Happy early birthday to xxexoexo!  Two days early since I'm horrifically busy on the 22nd and also might not have internet access.

Semi went to spend the weekend at Sehun’s.  Chanyeol spent most of his time in the spare room with Jongin, who was still in a pretty bad state, though he did appear for meals and attempt to eat, which Chanyeol said was a good thing.

“I actually think survivor’s guilt is more difficult to deal with than trauma,” he admitted at Sunday lunch, shortly after Jongin had excused himself and vanished back into his room.  “And I also think he’d do better going to see a therapist who speaks English.  His Korean is fluent, but I get the impression he’d like to be able to express himself in his first language.”

Not long after, Sehun popped out to meet a friend and the conversation turned to Minseok.

“I’m so confused,” Semi groaned, gripping at her hair.  “I mean, he’s normally really nice to me, but something’s changed.  If I had to pinpoint when it was, I’d say it was when he pulled off that ridiculous hostage exchange to get me back from Suho.  Or maybe when he kissed me in the closet.”

Chanyeol looked up from his yoghurt.  “Why?  What’s happened now?”

“He took me out for a date.”  Semi groaned again.  “Except I don’t know if it was a date.  It felt like a date.”

“Details?” Chanyeol asked.  Semi launched into the agony of trying to choose a dress and matching jeweller, then about the place they’d been to, and then about their various conversations.  Chanyeol managed to look interested throughout the entire blow-by-blow breakdown of everything either of them had said in the restaurant.

“I feel like I’m going paranoid,” Semi muttered.

“I knew I should have asked him for dating tips,” said Jongin’s voice morosely.  “Suave motherf*cker.”

“Holy cow!”

Semi and Chanyeol both jumped, completely unaware that Jongin had even joined them.  He was nursing a mug of hot chocolate and looked like he’d only just got out of bed.

“Sounds like he’s either crushing on you hard or this is some highbrow manipulation I can’t get my head around,” Jongin offered on the subject, “in which case you want to get the hell out.”

“But how do I tell?” whined Semi.

“Go pick a fight with Luhan and see what Xiumin does.”  Jongin shrugged.  “It’ll probably make him cry.  If he likes you, that is.”

Semi scowled at him.  “You’re being such a Debbie downer.”

“I feel Debbie downed myself.”  Jongin slurped down the remainder of his hot chocolate.  “Seduce him.  Then he won’t side with Luhan.  But make sure he has more than just you he wants to hold onto if he’s going to switch sides.  He might change sides for you, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t go back because of you.”

Semi gave him a blank look.  “Like that would work.”

Jongin snorted.  “Emotions can overrule reason.  Why the do you think mental illnesses are such a big problem?”

“But it’s not something I can control.”

“You don’t control emotions in other people.  You provoke them.  Ain’t that right, Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol nodded before the conversation could deviate any further.

Shortly after Sehun returned, Minseok rang the doorbell laden with copious amounts of food.

“I noticed neither of you were eating healthily last time I was here,” he said as he slipped his shoes off, “and Semi said you’d appreciate food, so I brought some over.  Especially for Jongin.”

“Why are you bothered about our health?” Sehun demanded, taking three of the many bags out of Minseok’s hands and rooting through them.  “Also, you shouldn’t be carrying heavy stuff when your side’s injured.”

“It’s just a scratch.”

Sehun closed the bags and glared at him.  “It got infected.”

“I’m fine.  I’m on antibiotics and painkillers.  And why do you care about my health?”

“Can’t do much about keeping Semi safe if you’re dying, can you?”  Sehun stuck his head back in one of the bags of food again.  Semi tried not to laugh at the face Minseok pulled.

“I feel used,” he said with a theatrical sigh.

“Good.”

Minseok deposited the rest of the bags on the living room table and sat beside Semi.

“How are things?” he asked her before catching sight of Jongin.  “Wait.  Jongin, how are you holding up?”

“I hate life,” Jongin replied before dropping his head onto the table.  “And life hates me.”

Minseok glanced around at the others before giving voice to a hesitant, “Have there been any leads?”

“Unless you know an assassin who looks like you, no.”

Minseok sat back in his chair, thinking.  Semi noticed him fidgeting with his fingers.  “I’ll ask Luhan,” he said.

“The person’s shorter than you,” Jongin said.  “The voice was high pitched.  Potentially female.”

“You spoke?”

“Heard swearing just as I was getting back.”

“Whoa, wait,” Sehun interrupted, pointing at Minseok.  “You’re still in contact with Luhan?”

Minseok shifted uneasily.  “I’m liaising between him and the police to catch Suho.”

“How about asking him not to kill my sister?”

The atmosphere went downhill very quickly after that.  Minseok pursed his lips and refused to answer, and Sehun made a couple of aggressive comments before it devolved into a shouting match involving all the men in the room.  Semi escaped to Sehun’s room to get a bit of peace and quiet as it was inspiring a headache.  About ten minutes later, things seemed to die down, and there was a knock at the door before Jongin opened it.

“They’re sane now,” he told her, a flash of the old Kai returning as he tried to grin at her.  “Wanna join?”

Semi gave him a hug on the way out, which he returned with a soft sigh, but when he let go of her, his smile was much more genuine.

Chanyeol and Sehun were setting the table for dinner, while Minseok busied himself in the kitchen.  Semi glanced at her watch, surprised that it was already dinnertime, and then wandered into the kitchen to help.  Minseok cast a look at her arms before depositing a dish in the oven.

“I think your brother still hates me,” he said as he straightened up.  Semi sighed.

“He’s just overprotective sometimes—”

“He’s not being overprotective.  He’s being sensible.”  Minseok took off the oven gloves and put them on the nearest counter.  “Honestly, I like the fact that you trust me so much, but sometimes I do wonder why.  The fact that I could be plotting something with Luhan without you or the police knowing is one of the main reasons.”

“Yes, but….”  Semi trailed off.  He had a point.

“The priest was talking this morning about how your family members are the ones who know you the best.  Unless there’s something really messed up with them, they want the best for you, and they’re going to try to keep you away from doing stupid things.”

Semi bit her tong