Hongbin had never been this upset with one of his friends before. He wanted to suppress it, to pretend like everything was fine. But that was harder than he thought. Running his fingers through his wavy hair, Hongbin wondered if he might go gray from stress. The 30^th was N hyung's birthday and he had imagined it perfectly. The VIXX members would all get together and stuff their faces with cake, ignoring their diets, chatting and playing video games. Why shouldn't it be like that? That's how Hongbin's birthday had been.

There was no real reason he could see to explain Ravi's distant behavior. Though he'd said he got a girlfriend, why should that get in the way? Hongbin knew that he'd had zero dating experience and wouldn't understand Ravi's problem. Still, he wished for the team to be there for N.

Hongbin played with his iPod in the waiting room, not particularly feeling like hearing music. VIXX was supposed to be on stage in thirty minutes and his hair had already been hairsprayed into place. He watched as Hyuk got his frizzy bangs combed into a neat wave of black. N's birthday party idea had been thought up by the two of them. Hongbin wondered if the younger boy had noticed a difference in how N and Ravi were communicating. He was almost too afraid to ask.

"You're sitting on my cookies, Hongbin~ah!" N's loud voice rung in Hongbin's ears, waking him from his thoughts.

"Sorry!" he said, flustered. "Aren't you supposed to be watching your diet, hyung? The doctor said you were exhausting your body and should be eating vegetables." N pouted, examining his bag of crushed sweets. What was he supposed to do but eat junk when he was depressed? Hongbin studied the older boy with concern. N had deep and dark circles framing his tired looking eyes. The rims of his eyes were red as though he'd been crying.

"Hyung, are you alright? Did you sleep okay—" Hongbin was cut off by Leo walking in between them.

"The hairdresser wants to do a touch up on you," he said, looking at the dimpled boy. Hongbin reluctantly got up from the comfy couch and headed towards a tall lady with a comb in hand. Somehow he knew that she definitely didn't need to do a touch up.

xxx

When the VIXX members left the deafening screams of their fans for the quiet of their waiting room, Leo pulled N aside. He half dragged his leader into the hallway. N didn't feel like talking to anybody. Whenever he did they would ask questions. What did they care if he slept or ate or cried? N decided it would be best to avoid Leo's eyes once he started talking.

"Your eyes are red," was all he said.

N sighed. "Thanks for noticing. Look, we've gotta go—" Leo had place a hand on his shoulder. N didn't like the feeling of it. It felt wrong after Ravi had walked into their room the night before. However, he didn't pull his hand away. He knew Leo meant well.

"I thought you went to sleep last night."

"I layed down," N admitted. "I never fell asleep. But it's nothing that you should be worried about. Let's just get to the other members, okay?" Leo didn't answer for a while. They stood quietly in the hall as other idols rushed past them, ready to perform. N could practically feel Leo's eyes studying him. It made him feel vulnerable, like all of his secrets were slowly being stripped away. It was a sort of feeling. He wanted to run away but his feet were glued to the ground.

Leo finally murmured, "You're not as cheerful now..."

Anger flashed inside of N with a quick force. He wanted to hurl a fist at Leo and tell him to leave him alone. He wanted to cry in their room alone. He was sick of worrying that his stoic roommate would hear him and be concerned. Why did everyone feel like it was their business to know what was inside of his head, inside of his heart? But before he could scream at Leo, he noticed someone watching them.

Kara's Nicole stood a few feet away from them, observing with an odd look on her face. When she realized she'd been spotted she smiled. "Sorry," she said in her fluttery voice. "I wanted to pass through but I thought I'd interrupt."

"That's alright," N replied quickly. He was relieved that something had stopped him from freaking out like a fool. What was going on between him and Ravi had nothing to do with Leo. He shouldn't take it out on him. These mood swings were making him crazy. N moved to the wall, expecting Nicole to walk past them as she'd said. Instead she strolled right up to him.

"Is Ravi in your waiting room?"

Though her question was simple N blanched, unable to answer. He was vaguely aware of Leo nodding to her when he didn't reply. What did she want with Ravi? Was this one of the girls he'd gone out with? A feeling of dizziness hit N like a wrecking ball and he had to brace himself against the wall. He heard nothing as if he were a radio set on mute. Nicole beamed at Leo and he saw her lips move— probably thanking him. She then strode into their waiting room as if she belonged there.

N never knew how much jealous he could possess until that moment. Instantly he hated Nicole— white hot hated her. Why her? he thought in despair. Why not me? Leo looked alarmed at he grabbed N's arm to steady him. His hearing was beginning to come back.

"... alright? Are you alright, N?" Leo called out to him. He managed to nod, swallowing the dryness in his throat. Despite his heart falling into a dark abyss, N felt embarrassed. What had that looked like to Leo? He had freaked out for absolutely no reason— at least no reason that anyone could see.

"Yeah, yeah. I just didn't sleep, remember?"

xxx

Hongbin was a bit clueless, Hyuk always thought. Like he was in the room but on another planet entirely. He somehow felt distant, though the two of them were very good friends. Maybe his beauty simply set him apart from the rest of the VIXX members. Somehow Hyuk got the sense that the older boy felt he was just as distant. He often found himself acting like a ditz around Hongbin, never quite himself. This had been their struggle since the day they met.

"Thirsty?" Hongbin offered his maknae a sip of his bottled water. Hyuk smiled a gulped plenty of it down. "Yah, that's too much!" he scolded, slapping Hyuk on the shoulder. He resisted the urge to stick out his tongue. For whatever reason, he didn't like acting childish around his dimpled friend. Yet all Hongbin could see in him was a little brother.

"Sorry~ Hey, let's head to the car early. I hate it when Ravi takes my seat."

"But all you do is sleep," Hongbin joked. "What does it matter where you sit when you're unconscious?" Hyuk rolled his eyes and dragged his hyung out of the waiting room. He noticed Leo and N talking in the hallway that led back to the stage. The look on N's face was an expression of tired shock. Hyuk glanced at Hongbin, wondering if he had noticed how off their leader had been recently. Hongbin shoot his head when their eyes met and led them into the opposite hallway.

"Do you think N hyung will be okay by his birthday? Even his doctor is worried about him. Maybe he's being worked too hard. Or maybe he's upset with one of us and doesn't want to—" Hyuk cut himself off. When he was worried he tended to ramble. It didn't help that Hongbin was lost in his thoughts and hadn't stopped him. "Hyung, what do you think? Should we cancel it? The party, I mean."

"We can't just cancel it. It's his birthday! It's already bad enough that Ravi doesn't want to go."

"He doesn't?" Hyuk was startled and saw the look of regret that shot through his hyung's eyes. Ravi and N were best friends. Why wouldn't Ravi want to be there on N's birthday?

"Forget I said anything. I don't want it to become a big deal. That'll only make things worse for them."

"I don't understand." They had reach their company's car now. It's dark paint gleamed in the luminous moonlight. Hongbin opened the door for the younger boy, stepping inside after him. "Are they fighting?" Hyuk asked.

Hongbin shrugged, not sure about the details. "It's too dark in here," he muttered. The car wasn't running so there were no lights to assist their vision. Their manager was really irresponsible when it came to the car. He left the doors unlocked so that the VIXX members could get inside, but he was usually off somewhere else. The car keys dangled in the ignition, practically waiting to be stolen.

"Hold on," Hongbin said. "I'm going to turn on the lights." He sat up from his seat in the back row— meaning to crawl to the front seat— but tripped over Hyuk's legs. He fell on top of the younger boy, banging his head harshly on the window. Hyuk squirmed. He was pinned onto the seat, shocked at how heavy his hyung was. He had always looked light as a feather. Hongbin groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, lowering his head to rest on something warm underneath him. He hadn't realized that the warm object was Hyuk's forehead.

Hyuk gasped, unable to pull away. Hongbin's lips were centimeters away from his own, their noses touching slightly. "Hyung," he whispered. He was afraid that if he spoke any louder their lips would meet. Hongbin's eyes flew open and he blanched. He couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't bring himself to do anything but stare into his maknae's wide eyes. The car was silent except for the sound of their breathing, heavy but cautious.

Hyuk's heart pounded rapidly in his chest and he was sure Hongbin could feel it. He flushed tomato red before he could control his expression. Somehow he couldn't seem to find his voice to tell the beautiful boy to get off of him. He suddenly felt like—

The door to the car flew open, spilling moonlight over the two boys. They straightened up immediately, eyes wide and excited. Ken entered the car followed by a smug looking Ravi.

"No, I'm serious," Ken was saying, though he did appear serious at all. "Why would Kara's Nicole visit you?"

"What, you think I'm not good looking enough?"

Ken snorted at Ravi, losing the idol image he'd had on stage. "You're 'cute'. Nicole's hot! You two aren't on the same level. Plus, she's older than you. What does she want with a little boy?"

"She not that much older," Ravi complained with a frown.

Hyuk let out a shaky breath. Thank god his hyungs hadn't seen that. Even if it was an accident, no one was bound to believe them. He knew his cheeks were still flushed so he turned to look out the window. He was suddenly more aware of Hongbin's thigh pressed against his in the tight space of the car. He just fell, Hyuk ranted silently. What's the big deal? Stop freaking out! But god that was weird! He couldn't seem to breathe right, but he'd rather die than have Hongbin notice.

When N and Leo entered the car, along with their manager, they headed off to the practice room. Their work as idols was never done. As their manager drove Hyuk tried to do anything but look at his dimpled hyung. He was embarrassed, but mostly worried that he'd start blushing again. He decided to focus on Ravi and Ken's argument about who was the most attractive, adding in a few teasing jokes every now and then.

xxx

Ravi couldn't seem to get the moves quite right. Even when they had been on stage his movements felt a bit stiff. His timing was off each chorus and he couldn't figure out how to fix it.

"Pay attention, Ravi! It's 1-2-3 and 4," N scolded while demonstrating the movements. "Not 1 and 2-3-4. You had this right last week."

"I know. I just need a little more practice."

The rest of the VIXX members sat against the wall, watching his progress. They had given up on dancing along when Ravi kept making mistakes. It was well past one in the morning and he hadn't been doing much better. His patience was slowing beginning to run thin. N was right. Ravi had been able to do these moves perfectly last week. It was so simple that it irritated him with the force of a cement truck. He tried again as the music started, but missed the tempo and tripped over his feet.

N groaned, raking and hand through his chocolate hair. Beads of sweat dripped down his neck and disappeared under the hem of his shirt. Ravi couldn't help but notice how Leo's eyes watched their leader. They were too focused, too... something else that Ravi couldn't put his finger on. Whatever it was, it didn't help Ravi's nerves. Images of last night flooded his vision without his permission. He hated thinking about it.

"I don't understand why you're not getting this?" N muttered. He tiredly wiped his eyes and reached for his water bottle.

"Yeah? Well then that makes two of us." Ravi didn't bother to hide the venom in his voice, noticing N's tense expression.

"Maybe if you were here practicing instead of going out every night, you'd be able to do the dance. You said this wouldn't affect the group."

Ravi's fellow members grew very still and cautious, sensing the storm that was about to come. Hongbin squirmed uselessly, wanting to say something but scared to set someone off. However Leo didn't appear to be paying much notice to them. Ravi felt his irritation grow into something ugly.

He spat, "It's none of your business what I do! As long as I'm hear that's enough, right? I can learn the stupid dance myself. I don't need your help, so you can just go!" The room stayed quiet for what seemed like hours.

"I thought we were friends." N's voice sounded hoarse. "It is my business. I'm your leader too and I... I'm supposed to make sure that the group can function."

"Then clearly your not doing a good job."

"Ravi!" Ken shouted, appalled. He had never seen the two boys behave like this before. Hongbin and Hyuk had been stunned into silence and Leo rose to his feet.

Ravi saw the intense look of hurt on N's face and instantly wished he could take back his words. The older boy's eyes watered like he was about to cry, but he held it in. N's hands were curled into fists at his sides, nails biting so hard into the flesh of his palms that he bled. His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and anguish. Before his tears could flood past the rim of his eyes Leo grabbed him, pulling him from the practice room. Ravi could only stare after them. What had he done?

He turned to his group members and saw feelings of betrayal in each of their eyes. He didn't know what to say. How could he apologize for hurting someone so dear to all of them? Hongbin rose without a word and brushed past Ravi, leaving the room. Ken and Hyuk stood too— probably with the same intention. Ken left before Hyuk, anger clear on his usually smiling face.

"I can't believe you said that," Hyuk whispered and walked out of the room, leaving Ravi utterly alone.

A/N: Hey lovely VIXX lovers~ Give it up for a new chapter! :D Sorry for making Ravi such a jerk DX

Firstly I want to thank everyone who subscribed, viewed, and commented on this fanfic. I've already reached over 500 views! This is SO exciting. Please continue to support this story and I will write more!

Secondly, what did you think?! I thought it was time to add some Hyukbin. The drama has increased. I'd love to read what you think or any ideas you have so please leave a comment~! >__<

Until next time!