“Jjong, you want to hang today? I’m bored,” Onew called up Jonghyun.

“Wow what a surprise, you are never bored. You are always studying! And you never come out. Did an alien abduct you and brought you back a changed man?” Jonghyun ask suspiciously, mocking him.

“No. I jus-I just really need to talk to someone. Would you come out?” Onew sighed.

“Ahhh. Buddy you could’ve have said so. Same time same place then. I’m bringing Key!” and he hung up before Onew could answer.

That puppysaurus and his kitty. Onew called Minho this time.

“Hey Minho, Jjong, Key and I are meeting same time same place. Please come?” Onew asked softly.

“Morning hyung. I was still sleeping!” Minho yawned lazily into the phone, “But yeah okay now that you’ve woken me up I’ll be there!”

Minho could sense that Onew was troubled when he spoke this way. They were too close to speak with such formality.

So they all met at a coffee shop downtown, near campus, where it was all convenient for them. Jonghyun, Key and Minho lived in hostels on campus, so they met up first. Jonghyun sported a white muscle tee with black skinny jeans. Key coordinated with his lover and slipped in a white plan tee, adding on black a vest for a sleek look. His long legs draped with shiny black jeans fabric with chains hanging on both sides. Minho was in a yellow graphic tee and brown khakis. He really couldn’t be bothered since he was woken up way too early for summer. And all could figure that there was something off about Onew today. Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed? They arrived early and went to a four-seater table, near the window. Jonghyun and Key on one side, and Minho across them. It was not long before Onew arrived and took a seat beside the tallest. He was dressed in full black.

They were all quiet, waiting for the oldest to speak up. Well he did arrange the meeting after all. Onew created a tense atmosphere for them, especially when the coffee shop was sparse with customer at this time.

“So…?” Jonghyun started and peered at Onew. He couldn’t stand the awkward silence that was engulfing them, strangling him.

Without speaking, Onew emptied his bag. The diary, the piece of crumpled yellow paper and the gold amulet poured onto the table. The boys were confused. Still staring at the diary, Onew explained his story. The boys’ faced turned from awe to disgust, with a tinge of fear. Fear of what one can do in desperate situations. By the end of the story, hot tears circled in Onew’s brown orbs. He sniffed in real hard to disperse the tears. Onew knew that it was okay to cry in front of his friends. They were his childhood friends and they practically grew up together. He knew his friends would not judge him, and he felt safe and comfortable to confide in the three of them. He knew it was okay to let them in on something so close to his heart, someone so close to him.

“But hyung, it was mentioned that he would go back and save them. Why didn’t he?” Key questioned critically, like a true detective, flipping and reading that fateful entry.

Onew looked up innocently at Key, face all puffy and eyes all red, surprised at that sudden question and all the thoughts that followed in his mind.

“Yeah, why didn’t he? I don’t know! It wasn’t written!” Onew felt a sudden glimpse of hope that his grandpa wasn’t such a cruel man after all.

Maybe he had his reasons? Maybe it was beyond his means? But he did it once, why couldn’t he do it again? Onew finds himself repeating these questions over and over again in his head. Why?

Then there was it. That crazy idea that popped into his mind.

“Why don’t we…build one ourselves and find out? For all we know, the two students could still be alive! They should be a little younger than our parents!” Onew blurted out without careful thought.

The trio stared at him in disbelief, like he was some unusual specimen in the lab.

“Hyung! Did you just hear what you just said?” Minho asked sternly, hoping to knock some sense back into him, “Going back? Didn’t you already say it was dangerous?”

Onew looked almost like a kicked puppy, as if he just lost the support and love of his owners. He played with his fingers nervously, waiting for some reprimanding from his dongsaengs about his silly idea. Jonghyun shot a glare at Minho for disapproving with his hyung so quite quickly and easily.

“Um, Onew hyung, I think...I think your idea is feasible! Why don’t you, uh, work out a plan or something? We can then consider?” Jonghyun managed to say while looking at Key and Minho, anticipating some form of encouragement and support.

“Yeah yeah of course Onew hyung, I think Jonghyun hyung is right. That sounds like a workable plan. We just need a detailed itinery, right Minho?” Key chipped in with his opinion.

Onew did not even try to have eye contact with them, but just held his head lower, eyes looking at his mingling fingers.

Majority wins, they say.

Minho raised his hand to his head level in sign of defeat, “You know what Onew hyung, I take back what I’ve just said about it being dangerous and all. I know what your grandpa means to you. I mean, we were under his care too and received much love from him. I would truly like to clear this misconception you might have of him being so awful.”

The trio quietened down again, afraid that they have really hurt their hyung this time. Normally the three would have gone further with criticizing Onew’s silly ideas but it was different right now and then. It was about Onew’s grandpa, about the gang’s grandpa.

But Onew was far from being hurt. He slowly raised his head to face the three, a huge sick grin plastered across his face, showcasing his pearly white teeth. He was so glad that they have all agreed to go on this adventure. It also meant that he doesn’t have to face this alone. That’s right, Onew has already decided that he would transport himself to the alternate universe, with or without his friends.

“You guys are too great! I’m so happy! Karma points for all!” Onew flashed his award-winning smile, his hands motioned as if the bridesmaid scattering flower petals along the red carpet.