SoS
Dumbfounded Nichkhun and Taecyeon stood in the entrance. “What the hell did just happen?” The Thai asked confused.
The younger gritted his teeth. “Who cares? If he gets off on being beaten up then he should just go with this psycho.” He hissed and went into his room, slamming the door.
But the Thai only glared at him and went out after them. When he found them, they were currently sitting on a bench in the park near by. Wooyoung was saying something to Park Jaebeom, looking concerned. Now why in hell would he be concerned?
---
“Don’t think about it, hyung. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Wooyoung tried to calm his brother down, who looked very pale.
Park Jaebeom sighed. “But he’s righ - OW.” He didn’t have the chance to finish the sentence, because the younger slapped the back of his head. “What the fuck, Vic?” he cursed in English.
“Never again say it’s your fault, damn it. I told you often enough that you couldn’t have prevented it, Jay. Jason was a bastard with fucking luck on his side!” Hearing Wooyoung curse like that -or surprisingly speaking English for that matter -, Nichkhun chose to get closer. "The only thing that helped me get through this year is your presence, alright? Only because you were there for me the whole time, I didn't break, hyung. Get that into your thick skull!"
Both didn’t notice him, until he stood right in front of the bench, but when they did, the younger glared in his direction. For Nichkhun it was the first time being on the receiving end of that glare and with a shudder he thought he would prefer it to be the last time. It wasn’t the playful glare he sent in their direction when Chansung stole his food for example, or he and Junsu fought over a note in the elder’s melodies. No, it was the dark glare that was usually reserved only for Taecyeon.
“What do you want?” he snapped.
Narrowing his eyes at the angry tone, Nichkhun tried not to be too hurt by it. Wooyoung never talked to him like that. “Wooyoung ah, I’m sorry if we did something wrong, but I think we deserve some sort of explanation.” He glanced at Jaebeom. “You can’t blame us for being suspicious to see him here, out of all people.”
“Oh, you don’t know anything, hyung!” Wooyoung jumped up, but Jay pulled him back.
“Of course he wouldn’t know, Woo ah. No one does, in fact.” He said with a bitter tone of voice.
“Know what, exactly?” Nichkhun frowned. “All I know is that your old band disbanded, because Jay Park beat up one of the members. Victor Park.” Seeing the look on Wooyoung’s face, he knew that he said something wrong.
“Jay Park did nothing.” He said in an icy tone, but when he saw how confused the Thai was, he sighed. “I… I’m sorry, Khun hyung. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
Not really knowing what to do, Nichkhun placed his hand on his shoulder. A gesture both learned to find reassuring during the past three weeks. “Say, where did you learn to curse like that?” he asked, curious but trying to lighten the mood as well.
Jaebeom scoffed. “Oh, he didn’t learn that. He was born with it, believe me.”
“Hyung!” Wooyoung blushed a crimson red and glared at his brother. Nichkhun only laughed. It was really hard to believe that since he didn’t hear him curse even once until now. “So I guess I need to explain, right?” the younger suddenly asked. The Thai stopped laughing and, after a short pause, nodded.
---
Not being able to stay calm, Taecyeon eventually followed Nichkhun to search for Wooyoung. No matter how annoyed he was, he couldn’t just leave the boy alone with Jay Park, damn it. But what he saw - or heard, since he was hiding - startled him.
“So, you know that the media announced that SoS disbanded, because Jay Park beat up Victor Park, right?” The youngest started. He saw Nichkhun nod his head. “That’s not true. Yes, Victor was beat up, but not by Jaebeom. Never.” Taec could only imagine the Thai’s confused look.
“Then what happened?” That’s what Taecyeon wanted to know as well.
“The band consisted of four members. Jay, Victor, Michael and well… Jason.” The last name was clearly pressed out between gritted teeth. “Jason was after Victor...” There was a small pause where Khun asked something, Taec couldn’t hear. “Yeah, like that. But Victor wasn’t interested in him. Not at all, believe me.” He could hear Jaebeom sneer and tried to look at them.
Nichkhun was sporting his ‘What the hell’ look, complete with wide open eyes and slightly open mouth. Jay was hunched on the couch, looking raged and exhausted. What caught him off guard was the look of pure hatred on Wooyoung’s face. The darkness that was usually only deep in his eyes, spread all over it. It looked cold-hearted, scary even and Taecyeon didn’t like that look one bit.
“So, after a more than inappropriate advance of Jason, Victor snapped and told him clearly that he wasn’t interested. Knowing him half of his life, he didn’t expect Jason to freak…” Wooyoung looked down then and Jaebeom grabbed his wrist. “I…”
“I found them. He was on top of him, throwing punches and Woo… Victor was almost unconscious when I found them, so I tried everything to get Jason off. You almost couldn’t recognise his face.” The last part was mumbled. Taec’s own gasp was covered by Nichkhun’s.
“Jaebeom didn’t do anything. He saved my life and they destroyed his!” The desperate tone of Wooyoung’s voice startled both of them and Jay once again gripped his hand, holding it between his own two. Taecyeon wanted to do something, anything. He couldn’t just watch how his - and since when did he become his? - boy trembled, still looking down. He wanted to help.
Nichkhun then asked the question both of them already knew the answer to. “Wooyoung ah…” He slowly reached out to hold Wooyoung’s arms, calming him. “Victor Park. It’s…”
“Me, yes.” Taecyeon growled suddenly and stepped out of his hiding place. Wooyoung’s head snapped up and he made a small movement to completely shield Jaebeom. The taller noticed the gesture of distrust and although it hurt him a bit and simply grabbed the boy and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Time just stopped again. He could hear Wooyoung’s startled yelp and Jaebeom’s growl, but then nothing.
---
Nichkhun’s eyes widened when Taecyeon appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Even more, when Wooyoung was pulled away from him into the giant’s arms. Smirking to himself he stopped Jay from jumping Taec. Finally the idiot realized, he thought.
He observed how Taecyeon’s hand slowly stroked over the younger’s hair and how Wooyoung relaxed almost instantly, although he was hugged by the one person that always glared at him for the last weeks. Then again, the Thai had noticed that Wooyoung watched the giant sometimes. It was stupid really. Clearly both of them felt attracted to each other - the younger’s arms slowly encircled Taec’s waist - but just didn’t do anything.
Jaebeom stared at them with narrowed eyes. “Bastard.” He mumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. He was not amused to say the least.
But of course he grinned like a maniac when Wooyoung suddenly pushed Taecyeon away.
---
The younger quickly dragged his hand over his eyes, wiping away the remains of the tears that succeeded to escape his self control. What the hell just happened? One minute he’s trying really hard not to cry or hit something and in the next one he is weeping in Taecyeon’s - Taecyeon’s - embrace?
Clearing his throat he tried to compose himself. He didn’t cry in months. In fact he didn’t cry since his hyung was kicked out of their entertainment and that was almost a year ago. Just what the hell happened now?
Taecyeon was glaring again, but this time it wasn’t really directed at him. He just looked raged. Taking a deep breath, Wooyoung placed a hand on his arm. “A… are you alright?” He asked, cursing his shaking voice in his head. He winced slightly - again cursing himself, just get a grip already, Wooyoung! - when Taec’s eyes met his.
“Am I alright? Jesus, you’re funny.” Wooyoung only frowned, but the taller took a few calming breaths. “How come you’re Wooyoung now?” he then asked quietly.
“Ah… that’s because Jae and me were born in America, so our parents gave us Korean and American names. Jaebeom’s Jay and I’m Victor.” The younger explained. ”The entertainment thought it was a good idea to use our Western names since Michael and Jason had American names, too.”
Nichkhun frowned. “But how come no one recognises you as Victor?” He cursed himself when Wooyoung winced.
Jay glared at him, but explained none the less. “Like I said, his face was almost unrecognisable. His nose and cheekbones were broken, they had to operate and his facial features changed slightly.”
“Additionally, I lost weight in the last year, so now I’m a completely new person. Victor Park died and Jang Wooyoung was born.” Taecyeon wanted to reach out to him again, because he felt awful seeing the normally cheerful Wooyoung vulnerable like this. But Jaebeom pulled him down on the bench, stoking his arm.
“What happened with that Jason guy?” he asked instead, almost spitting the name out.
The darkness returned to the younger’s face. “Nothing. It’s Jason Kim. He’s solo now.”
Another growl escaped Taecyeon’s lips. “Jason Kim? X Entertainment’s Jason Kim?” he asked. Wooyoung only stared at him and then at Nichkhun. When he saw that the Thai had an equally angry expression, he nodded. “That bastard!”
“What’s the matter with him?” Jaebeom asked Nichkhun, who was still standing next to him.
The Thai’s normally pretty face was an ice cold mask. “Jason Kim is in prison.” Jay cursed and Wooyoung’s eyes widened. Before either one could say anything, Nichkhun continued. “The media said it was just a minor traffic delinquency and he’ll be free in a few, but rumour has it that he almost raped a girl.”
---
Wooyoung felt his knees buckling and quickly sat down on the bench. “He’s in prison?” he asked shakily. Jaebeom sat down next to him, placing his arm around his shoulder. The younger leaned his head against him and released a long breath.
Nichkhun and Taecyeon didn’t know what to do, so they just stayed still.
After a few minutes Wooyoung stood up again. “I think we should go back. The others are probably worried.” He said.
And he was right. The second they stepped into the house, they were surrounded by the other members and asked where the hell they’ve been. Taecyeon noticed that Wooyoung once again positioned himself in front of Jay and he was relieved that he wasn’t the only one, Wooyoung didn’t trust when it came to his brother.
He felt bad when the younger had to explain his past a second time, but this time Wooyoung’s voice stayed cold and calm, so maybe he started to put it behind him. Taec could only hope that was the reason.