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Despite living in Korea for over 3 years, there were just some things that Riki didn’t completely understand about the country. It was no fault of his own at all, he was only 16 and moved to a foreign country on his own when he was only 13. He’d learned a lot during his time in Korea, however there were things Riki didn’t understand.
He didn’t really understand some cultural aspects and traditions of Koreans despite his hyungs best attempts to educate him. He still celebrated holidays with them as he wanted to know more about their culture and practices, but it still didn’t mean Riki entirely got it.
Despite being fluent in Korean by now, which quite frankly he was quite proud of himself for learning a whole new language within less than 2 years and becoming well versed in it, there were some words and phrases that Riki didn’t understand. Even his hyungs, due to the areas they grew up in had different dialects and slangs but a lot of the time Riki didn’t understand what they meant.
There were also phrases with double meanings or words that were used in a different way that the boy did not understand. This actually happened quite a bit during interviews or variety shows that Enhypen attended. Sometimes the hosts will say certain words or sentences that would make all the members crack up but Riki would stand there with a confused smile on his face, not knowing what was said. Of course if he asked, his lovely hyungs would explain to him but sometimes Riki didn’t ask so he’d just stand there missing whatever was shared.
Interviews were something Enhypen generally enjoyed. The entire group would admit they had more fun in ones where they weren’t asked the most base line questions and were able to talk about themselves and their passions as individuals and as artists.
They felt like they were able to express more sides of themselves and let people know about their own interests. They had been subjected to an entire day of interviews by now, some much more fun than others but, the members, particularly the hyungs were not having a good time at this interview.
Riki thought that was probably one of the most boring interviews he’d been forced to be a part of as the host kept asking simple questions, none of which required much thought or allowed any of the members to express themselves in more detail. He did his best to be polite though, just like the others and pretended to look at least a little engaged while the host spoke.
“So the next question is : whose visuals in the group do you like the most?” the host asked as he leaned forward in his seat.
The group all internally rolled their eyes, what a shallow question that was but they all appreciated each others looks. The entire group was incredibly stunning after all. So they decided to humor the host and just answer the question.
“Heeseung-hyung has really nice visuals,” Jake answered.
“Jungwon, his eyes are so expressive, they’re very attractive,” Jay said.
Heeeung hummed, “I really like Sunoo’s visuals, he’s very cute and handsome at the same time. He’s got great duality.”
Sunoo smiled at the compliment from the oldest before answering, “I say Jake-hyung, he’s really handsome.”
“I’m gonna go with Jay-hyung, his facial features are so sharp,” Jungwon said as he reached a hand up to trace Jay’s jawline teasingly which earned him a playful smack but a fond smile from the older.
“I say Sunghoon-hyungie,” Riki responded, “I mean look at him : his face is practically perfect,” Riki said as he pointed to his hyung who was seated right next to him.
Sunghoon blushed slightly from Riki’s comment and pat the boy’s shoulder in response.
“Ni-ki’s visuals are honestly my favorite. He’s grown up so well and is so good-looking now,” Sunghoon said.
“So I wasn’t good looking before?” Riki asked to tease the elder.
“No,no you were more cute before you just got more handsome as you lost some of your baby fat. You’re still cute though,” Sunghoon said sincerely as he poked the boy’s cheek, eliciting a giggle from the maknae which made all the hyungs smile at him fondly.
The host spoke up again, “Well you’re all handsome but I’d have to agree with Sunghoon-ssi, something about Ni-ki~ssi’s visuals is quite alluring.”
Riki got a weird feeling from the host’s tone of voice at the end of his sentence. Something about the way he said that gave him an off feeling but he had to keep professional since they were in the middle of an interview.
The hyungs however, didn’t like that last comment one bit as there was a seductive almost predatory edge to the man’s voice, but were trying to control their irritation so it wouldn’t show on camera. In the back row Heeseung clenched his palm into a fist, Jake bit down on his lip and Jay’s jaw clenched with tension.
Meanwhile in front of them, right next to Riki, Sunghoon’s nostrils flared for a second, Sunoo pressed his knuckles into his thigh and Jungwon sat straight up in his seat. None of them were idiots; it was almost impossible to miss the way the host’s eyes lingered on Riki for a few seconds too long, how he stared at the maknae when Riki wasn’t aware and even the way his hand lingered for a bit too long when he pat Ni-ki’s shoulder when they came in for the interview.
This host was the entire reason they wanted this interview to just be over and done with, the hyungs didn’t like the man’s vibe and especially did not like how he looked at Riki. They didn’t like it at all. Sunghoon, despite not being the biggest fan of skin-ship felt a wave of protectiveness take over him and placed a hand over Riki’s leg while keeping his eyes on the host with his ‘ice prince’ stare on full display.
Riki turned to his hyung, noticing Sunghoon’s physical contact and tilted his head slightly in confusion. The ice prince just smiled at the young boy as Riki did look like a confused baby duck with how he tilted his head at him and it honestly softened him up a bit.
However, none of the members missed the way the host shot daggers into Sunghoon for a brief second before he replaced his faux smile.
Jake was by no means a violent person, everyone quite frankly described him as a human golden retriever, but the way this stranger looked at his kid made his blood boil. The third oldest had half a mind to walk over there and knock his stupidly perfect teeth out. But of course, he couldn’t do that or say anything since the man hadn’t explicitly done anything. So he stayed quiet and tried to keep his composure.
“So my last question is : how do you all feel about your upcoming tour?” the man asked.
Riki noticed how none of the other members made a move to answer so he decided that’d he’d be the spokesperson for this question.
“Well we’re all very, very excited. It’s genuinely a dream come true to be able to have an opportunity like this and we look forward to giving it our all and showing our Engenes how hard we worked as well as getting to connect with them so they have an experience to remember,” Riki stated.
The other members all either hummed or nodded but kept their eyes fixed on the host who was still staring at Riki far too intensely and with a look in his eye that just let them know he was not simply focusing on what Riki was saying but was staring at the boy in a way that irritated all of them to no end.
“Well I look forward to seeing how well this tour goes. Good luck to you all and thank you Enhypen for joining us today,” the man finished.
“Thank you for having us,” Jungwon said in a clipped tone as he gave the man a fake smile, not like the idiotic host could tell.
The cameras were cut and the members were more than ready to leave after both the bore of an interview and the host whose teeth they collectively felt like knocking out for his odd, borderline creepy behavior towards their maknae. Call them overprotective but the man gave them all a strange vibe and they didn’t want him around Riki any longer.
“Wait, wait, before you all go, I have one last question. It’s for you actually Ni-ki~ssi,” the host said as he gave the youngest a smile that sent a chill down Riki’s back, he was not a fan of this man’s vibe at all.
Riki looked at the man questioningly. What could he possibly want to ask him again? He was genuinely tired of this interview and wished to be in the car so he could complain about it with his hyungs but he and members all reluctantly stayed seated and stared at the man.
“Okay, what’s the question?” Riki asked politely.
“Do you want to eat ramen?” the host asked with a look in his eye that Riki couldn’t quite place.
The hyungs however, were fucking livid. There was no way this grown man just asked that and right in front of them no less. As Koreans they all knew what that question meant and it wasn’t just a friendly invitation for food. This man was a goddamn pervert for asking a 16 year old kid that question. They wanted to knock that disgusting, predatory gaze he had as he looked at Riki right off his face.
Despite being livid and wanting to beat the man into an early grave, they were far more concerned about Riki. What’s he going to think after hearing something like that? How’s he going to feel after literally just getting verbally harassed in a sexual manner by this man? They were fed up and just wanted to get Riki out of there so this man would leave their kid alone.
The hyungs all turned to Riki worriedly, scared to see what his reaction was but when they looked at him, all they saw was Riki’s lips jutted out in a pout and his brows furrowed in… confusion? Did Riki not understand the question? How come he looked confused?
When Riki heard the question, he thought it was extremely odd that the man asked that and considering this was just a professional interview, he was very confused.
“Um, this is just a professional interview. I don’t think it would be appropriate for us to go out and eat ramen together,” Riki responded, sounding confused with every word.
The hyungs all felt slight relief when they realized that Riki didn’t know the double meaning of the phrase. He’d obviously heard it before as when used with friends it was simply an invitation for food. Despite being relieved that Riki didn’t know the sexual underlying of the question they all wanted to ensure this creep learned his lesson so the group all stood up from their chairs and moved away from the cameras and over to the side of the set where there were a few staff members and their manager who was sitting in a corner on a chair looking over emails on his phone.
Sunghoon had his arm wrapped around Riki’s shoulders and the maknae didn’t miss the tense atmosphere surrounding his hyungs. Were they upset about something? They all looked pretty angry and Riki could tell something was off but didn’t know what.
“Um, hyung?” Riki piped up as he turned to Sunghoon.
The older’s features softened slightly as he looked at the youngest, “Yes Riki?”
“I’m just going to get some water over there,” Riki said as he pointed to the refreshment table, “I’ll be right back.”
Sunghoon hummed and reluctantly let the boy go as he wouldn’t be going far. Riki wasn’t even that thirsty, he just needed to escape the tension for a second so he stood by the table and poured himself a drink and glanced over at his hyungs briefly who still looked fuming.
Hmm, maybe he’d just stay over here for a couple minutes, let them cool off.
Meanwhile the hyungs were absolutely livid as Jungwon beckoned their manager over and they spoke in hushed tones so Riki wouldn’t hear them.
“I can’t fucking believe that man!” Jay said in an angry whisper.
“I can’t either hyung. What the hell is wrong with him?” Sunoo added.
“Riki’s 16! He’s 16 goddamn years old, that host is a grown man and he thinks it’s okay to prey on him like that?” Sunghoon spoke up.
“He was damn creepy from the beginning. Even when we came in I think his hand stayed on Riki’s shoulder way too long,” Jake told them.
“Don’t even mention the lingering stares that man gave Riki. He kept eyeing him up like he was a piece of fucking meat!” Heeseung stated.
“I didn’t like him from the beginning. What the fuck is wrong with him asking a teenager that?” Jungwon stated.
“Asking a teenager what?” the manager asked confusedly as he looked at the group.
“Hyung, that host!” Jay said keeping his voice low, “Since we came in for the interview he’d been staring at Riki far too long. Just weird, lingering and quite frankly predatory!”
The manager’s eyebrows furrowed at Jay’s words but he allowed the boys to continue.
“He was being so creepy to Riki and hyung you won’t believe what this man asked as soon as they cut he cameras…” Jake said, trailing off as his anger was starting to get to him.
The manager looked concerned, “What did he say?”
“He fucking asked Riki : ‘Do you want to eat ramen?’ He asked a 16 year old kid that question hyung!” Sunoo huffed.
The manager’s face morphed from one of concern, to one that matched the furious faces of the members.
“He said that to Riki?” he gritted out.
The members all huffed angrily and Jake ran a hand through his hair, “I’m going to teach him a lesson, I swear,” he said as he clenched his fist and glared at the host who was chatting with a staff member across the room.
The manager sighed, he knew the members were angry and rightfully so, but he didn’t want them jeopardizing their careers. He loved these boys like his own sons and didn’t want them getting in trouble. But he also couldn’t just let this go. He looked at Riki who was standing by the refreshment table, looking so sweet and innocent and made up his mind. No one would be treating that sweet boy like that. The company had some great PR managers and lawyers anyway, once the host was blacklisted nobody would take a word he said seriously and he certainly was not getting a job anywhere again.
“Alright boys, I’m taking Riki to the van,” the manager spoke up, “you deal with him.”
“Hyung are you saying-”
“Do not hurt him too bad and don’t let anyone see. He’s getting blacklisted so not like anyone will listen to him if he cries that someone from Enhypen broke his nose or knocked a few teeth out,” the manager cut the leader off.
The hyungs all nodded with almost sadistic grins on their face, that pervert deserved what was coming to him. They wouldn’t regret it one bit. They all watched as the manager placed an arm on Riki’s back and gently guided him out of the studio. Riki had looked to his hyungs questioningly but they all gave him the best smiles they could muster when he passed through the door and left the studio.
As soon as Riki was gone they turned on their heels and marched over the host. The staff member who he’d been talking to earlier was gone and the man was looking at something on his phone but looked up at the members when they got close to him.
Sunghoon grabbed the man’s arm in a bruising grip and before the host could say anything got right up in his face.
“Let’s talk somewhere quiet shall we?” the former ice skater growled lowly at the man as Sunghoon began shoving him out of the other studio door and into a quiet backstage area with no cameras or other staff around.
“What the fuck is your problem?” the host barked at them as he pulled away from Sunghoon’s grip, “I could ruin you if I tell your fans about this!” he said looking smug.
“You really wanna ask us what our problem is? You’re the fucking problem asshole,” Jungwon snapped at the man.
“I haven’t done anything,” the man feigned innocence, “What kind of idols assault their interview host?”
“What kind of creep makes sexual advances toward a teenager?” Heeseung yelled at the man angrily, making the host step back nervously.
“You have to think we’re idiots if you thought you could get away with staring at our maknae the way you did,” Sunoo said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man said nervously.
“You were being a creep and were staring at him the entire goddamn interview and fucking seriously ‘Do you want to eat ramen?’ Did you really fucking think you could get away with asking him that in front of us?” Jay barked at him.
“It’s not my fault that Ni-ki’s attractive. I mean look at him, he’s young and sexy. I was supposed to not stare at him?” the man said in an awful attempt to defend himself.
All the members couldn’t believe that this man was now openly admitting to blatantly being a predator. They all internally gagged hearing this grown man call their kid sexy and he was going to pay for it.
“You’re a fucking creep!” Jake snapped as he launched forward and grabbed the man by the collar.
The other members stood back and watched the scene unfold with matching looks of fury but none compared to Jake. He was genuinely one of the sweetest and most gentle members but now he was absolutely seething in a way none of the members had seen before. His rage genuinely intimidated some of them a bit but they trusted Jake and wanted this man to get what was coming to him so they let him carry on.
“He’s 16 fucking years old. He’s a child you goddamn predator. So listen here : you so much as think about Riki again, I promise you, you’re gonna regret being born,” Jake seethed at the man before drawing back his fist and punching the host square in the nose, causing a sickening crack to echo through the room and sending the man crashing to the ground.
The man yelped at held his nose as blood dripped over his hands. Jake ignored the ache and blood on his own hands as he crouched next to the man and pulled his hair so he was right in his face.
“Do I make myself clear?” Jake gritted out.
The man just let out a pathetic whimper in response.
Jay came over and stepped on the man’s fingers of his other hand making him let out a yelp before he spoke smugly, “I’m pretty sure he asked you a question, so we expect a damn answer.”
“Do I make myself clear?” Jake asked furiously before yanking the man’s hair harder.
“Y-yes! Yes! I understand, p-please let me go,” the man pathetically begged.
“Have fun spending the rest of your pathetic little life as a living hell. You’re getting blacklisted so I hope you enjoyed your last day on the job,” Jungwon told the man with faux sweetness and sarcasm lacing his voice.
With that Jake released the man and stood up and the members all gave the host one last glare before they exited the little room and walked out of their studio. On the way out Jay handed Jake a wet wipe to clean his knuckles before they got to the van. Would they have a guilty conscience about this later on? Absolutely not, they did what they were supposed to as hyungs and that’s protect their Riki, their baby.
Riki had been sitting in the van on his phone for about 15 minutes waiting on his hyungs and he was starting to grow impatient. He had disliked that interview enough due to the boring questions and host who just gave him a weird vibe and now he wanted to go home with his hyungs and watch movies and cuddle. The day had been long enough.
Luckily his prayers were answered when all the hyungs re-entered the van still looking pissed off but the seething looks in their eyes from earlier were missing and their eyes all softened a bit when they saw their maknae curled up in the back seat of the van on his phone.
“Hey hyungs,” Riki spoke nervously, “is everything okay? You guys all look kind of mad.”
The members all relaxed a little bit at Riki’s words. They hated how nervous he sounded and didn’t want to look angry in front of him so they all schooled their expressions and looked at Riki fondly.
Jake and Jay came over and sat down on the chair with Riki, Jay practically manhandling the boy between Jake and himself, while Jungwon, Sunoo and Sunghoon took the seats in front of them and Heeseung sat in the seat right behind the driver’s seat the manager was in.
“Sorry Riki, we’re all just a little irritated. We’re tired and that interview was incredibly boring,” Jungwon told the boy as he gave him a small smile.
Riki groaned dramatically as he leaned his head on Jake’s shoulder, “Oh my god hyung! You’re right I wanted to stab a fork into my brain. That guy asked the worst questions.”
The members all chuckled at Riki’s antics before the boy continued speaking.
“He also gave me a weird vibe, I know it’s not fair to just judge someone off that… but something about him was off, he gave me the creeps hyungs,” Riki admitted.
The members all felt themselves tense at Riki’s words. They had only hoped Riki didn’t notice anything off about the man, but they weren’t idiots and Riki was such a perceptive kid, of course he noticed something. But just hearing the maknae say that the host gave him a weird vibe made their blood boil again. However they had already handled it and were driving away from the studio so for now they’ll just take care of their maknae.
Jay took Riki’s hand in his own and gave it a slight squeeze, “It’s okay Riki-san, we’ve never heard you say that about anyone before so there probably was something off about him,” he assured the youngest.
Riki just hummed thoughtfully but looked down into Jake’s lap at his hand and noticed his knuckles, red and with the skin that once covered the flesh undermeath missing.
“Hyung! What happened to your hand?” Riki asked worriedly as he looked up at the older with wide eyes.
“Oh that? I just fell when we were leaving, they scraped on a metal table I tried to grab but it’s fine Riki-san, I’m okay baby,” Jake lied.
Riki frowned and gently took the elder’s hand in his and placed a soft kiss to his hyung’s knuckles.
“There you go hyung, maknae healing powers. You should be more careful hyungie,” Riki gently scolded Jake.
The members all smiled endearingly at the youngest and Jake kept the boy’s hand in his as he wrapped an arm around Riki’s shoulder and leaned the boy against him.
“Of course I will Riki, thank you for blessing me with your maknae healing powers. You’re too sweet baby,” Jake told the youngest as he gazed at him with nothing short of pure adoration.
“Damn so all I have to do to get a healing kiss from Riki is hurt myself, noted,” Sunghoon spoke up, smirking at Riki.
“Gonna hit myself with a pan when we get back to the dorm I guess,” Sunoo said nonchalantly.
“I’ll just accidentally fall over a chair when we get into the dorm,” Jungwon shrugged.
“Jay throw something at me when we get back. Preferably something heavy,” Heeseung added.
“As long as you do it back,” Jay nodded at the oldest.
Riki just laughed and jokingly rolled his eyes, “Bold of you guys to assume I want to give you a kiss.”
“Yah, you wound us Riki,” Sunghoon said feigning offense.
Riki smiled at all his hyungs, “First of all : you’re all obsessed with me, second of all don’t hurt yourselves, maybe just ask.”
The members just smiled in response and sat in silence for the last few minutes of the car ride back to the dorm. Heeseung piggybacked Riki into the dorm while the other two maknae liners followed but the manager gave the 02z a look to stay behind with him for a moment.
“You guys handled it?” the manager asked the trio once the other members had entered the dorm.
“Yeah, yeah we did,” Sunghoon told him.
“Seems like you got him good Jake-ah,” the manager stated as he pointed at Jake’s hand.
Jake shrugged nonchalantly, “He had it coming. Jay also stepped on his fingers, they may or may not be broken along with his nose.”
The manager shook his head somewhat exasperatedly but a small, fond smile graced the man’s face, “You’re all good hyungs you know?”
“Thanks hyung, we try to be, Riki deserves that,” Jay spoke up.
“Well he’s lucky to have such great hyungs like you guys. Take care of that hand Jake, good night boys,” the manager told them as he walked to the van.
“Goodnight hyung,” the trio called after him.
When the 02z entered the dorm they were greeted by the sight of both Jungwon and Sunoo tickling Riki on the floor as the boy feebly attempted to defend himself. Heeseung looked at them adoringly as he brought a pile of blankets into the living room and tossed them on the couch. They’d all already changed into comfy clothes for the night.
“Yah Wonie, Sunnie at least let him breathe for a second, the poor boy,” Heeseung told the two oldest maknae liners.
They complied for exactly five seconds which Riki spent taking in deep breaths before the two got back on him and continued tickling him again, the giant maknae’s laughter filling up the dorm. The 02z went to their rooms and quickly changed clothes before rejoining the other members in the living room.
Riki was laying on the floor panting while Jungwon and Sunoo sat on the couch giving him matching evil smiles while Heeseung stared exasperatedly at the elder two.
“You alright sweetheart?” Jay asked with humor lacing his tone as Riki continued panting on the floor.
“They’re mean and Heeseung-hyung encouraged them,” Riki huffed out staring at the three on the couch accusingly while pouting.
“I am a neutral party,” Heeseung said putting his hands up.
“Neutral party my ass,” Riki grumbled.
“Yah! Language Nishimura Riki,” Sunoo scolded.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. You guys swear all the time. Did you expect me to not pick up on it?”
The hyungs all looked at each other embarrassed at how Riki just called all of them out like that. He was correct, but they wouldn’t admit that.
Sunghoon just bent down and pulled Riki off the floor and picked him up like one would carry a baby before moving over to the other couch and sitting down with the maknae on his lap. The older 02z followed and sat on either side of him.
“Just because we do it, doesn’t mean you should,” Jake argued.
“Boo, that’s a bad defense,” Riki protested.
The hyungs made no further comment so Riki just cuddled into the 02z who were literally leaving no room between the four people who were sitting on the couch. Riki internally sighed knowing that’d he lost this argument so he just let Jake and Jay card their hands through his hair while Sunghoon held him securely as Sunoo finally wore Jungwon down into putting on a Disney movie.
Riki was staring at the TV but not really watching the show. He was enjoying the time cuddled up with all his members but he remembered something from the interview earlier which he’d been thinking about since they were in the van and the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable it made him. So he decided to ask his hyungs something about it.
“Hyungs, I have a question,” Riki piped up making Jungwon pause the movie and all the members turn to him.
“What’s up Riki-ah?” Sunghoon asked him.
“I didn’t bring it up earlier but the host asking me if I wanted to eat ramen was really weird right? I mean it’s a professional interview and he only asked me, why would he ask me to eat ramen with him? It just made me uncomfortable I guess,” Riki stated sounding unsure of himself.
The hyungs all took in deep breaths so they wouldn’t get angry again, especially not in front of Riki, they didn’t want to upset him further when he already sounded uncomfortable bringing up what he didn’t know was a sexual advance from a host. They couldn’t believe they didn’t think about it earlier but they were so concerned that Riki knew what the true meaning was behind the phrase that they neglected to think that even getting that question at face value from a stranger would be uncomfortable and strange.
“Oh baby, he was out of line,” Jake assured Riki as he pat the boy’s leg.
Heeseung nodded, “Yeah Riki, it’s okay to talk to us, it wasn’t an appropriate question for him to ask.”
“We’re sorry he made you uncomfortable baby. We should’ve noticed, we should’ve said something,” Sunoo said.
Riki shook his head, “No hyungs it’s not your fault and I didn’t want to cause any trouble. It’s silly anyway it doesn’t matter,” he brushed off and stared down at his lap.
“Riki-ah, darling look at me,” Sunghoon said as he gently cupped the boy’s cheeks, “if anyone ever makes you uncomfortable, you can tell us.”
“You can talk to us Riki-ah, your feelings are valid and you can tell us. If you ever feel like that again just tell us okay, we’ll listen. We’ll protect you. Okay?” Jungwon assured him.
Riki gave a small smile to his hyungs and nodded, “Okay, I will. Thanks for always looking out for me hyungs.”
The members all lovingly smiled at him and the 02z once again cuddled up to their youngest, holding Riki securely and protectively so he knew that he was always safe with them.
They’d all protect Riki for as long as they could, he was their baby and they’d let him keep the wonderful innocence he had to him for as long as they could. They all knew they’d hide the truth from Riki, they wouldn’t let him find out what the man’s words truly meant. It was not because they wanted to lie to him but because they wanted protect him and take care of him, this world was cruel enough already, they’d protect Riki whenever they could. He didn’t need to know what that creep said to him. They were his hyungs after all and they’d always take care of their maknae.
Jay placed a gentle kiss on Riki’s forehead as the 02z trio held him close.
“Always baby, we’ll always protect you.”