The moment the music stopped, Luhan lays flat on the floor finding relief in its coldness. He closes his eyes as sweat trickles from his forehead down to the sides of his face. 

The voices of the other people in the room starts to sound more distant. There's only the darkness, the silent hum in his ears and the erratic beating of his heart. He is waiting for the adrenaline rush from the dance practice to die down.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her. 

Luhan smiles.

"Pablo Neruda" he whispers.

"Who?" A voice interrupts his thoughts.

He opens one eye first and sees Suho sitting beside him.

"The poet." Luhan replies "I read poetry now."

Suho smirks, "You must be in love then."

"Poetry isn't just for people who are in love. I happen to enjoy enriching my knowledge." the older one insists.

A pause. Suho notes that Luhan did not disagree on his comment about the latter being in love.

Rambunctious laughter breaks their silence.

"Don't mind them. They're just playing around. It's your fault anyway for telling us that story." Suho finally said.

"What do you mean?" Luhan asks puzzled.

Suho gestures with his head at the other members who are playing loudly a few steps away from them.

"He, not only crashed into Bom-noona but, ogled her legs as well!"
"It no longer surprises me whenever he gets mistaken for a girl." 
"That trench coat was ugly."
"Dara-noona called him girly.pft."
"He forgot to zip his fly!"

They were obviously discussing about his tragedy out loud to make fun of him. He's used to it. But, Luhan vows to definitely get his revenge one of these days.

Luhan just gave Suho a smile before closing his eyes again and letting the noise settle down in his consciousness. He let his imagination roam free.

In the middle of devising his plan of vengeance against the members who poked fun at his misery, an image appears in his reverie. The impact of that image jerks him awake. He bolts up right from his lying position.

A startled Chanyeol shrieks beside him and Luhan was just as surprised to find him lurking there. He looks at the other suspiciously.

"I was watching you sleep." Chanyeol said adapting a creepy tone. "Your skin looks so smooth and fair." He caresses Luhan's face for emphasis.

Luhan, who is still dazed from having been startled awake, just looked at Chanyeol.

"He actually stole your phone and tried to upload an ugly photo of you on your Instagram account but apparently you've logged out and he does not know your password. Why'd you logged out? It's easier to just leave it as is. Do you want me to instruct you on the amazing ways of Instagram?" Kris interrupts.

"Lu-ge logs out on his Instagram account to protect it from a shǎguā* like you." Minseok hugs Chanyeol teasingly.

Luhan just laughs at their silliness. The bright practice room was pumping with energy. It is starting to make him feel sick.

He snatches his phone back from Chanyeol "Even if you knew my password, you won't be able to upload an ugly picture of me because such photo does not exist." Luhan jokingly flips his hair and stands up to go to the restroom.

"Why did those ChanDara shippers abandon me for Luhan-hyung? I'm taller and manlier than him. I fit Dara-noona's ideal type." Chanyeol wails at the others.

Kris tackles him. "It's because you don't have the same courage as Luhan."

"Also, Donghae-hyung fits Dara-noona's ideal type more than you." Chanyeol wails even louder. "LuDara isn't even catchy!" 

Luhan stares at his reflection in the restroom's mirror. He hardly slept a wink last night and it shows on his worn out appearance. Good thing he can mask it as a result of his exhaustion from their activities.

He closes his eyes and the image of her white skin, pink lips, wide eyes and bright smiles invades his thoughts again. These flashes of images of her are becoming more frequent that Luhan fears for his sanity.
 
The restroom door opens. 

"D, don't forget your promise to go on a date with me this weekend...hahaha...arasso arasso...see you." Donghae ends the call upon entering the restroom.

Luhan looked at Donghae for a few seconds before greeting him with a bow and leaving without a word. 

Going through puberty when you're already in your 20's is the worst. Donghae shakes his head chuckling.

Luhan walks briskly for the practice room. 
Donghae whistles a tune. 
Dara places her phone back in her pocket.

How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

(*shǎguā, according to google (I don't know why I still trust google translate tbh) means stupid in Mandarin but is usually meant as a joke between friends. Directly translates as "dumb melon". Correct me if this translation is wrong or inappropriate so I can finally ditch google XD

The sentences in bold letters are from Pablo Neruda's poem "Tonight I Can Write".

Also, I don't know a lot about EXO since I don't stan them but I'll most likely end up being a fan before this fanfic ends from all the research I've been doing about them >< If I've portrayed the members differently, sowry.)