Muse - Kwon Hyuk

09

warning: y'all might hate hyuk in this one

Two lines. And two more. And another two.

She had taken three different tests all of which confirmed positive. Hanji dimmed the bathroom lights and ensured her husband was fast asleep whilst she did so.

She sat on the toilet cover, hunched over as she held all three sticks in front of her. Was she joyous? Most definitely -- this was everything she had wanted and what she and Hyuk had attempted for the past year in their marriage.

Was she going to tell him? One part of her shouted she should -- that he had a right to know and it wasn't like they had a reason to hide it, given they were both adults married to each other and already have one child to raise.

Another voice told her that telling him would only make her selfish. That it would only worsen his already growing struggles with Yina and custody over Daeul and now he would have another person to take care of it.

And so Oh Hanji decided: she would lay low as she had for all of her life and take care of herself and the five-year-old she already knew, and the little one she had yet to tell Hyuk about.

~

"Come on, Hyuk! When was the last time you'd even touch a keyboard?", Jiho pulled at his hair in frustration.

The tour that he, Hyuk and Hyoseob had planned was on the verge of being cancelled with the lack of time and songs to even perform for their fans. On top of that, it seemed to him that with all that was on his mind Hyuk had completely lost his musical intellectuality.

"Sorry, I've just been doing a lot.", Hyuk justified.

"Do you have anything for me?", Jiho sighed as he felt a migraine coming along.

He most definitely had something to offer. He had written it the night after his first reunion with Yina which he had told no one of in fear of suspicion. But they needed motivation and this was all he could give.

"I-I do.", he spoke silently, reaching into one of the folders on the coffee table of the studio and pulling out a blue scrap piece of paper with lyrics.

He handed it to Jiho with hesitation. "I-It doesn't mean anything, I just wrote it out of nowhere."

Jiho studied the words carefully:

So how about you, 'bout you, you doing well lately?

How about that bastard? Are you satisfied?

So how about you, 'bout you, you doing well?

I was pretty curious

But I said nothin'

(listen to And You? by Dean)

"Is this about your fucking ex?", Jiho almost raised his voice which made Hyuk jump slightly in panic.

"I-It is --"

"No. N-No, we can't use it.", the other groaned in rebuttal as he stood to make his way to adjust the speakers.

"Jiho, they don't mean anything! A-And if you think about it, it just adds to our list of songs.", Hyuk defended.

Jiho shook his head continuously. He knew how this would turn out -- they use the song, Hyuk demands Hanji doesn't find out about it which is near impossible, she finds out anyway and then. Well that was the part that worried him.

"What do you think your wife would think about that? That you're singing about your ex, gosh the idea that you even took the time to think about these words!", Jiho flared the paper into the air.

Hyuk grabbed at his hair, his chest heaving. "Jiho, she'll understand and it's not like I feel anything for Yina."

"Tell that to your "i was pretty curious" -- you kidding me? Hyoseob and Dongwook will be here in five -- pull yourself together.", the other male tossed the thin paper at him.

Hyuk sat on his office chair in despair, in confusion, in conflict. Why did he even write those words to begin with? Why was it that although he had called Hanji right after seeing Yina for the first time, he chose to write about his ex? And why was he curious?

~

The frozen food section always made her shiver. Hanji reached into the tall refrigerator of the supermarket to grab a bag of frozen fruit for her smoothies.

"Missus Chae said she'll pick Daeul up later.", she heard Hyuk say behind her as he carried the shopping basket of groceries in one arm. It was the first time in almost two weeks had they spent time together and although it was just a mere hour in a grocery store, she was grateful.

"I thought we were going to?", she asked as she placed the bag in the basket.

"I've got to meet with Yina and her lawyers in the afternoon.", Hyuk explained, looking Hanji right in the eye which gave her a warm feeling that she had missed.

However, she turned away in annoyance. "You couldn't have told me that earlier?"

Her husband took notice of her change in behaviour and jogged lightly to match up to her walking pace. "Hanji."

"It's only a short period of time, I promise this'll be over real soon.", he reassured, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer for a kiss on the temple.

She smiled warmly, placing a hand on his back. She had missed the feeling of his hold which he had only given her during the nighttime -- when he would arrive home late from meetings with either his lawyers or Jiho and get up early in the morning to work. She savoured each minute she had with him in their warm bed, sometimes hesitating to hold him.

Hyuk's phone rang loudly, catching both of them off guard.

"Oh it's uh. I-It's Yina.", he looked toward Hanji. She immediately released him and took a side step back.

"I-I need to meet her early.", he said it as if it was a priority. Hanji could only avert her eyes and keep her distance from him.

What could she say? No, you may not meet her and risk your marriage -- the next time I'll see you, you'll have her scent and bites all over you.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll see at home, alright?", he kissed her head once more before dropping the basket next to her.

She could only watch him jog away, as if in a hurry to meet who really mattered to him.