The next morning, I woke up somehow tucked at Xiumin’s side. He maintained a firm grip around my waist, though it was obvious he was still in a deep sleep from the line of drool dripping from the corner of his lips. With my nose against his chest, I could still smell the faint traces of his cologne, which left me momentarily stunned. I finally remembered my goal, moving to remove myself from his hold. Xiumin was strangely difficult to manage, even in his sleep, delaying me for a good ten minutes before I finally escaped.  

After going through my usual morning routine, I slipped downstairs to retrieve the evidence. Xiumin's car keys tinkered at my side as I moved, breaking through the silence of the early morning. As my fingers ran up and down the underside of the coffee table, I felt nothing besides the wooded surface. I laid down on my back to explore the area with my eyes, but I went into a panic once I realized there was nothing there.

“Are you looking for something?”

I slid out from under the coffee table to meet eyes with Xiumin, who stood at the top of the stairwell, holding a familiar stack of papers in his hands.

“How’d you-” I started to question, fumbling with my words as I tried wrap my head around what was happening.

“You underestimate my drinking capacity.” Xiumin said calmly as he began to leaf through the pages. “I’ve always been the best drinker in EXO. That being said, I’m not sure why you would want printouts of last year’s monthly electricity bills. And what, where you planning on doing my taxes? Why else would you take my W-2? If you wanted ammo to put me in jail, you should have gone for the stack in my bottom left drawer. But, seeing as you already worked so hard to obtain these…here.”

I watched as Xiumin threw the stack of useless papers in the air, letting the sheets rain down around me.   

“I really thought you wouldn’t go through with it. But more than that, I’m disappointed in your abilities, doll. I thought you’d be able to read me a little better by now.”

“So everything you said last night…You were faking it. Intentionally trying to elicit a sympathetic reaction from me?” I clarified with an unsteady voice. 

“Was I?” Xiumin begged an impossible question. “Come on. Let’s see if you can make a comeback. Tell me.” He said as he descended the stairs to meet me. Each step he took was accompanied by the sound of crinkling paper, setting my body on edge. “Was I faking it?”

There was something in the glint of his eyes that was different from what I was used to. Us calling out each other’s bluffs was nothing new, but his emotions today definitely were. Was it genuine anger? Hurt? Betrayal?

Somehow, I found it hard to believe that his words last night were all disingenuous, though I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud. 

“Did you even stop to think about everyone else that would be affected by your decision? Yixing wouldn’t have the money to support his family anymore. Tao would have to go back to living on the streets!” I flinched as his voice got higher in decibel. “And think of all the businesses that rely on me to keep them afloat!”

I felt a switch in my head flip as his manner of speech reminded me of a parent reprimanding a child.

“Well, no! Not everyone has the calmness of ing Gandhi!” 

“At least I don’t have the resolve and temperaments of a five year old!”

I had never felt more conflicted about a statement than I had just then. I didn’t know how to respond. Any protest or retorts of anger would just prove his point, but at the same time, I couldn’t bear to let him have the last word.

“You deserve to rot in prison.” I finally managed to muster, trying my hardest to keep my voice steady.

He paused at the comment, before pulling out his phone and tinkering with the buttons. The call tone mutely rang between us until the line finally picked up.

“Hey boss.” Luhan spoke as soon as he picked up. “I didn’t expect you to be up this early after last night.”

“Well something came up that needed my immediate attention.” Xiumin said into the phone, all the while, maintaining eye contact with me.

He quickly started to elaborate in hushed tones, moving to the other side of the room so I couldn’t hear the conversation.

When he finally hung up, he put his hands on his hips, looking back to me.

“So what are you going to do now?” I asked, leaning against the closest wall with my arms crossed.

“What do you think? I’m meeting up with my right hands to figure out a way to fix this.”

“Fine then. Don’t wait up for me tonight. I’m sure they’ll keep me at the station way past your bed time.” I said with a slight smile before trying to leave.

“Oh no you don’t.” Xiumin quickly moved to stop me. His hands gripped at my biceps. “You’re not leaving my sight. Come on.” He said, escorting me out the door.

I let out a slight scoff, pulling myself out of his grip. “I told you already. I don’t like it when you grab me like that.”

I could tell Xiumin was seething, his eyes screaming murder as he watched me walk ahead of him.

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