Suzy hummed as she read her book. She carefully flipped unto the next page, a radiant smile displayed in her face.

“You seem happy today,” Myungsoo commented. She diverted her gaze from the book, and looked at him with curious eyes. “What makes you say that?” she asks, pretending to be oblivious. The man chuckled at her gleaming eyes, and ruffled her hair.

“How was Gwangju?” He stirred his coffee, making the mists of hot gas from it swirl into the air. “It was good,” she answered, her smile growing. “Judging from your smile, it seems more than that.” He smiled, as he knew that she silently agreed to his remark. After all, it has almost been 2 years since he and Suzy lived under the same roof.

“Did you miss me?” Myungsoo asked sipping his coffee, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. The girl pretended to contemplate on her answer, and he could only roll his eyes. “Of course you do,” he answered for her. She glanced at him, and stuck her tongue out. “You flatter yourself too much sometimes,” she retorted. He laughed good-naturedly. “But it is true, right?” She sighs, exasperated, and nodded her head in defeat. “Whatever you say, Prince Myungsoo.” A goofy grin was now evident in his face, as he stood up and gave the girl a hug.

“I missed you,” he whispered to her ears. She nodded, and patted his back.

“I know.”

“Shin, stop smiling it’s creeping me out.” The lad glanced at his friend, and gave him a shove.

“Is it a crime to smile?” he asked, scoffing. “No, but your smile looks like a lunatic. I’m afraid mom and dad would get a heart attack seeing your smile.” He pouted at his friend, and wanted to elbow him, but his friend was quick to dodge. “Not again, Shin, I’m too smart for that,” Takuya remarked. Shin jeered at the younger one. “But you can’t escape this one.” He secured Takuya in a headlock, and disheveled his hair.

“Shin!” he screamed. “What?” Shin asked mischievously, while still continuing to mess his hair. “I swear I’ll get to you after this, mark my words, Shin Wonho.” He laughed at his friend’s threat, and continued ruffling his hair.

“Shin! Takuya! There you two are!” Shin instantly released his grip from his friend, and smiled angelically to the woman in front of them. “Hello Auntie!” he chirped in Japanese. “Hello to you too Shin. My, look how handsome you are now!” Shin smiled brightly, and thanked her for the compliment. She then averted her gaze to the other boy, and clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Takuya, you should have gone to the salon first. Your hair even looks like a bird’s nest!” He groaned at the woman’s remark. “But it was his fault! He ruined my hair!” She shook her head. “Now, we’re pointing fingers at others. That’s not good.” “Mother!” he shrieked, attracting attention from other people. She chuckled, and patted his back. “Now, now, Takuya, we’re in a public place.” Shin smiled cheekily, and patted his back as well. “The security guards might you for rude behavior,” he teased. Takuya’s face became red from fury and embarrassment. He could only sigh in exasperation, and walk away from the scene first. Takuya’s mother and Shin chuckled with each other, before following behind him as well.

“Myungsoo.” He hummed at her soft call, his eyes closed. They were both sitting at the sofa situated in the living room - listening to classical music playing from the speakers. She bit her lip, and sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. “What is it Suzy?” He her left hand, urging her to go on. She was at a loss of words, so she decided to go straight to the point. “I want to paint.”

The man slowly peeled his eyes open, and glanced at the girl. He took the remote beside him, and turned the music off. Suzy suddenly felt tense, and she didn’t dare face his eyes. “Paint?” he asked. She nodded, her head down. He could sense how anxious she was, and he could only chuckle at her. Suzy didn’t know if that was ought to be a good sign or a bad one. Myungsoo then gently lifted up her chin, and made her look into his eyes. “Why are you so scared to say that? Of course I’d let you paint.” Suzy heaved a sigh of relief, and she smiled broadly at him. “Thank you Myungsoo!” She attacked him with a hug. “Thank you! Thank you!” She repeated. He laughed at her sudden excitement, and kissed the top of her head. “Anything for you, my princess.” His embrace tightened.

“Takuya?” His father questioningly looked at him. “Please don’t ask, I already know I look like a homeless boy.” His father closed his mouth, and nodded. The door then opened once more, and his smile broadened. “Honey! Shin!” he stood up from his chair, and embraced his wife. He released her, and turned to face Shin. “My, my, honey look at how much he has grown.” His wife chuckled knowingly, and nodded. “I said the same thing when I saw him.” “Mom, dad, could we please have dinner now? I’m hungry,” Takuya complained. “You’re always hungry,” his father responded to him. The whole family laughed at his retort, and Takuya’s father urged Shin to sit. “Have the chef send the meal now,” the eldest man ordered the butler. The latter nodded, and left the room. 

The Terada family was having their weekly family dinner at the hotel, and Shin was no exception. He was already considered part of the family, even though their last name wasn’t the same. “It was almost two years ago when we found you,” his father reminisced. “You were so lost and confused, that we didn’t have the heart to send you away.” Shin nodded, as he took a sip of his water. He remembered that time vividly in his mind, as if it was just yesterday. “But look at you, now. You’re almost as ravishing as I am.” Takuya’s mother snorted at her husband’s comment, which made the family tickle in laughter. “I’m eternally grateful to everyone of you,” Shin says. “Especially my buddy here.” He put his arm around his shoulders, to which his friend grimaced. The whole table laughed, which made the atmosphere warm and pleasant.

Takuya was on his way home from school, when he suddenly spotted a boy in a hospital gown. It was raining that day. Japan was on the peak of the rainy season at that time, yet he saw that he didn’t even brought an umbrella with him. “Hey, boy with the hospital gown!” The soaking boy turned his head to find a high schoolboy approaching him. “Didn’t you bring an umbrella with you?” The poor boy couldn’t even respond to his question, heck, he didn’t even understand what he was saying. “C-could you help me?” he asked in his native language. “W-what?” The high school boy finally realized that the drenched boy before him was not of one nationality as he was. “What’s wrong?” he tried mustering up, with the best of his Korean ability from the extracurricular activity that he took after school. “P-Please help me.” Seeing his shivering body and pale lips, Takuya pursed his lips. “Alright.” He tried covering them both with his small umbrella, and helped the boy walk by carrying his arm on his shoulder.

“What’s your name?” he recalled from the lesson he was taught before.

“Shin,” he whispered.

“Shin Wonho.”

“I remembered how the whole house freaked out seeing me bring a complete stranger to the house,” Takuya recalled. “Moreover he wasn’t even Japanese.” They all nodded in unison. “I almost had my head off because of you,” he complained. “But that’s all in the past now,” his father announced. He then turned his head at Shin. “So, now, I presume you have something to say about the girl last week with you?”

Shin nearly choked on his fish, and instantly gulped down water to calm himself. His face reddened, to everyone’s amusement. “She- she’s a stranger, she left her phone so I returned it to her.” The Terada family “ooh”ed at his answer. “Strangers don’t treat each other to dinner,” Takuya teased, grinning. He was finally getting his revenge. His face flared, which made the adults chuckle in delight. “It sounds like Cinderella, don’t you think, honey?” the older male asked his wife. She nodded. “This is so romantic,” she commented, being a er for romance. “B-but, I don’t even have her phone number.” “Oh, so you want her phone number?” Takuya pestered again. The whole family was sent to guffaws seeing how scarlet his face was. “Don’t worry Shin. Honey, you could give the poor boy her phone number right? She stayed here after all.”

The eldest nodded in response. “Of course.” He then turned to Shin, and he smiled cheekily at him. “I expect more love stories coming from you next week as well.” “Uncle!” he squeaked. The whole family laughed, making them want to all the more.

But Shin still smiled. Not because he was going to get the girl’s number, but as well because of the family before him.

The family he wasn’t related to, but was still his nonetheless.

***

completely unrelated to the story but I'm so happy to see Chasing Summer featured <3 if you haven't read it you really should! (Although i believe we've all read it since we're Myungzy shippers here hehe) Sorry for slow updates and have a blessed week!