Unlike those of Luhan, Xiumin's translations barely ever had the right length.
Luhan conveyed the exact orders Kris gave, often leaving Chanyeol in puzzlement as to what he was supposed to do and Xiumin always gave him lengthy explanations that somehow incorporated whatever it was Kris had said.
When Luhan told him exactly what Tao wanted him to know, Xiumin turned it into something completely different. What sounded like in insult suddenly became 'Tao having a bad day'.
Medical things that seemed long-winded when Lay explained them in Chinese, always became very condensed as well. "It's just a minor cold, so he says it's better if you sit it out to strengthen your immune system."

It was as if reality was filtered through Xiumin, as if everything suddenly became easier and less troublesome. What he didn't understand, Xiumin explained. What he didn't want to hear, Xiumin either censored or omitted.

So when Xiumin didn't translate what sounded like Henry having a mental breakdown and just told him that they were supposed to get some goods from a neighbour, he didn't question it. He knew that it usually was Luhan's duty to move around heavy things but it was obvious that Henry just wanted him and Xiumin to get out of the way.

Personally he found it quite hilarious how useless they both were. It always either started with Chanyeol setting something on fire or with Xiumin freezing things he was supposed to cool down a little.
Chanyeol figured that he was supposed to be on the ship to balance out the damage done by Xiumin but together they seemed to be so hazardous, Tao in particular often made it a point to have Luhan translate that they would have been better of as professional fighters.

"I guess I'm really useless after all," he said as they pushed a huge lump of metal on the trailer of Henry's rusty truck. Xiumin had built a small ramp and Chanyeol tried hard not to melt it as he stepped on it. It had happened often enough that his feet got stuck in Xiumin's constructions or that he slipped on them because he seemed to be naturally averse to ice.

"It's not that you're useless," Xiumin said as he wiped his face when they successfully managed to get the scrap on the truck. "We just can't use what you can do at the moment."

It wasn't that he doubted his abilities, not really. His power was something he incredibly treasured, even if he didn't always have it under control and he had spent all his life among Special Citizens, so he knew that the kind of power he had would always find people who wanted it.
It wasn't that he needed someone to convince him that he wasn't useless, he just was that idiot that wanted to know what it was Xiumin was thinking.

"Ah, right, I forgot. I'm the hero who tried to overwhelm the evil rioters all by himself after all," he said teasingly, just when Henry's neighbour came back from the house and handed them two more clattering sacks. The neighbour who seemed quite wary at the fact that they spoke a foreign language, gave Xiumin a dirty envelope and muttered something. Xiumin then bowed and the neighbour went back inside.

"I mean, that's at least what I heard you told Kris," he continued when Xiumin ignored him and opened the door of the driver's side. "Hyung, are you sure you want to keep driving?" The ride between Henry's house and his neighbour's had been rather bumpy.

"Yes, I am," Xiumin said and climbed inside. "And that's how I understood your side of the story, so that's what I translated."

"You know, I really wondered why Kris didn't just throw me out after that," Chanyeol mused as he looked at Xiumin who started the engine and acted as if he couldn't hear him any longer. "At least until Luhan told me."

"I figured we might need you," Xiumin shrugged.

"What for?"

"As a scapegoat," Xiumin said flatly, his eyes trained on the road ahead and Chanyeol felt weirdly disappointed. It was a little like the kind of numbness that came after being hit in the face. It didn't hurt at first, it was just surprising. And then it spread.
Xiumin, realizing Chanyeol's sudden silence, snorted. "I mean, what do you want me to say?" he laughed. "I already told you you're not useless. We need your power. And it's pretty helpful to have a Korean. Most ships don't have one."

"Hyung, I'm not sure if you're realizing it but you're Korean,too," Chanyeol said and tried not to show his relief.

Xiumin shrugged. "I'm not authentic though. I'm not a Special Citizen."

Chanyeol looked at Xiumin's ear and the lacking barcode and left it at that. The topic never really made sense, no matter how many questions he asked. From what he understood was Xiumin sold off to Luhan's family when he was around ten. Xiumin did admit that he was Korean, born to Korean parents, but his real name or his place of birth were still a mystery. He claimed that he only started to exist the moment he became 'Xiumin' and his family was Luhan.

Chanyeol had no idea about the life of those people who managed to get away, so it didn't feel right to keep asking. To him it was never the place that was wrong but the people who turned it into what it was, so he never wanted to flee and had never wondered what it would be like to leave forever.
Wasn't that the actual border between Special Citizens and those people with powers who happened to be Korean? There probably were hundreds of people like Xiumin.

"Well, anyway, hyung," he said after a while. "If I ever get famous, I'll hire you as my official translator. You really have a talent for making people sound better than they really are."