Section One: [F e l i x] Nothing

Felix couldn't feel anything. Before he could process what was happening, his mother had already stepped forward towards him. He could only feel a sharp pain on his face after his vision cleared and his mother's hand was still in the air; she had slapped him. The mixtape was still playing, but Felix could only hear buzzing, the type that someone hears before passing out. 

Felix couldn't hear anything over the buzzing. He could only see his mother's lips moving, forming words that didn't make any sense to him anymore. He still felt Changbin's hand on his back, and they were beginning to stand up. Then he began hearing a bit of what his mother was saying.

"I can't believe you, Yongbok!" Her face was twisted with anger, and to Felix, the most furious, the scariest expression he had ever seen. 

"Little did I know that when I thought you were studying you were actually hanging out his these types of people! You were hanging out with rappers! I'm definitely going to consider buying tickets back to Australia where you can give up those impossible dreams and learn to be a good son again!"

It was either Felix sunk back into Changbin, or Changbin pulled him closer. He couldn't tell because he still couldn't feel anything physically, or even mentally. Either way, Felix felt a push of power from the movement closer to Changbin, and he gathered up a spur tinge of adrenaline.

"You don't understand!" Changbin watched as Felix yelled. Mrs. Lee's face turned from red with anger to a regretful, anxious pale shade.

"You don't understand!" he repeated. "I am so close to achieving my dream. I will become a rapper! I don't want to become a pianist. Couldn't you be able to tell that I don't want to? Has it been this difficult to understand how your son feels? Has it been this difficult to see that? Or do you only expect the perfect son out of me? I don't want to be like that! I will die before anything stops me!" His face was still stinging. Changbin had already pulled him out of the chair, and they were standing at the little empty space of the study room, across from Felix's mother. Changbin's bag was dangling from his arm, notebook in the other hand. He had Felix's bag too; he had quickly stuffed it in his bag. He was ready to pull Felix out of there. 

As Mrs. Lee trudged over to Felix, Changbin pulled him out of study room. Changbin had the sense that Mrs. Lee intended to inflict more harm upon him, but Felix was already suffering so much.

Changbin was sprinting toward the front door; bags and a notebook in one arm, supporting limp Felix with the other arm. 

"My son! Felix, come back here! You are not taking my son with you, Changbin! You won't! You can't! Stop-" Mrs. Lee was practically shrieking.

Changbin slammed the door and ran. Just running. Running, running, and running. It was dark outside, and the street lamps were the only source of light that lit up the road. He couldn't feel his legs, but he clasped Felix's hand as Felix began to run and match his pace. He looked back only to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Lee, who had fallen to her knees outside of the residence. He looked back towards Felix to see tears flying off of his cheeks from the breeze that they felt from the pace they ran. Changbin was turning corners, taking the quickest route as possible towards the studio. 

Pulling the door shut, Changbin took Felix's hands and sat him down on the studio sofa. He offered Felix a pack of tissues, which he quickly accepted. Felix fell over onto his side on the sofa and curled himself down into a ball shape. The words were still echoing through his head, sending shocks toward Felix's mind.

"Jisung and Chan are coming home later. Jisung is running errands for Chan while Chan finished up at work," Changbin spoke softly. Felix nodded. Changbin looked at the clock. 7 p.m. About another hour and a half until Chan and Jisung would be back. Changbin stood up to get himself and Felix a coke and some of Jisung's cheeseballs before Felix grabbed his arms and pulled him back onto the sofa. Felix sat up and hugged Changbin.

"Thank you." Felix's voice was still a bit shaky, but he stopped crying. 

"No problem. I'm just keeping my promise. No matter what happens, Felix. I'm here, I'll protect you. No matter what."

Section Two: [J i s u n g] NXT 2 U

Jisung was walking towards the annex. He didn't know what he was in for. Minho had only sent him one text; "My annex, Sunday morning at 9 am. Come alone." Minho always seemed so cold and mysterious over text, making Jisung wonder why Minho had invited him so peculiarly this time. 

Three knocks at the annex door and Minho opened it. Minho was wearing black ripped jeans and a black color block sweater, a little bit different from his usual annex outfit. Jisung couldn't keep his cheeks from turning pink at the sight of Minho. 

"Hi, Jisung." Minho greeted.

"Hey, Minho!" Jisung stepped into the annex. As usual, he dropped his bag at the table before looking over at Minho, still thinking about why Minho asked him over this way rather than usual. As if Minho read Jisung's thoughts, he moved toward the table next to Jisung.

"Wondering why I invited you here so randomly?" he asked, tilting his head. Minho's hair was a little bit messy, and the annex's slightly bronze-tinted lights complimented his eyes beautifully. Jisung clearly looked at Minho admiringly. He thought back to when he only saw Minho by sneaking past the school dance room, but now he was even closer to Minho than ever before. It was like a dream. 

Minho seemed to wonder why Jisung didn't answer. "You okay?" 

Jisung shook out of his short trance. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he nervously laughed. "Yes, I was wondering... why?" Jisung thought about his own awkwardness. Minho, on the other hand, didn't see Jisung as awkward, but rather as cute. He could sense Jisung becoming flustered if he looked at him for too long. 

"I have something to show you." Minho smiled, signaling for Jisung to take a seat at the table. Minho walked to the speakers, this time more jauntily. Jisung watched as he connected his phone and entered an app with a familiar orange screen theme. Soundcloud? Usually, Minho would play his music from other platforms, but he never danced to a track on Soundcloud before. Jisung thinks he knew what was going on. 

Minho stood at the center of the annex, the track begins to play. Jisung was right. The strong bass reverberated through the speakers. 

Minho had created a choreography to 3RACHA's "NXT 2 U". Jisung felt a rush of adrenaline is Minho started moving, his movements as liquid as ever. He moved passionately, much to what the track's atmosphere and lyrics suggested. With every movement that Minho made, Jisung realized more and more that he was definitely in love. 

And Minho had created the choreography just for Jisung. 

Jisung's light yet aggressive rapping filled the track first, along with his lyrical sentimentality in the mix. It was the perfect track for this type of movements. Minho glared at Jisung at the chorus, and Jisung felt his stomach lurch. He didn't feel intimidated, but rather a sense of strong attraction. When the track ended, Minho immediately smiled and cupped his cheeks.

"Did you like it?~" Minho asked, unintentionally cutely. Jisung was so impressed that he couldn't find a way to put it into words, so he just lunged towards and hugged the dancer. 

A few moments later, Jisung fished for words. "That was amazing! You captured the emotion so well!" Minho grinned at Jisung, who was clasping both of Minho's hands. 

Minho took some cheeseballs from below the speaker table at the corner of the annex, and he watched as Jisung's whole aura lit up at the sight of the snack. He opened the container, and they both started to stuff their mouths.

"Wait, Minho." 

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you make that choreo for me? Why are you like this... I mean why are you so nice to me? Not that I'm complaining or anything. I like it. It makes me happy."

Minho looked at Jisung. He thought he had made it obvious, but Minho needed to prove his point. He leaned toward Jisung and kissed him. Jisung was startled, and he was blushing wildly. 

"That's why" Minho stated calmly.

Jisung was holding his breath.

Minho put his hand on Jisung's cheek. "I'm like this because I like you."

Section Three: [F e l i x] Junction

"Ready?" Changbin questioned. Chan and Jisung were standing nearby, checking their outfits and reviewing lyrics by the door of the studio. Felix had already spent his first night at the studio, and he had already settled in by the sofa with his belongings scattered around the studio. Now it was Sunday, 7 pm, and they were getting ready to leave for the junction performance.

"Yup," Jisung nodded. Jisung was only thinking about Minho coming to watch them at the junction. Minho had declared Jisung as his boyfriend, and Jisung was the happiest person alive. 

"Mhmm," Changbin sighed as he picked up his bag. He grabbed Felix's hand and Felix hugged his arm as he stood up from the couch. Ever since Changbin told Felix that he would protect and take care of Felix no matter what, Felix has been clingier than ever. Felix and Changbin glanced at each other, small smiles forming on their faces. It was almost as if Changbin had already confessed to Felix, but it seemed like they both already knew that they liked each other. Changbin was planning to later on after the performance, however, just to make it as clear as possible. 

"Ok, love birds. Let's go," Chan chuckled. Changbin playfully squinted at Chan before the four of them stepped out the door.

---------------------------

The trio and Felix had arrived at the Ugly Junction around 7:30 pm. Hyunjin and Seungmin were already standing at the top of the junction stairs. Woojin and Jeongin had texted Chan that they were almost there, and Minho told Jisung that he was on his way. 

Felix and Changbin followed Jisung, who was behind Chan. They headed down the staircase into the venue, which was already somewhat full. The two other groups that they were going to compete against were there too, shooting glares and squinting at 3RACHA. Woojin and Jeongin waved towards Hyunjin and Seungmin, who all took seats at the very front of the venue. Minho walked in, but instead of heading to a seat that Jisung told Seungmin to save for Minho, he went straight to Jisung and hugged him. After that, he took a seat by the rest of them as the announcer of the performance came to the stage. 

"Welcome, everyone, to the Ugly Junction monthly trio competition. Today we have three trios."

Felix took a seat next to Minho, giving a thumbs up to Changbin.

The announcer finally got to introducing 3RACHA. "The trio performing last consists of three rappers. Bang Chan, Seo Changbin, and Han Jisung." The six friends in the audience cheered loudly as the two other trios rolled their eyes. 

It's time for 3RACHA to show the other trios what they've got.