Chapter 26

 

-(Kyung Mi's POV)-

The others had just went back to their respective homes...except for Kris. Kyungsoo and I watched in silence as he sauntered up the stairs. Without having to ask, both of us knew where he was going. Proving our thoughts correct, the door to mine and Miyu's shared room was heard closing. 

"How long do you think he's going to be cooped up in that room for?" Kyungsoo wondered.

"I don't know. I can empathize with him though...if I were him, I'd stay in there forever," I muttered. 

"Relationships seem so depressing. Luhan was right...sometimes it does seem like a better idea to stay single," my brother sighed. "Well, get some rest, lil' sis. I'm about to nod off. It's almost 9:00 pm and we still have school tomorrow."

"Today's been ty. This week is going by soooo sloooowww," I dragged out at the end. 

"Baby girl, it's only Tuesday today," he said.

"My point exactly. Without Miyu and Yixing, time slows down more than ever," I complained.

"We all feel the same. Go sleep or something. Or eat if you wish, but I really do need to crash in my bed, not the living room floor. Night. Don't forget to turn on your alarm and don't even try getting out of going to school tomorrow," D.O narrowed his eyes at me and with a final hair ruffle, walked up to his own room. 

"Hmm, Kris is in the room...should I go up there too?...Ehh, might as well. Maybe a small talk with him will lift my spirits...if that's possible seeing how there's literally gray clouds hanging over his head," I pondered to myself. Shrugging my shoulders, I trudged up the stairs to my room and opened the door just enough to poke my head in. Kris was lying on Miyu's bed, eyes closed, and facing the ceiling. I walked in quietly and sat down on my own bed, facing him. Clearing my throat, I leaned against my headboard. 

Kris slowly opened his eyes but continued to lay there, unmoving. A deafening silence took over the room as we both rested on the beds, not sure what to do or say. 

"It feels like so many years ago when I first met Miyu and instantly harbored a hatred against her. Even though it's only been a few months..." Kris suddenly broke the eerie quietness with his deep, gentle voice. 

"Yeah, for the record, that was really retarded of you," I snorted.

"Yeah, I know. If I could turn back time, I would," he sighed. 

"But you know, at least you have funny, special memories together now. Say you did act chivalrous to her in the first place; your relationship wouldn't have developed in such a unique but interesting way," I smiled.

"Yeah, you're right, I guess," a soft smile played on his lips. 

"Isn't it strange how both our lovers ended up moving away to the same place, leaving us two here?" I said. 

"At least we can share our sadness together," sighed Kris. 

"You're doing a lot of sighing today," I quirked an eyebrow. 

"So? It's better than mulling around, waiting for a telephone call while knowing that it's not going to be coming anytime soon," Kris muttered. 

"Hey! It's not like I could help it...I don't think I've ever missed anyone as much as Yixing, not even my parents." I realized how true my words were as they slipped from my lips.

"Speaking of which, where are your parents?" Kris importuned as he turned to look at me.

"Don't know. Somewhere doing business, making more deals, going to meetings...forgetting about their kids."

"Typical business parents," Kris nodded.

"What about yours? You came from China and then moved to the U.S., right?" I've never heard him talking of his parents before. 

"Yeah, my mom is living in Guangzhou. As for my dad...I'd rather not talk about him." I noticed that his face turned dark mentioning his father. 

"What's your mom like? Even though my parents are busy and don't contact Kyungsoo and me much, I know they still love us. They're funny, kind people. I just wish they would make more time for us," I blinked back the tears as they collected at my tear ducts. 

"I see. What about Miyu's parents?" He asked. 

"They treat me like I'm their own daughter. Miyu is their little princess, their love for her is endless. They're also business workers and my parents often work together with them. It's how we became friends; our parents are best friends," I smiled. 

"Interesting. My mom is nice, caring, funny, and she doesn't think of herself before others. She's like an angel. Sometimes she calls or I call her. She's a strong woman too. She works ten hours everyday, makes her own money, and doesn't depend on any man. I always worry about her but she brushes it off. My mom would love Miyu if she ever meets her."

I listened in awe as Kris talked about his mom in a soft, loving, happy yet sorrowful tone. 

"What about the other guys' parents?" 

"Not sure. Never met them. But from the way they talk about their parents, they all sound like decent people minus Lay's parents," Kris shrugged. 

"But don't the Korean guys live with their parents? So how could you never have met them before?" I looked at him in confusion. 

"Ohh...oops. Eheh, I've met Sehun's, Chanyeol's, Suho's, and Chen's parents. They all treat the twelve of us like their own children," Kris added. 

"Nice going. You say they're great people but you forget about them," I teased. 

"Well, sorry," he rolled his eyes. "My brain is working perfectly, mind you."

"Oh, and by the way, I'm sure someday, you'll be able to bring Miyu home to your mom and proudly show her off as your girlfriend," I said.

"Hopefully it will be soon."

"Now that I think about it, we've never talked to each other like this before," I laughed. 

Kris laughed along. "That's true."

"Welp, night Kris. I'm getting drowsy," I yawned. 

"Yeah, me too. You don't mind me sleeping here, do you?"

"Nah, it's cool. As long as you don't go all ert on me or anything," I gave him a look. 

"Woman, I have a girlfriend who is in fact your best friend," Kris said. 

"That's what I thought. G'night," I turned the other way and shut my eyes. 

"God, you're so weird," I heard Kris mumble and silently laughed. 

 

(******~~~~~~~~~~******)

 

"Open your textbooks to page 463 please," the math teacher said. 

I was sitting in class, spacing out. Tao who sat next to me, tapped my shoulder. I turned and raised a questioning eyebrow. He pointed at his open textbook and motioned for me to do the same. 

Luckily, the teacher hadn't noticed I was spacing out. I already have lunch detention for it in my science class. 

I had woken up this morning to find Kris gone only to find out that he had left to go home and wash up. 

Chen, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun have been trying to cheer everyone up but their attempts had only been in vain. 

"Okay class. Page 464-465 due as homework tomorrow," the teacher announced right before the last bell rang. Well damn, I ended up blanking out from the whole class. 

"Kyung Mi, you okay? You haven't really payed attention at all during this whole day," Kai worried. 

"I'm just sad still," I shrugged. 

"You know what will really cheer you up? Bubble tea," Sehun wiggled his brows. 

"I saw that coming," Chen shook his head. 

"No, but really, bubble tea is what you need. It's also what I desperately need so let's go," Sehun marched out of the classroom, leaving the rest of us to stare after him. 

"Might as well go. There's no point in staying home and doing nothing," Tao said and followed Sehun out. 

"I actually am craving for it though," I mumbled after thinking about it. "Kaja!" I hooked my arms with Kai and Chen and pulled them out. 

As we were sauntering down the hallways towards the exit to the school's main gates, a voice hollered at us. 

"WAIT!" I spun around and spied a sweaty, panting Kris, school jacket hung on his arm, bag sloppily draped over his right shoulder. Not to mention, the zipper was wide open and the books seemed as if they were going to tumble out of the bag with a simple movement of his body. 

"What a mess," Kai muttered. 

"What's with the appearance? You look like you've just run a marathon, for goodness sake," Chen commented. 

"Long story short, I was being chased by a bunch of rabid fangirls," Kris continued breathing heavily. 

"Tsk, to be you. Hurry up so we can get some bubble tea. I need to quench my thirst or I'll die," Kai rushed. 

"Fine, fine. Have some sympathy, will you?" The tall angry bird narrowed his eyes at his friend before quickly arranging himself. 

"No. You don't deserve sympathy," snickered Kai. 

"What did I ever do to you?" Kris glared as we walked. 

"Kai's just being an immature brat," I rolled my eyes. 

"Am not!"

"Don't deny it, Kkamjong," Chen mehronged.

"You guys are the immature brats!" He exhaled, irritated.

"YAH! PEASANTS! I want my bubble tea now so hurry your asses up before I decide to haunt you in your dreams and kill you!!!" Sehun hollered.

"Aish, this lil' . WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO YELL AT US LIKE THAT?! OUR MOM? OUR DAD?" Kai shouted.  

"Neither. I am your king who you shall bow down to and worship," Sehun looked at us all with an arrogant expression. 

"That's it, no more Chinese movies, maknae," Suho groaned. 

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with Chinese movies," he complained. 

"There is when you start copying the evil kings and make everyone serve you like a god. Sehunnie, let's just go get our bubble tea. You can buy your favorite Choco flavor," Luhan thumped the maknae's head. 

"Okie. Bubble tea, yehet!" He fist pumped the air and hopped into Luhan's car.

"Yeah, listen to your boyfriend and not us," Suho grumbled. 

"You're just jealous the maknae don't like chu~" Chanyeol teased.

"Park Chanyeol, shut your trap," Suho glared before stomping off into his own car.

"He's so totally mad," Xiumin snickered.

"Well, you know what they say about old people. The older you get, the more immature you become as if you've become a kid again. When old people are old, they're so picky and often act like a kid. Guess Suho gramps is getting reaaaaal old then," I shrugged. 

"I SO HEARD THAT, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Suho shouted from inside the car through the opened window. 

"It's your own fault for rolling down the window in order to eavesdrop on us. Otherwise, if you hadn't been nosy and decided to listen, you wouldn't have heard the sad, ugly truth," Chen not-so-apologetically smiled. 

"Kim Jongdae!"

"Save it, gramps. No one has any extra ears to hear you vent."

 

(******~~~~~~~~~~******)

 

"Quick! Turn the dang T.V. on and plug the laptop into it. I am in dire need of Skype right now," I rushed Kyungsoo the moment we got home. 

After the bubble tea outing, everyone decided to come over. We were all anticipating a call from Miyu (or Lay) through Skype. 

"Hmm, it doesn't appear like she's on," D.O quietly observed. "Either we wait a little more, or we try again tomorrow."

Kai shrugged and said,"There can't be any harm in waiting a little more. You can't really expect her to be on just because we are."

"That's true. I'm sure she's still settling in," Luhan smiled my way. 

"I guess well just wait then."  I started boron holes into the poor T.V. screen. 

"Erm, Kyung Mi? Waiting doesn't necessarily mean nonstop staring," Tao awkwardly scratched his head. 

"Oh, right..."

And the hour passed on like that; us lounging around, doing homework, messing around, or sleeping in Kai's case. As one hour turned to hours, no sign of Miyu being online showed and the same goes for Lay. Even as Yeon Hee and Eun Hee came over and hung out, nothing happened. 

Eventually we called gave up and they went home as I grudgingly stepped up the stairs. Aside from me, Kris seemed just as disappointed. Honestly, is China some sort of no media zone? Or is it some mysterious place that captures people, never letting them interact with their friends and family ever again? For all I know and care, that could be the case as both people who went to a China haven't yet contacted us. 

As a week passed, I started to wonder what really happened to my best friend and boyfriend. Either they were too busy for some chitchatting or they were sick of us or they were being held hostage by a bunch of aliens. 

Exhausted, I returned home from school and like any other day within the past week, the rest followed us home to wait for a call. 

"Call. Call. Call. Call. Call." Baekhyun recited over and over again. 

"Would you shut up? No one's going to call even if you say that continuously," Kyungsoo glared. 

"The poor man's mentally impaired. He wouldn't know that," Kai snickered. 

"Rude," Baek harrumphed. 

"Yah, don't insult the diva. He already knows he's stupid. Don't makee it worse," I laughed. 

"Hey Kyung Mi," Chen motioned for me to come, "let's talk in the kitchen. It's urgent."

i gave him a questioning look before shrugging and followed him. Once there, he turned to look at me with intense eyes. 

"Do Kyung Mi. Please don't freak out at what I have to tell you," he sighed. 

"That depends on how bad it is," I quirked an eyebrow at him. 

"You've been my best friend for so many years. And I-I...I think..."

He stuttered through his words causing me to grow concerned. 

"I love you. As more than just a friend," he breathed out. 

".......What?" I stared in disbelief. 

"I swear I'm not trolling," Chen said. 

"WHAT?!" I shouted. 

"Shhh, not so loud! I mean, with Lay gone, I thought I might have a chance. With him gone, I thought maybe you would forget him. Because I love you. I really do," Chen desperately whispered. 

Without thinking, I raised my palm out and slapped him across the face. 

"Kim Jongdae, it was wrong of you to ever think that I would leave Lay simply because we're thousands of miles apart. I wasn't trolling anyone as you would phrase it when I sincerely showcased my love for the boy. You know that this is first boyfriend, and one that I truly want to be with. If you really do plan to break us apart just so you can have me then you aren't the best friend I know," I glared menacingly. 

How dare he think I would be so easy to move? If Yixing can stay loyal to me, then I can do the same for him. 

"And if he's tired of you? He hasn't contacted you for all these weeks he's been gone!" Chen argued. 

"I'll keeping waiting. Even if he doesn't want me," I swallowed back my tears, "I'll crawl back to him and beg."

"...exactly what I wanted to hear. Minus the crawling and begging part because that just makes you sound like a desperate creep," Chen smiled. 

"What?" I stared at Chen with wide eyes. 

"Mimi, I didn' mean anything I just said. I don't love you as anything more than a bestie. That's virtually impossible."

"But...you said you weren't trolling," I stared. 

"I wasn't. I was testing. I just wanted to make sure you were loyal to Lay hyung. With all this distance keeping you apart and no contact for so long, I was scared your feelings would change. Lay isn't the only one who has developed feelings for you. If someone else were to make a move on you, I don't want you leaving hyung and hurting him. Yixing is extremely fragile when it comes to matters of the heart. And I know he's not the only one. But please, don't do anything to hurt him. In the near future, you may feel discouraged and whatever and then break up with him. But just promise me you'll stick by his side no matter what gets thrown in your path, arasso?" He finished his speech and stared at me with sincere, unwavering eyes. 

"Although I do feel like murdering you, I won't because you actually had good intentions. And I know everything you just decided to speak about so honestly, you just wasted your breath for nothing. I promise I won't do anything to hurt Lay," I replied with intense eyes staring back at him. "Now. Explain what you meant by others having feelings for me and obstacles in the near future," I demanded. 

"I know Kai loves you. As horrible as it might seem to friend zone him after what he's been through, don't lead him on. With Lay gone and him spending more time with you, make sure he knows that you're only hanging with him as friends, nothing more. I'm worried for Kai just as much as I am for you and Lay," he muttered the last part under his breath. 

"What do you mean by that? Why would you even have to worry about us at all?" I exhaled exasperatedly at Chen. What's wrong with him today? Suddenly pulling me away just to tell me things I've known since the beginning. Never has he been one to stress over such matters. 

"Kyung Mi, Lay is already graduating soon. His parents obviously have high expectations for him. As someone who is to inherit such a large company someday soon in the future, marriage is definitely an aspect that has been given thought upon by his parents. Surely, you do suspect something odd from all these days having passed by with no contact from him? Yixing is a man of his word. He wouldn't simply break his promise to reach us by phone or chat for no apparent reason," Chen's jaw was rigid as he stared at me. 

"What are you suggesting?" I glared at Chen. What's with all this talk? Why bring up the subject of marriage?

"You do realize that an arranged marriage is always what happens 90 percent of the time for people who work in the business department? Or more specifically, for those who own companies?" Chen raised his brows as if expecting me to understand his point. 

"What-"

"HEY! KITCHEN PEOPLE. HURRY UP AND COME OUT. MIYU'S FINALLY COME ON!!!" Sehun shouted from the living room. All thoughts of my current convo with Chen erased, I ran to the living room and sat down excitedly. Kyungsoo pressed the call button on Skype and we all held our breaths as it rang. I subconsiously felt Chen plop down next to me. 

"Come on, pick up," Kris mumbled. I averted my gaze to him and noticed his tense posture. I looked back at the screen and suddenly, Miyu's face appeared. She was awkwardly smiling and waving. 

"Hi, guys," she quietly said. 

"AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed. 

"MIYUUUUUUUUUU," Sehun exclaimed, waving nonstop at her. She laughed at our silliness.

"Miyu?" Kris stared, wide-eyed. I almost didn't notice her smile falter as her gaze landed on him. 

"H-hey, giant," she smiled wanly. 

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Kris half shouted. 

"Sorry, I got caught up with things over here."

"Where are you? Did your house get remodeled or something? Or maybe it's just been so long since we've seen your house but it looks really different," Kyungsoo eyed her surroundings. 

"Oh...it's a new house actually," Miyu hesitantly said. Is it just me or is she just really tense and awkward and hesitant?

"How's China life been?" Suho smiled. 

"Alright. I'd rather be in Korea though," she sighed.

"How's your family? Did you attend you grandpa's funeral yet?" I asked. 

"Ummm, about that..."

"What's wrong, babe?" Kris looked at her concerned.

"Kris...I-I actually have really bad news. I somehow kept your promise of contacting Yixing...but it didn't go as planned," she started. 

"Kim Miyu, spill," Chen stated firmly. 

"You see...my grandpa didn't really acutally die. My parents and A Gong lied about that part," she sadly mumbled.

"WHAT?! Why would they..." Luhan gasped. 

"They lied about it so it would act as an excuse for me to get my to China," she now scowled. 

"But what's so important over there that you have to go? And what happened when you met with Lay?" Baekhyun questioned.

"You see, Lay and the reason I had to come over here are related which was quite unexpected. I now know why Lay couldn't contact us while I was over there and why he still can't contact you," she said. 

"Then why?" I demanded. 

"Kyung Mi, Kris...I'm so sorry. I never wanted this to happen and it shouldn't have. I-I...oh god, I don't know anymore," Miyu broke in tears as we all stared shocked at her.

"Yuyu? Is everything okay? Why are you crying?" Chanyeol worriedly importuned.

"Uh-oh. I'm not good with ladies and waterworks," Xiumin bit his lips nervously. 

"Kim Miyu. Why are you crying? Is something wrong? Did someone hurt you? Just tell me so I can hunt them down. Come on babe. Please don't cry," Kris slightly panicked. 

"N-no, you don't understand. You're gonna be the hurt one. You and Kyung Mi."

What do you mean?" I looked at her red eyes and slowly, tears started clouding my eyes. 

"You're freaking us out, Miyu," Chen said. 

"I...I," she stuttered. 

"I'll explain. I'll explain everything." A figure suddenly stepped out and stood next to Miyu. My eyes widened to the size of saucers once recognition flashed across my mind. No doubt he looked much different from when I last saw him, but I would know his face anywhere, anytime. 

"Y-Yixing!" I cried out. 

"H-hey, Mimi. It's been a while," he smiled tiredly, hair disheveled, dark circles framing his eyes. 

"It's been a while? Is that all you can say to your friends? To your girlfriend who waits for your call every single damn day?" Kai glared. 

"I know, I'm horrible. But come on, my life is messed up beyond repair right now and same goes for Miyu," he sighed. 

"What do you mean?" Kris seethed. "What happened to her? To you?"

"We're...getting married. It's been arranged by our parents...for many many years..." Lay sadly looked at the camera. I don't think my heart has ever hurt so much. Of course not. It's never been shattered so cruelly.

 

________________________________

GAHHHH I'M BACK

Lol. So yeah, I was in Vietnam for 3 weeks and I just had no time to update. I spent my days there doing homework every single day and plus, we had schedules every day. I know this chapter wasn't the best, but I hope you guys are satisfied enough. It's a long chapter so it took me forever LOL. 

I'm not sure when I'll be updating again because I have to update my Sehun story and my other story that I'm writing with my cousin. So whenever I have time, I'll update again!

Bai!

-2pmfan4ever