(NO POV)

"What?" Luhan whispered.

"Don't you get it?" Sehun cocked his head to one side, looking like he was running out of patience. His hands hung loosely in the pockets of his jeans.

"I-I don't," Luhan pleaded for him to explain and held out a hand by his shoulder, his whole body radiating "why?"

"It's not just that," Sehun grit his teeth, stepping to sling a firm grip around Yixing's waist. Yixing herself inhaled sharply, it was a norm for her boyfriend to be so physically attached and protective of her, but to grab her so roughly in an argument between old friends, that was something new. The impact caused her to bring up her hand to his chest to ease the sudden tension.

Silently, he was showing it wasn't all about Luhan cheating on Minseok.

"Then what?" Luhan was also starting to run out of patience, his voice coming out louder than he wanted it to. The hand lingering in the air transformed into a fist. 

"YOU LIED, to us, your teammates, friends... me," Sehun spat, "what you did, was unforgivable."

Yixing put a hand on Sehun's tightening grip starting to suffocate her. He realized his actions and abruptly removed his hand and looked away.

"Sehun, calm down," Yixing half warned and scolded. He crossed his arms and spared Yixing an apologetic look then once again he looked away, arrogantly as if not to show his mistake.

"I never lied," Luhan took a step forward menacingly, to make his point. This action, he realized, was a mistake on his part. As soon as he took that step, most of them took a step back, as if they were afraid of him. 

Minseok took multiple steps, not back, but to Luhan, running her hand from his shoulder to his wrist, calming him. 

"You too Luhan, you need to calm down," Kris coached from the sidelines. 

"I never lied, what I told you all was the truth that day," Luhan took a breath to calm his erratically beating heart, "your minds may have morphed my words into something like a lie, but what I said that day, nothing but truths."

"Then what about the importance of our team?" Sehun remembered those lines, calming down himself as well, "you said that you were quitting the team.... for more... important matters. You always said that the team was everything."

"Look at the situation now Sehun," he sighed, "it really is the truth, even now. I'll explain more of my situation, but at the moment there is no way I can even juggle school, the team, a girlfriend, my parents, friends, and fiancee."

Sehun found his resolve breaking. Everything he had in mind for going against his old captain, was slowly breaking. 

"Then you're quitting for good?" Chen's normally upturned eyes were serious this time, as he remembered his memories with Luhan on he team. 

"I-I... I don't know," Luhan knelt down for a bit, bringing his hands to his hair.

"You don't know?" Chanyeol voiced.

"I don't want to," Luhan felt his own vocals crack. He got back up, but his back still curved downwards.

"Then don't," Tao whimpered, tears, threatening to spill watching the team break apart. It wasn't fair. If Luhan didn't want to quit, then couldn't he just stay?

"It doesn't.. work that way Tao," Luhan answered as if reading his thoughts and bit his lip, "I can't just return, I can't."

"Then tell us, why?" Tao urged, running his hand through his usually perfectly styled hair, but this time it didn't matter.

"I said before, what's going on with my parents, my arranged marriage, the inheritance, I can't just... ignore that!" Luhan braced himself for another question but Tao was breathless, wrecked with now spilling tears. 

"Hyung, Lu-ge," Kris piped up, which was a surprise to them, it was almost never that Kris ever called him by those terms, "I can't speak for anyone but myself, but what's going on with your parents, these problems they've caused, it involved not only you, but also us, so at least let me help you."

"That's right, I'm also willing to help," Yixing stepped forward pushing Sehun away, who was wearing a surprised betrayed face. He gaped, but quickly gained his composure and knit his brows together angrily once again. Tao also took a step forward. 

"Do you know what it is you will be dealing with?" Luhan blurted exasperated. 

"Then just tell us, persuade us to help you, let us believe in you," Baekhyun growled, still unimpressed at the man who hurt her best friend. 

"It's really more of my father, I guess, he's hell bent on making me inherit his company. He's been transforming me, trying to change me down to my personality, and to be honest, it's scaring me," Luhan found his shoes suddenly interesting. This shocked everyone, never dreaming of the day that he would ever admin that he's scared.

"Luhan!" Tao gasped, his tears subsided by now, but his eyes started to water again.

"First the fiancee, he tells me I need a wife, then he tells me to quit my team, I can't dress the way I'd like to, I can't talk the way I'd like to, can't even act like me anymore. This is all changing me, whether I like it or not, for the worse, I can't stand the suits, the business talk, the loneliness..."

"Lu...," Minseok stepped forward again, but this time he gave her a confident look, that he didn't need all her help. 

"I won't lie and say that it isn't hard right now, because it is, but if you aren't willing to help or believe me, I wouldn't blame you," his eyes turned soft, smiling gently.

That seemed to trigger something as Tao stumbled forwards. Baekhyun stepped forward, Chanyeol following behind. He probably wanted to help, but only if his girlfriend went along with it first. Chen even stepped forward, looking straight into Luhan's eyes.

All who was left to agree was Kyungsoo, Kai, and Sehun.

Without skipping a beat, Kyungsoo sighed, walked up to Luhan, her glare piercing his. She stepped until she met him, leaving a few feet between him. 

"Listen, you dare pull that again and I will shoot you down. Don't underestimate me, what you did that one time... you will regret it," Kyungsoo cursed, "I'll stand by you, but I won't get out of my way to help you, I still hate you." With one last glare and a small finger to the throat she stood by Minseok and the rest.

Kai followed behind like a baby pup but not before whispering to Luhan, "Good Luck buddy, I don't know you at all, but I'd advise you not to screw it up, I don't like seeing her angry."

Sehun stood alone, everyone watched his every move. He started getting a bit fidgety, rubbing his fingers together, but still standing his ground.

"Listen, Hun, you don't have to follow everyone else, it's cool if you don't want to involve yourself with me anymore," Luhan assured him and turned to talk to the rest of the group.

Sehun's eyes widened and his fierce look was broken when he stumbled forward.

"Wait-."

Everyone froze, eyes directing all to the man who spoke.

Sehun was there, opening and closing his mouth like no tomorrow, a bright red blush blooming on his face. 

"I-I-I will I-I'll... on-on the terms that you remain... remain a-a... if you promise... not to l-lie to m-me.. us! a-and-" he blabbered.

"I promise you, I won't lie to you guys again, I won't repeat what happened last time, I'm swearing on that," Luhan's old demeanor returned and took control of the situation. 

A proud smile made its way onto Minseok's face as she watched Luhan step forward and pull in Sehun into a brotherly embrace. She chose to step back into the shadows of the others deciding to would be best to not involve herself this time. 

"You make sure to keep your word, and not being a captain anymore doesn't mean you can't visit the field anymore," Kris clapped a hand on Luhan's shoulder.

"No, during this time, you are still our captain, even if only by technicalities," Chen gave his usual foxy grin.

"Lu-ge!" Tao hung onto him into a fierce hug, whimpering like no tomorrow, a train of sorriness pouring out of his mouth. Luhan laughed, rubbing Tao's shoulder, comforting him. 

"My turn you baby," Baekhyun pushed Tao off jokingly but her face turned serious for a second, then she smiled, "truce?" She offered a hand.

"O-of course!" Luhan brushed off his own sweaty palms and took it into a loose grip.

"Nice to be of your acquaintance again, Luhan, I look forward to you returning to your old self," Baekhyun innocently laughed, but Luhan's face morphed into one of fear, when his hand was crunched into a fierce hold. 

"Ah, ahhh ah," Luhan whimpered, but managed to keep a tight jawed smile, "I won't let you down!" He was a bit too chipper.

"Of course," she sang and with the flick of her wrist she cut the handshake between the two. "Chanyeol!" she called to her boyfriend, "say a word to your friend!"

"Luhan Hyung," he stumbled his way over, tripping over his own two feet and whispered, "don't mind Baekhyun, she's just feisty when she cares about her friends." 

"No problem man," Luhan laughed, hiding his pulsing hand behind his back.

"It's good to have you back, I was worried, you always looked out for us, and I was thinking, I didn't even get a chance to reciprocate yet. So unfair," he let out a barking chuckle. 

"Come here you guys," Luhan turned his head for a second, hiding his trembling bottom lip, "all of you guys, including you Sehun."

They all huddled closer, knowing what was in store for them all. Not all of them were the touchy type, but even the ones who were weren't as clingy as Luhan, it was a know fact about how touchy feely their oldest hyung was. 

Even Kris was reluctant to walk over, he wasn't a man of hugs.

Nevertheless they all waddled over to him, and he grabbed them all, giving his pride away, to dare say, go on his tip toes to reach the taller members.

"Thank you all so much, it means so much to me," Luhan breathed.

Kai watched from the side, happy that things were looking up for this guy. It was weird, he hadn't known them at all, even barely now, but he felt strangely protective of the man and his girlfriend. 

"And you girls, you too Kai, thank you so much for being here even now," Luhan had his smile on full blast, momentarily forgetting all his troubles.

Yixing and Suho gave him reassuring looks, as if saying everything was going to be all right.

All in that moment, he didn't even see a smiling Minseok, watching him from behind, eyes lacking it's shine.

Note: THE APOLOGY!!!! THE END IS NEAR!!! (I think....)

Comment what you think down below!