Chapter 6

If L.Joe seemed shocked by the state of Niel’s lip he didn’t show it. Instead he just pulled Niel so that he’s standing and directed him toward the door.

“Come on let’s go,” he said.

“What, but hyung,” protested Niel, pulling away from L.Joe and going back to C.A.P.

C.A.P who had still been crouched on the ground stood up slowly as Niel went to his side. The younger wrapped his arms around his leader’s waist.

“Niel…” C.A.P said, detaching Niel’s arms.

“Daniel, go with Changhyun,” L.Joe said.

Niel looked up at C.A.P, his bleeding lower lip into his mouth as he did so. C.A.P nodded and gently nudged Niel over to Ricky. Ricky took Niel’s hand.

“Close the door,” L.Joe said.

Ricky did as told for once and when the door shut behind him L.Joe turned to C.A.P.

“Hyung,” L.Joe began but C.A.P cut him off.

“Look I know what you’re thinking and it isn’t like that.”

“It isn’t?” L.Joe said.

“I didn’t hit him, if that’s what you think. I didn’t—“

“But his lip was bleeding, hyung.”

“I didn’t. I knew you’d think that but I didn’t,” C.A.P said, suddenly looking tired.

He sighed and rubbed his face before sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Look, Byunghun, I know we fight a lot we do but it’s not like… like that. It’s a misunderstanding. Just ask Niel. He’ll say so.”

“So what happened?” L.Joe prodded.

C.A.P shook his head, “Niel….” He hesitated and L.Joe frowned.

“I’m not trying to be the bad guy or make you the bad guy, but Niel’s got a busted lip so we really can’t ignore it. Even if it’s not what you say what are we going to tell manager, huh? So what happened?”

“He fell. We were arguing—“

“About what?”

“Private. It’s private,” C.A.P said, and L.Joe knew not to press it. “We were arguing and in each other faces. I mean, we’re guys we get angry. You saw how mad he was. So he stepped to me and I stepped back and he fell… hit his head on that… edge right there.”

C.A.P gestured to metal frame of his bed.

“And I bent down to try to help him and that’s when you came in.”

L.Joe said nothing when C.A.P finished, merely crossing his arms and leaning his back against the door, observing his leader as he sat looking a bit frazzled. They sat there a bit before L.Joe face softened and he let his arms fall to the side.

“Just… try not to argue so much. You two… you scare the maknaes. They’re really worried when you fight.”

C.A.P gave a small smile that failed to reach his eyes, “I’ll try not to make them worry.”

----

Ricky lead Niel into the bathroom and closing the toilet bowl lid, coaxed Niel to sit down as he wet a towel to press to his swollen lips. Niel remained silent until the warm wet rap was pressed against him and he wordlessly took it from Ricky’s hands.

“You ok?” Ricky asked.

“Do I look ok to you?” Niel asked.

Ricky bit his lip, sorry for having started the conversation wrong.

“Did Minsoo hyung—“

“NO!” Niel interjected, looking up at Ricky. “I mean… no.” He lowered his tone.

Just then Changjo appeared at the doorway still eating from the large tub of ice cream, having become curious about the commotion. Judging by the noise and the state Niel was in he didn’t think it was good news.

“Could you not eat that in here?” Ricky asked, rolling his eyes and looking at Changjo.

“I’m not doing anything wrong,” Changjo countered. “And it’d just melt if I left it alone.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Niel said. “I’m done anyway.”

The eldest of the three threw the towel in the clothes hamper and stood up. Changjo stepped aside to let Niel out of the room and the three of them went into the kitchen where Ricky handed him a spoon.

Changjo set the tub of ice cream down on the cabinet and Niel sighed.

“Daniel, what happened?” Ricky asked. “Really… did he…”

“I know what it looks like but it isn’t like that,” Niel poked at the ice cream with his spoon. “You probably think this is crazy especially with what happened yesterday and the bruise I had but do believe me when I say nothing happened. We were fighting yes, but I fell and I hit my mouth right on the metal thingy on his bed.”

Changjo and Ricky exchanged glances with each other and Niel sighed.

“Don’t do this. The last thing I need for you two of all people to feel sorry for me,” Niel said.

“Sorry hyung,” Ricky apologized.

But Changjo continued, “It’s just it’s hard to ignore it when there’s evidence right on your face. Are you really telling us he has never laid a finger on you.”

“I’m not trying to defend him or say that he’s right or wrong. But I’m a man too, ok. It’s not the way you are trying to make it seem like I’m some kind of victim because I’m not!” Niel said. “But don’t even waste your time worrying because I’m not lying. Today really nothing happened.”

Before either maknae could reply L.Joe entered the kitchen, hanging up his cellphone as he did so.

“Manager hyung’s on the way,” he announced.

“Wait, what!?” Niel gasped, putting down his spoon and standing up just as C.A.P entered the kitchen as well. “Minsoo, tell him. Didn’t you tell him? I just fell, right?”

“I did,” C.A.P said.

“No one is making a big deal out of anything,” L.Joe said. “Your face is hurt he needs to know.”

“Byunghun’s right,” C.A.P said. “And I’m sorry… about getting mad earlier.”

“It’s ok. I was mad too and I‘m sorry everyone for making you all worried even though it was my careless mistake,” Niel apologized looking around.

“It’s ok, but just be more careful, ok,” L.Joe warned.

Niel nodded.

-----

It was after the commotion had died down in the apartment. After manager hyung came by and scolded Niel for being so careless and Chunji came back from apparently a movie marathon he complained about missing out on the excitement.

“It wasn’t exciting at all!” Ricky said to Chunji as his roommate observed Niel’s still swollen bottom lip. “It was scary!”

“No it wasn’t stop exaggerating,” Niel had pouted.

Now everyone had went their own way to their own rooms. Well, mostly everyone. Niel was still hanging around in C.A.P’s room and Changjo was in Ricky and Chunji’s. It wasn’t like they were doing anything in particular but the pair were comfortable enough with each other that they didn’t need to be. Changjo was on the floor doing a puzzle as Changjo and Ricky lounged in Ricky’s bed listening to whatever music would play on shuffle and occasionally singing along to it.

It was a nice way to unwind after a day of events and Ricky found he had a lot to think about. Like one was Niel’s reasoning in the kitchen. Niel never really outright denied that he and C.A.P would fight violently. He merely said that he was a man who could take care of himself. Did that really excuse the behavior though?

From the looks of things the other members seemed content with everything again. Why was Ricky the only member who couldn’t shake the bad feeling? It was so frustrating, really. But he felt if he said anything it would be like beating a dead horse the others weren’t interested in.

Ricky was brought out of his thoughts by a finger poking between his eyebrows as if trying to smooth the crease that was forming there.

“You sure are thinking mighty hard about something,” Changjo said and Ricky blushed a bit and swatted the hand away. “What’s on your mind? Are you still thinking about earlier today?”

“Yeah,” Ricky said guiltily. “I know that everyone seems fine with it but… it’s just if you were the one to open the door like me and Byunghun hyung maybe you’d see what I mean.”

“Hyung opened the door and he seems to think everything is fine,” Changjo shrugged.

“True…” Ricky said, and then suddenly his face brightened. “Speaking of Byunghun hyung, you should have seen it he was really cool today!”

“Cool?” Changjo said.

“Yeah. He was so mature and manly about everything. He didn’t over react or anything, but was so calm like, ‘Daniel, go with Changhyun.’”

“Well, he is part of the hyung line,” noted Changjo.

Ricky nodded, “True but still! I like it when he’s cool like that. You know he looks really cool but he isn’t cool at all so when he actually gets cool it’s like ‘Wahhh! That’s my L.Joe hyung!’ Like that!”

“Oh.”

“Yeah! And then the way he called manager hyung and took control of the situation… so cool!”

Changjo replied, “Well if he’s so cool why are you spending time with me? You should just hang out with that hyung from now on.”

“Yeah he doesn’t really hang out with people much maybe we should and HEY! Where are you going!?” Ricky protested as Changjo got up from his bed.

“I’m sleepy. I’m going to turn in. We have work tomorrow anyway,” Chanjo said. “Good night Chanhee hyung, good night Changhyun.”

With that Changjo left the room without so much as a single look back and Ricky stared dejectedly at the shut door.

“Wah… Jonghyun,” he whimpered before he heard a laugh from Chunji who still sat on the floor.

“He’s so jealous,” Chunji said, looking up from his puzzle.

“Huh? Jonghyun?”

“So that’s your plan, huh? Get him to crack by using Byunghun to get him jealous?” Chunji asked. “Not bad. I wouldn’t be above using it myself, you know.”

Chunji winked and Ricky blushed a bit in confusion.

“Wh,what? N,no! Hyung it’s not like that,” stammered Ricky, a bit over whelmed by Chunji’s accusations.

Getting to Changjo? No way! Ricky and Changjo were just friends. They were the maknae duo of Teen Top it was never anything different than that. There was no reason for Changjo to be jealous and definitely not over L.Joe! Changjo knew better than that, right?

-to be continued-

AN - ok so in case you haven't really noticed this story is kind of told mostly from Ricky's perspective and you all only really know basically what Ricky knows only. Like you know RIcky's thoughts and feelings but only know the actions of the others. I was thinking of having some perspective shown on C.A.P in the next chapter but still debating on whether to do it through Ricky again or just show C.A.P without Ricky. We'll see ^^

Thanks everyone for commenting and following this awful story. And yes it's awful because of the subject! Thanks so much for putting up with it XD