Chapter 4.5

before the storm

Minseok remembered being in a white room, he remembered a strong wind and them.

A boy Minseok forgot what his face looks like and,

Luhan and Jongdae on either side of him, whispering sweet nothings.

"You have to choose." The boy said, and Minseok could see the boy smiling. Somehow, he felf nostalgic looking at it.

Minseok remembered not choosing both of them and the wind started to get stronger. The wind was big and violent and Jongdae's face changes along with Luhan. Hurtful words from their mouth.

Jongdae.

Luhan.

Sehun.

Tao.

Yifan.

Joonmyun. 

Chanyeol.

Baekhyun.

Yixing.

Kyungsoo.

Jongin.

"I know you will betray us."

"You're a coward" 

"It was for the best."

"You deserve that punch."

"We hate you."

Minseok remembered falling, into darkness and screaming until his throat hurt but he was still falling and it was stil dark. Dark. Dark. Dark. DARK.

Empty                                       Lonely                  Coward

                                Alone                                      Leave                     Betray

Minseok wrapped his hand around his head and crawled into a ball. He felt hopeless, weak and usefull. It was cold, so cold, Minseok curled himself tighter to keep warm. He hate this feeling. He hate this. 

Then finally, something warm wrapped itself around his body and a light appeared. Minseok walked to the light  with slow and unsure step. When he was close enough, his eyes opened, looking at the ceiling. His breath was short and he was sweating.

It was just a dream. 

An arm, somebody's arm wrapped itself around his body and Minseok look at the owner's big concern eyes. It was Kyungsoo.

Youngmin pushed the big double door full force making the mahagony door hit the wall. With quick, angry stride, Youngmin invited himself in, his eyes focused on the old man sitting on a big chair, sipping a warm coffee and reading today's newspaper. "What is the meaning of this?" Youngmin demanded.

Lee Soo Man put down the newspaper, his eyes linger on Young Min for awhile before he gave the man a smile. "It is exactly what you think." earning a disbelief laugh from Youngmin.

"You can't do this to me." Younngmin yelled, slamming both of his hand on top of Soo Man's desk.

"Remember who you're talking to." Soo Man still held the smile in his face but his eyes dangerously look at Youngmin, effectively putting Youngmin in his place.

Youngmin wasn't a fool, he noticed the way the old man looked at him and he was wise enough not to argue any further. He unwillingly bowed in apology but once his face wasn't visible from Soo Man's eyes, he gritted his teeth and held back a growl. Youngmin heard Soo Man's phone ringed and he chose that moment to straighten his posture. He heard Soo Man telling his assistant to let a person in and told his assistant to tell the person to come to his office. Youngmin couldn't help but felt curious who the person is and as if Soo Man know it, he looked at Youngmin mischivously.

"It seems that you're in luck, my boy," Soo Man chuckled merrily, "the new CEO is here. You and I are the first ones to see him as the new CEO."

Unknown to them, a man with a suit had heard them from when Youngmin slammed his hands. He sneered. He didn't expect Youngmin to be this dumb maybe Uncle Soo Man was right, he could rule SM Entertainment better than that shameless bastard. In his own way and with his own rules. The man was ecstatic, this whole CEO thing, it was like a game to him and he can't wait to play starting; tomorrow and then when the game's over, he could move on to the next level. With his own family as enemy including, Uncle Soo Man. His smile grew wider and wider imagining the look his family gave him when he won the grand game. He can't wait to play.

"I'm sure he will take care of my company better than you. Actually, he is my nephew-- not by blood of course, his father and I are very close," Soo Man said proudly, he spaced out a bit but a cough from Youngmin brought him back,"Oh what am I doing?" Soo Man chuckled, "You should meet the new CEO of SM Entertainment," the unknown man stood behind the door that lead to Lee Soo Man's home office. His body was well built, making him look like a model instead of the future CEO of SM Entertainment. The man waited patiently for his grand entrance while fixing his suit. A sly smile was shown.

"David." and with that said, David opened the large double door, making his grand entrance. The sly smile was replaced by a megawatt smile. "Hello, Uncle," David bow down for Soo Man and when his eyes met Youngmin, his eyes widened in surprise and he quickly grinned, he was a very good actor, her mother had told him,  "and Youngmin-ssi, I heard a lot about you. Don't worry all of them are nice ones, It truly is an honor to meet you although I was quite surprised to see you here, Uncle didn't say you would come!" David said, brightly.

Youngmin looked at the boy from head to toe and snorted. David was handsome, he had to admit, but he know not to judge someone by the cover. Looks can be deceiving but nonetheless, Youngmin smiled at David. "Truthfully, I didn't expect to come here neither but something came up and I have an urgent feeling to visit your. . .uncle to clear it up." Youngmin replied smoothly. He needed to get close to the kid, afterall.

Unfortunately, David know what Youngmin's intention was. His acting was good but not good enough to deceive a pro and David was a pro. "I'm sorry, I know ou just came but would you mind leaving for a bit? My uncle and I need to discuss an important manner." Youngmin politely said. He saw Youngmin clenched his hands and gave him a tight smile.

"No, not at all." Youngmin said throught gritted teeth but his voice was light, atleast he tried to make it light, joking, as if it did not affect him at all but in truth, it had affected him more than someone could think. David smiled expectantly, waiting Youngmin to leave and with reluctance, Youngmin walked to the door and out of the office.

Once Youngmin was out an a way, did David's smile dropped. "I know what you mean about him, uncle. He is so pretentious and narcissistic." David looked at the closed door with a frown.

"Just forget about him, Kwan Hyuk," Soo Man adressed David with his korean name, "I trust you are more interested on the more important matter?" he questioned.

"Absolutely, on to the more important matter," getting the game started, David added on his mind before continuing, "getting me started as the new CEO." David grinned. Once he won this round battling his uncle, the real game begins. He just needed to act obedient for his uncle and earn his trust, take the company from him, before moving on to the more grander game.

And Soo Man might or might not look through David's facade from the very first time he stepped into his office but whether it is one of it or both, Soo Man gave David a smile. 

The next few days, all of the TV channels were filled by the same news but It wasn't about Joingin's condition, the one that was revealed a few days back, but it was about a press conference about a new CEO of SM Entertainment and his speech.

"-- . .I will make sure that no accidents like that will be repeated, not when I'm the CEO of SM Entertainment and I, David Harris, vow to lead SM Entertainment to Its previous golden days when the company was taken over by Lee Soo Man, when everyone enjoy our entertainment without bad rumors being spread out, concerning our supporter. I promise you that you won't ever need to feel concern about us anymore,"

Siwon tried his best to mask his unhappiness when he heard David's speech, his teammates and friends was amazed when they heard the speech but that was because they didn't know who David was. Siwon had seen him in a couple business parties his parents was invited when he was little. Siwon did not befriend him, mostly because David was older and he felt that they wouldn't get along, but he had befriended his niece, a sharp girl that was now the CEO of one of the most succesful and bigest company on the US and Siwon was close enough (and trust worthy enough) to hear all of the problems in the girl's family from her own mouth. Including the ones that the media did not able to get their hands on. Siwon had heard enough to know what kind of man David is. Although he and the girl had not contacted for the past years, because of his debut, he still keeps her number. Siwon knew his childhood friend needed this information about her uncle.

Siwon quickly searched his phone from his pants pocket and contacted a number. "Hello." Siwon heard a cold and stern voice of a girl.

"Your Uncle is here."

dead silent.

"Are you sure it's him?"

"David Harris." and Siwon know it only took that name to make the girl believe him.

"I need you to do something, old friend."

"Yixing, I heard Youngmin was fired."
 

"Yes, I heard it from my bandmate."

A boy sighed in disappointment while Yixing smiled at him. "Then. . . are you going to go back to Korea?"

Yixing thought for a moment. With Youngmin gone, SM was a safe place now and he heard that Soo Man himself was the one that appointed the new CEO. Surely, it meant the CEO was better but if he go to Korea, he would leave his friend and savior, the boy, behind. "I'll think about it." Yixing finally said.

The boy, unfortunately, was able to read Yixing like a book. "Yixing-a, It's your life, not mine. Please don't abandon your dream because of me." the boy added a smile.

"I'm very comfortable here though." Yixing said stubbornly.

The boy sigh in frustration at his friend's stubbornes. "Yixing-a"

"The CEO was pretty handsome in this photo," Yixing changed the subject but to no avail, the boy was as stubborn as Yixing. Truthfully, Yixing did that so that the boy won't said--

"They will welcome you back." 

that word.

Yixing's smile dropped. "No, they won't." he whipered quietly.

"Yixing-a --" The boy was cutted by Yixing

"Chaebal!" Yixing said in Korean, and luckily for the boy, he know what it means, because his father is Korean. "Please, I don't want to return with empty hand." Yixing pleaded. Yixing and The boy's plan was for the boy to take over SM Entertainment while revealing all of Young Min's misdeed but it's as clear as glass that their plan was if no use because Young Min had stepped down (or forced to) from his position. 

"What was that about his face, Xing-a." The boy unwillingly changed the subject. This time it was his fault and he needed to make his hyung happy again. 

Yixing sent the boy a grateful smile before showing the photo to the boy. The photo of David along with a title:

Young Min replaced. David Harris, the new CEO, promised to be better than the previous CEO. 

The boy looked at the news in Yixing's phone in disbelief. The news was in hangul but the boy didn't have any problem reading it. "." 

"What's wrong?" Yixing asked in concern.

"Looks like we need to do what we planned to do after all." The boy said, eyes still fixed on the news.

Yixing was a bit relieved hearing that mainly because now, the chances of EXO welcoming him back gone up a little. He wanted to come back to them while bringing a gift and that was, bringing a male responsible and kind enough to be the CEO of SM Entertainment and while it was not in his place to choose the CEO, he still believed that somehow, the boy could become one without Yixing helping too much.

The players had been chosen, the rules : there are no rules. 

EXO's phone vibrated containing a message from an unknown person that read :

The Calm before The storm.

A/N : I'm hoooooomeee~~ did you miss me? no? 

MYSTERIES MYSTERIES AND SO MANY MYSTERIES  guesses guesses?

WHO SENT THE TEXT MESSAGE?!?!

I miss all of you so much and my story is ABOUT TO BEGIN!!! -cheers- 

Ok, I'm high.

COMMENT and VOTE!!! Seriously, comment. I'm greedy now. BUT I LIKE TO TEASE ALL OF YOU!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA