Jihoon is up to something.

Not that that is any different from usual, really, because the maknae is nearly always scheming and plotting away, either with new ways to annoy Taeil or a plan to torture Jiho.

But this time is different. This time he has a real, proper secret, and Kyung is determined to find out what it is.

//

It’s been going on a few weeks now, ever since Jiho moved out of the dorm. Whenever they came home from activities or concerts or fanmeets, Jihoon would immediately disappear into his room, and not come out for a few hours afterwards. He’s also become strangely protective over his room, not letting anyone in, which is in stark contrast to before, where his door was always open, inviting the other members to come and borrow his clothes (which they often all did). Now, though, there’s a lock on the door. Kyung doesn’t remember that being there before.

“Jihoon.” He calls as he’s sitting on the couch watching TV one day. “Come keep me company.”

Yukwon and Minhyuk are off filming for that variety show they were on, Jiho is off with Show Me The Money, Jaehyo is holed up in his room playing League and who knows where Taeil is. Kyung is all alone in the dorm, and nothing interesting is on television – Jihoon will be better company than nothing.

When he gets no response, he shifts so he can see Jihoon’s door and calls again, more sharp this time. “Jihoon!”

The maknae shuffles out of his room, closing the door tight behind him. “Yes, hyung?” He calls, smiling as he comes forward, flopping down onto the lounge, on top of Kyung.

Kyung grunts as he shoves Jihoon backwards, kicking him gently with his feet. “You’re heavy.” He complains.

Jihoon grins and flexes his bicep. “I’ve been lifting weights with Taeil hyung.”

“Of course you have.” Kyung replies, rolling his eyes.

Yes, Jihoon is up to something.

//

Kyung is trying to sleep when he hears it.

His room and Jihoon’s share a wall, so he often hears Jihoon up late at night, singing to himself or composing. Right now, though, he hears a fierce scrabbling, like nails against the wall, like something is trying to escape.

He sits bolt upright, his heart racing. Jihoon is staying over at Minhyuk’s apartment tonight, which means his room is empty. There’s no one in there, no one who could be making that scrabbling noise.

Which can mean only one thing.

Before he can move, an eerie howling noise reverberates through the wall and into his room, and with a yelp, he leaps out of bed and runs into Taeil’s room, screaming as loud as he can. Taeil is horrified, and jumps out of bed, too, pulling Kyung behind him.

“What’s wrong?” He asks, looking around.

Kyung pauses, his heart in his mouth as he speaks. “The dorm is haunted.”

//

“For god’s sake, Kyung, the dorm is not haunted.” Jiho snaps.

It’s the next day, and Kyung had called an emergency meeting in the living room. The last time they’d had one of these was when they were discussing the lawsuit, so everyone is, understandably, on edge.

“Then how do you explain the noises I heard last night?” He replies curtly, arms folded.

Jiho rolls his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe Jihoon was experimenting.” He smirks. “But there’s no such thing as ghosts, and I don’t appreciate you making everyone panic by calling this meeting.”

“I wasn’t even here last night!” Jihoon cries, leaping forward. “It wasn’t me. Or anything to do with me.” He adds, hastily.

Too hastily. Kyung narrows his eyes. “Are you sure? Because it came from your room.”

Jihoon blushes a deep red, and draws his shoulders up to his ears. “It wasn’t me.” He mumbles.

Kyung stands up, prepared to hit a confession out of the maknae, but Taeil stops him with a restraining hand on his shoulder and a dirty look, and Kyung concedes to the oldest.

Jiho watches everything, lips twitching as he tries to hide a smile. “Whatever’s going on, fix it.” He addresses to Taeil, who nods, looking between Jihoon and Kyung with a frown.
//

Someone in New Zealand once taught him how to jimmy a lock open with a bobby pin and, luckily for him, Jaehyo has about a million littered around his room. Which is why he’s here, kneeling on the floor in front of Jihoon’s door, tongue poking out as he fiddles with the lock.

It finally gives and he swings the handle open, half-expecting to see a ghost or apparition standing in the middle of Jihoon’s room, but there’s nothing – it looks completely normal. Messy, just like usual, with clothes strewn all over the floor, the bed unmade and bedside table door hanging open. Tutting, he starts to make the bed, a natural instinct of his. When he lifts up the pillow, though, underneath he finds something odd: a pair of booties, and a tiny jacket.

He sits on the bed heavily, the booties clutched in between his hands, heart racing. Is this –? It can’t be. It can’t be. Why does Jihoon have baby clothes hidden away underneath his pillow? Could he really be stupid enough to knock some poor girl up?

. . He stares at the floor. This is big. This is bigger than anything that’s happened before, if Jihoon really has gotten someone pregnant. For god’s sake, the maknae can barely speak to girls sometimes – how has he managed to do this?

He stands up and pockets the clothes, shutting the door firmly behind him, mouth set in a grim line as he heads back to his room to wait for Jihoon to get home.

//

Jihoon’s face falls as Kyung holds up the clothes.

“.” He whispers, nibbling his bottom lip, before grabbing Kyung and pulling him into his room. “Look, it’s not what it looks like.” He starts, shutting the door behind him.

Kyung throws the clothes at him. “Yeah? Because it looks pretty bad to me.”

“Hyung, it’s not – I’m not – ” He says, haltingly, his face clouded. “I promise you, they’re not baby clothes. I’m not a father.”

A weight lifts itself off Kyung’s shoulders and he sighs, sagging in relief. “What are they, then?”

“Can you keep a secret?” Jihoon whispers, leaning in.

Kyung nods, and Jihoon grins even wider. “Okay. Meet me here at about midnight.”

//

“Why all the cloak and dagger, Jihoon?” Kyung complains, loudly. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

Jihoon claps a hand over his mouth and drags him into his bedroom, eyes anxious as he scans the hallway for anyone else. It’s midnight, just like Kyung agreed to, and everyone else is either asleep or out.

“You’ll see in a second.” Jihoon replies, after shutting the door.

He strides over to the wardrobe and flings open the door, revealing a crate, and in the crate, a tiny, trembling pug puppy.

Kyung just stares at it, watches as Jihoon lifts it out of the crate and cuddles it close, giggling as it his face. So this is what the secret was. It explains the scratching noises, and the howling. It explains the clothes. It explains everything.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He cries, moving closer to scratch the thing on the head. “What’s its name?”

“She’s called Fathead.” Jihoon says, proudly, and Kyung smacks him on the arm.

“It’s a stupid name.” He tuts, taking Fathead from Jihoon’s arms, smiling as she his chin, scrabbling at his chest for purchase to try and get closer to him. “A stupid name for a cute puppy.”

Jihoon looks on like a proud father, grinning as Fathead makes a little yelp of surprise when Kyung sets her down on the floor.

“Are you going to tell Jiho?” Jihoon asks.

Kyung looks at the puppy, then back at Jihoon, who is staring at him anxiously, chewing his lip.

“No. This can be our secret.” Kyung grins, sitting down on the floor to pull Fathead close.