* * *

“Morning, Soo-na,” Mrs. Choi mumbled with her nose in some papers when I entered. I didn’t respond. This was going to be one hell of a day.

Sure, it had started off awesome, but it when Sehun and Kai said they’d join me.

Clueless people strolled in one after another and took their seats.

Well, prepare for a heart attack any minute now.

I thought about calling my parents and act sick for a moment but came to the conclusion that they would never buy it. So I just stayed put in my seat, fearing for the day. I don’t know why they had to do this. Sure, it happened that celebrities visited their old schools for encouraging, but I really didn’t see the point of Sehuns’ and Jongins’ visit.

From: Stephen (Sehun)

Are you ready?

To: Stephen

No and I’d prefer if you leave.

From: Stephen

No, we won’t.

To: Stephen

Come on! I’m even asking nicely!

He didn’t respond on that. I desperately wanted to believe that meant they had taken my advice and left, but knowing them, they were probably just laughing their asses of while preparing to enter. Then suddenly I got another text.

From: Hongbin

Sehun??? Kai??? In school???

I didn’t have any plans on answering that either. He’d just have to figure out why they were here himself. Suddenly the door went open and I took a deep breath. What in the world had they prepared?!

What met my eyes just made me want to sink down into my chair and bring my shame pillow. Two clowns ungracefully clamped in into our classroom while the students begun to laugh. Some of them begun to scream, suspecting idols underneath those masks. The one I assumed was Kai brought forward a lame- magic trick where he made a napkin disappear into his thumb.

Omo, shocking! How did he do that?!

Then he and Sehun –whom was doing some even weirder dance- stared laughing and bowed.

“Annyeonghaseyo, EXO Sehun and Kai imnida,” they said in union and the girls went totally loco. Mrs. Choi smiled and returned their greetings. The two idols stayed and chatted for a while, telling us the usual: to stay focused on school and . And they did as they promised, they didn’t even earn me one more glance than anybody else. They almost didn’t even look at me at all. When they were just about to leave Sehun threw a quick glance at me and I smiled thankfully at him.

Mrs. Choi closed the door after them with a smile and then returned to us, “We can call that a sneak peek of next weeks visit. Now back to work. They’ll be staying for one hour more or so, so they’ll be answering questions later in the cafeteria.”

The class went back to their books, slightly unfocused, some were even crying. I looked to my side and saw one of the girls smiling mockingly at me. Then she put a note to my desk.

They didn’t even look at you. Guess they have some taste.

I have to say, it kind of hurt. It wasn’t many words, but it somehow made me wish that they at least could’ve paid some kind of attention to me.

But then again no. Better just endure it.

I grabbed my lunch and went out of the classroom where Hongbin wasn’t waiting for me. Strange. He always does. Not thinking more about that I went out to the cafeteria where a whole crowd was standing, screaming, crying, giggling. It was a strange mix of all.

I took a seat but was soon interrupted, “What do you think you’re doing?”

I looked up. Some girls from another class –I think Hongbin’s- stood and glared at me.

“Do you seriously think trash like you are allowed to eat, or even be in the same room as stars like them?” one of them said pointing at the two EXO members. It had grown a lot quieter than I was comfortable with.

Please not so they hear. They’ll flip.

“Where’s your playboy, huh? Didn’t see him since class.”

“Have you finally managed to scare him away for good? Like any other friend you’ve never had.”

Figuring the smartest solution right now would be to leave I got up and silently made my way passed them. I realized now that it was completely quiet and Sehun and Kai were staring at me with something like hurt in their eyes.

What? Two freaking superstars were here, didn’t people have better things to concentrate at? And shouldn’t there be some teachers here?

I took a few deep breaths, avoiding any eye contact with Kai or Sehun, when I felt something grab me.

“Are you leaving now? You’re a coward. Don’t you even dare to apologize to them properly for showing your ugly face so close? You could have spread your diseases by now,” they said. This was so humiliating. The words themselves didn’t hurt, it was that everyone heard that struck me the hardest.

I turned around slightly, figuring it was best to please them, and bowed, “Sorry,” I whispered. I knew they would hate me for this.

I saw Sehun flinch and grabbing for the mike, but I sent him a warning look.

Then suddenly I felt myself get pulled, more gently, from the girls and in to a securing hug whilst two strong arms protecting me me.

Please tell me this isn’t Kai.

I looked up and saw Hongbin, “You shouldn’t be here without me,” he gently whispered. I relived and thankfully buried my face in his chest and tried to cut out the rest of the school. Then I heard Sehun inhale heavily in the mike.

Please don’t say anything stupid.

It was quiet for a while and I understood he was staring at me. I prayed he wouldn’t say anything inappropriate, the day had gone well this far.

“Thank you all for having us,” he instead said and they both said their final goodbyes.

I let my long-hold breath out and looked up at Hongbin, “Where were you?” I asked.

He hugged me tighter, “Sorry. I went to the school counselor about a thing.”

I looked up at him, “Are you ok?”

“Coming from you?!” he teased, “Now come on, let’s eat outside.”

From: Alexander (Kai)

You do realize this is going straight to Baekhyun, right? And your father.

I sighed and put away the phone. I did not feel like dealing with this now. I kind of figured this would not stay between us, and that’s exactly why I feared them coming to school.

“What? Who did what, exactly?!” Baekhyun questioned, trying to stay calm –even though he was failing pretty hard.

“I don’t really know who it was, but he was hugging her,” Sehun spilled.

“Why?” Baekhyuns’ usually joyful voice was all sticky with jealousy, see how we both fit together with our jealousy.

Kai and Sehun guilty looked down in the floor, “Baekhyun… I think the situation in school is kind of worse than we thought…”

The before jealous guys’ face turned to scared, “What do you mean? How bad is it?”

“I got so angry,” Sehun said, “I really wanted to do something, help her, scream at them, get a teacher or anything. I could at lease have commented how wrong I thought it was. But I knew how mad she would get and…”

“What. Did. They. Do?” Baekhyun breathed.

“They humiliated her, in front of the whole school. They told her she was ugly and that she should be ashamed for even showing herself in our presence and…”

“AND YOU JUST STOOD AND WATCHED?! WHAT THE ’S WRONG WITH YOU?!”

“I hear people shouting,” Suho rushed in, “What’s wrong?”

He gave Baekhyun a worried expression and then studied the other two’s guilty faces, “What happened? How’s Soo-na?”

Baekhyun just looked down in the floor while breathing heavily, so Suho continued, “Baekhyun-ah, we were prepared for something worse than we thought. That’s what we suspected and that’s why we sent Sehun and Kai there. They weren’t supposed to do anything, how bad it may be. You can’t be angry at them.”

With those words Baekhyun couldn’t take it anymore and left. He cursed that he had to be famous. Rather of all he just wanted to go get her and take her far away from all those people, showering her with hugs and kissed or whatever, telling her how beautiful she is.

Stupid fans, stupid students, stupid school, stupid Soo-na, he though while rushing to his car. Without caring people would see him he speed raced to the school his younger band-members just had left.

Much to my surprise someone stormed in not long after the class had begun again. Everyone was already here though… I looked up and saw Hongbin standing in front of my desk, “You need to come.”

Without waiting for my answer he just dragged me up and out the classroom. We continued past the lockers and out the entrance. I widened my eyes as we got closer to the parking area.

He can’t take me from school.

Though, when we got around the corner a very familiar car waited with a very familiar figure leaning against it, frustrated. When I saw him I broke free from Hongbins’s grip and rushed to Baekhyun, burying my face in him while my tears begun to flow.

“What are you doing here?” I cried while hugging him tighter.

He almost started to cry too while –and omg I would have died if I weren’t so concentrated on crying- kissing and caressing my hair.

“Why haven’t you told us?” he breathed, struggling to keep the voice steady. I didn’t respond and just stayed in his arms. After a while I broke away and he wiped my tears, “Come on, get in. We’re going somewhere.”

I gave him a quick nod before turning back to Hongbin, who awkwardly stood and watched –wishing he could be the one taking me away.

“I’ll tell Mrs. Choi,” he said. I nodded with a thankful smile.

“See you later.”

“Aigoo, Aigoo, look at this,” grandma said as she rucked me from side to side in her arms, “I know we aren’t related one bit, but you must’ve gotten this stubbornness from me.”

I smiled a little while just enjoying having an older figure to rely on.

Baekhyun had dumped me here, telling his grandma to take care of me for a while –which I knew meant having a proper talk with me- when he was out running some errand

“Do you want cookies?” she asked after a while and I nodded like a child.

It was quiet while we ate. She glanced at me now and then to check if I was fine and I enjoyed the silence.

After a while I sighed, “I know you’re planning on talking some sense into me, and I appreciate it, but I really don’t want to talk about it. I know it’s wrong of me to let them treat me like they do and hide my personality and stuff, but it’s comfortable this way.”

She patiently waited, looking at me with soft eyes, as I continued.

“I’m just scared. I’ve been hiding for so long now and I’m afraid that if people find out they will hate me, and my father. They’ll blame him for not telling the world who his daughter is, thinking he’s ashamed of me. And what will people think of me. No wonder he would be ashamed of me, hiding like a coward.”

I looked at her with steady eyes and said with a determined voice, “I don’t want the attention, grandma.”

She slowly nodded, eyes full of compassion, “But that won’t change who you are. Let me ask you, Soo-na, forget who you are and just think of you as the human, are you happy with being bullied? Do you go to school every day looking forward to the day ahead of you?”

I dropped my gaze to the floor and gave her a small, almost invisible, shook of my head. She continued, “There is one thing not wanting too much attention, but a completely different thing letting yourself get pushed and violated because you’re too scared to stand up for your own human rights. Why would you let people hurt you, it’s not doing any difference.”

I didn’t know what to say to her, she was so right in a way. All my arguments went right out the window.

“As of your father… Don’t you say people already know of your existence? They know there is a daughter hidden, and they’re doing everything to find out whom. Sure, you’ll be asked a lot of questions about why you did as you did, but it’s not like your father won’t help you through it. Not to mention Baekhyun and the rest of the guys.”

“I don’t want to ruin their career,” I gave as a lame argument. She just shook her head at me.

“You won’t. You’re allowed to have friends, despite who you are. And I swear, knowing my Baekhyun, he would gladly see his career fail for your happiness.”

“That’s not making me feel any better though…” I said under my breath.

“Don’t get too caught up in yourself,” she then said, “thinking you’re that great. You’ll be on the news one day and people will be talking about it for a week or so but then they’ll move on with their own lives. It’s not that interesting, you know.”

I smiled a little.

“That actually did help a little,” I said, “Thanks.”

“Of course. Everything I say and do is awesome.”

She came around and hugged me before giving me a mischievous smile, “Now, tell me about Baekhyun. How’s it going on the dating front?”

I rolled my eyes, “Backwards, I would say,” I teased. She groaned.

“I guess I’ll have to talk some sense into that boy as well,” she grinned just as the door opened again.

“I’m back,” he called just as he found us in the kitchen. Glancing from me to grandma his eyes finally landed on the cookies and his face broke into a smile, “Cookies!”

He placed himself by the table and begun to dig in, while his grandma looked at him with a disgusted face, “Don’t stuff your face like that. They’re not even for you,” she said as she snapped the plate away, earning a cry from her grandson. Then he his lips, which I had a struggled not to drool completely over, and turned to me.

“How are you?”

“I’m better. Thanks for taking me here,” I smiled a little to him and he just beamed back.

“Any time, so are you ready to go back?”

Grandma gave us a slightly hurt look, “You’re not staying? I have a bed in the basement with your names on, if you want?”

I gave a sweet smile while Baekhyun hook his head, “No, we’re leaving. But thanks for what you’ve done. I’m relying on that you’ve talked some sense into this nutcase.”

Baekhyun ruffed my hair with a light laugh as I glared at him, “Not funny,” I mumbled.

Grandma just shoot me a lovable smile though and I sent her one back, “Well, we better get going then.”

“It was nice having you,” she beamed at me, “And Baekhyun, tell hi from me to your parents.”

He nodded and we left.

* * *

Baekhyun had just dropped of Soo-na and was just entering the dorm. The other guys were either out or minding their own business, so it was completely quiet in the apartment, with an exception of the teapot boiling water.

Baekhyun plopped himself down on the couch and covered his face in his palms.

He felt both a little bit betrayed and sad that Soo-na hadn’t told him how bad it was at school. Didn’t she trust him enough to tell him?

He always told her everything, how embarrassing it may be. Even when Taeyeon broke up with him. Did she think he would judge her?

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, “Wanna talk about it?” Suho asked with a genuine look on his face, like he always had when it came to his beloved band-members.

Baekhyun shook his head, “Rather not.”

“Okay.” Suho left for a moment, then he yelled from the kitchen, “Do you want some tea?”

“Sure,” Baekhyun replied, still with his eyes glued to one spot. He then spotted the magazine with the article about ‘her’ and picked it up.

Would it be such a bad thing if she revealed herself?

Suho put down the cup in front of him and saw the magazine he was holding, “Respect her decision. I hate it too, but until she changes her mind we need to do as she says.”

“I just think it all might stop if she just…” he sighed.

“I know,” Suho sighed too. Then he decided to change the subject, “Have you packed? We’re leaving tomorrow, you know. And you have no time to repack between Japan and Shanghai, so you better pack for both now.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I’ve packed. Hey, where is everyone? I’m hungry, where’s Kyungsoo?”

“He’s at Soo-na’s place packing up the rest from last night. It’s amazing how fast they managed to investigate the dorm, isn’t it.”

“Did they catch who did it?”

“Yeah, it was a fan.”

Baekhyun once again sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Why could those fans never leave them alone? They showed themselves and worked their asses off every day for the fans’ sake, couldn’t they at least get their own home to rest in?

“But…” Suho begun seriously, “The fan kinda stole some of Kris’s underwear…”

Baekhyun stared at his hyung for a few seconds and the dead serious expression on his face and then burst into laughter.

“Don’t laugh!” Suho scolded him, “It’s actually serious!”

“It’s hilarious! Why would anyone want Kris’s underwear! They’re not even attractive, I mean the dude wears freakin’ Spiderman on them!”

When Baekhyun put it that way a small grin begun to tug in the corner of the elders’ mouth.

She could at least have taken Kai’s underwear.

Kinda crappy chapter, and I'm sorry for the delay, but you have no idea how busy I've been with school. OTL.

Though, I promise you that I'll update at least twice before I go to Korea next month. Their love is starting to blossom. Hihihihihihihi.

Hope you're all great. 

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