Are you ready Exo- L, now we officially started 'Kawarimi (replacement)'

Happy birthday to my ultimate bias, our little guardian, bunny king- KIM JUNMYEON..time fly so fast, you're now turn into 27!!

This is your captain speaking...

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Despite of being an idol, Kim Minseok was not an expressive type of person, especially when it come about ‘expressing through words’ department. He rarely opened his mouth or doing the talk unlikes his leader, Kim Junmyeon. And, the leader was not that particularly loud but he knew when, how and where to expressed himself through words, intelligently, elegantly…That’s not something to surprise about, Junmyeon after all was the leader of the group, following years of harvesting experience and never-get-tired-of -practice, he surely could communicate more fluently, flawlessly as if he was made for that role. To further widened the gap, Minseok was far from being aloud for alikes Park Chanyeol or Byun Baekhyun.

If you’re were going to describe Minseok, he was more toward silent type of person, a polite one, a man with action more than his talk – he communicated better with that teasing smirk, little smile, eager and excited nod, soft grin as well as last but not the least, very very occasionally with that trademark cute little aego of his. Even with that his little laugh, his squeak voice rarely escaped his throat. The eldest in the group was in a very subtle way, fitted the definition and mannerism of gentleman, although he didn’t appear to be the one, blamed it (or thanks), to his naturally cute and squishy face. Although his face didn’t do justice to his overall gentleman persona, people found it adorable though and might added to his point. Being silent and all by no way demerit him, because ‘speech is silver, silence is golden’ – in his quietness, he tend to developed keen observation toward people and his surrounding, and thus more calculated and thoughtful before he talked. Never he let his boneless tongue articulate word that do harm to others, as he self-reminded himself – A word, even a single word, can be dreadful, in one way or many ways, it is more powerful than any most powerful sword, because sometimes heart which get hurt by word do not recover completely.

Despite his constant promised to himself which started long time ago that he would talk more, he still felt comfortable to be silent. Silent was comfy to him. In the beginning, the fact that he looked awkward and seemed out of place was bothering him – got into him and slowly ate him in and out, but Junmyeon wisely comforted him, “Sometimes, it will be better if you don’t push yourself…just be yourself, you’ll be fine, hyung…everyone love you just the way you are..”.

Being silent by no way to be complete empty, perhaps it was full of answer. No word at all didn’t mean he was ignorant and heartless, he just wanted to find a perfect time to work on it. Minseok was that kind of person. In the invisibility that people less saw him in the spotlight, he actually cared about other people a lot, especially to their tiny leader, Junmyeon. Silently, just silently, without attracting other people’s attention, he protected the second eldest in the group.

He acted behind the shadow, because after all, he was a guardian of a guardian.

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“Annesayo, I’m Suho. Exo, we are one…”

Word by word coming from Junmyeon, seeped into his ears as Minseok just kept his eyes on a small and lean figure who was standing in the middle of the raw, a common formation that they would made when never they were on the stage, or fan meeting or press conference. The man who was wearing a cap and black leather jacket fitted with a pair of black slack currently holding the microphone, introducing himself and the group to the fans. They were currently at their fan meeting.

Minseok couldn’t help but kept smiling all by himself, as he silently watched his honbae continued with his talk – feeling all proud, because after all these freaking nearly five years, that timid and fragile looking frame was still standing there with them, sharing the same stage, under the same roof and fame.

Once for a while, Minseok as usual nodded eagerly at Junmyeon’s speech when never he felt appropriate. A faint smile still plastered on his beautiful face, but, his mind was already far begone – lingered on certain painful memory that by far there was no way to be erased.

When painful memory is not something to be vanished, sometimes, it should be cherished. The invisible scar could be too deep and troublesome, yes, you will feel aching once in a while, but it remind you from where you belong to, and how you become what you are now. Past is the past, but somehow it is part of us, a seed that make us grow stronger than yesterday, more powerful for our present and future…

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Back then,

***On 15th May 2014, Kris officially walked away from the group – leaving the footprint in every heart of Exo- L and Korean music industry. Losing another captain to sail the ship was so devastating not only to Junmyeon, but also the whole group.

We could see his blinding smile, but it was so painful to look at – as if the knife penetrated his heart through and through, but he was able to pull himself together, summoning every single strength left in him to stand on that stage before your eyes, mustering his own voices to sound collected during their winning speech on ‘M! Countdown 2014’. It was not easy, and he was left alone at that time, but yet Junmyeon had enough courage to take his responsibility as a leader to protect the group as a whole – instead of prise and honour, he selflessly took all the bullet of hatred, anger and disgrace all by himself.

Trying very hard to hold back his tears, Junmyeon gave his winning speech…

“Thank you M Countdown for giving us such big award. Thankful for the fans who love EXO. Today is teacher’s day, teacher Lee Soo Man, really thankful to you. we will never forget this gratitude. Also lovely EXO members, I really love you guys, thank you. and also..our motto is we are one. Just likes this motto, not only thinking of oneselves, but becoming the EXO who thinks of staying together with EXO fans..the EXO who thinks about our exo fans. We will work hard, thank you. We are one, Exo saranghaja..”

Didn’t know why, suddenly they saw nothing but black, their world become dark….

It felt likes, abruptly the whole world turned their back against them. One leader left, it seemed likes the group would collapse in the deafening darkness of emotional turmoil- disappointment, anger, feeling hopeless and helpless were all mixed –

But Junmyeon, such a true leader he was (he is still!!), likes a candle in the dark alley of darkness, bringing back light of hope to the group. No matter how tiny he was, no matter how much you took him for granted, he was the last person to give up..His determination for keeping EXO together was incredibly strong. He was the centre to pull every single string to bring back EXO to their prime – and surprisingly even far better, EXO become stronger, as if they never been shattered by this.

That moment surely was the saddest, but that was also one of Junmyeon’s character defining moment as a leader.

“Suho-ya, It goes without saying that you are the best leader. It’s beautiful how you love and worry for the team more than anyone. It’s not once or twice that we were moved by how you remind yourself every moment of the gratitude toward your fans. We want to support your challenges and watch over your success from the closest distance.” - Team management of EXO.

And that moment surely was the most painful, everything felt likes stopping, but it was not over yet…not yet..this time was their beginning to become a legend…

-Another history was about to reborn again…

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“One question,what did you guys do after MAMA ended”

The question came from one of the interviewers brought Minseok back from the painful nostalgia. All of them suddenly became quite, the question sound refreshing, but at the same time took them off guard.

“Hahaha” Junmyeon’s laugh broke the unshakeable silence. He held his own laugh eruption before contnuedd..”After MAMA ended, Minseok and I had a drink together…Kai with us, but at the end only only both of us left…”

MAMA was over, and all of Exo members had not sleep for more than twenty four hours with non stop practice and ever demanding performance, took toll on their body – all of them felt tired as hell. If they were given a chance, they really want to collapse themselves right on that stage after their performance was over, but no, they had to hold themselves.

Thankfully enough, they finally arrived at their allocated hotel, at their own comfort zone to let loose and just be themselves - It felt likes forever for MAMA to end and for them to reach their hotel. Despite of feeling totally worn out, their amazing success was worth to be celebrated, it didn’t have to be necessarily big celebration, but with simple and small one – that was all they need because their own time and energy limit.

‘Hey, let celebrated it..” Jongin exclaimed excitedly. From corner of his eyes, Minseok could see Junmyeon spare an incredulous glance to their maknae, but nevertheless, his voice sounded forcefully straining to reply, “Okay, but don’t drink too much…”

Looking at them with amusement, Minseok shook his head, silently smiled with their antic – Junmyeon was particularly a strict leader, but not that uptight nowadays, easily gave in especially to maknae’s request.

Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Jongdae, Yixing, and Sehun joined them at Minseok’s room for a while before excusing themselves. Baekhyun especially, looked so done with himself, dragging Kyungsoo with him to their shared room, immediately collapsed on their bed after that. Chanyeol was having broadcast on V-live application, he loved to do that by the way and asked Sehun to join him. Jongdae and yixing didn’t talk too much lately, although they didn’t hold anything against each other – so this was the opportunity for them to spend more time with each other alone.

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“Hey Jongin pull yourself together…” Junmyeon muttered as he held Jongin’s arm as he and sling them across his shoulder, one of his hand draped around the dancer’s waist. Jongin was drunk, already far passed his sober point. He had low alcohol tolerance – he just had a few shot of soju but now he already start to talk incoherently, mumbling about some random stuffs that none of his hyung would comprehend. His limbs already went limp, could barely managed his own self.

“Don’t you think he is too heavy for you?…” Minseok chuckled as he saw Junmyeon almost tripped to the floor as he attempted to support half Jongin’s weight on him. Either that or probably Junmyeon lost most of his weight, thanks to their super hectic schedule or busying himself taking care of other members.

“Don’t you dare underestimate me, Minseok…” Junmyeon shot a death glare, but he always failed to look completely angry or mad, instead his soft face gave a complete different effect to the other. But the elder, immediately understood Junmyeon’s sentiment – his workout to build up muscle not to be taken lightly by anyone, no, especially by his group mate.

“No’ I’m not, Jun..” Minseok retaliated softly. Yes, he just stated the matter of fact, despite in that very light of tease. “He was no longer that kid, Jun…” Yes, Kim Jongin was no longer that small and tinny kid that they used to see during their early debut day or their training years. No matter how much Junmyeon spending his times in the gym, Jongin’s body was still too much for him to handle all by himself. “ I’ll call our manager to bring him to his room…”Minseok said, already fished his cell phone out from his pocket pants.

But Junmyeon also fast, suddenly stopped Minseok’s hands from pressing their manager’s number. “You don’t have to, I can handle him…” Junmyeon tried to reassured the elder

Junmyeon was so used to take care of other people need, acting likes a mother to the group that he himself did not realised that the time already fled by, and all of the members already grown up adult man. …Minseok could hardly blame Junmyeon if he never changed, fully understood that the root of mother instinct probably just grew deep inside him – it only natural to act according to it, but Minseok felt responsible to remind the other that, once in a while, it is okay not to look