Jun Hyung woke up with a need to take a piss. He really shouldn’t have drank the two cans of coke before he went to sleep. He hopped around, trying to keep his urgent hiss from waking Hyun Seung while he opened the door as quietly as he could. Once out, he rushed to the bathroom, exhaling a deep sigh as he finally gave release to his bladder. Wiping his hands on his sweat pants, he glanced at the clock. 5 a.m. He still had another 2 hours to sleep. Just when he was about to close the door to his room, he backed out again. He knew something was wrong. Looking around, he finally found something out of place.

The door to the leader and maknae’s room was wide open. He slowly made his way over, trying not to bump anything in the dark. Entering the room, the first thing he noticed was the smell. Even after hours, the stink of stale alcohol did not dissipate. His eyebrows rose as he looked at the scene in front of him. The leader was face down in his bed, his clothes the same as the day before’s. The rapper poked at the leader, who didn’t stir whatsoever. Jun Hyung’s brows snapped down into a severe frown. He looked around, finally noticing the other side of the room. Nothing was different, except the glaring absence of one man. He rushed out into the living room, and spotted the man on the couch. How the heck did I not notice him earlier? Jun Hyung wondered. He slowly shook the man on the couch.

Eyes snapped open, wild and fearful.

‘No! Don’t hit me!’ The words came out unbidden, echoing across the room like a gunshot. Jun Hyung reeled back, startled. He watched with his jaw hanging until harsh sobs penetrated the fog in his brain. He moved towards the broken man in front of him, but was pushed out of the way. Again, he gaped. Hyun Seung’s slim arms encircled the sobbing man on the couch, murmuring soft nothings and rubbing calming circles on the back. Hyun Seung’s glare jolted him out of his stupor and he finally moved to the other side of the maknae, letting his hands rest on the heaving shoulders.

When the sobs died down, he turned the tear stained face towards him.

‘What happened? Why are you out here? Why aren’t you in your room?’ Jun Hyung softly asked. Dong Woon’s eyes shuttered and all he did was shake his head.

Hyun Seung left the side of the younger man and headed to the said room. He appeared seconds later, eyes burning with a fury Jun Hyung haven’t seen in a while.

‘He lied!’ Hun Seung hissed, and all Jun Hyung could do was nod his head mutely. Dong Woon shook harder, and Hyun Seung immediately softened.

‘Did you know about this?’ Hyun Seung carefully asked. Dong Woon nodded. Hyun Seung exhaled. Jun Hyung knew it didn’t bode well for the leader.

‘Why didn’t you say anything?’ Hyun Seung continued.

‘Don’t say anything.’ Was Dong Woon’s only reply. Jun Hyung puffed up. As if they would let the leader get away with this!

‘Please hyung.’ Jun Hyung deflated. He looked helplessly at Hyun Seung, who shrugged in return. Hyun Seung’s eyes promised retribution, but Jun Hyung knew he couldn’t ignore the youngest’s plea.

‘If this happens again I won’t hesitate the next time. Woon, you know that.’

‘Thank you Hyun Seung hyung.’

Hyun Seung blew out a breath, motioning jerked his head towards their room. Jun Hyung helped the younger man to his feet, and the three of them headed into Jun Hyung and Hyun Seung’s room.

Dawn came and went, the dorm stirred. The other two woke up and noticed Dong Woon not in the room. Hyun Seung saw the empty extra pillow beside him and his eyes immediately found Jun Hyung’s. They headed out, and relaxed when they saw the maknae in the kitchen brewing coffee and preparing breakfast. Dong Woon smiled at them before heading back to his task. Hyun Seung didn’t doubt the smile wasn’t real, but he kept his mouth shut, knowing nothing he said would change anything.

That night, after he watched Doo Jun stumble into their room, he headed to Hyun Seung’s room and snuggled next to the dancer. Hyun Seung wordlessly made space, not even fully awake. He woke up alone in his bed, though he knew Dong Woon was there before. Jun Hyung met his angry eyes dead on, understanding but not interfering. There was no point in the other two knowing. It would be best not to worry them. Hopefully, the leader would snap back into sense on his own. Hyun Seung snorted derisively at that thought, earning a glance from his roommate. Jun Hyung knew Hyun Seung wouldn’t keep quiet for long. He himself wouldn’t too. He just hoped the leader could just help himself but this time, no one could help Doo Jun, not even himself if he continued on this path.

One week after they found Dong Woon on the couch, Hyun Seung finally snapped. Once again waking up with the empty pillow beside him, he stormed into Doo Jun’s room. The leader was already up and putting on his practice clothes when Hyun Seung’s strong arms spun him around.

‘Wha-’ he saw the fist coming but before he could raise his hands to defend himself, the fist disappeared.

‘Hyung! What are you doing?!’ Dong Woon hissed.

‘What does it look like? I’m gonna beat some sense into this-!’ Jun Hyung burst into their room, just in time to grab onto Hyun Seung before he did something he would regret.

‘Hyung, please!’ Dong Woon didn’t even spare a glance to Doo Jun.

‘No! I’ve had enough of this! This doesn’t only affect you, Dong Woon! His drinking is causing us our relationship within the group! He has started lying about his whereabouts, neglected his duties and stopped paying attention to us all! Why else would he not notice the pain he was causing us?! Enough is enough! Yoon Doo Jun, I respected you as our leader. I thought you would figure out a way to deal with you and Dong Woon’s situation but what did you go and do? Start drinking! As if that would help?! Well, it doesn’t! It only adds on to Dong Woon’s pain! And you think it’s helpful to the rest of us? Think again!’

Doo Jun froze, knowing he was caught, and he had nothing to say. Nothing he said could help himself. He knew it was wrong, and he did it anyway.

‘All I wanted was to forget. I just wanted to forget the pain I’ve caused you all. Just once! But it turned out I got addicted to the numbness. I couldn’t help myself… That’s the only way I can forget my mistakes, the only way I can sleep…’

‘So you can forget? In the process of your forgetting, Dong Woon has to remember all the pain huh?! Did it ever cross your mind, that what you are doing to him is the same as what you did to that first time? Every time you came back drunk he has to sit through all the painful flashbacks and fear, hoping the same thing doesn’t happen again and you won’t start beating the hell outta him in your drunken state!’ Dong Woon tried to pull Hyun Seung away but he stood firm, not budging. His eyes pleaded with Jun Hyung but even Jun Hyung wouldn’t help him. He gave up and just left the room, unable to stomach anymore. He passed Ki Kwang and Yo Seob at the door. Judging by their faces, they heard everything. He ignored their sympathetic gazes and headed to JunSeung’s room. Wrapping himself in Jun Hyung’s blanket, he hid from the rest of the world, shutting his eyes just like he did the situation in the next room.

[a/n: hey guys! hehehe promised i'll update today :D a couple more chapters to go.. ^ ^]