Here we are... my very first long fic is over today! First of all, enjoy the chapter <3 

---

When the EXO boys return to their dorm, the day before the New Year Eve, the atmosphere is brighter than ever. 

Obviously Christmas and a little time with families have been enough to bring peace in the boys' stressed minds, even if this rest has only lasted four days. 

Lots of things can change in four days after all, and Jongin and Luhan are the greatest example. 

The two have decided to act cool for a bit around the others anyway, in order to wait for some good moment to come out, and manage in their job despite their bandmates continuos teases and inquisitive looks. 

As for the well-known names on Jongin's black list, well, they get to know the news quite earlier than the others. As a matter of fact, Jongin has already noticed their mocking eyes gazing at him in amusement and, spurred by the new happiness in his life, he decides he will play their game to finally win the war once and forever. 

He waits until, predictably, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Jongdae, Sehun and their newest fellow Tao about the infamous bottle of lube they have nicely gifted him with, shameless and uncaring about the fact that they are all together in the dining room.

"So, hyung," Baekhyun speaks for all the others, a grin on his face "On a scale from 1 to 10, how useless was it?" 

Jongin is careful not to react as he usually would. Instead, he graces the five boys with a -eating grin that makes the amused expression on their faces disappear at the speed of light. 

"It was actually extremely useful, actually." he informs casually, flipping his tongue "So I guess 0. And I also believe you were right, guys. I should thank you."

He takes a good look of their jaw-dropped faces before walking away with nonchalance, a satisfied grin on his face.

He hurries to wrap his arms lovingly around a clueless, blinking Luhan.

Some things just never change.

--

Jongin soon realized that dealing with and mocking his Black List was a lot easier than dealing with some other of his bandmates. A certain wide-eyed boy named Do Kyungsoo, for example.

"So, uhm." the younger started some day of the new year, sending a quick look to the door to make sure Yixing would just not come in and interrupt them "Are you two like, together together?"

Jongin raised his poker face from his phone, sending the other a questioning look and Kyungsoo sighed.

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

"I really don't." Jongin lied, cautious. He remembered Kyungsoo being okay with him and Luhan in the last months but now, after what had happened on Christmas, he wasn't really sure anymore.

Kyungsoo crossed his arms, persistent. "Liar."

The accusing tone made Jongin roll his eyes. 

"What do you want me to say, exactly?"

"Just answer my question, Kim Jongin." came the irritated answer.

Jongin shrugged. "What do you think?"

The younger's big, big eyes got dangerously thin. "Do you always have to be so weak?" Jongin shrugged again, feeling kinda small, "You are together, aren't you? Why can't you just say it aloud?"

"Listen, we thought about giving it a bit before coming out, okay? That's all."

"Coming out," Kyungsoo repeated, in a mix of amused and annoyed "Really?"

Jongin groaned. 

"Why anyway? Why wait?" the younger added after Jongin raised an eyebrow and the older shrugged again, feeling extremely uncomfortable and hoping, with all his heart, that anyone could just in and interrupt them. 

No one came.

"We just felt like it."

"Did you have ?"

"What?!" 

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows innocently and Jongin really felt like throwing a pillow right to his face, so he did. The younger chuckled, enjoying the incredible red on Jongin's cheeks. 

"You are such a baby."

"Older.than.you."

"This story is old."

They took some minutes, glaring at each other, before Kyungsoo spoke up again and Jongin already felt like rolling his eyes.

"It's funny, don't you think? Thinking about the day of our first meeting."

"What day?" Jongin answered, smirking "I try to forget about it."

Kyungsoo made a face. "In the end, you are with him."

"Jealous much?" the older mocked, and Kyungsoo put a surprising thoughtful expression on that made Jongin lose his smile in a second.  

Before he could voice his confusion, Kyungsoo spoke again "I just want him to be happy."

"He is." Jongin said, all serious now, and the younger sent him a candid, scary look.

"I'm sure  you will always make him happy." Jongin gulped at that totally fake, gentle tone "I mean, you care about your own safety, don't you."

The older groaned again. "God, you are so over-protective."

"Don't misunderstand. I love you, too. It's just that.."

Before Kyungsoo could end his sentence, a few knock on the door interrupted, and an all-smiling Luhan brought his head inside to check on them brightly.

"Wanna play Naruto-Marathon? We are about to get started." he paused, eying Jongin's still shy smile, and blushed lightly "Hey."

"Hey."

"Wow." Kyungsoo complimented, totally unimpressed, while rolling his eyes and walking out the room to reach Luhan, who was now chuckling. 

When the three of them arrived in the dining room, the atmosphere was bright and calm, and Jongin totally freaked out at the fact that no one had sent him mocking looks yet. He sat on the floor and Luhan posed a sweet hand on his shoulder before sitting down beside him, bringing all the eyes to look at them.

When his turn occurred, Jongin found himself against a dangerously giggling Jongdae.

"I'll take Madara."

"What?" Jongin protested loudly "He's my forever favorite, you jerk. He's mine."

"Oh?" 

The tricky smirk on Jongdae's face made Jongin roll his eyes already, knowing, and he didn't miss Luhan's blinking expression for the confusion. 

"I am sure you can be gentle this time round, hyung. I mean, after that amazing Christmas present I bought you."

Everyone started to suppress their laughs, failing, and Jongin glared deadly at his younger friend while accepting through gittering teeth.

"Don't worry, hyung." Yixing said then, in Chinese, as Luhan started to look around in deep confusion at that point, and no one wanted to enlighten him "I am not really getting the point, either."

--

They were already working on the release of their first album when Jongin and Luhan decided to "come out" the way they had planned to, and the fact that everyone seemed so unimpressed by their deep and meaningful speech made Luhan feel kinda offended, while it only made Jongin sigh knowingly. 

To make everything worst, their manager decided, that same night in the dorm, that the two of them would do less things than possible together from then on, to prevent anyone to notice anything.

"Hyung, we know how to pretend." Jongin protested vividly, but their manager was absolutely unremovable.

"I don't care, Jongin. I am not putting you two in the same room in Jakarta, either."

Jongin's loud protests were muffled by the others' ones, surprisingly, and the whole messy scene made Luhan feel like wanting to disappear.

His bandmates and boyfriend were not just protesting about the possibility of letting him and Jongin sleep together while overseas. No, not all. 

Their manager stayed true to his words anyway, and separated the couple in Jakarta and in any other occasion he could, for their sake.

Then EXO were suddenly called to film the drama version for Wolf, and Jongin and Luhan were chosen as the main characters, because of their undeniable chemistry, the producers had said.

Everyone laughed wholeheartedly at their manager's surrendered expression.

--

Not long after, the day of Yeonsu's seventh birthday, Jongin collected all his courage and decided it was time to "come out" to his daughter as well, with the truth.

"You have to do it now, Jongin," Luhan had said him, careful and gentle, understanding of his tormented thoughts "She is young and innocent. She will understand. But if you keep on waiting, she'll grow up and will discover things.. she could feel betrayed."

And Luhan was right, he was so right. Jongin knew it.

He told Byul about his decision and his older sister understood and accepted, hoping for the very best, hoping Yeonsu could just grow up as his daughter from then on, without lies anymore. Hoping no one could get hurt from that anymore.

Then, it was only Yeonsu and him at home, having home-made dinner together, a cake waiting in the fridge for the others to come over, and Jongin never felt so weak in his whole life.

"Life can be hard, Yeonsu, you know it right?" 

The little girl nodded, never losing her smile, and Jongin let out a hesitant one as well.

"But now, you are happy, aren't you?"

"Yes," she answered vividly "Because my oppa is happy. He works and he can dance, so I am happy." 

"You are." Jongin nodded, collecting his thoughts "You see, Yeonsu.. I am really proud of you. You are an understanding and smart kid."

Yeonsu smiled, blushing severely, and hid her face behind the big glass of water she was about to drink. 

"I wish you could be proud of me, too. Always, even after I tell you that.. I had to lie, Yeonsu."

The kid frowned for a moment. "Don't you always say lies are bad, oppa?"

"They are. They absolutely are."

"Then.. why did you lie?"

Jongin took a deep breath, taking his daughter's hands in his own and Yeonsu frowned again, in confusion.

"If I hadn't lied, Yeonsu.. I could have not entered in EXO."

"Oh."

Yeonsu seemed taken aback from the news. She narrowed her eyebrows deeply, looking at her hands in Jongin's ones with a thoughtful expression.

"So.. you lied for a good cause."

Jongin felt bad at hearing her words. Not in a billion years he should have been justifying his terrible lie as a 'good cause'.

"I lied because I wanted us all to be happy, Yeonsu. I still did wrong, really wrong, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Oppa, I can always forgive you." Yeonsu claimed then, looking confused "I love you."

And right then, Jongin started crying. 

He cried like he had never done, heavy feelings pressing on his chest like a big, unbearable rock. He accepted a confused and scared Yeonsu in his arms for the hug she hurried to give him, and buried his face in her hair as he wished Byul and Luhan could be there, too, not leaving him alone in all this.

"Oppa," Yeonsu sounded trembling, as she was about to cry as well "Oppa, why are you crying?" 

Jongin did not answer and only held her tighter, stuttering pleading words in the hug. They both calmed down before any of them managed to speak up again.

"Oppa. Jongin Oppa."

"Yeonsu," Jongin interrupted her, trying to feel brave as he should have already "Don't."

"Don't.. what?" she asked, confused again, and Jongin shut his eyes closed.

"Do you want a dad, Yeonsu?"

She didn't answer, taken aback, and only frowned. "A dad?" she asked after few seconds.

"Would you like me to be your dad?" Jongin insisted, stupidly "Would you be my little daughter, if I told you I could be your dad?" 

Yeonsu nodded, confused but curious as well, while Jongin weeped her tears away. "Of course I would. And Luhan Oppa could be my dad as well, right?"

Jongin felt a heart-beat missing at the little girl's innocent words, and right then Luhan's voice started playing in his mind, persistent and hopeful.

'She is young and innocent now, Jongin. She can understand.'

And Jongin hoped Yeonsu could really understand. 

"But it's not possible, right? You can't be my dad."

"I can." Jongin stated, making Yeonsu's eyes getting bigger "I am."

"You.. are?" 

Jongin felt horrible at the sight of the kid's incredulous face and wide, shocked eyes. He felt his heart stopping, so easily, and for how horrible he felt, he kept on speaking up.

"They would have never let us be happy, with EXO.. with Luhan.. Yeonsu, I am sorry. I am sorry I lied to you. They would have never let us be happy otherwise. Forgive me."

She looked thoughtful for a long while, and for all that time Jongin felt like dying inside. 

"So.. you haven't lied because you were embarrassed of me."

"What?" Jongin asked, shocked, and hurried to shake his head as quickly as he could at the sight of Yeonsu's lips trembling.

"I though.. you could be embarrassed of me. That's why-"

"I thought the same, Yeonsu." Jongin interrupted her, pulling her in a tight hug "I thought you could be embarrassed and angry of having such a bad.."

"Appa." she ended the sentence for him, and Jongin's heart really missed a bit this time "Buy you were not. Ever. I love you.. and you always make me happy.. Appa."

Jongin hold her tight, forcing himself not to cry again. Yeonsu smiled, a bit unsure, as she wrapped her arms around Jongin's back.

"Forgive me." Jongin whispered in her hair, soft and trembling, and she shook her head.

"I believe you, you love me, right? You wouldn't have lied to me.. for my bad."

"Ever." Jongin reassured, shaking his head. 

He smiled a broken, yet happy smile as he saw Yeonsu smiling bright and strong at him, and couldn't stop a last tear dropping as she called him one last time. 

"Appa."

He had always imagined Yeonsu calling him "Appa" would be the most beautiful thing ever, but it was even more. It was more than beautiful, more than amazing, more than anything. 

It was just right.

They ended up celebrating Yeonsu's birthday with Byul, Dongho and Luhan soon after, and the three of them all hugged Yeonsu tight when she happily announced everyone that Jongin was no one but her beloved dad.

Luhan sent Jongin a touched look and Jongin nodded, whispering a really soft 'Thank you' that only Luhan could hear.

They all laughed lovingly when, a hour later, Yeonsu asked, enthusiasm running through her veins, while standing in Luhan's arms eating her birthday cake:

"Can I call you Appa, too?"

--

"Do you ever think about the future?"

Jongin turns his head to the side, meeting Luhan's thoughtful eyes staring deeply at him. He instinctively tightens the hold around Luhan's shoulders. He closes his eyes as he nods, inhaling the inebriating smell of his lover mixed with , in one of those rare, beautiful moments when their bandmates would leave them alone for long enough to consume their love until no strength remains in their bodies.

"Often." Jongin finally answers, posing a soft kiss on Luhan's nose.

Luhan smiles, sweet. "Doesn't it scare you?" 

"Does it scare you?"

Luhan pouts at Jongin's curious eyes, moving himself closer in the warm arms. 

"We can't really avoid it. I mean.. the fear towards the unknown."

Jongin ponders for a moment. "We also have lots of things we know, though." he smiles, tapping the space between Luhan's cute eyebrow "Right in front of our eyes."

Luhan chuckles, falling silent in the hug. 

Jongin sends him a quick look before gazing away, letting himself have a moment to understand his lover's point better.

Luhan is strong, stronger than Jongin will ever be also, and Jongin knows it well. Still, Luhan gets scared sometimes, especially after beautiful days entirely spent in bed with free minds and connected bodies. Luhan gets scared of losing him, and the idea of being the only thing that makes Luhan shake brings Jongin to miss a heartbeat every time. Grateful yet sorry, because Luhan will never lose him.

So, he voices his thoughts.

"You will never lose me."

Luhan nods, smiling a sweet smile. He whispers "I love you." right in Jongin's ear and Jongin quickly turn around to steal a kiss.

"I love you, too. Also, do you want to know how I face the future?"

Big eyes set on him, curious and expecting, Luhan nods with his lips already slightly forming a smile.

"My best days are those I spend with you." Jongin says, slow and caring, gazing intensely at his lover's eyes "And then I tell myself:

Don't you ever forget, Jongin, that Your Best Day Is Always Ahead.

A/N

So, here we are!

I really hope you liked the story and the ending.. Besides, I am really happy because of all of you who have always supported this story so much, you mean everything ;_;

Now, before I leave for University XD Let me tell you that if you'll like, I have three stories in store (two of which ar not complete.. who knows when they will ;_;) and the Two-Shot is going published really soon so I hope you'll enjoy it!

It will be uhm.. a very fluffy and funny thing I hope, so XD

Stil, thank you all for following "Your Best Day is Always Ahead", you really have done so much for me :)

<3