There are a lot of reasons to love Jaebum.

His outer appearance is mainly what draws most people’s attention and grows a liking for him. His one-of-a-kind diamond shaped face, his attractive cheekbones, his well-defined jawline that makes you want to trace your tongue finger along his chin. And the way his eyes narrow into lines when he smiles adds a charm to his already gorgeous face—bonus if he laughs and shows his teeth, you’ll instantly become addicted to what it does to your heart. Jaebum may not be the most handsome man on earth, but there’s definitely something about his face that pulls you in and makes you watch longer.

Another reason is his physique. How every bit of his muscles flexes when he dances seems so hypnotizing and leaving you thirsty for more moves. Jaebum isn’t tall nor is he short; his height is perfect enough to make you look up in admiration but not too towering that it makes your neck sore from staring up too long (because staring is what you will have to be used to once you encounter Jaebum and his irresistible feature). His height also allows you to hide your face by looking down if you catch him stretching his arms over his head, only to find yourself feeling embarrassed seconds later because you begin to imagine how comforting it is to be embraced in those gallant arms when he holds you.

But there is more to Jaebum than stunning face and glorious figure. Jaebum is a great person inside and out, a fact that is often underappreciated even to Jaebum’s notion. Having to develop some traits comes with his position as a leader so he’s grown accustomed to being sensible, thoughtful, and aware of his surroundings. Being a leader has made him who he is today and he likes to think that that is the reason why people are fond of him, that if he weren’t assigned as a leader in the first place people wouldn’t have favored him the slightest. Which is very wrong—Youngjae seconds that, and he bets Jackson does too—because if so, he wouldn’t even have at least considered to conform whether or not he is one.

The aforementioned idea might have been derived from Jaebum’s humbleness. Jaebum is highly altruistic; he is likely to put others before himself, more often than necessary. Despite how endearing it is, it breaks Youngjae’s heart to see every time the leader exhaust himself past his limit. Jaebum thinks he is able to mask it with assuring smiles and assertive remarks but Youngjae can see beyond that. If the others do too, they don’t mention it.

But that is actually the worst thing: staying silent and refusing to tell. And Youngjae despises himself for that because Jaebum deserves so much better than having an injury to tell him to take it easy. Even so, there isn’t the smallest hint of Jaebum’s slowing down that it makes Youngjae angry whenever the leader dismisses help offers from everyone—they even have to call Manager-hyung to carry him because he keeps saying no to the other members (“What if you got hurt while carrying me? Covering one person on stage is easier than two.”).

So Youngjae turns his back to Jaebum when they’re lying on the bed and pulls the covers up to his head, not even sparing the leader a brief good night. However, Jaebum mistakes his gesture as a permission to grab him by the waist and hug him from behind. Usually, Youngjae would comply or even sink in by pressing his back against the leader’s chest, but this time he wriggles out of Jaebum’s arms and scoots closer to the wall. When Jaebum pulls him again, he lightly shoves the older to get off.

“Yah, Youngjae,” Jaebum calls with a playful tone. “What’s up with you?”

Youngjae huffs, still refusing to turn and face his hyung. “Leave me alone, hyung, you’re annoying.”

The blanket shifts and Youngjae can tell Jaebum is sitting up and frowning at him. “Excuse me?”

Not getting any replies, Jaebum grabs Youngjae by the shoulder and turns him around with force—Youngjae should’ve known better to talk back to his hyung with that attitude. Jaebum’s leg might be injured but he can still fight Youngjae with just his hands and win.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” the leader asks sternly and Youngjae clenches his jaw at the view. This is not the time to feel .

“Jaebum-hyung,” he starts, pushing himself up and leaning back against the wall, creating as much distance as possible to indicate his displeasure. “We’re not stupid.”

Not quite getting it, Jaebum narrows his eyes at the younger. “What are you getting at?”

Youngjae can feel his blood boiling in his veins. His throat is stuffed with unspoken words and he grits his teeth in an attempt to restrain from lashing out at Jaebum. The older is waiting while Youngjae desperately tries to arrange the jumbled words in his head. Once he’s ready, he takes a deep breath to calm himself down before speaking.

“Look. If you think you can keep this up any longer, we’re really disappointed in you. All this time we kept our mouths shut because we respect your decision. You’re the leader, we get it. But that doesn’t give you the rights to push us away when your work is cut out for you.”

A pause.

There’s guilt hanging on the ceiling of his mouth where his tongue is currently stuck to keep him from talking because he sounds really rude just now and he wants to take everything back but it’s too late and Jaebum is still waiting for him to finish so Youngjae averts his gaze to his lap and takes another deep breath before continuing.

“We’re not just team members, hyung. We’re your friends. Rely on us a little, would you?”

The silence that follows his last comments is loathsome. But just when he is about to get his pillow and dart outside to escape (sleeping in the living room with Coco doesn’t sound all that bad) he feels a hand resting on top of his head and he looks up to find the gentlest smile of Jaebum’s and Youngjae is instantly overwhelmed with a gush of relief. He doesn’t show it of course, the point of him being upset has to be put across properly so Youngjae sticks out his jaw and deepens the crease between his eyebrows.

“This is why I love you,” Jaebum whispers, more to himself rather than telling Youngjae and the younger’s expression changes into that of embarrassment. A couple tugs on his hand is enough to tell Youngjae to move closer to Jaebum and when he does, albeit hesitantly, Jaebum leans forward and captures his lips with his own.

The kiss is intoxicating, according to Youngjae because if he remembers correctly the last time they kissed was weeks ago. The older dislikes the idea of mixing relationship with work but still unable to suppress his feelings toward the younger, so they’re casually-not-so-casually dating with Jaebum’s constantly reminding to keep everything light and not as much suggestive—kissing included, much to Youngjae’s misfortune because Jaebum is an awesome kisser—so as to refrain from getting too carried away.

His frustration forgotten, Youngjae buries his face in the crook of Jaebum’s neck when they part, feeling his heart weaken as if something is squeezing it over and over.

“I’m sorry,” the older says softly, his thumb rubbing at the small of the younger’s neck.

“And thank you for telling me that, Youngjae-yah.”

“I don’t want your thanks.”

Jaebum lets out a small chuckle. Bonus. “Alright. I’ll ask Yugyeom to carry me to the van tomorrow.”

Youngjae realizes there are side effects to Jaebum’s positive traits such as lacking awareness of himself for being too focused on paying attention to others, or being too strict on himself as an exchange to the others’ carefreeness. But he also realizes that that is actually what Youngjae loves so much about the older. As a leader, Jaebum’s words are most likely to be unquestionable and valid that it gives Youngjae a sense of pride whenever Jaebum listens to him—Jinyoung often mentions that Jaebum has a soft spot for Youngjae and what more can Youngjae do to take full advantage of that (okay, not exactly ‘full’ but he ensures to make use of it when the moment calls for it)?

And if Youngjae can be granted with a kiss as a reward, it would be his pleasure to remind Jaebum of his shortcomings again.