"You're home, hyung. "Ken says with an awkward smile,trying to hide the fact that they had just argued about him. 

N gives him a small nod, slightly glancing at Hyuk and Leo as he takes off his shoes. 

"Are you feeling better now, Hakyeon? "Leo asks, he noticed that N's face is not that pale anymore. 

N pretends that he doesn't hear him and Leo tried to ignore that fact eventhough he realises it. 

"Han Sanghyuk, apologise. "Leo instructs the maknae who just stay frozen, not moving even an inch. 

Hyuk covers his ears with his hands, purposely drowning the instruction and showing his stubbornness . 

"Don't mess with me. Do it. Now. "Leo urges, curling his fingers into a fist. . 

Hyuk presses his hands tighter against his ears and starts humming out loud. He's scared of Leo, of course but he's more annoyed at N. 

And that causes Leo to finally lose his composure as he raised his hand high, about to slap the rude maknae. 

"Taekwoon! "N finally let out his voice, shocked at Leo's action. Thankfully he managed to grab Leo's hand before it could touch Hyuk's face. 

Hyuk flinch, his eyes wide in terror. That hyung has never ever do that to him before. 

"Don't! "N warns when Leo snatch his hand away, his face red. 

"Don't?! Do you know what he said about you?! He said you're useless! "Without really meaning to, Leo accidentally blurts out the reason he asked Hyuk to apologise in the first place. 

Realising what he just said, he fearfully observes N's reaction, expecting the leader to lash out and scold Hyuk but none of that happens. 

N's face turn dull. He isn't really surprised because he heard Hyuk said it just that morning. But the fact that Hyuk even let Leo and Ken know about it just proves how much the maknae really mean that word. And it hurts N a lot. 

"I know. It's true anyway so why should you be mad? "N's voice is merely above a whisper. Ken could see the tears glistening his eyes, threatening to fall any seconds. 

Hyuk let his hands fall, mimicking the leader's sad facial expression to make fun of him since he knows that Ken and Leo's attention are fully on N at the moment, so they won't notice what he's doing. 

"So Hyuk... "N looks up at Hyuk, causing the maknae to quickly look back at him stoically to avoid getting caught by his other two hyungs. "... don't worry. After this, I'll make sure that you won't even notice my presence so that I can stop annoying you. I'll grant your wish. "

Hyuk just stares right at him. "What wish? "He asks. 

However, N doesn't answer as he has walked off to his room while uttering another few words.

"And Taekwoon, no violence. "

N is getting ready for bed, absent mindedly wiping the fresh tears on his face using the sleeve of his pyjamas when his phone rang once, indicating a new text. 

He reaches for it since he's expecting it to be from the manager, who told him he'll send him his schedule for the next day when he sent him home a while ago. 

He certainly never thought it will be from the person who just broke his heart. 

Hyuk. 

"Don't think by stopping Taekwoon-hyung from slapping me, I would take back my words because I won't. You're useless and forever will be useless. "

"Anyway, that pitiful face of yours is disgusting. "