A/N: I almost forgot I have to update today. Happy Easter, everyone!

"What can you say?" Aunt Nancy beamed at her hopefully while she stood in front of the newly built cafe just outside the Seoul Trade Tower loop. It's called Winter Angel Café. Nancy had it constructed and and decorated while Kyungsoo was still in Switzerland. She wanted to get to work as soon as she set foot in Seoul. The cafe was half operational with some recipes that she forwarded through mail and according to the manager; the cream puffs were the number one bestseller.

"It looks great, Auntie!" She walked up to the main entrance. True enough, the cafe looked like a sanctuary amidst the cold city. All the specifics she gave for the design was followed to the letter and she was so glad. It featured dark rustic woods, warm earth tones and textured walls finished with soft amber lighting. All inviting a sense of comfort and style as you dine.

"I am glad you like it. I was so worried." She heaved a sigh of relief.

"Don't be coy, Auntie. It's so beautiful!" She exclaimed sincerely. She hugged Nancy for helping her achieve everything she had. "Thank you, Auntie. Without your help, I don't know if I would be able to make this dream come true." She fought the tears away but to no avail.

"Hush darling, you are very diligent and patient, you'll go places with or without me." She tapped her back. They were standing in the middle of the relatively large cafe, it was void of customers since they won't open until a couple of hours later but all the staff were there to welcome her. Nancy addressed the small crowd, "People, this is Do Kyungsoo, my niece and Winter Angel's her brainchild. Oh, did I say that she's the owner?" She laughed.

"Thank you for working so hard. I am looking forward to be working with you all." She smiled. There were a dozen people around apart from the servers that work second shift that she's not bound to meet until later. "By the way, we'll be closing for a couple of weeks while we revamp the menu. I'll be adding more cakes and pastries that aren't available here in South Korea. I'll meet up with the coffee experts tomorrow to improve our line of beverages and the wine library will be constructed too." She didn't really want to waste anymore time as she got down to business.

"Wine library?" Nancy asked.

"Yes, Auntie." She glanced at the red brick wall on right side of the cafe. She specifically instructed to leave that part untouched. "That will set us apart from all the other cafes in the metro. People should know desserts go well with wine too."

"I think that's a great idea." A voice from the door called out. Kyungsoo's face lit up. It was Myungsoo with the pregnant Sungjong in tow. Sungjong was Winter Angel’s manager.

"You guys are late." She narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Sorry, boss. Doctor’s appointment." Sungjong hugged her. "Congratulations, best friend."

"Thank you." She noticed that her expression changed a bit. "What?"

"The building administrator wants to meet you to welcome you. He sent people here a couple of weeks ago but I said I am not the owner. He wanted me to relay the message to you.”

She didn't know what to say. The building administrator? That wouldn't be any of the Chois, right? She was not really into the idea but she thought it was just normal for them to know the tenants personally. They were entrusting a fair amount of space in their domain to that person anyway. "Alright. I'll call them up to set up an appointment myself." She smiled what she hoped to be a real smile.

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

The funeral was attended by the whole Liberal Democrats Party of China, the Prime Minister and his family, the ministers of every government agency and their families, Princess Hayako of Japan, King Mohammed of Morocco, Prince Andrea Casiraghi and his sister Charlotte of Monaco, US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her family, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Prince Charles of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and representatives of many different heads of states all over the world. The Imperial Family's friends and extended family were present as well. But what attracted most attention and garbled comments was the appearance of the living members of the past dynasty.

No less than bloodshed took place during the change of empires. The people from the past dynasty were willing to die just to get their Empire back to its former grandeur. But all the attempts to topple the Huang Dynasty off stopped when Jing, great granddaughter of the former Emperor decided to marry Qin from the Huang Dynasty and the whole Japan witnessed how the regale member of the past dynasty struggled to keep the peace between two families and unite them to the betterment of the nation. When Jing was crowned the Empress of China, she and the late Emperor Qin were known as two of the greatest and most humble rulers in history. The fight ended but not the cold war between families. The hostility had been apparent but it was better than many people getting killed. Only now, after so many years, that the descendants of the past dynasty set foot again in their former territory.

Non-members of the Imperial family stayed in the sidelines as they perform rites for the departed. The mortuary rites were strictly for the family members. They locked themselves for good five hours before leading the short march to the Imperial Mausoleum also inside the Forbidden City.

Viewing took place just before they bury the Emperor. Non-family members were allowed to see the Emperor for the last time. Prince Tao erected the tomb himself as the whole family took turns in writing the Emperor’s name and his favorite poem. The Emperor was burried beside his father and his grandparents.

After the day-long affair, guests were sent back to the Capital. Most of them will be staying to witness the Accession Ceremony the next day. Unlike the funeral, the enthroning will be open to the media from all over the world.

Sehun was stumped to have been approached President Obama himself after the funeral. She didn't know if she'll either salute or bow.

"Lt. Choi." It was just above whisper but it sent shivers down her spine. When was the last time she heard that?

"I wish to be called Sehun, Chief." She said in a pleading voice while her face displayed a fake smile for her former Commander-in-Chief.”

"Sehun, yes. I am sorry. I know it was too much to ask but--"

"Mr. President." Amber approached them with one of the smiles that didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you for coming, Sir."

"It was the least I could do to show how the American people value your father, Your Highness. I am sure Prince Tao will just be as great as him if not more."

Amber bowed. "I would like to invite you and Sehun to the Red Moon Pavillion." It was the official residence of the Princess in Beijing. Sehun looked at her with confused eyes. Then she remembered it must be for Global Cool. They need more than just a revamp for their foundation as Amber will be staying permanently in China.

Amber didn't waste anymore time as they arrived at the pavillion. "I do need your help." She looked at the most powerful man in the world straight in the eyes.

Why would Amber want me here? Would she want me to convince him? Sehun asked herself uneasily.

"What can I do to help, Your Highness?" He asked.

"You see, I don't want anything like this to ever happen again. Not while I am still alive." There was tenacity in her voice when she uttered the words. "Like what you did for me, for my family a couple of years back, we need protection."

He can't let them down. They have enormous investments in his country. Not to mention the trillion dollars they owe China. "That's no problem. I am sure we can arrange something ap--"

Sehun remained silent. She can sense that she wouldn't like whatever Amber would say next.

"I want Condor's help."

Yep. She's right. Her head jerked up in astonishment.

"She had done a good job taking care of me so I want her back." She lifted her chin stubbornly. Amber knew she's being hoggish about the whole thing but she would do anything, anything at all, to protect her family. She saw nick in Sehun's eyes but she ignored it.

"But Your Highness--I mean, Lt. Choi has resigned a long time ago and--"

"I know. But I am asking a favor as a friend." She looked at Sehun's eyes straightly.

"You are asking a favor from a friend whose life you'll gladly put in danger for what? For all of these?" Her eyes roamed around the grandiose receiving area. She placed the tea cup rather brusquely back at the saucer as her hand trembled from controlled anger. "Excuse me." She went out of the room before she broke down in front of her former boss and the person she treats like her own sister. She never thought Amber could be that cruel. She went to the well-tended back lawn and sat on the edge of the huge fountain. She looked up at the starlit sky to keep her tears from falling.

Then she heard a muffled whimper from a distance and felt goosebumps at the back of her neck. She was ready to run away when the whimper became a full-pledged wail and won over the sound of the water. She looked around and found a dark figure sitting right across her at the fountain, shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Huang Zitao.

It was indeed him crying like a lost boy. During the funeral and interment rites, she didn't even see him shed a tear. He was all valiantly thanking everyone who gave last respects to his father on behalf of his family who seemed oblivious of the people around. Now that he's alone, he cried to his heart's content. She saw him fall from the edge of the fountain to the grassy lawn helplessly. She stood frozen in her spot as she watched him compete with the waterworks.

She backed away slowly, making sure she won't make any unnecessary noise.

"What the hell are you doing? Filming me?" He growled in a hoarse voice. "The word privacy seems really foreign to you, isn't it?"

"Excuse me? I didn't know you're here!"

"But you've been watching me all along." He said accusingly. "Then like a real criminal, you'll flee the scene." He sniffed.

"I beg your pardon? I was just shocked you're crying like a real sissy that's why--"

"Watch your mouth." He narrowed his eyes. "Remember where you are, will you?"

"Hah. As if I'll ever forget. Now, I'm outta here." She turned to leave when he caught her arm.

"No. Please. . .stay."

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

36 hours earlier. . .

He just returned to China after eight long years and staring at the cherry blossoms while they battle the up and coming winter, made him nostalgic. "What happened?" He addressed the woman sitting beside him inside the stretched limo, Jia, his only sister. She picked him up from the airport.

"He was in some commencement exercise giving his speech when this man just poked a gun point blank and shot him on the head then killed himself." She accounted shortly.

"How can they allow someone with a gun to enter the premises?" He asked incredulously.

"From what I heard, the security detail was being investigated and was replaced immediately after the—that day." She stared outside the window. "Gege, are you sure you want to do this?" She asked in a serious tone.

"I'll see what I can do to prevent all this from happening." But deep inside him, did he really want the typhoon to change its course?

"You're evading the question, Henry Lau." She said in a no-nonsense tone. Like their father, Jia wanted to be a lawyer and was studying in Columbia University but had to stop when their mother got really sick. He's a lawyer too but that's because his father wanted him to be one being the oldest and the only male of their generation. But after he graduated from Yale Law School with flying colors and passing the bar exams, he didn't practice it. Not one bit; and put up his own business instead. Now, he's one of the youngest billionaires in the world.

"I am not." He said defensively.

"Then why did you have to go home? I don't even want to go back but Papa forced me to." Jia just loathed being in China and remembering everything about a certain part of her past. "Why can't he just ask you instead? I was studying for crying out loud!"

"You just said the key word, dear sister. Home. This is your home. Whatever happens, a person must return to where their home is, no matter how painful it can be." He added the last phrase ardently and for one moment, he thought she will hit him.

"That's it. I'm getting off. Stop the car!" She yelled and if not for the seatbelt, he could have dashed to the opened privacy window when the limo stopped into a sudden halt. The back up car behind them almost rear ended the limo and he saw their bodyguards got off to follow Jia's angry stomping to nowhere.

"To the main house." He ordered cooly, not even a bit daunted by his sister's outburst.

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

"What were they doing at the funeral?" Zianhui was nursing her baby when Zian entered her old room at the palace without even knocking.

"I can see that you've lost your manners." Zianhui, the Princess Prim and Proper commented. "Not because I am no longer part of the Imperial family, I would think twice in straightening you out."

"Dui bu qi. But why were they at the funeral?"

"Father's Nainai's son and where is she from again?" She was sarcastic. "Do us a favor. Would you keep that paranoia to yourself, Huang Zian?

"I am not being paranoid! It was just weird to see them again after all these years. It wasn't like them to be all symphathetic and fly back home to attend the funeral. When did mother stop sending them Christmas and birthday presents 'cause they'll all send it back anyway?" She was making irritating hand gestures to prove her point.

"Christmases and birthdays are different from a funeral." The elder reasoned. "And what are you trying to point out?"

"Maybe they are planning something. Didn't it occur to you they have the greatest motivation to oust the Emperor?”

"If they wanted to take over the Empire, they would kill Tao and not Father. After he dies and Tao gone, the Empire will be rightfully theirs being the only living noble family in our country." She pointed out what her sister had been missing all along. "Nainai didn't do everything in vain, Zian. You have to give them the benefit of the doubt. They aren't bad people."

Truth was, it already crossed her mind. But no matter how many times she thought about it, it would lead her back to Laus being family. No matter how distant it may be, they still were. And they have known these people since they were little. History books told them these people will fight ‘til death but always in a fair way. They would never ever betray their father or the Huang Empire.

"Then there's a rat in our crew." Tao declared from the back door. There's a secret passage way from his palace to the Red Moon Pavillion that they used when they wanted to get away from the Imperial guards and maids when they were little.

"Oh God. Everybody here just appear unannounced all the time!" Zianhui exclaimed and the baby cried. "Shhhh, baby. Here's mummy."

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

"We're leaving this afternoon. Come with us?" Chanyeol eyed her hopefully. They were on the wide expanse of palace’s back garden marvelling the magnificent sight.

"I promised Amber I'll stay for a few days." She smiled a bit. "And so was Unnie but Minkyung got sick and she can't stay for long. And you have work to do, Choi Chanyeol, how are you going take care of me?" She mused.

"I am the son of the owner, surely I am entitled to some R and R." He pouted. "Say, I'll stay?—Nah. Can't be." He pouted more. Luhan filed an indefinite leave for some unknown reason and disappeared just before they flew to China. And he'll be taking over HanTel until he came back.

"Can I ask you something?" She said after an eerie silence.

"Ask away."

"Are you. . .Hmn. . .How do I put this?" She swallowed. She was perspiring in a windy autumn morning!

'What?" He looked at her.

"Wouldyougooutonadatewithme?" She bit her lip in embarassment. Then lowered her head when he just stared at her like she said something in alien language.

“Can you repeat that please?”

“Would you go out on a date with me?”

"No." Came the dreaded reply.

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

"How's Minkyung?" She handed her coat to the butler.

"She's okay now, Ahgassi. She's riding with Master." He answered promptly.

"Okay. I'll just change and please take all my luggages to my roomand inform me once they're back." She was not able to take Minkyung with her to China when she caught a slight fever the day of their flight. She changed into cotton drawstring pants and knitted shirt and sat on one of the wicker chairs in her verandah. Moments later, one of the maids placed a plate of her favorite breakfast on the table beside her. She was about to take a bite of her turkey sandwich when she noticed three figures emerging between the pine trees. The first one was her father on top of his horse Moiru and Minkyung on top of the brown palomino. And the one holding the rope of the palomino was. . .

"Omma!"

"Minseokkie!" Yesung called when he noticed that she was in the verandah. "Meet us at the stables!" He waved a hand and lead Moiru to the other side of the prroperty where the stables were.

"Omma! Hurry up!" Minkyung waved at her too but her attention was monopolized by the person walking beside Minkyung's horse. He looked at her and she cannot fathom the meaning of his stare. It took her eternity to realize that he's no longer there and that's she'd been staring at nothing.

"Omma. What took you so long? I am so hungry!" Minkyung whined. They were already at the breakfast nook. Luhan gave her a triumphant smile.

"Sit down Minseok. I want you to meet someone." Her knees wobbled in fear. She wanted to grab Minkyung out of his sight and disappear to where he can't find them. "Minseok, this is Xiao Lu, Chanyeol's older brother and he wanted to apologize for what happened at the hotel days ago. Xiao Lu, this my eldest, Kim Minseok."

"I've known Minseok way back, Uncle." His piercing dark eyes narrowed a bit and for a moment she thought he'll tell her father the truth. "We've been in the same club from business school, right?" He was looking very much at ease in her own home.

"Oh. She didn't tell me that." She smiled a bit to hide her nervousness. "How was your flight? Did you tell Amber I wanted to go but it wouldn't be good for my arthritis?"

"Yes. And she understood. The flight was uneventful. How are you, Baby? Are you okay now?" She avoided Luhan's gaze.

"Yes! Omma, would you believe I have a riding coach now!"

"That's good. When are you going to start?"

"My lesson starts today."

"Uhuh. And Minseok, Xiao Lu here's taking a vacation so instead of staying at the hotel, I just invited him over. He volunteered to be Minkyung's riding coach, too, for the time being." Yesung looked at him fondly. "I didn't know he's a champion Polo player and an equestrian!"

"What?!"

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

"Promise me that you'll be back."

"I won't promise you anything."

"I thought you love her!"

"I do but I don't belong here. There is one inevitable thing in my life. I call it obligation."

"Don't you feel obligated by the friendship?"

"Won't you feel obligated by blood?"

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

Yongguk stretched unabashedly in his seat and reached for Sehun's glass of strawberry and banana smoothie but she swatted his hand before he could. "Aw! What's that for?"

"You could have asked the FA you wanted the same drink as mine." He had asked for espresso from the attendant earlier. She insisted that her friend take her private jet to get some alone time together. A lot of things're bothering her and she can't keep up. They were both in Beijing for the funeral but rarely had a chance to talk.

"I couldn't possibly ask her to bring me such a girlish drink." The attendant was really pretty.

"Stop flirting, Grinch." She belowed and launched herself into a persona Yongguk didn't see very often. "I am so dead." And she really looked like she was. For some unknown reason, dark circles around her eyes made their presence known under liberal amounts of concealer, her light brown eyes glassy, mouth upturned into a disconcerting frown and then the last straw: she bit her fingernail.

"Oh God." He started getting up from the comfortable first class seat he was occupying. He should have known she's up to something when she offered to bring him home. But he's going to die before he reached New York.

"Don't!" In one swift move, he was back into his seat. He's sure he won't be able to move in the next couple of hours, he caressed his chest.

"YOU--!"

"You. Made. Me. Do. It."

"But you are having me for dinner!"

"Shut up."

"What's the problem?" He asked, all the hint of playfulness gone.

"Amber."

"Or her brother?" He breathed.

"What?"

"I still maintain you're in love with him."

"Do you know how far we are above sea level, Grinch?"