Fixing the Twins
Disclaimer: Not Mine Not True
Note: Written for dizzy_grace, who made this lovely icon for me. But then it's her fault I needed this lovely icon, because of the idea she gave me. So in return, she asked for the resolution to the two fics. Here it is, the last one. Follows A Touch of Jealousy and Worries. *will probably kick YoungMin if I get any more ideas in this vein... Somehow.*
Over the next few days, DongHyun seemed to interrupt the twins constantly. From the frustration on KwangMin's face and how close to tears YoungMin looked, he interrupted them in the middle of the conversation he knew they wanted to have.
More like the beginning.
"I'm sorry," he said that morning, phone still in hand from his conversation with their newest addition to the management team (which had previously been only one man). "The van is on its way."
"This isn't working, hyung," KwangMin said, his shoulder braced against YoungMin's, both of them sitting on the floor next to the bed.
"I know," DongHyun said, and knew that for the plea it was. "Get ready. We have to go."
He waited until they'd moved before going to his room to get himself ready. He smiled wearily at HyunSung's curious glances. "Everything okay?" HyunSung asked after a moment.
"Depends on what you're referring to," DongHyun said, and stood up. "I'm too tired to think properly, and YoungMin and KwangMin need... a break."
"We're just practicing this morning," JungMin chimed in.
"I know." DongHyun ran his hands through his hair. "But I don't know where to send them. Or when. Or...." He dropped his hands to his sides before he grabbed his hair and tried to pull it out. "I'll... do something." His phone beeped, and he sighed. "Let's go."
At least the attempt to talk had done something; YoungMin and KwangMin were nearly as inseparable as they had been at the beginning. The sight of them, exhausted already and leaning on each other with MinWoo hovering worriedly behind, set DongHyun's mind spinning a long a well-worn track that almost made him grab his hair and pull.
The two managers met them at their rehearsal room, watching through the warm-ups and the initial half hour of practice. It went horribly. DongHyun hadn't expected anything different, considering how distracted they all were, and he couldn't even tell them to straighten up. He was the worst of them all.
"I'm disappointed," their longest standing manager said, shutting the music off. He looked at each of them, meeting their eyes. "I expect much better from you all. Take five minutes and pull yourselves together, and try again."
After a second look around at each of them, they both left. YoungMin scuffed his toe on the ground. "It's going to take longer than five minutes," he muttered. KwangMin sighed and leaned on him, facing him, their foreheads pressed together.
That was IT. DongHyun strode across the floor. "You two just... go. Find some place quiet and talk it out. Don't tell me where," he added when YoungMin opened his mouth. "Bus, taxi, whatever. Don't go back to the dorm. And leave your phones." He turned to the other three. "Who's got the schedule in his phone?"
"Here." HyunSung tossed his over.
DongHyun caught it (without fumbling, thankfully) and held it out. "Find us when you're done."
YoungMin snagged the phone and they broke for their bags, grabbing wallets and water bottles.
"Take the back stairs," JungMin called. "They don't use them."
"Thanks," KwangMin called back, and they were gone.
DongHyun sighed. "Okay. The rest of us have to keep working, though."
MinWoo grinned and turned the music back on.
"Where's KwangMin?"
Their newest manager returned, much more than five minutes later, and his imperious tone stopped them all in the middle of "Don't Touch My Girl." DongHyun gestured, and MinWoo shut the music off.
"He and YoungMin took the morning off," DongHyun said when the music quit. He wasn't going to try to yell over it. He didn't think he had the breath for that.
"Why?" The man advanced on DongHyun, who held his ground. JungMin joined MinWoo at the radio.
"They're good enough to miss a practice, and I felt it was necessary for the good of the group."
The manager scowled. "After what I saw this morning, I disagree," he snapped. "They need to be here, for the good of the group." He sneered the last words.
"That's the first time you've acknowledged YoungMin's existence," DongHyun said, folding his arms to hide how shaky he felt. Even his anger didn't cover that.
The man waved the comment away, and DongHyun wondered if maybe KwangMin was right and the division was being orchestrated. Because of him, or higher up? "Where are they?"
"I don't know," DongHyun said. "Neither of them said where they were going."
The manager pulled out his phone and dialed; within seconds, a 'Pika Pika!' sounded from KwangMin's bag. MinWoo covered his mouth to stifle a laugh - apparently he'd gotten to the phone again and changed the ring. The manager hung up and stepped even closer to DongHyun, invading his space. DongHyun didn't back away. "You did this."
"It was necessary," DongHyun said flatly. "When they get back, they'll be better. We'll be better. I guarantee it."
"If they're not, you'll answer for it," the man snarled, finger poking DongHyun's chest. "And you'll regret this." Without a look at anyone else, he turned and stalked out.
As soon as the door closed, DongHyun wavered and nearly fell. HyunSung caught him and helped him sit down. Against the firmness of HyunSung's grip, DongHyun could feel himself shaking.
"Are you okay, hyung?" JungMin asked, and MinWoo offered him a water bottle. DongHyun thought they must have teleported. He didn't remember seeing them move from the stereo. He took the water and drank; by the time he finished, he'd stopped shaking. Mostly.
"I'm fine," DongHyun said, and smiled at them (because if he hadn't they wouldn't have believed him). "Let's get back to work."
Their worry didn't fade until he got to his feet on his own.
They began again, and again, rehearsing every song they had over and over. About 30 minutes before they broke for lunch, the twins came in. DongHyun caught sight of them in the mirror, their smiles back and real, and tripped over JungMin because he stepped when he shouldn't have.
They both went down amidst laughter from everyone else, and DongHyun sat up immediately to make sure he hadn't done something to JungMin to get more than just management angry at him.
"No, I'm fine," JungMin said, laughing, and untangled his legs from DongHyun's, scooting back out of reach. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, just feel like an idiot," DongHyun said and got to his feet. Nope, no injuries but his pride, and he didn't care too much about that right now. He turned to find YoungMin and KwangMin, just to check and make sure he hadn't seen wrong, and got caught in a double hug. "You're okay?" he asked.
"We're fine," they said in unison, in sync like they used to be.
"Thank you," YoungMin murmured in his ear, and
"We owe you," KwangMin added in his other ear.
"You owe me nothing," DongHyun said fondly, utterly relieved. "You're welcome."
He was right, too, which he knew he would be - the last half hour of practice was the best they'd done in weeks. The two managers came in near the end of it, just before lunch. Their longer-standing manager looked pleased at the improvement; the newer one looked like he tried to hide his anger by looking pleased. Except for the glare he shot DongHyun's way. DongHyun didn't acknowledge it. He'd take whatever the man threw at him, cheerfully.
DongHyun was trying to find his wallet in his bag when he realized there were two conversations going on without him. He straightened and glanced first toward KwangMin, who stood facing the newer manager, YoungMin shoulder to shoulder with him. DongHyun could see the manager's irritation in the mirror, but neither twin moved. They also didn't look at him, and he smiled to see them so unified and determined not to let this man (idiot) get between them.
He turned to the others. HyunSung, JungMin, and MinWoo stood talking to the other manager, who listened to them talk over and around each other, a grave expression on his face. Confused but apparently unneeded, DongHyun went back to his bag and found his wallet. When he straightened up again, they were all done. The two managers left without a word to anyone - odd, but not so odd that it hadn't ever happened before - and DongHyun finally gave up trying to figure out what was going on.
"There probably won't be any repercussions," HyunSung said cheerfully as they left the practice room.
"We told on him," JungMin said with a grin not as innocent as the one the fans usually saw.
"Tattled," MinWoo added, far too cheerfully.
"What?" DongHyun asked. They might as well be speaking Japanese. None of that made any sense.
KwangMin clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, hyung. Lunch. All will be clear."
"Promise?" DongHyun asked.
YoungMin laughed. "No," he said. "But we'll do our best."
DongHyun shrugged. "Oh. Well, then, let's go."
He took care of them, and they took care of him. That's how it was supposed to work.
Now, on to the next thing....
Note: Written for dizzy_grace, who made this lovely icon for me. But then it's her fault I needed this lovely icon, because of the idea she gave me. So in return, she asked for the resolution to the two fics. Here it is, the last one. Follows A Touch of Jealousy and Worries. *will probably kick YoungMin if I get any more ideas in this vein... Somehow.*
Over the next few days, DongHyun seemed to interrupt the twins constantly. From the frustration on KwangMin's face and how close to tears YoungMin looked, he interrupted them in the middle of the conversation he knew they wanted to have.
More like the beginning.
"I'm sorry," he said that morning, phone still in hand from his conversation with their newest addition to the management team (which had previously been only one man). "The van is on its way."
"This isn't working, hyung," KwangMin said, his shoulder braced against YoungMin's, both of them sitting on the floor next to the bed.
"I know," DongHyun said, and knew that for the plea it was. "Get ready. We have to go."
He waited until they'd moved before going to his room to get himself ready. He smiled wearily at HyunSung's curious glances. "Everything okay?" HyunSung asked after a moment.
"Depends on what you're referring to," DongHyun said, and stood up. "I'm too tired to think properly, and YoungMin and KwangMin need... a break."
"We're just practicing this morning," JungMin chimed in.
"I know." DongHyun ran his hands through his hair. "But I don't know where to send them. Or when. Or...." He dropped his hands to his sides before he grabbed his hair and tried to pull it out. "I'll... do something." His phone beeped, and he sighed. "Let's go."
At least the attempt to talk had done something; YoungMin and KwangMin were nearly as inseparable as they had been at the beginning. The sight of them, exhausted already and leaning on each other with MinWoo hovering worriedly behind, set DongHyun's mind spinning a long a well-worn track that almost made him grab his hair and pull.
The two managers met them at their rehearsal room, watching through the warm-ups and the initial half hour of practice. It went horribly. DongHyun hadn't expected anything different, considering how distracted they all were, and he couldn't even tell them to straighten up. He was the worst of them all.
"I'm disappointed," their longest standing manager said, shutting the music off. He looked at each of them, meeting their eyes. "I expect much better from you all. Take five minutes and pull yourselves together, and try again."
After a second look around at each of them, they both left. YoungMin scuffed his toe on the ground. "It's going to take longer than five minutes," he muttered. KwangMin sighed and leaned on him, facing him, their foreheads pressed together.
That was IT. DongHyun strode across the floor. "You two just... go. Find some place quiet and talk it out. Don't tell me where," he added when YoungMin opened his mouth. "Bus, taxi, whatever. Don't go back to the dorm. And leave your phones." He turned to the other three. "Who's got the schedule in his phone?"
"Here." HyunSung tossed his over.
DongHyun caught it (without fumbling, thankfully) and held it out. "Find us when you're done."
YoungMin snagged the phone and they broke for their bags, grabbing wallets and water bottles.
"Take the back stairs," JungMin called. "They don't use them."
"Thanks," KwangMin called back, and they were gone.
DongHyun sighed. "Okay. The rest of us have to keep working, though."
MinWoo grinned and turned the music back on.
"Where's KwangMin?"
Their newest manager returned, much more than five minutes later, and his imperious tone stopped them all in the middle of "Don't Touch My Girl." DongHyun gestured, and MinWoo shut the music off.
"He and YoungMin took the morning off," DongHyun said when the music quit. He wasn't going to try to yell over it. He didn't think he had the breath for that.
"Why?" The man advanced on DongHyun, who held his ground. JungMin joined MinWoo at the radio.
"They're good enough to miss a practice, and I felt it was necessary for the good of the group."
The manager scowled. "After what I saw this morning, I disagree," he snapped. "They need to be here, for the good of the group." He sneered the last words.
"That's the first time you've acknowledged YoungMin's existence," DongHyun said, folding his arms to hide how shaky he felt. Even his anger didn't cover that.
The man waved the comment away, and DongHyun wondered if maybe KwangMin was right and the division was being orchestrated. Because of him, or higher up? "Where are they?"
"I don't know," DongHyun said. "Neither of them said where they were going."
The manager pulled out his phone and dialed; within seconds, a 'Pika Pika!' sounded from KwangMin's bag. MinWoo covered his mouth to stifle a laugh - apparently he'd gotten to the phone again and changed the ring. The manager hung up and stepped even closer to DongHyun, invading his space. DongHyun didn't back away. "You did this."
"It was necessary," DongHyun said flatly. "When they get back, they'll be better. We'll be better. I guarantee it."
"If they're not, you'll answer for it," the man snarled, finger poking DongHyun's chest. "And you'll regret this." Without a look at anyone else, he turned and stalked out.
As soon as the door closed, DongHyun wavered and nearly fell. HyunSung caught him and helped him sit down. Against the firmness of HyunSung's grip, DongHyun could feel himself shaking.
"Are you okay, hyung?" JungMin asked, and MinWoo offered him a water bottle. DongHyun thought they must have teleported. He didn't remember seeing them move from the stereo. He took the water and drank; by the time he finished, he'd stopped shaking. Mostly.
"I'm fine," DongHyun said, and smiled at them (because if he hadn't they wouldn't have believed him). "Let's get back to work."
Their worry didn't fade until he got to his feet on his own.
They began again, and again, rehearsing every song they had over and over. About 30 minutes before they broke for lunch, the twins came in. DongHyun caught sight of them in the mirror, their smiles back and real, and tripped over JungMin because he stepped when he shouldn't have.
They both went down amidst laughter from everyone else, and DongHyun sat up immediately to make sure he hadn't done something to JungMin to get more than just management angry at him.
"No, I'm fine," JungMin said, laughing, and untangled his legs from DongHyun's, scooting back out of reach. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, just feel like an idiot," DongHyun said and got to his feet. Nope, no injuries but his pride, and he didn't care too much about that right now. He turned to find YoungMin and KwangMin, just to check and make sure he hadn't seen wrong, and got caught in a double hug. "You're okay?" he asked.
"We're fine," they said in unison, in sync like they used to be.
"Thank you," YoungMin murmured in his ear, and
"We owe you," KwangMin added in his other ear.
"You owe me nothing," DongHyun said fondly, utterly relieved. "You're welcome."
He was right, too, which he knew he would be - the last half hour of practice was the best they'd done in weeks. The two managers came in near the end of it, just before lunch. Their longer-standing manager looked pleased at the improvement; the newer one looked like he tried to hide his anger by looking pleased. Except for the glare he shot DongHyun's way. DongHyun didn't acknowledge it. He'd take whatever the man threw at him, cheerfully.
DongHyun was trying to find his wallet in his bag when he realized there were two conversations going on without him. He straightened and glanced first toward KwangMin, who stood facing the newer manager, YoungMin shoulder to shoulder with him. DongHyun could see the manager's irritation in the mirror, but neither twin moved. They also didn't look at him, and he smiled to see them so unified and determined not to let this man (idiot) get between them.
He turned to the others. HyunSung, JungMin, and MinWoo stood talking to the other manager, who listened to them talk over and around each other, a grave expression on his face. Confused but apparently unneeded, DongHyun went back to his bag and found his wallet. When he straightened up again, they were all done. The two managers left without a word to anyone - odd, but not so odd that it hadn't ever happened before - and DongHyun finally gave up trying to figure out what was going on.
"There probably won't be any repercussions," HyunSung said cheerfully as they left the practice room.
"We told on him," JungMin said with a grin not as innocent as the one the fans usually saw.
"Tattled," MinWoo added, far too cheerfully.
"What?" DongHyun asked. They might as well be speaking Japanese. None of that made any sense.
KwangMin clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, hyung. Lunch. All will be clear."
"Promise?" DongHyun asked.
YoungMin laughed. "No," he said. "But we'll do our best."
DongHyun shrugged. "Oh. Well, then, let's go."
He took care of them, and they took care of him. That's how it was supposed to work.
Now, on to the next thing....