EDITED VERSION =D

Act.4 (part 1)

Whoa.

It's a roller coaster, baby! Ke ke ke.

We are in Thailand! The food is awesome, the weather is awesome, and the fans are awesome! And above all, being together again is awesome (I used “awesome” too much but I don't care: it's the perfect word to describe how I'm feeling right now). We left our routine to go to a foreign and exotic country (I always wanted to see an elephant!) and being able to kick Baekhyun and Chanyeol in the shin was such a relief. (All our interviews and shows were aired and they teased me mercilessly.) I missed all of EXO K members: Kyungsoo's creepy stares and Sehun's evilness (who by the way practically jumped on Luhan ge when he first saw him). I bet our fans would squeal but after the China love big concert that cemented Kris/Tao I think we kind of gave up about couples and other weird stuff. I know I’m rambling because I'm too excited and happy but I didn't know I missed them so much. I’m so ecstatic at the moment that Xing Xing ge is giving me the blank expression and I don't give a damn about Minseok hyung teasing me for being a baby duck, because I'm on top of the world right now, and I don't even complain about the messiness of this hotel room, because I missed even that! And yes I'm happy even if hyung left all his things plastered all over my own bed, I can neither scold him nor whine because we are finally rooming together and I missed hyung. I missed my best friend Junmyeon (and I can always nag at him later after we caught up).

Ok now I have to calm down if I want to write coherently.

What I was saying? Ah yes couples names, routine and Thailand! Here it goes!

We are singers but sometimes I can't stop thinking of us like a bunch of students sharing a flat together. I can't help but let my mind wander and imagine weird scenarios in which Wu fan Ge is majoring in Law, Luhan ge is majoring in P.E. while playing in the University football team, Minseok hyung is soon to be a school teacher (Maths nonetheless), and Zitao is working at a cafè while taking acting class. And me and Xing ge are majoring in music because I can't imagine the two of us doing anything else. It's a silly scenario because normal kids don't have interviews and shows airing on the national channels.

“Zhong da, what are you thinking about so intensely?” Xing xing ge asked me. I blinked a couple of times as I came back to earth, only to realize I was waving a knife in mid air instead of cutting the carrots. I chuckled, embarrassed, but Xing ge was still staring at me curiously while peeling the potatoes so I told him what was going on my mind. He smiled at me.

“You sure are imaginative! But, honestly, I think Yifan would be a trainee model because, c'mon, he's narcissistic enough to be one and, well, on the other hand he can't be tall for nothing,” he added seriously. I had to laugh.

“He can always be a basketball player: didn't he play that when he was in Canada?”

“Yes, but he's too much of a fashionista to suit the sport field, you know the sport environment is that world made of sweat, dirty clothes and common showers! Nah... it would be a waste of his pretty face.”

I cracked up again because of Xing xing ge.

“I simply told you the truth you know, and by the way thank you for not separating me from music in your alternative universe,” he smiled, “I'm flattered.”

I couldn't help but blush because, for me, a “thank you” and praise coming from the member I admired the most is really something.

“You're welcome ge!”

“Hey, what is all this laughing about? We could here Chen Chen’s high-pitched laugh from the other part of the dorm!” interrupted Wu fan ge. High pitched? Excuse me?! But before I could whine Xing ge replied, treating Wu fan with an easiness that only Xing ge has when it comes to the duizhang. In other words he treats him like a commoner (Xing ge rules!).

“We are just two friends chatting while cooking,” answered Xing ge with a shrug.

“I don't know why, but I kind of have the feeling you two were making fun of me.” Er… because we were… I thought, doing my best to be composed.

“I don't know what you’re talking about,” replied Xing ge with a face so innocent that even smart Luhan ge could be fooled. Or who knows. Maybe in Xing ge's universe we really weren't making fun of Wu fan ge. Yeah. Sure. I have the feeling that I'm not the only troll here.

“Whatever. Anyway guys hurry up so we can watch the last show we recorded together,” he said before exiting the kitchen.

“Let's hurry up ge, I don't want to miss the last chapter of Kris/Tao bromance.” It was his turn to laugh.

“You are so funny Zhong da!”

“Hey, I was being serious!”

Xing ge shook his head and resumed peeling the potatoes while I finished cutting the carrots that we then put in a giant pot, together with the chicken and the mushrooms, that we left boiling before heading towards the couch. The show has just started, and Luhan ge was already sighing because they made him seem even cuter with the CG.

“You really have no facial expressions Xing xing,” teased Yifan ge.

“Jpg,” coughed Lu han ge teasing him too but gaining a glare form Xing ge who preferred to reply to our leader.

“Shut up Picasso.”

“Hey, my drawing skills are just fantastic!” Xing ge raised a brow while Luhan rolled on the carpet laughing his off.

“Ge, just admit it!” Zitao mocked him too. Can I high-five the kid? I joined Luhan on the carpet while Minseok hyung stared at us like we were from a mental hospital. Gramps!

“Yah! Brat!” Wu fan ge exclaimed, outraged by Zitao, who wasn't even listening to him anymore but he was staring at himself on the screen in admiration saying something like, “Wow I look really good there. I have to thank cordi noona for the make up next time!”

Luhan and I laughed even harder, but then Wufan ge's cell phone rang. After seeing who it was he signalled to us to hush up.

“Manager hyung,” Wufan greeted him in a respectful tone because there was no one Wu fan ge feared more than manger hyung. Luhan and I quieted down while Minseok hyung turned off the audio.

“Put me on the speaker phone Yifan.” We could eavesdrop.

“Sure.”

“Kids, I could have told you tomorrow, but I just came to know Lee Soo Man seungsaenim's directions and I imagine you would like to know this as soon as possible. In a couple of days we are planning to fly to Thailand and promote over there since you are extremely popular outside the country. But you are not going as EXO M but as EXO. EXO K is going to come too.”

This announcement was followed by an explosion of cheers of joy. I literally jumped from the floor and hugged Minseok hyung. Yes, Minseok hyung my discipliner.

We could hear the manager laughing over the phone but we were no longer listening, Wu fan grabbed the phone and went talking to manager hyung in private, while in the living room we were all excited.

We were going to be one again.

Sehun, Jongin, Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, Baekhyun.

Junmyeon hyung.

I was jumping up and down since we came to know the news. We already video called each other after manger hyung's call. Thank God Minseok hyung was smart enough to record the show so we could watch it together another time. I was counting the days that separated us from the reunion and I wasn't the only one even though I was probably the most obvious. At the dorm we were all in high spirits and lessons never were more successful. I was practising my part of “What is Love” alone so I didn't notice someone approaching the room. I was at the point where I have to reach a really high note and it was usually a bit challenging, but due to my good mood I was so relaxed that the note came easily out of my mouth. Suddenly I heard someone clapping at my performance. It was Xing Xing ge.

“You are happy,” he commented.

“Very much so,” I replied, smiling.

“Was it hard on you, Zhong da?,” he asked me, suddenly turning into the epitome of concern. I gulped because his question was kind of direct and it never was my intention to worry him or to make the others think, with my over excitement for our reunion, I has passed a bad time in EXO M.

“It was, ge. I trained so little compared to all of you and my Chinese is still really poor despite my efforts and, yes, sometimes I think I'm a burden but I never, even once, regretted coming to China or being part of EXO M.” I was the one who decided to come here to begin with.

Xing ge came closer and patted my head gently like I was his little brother (and probably he sees me like that). “You are really talented. That's why you were able to debut despite of your brief training and yes your Chinese is poor, but Chinese is one of if not the most complicated languages. However, you can already understand us pretty well. And I'm happy to hear you are happy in EXO M, because you are irreplaceable. And it's ok to be excited as much as you want: they are our group members and your fellow country men and I know how consoling this is when you are far from home.”

“Thank you, ge.” He smiled at me but I couldn't let kind-hearted Xing xing ge worry about me so I continued. “You know ge, there's one thing I really, really miss so much that it's unbearable. I'm counting the hours that separate me from Junmyeon hyung's wallet,” I concluded cheekily. Xing ge laughed.

“Zhong da!”

“To tell the truth, I miss Junmyeon's hyung wallet too. Wu fan ge is stingy,” a voice suddenly added from behind us. It was Zitao, who had entered the practice room and was seated on a chair in the corner.

“I miss Kyungsoo's cooking instead,” added Minseok hyung who was tagging along with Zitao. “Yixing, no offence but it’s THE Do Kyungsoo’s cooking we’re talking about here.”

“No offence taken.”

“Hey! I help cook too.”

“That's it!” Stupid baozi, but Xing ge patted me sweetly on my head and in the end I sighed. I can get angry when ge is so brotherly with me. Sigh.

The flight was a little bit longer than usual but it wasn't a problem as we were, in general tired enough to fall asleep without too much effort. I decided to sit with Zitao just to cement our new friendship, and he talked about how he missed the members and how much he wanted to catch up with Baekhyun. I think the friendship between the latter and Zitao is one of the greatest mysteries of EXO. Because to some extent they are so similar, with characters so unique and eccentric, that they clicked immediately and I can say they share a relationship like the one Minseok hyung and I share. At some point of the conversation—because Zitao talks A LOT when he wants to—we fell asleep only to wake up once arrived in Thailand. The airport was crowded with fans that were shouting our names and taking pictures of us nonstop. We were all in awe because we knew we were doing well but we never imagined we had so many fans outside of China and Korea. Xing ge waved his hand countless times but he wasn't the only one. We were all kind of impressed and so tried to do good fan service. Manager hyung told us that EXO k members were already at the hotel waiting for us. My palms were sweating in excitement and Minseok hyung linked his arm with mine because no matter how much I complain, hyung is the only one who knows me the best, more than ChanBaek, and sometimes even more than Junmyeon hyung. (BUT he's still the freak baozi.)

We proceed slowly towards the van leaving our Thai fans behind but never stopping waving and smiling at them. The hotel was kind of luxurious and we cheerfully exited the vans and collected our luggage quickly. The atmosphere was electric and we stared at each other with similar idiot smiles. We entered the hotel in trepidation. However we had only taken a couple of steps into the hallway when a tornado (known as Oh Sehun aka the evil maknae) whirled past, forgetting all of us to literally jump on to Luhan ge.

“This is so touching! Mum duck and his baby are together again! Sniff!” cried a joyful and overdramatic voice from behind, followed by a baritone laugh. I turned around and there, with two goofily identical smiles were Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

“Yah,” I hugged them and then patted them on the back (er, no, make that pounded them on the back) with excessive enthusiasm. (Serves them right for laughing at me) and then we smiled at each other like idiots.

“Sehunnie… I… can't… breath,” Luhan ge gasped.

Sehun released him and whispered a sorry, scratching his nape. Just then, it hit the truth hit LuHan ge. “Sehunnie! Just how much you grew!”

“Oh, just a few inches,” Sehun replied with his quiet tone. Luhan ge was staring in shock at the towering maknae.

At my side Zitao was hugging Baekhyun and the others, Kyungsoo and Jongin, were slowly approaching us, but not Junmyeon. Then in the middle of our reunion (we were kind of blocking the entrance) I felt someone at my side so I turned. He was smiling casually, his eyes in crescent moons in that smile I remember so well it feels like we have just seen each other the day before. But we know each other too well and I knew he was doing his best to hold back his emotions because our EXO K leader is such a crybaby!

“Jongdae-ah” was apparently all he could manage.

“Hyung!” And right then, I, like Sehun, jumped onto him.

EXO, we are one!

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