Your pov

*Previously* 

“I’m hanging, up this is crazy.” Minseok said. 

“No please, don’t. She’s not lying.” Jongdae said, and then he halted, everything was silence. Waiting, thinking, realising. 

*Now*

You were silent on the other end of the line, and all the others were too. Eyes on the clock, you counted the seconds, and it took them two whole minutes and a little to reply. 

“What?” Someone asked.

“She’s not lying.” Jongdae said again. “Yixing has a girlfriend.”

“You’re joking.”  Someone else said.

Jongdae’s voice was loud and clear now, as if he’d gotten closer to the phone. “I’m not. Her name is y/n, they’ve been dating for a long time.”

“We’re talking about Yixing here, he wouldn’t go against management like that.” “Of course he wouldn’t.” “Jongdae this isn’t funny.” “Minseok just hang up.” 

“No, just give me the damn phone.” Jongdae said, and there was a clattering sound on the other end. You didn’t know what to say. Was it a chair. There was lots of rustling, and voice became louder but less audible. Your chest felt tight, and tears were b your eyes. You didn’t call them to make them fight. But loud voice on the other hand told you that they already were. More rustling, more shouting, more tears running down your cheeks. 

One voice broke the noise. “Hello?” the voice on the other hand was lispy. You didn’t recognise it. “Are you still here?”

“Y-yeah.” You stuttered. “Who is this?”

“Sehun.” 

“How’d you get the phone?” 

He was silent for a second and you heard the sound of a door. “I slipped it from Minseok’s jacket. They’re arguing. Suho is angry at Jongdae for helping Yixing hide you.” 

“Oh…I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t mean t-to make you guys fight.” You stuttered some more, trying to breathe through the tears. “I only c-called to ask if Xing is okay.” 

The boy on the other end, Sehun, was hesitating to answer you. He was the same age as you, you knew that, and he was a dancer like Yixing. “Do you think you can facetime me? I just want to check that you’re not some creepy person. Do you have any proof on you that you’re really dating him?” 

“Yeah, let me find it. I’m going to put down the phone for a minute.” You said, and placed the phone in your pocket as you walked into your room with trembling knees. There was a safe in your wardrobe, you kept some cash in there, and anything expensive, like your grandmothers wedding ring that you were too afraid to wear. The first time you ticked in the code, you did it wrong, hand shaking too badly. So you took a deep breath, and tried again, the safe beeped and you pulled open the little door. Next to the box with the ring was a stack of pictures, polaroids, that you and Yixing had taken together through the days. He wanted to, because he wanted pictures with you. There should be one in his room somewhere. 

You sat down on the bed and grabbed your phone, clicking the video call icon. It rang for a little while and two faces popped up. A gasp left your lips and you looked straight at the screen. Sehun and Kai were looking at you. Dressed casually. 

“I hope it’s okay that I came with, we just want to help.” Jongin said, smiling softly. 

“I’m sorry for causing all this distress. But I have pictures.” You grabbed them from beside you on the bed and held one up towards the camera. It was a selca that you took, and Yixing was kissing your cheek. And you showed them another one that he took when you were sleeping, cuddled up to him on the couch. “He has one, he keeps it inside his laptop case.”

Sehun’s brows furrowed. “We’re at a hotel right now, I’m not sure if it’s here. But we have his suitcase.” He looked at Kai. “You think we can get in there without the others following behind us?’ 

Jongin stood up. “I’ll go, give me a few.” The other dancer left the room, and you were alone with Sehun now.

He looked at the screen, scanning your probably swollen face. And you wiped away some tears. “How long have you been dating?” he asked.

You hiccuped. “For over six years now.” 

“Wait, you were dating before we debuted?” 

With a slight sniffle you nodded. “A few months before yeah.”

“Wow.” The boy rubbed his chin. “He kept you hidden for that long?”

“Yeah.”

“Must’ve been hard.” He whispered, and he moved in the room, sitting down on the bed against the wall. “Jongdae knew?”

The others hair was dark, and fell messily over his forehead. Puffy lips and a sharp jawline. You’d seen him on magazine covers before, he was quite the looker. 

For a second you struggled to find the right korean word. “Uhh. Yeah, Jongdae figured out, Luhan knows too.” 

His eyes widened. “Luhan? Is that how you got Minseok’s number?” 

You nodded again, and brushed your hair behind your ears, switching the phone from hand to hand. The door opened, you hear it, the clicking of the handles. 

“I found it.” Jongin said as he sat down beside Sehun and showed him a polaroid, after that he turned it to you. “Is this the one?” 

Of course it was, how else would he have a picture of the two of you? One where you were in your bed, your face buried in his bare shoulder, but smile visible. “Yeah that one.”

“Okay she’s definitely not lying. We should show the others. I can still hear Jongdae’s voice going overtime.” Sehun said and he looked at a point behind the phone. “You okay with us taking you in there on camera or?”

You hesitated. “I just want to know if he’s okay, please. Like you can all pretend like I was some crazy fan who called. Just tell me he’s alright.” 

“Yeah.” Jongin spoke. “He’s okay. He’s awake. They’re running some blood tests but he’ll probably be on the late night flight over here.”

“What?” You gasped. “They’re going to make him join you? He fainted, again, and they’re not going to let him rest?”

Sehun looked at Jongin, pained expression, and then back at you. “Management….we don’t have anything to say about things like this. But we’ll give him some extra care when he’s here. We’re just as shook as you.”

There was a knock on the door and both boys looked up. “What?” Sehun bit.

“What are you doing in here?” someone asked. 

The younger rolled his eyes. “While you’re all yelling at each other we facetimed miss girlfriend and figured out the truth. She’s real, here.” Sehun handed the polaroid to whoever was there, and then suddenly turned the phone over and you came face to face, sort of, with Chanyeol. 

“Oh whoa, you are real. He hid you all this time? Jongdae said six years.” He looked up over the phone. “We have to show the rest, because it’s not getting any easier and if the managers find us like this they’re screwed.” 

***

*2 months later*

Worry, so much worry. 

After Chanyeol had come up in the room, they’d changed to facetime on a computer so everyone could sort of get in on the conversation. But you were distraught and not ready to go and tell everyone the details of your relationship. While Minseok was gone off to talk to Luhan about giving people his phone number, you were questioned thoroughly by baekhyun. Asking you all sorts of things about where you met Yixing, how long you’d been dating, whether you’d get engaged soon, all types of questions that just made you miss him more. Your bed was empty, you didn’t get any calls, your texts remained unanswered. Xing’s social media died, the fans were in a frenzy about it. Even your best friend. 

<3 the best person <3: You know that whole thing with Lay’s social media is starting to creep me out. He’s not been on Instagram or Weibo for way too long. He was always so active. I wonder whats up with him. You think he might be leaving?

You: You think he’d leave the group?

<3 the best person <3: I always used to think he wouldn’t, but I couldn’t imagine anything else going on right now. It’s odd. I think SM is trying to hide something from us. 

You: Pfft. I just hope he’s okay.

<3 the best person <3: yeah me too. You’re on your way to your internship? First day right?

You: Yeah, I’m so nervous you have no idea. I hope it’s not some big shot Idol I would die. 

<3 the best person <3: Maybe it’s EXO omg! If it is, you better ask them about Lay.

You: It’s not going to be them, and even if it was, I’m probably not allowed to ask them questions like that.

<3 the best person <3: Well, my class is starting, so goodluck, HWAITING!!!

You: Thanks babe.

You were in the bus into the city centre, going to your first photoshoot with the place that allowed you to take an internship there. A lot of people around you were jealous of you, that you’d managed to get in there, they barely ever hired interns. But you’d always had a thing for photographing people, so you’d just sent them your portfolio with a little bit of hope that they’d like it. They emailed you back in a month, and before that three other places had already answered your request, which meant you had to keep them waiting. In that time, two already pulled in their offer, but you wanted to wait for this place. It was a dream. Who knows, they might hire you. 

The building was tall, and you took the elevator to the 23^rd floor. Slowly rising up, you checked yourself in the large mirror. Your camera strapped around your neck, dressed in tight light wash jeans and a loose striped turtleneck. A few strands of hair were falling free from your ponytail, and you pushed them behind your ear. In the morning you had debated over your makeup, since you didn’t want to wear too much but you also didn’t want to seem like you don’t care about your appearance at all. You pushed your large round glasses further up your nose before you exited. 

Upstairs you found the room quickly, it was a regular room actually. Tables set up with racks of clothes, makeup artist getting her things ready. A creme coloured backdrop hanging down on the wall adjacent to the window. Large lights turned off now but soon you’d stand under the heat of them. 

“Hi, you must be y/n.” A woman walked up to you, she was probably in her mid 30’s. “My name is Nina, I’ll be working with you today. We have quite a special idol coming over today, so please try to behave as normally as you can. For now your job is to just take pictures, I’ll check on you and take my own pictures. The makeup artists and stylists will decide on what he wears. Since your an intern we can’t let you have regime over that yet, especially on your first day, but if your pictures are good we might use one or two. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions, or to direct him to change pose, gaze or anything. Do whatever you think works the best.” 

You nodded. “Thank you for giving me this opportunity.” 

She smiled. “This is a hard world, and not everyone will be as nice to you as I am now. But we saw in your photo’s that you have talent.”

“Thank you so much.” You bowed deep and tried to hide the proud smile that was threatening to spread on your face. 

“He should be here any minute, just please, we often don’t hire interns because they tend to get weird around the models and idols. So if you can’t behave I’m going to send you out and you won’t be requested to return. This is a professional job, okay?”

“Yes. I’ll do whatever I can.” Thank god that dating an idol actually made you realise how normal they are, so you’d probably be okay after the initial shock. But to be honest most of the time when your friend sent you a picture of someone you didn’t even know who it was. Just know EXO by name, and that one guy from Bangtan with the cute nose. Jungkook. 

Suddenly there was a rush behind you, the makeup artists and stylist started moving and chatting, the four of them. Nina oversaw everything from where she was holding her camera at the side of the room. And you decided to take out yours. 

“Good morning everyone.” That voice, you’re imagining that. You didn’t look up, but replied just with the others, bowing. The camera lens wasn’t doing what you wanted it to do and you fumbled a bit. “Ahh, thank you so much.” It was too similar, you told yourself it wasn’t him. Can’t be him. No. They wouldn’t have let you join. But your heart was pounding in your chest, and your fingers trembled so hard that you dropped your lens to the floor. When you knelt down to pick it up, you let your eyes flicker into the direction of the voice. 

No. Your eyes grew wide, and a shiver went up your back. Yixing?