Today’s menu was chicken – no wonder though it was Jongin's turn to choose the food.
"Zitao, sit with us!" Yifan called after boy, who just took his plate and was heading to the room.
"Thanks ge, I’d rather eat alone." Tao answered as always recently. "I try to skype my mom, maybe she hasn’t gone to sleep yet…" He added under the heavy glare of both leaders.
"Oh well, then go."

Twenty minutes later Junmyeon was sitting in the kitchen, away from noisy members in the living room. He was sipping the tea, when Minseok came in with literally empty plate. He raised his eyebrows.
"Tao fell asleep, so I thought I take it down if he’d finished" he explained.
"No chicken’s bones?"
"Oh… he probably throw it in our room…"
"I said him so many times to throw any leftovers in kitchen" Jun sighed.
"I think his not sleeping well lately, that’s why he is so distracted. Though we agreed, that Tao is responsible for throwing rubbish from our room… I’ll take care about it later. It would be a crime wake him now. But after show, because it’s starting in a minute. Are you coming?"
"Ah, no thanks. I don’t feel like watching TV tonight. And don’t bother about Tao, I’ll do it."
"Okay then." Minseok shrugged his shoulders and joined rest of the members in the living room.

Meanwhile Junmyeon ended his tea, took a lollipop in Tao’s favorite flavor from Sehun’s secret drawer and rushed to M’s maknae room. He glanced to the living room in his way. Ten boys were sitting in different ways in front of big plasma, chattering and laughing. That’s good. They needed some distraction and stress release.

He softly knocked to the door. Because there was no answer, he came in. As Xiumin said, Zitao was laying on the top of the table fast asleep. Leader crossed the room quietly and put the lollipop next to Tao’s head. He petted blond locks softly. Then he looked at the rubbish bin and found it surprisingly full of papers. When he removed some of them, he found not only untouched chicken but also today’s breakfast and, he was almost certain, yesterday’s supper. He did the math. That wasn’t a good day for making him angry. Junmyeon had a really bad mood, because hairdressers messed up and now he couldn’t take his hat or hood without any smirks and chuckle from everyone around. But he couldn’t complain. He shouldn’t show his real face to members. He was a leader after all, wasn’t he? Always, he had tried to be patient with Zitao, but now he saw red.

"Tao."
Boy waggled a little but didn’t wake.
"Huang Zitao!"
"Hmmm… wasssuup…" kid mumbled in Chinese.
"Tao wake up, we need to talk."
"Lemme sleep. I’m pretty sure, I told you, I don’t wanna talk to you."
"And I’m pretty sure, I don’t care. When have you eaten?"
"What are you saying? Just a moment ago…"
"Have you? So could you explain me this?"
Jun pointed at the trash. Tao’s face showed various emotions and ended on anger.
"What the hell, hyung?! Don’t you have anything better to do?"
"Apparently I don’t. So?"
Tao stood up. Even though he was taller, somehow he lost his advantage by looking so weak.
"It’s none of your business. You’re neither my mother nor my girlfriend! Get out."
Tao clearly expected to see hurt on older man’s face but it was only full of anger. Kind of scary too. But what leader could do to him anyway? Nothing. No, not Junmyeon. Always sweet and kind, understanding with this guardian smile, spreading good advice, compassion and support. But the truth was, that he’d almost never showed his real face. And poor Tao was on the best way to find out, what’s under Suho’s mask.
"It is my business as your leader, hyung and as a friend."
"I don’t have to listen this ."
Jun just locked door behind him and put the key in his pocket. He slowly moved forward with his professional stage smile.
"I’m afraid you do."
Tao blinked few times confused. Now leader’s smile didn’t looked nice and caring as always. It looked rather devilish. Suho was taking slow steps in his direction while boy was backing away. Just like in a weird dance. Junmyeon could see some instinct of self–preservation in his eyes but there was no place to run.
"Let’s start with that there is something wrong with your attitude Zitao. How dare you to speak like that to your hyung? How dare you backtalk on me?"
Tao didn’t understand. Why? Junmyeon’d never cared even if younger forgot to use honorification or yelled at him. Always was so nice and just took it all with angelic calm. Now hyung looked like wolf. The beast ready to attack. Speechless just took slow steps back as he reach edge of his bed. And leader was teasingly following him.
With one smooth move Junmyeon pushed boy on a bed and held him down by his knee. Tao could try to fight back but he was too weak.
"Hyung" he whined.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, so not cute."
He unceremoniously pulled up Tao’s shirt and quiet, girly moan escaped from boy’s lips. Jun froze looking at him incredulously. Tao couldn’t bare that stare and tried to cover his scrawny body. Unfortunately, Suho held his shirt in tight grip. There was anger, disappointment, sense of failure all written on his face.
He released the cloth eventually.
"What. The hell. Have you done?" Jun hissed.
"What do you mean, hyung?"
"Don’t play dumb."
"Someone in this room is dumb, but it isn't me…"
Jun narrowed his eyes and hung over him.
"Watch your mouth kid. You really don’t want to piss me more."
Now, when Jun leant down on him, his knee found itself dangerously close to Tao’s crotch.
"Okay! I tell you, I tell you!"
"Of course you do."
"I just wanted to lose some weight, okay?"
"Why on earth you would want that?"
"Because I’m fat…"
"You’re only fat between your ears. There’s no place for brain." He pocked Tao’s forehead.
"That wasn’t really nice, hyung."
"I hope it wasn’t. When had you eaten last time?"
"I dunno, not so long time ago. I don’t remember…"
"You’d better remember, because in the other case I’ll make you remember. And trust me, it won’t be pleasant experience" Junmyeon whispered to his ear. His knee pressed a little.
When their eyes met, he could see fear under damn long lashes. Good.
"Well I’m not sure… I decided to stop eating, after throwing up. I really don’t like to throw up, it’s awful…"
"You what?!"
Tao cowered.
"Ah… well… the food made me sick… so after eating I just couldn’t bare it… because I throw up every single time… and then… I thought it’s better to stop eating in that case…?"
"How long?"
"What?"
"How long it took you to make that decision?"
"Oh…about… week?"
Tao shrank even more under the hard glare. Jun’s hand was tracing on his collarbones. He felt like he could close his grip around it.
"So when it all started?"
"I don’t re…"
"Tao."
"After that incident with my trousers."
Really, really angry Jun almost exploded.
"Are you trying to say… that you. Were. Starving. Yourself. Over. A. Damn. Month?!"
Tears came up to Tao’s eyes. No. Not this time. It was even surprising, he expected them earlier.
"It won’t work, you know. Suho umma is long gone by now."
They heard the sound of pressing the handle.
"Tao? Junmyeon? Everything is okay? Why the door are closed?"
Tao tried to call Xiumin but leader covered boy’s mouth with his hand and put finger to his own lips in silence sign. He pressed his knee harder too, warningly, which resulted in thin squeal.
"Everything is fine, we’re just talking! Would you mind give us some more privacy, Minseok?"
"Not at all. Take your time."