It was three days ago that the Beast members publically humiliated Peniel on the street corner. He was lucky enough that the other BtoB members were completely clueless to his little performance. He couldn’t help but chuckle whenever he found a video on youtube labeled, ‘Slender Man dances Gangnam Style’ or ‘Slender Man in Seoul.’ he was finally able to understand what the boys meant in saying the “It’s hilarious to look back on those embarrassing moments later.”

It was after school and after practice as Peniel sat in the dance studio with Hyunseung and Kikwang. He poured water from his bottle into his mouth while Hyunseung went off into his own little world, dancing to the music playing over the speakers.

♪Oh Ma Boy ~ Oh Ma Boy ~Baby. Niga museun sarangeul ara, nae mam man apa♪

Peniel couldn’t help but giggle at the 4D child, admiring how he could dance to anything song he heard, even if it was just a song in his head. Kikwang took notice of his Appa’s new attitude toward Hyunseung and the famous eye smile appeared on his face.

“Ok, Appa. Time for my lesson!”

“Your lesson?”

“Yep. You’ve spent time learning various idol things from Seung, Jun and Seob, as well as Dongwoon. Now I’m gonna teach you about a little thing called, fanservice!”

“Seriously?”

“Come on, Peniel. What’s your appeal!”

“My appeal?”

“You know. What is it about you that fans like. For example, Yoseob’s cute, Junhyung’s charismatic, Hyunseung’s pretty-”

“I resent that.” The said boy remarked.

“And I’m hot as hell.”

“Don’t forget modest.” Peniel chuckled, taking in another drink of water.

“Don’t hate.”

Peniel sat thinking for a moment. “I’m actually not sure.”

“Well, that’s ok. You’re still a rookie band. For now. Let’s try several different approaches.” Kikwang walked around Peniel, scanning his body. “Let’s see. Strong bone structure.” He felt Peniel’s arm. “Pretty muscular.” He stepped back looking at his face. “Well defined chin.”

“Do you realize how creepy you sound?”

Kikwang simply smirked as he stepped back and examined Peniel from head to toe. “Yeah, yeah, No. I don’t got it.”

Hyunseung and Peniel both mentally face palmed themselves as Kikwang continuously tried to think. “Well, if I can’t think of a solution just lookin’ at you, let’s try several different approaches until we find your appeal. Seungie here can judge. So let’s start with....Pretty.”

Kikwang felt a whack on the back of his head as Hyunseung walked by. “Strike two, Kiki.” He sat down by the mirror, still swaying to the music from the speakers.

Peniel looked down at Hyunseung before chuckling. “Trust me, Kikwang. My appeal’s not pretty.”

Kikwang chuckled. “Ok then... maybe you’re the funny one. Quick tell a joke.”

Peniel thought for a moment. He hated being put under pressure. He knew he wasn’t the funniest member of the group, but he had to try. “Ok...um... A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.” Neither Kikwang nor Hyunseung responded to the terrible pun so Peniel tried another joke. “ What's a frog's favorite drink? ....Croaka Cola.” Still no response. Hyunseung yawned causing Peniel to become more and more nervous. “ Ok..um... A Horse goes into a bar and the bartender says-”

“And you’re done.” Hyunseung cut him off. “You’re clearly not the funny one.”

“Wait! I didn’t hear the punchline!” Kikwang remarked earning another smack to the head. “Wait, Croaka Cola! I get it now!”

Hyunseung was about to hit him again when Peniel interrupted. “ Let’s just try the next appeal.”

“Hmm.” Kikwang hummed. “How about Aegyo?”

Oh no. Peniel thought to himself.

“Go on, appa! Show us your best aegyo.”

Peniel furrowed his eyebrows. Aegyo really wasn’t his thing but he was sure Kikwang wouldn’t let him go if he didn’t try. He took a deep breath, putting his finger up to his cheek and contorting his face into an awkward pout. “Yah~ I can be aegyo too.~”

Hyunseung and Kikwang both looked at eachother before bursting out into a roaring laughter. “And I thought Junhyung was bad!” Kikwang fell to the floor, rolling around in joy.

Peniel crossed his arms in frustration at the two boys as Hyunseung retorted. “He’s still better than Doojoon.”

Peniel rolled his eyes. Great. Now I get them to laugh.

“Seriously. Appa. Never do that again.” Kikwang tried to compose himself, speaking between chuckles. He took a deep breath before standing back to his feet. “Ok, aegyo’s out. Let’s try um...”

“y.” Hyunseung chimed in, absentmindedly. Peniel smirked at the redhead’s comment. Seriously? “Go on, Kiki, show him how it’s done.”

Kikwang removed his shirt just before changing the music playing from the speakers. He stepped back to the middle of the floor and began dance as the first verse began.

♪Fussin' and fightin', we back at it again. I know that, it's my fault, but you don't. understand, no. I got memories, this is crazy, You ain't nothing like the girl I used to know♪

Kikwang began moving his well toned body to the music. He showed off his crafted skill, moving his hips perfectly to the ‘Omarion’ tune.

♪I got this icebox where my heart used to be ~I got this icebox where my heart used to be~Ohh~♪

Kikwang mixed pieces of the original choreography with his own freestyle moves,as Peniel watched intently. He stared at the boy, becoming intimidated when he moved down to his hands and feet showing off his y american dance. HOW THE HELL DOES A 7 YEAR OLD HAVE A SIX-PACK!!

Kikwang stood up, showing Peniel his trademark eye-smile before walking over to shut off the music. And stifling a laugh. “Now don’t be getting , Appa. Wouldn’t want you to become a e.”

Peniel whacked Kikwang in the back of the head before smiling.” You just did this to show off didn’t you.” Kikwang giggled as Hyunseung went back off into his own little world.

“Come on, Appa. Let’s just have some more fun. I’m sure we’ll figure out your appeal eventually.”

Journal Entry 117 Date: October 1, 2012

So. It’s been exactly 20 days since I became Beast’s “Appa.” It’s a Sunday and all the members of BtoB have gone off in their own directions. It’s already sunset after spending the entire day with the kids. Strangely enough, I’ve become rather intrigued by these children. Half of the time they’re acting like the little bratty grade-schoolers that drive me crazy... but the other half of the time, they really try to be my seniors, giving me advice, training me. Teaching me things that really do make me a better idol. I don’t understand how they can still care so much for someone who took their idol lifestyle away. I can’t figure them out. But I think I’m starting to not hate taking care of them. If this never happened, I wouldn’t have learned as much... I doubt I’d have listened to them if they were still adult idols. But I still understand get them.

As Peniel sat, writing in his journal, he didn’t notice the young leader approaching him from the playground. “Hey, Appa! Whatcha doing?”

Peniel jumped, dropping his pen as the spiky haired boy smiled at him. “Oh it’s just you, Doojoon.” He took a deep breath, picking up his pen and closing his journal.

“You’re just too easy, Pen.” The leader sat next to Peniel, staring across the park and watching s happily playing on the playground equipment. Peniel sighed when Doojoon continued. “So what are you doing?”

“Writing in my journal.”

“You keep a Journal?”

“Ever since I’ve come to Korea.  I started just so I could keep a log of everything that happened to me to tell my friends and family back home in Chicago. But, nowadays, it’s more of an outlet for me to vent and express the things I can’t say out loud.”

“So. A diary.”

“I guess that’s one way to look at- Hey!”

Doojoon snatched the small blue book out of the foreigner’s hands and began to leaf through the pages. Peniel tried to wrestle the book out of the boy’s hands. “Give that back, Yoon Doojoon.”

“No way. I’m curious to see what you wrote about us.” He rolled over on his stomach, keeping the book secured between. His chest and the ground.”

“Doojoon! That’s private!”

“Nah ah! You shouldn’t be keeping secrets from your own children.” Doojoon smirked, keeping the book from his caretaker.

“Ok, Doojoon-ah. You asked for it.” A mischievous smile appeared on Peniel’s face as he dove in and began tickling the little leader’s sides.

“Yah!” Doojoon tried to speak between the roaring fits of giggles erupting from his mouth. “A-Appa. S-Stop!” Doojoon started flailing in laughter, surrendering his hold on the little blue book.

Peniel let go of the tiny leader, picking up his discarded journal, a smile of victory appearing on his face. “You boys are becoming more childlike each day.”

Doojoon, dusted himself off, taking deep breaths to recover from his giggle fit. “And who’s fault is that?” Sitting up, he smiled at Peniel. “ Meh. I couldn’t read your journal if I tried. It’s all in english.”

Peniel laughed and put his journal into the backpack laying on the ground next to him. He slung the bag over his shoulders before standing to his feet and pulling the young leader up as well. “Come on. Let’s get you all some ice cream.” Doojoon smiled, running off toward the nearby soft serve vendor, Peniel not too far behind.

On the way back from the vendor, Doojoon couldn’t help but stop on the bridge crossing the stream in the center of the park. He climbed up, resting his chin on the railing and glanced out onto the water as the orange light of the setting sun reflected off the surface of the water. He relaxed as he softly the soft serve in his hand.

“What’s on your mind?” Peniel walked over to the dazed boy while holding a tray with 6 soft serve cones.

“A lot. I can’t help but wonder, if I was still an adult, would I have taken the time to enjoy such a beautiful sunset.”

Peniel sighed and leaned over the railing.He looked over at Doojoon. “ Hey, Doojoon. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Why are you giving me this chance?”

“Come again?”

“I mean. Instead of telling on me and letting you manager take care of you, who’d probably be a way better caretaker than me, you’re trusting your members and yourself to me? Why? I mean, you could just rat me out and you wouldn’t have to hide from anyone anymore.”

“Hmm. Well it’s true, we could just come out in the open, but I think I prefer it this way.”

“Why?”

“It’s more fun. It’s kind of like a second childhood.”

“I still don’t understand. Why are you looking out for me?”

“Hmm.” Doojoon jumped down onto the bridge and leaned against the railing. “I guess. It’s because you remind me a lot of myself.”

“ I do?”

Doojoon nodded taking another of his softserve. “Once, I was also struggling with the idol lifestyle.” Peniel tilted his head as the boy continued. “When Beast first started out, we weren’t exactly the talk of the town. In fact, we had quite a lot of antis. They called us recycled, no-big-deal. And believe me, it angered me a lot. I blamed a lot of the bands that came before us. 2PM. Big Bang. Shinee. I coveted them all. The fact that we weren’t as good as them drove me crazy.”

Peniel looked at the boy. He recognized that all-too-familiar feelings of jealousy but could tell Doojoon was no longer consumed by said emotion. “Umm... what changed? Do you still covet those groups.”

“Not in the slightest.”

“How’d you get over it?”

Doojoon simply pointed over to the playground, watching s goofing around on the swings. “It’s all because of them.” Peniel tilted his head in confusion. “Through all the hard times. Through that period of uncertainty, I looked upon those guys. They may have felt a little upset by the negative feedback as well, but they were able to get passed it. We all decided that we could get through it and work through it all together. And eventually, it didn’t matter if we were the top or not, as long as we enjoy what we do.”

“Enjoy what you do?”

“Exactly. You enjoy being in BtoB don’t you?”

“Of course!”

“And you enjoy hanging out with the other members don’t you?”

Peniel took a moment to think. He took notice of how close the members of Beast are and took into account everything Doojoon had said. It had been a while since he spent any real time with s outside of practice and the time at the dorms when he wasn’t out searching for the gypsy. He sighed heavily. “I guess... I really haven’t been relying on my bandmates.”

“The best way to get through those rough patches is by talking it out with your other members. Trust me.” He glanced back at the playground, noticing the other members now looking in their direction. Both the maknae and the main vocal had taken off in a sprint towards them, clearly noticing the soft serve in Peniel’s hands. “Sometimes the best remedy, can be the friendships you form.”

Peniel smiled at the leader as the two hungry boy neared the bridge. “Thanks Doojoon, for an eight-year-old, you’re pretty wise.”

Doojoon simply smiled. “I’ve just had a lot of experience.”

A/N: Short Chapter, I know. I am swamped with homework. I'm working on my final projects but I somehow managed to finish this chapter on time. I'm not so confident about finishing the next chapter by next week, but I'll work hard to find time to write. 

GAME TIME♪♪

OMG! I AM AMAZED! Congrats to Seoblove, Seoblove, and Seoblove. On securing your 3rd, 4th, and 5th honorable mention. You are now in the lead. 

But the game's not over yet 

Songs for chapter 8: 

Normal:
Thanks To- Junhyung and Yoseob (Beast)

Gangnam Style- PSY

Bold
Baby Qute- Beast CF song

Those Nights- Skillet

2 songs in chapter 9. Be sure to comment. And thank you all for continuing to read.