A/N: So sorry for the late update! I was out of the country for two weeks and I had to deal with jetlag, I couldnt write chapters with my half-asleep, half-floating in the air state. Hope you guys understand.

Enjoy the chappie!

“Just spit it out, Kris.”

Kris paused and looked up to meet her gaze, Gu Li was still concentrating on her spaghetti, she chucked and looked up. They had been eating quietly when she decided to talk to him.

“What are you saying?”

“You look like you want to ask me something, go ahead.” She nodded to him.

Kris contemplated, his brows furrowed briefly.

“I…heard about you and Kim Jongin.”

“Ah, Kai?”

“Yes, I think it was Mark, he was the one who reminded Lay about Kai.”

“Well,” Gu Li let go of her fork and tapped his fingers on the table softly.

“I met Kai three years back, we started dating a year after, then before I left for Seoul, we broke up. Now, thinking about it I don’t think we were serious about being together.”

“How so?”

“I never talked about this to anybody but,”

“Gu Li, it’s fine, I didn’t mean to~” Kris grew flustered, he realized what he was doing.

“It’s fine, Kris. It’s just you.” She smiled and nodded.

“Well, I think the reason we got together was just because we were both running away from our families. He wants to be a doctor, and work at a hospital, not sitting inside a corporate office here in Seoul. Just like me, I prefer being out and about instead of being stuck in society.”

“…You don’t like being here?”

Gu Li paused, her lips quivered slightly.

“It doesn’t really make me comfortable, but new friends make it bearable.” She nodded before eating again, Kris paused but he smiled back.

Gu Li stepped in Lay’s villa and found Chaerin cooking in the kitchen, or attempting to cook.

“Great.” She muttered as she went up to her room, she found her two dogs lounging on the carpet.

“You guys smelled it too?” She shuddered before dropping herself on the couch, then Lay stepped in her room.

“Mei,”

She looked up, then she paused there was something in Lay’s eyes that told her something different from the smile he was showing her.

“Yeah?” She sat up, Lay gave her a small smile before sitting beside her and wrapping her in his arms, Gu Li blinked in surprise but she just let him hug her.

“Is something wrong, ge?”

It took a moment before Lay replied, she heard him take a deep breathe before replying.

“Nothing, I just wanted to hug you, is that bad?” He chided before letting go, Gu Li glanced at the desk calendar on her coffee table.

Five weeks till the wedding.

She bit her lip, but she mustered a smile.

“Not really, don’t we have that resort opening tomorrow?”

Lay nodded.

“Luhan ge said he’d pick you up,” He shrugged, Gu Li nodded then Lay stood up.

“Don’t worry, I made back up wonton noodles for you.” Lay chuckled before heading out of her room. Gu Li chuckled then the door closed behind her cousin, she sighed and grabbed her phone.

“Oppa,” She said.

“I know, we’ve been..analyzing the intel we just got, Gu Li, I really think you need to get bodyguards, whatever these Gus are doing~”

“No, I don’t need to think about that. I need the evidence.”

“Well, it’s not strong enough to expose them, they have friends in the higher ups.” Changmin replied with a sigh, Gu Li bit her lip, her eyes started pool.

“I cant stand it oppa…seeing him like this, he’s trying to hide everything, and…he’s failing at it….It breaks me inside.” She choked.

“Gu Li, I’m…sorry, I really want this to go through but…”

Gu Li just put her phone down.

Gu Li was dressed in ripped boyfriend jeans, a racer back crop top and strappy heels as she stepped out of the gate, she smiled as she saw Luhan waiting for her with his Bugatti Veyron.

“Though I don’t know why you volunteered to pick me up, I’m glad I don’t get to ride with Chaerin and Lay.” She nodded, the older male chuckled and opened the car’s door for her.

“We’re on the same side, remember?” He grinned as he closed the door.

Gu Li glanced at him as he started the car.

“What is it, ge?”

Luhan frowned as he stepped on the gas.

“A few days ago….remember when Lay went home late?”

Gu Li nodded slowly.

“Well, late for him, he’s usually home by seven, I remember Tao hauling him up to the front door around eleven.” Gu Li recalled.

“Well, he was drinking..a lot.” Luhan stated, Gu Li paused, her cousin was never the type to drink, he wouldn’t even touch one tiny glass of soju.

“The bartender at the hotel called Tao and told him that he started drinking around three in afternoon, he skipped all his meetings and..”

Gu Li turned quiet, she was so busy hating Chaerin and she didn’t notice how affected her older cousin was, she didn’t notice how her attitude towards his marriage also stressed him. The marriage itself gave Lay so much stress and yet he still wanted to please everybody.

“I know you already have a lot in your hands…but mei, can you please…talk to him? I mean..I don’t mean to interfere~”

“You’re not, ge. It’s my fault, I should have watched over him.”

Luhan nodded.

“Can…you talk to him? Tell him that he doesn’t have to do it.” Luhan asked, Gu Li nodded.

“I was planning to do the same thing anyway.”

Chen smiled and waved as he saw Gu Li and Luhan approaching, Tao grinned and bounded to the older girl and gave her a hug.

“Uncle Tao, I’m supposed to greet her first!” Jilliane protested as she wriggled out of Kris’s hold and ran to Gu Li, Kris just smiled in amusement.

“Hi, ges.” Gu Li smiled as she approached them, they were sitting under a beach hut at the VIP section of the resort.

Xiumin pinched the girl’s cheek before asking her to sit.

“I think I probably should check in, ge.” Gu Li nodded, Kris looked up, then his brows rose up. She looked troubled and agitated.

“Gu Li,” He stood up before she could leave them.

“I’ll walk you to the hotel.” Kris stated, Gu Li nodded. Kris picked up her leather duffel and walked with her.

They walked in silence for a while, Kris started to grow worried.

He heard Gu Li sigh heavily, he looked at her. Then she started to shake her head and pressed her forehead against his chest. Kris dropped the bag on the sand as he noticed that his shirt was getting damp.

“Gu Li~” Kris pulled back to look at her face, she was crying.

“Stress. Stress is doing this to me.” She cursed to herself, Kris’s brows furrowed.

“I’m useless, I thought I was doing everything to help him, but…” She choked, Kris just rubbed her arms comfortingly.

“I’m sorry, ge, I shouldn’t be doing this in front of you but~”

He shook his head and just wrapped one arm around her.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

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