"Dad, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's up?"
Yunho pursed his lips and put his silverware to the side, folded his hands in his lap. "Do you think people will pick on me because you're my dad?" he asked, embarrassed and shy to even speak the words clearly. He felt like he was insulting his father, accusing him for everything bad that had happened and might happen to him. It sounded so wrong, but there was no other was to phrase it. "Do you think... People will be mad? Just because I am under your label?"
Hongjoong took a pause and leaned back into the chair. He remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath while searching for the right words to reply to his son. "You know, Yunho, people will be rude and mad at anything you do," he then said, "people will criticize you when it's not their place, people will talk the worst about you just because you do what you want, you know? I doesn't necessarily have to have a reason." Hongjoong leaned back in a little, an apologetic smile on his lips as his eyes wandered from his first son's face to the steaming bowl of soup he had made for them. It was late, Seonghwa had waited for them to come home, just like every other day, but had fallen asleep on the couch. While he had been prepared to have dinner or something left for them, he was genuinely surprised to find a cold kitchen. Soup was the first and easiest thing he could think of. "I will not lie to you, big boy, from experience I do think they will have you on the radar for every thing you do... But I don't think that matters, does it? Because most of these people are just bitter and easy-minded... Stupid, you know?" he chuckled, "and... We don't give a fuck about no dumb bitch do we?"
A giggle fled Yunho's lips and he rolled his eyes at his father, turning back to his soup. His limps were aching, his eyes heavy from exhaustion. He should go to bed soon. "Is it hard to ignore these people?... They will bother me a lot, won't they?"
"Not when you're confident in what you're doing, not when you know you're doing it the way you feel is right," Hongjoong said and slurped the last bit of his soup, "they will be up your ass all the time, there is no way around it I think," he added and reached to ruffle through Yunho's hair with a chuckle. "As long as you don't do anything wrong, believe, I will be right behind you."
~
"We can wrap it up for today," Byungho called and turned off the stereo system in the practice room. He watched his students slowly gather their stuff and leave with a goodbye, but held back only one of them. "Yunho, can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course," the teen replied and immediately left his bag in the corner and walked over to his instructor to not make him wait. "Is everything alright?"
The elder chuckled and put his hand on Yunho's shoulder, giving him an amused smile. "Of course everything is alright, more than alright even," he said, "in a month the team will have an appearance and one of our dancers quit unexpectedly. Do you want to fill his spot?"
The boy's eyes widened, his jaw almost dropping rudly. "Y-yes! Of course, I can fill in if you think I am skilled enough! I will not disappoint you!"
Byungho laughed full-heartedly and patted Yunho's shoulder winking at him proudly. "I know you won't, I wouldn't offer you the spot if I had second thoughts... I will send you a new schedule for this month so we can practice the choreography. I will count these hours to your regular practice here." With that the elder took his leave with his other students.
Just a moment longer Yunho was bound to the spot, processing what just had happened. His small moment of pride was cut short though as Jimin his his shoulder from the back, congratulating him with a honest laugh. "First appearance as a background dancer, ah?"
"You heard that too, right? I wasn't daydreaming, right?" Yunho squeaked, body still frozen on its spot.
"Sure sounded like you're filling in for Doyun. He apparently found a better company, left in a rush last week... Not going to lie, I'm curious how fast he got his contract terminated..." Jimin told, giving him side-eyes. Sometimes Yunho wondered how the elder was able to know all that; most of the gossip that was around them. Every other day he was again surprised by the rumors the elder had gathered and told him; they were scandalous, of course he listened to every one of his tea-spillings. It would get a little bored without it, he wouldn't lie. "Suspicious, if you ask me."
"Maybe he got kicked out..." Yunho added, "I heard someone was caught starting a bar fight not long ago... I don't know if it's him, but I do know that that behavior isn't tolerated here at all."
Jimin giggled almost devilishly. "Oho, Yunnie, I see I taught you well, mhm?"
Rolling his eyes amused, Yunho pushed the elders arm around his shoulders off of him and went back to gather his bag. "Amongst all the usefull things you could have taught me, you made me a noisy auntie."
"Spilling the tea right is a skill you have to learn, Yunnie~ you'll know when you're older and the gossip gets spicier, I promise," Jimin laughed and also grabbed his stuff to finally leave. The way out of the building was mostly spent quiet, both boys caught up in their own thoughts. It wasn't until it was time to separate paths, that one of them spoke up again.
"How are the preparations going for you two?" Yunho asked as they stood under the glass-roof of the bus station. Cool wind blew in their faces, light rain fell from the night sky.
The elder took a breath, looked around as if he was uncomfortable with the topic. "Fine, fine I guess. We have been recording for a while now and... It just isn't it yet, you know?" he then replied and looked back up at the younger. "The date is set and I don't think we will have to postpone it it's just... Something is still missing and we can't get behind it."
Yunho nodded in understanding. "My dad says that your first project will always sound awful to you when you still have the opportunity to change it... Maybe leave it for now and... Focus on maybe the lyrics?"
The elder shrugged his shoulders, then put on a smile again, patting his friend's shoulder. "We will find a solution, Woozi has never produced a bad song, I trust him and his ear," he said. "Well then auntie Yunho, see you around, hm? Get home safely!"
"You too!" Yunho replied and waved the elder off as he watched him pull his jacket over his head and walk away in the rain.
-
Heyaa peoplee
How are you doing?
MINGI IS BACK YALL MINGI IS BACK AFTER 9 MONTHS OF SADNESS MY BABY IS BACK
You can't imagine how happy I am to have him back
Ahhhh I had my makeshift prom last weekend
It was horrible ngl
I just hope the pictures came out well
I actually don't have much to say, so tell me about your day
Stay safe and healthy
-gulkurusubb