Baekhyun woke up with a start from his peaceful slumber. It took him a moment to orient himself, and figure out why he awoke. The answer came in the form of knocks on his door which were repeated after a pause, this time more insistent. Pushing his covers aside, Baekhyun sat up groggily and checked the time on his phone- 2:57am. Nothing good could ever come out of answering his door at such an ungodly hour in the morning. Baekhyun decided that it is safer to ignore the knock, but they continued persistently, and in intervals.

Taking his bedside lamp in his hands, Baekhyun slowly walked to the door, being mindful to make no noise to alert the person knocking on the other side. The knocking stopped as Baekhyun inched closer to his door. He looked through the peephole, but saw no one on the other side. Confused, Baekhyun decided to stay there for a minute or two. When nothing happened for the longest time, Baekhyun let out a sigh, his shoulders relaxing from the taut position they were in. Thinking to himself that it was just a prankster, he decided to go back to sleep. Only, the prankster seemed to not have had enough of pranking him, because as soon as Baekhyun set foot inside his bedroom, the door was knocked upon again. Cursing under his breath, Baekhyun screamed a what at the door, hoping that the prankster would give up on his/her game already. 

When no response came, Baekhyun walked, no stomped to the door, "Who is it?"

--Silence--

"Seriously, who the is this? Its 3 in the morning, find a better time to go annoy people." Saying so, Baekhyun started going back to his room, hoping that his anger would have deterred the prankster, but fear set in when the knock resounded again as soon as he walked into his room. Baekhyun contemplated calling the police, but for some reason, he decided to call his building supervisor, close friend and a reliable hyung, Minseok.

"Hello? Minseok hyung?"

Minseok sighed as he looked at the time before answering Baekhyun. "Whatsup? This better not be another drunk call Baek, or I am dragging your out of this building tomorrow."

"... Hyung, I am scared..."

Minseok sat upright in his bed at those words. Why didn't he pick up on the fear when he answered the call? It was unlike Baekhyun to sound so distressed. "What happened. Wait, 5 minutes, I am coming up. You are in your apartment right?"

"NO HYUNG, don't come!"

Minseok stopped halfway out his bed. "Okayyy, then what's the matter?"

"Someone keeps knocking on my door, and every time I check, there is no one there. I thought it was a prankster at first, but they won't stop even after I screamed at them. I- they knocked again just now. I was going to call the police, but i called you first.... and uh-"

"Calm down Baek," Minseok said as he rushed to the security officers of the building, Luhan and Sehun, to ask them to check the camera to see if anyone came in. "I will check and I am coming up with someone. Don't worry! ... Just don't open the door."

Baekhyun nodded before realizing that he was on a normal audio call, and therefore conversations were strictly phonic. "Yes hyung. Be careful."

"Don't worry about me. You be careful. Don't hang up, okay?"

Baekhyun hummed his response before sitting down on the sofa, still clutching on to his lamp, just in case he needed to defend himself. A few minutes later, Minseok spoke into the phone again.

"No one came into the building since 1 o clock, so it can't be someone from outside. Sehun is checking the history of the cctv from your corridor, but currently, there is no one on the floor or in the hallway. Though, there is a package at your door. Maybe, someone wanted to deliver something to you and left it outside since you didn't answer?"

"At 3 am hyung?"

"I don't know, Baek, I don't know. I am on my way there with Luhan right now. Will be there in a minute. Do you want to call the police?"

"I think I am fine, since you are coming here."

"Brat! You rely on me too much. It's like you have adopted me even though I am older." Baekhyun heard the last part from the corridor as he heard Minseok step out of the elevator. "I am outside your door now."

Baekhyun rushed to open the door and stared at Minseok with wide eyes. The elder just chuckled before pulling Baekhyun into a tight hug. "Aww, was my little brother scared? It's okay. Big brother is here now to save the itsy bitsy scaredy baby." He ruffled Baekhyun's hair, causing the latter to pout, though enjoying it secretly, for  the feeling of safety it gave him always.

"There is something moving in here." Luhan interrupted their touching (and he rolled his eyes) reunion, as he watched Minseok swing Baekhyun side to side gently while the other pretended to be offended at the babying treatment. "And I think it is alive. There are a lot of holes in the box, probably to let it breathe. What do you guys want to do about this?"

Minseok looked at Baekhyun, waiting to let him decide. Baekhyun contemplated, before ushering the two inside. Luhan's walkie talkie buzzed with Sehun checking if everything was all right. He stood aside to update Sehun on the situation, while Baekhyun took the box to his small dining table, Minseok trailing behind him. He checked the box for any information, card, etc. before turning it upside down to check the bottom for some link to who might have left this box in front of his door and why. He stopped turning the box mid-turn when he heard desperate shuffling and an indignant squak from inside. He proceeded to handle the box with much more care, as he put it down and pulled the tape off to open it.

"... An owl?" Baekhyun looked at Minseok, as if the other would have the answers to all the peculiarities of the universe. "A prankster gave me an owl in the middle of the night?"

Luhan, who had joined them again, peered with the other two into the box before breaking into a grin and cooing at the owl sitting inside. "OMG, its an owl. Sooo cuteee. I love owls. How come I don't get such nice anonymous gifts?"

Minseok gave Luhan a dirty look, effectively shutting him up. Turning to Baekhyun he observed him stare at the bird with wide eyes, almost the same kind of surprised look the bird was giving the group. "What are you going to do about it?"

Baekhyun jumped when Minseok spoke to him, having been completely mesmerized by the bird. 

"You know the building rules Baek." Minseok continued with a straight face, "No animals allowed."

The owl let out a squeak which almost sounded like a pitiful whimper.

Baekhyun looked at the little bird apologetically before nodding, "You are right. I can't keep him. I will return him to a shelter."

Oh look! What is this? Is it an update? Oh my, it is! The author finally started. About time huh?

Wow, i sound sarcastic to myself. Thank you, people, for waiting. I had a lot on my shoulders, which is why i went on my hiatus. I am back now but i am still pretty low in energy. I feel like my life force was out. You will have haphazardly timed updates until i am back to my original strength. I just don't want to keep you waiting any longer. Hope the first chapter was enjoyable. I had fun imagining it up.

Also, please pardon my mistakes if you come across them... i am very tired and sleepy right now.

Until next update *bows*

Other stories: The Personal Assistant,   bad kids,   best of best* exo fic recommendations,   Baeksoo oneshot* collection,   you found me!,   Stupid Exo Oneshot collections,   The God of laziness,    Exobend, baeksoo reference list, snow white

Awesome people: Tina08,  PeasentOTP

Co-author stories: best of best* exo fic recommendations with PeasentOTP ; The mermaid's kiss with Tina08