fic: The Toughest Job {Beast, Dooseob}
Title: The Toughest Job
Length: one-shot
Author: M_K Yujji
Rating: pg
Genre: humor, very mild angst, romance
Pairing/Characters: Junhyung, Beast (Dooseob, speculated Gikwang/Hyunseung)
Warnings: RPS, possible OOCness, a couple of cuss words
Disclaimer: Though real people are used as characters, this fic bears no resemblance to Real Life and these people are not owned by me.
Comments/Notes: Yes I have an obsession with bibimbop. Yes my characters probably eat more bibimbop than is practical or healthy. -_- It's my favorite food, though, so I don't care. ;p
Summary: Anyone who said the band leader had the toughest job had obviously never been the band Mom.
~*~*~
“Hyung…”
Junhyung sighed and carefully marked his place. He appreciated that the other members all valued his opinion and trusted him enough to come to him with their problems. Indeed, for the most part, he loved it.
He hadn’t gotten much reading done since he’d started rooming with the members of his new band, though.
His band… He couldn’t help but smile a little at the thought. They’d all worked so hard and had so many set backs, but finally, finally….
“Hyung?”
Shaking his head, Junhyung forced his attention back to Dongwoon. “Sorry. What’s up?”
Dongwoon bit his lip and sat down next to the older boy. “I know it’s not really my business, but… I mean, we’re all in this together now, so it kinda is, though, and I can’t help but be worried because this place is small, you know? It’s not like they can actually avoid each other but it’s so awkward that they’re even trying and-”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Junhyung waved a hand through the air, trying to get the rush of words to stop. “Don’t assume that I can read your mind and already know the first half of this conversation or have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, umm…” Dongwoon shifted uncomfortably. He seemed to consider for a moment, then took a deep breath as if steeling himself for something unpleasant. “Did Doojoon and Yoseob break up? Or have a bad fight or something?”
Junhyung gaped at his youngest band mate. “What?”
“You don’t know what happened either?” Dongwoon looked a little relieved that he wasn’t the only one out of the loop.
“He doesn’t know?”
Junhyung looked up to see Hyunseung peering around the door frame with Gikwang practically on top of him as they gave up eavesdropping.
“No,” Dongwoon said, sighing and dropping his head back against the couch. “Maybe that’s good though. I mean, surely if whatever is wrong was break-up serious, one of them would have told Junhyung, ne?”
“But they’re avoiding each other.” Hyunseung scowled as he pushed Gikwang off his back. “And they’re dragging the rest of us into the middle of it.”
Junhyung felt a little like he’d fallen down a rabbit hole. “Wait a minute, so… Doojoon and Yoseob…. And you all know… and they’re doing what?”
The other three blinked at him in confusion before glancing between themselves. Dongwoon was the one who finally spoke again. “You knew they were dating right?”
“Of course I knew!” Junhyung huffed slightly and crossed his arms defensively. He hadn’t known, actually, and he felt a little put out that apparently everyone else had. He’d been close to both of the other boys for a long time. It didn’t seem very fair that they’d let other people know but hadn’t told him. “I’m just surprised that you know. I thought it was supposed to be a secret.”
Gikwang gave him a funny look. “If it’s supposed to be a secret, they’re not very good at keeping it. I’ve known forever. Yoseob has been all googly eyed over Doojoon since the day they met.”
“Everyone knows,” Hyunseung added helpfully, nodding. “Just like everyone knows they’re acting weird lately. Daesung asked me about it the other day.”
“They haven’t been acting that weird… have they?”
This time all three sighed and gave him varying degrees of pitying looks. Dongwoon’s voice’s was skeptical. “You really haven’t noticed?”
Scowling, Junhyung was tempted to throw his book at them except he figured it’d just bounce off of Gikwang’s hard head and do more damage to the book than anything. “Not really.”
“How could you not have noticed?” Hyunseung said, sighing as Gikwang leaned on him again. “You’re the one that Yoseob has been hanging on the most since it started. That’s why we figured you’d know what was up.”
He shifted and shoved Gikwang off again, much to the other’s grumbling displeasure.
“It’s Yoseob,” Junhyung defended, trying to think back if there was anything actually odd about his friends behavior lately. “He’s like a puppy. He needs constant hugs and love to stay happy.”
And a happy Yoseob was so much nicer than an unhappy one.
“Yeah, but usually he gets most of that from Doojoon! Lately it’s been all you or me or Kiki.”
“Yah! Don’t call me that,” Gikwang pouted from where he’d managed to lean on Hyunseung again.
The other boy elbowed him hard. “Then stop leaning on me. I’m not your chin prop… Kiki.”
Before it could degenerate into an actual brawl, Junhyung stood up. “Both of you stop it before I put you into separate corners and make you stay there.”
Sometimes he really did feel like the mom he knew the fans sometimes compared him to. He vowed to send his mother flowers the second he had some free time to apologize for never appreciating the headaches he’d undoubtedly given her over the years.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Now that it had been pointed out to him, he supposed there had been a change in both Yoseob and Doojoon recently. He was a little ashamed that he hadn’t noticed before. Obviously he was falling down on the job, as band mom and as friend. “I’ll find out what’s going on.”
Then he had to wiggle away as all three tried to pounce on him at once.
~*~*~*~
Doojoon was by far the easiest of the pair to crack. For all his manly image, the truth was that the band leader of Beast was the emotional equivalent of a giant marshmallow.
All Junhyung really had to do was separate him from the herd - something easily accomplished with a veiled invitation for lunch - and look at him.
The older boy only picked at his bibimbop for a few minutes before he caved. “What?”
Junhyung crossed his arms and scowled at the table. “We’re friends, right?”
“Of course,” Doojoon replied, concern coloring his voice.
“And you trust me to do and be all the things that friends are supposed to do and be?”
“Yes….”
“Then in all these years, why the hell didn’t you tell me about you and Seobie?” He smacked a fist down on the table, rattling the dishes and drawing a few curious looks from the restaurants other customers. He glared at them until they looked away and lowered his voice, aware that at least one or two was probably still trying to pay attention to their conversation now. “Why did I have to find out from our dongsaeng?”
Doojoon just gaped at him for a long moment before shaking his head. “We’re not…” He blushed and glanced around before leaning closer. “We’re not dating!” he hissed.
“You’re not?” Junhyung should have felt relieved, and indeed part of him did now that he knew his friends hadn’t been holding out on him. But he was also confused and worried. Because he’d lain awake all night thinking over the entire time he’d known the pair and he’d come to the conclusion that he’d been willfully blind to the supposed relationship. Because Doojoon and Yoseob certainly did act like just about every happy couple he’d ever known - even when no one was watching. “Are you sure?”
"It's not exactly something that I wouldn't noticed.” Doojoon sighed and shifted around uncomfortably. “Yes, I’m sure we’re not dating. I wouldn’t… I mean…”
He sighed again and dropped his head on the table. “I would love to date Seobie, but he doesn’t feel that way about me.”
Junhyung smacked Doojoon’s head. “You’re an idiot. He’s been googly eyed for you since the two of you met. Even Gikwang knows that and Gikwang is an idiot too.”
He wasn’t, actually, but certainly there were times when Junhyung was convinced that their friend lacked key brain functions. Namely the ones that told him to stop before he irritated someone to the point that they wanted to hurt him. He’d been smart enough to notice something that Junhyung never had.
Doojoon grimaced as he sat back up and rubbed his head. “Yah, don’t hit me.”
“Then don’t be an idiot.” Junhyung sighed and leaned back in his chair for a moment before leaning forward again. “What happened?”
Because obviously something had. Doojoon only ever looked so downtrodden whenever he’d done something to upset Yoseob.
The other man muttered something half under his breath before giving Junhyung a pained look. “I kissed him.”
Junhyung waited for more explanation, but Doojoon had gone silent again, staring studiously at the tabletop in front of him. He was tempted to hit his friend again, but he restrained the urge - barely. “And?”
“And what? And he’s been avoiding me ever since.” He glanced up again, looking absolutely miserable. “He won’t even talk to me! I don’t know what to do, Jun.”
Junhyung sighed. The silent treatment wasn’t Yoseob’s typical method of dealing with things, but it was the most serious. It was the one most guaranteed to crumble even the strongest of resistance. He only trotted it out when he really, really wanted something. It didn’t seem like the sort of thing he’d do if he was angry though.
That usually involved lots of yelling and throwing and occasionally - if he was extremely pissed - hitting.
He rubbed his eyes and sighed again. Which meant there was probably something else going on. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Really?” Doojoon perked up, looking hopeful for the first time since they’d started talking.
“Yeah. Now stop moping and eat properly.”
As he watched his friend finally start plowing through his meal, he sat back and let his mind wander. Yoseob was loud and outgoing, but he often played his genuine emotions closer to his chest than anyone else Junhyung knew. He wasn’t sure how to approach Yoseob about the entire issue, but he was going to have to figure it out for the good of the entire band.
Yet another sigh escaped.
He didn’t get paid enough for this shit.
~*~*~*~
“Seobie…”
Yoseob glanced up from his DS with a questioning look. “Hm?”
“…” Junhyung hesitated for a moment before settling himself down next to his friend. “Are you angry with Doojoon?”
He’d decided that the direct approach would probably be the least offensive one to Yoseob. He hoped he was right because the last thing he needed was for the blonde to be pissed off at him as well.
There was a slight hesitation, then Yoseob shook his head. “No. Should I be?”
Junhyung took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, propping his head on one fist. “You know… I love you. I love Doojoon and Dongwoon and Hyungseung… and even Gikwang.”
Yoseob laughed a little and grinned at him. “We love Junhyung too.”
“I’d do anything for you guys.”
“We’d do anything for Junhyung too!”
Junhyung nodded. “I’d do anything… including risk pissing you off by meddling in your business if I thought it was important enough.”
This time Yoseob glanced away and didn’t answer.
“Everyone is worried about the two of you.”
Yoseob bit his lip and glanced back at Junhyung. “Why? Nobody knows….”
“Everyone else thinks that you guys are breaking up.”
“What? But we’re not-”
Junhyung waved away the confused protest. “I know that. But I also know what did actually happen. And I know that Doojoon is tearing himself up over it because he thinks he’s ruined your friendship as well as anything else you guys might ever have.”
“I’m not mad at him,” Yoseob muttered, sighing and sitting back.
“I figured,” Junhyung said, quirking a grin at the curious look that got him. “Seobie… you don’t do silent anger. If you were pissed, you’d have decked him. There would have been shouting. We’d have gotten complaints from the neighbors.”
Yoseob’s grin matched his own for a moment before the humor slid away as if it had never been. “I wanted him to kiss me. I still do.”
“So? Why aren’t you telling him that?”
“But we can’t.” Yoseob looked every bit as miserable as Doojoon had earlier that afternoon. Junhyung didn’t like it at all.
Sighing, he nudged Yoseob’s knee with his own. “Why not?”
The eye roll and air of general annoyance clearly said that Yoseob thought he was either being stupid or being an ass and neither one was appreciated. “Do you need a list?”
“Yes.”
He could be as difficult as necessary if it meant his friends stopped making themselves suffer so much needless angst.
With sound of aggravation, Yoseob began ticking off reasons on his fingers. “The band-”
“Is more upset by the idea that you’re breaking up than by the idea of you being together,” Junhyung countered easily. “I guarantee you that if you try to convince any one of them that you guys haven’t been dating since day one, they’ll all think you’re just lying to them. And probably be hurt that you don’t trust them.”
Yoseob ticked off a second finger. “Our families-”
“Don’t live with you. And I’m pretty sure Doojoon’s already know he’s not going to be settling down with some pretty little thing and having a dozen kids. I think they'll be relived that it's you and not Jokwan.”
“Our careers-”
“Won’t mean very much if we spend the rest of our contract having to watch the two of you mope around like you’re in some bad drama.”
Yoseob made a face. “You’re going to have a counter for anything I say, aren’t you?”
“Well, Seobie, that’s because I’m older than you.” He sighed and nodded sagely. “I’ve lived longer and seen more. I’ve experienced love and heartbreak, I’ve-”
“Yah!” Yoseob laughed and shoved him hard. “I get it, I get it! Shut up already! Geez. You're not that much older.”
Junhyung mentally patted himself on the back for the genuine laughter.
Once he’d calmed down a little, Yoseob leaned against Junhyung and wrapped both arms around his waist. “You really think it’ll be okay?”
“It’s a risk, but that’s life right? We’ve taken a lot worse risks for a lot worse reasons.” He ruffled Yoseob’s hair. “I think the odds are in your favor.”
Yoseob smiled and Junhyung had a feeling things were going to work out just fine.
~*~*~
“Hyung?”
When Dongwoon settled next to him with a tentative look, Junhyung wanted to hit himself over the head with the still unfinished book.
Instead, he very calmly marked his place and set the book aside. “Yoseob and Doojoon are fine. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’re more fine right this moment than any of us are really comfortable knowing about.”
He knew for a fact that Doojoon had ‘borrowed’ their manager's car to take Yoseob somewhere that they could have some privacy for a few hours. He wasn’t expecting them back til morning, honestly.
Dongwoon’s expression became distracted and considering for a moment. Junhyung sighed. He did not want to know what thoughts were circling around in that shaggy head.
Before he could turn his attention back to his book, Dongwoon had shaken it off. “No, I know that. I saw them when they were leaving.”
“…” Junhyung sighed again and rubbed his eyes. “I’m almost afraid to ask what’s got you so worried this time, then.”
Dongwoon grinned for a moment before becoming serious again. “Hyung… Do you think Gikwang likes Hyunseung? I mean… you know… like like? He’s seriously pushing the entire little boy with a crush on a little girl act and I’m afraid Hyunseung is going to hurt him if he isn’t more careful…”
Junhyung sighed and buried his face in his hands. He loved his band mates, he really, really did, but…
He seriously did not get paid enough for this shit.
Length: one-shot
Author: M_K Yujji
Rating: pg
Genre: humor, very mild angst, romance
Pairing/Characters: Junhyung, Beast (Dooseob, speculated Gikwang/Hyunseung)
Warnings: RPS, possible OOCness, a couple of cuss words
Disclaimer: Though real people are used as characters, this fic bears no resemblance to Real Life and these people are not owned by me.
Comments/Notes: Yes I have an obsession with bibimbop. Yes my characters probably eat more bibimbop than is practical or healthy. -_- It's my favorite food, though, so I don't care. ;p
Summary: Anyone who said the band leader had the toughest job had obviously never been the band Mom.
~*~*~
“Hyung…”
Junhyung sighed and carefully marked his place. He appreciated that the other members all valued his opinion and trusted him enough to come to him with their problems. Indeed, for the most part, he loved it.
He hadn’t gotten much reading done since he’d started rooming with the members of his new band, though.
His band… He couldn’t help but smile a little at the thought. They’d all worked so hard and had so many set backs, but finally, finally….
“Hyung?”
Shaking his head, Junhyung forced his attention back to Dongwoon. “Sorry. What’s up?”
Dongwoon bit his lip and sat down next to the older boy. “I know it’s not really my business, but… I mean, we’re all in this together now, so it kinda is, though, and I can’t help but be worried because this place is small, you know? It’s not like they can actually avoid each other but it’s so awkward that they’re even trying and-”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Junhyung waved a hand through the air, trying to get the rush of words to stop. “Don’t assume that I can read your mind and already know the first half of this conversation or have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, umm…” Dongwoon shifted uncomfortably. He seemed to consider for a moment, then took a deep breath as if steeling himself for something unpleasant. “Did Doojoon and Yoseob break up? Or have a bad fight or something?”
Junhyung gaped at his youngest band mate. “What?”
“You don’t know what happened either?” Dongwoon looked a little relieved that he wasn’t the only one out of the loop.
“He doesn’t know?”
Junhyung looked up to see Hyunseung peering around the door frame with Gikwang practically on top of him as they gave up eavesdropping.
“No,” Dongwoon said, sighing and dropping his head back against the couch. “Maybe that’s good though. I mean, surely if whatever is wrong was break-up serious, one of them would have told Junhyung, ne?”
“But they’re avoiding each other.” Hyunseung scowled as he pushed Gikwang off his back. “And they’re dragging the rest of us into the middle of it.”
Junhyung felt a little like he’d fallen down a rabbit hole. “Wait a minute, so… Doojoon and Yoseob…. And you all know… and they’re doing what?”
The other three blinked at him in confusion before glancing between themselves. Dongwoon was the one who finally spoke again. “You knew they were dating right?”
“Of course I knew!” Junhyung huffed slightly and crossed his arms defensively. He hadn’t known, actually, and he felt a little put out that apparently everyone else had. He’d been close to both of the other boys for a long time. It didn’t seem very fair that they’d let other people know but hadn’t told him. “I’m just surprised that you know. I thought it was supposed to be a secret.”
Gikwang gave him a funny look. “If it’s supposed to be a secret, they’re not very good at keeping it. I’ve known forever. Yoseob has been all googly eyed over Doojoon since the day they met.”
“Everyone knows,” Hyunseung added helpfully, nodding. “Just like everyone knows they’re acting weird lately. Daesung asked me about it the other day.”
“They haven’t been acting that weird… have they?”
This time all three sighed and gave him varying degrees of pitying looks. Dongwoon’s voice’s was skeptical. “You really haven’t noticed?”
Scowling, Junhyung was tempted to throw his book at them except he figured it’d just bounce off of Gikwang’s hard head and do more damage to the book than anything. “Not really.”
“How could you not have noticed?” Hyunseung said, sighing as Gikwang leaned on him again. “You’re the one that Yoseob has been hanging on the most since it started. That’s why we figured you’d know what was up.”
He shifted and shoved Gikwang off again, much to the other’s grumbling displeasure.
“It’s Yoseob,” Junhyung defended, trying to think back if there was anything actually odd about his friends behavior lately. “He’s like a puppy. He needs constant hugs and love to stay happy.”
And a happy Yoseob was so much nicer than an unhappy one.
“Yeah, but usually he gets most of that from Doojoon! Lately it’s been all you or me or Kiki.”
“Yah! Don’t call me that,” Gikwang pouted from where he’d managed to lean on Hyunseung again.
The other boy elbowed him hard. “Then stop leaning on me. I’m not your chin prop… Kiki.”
Before it could degenerate into an actual brawl, Junhyung stood up. “Both of you stop it before I put you into separate corners and make you stay there.”
Sometimes he really did feel like the mom he knew the fans sometimes compared him to. He vowed to send his mother flowers the second he had some free time to apologize for never appreciating the headaches he’d undoubtedly given her over the years.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Now that it had been pointed out to him, he supposed there had been a change in both Yoseob and Doojoon recently. He was a little ashamed that he hadn’t noticed before. Obviously he was falling down on the job, as band mom and as friend. “I’ll find out what’s going on.”
Then he had to wiggle away as all three tried to pounce on him at once.
~*~*~*~
Doojoon was by far the easiest of the pair to crack. For all his manly image, the truth was that the band leader of Beast was the emotional equivalent of a giant marshmallow.
All Junhyung really had to do was separate him from the herd - something easily accomplished with a veiled invitation for lunch - and look at him.
The older boy only picked at his bibimbop for a few minutes before he caved. “What?”
Junhyung crossed his arms and scowled at the table. “We’re friends, right?”
“Of course,” Doojoon replied, concern coloring his voice.
“And you trust me to do and be all the things that friends are supposed to do and be?”
“Yes….”
“Then in all these years, why the hell didn’t you tell me about you and Seobie?” He smacked a fist down on the table, rattling the dishes and drawing a few curious looks from the restaurants other customers. He glared at them until they looked away and lowered his voice, aware that at least one or two was probably still trying to pay attention to their conversation now. “Why did I have to find out from our dongsaeng?”
Doojoon just gaped at him for a long moment before shaking his head. “We’re not…” He blushed and glanced around before leaning closer. “We’re not dating!” he hissed.
“You’re not?” Junhyung should have felt relieved, and indeed part of him did now that he knew his friends hadn’t been holding out on him. But he was also confused and worried. Because he’d lain awake all night thinking over the entire time he’d known the pair and he’d come to the conclusion that he’d been willfully blind to the supposed relationship. Because Doojoon and Yoseob certainly did act like just about every happy couple he’d ever known - even when no one was watching. “Are you sure?”
"It's not exactly something that I wouldn't noticed.” Doojoon sighed and shifted around uncomfortably. “Yes, I’m sure we’re not dating. I wouldn’t… I mean…”
He sighed again and dropped his head on the table. “I would love to date Seobie, but he doesn’t feel that way about me.”
Junhyung smacked Doojoon’s head. “You’re an idiot. He’s been googly eyed for you since the two of you met. Even Gikwang knows that and Gikwang is an idiot too.”
He wasn’t, actually, but certainly there were times when Junhyung was convinced that their friend lacked key brain functions. Namely the ones that told him to stop before he irritated someone to the point that they wanted to hurt him. He’d been smart enough to notice something that Junhyung never had.
Doojoon grimaced as he sat back up and rubbed his head. “Yah, don’t hit me.”
“Then don’t be an idiot.” Junhyung sighed and leaned back in his chair for a moment before leaning forward again. “What happened?”
Because obviously something had. Doojoon only ever looked so downtrodden whenever he’d done something to upset Yoseob.
The other man muttered something half under his breath before giving Junhyung a pained look. “I kissed him.”
Junhyung waited for more explanation, but Doojoon had gone silent again, staring studiously at the tabletop in front of him. He was tempted to hit his friend again, but he restrained the urge - barely. “And?”
“And what? And he’s been avoiding me ever since.” He glanced up again, looking absolutely miserable. “He won’t even talk to me! I don’t know what to do, Jun.”
Junhyung sighed. The silent treatment wasn’t Yoseob’s typical method of dealing with things, but it was the most serious. It was the one most guaranteed to crumble even the strongest of resistance. He only trotted it out when he really, really wanted something. It didn’t seem like the sort of thing he’d do if he was angry though.
That usually involved lots of yelling and throwing and occasionally - if he was extremely pissed - hitting.
He rubbed his eyes and sighed again. Which meant there was probably something else going on. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Really?” Doojoon perked up, looking hopeful for the first time since they’d started talking.
“Yeah. Now stop moping and eat properly.”
As he watched his friend finally start plowing through his meal, he sat back and let his mind wander. Yoseob was loud and outgoing, but he often played his genuine emotions closer to his chest than anyone else Junhyung knew. He wasn’t sure how to approach Yoseob about the entire issue, but he was going to have to figure it out for the good of the entire band.
Yet another sigh escaped.
He didn’t get paid enough for this shit.
~*~*~*~
“Seobie…”
Yoseob glanced up from his DS with a questioning look. “Hm?”
“…” Junhyung hesitated for a moment before settling himself down next to his friend. “Are you angry with Doojoon?”
He’d decided that the direct approach would probably be the least offensive one to Yoseob. He hoped he was right because the last thing he needed was for the blonde to be pissed off at him as well.
There was a slight hesitation, then Yoseob shook his head. “No. Should I be?”
Junhyung took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, propping his head on one fist. “You know… I love you. I love Doojoon and Dongwoon and Hyungseung… and even Gikwang.”
Yoseob laughed a little and grinned at him. “We love Junhyung too.”
“I’d do anything for you guys.”
“We’d do anything for Junhyung too!”
Junhyung nodded. “I’d do anything… including risk pissing you off by meddling in your business if I thought it was important enough.”
This time Yoseob glanced away and didn’t answer.
“Everyone is worried about the two of you.”
Yoseob bit his lip and glanced back at Junhyung. “Why? Nobody knows….”
“Everyone else thinks that you guys are breaking up.”
“What? But we’re not-”
Junhyung waved away the confused protest. “I know that. But I also know what did actually happen. And I know that Doojoon is tearing himself up over it because he thinks he’s ruined your friendship as well as anything else you guys might ever have.”
“I’m not mad at him,” Yoseob muttered, sighing and sitting back.
“I figured,” Junhyung said, quirking a grin at the curious look that got him. “Seobie… you don’t do silent anger. If you were pissed, you’d have decked him. There would have been shouting. We’d have gotten complaints from the neighbors.”
Yoseob’s grin matched his own for a moment before the humor slid away as if it had never been. “I wanted him to kiss me. I still do.”
“So? Why aren’t you telling him that?”
“But we can’t.” Yoseob looked every bit as miserable as Doojoon had earlier that afternoon. Junhyung didn’t like it at all.
Sighing, he nudged Yoseob’s knee with his own. “Why not?”
The eye roll and air of general annoyance clearly said that Yoseob thought he was either being stupid or being an ass and neither one was appreciated. “Do you need a list?”
“Yes.”
He could be as difficult as necessary if it meant his friends stopped making themselves suffer so much needless angst.
With sound of aggravation, Yoseob began ticking off reasons on his fingers. “The band-”
“Is more upset by the idea that you’re breaking up than by the idea of you being together,” Junhyung countered easily. “I guarantee you that if you try to convince any one of them that you guys haven’t been dating since day one, they’ll all think you’re just lying to them. And probably be hurt that you don’t trust them.”
Yoseob ticked off a second finger. “Our families-”
“Don’t live with you. And I’m pretty sure Doojoon’s already know he’s not going to be settling down with some pretty little thing and having a dozen kids. I think they'll be relived that it's you and not Jokwan.”
“Our careers-”
“Won’t mean very much if we spend the rest of our contract having to watch the two of you mope around like you’re in some bad drama.”
Yoseob made a face. “You’re going to have a counter for anything I say, aren’t you?”
“Well, Seobie, that’s because I’m older than you.” He sighed and nodded sagely. “I’ve lived longer and seen more. I’ve experienced love and heartbreak, I’ve-”
“Yah!” Yoseob laughed and shoved him hard. “I get it, I get it! Shut up already! Geez. You're not that much older.”
Junhyung mentally patted himself on the back for the genuine laughter.
Once he’d calmed down a little, Yoseob leaned against Junhyung and wrapped both arms around his waist. “You really think it’ll be okay?”
“It’s a risk, but that’s life right? We’ve taken a lot worse risks for a lot worse reasons.” He ruffled Yoseob’s hair. “I think the odds are in your favor.”
Yoseob smiled and Junhyung had a feeling things were going to work out just fine.
~*~*~
“Hyung?”
When Dongwoon settled next to him with a tentative look, Junhyung wanted to hit himself over the head with the still unfinished book.
Instead, he very calmly marked his place and set the book aside. “Yoseob and Doojoon are fine. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’re more fine right this moment than any of us are really comfortable knowing about.”
He knew for a fact that Doojoon had ‘borrowed’ their manager's car to take Yoseob somewhere that they could have some privacy for a few hours. He wasn’t expecting them back til morning, honestly.
Dongwoon’s expression became distracted and considering for a moment. Junhyung sighed. He did not want to know what thoughts were circling around in that shaggy head.
Before he could turn his attention back to his book, Dongwoon had shaken it off. “No, I know that. I saw them when they were leaving.”
“…” Junhyung sighed again and rubbed his eyes. “I’m almost afraid to ask what’s got you so worried this time, then.”
Dongwoon grinned for a moment before becoming serious again. “Hyung… Do you think Gikwang likes Hyunseung? I mean… you know… like like? He’s seriously pushing the entire little boy with a crush on a little girl act and I’m afraid Hyunseung is going to hurt him if he isn’t more careful…”
Junhyung sighed and buried his face in his hands. He loved his band mates, he really, really did, but…
He seriously did not get paid enough for this shit.