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lieslab · 3 days ago

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No wisdom, just teeth

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎ ꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

Pairing: og8 X gn reader

Summary: A tooth infection leads to a dentist trip and some chaos.

Genre: 9th member AU

Word Count: 3.6k

A/N: Lab rats, do we like 9th member AUs? I'm testing this out and working on another 9th member AU request. Consider this a brief test run.

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎ ꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

The pain radiating throughout your jaw, when your eyes opened to the sound of your alarm clock, blinded you. You gently cupped the side of your aching jaw, moaned in pain, and blindly reached over to quiet your alarm clock.

Three days ago, it was a minor toothache. All the way in the back left corner of your mouth, you assumed it was a pesky wisdom tooth. Why on earth humans grew more teeth as they aged? You didn’t know. All you knew was that it was hell on earth.

The aching gums, the discomfort of chewing, the tiny morsels of growth that left you feeling exhausted and defeated. It became more and more clear why babies cried and gnawed on everything when growing in their own teeth.

You took the proper steps yesterday, when nothing seemed to work. The pain killers didn’t help the pain and neither did the gel you applied to numb the pain. Briefly, you were freed from the ache with the gel, but the pain came back much worse. The next opening for your dentist was next week. You thought you could manage, but clearly your tooth had other ideas.

Out in the kitchen, plastic coffee cups clattered. Chan pressed buttons on the fancy espresso machine and tapped his fingers awaiting a third espresso shot. A triple shot americano wasn’t needed at seven in the morning, but something had to cut through his groggy haze. A cup full of ice sat waiting.

In the distance, Jeongin struggled to open his eyes in the bathroom. His hair stuck out in multiple directions. Their morning routine didn’t change, but he still struggled to pull himself from sleep, too. A sigh escaped his lips, he forced his eyes open, and reached for the hairbrush.

Mid-brush, he paused when he heard you calling for Chan. It wasn’t unusual for the ninth member to want Chan. You found comfort in Chan and often seeked him out for guidance. Being the leader of the group, you often admired him and trusted his advice.

“Chan?” You grumbled again as you patted into the kitchen.

“I’m here, what’s up?” His silhouette appeared around the corner. “Do you want a morning coff- oh?” He frowned. Your eyes were still barely open. An unsteady gait in your walk. With cheeks flushed of color and something obviously wrong, he walked to meet you. “What’s wrong?”

“I think my tooth is infected. I feel like shit and my tooth has been hurting.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What’s going on?” Jeongin appeared with a toothbrush full of toothpaste. “Did you lose something again?”

“Even worse, they might have a tooth infection.”

Jeongin’s face contorted into an instant grimace. “That’s not good.”

“Did you call your dentist?”

“Booked out until next week.”

“Are we sure it’s an infected tooth and not the flu or something?” Jeongin asked.

Chan’s eyes wandered back to you and you shook your head. “I have a pounding headache and was fine last night. My tooth hurts worse and my head feels like it’s on fire. Even just accidentally touching my face hurts my jaw.”

His face quickly mirrored Jeongin’s. “There’s no way you can work like this. Why don’t you settle back into bed and I’ll make some calls? I’ll call my dentist and if I can’t find someone willing to work something out, I’ll call another dentist.”

“I can call people, I just-”

“Your focus right now should be on resting. Take some painkillers, drink some water, and I’ve got this, okay? Let me do this for you. You’re in pain and I don’t want you to stress yourself out more.”

“Thank you.”

“Innie, are you still-”

“Going to the company building? Yeah, unless you want me to stick around here and help you.”

“I’ve got it. Tell the guys that I’ll be there a little later. I’m going to get this worked out first.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” He saluted, patted you on the shoulder, and disappeared back in the bathroom to brush his teeth.

“Try not to worry too much, we’ll figure it out.” Chan flashed you a dimpled reassuring smile, but it didn’t feel very reassuring to your aching jaw.

~ ~ ~

The bright blue eyes of the dentist peeking over your face didn’t make you feel better. After a quick phone call to his dentist, Chan’s dentist agreed to meet you immediately. If a tooth infection created the root of the problem, the infection could turn much more dire than expected.

So you laid with your mouth cranked open. Silver dental tools poked and prodded the back of your mouth. Tender and sore gums bled at the touch. Your nose scrunched from the pain. Tools scraped. The dentist mumbled to the assistant and you hated all of it.

Getting x-rays sucked. Biting down on two pieces of plastic nearly made you vomit in your unwell state. Even the basic exam made tears prick in your eyes. Chan’s dentist was nice. She didn’t mean to make you feel worse, but your feelings were in shambles.

All you could focus on was your aching jaw. Across the pale blue room, Chan’s knee bounced. He could have stayed in the waiting room, but he wanted to be here with you to make sure you were okay. You were grateful, despite the awkwardness, you didn’t want to be alone.

He texted the group chat with frequent updates to keep the rest of the members informed, but all he could really do was wait for the dentist’s diagnosis. Nervous for you, his knee never stopped bouncing. He winced at every sound of a tool clanging against your teeth, he knew how it felt from his own time in the dental chair for cleanings.

After a few more moments, the dentist pulled back. She pulled down her blue surgical mask and sighed. “I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news, it’s an infected wisdom tooth. The good news? It can be fixed with extraction and some antibiotics to make sure the infection is cleared up.”

Chan’s head perked up at the sound of her voice. He clicked off his phone and looked at you. Your eyes were focused on the ceiling, only half-paying attention. When he called your name, you glanced over.

“Did you hear that?”

“Please take it out before it kills me.”

Unable to hide her amusement, the dentist chuckled softly. “It won’t be a problem.” Her eyes went back to Chan. “It might take a while and since it’s a wisdom tooth, you’ll probably be better to wait in our waiting room.”

“If I give you my number, can you call me when they’re finished?” He glanced at the dentist and she nodded. He stood up and approached you. “I don’t want to leave you, but the guys are having some issues at the recording booth.”

“Go ahead and help them. I’ll be here when they finish and after they call. If we’re lucky, I’ll be in a lot less pain.”

He chuckled, grabbed your hand, and gently squeezed it. “Behave for the dentist, will you?”

“As long as she frees me of that stupid tooth, we’ll get along just fine.”

~ ~ ~

The lights blinded you. The world blurred and you groaned loudly. Your head jerked back in the wheelchair you were sitting in. People around you turned into silhouettes rather than individuals with clarified features.

“Hey, easy there, tiger.” A hand gently patted the top of your head. Minho’s voice reassured you, but you couldn’t see him. “Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times or the pig-bunny will gnaw them off.”

“Hey!” Changbin cried out, clearly offended. “That’s not true! I wouldn’t gnaw off your arms.”

“Guys, stop it. They just came around from having all four wisdom teeth plucked out. They’re probably confused and disoriented, you’ll scare them.”

Felix’s freckled face appeared right in front of yours. “Hi, there!” He grinned and reached out to lightly poke the tip of your nose. “Can you hear me? Are you okay?”

All you could muster was another groan. Your cheeks felt like they were bursting at the seams. Packed with bloody gauze, you were a numbed zombie. Your entire body felt off. More than anything, you were confused about the ongoing scenario around you.

Back in the lobby of the dental office, Chan talked to the dentist and receptionist with slight worry. He didn’t realize after he left, you agreed with the dentist to have all four wisdom teeth pulled, rather than the single infected tooth. It’d save you a second procedure, but the recovery would last a lot longer.

He flipped through the papers in his hands, trying to understand everything the dentist reminded him. Beside him, Jeongin glanced back outside to you. As both your roommates, they’d get the task of managing the majority of your recovery process. Neither was looking forward to it, nor were they looking forward to informing your manager that you’d have to sit out of the usual schedule for a while.

Han popped out of an open car door when Minho rolled up with your anesthetic-laced body. Upon seeing the roundness of your cheeks, he burst into a fit of giggles. “Hey! You look just like me! You’ve got my cheeks!”

Your head slightly shook, which caused him to laugh. He climbed out of the car. Hyunjin glanced up from the driver’s side and looked behind his seat. Bloody gauze could be seen in your slightly opened mouth. His eyes narrowed. “Ew.”

“Ew?” You mumbled.

“That’s what I said. Ew.”

Your bottom lip trembled and Felix’s face fell. “No, no, no. Sweetheart, don’t cry, he’s just teasing you. He doesn’t think that you’re ew, he’s talking about the bloody gauze in your mouth. He’s just being silly.”

“He’s ‘urting my ‘eelings!”

“Well, you look ugly and swollen, so…” Seungmin shrugged and took a sip of his smoothie. Before the guys left the company building to pick you up, they stopped to get drinks.

Changbin spun around, trying not to laugh. Felix swatted his shoulder. Han forced himself to bite his lip. Behind you, Minho couldn’t stop the grin from appearing.

By the time Chan and Jeongin came out of the building, a steady stream of tears slipped down your cheeks. The guys tried hard to comfort you, but you weren’t having any of it. Too strung out on the remnants of being under anesthesia, you didn’t realize Seungmin’s words held no truth.

“What’s going on? Why are they crying?”

“Because Seungmin was a dickhead,” Minho pointed out.

“Yeah, he called them ugly and swollen.”

Jeongin’s hand patted your leg reassuringly. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Seungmin’s face looks ugly and swollen all the time.”

“It does not!” His instant objection brought a pause to your tears.

Minho realized it instantly and grinned. “Hey, they stopped crying! Keep going! Seungmin is ugly and untalented!”

“Seungmin smells like beef,” Han continued. A look of Seungmin’s genuine concern shot his way. Han ignored it and went on. “Seungminnie is bad at most video games.”

“‘Outh ‘urts.”

“What are they saying?” Changbin asked.

“Their mouth hurts. I know it hurts, but we’re going to get you home and feel better. When you feel much better, I’ll make you an entire batch of brownies, okay?”

You wiped away your tears instantly. “Tanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

After deciding who was sitting where, a few of the guys sat with you. Others followed Jeongin into his car, so they could be taken home. Hyunjin drove, Chan sat in the passenger’s seat, Minho, and Felix sat on either side of you.

You stayed quiet and let your eyes shut. For the first few minutes, all was fine, until it wasn’t. For whatever reason, you jerked straight upright with wide eyes. Both Felix and Minho glanced over concerned.

“I’m being kitnapped!”

“Huh?”

Your hand went towards your seatbelt. Minho quickly grabbed your hand, trying to prevent you from getting loose. “Woah, there. You can’t unbuckle when the car is moving.”

“Channie!” You cried out loudly.

Chan flipped his sun visor down and glanced at you. “What’s wrong? What is it?”

“He’s kitnapping me!”

“Who is?”

Your arm flung toward Hyunjin. Hyunjin glanced in the rearview mirror and rolled his eyes. “If I was kidnapping you, you’d probably have a bag over your head. Why would I kidnap you and put you beside Felix? Being kidnapped with Felix probably wouldn’t even feel like being kidnapped.”

“Don’t worry, mate. When ‘re outta this, I’m gonna make yer brohwnies.” Hyunjin uttered in a dramatic Australian accent.

“I do NAUGHT sound like that!”

“You just did.”

Felix huffed and tucked his hand around yours. “You’re not being kidnapped. We’re taking you back home, so you can get some rest. You’re safe with us.”

“Channie!” You uttered again.

“Hyunjin, can you stop the car, so I can change spots with Minho?”

“Oh, yeah! Lemme up there, so I can air fry the ferret and stretch my legs.”

“CHANNIE!”

“Minho, you’re making them upset. It’s okay, I’m coming back there, don’t worry. Felix isn’t going to let Minho air fry anyone, okay?”

Hyunjin slowly brought the car to a stop on the side of the road. He turned on his hazard lights, allowing Minho and Chan to swap spots. The moment Chan slipped beside you, you grabbed his hand and refused to let go. Your forehead rested upon his shoulder. The numbness and confusion you felt melted together. Your eyes drooped and you let yourself drift to sleep.

~ ~ ~

In Chan and Jeongin’s dorm, Jeongin already arrived back home with Changbin, Seungmin, and Han. Chan told Jeongin to make sure they had a proper spot for you on the couch and he didn’t know exactly what that meant, so he tried his best.

After dumping multiple of your blankets and pillows on the couch, he stood back and scratched the back of his neck. “How on earth do you make a cozy spot for someone on the couch? It’s the couch, it’s not meant to sleep on after such an intense procedure.”

“Oh, this one is.” Han grabbed one of the blankets and wrapped it around his shoulders. “This leather couch is so sleek and nice. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but you both have good taste. This couch is my favorite piece of furniture.”

“I don’t think they’re going to be real happy knowing you’re stealing their blanket,” Seungmin commented.

“And I don’t think they’ll be happy seeing your swollen and ugly face,” Changbin shot out in Han’s defense.

“You wanna go, pig-bunny?”

“Yeah, come here!” Changbin shot forward and grabbed Seungmin’s throat.

A grin instantly filled Seungmin’s face. “I didn’t know you were into being an alpha man.”

“Yah, no! Ew! Stop!” Changbin pulled away and shook his hand. “No more alpha and omega stuff. I don’t wanna hear about it, you pervert.”

“You grew oddly offended about that.”

“Shut up!”

“Shh! They’re back, I can see them coming to the door through the window.” Han shoved himself to his feet, shedding your blanket, and letting it lay on the couch.

Jeongin hurried to the door and pulled it open. In Chan’s arms, your sleeping body lay bridal style. He carried you inside with ease. “Did you get the couch ready?”

“I mean, I didn’t know exactly what you wanted, but their stuff is there.”

“Good enough.”

The rest of the guys followed behind Chan. He gently placed you on the couch against your pillow, making sure you weren’t lying on either side of your jaw. He quickly grabbed blankets to cover you up and let out a sigh of relief. “That takes care of that for now.”

Out in the kitchen, Minho flicked through the stack of paperwork from the dental office. “This looks like a huge headache, thank god I’m not playing a part in this.”

Felix appeared over his shoulder and frowned. “Oh, poor thing. This is certainly going to be a long recovery period. They’ll probably be pretty upset when they wake up.”

“And in pain. Does anyone want to come with me to go pick up their antibiotics from the pharmacy?” Jeongin pulled out his car keys.

“Please get me the hell out of here,” Seungmin walked towards him instantly.

“I guess I’ll go.”

“Yeah, same.”

Changbin and Han followed him, but it was Han that spoke up first. “Do you think we should stop at the store and grab some soft snacks, so they have something to eat and drink when they wake up?”

“That’s a good idea.”

The guys all conversed and slipped out the door, leaving only a handful behind. Hyunjin observed your peaceful demeanor and sighed. “I think this is the first time they haven’t been stressed in a while.”

“Anesthesia is just a brief coma,” Felix mumbled beneath his breath.

Chan came out to look through the papers that were in Minho’s hand. Despite Minho’s previous words, he didn’t mean them. Of course, he’d help with your recovery, he always would.

~ ~ ~

You woke up to the sound of quiet whispers full of affection.

“They look so cute when they’re relaxed and asleep like this.”

“I can’t wait until they wake up, I miss them.”

“I like them when they’re dead to the world. I haven’t heard this kind of silence in so long.”

“Kim Seungmin, you fucking jackass.”

“Bite me.”

“I might.”

When your eyes opened, you made out the faint illumination of Chan’s yellowed face. The way the lamp positioned, it cast an unnatural tint to his face. He stepped away and walked closer to you. “Hey there, are you awake?”

You tried to speak, but the gauze stopped your words from coming out clearly. Your eyes widened and Chan stepped forward. “Whoops, I forgot about that. Hold on, stay still, and let me take this out for you.”

He leaned forward and peeled away the gauze. When he did, you blinked rapidly, trying to wake up. To your surprise, all the guys were scattered throughout the dorm’s living room.

“You made it through your wisdom teeth extraction.”

“You’re a total baby when you’re high on anesthesia and you can’t take a joke.”

“Seungmin made you cry.”

You tried to speak, but your voice felt hoarse. Jeongin quickly stood up to retrieve a water bottle for you when your words came out cracked. When he came back, he jerked it open, and handed it to you. After a few sips of refreshing cold water, you thanked him.

“Honestly, I’m really disappointed you didn’t give us more to work with. I was expecting you to turn into a total brat, but you didn’t. You thought I was kidnapping you and cried at Seungmin’s insult, but that was about it.”

You glanced up at Hyunjin with furrowed eyebrows. He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t remember?”

“No. I don’t remember a lot of it. I thought they were taking out one tooth.”

“Yeah, I think you were half unconscious when you agreed to take out all four.”

“But I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” Felix chimed in. “Now you never have to do that again and that’s pretty cool. Unlike the rest of us…” He frowned thinking about it.

“Oh, hell no!” Jeongin’s head shook. “They’re not putting dental tools in my mouth.”

“Yeah, I agree. I’ll continue my regular appointments to keep my mouth cleaned. I’ll be flossing and brushing like usual,” Minho added. “Preventive measures help with tooth infections and cavities.”

“Thank you, doctor obvious.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Chan questioned with concern.

“My mouth feels so swollen and I’m tired.”

“No pain?”

“Not really, I just feel groggy.”

“I think this has been the best possible outcome for you.”

“Wrong. I wanted to see you beat up Changbin,” Seungmin pouted.

“And I wanted to see them put their foot up your ass, so I guess we’re all disappointed,” Changbin glared.

The sound of your stomach made everyone pause. Your cheeks flushed red and you grabbed your stomach. “Sorry, I guess I’m hungry. I haven’t had food all day.”

“Oh!” Felix popped up. “You can pick something off the list of foods that the dentist recommended.”

“Nothing hard, crunchy, or sticky,” Han clarified.

“I know it’s not exactly healthy, but a milkshake sounds nice.”

“You’re not allowed to use a straw, but if you want a milkshake, it can be arranged,” Chan leaned over and patted your head. “What kind?”

“Can we all have milkshakes for dinner? A big giant chocolate milkshake would hit the spot. Topped with a lot of whipped cream and chocolate syrup and-”

Jeongin cut off Han’s rambling. “Usually, I’d judge you for that, but that sounds so good.”

“Sounds pretty official to me.”

“Come on, Innie.” Changbin stood up and grabbed Jeongin’s arm. “The rest of you can text the group chat with what kind of milkshakes you want. We’re going to go find our sugar rush.”

Chan sighed and leaned back against the couch. “I can’t believe I’m a full grown man and agreeing to get dessert to replace a balanced dinner.”

“Live a little, you ancient, old fuck.”

“Seungmin is right!”

“Felix, you’re not supposed to agree with him.”

“Well, he’s acting like he has a stick up his ass.”

“I am not! I just think that having a milkshake is ironic since our member just got out their-”

“Hey, what’s the best time to go to the dentist?” Han beamed.

“Han fucking Jisung, if you say tooth-hurty-”

“Tooth-hurty!”

“Come here,” Minho stood up with a fist. “I’ll show you a tooth-hurty.”

“AH!” He rushed to the opposite side of the couch.

You sucked in a deep breath and sighed. You might have survived getting your wisdom teeth removed, but now you were tasked with surviving your recovery period with the members of your group; quite a difficult feat when you live with a group of wild animals.

| ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ |

Taglist: @lia-linny @seungnishi @stellasays45 @emilyywhyy @rockstarkkami @flightlessackerman @inlovewithstraykids @velvetmoonlght @chrizrizz

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slvt4felix · 2 days ago

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I Could Never Hate You (Part IV)

Pairing -> ninthmember!reader x Lee Minho WC -> ~4,000 words Includes -> hurt/comfort, pretty heavy angst, anxiety and anxiety attack, some panicking, friendship issues (but finally some communication!!!!) Summary -> Your anxiety has been getting worse all day. Typically, Hyunjin would be the first person you would go to, but unfortunately, the two of you are not on great terms. What are you supposed to do when your best friend is avoiding you at all costs? Author's Note -> Yayy!! I have finally finished this fic. It was originally only supposed to be one part, but I'm so happy with the story it has turned into. I'm sorry it took so long, college has been kicking my ass. But thank you guys for all the support! Let me know what you think :)

♡ Masterlist // Previous ♡

Walking off stage, you fear that air will never come. It's been building up for hours at this point, and it's not a huge surprise that the peak of your anxiety has finally hit. Despite it being your biggest dream since you were a child, the concerts have never been as great as you’d hoped they would be. You loved getting to see the fans and mess around on stage with the rest of the members, but you were never quite able to shake the stage fright or the uncomfortable feeling brought on by thousands of eyes watching you. The concerts did slowly get better. They have felt more natural and exciting for you lately, but it seems as if you've taken a step back today. Or maybe it would be better classified as a trip or a fall. You aren’t quite sure why the concerts haven’t made you as nervous as they used to when you first debuted. Perhaps you were desensitized to all the screams and fans’ stares, or maybe it was the fact that Hyunjin was always by your side to reassure you. But now what? After everything that happened, Hyunjin doesn’t seem exactly eager to help you through it.

You were very worried to go on the stage, as things were already not going well today. You were hopeful when you first woke up, surrounded by warmth and comfort in Minho's arms. It felt as if anything was possible, and you were eager to fix up all the problems that had been created over the past few days. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. The day has gone downhill from the moment you crawled out of bed. Now it's finally the end of the day, all that's left to do is change and leave the venue, but it seems like even that task is going to be quite difficult.

You were the first to rush off stage as soon as everyone started to say their goodbyes. You managed a wave and a quick goodbye before you left, too distracted by your emotions to even tell if the boys were far behind. You hoped the fans wouldn't notice anything out of the blue, but you had made it fairly well throughout the concert, and the boys had some of their best acting faces on. So hopefully the fans would spare you this one moment. You knew you didn't have long before you would break, and you hate crying in front of the fans. Even if you could simply play it off as being overwhelmed with gratitude for them, it didn't feel right. So you left, as quickly as you could.

Your anxiety was building all throughout the day, and the consequences had exploded while on stage. All you needed to do was dance and sing your little heart out, but instead, all you could feel was your heart racing and the weight of the microphone clenched tightly in your sweaty hands. Over time, it just got worse and worse, and your chest got tighter and tighter. The sweating was definitely not only from the dancing. You couldn’t give your best to the fans like you normally do, and even that’s enough to send your anxiety through the roof. What if they notice? What will they think?

Entering the backrooms behind the stage is humbling as you notice multiple staff members watching you. You take a shaky breath still trying to calm down enough to make it somewhere more private. Your first instinct is to head straight to the bathroom, but your subconscious stops you as you remember what Hyunjin always used to tell you. It used to be a habit of yours to go to the bathroom and lock the door when you started to panic, wanting to handle it all by yourself. But once Hyunjin started helping you through your anxiety, he always told you not to, so that he or the other members were able to reach you more easily. Not to mention, being on the outside of a locked door when the person inside is upset is not usually a good situation to be in. Which is understandable, but it’s hard to think clearly when you can barely breathe.

You push through the hesitation, heading to the bathroom anyway. You know Hyunjin is a good person and would definitely comfort you if you asked him, even when he’s angry. However, you had no plans to actually approach him about that, and it’s doubtful that he would even notice your suffering in the first place if his avoidance while on stage is anything to go by. So, the bathroom it is.

Hyunjin has reassured you many times that you aren’t a burden to him, so it wasn’t hard to reach out to him over the years when you needed help. But that also means that you didn’t let many of the other members see this side of you. So what now? Now that your only support system has been torn apart by some silly fight you don’t even fully understand.

With every step, you rush forward faster and faster, hoping to get alone before the tears in your eyes fully cloud your vision. Just a few more steps until the solitude of the bathroom is all yours.

Well, it was until you feel a sweaty hand grip your wrist lightly. You turn to yell at the owner of the hand, but your awareness fades as tears start to fall, and the lump that had settled in your throat has officially stolen all talking ability. With the possibility of escape being torn from your grasp, you can no longer fight the emotions bubbling up.

You feel the person tuck you under their arm and lead you somewhere else. You realize it’s Hyunjin as the remaining scent of his cologne that hadn’t been sweated off hits your nose. It’s comforting, bringing you back to many of your favorite memories and all the times he has been there in the past. Your brain tries to fight the situation, wanting to resist and pull away from him, but it’s either this or in a smelly bathroom all by yourself. As much as you hate to say it, Hyunjin may just be the right choice in this scenario. He leads you into a room and sits you down on a soft cushion. This room is much quieter, and all of the sounds, smells, and movement that had been overwhelming you are gone. It’s a relief to your senses, but you barely register the change, too overwhelmed with your lack of oxygen.

“You’re okay, you’re safe,” Hyunjin whispers to you in a soft manner as he kneels on the ground in front of you, “everything’s gonna be okay, y/n-ah.” Your eyes are squeezed shut, and you focus purely on Hyunjin’s voice, trying to take back control over your emotions. He used to do a lot more for you, but over time, you’ve learned how to handle them better on your own. So now, his presence is more there for reassurance and grounding while you try to regain your breath and work through your emotions. In this industry, you aren’t always able to leave a room or steal a friend away for help; sometimes you have to get through it yourself.

In the quiet of the room, a cautious knock rings out from the door of the dressing room Hyunjin had brought you to. While the noise goes completely over your head, Hyunjin was prepared for it to come eventually. He sighs as Minho peeks his head inside the door, just as he expected. Due to your newly formed relationship, it wasn’t surprising that he had come to check up on you. Lately, you two were completely up each other’s butts.

It’s just the honeymoon stage, he tries to remind himself.

“Come on in,” Hyunjin whispers gently and motions for Minho to enter. As much as Hyunjin had been shipping the two of you, he hadn’t expected anything to actually happen. It was more of a joke to get a reaction out of you and Minho. However, he soon realized his mistake when your complaints increased tenfold and the rest of the band started pushing harder. It was only a matter of time until one of you came to your senses and realized the feelings you had hidden deep down. He wanted to be happy about it, he really did, but when it actually came down to it, he was too scared to lose you. You’re not only his bandmate, but also his best friend. Someone he would do anything for; someone who has been with him through everything and hopefully will continue to be for the rest of your life. And that right there is exactly what he is afraid to lose.

What if Minho doesn’t want you two to be friends anymore?

What if you don’t have enough time for him?

What if you don’t need him anymore?

It may seem irrational to some people, but oftentimes fear isn’t something you can reason with, and there is nothing you can do about it. There were so many worst-case scenarios running through his head that he had simply blown up. If you had asked him two weeks ago, he would’ve said that he would never ever speak to you in that way. But it happened. You had rushed in, and immediately, all you had to talk about was Minho. Just like usual. And it scared him, so he lashed out.

Yeah, like that’ll solve the issue, he had thought to himself shortly after the encounter. He knew he was in the wrong. He never should have said any of that. He didn’t mean it, and he regretted it deeply. But what is there to do now? How can he fix it?

It seems as if talking it out is mostly off-limits. You’ve both been avoiding each other to the max, and it’s not often that you guys get a moment alone to talk. Not only would you need somewhere to talk, but you would also need to be receptive to what Hyunjin has to say. And that seems very unlikely. If talking it out isn’t an option, what else can he do to fix it? He can’t just sit around anymore; this problem is certainly not going to solve itself. Maybe he could start with his actions and show you just how much he cares. Then you can realize that he is starting to come around to the whole new relationship, and it seems that now is the perfect chance to start mending the relationship.

Minho walks in and settles nervously next to you on the small couch. He raises his hands, but doesn’t touch you, unsure of how exactly to act in this situation. What is his role? Hyunjin sees his hesitation and gently removes one of his hands that was holding yours. Minho gets the idea and takes your clammy palm in his, gently caressing the top of your hand with his thumb.

You focus on the new sensation, and your shoulders sag a little bit as you become a little more aware of what’s going on. Your sobs gradually start to calm down a little as you sit in the quiet room.

“Hey, y/n, can you open your eyes for me?” Hyunjin directs, hoping to make you more aware of your surroundings and help you to focus on what’s around you, as sometimes that can help calm you down.

You follow Hyunjin’s instructions, knowing it’s for the better. It takes a second for your eyes to adjust, but when they do, you’re met with the sight of Hyunjin kneeling in front of you with one of your hands in his. His eyes are full of concern and kindness, and his familiar gaze is nearly enough to calm you right back down. You feel the couch shift slightly next to you and glance over to find Minho sitting beside you. The sight is less familiar, yet it fills your heart with gratefulness and love. No matter what happens, you know that you have your people behind you.

“Hey there, kitten,” he says softly. You can practically hear the nerves in his voice. As the second-oldest member in the group, he is often dealing with issues and dishing out advice, but it’s obvious that this is outside his usual pay grade.

I guess I get special treatment as his girlfriend, you think with a small huff. It’s so hard to be upset around Minho. Well, at least nowadays, previously, he was the cause of your tears. But things have changed… drastically, it appears.

“Are you laughing?” Minho comments in disbelief, a smile growing on his face.

“Just a little, I can’t help it!” You defend against his comment, “You just look so uncomfortable.”

“Hey, give him a break, he’s new to this whole emotions thing,” Hyunjin adds with a teasing grin on his face, relieved that you are feeling better so fast. He knows this isn’t the end. You’ll get through the attacks, but your anxiety doesn’t just go away, especially on bad days. But that doesn’t define you, nor would you let it take away from the good moments.

Minho sends him a glare, and Hyunjin takes that as his sign to leave. It never ends well when you start to tease Minho. It very quickly turns to tissues and threats. A situation he would not like to be in more than once in two days.

Hyunjin gives your hand one final squeeze and stands with an exaggerated groan. “Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” he says with a playful look of disgust on his face.

Your eyes follow Hyunjin as he makes his exit, confusion starting to cloud your mind as you begin to fully realize the situation.

You turn to Minho quickly, hoping to find answers, “Do you think that means we’re friends again?” Minho’s eyes soften at your words. He knows just how bad this fight has been hurting you, and he wishes with everything in him that he could take your pain away. However, that just wasn’t possible. All you want is your best friend back, and that is something he simply cannot fix.

“I think those are questions you’re gonna have to ask him, sweetheart,” he replies gently, reaching out to wipe the remaining tears from your face. You lean into his side, as your stomach flutters with butterflies. It's a refreshing reminder that even if you're struggling or the day starts going downhill, you always have your people behind you; you’re glad to find that Hyunjin is still one of them.

"Let's go back to the hotel, yeah?" Minho proposes, "I think we've been through enough today." You nod your head sluggishly, agreeing immensely with what he's suggested. All the crying has tired you out, and all you can think of is crawling into a warm bed, right into your boyfriend's arms.

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

You pad softly down the hotel hallway as the morning sun starts to flood through the window. After the rough night you had, you passed out right after you took a shower. Surprisingly, you actually had a very good night of sleep. Despite the redness from the tears you had shed, your eyes had slipped open quite easily this morning. Maybe the reassurance that Hyunjin still cared was enough to ease you into an actual night of rest.

Somehow, you still haven’t gotten the opportunity to properly talk with him, and it may be something he actually deserves this time. It was kind of him to help you, despite the tension and fighting still present in your relationship. After a quick glance at Minho, you had left the room, hoping to clear the air and make your way to Hyunjin and Felix’s hotel room. You knew it was unlikely for Hyunjin to be awake at this time, the sun just barely risen, but maybe Felix was awake. Then, you could wait for Hyunjin to wake up and catch him before everyone has to head to the venue to start preparing for the concert.

You stop in front of the heavy, wooden door and let out a sigh. This is it. You were going to end this fight once and for all. You just want your best friend back.

Upon knocking, you’re met with a sight you had never expected. Instead of Felix, you’re met with the endearing sight of your best friend. Hyunjin stands there in his pajamas, looking at you with wide eyes. His arms and fingers are covered in what appears to be charcoal, and there’s even a bit smudged on his face.

You let out a small giggle at the sight, intrigued as to what he was up to. His eyes light up at your laugh, “Y/n, what are you doing here? Why are you awake right now?”

“All I can think about is our argument,” you state, not quite answering his question. You push past him, entering his hotel room. Immediately, you notice Felix, lying in one of the beds, scrolling on his phone. He glances up, making eye contact with you, and a smile spreads on his face.

“Finally! It’s about time you guys made up. He won’t stop sulking,” he exclaims as he starts to pull himself out of bed. “Hopefully, you breaking into our room will go a bit better this time, yeah?”

You roll your eyes playfully, remembering the vicious scene from a couple of days prior. Felix walks past you and makes his exit, obviously giving the two of you time to talk things out. When Felix leaves, Hyunjin makes his way further back in the room and takes a seat at the desk next to you. This draws your attention, and you notice the set of supplies strewn across the desk. There are pens, chalks, and charcoals surrounding a sketchbook left open. It’s a sketch of flowers, unsurprising as it’s one of Hyunjin’s most common choices for art. However, this one is even darker than some of his others. You know his art can sometimes feel a bit heavy, but the flowers in this one even appear to be wilted.

Oh, Hyunjin. You think as your heart aches a bit. It’s obvious he’s a bit upset about something, and you think you might just know what the problem is.

“What are you doing up, sleepyhead?” You ask him, deciding to start simple. “Don’t you usually prefer to sleep in?”

“Yeah, but I couldn’t really sleep that well,” he states with a sigh. It’s then that you notice the same redness in his eyes that resides in yours. He must have been upset after he left.

“I see. I like your drawing,” you comment, and Hyunjin immediately flushes.

“Thank you,” he says quietly before turning in his chair and carefully shutting the sketchbook. You hadn’t meant for him to hide it away, but it seems that you were never meant to see it in the first place. You don’t stop him or ask to see more, wanting to keep his art a comfort for him. Instead, you decide to bite the bullet. Small talk would never solve anything. Deep communication was the key, and both of you knew that.

“Why’d you do that?” You ask, your eyes slowly starting to water as the memories come back. “Why would you say those things to me?” At the blunt question, Hyunjin startles a bit, turning back to you. You can tell as he begins to debate what exactly to say in his head, trying to figure out the best way to articulate his thoughts.

“I was afraid to lose you,” he decides to go with. The simple phrase makes you freeze. You weren’t sure what you had expected, but it certainly wasn’t this. He was afraid? What the hell was he talking about with losing you?

“Hyunjin, why would you lose me? I’m right here,” you say gently, trying to reassure the man despite not knowing exactly what the situation was.

“All you would talk about is Minho. Sure, it wasn’t exactly loving words, but still. It was always about you and him. I just miss when it was you and me. I know he’s important to you, but you’re my best friend, y/n-ah. I have no idea what I would even do without you. Who would I laugh with? Who would I confide in? You’re everything to me, and I just sort of freaked out when it seemed like I might lose you for good. But I just pushed you away even more. I’m so sorry.” He rushes out, his voice starting a bit raised and eventually lowering to a near whisper. Despite his ramblings, his explanation does make a lot of sense. You know Hyunjin, and you know he certainly does not believe the things he said about you. Which definitely doesn’t make it acceptable, but at least you know that it was a defense mechanism rather than genuine hatred.

“Oh. I thought you were really upset with me. I couldn’t figure out why you would say those things to me,” you tell him, knowing that it’s important for him to hear how you were feeling, too.

“I know, and I regretted it the moment those words left my mouth. I would do anything to take it back. I promise I support you and Minho. I think I’m finally coming around to the idea. I was just nervous that he wouldn’t want us to be friends anymore.”

“Hyunjin, he has known both of us for such a long time. He would never ask us to do that. He knows how much you mean to me.”

“I know, but I guess I just panicked.”

You sigh at his words. You totally understand how he feels. There have been so many moments where you have accidentally said something you shouldn’t have or behaved rudely as a result of panicking. You step closer to Hyunjin and pull him up to give you a hug. He wraps his arms around you as you rub his back lightly. You feel his tears slightly wet your shirt, but you don’t say anything about it, not wanting to ruin the tender moment.

“It’s okay, Jinnie, I forgive you.” At these words, he hugs you a bit tighter, glad that your friendship is finally okay again.

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

After both of you had calmed down, the two of you began to reminisce on some of your guys’ best memories over the years. He had even brought up some of the most embarrassing stories of Minho, making you crack up. Gosh, you had missed him so much.

At the reminder of your boyfriend, you excuse yourself, but not before reminding Hyunjin to call Felix back to the room. You felt bad for making the poor man find somewhere else to hang out, but to be fair, you hadn’t asked him to leave. He was just too kind for his own good.

You return to your hotel room, only to find Minho still sleeping and very soundly at that. You smile adoringly at him before crawling back into bed with him.

“Did you guys figure everything out?” He asks drowsily, and you startle a bit at his voice. You were positive that he was still asleep, but he’s always been good at tricking you. You were impressed that he had even managed to figure out where you had gone.

“Yes, I got my best friend back,” you say with a small smile, genuinely relieved that you and Hyunjin had managed to get past this hurdle.

“I’m happy for you, honey,” Minho says sweetly before pulling you closer and placing a gentle kiss on your forehead. Falling back to sleep with your boyfriend, you realize that you have never been happier.

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