Oops Hae did it Again

words: 3645

“Okay, is there anything I should know before I go in there,” Hyukjae mumbles as the manager fusses over his attire. On the car ride over to the SM building, the older man had said that the board specifically just wanted to talk to the members—sans managers, aka the only people who could possibly lessen the board’s wrath. Hyukjae tries not to tremble at the thought of what the higher-ups could do—the answer is a lot—but instead focuses on the fingers fixing his hair.

“I doubt anyone would try to punch Donghae,” the man finally responds as he straightens himself back up, “but just in case make sure he doesn’t talk. You know how he is with words.” The man smiles but it comes off more of a grimace. Hyukjae’s soul feels that.

Doing small hops on his feet, Hyukjae lightly slaps his face. Ok, deep breaths Hyuk, you can easily outrun all of them if you have too, he thinks, and you can definitely should trip Yesung to sacrifice him for the greater good. “Okay, I think I’m ready!” He takes one step up the stairs, and then another, “Ok you know maybe they don’t need me—”

“Don’t be so chicken-hearted! You need to be there to take hits,” his manager all but hisses s the older man pushes Hyukjae back up the stairs. “Now go, protect your best-friend!”

Feeling inspired by the man’s passion, Hyukjae gives a firm nod before he ascends the flight of stairs. A mantra of ‘don’t be a chicken’ runs through his head, but after the first two flights, stamina depleted, the only thing that he can think about is personally kicking Donghae’s himself. If the fish had any grain of common sense they wouldn’t have to be in this position, and he wouldn’t be prematurely graying or walking up a flight of stairs. Hyukjae begrudgingly wills his feet to move as his chest heaves a bit. Why he didn’t take an elevator was beyond him. “Ugh, seriously, why does this building have to be so tall,” he groans as he comes face-to-face with another flight.

He peers over the railing and softly whistles, eyebrows raised at the rather long drop. Maybe if he threw himself over it he wouldn’t have to deal with any of this, he can just rest in a hospital. “Yeah, or die,” Hyukjae grimaces before he continues on. Time seems to slow down whenever he walks up stairs and with the rare silence, his brain thinks, and thinks, and thinks. He thinks back to Sungmin, his second closest friend, his dear pumpkin-hyung. His stomach drops and twists itself on the way down. He regrets not being more vocally supportive of him marrying, not standing up for him when ELFs attacked him. Even though he’s apologized in secret numerous times already, he still feels like a coward. This time, though; it’s different. He’ll make sure Donghae is safe no matter what (even if he still isn’t thrilled about it for undisclosed reasons that he refuses to look into). No members should feel scared to love and Teukie shouldn’t be afraid of losing members, Hyukjae thinks.

With a renewed resolve, Hyukjae finally sets foot on the top floor where he sees the other members waiting in the lounge area. No one ever goes to the top floor, mainly because it’s strictly for large company meetings, so he’s mildly taken back by the large waiting room. The wooden door to the board room is closed and Hyukjae’s sure if the door had a face it would be an evil one with a forked tongue and sharp teeth.

“God, it took you long enough,” Heechul shouts from a gray sofa. Hyukjae wisely chooses to ignore how the brunette’s hand is holding the leader’s hand. “Well, get comfortable, we’ve been waiting here for almost an hour already.”

Nodding, Hyukjae is about to take a seat in a lone chair, but Donghae’s hand quickly catches his gaze. The younger rapidly pats down the seat next to him, scooching a bit towards Jongwoon to make extra room. He moves forward, movement slow and hesitant but eventually he finds his next to Donghae’s big, annoying one.

“Kyuhyunnie, I see your hair’s pink,” Hyukjae chatters because if he has to deal with more quiet, he might actually implode, “I told you drinking too much wine will turn you red.”

Kyuhyun scoffs and although Hyukjae can’t see the man’s eyes too well he can sense an eyeroll. “Har-har hyung. At least my face is beautiful unlike yours.”

Hyukjae catches the shake of Siwon’s head from his peripheral vision, and he has every intention of returning an insult to the bratty maknae like their usual Tom and Jerry game but before he can Donghae slings an arm over his shoulders. “Kyuhyun,” the usually pensive look Donghae wears was replaced with an uncharacteristically furious one, “Stop talking to Eunhyukkie like that, he’s your hyung. Apologize.”

O-kay. Hyukjae refuses to admit the brunette standing up for him makes his heart flutter a little, but damn is it beating like crazy. Was it hotter in here? Hyukjae chews his lip and turns his gaze back over to the strawberry haired man. Kyuhyun’s usually easy-going demeanor was overcome with a mix of confusion and maybe a little bit of fear, if the way the younger’s steady worming over to Heechul was anything to go by.

“Donghae,” Jungsoo’s soft voice breaks the tension, “you know Kyuhyun didn’t mean anything by it. That’s just their usual playing.” The blonde lets go of Heechul’s hand and points his gaze towards the youngest, head tilting towards Donghae as if ushering the man to quickly apologize. To the leader’s credit, the wordless command was enough to make Kyuhyun apologize. Although, whether it’s directed to him or Donghae, Hyukjae isn’t completely sure. Still, he accepts it with a soft “It’s okay,” before his attention turns back to Donghae. The younger seems happy enough with the apology, features softening out, but there’s still an abnormally anxious look to his face. Hyukjae can’t really blame the brunette, he feels on edge too. He pats the younger’s thigh and looks across the room to Siwon.

The raven-haired man’s eyes are wide as they flit between him and Donghae, his bushy eyebrows raised slightly as his head tilts to the side as if to say ‘what the hell was that?’. Hyukjae tries his best to give a just as lost face as his shoulders rise and drop.

“Guys, I just wanted to make a toast,” Jongwoon suddenly says as he gets up from his chair and goes to the center of them. “You’re all the best bandmates a person could ask for and friends. Whatever happens in there I,” unsurprisingly the singer’s voice cracks as he tilts his head up, “I just wanted to say I love you all,” Jongwoon finishes, moving his gray bangs out of his teary eyes. Hyukjae hears a tiny sniffle to his right and is surprised to see Donghee wiping his eyes.

“Hyung?”

“Sorry, usually I’d think of Yesungie’s speeches lame but,” the older man coughs poorly trying to hide the emotion in his voice, “I just cherish all of you and I hate thinking that this may be it.”

“Yah, you bastards! Are you trying to make me cry,” Heechul’s shrill voice interrupts, but even through the tears Hyukjae can see the small smile forming on his lips.

“Maybe if we cry enough they’ll feel bad,” Ryeowook pipes in evoking laughter from everyone.

Holding his stomach, Hyukjae leans back against the sofa. He laughs even harder at hearing Jungsoo’s high-pitched dolphin laugh. He’s so caught up in the happiness filling the room that he doesn’t notice it when he leans against Donghae’s frame for support. Suddenly, he feels a pair of thick arms worm their way behind him and wrap around his waist. Unsure what to do with an armful of Donghae, Hyukjae goes to pat the younger’s head as he tries to ignore the puffs of hot air at the nape of his neck. God, this man has a girlfriend what would the woman think if she kept seeing her boyfriend try and meld into another guys body? Hyukjae gently shakes his head, looking towards a laughing Jongwoon now. As his eyes survey the members mood, he gets stuck on Jungsoo’s face. The blonde is staring at him with a small, sad smile and eyes that seem to communicate…something? Hyukjae tilts his head, but before he can try to decipher the stare the wooden door suddenly swings open.

Ryeowook yelps at the sudden sound of the door hitting the wall while Jongwoon practically jumps out of his skin. Donghae rouses from his position to Hyukjae’s tiny disappointment. Closing the door awkwardly stands Sooman’s niece.

Hyukjae shoots the woman an incredulous glance.

“S-Sunny?”

Soonkyu smiles at all of them, her eyes practically disappearing. “Hey guys! Just wante