Sometime around one o’clock, I woke up.

It wasn’t the peaceful kind where you roll over and fall back to sleep, but the one when you have a fever and your stomach doesn’t agree with whatever you boyfriend made for dinner. It was far from pleasant staggering past Minseok and Yifan’s beds as quietly as possible, stubbing my toe on god knows what, and finally throwing the bathroom door open with a loud bang that probably could wake all of China.

Sitting over the edge of the toilet, I felt like I was going to pass out, which would be a painful déjà vu that I really didn’t want to relive right now.

Trying to stop the dizzy, spinning feeling I had, I take deep breathes. As I closed my eyes, I could feel a light breeze and swore I could hear something buzzing. I wasn’t sure of it until I felt two arms lift me as if I was a ragdoll. Squeaking out a very unmanly sound, I clutch onto whoever was carrying me and let them take me wherever they pleased.

Slowly I allow my eyes to open once again and a bright light shines on me. I turn my head slowly to the person next to me about to thank them.

Instead, my throat closes up on me and I feel like I’m suffocating.

It was him. He was sitting next to me on our living room couch as if he lived there as well. He leaned in closer to me. Closer. And closer.

“AH!”

I sit up at lightning speed nearly bonking heads with someone, who I assume was my stalker now coming to kidnap me from my own sanctuary and molest me or something.

Rather than someone trying to abduct me in my Hello Kitty pajamas, a hand tentatively grabs my shoulder and another, my chin. A small whimper escapes me, and I hadn’t even realized that I was crying until a tear ran down the side of my face. Cautiously, I open my eyes and relief washes over me as I see the almost black, worried orbs of my boyfriend staring at me.

I hurriedly wrap my arms around him, not caring how stupid I looked.

“Lu-ge,” he starts carefully, “are you alright? What’s wrong?”

“I thought—”

Moving away from his shoulder, I smile and shake my head as if it was nothing. It was nothing. It was silly to think about the possibility that that guy could get to me. Not when I was safe in our dorm surrounded by my members. Minseok would for sure protect me.

“Just a bad dream is all.”

I pull away from him a little and he stares deep into my eyes, silently asking if that was really all. Nodding, I peck his lips lightly with a smile. He doesn’t look convinced, but I don’t give him another answer. Instead, I pout and grab his hand, shaking it lightly.

“Minseokie,” I coo, “I’m hungry, please make me something to eat.”

He rolls his eyes but stands up nonetheless. Telling me to wait, he saunters into the kitchen and a moment later I hear pots and pans clanking around in the kitchen. I sit on the floor in front of the coffee table as soon as I see my bunfriend walking out with a pot and two bowls.

“Ramen, ramen, ramen!” he says in a singsong voice.

My stomach growls in want as he sets the food down in the center of the table and a moment later I am pigging out. I scarf down almost all the noodles, leaving the liquid inside the pot. I sigh contently, for once not feeling that churning motion in my stomach.

“Hey babe, let’s go to bed alright?” Minseok’s voice is soft and tired as we finish the last of our noodles.

I smile and nod a little as I stand up.

“Can we talk to you guys for a minute?”

Xiumin and I turn to the bedrooms, startled by the sudden appearance of the other members. Subconsciously I look towards Minseok and am a little shocked to see him glaring at the four in the doorway. He grabs the bowls from the table and starts to walk past me.

“I think we already talked enough today,” he says venomously.

Yixing looks at me, asking for help, but I just stare back, utterly confused. Kris steps in front of Minseok as he tries to get into the kitchen, and Tao gently grabs the dishes and sets them just inside the room on the counter.

“We didn’t finish, Minseok hyung, and you know that,” Jongdae says almost too quietly.

“Manager isn’t here and now that we all are, I think it is the best time to talk.”

Kris moves forward and lightly puts a hand on Minseok’s shoulder as he speaks, but immediately he pushes the hand off as if it were dirty. Shaking his head, the elder tries to move back to me. He makes it to my side, but I could tell something was really wrong with the majority of the room’s population, me being that unaware minority.

“What do we need to talk about?” I ask dumbly.

I can see Minseok shake his head angrily again and my interest only peaks. Lay doesn’t meet my gaze, and the others don’t even seem as confident as before, even though they weren’t really confident to begin with.

“What?” I ask again. “Tell me.”

“It’s an intervention to say we shouldn’t date within the band,” Minseok sneers.

“What?!” yelling loudly, I see the others flinch. “Whose idea is that?”

Tao dares to test his voice. “Joonmyeon hyung did it after he noticed Jongin being extra flirtatious towards Kyungsoo a while ago.”

“So it’s Kris idea to instigate it then within M?” An angry smirk grows on my face. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier? I could have told you guys to mind your own business then!”

“Luhan it’s not like that!” Lay says quickly. “We just think that it would be bad if something similar to this last week was to happen again. It’s nothing against you two liking each other.”

“Well it sure feels like it!” I yell.

“Lu, calm down for second and let us explain!” Jongdae tries to cut in. “Three days ago you wouldn’t have been fighting to stay with Minseok. You guys are sometimes so opposite that it is a wonder how you two stay together; the group suffers at the times when you guys are like that.”

“You said you guys would put Exo first,” Tao mumbles. “It doesn’t seem like you are thinking about all of us, just yourselves.”

“Luhan,” Minseok says beside me, “don’t try and argue. I already did for two hours.”

“The two of you get along, but it’s the little things that worry us.” Fumbling with his fingers, Lay tries to straighten things out, but ends up failing miserably. “You guys never try to act pleasant when it is just the two of you, and it makes us think that you both… I don’t know, act when you’re in the public’s eye.”

My mouth drops in shock at the usually understanding bandmate’s harsh words. I hear a snort from beside me and I see Minseok glaring angrily at the floor. He grabs my injured wrist on accident, releasing it a little when I wince, and gently pulls me to the hallway behind the other members.

“If you want us to break up, then tell the CEO about us,” Minseok growls, “that will be the only way I will stop dating Luhan, got it?”

“Wait a minute!”

Kris, who hadn’t said much of anything yet, raises his voice dangerously and pushes Minseok backwards. The latter loses his balance and falls back into me, making me trip over my own feet and tumble to the ground. A loud crash echoes through the room and I feel something really hot on my arm. It takes me a minute to realize that it was the ramen scalding water from the pot somehow falling from the coffee table. I wanted to yell out in pain, both from the hot water and my hand being squished, but I was oddly unable to make any noise at all.

I soon understood that I was making noise, but it was little gasps because I couldn’t breathe properly after falling on my back so harshly and Minseok landing on top of me. Staring at the ceiling in fear, I immediately think that I was about to die from lack of oxygen. I latch onto the nearest thing to me, being an arm that probably belonged to Minseok, and tug roughly on it trying to get his attention.

“Luhan!” a voice that I just barely register as Minseok yells in my ear.

Suddenly, a body is hovering over me, warm fuzzy breath hitting my face. My eyes were so filled with tears that I couldn’t see who it was, but I had a good guess. The arms that were on either side of me before are gently lifting me to a sitting position and I feel like I am already breathing better.

Letting my head drop into Minseok’s shoulder, I weakly wrap my arms around his waist and feel him do the same. Quietly he whispers to me asking if I was alright, and I shake my head. I didn’t care about my hand or the once burning feeling on my arm; I just didn’t want to be there with the others.

I tug lightly on the back of his shirt, and barely manage to get out that I wanted to go to out room. My breathing was still slightly labored and painful, but I wanted up and out, now.

Xiumin stands up slowly while helping me to my feet as well. “Are we done here now?” he asks incredulously. “Because I think we are, it’s late and we have a plane to catch tomorrow.”

“I-I didn’t mean to…”

Kris stares at us guiltily and I felt a little bad for him. I don’t say anything though as we finally make it past the members and go into our bedroom. Minseok shuts the door with a little more force than necessary, and leads me over to his bed.

“I want you by my side tonight.”

It’s quiet, but I still hear him clearly and nod at the words.

Getting rid of my dirty sweatshirt, I throw it to the corner of the room where the clothes basket should be. Seeing Minseok flinch, I laugh and pull him to the bed.

“I’ll get it tomorrow, okay?”

He nods, but still stares at the sweatshirt on the floor. I sit up a little on his bed, blocking his vision of it, and he stifles a laugh. Leaning forward his hand slips behind my neck and pulls me closer to his face. His breath ghosting over my lips, Minseok lets out a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

For a second I was confused as to what he was apologizing for. There was so much going on that everything was turning into a confusing ball of events and nothing was making that much sense anymore. Every thought flies out the window when Minseok’s lips touch mine.

In a flash I pull away, eyes wide.

“You’ll get sick!” I mumble worriedly.

He shrugs his shoulders and leans in again, “So? I don’t really care right now.”

“But…”

He lets out an exasperated sigh and moves away from me. “Fine, if you really don’t want-”

Crashing into him, I lay us both down on the bed, our lips not once parting. He smirks and I can feel it through the kiss. Sitting up a little, I hit him lightly with my uninjured hand before resting my head beside him. Chuckling, he moves closer to me, wrapping a hand around my waist and laying his head on my shoulder.

“Goodnight, Lu.”

I sigh in content and grab his arm, making sure he wouldn’t let go any time soon.

When I felt a light hand pressing on my shoulder, my first instinct was to ignore it. After a more brutal shove, I open my eyes slowly.

It took me a few seconds to realize I was in Minseok’s bed, the main give away being that his and my legs were entangled and his head was against my chest. We were facing each other, arms wrapped around one another, and snuggling up as close as possible.

“Luhan,” I hear behind me.

I knew who it was, but I didn’t want to turn around, and really couldn’t. So instead, I hug Minseok closer and he makes a little whining noise in discontent at being squeezed, but doesn’t wake. I chuckle and peck his forehead lightly before untangling myself from his strong limbs. As I get out of bed and glare at the leader who stands a few feet away, Minseok grabs out for me subtly, but I stand up before his hand grabs mine.

Beckoning slowly to me, I follow Kris out into the living room, surprised to see that it is actually just the two of us. Plopping down on the couch opposite of him, I cross my arms and stare at him with an expectant look.

“Luhan, just let me talk, alright?” he asks. “No one is going to ambush you; it’s just me calmly talking to you for five minutes.”

“Time it,” I order a little childishly.

Yifan nods nonetheless and shows me the timer on his phone at it begins ticking second by second. He sets it on the table between us so that I can see the time, and for a moment I don’t let my eyes off it.

“Luhan, about last night, I’m sorry,” he starts, “on so many levels. We shouldn’t have attacked you guys like we did and that was my fault. I’m the leader and I should have talked to you guys without the other members. I truly didn’t mean to hurt you either. I’m so sorry.”

I take my eyes away from the timer and stare at him. His voice breaks a few times and I sense he was telling his true feelings, not some made up speech.

“I do agree with some of the things that the guys were saying, but only because I had noticed you guys were kind of drifting apart. I’m sure you are just as concerned about the band as we are, and we had no right to say that. But I think that you’re relationship with Minseok may jeopardize not just you’re guys feelings, but the rest of us as well. We may pick sides and our teamwork is out the window. I want you two to be happy, but we can’t have either of you getting this sick every time something happens.”

I glance at the timer quickly, a little fed up with not defending myself so far. It ticks closer and closer to five minutes and I feel very light.

“Luhan, please,” heaving a sigh, Kris flips his phone over and forces me to look at him. “I want you two to date, just please, please work out problems with Minseok before things get serious. That’s all I’m asking you guys.”

I stare at Yifan for a minute before nodding. “Fine, we will sort our problems out without involving you or the other members, but I never want to hear your opinions on if Minseok and I should date again, from anyone.”

Kris nods with a small smile and he takes his phone back just as I hear someone padding down the hallway and feel my favorite person wrap his arms around my neck and kiss my cheek.

“Good morning, Beautiful!” he whispers in my ear.

We were at the airport. We were headed back to Korea since all of our schedules in China had been cancelled due to me being sick and Minseok staying at the dorms to take care of me. We couldn’t operate well without everyone, the fans didn’t like it.

Currently I was in line with Chen and Xiumin while they got coffee. The only reason I was with them was because I needed to pee, and our manager said we had to go in groups of twos at least. Kris and Tao didn’t want to leave their seats and Lay had decided to remain next to them.

I looked around cautiously trying not to stare at all the cameras and the flashing lenses surrounding me. Bouncing from one leg to the other, I stare at Minseok who gives me a sympathetic smile. I really had to pee. I motioned to them vaguely, pointing to the bathroom, and quickly pushed through the crowd of people to the men’s lavatory.

Entering, I do my business and as I’m washing my hands I feel a hand enter my pocket and just as I look at the person, they are running from the bathroom. A chill runs up my spine as the door closes, and I pull out whatever the person had put in there.

A small crumpled note with my name on it stares back at me and I look skeptically at the door. I open it and my heart stops in fear.

Luge~
Why is that Minseok always doting on you? Does he like you? Should I take care of him? I will do anything for us, my love, don’t forget.
XOXO Soul mate

I let out a quiet squeak as someone grabs my elbow, turning around to almost punch Minseok in the face. Jongdae stands behind him, just as confused as my boyfriend, except he looks more concerned than anything.

“What’s wrong?”

I pull him in for a chaste kiss before walking towards the door.

“Don’t leave my side,” I say to him.

He doesn’t question the demand, and follows me out. The three of us walk in a row back to where the others are with the manager, my arm wrapped around Minseok’s shoulder the entire time. I tuned out the squeals of the fangirls that we passed, only focusing on getting back to the rest. Minseok shot me a questioning look, but I didn’t say anything.

Through the crowd I could see that familiar face, and the smirk on his face died slowly, turning into a confused frown. I sent the scariest glare I could muster back, not caring about the other fans around us. He wasn’t anything. He wouldn’t get in the way of Minseok and I, I wouldn’t allow it.

Sitting down, I pull Minseok next to me and pull my phone out. Typing out a text, I feel my anger dissipate as I read it over once, then twice.

A moment later, Xiumin’s phone rings in his pocket. He pulls it out and looks at me curiously, turning away, I smile to myself.

“Really?” he asks me.

I nod, still not looking directly at him. I feel my phone vibrate in my hand and I look at it expectantly. Grinning, I open the message.

 I love you too, Luhan.

A moment later a small sneeze from Minseok makes me turn towards him. He scowls at me.

“You got me sick.”

“That’s your own fault, Minnie.”

Rolling his eyes, I laugh and pat his leg comfortingly.

“I did warn you.”

“You didn’t stop me.”

“Because I didn’t want you to stop, dummy.”

“Well that’s the last time I help you then!”

I pout and stare at him. His eye twitches and he looks away instantly. Nervously tapping his foot, he doesn’t look at me even when I call his name.

“Seokie,” I whine, “I’m really sorry, don’t be mad at me.”

Shaking his head he still doesn’t look which makes me smirk with an evil idea.

“Then, what if I help you?”

Finally looking at me, Minseok smirks but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he pulls his phone out and begins texting something to, I assume, me. I’m proven correct when my phone buzzes.

Well, I still do have to perfect that kiss huh?