The next day, an unexpected surprise greeted Xiumin as he walked inside his room. Sitting on his chair was the young lady he just met yesterday.

“You!” Xiumin hollered in shock. “W-What are you doing here?!” he points a finger at her.

Cream stands up and frowns; obviously insulted by the way the latter had pointed his finger at her.

“How rude!” she exclaimed and shoves Xiumin’s finger away. “It’s not nice to point your finger to anybody!”

Xiumin hides both of his hands in embarrassment but faces Cream right away.

“W-What are you doing here?!” Xiumin repeated. “And why are you sitting at my chair?!”

“I’m EXO U’s exchange student from ELF Institute!” Cream declared with pride. “I’m a psychology student who’ll be staying here for a whole semester!”

“Ugh!” Xiumin groaned in displease as he heard Cream’s info.

 

The professor soon came inside; which literally cuts off the misunderstanding between them. Cream Haneul-Yeon is a second year student from ELF Institute who was sent to EXO U to practice her observation skills in psychology. She’ll also learn from Grell Sutcliff himself; given that the red hair prof is also EXO U’s Discipline Coordinator.

 

Xiumin bangs his head on his head as the stress and depression gets up on his head. He decides that he needs to call it a day, even though there is a club activity after this class. He reaches for his bag and left the University. Luhan caught sight of him on the rotunda and called him. But Xiumin didn’t seem to hear him and went on his way.

 

“Weird,” Luhan mumbled to himself.

 

Xiumin heaves a sigh as he walks back home. Little did he know it, Cream had been watching him in everything he do. As he walks to a narrow path; Cream thinks deeply. After a few minutes, she smiles. What is it that she had in mind?

 

Cream; being an energetic lass ever since, was well known about the routes and roads in town. She took an alternative way, which Xiumin will pass by later on. She uses this so that it’ll appear that she was going the opposite way as Xiumin’s. She starts walking back; pretending to not know who she will bump into later. When he saw Xiumin, she smiles.

“Kim Minseok!” she hollered.

Xiumin noticed her and instantly frowns. He really don’t want to bump into anyone he knows; especially this lady. He just pretended not to hear her and sped up as soon as he was near to her.

“Wait,” Cream said and pulled his arm.

“What is it?!” Xiumin asked with an angry tone.

“I’m lost, oppa~!” Cream said; changing the ambiance all of a sudden. “Can you accompany me back to the city~?”

“Wha--?! O-Oppa?!” Xiumin exclaimed as he shakes Cream’s hand off. “What did you just call me?!”

Cream pouts. “Oppa~” she repeated. “I’m really lost right now~ Can you help me~?”

Xiumin scratched his head and pointed to the waiting shed beside the bus stop sign, which were a few steps away from him.

“Wait for the bus and go home~” he ordered.

“But it’ll be dark soon,” Cream whined. “Please wait with me there, oppa~”

“I don’t want to!” Xiumin abruptly and acts like he was about to leave.

 

Cream heaves a sigh and walks past Xiumin to sit by the waiting shed; pretending to be truly disappointed with the way Xiumin acted. Xiumin looks back at Cream with hesitation. Will he ignore the lady to take care of her own problems? Or will he disregard his own burdens for now to comfort the other? Xiumin took the second one and accompanied Cream by the waiting shed.

“Why are you here?” Cream asked him. “I thought you were going home.”

“I guess I really wanted to accompany you, Cream,” Xiumin replied while pursing his lips.

 

Cream hides a smile behind her thoughts. Her plans are really working. Who knew that a simple observation done by a psychology student will work out to a psychology student as well? Xiumin tries to start a conversation with her but Cream saw through that and started the conversation herself.

“I never knew that you study at EXO U, Minseok.” She said.

“Uhh... Yeah...” Minseok replied as he scratches his head.

“What’s wrong?” Cream asked. “Every time I stumble across you, you were always wearing that face!” she added.

Xiumin looked at her with a frown.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Didn’t your parents teach you how to smile?” Cream asked out of the blue.

Xiumin threw an irritated look at her before sighing loudly.

“Look,” he started. “Everybody knew how to smile, okay? It’s an ability we’re known to ever since.”

“If that’s an ability we all have,” Cream retorted, placing a finger on her chin. “Why aren’t you using it?”

Xiumin finally got enough of it. This isn’t what he had thought of accompanying her.

“Isn’t it obvious?!” he hollered. “I can’t because…”

“…Because?”

“…Because… I’m sad…” Minseok mumbled.

Cream purses her lips in satisfaction.

“I knew you’d answer it sooner or later,” she declared. “Tell me what happened.”

 

Xiumin looks away. He’s hesitating if he could trust Cream. They only met each other yesterday… and on worst circumstances as well. Xiumin gulps as he slowly looks to her again. Cream’s eyes met his the moment Xiumin turns around.

“I... I’ve been friend zoned,” he replied.

“R-Really?!” Cream hollered in surprise before bursting into laughter. “There’s no way!!!”

Xiumin puff his cheeks in anger. But since its Kim Minseok, his angry face looked cuter instead of fierce.

“Why were you laughing?!” he asked.

“I just can’t believe it!” Cream replied while she saves her laugh. “I mean, you were this cute and that girl got the courage to dump you!”

“I just got friend zoned!” Xiumin corrected. “I knew it was no use telling it to you,” he sighs in defeat.

Cream pats his shoulder. Xiumin looks at her and she motions her finger to the sky.

“See those clouds, Minseok?” she asks. “What can you tell about them?”

Xiumin peeps to glance at the sky.

“They’re really gray.” He replied. “Rain is about to fall.”

“You’re right.” Cream said with a smile. “You also knew that when rain falls, the clouds grew smaller, correct?”

Xiumin nodded. Cream continues to watch the sky.

 

“Life is like the sky. When we’re down, clouds cover our smiles and express our sadness.” She said and looks at Xiumin. “But when we tell someone our problems, the sadness inside us gradually disappears and when that happens, it will radiate the most beautiful thing on earth; our smiles.”

Xiumin looks at the sky. He saw the sun peeking behind the gray clouds and realizes that there is always hope. There’ll be always someone beside you to take care of you.

“Thank you, Cream.” Xiumin said.

Cream blushes as she heard Xiumin’s compliment.

“Oh… It’s nothing, idiot~!” she exclaimed and hits Xiumin.

“Ouch!” Xiumin declared. “Why did you do that?!” he hollered.

“Sorry,” Cream replied and rubs Xiumin’s arm.

 

Xiumin looks at her with an upset expression but Cream told him that it was cute. Kim Minseok realizes that no matter how much Cream will help her, he cannot hide the fact that she is truly an irritating human being! The bus soon arrives and Xiumin bids Cream goodbye. As he gazes at the bus, he couldn’t help it but to draw his lips into a smile. Xiumin’s day had somehow… become alright after all.

---

Will our Xiumin be able to accept her as who she is? And Cream.. how will she cope up if she realizes that there's a reason for helping Xiumin out?