chapter 2

Hansol was at a loss for words. First, he had been caught reading “M” fanfics about him and his bandmate; Second, he was caught being homoual; Third, he was caught liking… Wait. He didn’t like anyone. Scratch that last one. But even so, his secret had been found out and all kind of scenarios of rejection and expulsion were running through his mind.

"HYUNG!" He looked at his dongsaeng who seemed to be calling him for a while now. "Snap out of it, hyung! I’m not going to eat you alive. So what if it’s true? You don’t choose who you like, it’s your heart that leads the way, and it has no eyes to see if it’s a boy or a girl. At least that’s how I think. So don’t worry hyung" He took the blue haired male’s hands in his and gave them a comforting squeeze with a dazzling smile "I will protect your secret… And I will help you with your secret crush!" Again… What?

"Ahm… Byungjoo…" Hansol began. "I don’t really… Like anyone…"

"You don’t have to deny it hyung!" He glanced at the laptop screen. "Do you always read this?"

"It’s the first time…"

"The fans really have some crazy minds." B-joo looked back at Hansol. "Well, not totally crazy, it seems." He then showed a big, goofy smile.

"Byunjoo, really, it’s not like that!"

"Hyuuung~" The youngest whined. "I already know so why are you trying to hide it?" He showed his best aegyo pout. "Don’t you trust your favorite dongsaeng? I swear I won’t tell anyone!"

At that moment the front door opened and the leader’s calls to assemble in the living room could be heard throughout the dorm so B-joo quickly stood up and gave Hansol’s hands one last pat before letting go. "You have nothing to worry about at all." And then he left the room with a wink while his hyung let his body fall onto the bed.

His eventful life in the idol group had just started. He felt a shiver run down his spine and remembered the open tab on his laptop. The man quickly got up, shut down the laptop and dragged his feet into the living room for the assemble.

"So, these will be the new room arrangements. Anyone against any of them?" The leader asked and smiled in satisfaction when he got a “No” in unison as a response. "Well, up and gone, everyone is free to do whatever." The members were ala fast to disperse except Hansol. Now he was absolutely sure that his peaceful days were gone, as he just got the news that he’d be sharing a room with Jiho and Byungjoon. He face-palmed with a sigh. "What did I do wrong?"

"Hyung~" His body jolted when he recognized the voice calling him.

"Oh Byungjoon-ah" He forced a smile. "Anything you need?" The other simply grinned at him.

"Nothing, really." He kneeled down to pull his “brother” up. "Come on hyung, this is a good opportunity! Let’s tidy up the room before Jiho gets there~" He chirped and dragged a soulless Hansol who was mentally /trying/ to get ready for what was to come.

"Wow hyung, why is there a magazine like this here?" B-joo had found a random magazine the older had kept under his bed to help keeping his cover. Any heteroual boy his age would have at least one magazine of that style right? It was only normal.

"Why? Is it so weird that it’s there?"

"No… I mean, yes… I don’t know… Hyung, shouldn’t you have like, Men’s Health or something?" This hit Hansol right in his pride.

"Yah Byungjoon… I already admitted it to you /the fact I’m gay, that is/, but do you really have to say those kind of remarks? In that high tone?"

"Oh, sorry hyung…" He put the magazine away in its original place and moved to another spot to comb the dust off while Hansol organized his stuff.

"Why are we even doing this anyway?" the elder complained.

"Well, dhuh! So Jiho doesn’t think you’re a mess!"

"Byungjoon… We’re men… We’re naturally messy. What’s wrong with a bit of disorganization? It never bothered me."

"Hyung, do you expect to conquer someone’s heart with that mindset?"

"Hansol hyung wants to conquer whose heart?" Perfect timing for Xero to enter the room with a grin on his face and a box full of his stuff in his arms.

"No one’s!" The older boy in the room quickly answered before B-joo could say anything. "Is that all you’ve got? Byungjoon, go pack your stuff and bring them over as well."

"Oooh, I see~" The young boy got up. "Roger that hyung~" He didn’t leave without winking and showing his hyung a “I-see-what-you-did-there” smile.

"Finally..." Hansol breathed out.

"Is he giving you a hard time?" Xero asked as he sat down on Hansol’s bed (one of two that occupied the room, although Hansol had used the room alone).

-You have no idea- the elder thought. "Not really, but he talks a lot." He looked up at Xero. "What are we going to do about the beds?"

"I don’t know." The other shrugged.

"I know!" B-joo had just come back with his stuff. "Two of us will have the bad luck of having to share a bed!" It actually made sense since one was a couple bed and the other was a single bed so none of the other boys complained.

"And how will we decide?" Xero asked.

"With this." B-joo got three sticks out of his box. "The one who gets the shortest gets to use a bed alone! "He smirked when the other boys agreed.

Hansol couldn’t believe his luck. After having to share a room with Byunjoo and Jiho, now he also had to share a bed with Jiho. (Thanks to B-joo’s cheating but that was the younger's own little secret). B-joo seemed pleased with himself and jumped on his new bed as soon as he could.

"Aaah, this feels good~"

"Well, lucky you, hyung." Xero smiled while Hansol silently glared and planned different ways to torture Byungjoo in his sleep. "Hyung, don’t be like that, I promise I won’t do anything to you during the night." The youngest of the three winked and patted the eldest’s shoulder as he moved past him to organize his things. Hansol’s shoulders and face fell down and at the same time his “favorite” dongsaeng let out a quite loud laughter that (almost) drove him to tears.

Yes, this was the end of any peaceful day he had left. And it had been his own carelessness’s fault. Hansol sighed and wished it had just been a dream as the three members prepared and went to sleep.