Chapter Two

우리 꿈 _{Our Dream}

Snores littered the air of the mini bus that their manager got for them, loudness range from a baby to an old man. Soft chattering could be heard, and then drowned by the excruciating loud snore from someone. It was a long bus ride back from the radio station, it didn’t help that it was close to dawn in a few hours and the boys were tired. Yawns were heard from those awake and periodic movements of those trying not to sleep. Lazy heads that soon succumb to the sandman’s request grew amongst these twelve little wolves.

Jongin tried his best to keep himself awake, prying his eyes open to take in the sight of those sleeping so he could laugh at them and use it for blackmail later. Heads were leaning towards others – Sehun was snuggled up next to Tao, Baekhyun was knocking heads with Luhan (which Jongin figured they might have a headache soon), Lay and Xiumin were cuddling onto Jongdae, whose head was tilted back and snoring for everyone to hear, Kyungsoo was leaning on too Chanyeol to which the latter was clinging onto Kris from the back. The taller was trying his best to stay awake so that he is able to discuss with Suho the plans for their upcoming week. Since the start of ‘Growl’ promotions, no one was able to catch some proper sleep, longer than five hours even. They were catching some Z’s whenever the opportunity permits. Jongin noticed that even Kris himself was low on what is left of his ever meter to keep himself awake.

Joonmyeon smiled and whispered softly towards Kris, telling him to catch some sleep while he settles the matter on his own. The words, “thank you,” left his tongue before he leans into Chanyeol’s embrace. Jongin felt his eyelids getting heavier, but it didn’t stop him form spotting the darkness beneath Joonmyeon’s eyes, layered with concealer and foundation that had seemed to fade off. With a subtle smile, he drowned the last bit of coffee he has, making a short eye contact with Jongin before bringing himself to work and luring Jongin to welcome the darkness.

It was 3am in the morning when the whole of them arrived back at their dorms, drained and sweating. The collected stench of the group filled up the dormitory, making them feel even restless – voices were raised and whining was heard, everyone wanted out and all wanted to sleep so badly. Jongin was tired, so did everyone else, and they wanted a shower fast. Tao, being the first to hit the shower with Sehun, was trying to get Kris to get a bathe, but Kris was adamant about staying in bed. He hung from the edge of the bed, trying his hardest to sleep without taking the whole bed to himself.

Tao’s whining grew louder and complains muffled by yawns were louder at Kris stinking up the whole room. Jongin took a seat next to Chanyeol on the edge of their sofa. They were seated according to the queue system they had invented to make things easier for all of them when deciding whose turn to bathe. A freshly showered Minseok came out from his room, staring at the whole of them and said, “You guys are still out here? Who is hogging the hot water?”

A resounding groan replied the elder’s question and Jongin wanted to bang down the door. Apparently, the youngest was taking his own sweet time in the shower, or god know what the hell is he doing in there, thought Jongin as they decided to switch on their gaming console.

 By the time all 12 were ready for bed, it was four in the morning and the maknae line were the first to stuff their faces with their pillows. Hiding beneath the covers, they were sheltering themselves from Kyungsoo’s wrath. It seemed that quite a number of members were too hyped up with the console games they were on since they were waiting for their shower-turn. With half-lidded eyes, he stood behind Joonmyeon with a large fluffy hard pillow while the elder was trying his best to get everyone to bed. He didn’t intend to use Kyungsoo as a threat, but the younger was all ready in the mood, so everything else was set.

Baekhyun and Jongdae were adamant about heading to bed, saying that they are catching up with the dramas before they missed it. Chanyeol fell asleep on the table, right on the table, and Kyungsoo was poking his face while Joonmyeon was making the bagel line sleep. Minseok, Luhan and Yixing retreated to their bed, locking the doors. Jongin swore he could hear Luhan snoring from next door. Jongin felt bad for the elders, they have equal power as Joonmyeon hyung himself, which is a practically useless power (come to think of it).

“GET TO BED ALREADY, I DON’T CARE IF YOU ARE GOING TO MISS YOUR DRAMA. I WANT TO SLEEP.” Jongin heard six fluffy hits and about three cries for help, and a soft groan from his roommate, “why can’t they sleep? My pimples are going to show up again.”

“All right, all right! We are going to bed now. For someone who is small sized, you have a tough hit.” Silence. A low mumble was heard, “I will show you what is a tough hit if you aren’t going to bed now. You will be crying to me for sending you to the doctors.” Shuffling could be heard before a door is silently slammed shut, locks put in place for the first time. The lights were finally out and everyone left for the castles.

At the break of dawn and body clocks are in function, Jongin rose and begin working on the knots in his back. Despite being tired and lids still heavy, he was unable to fall back to sleep. He turned to the calendar near his bed and saw that they are expected to be ready by evening, allowing them to sleep in and recharge. Rubbing at his eyes, his body brought him out of the bed and to the toilet to wash up. Even though he was awake, the sandman’s spell continues lingering on him a litter longer, causing him to take small steps towards the bathroom. He slowly shut the door, not wanting to greet the morning demon called Oh Sehun. He can be a brat most of the times, but no one would ever want to disturb him in the morning. He is a Satan and would send anyone to Hell if he could.

Jongin wasn’t much of a cook as compared to Kyungsoo or Lay, but he could make breakfast well enough for him to survive on and be on his way to the hospital reported dead. Crossing over Chanyeol, who managed to find the floor during his sleep on the table and clutching onto the pillow what Jongin deemed to be the one Kyungsoo used to brutally hurt the two yesterday, he stepped into the kitchen and begin ransacking the cupboards for ingredients to prepare a proper breakfast. He stopped short, thinking if he should call chicken delivery, but shivered at the thought of Joonmyeon who would be scolding him for spending money again.

It was not that they were unable to afford it, they could (well, Joonmyeon could), but times are tough and they have to split the earnings amongst them twelve. “Scrimp than to spend, play safe for a rainy day,” Tao would say, but everyone would laugh at him cause he is always spending Kris’ money on himself instead.

After a few spills and toast burning episodes, he finally settled down with what appeared to be the classic scrambled eggs with toasted whole meal bread, spread with strawberry jam made from home. Pouring himself a glass of water, he made his way to the living room to dig in on his breakfast and see what could he do to keep himself busy.

What greeted him was a familiar sight. Yet, such a sight so familiar continuously gives him the same emotion of sadness and warmth. He ought to get used to it by now, but he wasn’t able to, not when the situation forbids it.

Joonmyeon was at it again – piles of papers and timetables surround him, all filled with markings of crosses and circles. Tiny phrases and words are found, “free time for ssamgyeopsal,” and even “Take a break for Sehun’s birthday”. His heart ached when he spot his leader, all cuddled up on the floor in the middle of the pile and holding onto the sofa cushion for support when he sleeps. His mouth was slightly ajar, allowing soft and subtle snores to seep through the aperture.

Jongin knew that he shouldn’t be surprised at the situation; after all, he did just walk over Chanyeol sleeping on the dining room floor. However, he was unable to bring himself to remove such though. He emitted an image of an overly protective mother in her lowest defense: that was the atmosphere that Joonmyeon gave off.

 A faint trace of coffee lingered in the air and Jongin found the all too cold mug sitting on the table. He figured that his hyung must’ve been surviving on this drink to stay awake, resulting in the darkened eye bags beneath his motherly eyes. It was a façade that fell off of him the moment he laid down on the floor. The floor was cold, amplifying the temperature outside that was threatening to fall dangerously low and putting everyone back under their covers. Everyone except Joonmyeon, who felt that he has a greater duty towards their future rather than his health.

He wanted to wake his hyung up and tell him to return back to his bed to sleep, but he knows that that is futile because he tried once. Joonmyeon would thank Jongin for waking him up and continue working on what he was previously doing, whether or not Jongin was trying to encourage him to sleep, he will continue working and nothing will stop him because he believe that it is his duty as a leader.

The sudden bulk of pity begin rising within Jongin, tears threatened to rise to the surface, teasing at his tear ducts as he begin to recall how Joonmyeon welcomed him when he first became a SM trainee. Someone so talented, rich and smart has resorted himself to train for seven long years and live a sandwich class lifestyle. Throwing them all away, what for? The fame and pain? At the end, he has to look after eleven members who act unlike their ages. He has to spend countless nights, drained and sleepy, to prepare their schedules.

Unlike him, his kids got the better hand – they claimed the best positions in the group that he worked so hard for, vocal. He underwent minor cosmetic surgery and splurged on skincare only for his screen time to be taken away. He goes unnoticed for everything else except his money, which he especially hates showing off.

Just like every family, the mother would always be pushed with the duties that no one wants, the roles that no one notices, and the jobs that no one acknowledges. They stay in the background and watch their children grow and nurture their talents while they themselves get pushed away.

Jongin never felt like crying so hard in his life before.

He kept controlling his tears, wiping them away when they fall, as he returned to his room to grab his set of pillow and blanket. Prying the fingers of the deathly grip of Sehun on his pillows and blanket, he brought them out and carefully wrapping it around Joonmyeon, just like when he first saw him on the sofa. He worked his way around his hyung’s limbs, his job made a lot easier when Joonmyeon complied with the motion and curled into the warmth of the blanket.

He sat near the spot where his motherly figure was and looked through the schedules, multi-tasking between recording the schedule on their calendar and taking a bite out of his toast, careful not to drip jam on the papers. Scribbling down small annotations at the edge of his notebooks and rearranging the schedules, Jongin found something that he could keep himself busy through the morning and lifting the burden off his leader.

He got up after finishing his breakfast, heading to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Slowly and accidentally bushing his feet against Joonmyeon’s blanketed ones, he heard a silent whine that escaped his hyung’s lips. “Umma, five more minutes, please. I will get back to work once I have – “

“Wake up kids, we are home. Let’s go. Up everyone.”
 

Muffled groans were heard and the elders were set in motion, waking everyone up from their slumber but many refused. Luhan was trying to remove himself from Baekhyun, who was crying of the lack of warmth. Minseok managed to wake Yixing and Kyungsoo up without hesitation. Jongin, seated at the back next to Sehun, was unable to get off, so he contributed by kicking everyone’s chair. Jongdae screamed at him before getting off the van, Tao was trying to punch Jongin, but failed as he stumbled his way out off the place. Baekhyun clung onto Sehun, who was clinging onto Chanyeol, as they nearly tripped at the door. Kris was ahead of everyone else, going to unlock the door so everyone can topple in like dominos.

As he slowly made his way out, he noticed Suho dozing off while standing near the door. He nudged him in the elbow, earning a heartfelt smile from Joonmyeon, the same smile that they always get when the elder wants them to know he loves them. But Jongin was sharp enough to see through that glaze of weary and fatigue. It was an emotional turmoil filled with pain from the struggles and ignorance received.

As Joonmyeon closed the door and locking it, he realized that Jongin has been standing there for the longest time, looking at him with such sadness. He placed a hand on the younger’s head, ruffling it and mumbled, “let’s go little one”.

Jongin nodded and held onto Joonmyeon’s hand as the guardian followed the rest in and begin the routine of getting everyone to bed.

It is no longer Suho and Kai any more; it is just Joonmyeon, Jongin, and the rest of EXO. That’s what Joonmyeon liked, being with them.

It didn’t matter to him if he isn’t the visual of the group, or if he has the best vocals. He is happy for what he has right now. He doesn’t mind working the same way he has been for their future, because they won’t rest for their dream.

But Jongin’s dream is for him to rest, just for once.

a/n: Hello everyone! Thank you so so so much for subscribing and upvote (even though it is merely 4 votes), for this story. I would really love it if you guys comment because it would mean so much to me.

It's a bit attention seeking, but to know you people who read, subscribe and upvoted for me means a lot. It's all right if I don't get featured, but I would really love to know to guys.

Too much blabble now, any ways. I will be busy these few days, so the final chapter might take longer than normal. But thank you again for reading it, it means so so sooooo much to me!

I love you guys! <3