Author POV

Finished with the photo session, the EXO members went to their van hurriedly because they still had a broadcast schedule at Sukira, and they might be late if they didn’t hurry. They departed with 2 vans, because 1 wasn’t enough for all of them. Luhan who was annoyed at Kris chose to take the first van along with Sehun, Kai, Suho, Tao and Xiumin, and left Kris with confusion. He could only look at Luhan who walked pass by him, and it was something unusual for him. Both of them, along with Lay, always had a seat together in the same van. But now, Luhan had just walked past through him and went to the different van. Kris had no doubt now, his Luhan was really annoyed at him. He was about to walk and chase Luhan, but with a single step, he stopped because he felt someone grab his shoulder. It was Lay, and he shook his head slowly when Kris turned his head to see him. Kris nodded his head weakly, he understood what Lay meant. Lay could be someone between Kris and Luhan 's relationship, not in a bad way, of course. Lay is very close to Kris and Luhan. The three of them were always together at every public event, and Lay makes the both interact normally as long as they had him between them. And that thing also made their manager stop putting curiosity on Kris and Luhan's relationship. When Luhan wanted to be with Kris, he drags Lay with him, so they could talk freely, and so did Kris. Although he was a third party in the KrisHan relationship, Lay wasn’t like that. He is really a good friend, he could understand what his friends feels. He didn’t mind to be in between Kris and Luhan , because he knew that Kris and Luhan had a hard time as a couple. They couldn’t show their affection to each other like a normal couples do. And Lay really felt sorry about that, he couldn’t help anything but encourage both of his friends. He hope someday Kris and Luhan could go public, and tell them their relationship.

“Don’t do that. Let him be alone for now. It will be better if we get into the car now. Come on” Lay grabbed Kris’s wrist and dragged him into the van, Kris just bowed his head and felt sorry towards Luhan, moreover he couldn’t do anything for now. That made him more angry to himself.

Luhan sat at the back seat rows with Sehun and Kai, in the middle seat rows there was Kyungsoo, Tao and Xiumin, and then his manager sat on the front seat rows. Luhan didn’t say any word throughout their way to Sukira, he fell into deep silence and just looked at the road from the car windows. Sehun and Kai ,who knew what happened to their hyung , chose not to bothered him, and fell into silence too. Since they had manager hyung in the same car with them, no one else made noise.

In the other van, Suho sat at the front seat, then Chanyeol, Chen and Baekhyun at the middle seat, and Kris and Lay at the back seat. Different from the first car, this car was so noisy. Could you imagine a car with three trolls inside it? Yeah ,that must be really noisy. Our trolls, Chen, Baekhyun and Chanyeol couldn’t stop speaking and laughing.

“Yah!! Stop right now!! Will you stay quiet?? You three are so noisy!!!!!” Suho yelled at them, but they didn’t stop laughing to Chanyeol’s joke which he thought that it wasn't that funny. Suho thought that they were too exaggerated.

“Come on Hyung, don’t be like that. I know you’re disappointed because Kyungsoo isn’t in the same car with you, but you don’t have to be angry and have the urge to shout at us like that. You're gonna grow old rapidly Hyung” Baekhyun who liked to tease his hyungs, said those words which made Suho more annoyed to them.

“Mwo???!! Don’t talk nonsense and stop your jokes right now, Byun Baekhyun!!” Suho was really angry now

“Hahahaha….that’s right hyung!!” Chanyeol and Chen laughed so hard at Baekhyun’s statement.

“YOU…!!! Arrghh,, dwaesseo!! I won’t care anymore!!” Suho finally gave up, and let them continue their conversation, he chose to listen to music rather than hearing their laughters, he knew that they wouldn’t obey him, so it would just waste his time if he continued to stop them. They just obey two persons, their manager and Kris. Suho wondered why Kris was not giving a single for it, whereas he was the type of person who couldn’t stand any noise around him. Kris was so annoying, he thought. Yeah~ even Suho thought the same with Luhan.

On the back seat, Lay could just shake his head when he saw the the three of them teasing their leader. Then he looked at Kris who sat beside him. Kris seems like who wasn't bothered with the noise , he just stared at the road from the car’s window, he knew that Kris was thinking about Luhan. “Ni hai hao ma, duizhang? (Are you okay, Leader?)” Lay tried to ask Kris, but it seems that Kris wasn’t there. He didn’t reply Lay.

“Duizhang?” Lay tried again, and yes..Kris was in his own world.

“Duizhang!!!” Lay finally yelled because Kris didn’t hear him, and that made the other members in front of them look back because Lay’s voice was pretty loud. Kris was also a bit shocked by Lay’s voice, he stared at the three member, he looked at them with his ‘what-are-you-looking?’ gaze, the three shook their heads and immediately looked back to the front.

“Wèishéme Lay, why were you shouting like that?” Kris finally gave his attention to Lay.

“You were daydreaming, Duizhang. Are you alright?” Lay was a bit worried with his duizhang, it was unusual for him to daydream like that.

“Haaah….you know the answer, I’m not alright…I’m really confused Lay” Kris felt that he needs Lay’s help, so he decided to tell his troubles to Lay. Kris talked to Lay with Chinese, he didn’t want the other members to hear them and know their conversation.

“Why are you confused? Tell me, maybe I can help..” Lay also talked to Kris with Chinese, he understood that Kris will tell him something about his trouble with Luhan.

“It’s about Luhan, don’t you feel weird? He didn’t take the same car with us. Usually, wherever we go, the three of us were always together, right? Everywhere. Do you think he's really mad at me? I mean, is he that mad? Lay, did I made a very fatal mistake? I’m really confused, I looked at him the whole time, but he seemed like he doesn’t want to see me. What do you think, Lay?” Kris who already know the answer kept asking Lay to hear his answer, maybe Lay could be more sensitive than him, he thought. Don’t blame Kris because of his insensitive feeling, he just never fell into a problem like this before, it was the first time Luhan ignored him, and that made him really confused and didn’t know what to do.

“Ahh,, Kris. You know that Luhan is a jealousy person, you should know that he doesn’t like seeing you being too close with other members, especially Tao. I know that everything happened today was unpredictable, but I see that the incident really gave a huge influence to Luhan. Luhan never acted like this before towards you, right? Personally, I blame you Kris. Why did you pick Tao as your favorite member, don’t you remember that Tao likes you? Luhan really didn’t like that, you are just for his own. You knew that really well, right? We both knew. Plus when you said that the hat that Tao wore was yours, Luhan didn’t like that too. The fact that you let Tao borrow your things while you usually don't do that to us including Luhan . I noticed his facial expression, don’t you know he was about to cry because of this misunderstanding? You never let Luhan borrow your stuff, but you just let another member borrow your things. Kris, you have to be more careful with your actions with the other members if Luhan's around you. He's not like you do that, he's really sensitive with his feelings especially if it is all about you.” Lay spoke at length, he spoke everything he thought in his mind, and Kris felt he just got a lecture from Teacher Lay. But the good things was Lay’s answer exactly the same as what was on his minds.

Of course Kris knew Luhan, he understood Luhan. And maybe he is the only person who knows Luhan well, four years wasn’t a short period to know each other, right? And he really know what Luhan feels, but everything that happened before wasn't and will not be in the list of his wants. If only he could turn back time, he wouldn’t do anything that could make Luhan hurt or feel disappointed at him.

“I’m really confused Lay, I didn’t know of whom must I answer at that time, you know well that I wanted to mention Luhan, right? But I couldn’t do that. The other members might get curious if I mentioned Luhan, because they all know I’m not that close with Luhan in front of them” said Kris with guilty feels

“And why did you decided to choose Tao? Didn’t Chanyeol already offered himself? Why didn't you chose him instead? Or me? Maybe Luhan wouldn’t be like this if the one you chose was Chanyeol or me” Lay's words was as sharp as a knife, and he was right, Kris thought

“That’s because…..Chanyeol hid Ace yesterday, and I’m still annoyed towards him, that’s why I didn’t chose him. And you….emhhh…that time I... I couldn’t think calmly Lay, I though maybe I should choose Tao because everyone already knows that I’m really close with Tao even since we debuted” Kris replied Lay with weak and cracked voice

“Tsk, you’re really childish Kris.. And how about me? Aren’t we really close too Kris? You even met me first before you met Tao, and we had four years as friends, more longer than everyone else here, aren’t we best friends Kris? Why didn’t you mention my name instead? You’re so stupid Kris!” Lay who felt a bit annoyed at Kris said something which made Kris felt he was being cornered.

“I know Lay, I know…..I’m really stupid, I’m sorry. And had I told you that I couldn’t think calmly that time? Honestly, I was thinking about Tao that time, that’s why I reflexed to mention his name” regretted Kris, with bowed head and still cracked voice. Seemed he really regretted his stupidity that time.

“WHAT??! You're thinking about Tao?? Kris, you’re not just stupid, you’re also crazy!! How come you think about Tao when you already have Luhan??!” Lay felt more annoyed when he found out what made Kris chose Tao that time.

“Listen to me Lay, this isn’t like what you though. I would never do something like that towards Luhan, of course, I really love him, more than anything in my life, and you know that. I just thought about Tao’s request. You know that after our schedule this week , we are given a time to go to our hometowm right? Tao asked me to accompany him to Qingdao because he said that his parents want me to come. I haven’t answered him because I don’t know what should I say to him. I’m confused because Luhan also asked me to accompany him to Beijing. It will be strange for Tao and other members if I say that I couldn’t go with him because I will accompany Luhan to Beijing, me and Luhan don't even look close in front of him. Plus, if I refuse to Tao, I’ll feel really bad to his parents, they already considered me as their own son. What should I do Lay? I feel so flustered, help me” Kris told Lay everything, his face looked sad and confused at the same time

“Shì zhēn de ma (is that true)?? Owhh..Kris, I’m so sorry. I blamed you without knowing the real situation. When did Tao said that to you?” Lay felt a bit guilty to Kris

“Méiguānxì (never mind) Lay. He said that this morning, when we are still in our dorm” Kris still bowed his head

“Why didn't you tell me then? Why did you just thought about this by yourself?” Lay now felt compassionate to his bestfriend

“I wanted to, but I can’t, we don’t have a chance to speak about this, so I thought maybe I’ll tell you when we arrive at the dorm later” Kris looked limp

“Didn't we took the same car when we are leaving this morning? We even sat next to each other, why didn’t you tell me that time?” Lay tried to remember why Kris couldn’t tell him his problem earlier. And hearing Lay’s question made Kris widened his eyes in disbelief.

“You’re the one who crazy Lay! How could I tell this to you inside the car?! Did you forget that Luhan was with us that time??” Kris raised his voice because he couldn’t stand Lay’s forgetfulness which never get any better. Once again, the members in front of them looked to the back because of Kris’s voice. Realizing that the conversation between Kris and Lay seemed private, they get back to their own activity.

“Ahh, ha ha ha… you’re right Kris! Ha ha… how could I be so forgetful like this..he he he… dui bu qi (I’m sorry) Duizhang” said Lay as he patted his forehead and laughed awkwardly, realized how forgetful he was.

“Tsk…how could you say? You’re always like that! Haaah,, Méiguānxì! That’s not the point. The important thing now is how can I refuse Tao and explain all this misunderstanding to Luhan and tell him the truth. You have to help me Lay, please..” Kris looked desperate and frustrated

“Calm down Kris. We can't talk about that now, later when we arrive at our dorm, we'll talk about that in our room, ok? I’ll help you. We can discuss about the way out from your problem together. Now, cheer up.." Lay tried to calm Kris, he was sorry for seeing his stupid friend look so hopeless and desperate. He knew how Kris was feeling, and lucky for them because they are at the same room in their dorm, so they could talk Kris’s problems freely.

“Ahh,, okay. But I’m not sure if I can focus at Sukira later. Moreover, I have a performance with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. I’m not sure if I could perform well.. can I just go home?…” Kris now sulked like a child and he still looked desperate

“You’re really stupid! You’re the duizhang, can’t you be professional towards you job, your task, your members, and yourself??!! At least in front of camera, you have to be seen as if your life are having no problems.” Lay felt furious at Kris. He couldn’t stand Kris’s fragility when facing a problem especially when it comes to all things related to Luhan.

“You’re right. I’m really stupid.” Kris realized everything, what Lay said was right, he couldn’t be like that, he’s the Duizhang, he’s the leader, he must act professional towards his environments, no matter how big is his problem. He wasn’t too desperate anymore after Lay encouraged him, but he kept his head bowed.

“Don’t be a coward Kris, you’re a leader, you’re a man, right? Believe me, everything will be alright. I’ll always stand by you. Cheer up!!” Lay grabbed Kris’s shoulder and hugged him to give him courage. Kris hugged him back and smiled a little, feeling relieved that he had such a good friend like Lay.

“Thanks Lay” Kris said as Lay released his hands from Kris’s back

“No matter” Lay smiled, showed his adorable dimple 

Continue to next chapter, because it's a bit too long.. hehe :P