By mid-morning, news of the attack had hit the national press, and by lunchtime, it was generally known that the drummer for The Rolls was in hospital with a cracked rib and concussion.  Yeonhee had had to turn her phone off during lectures that morning because of people ringing for opinions rather than going by the official republican channel, and she also had to deal with Sowon who was freaking out about releasing a public statement and wanted her advice.

It was clear that it would be difficult to catch the culprits because a lot of security cameras had been taken out and according to witnesses they’d been wearing balaclavas, but Chenle had at least set the ball rolling with an email on behalf of Yeonhee’s organisation encouraging people to step forward either to the university or to the police with any information they had, since nobody at the university ought to be in a position where somebody else thought it was acceptable to beat them up because of their ethnicity.  He and Yeonhee had agreed that Chenle would take one of their more unusual propositions to the university administration: philosophy and ethics classes, particularly for any perpetrators who weren’t going to be expelled or face criminal charges, on what made humans human and what human rights were and where they came from.

“They just have this dumb groupthink mindset that Hanmi people are beneath them,” Chenle had said, “or that they’re evil.  They need to learn to think for themselves, and we need them to prove to themselves that what they’re doing is wrong.”

It was obviously more paving the way for a long-term solution, but a long-term solution was needed for the country as a whole, and if they only gave short-term solutions, the main problem would never actually be addressed.  They also hadn’t had much time to really focus on exactly how to implement anything that might make a difference (they were still arguing over whether making sure that all Zenyu students were given a Hanmi study buddy for languages and vice versa was a bit too patronising, though it was something that might work in schools), but that would come eventually.

Yeonhee only realised she’d completely forgotten to turn her phone back on when Sehun slid into the seat beside her, looking like he’d spent the past few days with no sleep, and passed her his phone.

“Your boyfriend wants to talk to you,” he said, “since apparently your phone is off.”

Baekhyun immediately whipped around, breaking off his friendly debate over his hair with Mihae, and looked at the phone Yeonhee was holding up to her ear as though the prince was there in person.

It turned out Yixing had been visiting his father and had heard about the alteration at the university.  After checking that Yeonhee was okay, he moved on to the most important part of his call.

“When I’ve finished lunch, I’m planning to visit the students that have been brought in here,” he said.  “I saw the name of one of your band friends on the list of students admitted – Do Kyungsoo?”

Yeonhee verified that this was correct.

“I take it he’s unlikely to be playing tonight.”

“Probably not.”

“Does he know we’re dating?” Yixing asked.

“No, but he’s very discreet.”  Yeonhee paused.  “He may ask, though.  He saw you after you argued with Sehun at the last concert.  If he hasn’t already put two and two together and is just politely keeping quiet, it might twig.”

“So I don’t need to worry either way,” Yixing concluded.  “Good.  If he’s up to it I was planning to hang around anyway because I barely ever get the chance to talk to non-classical musicians and I’m a fan.”

Yeonhee laughed softly.

“Also,” he went on, “I had a long conversation with Chen yesterday evening.”

Yeonhee’s grin faded.  There was silence as he waited for her to say something.

“We really need to talk about this,” Yixing said eventually.  “I’d ask you to stay the night but the Chinese ambassador and a state secretary are visiting and I can barely justify being at the concert as it is.”

“When did that crop up?”

“Yesterday.  I won’t be free all weekend.”

The surge of disappointment was almost bitter in Yeonhee’s mouth.

“Sorry,” Yixing told her.  “Sehun’s going to kill me.  He told me I had to keep weekends free.”

A glance at her friend informed Yeonhee that Sehun’s eyes were narrowed at the phone, almost like he knew what Yixing had just said.  She told the prince that Sehun was already giving him the evils and bade him goodbye.

“So,” said Baekhyun, propping his elbow up on the table and his chin in his hand as Yeonhee handed the phone back.  “Is your boyfriend aware of Juan?  Should I get him a female Juan plant?  What does Juan think of him?”

“Who is this mysterious guy?” Mihae asked as Baekhyun waggled his eyebrows obnoxiously.  “Everybody seems to know who he is except me.”

“He’s tall and handsome,” Baekhyun said with an obsequious grin.  Sehun grunted.

“He’s not Yeonhee’s usual type,” he told Mihae.

Mihae thought for a moment.  “So, I don’t think you exactly have a usual type, but based on what went wrong with Taehyung and what I know of you, I’m going to conclude he’s a bike racer in a street gang.”

Sehun accidentally snorted into his orange juice.  Baekhyun slapped Mihae on the back.

“That has just inspired me for a new song,” he declared.  “And the mental image is amazing.  Thank you.”

Minseok popped into the waiting room about half an hour before The Rolls were due to go onstage.  Baekhyun had been busy goofing around in an attempt to make a very unimpressed Sehun laugh, while Yeonhee had convinced Chanyeol to sit still so she could sketch him (he started fidgeting every three seconds, eyes darting around for something to do) and Jongin was tucked into a corner with his bass guitar on his lap as he scrolled through his phone.  Mihae was in another corner sorting out pain medication for Chanyeol, who, Yeonhee had only noticed when she started drawing, also had abrasions all over his hands and fingers from the altercation that morning.  Juan had also joined the gathering, perched in pride of place just in front of the mirror.

“Evening!” Minseok greeted them all cheerfully, his eyes lingering on Juan for a few moments.  “I believe his royal highness will be bringing Kyungsoo over when he arrives.”

“Weeeey!” Jongin cheered, swinging around in his chair as he looked up from his phone.  The other band members looked up in surprise, while Mihae audibly dropped the medicine box she was rummaging through.

“The prince?” Chanyeol queried, bemused.

“Kyungsoo’s not really in a position to play, though,” Minseok added.  “Thought you might like an update.  Other than the cracked rib he’s not too badly off and the concussion seems to be fading, so he should recover quickly.  In the meantime, I thought I’d find you somebody who could fill in for some of the simple stuff tonight.”

Luhan popped his head sheepishly around the door.  “Er, hi?”

“You’re ing kidding me,” Sehun muttered under his breath.  With the exception of Jongin, the others looked a bit nonplussed, but the bass guitarist more or less voiced what Yeonhee was thinking.

“Oh my God, Min, are you sure the prince is happy with us using his personal secretary?”

“Junior royal secretary, not personal secretary,” Minseok corrected him.

“I was in a rock band at university,” Luhan said, his Hanmi very faintly accented.  “I haven’t played since then so I’m doubtless a bit rusty but as long as there’s nothing complicated I can fill in.  Mr Do took me through most of the track list for tonight when I accompanied his royal highness to the hospital earlier and I think I can approximate most of what’s needed if I have an in-ear.  Anything on the album we listen to around the palace often enough anyway.”

That caused even more shock.  One of the many things Yeonhee would have bet substantial money on Luhan not being was a drummer or anything to do with rock music.

Baekhyun was the first to recover.

“Deal,” he said, “but you have to put Juan in pride of place on a spare hi-hat in front of you.”

Luhan looked very confused.  “If that’s. . . what you want, then of course.”

“Wait,” said Yeonhee.  “How’s the press going to respond to this?  Aren’t they going to find it really weird?”

Minseok grinned mischievously and winked at them.  “I’m sure we can make Han up to look like a regular student rocker and the press will not suspect a thing.”

Luhan shifted awkwardly, rubbing his left forearm with his right hand, but he didn’t look too uncomfortable about the prospect, and Yeonhee wondered if he’d actually suggested the whole thing off his own bat.

“Well, I’m in, and Baekhyun obviously is too,” Jongin said, waving his hand, “and it looks like you have Kyungsoo’s permission as well, so, Yeol?”

Chanyeol jumped and looked over.  “Why not?” he said, a bit helplessly.

Minseok turned back to Luhan.  “Good, let’s go prep.”

They both vanished.

The room was so silent it would have been possible to hear a pin drop.  It was a good few moments before anybody moved again.  Mihae was the one who got the ball rolling.

“I’m confused,” she said, finally finding the medicine she’d been looking for and passing it to Chanyeol.  “Is anybody else confused?”

Chanyeol was the only one to raise his hand.  Jongin shrugged as he swayed from side to side in the office chair he was in, feet up on the counter in front of him.

“All I can say is my cousin must be a great publicist and Luhan must still be a massive fan of student rock.”

“Wait.”  Chanyeol twisted around in his chair, almost