[CONTENTID1] Compromise [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

The news died, but Jongdae’s anger didn’t.

Actually, he wasn’t angry.  He wasn’t sad either.  Rather, the thing that consumed him was confusion, as well as his inability to speak his emotions.  The other members were concerned, of course, but him being the responsible fellow member he was didn’t want to worry them.  They knew otherwise.  A simple “fine” or “yeah” wasn’t going to cut it.

Not this time.

In fact, every member knew Baekhyun had screwed up big time, some of them even shunning him.  Jongdae was half grateful, but he knew that Baekhyun probably needed their consoling more than he did.

Their promotions for EXODUS came and went in a heartbeat, Jongdae hardly being able to remember any of it.  All of their interviews were cold, all of their performance shows were emotionless, and their variety shows seemed to be lacking in character.  However, in the end, they managed to pull through, only to begin preparations for the next comeback.

Is this really what I signed up to be?  A machine? Jongdae would wonder at times.  

His fans even seemed to notice his odd behavior during fansigns.  No more goofing around; just sitting and signing albums and posters as if it were second nature.  

“Where’s my ChenChen?”

“I wonder what could be wrong…I’m praying for Jongdae!  Fighting^^”

“Jongdae, you can open up to us if you want.  Just tell us you’re being hormonal.”

“Oh, what the hell,” Jongdae muttered as he threw his phone across his bedroom.  The sound it made when it hit the wall echoed, making him shiver.

Yixing was gone on a rather long trip to China.  Jongdae used to count the days, but those days slowly turned into weeks, and eventually a month.  He closed his eyes and sighed heavily, wishing he could talk to someone.

Anyone.

There was a knock at his door.

“Come in,” Jongdae said monotonously.

He turned to face the incomer, only to find that it was only Sehun, who looked concerned.  The maknae plopped himself down on Yixing’s bed and tried his best to smile.  

“Hi, hyung,” he said.

Jongdae exhaled.  “What do you want?”

“I know what you must be feeling,” Sehun said.  “I get it.  Baekhyun-hyung is in the wrong, but --”

“Sehun, it’s more complex than that,” Jongdae interrupted.  “You have to understand --”

“No, hyung, I understand completely.  I may be younger than you, but I see the situation simply, even through all of the difficult and confusing parts,” Sehun said.  He reached over and put his hand on Jongdae’s.  “You have to let him go, hyung.  Not just for your sake, but for all of our sakes as a group.”

Jongdae looked away guiltily.  “I can’t, Sehun.”

“Why?”

The older boy shook his head.  “You don’t need to understand why.”

Sehun frowned.  “Hyung…”