It's a snowy day in the middle of December, and four of the boys have taken Eric out to the ice rink. After begging to go for a whole day, the members gave in. Jaehyun, Younghoon, Changmin, and Chanhee are the ones that decided to take the maknae there. Sangyeon and Jacob are at the dorm with the other two maknaes, and Kevin is on a date with his boyfriend Hyungwon. 

Two hours have gone by, when they decide it is time to start heading home. 

"Okay, Eric. Time to go home." Jaehyun calls from outside the rink.

"Come on hyung, just two more minutes." Eric whines.

"Fine, but only two more minutes."

Eric nods in agreement before going back to skating. 

For once, Eric actually keeps his promise of staying out for just two minutes. He comes up to the members, and they lead him back home. 

"We're back!" Younghoon announces, when they enter the dorm. 

"Where's my precious little maknae?" Jacob says, as he comes over. 

"Do you want some hot co-" Jacob says, but he stops once he removes Eric's hat to see that this is not Eric. 

"Why did you guys bring the kid next door home?" Sangyeon asks, now with the rest of them. 

"What?! We thought that he was Eric." Chanhee says. 

"Why didn't you tell us you weren't Eric?"

"I don't know. I forgot the way home and assumed you guys knew. Thanks for bringing me home." The boy says, before leaving to go to his own home. 

"Oh no, then where is Eric?" Changmin asks. 

"You guys lost Eric? He could be anywhere out there now!" Jacob says, before holding onto Sangyeon and crying. 

The members know they have messed up, they have to go back out there and get him. 

"Don't worry, Jacob. We'll go out there and find him." Younghoon responds. 

Suddenly, Jacob turns back to them with an extremely angry look. He has never looked this enraged before. Honestly, everyone is scared. 

"You better hope you find him. Otherwise, you'll have to face me." Jacob states. 

"Let's go guys."

They run out of the dorm to begin their search for Eric. 

Back at the ice rink, Eric has now realized that his hyungs left without him. 

"They just ditched me like that?" Eric thinks. 

He sits down on the bench with his arms crossed, very upset about what has just happened. On the other side of the rink, two men see Eric and realize that he looks familiar, so they approach him. 

On the other side of town, Kevin is enjoying his date with Hyungwon at a gourmet hot chocolate cafe. 

"Thanks for taking me here, Hyungwon. I didn't know that hot chocolate cafes were a thing." Kevin says. 

"It's no problem, my angel. I just wanted to take you somewhere special before we make our comeback and go to Japan." 

"I know. I'm going to miss you, Wonnie." Kevin says, hugging Hyungwon. 

"I'm going to miss you too. How about after this you come to my house so we can have some more alone time?"

"I'd like that." Kevin smiles.

By now, enough time has gone by that the boys should be back at the ice rink, so Jacob and Sangyeon decide to call them. 

"Hello?"

"Boys, did you find Eric yet?" Sangyeon asks. 

"Ummm.... no. We looked all over the rink and we couldn't find him."  

Upon hearing this, Jacob bursts into tears. 

"Well, keep looking. You guys stay out there and we'll stay here in case he comes back." Sangyeon says, before hanging up.

Sangyeon sends out a group text so that all the members know what is going on, that way they can keep an eye out for Eric. He then turns back to his husband. 

"Jacob, it's going to be okay."

"I hope so. I bet Eric's all scared and alone out there right now."

"Ahhhh! Stop it!" Eric screams, to one of the two men who picked him up earlier. 

"I mean it, I'm ticklish. Stop it." Eric giggles, as Minhyuk tickles him. 

Thankfully, the two men who picked Eric up at the ice rink were Minhyuk and Kihyun. Eric is friends with Monsta X, so it's not like he was running off somewhere with strangers. 

"Here are some more cookies, Eric." Kihyun states, bring Eric a tray of cookies. 

"Thank you, Kihyun hyung."

"Anything for our favorite little maknae." Kihyun says. 

"What about Changkyun hyung?" Eric responds. 

"We like him too, but you are just so adorable. You're like a little marshmallow, I could just squeeze you." Minhyuk says, hugging Eric. 

"Yeah, Jacob hyungie says I have that effect on people." Eric replies. 

"I thought I heard my name out here." Changkyun says, entering the room. 

"My fellow maknae!" 

Eric runs over to Changkyun and hugs him. 

"Hey, Eric. What are you doing here?"

"Kihyun and Minhyuk brought me here from the ice rink." Eric answers. 

"Well, since you're here, how about we continue playing the video game from a couple weeks ago?"

"Okay. I call player one!" Eric exclaims. 

While Eric is playing video games, the members are still looking for him. By now, they know that they have to start looking in places besides the ice rink. 

"Where should we look for Eric first?" Jaehyun asks. 

"I don't know. Maybe the mall? It's the closest thing around here that he might go to." Chanhee says. 

"It's worth a shot, let's go."

Of course, they do not find Eric there since he is with Monsta X. The next place they go is the arcade, another one of Eric's favorite places. Again, they come up with nothing. 

"Ugh, how are we ever going to find him?"

It has been over an hour since Eric went missing that Kevin finally finds out about this whole thing. 

He is lying in bed with Hyungwon when the alarm goes off, indicating that it is time to wake up. Kevin picks up the phone to turn off the alarm and begins looking at the notifications on his phone. As he is scrolling through, he comes across the message about Eric. 

"Oh my gosh." Kevin says aloud. 

Hyungwon wakes up too and wraps his arms around Kevin. 

"What's wrong, Binnie?"

"Apparently Eric has gone missing."

"Do you want me to take you home so you can help find him?"

Kevin thinks about that. Eric has gotten lost before, usually at the store and they have always found him. Nine members should be enough to look for one maknae. 

"No, he'll be fine. I'd rather spend what is left of our date with you before you have to go to Japan and then I won't see you for a month." Kevin responds. 

"Okay. Then let's go to the Monsta X dorm so I can give you your present." Hyungwon says, kissing Kevin on the cheek. 

Back at said dorm, Eric is still playing video games with Changkyun. 

"You're pretty good at this game, Eric."

"Are you sure you aren't just letting me win? Sometimes my hyungs do that."

"Trust us, Eric. He really is terrible at this game." Minhyuk chimes in. 

"I win again!" Eric exclaims, minutes later. 

"Come on, just one more round."

"Hey look, Hyunwoo hyung is back with the groceries."

Eric looks over to see one of his favorite leaders, Sangyeon being the first of course, at the front door. 

"Hyunwoo hyung!" 

Eric runs over and hugs him. 

"Hey little guy. I haven't seen you in a while." Shownu says, ruffling Eric's hair. 

"Hyung! Hyung! Hyung!"

"Yes?"

"Will you give me a piggyback ride?" Eric asks. 

"Of course I will. Who can say no to such a cute maknae?"

When Kevin and Hyungwon are walking up to the dorm, Kevin hears a familiar laugh. 

"That sounds like Eric's laugh." Kevin thinks, as they are about to open the door. 

Hyungwon opens the door and there Eric is, being piggybacked around the dorm by Monsta X's leader. 

"Eric, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be lost, all the members are looking for you."

"What? Eric, you told us that your hyungs said it was okay for you to be here." Kihyun says, as Eric hops off Hyunwoo's back. 

"Okay, I lied. My hyungs left me at the ice rink and I was upset so I went with you guys without telling them." Eric admits. 

"Eric, that's not a very nice thing to do. Your members are probably worried sick about you." Hyunwoo scolds. 

"I'm sorry." Eric responds. 

"You can tell the members sorry when I take you home." Kevin states. 

"Don't go just yet, Binnie. I have to get your present." Hyungwon says, before going to another room. 

"Hyungie, do you think the guys will be mad?" Eric questions. 

"With how long you've been gone, they'll either be really mad or really relieved that you're back. Just explain what happened to them and be honest." Kevin tells him. 

Minutes later, Hyungwon comes back with the gift. 

"Here you go Binnie. Promise me you'll open it on Christmas day?" Hyungwon says, handing Kevin a box. 

"I promise."

"I can drive you guys home so you don't have to walk all the way there in the snow." Hyungwon says. 

"Yeah! I wanna ride in Hyung hyung's car!" Eric exclaims, already running out of the dorm. 

"I guess that means yes. We better catch him before he gets lost again."

Kevin thanks Monsta X for watching over Eric before leaving with Hyungwon and texting the others that he found Eric. 

"Oh my gosh, Hyung hyung, your car is so cool!" Eric says, from the backseat. 

"Thank you, Eric. If you want, maybe I can take you for a ride around town some time."

"Yay! I'd love that!" 

Minutes later, they arrive at the dorm. 

"Thanks for the ride, Hyung hyung." Eric says. 

"No problem. You stay out of trouble now. Okay, kiddo?" 

"I will." Eric replies, getting out of the car. 

"I guess I'll see you next year, huh?" Kevin begins. 

"Yeah, but I will try to call and text you as much as I can." 

"I'll be waiting. I love you, Hyungwon."

"I love you too, Kevin." Hyungwon replies, before giving Kevin one last kiss. 

"I'll see you next year." Kevin says, getting out of the car. 

"See you next year." Hyungwon smiles back. 

Kevin and Eric wave goodbye as Hyungwon drives away. 

"Come on, you. Let's go to the dorm. Jacob is probably freaking out right now." Kevin says, grabbing Eric's hand.

"Bin bin hyung, what do you think is in the box that Hyungwon gave to you?"

"I don't know. It's supposed to be a surprise." Kevin responds. 

"I think it's a necklace. It looks like a jewelry box."

"Well, I will know on Christmas day."

"Speaking of Christmas, my birthday is coming up." Eric states. 

From then on, Eric talks about what he wants for his birthday and the type of party he wants to throw all the way until they enter the dorm. 

"We're here." Kevin announces. 

Jacob immediately runs over and hugs Eric tightly. 

"Our precious little maknae, I'm so glad you are okay. What happened to you?"

"I got left alone at the ice rink, then Minhyuk and Kihyun from Monsta X came up to me and asked if I wanted to hang out at their dorm. I'm sorry, I should have told you guys that I was over there." Eric answers. 

"It's kinda our fault too, Eric. We should have made sure it was actually you with us, instead of rushing to go home." Chanhee says. 

"All that matters is that you are safe and sound. I'll have to thank Monsta X for watching over you. For now, how about I make you some hot coco? You must be so cold, munchkin." Jacob says, leading Eric to the kitchen. 

As always, Eric has caused some trouble, but ends up with very little consequences. He just has to promise that he will always have his phone with him whenever he goes out.