It is an unconventional picnic at the most prominent university in the country they all enjoyed for the first time together at the staircase the farthest from the auditorium entrance with sandwiches Joohyun prepared with Sooyoung, sweetened and spicy chicken Sooyeon and Miyoung bought and Heechul’s stories of how clumsy Jongwoon was when they were young.

The food is usual and nothing out of extraordinary and they are eating in a freaking staircase but Jongwoon enjoys every bit of it without even thinking that tomorrow, he’ll be leaving this place and he’ll be leaving these people who made living more bearable and school his second home.

“What are you thinking?” Miyoung asks Jongwoon on a step behind her and Sooyeon as Heechul cracks another joke about how big Jongwoon’s head is and he, Sooyoung, Joohyun and Sooyeon haven’t gotten over it and are still bursting.

She isn’t really close with Jongwoon and she is still grateful for what Jongwoon did for her and Sooyeon even though he didn’t even know her before. But when she turns and looks at him, she doesn’t believe he really wants to leave like what the others are saying. She looks at his eyes and she sees nothing like someone who wants to leave.

“Nothing,” Jongwoon smiles at Miyoung. “Just… you guys and how I’ll miss you all.”

“You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to, oppa,” Miyoung says with a small, timid smile, having added that last word of endearment as an end thought.

Jongwoon smiles at her again and says, “Actually, I have to, Miyoung-ah.”

“Why? To find yourself? You don’t have to find yourself, oppa! You’re already here!”

“No,” Jongwoon tells her. “You’re right, I don’t have to find myself but I do need to find my respect and my love for myself again. It kind of got lost along the way, with everything that happened here, you know.”

Miyoung can’t really say she understands but she knows Jongwoon is a good man and he is a great friend. “Then, be gone and come back. We’ll wait for you. Sooyeon and I agreed. Sooyoung and Joohyun also said so. And I know Heechul-hyung will also wait for you, even if he won’t say it out loud.”

Jongwoon laughs at that. Then he nods at her and looks at his wristwatch. It’s only a little before six. “Come on, you guys, let’s get inside.”

Jongwoon doesn’t even know how Heechul and the others got to enter the auditorium because it’s an exclusive competition. As much as the coordinators want to accommodate everyone who wants to watch and enjoy the most prestigious choir competition of the year in the country, it’s just impossible.

“How’d you get everybody tickets, hyung?” Jongwoon silently questions his older friend after they all get inside thanks to Heechul’s tickets for everybody as he flash his own participant’s ID at the coordinator by the entrance.

“I’m great, ain’t I?” Heechul smirks at Jongwoon. “Come on, admit it! I’m the greatest guy you ever met!”

“Quiet down, Heenim,” Jongwoon hushes Heechul after chuckling as they look for seats. “I’m going to go back first at the waiting room. The competition is nearly beginning. I think Youngwoon is already there.”

“Youngwoon isn’t here yet!” Ryeowook exclaims anxiously as soon as Jongwoon appears on their waiting room.

“What?” Jongwoon asks in surprise, taking a quick glance on his wristwatch. It’s only twenty minutes before six and Youngwoon should be here by now as he promised. He looks from Ryeowook and Maestro Jang who are looking as worried as he is. “What happened?”

“We don’t know,” Maestro Jang answers in a more serious tone than he normally uses as his serious tone, boring holes at the door like he is willing Youngwoon to appear already. “The competition will start in less than twenty minutes. Everyone should be here by now even those who have part-time job or those who overslept.”

“What’s the matter?” Heechul is the one who suddenly appears beside Jongwoon.

Jongwoon tells him Youngwoon isn’t there yet.

“Have you tried reaching him?” Heechul suggests.

“We tried,” Ryeowook almost rolls his eyes on him but Youngwoon isn’t just another member of the choir. He’s also Jongwoon’s partner in the duet competition which is a third of the entire competition. Even Heechul should feel the gravity of what the entire choir must be feeling right now. “We tried texting him, we tried calling him but he’s not answering!”

“Calm down, Wookie,” Jongwoon tried to calm Ryeowook.

“Hyung, something must have happened!” Ryeowook’s eyes widen.

“Calm down, Ryeowook,” Maestro Jang calmly says. It’s not that he isn’t worried about the competition but he is worried that something might have happened to Youngwoon. He knows Youngwoon is not much of a scholar but he is a good student and has a dream. He will not just decide to pass the competition like that.

Jongwoon holds Ryeowook. “I’ll check on him, Maestro.”

The maestro looks at Jongwoon. “It’s almost competition, Jongwoon.”

“I’m not up until at least an hour and a half, Maestro,” Jongwoon tries to convince him. More than the fact that he might be singing for the duet competition alone (and he’s not even sure if the coordinators will allow that since that is after all a duet), on that short time he’s known Youngwoon, he is certain he will not do this to him or the maestro or the entire choice with no acceptable reason.

“I can’t have both of you missing here, Jongwoon.”

“What if something happens? What if he can’t come?” Ryeowook is beyond terrified. He gasps from Jongwoon to Maestro Jang to Heechul. “What about the duet competition? Who’ll sing with Jongwoon-hyung?”

Jongwoon looks at the maestro who is also staring back at Jongwoon. It’s bad enough that they changed members in two weeks time for preparation because they needed to replace Kyuhyun. Nobody obviously expected that they need to prepare another instant replacement in case something happened to Youngwoon. Of course, they can just take anybody from the rest of the choir. All of them are great, if they are to be honest, but the song is difficult and unless they are going to make very last minute adjustment of the song choice and Jongwoon’s partner, it’s nearly impossible.

“What about Kyuhyun? Can’t we just call Kyuhyun and ask him to come? I mean, it’s allowed, right? He’s still a student from the university and basically, he just asked not to participate in the competition, right? He’s still a member of the choir, right?” Ryeowook is hopeful, like he’s just seen the ultimate solution to their existing problem.

Well, as for Jongwoon, he really can’t say much. He knows Ryeowook is only trying to help and even though he and the maestro aren’t showing it, they are just as desperate to find out what happened to Youngwoon as Ryeowook is. But bringing Kyuhyun back?

Bad idea.

“I’ll get Youngwoon,” Heechul says decisively and only then that they’re reminded that Heechul is there with them. He studies Jongwoon’s play of expressions, from surprised to mortified to neutral, like he is trying to convince himself that it’s okay with him to do what Ryeowook is suggesting, like he is willing to do what Ryeowook is suggesting.

Heechul doesn’t know if he can stop himself again from killing Kyuhyun if he so much shows his presence to Jongwoon and hurts him.

“Heenim?” Jongwoon looks at him surprised.

“He’s working just around the university, isn’t he?” Heechul continues, completely ignoring Jongwoon because he’ll not let it be Kyuhyun again.

“Yes,” Maestro Jang answers. “He’s working at a fruits stall three blocks from the university. He said there are big clients coming so he can’t get off early and come here with us.”

Heechul nods. “I’ll call you as soon as I find him.”