Hanbin was avoiding Bobby. There was no other way to describe how, for the next four days, he ducked out of any room Bobby came into and hid behind Junhoe’s protective frame whenever the older seemed like he was about to come towards Hanbin. 

The others were slowly noticing, sending confused looks towards the duo before looking away when Junhoe caught them, a challenging expression on his face.

His presence was the only thing stopping them from confronting Hanbin about giving Bobby the cold shoulder, already having asked the other rapper and receiving a sad, clueless response.

Hanbin couldn’t have been more thankful for Junhoe, who took every measure possible to make sure Hanbin was never uncomfortable.

But, sadly, the day came where Bobby managed to catch Hanbin alone, after the whole group banded together to get Hanbin’s personal guardian out of the dorm under the guise of food and telling him Bobby was in the studio and, therefore, unable to talk to Hanbin, who wanted to stay behind.

Bobby barged into Junhoe’s room, a sting in his heart as he looked around and saw evidence of Hanbin all around. The leader had taken to spending all hours of the day he wasn’t working in the studio with Junhoe, the five other boys rarely seeing the duo around anymore.

None of them realized it was due to the fact that Junhoe had a personal bathroom, where Hanbin was safe to throw up all the flowers that came with his grief and where Junhoe could hover worriedly over the elder.

Bobby spotted Hanbin napping in Junhoe’s bed, the covers pulled tightly around him in a cute burrito. He lightly stepped towards him and sat down, reaching a hand out to place it on Hanbin’s cheek.

The younger flinched and woke up, eyes opening and freezing when he saw the one person he had been trying to avoid.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Bobby blurted out sadly, bottom lip jutting out in a petulant pout.

Hanbin seemed at a lost for words. “W-what?” He asked, half-awake and trying to gain his bearings back. He glanced around nervously, looking for the only person who made him feel safe nowadays.

Bobby caught him and frowned in unhappiness. He used to be the one Hanbin looked for when he needed comfort and gaining proof that Junhoe stole his position was making him upset.

He asked again, an edge to his voice, “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not,” Hanbin replied weakly, wincing at Bobby’s flat look. He fidgeted under the sheets and prayed that Junhoe would come back quicker, starting to feel sick at being in such close proximity to the person who filled him with bitter, broken love.

Bobby had enough of Hanbin not meeting his eyes and he gently, but firmly, grabbed the other’s chin. He tugged it until the younger rapper was facing him.

“What did I do?” He asked softly, wanting to fix whatever mistake he made so that Hanbin would stop ignoring him.

Hanbin face twisted in slight anger before it flickered out to just looking sad. “It’s not something you did, hyung,” he whispered softly, eyes drooping down as he moved his face from Bobby’s grip and flopped down on the pillow again. “It’s a problem about myself that I’m trying to fix.”

Bobby looked at Hanbin pleadingly, not understanding. “Tell me so I can help you,” he urged his best friend (could he even call him that anymore? Bobby didn’t want to think about it).

To his disappointment, Hanbin shook his head. “There’s nothing you can do.”

The words slipped out before Bobby could stop them, “But there’s something Junhoe can do?” He reeled back in shock at how bitter that came out, not meaning to say it.

Hanbin went wide-eyed with hurt at his harsh tone and stuttered before a pissed voice interjected. “What the are you doing in here?”

The duo looked over and there Junhoe was, in a his furious glory, glaring at Bobby like he committed a horrible crime – like dissing Michael Jackson, or going behind his back to talk to Hanbin when Hanbin didn’t want to talk to him.

The other members stood behind him and sent Bobby apologetic looks. Junhoe grew too suspicious at how nice they were acting and ran back to the dorm after he accidentally overheard them talking about the plan.

To say he was angry was an understatement. “Get out,” he spat at Bobby, and Bobby felt annoyance curling up in his gut.

“Why should I?” He bit back, clenching his fists to his sides and staring the taller straight in the eyes.

“Because Hanbin-hyung doesn’t want to talk to you.” Junhoe stated, lips pursed in a thin line. Bobby flinched back before scowling.

“Well, I want to talk to him!” Bobby was aware he sounded like a kid, but he couldn’t help it. He just really wanted his best friend back and Junhoe was in his way.

Junhoe scoffed, rolling his eyes as he heatedly shot back, “And everything just has to be about you, doesn’t it, hyung? All that matters is what you want, not what Hanbin wants because apparently it doesn’t register in your brain that the world is more than your desires!” He panted breathlessly in anger after his long rant, the room staring at him in stunned silence.

Hanbin finally spoke up, voice sounding small and like he was about to cry. “Bobby-hyung,” he said tearfully, “can you please go? I can’t do this right now.”

Junhoe immediately strode into the room after the first word left Hanbin’s mouth and shoved past Bobby roughly, knocking his shoulder harshly before kneeling beside the bed and cooing at Hanbin softly.

He glanced at them and snapped, “You heard him. Get. Out.” Bobby nodded numbly and stumbled out of the room, closing the door as Hanbin started crying. The five stood quietly, listening to Junhoe soothe Hanbin and Chanwoo spoke up, “We shouldn’t have done this.”

Bobby scrubbed his face with a hand, feeling drained and guilty without a solid reason. He hated being the source of Hanbin’s tears. “Yeah,” was his only response.

-

Inside the room, Junhoe ripped open the covers as Hanbin started to cough during his crying fit. He hated how he automatically knew when normal coughing became flower coughing, it had grown to be a heartbreakingly familiar sound over the past few days.

Hanbin flew out of the bed and staggered into the bathroom, falling onto the ground with a thump. He dragged himself to the toilet and gagged, Junhoe rubbing his back comfortingly while holding a water bottle.

It seemed like the sun was falling out of Hanbin’s mouth, bright orange and yellow petals in a huge, fluffy bloom emerging one after another.

Marigold, Junhoe registered in his mind. He was glad he decided to pick up a book about flowers, though he didn’t really have much use for it when all he saw were the deceivingly beautiful flora that his leader was slowly dying from.

He almost shouted in shock when dark crimson started mixing in with the lighter colors, thinking Hanbin was coughing up blood again until he noticed they were just huge, blood red roses.

His sigh of relief was cut off by Hanbin’s whimpering as the last flower fell out and he ducked down, unscrewing the bottle and gently lifting it to Hanbin’s mouth.

Hanbin tried to guzzle it down, but Junhoe poured water into his mouth in small increments, knowing it would only hurt his throat more if he swallowed carelessly.

“Better?” He asked after the elder finished drinking. Hanbin nodded weakly and Junhoe swept him up bridal style, carrying him back to bed and locking his door before slipping in next to him.

Hanbin shifted closer and tucked his head under Junhoe’s chin, curling his hands in Junhoe’s shirt as he closed his eyes.

“I thought I could get over him if I just spent some time away,” Hanbin confessed quietly, “but when he came in, I realized it was impossible.” Junhoe slid his hand up to caress Hanbin’s hair in silent comfort.

“It hurts so much. I love him more than life itself, and it hurts.” Hanbin buried his face in Junhoe’s chest, and the other didn’t complain about his shirt being soaked through.

“I know,” he whispered back, tightening his grip on his broken friend. “I know.”

———

Marigold: Cruelty; Grief; Jealousy

Dark Crimson Rose: Mourning

- 

Junhoe and I are alike. When we see someone we deeply care about hurt, we go into mother bear mode. No, we don’t love them romantically, but we love them so, so much that seeing them in pain makes us angry and protective, to the point of being hostile if we know who is causing them to hurt so much. We love fiercely and passionately.