"Did our caregiver really just leave us all alone?" Chanyeol was the first to speak, ten minutes after Heechul exited the home, his voice full of disbelief.

"Is that allowed?" Jongdae said next.

"I guess you could say, we're care-less." Baekhyun said, attempting to make the atmosphere lighter, but ultimately failing.

"This isn't the time for jokes, hyung." Sehun warned the older boy, who in response just rolled his eyes.

"No," Junmyeon turned to all the boys, the realization finally sinking in. "Sehun's right, this is serious."

"What do we do?" Kyungsoo asked.

Now, now it was the time for Junmyeon to take charge. He had been calling himself the leader for so long, it's finally time he proved it.

"Baekhyun, Zitao," Junmyeon began, gaining everyone's attention. Tao looked up from where he was seated, still in the corner all by himself. "Apologize."

Baekhyun blinked. "What?!" Tao's eyes grew wide, his posture straightening. "Why do I need to apologize?! He's the one who hit me," The jumpy boy pointed over. "He put me in the hospital! And I'm suppose to apologize?!"

"Obviously you didn't hear me," Junmyeon sighed. "You are both going to apologize, to each other."

"For what?!"

"Have you forgotten what caused all the in the first place?!" The leader yelled, startling Baekhyun. "You spilled paint on Zitao!"

"Okay, yes. But first off, that was meant for Chanyeol-"

"Hey!" The giant shouted.

Baekhyun ignored him and continued. "-And second off." The jumpy boy gestured to his face. "I think I get a pass when he beat me all the way to the hospital!"

"Apologize!" Junmyeon repeated.

"No! I'm not going to apologize because I didn't do-"

"I'm sorry."

The commotion all stopped when a weak voice called out from behind them. They faced the owner of that voice, finding Tao now standing up and looking at the floor timidly.

"What the have you done with the old Zitao?" Jongin mutters, only to be jabbed in the side by Kyungsoo.

The young Chinese boy manages a smile. A small, very faint, smile. That was definitely a first.

"Um- okay, good." Junmyeon cut the silence. The leader wanted Tao to apologize, but he didn't actually expect him to. "Baekhyun, your turn."

The jumpy boy closed his mouth that was previously gaped open from shock. He crossed his arms over his chest, huffing. "I'm sorry too, I guess."

Junmyeon grinned. "Okay! Now that we got that out of the way," He made his way over to the circle, taking Heechul's chair and motioning for everyone to sit back down in their seats. Everyone following orders, the leader gained more confidence. "We need a plan to get our caregiver back."

"Really?" Luhan said. "Why? He left, why do we need him back? It's clear he doesn't want to be around us."

Junmyeon shook his head. "He was right though. Listen, he's our hyung, our friend. He's the only person who believes in us. He believed in us even when our own families didn't, and he believes we are good people. It's our job to prove him right."

Luhan rolled his eyes. "Believed." He emphasized the word, getting up from his seat. "Whatever your plan is, leave me out." His words lingering in the air, the boy made his way upstairs, ignoring all the stares.

"What a drama queen." Chanyeol scoffed.

After that, they all - with the exception of Luhan - discussed the plan to get Heechul back.

They settled on doing it tomorrow, when the sun was back up and fresh. With no caregiver around, they could leave the home and go find their hyung. They would all have to wake up early, because chances are, Byungwook would come back tomorrow afternoon, and no one wanted that guy as their permanent caregiver.

Their plan had many flaws. All they got was to show up at Heechul's home and beg him for forgiveness. The problem is, nobody knew where their caregiver lived, but they all had a good guess as to who might know, but that's an entirely different problem. Luhan wanted no part in the plan, so it was going to take some major convincing to get him to tell them where Heechul lived.

Meanwhile, Minseok sat in the hallway all alone, tracing circles on the floor with his finger. With no caregiver in the home, that meant no curfew, so naturally everyone was still awake even though it was way beyond 10.

"Hyung," Minseok looked up, finding Yixing standing in front of him with a cute dimpled smile. "Can I sit?" The older nodded nodded in surprise. "How are you?" Yixing asked once settled in, sitting a bit distant from the elder.

"Good," Minseok answered, fumbling with his thumbs. "How about you?"

"I'm also good."

Minseok hummed his response, talking with the younger a new experience. In the 2 months he has been in the home, the two had yet to have a conversation. In fact, Minseok was still somewhat afraid of Yixing. He just couldn't figure him out. Yixing was absolutely a sweet kid, but what had gotten him in here in the first place was not something a sweet kid would do. He had a story, and Minseok knew it was probably best if he didn't ask.

"Actually hyung, I came to talk to you about something." The younger looked towards Minseok, who stared back with slightly raised eyebrows. "It's about Luhan-hyung."

"O-oh," The elder tried his best to smile. "What about him?"

"You know he likes you, right?" Minseok almost choked on his own saliva, coughing out for air. Yixing laughed, patting the older's back. "I meant as a friend, hyung." The younger grinned.

"Oh," Minseok swallowed, calming himself down as his face flushed a deep shade of red. "R-right."

"What I was saying," Yixing continued. "Is that you're probably the only person who can convince Luhan-hyung to get on board with the plan to bring Heechul-hyung back. We need him, it's crucial."

Minseok almost felt like laughing at how serious Yixing was right now, finding the younger boy cute with his one dimple that stained his cheek when he was concentrating.

"Why do you think he will listen to me? I mean, you've been his friend way longer than I have."

"I know, but I have a sneaking suspicion that hyung will listen to an old baozi more than he would to his dongsae."

Minseok's eyes widened. How did Yixing know about Luhan's nickname for him? Luhan only ever called Minseok that when they were alone...

"I am not old." Minseok defended.

"You kind of are."

Minseok let out a fake scoff, a smile playing on his lips. "Yixing-ah, your words hurt." The two then proceeded to laugh, the older realizing that there was nothing to be afraid of when talking to Yixing.

"But, in all seriousness," Yixing began once the laughter faded away. "I see the way Luhan-hyung looks at you. I have never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. Not even to his girlfriend."

Minseok gaped. "He has a girlfriend." His shocked expression took Yixing off guard, who nodded in return.

"You didn't know that?"

"No. We're not the closest, but he's never even mentioned it." Minseok thought it was weird. After sharing a room for several weeks, he hasn't even seen a hint that would suggest Luhan has a girlfriend. Hell, not even a picture, or a simple mention of her name.

"Yeah, well, hyung doesn't really like her anyways."

"If he doesn't like her, then why is he with her?"

Yixing shrugged. "I guess being alone is just worse."

They fell into an awkward silence, Minseok not knowing what more to say. He was never a good conversationalist.

"So... what do you say?" Minseok snapped his attention back to the younger, drawing his eyebrows together in confusion. Yixing laughed. "About helping us convince Luhan-hyung."

"Um," In all honesty, Minseok didn't want to do it. He didn't think that Luhan would listen to him, but the look in Yixing's eyes were pleading, and he couldn't find the strength in him to deny. "O-okay."

"That's great!"

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince him though..."

"You will." The younger boy smiled. "Maybe I was wrong."

"About what?"

"Maybe Luhan-hyung is in love with you." The elder blushed, looking away from Yixing and focusing back on the floor.

"W-what? You just said two seconds ago that-"

"I was wrong." Yixing cut Minseok off. "Hyung doesn't know what love is. He's never really had to love anyone before, and I can bet you anything that he still hasn't realized that he's in love with you."

The older just shook his head, completely disagreeing with even the smallest thought that Luhan might feel... that way about him.

"You just said he has a girlfriend. He can't possibly like me." 

Yixing chuckled, using the back of his hand to cover his mouth. "I also said that he doesn't really like his girlfriend either."  

Minseok wanted to say something to divert the topic, because he didn't like where it was currently heading right now.

"You're really nice, you know that." That's what Minseok settled on. That's what he decided to say.

"Thanks, I think?"

"No I-I didn't mean i-it like..." Minseok stuttered, trying to explain himself. "I just meant t-that-"

"I know," Yixing cut the older off. "Everyone always thinks I'm a bad guy because of what I did to my... father. But I have my reasons." The younger boy stared at Minseok intensely. "My dad abused my mom."

In that moment, Minseok felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. Up until now, he judged Yixing and thought he was a bad guy, but that wasn't it at all.

"I'm sorry." What more was there to say? What else could be said?

"My dad was a doctor, and because of that he knew where to hit my mom where it wouldn't show." Yixing swallowed the lump in his throat as he remembered. "One day I came back from school, and there my mom was, on the floor dying. I saw my dad, and he was just laughing. I out I guess, and the next thing I knew, the ambulance was at my house and, well, they put me in handcuffs while they took my mom away." He was holding back tears. Minseok didn't say anything, he only listened. "I was going to be put in jail, but my mom pulled all strings and got me here. And her, well, she's in a mental hospital."

Minseok only nodded. "That's not fair. It was his fault. You were just protecting your mother."

Yixing shrugged. "What about you, hyung?" The younger questioned, his eyes sparkling. "If I remember correctly, you said on your first day here that you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. What did you mean by that?"

Just as the older was about to answer, the pair heard an opening of a door, and they both looked up to find Kris walking out of his room. As soon as his eyes set on the two boys sitting at the end of the hall, he went over to them.

"Hyung," Yixing smiled, standing up. 

"What are you guys doing?" Yifan's gaze flickered between Yixing and Minseok.

"Just talking." The youngest smiled. "It's late, we should get to bed." He began to pull the taller male with him. "Minseok-hyung," Yixing called out over his shoulder. "Our conversation is not over with." he reminded.

Minseok could only gulp when Yifan's eyes wouldn't stop glaring back at him like he wanted to kill him.

Getting up from his spot long after the two boys went to their room, Minseok planned on going to bed as how it was now around midnight and his body couldn't handle staying up any longer.

Except, his plan didn't work out the way he wanted it to.

Opening his door, Minseok was greeted with the strong aroma of alcohol and a bunch of beer cans scattered on the floor right besides Luhan's bed. Luhan sat on his bed, drunkenly playing with another beer can in his hands. His cheeks were pink and his eyes half-closed.

"Luhan?" Minseok whispered, closing the door behind him. The boy in question slowly turned to face the older male. "Where did you get beer from?"

"W-why?" Luhan hiccuped. "You want some?"

Minseok immediately shook his head. "No! No. I don't drink. I was just wondering how you got it."

Luhan smiled, taking another sip of his beverage. "You know how great it is without a caregiver? It's amazing. You can do whatever you want without someone always breathing down your back."

"Yeah but," The older hesitated. "You don't look so great."

"Pfft, I'm fine." Luhan slurred his words together. "If anything, I think you might not be fine. I think you need a drink." The younger boy pointed to the end of his bed where sat another beer can, completely unopened. "I'll give you the last one."

Minseok once again shook his head, making his way to his own bed and sitting on the hard mattress. "I told you, I don't drink."

The younger raised his hands up in surrender, mockingly. "Okay, don't get your in a twist."

Minseok sighed. "You know where Heechul-hyung lives, right?"

"Nope."

"Your lying."

"Why do you think I know?"

"Your lived with him for five years," Minseok said. "I think you would know."

"Then why would I want to tell you? It's not like I want him back." For someone who was pretty drunk, Luhan responded perfectly. 

"Because we want him back."

"What makes you think I care about the others?"

Luhan is seriously a piece of work, Minseok thought. "You know something," He hummed. "I think I got you all figured out."

Luhan scoffed. "Oh really? Enlighten me."

"Well it's pretty simple," The elder said. "You do care, you just like to pretend you don't, because actually admitting that something hurts is way worse than just ignoring it." 

Luhan took another gulp of his beer. "Wow. You blew my mind." His words were dripping with sarcasm.

"There's two type of people in this world, Luhan. People who treat others kindly because they don't want them to feel the pain that they felt, and people who treat others poorly because they want people to feel the pain they felt. I take it, you're not the first type."

Luhan's jaw clenched, biting down on his teeth hard enough to break. "You don't know anything about me."

"Yeah, I don't really know you. But what I do know," Luhan crushed the now empty can in his hand. "Is that Heechul-hyung has always been there for you, and now when he needs us, when he needs you, you're not there for him."

The younger threw the can across the room, hitting a wall and startling Minseok. He stood up. "You're so ing stupid, baozi. He doesn't need me."

"He does. And I know you need him too."

"I've never needed anyone in my life."

Water sprung to Luhan's eyes, and Minseok couldn't tell if it was because of the alcohol in his system or if he was actually feeling sad.

"Maybe." Minseok muttered to himself. "Maybe you don't need him, but the rest of us do. If you just tell me Heechul-hyung's address, then I promise I will stop bothering you."

The older stood up, closing in on the taller boy. Minseok could smell the stench of alcohol burning his nostrils as he got closer and closer to the younger.

Luhan didn't say anything. He could only think. Think of how close the two were. Think of the fact that if he just leaned down the tiniest bit...

Minseok let out a small yelp, feeling warm lips that were coated in alcohol attack his own. He could only feel how Luhan's warm hands pulled Minseok even closer by the neck, consuming his lips in his own.

The kiss was hard, sloppy, desperate. Minseok's hands pressed against Luhan's chest, shock impairing him from moving his body.

Luhan could of kissed those lips forever, but the need for air was too much. 

Separating, both boys breathed heavily. Minseok looked anywhere but Luhan. His whole face was red, heart racing. He took a few steps back, distancing himself from the younger boy.

"Y-you're drunk," Minseok's voice came out in merely a whisper, his gaze directed at the ground. "Um, I-I think we should go to sleep." Before Luhan could respond with anything else, Minseok scurried to turn off the light, leaving the room pitch black as he found his bed and snuggled deep under the covers.

He listened carefully as Luhan, after much hesitation, went back to his own bed.

All Minseok could hope for was that Luhan would be to drunk to remember anything when they wake up. But all he could think about was the feeling of Luhan kissing him. How nice it felt.

***

Ahhhhhhh! I rewrote the kiss scene so many times because I just couldn't settle on how I wanted it to be like. Hoped you guys enjoyed! And on an a very important note, Exo's comeback is only hours away and I'm screaming. I wanted to make sure I posted this chapter before Exo kills me with their talent and visuals ;) Honestly, the fact that Lay isn't going to be in this comeback is heartbreaking:( But nonetheless, I'm excited! The music video will be released at 5am from where I am:o So when I wake up, I'll be greeted with a wonderful gift! Hopefully we all survive their comeback :p