The morning began at 6am with a horrible wake-up call from the staff megaphone. The noise was so startling that Yongguk almost sprung out of his bed like a cat. When his eyes focused, he let his head droop over the side of the bed.

"Just a few more weeks," he grumbled to himself. "Just a few... more... weeks."

He had temporarily moved back in with B.A.P for the filming of Showtime and, although he loved being in the company of his fellow members, he was not too fond of the constant noise, especially when he had to work on compositions. A siren alert from the staff megaphone was even worse and made him miss the quiet of his own home. He laboriously covered his bare upper body with a t-shirt and black hooded jumper, laughing mid-yawn at how grumpy he had become in his 'old age'.

In the living room, the other members had gathered, pale with fatigue and annoyance. On the floor were two towers of Jenga set up for the members to play. Yongguk felt inclined to kick one tower over and say "oops" but he knew that the staff would just make him set it up again.

"Why are we up so early?" Youngjae whined.

 To his dismay, the PD staff had prepared an early morning game of Jenga, the loser of which would have to make breakfast for all the members.

Jongup had let himself fall asleep again on the couch, while Himchan looked on with envy. 

"How does he do that?" He asked with derision. "Once I'm up, I'm up. This guy just sleeps where he drops."

He lifted Jongup's legs to make room for himself and plopped down on the couch, allowing the dancer's feet to rest on his lap.

Yongguk tightened the strings of his hood to hide his unsightly morning face. 

"It's a gift," he muttered.

Daehyun sauntered out of his room, also hiding his face under a large hood, and dumped himself on the arm of the couch next to Himchan.

"I heard the announcement. I'm not cooking," he said flatly. Himchan chuckled at him and teasingly slapped a hand on his thigh.

Two teams were formed to play the Jenga games, consisting of the hyung line and the maknae line. Laboured by sleepiness and unsteady hands, it did not take long for both teams to make their towers fall. Zelo and Yongguk were the unlucky ones who lost the game in ther respective teams so they were granted the task of cooking breakfast together.

"You're all getting ramen," Yongguk bluntly informed the members and proceeded to switch on the stovetop while Zelo stood behind him, rubbing his eyes, waiting for instructions. As they cooked, the rest of the group took advantage of the free time to go back to sleep.

The PD staff discretely beckoned Himchan and Daehyun over to their side of the room.

"Are we doing it now?" Daehyun asked, suddenly feeling wide awake.

"Wait till you finish eating," said the staff member. "Don't talk too much."

"Okay."

"But don't talk too little."

Daehyun scowled. "Ehh, do I talk or not?"

Himchan put an arm around Daehyun's shoulders. "Maybe stay quiet until I ask you what's wrong. Then you can start talking."

"Yeah, do that," the staff member nodded. "Ask us to turn off the cameras when you do."

They left it there and went about setting the table before Yongguk and Zelo brought out the finished ramen pot along with bowls and cutlery.

Although it was a humble meal, the group slurped it up greedily in silence. Zelo reluctantly agreed to wash the dishes at the request of his hyungs, though he muttered something crass under his breath as he rose from his chair.

"Hey!" Youngjae warned him. "I had to do it before, don't complain!"

Zelo bowed deeply in apology. "Of course, I'm sorry."

Youngjae detected a hint of sarcasm but said nothing as the maknae graciously piled up the dishes and headed for the kitchen.

"It's okay, Youngjae-hyung," said Jongup. "Your squishy face just makes it difficult for people to take you seriously."

Yongguk spat out his drink while Himchan guffawed at Youngjae's shocked expression.

"What is this?!" He tried to say seriously but couldn't help laughing as well. "You be quiet over there!" He pointed a finger at Zelo in the kitchen whose shoulders shook with giggles.

Daehyun smiled slightly but remained quiet, staring at the table before him. Himchan waited for the laughter to subside before he placed a well-rehearsed arm around the vocalist's shoulders.

"Daehyun-ah, are you okay?"

Daehyun looked up as if being woken from his thoughts. He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, Zelo turning around from the sink to look at him with interest. Yongguk and Jongup looked similarly concerned and waited for an answer. He could feel the cameras zooming in for a close-up of his face.

"Why?" Youngjae asked with wide eyes. "What's wrong?"

Daehyun opened his mouth to answer 'honestly' but then quickly shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing."

Youngjae glanced at Yongguk who subtley turned his palms up as if to say 'I don't know'. 

"I'm fine!" Daehyun assured. "I just..."

He trailed off, pretending to be concerned by the cameras.

"What is it?" Himchan motioned for him to continue.

He turned to face Himchan beside him and suddenly had the urge to laugh. Seeing Himchan's eyes crinkle slightly, he guessed that Himchan was close to losing it too. He quickly looked away and massaged his temples.

"I have a lot on my mind that's all."

He pushed his chair back and rose from the table before the members could say another word. He felt Yongguk aimlessly pull on his sleeve as he left for his bedroom but did not look back.

A cameraman followed him in to his room.

"Please don't follow me," he said, loud enough for the others to hear. When he was sure they could not see him, his face twisted into a soundless scream.

"Aish! I'm so nervous! I'm so nervous!" He mouthed to the cameraman, shaking his hands in the air.

At the table, the rest of the group struggled to comprehend the situation.

"What just happened?" Youngjae asked.

"He was weird since yesterday," said Yongguk. "Junhong, you can leave that. I'll do it later."

The maknae left the remaining dirty dishes in the sink and returned to the head of the table to sit down next to Jongup.

"Let me ask him," said Himchan, rising from the table.

He walked at a normal pace until he turned the corner, at which point he scurried into Daehyun's room in a frenzy, almost running into the cameraman.

"Aigoo, aigoo!" He began jumping up and down on the spot with Daehyun. "My chest is hurting, I'm so nervous!" He whispered.

"I know, I know, me too," said Daehyun, struggling to pull himself together.

At that moment, the PD manager, B.A.P's own manager and another staff member walked into the room.

"Help! Help! What do we do now?" Daehyun felt the rush of anxiety tickling his spine that he started giggling uncontrollably.

"It's good, you're very convincing," their manager said softly, impressed. He looked to the PD manager who gave further instructions.

"Himchan. Force Daehyun to come back to the living room then Daehyun can-"

"I can't think with this camera in my face!"

"What?"

The vocalist had turned his back to him in a huff and had begun rubbing his face as if in turmoil. The PD manager blinked, confused by Daehyun's sudden outburst. When his employee discretely nudged him in the ribs, he looked around in realisation.

Youngjae was standing in the doorway.

"Daehyun," he said, with such genuine worry that Daehyun felt a pang in his heart. "I feel like I'm asking the same question over and over again. Will you please just talk to me?"

Daehyun reluctantly agreed and let Himchan and Youngjae drag him back into the living room, followed by the PD staff and their manager. He sat down once more at the head of the table opposite Jongup and Zelo.

He stayed silent for a moment, letting the atmosphere settle before he spoke.

"Can we please turn off the cameras? I need a break."

B.A.P's group manager told the PD staff to turn off the cameras and sent the subordinates out of the room. Obviously, not all the cameras were turned off. A couple were discretely 'discarded' to the sides, where members of the crew pretended to busy themselves with light conversation and film analysis while secretly recording. One camera was left unmanned behind Daehyun, capturing a full view of the group's faces. Footage from the security cameras in the corners of the ceiling was also checked on the monitors in the next room to ensure full functionality.

Daehyun looked over the heads of his anxious bandmates, anticipating some kind of signal. When a staff member finally gave him the thumbs up, he released a deep long breath.

"There is something I have been keeping inside for a long time," he began.

The other members said nothing. Zelo was almost lying on top of the table, he had leaned so far forward from his chair. Daehyun continued slowly.

"I am scared because I know it will let you down. But I don't know what else to do. I have to follow my heart."

He sensed Himchan fidget next to him, no doubt as nervous as he was.

"The truth is..."

He looked down at his hands and took in a breath. Here we go.

"...I want to leave B.A.P."

He exhaled and drew in another breath.

If he didn't know a stunned silence before, he knew it now. One could have heard a pin drop in that room. He looked up from his hands to see every member with their mouths open and eyes wide. Himchan prepared to speak as they had rehearsed, but was beaten to the punch by someone else.

"What?"

It was Youngjae who spoke. Poor Youngjae, whose heart was the most fragile of the group, could not believe what he was hearing.

"I'm sorry," was all Daehyun said in response.

"Again..." Youngjae pulled his chair in closer. "What?"

Unsure of what to do from there, Daehyun looked over the table once more to catch the eye of the PD manager, who simply motioned with his hands to keep talking.

"I have not regretted a single moment with you," Daehyun went on hastily. "B.A.P has made me everything that I am. I've always been B.A.P's Daehyun. But I'm at a point in my life where I want to be on my own. To do things on my own. To make my own journey as a performer. I'm sorry."

As he spoke, he tried his best to avoid blinking, hoping that the strain on his eyes would force out some tears.

"I don't believe you," said Youngjae. "I don't believe you..."

He trailed off, sinking back into his chair in shock.

The maknaes were just as distressed. Jongup had so much that he wanted to say but struggled to find his voice. Himchan decided to facilitate the scheme.

"Why now all of a sudden?" He said angrily. "When did you decide that you weren't B.A.P's lead vocal anymore?"

He praised himself for displaying such raw emotion on demand. He could see his name 'KIM HIMCHAN' on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next to that of Meryl Streep and Leonardo Dicaprio. Daehyun on the other hand wanted to kick him in the leg for asking such a difficult question. 

"I..." Daehyun began. "It's... it's not all of a sudden. I told you. It has been on my mind for a long time. I just wasn't sure of it till now."

"Daehyun-ah..." Himchan buried his face in his hands. He hoped the camera crew was getting all this.

"I'm sorry, I really am... so, so sorry," Daehyun made his voice shake but struggled to produce any tears. He wondered how Himchan did it so easily. "I did not want to say anything till after the program had finished but... I just- well... I guess I couldn't hide the way I felt."

Youngjae leaned forward once again. "I don't understand, Daehyun, I really don't." He shook his head in dismay. "You want to go solo? Is that what you mean?"

Daehyun waited a moment and then guiltily nodded his head. 

A glint in front of him caught his eye and he realised that Zelo's face was glistening with tears. He had been silently crying since Daehyun had confessed.

"Why do you have to leave to go solo?" Himchan growled. "Jongup did it already, you can easily release solo material without abandoning us!"

Daehyun suppressed the urge to pinch him. Himchan's acting showcase was making everything difficult.

"I don't know, hyung." Daehyun looked down at his hands again. "It's just not the same."

"Are you leaving because of me?"

Daehyun lifted his head to meet the forlorn eyes of Jongup who seemed genuinely concerned that he had done wrong.

"What?" Daehyun asked in surprise.

"I released two solo songs..." Jongup's face was blank but his voice was ready to break. Himchan almost called his name to comfort him but stopped himself when Jongup continued.

"But I won't do anymore. I won't be a main vocal if you don't want me to. Please don't go."

Daehyun could not believe the conclusion that Jongup had come to. He was endeared by Jongup's innocence but also quite offended that he would think him so childish as to jeopardise his dongsaeng's singing career for his own.

"No, Jongup," he said firmly. "That has nothing to do with it."

"It is because of me, then."

Daehyun and Himchan snapped their heads to the left at the dark voice that had been missing from the conversation. He was so quiet and still that they had completely forgotten he was there.

"It is, right?" Yongguk pressed. "You want more control of your music, right? If that's the reason, you can have it. You don't have to leave. I know I am difficult but..."

He looked away at nothing in particular.

Daehyun wasn't sure what to say. In truth, he did find it difficult working with Yongguk sometimes. They clashed in taste and style, and Yongguk's opinion would always prevail because he was the leader. 

But his opinion was not selfish. He made decisions based on what was best for B.A.P and Daehyun knew that. And if Daehyun felt strongly about something, Yongguk would always listen.

"No, hyung. It is not because of you."

Although he was acting, Daehyun found himself answering truthfully. It was surprising. While the prank was meant to shock everyone to tears, it also seemed to expose all their insecurities.

"I am leaving because I have to leave. It has nothing to do with any of you."

Yongguk's face was completely unreadable.

Youngjae looked up at the ceiling, fighting tears that threatened to fall. "How can you throw me away like this?" He said, softly.

Himchan slapped a hand down on the table.

"Leave if you want to. Be selfish if you want. We can't stop you."

He rose from his chair letting it topple over behind him.

"Himchan-hyung!" Youngjae chided.

Himchan ignored him and stormed off to the bathroom.

Daehyun buried his face in his hands. This was turning out to be quite a show.

"Daehyun-ah."

He heard Yongguk's voice and lifted his gaze.

"It is true. We can't stop you."

Daehyun raised an eyebrow.

"If you want to leave B.A.P and become a solo artist..."

He struggled to finish his sentence and it made Daehyun's heart ache with guilt.

"...then you have my support."

He looked down at the table, his expression even more cryptic than before. The whole ordeal was too much for Youngjae who silently pushed his chair away and sought out the solitude of his bedroom.

Daehyun looked on at his retreating figure, feeling triumphant in earning such a strong reaction but also plagued by the thought that maybe he had gone too far. He was suddenly anxious to reveal the hidden camera and finish it off so they could all laugh about it and go back to having a good time.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Yongguk spoke to him once more.

"But I'm begging you to stay."