Hidden ( on hold )

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

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𝐇 𝐈 𝐃 𝐃 𝐄 𝐍

The Stray Kids' performance at MAMA had gone better than expected. It had now been a month and Christmas was near. It was Sunday. Chan was about to go live on VLIVE, as usual, when his cell phone screen lit up. "Aussie bro" was calling him.
The older smiled as he unlocked his device.
"Hey, what's up?", he asked after picking up the phone. "Hi, have you already done your weekly live? I wanted to join and say hi to stays", Felix declared being all excited as a little kid full of joy.
"I was just about to start it, I can wait for you tho"
"Nah, don't worry, you can start it already... I'm on my way, I'll be there in ten minutes time" the younger replied as he opened the car's door. He was at JYPE building and Chan was home, at that moment.
"Okayy, drive safely and don't rush, cya".
"Yep, bye-bye". Felix ended the call. He had just finished practicing his singing at JYPE's (even if it was Sunday) and the manager had offered to drive him, as he knew that he would feel tired, so the other accepted his kind offer.

"Seo-jun, could we please go to the dorm?", Felix broke the silence for the first time after taking off his jacket and placing it on the seat next to his. Choi Seo-jun, the manager, adjusted the angle of the rear view mirror to get a quick glance at Felix and replied that he certainly could.  While Felix was still in the car he received a text from Hyunjin.
'Lixiee, Jeongin and I baked some cookies. Chan hyung told us that you were about to come home.
I didn't want to distract you while driving by calling you, Ik you only see texts if you are at a red light or in traffic.'
Hyunjin had been so thoughtful even through a small gesture, Felix slightly blushed inadvertently.
'Dw, I'm not the one who's driving but thank you for thinking about my safety'

"Is there a problem, Mr. Lee? His complexion is redder than usual", the manager suddenly affirmed while Felix was still texting with Hyunjin. The boy was taken aback and jumped a little on his seat. Usually managers called all idols by last name but Stray Kids said from the very first moment, years before, that they all wanted to be called simply by first name because they wanted to maintain a slightly less formal relationship than expected, they wanted managers to consider them as their friends, or almost so.

Although the question caught him off guard, Felix managed to find an adequate answer and above all, that it wouldn't arouse suspicion.
"Everything is fine, I was just checking my phone but the sweatshirt I'm wearing makes me feel too warm."
He looked away from the manager to open the car window. Seo-jun returned his focus to the road and Felix allowed himself to let out a sigh of relief.

The rest of the drive went smoothly, they had arrived at their destination. Felix thanked and greeted Seo-jun since he was about to leave the car.
He opened the car's door but Seo-jun did the same,
the younger looked at the manager in confusion.
"Felix, may I enter the house with you?"
Felix was now even more confused, why would he enter? Managers usually just manage idols' work and similar stuff. Nevertheless, Felix couldn't say no without a reason, it would've sound rude.
"Of course you can", Felix then smiled awkwardly and turned away to walk towards the villa, which was a few meters away from the small parking lot. He heard footsteps behind him, so he kept walking.
The two entered the dorm thanks to Felix's key.
Seo-jun glanced at Hyunjin and Jeongin, in the kitchen, and walked over to them.
"Hello, I hope not to bother you", Seo-jun finally spoke. The two boys had heard the sound of keys in the door and footsteps, but surely they did not expect to see a thirty-four year old with reddish hair.
They looked up together from the biscuits they were arranging on a plate.

"Oh, hi Seo-jun", Jeongin said a few seconds before smiling to the older. Hyunjin gulped silently after moving his gaze from the manager to Felix, then back to the manager.
"Hello, you aren't bothering at all, do you want some cookies?", Hyujin's voice echoed in the room.
"Thanks for the offer but I'm not hungry", Seo-jun looked at Hyunjin with a smile, then his face got serious.
"Mr. Park Jin-young asked me to take a look there and see how you all are after all the pressure from MAMA, he also sends his regards"
That was.. 'unexpected', Felix believed.

'strange'.

There was something weird.
Managers usually didn't go to idols' homes unless it was something important, and that reason wasn't at all important in Hyunjin's eyes.
JYP simply could have texted a group member or had his secretary call them. Instead, sending a manager to the dorm was very unusual.

"Oh, I see. That was kind of him", Jeongin replied as he tried his best to smile again to the man in a suit and tie with a disproportionate amount of gel in his hair. "Indeed it was and thank you for taking me home", these were Felix's words, who touched his neck knowing that Hyunjin was watching him. Hyunjin suddenly understood the signal and turned to the fridge. He quickly opened the door and thrust out a bottle of beer, with his free hand he adjusted the edge of the shirt so that it better covered a small purplish mark left by Felix's lips a few days before. He had completely forgotten about it.

Jeongin understood what was happening and obviously wanted to help his friends protect their secret. He cleared his throat and took the bottle from Hyunjin's hands.

"Manager Seo-jun, would you like a sip of cold beer while Hyunjin goes to call the others?"
"I have to drive home but I think a sip won't hurt anyone", he smirked and took a seat at the table while Jeongin grabbed a glass from one of the kitchen cabinets.

Hyunjin then walked out of the kitchen. He went to his room. He knew Chan was live and knocked on the door. "Walk up", the leader replied.
Hyunjin slowly opened the door and stood on the edge, mimicked a "there's the manager" with his lips and Chan immediately guessed that there was a problem. The boy looked back at the video camera placed on a bed and spoke to the Stays who were watching him online. "I'm sorry but time is up for today. Thanks for the company, remember to take care of yourselves. You make stray kids stay."
A brief moment of silence followed, Chan smiled.
He then approached the video camera and, saying "big hug" he pretended to embrace the technological device. He waved, said several "bye" and ended the live connection.

Chan stood up and, fixing his hair, which had left with natural curls today, went to Hyunjin.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Hyunjin took a deep breath.
"Seo-jun drove Felix home but he insisted in coming inside. He said JYP wanted to know how we were doing but.. I feel something isn't right"
"Where is he now?", Chan asked while looking at the taller. "In the kitchen. With Innie and Lix."
"Okay, have he seen the hickey?"
"The hicke-", Hyunjin didn't think Chan would have noticed it, it was a small mark which was mostly covered by his t-shirt.
"Yea, I've noticed it. The others probably have too. Don't worry about us now. Has the manager seen it or not?", Chan quietly asked again.
"I hope not but I'm not hundred percent sure"

Chan put a hand on the boy's shoulder to calm the anxiety that was invading his thoughts. By now he had learned to understand when this was happening to his friends and also knew how to calm them down, most of the time. "Everything will be alright, we will solve any problem that may arise, as we have always done over the years. Together, as a family."

The elder's calm voice managed to slow down the speed of the paranoia that was taking place in Hyunjin's thinking. The two then went to Minho's room, knocked and, after receiving his permission, entered.

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a/n:
Hi people, I'm back again with an update, I hope it satisfied your expectations. How are you doing?
Also, this story is "near" to its end but not yet.
I'll update as soon as I can but unfortunately it doesn't depend on me, once again.
I still have a few tests and exams to do at school so I have to prioritize them, yk :/
However, be kind to yourselves and remember that you're worth more than you think, I love you all

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