You Rock My World

He just wanted everyone to be happy

"What is he doing here?"

Hongjoong was surprised by the annoyed remark as he entered the studio behind Chan.

"Hey, be nice. He's a friend."

Hongjoong waved shyly and followed Chan to the chairs stacked against the wall on the other side of the studio.

When Hongjoong dared a glance at Changbin, he couldn't help but notice his eyes were a bit puffy.

Was he...crying?

Maybe he should leave.

"Hey, Chan. Maybe I should go, I don't want to be a bothe—" he whispered but Chan shook his head.

"He could use another friend right now."

Hongjoong nodded but he wasn't sure Changbin would agree.

The two brought their chairs over and Changbin leaned back in his chair, sulking. Hongjoong could feel the two of them having a conversation with their eyes so he decided to speak up.

"Is this about...Felix?"

The two turned to look at him.

"I'm not—trying to make any assumptions or stick my nose in anyone else's business it's just—he talked to me a lot about everything."

"He talked to you?" Chan asked with such astonishment Hongjoong was almost surprised.

"I mean...yeah. He didn't...talk to either of you?"

"No. I've been trying to talk to him about it for weeks," Chan sighed, looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry—I don't really know why he picked me..."

But Hongjoong did know. He was building trust. He was clearly trying to get other information from him. But how could he tell either of them about that? Especially since he had no way of confirming they weren't in on it.

"Lix doesn't really open up to a lot of people. Thanks for being there for him."

Hongjoong was surprised to hear Changbin speak and he looked up.

"Yeah. Of course."

"He always pretends everything's fine. Normally I'm the one he can talk to but...we're not really on great terms right now. As you know."

Hongjoong nodded, crossing his ankles and swinging them back and forth.

"It wasn't like he told me anything big it was just about how you were trying to protect him. He knows you meant well—"

"Wait—what? How I was trying to protect him? He didn't even give me a chance to speak!" Changbin snapped, standing up. But Chan placed a hand on his chest turning to Hongjoong.

"He said that Changbin ended things?" Chan asked, looking at Hongjoong in a way that signaled he hoped he was wrong.

"Yeah...I'm guessing that's not what happened?" Hongjoong said quietly.

"What is his fucking problem?" Changbin shouted, standing and slinging his chair across the room in anger.

"What really happened?" Hongjoong asked Chan quietly.

"I don't really know...I'm pretty sure Felix said something about needing space for a while. He didn't really tell Changbin anything and then..he just switched rooms with Minho when everything went down and him and Han have been weirdly inseparable ever since."

Hongjoong nodded, processing everything. So why would Felix tell him it was Changbin's decision?

Then he realized it.