“I’m going, I’ll swap,” Kyungsoo offered three days after at lunch with all their managers.

“Wow, we didn’t think it would be that easy convincing you guys. But you’re sure, right?” One of the manager hyungs said, “You’ve gotta start taking Chinese classes again, you’re leaving in… ummn..wait” He checked his phone for their schedules, “Arr, yes, in 5 weeks. I’ll see if I can squeeze in Chinese lessons in between your schedules.”

JongIn felt like he lost his appetite for the first time in his life. He really wished it wasn’t happening. His hyung, roommate, best friend and …. crush was leaving him for God knows how long. He dropped his spoon beside his soup bowl, frustrated, as the metal clanked against the table.

Everyone looked up at him and he mouthed a silent apology before he got up, kicked the chair and headed towards the exit.

“He isn’t entirely happy about you leaving, is he? Must be hard on the kid. You’ve been carrying him around in your pocket for too long, Kyungsoo-yah,” said manager hyung, sympathetically. Kyungsoo made a mental note that he shouldn’t let the kid be too clingy to him for the remaining weeks. He knew it was driving both of them crazy. Kyungsoo tried not to think too much about the younger boy but he couldn’t help but worry as he watched JongIn leave the room without his jacket. Actually, not just that, ever since he decided to move, a lot of worrisome factors of JongIn were bugging his every step. Who would be so caring as to massage JongIn’s waist when his dancing has tired him out? Who would nag at the glutton, JongIn when he eats too much at night? Who would know how JongIn liked his ramen with only half of the seasoning? Who would get up in the middle of the night to pull the blankets back to his chest? Most of all, who would pat JongIn’s head and lullaby him to sleep when he throws a tantrum?

As much as Kyungsoo would love to escape from JongIn, he just couldn’t stop worrying how JongIn will live his life. Without him. He could see JongIn moping around and avoid talking to him for the past days. It just didn’t help when they share the same bedroom.

“YEAH, RIGHT, SEHUN, YOU MUST BE HAPPY BECAUSE YOU LOVELY LUHANNIE HYUNG IS COMING TO LIVE WITH YOU, I BET YOU WOULD ASK SUHO HYUNG TO SWITCH ROOMS WITH HIM!” JongIn yelled, with a tone of mockery to the maknae who was doing nothing but playing games on his laptop.

“JongIn, stop, what did maknae do? Why are you talking to him like this?” Baekhyun tried soothing him only to have him yell even louder.

“YES, YOU MUST BE HAPPY TOO, BYUN BAEKHYUN, BECAUSE KYUNGSOO HYUNG’S THE ONE LEAVING, NOT YOU!”

Chanyeol stood up, ready to aim a fist into JongIn’s face, for being that rude to a hyung and possibly because he’s ranting his anger on innocent maknae whose only crime seemed to be giggling on his favourite manga. But he backed out as he felt Baekhyun’s glare through his forehead.

“How could you say that, JongIn? We feel bad for letting Kyungsoo go too. We’re teammates, remember?” croaked Baekhyun, voice already weak while arguing with JongIn because he himself felt guilty about it.

“What teammates? There’s no f**king team spirit within us! You get to stay with your stupid boyfriend, maknae gets to be with Luhan, life’s peaceful, huh?” JongIn went on and on, with streams of angry tears on his tanned face, which he rougly rubbed away with the back of his hand.

“Please stop, hyung, I’m sorry I’m not happy about Kyungsoo hyung leaving either, please..”

As if things weren’t as messy as it was, maknae broke down into tears, followed by loud sobs.

Chanyeol sent a glare towards JongIn and went over to maknae to calm him down. The situation was irreversible. All of them knew they could lose their dancing machine if this continued. They very well knew it wasn’t some random tantrum JongIn threw half the time. It came from all his heart.

“I’ll go. I didn’t say this to make JongIn feel better but I’ll do anything to save us,” said Baekhyun quietly.

“Go where?” said a voice from the front door. It was Kyungsoo and Suho. They went out for a while after dinner with managers to talk about their upcoming collaboration stages with other artists in which Kyungsoo would participate in.

“And why is maknae crying? There came the voice of the worried leader. Kyungsoo was quicker to grab the situation than the Gramps.

“You’re not going anywhere, Baek. EXO-K needs you. Stop sprouting nonsense. My decision is final. I’m the one going. And please, Kim JongIn-ssi, if you would follow me.” JongIn groaned in annoyance but he obeyed anyway.

“So, why did you do what you did?” asked Kyungsoo, observing the younger boy closely.

“You don..don’t even know what happened,” stuttered JongIn. A failure with lies.

“Oh, please, you have ‘I’m the culprit behind all this’ written all over you face. Why are you being such a child?” Kyungsoo’s voice turned softer when he sensed JongIn about to burst into tears if he scolded.

“Because I just can’t let you go, hyung, okay? I thought I could fight for this. Nobody else ever bothers to put up with me.” JongIn whined, wiping the now pouring tears.

“They’re all nice people, you know, well, except that they’re all a bit alienated. But who cares? If only you open your heart to all of them, like really talk to them often.” Kyungsoo flashed a smile at the y-beast-turned-5-year-old Kai who was fidgeting nervously.

“I’ve known them longer than you, hyung. Don’t be such a know-it-all.” His face finally lit up with a teasing smirk back to place.

“Aish, this kid,” Kyungsoo laughed, punching the other boy lightly on the arm.

JongIn joined in with the laughing before he turned serious and said, “Don’t forget to call me every night, hyung, even when you’re busy. If manager hyung gets hold of your phone, just get another one and text me, alright? Everyday.”

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