ATEEZ 9th Member AU

News Flash

Nari finds out her past has been leaked

Seonghwa bit his lip in worry and frustration as they all piled back into their dorm. Hongjoong hadn't met them at the restaurant and he hadn't heard from him since he stormed out to talk with their boss. Thankfully, Nari hadn't seen or heard about the article yet as far as he knew. He was doing his best to keep it that way for now.

However, Nari could read her boys like the back of her hand. Nothing they did could ever get by her. Not to mention that Yeosang was being extremely nice for once. She'd had quite enough of the tip-toeing around her. "That's it!" She said loudly, throwing her hands up. Seonghwa froze, breath catching in his throat. He should've known better.

"What in tarnation is going on?" She said, narrowing her eyes at the boys in front of her. San, Mingi and Jongho all cocked their heads to the side. Nari shook her head, waving them away. "Not you three. But you four." He gaze landed on Wooyoung, Seonghwa, Yunho and Yeosang. Yeosang was good at poker face but Wooyoung and Yunho kept fidgeting and wouldn't meet her eyes. Seonghwa just looked defeated.

"We might as well tell you before you find out another way." Yeosang sighed and gestured for her to follow him to the living room. "Phone, Wooyoung." He said and Wooyoung gulped, looking at Seonghwa. He merely shrugged. Yeosang wasn't wrong, it is better for her to find out now rather than later. At least they were all here to help.

The other three boys that had no idea what is going on curiously glanced over Nari's shoulder as Yeosang placed the phone in her hands. They all gasped in unison at the title. Nari's eyes quickly skimmed through the article. She felt someone squeeze her shoulder but she wasn't sure. All she felt right now was numb and panic.

"Is this where Hongjoong is?" San asked and Seonghwa nodded. "He's convinced that someone in the company leaked it. There'd be no other way for anyone to know besides us." Nari snapped her gaze to Seonghwa. "Who?" She asked and she didn't mean for her voice to sound as weak as she felt. Seonghwa's gaze softened. "We don't know, baby. But we'll find out. Promise."

She didn't say anything, standing up and rolling her neck. Right now all she could feel was her anger rising up. "Don't make promises you can't keep." She snapped and they all looked taken aback. "What are you talking about?" San said gently, reaching for her but she jerked back, eyes glaring at all of them. "You promised me this wouldn't get out. You all promised me."

She spun on her heels and to her room, slamming the door shut before any of them could say anything. She laid on her bed, glaring at the ceiling. She felt guilt; she knew the boys had no control over anyone else and that they really had done their absolute best not to let it get out. Along with her company. But all she was right now was pissed and ready to punch someone. She huffed, turning to her side and willing herself to fall asleep.

Back in the living room, the boys looked at each other, hopeless. "I don't get how she can just blame this all on us." San muttered, crossing his arms. "Just give her a minute, San-ah. It was a lot of information at once." Yunho said but San scoffed. Yeosang sighed. "I agree though. Does she expect us to be able to control what people the company hires?"

Seonghwa sighed, opening his mouth to say something when the front door slammed open and then closed. Wooyoung gulped as Hongjoong stomped into the room. He looked angrier than when he had left them all back at the company. "I take it it's not good news." Jongho sighed, sinking on the couch. Hongjoong scoffed, pacing back and forth.

"It's too late to keep it from running. Tomorrow morning everyone is going to know. And Sean-hyung has been trying all day to figure out who in the company leaked it. We're stuck." Seonghwa sighed, sitting on the floor and leaning against the couch. Mingi massaged his shoulders. "She knows about it." San said bitterly and that got Hongjoong to stop pacing.

"Where is she?" He asked, now more worried than angry. "Pouting in her room because apparently it's our fault that we let it get out." Yunho rolled his eyes at the venom in San's voice but kept his mouth shut. "What does she want us to do? Screen everyone that they hire?" Hongjoong said, quickly letting his anger take over again. "That's what I said!" Yeosang chimed in.

Yunho scoffed, rolling his eyes and standing up. "You're all ridiculous." Hongjoong narrowed his glare to him. "Yah!" Yunho put his hands up in surrender. "She just found out that her whole life if about to be aired to the world and she's angry. Yet you're all going to sit here and be petty about her having an attitude." He turned and walked away to his room, slamming the door shut.

"I agree with Yunho-hyung." Jongho said quietly, standing up. "She just needs a minute and then she'll apologize. She didn't mean it." He quietly went to his room, Mingi following behind him. San huffed, standing up and stomping off to his room with Yeosang and Wooyoung hot on his tail. Hongjoong groaned in frustration, falling on the couch and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Seonghwa patted his knee. "Let's just call it a night, leader." He teased lightly. "We'll handle whatever tomorrow brings us together as a team. Everyone's just tired tonight." Hongjoong grunted in response. He was exhausted too but he didn't come in belittling anyone or arguing. "It was weird though." Seonghwa hummed quietly and Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, bumping with his knee to continue.

"She didn't react at all how we thought she would. She didn't cry, she didn't panic. She actually didn't even say anything. All she asked was who it was and then accused us of breaking promises." Hongjoong shrugged, lost in thought. Nari was a strong woman, he knew that. They all knew that; but the topic of her parents was something that did, in fact, cause her to crumble. So, to hear that she hadn't shown the slightest bit of emotion besides some anger, he was more than worried.

This wasn't a Nari he was familiar with.