!! : I promise this all will get better soon 😅

The next morning, Hyuk felt guilty. He felt dirty.

The CEO from FT Entertainment was sitting in front of him, looking at Hyuk expectantively as he looked from Hyuk to the paper in front of the other.

Hyuk felt as if he was betraying his Hyungs, but Jaehwan's words replayed on his head over and over again. If he is not part of MUSE they can't hit him, they can't beat him, they can't threat him...he can protect Hongbin and Taekwoon better if he is not part of MUSE...right?

Furthermore, this contract was almost already sign, he was sold to FT. There was no place for him to protest. He took the paper and signed it over the line. The man smiled. "Now, you just have to go back to your place, pack your things and move in with Jaehwan."

Jaehwan had insisted for him to move in with him, and Hyuk couldn't have been happier, he wouldn't have been able to live alone.

Hongbin had tried his best that morning to avoid Hakyeon at any cost! How glad Hongbin was when he was told that Hakyeon wasn't filming that day!...or was he?

Hongbin had planned to avoid Hakyeon and his noisy questions that morning but when he was told Hakyeon wasn't filming that morning, he felt a little bit disappointed. Deep inside...really deep inside...he liked getting attention from Hakyeon.

Getting attention from someone who wasn't toxic, from someone who wasn't hanging on a line. He liked getting attention from someone who was so bright, he liked having someone looking after him, someone telling him to eat and someone talking to him. But once again, that was deep inside, buried down by the envious feeling he had.

That same day, Hongbin hummed as he walked away from the place where the cast was reunited eating, another actor had invited him to eat with them, but he refused before putting on his headphones and walking away.

Hongbin felt a soft touch on his shoulder, he took his headphones out before turning around, waiting to see his manager or someone from the recording staff, just to be greeted with a guy with tan skin and bright eyes.

What the hell is he doing here?!

"Binnie! I went to look for you at the table with the others but you weren't there." Hakyeon pouted. "I brought you food!." He said now happily while showing Hongbin a bag from some fast food restaurant.

"What? Why?." Hongbin said almost insulted. "Why are you here? You don't have to be here today!." Hongbin said in a rush, now that Hakyeon was here he felt vulnerable, the words of yesterday still replayed on his head and the warm feeling he felt when Taekwoon said them still rested on his heart. Hakyeon frowned, a truly, angry frowned.

"I am making sure you are eating properly. I am taking care of you." And for once, Hongbin couldn't hear the happy, cheerful boy. Hakyeon was serious, his voice didn't let space for questions and his eyes were dark.

"You don't need to do that..." Hongbin whispered. He didn't like Hakyeon taking care of him, no, he liked Hakyeon taking care of him, but Hakyeon didn't need to do that, it made Hongbin feel bad, guilty, he was being burdensome again…

"I have to." Hakyeon said. "No one else seems to be doing it, so I have to." Hakyeon said. He took a hold of Hongbin's arms before dragging him towards an empty table, Hakyeon made the younger one sit next to him before opening the bag.

"Come on, just eat a little bit..." Hakyeon tried to convince the younger one.

Wonshik was also starting to worry. It's been three days since he started to work with Taekwoon and the only thing he has seen the older one eat were candies or chocolate bars and a ¼ of a sandwich.

He had tried to get the other to eat lunch, dinner, whatever, but Taekwoon always refused.

Of course that didn't had anything to do with the sudden bowl of candies that Wonshik had strategically place on his studio right next to the couch where Taekwoon always sits at when they are working there.

"Hey..." Wonshik said as he turned to look at Taekwoon. Taekwoon looked up from the sheet he was reading trying to learn the lyrics of a new song. "I am going to get lunch, wanna come?" Wonshik asked.

Taekwoon shook his head. No.

"Your diet is a little bit messed up. Just eating candies and chocolates isn't good for your health." Wonshik said. He didn't regret it, finally, his words didn't sound so harsh, for once he managed to talk to the older one without making him flinch or without that flash of pain cross the elder's eyes.

No, Wonshik didn't regret that phrase...not until later when he noticed the older one had stopped eating the candies and chocolates Wonshik had placed specifically for him.

Wonshik felt like going crazy. He eyed the candies from time to time, trying to see if the other had taken any of them but none had disappeared since Wonshik said those words. The younger one groaned as he turned to look at Taekwoon. "Starving isn't a good diet either, hyung!" Wonshik yelled in frustration and Taekwoon stared at him, clueless.

Wonshik sighed in frustration before shaking his head in negation, not saying anything else and turning around to continue working. Taekwoon looked to the floor as he understood what Wonshik meant.

He was, slowly, starting to comprehend the younger. Taekwoon eyed the bowl before taking one of the chocolate bars and starting to eat it slowly as he gazed as Wonshik, waiting for the younger one to turn around to see him.

When Wonshik turned around and saw the chocolate bar between Taekwoon's thin fingers, a blush and a small smile appeared on his face. He didn't say anything.

After they successfully finished another couple of songs their day was over. Taekwoon took his coat before shyly looking at Wonshik. "See you tomorrow." He whispered and Wonshik turned to him.

"Sure" Wonshik simply whispered as he waved bye to the other boy.

Taekwoon walked out of the building without his manager again, he had finished earlier than expected. Taekwoon could have gone to Hongbin's recording set to wait for the younger boy, he used to do that before, maybe he could do it today too and have a nice time with the younger, make sure his manager wasn't being too harsh on Hongbin, maybe he could call Hyuk, it's been a while since he saw the younger, but he decided to just  go straight home.

Hyuk wanted to curse his luck. Taekwoon shouldn't have gotten home so early.

When Taekwoon entered the dorm, boxes laid on the floor and some suitcases were placed on the living room. "Hyuk-ah?" Taekwoon asked. Hyuk was on his bedroom, finishing to pack his things when he heard the older's voice, he froze.

He hasn't think in what to say to Hongbin and Taekwoon yet.

Taekwoon knocked on Hyuk's door before stepping into the room. The room was empty, emptier than how it usually was, the room had white walls and a brown carpet, it usually had Hyuk's laptop on top of the bed, usually has some clothes scattered around and usually had some of Hyuk's belongings on the nightstand, but now the only thing reminding was basically the mattress. Hyuk seemed like a squirrel who was caught eating from the bird's plate and decided to play dead to avoid being caught, he was frozen, standing still as he gave his back to Taekwoon while facing a box that seemed to have clothes inside.

Taekwoon looked around, his mind was trying to grasp the information around him. Why was Hyuk packing his things?.

"What are you doing?" He asked after a moment not being able to fully decipher the situation. Hyuk gulped down, he then turned. He was met by expressionless eyes. He then looked down. He hated seeing Taekwoon's blank eyes, it remained him on how empty Taekwoon was, how tired the older probably was, how the company has drained his body already. But he didn't want to see the eyes of Taekwoon filling up with whatever feeling Hyuk's news were going to give him.

"Hyung...I am leaving MUSE..." Hyuk whispered.

The door at Jaehwan's apartment was knocked. Jaehwan smiled as he opened the door but his expression quickly changed as he saw Hyuk standing outside, with a sadden expression.

He had figured out this was going to be hard, not just for Hyuk's friends. He got Hyuk inside his house and helped one of FT's staff to get Hyuk's things inside of Jaehwan's house.

After everything was set, Jaehwan sat on the couch, placing two mugs of hot chocolate on the coffee table and looking at Hyuk, thinking in someway to cheer the other up.

"Hyuk...things will get better." Jaehwan finally said, receiving a faked smile from Hyuk.

Jaehwan moved closer to Hyuk with a soft smile. He didn't know what happened, so the words weren't easily coming out. "What happened?" He decided to ask, and Hyuk took a deep breath.

"Things...didn't go well when I told Leo Hyung I was leaving MUSE." He explained.

When Hongbin finally reached his dorms, everything was dark, for a moment he thought no one was home yet, but then he heard the sound of hiccups. He was clearly confused and somehow startled. Did someone broke in?

He turned the lights on to find Taekwoon, curled up on the couch, as tears ran down his cheeks. Hongbin ran towards the older, letting his bag fall on the floor as he kneeled in front of Taekwoon. "Hyung? What's wrong?" Hongbin said.

The only word that left Taekwoon's lips was Hyuk's name. Taekwoon was shaking and more tears fell after the older said the maknae's name, and God Hongbin got so scared. He heard about the accident Hyuk had with his manager a few days ago, he didn't know the outcome and it's been days since he saw Hyuk.

Did something happened to the younger?

Hongbin was too scared to ask and he stood up from the floor rushing towards the maknae's room, to find it, oddly empty. As if no one lived there. Hongbin froze at the door, confused.

"He...left." Taekwoon whispered as he walked behind Hongbin. Hongbin stood still in front of Hyuk's door. He was confused, Hyuk left? Why? When? Where to?. "He left MUSE. He changed company." Taekwoon added in between of hiccups and whimpers.

Oh…

"What...company?." Hongbin asked. He wasn't sure of he wanted to know the answer but he was still asking. He could feel his own body starting to shake with anxiety.

"FT Entertainment." Taekwoon said in a whispered. He wrapped his arms around of Hongbin's waist and hide his face on the younger's shoulder, trying to comfort the younger and at the same time looking for comfort.

Hongbin was shook.

He changed to FT. He abandoned him and Taekwoon to change to FT, why?. Yes, MUSE was hell, MUSE was the worst place in the world...but they never thought that Hyuk would have abandoned them alone.

He has never imagined Hyuk doing that.

Hongbin bite his lower lip as thoughts went through his mind. What was he feeling? He felt weird. He felt shock at the sudden news, he felt betrayed because Hyuk has decided to leave them behind but he also felt glad.

He was glad Hyuk left.

Hyuk hasn't seen the things Taekwoon and Hongbin have seen.

He was glad Hyuk managed to get out of that place before they destroyed him. He was relieved Hyuk wasn't there.

If Hyuk wasn't there anymore, Hongbin and Taekwoon didn't had to be strong. If the youngest one wasn't there Hongbin and Taekwoon would go to be as how they used to be before the younger one joined them in their dorms.

At the same time, Hongbin was scared.

Hongbin was extremely scared. He was scared of going back to how it used to be before. Now that Hyuk wasn't there...he and Taekwoon didn't have to be strong...he and Taekwoon could be broken by the company easily if Hyuk wasn't there.

Hongbin also felt pathetic.

He was foolish to believe that Hyuk would want to stay in MUSE just because of them, of course that as soon as a better opportunity appear Hyuk would have abandoned them, Hongbin feel stupid, because, he somehow, became dependent on Hyuk.

Hongbin turned around and hugged Taekwoon. He knew Taekwoon had all this thoughts in his mind too. Memories of the days before Hyuk arrived flew the mind of the two boys, filling them with fear and desperation.

The night Hyuk was first assigned to move in with Taekwoon and Hongbin after he debuted, when Hyuk arrived to the dorms, the first thing he found was Taekwoon about to commit suicide.

Hakyeon walked into the apartment of his best friend with a package of beers. "Wonshik didn't answer his phone, he is probably asleep already." Hakyeon told Jaehwan as he walked in.

"Eish, once he falls asleep he is unreachable." Jaehwan remembered while closing the door.

"Anyways, where is your new roommate?" Hakyeon said with a smile as he placed the beverages on the counter of the kitchen. Footsteps were heard from the hallway and Hyuk came out of what used to be the guest's room into the living room.

"Hello." Hyuk said with a fake smile. He bowed and Hakyeon smiled back, bowing slightly and then waving cheerfully.

"I am Cha Hakyeon, you are?" He said as he walked closer to Hyuk.

"Han Sanghyuk, just call me Hyuk." Hyuk said smiling softly. Hakyeon nodded before repeating Hyuk's nickname.

The three of them sat down as they talked. Jaehwan explaining to his hyung about why Hyuk had moved in with him and explaining the whole situation.

"What company were you from?. I really hate that kind of companies" Hakyeon said, mumbling the last part before taking a sip from his beer.

"MUSE." Hyuk simply said. Hate and poison on his voice as he took a long sip from his beer, trying to drink his problems away.

At the mention of the company, Hakyeon froze. His thoughts right away went towards Hongbin, isn't Hongbin from MUSE? Did Jaehwan said he saw Hyuk's manager hitting Hyuk…?

Does Hongbin also gets beaten?

Hyuk wished that the answers of those questions were all no, but Hakyeon knew they probably were yes, Hakyeon wanted to ask, but he was too scared, too scared to know the truth.

"I am glad you got out of there." Hakyeon whispered trying to hide his insecurities away as he took another sip.

Hakyeon wanted to ask so much, he wanted to know so much, but he didn't, and he didn't need to ask.

Hyuk just started to talk by himself, putting out his heart and worries.

Each word leaving Hyuk's mouth made Hakyeon's heart sink. From being mistreated to the use of sedatives in order to control their artist, as Hyuk drank more and more, more information spilled out.

Hakyeon froze when he heard Hyuk's deepest lament.

"And I left Hongbin hyung and Leo hyung there alone." He regretted.

Hakyeon gulped down. His mind immediately wondering how was Hongbin now. He wanted to call the director of the drama and ask for Hongbin's phone number, he wanted to ask Hyuk where Hongbin lived at and go there.

He kept wondering how Hongbin was doing, if he needed someone to be with him.

But even though Hongbin needed someone to be there with him, he didn't want anyone there.

He knew they weren't going to last long. He let the hairbrush fall on the floor before sliding down against the door, his arms hurted thanks to the hard impact he had given himself with the brush.

It was an habit now, an addiction. An addiction Hyuk had made sure to try to help Hongbin to control.

Hitting himself with objects or with his own hands until bruises or blood was coming out whenever he was angry. Hyuk always told him it was as bad as cutting, the scars may last for less time and they may not even left scars sometimes, but it was as bad as cutting.

Hyuk always helped him, because Hyuk was the only one that wasn't addicted to the self-punishments the company have indulged on the artist mind.

He heard the door. "Binnie?" He gulped down. "Are you okay?"

"I am about to go out." Hongbin said trying not to sound nervous. Trying not to worry the older. He took a deep breath as he stood up from the floor, he put his long sleeve sweater on before picking the hairbrush from the floor and putting it on it's place. He opened the door.

Taekwoon looked over Hongbin's shoulder, checking everything was on place. "Dinner's ready."

Hongbin nodded, silently walking towards the kitchen.