Trouble is my second name. My first is ChenBaek.

The moment Zitao saw Jongdae, he just knew it was a call for troubles.

Jongdae and him, despite being so different, had always shared a deep bond, a bond that deepened through the years of unconditional care. They basically have the same biases inside the group: Junmyeon, Zitao's self proclaimed mother, who stuck together with Jongdae like yeot; Yixing his bodyguard, which Jongdae always fluttered around like the fanboy he was (yes Zitao knew); and finally Baekhyun who was Jongdae's bestfriend. It was impossible then, for the two of them, to be nothing but close. And even without all that, it was impossible for Zitao to not like him. Jongdae looked out for him like the kindest of the brothers and during the years Zitao got used to seek him when looking for comfort.

But sometimes he wondered where Jongdae- everybody's comforter- went when he was down.

That his bond with Minseok had a peculiarity that the others missed was no mystery. If everything had ever pained Jongdae, the ultimate positive person, never let it show. Not even to Junmyeon, the person he probably treasured the most.

“Of course not to Junmyeon”commented once Baekhyun.

Sometimes Zitao had the impression there was a lot going on but he knew nobody would ever going to tell him. But it was ok, everybody had his secrets, even the members.

Zitao sighed but entered nonetheless his violated car.

“ Yaa, stop doing that face like I'm threatening you with a gun. Hyung just want to talk with his favourite dongsaeng” Jongdae sang song: despite his tired appearance he still managed to joke around.

“No offence hyung but I stopped believing you and Baekhyun 5 years ago, when you messed with my shampoo” that time his shriek was heard in all the building.

“ Oh c'mon, why so dark and depressed. This is just a talk between buddies” he pouted, making z

Zitao cringe. No matter how many years had passed, Jongdae still managed to look cute even at the age of 29. and most of the times he didn't' even realize it.

“ He is aegyo on two feet” used to joke Chanyeol.

“Hyung seriously I think we'll both have a good use in having a good sleep” Zitao said. Fortunately his headache stopped, so he was starting to feel all fuzzy and sleepy.

“Maybe. But even if I try I can't seem to fall asleep” he said trying to sound careless but Zitao knew better.

“Hyung you can crash at my place if you want, I have some good Chinese infusion to make you sleep.”

Jongdae smiled weekly.

Jongdae started to live alone once he had his own activities as a solo singer. But he was so used to live together that he often felt lonely and so he took the habit to drag one of the members to live shortly with him. He convinced Minseok to live with him when he was renewing his apartment and Sehun used his apartment as a crash place when he was too tired or too drunk to move back to his own. So when Junmyeon was dismissed from the military duty he crashed at first at the exo dorm but when one after another, of the few members that still lived there, moved out or went to their own path, signing exo longest hiatus (and rumors of disbanding), he didn't have anywhere else to go but at the same time didn't want to go back to his parents house at 30. The best choice was looking for something on his own but somehow Jongdae managed to convince him to stay at his place. He didn't move from there since. I wasn't strange for friends to live together but well sometimes Baekhyun words resonated in his head, endlessly looking for an answer.

“ Thank you. But actually I'm thinking of something even better!”

“ Uh, really?” Zitao was starting to fish something.

“ Yes. And you guessed right, I can't sleep quietly in my apartment. And I think it's not going to get better in the short term. So... How about we just go far away for a while? ” he said in a tone that seemed too much cheerful to be real.

“ Hyung unless you are taking me to Hawaii, I strongly refuse”

“Believe me, it's even better”

“ You can't be serious! You still have activities.”

“ Mmm, no. I just called manager and told him that if I don't have a week of rest I'll file a lawsuit and sign with Sehun's agency”

“ Oh my god you didn't!”

“ Well he freaked out, a lot actually, I feel kind of bad. Anyway he gave me a week and you are going to come with me. My treat of course!”

“ Hyung like I said, Hawaii, or Maldive, or Paris the fashion city. I wont' accept anything less” maybe a vacation would help him clear his mind. Sadly it wasn't like he had too much of a schedule.

“Actually I was thinking of somewhere closer.”

“ Please I went to Japan two months ago”

“ Ha ha. Not exactly Japan.”

Now Jongdae was still cheeky but seemed nervous.

“Actually I booked two tickets so it's not like I can cancel them now.”

“ What? Hyung you are worse than Baekhyun!!!”

“ I take that as a compliment?”

“ Oh my god when did you have time to do it?wit

“Well I was dead bored here in your car and nowadays you can do everything with a cellphone “

“ Oh my, you really did it...”

“surprise surprise!! So now lets go to your apartment, I will make manager hyung to hand my baggage there”

“Hold on, when we exactly did you plan to leave?” asked frantically Zitao

“ In three days!”Zitao shrieked like a banshee. That was by far the most craziest thing his hyung ever did, included the time he messed with Kyungsoo and had to run for his life. It was obvious Junmyeon hyung had pampered Jongdae too much and now he was out of control. Minseok would not be happy to know that all his effort in educating him were going down the hill. He laughed maniacally. Maybe he was going crazy too.

“ Yes that's the spirit!! But let's go now, I want to rest a bit” he said and after that he just fell dead asleep on the passenger seat, snoring soundly.

What the heck was happening.

Jongdae managed to sleep an hour more, before his manager came charging at Zitao's apartment dragging him to his still on going schedule. " Since you have three days let's do the more as possible" the manager said with an evil spark in his eyes.

Zitao cringed. Jongdae seemed visibly exhausted and for him to do something irresponsible and crazy like booking a flight who knew where to, there was something really wrong.

Where was Junmyeon hyung when he was needed?

I definitely need a shower. And with that he proceeded to prepare hinself the bubble bath of the century

Later then once he was surrounded by bubbles and beautiful scent of candles, Zitao finally started to digest the happenings of the day.

He got drunk, courtesy of Sehun. he waken up hangovered and dragged himself at Minseok. At Minseok's he found Jongdae who kidnapped him in his own car and now he had a travel scheduled in three days.

What was he supposed to do, furthermore it wasn’t like his initial problem was solved, not at all.

Minseok wasn't of any help, oh well he didn't like his suggestions.

There was a time when everything was simple. After Luhan and Yifan had left it was hard but they managed to stick together. Of course there were a lot of differences, heck till that day he and Chanyeol didn't actually clicked and so Jonging and Minseok,but thy loved Exo, what it meant, and so they took care of each other. It was a hard and he was afraid Junmyeon would have collapsed for the stress, but they never had been so united like at that time, all putting aside their differences and pushing towards the same direction.

After the storm had passed the strings loosened year by year, bit by bit, and Exo started to become a past love. They still cared for one another but somehow not anymore for Exo. But for Zitao Exo was for all those years the only thing that mattered.

" I want out Zitao" Sehun said that night to him. After that, it was a domino effect. He wasn't angry how could he, when he promised to himself to always listen to s.

That was the past. However. Now he had to face new wall to climb. After a deserved bath of course.

He was relaxing on his hot tube when the door was slammed open.

“Huang Zitao!”

Of course it was non other than Byun Baekhyun,

“ I’m bathing” Zitao said calmly. Maybe for once Baekhyun would leave.

“ I've seen worse. So.. how you’d been?”

He asked that like he hadn't just intrude in someone else house, seating charmingly on the border of the tube. He had given Baekhyun the keys a while ago when he injured badly his back and Yixing couldn’t always nurse him. He was starting to regret it because now Baekhyun used to intrude his apartment whenever he needed time apart form his fiancée, which he adored, but like he said “ I miss men time”.

He and Baekhyun stayed close during the years and even Baekhyun's leaving Sm didn't affected their friendship. Baekhyun was his playmate and together they swapped several clothing shops and did numerous holidays. He was now engaged with a famous actress, after his past relationship flopped. Fortunately he was now very happy and he still looked like a puppy even after all those years.

“ Don’t you have activities to do hyung? I was relaxing, you know, and I can’t do it with you”

“Activities? Hell no, not when Jongdae is around promoting. We did that mistake once and see what happened”.

It was true. The firs times they deicide to strategically promote themselves by going against each other. It worked because they never had such visibility before. But they managed to divide the audience creating a fan war with the result that the year end awards went to another. So now they promoted far form in different periods and the only time they were together on stage when they did their special collaboration.

Zitao whined. He really wanted to relax in the hot water for at least half an hour. But in fact he was lucky Baekhyun was here. He had some things to ask.

“ Give 5 minutes ok?”

“ Ok!” Baekhyun answered before storming from the bathroom probably to ravage his food. He often asked himself how he managed to get always beautiful and older girlfriends.

After having washed the last trace of bubbles from his body Zitao simply wore sweat pants and a t-shirt. He liked to be comfortable in his house.

And there was Baekhyun leaning on the fridge as he was munching some of his luxury collection of chocolate cookies. He seemed a little kid in an overly large sweater and the slightly long black hair. Sometime he questioned why only he, Yixing and Junmyeon had aged.

“ Hyung, stop eating all my stuff” Zitao couldn’t help but whine again.

“ I’ll treat you some day ok TaoZi? But I have to eat. In some weeks I’ll have to start dieting again and prepare for my comeback.” And with that he put in his mouth two cookies. Zitao just shook his head as he grabbed another pack of cookies for himself. At this rate he was going to go buy some extra packs.

“ So Baek what brought you here?” He had the feeling that Baekhyun has something to add to Jongdae's picture. Was he so worried or himself that stopped to pay attentio to s? No matter if Exo was going to be only a name, he care for them to death, especially Jongdae.

“Yesterday I went to Jongdae's apartment, just to find the poker face of Junmyeon hyung that told me that Jongdae's wasn’t there. Which is reasonable but something on Junmyeon stupid act convinced me he was lying. I then discovered that he spent two days at Minseok's house and now judging by the bags in the entrance he crashed here.

Zitao munched another cookie. Oh. That explained why Jongdae was already there and got a lift from him.

“Yes. He is here but why is it so important?”

Baekhyun stayed silent like pondering what to say. And what not.

“I stopped being a kid 5 years ago hyung, I don't know why nobody wants to tell me anything when I am the first one to have no secrets with you. Its just not fair. I'll ask Jongdae hyung, if he and Junmyeon...”

Baekhyun yelped stopping Zitao in the middle of the sentence.

“ Yah yah. Let's not talk about you know what”

Zitap lifted an eyebrow”

“Hyung Harry Potter stopped to be a trend more than 10 years ago”.

“ Shush nonsense, Harry Potter is evergreen... and if you think Jongdae told me something you are wrong . What I know it's what I forced out one time I made him drunk. I doubt even Minseok knows all the story. Maybe the only one who knows is Yixing but you know how he is, when it comes to his Zhong da, he would bring whatever secret to his grave.

TaoZi... I know you both are upset for different reasons of course, but I want to ask you to look after him and don't make him do something crazy” which coming from Baekyun was huge.

However Zitao didn't tell on Jongdae.

Somehow he felt it wasn't fair. If Jongda felt like doing something crazy then it was better for him to do it than suppress his anguish deep down. That meant that he was going to be dragged who knew where, but how was it? Misery loves company. Maybe they could forget their troubles together. In some beautiful pacific paradise. Yeah that's it!

“ For now he didn't come out with anything crazy (come on), he is just staying a couple of days and then go back. He didn't seem too upset (yeah).”

Zitao was surprised at how easily came to him lies.

Baekhyun nodded butZzitao didn't know if he had fooled him or not. If Yixing would call him the day after tomorrow then he didn't fool him even for a second. If not maybe they would have some advantage and leave without nobody noticing. God. Was he really going to ship in this madness? And here I thought I had it worse.

They munched something more as day talked here and there. Bekhyun cared about his ex members no matter if he had signed with another company. He made sure to keep in touch with everyone and he considered his duty to update Zitao on very member wherabouts, above all the ones he knew Zitao was unlikely to mend with, like Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

In the end he managed to drag Zitao out to dinner with the lines of “ Let's enjoy before my promotions” and drove Zitao to an expensive sushi restaurant that had just opened, no matter how many times Zitao told him he was still hangover.

Then after having pampered him with a bottle of expensive wine, Baekhyun smiled at him and asked.

“So I heard of Yifan's proposal”.

“ Does your fiancè have nothing to protest that you are not having dinner with her?”

“ He is filming a drama right now, so she can't miss me” Baekhyun said. Once again Zitao asked himself just how efficient was the chain of gossip between them. He was sure he managed to forced the information out from Jongdae who got it from Yixing. At this rate probably Chanyeol was already informed, who would spill the news to Kyungsoo, who had just came to know before from Jongin who probably knew from Sehun because Kyungsoo wasn't the gossip type. Who however thought it was his duty to inform Jumyeon who usually would have know it before but since apparently he and Jongdae were in a cold war, he was probably the last to be informed. Minseok wasn’t in that chain because he wasn't their therapist for nothing: he would never, never, talk about the members' secrets.

“ why are you asking me, you know better than me probably. You can go tell Yixing and the others and I'm far from a decision. End of the talk”

He was probably pouting like a kid but Zitao couldn't care less. He had enough mess on his won without the members trying to pry.

somehow he managed to not end drunk despite Baekhyun's efforts.

He stumbled in his apartment two hours later full but exhausted apartment, Jongdae's luggage of like a guardian in the hall. Jongdae would have return a lot later. So he went to refresh himself in the bathroom, to wear then his pajamas and to a well deserved beauty sleep.

He barely saw Jongdae for the following days.

He knew he was there because the luggage disappeared for another one bigger, his other room suddenly occupied by clothes. It seemed like Junmyeon habit, after 8 years had finally started to rub on him.

He saw him briefly on day 2, the manager dragging him out.

As for Zitao he spent the days thinking and basically doing nothing. He wanted to visit Yixing but he was afraid he would sniff he was hiding something and just force it out of him. He was surprised that he didn't receive a call from him and even more surprised that jJunmyeon didn't bark in his apartment. It has been a while since the last time he saw him but Zitao didn't tell want to see him for the mere fact that his presence alone would be enough to influence his choice and simply stay, without considering the best.

On day 3, he found Jongde passed out on his carpet.

“ Hi “Jogdae murmured to the carpet.

“ Hi” replied Zitao while seating on the couch. Sipping an orange juice,like it was normal to find a Jongdae half dead

“ Ae you ready to leave” Jongdae muffled.

Zitao sighed but then without hesitation he said.

“ Totally” and with that Jongdae lifted his head, a giant grin plastered on his tired face. Zitao smiled back.

“ Good because otherwise I should kidnap you” Zitao rolled his eyes. Gosh he was really doing it.

“ You two own me so much” told them Baekhyun, first thing in the morning.

Zitao couldn't deny that when Jongdae said, alley, he meant Baekhyun. Nonethelles he put their luggages in the back of the car.

“ Good morning” he heard Jongdae chirp, more happy than a couple of days ago.

”Good morning Baek, even though I didn't expected you” he said commented he seated in the back seats. Baekhyun growled. What the heck was going on?

“ For you information I had to lie to Junmyeon to be here, and you both know how I have to lie to him. Even though we are in different companies he still manges to take revenge, so Jongdae be prepared to buy me a big present. And TaoZi if you think lie to Yixing was easy than you don't know your putative mother at all.

Baekhyun continued blabbering nonsense all the way to the airport. Zitao knew that their escape was supposed to be secret even though he didn't understand why Yixing would be angry at him. Lost in his thoughts he was was starting to zone off when his phone rang. The display highlighted “Ge”.

He yelped.

“ What ,what what?” asked Baekhyun but he couldn't reply because Jongdae's phone chose that exact instant to ring too.

But instead of ignoring the call he picked up “ Junmyeon, not now.”

“ But Jongdae”

“ I'll call you later, ok? Bye!”

and he hang up turning off his phone, glaring at it like it was its fault.

Baekhyun laughed out of nervousness:”I knew I couldn't fool Yixing. He probably called your manager Jongdae and then called Junmyeon”.

“ Wait Baekhyun, Jongdae hyung what's going on? “

“ Don't worry Zitao, they want just to scold us for being irresponsible, at least Yixing.

Baek just bring us to the airport”.

Yixing called gain a 15 minutes later when they had just arrived at the airport. Baekhyun just discharge them at the entrance before speeding out like he was running for his life.

Zitao' phone rang again.

He picked up as Jongdae hurried towards the metal detector.

“ Zitao”

“ Yixing ge, I can't talk toyou now, I'm kind of boarding”.

Zitao could picture in detail Yixing's face turn into stone from the heavy silence that followed.

“ Zitao hurry up” Jongdae called him. Zitao passed the metal detector , cellphone in the pocket to grab it just a moment later as Jongdae took care of both their luggages.

“ ge, I don't know why all this rukus but I’m just having a little vacation to clear up my mind, don't worry”.

“ This way” Jongdae guided him.

“Zitao I would be glad but you don't know what Jongdae...

Zitao hurried behind Jongdae, lifting his gaze to look at the screen that flashed the name of the destination, the voice of Yixing like a whisper in the background.

Gate 12- Beijing.

“ What? We are going to China?”

Author's note: sorry it took me a while. I was so busy and 2 week transformed in months. In my defence, my laptop actually shut down. Anyway this chapter was long ago ready but only now I managed to edit.

With all these rumors I don't know if continue this fiction or not. Will you enjoy reading this even though it might actually turn really different from the reality?(I hope not).

At first I wasn't planning to write too many chapters, but now I ask myself if there's a purpose in this fiction. It was supposed to cheer us up imagining a guessed future. Sigh. Hope you enjoyed anyway! Thank you for commenting <3

ps: sorry if I spazzed only about Jongdae but I had so much fun.