The sudden ringing at the front door echoed through the large corridors of EXO’s shared dormitory. You were curled up on the living room sofa, legs tucked under the warm comforts of a cotton quilt. In your hands was a warm cup of hot chocolate, courtesy of D.O who assured you that his homemade chocolate concoction was sure to warm you up from head to toe. He was definitely right about that one…  You jumped out of the futon couch excitedly, the cup in your hands tilting at a dangerous angle. “Ahh, be careful Mi Young ah~ If you spill anything on the carpet, D.O will most definitely kill you”, Baekhyun teased while taking the cup from you and gently placing it on top of the coffee table. As the doorbell continued to chime an altogether familiar classical melody, you spotted almost ten heads peeking out of the bedrooms lined down the corridor, their faces twisted in naughty smirks. You especially wanted to throw something at Kai, who was making gruesome “lovey dovey” faces at you. “I’ll get that”, you called cheerfully, racing towards the door. A tall figure stepped in front of you, his tall stature completely blocking you from the door. “Nah Uh, We’ll get it”, He commanded with a gruff laugh before grabbing you and gently towing you away on his shoulder. “YAHHHH KRIS OPPA! Put me down”, you exclaimed loudly, pounding your fists on his back as the other boys burst out in unceremonious laughter. From the head-spinning height of Kris’s shoulder, you saw Se Hun and Lu Han head for the door.

“Oh! Anyeonghasayo~ Is Mi Young with you?” the familiar voice made you flail your arms around urgently, but Kris remained unaffected. “Oh, annyeonghasayo Min Hyuk Sunbaenim”, Lu han greeted politely, his clear voice oozing with politeness. “Ah, just call me Min Hyuk… After all, we’re born in the same year”, he assured Lu Han with a pat on his back, leaving the deer boy smiling at the unexpected gesture. “Come on in, Min Hyuk-hyung”, Sehun added enthusiastically, opening the door with a ceremonious swing. You heard a sheepish chuckle from Min Hyuk drift into the room. As soon as Min Hyuk entered the EXO members’ line of vision, Kris swiftly put you down, his chiseled features etched in a convincing poker face. “Anyeonghasayeo~ I’m Exo M’s leader, Kris”, the giant boy greeted with a genuine smile. You were slightly relieved to see Kris smiling. Despite his cold exterior, he was an extremely sociable and talkative chap. With a proud smile, you watched Min Hyuk exchange introductions with the other EXO members, his demeanor polite and full of affection. You couldn’t help but let out loud giggles when Chan Yeol and Min Hyuk did some brother-code fist bump thingy while the other members watched on with bright smiles. Grabbing your things, you shyly walked up to Min Hyuk’s side, ignoring twelve pairs of eagle eyes that were fixed on the both of you. “Bye Exo Oppas~”, you chimed sweetly as you waved goodbye to them. “Min Hyuk hyung, if Mi Young ever gives you trouble, be sure to let us know alright? You’ve got us twelve”, Lay said with a smirk, the both of them exchanging cheeky grins. “Bye Princess”, Luhan teased, the usual innocent smile plastered on his soft features. With a wave, the door closed behind the both of you, the erupting chorus of loud laughs still audible. You let out a soft chuckle before feeling a large hand reach for yours. Looking up, you saw Min Hyuk looking down at you, his handsome features bathed in the warm yellow light of the apartment corridor. With his head tilted slightly, a smile lingered on his lips, arranging them in the subtle m shape that you absolutely adored. You raised your eyebrows questioningly, waiting for him to say something. The question hanging on his lips dematerialized in an instant, as the both of you descended down the stairs of the luxurious apartment building, hands intertwined. “Are you still jealous oppa?” You asked quietly, hiding the blush on your cheeks with the dark shadows cast by the streetlamps bathed in beams of moon light. “Aish… I’m not that much of a pabo you know. I can tell that EXO really cares of you as a sister and I’m really glad. In fact, I should probably thank them for taking such good care of you… Especially for the days before you came into my life”, Min Hyuk explained softly, his eyes curving into beautiful crescents. “But now that I’m here, I hope you’ll let me be the one taking care of you for the rest of your life”, He added wistfully, shooting a small smile at you before turning his attention back to the road. As you sat in the passenger seat of manager Ji Yong’s car, you let min hyuk’s sweet words linger in the air; his promise ringing with honesty. Letting your gaze trail to his profile, you watched him with utmost devotion. His eyebrows were lifted in concentration as he maneuvered through the busy streets of Seoul. While his right hand was placed strategically on the steering wheel, his left hand rested on the gear box squashed between the adjacent seats. With the remains of his promise lingering in the silence, you slowly moved your right hand, resting it gently on his left. At the sudden touch, he whipped his head around to face you, eyes twinkling with curiosity. At that moment, the red light flashed a last time before changing to a flash of royal green. Forced to turn his attention back to the road, he returned his gaze to the front, cheeks slightly reddened from the contact of your hands. You chuckled quietly at his adorable reaction, stealing glances at him from the corner of your eyes. Seeing as he was distracted by the busy roads of Seoul, a devilish idea struck you. Being as subtle as possible, you shuffled to the right of your seat, inching as close to the driver’s seat as your elastic seatbelt allowed you to. In one swift motion, you leaned over and gently pecked Min Hyuk’s cheek before hastily pulling back. You saw Min Hyuk’s eyes widen in surprise, as his face flushed an intense shade of pink. “Stealing kisses? It’s going to be dangerous if you try that again! I’m already distracted. Do you really want to get into a car accident?” Min Hyuk teased with a smirk, keeping both his hands firmly on the steering wheel. Suddenly embarrassed by your daring actions, you whined slightly, burying your face in the sleeves of your cardigan. You suddenly felt the car come to a crawl before stopping. Another Red light… A sudden contact on your right wrist broke your train of thought. Pulling your wrist away from your face, Min Hyuk inched closer to you, his face mere centimeters away from yours. As he continued to close the gap between your faces, your eyelids fluttered close as your heart raced in anticipation. The sudden acceleration of the car made you open your eyes in confusion. Min Hyuk was far away in his driver’s seat, eyes focused on the road ahead. On his lips hung a victorious smirk, followed by gruff chuckles that echoed in the silence. Green Light… “Yahh oppa, you tricked me”, you exclaimed, pointing a finger accusingly at him. His melodious laughter drifted through the air, making you soften. “Ah arasso arasso… Mian hae~ Let me make it up to you by taking you somewhere”, He suggested enthusiastically whilst shooting you a grin. “Where are we going?” You chimed, excited at the prospect of going on a date. “Pi Mi”, He replied mysteriously. You were never one for surprises; and were most definitely not fond of secrets. But for now, you were contented to know that it didn’t matter where you were going, as long as it was with him.

A little while later, you were both sitting on the second floor of a secluded café. While sitting side by side, the beautiful night view of the Han River greeted you in its’ full splendor. Through the clear windows of the look-out café, the different coloured lights from across the river bank danced brightly, casting illusions on the river’s smooth waves. Nothing could get better than this. You could feel the length of Min Hyuk’s thigh press against yours as the both of you sat as close to each other as possible, savouring the warm comfort such closeness brought. Since Min Hyuk was now officially an idol, the both of you had to be careful of your surroundings. Although Min Hyuk was equipped with an oversized black hoodie, the both of you were relieved to see that the café was relatively empty, leaving the both of you in peace to enjoy each other’s presence. “Oh oppa! I forgot to ask you something”, you suddenly exclaimed. “I went to see Appa this morning, and he said some really weird things to me… I really hope he’s not suspecting anything”, you muttered worriedly, stirring the melted bowl of Pat Bing soo perched on the counter. You expected Min Hyuk to agree with you, and you could almost imagine the crease of anxiety materializing on his forehead. To your surprise, his face registered none of those expressions. In fact, he looked almost calm. You saw a flash of hesitation pass, but he quickly swept it aside with an assuring smile. “Don’t you think it’s time we told our parents about our relationship?” Min Hyuk added softly, peering absentmindedly into the distance. At his words, your heart swelled, fluttering at the prospect of not hiding the one thing that mattered the most to the both of you. But that flying feeling was soon replaced with reality’s harsh reminder. With a sad smile, you tilted your head, letting it rest gently in the crook of Min Hyuk’s neck. “You know we can’t oppa… For Dad’s sake… and for yours. Imagine what other’s would think if they found out that the rich and wealthy Chairman Lee’s children were dating? We can’t do that to Appa’s reputation.” You mumbled softly, biting your lips to keep away the whimpers that threatened to destroy your strong façade. You saw hurt flash momentarily in his eyes, and reached for his hand on the counter. “But I’m not his real son. We aren’t even blood related”, Min Hyuk spat factually, ruffling his hair in frustration. You played with his fingers, trying to calm him down. “We can’t risk letting the media get their hands on that though… The things they could do to you with that piece of information”, a slight whimper escaped your lips despite all previous efforts to control your emotions. That seemed to catch Min Hyuk’s attention as his head leaned down slightly, meeting your downcast gaze. “Are you worrying about me again?” He whispered, his strangled breath filled with remorse. Not wanting him to feel any more sensations of guilt, you shook your head stubbornly, wanting to placate his inherent worry. A flicker of sadness in his eyes was the only indication that he hadn’t fallen for your denials.

“I know you’re worried about me”, he whispered softly, eyelids pressed closed as his head lay gently on your lap. You sighed in resignation at his sudden words. You lowered your head, glancing at his angelic features. In the quiet silence of the night, you could almost hear each other’s breathing. As Min Hyuk lay stretched out over a bench in the Han River Park, you cradled his head in your lap. “I’ve really been thinking about this”, he spoke again. With his eyes still closed, you took the liberty to admire his handsome face. “This?” you asked, intonation raised in confusion as you played with his hair. “About us”, he whispered, emphasizing on the last word as his eyelids fluttered open. “I have a confession to make”, he admitted quietly, eyes twinkling in suspense. “Appa already knows about us”. “Mwoh?” You exclaimed loudly, jumping in your seat and causing Min Hyuk to hit his head against your knee. Wincing in pain, he leaned his head back on your thighs as you folded your arms at him. “Oppa! Explain yourself!” You demanded, eyes wide open in disbelief. It was then that Min Hyuk started telling you about the week you went missing. Even though he had requested to keep your absence a secret from your father in a bid not to aggravate his health, their attempts had gone awry when Appa questioned them repeatedly about why you weren’t visiting him. After all, he had grown accustomed to the almost daily visits from his beloved daughter and could sense that something was amiss. Min Hyuk knew that he could no longer keep your absence a secret. To explain the reason why you had ran away, he was going to have to come clean...

“What? She ran away? Why would she have left without a word?” Appa exclaimed agitatedly, his chest heaving with his heavy breaths. Min Hyuk’s eyes fluttered downwards, his hand reaching out to pat his father’s back when the old man broke out in fits of coughs. Registered in his father’s eyes were myriads of perpetual fear and worry. “It’s my fault”, the boy whispered solemnly, lowering his head ashamed. “She left because of you?” His father questioned with wide eyes, tone clear with confusion. “I don’t understand Min Hyuk ah~ did something happen between the both of you? You were supposed to get along as siblings”, Appa asked worriedly, his eyes frantically searching for answers encrypted in Min Hyuk’s downcast features. His son took in a deep breath, preparing to say the words that would change everything. “I love her, Appa”, he muttered softly, letting the loaded words ring in the tension filled silence. “Of course you love her son. She’s your sister”, the old man exclaimed, clear that he had not fully comprehended the hidden meaning behind his son’s confession. “I think I love her more than just a sister”, Min Hyuk tried another time, spelling his intentions in unmistakable words. The following silence was worse than he could ever pre-empt, cutting through the air in obvious waves of tension. The young boy lifted his head slightly, expecting his father to reprimand him for his forbidden feelings, or lash out in him in stubborn disbelief. However, when his shaky gaze fell on the elderly man, he was surprised to see his father’s eyebrows arching in a pointed frown, one that indicated that he was clearly deep in thought. Upon seeing the guilty expression on his son’s face, the old man softened slightly, letting his lips fall into a reassuring smile. “When did it start?” He asked quietly, clasping his wrinkly palms together, albeit a little too eagerly. “I honestly don’t know Dad… I never planned for this to happen… I built all these walls around myself, making sure that no one could reach me… But from the first day I laid eyes on her, I knew she was different. I tried even harder to block myself out, to scare her away because I was afraid that if I let her in, I would fall for her kind heart. I tried everything, but somehow, she managed to creep through the crevices in those walls to reach my heart… I’m sorry Dad”, Min Hyuk explained in frustration, running a hand through his hair. The corners of his eyes were glistening slightly… He was worried sick about your disappearance. Suddenly, a warm hand fell on his arm that was placed on the bed. He looked up to see his father smiling at him fondly, the corners of his eyes folding up in webs of wrinkles. “There’s nothing to be sorry about my son. Sometimes, you just can’t keep love away. No matter how much you try to block it out, the one person that manages to surpass the boundaries around your heart is clearly the one meant for you. Your soulmate. You’re my beloved son; Filial, smart, talented, mature and determined. I always reckoned that any girl would be lucky to have you… But you never paid attention to any of the girls who were interested in you and it left your Mum and I really worried. On the other hand, Mi Young is the daughter I’ve always wished to have by my side. She’s kind hearted, strong and spirited. I’ve always felt like I owed her too much. I’ve regretted not being by her side watching her grow up. But a great source of comfort was that I had you, my son who I always treated as flesh and blood. One of my promises to Mi Young was that I’d make sure that she’ll meet a guy who will take care of her, protect and love her for the rest of her lives. One that would shower her with the love she truly deserves. What better guy than you? You’re my son who I know best, and whom I trust in the most.” Father whispered the last sentence with a small smile, his eyes twinkling with affection as he reached for Min Hyuk’s hands. “But… Appa… What about your business? What about the rumours? Our relationship would put you and the company in a bad light if the media found out about it”, Min Hyuk muttered in a trembling voice, ignoring the wetness glazing over his eyes. “Min Hyuk ah~ Appa knows that you’re a really good son… But don’t worry about the business. Appa is more worried about the media finding out about you being adopted. Are you okay with that?” Father asked worriedly, gripping Min Hyuk’s hands even more tightly. Min Hyuk nodded firmly, the edges of his mouth turning up in a smile. “I know there was a time where I would have hated to know that I’d been adopted. But I realize how blessed I’ve been to have you and Mum. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the both of you. Even though others may spread malicious rumours about my adoption, their opinions don’t matter to me. Besides, I’ve found my source of strength. As long as Mi Young is by my side, I’ll be able to get through anything for her sake”. Judging from the firm gaze in his son’s eyes, Appa knew that he was speaking the truth. Reaching forward, he enveloped his son in a warm hug, their eyes glistening with tears. “You have my blessings. Now go. Promise me you’ll find her and bring her back”. Min Hyuk blinked the wetness in his eyes away, nodding his head fervently.

As Min Hyuk narrated the exchange between Appa and himself, you felt your eyes well up slightly. Tears were pooling at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over. As the story came to an end, Min Hyuk angled his head upwards, watching your face intently for a response. With a stifled sigh, you turned your head sideways, letting the long tendrils of your wavy hair hide your glistening eyes. “Are you angry?” Min Hyuk whispered softly. You felt his head move slightly in your lap, and guessed that he was still trying to read your expression. You shook your head, making sure to keep your head planted facing the side. You felt a hand reach up, gently cradling a side of your face. Cupping your face tenderly, his comforting touch made you crumble in defeat as the first tear slipped down your cheek, hidden slightly by the shadows of the nights. “Hey, look at me”, you heard him whisper as he gently turned your face downwards so that you were unavoidably looking at him. Titling your head forward, you bit your lower lip softly, feeling his warm gaze searching your face. “Are you crying?” He asked suddenly, his voice shaky with trembles. Knowing that you had been caught, you didn’t try to hold back the remaining tears that rolled down your cheeks like shiny pearls. “Why are you crying? Please don’t cry”, Min Hyuk urged worriedly as both his hands reached upwards to cup your face. As his thumbs gently caressed your skin, you allowed him to wipe the trails of your tears away. With hesitant movements, you reached up to place your cold palm over his warm hands that were still caressing your face, trying to stop the tears that were forming. “Than-thank you, oppa… No one has ever done anything like that for me before”, you finally managed to whisper breathlessly, face stained with the trails of tears. Min hyuk sighed in relief, his worries put to rest when he realized that your tears were a result of happiness. His gaze softened at your vulnerable expression, a loving smile forming on his lips. “Don’t ever scare me like that again alright?” Min Hyuk whispered softly, brushing aside the strands of hair sticking to your tear stained cheeks. Still sniffing slightly, your blinked at him and nodded meekly. Slowly, you felt his hand on your cheek move to the back of your neck. With gentle movements, he pressed on the nape of your neck, bringing your head downwards towards him. Blushing slightly, your eyelids fluttered close when he captured your lips in a soft kiss. In that moment, it seemed like time stopped ticking. It was as if both of you were the only two people in the world. 

hi everyone~ *waves* I'm so so so so so sorry for the long update *Runs and hides with a sad pout* ! I started school and didn't have time to type this lengthy update in one night so I had to do it over a whole week! I hope you guys like the chapter ^^ I made it long cause I really felt quite bad about not being able to update! PLEASE talk to me!  ^0^ Drop me a comment or message~ I'll be so happy to hear from you guys after a week of school :0
Byebyeeee! Have a nice weekend guys!