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Chan isn't sure what's going on but he does know that something is going on. What exactly is going on? He has no clue: zero, zip, nada. The inkling suspicion, however; that he's being left in the dark started happening approximately a month ago, give or take a few days. Back then, when Chan was still carefree and naive, he had just assumed Soonyoung was very concerned about his school grades when the blonde would send him back to the dorm early during their team practice. He's older now though, wiser (“Wiser?” Hansol mimics, “it's only been a month.”) and he deserves to know what's going on gosh darnit!

So, that's why, after the third consecutive time in a week Soonyoung tells him to leave the practice room early, he decides to Scooby-doo the crap out of what's going on between the rest of the Performance Team.

Chan lists down his hyung's weird behavior: Jun being too clingy to Soonyoung, Jun whispering things in Mandarin to Minghao that make the latter blush, Soonyoung being to close to Minghao, Minghao letting himself be touched by Jun and Soonyoung so much.

Chan worries his bottom lip, slamming his pen down in frustration. Something's hiding in all these dots, he just knows it.

“Hey, what has that pen ever done to you,” Jisoo's voice breaks his thoughts; light and mild as always.

Did Scooby-doo and the rest of the mystery gang ask for help? Because trying to be a sleuth is a lot harder than Chan had anticipated. He turns his head to face the ginger-haired man, “Hyung, do you think somethings going on with Soonyoung-hyung?”

“Umm, like what?”

“Okay, so he sent me home early today.”
 

“There could be a lot of reasons for that-”

“Three days in a row,” Chan continues with a pout, “he never sends Minghao-hyung or Jun-hyung away though. Do you think they're practicing a dance that doesn't involve me in it?”

“Chan, I don't think-”
 

“I mean, that's the only reasonable explanation, right?” Chan inquires with desperate eyes. Jisoo fidgets, fingers twitching, as he runs a hand thorough his combed back hair. “Unless,” he continues with a frown upon seeing Jisoo's nervous tick come up, “you know what's going on,” he trails off warily.

Jisoo laughs, “What? No, no, you're guess is as good as mine,” finishing with a rather onomatopoeic laugh.

Watching his hyung walk away, Chan's eyes turn into slivers. Okay, Jisoo definitely knows something, which begs the question how many of his hyungs know what's going on.

He must investigate further.

Clue #1: Feeding each other

They're all jammed into a resteraunt, the group having to split to two different tables—still next to each other—because of the sheer size. Chan's crammed in the corner, the worst place to be (Mingyu was going to crush him before the food would even be out he was sure of it), but the silver-lining as that the rest of the Performance Team, plus a few members but he didn't really care about them, were with him too.

“This kimbap looks so good,” Soonyoung exclaims, body seeming to vibrate as Jun passes him an amused look. It's hard to see what the three do, since Mingyu keeps twisting his body and blocking them. If Chan wasn't so tiny, and positive that Mingyu could totally beat him up, he would have smacked the giant for ruining his surveillance.

“Chan,” Jeonghan calls, causing the youngest to look directly across the table to him, “are you okay? It looks like you want to kill Mingyu.”

Chan turns his head to watch as Minghao reaches over to feed Soonyoung.

“Umm, no, I was just, ah...”

Jun then whines and Minghao laughs, feeding a piece of kimbap to the dancer's awaiting mouth.

“It's nothing,” he fibs with a shake of his head.

He adds “feeding each other” to the ever growing list of suspicious behaviour once they all return to the dorm.

Clue #2: Sleeping together

“Guys,” Seungcheol's voice rings out from the bathroom, “stop leaving toothpaste in the sink! This stuff doesn't grow on trees!”

A chorus of “yes dad” drones out without any feeling, but Seokmin stands up to help the eldest clean. Chan isn't sure why Seungcheol decided to start cleaning when it's so close to their bed time but he doesn't question it.

Everyone's already in their pajamas; consisting of some ratty old shirt and boxers or sweatpants depending on how conservative they're feeling. Well, all of them except for Minghao who actually has pajama sets.

This time the thin Chinese boy is wearing a blue set with a sheep on the top. Mingyu had gotten it for him some time ago, but the thing with Minghao is that all his pajama tops are long sleeves. He feels like he's burning up from just looking at his hyung.

“Hyung, don't you think they're acting weird,” he questions Seungkwan, who takes a seat on the floor next to him.

Minghao had crawled between Jun and Soonyoung on the couch, laying down sideways on both of the boy's laps as his head rests against the arm rest. He watches in fascination as Jun runs a hand through the bboy's hair while Soonyoung takes to using the older male's shoulder as a pillow for his head—fingers splayed across Minghao's waist.

“What? Them cuddling? Have you seen Mingyu and Wonwoo,” Seungkwan chuckles, tilting his head slightly toward the afformentioned two.

And yeah, Mingyu and Wonwoo were practically tangled in each other already fast asleep, but that was them. They were like that since they met. This, however; Chan thinks staring back at the trio, this is something new.

“Maybe you'll understand when you're older,” Seungkwan comments breezily, standing up to join Jeonghan in the kitchen to eat.

Chan sighs, “Yeah, maybe you're ri- wait, do you know what's going?!”

Clue #3: Holding Hands

This has to be the weakest clue that there's something going on between Jun, Soonyoung, and Minghao, but given everything else on his list, Chan can't help but be a little curious. No one in the group really holds hands, at least, not in public.

Right now though, they're not idols. There's no schedule or pressure to act a certain way. They were all just hanging out.

Kind of.

“Christ Chan, if you're gonna stare at them so much at least make it less obvious,” Hansol jokes, slapping the boy's back.

Seungcheol thought it was a great idea for them to get some air and Chan had been quick to tell the rest of the Performance Team they should go out. Of course his plan to get them alone was ruined when Hansol, Jihoon, and Seokmin chose to accompany them. Immediately Jihoon had split from the group when they reached some outlet mall, saying something about some editing software he wanted to check out. They lost Seokmin three minutes in but Soonyoung said he was probably at the food court.

Which left him and Hansol to be dragged around because, as Jun stated, “I am not going to get killed by Seungcheol because you two decided to run off and get lost.”

“It's not like they're paying attention,” Chan mutters a somewhat sourly.

“Aww, does the maknae feel left out?” Hansol jokes and Chan knows it's all in good-nature, but when he sees Soonyoung take Minghao and Jun's larger hands in his own, then yeah, he admits he can't help but to feel just a little bit bitter.

Clue #4: Backhugs

“I never took Minghao as the type to give backhugs,” Wonwoo muses with a glimmer of amusement as he and Chan watch the Chinese boy sneak up on Soonyoung and practically tackle him.

That's the third one today, Chan thinks with a resigned smile, wiping sweat off of his forehead from the dance practice. “He's been doing that a lot.” And Chan will admit it's nice seeing Minghao being more open, laughing and smiling more.

It was kind of weird though, because Minghao wasn't huge on hugging but it was like he just woke up one day with the urge to hug.

The brunette hugs all the members, and Chan can't help but laugh when Minghao sneaks up on him, but Jun and Soonyoung are his favourite targets so far. The hugs are always back hugs, sprinkled sporadically throughout the day. Sometimes, when it's just their team practicing, if the room is quiet enough, Chan can make out the low mutters of Mandarin when the two Chinese members press against each other.

“Yah, there are children in here,” Jihoon yells when Jun eventually returns the favour and captures Minghao between his firm arms, fingers tickling the younger's side.

Clue #5: Everyone knows

The thing that irks Chan the most isn't that the rest of his team is keeping something from him, but rather no one thinks he can handle whatever the secret is.

“You'll know when you're older,” Seungcheol says unhelpfully.

“You're too young,” Jisoo states with a firm resolve.

“You wouldn't understand,” Jihoon comments bluntly.

And any and every variation of those comments. Chan feels like he's going to rip his hair out due to frustration. Everyone knows except him. He's part of the team too.

“Maybe Coups is right,” Hansol admits.

Chan grumbles, “How is it that you get to know but not me? We're not that far apart in age.”

“I figured it out myself,” the rapper states, throwing a piece of popcorn in the air only for it ounce off of his cheek. Chan isn't even sure if the brunette even knows what movie they're watching, “Maybe Coups is right. It's pretty obvious what's going on with the three,” another popcorn piece lost, “if you can't tell what's happening by now maybe you are too young.”

“Just hand me the popcorn.”

Clue #6: Kissing

Baking isn't something they do. Actually, anything that requires using the stove or even isn't something they do—ever. So why Soonyoung wanted to make brownies is beyond him.

“Minghao said that he wanted brownies yesterday,” Soonyoung explains as he mixes the batter. The rest of the group is out doing a grocery and whatever-else-they-need run which just left the Performance Team sans Minghao in the dorm making brownies.

Jun the spoon once Soonyoung pours the mix in a tray, giving the bowl to Chan.

“This is just for Minghao,” Chan asks.

“What, no. It's for everyone, but I thought it would be nice to make Minghao something.”

“Right,” Dino says, crinkling his nose as he realizes that he has chocolate all over his fingers. “I'll wash up,” he yells as he darts down the hallway into the bathroom. When he is just about to walk back into the kitchen, however; he hears Jun's familiar whispering. Peering his head carefully around the corner, he holds back in a gasp as he watches Jun tilt Soonyoung's face up and kiss him.

“Stop,” Soonyoung whispers with a fierce blush, “the maknae could see us.”

Jun just rolls his eyes, giving the bonde another quick peck on the cheek, and the nose, and near the eye, and-

“Juuuun,” Soonyooung whines.

Well, Chan didn't expect this.

Clue #7: More kissing

Ever since Chan saw Jun and Soonyoung kiss, he can't help but feel bad whenever Minghao joins the two. He doesn't even know why he feels bad for Minghao, maybe because he wasn't expecting something, as in a romantic something, to be going on between them. Now it's like Minghao's some kind of third wheel.

Somehow, Chan is alone in the dorm with Soonyoug and Minghao. He hears the television in the living room on and wants to join his two members but he really has to finish his math homework. Staring up at the ceiling, he exhales sharply through his nose, contemplating what to do. Having a little break isn't bad, right? Right.

Pushing his chair away from the desk, he walks out of the much too warm room and into the hallway. Just when he's about to reach the end of the hall, he hears a soft giggle. He doesn't know who it belongs too because Soonyoung and Minghao both have rather soft voices (Soonyoung just knows how to project more) so he quietly cranes his neck, almost falling down at what he sees.

Minghao's sitting snug on Soonyoung' slap. The dancer's thin legs bracketing the blonde's thighs as Soonyoung kisses him gently, over-and-over again. Minghao just laughs, wriggling every so often as Soonyoung glides his fingers over the brunette's narrow waist. The moment the team leader sticks his hand up Minghao's shirt though, is when Chan accidentally falls down from trying to get a better view.

The two spring up quickly, concern in their eyes as they fly to the maknae's side.

“Are you okay Chan,” Minghao questions, helping the short boy up.

He thinks over the question, “Yes and no.”

Clue #8: Even more kissing

Chan knows what's going on, at least he's 90% sure he knows. Jun and Soonyoung are dating, he thinks, but Soonyoung is cheating on Jun with Minghao, at least he's pretty sure. And Minghao is clueless because there's no way his kind hyung would ever knowingly harm a relationship.

If he didn't know better, Chan would think he was actually in some kind of day-drama.

He's tired of sitting on the sidelines though and feels like he has to tell Jun about this. So when Jun is still in the practice room and it's time to eat, he volunteers to get the male. Everyone's a little taken back at how serious he is, but no one questions it.

When Chan comes to the practice room, he inhales deeply and slowly opens the door.

Maybe it was the universe that hated him, or he killed a rabbit or something in a past life, but he opens the door to see Minghao and Jun kissing passionately.

The two are pressed against the right wall, unable to see Chan but he, unfortunately, can see them crystal clear. Jun has Minghao lifted and pressed against the mirror while the younger boy's legs are wrapped around Jun's waist. The two are breathing much too heavily and when Chan hears something akin to a moan he freaks out and runs back outside.

Only to remember that, wait, he needed to get them in order for them to eat. Crap.

Clue #9: What's with all the kissing?!

Chans honestly not sure what to make of anything. Are Jun and Soonyoung cheating on each other with Minghao? Is Minghao cheating on-

He sighs, turning in his sleep.

“Chan,” Seokmin's groggy voice interrupts him, “can you please stop moving so much,” the singer requests with a yawn.

He blushes, “Sorry hyung,” he mumbles, trying to silence his mind in order to sleep. He does manage to do so, he's not sure for how long, but he wakes up again—just now by his thoughts. He hears the low whispers of people talking. Now, he's never been a light sleeper, but ever since he saw Minghao and Soonyoung kiss he hasn't been able to get a good night's sleep.

He carefully lifts Seokmin's arm up so it isn't pinning him to the ground, and gently lifts his torso up with his hands in what was the first, and last, yoga position he's done in life. It takes his eyes a while to adjust in the dark, the only light being offered was the refrigerators small light for when you're filling up a cup. He makes out that it's the Performance Team though.

Minghao's body is partially hidden by Soonyoung while Jun is leaning against the fridge, smiling at the two.

Chan isn't able to make out any words, but the murmurous noise stops as the trio seem content on just being quiet.

Minghao whispers something with a yawn, the only word Chan is able to make out clearly is “bed” but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the boy wants to go back to sleep. Jun, however; looks at Soonyoung with a gaze Chan isn't familiar with.

Just when Chan was about to go back to sleep as well, he watches in amazement as Jun brings his and Minghao's lips together. The older boy's hand threading through the teen's hair while Soonyoung takes the opportunity to pin the brunette against the counter, kissing his exposed neck. Minghao keens, holding onto both the older boys for support, before the two step away to give the panting dancer some air.

Chan pretends to be asleep when the trio step back into the living room, and he kind of wants to violently bang his head against the wall.

Clue #10: It was obvious

Chan throws away all the notes he kept on his three hyungs, tearing them apart and throwing them in the trash.

He was no Scooby-doo but he did solve the mystery.

In conclusion: Chan was, in fact, old enough to know

“Hey, Chan,” Soonyoung says with a hesitant of his lips, “I heard that you were feeling left out because I make you leave practice early, I just want you to have enough time to do things kids your age do.”

He doesn't know if that's the truth or if Soonyoung just wants to be alone more with the China-line, but Chan chalks it up as the truth when he sees the blonde's sheer sincerity through his rueful eyes.

“If you want to stay later though-” he begins only for Chan to cut him off.

“It's fine hyung. I'm not mad, I understand.”

Soonyoung his head, “You do?”

“Yup.”

Blinking rapidly, the Performance leader sighs, ruffling the boy's hair. “What did we do to deserve a maknae like you,” he jokes with a large grin that turns his eyes into crescents. Soonyoung heads back to the living room, placing Minghao between him and Jun, as the trio train their eyes on the T.V.

He goes back too, setting the two bags of popcorn on the table as he joins Hansol on the floor.

“So,” Hansol whispers, “did you figure it out?”

“Yeah...”

“And, what do you think?”

Chan tilts his head, giving the trio on the couch a cursory glance, and smiles, “If they're happy that's all that matters,” he admits, taking a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Hansol just grins, slinging an arm over the brunette's shoulder.

“It was pretty obvious, wasn't it?”

Chan shakes his head smiling, “Yeah.”

Hansol chuckles, flinging a piece of popcorn into the air and actually catching it this time, “Don't quit your day job,” he advises.  

A/N: this turned out fluffier than I expected, at least near the end lol I hope you guys liked it though! There was also more kissing than i anticipated but ya' know I don't think you guys mind that ;) if you did like it please comment/subscribe~! I look forward to writing more about my ot3 and I hope you wil too :D