"Rocky's leaving the group"
Jinjin couldn't believe what the manager said.
"What? You're joking right?" How could it be? They just finished promoting their latest album, there are no signs that he's unhappy, none that Jinjin is aware of, why would the manager say such thing.
"He talked to me yesterday, I believe he'll have a meeting with the management later." their manager sighs, "I just thought you should know since you're their leader. He told me he haven't mentioned it to any of you yet, he's waiting until it's final."
"but why?" Jinjin felt his heart beating fast, he doesn't want to believe this news but he needs to know everything and he needs to know if he could talk Rocky out of it.
"You could try talking to him about it, i'm sure he'll understand it's inevitable that you'd know firsthand." their manager tapped Jinjin's arms as if consoling him. "I think he's at the basement's practice room right now."
--------------
Jinjin wasted no time and walked his way to the basement, he felt like crying. How did he not notice anything? Why would Rocky do this? He have a lot of questions in his mind.
When he reached the practice room's door, he released a big sigh before he opens it and found Rocky in the middle of dancing. Rocky doesn't notice him entering, too lost on the music. He's so beautiful, Jinjin thought. He always find Rocky extra beautiful whenever he dances, his gracefulness, his details, it's all so mesmerizing to see but now the scene is just breaking his heart.
Jinjin watched Rocky trying to feel the music, trying to become it. He extended a graceful arm, gently curved fingers, folding himself inwards slowly as the music became soft and fluttery. There were no vocals; only him and the melody. As the piece came to an end, he stayed folded, arm extended, lowering himself to the ground. He raised his hand up, with his face still on his fingers, before letting them fall to cover his face.
Rocky was jerked from his dancing haze when he looked at the mirror and saw Jinwoo standing by the door.
"Hyung." Rocky stood up to approach Jinjin and as he comes close, he noticed the leader is crying.
"Hyung, why are you crying?" Rocky cooed at their leader, "are you moved by my dancing? since when did you enter exactly, i haven't noticed when you entered."
"Rocky-ah" Jinjin started and he tried to calm his heart, to stop the tears but it keeps on coming, his heart so heavy as he looked at Rocky's eyes. "Why?"
Rocky froze. He knows, Jinjin knows and he turned his back quickly on their leader, not wanting to talk about it even though it's clear that there's no way out of this now that their leader knows.
"Rocky, please talk to me." there's pain in his tone and Rocky felt his knees go weak as he heard it so he let himself sit down on the floor. Jinjin is in front of him in no time, eyes searching Rocky's eyes for answers.
"I'm sorry hyung. It's just, I.. I've been thinking of this for awhile now." Rocky looked down, too ashamed to look at their leader's eyes.
"What's the reason Rocky? please, I want to know if I could do anything about it."
"That's why I don't want anyone of you to know until it's final.. i know you're gonna go out of your way to talk me out of this." Jinjin couldn't help but cry more at those words.
"It's because you're our brother, don't you think of us the same?" Rocky started to cry, he loves his members, he really do and that's what hurts him more. "Why would you leave us?"
"I don't feel like a part of the team anymore.." For all the reasons Jinjin could formulate in his head, this one was not it. "I feel like, you could go on without me.. I don't have a specific role for our team. I've been the main dancer before but now I'm not that anymore.. Bin.." Rocky paused and Jinjin could see the pain in his eyes when he said his best friend's name, he waited for Rocky to continue, "Bin has that title now and I understand," Rocky let out a sob, "he's popular, he have many fans. I know I shouldn't care, but I've been constantly pushed to the corner and I don't know what to do anymore."
"Rocky,"
"but I can deal with that you know, being pushed to the corner.. but I've been thinking how i've been so jealous of all the attention Bin hyung is getting," Rocky looked up to meet Jinjin's eyes. "and I felt bad hyung, why would I even think like that? how could i even think of that when we're a team? but I can't get that thought out of my head. It will just be better if I leave."
Jinjin held Rocky's hands, "I'm sorry Rocky. Sorry if you felt that way, you should've told me all of this" he searched Rocky's eyes then squeezed his hands harder "but what would Astro be without you?"
Rocky scoffed at that, "you'd still be Astro, you'll do fine hyung, without me you'd still feel complete, no one would even notice you lost a member" Rocky pulled his hands away from Jinjin and stood up to gather his things.
"Please, we need to talk about this." Jinjin said standing up after Rocky.
"I just.. I can't deal with this right now hyung. You're not even supposed to know this yet." Rocky slinged his bag at his shoulders and started walking to the door to leave.
"You're breaking my heart Minhyuk." Rocky stopped when he heard those words but he just continued walking out not bothering looking back as he mumbled to himself, "i'm sorry Jinjin hyung, but my heart is hurting too."
--------------
"Hyung, have you read Jinjin-hyung's message on the group chat?" Sanha asked Bin as they get ready to leave after they're done with their MC job.
"I haven't checked yet. Why?"
"He said he needs us complete later" Sanha shivered at his thought, "I'm scared, did I do something wrong? I don't want to be scolded right now." Bin furrowed his eyebrows at Sanha.
"I don't know" Bin laughed, "maybe you did, so you better be ready."
Bin opened their group chat when they settled at the car on the way home.
Jinwoo 07:35 PM
Be home at 9PM. Let's all talk later.
Myungjun 07:38 PM
What did Sanha do this time?
Sanha 08:01 PM
What? WHY IS IT ME?
Eunwoo 08:05 PM
I'll be a bit late but I think I can get home at 9PM. Is something wrong hyung?
Bin 08:07 PM
OHO. Sanha is shaking here beside me already, we're on our way home.
Rocky 08:08 PM
Can I not be a part of this? I'll be at the company, I'll be back later. do your thing without me.
Sanha looked at Bin as soon as he read the message. "What's up with Rocky-hyung?"
Bin is still looking at his phone, eyebrows furrowed when he answered, "I don't know, it's not like him to talk back like that."
"It got awkward, I don't wanna butt in anymore in that." Sanha closed his eyes and rest his head on the car seat while Bin is waiting for another message from their group.
Eunwoo 08:15 PM
Why Rocky? Is your matter more important than what we'll talk about later?
Jinwoo 08:17 PM
Let him be Eunwoo, we can talk without him later.
"Huh." Bin huffed as he read Jinjin's message and he can't help thinking what is wrong with Rocky so he decided to message him.
Bin 08:20 PM
Yah, what's up with you? Why would you talk like that at our group chat?
Rocky 08:21 PM
Is something wrong?
Bin 08:23 PM
You usually don't talk back like that, especially towards Jinjin hyung, that's not very nice of you.
Bin 08:25 PM
What will you do at the company anyway? that you couldn't get your ass back home at 9?
Rocky 08:27 PM
I just have something to take care of. okay? Jinjin hyung didn't even insist I need to be there so why are you like that.
Bin 08:28 PM
We have a schedule today and we can get home by 9PM for that meeting, and you, what? maybe you just danced all day today right?
Bin 08:29 PM
you could be at the company anytime today but you can't be home when our leader asked you to? you don't even have a schedule.
Rocky 08:32 PM
wow. that's so nice of you to say.
YOU ARE READING
Just Like Always
FanfictionRocky prides himself as the rock in their group but this time he felt like the rock reached it's breaking point. He's no diamond after all. cross-posted from ao3
