When Mum's in Charge
BangChan x Fem!Reader. 9th Member.
(This was requested by @geekqueensworld. I really hope you enjoy this one. I had a lot of fun writing it.)
(Border is made by @astrayapple)
Word count: 10,283.
Warning: In this, there is a section for an interview when a man calls Honey a whore, and is trying to intimidate her. He's just downright horrible to her.
Taglist. Masterlist. Progress Update. Stray Kids Masterlist. SKZ Progress Updates. MamaBear Collection.
Summary: Chan has the flu, so you step up to take charge. Part 2.
When Chan woke up that morning, he didn’t feel very good. The first thing he did was cough. His throat was scratchy, and his nose was blocked. He had to get up, though. You all had a lot to do this week. You all had dance practice today. Then you had vocals to record as well. There were a couple of interviews scheduled, along with an SKZ code to record. The week was hectic. He couldn’t be sick. He had to get up.
The door to the bedroom opened, and you stepped into the room. “Good morning, my love.” You spoke softly, carrying over a tray and setting it on his bedside table.
“Baby?” He asked you, his voice croaking out.
You smiled sadly and grabbed the thermometer. “I woke up and you were sweating. Like really bad. You were also shivering. So, here’s the plan. You’re going to stay home until you’re better. I mean it, Chris. No arguing. No working. I have everything covered. You just need to focus on resting and getting better.” You gently brushed some of his hair out of his face.
“No, I have to work.” He whined out, but your touch felt nice.
You shook your head. “Chris, please listen to me. I made breakfast, something light on your stomach. Once you’re done, I’ll help you in the shower, and then you can get some more sleep. Okay? I have medicine ready for you as well. Plus some tea with honey, and I got you a pack of soothers for your throat.”
Chan couldn’t help but smile. Here you were, ready to take care of him and face a busy week at work. How exactly did he get lucky with you? “Thank you.” He gently took your hand in his and squeezed it later. He had full faith that you could do this.
Chan was out like a light before you left the dorm. You had your bag, coffee, and phone in hand. Jeongin followed behind you as you both headed towards your car. Jeongin had spent the night in the 3RetNey dorm, whereas Han had spent the night at the Cutie dorm. You all did this often, having sleepovers.
You were texting, sending out the message that Chan wasn’t well and he was staying home.
Cinderella 🐻: Just letting you guys know that Channie is sick, so he’s staying home today. Rapunzel🐣: Oh No! I hope he gets better soon. Give him a hug from us all. 🥰😭💛 Cinderella 🐻: I already did, baby boy. 🩵 Ariel🐿: Wait, Chan, can get sick?🤔 Snow White🐰🐷: Wtf? Of course, he can get sick.🤨 Jasmine🐰🐱: Tell me you took away his laptop. Cinderella🐻: I did, it’s in my bag. Jasmine 🐰🐱: Good job. 👍 Let's hope he sleeps. Mulan🦊: Honey, took good care of him this morning. Cinderella 🐻: Thank you, Baby. 💕 Aurora🥟: Do you need any of us to do anything, Honey? ❤ Cinderella🐻: Not at the moment, Sweetheart. I've just finished up here. I'll meet you at the studio. Whoever's getting a ride from me, please meet Innie and me at my car in five minutes. Belle🐶: Lix and I will be there soon. I’m making coffee. Tell Chan we hope he doesn't die. Cinderella 🐻: Will do, lovely. See you soon.
Once you got to your car, you unlocked it and got in. Jeongin happily jumped into the passenger's seat.
“Are we taking anyone with us?” The man asked you as he shoved his bag into the footwell. He hadn’t followed the entirety of the group chat, having been playing a game on his phone.
You nodded as you put your travel cup in the cup holder. It was a cute cup with a picture of your skzoos on it. It was something Hyunjin had designed before they had all found a website where they could get it made into a travel cup for you. The lid told you the temperature of your drink. It was really thoughtful.
“Yeah. Lixie and Minnie will be here in a moment. Minnie’s just making coffee, and then they’ll both be here. I guess Lino left early this morning if he didn't take them with him.” You explained as you took out your iPad and began to work. Normally, Minho took the cutie dorm to work, and Chan, you or Changbin took your dorm to work. But sometimes it would switch up a bit.
Whilst Chan was always seen working on his laptop. You were often seen working on your iPad or on your phone. The guys had seen you make some masterpieces on those two devices.
Jeongin looked at you for a moment. “Honey, is Chan-hyun okay?” He asked you.
You nodded. “He will be. It could be a cold, but it could be the flu. We’ll see. As long as he sleeps, sweats it out, eats and takes his medicine, he’ll be okay.” You said as you opened up one of the songs and reworked a few things on it.
Jeongin let out a sigh. “You’re seriously working right now?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
You looked over at him and smiled. “Sweetheart, I just need to change a couple of things on this. It’s supposed to be presented tomorrow by Chan, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have a meeting this morning, so I can show it off then for him.” You explained as the back doors of the car opened.
Seungmin got in behind Jeongin, and Felix got in behind you. “Morning, Mama Bear!” They said in unison, both smiling brightly.
You chuckled and turned to face the two. “Good morning, my babies.”
Jeongin scoffed. “Well fuck me, I guess.” He groaned.
Felix grinned and leaned forward, planting a kiss on the Maknae’s cheek. “Good morning, Yena!” He giggled out as he pitched his voice up in a funny tone. He sat back in his seat and put his seat belt on.
“Ughh.” I.N wiped his cheeks and shook his head. “I’m being attacked.”
Seungmin smirked. “Attacked, please, we can all see you're hiding a smile.” He commented as you started the car.
“You boys strapped in?” You asked about putting on your own seatbelt.
“Yes!” The three all spoke.
You nodded and put your iPad in your bag before handing your bag to I.N. You then began to drive towards the company.
As you drove, the Powerpuff Girls took their turns picking the music. They always got to pick the music when you were driving. It didn’t take you too long to get to the company. You parked and turned off the car. The four of you got out of the car and made your way into the building.
You lead the way as the four of you walk towards the usual dance practice room. You open the door, letting your boys in first. You stepped inside, and the door closed behind you. Inside, the rest of the guys were there.
Changbin was sitting on the couch, texting. Han was lying starfish style on the floor. Meanwhile, Minho and Hyunjin were both marking some points in the dance.
“Right.” You said, clapping your hands together once, to gain their attention. “So, Chan is sick and we have a lot to do today. Dance practice and the first set of recordings for two of the songs. So, here’s the plan: we’ll go through the dances as usual.” You took out your phone and checked the time. “Hmm, I have a meeting in ten minutes.” You said to open your bag and pull out your iPad.
You pulled out the track you had been fixing and continued to talk, as you perfected it. “Han, Binnie, I need you two to step up a lot for producing today. I can take over for the VocalRacha parts and for Lino, but you two are far better at directing the rap sections. So, during these sections, I can head home to check on Chan.”
Minho frowned. “So you’re planning to go back and forth all day?” He asked you. He crossed his arms over his chest.
You nodded. “Yep. That’s the plan. And depending on how Chan is tomorrow…I might need to make some phone calls.” You said with a small frown, but shrugged.
You checked the time again. “I’ll be back soon, work hard, and please behave yourself.” You waved to the seven men and left the room.
As you walked down the hallway, Minho and Changbin both followed after you.
”Honey.” Minho said, causing you to stop walking.
“Yes, Min?” You asked as you turned to face him.
The two males shared a look. “It’s not fair to you if you’re the only one going to check on Chan. Let us do it as well.” Minho just wanted to help in any way he could. He knew that with Chan at home, you would take everything on your shoulders.
“Minho can go when he’s free, and I can go when you’re focused on recording VocalRacha and Minho. Han will stay with you, in case you need anything. We have your back here. Let us help.” Changbin placed a hand on your shoulder.
You nodded. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you two.” You hugged them both before pulling away. “I have to go, I’ll be back soon, okay?” You smiled before turning away and jogging off.
Changbin shoved his hands in his pockets as he and Minho watched you. “She’s got this.” He said with a firm nod.
Minho let out a hum in agreement. “Yeah, she does, but we’ll be here if she needs us.”
“Fuck yeah, we will.”
You made your way back to the dance practice room. You pushed the door open to see the guys all going through one of the routines. You set your stuff down and grab a bubble to put your hair in a ponytail. You watched them all as they moved. The dance looked fairly clean. You spotted a few mistakes, but it wasn’t anything too big.
When they were finished, you clapped. Minho and Changbin immediately turned to you. “How did it go?” Minho asked you.
You shrugged. “It went alright. I got the song finished just in time. So Chan will be happy to know they really liked it.” You smiled as you placed your hands on your hips.
Changbin nodded and came to stand beside you. “That’s good. How was the rest of the meeting?”
You sighed. “It was boring. They were just going over what I already know. But we have a second interview added to this week’s schedule.” You gently squeezed Changbin’s bicep before walking over to the other guys.
You began to stretch. Minho looked at you for a moment. Hyunjin let out a whistle. “So flexible.” He commented, causing you to laugh.
“You’re ridiculous.” You told the tall male.
He just grinned. “Hey, you're the one who can do walkovers and scissor splits like their nothing.”
You shook your head and smiled. You sat down and spread your legs wide. “Min.” You said, holding your hands out to him. He knew what you wanted. He sat in front of you and grabbed your hands, slowly pulling the top half of your body forward to help you stretch.
You continued to stretch until you were satisfied. Then you got up and looked between the men. “So, what dance are we working on?” You asked curiously.
Minho shrugged. “I was just going to go over Case 143 again. Clean it up a little so we have it ready for the music video.” He suggested to you.
You nodded. “Sounds good to me.” You trusted Minho’s judgement completely when it came to what dances needed focus and why. He was the best with this stuff. And whilst yes, you were a good teacher and added to the dances, you always made sure to let Minho lead.
Minho smiled. “Right, let's go over it once with the music, then we’ll clean it up.” He commented, the guys all nodded in agreement and got into position. Minho walked over to the music and put the song on.
Then you all moved, ready to clean up the routine.
Chan woke up feeling warm. He got up to use the bathroom before making his way back to bed. He noticed a bottle of water on his bedside table, which he guessed you had left there before you left that morning. There was also some medicine there.
The problem was, you weren’t there. You were always there to look after him when he was sick, but he understood. This week was packed full. However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t pout about it. He grabbed his phone, seeing messages from you all wishing him to get better, as well as some updates.
Wife 💍💕: I hope you have a good nap, my love. I left some water and tablets on your table. There’s soup in the kitchen if you’re hungry. Please put something light with it. I love you. 🩷 💋 Roo🌻: I hope you get better soon. Honey told us you weren’t well. Sending you all the hugs. 🤗🩵🫂 Menace Puppy⚾️: Don’t die. Get better. 😝 Maknae🍞: If you’re looking for your laptop, stop. Honey has it. No work for you. Haha. 😂 Savage Cat🐱: Get better quickly. Also, Honey’s meeting went well. She finished that track for you and showed it. First Child💤: Chan-hyung. Why did you get sick? 😕 Drama Queen🥟: I hope you’re okay. Get lots of sleep. Don’t worry about us, we’re in good hands. 💐 Binnie-Boo💪: Little update for you, Honey just got finished with recording her lines. She sounded beautiful as always. I’ll send you the video. Seungmin came in to record his voice, so we all know it’ll go well with Honey directing him. She’s in the zone.
Chan couldn’t help but smile at the texts. He was thankful that Minho and Changbin were keeping him updated. He knew you were stepping up into his role, and he was grateful for that. But what made him happier was knowing that Minho and Changbin had your back every step of the way.
He slowly got up, walking to the kitchen to get himself some food. “It would taste better if my wife were here to feed it to me.” He spoke loudly in the empty dorm. It was wishful thinking, wanting you there. It was fine; he had all day to pout about it.
You were sitting comfortably in Chan’s usual spot. Changbin was sitting beside you, with Han sitting on the couch. Seungmin was in the booth singing his lines. He was doing great; there were just a couple of things he needed to work on.
Your second youngest looked at you through the window and smiled. “Was that better?” He asked you curiously.
You pressed the red button and smiled back at him. “You were clearer this time, that’s what I wanted. But you're making it too breathy after the flip. Try it again, but make it fuller, please.” You let go of the button.
You started the music again, and Seungmin began singing his part. He took your words and applied them, which you were happy with.
“Good, that was heaps better, baby. Do you wanna hear it?” You asked him.
Seungmin nodded. “Yes, please.” He smiled.
Changbin played his recording, and you watched Seungmin walk around the booth, taking in his voice. Once it was done, he looked at you. “I can do it better.”
You nodded. “Alright, we’ll keep this one, but we can go again.” You looked at Changbin, who played the music, and Seungmin sang again.
Seungmin did that section another two times before he was satisfied with his voice. You clapped. “Nice. I liked it. Now we just need to do the ad-libs and then you’re done for the day, baby.”
The ad-libs didn’t take too long for him to do, and soon he was out of the booth just as Minho entered the studio.
“Hey, I’m heading to check on Chan.” He told you.
You smiled. “Thanks, Min. Take Minnie with you.”
Minho nodded. “Will do. Come on, Pup.”
Seungmin grabbed his stuff and kissed your cheek before hugging you. “You were great. I want you to produce more often.”
You smiled brightly at the male. “Thanks, Baby. You were amazing as usual. I’m proud of you.” You grabbed your phone and took out your card, handing it to him. “Whilst you're out, go pick up some food for everyone, and we can all hang out in here. Sound good?” You suggested.
Seungmin grinned and nodded his head. “Thank you. We’ll be back soon.” He walked over to Minho and waved at Changbin and Han before leaving.
Minho shook his head. “We’ll text you to let you know how Chan is. And don’t worry, I know where everything is.” You smiled at him and nodded.
“Thanks, Min.” With that, Minho and Seungmin left the room, heading to Minho’s car.
You turned around in your seat and stretched. “You’re doing great.” Changbin told you from his spot beside you, causing you to look at the male.
“You’ve really taken on a leading role here, and you're doing an amazing job. Chan’ll be proud of you.” Changbin smiled at you. He had been watching you since the recordings had started. He’d seen how you sat in Chan’s seat and took charge and how you had helped guide Seungmin. Sure, you had done this before, when it came to the songs you wrote, or when VocalRacha needed a little more help. But this was different, and Changbin was proud of you.
You felt your cheeks heat up a little. “Thanks, Binnie.” You took his hand in yours and squeezed gently.
The door to the studio opened, and in walked Felix, a bright smile on his face. “I’m here.” He said, putting his stuff down before immediately hugging Han, who hugged him back. Felix pulled away before making his way to you, kissing your cheek and hugging you tight.
“How’s it going?” He asked you as you pulled him onto your lap.
“It’s going good. I hope you’re ready. I’ve looked over the notes Chan had written down for this song. Binnie will lead you through it. I’m just here for support.” You told him softly, causing the blonde to nod.
Changbin shook his head. “No.” He said as Felix leaned over to hug him, he accepted the hug.
“No?” You asked in confusion.
“No. You take the lead. I’ll have your back and help you where you need it. And if you genuinely struggle with guiding Felix during any section of his rap, I can take over.” He wanted you to try. He didn’t want you to just give up the moment rapping came up. He was sure you could do this.
Han stood up and walked over to you. “You can do it, Mama Bear. You’ve been finding rap easier recently. I think if you let us help, you’ll find guiding rap easier too.” He added.
You looked between the two and then at Felix, who was still on your lap, smiling prettily at you. “Alright. Okay. But if I mess it up. You two are to blame. Okay?”
Felix giggled. “Pft, as if you’ll mess it up. We have full faith in you. Mama Bear.” He got up and stretched before going over to his bag. He got out his water and walked into the booth, where he began his vocal warmups.
Han took the opportunity to sit on your lap, and you wrapped an arm around him. Ready and willing to work with one hand. Soon enough, it was time to start the recording, and with the help of Changbin and Han, you started feeling more confident with directing when it came to rap.
Han sent a text to the group chat, letting them know that everyone was going to be eating in the studio together once 2Min gets back. About halfway through Felix’s recording, Hyunjin and I.N came into the room.
You all took a break once 2Min got back with food, but once you were all done eating, the guys all stayed. All took their turns in the booth. Each watching as you effortlessly took control. They watched as you gave advice, as you listened to the advice given to you. They smiled when you got excited and when you praised them to no end.
To say it was a good day in the studio would be an understatement. You helped Felix feel comfortable enough to sing. He sounded utterly angelic. You could see him relax and ease himself into it. When I.N.’s turn was up, you worked with him on getting his voice to come out a little rougher and focused on him using a mixed voice rather than just his head voice on a certain note. When it came to Hyunjin and Han, Changbin helped you a lot with directing them. But you did a good job. You learn some new stuff when it comes to directing their raps. Han was a big help with directing Changbin’s rap.
Chan made his way out of the bathroom. He had emptied his stomach, not feeling well at all. He got into bed and drank some of his water. He was in bed for maybe five minutes before he heard the front door open.
“Baby!” He called out, hoping it was you. You had stopped by earlier to check on him with Felix.
The bedroom door opened, and his smile dropped. “Awe.” He pouted, seeing Minho and Seungmin.
Minho glared at him. “Geeze, we’ll leave, shall we?” He asked the male.
Chan shook his head. “No, no. I’m sorry. I was hoping Honey would come back. I miss her. I’m glad you’re both here.” He said honestly.
Seungmin walked into the room and grabbed the hot water bottle. He passed it to Minho, who went to do what he needed.
Seungmin sat at the end of the bed. “Honey’s producing right now. She got done with my vocals. She’s working with Felix right now. I think Innie is after him. I could be wrong, though.”
Chan nodded. “How is she doing?” He asked before coughing.
Seungmin smiled and handed Chan some water. “She’s doing good. Better than good. She’s so patient with us when she directs any of us. Changbin-hyung has been by her side the entire time. Han has stepped in when he needed to, but it hasn’t been a lot.”
Chan nodded and smiled to himself. “That’s my girl.”
Eventually, Minho came in with a meal for him, a new lot of meds and the hot water bottle. “Right. This should be light on your stomach. I also made you the chamomile and honey tea for your throat. Honey told me exactly how she does it, so I followed it.”
“Thank you.” Chan smiled. He ate his food as he listened to the duo tell him how the day had gone. Eventually, though, once he had finished his food, the two had to leave. Minho made him some more tea, keeping it in a travel cup to keep it warm. Seungmin got him a cold compress for his forehead.
The two wished him well before they left, making sure he had everything he needed before they truly left.
He stayed in bed, watching some of his favourite movies. He eventually got a text from Changbin.
Binnie-Boo💪: Honey just got finished with Felix’s rap section. She did amazing at directing him. We’re going into the second song for him now; he’s nervous about having to actually sing since Honey wants him to use his softer and lighter voice. But seriously, you’d be so proud of her, man. 🥳
He smiled and set his phone to the side. He was already proud of you.
It was a new day and Chan was still sick. Today, you all had two interviews. The first one went really well. You and the boys all sat together, answering fun questions and getting to just babble about the new album. You had been asked some fun questions. You all also got to say hi to Chan, who you all knew would be watching the interview when it comes out.
It was the second interview that was the problem. The man wasn’t exactly kind. He had been making comments about you and your boys. Some things you could all overlook. You looked at Minho for a moment; he was getting just as angry as you were. You were all trying to be professional. But at some point, you snapped. The man would bring up stuff about the past, as if he knew any of you. It was like he was trying to prove a point with his comments.
Felix had slipped up in a sentence, accidentally getting two words mixed up. It was normal; no matter what language a person speaks, they are bound to make a few mistakes here and there. So the fact that the man latched on to it annoyed you greatly.
“I guess you’re still not great at Korean, even after all this time.” That’s what he had told Felix.
You didn’t like how the man seemed to dismiss Jeongin just because he was the youngest member. “The adults are talking.” The male had laughed when I.N had tried answering a question.
You didn’t like how he commented on Minho being quiet during the interview. Minho just wasn’t in a talkative mood that day, which was okay. He was allowed to answer the questions he wanted. He didn’t owe this man anything.
The man had basically told Han to stop talking when he was talking passionately about one of the songs on the album.
When it came to Seungmin, the man had basically been ignoring him the entire time. Skipping over him for no reason and speaking over him whenever Seungmin tried to get a word in.
The interviewer somehow gave a one-two punch to Hyunjin and Changbin in the same breath after a question came up asking about who the visual was. Changbin had told him he was the visual. The man had laughed. “You’re not exactly the visual of this group, are you, Changbin? Maybe Hyunjin could give you his looks, and you can give him your talent.”
And to think, you were only about twenty minutes into the interview.
You had had enough. You stood up. “That’s enough. I’m not sitting around and letting you continue speaking to them like this. Boys, get up.” You told them as you ushered the eight of them up.
“Honey?” Felix asked you in confusion. You’d never really ended an interview early before.
“Lixie, get up, baby. I want you all to get your stuff and go wait in the van. Minho, take them, please.” You said as the boys began to get up.
You turned back to the interviewer. “Thank you for your time, but we’re not doing this anymore. I’m not going to subject my boys to this. It’s disgusting.”
The man frowned, not happy that you had questioned him. He stood up, towering over you. “How dare you speak to me like that. You may be able to boss them around because you spread your legs for them, but not me. You don’t come onto my set and tell me when we finish.” He growled out.
Minho and Changbin shared a look as they watched your shoulders fall slightly and you took a step back. But they saw you straighten up, not ready to back down to this bully.
Minho looked at Hyunjin, who had a disconcerted look on his face. “Hyunjin, take the Maknaes and get everything. Get in the van. Wait for us there. If anyone gives you any trouble, call one of us.”
Hyunjin nodded quickly. “Yes, Hyung.” He quickly ushered the Maknae line off set and to get all their stuff. He knew Minho and Changbin were staying to back you up. They weren’t letting this man talk to you like that and get away with it.
“Are you serious right now? You’ve sat there this entire time picking at those men. They have been working their asses off, day in and day out. I am not going to let you belittle them. You don’t get to look over Seungmin or I.N because they are the youngest members. Being the youngest doesn’t mean their lesser. They are equal to the rest of us in this family.” You started as Minho, and Changbin came to stand to your sides, but slightly behind you.
“You don’t get to tell Han to be quiet for being passionate or target Felix for making a mistake. We all make mistakes; it’s human nature. And let’s be honest, he could talk circles around you in English.” You told the man you were angry, and your English accent was really shining through.
“Now you listen here-”
You were quick to cut the man off. “I’m not done. You will listen because you need to know that these boys don’t owe you anything. It’s up to them if they talk a lot in an interview or only answer one question. You picking at Minho for his lack of answers was not okay, and yet in the same breath, you won’t let Seungmin answer anything. You can’t have it both ways. And I’ll have you know, Changbin is a visual. As are the rest of these boys. They’re all stunning men who are all insanely talented. Singing, dancing and rap, they can do it all. Hyunjin is incredibly talented, and I will not allow you to demean him into nothing more than being pretty. I thought people were over this kind of bullshit.” Your anger was clear, but it was the kind of anger that was chillingly calm. It was the kind of calmness that got your point across very clearly.
But the man wasn’t backing down. No, because who did you think you were? “Listen here, Sweetheart, it’s my show. I can say whatever the hell I want.” He walked towards you as he spoke. He loomed over to you and flexed his arms just enough to be threatening.
Minho reached out, grabbed your hand and pulled you away.
“That’s enough.” Changbin spoke as the three of you walked away.
The man scoffed. “You guys should learn how to keep your slut on a leash.” Oh, that made you stop in your tracks. “That’s right. It’s a bit odd, right? One woman in a group of men. We all know you and Bang Chan are together. Did you have to get on your knees for him to get into the group? We’ve all seen how close you are to all the other members. How Felix clings to you like a lover, and the way he always seems to always need your attention. He’s probably as needy as you are. We’ve seen how jealous the maknae line gets when you even look at another maknae line. We’ve seen Minho grab your ass, and how Hyunjin just casually flirts with you. That’s your place in this group, right? Stay in your lane, princess.” The man’s words spat out like venom. The way he spoke to you was full of condescension.
Minho and Changbin both looked at you, and their hearts broke as they saw your bottom lip tremble and your eyes fill with tears. Your shoulders slumped. Minho noticed how your thumb ran over your favourite ring as your hands shook. Changbin noticed how you blinked rapidly, trying to make the tears go away.
You thought people had gotten over that stupid, cruel thought. Of you only being in the group because you were dating Chan, or to be something the guys could share and use. It was something the guys all hated too. Because you were so much more than that.
“You don’t get to talk to her like that.” Minho spoke, his voice dark. “She’s in this group because of her talent. Have you ever actually heard her sing? There is a reason she is one of our main vocalists.” He said as he looked at the man.
Changbin nodded his head in agreement. “Our friendships are no one else's business. We all touch and flirt with each other. You don’t get to demonise her for how we cling onto her or for her clinging on to us. She’s allowed to be cuddly and loving. It’s who she is. You don’t get to use that to fit some sick idea in your head of who she is.”
Minho glared at the man. “Just for the record, I grab and smack all the members' asses, not just Honey’s.”
You shook your head and looked at the man. “You don’t get to talk about Felix that way. You’re bang out of order, making him sound like that. I don’t give a fuck about what you say about me, but you do not degrade or undermine any of my members. We are done here. You don’t contact us again. You do not contact the company again, and I am not allowing any of the JYPE groups anywhere near you.” You had that power. People listened to you.
Changbin shook his head. “Come on.” The three of you walked away, heading off set. The man heard Minho mutter about how ‘he’s lucky Chan isn’t here’. And how Changbin commented how if Chan had been there, that man would have ‘lost all his fucking teeth.’
That made you laugh. The three of you went outside and got into the van. Once in the van, the rest of the guys immediately began asking questions.
You sat next to the window, you placed an elbow on the door and shook your head. You placed your fingers in front of your mouth as you let out a sob. That made everyone in the van freeze. Minho immediately pulled you into a tight hug and stroked your hair.
Changbin quietly explained to the other members what had happened as Minho calmed you down.
“You know none of that is true, right?” Minho asked you as he held you close.
Changbin nodded. “What he said wasn’t even close to the truth.” He added.
Hyunjin shook his head. “He shouldn’t have ever said that to you. He’s just angry that you stood up to him.”
Han agreed. “And him trying to intimidate you with his size isn’t okay either.”
Felix reached out and rubbed your back. “We don’t see you like that. We never have and we never will. We love you.”
Seungmin let out a scoff. That wasn’t okay. “Some people really need to let go of the horrible comments from the past. Bringing that up is stupid and cruel.”
Jeongin let out a small sigh. “We know you’re talented, Honey. Please don’t let him get to you.”
All seven members know that right now, there is only one person you truly need. Chan. They all knew you had questions thrown at you about your position in the group. Of course, that had all gone away. True STAYs loved you. They saw your talents, they saw your relationships. They adored you for every victory, every high note, every mistake and every affectionate moment.
You pulled away and wiped your tears. “I love you guys, too. How about this, we’ll all go home. Get in our pyjamas and we can just have a big sleepover.” You suggested.
Everyone immediately agreed. But one question was asked. “What do we tell Chan?”
You thought for a moment. You couldn’t just hide this from him. You looked down for a moment and sighed. “I’ll talk to him tonight.” You spoke quickly.
Minho looked at you before he looked at Changbin. Changbin nodded before speaking up. “It’s okay, Honey, I’ll talk to him. You shouldn’t have to repeat what he said.”
Minho nodded. “I’m proud of you, Honey. Chan will be too. We all are. You stood up for all against a man who was a lot bigger than you. You held your ground. We couldn’t ask for a better second in command.”
The guys all instantly agreed, causing you to smile. You felt so loved.
========
Chan wasn’t happy. You had told him the basics of what had happened when you got home that day, whilst you were getting changed. He had watched you walk around the room with that look in your eyes, one that told him something had happened and that told him you were thinking deeply.
“He was horrible. You should have heard him, no. I’m glad you didn’t hear him. The way he spoke to our boys was as if they were nothing. It was disgusting and out of line.” You told him as you grabbed one of his shirts and began putting it on. “He was so rude. And then he targeted me for ending the interview early. He was cruel, but Min and Bin confronted him.”
Chan sat up and frowned as he listened to you. “Honey, what did he say to you?” You had gone into detail about the boys but not about yourself.
You looked at him for a moment, and his heart stopped, seeing the way your eyes became glossy. “It’s nothing important, just that I only got into the group for being your girlfriend. I’m gonna go start the soup.” You walked over to him and kissed his forehead before leaving the room.
Chan got up from the bed and shook his head. He needed to know what had happened, to make sure you were okay. He exited the bedroom to see Changbin and Minho entering the dorm. The two walked over to him and guided him back into the bedroom.
“We need to talk.” Changbin told him. Minho shut the door behind them once the three of them were in the room.
Chan sat on the bed, Changbin sat beside him, and Minho grabbed your vanity chair and sat on that.
The two then began to explain to Chan exactly what had happened at the interview. They explained to Chan exactly what that creep had said to you. They mentioned how you had told the man that you didn’t care what he said about you, that you thought only of them and the rest of the members.
Chan could hear in their voices how much this upset them. The three of them had seen you time and time again step up for them. They had seen you put so many people in their place for speaking negatively about the entire group. However, when it came to yourself, you didn’t tend to really stick up for yourself. It was like you didn’t want to overstep by protecting yourself, or like you weren’t allowed to.
The guys always came to your defence. However, they didn’t want you to shut down when people targeted you. Minho stood up and excited the room, giving Chan the time to collect himself. The three of them really needed to talk to you.
You stood in the kitchen with Jeongin beside you. He watched as you made the soup, showing step by step what to do,
“Honey.” Minho said, pulling your attention from your youngest.
“Yes, Min?” You asked as you looked at him, a small smile on your lips.
Minho looked between the two of you for a moment before clearing his throat. “I need you to come to your bedroom. We need to talk.”
You frowned. “What about? I’m busy, Min.” You said, turning back to the soup.
Minho walked closer to you. He spoke your name. Oh, this was serious. You and Jeongin looked at each other for a moment.
“Yena can look after the soup. Come on.” Minho was leaving no room for argument.
You gave Innie a small sigh before following Minho back to your room. You stepped inside the room, and Chan patted the spot beside him on the bed. You walked over and sat beside him. Chan immediately took your hand in his.
Minho sat back down on your vanity chair, whereas Changbin had grabbed one of the desk chairs to sit on.
Changbin was the first to speak up. He spoke your name softly. “You know what that interviewer said to you was wrong, right?” He asked you, gently.
You nodded. “Of course, I know. I’m not a child. I know what he said was out of line.”
Minho shook his head. “Look, we saw you fight and stand up for us and the rest of the guys. We are all grateful that you care that much about us all. We’ve seen you do it since before we all debuted. You’ve been fighting for us since before we even became a group.” He said as he gently placed a hand on your knee.
Chan squeezed your hand gently. “You didn’t stick up for yourself today. We’ve noticed it’s something you do a lot. They told me exactly what that man said to you, and it was disgusting. It was worse than what he said to the guys.” He let out a small sigh. He shook his head, calming himself down for a moment before he spoke again. “Minho told me how that man was looming over you as well. Like he was trying to intimidate you.”
Changbin leaned forward in his seat, resting his arms on his knees. “When you said you didn’t care about what he said about you, that hurt us. We want you to care. You have put so much into taking care of all of us. You have a boyfriend who is constantly going through strange sleep patterns and gets so focused on work he forgets the world around him.”
“You look after the rest of us like we are your kids.” Minho stated. “Constantly going to war for us. You’re always making sure we're safe and healthy and that people know it’s not okay to hurt us. So why do you let people like him treat you like that?” He squeezed your knee lightly.
You couldn’t help but shrug. Your felt tears appear. “I don’t know. Sometimes, if I just pretend nothing is said to me, I can still power through the day. I can pretend that…I don’t know.” You shook your head, and your bottom lip trembled. “Protecting you guys is easy. I see someone going after you all, and I get angry. How do I just pretend that doesn’t happen? But when someone comes after me..I just… I freeze, and I don’t really know why.”
Chan pulled you to his side and held you close. “Listen to me, I love you, and I hate seeing you hurt. I hate how you just stand by and let people put you down. It’s not fair. You work so hard.” He told you gently, but his voice was firm. “You know that, right? You work incredibly hard. Your voice is beautiful. It’s one of my favourite things about you. You can hit high notes so easily.” Chan squeezed your hand gently. “The way you dance is both graceful and powerful. You're flexible too, which is fun to show off. And whilst you’re not always confident with rap, you have been doing an amazing job with it. The boys are also always going on about how much they enjoy it when you produce as well.” He needed you to know your worth in the group.
You felt tears slipping down your cheeks.
Minho gave you a small smile. “Honey, we want you to start looking after yourself. Stick up for yourself. There are going to be times when we aren’t there. Like when you go for your ambassadorship stuff. There are times you're the only one left in the studio. We need you to start stepping up for yourself the way you do for us.” Minho turned around and grabbed the tissue box off the vanity and held it out to you.
You gratefully took a tissue as Changbin spoke up next. “We don’t just want you to do this with other people, but us as well. You work yourself to the bone. You're always helping one of us. You drop everything for the Maknae line. You need to start saying no. Be selfish. It’s okay to be selfish. You have to put yourself first.”
You let their words sink in. Maybe you did need to start saying no and standing up for yourself.
Chan placed a kiss on your temple. “Listen, I know it’ll be hard. Especially saying no to Lixie and Innie. You’ve always had trouble saying no to them. But no matter the situation, we will be there to help. Either it’s saying no to kids so you can focus on work, or saying no to us so you can relax. Or if it’s telling someone off for crossing a line with you, we’ll help you every step of the way.”
You nodded your head softly as you snuggled close to Chan. He gently stroked your hair as you wiped your tears. “I’ll try. I promise. I’ll start looking after myself too.”
Chan smiled. “Good, that’s all we’re asking. You’re so important to us. I want you to be important to yourself as well.” He pulled you into a hug.
Minho stood up and hugged you. Changbin quickly joined.
Minho pulled away after a minute. “I’ll go help Innie in the kitchen. Changbin is going to get Han out of his room and the rest of CubRacha to help set up the living room when they get here. For now, you and Chan just take a minute. I’ll let you know when the food is ready. We’ll watch whatever you want to watch tonight. Sound good?”
You nodded and smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you. All three of you. I never wanted to upset you all. It’s the last thing I would ever want.”
Changbin took your hand in his and squeezed it gently. “We know. That’s why we wanted to talk to you, so you know how important this is to all us. We all love you so much.”
You smiled at the three fresh treats falling. “I love you guys too.”
The duo left the room ready to fulfil their tasks. Chan held you close to his body. “I will always love you. I picked you for this group for your talent. Dating or not, you would have always been my first pick for this group.”
Those words eased your mind. You knew what the reporter said was utter bullshit. But Chan always had a way of easing and comforting your mind when the worst was running through it. For that, you would forever be grateful for him and the love he held for you.
You were all together filming for an SKZ Code episode. Chan was still sick, but he was doing a lot better. He was almost fully himself again. However, he was still too sick to be at work. It felt strange filming a SKZ Code without him. Especially one that took place over a couple of days. But so far it has been going really well. You and Minho had teamed up and had ended up winning the most games, allowing the two of you to avoid cooking.
The other members were left to cook together; they were told by the staff that they weren’t allowed to ask for help from you or Minho, which was kind of nice. So the two of you got to chill and just relax for a while. You sat in the living room playing twenty-one with Minho, with a deck of cards you always kept in your bag.
You looked at your cards and nodded. “Give me another.” You said with a smile.
Minho raised an eyebrow. He was dealing the cards. “Are you sure? It could be a ten for all you know.” He said with a small smirk on his face.
You let out a small laugh. “You’re just scared I’m gonna win. Give me the card, oh, powerful card dealer.” You spoke, your voice was dramatic and went up a couple of octaves.
Minho gave you the card. You looked at it and nodded before showing him your cards. “Twenty-one.” You smiled. Minho showed you his cards; he busted. Having gotten twenty-two.
You let out an excited squeal and got up, bouncing around a little. “Haha, you have to buy the ice cream this month, and you have to take Hannie, Jinnie and Binnie for the night on any night Channie and I pick. Mawhahahah.”
Minho smiled and laughed at your antics. He was glad to see you let loose and have fun like this. Sure, you were like this sometimes, but normally, you were so focused on making sure everyone was being looked after. But right now, he saw a glimpse of that twenty-year-old girl he had first met. The one who had a lot on her shoulders but was still in touch with her youth.
You had lost that childlike aspect when you took everything on. When you stepped up as second in command. When you became like a real mum to the team, and that was still before you all debuted. You had grown up fast, faster than a lot of people had.
“Honey, Lino-hyung. Food is ready.” Hyunjin told the two of you as he stepped into the room.
You looked at the male and smiled. “We’ll be right there, Jinnie.” You said as you watched Minho gather the cards to put them away. Once that was sorted, the two of you made your way to where everyone was waiting. You sat down between I.N and Han.
You thanked them all for the food before you all enjoyed a really nice meal, made by your boys.
=====
You are dressed and ready for bed. The staff had left for the night. Of course, there were still cameras in nearly every room. You were rooming and sharing a bed with Seungmin. You held your phone in your hand, calling Chan. Your phone was on speaker, letting Seungmin hear the conversation as he scrolled on his own phone.
“How are you feeling?” You asked softly as you pulled your hair out of its bobble.
“I’m okay. I’m just missing you like crazy.” His voice came through the phone; you could hear that his throat was still sore and his nose was blocked.
“I miss you too. We’ll be home the day after tomorrow. Don’t worry.” You told him softly.
Seungmin looked at the phone. “Enjoy having your bed to yourself whilst it lasts, Chan-hyung.”
Chan chuckled. “I much prefer when my wife is beside me in bed.”
That made you smile brightly. But before you could say anything, Seungmin spoke up, a grin on his face. “Ha! I’m sharing a bed with her tonight. Go pout about it.” He spoke teasingly.
You let out a laugh as Chris let out a sound of betrayal. “Wow, so you’ll cuddle the puppy but not me? I see how it is.” Oh, his voice was so dramatic. You could practically hear him wiping away imaginary tears.
“You’re so dramatic, my love.” You told him as your laughter slowly died down. You stood up and stretched. “Right, I’m getting some water and then it’s bedtime. I can sleep in.” You spoke cheerfully as you walked over to your bag and grabbed your empty water bottle. You made your way downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water to fill your water bottle.
As you made your way upstairs, you sipped on the water. You stopped by the first bedroom to check on Minho and Changbin. Chan was still on the phone. You knocked on the door and entered the bedroom.
You let out a giggle, seeing the two males lying in bed. Minho had one of his legs over Changbin’s stomach, and the two were pulling at the duvet.
“You two are impossible.” You told them as you lifted your phone to take a picture of the two and sent it to Chan, whose voice was immediately heard cackling before he had a coughing fit.
“Honey-ah! You’re killing Chan-ah. That’s evil. Didn’t expect this from you.” Minho told you, his voice went all cute and high as he looked at you with his big eyes and a mischievous smile on his face.
You scoffed. “Minho, it’s bedtime. Go to sleep.” You told him in a teasing tone.
Changbin shook his head from his spot on the bed. “Read me a story.” He demanded.
Chan laughed. “You’re worse than the kids.” He said through the phone, making Changbin gasp loudly.
“Goodnight, Cheshire Cat, Goodnight Card Guard.” You spoke happily as you turned to walk away.
Minho smirked at you. “Goodnight, Queen of Hearts.” He spoke.
You shook your head as you turned to look at the male. “I’m taking that as a compliment.”
Changbin chuckled. “Whatever you say, you tyrant.”
You looked at your phone as Chan laughed. You frowned playfully, making Minho and Changbin giggle. “Oh, shush you, or I’ll hang up.” You said to turn off the light and exit the room, shutting the door behind you.
“I’ll behave. Just don’t hang up yet.” Chan spoke, and you heard movement on his end as he got up to take his next lot of flu tablets.
The next room you went to had Jisung and Hyunjin. You stepped inside and smiled at the two as they looked at you. Ji had his phone in his hand.
“I came to say goodnight.” You spoke softly as you smiled at the duo.
The two smiled. Jisung immediately opened his arms wide. “Goodnight hug or it never happened.” He told you quickly.
You set your drink down and hugged Han; he happily hugged you back. “Say goodnight to your father.” You said, holding your phone up a little to the duo as Hyunjin joined in the hug.
Hyunjin looked at the phone. “Night, Chan-hyung.” He said with a small smile before yawning.
Han grinned and took your phone from you, and let out a loud laugh straight into the speaker of the phone. The three of you laughed as you heard Chan let out a surprised yell.
You pulled away from the duo and shook your head lightly. The duo then spoke in unison. “Goodnight, Appa!” They spoke into the phone.
“Goodnight, you two weirdos.” He spoke, causing the two to gasp loudly, like they had been hit with the most devastating insult.
You shook your head and moved to the door. You left the room and closed the door behind you. You walked to the next room and stepped inside. You couldn’t help but melt and take a picture of the scene in front of you. I.N was lying on his back, his phone in one hand as he watched a YouTube video. His free arm was wrapped around Felix. Felix was clinging to Jeongin in his sleep, his head on his shoulder and arms wrapped around the younger male. Jeongin could have pushed Felix away once the older male had fallen asleep, but he didn’t.
“Hi, baby.” You whispered, not wanting to wake the sleeping male.
Jeongin smiled at you. “Hey, Honey.” He whispered back.
You walked over quietly. You kissed his forehead. “Goodnight.” You then kissed Felix’s forehead, smiling when it caused him to smile in his smile and snuggle closer to the Maknae.
“Honey, can you turn the lamp off, please? I can’t reach it like this.” Jeongin let out a yawn; he was tired and ready to sleep.
“Of course, baby boy. I can put your phone on charge too if you want.” You spoke quietly.
Jeongin nodded and handed you his phone. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” You put his phone and charger, and then turned the lamp off. “Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”
“Good night, Mama Bear.” Jeongin spoke as he snuggled up under the covers.
You left the room and sent the picture to Chan, who spoke as you shut the door. “Aw, they're adorable. I’m getting that picture put up in the living room.”
You smiled at his words. “I love that idea. I’m putting it on my Instagram.” You made it to your room and stepped inside. You closed the door behind you and walked over to the bed. You had a mouthful of your water before putting the bottle on the bedside table. You got into bed and yawned.
“Good night, my love. I’ll text you in the morning, okay?” You said as you pulled the cover a little closer to you.
“Night, Chan-hyung.” Seungmin spoke as he put his phone on charge on his bedside table.
You copied his actions as Chan spoke. “Good night, you two. Have fun tomorrow. I love you, Honey.”
“I love you too.” You smiled. You both said a final goodnight before hanging up. You turned off the lamp, causing the room to go dark. You lay down and smiled, feeling Seungmin grab one of your arms, cuddling it to his chest.
“Good night, Pup.” You spoke before yawning.
“Night, Mama.” His voice came out sleepy. You both closed your eyes, ready for sleep to take you.
Chris was better. He was finally back to his old self. Whilst you had all been filming the SKZ code, Chan had sent an email asking for a meeting about the incident with the interviewer. He didn’t like that the man was getting away with what he had done, and after making some phone calls, he had gotten a lot of groups to agree not to do interviews with that man.
So whilst you were off filming a Racha Log with CubRacha, he asked Minho and Changbin to join him in the meeting. Both immediately said yes. And so came the meeting. All three men stood their ground. Chan took the lead, but Minho and Changbin took over when it came to going into exactly what happened at the interview.
By the time you got home, Chan was proud of himself. He had gotten the beast blacklisted, and he had the interviewer apologise to you for what he had said. It had to be written. Chan turned his head to look at you, Hyunjin and I.N as you both walked into the dorm and into the kitchen where he was cooking. He was wearing your favourite apron, with heart-shaped pockets and a cute bear eating honey.
“There’s my house-husband.” You winked as you walked over to the man. You leaned up and pecked his lips.
Chan chuckled and kissed you back before pulling away. “There’s my hard-working wife. Did you have fun with the kids?”
You nodded. “Yeah. We went swimming, and then we got food. It was so much fun.” You spoke, your voice was full of excitement. Your hair was still damp from when you had been swimming.
Jeongin came to stand on Chan’s other side and looked at what Chan was cooking. “That smells so good, Hyung. It sucks you couldn’t come with us. But we had an amazing time. Honey and Hyunjin raced to see who could swim faster. Honey won. You should have seen Hyunjin’s face, he was so pouty.” He said with a chuckle before going to the fridge to get a drink.
Hyunjin huffed. "I was not." He totally had been.
“Thank you. I’m glad you all had fun.” He smiled as he felt you move to stand behind him. Your arms wrapped around his waist, and your head lay on his back.
Jeongin smiled, seeing the two of you. Both had warm and content smiles on your faces. You looked utterly domestic together, and Jeongin felt proud that he got to see this side of you both. He took out his phone and took a picture before pulling a face of disgust.
“Eww, not in the kitchen. If you’re going to be in love, do it in your bedroom. Not in front of the food. Ugh, parents.” He groaned as he crossed his arms over his chest.
You and Chan both let out a laugh; you both saw Innie trying hard to hide his smile. You shook your head as you snuggled closer to Chan.
Chan let out a small sigh. “Please, you love it when we’re like this.” He told the male with a smirk on his lips.
“You’re delusional, Channie-hyung. I’m going to Hyunjinnie's room. Where it’s safe from affection. Ick.” He walked away, heading to Hyunjin's room to grab the painting Hyunjin had promised him. Hyunjin followed him, yapping about how cute you and Chan were.
Soon, you were left alone with Chan. “Honey, I wanted to tell you that I had a meeting today, about the interviewer. I couldn’t let him get away with what he said to the boys and especially to you. Min and Binnie came with me, and we got what we wanted. You can expect an apology from him. He’s blacklisted not just from JYP but from other companies as well. I’ve never been so happy to have so many connections. No one hurts you and gets away with it.” He turned to look at you.
You looked up at him, silent for a moment before smiling softly. “I love you. Thank you. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it. You always go above and beyond for me.” He made you feel so loved and safe.
Chan placed a soft kiss on your forehead as he turned to face you properly. He cupped your cheeks in his hands. “I love you too. You’re worth everything. I’ll fight every war for you. You’re it for me; no one should ever get away with making you feel so small when you shine so bright. I’ll always protect you.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips against yours in a soft, deep and passionate kiss.
The next day, you received the apology. You were quick to thank Chan, Min and Binnie. You and the guys all celebrated the fall of a beast.
------- Thank you for supporting me.
Everything Taglist: @thecheshireprincess @potato-vagina @spanish-delulu-23 @deliciousmagazinequeen @myblovedjyh @alex--awesome--22 @d4ily-s-nsh1ne @hwang97janet @kenzierain01 @elizalabs3 @annaiaweirdokid
SKZ Taglist: @bbokarismeow @foureyes13 @jinnie-ret @btch8008s @f1ln4dr3cl16mv33 @enhacolor @stay-tiny-things @rougegenshin @that-girl52 @lveegsoi @ferntv @elisabeeee @firstdivisiongirl @thatgirlangelb @filmbypsh @galaxy4489 @christinelily2 @nanycreinoza @casperlikej @weirdgirl541 @mbioooo0000 @trinityfortenersworlds-blog @lveegsoi @f1ln4dr3cl16mv33 @skzfangirl143 @alondra6011 @luvvvivi @eos-princess @geekqueensworld @pop-rocks-and-skittles @imma-much-happier-person @skyearby @galaxygurlll @stellasays45 @teffyx @whitejuliana1204 @nic08642 @tricky-ritz @elizalabs3 @imnotsupposedtobedoingthis @livinglife1516 @its-simply-fanfiction @assassinsasha23 @chimmyn0chu @arasdaydream7 @lovelymoon01 @zealouscookierebeltrash @the-falling-in-the-danger @sabyy @bobcatlivvy @kimsrie @st4rprincess
MamaBear Collection Taglist: @jinnie-ret @inejghafawifesblog @bbokarismeow @d4ily-s-nsh1ne @smalluglye @f1ln4dr3cl16mv33 @imma-much-happier-person @hwangrfrnd @stay-tiny-things @mouthfullobats @gs29 @skzfangirl143 @vinylphwoar @rougegenshin @maddy24207 @like-diamondsinthesky @that-girl52 @fic-for-readers @mamaj-right @skzleeknowcore @thatgirlangelb @ferntv @skz8riley @cl0udii-m00n @thesleepyapplin @crescent003 @forgetfulsmols @bangchansgirlsblog @writtenbypeachy @foureyes13 @yomamaintanga @jaidawouldneva @roseflower1696 @cryptic-mum @fab-notfat @afkjade @swe3tyann @transparentparadiseglitterzombie @latisthegenderfluidwannabealone @reallysparklychaos @theyknowagus @dazzledpenguin @teffyx @imnotsupposedtobedoingthis @lostgirl219 @its-simply-fanfiction @cloudserenity @xhannahxjaynexx @smiileflower @ali3n59 @crescent003