in him. With a secret side-glance on D.O, Kai jolted up and slapped the shorter's shoulder, shrieking. "D.O, you're gonna die!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Suho shrieked once more, causing the vehicle to go off the lane once more for another nanosecond. 

"Suho, get your head back in the road, you dimwit grandpa!" Chen exploded.

"Who's dying?!" Baekhyun panicked. "Geez, why is everyone dying?!"

"Calm down, guys, he just died in the game—" Jonathan managed to clear up, silencing the whole vehicle. Embarrassed, everyone then coughed awkwardly and resumed once more to their past activities. Suho, on the other side, huffed in fatigue, too tired to deal with the sudden jumpscares happening behind him.

"I think Kai should've been in the vocal position before." Chanyeol suddenly blurts out as he crosses his legs, snickering to himself.

"Why so?" Jonathan blinks, staring at the red-haired elder.

"Are you deaf? He reached three octaves when he screamed last time!" 

"Don't make fun of my hidden talent, yoda!" Kai screeched, throwing multiple death glares on the red-hair.

Arriving at the said apartment was quite a short trip, or perhaps, it was because of the fact that everyone fell asleep on the way. Except Suho, of course. If he did, they would've have woken up. The apartment reminded them of that they lived in when they were trainees. It was a simple, bungalow type of residence. It didn't need to be all fancy or anything, besides, they were just going to stay there for a couple of days, or weeks, or a month or two. But the thing is, it's not permanent, so why still bother finding a fancy place, right?

"You would be staying here." Jonathan explains, touring them inside. The house consisted of three rooms, enough to fit the seven of them. There was enough place for them to dine and cook their meals. The living room wasn't that spacious, but it is definitely enough for seven grown men. Like what they were all thinking, the place brought memoires back. It was most definitely like the old times. 

"There's three bedrooms here." Jonathan began, opening a room, revealing a neatly arranged bedroom enough to hold two persons. "I've thought that one person would be sleeping alone, and I know you'd all have to bargain on who gets to sleep comfortably alone, but later, okay?" 

Instantly, they all threw looks that looked like "I'll be getting the room for one!".

The tour slowly came to an end. Jonathan then gives them a last set of instructions, got their contact numbers and hurried off, running back home, which was basically three blocks down the street. Suho actually wanted to drive him back home, but due to the younger bargaining that Hyerin might see him, he didn't.  

Jonathan ran fast, thanks to all those athletic fields he joined before. He recalled that one time Pandora Street actually took part in the Idol Athletic Championship. He won first place in the 50-meter dash and in the High-Jump competition. He recalled how Huiying won in the Archery field.  

It was a sweet memory. Their team won a few awards, but what made it an unforgettable memory was that it was the last time Pandora Street was last seen as a six-membered group on camera. That was the last time they stood together, smiling and having the best time of their life.

Before he knew it, he was outside their house's door. He was about to ring the doorbell, like a casual guy he is whenever he goes into one's residence, when the door suddenly opened, revealing a neatly dressed and anxious-looking Hyerin. With a wide smile slowly creeping up on her pale face, she tackles her younger brother for a tight hug, ignoring their great height difference. Of course, the sudden hug causes Jonathan to lose balance, making him fall back and fall on his back. Hard. 

"Noona, as much as I'd hate to say it, but you're heavy!" Jonathan teased, whining under his sister's hug, though she weighed almost like a feather. Much for being a sick one, huh?

"I missed you! Where have you been?!" Hyerin shouted in worry, making Huiying run towards them in shock upon hearing the eldest's sudden cry. "I've been so worried! You're going to make my condition grow worse, Jonathan! Where have you been?!"

"I've been shooting the drama, remember? I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you before I left." Jonathan expertly lied. "I tried to contact you, but I— we barely had the time to break. We're running off schedule." 

"Oh, Jo-oppa's home!" Huiying smiled as she saw the eldest over Jonathan. Helping both up, she quickly averts her attention to her older brother, smiling excitedly, "So, how'd your shooting go, hm?" she asks, a playful smile playing on her lips. 

"Fine. It went well." he smiled back before he wraps his arms around his sisters. "Let's get inside! I'm starving! Is there any food in there?"

"Of course." Hyerin smiled as she and her two other siblings headed inside their residence. 

Jonathan had terrbily missed their residence. It's been just a few days, but in those "few" days, it felt like months. Going here and there and rounding up as many members he could get, but now, he was back. Food was instantly served to him by Huiying, and he accepted the meal whole heartedly. He missed this home-cooked dish. He missed this comfy sofa he and his sisters were sitting on. He missed the warmth of this place.

"So, how have you two been?" Jonathan asks as he eyes the two females. He greatly noticed how pale Hyerin was from before. That shot him in the chest with worry. "Noona, have you been taking your daily visit to the doctor and the prescribed medicines he told you to take?" he asks as he locks his eyes on his seemingly weak-older sister. 

Hyerin could only smile in assurance as she nods. "Of course. I'm not as forgetful as you think I am, Jonathan. I'm fine."

"I see... it's just that—"

"I look pale? I look thinner? That's expected to happen, Jo. I'm sick, it's supposed to happen." she smiles once more.

"Yeah, but—"

"Quit worrying. I'll be fine. This is the almighty Kim Hyerin you're talking to!" she giggles before she stands up. "Excuse me, but I'll just get something in my room, okay?"

"Take your time!" Huiying giggled as she watches the eldest disappear once she entered her room. With that seen, she quickly turns to look at Jonathan with curiosity. "So, how'd it go? How many did you, perhaps, got to join the reunion plan?" she whispers, careful not to let Hyerin hear. 

"I managed to complete EXO-K, plus Chen-appa." Jonathan whispers back. "They're in an apartment I officially reserved for three blocks from this street."

"Really? Wow, you're incredible!" Huiying softly cheered before she bounced up and down the sofa. "Oh, guess what, I've found someone too!"

"You've found someone? Like, a potential boyfriend?"

"No! Not that kind of 'someone', I meant I found a member of EXO too!"

Jonathan nearly spat his drink directly on his sister's face upon hearing her say so. Coming back to his composure and senses, he eyes the youngest and blinks. "Really? How? Where? When? ... Who?"

"Xiumin-appa." she grins proudly. "I found him when me and Hyerin-eonni visited our orphanage."

"Wait, you visited there without me?"

"Don't intervene my story with that tantrum, oppa." she snickered before she continued. "I saw him there. He's a charity worker now."

"Is he in a relationship or something?"

"Why would I ask that to him? But with his age now, I suppose he is." Huiying nodded. "But here's the twist, he doesn't know that I'm Huiying. I introduced myself to him as a girl named 'Dayoon' so—"

"Eh? Then how'd we get him?"

"Leave it to me! You got seven, leave the rest to me." she grinned proudly. "I'll drop by later at the orphanage. Oh, and as far as my theory—"

"What theory?"

"Theory about the remaining five's where abouts. Since the remaining ones, excluding Xiumin-appa, are Chinese, I bet they're all in China." she ended.

"And?" Jonathan blinks more.

"I'm planning on flying to China tomorrow."

"Wait, what?!"

"I've booked a ticket, so even if you don't permit me, I'll still push it." Huiying cuts off. 

"Wait, let me get this straight." a worried Jonathan breathed out exhaustingly as he eyes his sister. "You booked a ticket for you alone and you're planning on flying off to China alone too? Chang Huiying, have you gone nuts? Because, all geniuses really goes nuts one day or sooner."

"Don't talk like that, of course I'm not bonkers!" Huiying hissed. "Trust me in this one. I'm twenty-two years old now. I suppose I can handle going off another country on my own."

"We don't let you alone when you go around even interview-wise, what more off country without any staff members to look out for you?" Jonathan argued.

"I'll be fine." Huiying insisted. "I'll be fine. I promise. If Hyerin-eonni can live those kind of words out, then I can too."

Rather held back by the similar words the youngest had let go, Jonathan breathed out heavily. "Ugh, fine. I'll let you off. But you come up with an excuse to tell noona on your own, okay, smarty pants? Just... just promise me that you'll be fine in China. To always update me on how you are, where you are, what you are doing and on who you've gathered."

"Only if you promise that you'll take care of eonni in behalf of me."

"You did it during my absence, I'm sure I can do it in your absence."

Huiying can only smile. Worry was still evident in her face, but she expertly hid it from her older brother. She did learn from the best, and that's Jonathan alone. 

Huiying walked alone on the streets, dressed neatly and definitely, without make-up, just to avoid being noticed by anyone in the public. She wore a simple outfit, a cap to cover her face and headed towards the orphanage. Upon arriving there, she was greeted by a few kids (whom she managed to control to not call her as "Huiying" out loud). There, she saw Xiumin too, tending over younger kids lovingly.

"Xiumin-oppa!" she calls out sweetly as she ran towards the older to greet him. The young-looking male turns around upon hearing his name, smiling upon seeing who it was.

"Dayoon, hey there!" he greets casually with a smile and a wave. "What brings you here? I thought you were going to tend on a different orphanage now?" he asks as he raises a brow at her.

"Well, yeah, just wanted to drop by, that is." she grins shyly as she walks and stands beside him, helping him in tending the kids. "So, you're early today."

"I've always been early." Xiumin replies. "So, how about you? You're late."

"I just came here to visit." Huiying repeated, pouting cutely.

There was a moment of awkwardness as Huiying continued to help Xiumin. To be honest, she really doesn't know why she was there, visiting the orphanage again when she's supposed to prepare for her fly tomorrow. She had successfully told Hyerin, calmly, that she would be out for quite some time for "some important things". She didn't specify it, but with her colorful, greatly convincing words, she managed to convince Hyerin. She didn't exactly say that she's going to China, and she'd rather not. "So," she hears Xiumin start again.

"Yeah?"

"How's life, Dayoon?" he asks, catching Huiying in surprise.

"M-my life? Fine, I guess. My brother arrived and got home earlier this day." she smiles, hitting herself mentally for replying in such way. Xiumin's not supposed to know that she's Huiying, nor the fact that she has a brother. It could be a gateway to her cover's destruction!

"Brother? I never knew you had a brother." Xiumin giggles. "How is he then?"

"Fine." she replies shortly.

Again, there was a moment of silence, just the sweet cackling of the kids. "Hey," Huiying began, curiosity suddenly eating her. Much of a curious one she is, huh?. "I.. kind of noticed something." 

"Hm?" 

"Xiumin... isn't that an intruiging name?" she asks, attempting to open a new topic. "I mean, it sounds kind of like Chinese, but you're obviously Korean. And your name.. it's—"

"It's similar?" Xiumin smiles brightly. That smile ticked something in Huiying, making her nervous all of the sudden. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"R-really?" she asks as she mentally slaps herself for opening such topic. Stupid, stupid Huiying! "I... I see."

"You know who?"

"Erm, n-no."

"Oh, don't play dumb with me now. It's impossible for you not to know."

The sudden sadness was now evident in Xiumin's face, making Huiying a bit more curious. "Xiumin isn't my real name. My real name is Kim Minseok, but I've lived almost my entire life as 'Xiumin' to the point that I see it as my real name too. I share the same name with a member of EXO. Perhaps you've at least heard of that group?"

"O-of course! They're a trend! A hot trend worldwide!" Huiying excitedly nodded.

"Awesome, because," Xiumin's voice trailed off. His eyes were locked at Huiying, a hint of sadness still evident despite his sunny smile. "Because I thought you'd forget too. And I can't... bear for you to forget us."

Us?

"You still remember me, don't you, Huiying?"

Crap.

"You should do better in pretending." Xiumin laughed as he ruffled the shorter's hair, messing it up a bit. "But I must say, you really went beyond the borderline."

"H-how?" Huiying blinked in surprise upon being noticed by Xiumin himself. "I-I acted expertly!"

"A father can always notice his daughter in a group of persons identical to her. I'm you 'dad', I can obviously know if it's you or not." he giggled. "'Dayoon' is a nice name choice, I must say."

"I-I'm sorry." she bowed. "I shouldn't have—"

"—Lied. It's okay, but next time, don't do that again, alright? It's bad to lie, Chang Huiying." Xiumin pouted cutely as he pulled her for a tight hug. "I never thought we'd meet again. I terribly missed you."

"I missed you too, appa." Huiying smiled, holding back the tears about to flow down her cheeks. "I missed you terribly. Seriously, you have no idea how I dreamt about you twelve every night, with our happy memories."

"You're not alone." Xiumin assured. "I, with all honesty, prayed that we'd meet again. Thank goodness my prayers got heard!"

After pulling away from the tight hug, Xiumin then looked down at Huiying. "Where's your sister? Why isn't she with you?" he asks, obviously referring to Hyerin.

"She's at home. With Jo-oppa." Huiying timidly answers.

"Is she fine?"

"By what means do you mean?"

"She's pale the last time I saw her. She's growing thin too. I wouldn't say it's a result of stress. Plus, I always see her face flashing an emotion of pain. Is she suffering from something?" he asks, catching Huiying easily. Seeing the young lady's expression wrinkle, Xiumin knew he was right. 

What the public didn't know, Xiumin was a brainy one as well. He's quite a "genius" like Huiying, and could read other easily. The smalest of details, he'd notice it. The smallest of actions, he'd recognize and distinguish it. The softest of whispers, he'd hear it. The most complex words, he'd understand it. And in this case, the small details about the changes in Hyerin, he's noticing it. "She's sick, isn't she?"

"How'd you... know?" Huiying blinked in surprise.

"There's more to what everyone though Kim Xiumin is, Huiying." Xiumin smiled sweetly as he pinched her cheeks. "Let me take a wild guess. A serious case in the brain, perhaps? Cancer maybe... or maybe, tumor?"

It hit Huiying straight in the chest.

"Tumor it is then?" Xiumin frowned. 

"How—"

"One of my aunts suffered it. She was acting similar to what my aunt did before. I could clearly remember things, Chang Huiying." Xiumin said. "So, how is she? How long will she... live?"

"It's unknown. But anytime." Huiying deeply breathed out, obviously with difficulty. "And I...—"

"Ssh. It's okay." Xiumin hugs her. "What's your plan then?"

"Her death wish. Me and Jo-oppa want to fulfill it. That's the most we can reward her with."

"And that is?"

"Mending back EXO."

To her surprise, there was no expression of surprise or denial seen in Xiumin. Instead, it was his typical small smile filled with joy. "I knew she'd wish for that. So, what can I do to help?"

Just then, the words of Jonathan's came back rushing to her. I don't want you going off alone.

"Accompany me to China." she softly requested, catching Xiumin off guard. "I want you to accompany me in rounding up those members in China. Is that fine?"

"... Well, I've got nothing better to do, so why not? But I've got no ticket." Xiumin pouted.

"Leave it to me. Meet me tomorrow at five in the morning at Incheon Airport." Huiying instructed, which Xiumin nods to. She smiles and hugs him once more, tightly and enjoying the warmth of his embrace. "Thank you, appa. Thanks for this."

"For what?"

"For being here."

"You're too clichè, you know?" Xiumin laughs as he wraps his arms around Huiying. "Thanks too."

"For what?"

"For being here too."

Huiying can only giggle as she enjoys the warmth of their embrace. "You're too clichè." she softly mumbles.

"I know." Xiumin softly replies, closing his eyes as he hugs his "daughter" tightly, hopefully conveying to her his feelings. On how he missed her, on how happy he was to see her, on how thankful he was that she hasn't forgotten.