The Hyukjae Apartment Fight

words: 3628

It’s a nice afternoon, Hyukjae muses as he draws his curtains. Should he open them so it feels less cramped? Will people be able to see their fight—hopefully only verbal—from such a high-up area? Hyukjae stares out at the metro below him, inhales, and drops his head in his hands. Maybe if he pretends he’s dying Jungsoo will take mercy on him and leave to another member’s apartment to fight. Ultimately, Hyukjae leaves the curtains drawn as blinding afternoon-sun warms his body.

“Eunhyukkie, why do you not have any meat in here? Is this why you’re wasting away,” a grating voice grunts. Maybe he shouldn’t leave the curtains open or he might be tempted to throw himself out of it. “That’s a good idea to let in natural light, maybe everyone will see how nice of a day it is and kill Donghae tomorrow, I hear the forecast calls for rain tomorrow.” Hyukjae turns to see Donghee setting out containers from his fridge; on a quest for meat he assumes.

“Hyung, you really look like a pig going through my fridge like that,” he laments, whatever strength he had in the morning drained by Donghae—per usual.

Donghee removes his face from the fridge and stares at the younger. “Sorry Eunhyuk, you know I just-“

“Get really nervous and so you eat, I know hyung,” Hyukjae finishes with a knowing grin. “Maybe I should just change my name to Eunhyuk. You know,” Donghee turns his attention back to the fridge, “my mom calls me that now instead of my real name.” A small hum is the only response Hyukjae gets. He sighs and sits back on his couch. Maybe he could burry himself under all of the blankets and hide until next spring.

Time can’t move fast enough. Hyukjae side-eyes Donghee’s hunched form as the hyung was still helping himself to the contents of his fridge.

Leeteuk hyung, Hyukjae starts to pray, please get here before I’m eaten out of house and home. Just as he finishes praying to his ceiling, there’s angry yelling emitting from the hallway. Donghee perks up at the ruckus as he’s carefully tucked all but two containers back into the fridge. Hyukjae squints, how long have those been in there?

The elder doesn’t seem to care though as he throws one in the microwave. “They don’t have your new pin right? Should we just not answer the door?”

Hyukjae contemplates the idea. The man isn’t wrong, he could just leave everyone out in the hallway for the leader to yell at. Sure, they might democratically vote to kill Donghae because they’re not animals (jury’s still out on Heechul), but they also might just break down his door to try and get in.

“Wait,” Donghee stops Hyukjae’s train of thought, “doesn’t Donghae just have the passcode to your apartment?”

The yelling draws nearer. What were they doing, taking breaks in the hallway to fight?

“Oh, yeah.” Hyukjae blinks as he stands; Donghee blinks back. The yelling is right at the door now and both brace themselves for the worst group gathering in history. Donghae’s at the front of said gather because of course he is. Hyukjae watches as Ryeowook makes sure to softly close the door as everyone crowds in his living room, not one of them even addressing the duo yet.

Maybe that’s for the best, if he can act now he can sneak past the-

“Hyukjae, you’re Donghae’s keeper slap some sense into him!” Heechul shouts before he can even move an inch. Uh-oh, was that his real name? Things must be getting serious.

He wants the records to show, though, that he's never kept a fish alive past two years. So him being Donghae's keeper, a bad decision really.

Hyukjae sighs and locks eyes with Donghae. The brunette’s red-eyed and face blotchy, but there aren’t any visible signs of his usual crying—no puffiness, running nose. He then looks at Jungsoo. The leader always had a silent fury face, more of a father scolding his children while Heechul…well Heechul just looked like he wanted to punch Donghae in the face. Hyukjae’s pretty sure the only thing keeping him from doing said punching is the fact that Siwon would probably hulk smash him to the ground. Hyukjae inhales deeply and sits down.

There’s a faint fizzle in the tense silence. All eyes cut to the kitchen where Kyuhyun so graciously opened a bottle of wine (wasn’t that the most expensive one Hyukjae owns?). As the youngest pours himself a drink, Hyukjae watches in mild horror as Donghee eats the mystery food. Yeah, no, one problem at a time.

“Heechul-hyung,” Hyukjae starts off carefully, “didn’t you say idols should be allowed to love. If Hae wants to marry-“

“Propose,” Donghae interjects as he stares at Hyukjae’s face.

The latter blinks and faintly he feels his cheeks heat up. Okay, he’s going to have to have a talk with the idiot later about when to shut the hell up so that he doesn’t die. It’s very annoying, really. “If Donghae wants to propose,” he adds emphasis to the word, “then shouldn’t we be happy? I mean, we’re all of marrying age yet only Sungmin-hyung is the only one married.”

Heechul groans and grasps his leg. Ryeowook goes to the second oldest’ side and help him to stand back up. “Sorry,” Hyukjae tries to remain strong as he notices it’s the same leg that got injured from the car accident, “it’s just that my leg is in pain when I’m filled with rage.”

“Doesn’t it hurt all the time,” Hyukjae questions.

“Yes.”

Oh.

“Oh.”

“Oh my god, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Siwon shakes his head towards Donghee. “Hyung, this isn’t any time to be theatrical.”

Donghee drops the mystery container and doubles over the counter. Kyuhyun, who is the closest, just watches in curiosity. “NO! I really am gonna be sick! Move out of the way!” Hyukjae’s never seen the dancer run so hard in his life. He scrunches his face when he realizes that the bathroom door slams shut and an audible click goes off.

Somehow, the man’s frantic departure just sets off everyone else. Jongwoon, whose presence Hyukjae didn’t even feel, starts bawling. “Can’t we all just get along, I don’t want more members to leave,” the singer shouts as he dramatically falls to his knees next to Siwon. Hyukjae almost wants to laugh at the horse-face the younger pulls.

“Can’t we talk about this without yelling,” Ryeowook tries to placate the two elders.

“NO,” Junsoo and Heechul shout in unison. As the duo inch closer to Donghae like starving wolves, Hyukjae finally decides that enough is enough and steps in between.

“H-hyungs, um,” , he didn’t think he’d make it this far! He just assumed that when he stepped in between them Jungsoo’s murderous gaze would just obliterate him. “Please don’t hurt Hae, I’ll be really sad.” God brain! Was that really the best you could come up with, Hyukjae thinks. “Ah, don’t hurt me!”

Hyukjae tries to make himself smaller as the sound of Donghee blowing up his bathroom reverberates in the much too occupied area. Just before the two eldest pop Hyukjae’s personal bubble, he feels a small pocket of air slightly move his pajamas. Opening his eyes, he manages to catch Donghae’s retreating form before a door slams. Okay, seriously does no one have manners.

“I’ll go check on him,” Siwon offers as he leaves a severely dehydrated Jongwoon behind.

“Well, since the uglies are gone,” Kyuhyun pops up with a glass of wine, “let’s talk about who’s going to get Donghae’s dancing position because-“

“Kyuhyunnie,” Hyukjae snaps, the idea of Donghae leaving has his stomach in knots, “no one is leaving. Right, hyung,” he asks much softer to the leader, desperate.

Jungsoo groans and runs a hand through his hair. “I swear, you guys make me age ten years whenever we’re all gathered together,” he sighs. “No we’re not—Kyuhyun stop drinking—we’re not gonna kick Donghae out. I lost too many of you all ready and I’m not losing another. I just wish Donghae could have told us first before he went and announced it on national television is all. I mean you would think after raising all of you, you guys would have the decency to let me into your personal lives! I’m just a single mother for heaven’s sake! I can’t control eight grown- men alone!” Jungsoo’s voice breaks, getting increasingly higher in pitch. “I slave after a hot stove for all you ungrateful brats and none of you will even ask how I am! I told SM that I need more help if we’re going to start promoting together again bu