Hanbin's POV

 I greeted the group of women in front of me. I put up the best smile I can muster and bowed to the respectfully. They all giggled and said how I grew up so much. Suddenly, eomma dragged me to one of her friends that came with her daughter. Soo Ra, my old childhood friend before I left the house that is. Soo Ra and I had  another friend who were close to, Ming. All three of us knew each other by our parents. All of us knew exactly how each other feel about everything.

It was surprising that the members thought that she was all full of warmth and kindness but she wasn't. It was all an act. The night that she came and see me with Hanbyul was just an act. Fake support as I like to call it. She had to put on a face so that she might not seem cruel and cold. Every phone call she made telling me she was supporting me and that I could do it was only for the sake of show. All because people were watching her and I had to admit, she hid her true colours well. So did my father. They were like peas in a pod. Driven by power and money. An amazing plastic surgery that you can't even tell if its true beauty or fake beauty. 

"Yes mother." I said faking a smile as I guide  Soo Ra into the house. Soo Ra shared a knowning smile at me and just followed me excusing herself from everyone. I slowly walked over to the back of the house. The backyard had nothing much, just the green grass floors and a garden house at the corner where mom has her friends over and have tea to discuss about power, money and social standards. Carefully, I opened the door and told Soo Ra to enter. The table was already set with two people dining and having tea. My mother's deliberate plan I pressume. She had always thought of Soo Ra as a daughter in-law. To bad she doesn't know my true feelings.I didn't mind it that much. Soon everything was going to be over and I will finally break free from all of this. 

"How are you Soo Ra? It's been a while since I last saw you." I said opening up a conversation with her. Soo Ra looked around the place and just nodded her head as she sat down. "3 years. I have been doing alright. You know how it is." Soo Ra put on a sweet smile as she fixed her dress and hair for a while. I chuckled at her. She always wanted to look her best anyways. 

"Speaking of 3 years. You told me that you wanted to give me the pictures of our senior year together." I looked at her expectingly. She rolled her eyes. "You know I am not a photographer so you can't judge about the pictures." 

"Don't reporters have to take pictures as well?" I a bit as she handed me a big envolope. "I don't take pictures. Someone else does that for me." I rolled my eyes at her. Typical, of course she has someone to do that for her. Princess diseases much.

"Oh, I forgot you got princess disease. My bad. Why is the picture so big?" I raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed and looked at me like she was going to kill me.

"I don't have princess disease and that's because you asked for a big one. How would I know why you want a big size?"
 

"Hehehe.. I was just testing you. Come up stairs. I was planing on redecorating my room. Help me put this up." I suggested to her. She tilted her head a bit like she was contemplating whether to follow me or not.

"Don't try any funny busniess Kim Hanbin or I am going to scream." She joked as she got up of her seat. I laughed and  got up as well. "Well, says the one that can't wait to follow me up to the room." I smirked as I went out of the garden house. She slightly shouted at me and followed suit as I walked up to my room passing the mothers meeting for a while. I managed to get a glimpse of the table, plans we scattered on the table and the mothers all stopped talking and watched me as I went up to my room. 

"Where are you going Hanbin?" "I am going to take Soo Ra upstairs and after that she is going to help me hang a photo in my room." I explained politely in front of everyone.. Soo Ra's mother smiled widely and just excused me and Soo Ra who finally joined us. Mother nodded her head happily and just let us be. 

Soo Ra and I walked up the stairs slowly trying hard to look natural and not get caught for easedropping the mothers meeting. Finally, we reached my room and we both walked into the room locking the door in the process.

"It's safe now. I had the walls soundproof and there is no cameras here." I said looking over to Soo Ra who was looking around the room. "What happened? The security is tight now more than ever." She said as she handed me a USB. She was right. The only reason why she couldn't hand me the USB down at the garden was because eomma had put security cameras all over the place. Every where except the bathroom and my room. Those are the only places that had no cameras.

"They don't trust me. Someone tipped them off saying that 'someone' has proof of them that might potentially 'harm' them." I said as I put the USB on my desk. Soo Ra sighed and looked over to me like I was crazy. "Are you sure you are going to do this? I mean, I hate them as well. I love them but I hate them. I just have a unsetteling feeling that something bad might happen."

"Because something bad is going to happen." I replied back to her as I inserted the USB into my laptop transfering everything that is in her usb.

"What's going to happen to your team? I mean do they know about this? You're risking yours and their chances of even getting to debut. Are you going to be okay with that? I mean you are going to debut soon. Your final stage is going to be in a two weeks." She asked as she turned my chair around for me to look at her in the eyes. She had always done that to get my attention. I sighed and nodded my head as I swirled back the chair. "I am not risking their careers. Didn't you hear what she said? She is going to pull me out of the competition. Having a meeting with YG in a few days after she comes back from bangkok with what ever she is working on down there."

"Hanbin. This is your life we are talking about. You have to think about this seriously. You have always wanted to be a rapper. Remember?I thought you said that they were like brothers to you.Are you giving up on them so easily?You're their leader remember?" She said swirling back my chair to look at her again. By the time she did that, I was already angered. I knew what was at stake. Everything was all in my hand and all I had to do was choose. 

"So what? I won't rap then. You and I know what is at stake here. Once everything is revealed things are going to get messy and everything will be spiraling downwards from then on. What am I suppose to do?If  I can't even keep Hanbyul safe, how am I suppose to protect the boys from what is going to happen if I don't do this." 

"They don't know do they?Everything that is going on." Soo Ra looked at me shocked. I sighed and rubbed my temples. "No." I said. Suddenly, Soo Ra grabbed my hand and stared at the ring on my finger. "You put it back on?" She looked at me not believing what she was seeing like she was expecting the ring to go away. "I had too. I have to gain their trust."

"Wah, Daebak!" She said speechless on how far I went. "Once everything is over, I want it clean. I might hate them but they are still my parents." I said looking over to her.
 

"Don't worry. Ming has it under control so when ever you are ready." I nodded my head and glanced back at the computer for a while..

"I have a few more things to settle then we are good to go." I said as I looked back at her. Soo Ra, Me, Hanbyul and Ming.... We are finally going to break free.

Meanwhile~

No one's POV 

Jinhwan and Chanwoo were both eating with the members. Jinhwan was a bit unsure on what he was feeling at the moment and the rest was still in shock. Even bobby was quiet. Chanwoo was the only one that was calm and collected. After the news of Hanbin going back to his house for a while, worried the members but what made them in that state was the rumor that they heard about the possibility of Hanbin leaving the group. 

"Aii, he wouldn't actually leave us would he? We are so near to the end already." Junhoe asked as he blinked his eyes a few times still trying to reqister everything that was on his mind at the moment. 

"Yea, why would he leave anyways? I mean, we did nothing wrong. Did we?" Donghyuk asked as he looked over to Jinhyeong and Yunhyeong. Yunhyeong shurgged and looked over to Hongseok who also shook his head. 

"We should just wait until we see Hanbin again. We can't just believe in rumors. It's not right. He deserve to explain himself." Jinhwan said nodding his head as he said that. Trying hard to convince himself to wait for Hanbin to explain everything. The older and Jiwoon was always the closest to Hanbin. They were the trio that no one could seperate. They didn't have to be around each other all the time but when they are it was comfortable and safe. To jiwoon it was a friendship that he could ever dream off, To Jinhwan it was more than a friendship it was brotherhood and to Hanbin it was always a safe heaven. A place where he could leave his troubles behind and where he could recieve and give out pure affections. 

"Right." Bobby said nodding his head. 

"Maybe jinhwan hyung and bobby hyung could go meet Hanbin hyung tomorrow? I mean, you guys are the only ones that aren't busy tomorrow anyways. You both have finished taking your photoshoot already. And if we finish our photoshoot early, we will just join you guys and go out with Hanbin hyung for dinner?" Chanwoo suggested as he drank his coke. Everyone looked at Chanwoo for a while and nodded their heads agreeing with the idea. 

The next day~
 

Jinhwan and Jiwoon were both standing in front of Hanbin's door. They had only been in that house once and that was only for christmas when Bobby and Jinhwan couldn't go back because of a snow storm. They rang the door bell and a few seconds later, the door was opened by Hanbin who looked at his hyung surpised. 

"Annyeong Hanbin-ah." Both of them said brightly as they greeted the younger. Hanbin smiled and told them to come in. Jinhwan and Bobby scanned the house and noticed the cameras around the house but bit back their lips trying hard not to mention about it. Hanbyul came over rushing to them and greeted her oppas with a hug.

"Hanbyul-ah. Did you miss me?" Jinhwan asked teasing Hanbyul. Hanbyul just showed her tounge and rolled her eyes. "No, I miss Junhoe oppa." Hanbyul said teasing her brother. He brother sighed and stared at her as she slowly walked away but not taking her eyes off of Hanbin. "Hanbyul-ah!" Hanbin shouted her sister as she just run away laughing 

"I think we should talk in my room? Since its more comfortable to talk. I hung a new picture you need to see it.A friend of mine brought it over for me just yesterday." Hanbin said noticing that his hyungs weren't comfortable with all the camera's in the house. It was pretty obvious there were cameras since it wasn't really hidden. 

They walked up the stairs and bear hugged Hanbin as soon as they entered his room. "Woah! Hyung, waegurae? Is everything okay?"

Bobby sighed and sat down on Hanbin's bed while Jinhwan looked over to Hanbin. Jinhwan had always been better at words then him."We need to talk and this time you can't avoid this hanbin-ah. I am sorry that we are forcing you to tell us whats going on but we care about you and we can't just see you disappear like this." 

"You guys are right. I do need to talk about. I was planning to see you guys today anyways." Hanbin said as sat down next to Bobby and held his head down not looking at his hyung. If anyone were to come into the room at the moment, they would think that Hanbin was getting scolded or something. 

"I.... I just don't know where to start." Hanbin said slowly. Bobby sighed again and patted Hanbin's back to comfort the younger. Jinhwan looked at them both on the bed. It was rare. Everything was too new. It was so unfamiliar, the almighty leader B.I was gone and was replaced by a lost Hanbin. Hanbin looked soulless like he had given up on everything that he had believed in or he had just lost from a fight that he has been fighting for all his life. 

Flashback~
 

"Jung Chanwoo, I don't want to play games anymore. I know something happened between you and Hanbin while you guys were gone for an hour a few days back." Jinhwan said as he closed the door and said in a slow but angry voice at Chanwoo. Chanwoo stayed calm and smile at his hyung. 

"Hyung. What makes you think that?" The more that the younger smiled the more angry Jinhwan felt. "Because I can see it. Hanbin is comfortable with you now. Ever since you guys got back from that day. Do you know how long it takes for Hanbin to trust someone the way that he is trusting you right now?" Chanwoo smile dropped a bit and he let out a small sigh.

"Hyung, I really respect you. And I love the members, but I don't think I should tell you whats going on. You need to hear it from Hanbin hyung himself. Its not my story to tell. And he made me promise not to tell anyone so I am keeping my promise." Chanwoo said bowing to Jinhwan before he left the room. "And for the record hyung. I know that I might be oversteping the boundries but I think you should talk to Hanbin hyung. He needs you and bobby hyung more than anyone else right now even if he doesn't admits it."

Jinhwan turned around to say something to the younger but stopped. The younger already went out of the room and left him there dumbfounded. On the other side, Chanwoo just leaned his body slightly at the door and just stared at the blank wall in front of him. "Don't make the same mistakes I made." Chanwoo whispered as he walked off to go back and play with yunhyeong. 

End of flash back~ 

Jinhwan shook his head at the advice that Chanwoo gave. As much as he hated to admit, Chanwoo was right. They do need to talk and both Jinhwan and Bobby could tell it was serious since they never seen the leader act this way. This wasn't anger it was a sense of lost. The leader was in a lost and confused state. Jinhwan sighed and sat down next to Hanbin. 

"I think I am going to leave the group." Hanbin said making his hyungs heart stop for a while. "W-What do you mean leave?" 

"I can't take care of you guys. You guys have seen me. How many times have I missed training already? How many times have I gotten mad at you guys for little little things?" Hanbin said as he looked over to his two hyungs. "No, its not just about that is it? You have always have that problem before.. there is something else that is stopping you isn't it?" Bobby finally said as looked over at Hanbin seriously. Hanbin sighed. 

"I don't think I can lead you guys anymore. I can't protect you guys." Hanbin said finally showing no emotions to his hyungs. Both of them could feel the coldness an the emptiness in Hanbin's eyes. 

"Do you know why Hanbyul came back with me that day?" Jinhwan and Bobby both shook their heads as waited for Hanbin to continue. "My parents are different from your families hyung. Bobby hyung you have your mother now that you bought a house for her here and Jinhwan hyung you have your parents as well. You both came from warm families hyung. I wish Hanbyul had that. What's the use if I can't protect Hanbyul like I promised her what more can I protect 9 grown men?" Both of Jinhwan and Bobby looked at each other for a while. Still trying to process and make sense of what the leader is trying to say. 

"I don't get it. What happened to Byul? She seems fine." 

"Our parents has done something bad, and I don't want to involve you guys in it specifically but just imagine something really bad. Exclude killing someone of course." Hanbin said as he started to tell his hyungs what has been on his mind for so long. "If the truth comes out and it will, it would ruin the team. There is going to be a big chance that we might not even get to debut and I don't want to disappoint you guys again. Not after what happened during WIN." 

"I am doing this to protect you guys. This is the only thing I can do to as your leader." Hanbin said as he looked sincerly at his brothers. Their heart broke. They all knew that after WIN, the one who had the hardest time was Hanbin. It was hard for them but hardest for Hanbin. Then during Mix and Match, everything was pushed on him. He had a lot of responsiblities. It was a hard life for Hanbin. 

He had to live up being called the next GD, the composer and producer for Ikon, the leader, the heir to the biggest company in whole of Korea and many more titles that they can't even count.

They didn't know how to show hanbin that he made a difference in the team. He had helped them so much and they couldn't help him when he needed it. 

Okay so, just for the record. None of this actually happened. BOTH OF HIS PARENTS ARE NICE PEOPLE. Don't forget to comment if you don't understand anything. Or if anything seems confusing to you.