Mount Everest - Labrinth

"Okay everyone, so now that we're here, let's talk about how everyone been this week," Captain Hongjoong starts off the circle meeting, a strain smile on his lips - that has a small cut down the middle, "So who wants to start?"

Everyone was quiet for a good moment, not really knowing what to say, up until hesitantly Minho raised a hand.

He seemed a little lost on what to say at first, rubbing a hand on the bruise by his jaw before letting out a heavy sigh, "I..... I just want to thank you guys. I know this was very difficult at first and it was hard to.... Process. But you guys really backed me up as a team. If I'm honest, I never thought this would get to the point that it is now, but I appreciate you guys fighting hard and..... I'm really sorry that you guys are also receiving hate because of this."

Subconsciously Jeongguk traces a hand to the tender swollen area on his cheek, flinching slightly from the bruise there, but only frowns deeply and focused back to Minho - who's gazing at the ground with his teary gaze.

No doubt feeling guilty to all the bruised and beaten-up teammates surrounding him.

It's not like he knew this was going to happen - or any of them - that the second they would return back home after a conference meeting that there would be people waiting for them with pipe tubes and baseball bats.

Calling them faggots.

Ruining the traditional morals of the country.

All types of fucked up shit before they left.

And no one fought back.

If they did, they knew it would only look worse on them.

So, they held it in.

All the way until it was over, and they helped each other inside.

Seokjin scoffs to Minho's words, rolling his bruised eye, "We knew what we signed up for when we signed the petition and gave our resignation letter. You don't have to apologize."

Minho only shares a trembling smile, not saying anything more.

After a few more moments of silence, Woosung raised a hand, crackling a weak smile with the cut to the corner of his lips, "Well, I know it may seem like shit is bad but on the bright side, this is gaining a lot of attention. Today at the conference meeting with the directors of Olympic events seemed to be on a tight rope right now. Especially when they mentioned that other programs abroad reached out in support of our cause. So maybe there will be some results."

That is true. Maybe it won't happen so soon, and they will have to struggle a fucking shit load of time, but it's a work in progress.

They can't last without the Jewels of South Korea after all.

Especially the ice prince of pair figure skating.

"That's the positivity we need," Hongjoong encouraged, smiling, "We just have to stick together, yeah? This will have to pass through eventually-"

"Until when?"

The deep husk and depth of Karma's voice quivers the air, forcing everyone to snap their gazes to him. The red-haired man is glaring at his busted and bruised hands, that got slammed by a pipe while he desperately tried to protect Jeongguk's body when the boy had a panic attack in the midst of the beating.

Without fighting back.

Hongjoong blinks at Karma, uncertainty spreading his gaze with his body now tense, "What?"

"I said," Karma now growls, flickering his deadly gaze to his captain, "Until when? Because I've had enough letting people do whatever the fuck they want with me and not doing SHIT TO FIGHT BACK!"

The startle rise in his voice jolted Felix on his seat, desperately trying not to get anxious as he held onto his stomach - where someone repeatedly kicked him earlier.

Hongjoong closes his eyes, gulping thickly before fluttering his eyelids back open and tried to remain calm, "If we fight back then that easily can ruin our image-"

"More than it already is?" Karma chuckles drily, shaking his head, "I hated having to sit there, see these bastards hurting us, and me not being able to do shit! I never tolerate anyone hurting me-"

"That's a sacrifice we have to make," Woosung suddenly says, not looking when Karma sneered his gaze towards him, "Don't you fucking get it? If we fight back, it'll be easier for them to twist the story and then all the sudden we're the bad guys! We need the support, and that means we can't fight back."

Angrily Karma shoots to his feet, running his fingers this his red sweaty hair in frustration before screeching and kicking the chair he was sitting on, forcing another jolt from Felix - who's lips are trembling now - before moving his glare to Hongjoong.

"Oh trust me, I won't fight back now," He says, cynically, "But if they lay a hand on Taehyung, don't expect me to stay fucking put and do nothing!"

No one fought against that, since they knew there was no point in it. When it comes to family, they knew if it was either of them, they would do the same thing.

They wouldn't stop him either way.

So Karma annoyedly sits back on the chair, arms crossed with a glare fixing his gaze.

After a moment of the tension easing though them of the outburst, Hongjoong was about to speak but Ten beat him to it, this time his focus on Jeongguk.

"Have you spoke to Jimin? He didn't come to the conference today."

Jeongguk evidently frowns deeper to this, slowly shaking his head and signs, "It's been a week since I've spoken to him - after the protest at the rink. Taemin told me he's been different since that day and has just.... Not been the same."

"Do you think what happened overwhelmed him?" Felix asks quietly, not moving his gaze from his lap after looking at Jeongguk's hands.

As much as Jeongguk wanted to give a sure answer, he didn't since he wasn't sure himself.

Throughout this whole process, Jimin has been a massive backbone to both Minho and Taehyung. He has been there through every meeting, speaking out when no one knew what to say in confidence, and has remained calm while always having a plan on how to handle or solve certain issues.

If anything, this looks probably more important to him than it does to anyone else.

So Jeongguk shrugs, shaking his head, "I wouldn't know, he refused to talk to anyone."

"That's strange," Woosung murmurs quietly, "Not even to Taehyung?"

"Taehyung also refused to talk to anyone," Karma mutters, glaring at the floor, "He said he needed a moment alone after those fuckers smashed his car."

Minho evidently shuffles in clear unease on his chair, running a hand through his hair with eyes closed, "T-This is so fucked up-"

"Relax," Seokjin yawns, rubbing his eye sleepily, "After the conference today they said they would reach back out in a couple of days, right? We just wait till then."

Hongjoong nods encouragingly to this, "Jin is right, we should wait it out. For the meantime, Minho or Karma check in with Taehyung and try to talk to him. Jeongguk try to reach out to Jimin. We need them to get their head focused on this. As for the rest of us, we are going to remain here and avoid going out alone. Understood?"

Everyone agreed in their own way, and so the meeting was dismissed, and everyone went to do their journaling after the meeting in silence.

Yet when Jeongguk came to the blank page of his journal, he didn't know what to write.

To be more exact.... He just didn't know how he felt.

The trajectory of his life changed in just a span of weeks. He went from being the world most loved speed skaters to now being spat on just for taking part in this stance. The world still doesn't know of his sexuality - shit he doesn't even know it either - nor do they know of his hearing and speech deficiency. It's not exactly something he's even ready to open up and express to the world, especially with this whole mess going on.

They probably would hate him more if anything, see him as someone weak.

Not as the amazing record-breaking skater that he is.

Now with Jimin not communicating with him, it just doesn't make this any better. Throughout this, him and Jimin have been too focused on this that they never had the time to truly sit and talk about them.

About where they stand.

Then again, they were never in something committed. However, Jimin did change a lot and it did seem like that night - where they went out - that the connection was still there.

A lot just changed since that night clearly, but they do deserve to talk about it.

So Jeongguk gives on last stare to the blank booklet before closing it and standing up, leaving it behind. Everyone snaps their heads up, just as Jeongguk grabs his jacket and storms out the front door.

And no one stopped him.

______________________
A/N:

Oh-

Well, let's see what's going to happen...

I PURPLE YOU!! <33