"I've told my parents everything. I'm sorry about what I did. I hope you'll be happier now Baekhyun ah.-Mi Young"

Baekhyun read that text for the hundredth time that morning. After you left the cafe last night, he texted her. He knew that she was the one behind all this and that she only meant well. Because of her now, you can finally go back to being happy, to be with your family, to be back in Japan. And he knows well enough that he should be happy for you. But why couldn't he? Why did he feel like a part of him is going to be taken away again, and this time, it felt like it was going to be forever? He sighed as all these thoughts engulfed him and he sunk lower into his pillow. 

It was already noon but he was still in bed, with the blinds still down, and he was still in the clothes he wore the day before. "Why does it seem so unfair?" He mumbled to himself as he stared and counted the cracks on the ceiling. Just then, the door slightly opened, letting little light in. Baekhyun watched as a familiar figure stepped in and opened the blinds. He squinted to let his eyes adjust to the sudden brightness. "Aish, Yeol ah, can't you open it slowly? The light is killing me." He grumbled. A loud chuckle boomed in his ears making him even more annoyed. "Yah, why are you still in bed? Better go wash up. We've got guests coming!" The taller one bit his lower lip in excitement and slightly jumped up and down in the room, although Baekhyun felt like the whole floor was going to collapse any moment. "Who's coming?" *It's Ryoko of course.* A tiny voice at the back of his head echoed but he ignored it. 

Chanyeol stopped jumping and opened the windows. "Ryoko and Hae Ra! It's been a long time since Hae Ra came over so Kyungsoo is being a little....sensitive right now. That's why you gotta get ready fast!" He then pulled the sheets from his best friend and his mouth hung open. 'Yah, you're still in your jeans? What time did you come home last night?" Baekhyun clicked his tongue and sat up. It's true that he did came home late last night. After you said you were going back, he couldn't sleep so instead he walked around the neighborhood and sat on the bench at the top of the hill to calm himself. Chanyeol sat at the foot of the bed and stared at his friend. "Did the two of you fight last night? What happened bacon?" Baekhyun appreciated that his best friend was concerned about him but right then, he didn't want to say anything. Not when you're already coming over to explain everything yourself. 

Instead, he just chuckled and stood up. "It's nothing Yeol. I'm going to go wash up now." Chanyeol scanned Baekhyun's face for a while before grinning from ear to ear and stood up as well, patting the smaller one on his shoulders. "That's right, go make yourself pretty for Ryoko." He said with a cheeky grin before pushing him out of the room and into the bathroom. Baekhyun chuckled and closed the door before leaning against it. He looked at his own reflection at the mirror in front of him. *Is this such a special occasion for me to look good for her? She's leaving me behind.* Baekhyun frowned as shadows formed on his face. His grip on his towel that was slung over his shoulder tightened. 

"Oppa!" Hae Ra chimed as she entered the house running towards the person she wanted to see the most, D.O. Kai rolled his eyes and walked towards you. His eyes widened and a small smile plastered on his face as he noticed how different you dressed. You were wearing a floral white dress, accompanied with a small white ribbon that you clipped on your long hair that flowed freely down to your shoulders. "Yah, aren't you cold wearing that? It's almost winter!" He chuckled a little even though he couldn't stop staring at how beautiful you were. You blushed and played with the hem of your dress. "Is this too much?" Kai was about to say something but Sehun interrupted him. "Ani, you look pretty Ryoko ah! You always do!" He flashed you his signature eye smile and you smiled as well. "Thank you Sehun ah." *I'm really going to miss him.* You thought to yourself.

Kai slapped the younger one's head. "Yah, don't shout in my ear!" Sehun rubbed his head and scowled at Kai. "You're just jealous cause you find it corny to say such things." He retorted back. Kai was about to hit him some more but the front door opened again. "Yah yah, are you guys fighting again?" You expected it to be Suho but to your surprise, Xiumin's head popped out. He was smiling from ear to ear, and you noticed how his hair was cut shorter than before. "Xiumin oppa!" You squealed and hugged him. It's been a long time you've seen him and you were glad that a few days before your departure, you managed to see him. You do wished that the whole gang was there though. Just then, as though God had heard your prayers, the rest came in to the house one by one. Xiumin, Luhan, Chen, Lay, Kris, Tao and lastly, Suho. 

"You guys!" Chanyeol's voiced boomed in the house as he came running down the stairs to greet the others. "Wah, it's been a long time isn't it?" He said as he exchanged high fives with Tao and Kris. The three of them towered you as you were approaching them. You have never felt so small in your life. "It's good to see all of you guys again." You said with a smile. Tao's eyes sparkled as he took your arm and started jumping up and down. "Ryoko ah, we've missed you a lot! Well, actually I did and I kept pestering the other guys to come visit but they were all busy with their part-time jobs during the holiday except for me because I was too lazy to get one and besides I'm just the maknae in the house so why should I and since the hyungs had no classes today so I forced all of us-" Just then, Kris covered the younger one's mouth with his hands to stop him from continuing. "Tao, it's the first time after a while that we're all meeting and you want to drain us out with your useless rambling?" He sighed. Tao just gave a cheeky smile and shook his head. "Opps, sorry!" You chuckled. 

"Looks like a full house today huh Ryoko?" Lay said as he slung his arm casually around your shoulders. You noticed he too had cut he hair shorter and dyed it a light shade of brown. He lost a little weight too. "Oppa, have you been eating well? You look so skinny?" You pinched his scrawny arms. He smiled, showing his signature dimple engraved on his cheek. You almost forgot he had a dimple. "I've been working at a dance studio as an assistant instructor." "Hyung, you're dancing and you didn't tell me about it? I've been rotting away at home ever since the holidays started!" Kai whined and ruffled his hair. Lay raised his eyebrows. "Oh, I wanted to ask you but I guess I forgot. I keep forgetting things lately." Somewhere near someone scoffed. "Lately? More like all the time. You even forgot your own birthday last week!" Luhan said, causing everyone in the room to gasp in shock. "You forgot your own birthday?" Sehun seemed to be the most surprised. "Birthdays are important hyung! Especially your own birthday!" he exclaimed. 

Lay rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed. Suho clicked his tongue and clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Ja, ja! Can we all just head to the living room already? It's getting kind of crowded here. We can continue with the catching up there. Okay?" Everyone agreed and started to make their way into the next room. D.O and Hae Ra proceeded into the kitchen for their own catching up instead. Sehun and Luhan went upstairs in to the room. Chen, Xiumin raced towards the remote and argued about what shows they wanted to watch. Kai and Lay were discussing about the studio Lay was working at, Tao was sticking to Chanyeol like glue and Kris was talking to Suho. 

You looked around the house. Your eyes darted here and there looking for a certain someone. *Is he even here?* After you went home last night, you couldn't help thinking about the way Baekhyun reacted when you told him you were going back to Japan. You kept tossing and turning in your bed, pondering very hard. It was sometime around 3AM in the morning when it hit you. The reason why you're suddenly going back to Japan was because the problems at your parent's company was solved. And if it was solved, it must've meant that something happened. Something happened causing Mi Young to actually back down and stop everything. You wanted to know why, how, the reason. And you know that the only person that can tell you that was Baekhyun. He was the closest to Mi Young and he must've succeeded to get her to stop doing all that. But how? Shouldn't he be happy that all of it had been solved? Shouldn't he be happy to finally be able to spend more time with his friends? Why isn't he?

All those thoughts kept you awake the whole time and you felt like you needed an answer. And when's the best time other than today. The day you're going to announce to everyone about your departure. You sat yourself on the couch and sighed. *How am I going to tell them?* You thought to yourself. Chanyeol who was busy teasing Tao noticed you were alone and scooted closer. Tao noticed you too and sat at your other side before hugging your arm. 'Ryoko ah, what are you thinking about? You look so serious...it's ugly." He said in an innocent tone. Chanyeol glared at the younger one and hit him with a pillow. "Yah, what do you mean ugly? Any face Ryoko makes is always pretty!" Tao scowled at his hyung and rubbed his face. "Ah arassoyo hyung! You didn't have to hit me." Tao sulked and went to Kris to complain but Kris was busy talking to Suho and just ignored him. In the end, Tao went up to the room to join Sehun and Luhan who were playing video games. 

Chanyeol chuckled looking at the maknae and diverted his attention back to you. He noticed how your smile didn't reach your eyes like it used to and he got worried. "Yah, are you okay? What were you thinking about?"  *Is she thinking about Baekhyun? Just what did the two of them talk about yesterday?* He thought to himself. You looked at him and just smiled. 'Aniyo, it's nothing oppa. Just, happy to see all of you that's all." Chanyeol raised his eyebrows. "But you just saw us yesterday. Did you miss us that much?" He smiled cheekily and playfully poked your side making you giggle. You couldn't say anything but just nod. *I'm leaving soon oppa. Of course I'll miss you guys even more. I want to spend as much time as I can before I leave.* Chanyeol sighed and looked towards the stairs. "Just where is that bacon? Yah, did the two of you talk so much last night? He was still in his clothes from yesterday when I found him in the room." You looked at you feet and shrugged. *Looks like he hadn't told the rest yet.*

Chanyeol couldn't wait any longer and decided to go up and get his best friend. You stared at Chanyeol who suddenly stomped his way up the stairs. Chanyeol noticed how the door to the bathroom was opened, which meant that Baekhyun had finished washing up so he headed to the room and found the door shut. He glared at the door and clicked his tongue. His hand turned into a fist and he banged on the door. 'Yah! What's taking you so long? Everyone's here!" There wasn't any reply at the other side and Chanyeol was a little confused. He turned his head to the side and carefully tried to turn the door knob. To his surprise, it wasn't locked and he went in. His eyes grew wider as he found the room empty. "Baekhyun ah." He called out but there was still no reply. Just then, something caught his eye, the window. It was opened so wide and his palms got sweaty. "Don't tell me he..." Slowly Chanyeol walked closer towards the window to confirm his suspicion.

And he was right. Attached to the ledge were bed sheets tied together forming a long rope. Baekhyun had escaped. He ran away.