Work Text:
The hum of the dorm refrigerator is the only sound other than Jaehyun’s bare feet padding through the kitchen. The maknaes have long gone to sleep - it’s just Jaehyun and his loud thoughts left awake at the late hour. He knows he needs sleep, knows they don’t get enough time for it as is, but he can’t help it - after every concert, the buzz of adrenaline and rush of meeting fans always lasts for hours afterwards.
But, as he makes a last idle loop through the living room to clean up scattered trash, at last Jaehyun can feel the weight of exhaustion winning out. Stifling a yawn, he heads leisurely for bed, feeling the last warm buzzes of adrenaline give way to contentment.
He falls asleep that night sore all over, satisfyingly exhausted, and utterly content.
He wakes up…not quite that.
“..aehyun-ssi…Jaehyun-ssi!”
He startled awake to a very familiar producer gently shaking him awake, stress written into every line of her face.
“Jaehyun-ssi, you’re on in five. Are you ready, do you have your cue cards?”
Jaehyun struggles to respond, bleary eyes flitting wildly around the crowded MCountdown room.
Yes, MCountdown - because that is unquestionably where Jaehyun is right now. He could walk these waiting rooms blindfolded and drunk, there’s no doubt that’s where he is. The question is why, and how? When he definitely fell asleep in his comfortable, warm, very private dorm bed?
“Jaehyun-ssi?” The producer - or no, this was Hyerim PD-nim, right - asks tersely. Oh, crap, Jaehyun needs to say something.
“Hyerim PD-nim,” he says, then bluescreens, scrambling to assemble the cacophony of where, why, what the fuck is happening in his brain into a coherent question. It doesn’t help that the room is chaotic as well, bustling with staff scrambling to set up and the typical urgency of a 3 AM music show. But she takes that as apparent confirmation of his lucidity, nods once firmly, and then none-too-gently shoves and pokes him towards the broadcast room.
Jaehyun barely has the wherewithal to grab the microphone abruptly shoved in his hand before he’s half stumbling, half jogging out onto the very familiar interview set, where he can see Hanbin already greeting fans with a dazzling smile.
Hanbin turns to him as he staggers on set, winning smile dimming for half a second - and then a producer whisper-shouts the countdown to broadcast start, and on automatic both Jaehyun and Hanbin are swivelling to the main camera with practiced smiles and prepared introductions already spilling from their lips.
Lucky for Jaehyun that he still remembers how to do this - having MC’ed for over a year, he can run largely on autopilot while his brain takes inventory on his…situation.
The first thing Jaehyun notices is that he’s exhausted. Well, okay, he was already dead tired before going to bed, but like…really, really exhausted. Like he hasn’t slept or eaten properly in days, like his mental health’s been in the gutter, like he’s spent the last week or month or year under constant stress. Like he hasn’t felt since…yeah, okay, since 2025. Jaehyun doesn’t really like where this is going.
It has to be a dream, right? Idly, Jaehyun traces his eyes across the room, cataloguing familiar fansites and that one ceiling light with a dent in the side and the cameramen discussing something or the other in low tones across the room. All details that are…way too realistic to be in a dream.
If it really is a dream, Jaehyun thinks half-hysterically, then I might be a genius. Call…Dispatch, I don’t know, tell them Myung Jaehyun can dream in 4D.
It’s not funny, but it calms him down, so whatever. Okay, think, Jaehyun. You are apparently back in 2025, somehow. You don’t know the day, or even the month, but, well - his hair was this length around…September? Maybe? Good enough, that’ll have to do. Okay. Okay. Just get through this, somehow, and things will go back to normal, surely.
Oh god, what if things don’t go back to normal? What if Jaehyun is stuck here, a year in the past, and has to relive this again and again and -
Ok, nope, not thinking about that. We are not thinking about that, Jaehyun decides.
“ - now, shall we see their much-anticipated performance?” Hanbin finishes, just as Jaehyun clocks back into awareness, much calmer now and with renewed focus.
“Let’s watch it together!” Jaehyun responds smoothly, the practiced line falling off his lips with ease. He stays like that, beaming mindlessly at the camera, until the producer behind the set gives a single sharp nod and a monotone, “Cut.”
Instantly, Jaehyun slumps, a sigh expelling from his lungs with force as he attempts to roll out his stiff shoulders. God, he hasn’t felt this awful in so long, he’s forgotten what it’s like. So focused he is on working the ache out of his bones, a small frown of concentration appearing on his face, that he doesn’t notice the way Hanbin hovers restlessly at the edge of his view, until he hesitantly taps him on the shoulder.
“Hey, Jaehyun! You okay? You almost got on set late today, did you get lost?” Hanbin jokes casually, but his eyebrows are furrowed with worry. In fact, now that Jaehyun is looking, every bit of Hanbin’s (handsome) face is covered in it - the pinch at the corner of his eyes, the tense set of his lips, the way his eyes dart rapidly to scan Jaehyun’s face. Jaehyun just can’t really figure out why.
“Nah, there’s no way I could get lost, hyung, I’ve walked these hallways a billion times,” Jaehyun whines back exaggeratedly. “I’m just really tired today, that’s all,” he sighs.
And, oops, that was the wrong thing to say. Hanbin’s worry-face gets about 10 times worse, fragile smile crumpling entirely, and Jaehyun really does not know why. Jaehyun does not remember seeing Hanbin this worried, ever, including that one memorable time Hanbin was fully convinced he was about to get dumped for fake-flirting with Jaehyun on broadcast.
He looks panicked over at the audience section for help, hoping Onedoors can clue him in on why Hanbin is looking increasingly like a kicked puppy - but Onedoors look just as worried as Hanbin does, somehow. Each and every one of them are watching Jaehyun with anxious eyes, hands clasped and eyes shiny, and Jaehyun has a sudden brief moment of panic that this is just an especially photorealistic rendition of the “I’m naked in front of fans” nightmare.
But, no, he’s clothed. Quite nicely, too. So, then, what could it be? Jaehyun didn’t even do anything! All he’s done is be almost late, okay, and -
Oh. Oh.
Jaehyun may be stupid.
Jaehyun may have forgotten about the tiny little massive hate train on him that was circulating around…hm, September 2025? In other words, exactly where he landed in time?
Well, okay, it’s not like Jaehyun forgot about that, in his defense. More that…he forgot how he was in 2025.
Jaehyun of 2025 was a little ways off from the Jaehyun of now. Namely, 2025 Jaehyun was always smiling, always bright and sunny, a big puppy-like grin at the ready and shameless aegyo at the drop of a hat. 2025 Jaehyun would die before disappointing the staff, admitting to weakness, showing anything less than perfect to the fans.
2026 Jaehyun is…quite different. 2026 Jaehyun is trying to be more honest with the fans, trying to open up his shell and show the truth beneath the idol. 2026 Jaehyun is not afraid to be weak, knowing that the members and Onedoors will be there to support him.
2026 Jaehyun in 2025 Jaehyun’s body has, so far, shown up seconds before broadcast time after clearly having just woken up, visibly demonstrated his exhaustion after the live ended, and admitted to being tired.
During the massive hate train.
Yeah, okay, it’s no wonder Hanbin was worried.
Jaehyun straightens up at the realization, then beckons Hanbin closer with a discreet wave of the hand.
“Hyung, I’m fine,” Jaehyun whispers to him, then immediately realizes how not reassuring that sentence is, given how often he says it. “Really,” he insists, putting up his best smile to Hanbin’s doubtful gaze.
Hanbin scans his face up and down, teeth worrying into his lower lip - and at that, Jaehyun can feel his smile becoming more genuine. How lucky he is, to have someone worry over him like this, to have someone that would push against his platitudes.
“Really,” he repeats, softer, and this time Hanbin seems to see something different because he nods resolutely and turns back to the fans. Right, Jaehyun should do that too.
He turns to the still-worried Onedoors in the audience, and his smile only grows more. All these people care about him - him! - and he finds himself almost laughing at the way they crane their heads to peer at him anxiously. How cute, he thinks, and then he’s moving to greet them before he even decides to.
***
Jaehyun throws a last goodbye over his shoulder to Hanbin as he weaves through the MCountdown, dropping into haphazard 90 degree bows as best he can in the crowded space to all the passing staff.
He rounds the corner to the exit, and - halts, stunned silent at the very atypical sight of one Kim Woonhak sat curled like a shrimp on the hallway bench over some mobile game. Woonhak startles at the sight of him, and leaps to his feet instantly.
“Hyung! You’re done! Finally, that took forever, I thought my phone was going to die,” he jumps into complaints instantly, latching onto Jaehyun’s shoulder like a particularly heavy burr. Jaehyun, still caught off guard, only hmms in sympathy.
“But, uh - Woonhak, what are you doing here? We didn’t have a schedule today?” That last part ends unintentionally in a question, as Jaehyun abruptly realizes that he doesn’t actually know that for sure and may have bought himself a one-way ticket to the nearest hospital for early-onset dementia testing.
Luckily for him, Woonhak hums in agreement, still dragging Jaehyun by the shoulder bodily out of the building. He doesn’t answer for a long while as they walk to the car silently, eyes darting suspiciously around, before he finally replies, “Yeah, just felt like coming to get you today. The hyungs are all playing League, I got bored.”
That’s also odd, Jaehyun thinks. Woonhak turning down a game night out of “boredom”? Not to mention, it’s strange that the members are playing games on a work night, when there’s a high chance of early-morning schedules the next day. Usually, by the time Jaehyun finished work, they’d all be wrapped up in sleep.
Soon, though, they’re on the way home, and Jaehyun is much too exhausted to question it, letting his head thump against the glass. As much as he loves MC’ing and greeting fans, the months of nonstop work has ground his mind and body to dust, and mentally being from the future does little to negate that.
“Hyung,” Woonhak starts, uncharacteristically hesitant. “How was work today? Your, uh, MC-ing. You know.”
Jaehyun stares at him for a long, long moment. Woonhak averts his gaze, fidgeting with the keychains on his bag, coughs awkwardly. An incredulous laugh begins to bubble in Jaehyun’s chest as he turns to face Woonhak.
“What”, he says, “what are you doing? Are you my wife? Yeah, honey, work was so busy today, you know how my boss gets about deadlines, huh?” Jaehyun feels his grin begin to grow slowly as Woonhak immediately flushes bright red and splutters.
“NO - that - ugh! You know I’m - I was! - AUGH, WHATEVER! SEE IF I TRY TO BE NICE AGAIN!!!!” Woonhak huffs out as Jaehyun finally gives into laughter midway through, folding in half from how hysterically he’s laughing. Woonhak whips his whole body around, sulking at the window - but Jaehyun notices anyways the subtle peeks he takes at Jaehyun’s face, and the way his lips twitch upwards at the corners with satisfaction.
And, oh, of course. He’s worried. Of course Woonhak is worried, his sweet baby angel with a heart of gold - that’s why he’s here, fetching Jaehyun from a 50-minute round trip when he could be gaming or asleep. Jaehyun suddenly feels unbearably warm, heart clenching painfully at the sight of a younger (so, so young - how can a year feel like so much?) Woonhak trying so awkwardly to cheer him up.
“Yeah,” Jaehyun coughs out finally, the last of the giggles clearing out. “Work was good, Woonhak. I had fun,” he says, grinning wide and meaning all of it. Woonhak turns completely at that, studying Jaehyun with that unexpectedly mature look in his eyes - before relaxing with a huff, slumping against the car door, and returning to grumbles about how no one in this group has any manners, how can you make fun of me just for asking how work was, haven’t you heard of being polite? and so forth, while Jaehyun just fights not to let his fond smile split his face any wider.
***
They make it back to the dorms soon enough, filled with quiet chatter where normally Jaehyun recalls a car ride of dead silence. Jaehyun opens the door carefully, habit after so many times returning at odd hours of the night, only to be blasted with the sound of rock music blaring from the living room.
He blinks, startled, as someone jumps up at the sound of the door opening, and multiple pairs of footsteps thump through the dorm.
Sungho makes it to the door first, wide cat eyes blinking blearily at Jaehyun.
“Jaehyun! And Woonhak. You’re back, are you hungry?” And then takes off for the kitchen without waiting for a response, presumably to find something for Jaehyun to snack on.
Riwoo and Leehan are next, popping out of Leehan’s room with headsets around their necks, rushing out to greet him.
“Hyung, you’re back! Welcome home~ everyone came over to play League, do you wanna join? Or we can play something else, if you want?” Leehan says, walking towards Jaehyun with a warm smile.
“He needs to eat first, Leehan - Jaehyunnie, welcome home!” Riwoo chirps before Jaehyun can answer, already reaching out to tug at Jaehyun’s coat and bag to put away.
“I’m back,” is all Jaehyun can manage, dazed. (Okay, so he’s been responding to most things pretty slow today - in his defense, this is all very strange behavior. Like, so not normal, he almost doesn’t believe it happened, if not for a hazy recollection of turning down the offer to game and staggering straight to bed.)
“Hyung,” Taesan greets, casually strolling in from the kitchen, stretching lazily. He just stares at Jaehyun for a moment, Jaehyun blinking owlishly back, before he abruptly turns around to leave again. “There’s mochi in the fridge, eat it or toss it. It won’t be good anymore tomorrow,” he calls over his shoulder mock-casually, when Jaehyun knows for a fact that that’s a lie.
As Jaehyun stands there struck stupid for what must be the 10th time today, Woonhak silently takes his hand and tugs him to the kitchen, where Sungho is bustling about reheating leftovers for him.
“Here, sit, sit,” Sungho instructs distractedly as he juggles plates. Riwoo and Leehan file into the kitchen as well, taking the seats beside him as Woonhak slips past to go help Sungho, and if Jaehyun cranes his neck he can spot Taesan hovering just out of view in the hallway, seemingly incredibly fascinated with the stock landscape paintings that’ve been hanging in the hall for years now.
And then Riwoo, mock-casually, leans over to rest his head on Jaehyun’s shoulder, and all of a sudden Jaehyun’s very choked up and up to his throat with gratitude.
How did I miss this, he thinks dully, then again with sharper incredulity. How did I miss this, how much I was cared for? How much I was loved?
“There, tell me if it’s not hot enough,” Sungho says, placing the plate in front of Jaehyun, then pausing at the sight of his face, alarmed. “Are you - are you crying?!”
There’s an instant clamor of noise as the whole kitchen whips around to stare at Jaehyun’s face, even Taesan popping up from god-knows-where to level an intense stare at his eyes, as if he could glare the tears into nonexistence. To his mild embarrassment, Jaehyun finds that he is most definitely about to cry, sniffles already beginning and vision blurring.
“It’s just,” Jaehyun chokes out, pausing to accept the silently proffered tissue from Taesan, “it’s just, I just love you guys so muchhhhhhhhh,” ending on a drawn-out whine as he bursts into tears for real, clinging onto Riwoo’s hand like a lifeline.
He doesn’t know how long he stays there, sobbing at 5 AM in the dorm kitchen over reheated rice, but Jaehyun does know that no one leaves. There’s Sungho’s soothing hand on his back, Riwoo squeezing his hand just as hard as Jaehyun’s squeezing his, Leehan tearing up beside him in sympathy, Woonhak shoving tissue after tissue into his face, Taesan hovering with a tentative hand on his shoulder.
Jaehyun is so loved - has been so loved, and he just can’t wrap his head around how he didn’t notice it this whole time. How many more times had the members been there, worrying about him, trying to take care of him, watching over him when he was struggling? How many days like this did he never treasure enough, or even bother to remember in the hazy blur of misery from this time?
When the tears at last subside, they agree as one to go to sleep early - there’s still work tomorrow, after all, and they’re all too drained for games anyways. Some other day, Jaehyun promises, and prays that 2025 Jaehyun will keep it.
The members keep casting sidelong glances at Jaehyun, glancing at each other meaningfully when they think he isn’t looking, worry etched on each of their faces. And Jaehyun is simultaneously so, so grateful and so, so guilty.
“I’m okay,” Jaehyun blurts, suddenly overcome with the need to ease their worry, to reassure them, leader instincts eating at him. “I’m really- “ and here Jaehyun pauses, noticing the way the members watch him cautiously, reading his face, not outright denying his words but seeing the lie in every line of exhaustion on his body.
Jaehyun exhales, and chooses honesty.
“I’m not that okay. But I will be. I know I will be,” he says, with the conviction of someone who has seen it, lived through it. “So just - stay with me, okay? I’ll make you all happy, much happier than this. Better times will come. I promise.”
It’s silent for a moment, then - “of course, hyung, do you even have to ask that?” Woonhak bursts out, eyes brimming with emotion. Jaehyun can’t help but smile, and the tension breaks with an exhale, some unspoken weight lifting off of the shoulders of everyone present.
Jaehyun falls asleep that night on the living room floor, surrounded by all five of his dearest members - sore, exhausted, and utterly content.
He wakes up much the same way, if a little lighter, in his own comfy dorm bed the day after the final Seoul concert. The sun shines through the window - it’s a rare lazy morning with nothing to do and no schedules, to rest and recover between tour stops. Jaehyun stretches, feeling suddenly unmoored for some inexplicable reason.
As he pads into the kitchen, it’s just Woonhak at the island, Leehan as per usual the last to wake up. Woonhak mumbles a good morning without looking up, and Jaehyun returns it quietly.
Then he sits, and kind of just - stares at Woonhak for a minute. Woonhak notices eventually, of course, and looks up from whatever football clip he’s watching.
“What, hyung?” Woonhak asks, blinking blearily up at him.
“Nothing,” Jaehyun replies, a beat late, occupied with studying the lines of his face. He looks older than he did in 2025 - of course, but what Jaehyun really notices is how…relaxed he looks. Far more so than 2025 Woonhak.
Jaehyun has the sudden and terrible realization that maybe, just maybe, his struggling was part of why Woonhak - no, why all the Boynextdoor members were so stressed back then. That he was the reason worry lines were permanently carved into their faces, the reason why their shoulders were held tense with stress.
We are not crying, AGAIN, Jaehyun thinks furiously, and inhales sharply to steady himself. Woonhak tilts his head curiously to the side, face still so openly calm and trusting, and Jaehyun finds a real if watery smile climb onto his face.
“Nothing,” Jaehyun repeats, firmer this time. He claps his hand on Woonhak’s shoulder, ignoring the befuddled expression he gets in response, and goes to get ready with renewed determination.
He can’t change the past. (Not really. Well, probably not. If the time-travel-maybe-dream was a fluke?) But, Jaehyun promises silently to himself, he’ll never make those he loves worry about him like that again if he can help it. He’s going to be the happiest, least stressed idol on the planet, and make sure his members are too. The fans, too - Jaehyun will make all of them the happiest they can be.
He’s going to. Jaehyun’s never been more sure of anything in his life.
On that note…what could make the fans the happiest…
“Woonhak,” Jaehyun calls over his shoulder, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “Bet you I can get abs by Busan.”