This Thing Called 'Love' {Discontinued}

[36] Aware and Afraid

JinYoung's POV-

"Hyung!!!," Daehwi shouted as we burst through the door of our home, "WE'RE HOME!!!" "WE KNOW!!!," Seongwoo yelled back us at in an almost mocking tone , "YOU DON'T HAVE LET THE WORLD KNOW!!!" "You shouting doesn't help either, Hyung," Jaehwan rolled his eyes. "Pft," Woojin scoffed, "and that's coming from our psychotic screamer." "Yah, I'm your Hyung," our main vocal scolded. "Maybe mentally, but not physically," Daniel chuckled. "You're one to talk," Sungwoon retorted. "Wow, what a warm welcome. . .," Jihoon mumbled under his breath just loud enough for us to hear.

"Anyways," Jisung butt in, "How was the day with Areum? How's she doing?" Before the other maknae could fire back about 'him worrying about Areum and not them,' I spoke up. "Good news," I started, "I don't think she's going to fight against us anytime soon." "Mmm," Minhyun hummed nodding, "That is good. "But bad news-," Guanlin cut in, "She's afraid of associating with us because she doesn't want to experience the pain of a loved one dying right before her eyes." ". . . Really now. . .," Daniel hummed, ". . . So she loves us?" "Hyung!," I raised my voice angrily at him. "What?!" "That's not the point!," I explained becoming a bit frustrated.

"Then what is," he asked me, "Guanlin already explained why she was afraid." I sighed, letting my anger release into thin air, "Just be careful of what you say and do when you're with her tomorrow alright?" Daniel looked at me in confusion, but agreed nonetheless, "Got it."

- - -

Sungwoon's POV-

"Oi," I opened the door to our hacker's bedroom, and saw JinYoung laying down in bed. He sat up and turn his body towards me, "Something wrong, Hyung?" I stepped into the room and closed the door with my foot, "Can I talk to you for a bit?" JinYoung let out a short chuckle, "Seeing as you're guarding the door, and I don't have a balcony in my room unlike Areum's, I don't really have a choice since you'd pester me all night if I say no." I grinned at my doengsaeng, "Smart." He shrugged, "I am the hacker after all; the man behind the scenes. I've grown accustomed to building layouts and searching for routes of escape." I just simply nodded and sat at the boy's desk.

"Is this about, Areum?," he hit the target. "Who else would it be about?" JinYoung shrugged and gestured for me to ask what I've been wandering about. "Well. . . Guanlin's explanation for why Areum was afraid. . . Is it really true?," I questioned, rotating the chair to face JinYoung. He tilted his head to the side, a bit confused, "Of course. Why would we lie to you about something like that. We know you guys care about Areum as much as we do, so why would we lie?" I shook my head, "I trust you guys. . . It's just that. . . What Guanlin said doesn't fit 'Areum.'" "Huh?"

I waved the thought away, "It's probably nothing~" "Are you sure, Hyung?," JinYoung asked a thread of worry etched onto his features. "Yep!," I grinned trying to brighten the dark tension in the room. I got off the chair and headed towards the door, "Thanks for the chat BaeJin." I turned back to look at him once the door was ajar, "I'll see you in the morning. Get a goodnight's sleep." "You too, Hyung?. . ." And then I closed the door.

- - -

Daniel's POV-

"Woo!~," I hollered at the Hyung line and I made our way down town walking a fast. We decided to go to this festival happening for the Autumn season. "Yah, 'Niel-ah don't walk too fast!," Seongwoo called out to me since I was a good distance away from them. "Ne!," I paused and waited for my Hyungs to catch up. "Geez, you guys are slow," I teased once they reached me, "Oh wait- Some of you guys aren't as young as me anymore~" Jisung gave me a look, and I apologized a immediately after.

"Hey," MinHyung spoke up after a while, "Isn't Areum bringing some of her friends with her?" "According to what she texted me yesterday, it's more like. . . they're going with her no matter what. . .," Sungwoon recalled. Jaehwan let out a dry laugh, "Wonder who it could be. . ."

- - - Le Time Skip Brought to You by Wanna One's Beautful~ - - -

"Why'd you guys have to come?," I heard Areum's voice complaining to another person. . .or maybe persons? "Because we're label mates now~" That voice. . . "I'm still a trainee, Sunbae. . ." Wanna One's hyung line and I saw Areum's figure and we also saw two other people with her: Taeyong and Ten. Out of all the people. . . Ten spotted us out of the corner of his eye and waved us over, "Hey guys!~" Even though Areum's back was towards us, I could tell she was rolling her eyes at him.

"Took you guys long enough," Areum retorted as she turned to face us, "I had to hang out with these two for the past half hour." "And what's that supposed to mean?," Taeyong asked her, 'curiosity' in his eyes. "Right-, I had to spend the past half hour with Ten," she corrected herself. "What did I do to deserve this, hatred," Ten huffed, crossing his arms. "A lot," Areum smiled kindly, and pat him on the back.

"Ahem," Jisung cleared his throat, gathering the attention of the now three SM Town members. "Oh, Mian, Jisung-shi," Areum chuckled awkwardly, "Sorry about these two also. They kind of. . .insisted. . ." "It's alright," our leader assured, "Let's just have fun today, alright?," Jisung grinned, and our day went onwards!

.

.

.

.

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But not exactly. . . swimmingly. . .

- - -

"I had one request, and you guys refused to follow it," Areum seethed her gaze piercing through Ten, Taeyong, and Johnny, Yuta, and Taeil. It was as if a gun was aimed at all five of them. "You promised!," Areum growled. "Areum, we just ran into-," Jaehwan stopped speaking as soon as his gaze met the SM trainee's. "We might've just 'ran into them,'" she began, "But they definitely didn't." At that point, I realized that NCT had planned this. Whether if was an ambush or not- that's unclear, but what's certain: that Areum definitely wasn't happy with them.

Areum's POV-

Did Mark lie, when he said things might be clearing up between these two groups?. . . I thought to myself as I stared down the members of NCT. "Tch," I scoffed and began walking away. "Areum, where are you-" "You guys are gonna spend the rest of the day with each other!," I called back to them, not turning around to face the ten startled boys, "I'm hanging out with Minso and Natty for the rest of the day!" "But, Areum-" "NO IF'S OR BUT'S!," I shouted at them, stopping my feet from moving, "YOU'RE GONNA GET ALONG AND THAT'S THAT!"

- - - Time Skip Brought to You by the Author Being Sorry for All the Time Skips - - -

Daniel's POV-

Silence. . . the only other word that can describe this atmosphere- deadly. . .

You see. . . the maknae line of NCT and Wanna One are, well, maknae. Even though they're dangerous they're still kids- they don't want to hurt each other. . . They just. . . have to. . . Us hyungs on the other hand. . . we're more aware of each other, ourselves, and the situation we're in. We know what we're capable of; we know when we're holding back. . .

But right now. . .

We're afraid. . .

Of not just us, but what's going to happen to Produce101 and SM TOWN. . .