Jongdae felt his left eye twitch as the only other Korean member in their dorm tugged on his sleeve for the sixth time. "What, Minseok hyung? I'm busy! Can't you see our fans are in desperate need of my replies?" He turned away from the computer screen to look at the elder, wondering what in the world he could be whining for.

 

"I just want a huuuuug~" 

 

Jongdae cringed, the tone his hyung used bound to come back in his sleep. "You are so gay, hyung." 

 

"Hey! Nothing's wrong with wanting a hug from a male! I just want a guy hug! A bro hug, if you want to call it that."

 

"I don't want to call that anything and I don't want to hug you! It's weird!" 

 

Minseok sighed in dramatic desperation, clutching his chest in fake heartbreak. And then he collapsed at the foot of Jongdae's feet, eyes closed and tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. The singer shook his head, a smile on his lips, and kicked his hyung. Minseok opened his eyes, grinning as he stood up. "Thanks for breaking my heart. I'll be going now!" 

 

"Bye, hyung!" 

 

"Miss me!" 

 

"Don't count on it!" 

 

"Jesus, would it kill you to show some love for you hyung?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

Minseok laughed, accidentally bumping into Yifan as he exited the room. Jongdae shrugged his shoulders at the look Yifan shot him, fingers tapping away on the keyboard. "Don't ask me. He just came in and randomly asked for a hug. I think he wants to try acting or something."

*~*~*~*

Jongdae scratched his neck and rubbed his rubbed his chest, eyebrows furrowing at the humidity. Couldn't he sleep in peace for once? The singer turned around to wrap his legs and arms around his body pillow. It was surprisingly heavy today, probably due to his drowsiness. He must still be dreaming.

 

Yeah, he must be dreaming. They're back in Korea with the others, eating and... Did his pillow just snore? Nah, pillows can't do that. Hm, where was he? That's right! They were with the others playing karaoke. Jongdae smiled in his sleep, amused as Baekhyun broke out a rap and Chanyeol sang along, off-key of course. Oh, how he missed the other members so terribly! Snuggling into his pillow, he decided to continue his dream.

 

His pillow was so soft this morning, and definitely a whole lot warmer. Why couldn't it be this warm when he was freezing during the night? He snuggled closer, sighing as the warmth spread through his fingertips to his toes. Wait--what is this his toes are touching? Did his body pillow grow feet? Wha--

 

Jongdae's eyes shot open. They met a pair of closed eyelids. 

 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 

 

His fellow member awoke with a groan and Jongdae screamed again as Minseok tried to snuggle into him. The elder's eyes opened with much difficulty, as Jongdae's hands were on his face, pushing him away. The latter dropped his hands and backed away, covering his body with the blanket. 

 

"What are you doing in my bed, Minseok hyung?!" 

 

Minseok sheepishly lowered his head, a shy grin breaking out. He glanced at Jongdae, who was fuming, and laughed nervously. "Morning hug?" 

 

"No. Definitely no."

 

Jongdae shoved a spoonful of cereal in his mouth just as their leader called his name for the second time. He made his way to the living room, taking the bowl with him for extra measure (the other members like to steal any food laying around; fatties!). "Yes, duizhang?" 

 

"Can you please tell your friend here in Korean to get off my boyfriend?"

 

Jongdae spotted Zitao on the other side of the couch, struggling to breathe in Minseok's death grip. The older man's cheek was cradled in the crook of their maknae's neck, and he was mumbling over and over, "Jongdae wouldn't give me a morning hug, Zitao~ huhu, I wanted a hug~ But you'll hug me instead, right? Because you're our lovely maknae, neee~" 

 

"Our?" Yifan snorted. He used his feet to pry his fingers off his boyfriend, kicking them away as they came back. "Our?" the leader repeated. "You mean mine?" Before Minseok could make a move to reach for the maknae, the leader placed his long legs on his lap. From there, he waggled his big toe in Minseok's face. "Mine."

 

Minseok pouted, pleading with Zitao using his puppy eyes. "We're roommates, aren't we?" ("I knew I shouldn't have let you room with this ert.... Zitao, don't you dare say yes!" Yifan growled, trying to pull him closer with his feet, which were still in the younger's lap.) As their poor maknae continued to decide who to listen to, Jongdae gulped under Yifan's glare.

 

"Minseok hyung, if you stop messing with Zitao, I'll give you a morning present, ok?" The elder perked up, attention completely focused on the singer. "Ok!" He flashed a smile at Zitao, to which Yifan growled again, and skipped to him, arms open, expecting the hug he asked for.

 

But Jongdae pressed his bowl of half-eaten, soggy cereal in his chest. When Minseok took it, the younger patted him on the back and turned to catch the shower before anyone else did. "Morning!" he sang, a teasing smile to not make up for his 'present'.

 

Minseok took a good look at the bowl, his feelings torn. But then his eyes landed on the spoon, a smile growing back. "AHA! INDIRECT KISS! THANK YOU JONGDAE, YOU'RE THE BEST!" 

*~*~*~*

"Hey, Yixing-hyung, don't you think Minseok's been acting a little weird lately?" Jongdae glanced at the magazine he was reading.

 

The Chinese dancer raised an eyebrow, but he continued to read. "No. What do you mean by weird?" 

 

"Uh, by that." 

 

Yixing looked up from his magazine to see their eldest hyung pestering Luhan. Apparently, the older was latched onto the taller male's arm, lips pursed, and Luhan was appearing irritated, trying to shrug him off, unsuccessfully. Minseok began to bounce on his feet, shaking his chest cutely(?), and saying in a whiny tone, "Give me a hug, Lu~" 

 

"For the last time, no! Can you not see that I'm texting? Sehun just told me he wan--"

 

"Hug me fiiiiirst~" 

 

"Your aegyo doesn't work on me, hyung."

 

"One hug. Just one." 

 

"I'm texting!" 

 

"One. One and I'll leave you alone forever." 

 

"Oh my--Go find someone else to hug!" Luhan groaned, pushing him away. Minseok sniffled, hurt by the harsh rejection, but then he saw Jongdae and Yixing on the couch. 

 

"You're right. I think hyung's gone a little crazy. He appears to have a sort of obsession with hugging." Yixing nodded, thinking how right he was. He was a genius! Jongdae rolled his eyes, throwing his hands in the air helplessly. "Oh really? I didn't know that," he deadpanned. 

 

"Wait, oh my g--Please tell me he's not going over here." 

 

"He's going over here."

 

"Gee, thanks, Yixing." 

 

"You're welcome." He closed the magazine and stood up, dimple indicating he was smile. "Have fun~" Yixing cheered through the smile. Jongdae threw a couch pillow at him, which he gracefully blocked. 

 

Jongdae felt the corner of his lips turn down as Minseok settled himself next to him on the couch. His mouth opens, and Jongdae knows what he's about to say--or rather, ask---and so he begins to panic.

 

"N-no..." 

 

But it's already too late. Minseok's hug is stealing all of his oxygen and his vision is blurring. Can't... breathe... Min... hyung! Air! I need air!

*~*~*~*

"Yay, Zitao! Our team won!" Jongdae wiggled his arms, smiling widely to show his enthusiasm. The maknae nodded, seemingly bouncy himself. "I knew we were going to beat those old men!" The singer laughed and went in for a hug, when he's pulled back by the collar.

 

Yifan throws his arms around Zitao protectively, piercing gaze boring through Jongdae's soul. "Mine," he mouths, eyes narrowing. Jongdae raises both of his hands, as if to say "hey! I'm guilty!", and backs away slowly with a forced smile. 

 

When he turns around, Minseok has his arms open. 

 

With a creepy smile, the shorter male asks, "Hug?" 

 

"No."

*~*~*~*

"I want a hug." 

 

"No." 

 

Minseok crosses his arms, huffing. "I want a hug!" 

 

Jongdae refuses again.

 

"I want a hug!"

 

"No."

 

"Jongdae! Your hyung wants a hug!" 

 

"N-No!" 

 

"Yes!"

 

"No!" 

 

Yixing throws his book across the room, sighing loudly in the midst of their argument. "Just give our damn baozi a hug and get it over with! And stop bickering, please. My ears hurt." What? Our? Jongdae narrows his eyes at Yixing suspiciously before turning back to their hyung. 

 

"Ok, fine..."

 

Minseok lights up. "Really?!"

 

"No." 

 

He runs.

*~*~*~*

"Jongdae-ah! I finally get a dance solo! Gimme a hug!" Minseok twirls and stops in front of the singer, anticipating a hug. 

 

"No." 

 

The elder laughs, hitting his arm. "Thanks, I feel the love!" Jongdae grins, wriggling his eyebrows. "Congrats, though! It's gonna look great on our next album." 

 

Minseok's eyes practically shine with the compliment, radiating off the room's walls and blinding Jongdae. "I know, right! But I still want a hug... Bbuing bbuing?" 

 

"What are you guys doing?" Zitao asks, pausing in front of Jongdae's shared closet, one of duizhang's sweaters in his hand. Minseok's limbs are flailing in the air, Jongdae's legs separating the two of them. 

 

"Oh, the usual," Jongdae mumbles, and Zitao laughs. "Looks fun!" he comments, leaving Jongdae to suffer alone. 

 

"Huuuuuug~" Minseok whines a few pitches higher than before. Jongdae wrinkles his nose and, as a last minute attempt to divert Minseok's attention, throws his body pillow at his hyung. He then makes a run for the door. 

 

"OH! INDIRECT HUG! YOU NAUGHTY NAUGHTY BOY, JONGDAE-AH~ I'M KEEPING THIS FOREVER." 

*~*~*~*

"Don't you think it's a bit weird?" Jongdae questions, finally having some time alone with anyone other than Minseok. Yixing shrugs. "I mean, he is a bit clingy nowadays, but I've gotten used to it. Just give him a hug and he'll stop bugging you." 

 

Jongdae unconsciously cringes. "It's just weird for me... He's so reserved on stage! And then we get off and he's whining and scaring me with his aegyo attacks..." 

 

Yixing laughs, despite how serious Jongdae is. He elbows the younger's arm to get his attention. "You're right, Minseok-hyung's been acting up lately. But hey, if he stopped hugging us, I think it'd feel even weirder. Don't you? I don't think I could go a day without his hugs. Some people give really lame hugs, but Minseok's make me feel safe, like I'm not alone. And yeah, I feel like I'm going to pass out every time, but it's a good feeling. It's kind of normal to me now." 

 

He shrugs again and leaves Jongdae to ponder about what he said. 

 

Little does he know that their little talk will leave Jongdae awake all night. 

 

If Minseok hyung stopped asking for hugs... I think it'd definitely be different. And Yixing's right, we're all used to it... except duizhang. He's just way too overprotective over Zitao. Anyways, back to Minseok hyung. Ok, so what if his hugging weirds me out, what about Yixing hyung? Does he like Minseok hyung? He's been saying good stuff about him nonstop and he even called Minseok our baozi when everyone clearly knows that Minseok hyung is my baozi! 

 

Wait, what? 

 

My baozi? 

 

Mine...? 

 

Oh crap, I like Minseok hyung, what in the worl--

*~*~*~*

"No, you can't do it like that! You have to be this close..." Minseok pulls Jongdae in real close, but the latter backs away to laugh. "That's too close!" he manages to say between laughing. Minseok sticks out his tongue and pokes him in the side, initiating a tickle war. 

 

They're laughing so loud that the others see and join in, and pretty soon everyone's tickling each other, wiggling fingers here and there. Of course, there's an occasional, "don't touch him or I'll break your fingers" from duizhang. Mostly pointed towards their one and only Minseok hyung. 

 

Jongdae watches their hyung interact with the other members, observes how they react with one another. And he can't help but think how much of a genius Yixing is. He's right.

 

When duizhang looks a bit nervous about performing, he'd come over and mess with him, encouraging him to practice shouting with him for fun. Or when Yixing dazes off, Minseok brings him back with a few Chinese jokes. Or when Zitao is looking lost, Minseok brings him into the conversation, scooting back so the maknae can speak without having to leaning forward. Or when Luhan's looking upset for no reason, Minseok would about Sehun because everyone knows Luhan brightens when the youngest is mentioned. 

 

He's like the glue to their puzzle piece, sticking everyone together and keeping them together. But he's also the big center piece, the one that everyone connects to. He's the heart of exo-m. It didn't matter who sang the most or who was more popular, exo-m wouldn't be exo-m without their Minseok hyung. 

 

As they're introducing themselves to the hundreds of fans, Jongdae keeps his eyes on Minseok. He finds that he can't do anything else but that. 

 

After their performance and when they're back at home, Minseok does his daily rounds of hugging everyone, claiming it a gift of congratulations. When he gets to Jongdae, he's expecting a fight, but Jongdae throws his arms around him and squeezes the breathe out of him. 

 

"You looked great out there today." 

*~*~*~*

His eyelids flutter open, closing them once the sun sprays him with unwanted brightness. He turns away from the bare windows, burying his head into Minseok's back. The latter lets go of the body pillow in his arms to turn around and cuddle with Jongdae. As they're shifting the blankets and pillows to get more comfortable, Minseok gathers the courage to ask, "Morning hug?" 

 

Jongdae smiles. "Sure, why not?" 

*~*~*~*

"I GOT A MORNING HUG FROM JONGDAE, MOTHER ERS! WAKE UP ES BECAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS! BUWAHAHHAHAHAHA!"