|3rd person narration|

"What should we do?" Tao asks Kris in panic, "let's just pretend we're not in here! I don't want to face the scary SM security, gege!"

"No," the alpha male's face is wiped clean of all emotion, "they'll break the door - didn't you hear them?"

"They won't! They're just saying that!" Tao begins to doubt his own words as soon as they leave his mouth, "They'll take us back to SM entertainment! Gege I want to stay here with Minsoo...don't you care about Haneul at all?"

At the mention of Haneul's name, Kris' head snaps up to meet Tao's eyes in alarm. All other 10 members of EXO listen to their conversation with a quizzical expression, occasionally glancing at the door being abused by the shouting men from outside the hotel room.

"No," Kris repeats himself, less confidently this time, "I don't have the freedom to think about romance at the moment - the pressing issue at hand requires my full attention," was his stoic reply. Striding across the room in three steps, the leader unlocks the door with determined fingers. "Good evening," Kris smiles coldly at the two men wearing crisp, freshly-ironed black suits, "I believe you have been sent here by Lee Soo Man songsae-nim?"

"Actually, we are here on behalf of Kim Youngmin songsae-nim, the founding CEO of SM entertainment, who will be taking over all matters of the company until Lee Soo Man songsae-nim recovers from his terminal illness," one man replies, mimicking Kris' stiff and guarded body stance.

"Terminal illness?" Suho frowns in concern and decides to join Kris at the door, "what's wrong with Soo Man songsae-nim?"

"That is confidential information not to be revealed," the man's face softens minimally, "but it is a serious illness that will require a long term recovery, and treatment outside of South Korea."

"That's terrible!" Sehun's mouth opens in shock, "I feel so bad for songsae-nim! What if it's cancer?"

"Shh, he'll be alright," Luhan comforts the youngest with a tight hug, causing Sehun to blush a little at the intimate contact.

"So your purpose in coming here...?" Kris narrows his eyes suspiciously at the men's manicured fingernails and tidy hairstyles - obviously office workers, who just happened to be stockier and taller than the average employee.

"Before Mr Lee went into treatment, he specifically asked that all 12 of EXO be back in the company as soon as possible - not for training purposes, because the release date of the XOXO album has now been delayed until Mr Lee's recovery. He simply wishes to prevent any sasaeng activity and ensure your safety."