“Just… please, stay in bed.”

 

“But hyung-“

 

“Channie please!”

 

“Hyung, you are being ridiculous! You haven’t cared about me at all and then suddenly you’re coming in here and ordering me around!? Why are you even here? Go home!”

 

“What do you mea-“

 

“GO. HOME!”

 

Sandeul and Baro busted through the waiting room doors of the hospital first, CNU fallowing painfully slow behind them. They found themselves in a smaller hallway with one door at the end, obviously Gongchan’s room. Their manager hyung was sitting in one of the seats next to the door, shaking his head to himself. “Hyung!” Baro called, running to the older man, 

 

“What happened?” Sandeul close behind added, “The front desk lady wouldn’t tell us anything!”

 

“Didn’t the doctor say to rest?”

 

“If you’re not going home than I am! Why won’t you just leave all ready!?”

 

Everybody’s gaze turned towards the hospital door. Their manager sighed and rubbed his face with his hands in distress, “They’ve been like this all night.” Sandeul gave him a questioning glare, “Hyung, what’s wrong?” The manager slowly stood up, using his legs for support, and stared at the three teenage boys. “Let me tell you this as simple as I can. One of your members is hurt, the other is constantly gone, and the leader has no control over his own band mates. And not to mention the scandals that are already spreading.” Baro’s eyebrows scrunched together, “Scandals?” He asked. The manager nodded, “Basically, you guys are at rock bottom. And you haven’t even debuted yet-“ All the boys facial expressions changed, realizing where he was going with this. “No, don’t tell me-“ Sandeul started. “That’s right; my boss called me earlier and informed me not to waste my time any longer. I’m sorry, but-“ 

 

“No, please. W-we can do better! Channie can get better, and-“ Baro pleaded.

 

“I’m sorry guys. My business is filing a statement to break our contract; you guys won’t be debuting any time soon.”

 

CNU narrowed his eyes, biting his lip. “B-but, what will happen?!” Sandeul questioned, on the brink of tears. Their ex-manager simply shrugged, “I’m not really sure, my boss just told me that it’s over.” 

 

“It’s over?” CNU repeated to himself.

 

Baro started to sob, “B-but hyung, you can’t do this to us! We’ll work harder, we promise! I mean, this our dream! You can’t just shatter it, I mean…we’ll get better! Work harder! Right?” He turned around and faced the two other boys. They both just stared at him in disbelief, not knowing how to respond. “Hyungs, please!” He pleaded. He turned back to the manager, “Hyung!” The manager shook his head one last time and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’m sorry Bar- I mean Sun Woo. We’ll be in touch soon to discuss it further.”

 

“Gongchan Sik, just listen to me!”

 

“Don’t call me by my full name! Who do you think you are!?”

 

The manager pointed a thumb towards the hospital door and sighed, “I didn’t even bother telling them yet.” He gave the boys an apologetic smile and walked past them, “I’m sorry you guys.”

 

Baro and Sandeul stood there, awestruck. “W-what… what do we do now?” Baro asked, the sound of a nervous breakdown dripping from his words. CNU gritted his teeth, not letting the tears swell up in his eyes. 

 

“Yah, Don’t leave! The doctor said to stay here! You can barely walk!” The white door opened, “Hyung, just shut up!” Gongchan walked out, carrying crutches. “Gongchan!” Jinyoung called from the room. “I can handle myself! Just go away already, you’re so frustrating!” The younger tried to slam the door with his foot, causing him to slide backwards a bit. He cautiously caught himself and stabled himself with his crutches while letting out a sigh of relief. “Oh, hey hyungs.” He said nonchalantly, noticing the three boys standing outside the door. The boys were still dazed by the sudden news that they didn’t notice Gongchan’s white cast wrapped around his foot. “Hyungs?” He asked, “Why does it look like somebody just ripped out your hearts and stomped on them?” 

 

“Go home.” CNU ordered.  Gongchan glared at him, utterly confused and tired of people bossing him around. CNU noticed the younger’s hesitation and clenched his jaw together. Gongchan held his gaze but nodded, waddling off down the bare hallway. “Yah, you two fallow him. Make sure he doesn’t hurt himself again.” The two dazed boys, looking very pale all of a sudden, drooped their eyes over to the eldest. “Go home and get some rest. Don’t tell Gongchan yet either, you got that?” The two boys gradually nodded and walked off, too stunned to even cry.

CNU clenched his fist together and stormed into the bland room. Everything was white. From the curtains to the floor, everything a sickening, dull, color white. It was easy to spot the other in the corner of the room, hunched over with his brown hair drooping over his face. “Yah.” CNU called, no response. “Yah!” The leader winced at the volume of CNU’s voice. “What?” He hissed weakly. The older plodded over to Jinyoung, squatting down so they were eye level. “Yah, Jinyoung…” CNU whispered. 

 

“It’s all my fault.”

 

“No it’s not.” CNU replied dully.

 

“Yes it is. Everything is, didn’t you hear Channie?”

 

“…”

 

“Everything,” Jinyoung looked up, tears forming on the side of his eyes, “E-everything Shin Woo. What are we going to do?”

CNU scanned the boys face, swallowing painfully hard, “I’m not sure kid.” Jinyoung rolled his eyes and covered his face with his hands, “Don’t call me that right now. I’m about to give up on life I swear…” CNU stood up, ready to hit the boy, “Now don’t you dare say that. Out of everything, right now is the time you should be saying the complete opposite. I am not about to go and let all of our futures be slipped away so easily because of a couple of mishaps.” Jinyoung looked up, his cheeks being stained from his salty tears, “CNU-“ “Jinyoung, I’m sorry but you have to get it together. This group isn’t going to make it if all you do is sit here. You have to fight, you have to want it. I made a mistake by leaving, I understand that. But now it’s your turn to realize your mistake, it’s time for all of us to realize what we did wrong. We don’t have much time to fix things so I think it’s best if you stop sulking over your lost puppy and go and be the obedient leader that you are.” Jinyoung didn’t say a word. He just stared at the elder as if he was looking right past him. “Yah! Are you even listening?” CNU snapped. Jinyoung glazed his eyes up to stare at the other, “I’m listening.” He replied nonchalantly, “It’s just…” He let his sentence linger, making CNU even more pissed than what he already was. The leader let a weak smile cross his lips, “You’re wrong. I need to go and find my lost puppy.”

 

~

 

Gongchan had trouble walking with his new cast, limping sideways and stumbling over things. He tried to take a big leap forward, only to have Baro catch him for the tenth time.”Yah, be more careful! It’s a good thing we came along.” Sandeul spat out, watching Baro help Gongchan stable himself. Gongchan rolled his eyes, “I would be fine by myself hyung.” Sandeul shook his head, “What are you going to do when we part away?” Baro turned his head so fast his neck nearly snapped, “Deuli!” He yelled. Sandeul’s eyes widened, tears on the brink of them, “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that Gongchan!” Gongchan looked back at the two, “Why are you acting so weird?” The two older boys looked at each other and shook their heads, “Ne, n-nothing Channie! Just come on, time to go home!” Sandeul cooed. “T-that’s right, listen to your mother! Ducklings have to stay with the mother duck~” The younger gave the two a bewildered look, “You guys are scaring me.” Baro let out a nervous chuckle, “Heh, your funny Channie! Come on, let’s go!” The two boys walked behind the younger, giving each other nervous glances the whole time. No way would they tell Gongchan yet, not now.

The three boys finally arrived at their dorm, two of which not sure if the place would be cleaned out or not. Sandeul inhaled a deep breath before opening the door. Gongchan quirked an eyebrow at the two who seemed to be relived of something. Everything was still there, in its place. “Yah, come sit down Gongchan.” Baro afford a hand to the younger, helping him settle on the couch while Sandeul closed the door and headed to the kitchen, “Are you hungry Gongchan? Would you like me to cook your favorite?” The maknae shook his head, “Why are you like this?” He questioned. Baro’s eyebrows furrowed, “What do you mean? Your hurt, we must take care of our dongsaeng~” After some banging of pans coming from the other room, Sandeul pitched in, “How did you even hurt yourself Channie?” Baro’s eye’s widened, realizing nobody has yet asked the obvious question. How oblivious were they?

 

Gongchan narrowed his eyes, “I fell, after CNU hyung left to go find you guys.” He simply retorted. 

 

“Well how did you fall?” The older asked.

 

“It’s not important, it’s not like it matters anyways, right? I’m going to bed.” The younger cautiously stood up, trying to balance with his one good leg, “G’night you guys.” He looked back and gave Baro a sad smile before crutching back to his room.

 

~

 

Jinyoung grabbed his coat that was lying behind him. “I’m going to fix everything CNU, I promise.” He reassured, heading for the door. CNU shook his head, “You don’t get it-“ Jinyoung cut him off, “I don’t need to get it,” Jinyoung turned around and gave the elder a cheeky, weary, smile, “I’ve finally understood what my body has been trying to tell me. I can solve all of our problems, no more being in the dark.” He smiled one last time at the confused boy before leaving the room, “Thank you hyung!” He called out.

Jinyoung raced out of the hospital, slamming the big white door behind him. When he finally came to the main entrance, he busted the doors open and walked out to the cold open air. He slowly breathed in a big breath of air and started running toward the direction of their dorm. He slowed down his pace when he came up to the familiar structure, looking around outside to see as if anybody was waiting for him out there. But there was no one, why would there be? He shook the thought out of his head, he just wasn’t thinking straight. The leader staggered his way to the front door and swiftly opened it, “Hey,” He called out, noticing Baro was lying down on the couch, “Group meeting, right now.” He demanded. One of Baro’s eyes perked up, “Ne?” Jinyoung nodded, “Where’s Gongchan?” Baro’s confused expression turned cold, “In his roo-“

 

 “Okay, I’ll be right back. Stay here.” Jinyoung cut him off.

 

Baro jumped up, “Hyung, I’m sorry but something is wrong with him and he’s hurt. You don’t need to be-“

 

“Don’t need to be what? I’m going to solve all of this, just chill out.” Jinyoung reassured.

 

Baro shook his head, “No hyung, you’re not solving anything. I’m sorry but you’re just making it worse. Did CNU-hyung talk to you?”

 

“Yes and he-“

 

“Did he tell you about the group?” Baro asked, cautious to what he should be saying out loud when Gongchan was in the room right next door.

Jinyoung gave him a perplexed look, “What, no. We talked about-“

 

“So you guys didn’t talk…” Baro stated, shaking his head.

 

Jinyoung gave him a confused look, what the hell was he talking about? The group? He was starting to sound like Gongchan, was there something seriously wrong with the group that he couldn’t see? Was he the only one? “Yah, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Just… stay here.” He turned around and started towards his room when Baro grabbed his arm, “Hyung, you’re tired and warn out. Just go to sleep, go use our room. It would be better that way, you know, for you to be alone for a while. You look really pale, you need some rest.” Baro’s concern was genuine, but Jinyoung took it offensively, “Just let go of me, your making this so much more difficult!” He yanked his arm away, yelling a little too loud for an inside voice. “Just let him go.” A voice called from behind. Jinyoung turned around and saw CNU leaning against the wall. “He has to find his puppy, let him.” He stated coolly.

 

Baro gave the elder a confused look, leaving Jinyoung with an opportunity to dash to the back room. “What’s going on?” He heard Sandeul call out -most likely walking into the living room from the kitchen. He didn’t think twice though, he continued to rush to his shared room, knowing someone was in there, someone he so desperately wanted to talk to.

 

“Gongchan-ah,” Jinyoung blurted, busting the door open. He looked around and noticed the younger lying down, in Jinyoung’s bed. “Gongchan-ah,” He repeated, darting to the bed, “Gongchan wake up. There’s something I need to tell you.” The younger ignored the pleading boy, pretending to be asleep. “Gongchan I know your awake.” The older breathed out, running out of patients. But, the younger refused. He continued to lay there, curled up in the others sheets, his eyes closed. *He looks so peaceful just laying there* Jinyoung shook the thought away. “There are paths.” Jinyoung’s eyes widened at the sudden comment, “Paths?” he questioned. The black haired boy opened one of his eyes and nodded, “Here’s the thing. I am pissed at you for either A: You wouldn’t stop yelling at me at the hospital, or B: The fact that you so much as noticed me from the very beginning, only to divert your attention to something else that is lower than scum. Then you go trotting around as if nothing is happening while I sit in the back crying myself to sleep every night. But no, it’s okay -because I kept the smile, I kept the façade up for you. Not to mention the whole idea of becoming someone, of becoming something important with some people that I found dear to me was coming to a very short end all because one person I found oh-so-dear to me decided he wanted to try and be sly with some low-life .” The younger paused, as if to wait for the leader to say something –to dismiss whatever he was saying. But he didn’t, so he continued. “So, pick a path. And stay true to it, because everything is coming to an end pretty soon, wouldn’t want to waste time.” Jinyoung sat there, crouching on the floor in astonishment. “I-I…” 

 

“Yea, I-I nothing. You are completely blind to the world around you, so oblivious to other people. Your even-“ Gongchan stopped mid-way through his sentence, being cut off by a couple of hands being wrapped around him. His dark eyes widened, obviously confused by the others action, “What are you-“

 

“I am so sorry.” The older murmured, burying his face into the younger’s neck.

 

“What?” Gongchan asked, trying to sit up and support both the boys’ weight underneath his small arm.

 

“I’m horrible…I’m a horrible leader, I’m a horrible friend, I’m a horrible person. I’m just horrible.”

 

Gongchan rolled his eyes, “Hyung-“

 

“Don’t call me that! I’m not a proper hyung, I can’t do anything right! I hurt the one person that was close to me, closest to my heart. I hurt all of those people I told myself I cared about, I made every person sick to their stomachs with my lies. Gongchan, I am so sorry!” The older started to sob, making Gongchan have to shift their positions. “Hyung, your being a baby…” He muttered, moving his back against the wall and letting the older cry against him. “Gongchan, I…” The other sobbed between his cries, “I’m so sorry.” The black haired boy sighed, resting his hand on the others back for comfort. “Weren’t you the one who asked me why everybody was so emotional in this group?” The two boys stayed like that, neither one of them saying anything until the crying elder decided to break the silence. “Gongchan-ah,” He whispered, afraid that the younger would either tell him more about how he hurt him, or worst, tell him to get off of him. “Mhm?” He hummed, sending vibrations from his chest throughout both the boys’ bodies. “I-I… I love you.” Gongchan shifted uncomfortably, “Hyung, your tired and-“

 

“No.” Jinyoung responded instantly, rising up from the younger’s shoulder, “I know one thing for sure. You guys can go and say that I’m pale or tired, but I know this for a fact. Gongchan, I have been misleading my feelings for a long time now and I understand that this might seem ridiculous or gross or whatever, but I know I’m in love with you. I know you’re my Channie and nobody is ever going to stop me from caring about you.” The leader gave Gongchan a pitiful look, “When I got a call saying that you where hurt I went crazy. I wanted to make sure you were okay, and that’s when I found out for sure. It might sound cliché but I don’t care, Gong Chan Sik, I’m in love with you.” Gongchan’s eyes grew wider and wider, What? A confession right now? When everything was on the brink of insanity? The black haired boy covered his mouth with his hands and closed his teary eyes, “What are you saying you pabo!” He yelled, flopping down onto the covers so he would be hidden from the other boy. Jinyoung tilted his head in confusion, “Well this wasn’t the response I was hoping for…” He muttered to himself. “Yah, Channie! That’s not how you confront a confession! What are you doing!?” The younger started rolling around on the bed, “Pabo!” He repeated, “Pabo pabo pabo!” “Yah!” Someone else hollered from the door, “Dinner’s done, stop playing around and go eat!” Sandeul scolded, wiping his hands on the apron he was wearing. Gongchan stopped flopping around over the bed, his hair messy in his face like a toddler, “Okay~” He called out, happy to escape the awkward moment. Sandeul smiled at the childish like behavior, when Baro came up from behind and hugged him around his waist, “Yah, children. Listen to the mother duck.” He called out, resting his chin on Sandeul’s shoulder. “Yah I’m going to eat all of it if none of you get in here.” A deep voice called from behind the two in the hall way. Baro’s eyes widened as he turned around, “Yah, hyung~” He whined, “Don’t eat it all! I’m hungry too~” He quickly gave Sandeul a light peck on the cheek and ran off behind him. “Yah!” Sandeul called, face becoming redder than a tomato. He fumed away, probably smacking the other two somewhere. Gongchan couldn’t help but smile at his idiot hyungs, turning his direction back to the one lying next to him. “What?” He asked as he noticed Jinyoung staring at him with his old, dumb grin. Jinyoung shook his head, that glint back in his eyes, “I’m just happy your smiling.” He purred. Gongchan’s face started heating up while his cheeks flushed, “S-shut up hyung.” Jinyoung stretched and slowly rose, “Yah Channie, we are nowhere near perfect. Not even close to being okay, but we’ll make it. We will fix everything…” Jinyoung turned his head back and stretched out his hand, “Together.”

 

====================

Wa~ It's over!  Again, very sorry that we made you wait for only two chapters... We will be making new stories but we have leared that we arn't necessarily good at updating.... ^^'' So we will be working on that for a while, again, thank you for reading our first story~