"No one says life is easy, but no one says life is hard either."

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"Huang Zi Tao."

"Zhang Yi Xing."

"Xiumin."

"Luhan."

"From now on, all 4 of you are free to go. Remind this to yourself that you shall never repeat the same mistake and try all the best you could in building a better life. It's not gonna be easy starting a new life as an ex convict, but eventually everything will be okay in the end. Good luck to all of you. "Said the officer in-charged to them for the last time before they were released. "Make sure this is the last time I see your faces here." Warned the officer. They say nothing but nodded.

"I'M FREEEEEEEE!!!!" Shouted Xiumin while jumping around like a kid. "Yah yah yah! Shut up, you being so fussy! Do you wanna get inside back for making a sound polution to the mother nature??" Said Luhan, annoyed with his friend's childish behaviour. "Let him be, Luhan. He has been waiting for 10 years to live in this moment." Luhan can't help but laughed at his friend who looked almost a bit like a crazy guy, dancing all over the place.

"I won't ever comeback again to that place." Said Tao with a low voice tone but they still can heard him. "No one among us will come back into that place again. I promise." Said Lay while rubbing Tao's back. "Okay, so now where are we heading to?" Asked Xiumin. Lay and Tao and shrugged. They looked at Luhan who was all smiling by himself. "You seem a bit crazy since you're free from the prison. Are you still in a right state of mind?" Asked Xiumin while knocking Luhan's head. Luhan who were annoyed being treated that way pretend to kick Xiumin. "How dare you say like that??!" "Then why are you smiling like that?" "I can do whatever I want!"

"Guys...who is that?" Tao was looking at a mini van that was coming towards them. Lay and Xiumin also stiffed while looking at the van that was getting close to them. "Guys, I would like you 3 to meet someone." Said Luhan. The mini van then stopped just a few metres in front of them. An anonymous guy came out from the driver side, then happily greet Luhan. They looked close. Even Xiumin didn't know that guy. After they done greeting each other, Luhan introduced him. "Guys, meet Kris. He's my cousin." "Your cousin? Why I never met him before?" Asked Xiumin. "You never met him, but I've told you about him." "Really...? You did..? When..? Who..?" Xiumin frowned while scratching his unitchy head, trying to figured out everything. Meanwhile, Luhan told Lay and Tao to get inside the van after greeting with Kris. Xiumin was still standing outside under the sun, thinking who exactly Luhan's cousin is. "Yah, get inside. You can figure it out along the way. I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Yah!!!! I remember him!!!" Xiumin suddenly shouted from his seat at the back. Everyone was shocked to death, even Tao who all this time was a very calm person end up hitting Xiumin's arm. Xiumin giggled. "He's your cousin in America, right.." continued him. "The one who dated the girl you liked... am I right?" Luhan got panicked. Kris as well. Tao and Lay who didn't know a thing only dare to looked at each other cluelessly. "YAHHH DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO SAY THAT?!" yelled Luhan from his seat next to the driver side. "That's all I remember about him..." Xiumin got sulky and end up silencing himself. The atmosphere in the car then also killed with silences, leaving only the music as the only sound to their ears.

"Luhan, where are we going?" Lay suddenly asked at least an hour before they arrived to their unknown destination. "We are going to my house." Answered Kris. "Your house?" "For the time being, you guys can stay in my house." Kris said again. "But.." Lay who didn't managed to finish his sentence got interrupted by Luhan. "It's okay... just for a while until all of us can find a job that could help in stabilizing our life back." Lay silenced. Somehow had to agreed with Luhan. Tao and Xiumin could only lend their ears to them.

About an hours later, they arrived at Kris's house. At first they thought it was just an ordinary terrace house. But they knew they were wrong when they looked at the house infront of them. "Is this a house... or a castle?" Xiumin's mouth was widely open upon witnessing the bungalow that was gorgeously built. "Are you living with your family? Is it alright..? We are.. you know..ex convicts.." said Tao. "No, it's okay. I live here all by myself. This is obviously my family's house but they're staying in overseas currently, that is why I invited you guys here. Hurry, grab your bags and get inside. It's getting dark. I'll show your rooms." Luckily they only have one bag each, so they only took few minutes to settled it then followed Kris into his house. Once again, Xiumin's mouth was widely open. He was lucky that his jaw didn't fall off. Tao and Lay were also stunned upon looking at the house's interior design that are so beautiful and luxurious. Expensive furnitures, piano, even he has lots of maids. "I thought you really live alone."asked Lay. "Hahaha I am~ my maids only here during daytime and will be gone after they make dinner." Lay nodded. "Let's go, I show you guys your room."

The first room they saw once they were arrived, located to the left side of the stairs were opened. "This is Xiumin's room." "Ha? We are getting our own room??" Asked Xiumin, a bit excited. "I'll take good care of this room like a baby, I promise!" All of them can't help but laughed looking at how excited and happy Xiumin was. "Okay buddy I will leave you here, gonna show them their rooms." After Xiumin signed them with an 'okay', they headed to the room next door where Luhan's room located, followed by Lay then Tao, all next to each other. After Kris done showing the rooms, Tao asked him, "where is your room?" "Mine is downstairs. I'm the type of human who's so lazy to climb up the stairs. It's not my style." "You're still with your style thingy?" Kris laughed upon hearing Luhan. "I guess so~"

That night, after they finished with their dinner, they gathered around in Tao's room, leaving Kris who was taking a shower in his room.

"Can't believe it right...that we are finally free now." Said Xiumin. "Remember our first met?" They suddenly laughed remembering their first awkward, unforgetable meeting. "You too even fought before." "That was a story 10 years ago. We should let it buried there." Said Luhan. "Your cousin is so kind." "I know, right Tao.. I don't know where we'll be right now if he wasn't here helping us."Probably under the bridge." Said Xiumin. "Hahaha you suit there so well." Teased Lay. Everyone laughed. "So, what are we going to do with our life now?" Tao questioned them. Suddenly, the door opened. They saw Kris's head between the door, looking inside. "May I join the club?" "Come on in." Invited Lay. "What are you guys talking about?" "Oh nothing, just talking about the plan next." "Oh~ Lay, you could be the garderner of this house. You Xiumin might as well be the cook, and Luhan be my bodyguard and Tao the driver." Everyone shut their mouth, stiffly stared at Kris. "I was just kidding!" "This kid, really...-_-"

"It's gonna be hard looking for a job. People are afraid of ex convicts."said Tao. 3 of them bodded, agreed with him. "I can handle that." Kris said to them with a serious face. "How..?" Asked Luhan. "But, I have to make sure that all of you are agree with me."

They stared at each other, confused, trying to figure out the thing Kris telling them. Then, suddenly Luhan reminded of something. Kris has a business, a good one. But nobody tuns it since his family moved overseas. Luhan knew what Kris talking about. It's just Luhan wasn't sure if he can do it or not. It's quite profitable too.

"Kris, am I thinking to what you were thinking?" Asked Luhan. "What you were thinking?" "Do you want us to work at that place? Isn't it dangerous?" He asked again. To be honest, he actually afraid to agree with Kris's offer. "Dangerous what? Don't worry I'll hire people to help you guys. I won't just leave that place to four of you."

Xiumin, Lay and Tao didn't get anything at all about what Kris and Luhan were talking about.

"Err you two.. can you guys please not treat us like a dead wood?" Said Lay. "What are two discussing about? What is dangerous? What business is it? Is it legal?" Lays asked curiously. He just doesn't want to get involve in any crime anymore. Tao waited anxiously for them to answer Lay.

"Actually, Kris wants us to work in his restaurant."

Once they heard Luhan, Xiumin end up throwing a pillow to Luhan's face and pulled his hairs, causing Luhan to scream in pain. Tao and Lay joined Xiumin by going on top of Luhan and pretending to punch him. Kris laughed so hard that he almost fall from the bed.

"I thought we are going to be a drug dealer or something. You little piece of ..."

I'm sorry if the chapter I wrote is too long for you to read. ㅠ.ㅠ I will try to make it shorter next time. And yeah the is almost coming and I hope you enjoy reading it. Kris is here in this chapter and maybe in a few chapters ahead. 😁 ^__^ thank you for the supportive comments by the way!! Xoxo.

 *pardon any typos if available. I'm too lazy to check. It's not my style.*