|Autumn, October 2015|

“We are one! Hello everybody, we are Exo!”

“Hello, I’m deer prince Luhan from Exo-M. I hope you continue to support me and all of Exo from now and many years into the future. I love you all, thank you!”

“Luhan!”

“Luhan!”

“Luhan!”

“Luhan! Luhan! Earth to Luhan!” a voice called out from beside the man. Luhan looked over at the man who was middle aged with ashen hair, who also happened to be his manager.

“Yan-li, what’s wrong?” Luhan asked.

“I don’t know, you tell me. You were in the twilight zone for quite some time.” the older man sighed. “You better get yourself together before we make it to the awards show. This is one of the biggest moments of your solo career.” Yan-li continued. Luhan looked down to see he adorned a finely tailored charcoal Armani suit, something his personal stylist delicately picked out for him. It was a big contrast from the silver sequins and guy liner he wore in the past.

“Okay.” Luhan quietly muttered as he looked out of the window of the moving car, watching the tall buildings of a very familiar town pass by in a blur.

It had been one year since he left. Twelve months, 2 weeks, 4 days, and however many hours since he filed contract termination under SM Entertainment and all he could say about it was that it was a major adjustment. When word got out about him leaving Exo and SM, he expected to have as much hate as Kris did, which also influenced his reason for waiting to leave. But he didn’t. People actually showed support for his decision to leave, despite both of them leaving for the same reasons. The only ones who ranted about being discontent with his departure were the Knetz but they didn’t bother him because they always threw out irrational, xenophobic remarks towards the foreign idols who opposed a Korean management, even when the flaws were apparent in the management. They were irrelevant, Luhan put it nicely. But some of his fans, the ones that joined in saying we are one along with Exo, became divided and spiteful. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t the first to leave or a leader, maybe it was because everyone saw how physically worn out he was, maybe it was due to him being an overall more popular member and not a holder of a “cold city guy” image, maybe it’s because he was able to pay off the debt he incurred from SM since he came from a wealthy background and was able to pay the difference in fines while Kris wasn’t as fortunate and had a more substantial debt that he could only get rid of by going to court, or maybe it’s because he gave everyone a heads up about leaving while Kris’s nature of not wanting to burden people with his problems prevented him from speaking up, but that still didn’t warrant reason for Kris to be treated like crap when he was clearly a victim. Everyone, including some of the Exo members, dragged his name through the dirt while he stayed silent. He felt bad about that. He hated seeing someone be mistreated and misjudged for being an underdog, a human with flaws, and wished he would’ve been the voice to openly show support. He regretted his submissive nature but Kris eventually won his lawsuit, SM changed, and everyone started to talk to each other not exactly like the old days but close to it. He slowly learned how to be a bit more outspoken about what he was feeling and it made him feel more confident, even if just a little bit.

About two weeks after he left Korea and came back to Beijing to do his press conference for Back to 20, he started experiencing gruesome headaches. Before he would muster through them and took over-the-counter pain medication but at one point they became excruciating and he couldn’t function properly. When he went to the hospital the doctors diagnosed him with chronic nerve compression migraines. The doctors gave him higher dosages of pain killers but when that failed, they suggested decompression surgery. After thinking about it, Luhan decided to go through with it. It was an in-and-out procedure but he didn’t really come to until about two days later, when all the anesthesia medication wore off. The good news was his migraines were gone but the not so hot news was that his face felt like it was going to fall off and he was bed ridden. The incisions above his eyelids also hindered him from seeing that well. He was just left in a very helpless state but luckily he wasn’t alone.

He stayed at home, an extravagant Western styled villa in a quiet development, in the same room he grew up in. He was always surprised that his room always looked exactly the same even when he had his very short visits during his SM days. His mom, Hua-fei, would always leave everything exactly the way it is, from the placement of his folded clothes, to the books he neatly stacked on the shelves, to the small collection of Rubik’s cubes placed neatly beside one another on his desk. Everything was left in the same exact spot. He asked his mom why his belongings were placed so precisely and she responded to him with a bright smile. She told him that she didn’t want him to be welcomed to a huge change, that she didn’t ever want him to be a stranger in his own home. It was really touching, though very extreme, but that was how his mom and he loved her for that.

So, while he spent the next week being bed ridden, his mother made him remember why he was such a “mama’s boy” when he was little. She spoiled him so much and he, at multiple times, forgot he was a 24 year old man and not a 6 year old boy. She would make him his favorite foods (no one could beat her sweet and sour pork soup!) and fed it to him. She also gave him massages for his aches, watched television shows with him while he rested on her shoulder and hummed songs to him. Even though he wasn’t complaining about it, Luhan even had to admit it was a bit much but he could understand why. It was kind of his fault. He lived in another country for basically eleven and a half months out of the year without being able to call home and to make it worse he was constantly being injured and undernourished. He couldn’t imagine how much stress he put her through but he would make it up to her any way he could.

Luhan also had other visitors who relieved Hua-fei of her motherly duties. His father, Shun-ha, came and talked to him. Shun-ha was a lawyer who owned multiple law firms across Beijing and neighboring cities so every little visit from the man meant the world to Luhan, even if the elder man was a little off. His father was a very awkward man who didn’t know how to openly say what he was feeling, which was understandable given his strict upbringing, but every leg pat and hair ruffle was enough for Luhan to know he was glad he was back. He always understood his old man though he was kind of annoyed that he inherited his dad’s conversational awkwardness and not the smooth talking skills his mother possessed. It was very unfortunate on his part.

Surprisingly, Kris visited him a few times when he was in Beijing. It was really nice of him to do so. People always assumed that they weren’t close and didn’t care for each other, which was not true in the slightest. He and Kris had always been very close friends, all of China-line was, but since they were really popular their former management wanted them to be separate as to not overshadow the other members. Now look where they were now, two peas in a pod. Hua-fei went on and on about how handsome and tall Kris was and said she should’ve gave Luhan more milk so he could’ve grown that tall (insert exasperated, offended sigh from Luhan). Kris got him anything he needed and they just talked about everything and anything. Luhan learned that Kris reunited with an old high school friend from his Canada days named Natalie. He went on and on about how amazing, smart, beautiful, wonderful and how much of an awesome person she was. Luhan never heard Kris boast about anyone this much and he had a hunch his brother didn’t hold only “platonic, friendly” feelings for this Natalie woman but he was too weak to about it. Luhan let him have his moment because he was proud of Kris seeing happiness after all he went through, whether it’s from his fans, the work he received, or this Natalie, Luhan was just happy for him. He was just thankful that Kris, and all of his family members for that matter, came and visited him throughout the day but his mind didn’t stop from wandering into a darker place when he was alone.

When he left, everyone accepted him and sent him off in a respectable way but since then he didn’t receive any contact from them. News of his procedure came out thanks to various Chinese outlets such as Sina and Baidu Bar reporting such so they should’ve heard but nothing. He knew they were busy and all but he still felt a pang of hurt. It was irrational since he left and they didn’t owe him anything but they assured that no feelings would change. Some of the closest friends he’s ever had in his life were his Exo members and he just felt…lonely. Maybe he left too early, maybe he should’ve toughed it out, maybe he was being too selfish and completely inconsiderate of the other 10 members. He just felt really bad and depressed but one night he got a text, one that changed everything. As he opened the messages on his IPhone, Luhan saw one was sent from Yixing.

‘Lu-ge, I heard about your surgery and I hope you’re doing okay. I know you are because you’re a tough guy, even if you look like a fairy princess, keke~ But anyways you have to get better soon! I want to see you take on the world again and become a great entertainer. Remember what we always said in the past? No matter what paths or roads we take in life, nothing can destroy our brotherhood. So hurry up and get healthy again, okay! Jiayou! –Xing Xing ^_^

Luhan smiled, wide and genuinely. Despite the rude fairy princess comment (everyone and their mama knew he was manly), it made him feel relieved and at ease. With that validation from his closest friend, Luhan felt the weight of doubt that accumulated inside of him diminish and nothing but determination set in. No more regrets.

Towards the end of November, he was finally feeling better. He still had slightly noticeable marks left under his brow bone which made him feel a little awkward. When he went to get his sutures removed, his doctor said that it would only be about two more weeks until the marks even up with his complexion but until then he was grateful for his thick black bangs that were long enough to cover them. When word broke out that he was finished recovering, directors and writers were asking him to join their projects. He had turned them away because he wasn’t feeling well both mentally and physically, but since he felt newly invigorated, Luhan decided to take on his first non-related SM role.

Luhan got casted in a romantic comedy where he was just a supporting actor. He just saw it as an opportunity to enhance his acting abilities and have the experience of working in a full on show production. He didn’t expect the show to actually become very popular. He didn’t expect it to be one of the best new shows of the year. He didn’t expect it to gain international recognition and be nominated for multiple awards. And he certainly didn’t expect to be nominated for an individual award, which was why he was dressed so dapper at the moment. He was in Hunan Province, Changsha to be specific, to attend the Golden Eagle Awards, which was also regarded as the Chinese Emmy’s. It was a very prestigious awards show and he should be more focused on that but he couldn’t, all he could focus on was the city he was in.

Being in Changsha only made Luhan think about Yixing, his best friend, his brother, which then brought on the onslaught of Exo memories he daydreamed about. He knew Yixing, along with Tao and Jongdae, would be attending the ceremony and it made him feel anxious. Ever since he received the text message a year ago, the two haven’t really talked with one another. He longed to be able to converse with his friends but was also scared that everything would change. He was going through an emotional whirlwind of feels and couldn’t focus on anything other than the destined reunifying of him and Exo-M.

“Luhan! Are you even listening to me?!” Yan-li exclaimed, jolting the young man out of his dream world. “Do you understand how big this night is?”

“I’m sorry Yan-li, I won’t mess this up.” Luhan apologized.

“You better not. The pressure of this night is already at an incredible high but it’s nearly tripled for you. Kris Wu Yifan, Huang Zitao, Zhang Yixing, and Kim Jongdae are also going to be attending the awards show in case you’ve forgotten. This marks the first day in over a year that Exo members are being seen together in one location.” Yan-li emphasized. “The Chinese media is anticipating major drama to take place and will stop at nothing for it to happen. Are you really prepared?”

Luhan paused for a second before exhaling. “Yes I am.” When he thought of Kris, his worries seemed very miniscule in comparison. Atleast he left on good terms with the members, Kris still didn’t have the strongest connections with them. Since Kris was his dearest friend, he would be the long overdue pillar of support that he wished he was a year ago. Even if time proved differently, people still paint him as the antagonist and he refused to let his little brother face that alone. Not this time.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” the elder man nodded approvingly. “Now, what about your dating scandal with Ma Linghua? What are you going to say about that?”

Luhan stared at his manager blankly, his cheek muscles twitching ever so slightly. His manager even released a hearty chuckle at the expression. “What type of question is that? Of course I’m going to give my honest answer.” Ma Linghua was his fellow supporting actress in his television show. She was the epitome of ideal Asian beauty with smooth milky white skin, shiny hair that resembled black silk and bright almond eyes. Since he was also very attractive, it was natural that the media would pair them together. Externally they matched quite well but on the inside, not remotely. He could not stand her! She was the rudest, most self-righteous, self-entitled, disrespectful, brat he’s ever had to work with. Luhan considered himself a nice guy, a tolerant guy, but honestly felt insulted every time the tabloids (falsely) sourced them being together. He couldn’t wait to crush all of those rumors once and for all. Just the thought of this had him boiling and his manager could feel his anger radiating off of him, which he found amusing.

“Okay, sorry to bring it up. Just keep your answer to a polite decline.” Yan-li laughed.

The car finally pulled to stop and all that could be heard was a large assemblage of people and flashes coming from the camera. Luhan inhaled and exhaled a few times to calm himself. His nerves were at an all-time high. This was it, the big moment.

“Are you ready?” asked Yan-li, noticing the slight worry etched on the young actor’s face. Luhan closed his eyes briefly, cleansing his mind of troubles. This was a new beginning in the book of Luhan, the opening of a new chapter, the clarifying of an older one, the moment where he can finally turn the page and have a new experience written. This was his moment, a moment for him to truly shine as he started anew. He could do this, he was more than ready. It was now or never!

“I’m ready.”

The car door opened and a mass array of flashes were released as Luhan stepped out of the vehicle and onto the red carpet. The screams and cheers of fans surrounded him like a tight blanket and it made him smile all the more dazzling. He appreciated the support of his fans so much. Despite how crazy they could be, their support never ceased to give him strength and he would always push forward not for just himself but for them as well.

“Luhan, over here!”

“Luhan, a few words please?”

“Luhan!”

He started to become a little overwhelmed from all of the questions being thrown at him by reporters but soon he spotted an all too familiar face standing a few meters ahead of him. With his tall stature, radiating presence, and well-dressed attire, Luhan could recognize his Kris Wu Yifan anywhere. The younger was currently having a small interview with one of the reporters before turning towards Luhan’s direction. Both of their dark eyes met with each other’s and Kris nodded towards him with his gummy smile. Luhan chuckled slightly before returning the nod and the crowd erupted in gasps and cheers. Reporters started frantically shouting for his attention but Yan-li decided it was better for him to head inside so they moved ahead. Only when he heard the reporters’ next questions and the crowd erupt into loud uproars did the Beijing native freeze.

“Zhang Yixing, can you answer a few questions?”

“Who are you wearing tonight, Zitao?”

“Chen, are you excited to be attending the Golden Eagle?”

It was them. They were finally here. Luhan felt his breath get caught in his throat at the mention of his former bandmates. He briefly looked towards Yifan, who was equally frozen. He was much better at keeping a straight face but those eyes showcased every little bit of worry and nervousness the former leader felt. This was really happening. Luhan forced himself to exhale before he turned around and saw the three Exo-M members standing and posing for pictures. His eyes then locked with those of his former, dimpled partner in crime. They held each other’s stare and everything seemed to fall silent and Luhan really didn’t react when Tao patted his shoulder or Jongdae smiled his way, he just kept his focus on Changsha’s little pride. Then Yixing stepped forward. Luhan, as well as everyone in the crowd anticipated the next move as he stepped in front of him. Luhan wasn’t sure why he anticipated such a grand greeting to come from the man. Yixing was a simple man and simple was his way of greeting as he held out his hand to Luhan for a handshake. Luhan stared before grasping hold of his hand, his face stretching into a huge smile, one that mirrored that of his brother’s.

Flashes from every which direction captured the long awaited moment and soon Luhan and Yixing came back to reality. Yixing nodded once more at Luhan before walking ahead. Luhan turned to stare at his retreating back, only to witness Tao and Kris fist bumping which was just as amazing. Those two probably had the most spite filled and amicable separation when the former leader filed for contract termination and Tao took it the hardest out of everyone. To see them come to this point was truly magical and Luhan’s heart felt so overjoyed. They were still connected and it felt good seeing it.

He then felt a hand gently place itself on his shoulder and he looked to his side. It was Yan-li staring at him with a small upturn of his lips. “I don’t know if you remember of not but you have been nominated for an award so I think you should start heading in to the venue. Then again that’s just my opinion.”

Luhan laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll head in now.” he said before walking in side by side with his manager. Once inside the venue, he slyly pulled out a small crinkled piece of paper from his pocket to read it. Handshakes weren’t the only thing Yixing was giving out.

There’s a small café/bar not too far from here. Let’s meet up after this is over. I’m ready for Tipsy Time!

Yeah, sometimes his very simple friend would unleash his inner wild child. Go figure.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Golden Eagle Awards had finally come to a close. Luhan didn’t win the Favorite Actor award but he was happy for the opportunity. He was content with being an award nominee for a prestigious award. His show, in fact, did win the Best Television Show of the Year award which was super amazing. He was just on a complete high. He was assured of his close brotherhood with his former Exo members. He was nominated for an award after only one television show. And, to top it all off, he was rid of the dating rumors with Ma Linghua (atleast by the sane people, that is.) He was currently riding in his car with Yan-li, texting with Yixing. The dancer also wrote down his new phone number which he had to change due to dropping it in the toilet (Luhan didn’t even ask). Yixing also gave him the directions to the café/bar in a nearby area.

“So how does it feel to be a part of an award-winning production?” Yan-li asked with a smirk.

“It feels pretty good. I’m happy to have chosen this opportunity.” Luhan smiled.

“You were already popular to begin with but now it skyrocketed even more. You’re on your way to greater things Luhan.” the manager stated. “And I will be crowned Beijing’s best manager!”

Luhan snorted. “Way to be humble, Yan-li.” he said and the older man waved him off.

“We’re almost at the bar. The driver will be back to pick you up after I get dropped off.”

“You’re not coming along?”

Yan-li shook his head. “I’m catching a flight back to Beijing. My son comes back from the states for a while and I want to be there with my wife to greet him. Plus I’m old, in case you couldn’t tell. I can’t be hanging around a bunch of twenty-something’s.” he admitted and Luhan chuckled as he stepped out of the car.

“Well, I hope you have a safe trip and send my best wishes to your family.”

Yan-li nodded. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Okay.” Luhan said before closing the door. The car drove off as he stepped into the small bar. He walked down the stairs and entered into the seductively lit space. There was a nice lounge area with roomy booth seating areas, an area set up with instruments possibly for an open mic session, and a bar counter where he saw three very familiar faces crowding around. He speedily walked over to them while smiling and the familiars noticed him.

“Ah, you made it!” Yixing exclaimed going over to hug the older, who laughed in return.

“Yes, I did. I had no intention of missing out.”

“Lu-ge!” Tao exclaimed, hugging the shorter man. Luhan noticed he seemed to tower over him a little more than the last time he saw him which was totally unfair. Already tall people shouldn’t be allowed to grow even taller. He also noticed that Tao looked a little more mature and wasn’t as thin as he was a year ago. He just looked really good and held the suave maturity a twenty-two year old should have. But of course he still held his childish air which is why he habitually punched him in the side, for old time’s sake.

“Congratulations on your show doing so well! I’m proud of you.” Jongdae told him and Luhan smiled.

“Thank you, it means a lot.” he said. Soon a woman came out of the back room behind the bar area, tying a black apron around her waist, on top of the black T-shirt and pants she wore. Her skin was very light, even more so under the neon lights, with her long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was really cute, Luhan deduced, and judging by the way Yixing stared at her, he could tell the dancer agreed.

“Hello, I’m so sorry for the wait. I’m Anna and, oh my gosh, I know you guys!” she gasped staring at the four, bringing a hand to cover . “Is this some sort of Exo reunion?” she asked which made them snicker collectively.

“I guess you could say that.” Yixing answered. Just then, Kris cautiously walked through the entrance surveying the area. “Kris, over here!” he called out and the tall male walked over to them gummy smile in play.

“This is so unreal. Where’s Xiumin? He’s ruining the complete reunion of Exo-M!” Anna sighed.

“He had a schedule conflict and had to stay behind in Korea.” Yixing answered.

“Well, what can you do?” Anna giggled. “So what’ll you guys have? Just a heads up, I make a mean martini!”

The five celebrities laughed. “I guess martinis it is then.”

“Coming right up!” Anna then began to work on the drinks while the Exo members, current and former, caught up with one another and reminisced a little. The sound of chord runs being played on a bass and the tapping on a drum brought them out of their conversation. They looked towards the stage to see people sitting behind their designated instruments and tuning if necessary.”

“Is it open mic night?” Luhan asked Anna as she poured the drinks.

“No that’s one of the local bands setting up. They play here every week, but tonight is a special performance. It’ll be a real treat if I say so myself.” she assured just as a sound was heard, the sound of a throat being cleared. The sound that was heard was of pure beauty. The singing voice that came out was feminine, sweet and crystal clear in tone and sang with so much soul. Luhan turned around to see the singer and was surprised to see she was foreign. She had smooth olive toned skin that was on the light side, thick black hair that was long despite having tight coils and covered with a beanie, and an overall casual style. She was really pretty even though she looked a bit too young to be in a bar, with her rounded, youthful face. Then again he didn’t have much room to talk. No matter how cute he found her to be, she totally wasn’t the type he would go for but his heart was being really weird, pounding just a little bit faster after every note she sang.

I’m waiting patiently, though time is moving slow

I have one vacancy and I wanted you to know that

You’re the one designed for me

A distant stranger that I will complete

I know you’re out there, we’re meant to be

So keep your head up and make it to me

What the hell were those lyrics for? He already felt strangely towards the sight of this foreign beauty and those lyrics were like some sort of invitation, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to take. But, putting that aside, she had a really pretty voice. He was curious if she was a singer and, if not, why? Good voices are already hard to come by and she had a great one. He would have to ask her and he would soon get his chance. She then sang a Mandarin song that was really good (though he wasn’t sure if he’s heard it or not) before she high-fived the band members and hopped off the stage. She then came over to the bar area and high-fived a smiling Anna.

“You did amazing, bae!” the bartender congratulated in English and the mysterious singer smiled brightly.

“Thank you kindly! I had so much fun pretending I was in a band.” the foreign girl laughed before she looked to the five males sitting on the bar stools beside her. She clutched Anna’s hands and gasped before leaning in to whisper. “Why is Exo having a reunion at this bar?”

“I know it’s weird but I think they just came from the Golden Eagle Awards.” Anna answered.

“We did.” Yixing answered. “We’re commencing tipsy time in celebration of brotherhood and Luhan’s show winning the highest honor.”

“Tipsy time? Okay no more martinis for you.” Anna said taking away the second glass she made him.

“Hey!”

“Congratulations on the award.” the singer told Luhan with a kind smile. “I also like your suit. It’s Armani, right?”

“Yes it is and thanks.” Luhan replied, not quite sure how she knew the designer of his suit but he didn’t dwell on it. “I also want to say you are a really good singer. I enjoyed the performance.”

“Thank you for that.” she said.

“Does the good singer have a name?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” she laughed. “I’m Maia Shaw and believe it or not I’m not a singer nor do I have any intentions on being one.”

“Really now?” Luhan asked curiously, thus prompting a conversation between the two and the subtle formation of a bond.

|Summer, June 2016|

The sun’s rays beamed down on Beijing with a scorching intensity. Luhan shaded his eyes as he looked up to the clear blue sky and acknowledged it was a beautiful day. But he was so over it. Why didn’t he stay inside, inside his lovely air conditioned downtown high rise apartment? He felt like he was going to die! Why the hell was he outside to begin with?!

“Luhan, hurry up!” shouted Tao across the basketball court.

“Shut up! I’m coming!” Luhan replied grumpily. Oh yeah, how could he have forgotten? Exo-M had a schedule in Beijing and Luhan, alongside Kris, decided to catch up with them before they headed off. Minseok was also with them and Luhan would let hell freeze over before he missed a chance to see his Minnie! The whole get together was nice but somewhere along the lines it turned into a competition between Tao and Kris. Tao insisted that he was a better basketball player compared to Kris and the latter was in no way accepting that trash talk. So after much verbal back and forth trash talk, the original Exo-M members came to the basketball court at the park to settle the score. The teams were divided into three each; Minseok and Jongdae were on Kris’s team while Yixing and Luhan were with Tao. The rules were first team to 30 points would win and gain all the bragging rights. Kris’s natural born leadership along with Jongdae and Minseok’s hard earned physical fitness proved to be a fantastic combination and put them in the lead. But Luhan’s strategic prowess was a force to be reckoned with, especially when combined with Tao and Yixing’s earnest determination and athleticism, which is why the scores weren’t too far apart, 28-27 to be exact. It was a one play game for both teams and they had to make it count. Luhan took a swig from his water bottle before getting up from the ground and jogging over to his team. The three then huddled up with each other.

“Okay, what should the next play be?” Yixing asked.

“To win the game we would need to make a three pointer and I’m not sure who can make that so…” Luhan started.

“I can make it!” Tao chimed in.

“Are you sure you can make it?”

“Of course I can!”

“But I distinctly remember you throwing up a lot of bricks and air balls throughout the game.”

“T-That doesn’t matter!”

Yixing chuckled. “Let him try it, Luhan. This is supposed to be his team after all plus it’s our possession.”

“Alright but don’t mess this up. I did not play in this heat just to lose!” Luhan replied and both nodded in determination before they broke huddle and went to their designated posts. Luhan had the ball and dribbled while Jongdae guarded him before passing to Yixing who was able to get away from Minseok momentarily. The unicorn dribbled the ball and crouching evenly with the eldest before passing to Tao who caught it. The youngest was very careful with his dribbles since Kris had very long limbs and large hands which could easily snatch the ball away. Plus the former leader’s pressure was no joke. Luhan could tell Tao wasn’t sure how to execute the game winning play but when Kris smirked tauntingly at the maknae, something snapped. Tao stepped back and jumped as high as he could to perform a fade away jump shot. Kris jumped and tried to block the shot but Tao’s athleticism allowed him to jump just a little bit higher. He shot the ball and it hit the back of the rim…before falling through the net with a swish. Game over! Team AB Style beat Team Not-my-style! Tao ran up and down the court cheering as his elders laughed, excluding Kris who laid on the ground in defeat.

“Good game, hyungs!” Jongdae said high-fiving Luhan and Yixing.

“I’m the winner! I’m the winner! Ohohohoho!” Tao laughed and exclaimed while doing his taunting penguin dance around Kris who got up and stared at him judgmentally.

“Well winner should pay for lunch then.” Minseok suggested with a smile and Tao froze in taunting before pointing accusingly at the eldest.

“That was not in the agreement!” Tao responded before he sighed deeply. “But I’m in such a good mood so its fine.” he shrugged and Kris clapped very passionately.

“All hail King Taozi!” he chanted and the other members laughed while doing the same and Tao soaked it all in before they left. They went to a street stall that was not too far from where they played and decided on eating steamed pork buns. Tao paid for all of it as planned and they sat at a table shrouded by shade from trees.

“You know, I kind of had steak and lobster in mind.” Kris announced as he held up a pork bun but stopped to laugh at Tao’s incredulous expression.

“You get free food and then you complain about it?!” he asked and his older brothers snickered. “I still don’t know how my team won the game and I had to pay. I swear I only get picked on because I’m the youngest.” he sighed before eating his own meat bun.

“We should’ve got drinks as well.” Jongdae announced and Tao sighed in exasperation. He started to get up but Kris held up a hand to halt his movements as he stood up himself. The former leader walked away to retrieve drinks and Tao looked at his retreating form with a smile, his eyes showcasing a shimmer of admiration that all the Exo members saw when he thought Kris did something cool and kind. It was cute and nostalgic seeing the 23 year old unleash the remnants of his 17 year old self. Before anyone could say something more, a loud beep was heard from a phone, Yixing’s to be exact as he pulled it from his pocket. The dancer scrolled through his phone before smiling to himself, which made his companions curious.

“What’s got you so smiley?” Luhan asked.

“Anna just sent me pictures, asking my opinion on hairstyles.” Yixing answered showing the deer. One was an up do with a duck face, another pin straight with a “Kawaii” face, and the last was elegant waves with an intense pout. “I don’t think the faces match the hairstyle, though.”

Luhan chuckled. “I’d have to agree.”

Anna Phuong was a Vietnamese-American from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was born in Can Tho, Vietnam but moved to the states when she was three and lived there for most of her life. She spent three of her college years in China and graduated about three years ago and works in a marketing firm since she earned a business degree. Her current residence is Beijing but she was on a short weekend getaway in Changsha and she was asked to be a temporary bartender because of a close friend's desperateness due to lousy co-workers who suddenly call in sick at the last minute (Anna’s words, precisely). Yixing was just grateful that he and Anna were able to meet because he adored her so much. After the Golden Eagle night, Yixing exchanged numbers with the woman and they talked every now and again. Whenever he had a schedule in China, they would hang out with each other. They meshed really well together and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. During one of the times he hung out with Yixing, Anna, and Maia, the unicorn learned that Anna’s real name was Phuong Anh-ho (due to Maia trolling her because she was annoyed by the woman stealing her food) and she screamed in embarrassment because her birth name was one of her biggest insecurities. But Yixing told her it was a very pretty name in his opinion and they started dating after that moment. It was so simple yet totally Yixing’s style and apparently Anna’s as well.

But speaking of Maia, sigh, Maia, Maia, Maia. She was the divine American beauty, the sweet and charming spirit, the lovely, ethereal Miss Maia Shaw. Luhan didn’t know much of what else to say except for how absolutely amazing she is. She pretty much had the same back story as Anna with college and everything; they were even roommates that shared an apartment together. The only difference was that Maia worked for Armani doing various odd jobs, which is why she was able to determine the brand of his suit a year ago (and why she wasn’t an aspiring singer). Though she had a baby face that could rival his own, she was every bit of class and maturity that a 24 year old would hold. She had the perfect qualities and imperfections that made his heart pound with giddiness, the perfect Sagittarius to match his Aries. They ended up becoming pretty good friends though Luhan really wants to try something new but didn’t know how. He’s never dated or been interested in someone so outside of his race and culture, especially someone who was so ambitious and not all that submissive, and didn’t know how to approach her with the question. He felt like a loser.

“You weren’t even paying attention to me, were you Lu-ge?” Yixing asked with a sigh, bringing Luhan out of his daydream. “You were probably thinking of Maia again like you always do?”

“I-I was not!”

Yixing shook his head. “You’re a horrible liar.” he said bluntly making the deer blush bright red. “Why don’t you just be a man and ask her out? Where is Manly Lu?”

“I am Manly Lu! There’s just an added hint of Unsure Lu.” Luhan muttered just as Kris came back holding a bunch of bottles of soda. “Kris, I need some advice!”

“What is it?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“How is it like being in an relationship? Is it a huge adjustment?” he asked. Seeing as Kris was going to marry an African-American woman in a few months, he seemed like the best person to ask.

“This must be about Maia and you have come to the right person since I am Kris Wu, the Wu Yifan, expert on women and relationships!” Kris exclaimed proudly. Tao and Jongdae snorted to rain on his parade which earned them glares from the dragon. “All I have to say is that before she is black, she is a woman and before you are Chinese, you are a man. I just see it quite simply. If a man and a woman can mesh together and deeply connect with each other as well as love each other then everything else such as culture and tradition come second. But that’s easier said for me than you since I grew up with Natalie, my family adores her and vice versa, there isn’t a language barrier, we have very similar career paths, and I grew up in the very liberal areas of China, not to mention Canada. It would be different for you, though there isn’t a language barrier, since you grew up as a pretty conservative, traditional, mainland Chinese citizen and more work would definitely have to be put in from both parties but as I said before, if you truly care about her and she cares about you, nothing is impossible and you should totally go for it.” he ended and his former Exo members stared at him in shock. Those were some really motivating and wise words coming from Benben and it did boost Luhan’s confidence in going for a relationship with Maia.

“Wow.” Minseok admitted.

Kris gave his signature gummy smile. “I told you I was an expert on women and relationships.”

“Nah, I still wouldn’t go that far, though.” Jongdae added and Kris frowned which added another onslaught of laughter from the group of men.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Exo-M male bonding ended when the four members had to record for a television appearance and Yifan needed to talk to his mother about what else to add to the wedding. Luhan was left to his own devices since he didn’t have anything else to do that day, all the more reason to go talk to Maia. He went back to his apartment and took a quick shower to rid of his perspiration and male funk before throwing on simple clothing, jeans and a T-shirt, and heading back out. Hopping into his Mercedes, Luhan drove for about thirty minutes listening to whatever was on the radio. He soon came up to his designated street and turned down it, passing by a few hotels on his way. On his left, he saw a large nice looking building and turned into the parking lot. After parking, he locked his car and walked to the entrance. He looked around for a bit before walking down the hall and hopping into the elevator, pressing the button for the second floor. When he arrived and the doors opened, Luhan walked down the hall. The further he walked the louder the sounds of classical music could be heard until he made it to the end of the hall and was in the doorway of a dance studio. Inside he spotted about ten little girls, aged around 4-7, doing a routine behind a foreign instructor, who also happened to be his Maia.

Maia often volunteered at a recreation center in her spare time. She offered to teach ballet, something she grew up learning, to young girl’s that lived in the urban areas of Beijing. Most of the girls lived in single parent households, the majority having single mothers, who have to work quite often to keep a roof over their head but don’t have enough income to pay for the expensive dance classes. To them, Maia was a godsend and they gave her what they could to show gratitude but she always told them not to worry about it. She really loved kids, often working with them back in the states, and respected single parents so much since they constantly go through a stigma of being failures for not conforming to societal marriage standards. She felt it was the least she could do for them. She was an absolute angel and Luhan thought it was very noble of her. Not to mention the little ballet attire Maia adorned was very appealing to his eyes. He needed to stop…

“And fourth position, fifth position and arabesque. Now gracefully fall, like a petal falling from a flower.” Maia instructed as she fell to the floor. What she didn’t expect was to be dog piled by a bunch of giggling tiny people. “This was not in the routine!” Maia laughed out and the little girls joined in, Luhan as well, before they got off of her. Once she sat up, Maia wrapped her arms around two of the little girls while one hugged the woman from the back.

“Why do you have to leave for so long?” one of the girls asked.

“I have to do a bunch of stuff for my job, the big scary one. Plus it won’t be that long; I’ll be back before you know it, okay?” Maia promised and all of the girls nodded with huge smiles. “Okay go grab your things and wait for your parents in the playroom with Miss Fan.” she added and the little girls scurried off running pass Luhan and down the hall. Luhan finally entered the room as Maia let her hair free from the tight bun, massaged the side of her neck and stretched her limbs.

“It’s really cute watching you and those little girls.” Luhan suddenly announced, gaining the Maia’s attention as she smiled at him.

“Yeah, they are really adorable.” she added.

“You honestly fit right in since you don’t look that much older.”

“Luhannie, you are not one to talk.”

“Yeah, but, you actually look younger than me.”

“Well since I’m almost 25 and not getting any younger, I’ll start taking that as a compliment.” Maia chuckled. “My mama always used one particular saying about why she looked so young…black don’t crack.” she said, posing with a cute and very childish pose.

“I’ve heard that before! Kris told me Natalie says it all the time.” Luhan exclaimed, happy to understand something foreign. “Well my Asian doesn’t…umm…rice?” Luhan said confused as Maia snorted.

“What?”

“I don’t know. It’s your fault, Maia.”

“My fault? How is it my fault? Don’t blame your horrible saying on me, you loser. And, just so you know, it's Asian don't raisin.” she laughed and Luhan joined in. “So how has your day been?”

“It’s been fun actually. I played basketball with my former group mates because Tao and Kris got into a disagreement about who was the better player. It felt like the burning depths of hell out there but atleast my team, Team AB Style, won.”

“Really? Tao won? I bet Kris was devastated.” she chuckled.

“Absolutely but he’s over it now. Atleast I would hope so since he’s talking about wedding food with his mom.” Luhan added and Maia nodded.

“So, what’s happening with your new group? How are you and those losers getting along?” she asked.

“We mesh really well together, to be quite honest.” Luhan smiled. The band that performed with Maia the day they met wasn’t actually a bunch of random instrumentalist, it was actually a legit band called Heist. The members were a few of Maia’s college buddies and she witnessed the band form during those days. They played at many local venues throughout China and were waiting for the opportunity to be discovered. Heist had recently lost their lead singer due to a change in career path and was testing the waters to find a new vocalist. Luhan was their guy. After his stint of being in a band for Back to 20, Luhan really wanted to join one so he had Maia introduce him to them and put in a good word. Despite his extensive resume with Exo and garnered celebrity status, he had to go through an audition process, which made him remember the time he auditioned for JYP and he felt nervous all over again but it proved how serious they were about their music and it made it all the more worth it. And, unlike JYP, Heist accepted him as their vocalist. That was about three months ago and the five of them really bonded like they’ve known each other for much longer, which was a huge relief to Luhan and now they were discussing lyrics to songs for their debut album. “They always say I’m the Adam Levine of the group and I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

Maia laughed. “You’re obviously the most popular and publicized member and the one that’ll get the Heist’s name out to the public. Do you think the majority of people know anybody else’s name in Maroon 5? No, it’s Adam Levine and the Maroons!” she joked. “But that’s how those guys are, they joke about the obvious. They mean no harm and I can vouch that they are only petty when food is involved, like me” Maia assured with a slight chuckle.

“Though I really like him, I don’t want to be Adam Levine.”

“Oh? You want to be Jared Leto or Hayley Williams?”

“I want to be Beyoncé!”

“…You’re aiming a little too high, Lulu.” she said and Luhan burst into laughter. A whistling noise was heard in the room as Maia went over to her bag and pulled out her Samsung Note. As she scrolled through the phone, Luhan noticed her face slowly take on an annoyed expression before she let out a groan. “People can’t do anything right!”

Luhan chuckled. “What’s wrong?”

“There was a mix up in theme colors for the venue. I specifically said black, silver and white were the main colors but my staff ordered black, gray and freaking orange! I also said to get cloth napkins and they ordered stupid paper ones.” Maia sighed. “They just want me to fail. They know this is a big event since it’s the launching of a brand new Armani store and helps with the expansion of the designer brand in Asia. Not to mention some of the biggest and most popular stars are going to be there! And they know if this ends up being a huge bust then it’ll be my fault and I feel like crying.” she said as she massaged her temples. Armani was opening up another one of their luxury stores, Emporio Armani, in Beijing. It would be the second store of the brand in the city and the opening was set to be a huge extravaganza! Maia’s biggest job since she started working for the company was to lead the arrangements and make it happen. Seeing as the event was in a week, Luhan could totally see why she was so stressed. Some of the biggest stars in China, including Liu Yifei, Fan Bingbing, Jackie Chan, Wang Leehom, Huang Xiaoming, Tang Wei, Li Bingbing, Andy Lau, as well as the remaining Exo-M members, Kris, and himself. There were also some foreign celebs coming as well and it was a really big deal. Luhan went over and placed his hands on her shoulders causing her to stare at him while he gave her one of his genuine, comforting smiles.

“I’m sure everything will come together. Just keep your head up and don’t be so stressed out.” Luhan told her reassuringly which made Maia smile with gratitude. “I can see those frown lines forming already.”

“Shut it.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Luhan checked his appearance once more in the large full-sized mirror. He wore a smoky gray suit, which was Emporio Armani, with a matching tie and a black button down shirt. His medium black hair was also pushed back and he must say he looked really good, totally event ready. He exited his room and saw a navy suit clad Yan-li in his living room, making “y” faces to himself. “Really?” Luhan asked making the man jump.

“What? You think you’re the only one who can think they’re handsome? My hair makes me look like I’m back in my 30s!” Yan-li explained, talking about his freshly dyed black hair. Luhan just laughed. “You look alright, too, I suppose. Are you set?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Alright, your ride awaits.” the manager said and the two walked out of the apartment. Once they made it downstairs and out to the building, before them was a sleek black limo and driver holding the door open for them. Luhan and Yan-li entered and soon they were on their way. “So, you’re close to the person who organized this event?”

Luhan smiled to himself but Yan-li wasn’t blind to it. “Yeah, we’re good friends.”

“When you say good, what do you mean?”

The young actor stared at his manager, skeptically. “We’ve known each other for about nine months. What are you getting at?”

“I’m just curious about this Maia girl and want to know if your relationship with her is just innocent or do you want it to go past platonic?” he asked, staring at his client and noticed that his ears were a bright red which totally gave away that Luhan was blushing. He was such a kid.

“I, uh, I…”

“Look, I get it. She’s pretty and I’m sure she’s a very sweet girl but you do know she’s not Chinese, nor is she Asian. If you are serious about Maia Shaw then you need to be completely honest with me so I can do everything I can to protect both of you.” Yan-li assured and Luhan hated to admit it but he had a point. A lot of his fans were furious at the mere rumor of him dating Ma Linghua. Imagine what they would feel if he started dating Maia? But he couldn’t help the way he felt for her and his fans would have to get over it, he was sure the mature, true ones would understand. But was this fair to Maia?

Luhan sighed. “I really do care about her, more than you know. So when I finally ask her out, just know that I will go forward with the relationship wholeheartedly.” he spoke honestly. “That is if she says yes.” he muttered in addition and Yan-li chuckled.

“Ah, I remember those days of vying for the lucky lady. My Feifei turned me down 27 times before she said yes.”

“You know, that doesn’t bring me any type of comfort or reassurance.” Luhan said and all Yan-li could do was laugh. A few minutes later they arrived at the Emporio Armani opening and the outside was filled with paparazzi and reporters. The red carpet was filled with a bunch of stars walking it and posing in front of the building. The limo stopped in front of the entrance and Luhan made his way out, strutting out with a confident, celeb-level swagger. He waved and took pictures before heading into the venue. Once in the space, he couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous everything was set up. Each table was set up with delicately folded napkins, silver cloth ones to be specific. Rich black table cloths and matching colored chairs were also present for the tables with white paper lanterns acting as the centerpieces and serving as the main source of light in the dimly lit space. There were also some expensive and intricately designed, crystal sculptures all around the place with a matching runway for the fashion show that would happen later on in the evening. The whole space was precise, pristine, and had an overall grandeur feel which made him feel proud and relieved. Maia pulled it off, just like he knew she would.

Luhan started to survey the area, looking for