Chapter 12

Niel and Ricky were ushered into the meeting room finally to find that 3 representatives of MNET were in there waiting. It was the PD from the program they were supposed to be on, another guy Ricky had never seen before as well as the man Ricky recognized from the bathroom earlier! As soon as Ricky saw him he grabbed Niel’s arm and pulled him close, glaring at the guy.

He saw now that the man had a dark bruise right under his cheek and although Ricky couldn’t take back all the bad things that happened to Niel or the fact that they got in trouble, he couldn’t help but be glad the man got injured from his punch.

“Hello Changhyun, Daniel,” the PD said, standing up. “Have a seat.”

Without letting go of Niel, Ricky led them to some chairs opposite the 3 other men. Their manager sat down as well.

“I am deeply sorry for the horrible indiscretion that happened today between you and my subordinate, Lee.” the man motioned towards the injured guy from the bathroom. “He made a very very gross assumption about Daniel and his… relationship with MNET. For that we are sorry. We are also sorry for the way that he reacted in cancelling your recording without prior notice.”

Ricky said nothing as the PD motioned for the guy he punched to stand up. Ricky could barely contain his disgust as the man came over and bowed deeply to him and Niel.

“I am truly sorry,” he said. “There is no excuse for my behavior.”

“Really there isn’t,” Siho manager spoke up, looking at the MNET representatives. “If I may speak out of turn I feel like calling this man’s assumption ‘gross’ is an understatement. After hearing what happened in the bathroom I am appalled to think you will let him in this meeting room after traumatizing my kid.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I am. But you do know that your other kid punched my staff. Consider the matter even and dropped.”

“Is it really that simple?” Siho asked. “You expect it to end at that?”

“As it should,” retorted the PD as the man who apologized returned to his seat. “I think we both have something to lose if this all went public. You really think your kid can get away with assault.”

“You—“ Siho began but Niel cut him off.

“Aren’t we going to talk about the show?”

The PD smirked, looking right at Niel, “Right. You know how this works, don’t you, Daniel. We do something for you to make amends and this all gets swept under the rug.”

Niel’s jaw clenched as he leaned back in the seat. Ricky’s arm was still intertwined with his and Ricky gave the vocalist a squeeze.

----

Niel was sick and he wanted to punch something. He felt stifled. Now that Ricky knew everything about MNET he felt too vulnerable. Ricky was his friend and he knew that Ricky only cared about his wellbeing but Niel didn’t like feeling like he couldn’t take care of himself.

‘You wouldn’t be in this situation if you could,’ a dark voice in his mind reminded.

Niel stormed out after the meeting faster than Ricky could stop him and ran down the emergency stairs. He just had to put as much distance between him and those smug producers as possible. He could tell himself he was happy being the most popular member and that he was content with the rewards for all his deeds, but it was only as long as he didn’t have to see their faces.

He just wanted to bash them in!

Niel stopped on the floor with the offices and burst through the door, stomping down the hall until he reached Dongwook’s. Without walking he pushed the door open causing Sanghoon to jump up in surprise, having been sitting on top of the desk.

“Ah, Daniel!” he said, turning and seeing the Teen Top member, ears red.

Niel was too frazzled to say anything and wordlessly the manager commanded Sanghoon to leave them alone. Niel watched as Sanghoon exited the room and waited for the door to click shut before lashing out.

“You told him didn’t you?” Niel shouted. “You told him he could me!”

“Told who?” Dongwook asked, looking up from where he sat behind his desk, his fingers laced together over a pile of papers.

“That new guy from MNET. He attacked me in the bathroom today and Changhyun saw him and lashed out. It cancelled the broadcast. I don’t know who the hell he is but somehow he knew… he knew about me,” Niel said coming closer.

“People talk. You’re not the first or only one it’s happened to.”

Niel whimpered and slumped against the manager’s desk to his knees. He felt exhausted emotionally and he just wanted to lay down and sleep and just forget about it all. He wanted to go back in time and never go to the bathroom alone. Anything so that they could keep their original broadcast and Ricky to have never found out.

He didn’t look up but he could hear Dongwook’s chair squeak and the sound of his footsteps before he felt an arm seize him and pull him to his feet. Suddenly he was sitting right on the desk and his former manager was looming over him.

“But what does it matter if I told them? I’m not your manager anymore. They know I can’t do anything as regards to you anymore. You know that too right…,” Dongwook said.

He bent down and nipped at Niel’s ear before pushing him so his back was against the desk.

“Why do you keep coming back, Daniel? You’re free.”

Free? The word kept ringing through Niel’s head like an obnoxious bell. There was nothing free about his situation and they both knew it.

Niel shivered as Dongwook’s cold hands pushed his shirt up and ghosted over his now healing bruises as well as a couple of newly formed ones.

“Stop,” Niel struggled finally, fighting against the man, flailing his legs out but Dongwook caught them in a hold.

“Why does he insist on marking you this way,” Dongwook asked, clicking his lounge as she held Niel’s legs. “Does he think leaving his mark will keep us away?”

Niel could feel the anger in his chest welling up and he sat up beating his fists into the older man’s shoulders roughly until he was let go. Niel scrambled off the desk pulling his shirt back down, hating the way Dongwook just leaned against the desk laughing at him.

“Your boyfriend is pathetic you know.”

Niel glared, “Don’t even act like you know anything about my relationship.”

“Oh I know,” Dongwook said. “I know a lot more than even you do.”

Dongwook rounded his desk and sat back down on the chair as Niel clenched his fists chewing on his lips unsure what to say. His heart was in a storm and he just wanted to scream but the words refused to come to mind let alone come out his mouth. He didn’t want to feel defeated.

“It isn’t what you think,” Niel began.

“If you’re going to try to say he doesn’t hit you and those bruises are because you’re clumsy you can stop.”

Niel’s mouth clamped shut.

“You’re both ed up if you think your relationship is anything resembling healthy. You’re broken, Daniel. I broke you. Now if you’re not here to I suggest you get out. I have work to do.”

Trembling Niel turned around and exited the room, making sure not to slam the door as he did so. He didn’t want to make as much noise coming out as he did coming in.

“Daniel!”

Startled, Daniel looked over and saw Sanghoon standing awkwardly in the hall, head tilted as he looked him over.

“Everything ok?” the 100% maknae asked.

Niel could hear something inside him screaming. Something clawing at him to say no but he didn’t have a voice. He shook his head and Sanghoon pouted cutely before walking over to open the manager’s door. The brief image of a blushing Sanghoon jumping off of Dongwook’s desk flashed in his mind.

“Don’t go,” Niel’s voice sounded foreign even to himself as he spoke. He almost wasn’t sure he said anything but Sanghoon stopped and looked at him.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t go,” Niel said. ‘It’s dangerous…’ his mind supplied.

Sanghoon merely smiled, “It’s just Dongwook hyung. You know him too. We’re friends. You look like you need some rest. See you.”

Sanghoon disappeared into the room and Niel felt like it might have been best if he had never been born at all. He couldn’t help anyone. Not himself, not TeenTop and now not Sanghoon. Maybe everyone was right and he was good for absolutely nothing after all.

Niel shuffled away down the hall, unconsciously hugging his sides and tracing the fresh bruises underneath. He liked them. It made him feel like there was someplace he belonged. Really, why couldn’t anyone understand that?

“I think you’re really pretty…” the deep drawl of his boyfriend echoed within his mind and Niel’s smiled tiredly.

So maybe there was someone who did. He’d just continue having faith in that.

-to be continued…-

AN: hohohoho ;~; thanks everyone for reading! i hope ya'll don't hate me. i can't apologize enough for the things happening in this fic