Xiumin's POV

I stood at the front steps of the dorm, hands still shaking within the pockets of my jacket. Inside my bag was the stack of papers Young Min had given me. The contract. It's presence was what was preventing me from returning.

It had surprised me that he would let me take it home to look at rather than sign it right there on the spot. He was never one to give time for contracts, it had always been sign and regret later. I heaved a sigh and once again made a u-turn at the doorsteps, feeling the contract burn through my backpack.

A contract for me to date Ling openly.

I couldn't help but let a small smile slide up my lips. That'd be nice.

"Hyung?"

I looked up, the colour draining out of my face and my hands automatically going to my bag.
It was Chanyeol. He was wearing his shades but lifted them to get a better look at me. His eyes drifted to my bag, but made no look of curiosity.

"Are you going in?" He asked.

"Y-yeah." I muttered and turned back to the door only to realize that Chanyeol had placed a hand on my shoulder. I froze.

"I heard you went to meet the boss." He said, a hint of worry in his voice.

I gave a light nod. "I did, yes."

"What did you talk about?"

There was a moment of silence that lingered between us. His grip tightened on my shoulder and finally released after a few seconds of reconsideration. I straightened up and fixed my jacket to rid of the wrinkles he gave me.

"Sorry." He said quietly.

I shook my head. Whatever, it wasn't like the younger members were always respectful.

Wanting to leave the awkward the atmosphere, I walked to the front of the door and turned open the door knob only to be stopped again by his boyish voice.

"Was Borin there?" He asked quickly.

I spun around to look at him, a look of disbelief shot across my face. Was that, a hint of longing in his voice?

"She was."

Chanyeol let his sunglasses down and made it impossible for me to read him. He smiled at me then proceeded to enter the dorm before me, bumping me in the chest with his shoulder as he went.

As for me, I stood again on the front porch, alone and rather confused, watching his back drift away until eventually it disappears with the closure of the front door.
Was it just me, or did Chanyeol seem, different than usual?

-----
Sehun's POV

Ling was in the kitchen when I returned late from my schedule. Her hands were wrapped around what looks like a jar of kimchi. Beside her, wearing pink aprons, were Yixing and Baekhyun. Their eyes were fixed on the bowl on the counter, mouth hanging open in a look of absolute hunger.

I made my way to the front counter and sat in one if the bar stools, letting the smell of the spicy fermentation touch my nose.

"What are you making?" I asked in a some what sing song voice.

Yixing's eyes moved to me for a brief second, but all threw of them made no effort to acknowledge my existence. I blinked, a bit confused.

"Hyung!" I tried again, this time louder. "What are you-"

"Kimchi." Baekhyun said impatiently, smacking his lips as Ling shredded another piece. "Yixing and I picked it up when we went to get Ling from the hospital."

I almost cursed out loud. Right, Ling was discharged this morning, how did I forget?

Yixing's eyes fell on me again, his expression flat and unchanged. I looked up at him, our eyes locking and waited for him to say something.

He didn't. No one did.

"What happened?" I asked. "Is Ling alright?"

As if on cue, Tao broke out in a fit of laughter in the living room. His laughter filled the quiet dorm making him sound quite insane.

"Hey," he called out to what I presumed was me. "You're girlfriend is a piece of work isn't she."

"My, girlfriend?"

"Eunbi? Jaehwa? What was it," his hoarse voice was sarcastic. "What's the word to describe her..."

My temples hardened with irritation as I waited for his next words. They came slow. He was playing with me.

"You're girlfriend is a bitch." He finished.

"What do you want Tao." I growled and stood up abruptly, knocking the chair back with a loud bang.

I saw his grey haired head bob up and down slightly before it disappeared behind the couch with a small excited giggle.

Just when I thought that it may have been over, Yixing moved around the corner to pick up the chair again. He tossed me a glare then pushed me back with a harsh finger.

It hurt.

"Ling?" My eyes went to the back if her head. Her brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail and her figure was outlined nicely with her simple t-shirt and shorts. I watched her shoulders rise and fall as she took her slow and steady breaths, making me even more anxious.

"Lin-"

"Shut it," Baekhyun reached over the counter and grabbed my collar. "Do you know where we found her? DO YOU?"

Just as I was about to be filled in on everything that had happened, Yixing stopped him. He shook his head and nodded his head in Ling's direction before returning to her side with a gleaming smile.

Baekhyun locked eyes with me and together we listened to the clatter of the dishes. Not a minute later, a call resonated from my phone. My pathetic ringtone fell flat in the silent dorm, echoing through the halls.

"Pick it up." Baekhyun commanded.

My eyes drifted to my phone where the screen was lit with the information of the caller. Her name, in big bold letters, urgent yet un-welcoming stung my eyes with annoyance.

Eunjae.

-----
Luhan's POV

I was on set until very late into the night. I was casted into a drama that required a lot, if not too many, night scenes.

I yawned as I crawled into my manager's black van and settled in to the back seat, secluded from the noise and socialization. My eye lids slid closed as I drifted off slightly, head bouncing as the car came to a halt and started again.

"Lu," My manager turned in his seat to wake me. "You're phone is buzzing."

I shook myself awake and looked down at the noise. Why was someone calling me at this hour?

With a yawn, I picked up the phone and brought it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Yes," it was a voice that was unfamiliar to me. "I have on record here, that you have violated your contract with SM entertainment."

I blinked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I think you should come and take a look at it for yourself." The voice, seemingly male, said. "The consequences are, quite, grave."

My brows furrowed and I exchanged a confused look with my manager. He mouthed a word in question of who's on the other end of the call, but I didn't know how to answer.

"I'm sorry, I have to talk to my boss about this." I muttered, hiding my concern.

"That would be Kim Young Min right?" The other replied. "See, the name we got when this was reported was exactly this person."

"I- what?" A sudden rush of panic rushed over me. "What do you mean?"

"Look, can you meet or not?" The person was clearly annoyed.

I bit my lip and let my eyes drop to my, now cold, hands. Young Min is suing me? But it hasn't even been that long since we signed the newest contract.

My mind flashed to the black letter I found in Ling's room this afternoon. Cut, forgotten and, replanted.

A frown settled on my face as I tried to connect the dots together. Just, what was happening?

"Excuse me?" The voice shot through my thoughts.

"Ah, yes."

"When did you want to meet?"

Notes

I thought I already posted this ... but apparently not o _o

here's two chapters today lol