Soohyun always kept his eyes open for mistakes during practice. Usually, it wasn’t much of an issue unless they were learning a new choreography, but every once in awhile they’d get sloppy on songs they’d done hundreds of times. Today, however, he was stopping them every few minutes, regardless of the song. “Stop!” he shouted once more. Every one groaned and few cast glares at the cause of their troubles. “Everyone out except for Hoon,” Soohyun instructed. The members gathered their phones and water bottles and cleared the room quietly.

“What is wrong with you today?” Soohyun asked. “You were out of it yesterday, but you’re even worse today. What’s going on?”

Hoon refused to make eye contact with him. “I’m just… I have some things going on right now, is all.”

“What sort of things?” Soohyun inquired. “You know you can tell us, me, anything.”

“I can’t… tell you yet.”

Soohyun felt his irritation growing. “Why not? We’re family. We definitely shouldn’t be keeping secrets from each other.”

“It’s still just too private right now,” Hoon answered, temper visibly beginning to flare. Soohyun knew it was rare for Hoon to get angry so quickly.

It was at that moment that Soohyun heard a phone vibrate on the practice room floor. Glancing over, he saw that it wasn’t his. “Answer that,” Soohyun ordered, hoping that giving him a short break would diffuse the situation.

Standing in the middle of the practice room waiting, he listened to Hoon’s end of the conversation. Hoon said “Hello” to his caller with more tension in his voice than Soohyun had ever heard in his voice. He couldn’t hear what the caller was saying, however, he could tell the voice was female, and he assumed it was Serin. While certainly couldn’t hear her, he could tell from the look on Hoon’s face that it wasn’t exactly good news.

“And they’re sure?” Hoon asked. Another pause. “How far are you?” Soohyun was puzzled over this conversation. Hoon was visibly more stressed after hearing whatever it was that she had to say to him. Hoon finally said, “I’ll see you when you get here then,” before saying his goodbyes to her and ending the call.

“What did she need?” Soohyun asked.

“Just…” he trailed off. “Hyung, can I tell you something? Just between the two of us.”

Soohyun gave him a quizzical look, but nodded. “Sure.” After all, this would likely be the answer to his earlier enquiry over what was going on.

“She called me just now after visiting the doctor.”

“Oh, is something wrong?” Soohyun asked, concerned over Serin’s welfare as much as he would if she were his own sister.

“Nothing is wrong,” Hoon said carefully. “No one should really know about this yet, and I would rather wait longer, but I can’t. Hyung, Serin’s pregnant.”

Soohyun was stunned into silence for a moment, his thoughts scattering everywhere. “Really?” he questioned, not entirely believing what Hoon had just told him.

“Yeah. She went to the doctor today to confirm it. Soohyun hyung, I don’t know what to do. I’m so worried because of so many reasons. What are we going to do?”

Soohyun pondered quietly for bit. This certainly explained Hoon’s inability to focus the last two days. But what he should do, what all of them were going to do, was a bit harder to determine. “She’s coming here right now, right?” he asked. Hoon nodded. “When she does, let me know, and I’ll let you go so  you can talk to the president. This is going to affect all of us, but the best bet is to let the company figure out the best course of action. For now, practice as well as you can, and I’ll try to overlook your mistakes.”

Hoon relaxed a bit then, thankful the supportive words and guidance. Soohyun closed his eyes for a second gathering his thoughts and announced, “We’ll get back to practice then,” and had Hoon go call the members, who were waiting in the hallway, back into the room.

Practice resumed as normal, only with all of the members glancing around anxiously every time they noticed Hoon make a mistake. Soohyun simply ignored their glances to each other and continued through the rotation of songs the choreographer had instructed that they refresh on.

Eventually, he called a break when Hoon gestured to his phone. When Hoon left the room, all of the members starting asking questions. It was loud and noisy, and with all of them asking at the same time, he had no idea what anyone had asked.

“Calm down guys,” Soohyun told them.

“What’s up with him today?” Eli asked.

“He’s really off. Something’s wrong,” Kevin stated simply.

“I know what’s up,” Soohyun reassured. “I promised I wouldn’t say anything, and he’ll tell you when he’s ready. Don’t worry too much.” He said it as calmly as possible, but he knew the ramifications. This was going involve all of them. Regardless, he was adamant that it was Hoon’s responsibility to tell them.

They were, of course, puzzled. “I feel like we should be worried,” Kiseop said. “This isn’t like him at all.”

“He’s got some personal stuff going on right now,” Soohyun explained.

The continued to ask questions, and Soohyun tried to answer them as well as he could. Nothing ever piqued interest quite like a secret. It was when Kevin asked, “Where is Hoonie right now?” that things started to slip out of Soohyun’s control.

“To talk to the president,” Soohyun answered.

“Why didn’t he do that right after you talked to him?” Eli asked.

“He had to wait for Serin to get here first.

There was a bit of a pause before AJ stated, “Oh my God.”

Everyone looked at him, and Soohyun mentally groaned. There went the secret.

“Don’t you guys see? He’s going to see the president with his wife. To tell him some very important news that’s been bothering him an awful lot the last two days,” AJ explained. Everyone looked at him confused, though Kiseop seemed to have reached the appropriate conclusion if the look on his face was any indication. “Our Hoonie is going to be a father.”

The members were shocked, as this news had some fairly significant consequences for all of them. “Is he right, Soohyun?” Eli asked.

“He is,” Soohyun admitted. “The doctor confirmed it today.”

“Wow,” Kevin said solemnly.

“I’m glad we know now,” Eli expressed, though he didn't seem especially thrilled.

“Yeah. I was getting really worried about him. He’s been off, and it’s a relief to know why,” Kevin added.

The mood was exceptionally somber now. Soohyun could feel the tension in the air as everyone thought heavily about the future and worried for Hoon. Soohyun decided it would not be worth trying to attempt to practice with the atmosphere this way. “Take a break guys. We’ll be working on something new once our choreographer gets here. We need to have our heads cleared.”

Upon dismissing them, he walked to Mr. Kim’s office, worry etched on his face. What the president decided was the best course of action would heavily affect their future. When he got there, he was motioned into the room. He bowed as he entered. “Soohyun, I’ve just heard the good news,” he said. “I was hoping we’d get a few more years out of our arrangement for secrecy, but I guess it’s about time their relationship goes public. We did a great job so far, but I don’t think this child should have to be a secret. You guys are going to have a tough time.”

“We’re all going to have a tough time,” Hoon said. “You included, sunbaenim.”

“Just don’t let the anti-fans get to you. U-KISS is a group that’s gone through lots of troubles, and your fanbase has remained pretty solid. Your Korean fanbase that buys is pretty dedicated. And I don’t really think it’ll ruin things with most of your international fans.” He looked at Serin directly and told her, “You’ll probably have a few unpleasant fan encounters. Try to understand them.”

“I will,” she said, nodding.

“Do you have anything to add, Soohyun?”

Soohyun thought for a second and said, “Congratulations to the both of you. Even though things are going to get trying here soon, you will have my and the rest of the members support.”

Both Hoon and Serin smiled, thankful. Mr. Kim stated, “So in the next few days we’re going to leak a few photos to get people asking questions, then release a statement to the press announcing your marriage. It’ll come as a shock to everyone, but what choice do we have? Serin, if you’re willing, we can give you a bit of publicity and try to get you some supporters of your own. Fans will be upset at first. Not all of them will stay upset though.”

“I’d… rather not,” she said. “I want to stay as low profile as I can through this. I’d be more willing if we weren’t going to have to reveal my pregnancy before long.”

“Hmm yes. That’s fair. We’ll announce that in two months, unless you want to wait longer. We’ll definitely be sure you’ve made it past the first trimester. By that time, people will have had time to accept the marriage, and with us continuing with our planned promotions then, it’ll give fans the impression that U-KISS, as a group, isn’t flustered by this big news.”

All three agreed with him, and with a few more remarks and farewells given to the president, they left the office and headed back to the practice room. “I think you should, both of you, tell the members what is going on. They need to know,” Soohyun said to them as if he hadn't already spoiled the biggest part of the news.

The two agreed. And so the three entered the practice room and waited for the rest of the members to get back. They filtered in over the course of the next five minutes, no one saying much of anything and a tangible aura of awkwardness hanging over them.

“I didn’t want to tell you guys this under these particular circumstances…” Hoon began, effectively getting everyone’s attention. “I want you all to know that Serin and I are going to reveal our secret marriage within the week. The reason for this is because we just found out today that she’s pregnant." He made the announcement calmly, as though he’d been preparing to tell them these exact words for the last two days. And he probably had been, if Soohyun knew him at all.

“Congratulations,” Kevin said, a shy smile on his face.

Eli and Kiseop also offered their congratulations. AJ seemed more unsure and simply nodded his understanding.

“I’m sorry for inconveniencing you guys like this,” Serin apologized. “I took precautions against it, but it happened anyway. You’re so busy preparing for a new album, and I’m placing extra burden on all of you.”

“Stop blaming yourself,” Hoon told her. “This isn’t your fault.”

“He’s right,” Eli agreed. “It wasn’t going to stay a secret forever. And, I mean, I’m fairly certain we’re not all that surprised that you’re pregnant. It was bound to happen eventually.”

“So what's the plan, then?” AJ asked, trying to get things back to business and how it would ultimately affect them.

“Since you’re making a comeback here soon, we’re going to announce it, and we’re going to push right on through. As is the usual plan when stuff like this goes down, you have to stay off of SNS. Announce the marriage, announce the comeback, and go silent until you’re up on stage again,” Manager Shim said as he walked into the room. “Stay off of SNS until fans are begging you to talk to them again. This is going to work best if we present a unified, supportive front to all media outlets. We’ll go over potential interview answers later, when it’s closer to the interviews. Just keep it in mind that you all have to have the same answer.”

All of the members bobbed their heads in agreement. “This is going to be hard for you, Serin,” Kevin said quietly, worried for her. "Maybe even harder than it is for us."

“I know,” she said. “But I’ve always known that I was going to have to face this some day.”

“You’re going to have anti-fans sending you death threats,” AJ told her frankly.

“We all will, most likely,” Kiseop tacked on. “Don’t pay them much mind, though.”

“I’ll try not to. And I’ll keep as low profile as possible. Anyone who tries to hassle me at work is going to have to get through security first. And then they’ll have to deal with Hyunsaeng.”

Soohyun chuckled at that comment. "I'd only go places with him with you," he suggested to her. Soohyun had met Serin’s protective older brother only a handful of times, but he was indeed quite the person to get through. Between Hoon and Hyunsaeng and their mutual protectiveness, Serin would be just fine, at least physically. Soohyun was a bit more worried about the emotional and psychological attacks she might suffer though, and so he told her, “You should avoid the internet, too.”

“I know, Soohyun.”

Hoon wanted to end this conversation, as it was already stressful enough to deal with, and it would be the topic of most conversations they would have for the next several weeks. “For now,” he said, “we have to take things as they come. I just wanted to tell you. So you know what’s going on. I wanted you to hear it from Serin and I, not second hand from someone else.”

Soohyun felt a twinge of guilt. Everyone was acting as though he hadn’t accidentally revealed the secret fairly well. Plus, Soohyun was fairly sure Hoon was specifically referring to a media outlet or someone within the company letting it slip.

“I look forward to being an uncle,” Eli said happily finally. “A kid in the U-KISS family is almost as good as my own kid.”

Everyone smiled at that. Eli wanting children was no surprise. After a few moments, Serin spoke up. “I’m very early in my pregnancy, so I don’t want anyone to know yet. I wouldn’t even have agreed to tell you guys except that you need to know. Please keep it a secret in case anything goes wrong.”

“You can count on us,” Kiseop told her.

“I’ll keep you in my prayers,” Kevin offered.

“Thanks,” she told him. “It means a lot. And I’m sorry for interrupting your practice. Try to forgive Hoonie if he’s distracted.”

“We will,” several members said in unison.

“I’ll leave him to you then. I’m headed into work.” She gave Hoon’s had a reassuring squeeze and quickly kissed him on the cheek. “Love you. See you later,” she told him quietly before she turned to the others and said, “I’ll see you guys later, too. Bye.” She then left the practice room briskly, leaving the six together to truly talk about the situation.

“I’m happy for you, Hoonie,” Kevin said.

“It’s probably really scary and exciting at the same time,” Eli added.

Hoon agreed with a nod. “I’m really worried.”

“We’re here for you,” Kiseop said. “We supported your marriage from the beginning. We will get through this together.”

“Something like this was going to happen eventually,” Eli added matter-of-factly. “Sure, it didn’t exactly happen at the best time for us, but what can we do? We’ll rely on each other. And the KissMes that are with us through thick and thin will help us through, too.”

“That’s true,” Hoon agreed.

“They’ll be hurt at first though,” AJ injected. “But you’re right. They will stick with us just like they have in the past through other struggles.”

“We really have the best fans in the world,” Kevin stated.

“Yeah we do,” Eli concurred. “And I’ll be glad that the secret is out in the open. It always seemed so unfair to make Serin and you hide your marriage. It hurt me to live a lie in front of our fans.”

            Soohyun gathered them together in the middle of the practice room. “We’ve got your back, Hoon. We’ll struggle through together.” Out of sincere gratitude, Hoon wrapped his arms around his leader and hugged him, as always thankful for one of his two steadfast pillars of support. Everyone else had pressed close into a big group hug. Huddled up as they were, Soohyun continued to speak his mind. “We are U-KISS,” he said. “We’ve been through so much so far. Ever since our debut, we’ve gone through one struggle after another. Like our nickname suggests, we keep on persevering despite everything thrown our way, just like weeds. Let’s stay focused during practice, regardless of what people say or what rumors we hear. U-KISS fighting!”

            Their shout of “FIGHTING” reverberated through the practice room. With one mind and spirit, renewed determination, and overflowing support for each other, they got back to business.