Yeonjun's breath was heavy, it was the only noise in the room along with the tapping of Taehyun's foot on the ground. Soobin's eyes were focused on his hands clutching each other, his knuckles turning white. It was five minutes before the start of a concert and nobody wanted to admit that the pressure was there even though it clearly was.

They were not new to the whole thing but the adrenaline never stopped rushing through their veins before a show.

Everyone had their own way of dealing with pressure. Yeonjun always got quiet and it was obvious he was concentrating.

The day before they had a dance practice and Yeonjun had been hard on himself. He had problems with some steps which didn't happen often and got Soobin worried if something had happened. When Soobin tried to ask Yeonjun he just said he was tired and that everything was fine.

After some time he got the steps right and Soobin was proud that Yeonjun had powered through the rough patch, knowing that it must've hurt the older's ego.

It was three minutes before the show and they left the room and put their microphones on. Yeonjun seemed like he wasn't completely there but that was his way not to get irritated right before the start of the concert.

"Ok, we got this. You guys are amazing and I believe in you, this is our moment," Soobin encouraged. Right before they got on stage, Soobin nodded at Yeonjun with a small smile and Yeonjun nodded back.

The show went good and when they got off stage Soobin's heart still beat like crazy but he was proud of their performance. Beomgyu, who loved stage performances the most, was chatting with Kai about their favourite parts and Taehyun just listened to them smiling, occasionally throwing in a word or two.

While they were continuing with their conversation, they got called by the staff telling them their car had arrived. Yeonjun had been quiet the whole time and was the first one to stand up and leave. Soobin grabbed his stuff and quickly stood up too, trying to catch up with Yeonjun.

In the car, Yeonjun chose the seat at the window in the back and Soobin sat next to him. While Yeonjun looked out the window, Soobin looked over a few times trying to figure out what was up with him.

At the Hotel they left to their own rooms, exhausted from the day. Soobin showered to calm down and signalise his body that the concert was over and with that all the stress that had built up over the days. Although it helped, his mind still wandered to Yeonjun and his strange mood.

After drying his body, he decided to go to Yeonjun's room and talk privately. He cared about the other and understood that everyone had bad days but he was worried. Yeonjun was his member and hyung but also his comfort person and someone he adored.

He knocked on the door opposite to his and waited for Yeonjun to open it. He heard footsteps and then a tired-looking Yeonjun stood in front of him. His hair was damp and Soobin assumed that he had also showered. His cheeks were red and his lips looked pouty, like always. Soobin found it cute. He had to stop himself from just smiling and staring at him like a creep.

"Hey, can I come in?" Soobin asked. "Um, ok," Yeonjun replied, opening the door further. Soobin stepped in and closed the door behind him. He didn't step further into the room and Yeonjun awkwardly stood a few feet away in the middle of the room.

"You didn't really seem like yourself today so I wanted to ask if you were ok," Soobin stated observing Yeonjun. "Yeah, of course, the day was just... exhausting. But I- I'm fine," he said giving Soobin a tired and unconvincing look. His eyes were red and his voice unstable.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," Yeonjun said quietly, not looking Soobin in the eyes.

"Hey..." Soobin whispered while Yeonjun turned around to walk around the bed. Before Soobin was able to ask again, Yeonjun tripped over the carpet and fell onto it with a thud, his back facing Soobin.

Yeonjun began to shudder and little noises escaped his mouth. Soobin immediately took big steps forward to reach Yeonjun and crouched down next to him, his big hand on Yeonjun's back.

"Did you hurt yourself? Are you ok?"

He now saw Yeonjun's face, eyes pressed shut and tears rolling down his cheeks. His chin and bottom lip were quivering and it looked like he wanted to shake his head but he was only breaking down more. This sight hurt Soobin so much more than he ever would've expected.

" 'm not hurt," Yeonjun got out and his voice was raspy. It seemed like he used all his energy on those words.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm here, always. You're ok. We're always here for you."

Yeonjun let out a whimper and was now a crying mess. Soobin pulled Yeonjun into his lap and pulled him to his chest, tears wetting his shirt. Yeonjun was shuddering and his crying became louder.

"Hey, hey, I'm here, don't cry. You're safe with me, Yeonjunnie."

He began stroking Yeonjun's back and Yeonjun finally got out a few sentences, clutching Soobin's shirt and eyes still closed.

"They hate me," he let out in a shaky voice between sniffs and whimpers.

"Who hates you? Nobody could ever hate you, you're so amazing and you don't even know."

"In- In my live yesterday. I got hate comments and-" he couldn't end the sentence before he was full on crying again.

"That's because people are jealous and they have too much time, Yeonjunnie. You're so talented and you shouldn't believe what people who don't even know you say."

"But it's true," he whimpered, "they said I don't deserve my place in the group and that nobody wants me and that I ruin it and- and at the dance practice and at the show I made so many mistakes-"

"Stop, stop it right now. First of all, none of that is true. You have more talent than any of us and we want you in the group, we need you. Everyone makes mistakes and do you think any of us got through the show without any? And lastly," Yeonjun began to cry again, "We love you so much Yeonjunnie."

"I want to keep you for myself and protect you but I can't and I want to get every single hater and kill them with my own hands because they hurt you, but I can't. You're so important to us and you deserve everything in the world."

Yeonjun buried his face in Soobin's chest and breathed in his relaxing scent. He didn't stop crying entirely but it still helped. Soobin placed his head on Yeonjun's and placed a kiss on the crown of his head.

A few minutes later, after some soothing and reassuring words, Soobin got up and pulled Yeonjun up with him, holding Yeonjun in his arms. He half-carried Yeonjun to the bed and placed him on it carefully after pulling the sheets back.

Soobin sat down next to the laying Yeonjun and carefully wiped his tears away. He had to resist tasting them and then carded a hand through Yeonjun's hair, trying to get Yeonjun to relax more and more. He stared up at Soobin through his swollen, half-closed eyes that were slowly closing further from exhaustion and hopefully from relaxation and relief. He was still incredibly handsome.

Soobin pulled his hand out of Yeonjun's hair, patted his head lightly and smiled at sleepy Yeonjun who leaned into the touch, his lips pouting out more. Soobin slowly laid down next to him and pulled him in a tight but gentle embrace. It was a weird feeling, considering he himself wasn't the one who initiated physical contact most of the time.

Yeonjun wrapped his arms around him and clung to him like he wouldn't ever want to let go.

While Yeonjun drifted off to sleep, Soobin stroked his back and played with his hair again, letting Yeonjun nuzzle into his chest.

"You smell... good," Yeonjun mumbled into Soobin's shirt before he was seemingly asleep. Soobin rested his head on Yeonjun's and placed another kiss there before whispering to Yeonjun, even though he was probably deep asleep by now.

"I'm so proud of you. And I love you so much, you don't even know."

Yeonjun's eyelids twitched before he drifted off to sleep entirely.