Chapter 34

For Ricky, hearing everything Niel had to say and then going to practice the next day, matters still heavy on the young one’s heart, didn’t make anything easier. In fact it just made things, yet again, worse. Even though they were practicing for their upcoming concerts Minwoo was just sitting there and watching. It was unnerving to have that hyung there when before he wouldn’t have thought twice about it.

Knowing the history of things changed everything. First it was his thoughts on Dongwook manager and now Minwoo too. He didn’t want to think about it but he couldn’t help it but to flinch when between songs he would see the way their fingers touched when that eldest hyung passed the bottle of water to Niel or his sweat towel. Instead of only getting angry Ricky could also feel annoyance? Of course he couldn’t expect Niel to be rude to Minwoo who seemed to only be trying to be nice but did he have to be so obvious about their friendship.

‘Calm down, Changhyun,’ Ricky thought to himself. ‘They’re friends. We’re all friends. It’d be weird if they weren’t being friendly.’

It went on for about 3 songs when C.A.P started to become annoyed by it as well though. Normally C.A.P wasn’t one to initiate mischief in the dance studio, there were enough of those sorts of people to begin with but during “To You” Minwoo was making gestures at Niel and C.A.P retaliated by trying to trip Niel in the next step. In the mirror it was glaringly obvious and not subtle at all and Niel protested loudly as he was pushed into L.Joe’s way, who then shoved him back into C.A.P who in turn pushed him to the floor with a thud.

“Oh my god Minsoo! What the heck are you doing?” Chunji screeched, running to turn off the stereo.

Niel stood up from where he fell on the floor.

“Are you ok, hyung?” Changjo asked.

“I’m ok,” Niel nodded before sending a glare in C.A.P’s direction.

“Why is Minsoo being so rough in the first place?” Minwoo asked from where he was still seated against the mirror guarding Niel’s towel and water bottle. “That’s not how you’re supposed to act during practice.”

“Yeah?” C.A.P scoffed. “Well, as far as I remember unrelated people aren’t allowed either.”

“Are you kicking your hyung out?” Minwoo laughed.

C.A.P said nothing and went over to where his towel was, wiping his face.

“It’s ok hyung we don’t mind,” Chunji said to Minwoo. “Anyway, we know that your practice doesn’t start until after Rokhyun’s vocal practice anyway.”

“If he’s so free maybe he should practice some himself,” C.A.P muttered.

L.joe walked over and clapped C.A.P on the back whispering something in his ear before backing off and motioning for Chunji to turn the music back on.

“Let’s just keep going,” L.Joe said. “It’s too early to keep breaking like this.”

“Right,” Changjo agreed getting back into position again.

Ricky followed as well but he couldn’t help but still watch C.A.P in the mirror as they danced. The leader’s jaw was set and Ricky could tell he wasn’t yet content about the matter. The visual maknae felt a tug at his heart. He couldn’t help the curiosity that nagged him. About Minwoo and Niel, did C.A.P know?

They finished another set and Minwoo was still there, sitting against the wall and tapping into his phone. He hadn’t interrupted the practice anymore but he was loitering around. C.A.P sent a glare in his direction as Niel skipped over and sat down beside Minwoo. The glare deepened as the two began chatting animatedly.

“I’m thirsty,” C.A.P said slamming his empty water bottle down on the stereo speaker.

“I can get you a drink, hyung,” Niel said, looking up.

“I’ll go with you,” Minwoo offered.

Ricky, who was watching it all could see the way C.A.P had bristled and jumped up instead.

“I’ll go!” he said. “I can get everyone some drinks from the break room. Jonghyun, let’s go!”

Ricky reached out and pulled Changjo out the door before anyone could protest.

“Ugh, Why did you pull me out?” Changjo asked as the door shut behind them. “Minwoo hyung said he’d go with Niel!”

Ricky replied, “I wanted to take a break.”

He didn’t want to get into how he thought C.A.P might burst a blood vessel if Niel and Minwoo left together. Changjo had no idea and he was going to keep his promise to Niel after all to not tell a soul.

“Well, I don’t,” Changjo replied, ever the workaholic.

“Too bad. Now you’re coming,” Ricky stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend. “Hey! I’ll race you! Last one there has to endure a forehead flick.”

“Huh?”

“Bye!” Ricky his heel and ran off before Changjo could register what had happened.

He grinned as he rounded the corner and descended the stairwell to the next floor. He neared the break room and slowed down to stop right at the door. Holding in his laugh he poked his head in but that was when his feet stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Sanghoon and Dongwook chatting amicably in what seemed to be an intimate position.

He couldn’t hear what they were saying but when he turned back around and pressed his back against the door the image had already been burned into his mind. The action wasn’t bad in of itself, but it was so intimate that he felt he’d encroached upon them. Dongwook was standing against the counter and Sanghoon stood with his back pressed against him. Their old manager’s arms were wrapped securely around Sanghoon’s waist and the 100% maknae didn’t seem to be fighting. He had a smile and his hands held a small can of coffee. He was obviously happy to fit into the embrace.

“Changhyun!”

Ricky heard Changjo calling behind him and whipped around quickly the hush the other. Even though he had no good reason to be doing so he felt he had to be quiet.

“What’s going on? Why aren’t you going inside?” Changjo came walking up and then stopping as Sanghoon came out of the room.

“Oh, hey guys,” Sanghoon greeted.

“Hi, hyung,” Changjo replied. “Are you getting ready to go to practice?”

“Yeah, I just finished my breakfast. How about you?”

“We’ve been here since early!” complained Changjo. “By the way, please get your leader. He keeps bothering our practice and I think C.A.P woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He seems cranky.”

Sanghoon laughed, “Ok. See you.”

Sanghoon waved and walked off and Ricky and Changjo walked in. As they walked in Ricky made it a point not to look over at their old manager who was now cleaning the things off the table that he and Sanghoon must’ve eaten their breakfast on. He went to the vending machine.

“Good morning, hyung,” greeted Changjo again as he followed to Ricky.

“Hey you two,” Dongwook congratulated, as he threw some trash into the bin “I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Huh?” Ricky and Changjo turned to face their old manager. “Did we win something?” Changjo asked.

“Well, aren’t you two dating?” Dongwook returned causing Ricky and Changjo both to splutter.

“W,wait what? What makes you think—“ Changjo began.

“That’s supposed to be a secret!” Ricky protested beside him.

Changjo elbowed Ricky, “You’re not supposed to confirm!”

“Ah, sorry,” Ricky blushed to his ears and looked down as Dongwook proceeded to laugh. Ricky’s head shot back up. “Yah, hyung don’t laugh!”

Dongwook shoulders shook as he tried to stifle his laughter.

“I’m sorry but just the look in your eyes when you knew I knew. It’s too funny,” Dongwook said.

Changjo grumbled and grabbed the money from Ricky’s hand to begin stuffing it into the machine.

“Anyway, don’t be surprised. Siho told me about it.”

“We didn’t even tell Siho manager about it,” whined Ricky.

“Us managers know more than you think, even if you think you’re being a secret. Our job is to know everything about you after all,” Dongwook explained. “We knew about Niel and Minsoo before they said anything and we also know about that thing Chanhee and Byunghun have going on too.”

“Chanhee and Byunghun…” Ricky said slowly, a bit stunned. “Yah! Hyung that isn’t fair at all! And if we’re not allowed to have secrets what makes you think it’s ok for you to have any, huh? Fair is fair!”

Changjo turned around to look at Ricky and Dongwook again, now holding three bottles of sports drink in his hands.

“Fair?” Dongwook quirked his brow. The corner of his mouth also moved upward, betraying his amusement.

“Yeah fair, hyung,” Ricky sniffed. His mind was reeling with thoughts of his previous revelations. “It’s not fair that you should know everything about us but we nothing about you.”

Dongwook just laughed again, walking over the reach out the ruffle Ricky’s hair and said, “Well, I’m the boss.”

Ricky pushed Dongwook’s arm away and glared his biggest glare, though unfortunately it probably looked like a pout and the other walked away.

Once Dongwook left the room Changjo turned to Ricky, eyes burning in question.

“What’s that all about?” Changjo asked.

“What?” Ricky feigned innocence and took one of the bottles from Changjo.

“Why are you so mad? Dongwook hyung didn’t do anything wrong. It’s Siho manager we should be mad at. He’s the one who told even though we didn’t even know he knew!” Changjo said.

Ricky shook his head, “No it isn’t that.”

“Then what it is?” Changjo asked.

“It’s—“

“Yes?”

Ricky hesitated, unsure what really to even say. After the incident at Mnet nothing could be as they once were for Ricky. He knew that now. Especially not between that Dongwook, who had once been his beloved manager. He was so kind. He let them eat the biggest pieces or chicken and stay up past bed time or a few hours more rest after a particularly trying schedule. He loved having Dongwook and he felt so betrayed. Learning about Mnet and Niel, those were of course massive bouts of betrayal, but then Sanghoon too. How could Ricky reconcile that person with his memories of that past human? And poor Sanghoon! What was he to do about Sanghoon?

How could he possibly tell all of that to Changjo? He just couldn’t. And so he remained silent, unsure of what to say.

“I can’t tell you,” he finally settled with those words.

Changjo sighed heavily, and as much as he let that excuse go before, dismissing it as his business, Ricky failed to realize that this time Changjo just wasn’t a friend but his boyfriend. Changjo probed more.

“What do you mean you can’t tell me? Are you seriously keeping this a secret from me when you know I tell you everything?”

“No… I mean, I can’t tell you because it isn’t my secret to tell. They told me not to and I’m keeping my word,”

“It’s Byunghun, isn’t it?”

“Huh?” it was Ricky’s turn to be confused.

“You’re upset because of something about Byunghun!” accused Changjo leaving Ricky shocked, his jaw falling open.

“Jonghyun, what the hell are you even talking about?” Ricky protested.

“You! Obviously you like Byunghun and you’re keeping his secret for him.”

“That’s so stupid,” Ricky laughed.

“Yeah? That’s why you’re always hugging him and cuddling with him, right?”

Ricky couldn’t believe that Changjo was even taking things in that direction and voiced it.

“I can’t believe you’re even talking like this when you know I like you!” Ricky said, going red in the face.

“Yeah?” Changjo asked. “Well you’re still keeping his secret.”

“It’s not Byunghun,” assured Ricky. “And of course I’m keeping the secret because they asked me too. Stop prying!”

“I’m not prying. Obviously this secret or whatever must be a big deal because you got really mad at Dongwook hyung about it and I know how much you like him so…”

“It’s Sanghoon, ok!” Ricky blurted out before he could think of anything else.

He didn’t want to tell Changjo about Niel but his boyfriend didn’t want to let the matter go. The only think he could think to say was that.

“Huh?”

“S,sanghoon I—“ Ricky stammered, wringing his fingers together. “When I ran down here I saw them… sort of hugging like a couple and it freaked me out.”

“Are… are you sure?”

Ricky looked up to meet Changjo’s eyes and saw the slightly younger male looked calm, as if the words weren’t anything to be worried over.

“Yeah,” Ricky nodded. “I didn’t know what to think. It’s just really weird because Dongwook is Sanghoon’s manager and Sanghoon’s not much older than us either, right? It’s just… it felt wrong.”

“Did Sanghoon look bothered?” Changjo asked.

Ricky shook his head, “No. He looked really… happy.”

“Oh. Maybe you just walked in at a weird time,” Changjo said. “Like some normal skinship or whatever. I don’t know what you think you saw but we should forget it. It’s probably a misunderstanding.”

Ricky nodded, trying his best to look comforted by Changjo’s words. Changjo’s words were reasonable, and maybe Ricky would have believed it a month ago if he had seen the very same thing but things were different now. Ricky knew more than he thought he’d ever want to know and he worried so much. Was Sanghoon going to be ok?

He didn’t want to sit there and wait.

-to be continued-

AN: update! uhm so does he or doesn't he? does CAP know? lol i know the answer but >:3 anyway enjoy and thanks for the comments and being so lovely!