<3 Thank you Mama <3

Leo stared in horror.  He had just woken up.  There had to be some law against seeing something so horrendous when you just wake up.

 Hues of pink and red assaulted his eyes.  Ugly cupids danced over random walls and hearts were littered everywhere.  He let out a small cough.  He had been sick since yesterday.  But they had performances and practices to do, and responsibilities ate at him when he was ill.  Responsibilities that did not include having to be assaulted by such a terrifying sight.  s were spread across the living room.  N sitting at their fold away table writing furiously.  Ken and Hyuk were in a corner, muttering with an explosion of red around them.  And Ravi and Hongbin had so many stickers spread over their faces that they were barely recognizable.

                With a huff and a shake of his head, Leo turned around and slammed his bedroom door shut.  Valentine’s Day was a week away but it seemed that the members were planning an early attack.

~~V~~

                “Well that didn’t go well.  I thought he would at least say something.”  Ravi said, pulling a sticker off of Hongbin’s nose.

                “He’s just sick.”  N replied staring at the door Leo had disappeared behind.

                “You sure this is a good idea hyung?”  Hongbin asked, pulling a sticker off his face to put onto Ravi’s wandering hand.

                “He was so good to us when we were down, I think it’s a good time to pay him back.  He’s been working himself too hard recently.  Always staying behind to practice more, not to mention his constant humming, early morning runs, late night runs.  It’s no wonder he’s sick.”  N pouted, setting his pen down.  “We should have taken better care of him.  He’s been so good to us.”

                They all nodded, their minds thinking back to the Christmas season and the month Leo spent alternating rooms to make sure Ravi could rest easy.  That was before they moved and Hyuk didn’t mind sharing the snoring members room.  How everyday he reminded Hongbin that just because he was the visual didn’t mean that he didn’t have talent.  True to his word every other night he went on a run with Hyuk in tow and Ken and N were so grateful they haven’t been yelled at that they made it a point to bug Leo at every moment.

                “You know, I don’t think he’s noticed that he hasn’t stopped his mama mode.”  Ken said, piling some of the cut red paper together.

                “He’s super worried that Hongbin hyung might go to the bark side and that I’m not getting out enough.”  Hyuk said.

                “Let’s just finish this up so we can finish the plan, okay guys?”  N said, shaking his hands to get the cramps out.

~~V~~

                Leo had been feeling much better…strangely.  For the past week he thought his group members were planning on killing him.  They had allowed him to rest constantly.  Hyuk even came in one night when Leo was getting ready for their run and pushed him back into the bed with more force than necessary (kid really doesn’t know his own strength anymore).

                N had taken to pushing a cup of tea into his hands and speaking for him at every opportunity (though N already usually spoke for him on most shows, Leo didn’t really think there was a need for him to announce to the meeting room that he had to go to the bathroom).

                Car rides as well.  Those have been unusually silent and the hush whispers around the practice room just gave him the conclusion.  s wanted to kill him, and they were planning his death in his silence.  He was going to pack his things and run (take only what is needed, his mind supplied), he could go to his sister.  She would protect him, unless she was still angry about the whole pulling hair bit when he was five…then he was screwed.  For now he was going to stay curled in his bed.  N had barreled in to their room saying that everyone was going to practice, except Leo, who (on manager’s orders) was to stay in bed and rest.

                And even with an empty apartment, Leo was above having his eyes attacked by the Valentine decorations, which seemed to only multiply throughout the week.  He had walked into the kitchen (HIS kitchen) one morning for some tea only to find hearts plastered to the cabinets.  And the bathroom wasn’t spared either.  Walking in to take a shower and Leo thought he had stepped into a love motel.  He had to force N to take down all the red and pink in the shower in order for him to clean himself properly.

                At least N had been kind enough to keep all the pink out of their room.  Leo threw his blankets off of him with a sigh.  This was ridiculous, he was hungry, and a pink kitchen wasn’t going to stop him.

                Halfway through eating his sandwich, chips, apple, more chips, and maybe another apple (face it…boy can eat), his phone rang.

                “Hyung!”

                “Hongbin?”

                “Hyung, come quick!”

                “What’s wrong?”

                “Its Haekyeon hyung and Jaehwan hyung!  They are fighting!”

                “What!”  Leo yelled.

                “I don’t know what happened!  Hyung, please, Ravi got hurt trying to separate them!”

                “Calm down Binnie, I am on my way.”  Leo found his jacket and slipped his shoes on, his mind barely reminding him to grab his wallet on the way out the door.

~~V~~

                “Did he buy it?”

                “Yeah, I think I convinced him.”

                “Your acting must have gotten better!”

                “Are you saying my acting was horrible before?”

                “Now, now children.  Let’s not really fight or else what we are doing isn’t going to work.”

                “Yes, hyung.”

~~V~~

                Leo was livid.  How could those two idiots fight again?  Especially after what happened last time?  And a fist fight at that?  How stupid were they?  He was stalking through the corridors watching people practically throw themselves out of his way before he finally made it to their basement practice room.

                Where no one was.

                Leo looked around, opened and slammed doors.  Threw things around until he finally sat at his desk in his own practice room to calm down.

                Where would they be?  He huffed and pulled out his phone to call Hongbin back.  Four rings in and Leo huffed, glaring at the device.  Hongbin wasn’t answering, and his phone didn’t switch to voicemail which meant that the younger was purposely ignoring his calls.

                “Why call me here and then ignore me?”  He fumed.

                *BANG**CRASH**CRASH*

                Leo jumped from his chair and bolted back into the main room.  On the floor by the stairs was the mobile coat rack they used on the main level floor.  It didn’t looked too damaged, just random coats thrown everywhere.

                There was a loud yell and Leo leapt up the stairs two at a time so come skidding out into the main lobby area where a bored receptionist looked up from her nails to point at the door that led to the roof access stair well.  Leo climbed and climbed until finally he reached the last stair case before the roof and realized that the once white walls (the same color of all the other walls he had seen) were no longer there.

                Every inch of the walls were covered.  Colors forcing his eyes to dart around, drawing his attention everywhere.  He stopped on pictures of himself with staff members from around the building and music shows, each picture had notes and letters underneath them.  Wishing him a Happy Valentine’s Day and thanks for watching their kids when he had the time.  There were also thanks from the kids themselves.  Pictures of him teaching a soccer class or him with some of the workers from the zoo were littering the walls.

                Further up were letters and pictures from other artists.  Exo had an entire section to themselves due to Kris’s large self-drawn portrait.  Teen top had long letters recounting every moment they spent together.  MBLAQ too, even Seungho’s had him laughing.  It was all despondent in mock imitation of himself.  There were even girl groups who had taken pictures of themselves and told him that they should become better friends.

                Then came his seniors in the company.  Seo In Guk said that he remembered Leo when he was really young and that he wished honest and kind Leo would never change.  Brian said he wished his voice wasn’t so good but at least his still looked better than his.

                His family was next.  Each of his sisters wrote long and thoughtful letters.  Many of which slunk in and out of his past and how he was always the sweetest and for him to never change.  Even his brother in law wrote him a short note.  Thanking him for protecting his sister and always being available for him to talk to.

                His parents had sent in tons of baby pictures, even ones of him as a young baby…the ones.  At least someone had the decency to cover him with a sticker, but it still had him blushing.

                They also sent in their own letter.  Telling him how proud they were.  Their shy little boy a star and not conforming to the ideas of stardom.  How they knew that they would always be proud of him no matter which direction he took.  By the end of it Leo was close to tears.

                s were next.  Pictures of them dancing, eating, singing, practicing, sleeping, anything and everything.  All their former hopeful members too.  Any memory they had made was spread around him in an illogical sense.  All the selcas N forced him into.  All the pictures Ken took of him and Ravi cuddled together.  Of Hyuk hanging behind them making faces.  There was more than one of him with his arm around Hongbin.  More than enough of him in the background of Ken’s photos.  There were even some of him eating.  It was like a wall for all the Leo stalkers in the world.

                Then came their letters.

                Hyung!  Thank you for all that you do for us!  If we weren’t so scared of burning down the kitchen (again) we would have made you dinner.  But we thought against it.    Hyung I’m glad we have gotten closer in the last few months.  I know you were angry when I pushed your favorite hopeful out but I hope we can become better friends and you can forgive me for it.  Anyway, hyung, I just wanted to thank you for letting me go running with you!  I hope I haven’t been too annoying.  But running with you has really helped my endurance!  I love you lots hyung!  You’re the best hyung ever!!  (Don’t let N hyung know)

                Maknae Hyukkie

                Leo rolled his eyes and shook his head.  Sure Hyuk had pushed out his favorite hopeful, but that hopeful will go on and do great things and VIXX wouldn’t be VIXX without baby Hyuk to grow over them.

                Hyuuunnngggg!!!!!

                I’m sorry for all the trouble this is going to put you through.  N hyung really has weird ideas!  I know you probably rushed out after Hongbinnie’s call, all just so you can wring necks, but I promise there weren’t really any fights.  Hyung, I want to say thank you.  I know I can be annoying and I bug you to play all the time, but you always find time for me at some point and you give me honest critique on my art work unlike that meanie N hyung!  Thank you for being a friend when it comes to singing, always taking all those high notes that must be really rough on your voice.  Oh and also don’t be too mad at Binnie for lying to you!  It was our idea.  Oh!  And also thank you for putting me to bed the other night!  I know it was you!  No one else is strong enough to carry me!  Keke sneaky hyung.

                Happy Valentine’s Day!  Ken

                ‘I never make time to play with you in the first place.’  Leo sniffed.  ‘You always steal something until I do play with you.’

                Hyung.  Thank you for those long months you slept in my room with me.  It was a great help.  I didn’t feel so alone with you there and then you even offered to share rooms with me when we moved, even though you know you wouldn’t be able to sleep.  I’m glad Hyukkie doesn’t care.  Also thank you for making us dinner even when you’re sick.  We’re a little hopeless when it comes to anything other than cereal.  We didn’t want you to have a heart attack if we destroyed your kitchen (again).  I don’t know how I’m going to protect my sister if my cooking will kill her!  You have to teach me hyung!  Also I would like to thank you for teaching me notes properly.  It’s been a really big help for me to write and mix music.  Also, I’m sorry for the last week.  You know how N hyung gets when it comes to holidays.  I hope you weren’t too frightened. 

                Ravi

                Leo rolled his eyes, he wasn’t frightened…just scared for his life.  There was something after the curly signature that had Leo squinting to read.

                Ps.  I’m really sorry about the coat rack hyung!!  It was only going to be a coat and maybe it might knock something over on its way down, but in my hurry the whole thing slipped down the stairs.

                Hyung,

                I’m sorry for the last weeks.  You were sick and then we decorated the apartment and we let N hyung go overboard.  But it was our sanity or yours and we took the easy way out.  I also wanted to thank you for being there for me when I needed you most.  I’m sorry I let my looks get to me.  It’s just really hard not being as talented in singing and dancing as you guys.  But I realize that I have other talents.  Such as acting, and being able to take wonderful pictures with you without having to fight (because face it hyung that is a great skill!)  You are such a good hyung to everyone but you are an amazing person.  You always know when someone needs help and you do everything in your power to help that person.  And then you refuse to take help in return.  It’s not fair hyung!  And then you get sick and try to work with no voice!  I am not watching you run yourself into the ground again!  Next time you’re sick you better tell me or else!  You may think this group wouldn’t survive without me but without you hyung we would have been lost to fighting long ago.  Without you Hyung we would have Ken singing high notes and Ravi being the quiet one.  So I mean it hyung, you better tell us when you’re ill or else I will cook and ruin all your nice dishes!  I love you so very much hyung!

                Hongbin

‘What did my kitchen ever do to you guys?  You already burned it down once.’  Leo whined mentally, “stop trying to do nice things.” 

                Taekwoonie

                You have been my dearest friend for many years.  And I never feel like I do enough to repay all the kindness you have showed me through the years.  From sharing food, to sharing clothes (thank you by the way, even if they were too big).  You have always been that knight in shiny armor and you have taken care of me and our dongsaengs better than most friends would.  I feel horrible that I have never gibing you as much attention as you have given me.  I know I’m annoying a lot of the time and you always have to put up with me when I’m too hyper or too sad.  I love that you always make time and effort for everyone and if you can’t see it everyone has been very thankful to have you in their lives.  Fans, friends, your family, if you were missing there would be chunks missing from not only my heart but of every heart you ever touched.  You need to stop getting so sick!  It worries your hyung!

                Anyway, I put this together to show you how thankful everyone is to have you in their lives.  I didn’t think our original card was enough to show you!  You seem to take what you do for granted sometimes but I wanted you to know that you make lots and lots of people happy by just being yourself.  So don’t you ever change!  If you do I will beat you up! Keke

                Also thank you for always being a good hyung when I’m not acting my age.  I had been so angry with Ken that I didn’t notice what was going on right in front of me!  To think, without your constant observance we could have lost Binnie again!  And it would have been my fault because without my Leo to keep me on track I would be another Leader who knows nothing about s!

                I love you so very much, you are my soul’s very best friend.  A perfect mate for me.  My other half.  I thank you for everything you have done for me and wish for you all the patience in the world for the longer you know me.  Happy Valentine’s Day.

                Love, Haekyeon

                Leo sniffed.  These stupid members.  These ridiculous stupid members who couldn’t just leave him in peace and instead have to force him into a state of panic and make him leave the dorm while he was sick (‘sick ish’ his mind provided) and run all the way over to the company and then make him climb all the stairs and them making him read all these notes and then making him cry.  They were surely stupid members.

                Leo turned the handle to enter the roof.  Wiping tears from his eyes and screwing his face into its normal stoic expression.

~~V~~

                “You don’t think he’ll be super angry, do you?”

                “Knowing Leo he’ll come out after he’s finished crying.  Trying to act all chic again.”

                “Or he’ll kick our asses for faking a fight, bringing him out here while he is sick, and then making him read all that mushy stuff that probably made him cry…I’m going to be suffocated in my sleep.  Why did I have to bug him when he was sick?  Why did I decorate the dorm?  I am so dead…worst Valentine’s Day ever!

                “N hyung calm down!  He’ll understand your good intentions, he always does…surprisingly.  Now we all need to stop freaking out and finish this.  He has to be almost done reading.”

~~V~~

                Leo stood against the door leading back into the building, hidden from the view of the pavilion that Jellyfish Entertainment had put up there for relaxation for all workers.  He rolled his eyes at ’s antics.  His adorable stupid members.  He opened the door he was leaning against and shut it with much more force than before.  Hearing the satisfactory “oh ” from the direction of the pavilion.  Plenty more accompanied the voices, a small whimper, and a few ‘shut its’.  He walked around the corner, normal glare stamped into his face and paused.

                The gazebo used to be just a normal wooden gazebo, some flowers here and there but never, never this many flowers.  And Leo was positive that the bees couldn’t have pollinated the whole gazebo throughout the winter.  Wild flowers, and some roses adorned every space of the gazebo now, fake and real.  Fake because Leo was sure that science hadn’t created a flower in the shape of a heart that could change color, real because there were countless of wild flowers swaying in the gentle breeze of the February air.  Hearts and cupids were littered everywhere, it was like the small paradise had been changed into a high school girl’s romantic dream.

                He had barely survived walking through the dorm, at least the floors weren’t covered in hearts and flowers, but here N had truly outdone himself.  A red carpet led up to the gazebo, completely covered in flowers and heart shaped confetti and streamers.  It hurt…it burned to look at it all.  He had to take a few calming breaths before he could pull back the steamers to enter the flowered contraption.

                N stood in the middle, a heart shaped cake in his hands, candles burning brightly forming the words ‘Thank You’.  The rest of the members standing side by side with matching grins.

                “Thank you for all that you do.”  Ken began.

                “For all that you keep doing without our notice.”  Hyuk grinned nudging Hongbin.

                “For loving us even when we are self-loathing, annoying, secretive, stupid and childish.”  Hongbin smiled throwing Leo a wink.

                “For putting up with uncomfortable situations daily because we are your group mates and friends.”  Ravi said, turning pointedly to N in the center, who was currently sniffing and trying to look anywhere but Leo. 

                “For um,” N sniffed and took a deep breath.  “For just being you, for being my constant throughout all the years.  We all wanted to be your valentine today.  Thank you Taekwoonie, and Happy Valentine’s Day.”

                N held the cake out to him, waiting for him to blow the candles out.

                “You guys are completely stupid, you know that right?”  He asked raising an eyebrow.  “Cause really, who would go through all this trouble just to thank someone?”

                “Yes we know.” N giggled.

                Leo rolled his eyes and blew out the candles.  “I guess I kind of maybe like you guys too.”  He said uncomfortably.

                “He does love us!”  Ken yelled and jumped Leo, prompting everyone to join in a group hug.  Somehow a now cakeless N wormed his way to his front taking up most of the hugging room as he wrapped his arms around Leo’s neck.

                “Thanks for being the best mama ever.”  N whispered.  “I love you Taekwoonie.”

                “You are so weird.”  Leo glanced around the smiling faces around him and rolled his eyes.  “I am so not helping you clean this mess up.”

                “I know.”