Hey, everyone! Thanks to everyone who subscribed already, I wasn't expecting that! I wasn't planning on updating this soon, but I won't be able to update until December after this, so I figured I'd leave something up.

So without further ado, here's the second chapter!

Yongguk is grateful he chose a buffet style restaurant to take Daehyun to. The younger’s small frame is incredibly deceiving. He eats more than Manager Kang during one of his stress binges, and at a speed Yongguk can only marvel at.

Yongguk learns a lot about Daehyun as they eat, the boy is talkative and charming and he can’t help but be endeared. Daehyun talks about his parents, living by the seaside, and how his older brother had about wearing make-up as much as he had warned him about creepy old industry bosses when he told him he’d be joining TS. His brown skin is warm and his face is glowing in the soft lighting of the tiny restaurant as he prattles on about his academy and learning to sing, and again, Yongguk finds himself staring.

Daehyun’s cheeks are ruddy from the skin treatments TS has already started sending him to as they prepare him for cameras and debut. Faint scars mark his face in various places and his nose is slightly larger than average, but Yongguk is still entranced by the attractive features the boy seems to hide behind his shaggy hair. Yongguk’s eyes are drawn towards the way Daehyun’s mouth wraps around chopsticks as he eats and forms words as he speaks; the lush, pouty upper lip and pearly teeth.

Yongguk has known for years that he isn’t completely straight. He’s never been too concerned with labelling himself, and he isn’t in crises over it, but Korea is still a very conservative country and he’s never made any outwards confirmations of his preferences. He doesn’t plan to either. His family is loving and accepting, but their military background and traditional outlook prevent him from making any attempt to talk to them about it. What they don’t know won’t hurt them. He isn’t sure what to call this pull he feels towards his newest member or why he even feels it, but he knows that whatever it is needs to be stamped down, for both theirs and the group’s sake. He forces his eyes away from the younger’s lips just as he picks up on the tail end of Daehyun’s question.

“-you, hyung?”

“Sorry?” There’s a weighted pause as their eyes meet and Daehyun quickly looks back down at his food as he repeats his question.

“I said, what about you? I know you were in that underground rap group before. How did you end up being groomed as an idol?”

Yongguk shrugs, it’s a conversation he’s had before. “Music is music, and TS promised I’d have creative input. I want to have my music out there; this is a way I can do it. They set me up with a pretty good team, too.”

“Ah, about that…” Daehyun puts down his chopsticks and looks up, “Tell me about the others, hyung?”

Yongguk reclines in his seat as he sips at his water and mulls over the question. Daehyun listens patiently, nodding every so often and laughing at Yongguk’s descriptions. “Don’t take it harshly if they while to warm up to you right away, Daehyun-ah.”

Daehyun bites his lip nervously, “What if they don’t warm up at all, hyung?”

Yongguk’s voice is soft as he responds, “How could they not?”

                                                                  *          *          *

A week later, the boys are preparing for Daehyun’s move in. Since his addition to the group meant that he’d be too busy to visit home for a long while, TS had allowed him to go back to Busan for a few days after his meeting with Yongguk. He would be arriving with their manager in just a few hours, and in the following days, B.A.P would be introduced to their debut song and concept and the real work would begin.

“Are we going out to eat? Should I make food? What about kimchi? Does he eat kimchi?” Himchan was running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

Yongguk massages his temples, “Himchan. He’ll eat anything, trust me. And who doesn’t like kimchi?”

“I don’t know what people eat in Busan!”

Himchan had a tendency to be a busy body when he was nervous. He didn’t like the feeling of being the only member without an obvious talent in the group and adding a power vocal was only making him more fretful. No matter how many times Yongguk had told him how invaluable his musical talent was, it fell on deaf ears.

“It’s Busan, Himchan-hyung, not Russia. Calm down.” Youngjae walked by carrying some boxes they were moving around to make room for Daehyun’s things. Yongguk smiles at Youngjae as he passes. As expected, Youngjae had taken the news of a new vocal the hardest, but the boy had impressed Yongguk with his maturity. He wasn’t jumping for joy, but Yongguk was confident Youngjae wouldn’t make Daehyun’s life any harder than it had to be.

Jongup and Junhong were puttering around the living room, helping with the cleaning required to make a little more space for their new addition. The two youngest had seemed the most indifferent to the new addition; both only nodding their heads and smiling when Yongguk had told them to be welcoming and helpful when Daehyun arrived.

“Guys, kitchen!” Yongguk calls. As they sit down to lunch, Yongguk mulls over what he should say. He doesn’t like making speeches, even less when he is supposed to make them as leader. He decides to keep it brief. “I know we’ve talked about this already, but make sure you guys are good to Daehyun, alright? He’s far away from home, and he probably feels like an outsider already. Being a last minute addition to our group isn’t going to make it any easier. It’ll be hard for everyone, but remember he didn’t ask for this either.”

The others nod and Himchan scoffs, “Honestly, Bbang. Why so serious? You make it sound like we’ll rip him apart.”

“Just saying.” Yongguk mumbles, pushing rice around on his plate.

“I know, I know. Just doing your job as our good leader. You heard him boys, no attitudes!”

The other three blandly agree in unison before continuing with their meals.

Yongguk was still concerned about fitting Daehyun’s voice in with the B.A.P’s sound. He was definitely a good ballad singer, but how would he fit into another genre? And how would he fit in with them?

*          *          *

Daehyun’s leg is shaking nervously as he sits in the car beside Kang. This is the moment of truth. If these boys hated him, everything would only be that much harder. And from what Manager Kang had said, he’d have to live with any animosity in a tiny, one bedroom apartment.

"Kid, calm down. They’re going to love you. Or at least tolerate you.” Kang chuckles to himself before noticing Daehyun’s wide eyes. “I’m kidding!”

Daehyun convinces himself he is just being paranoid. Yongguk-hyung had seemed very kind, and that had helped ease his worries a little. Honestly, when he heard that he’d be joining the hip-hop group that was to be led by Bang Yongguk he had been beyond scared. Hip-hop? And Yongguk? Daehyun couldn’t remember seeing the guy smile, ever, and his voice is so…growly. And deep. Daehyun shivers every time he hears it, and he isn’t even sure if it’s in a bad way.

Daehyun had seen Yongguk around TS occasionally after he had joined. The older man had carried with him an aura of authority and calm that often rendered Daehyun silent in whatever conversation he was in the midst of. Daehyun tried not to examine this reaction too closely, but at the very least, he knew that he was developing some sort of hero-worship for the leader.

Meeting Yongguk for the first time had been nerve-wracking, but by the time they had gotten to dinner, Daehyun was much more comfortable. Yongguk’s smile was friendly and warm, and he wasn’t nearly as frightening as his image had portrayed. Daehyun recalls with some embarrassment how happy any praise from the leader had made him feel. He also bought Daehyun food, which was always a plus on anyone’s record. Still, the nerves refuse to leave and he expects they would remain for a while.

Daehyun doesn’t realize he has dozed off until he hears Kang’s voice and feels a hand shake him awake. “We’re here, Daehyunnie. Wake up.”

Daehyun blinks and rubs his eyes sleepily. Unbuckling himself, he hops out of the car and looks up at the small apartment building he’d be calling home for the foreseeable future. Heading to the back of the van, he helped Kang unload his few bags before they made their way up into the building and the elevator that would take them to B.A.P’s floor. Daehyun’s foot taps on the elevator floor as they ride up, and Kang gently pats his head in a small gesture of comfort. “Relax.”

As they step out of the elevator and make their way to a door at the end of the hall, Daehyun takes a few calming breaths. Kang knocks on the door loudly, before unlocking it and stepping in, Daehyun trailing in slowly behind him.

“Boys!” He calls, “Come welcome your new member!”

I'd love to hear what you guys think! This is really an exercise in writing for me (in addition to a way to spread the Bangdae love), so feedback is much appreciated~