Chapter 1

You fell to the ground panting hard, your eyes lazily closed then opened looking up at the florescent bright lights. You could hear your heartbeat in your ears and almost every breath you took stung going down your dry throat. You did it again. Completely over worked yourself during practice, and on top of that you don't even think you had a decent meal today, you stomach growled in response letting you know you were right.

You brushed off all thoughts of hunger and focused on catching your breath, does it always take this long? you thought. You rolled your head over to side and stared at the cloud back drop at the far end of the room. You blinked slowly and thought to yourself, when will all your hard work pay off? You've been a trainee at SM for almost 4 years now. They claimed you as one of their most elite dancers yet haven't really found a spot for you yet, you tried to drown out your thoughts as they began to get pessimistic. What if they never find a spot for you? What if you never debut? You couldn't sit here and listen to your own brain trying to get you down.

You raised your arm in the air and every muscle twitched and ached in pain as you placed your hand in front of your face. Your eyes found what they were looking for, your inspiration. A silver chain bracelet dangled off your wrist and instantly all your negative thoughts about your future dissolved into nothing as you replayed the words that were spoken to you the day you received it.

"Promise me.. promise yourself, you'll never give up."

His voice rang in your ears while you repeated those words as if they were a track on a CD. Such simple words yet they gave you all the motivation in world. You dropped your arm over your face burying it into the pit of your elbow leaving your vision in darkness. Kai's smile ran through your mind as you thought about when you two used to train together. Everything was so effortless and fun as compared to now the past 6 months without him since EXO debuted. You sighed heavily, missing him.

Now a days you really did feel as if you had no one to talk too or at least the way you talked to Kai. You stopped your thoughts again, if you kept at it you would only get depressed for different reasons. You laughed to yourself thinking how your inspiration could also depress you. You raised your arm from your face looking at your bracelet again then dropping it back onto the floor with a thud. The room grew silent while you let your body relax onto the cool wood floor closing your eyes.

After a few minutes you heard, or thought you heard someone whisper your name. Not sure if you were imagining things due to hunger and fatigue you ignored it and didn't respond but listened hard to see if you would hear it again. You counted the seconds and nothing happened, and concluded with the fact that you were probably going crazy.

The door creaked opened and your eyes shot open in unison with it. You stood up quickly ignoring the painful movement of each muscle and turned to the door to see who was coming in. You began to bow when you saw a tall figure walking in, not recognizing the face because of your blurred vision.

"You bow to me now?" The voice sounded shocked and familiar.

You leaned back up quickly and froze when you saw Kai's warm eyes staring at you in disbelief.

"Kai.." you breathed, suddenly feeling incredibly lite headed from all your rash movements.

Kai smiled and walked towards you with arms open ready for a hug, but you raised a hand to your head and stumbled backwards. Kai heard you mumble something about getting up to fast as you slowly collapsed back to the ground. Kai went to catch you but you caught yourself placing both hands on the floor. You felt like your body was turning to jello and your arms grew weak from holding yourself up. You felt Kai's arm wrap around your waist pulling you up then throwing one of your arms around his shoulder.

"You're still doing this?" He spoke with the tone of disapproval as he helped you over to the couch. You kept quiet trying to keep your body calm so it wouldn't cramp up, Kai put you on the couch slowly and softly completely aware of your condition. He looked around the room then took off to the other corner grabbing your water bottle and bring it back twisting the cap off and handing it to you. You only took a small sip before setting it down in your lap and looking up at him. You blinked a few times trying to take in the fact the he as actually here, did I summon him or something?

Kai watched you with concerned eyes while sitting down next to you. "You know, if you keep-" He started talking but you cut him off, "What are you doing here?" Kai looked around the room then back at you with an annoyed face, "Um, I work here don't I?" You rolled your eyes and glared at him for his smart answer. Kai cracked a smile, "I came to see you obviously."

You didn't know if it was because you were already tired or what but that smile and those words took your breath away. You had barely seen Kai since his debut, maybe twice a month you two would catch up and that had soon dwindled to once or none with his hetic scheldule. Kai searched your face waiting for a response, "..But if you don't wanna see me.. I guess I'll leave" He started to move slowly off the couch but you grabbed his arm without thinking and pulled him back down.

"Don't!"

Kai laughed at how serious you got and thought your pleading face was cute, "I was just joking!"

You let go of his arm feeling embarrassed and pushed him but with no force because of how tired you were. "I know you were" you said nonchalantly crossing your arms. Kai mimicked your "Don't!" grabbing your leg and laughing "Okay say what you want" he teased. He had forgot that you were probably sore and let go of your leg when he saw your face twitch in pain.

"How long have you been in here?" he questioned getting serious again. You tilted your head back and tried to think of the exact hours, "I don't know" you shrugged and closed your eyes knowing exactly what he was about to say next.

"If you keep practicing like this you're gonna really hurt yourself-" You mouthed each word as Kai talked without looking at him. Kai stopped talking and saw you doing this, he reached out and pinched your ear hard, "You should take those words seriously!" he growled.

You swatted at his hand and whined. "Stop it~" you rubbed your ear and pouted forgetting how hard he used to pinch you. "and stop acting like you don't ever over do it!"

"I do." Kai admitted, "But not nearly as often as you.." He glanced at your legs seeing how still they were, "I'm surprised you haven't cramped up yet.."

You waved your hand at him, "I don't cramp that easily anymore." Kai scoffed, "Yeah right, and you never sit this still either."

"How have you been?" You turned and faced him quickly changing the subject, you always hated when Kai would scold you on how you took care of your body when he was no better. Looking at him now he seemed fine but you were positive he had a injury somewhere that he's been ignoring.

Kai scowled at you and your attempt for changing the subject but let it slide as his face lit up when he thought of all the stories he's been dying to share with you. A eager smile spread across his face making your heart flutter for a second. You closed your eyes exhaling, what is wrong with me? You opened them back up and focused on Kai's voice as he began talking.

You listened, laughed, and questioned throughout all his stories. He seemed so happy, there was a special spark in his eyes that wasn't there before and you couldn't help but constantly be drawn into them. Something about seeing Kai happy made you completely over joyed inside. You could feel your cheeks stinging from the permanent smile plastered on your face, but no matter how hard tried to relax them the moment Kai looked at you, you could only grin wider.

Kai loved the way you always listened to him so intently, he loved talking to you, and loved the fact that even though he hasn't seen you in while you two spoke as if you've been keeping in touch everyday, remembering every little inside joke. It was like time would stop for your guys friendship and when you met you would pick up right where you last left off. This was something Kai only had with you, and in some ways it kept him grounded reminding him that he hasn't changed and neither have you.

Kai had stood up and tried mimicking the way his awkward Chinese leader would do a dance and stopped half way because it was too funny to finish, "Stop laughing! I'm trying to show you what he does" he giggled. You couldn't help yourself, seeing Kai someone who is amazing at dancing, purposely moving awkward and making derp faces was just far to much for you to handle. He started up again and you rolled over on the couch laughing harder kicking your legs up. Kai stopped and put his hands on his knees cracking up, "You have to see him do it, it took forever for him to get it right." He looked at you and only started laughing again, you were holding your stomach and laughing so hard you were crying.

Kai stumbled towards you drunk off laugher, "Ya, calm down it wasn't that funny!" he snorted. You wiped your eyes but the tears kept coming, now for a different reason. Your left leg had completely locked up and a painful cramp was working its way through it. Your laugh turned to gasps as you hit the back of the couch repeatedly. "ah !" you hissed through clenched teeth.

Kai stopped smiling and realized what was happening, "Which one?" he asked concern rising in his voice. You gestured to your left leg and threw your head back biting on your lip. Kai knows there isn't much you can do when someone is cramping but wait till its over and then massage it. But seeing you in pain made him wish there was a way for him to ease it right now. He stood up in front of you not daring to sit on the couch, movement to your body could only make it worse, he watched your face slowly relax and your breathing steady some. You opened your eyes and sighed heavily, "Oh my god.. that one hurt so bad!" You breathed wiping your last few stray tears.

Kai looked at you with sympathetic eyes, he knew how bad they could get. The words "I told you so" were lingering in the back of throat. He wished you would listen to him when he asks you to take better care of yourself, So stubborn.

Kai sat down next to you grabbing your leg placing it in his lap, "Thigh or calve?" he asked pushing your sweat pants leg up. "Both, but more so the calf" You took a quick swig of the water before looking at Kai, he got all quiet rolling up your pants leg up neatly. "Whats wrong?" you asked. Kai shook his head. "I don't cramp easily anymore" he copied your voice in a annoying high tone before looking at you and smirking. "Liar."

You rolled your eyes, "You take great joy in proving me wrong don't you". Kai laughed a little "Yah pretty much, but you know I really hate seeing you hurt. If you would just listen to me you wouldn't have these problems." Kai finished rolling your pants up and was now massaging your calve hard.

You winced and clenched your jaw, "Yah, I'll take your advise when you start taking it too."

Kai shook his head with a faint smile, "Stubborn.." he mumbled squeezing your leg a little harder making you grip your water bottle tightly.

"Don't take it out on the bottle, this is your fault remember" Kai snickered still rubbing your leg. You glared at him before launching the bottle at his head. "Shut up!"

Kai quickly ducked dodging the bottle completely. He raised a finger and pointed at you shaking it, "Violence is not the answer". You hissed turning your head away from him.

Kai sighed, "I came to see you so we could play like old times but your all.. broken.. and tired." Kai's hands started going up your leg some and you actually started paying attention to his touch... It literally felt like his hands where washing all the pain away.

"Sorry about that.." You mumbled. You really did feel bad, who knew when you were gonna see him again and instead of you guys dancing or playing some stupid game here he was taking care of you.

Kai watched the way the way face suddenly turned regretful after his last comment, "I didn't mean it like that.. its whatever, I'm just happy to see you.." Kai felt his cheeks getting hot after saying that. You turned and couldn't fight a smile when you looked at him, Kai always had a way of making you feel so special. "I'm happy to see you too.."

Kai mirrored your smile and you guys locked eyes for a moment. It was like you were finally taking in his face since he came in and you tried to think..

Has he always been this good looking

You looked away and laughed to yourself. Of coarse he has, one of the reasons I fell for him in the first place.

You gasped and covered your mouth at your previous thought, The reason I what?

Kai tilted his head confused by your actions. "What?" he asked. You shook you head rubbing your temples, "Ahh nothing.." you avoided eye contact with him. Kai is just a friend.. right?.. right? You closed your eyes still rubbing your temples.

Kai watched you thinking you were totally weird, "Okaaayy~" he was about to go back to focusing on your leg when something silver caught his eye, he stopped and looked at your wrist eyes narrowing in on the bracelet. He leaned in towards you reaching a hand out to it.

Your now overworked brain was snapped out of panic mode when you felt Kai's hand grab your wrist, your eyes shot open in a flash, Kai was pulling your arm closer to himself and you watched him confused and scared that he somehow read your mind. You followed Kai's gaze to your bracelet and your heart skipped a beat, you went to snatch your arm away from him but his grip tightened. "You still have this?" He looked at you with a gaze that you couldn't read.

You nodded your head, words choked in your throat. Kai's fingers found the unlatch of the bracelet and then took it off. You look at him horrified suddenly feeling without it. "What are you doing?!"

Kai looked at you then the bracelet, "I remember when this was my good luck charm" He mused taking in the bracelets detail. You grabbed the bracelet out of his hand and quickly put it back on your wrist. "Well its mine now."

Kai smirked, "I know, I give it to you remember!... I just can't believe you still have it.. You wear it everyday?"

"Why wouldn't I?..and yah." You tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible.

Kai stared at you as he thought back to when he give it to you. "I dunno..I just can't believe you've kept it for so long.. that was like a few months before I debuted." Kai felt a surge of happiness run through his body and he smiled at you.

For the first time, you melted at his smile. "It's the only thing I have of you now a days, It reminds me I can't let you continue to beat me." You smiled after switching up your words of the true meaning behind why you wear it. Cause you love him. A voiced echoed in your head making your stomach twist. You looked away from Kai embarrassed at your own thoughts.

Kai's smile faltered for a second, "Oh thats why" he laughed a little nervous not knowing what exactly what he wanted you to say.

He reached into his pocket and felt a little box in it, Kai looked at you and debated on whether or not it would be weird if he gave you another gift right now.

You looked at him and he froze, "What?" you asked.

Kai scratched his head and decided to wing it, "I have something for you.." He downcast his eyes as he pulled the box out of his pocket.

Kai smiled nervously and opened it pulling out a beautiful necklace with a diamond heart hanging off it. "Since you take such great care of my bracelet.. I can trust you with a necklace right?" He laughed a little looking away from you as he handed it to you. You grabbed it and stared at Kai, stocked, stuck, but most of all confused. "What is this for?"

Kai smiled looking at you, "I saw it and I thought about you.. so I got it.."

You gawked at the necklace before putting it on. "Kai... you didn't have too, umm.. Thank you."

Kai beamed at you, "You're kinda special to me.. so it's nothing.." Kai adjusted himself on the couch feeling nervous.

Your leaned in grabbing him for a big hug, burying your face into his chest. Shocked at first Kai just let him you hug him till he heard you say into his chest "You're kinda special to me too" A huge smile came across his face as he wrapped his arms around you.

"Good.."