Last Chapter Recap, Lee Taemin's POV

I hate that Minho-ah is crying for me. I hate the depressed looks on my Hyung's faces. I hate that Jonghyun-hyung looks as if he's about to break down into tears too. I hate that Onew-hyung and Key-umma are trying to stay strong for me. I know it sounds selfish…and it probably is…but I want my life back. I want my Hyungs to smile again. I want my boyfriend to be happy. And I want to dance. Right now, I'd give anything to get up out of this hospital bed, go back to Korea, and work on our next repackaged album. I don't want to leave Minho-ah. Please don't make me leave him. Please don't. I love Minho-ah.

Lee Jinki's POV

I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's been two days already. Minho-ah hasn't spoken a single word since Taemin-ah was hospitalized. His silence is deafening. Not even talking to Kibum-ah helps. He knows how depressed I am now. But he does everything he can to make me smile. He's even gotten me chicken for the past two days, replacing two out of three of my meals with it. But I feel as if I'll never smile again. I know exactly how Minho-ah feels too - like life will mean nothing without Taemin-ah.

Kim Jonghyun's POV

I can't help but try to imagine what the group will be like without Taemin-ah. Oh. Right. Manager-hyung said we'll probably have to disband. But what are we, if we don't have each other? We've all grown ridiculously close over the years. Minho-ah and Taemin-ah fell in love. I know Key-umma has a thing for Jinki-hyung. And, I'll admit, I kind have a thing for Key-umma. But that's beside the point. The hairline cracks that are part of the relationship the five of us have formed will turn into great canyons if we lose Taemin-ah, and we'll drift apart.

Kim Kibum's POV

I hate this. I truly hate this. Jinki-hyung never smiles anymore. Jonghyun-ah is more grim-faced than he's ever been. And Minho-ah…he looks as if he's been hit by a Semi and then got backed over three or four times. His face is expressionless. He doesn't talk. He barely eats. We barely see him. He spends every waking hour he can at Taemin-ah's side. He comes back to his room to sleep, eat a little bit, and look at us with dull eyes. And then he leaves again. Dear Gods, why can't we just have Taemin-ah back? I wish that right now, I had paper. A lot of paper. I've been to Japan - I know about the Thousand Cranes Legend. If I could, I would learn and fold a thousand cranes for Taemin-ah, if only he would get better.

Lee Taemin's POV

I can hardly move now. It hurts to speak. It hurts to see. It hurts to hear, to feel. It's painful just to exist. And yet, I endure it. If, for nothing else, it is for Minho-ah. For Jinki-hyung. For Key-umma. For Jonghyun-hyung. For SHINee. Minho-ah comes to see every day. He doesn't leave until a nurse forces him out. They almost let him stay, last night. But Key-umma called and asked him to at least come home and sleep in his own bed. But he came back today. For him, I opened my eyes. He turned off all but the dim emergency lights for me. For him, I let myself hear. He spoke softly so I would not be in so much pain. For him, I whisper the words 'I love you.' He runs his hands through my hair and kisses me gently, telling me he loves me more than I could ever know. For him, I endure the pain. And he cries. For him, I make my body move, to wipe away his tears. Even that makes me want to cry out in agony. I hold it in though, and the pain turns itself to tears of my own. I hate what I've become. I hate that I'm hurting him. I hate the pain. Right now, all I want to do is have Minho-ah hold me in his arms. But even that would be painful. I wince every time his skin touches mine. And I hate every moment of the life I have now.

Choi Minho's POV

If anyone were to look at Taemin-ah now, they would never believe that he had been the cute maknae of SHINee that danced his heart out onstage only a week ago. His skin has lost all of its color, his beautiful brown eyes have lost their shine. He still smiles at me though, no matter how much pain it causes him. He still clings to my hand, and makes himself move to dry my tears. He still tries to talk, even though it's an almost impossible task. I've asked his doctor countless times now if there's something that he can do. The man only shrugs. He's doing the best he can. And I know he's telling me the truth.

Choi Minho's POV

Another three days have passed. Taemin-ah has been asleep for the past day and a half. Taemin-ah's doctor found something yesterday, and tested it overnight. I'm on my way through the irritating morning traffic in this country, heading towards the hospital. To whatever Gods may be listening, I pray that the solution that was found worked.

Taemin-ah's doctor is waiting for me in the lobby when I arrive, a big smile on his face. Our translator is with him. "Did it work?" I ask quietly. The doctor speaks in quick English to our translator, who relays the message. "It has worked. Taemin is on the mend now, thanks to a group of people in South America whom we contacted. They sent everything they know. And it turns out they had the formula for a cure all along," she tells me. I venture to ask another question. "Is…Taemin-ah awake yet?" The translator quickly tells the doctor my question, and he nods. I grin at him and give him the deepest bow that I can without falling over. The lady translator rushes to explain some of the Korean customs to Taemin-ah's doctor, who smiles even more and bows right back to me. He takes me personally to see Taemin-ah, and our translator informs him of the good news after the doctor bows to me again and leaves.

I can already see the effects of what the doctor gave Taemin-ah. His skin is not as pale, and his eyes brighten at the news the translator gives him. She bows herself out as well, leaving me alone with Taemin-ah. I switch off most of the lights that were left on and go to sit on the edge of my boyfriend's bed. I reach out and gently push stray hair out of his face, and he smiles at me. "Taemin-ah?" I ask softly, taking one of his hands in mine. He manages to squeeze my fingers together for a second in answer, because he cannot speak yet. "Promise me you'll never do this to me again," I say. Taemin-ah gives me a slight nod and mouths the words 'I promise' at me. I lean over and kiss him lightly on the lips. "Thank you," I whisper. Key-umma called me then, asking me to come back to the hotel suite. I look apologetically at Taemin-ah and tell him the Key-umma wants me 'home'. He smiles knowingly and weakly waves me off.

Kim Kibum's POV

I see the change in Minho-ah instantly when he walks through the door. It worked! Minho-ah looks at me pointedly for a moment, as if trying to decide why I wanted him to come back. I never give him the chance to speak, running over to him and hugging him. "Ack…Key…umma…can't breathe…" Oops. I let him go, only to see a grin on his once expressionless face. This is the first time he's said anything to anyone except Taemin-ah for almost a week. The first time he's smiled. I grin back at him. "So it actually worked? This means that Jinki-hyung can stop being such a pessimist! And Jonghyun-ah won't lock himself in his room anymore!" I was practically jumping for joy right then, but a hand on my shoulder shut me up. I looked at Minho-ah, and then turned to see who was next to/ behind me. Jinki-hyung.

Lee Jinki's POV

"What did you say, Kibum-ah?" I asked. He repeated his statement to me. I looked at Minho-ah, who nodded, confirming what Kibum-ah had told me. I smiled at this, and then smacked Kibum-ah in the back of the head. "I'm not a pessimist, Kibum. And Jonghyun-ah doesn't even lock his door." I turned around and went to the kitchen, ignoring Kibum-ah's confused look. This all calls for a celebratory meal of chicken.

Choi Minho's POV

Key-umma took me back to see Taemin after that. I don't know why he couldn't have asked over the phone if the doctor's 'cure' had worked, but this is Key-umma we're talking about. He works in mysterious ways. Whatever he had found though was working wonders. Taemin-ah was looking far better than he had half a day ago. Better than he had an hour ago, actually. While Key-umma talked to the doctor in the doorway, I returned to my boyfriend's side. Taemin-ah grinned at me, and carefully shoved himself up so he could sit properly. I went to help, but Taemin-ah only looked pointedly at me, and I backed off. "Taemin-ah…should you be doing that?" I asked him. He winced slightly and nodded. "…he…said…it was…okay…," he whispered. I just assumed Taemin-ah meant the doctor. I sat as close to Taemin-ah as I could on the bed and pulled him into a light hug. He wrapped his arms around me in turn, and whispered in my ear. "…I'm…so sorry…about all of this…Minho-ah…"