Brutal Truth

The eight members sat in two rows of four, answering questions during a live recording. The fans tried to hook them up with their favorite ships and voices were getting loud. The room filled with squeals and laughter, hugs and shouts. Everyone was assigned a love interest. The obvious ones were Lee Know with Han, and Changbin with Bang Chan which they found hilarious.

"Innie is in love with Hyunjin," Seungmin blurted out, loud enough for all to hear.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

I.N. looked horrified. He turned white and sat frozen on the spot. The others stole secret glances at each other, feeling bad about the situation. When Seungmin showed no remorse for having embarrassed him, Chan looked pissed. He grabbed his seat cushion and walked around the group, up the steps, and sat next to Innie. He reached for the maknae's hand and squeezed it, holding it for the rest of the show.

On the drive back to the dorm, I.N. leaned his head against the window and stared into the night, still not talking. He struggled holding back the tears but wouldn't give Seungmin the satisfaction. They ate dinner together and he sat with them briefly before disappearing in his room.

Chan gave him a few minutes before looking in on him. When he heard the youngest member sobbing, he kept the door ajar and returned to the table. The mood felt like being at a funeral, nobody dared acting up. When the leader was mad, everyone behaved. "He needs to be alone right now."

They ate in silence. Suddenly, Chan looked across the table straight at Seungmin. "Why did you say that? Do you ever think before you talk? You embarrassed him."

Seungmin was unfazed. "It's not a mistake to love someone."

"You don't have to announce it in front of the whole world. Are you going to apologize to him?"

"No. I'm not apologizing to him."

Chan was red in the face. He held the chopsticks in a tight grip. "Why not?"

"I'm older than him. I don't apologize. I said nothing wrong." He continued to eat without a bother.

Hyunjin left the kitchen to see I.N.

Felix looked at Changbin in an uneasy way. They couldn't believe the quietest member in the group dared to speak up against the leader. They all waited for the storm to break loose.

Bang Chan stood up and threw down his napkin. "I'm going for a walk."

Changbin followed him out.

"I'm going alone, Changbin."

"You will be alone. I'll walk ten meters behind you." They slammed the door on the way out.

Hyunjin approached I.N. who was still crying. He sat next to him on the bed and waited until his friend noticed his presence. When he did, he was startled and covered his face.

Hyunjin put a hand on I.N.'s shoulder. "Hey you, don't cry. It's an honor to be loved by someone. You don't have to feel bad. I am happy to know you care about me so much."

I.N. sniffled, waiting to hear if Hyunjin would say it, but he didn't. "It sucks when it's one sided, though." There, it was out in the open.

Hyunjin lay next to him and pulled him close. "Like Kim Seungmin said, love is nothing to feel bad about. I do love you, it's just, my heart belongs to Felix, you know that, right?" he said softly. "Even though I stopped showing it because we were told to, I still feel the same way about him." He lifted I.N.'s chin. "Come here, don't cry. I'll always be your friend." Hyunjin kissed the heartbroken boy on the forehead, the cheek, and even the mouth because it just turned out that way. He could tell it meant the world to I.N.

"I'll be out there soon. Tell the others I'm okay, please."

Hyunjin brushed I.N.'s fringe out of his face and gave him one last kiss on the forehead. "I will. Don't be embarrassed, okay. I cherish your love." He got up and left the room.

"Where is everybody?" Hyunjin asked when he returned to the kitchen.

"Channey hyung went for a walk by himself," Felix said. "Binnie went with him."

"Wait, what?" Hyunjin tried to process the information. "He went for a walk by himself but with Binnie? That doesn't make sense."

The logic sounded so absurd, they broke out in laughter. When Bang Chan and Changbin came back from their midnight walk, they found the rest of the members in front of the TV, happily laughing and snacking. I.N. had his head in Seungmin's lap, looking his usual innocent, mischievous self.

"I think I should walk away more often," Chan said to Changbin and shook his head, an exasperated grin spreading across his face. "Those kids, man. I tell you."