Chapter Text
1
Seo Changbin had just finished practicing a dance move that he could not do very well with Felix when he heard the muffled talking. He had left the practice room earlier since Felix said he had to meet up with Hyunjin that has something to do with another choreography Changbin did not want to find out. He strolled down the hall after cleaning himself a little in the company’s bathroom. He passed by a group of girls who he had recognized were trainees and they were laughing about something the middle girl had said. They were not particularly quiet about what they were discussing.
“Have you heard about that one lyricist in Stray Kids? I mean rapper, right rapper,” the girl from the far right asked.
“What was his name? Changhin? Chanbin? Changjin?” the middle girl said. “Oh whatever! I heard they call him baby Changbin! Isn’t that a bit weird? After all he’s one of the eldest members.”
“I think it’s because he’s tiny. But isn’t it disgusting to be called baby by your own members or like...someone who’s actually younger than you?” the girl from the far right laughed. “Absolutely disgusting.”
“Shhh! You two,” the one on the left said, “what if someone heard us? The dude who passed by might even be a member of Stray Kids! We don’t want to let that tiny dude know we’re making fun of him, right?”
Uh well actually, I’m the Changbin you all were talking about, he thought as a chuckle left his lips. Since he was going on the opposite direction of the girls he never got to have a good look on who they were. Nevertheless he (pretended) ignored their statements, deciding to prioritize his dinner. As he turned from a corner he was finally at main lobby of the JYP building.
There were not a lot of people in the lobby, a janitor, and another group of 3 trainees (or so what Changbin concluded from the way they looked familiar with the area and he may or may had not seen them before. Once again the small guy knew it was rude to eavesdrop but he could not help it. Maybe if they actually talked somewhere not in the open he would not have heard them loud and clear.
“That small dude from Stray Kids is so annoying!” the tallest of the bunch hissed. “Is he the smallest, right? The one with spear in his name?!”
Changbin froze for a moment. It seemed he was really famous with trainees these days and it was not pretty at all. He swallowed a lump from his throat, making sure no one heard that loud gulp. He was about to leave when he heard a reply from one of the dude’s friends.
“You’re being too loud hyung, you know you can’t say that outloud. We know he’s annoying and how useless he is but we just can’t say that aloud,” the smallest said, making sure he at least whispered the reply.
“Yeah who knows maybe someone from this place knows him.”
His heart was telling him that all of those things were lies and he knew they were . But Changbin could not help it. His mind was telling him that they were right. What was he even doing in Stray Kids? What was the point of it all? Why were they all bashing him? He literally just left the practice room.
Slowly Changbin felt ashamed, lowering his gaze a little from a passerby who looked at him with pity. Did he know who that was? He was not thinking straight, he could hear voices in his head telling him they were right. Their sneers and remarks continued to echo in his head along with a voice repeating the words “ they’re right, what are you doing here? ” and at that moment he really wanted to scream. To tell them to stop and let him be but he could not hear his voice.
At first he was sad and confuse but now he was furious. How dare they call him useless? He was not at all useless! He was a lyrical genius and an amazing rapper- but they were right aside from lyrics you’re nothing at all to them so stop encouraging yourself. Changbin really, really wanted to scream now. But someone stopped him from his upcoming outburst.
“Ah Changbin hyung! There you are!” someone exclaimed from his right side.
Changbin was startled from the person who broke his own train of thoughts. The small male looked at his side only to see a slightly taller boy with chubby cheeks, eyes twinkling with joy, grinning softly at him. It was Han Jisung and the boy was the legit sun if Changbin would describe him right now.
“Why are you smiling like that?” the older asked, utterly confused and slightly forgetting about his worries and the opinions of others.
“Nothing much! I just want to thank you for the other, other day!” Jisung smiled. “You know the time you helped me write those lyrics because I could not think of a better term for ‘tears’ and you said ‘sweat’ was better!”
Changbin was even more confused now but he let the younger be. “But that was a long time ago, Jisung-ah!”
“Also that one time you when I thought I couldn’t reach the high notes, you told me I could do it and you believed in me! Also that one time I could not get this one dance step and I was too shy to ask Minho hyung for help and then you helped me without even me asking you for help! I’m so grateful, hyung!” Jisung rambled. “Also that one time Minho hyung had to rap and he couldn’t get the flow, you helped him a lot. The time Chan hyung was so tired you took the job to make sure he gets home! And then when Felix was a bit discouraged, you helped him back on his feet. Honestly hyung I’m just so thankful for you today!”
“Jisung-ah, you’re kinda scaring me. Is everything alright?” Changbin asked, concern latched on his face. The younger simply beamed as a reply, widening and his eyes crinkling softly.
All of a sudden there were murmurs along the lobby and Changbin did not know whether to grab Jisung and drag him out of the building or pretend he did not know who the younger was. But then he heard their comments, although quiet, some were audible.
“Oh so that’s the Changbin dude from Stray Kids!”
“He’s pretty good, I guess.”
“It seems to me that his group loves and needs him.”
Suddenly Changbin understood what Jisung was doing. Sure the younger was thanking him like really thanking him for all the stuff he mentioned but that was not all. He was bragging about him and was making sure a lot of people heard him. It made Changbin happier even if it’s just a little. He was actually proud and his self-esteem slowly crept back in him. The older was staring at the floor for a moment before looking up, meeting Jisung’s gentle smile.
“Are Chan hyung and Minho hyung waiting for us at the restaurant?” Changbin asked casually.
“Nope, but they’ll be coming down soon. We should go there now,” Jisung replied, walking pass Changbin to the company’s entrance.
Changbin followed after the squirrel boy, launching a back attack at the same time ruffling the latter’s hair affectionately. He was grinning happily now and was so grateful for the younger.
“Jisung-ah.”
“Yes hyung?”
“Thank you so much.”
Jisung smiled. “What? I did not do anything at all.”
Changbin pouted but he heard Jisung’s whisper of “no problem, hyung.” which made him smile once again.