Xiumin's POV

When I walked through the entrance, the dark atmosphere almost knocked the wind out of me. I make my way to the living room where everyone was sitting except for Borin and Chanyeol. I blink as Nam Soon comes up from behind me.

"What's going on?" He whispered curiously.

I shrugged having no idea at all and moved to sit on the bar chair at the kitchen counter, watching them intently.

"Chanyeol, when everyone is on Ling's side, doesn't that tell you something?" Chen pleaded.

Everyone? I tilt my head to look at Suho who was unmistakably sitting next to Lay and Kai.

"Yeah, that you guys are gross," Chanyeol said in disgust and turned to Suho. "I really didn't think you'd let her charms get to you Suho."

"There are no charms!" Suho waved his hands at him in frustration. "Look, here I have the photos."

I straighten up at the mention of the photos, remembering that it was what Borin used to blackmail Sehun. I walk over to see them as Suho rummages through his pockets. He stared hard at Borin and pointed a finger at her, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "How did you get the phone back?"

"You took it," Chanyeol said defensively. "I got it back for her."

I groan with the other members. Just how ignorant could Chanyeol possibly be to still believe Borin after everything that's happened.

"Forget it," Suho said finally. "She can't stay here anymore."

"What?" Chanyeol scrunched up his face in anger. "Yah, you can't do this, just because you're lead-"

Everyone, including me, put up our hands in a unanimous vote to have Borin leave the dorm. I watch as Chanyeol's face becomes emotionless and he pulls Borin behind him towards his room. "Fine."

The two of them disappear into his room and emerge moments later with Chanyeols suitcase. Kai stands up and stopped him before he reached the door. "You can't leave, you're part of-"

"Let him leave!" Baekhyun said throwing his hands up in the air. "Leave with Borin and find out for yourself just what kind of a person she is. Just don't say we didn't tell you."

I stood there dumbfounded as Chanyeol grabbed Borin's wrist and pulled her out the door. No one moved a muscle for a few minutes to let the atmosphere clear up.

"So," Lay heaved a sigh just as the door to the dorm opened again.

We all stared as Luhan walked in hurriedly. He stopped when he saw us and blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Should we get Ling to come back here?" Lay muttered, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Before that," Luhan rushed to the living room and stopped beside me. "Something's happened to her."

I stare at him as fear rushed down my spine. Could she have been abducted again?

"Young Min's forced her to sign with SM as a rookie Actress."

My eyes widened and we all stared at him. It was worst than being abducted.

-----
Ling's POV

A few days after my meeting with Young Min, I agreed to meet up with my cousin Gabby. I stood at the intersection in front of my hotel waiting for her. She was always late.

My phone rang and I picked it up with a quick swipe of my finger. "Hello?"

"Ling-er," Sehun's voice rang out at me. He had developed a nickname for me in the past few nights we've been meeting up. Although Borin no longer lived it the dorm, there was still some unknown force keeping him from breaking up with her completely.

"You said you're coming over with that cousin of yours later right?"

"Mhmm," I look curiously around. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I hope her bias isn't Chanyeol because he's not agreeing to come home no matter what we say."

I frowned. Chanyeol hasn't been home since the day he left and the only time the members get to see him is when they are on schedule. Even then, they do not share many words between each other.

"No, it shouldn't matter." I sighed as a girl in a bright yellow jacket bounces towards me. Eyes follow her as she pass and I duck my head trying to avoid her.

"Alright then," Sehun said hurriedly. "I'll see you tonight then."

We hung up and I turned to face away from the girl that is drawing closer to me. She pats my shoulder. "Ling-jie (Jie is a term for older sister)"

I turned to her with a groan, almost blinded by her jacket. "Gabby, what are you wearing?"

She frowns at me and push up her thick rimmed glasses. "EXO had a photoshoot for this company."

I narrow my eyes at her as she puckers her glossy pink lips at me to pose.

"Okay okay," I wave at her to stop as people had started to stare at us. "I arranged for us to meet tonight okay?"

Gabby twirls her hair with her finger and nod. Together we head for the mall where she bought us each a coffee. I sip it and watch as she bounces from store to store, trying on clothes.

Around lunch, we made our way to a small diner at the corner of the road. I waited for her to finish taking her photos as my mouth started to water. Finally, she divided the portions and we started to eat. I smile as I remember all the meals I shared with EXO and realized just how much of my life they were a part of.

But in America-

"Ling-jie, are you okay?" I look up to see that my vision was blurred. Tears had started to gather in my eyes without me realizing. I chuckle to myself. How pathetic.

Gabby reaches for my hand and grips it hard. "Talk to me about it."

She was probably one of the last people I wanted to share my problems with at the moment, but talking about it with someone was better than having it bottled up.

I explode. Everything that's been bothering me the past few days all come spewing out all at once. Xiumin, Luhan, Sehun, Young Min, Borin, and of course-

"I have to go to America for training."

Gabby's eyes widen in shock as I finish and hands me a cup of water. "You're going to America?"

I nod, taking a huge gulp of water and wiping away my tears. "I haven't told the EXO members yet, I don't even know if I should tell them."

"Of course, you should tell them," She muttered as if it was obvious. "How upsetting would it be for them to wake up and suddenly realize that you weren't even in the same country as them anymore."

"But the stress-"

"Jie jie!" She whines. "You have to tell them!"

In the end, I agreed with her. It wasn't something I could hide from them even if I tried. The two of us spent the rest of the afternoon discussing all the places she wanted to show me in America. She made the place sound amazing and lessened my anxiety of leaving slightly.

By late afternoon, Gabby was getting restless. As promised, I brought her to EXO's dorm, making sure to blindfold her so she will not remember the location and decide to stalk them later. We walked through the door and was presented with a candle lit cake with the word Gabby written across it with sloppy handwriting.

She squealed as I unblindfolded her and she ran to hug each and every one of the members. Luhan grabs my hand and leads me to the living room where they had decorated excessively with streamers and confetti.

They partied. Despite the language barrier between the majority of the members, Gabby got along well with the Korean members. She didn't question when I said Chanyeol was on late schedule today, nor did she mind when Luhan and Sehun decided to spend the majority of the time next to me. I sat on the couch with the two of them, chattering away about their schedules and the people they had met. I smile sadly to myself as I listen to them talk about their busy lives and suddenly I didn't want to tell them about my going to America.

It'll only stress them out more.

As they settled down Gabby and Lay got into a deep conversation about who's chips tasted better, America's or Koreas. I smile as I look around at the members, all of whom were smiling.

How do I tell them so that I don't hurt anyone's feelings?

My eyes linger on Xiumin who sat on the kitchen stool grinning at the members as they fool around. Our eyes lock and his eyes soften. I could feel the tension between us grow and my heart tugging for me to go to him. How would Xiumin react if I told him I was leaving. I rack my brain trying to imagine how the conversation would carry out.

What even was my relationship with Minseok? Since the plane, we hardly talked and it looked like he had been trying to avoid me as much as possible.

"What did you say?" Lay's voice broke through my thoughts and I tear my eyes away from Xiumin. The room was drowned in silence as Lay shook Gabby's shoulders in confusion.
Gabby's eyes were nervous as she looked from Lay to me.

"Jie jie," She mouthed. "Sorry."

Luhan stood and the members crowded beside him to stand in front of me. In the corner of my eye, I watch as Xiumin hurry over with a worried expression.

The nine members and Nam Soon loom over me like a wall and I feel myself cower before their intense stares.

Sehun's pain filled eyes pierce me, making my heart ache with pain. When he spoke, his voice shook like he was on the verge of falling apart. "Ling, you're going to America?"

Notes

//Author's Notes:
Yes, I realize I ended off the last two chapters with the exact same words, just different punctuation LOL. Ah yes, and of course, Gabby would let it slip. At least now Ling doesn't have to worry about how to tell the members.

Survey: Help me improve my writing <3
Thanks for continuous reading!
Enjoy the story.