[11]

Just when Yoseob thought he couldn’t be any happier, his sudden long to drop by his parents’ restaurant stunned him. He dropped by his parents’ restaurant a few minutes after he left the hospital, suddenly starving and wanted to taste his mom’s homemade meals. Coincidentally, his dad was also around (he sometimes isn’t present in the shop) and the unplanned reunion turned into something he knew he wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world. It was great to spend some time with his family again for they rarely see each other due to packed schedules and when they weren’t having any things planned for a day, they’d rather take a rest. And having random conversations with his older sister (conversations like Haeyeon pleading him to give her Yanggaeng for like an hour, which he declined, of course).

Going home with a full and satisfied stomach, he was welcomed by the five people he dubs as his next family. He didn’t look too amused though. The five men literally trashed the whole place he was planning to clean ever since this morning and just by the door he can smell the evident scent of chicken. They gleefully greeted him, barely in unison, Yoseob couldn’t figure out what they were actually saying.

“Yoseobie is here!”

“Ey, Yang Yoseob, where have you been?!”

“Asdfghjkl.”

“Took you long enough!”

“YA!” Yoseob shouted a few feet away from them. “What are you guys doing here?”

They had smug looks on their faces; their smiles look like they just killed a person. He joined the group that were too happy to even scoot over and give him a space to sit. Plastic bags were on the floor and his small table only meant for less than six people was filled with food. He wondered what the occasion is.

“What are you guys doing here?” he asked again.

“Yah, Yoseobie, aren’t you happy to see us?” Doojoon asked with a painful expression, waving his chopsticks at him. “We’re hurt.”

“I planned to clean the house today and you guys messed it up. I told you I was going to do some house cleaning…” he explained and started picking up littered plastics that were upon his reach.

“Wait, you did?” Hyunseung asked with bemused eyes. Yoseob frowned at him, but nodded when Hyunseung only looked more confused.

“Then we’ll clean the whole mess together after eating. You’re making a big problem out of this, really.” Kikwang suggested and resumed devouring his piece of chicken. Yoseob had just gotten from a family dinner, but the sight of them eating deliciously made his stomach crave for more.

“It’s been awhile since we ate together, hyung.” Dongwoon joined in.

“We ate yesterday in the practice room, Dongwoon-ah.”

“We ate in my house the previous time and you weren’t even around. Your place is next.” Junhyung lazily countered and drank his can of coke. Good thing it’s not another can of alcohol. Yoseob and everyone else know what happens when Junhyung has alcohol in his hand, his phone with Instagram installed in it in his pocket and strong mobile internet connection that comes along with it.

“Now, stop talking to us without eating. We reserved a… Yah, where’s the last chicken?!” Kikwang pushed the foils scattered on the table and looked for the lost chicken with pouted lips and wide eyes. Doojoon choked.

“Yah, Yoon Doojoon!” Kikwang whined.

“I thought there were more!”

“You eat so much…” Hyunseung mumbled before taking another bite of the chicken.

“Says the one who can’t live without meat.”

Dongwoon said, “All of us can’t live without meet, truthfully.”

“Nevermind that. We’ll be grilling meat.” Yoseob proposed and stood up from his knees and looked for the griller in his small kitchen. After a few arguments about who will grill and who will wrap the meat and lots of messing around, BEAST was already gobbling all the food they could consume. As expected, nothing else is better when they’re together. With food.

“We have an interview in the morning, right?” Kikwang asked all of a sudden as they were all doing their separate cleaning duties, except Doojoon who was too busy fiddling with Yoseob’s phone, probably hacking his Twitter account and doing a mention party.

“Yeah, at 10 o’clock,” Doojoon answered with no hesitation.

“Yah, Doojoon-ah! You’re not helping!” Junhyung threw him Yoseob’s big teddy bear but Doojoon didn’t even flinch.

“Wait, I’m in this really interesting website.”

“What?” Junhyung breathed out and mumbled something under his breath. Probably a curse word.

“Hyung, please,” Dongwoon shook his head in disbelief.

Kikwang sighed. “I can’t believe you have the time to visit interesting websites.”

Yoseob quickly turned his head to Doojoon and furrowed his eyebrows. “What are you doing with my phone?”

“You kids and your polluted minds,” Doojoon raised Yoseob’s phone like he’s about to throw it to them. “Yoseobie got a jokes website opened and they’re hilarious.”

Basically the five members’ expressions weren’t those expressions amused people wear. They all gave him a judging look.

“You’re not helping us clean because of that?!” Junhyung just sounded so done.

“Hear this, hear this,” Doojoon cleared his throat. “What do you call a fake noodle?”

Nobody answered, but Dongwoon was already stifling a laugh from the looks of it.

“An impasta.” Doojoon’s smile was reaching his ears, anticipating for reactions, and though most of them were sighing and giving Doojoon looks saying why do we even know each other?, Dongwoon and Yoseob were laughing their asses off. True he opened the site while in the cab with Hyojung, but he was too much in a hurry he didn’t get to read them all and just picked a random one (which fortunately worked).

“You three have no sense of humor,” Doojoon pouted and resumed scrolling through corny- jokes.

“Why is this even opened, Yoseobie? Are you that bored?”

“Um, no,” Yoseob answered, thinking if he should tell them about Hyojung crying and singing in front of her mom and him having the unusual want to see what she’s doing right this moment.

“Ah!” Hyunseung suddenly uttered, raising his head from the trash he’s collecting in a black garbage bag. “Yoseobie, you did that to me once when I was down. Or twice… I don’t remember.”

“You were comforting someone?” asked Kikwang with curious eyes and pouty lips which suddenly turned to an expression that alone would tease someone. “Someone we know?”

“Hyojungie?” Doojoon blankly asked, not turning his vision away from the phone, followed by hysterics that made him hit the couch pillows from too much laughing. Junhyung shook his head at him.

“Ah, yah!” He didn’t mean to, but he regretted reacting too quickly.

“Hyojungie? Yoon Hayoon-ssi’s assistant, Hyojungie?” Dongwoon raised an eyebrow, trying to recall.

“Now that I think of it,” Doojoon lifted his back off the sofa and gave Yoseob a confused look. “The girl in the article. It’s Song Hyojung, right?”

“How are you so sure?” Junhyung questioned, pissed off that nobody was helping him at this point.

“They were together backstage,” Doojoon replied, not even glancing at Junhyung.

“Really?!” Kikwang’s eyes got too wide and his lips were forming a complete o shape.

Yoseob chuckled and nodded. “I told her to, actually.”

“So it was really a staff member. I honestly thought CUBE was making things up. And how on earth did they see that small detail? I couldn’t see it until someone pointed it out.” Kikwang shuffled across the room and the television. Junhyung was complaining about how nobody else was helping him clean up, but the others weren’t even listening in the first place.

“Because you got no eyes.” Doojoon teased.

“I suddenly got the urge to watch IRIS II and laugh at Doojoon.” Doojoon hit him and Kikwang just laughed.

“You told her to? Yoseob hyung is a rebel, a rebel.” Dongwoon said, nodding at his words. “Hyung, when did you even get this close?”

Yoseob shrugged.

“Maybe after he got locked with her in the recording room,” Doojoon replied, still scrolling on Yoseob’s phone.

“I’m going to lock you all in if you don’t start helping me clean all your s.” Nobody took Junhyung seriously. “Yoseobie, I thought you’re going to clean this house, why am I the only one doing this? Yah, Kikwang-ah, pick up that mop that you dropped. YAH, YOON DOOJOON STOP LAZING AROUND!”

“He’s just bitter,” Doojoon mumbled to and lifted himself off the sofa. He began wiping the small table.

“Hyung, don’t you think it’s about time you have a girlfriend?” Dongwoon asked out of the blue.

“I think it should be Doojoon,” Yoseob said otherwise.

“He’s old.” Hyunseung joined in.

Doojoon hit him this time. “We’re born the same year, Hyunseung.”

“Still old.”

“Old or not, help us the hell up!” Junhyung threw a broom to Doojoon’s feet.

“I’m already helping!” Doojoon picked up the broom and stood up slowly, phone on the other hand. His brows were furrowed this time.

“I didn’t know you still kakao with Miri noona,” he said in disbelief.

“Hm?” Having done doing his duties, he flopped down on his sofa. Doojoon showed him his phone. “Ah, that. Noona asked me about tomorrow’s interview and reminded us about the salon time.”

“She still likes you~” he sung. Yoseob gave him a look.

“Or you like the type who goes to recording rooms with you?”

“I’m close to punching you, Yoon Doojoon,” Yoseob said in a joking but threatening manner. He snatched his phone from Doojoon’s grasp. He checked his messages just in case Doojoon did something stupid and contacted a random number.

“Yah, Doojoon-ah,” he called between his teeth. “Why on earth would you message Hyojungie Bad Girl lyrics?! You even spelt 'heart' wrong!”

~*~

Hyojung's POV

It was like 9 in the morning when I heard noises from the kitchen. Knowing it was just Hani attempting to bake cupcakes again, I didn’t make the slightest effort to take even a step away from my bed. But the noises grew even strident and though I was having the most perfect time of my life on bed, I kicked off the sheets and shuffled lazily to the kitchen. There was flour everywhere.

“I told you let’s just eat cereals, unnie.”

“I swear I can make this cupcakes work. Give me like an hour.”

“But it’s been 3 hours since you’ve been making it and nothing seems to go well for you.”

“This time for sure…”

“How about I help you make pancakes instead?”

I mentally slapped my forehead. I actually forgot that Daeun spent the night. I stood there just watching Hani and Daeun argue about what to have for breakfast which excludes baking cupcakes. It was entertaining at first, but it got to the point when I have absolutely no idea where the argument is going.

“Hate to break it to you, girls, but there is a jar of cookies on the upper left cabinet,” I nonchalantly informed them.

The knocking on our door made both of us jump. First of all, we’ve never had visitors before. And second, who goes knocking on people’s doors on an hour before midnight?

“Hyojungie, it’s a girl on our doormat.”

“Let me see,” I pushed her lightly to the side and peaked at the peep hole. I tilted my head in wonder. “Why is Daeun here?”

“Who?”

I opened the door and Daeun smiled at me faintly.

“Sorry to bother you this late, Hyojungie. I was calling you but you didn’t answer.”

“My phone’s dead right now, sorry. Come in,” I gestured her to come inside before she slipped off her shoes and stepped in our apartment room.

“Wait, you’re Kim Daeun? We talked on the phone, remember?” Hani asked cheerfully as she held both of her hands excitedly.

“Finally I met you, Hani unnie!” Daeun held her hands too and they started jumping. Daeun had a talk with Hani once on the phone when I told the latter to pick up when I was still on the shower. It took only 5 minutes but it looks like they already get along just fine.

“Woah… Cool furniture.” Her eyes were sparkling as she tried to get a clearer sight of the room. “I wanted to be an interior designer once, to be honest. Hani unnie is one great designer, she’s like… jjang!”

“Why are you here at this kind of time? And how did you possibly know our address?”

Daeun scratched the side of her head shyly.

“Unnie told me before. She said we should try baking cupcakes some time and told me to come over when I got time. But actually right now,” she paused and smile nervously, “You know, trainee problems. I’m kind of broke and this is the nearest place to go by feet since I got no more change to ride a bus to my apartment.”

“You poor thing!” Hani held her hands tightly and bit her lip like she’s about to cry. “You can sleep on my room tonight. And in the morning, we’ll bake cupcakes and we’ll have a movie marathon.”

“Thank you very much!” Daeun was crying and so was Hani. I smiled warmly at the two and lead them to the living room so they don’t have to stand up while crying. It was a heart-warming sight.

“Daeunie, you live in an apartment right? Where’s your real home?” I asked after they let go of all the tears.

“I actually live in Busan,” she replied and grinned widely at me.

While Daeun and Hani were too absorbed in cooking pancakes, I was in the living room eating the cookies that they rejected just a minute ago, phone in hand. It was totally drained last night and if I weren’t scared of Hayoon-ssi giving me missed calls and angry messages, I wouldn’t even bother to have it charged. She doesn’t text me in the company phone and it isn’t my business to know why.

But instead of finding messages from Hayoon-ssi, I found a message from Yoseob and it was a little weird. Who sends to people the lyrics of their own song?

Yoseob: Im hurt sickkk heal me be crazy can’t let you go my sad love song my love’s gone plz baby don’t go far

Hyojung: Yang Yoseob why are you so weird

Yoseob: That wasn’t me!

Hyojung: Are you that bored last night seriously…

Yoseob: It was Doojoonie. They all came to eat last night^^

Hyojung: Good for you guys! So did you clean?

Yoseob: They helped me out. How’s your mom?

Hyojung: Other than pestering me to buy all your albums, she’s doing well. She’ll be discharged in the afternoon. You got a schedule today?

Yoseob: Already in the salon. Mnet interview kkkk You?

Hyojung: Good luck then. It’s an off-day today.

Yoseob: But you’d go tomorrow right?

Hyojung: Of course, it’s a whole day of teaching Japanese to trainees tomorrow kkk

Yoseob: Ah too bad

Hyojung: It’s not too bad. The more I work the more money I get kkk

Yoseob: That’s not what I mean!

Hyojung: Huh

Yoseob: I was thinking we could go the recording room again

“Why are you smiling so widely?” I nearly threw my phone away from the shock. Hani was standing tall in front of me with a smirk. “And why are you so red?”

“Are the pancakes ready?” I asked coolly.

She rolled her eyes. “Yah, I asked you first.”

I pursed my lips and returned my attention to my phone.

“What do you reply when somebody asks you to… How do I say this…?”

Hani swiftly snatched my phone from my hands and hummed as she scrolled down our messages.

“Aren’t you guys flirty…” she muttered to herself as she continued reading everything. Not that I’m going to stop her, but I was wondering whether there might be something in our past conversations that shouldn’t be read by anybody else.

“Ooh! New message!” she shrieked. “He says if you’re busy then maybe some other time. I’m going to reply.”

“No! No no no no no. Give my phone back, Hani-ah,” I jumped from my seat and ran to her to grab back my phone. This is one of the disadvantages of being the small friend. She had her long hands extended that were already tapping whatever she’s trying to reply to him. I literally lunged at her and my phone came crashing to the ground. The screen got cracked and I started crying. After about half an hour of me crying over a cracked phone screen (nobody understands how much a damaged gadget affects my emotional stability), my phone beeped and Yoseob seemed to take back his words and sent me a message saying: Sorry I asked all of a sudden when your schedule is also packed kkkk just watch our interview then! it will be aired live!

My head hung low. Just when I was about to say I’d make time for him…

~*~

“I can’t believe I popped popcorn just for a BEAST interview,” Hani groaned as she shoved me aside to give her more space to sit on the couch. Daeun was sitting comfortably on the carpet, also a bag of popcorn on her lap.

“I told you to pop it later! Movie marathon is in a few minutes!” I hollered, taking a handful of popcorn from her bowl. Hani glared at me and I just grinned wickedly and took more popcorn and shove them all to my phone.

“How ladylike,” I heard her whisper.

“Hey, it’s on, it’s on!” Daeun exclaimed, leaning both of her elbows on the small coffee table.

“Well, don’t they look fine as hell,” Hani marvelled, lips too curved on one side she doesn’t look normal.

“Is it just me or do Hyunseung’s and Junhyung’s outfits look so on point,” Hani uttered to herself.

“Their faces are on point,” I spoke.

“Their existences are on point,” Daeun added, smiling so proudly like she has just ended world war.

“Dongwoon’s face is so godly.”

“When I see Kikwang I see heaven,”

“Yeah, if you look closely you could hear angels singing from a distance,”

“But Doojoon…”

“Everyone’s man Doojoon.”

“My man Doojoon.”

“My man Doojoon.”

“Hey, Yoseob is yours, shut up.”

“Shhh, I can’t hear what they’re talking about!”

Half of the interview was just basically the interviewer asking the boys about their Japan tour and how the interview would be their last interview before going overseas again. They talked about practices and boy group stuff like who can sing the deepest pitch and who wears the most colourful underwear. They did impersonations which made Daeun want to teleport to the station and hit Doojoon and Dongwoon with a pillow. Then they asked Dongwoon to do a freestyle rap about tall and long noses and asked Junhyung about producing stuff. Kikwang gave a short teaser about his self-composed song, smiling too widely in embarrassment and Hani commented again saying she’s hearing angels sing from afar. Hyunseung was making random remarks which made the group collapse in laughter and Yoseob, well, his head was measured again like nobody else knows how small it is already.

“How are you even normal, seriously,” the host stated, shaking his head at the measuring tape. The audience laughed in response and another five minutes was spent talking about head sizes. Just as all the commotion was gone, and Yoseob was running around in small baby steps like a crazy kid because of Junhyung’s and Doojoon’s big head size. The host scolded him as a joke.

“Yah, Yang Yojung!”

“Hyojung?”

Everything turned silent, like I’ve just gotten deaf or something. And I turned red. And the way my heart beat was too hard I could feel every bone inside of me being pushed by it. And I turned even redder.

"Guess we won't be having a movie marathon for a while," Hani remarked, expression unreadable but eyes glued on the television screen.

A/N: 3 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 months and finally an update huehuehue my college admission exams are all finished but next week will be our quarterly exams so yea lol team no sleep

AND AND ANDDD D-3!!!!!!!!!!! BEAST'S ANNIVERSARY AND COMEBACK IS IN A FEW DAYS IM SCREAMINGGGGGGGGG

one last thing. this chap is a bit uhhhhhh i cant think of a title again im the worst so i'll edit it when i get the time byeee comment suscribe or both maybe :3