“What?!”

“Luhan…”

“No, no, no, no, no,” the wide-eyed boy chanted. “No. And no.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The world was going crazy. It had to be.

“Hyung…” Sehun whined plaintively.

“Luhan.” Their manager finally stepped in. “This isn’t optional. The decision’s already been made.”

Luhan blanched. “But...but…but…why me? Can’t you find someone else? One of the trainees or…or…Victoria noona or one of the SNSD noonas.”

“You know why. It’s Gayo Daejun. Everyone’s going to be busy that night. They have group performances as well as some solos.”

“They can’t all have solo performances,” he scoffed. “I mean, come on. They don’t even all sing!”

“Hyung…” Sehun’s eyes implored him. “Ailyn noona got sick unexpectedly and it’s just too short notice to find anyone else.”

“I have performances too!”

“Just a group performance,” their manager said, as if it counted for nothing. “Kai and Lay have a dance battle with their sunbaes and they’re coping. Sehun has that as well as the main performance, in addition to this. If he can do it, why can’t you? This is a huge opportunity for Sehun. As his closest hyung, shouldn’t you do whatever you can to support him?”

“But I don’t know the choreography,” Luhan pointed out.

“You have two weeks. I know you can do it,” Manager hyung replied.

“And most importantly: I AM NOT A GIRL!”

“No, but you’re certainly the prettiest member in EXO. It shouldn’t be too hard for the cordis to feminize you. You already did half of their job for them by being as small and cute as you are.”

Luhan growled, fists curling at his sides.

He felt betrayed. Sehun, his precious dongsaeng, had ambushed him. Eagerly inviting him to his rehearsal – which he had so far kept all of the members out of, thus ensuring Luhan’s willingness to attend – only to drop this bombshell on him. How could he?

“Hyung…”

There he went again, pouting and looking down at Luhan with those puppy-dog eyes of his.

Luhan groaned.

“What will the other members say? I’ll be a laughing-stock.”

“No one will know,” their manager promised. “Only the relevant cordis and the people in this room are aware of what’s going on. We’ll make absolutely certain that everything goes according to plan. It’s also in the company’s best interest that no one ever finds out.”

“How are you going to explain what happened to AiLyn? I mean, the fans will be expecting a notable name, not just some random chick.”

“Let me worry about that.”

Luhan really had no other argument, no ground to stand on. Every obstacle he’d thrown at his manager had been met head on. Was there no way out of this mess?

“Hyung, please. I need you,” Sehun pleaded.

He sighed. He was probably going to regret this. Wait, not probably. He already regretted it!

“Fine,” he grumbled, sighing again when Sehun snatched him up in a bear hug. He let the boy hold onto him for a few seconds before he shook him off. He was still a traitor. He hadn’t forgiven him yet.

“So…when do we start?”

“Now,” their manager replied.

“What?!”

 

♪I hit you with the best .

Freestyle and the -.

‘Til you’re blowing cigarette smoke.

And now the bed’s broke…♪

 

“Hands!” Luhan squawked. “Hands, hands!”

“Hyunggggg…” Sehun groaned in exasperation, rubbing the sting out of the back of his palms where Luhan had slapped him.

“Luhan, we’re not going to get anywhere at this rate,” the choreographer said patiently. “We have very little time and your interruptions are keeping us back.”

“I know,” Luhan grumbled. “I’m sorry, it’s just…his hands.”

“He has to touch you. It’s a partner dance.”

“I know but…why does it have to be this song? It’s so…” Intimate. y. Sensual. “…gross. Really corny, like for old people.”

The choreographer watched him silently for a second, his expression unreadable.

“From the top,” he finally said. “And Luhan. No stopping this time.”

Luhan nodded and took his place, tensing slightly when he felt Sehun move behind him. He was too close for comfort. He could feel Sehun’s heat permeating his clothes, even before he felt his chest come flush up against his back. When Sehun’s hands settled on his waist again, he shivered slightly.

Ugh, this is just too weird, he thought. They weren’t shivers. They were goosebumps. Goosebumps of disgust at being emasculated this way.

“1, 2, 3, 4.”

The music started again and he watched in the mirror as he and Sehun moved together, spinning away from each other before returning to one another again.

The choreography was actually pretty good, he’d decided when the choreographer and his assistant had danced it for him. It was close and it was touchy but it was also really technical. There were as many individual moves as there were tandem ones. He had no problem with the solo parts, it was when he and Sehun came together, the closeness, the having to look deep into his eyes that freaked him out. It was a dance meant to elicit desire and envy in its viewers, and required the illusion of lust from its performers, but how was he supposed to emote that for…Sehun.

“Okay, that was better,” the choreographer acknowledged, switching off the music. “You’re getting the moves down pretty quickly but you need to work on your expressions. Where’s the passion? You want him, he wants you. Your face needs to show that.”

“But I don’t want him,” Luhan muttered in frustration.

“You’re a celebrity, fake it ‘til you make it. Do you think you’re going to sing and dance for the rest of your life? Not with that face. You’d better start practicing your acting from now.”

Luhan mumbled to himself.

“Let’s just stop here for today. Your mind is getting in the way of your progress. Why don’t you go home, let it all out, get over it, and we’ll resume tomorrow. Okay?”

The choreographer packed his things and left with his assistant. Luhan was slightly embarrassed but they had put him in such an awkward situation and he hadn’t even had the time to process it.

He and Sehun followed their manager to the car, settling in the back for the ride to the dorms.

When Sehun handed him a bottle of water, he gladly took it, cracking it open and taking a long swig.

“Hyung…” Sehun began, hesitation obvious in his voice.

Luhan glanced in his direction.

“I’m really sorry about this.”

Luhan could see that he was sincere and his irritation and earlier feelings of betrayal melted away.

Smiling, he reached out and ruffled the younger boy’s hair. “It’s okay… It’s not your fault.”

“I’ll try my best not to make you feel uncomfortable,” Sehun promised.

Luhan shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. You just do what you’re supposed to. From tomorrow, I’ll bring my A-game, okay?”

Sehun nodded.

Stretching like a cat, Luhan yawned. They’d only practiced for a couple of hours but after EXO’s late practice session the night before, his body still hadn’t recovered. Four hours of sleep just wasn’t cutting it.

Burrowing down, Luhan let his head rest lightly against Sehun’s shoulder.

“Wake me when we’re almost there.”

“Okay, hyung.”

As he drifted off to sleep, Sehun watched him, smiling and wondering if his hyung had any idea just how adorable he was.

 

True to his word, Luhan dug deep and pushed his reservations aside in order give his all at rehearsals.

A week passed by quickly, the days blurring into each other, a milieu of various choreography. Despite his initial reservations about being Sehun’s partner, he found his excitement and anticipation growing day by day. The main reason, he forced himself to acknowledge, was Sehun himself.

He loved watching him dance. He was mesmerizing. They were all great dancers in their own right, each with a different feel, but Sehun… He couldn’t exactly put his finger on it. The adorable maknae with the cute lisp, goofy personality and sometimes seemingly dead eyes could be quite charismatic when he wanted to be, and especially so when he danced. As a partner, Luhan couldn’t ask for anything more from him. Sehun was dedicated, hardworking, and was with him every step of the way. There wasn’t a single time during their rehearsals that he could think of where he’d turned to meet Sehun and he wasn’t there.

It was all very…confusing.

He was talking about his dance partner, in the forefront of his mind he knew that, and yet in other parts of his body, namely his heart, it felt like…more.

Preoccupied by his thoughts, he tripped, stumbling slightly, and almost immediately, those warm, reassuring hands he had come to know and expect were there, catching him.

“Luhan, where’s your head at?” the choreographer snapped, not bothering to hide his annoyance. “We’re on the home stretch. You can’t afford to start slipping up now.”

“Sorry,” he murmured, cheeks flaming from embarrassment.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Sehun asked, concern clouding his eyes.

Luhan glanced up at him, forcing a smile. “I’m good.” He patted Sehun’s hand before slipping out of his grasp. “Let’s go again.”

 

“I’m hungry,” Kai whined.

“I fed you already,” D.O. countered. “What do you think this is, a hotel buffet? The food here isn’t never-ending you know. There is a limit.”

Kai pouted.

“Eww, stop that,” Baekhyun complained. “It’s not cute. It just makes your abnormally big lips look abnormally bigger.”

Kai scoffed, patting his hair confidently. “Don’t be jealous, Baeks. There’s got to be something on you that isn’t puny.” His gaze swept over Baekhyun’s body, from head to toe. “I hope.”

Baekhyun growled and started advancing on him, stopping abruptly when a strong, heavy hand closed over his shoulder.

“That’s enough, you two,” Kris said. He never raised his voice and that was one of the scariest things about him. There was just a note of finality in his tone. His word was law and they tried their very best to adhere to it. The funny thing was that no one had ever seen him angry. His very presence, his sheer size and the atmosphere around him, was enough to lull them into submission.

The group was gathered in EXO-M’s dorm late one night, hanging out like they usually did when they needed to wind down from a long day .

“Luhan-hyung and Sehun not back yet?” Suho asked as he came into the living room, a plate full of sandwiches in his hand.

Baekhyun could swear that he saw drool drip out of the corner of Kai’s mouth as he lurched for a sandwich before Suho even set the plate on the table.

D.O. rolled his eyes at Suho. “Hyung, you’re encouraging his gluttony.”

“No,” Lay answered in response to Suho’s question, his voice embodying its usual dreaminess.

“Maknae’s working really hard for this performance,” Suho said, a note of worry in his voice. “I hope he doesn’t push himself too far.”

“How come Luhan-hyung gets to go watch him but we can’t?” Kai asked, still in that whining tone that irritated Baekhyun to no end.

“You know how they are,” Chanyeol replied reasonably. “Joined at the hip.”

“Yeah, but he refused to let any of us watch him. He and I are close. If he makes an exception for anyone, it should be me.”

Baekhyun started to open his mouth and immediately found it stuffed with a hunk of SPAM sandwich. He threw a dagger-filled glare in Chanyeol’s direction and was rewarded with his trademark silly grin.

“Not that I agree with him,” Chen began, “but Kai does have a point. I mean, Sehun has been pretty hush-hush about his performance since he found out that he was doing it. He wouldn’t even tell us who his partner is, much less for letting us watch. And that included Luhan hyung, at least until about a week ago. What changed?”

“They have been spending a lot of time together lately,” Xiumin mused, nibbling on a sandwich. “More so than usual, that is.”

“Yeah,” Tao jumped in. “It’s like, whenever they’re not here with us or practicing for our performances, they’re locked in the dance studio preparing for Sehun’s solo. Or wherever else they usually go.”

“Bubble-tea dates,” Chen supplied helpfully.

“Has anyone heard any rumors about who Sehun’s partner could be?” Suho asked suddenly.

There was a resounding no, all members shaking their heads.

“What’s with the secrecy? I don’t understand why they just can’t tell us,” Kai griped.

“Would it make a difference if you knew?” Chanyeol asked diplomatically.

“No, but…”

“He just wants to know if she’s hot,” Baekhyun snickered. “Probably so that he can mas…”

His words were cut off by a palm the size of Florida slapping over his mouth and, by extension, his face.

He pried Chanyeol’s fingers apart so that he could peer disdainfully at him through them.

“You don’t suppose…” Kai paused. “Hmm…nah, can’t be.”

“What?” Kris asked, genuinely curious.

“Well…This might sound crazy but…is it possible that…Luhan-hyung is Sehun’s partner?”

There was a moment of silence before the room erupted in hysterics. Even Kai laughed, his face flushed as he chastised himself for being dumb enough to consider it, much less voice the thought. As if Baekhyun-hyung needed more ammunition against him.

“That’s a good one,” D.O. giggled, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.

“We should probably just ask Luhan who she is,” Xiumin suggested.

“Sehun may have sworn him to secrecy,” Tao countered.

Baekhyun tsked. “He wouldn’t need to. Luhan-hyung wouldn’t even think about betraying Sehun’s trust.”

Several members nodded. Sehun and Luhan were known to be disgustingly loyal to each other. It was sickening at times.

Hunger pangs pacified now, Kai rose to check himself out in the mirror, fluffing his hair then patting it back down into the style that he liked.

“Don’t you get tired of looking at yourself, you narcissist?” Baekhyun said, his words dripping with disgust.

Kai grinned. “No, and you wouldn’t either if you looked like me. It’s not easy being the handsomest member.”

Kai was prepared for denial and insults and he was not let down. However, it did not come from the person he most expected.

Chanyeol guffawed. “You’re kidding right? Handsomest member? What have you been smoking kid?”

Kai frowned. Chanyeol-hyung?

He looked at his hyung, hurt and betrayal in his eyes. “Et tu, Brute?”

He could practically hear crickets chirping as they watched him with confused, unknowing eyes.

He sighed inwardly. He was stuck with a bunch of Neanderthals.

“How can you say I’m not the best looking member? Chicks love me.”

“Sure, little school girls who don’t know any better. They’ll grow out of it eventually.” Chanyeol glanced around. “On the other hand, girls of all ages love Kris-hyung. They say he’s manly and y. He sure as hell isn’t goofy-looking like you.”

“And Luhan-hyung,” Lay piped in. “He’s pretty and he’s cute. It’s a tough combo to beat. They’re always oohing and aahing over every little thing he does. He can do no wrong in their eyes.”

The others nodded.

“Fine!” Kai growled. “Well, I’m still the best dancer. I am the dance machine after all.”

“Well…” D.O. trailed off, looking hesitant to finish.

Kai’s gaze swung to him, eyes-narrowing. “Well?”

Baekhyun was only too happy to enlighten him. “I think what he means to say is that while that may be the company line and sure, you are pretty good, Lay-hyung has been giving you a run for your money from day one so it’s really a matter of personal preference.” His grin widened. “No need to tell you who I prefer.”

“You’re an . Your opinion doesn’t count,” Kai retorted.

“Yah!”

Chanyeol wrapped an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder trapping him to his side.

“It’s true,” Tao chimed in. “You’re really good but Lay-hyung danced with the SHINee sunbaes before we debuted and since then there have been many videos from our performances solely focused on him. According to the comments, fans really dig his moves. Kris-hyung sees them all the time when he’s on Youtube and other UCC sites.”

Kai growled. “Whatever! Best body then. No one can dispute my choco-abs.”

From his prison, Baekhyun burst out laughing. “Choco-abs?”

“Kris-hyung, Lay, Tao,” Suho listed.

“Even Chanyeolie has a better body than you,” Baekhyun added, still laughing.

Chanyeol shushed him but he was ignored, as usual.

Kai stamped his foot in frustration. “Well, if I’m not the best looking, not the best dancer and don’t have the best body, what am I?”

Silence fell in the room and Kai was surprised by the sudden urge to cry.

“Most…tanned?” Xiumin said optimistically.

Kai groaned.

“There’s definitely one area where you beat the rest of us,” Baekhyun acknowledged.

Kai perked up fractionally. “What’s that?”

“Biggest lips,” Chanyeol finished for him. “Bring that Angelina Jolie trouty-mouth over here and give me a kiss. Muah!”

He made loud kissing noises that sent the members into fits of giggles, Baekhyun laughing the loudest. Even Kris cracked a smile.

Kai glared. “I’m going to forget you said that because you’re my hyung and I love you but next time, you won’t find yourself as teeth-rich as you currently are. Count on it.”

The members continued to chuckle and Kai turned back to the mirror, finding comfort in his reflection. He didn’t care what they said, he was a good-looking bastard.

“That was a good one,” Baekhyun said softly, smiling up at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol grinned, pulling him closer. “I learned from the best.”

Baekhyun leaned into him. “But you’re always trying to get me to behave myself.”

“Ugh, here they go again,” Chen complained.

“Seriously, what is the deal with you two?” Kris asked, wanting to look away but strangely fascinated by his dongsaengs slobbering over one another. “Are you guys really an item or what?”

Chanyeol flashed Baekhyun a mysterious smile before turning to grin at Kris. “It’s just fanservice, hyung, you know that.”

Kris glanced around the room pointedly. “Except…there are no fans here.”

“Fans are everywhere, hyung,” Chanyeol stated dramatically, burying his face in Baekhyun’s neck. “They’re everywhere. They watch us while we sleep, while we’re in the shower, when we eat. They monitor everything that we do.”

Though he knew that Chanyeol was just joking, Kris couldn’t suppress the shivers that traveled up his spine. Idols’ dorms had been broken into before so there was a ring of truth to Chanyeol’s words.

“Will you two get a room?” Kai moaned. “That is majorly disturbing.”

Just as Kris glanced over at the couple pawing and smiling suggestively at each other, the front door opened, drawing everyone’s attention.

Luhan entered, immediately followed by Sehun. They were so busy talking in soft, muted tones that neither one noticed that they had an audience until Kris cleared his throat.

“Oh.” Luhan looked as startled as he sounded, his eyebrows disappearing into his bangs as his eyes became impossibly round.

“Hyungs,” Sehun greeted, smiling warmly. His hand rested on Luhan’s waist and neither one made a move towards the group in the living room.

“How was practice?” Kris inquired, to break the silence.

Sehun’s smile widened. “It was good, thank you.”

Kris nodded.

“Have you eaten?” Suho asked. “There are some sandwiches here if you’re hungry.”

“We’re good,” Luhan said, finally speaking up. “We had something on the way home.”

“Hyung?” Kai called, startling everyone. “Can I ask you a question?”

Luhan frowned slightly but nodded.

“What does Sehun’s partner look like?”

The room was dead silent. Not even a breath could be heard.

“You’ve seen her right? Seen them practice together? Is she hot?”

Color crept into Luhan’s cheeks. “Um…She’s, uh…she’s…” He looked up at Sehun helplessly.

Sehun smiled sweetly down at him. “She’s lovely,” he said. Turning to meet the ten pairs of eyes watching him closely, Sehun grinned sheepishly. “She’s really pretty.”

The color in Luhan’s face deepened by two shades.

“I’m going to bed,” he suddenly announced. He glanced up at Sehun, features softening slightly. “See you tomorrow, Sehun-ah. Sleep well.”

He scurried off to his room.

“Okay…” Baekhyun drawled, intrigued. “What was that all about?”

“I’m going to bed too.” Sehun re-opened the door to the outside hallway before turning back to his hyungs. “It’s been a long day. I’m exhausted. Good night, hyungs. See you in the morning.” And with that, he was gone.

“That was…”D.O. began.

“…weird,” Kai finished for him.

His hyung and the maknae were being awfully strange and secretive, even for them. If something was up, he wanted to know.

He made a mental note to keep an eye on them the from now on.

 

“I can’t wait for this thing to come and go,” Suho groaned, leaning against the wall of the dance studio. “I’m exhausted.”

Chanyeol wiped perspiration off his face with the towel that hung around his neck. “Five more days and we’re free.”

“Freedom,” Baekhyun sighed longingly, sliding against the wall until his head rested on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Sleeping in until 2:00pm.”

“Staying up late playing video games,” Chen added.

“Hitting the clubs,” Kai joined in.

Everyone turned to look at him, their expressions clearly concerned for his mental health.

“What?” he asked defensively.

“You’re too young, fetus,” D.O. said gently, patting him on the shoulder.

Kai scoffed. “That’s what you think.”

He tuned out his hyungs’ jabs, eyes drifting over to Luhan and Sehun who sat apart from the group. They were talking animatedly, smiling like they always do. They were in their own little world, which was nothing new, but he swore that it was different. Something was up with those two.

“Alright, kiddos.” Their choreographer clapped his hands, gesturing for them to rise.

Kai watched as Sehun helped Luhan get to his feet, standing to the side and slightly behind him like his protector.

They’re so gay...

“One more time, from the top. The entire set. If you do it to my satisfaction, you get to go home. If not…”

They all groaned aloud. They knew all too well what that meant.

 

“Finally!” Xiumin rejoiced.

“Let’s get out of here quick, before he changes his mind,” the usually mild-mannered Lay urged.

“Sehun-ah?” their manager called from where he stood with the choreographer. “Can I see you for a minute.”

“Oh no,” D.O. moaned. “I hope he doesn’t have to stay and practice for his solo now. We’re all worn out.”

They all stopped what they were doing and watched as the maknae made his way over to the manager.

Luhan followed.

“Come on, guys,” EXO-M’s manager called from the doorway. “All of you.”

“Hyung,” Kris began.

The manager shook his head. “Time to go. I have things to do.”

“Luhan-hyung,” Tao called.

The manager put a firm hand on his back and ushered him out the door. “He’ll come later.”

 

When Luhan finally opened the door to EXO-M’s dorm, it was after 2:00am.

He wasn’t the least bit surprised when he found the lights off, apartment eerily quiet. No one in his right mind would be awake at that hour after the day they’d had. And that didn’t include his and Sehun’s extra practice. Even their manager had abandoned them, arranging for a company car to drive them home instead.

“Everyone’s gone to bed,” Sehun murmured from behind him, so close that Luhan could feel his breath on the back of his neck. It set his nerves a-tingle but he was too exhausted to examine what it meant or even be afraid of it.

A short “yeah” was all he could muster in response.

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the counter, passing one to Sehun.

Sehun accepted but didn’t open it. Instead, he stared at it contemplatively, like there was something on his mind.

“Sehun-ah?”

Blushing slightly, Sehun met his eyes. “Hyung…Do you think I could spend the night?”

Luhan almost choked on his water, sputtering the mouthful that he’d been about to swallow.

Sehun reached over and patted him on the back.

“Sorry, hyung.”

Calmer now, Luhan was embarrassed by his over-reaction. “No, no. It’s okay. Um…wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your own bed? I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

Sehun’s blush deepened as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “I just thought…it’s late and I’m already here. I don’t want to wake anyone up when I go downstairs and…I’m fine sleeping on the couch. It’s no problem,” he hurriedly assured him.

Luhan laughed softly. “Don’t be silly. I’m not going to make my precious little brother sleep on the sofa.”

He took Sehun’s hand and led him to the bathroom, switching on the light.

“Go on ahead and get started. I’ll see if I can sneak into my room and grab you a pair of pajama bottoms or something. Or do you want a top with that?”

Sehun his lips nervously. “Uh…bottoms are fine.”

Luhan smiled brightly. “Be right back.”

Sehun stripped and climbed into the shower, not bothering to wait for the water to heat up sufficiently. In truth, he welcomed the cold. His body was still heated from the long day of punishment it had received.

As his hands trailed over his skin, ears cocked listening for Luhan’s return, he couldn’t help thinking about him.

My precious little brother, Luhan had called him.

He knew that he meant it too. Despite the fact that he had graduated from high-school and was internationally acknowledged as an adult, to Luhan he was still his sweet, doting dongsaeng. He had thought that the days they’d spent together preparing for their performance would change things and in a way it had. He’d caught Luhan looking at him on more than one occasion and he saw it in his eyes: an awareness. He’d thought, hoped, that Luhan would acknowledge it in some way, give him a hint about what he was thinking or feeling, but almost as soon as it came, it would disappear. If he felt something, whatever it was, he was fighting it.

Sehun really wished he would stop fighting it.

He sighed softly, leaning his forehead against the tiled wall. If Luhan didn’t give him an opening soon, he would have to do something drastic.

“Sehun-ah?”

He heard Luhan shuffling around on the other side of the shower curtain.

A thin, floral-print shower curtain was all that separated them, he mused.

His mouth watered, forcing him to take a deep, calming breath. He ignored the other reactions his body had to Luhan’s presence. If it had been one of his other hyungs, he would’ve been worried about having his current condition revealed to their eyes but he knew that unlike them, Luhan would never invade his privacy. He would never even think to pull back the curtain and expose him.

He couldn’t deny that he was slightly disappointed.

Then again, he reminded himself, if it was one of his other hyungs, he wouldn’t be having a reaction in the first place

“I’ve put it on the counter, okay?” Luhan was saying. “There’s a fresh towel on the rack for you too. I’m sorry that I don’t have a spare toothbrush to give you.”

“It’s okay, hyung, thank you.”

“I’m going to go freshen up quickly in the other bathroom. I’ll see you shortly.”

Stay. Join me, he longed to say. Instead…

“Okay, hyung. See you soon.”

Sehun took his time finishing up in the shower, trying to gauge how long it would take Luhan to complete his nightly ritual before he climbed into bed. As corny as it might be, he wanted them to go to bed together.

He toweled off, slipped on the bottoms Luhan had provided and brushed his teeth as best he could with his finger. His dentist would be appalled but one had to make do as best as one could.

He waited just inside the bathroom, door ajar, listening for sounds of movement. When finally he heard Luhan’s soft footsteps coming down the hall, he walked out, plastering a smile on his face.

Luhan grinned back at him, not thinking anything of it, and led the way to his room.

They walked quickly and quietly to his bed, doing their best not to wake up his slumbering members. Thankfully, Kris slept like the dead so Luhan wasn’t really worried about him. Lay was his biggest concern.

When they were settled in bed, ensconced beneath the covers, Luhan sighed contentedly. He glanced over at Sehun, smiling sleepily.

“Goodnight, Sehun-ah.”

Sehun opened his mouth to say something, what he didn’t exactly know, but no sooner had Luhan finished speaking than he yawned, rolled over onto his side, and fell into a deep sleep. Sehun poked him just to be sure but he didn’t respond.

Was it humanly possible to fall asleep that quickly?, he wondered.

He sighed, burrowing deeper into the covers. He’d let himself fantasize about talking to Luhan, hushed whispers that only the two of them could hear, until they drifted off but reality had other plans.

Sighing again, he shifted slightly closer to his hyung and settled down. As exhaustion and sleep finally overcame him, his last thought was that at least he had gotten into Luhan’s bed.

Progress.

 

The next morning when Luhan tried to open his eyes, he discovered that they were gritty, like someone had thrown sand in them.

His body felt heavy, his limbs immovable.

Only when he felt a touch, a feather-light brush against his cheek, did he muster the strength to open his eyes.

Sehun’s sweet, smiling face greeted him as he knelt beside the bed.

“Good morning, hyung.”

Luhan wanted to return the greeting, to smile back at him, but he found that it took too much effort. He had never felt so lifeless before.

 “Are you okay, hyung?” Sehun asked, concern creasing his brow.

“Tired,” he managed to say, his voice soft and barely audible.

“Are you sick?”

“Sick?” D.O.’s head popped in through the open door. “Who’s sick?”

Sehun laid a hand on Luhan’s forehead. “Luhan-hyung doesn’t look so good. He’s not warm, though.”

Luhan rolled over onto his back, groaning at the effort it took. “Not sick, just tired.”

D.O. came into the room, Tao and Kai on his heels. He placed a hand on Luhan’s cheek to make sure that he wasn’t running a fever.

“Seems normal.”

Luhan gently pushed his hand away, kicking off his covers. “I’m fine,” he said, though his voice suggested otherwise. “Really. Just give me a minute to collect myself.”

“Hyung, did you break?” Kai joked. “Get it? Like Humpty-Dumpty.”

Tao rolled his eyes. “That was so lame.”

Luhan tried to sit up but the world spun and he fell back down onto the pillows, a hand going to his aching head.

“Hyung!” Sehun said in alarm, genuinely worried now.

“I’m okay,” Luhan soothed, taking Sehun’s fluttering hand and squeezing it reassuringly. “Just got a little dizzy.”

“Maybe he’s pregnant,” Kai mused. “Morning sickness, you know?” He threw a sidelong glance at Sehun. “What have you two been doing these days?”

Luhan groaned. “Kai, I hope that you don’t take this the wrong way – not that I care if you do – but please, go away. It’s too early for the likes of you.”

“Early? It’s 10:00am,” Kai informed him, not the least bit offended.

Luhan glanced at Sehun for confirmation.

Sehun nodded.

“Why didn’t anyone wake me?”

D.O. shrugged. “Sehun wouldn’t let us. He said that you needed your sleep. We’ve been up here for a while just waiting for you to wake up, Princess.”

“What’s going on in here?”

Their manager walked in, big and tall and foreboding.

Luhan tried to sit up again and this time he managed, with Sehun’s help, to prop himself up against the pillows.

“Hyung, I don’t think Luhan-hyung can handle practice today,” Sehun told him. “He’s really worn out. He can barely move.”

Luhan patted his hand affectionately. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

The manager’s eyes flitted back and forth between the two boys. He had known for a couple of days that Luhan was nearing the end of his rope. He’d always been thin and pale but the planes of his face were even sharper now and his skin was almost translucent. Sehun, though in better shape, was starting to show signs of wear as well. His eye-bags and dark circles stood out in sharp contrast to the rest of his fair complexion. The kids obviously needed a break and he had no choice but to give it to them. The last thing he needed were complaints that he or the company were running their idols into the ground.

“Sehun, you and Luhan stay behind today. Get some rest.”

Surprised, but smart enough not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, Sehun nodded. “Thank you.”

“Hyung…” Luhan began.

“The rest of you, let’s roll out.”

“But…but…but…” Tao sputtered.

“How come they get to take a day off and we don’t?” Kai complained, following the manager out.

“Because I said so,” Luhan heard him reply.

Five minutes later, the apartment was blessedly silent.

Sehun still sat by his side, eyes clouded with worry.

Luhan smiled to assure him that he was okay. In truth, he was starting to feel more like himself, though his body still felt weighted down.

“Sehun? Luhan?”

“In here, hyung,” Sehun called in reply to the summons.

EXO-K’s manager appeared in the doorway.

“I’ve made reservations for the two of you at a day spa. Get dressed and meet me downstairs in fifteen minutes.”

Luhan and Sehun looked at each other in shock. Not only were they getting the day off but they were being pampered too? It seemed too good to be true.

With Sehun’s help, Luhan was able to be ready in the allotted time. He had even made them little sandwiches to eat on the way. It tasted horrible but Luhan was so grateful that he happily ate the meal.

Their first stop in the spa was the mani-pedi station. Luhan’s body was already limp so when they started in on him, he barely felt a thing. He simply laid his head back and enjoyed the pleasant sensations emanating from his feet and hands.

He must have drifted off because when he opened his eyes again, he was lying face-down on a massage table and warm, slick hands were kneading his calves.

“Are you finally awake, hyung?” Sehun asked from somewhere beside him.

“How did I get here?”

“Manager-hyung and I brought you,” Sehun explained. “You’re a lot heavier than you look. And he’s a lot weaker than he looks.”

“How long was I out for?”

“About an hour. They only just got started here. It’s going to be a while.”

“Good,” Luhan murmured and promptly dozed off again.

When he came to next, he was still on the massage table, still lying face down.

The room was quiet, but for the soft strains of flowing water no doubt coming out of recessed speakers, and no one was touching him, though.

“Sehun-ah?”

His tongue felt thick and bristly and he realized that his mouth was dry.

A smiling face appeared in front of him, making him jump.

Chuckling, Sehun pulled back. “Sorry, hyung.”

Luhan sat up, the towel that had been draped over him falling low across his lap as he stretched.

He always reminded Sehun of a kitten, though he did look more like a doe as his name implied.

Sehun tried not to look at his hyung’s expanse of pale, perfect skin but he couldn’t resist sneaking a few glances. He’d seen Luhan before, hell they’d even showered together, but it was different now. Everything was different.

“What do we do now?” Luhan asked, stifling a yawn.

He already felt better. His limbs were loose but not lifeless. He no longer felt heavy. Energy flowed through his veins now. He was ready to start the day.

At 2:00pm in the afternoon.

Sehun sipped on his iced fruit drink. He’d been tempted to order his usual bubble-tea but decided to try something new to complement his new experience.

“I don’t know. Manager-hyung is somewhere around. He said that we could hit the sauna or the hot tub if we wanted to. He’ll check in on us soon.”

Luhan nodded. “Where do you want to go?”

Sehun flushed. “You can sleep some more if you want, hyung. I don’t mind.”

I like watching you sleep.

Luhan chuckled, swinging his legs over the side of the table. “I’m good now. Great in fact.”

He stood, tightened the towel around his waist, and held his hand out to Sehun. “Why don’t we check that hot-tub out?”

 

“It’s not fair,” Kai whined for what seemed like the millionth time.

“Dude, let it go,” Baekhyun snapped. “It’s already over and done with.”

“But it’s not fair. How come they get an awesome day in a posh spa, not the freaking public sauna, while we have to dance our asses off and are only rewarded with coming home earlier than usual? How is that even close to being equal?”

“It’s not about being equal,” Suho reprimanded. “Didn’t you see them this morning? Luhan-hyung couldn’t even get out of bed. And Sehun is exhausted. I’m sure that if the shoes were on the other foot, they would never dream of begrudging you a well deserved, much needed day of rest and relaxation.”

“Of course not,” Baekhyun drawled. “They’re far better people than he will ever be.

Kai had the grace to blush. “Still… They could’ve stayed home and rested. Was a spa day necessary?”

Suho sighed, throwing his hands up in defeat.

“Where are they, anyway?” Xiumin piped in. “They should be back by now, shouldn’t they?”

“Maybe they’re really going to spend the entire day at the spa,” Lay offered. “I would.”

“Hyung,” Chanyeol shouted. “Hyung!”

“What?” their manager yelled back from his room. A break for them meant a break for him and he didn’t appreciate being disturbed.

“When are Sehun and Luhan-hyung coming back?”

“I don’t know. When they’re done at the studio.”

The members exchanged looks.

“Oh…” Kai finally said.

“Not so jealous now, are you?” Baekhyun taunted.

 

Luhan eyed the box suspiciously.

It was a shoe box from what he could tell but there were no pictures on it so he had no idea what it held.

“What’s that?” he finally asked, pointing at it.

“Your shoes,” the cordi replied.

“Shoes?” he parroted, puzzled.

She cocked a brow. “You didn’t think you’d be dancing in those, did you?”

Luhan looked down at his favorite, trusty pair of Nikes before meeting her gaze again, still puzzled. “Well, no, I guess not, but my regular performance shoes maybe.”

She laughed. “You can’t be serious. You’re supposed to be a girl. A girl.”

“And? Girls can dance in sneakers,” he insisted.

“Victoria, your SNSD sunbaes: do you ever see them in sneakers?”

“Amber…”

“Amber is an exception. Her tomboy attire is part of her concept.”

Luhan pointed at the box again. “What exactly is in there?”

The cordi smiled wickedly. “Open it and see.”

Luhan reached for the cover the same way someone would take the lid off a snake’s aquarium: slow and hesitant. Taking a deep breath, he ripped the cover off and flung it aside.

His eyes immediately bugged out of their sockets.

“Are you crazy?!”

He reached into the box and pulled out one side of the shoes. “Kill-heels? You expect me to dance in kill-heels? Have you lost your ever-loving mind?” He shot an accusing look at his manager. “Did you take me to get my feet pampered only to have them demolished by these?”

“If you start practicing walking in them from today, you should be fine by Sunday.”

“Walking and dancing in these death contraptions are not the same thing. And I’ve never worn women’s shoes in my entire life.”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Never?” She’d seen the pre-debut pictures of Chanyeol and Baekhyun cross-dressing. Luhan was already extraordinarily pretty pre-debut so she suspected that he had similar photos/stories in his closet. It was only a matter of time before they came out.

“Never,” he insisted. “I can’t dance in these things. I refuse to even try.”

“Luhan…”

“No,” he said firmly.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. But practice in this for now,” she suggested, removing her own shoes. “You need to get used to being higher off the ground.”

Luhan kicked off his sneakers and stuck his foot into her short leather wedge-heeled boots, surprised to find that they fit.

He stood, reminding himself to redistribute his weight so that he wouldn’t wobble when he moved. He walked around the room a couple of times, acclimatizing to the feel of the shoes. It really wasn’t that bad. The heels were only two inches high and the sole ran evenly along the bottom so it was exactly like wearing his sneakers, it just made him taller.

“How is it?” the cordi asked.

“Not bad. Better than I expected, actually,” he admitted. “They’re pretty comfortable.”

“I’ll see if I can find you something similar.”

He nodded.

“Ready?” the choreographer asked.

Luhan nodded and held a hand out to Sehun, who had been sitting silently in the corner watching his exchange with the cordi with a stupid grin on his face.

When Sehun came to him, Luhan was surprised to see that he was actually taller than the maknae.

“I get to look down at you for a change,” he teased.

“Wait!” the cordi screeched.

“What now?” the choreographer asked in exasperation.

“Just a sec.”

The cordi dug into a small case and produced a piece of clothing, holding it out to Luhan.

Luhan glanced at it briefly and immediately recognized it for what it was: a skirt.

A million curses sprang to the tip of his tongue but he wouldn’t and couldn’t utter them. Instead, he sighed in resignation.

“I’m not taking my pants off.”

She nodded. “That’s fine. Put this on over it. I just need to see how it fits.”

Where had he gone wrong?, he wondered.

He must have been a criminal in his former life because he was certainly being punished for his past sins in this one.