A/N: It's been a week!

I'll probably update again on Christmas eve, or something... Not too sure yet.

I've got my last exam tomorrow (mile run in P.E. ;u;) and then I have to cram my college apps, but I should probably have more time during the break?? At least I hope so.

Enjoy!

English, Mandarin, Korean

Approaching the bed, you pull the blanket into place, covering Kris' legs. You settle down, briefly grazing his fingers with your own, and fall fast asleep. Even on the hard wooden floor, you sleep dreamlessly, better than you have in ages.

***

Normally a deep sleeper, Kris somehow wakes up when someone touches his hand. He sees you curled up on the floor next to his bed, just a few inches below his fingers. Senses still foggy with sleep, he doesn't react for a moment.

What the– oh. Jewel. He thinks lethargically. So early… That floor can't be comfortable.

Yawning, he gets out of bed and stretches, cracking his back and rolling his shoulders. He gathers you up, wincing slightly as his bones groan under your light weight. His body is still fatigued, but he's gotten used to the effects of sleep deprivation.

Bending down, he lays you on the bed. You take up only about a third of the space he does, curling up so that you're just like an oversized plushy. He chuckles and gets onto the bed as well, careful not to jostle your sleeping form.

She looks so tired, he notes, brushing your hair gently off your face.

"Sleep well, Bao Bei (darling)."

***

You whimper and roll over as music starts playing.

Two moons~

The sound drives into your skull, making you grab blindly for anything in reach to block out the noise. Finding something, you try to pull it towards you, and when that fails, you scoot yourself forward, tuck your head into and throw a leg over it. Magically, the sound stops.

The something rumbles. Annoyed, you drag your eyes open to an expanse of black fabric. Tilting your head back, you come face to face with Kris, who's looking down at you with a tired but amused expression.

"Yeol, Kibum sunbae, and I worked hard on that song-"

"Five minutes," you plead, ignoring his words, and close your eyes.

Chuckling slightly, he tries to get out, but you only hold him tighter.

Sighing, he puts an arm around you and moves you closer, adjusting the blanket around the two of you. "Five minutes. No more. I have a flight to catch, Darling."

"Mmph," you mumble, already asleep again.

***

Someone wakes up with a gasp, arm convulsively knocking his phone off his bed. He sits up wearily, clenching his teeth, and drags a cold hand through his hair.

"Mm?" a drowsy, questioning voice comes from the other bunk in the room. The clatter of his phone has woken up the room's other occupant. "What was that?"

"Knocked my phone off the bed by accident."

"Did you have a nightmare again?"

"No. Go back to sleep, it's only 5:30. We don't need to get up for another hour."

"Okay." The other moves around and settles back into sleep.

***

"Duizhang! Get up, you lazy , it's already 5:30! We're flying to China today, remember?" Luhan yells.

Contrary to Kris' expectations, you've never been violent waking up. It is with a slow and sleepy series of blinks and yawns that you start to gain awareness of your surrounding.

Kris lets out a breath that he has been holding. "Morning, sleeping beauty."

You tilt your head back and wrinkle your nose at him. "Then I guess you're a wolf, you're a wolf."

"…Puhahahaha," he laughs.

The door opens.

"Yah, didn't you hear-" Minseok shuts up as his eyes light on the scene before him.

"What?" Lay sticks his head into the doorway as well. "Oh, hi, Bao bei. Duizhang, get up."

"Bao bei is here?" Luhan comes over as well. He raises both eyebrows, shocked. "Um…"

Jongdae peeks from behind. "Did you sleep together?" he asks bluntly.

"Yes, we slept," Kris states, emphasizing the word.

You throw off the covers and push him off the bed. "Look at me, fully clothed," you state drily.

"Ow!" Kris whines.

Tao bounces out from the bathroom and peeks inside the room as well. "Jie jie!"

"Zitao, hi. Guys, your drinks are in the fridge."

"Thanks Jagi/Bao bei," they chorus.

"Duizhang, get ready, will you? Eesh," Luhan nags.

Kris picks himself up and drags himself to the bathroom, throwing a petulant glance at you. "This is all because you said five more minutes," he complains.

You shrug. "I got you your fix. I trust that it's worth at least five less minutes of primping time."

At a loss for words, he gives up.

Luhan looks at you. "Are you going to sleep some more? We still have half an hour before we leave."

You shake your head. "Nope. I'll just go out in the living room and sip my lattes."

"Lattes, plural?" Lay asks.

"Incentive for waking up so early, of course."

"Ah… Makes sense."

***

Someone sits awake in a lightless room. He's afraid the face the nightmare that has returned, full force. It hasn't been this bad since he left.

There, in the dark, the memories that he has tried so hard to keep locked away manage to overtake him for the first time in years.

Against his will, he remembers everything. The terrifying two-day wait for news, the dread in their voices as they called, even the smell of the hospital as if he has only just stumbled, disbelieving, into the building. He remembers seeing the unrecognizing gaze, meeting eyes with the person who he loved. Loves.

He remembers the rage, the helplessness. He remembers leaving his life behind, leaving his heart behind, leaving it all to someone else.

He remembers the nightmares.

He remembers dialing the number that he still has memorized, and waiting for it to go through. He remembers the masked despair in their voices, his own desperation.

"How did the check-up go?"

"It's beginning to scar now, but they say the scar will fade. Everything internal is healed. She seems to be recovering well, but for her nightmares."

"The psychiatrist says those will go away with time, right? That's good. And…"

A telling silence.

"… Tomorrow, then. She'll remember tomorrow."

"Child… What about you? How are you settling in over there?"

"As well as can be expected. I have a head start in Korean because of you."

"That's… good… Son, we're sorry. We'll keep trying. There must be a way-"

"I'm the one who's sorry."

"You couldn't have known."

"I should have. I was reckless, and she paid the price. I'm only paying it back now."

He never told them about his own nightmares. The ones that started on that first flight, four years ago. The ones that haven't gone away with time.

He remembers, also–

"She came back to school yesterday."

"And?"

"She seems fine. Happy."

"Oh."

"Someone asked about you and she asked who you were. Didn't recognize the name. But… sometimes, she seems to know something is missing."

"… Really?"

"She stands outside the classroom after class, waiting. Sometimes she'll slow down when she walks past your locker. At lunch, she sat at the same table and stared at your usual seat for a few minutes. I don't think she knows why. What should I do?"

"Just… be there. Be there for her, because I can't."

"Okay. I miss you, bro."

And–

"How is she?"

"Not… well. We heard her screaming again in her sleep last night."

"I thought those nightmares passed… What about the psychiatrist?"

"We took her to see him. He says that they should be easier to avoid, now, but if she suffers a great emotional shock, she'll have the nightmares again. He also said that she should spend more time with friends. There's a nice boy at school that she's become friends with– Never mind, I'm sorry. I shouldn't–"

"No. It's good for her to make friends. It's always been hard for her to get close to people. Let her spend time with him. I just wish I could help her right now…"

"You can. What do you think we should do?"

A pause. "She's always enjoyed martial arts. We would watch MMA–"

With an immense effort, he manages to wrench himself out of the memory of a memory, heart aching. He shudders with longing and stares out the window as the night begins to end.

***

You sip the last of your first chai tea latte and get up from the couch to retrieve your second before answering Luhan's question.

"Kris? I met him back when he was Kevin. Four, no, five years ago now. First he ran over my foot with his suitcase, hurt like hell, I tell you–"

"That's so rude," Tao exclaims, at once affronted and delighted by the story.

"Did he stop?" Luhan asks.

"What color suitcase was it?" Lay wonders.

"Is that important?" Luhan demands of Lay, who shrugs.

"Did he apologize?" Chen wants to know.

"Did who apologize?" Sehun interrupts, coming through the door with his suitcase and the whole bag of drinks. "Gomawo, noona."

"Anything for Sehunnie." You wink at him as you come out of the kitchen with your second latte. Totally unaware of Tao and Luhan's dissatisfied expressions, you hug the maknae casually. "Kris. And no, he didn't. I don't think he even knows it happened. Why've you got all the drinks with you, by the way?"

"I told them I'd take a sip for every minute past 5:45 that they arrive," he answers, releasing you.

You nod, impressed, and check the time as you perch on the back of the couch. It's 5:43. Tao comes to sit behind you. "Sneaky."

"Why'd he need to apologize, anyway?"

"Hm? Oh, Kris? First time I ever laid eyes on him, he crushed my toes with the wheels of his suitcase."

"Quite graceful, isn't he?" D.O. remarks drily, arriving and parking his suitcase inside the door. "Sehun, give," he demands brusquely.

"Annyeong, Kyungsoo oppa." You smile at him. "Sleep well?"

"Not bad," he answers with an awkward smile. "What about you? How are you feeling?" He takes a sip of his drink.

Just before the door closes, Chanyeol pushes it open again. "Sehun– Oh, annyeong, Jagiya!"

"Yeollie oppa," you greet him with a grin. "You're–" you check your phone. "–one minute early."

He pumps his fist in the air. "Yeee- Now Sehun, give me my drink. What was that about grace?"

"Noona's telling us about how she met Kris hyung–" Tao starts to explain.

Baekhyun and Kai pile into the room ready for war. "DON'T TOUCH MY DRINK OH SEHUN-"

"SEHUN IF YOU-"

KaiBaek notices you. "Oh- Annyeong, Jagi~" The two wave tiredly but cutely and march over to Sehun for their rewards before returning to speak to you.

"How are you holding up?" Baekhyun asks, eyes wide.

Kai's forehead creases lightly in concern. "I hope you're feeling better."

"Can you tell us the rest–" Luhan starts to ask.

Suho sticks a foot in the gap before the door closes. "I'm late, aren't I?" He asks resignedly. "Annyeong, Jagi. Why are you here so early? Are you feeling alright?"

You swipe the drink before Sehun can take a sip. "Not too late, and I'm fine. I'm here to see you off. Gomawo for asking. Here you go, oppa."

"Gomawo," he accepts gratefully.

"Hyung-deul, attention!"

Sehun's words startle the other five EXO-K members. They look at him.

"Face Jagi noona," he commands briskly.

Bewildered, they face you. You suppress a giggle. Behind you, Luhan and Tao aren't so successful.

Sehun is so insufferable but adorable, and all his hyung-deul love him. He's like a baby drill sergeant. I can't believe all of them just listen to him, you think, trying to stay expressionless. Since all of them are in airport fashion, it looks indescribably funny. With an immense effort of will, you smooth out your face.

"Bow and say gomawo, Jagi in three, two, one–" Sehun counts down in a no-nonsense voice.

"Gomawo, Jagi," the five chorus and bow despite themselves.

Face straight, you return their bows. "You're welcome." You start to giggle. "Sehunnie, that was totally unnecessary."

With a wry smile, D.O. raises his drink to you in acknowledgement. "I take it you bought our drinks."

"Oh!" Suho finally understands. He, Kai, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun bow like dominos. "Gomawo!"

"Now that that's over, can you continue with your story?" Lay asks sweetly. Luhan nods.

"What story?" Baekhyun wonders.

"The story noona was telling before you all barged in," Tao informs them.

"About how duizhang ran over her toes by way of greeting and then fled the scene," Chen elaborates.

"That's not exactly it," you laugh.

"Is that how you met Kris?" Chanyeol asks, curious.

"Why do I feel like this is an episode of How I Met Your Mother?" Kris complains, emerging from the hallway, finally ready.

"Are you implying that I'm married to you?" You ask in mock horror, setting your chai aside and getting up, arms akimbo.

Smirking, he comes to stand in front of you, pulling you into his arms. "Would you like to be?" he asks seriously, gazing deeply into your eyes.

A beat of time. The other members look at each other awkwardly. Mixed emotions surge: anger, jealousy, protectiveness, confusion. Tao, from his front-seat vantage point behind you, observes curiously as the scene unfolds.

Suddenly, you burst out laughing, pressing your face into Kris' chest to muffle your guffaws. You hit his arms, unable to control yourself.

Kris chortles, too, even while he winces. Hugging you, he pins your arms to your sides and places his chin on the top of your head, shaking with mirth.

"Geez, guys, you nearly gave me a heart attack," Xiumin complains. "I'm too old for this ."

"Mian, Minnie oppa," you giggle, too far gone to remember your formalities.

Though slightly taken aback, he finds that he doesn't mind, much.

Kyungsoo lets out a breath he hasn't realized he's been holding. "Haha, very funny."

Luhan just smiles slightly.

Lay blinks. "Did I miss something?"

Chen's laughing like a hyena, doubled over. "That was the best troll I've seen in ages!" he wheezes.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol stumble over and collapse onto the couch next to him. "Puahahahhaa!"

"Duizhang isn't usually this joke-y. Jie, you make duizhang funny," Tao observes, grinning. "Though it'd be nice if jie jie and ge ge got married."

Sehun's smiling too. He doesn't exactly know why he's feeling slightly relieved.

Kai grins, though he shakes his head. "Is this how you two joke?"

Suho shakes his head too, but in despair. "Monkeys, the lot of them," he pronounces.