Minhyuk gaped in shock at the sight of all of their friends on the roof and stammered, “H- How did you know where we were?”

In response, Hyungwon raised the hand that wasn’t busy Changkyun’s hair to wave his cell phone at the older blonde, “I was taking a nap up here when you came storming up. I texted Shownu-hyung when I saw Changkyunnie follow you up, I figured something must have happened. I think they’ve been here for a few minutes now.”

The members nodded in confirmation and Minhyuk paled, realizing that his friends had heard everything he’d just yelled at Changkyun. His stomach felt heavy with guilt and shame.

Meanwhile, Jooheon rushed over to Changkyun who was still firmly held against Hyungwon’s chest. The rapper’s face was full of guilt and his expression fell even more when he got a good look at Changkyun’s teary face.

Minhyuk looked away from the younger members and meekly met Shownu’s gaze. The leader was frowning in obvious disappointment and was looking down at Minhyuk pointedly with his arms crossed over his chest. Wonho was a silent presence to the leader’s left, his expression stormy and his gaze practically burning a hole through the blonde. Kihyun stood at Shownu’s other side and was also frowning sadly at Minhyuk.

Shownu sighed heavily, “Minhyuk-ah, I seriously don’t really know what to say right now. ...Look, I understand that you don’t like Changkyun but to go this far? He’s just a kid-”

Wonho broke his silence, cutting Shownu off, his voice quiet but fierce, “Minhyuk, Changkyun-ah is one of us now. He’s a really good kid... Do you know that he always asks me about you?”

Minhyuk’s eyebrows shot up and he shot his best friend an incredulous look, “What?”

Wonho nodded, “He asks about your likes and dislikes, how long we’ve known each other, all sorts of stuff. He really wants to get to know you. The thing he asks most though is what he did wrong and how he can make it up to you.”

There is a long silence following Wonho’s revelation. Even Shownu and Kihyun stare at him in surprise, neither of them had known that the maknae had been asking Wonho so many questions about Minhyuk.

The oldest continued softly, “But Minhyukkie, we both know that Changkyun’s done nothing wrong. So why can’t you just give him a chance?”

The dark haired boy then pinned Minhyuk with a long, intense look that made the blonde’s heart pound, “The Minhyuk I know would.”

Minhyuk sighed tremulously and looked up at the two older teens and Kihyun, “I just- I wanted him to go away! I figured if maybe I intimidated him enough that he would leave on his own... I didn’t want us to get hurt again, like with Yoonho.”

All four of them frowned at the mention of that name; it left a bitter taste in their mouths as the memories associated with it returned.

Noh Yoonho had transferred into Starship High halfway through the previous year for unknown reasons. He was tall, charming and good-looking and he’d immediately wanted to be friends with the boys of Monsta X.

Monsta X, being all too trusting back then, had eagerly welcomed the boy and within the first week of his arrival Yoonho had all but cemented his place as the newest member of Monsta X. He was funny and got along well with all of them and they’d all felt that he was a perfect fit for their group.

Oh how wrong they had been...

A month had passed and with his standing as the new maknae of Monsta X Yoonho’s popularity had skyrocketed. He was invited to all sorts of parties and hung out with many people from both Starship and other high schools without the other members of Monsta X. They hadn’t minded, they’d been all too glad that their kind maknae was making plenty of friends.

Monsta X had been happy with their newest member and hadn’t thought anything bad was going on. They didn’t find out the harsh truth until one fateful Friday afternoon...

*FLASHBACK*

Monsta X gathered at their usual table in the lunchroom, all smiles laughter and happy conversation. As per usual Hyungwon napped the hour away after eating his own food; with nothing to really hold his interest he drifted off with ease, trusting his friends to wake up when it was time to head to class.

About ten minutes filled with eating and conversation had passed before Kihyun noticed that they were short a member.

“Where’s Yoonho?”

The others looked around and also noticed the absence of their youngest member.

Shownu frowned, “Where could he be? He’s not usually this late for lunch.”

Minhyuk sprung up, “I’ll go look for him, hyung! Maybe he just got held back after class or something.”

The group nodded in agreement and waved as Minhyuk cheerfully made his way out of the cafeteria in search of the missing Yoonho.

He checked the maknae’s classroom, at his locker and even in the gym but there was no sign of the tall freshman anywhere inside. Minhyuk decided to take a quick walk outside to check the soccer fields but when that failed he began to head back inside. It was just when he was rounding a corner to go back inside that he finally spotted Yoonho.

The younger was leaning against the wall by the door laughing, surrounded by a group of boys who were probably from his class. A playful grin spread across Minhyuk’s face as an idea hit him and he quickly rushed back behind the wall; Yoonho couldn’t see him from where he was standing and he wanted to surprise the maknae.

Carefully, he crept closer to the group of boys and just as he was about to jump out from behind the corner Yoonho snorted, “Yeah, you wouldn’t believe it. I’ve got them all completely fooled!”

Minhyuk paused and frowned in confusion as the group of boys began to cackle.

Who had Yoonho fooled?

One boy with dark hair under a snapback laughed, “Seriously! You’ve only been here like a month but you were practically in their group on your first day. I thought Monsta X was actually cool but it looks like they’re just gullible.”

A chunk of ice settled in the pit of Minhyuk’s stomach as realization set in: Yoonho had been talking about them.

Yoonho chuckled, “Everyone else thinks they’re cool though, that’s why I wanted to join them. It wasn’t hard to figure out that they were the most popular guys here and I knew that if I hung out with them it would make me popular too. All I had to do was smile and act all innocent and they immediately took me in. Pathetic.”

The group of boys started laughing again when Yoonho scoffed the last word and Minhyuk quickly his heel and sprinted back to the door on the other side, his heart burning with hurt, anger and betrayal.

*END FLASHBACK*

Minhyuk had immediately rushed back to his friends and told them everything he’d heard from Yoonho and the other boys he’d been with.

Shownu and Kihyun had been hurt and disappointed at the revelation. Jooheon and Wonho had felt the same feelings of anger and betrayal as Minhyuk and both would have gone to fine- and probably beat up- Yoonho is Shownu and Kihyun had insisted they didn’t. Minhyuk would’ve joined them for sure. Hyungwon had been upset as well but he’d never been that close to the younger boy so he was more pissed off about the fact that his friends had been used than anything else.

They’d confronted Yoonho later that same day and the freshman had merely shrugged and told them it was all true. Shocked by the utter lack of remorse for his actions the group had just stayed silent as their former maknae went on to tell them that he’d never really liked them in the first place and that he didn’t need them anymore.

They’d all had to hold back Wonho when he’d lunged after the grinning boy, snarling angrily when Yoonho walked down the hall to a waiting group who greeted him with laughter and congratulating pats on the back.

 Minhyuk sighed heavily as the memories faded and looked back up the three teens in front of him, “I know it wasn’t right, what I did to Changkyun, but...”

Shownu put a hand on the younger’s shoulder and shook him gently, “You were wrong, Minhyuk-ah. I understand that you were hurt by what happened with Yoonho but so were the rest of us. If we could learn to trust Changkyun, why couldn’t you? I think that he’s proved that he’s not like Yoonho in the least by now.”

Minhyuk nodded softly, silently admitting to himself that he’d realized some time ago that Changkyun wasn’t like Yoonho but he still hadn’t been willing to let his guard down, just in case it had all been another trick.

He took another glance in the direction of the younger members and realized that during his talk with the hyungs and Kihyun, Jooheon had been apologizing to the tearful Changkyun who was still firmly in Hyungwon’s embrace.

Another pang of guilt hit him when he saw both Jooheon’s distressed expression as he apologized to Changkyun and the sad face of the maknae.

He hoped that what he’d said hadn’t ruined things between them.

I know I made Yoonho the bad guy here but I really did actually like him during No.Mercy; I just felt like he fit better for the story since he and Changkyun are the same age. The next chapter will see the fallout between Minhyuk and Changkyun as well as Jooheon's apology to Changkyun. What will Changkyunnie's reaction be to all of this? (Hehe I'm so mean, I already know but you'll still have to wait! ;D)

As always I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to comment, bookmark and subscribe to this story, I really appreciate it and want you guys to know that I do. See you in the next chapter, it shouldn't be long! (Although I may make you guys wait a couple of days just to build up the suspense. ;P)