A/N: This was supposed to be part of Chapter 2 but I find it a bit disruptive of the flow. So here you go, bonus/filler chapter! The next one might take a while to write so I'm leaving with this for now :D

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Luhan can’t sleep. He is idly fiddling with his rubik's cube, not caring whether it forms the right pattern or not, which is kind of therapeutic given the circumstances. At the back of his mind, he kept on recalling what happened earlier in the field. Why did I kiss her? Luhan asked himself, knowing full well that it would lead to all degrees of complications.

You know why, Luhan sighed and continued to stare at the ceiling, thinking of what to do next.

I can make it work right? Idols have been dating secretly anyway, Luhan tries to convince himself. It might be difficult since she lives far from Seoul, and I have EXO while she is focused on school and soccer but still---

Three quick raps on the door broke Luhan’s concentration, and he wondered who will be coming to his hotel room at 3 in the morning. His initial shock gave way to delight as he sees Sehun at his doorstep.

“Sehunnie!” Luhan hugs him tightly, belatedly realizing that Sehun doesn’t hug him back. He pulled away and sees the deadpan expression on Sehun’s face.

“Hyung, you have to go with me. It’s important,” Sehun begged him. Luhan immediately thought that something bad must have happened to one of the members. He hurriedly packed his things and followed Sehun out of the hotel.

“I just have to check out, wait for me at---”

“It’s okay, Manager-hyung already took care of it.”

Luhan nodded and followed Sehun into the heavily-tinted van, surprised at seeing both Kris and Suho inside, while their Manager sits in the front passenger seat.

“Hey guys,” Luhan cautiously steps in and closes the door. The van speeds away as if there are hordes of fans trailing its wake. “Is everything alright?”

“No, it’s not.” Your Manager cut in, looking back at the four them “you and I are going to have a very long talk later Luhan.”

“It’s okay Luhan, the Management can handle it.” Suho tries to diffuse the tension in the van. “It’s just that you haven’t been answering our calls so we have to pick you up.”

Luhan tried to pull off his best apologetic smile to his leader and their Manager. With all that happened this afternoon, he barely noticed that he had a phone in the first place.

Kris finally speaks, handing Luhan his phone. “Someone saw this in one of the discussion boards. Please don’t tell us this is you.”

Luhan looks at his friends, trying to gauge their expressions before shifting his attention to the slightly blurred picture in Kris’ phone. His hand shook a little as it looks like a picture of the kiss a few hours ago.

“The netizen who posted it claims that it was you hyung,” Sehun said. “Is it?”

Luhan drags his fingers through his hair, trying to clear his thoughts. He knows it’s just too good to be true that he managed to go undetected for more than a week. Still, he bristled at the thought of someone intruding on such a precious and personal moment.

“Yes, it’s me,” Luhan has always been honest and upfront to his friends. “I like her, I—”

“Oh god, just hope that there aren’t any clearer pictures out there. You’re lucky that both of you were almost unrecognizable in that photo. We can still do damage control.” His manager added, “Or did she also have a picture with you?”

“What! She’s not like that!” Luhan almost shouted, outraged at what the accusation implies about her.

“Fine, I think we can still cover this up.” His manager added, furiously texting someone which Luhan assumes is from the press. “As an additional measure we’ll say you’ve been out of the country all this time. Consider yourself lucky that these three have a show appearance abroad, you could go with them.”

That’s when Luhan notices that the van is not going to the direction of the dorm but to the airport instead. He tries to supress the initial panic that overcame him. “Hyung,” he pleaded to his manager, “please, let me try to solve this. I haven’t even told her—.”

“I think it’s best you forget her, Luhan.” His Manager said in a more patient tone than earlier. With all his years in the business, he knows how artists have a tendency to be rebellious when these kinds of problems crop up. Although he doesn’t think Luhan will be the type to go behind their back. “You’re young, and you guys already have that momentum going. Now’s not the right time.” He glanced meaningfully at the other three members. “They depend on you Luhan.”

Luhan felt defeated while the others look at him in sympathy, unable to help. “I’m sorry hyung,” Sehun mumbled.

Knowing that there’s no use in arguing further, Luhan leans back on his seat, closes his eyes, and curses himself for not even getting her number. What made him cope through the plane ride that followed was his determination to see her when he gets back.