Joonmyeon knows, he wasn’t supposed to be like that. Kris was right, by being like this  means  he’s playing with Kyungsoo’s feeling.

                On one side he can’t let Kyungsoo go but on the other side he can’t be able to take possession of him. No, it’s not. Perhaps more precisely he was too distracted by his decision later.

                “Fess it up, what's the big deal?" The magnae, Sehun, advises. 

                One by one of the member can guess exactly what is actually happening. Some of them are choosing to be silent, but some are choose to give advice on Joonmyeon which is often looks irritable.

                "You didn’t know, Sehunnie. It's harder than what you’ve imagined. Say it is much easier."

                Sehun shrugs his shoulders. "At least by being honest, you don’t have to be embittered, hyung."

                Joonmyeon knows, probably Sehun just simply talk potluck. But it does true. By covering up his feelings, he would simply continue to hurt himself and Kyungsoo as well.

                Day after day he went through by a phony smile. Smile and be wise ahead of everyone but turned out to be gloomy when he go back to his room.

                "Keep pretending hyung, you're extremely good at it. If you do it for a year, be assured your feelings will be entirely dead. Maybe the other was right, the ‘other’ appa will be great."

                Sehun was satirized him scathing before the magnae turned around and started to sleep. Joonmyeon cursed himself as a dumb when the situation turn out to be like this.

                Joonmyeon himself doesn’t understand why his heart and mind didn’t want to cooperate each other when it’s clearly showing that he’s hurt by his stubbornness.

                He got out of bed and forth of his room into the kitchen. He needs cooling down his brain with a glass of cold water. But one step away before he can reached the kitchen, he heard some voices there.

                 When he was peering, he discovered Kyungsoo, Kris, Luhan, Baekhyun and Kai are sitting there and chatting exclamation. Joonmyeon’s paying attention to Kyungsoo’s  face which is looks tired but remained laughed heartily.

                'How easy he laughed. How much I made him feel tormented. I'm sorry Kyungsoo..'

                "So, when were you going to get there, hyung?" Kai can’t conceal the grin on his face.

                "A few days ago, when we got the break certainly." Kyungsoo answer.

                Baekhyun smirk. "And why did Kris hyung was the one who should accompany you? Why not me or Kai as usual?"

                Kyungsoo face flushed instantly. "Ya! Does it reasonable?"

                "Incidentally, I didn’t have any plan or schedule of the day, so I was the one who offered to drive him there. Is it clear?" Kris explained.

                But it seems his words which were meant to help Kyungsoo instead reversed attack him because Baekhyun and Luhan already started teasing him again.

                "Oh.. So sweet.. Kris took time to Kyungsoo." Luhan scoffed as he winking.

                "I wonder what would you guys did considering you came home very late that day. Oh .. Don’t tell me you guys secretly dating but glossed over us." Baekhyun said cranky.

                Kyungsoo covered his face on his palms. He’s unable to defend himself if Luhan and Baekhyun are already united taunting. And Kris lay his hand around the other victim’s shoulder to calm him down but it just makes his friends cried out cheekily.

                “And I haven’t forgotten how kris grasped your hand and enfolded your waist turned aside when we get briefed in the mirror room.” Kai continue teasing his roommate.

                It’s only makes the others giggle over and over make the red color on the Kyungsoo ‘s cheeks getting thicker while Kris bowed his head deeper. Those boys laugh out loud mischievous while doing high five in the air to see their helpless victims of their delinquency.

                Looking at their whim, Joonmyeon convinced something had happened between Kris and Kyungsoo. And he become the dumbest person in this whole universal for letting Kyungsoo loose in front of his eyes.

                When seeing how Kris shielding the loves one, by seeing Kyungsoo’s reaction when the other teasing him made his entire heart is totally sink and wrecked. 

                "Be honest to us. We pledged to keep our mouth shut entirely." He heard Baekhyun pressing.

                Kris scratched his head. "What should we admitted?"

                "Look! You’re even getting embarrassed! Oh .. Come on, tell the truth. We can keep a secret. If you guys trully dating, we will pretending not to know. Anyway you guys look harmonious." Luhan add it too.

                Kris chuckled. "Actually.."

                Kai, Baekhyun and Luhan look eager while Kyungsoo simply laughed and shook his head. But Kris looked doubtful to answer, he accidentally thought longer, making his friends is waiting curiosity.

                ‘Enough! I don’t wanna hear this !’

                Joonmyeon can’t stand it anymore. He is totally wrath right now.  Either because Kris was impressed in showing off of his proximity to the main vocal or Kyungsoo demeanor which looks very comfortable with Kris or his friends who didn’t stop flirting with cheekily laughter or even himself who can not admitted the fact that he had lost Kyungsoo right away.

                Once Joonmyeon away, Baekhyun immediately smiled broadly. "It worked! I should say thanks to Sehun."

                Luhan, Kai and Kris exchanged glances then doing the high-five in the air each other. Only Kyungsoo seems puzzled by his friend’s whim.

                "What is it? What was working well?"

                "You don’t need to know. Someday, you will be grateful." Luhan replied with a wide grin.

                Meanwhile in one room, Sehun heard a person enters into his room and slammed the door behind. Then he heard Joonmyeon slamming himself roughly on the bed. Sehun who had been pretending to sleep opened his cell phone and read the message from Baekhyun.

                From: Baekhyun Hyung:

                 'Sehun-ah, thank you. Everything went well because of the info from you.'

                Sehun smiled and replied.

                To : Baekhyun Hyung

                'It was not free. Buy me bubble tea tomorrow and the one who deliver it to me must be Luhan hyung.'

*

                Growl will be released to the media in two weeks. But Joonmyeon just fell ill. He is actually a very intelligent person to maintain good health. Not the type of person who easily fall ill. However, some members argue that their leader wasn’t only had an exhausted body, but also his mind.

                "I' felt sorry for Joonmyeon hyung. He was too weary with our schedule. He needed some fresh air. He needs a vacation." Tao said.

                "I think.. He needed.. someone!" Kris said as he glancing at Kyungsoo who was busy in the kitchen, making dinner for all members, assisted by Lay.

                “I think that way as well. He needs someone who is always by his side, listening to his complaints, encourage him whenever he is upset and .."

                "But all of us need someone like that." Sehun cut Xiumin off.

                Kai shook his head. "But he is our leader. He need it more than us. If he is okay, then we will be fine."

                Chanyeol nodded. "Right. We shouldn’t let these problems drag on. We all know who’s the one who can make Joonmyeon hyung be more energized."

                "Unfortunately both our appa or umma are equally remains aloof and pretending everything is fine. Withhold the feelings for some reasons that we can’t comprehending." Baekhyun answer reclutantly.

                "So what do we do now?" Chen finally questioning after he had been only said nothing.

                "I think we should leave them for a moment this evening. Why don’t we connive to go out for a while and let them alone? Maybe an hour is enough, as long as they can aproaching each other and have a talk. I opine, they maybe ashamed because they’ve been surrounded by us all the time." Luhan giving an advice.

                "All right. I'll talk to Kyungsoo, make sure they resolve this stupid case tonight." Kris ended their little discussion.

                "The dinner is ready.." Lay shout from the kitchen.

                Without waiting for a second call, the starving men immediately ran to the kitchen and started pushing each other, trying to find a seat closest to the main dishes.

                "Take your time, I did cook plentiful. You can eat till your stomach exploded. "Said Kyungsoo reproachfully.

                EXO members began to take food with noises. Kyungsoo sat next to Baekhyun promptly. But as soon as he look to Joonmyeon’s empty seat, he immediate turned to his friends and started counting. Then he is completely aware that Joonmyeon isn’t there.

                “Where’s Joonmyeon hyung?”

                Those men clam up all of a sudden. Build perplexing around Kyungsoo’s mind. “What happen?”

                Kris cleared his throat. "In his room exactly. He prefers to sleep rather than dinner because he is sick."

                "Oh..". That’s it.  Kyungsoo didn’t say anything else.

                The men stealing glances each other. Honestly, they are expecting better reaction of Kyungsoo besides the 'oh' earlier. In the beginning, they were so silent. But after a minute the dinner table revert  bustling with babbles of those men.

                "Where are you going?" Kyungsoo wondering to see his friends began wearing their jackets and get ready to go out after dinner. They even waited Chen and Chanyeol finishing the dishes.

                "Me and Luhan hyung would like to buy bubble tea. Baekyeol hyung were compelling to go along." Sehun responded then dragged Luhan to exit from the dorm.

                "I'm going to the pharmacy with Chen for a while to get some aspirins." Xiumin answer while put his shoes on.

                "Can we join? I think my medication supplies are reduced. And Tao wanted to be able to make a quick stop off for a hot drink outside." Lay asking then Xiumin nodded as the approval. All of them walked out afterwards.

                Kyungsoo look toward Kai, his last expectancy. He doesn’t want Kai to go out. And Kai really wants to stay in the dorm actually. He better play the game until the morning comes rather than having to go out on a cold night like this.

                But he had bounded by the sacred pledge with the other members that they will give Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon some times. So he was constrained to ignore Kyungsoo’s pleading eyes.

                "I'll go with Kris hyung."

                "How could you leave me here alone? I'm coming!" Kyungsoo peeved.

                Kris shook his head. "You're not unaccompanied. Joonmyeon does exist in his room. And he is in ailing right now. Can’t you tend him well for a while whilst we were gone?"

                Kyungsoo biting his lower lip. He realized that his friends went out deliberately. So he and Joonmyeon can solve their problems.

                "Kyungsoo-ya, if he is being childish this time, you're supposed to be mature, right? We all hope you can resolve it well. Because even though you said there’s no problem, but we knew there was something hanging on among both of you."

                "Hyung .. I know you can take it on." Kai patted his shoulder before the main dancer step out after Kris.

                So, it’s only him, by himself. Attempted to soothe his heart, restraining the hard throbs inside his chest. He took a deep breath then exhale slowly several times. A few minutes later, he walked into Joonmyeon’s room in convictions.

*

                Joonmyeon heard the door is open. As previously, he feigns sleep. He didn’t want to face anyone currently. He just wants to be alone, lamenting his folly.

                Then he felt a soft touch landed on his arm.

                "Go to sleep Sehunnie, just leave me alone." Joonmyeon trying to sound weary so the magnae couldn’t bother him.

                “It’s me.”

                Joonmyeon felt his blood freezes on the spot. That voice.. That voice is belongs to the only one  person whom he admired. But why does it sounds so close?

                “Hyung.. We need to talk.”

                Joonmyeon is still engaged in his place. He was puzzled what to say on Kyungsoo. Facing Kyungsoo alone could only makes him lose the word, moreover talking face to face.

                “Hyung..”

                'Damn it! What should I do? Do I have to stick with my stance? What if he and Kris are actually dating? He must laugh at my stupid attitude. He must be laugh at my obtuse demeanour before.'

                "Well, if you don’t want to talk to me indeed, I’m so sorry then for bothering you. I just simply would to say to any time , you will always be on the first place in my heart, no matter what. Good night hyung. And I hate our relationships turned out to be like this."

                ‘Do I have turn around? Or should I keep quiet?’

                On the left ear, he hear his voice whispering wickly. “What if the only thing I get is only the disappointment? What if he’s actually came fortunately boasted about his relationship with Kris? Can you stand it?”

                But on the right ear he can hear  voice whispering softly, like a lullaby. “But what if you remained behave in this manner? Would you get the answer you want? You only lose him slowly.”

                And for the first time in his life, Joonmyeon can’t decide what step he should take for the next ones. It’s all because of love. And only love can makes clever people become stupid, strong man become weak, conscientious person become careless, and the wise leader become the cranky magnae : so stubborn and childish!

*