‘Boys, dinner time!!!’ Doo Jun yelled from somewhere in the dorm. ‘You better not keep me away from my food any longer or else!’

‘Let’s go before he bursts our eardrums!’ Dong Woon whispered to Ki Kwang, both of them chuckling and disentangled themselves. Ki Kwang got off and turned to help Dong Woon up, not missing the wince of pain flashing in the younger’s face.

‘You ok?’ Ki Kwang asked.

‘Of course.’ Dong Woon sent a cocky grin that was starting to look more like his old self, and Ki Kwang’s answering eye smile reassured Dong Woon.

Slowly, Dong Woon shuffled across the room to the door, but as he approached the entrance, his progress became slower and slower. The insecurity was back with a vengeance. What if they keep staring? What if they lose their appetite after they saw my face? What if they-

‘Yah, Son Dong Woon! Hurry up!’ Doo Jun poked his head into the room. He knew Dong Woon would be having second thoughts but hell if he would let him back out. It’s about time they sat down together and had a good meal and nothing was going to stop him just like that, and definitely not insecurity.

Dong Woon met the eyes of the leader, and saw the leader softening.

‘Yah, didn’t I told you it would be alright? Nothing would happen. We missed you so much, aren’t you going to let us have this meal together? At the very least you should at least go see just how much stuff Yo Seobie bought just now… I hope he didn’t use my credit card or else…’ Doo Jun was chattering away, while slowly but surely guiding Dong Woon out of the room. Dong Woon let himself to be herded out but the moment he was out of the room, he froze. Hyun Seung was in the living room laying out drinks and Jun Hyung was being his lazy self and sitting on the couch doing nothing. Ki Kwang had gone ahead to help Yo Seob bring out the food and laying out the table. Dong Woon stood there, absorbing the sight he had not seen for months. They rarely had time to have dinner at the dorm together, and it was a rare sight indeed. Normally he would be helping out with the food stuff and occasionally stealing bites here and there, and he smiled. Yo Seob poked his head out of the kitchen and opened his mouth but smiled when he caught sight of the both of them.

‘I was just about to call you! Hurry up and sit. Jun Hyung! Move your !’ Yo Seob ordered then he ducked back into the kitchen. Hyun Seung went to poke at the rapper on the couch and settled down at the floor table laden with food. Now that he noticed the table, his eyes widened at the sight. It was a feast! They got all sorts of stuff, from soup to stew to beef to grilled fish, they had it all. Now he understood what Doo Jun had meant by ‘a lot of stuff’. Dong Woon rolled his mental eyes at the understatement.

Dong Woon followed Doo Jun to the table and sat down stiffly, not meeting anybody’s eyes. Yo Seob brought the rice bowl to the table and sat himself down.

‘Now that we are all here, let’s eat!’

‘Dong Woon, make sure you eat enough, or else the leftovers would be yours to finish!’ Yo Seob ordered. Dong Woon startled and raised his eyes to Yo Seob’s. Yo Seob grinned at him, before attacking the food.

It was all so normal, like nothing happened before, like he hadn’t essentially been away for three months, and he felt his tears slowly rolling down his face. He knew his hyungs would want to take care of him, but they knew he didn’t want to smothered, and they tried to make things easier for him. They got his favourite foods, made sure he felt comfortable. He heard another sniffle that was not his, and he slowly looked up. All his hyungs had stopped eating and was looking at him. Yo Seob was the one sniffling, and Dong Woon knew he must be crying. Yo Seob left the table and went to the kitchen. Dong Woon widened his red rimmed eyes and looked at a lost. Doo Jun rubbed his back and look encouragingly at him. He sighed and slowly got up to his feet to follow his crying hyung.

He found Yo Seob at the sink, sniffling, and went over.

‘Hyung, I-’ Dong Woon opened his mouth to speak but shut them when Yo Seob crushed him in a hug.

‘Dammit, maknae, I hate you. You know how much I hate it when you all go and injure yourselves and you know I worry and then you just had to disappear and leave me hanging! I don’t care about your excuses! They are not valid! If you ever do that to me again… if you ever dare to keep things that important to yourself again I’m gonna skewer you. Favorite maknae or not.’ Yo Seob sniffled against him, and Dong Woon had to bite back his chuckle. This hyung is still the cutest.

‘I’m sorry hyung.’ Dong Woon sighed.

‘Of course you are.’ Yo Seob shot back, peeling himself away. ‘Come on, let’s go back.’

‘Hyung… Thank you.’

‘Of course, you’re my favorite maknae.’ Yo Seob grabbed Dong Woon’s hand and tugged.

‘Wrong. I’m your only maknae.’ Dong Woon replied, and grinned when Yo Seob swatted at him.

They banished him from kitchen duty until his ribs healed fully, and Dong Woon sat in the living room, watching the news the news with Jin Taek hyung and Hyun Seung and Jun Hyung. The managers had come earlier, and the next thing he knew Jin Taek was gently scolding him and Joon Kun was checking his ribs and the others were crowding around to see if he was okay. He appeased them and accepted their concern and asked them to tell other Cube artistes and trainees who had asked after him that he was well. 4Minute’s manager went back and so did the rest, but Jin Taek stayed.

Dong Woon knew it was time to tell his parents and he knew it was long overdue. While he sat there thinking about how to break the news to his parents and how to avoid them from coming to see him in his state, the bell rang. Doo Jun yelled that he would open the door, and Dong Woon settled back into the couch again. He saw Doo Jun bowing to whoever was at the door, and he was curious. Who was it? 

[a/n: hey guys!!! this time, a pretty quick update isnt it? hahaha. what do you guys think of this chapter? the next chappie might be soon, or might not be up for a few weeks since my competition is starting soon, plus school and yeah.. lots of stuff. comments? ^ ^ hope u guys liked this chappie~]