After that drama episode, EXO, for some reason, started having even more dance practices and schedules, for some reason. When Kris told their manager that the members were already worked to exhaustion, he just replied coldly: ‘It’s the company’s orders. And everyone else here does it.’ And with that, he continued to stack more activities for them.

It wasn’t that the EXO-M members were people that couldn’t take hardship. Yes, they knew that training and debuting would be tough. But going on a dozen schedules a day? Sleeping for at most 3 hours? That, Kris was sure, was not in the contract. s were suffering from the severe lack of rest. Lay nearly fell asleep in the middle of their one of their promotional activity, earning a scolding from their manager. Luhan had severe eye bags, looking like a ghost. Both Xiumin and Chen look so frail from the intense training they were having.

Tao…Kris sighed. Tao had suffered the worst. His fatigue caused him to make a careless mistake on stage, and tripped during one of their performances. Their manager’s face was black that afternoon. After the performance he immediately starts to yell at Tao:

 

“Do you have any idea what you just did?! All of you are working so hard for this and yet you are just out to DESTROY ALL THE EFFORT! If you do anything thing like that again…”

 

Kris’s hands balled into fists and tried to block out their manager’s shouting. It took all his will to not start a fight and ram his fists into his face. Tao, on the other hand, looked so sad and nervous that it was heart breaking for the other members. When their manager looked like he was going to shove Tao, Luhan stepped in and calmly told him to ‘Stop it.’

 

 

And that didn’t help either. The manager seems to have gotten even more enraged. He snarled at Luhan and glared at the rest of them before stomping out of the dressing room.

Kris looked wearily at s:

 

‘We have about 3 hours, since our next schedule is cancelled. Try to get some rest, everyone; we have to go for dance practice at 7.’

 

And that was all for the members to collapse onto chairs and sofas, trying to up for the lack of sleep from the day before.  Tao glanced at Kris, who nodded. The two of them went to get some food for their members, as they always do since the rest of them just doze off completely the moment they touch the chairs. It was also like some sort of dinner for them, since they never have had time for that meal after all their schedules at night.

‘Wu Fan, I’m sorry for what happened earlier.’ Tao spoke as they walked into the elevator.

Kris frowned, ‘You have nothing to be sorry about. It’s not your fault at all, it’s that horrible man.’ He looked tenderly at Tao, ‘You just need some rest. We’ve all been overworked lately.’

Tao nodded.

 

Just then, the elevator stopped on another floor and a bunch of their seniors stepped in. Kris and Tao bowed and greeted them, as they have been taught to.

Unfortunately, this did not rub off well with these girls. One of them (which Kris recognized as Jessica from SNSD) looked at them as if they were dirt. As the elevator reached the first level, the group of girls quickly stepped out.

 

‘China trash’ Tao heard someone mutter in Korean.

 

It was almost normal for these things to happen. Newbies were taught to respect their elders and seniors, no matter what they do. It was unfair of course, but EXO-M, seemed to have suffer most of it, mostly because of their Chinese heritage and the fact that their group mostly promoted in China. Their seniors would sometimes force them to do little things for them, such as buying food, but it was nothing compared to some of the insults they faced. Popularity is a crucial factor in this. Somehow, the more popular someone is, the nastier they are. Well there are exceptions of course. But most of them are just downright mean. Some of them even refuse to look at them in the eye, while at the same time making snide comments in Korean that they thought the members of EXO-M would not understand. It irritated Kris to hell. Anyone looking down on him irritated him.

 

Tao was like the exact opposite, the perfect junior who obeys everyone kindly. Kris suppose that Tao’s attitude was actually influencing him, keeping him under control when what he really want is to just punch their plastic noses.

 

‘YAH! IS THIS HOW YOU ANSWER YOUR SUNBAE?!’ The same group of girls from before was shouting at another 2 girls, whom Kris and Tao never seen before. Kris supposes that the two of them were new trainees, who were subjected to even harsher treatment than freshly debuted groups like themselves. He was just about to grab Tao and make a run for it before the girls turn on him, when suddenly LuHan popped out behind him.

‘Hi~ Getting dinner? Can I go with you~?’ Luhan grinned at them. It made both Tao and Kris jump. ‘You nearly gave me a heart attack!’ Tao exclaimed.

 

‘Ah who do we have here…the same pieces of trash.’ Too late, the girls began to walk towards them. 

 

 

------------------------------------------------

Yay second chapter!! :)

 

Comment~!