“That boy is a monster

M-M-M-Monster

That boy is a monster

M-M-M-Monster

That boy is a monster

Er-er-er-er”

                “Oh my goodness…” I groaned and turned in my bed. I grabbed my phone and stared at the time. 5.00 a.m. I swiped ‘answer call’ and mumbled. “He…hello?”

                “Zhang Yixing, I don’t care if you’re sleeping or ing, get your out of bed and come to headquarters. Now.”

                “But sir,” I rubbed my eyes. “It’s 5 in the morning. I’m not supposed to be there until 8.”

                “And sharks weren’t supposed to be extinct. Get out and be here in20 minutes.”

                “Got it sir.” I shut off my phone and was so tempted to fall back down. It took all of my willpower and whatever strength I had to peel myself off and into the shower.  

“That boy is a monster

M-M-M-Monster

That boy is a monster

M-M-M-Monster

That boy is a monster

Er-er-er-er”

                “For ’s sake.” I grabbed my phone and stuffed a toothbrush in my mouth. “Yesh?”

                “Pick me up a bagel on your way here. Hold the cream cheese, I’m watching my weight.”

                “Gosh ish.” I spit out the toothpaste, placed my phone in my mouth as I dried off. I hoped out of my room with one leg in my pants, my shirt half done and my wallet sticking out.

                “What’s going on?” Tao asked in his sleepy voice, wearing an adorable Winnie the Pooh shirt and holding on to a panda plushie. He reached out to grab my falling wallet.

                “Have…to…get…to…work…yikes!!!” I nearly tripped at the stairs as Tao ran after me, grabbing my keys and phone.

                “What about breakfast?”

                “I’m just grabbing a cookie. Hey, google bagel shops in Seoul opening time 5 am.”

                “Why?” Tao had already started typing in my phone.

                “Kranky Kris wants bagels.” I stuffed a couple of cookies in my mouth and grabbed a can of coffee from the fridge. Tao tossed me my phone as I dashed outside.

                “Stay safe!” he waved like a mother sending her kids off to school. I grabbed a bagel in record time (bought an extra and ate it) and hurried to the headquarters. It was bright and fully lit for 5.20 a.m. I went in and found Kris on the phone in the lobby.

                “I need those roses on my table immediately. No, no, red meat is not allowed!! Only white meat!”

                “Sir! I got your breakfast.”

                He mouthed a ‘thanks’ and took the bagel. “I want those carnations at the front door!”

                “What in heaven’s name is going on?” I panted, still not fully catching my breath.

                “We have a very special guest coming to visit and I want it to be perfect.”

                “Oh? Who is it? The mayor, some royalty, the president…”

                “My grandmother.”

                Ladies and gentlemen, if life was a cartoon or at least a heavily edited reality show, you would see a crow squawking by, lines on my face and probably one hell of a sweat drop.

                “Your…grandmother?”

                “Yes. Mdm. Wu.” He mentions her name like she is the Queen of England, with a certain amount of honour, prestige and also fear. “Every year she comes to check on her descendants to make sure they are up to her standards or we are out of the will.”

                “Okay…” I stood up straight and noticed an old black and white poster in the background. “Is that why there is a poster of the Beatles in the background?”

                “Yes. I told her I’m arranging their comeback.”

                “But John Lennon and George Harrison are dead.”

                “Yes, but she doesn’t know that.”

                “And when is your grandmother coming?”

                “8 am.”

                I could swear I out after that.

                When I came to (whether I out or zoned out), I was going into the recording studio to get the soft copy of BxL’s new song. I knocked on the door and went in to find Minseok sitting on Jongdae’s lap, arms wrapped around his neck and the life out of his mouth.

                “Whoa!!!”

                “Oh hi Yixing.” Minseok said, letting go of Jongdae’s mouth, but not of him. “Did Kris send you?”

                “Yeah. He wants the soft copy for the new song.”

                “It’s on the table.” Jongdae pointed. I grabbed the pendrive and turned to them. They were just sitting there (same position), looking back at me.

                “You don’t mind getting caught?” I asked.

                “Honey, when you’ve had several tapes made and had in almost every corner of the headquarters except Kris’s office, getting caught kissing is the least of your problems.” Jongdae smirked.

                “I would say having in Kris’s office is number one on my bucket list now.” Minseok smiled.

                “I’m trying very hard to remove the image of you guys wherever I walk now.” I rubbed my temple.

                “Don’t fight it Yixing. Succumb to it.”

                “That sounds strangely like an open invitation to a .”

                They just looked at me and smiled. I high-tailed it and ran out. I could hear their laughter from down the hallway but I ran anyways. I got to the elevator and squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to imagine Xiumin’s wherever I go.

                                                                *****************

                “How’s my tie?”

                “Straight.”

                “Green stuff in my teeth?”

                “None, sir.”

                “What about the flowers on my table? The cookies she sent me for Christmas?”

                “All done and taken care of.”

                “Good. Now we just have to wait for the storm.” Kris and I watched a black limousine pull into the front driveway of the headquarters. The driver popped out to open the back door for the esteemed guest. A small elderly lady stepped out. She was decked in expensive clothing and had huge tear-drop diamond earrings on her ears. I was surprised the frail lady didn’t collapse from the weight of those giant crystal things.

                “Grandma!” Kris extended his arms to hug his grandmother.

                “Oh my baby boy! How are you doing?” she kissed him twice on the cheeks and smiled at him. “Oh look at you! You have grown so handsome and tall!”

                “Oh grandma…” Kris smiled and waved a hand like it was nothing. “I’d like you to meet Yixing, my new assistant.”

                “A great pleasure to meet you.” I bowed, extending my hand. But she slapped my hand away and grabbed my cheeks.

                “Oh what a beautiful boy! Who’s a pretty darling? Yes you are, yes you are!” she patted my cheeks twice and looked at her grandson. “Oh Kris, he is a much better option for you. I didn’t like the last girl you had on your arm. That…that you called Mrs. Lee.”

                “Grandma, we’ve been through this. Mrs Lee is not a , by any of your definition at least,” Kris said. “And she was just my assistant.”

                “Sweetheart I do hope you take good care of my baby boy,” Grandma Wu had completely ignored her grandson now, and upgraded me from total stranger to sweetheart. “He gets terrible indigestion if he eats to fast and when that happens, don’t let him take anything except two Mylanta gel caps. Do you have some? Let me see…”

                “Grandma please,” Kris pulled her to one side. “Shall we get on with the tour?”

                “Oh yes, of course.” She zipped her bag up and handed me a pack of Mylanta. “So how is business for you?”

                “Very well. Our latest act has been very successful and I think they have potential for international stardom. You should meet with them later.”

                “That sounds good.” We stopped at the elevator and I pressed the ‘up’ button. “Though I have a suggestion…”

                “Grandma, for the 100^th time we are not going to get Frank Sinatra and Patti Labelle together for a duet.” Kris said, as he got into the elevator.

                “Why not?”

                “For starters one of them should be at least alive.” Kris rolled his eyes.

                “Fine, so maybe you don’t like the older artists. Personally, I think they have more class and sophistication. Maybe you can put her with that new kid. Er…Christina Aguilera.”

                Kris and I sighed together as the elevator doors closed.

                                                                                *****************

                “I liked the way you did up your company, everything is so bright and clean.” Grandma Wu said as we stepped out on the 3^rd floor.

                “I like my place to be spotless grandma.” Kris smiled at his grandmother.

                “Did I tell you that one time he was at the playground?” she turned to look at me. “He was sitting there all alone; the kids didn’t want to play with him because he was too quiet. So, this big bully from the next neighbourhood came and tried to pick on him. He pushed his head and tried to boss him around, but my baby boy just stood up, pointed one finger at him and said one thing at him.”

                “What’s that?”

                “I will sue you.” I stopped to look at Grandma Wu who’s too busy smiling at me with pride. “That’s my boy indeed. Always standing up for himself.”

                “I wouldn’t call it that.” I muttered under my breath. I leaned over to Kris and asked “Did you really sue him?”

                “Yes.” He whispered back. “Grandma, I want you to meet our new artiste.” He opened the door to reveal Baekhyun and Luhan. The duo immediately sprang to their feet and bowed.

                “Grandma, this is Baekhyun and Luhan from the duo BxL.”

                “It’s very nice to meet you Mdm. Wu.” The two boys greeted

                “Oh how lovely.” Grandma ran her thumb across Baekhyun’s cheek. “Kris, I thought it was a boy duo. You didn’t tell me there was a girl.”

                “Er, no…grandma, Luhan is the boy.” I tried explaining.

                “Really?” Grandma peered at Luhan and touched his face. Her hands travelled down to his chest and tried to pinch what I think is his . Luhan squirmed away.

                “Are you sure he’s not one of them transgender or con artists? They are plenty of them in this world you know.”

                “We are 100% sure grandma.” Kris said.

                “Well, okay then,” she turned to face Luhan. “Can you pull down your pants for me?”

                “Okay grandma,” Kris pulled the old lady away and tried to chuckle it off. “We have some refreshments to attend to. I have your favourite peach pie ready for you.”

                “Oh, peach pie! Do you have the whipped cream…” Kris pulled his grandmother away while Luhan’s face grew 1000 shades of red. Baekhyun was trying to stifle a giggle. “Grandma Wu wanted to see your .”

                “Shut up Baekhyun. It’s not funny.”

                “Uhm, it kinda is.” I said before erupting into a fit of giggles myself. Luhan rolled his eyes at us.

                “Do I really look like a girl?” Luhan pulled his hair self-consciously.

                “I wouldn’t worry about that. She saw the butler in the cafeteria downstairs and thought Captain Crunch had come alive.”

                “ZHANG YIXING!!!!”

               “Gotta go, boss calling.”

                                                                                ********************

                “I cannot believe my grandmother finally left.” Kris sighed, leaning against his leather chair.

                “Tell me about it. If I hear one more reference to Danny Devito I will kill myself.” I groaned, putting down the iPad and stretching my arms.

                “That’s grandma indeed.” Kris sniggered. “She used to wrap us in her arms when the rain comes in, the thunder striking outside. She’d try to tell us stories of pixies and goblins to put us to sleep.”

                “Who’s ‘us’?”

                “My cousin and I.” he said. “I grew up together with him. His name is Kim Joonmyun.”

                “Did somebody call me?”

                I turned my head and found a handsome man standing at the doorway, with blonde hair, a black suit and a gentle smirk. He had alabaster skin, soft eyes and a gentle yet confident stride as he walked into the room. I haven’t been this enamoured by anyone since my boss, who is now more annoying than attractive.

                “Speaking of the devil,” Kris chuckled. “Were you listening outside?”

                “No, I just happen to have telepathic powers.” He laughed. He gave Kris a fist bump and turned his head to look at me. “Oh, who’s he?”

                “He is my new assistant, Yixing. Yixing, this is Joonmyun, or known by his penname Suho, the editor of Living Life magazine. ”

                “Nice to meet you. Oh, he’s a pretty one.” Joonmyun shakes my hand and I lowered my head in embarrassment.

                “Why does everyone say that?”

                “Well look at him.” Joonmyun lifted my chin upwards with his hand. “Don’t hide your pretty face.” I could feel my insides melting away.

                “Joonmyun, you can’t seriously be here just to flirt with my assistant. Or any of my past assistants for that matter.”

                “Is it my fault you hire pretty assistants?” the editor sat down on the edge of the table, his left foot dangling away. “Ah, yes. I was wondering if you would grant me an opportunity to capture the insides of Starling Entertainment. Just a few shots of the studio, hallway, their handsome CEO…” he teased.

                “Joonmyun you know how I feel about this. I don’t do publicity shoots or personal interviews.”

                “It’s not a publicity shoot. It’s an interview regarding your career and most importantly, the artists under your label. You’ve been such a success lately and everyone wants to know what the secret is. Plus a feature on the inside of the company is something you have never done before.”

                “Give me some time to think about it, will you?”

                “Just don’t give it as much thought as you gave Single Ladies, would you?”

                “You passed on Single Ladies?!” I screeched, dropping my jaw.

                “Not my finest hour.” Kris shook his head. “Fine, I’ll think about it. By the way, isn’t grandma supposed to go and see you tomorrow?”

                “Oh I’m not worried if she does. I’ll just stick her in the section where they put the quizzes and crosswords. That’ll keep her entertained for a while.”

                “Yixing, would you show Mr. Kim out? He’s blocking my chi.” Kris rolled his eyes.

                “You need chi as much as a Dalmatian needs spots. But anyways, see you soon dear cousin.” Joonmyun jumped off the table and gave his cousin a careless wave. I opened the door for him and walked him out.   

                “Are you going to be walking me all the way out?” he asked.

                “Yes sir.”

                “So what were you doing before you started working here?”

                “I’m an author. But I haven’t been able to write for years now.”

                “Oh, so it’s like a massive writer’s block eh?”

                “Yeah. I have to find a way to support myself before I die of hunger.”

                “What was your last book about?”

                “Uhm, it’s called Lord of the Bees. It’s uh…” I just realized then that I was talking to a magazine editor. The editor of the top lifestyle magazine in South Korea. My teeth started chattering against each other like a jackhammer. “It’s a kid’s book. You wouldn’t…”

                “What? Wouldn’t like it?” he said. “Mr…”

                “Zhang.”

                “Mr. Zhang, I’m a writer myself. I have mutual respect and appreciation for fellow writers, whether or not they write kid stories. Whether I like a story or not is up to me, shouldn’t it?”

                “Right sir.” I lowered my head again. This time in shame.

                I walked him to the front of the building where his limo is waiting. His chauffer opened the door and he stepped one foot in.

                “Don’t hide your pretty face.” He lifted my face up again. He smiled at me. “I used to come over just to annoy my cousin. Looks like I have another reason to come over even more often.” With that, he got into the car and drove off.

                I stood there for a little while, watching his black limo drive off into the distance. I was going to stay there even longer, when I felt something in my pocket vibrate. I could hear the very faint yells from someone on the 12^th floor screaming “ZHANG YIXING!!!!”

                That was my cue to leave.

                                                            *****************

                Cold Friday midnights mean different things to different people. To Zitao, it means curling up in bed with a book long left behind and forgotten to read. To Kris, it means having a whiskey in one hand and an unlit cigar in the other, still contemplating on whether he should light it. Who is there to stop him really? He’s the boss; he can do whatever he ing wants.

                To Baekhyun and Luhan, it’s the beginning of sleepless hours pulled into rehearsals, training and practicing until their muscles ached and sweat drops off their bodies and onto the floor like rain during monsoon. To Chanyeol, it’s picking up the phone and calling Baekhyun, hoping he would answer. To Sehun, it’s picking up the phone and calling Luhan, knowing he wouldn’t answer but still does it anyways.

                To Kyungsoo, its falling asleep to the sound heavenly voices mixed with soft beats that pump out from a pair of old headphones, the laptop still on and a half-read fanfiction still decorating the screen. To Kai, its sleepless nights with a collaged image of a boy with pretty lips, big eyes and a charming lift in his voice that fills his vision. To Xiumin and Chen, it’s another night of curling in each other’s arms and falling asleep. To Grandma Wu, its singing lullabies of naughty children when there’s no one to listen to her.

                To me, it’s about trying to stay awake and holding onto the minutes of the day that is about to edge away. Because when tomorrow comes, today becomes yesterday, and yesterday becomes the day before. The present becomes the past, and the future becomes the present. Time moves on, even if you’re clearly not ready to. Because I am one miserable who tries to be what I was, but not what I will be.

                If only then I had realised, I wasn’t the only one.

A/N: This update comes early because I know there are some people who are dying to read about Sulay's first encounter, so here it is! I also love the fact that Yixing is the kind of person even old grandmas and aunties would love, so I tried to make him appear likable to Grandma Wu in this story!

As usual, comments, upvotes and subbies are always welcomed!! Please do let me know what you think! There are too many silent readers here!

Here's some cutey Luhan as a gift!