(No POV)

"Well, Merry Christmas.... for one," he smiled, taking her hand in his, caressing circles around her fingertips. 

"I assume you don't want to talk about your father, or to him today?" Minseok hummed.

"This could be the last time in a long time that we'll be able to talk. I have to return later, we're pretty short on time, together I mean..." Luhan trailed off, trying to organize his thoughts.

"And your team? Everyone else?" Minseok cradled the hand that held hers and brought it up to cup her cheek. 

"I won't be able to see them as well," Luhan's eyebrows softened at the sight of Minseok now. She always did know how to calm him down, unknowingly even. Just seeing her large sparkling eyes gazing up into his own squeezed his heart.

"We'll talk to them today? I'll help you," Minseok gently suggested.

"Hmmm, mhmmm...," Luhan hummed in agreement, noting about how driven she made her words sound.

"Luhan, what you did, wasn't all your fault," she reassured, seeing his eyes trail down to his lap.

"I... I can say that it wasn't, most of it was, whether or not I think otherwise, I hurt you guys, I hurt you all, I said too much," Luhan choked on a sob remembering the face he was met with when facing his team. Especially Sehun, he, who trusted him so much, all those bonds, broke at once. Sehun's betrayed eyes laced with hot tears threatening to spill, spitting curses at him. 

"I'm sure they'll understand, they are your team," Minseok stood, walking over in front of Luhan.

"I just hope they still see me as their team captain, not an enemy," Luhan's eyes flicked up to Minseok, in broken hopes. 

Minseok knowingly brought his cheeks in her hands and kissed his forehead, filling his doubts.

"I'll call Baekhyun."

"Thank you."

Luhan watched as Minseok checked her buzzing phone. It was time. 

She stepped to her closet, pulling out another big coat and the scarf. She pulled the scarf around her neck and turned to Luhan. 

"Wear this, Luhan," Minseok offered the coat, matched with a hat. 

"Thanks," he coughed, not feeling ready.

"Let's go," Minseok lightheartedly straightened his back, trying to lift the heavy mood.

It was unusual to see someone as energetic and driven as Luhan.. so unsure, so quiet. The trip was silent, the white sky seemed to mock Luhan, as if saying, his life was now colorless. The two walked hand in hand, at a slow pace.

It seemed like the field suddenly came into view, neither of them noticing how long it had been.

"You ready?" Luhan pursed his lips.

"Are you?" Minseok looked up at him worriedly. 

He opted for a silent answer, speeding up his walk, dragging her along a little faster.

The smell of fresh fake grass overwhelmed his senses, remembering all that happened on this field, it felt like so long ago, although it hadn't even been that long. 

Small images of people came into view. Two in particular walking briskly in their direction. 

"Minseok! Are you okay!?" Minseok was suddenly embraced in a tight embrace from both sides. 

"Yes, I'm okay," Minseok whispered, reassuring the two.

Kyungsoo looked up and down, taking in Minseok and Luhan, settling to glare at the latter, still holding Minseok's arm protectively, 

"I won't say anything now, but you better have a good explanation for this," Kyungsoo bit, eyes hardening when Luhan flinched on reflex.

Suho, the other, watched as Kyungsoo walked back, then turned to the two of them. 

"You were pretty stupid," she sighed, closing her eyes. 

"Suho!" Minseok tried to defend Luhan.

"But you aren't all at fault, don't blame yourself like I did, it doesn't get you anywhere," Suho had her maternal smile on her face, sentimental, remembering her times with Minseok about leaving abroad, "I have faith, I've heard your story."

The two were silent, surprised that Suho was took things so well.

"Good Luck."

She gave one last nod to the two and walked back. 

As soon as they both walked to the group Tao snatched Minseok away from them both. Chen, Baekhyun, and him shielding her away from Luhan's eyes, mother henning her. 

"I'll give you your present later! You'll love it, it's designer," Tao chatted, everyone muttering little "Merry Christmas'" to each other, talking of gifts to be given later. 

"How are you?" Chen chirped. Suddenly the vibe altogether dropped. It was quiet for a second and a heavy feeling weighed on Luhan's shoulders as he watched from a distance.

"Guys, I'm fine, it's fine," struggling to get out of Tao's strong hold.

"Hey Minseok, Luhan," Yixing grinned, her eyes fearful. 

"Hi," Minseok mumbled, Luhan nodding his head. Everyone followed, greeting the two.

Except for one, the whole time Sehun was glaring, more like shooting daggers at Luhan, face not changing once during the exchange. 

"Hello, Sehun," Luhan straightened his shoulders.

Sehun hardened his stare, his jaws locked angrily. Once again Luhan flinched, eyes widening slightly. His eyes dropped down to his feet, feeling smaller than he ever felt. He wasn't a leader anymore, nobody's captain. He felt like mere trash people clucked their tongues at and wanted to disappear. 

Chen coughed awkwardly, standing next to a frustrated Kai and Kyungsoo, Chen and Kai kept Kyungsoo rooted there, from leaving out of the ridiculousness of this whole situation. After that whole fiasco Luhan had the nerve to show up again, this time looking like the whole world was against him, even using Minseok to call them all over. 

Baekhyun let out a fierce breath from her nose. This caught the attention of Luhan. On her face was a sign of sheer anger. The kind of anger you'd see on your girlfriend's best friend after you cheated on her, oh wait, that was Luhan. She resembled an angry bull, fuming, face turning red. Chanyeol was more focused on his girlfriend, hand hovering over her waist, choosing if he should or shouldn't try to comfort her. It was then that he realized that Kris was not around. 

Luhan looked away, for his own sake, staring any longer may cause her to get angrier. Then his eyes met Tao. His breath hitched. They were discouraged. Their eyes were sad, as if asking hundreds of questions that all filtered up to "how could you?"

"Enough," Minseok piped up, stepping forward. 

"What is it?" Tao asked innocently.

"You have to listen to what he has to say?" Minseok took Luhan's hand. As if on cue, Sehun shot a disgusted look at their intertwined fingers.

"Are you listening to what you are saying?" Baekhyun bit, flabbergasted by her friend defending their potentially worst enemy, "are you sure he isn't using you? Tricking you? You didn't hear him back then, did you not believe what we said about him?" 

"Yes, I'm sure, please just... give him a chance," Minseok pleaded. 

Luhan had enough as well. He didn't come her to hide behind the shadow of Minseok, it wasn't right. She already had to go through enough because of him.

"Minseok, it's okay, they can listen if they are ready," he shook his hand out of her grasp and lightly patted her lower back as if to push her back to the other side. 

She settled for standing in between the two groups, well more like a whole army against one man, but just in case things got rough she could keep track of both parties.

Suho caught up on what she was thinking and stood by her side, nodding reassuringly at Luhan. 

"Are you going to say anything then?" Chen raised his eyebrows in question.

"Is everyone willing to listen to me?" Luhan looked up at the eight.

They were all silent, and Luhan inwardly groaned.

All was quiet and there was a heavy vibe surrounding the air.

"Well?" Someone voiced.

Luhan's eyes widened, recognizing the voice, he turned, seeing his old co captain, probably the new captain now, in all his tall glory. 

"Don't just stand there like a deer in the headlights, go, explain," Kris' light eyes turned dark as if saying "I don't forgive you, but you deserve a chance". He took his place beside Suho, a new friend of his.

"Are you all willing to listen to me to the end?" Everyone wondered if he was just stalling, true, but he also wanted to just make sure that all was going to go smoothly. 

"Talk," Another voice growled silently. Luhan's ears tracked the voice, eyes leading to the angriest one in the bunch. Sehun stood, in the back gritting his teeth. 

Luhan took a deep breath, to calm his rapidly beating heart.

"What I said, that time, was the truth," his voice coming out in a weird pitch. He coughed, rubbing his sweating palms on his pants, trying any way to ease his nerves. It suddenly felt like the whole world was watching him. 

"Then that's all we need to know, right?" Tao pouted angrily, nostrils flaring. Always so sensitive for those he cared for.

"Shh Tao," Kris held up his hand to silence him.

"But not the complete truth," Luhan stressed, which piqued their interest. He took their lack of interruption as a chance to continue.

"Yes, I did cheat on Minseok, with another girl, but before you say anything, it's not because of the reasons you are thinking of," he blubbered, wishing he had brought the said girl to help him explain, after all even after explaining everything, she was the one involved.

"I did, I do love her, but as a sibling at most, she was kind to me, knew what it was like to be stuck in the same position as me," Luhan smiled, remembering their little dates. 

"Something we couldn't help with?" Chanyeol spoke, eyebrows knitted together like a puppy, "we are.... were your teammates, we had trust."

Luhan ignored the obvious use of conscious past tense his old friend had used.

"That's the thing, you see, the reason I dated her was because of that. My parents set me up in an arranged marriage, and before any of you say anything, I had no way out of it, I still don't know if our marriage is completely off at the moment, but that's a whole other story, for another time."

"I didn't look forward to meeting her, but she was in the same position, so I came to have fun on our faux dates, we got to know each other, I was happy hanging out with someone who could understand my troubles."

Although Minseok knew that the relationship was platonic, she couldn't help but feel a dull stinging of jealousy run through her veins, but she pushed away the idea.

"My father, he wants me to take over his business, I had to quit the team, I had no choice," Luhan reasoned, he could see some of their eyes softening, but wasn't surprised when he saw Sehun unfazed.

"Then why?" Sehun's raw pain whispered, "then why did you have to do it the way you did?"

Note: YAY! An update!!!! Thanks for waiting so long >////////< !!!!!!

EEEEHHHHHH!!!!! Another cliff hanger????? ah you all must be furious at me now! I'M SORRY

I'll be updating more frequently for a change, please have fun reading!

Let me know what you guys look forward to next! <3