Deer Luhan, With Love

48

Chapter 48 – In Which I Spend Most of the Day Hiding in Closets

Deer Luhan,

Is there a word for a phobia of closets?  Because I think I have closetrophobia.  It's not claustrophobia, either way.

Leigh

Luhan went to bed early.  I was pretty certain it was as much to do with wanting some privacy after trying not to cry on my shoulder as it was to do with him being tired, so I made his excuses to Kris and found myself being roped into the whole-group video chat we were having that evening with EXO-K.

“Do the managers really have to join in with this?” Chen complained as I set up Luhan’s computer for the call, since it was the one with the best quality video and sound.

“Our one, yes,” Kris threw back over his shoulder as he headed down the hallway.  “He’s the one organising what happens when they arrive on Friday and he wants to brief all twelve of us together.”

“Why?” Chen whined softly, slumped further down the sofa beside me.  I ignored him and put through the call, even though I secretly agreed: it was an annoyance that the manager had to be there.  I was pretty sure everything that needed to be said could be relayed to the K boys later in the week.

“You’ll live,” grunted Xiumin, plopping down on my other side.  Lay settled himself in Xiumin’s lap.

The call was answered by Chanyeol and Baekhyun, both seated comfortably on the sofa in their dorm and grinning broadly.

“Hi!” they chorused.

I was about to greet them in return when I felt somebody breathing down the back of my neck.  Screaming, I flailed about on the sofa for a few seconds (Lay steadied the laptop) before I turned my head and saw Tao, who was looking a little amused.

“Let me guess!” Chanyeol clapped his hands together.  “You’re….”  He squinted.  “Bambi?” he tried.

“That joke is not new.”

“Apparently you’ve been talking about Sehun in your sleep,” said D.O.’s voice in English, followed shortly by his head appearing between Chanyeol’s and Baekhyun’s.

“F*ck off, D.O.  I know I don’t sleeptalk.”

“It’s Leigh,” D.O. informed the others, returning to Korean.  “See, she automatically thinks it’s to do with her whenever anybody mentions Sehun.”  Apparently my knowledge of English didn’t factor into this at all.

“Who’s mentioning me?”  Sehun appeared, eating a rice cake.

“Nobody,” said D.O.  “And sit down – you’re too tall.”

Chanyeol grinned at him.  “We should water you and stick you out in the sun.”

D.O. just gave him a bland look.  “Photosynthesis is not my style.”

Chen let out a dramatic sigh.  “D.O., don’t cramp Kris’ style.  It doesn’t suit you.”

D.O. ignored him and turned to address me in English.  “We’ve been hearing whisperings of visas for you from the SuJu guys,” he said.  “You are absolutely not allowed to fly home before we get to China on Friday, even if it means hiding in a closet for the next few days.”

I gave him a wan smile.  “They said at least a week to get the papers ready.  I’ll be there whether I like it or not.”

“Sweet!” cooed Kai’s voice from offscreen.  “I get birthday cake baked by Leigh!”