I arrived at the locker room, after returning from my schedule at Inkigayo. It went mostly well I guess, but it has been a week now and my problems were still following me everywhere I went.

"Hey Sori, how was Inkigayo?" An extra happy Wendy asks me. She is practically jumping, she must have found more chocolate. Her positivity and optimism is so depressing.

I close the door to my locker and hit my head against it in response. ". My. Life."

Her expression immediately softens "Was it really that bad? Did you lose?"

"No I won." I say blankly as I turn around and slide down to the floor. Wendy quickly joins me.

"Then what is it?"

I raise my eyebrow at her, too exhausted to actually tell her my problem.

She sighs "Chanyeol was there, wasn't he?"

"Bingo. Congratulations." I reply sarcastically. 

"What did he do? He didn't steal your trophy did he? If he did that would be messed up." She chuckles slightly in attempts to cheer me up. 

I smile a little "No he didn't do that, thankfully." I paused for a moment and stared at the wall in front of me. "Its just that every time we see each other in public its always the same, we're always passively provoking one another. Today for instance, after I won, he came up to me and started bragging about all of the trophies exo had one and was suggesting that I would never be as successful. Within a minute he was able to make me feel terrible about myself even though he was talking formally and politely, since we were in public. And it's frustrating because its true, how am I suppose to compete with exo? The most loved boy group in South Korea." I groan to myself "I can't stand him!"

The locker room is quiet for a few seconds, then Wendy bursts out in laughter.

I stare at her confused "Uhh, Wendy? Have you been eating chocolate again?"

She places her hand on my shoulder to settle herself but continues to laugh "No, its just funny. You think you're not as good as exo even though you are going on a worldwide tour that is outside of Asia entirely." Her laughter finally settles and she quickly fixes up her long hair that has crawled to the front of her face "You are famous here, Europe and even the U.S yet exo haven't had a concert outside of Asia. Believe me, Chanyeol is just jealous of you."

My eyebrows raise and I blink, I've never considered that before "You think he is jealous of me?"

She nods "Well at first I just simply thought he didn't like you. But now that you've told me that I'm certain he is jealous and he is just trying to put you down."

I look up at the ceiling, could he be jealous? "Yeah, I guess so." I reply, both to Wendy and to my inner thoughts.

"Listen Sori, don't let that over confident giant get to you, okay? Just focus on yourself and soon you won't have to live with him and you will be performing in front of you fans in Paris, got that?" she asks.

"Yeah I do, thanks Wendy" 

I wait for her to say 'no problem Sori' like she normally would when she helps me out or comforts me but she doesn't. I turn back to her and see her staring in concentration at the painting on the wall.

"Wendy?" I ask

She shakes her head, snapping back to reality "Oh yeah, sorry. Uhh no problem Sori." she uttered. 

"What is it?" I asked, still confused. 

She blinks innocently "Oh nothing, I just remembered I have to record with the others now for the album, cya Sori!" and then Wendy is running furiously out of the locker room and down the hallway.

My friends are so random.

___

Later that night I was in the practice room, alone. I often came here at night so I could improve my dancing technique, since dancing is my strength and I'd like to keep it that way. I also have been coming here more often because it allows me to stay away from you know who. 

Basically the practice room is my safe haven I guess.

While I was practicing some spins my phone started ringing, I jogged towards it and looked at the illuminated screen. When I see my mother's picture on the screen I smile to myself and quickly slide my finger across the phone.

"Hey mum!" I greet her happily, it's been a couple of weeks since we last talked due to her work and the time differences.

"Hi Sori, I've missed you so much. How are you?" My smile grows wider hearing her voice again and I decide to sit on top of the table.

"Great, as always." I lied. "How are you?"

She then talks for a while about things at home. Her job, my dad, my brother, family drama with the relatives, church, gossip, you name it and she talked about it. I'll admit after I while I began to pay less attention and just listened to her voice. I miss being with her and talking in person, you know?

After a while she runs out of things to catch me up on.

"So anyway, what is happening with you? Oh how is Honjae doing? Does she still find it hard to wake up in the morning?" She laughs. Oh and by the way, my mother loves my manager because she is there to take care of me and all of that.

My smile disappears as I remember why I'm not living with her right now. "She is doing well, I don't know about her current sleep habits though. I haven't lived with her in more than a week." I state.

Her tone becomes concerned "What? How come? Is everything okay? What's been going on?"

I let out a sigh "Do you remember that guy I dislike, Chanyeol?"

She pauses for a moment before replying "Yes? From exo?"

"Yup that's him" I confirm. "Well we have been arguing a lot recently so the CEO has forced us to live together in a different apartment. I hate it so much eomma."

"YOU'RE LIVING WITH A BOY?!" She screams into the phone and I'm forced to pull the phone away from my ear for a second.

"Yeah, but we have our own rooms mum. Calm down." I lie again, for obvious reasons "And for the record I'm just as mad about it as you are. I'm not allowed to move back with HonJae until we settle our differences, but that doesn't seem to be working out."

She lowers the volume of her voice again, thankfully "Wait, so both of you don't get along still?"

"Yeah." 

"And you still pretend to be nice on tv?" she asks

"Yeah." I reply again. "Why?"

I hear a noise that sounds like her muffled giggling before she speaks again "You know Sori, I think Chanyeol may have feelings for you."

...

Feelings for me?

Feelings for me...

.....

.... She thinks that...

...

....

WHAT THE MUM?!

"Sori, you still there?"

I jump off the table and start pacing the room.

"Mum! Are you insane?! There is no way that's the case. He hates me!"

"Honey don't shout." she says, coming from the person who broke my left eardrum, "And I also think you may have feelings for him too."

My eyes widen dramatically. Okay this woman has gone crazy.

"Mum. Listen to me. Over confident, rude, gigantic men with pointy ears are not my type." I explain.

She laughs again "Sori that may be what you think but I think you're wrong. And what are you talking about? He is so handsome and sweet on those shows."

I look at the mirror in front of me and find my facial expression has gone blank and I chuckle slightly. "You're an exo-l aren't you?" I say accusingly.

"Hmmmm maybe" she began "But never mind that, don't change the subject. We are talking about you're relationship with this man."

I gag to myself.

Nevertheless she continues "You two sound like children in the school playground. You are mean to each other because you both have cute little crushes on one another."

"Mum, please stop, you're going to make me throw up." I walk back to the table and grab my water bottle. I need to swallow back the vomit threatening to come up from this conversation. "I don't have feelings for him." I state as I take a large gulp of water.

"And I'm sure you don't" she teased. "But I bet you by the time your CEO lets you go back to your old dorm you will be in love with that boy."

I spit take my water and start coughing. "Mum. No." I wheezed as I choked on my water.

"Sori what's that noise."

"Nothing. Just me choking on water." I coughed out.

"Oh you're so silly Sori. Anyway I have to go to work now. Love you sweetie. And good luck on your romance." She says.

I regain my composure "Bye eomma, love you too." Is all I can say and then I hang up the phone.

I take a few deep breaths to myself and repeat the conversation in my head. No, there is no way he likes me. And no way I like him back... right?

Remember what Wendy said, he is only mean to you because he is jealous. That idea sounds so much more logical right now, and I prefer that idea too. So let's just stick with that.

I look down at the floor and curse myself for making a mess everywhere. Why did my mother have to cause me to suffocate. 

I grab a towel from behind me and start wiping the floor.