A/N - So I apologise for this crappy update. I promise the big night is coming up soon! This is yet another filler chapter to add more depth. Let me know what you think and please let me know if there's something you want to see in the "big night!" I love all your feedback and your opinions are worth more than gold to me. Thank you for all your support and stay tuned for more! *bows*

<3 mei

It was later during the week, well past closing and I was in the process of putting away the dishes when I heard my phone ring, signalling a text message. I whipped my phone out from my back pocket, arm brushing against my freshly scarred skin in the process, and swiped to read the text.

Sender: Minnie

Hey I know this is last minute, but this is a crisis. Help these two guys out will you? For my sake?

Looking forward to hearing about your big night this week too! >.<

I stared at the cryptic text. Help these two guys out? What was she doing, sending more “clients” my way. And at this hour? I whirled around to read the clock (why I did that when my phone was in my hand, I have no idea). It read just past two am. I sighed and continued where I left off putting the dishes away. Min better have good reason for this, if not she’ll be sure to hear from me later. I sighed heavily, the dishes clanking heavily against each other. If I really was going to have to help two guys out, let them come. I also made a mental note to do something to make my scars less visible by the party that JiYong apparently couldn’t wait to see me at.

It was maybe fifteen minutes later when two figures, one significantly taller than the other, came shuffling in from the frigid Seoul air. Immediately I recognised them, their statures and dress giving away their identity immediately.

Kris and Luhan. Of EXO fame.

I held my breath as the two slowly approached the bar. As I’ve said, I’m not the most “in” when it comes to K-pop, but I knew enough to know that EXO were the rising kings of the genre. I debated whether to say anything or to let them make the first move, but apparently my subconscious had already made up its mind on that matter.

“Hey guys. Min eonnie told me you’d be coming. Make yourselves comfortable.”

I internally face palmed myself for being so upfront. Play it cool JiYoung. I gestured to a couple of bar seats and they sat down while I hurried to put away the rest of my dishes, still deciding to make my usual awkward small talk while cleaning up.

“So you two…what brings you here at this hour?”

I looked up to study their faces. The one I recognised as Kris was stoic and statue-esque, where the one I knew as Luhan looked like he had been crying. I paused with my dishes and leaned on the bar.

“Is…is everything ok?”

Kris gave me an ice cold stare.

“Would we be here if everything was?”

I nodded slowly. He had a point. Luhan nudged him and whispered for the elder to not be so terse, that I was just there to help. Kris sighed, burying his head in his hands.

“We’re going to leave the company.”

My eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets and my jaw was on the floor at the comment.

“You what?!"

Luhan carefully rubbed Kris’s shoulders and made eye contact with me.

“You heard him. We’re going to leave the company.”

I just blinked.

“But…but why? I knew when Min eonnie texted me it was for a good reason, but I never would have guessed this…”

Kris raised his head from his hands, locking his eyes on mine.

“The company isn’t treating us fairly. In fact, the company has been treating us as second-class citizens. We can’t stand it anymore.”

I nodded slowly. I had heard of the horrors of SM Entertainment and their foreign musical artists (namely Hang Geng), but had thought those to be horror stories far and few in between. Never would I have thought this same fate to fall upon EXO’s shoulders, not with their astronomical success and widespread appeal.

“The company…you say they don’t treat you well. What about the other Chinese members?”

Kris heaved a sigh.

“They don’t have it near as bad. Don’t ask me why, they just don’t. It’s the company playing favourites, as usual.”

I nodded again.

“So it’s come to the point where you feel that leaving the company is the only way to go?”

Luhan and Kris exchanged a glance before the former spoke.

“That’s what we’ve decided. We’re not going to leave at the same time, but we are both going to leave.”

I slowly fiddled with the remaining glasses left to be put away.

“Do…do the rest of your members know?”

The two exchanged another glance before Kris spoke up.

“Not exactly. That’s why we were sent to you. We were told you were the expert in idol relations and could help us formulate how to tell the rest of