/nine/

EXO went on their first tour, Exoplanet #1 - The Lost Planet, only eight days after Yifan left the group. It had all been so quick that Yumi felt like she barely blinked and suddenly everything changed. On May seventh of that previous month, she had been excited and going to a nearby music store to purchase both versions of EXO's Overdose mini album. She had gotten one Korean version and about five Mandarin versions. It had taken her about five tries before she finally got her bias' photo card. She remembered going back home that afternoon with six Overdose albums. She only got one Korean version, and she was satisfied with the photocard she got--Oh Sehun. 

That had been about a month ago, and now she was in China, stalking Wu Yifan. It was all so sudden. Just one week after the release of their comeback and it was announced that Yifan was leaving the group, and a week after that EXO went on their first solo tour.

Yumi had watched his last performance at a fan meet live and she recalled the way he seemed almost on the verge of tears while performing. His embraces with the other members seemed to linger just a little bit longer, and his smiles wore a slight sadness to them which he tried so hard to hide. Perhaps he knew since then that it was the last time they would perform together as EXO, as a twelve member group. Next they performed live again, the members were sad with slumped shoulders and sad smiles. They missed him dearly, but they had to continue without him.

They were EXO after all, and though they hoped he would return to them one day, it was always the same in the entertainment industry. The show must go on. The managers didn't care that EXO was hurting. They had commitments to fulfill, and it wasn't their fault either. It was their job to push their idols to be the best and most talented performers that they could be. EXO certainly had that potential and had shown it countless times.

EXO's first concerts were in Seoul, which was customary. Idols normally tended to perform in the epicenter of Kpop first, and then moved onto other locations. After Seoul, they went to Hong Kong, and were currently in China to perform three shows before continuing to Taiwan. The moment they had arrived in China, she got a video call from Junmyeon. He was looking much better than his previous state. When Yifan left, the others had to work extra hard to make up for his absence. But it was hardest on Junmyeon. He was the leader after all, and now he had to lead all of them without any help. Yifan had been their co-leader, their duizhang, and he was gone.

The leader of EXO greeted her with a wave of his hand and a warm smile. "Annyeong, Yumi-yah." He said.

Ever since reuniting with his childhood friend, he had resolved to talk to her more often. They were friends, and they had been very close when they were children after all. The only reason they had lost contact was because he joined SM Entertainment and hardly had any time for a social life, since he was always training. The little free time he sometimes had was spent with new friends he made at the company--first the boys of SHINee, and later the boys of EXO when he was placed in the group and given the position of leader.

Yumi remembered reading sadly that Junmyeon had been taken out of SHINee's official line up due to an injury, and had been replaced by Choi Minho. She remembered thinking that Junmyeon must have been feeling terrible because his debut would be delayed even longer. But now when she thought back to that moment, she was glad because EXO had gained a wonderful leader. No one, other than Yifan in her opinion, could have been a better leader for them.

She smiled back at him and waved as well. "Hello Jun oppa."

Yumi always made sure to respectfully call him oppa, since he was a few months older than her.

She could already see him in his hotel room, at the next destination where they would be performing. She could tell from the way the lights were dimmed like they normally were at hotels, and there was another bed a few feet away. Junmyeon was alone, and Yumi guessed the others had probably gone out for dinner.

"How have you been lately? I didn't hear from you for a while." He asked her casually, and a bit awkwardly. He hadn't talked to her in a while and wasn't exactly sure how to talk to her. She obviously didn't like the same things she liked when they were kids like ponies and princesses. They were both grown up and had new interests.

She nodded her head slowly. "All is well, Jun."

For the moment, she would keep the news to herself that she was in China. She wanted to find the right moment to tell him that she was there for Yifan and that she would not rest until she could convince him to return to EXO. A part of her in the back of her mind wondered how the other members would take it if she were to manage her goal. But an even bigger part of her wondered how the managers and SM Entertainment would take it. Surely they wouldn't want him back because he was trying to sue them. He was considered a traitor in their eyes. But to Yumi, there was nothing money couldn't fix. Perhaps if her father made them a juicy donation, they would overlook the fact that he had left the company.

But she was getting far ahead of herself. She first had to convince him to return to Korea if she even wanted to think of anything else.

"I was just wondering..." Junmyeon started casually, trailing off at the end. When he had Yumi's attention and she listened attentively to him, he continued, "Have you...heard anything from Yifan lately?"

Of course he figured of all people, she would be the one to know something about him. Either her or Tao, who had been one of his closest friends. But he figured he and Tao were on the same boat. Junmyeon was one of his closest friends and he hadn't talked to him either. Then there was the fact that Tao had madea slip up on social media when Yifan left, and it was common knowledge that Yifan wouldn't talk to him anymore because of it. Tao had called him out for leaving the group and called him a coward. 

The heiress heaved a sigh. This was as good a time as any to tell him that she was precisely in China for Yifan. 

"I got a detective to find him for me, and I moved to China for him." She informed, taking her friend completely off guard.

"What?" He asked, thinking that maybe he hadn't heard her right.

"I moved to China for him." She repeated, with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.

He heaved a sigh, knowing it couldn't be helped. He knew Yumi well and her personality was like that. She would obsess over Yifan for a while and then move onto the next thing. He only hoped Yifan would have patience with her since he knew his former EXO member. He wasn't the most patient person on the planet and was very serious with others. He liked to keep his distance. But when he cared for someone, he really and truly cared about him.

He asked her another question, one that he hadn't mentioned out loud. Not even to the other members. Ever since he left, the other members had been made to pretend as though he never existed. As though he had never been a part of EXO. "Is he doing okay?" His question was hesitant and almost quiet.

"He is." She nodded her reply. Then she added with a small smile. "He looks healthier, and happier." 

Her last words pricked Junmyeon's chest because he knew it was probably true. If he left the group, it meant he was no longer happy. Though he was happy now somewhere else, it hurt him to think so. He had been his friend and he wished he would have noticed it sooner, or he wished he could have done something to help. 

It just hurt Junmyeon that Yifan was happier without them.

"I miss him." Junmyeon confessed, trying to keep his emotions at bay. He didn't want it all to come flooding back like that day when Yifan moved out of the dorms. "I haven't talked to him since he moved out." He said with regret in his words. Now it was probably too late to talk to him. In keeping quiet, he knew it was seen as him and the other members siding with SM. Yifan wouldn't want to talk to them anymore because of that.

"My apartment is literally across the hall from him." She informed him.

Junmyeon's lips broke out into a small smile, even through his sadness as he remembered something that brought him some amusement. "This kind of reminds me of this girl the boys and I met a couple months back." He said, running a hand through his hair as a way to subtly wipe away the tears that had formed in his eyes. "Her name is Guti and she calls herself Baekhyunnie's biggest fan." As soon as he said that, Yumi felt like she could relate to her. She felt the same about Yifan. She was his biggest fan and she swore the two of them would get married one day. 

Junmyeon continued explaining. "Baek's still really salty about it. But apparently they met one day when we got back from practices and it was his turn to go out and bring dinner. She got in the way behind his car and pretended he ran over her." The thought made him break out into a chuckle. Mostly because he found it amusing that Baekhyun had fallen for such a cheap trick. He had to be really innocent to fall for something like that.

As soon as he realized who he was talking to, his eyes widened in horror.

"Don't do something like that with Fan though. Baek was so scared and even offered to drive her to the hospital." He said in a pleading voice. Though the trick had been heard and noted. 

Already there were hundreds of thoughts buzzing in her mind. 

If she could do the same, or something similar, then she could get Yifan to stay by her side. If he thought that he ran her over, just like the other girl did with Baekhyun. He would probably feel guilty about it and take care of her.

Then she might get him to fall in love with her, and she could get him to return to EXO.

Now she just needed something believable, and she needed more information as to how the other girl did it. For that, she would have to go straight to the source. 

She went on instagram and looked under Baekhyun's account. She clicked on the people he followed, looking for any name that looked anything like Guti. In his follow list, there was a girl with the username gutilozz, and Yumi knew it was the person she was looking for. 

With a grin spread across her lips, she hit follow.

-

i wanted to finish this update sooner, but it has been so cold today, so i spent a good amount of my time after work bundled up under the covers in my room. y'all who live in places where it actually gets cold are probably laughing at me. i perish in temperatures of 60 degrees and colder. 

i'm used to sunlight and warmth. 

but anyway, here's another chapter for this story. i wanted to also finish this sooner so i could write a new chapter for my wang eun fic. but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

-clary