Put Your Hand In Mine | TaeGyu

Ch. 7

Beomgyu blinked his eyes open due to the distorted chit-chat surrounding him. The ceiling looked familiar; it wasn't his car, nor was it the company. He got up, now wide awake to find Mr. Kim, Soobin, and Kai having a discussion in Yeonjun's apartment.

"Told you that you're always welcome but didn't know you'd miss me so quickly!" Yeonjun smiled at him, offering him some quick coffee as he sat up.

He had fallen asleep in the car, so he totally doesn't remember how he got to Yeonjun's. The other three saw him awoke and tensed a bit before turning to him with hesitant smiles.

"Ahh...Ben, you're up? How are you feeling now?" Mr. Kim asked in a friendly tone as if everything was okay.

"Cut to the chase." Beomgyu bluntly answered. He was done with pretending and shit. "Now I can't even go to my apartment or what?"

Taken aback and defeated, Mr. Kim sighed. Soobin, Kai, and Yeonjun just glanced at each other, and so Beomgyu already knew that it was a mess, a very bad one at that.

"You see...they were in front of the company too." Mr. Kim started in a meek voice. "Judging from the crowd and their actions, I don't think they're going to calm down any sooner."

"And your suggestion is?"

Mr. Kim knew Beomgyu was in no mood for bullshits. He had to admit the truth.

"Can you go on a complete hiding for some months?"

Pin drop silence. Yeonjun, Soobin, and Kai just stood there, looking at each other. Surely, this wasn't going to.

"Look, as they're camping in front of your apartment, they might assume you'll take shelter in Soobin or Kai's house." The director sighed, and Beomgyu could see his under-eye bags. It was dark outside, probably close to dawn, and yet, Mr. Kim had run to wherever Beomgyu was at this hour. "It's the agency's duty to protect their artists, so I highly suggest you leave the country for some time."

"What!?" Beomgyu almost jumped. "You're telling me that I should run away like a coward!?"

"Let's not take any risk. I'll book one of the best hotels for you in the US—"

"I ain't going anywhere. And that's final!"

"But, Ben—"

"Either you send me out of the country and I disclose that the official statement was a lie, or I stay here and be quiet. The choice is yours!" Beomgyu sternly declared, making everyone groan because they knew once Beomgyu made up his mind, it was nearly impossible for him to take it back.

"Stop acting like a kid!" The director was also losing his patience. He did adore Beomgyu a lot, but not to an extent to succumb to all of his tantrums. "You're talking as if you don't need people to wake you up, feed you and literally act like your servant 24/7! As if you're not a brat totally dependent on others!!"

"What..." Beomgyu trailed off, running a hand through his hair. Now he was offended. "Are you now telling me that I can't survive on my own?!"

"Can you?" Mr. Kim asked, sneering.

The air got bitter. Beomgyu's jaw twitched as he and Mr. Kim glared at each other. Even the other three stood there tensed, not daring to say anything that might worsen the situation.

"Soobin hyung!" Beomgyu called. And as if Soobin already knew what he was being called for, he sighed.

"I don't think it's a good—"

"Are you not my manager?" The younger snapped at him but before he could say anything further, Mr. Kim interrupted with a mocking snort,

"See? You need Soobin's help for this task too."

"Beomgyu," Soobin quickly reached to the arguing duo, it had already escalated too far. "You don't have to do anything, okay? We'll take the first flight to the US tomorrow morning. Everything will be fine, alright?"

The way Soobin was grabbing his shoulders with pleading eyes had always been comforting for Beomgyu. But tonight, it wasn't. He looked one by one at Yeonjun and Kai at the back, and both of them had been looking at him expectantly, to let go of his stubbornness. He glanced at Mr. Kim, who still had on a distasteful expression.

And then Beomgyu realized that this was what others—even his close ones— viewed him as; a top idol who needed protection. Now that he thought about it, he truly was like that. Always needing someone to look after him, to clean his mess while he's all shiny, just like a showpiece.

He let out a deep sigh. "I won't run away, and I'll find a place on my own." His eyes were teary but he didn't let the certainty falter from his tone. "Just wait and watch."

+×+

Beomgyu had been looking out at the balcony, he noticed Mr. Kim's car pull out and drove off. After making it clear, he didn't have the energy to breathe the same air as his director, so he left the room.

Most of it was silent after that, or they tried to be as quiet as possible. But shortly, Beomgyu felt a tap on his shoulder.

It was Soobin.

He almost immediately turned around but Soobin blurted out.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be." And honestly, Beomgyu felt so.

"We can look for a place together—"

"No need. If I can't do anything by myself, I'll just wander around the streets."

"Beomgyu, please—" Soobin sounded a bit impatient but was interrupted by Yeonjun's palm on his arm.

"Aren't we all friends?"

Beomgyu frowned, confused. "Right now, we aren't your manager, choreographer, or bodyguard. And you aren't an idol for us. You're our most precious friend." Yeonjun moved his hand from Soobin's arm to Beomgyu's head, and patted. "Friends help each other figure out things, don't they?"

The youngest of the three pressed his lips together, he hated how they loved him. He hated how much he loved them back. He hated that despite everything that was happening they were still wanting to be by his side. He hated it, he just hated it so much that he couldn't reply in words because that'd make him choke, rather he nodded.

Soobin quickly wrapped his arms around Beomgyu's frame to pull him in a hug. He gave Yeonjun a soft smile, melting the older's heart. Yeonjun returned the smile, his faint blush visible even under the darkness.

Over Soobin's shoulder, Yeonjun looked at Kai, who was in the living room trying to call someone the whole time. They shared a nod when it seemed like whoever Kai was trying to call had picked up.

"Oh, Taehyun-ah, very sorry for disturbing you this late." They couldn't hear it clearly from the balcony as Kai spoke, "Just wanted to know if your vacancy ad for your Verse Café  was still up or not."