A/N: this story takes place about 5 years after their debut.

 

 

 

The dorm was eerily quiet when Zitao finally clambered out of his bed. He fumbled for his crutches momentarily before giving up as his clumsy fingers had knocked them onto the ground.Those twists and turns in their choreography had finally taken it's toll on his body and his injury this time was the most serious so far. Zitao chuckled, what was he to do, he was in charge after all for making those pretty little twist and turns.  The crutches will have to stay, they were too distracting.

 

 

He leaned against the wall for support as he made his way out of his room painstakingly. He opened the door and looked out, sure enough the dorm was empty. Their manager had let him sleep in while the rest went for their daily 12-hour long practices. Zitao slumped against the wall, he had to do it today. Their upcoming schedules would never let him allow him to be alone.

 

 

Zitao stumbled in to his dark room. You must have been born at night, the others had joked, that's why you're so obsessed with the dark.

 

 

 Zitao was born in the afternoon when the sun was at its highest. Ironically.

 

 

No one really cared for Zitao's dark room. They had earned enough money and fame over the years and had moved into two large apartments where everyone had their own private bedrooms. It was his room, he can do whatever he want with it.

 

 

Zitao remembered how he was assigned to one of the smallest room, Sehun too to another. They were the maknaes the other members had reasoned, no one had bothered to point out that Jongin was younger than Zitao. Zitao did not too, the room was cozy. He wanted his room to be cozy if he was going to be alone.

 

 

Zitao opened his closet, it was something he had detested. He could not bear looking at the same clothes over and over again for he had stopped purchasing new clothes since the second year after the debut. He eyed his branded accessories and clothes. Majority of them were basic pieces so that he could mix and match them whenever they had to go to the airport. It had saved him plenty of money and the fans still had new outfits to look at.

 

 

Then came his collection of accessories. It was one that Zitao had treasured a lot since there weren't many as Zitao had long stopped purchasing them. He couldn't wear them today though, they were too eye-catching.

 

 

Zitao put on a clean and pressed white long-sleeved button up and ironed black pants. He had to look neat while meeting the higher ups. Afterwards he slugged on a dingy over-sized jumper, a plain white face mask and an old hat he got for free from an event, making sure his dyed hair was tucked securely under it. No sunglasses, sunglasses were too obvious.

 

 

He exited from the back door of their apartment and went down the rundown emergency staircase, ignoring the pain shooting up his injured leg with every step he took. Instead he focused on letting his good leg bring him down. Of course, Zitao could have taken the elavator but he did not want anyone to see him. No fans, even though he was well out of their sight even if he had taken the escalator. Most importantly, not even their neighbors whom they have come to trust.

 

 

Winter was approaching so Zitao did not have to work about sweating. He sat on the end of the stairwell in order to catch his breath and to regain senses from his leg which was numb from the pain and had refused to move. Zitao had to move on.

 

 

He pushed open the last door of the emergency exit and escaped into the back alleyway of their building. Ten minutes, Zitao calculated, it would take him ten minutes to maneuver himself through the turns and reach the back door of SM's building. Zitao would have taken ten minutes if his leg was fine.

 

 

It might have been because Zitao had to rest against the grimy alleyway walls more then once every minute, ignoring how dirty his jumper was getting as his white shirt was safely protected inside, but Zitao took two-thirds of an hour to arrive.

 

 

He entered the familiar building from its backdoor far away from the practice rooms and studios which were located in the front. Zitao guided himself to Lee Soo Man's office from his memory and it was difficult. He had only went inside his office twice, on both of the occasions he had signed on endless contracts, when he was accepted as a trainee after the auditions and when he was told he would be debuting in a boy band. Both had happened years ago.

 

 

Zitao had finally managed to reach the destined door. He took off his jumper and placed it at the corner before brushing the dust off his white shirt and knocking the door.

 

 

 

"Come in"

 

 

 

ZiTao opened the door and walked in. Their CEO was still engrossed in his paperwork.

 

 

 

" Who is this? Are you important, if not please leave." Their CEO said, eyes had never once left the paperwork in front of him , pen still frantically scribbling.  Zitao looked at the paper and tried to decipher the few Korean words he could recognize. "Exo album sales" . No wonder he was so engrossed, money is all that matters, money is important.

 

 

 

"Tao, sir" Tao, their CEO had decided in this very same room years ago, Tao would be his new name because Zitao was too difficult to pronounce. He would change himself to make it easier for the rest. "Huang Zitao, sir."

 

 

 

"Aren't you supposed to be resting for... For your-"

 

 

 

"My ankle, sir"

 

 

 

"Yes, so why are you here?"

 

 

 

"May I take a seat sir?" Tao's ankle was killing him.

 

 

 

" Oh yes, sure! We don't want to injure that leg of yours any further. It needs to dance!" 

 

 

 

It needs to dance and earn more money. Money is all that matters, money is important.

 

 

 

"Thank you sir."

 

 

 

Lee Soo Man cleared his throat, "May I know why you are here?"

 

 

 

" I am afraid this leg would not do anymore dancing, sir. "

 

 

 

" What are you talking about boy! The doctor said you'll be fine after some rest!"

 

 

 

" I'll be fine sir b.. But I-"

 

 

 

"There you go! Now go back home and rest!" Lee Soo Man cheered on awkwardly obviously trying to avoid what Zitao was going to say next.

 

 

 

"This is not about my ankle sir. I want to... I want to quit Exo"

 

 

 

"You want a solo album?"

 

 

 

"No sir I want out. Out from Exo and this company."

 

 

 

"If you're joining another company be prepared for a lawsuit" Lee Soo Man said in a solemn tone.

 

 

 

"No sir, I want to quit this industry and go home"

 

 

 

"You will need money," Money is all that matters, money is important  "for the breach of your contract. A lot of money."

 

 

 

"I've been saving sir." Zitao remembered forcing out a smile as his other members announced their expenditure. A house for their parents. A car for them. New clothes. New products. While he has not spend a single penny for his own materialistic benefit for the last 3 years, only splurging once in a while for health products to send back to his parents back in China.

 

 

 

Their CEO sighed and folded his arms, "Well, we will need time to sort out the paper works the.. The everything." 

 

 

 

"I understand sir."

 

 

 

Lee Soo Man leaned over and patted Zitao's shoulder, "The paperwork will take a while my boy, use this time to think about the choice you have made. Your fans and... And your members."

 

 

 

" I understand sir."

 

 

 

Zitao might have been tired for he takes an entire hour to get to their apartment. He takes to elevator instead, he did not want to hide anything anymore.