KAI’S POV

“You said what?”

I glance momentarily at D.O., whose eyes have doubled up to the size of the Olympic Stadium.  Then I resume inspecting Oh Sehun’s luggage, trying to find any hidden ammo that he might’ve tried to sneak in.

“He said Iseul’s coming with us to Hong Kong, hyung.”  Sehun says, crossing his arms.  “Seriously Kai, you’re not going to find anything there!  I left all my toys at home already!”

I scan him up and down for a few seconds.  Hmm…

“There’s a knife in your boots.”  I say.  “Take it out.”

Sehun’s jaw drops.  “.  That’s creepy.  How the hell did you—“

“I don’t.  But that’s what you always do.”  I say, smirking.  “Busted, small child.  Now put it on the table.”  I point at the table near the TV, decked with an assortment of handguns and other non-security-scan-passing items which I have carefully extracted from each of these 5 kids’ luggage.  Jeez!  Sooman clearly told us not to bring any so we don’t attract any attention, and because the Shanghai people are going to bring it for us.  What’s so hard to understand?

“Why is TSA security guy here with us again?” Sehun whines, complying anyway.

“We’re not done discussing here!”  D.O. says, waving Sehun off.  “This is the Annual House Meeting, Kai.  The whole Shanghai Chapter along with the Tokyo Chapter and the others are going to be there.  Not just the HOC— the Triad, Yakuza, and Mafioso are also going to be there, plus we’ve also got to track those goddamn hired assassin.  Are you sure it’s a good thing to bring Iseul and Jongguk along?”

“They’re a package deal, idiot.”  Baekhyun calls from the couch.  “Kai sure as hell isn’t going to leave her here along unprotected while all six of us are going to be in China.  Besides, we’re sneaking off to Hong Kong this year.  Not Shanghai.  Uninvited people won’t know.”

I my head to Baek’s general direction, indicating that he’s more or less right.  “That, and I’ve been planning to show her a little more about us.  She wants to stay, she should start knowing a little more.”

D.O. looks at me for a long while.  “You’re serious about her, aren’t you?”

“He even met her mother today~!” Baekhyun chimes in gleefully.  “Right Kai?  You went to her graduation today riiiight?”

Oh my God.  Let me smack him.  I need to smack him with a brick just onceeee—

“You met her mom?!” Suho splutters, jumping around to look at me.  “, it’s that serious!  This is a code red guys, a code red!!”

I immediately jump to defense mode.  “It’s just a mom guys—“

“Just a mom?!”  Suho snorts.  “Yeah right, and you’re just Kai, mobster boss, leader of the most dangerous mob here in Korea, second from the top, right after the head of the this whole ing organization—who just so happens to be your uncle.  We’ll see how that goes down with her mom.”

I throw my hands up in the air.  “Okay, so maybe she—anyway!  This whole thing was a coincidence!  I never planned to meet her, and if it weren’t for Iseul’s graduation I never will either!  Seriously guys, you’re acting like I’m planning to take her whole extended family on a trip to Singapore for dinner at Marina Bay Sands and buy all 74 hectares of the Botanical Garden for them!  We just met!  It’s not a code red, excuse you.”

“He’s right, actually.  It’s not a code red, it’s a code black for DEATH!  We’re doomed!  This is worse than Victoria!  HE.  MET.  HER.  MOM!!”  Sehun groans dramatically.  “Come to think of it, he knows her sister too!  Holy !  You know her entire family!!  !  THE SINGAPORE TRIP IS HAPPENING, Y’ALL!”

I look at Sehun with a mixture of awe and mortification at his stupidity.  “What species of moron are you?!”

“They’re basically ready for marriage already!”  Baekhyun quips in, sounding way too happy about it.  I squeeze my eyes shut.  Oh, this is asking for it.  To shoot him or not to shoot him, that is the question.

“How did you introduce yourself?”  Chanyeol asks, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

I immediately drop my gaze to the floor and concentrate hard on it because this may very well be the last thing I’ll ever see.  If they find out that I introduced myself as Jongin, which is a really big deal for us, it’s over.  I’ll never live through their teasing.

“As her boss, of course.”  I answer.  “What else?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Baekhyun answers sarcastically for his boyfriend.  “Maybe… as Jongin?”

I blink rapidly, trying to etch a deadpanned and unamused look on my face.  “Don’t be stupid.  I’m her boss, of course that’s what I told her mom.”

“Yeah, but did she ask for your name or something?  If she did, did say you’re Kai or Jongin, or did you make up some -star-sounding pseudonym completely unrelated—“

“WE’RE STRAYING!” D.O. interjects again, louder this time.  “Kai, what do you mean you’re going to show her more?  Are you going to really show her the full extent of… this?  Of us?  The whole thing?”

“Of course not!”  I quickly shake my head.  “I was just planning for her to meet our brothers in China, EXO-M and all that… plus Jongguk probably wants to meet Yihan too—“

“Great.  So he’s not meeting her family; it’s she that’s meeting his!”  Sehun stage-whispered to Baekhyun, who claps his hands delightedly.

“Trust me, Luhan is so going to flirt the pants off her—“

“No one is flirting the pants of anyone!”  I yell.

“Yet.”  Baekhyun cheekily replies.  “Luhan is an international playboy, what do you expect?”

“You two can go bar-hopping or whatever as usual,” I say to Sehun, pointing my index finger.  “Just keep his hands off her.  That’s an order, in case you didn’t get it.”

Sehun laughs merrily and raises his hands up in surrender.  “Yes boss.”

“Kris too, because he’s an international ert.”

“Yes boss.”

“Xiumin too, because he’s a closet ert.”

“Yes boss.”

“Tao too, because he’s a ing ert, both internationally and—“

“Basically no men except yourself around Iseul within a 5 kilometer radius, we get it.”  Baekhyun rolls his eyes good-naturedly.  “You can scratch those balls and comme des down now, Kai.”

That translates from Baekhyunese to calm the down, since he thinks it’s a classier French way of saying it.  Spoiler alert:  it’s not.

D.O. frowns thoughtfully.  “Kai, I know I don’t usually press you like this but—are you really sure?  I just—I mean, as a bro, man, I don’t want you to do things you might regret.  Seo Iseul isn’t going to stay forever, dude.  Personally, I say there’s no need to bring her along like this.”

Zipping up the last bag I’ve been inspecting, I sigh and rub my face.  D.O.’s right.  I’m not stupid.  I know that bringing her and Jongguk along isn’t exactly the smartest move, but…

“I know there isn’t.  But going to Hong Kong with her, bringing Jongguk along too… I just…” I trail off and throw myself down on the couch in the middle of our office.  “I want to do it.  I want to just… bring her out there with me and see the look on her face as we weave through all the pedestrians at Tsim Tsa Shui.  I want to watch her try all the street food and hear what she thinks of them.  I want to take her to Victoria Harbor, I want to show her the city lights, I want to show her the nightlife— she’s never been abroad, hyung.  I know she’s not going to stay forever with me, so while she’s here, I want to make it… worthwhile.” 

The ever-present smile on Baekhyun’s face is slowly fading away, the devil-may-care sparkle in his eyes slowly transform into something more like genuine interest. 

“I know it’s risky, but I’d much rather have her and Jongguk in Hong Kong with me under closer surveillance, than here in Korea with no one that I fully trust.  If something happens to herself while I’m away, I swear to God I’ll go ing ballistic and I’ll blame myself for not taking her along for the rest of my life.”  I shake my head.  “And I also absolutely cannot leave Jongguk here as well.  Risking two at the same time?  Someone just run me over with a tank, please.”

For five whole seconds over my grand speech extraordinaire, the whole room is silent.  Suddenly, on these idiots who I also call my brothers start clapping, and before I know it, all five of them are either thumping my back, ruffling my hair, or fake-crying their eyeballs off.

“Oh my Goooodd!!!  Someone call the ing doctor!!”  Suho yells, thumping me hard.

“Daddy is so proud of you, son!”

“CODE BLACK!  CODE ING BLACK!  911!”

“I knew it!!”  Baekhyun screeches.  “This boy is in LOVE!”

“YAH!  Don’t use the L-word.”  I growl.  “Please don’t ing use the L-word.  I don’t even think I know what that stupid word means.”

“Oops.  Okay, he’s smitten!”  Baekhyun continues, dramatically shaking Chanyeol.  “Babe, do you love me that much?!  If you don’t, you better start now!”

“Oh my God, why did I even bother talking to you all!”  I groan, throwing my hands up in frustration.  “Urgh, I should’ve just— urgh!!”

“But seriously though, Kai.  Since when did it become… this bad?”  Suho asks, cocking an eyebrow.  “I mean, before you were all like, chill, and you basically did nothing with her, and suddenly you want her to meet EXO-M and give what I presume will be a very expensive tour around Hong Kong.  What’s the story, man?”

I think about it for a while.  Since when? 

Since when exactly did I start feeling this way towards her?

Maybe I’ve liked her a little bit since that three-day parent-children camping trip with Jongguk’s school, where we first pulled our fake husband-wife scheme.  Maybe it’s when she stupidly jumped in the water trying to save Jongguk, while not being able to swim.

Maybe it’s how I paid closer attention to her since then, and an even closer watch since that random freak incident with that creep who was spying on her apartment.  We never really got him, but he never did anything further after that incident, so we all just assumed that that was some creepy stalker from the building across.  Anyone with good resources worth wasting our bullets for would know how—or at least try—to follow her, even if she moved into my penthouse already. 

Maybe it’s how she drunk-charmed her way into me.

Maybe it’s how I saw more and more of her in her natural state with her living in my unit.  I’ve grown accustomed to seeing her sprawled on my couch watching Korean dramas because she claims the wifi is the strongest there, I’ve grown accustomed to her cooking for me and Jongguk every morning with that sleepy, grouchy look on her face, and I’ve grown accustomed to her constant singing and random bursts of sunshiny energy as she prances around my penthouse with my son. 

I’ve grown accustomed to her.

Maybe it’s not that—maybe it’s that little midnight escapade we took the day my Hong Kong trip got cancelled.  Maybe it’s the feeling of being with her, watching her be her usual dorky, awkward self, and maybe it’s—

Maybe it’s how I nearly lost my mind seeing her about to be carried off by those two ers I beat up in the alley.  Maybe that’s how it all started.  I realized I never wanted anything bad to happen to her, and then seeing her cry like that at nearly two in the morning, I realized that I’d do anything to protect her. 

Seeing her cry like that... it drove me insane.

I guess it really began from there.

And it multiplied tenfold when she cried again upon finding out about my true identity that night, and it multiplied a hundred fold during the night of her grad-ball.  It all gradually built up, like a snowball rolling downhill, and before I could stop myself I was going a hundred miles per hour by the time we slow danced to Taylor Swift with her looking magical that night, and then Seo Iseul herself pushed it right through the emotional dam in me when she said my name—and like that, all my feelings just spilled all over the place.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore.

It was too… much already.

So if Suho wanted to know since when, I guess the answer would be—

“Since I don’t know when.”  I answer, shrugging lazily. 

It just happened over and over again.

“What a ing disappointment.”  Suho states blatantly.  “Here I was, thinking that long, deep, silence of yours would produce something meaningful, but instead, all I got was bull.”

I snort in laughter.  “It’s not bull.  I really don’t know.  It just—it happened over and over, you know?  A little by little, and then… yeah.  Here we are.  Kim Jongin, stage 4 of ed-ness.”

“At least he realizes it.”  Suho says, turning to D.O.

“At least he does.”  D.O. agrees.  “Well, you can’t really save anyone at stage 4 of ed-uppery anymore.”

“So you’re saying we just leave him to die miserably?”  Sehun cackles.

“We can make it a fun death for all of us.”  Baekhyun swoops in, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at me.   He clasps his hands together in front of him and eyes each of us conspiratorially.

“Gentlemen, now the fun begins.”

Oh… .

Half an hour later, after successfully extracting myself from those s who have been teasing me nonstop, I find myself standing before my uncle in his office again. 

Getting intensely interrogated.  Again.

"So you're taking your babysitter with you to Hong Kong."  The Joker confirms, his voice not giving away any emotion.

"Yes."  I nod. 

"And of course your son is coming with you too." He continues.

"Yes."  I nod again.  From how devoid of emotion his face and voice is, I can't tell how this is going to go, which I hate.  I hate not knowing.

A long pause of silence ensues.  Finally, Sooman sighs heavily and nods almost imperceptibly.   "Very well.  You do as you please, Jongin."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.  "Uncle?" 

Why is he giving in so quickly?  Is this some sort of trap?

"No, Jongin, in case you are thinking, this is not a trap.  This is me handing over things to you.  You're the leader of EXO-K, Aces of HOC, the most notorious underground society in Korea.  You do as you please to your own discretion.  All I ask is that you don't forget how you are Kai.  If anything happens to them because of that, I'm leaving it to you to clean up your own mess."  Sooman says.

I wait silently for him to continue.

"I've tried warning you, I've tried stopping you, but you won't listen.  Very well.  I will no longer interfere with your personal issues.  Just remember two things, Kai."  Sooman holds two fingers up.  "One, if she becomes a hindrance to you and your duties, there is no negotiating in what I will do, both to you and to her.  Two, this is not me giving you my blessings.  Not in any way, Kim Jongin.  This is me washing my hands off this mess.  She does have more integrity than your last woman, but we'll see how long that lasts.  I will simply stand back and watch how this goes, until the day I have to step in again comes."

I furrow my brows.  So is this a good thing... or a bad thing?

"Just don't forget who you are."  Sooman says, grave.  "You are Jongin, but you are also Kai."

I nod readily.  "I won't."

Sooman stares me down for a few seconds more and we engage in a tense, determined staring contest, but I'm not backing down.

Finally, he nods.  "I will be watching you all in Hong Kong."

“Of course.”

“Do not fail me, Kai.”  He says, almost casually.  But I’ve spoken with him long enough to hear the undercurrents of a warning in his words.  “Do not forget why you’re there.”

ISEUL’S POV

Something’s wrong here. 

I glance at the clock on the wall nervously while my leg continues to jiggle crazily under the table.  5 PM.  Here I am, all done packing for this spontaneous trip to Hong Kong that I hope Kai is serious about this time.  Why we are going to Hong Kong, he hasn’t even told me—all he said is ‘Go pack some clothes for the next few days for you and Jongguk.  I’ll handle the issue with his school so just focus on packing.  Travel light, you got that?’ before rushing off again to God knows where. 

Anyway, I did exactly just that, and now everything’s ready— except Kai.

That is still gone.

KAI ISN’T ING BACK YET!!

What time did he say the flight is going to be again?  Was it 6?  Was it 7?  I’m pretty sure he said 6 but… how the are we going to make it in time if at 5.05 Kai is still missing?!  Where the is he?! 

I mean, I’ve never flown internationally before, but everyone knows that you have to be at the airport at least 2 hours before the time of departure right?  Has he checked in our flight already?  But we have baggage!  We have baggage to check in too, and you know how long the baggage dropping lines are right?  There’s always some idiot with the overweight suitcase who has to re-open the suitcase and transfer some items to their carry-on bags, or there’s always some idiot who just discovered that their suitcase isn’t cabin-size and is now picking a fight with the dude behind the counter, or someone asking for more fragile stickers—there’s always something wrong with baggage drops!  You don’t even need to fly internationally to know that!  It’s always on TV!

Goddammit. 

I sigh and massage my temples, checking the clock again.  5.10 now.  It’s final.  Because of Kai’s complete disregard for time management and flying procedure, we’re not going to Hong Kong tonight.  There is no way in hell are we going to make it on time.

Jongguk emerges from the bathroom, wiping his hands on his pants after doing his business inside.  “Noona, where’s appa?”

“I don’t know, Jongguk.”  I say, throwing my hands up in frustration.  “I don’t know where in the world he is!”

“Why don’t you call him, noona?” 

“I did!  He didn’t pick up!!” 

“Call again!”

“Usually when your appa doesn’t pick up, it’s not because he didn’t hear it the first time.  It’s because he doesn’t think I need to be calling him at the moment!!”  I wave my phone in front of Jongguk’s face.  “I called him three times already!”

“Have you tried calling the hyungs?”

“I don’t have the hyungs’ number!” 

 “Why not?” Jongguk asks, plopping down beside me.  “Noona, I’m hungry.”

“Be-caauuuse, I never had to actually call them before.”  I sigh and get up, heading to the pantry.  “What do you want to eat?  Banana?”

“Okay, banana.”  Jongguk hops and follows behind me. 

“Do you think your father even remembered to call your school, Jongguk?”  I muse, rummaging the fridge for something to eat myself.  “I don’t have your teacher’s number so if he hasn’t, I can’t tell them either.”

“Maybe he remembered.  Appa is smart!”

“Not at times like these, he isn’t.”  I glance at the clock again.  5.15.  “Should I just make dinner for us since we won’t possibly be going at this rate?”

“But what if appa comes back and says we’re still going to Hong Kong?”  Jongguk asks. 

“We won’t!  Our flight is at six, he said, and it’s 5.15 already and we’re still at home, so unless Kai owns the airline and has it on standby until whenever we arrive, there’s no chance we’re going now.”

“Don’t worry, appa knows what he’s doing.  We often go to Shanghai with the hyungs!” 

“Shanghai?  What for?” I ask curiously.

“To meet EXO-M, of course.  And for me, to meet Yihan!”

“Who’s this Yihan dude, Guk?”

“Kris hyung’s son!  He’s 6 years old, just like me.”  Jongguk boasts proudly.  “We always play together whenever we meet.  Last year, he was the one who came to Korea.”

“Oh really?” I ask absentmindedly, distracted by the fact that it is now 5.18 already, according to the clock on Kai’s wall.  That thing’s not broken right?  I swipe my phone and check with the clock on it too, just to make sure.  Yep, 5.18… oh look, it’s 5.19 now!  That’s it.  I’m calling him.

Furiously punching on his contact, I press call and wait for him to pick up impatiently.  Bloody idiot!  Did he forget?!  Did he lose track of time?!  Did he got kidnapped?!  Did he leave for Hong Kong without Jongguk and me?!  God, I’m so pissed.  No, he wouldn’t be kidnapped.  That guy is a mobster, for Christ sake, and he can take care of himself.  He probably forgot.  Why won’t he even pick up?!  At least tell me where you are goddammit—

“Hello?”

“YAH!” I scream, shocking Jongguk, Kai, and even myself at the same time.  “Where the hell are you?!  Do you know what time is it now?  Do you know what time your flight is?!  Why didn’t you pick up before?  Did you get—“

“I’m near, I’m near already.”  Kai chuckles.  “Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried!  I just can’t believe you—how can you be so calm?!  We’re going to miss our flight, Kai!  Hello?”

“No we’re not.”  Kai says, unnervingly calm.  What is wrong with this guy?!  What time zone is he in?!  “We’ll make it, don’t worry.  Relax, Seul.  I’m nearly there!”

“RELAX?!  Relax how?!  Okay, okay.  Let me relax.  What do you want for dinner?  I might as well start cooking because we’re never going to make it at this rate.  You’re—“

Suddenly, the door flies open and I stop talking immediately, because in strolls Kai with his phone pressed to his ear, an easy smile on his luscious lips. 

“Home.”  He says, as he walks over to me.  “I’m home, princess.  Surprise!”

God, he’s so ing hot.  Why does he have to be so hot?!  I feel my anger start to dissipate a little when I see him still in that suit from earlier today, looking as fresh and hot as ever.  And he’s smiling.  It’s game over for me.

“Yeah, but you’re late.”  I say, hanging up.  I bite my lip and try to keep myself from doing something stupid, like running over to hug him maybe.  “What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”  Kai says, shrugging.  “Hello Guk.  Did noona panic a lot while I’m gone?”

“Totally panicked.”  Jongguk nods.  “She looks like she was going to cry!”

“Yah!  I didn’t!”

“Did you?”  Kai looks at me in amazement, chuckling a little.   He scoops Jongguk up in his arms and begins jiggling him up and down a little. “Well, Jongguk, why didn’t you tell noona that we’re going to fly in that usual private jet we always fly in that will only take off once all of us boards it, hmm?”

I stand there, blinking, wondering if I heard him right.  “We’re gonna what now?”

“Ooooh right.”  Jongguk sings, realization dawning him.  “Noona, don’t worry, we’re going to fly in this little plane that only takes us and the rest of the hyungs, so it can wait for us!”

“It will wait for us, Guk, because we own it.”

HUH?!

My jaw drops to the floor.  “What?”

“Welcome to the life of private aviation, Seo Iseul.  Now let’s go.  The traffic is crazy at this hour.”  Kai says, before turning around on his heels again.  “Where are your bags?”

“Wait wait!!”  I quickly run after him.  “We’re gonna fly in… a private jet?”

Kai looks at me with a little smug smile.  “Uh-huh.”

“Like, a real private jet?  That you own?  That actually flies?”

Kai grins.  “Yeah, a real private jet that we own.  It’s not one of those Presidential jets.  Maybe we bought it from there, I don’t know, but it’s the HOC’s.  So don’t panic, they’re on standby at this secluded backlot of Incheon that people who fly commercial don’t know about already.”

“But… I mean… we’re only going to Hong Kong!  Why on Earth would we need to use a jet?” 

“Because we own it, smarty.  What are we going to do with it if not use it?”

“How did you guys even buy a jet in the first place?”  I ask, still in shock.  “And like, isn’t flying commercial, say, first class, just as comfortable?”

Kai turns around to look at me completely and looks at me like I’m joking.  “Because, Iseul, when you’ve got the money, you can either travel the easy way or the hard way.  The hard way is to fly commercial like 90% of the rest of the population and get caught in that cluster of an airport called Incheon, and basically anywhere else in the world except Singapore’s Changi, maybe.  The easy way is to buy a jet and have it at your disposal, ready to be used anytime you like, with an army of ground staff waiting to roll the red carpet down for you when you arrive and a crew of on-board attendants ready to serve you any kind of champagne you’d like.  I personally prefer the easy way, but if you really want to take the hard way, I can get you on the next flight to Hong Kong and arrange for someone to pick you up once you land.  I’m game if you are.” 

My mouth is hanging wide open by the end of his elaborate explanation, and all I can think of is how loaded are you guys?

But I don’t actually ask that, of course.  Instead I shut my mouth and nod obediently.  “The easy way it is.”

“Smart choice.”  Kai nods approvingly.  “Okay so back to the question.  Where are your bags?  Let’s go down to the basement.  Everyone is waiting already.” 

“There, by the couch.”  I say, quickly jumping over to help him.  “Wait, Kai, where’s yours?”

“No, wait.  Where’s yours?”  He asks, looking around.

“Huh?”  I glance unsurely at the bags before me.  “Oooh.  Mine is this one!”  I tell him, pointing at the mountain climbing backpack that I used to use all throughout high school and college whenever I went on a short trip.  “The little suitcase is Jongguk’s.  I found it in the top shelf of his cupboard!”

“What are you doing in that thing?” Kai wrinkles his nose.  “Can you even fit enough spare in that?”

“Of course!  I think I have enough for a couple of days.”  I say pretty proudly.  “Don’t worry, it won’t rip or anything.  This is pretty heavy duty.”

Kai looks perfectly horrific by now.  “Whatever.  Get everything out!  Unpack Jongguk’s suitcase too.  We’re gonna move his stuff to mine and you can use his suitcase.  We’re not bringing that thing.”

“Why?”  I groan.  “This thing has everything I need, I’m telling you!  Unpacking is sooo much work!”

Kai sighs and massages his temple.  “Seul, we’re going to one of Asia’s most rapidly developing countries, not a hiking trail up Mount Seorak.  I am not going to be caught dead leaving a private jet with you looking like Dora.  Now please, just listen to me and take Jongguk’s suitcase, okay?  I still have a lot of room in mine.” 

Nodding in defeat, I say, “Okay.”

I sit down on the floor and immediately get to work and fish out my stuff one by one.  Aiiiiish, what’s wrong with this carrier anyway?!  It’s so cool and sporty!  I know, I know I’m just a couch potato but I can at least act like I am, can’t I?  Now I can’t!  And I even have everything neatly rolled up already too!  Now Kai wants me to unpack mine, and unpack Jongguk’s too—

“Oh my!”  Kai says, suddenly crouching down beside me.  “Are these yours?”

“What?  Of course they are— YAAAAAH!!!”

There, crouching beside me, is Kai, dangling one of my embarrassing bright yellow grandma up off his index finger!!! 

!! 

I’M GOING TO DIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!

“OHMYGOD WHAT THE !!” I yell, quickly snatching it away.  “KAAAAII!!”

“These too?”  He asks, lifting up another one.  Oh my God, it’s the one in mint now.  I hope he doesn’t realize that—

“Wait, do you have one of these in every color?!”  He asks, beginning to laugh.

“GO.  AWAY!!”  I scream, shoving him violently.  Kai rolls on his bum the floor, now laughing boisterously.  OH MY GOOOOOD the embarrassment!!!  AAAAAH!!  I want to escape!!!!  OMMAAAAAA!!!

“Is there one for every day of the week?” He continues, fishing out another purple one. 

“NO!!  Put that down, !”  I yell, feeling my cheeks flame up again.  OMG, I totally regret putting all my underwear in a pile!  But that’s how normal people pack, isn’t it?!  What should be eliminated is this psycho right here!

.

He hasn’t seen my bra right?  He hasn’t, has he?  If he has, I’m going to die.  I’m going to literally die!!  If he finds out how small my s are—

“Is this your—“

“NO!  It’s not!”  I quickly snatch everything within eyesight away from him and begin shoving them rapidly back into my humongous backpack.  “Go away!!  Shoo!!”

“Um, Seul?”

“Whaaaat?”  I cry, still trying to squeeze a shirt into my backpack again.  “Go take your stuff, Kai!”

“Blue reporting for attendance here.”  He says, and suddenly, a blue underwear drops right before my eyes and floats in the air.  “Please do not leave me lying on the floor.”

“ASDKJBFKDSDKFLMFH!!!!” I screech incoherently, ready to die of humiliation already.  Oh my God, ottokhae?!!  I WANT TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE FLOOR ALREADY!!

“You know, being in Hong Kong with me for a couple of days… I was secretly hoping you’d pack a thong or a g-string or at least something for me.”  Kai continues saying, obviously enjoying how I’m ready to combust into a ball of flame.  “But sadly, all I got was—“

Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it—

“—grandma .”

“YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” I scream, thwacking his arm violently.  “THEY.  ARE.  COMFORTABLE!” 

Kai bursts out laughing again while I’m rapidly turning into a giant tomato.  He rolls around on the ground with his feet kicking in the air and continues to laugh loudly like the buffoon he is until Jongguk comes dawdling into the scene as well.

“Appa!  What happened?!” 

Kai immediately sits up and ruffles Jongguk’s hair.  “Your noona was just being cute as always, Guk.”

I glare at him in disbelief.  After mortally embarrassing my wits out of me, he still has the nerve to call me cute?!  I’ll show him cute!  By ignoring him for at least the next 24 hours!

“But appa, she looks mad.”  Jongguk whispers loud enough for me to hear.

“Yeah, she’s currently mad at me right now.”  Kai says, still smiling unapologetically.  I give him my laser death glare again.  That smile should go to hell because it’s going to disrupt my ignore Kai plan before I can even begin! 

“You should say sorry, appa!” 

“I think I’ll just take her shopping, Guk.”  Kai says, grinning even wider.  “There are some things I’d like to buy her because I don’t like the ones she currently has now…”

My eyes widen and I nearly choke on my own saliva.  Is he planning to take me… lingerie shopping?!

“And I think your noona needs some new ones too.”  Kai says, winking at me suggestively. 

Ignore him, Iseul.  Do not succumb to temptation.

You know what, it.

“You are not taking me anywhere!  I hate you!”  I huff angrily before dragging my bag and Jongguk’s a few meters away from him so I can unpack in peace. 

I hear Kai laughing again from behind me.  “She’s so cute, isn’t she, Jongguk?”

He thinks I’m cute when I’m mad?

Well, better think again!

I unload my bag and quickly rearrange everything into Jongguk’s suitcase are setting all his stuff in neat piles on the floor beside me.  Should I buy some thongs for Kai on purpose and leave them hanging all over the house for fun??  Just wait until I get my on an actual thong, Kim Jongin, you will be shook!! 

Um, but, not saying that he’s actually going to see me in a thong, you know, but that is exactly what I’m saying— OH MY GOD just shut up, Hoe-Seul!  Shut up and go away!

“You done?”  Kai suddenly asks, tapping my shoulder from behind.  “Come on, let’s go move all this to my suitcase.” 

Before I can say anything, Kai lifts a pile of Jongguk’s clothes and starts walking towards his room.  “Come on Seul, we have to leave soon!”

“Aish!”  I huff, forever whining internally.  “Jongguk, wait here for a while, okay?”

Having no other choice, I jump up to follow him with another pile of Jongguk’s clothes in my arms.  Ignoring Kai would be impossible at this rate!  I’m going to be stuck with him for the next three days or something!  And the rest of the guys are going to start questioning things too, and I can’t possibly tell them that I’m ignoring Kai over a certain discovery he made, can I?  I can’t expose my grandma to them too!!

“Oof!”  I stumble back a bit in surprise.  I glance up and see Kai staring thoughtfully at me, his lips a little pursed.  !  That means I just walked head-first into his chest!  Way to go Iseul!  Why do you always try to break your own embarrassing record—

“Are you really mad at me, princess?”  Kai asks, bending his neck a bit to get to my eye level. 

“Princess?  Why don’t you call me grandma instead, huh?” I say sarcastically.

Kai tilts his head and purses his lips a little, making that cute pouty look I hate because it is my ultimate weakness.  “Grandma?  I don’t like it.  Such a turn off.  How ‘bout baby?”

.  .  He’s not really gonna call me baby, is he?  The minute he refers to me as