Kyuhyun and Ryeowook returned to the house at midmorning, finding Boa and Yunho alone in the kitchen.  Yunho was sitting at the table with his laptop working and periodically chatting with Boa while she baked rolls and desserts. 

            Ryeowook walked right over to her.  “So, how is everything?”

            Boa smiled tensely, although she was genuinely happy herself, she was afraid that the household would become a little more strained with Kyuhyun’s return.  “Well, Ahra took a flight out of here this morning, claiming that she needed some time alone.”

            “Where did she go?”

            “She didn’t say,” Boa admitted.  “Although we expect to hear back from her later to let us know that she made it to her destination okay.”

            “Is Heechul still here?” Kyuhyun asked.

            She nodded.  “And Kangin and Leeteuk went out fishing, since they figured you wouldn’t be back really early anyway.  They’ll be back within the hour, I’m sure.”

            “We’ll be ready then,” Kyuhyun assured her.  “Ryeowook, do you mind backing both our bags?  I have something I want to take care of.”

            “Sure,” Ryeowook agreed, watching as Kyuhyun flew up the stairs.

            Boa watched after him anxiously.  “You don’t think he’s going to start another fight with Heechul, do you?”

            Ryeowook shook his head.  “I think most of his anger has subsided already, but he probably wants to talk.  I have a feeling that his cousin won’t be here when we get back from Seoul.  By the way, did Kyuhyun mention that we’d be there until Tuesday now?”

            “He did,” she said.  “And I’ll be perfectly fine.  I’ve known the staff for years now and they treat me very well.  There won’t be any problem.  They’ll be the only ones here aside from Heechul, Yunho, and me.  And, like you said, I expect that Heechul is leaving as well.”

            “I’ll be the problem guest, since everyone else is abandoning the role,” teased Yunho.

            Ryeowook leaned against the counter, feeling a bit relieved that the household wasn’t in shambles since they’d left in the middle of all the excitement.  “No offense, Boa, but Kyuhyun’s family seems a bit chaotic to me.  Then again, I grew up with just my mother around, so perhaps all families are like this.”

            “Most families have a few oddballs in them.  Take Boa here, for example, she’s the most ordinary person in the whole group, which actually makes her the odd one,” Yunho joked.

            Boa narrowed her eyes at him, although she continued to smile.  Then she turned to Ryeowook and opened her arms wide.  “Welcome to the family, Wookie!” she cried out and hugged him.

            Ryeowook laughed.  “I’ve only been dating your cousin for a little over a week and you’re welcoming me to the family already?” he questioned.

            “Sometimes you just know when you’ve found the right person, right?  I think that’s how my cousin feels.  I have a feeling that Kyuhyun already wants to be with you forever,” she said, pulling back to look over Ryeowook.  “So try not to break his heart.”

            Ryeowook smiled and hugged her again, “Okay, cousin.”

            “Much better!” she said, getting back to her baking.  “Now you’d better get a move on and back those bags, since Kangin isn’t known for his patience.  And, now that I think of it, neither is Leeteuk.  He’s probably got a whole schedule written out for the day already and if you don’t stick to it, he’ll get grumpy.”

            Ryeowook laughed at the truth of her words and headed up the stairs, suddenly feeling like he belonged there more than he ever had in the past.  He was eager to get to Seoul as well and to discover more about his boyfriend’s history in the music industry.  He was thrilled to have something in common with his boyfriend, a love of music, and longed to hear more about Kyuhyun’s involvement in it.  There were also apparently some dinner plans already made for the evening which Kyuhyun was keeping tight-lipped about.  It made Ryeowook wonder what the surprise was and if he should be excited or worried.

            Kyuhyun headed straight for Heechul’s room and knocked on the door.  When he heard his cousin tell him to come in, he opened the door and found him standing by the window, looking out at the woods.  Heechul eventually turned and tensed on seeing Kyuhyun, but did not move away as his cousin approached him.

            Kyuhyun reached Heechul and hugged him tight, starting to cry.  “I’m sorry.”

            Heechul teared up instantly and wrapped his arms around his taller baby cousin, rubbing his back.  “I know…I’m sorry that I put you in this position.”

            For a long time, they were silent as they stood there holding each other and slowly regained control of their emotions.  “You’re like the older brother I never had…I shouldn’t say things like that to you.  I didn’t mean them.  I was just shocked about you and Ahra.”

            “It’s okay,” he insisted, leaning his head against Kyuhyun’s.  “I know you didn’t.”

            “I love you.”

            “I love you too.”

            There was another long silence and finally Heechul pulled away and ushered Kyuhyun over to the bed to sit down.  He sat without objection and reached for a tissue on the nightstand to blow his nose. 

            “Boa said that Ahra’s gone.  I’m sorry.”

            “I think she needs a little space,” Heechul said.  “I’m going to give her a few days before I try to contact her.”

            “I hope that I didn’t ruin everything.”

            Heechul smiled.  “I think we’re a little too involved at this point to be pushed away from each other permanently.  She isn’t leaving for good; she just needs to process this on her own.  You’re not the only one that would throw a fit if the rest of the family found out about this and that realization is a bit of a shock for her because she’s always viewed being with me as a positive thing and she’s not had all the years that I had to think about the drawbacks.”

            “When did you two actually start getting involved?”

            “Last spring, while we were in Paris.”

            K