*GIF NOT MINE, GIF BELONGS TO NOONASFIGHTING ON TUMBLR FROM THIS POST.

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JR had messed up. While they were performing in the Beijing Youth Festival, JR mucked up his Chinese rap in front of hundreds and hundreds of people. He was humiliated. He got a scolding from the managers, who yelled at him for being irresponsible enough to not memorize the rap properly, and to embarrass NU’EST and all of Pledis in front of such and important audience. As one of the managers castigated JR, put his head down in shame and began to cry.

It was Jason that stopped the manager from yelling at JR, walking up to him bowing, and respectfully asking him to stop. The manager, knowing that he had no power over Jason as Jason was not a Pledis artist, could only respect Jason and follow his request. He scowled at JR before walking away, warning him that there will be consequences because of the mistake he made.

As soon as the manager turned his back, all of s gathered around him, putting their arms around him and patting his back trying to comfort him. JR knelt down on the ground hands on his face, not really listening to what s were saying.

Jason stood there at the side watching as the four boys huddled around JR. Jason wanted to help comfort the poor leader as well, but he knew it was probably best that he let his friends do it. JR probably didn’t get to the point where he would consider Jason a friend after all, and so he didn’t want to make JR feel uncomfortable. When Aron held JR’s arm and led him to a private room so that JR could have his privacy; Jason did not follow.

A little while later, Minhyun called him inside, saying that JR wanted to talk to him. Jason immediately went into the room that JR was in and saw JR wiping his eyes with the back of his hand seated there on a sofa with Ren and Aron seat on either side of him, Baekho kneeling on the floor in front of him. Jason smiled at JR sympathetically but JR just shook his head and began to apologize.

“I’m sorry, xianbei for making you look bad when I messed up my rap. I’m sorry I put on such a bad show for the Chinese fans. I’m sorry I embarrassed you up there. This is your debut with NU’EST and messed it up for you…”

“Stop apologizing,” Jason requested, kneeling down in front of JR and intertwining their hands together, “you made a mistake, and it wasn’t even that big of a mistake. Sure the rap was messed up, but that rap only accounts for like ten seconds of the song. I’m sure your audience won’t judge you for a mistake like that. It’s okay. We have other performances. I’ll help you practice your Chinese rap and you’ll be pro at it in no time. Please don’t feel bad about this, okay little brother?”

JR sniffled and nodded, and then he excused himself to go to the bathroom. When he was gone, Minhyun revealed something to Jason that Jason was not aware of before. “This is going to bother JR for a very long time,” Minhyun said sadly, “JR is extremely sensitive. He takes blame so seriously and it really brings him down. I’m afraid for him, how he’s feeling…”

Jason felt his heartstrings being tugged. He wished he could take some strain off of JR. The poor leader is burdened with so much right now, and Jason felt really helpless to him.

When JR got out of the bathroom, Jason could not stop himself from walking over to JR and wrapping his arms around him and squeezing him tightly. JR hesitantly put his arms around Jason as well and buried his face in Jason’s shoulders as Jason began rubbing JR’s back.

“Thank you xianbei,” JR said, embarrassed to make eye contact with his senior. He felt like such a baby in front of Jason, crying on his shoulder like that and revealing his weakness. He was the leader. He wasn’t supposed to have a weakness. He wasn’t supposed to be comforted by s, he himself was supposed to comfort them.

Just then, the manager came into the room, glaring at JR with disapproval upon seeing JR’s tear stains on Jason’s shoulder.

“Jonghyun. Rap your part right now,” the manager demanded threateningly. JR quickly sniffled, wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. He began rapping his part in Mandarin in front of the manager.

But the pressure was too much. Being suddenly put on the spot like that, along with the fact his voice wasn’t coming out scratchy from all the crying he had just been doing… he mucked up his lines yet again and he melted under the pressure of the manager’s scorching glower.

JR tried again. And again, but he kept on messing up.

The manager was furious with JR, thinking he hadn’t practiced, thinking that JR was neglecting his duties and that’s why he was messing up. He was even crying like a baby now, as if that would help him earn sympathy. He began yelling at JR, reproaching him for being so irresponsible. NU’EST had another three times to perform that song, and JR still has not managed to memorize his rap.

That’s when Jason took hold of the manager’s shoulders and asking him to stop yelling. That new Chinese member had a lot of guts, speaking up to his elders like that. Unfortunately, this manager had no control over Jason as Jason was not part of Pledis. He had no right to reprimand Jason for speaking up.

“Manager-ssi,” Jason said, “I will help him with the rap. I promise that by tonight he will know it by heart. Please stop yelling at him, ahjussi. Let him come sleep at my place for tonight, and I promise I’ll help him. Give him one more chance, please.”

The manager glared at Jason and then at JR.

“You have one night, Jonghyun. If you don’t get this rap down by tonight, there will be grave repercussions.” Jonghyun nodded in acceptance. “Minki, Aron, Minhyun and Dongho, let’s go. The van is waiting.” The manager turned to leave as the four boys gathered their belongings and followed the manager, patting JR’s back and mouthing words of encouragement to him before leaving. As soon as they were all gone, JR turned to Jason and forced a smile.

“Thank you,” he stammered, “for sticking up for me.”

Jason patted JR’s back, “tonight, I’ll help you get the rap down little brother, okay?”

“Thank you,” JR continued wiping his eyes.

“Don’t cry,” Jason said grabbing a nearby tissue and handing it to JR, “it’ll all be okay after tonight.”

Jason’s manager finally called them over when their van arrived.

JR felt like he was in an extremely awkward position. He was to spend the night with Jason, in his dorm, practicing his Chinese rap when he wanted nothing more than to be left alone to sulk and cry.

He was embarrassed, even more so that he couldn’t stop crying the ride there. Jason’s manager talked to Jason in Chinese, probably asking what was wrong with JR. He could hear the sympathy in Jason’s voice as he explained it to the manager.

At one point in the car ride, Jason held JR’s hand and squeezed it. “Fighting!” Jason said to JR. JR smiled through his tears. It wasn’t a forced smile; it was genuine. Jason really made him smile despite how much of a ty mood he was in.

Maybe tonight won’t be so bad, JR thought, enjoying the warmth of Jason’s hand wrapped around his own.

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A/N: Ughh. Am I being excessive with the bromance so early on in the story? Idk I like cheesey bromance. Hope you liked it!!