Chapter One;

March 20
Santorini, Greece

The Santorini airport was a pathetic excuse of a building. The direct flight was a few minutes late on departure and landing, depositing us in the tempered island air around 5PM. Minseok and I immediately hailed a cab and asked to go to the local police station. 

"Police station?" The taxi driver, who had complimented us on our English, looked confused. "Have you guys lost something?"

"Kind of," Minseok replied with a sigh, picking up one of my hands and lacing our fingers together. Baekhyun was our lost item for the day. 

The taxi driver shrugged, but started on the road. 

"Did you guys just land?" he asked, glancing at us in his rear view mirror. "Where from?"

"Barcelona," I answered. I rolled down the window to let in some of the fresh breeze and gave Minseok's hand an excited squeeze. It was exciting to be here after all. The architecture was so white, unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

"Are you guys ... newlyweds?" the taxi driver's eyes twinkled as he took in our clasped hands. "Santorini is popular for honeymooners."

"Ah, unfortunately I'm not that lucky yet," Minseok replied with a good natured chuckle. "We are just visiting an old friend." 

I turned to look at him in surprise, but Minseok was also looking out of the window, enjoying the scenery. 

It was a short drive to the station and the taxi driver made chitchat. "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay." The kind driver waved a goodbye at the station and drove off. 

The Santorini police station was also kind of a sad excuse for a building. Inside, there seemed to only be three people on duty, one of whom looked too old to even move, let alone enforce the law or fight crime. As soon as we walked in, they seemed to know that we were there for Baekhyun, who was sitting at one of the back tables, feet on the table and eating cup noodle. He brightened when he saw us, and started waving excited. Baekhyun had also gone back to his natural black hair, parted in the middle and pushed back from his face. Same button nose, puppy eyed Byun Baekhyun with a -eating grin. 

"What did he do?" I asked the old police man as Minseok went to the atm at the convenience store nearby to withdraw money to spring Baekhyun. 

"Destroyed public property belonging to the city," the old man explained shortly. "Your friend is very loud. He's been talking our ears off and we're very glad to get rid of him."

I could hear Baekhyun's cackle of laugher from the back at that.

It cost us 9000 Euros to get Baekhyun out of jail. The first thing he did was wrap an arm around my neck and the other around Minseok's and squeeze us into a death hug. 

"Baek, air," I coughed, trying to escape. Minseok was just laughing, letting Baekhyun topple us all over. 

"I'm sorry, Son Mina, I just haven't seen you in almost two whole years. Excuse my emotions," Baekhyun muttered, giving me full sass. He let go of us and turned to study Minseok. "Hyung, you got tanner."

"I live on a beach, Baekhyun. What did you expect?"

Baekhyun turned fluttering eyelashes to me. "Mina is still as fair as ever though."

Minseok reached out to give Baekhyun a little shove. "Stop flirting with my girlfriend or I'm taking my money back and you're going back to jail."

I could see Baekhyun's eyes sparkling at the girlfriend part. I'm sure he already knew, since he had talked to J recently. J always knew everything. "Please, they're so glad to get rid of me," he replied flippantly. "Can we go now? I've been stuck in this building all day."

"Where to?"

"You guys should stay with me in Fira, of course," Baekhyun said. "It's the least I could do after making you guys fly here on a whim to rescue me. I'll return the money as soon as I get in contact with Jongdae."

"Don't worry about it," Minseok said at once, waving Baekhyun's words away as he led us to a bench at the nearest bus stop. Money wasn't really a problem with us anyway. "More importantly, are you going to tell us what happened?"

"Yeah, as soon as I figure out the whole story," Baekhyun muttered, suddenly serious. "I was double-crossed, I know that for sure. I need to check in with the crew."

"Where are they?"

"Jongdae, Jongin, and Chanyeol are all in Tokyo," Baekhyun replied. "I hope they weren't too worried. Jongin is going to be pissed when I tell him what happened. I promise to fill you guys in once I get the whole story. In the mean time, you can drop your bags off at my place, and I'll make you guys a dinner reservation at this killer restaurant with the most romantic view."

Minseok caught my eye just as a bus pulled up to the stop and he shrugged, shouldering our duffel bag more securely as he following Baekhyun onto the bus.

Why not, he seemed to say. Why not, indeed. 

March 21
Santorini, Greece

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