Minseok, or Xiumin, is sure he's dying.

“I feel like I'm going to melt,” he complains to Jongdae (Chen??). They've earned the day off, except Jongin and Kyungsoo (no one knows why), and they're all taking advantage of the free time.

“Am I supposed to care?” Jongdae asks, looking up from his bowl of ramen (it's all he actually eats nowadays).

“Yes, you're supposed to care! I think I need an ice bath…” Minseok trails off, checking his phone. He has a text from Luhan. “Don't electrocute yourself...again.”

Minseok grabs the bag of ice from the freezer, and strides limps to the bathroom. He fills the tub with cold water, and then dumps the ice. He strips and eases his body into the icy water, and aaahhh, that hits the spot. He checks his message from Luhan.

From: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [10:39am]

hey minnie! (｡´∀｀)ﾉ

To: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:23am]

Hello.

From: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:25am]

what u doin?

To: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:26am]

Taking an ice bath.

What are you doing?

From: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:29am] 

ooohh sounds cold ( ´△｀)

im comin back from gettin bubble tea w/bb

To: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:31am]

Who's “bb”?

From: Lu-Baby (●´□`)♡ [11:35am]

sehunnie

he begged me 2 take him lol cute huh

Minseok didn't find this funny nor cute, however and felt a pang in his chest. He didn't want to admit that he was jealous, because he wasn't, so he just continues to text the other boy. His ice bath isn't as enjoyable when he's fine with envy.

He ends their conversation saying he needs a nap. He lays face-first on the couch, groaning into a pillow for the nth time. Jongdae is beyond annoyed with his antics as he's been subjected to the noise for the past thirty minutes.

“Dude, you need to get laid or something. This is getting out of control; you need to stop moping by the time Junmyeon gets here, or else I might do something we'll both regret,” Jongdae nags, hands finding their way to his hips.

“You act like Junmyeon cares that I'm emotionally and mentally not okay. And the thing that we'll both regret you doing is most likely throwing a huge fit, and ruining the electrical system in the entire building...oh wait, you've done that already,” Minseok argues, irking Jongdae's nerves.

“I want you to stop it because Junmyeon cares, and he gets all kind and worried about you and he doesn't focus on me like I want him to. Also, could you please keep the past behind us?” Jongdae sighs, pouting a little bit. Minseok gets up.

“Fine, I'll leave, so Junmyeon can bone you in peace.” Jongdae throws a pillow at Minseok's retreating figure, missing by a mile.

**

“That's the problem; he won't talk to me,” Chanyeol explains over the phone to Wufan (¡Kris?). He can hear soft snoring in the background--Zitao (Tao.) he thinks--and it makes him feel worse about the Baekhyun situation.

“Have you tried reading his body language? Is he uncomfortable around you?” Wufan sounds like an adult (he isn’t, but scarily enough acts like one, too), and Chanyeol trusts him.

“No, he acts normal around me...it's just that...he won't talk to me. I really wish I can make him like me again.” Chanyeol wants to cry, but that's not attractive--wait a minute, what if he cries to get Baekhyun (back???).

“Well, from what I know, Baek’s a big softie, so you should-”

“Cry,” Chanyeol finishes. 

“...No? I was gonna say write him a poem or song...yeah write him something heartfelt and sweet, and maybe flaunt your fire because he's into that?” Wufan states, turning into a question at the end.

“Yeah...Yeah, I'll do that, and then cry! Thanks FanFan!” Chanyeol hangs up on Wufan’s sputtering. 

Now...that song, Chanyeol thinks to himself, pulling out a notebook and a pencil.

**

“For Christ’s sake, shut up!” Sehun exclaims, and Luhan closes his mouth immediately. 

“...Sorry,” Luhan mutters, feeling a little hurt by the younger boy’s sudden outburst.

Sehun lets out a regretful sigh. “Hyung, I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I just can't help you when you're talking a mile a minute.”

“Still, you could've been a little nicer, I mean you didn't have to yell at me.” Luhan still looks upset, and Sehun knows that he's gonna have to do a little more than beg to get bubble tea again.

“You're right, hyung; I'm sorry. Now, to help you; Minseok-hyung is probably jealous.”

“What? Why would he be jealous?” Luhan asks, bewildered.

“You said he stopped texting you normally after you mentioned me, so maybe he likes you and he got jealous. I know because it's how I used to get with you and Yixing,” Sehun explains with a shrug and the tilt of his head.

“Oh, really?” Luhan smirks, he's gonna have some fun with this information.

Luhan proceeds to drag the younger boy out of Yixing(¡¡¡Lay!!!)'s embrace and out of the dorm. They end up outside of Minseok and Jongdae’s dorm, and Sehun is beginning to piece together what was happening.

“Jongdae? I know you're in there, I can smell you thinking!”

“That's not even-- I can't believe I feel for that again,” Jongdae complains, footsteps coming to the door. He opens it, and looks at Luhan and Sehun’s joined hands.

“Don't question it; where's Minseok?” Luhan says, peeping over Jongdae. He spots Junmyeon (¿Suho?), and waves, getting a tired one in return.

“I don't know. Can you go now?” Jongdae whines, crossing his legs...oh Luhan understands now and his smirk reappears.

“Sure thing, but, uh, I need a location...an exact location would be nice.” Damn Luhan and that stupid eye smile.

“Uh…” he looks back to Junmyeon; they communicate with their eyes, “come in.”

Fifteen minutes pass in a tense, awkward silence. Jongdae can't sit still, Junmyeon is acting different, Sehun is confused, and Luhan is enjoying every second of this. By the time Jongdae's face matches the color of his solo cup, Luhan's bored and decides to have mercy on him by grabbing Sehun and leaving.

“Oh, hey guys...why-” Baekhyun starts as he opens the door to his dorm.

“Don't question it; is Minseok here?” Luhan cuts in.

“Uh...yeah, why?” Luhan pushes past Baekhyun.

“Oh, what's up, Minnie! Wanna go get some bubble tea with us?” Luhan asks, joking with Minseok. Minseok’s face begins to redden, and Luhan's not sure if it's from shyness or envy.

“Um…” Minseok ducks down on the couch.

Luhan drops Sehun (quite literally), and goes to the back of the couch. “Minnie,” he whispers, “what are you doing?”

“Um…” Minseok mumbles, avoiding any form of contact with Luhan. “B-Baekhyun...help.”

Baekhyun leaves his post at the door checking on Sehun to aid Minseok. He places a hand Luhan's shoulder, and moves Luhan away. He looks the elder in the eye, as if saying ‘back off’, but Luhan just brushes him off.

“Ugh, Minseok, listen to me,” he waits for Minseok to shyly lift his head, “I like you, okay! God, I like you, so much, it's not even funny. I've liked you since day one, and...ugh I can't deal with my feelings very well, and I just...like you.”

“...L-Luhan I...wow...I don't-I just-um...I l-like you, t-too,” Minseok struggles out, face flushing all shades of red. Baekhyun and Sehun stand there, mouths wide open in shock. Did that just happen?

**

Kyungsoo (¿¡¿D.O.?!?) arrives back at the dorms around four, and walks into the first dorm room he encounters. He face plants as soon as he takes a step in.

“Oh, hey, Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol calls to him, surrounded by notebook paper, and gets a lifeless grunt in response.

“I'm guessing it went well?” Chanyeol says sarcastically, laughing a bit when Kyungsoo flips him off.

“I feel overworked...underappreciated. I want Jongin (Kai!)…” Kyungsoo complains into the floorboards. 

“Tell him that,” Chanyeol says; Kyungsoo's head snaps up. “He's not here, but it's good blackmailing material to know that you like him.”

“He already knows...we just...don't know what we are to each other.”

“Aww man; note to self: I need more blackmailing info...anyways, write him a poem, sing him a song...he's a softie, y’know,” Chanyeol recites from his earlier conversation with Wufan.

“I'm...not sure-”

“Oh, but I am. Just do it, ‘Soo. You won't regret it, and he'll love it because you're an amazing singer,” Chanyeol cuts Kyungsoo off with a smile.

“Oh...Okay.”

**

“Take a break, kid,” Irene sighs, slightly disappointed in the lack of progress he’s showing.

Jongin breathes a sigh of relief, and goes to take a swig, or two...or nine from his water bottle. He lies in the grass of the field breathing heavily. The two onlookers (Amber and Taeyeon) go over to Irene.

“Why are you working him so hard? He's shown exceptional growth in the past week-” Amber starts, but Irene starts walking away. “If you'd take him to Sooman for testing, he would be two levels higher than he was before; four at the most. I don't know why you keep holding him longer than it’s needed--he should be here training half the time you keep him. You need to-”

“Enough!” Irene snaps. “I don't know what kid you've been watching, but it certainly isn't this one. He's nowhere near where I want him to be. I'm his mentor, and I am in charge of how much progress it takes to level him up.” Jongin can hear the entire conversation from his position in the grass; he closes his eyes, afraid that if he opens them he'll get in trouble.

“Kai!” Irene’s shrill voice sounds. He jumps at the sound of his new name and rushes over to her.

“Y-Yes ma'am?” He stutters.

“Do you feel overworked? Am I too hard on you?” She asks, a threatening tone to her voice. Jongin swallows to moisten his now dry throat.

“Um…”

“The kid's terrified of you, Irene. Look, Kai--I’m Taeyeon, by the way--answer the question honestly. Then we're going to Mr. Sooman,” Taeyeon grins, then looks pointedly at Irene.

“O-Okay...um, a little bit...I think you're a little too hard on me, like I've never hated training until now? Not like I hate you, or anything; I just...hate coming to training...now?” Jongin's confession ends as a question, though he doesn't mean for it to end that way. Taeyeon wraps an arm around his shoulder, a smile gracing her lips.

“It's okay, she'll be fine,” she gives Irene another pointed look (Irene looks away, almost guilty), “now, care to poof us to Sooman's office?” They leave Irene alone in the field, rethinking her training methods.

**

“Done!” Chanyeol exclaims, holding up the song. Now all he has to do is give the song a title...Listen to the Letter.

He picks up his prepped guitar and the sheet, and speeds out of his room to Baekhyun’s, not bothering to close the door in his haste. He knocks with the confidence of a cockroach (those cocky bastards), and waits proudly outside for an answer. Baekhyun opens the door, and nearly slams it in Chanyeol's gorgeous face. Chanyeol stops the door with his foot.

“Baekhyun, please…” Baekhyun lets out an annoyed sigh.

“What do you want, Chanyeol?” Chanyeol grins so wide it's creepy.

“Let me serenade you.” With that, he puts his guitar strap on his shoulder, and hands Baekhyun the paper. “That's for you to follow along,” he informs; Baekhyun nods shallowly.

Chanyeol presses his fingers onto the frets in the shape of the first chord, which happens to be A-flat, and picks the finger-picking pattern. He plays the pick up, and he begins singing:

저 별을 가져다 너의 두 눈에 선물하고 싶어

내 모든 걸 다 담아서 전해주고파

Sometimes I cry 널 잃을까

Sometimes I feel 내 품에 잠들어 있는 너

I promise you 첫눈이 오는 날에

I promise you 너와 함께

두 손을 마주잡고 그날을 거닐며 외쳐

I love you 잡은 두 손은 흐르는 세월 모르길

Baekhyun is moved by the lyrics (translated below**), and is nearly in tears at how heartfelt they are. He blinks as his vision blurs, and when he opens his eyes, Chanyeol’s guitar strings are on fire.

“Ch-Chanyeol! How can you--Your guitar!” He shouts, trying to figure out what to do.

“I know, isn't it cool?” Chanyeol says, loving how worried Baekhyun looks.

“Wait...you did that yourself? How?”

“Before I got here, I put oil on my strings, so when I release d the fire from my fingertips-”

“-The flame went down the strings as you played...but wouldn't your entire guitar catch flame? Unless it's fireproof, but that's silly-”

“Oh, trust me, it's fireproof. I made it myself...because I'm clumsy, and I've burned two other guitars to ashes...so I made this one to prevent getting chewed out about burning another guitar,” Chanyeol states, confidence dying out with the flames on his guitar strings (self-extinguishing guitar strings). Baekhyun looks on in astonishment.

“That's so cool...how did you build it? It must've taken ages…” Baekhyun continues to ramble, and Chanyeol is listening to every word (ignoring the cramp forming in his legs from standing for so long). They talk for hours, still standing in the corridor outside of Baekhyun's dorm room.

**

Minseok is warned to stay out of his room for a while (Luhan's words), so he hangs out with Luhan, Sehun, and Yixing. They don't have anything funny to do, so they just sit around and talk. 

“I would go get Cards Against Humanity, but…” Minseok doesn't finish, just grimaces in place of the naughty words.

“Next time, Minnie; bring it next time,” Luhan says, wrapping his arm around the older boy.

“What's that?” Sehun asks, more to Yixing that anyone else in the room.

“It's a card game-” Luhan starts.

“-A fun card game-” Minseok supplies.

“-For big kids, Sehunnie...I don't know if you're old enough…” Yixing finishes, looking like a parent.

“What? I'm totally old enough to play...in fact, I'll go get the game myself to show you,” Sehun declares, getting up from his seat on the bed (more like Yixing's lap).

“Sehun-ah, even I won't go in there--and it's my dorm. I wouldn't advise it, so sit down,” Minseok demands, and Sehun visibly deflates. He sits back down, and cuddles even closer to Yixing than he was before.

“What do you have me saved as in your phone?” Luhan asks, looking at everyone for a response.

“Luhan-gege smiley face,” Yixing answers with a smile.

“Evil Hyung Number Six,” Sehun answers, sly smile replaced with a sheepish look when Luhan glares.

“Minnie?” Luhan presses, knowing it has to be something affectionate.

“Um...Lu-Baby with a wanting emoticon…” Minseok mutters bashfully, flush slowly creeping onto his round cheeks.

“Cute,” Luhan whispers so only Minseok can hear, and presses a secretive kiss below his ear.

“What about me?” Sehun pipes in.

“내세훈~ (my sehun~),” Minseok quips.

“Sehunnie~ heart heart heart,” Luhan answers with an exaggerated wink.

“宝宝 世勋(băobăo shìxūn; baby Sehun),” Yixing says, the hearts in his eyes very evident.

“Ooh me! What about me?” Yixing asks.

“Tweedle-,” Luhan snickers, earning a pinch from Minseok and a pout from Yixing.

“China-Line #3,” Minseok says.

“남자 친구 (namja chingu; boyfriend),” Sehun said with a slight blush appearing with the looks he gets from his hyungs.

“And finally...Minseok!” Luhan announces. “I have you as: Minnie-Buns heart eyes.”

“Minseok-hyung heart,” Sehun says.

“My Roommate’s Boyfriend,” Yixing says with an evil smirk (he totally called it months ago).

They spend the rest of the night talking about silly things, and fall asleep together on Yixing's large bed.

**

“It's kinda creepy how you stalked me for three months, and thought it wasn't noticeable,” Wufan says nonchalantly, looking at Zitao with a faraway expression.

“It wasn't meant to be creepy, Wufan-ge...I couldn't help it,” Zitao blushes as he tries to explain himself.

“I know, I'm just teasing. Are we…you know…?” Wufan asks, not really want to say the words caught in his throat.

“A couple?” Zitao offers, getting a slight nod from Wufan. “...Do...Do you want us to be?”

“Um…” Wufan is growing uncomfortable at the path this conversation is headed down. Zitao notices this, and place a calming hand on Wufan's thigh.

“We don't have to, Wufan-ge...We don't have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“No...it's okay...I just at expressing my feelings,” Wufan pauses to take a deep breath, “I want to...be a couple, but I'm sc-scared…”

“Scared of what?” Zitao's heart is beating rapidly in his chest.

“Scared...of chasing you away because...I'm not good at...emotions, and I don't want you to feel like it's one-sided.”

“Wu Yifan, I don't care about your inability to sense human emotions; I care about you...I care about you,” Zitao says, the second time is whispered to Wufan as Zitao brings his face closer and closer.

“I-I care about you, too,” Wufan mumbles against Zitao's lips as they reach his in a passionate kiss. The kiss sealed the deal; they didn't need words anymore. They didn't need words to speak because the words on their tongues are transferred to the other without disconnecting their lips.

**

“How was it?” A giddy Chanyeol asks Jongin when he arrives back at the dorm.

“It was...good, I suppose,” Jongin pauses.

“Why are you so happy? Are you and Baek dating yet?”

“You could put it that way,” Chanyeol says, practically beaming.

“...Okay,” Jongin drawls. “Oh! I have something very important to say. Other than the fact that I've gone up two levels, I know the enemy is!”

“Wait, seriously?” This fact snaps Chanyeol back to reality. “Who is it?”

“They're these two teams--kinda like us, but banded together for evil--from these two schools that have wanted Sooman's head on a silver platter for over twenty years! Their-”

“Wait...why?”

“I was getting to that. Anyways, their schools have suffered from the success of Lee Sooman. They hate him for it, and have been threatening to ‘take him out’ for over twenty years! So now they've finally gotten the ‘strongest' from their schools, and banded together to get rid of Sooman for good!” Jongin was way too excited to tell this story. “The two schools are Big Hit School for Big Talent and JYP School for the Gifted, or BHSBT and JYPSG. Their best teams are called BTS and Got7, which to me doesn't sound all that intimidating.”

“Those teams sound familiar...where do I know them from?”

“...You're right! They were touring the school a few weeks back! They were probably trying assess our abilities, so that means...what if they knew we were gonna be a team before we did?” Jongin realizes, and he's starting to realize so much more now that his abilities have advanced; he's able to piece it all together.

“Woah...hey wait, why don't we have a cool name?” Chanyeol pouts.

“Oh, yeah I forgot; we do. We are...EXO!”

{3131 words}

A little treat for you guys because i couldn't wait until saturday to update!! Hope you enjoy it, and yes...couples are finally starting to get together or are they?????

Hope you enjoyed!! Below are the translated to Chanyeol's song (btw in case you didn't know he covered this song and it's the best ever okay???)

**I want to take the stars and give them to your eyes,

put my everything into them and give them to you.

Sometimes I cry thinking I might lose you.

Sometimes I feel you fall asleep in my arms.

I promise you, on the day the first snow falls,

I promise you, together with you, we'll hold each other's hands and wander through the day,

I'll yell that I love you. I hope our linked hands will be unaware of the passing time.**

-Byun Baconboy