The Day You Saved Me

18.

Comeback season is a bitch. Especially after months of touring, and doing concert after concert with only a week of vacation, if Chris could even call it that. He had spent the whole week stuck at JYP trying to fix the melodies for their next title song and the rest of the details for their new album. And of course, attending a hundred meetings about the pictures scandal, the legal team had just issued a statement, declaring that the pictures were generated with AI to harm the image of their artist, which had speared him and you a lot of trouble.

However, the fans were still losing their minds online, conspiring a hundred theories and sending protest trucks in front of the building. It was something Chris couldn't wrap his head around, how his "fans" wouldn't see him as a human being with rights to his own personal life, but as an object, a simple product they could demand ownership of. 

Tonight they had to start the dance practice for S-Class, so Chris and Minho were in a meeting room with the choreographers, checking the videos, positions, rotations and schedules for the rest of the backup dancers. "Chris? Are you listening?" one of the managers touching his shoulder and bringing him back into the conversation. "Yeah, yeah. It's fine", trying to play it cool by zooming in on the position picture they were showing him.

"Yah, what was that? You're everywhere but here. Get it together", Minho said after making sure the choreographers and managers were all out of the room, but it only made Chris sink back in his chair and pull the hoodie over his head. "Not you too", he says to his friend. "What do you mean?" Minho asks. "Everyone has been on my back for the last two weeks and I'm sick of it, I don't need you to lecture me too", he says, taking his phone from the table and getting up to leave the room.

"You can't pretend this is nothing, it is affecting you more than you are letting on", Minho stops him just as he is about to go through the door.  "Look, I get you, and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, I just want to help", Chris turns around to face Minho, and stares at him for a couple of seconds. "Minho, I don't want to talk about it right now. You don't understand what I'm going through", Chris turns around once again.

"Yeah, you're right. How could I possibly understand, Hyung", Minho raises his voice unintentionally, getting worked up. "What is that supposed to mean, Minho?", he turns back around to face him. "Maybe if you got your head out of your ass, you would notice what's going on around you". It's dead silence after that, Chris feels so furious right now.

"Oh, forgive me for only worrying and working day and night to make sure this comeback is perfect. Sorry I have to manage every and all details for you guys. Sorry I forgot I don't have the right to have a fucking life outside of these walls, and I'm not able to get my head out of my ass, Minho", he turns around and slams the door on his way out. Minho hurries to get out of the room and continue the discussion.

"Yah, stop. That's not what I meant", Minho catches up with him in the hallway, his ears and neck are red, and he knows he should drop it considering how Chris is so worked up but he needs to get it out of his chest. "Hyung, I'm dating Suho", Chirs freezes in his tracks and turns around slowly to face Minho. "I meant to say I understand what you're going through with Y/n. I meant to tell you that I'm here for you. I'm sorry if it came out all wrong", Chris extends his hand and Minho takes it, pulling him close and patting his back.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to snap at you like that either, I'm sorry", Chris lets him go. "You owe me the whole story another time. Let's go, they are waiting for us in the practice room". Once they get to the room where the rest of the group is talking to the choreographers, they start practicing the dance moves over and over again.

The hours pass by and the tiredness starts to take a toll on all their moods. Jisung is off beat, Changbin, Felix and Jeongin are dancing lazily, Minho and Hyunjin are in the wrong positions, and Chan keeps bumping into Seungmin when they have to come across one another. By the sixth time it happens, Seungmin is sick of it. "Yah, can you watch what you're doing? If you keep pushing me, I'm gonna hurt my ankles", he spits his words angrily at Chris.

"Watch it, Seungmin!"Changbin says, "I'm sorry, I was distracted", Chris responds. He raises his hands, excusing himself, but not touching him. The younger boy scuffs, "Right. You're always distracted lately, distracted enough to let your mistakes affect the rest of us", he says standing tall in front of his leader. "Seungmin! Stop it!", Minho yells from across the room, sensing as the air in the room turns thick.

"No, let him talk, Minho", Chris turns to look at him and then back at Seungmin, the rest of the boys look at the scene unfolding in front of them with shocked expressions. "I hope you and Y/n are very happy. You might be the leader of this group but that doesn't give you the right to fuck with the rest of our careers. Are you aware of what they are saying about this comeback online? All because of some girl? I can't believe you." Seungmin crosses his arms on his chest and hides his gaze under his bangs.

"Are you done with your little tantrum?" Chris stares at him, but he doesn't answer back, all his fight is gone now that he realizes what he's done. "Yes, Y/n is not just some girl and I'm very much in love with her." He says, directing the last words towards the rest of the room, "I'm aware of the damage those photos caused Seungmin, for all of us. And I don't know what you've read that is making you this angry but I'm sure it's bullshit".

"Whatever, I'm done with practice", Seungmin turns around to leave but Changbin stops him, grabbing him by the arm. "Don't be such a jerk and apologize", but he just jerks his arm off and leaves the room. "It's okay Changbin, I'll talk to him later. Let's just take a break everyone". They all pick up their stuff and exit the room one by one, calling the cars and getting ready to go home.

"Jisung, I'll stay a little longer at the studio. You can go without me", Chris says to him as he is the last one to leave the practice room. "All right, Hyung! Don't work too much". That's an understatement, he wants to swamp himself in work to forget the scene that just happened. He picks up his things and drops them by the producing studio, taking his jacket and heading towards the rooftop to clear his head.

It's a cloudy and cold night in Seoul, Chris pulls his beanie over his head and zips his hoodie all the way up while standing on the rooftop and just enjoys the landscape, the city lights and sounds for a while. Once his fingertips are cold enough that he can't feel them anymore, he decides it's time to leave, but just as he turns and takes a few steps, you come through the door, your eyes are puffy and red, you've been crying, he can tell. "Y/n".