June 7th 2014

Namjoon sighed as he paced back and forth in front of Myung, running his hands through his hair.

“Manager-hyung, you’re going to carve a hole in the floor if you continue pacing that way.”

“Ha ha, very funny, Myung.”

“You know me, I do my best.”

Namjoon sighed again, before plopping himself down on the chair beside Myung. The pair currently sat in ACE’ main building, outside the Owner and CEO’s office. “You’ve put us in quite the predicament, Myung. I’m not sure how Mr Lee is going to accept all of this.”

“I’m sorry, Namjoon-hyung. I just… had to tell someone.”

The older manager just nodded, giving a small smile while rubbing at his tired eyes.

A tall, well dressed woman approached them, heels tapping against the tiled floor and hair pulled up into a tight bun. “Lee Hak-Kun-sii wishes to see you now. Come along.” She her heel before walking two steps ahead of herself and opening the door for them. Pretty pointless if you asked Myung, but each to their own.

Myung and Namjoon stood, heading inside the office before bowing low. “Mr Lee, you wished to speak with us?” Myung spoke, his voice clear and professional despite the rising panic in his chest and the pit in his stomach.

“Ah, Paul Myung. Yes. Please sit down, the both of you. We have a couple of things to discuss today, but both apply to the same topic. A topic which isn’t taken lightly in this country and is causing a lot of controversy among your fans.” Mr Lee began, looking through the papers on his desk while Namjoon and Myung sat down on the impossibly hard and uncomfortable chairs.  “Now, neither of these things are your fault, Myung, however, they need to be addressed and they need to be made aware of. Firstly, the theme of your group’s debut track.”

“Yes sir?”

“I know you didn’t write it, and I did agree that the theme of the song would get you all noticed and would be an interesting twist, unfortunately, we appear to have had some backlash. We knew it would happen, but I just thought I’d make sure you were aware that not everyone is as supporting of the LGBT community as your group and debut track suggest. There have been a lot of…negative feedback on the matter. I would just like you to warn your members and be careful. So far, Myung, you are doing a brilliant job leading your group. I know a few of the members are having trouble getting used to each other, but that is to be expected. I believe that particular problem will clear itself.”

“Yes, sir.” Myung replied, resisting the need to tug at his hair out of nerves. His heart was racing 100 miles per hour in his chest. He hadn’t met with the owner of ACE more than once or twice in his lifetime at the company, and it was always a gruelling affair when he did. It wasn’t that Lee Hak-Kun was mean or cruel, but  meeting the CEO of a company was always a hard task. “You said there was more trouble relating to this issue?”

“Ah, yes. It has come to my attention that you have…what’s the way people say it these days… come out of the closet to your Manager. Is that true?”

“Yes sir.”

Mr Lee sighed, running a hand through his short black hair and rearranging his glasses. “I see…now, I myself don’t have a problem with it. However, Myung, you cannot let this come out. The general public cannot know. Western countries are more open with this matter than we are over here, and although a lot of people “ship” people I think they say, it would be in everyone’s best interests that this does not come out… unfortunately, Myung, this means that I don’t want you to tell anyone. Not even your fellow band mates. It could cause a lot of friction within the group, and with Hyo and Bonhwa already fighting, I don’t believe more friction is what Acid Teochii needs.”

“I understand, sir.”

Mr Lee nodded. “That’s all I wished to talk to you about. You’re doing a brilliant job with your group, Paul Myung. Keep up the good work, and I wish you the best of luck with your approaching comeback. Just be careful and remember everything I said.”

Myung and Namjoon stood, the blue haired teen giving a short nod before bowing low. “Of course. Thank you, Mr Lee. Have a good day.”

The two were quickly ushered out by the woman who had led them in at that point, Myung turning to Namjoon and letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“That wasn’t too bad…” Namjoon started, ruffling the younger’s hair.

“It could have been worse.” Myung agreed, taking off his glasses and rubbing off the condensation that had formed while entering the cold hallway from the warm office on his shirt.

“Hey, come on now, don’t be down. You guys don’t have schedule today after yesterday’s interview, so how about we go for some bubble tea? My treat.”

“I’m not sure you’re allowed to do that…”

“I’m offering as your friend, not your manager. Okay? This is on me.” Namjoon gave him a smile, beginning to walk out of the building. Myung stayed where he was for a few seconds, trying to process what had just happened, before quickly putting his glasses back on and hurrying after Namjoon.

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Sherlock wasn’t in the best of moods either as he sat on the large sofa in the dorm’s lounge, Watson lying at his feet, no longer wearing his seeing eye dog coat since he was off duty. Cho had her head lying on Sherlock’s lap as she dozed, only really half conscious as the younger boy gently ran his fingers through her hair, loving the feel of the soft, if slightly damaged, strands on his fingers.

He wasn’t in a bad mood because Cho was half asleep on him, in fact, he was elated over it. He was upset over the fact Cho was still ripping herself apart over the interviewer’s comments the previous day.

Once Cho had gone to bed the previous night, Ae-Cha had told him and the rest of the boys in the group what she’d found, how Cho had been sobbing alone in the bathroom and looking up hate about herself, all because of the interviewer’s stupid comments. She’d woken up her usual happy, smiling self, but there was no heart in it, no bounce in her step as she walked around. More than once, Marco and Hyo had taken Cho’s phone off her because she’d once again found herself on a hate site.

Sherlock was pretty certain Hyo had hidden Cho’s phone now.

He continued running his fingers through Cho’s hair, smoothing out the knots and tangles that his fingers had caused while most likely making new ones. All of them were so angry at the interviewer. Cho was probably the most innocent and naive out of all the group despite being older than Ae-Cha, Myung and Sherlock himself, and it had seemed the interviewer had picked up on that fact and used it to his advantage to make an interesting show.

He could have just as easily picked up on his disability, which he was used to getting mocked for, or the fact Ae-Cha never saw her brother, but he’d decided to pick on their smallest, most peaceful member, the only one who his comments would most likely hurt.

The thought made Sherlock so angry.

Cho stirred a little on his lap, Sherlock’s hand stilling in her hair. “Are you awake, noona?” He asked, keeping his voice low just in case she wasn’t.

He felt her nod a little in his lap. “Yeah, I’m awake. Where is everyone?”

“Myung went to go have a meeting with Mr Lee, I believe Ae-Cha is out with some friends… Hyo and Marco are in their bedroom, I think Vann is napping… Hanni is over in the kitchen making food, Hope is attempting to help…I think Yuuki is taking selcas while in the bath right now… and I’m not really sure where Jin is.” Watson gave a low whine from Sherlock’s feet. “And there’s Watson.”

Cho smiled a little, reaching down to pet Watson before she sat up, stretching. “Well I suppose if we’re getting a free day from schedule this close to comeback, I better make something productive of it. I need to check my emails then I’ll probably go and do some practice. Where’s my phone?”

“I’m pretty sure Hyo has hidden it somewhere.”

Cho pouted. “Why would he do that?”

“The same reason I’ve hidden your laptop.”

“You two are awful.”

“I know.”

Cho sighed, standing up. “I’m going to get my phone back then I’m going to the practice room, feel free to join me.”

“We’ll see how I feel in a bit.” Sherlock responded, before turning his attention back to the television, pouting a little bit. He already missed the feel of Cho’s hair between his fingers.

She gave him a small smile before going out into the bedroom hallway, approaching the door of the room that Hyo, Marco, Myung and Jin shared. Raising an arm to knock, she froze in her tracks at the sound of frantic whispers.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Marco!” Hyo’s voice sounded emotional, his voice getting quieter as the sentence continued. Cho guessed that he was walking away from the door as he spoke.

“I don’t understand either!” Marco responded, voice loud enough to where she could easily assume he was sat directly next to the door.

“How could you have hidden this from me?” Hyo’s voice was quiet now, not the angry whisper it had been previously. Just slow and sad.

“I didn’t want to ruin our friendship…”

“Marco, I don’t give a whether you like boys or whether you like girls, hell, I wouldn’t even care if you were ually attracted to a dog! You’re my best friend is this dorm.”

“Hyung…” Marco trailed off. Cho listened intently as footsteps got closer to the door, closer to where Marco was sitting.

“What brought this on?” Hyo asked gently. “What made you feel like you had to tell me?”

“It was killing me keeping it a secret. I know it’s wrong, I know my parents will hate me for it…but it felt like I was keeping part of me back from you. I can’t keep pretending to myself I don’t like this person.”


“Will you tell me who it is?” Hyo sounded hesitant to ask. Silence was his only reply. “Alright, tell me another time then? Promise?”

“I promise.”

Cho stood straighter and turned away. She’d heard all she need to, she felt wrong eavesdropping on such a private conversation either way. She didn’t need her phone to be able to go and practice the dance routine for their new title track.

Hurrying out of the dorm into the street, Cho could only wonder who it was that Marco liked. If he couldn’t tell Hyo, the person he’d grown closest within the group, it must have been big.

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I'm really not confident in this chapter at all, I hope it was alright! I was going to get this chapter out earlier, but everything happening with Ladies Code threw me off balance a little bit. R.I.P EunB and RiSe.

I thought I'd write and get this chapter out today, however, since I begin college tomorrow and will not have as much time to write.

Thank you, and goodbye for now!