Resolving Conflict | Ateez Superhero AU

Notebook

One week after separating

Mingi didn't show up at the breakfast table, but no one questioned why. Yesterday night, Seonghwa received a phone call from Yeosang, who explained why Mingi and Hongjoong were attacked and thereby proved Yunho to be innocent. When Mingi learnt about this, he went into his room and never came out since.

"Should I call Mingi?" Jongho suggested.

"Just leave him be." Seonghwa was already digging a spoon into his bowl of rice. "He needs time for himself."

"He needs to apologize to Yunho." That came out harsher than intended. Jongho took a sip of his coffee.

Hongjoong shakily raised a spoonful of soup to his lips. He went to a hospital to get proper treatment, and now his dominant right arm was bandaged and resting on the table. He sipped loudly.

"He does, but let's wait until he's prepared. There's no point if the apology is not genuine."

Jongho took another sip of his coffee and set the mug down a bit harder than he had to. Then he lifted his chopsticks and started eating. Chewing would keep his mouth busy.

"There's just something I've been thinking about." Hongjoong placed down his spoon gently. "Why did the rogue agent say it was Yunho who hired him?"

Jongho's mouth slowed down.

"If he hates us, shouldn't he be telling us who he is? You know, I expected him to be a hubris if he wants to kill us so much," explained Hongjoong.

"I see where you're coming from," said Seonghwa, without stating his standpoint.

Jongho swallowed. "You're saying Yeosang's lying." He intended to say it like he was unsure, but it came out more accusatory than anything.

Seonghwa felt another headache coming. "We don't know anything yet. Hongjoong is just telling you what he thinks."

"Ok. Then let me tell you what I think. Yeosang will never lie, unless he thinks it is absolutely necessary. And Yunho did nothing wrong. So Mingi should apologize, before the tension between us grows any bigger."

Jongho met eyes with Hongjoong. Neither of them showed any signs of backing up.

"Not so early in the morning, please." Seonghwa felt his control slipping away, emotions starting to leak out through his words and expressions.

Hongjoong wipes his mouth with a napkin. "It's about time we stop pretending we're fine about having half of the group working for another organization. They are clearly hiding something."

"Who?" asked Jongho, not exactly in a nice way.

"All of them." Hongjoong shifted his gaze from Jongho to Seonghwa.

"You never trusted them once," said Jongho. "Why? Why can't you just accept the fact that they are doing fine - better than us hiding away - and that maybe they've been right all along?"

"Because humans are complicated."

Hongjoong's answer was unlike anything Seonghwa and Jongho expected.

But that didn't stop Jongho from stressing his point. "Yunho's not complicated. All he wants is for us to be safe. He stayed there because he didn't want to drag us down further!" He instantly went teary as he said that. He hadn't let himself feel until now just how much it hurt to be separated from his brother knowing Yunho was only doing it for the group's benefit. He just didn't know to what extent.

Hongjoong's left hand found the ear of his mug and held onto it. "There are different ways you can see this, Jongho." He was about to argue with the maknae, but anyone could tell from the strain in his voice that he found it hard to get the words out. "We're not exactly doing the best here. What exactly is he protecting us from? Himself? Or the government?"