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"Where is Gyu? Who takes 10 minutes to go to the bathroom?" Taehyun mumbled, sounding annoyed. He crossed his legs, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeves.
"He's probably wandered off looking at something again," Soobin told him, "Don't worry, this is Beomgyu we're talking about. Besides, nothing's gonna happen in here of all places."
Taehyun sighed. "Right… but still, can you go check? He might get hurt and you know that's bad."
Soobin chuckled, going to ruffle Taehyun's hair but remembered not to. The stylist noonas would kill him. "Of course. Tyun."
He got up and left, starting to wander the halls, keeping an eye out for his auburn-haired member.
A glimpse of black and pink caught his eye, and he quickly stepped back instinctively, narrowly avoiding the young girl who would have bumped into him if he hadn't been fast enough.
She skidded to a halt and bowed, hurriedly throwing out apologies. Soobin took a closer look and recognized her as one of the mcs, IVE's Jang Wonyoung.
Wonyoung finally looked up and her eyes flashed with recognition.
"Oh- Soobin-ssi! Do you know where the Enhypen members are, I don't know where they are they're not backstage-" Wonyoung rambled, her voice laced with relief.
"Hey, slow down Wonyoung-ssi, what happened?" Soobin said.
"It's Jungwon-ssi," she explained, waving her hands, "I don't know what's happening to him, I thought his members might know-" She cut herself off, eyes wide and panicked.
"Where is he?" Soobin furrowed his eyebrows, worried. Something's happening to Jungwon? He wondered what could have possibly freaked out Wonyoung, that the young idol didn't know what to do?
"In the dressing room, I'm going to keep looking for Enhypen," she dashed off, leaving no room for argument.
"Thanks Wonyoung-ssi!" Soobin called after her fleeing back.
Soobin cautiously entered the dressing room and understood why Wonyoung was panicked.
Jungwon was sitting on the floor, in the corner, his arms wrapped around legs that were drawn tightly to his chest. The small leader was rocking back and forth, head buried in his arms, quiet whimpers emitting from him, punctured by quick, shaky breaths.
Soobin carefully walked over and knelt next to the younger. "Jungwon," he said quietly, so as not to shock him. Jungwon's head shot up, revealing glossy eyes filled with panic, and tear tracks on his cheeks. His breathing sped up, he was clearly distressed.
"Hey Jungwon it's okay, it's Soobin hyung," Soobin spoke louder this time, making sure the younger could hear him clearly, and placed a gentle hand on Jungwon's arm. He sucked in a breath when the younger flinched, but didn’t move his hand.
"Soobin… hyung?" Jungwon echoed, still disoriented, eyes anxiously darting everywhere. His head turned slightly to where Soobin was approximately, and Soobin guessed he couldn't pinpoint where he was.
"Yes, it's Soobin hyung," he said.
"I-I can-can't," Jungwon gasped for air, not being able to finish his sentence.
"Everything is going to be alright," Soobin soothed, "hyung's got you, inhale with me yeah? Yes like that, now exhale. Amazing. Now do it on beat, one, two. You’re okay, you’re fine, I’m here."
Soobin continued counting, following with his own exaggerated breaths to help Jungwon copy. He showered a generous amount of praises on to the younger, and it seemed to help. Soobin was grateful he knew what to do in these situations. Yeonjun had had panic attacks when he was younger, and as the leader, Soobin was told about them, and taught how to help.
"S-soobin hy-hyung," Jungwon's eyes had been unfocused, but now they started to click in on his face.
"Yes it's me baby," Soobin whispered, "you're doing a great job."
Jungwon's fast-paced breathing started to slow. "Soobin hyung," he repeated, voice still shaky. Soobin hummed in confirmation and Jungwon latched onto him like a koala, frantically grabbing onto Soobin's shirt. "You did an amazing job baby," Soobin murmured, rubbing circles on Jungwon's back, and the younger buried his face into the older's neck, too tired to bother remembering this was his sunbaenim, forgetting all his upbringing.
"Do you want to tell hyungie what stressed you so much hm?"
"I'm the special mc.. and I was super excited but then I remembered why I was the mc and then I missed Sunghoon hyung and- and I got… Thoughts.. much stress," Jungwon ended in a mumble, squeezing his eyes shut.
Soobin exhaled, gently brushing a thumb over Jungwon's cheek, "Thank god Wonyoung was there, do you think you need anything baby?"
Just then, Wonyoung knocked on the door and entered, holding a plastic water bottle with a straw stuck in the cap. "I figured it was okay to come in since I heard no noise… Water?"
She passed the bottle to Soobin and continued explaining, "I found Jake-ssi when he was going to the bathrooms and I think he's telling the rest of your members, they might get held up for a bit, there's a lot of stuff going on. I hope you feel better Jungwon."
He nodded drowsily, Soobin bringing the bottle to his lips. "Yeah he does, thanks Wonyoung," Soobin translated, chuckling. She smiled faintly at them. “
"Sunghoonie will be fine, he's just resting hm? Do you think calling him will help?" Wonyoung suggested.
"That seems like a great idea, Jungwon?" Soobin asked, nodding.
"Are we behind schedule?" he said softly, "I don't want to delay us any longer."
Wonyoung checked her phone. "It should be fine, we're just at the end of rehearsals, the artists shouldn't be coming in until some more minutes later. You have oppa's number, Soobin-ssi?"
Soobin chuckled sheepishly. "Ah, actually, I don't- I've been meaning to ask Heeseungie for all the contacts."
She shrugged. "That's alright, I can call him."
Wonyoung handed her phone to Soobin, unlocked, her pink wallpaper visible. "I'll leave you two be, I'll come back when Yujin unnie tells me it's almost time to air."
"Thank you Wonyoung-ssi. Oh and, if you don't mind, would you tell Yeonjunie that I'm here? They still thinking I'm looking for Beomgyu," Soobin said.
"Beomgyu-ssi has reddish-brown hair, right?"
Soobin nodded.
"He's already with your members then! And don't worry, I'll make sure to tell them."
"Thank you so much," Soobin sighed gratefully. She waved him off before closing the door behind her.
"Do you wanna call or should I?"
Jungwon squinted at the screen. "Which one is the contact app?" he whined, confused with all the changed purple icons. He poked Soobin's chest, a yawn escaping his lips.
Soobin laughed, and clicked on the one he knew to be the contacts. Huening Kai had the exact same ones, except they were blue.
Mubank MC Sunghoon
"I'm nervous, what if we're bothering him?" Jungwon peeked at the phone. Soobin ruffled his hair, "It'll be okay, Sunghoon-ssi won't mind. You know that."
He pressed the call button, turning on the speaker, and the ringing almost drove Jungwon crazy.
"Hm? Wonyoung? Did anything happen? Is Jungwon okay?" Sunghoon asked, voice thick with sleep. Soobin nudged Jungwon for his cue to start talking but the younger shook his head, biting his lip. He looked up at Soobin with pleading eyes, hoping he would get the hint.
"Ah hello Sunghoon-ssi, this is Soobin from TXT!"
They could hear the startled noises Sunghoon made, a mixture of choking and coughing, before he started to ramble greetings to the oldest, and Jungwon let out a quiet giggle.
"Aish, no Sunghoon-ssi calm down. Wonyoung lent us her phone because Jungwonnie here was a little nervous about being the special mc, and might have had a little panic attack."
"What? A panic attack?! Is Jungwon fine? Did anyone get hurt? Does Heeseung hyung know?" Sunghoon's worried voice made Soobin smile fondly.
"Jungwon is okay, nobody's hurt, Wonyoung has already notified Jake about this. Jungwon, wanna tell your hyung why you were nervous?"
"I was worried about you," Jungwon said quietly, embarrassed, "I remembered why I was the special mc and I got kinda- scared."
Sunghoon cooed, making Jungwon flush a bright shade of red.
"Aw Jungwonnie you're so cute to be worried about me," Sunghoon chuckled, but then his tone turned serious, "Don't worry Wonnie, I'll be fine, it's just a little surgery. You're gonna do great emceeing, you know that right?"
Jungwon let out a wet giggle, a new wave of tears sliding down his face.
"Ah Jungwonnie are you crying?" Sunghoon let out a soft laugh.
"Am not," Jungwon protested. Soobin gently brushed his thumb under Jungwon's eyes, the younger didn't seem to notice, busy laughing at Sunghoon's words even as he continued to cry.
A knock sounded on the door, but neither Jungwon, or Sunghoon for that matter, reacted. Soobin, as discreetly as he could, slid Jungwon off his lap and went to open the door.
Wonyoung smiled at him apologetically, "Hi, I would really love to let Jungwon and Sunghoon talk longer, but Yujin and Gaeul unnies have been bugging me because I'd already waved it off two times."
"That's alright, we should be starting anyway."
Wonyoung brushed her hair out her face, beaming, "Thanks Soobin-ssi, I need to go touch up my makeup, and I think the makeup unnies would appreciate it if you helped Jungwon with his as well." She handed him a small blue bag, bowed, and left.
Soobin curiously opened it to find makeup brushes and palettes, he chuckled to himself and went back to Jungwon.
"Jungwon-ah," he gently tapped his shoulder, "It's almost time to air."
"Soobin hyung, just a while longer?" Jungwon pleaded.
"Aish Jungwonnie, go already. Hyung isn't going anywhere. You can call me or see me after you finish emceeing yeah? Fighting Wonnie, hyung will be watching you on TV! I love you!"
"..okay bye hyungie, love you too," Jungwon said quietly and ended the call.
"You feeling better?" Soobin ruffled the younger's hair before smoothing it back down.
Jungwon nodded, "Mhm.. thank you hyung,"
"It's okay, I know it's nerve-wracking but my members are always there to support me, and you have both our teams. Now c'mere, Wonyoung told me to touch up your makeup." Soobin purposely waved the makeup brush under Jungwon's nose, making him sneeze and smack Soobin's arm, whining while the other laughed.
“Thank you hyung,” Jungwon murmured, a shy smile lighting up his face as Soobin dusted his cheeks.
“Yah that’s what I’m here for right? What kind of sunbae would I be if I didn’t help my hoobae?” Soobin scolded, but there was no fire behind it.
Jungwon laughed and Soobin smiled fondly at him. He reminded him of when Soobin was younger, still a rookie and so scared and nervous, always afraid of one thing after another. There were just so many rules, and even more of them unspoken. Always look happy, don't talk about your sexuality, you have to look thin (or else). It was tough and confusing, to say the least.
He could see a bit of himself in Jungwon, the same fiery determination to succeed and a nature to look after others. Soobin just knew Jungwon would grow up to be a great leader. Namjoon probably knew that too when he talked to the youngest. He also gave Soobin guidance, and from one leader to another, now it's Soobin's turn to give help and offer advice to Jungwon.
(And if some of that advice was a guide on how to make your members shut up when they're screaming your ears off by Choi Soobin (with pointers and tips by Kim Namjoon and Choi Seungcheol) , that was nobody's business but theirs)