Chapter Text
It was nothing but a normal day. Staying with 11 other just as equally tired, lazy and messy boys, at least one had to take the responsibility to get his life together. Minseok woke up exceptionally early on this day, since his body willed to stay awake with eyes as big as Kyungsoo's at the glorious 4AM in the morning.
It was a break day and being in the rising trend group meant that breaks were as sacred as the oasis in the Sahara Desert. (Oh man-made rivers does not count, reasoned Minseok.) There he decided he should just start the day earlier than expected, still feeling a little bit bitter about not enjoying the luxury of sleeping in. (Is this what old age does to you?)
Out of the eleven mugs placed haphazardly on the shelf, he mindlessly took the one jutting out, probably Chanyeol's as that guy has the energy of a bunny and is always restless around Baekhyun. He made himself some coffee, and while pouring the coffee beans into the gigantic machine located in the dorm, he heard something dropped.
It has to be a bag or something, and Minseok couldn't help but abandon his coffee to take a look. In the growing daylight, he saw a huge duffel bag and a silhouette. He knew exactly who he was, he had grown to know the members so well that he could even recognize them by their hands and feet.
As the owner of the silhouette turned to face his intruder, Minseok was absolutely correct. "Luhan," Minseok breathed out, not wanting to wake any of the other ten members up, "what are you doing?" Luhan only smiled and that was when Minseok noticed that Luhan's eyes and nose were of a redder shade than the rest of his face.
"To freedom," Luhan croaked. Minseok was puzzled. Freedom? Aren't we free now? What is he talking about? Did he mean EXO is a cage to him? Because EXO makes him pretty damn happy if you ask him. Even if he wasn't given the spotlight of the vocalist like Baekhyun, Kyungsoo or Jongdae, or the spotlight of the dancer like Jongin, Sehun or Yixing, he thought as he tried to fight the wave of bitter down, he was still pretty damn happy.
"Do you want to come with me?" It was a long while of silence before Luhan decided to speak again. Minseok whipped his head at him, he stayed there for a long while. Both males stared at each other, as if relishing in each other's presence for the last time.
Minseok breaks out into a smile, leaned in to gently place his small lips over Luhan's cheek, then wiped away the stray tear that spilled out of Luhan's eyes.
"Don't go?" Minseok whispered, his voice now rough from swallowing the feeling down that once again threatened to come up again. Minseok's fingers instinctively wrapped around Luhan's wrist, something that he always done in the crowded airport, swimming through the fans and that was the only way for them to not lose each other.
Luhan only looked at Minseok with eyes crinkling in pain, gently pried Minseok's fingers from his wrists, his own fingers held his for a little while longer than usual, and then picked up his bags and turned towards the door.
It was only when Minseok stopped hearing his footsteps, each step softer than the previous, he slid down to the floor and let out his cry. Each sob louder and pounder, as he crouched beside the couch, the exact position that Luhan stood.
6AM. A door opened and a tired pair spilled out of the opened space. The two leaders walked out and felt that the atmosphere was a little, different. Junmyeon and Yifan spotted Minseok crouching behind the couch, still in soft sobs but seemingly asleep.
The more concerned one of the two, gently shook the now different boy, the boy now not full of smiles every morning, small teeth crinkling in the morning glow. "Hyung, what are you doing here?" Junmyeon asked, a voice laced with concern. Yifan stood not too far away, his eyebrows furrowed that spelt worry too.
"Lu....Han..." Minseok cried out with a cracked voice. The two leaders slowly taking in the unfamiliar name. The left of Yifan's eyebrows moved up at the name, "Wait, who is he?"
"Lu Han! Our twelveth member! He is in our unit, Kris!" Minseon cried out before drowning back into a heap of sobs.
"Twelve.....?" The two leaders draw out the same time and looked at each other concerned.
"But Minseok Hyung, we have always been just eleven."
Psychologists said that it is normal for children to have an imaginary friend. Kim Minseok is 25 years old.