[Friday - 10.46]

"Next on is Bang Chan's group. Be ready on the stage in 5." The main director of the show called, looking at her schedule.

The group hurried onto the stage for their final  rehearsal. They all looked like they came straight from their beds, wearing loose and chaotic clothes. Everyone's hair was messy and they just looked in general tired.

"Here, your microphones." A student arranger handed everyone their microphones, making sure they were all turned on and ready.

"Lights and music on performance 13 ready?" The arranger called out.

She got the clear from the people in charge of audio and light, quickly writing something down on her sheet of paper before taking a seat.

"You boys ready?" The group nodded, getting into their starting position.

"Ok from the top!" The director called out.

The whole room dimmed, everyone falling quiet.

A light lit up, illuminating the group standing close together by on the stage. As the first notes filled the room, Minho started dancing the first center part, amazing everyone.

Cheers filled the room quickly as the group performed their track, impressing everyone present. The hair and makeup majors stopped working, instead paying close attention, the technicians paid close attention, leaving their work be. The other students gathered around the stage, watching in amazement.

Sure, a lot of the performances were great, but none of them had all of the 3 main factors perfect like this group had; both the perfect track, vocals and dance.

The music and lights faded as the song ended. Cheers of encouragement echoed through the room.

The boy bowed quickly, finally relaxing.

"Good job, boys. Bang Chan, Lee Minho, Seo Changbin, Hwang Hyunjin, Park Ji, Lee Felix, Kim Seungmin and Yang Jeongin, correct?" The director asked.

The boys all nodded.

"You're scheduled for hair and makeup at 15.30. You're dismissed until then." The director said, ushering them off the stage.

The group gave their mics back to the staff, moving to grab their stuff from backstage.

"That was great, guys." A classmate of their complimented.

"Yeah, that was an amazing track! Especially the beat, perfect!" Another complimented, directed at Changbin and Chan.

"Actually, Ji made the beat." Chan corrected his classmate with a smile.

The two looked over to Ji whom was standing with Minho's arm wrapped around them, trying to avoid making eve contact.

"Oh... Good job, Ji., the beat was sick." The classmate complimented.

Ji smiled slightly, feeling embarrassed.

"Uh, T-thanks."

"Ok, so now what do you say we go grab lunch?" Chan suggested.

The 7 others agreed, heading for the exit together.

---

[Friday - 15.28]

The group of 8 arrived back at the school at the time they had been given, an hour and a half before the show started.

"Great, everyone's here. Go get changed, the outfits have your names on them." The leader of the team they had been given said, gesturing towards the rack of clothes hanging in see through bags.

The boys and Ji walked over to it, taking their perspective costumes.

Jeongin and Hyunjin hyped up their outfits, hurrying into the changing rooms.

Ji looked at their outfit, heartbeat speeding up.

'A short-sleeve?'

"Come on, let's go change!" Minho excitedly exclaimed, tugging Ji along.

The others had already gone into their perspective changing rooms, except for Felix and Chan whom were discussing something outside still.

"I-I can't wear this." Ji whispered.

Minho tilted his head.

"Why not? It looks cool, it'll look good on you, don't worry." Minho encouraged.

"No it's not that, i just-... Can we talk?" Ji asked softly.

"I have to tell you something." Ji continued to whisper.

Minho nodded, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and worry.

Ji took Minho into the furthest away changing room, hanging their costume on the line of pegs.

"Ok, so you remember before we got together, the one day when someone was sent to the hospital in an ambulance?" Ji asked in a whisper.

Minho nodded, taking Ji's hands to rub them soothingly.

"Yeah?"

"That was me." Ji confessed.

Minho gasped, looking kind of hurt and confused.

"What, Ji you told me that wasn't you!" Minho softly exclaimed.

He wasn't mad, only worried and hurt that Ji didn't tell him in so long.

"I know." Ji sighed.

"What happened?" Minho asked, looking sad.

"Well... After all of you went out to take a break I went back to the studio to work, but then... Someone came inside and kind of attacked me?" Ji started.

"Who?" Minho immediately piped up.

"Jungkook and his girlfriend. And their friends." Ji answered softly, gaze lowered.

They carefully and hesitantly pulled their hands out of Minho's, rolling up the sleeve of their hoodie. Minho gasped taking a hold of Ji's bandaged arm.

"Baby!"

"They hit my head hard on the table so I got a pretty bad wound and a concussion, and they-... Wrote something kind of ugly on my arm." Ji finished.

Minho looked at Ji for permission before starting to unwrap their arm, taking off the bandage that should have been changed a long time ago.

"Ji, I-... Why didn't you tell me?" Minho asked in a whisper, caressing the letters carved into his lover's arm.

Ji wiped Minho's silent tears with their free hand, pulling the elder into a hug.

"I just didn't wanna worry you." Ji hesitantly answered.

Minho nodded softly, kissing up and down the faintly red and purple cuts. He pulled away from the hug, grabbing Ji's head softly and turning it around to look at the wound.

Ji helped Minho find it, holding the hair covering it out of the way to show a small shaved area with a horrible looking healing wound.

"Oh my God, Ji." Minho whispered, kissing the wound as gently as he could.

"Please don't make a big deal out of it, Min. The police dropped the case and I'm past it all." Ji pleaded.

"Ji, i-... They hurt you so bad you passed out in a pool of your own blood and had to go stay at the hospital for 2 days. I can't just forget about it." Minho softly said.

"Yeah, I guess... But please don't confront anyone about it, I have a feeling that would end in worse." Ji told.

Minho nodded, hugging his partner from behind.

"Does anyone else know?" Minho asked softly.

"A few people here and there that happened to be there when it happened, the police, the principal, the music teacher and your friends." Ji  answered.

Minho nodded.

"Ok... I'll go find someone you can trade outfits with, you just stay here, gorgeous, ok?" Minho smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you, handsome." Ji answered making Minho chuckle softly.

The two shared a soft peck on the lips before Minho grabbed Ji's costume, exiting with it to find someone willing to trade.