Chapter Text
It had been a long day. Hyunwoo and Jooheon entered the dorms and flopped on the nearest soft surface. A full day of dance practice and testing out their vocals for their duo stage was catching up to them. With just some more practices to go before they were due to perform was making them train harder and improve anything they found wrong.
Hyunwoo got up from the floor to go into the kitchen and grab himself something to drink before dying. He found Chankyun and Hyungwon just as equally drained of energy lounging on the chairs. "How's it going for you two." A groan was his answer which made him smile. Everyone was working so hard. He wondered how the recording for the others was going. He knew Wonho had pre recorded of how the song he wanted was going to go.
It was almost 10pm which meant Hoseok, Minhyuk and Kihyun were supposed to be home soon too hopefully. It had been over two weeks since all 7 members were awake together. It was too late to grab something to eat. They were all dieting to get their stages and looks just right. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made. In this case, food was the one given up. No one ate after 6 pm.
Everyone had separated themselves into their own units for the upcoming events. Hyunwoo and Jooheon had been planning of doing something together for a while so it was luck that they got an opportunity. He DID feel a little bad after the end of the first week of his and Jooheon's time when Kihyun had come up to them while practicing.
The smaller man had sat across from them in the recording studio and asked if they had already finished practicing their parts. Which, of course they had. They only had 3 weeks to get it all done.
Kihyun had playfully asked if it was too late to add one more. Jooheon had let out a laugh and told him adding someone else right then, would be like telling a pilot to turn around and go back after almost landing. Kihyun had scratched the back of his neck and laughed lightly as well. 'Guess you're right. Good luck guys.' and with that, he left the two alone.
They had guessed the other had just been messing with them.
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"My legs feel like jelly. Like I'm turning into a laffy taffy." Changkyun leaned back into his chair and threw his head back. A groan left him as he stretched his legs. He could feel his muscles tense up and retaliate.
Doing their stage and practicing their previous choreo was starting to take a hit on the youngest member. Even with all the years of training and practice, he had to keep improving. He looked over to Hyungwon who downed a shot of apple cider viegar with water. Gross
"I don't understand how you can drink that." Hyungwon gave a lopsided smile. "You get used to it." He also stretched out as he stood up.His bones popping back in some areas. His body was sore but not like before. The choreo for his and Chankyun's stage was something he had come up with a while ago so it wasn't too bad.
He knew their fans were going to love it. It was sexy and fun. He turned around to look over to the front area when he heard the door open, the last unit finally making it home. Which reminded him of how Kihyun had approached him and Chankyun the first day of their practice.
He had found the duo in the living room chatting. Since Jooheon and Hyunwoo had called dibs on the dance room for morning practice, and Minhyuk and Wonho were with one of the producers for vocals, the two were left at home to plan their own until they could use one of the rooms.
"So you two decided to team up?" The other leaned against the couch as he looked around. Hyungwon had already guessed why they were approached but waited for the older to say it himself.
"Yeah. We thought it would be fun since we've never done anything together like this." Kihyun nodded in agreement. "I was just wondering if maybe I could join you two? No one really asked me to be in their unit yet." He rubbed one of his upper arms as he looked at the younger two hopefully.
"We've already worked together hyung. And your voice wont really mesh well with Hyungwon's for a song we're looking at. Don't get me wrong you would sound great, it's just that we already started working on this." Changkyun gave an explanation he thought was simple enough.
"Besides, we would argue too much. I get to get up late since Changkyun and I have the afternoon as our dance practice time. You get up too early and we would kill each other." Hyungwon laughed at the imagery in his head.
"Haha, you're prpbably right. " And just like that, he left the two. "I'm gonna be at the cafe down the road if you change your minds."
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"Hoseok's song is sounding so good!" Minhyuk still had some energy as he walked through the front door. Hoseok trailing close behind.
"I think monbebe is going to go nuts with our new stages! We're gonna knock em out!" Jooheon stood from the couch walked over to the two. "We should see each other's last practice since we haven't been together all this time."
Hyunwoo then walked into the living room where everyone else slowly made their way. Some on the floor and the others on the couch. As everyone slowly began to relax around each other, Changkyun noticed Kihyun wasn't there. "Where's Kihyun hyung? I thought he would be coming home with you two." He looked over to where Hoseok and Minhyuk were now lounging.
"Why would he be with us?" Minhyuk spoke while slowly sitting up. He looked around at everyone's confused expression. Unsure of what to make with the situation, he continued. "He asked us if he could join our unit a few days ago but we were already practicing everything for 2. Said he would even do back vocals or just ad libs but Hoseok and I had too much planned out ahead. so we told him to ask one you guys or do something solo."
Minhyuk knew it was a little mean to say that but it was true. It was far too late to add someone on something he and Hoseok had worked hard at.
"He asked us at the beginning but we weren't sure it would have worked." Changkyun spoke out.
"He asked us over a week ago but Hyunwoo and I had been planning to do Versace on the floor months prior to knowing we would be doing unit stages. We were going to just make a fan video for monbebe but decided to do it as our thing."
That was when realization hit. They had all told the main vocal they didn't want him in their units.
"Honestly, It didn't' even cross my mind to ask him. I thought one of you would ask him." Hoseok spoke up. "I wanted to do something with Minhyuk since he hasn't gotten a shot to show off his vocals in a while."
Actually, none of the members had thought about having Kihyun in their units. That's when they realized, they hadn't talked to him since he had asked them all. Maybe a glimpse here and there, but he would always be gone by the time they noticed.
"Maybe he's been working on a solo stage? Although I haven't seen him or heard him practice anything. Come to think of it. I haven't really seen him besides the mornings or before bed." Jooheon took a moment to ponder when the last time he talked to the vocalist was. A full conversation.
"I think we messed up guys." Hyungwon felt bad. All this time he thought that Kihyun had been with Hoseok and Minhyuk's unit. He knew Jooheon and Hyunwoo had told him no, but he swore he saw the three leave together sometimes. He asked the two about that.
"He got a ride to the company building with us the day after we told him no." Minhyuk could feel his heart throb. He hadn't meant for the other to be left alone.
"When's the last time any of us sat down to talk with him? I know we all haven't really been together for a few days but last time we were, he was with us for like 10 minutes before we all went to bed."