“Careless, careless shoot anonymous, anonymous, heartless, mindless, no one who care about me…”

The sound of MAMA, EXO’s first single is echoing inside the classroom, though the volume is in its lowest, still, with only the teacher’s voice in the classroom, the sound can still be noticeable.

“Turn it off…” The teacher says as he snatches the phone from his student Seungkwan.

“Hey, can’t you see I am watching…” Seungkwan’s annoyed voice says but he stops as he sees his teacher’s look at him.

“You are watching me…” The teacher continues Seungkwan’s statement.

Seungkwan bows his head down and the teacher continues to walk towards the board when Seungkwan calls after him.

“Byun songsaengnim…” Seungkwan calls after his teacher with curiosity obvious in his voice.

The teacher stops walking and he faces his student with authority.

“Why did EXO stops performing so sudden in the middle of their career’s altitude? I mean… you were so famous…” Seungkwan’s curiosity snaps the classroom in silence. No one talks even the teacher himself, after a few seconds the teacher opens his mouth to answer, “Seungkwan, it is none of your business…” and he continues to walk to the board to continue his lesson but Seungkwan suddenly stands-up and protests. “I care, because you inspire me. EXO inspires me songsaengnim. Everytime you stood up on stage, there was a spark in each and everyone of you. A spark of passion, of love and friendship… I know you love the feeling to be on stage Byun Songsaengnim, I know you value EXO a lot, you value the friendship you create with your co-members, It’s been a shock to everyone when EXO disbanded… I know it’s been 3 years since the disbandment but still… Songsaengnim, you are not the Baekhyun I know before… you’ve changed… I still hear you sing alone in the auditorium everytime I pass by it. I still…”

“ENOUGH!” The teacher shouts unconsciously. “You don’t know me, us… You only know us being EXO but you don’t know who Byun Baekhyun is behind EXO, who everyone is behind EXO so stop talking as if you know everything about us!” The teacher had enough. It’s been always like this. Seungkwan is a very bright student, he is also an excellent singer and a very good dancer. EXO became his inspiration because he wanted to be like them. He always asks his teacher, Byun Baekhyun, a former EXO member, about it but he had enough. He doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. EXO became a big part in his life but he cannot bring back the time. He wanted EXO to continue what it had started but sometimes, there are instances that you cannot control, and that instance tore EXO apart. It’s been a shock to the world, especially because they were in their height of their career when the disbandment news of EXO spread to the globe. A lot of their fans cried and even petitioned for them to continue but it seemed that EXO had their decision, and it was to stop. Still, Baekhyun continues to sing, on stage, without a single audience, without the spotlight, in an empty school auditorium while everybody is busy studying their lessons, teachers doing their lesson plans. When he does that, he imagines the cheering crowd, the blinding spotlight, the beating music and the happy voices of his co-members. How he wishes he can still continue to dream big and to live in it but now, he is just a teacher. His stage is the board. His audience is the students, and there is no spotlight anymore, the music in his ears is the squeaking sounds of the chalk on board, the noise the students make and the wind itself.

He even doesn’t have any contact with his ex co-members. All he knows is that Yi Xing, or better known as Lay, went back to China to continue his showbiz career, hence, he’s been a Chinese child star anyways. Lu han returns schooling, his new goal is to finish his college. He doesn’t have any news about Min Seok besides he’s preparation in joining the Military. Jongdae or the strong vocalist of EXO-M, Chen continues to sing in a Korean Night Bar, Joon Myeon or Suho who used to be the leader of EXO-K stays in the SME company and becomes a star in Korean dramas. Chanyeol also stays in the company and becomes a host in his own variety show, the “Happy Virus”. After EXO’s disband fuss, Kyungsoo, the singing diva of EXO-K, D.O changed company and becomes a solo singer. The company is a new one and they offered DO to be their main star. Jongin, the dance machine, Kai built his own dance school using the remaining money he got from being an idol. Sehun also continues his college in the same school as Lu Han. After the disbandment, they had decided to continue finishing their college. They are now majoring in filming and as of Baekhyun, He took units of education and is now a high school music teacher. Everyone is now living their own lives but, he never had any news about Wu Fan or the leader of EXO-M, Kris and Tao. He is still happy to watch Suho in his new Korean drama. He never misses a single episode. Same with Chanyeol’s “Happy Virus”. He wakes up as early as 5 am just to watch the variety show. At least, he is relief that Suho and his closest friend in EXO, Chanyeol are in good condition, still living their lives under the spotlight. He buys each and every album of DO as if he is fanboying over him. He still supports his co-members without them noticing it.

After work, he visits the old building of SME in which they used to train every single day. After EXO’s third single, the SME training center changed building so the old building becomes a props building for the company. As he walks in front of the building’s main door, it opens. He quickly hides behind the light post and is surprised to see Chanyeol. He opens the door and went out of the building. He walks and passes the light post where Baekhyun is hiding when he senses a very familiar aura. The aura he used to like. He begins to search the place and when the light post catches his stare, he sees Baekhyun’s familiar stripped shirt. “Hyung?” he loudly whispers.

Baekhyun is surprised; he never thought that Chanyeol will recognize him. They haven’t seen each other for 3 years yet Chanyeol recognizes him hiding behind a light post. With doubt, he shows himself. “Uh… Chanyeol? How did you recognize me?” he asks shyly. After 3 years, the awkwardness of the first meeting begins to surrounds them. “How will I forget that aura of yours? When you’re around a sense of security begins to surround me. How will I forget that feeling? It is the feeling I begin to miss for 3 years! Glad you finally visit! I’ve been waiting for you. I don’t know your place nor any of your contact that’s why I cannot reach you!” He hugs Baekhyun. It is the familiar heat that Baekhyun misses. How surprising that his body becomes to feel warm and relax all of a sudden. Everytime Chanyeol is happy with something or surprise of something, he used to hug Baekhyun. He feels happier when he did so…

“You’ve never changed, even a bit.” Baekhyun sighs.

Chanyeol senses Baekhyun’s sadness, “Is something wrong, hyung?”

“Nothing really, I am just surprised. I thought that everyone changes but you stay the same. I am glad that you do.” Baekhyun smiles a broken smile to him. A smile that he’s been forcing himself to show Chanyeol that he is glad, but why he still feels empty. He finally met Chanyeol, the friend he misses a lot. A friend that doesn’t change after everything that happened.

“Hyung, I know you, alright? Something’s wrong. Just tell me! It’s like I am any stranger to you…”

“It is not that something is wrong, I am just wondering if how you manage to stay the same after everything that’s happened to us. I mean, It’s like everyone changes already, especially me. I do think I’ve changed a lot. Even though I wanted to be the same Baekhyun as before, the happy go lucky one, it is like, I cannot return myself to that. I don’t know… I kinda envy you actually.” Baekhyun confesses in embarrassment.

Chanyeol puts an arm to Baekhyun’s shoulder and snorts, “It’s not like that you've changed big, hyung…” he says as he eyes Baekhyun from head to toe.

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun eyes him in curiosity.

“You are still the dwarfy Baekhyunnie that I know!” Chanyeol smiles from ear to ear as he says that and Baekhyun laughs.

“What? You!” Baekhyun laughs and slaps Chanyeol’s .

“See? You still do that! You are still the same!” Chanyeol laughs back.

“I think I want a drink…” Baekhyun says as he feels his throat dry.

“Want to have some tea?” Chanyeol suggests in a smile of him that melts every fan’s hearts.

“Yeah, tea would be fine.” Baekhyun smiles back.