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===
“Oh my god, you got invited?”
“No way!”
“I didn’t even know that was allowed…”
“No fair! How come I didn’t get one?”
Hakyeon stares down at the thick envelope. The fancy silver trim and gold lettering are beginning to hurt his eyes, and the shrieks from his members aren’t helping. He taps the invitation, convincing himself that it’s actually his name on the paper. 차학연. It’s even written in obnoxious, sparkly font.
“Hyung, you won’t believe what Hakyeon hyung just got!”
Hakyeon looks up to see Taekwoon tugged into the room by Sanghyuk. His face looks reluctant at best, but the minute he sees the invitation, his eyes narrow. He barely has time to sit down before the other four are screeching again.
“Hyung, you have to take pictures! And a costume!”
“You have to get the sickest costume! You’re representing our company!”
“Is that what I think it is?” Taekwoon mutters under his breath.
“Yeah,” Hakyeon replies, eyes still trained on the invitation. “I think this is a joke.”
Taekwoon grunts and reaches for the paper. “‘You are cordially invited,’” he reads. “‘To attend the 2015 SM Company Halloween Party.’”
“I feel sick.” Hakyeon rubs his face. Of all the people in the world, of all the people not in SM, why was he invited? This has to be some kind of joke. Then again, who plays a joke on such expensive, gold paper?
“Guess you better get a costume.” Taekwoon throws the invitation in the air. Jaehwan grabs it first, giving a triumphant yell before he runs out the door. The others follow quickly behind him, and Hakyeon just closes his eyes. This has to be some kind of a joke.
===
It’s nearly ten in the night when the members stop shouting about the invitation. Hakyeon feels especially weary when he stumbles into the kitchen, scrolling through his contacts list. “Who invited me…”
“You know exactly who it’s from.” Taekwoon walks into the kitchen, grabbing the pot of coffee before joining Hakyeon at the table. “Minseok.”
“Maybe it’s from Seohyun sunbae.”
Taekwoon merely glares at him.
“Okay, so maybe it is from Minseok.”
“It definitely is.”
Hakyeon rolls his eyes. “Yeah, well I didn’t think he’d invite me. I didn’t even know that was allowed. Besides, we’re not that good of friends.”
“...What.”
“I mean, you know. We talk. And, like, do radio shows. And stuff.”
“Doesn’t he text you? All the time?”
“Not all the time.”
Taekwoon grabs his phone, scrolling through it despite Hakyeon’s protests. He squints before showing Hakyeon a message.
[From: Minseokkie] August 8th, 8:34 a.m.
Good morning! It’s going to be extra sunny today so don’t forget to wear sunscreen! :)
“That’s not what it looks like.”
“It’s disgusting, that’s what it looks like.”
Hakyeon screeches when Taekwoon tosses away his phone. “Friendships are very important, okay?” he says, picking up his phone to gently wipe it. “So maybe we share skincare tips and ramen recipes, and maybe he gives me a ride in his car. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Then why are you freaking out? Just go to the party.”
“I can’t.” Hakyeon lets out a long whine, ignoring Taekwoon’s disturbed expression. “He’s Xiumin.”
“So.”
“So? So, he’s EXO. You know, big EXO. World EXO. I-have-fans-who-know-everything-and-will-ruin-your-life EXO.”
“That’s every idol.”
“But he’s super. You know. Super. I can’t be that close to him.”
“Okay, this is sounding super stupid so I’m going to go to sleep, and you’re going to that party, so get over it.”
“I haven’t even sent my RSVP yet.”
“Oh, I already sent it for you.” Taekwoon calmly gets up, ignoring Hakyeon’s choked gasp. “The day you got it.”
“What?!”
===
The thing is, Hakyeon gets along with everybody. Part of it comes from being the youngest of four children, another part from being an inherently likeable person, and some part from being in this industry. It’s a standard to be cordial, and it’s always best to pretend to be friends rather than enemies. Still, Hakyeon had figured that if he was going to spend all that time filming and singing and idol-ing with these people, he might as well be actual friends with them.
But with Minseok, there is a fine line between friendship and respect. Hakyeon would be lying if he says he doesn’t place Minseok, and the rest of EXO, on a pedestal. A group as talented as they were famous, a group as unattainable as them, it would do more harm than good to be friends with them. So Hakyeon kept it to polite bows, a few shared smiles and brief chats in passing, but nothing more than that.
Until Minseok came along.
===
“What is the best movie of 2015?” Sanghyuk begins.
“Mad Max!” Wonshik shouts, dramatically flipping over on his bed. “Witness me!”
“Um, no.” Sanghyuk kicks him off the bed. “It’s Inside Out. Which is exactly why, hyung--” He gives Hakyeon a pointed look. “You need to dress up as one of those characters.”
Hakyeon narrows his eyes when Wonshik starts cackling from the floor. “No.”
“Oh, come on. You’d be perfect as Fear. You’re always scared of everything.”
“He has a point,” Hongbin calls out.
“I refuse to be painted purple.”
“You could go as Pluto,” Jaehwan jumps in, an impish grin on his face. “Always lonely… floating awkwardly at the edge of everything…”
Sanghyuk snorts when Hakyeon moves to strangle Jaehwan, watching with interest when Jaehwan shrieks that he can’t breathe. “You could go as Taekwoon hyung and not talk. I would love that.”
Hongbin throws his hand in the air. “Me too!”
“Ungrateful brats!” Hakyeon yells. He reaches for all of their necks, punching the ones who manage to get away. Sanghyuk gets one more punch, just because he’s the biggest brat. “You’re all just jealous.”
“Tell us your secret, hyung,” Jaehwan says, dramatically flopping into Hakyeon’s lap. “How did you become best friends with such a famous person?”
“Bet Minseok hyung promised to be his friend if he’d just stop talking,” Hongbin mutters. Sanghyuk laughs when Hakyeon throws a pillow at his head.
===
Minseok, Hakyeon thinks, is a pretty easy person to read. He’s reserved, quiet, shy-- a bit like Taekwoon, but with a little more cute and a little less glower. Taekwoon’s adorable in his own way, but there’s something particularly endearing about big eyes paired with a toothy smile. And for all his cuteness, Minseok has a surprisingly firm handshake and a strong voice with a determined glimmer in his eyes. He’s a fighter, Hakyeon realized at their first passing. They had no more than twenty seconds for rushed bows and flimsy handshakes, but Hakyeon had felt like he knew everything there was to Xiumin. A star, a fighter, a leader in his own right-- he was beyond Hakyeon’s reach.
Which is why he expected nothing more than resilience from him when that entire ex-member debacle occurred. The world might have anticipated EXO’s end but Hakyeon knew better; he knew someone like Xiumin could take it all. But it still felt wrong to see someone his age so worn, so when no amount of makeup could cover EXO’s tired faces and everyone held their breath as they waited for EXO to fall apart, Hakyeon remembers stepping behind Minseok at some awards show and gently patting his shoulder. And then Minseok smiled, like really smiled, and snorted at some absolutely stupid joke Hakyeon said-- it made him pause and rewind and repeat everything he had ever known about Xiumin, about Kim Minseok, because none of it made sense anymore.
===
Hakyeon’s sitting on the couch, a drama script in his lap as he tries to fight off sleep, when his phone buzzes. It’s too late in the night for it to be anyone important-- unless it’s Ryeowook hyung drunk texting, in which case it’s always too late for that-- so Hakyeon ignores it. Then it buzzes again. And again.
[From: Minseokkie] 01:34 a.m.
Are you still awake?
[From: Minseokkie] 01:35 a.m.
Did you get the invitation?
[From: Minseokkie] 01:35 a.m.
I hope I didn’t send it to the wrong address…
Hakyeon bites his lip before typing a line, deleting it, typing again. He groans loudly; he’s getting worked up over a little text.
[From: Me] 01:38 a.m.
I got it :)
There. Hakyeon sighs. Simple and friendly. Nothing too difficult about that. He frowns, squinting down at his reply. But is it too simple? Does it make it seem like he’s not interested?
[From: Minseokkie] 01:39 a.m.
Great! \O/ I’m really excited to see you there!
He’s excited. Hakyeon stifles a squeal. He’s excited to see me. Wonshik walks into the room, shuffling away when he sees Hakyeon’s smile.
[From: Minseokkie] 01:40 a.m.
Did you choose a costume yet?
[From: Me] 01:41 a.m.
No T_T What about you?
[From: Minseokkie] 01:41 a.m.
I’m thinking Chucky? That creepy doll?
[From: Me] 01:41 a.m.
TT______TT
[From: Minseokkie] 01:42 a.m.
Don’t worry. I won’t bite you ;)
Hakyeon screams.
“What happened?!” Wonshik runs back into the room, eyes wide as he takes in Hakyeon rolling on the floor.
“Oh my god,” Hakyeon whispers. “Is he flirting…”
[From: Minseokkie] 01:43 a.m.
But I’m really excited to see what you’ll dress up as! I’m sure you’ll be cute *_*
“Make it stop,” Wonshik whines when Hakyeon flushes. He looks over Hakyeon’s shoulder to read the texts, retching when he finishes the latest message. “You two need to just get a room.”
Hakyeon punches him. “It’s not like that.”
“Right.” Wonshik snorts. “I haven’t seen you this excited since our debut.”
“Please, it’s nothing.” Hakyeon turns over his phone, trying to focus on his script again. “Minseok’s just a really friendly guy.”
“If I roll my eyes anymore, I’ll be blind,” Wonshik says. “Anyways, did you decide on a costume yet? I still think that Mad Max idea is badass.”
“No, and no I’m not dressing up as a bald, white child. Besides, I might not even go.”
“That’s stupid and you know it.”
“I don’t know.” Hakyeon sighs. He tosses his script away, too tired to read the lines anymore. “Minseok’s being too nice to me. I feel like I’m taking advantage of his kindness…”
Wonshik snorts. “Please. I would take advantage of Jongin and Taemin if I had the chance.”
“...”
“...That came out wrong.”
“Yeah. Don’t talk to me again.”
===
Any relationship is a two-way street of giving and receiving. Hakyeon is great at both, because just as much as he likes to receive love, he likes giving it right back. Minseok, on the other hand, is all about giving.
Like Hakyeon’s first radio gig, where he was only a sub-MC but it was still terrifying and like debuting all over again. Fifteen minutes before air, he had holed himself up in the bathroom, hands and voice shaking far too much to go out. And then Minseok came out of nowhere.
“Hakyeon?”
Understanding murmurs, a strong hand leading him back to the recording studio-- Hakyeon still wasn’t sure where he came from. (“I was actually just here for a filming. It’s great I ran into you, Hakyeon.”) What Hakyeon was sure of was that Minseok had pressed a cup of water into his hand, whispered that he’d be fine, and had stood outside the viewing window the entire show. No one does that.
“See, you did great!” Minseok said afterwards. He smiled brightly up at Hakyeon. “Let me treat you to dinner.”
Thirty minutes later, Minseok bought him hanwoo. Three hours later, Minseok gave him his phone number. And three weeks later, Minseok called in on his radio show because, “Of course I’d do that for my good friend.”
It only grew from there. First came the texts, once a week and then every day and finally, with almost every meal. Hakyeon came to expect them like clockwork, almost like the monthly shopping dates Minseok would set up. They’d dress in ridiculous incognito outfits (“They know who we are…” “Shh, Hakyeon. They don’t know anything.”) and go for coffee afterwards. Sometimes, Minseok would cry over his height, staring enviously up at him, and other times, Hakyeon would complain about how Minseok looked good in all the cute hats at the stores. Dinners, drinks and karaoke, movie nights in SM’s drafty practice rooms-- it happened so quickly, maybe too quickly.
They came from different companies, different places, and no one in this industry got along this well. It just seemed too good. They fell together a little too easily, became a little too comfortable and sincere around each other, especially when Minseok starts revealing the softer sides of him, the sides, “I can’t really show to my dongsaengs, you know?”
Minseok would sometimes get very quiet, uncharacteristically still and blank as if he were questioning everything he was-- everything Hakyeon believed he was.
“It’d be tough if I showed them how tired I am. The oldest has to be the strongest.” Minseok laughed weakly. “Even if I lose the most.”
“… Minseok…”
“But I have you now.” And he smiled so brightly that Hakyeon knew he was being sucked into something he might never be able to walk away from.
===
“Maybe I’ll just recycle one of our stage outfits,” Hakyeon sighs. “I could go as a well-dressed voodoo doll.”
“Lame,” Hongbin says. “So lame.”
“You could go in our Hyde outfit.” Sanghyuk smirks. “Complete with the black lipstick.”
“Let that die,” Wonshik cries out.
“You have to at least try and look good, hyung,” Jaehwan jumps in. “You’re going to a super party.”
Hakyeon groans. For the past few weeks, he’d been looking online for a costume and everything was either incredibly sexual or incredibly stupid. Honestly, recycling one of their old stage outfits doesn’t sound so bad; people seemed to like it enough the first time. Then again, everyone is probably going as a vampire. Or a robot. Or a chained up human that not so vaguely alludes to BDSM.
“The real question is, hyung, how far are you willing to go?” Hongbin asks, sitting up to look at Hakyeon. “I mean, anyone can slap on a cat headband and pretend they’re a lion. It’s all about dedication.”
“I’d like to look sane.”
“Too late,” Sanghyuk says. “You should go all out and do a Sasuke cosplay. Everyone loves Sasuke.”
“Only you do, you nerd,” Hongbin snorts.
“This is exhausting,” Hakyeon complains as Hongbin and Sanghyuk start yelling at each other. He flops onto the couch, leaning against Jaehwan. “All this work for a costume party.”
“It’s supposed to be huge!” Jaehwan waves his arms in excitement, almost hitting Hakyeon in the face. “There’s food, drinks, beautiful people, drinks…”
“You should go for me,” Hakyeon says. “I’m too old for this anyways.”
“I totally would. I’m still pissed Kyungsoo didn’t invite me,” Jaehwan pouts. “I thought we were best friends.”
Hakyeon raises an eyebrow. “Do you ever even see Kyungsoo?”
“Yes,” Jaehwan huffs. “We go to, like, group dinners. Once a month. Maybe.”
Hakyeon laughs.
===
Hakyeon doesn’t even remember the last time he and Minseok had once a month dinners. In fact, Minseok might have just started with weekly dinners, insisting that they needed to try all the restaurants in Seoul. Even when they were overseas, Minseok would send him pictures of food he’d eaten and then call to talk about it.
“You guys are on a level beyond friendship,” Taekwoon once said. He stared at Hakyeon’s text inbox-- three-hundred and sixty-five messages from Minseok alone this month-- and let out a slow breath. “That’s a level beyond dating too.”
Hakyeon isn’t sure what it-- them-- is. They go to dinners, musicals, movies, and once, Minseok had introduced him as, “my best friend,” to some people when they went out. They probably snuck around to meet each other more often than actual idol couples did, and Minseok had even decided on a secret handshake for backstage meet-ups. Everything that they did grew and grew until one day, Hakyeon’s got VIP backstage passes to EXO’s concerts. That’s a plural. He got invited to every single concert in Seoul.
He can’t really explain them in words. What they have is deeper than conventional friendship, yet not quite on the same spectrum as romance. It’s a relationship that consumes his entire being, and even when Hakyeon tries to pull away, it’s impossible. He’s always drawn back to Minseok, looking for him in everything he does and everywhere he goes. It’s like they’re meant to be, meant to orbit around each other, and it’s something that bonds them together. They’re soulmates.
===
“I can’t do it.”
Hakyeon buries his face in his pillow. It’s twenty-four hours before the big party and he’s having a breakdown. He had finally chosen a costume, convinced a stylist to do his hair and makeup tomorrow, and even had manager hyung promise to drive him to the party, but then the reality of the situation came crashing down on him.
“I can’t just show up.” Hakyeon reaches out to tug pitifully on Taekwoon’s arm. Taekwoon just grunts and shifts away. “This is another company’s party. A famous party. With famous people. Like EXO.”
He can’t just walk into SM’s party like that. And even if he goes, he’ll just hover around Minseok the entire night and what if Minseok finds out how clingy Hakyeon can be and decides they can’t be friends anymore? What if he decides Hakyeon isn’t as cool as he makes him out to be? What if this entire friendship thing isn’t what Hakyeon wants it to be?
“I tell you this all the time, but you’re really stupid,” Taekwoon says.
Hakyeon glares at him. “You don’t get it.”
Taekwoon rolls his eyes. “I talked with Yixing the other day.”
“What?”
“Turns out, you can’t just invite non SM guests. It’s practically impossible.”
“Then how did I get invited?”
“Apparently, Minseok promised to work through Christmas and New Years so he could get you in. He must have really wanted you there.” Taekwoon gives him a knowing look before turning back to his phone. “So yeah, you kind of owe it to Minseok to go.”
===
The first time Hakyeon and Minseok met, like really met, they were backstage at a music show. The usual chaos and bustle of the show had a brief lull, a few minutes of uncharacteristic peace and quiet, and that was when Minseok walked up to him. Looking into his eyes, Hakyeon had instantly felt that connection, that zing of something much deeper for the both of them. He was hesitant but irresistibly drawn, and when Minseok said the first words, “You’re Hakyeon, right? I’ve always wanted to meet you”-- that was it. It was as if everything fell into place and Hakyeon knew, that despite everything he would do to resist this, they would inevitably be together.
===
As it turns out, SM’s parties are so hush-hush because they really do have everything. There’s a red carpet, gift bags for the pre-party, and food everywhere. Five seconds into the door, Hakyeon was offered appetizers by four different waiters, and the entire back room was a huge bar. He’s never seen that much alcohol in his life. And the costumes-- Hakyeon tugs on his own outfit-- they’re insane. People at SM apparently take Halloween very seriously.
“Hakyeon hyung?” Harry Potter walks up to him, a man in a suit following closely behind. “You actually came!”
“Hi.” Hakyeon waves awkwardly at them, relaxing when he realizes it’s Jongdae and Sehun. “Nice costumes.”
“You too.” Jongdae smirks. “Very hot.”
Hakyeon flushes when Sehun nods in agreement. “Thanks.”
“I bet you’re looking for Minseok hyung.” Jongdae gives him a broad grin and exchanges a glance with Sehun. “He was actually just talking about you.”
“He talks about you all the time,” Sehun mutters, but there’s a smile on his face.
“I’ll go find him then…” Hakyeon says.
Jongdae cackles. “Trust me, he’ll find you first. Speaking of which…”
“Hakyeon!” Excited eyes, strong hands on his shoulders-- Hakyeon laughs as he takes in Minseok’s orange hair and fake scars. “You made it!”
“Yeah, I did.” Hakyeon glances around the room before staring back down at Minseok. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Minseok beams, wide and full, and Hakyeon gets a little caught up in the warmth of his smile. “So, you’re voodoo vampire robot, huh?”
“Something like that.” Hakyeon shrugs. “I just kind of mixed a little bit of everything.”
Minseok chuckles. “That’s what I love about you.”
“Seok-ah, I don’t think I’ve met your friend.” A red teletubby bumps into them, pushing between the two to get a better look at Hakyeon’s face. “Introduce me.”
“This is my…” Minseok grabs Hakyeon's hand, offering him another radiant smile, and says, “My Hakyeon.”