"Oh, you're dropping the charge?" Luhan exclaimed as he was reading something on his phone.

Luhan stayed the night in Yixing's house last night. They had been spending their time for the whole day yesterday and he planned to go back to Beijing last night, but Yixing held him there since, he reasoned, it was too late to drive back. It'd been so long since the two had some serious talk together, and Yixing kind of missing his best friend to be drowned in their 'back then' chatter. It was only because Jisoo was also occupied by his grandpa that he didn't feel so much guilt for leaving her alone while he was having Luhan's company.

"We are," Yixing answered him. "It's on the news already?"

"Yeah, it's published an hour ago." Luhan tilted his phone for him to see its screen, and Yixing leaned forward to read it quickly.

"Wow, they're fast."

"So, will you tell me the reason why? I heard that you've been pretty adamant not to settle down with any of them, it caused an uproar the past weeks. What's with the sudden change of heart?" he asked again as he sipped his tea.

Yixing didn't answer him immediately. He was still a bit disappointed that Jisoo actually persuaded him to drop the charge after his persistence to giving no forgiveness. It's like, he'd been shutting all his senses to everything these days. He shut his eyes to people camping on the company to seek his mercy when their children and siblings were being sued, he shut his ears to people shouting him all the profanities for charging their family the most severe punishment, he shut his mouth so as not to say anything, because he realized, once he opened it then what came out of it was nothing but the endless curses and grouses. He was that mad.

He couldn't blame Jisoo and her compassion toward people because it's just what she was, even though it's all actually not her fault. He was punishing those people for their recklessness, it's not her fault that those petty people were just merely brainless. He meant it for a good cause. But Jisoo was too benevolent to see people suffering, and he couldn't say no to her request. Especially when she said that it was also for a good cause⁠—their good cause.

"I'm still with my adamancy to not settle down. But Jisoo believes that it would bring us something good. Like, you know, people's support." he said a few moments later.

Luhan started to smile and nodded his head in affirmation hearing that, "Smart move." he said while reading the article and turned his phone again to show him something, "People have been leaving nice comments. Jisoo is right though, you need to believe in people. You just need to show them what they want to see, and you'll have their backs eventually. As part of the common people, I was a bit shock to see such a mass lawsuit. You're lucky to have such an altruistic fiancée, Xing, she actually saves you from people's rage."

Yixing wiped his mouth with a napkin and smiled to himself. He wouldn't deny that though, it was luck on his side to have met someone like Jisoo. He was lucky to be able to be part of her life and learn a lot from her despite her younger age. And to think about it again, there were so many things that Jisoo had been saving him from; people's rage was the least. It's himself that he was actually worried for.

Before her, Yixing oft came into these thoughts; whether he would ever be free from his tendency to torture himself with his busy schedule. The company was always his priority; and even though he got tired of the endless work, it's just impossible to stop. And Yixing had been much more than happy to have Jisoo in his life. She was the breather from his stressful days, her existence had been giving him the expectation when he went home and someone to miss when he was on business travel. She brought joy to his life, and he was happy to have met the right person at the right time.

She'd changed him for the better, and he was thrilled because the girl was his. Not anyone else.

Yixing turned his head and darted his gaze away to the green field of the backyard beyond the balcony. He couldn't hide his smile every time she was on his mind, and Luhan laughed on him.

"Oh-ho, Zhang Yixing, look at that face, you're so screwed." he jabbed him with his clenching hand on his arm.

And Yixing rubbed his face with his two hands, trying to act cool in front of Luhan, because showing him his lovey-dovey side was just unacceptable at all. But of course, he failed it miserably. "I know, I love her so much." 

"So, when are you going to marry her?" 

"Well, that's..." Yixing raised his forefinger and it froze in the air as he couldn't find the right answer. "Been exactly my question too."

"Why?" Luhan asked, "She doesn't want to?"

"No, it's not that. It's just," He tilted his head, thinking, "I think it's all about timing, Lu. I've proposed to her, like, twice? But she didn't want to rush it. And I don't want to push her. We've been setting these boundaries, and I promised that I will wait until she's ready. After all, it's been only six months, I don't think we're there yet."

"Why don't you ask her again? I mean, even though you promised her whatever, I think it's still us, men, who need to ask for her hand for the marriage. We take the lead, Man, you love her and she lovesi you, so what are you guys waiting for?"

Yixing took a deep breath as he looked away. He put this into thoughts and he couldn't see the wrong in Luhan's words. The last time he asked for her hand to marry him, he admitted that there was uncertainty in his words. But everything was different now. They'd been having so many improvements in their relationship and Yixing wanted to marry her much more than anything now. He loved her, he wanted to be another real half of her soul but he wasn't really sure if it was the right time to mention it to her again.

Should he wait for a longer time? Could he even do that now?

Jisoo might have seen him as a patient person, but she had no idea how he had been holding back himself so much these past months. He was initially an impatient person, he wasn't good at waiting nor a fan of it at all. And he'd actually been wondering how he could even last this long to wait for her, it's just unbelievable sometimes.

"I don't know, Lu, I don't want to feed my self-indulgence even only by thinking about this. It might not fair for her." he finally said.

"Hey, you know what? You worry too much, Xing, all you have to do just ask. If she wants more time then you give her one, it's not that much of a job. Just do it nicely, make sure she was comfortable, then put some romantic feelings. Really, do I have to even teach you this?"

Yixing burst out into laughter and threw him his napkin. He pushed away his plate to finish his breakfast and leaned back to rest on the chair.

"I'll think about it."

He turned away again to look inside the house and it was coincident that Jisoo was walking up to them at the same time. He kicked Luhan's foot from under the table to shut him up from his advice session.

"Baobei," he greeted as his smile started to grow, and Luhan changed his expression as he got to see why Yixing had kicked him a second ago.

"Hello, Boys."

Jisoo stood by the balcony door, looked a little hesitant to come out and joined them as she saw there were only two chairs flanking the small square table. The maids were preparing breakfast only for two and they didn't even bother to add more chairs in case his fiancée decided to join them. And as he's aware of her gesture, Yixing tapped on his thigh and reached out his arm, beckoning her to sit on his lap.

"Don't mind Luhan, just pretend he's not here," he said when Jisoo shook her head slightly a bit to him.

"Yeah, don't mind me. I'm invisible, you can even make out here and I'll be just fine." Luhan added by keeping his face stoic.

And Jisoo chuckled, she scrunched her nose to hide the obvious blush on her face by retorting, "Ugh, you guys. What have you been discussing about? It's daylight here, for God's sake."

Both Yixing and Luhan mimicked her small laughter, he couldn't help to think how cute she was being so embarrassed that he wanted to keep her in his pocket so he could protect her forever.

"Come here," he leaned forward to reach for her and pulled her arm to come close. He put his hand on her waist once she sat on his lap, and this probably one of the many things he liked about her. He was always spellbound by how fast she put herself at ease in an awkward situation. Her calmness in handling this made him think how reserved she was, seeing how she casually finished his unfinished toast on his plate like it was something usual for them to share food. He didn't realize that they had reached that stage now.

"I guess you've never seen people starve, because if you have, you would always finish your food," she commented when she caught him staring.

Luhan almost burst into another laughter, but he held it in. And Yixing was dumbfounded, where did that even come from? All of sudden?

"Sorry, I don't know if..." he stopped halfway, having nothing to say anymore.

"If you're sorry then finish your food. It's a bad habit not to." she fed him the bacon and Yixing opened his mouth on her 'aah' to eat it.

"Anyway, when will Luhan officially start to work?" she asked again once the food was finished a few moments later. She made herself comfortable on his lap by resting one of her arms on his shoulder, looking at him and Luhan alternately.

"Next week. He will be in Seoul this Friday to sign the papers and we'll be having a reception on his arrival on Monday." Yixing answered it for her.

Jisoo took his teacup and sipped the liquid in it, "Oh, that soon?"

"The sooner the better." Luhan chimed in, "Will you be at the reception dinner to welcome me?"

"Well, I'd love to, I mean, if I'm invited for that case."

"Of course you're invited, Baobei." Yixing said with a reassuring smile. He slid his arms to wrap around her belly and pulled her closer, and he really loved to see that happy beam on her face hearing this. He didn't expect that a simple invitation would make her this delighted.

He let Jisoo had a small talk with Luhan, offering a housewarming party that she would love to host to welcome him in her country. Yixing had been noticing that his phone kept vibrating on the table and he decided to take a look at it.

He had informed his secretary that he would have several days rest from the office and clearly stated not to bother him unless it was a near-death situation regarding the company. And he was a bit surprised to see that it was actually not his secretary who had been leaving him messages, but Chanyeol instead. Yixing raised his brow to see about fifteen unread messages that he had left for him since this early morning, Chanyeol would usually call him when there was something urgent, and he was wondering why he didn't do so now.

'it's a dead-end again.' he read through all the messages Chanyeol sent him.

'the police have been doing a thorough search in his house and office but they didn't find anything.'

'nothing interesting happened, except one thing.'

He scrolled down to see a loading picture, and it showed him a snap of a key once it's loaded.

'they found it stuck with a tape under his office table, and they kind of suspicious if it leads to something.'

'B- has been refusing to tell us what it was, saying that it was nothing'

'and he was even forgotten that the key was under the table the whole time.'

Bull, he thought. That was the lamest justification someone had ever made to secure himself, no wonder the police were suspicious. Yixing presumed he must have been panic after the findings, thus the stupid answer.

'but that bastard was lying' 

See? he was right.

'it was obvious'

'the tape he used to stick it with is new, like about a week new'

Yixing frowned. Wait, then does it mean.... he scrolled down.

'can you let Jisoo see it?'

'might be a small chance, but she'd probably recognize it'

"Baobei," Yixing didn't waste his time to nudge on Jisoo's waist to ger her attention and showed her Chanyeol's messages once she turned to him. "They found a key in Baekhyun's office. Do you recognize it?"

Jisoo took the phone from him and read the messages herself. He darted his eyes to Luhan, who threw him a questioning look, but he shook his head for nothing to say. He had no idea himself what it was about, and he turned to Jisoo again, who was furrowed her brow as she studied the picture. It was about a minute later that she finally gasped, covered  with her hand and then typed something on the screen.

Yixing leaned forward to see what she wrote,

'It's Baekhyun's old apartment's key!' she typed quickly.

'It's where he put that hidden camera for the video'

Yixing scrunched his nose, feeling so disgusted by the information. What's with the key and the old apartment? The fact that that bastard still had it and even used it in the near past only meant that he had secrets he wanted to hide from his present life. Did it mean something big will happen? He wished it would.

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