A/N: A belated 2nd anniversary to Tingle! :D I must apologize, as always, for my inconsistency in updating. This chapter's a little more serious, but it does get the plot moving so I hope it's not too boring for y'all. As always, feedback is very much appreciated and I hope you enjoy the read!

Chapter IX: Sound 2

A pouting Yoseob-hyung is never a good sign.

The two of them are back at the dorm. A foreign movie is playing on the television, but they have long  since lost interest in the film.

"You're sulking," Dongwoon observes, biting his lip to hide the smile he knows threatens to overcome his face. "You and Junhyung-hyung have a fight?" Their main vocalist bounces back pretty easily, or at least he makes it appear that way, but even the most trivial spat with his best friend can have him down in the dumps for days. Yoseob-hyung often came out of recording sessions tired and angry, and later morose, blaming himself for not being able to meet Junhyung-hyung's expectations. They would make up by the next time Yoseob-hyung came to the studio, but the unpredictability of their moods had Dujun-hyung sighing a lot and rubbing at his temples. 

He wonders what it is this time, especially since they seemed to be having a perfectly good time yesterday at the cafe. Dongwoon pauses. He has yet to mention that he saw Yoseob-hyung crossdressing in public, and he's not sure if he should even do so. Would it sound too confrontational? He wishes he could ask Dujun-hyung for advice on how to handle this. Their leader would probably know how to bring it up naturally in the conversation, maybe even crack a joke or two without hurting Yoseob-hyung's pride.

"Not really... I don't know." Yoseob-hyung tries smiling, but isn't too successful. He looks more like he's about to cry. "I asked him for something, but he said no." He shakes his head. "I guess I'm just disappointed about the whole thing."

At a loss for how best to console him, Dongwoon settles for a comforting pat on the shoulder. He hasn't seen his hyung so tightly wound up since preparations for his solo promotions started last year, right around when Junhyung-hyung had spoken of the possibility that he would pull out from the project altogether. It's not something he told Dongwoon personally, but an anxious Yoseob-hyung had confided in him his fears that his title song wouldn't be Caffeine anymore, that it was being replaced by something else.

"Hyung, about Junhyung-hyung..." He starts slowly, "he has a new song, doesn't he?" That would explain why the two of them were desperate enough to meet up that Yoseob-hyung would wear a skirt as a disguise. Under normal circumstances he would most definitely not have agreed to such a thing, and while Junhyung-hyung had some strange ideas sometimes, he wouldn't have suggested a high-risk plan without considering the possible consequences.

Yoseob-hyung's face stiffens for only the barest of moments, but that's more than enough confirmation for him.

He manages to squeeze in a quick meeting with Junhyung-hyung at a coffee shop. It's not easy; their resident composer is a night owl and doesn't like leaving the studio once he's ensconced in his work. Still, he says he'll make an exception since Dongwoon requested, and here they are.

"Hyung," he keeps his voice low. They're seated in a corner of a crowded Starbucks shop in casual clothes and snapbacks to avoid unwanted attention. "Why didn't you give Yoseob-hyung your song?"

Junhyung-hyung nearly spits out his iced Americano, but manages to hold it in just in time. "How did you--" He releases a gusty sigh. "I won't even ask." One hand reaches up and scratches at a nose out of habit. "It's kinda complicated. Long story short, this one isn't meant for Yoseob to sing, so I can't give it to him."

The news momentarily stuns him. He never thought Beast's rapper would start composing tracks for other singers so soon, and part of him feels angry. "Why did you take him to the studio if the song isn't for him or Beast, then?" It's an ugly sensation, like bees buzzing incessantly in his ears and drowning out all other sounds. "I saw you two that day," he says accusingly, "hyung was crossdressing and you were flirting with him."

Junhyung-hyung's eyes narrow at the word 'flirting', but he notices that the other man doesn't vehemently deny it. "Keep it down, Dongwoon." His voice is as frigid as winter icicles, and he flinches despite himself. There is a heavy silence before he continues, tone reverting to its lazy and slurred state. "It's a project I'm working on, one that I'm not sure will even work out. I didn't invite Yoseob this time to be my guidemaker." He rolls his eyes. "And I didn't come up with that plan, either." He meets Dongwoon's gaze warily. "Did you tell Dujun?"

He sighs and shakes his head in response. He'd been expecting a massive reaction on social media, but interestingly enough, any close-up shots of the two had been quickly taken down and only grainy pictures were left. He supposes that was the work of Junhyung-hyung's fanbase, but he doesn't understand to what end. They would normally be the ones to disseminate news of a perceived threat to their idol's newfound single status. 

He doesn't even notice the rapper has his phone until he looks up and sees the device in the older man's hands. "Hyung, what are you doing?" Junhyung-hyung flashes him a grin of someone who's up to no good.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist taking pictures of Yoseob, so I took the liberty of deleting it." His grin only grows wider at Dongwoon's cry of dismay. It was going to be the ultimate blackmail material in case he needed to ask a weighty favor from Yoseob-hyung, and Junhyung-hyung had ruined it! 

Worries about the potential rift between two of his bandmates assuaged, the late night coffee date ends on a high note. His secretive hyung insisted he couldn't be any more specific about the 'project' he was working on, but that it was because of Yoseob that he was able to do it at all. 

"You're really lucky, hyung," he tells their main vocalist cheerfully. "I think Junhyung-hyung sees you as his muse." He needn't have added on the 'I think'; he's witnessed for himself the way the older man's face lights up whenever Yoseob-hyung's name is brought up in the conversation, and the dreamy look he had when he said he was already drawing up plans for their 2014 comeback and currently testing a melody for Yoseob-hyung's part. 

Yoseob-hyung doesn't reply right away, and when he does, he sounds forlorn. "You really think so, Dongni?" Only a blind man would miss how devoted Junhyung-hyung is to him, Dongwoon thinks fondly. His whole universe practically revolves around him, the way he talks about Yoseob and music as if they were one and the same. "But what if I... what if I don't want to be his muse?"

And yet, Yoseob-hyung seems to be one of those blind men.

"Then what is it you want to be to him?"

"I don't know."

Now this, Dongwoon knows, he has to report to Dujun-hyung. Because if they're going to throw their full support behind the enthusiastic Beauties who made them question Junhyung and Yoseob's relationship, they should be aware they've got their work cut out for them.