Faltering Steps • J-Hope

xi.

Tae finished wrapping a fluffy blanket around Hobi. "There. All comfy?"

Hobi nodded, smiling for the first time that day. "Thanks, Tae. Did Yoongi tell you?"

Tae hesitated before shrugging. "Yoongi told Namjoon told me."

Hobi nodded. "I figured."

Tae grinned. "Now you just get toasty and take a nap. I'll handle everything."

"Okay," Hobi said, mostly because he wanted Tae to feel like he'd accomplished something. It wasn't a lie that Hobi felt better, but there was something missing. Someone, really.

Yoongi.

Why tell someone else how to cheer Hobi up? Why not just do it himself?

Is he mad at me? For making him take the train? Or because he couldn't sleep well?

Hobi took a nap as suggested, but he slept uneasily.

***

"There are several groups managed by Big Hit," the producer explained slowly, having broken down quickly when Yoongi had pressured him, glaring and cursing and being his usual fluffy self. "Obviously, BTS represents one. We also manage Homme, which has only two members. But there's an extremely delicate situation right now that absolutely can't be leaked to the public, hence the necessity for secrecy surrounding Hoseok's injury. And I care about him, and about all of you, I truly do, but this is bigger than me and Hoseok."

"Get on with it. I'm not feeling very patient."

The producer sighed. "You're familiar with EXO?"

Yoongi wrinkled his nose, scrunching his face up. "Unfortunately. Yes."

"Then are you also aware of the legal issues their label is fighting? Several of the members, or ex-members, have filed lawsuits against the label and, well, frankly, it's a mess."

Yoongi frowned. "I've heard about it vaguely but I don't really have any idea what it's about."

The producer sighed. "Well, the leader, Kris, filed a lawsuit against S.M. Entertainment for being treated like property instead of a person, disregard for his health and well-being, and several other complaints. Luhan sued for more or less the same issues as well as being treated differently than other members. Additionally, one of the members, Tao, left the group to do solo work in China, and sued S.M. for termination of his contract. Then S.M. sued Tao for not repaying them and all of them for breaching their contract for promo work and - like I said, it's a big a mess."

Yoongi just nodded. "Right. So what does that have to do with Hobi's injury?"

The producer purses his lips. "There's a possibility - and this isn't a done deal, not that you ever heard a word of this from me - but since S.M. Entertainment is facing so much backlash from all the lawsuits and losing a quarter of their group, there's a small possibility that S.M. is going to transfer ownership rights to Big Hit. Not that you are property, but you know what I mean. And it wouldn't be free, of course, but S.M. has some rising stars, and the way things are going with EXO-"

"You mean that EXO is going to be a part of Big Hit?" Yoongi asked, interrupting the producer.

"Did I say it was definite? No. They might join our label. As in maybe. But like I said, negotiations are still going on, and none of this can get out to the press. There could be horrible publicity, for us, for EXO, for S.M. So you need to keep quiet about it."

"So what you're really saying is that whoever hit our car - he's from EXO?"

obviously this is fan fiction
please don't take this literally
repeat, this is not cannon