Hidden

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

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𝐇 𝐈 𝐃 𝐃 𝐄 𝐍

Chan and Hyunjin found the cat lover boy watching a film sitting cross-legged on his bed.

Chan quickly explained the situation and Hyunjin's fears about what might happen. The taller boy
was obviously frightened everyone (other than his friends) would find out about him and Felix.

Minho understood how and what Hyunjin felt, as if all those fears were his too. And in a sense they were.

Han and him, in fact, had decided  that they wouldn't tell the others about the turn their friendship had taken for some weeks now, or at
least for the time being.
Nonetheless, some members were beginning to grow suspicious and the two were terrified that the news would eventually reach people outside their group.

Han was the most scared and anxious about it. Minho had done everything to calm him down during his sleepless nights.
During the panic attacks he had every now and then.
The boy hoped Han would feel better as time went on, but in the meantime he had to comfort him.

These thoughts flashed through Minho's mind, like
a sudden bolt of lightning. Then he closed the laptop, stood up and joined the other two at the door.
As soon as his gaze met Hyunjin's, Minho wrapped his arms around the other's back.

"Trying to resist, huh? You're not alone in this."

He said these words while the fingers of his right hand ran through the soft hair of the other, who nodded slowly. Chan smiled like a father would watching his children play together after a squabble, then he joined the long embrace.

The three reached the manager. The other two boys were in the kitchen. Hyunjin looked at Jeongin, who smiled at him fearfully as the manager watched Chan and Minho, the two newcomers to the room.

"Hey, Seo-jun. Forgive us for being late but we weren't expecting this visit and we were in pajamas", Chan lied. Then laughed. An awkward, nervous, fearful laugh. However, only his closest friends seemed to realize it.
"So..what brings you here?"

"Hello to you and Minho", the manager spoke again. "I just wanted to know how you were doing after the attention and expectations you've gotten. The boss actually asked me to stop by."

"Good evening. As you can see we are quite well" Minho stated. "Changbin, Han and Seungmin are shopping but they will probably be back from here in a few minutes" he added looking at the window and his curtain, half open.

The sky had darkened. The white clouds had given way to a cobalt blue ceiling sprinkled with a few visible stars.

"You're right, everything seems to be going perfectly here" answered the manager as he quickly looked the boys around him.
Jeongin was leaning against a kitchen cabinet, legs crossed, and smiled almost imperceptibly at those words.
The youngest ran an hand through his freshly dyed red hair. Hyunjin had his back against the windowsill and Minho was standing next to him. Chan nodded softly as he switched legs on which all of his body weight rested. Felix was seated, two chairs away from the manager.

The manager got up. Chan noticed a plate of cookies baked earlier on the table. "Don't you want some cookies?" he then asked. "Thanks but I'm not very hungry" the other, whose eye fell on the half-empty Hite beer bottle, replied.

"I should drive you home, you've been drinki-"
Seo-jun interrupted with a wave of his hand. "It's a nice thought but a friend of mine is coming to get me, don't worry." Minho smiled sincerely. "Are you sure? Then it's fine." Luckily he had thus saved himself a very embarrassing journey during which he would have had to be very cautious about what words might come out of his mouth.

A few moments later, the boy band's manager greeted  the members and left the dorm as his friend had arrived to drive him home.
Seungmin, Han and Changbin returned to the house after about ten minutes. They had been shopping for the whole week and there were a lot of heavy bags so all eight of them put food and drinks in the kitchen cabinets or in the fridge.

The boys sat down in the living room.
Minho and Jeongin explained to the three what had happened just before they entered the dorm.
"Excuse me but I feel tired, I'll go to sleep," Hyunjin said out of the blue. It was only nine in the evening, it was strange that Hyunjin already wanted to sleep.

The others looked quickly at each other while the boy with longer hair kept his head down, looking at a spot on the cherry wood of which the coffee table in front of him was made.
They knew he was anxious, scared.
All they wanted in that moment was to take care of him and Felix, who had found themselves in this strange situation despite having done nothing wrong.
Perhaps though, they just needed to be left alone.

Hyunjin stood up from the sofa.
"Sleep well, Jinnie", Jeongin said, as he couldn't do much more. "Goodnight to our wonderful prince" were Chan's words. The others also wished him to sleep well.

"We are here if you need to talk or anything else", Minho said with a smile, before adding "and rest properly".

We are here. They really were.
He had not one but seven people he could always count on, no matter what happened.

A smile crept across his lips as he left the room.

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a/n:
Hi,
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, if you'd let me know your thoughts in the comments I would surely feel happier, whether they're positive or not.
I'm also sorry for updating this late but I'm on Erasmus and I don't really have enough time to spend on wattpad, hope you undestand me.
Have a nice day, sending hugs <3

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