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It took exactly twenty steps to cross from one side of the living room to the other, maybe sixteen if he used long steps. Jaebum knew because he had been pacing for the hour since they discovered Yugyeom missing.
“Sit down. You’re going to wear a hole into the ground,” Jinyoung said.
“Just relax. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” Mark tried to look calm, but Jaebum could tell by the way he was worrying his lip that he was anything but.
“Call him again.”
“Jaebum, I’ve called him ten times already. He’s not going to pick up.”
“Got him.” Jackson came triumphantly into the room, dragging BamBam by the ear. “Tell them what you told me.”
BamBam shuffled his feet, pouting, and Jaebum snapped, “This isn’t a joke. You need to tell us where he went.”
“He said he was going to hang out with friends from his old high school.”
“Where?”
“The karaoke place, the one with the blue sign.”
For a moment, Jaebum was so angry his face grew hot. How could Yugyeom be so stupid? If their manager were to find out- he shook his head. He wouldn’t let that happen. He pulled out his phone and sent Yugyeom a message- I know where you are. You have fifteen minutes to get back here or I’m coming to get you myself. Yugyeom wouldn’t want to be embarrassed in front of all his friends. Jaebum settled down to wait, head in his hands.
“Are you going to be really mad at him?” BamBam said it quietly, staring at the ground, guilt clear in his tone for giving up his friend’s secret.
Jaebum sighed, preparing to comfort him, but Jackson beat him to it. He put an arm around BamBam and said, “We’re just trying to keep him safe. If anybody outside of us found out, he would be in big trouble.”
Yugyeom didn’t come back in fifteen minutes. He didn’t come back in twenty, either. When nearly half an hour had passed, Jaebum pulled on his jacket, tugged up his hood, and headed for the door. He opened it only to find Yugyeom with a hand raised on the other side, out of breath like he had run all the way here.
In the commotion that followed as everyone rushed forward to express their worry, Jaebum let his shoulders drop and a deep, tired sigh leave him as relief flooded through his body. But only for a second. The members’ worry had changed to anger as they questioned Yugyeom’s actions.
“Is this delayed middle school rebellion or something?” Mark said.
“How could you do that? You could have gotten us all in so much trouble,” Youngjae told him, although he sounded much more worried than angry.
“What were you thinking?” Jackson asked.
Jaebum knew Yugyeom well enough to understand that crowding him right now would only make things worse. Yugyeom’s lower lip was already quivering, his nose and eyes turning red.
“Quiet down. I’m going to talk to Yugyeom alone.” The firmness in Jaebum’s tone booked no argument. Jaebum let them have a few last words with Yugyeom, some comforting and some not, before retreating into his room with Yugyeom in tow.
As soon as he closed the door, he turned to find Yugyeom with shaking shoulders and tears slipping from his eyes, though he tried desperately to wipe them away before Jaebum saw. “I’m sorry- I’m so- please don’t yell at me.”
Jaebum’s anger dissipated. He sat Yugyeom down next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. “Why did you do it? You know what the consequences could be if anyone found out.”
“I know. I just- all my old friends always want to hang out and I never can because we’re always practicing and we’re never allowed out and they kept making fun of me because I had a curfew and none of them have curfews anymore and they were like you’re a celebrity how come you’re not allowed to do anything ever so I felt like such a loser so I just- I just did it.”
“Hey.”
Yugyeom looked up. Jaebum flicked his forehead. “What was that for?” He jerked back, rubbing his forehead, but the look on his face was more shock than actual pain.
“You’re not a loser for having a curfew. My cousin is twenty-five and she still has a curfew.”
“It’s not just the curfew.”
“I know.” He pulled Yugyeom’s head onto his shoulder. Yugyeom leaned into him, still sniffling. “It’s hard. Not being normal.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to lose all of my old friends.”
“If they’re going to ditch you because you’re busy then they aren’t good friends to begin with. If they care about you, they won’t stop caring because you aren’t around. That’s stupid.”
“I guess.”
“Anyway, bet none of them can dance like you. So who’s the real loser?”
Yugyeom laughed weakly.
“I’ve lost a lot of friends, too, Yugyeom.”
“Really?” He looked up at Jaebum, blinking away his tears, waiting for an explanation.
“But it doesn’t matter because I haven’t lost any of you.”
Yugyeom furrowed his brow, as if he were considering it.
“We might not be like this forever, but for now we’re together. That’s enough.”
“Yeah.”
A muffled thump sounded from outside the door, followed by a flustered ouch, that was my foot and a hissed shut up, Jackson.
Jaebum snorted, rolling his eyes. He opened the door quickly and in tumbled the rest of the members, heaped in a pile as they fell over each other, all elbows and curses. “See,” Jaebum said, glancing back at Yugyeom. “Always together.”