Thinking quickly, Jongup grabbed Zelo’s arm and quickly shoved the confused boy into the nearest closest. It was pitch black in there and extremely dusty as well. He didn’t have much time to think any more about his surroundings before he heard a loud slam of the front door.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he heard a man’s voice say.

“I……..I…………I stopped by to…..…”  Jongup stuttered before being cut off.

“Did you bring me my money?” Zelo heard the man say angrily as his ear was pressed to the door.

“It’s right there.” He heard Jongup say.

After a few moments of silence, Zelo heard a noise. A noise that sounded like something being knocked over.

“What the is this?” The man was yelling now, “This isn’t ing enough Jongup, I told you what I needed!!”

“I know, I’m sorry! It’s all I had I swear” Jongup almost sounded like he was about to cry.

The man must’ve also noticed this because then he heard, “Are you ing crying?”

“No I’m not!!”

“What did I tell you about crying??”

“I’m not! I’m not crying I swear!!” The sound was still evident in his voice though.

After a few moments of silence he heard the man sigh and say, “Do you realize the position you’ve put me in?”

Jongup didn’t reply.

“Answer me!!” he yelled at Jongup. Zelo flinched, this was getting scary.

“Yes sir.” Jongup replied, barely above a whisper.

“,” The man groaned in frustration, “I guess I’ll have to figure something out.  I’m gonna need you here next week though.”

“What? Next week? Appa, no I can’t, we have a schedule!” Zelo was shocked; Appa? Did he just call him that?

“I don’t ing care. I said be here next week, you will be here next week. Do you understand that?” He sounded even angrier than before.

“But, I….” Jongup didn’t finish his sentence. Zelo was hoping it wasn’t because what he thought it was. He kept hoping even after the loud thud on the floor just a few feet away from where he was hiding.

“You WILL be here.” The man said in a dark voice that send chills up Zelo's spine.

There was some silence which made the maknae consider opening the door but something told him that that was a very bad idea. So he waited. He tried to tell himself the faint sounds of gasping for air and coughing weren’t coming from his beloved hyung. He waited until he heard more footsteps, some shuffling around, and then the front door slamming shut.

Zelo took a deep breath and opened the door. He saw Jongup with his hand on the arm of the couch trying to pull himself up off the floor while his other arm was clutching his stomach. He ran to his side and pulled him the rest of the way up, then sat him on the couch.

He rubbed his hand up and down his back. It was obvious the boy was in pain. And he was still coughing. He didn’t really know what to do or say.

“Hyung?” Was all he could ask (once he saw Jongup was breathing okay). It wasn’t really a question but it was the only thing he could bring himself to ask out of the thousands of questions that were currently swimming in his head.

“Come on, we gotta get back now!” Jongup said to him before getting up and attempting to make his way to the door. Zelo didn’t say another word and held on to him arm to support him as they made their way out the door and back to where their van was.

They luckily made it back before the others. The doors were unlocked so they got in and seated themselves in the back.

The maknae eyed his hyung who still had his hand on his stomach.

What the hell happened? Did he hit him? His mind didn’t want to believe such a thing. Yet it was the only logical answer. He still didn’t know what to say. Between all the questions he had and him wanting to say something to comfort his friend, he had nothing. So he said nothing.

Jongup was staring out the window. All Zelo could do was stare at him. He was hoping he would say something; ANYTHING. He was scared; he wanted to know what his hyung was thinking, what he was feeling, an explanation……..ANYTHING.

He put his hand on Jongup’s and gave it a squeeze hoping that this small yet comforting action would help in some way (seeing as his brain was failing him on figuring out what to say).

The dancer turned to look in his direction and what Zelo saw in his face, and in his eyes scared him even more.

What he saw wasn’t anger, or sadness, or pain. It wasn’t confusion, or even fear.

It was nothing. Blank, dark, and empty.