Belated Bloom - Lay (EXOxLay)

Ripple Effect

3 days.

Exo hadn't seen Yixing for 3 days! and SM wasn't telling them anything.

The omegas had become a complete mess; Tao was struggling around the other two without Yixing's helpful tips and encouragement. While Baekhyun was constantly working to ease the unrest of Yixing's absence amongst the members.

Minseok and Yifan had been denied any details up front when they had asked Kim Young-min about the specifics of Yixing's whereabouts and absence- they were extremely worried, which was slowly evolving into aggression.

Even more unsettling; their manager kept hush about the whole thing! He obviously knew something was going on, and it all seemed a little too secretive for comfort.

By the fourth day even Jongin and Kyungsoo, the most harmonious duo in Exo, were at each other's throats; Jongin- frustrated by the disappearance of his best friend, and Kyungsoo- going through severe caffeine withdrawal (Jongin wasn't making coffee for him in the mornings because he was so distressed, and while Kyungsoo was also very worried about their missing hyung he couldn't understand why the coffee had to suffer?!)

All-in-all Exo was a mess; waiting, worrying, and working themselves to the ends of their fuses, hoping everyday for some word about Yixing.

At 4:38PM on the fifth day their manager announced Yixing was returning to the dorms and promptly left for the night (he had his own pack and didn't like to linger in the dorms too long) refusing to give any more information, promising that Yixing could inform them if he wished. So they all gathered in the living, scattered throughout the small room, waiting for their friend to walk in the door.

At 4:49PM faint beeps could be heard from the front door, and the low whine of squeaky hinges alerted the boys that someone had entered the dorm.

The first thing that caught nearly everyone's attention was the smell...it was the scent of an unknown beta, definitely not their manager- and definitely not Yixing...right?

Minseok cocked his head to the side trying to decipher if the person was a threat, next to him Baekhyun tensed and squeezed his arm alerting Minseok to his unease.

"Wait here" he whispered to the group. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo seemed confused but Minseok simply tapped his nose twice, signaling to the two ungendered that it was a scent issue, before moving towards the small entryway.

Whoever had entered their dorm still hadn't made their way into the living room.

'Odd' Minseok couldn't help but think. It had been over 30 seconds since the door had opened, confusing them all with the scent that had followed.

Minseok's steps were light but his scent began to permeate the entrance to the hallway as his protective instincts took over. 'This is our home. No one will ever hurt what's mine.'

The stranger had still not left the entry way, so Minseok silently came to a stop just at the corner where the wall turned to meet the entryway- he crouched low and peeked just around the corner.

The intruder was sitting on the small step just inside the door, dark hoodie pulled up over his head- it looked like he was...taking his shoes off?

'While I'm grateful he isn't tracking dirt onto my lovely clean floors, who the hell takes off their shoes when they break in?' Minseok couldn't see the face, but he was sure it was a male beta crouched on their step.

'Such a weird person' he thought, now fully looking around the corner in open curiosity.

Suddenly the figure turned towards him as if to enter the home. Minseok couldn't let this opportunity to control the situation slip- so before the figure fully turned and spotted him, he pounced. He bowled over the figure with all of his strength sending them both a few feet back into the front door.