Kai was working at mess hall when an old man shuffled close to him, beaming.

"Mess hall duty no fun, eh? Well at least we get to pick the best dishes and bits for ourselves."

Kai smiled but he was at a loss for words. This was his father.

"And for our friends too." Kai chuckled, almost choking on his spit as he tried to remain calm.

"You have friends? Must be one of the social kind, you are. Say, are you related to a Lee Ji-Hyo, by any chance?"

Kai wanted to nod, but he forced a smile and shook his head. "Sorry, but my mom's name is Kim Sa Ra."

The old man nodded, "I'm sorry, you just look like how I think my son would look like. Not that I want to meet my son."

"Why not?"

"Why would I want to meet my son here? I want him to be a godd kid and stay out of trouble, not like his dad, you know? I wish the best for my kid, I hope he never gets to feel the cold of the metal handcuffs on him."

"That's really nice of you. Your kid ever visit you?"

"No, my wife hates this place. She'd never step a toe in to this place and she wouldn't let my Jongin here too."

"Kim Jongin! Your mom is here!" The guard called out.

"Your name-" he started to say, but Kai already ran off, tears flowing, cursing his name.

"Popular boy, two visits in a week." The guard chided.

"Ma."

"Kai."

"When are you bailing me out?"

"The jewellery store, uh, dropped the charges after some persuasion."

"Persuasion?" Kai smirked, knowing full well that wasn't it.

"Of course. You'd be let out tomorrow, I think. So get ready, you're going to school tomorrow."

"Already? Can't I have a break? I look horrible, they're not going to belive I've been to France if I look like this. Make it a good lie while we're at it."

"You want to go to France?'

"Why not?" Kai grinned.

"No. You are going to a tanning salon and we'll get your hair cut and feed you. 2 days off from school and then you come back, okay? And you'll have French speaking lessons for 8 hours for those 2 days. Make it a good lie right?" Kim Sun Hwa raised her eyebrows cockily and stood up to leave.

"He knows me."

Kim Sun Hwa turned around.

"What?"

"Appa."

"How?"

"I was lying to his face when the guard called out my name."

"Your name isn't unique, so lie a bit more. Make sure he doesn't find out." His stepmom hissed and her high heels clicked as she walked briskly away.

Kai packed silently that night, his friends have found out and congratulated him heartily for it, dropping favours and advices when they talked before lights out.

"Can you please call this number and tell them I'm sorry?" Xiumin passed him a number.

"Don't get into drugs, promise me." Tao sternly warned.

"Remember, do squats, eat your veges, don't let people be mean to you and wear red all the time." Luhan reminded.

There were a lot more, but Kai was too distracted.

He was about to go home to his now-nicer stepmom, his broken relationship, his lying bestfriend and friends who think he spent a 3 weeks in France.

He learned a lot in 3 weeks, and it wasn't about to be wasted. He mused about it all and chuckled to himself occasionally.

He promised to visit him father once he got out, as a friend, not as a son because he was not interested in jeopardising his future in the family company.

Kai had to return to the real world, and he wasn't ready. The truth is going to be leaked out somehow, he could feel it.