Milan grew silent and was taken back by his sudden question. She thought about it. Does Chanyeol have a chance? Milan fell in love with someone else already. Does her bestfriend stand a chance? Milan’s mouth was close to opening so she can answer but Chanyeol shook his head. He suddenly showed a wide grin. “Forget about that, Mil-ah! Let’s just go to the mall like you promised!” He chimed.

Milan was dumbfounded but she tried her best to smile. She knew Chanyeol was pretending to be strong for her. She knew Chanyeol was brokenhearted but he didn’t want to worry anyone. That’s why she was close to him. He didn’t want to make anyone worry like she does.

“Oppa… I don’t want to get your hopes up for nothing. I don’t want to hurt you,” Milan mumbled to herself but Chanyeol didn’t hear her. “I never wanted to hurt anyone as I chase my dream like you did… I never anticipated you developing feelings for me…” she added before sighing.

“Chanyeol-ah, would you mind if I stole your bestfriend away from you?” Baekhyun suddenly looped his arm with Milan’s. Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows and then glared at their intertwining arms. “I… don’t mind, Baekkie,” he suddenly smiled at his best friend ever. “Kamsahamnida!” Baekhyun cheered before dragging her away.

“Bwoya?” Milan annoyingly asked the idol. Baekhyun looked at her and then his smile faded. “Bwo..?” Milan blinked a few times, showing innocence. “You love Luhan-hyung, don’t you?” Baekhyun mouthed. Milan’s mouth gaped open. She blinked twice as fast as before. “It’s obvious, paboya. Ever since we were in Korea, you were getting too close to him. One thing, girl, her fans are scary,” Baekhyun flicked her forehead, making her stomp her feet in protest.

“Yah, oppa, I can’t avoid it! But it’s not that obvious, right? I’m doing my best to do my job right as an acting manager,” Milan told him, being defensive. Baekhyun rolled his eyes before scoffing. “Yeah, sure, you can’t avoid falling in love with the oppa you are so in love with,” he said sarcastically. Milan puffed her cheeks. Baekhyun was really the only one to really trigger Milan’s childish side after all.

“Just be careful, arasseo?” Baekhyun patted Milan’s shoulder as he sighed. “If… the company or fans get hold of that, I swear, they will make your life miserable, especially since you work with EXO plus if people knew Chanyeol actually has feelings for you,” he explained. Milan nodded slowly. “Oh yeah, what did you really tell Yeol?” He asked.

Milan suddenly avoided his eyes and looked down. She knitted her eyebrows together, as if she hated the memory. She wanted to forget that confession ever happened. That changed her and Chanyeol’s relationship forever. She told the guy they should forget about all that happened but she, herself, can’t put herself to do that.

“Just tell me. Juseyo~” Baekhyun pestered the composer. Milan looked at him for a second with sad eyes. Even though Baekhyun wasn’t in love with the girl, he definitely felt the sadness she was feeling. “You really want to know? You may hate me for hurting your best friend,” Milan muttered. “I can never hate a sweet girl like you. Come on,” Baekhyun bumped his shoulder against hers. Milan’s look softened at the sudden action and she lightly smiled.

“Okay, I told him he should forget ever liking me,” she said and after that, she looked so relieved as if she confessed she killed someone. Technically, she did break someone’s heart. Baekhyun’s eyes practically bulged out as he stopped in his tracks. “Bwo?!” He almost shouted. “Shh!” Milan stomped her feet.

“Could you quiet down? The others might hear us!” Milan looked around only to find the other members busy with their own conversations. “If… If Suho-oppa heard about this,” she breathed in deeply. “You know how hard it is for me. I can’t fall in love but with someone liking me, you know, I didn’t do anything. I don’t know why that elf ever liked me,” she covered her face.

“You’re a sweet girl. Not all that white and not all that pretty but you’re a sweet and simple girl. Yeol did say he wants a girl from your country but I never knew he ever had his eyes on you,” Baekhyun reasoned. “You know, oppa, this isn’t the first time I talked to any of you,” Milan confessed. “And what’s that got to do with it?” Baekhyun asked.

“You see…” Milan’s voice trailed off, reminiscing that memory.

Milan was in EXO’s concert, TLP in Manila. She already met Luhan, Kai, Sehun and Lay. The next she planned to meet was Chanyeol. His eyes were twinkling when she went in front of the line. The idol was as star struck as she was. Her hair was messy in a ponytail and she was sweating but she looked so natural. Chanyeol didn’t get tired looking at her.

“Oppa?” She said in the cutest way Chanyeol could imagine. She was waving her hand a bit and Chanyeol smiled at her. “You know Korean?” Chanyeol tilted his head. “Ne, a bit,” she answered rather shyly. “Neomu yeppeo, yeodongsaeng,” he suddenly blurted out. “B-Bwo? Oppa, that isn’t true,” she shook her head. She then pushed her album towards the tall man.

He furrowed his eyebrows since it wasn’t EXO’s latest album. It was Growl. It was when they were 12. “Wae?” He looked up. The cheerful and cute girl he saw disappeared into this mature woman who had a sad smile on her face. “I just want to bring back the past, oppa. When you were complete, when I can have like a member every two hours but that’s gone. That’s all…”  Her voice trailed off then she covered so she can stop herself from crying.

“But oppa, like you and the others, I accepted Kris-oppa’s decision with my whole heart. I supported him on Weibo since I don’t have an IG account. You know what we international fans say?” She paused for a moment. “You are eleven in our eyes but twelve in our hearts,” she clutched on her chest.

Chanyeol was touched by her sudden speech. He did miss Kris like the others. He stopped his tears like the others. But he never realized that the other fans did the same. They kept it in and they tried supporting them along with Kris. Even though there was a language barrier, they supported EXO through and through. The young idol realized only now how much hardships these fans went through just to be noticed by ordinary idols like them.

“Thanks for supporting us even after the storms that happened to our group. I wish to see you again…” Chanyeol suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. “It’s Milan. My name is Milan,” the fan said with a slight smile, tears threatening to come out.

“I hope to see you again, Milan.”