A Bittersweet Smile

Moving On

 “Hyung, you should rest. You’re still not fully recovered.”

“I’m okay Chan Yeol. I like to move around. Resting too much would make me fat.”

He just laughed off the member’s concern. It’s been a week since Xiu Min got out from the hospital. Everyone became extra careful, now that the eldest has to be taken care of frequently. Instead of resting, Xiu Min preferred to do the chores himself. He knows that Baek Hyun, Chan Yeol, or the maknaes doesn’t know how to do the daily chores.

I was busy playing with Se Hun when his phone suddenly rang.

“Umin, you’re phone is ringing.”

He looked at the caller and his face suddenly showed fear.

 “Yes? ... Of course. ... Alright, I’ll be there.”

After he hanged up his phone, he rushed to his room to grab a jacket and hurriedly went out the door.

“Where is Xiu Min hyung going?”

Lay is here? I thought that was Lay on the phone.

“Yi Xing, why are you here? I thought Xiu Min was talking with you at the phone.”

“I was sleeping in my room.”

Damn. Something might have happened.

--

Everyone was alert and awake in the living room of the M’s dorm. Everyone had been waiting for Xiu Min. He never answered the calls of the members, even the managers. They think that something might have happened, like he got into an accident, or collapsed. Baek Hyun and Chan Yeol’s idea was that he was abducted by the sasaeng fans on his way here.

Because of the concern that he is giving, I couldn’t stay put and decided to look for him myself. I went to my room and grabbed my jacket when my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“ . . . . ”

“I’m sorry. I don’t have time for your pra-“

“Lu~ge”

Xiu Min? He’s the only one who’s calling me with that.

“Min Seok ah. Where are you? I’ll come and fetch you.”

“Lu. Sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

--

Xiu Min called me when he was drunk. After that night, Lay wouldn’t let Xiu Min off his sight. He was scolded. Lay said that he wasn’t supposed to drink, not even a single drop, of alcohol. But Xiu Min is already in a legal age, right? This is what made the members doubt about the things going on between Lay and Xiu Min.

One day, we saw them hugging while sleeping at our practice room. We tried to get it out of them but they bulge. Then we saw them sneaking out together on a cafe. That’s when we finally got them to confess.

“Hyung, isn’t that Lay and Umin hyung?”

We were strolling around a neighbourhood in Garosu-gil when we saw Xiu Min and lay laughing together inside a cafe. Lay doesn’t even like coffee.

“I’m sure that something is going on between them.”

And so, that night we made them confess.

“Lay, you know that we all know that you don’t like coffee.”

This was the first topic of our family meeting.

“Before, yes. But because of ... I just started to like coffee. Why?”

“Come on. ‘Fess up. What’s between you and Min Seok?”

“What’s between you and Tao?” Lay counter-attacked.

Kris didn’t talk then. We all knew that Kris and Tao are *ehem* in a relationship.

“Just tell them Lay.”

It was Xiu Min who talked this time, and what he said slightly confirmed our suspicions.

Lay sighed. “Xiu Min. . . . And I. We’re in . . . a relationship”

Guess I was right. Lay is the reason. I just can’t accept the fact that Xiu Min broke up with me because of him. I was always praised before compared to Lay. I have more talent. In rankings, I always got the higher places. But why? Why does it have to be Lay?

--

“Se Hun~ah. I like you. Do you think I have a chance in your heart?”

Se Hun stared at me with a shocked expression.

“H- hyung. What did you say?”

“I like yo-“

I wasn’t able to finish my confession because Se Hun grabbed me and hugged me so tightly.

“Hyung, you already stole my heart. You think that doesn’t give you a chance?”

I was surprised and taken aback. Se Hun liked me? Since when?

--

“Lu, wake up. Lu”

Who’s that? I still need to sleep. My head hurts, and so did my body.

“Xiao Lu, wake up.”

Se Hun?

“Se Hun, just 10 more minutes.”

“Lu Han! God forsake you, wake up or else I’ll pour these coffee on your face.”

I didn’t bulge. Not until I felt a burning sensation on my skin.

“Ahhhh!! Ahh! Shit! What the hell Xiu Min?”

“I asked your boyfriend to wake you up nicely but you didn’t. I already warned you. Now get up if you don’t want me to pour a whole glass of boiling water on your pretty face.”

I instantly stood up and saw Xiu Min smirk before leaving the room.

“Hyung, are you ok?”

Se Hun was about to touch my face when I moved away from him.

“It’s okay Se Hun. It still stings so don’t touch it, please.”

“Okay hyung. Just get out in 10 minutes before Min Seok hyung tries to splash you with hot water.”

“Arraseo.”

Before Se Hun left, I heard him laugh quietly. I looked at my face in the mirror.

“That Baozi will pay for what he’d done. My baby skin. What a waste.”

Then I saw a round container on top of my cabinet.

“Burn Ointment of XX? Se Hun must’ve left it for me.”

I got out of my room and saw Lay hugging Xiu Min from the back.

“Lay, get away from me or else I won’t cook beef soup for you.”

Lay stiffened and finally let go. He sat on the chair, pouting, when he saw me.

“Oh, Lu Han. What happened to your face?”

“Ask that steamed bun there.”

Then I started to do my morning rituals.