You shrugged, ‘he already seemed shaken up so all it took was a hug’

‘Maybe he wouldn’t have looked so glum when he came out if you had kissed him’ Luhan joked

‘Yeah!’ You said, playing along, ‘I should have /definitely/ kissed him!’

Two heads looked your way. ‘What?’ said D.O and Kai in unison.

You quickly smiled and shook your head, ‘no, no, it’s nothing’ before turning away in embarrassment. Luhan could only chuckle.

Baekhyun still felt slightly uneasy however, knowing what little respect Chanyeol had left for his parents. Chanyeol had always said he’d respect and treat others the way they treated him. As his parents kicked him out of their lives like a piece of trash, Chanyeol threw them out of his heart in the same way. He didn’t keep any photos of them in his room. His wall space consisted of printed out phone taken photos, post its telling him his work deadlines, coupons for chicken shops and cut out articles about other countries and islands he had never been to but someday hoped he’d get the chance to.

‘Why do you think they’ve come?’ Sehun asked, ‘you don’t think they’ll take hyung away, do you?’

‘Best case scenario is that they want Chanyeol back.’ Kris said

‘And the worst?’ Tao asked

‘That they want Chanyeol back’ you replied

‘But isn’t that the best?’

‘If they want Chanyeol back, he’ll leave us.’ Luhan reasoned, ‘you can’t always have the best of both worlds. For Chanyeol, he’ll either stay as he is and be normal like most of the population or he’ll be the Chanyeol he was born to become- an heir.’

‘Being rich and handsome sure has it’s drawbacks’ said Suho

‘Not that you’d know first hand, hyung’ said Chen, grinning

‘Yah!’

‘It’s true though. Add in fame and life’s gone higgildy piggildy.’ Lay agreed, ‘and I can say that from experience’

‘You don’t count,’ Chen retorted, ‘a pre-teen can’t be handsome. They can only be cute.’

‘What about me?’ said Kris, ‘I was semi-rich, handsome and famous enough to get my mother coming after me.’

‘You…’ Chen started, ‘You…’

Kris held his hand up to Chen’s face. ‘Enough said, young one.’

—-

‘How did you know I was here?’ Chanyeol asked his estranged parents, ‘my shifts change all the time’

He had hoped to hear that his parents had come into the restaurant weekly to catch a glimpse of their son or that they had contacted every restaurant in Seoul to see if they had a Park Chanyeol working there and when he’d next be coming in.

‘Jiyoung told us you work most Friday’s and weekends.’ Chanyeol’s father said and his mother nodded.

‘She’s told us a lot about how you’ve grown up over the past few years without us.’

Chanyeol scowled, ‘what did she say?’

‘She said that you’ve been studying and working hard to contribute to your living expenses in the dormitory you live in. Chanyeol, please stop looking at us like that’ his mom said, ‘show a little bit of respect, darling. We’re your parents.’

‘Hardly’ Chanyeol muttered, ‘parents don’t tend to kick their kids out of the house.’

‘It was for your own good, Chanyeol.’ his father replied, ‘we’re proud of you now’

‘And you weren’t before?’

‘You were lazy and spoilt before, darling,’

Chanyeol winced at the mention of spoilt and he folded his arms across his chest defensively, the way he had done so many times that night.

‘Let’s cut to the chase because it’s killing me. Why are you here?’

‘Are we not allowed to see you anymore?’ Chanyeol’s dad said sternly

‘Honey, don’t. It’s understandable our son is curious as to why we’re here’

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, ‘so what made you show up after all these years of absolutely no contact?’

Chanyeol’s mother gently rested her polished fingers on Chanyeol’s arm. Even with her black patent Jimmy Choo high heels, she was shorter than him. Chanyeol’s father was a good few inches taller than his wife even with the heeled shoes and he was eye to eye with his son height wise.

‘We’re accepting you back into our family, Chanyeol darling. We want you to come home. You’ll stop attending university and get back on track with running the family business. Not only that, we need you to attend a ma-‘

‘Hold on, mom… You want me to… quit studying? And leave my home?’

‘You’ll be coming home, Chanyeol’ his mother replied with a smile, ‘coming to your real home’

‘Eomma, I’m happy where I am’

‘Chanyeol-’ his dad began until his mother cut him off

‘No,’ she said, ‘I understand, darling. That dormitory is your home now, isn’t it?’

Chanyeol nodded, thankful that his mother was on his side.

‘Could you not live there without studying and come to work at the company?’ Chanyeol’s father asked and Chanyeol shook his head.

‘Either way, I don’t want to quit my education. I studied hard and I’m still studying hard. I gave up my heir life, dad. I don’t want to return to it, at least not just yet-‘

‘You!-‘

‘Honey!’

Chanyeol bowed his head ‘I’m sorry, father’

‘Even if you’re not willing to inherit the company, there’s still a role you must play. You’re still a Park and as a Park, there are some duties you need to fulfil.’

‘Duties?…’

‘You need to find a wife, Chanyeol!’ his mother said, beaming brighter than she had ever done

‘A wife?!’

‘Yes! A wife! Isn’t it exciting?’

‘Mom, I’m too young to be thinking about marriage’

‘So you don’t have to! We’ve got a meeting arranged already. The daughter is the girl you’ll be engaged to if all works out’

‘You’re joking’ Chanyeol spat, ‘please tell me you crazy people aren’t really my parents. Please. Tell me I’m in a K-Drama. Tell me I’m on one of those prank shows.’

‘Chanyeol, she’s a beautiful girl.’ said his mom, ‘she’s got big eyes, a nice nose and long hair.’

‘And her parents are big in the industry world.’

‘So you just want us to get married so we can have more connections?’

‘She speaks English too’

‘I don’t want to know. Forget it’

‘Why? Don’t tell me you have someone on your mind?’

‘As a matter of fact, I-…’ Chanyeol trailed off.

He envisioned you and Kai and you and D.O together. Then he remembered that Lay also liked you and his head started to hurt from all the visions.

Would it be better to agree to this? To forget Haneul and try and move on? It’s a lost cause as it is. She’s never pick me.

‘Chanyeol?’

‘I…’

Why did they all fall for her too? Why not just me? The prince and the princess bound by fate to never be together.

Chanyeol sighed, ‘never mind’

‘So you’ll come to the marriage meeting?’

With another sigh, Chanyeol nodded. ‘It doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to anything. I have to meet the girl first.’

‘Of course. You’ll love her, Chanyeol. She’s creative and great at conversation. Truly a dynamic girl.’

‘Sounds… great’ Chanyeol said, faking enthusiasm, ‘when’s the meeting?’

‘Tomorrow’ Chanyeol’s dad said, ‘at 2PM. Be at the department store by noon however.’

‘Why?’

‘We need to find you a suitable suit and shirt.’

‘If it’s really that formal then I’m not coming’

‘Chanyeol.’ his father hissed, ‘this girl is going to be your future wife. We need you to look presentable.’

‘Darling, just come along at 12. Jiyoung will be around too’

‘Does she know about this? This marriage meeting?’

‘Of course. Jiyoung’s a part of our family. There are no secrets in our household.’

‘12 noon tomorrow, Chanyeol. Don’t forget. We’re going to go now, darling. Rest up well tonight.’

Chanyeol watched as his parents walked through the corridor and out of the busy restaurant. Even after a few minutes, he was stood stock still, paralysed with shock. After a couple of deep breaths and a ruffle through his hair, Chanyeol straightened up his posture, tucked his pen back behind his ear and tightened his apron before stepping back out to carry on with his shift as if the hour before had never happened.

Chanyeol arrived for the 2 o’clock meeting exactly on time. His parents had been pushed for time as the girl and her parents had arrived early but Chanyeol being Chanyeol assured his parents that her being early didn’t mean they had to be early too.

‘As higher powers, you should never bring yourselves to other’s standards. Surely you know that, dad.’

His father entered first followed by his mother. After taking a moment to sneakily loosen his tie and lightly tousle his hair out of it’s rigid new style with his fingers, Chanyeol pushed open the frosted glass door and walked in.

Nothing prepared him for what he saw next.

Sat at the table in a cream chiffon dress and black blazer was the girl. She was rigid, and looked uncomfortable in her clothes. Her hair was oddly curled, a world away from her usual straight, no fuss locks and her lips were too glossy, as if she had been attacked by a melting gummy bear. And could she even see under that black curtain that replaces her usual bare, natural eyelashes?

Although it looked nothing like her, it was definitely and undeniably Seohee.