"Really?"

Daesung was tired of everyone doubting him.

"Really."

Jiyong's look of disbelief changed to one of fondness as he quickly ruffled Dae's hair then yelled at maknae "Maknae! Stop harrassing the translator! We only have this small window of time for soundcheck!"

"The one you hate because we have to pretend to have soundcheck but actually meet our fans before the real soundcheck or the real soundcheck where you become all professional and edgy?" Seungri grinned at Jiyong as he adjusts his sunnies on his face, covering slightly swollen eyes from a night of partying with his friends and going straight from a supper spot to the hotel to the concert venue.

"Jiyong loves his fans. Wherever they are, there we will be," Youngbae softly said with that tiny smirk that always amused Daesung, that quirk in his lips accompanying those often teasing comments when everyone least expect it.

“Aish! Whatever you guys! This day feels long enough already,” Jiyong grumpily walks away to look for Seunghyun for a last smoke before they meet the next group of adoring fans who were lucky enough to win their spots to see them before the eventual concert later this evening.

Daesung absently played with the mic already in his hands, watching his leader stomping off in a huff, tight shoulders only relaxing when he spotted his smoking buddy making faces into his phone, playing with a new app to post more explosive updates on his instagram.

As he watched Jiyong and Seunghyun companionably walking towards the smoking corner, sticks already in hands, Daesung mused about Jiyong’s quicksilver mood changes and his other hyung’s ability to smoothen out that fiery temper.

Daesung knew the personalities and habits of all his band members well, having formed the habit of keeping silent and listening when they talk around him or staying still in a corner observing their shenanigans when they gather in a group. Jiyong persistently professes to know everyone the best, and having everyone else believe it too. Daesung thought otherwise, at least when it’s about him. They may have known whenever he had relationships with women in the past or when they ended abruptly when he suddenly refused to join them for meals, instead opting to stay home or spend his time at the gym. Beyond what they saw, they never knew the whys or hows of anything else. Daesung was careful never to say too much. Saying too much is dangerous. Even to his own band members he considered family.

“Dae-yah.. what are you thinking about?” Daesung looked up sharply, having not realised he had ended up staring into space, fingers still mindlessly twirling his mic.

Seunghyun crept closer and lightly laid his head on the shorter man’s shoulder, ignoring that quick stiffness before his dongsaeng relaxed his body. He was used to Dae’s reflexive action when a stranger intrudes into his personal space. Of all the members, he was the first one to forcibly barrel through Daesung’s paranoia and fear since the incident, making way for the others to try to resume their closeness with Daesung, or as much as he allowed them to.

Daesung crinkled his nose at the strong smell of cigarettes still clinging onto his hyung’s clothes.

“Not much,” he murmured. “Psyching myself up to make our fans happy.”

Seunghyun kept his silence and hummed quietly. He heard the tone in Dae’s voice. It was not in his place to dig deeper. For now.

“Ow!! Ya Kwon Jiyong! That hurt! That was a sneak attack!” Seungri’s shriek pierced the almost peaceful moment the two were enjoying.

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe if you had enough sleep or rest you would have seen it coming!” Jiyong crowed dancing around trying to keep the empty bottle which had rebounded from Seungri’s head, away from Seungri’s clawing hands in an attempt at revenge.

“Enough.” Youngbae’s growl quietened everyone. He had slipped into professional mode and during times like these, even Jiyong would tone down his randomly rambunctious phases.

“Showtime!” Seunghyun walked confidently towards the stage, cutting Youngbae off from his rousing speech, something he did when he was in the mood.

Youngbae bit his lower lip. He had a perfect speech in his head, that sneaky bastard. Seungri flashed a quick peace sign with his fingers at Youngbae as he ran after Seunghyun, followed by Jiyong shaking his head to appear less grouchy at yet another ‘soundcheck’ session.

“You had a speech in your head, didn’t you?”

Youngbae grinned at Daesung, mirroring his eyesmile. Switching on his mic, Youngbae crooned into it.

“Are you, are you ready~~?”

The deafening screams spurred Daesung to quicken his pace. He would look for another smile amongst the crowd tonight. As always.