soobin was walking down the hall when mr. choi approached him. "could you check on beomgyu? he's probably upset over what i said earlier," mr. choi said while rolling his eyes. soobin nodded in response and quickly made his way to beomgyu's room.

"gyu?"

soobin asked. he entered the room and saw the boy with salty tears, slowly running down his cheeks.

"beomgyu, what's wrong?!"

"i'm fat!" beomgyu whined — or cried — out. soobin gasped and quickly bent down to hug the younger.

"who told you that lie?!"

"father," the black-haired boy said as he hugged his hyung back, smelling his neck.

soobin sighs and rubs the boy's hair.

"don't listen to him, gyu. he just says that because he's stressed or something."

the younger boy listened to soobin while sniffling, slightly nodding.

"there's not a single ounce of fat on your body. besides in your cheeks, that's why they're so soft. it's cute," soobin said smiling. beomgyu chuckles.

"you're so beautiful."

"then why does father say i'm fat and ugly?"

"he's stupid, gyu. just listen to your soobin-hyung, i know what i'm talking about."

beomgyu softly giggles and nods.

"'kay, hyung," he mumbles.

—

after beomgyu finally calmed down, he was tired from crying and fell asleep. soobin put him to bed and walked out, sighing. there stood yeonjun, smiling.

"oh, hey yeonjun-hyung."

"hi soobin," yeonjun said with a grin on his face.

"are you up to something?"

"mm.. no, why?" he said, with the same stupid grin on his face. soobin chuckled.

"you're looking at me weirdly, hyung."

"oh, it's nothing!"

"i just wanted to make sure you weren't doing freaky things with my brother, but you weren't."

soobin quirked an eyebrow.

"what do you mean?"

yeonjun sighs with a chuckle, "it's nothing. bye soobin, see ya' later!"

"bye..?"

—

"but father, i'm hungry!"

beomgyu said. his father didn't allow him to eat much food.

"no, you can't gain more weight."

"why? 'cause i'm fat?!"

mr. choi didn't say anything, so beomgyu took that as a yes. he scoffed.

"soobin-hyung said i'm not. and even if i am, soobin-hyung said i'm beautiful, either way."

the boy then walked away, being hurt by his father's words once again. he didn't want to cry this time, though.

don't cry, don't cry, don't cry! he probably doesn't even mean it! besides, soobin-hyung thinks you're beautiful, that's all that matter, right?

beomgyu told himself over and over in his head.

"hey prince," soobin said, slightly scaring the younger boy.

"don't scare me like that!" beomgyu said as he turned around. soobin just softly giggled and stood next to the black-haired boy.

"where are you heading to?" the taller male asked, wrapping an arm around beomgyu's shoulder.

"i was just gonna go to the livingroom," the younger replied. there are actually different livingrooms in the castle. beomgyu and yeonjun always need to sit in their own livingroom, made for them.

"i just had a little argument with father again."

soobin sighs and pats beomgyu on the head.

"try not to take his words too seriously, okay?"

"okay."

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