Chapter Text
“I don’t know! Okay, Minho? I don’t!”
“Well why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”
“Because you were being so annoying about it!”
“Oh so I’m annoying now?”
“Frequently, yes! Can you just leave me alone please?”
Jinki was just about at tipping point listening to the two of them fight in their living area. It was always over some stupid little thing, maybe they’d run out of milk because Kibum had forgotten to go buy some or Minho had left his water bottle at practice and somehow that was Kibum’s fault. It drove him insane. Of course, they didn’t always fight, but lately, they didn’t get along that well either. Jonghyun had tried to talk to them about it, unsuccessfully, and Taemin was… well, Taemin. Too shy to say anything that might risk his friendship with any one of them.
Of course, that left Jinki. He knew he should do something about it, it was his job as their leader, but he was doubtful that the two boys would listen to a word he said.
The volume of yelling from the living room was rising now, snaking its way through the crack under Jinki’s closed door.
I should just buy earplugs, he thought gruffly as he forced himself to get off his bed and make his way to the door.
He threw open the door, shouting to make himself heard over the two teenagers, “Will you two knock it off already!”
They both stopped immediately, turning to look at Jinki in surprise. It was completely unlike him to yell. He was generally very calm, level-headed, the glue that held them together. They rarely saw him angry, they rarely saw any other part of him other than their soft, sweet leader.
“Hyung, I-” Kibum started.
Jinkii stepped out of his room, cutting the younger’s explanation off with a hand, “No, Kibum. I don’t want to hear excuses. You two have been at eachothers’ throats for months now and it’s going too far. You need to give eachother a break, if you’re not careful, you’ll both do something you’ll regret.”
The two boys hung their heads. Neither one really knew why they’d been fighting so much. They’d always had a dynamic that encouraged bickering, teasing, playful fights, but for months now, Kibum had barely been able to stand the sight of Minho, and the slightest loud breath from Kibum when he was in a bad mood was enough to set Minho off.
“We’re all stressed okay?” Jinki could feel his own frustration rising, but he needed them to understand, as much as he hated speaking to them this way. “I get that you’re overwhelmed and tired and you just want a break, we all do! But you don’t see me yelling at Taemin when he leaves the fridge door open or at Jonghyun when he leaves his shoes everywhere! Can you just leave eachother alone for five minutes?” Jinki let out a strained breath, his rant over. His job was to look after them, lead them through this crazy career they’d chosen. If that meant he had to be the bad guy right now, force them to realise what they were doing, he just had to do it. He really did care about them, not just as his members, but as friends, brothers. It wasn’t good for them, or for the group.
“I’m… I’m going to take a walk,” Kibum mumbled quietly, not meeting Jinki’s eyes as he made for the door.
Jinki turned his gaze on Minho.
“Hyung, I…I’m sorry,” Minho said in the softest voice Jinki had ever heard him use.
Jinki softened his expression. As frustrating as they were, he couldn’t stay mad at them. They were just kids, kids that were his responsibility. They were trying to figure this whole world out just as much as he was.
“I know, Min. Why don’t you do something to calm yourself down?” he suggested. Minho nodded silently and left for his room.
Jinki let out another sigh as he heard his door close. Hopefully, tomorrow would bring no shouting matches from the two now. He felt awful for getting mad at them, although he knew it was the right thing to do. He took himself to the couch and plopped down, closing his eyes as he let the couch cushions swallow him up.
A few minutes later, a silent weight crawled onto the couch next to him and rested its head on his shoulder. He opened one eye to see who it was, then inviting him to shuffle closer.
“Hi Taem.”
“Hi, hyung. Thankyou.”
Jinki hummed a response and closed his eyes.
“I was worried about them. I thought they were going to fight forever and leave us,” Taemin had grown extremely attached to them all over the last couple of years. He couldn’t imagine any of them suddenly not being there. He needed his hyungs.
Jinki could always set his mind at ease. He gently ruffled his hair, “They wouldn’t do that, they don’t really hate eachother. They just… have a lot going on in their heads.”
“You did the right thing, Jinki.”
“Thanks, Taem.”