The Kim family has always had dealings in the criminal underground. When Junmyeon was passed over to inherit the Kim business in favor of his older brother, he decided to start his own crime syndicate, which overthrew his families overnight. Now, the sole survivor of his family’s unfortunate “accident”, there’s nothing getting in his way, and he’ll make sure it stays that way – no matter the cost. EXO – his valued inner circle who helped him to achieve this goal – are his new family, and as long as they are loyal, he will do anything for them. While being “the boss”, those in his inner circle were more his equals than anything else; very rarely did he have to pull rank, and he preferred it that way. It almost ensured their loyalty to him and kept things running much more smoothly than his more “traditional” upbringing.

Xiumin had been around for Suho longer than anyone else – longer than either could really bother to recount. Their bond was one thicker than blood, and there was no doubts between them when it came to trust. It’s for that reason he was named as the right-hand man, and he wasn’t one to take advantage of a position like that. As they grew in renown and wealth, he took up the position of managing the funds for the mafia as well – meaning if you pissed him off, he'd make sure you were cut off until you learned your lesson. He has learned to get along with the other inner-circle members but isn’t as touchy feely or “found-family” as Suho is. As long as they get the job done, and don’t cause him any headaches, he’s good.

Yixing was possibly the most valuable addition to the criminal organization. Being fluent in Chinese, Korean, and English, Lay slid into the position of being an Ambassador for the group – spreading out their allies, and their wealth. Lay single handedly ran the Chinese operations for the group – anything Suho wanted, he got done, and he got it done efficiently. It was a kind of security that other gangs (save for some…) didn’t have, and it increased their influence on a scale that was unheard of. Lay finds the almost symbiotic relationship between the inner circle as being incredibly soothing. He spends most of his time in Korea, only traveling to China if he has to. He prefers the company of his group, to the loneliness of his penthouse in Beijing.

Baekhyun is an odd guy. In this line of work, most hitmen, or assassins carry themselves in a certain manner – silent, or big & tough, or preferring to go unnoticed… Baekhyun seemed to have missed whatever the memo was on that. His carefree, flippant, and often mischievous attitude really caught Suho’s eyes when he was first introduced to the young man who had been quickly making a name for himself in the underground; using his own name at that – something very rare, and almost naïve for an assassin. But it just impressed Suho even more, because it proved his skills. He was welcomed into EXO, and quickly into the inner circle, and he’s been the resident prankster of the group ever since. 

Don’t let the puppy eyes fool you – this man has seen more bloodshed than most of the population and caused the majority of it. His innocent act just helps him to better blend in with the crowd. The other’s won’t admit it, but the thought of being on his bad side has definitely cost them some sleep in the past.

Kim Jongdae is a businessman – end of discussion. He knows all the tricks of the trade – how to best charm people, wrap them around his finger, and extort them for all they are. His silver tongue is a talent that Suho refused to pass up when he was assembling his team and met the young man. Because of his easily approachable nature, sharp wit, and impeccable communication skills, Chen was perfect for being the groups Frontman. Anyone that wants anything from EXO – weapons, assassinations, drugs, loans, a business proposal – no matter what, the first person you’re going to see is Chen. If he thinks your proposal is good, then he’ll pass your name on. Being the Frontman, seeing as many people as he did, he also falls into the role of informant. Nothing gets by him, and he’s stopped a lot of trouble for the gang before it can happen. Chen, being a typical businessman, keeps his home and work life separate. He fulfills his duties for the group during business hours and won’t be bothered when he is at home with his wife and kids. This arrangement is concrete, and Suho respects it, making everything work smoothly like a well-tuned clock.

Park Chanyeol was actually a recruit that Chen managed to sniff out. This boy was making a good name for himself as being able to get anything you needed, no questions asked. So, Suho took it upon himself to test this out, putting out a line for some rather rare, foreign weapons, and a very tight deadline. When Chanyeol delivered, he offered (insisted) the man work for him, and he’d make it worth his while. Seeing this as an opportunity to get some of the stress of working alone off his back, and increase his outreach, Chanyeol took the offer, and the rest is history.

Much like Baekhyun, Chanyeol is a laidback person, until he’s on a job. Dealing with Park Chanyeol is one of the most tense interactions you’ll have in your whole life. It’s not even that he loses the joking personality – sure, sometimes he does, but, more than anything, it’s the rage that breaks over him in waves; promising unimaginable consequences if you cross him. Chanyeol can be ruthless, especially if he knows the person he’s dealing with has a chance of causing problems for him. Best to avoid doing deals with him – because he’ll collect what he thinks he’s due, no matter the circumstances.

Kyungsoo is the ideal kind of man you would want for this line of work. He’s silent, straight to the point, unmerciful, and would get a job done without getting side-tracked. His promising results in squeezing information out of his victims, by whatever means, was what made Suho decide to hire him once the Kim family went under – which is where D.O. had learned to perfect his craft. Junmyeon knew that his father had a habit of undervaluing D.O.’s importance to the operations, and so, when he decided to form EXO, he approached the younger man (who was then a few years younger than him and still in his teens) with his proposal to join right away. And Suho would never forget his answer: “I deal in results. Show me yours first, and then come talk to me.” When Suho successfully proved himself capable of overthrowing the Kim syndicate, D.O. joined without question, and had been a trusted member of the inner circle since.

Kai was a classic case of working his way through the ranks, eventually coming to land in the inner circle after many missions as a lower-tiered gang member. He actually was suggested to Junmyeon by Yixing, when a deal had gone south, leading to a police chase in which Kai had managed to impress the ambassador with his insanely precise evasion skills, losing the police all without getting a scratch on the car. It had been horrifying for Lay – sitting in the passenger seat while this young bodyguard drove up onto sidewalks, whipped them into reverse going 90 miles an hour, and even driving under a semi, but it was also impressive as shit. Now, Kai was the designated driver for all their big jobs and acted as extra muscle when they knew that there was a chance a deal could go sour. Kai is one of the youngest members in the circle, so some of the older one’s had some trouble at the beginning but have now warmed up to him. Each of them trust him with their life, and while they don’t really need a bodyguard (being part of an inner circle in the most feared mafia group in the world), having him by their side definitely makes them more at ease during dodgy jobs. 

The final of the 9, and the youngest. Oh Sehun made his name when he was very, very young as being a technical genius. Anything to do with a computer, he could figure out. He even hacked into a military system when he was in middle school and was put into several government sponsored summer-camps to help grow his intellect – an oversight on the governments part. He is the only member of the 9 to actually seek EXO out first, and in a big way – by contacting Suho directly, with a proposition. The police were starting to close in on him – his youth having blocked his judgement a little and making him less careful than he should have been. He offered the mob boss, who at the time had been just starting to get his forces together, his technical expertise in exchange for safety in the ranks. Suho probably would have had him eliminated as a threat, however, with his proposition came a file, containing all the broken-down backroom movements of his family, which he had not had access to having not been the heir to the empire. Using this, he could break down the pillars of his families alliances, so, once he checked the authenticity of the information, Sehun’s offer was quickly accepted. Working with EXO, there isn’t anyone, or anything, that can be hidden from Oh Sehun with enough time. Security cameras, bank accounts, personal documents – if Suho wants it, Sehun can get it. This makes him indispensable to the group and gives him the security to play as he likes in his free time.