-xXx-

His phone beep-ed. He pulled it out while taking a seat in front of Miyoung.

Your sister is missing.

He reread the message five times in disbelief, heart stopping.

He wrote a quick note to Miyoung to make sure she didn't think he had ditched her (Sorry for ditching. Something personal came up.) and began making a call as he strided out of the library.

"What do you mean she's gone 'missing'?" Lay questioned, near-yelling as he entered his car and started the engine roughly. "She doesn't just disappear like that. Isn't she just on a trip or something?"

"She hasn't been in her apartment and no one's seen her since Saturday," his father answered gravely. "There are signs of lock-picking on the door...and I don't like what my gut's telling me."

"Why would she just disappear? I thought she was finally happy," Lay questioned, cursing every single deity for creating traffic.

"You know she didn't like us...Getting a job and moving out so quickly...but she isn't cruel nor stupid. She would ask for help if she needed it or at least warn us. Something has to be wrong," his father muttered, sounding exhausted. "I have to go. I have people looking for her but..."

There was a pause.

"I'm hanging up," his father suddenly cut off before the line went dead.

Lay sat there for a moment, frozen before a car honk alerted him to go. He drove down a straight line, processing the information.

His sister...gone? Just like that? They hadn't gotten along because of their father's business but...

His hand tightened on the wheel and recognizing the area, he headed towards Donghae's home. The guys would be there and right now he needed help and comfort...Which one, he wasn't quite sure, but he needed something at least and his friends would definitely do it.

-Donghae's House-

The doorbell rang and the boys looked at each other lazily.

"Is no one not lazy?" Donghae questioned, snorting as he came in from the kitchen.

He opened the door and blinked.

"Dude. What are you doing here? Weren't you tutoring Miyoung?" he questioned, letting Lay enter. The other guys greeted him from their places but let frowns marr their features at his pale face.

"Are you okay?" Donghae wondered aloud, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"My sister's gone," Lay spit out, putting his head on his hands. Donghae froze. Henry who had been drinking some water, promptly spit it out and began coughing. Tao openly gaped. Only Jaejoong looked calm about it.

"What?" Lay innocently asked, looking up.

"You have a what?" Henry inquired in between coughs.

"Since when did you have a SISTER?!" Tao repeated, chips still held loosely in his hands.

"Why didn't we know that?" Donghae questioned, the most lingering question.

"What's going on guys?" Dahae asked while walking into the room; she had been out back, shooting hoops by herself because a. the boys were too lazy and b. Donghae was sulking from losing. (She smirked slightly at the memory.)

"Lay has a sister," Tao inserted. 

"That we didn't know about," Henry added.

"Since when?" Dahae asked, biting into a potato chip. She was taking this way too calmly. 

"That's what we're going to find out," Donghae firmly stated.

"It's hard to explain," Lay trailed off, getting up and pacing. He felt nervous and had to do something.

"Don't pace like that," Henry scolded, feeling nervous looking at the male.

"Why haven't you said anything Jaejoong?" Donghae questioned, glancing at the boy.

"I know her. Well, we all know her since she's Dahae's buddy," Jaejoong answered, raising an eyebrow.

"You know her?" Lay gawked, pausing.

"We've known each other since middle school. Although we didn't get along, but yeah, I know her," Jaejoong stated, getting up. He grabbed his coat and headed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Dahae interrogated, making him pause.

"Nowhere...Just out. I'll keep an eye out for her," Jaejoong added, looking strangely worried. "Don't worry. It'll be ok. I'll be back later."

And he left.

"Who...is your sister?" Dahae wondered, having an idea.

"Minjung. I thought she told the girls but..." Lay trailed off. Bingo. 

"Sooyeon probably knows since she talks about Minjung's brother once in a while. I'm not sure about the others though," Dahae admitted. "But who knows."

The conversation carried on throughout the night...

And Jaejoong never did come back.

-Next Day-

"What's the problem Dahae? You seem out of it," Nabi questioned, eating her lunch.

"And why is your boyfriend and his friends questioned?" Miyoung added, throwing worried glances over.

"You guys know how Minjung isn't at school today?...or yesterady?" Dahae began, pushing her food lifelessly around the plate.

"She did that a lot in middle school," Miyoung reminded, frowning at Dahae's distraught expression. Lay walked over and the girls noted his journey with silence.

"Minjung is my sister and she's...missing," Lay admitted. He turned his gaze to one female. "Miyoung...can I...speak with you for a second?"

Miyoung nodded soundlessly and the two left the cafeteria.

"Did you...read my note?" Lay questioned, shifting from foot to foot nervously. He should have felt worried for his sister but he wanted to tackle things one at a time. He wanted to either be accepted or dumped by Miyoung so he could focus his attention on the search.

"That was from you?" Miyoung squeaked, blushing. She had been sure that it was some kind of prank or mistake.

"Yeah. I just...I didn't want...I wanted to tell you I really liked you," Lay admitted, his words coming out awkwardly as he avoided going back to Chinese, his home language, for comfort. "So...?"

Miyoung blushed.

"What do you mean 'so?' idiot?" she questioned, feeling oddly...confident. Lay had chosen her over everyone else. "Isn't this where you're supposed to kiss me?"

She didn't think he would, but to her surprise and delight, he did.

A loud ringing filled the air and Miyoung would have jumped across the hall if Lay's arm hadn't been around her waist and her meaning of escape. She blushed as other students came out, staring while others gave them dirty looks.

"Lay," she hissed, embarrassed. "People are staring!"

"Let them," he laughed, throwing a quick glare at the pedestrians to move along - which they did - and placing another chaste kiss on her lips. 

"I have to take a long, boring test," Miyoung added with a grumble, sighing. Lay laughed again at her pout but began walking her to class with a smile. He should have been worried about Minjung, really, but she was independent and would rather die before accepting their help. Besides, he felt like the top of the world.

"After school, how about Donghae and I take you and Dahae out? A double date?" he suggested. Miyoung smiled, all of her stress melting away.

"Sure," she agreed.