It was only a month since their debut that Donghyun suddenly felt the fatigue he had been trying to withstand take its toll on him. While it was lucky there wasn’t any broadcast schedule on that day, he was hesitant on letting loose for a day to rest up.

“It’s not like you can do anything in your state, hyung.” Hyunseong frowned, watching the oldest of them all forcing his way to the living room and then collapsing there anyway. “You should just rest in bed.”

“Ah…it’s…the…” Donghyun mumbled, fingers drawing circles in the air before falling limply on his chest. “…”

Minwoo stared at the leader for a while and sighed.  “Ah seriously, it’d be less troublesome if you just stayed in bed, Donghyun-hyung.”

Despite the grumbling, the youngest (“I’m not! The twins are also-”) got up from his seat to bring Donghyun’s pillow from his bed out to at least cushion the sick leader’s head. “Do you need some water?”

“Thanks…” Donghyun managed, vaguely hearing Jeongmin cheering that practice will be cancelled. “Ya…”

“What’s this?” Kwangmin blinked, entering the living room only to head towards the kitchen for a drink. Their leader was sprawled on the floor, face paler than its usual fair tone. “Hyung, are you sick?”

Minwoo laughed at the clueless expression on Kwangmin’s face as he headed towards Donghyun with a cup of water. “We can always count on you for the obvious, right Kwangmin?”

“Really?” Youngmin peeked out from the room, blur expression mirroring his twin brother’s. “Then why are you lying outside?”

“My thoughts exactly.” Hyunseong laughed, leaving the maknae to deal with Donghyun. He thought a little about his position as the second eldest (and hence probably the one with the most responsibility right now) and gave the situation a second thought. “Should we tell manager-hyung?”

“Minwoo already did though?” Jeongmin piped in, finally leaving the toilet after ten minutes of rearranging his hair. “Didn’t you hear me? Practice is cancelled!”

“Ah, Minwoo settles things well…” Hyunseong nodded, commenting more to himself than anyone. “Well then, I’ll just go back to bed.”

“Wait, Hyunseong-hyung.” Minwoo smiled brightly, waiting for Hyunseong to turn around and acknowledge his smile first. “We need a cook?”

“Seriously!” Hyunseong huffed. He was about to complain and rant on how Minwoo could probably make lunch himself anyway when the twins collectively agreed.

“Yeah hyung, we need lunch.” Kwangmin nodded earnestly.

“We can’t go out since there’s no practice.” Youngmin commented, heading to the kitchen immediately to check out the ingredients available. “I want to eat rice today!”

Hyunseong turned towards the maknae (with attention suddenly focused on the leader, eyes averting) and sighed dramatically. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re really the maknae.”

“Did you say something, hyung?” Minwoo grinned brightly as he raised his head, faking nonchalance while Jeongmin laughed heartedly at him.

-

“-but he’s sick.” A voice.

“Yeah, but he’ll get well!” Another.

“Well, for now it’s not like we can-”

“I’m not-”

“Noisy…” Donghyun grumbled, stirring from his sleep.

“Oh, hyung, are you feeling better?” Minwoo hurriedly passed the cup of water he was drinking to the leader.

“Mm.” Donghyun nodded slightly, opening his eyes slowly as he brought the cup to his pale lips. “What’s the ruckus?”

“Jeongminnie-hyung wants to skip tomorrow’s practice.” Minwoo reported with a deadpanned tone.

“Well, it is possible! I mean our lovely leader is still sick-”

“Are you really worried about me?” The leader chuckled, teasing the other as his mind cleared up from the rest. “Bastard, I bet you wish I slept for another week.”

“No!” Jeongmin hurriedly denied, pressing his lips together as he let the words settle nicely in his head. “Well…yeah, it’ll be nice.”

“Bastard.” Donghyun laughed, shoving Jeongmin by his shoulders.  The younger chortled loudly in response, while the members only smiled, all used to his joking manner.

“So what now?” Kwangmin blinked.

“I’m hungry.” Youngmin added, more of a statement than a guilt trip.

Minwoo’s ears perked at the twins’ words, suppressing his grin while turning to Hyunseong. “Are there still leftovers from lunch for dinner?”

Hyunseong opened his mouth but stopped himself before he spoke. He smiled as prettily as he could at Minwoo as if trying to beat the youngest at his game, and then shrugged. “No, but I’m sure you could whip up something nice for our dear leader.”

Minwoo knew something was wrong when Hyunseong smiled prettily and hurriedly hid behind Donghyun, fussing over Donghyun and how he was sweating and he needed to get a bath to wash the germs away. (“I’ll go get your clothes, so you stay here and don’t move. I don’t want you collapsing everywhere.”) He definitely heard Hyunseong, and so did everyone, but he could always, always count on his saviour to get him out of a sticky situation, and so he walked to Donghyun’s closet (with a smug sway of his hips as he went).

“Hyunseong-ah, could you make me some porridge?” Donghyun hoarsely spoke, frowning at Jeongmin who was trying really hard to suppress his laughter. “What are you laughing at?”

“Yeah, what’s the joke?” The twins piped in, while Jeongmin only patted them like they were cute puppies that were probably better off being clueless (or stupid, but clueless sounds cuter).

“…all right, hyung.” Hyunseong took in a deep breath, and lamented that Minwoo definitely got everyone under his control.

-

Donghyun felt slightly better the next day. Or at least that’s what he thought.

“You’re staying behind.” Their manager announced, pointing at Donghyun. “Everyone else, out with me.”

Jeongmin whined and whined, while Minwoo dragged the twins off their beds and told them to get ready or else. The vain (and short) member continued whining when no one paid attention to him. “But I wasn’t prepared to go for training! I haven’t done my hair! I can’t go out looking hideous!”

Donghyun looked at Jeongmin and was about to open his mouth when Hyunseong passed the whiny member some hair spray.

“Where’d you get that from?” Jeongmin paused from his complaints, looking up at the taller member (“It’s only ‘cause I’m sitting down!”).

“Yesterday when I was out shopping for dinner?” Hyunseong shrugged, pointing at their dustbin near the kitchen. “Saw your spray in the bin so I thought you needed a refill.”

“You’re the best!” Jeongmin grinned, jumping up and hugging the older member, then rushing off to mark his territory in the toilet.

“I said, put on your caps!” Minwoo groaned, looking at the lookalikes that were going to drive him crazy. “If you both have any decency to look into the mirror, you’d see how inconsiderate you are for leaving the dormitory looking like this!”

Youngmin rolled his eyes at Minwoo’s words, wondering why he has to deal with a second mother outside of home. He turned to his twin who was absorbed in his manga, and then tapped the younger twin once.

“Hm?” Kwangmin turned to Youngmin and blinked.

“Mm, okay.” Youngmin nodded. “I just looked into my mirror, and I think I look amazing. So there.”

“…” Minwoo stood akimbo and couldn’t find any cell in him ready to laugh at Youngmin’s dry humour. He then reached for his stack of caps and threw one each on the twins. “So much better.”

“I don’t want this!” Kwangmin took it off his head, but Minwoo forced it back on. “You’re a fashion terrorist so don’t go forcing your horrendous style on me!”

(Youngmin doesn’t want to admit, but Minwoo lent him a pretty awesome cap, so he shall just quietly look like he doesn’t want it but actually really like it.)

“…I might be a fashion terrorist, but I know so much more about bed hair than you do.” Minwoo crossed his arms and stared at Kwangmin. “Wear that cap, or I’ll confiscate your manga.”

“…” Kwangmin pouted, looking awfully sad at Minwoo’s threat. “Okay, I’ll wear it, but don’t confiscate my manga!”

Donghyun tried not to look too amused, but the team sure copes well without him.

“And you.” Minwoo suddenly appeared in front of the leader, face stern and arms still crossed. “Back to bed, or else.”

“Or else what?” Donghyun smirked, curious on what Minwoo would use as a threat since the youngest member never quite did threaten him. He was always such an obedient kitten he never did talk back.

“Or else…” Minwoo scratched his head, forgetting that he could only threaten the simplistic twins. “Or else I’ll…”

Donghyun laughed, stopping himself short when Minwoo suddenly turned his back and grabbed both of Donghyun’s arms, effectively piggybacking the older (despite his small stature). Donghyun could probably touch the floor if he tipped his toe a little, but he saw Minwoo’s determined expression and just let him do whatever he wanted.

“I’ll…drag…you…there…” Minwoo huffed, then gently pushing the leader into his bed which was thankfully the lower one of the bunk bed. “Now get some rest so you can join us tomorrow!”

Donghyun smiled softly, watching Minwoo dragged the curtains together to block the early sunlight, and then switching on the air-conditioner for a comfortable environment in the summer. He then checked to see if the leader was asleep (Donghyun hurriedly closed his eyes and stilled his breathing), before turning to the door to get himself prepared.

Minwoo’s disappearing backview reminded Donghyun that maybe it isn’t so bad to take the back seat once in a while.