The members looked at each other, everyone but Yugyeom making meaningful eye contact to suggest that no one proposed something that Yugyeom wouldn’t enjoy.

“I’m good with anything.” Youngjae said, rather unhelpfully.

“Yeah…” Jackson said, attempting to help, “I don’t know, what do you want to do, Yugyeom?”

“Oh...I don’t really know...since we have to save energy maybe we could watch tv...but it’s whatever you guys want to do…” Yugyeom said nervously, not used to being directly asked for his opinion on group activities.

“Great idea! Let’s watch that drama you’ve been talking about!” Bambam shouted, jumping up to grab the remote.

“I’ll go get my mattress to put on the floor, move the table Youngjae!” Jackson yelled, rushing off down the hallway.

Jinyoung hid his mouth behind his hand to chuckle at the boys. So much for subtlety.

“Oh...ok.” Yugyeom muttered, rather startled as he tucked his legs up underneath him on the couch so that he wouldn’t get hit in Youngjae’s rush to move the coffee table.

“I’ll get the movie snacks.” Jaebum said, moving from the armchair.

“But hyung we don’t have any….” Yugyeom started but was cut off as Jackson returned with a yell and threw the mattress onto the ground at the foot of the couch. Jb casually sauntered back in and dropped the convenience store bag full of Yugyeom’s favorite junk foods onto the mattress.

“...snacks” Yugyeom finished.

“What, I was hungry.” Jaebum shrugged dismissively.

Yugyeom looked around at all of the boys rushing around to get ready to start the drama and realized how weird it was because they HATED watching his dramas. And then he saw the reflection of the Christmas lights in the TV and was reminded of how strange it was that Jinyoung prepared such a nice meal for them this morning. And then his gaze returned to the bag of JB’s snacks and realized that they were all of HIS favorite foods. JB didn’t even like them! “Okay, what’s going on here?” Yugyeom demanded, silencing all of the boys in the midst of their scurrying. Youngjae even froze halfway bent over in the act of helping Jackson situate blankets and pillows on the mattress. The younger boys slowly let their eyes drift over to Jinyoung.

“Aish, good job you guys.” Jaebum said sarcastically.

“Hey you weren’t Mr. Sly Fox yourself, what with your bag full of Yugyeom snacks!” Bambam yelled back defensively, and the promptly slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Bambam you’ve ruined it!” Jackson accused, punching the younger boy on the shoulder.

“Ruined what? What’s going on?” Yugyeom urged.

“Ah...” Jinyoung sighed with resign, rubbing the back of his neck, “I guess we weren’t as natural as we wanted to be….but….we are trying to make today special for you.” Jinyoung slowly lifted his eyes to meet his maknae's.

“Oh.” Yugyeom said and then looked around the room again. Oh. That explained their strange behavior. That explained why they were making themselves do all of these things that they probably didn’t even want to do. OH. This must have something to do with confessing his feelings to his hyungs last night. He felt his cheeks flush as he was overcome with embarrassment and guilt. “I’m...going to the restroom.” He muttered and quickly stood up, nearly tripping over the mattress in his hurry to escape the room. He practically ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He pressed his back against the door and let out quick heavy breaths. Oh God. He hit his forehead with the base of his palm, silently cursing himself for opening up. Now they were going to pretend to like him, which was far, far worse than being ignored. Yugyeom caught sight of himself in the mirror and his face had turned an angry red.  I can’t go back out there he thought, the prospect making his throat tighten with anxiety. WhatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo

Jinyoung groaned, letting his head fall into his hands after Yugyeom fled the room and slammed the door of the bathroom. “It was going so well.”

“It’s okay hyung, you did your best. Bambam said, reaching to rub his shoulder.

“I was trying to make him feel special, not embarrassed. He could be thinking anything!”

“Let me talk to him.” Mark said, from where he had been quietly sitting in the corner.

“Are you sure?” Jaebum asked, weighing the outcomes that could arise.

“Yes, just give me a minute.” Mark said in his direct way, and got up to walk to the bathroom door. When he arrived in the darkened hallway he leaned his forehead on the door and softly knocked.

“Go away.” was the muffled answer from inside.

“Open the door, Gyeomie.” Mark said, undeterred.

“Ani.” was the response.

“I know how to pick a lock, Gyeom. Either you let me in or I let myself in.”

There was frustrated sigh from behind the door, and after a moment, it opened.

Instead of asking Yugyeom to come out, Mark stepped inside and re-locked the door behind him.

Yugyeom crossed his arms and stared to the side, his tongue in his cheek.

Mark said nothing.

Yugyeom endured the silence for only a few moments longer until he nearly exploded from the tension and spoke up, “So JB and Jinyoung told everyone about last night, I’m guessing.” Yugyeom said, a bit sharper than he had intended to.

Mark nodded.

“Great.” Yugyeom said sarcastically, and then exhaled, running his fingers through his hair.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t need to be embarrassed.” Mark finally said.

“Yes I do! It’s absolutely embarrassing. I feel awful! Everyone put off everything for the day because of that stupid conversation. I wish I hadn’t have said anything!”

“You were happy last night.” Mark stated. “I can’t remember the last time I've seen you genuinely happy like that.”

Yugyeom exhaled exasperatedly. “I didn’t know they were going to make such a huge deal and take a whole day off. We’re in the middle of a comeback for crying out loud. If JYP finds out about this then I will never be able to show my face in the company again!”

“JYP understands the importance of his idols’ mental health.” Mark replied. “So do we. No one thinks any less of you.”

Yugyeom felt like he was going to cry from frustration and shame but he was NOT going to do that again so soon after last night. “My mental health is fine! We didn’t need to cancel the schedule. I’m good, I can keep going. You guys don’t have to endure a day full of doing things you hate because I said it might be nice to get a little more attention.”

        “Nobody’s doing anything they don’t want to do.” Mark said, tilting his head. “We need to do this. We need to show you how important you are to us, and taking a day off doesn’t even begin to cut it. We have been awful to you, Gyeom. We didn’t mean to, but we have.”

        “Honestly, it’s fine.” Yugyeom grumbled.

        “It’s not fine!” Mark raised his voice, and Yugyeom flinched, never having heard Mark raise his voice in a serious manner. “It’s very, very serious. It’s more serious than our album. You are a person who we all love. If you are suffering, we should know. We should be suffering too. But we didn’t even notice. You had to have a breakdown after months before anyone did anything about it. That is NOT fine, Yugyeom.”

        Yugyeom fought the urge to let the angry-embarrassed tears well over the rim of his eyes.

“Taking a single day out to give you attention is nowhere near what you deserve. But if you don’t let us do this one small thing for you...we may never forgive ourselves. Yugyeom we are so, terribly sorry. Please let us show you.”

        Yugyeom opened his mouth to answer, but all that came out was a small strangled noise as his throat gave up the fight and the tears spilled from his eyes. Mark hadn’t said that much to him the entire time he’d known him.

“I’m sorry.” he choked out . “I’m sorry I’ve been a bad maknae for so long and...now I’m being a burden and I don’t know what...what to do when you guys try to help...a-and I’m sorry hyung.”

        “Sh sh sh.” Mark tenderly hushed. “Come here.”

        Yugyeom didn’t hesitate a moment before rushing into Mark and bending his body so that his head could rest on Mark’s chest. Mark petted his arm with one hand and lightly rested the other on his maknae’s waist. Yugyeom had forgotten the extreme comfort that exuded from this position. It had been so long since Mark had voluntarily embraced him without Yugyeom being the one to initiate it.

It made his mind return to the time Mark had asked him to come home with him on vacation a few years ago and how special he had felt. He remembered when Mark had held him and danced with him in front of all of the fans at a fan meeting so long ago. He was reminded of a time, shortly after their debut, when they were filming RealGot7, and Mark had asked him to lie down with him. He had rested his head on Mark’s chest and his hand on his stomach and the older boy had wanted him there. Even though they were in the eyes of the camera and had ended up goofing around, he had never felt so small and protected. That was a time when he had truly felt like a maknae.

“I’ve missed you, Mark.” he managed, through the tears.

        Mark felt his own chest constrict. “I’ve missed you too, baby. I’m so sorry. I know it’s not enough, but I’m sorry.”

        As Yugyeom cried, Mark continued to pet his arm and hold him in place, comforting his maknae; apologizing without saying another word. He swallowed deeply to expel the tightness that had formed in his own throat and kissed Yugyeom’s hair.

        “I...I want to go apologize to the other boys.” Yugyeom decided.

        “You don’t need to apologize, baby. Just let them take care of you today. Please. Let us apologize to you.”

Yugyeom gulped and let the last tears he could manage fall before reluctantly pulling back from Mark’s chest. Mark smiled at him and slid his hand down Yugyeom’s arm and grabbed his hand. “Ready?” he asked.

Yugyeom wiped his eyes and nodded.

Mark unlocked the door and led him back into the living room to the other boys. There were two spots open on the couch so they sat down together and Mark pulled Yugyeom’s head onto his shoulder with his free hand, refusing to let go of Yugyeom’s hand even when he got embarrassed by the other boys and tried to let go.

        Thankfully, leader Jaebum sensed that it would be better to go on with Maknae Day than to discuss. “Can you hit play, Bambam? I want to watch this.” he said.

        “Ah, ne.” Bambam responded, and scrambled to start the drama.

        Yugyeom was thankful to JB for not drawing too much attention to him and let himself enjoy the opening sequence without feeling too awkward for causing a scene. Mark’s shoulder was a rare place for anyone to be allowed to rest their head and Jackson was staring at them wistfully from Yugyeom’s other side. Yugyeom caught his jealous gaze and stuck his tongue out, feeling his mood lighten up as the comfort spread to him from Mark.

        Jackson scoffed and stuck his tongue out, but reached over to casually massage the back of Yugyeom’s neck, which he sometimes did. He also knew the boy secretly liked it and he was happy to see Yugyeom sigh in contentment as his muscles were relaxed. At his feet, Youngjae, Bambam, and Jinyoung lay side by side on the mattress with their heads propped up on pillows in order to see the screen. Youngjae and Bambam not-so-discreetly found ways to touch Yugyeom, Youngjae resting his head on Yugyeom’s foot and Bambam laying an arm above his head so that his fingertips could casually toy with the cuff of Yugyeom’s pants.

As the episode progressed, Jinyoung handed Yugyeom up a bag of chips without looking away from the screen. Yugyeom took it with his free hand and a whispered “thanks”. When he went to open it, he realized that there was a written note attached. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Don’t hate me. Maknae maknae maknae.”

Yugyeom smiled at the note and d around on the floor with his free hand until he found the pen Jinyoung had used to write it. He wrote back. “It’s okay. I could never hate you. Hyung hyung hyung.” He slid the note into Jinyoung’s hand where it rested on the mattress above his head. Jinyoung discreetly closed his fist around it and his side to read it out of sight of the boys. As he turned back onto his back Yugyeom caught the end of a smile on his hyung’s face and it made him smile himself. Jinyoung folded the note carefully and slid it into his pocket before resituating himself to better view the TV. Yugyeom happily nestled his head back onto Mark’s shoulder and stayed that way comfortably for the duration of the episode.