Resolving Conflict | Ateez Superhero AU

Intrusion

Hongjoong insisted that the group gets a few days of rest in between  each mission. So the members were either relaxing in their base,  working, or visiting their friends and family outside.

"I'm heading out!" San declared, standing by the doorway. Only  Seonghwa, Yunho, and Jongho were  in the apartment. Yeosang got a  tutoring job for his distant niece,  Hongjoong was visiting his parents,  Wooyoung was having fun with his old high school friends, and  Mingi...no one knew where Mingi was, but everyone would guess he'd be  somewhere eating.

"Have fun at work!" Jongho said, eyes glued to the variety show on TV as he stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth.

San glared at the youngest member, hoping to burn a hole through the  pack of salty snacks.  But alas, he didn't have any cool superpowers  like the others, except maybe the physical capacity and willpower to  work 8 hours a day and still help the team out during operations.

Yunho, who scrambled to get out the shower after hearing San, emerged  from the hallway with  moist, messy hair and a towel on his shoulders.  "Be careful on the roads! Thanks again for being so hardworking." He  smiled as he walked up to San.

Looking away from Jongho, San stretched out his arms for a hug. It gave him all the energy he needed for work.

"Who's going with you?"

Yunho and San separated and looked at Seonghwa, who had apparently just came out of his room.

"No one," San replied.  He stole a glance at Yunho, who had the same  darkness in his eyes. They could both tell that Seonghwa - with the  alert eyes and rigid posture -  was acting a bit strange this morning.

Jongho's attention switched from the commercial break on TV to the  three people standing in  the living room. Everyone was waiting for  Seonghwa to say something,  but his eyes were unfocused and his hands  were shuffling inside his hoodie pocket. His eyebrows twitched as if  they wanted to deepen into a frown.

"Is something wrong?" Yunho asked, observing the subtle body language.

Seonghwa's gaze settled on Yunho tentatively. "Maybe you should go  with San," he said after a  moment of hesitation. It sounded more like a  question than a suggestion.

Yunho looked at San and then back at Seonghwa. "Why?"

Seonghwa looked away to stare at a spot behind Yunho.

The commercial break ended and the theme music of the variety show  blasted through the speakers. Jongho scrambled for the remote to lower  the volume, and then returned to watching the show, trying to act  natural.

San checked his watch. "Shoot, I'm going to be late." He reached for the door handle. "Are you coming or not?"

Yunho waited for Seonghwa to answer his question, but the older was now staring at San with a concerned expression.

"Maybe next time..."  Yunho replied, turning away from Seonghwa  reluctantly. He was starting to think that he should've forced Seonghwa  to talk yesterday night.

San snorted. "You always say that. All of you. You know how lonely I am?"

Yunho smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Now go quickly, or you'll actually be late."

"Ok, ok." San sighed and walked out the door.

"Be careful," Seonghwa said just as the door clicked shut as if he just realized San was leaving.

Yunho turned around, but Seonghwa was already walking back to his  room. He sat next to Jongho  instead, and whispered, "Don't you think  Seonghwa's acting weird lately?"