You're the One

-52- The Aftercare and Meeting with JYP

When Chan woke up the next day, he tried to sort out in his mind what he had to do. First and foremost he needed to take care of Felix, to make sure that he was OK with everything that had happened between them the previous night. Then he needed to talk to Jeongin or Hyunjin. The fact that he had an appointment with Mr. Park later in the day, felt more like an annoyance than anything else. If Park Jin-young had the guts to follow through on his demands, Chan would eat his own crop top.

He climbed out of bed and went to the biggest bathroom to take a shower. Before he stepped into the steamy shower cabinet he made sure to turn on the faucet to fill the bath tub with warm water as well, making it ready for Felix.

Back in his room he sat down on the edge of the bed and just looked at his beautiful boy sleeping peacefully. He stroked the blonde's hair before he leaned down and kissed his chin lightly. "Wake up, jagi . It's morning." Felix' eyelids fluttered and then there was a groaning sound as deep as the pits of hell. Chan knew Lixi's dark voice very well, but his eyebrows still shot up in surprise. "Well hello there, Satan. How are we feeling today?" A small fist tried to hit him, but Chan just caught it and laughed. "Come on, your bath is waiting for you. Put on your dressing gown."

Felix dragged himself out of bed with sluggish motions, and did what he was told. If he blushed a little when he picked up the black sash from the floor, none of them said anything about it. As soon as he had tied it around his waist securing the dressing gown, Chan picked the younger up and carried him out of the room. The blue haired didn't let go until he was in front of the bathroom door. There Chan gently put his boyfriend back down on his feet, before he slapped the younger on the ass. "Give me a shout when you're ready for your bath". Then Chan turned on his heel and walked away to find either Jeongin or Hyunjin.

Hyunjin was in the kitchen eating a fruit salad. He sat up straighter when he saw his hyung enter the room. "How did it go last night?" he asked looking invested. "It was great. Thank you for helping. Listen, I need the noona's number. Do you think you could text it to me?" Hyunjin's looked speculative at first and then a little worried. "She's not in trouble is she? Soomin is a good sister to us." "Off course she's not in trouble. I just want to give her a little assignment, and it needs to be dealt with by the end of the day. Oh, and no I'm not lending you any bag in change for her number." Hyunjin made an affronted gasp, and clutched at his chest. "Your unkindness hurts, Chan hyung." A small "Uhm, I'm ....ready?" was heard from the hallway, and Chan started to back out of the room. "Text me," he mouthed and when the taller nodded his agreement Chan jogged back to the big bathroom. He knocked softly on the door and Felix let him in.

Now that Felix had brushed his teeth, he leaned in to kiss his boyfriend. The kiss was slow and gentle. It made Felix feel warm and safe. When Chris pulled on the sash to open his dressing gown, a light shudder went down his spine. The soft fabric fell to the floor and he was once again completely naked in front of his lover. Chris withdrew from their kiss and connected their foreheads instead, while wrapping his arms lightly around his back. It felt more tender than lustful, but Felix knew that things could change between them fast. He pulled in a deep, steadying breath. "I love you, Lixi." This time Chris said it as a matter of fact, and Felix realized that the three words could be said in a thousand different ways. He wanted to hear them all.

"How are you feeling after last night?" Chan didn't dare to let go of the younger before he had an answer. "Honestly, it feels like a dream. Like it's just to good to be true, you know? I can't belive I'm finally yours." Chan closed his eyes. Everything was OK between them. "I didn't hurt you?" Again he had to make sure. "I'm not hurt, Chris. I'm... blissed out." Chan let out a sigh of relief. "Then let me take care of you, jagi."

Chan led the naked Felix to the bathtub and held his hand as he climbed into the lukewarm water. After he had found a wash cloth and his body wash in the cabinet, he started to gently wash away all the smut from Lixi's pale skin. They talked about the previous night in detail, sharing how they had found the experience. It was a bit easier when they didn't have to keep their eye contact all the time. The gentle scrubbing also gave them something else to focus on whenever one of them was lost for words from time to time. When Chan had used the shower head to remove all the soap, he helped Lixi out of the bath and wrapped him in the biggest, softest towel he could find.

While Felix was getting dressed, Chan made the phone call to Soomin from his room. She agreed to help him without any hesitation and seemed excited by the task he gave her. She assured him that short deadline wouldn't be a problem, and when Chan hung up he smiled to himself. Definitely a Chanel bag, then. He would leave that assignment to Innie, but it could wait.

Felix and Chan ate breakfast together in the kitchen before the elder had to leave for his meeting. He promised to inform everybody in their group chat about the outcome, as soon as the meeting was over, but Felix wasn't having it. "What are you talking about? We're all going to be waiting for you in our practice room. As soon as you're done, you go down there and find us."

***

Mr. Park greeted Bang Chan with a broad smile plastered across his face, but the smile was stiff and didn't fool Chan in any way. He gave his boss a curt nod and sat down without being asked to. "You've had 48 hours. What is your answer?" Somehow Park Jin-young managed to keep his cheerful expression. "Ah, Bang Chan. You still have the impatience of youth, don't you?" Chan looked his elder dead in the eyes and gave no comment. His stare unsettled Mr. Park who broke the eye contact by starting to sort out the documents in front of him. "Well then. Let's get to it. I have looked at your group's achievements from debut to current day, with some of the members of the board. We all agree that Stray Kids under your leaderhip have done well. Thus I have decided that we will accommodate you on your request for even greater creative freedom. This will be granted to you for a six month trial period, and then we will revisit the matter."

Bang Chan fought the urge to mock Park Jin-young for his theatrics. Both men knew that Chan had made no suggestions, but delivered his demands. They also both knew that there would be no trial period or any renegotiation of terms. Mr. Park was trying to save face and Chan found his efforts pitiful. "And what about my members? What do you think of my suggestion that we keep them all?" Chan's voice was dripping with acid now. "Yes, well... As a part of your creative freedom, you will also have the freedom to determine who is or is not a part of Stray Kids. Having given it some thought, it's almost... admirable how you make room in your group for those that aren't normal."

Chan's anger flared at once, and he cracked his neck. "Who the fuck are you calling not normal?" he growled. Mr. Park paled now that Chan didn't bother to hide his anger. "My apologies. I did not intend any offense. I should have phrased it differently." Mr. Park was thrown off balance enough to bow to the younger, and in that moment they both knew he was utterly defeated.

The Stray Kids leader got up from his chair and buttoned the jacket of his blue Armani suit. "The work on our next comeback continues, but it will be delayed by about... oh I'd say about 12 days?" Those were the 12 days that had passed since Mr. Park had decided to pounce on Chan's family. All the former idol had achieved in those days, were a minor delay of the comeback and to loose all influence over Stray Kids. "But don't worry, I will talk to our promotion team directly. After all, we're on good terms again now after the Shopee incident." Chan couldn't stop his condescending smirk. He didn't mind making money for JYP Entertainment, but it would be through his music – not any soul sucking commercial. Those day were gone.

Bang Chan walked over to the office door and opened it. With his hand resting on the doorknob he turned back to look at the owner of his record company as if a thought had just occurred to him. "Oh, I'll also make sure to let the managers we decide to keep, know that we won't need as many hotel rooms when we do our Maniac tour. Six rooms will be enough." Mr. Park furrowed his eyebrows, as his brain reacted to the simple math in Chan's statement. "Only six?" "Yes, Minsung obviously shares a room. So does Felix and I, seeing as he is my boyfriend." With those parting words Chan left the office, leaving Mr. Park with his mouth hanging open in shock.