Enlightenment

Exposed: The Secret Lives of EXO

It was stifling in the studio.

As part of promotions for SM’s latest drama production, the twelve of them had been asked to participate in a photo shoot. Lay didn’t know why the company wanted their faces on the posters when they weren’t even part of the cast, but he wasn’t going to complain, not when all they had to do was stand around and look pretty. Yet, it was starting to get uncomfortably warm under the bright lights and he was just thankful he had been spared the full uniform.

Minho, being the leading man of the show, was not as fortunate and he looked ready to melt in his thick grey blazer and matching grey pants. “I swear this tie is going to choke me to death before the end of the day,” he grumbled when they were finally allowed a break during the set change.

Lay clapped him on the back and said sympathetically, “I feel you, man. It’s impossible to breathe with that thing around your neck. Kind of like hanging yourself.”

“Oh stop being such drama queens,” Sulli interjected with a roll of her eyes. Her waist-length hair had been shorn for filming and she could easily pass for a boy‒albeit a very pretty one‒in her collared shirt and green gym shorts. “You boys don’t know the definition of pain when it comes to fashion. Try dancing in four-inch heels for a whole day before you talk about dying.”

“She’s right, you know,” Chanyeol piped up, waving the straw of his banana milk for emphasis. “They hurt like hell, especially the stilettos that feel like they’re about to snap under your weight at any moment.”  

Sulli nodded in agreement as she stole a sip of Minho’s iced coffee. “Stilettos are honestly the worst. Wait, how do you know what they feel like?” she asked, head cocking to the side in curiosity.

“Uh…”

“It’s because his sister dressed him up as a girl and entered him in an ulzzang contest in eighth grade,” Baekhyun answered, thin lips curled into smirk. Chanyeol’s elf-ears turned a bright shade of pink as rage crossed his face. 

“That was supposed to be a secret you piece of‒”

Minho had the good sense to step between them before Chanyeol could lunge at Baekhyun’s throat. “Now, now let’s stay civilized. Or go fight somewhere else. The photographers won’t be too happy if you two destroy their precious light stands.” 

Baekhyun took the opportunity to scurry away to safety while Chanyeol stormed off towards the dressing room, Sulli trailing not far behind as she peppered him with questions about his cross-dressing days.    

“So I hear you and Sulli have a kiss scene in the drama,” Lay said once the others were gone. Now that they were alone, it was time to put his secret-digging skills to work. Everyone knew that Minho and Sulli were good friends so there was a high chance that SHINee’s star rapper would have some knowledge of Sulli’s romantic affairs.

Minho shrugged casually. “We’ve known each other since elementary school so the only hard part is acting it out without laughing.”

“And her boyfriend’s okay with it?”

It was a good thing Lay had quick reflexes because he was able to jump aside right before Minho spat out his mouthful of coffee in shock. Lay winced when Minho clamped a hand around his wrist and dragged him to a corner where they would be less likely to be overheard. “How the hell did you find out?” Minho whispered frantically.  

“Um, lucky guess?”

Minho’s eyes were wide with panic. “Does anyone else know? Does Sulli know you know? And what about your manag-“

“No, no and no. Calm down, man.” It was with great difficulty that Lay managed to loosen Minho’s death-grip on his arm, which was‒as pathetic as it was to admit‒much more fragile than Jonghyun’s notorious dumbbell collection.

Minho heaved a long, heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I know I’m being overprotective but she’s like a sister to me and I just want her to be happy. It’ll be impossible for her to date freely once the company finds out so secrecy is the only option.” 

“Keeping secrets is what I do. So have a little faith and don’t worry too much about it.” Minho flashed him a grateful smile and Lay smiled back. A short convo and a sore wrist was a small price to pay for another secret in his pocket.

*****

“Laaaaay.”

“What is it?” Lay sighed, looking up from his phone. They were back in their dorms after a long, exhausting day. His Temple Run avatar had missed a sharp turn and had fallen to its untimely death so he quickly exited the game before his embarrassingly low score could become public knowledge.

Tao flopped down on the couch beside him and gazed at him beseechingly (Lay swore he could see kawaii sparkles in the maknae’s unusually wide eyes). “Can I borrow your credit card? Pretty please?”

“What for?” Lay narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The last time the maknae had asked for it was when he had expressed a desire to purchase the entire Gucci fall collection (with a promise to pay him back in stuffed pandas and free-hug coupons).

“Ummmm…” Tao cast a wary glance around at the other members still in the living room. D.O. and Xiumin were engrossed in whatever drama was airing, Sehun was fiddling was on his laptop with obnoxiously large headphones over his ears and Kai was passed out in an armchair all the way across the room. “Zephyrus is taking commissions again,” Tao whispered excitedly.

“For real?” Lay quickly sat up and leaned over Tao’s shoulder as the maknae swiped away at his tablet. Together, they scanned the newest entry:  

 

25 MAY 2012 @ 7:14 PM

Goodbye overtime, hello writing!

The company I’m interning at just wrapped up one of its cross-division projects so things have been a lot less hectic these days. A number of you have been asking me about when I’ll be taking commissions and to that I say, there’s no time like the present! Just follow the three steps listed below and send me a PM for a quote.

Step One: Choose Your Story Length

 ✲ Up to 1,000 words: ₩ 15,000

 ✲ Up to 2,500 words: ₩ 30,000

 ✲ Up to 5,000 words: ₩ 50,000

 

Step Two: Choose Your Characters (maximum 5)

 ✲ Two characters: Free!

 ✲ Each additional character: ₩ 5,000

 

 

Step Three: Choose Your Genres (maximum 3)

 ✲ Friendship: ₩ 5,000

 ✲ Romance or Fluff: ₩ 10,000

 ✲ Angst or Tragedy: ₩ 20, 000

 ✲ : ₩ 40,000

Commissions will be open until Sunday, May 27th so make sure to message me before then. I’ll finish the requests as soon as I can and you can pick them up by clicking here.

Cheers,

Z.

 

“This isn’t going to be cheap,” Lay muttered as he scanned the prices. An average story cost as much as lunch and dinner combined, and he wasn’t too keen on going hungry for the rest of the week.  

“But it’s Zephyrus,” Tao whined in a loud whisper. “Everything they writes is amazing.”

“Yeah I know and I hate them for it. How about we split the cost?” Zooming in on the post, Lay pointed at the second column. “You pick the characters.”

“Can I request Lulay then? Maybe a sequel of that–”

“Scratch that, I’ll pick the characters and you worry about the genre.” Tao pouted but didn’t argue as he typed in “tragedy”. Tears were tears regardless of the methods which cause them.

Lay crossed his arms, contemplating. It was a little like playing God, deciding who to subject to Zephyrus’s oft cruel character deaths. “Why don’t we request Kris and...” A sudden idea sprang to mind. “Victoria! Put Victoria for his love interest.”

“Why Victoria-noona?” Tao looked up, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Because I said so. And don’t forget to write down ‘unrequited love’ and ‘eternally futile pining’ for the prompts.”    

 

 

Enlightenment

| Posted on May 25, 2012  | 11:14 pm |

Who would have known my ‘luminescent’ contact would be so illuminating?

According to my good friend MH, the lovely SL is indeed in a (not-so-secret) relationship. It appears that this knowledge is privy only to a select few and I intend to keep it that way (IRL, of course). Office affairs are frowned upon at our company and it would be best to allow K and SL to sort things out without management hovering over their shoulders. If their lack of interaction at work today was any indication, they still haven't patched things up. 

It’s rare for me to be typing this in silence-our dorms are never silent, not even in the wee hours of the morning-but I’m sure this is the calm before the storm in regards to the war between CY and BH. I wouldn’t put it pass C to spend his Friday nights plotting Team Beef Bros’ demise but alas, I have been remiss in my duties as lead strategist and have spent the last few hours browsing Internet literature instead. T has roped me into spending hard-earned money on fanfic commissions so I'm a whole lot poorer as a result. Hopefully it'll be days, not months, before the almighty Zephyrus can answer my prayers and end my spiritual fast.    

 

Tags: will tell secrets for food

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BLOGROLL

 

    

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jbmaunier
I'm so sorry this isn't an update but I logged onto AFF on whim and started reading some of the comments (new and old) that you guys have left and the nostalgia is real T__T I know it's been 2 years but I really do want to finish this for those of you who have shown so much love for "Exposed" ;-;

Comments

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doremia
#1
Chapter 33: still love this fic. especially that twist!!
didzzz #2
Chapter 1: i miss ot12 so much.
raven074 #3
Chapter 33: The plot twist!
SwindlerLNoko
#4
Chapter 33: I just want to see Kris' reaction to Sehun's fanfiction about him and Vic...
(I want to see him cry... Moohahahaha)
SwindlerLNoko
#5
Chapter 31: You foretold the future
SwindlerLNoko
#6
Chapter 25: "will tell secrets for food" lol. Why is it me?
SwindlerLNoko
#7
Chapter 18: OMG!! it's so cute!! I want to write many things. But.. I just feel so warm and I can't stop smiling... This story is like my perfect world.. I suddenly want to cry..
SwindlerLNoko
#8
Chapter 4: Lol
SwindlerLNoko
#9
Chapter 1: I'm reading this again!!
I just realised your writing style is so nice. It's just flowing into my mind XD
Irnbru121
#10
hello your fanfic was recommended here: https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1334668/5

<3