The sky was a dark shade of grey when everyone first arrived at Incheon international airport. It wasn’t raining yet but the thick clouds hanging above the said airport clearly indicated that it was going to storm soon. It was scary how well the weather fit with everyone’s low moods.

Couples, families and all kind of different people were running around, kissing each other goodbye and gathering in lines to get into their respectful planes; some with wide grins on their faces and energetic waves of hands and some with teary eyes and hunched backs in sheer sorrow for having to be apart from their loved ones. Chanyeol wasn’t any better from the last category as he stood motionless in front of the Zhangs' private jet. Eyes red and throat dry. Yixing’s grandfather and uncles were all smiling tenderly at their only heir as they made sure he didn't forget or need anything for his trip. Chanyeol never really understood why the whole family chose and agreed on Yixing to be the Zhang family’s heir even though they all had children of their own. Perhaps it was the fact that Yixing’s passed away father was the eldest and they all never managed to forget or get over his death. Yixing himself wasn’t sure when Chanyeol once asked by sheer curiosity, though he did explain that he was more than grateful to how good he was treated by both his uncles and cousins.

Jongin was wearing a dark Armani coat, arms crossed and jaw tense with black shades on, standing a step away from Kyungsoo who couldn’t avert his gaze from Chanyeol no matter how hard he tried. It was baffling really. The doe eyed male couldn’t understand why Chanyeol was so calm in a moment like this. He was literally giving the one he loved away to some other man without showing any kind of struggle. He even came to say goodbye to Yixing, who—ironically—was the one behind this whole ‘going back home to Changsha with Jonign to get to know him’ idea. Jongin, his future husband. Jongin, who he himself was absurdly in love with Park Chanyeol. Was this what people called ‘the calm before the storm’? Because if Chanyeol wasn’t hiding his true emotions of rage right now then what the hell was going on?

“Don’t worry Honglei, my son would take good care of Yixing. He’s family after all.” Jongin’s father confidently stated with a cocky grin.

“I’m sure he will. But I’m just saying, if I get a call from Yixing telling me that Jongin is being a bother to him, then you know me well enough to imagine the rest.”

“Huang Bo, please tell your brother to stop threatening my husband.” Jongin’s mother rolled her kohl rimmed eyes at the way her husband and Yixing’s uncle Honglei were glaring competitively at each other with clenched fists.

“Let them be dear, I’m sure Yixing and Jongin would get along just fine. I mean Yixing was the one who asked for this after all.” Huang Bo reassured as he patted her back.

“Yixing is a sweetheart I know but my son on the other hand…”

“Your son is decent enough to accept an arranged marriage in this modern time we’re living in. Young people nowadays prefer to choose their partners by themselves. So be grateful he isn’t showing much protest.” Huang Bo’s wife smiled softly at Jongin’s mother when she glanced back at her words.

“I know, I also can’t help but feel sorry for them. We should’ve told them long ago, before their grandfathers made the engagement announcement in front of everyone else last night.”

“It’s better this way. I mean what could go wrong anyway? Both Jongin and Yixing are single and their love life is nonexistent as far as we know.” Huang Lei said before bowing respectfully to his father when the latter walked towards them with Jongin’s grandfather on his right side.

“I think it’s time for us to leave. Everything is well set.”

“I agree with Zhang. Let the kids have their last moment with each other.” They all nodded in unison, nothing but respect and admiration lacing their every move as they agreed to what their elders said and silently followed their lead. Huang Bo however, walked swiftly back towards his nephew and whispered something softly to his ear with a sad smile gracing his slightly wrinkled face before catching up with his brothers and father seconds afterwards.

The four boys were left standing in an uncomfortable silence; a thick suffocating tension that could easily be cut with a knife if not a simple floss thread. Jongin was still crossing his arms, posture reflecting nothing but irritation and raw anger; Kyungsoo to his side still confused and feeling uneasy at the event that was happening. While Chanyeol was staring holes at Yixing who was frozen on the same spot ever since they first arrived there, hugging himself with eyes tearing up and body shaking.

“I think it’s time to say goodbye gentlemen, the plane is taking off in ten minutes.” The pilot of the private jet respectfully reminded the young boys before climbing his way up towards the said plane.

Kyungsoo glanced in confusion at Jongin when he felt a hand gently grabbing his wrist and dragging him away out of the other two males’ earshot. 

“Jongin?”

“I need you to promise me something hyung.” The younger’s tone came out cold and a bit unsteady.

“Huh? Promise you of what?”

“Promise me you’ll make Chanyeol fall for you in this month we’re apart.” Kyungsoo’s big eyes widened at that.

“What?”

“Hyung, please. If I can’t have him then he won’t have him either. Please Kyungsoo hyung promise me!” Jongin gritted low enough for the other two males to not hear him out.

“Jongin, I can’t make him fall for me. It just doesn’t work that way.” Kyungsoo tried to coax him with a hint of bitterness that he couldn't quite hide.

“It does work and it will work. Don’t worry I’ll make it easy for you. That is making me go to China with him, he didn’t refuse this marriage arrangement and we’re going to spend a whole month together. Alone. No Chanyeol, no supervisors, no nothing.” Kyungsoo sighed deeply at that, reminded that Yixing himself was the one behind this idea of him and Jongin going away to Changsha. “I’ll make sure he’ll forget about Chanyeol completely. I’m confident with my charm and I can easily detect people’s weaknesses and use it for my own benefit. Hyung, I love Chanyeol but it’s as clear as the sun that he doesn’t feel the same towards me, he’ll never feel the same because he treats me like a younger annoying brother.”

“Jongin, why are you doing this?”

“Listen, Hyung. I’ll make Yixing regret doing this to me. With or without your help I’ll make sure they’ll never get together again. And now, are you in or not?” Jongin snarled and balled up his fists, impatiently waiting for Kyungsoo’s answer.

“I—Jongin, I’m sure he has a good reason behind doing this, I mean, he already has someone and—“

“Hyung, are you in or not? I don’t need empty excuses right now.” Jongin cut his elder off and barked an ‘I’m coming!’ to the pilot who was grumpily calling for them to quickly get into the plane.

“I—I’ll try.” Kyungoo breathed those two words half-heartedly, smiling sadly at Jongin when the taller male gave him a short hug before sprinting towards the Zhangs' private jet without sparing Chanyeol and Yixing a mere glance.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol and Yixing were too busy ogling each other to notice the way Jongin deliberately ignored them as he made his way up towards the plane’s entrance door. Busy staring at each other silently with teary eyes, fingers intertwined and hearts painfully clenching.

“I’m so sorry, Chanyeol.” Yixing chocked back a sob, making Chanyeol tighten his grip on his smaller hands.

“Shh, I understand babe. It’s just a month, I’ll miss you so much, but you have to do what you have to do. I wish I could go with you—“

“I wish nothing more than that—“

“—but I can’t. We can’t. For now at least we have to be apart.”

“I promise, nothing will change Chanyeol. I love you and if I had another way of doing this I wouldn’t waste a second to stand against this marriage.” 

“I know, trust me, I believe you and I love you and nothing will ever change. Remember, life is a road and it’s filled with bumps along the way. This bump will help make our relationship stronger. And if god forbid your feelings for me changed or…I don’t know, nothing in life is certain, then I want you to know that I forgive you and I won’t hold anything against you. Okay, babe?” Chanyeol brought out a little box from his pocket and gave it to Yixing, mouthing a ‘Don’t open it now’ before kissing the back of his lover’s pale hand. “I had something else I wanted to give to you, but for now just keep that with you alright?” Yixing nodded before whispering, his voice pathetically cracking mid-sentence.

“Nothing will change Chan, nothing. It’s just a month.”

“I know Yixing, I know. Just…please take care of yourself and…good luck with finding her.”

“Thank you.” Yixing brought Chanyeol’s hands up to his mouth and kissed every knuckle tenderly before locking his gaze back with Chanyeol’s. “I love you.”

“I love you too, you need to go now. Don’t worry nothing will change, I promise.” The Chinese male cracked a dimpled smile that made Chanyeol smile back, even though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Yixing walked towards Kyungsoo, who was trying so hard not to look at them and groan. He reached the shorter male, smiled at him, hugged him and didn’t let him go until he gathered enough courage to whisper into his left ear.

“Kyungsoo-ssi, please take care of Chanyeol for me.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” Kyungsoo whispered back, his hands awkwardly frozen to his sides. “Take care of Jongin for me in return, please.”

“I will—I’ll try my best I mean, he’s obviously mad at me right now but I’ll make it work.” Kyungsoo really really wanted to warn the taller male of not bothering with Jongin, because of his cousin’s bad intentions and all, but couldn’t force himself to do it for some reason so he opted to just blurt out a simple lame goodbye.

“Okay, goodbye Yixing-ssi.”

“Take care Kyungsoo-ssi.” The Chinese male gave a one last wave and smile towards his lover before disappearing behind his family’s private jet’s door. Chanyeol averted his gaze from the said door and pushed his dark hair back with a deep sigh before glancing at Kyungsoo who was already staring at him with an unreadable facial expression on.

“I think we should go.” Chanyeol barley managed to mutter and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but nod as they walked in a deafening silence.

♭

The second day came with a crying sky. Droplets of water hit the Kims' wall length windows like flying bullets. The darkness and stillness of the living room made Kyungsoo feel a bit hollow and a terrifying sense of loneliness. He was used to his annoying cousin dancing ballet and fooling around every morning at breakfast time. His aunt and her husband barely had time for an early morning meal, they were always too busy with work or office meetings, which clearly meant that Kyungsoo was left to eat alone from now on. What made it worse was that Chanyeol was still refusing to talk or even answer Kyungsoo’s text messages. When Kyungsoo drove them back home yesterday, the only word that left Chanyeol’s mouth was a ‘thanks’. The doe eyed male couldn’t help but feel even lonelier than before. He sincerely hoped that his best friend would get over this mood-killing phase as soon as possible. A sad Chanyeol was a Chanyeol Kyungsoo didn’t quite like to see. He had all the right to be feeling down, Kyungsoo was pretty aware of that. He himself if he had a lover and had to leave him for some other person that was equally—if not way more—good looking and far richer than himself, he’ll feel like and lock himself up in his room. Unfortunately, Chanyeol didn’t have the privilege to lock himself up in his room and sleep his sorrow away, because he had work to do and people to please.

“Good morning Kyung!” Jongdae singsonged as he appeared from nowhere; casually making himself comfortable next to a startled Kyungsoo and boldly taking a sip of tea from the doe eyed male’s vintage teacup.

“Good morning to you too.” Greeted Kyungsoo grumpily. “Hey, baek. Why are you two here so early in the morning?”

“Baek and I couldn’t hel