It took about half a year before Yixing and I were back in a place like we were before. Our relationship will never be the same as it used to be. After going through such hard times and atrocities, nothing could ever be the same. It is because of that reason, however, that we are stronger. After a few months, those that were angry with him completely forgave him. Baekhyun did so a bit before Minseok. The older doesn’t say it, but he did feel a bit betrayed that Yixing didn’t think he could help him. The hurt he felt he turned into anger, which just added to the anger he felt for leaving me.

Looking at the two of them, seeing Minseok play around and throw Yixing around like a rag doll just like old times, makes me see that they really are in a much better place.

I smile at myself, sitting at a restaurant eating a nice meal, looking across from Yixing. It’s not a date, technically. He’s dressed well, but because he told me it wasn’t a date, I was dressed very casually. We ate and talked, laughing at each other’s jokes. It was nice.

After, when we were walking around the city, I grabbed his hand in mine. I could see him smile out the corner of his eye as we started to make our way back to the where we parked.

He’s completely respected my boundaries all this time. He hasn’t tried to further anything, just patiently waiting for me. He got out the car, I grab his hand, stopping him. He looks back at me, a smile on his face. “Y/N,” He asks, curiously.

I pull him to me, thankful that he let himself be pulled back. He stops, standing right in front of me as I put my arms around him, hugging him close. He was warm and he smelled like mint. I could feel him hesitantly hug me back, as I could hear him hum contently. His heartbeat echoed through his chest, making me feel safe and sound like it did before.

“I love you,” I murmur, my arms tighten around him a bit.

I could feel him pull me closer too, his arms wrapped around my shoulders. He leans down, leaving a small kiss to the top of my head. “I love you too,” He says, his arms rubbing my arms comfortably. It was a few seconds before I pulled away. I stand on my tip toes, and for the first time in three years, kissed him. It was small and sweet. He was so shocked he didn’t even kiss me back as I pulled away, smiling.

“It’s OK now,” I say, my hands still on his waist. “We’re… we can be like we use to.”

“Are you sure,” He asks, looking at me with worry.

“I’m sure.”

Before I could move he pulls me closer, his hands in my hair and his lips on mine. They were soft, though the kiss was passionate. I could feel him pour every fiber of his being into it. It wasn’t rough, but it had a bit of a desperate edge to it. As he pulls away, I smile, looking up at him as he pulls me into a tight embrace once more.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you again,” He says, one of his hands still playing with my hair.

“I mean, I’m fairly sure I do, actually,” I mutter with a laugh as he smiles, shaking me as he held me in a tight hug. I wasn’t long before some guys started to peek outside, their curiosity getting the better of them as they wonder what is taking us so long to get back in. Sehun shouted some obscene things at us that made me blush as I chased him around the building, threatening to beat him with my shoe.

It felt like things were back to normal between everyone, and even better now that there isn’t a constant threat of death and danger.

Eventually, we all started to go our separate ways. We kept the school, and often we’d meet up there for two or three weeks twice or three times a year as a ‘family reunion’. Jongin now lives in New York with Zoey, the two of them oddly happy together. Zoey told me it started out as just some fling, but turned into much more than she ever expected. Jongin is taking and, now, teaching dance. Thinking back, he did always love to dance, often with Sehun and Yixing. He could even teach everyone else, which was often a miracle. Zoey was an artist, who’s neon graffiti comes and goes. One day is there, the next gone. She’s made a name for herself under the name Neon again, but this time not helping a revolution. Baekhyun also lives in New York, working in an ‘undercover secret hush hush thing’ as he calls it, for the US Government. He works to help Inhumans escape slavery and capture across the world through cyber warfare. He’s happy, because he truly loves helping people and this way, he can help more people than he ever thought possible.

Kyungsoo is still in Korea, helping to train Inhumans to fight in a special task force. They go after Inhumans around the world who’ve decided to use their powers for death and destruction. Minseok also is there, teaching them hand-to-hand combat. With a serum out there that can block powers, he wants them to be ready for anything. They don’t live together really, but their apartments are literally next door to one another. They often spend time together and they’re the ones who make sure people don’t mess with EXO’s base.

Chanyeol lives in Los Angeles. The sun, the sand and the surf are what entices others to the city, but not him. The music scene there he fell in love with when he visited. He’s currently a DJ, though he’s working to be a producer. He’s happy and often sends us all postcards, telling us all to come there and enjoy the beach. Chen is also there, claiming ‘someone has to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid’. He helps Chanyeol with music, often singing for him. They’re actually quite the internet sensation right now with the stuff they’ve put out. When not making viral hits, he’s working at a bar making cocktails and talking with people.

Sehun and Luhan preferred Europe. Paris is their playground, and they’ve dragged Junmyeon along with them. Sehun doesn’t say it, but something tells me that, even with Luhan back, he couldn’t go without Junmyeon. Which he knew, not even fighting when Sehun dragged him along. Now and then Sehun will sneak into his bed after the nightmares he’s often get. He said that Luhan is great and all, but there was just something about Junmyeon that just being around them could stop them. Sehun doesn’t admit it, and never will, but he still leans a lot on him. Sehun and Luhan were noticed there during the fashion week. People surrounding them and taking their pictures when they were walking to go get coffee. Now they’ve become highly sought after models. I laugh thinking about it, because they always did look like art. Junmyeon, however, studied French and management. It didn’t take long for him to graduate, and then he went on to manage part of the hospital. Specifically the children’s hospital. He often makes appearances, talking to kids and making them feel safe. They all live together in a relatively small flat despite all of them making good money. They could afford a mansion if they wanted, but they preferred living closer to one another.

Yixing and I went to China. While we didn’t go back to his hometown, we went to Beijing. We both worked at a hospital, not far away from each other. I struggled with Chinese, so he was next to me most of the time. We made a great team. If someone came in that was in critical condition, I’d try to keep them alive until Yixing could get there to heal them. It took me awhile to get over being sick at the sight of blood, but once I did, I found the job as rewarding as it used to be. While we’re not tending to the critical, Yixing often spent time in the Children’s ward, much like Junmyeon. There are some people who refuse the help from Inhuman powers, and who won’t even let their children, who had deadly diseases, to be healed by him. He struggled a long time with this, deciding if he couldn’t heal them the least he could do was play with them and make them laugh.

We often took trips to visit the people Yixing met while he was away. They were lovely and I thanked them all for helping him, bowing as deeply as I could. Sometimes we’d go and visit other members, or they’d come and visit us. Sehun has a key to our place, so he managed to get his revenge by walking in on Yixing and I in an intimate moment as well. He couldn’t look at either of us for a while, he was a blushing mess. Luhan, who didn’t see anything, kept laughing at him.

“Sehunnie, just admit you thought it was hot, it’s OK,” Luhan said playfully, making Sehun spit the water he was drinking out. We all laughed as he turned red as a tomato.

We all keep in touch. Weekly calls and group text messages are normal. Sometimes we’d Skype each other and watch a movie that we waited to come to Blu-ray to see just so we can all watch it together in a way. What I didn’t know until later was there was a group chat without me.

On a whim, we took a trip of Jiuzhaigou. A week away just spending time in nature and healing our minds with one another. We stood on the edge of what is known as the ‘Fire Flower Lake’. It was the last full day of our trip, we had to leave by noon tomorrow. We walked around, talking and laughing with each other before taking a seat at a nearby bench. His arm around my shoulder as he pulled me close. There were some people around, but most have left us be. He turns to me, his body facing mine as he looks at my hands.

“Yes,” I ask, giving him a curious look.

He smiles down, his fingers playing with his mother’s ring. “I think I’m ready to visit my old home,” He mutters to himself.

“Then we’ll go,” I say with a small smile, getting ready to stand.

“No,” He says, gently pushing me back down. He looks at his mother’s ring again. “Seeing you wear this makes me happy. I know she would have liked you. Granted she hated swearing,” He says, which makes me laugh, “She respected kindness above everything else. You’re… you work so hard to help people. You’re kind and thoughtful, even if you do have a bit of a swearing problem.”

“I don’t think it’s a damn problem at all,” I say with a smug grin before sticking my tongue out at him.

His face was extremely red as he bit his lip nervously. Before I could ask what’s wrong and if he felt OK, he looks at my other hand, “But I think… I think this hand deserves one too.”

“Another one of your mother’s rings,” I question, tilting my head in confusion. “I thought you only had the one.”

He couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled out of him. He laughs hard for a minute while I gave him a confused look still. He reaches into his pocket, “No silly,” He says, before moving to the ground right in front of me. He was on one knee, holding out a box at me. He opens it while speaking. “Y/N. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. All that we’ve been through makes me realize that I don’t want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be my wife. I want to bind myself to you forever, so that you know no matter what I will be there for you. I love you more than anything and anyone and I’d give up everything just to make you happy.” He smiles at me, “So please, would you do me the honor of letting me be your husband?”

I smiled, tears falling from my eyes. For a moment my mind was shocked, looking at him as he was in front of me, baring his soul to me. I nod, grinning before throwing my arms around him, sending us both to the ground. He laughs, kissing my head and cheeks, hugging me close. A few sounds later, he’s helping me up as he opens the box again. “Um,” He says, his eyes panicking at the empty box, “Where?”

“I don’t know,” I say with a laugh, “It was empty when you opened it. For a second I thought you were pranking me!”

He puts his face in his hands, “Oh my god, I forgot to put it back in after I cleaned it earlier today.”

I grin, as this morning finally made sense. I reach into my pocket, “You remember how earlier I said we should go by the office in our hotel?”

He nods, confused at what this has anything to do with the conversation we were having before.

I pull out a ring, holding it to him, “Is this it,” I question. It was a white gold band with a single small diamond. Simple and elegant. It sparkled in the sun as I held it out to him.

He smiles, “That’s it! I knew you wouldn’t want anything too fancy.” He takes it from my hand, “Wait, so you thought someone left this in our room?”

I nod, with a small giggle.

“We’ve been in that room for a week, Y/N. You couldn’t have just found it now! And you didn’t think that possibly it could be for you?”

“The thought never crossed my mind in all honesty,” I say with a shrug. “Not that I didn’t think we’d never… I just never let my mind wander further than today.”

He takes my left hand in his, “Well, it looks great on you.” He slips it on, grinning as he pulled me off the ground in his arms, spinning me. I laugh, hugging him as his lips met mine in small pecks one right after the next.

That night as we laid in bed, panting after celebrating our engagement, Yixing’s phone was buzzing and dinging like crazy. He groaned, reaching over and grabbing it.

“Who is it,” I ask, cuddling up next to him, looking over.

“Our family,” He says, looking at all the messages, smiling. “We had a chat without you because they knew I was asking you this sometime soon. I told them I was asking you today. So they’re wondering if I’m OK and if it went well. Sehun is even trying to video chat me.”

I accept his video chat, laughing wickedly as he answered before scolding him for interrupting us.

“You two like rabbits,” He yells as he quickly ended it, blushing like mad.

I giggle, “He’s one to talk!” Laughter filled the air as I curled into Yixing’s side as he silences his phone, holding me close, his hands running up and down my sweaty back.

“I can’t wait to be married to you,” He whispers as he starts to drift off to sleep.

I place a kiss on his chest, “Me too. But can we not do the whole big planned thing?”

“We can do whatever you want,” He says as he finally drifts off.

I smile, before drifting off to sleep too.

And whatever I want is what happened. Baekhyun went and did whatever he had in order to be the person that married us. Minseok took it upon himself to take all the pictures. We got married at the school, and it was decorated lovely by everyone there. Neon glitters everywhere as everyone was dressed in suits, except Zoey, who had on a nice purple dress.

Well, everyone except me. I clover my face in embarrassment, “I can’t believe I thought you’d all not get fancy too!”

Sehun grins, “You shouldn’t trust us on things like this, Y/N!”

I stood there in a tank top and pajama pants. They were light blue and had elephants on them. My hair was up in a bun and I had no makeup on because I told them I wasn’t going to dress up. I unfortunately forgot to tell everyone else not to dress up as well.

Besides my embarrassment, it happened quickly. Yixing looked handsome in his black suit and white shirt. Every day, I look at him and wonder how someone as wonderful and as beautiful as him could love me. To this day I have no idea how. Baekhyun behaved himself, marrying us proudly. We had takeout and pizza as dinner, and a box cake that Kyungsoo made. Chanyeol and Chen performed as we danced a first dance. Neon light flowers surrounding us as I couldn’t help but feel myself fall further and further in love with Yixing.

A month later, we went to his old hometown. He was nervous about going there. He showed me his old school and places he’d visit with his mother. He felt weird and out of place, like while he is happy he’s back, he’s glad it’s only for a visit. He doesn’t think he could handle living here again. Which I understood. It must be hard, being taken away from the place you called home and shoved into a cage and treated worse than and animal.

Some people there remember his father. Many people still speak highly of him, and it often took everything for Yixing not to yell out how awful he was. The people here are more open to Inhumans now. Before they would treat them like , harassing them and refusing to serve people they knew had powers. Now it seems like that mindset is dying off. They spoke of his father, they also spoke of him. Many wondering whatever happened to the missing child. It also seems like people there also adored his mother too, speaking highly of her kindness. Which is how Yixing found out about how his mother was actually buried in a cemetery not far from his childhood home, the home that his father’s daughter from his second marriage inhabits.

Yixing stood there, a bouquet in his hands as he glances at the name set in stone. He crouches down, trying not to get over emotional. “Hi, Mom,” He says, setting the flowers down as he looks forward. “Um… It’s been a while. I was shocked when I learned that they even sent you back to be buried… more shocked that my father cared enough to lay you to rest.” The sky was overcast as he then sat down, “Um… a lot has changed. It took me a while to come back here…”

He sat there for an hour and a half just talking. There was something very cathartic about it for him, just sitting there letting his life story out as he remembers his mother. He stands, drying his eyes as he looks at the grave. “Thank you,” He says, “Thank you for teaching me to be kind and compassionate.”

While he was there, I was smiling to myself. I couldn’t help but celebrating with myself, excited. I had the next few hours to spend to myself as I went and grabbed our hotel key, trying to do something to kill time. I walked around, talking with people in my awful accent. They just smiled at me, happy that I learned their language. One woman walked up to me, looking nervous. “You’re… you’re married to Zhang Yixing, right?”

Her name was Zhang Ying. She was the half sister to Yixing. She lived there in their hometown, in a flower shop. Ying lived in Yixing’s childhood home that their father still owned, wondering if Yixing would ever come back to see it if he managed to survive. She and I had lunch. I told her I wasn’t sure how Yixing would react meeting her.

Turns out, Yixing was fine. Happy to met her, in fact. They got along great, Ying knowing not to bring up their father unless he asked about him. They spent hours talking, learning about one another. Yixing learned he had a younger brother, Xiao, who was just getting into college in NYC. Their mother was a kind woman who was a mathematician. She taught math at schools until she retired a few years back.

Ying turned, grabbing three wine glasses, pouring some wine, “We should celebrate! I was worried you wouldn’t want anything to do with me, but now I see those nerves were without reason!”

I slide my glass in front of Yixing as he gives me a weird look. “This wine is the only kind you like, what gives?”

The smile on my face grew, “I can’t drink it.”

“Is your mouth not working,” He asks, completely confused as Ying covers her own with her hand as she grins.

“No silly,” I say with a laugh, taking his hand and placing it on my stomach. A few moments, later, his eyes get wide as he pulls me to him. “Are you serious?”

I nod, tears of happiness running down my face, “I just found out this morning! I was going to tell you when we were back at our hotel.”

He pulled me into a hug, kissing my cheeks as he starts to cry tears of joy. Ying, smiled before leaving the room a moment, giving us some privacy. He couldn’t help but start crying uncontrollably of happiness, hugging me close as I start to cry too. He whispered to me that he’d be the best father in the world, that he’d be better for his child than his father was for him.

For the next few days, Yixing was happy, but he was also worried. He wanted nothing more than to be a wonderful father, but he was scared because he had no idea what it was like. He didn’t have a wonderful father to look to for advice. He didn’t have good memories of a great father. Ying told us how different the father she had was in comparison to the father Yixing grew up with.

So, a month later when we were at New York again, I held his hand tightly as he looks at the door of a house. “You don’t have to do this,” I say, giving his hand a light squeeze.

“I don’t,” He says, looking at the door. “But I want to. I don’t want to have any hard feelings or hate in my heart anymore. People can change… he can change. It’s time to see for myself if he did or not.” He glances down at me, a nervous look on his face. He bites his lip, a nervous habit of his that I adored. His fingers played with mine as he was building up his courage. He looks me in the eyes, “You’ll be there with me, right?”

“Hell yes,” I say, proudly. “I mean, I somehow haven’t run you off yet.”

He smiles at me, leaning over and kissing my forehead, “And you never will.” Butterflies still, anytime he looks at me it still feels like the first time.

Hand in hand we walk forward, and he smiled at me. We stood in front of the door for a few moments before Yixing took a deep breath. “It’s time to move on,” He says as he nods to himself before letting his hand knock on the door.