Chapter 10

The room was completely silent after Ricky finished his story. L.Joe hadn’t stopped to interrupt him once during the entire time Ricky explained all that he knew.

“So you think that excuses Minsoo hyung as the source of the bruises?” L.Joe finally said after a bit.

Ricky replied, “Didn’t you say the other day not to worry about it?”

“I didn’t say that per say… just I didn’t want to press them during that incident since it seemed possible they were telling the truth. Anyway I will admit to one thing that you’re right about.”

“What’s that?”

“About Chanhee and I knowing. Chanhee and I have known as long as Minsoo that Daniel had to do those things. And what he told you is true. He hasn’t done anything like that in over a year, as far as we know of. After we got banned from MNET he’s been perfectly safe from the hand of those types of men and DongWook manager hyung got transferred to 100% and yet…”

“And yet…?”

“And yet Daniel’s weird ‘accidents’ and ‘clumsiness’ didn’t start until after we were banned from MNET—“

“But that would mean you’re saying he’s lying!” Ricky protested.

“Well he’s lying about something. He’s lying about either the thing with MNET or the sources of his bruises and we all know none of us have set foot in Mnet until recently.”

Ricky sat up and hugged his legs to his chest in thought, a pout coming to his mouth. What L.Joe was saying was true but Ricky didn’t know how to feel.

“Changhyun ah,” L.Joe said sitting up too and touching his shoulder. “Look, I didn’t mean to make you worry. Really I didn’t. I was just explaining to you the things that we all know now. We know that Niel is safe from those men, ok. You protected him today. Nothing is going to happen to ether of you. They can’t do anything to you without hurting themselves too, ok.”

L.Joe tried to reassure him by patting his shoulder.

“But… but I’m so confused,” Ricky said.

“I don’t want you to be worried and I don’t want you to look at Minsoo differently either. Chanhee and I have been watching them for a while now and we don’t really have any evidence against him but nothing to clear him either. We just have to keep making sure of everyone that Daniel hangs around with. Now that you know I guess you can help too so I guess welcome to the investigative team,” L.Joe shrugged.

He held his hand out and Ricky looked at it before shaking it. L.Joe was right, now that he knew he had a responsibility to Niel to help solve it, once and for all.

----

Changjo didn’t consider himself a person with much hate. He didn’t hold grudges and he didn’t argue much. He considered himself passionate about a few things, dancing being one of them. That said, he could honestly say now that Mnet was now being added to his list of things he hated.

He already disliked them for banning them from Mnet the year before but decided to let bygones be bygones after they were welcomed back during “Miss Right” promotions. But he was for sure done with the channel after this time. They were supposed to be recording and it wasn’t until the last minute that the broadcast was cancelled and for lack of any given reason. As far as Changjo was concerned he wouldn’t bother with Mnet again in his life. In fact, he wouldn’t even watch the channel on his TV!

There was no possible reason for their broadcast to have been cancelled so suddenly, and also just as little reason for Niel and Ricky to be so upset about it. It wasn’t their fault that Mnet . It wasn’t any of their faults.

They were the maknae line, yes, but they weren’t babies anymore. Weren’t they trying to shed themselves of their young image and be seen as men? Sometimes Changjo felt he was the only one serious about it because Ricky just couldn’t help but act 5. But at the same time it was endearing. The same way that the fans wanted to protect that innocent Ricky from the world, in the end, despite being just a bit younger, CHangjo wanted to protect him too.

However, Changjo wasn’t the type of person to hound people for information. If they wanted to talk about it they would, and chances are, knowing Ricky, he’d find out soon enough. So Changjo just stayed in the living room eating and watching not Mnet while waiting for their manager to come back and update them on the situation.

He was waiting with Chunji only about an hour when he heard the door clicking open and he sat up quickly on the couch as he watched the manager come in.

“Hey hyung,” he greeted.

“Where’re the others?” Manager asked, closing the door behind him and letting his eyes sweep over the living room, taking in the empty snack bags and the half done puzzle of Bali. “This place is a pig sty. If you’re not working today the least you can do is clean it. Get your feet off the coffee table.”

Changjo immediately placed his feet down.

“Gee, good afternoon to you too hyung,” Chunji muttered as he began collecting the empty bags.

“Where are Changhyun and Daniel,” manager said.

“Are they in trouble?” asked Changjo. “What happened? Why were we kicked off the show?”

“Just get them won’t you,” manager said, going into the kitchen.

Changjo sighed and shared a look with Chunji who just shrugged.

“He must be stressed. It’s been a long day for him too, you know,” Chunji said. “I’ll clean this up. You get the others ok.”

Changjo nodded and went to do as told. He went and knocked on CAP’s door first and told them that the manager had returned. They said ok so he moved on to the next room but when he knocked there was no answer.

“Changhyun ah!” he called. “Hyung’s back.”

There was no answer and Changjo’s brows knitted in confusion. He could have sworn that Ricky went into his own room. Changjo poked his head next door and saw there was nobody in his room so he went back to Ricky’s door and knocked again.

“Changhyun? Byunghun hyung?” Changjo said, before turning the door knob and opening the door. “Are you in… here?”

His voice dropped dramatically at the last word and his hand clutched tightly on the door knob as he suddenly felt a surge of anger wash over him at the sight. Ricky and L.Joe were napping in the bed, bodies tight, close together in an embrace. He could tell that L.Joe’s hands were at Ricky’s waist. Ricky’s head was lying so his head was so close to their hyung’s collar bone.

Without even thinking Changjo slammed the door with a loud bang, using more force than he realized. He gathered himself, trying to suppress his anger before going to open it again.

----

BANG!

Ricky was startled from his nap by a large banging sound and jumped a bit in his bed, only to hit his head on L.Joe’s chin.

“Owww,” L.Joe whined, sitting up and rubbing his chin.

“Sorry hyung,” Ricky said, rubbing his eyes. “I was startled. Did you hear that?”

“Yeah… what was it?” L.Joe asked.

“I don’t know. How long were we sleep?”

Before L.Joe could answer though the door to the room flew open and it was Changjo at the door, glaring at them, especially L.joe.

“Manager hyung is back. Come to the living room,” he said, before leaving quickly.

Ricky blinked and L.Joe crawled over him and out of the bed. Ricky followed and caught up to Changjo in the hall, slipping his arm between his younger yet taller friend, but Changjo just shook him off and when they reached the living room just squeezed on the couch between C.A.P and Niel, breaking the couple apart.

Ricky was a bit bewildered. Was he just snubbed by Changjo? What did he do to get that kind of treatment? He pouted but L.Joe came to his side, slung his arm around him and directed him to sit on the floor so Ricky did just that. Besides Ricky knew that it was now more important to hear what their manager had to say than wonder about Changjo. Changjo after all was oblivious to know the real problem that had happened. He was really, as Ricky found out from L.Joe during their earlier conversation, the only innocent one in the whole thing.

Once they were all situated the manager began the meeting.

“I and the staff at TOP media have talked to MNET about the cancellation of our recording on ‘K-POP’n Food & Music’ today,” the manager began. “And they admit that it was all a misunderstanding and that it was completely discourteous on their part.”

“That’s an understatement,” scoffed Changjo.

“Jonghyun hush up and let me finish,” the manager commanded. “Anyway the good news is they’re willing to lift the ban if we agree to reshoot for another episode of the same show.”

“Well I guess that is good,” Chunji said, hesitantly, looking at the others to gauge their reactions.

L.Joe didn’t seem to have any opinion and Changjo was much the same, sitting lazily with his head leaning in C.A.P’s direction. Ricky had to admit he thought it looked pretty cute. Changjo looked a bit like the big baby he was sitting between his “mother” and “father” especially with the bored pout he had.

“I don’t get why we have to bother with them. Just let the ban be lifted and don’t around with Mnet unless for Mcountdown is what I say,” C.A.P said, causing Changjo to raise his head.

“We don’t even know what it is they banned us for in the first place,” the youngest chimed in.

“What happened with this week’s filming anyway? Did we get replaced already?” Chunji asked.

Manager nodded, “Yes. Apparently they called some eager rookie boy group in the last minute.”

“I bet they had a really pretty member, huh?” C.A.P growled and it made Ricky a bit uncomfortable now that he knew the context.

Niel reached behind Changjo and put his hand on C.A.P’s shoulder to quiet him.

“And next week they already have the group Secret coming in but they said two of our members can come in along with them no problem and all we have to do is say yes,” manager explained.

“Ohh, a girl group,” Chunji seemed excited about the offer and looked at the members. “What do you say guys? I don’t mind taking on an extra schedule next week.”

“Don’t get too excited yet, Chanhee,” manager said. “They already put in their requests. They specifically expressed a wish to extend the offer to the ones they feel they have to make the greatest amends to: Ricky and Niel.”

“You have got to be ing kidding me,” C.A.P said.

“Minsoo,” manager sighed. “I know you don’t understand fully what happened but Mnet feel that their decision to end the broadcast affected those two the most.”

“He won’t do it.”

“I’ll do it.”

C.A.P and Niel has spoken simultaneously and as soon as C.A.P realized what his boyfriend said he just stared at Niel incredulously. Niel didn’t bother meeting his gaze.

“I’ll take the offer,” Niel said, not backing down. “I don’t mind being on a show. I don’t think Changhyun will either.”

Ricky was just as surprised as C.A.P was. With everything he had heard from L.Joe and even Niel himself he was surprised Niel would agree to go to the building on his own accord.

“Well, Changhyun what about you?” manager asked.

Ricky squirmed as 6 pairs of eyes landed on him and he wanted to shrink into a turtle shell. Too bad he didn’t have one.

“I… I have to see their terms and conditions first,” Ricky said with a stutter. “A,after all I was uhm… I was really… er, offended.”

He saw the way Changjo gave him a curious look but just looked down at his lap instead of acknowledge it.

“Ok, that’s fair enough. Why don’t you and Niel come with me down to the company where we can talk about it more in detail? The rest of you clean you this place. You have the day off make use of it. This meeting is over.”

The members lazily picked themselves up from their seats to start cleaning and Ricky went to the front to slip on his shoes to go to the company with Niel. Normally Ricky would be completely happy to have the chance to guest on a variety show with a girl group but this time it felt as if he was sentenced to his own death march.

-to be continued-

AN- thanks for reading. so who is right who is wrong? who will solve this mystery? i hope you aren't bored with it u_u also i dunno i have the urge to write changjo so next chapter i want some clueless changjo! haha look forward to it. thank you all for the kind comment and subs. comments and subs give me super strength!