“Did you tell them?” Lilly was waiting up for Kai when he returned from seeing his family.

“What?”

Kai was distracted. Arran, his sister, his brothers. He didn’t recognise them anymore. When had they lost touch of each other? There was so much pain, so much uncertainty. He was the eldest, he needed to do something. He needed to bring them all together, somehow.

“Jongin! Did you tell your brothers and sister that we’re going to speed up our plans?”

Kai shook his head, “I couldn’t…”

“Why?” Lilly demanded in a moment of fury and then when she saw his eyes widen at her outburst she softened, “Darling…Jongin, I thought we decided that it’s important for us to move along. That it will bring the family together.”

“I can’t marry you.”

Lilly burst out crying

“No, what I mean is. Let me finish…” Kai grabbed Lilly and hugged her, “I can’t marry you now. I need to sort out what’s going on in my family first. I don’t want us to get married like this. I don’t want us to rush things. When we get married, I want my family to be there in full support. It’s important to me…do you understand.”

Lilly turned her face so he couldn’t see the anger she could barely suppress, “Of course I understand and you’re right. I’ll wait. I’ll wait by your side so please don’t send me away. I can’t be apart from you Jongin.”

“And I, you.” He agreed and kissed her nose and then her lips. Images of Sung-kyung flashed across his mind and he quickly suppressed them.

“Let’s go to bed…” she needed to remind him how much he needed her, how good they were together.

“You go first. I need to go out again.”

“Now?” Lilly protested, “Its…”
“It’s not even 10.” Kai waved away her concerns. He was already on the phone, “Meet me now.” He grabbed his keys, “Don’t wait up. I’ll be staying with my parents.” Seeing the shock on her face he quickly hugged her again, “My family is big and demanding and they sometimes take up time. You understand right?”

“I do…they are a part of you.”

“Exactly and no matter what they’ve done to me and no matter how angry I am with them, they will always be my family.”

“That’s why I love you.” Lilly whispered, “You’re loyal and consistent.”

“Are you sure you want to get married? Sounds like a puppy will do the trick too.”

“Hmmm.” Lilly pretended to think about this.

Kai kissed her, “You’re the best.”

***

Kai handed Taemin the takeaway coffee, “Thank you for meeting me,”

Taemin took a sip of the coffee, “I was beginning to think you were hiding in your room hoping someone else would take care of the mess.”
“Then I swoop in