A/N:

Hey guys, and sorry. I know it's been months, but I've been agonizing over the fate of this story. With EXO's situation as it is now... I'd decided drop the story altogether, but then I reconsidered after a long while and realized that this is, in fact, a fanfiction.

In this spirit, I'm going to keep writing this story, keeping EXO perpetually in this era. I may be starting a BTS-centric/Winner-centric/iKON-centric fic after Christmas, so keep your eyes out and comment below which groups you want to see in my next fic!

Gaze torn away from you, Mark is pinned for a moment by Tao's eyes before he slips quickly out the door and disappears.

Who was that? It was an idol, for sure. He looked familiar– I'm sure I can recall the name… The name vanishes from the tall maknae's mind as the chatter of EXO as they file out of the small room wakes you up.

Slowly, you blink your eyes open, frowning slightly as you focus on the face hovering over yours.

Even after two years, the sight is so familiar that for a second it's just as if you're waking up after math class. "Goddamnit, Pen," you groan, as you always do, and sit up. "Do you know what personal space means?"

A relieved smile makes it onto his face as he greets you quietly, the way he always does. "Morning, sleeping beauty." He sits back on his heels as EXO begins to crowd around. "How are you feeling?"

"What-" It all comes rushing back. This isn't math class. Math class was years ago, Peniel wasn't there for those years, and two of the people who were, your parents who raised you and whom you love, are now gone.

Your face crumples and goes white again as you stare at him. "Pen…" You're too exhausted to do anything but sit and blink. Tears are beyond you right now.

"I know."

"How…"

"Not important." Peniel brushes your query away and takes your hands instead, lifting your sleeve. Several intakes of breath. "This. What did I tell you about injuring yourself?"

"I couldn't help it, Pen."

He sighs. "I know," he says again.

"寶貝," Kris kneels down by you. You finally notice the wall of people around you. "You fainted."

"She what?" Peniel asks, horrified. "Again?"

"I did?" Come to think of it, you can't remember how you got onto the couch. The last thing you remember is- "Oh. I must have," you realize.

"We need to get you some food," Kris tells you.

"Okay," you agree after a moment, seeing the look on his face.

"Can you walk?" Luhan asks seriously.

"Of course I can, I'm not incapacitated," you retort, frowning slightly. But when you maneuver your legs off the couch and attempt to stand up, it's only to find yourself heading towards the ground. "."

"It's okay. I got you," Chanyeol reassures you, holding you up. His voice makes you feel mellow and lightheaded- but maybe you were already feeling lightheaded.

"I'm here too," Baekhyun pipes up from your other side.

"Shouldn't people of relatively similar heights be supporting her?" Ryeowook notes drily, finally leaving the recording room.

"Yeah, Kris-" Chanyeol's grin fades when Chen shoulders him aside to take hold of your arm. "Oh. That's what you meant."

The rest of them look at Baekhyun. At 174 cm, he's taller than Suho, Xiumin, Kyungsoo, and Jongdae. "What?" He looks down at you. You blink up at him. "Oh. Geez, fine. Soo?" He looks at the vocal.

D.O. looks impassive. Baekhyun frowns. What? Does he not like Jagi or something? Did something happen? Before he can ask again, however, Kris sticks his head in from outside.

"What's taking so long? The sooner we get 寶貝 to eat, the better," he prompts them,

At that, Baekhyun takes hold of your arm again and shrugs D.O's rejection off. Maybe he's just tired.  

The rest of the members have seen what happened. Instead of asking, they decide to wait and see what happens. D.O. is naturally kind– this is odd behavior. Fortunately, however, with the two beagle line-members supporting you and Chanyeol tagging along close by, your mood should improve soon.

***

Outside the studio, Kris and Peniel are beyond grateful that EXO is there to serve as a distraction from your grief.

"I'll be going, then. I'm glad she's all right. Tell her I said bye." I really hope Mark is downstairs. Peniel heads down the hallway, but Kris stops him.

"Do you want to come eat with us?"

Peniel smiles slightly. "I better not. You take care of Jewel." He makes to leave, again, but Kris doesn't let him go yet.

"How did you find out?"

From under his hood, Peniel stares up at the taller man, deliberating whether or not to answer honestly. He won't tell her. I hope.

As Peniel considers the consequences of the truth, Kris sticks his upper body into the studio, bows to all the staff and Ryeowook, and tells the boys and you to hurry up. He shuts the door.

"Mark told me."

Kris is taken aback. The guy from last night? "What?"

"He heard from her family's lawyer. He's in their will."

What the hell? "Do they- Did they know him?"

Probably better than his own parents did. "You can say that," Peniel answers wryly. I wouldn't be surprised if he spent more time with her parents than he did with his own.

Kris shakes his head. "I don't understand. Jewel doesn't know him."

Peniel stares into Kris' eyes for a moment, gauging the doubt that fills them. His lips quirk slightly, then straighten. "Not anymore, she doesn't, but she did. Very well."

With that cryptic remark, he leaves Kris frowning and strides down the hallway at a brisk pace. Now to find Mark before he does something rash.

***

It's on the way to the car park that suddenly your limbs decide to stop working altogether. "Fu-" You bite off a curse as your legs buckle. Jongdae and Baekhyun stop in their tracks again and wait for you to regain your feet, but this time, you can't.

"Let me," Sehun says, coming around in front of you. He's been walking alongside the three of you since you've left the studio. Shouldn't Kris hyung be here?

"Just gimme a sec, I'm fine," you grind out through your teeth.

He just rolls his eyes at you, stoops, and tosses you over his shoulder in a gentle fireman's carry, ignoring your breathless shriek and Chen's/Baek's surprised looks.

"Yah, Oh Sehun! This is undignified," you complain, weakly hitting his back with your fists. "Not to mention all the blood rushing to my head."

Oops. Maybe not the fireman's carry. "Mian, noona," he apologizes, and maneuvers you so that you end up in his arms, bridal-style.

"Yah!" You exhale, irritated, and look up at him. "I meant for you to put me down, pabo! I can walk by myself."

"As if, noona."

You sputter a bit but quiet down, and soon slip into a light doze.

She's so angelic like this. I wonder what she's like when she's practicing Muay Thai?

***

Sehun puts you in the backseat of the EXO-M van and then climbs in after you, taking one of the M members' seats. Xiumin leaves without a word to the EXO-K van.

"Where's Pen?"

"He went back to his dorm."

"Ah."

Pulling out your phone, you text him.

To: Penny Shin

From: J. Lee

Hang tomorrow? The guys are leaving for China.

You can almost see him hesitating.

To: J. Lee

From: Penny Shin

Sounds good! 9 am, Cube Ent.? Should be pretty easy to find. Text me when you're at the door :)

To: Penny Shin

From: J. Lee

Any time, any place for my li'l penny ;) I'll roll out of bed just for you. We need to catch up, or I need to… Let's see how interesting I can make two years of sitting in a coffee shop sound :P

To: J. Lee

From: Penny Shin

T_T

To: J. Lee

From: Penny Shin

Remember, it's not your fault.

Instead of replying, you just let out a small sigh. After two years out of contact, he still knows you as well as ever.

***

"So… Food?" Tao asks hopefully.

"Yup," Kris answers.

"Eat out?" Tao suggests.

Silence. "Probably not a good idea…" Luhan answers quietly.

Tao pouts. "But we don't have any food at home for寶, and takeout will take a while." And we haven't been out in ages.

"We haven't been out in ages," Chen points out reasonably, as if he's heard Tao's thought. "At night, I mean. Plus, we're leaving for China tomorrow."

"Yeah, plus we're leaving for China tomorrow," Tao echoes pleadingly.

"Just go," you say, still lying on Sehun's shoulder. He looks down at you, surprised. "I can manage. I'll just go to the canteen."

"There's no way the canteen is open this late," Kris retorts, half twisting to look at you. "And I don't trust you by yourself right now, anyway. Don't you have any roommates? Hallmates?"

"Nope."

"The girls in her hall think she's had plastic surgery, are super jealous of her, and think she's just some privileged foreigner from America who doesn't deserve to be here," Sehun yawns. "Basically es all around."

"Yah, Oh Sehun-" You start to sit up but stay stuck when Sehun places his hand over your head, keeping you in place.

Kris turns around and stares at you. What are you thinking right now?

You shrug, or as much as you can in the position you're in. Nothing much.

"…Let's just eat out." He thinks for a moment. "What do you want to eat?"

From the other side of Sehun, Tao leans over to whisper in your ear.

You pat him on the head. "BBQ," you suggest, chuckling when Sehun flicks Tao's ear.

"Fine," Kris agrees.

"Apa!" Tao grumbles, shooting Sehun the evil eye.

"Yah, Sehunnie, don't be violent to your hyung-deul," you admonish lightly.

"Araso, noona," he acquiesces easily.

Bwoh?!  Every mind except for the two of yours exclaims.

"Mian," the maknae apologizes, whacking Tao's abdomen with his right hand as if getting his attention.

Tao grunts and narrows his eyes menacingly at him.

You stifle a grin. I wonder whom that's supposed to scare? you muse. Ah, kyeopta.