Joonmyun’s place was quite the luxury. He lives in a condo in Seoul, decked with huge windows to properly see the magnificent view of the Namsan Tower and the city lights. The house has a spacious living room, 3 rooms, a studio, a woman’s dream kitchen, a lounge, and two large bathrooms.

“Wow!” Everyone gaped as they entered the condo.

He proudly smiled. “I’ve been saving up since our debut days.”

They all scattered, making themselves at home. Some went straight to the kitchen, while others checked out the room.

“Are we all going to stay in the living room tonight?”

“Sure, why not? I have futons and blankets in the closet.”

“I’m showering!” Lu Han announced, running to the nearest bathroom. All hell broke loose.

“I’m using the other one!”

“No I am!”

“No, I am! Go away, I’m using it!”

The leader plopped onto his sofa and grinned, the scene in front of him too familiar. 

Everyone was finally all washed up and settled in the living room, Minseok and Lu Han on the sofa, while everyone else was on the floor with futons and warm blankets.

“Hyung, now that you’ve opened your company, what are you doing to do?” Jongin asked.

“I,” Joonmyun shrugged, “I think I’m going to open auditions and recruit kids. Produce my own group.”

“That’s pretty cool, hyung.” Chanyeol smiled.

“What about you guys? Just continue on with the careers that you have now?”

Everyone nodded.

“What kind of group, Joonmyun?” 

Joonmyun thought about it carefully. “I need people willing to help me train the kids though. But an idol group. A male group. Maybe a group like we were? Without the whole promoting in two countries part.”

They all nodded again.

“It’d be nice,” Joonmyun whispered to himself.

They all began to stretch when the doorbell rang. Joonmyun got up from his spot, went to the receiver and saw one of the security guards. 

“Yes, Ahjussi?” He smiled with a questioning look.

The old man smiled back. “Your fans came by earlier and asked me to pass this to you.” He handed Joonmyun a DVD case.

“Thank you, Ahjussi.”

He walked back into the living room, eyeing the case curiously. 

“What is it hyung?”

“I don’t know. The Ahjusshi told me that our fans gave it to him.” It was a simple DVD case with EXO’s logo on the front side. On the back was a message from the fans.

He read it out loud. “To our EXO,”

“It’s been 15 years since we first saw EXO perform on stage. Though all 12 of you are apart now, in our heart, EXO will always be together. EXO has been through thick and thin — with us fans by your side. No matter what happens, only the twelve can become one. There are no words for us to express our gratitude to EXO but we hope this video that we made will explain how we feel. Please enjoy it!”

When Joonmyun looked up, the guys all were sitting up, sleep no longer clouded their eyes.

“Shall we watch it?”

He his 36” flat screen TV and put the DVD in the player. It began with the EXO logo that their teasers always ended with.

Then all 23 debut teasers came on, one by one. Their songs played softly in the background as their debut performances came on. Fancams, clips from viewable radios, cuts from their variety show performances. 

All from when they made their debut, in chronological order.

Video clips of fans came on, leaving short but sweet messages. The soft music died out and a video feed of EXO’s last concert came on.

The twelve of them were all sweaty and panting, wearing EXO t-shirts and cheering towels around their neck. The were performing the song Yixing wrote and produce for their fans. All twelve were on different parts of the stage, waving and smiling at fans.

“… and we will always love you,” they harmonized. 

They stood in the typical order: Yi Fan, Chanyeol, Sehun, Kyungsoo, Yixing, Lu Han, Kai, Joonmyun, Jongdae, Minseok, Baekhyun, and Zitao.

“It’s hard for me to say this,” Joonmyun panted, his angelic smile on his face. “But this is the last concert we are performing as EXO.” His smile faltered and he paused, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. “We’ve been discussing this thoroughly for months now. We believe it is the best for the twelve of us if we all split up. It really pains me to tell you all this, but we just want to thank you all for supporting EXO and staying by our side for these amazing ten years. We do not ever regret debuting as EXO under SM Entertainment, but we have to go out own ways now and I hope you all understand.”

“Even though we are splitting,” Yi Fan began, “we will always be EXO. We will always be brothers, friends, family. I hope you all can support our decision and continue to support our individual actives in the future.” 

“We are,” Joonmyun began and everyone opened their lips, “one!”

They all joined hands, tears slipping down their faces. They raised their arms and deeply bowed to their fans.

The screen faded to black and the words “Thank You” was written.

Joonmyun looked at s to see that they were all silently crying again.

“Why are you guys crying?” He gently asked, wiping the tears that were falling down Yixing’s face.

“I-I-I” Zitao cried, “I miss being on stage with everyone!”

“We all do, silly.” Joonmyun smiled. Sniffs were heard throughout the living room.

“It’s time for bed, kids, we’ll talk tomorrow, okay? I’ll buy Outback for lunch.”

Baekhyun laughed. “Just like the old times.”

Everyone agreed and finally decided to settle in. Joonmyun checked to see that everyone was ready and he shut off the lights. “Good night~”

“Good night, Suho!” They chorused making Joonmyun chuckle.

Joonmyun sat up and stretched his body, glancing at the clock placed on the wall.

12 PM.

He remembered he was supposed to be in the office today. Oh crap.

Taking his cell, he dialed his secretary’s number. “Ms. Yang, I can’t come in today. Sorry!”

Joonmyun got up and stared at everyone. He decided to wake up Kyungsoo and Yixing first, so they could get started on making breakfast.

“Kyungie~” He cooed, shaking the man softly.

The said man started mumbling in French. Joonmyun paused. “I don’t speak whatever language you’re speaking in Kyung! Wakey wakey!”

Kyungsoo stirred and his eyes slowly opened. “Oh! Hyung!” He quickly sat up, looking around.

“Do you think you could make the kids breakfast? I’ll wake up Yixing to help you.”

“Okay, hyung. Let me wash up first.”

Joonmyun moved on to Yixing. “Xing-ah, it’s time to wake up.” Yixing automatically sat up and stared confusedly at his leader. “Hyung, what are you doing here?”

He chuckled, “Xing-ah, we’re at my house, remember?”

Yixing thought for a while. “Oh yeah! I remember now.”

He snorted. “Okay, then, Xing. Help Kyungsoo make breakfast okay?” The latter nodded and got up to join Kyungsoo in the bathroom.

“Sehun-ah~” He cooed into the youngest’s ear. He stirred and groaned. “Hyung, why do you always wake me up first?” He whined.

“Alright, geez. You’re in your thirties now, Sehun-ah! I’ll wake up the others first then.”

Joonmyun went on to (try) waking up the other members. He just shrugged and went to go wash up himself.

The cooking pair had already gotten started. “If you guys don’t get up and get washing, I will not feed you!”

Everyone scrambled up, about how harsh Kyungsoo was being. They all raced into the two bathrooms, fighting.

“I need to pee, get out!”

“I demand you to remove yourself from this bathroom!”

“YAH! You’re the youngest here, move! Wait your turn.”

“Let me shower!”

“I’m showering!”

“I’M GOING TO PEE MYSELF.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and Yixing just chuckled. Joonmyun came out with a towel around his neck. “It hasn’t been like this since we moved out of the dorms… I hate to say it, but I really miss all of his chaos.” 

“I do too,” Kyungsoo sighed. Yixing silently agreed.

The leader sat at the island, watching the two make food. “What did you two think about the video we watched last night?”

“I… I agree with Tao. Performing on stage by myself isn’t the same.”

“But isn’t that how you started out, hyung? Before you joined the company, you were already an entertainer.” Kyungsoo inserted.

“Yeah,” Yixing nodded, “but I performed on stage for 10 years with my brothers. There’s this feeling I get when I only perform with you guys. What about you, Kyung? Do you really like working in a kitchen all day?”

Kyungsoo stopped chopping the onions. “I-I… I don’t know… To be honest, I rather perform on stage than cook fancy food any day.”

Joonmyun sighed. 

One by one, the rest slowly crept in, listening to the conversation.

“For the past five years, I’ve been thinking about performing again. But I decided it wasn’t going to be the same, so I turned to do behind the scenes stuff, which is why I have EXO Entertainment now…”

A pregnant silence.

“Breakfast is ready!” Kyungsoo announced as the group slowly gathered at the large island.

“DUMPLINGS!” Jongin yelled, excitedly jumping on Zitao. The atmosphere got brighter and everyone began talking at once.

“Quit stealing my food!”

“You know, we’re probably the only people on this planet who eats dumplings and soup for breakfast.”

“That’s mine!”

“Give it back, Chanyeol!”

Joonmyun chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Still the same after all these years.”

“We’re having Outback for lunch right?” Yi Fan asked.

“Hyung, we haven’t even finished breakfast yet!” Kyungsoo huffed. 

Everyone laughed and resumed eating, this time quietly. 

“You know, I really missed you guys,” Sehun said. “I felt really empty while I was in America with my cousin.”

Jongin agreed, “Dancing with Yixing hyung is better than dancing alone.”

“Everything is better when we’re all together, really.” 

“The kids I teach back in China talk about us all the time,” Zitao grinned.

“You’re telling me! The kids I coach always want me to rap for them. It’d be awkward if I did, so I never did rap for them.”

Jongdae laughed. “Remember how awkward we were when we first started out?”

“It funny looking back at it now.”

“And embarrassing.”

Joonmyun smiled. “Lets get serious, kids. We have a lot to talk about, right?”

Everyone shoveled down their food and hurriedly placed their plates into the sink. 

“So… about last night…” Joonmyun began.

“I don’t mind reuniting!” Chanyeol quickly inserted, earning an enthusiastic nod from his best friend. His smile was wide, and his right eye did that little twitch.

The leader glanced at the others.

“I… guess I can leave the restaurant to my cousin for a while.” Minseok pursed his lips in thought.

“I’m all in!” Jongin excitedly grinned, literally jumping in his seat.

Sehun’s eyes lit up hearing from his hyungs. “It’d be nice to get away from the company in New York! I rather dance and sing than do paperwork.”

The rest all squirmed in their seat; this was a tough decision to make.

“I’d think it’d be great.” Jongdae smiled softly after some thought. “I’m sure JYP won’t mind.”

“I performed for 10 years, I don’t mind performing for another 10 years.” Yi Fan smirked.

“Me too!” Zitao squealed (literally).

“I’d have to go back to China first.” Luhan softly said.

“I do too, to speak with the company I’m under. My contract ends soon, though.” Yixing added.

“And I’d have to go back to France.”

“Alright kids,” Joonmyun took a deep breath.

Everyone gathered in a circle, the deafening screams filled the stadium.

“This is our comeback concert. Let’s have a lot of fun, shall we?”

The rest hooted and cheered.

Everyone put their hand on top of one another. “EXO…”

“Sarang haja!”

—

The epilogue will be the next chapter!