Nerves were causing JongHyun to fumble with the buttons on his shirt. They’d also made him cut himself while shaving and drop tooth paste onto his first shirt.

            “Yah, come here,” Key ordered. He took over doing the buttons on his shirt, making sure each one was perfect. Considering this was a huge stepping stone for JongHyun he wanted to make sure everything went by smoothly.

            “Can’t you come with me?” JongHyun asked for about the hundredth time.

            “We’ve already discussed this… One step at a time. Fix things with the family before bringing home the boyfriend,” Key chided gently.

            “I’d be much less nervous if you came with me, though…”

            “You say that now, but I’m sure you’d feel differently if I was actually there.”

            “I know you’re right, yet I don’t want to believe you…”

            Key couldn’t help but smile at the cuteness of JongHyun. Somehow, in the hours that had passed since his bread down he’d managed to get himself somewhat together. He was just letting his nerves get the best of him.

            JongHyun fidgeted with the ends of his sleeve as he paced around trying to figure out what else to do.

            “Did you brush your teeth?” Key asked, in hopes that it would help him somehow.

            JongHyun nodded.

            “Deodorant?”

            Another nod.  

            “Did you pick out your shoes?”

            One more nod.

            “Then you’re ready, hyung.”

            JongHyun qui his pacing to stare at Key. Those were the very words he did not want to hear. Checking the time he saw that there was ten minutes until his mother was due to arrive. Knowing her she would show up at exactly seven, too.

            His thoughts were interrupted when Key hooked his fingers through his own.

            “It’ll be okay,” he promised.

            “How can you be sure?” JongHyun asked.

            “Are you doubting the almighty Key?”

            The corner of JongHyun’s mouth twitched upwards. He loved it when Key was all full of himself. Seeing him all overly confident instilled JongHyun with the boost he needed for himself.

            This was it, he thought. It was time for him to face the demons of his past.

~

            If the ride to the hospital had been awkward than JongHyun wasn’t sure what this was. Awkward on steroids maybe. Either way, it was very strange. Tension was definitely riding in the back seat and mocking the two Kim’s.

            As JongHyun had expected, they were going to a fancy restaurant. It wasn’t as lavish as some of the ones he’d been to before but it definitely beat the instant noodles and stale bread he’d been living on.

            “I thought we could try some foreign food. You used to always say you loved it.”

            “Mhmm…” JongHyun agreed half heartedly. He did say that, which annoyed him slightly.

            Together they walked into the restaurant. Their noses were immediately infiltrated by the strong aroma of pasta and other foreign food. The lights were dimmed creating a pleasant atmosphere for every consumer in the room.

            They were led to a cozy table in the back of the room secluded from the more crowded areas. JongHyun’s mother smoothed out the skirt of her dress before taking her seat. Her son took less care when sitting and instead flopped onto the chair.

            A waiter came to ask what drinks they would like and then the two family members were plunged into silence again.

            “So… Are you still going to school?” she asked.

            “Yup… I’m in my second year now…”

            “Are you doing good?”

            “Good enough…”

            “TaeMin’s mother told me that you’d been struggling a bit… Financially I mean.”

            “Yeah, it was hard.” A nasty bitter comment was begging to ooze out of JongHyun’s mouth but he restrained himself. He was here to make things right. For himself. And for Key since if he continued seeing him he would need to introduce him to his parents eventually.

            “JongHyun,” his mother sighed. She stretched out a hand as if she wanted to touch her son’s arm but pulled back last minute. “I know you’re angry, but please, believe me when I say that your father is very sorry. He hasn’t been the same since you left. I’ve talked to him; he’s going to keep you in school. Your sister misses you, too. She’s really been down without her older brother.”

            “Don’t bring HyunJae into this,” JongHyun whispered.

            “Will you please come home then?”

            There was no doubt in his mind about his answer. He’d known even before he got into that van with his mother.

            “I’ll keep in contact with you guys again, but I’m going to stay living with Onew hyung,” he said.

            His mother visibly relaxed in her seat. She literally dropped her stiff backed posture and slumped in her chair. It was the first time that JongHyun had ever seen his mother so informal.

            “How would you like to do it?” she asked, quickly swiping at her tears so she wouldn’t completely lose her status.

            “Any way you want… Just not a huge party…”

            The waiter came at the perfect time, cracking the wavering tension between the two family members. He jotted down their orders with ease before quickly departing to relay his order to the chef and his crew.

            The two’s conversation stemmed out from there. They talked through the details of their family reunion and after some time JongHyun actually started to feel at ease with his mother. It was like nothing had ever happened between them. The conflict in the family had actually settled won between JongHyun and his mother.

            By the time the steaming plates of food were set in front of the pair the plans for the family reunion were set. When each morsel of food had slipped down their throats the details had been planned to the square. And then, when the evening finally came to an end JongHyun was left with the fluttery feeling of nervousness in his stomach again.

            Next week he would be seeing his whole family again… Together.

---

As promised, I updated as soon as I got back from China (sorta) despite being on jet lag and being sick. My finger is healed, though I still have limited mobility in it (it won't bend all the way and still throbs at times). 

I had an amazing trip and I hope all my fans are still here and will keep supporting me!

Thanks everyone!