A/N:  This special chapter is dedicated to all EXO stans out there.  AYO Chingus, this is for you.  Remember that on this story 'Forever & Always', Luhan is Donghae and Jessica's son.  And Luhan is grown up now so the current year is 2030.  This is an EXO/OC story, by the way, it's written in YOUR POV.  It's quite long so enjoy reading it and I hope you will like it, too.  Belated Happy White Day :)

May 2029

"...don't let your guards down and be aggressive in making a point.  Kai, the goal is yours to protect."

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

"There's not much time left before the game ends, so, let's do our best to win it.  TEAM EXO—”

“FIGHTING!”

There goes our schools’ soccer team on their championship match today.  I’m betting my DSLR—they’re gonna bring home the bacon again.  It’s not even hard to predict who has the edge on the game because it’s definitely Team EXO.  The whole stadium is cheering for them—they have a lot of fan girls, I swear.

Let me introduce the members.  Kai is the goalkeeper; Chanyeol, Suho, Xiumin and Sehun are the defenders; Baekhyun, Chen and Kyungsoo are the midfielders while the attackers are Luhan, Tao and Lay.  Uh—and their manager—not the coach—is Kris.

When I asked him why he didn’t want to be in the field, he told me with a menacing glare, “I don’t want to sweat.”

That doesn’t make any sense so I might just as well ignore him and his mirror.  Gosh, this guy is a narcissist.  He only stops staring at his reflection when his team makes a goal and he stands up to cheer for them.

And there’s Captain Luhan ending the game with a flawless kick to the goal.

“Got it!”  I grinned as I snapped an amazing picture on my camera.

EXO rejoiced as their victory was declared.  I watched them gather and make a big group hug.  “I’ll just interview the Captain later.”

That’s what I’m here for actually.  I’m a sports writer in our publication and I was tasked to cover today’s event.  Indeed it was a tough thing to do especially that I’m still new in this university.  I transferred here last March.

I was looking through the pictures I took when I felt someone behind me.

“WHOAAA!  Your shots are daebak, Hera-ah!” Chanyeol said in an amazed tone.  Oh, by the way I forgot to introduce myself—Park Hera-imnida, 2nd year Journalism student.

“Ah—thanks, Chanyeol-ah—”

“Come with me at the victory party,” he asked me without hesitation.

“I can’t—sorry Yeol but I still have a work to do.”

“Hey Hera!”  Baekhyun approached us.  “Did you see how I made our opponents eat dust when I played?”

“Hyung—you airhead—stop boasting in front of Hera,” Chen smacked Baekhyun’s hands.  “You too—Chanyeol!”

I smiled at Chen.  How sweet of him to save me but if I know he’s also just like them…they’re the notorious 92-liners everyone knows about.

“So…are you going to come with us?”

…

…

…

I totally lost control of myself and cracked up.  “You, three, won’t let me off, would you?”

“Yes,” they answered in chorus.

“But I really can’t.  After interviewing Luhan-ssi, I need to go home quickly.”

“Spoilsport,” Baekhyun pouted.  OMG!  Don’t show me that face, Byun Baekhyun.

“Luhan-gege!” Chen, suddenly, spotted their captain and asked him to join in our conversation.

“What’s up?” Luhan the school prince smiled. 

Why did I call him prince?  It’s because he’s the nephew of school’s directress, the only son of Dr. Lee Donghae and Prof. Jessica Jung-Lee, and EXO’s ace player.

“You won’t grant Hera an interview if she doesn’t come with us, right?”

Yah!  Park Chanyeol, what the heck are you doing?  I want to cry.  Don’t do this to me, please.  Luhan-ssi and I aren’t even friends—I’m only acquainted with these brats and Kris-oppa.

Luhan-ssi is unreachable, okay?  He seemed like a good guy but I can’t bring myself to befriend him.

“The party is for everyone, Hera-ssi.  Why don’t you join us?  That’s the only free time I could give you.”

Okay—I’m done here.  I just hope a meteorite would fall down and crash on me because all I wanna do is vanish.

“You should really come, Hera-ah.  Suho-hyung and I are also celebrating our birthdays tonight.  I’d be totally disappointed if you refuse to come.”

So yeah—I was forced to attend the party.  It was fun.  The EXO guys are friendly and bubbly, especially Luhan but that was the first and last time I talked to him.  Everything went back to normal after the interview…like how Cinderella’s magical night wore off after 12 midnight.

September 2029

“Hera-ah, you’re being called at the office of the directress.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t worry, you did nothing wrong.  Miss Yejin only wanted to talk to you—so go now.”

I immediately walked to the directress’ office.  The abnormal beating of my heart made me super nervous.  This feeling is even worse than failing in an exam.

“Good morning, Miss Yejin.”

“Hello, sweetie, you’re Hera?” she smiled.

Thank goodness our school head is a ray of sunshine—my anxiety disappeared… a little.  “Y-yes, Ma’am.”  But that didn’t stop me from doubting her real motive.  What if she called me here to kick me out of the university?  Aigoo, please no…

“I’ve seen your grades and I assume you’re going to do well in all of your classes this semester too.”

Well—that didn’t sound like she want me expelled, right?

“Because of that, I’m giving you an academic scholarship as a reward.”

Scholarship?  For real?  “Wow.”

Miss Yejin chuckled at my response.  “You deserve it, sweetie.  So, I’ll see you tomorrow.  Come back here and fill up the forms you needed, okay?”

After thanking her that I actually did absentmindedly, I went back to our class room.  Am I really that slow?  The thing didn’t automatically sink in my head but now—

“OH MY GOD!  I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP!”  A grin crept up on my face as I pranced along the corridor.  “OMONA I AM SOOOOO LUCK—”

*BOOGSH*

Ouch.  I fell flat on the floor.  My hurts.  “Aww…”

“Miss?  Are you okay?” Someone hovered over me and as I looked up I saw Luhan the prince.  He was too close for comfort that I felt my cheeks turn pink.

“Uhm—y-yeah—I’m fine.”

“Here.  Let me help you get up.”  He offered me a hand which I gladly accepted.  Such a gentleman.  This is why most girls are smitten over him.

Count yourself in. a part of my mind said.  WHAT?  That isn’t a good joke.  I AM NOT.

“Look at where you’re headed to next time,” he said then left me.

I felt a sudden twinge in my heart.  He didn’t remember who I am.  And I was disappointed.

Oh c’mon—don’t be.  Why would some superstar like him notice a normal girl like you?

GAAH.  I think I’m going crazy.  I didn’t even know where that thought came from.

“See that?” I mocked myself.  “From now on, I won’t be hanging out with EXO.”

December 2029

“Byun Baekhyun, will you stop pestering me?” I hissed in a low voice because we’re at the library.

I was seated alone on a corner until he came and disturbed me in doing my assignments.  He asked me to teach him but instead of listening, he only stared at me.

I should be used to it already since we’re block mates and he’s always tailing me, yet I always get this weird feeling too.

“Why did you cut your hair?”

W-what?  Nobody noticed that I had my hair trimmed—only an inch, but how?

“H-how did you know?” I asked him back.

 “A person notices everything about the person he/she likes.”  He shrugged and grinned.

Ugh—that expression—I hate it.  There’s his flirty attitude again.

And poof—

My cheeks felt hot so I decided to leave.  I don’t want him to see me blushing.  Wait—why am I even—?

“Where are you going?”

“At the cafeteria.”

“I’m going with you.”

Fine.  What else can I do if he’s too persistent?  And isn’t it because of him that I broke my promise to myself?—he, Chanyeol, Chen, and Kyungsoo.

I can’t really stay away from EXO.

Literally.

Because they’re approaching us.  .  What should I do… they’re with Luhan.  They better not see me.

I started to panic but lucky me—Baekhyun was the one who met them along the way—and now it’s time for me to escape.

Bye, Guys.

But I just hid somewhere they couldn’t see me, so I could still watch them.

“Beef-hyung, are you coming with us today?” Tao asked Baekhyun.  “We’re going to Myeongdong to buy Christmas presents.”

“And manager-Kris needed to replenish his beauty supplies,” Chen added then he whispered something to him.  “Come with us and we’ll just ditch them while they’re at The Face Shop—AWW!”

Kris whacked Chen’s head.  “Don’t listen to him Baekhyun.”

“Let’s go, Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol yanked his elbow.

“Wait, guys—I think I’ll pass.”  He looked around for someone.  “I have other important things to do.”

“Eh—Baekhyun don’t be a killjoy.  This is the only time we could have a boys’ day-out,” Suho was trying to convince him.

Baekhyun felt a tap on his shoulder.  It was Luhan.  “I guess this someone is more special than us.”

“H-huh?”

“Someone?  Who?” Sehun interrupted.

Kai laughed at their maknae’s innocence.  “Nothing, Sehun-ah.  Let’s just go.”

They really left Baekhyun and he began to search for me.

Not good.  Not good.  I better run now.  I was like playing hide and seek with him.  And when I think I lost him, I went out of my hiding place and smiled.

“The coast is clea—”

“BOO!”

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“Yah!  Stop screaming, Hera-ah.  It’s just me.”

I held my chest—I almost had a heart attack.  “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Nope—I was trying to cheer you up.”

He—what?  “You are crazy.”  A matter of fact.

“It’s because you always look sad.”

…

…

…

I broke into an embarrassed chortle because I was speechless.  I didn’t know what to say.  It was as if reality struck me.  Do I really look sad?  But I’ve always been happy and contented with my life.

“Whatever, Baek—I’m going home.”

I turned my back to walk away from him.  Stupid Baek.  I shouldn’t have let you enter into my quiet life.

“I know you have a thing for Luhan-gege,” he said which made me stall.

And I just felt my stomach flip over inside me and the atmosphere suddenly crackled with tension.

Why is Baekhyun able to read my emotions?  Why does he have to make me realize my own feelings?

“It’s obvious, Hera-ah,” he spoke again.  “But I won’t give up on you yet just ‘coz of that.”

February 2030

Feb.13:

“What’s the real score between you two?”  Kyungsoo gave Baekhyun and me a quizzical look.