The short man let out a hiss as he turned over, fingers blindly reaching for the sheets as they slipped past his legs. Somehow, it was colder than he thought it should be, which could only mean that he had either left the windows open or he had not turned the heater on. Whichever reason it was, his room was freezing. Ironical, he thought, blinking away the sleep to have a better look around. And so, he ignored the rising ache at his temples and tried to make sense of his surrounding.

The sour taste on his tongue and the foul scent in the room were enough to remind him of their antics. Despite his resolutions at the start of the night, he had drunk a lot and maybe he overdid it when he crawled into the mini-bar once back home. He'd get an earful later, for sure... How much had he drunk again? Six? Eight bottles? No doubt he wanted to shut himself away from the light buzz of the awakening city.

"Tom, get down!... No, Garfield! Not my cheesecake!" came a soft whine behind him, urging the thick eyebrowed man to turn around once more. And what a surprise it was to find his best friend snoring softly beside him, one arm resting on his shirtless front. Tiny beads of sweat were scattered over his exposed forehead, a wet trail at the edge of his thin lips while he dreamed about cartoons again. But even more surprising were the black marks on his cheeks, curls and lines brought together in a rather artistic way. Idi-ot, read the room's owner, stifling a laugh behind his fist. He could not quite remember it all but a lot had obviously happened that previous night.

Minseok was half-tempted to kick the main vocalist off his freshly pressed cotton sheets but refrained himself at the last minute. If he was even comfortably tucked in the safety of his room, it was most likely thanks to Jongdae. Still though, if it hadn't been for the loud kid, there would have been no hangover in the first place. And for that, the elder flicked him on the forehead, grinning at the whine he earned in response.

They had indeed left the windows open, realized Minseok as feet stretching. He swept a hand through his currently black locks, hesitating between crawling into Jongdae's side to sleep or speeding to the bathroom to relieve his bladder. The choice was made within seconds, tingles at his toes when he made the mistake of shifting closer to his friend's warm body. No, glaring at Jongdae's hand would not help him in any way; he had to take the path of thorns. And so he did, hissing as his barefoot skipped over the cold floorboards. 

To say they were less busy would be an overstatement. Indeed, the idea of surprising their fans and overtaking the charts once more sounded appealing, but their company had other plans for them this year. Minseok himself, who was always juggling with concert days and study breaks, could feel the lack of tension in the air. The subunit was going to release an album, of course, but even he knew that it would not be as hectic as when the entire group would show up. Still, they were doing great! He was doing great! What were a few blank spaces in his daily schedules, anyway? He badly needed the holiday.

He exited the bathroom about half an hour later, water dripping from the ends of his front hair and teeth chattering slightly. His stinky black shirt had been discarded, a tiny pill popped into his mouth on the way out. Minseok was an organized man, always working according to the plan. And so, it was quite easy for him to notice the slight shift of his books on the shelves and the door of his closet left ajar. He would not wear pink rhino slippers either, he also thought when his gaze moved to the door. It instantly clicked into his mind.

"I hope for you that I don't find any misleading photos..."

The words bounced back at him, feeding his doubts for a short moment. Nothing else seemed off to him until someone sneezed, the sound loudly rippling through the air. Got ya!

Quickly, Minseok closed the gap between him and the closet, discarding the white towel he had over his shoulders. Jongdae groaned at the wet material, pushing it hastily away from his face before snuggling even further into Minseok's pillows and sheets. He was not a heavy sleeper but they'd made it through half of the booze stock. Who knew when he would finally regain consciousness?

Stepping into the comfort of his sweatpants, Minseok allowed his gaze to land upon the inside mirror of the narrow space. Pale skin and round chin, the young man was known for being handsomely cute despite his age. Maybe it had something to do with his big eyes, the dark coffee-drops that hid behind thin lids. Or rather, those puffed out cheeks of his which had earned him the nickname of baozi. It could also be those- His arms froze halfway through sliding the oversized shirt on, a glint in his back catching his attention. Sure enough, it appeared again after a few seconds and Minseok whirled around.

"Reveal yourself already," he called to the shadows, lips pulled into a thin line. Silence answered him for a long moment, his breathing as loud as the steady beat in his chest. But eventually, the shadows moved again and Minseok's eyes softened at the familiar face. "What are you doing here, Alerie? And- And is that Vivi?"

The ball of white fur let out a bark at its name, tongue slipping in and out of its mouth rapidly while its tail whipped about happily. The young woman ran her hands down its back, the ghost of a smile at her lips and a twinkle in her gaze. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, the dark curls pulled back into a small ponytail. The usual suit pants and spring-colored blouses had been exchanged for a pair of navy jeans and a white hoodie, a combination that made her look younger. But her face remained grave, even as she stepped into the warmth of Minseok's welcoming arms.

"You didn't invite me to the party." she pouted as she pulled back, lips pushed forth and head hung low. This close, Minseok noticed the scars at her neck, pale but present. He was quick to look away though, well aware of how uncomfortable it would make her. "I even found Sehun Oppa sleeping on the stairs. I feel betrayed, Oppa."

Minseok felt tiny at his fingers while Vivi tried to jump into his arms, the creases at his forehead stretching away when it turned into light nibbles. Tan was, without a doubt, his most precious treasure but he did like his brothers' pets as well. It always amazed him how Vivi was always shying away from smooches but would never fail to shower Minseok with kisses just to get treats. Indeed, just like its owner... The elder man scratched at Vivi's head, the tips of his lips tugged up before responding to Alerie.

"He claimed it was as soft as the clouds and no one was about to argue with him." And that had been even before they'd all gathered in the living room, clashing bottles against bottles. They had heard him yell at some point, Jongin somehow stumbling his way through the mini car tracks on the floor and throwing a blanket at him. Then, they had resumed a furious argument about tigers and bears in sports gears. Eventful night, undeniably...

"You dorks," said Alerie, head shaking left and right. "Always being a mess... How did you even get those millions of fans?"

"Hey, you're an eri too! And our EXO-L find it cute, you know." retorted Minseok, arms crossing over his chest in mock anger. It lasted for five seconds, after which they both broke into a laughing fit. Jongdae grumbled from his spot, shifting again but not without his arms wrapped around a pillow protectively. The sight was endearing, really. And brushing away the tears at his eyes, Minseok finally calmed down. "I'm glad you came back."

Alerie smiled at that, unveiling her pearly teeth and eyes shrinking into slits. But it seemed fake, which pained Minseok more than he would admit.

"I've been good, apparently so he promoted me to babysitting," she replied, lowering herself to the ground as if that would hide her tears from him. She tried to sound unperturbed by it all and would have succeeded, had her voice not cracked in the end. The man did not hesitate to fall to his knees too, arms tight around her slim frame. He knew of her struggle; had seen the tears roll down her cheeks and the bruises on her skin. He was unfortunate enough to know the pitch of her voice when she begged for mercy, feet wobbling with pain and exhaustion. But most of all, he knew of the knife still buried in her heart, keeping her alive but killing her slowly. If anything, he knew she did not feel as fine as she claimed to be.

"Alerie-"

"He said he was taking her to Dubai with you all. How lucky of her!" she breathed into his neck, lips shaking while trying to hold back the tears. Her shoulders were tense beneath his touch, chest heaving up and down so fast that he feared she'd stop breathing altogether. "I'm glad he's sending me away. I'll enjoy the sun and the sea- Cherry will be there- And I- I-"

"He shouldn't treat you like this." soothed Minseok, fingers threading through her soft curls. "You deserve so much, sweetheart. I'm so so-"

"What are you doing?" came the interruption, a deep voice that sent the girl on her feet, palms violently rubbing at her eyes. Sobs still sent shivers through her body when the other one stepped in, brows pulled together and gaze aggravated. The black tuxedo shaped his toned body to perfection, a tiny bow hanging loosely from his collar and a golden watch at his wrist. He looked extravagant, with a hint of fantasy. Clearly, not his usual style of clothing.

"Kyungsoo," began Minseok, tongue clinking as he protectively stepped in front of Alerie. "Where are you going this late?"

"I don't remember my outings being any of your business, hyung." sharply replied the younger, one eyebrow raised higher than the other. Pale, slender fingers pulled at his sleeves while he talked, making him look as defying as he sounded. "But if you must know, I have a date."

"Seriously? Even if you called her here?" angrily asked Minseok, an arm shooting up to point at a sobbing Alerie. The shaking had ceased but wet trails still rushed down her face, eyes looking at anywhere but the doorway. On the other hand, Kyungsoo's gaze shamelessly lingered over that tall frame which quivered because of him. He clearly enjoyed this, whatever this was. And it was so out of his character, a total change from the sweet boy Minseok knew him to be. But Kyungsoo's mind was set and it was clear that nothing could stop him. In the mystery of his thoughts was the truth behind his behavior. If only he talked to them...

"I called her because I thought it necessary. We have a situation right now and I'm being generous enough to give her a second chance. Nothing more than that, which still does not explain why I found you two looking awfully intimate."

"No! No! You're wrong! Minseok oppa just-"

"Go to your room. I have to talk to your Minseok Oppa!" roughly cut Kyungsoo, discarding her presence with a quick wave of the hand. Alerie visibly flinched, eyes darting between the two men with clear hesitation. In normal circumstances, she was this strong and fearless woman, even intimidating if one was courageous enough to provoke her. But it took this much for Kyungsoo to turn her into this frail, little thing. It was pathetic, really, because she deserved the world and he refused her the simple wish for his approval. 

"It's alright. Go, sugar!" eventually said Minseok, forcing a smile to ease her worries. It was not like she would ever deliberately disobey Kyungsoo, but she cared a lot about Minseok and the latter was no ignorant to her affection. Still, he knew he was not worth her going through more trouble. And so, he patted her back gently and urged her to get going, purposefully ignoring his colleague's glare. Alerie hesitated four times, eyes glancing back to Minseok when Kyungsoo's glare would become too much. But eventually, she crossed the threshold and not even a second later, a strong hand was clutched around Minseok's collar, pressing him into the wall.

"Don't touch her." came the warning, loud and clear like the heated blade of a knife slicing through butter. The tension had risen even more now that the girl was gone. A pity, thought the raven-haired singer. If only she knew what went on behind her back.

"Stop hurting her!" hissed back Minseok, voice equally cold. He was not one to get angry easily, mostly focusing his attention on things that were not already out of hand. And he knew Kyungsoo to be the same, which further angered him. They were so alike and yet, he just could not understand the younger.

"I'm not hurting her." seethed the bald man, his eyes unmistakably filled with innocence, ego and something akin to fear. "I'm making her strong, unlike you all, because I know what's good for her. Know your place, hyung! You have no say in the matter."

"You already made her stronger than anyone else, stronger than any of us. At this rate, you'll break her." spat the elder, even as his face turned a deeper shade of red and veins began to bulge out of his neck. His lungs were on fire, the organs constricting painfully with each intake of air. And his nails dug into Kyungsoo's wrist, trying to pry his hold off. But it was only when the world looked like a black canvas that he was freed, his falling down with a heavy thump. While he coughed on the ground, Minseok caught the glimpse of bare toes and forced himself to listen despite the hammering in his ears.

"Are you crazy?" was shouting Jongdae, the sleepiness gone from his face. His loud voice boomed across the entire floor, urging steps to head their way while a cry erupted in the adjacent room. Hair messily pushed out of his face, he looked as if he was seconds away from punching Kyungsoo's pretty face. "Apologize right now!"

"I have nothing to apologize for," growled Kyungsoo, looking as mad as the man he called brother. The bow had fallen from his collar, replaced by a rough hand. And he tried his best to look indifferent but the fire in his eyes was brighter than the morning star.

"What's all this ruckus about?" groaned Junmyeon, fist rubbing at his eye. A taller shadow followed close behind, Jongin yawning into his huge teddy bear while pulling a whining Baekhyun. The latter was only dressed in an oversized shirt, clearly stolen from Chanyeol's closet, and had one sock missing. Junmyeon's eyes surveyed the room, frown deepening when he noticed Minseok's shaking body on the ground. "Why are you fighting?"

His questions remained ignored, Minseok glaring up at Kyungsoo while trying to sit up. It had not been enough for him to pass out but he knew that Kyungsoo could kill him if he really wanted to. And right now, he didn't know if the man was going to let go, had Jongdae not intervened. There would be scars to cover up for the days to come, but even more so would be the obvious tension that now burdened them.

"He's staying here when we're going to Dubai. I don't care if his acting schedules get shifted or if he does a new collaboration but I don't want him anywhere near me," warned Minseok while he raised to his feet, ignoring the confused expressions of their roommates. One last glare was thrown at the tight-lipped Kyungsoo before he rushed out of the room, out of the dorm and out of this mess. "Either he stays or I do."