"You Are You"

"Hey, Jaehwan-ah. You know what I like about you the most?" 

"What hyung?" 

"It's that no matter what happens, you'll always smile for me. Your smile is always so bright as if it can take all the bad things away. Please don't ever lose that smile, okay?"

Practice, rehearsals, live performances, and appearing on radio show programs all within a single week.

It's the usual whenever VIXX has a comeback though. The youngest of the two main vocalist, should have been used to this by now but in reality, he was getting tired of it all.

Lee Jaehwan.

He always introduces himself as the cute main vocalist and is always bright and happy. He's the mood maker of the group and he makes everyone around him laugh with his jokes.

He tries to work hard on top of keeping up with his optimistic appearance. People are grateful for the happy Jaehwan and Jaehwan is glad that he's able to cheer others up.

But, who will cheer Jaehwan up?

As he sat there with the rest of the members and looking at their radio scripts, the words on the paper seemed like a blur. Just how many times have they read a script these past few days? 

To be honest, he rather just sleep, eat delicious food, hang out with friends and sing to his hearts content. Yet, he's bound by something called a 'schedule' that has been making him really tired.

He let out a sigh. 

I want to go home...

"Jaehwan-ah?" The older heard his sigh as he sat not too far from the vocalist.

"Hmm?" Jaehwan looked up.

"Is something wrong?" Hakyeon asked.

Jaehwan shook his head and gave the older a smile.

"I'm alright. Just a bit tired."

"I see. This is our last schedule for today so when we get back to the dorms, get some rest. Okay?" 

Jaehwan nodded obediently. 

After a few hours, the show finally ended and their managers drove them back to the dorms.

"Man, I'm beat!" Hyuk stretched out.

"Same," Hongbin went inside after Hyuk. "I'm going to play some Overwatch."

Wait, I'll join you," Hyuk followed.

"I thought you're tired."

"It's fine. Let's go and play a few matches!" 

Hyuk and Hongbin went back to their rooms to play their games.

Must be nice to have so much energy, Jaehwan thought as he saw the two younger ones skip away. 

"I'm going to bed," Taekwoon said and retreated.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Wonshik said.

"You're heading back to the studio later right?" Hakyeon asked.

"Yeah. You know me well."

"I'll go to sleep too then," Jaehwan said.

"Wait, Jaehwan-ah," Hakyeon stopped him. "Can we talk for a bit? It won't take long, I promise."

"Sure!" Jaehwan smiled as energetically as he could. He was hoping to be lazy in his room right away but it's not like he can reject the leader anyways.

The two sat in the kitchen dining table as Jaehwan served the older a cup of hot milk.

"Here you go, hyung. Careful it's hot," he told the older.

"Thanks."

"So, what is it that you want to talk about?"

"I... I noticed recently that you've been missing the beats during rehearsal and your voice just doesn't seem as energetic as you usually would when you sing. Even today's radio show, you barely spoke."

He noticed it? Jaehwan didn't think anyone was paying attention to him. I hope he doesn't give me one of those lectures again... I'm too tired for this right now...

"I'm just a bit tired from all the schedules. That's all," Jaehwan tried to reassure the older. "Sorry."

"No! You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. Both you and Taekwoon has a lot on your plates lately yet you're both trying really hard to keep up with the group's schedule."

"Hyung..." Jaehwan was moved by Hakyeon's consideration. He was worried for a second that the older would scold him instead. 

"I don't want to pressure you any more than you are already but I just want to know how you're feeling. If you think you need a break from any one of our schedules, I'll talk to our manager about it."

"But I can't do that. I can't be the one missing during group activities..."

"I know that but, I'm more worried about your health. I want to be able to see the happy and healthy Jaehwannie. I'll do anything for you in order to help you out. Just let me know," Hakyeon held Jaehwan's hands earnestly.

It was so warm and safe. It's as if Jaehwan really could trust whatever the older says.

"But you'll be tired too, won't you hyung?" 

"I'm alright. I don't have much to do lately except for VIXX's comeback anyways."

"I don't want that hyung. I don't want to tire you out. You've always done so much for us since we debut. The least I can do is promote our group in other activities," Jaehwan was concerned.

"Jaehwan-ah, it's true it can get tiring from time to time. Even now, I'm not used to all this hectic schedule."

Hakyeon-hyung is the same as me then? Jaehwan thought.

"But you know what?"

"Hmm?"

"Whenever I come home from an individual schedule, you would always greet me with a big smile on your face. No matter how hard things were, whenever I see how happy you are, I unconsciously feel just as happy. Do you know how much joy your smiles bring to people and how much it energizes me?" 

"But..." 

"I want to do the same for you too. I want to be here to greet you when you return from a long day at work. I want to help you out whenever you're having a hard time because I know you'd do the same for me. Unlike the others, you never hide from me or try to push me away and I appreciate it alot. I really mean it."

"That's because you really worked hard for us!" Jaehwan doesn't know why, but his chest felt a tingling just as he recalled all of Hakyeon's hard work over the past several years. "Even when you're tired, even when you were injured or even when you actually don't want to do something, you still did it because you wanted the best for the group and for us."

"Didn't you do the same as well though?"

"But I'll never match up to what you've done for us..." Jaehwan felt his confidence lowering as he realized that he probably hasn't done as much as Hakyeon did in promoting the group.

All he ever does us fanservice and acting cute. What else has he done that was beneficial for the group at all? 

I'm nothing compared to Hakyeon-hyung... 

"Jaehwan-ah. It isn't about the numbers but it's about your consideration and your feelings. I can see that everything you do for us is just as genuine and you put everything you can into your work. Even when dancing wasn't your forté, you still managed to practice day and night to improve. I know I can be very strict whenever we do dance practices and I've scolded you a lot in the past but you still listened to me. That means a lot more than you would think. So there's no need to compare."

"I don't?" 

Hakyeon stood up and bent overto ruffle the child's hair.

"Silly. Of course you don't. You are you. No one else."

"Thanks hyung."

Hakyeon looked at the clock to realize how late they've talked for despite the fact that he just wanted a small casual conversation.

"Anyways, let's get some rest okay? I've kept you up all night already," Hakyeon suggested.

"Wait hyung," Jaehwan pulled Hakyeon back a bit.

"Hmm?" Hakyeon looked back at the younger.

"Will you really do that for me?"

"Do that? What's that?" Hakyeon grew confused.

"Greet me and cheer me up whenever I come back from my schedule."

"Do you want me to?"

Jaehwan nodded frantically without hesitation.

"I'll be glad to. So don't ever lose that smile okay?" Hakyeon gave him one last gentle hug.

I know. I won't because that's what I promised you from the start.

Thanks to you, Hakyeon-hyung, I remember that promise again.