After dinner, the boys had all wanted an early night since they knew that the practice schedule was going to be more busy this week leading up to their debut. Still, the idea of finally debuting after all these years excited them and they couldn't help but imagine what their lives were to become.

"Chen!!! How do you feel being able to finally sing a duet with the hallyu star, Jonghyun, from world famous kpop band, SHINee?" Xiumin jokingly asked, as he placed an invisible microphone under Jongdae's chin.

"Oh thank you reporter, I feel great, it's always been one of my absolute dreams and for it to become a reality, it feels amazing!" Chen replied genuinely, his hand over his chest.  All the boys burst of laughing at the little roleplay with Xiumin breaking his reporter role to thump Chen on the back as he laughed.

"Alright guys, let's all wash up and have an early night, practice resumes tomorrow" Kris commanded, the leader side of him showing. The boys bounced away happily as Lay quickly caught up to Chen on the stairs asking if he could actually imagine singing a duet with Jonghyun.

"Not just that, I can see you having a dance stage alongside TVXQ's Yunho and SNSD's Hyoyeon in the future" Chen cheekily whispered.

"No way…" Lay hesitated, giving Chen a look of disbelief.

"Trust me" Chen shot finger guns at Lay as he made his way into his own room.

----

After your shower, you sat on your bed, adsorbing everything that had happened today.

Miss Eun Mi, can we commend that this professional relationship with exo-m will not stem into an actual relationship? You sighed, does being friends with them count as an actual relationship? From the happy mood Lay set as you two cooked dinner, you had felt warm all over and you had missed that feeling for a while. Just as you felt the warm feeling start slipping, your phone buzzed, indicating you had an incoming call.

~ So young ♥~

"Tell me everything my dear" she greeted, not bothering to say hello.

"It’s just hectic, from having myself put on the public radar, to waking up before 6am just to accompany the boys to practice, to the crazy press conference today, I just feel like my life has completely changed" you informed, getting comfortable in your bed.

"But in a good way right?"

"I feel like I'm actually doing something with my life, that feels good" you replied, drawing shapes on your bed sheets. "I miss you like crazy though" you finished, feeling both good and bad.

"I miss you too girl, the apartment is so lonely without all your empty ramyun bowls littered around" So young joked. "Whenever you have free days, come back and I'll take the day off work and we can just spend it however you want, casual home day binging on movies or total fancy night out looking absolutely smoking!!" You laughed at your friends suggestions whilst the feeling of loneliness grew. You spent the rest of the night just catching up with So young and wishing you could hear it in real life, although Lay had made you feel so warm and welcome, you couldn't help but miss the comfort of your best friend.

----

6am came around a lot quicker since you had slept quite late the night before. As you stared at your reflection in the mirror whilst brushing your teeth, even you could see that you weren't at your prime, let alone anywhere near it. As you dabbed on a little more concealer than usual, the feeling of missing So young still sat within you, not quite gone away even after your micro sleep.

The smell of breakfast wafted through your nostrils as you slightly slumped down the stairs, not quite your usual self.  Xiumin trampled down the stairs behind you, just reaching you before you reached the first level.

"Is everything okay Eun Mi? You look a little down today" Xiumin commented, placing a hand comfortingly on your back.

"Yeah, I just didn't sleep a lot last night, that's all" you smiled back. "How did you sleep?" directing the conversation towards him.

"Take care of yourself Eun Mi, do you want me to call the other managers? We can get you the day off" he worried, completely disregarding your question.

"No, no, no, trust me, I'm really fine" you frantically waved your hands.  Xiumin grimaced but led you into the kitchen.

"Well, if I see you showing even a slight sign of discomfort, I'm not going to let you go" Xiumin proclaimed as he sat you down at the dining table.

"What's happening?" Tao asked, hearing what Xiumin had said.

"Eun Mi isn't feeling well today, I told her that we can get her the day off but she said no." Xiumin explained as Tao suddenly examined you.

"Why are we getting Eun Mi the day off?" Kris asked as he and Chen walked into the kitchen, also taking a seat at the dining table. Soon enough the whole group was informed of your situation and you had repeatedly informed everyone that you definitely didn't want the day off and you just didn't get enough sleep the night before. Even with the constant reassurance that you didn’t' want the day off, it still didn't stop the boys questions and concerns.

"Now, before we leave, are you absolutely, positively, 100% sure you do not want to stay at home today" Xiumin asked once more, placing his arms on your shoulders whilst the van hummed behind him.

"Come on Xiumin, do I really look that terrible this morning?" you replied, pouting slightly.

"Alright, alright, come on"  Xiumin opened the passenger door for you, waiting for you to be seated before he clipped on the seatbelt for you.

"Xiumin, you're treating me like a baby right now" you shot Xiumin a disapproving look.

"Think of me as your older brother then" he stated before he closed the door.

"Don't call him 'oppa' though" Chen called from the back with Tao nodding earnestly, agreeing with him.

----

Xiumin had made you join him in his practice session, which consisted of Chinese lessons first up. You sat in the corner as Xiumin and Chen sat with the Chinese teacher, with Xiumin looking back to check on you every once in a while.

You had always wanted an older brother, being the only child, growing up was sometimes lonely, but with Xiumin's comment this morning, even if you two weren't blood related you had really felt his 'brotherly' care, making the missing feeling from this morning subdue slightly.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur and with Xiumin making you sit in on his sessions, you were lost in your own thoughts with Xiumin snapping you back into reality every once in a while. As the boys sat in at the group practice room at the end of day, waiting for the van taking them back home, Xiumin was still by your side, chatting with Kris.  Luhan and Lay had dance practice last and were still diligently practising despite practice being over. Your phone buzzed inside your pocket indicating that the van was ready and you called all the boys together as you all left the room together.

----

You apologised to Lay after dinner as the lack of sleep the night before had taken its toll and you were barely holding on for dinner.

"I'm sorry I can't help with the dishes tonight" you mumbled quietly as you made your way to the sink next to Lay.

"Get to sleep already, don't even worry about me" Lay lightly pushed you away, beginning to fill the sink with water. As you walked into the living room, Xiumin was waiting and made his way by your side following you towards the stairs.

"I'm just going to sleep now Xiumin, I won't fall over or anything" you reassured, slightly pushing Xiumin away.

"Come on, just let me not worry and take you upstairs." he took your arm and lead you up the stairs.

First Lay and now Xiumin, it felt like exo-m had welcomed you so warmly that you felt more cared for than you had for a very long time, the missing feeling almost disappearing altogether.

----

The next morning you felt much better than the day before, you had fully recharged although the missing feeling still stuck in the back of your head but a warm, cared for feeling overpowered it greatly. As you were checking your appearance in the mirror for the last time, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in, it's open" you called, flattening down your hair for the last time.

"How do you feel this morning?" Xiumin queried, poking his head through the door.

"Much better, thank you so much for yesterday Xiumin, I really appreciate it" you answered, grabbing your bag off the bed and making you way to the doorway.

"You look much better today, not saying you looked bad yesterday, just better today" he commented. "You looked fine yesterday, just more down" he continued, stuttering a little. You chuckled at his nervousness as you reached into your bag fishing for something special.

"Here, this is for you" you offered Xiumin a small steamed bun key chain, although it wasn't much it was your way of saying thank you for his brotherly love the day before. You had thought back to the small showcase exo-m had put on for you the first time you met them and Xiumin's performance of his steamed bun 'aegyo' and thought this would be a special small gift to show your appreciation.

"I love it" Xiumin beamed down at your gift, taking out his mobile phone immediately to attach it on.

----

As you waited for the elevators to take the boys and yourself up to the practice rooms you had felt that the boys were feeling more tense than before. With the debut creeping up, the tension had risen greatly. Chen didn't even tease Tao as he rested against Chen's shoulder as he usually would. Truthfully, the looming debut made you feel quite anxious yourself, but you wanted to put on a calm front for the boys. Kris had also seemed to be quite calm and collected as he let Xiumin rest against him.

"Alright guys, only a couple of days left until we fly to Korea, let's make it count guys. Come on, hands together" Kris announced, shaking Xiumin off, placing his hand in the middle. The boys quickly placed their hands in the middle, all of them looking visibly less stressed.

"Eun Mi, come on, we're waiting" Kris called, looking back at you expectantly. You quickly jogged over to the team huddle and placed your hand upon everyone elses.

"1, 2, 3 Fighting!" Kris cheered, the members joining in at the end. Just as they broke the huddle, the elevators opened and exo-m poured in.

-----

As the practices ended for another day, Hyun Kyun had grouped all the boys into the middle as he stood, shuffling through some papers.

"Okay boys, as you know, we're going to be flying off to Korea in two days, I'd like you guys to start packing when you go back to the dorm tonight, our flight is going to be in the evening and we'll be reaching Korea in the late night. The day after tomorrow when you come for your final practices, you will also bring your luggage to the company so that night we can leave from here straight to the airport. Practices will end around 4pm that day, allowing for you guys to shower in the company washrooms and have enough time for you guys to be styled and dressed for the airport. You'll be flying back here to Beijing for your Chinese showcase on the 31st so make sure you pack sufficiently for that. You've all worked very hard to get where you are now, I am so proud of each and every one of you. Remember, Eun Mi and I will be with you this whole trip so if at any time you feel uneasy or unsure make sure you come to us first. We've got this guys. Now come on, bring it in." Hyun Kyun finished, bringing the group together for another huddle.

"Eun Mi, waiting for you again" Kris called, signalling for you to come over. You quickly jogged over, sandwiching yourself between Xiumin and Luhan.

"1, 2, 3, Fighting!!"

----

The tension of the morning was replaced by excitement as all the boys started packing for Korea after dinner.

"Kris, can I borrow your sunglasses for the airport, they totally frame my face better than you" Tao shouted across the rooms, making his way into Kris's room.

"Only if you let me use your snapback" Kris bargained, holding his sunglasses in one hand and extending his other hand to act as a trade.

"Xiumin hyung, are you going to take the good facewash in your bag?" Chen exclaimed from the bathroom.

"Yeah, can you bring it to me, I'm in my room" Xiumin instructed.

"Lay, do you have my grey t-shirt I lent you when you forgot your practice clothes that one time?" Luhan questioned, as he stood in the doorway of Lay's room.

"Bro, I've forgotten my practice clothes so many times, but are you talking about this one?" Lay laughed, holding up a grey t-shirt with white accents.

"I don't think so, but I like it" Luhan expressed, taking the shirt from Lay.

----

By the time everyone had finally finishing packing, seven suitcases were lined up against the hallway leading to the front door and the boys were buzzing with excitement.

"I can't wait to be back in the homeland" Chen declared to Xiumin as they made their way back into their respective rooms.

"I can't wait to see the other members again" Luhan added, joining in on their conversation.

"Well I can't wait to finally perform on stage as exo" Xiumin remarked adding to the conversation. Needless to say, the boys felt much better than they did in the morning, what they've been working for for so long was finally coming into reality.

Let's go to KOREAAAAA~~~

Stay tuned :)