It only took 3 rings before the other side of the line picked up the call.

"Hello?"
"Hi Yoonmi."

There was an uncomfortable pause on the other end of the line.

"Sehun? Is that you?"
"Yup. It's me. How've you been?"
"Oh...well I've been fine. How about yourself dear?"
"I've been...okay. How is it going over there? Is everyone well?"
"Yes, they're all well. Raina and Nami are at school right now. And Jongyo's at work as usual."
"That's good..."
"..."
"..."
"Sehun?"
"Yes?"
"I hope you don't mind if I ask but - why did you call all of a sudden? I mean, it's lovely that you called, but it's a bit unexpected. Is everything alright dear?"

Sehun smiled softly. It was true. It was a rare occasion for him to call home voluntarily, let alone initiate the conversation to this extent, and add to that his personality and usually cold demeanor, so Sehun understood where his adoptive mother was coming from.

"It's alright Yoonmi. Just wanted to call...hey, I have a free day today and tomorrow. Would it be inconvenient if I came over? I did promise that I'd come visit someday didn't I?"
"Oh... Oh, why yes, of course you can Sehun! So you'll be sleeping over I guess? I'll prepare your room for you. It's getting quite dusty in there. I'll make your favorite sugar cookies too. I'll make sure the twins don't snack on them before you arrive. Oh it's so nice of you to come visit!"

Sehun chuckled at Yoonmi's suddenly chirpy tone. She was always extremely generous - a kind woman at heart. She was the one that helped Sehun open up a bit. He was far worse in terms of behavior before than he was now.

"Okay Yoonmi. I'll be there at around 3. Bye."
"Bye Sehun! I'll be waiting!"

- - -
Ah yes, home - the quaint little two story house with its cream colored paint and wooden windows and roman tiled roof and horse hair 'Welcome' mat at the doorstep, all looking a bit worn by the elements but still keeping a neat and welcoming appearance to it. It wasn't too far from the college, but one would still need to take a taxi ride there. Walking would take a bit of time to get there. Sehun saw his adoptive father's rickety car that still had the dent on its side from when Nami accidentally rammed his head into it while playing Bullfighter with Raina. He had a purple bump on his forehead for the rest of the week. Honestly, those two were a handful.

He rang the doorbell and took a deep breath as the door opened wide and he saw the bright smile of his mother's face. She sported a short brunette mid cut - a classic middle-aged suburban mother hairstyle. Yoonmi had a sweet face that always bore a smile. A few wrinkles here and there did not tarnish her still quite lovely appearance. One could tell that she was a beautiful young woman in her youth.

"Sehun! Oh how nice to see your face again. It feels like an eternity since the last time I saw you. Jongyo! Come out here! Sehun is home."

A few moments passed before another familiar face popped up behind Yoonmi.

"Sehun, how good it is to see you son!"

Sehun could see the dark circles and stress lines on his father's face, yet he still managed to sound as excited as Yoonmi was. Many hours working in in the mechanical engineering field could make even a sturdy young man seems far older than his actual age in terms of appearance. Jongyo was a tubby man, not quite short but not quite tall either. His hair began to thin at the scalp but not to the extent of a bald spot. He too acquired wrinkled from age but ,just like his wife, remained a dashing man nonetheless.

Sehun only realized now that he had still been standing outside the door on the patio, and so did his parents who stepped out of the doorway before Yoonmi engulfed Sehun in a tight hug.

"You look even more handsome than the last time I saw you! How long has it been even? 2 years?"

"Yoonmi, you saw me 3 months ago." Sehun deadpanned. While it was true, it wasn't a voluntary visit like the one now, it was more like a sudden encounter at the grocery store. Nami and Raina were busy racing in the shopping cart and causing havoc in the soup section. Speaking of which...

"By the way, where are the little devils?"

Just as the question slipped off his tongue, a flurry of curly hair and scurrying feet flew towards him before toppling him over, two pairs of eyes staring at him accompanied by large mischievous grins. "Sehun the Menace is back!"

Sehun sighed, placing his two index fingers on both their foreheads before pushing them back as they fell on their bottoms, Sehun standing up to dust himself off and glare at the two.

"I regret asking about you two now that I think about it," he said, but his small smile said otherwise. The twins were one of the most agitating, disgruntling, terrorizing, annoying things Sehun could possibly fathom, but in the end he always ended up missing their ridiculous antics of putting on Yoonmi's heels and dresses and walking around the neighborhood with enough sass and swaying of the hips to make any Desperate Housewife envious - other than the fact that they were 7 year old children. What were they doing you ask? Skipping school and posing as their mother.

The twins merely giggled before jumping up in unison and scurrying off to more mischief.

Jongyo spoke up once again, "Sehun, why don't you go sit in the lounge? You must be tired. It's already 4 in the afternoon. Yoonmi, is Sehun's bed ready?" Yoonmi nodded, "Of course. And the cookies are about to finish cooling, although I do remember making two batches...now it's more like there's only one. It must have been the twins."

"Was not! Dad did it!" A cry came from upstairs.

Yoonmi looked at her husband with furrowed eyebrows. "Jongyo, did you s