“No, hyung.  You can’t just leave me here, taking care of the other three.  It’s ridiculous.  You know I can’t-”

                “No, Jonghyun.  You can.  Okay.  Just make sure they are at the dorm before twelve and have eaten.  Key has his musical practice tomorrow, and Taemin will have to get ready for Immortal Song and Minho will have another photo shoot.  All of them have to get ready by morning so your job is to make sure they sleep early.  Okay, Jonghyun-ah?” Jinki asks him.  The look the younger gives him is very desperate, for him not to leave, but he has no choice.

                “But, hyung-”

                “No but Jonghyun,” he says sternly before the younger boy could protest, but seeing the glint of tears in the other’s eyes makes him lowers down his voice, “Jonghyun-ah, you know manager hyung is having a call from his family for an important matter and I have a show to handle.  Kibum, Minho and Taemin need someone older to keep an eye on them.  I have nobody to rely on except you, Jonghyun.  Please,” he almost begs.  Jonghyun sighs, as though the whole universe is put on his shoulders.

                “Can you just call in sick?” Jonghyun asks.

                “No, Jonghyun.  No,” he smiles at the shorter boy.  Jonghyun pouts.

                “Why not?” he asks again.

                “It is what people call responsibility, Jonghyun-ah,” he pats the other’s head before he leave for Night Star’s recording.

                Jonghyun hates the feeling of being at home, with three other members.  He doesn’t hate them, not at all, but he hates being the eldest at home.  He is just not used to it.  All this while, he has Jinki taking care of the other members, and him.  When Jinki is not at the dorm, he still has manager hyung with him.  He doesn’t need to worry about how to buy dinner, how to get the members stay at the dorm and even how to get the members to sleep.  He thinks he has become too dependent on them.  He sighs for the umpteenth time that day.

                Thinking that it might be better for him to get into action rather than just staring at his pet dog, Roo who can’t help him in this situation, he first thinks of how to get the dinner ready.  What would Jinki do in this situation?  He should cook, should he not?  But, thinking of the face Kibum might give and the never-ending criticisms of a bad-taste-dinner from Minho, he decides that he should just get packed meals from the nearby restaurant.  And so he goes out, in the cold air of the evening, clearly in disguise, because the last thing he wants to happen in this situation is to be kidnapped by fans.

                When he gets home, he sets the table ready for late dinner.  He smiles at his attempt to get the members to eat.  Maybe it is not that bad after all.  But, the smiles on his face turns into an unattractive thin line as his lips pressed together at the news he just heard from Taemin.

                “Kibum hyung went out while you were buying dinner,” that is enough to make Jonghyun’s heart jumps.  What if Kibum is kidnapped by fans?  What if Kibum can’t find way home?  What if…What if…

                “Where did he go?” he asks.  Taemin shrugs.

                “He went out with the 91-liners.  You know, Nicole, Min, Jinwoon.  Perhaps I should go as well,” Minho says, remembering that he was born in 1991 as well.

                “No, Minho.  You’re not going anywhere.  Sit down and eat your meal,” Jonghyun says sternly.

                Minho looks at Taemin questioningly and both of them are thinking what makes the elder sounds so serious and concern.  Kibum went out, that’s normal.  Jonghyun goes out sometimes.  It is not wrong, isn’t it?

                “You’re not going to look for him, right hyung?” Taemin asks while feeding himself a spoonful of chicken rice.

                “Hell yes, I am,” he says.  Minho looks at him weirdly while he dials Kibum’s number.

                “Jjong,” Kibum answers as the line is connected.  And Jonghyun frowns at his hoarse voice.

                “Where are you, Kibum?” Jonghyun asks impatiently.

                “Noraebang.  Singing my heart out with Nicole, Jinwoon and Min,” his voice sounds so dry and hoarse in the phone.

                “What the-Kibum!  What happen to your voice?!” he asks in horror.  He could hear Kibum laughs.

                “I sang and my voice turned to be like this,” Kibum says nonchalantly.

                “!  Kibum!  You have a musical practice tomorrow.  Have you eaten dinner yet?”

                “No, hyung.  Why hyung?  You sound so much like a mother.  Chill