HATE // Ricky.
Cotton SocksChanghyun may hate a lot of things but he hates distance the most.
It's been four years since he last saw Teen Top as a whole. Of course they've kept in touch, of course they are aware of eachother's activities, but its been four years since they were last all together. Changhyun is 29 now, maybe a bit thinner, and Teen Top went on a break five years ago. Teen Top had dissolved into their separate activities and their managers announced they'd go on a break for the foreseeable future. Fans were upset of course but they stayed close, stayed faithful. Changhyun will always be thankful for Angels.
Changhyun had become a actor successful in that time, starring in renowned dramas and big glitzy movies, just like he always wanted. Also in that time he had married (an idol) and had a daughter called Myunghee. Things were good for Yoo Changhyun.
The rest of Teen Top? Well, Minsoo continued to rap, becoming a solo act. He collaborated with many icons and wrote many raps for varying people. He also managed to open a small fashion store that sold a exclusive range of Mr. Bang caps.
Byunghun did rapping on the side with Minsoo and other idols. He mainly wrote songs for idols and became a renowned composer with hit OSTs and many a number one. He was never far from the TOP Media building.
Chanhee went solo just like he said he would, proving to everyone that his voice was beautiful, finally earning him the respect and recognition he deserved. Most of his songs were written by L.Joe - the two were practically a subunit.
Daniel had gone to travel the world. He wrote some songs on his travels, the culture and locations always inspiring him. That's what he said in the occasional goofy postcard. Every member got a wacky ornament when Daniel came back from his travels. He was the only other member to have married - a ordinary girl he had met in Japan.
And finally Jonghyun. It was a little hard when he thought about Jonghyun, the one he called best friend. Jonghyun became a famous choreographer, making moves for the very best of Korea. He trained hopeful trainees at TOP Media and that's all Changhyun knew. The Teen Top break had left the maknae line drifting and drifting further and further apart, which is why he hated distance. People forgot with distance.
He was reading through the script for a new drama when the house phone rang. At first he was going to ignore it but it stopped ringing too quickly indicating it had been answered. He could faintly hear his seven year old daughter's voice say 'hello?' He discarded the script on the coffee table and joined his daughter who look petrified at having answered the phone. Changhyun waited with a pointed stare, asking her to hand it over with his look but suddenly her face lit up with joy.
"Appa! It's Changjo-oppa! Hi!" She sang into the phone and started a animated conversation. Changhyun felt the blood drain from his body. There was only one person he knew called Changjo (a name he hadn't heard in a while). Myunghee giggled before turning her attention back to him. "He wants to talk to you, Appa." Her expression turned puzzled at her father's lack of reaction. "You're all white Appa, are you OK?" She whispered, her hand over the microphone as she held it out to him. Changhyun shakes his head, coming back to his senses.
"I'm fine darling, thank you." He took the phone, hesitating to put it up to his ear. Myunghee shouted 'goodbye' to the phone before skipping off. It was just him and Jonghyun. After three, four years, he didn't even know how long it had been. It just had been a long time.
"Yobeoseyo? Ricky-ah?" Changhyun's stomach lurched in his gut. He hadn't been called 'Ricky' in years.
"Hello," he replied a little too shakily. Jonghyun giggled like he was still eighteen years old.
"Hey, how are you?" Changhyun distractedly walked around the living room.
"I'm - I'm fine. Great." A quick pause whilst he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Busy you know. Ha."
"Yah, what's with you? You sound weird." This is Jonghyun, why is he so scared?
"Nothing, jeez." He sighed, falling back onto his chair. "How are you?" Just relax.
"Ah you know me, fantabbydooby." Changhyun couldn't help but chuckle. This was Jonghyun, what had he expected? "Hey hyung..." Changhyun reeled, he hadn't been a hyung in ages. "I was thinking we should meet up, like a reunion - all of Teen Top."
Changhyun thought about and despite his better judgement telling him about schedules and dramas he found himself saying: "That's a good idea. Have you asked them? You know how busy we all are."
Jonghyun sighed on the other end, the sound echoing slightly. It was a familiar echo he noted. It reminded him of aching limbs, a breathless routine and going to bed at three am.
"Kind of. I've only asked CAP-hyung and he said to ask the others but it's hard getting hold of them. I think Chanhee changes his number every month or something stupid and I don't even know where to begin with Niel."
Wave after wave of nostalgia washed over Changhyun relentlessly. Various memories flashing in and out of his mind. He wanted to see them, his brothers. He needed to see them.
"Don't worry we'll find them OK." Jonghyun hummed happily in reply, had he even aged at all? It sounded like he hadn't. Changhyun opened his mouth to speak, wrap things up but -
"Hyung," Jonghyun's voice took on a quiet tentative tone like he used to at four in the morning when he missed his parents curled up next to Changhyun. "I miss you, you know." It was a whisper, like he was too scared to say it. Changhyun found his eyes watering, his body shaking a little. What the...
"I miss you too, Jongie." And the dancer quietly said goodbye, hanging up before he could reply.
Changhyun had got his PA to track down Byunghun and Chanhee whilst he himself took on the herculean task of trying to find Daniel. It was hard when he was recording nearly everyday, getting home late and seeing the post-it note reminding him he still had to find the travelling singer. Daniel said last time that he was going to Madagascar next but Changhyun didn't know where to begin. So he would crawl into bed next to his wife and she would curl into him. It was this late at night that Changhyun would be full of doubts and he would be scared about seeing everyone again unless it was through a screen. He dreamt of them though. He dreamt of the distance separating them.
Jonghyun rang him a couple of weeks later telling him that Chanhee and Byunghun were up for it if everyone else was. (Jonghyun also said something about schedules but Changhyun decided that they can worry about that later.) It was getting easier to talk to Jonghyun again. He found himself falling into old habits the more he spoke to the maknae. He also felt as of the distance was getting shorter, little by little. Jonghyun said that Daniel was scheduled to be back in Seoul in a few weeks. Changhyun was going to ask how he found that out but a warm feeling in his stomach stopped him. Teen Top were coming together again. It was actually happening after four or something years.
"We'll see eachother soon, OK hyung." Changhyun grinned stupidly into space. Soon.
"Yeah." Changhyun gave him his personal mobile number, telling the younger he could text or call anytime and Jonghyun promised he would.
His mobile is receiving a call from an unknown number in the middle of a recording session. The director gives him an annoyed look but announces for the team to take five anyway.
"Yobeoseyo?"
"What's this I hear about you and the maknae scheming?"
"Niel-hyung!"
"Ugh. As soon as I get back to Seoul I get a call from Jonghyun talking about a reunion." Changhyun couldn't keep still as the make-up artists fluttered around him making sure he was flawless. Finally Niel was back!
"Well hyung? What do you say?"
"How's my Myunghee?"
"Don't change the subject and she's not yours."
"Byunghun and Chanhee?"
"They are if everyone else is."
Daniel's voice turned quiet. "Minsoo-hyung?"
"Yup."
A sigh. "Alright," Changhyun did a small victory dance earning weird looks from the staff around him. "When?" He suddenly stopped. When? He hadn't even thought of the date or time. No-one had asked. He didn't even know when everyone was free.
"I don't know..."
"Typical. That's what happens when the maknaes arrange something. Ring me on this number with a date OK?"
"Wait, hyung! It's been so long, how are you?"
Another sigh. "Changhyun-ah, I'm tired and I'm not used to Korean time (I've only been here two days). We'll talk more soon OK."
"OK."
Changhyun finds himself distracted, going down memory lane every five minutes because for some reason, practically everything reminds him of Teen Top. But he manages to pull of a successful recording session - at least the director's happy anyway. As he says his goodbyes to the crew and staff he receives a text.
From: Jonghyun-ah
15th of December.
And Changhyun grins a face splitting grin as he steps into his car and drives home.
Yeah he hates distance, but it's closing.
I'm not really sure about this... I'm sure Ricky would give his daughter a cuter name but Myunghee means bright or something? So I thought it would be fitting for a daughter of Ricky.... I hope you liked it though. I might continue this in the next chapter 'December' where there will be more couple-ness? Thanks for reading though.
[cotton socks] WILL BE BACK! i'm writing a new chapter now :) who feels like some NAP?
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