"Baekhyun, turn off the lights," Luhan instructed.
The lights dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of the television screen illuminating the members scattered about. Some ate snacks, others whispered amongst themselves, and on the sofa and carpet, everyone huddled together in the most relaxed posture, like a group of small animals huddled together for warmth.
The movie started playing. The heartwarming yet slightly comical opening scenes elicited occasional chuckles from the members. Except for Park Chanyeol, who was frantically stuffing popcorn into his mouth, the crunching sound particularly clear in the quiet living room.
"Ugh~, can you stop eating? You're disturbing me." Ou Yangguang covered his ears and looked at Park Chanyeol, complaining in a low voice. He had originally planned to go to sleep.
The plot unfolds slowly. When the little girl Ye-seung sings a hymn to her father in the film, a tragic foreshadowing is already hidden beneath the heartwarming scene.
After a tiring day, the members gradually succumbed to sleepiness in the dimly lit, warm environment and the relatively calm storyline. Zhang Yixing, who had previously asked everyone to be quiet, nods his head and finally falls asleep on the sofa cushions, his breathing even. Kim Jongdae glances around, adjusts to a comfortable position, and closes his eyes as well.
The plot took a sharp turn. When the wrongly accused father was forced to confess to fabricated charges for his daughter's sake, Huang Zitao, who had initially only half-understood, suddenly sat up straight. Lu Han quietly explained the key plot points to him in Chinese, and Huang Zitao's face gradually filled with anger and disbelief.
"Sigh~" Huang Zitao kept sighing, his fists clenched tightly.
"Instead of being sad, you're very angry," Kim Junmyeon said softly.
"Can't I just turn it off? It's so annoying." Kim Jongin buried his face in the cushion, his voice muffled, it was hard to tell whether it was from annoyance or reluctance.
Ou Yangguang, who had originally planned to go to sleep, was now completely engrossed in the plot. He hugged his knees, his eyes glued to the screen, his expression changing with the characters' fates, his eyes already slightly red. Kris also frowned, his lips pressed tightly together, his eyes revealing obvious sadness, with tears welling up in his eyes.
Seeing Kris Wu's reaction, Sehun and Luhan exchanged a glance and whispered to him, "This is nothing, the plot is about to get even more intense."
Sure enough, when the movie reached the scene where Yisheng bids farewell to his father in prison and his father is executed, the long-suppressed grief burst forth like a flood, instantly engulfing the small living room.
Ou Yangguang's tears fell silently like beads from a broken string. He didn't make a sound, but simply covered his mouth with his hand, letting the tears soak his cheeks and clothes.
Kris tilted her head back, trying to stop her tears, but ultimately failed; tears streamed down her jawline. Huang Zitao had already shed tears, sobbing and mumbling in Chinese, "How could this happen?" Lu Han's eyes also reddened, and he quietly wiped away the moisture from the corners of his eyes.
Do Kyungsoo pulled out a handkerchief from somewhere and silently covered his face. Oh Sehun looked at Huang Zitao, who was crying his eyes out, then at Luhan and Kris on his left, who were also crying, and at Oh Sunshine, who was lying on his lap with his head resting on his lap, who was also crying uncontrollably. His own nose started to sting.
As the leader, Kim Junmyeon still remembered the promise he had just made. He tried to widen his eyes and desperately hold back his tears, but his throat kept bobbing.
Byun Baekhyun and Kim Jongdae, who had just woken up, were also in tears. Kim Jongin simply turned around, facing away from the screen, and wiped away his tears with his hand. Even Kim Minseok, who was certified as the least tearful, quietly raised his hand at this moment and wiped away a tear that had slipped down his cheek.
The only sounds in the living room were the film's poignant music and suppressed sobs. The only ones who didn't shed a tear were Zhang Yixing, who was fast asleep, and... Park Chanyeol, who, despite his heavy and sorrowful expression, didn't cry.
He simply stopped eating popcorn and quietly watched the screen.
The movie ended, the screen dimmed, and the end credits song began to play softly. No one immediately turned on the lights; a quiet, lingering sadness filled the living room after the release of pent-up emotions.
"EXO, Merry Christmas!" Park Chanyeol suddenly shouted, breaking the slightly heavy atmosphere, and his signature big smile appeared on his face.
"Merry Christmas!" Everyone responded one after another, their voices still nasal, but with smiles on their faces. Some got up to turn on the lights, some passed tissues to each other, and some patted their younger brother's shoulder, who was still sobbing softly.
The lights came back on, illuminating faces that were either red and swollen or wet, yet remarkably real.
Ou Yangguang wiped away her tears, her nose still running, and buried her face in a pillow amidst her brothers' teasing.
Byun Baekhyun was the first to sniff, summarizing with a heavy nasal tone: "So, the kings of EXO's tears are... Sun, Tao, Kris, and Luhan, who always shed tears, whether they're happy or sad."
"EXO members cry when they're happy~ crying like children," Kim Junmyeon added, rubbing his red eyes. "When they're sad, they become men who hold their breath and shed tears."
“Because we’re together, we can laugh and cry without worry,” Ou Yangguang said softly, expressing everyone’s feelings. “We are where we are today because we are together.”
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