Talking has never been Han Sanghyuk’s forte. He is anything but a wordsmith and is blessed with everything but a good communication skill. His witty and sarcastic side is nothing but a mere façade to hide the fact that he can’t pick his words well.

So when N asked him to go to talk and knock some senses to the other three, Hyuk knew right away that he would up.

He was flipping through the channels when he heard a click coming from one of the bedrooms. His eyes soon caught three figures climbing down the stairs and he didn’t waste a second to jump on them.

Okay… here we go. Hyuk gulped. Fingers clenched in his palm.

Their cold expression was the first thing that the younger saw the second he stood in front of them, stopping the three from going wherever they were heading to.

“We need to talk…”

Ken, who happened to be at the front, glared at the younger. It’s been forever since Hyuk saw him being this hostile, with the last time being the first time the six of them met outside the King’s chambers. Ken introduced himself as Lee Jaehwan and he was so drawn out that the first thing he told them was to ‘leave him alone’.

But Hyuk was so used to seeing his brother’s quirky side that he forgot who the real Ken was, and while Hyuk tried to not be bothered by this, he couldn’t help but feel sad that things had to turn out this way.

He didn’t even get to think of a way to keep them from leaving when Ken shoved past him, knocking the younger back harshly.

“Get lost.” Ken’s retorted, ice cold.

Hyuk could feel a sharp sting on his shoulder, but it was nothing compared to all the hateful stares the three were giving him. It broke his heart to have them treating him like their enemy when a while ago they still called each other brother.

He could have given up now. He could have retreated back to his room and let N handle the three himself.

But he didn’t.

“I said, we need to talk.” The youngest made sure his tone was serious, as intimidating as he could. But no one stopped to even look back at him.   

He could actually spend the next five seconds watching the three walk toward the front door and leave for good, but he didn’t even wait for Ken to open the door and ran past them, blocking the door with his body.

“Please.” He sighed.

“I don’t want to fight you guys. So stop being so stubborn because we really need to talk.” This wasn’t even their first time trying to approach those three. N had tried so many times to the point that he had to beg, but they always managed to walk away.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Ravi slowly strode toward the youngest, stopping right in front of him.

“Now scram.”

“Five minutes.” Hyuk gulped, could barely hide his nervousness. He knew that pissing Ravi off wouldn’t just end with an argument or a hard shove on the shoulder, but someone had to try.

“Just give me five minutes and you guys are free to go.”

The second Hyuk heard Ravi growled, he nearly lost his resolve. “Yeah? And I could beat you down in five ing minutes.”

He didn’t even get to react when a hand suddenly grabbed him by the collar.

“Now get out of my face before I hit that annoying face of yours.” Hyuk could feel the grip on his collar tightened.

“A-and if I don’t want to…?” The younger pushed his luck.

“Then I’ll make you pay for standing in my way…”

If it wasn’t because of the fact that Hongbin caught Ravi’s balled fist in the very last second, Hyuk would already be on the floor right now, possibly half-conscious from having been punched right on his face. But Hyuk wasn’t really sure if he should thank Hongbin for stopping him, because his face looked more like annoyed than concerned.

“Stop. He doesn’t worth our time.” He pulled him back.

The younger caught a snort coming from Ravi, but he surprisingly complied and soon rejoined Ken in the back. “And you.” Hongbin glared at the youngest.

“Don’t think that we won’t hit you, because next time we will.”

Then it hit him. That was the real Hongbin talking to him. The cold and heartless Lee Hongbin that Hyuk thought only existed in the past. The old Hongbin that never had to try to act mean, because that’s just who he really is. It’s not like he’s evil, but it doesn’t mean that he’s good either.

It reminds him how N once described Hongbin as a calm river with a strong and rapid under current. It may look calm and slow-moving on the surface, but as much as it can deceive you, it has more than enough force to knock you and sweep you downstream. He could be smiling to you, acting like everything pleases him, but deep down, there’s fury. A suppressed anger. An urge to break everything to pieces. Hiding as it’s slowly eating him away.

But then again, there’s you. The only person who seems to matter to him. The only person he would spend all his time thinking about. The one who holds his heart. And if all the affection he had been giving you was real, Hyuk would like to believe that Hongbin has indeed changed.

Or at least a part of him did.

“There’s no way it would happen…” Hyuk clenched his fists, he could feel his stomach churning as fear slowly creeped its way out of his body.

“Because we’re brothers... right?”

There was a deafening silence and Hyuk watched how Hongbin’s lips slowly formed a smile.

“You’re right, Hyuk-ah…”

Hongbin would definitely say that.

“Yeah, there’s no way we would hurt you, bro…” He could imagine Ken jumping in with his usual playful grin, his hand the younger’s head as he babies him, as always.

“Hey… uh, sorry about earlier.” Ravi would most likely apologize, although he would be a bit shy about it. “I was kind of pissed, but I didn’t really mean it… you know?” 

And in return, Hyuk would smile at them.

“It’s alright, guys. We’re all good now.” He would nod at his brothers and tell them how happy he was because they’re all talking again now. But he might as well try faking a sulk, pretending to be angry for they had ignored him for days.

The three would definitely laugh but say ‘sorry' in the end. They would then pat his back, assuring him that they would never do it again.

Because everything has returned to normal now.

Everything will be okay.

…Will it? Really?

“Listen here, you punk.”

Hyuk didn’t even get to blink when Hongbin suddenly lunged towards him and grabbed his neck. His grip was so tight that the younger started to have trouble breathing.

“I’m sick with this bull so I’m going to say it one last time: we are not your ing brothers.”

His smile turned into a sinister grin. “So stop lumping us together in this and go play house with someone else.”

“F-Fine…” Hyuk could feel his lungs burning from the lack of oxygen, “But… c-can’t we at least sit down together… and talk? Can’t we—ugh, can’t we stop fighting like animals and act more like civilized humans do??”

“Humans…?”

Hongbin scoffed, “Stop fooling yourself, Han Sanghyuk.”

His grip on Hyuk’s neck tightened. “We’re not humans.”

“We’re just a bunch of filthy dolls dancing in the palm of some sick bastard who proclaimed himself as a king, and the only reason why we’re still alive is because he’s not done messing with our life.”

“And he’s found an even more interesting toy to mess us up with.”

Hongbin paused as he looked away, “That girl…” He hesitated for a bit and Hyuk wondered if it was anger or sadness that held him back.

“I don’t care who she really is, but I will never let her wreck me. Ever.”

He bitterly laughed as he yanked Hyuk back, “And if she ever tries to mess with me again, I swear I will—”

“You will what?”

A familiar voice echoed inside the corridor, soon caught a pale-skinned figure was seen coming down from the stairs.

“L-leo…”

Hyuk wasn’t sure if he should be happy to see Leo. There must be a reason on why N didn’t ask for Leo’s help. But whatever the reason was, Hyuk knew that it was already too late.

Hyuk could easily tell that Leo was beyond pissed, probably getting tired from being ignored, and hearing whatever Hongbin said just now made things even worse for him. He motioned the youngest to fall back and Hyuk had no choice but to ‘retreat’ to Leo’s side.

“You guys just don’t know when to stop, huh?”

Ravi growled as he walked forward, baring his teeth to hide the growing fear. “, I’m so gonna beat you two u—”

He didn’t even get to finish his sentence when Leo suddenly kicked him in the stomach.

“Urgh—!”

The rest of them could only watch as Ravi’s body flew back and landed on the wooden floor.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Leo… wait—” Hyuk tried to intervene but Leo shoved a hand in front of his face, a gesture he quickly interpreted as ‘leave this to me’. The younger could only pray that this wouldn’t turn into a bloodbath.

“T-this… er…” Ravi groaned.

“Answer me, Lee Hongbin.”

Hongbin gulped, if he didn’t play this game right he would definitely end up like Ravi, curled on the floor with a foot-shaped bruise on his stomach. “I-it’s none of your business…”

Leo tilted his head, “It is, actually.”

He made a few steps forward, “Because unlike you guys, I haven’t abandon ___. So her business, is also my business.”

His words were clear as he stopped right before Hongbin’s face.

“Abandon? I’m not—” Hongbin sighed.

“Forget it. I don’t care with what you think. But we’ll solve this problem ourselves, so stop making this so difficult and just get on with it.”

Leo scoffed, “How? By acting angry and pitiful like this?” The older continued, ignoring the look the three were giving him, “Yeah, like hell it would solve anything.”

Hongbin gritted his teeth. He gave Leo one last glare before making his way to the front door. “Whatever…”

The three eventually walked away. They realized that things could turn real ugly when it comes to a fist-fight against Leo and they didn’t want to risk spending the next 24 hours recovering in their bed.

But it only took them less than five seconds to stop walking.

And it took Leo a single sentence to get three heads turned at him.

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