The workshop made headlines world wide as soon as it was announced: "SM Entertainment Artists, Employees, and Staff to Vacation in Hawaii to Celebrate the Label's 20th Anniversary." Although some of the artists were not able to attend due to illness, injuries, schedules, etc., the others were eager to have some time off, and bid their labelmates farewell with promises to have enough fun for the rest of them.

So far, their expectations had been shattered by reality. As soon as they stepped off the plane, things weren't much different from the way they were back home: the paparazzi. The cameras. The fans. What was supposed to be an escape from their normal lives quickly turned into a nightmare.

"Hyunggggg," Sehun whines, "I just want to run into the ocean without my shirt on." The leader and the maknae are currently lounging on beach towels, fully clothed, complete with huge sunglasses and floppy hats, under palm trees and shrubbery in an attempt to hide from prying eyes. Sehun picks up a handful of sand and chucks it a few feet away. "This is lame. We are in Hawaii. We should be able to go to the beach with our shirts off."

Joonmyun pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger while responding, "I know, Hun. But remember who we are." Sehun toes angrily at the sand while grumbling, "What is even the point."

Earlier that morning, the five EXO members attending the workshop (Minseok, Joonmyun, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Sehun) had decided to split up into pairs in an attempt to draw less attention to themselves. They were to meet back up with the larger group at 8pm for "family dinner." While Joonmyun and Sehun were at the beach, Minseok and Chanyeol had opted to walk along the streets to check out the cool stalls. Chanyeol had extended an invitation to his roommate for the trip, Baekhyun, but Baekhyun had politely declined, explaining that he wanted to enjoy the beaches of Hawaii with the leader and maknae. Not thinking anything of it, Chanyeol bid him farewell and went about his day with their oldest hyung.

The day came and went, and at a quarter til 8, Minseok, Joonmyun, Chanyeol, and Sehun meet up in the hotel lobby, ready to feast. However, Baekhyun is nowhere to be found. "Hyung, did Baek go upstairs to freshen up?" Chanyeol asks the leader.

Joonmyun just looks at him, perplexed. "Why are you asking me? He told me this morning that he didn't want to go to the beach because he 'would rather spend the day shopping with Minnie hyung and Yeollie,'" he quotes. "I take it he wasn't with you guys, though..."

Minseok shakes his head, sighing, "Nah, he told us that he'd be with you two. Ah, that kid, seriously..."

A light bulb goes off in Chanyeol's head. "Guys. What time is it at home right now?"  he asks.

Sehun glances down at his watch and replies, "About 3pm, why?" Chanyeol mutters something under his breath and sprints off in the direction of the elevators, despite his limp. Joonmyun is sure he won't make it back for dinner, but he trusts Chanyeol's judgment.

Chanyeol hastily makes his way back to his and Baekhyun's shared hotel room and is greeted by a room shrouded in darkness. The double doors to the balcony are wide open, thin linen curtains fluttering in the breeze. There, seated on the balcony floor with arms wrapped tightly around around his knees, is where Chanyeol finds his best friend staring into the distance. He is wearing loose, tan linen pants, cuffed at the ankle, with an equally loose, beachy white button up shirt. Discarded at his side is his handphone, screen still glowing with bold, angry letters: "EXO's Baekhyun disappoints with acting debut."

Chanyeol's heart sinks into his stomach. "Hey, Baek," he whispers softly as he approaches, careful not to startle the older boy. "I was wondering where you've been hiding."

"I shouldn't be here, Yeol," Baekhyun wavers, "I don't belong here."

Cramming himself into an uncomfortable position on the floor next to his friend, Channel wraps an arm around his shoulder, asking, "What are you talking about, Baek?"

The brooding boy prods his phone with his foot as he rocks backwards and forwards. "They hate me. I'm a terrible actor. What made me think that I could do this? I can barely even sing and dance well. I don't belong here at this workshop with all of you beautiful, talented people. I should be back home. In a practice room. Reciting lines or practicing singing or choreography. What am I doing here?"

It has been a while since Chanyeol has seen this vulnerable, insecure side of his best friend. He has been doing a lot better lately, but as he takes on new challenges and new opportunities, these insecurities were bound to arise again. "Shhh..." he soothes his friend, as he brings his other hand up to pull Baekhyun's head to his chest. "Don't let the haters get to you."

"That's easy for you to say," the shorter boy scoffs. "You are a good actor. People love you. You are tall, and good looking, and you play every instrument, and you rap well, and you sing well. You don't understand what it's like." Baekhyun starts to shake against his tall friend, as silent tears leave wet tracks down his cheeks. "I just really tried to do well...but no one understands..." he whispers again.

Chanyeol tightens his arms around the vulnerable boy and reasons, "I do, though. I get you. People say I try too hard to be funny. They say I should stick to rapping because I can't sing. But then I went on Unpretty Rapstar with Heize and they said I tried too hard there, too. Don't you see, Baek? It's not us. No matter how hard we work and how well we do, those people...it will never be enough for them. They will always look for flaws. They will always find something to dislike about us. All we can do is try our best and live our lives happily for ourselves and for those who love us."

"But...but what if my best isn't good enough?" Baekhyun asks hesitantly. Channel plants a soft kiss on top of his head and nuzzle his nose into the shorter boy's soft hair.

"Your best will always be good enough to those who matter," he assures him. "And if no one else, your best will always be enough for me, your best friend. And I matter the most, right? Right?!" Chanyeol nudges his friend to try to get him to smile. Tears and frowns do not suit his friend, he thinks.

Baekhyun stifles a giggle but complains, "I just want to be agonize about this right now, can't you just let me for a while, you big happy virus giant?"

Although he desperately wants to cheer up his friend, Chanyeol knows that Baekhyun takes every criticism to heart and will need time to move on from this. So he lets him be, but still reminds him, "Baek. You are perfect, ok? You are kind, you are beautiful, and you are strong; and you always give your best in all that you do. That's why I admire you and that's why I love you."

"Gross. You are such a sap! Why are we even best friends?" Baekhyun protests, but Chanyeol can hear a faint smile in his voice.

"Because you love me," Chanyeol replies smugly.

"Yeah, I do," Baekhyun agrees. "Hey, aren't we missing dinner right now? The president must have noticed our absence by now."

Shifting so he can look his best friend in the eyes, Chanyeol asks, "Do you want to go?"

"Not really," is the immediate response. "Can we just stay here like this for a while longer?"

They both turn their attention to the evening sky and the endless ocean in front of them. "Yeah," Chanyeol concedes, "we can stay here as long as you'd like."

And they do. They stay like that, just the two of them, until they both fall asleep. They stay there, just the two of them, despite numerous phone calls and messages from their members and managers. They stay there, just the two of them, until they are gently woken by the sun rising on the horizon. And on this morning they are happy, the traces of last night's crisis lost in the wind. Because this morning, they wake up smiling in the arms of someone who loves them unconditionally, the person who understands them the most.