Exo's managers weren't stupid, nor were they control freaks. They were there to keep the boys sensible in line and get them to various schedules. Be damage control. Due to that they had never exerted dorm pressures. Their boys did whatever they wanted to in the dorm so long as they behaved within reason, and as long as no one else could see. Thus their home life remained an enigma even to the managers; it was the only environment they could be natural, could fully relax. After all even late night and early morning car journeys were full of sasaeng fans to disturb the boys rest; thus the dorm remained a sanctuary despite the manager’s watchful eyes.

So it was only natural that they noticed a change in behaviour after their Chinese members left. There were more tears, and the boys were duller but no one seemed as affected as Jongdae. He wasn’t ‘known’ for his closeness really to any of them, they were not the most popular of ships and fanchants certainly didn’t ring out about him and the three former Chinese members nearly as often as other so called ‘ships’. Yet the managers knew he was suffering; the entire group’s attitude changed collectively to mould into new roles, specifically the managers noted, new roles to suit Jongdae.

The only way they could describe it was separation anxiety. He began to not like people going and he certainly never acted as though they would stay, looking at the members if he needed to remember what they looked life, their every moment with the group . It wasn’t just Yixing who gained these looks but everyone, from the eldest hyung to the maknae. His eyes would search beseechingly and any member would make physical contact. As though in reassurance, or to snap him out of it.  The first time they noticed it was Suho. Minseok and Lay left for a dance practice and Jongdae had stopped right in the middle of the dorm, watching. And he didn’t move even once the door had slammed. So with careful looks towards the managers Suho grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a bedroom.

The second time was Sehun. The two still trolled the other members, in fact it was one of the rare moments of amusement that the boys now shared in the dorm, and certainly, the only ones on camera that were not completely faked. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had left and Jongdae had dropped his coffee. Sehun had pulled the stoic man down and then cuddled up; wrapping the elders arms round until Jongdae finally looked at him with a small smile and left as silently.

The managers were troubled; by all rights the boy shouldn’t be the most troubled, besides in the trainee period people left periodically never to be seen again due to moving home or to different companies. There should be no reason for the boy to be acting any more upset than any of the others by the Chinese members leaving. 

However these roles changed further, soon Suho was known to run his hands through Chen’s hair periodically, Chanyeol would talk to him in a lower than usual voice when telling the boy what to do, Kyungsoo would give longer hugs, bigger portions to the petite man and Yixing would wait until his group member fell asleep to leave. Yet no one mentioned anything. If the managers were looking too long Kai glared, shifting so that Jongdae couldn’t be seen; Minseok shook of questions in the way only the eldest could and Suho’s experience made him impenetrable.  

It wasn’t that they were becoming the former members, it was that Jongdae needed the reassurance and the taking care of that the other members seemed more than willing to loyally provide; and none of the managers wanted to think about why those roles were needed or what roles the former three used to fulfil. 

It wasn’t until Jongdae emerged blurry eyed, hickey covered and remarkably more relaxed did they even dare to think of what was going on. The boy even smiled at them slightly as he perched on a chair and rested his head on the table. The M managers had never seen any such a thing from the boys, not even a hint of relationships, even when there were 6 so were just as confused as their K counterparts. Quietly, before the other members could serve breakfast, that the managers tried to act.

"He doesn’t need to tell you anything, it’s pretty obvious" Baekhyun muttered. They tried again, asking with whom.

"Us" was the resounding answer. It told them nothing.

"All of you" murmurs of assent. The mangers remained confused. To their knowledge none of the boys were the type to share nor were they all gay, something that though not expected could be ignored as any relationship in the entertainment world so long as nobody found out. At the lack of words in response Jongdae looked startled and turned his imploring gaze to his managers, teary eyed. 

"Don’t take them away, they did nothing wrong" he was met with confusion, they were just trying to make sense of the situation and Suho stood and placed his arms on the younger’s shoulders.

"What Jongdae is trying to ask is if we will be punished. All we did was remind him that we are here for him." it was said so simply by the leader that there was no room for argument.

"Not everyone takes separation so well manager hyung, Jongdae just needed our assurance that we would be here when we woke up and we cared. That’s all." The managers looked at Minseok.

"And will this happen again?" Suho shrugged a wry smile.

"If Jongdae needs reminding" and that was it. The boys continued, not to baby, but to spend that extra time checking Jongdae; less time than he spent trolling them, but inside their sanctuary he was never left alone. Members began dropping him off and picking him up with in groups even if they were tired. And Jongdae would always smile more. So it was allowed for now. If he acted differently in front of the fans it would be a different story but for now his neediness was ignored. The boy’s would take care of themselves however they could. And the managers would remain as uninformed as ever. Because things didn’t need to change, it was working. Whatever the boy’s method was.