Hoon left Eli’s room and headed back down the hall.  That meeting hadn’t ended as positively as the others, but he hoped it at least helped.  Hoon stopped at the end of the hall remembering what it was he really wanted to do.  He walked up to a closed door and stared at it.  Soohyun is in there… He reached his fist up to knock then thought better.  He obviously doesn’t want to talk to me, so if I knock he won’t let me in…I guess I’ll just have to walk in… Hoon placed his hand on the knob and took a deep breath.

               Before he realized what was happening the knob turned in his hand and the door opened.  Standing in front of him was Soohyun.  He was wearing reading glasses, and behind him the desk light was on and a book laid open on the desk.  Hoon opened and closed his mouth like a mute fish.  Soohyun stood there patiently.

“H-Hyung…I’m really sorry about earlier…”  Hoon managed to blurt out.  “It’s just that-“

“Enough.  I told you already that I’ve heard enough.  Multiple times.” 

Soohyun turned and went back to his book and began to read.  He left the door open and made no move to shoo Hoon away.  Hoon took a careful step inside the room and met with no reaction from the leader.  He took another step like a timid puppy, but also met with no reaction.  I guess I can go in then…  Hoon walked into the room and sat on the bed.  He stared at Soohyun and decided to wait until he finished reading.

“Are you just going to stare at me like that?  I can’t read comfortably like this so you might as well speak.”  Soohyun didn’t even glance up from his book.  He emanated a coolness that Hoon wanted to learn as well.

“I just wanted to know why…”  Hoon whispered.  Even though it was a soft sound, in the quiet, tense room it was the loudest thing.

“’Why’ what?”

“Why you don’t want my reasoning.”

Soohyun looked up from his book and studied Hoon.  He noticed how serious his dongsaeng looked all of a sudden.  He sighed and pulled off his glasses.  The glasses and the book were placed neatly side-by-side in a purposeful manner.  He then glanced back at Hoon.

“I don’t need your excuses.  I understand that joining U-Kiss has been difficult.  We have all been working hard also, and we are tired.  We have all been broken too.  As I am sure you’ve learned by now, the release of Xander and Kibum have left scars on everyone.  Though U-Kiss works hard and we love our fans and will continue trying hard for them, we are all aware that we are underappreciated.  We work harder than many groups but don’t get the recognition.  Everyone is second guessing themselves now, and we are beginning to fall apart. We are going round and round. Every time we make progress we end up back where we started.”

               Hoon listened obediently.  Soohyun was amazed by the wisdom of his leader’s words.  He was able to sum up all of the hurt feelings in U-Kiss within a single minute. 

“I’m sorry you lost your friends, hyung.  I’m sure they just want you to continue working hard and they want to see us be successful.”  For some reason Hoon felt the need to try and cheer up his leader.  “With a leader like you, I am confident we will be successful.”

               Soohyun smiled bitterly at the ground.  It turned into a really sad expression.  After heaving a deep sigh, Soohyun looked back a Hoon.

“I wasn’t supposed to be the leader.  It was supposed to be Kibum.  I never really wanted the responsibility…He was better at it anyways…”  He chuckled darkly.

“Don’t say that!  I look up to you hyung!  There is no one in the dorm I wanted to apologize to more than you.”  Hoon looked at Soohyun like a loyal puppy.  It caused Soohyun to smile at his faithful group mate.

“Thank you, Hoon.  As for earlier, I forgive you.  I believe that is what the group needed.  Everyone was hiding their pain, but you brought it out to the open.  So thank you for doing something this pabo couldn’t.”  Hoon nodded his head then put his glasses back on.

               Hoon took Soohyun’s return to reading as a sign for his departure.  He stood and bowed to his leader before walking to the door.  He felt a feeling inside him that he hadn’t in a long time.  He felt a renewed hope that he and his group mates could become close.

“Wait.”  Soohyun’s voice stopped him.  Hoon turned and looked at his grinning leader expectantly.  “You may also want to try calling the other members sunbae, considering their experience.  I’m pretty sure that irks Eli often.”  With that Soohyun turned back to his book.

               Hoon smiled and bowed again.  So that’s what really bothered him…I guess I understand… Hoon smiled as he went back to his room.  The living room was now dark and empty and the other rooms had their lights out.  Hoon took this opportunity to go to sleep himself.  He was physically and emotionally tired now.  AJ was already asleep in his own bed and the lights were out.  This meant Hoon was especially surprised to find a strange form lurking in his bed.

               As soon as he noticed the form in his bed there was a hand was over his mouth.  A quick muffled cry was emitted from Hoon’s mouth before he was shushed.  Hoon’s mind went wild with scenarios of some crazy fan that must have broken in before he was finally spoken to.

“So I’m the only one not good enough?”  Hoon’s fears for a crazy fan-girl disappeared.  He was faced with something much worse.  The whisper of an upset maknae sent shivers up Hoon’s spine.  

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Wow so the story is almost done.

Thank you subscribers who have waited patiently, and I really appreciate your support.

There will be only 2 more chapters before this is concluded, then I will set to work on a new fanfic.

I hope you guys will wait for that fanfic too, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Hwaiting!!!