They both will be together until the end.

“You should really be sleeping.”

Joonmyun shakes his head, scribbling down more words. “That can wait. I have to finish it tonight.”

Yifan sighs, settling himself in the chair next to the other leader. “You don’t have to. It can wait until tomorrow.”

“No it can’t. Manager hyung needs it and besides…” Joonmyun pauses. “We need to take a break for a while.”

Yifan bites his lip. “It wasn’t your fault Joonmyun-ah.”

The other doesn’t look at him. “But it is. I’m the leader. I should’ve been paying more attention.”

“They’re not seriously hurt. They’re just shaken.”

“That’s almost as bad.     I just…I need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Joonmyun-ah…” Yifan scratches the back of his neck. He’s not really good at comforting people, even a fellow leader. He should be the one to relate to the most but it hasn’t changed his awkward way with words.

Of course he understands where Joonmyun’s coming from. His sense of responsibility is just as wired, perhaps even more so when they’re in China and he has to look after the two Korean members.

But to express it…that’s a different story.

“It’s not your fault. But I know how you feel.” Yifan is one of the only people who can say that and actually mean it. The others have offered their comfort before, a shoulder to cry on and such but none of them actually know what Joonmyun’s going through. Just Yifan.

“Thanks Yifan-ah.”

They sit in silence for a little bit, Joonmyun occasionally scrawling down the rest of their schedule while Yifan stares into space. Just his presence, his quiet company, is enough for Joonmyun right now.

“By the way, have you been eating?”

Yifan blinks his eyes, looking at Joonmyun. “What?”

“Have you been eating?” the younger repeats, not looking up from the paper. “I’ve noticed you’ve been tired and that’s probably because you haven’t been getting enough nutrients and you’re lacking energy.”

Yifan manages a half-smile. “It’s nothing like that. I just…they put me on a new diet. It’s different from the others but that’s okay.”

Joonmyun frowns, throwing his pen back on the desk and leaning back in his chair with a sigh. “I wonder why that is. If no one else is doing it…I don’t think it’s good for you. I should talk to manager hyung about it.”

“It’s fine, Joonmyun-ah. Really. You have your hands full with enough, you don’t need to add anything else. Besides,” Yifan smirks “that just means I get smaller portions but higher quality food.”

Joonmyun smiles slightly as Yifan’s attempt at humor. “If you say so. But still, something like that, it worries me.”

“Everything worries you.”

“Of course. I’m the guardian of all ten kids, you think I don’t go a day without worrying about something or the other?” His eyes take on a faraway look. Yifan knows that look.

It’s the look where Joonmyun is thinking about whether or not he loves being the guardian angel of EXO.

Yifan knows his motherly instincts are one of the things Joonmyun takes pride in and he takes the best care possible of EXO but he also knows that sometimes Joonmyun feels overwhelmed and wishes someone else would be in charge.

That’s usually when Yifan takes some of the burden off his shoulders, managing both EXO-M and K whenever Joonmyun needs a rest.

Sometimes actions just go so far beyond words.

“Well obviously. But you’re going to grow shorter because of it.”

Joonmyun gives him a strange look and Yifan notices the bags under his eyes are prominent, even in the darkness. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Yes it does. Stress stunts your growth spurt. Well, it’s not like you’re growing anyway,” scoffs Yifan, making Joonmyun scowl and flick him in the forehead. “Yah!”

“Then how come you haven’t stopped growing?” retorts Joonmyun. “Since you’ve been stressing a lot too?”

“I just have good genes,” boasts Yifan and Joonmyun rolls his eyes but he’s smiling a little and the Chinese leader is happy that he was able to make Joonmyun forget his worries, if only for a little while.

“Of course. How could I forget?”

They continue to banter lightly for a few minutes and Joonmyun feels the weight he had on his shoulders lighten a little.

"Hey Yifan-ah," he starts out, almost hesitantly. Yifan tilts his head to show he's listening. "Thanks. For, you know, all of this." He gestures around at nothing. "I'm glad that I'm able to share this with you."

A/N: Oh my leader feels are too much. I really like their relationship though, I can't explain it.

Happy birthday to Oh Sehun, the lovable brat that somehow stole our hearts and ruined our bias lists. Love that kid anyhow.