DAY 16

Taemin drove you back to the hotel last night, and had left with a silent goodbye. Right after he left, however, you recieved a call from him. And all he said was, "If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always call. I think you're a charming girl, and life will be tough, but you can make it.

But all you could say in return was "thank you" and then he hung up.

This morning, your friends seemed to sense your bad mood. They had let you oversleep and had left you a note:

Hey, we don't know what happened last night, but cheer up, kay? :) Here's some cash for treats. Get some rest today and don't let anything not worth it bother you!

They had paper-clipped some bills with the note. 

Everything everyone was doing was all very nice and you appreciated all of it. But there was only one thing that would make you feel better for real. The reassurance from the man himself.

And so here you are, in front of their dorms, with your hand in the air, ready to ring the doorbell. Then you hesitate, and you put your hand down. The second time you've done that. It's mid-morning now, and you should think that they're all awake and resting peacefully after their trip. You raise your hand slowly again. And this time, you ring it. You're ready.

Well...you aren't ready for this. Because the person who answers the door is Kai himself, wide eyes staring straight at yours. Okay, maybe you hadn't prepared yourself for this because now you can't seem to talk. 

"Hey." You try to say. Then you throw in a smile, just to seem casual. But then suddenly, the lie seems smoother, easier. And as he moves his hand from the doorknob to his side, you take it in yours and casually stroll into the dorm. As you recall, Kyungsoo had once said that you were welcome to visit whenever, a conversation you had with him when you first met the other members, and so you didn't feel that uncomfortable walking in. But Kai is a little slow at realizing that you meant to come in, and he's still standing still for a few seconds, then follows behind you after closing the door.

"Hi. Hey. What's up?" He asks you. He has a smile on too, but it's wrong. All wrong. Because at a moment like this, you know he wouldn't be smiling. He'd be smirking. 

"Nothing! I just wanted to see you after you got back from your trip." From the corner of your eye, you see him wince slightly. Because he knows, and you know, that you already saw him after they arrived.

But his smile is back on. "Oh! Um, the other members are out getting snacks. I woke up late today..." He chuckles. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

You sit down on the couch. "No, I'm fine. How was it?"

"Good. The performance went great and I'm really happy. And the fansign went alright too..." There's a silence. And then you can't stand it anymore.

"Taemin and I went to pick you up yesterday..."

He looks at you, his expression is one of guilt and sadness. "I know. I'm sorry..."

"What happened?"

"I...um, I felt ashamed."

"What? Why?" You don't want to urge him, but you're desperate to know. And he tells you. He tells you what happened to him and the members at the fansign.

They had taken a break in the middle of the fansign. The fans were in one area, talking amongst themselves. Kai was talking with Chanyeol near the table, and went to drink from a water bottle. Then he heard shouts, and turned around. And as he did, a female fan grabbed him and wouldn't let go. She hugged him tightly, and him, too in shock, didn't react fast enough. And just as he started to try and push her away, she started to say, "Oppa~ It's me!" And as he felt her hug tighten, he had thought of you and his instinct kicked in: he pushed her. He pushed her too hard, however, and she fell on the ground. The expression she gave him was one of shock and hurt. The guards took her away and he had stood there, shocked at himself, unsure of what to do. And now he felt ashamed and embarrassed. Why? Because later he had found out that that wasn't a female fan, that was a fairly new trainee at their company, whom he had only met once or twice, so he hadn't immediately recognized her. His managers are constantly scolding him for his rash behavior, he's being punished, has to work more. Fans are spreading rumors, EXO's popularity is on the edge as people are misunderstanding the situation. He's apologized to the girl multiple times; she understands and is trying her best to tell as many people as she can that clear up the rumors. 

"So...why didn't you go back with us?"

"Because I thought you heard, I didn't know what you'd think. Because...I can't see you for the next few days. For the next week, at least. I'm...being punished."

In your mind, you go, Oh... So that's why. And suddenly you feel desperate. "But I'm going to be gone! I'm leaving in five days!" In the first place, it was only a three week trip. His eyes widen.

"What? Why didn't you tell me this before?" He looks hurt. Then he slowly pulls you in for a hug.

"Jongin...I thought you knew." You hug him back. "Are you...free today?"

"Yes...But just today. We get some rest since yesterday was really...busy." He looks you in the eye. Then he kisses you lightly. "Let's do something today, okay?"

"Yes please." You say quietly. Quietly because you felt close to crying. But also because you're wondering, will this be my last day with him?

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NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: (130621) Hi everyone! I wanted to update this as soon as I could, so I'm sorry if there's any typos! If you find a typo, could you tell me? Thanks!

School's almost over for me! T^T All my EXO buddies around the world are already out of school! I can't wait until I'm done! :) Then I'll shower you all with lots of updates XD Saranghaeyo~