Tears formed in Hobi's eyes as he stared at the mess on the floor. "I'm sorry everyone," he said weakly. He was anxious. He hadn't meant to make Ky so angry, he was simply asking what the problem was. He didn't mean for things to go south so quickly.

"Don't be," Yoongi said as he got up and rubbed Hobi's back. "You didn't do anything wrong. Ky is clearly just an asshole."

All of them got up and helped clean the scattered food and porcelain off the floor.

"There's plenty left if you're still hungry," Namjoon offered.

"I'm not hungry anymore," Hobi frowned. "I'd like to go lay back down if that's alright."

"Of course. Go rest," Jin told him. Hobi retreated to his room and lay on his bed. He wiped the slow tears coming out of his eyes. He was still reeling with anxiety. He wasn't used to anyone acting so hostile towards him. It felt extremely foreign and unnatural and it had made him extremely nervous. He took deep breaths to calm his nerves and ease his anxiety. He was at least glad Ky had left the house for now. He felt like he could actually relax, at least for a moment. He closed his eyes and let his body drift back to sleep.

The others weren't all that hungry anymore either, especially not Jungkook.

"I'm going to go check on Jimin hyung and Taehyungie," Jungkook told the others.

Namjoon simply nodded as he helped Yoongi and Jin store what was left of breakfast into the fridge.

"What do we do about Ky?" Jin asked Namjoon, "I mean Joonie, I can't see this ever working. He doesn't fit in with us."

Jin was asking Namjoon because he was hoping that as the leader of the band Namjoon could do something about it.

"I don't know hyung. I can try talking to manager Junso but just yesterday he was pretty set on placing Ky here," Namjoon replied.

"But," Yoongi joined the conversation, "Maybe he'll change his mind once you tell him how mean he's being?" He felt somewhat hopeful. No way their manager would keep Ky in the group when he found out about the mean things he's been saying and doing.

"I guess we will see what happens." Namjoon turned and looked out the kitchen window and could see the three maknae's sitting together outside and talking. Jimin seemed to be hugging Taehyung while Taehyung was crying.

"Should we check on Tae?" Namjoon asked. His heart was breaking for Taehyung. When he first started getting to know Taehyung he knew the boy took things more personally than he needed to. They'd all grown to learn that. One mean word or gesture would sit in the boy's head for weeks.

Namjoon was livid with Ky for making a derogatory comment towards Taehyung about his weight. Everyone was very aware that Taehyung was having trouble eating now and it was the last thing they wanted to have to worry about.

"Let's leave him be for now," Jin suggested. He didn't want to overwhelm Taehyung with too much attention. He knew that if Taehyung had Jungkook and Jimin he'd be alright. At least for now.

Namjoon sighed. He wished he could help his dongsaeng somehow. Jin mentioned again for Namjoon to try and call manager Junso. Namjoon said he would soon, but he was nervous about it and still needed to work up some bravery and courage. Jin understood. Jin made his way to the living room and sat on the couch to relax for a moment. Namjoon and Yoongi did the same.

--

"Please stop crying," Jimin begged his best friend. He was hugging Taehyung and rubbing his back. When Jimin first ran after Taehyung outside, the younger didn't want to speak.

Jimin tried to ask what was going on with him but Taehyung continuously shrugged his shoulders. When Taehyung saw Jungkook come outside and make his way towards him too he couldn't stop from crying, he wasn't even sure why.

Jungkook hugged Taehyung. "Hyungie, it's okay. He left." Jungkook also informed Taehyung of what happened with Ky and Hobi.

"Is hyung okay?" Taehyung asked with sadness.

"He's resting," Jungkook replied.

"I hate Ky. I hate him," Taehyung cried.

"I think it's safe to say at this point that we all do," Jimin replied. "Now TaeTae, you really have to eat."

"What I do is none of your business," Taehyung replied. Jungkook and Jimin frowned at each other.

"Hyungie, your health is always our business," Jungkook replied. "We just don't want to see you get sick or hurt."

"Don't worry about me," Taehyung replied, staring down while watching his tears fall on his lap. He really felt like he was fine and was more-so annoyed with everyone bothering him. What is wrong with skipping a few meals to lose some weight? Why is it really anyone's business but my own? He wasn't stupid, he felt in control and like he knew what he was doing. He was starting to feel disgusting in his own body. He didn't even want to look in the mirror or at a picture of himself. All he ever saw was Ky pinching any fat he had on him and telling him to get rid of it.

"That's impossible," Jimin told him. "We're going to worry about you as long as we live."

Taehyung didn't reply. He didn't know how to.

"Hyungie, if you're so concerned about your weight, there are healthy ways to feel better. Like a healthy diet and working out. Me and Jiminie would always work out with you if you wanted to!" Jungkook said cheerfully.

"I hate working out," Taehyung spat at his maknae.

Jungkook sank his shoulders. It seemed like nothing either of them said was getting through to Taehyung. The three of them sat there in silence for a moment not really sure where to take the conversation. Taehyung was finally beginning to calm down and his tears were finally stopping.

While Taehyung had calmed down, Jungkook seemed to have worked himself up. He crossed his arms. "You know what? Fine, don't eat. But if you're not going to eat then neither am I!"

"Jungkook..." Jimin started.

Taehyung cut him off. "Don't be stupid."

"You don't be stupid!" Jungkook stood up and raised his voice at his hyung. "Maybe if I don't eat either you'll realize how stupid you're being! You're being stupid! Stupid and selfish! Clearly we're all getting worried about you and trying to help and you don't care to listen! It's like you only care about yourself! I don't want to have to worry about you like this and you don't even care!"

"Kookie please, calm down." Jimin stood up and went to hug Jungkook but Jungkook backed away angrily.

Taehyung stood up and was now mad all over again. He walked towards Jungkook but didn't say anything. The two stood staring at each other in angry silence for a moment. Without replying to his maknae, Taehyung pushed past Jungkook and made his way back inside. He ran to his room and ignored his hyung's who said hi to him when he went by. He slammed his door closed behind him and jumped into his bed.

I hate him! Who does he think he is being like that to me?! His own hyung?! Me, being selfish?! He's the one being selfish! If he wants to be a little brat then he can be one somewhere else! That little asshole!

Jungkook stood outside crying while Jimin stood next to him.

"What a mess." Jimin sighed while running his fingers through his hair. "That wasn't very nice of you."

"I don't care!" Jungkook cried, "He's the one being stupid!"

"Kookie...he's sick...you have to understand that."

"If he's sick it's only because he's doing it to himself. So like I said, he's being stupid!"

Jimin's heart was aching. He couldn't think of a time Jungkook and Taehyung had fought like this. It almost seemed impossible. And over something that really wasn't Taehyung's fault. Jimin was empathetic and he understood what Taehyung was going through even though Jungkook didn't.

Jimin knew it wasn't Taehyung's fault but he also knew his maknae didn't care to listen. Jimin loved being a hyung to the two but right now he wasn't sure how to be a good one. This seemed beyond his understanding. He wasn't sure what to say to fix things but he knew how much the two youngest loved each other so he hoped maybe they'd just work things out on their own when they were both in a better mood. It was clear that Ky had everyone on edge after the episode he had that morning.

Jimin hugged Jungkook. "I understand you are upset and hurting, I do. But please don't take it out on Taehyungie. Fighting with him isn't going to solve the problem, okay?"

Jungkook leaned into Jimin's hug. It felt nice. He rested his head on Jimin's shoulder. "Then what do I do? How does he get better?"

"For now, just make sure he knows we love him. He'll come around," Jimin said. "And maknae? You better eat."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I will," Jungkook replied. The two held each other for a moment before going back inside. They met up with their hyung's in the living room.

"Everything okay?" Yoongi asked. "Taehyung seemed upset. What happened?"

"He and Kookie got into a bit of an argument," Jimin told them.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook frowned.

"You two? An argument? Since when does that happen?" Namjoon asked, confused. Jungkook shrugged.

"Are you two alright?" Jin asked Jungkook. The maknae shrugged and said he doesn't want to talk about it right now. The hyungs dropped the subject.

"Namjoon is going to call manager Junso and ask about getting rid of Ky," Jin told Jungkook and Jimin.

"When?" Jimin asked Namjoon.

Namjoon took a deep breath. "I guess I should just try and get it over with. I could call right now."

The rest of them encouraged him as he grabbed his phone and dialed manager Junso. He put it on speaker phone.

Junso: "Hello?"

Namjoon: "Um...hi...manager...Junso. I just was calling to um...talk about...Ky."

Junso: "Oh yes! How was your first night together? A perfect fit, right?"

Jimin: "No!"

Jin nudged Jimin and gestured for him to be quiet.

Namjoon: "Well, I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, but it's really not working out. He's very mean."

Junso: "Mean? Can you elaborate?"

Namjoon: "He's not treating us well. He kind of hurt Taehyung and Hobi by saying some nasty things and he broke Hobi's plate this morning because he was mad. I think he has anger problems. He doesn't seem to want to be part of a group. Please take him back out."

Junso went silent for a moment.

Junso: "Anger problems? Well, what did you all do to make him angry?"

Yoongi: "We didn't do anything! He just gets angry about everything!"

Jin then nudged Yoongi to be quiet too. He wanted Namjoon to handle this as the leader.

Namjoon: "We haven't done anything. It's clear he doesn't want to be in a group. It's not a good fit."

Junso: "Namjoon! Just because you guys didn't want a new member doesn't mean I will tolerate you sitting here spreading lies about him! He's in the group, and that's final! Deal with it!"

Jin: "We're not lying!"

Jin couldn't hold back anymore. He too was getting upset. How could manager Junso think they were lying? They had no reason to lie. They already said they'd give Ky a chance, and they had, and it simply wasn't working out.

Junso: "Oh not you too Jin! What are you all doing, ganging up on him now?! I don't want to hear any more empty complaints! Whatever your issue is, fix it before you all come back to start your schedules again! Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do rather than listen to a bunch of whiny babies complain over the phone!"

With that, Junso angrily hung up on Namjoon.

Namjoon looked at his members with wet eyes. "I'm sorry. I thought I could...I thought he'd...I tried...I'm sorry."

Jungkook pulled Namjoon into a hug. "It's okay hyungie. You did all you could." Jungkook rocked Namjoon in his arms to comfort him.

Namjoon felt like had failed his team. He was their leader and he couldn't keep bad people out. He wished he was better with words, better with presenting his case, better at arguing, but he wasn't. He blamed himself for not getting through to manager Junso. How could their manager shrug them off so easily? He hadn't even cared to listen or say he'd even talk to Ky about his behavior.

"What do we do now?" Jimin sighed. "This means we just have to deal with him? What if we can't?"

Yoongi stood up angrily. "You know what? There's seven of us and one of him. Who the hell says we have to listen to a damn thing he says or does anyway? As far as I'm concerned Jin is my hyung. And only Jin!" He crossed his arms.

Jin wasn't sure how to respond to that. He definitely hated that Ky was older than him because he didn't want to listen to or deal with Ky either. However, the conversation he had with Ky in his bedroom earlier that morning made him nervous. Especially when Ky had grabbed and hurt him. He kept that from the members because he didn't want to worry or scare them, but he was worried and scared himself.

Ky could clearly be aggressive and it was obvious he wanted control of the household. Jin couldn't stop wondering what Ky would do to gain that control, especially if the others weren't willing to listen to him.

The things Ky had said to Taehyung broke his heart, when Ky had broken Hobi's plate it made him nervous, but when Ky gestured for Jungkook to 'come here' after the maknae's little outburst, Jin had become too terrified to respond at all. He was extremely grateful that Yoongi had spoken up on his maknae's behalf because his words were trapped in his throat. He really thought Ky was about to hurt Jungkook and he didn't know what he'd do if that ever happened. He felt like he needed to protect everyone at the same time and he was stressed out.

What if he failed? What if he couldn't be the hyung that all of his members kept making him out to be? He never felt like the best hyung anyway.

"I think for now we just need to take it one day at a time and see what happens. But please, don't try to make him angry," Jin told his dongsaengs. "Being purposely disrespectful will only make things worse."

"Like I told him earlier, respect is due where it's earned. I'll respect him when he deserves my respect," Namjoon replied.

"I just don't want to see anyone get hurt," Jin said nervously.

"People already are." Jimin's bottom lip quivered when he thought of Taehyung.

Jin sighed. "Well, let's just try not to make it worse, okay? If anything, maybe just let me handle things?"

"But that's not fair to you. You shouldn't have to handle everything," Yoongi told Jin. He already knew how burdened Jin could feel as the oldest sometimes. He didn't think it was fair for Jin to have to deal with Ky all by himself.

"Isn't that what a hyung is for?" Jin asked Yoongi as he got up and put his hand on Yoongi's shoulder.

"I don't want to see you get hurt either, hyung," Yoongi frowned.

"I won't," Jin smiled. He wanted to be positive for everyone. The house needed some positivity in it after it all seemed to be slipping through the cracks.

The members all went silent when they heard a car pull back in the driveway. All of their chests filled with dread. Yoongi ran to the window to see that Ky had returned.

"Ugh. Here we go," Yoongi sighed.

Ky quickly made his way back inside and stood staring at the members,

"I'm home."