“You mean we never lost ownership?” Eunhyuk asked incredulously as Hangeng pushed the door to their former condo open.

        “No, the payments were set to be taken automatically from Kyuhyun’s account every month. Since we never got around to cancelling the withdrawals, we, or Kyuhyun I should say, still own it. There probably isn’t power or water though, not that were staying long enough to need it anyways.” 

        “He was definitely here.” Kibum observed, noting the footprints showing in the thick layer of dust that covered nearly the entire unit. “They lead to his room.”

        Following the trail with Hangeng in the lead and Siwon taking up the rear, they opened the maknae’s door to discover the closet, and dresser drawers thrown open, clothes strewn about the room and the desk completely barren, clean spots in the dust holding a temporary impression of what had once been there.

        “It’s almost like he was in a hurry.” The eldest observed.

        “Maybe he knew we would try to come after him.” Kibum suggested, and before any of the others could respond, a sudden commotion from the living room startled them, their conversation momentarily forgotten as they rushed to see what it was.

         “I guess we do still have electricity.” Hangeng chuckled as he walked over to his daughter who stood frozen in front of their old TV, the screen now glowing with one of the music shows they used to watch.

         “W-what is it?” Are they stuck in there?” Sunhee asked, watching in amazement as the tiny people danced around in the glowing box.

         “No, no,” Hangeng chuckled. “They’re like moving pictures, like the ones Eomma and I took of you and Kyungil.” He explained, and the girl nodded though she didn’t quite understand, forming a small o.

         “Hangeng…” Eunhyuk scolded, not intending to be annoying, but trying to remind him that they’re time frame was very limited.

         “Alright, alright.” The eldest conceded, turning off the TV, much to Sunhee’s, and even Siwon’s, disappointment, before he turned to face them.

         “If he knew we were looking for him, then where would he go?” Kibum wondered

         “Some place he didn’t think we’d find him.” Siwon supplied, and after receiving a few incredulous looks, they fell into a brief silence, everyone considering the possibilities.

         Eunhyuk was the first to break the silence, realization flashing over his features. “His parents wanted to move him to Kangwon University to pursue his law degree. It had a better ranking that Sogang or something.” he explained.

          “So….he went back to college?” Siwon asked curiously.

          “He’s not very bright, is he?” Hangeng whispered to Kibum, receiving a glare from the younger male.

          “No.” the second eldest snickered “No, he didn’t want to leave so his parents bribed him, remember? He bragged for weeks about the condo they bought him, it had a media room and a pool. He literally owned it, like, permanently.”

          “Right! What was it called? Westin? Whestler..?” Hangeng struggled.

          “Whistler! Up in Chuncheon.” Kibum supplied.

          “So, you guys think he went there?” Siwon asked, and Hangeng nodded.

          “Wait, Hyung… it takes two hours to get to Chuncheon from here.” Eunhyuk informed Hangeng, pulling the other’s from their celebratory mood.

           The eldest glanced between Eunhyuk and his daughter, realizing they only had three hours left to get back through the portal, clearly not enough time to get there, convince the maknae to leave with them, and come back. It wasn’t possible. “Then you all need to start heading back.”

          “What about you? We can’t just leave you here.” Kibum argued.

          “I’ll be fine. I promised Heechul and Leeteuk and I’d do whatever it takes to get Kyu back.”

          “I doubt they thought you would do this. Heechul’s going to be pissed.” Eunhyuk reminded him.

          “I know, but I’ll make up for it when I get back. I promise. I’m sorry.” Hangeng replied.

          “If you’re staying…then I’m staying too.” Kibum informed, and just like before, Siwon stepped forward with him, his agreement implied.

          When their gazes shifted to Eunhyuk, the second eldest immediately shook his head.

          “No.” He argued “I have to be with Donghae. He’ll never forgive me if-”

          “I understand.” Hangeng interrupted the older’s rambling, placing a comforting hand on the younger’s shoulder. “I wasn’t expecting you to stay, I wasn’t expecting any of you to stay really. Don’t worry. Let’s head back to the station and get you and Sunhee on the next train back to Seoul.”

          “No!” Sunhee whined, clinging to her father’s neck as they began heading for the door. “I want to stay with you!”

          “Eomma needs you, Sunhee. I need you to be with him, it’s safer there.” Hangeng reasoned.

          “Eomma needs you too! Come home with us!” the girl argued, but her father held his ground, resisting.

          The others were quite astonished, to say the least. Hangeng rarely said no to his daughter, he was totally wrapped around her little finger, which wasn’t surprising in the least considering she was Heechul’s daughter. To see him arguing with her over something so important, and not giving in, especially considering that he was basically choosing his friend over his family, was unfathomable.

          She whined, and complained the entire walk over to the train station located just off the university’s campus, and by the time they had purchased two one way tickets back to the main station in Seoul, she was crying, clinging to her father’s leg and begging him not to make her go without him.

          The sight was nearly heartbreaking, especially to Hangeng, but he felt he had to do it. It was only a month after all, surely she could survive thirty days without him, even if she didn’t fully possess a sense of time. It would pass in no time. They would be fine without him.

          “Sunhee…” He began, voice stern. “Sunhee, that’s enough!” Gently removing her from his leg, he kneeled down to be at her level. “Listen to me. You need to go back with Eunhyuk to be with your mother, alright? I love you and I wish I could keep you with me, but I can’t. You need to be with your cousins and your uncles. I can’t have you miss a whole month of school.”

          “Yes you can.” Sunhee mumbled, kicking lightly at the ground. “I won’t miss it.”

          “I know,” Hangeng chuckled, pulling her close into a tight hug. “But you still need to go, it’s good for you…and your mom would hate me.”

          Finally the girl smiled a bit, nodding as she stepped away from her father and closer to Eunhyuk, taking her uncles hand in acceptance. “Fine.”

          “Thank you.” He smiled, ruffling her hair, much to her disapproval, before throwing Eunhyuk a telltale glance.

          The younger nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll get her back safe and explain what’s going on to the others, Hyung.” He promised.

          As if on cue, their trains number was called out through the station, signaling its arrival, and all of them moved as a group towards the main platform as passengers unloaded from the individual cars.

          Hangeng gave his daughter one last hug before they were forced to separate, Eunhyuk leading her over to one of the doors.

          Sunhee’s gaze didn’t leave her father’s, not until they were inside the train. There was no room to sit, as it was rush hour and the majority of the city was returning home after a long day of work, so they were forced to stand just few feet from the door. Eunhyuk instructing her to hold on to the pole before her.

          She did as she was told, but her mind told her otherwise. What her father said made sense, and she did want to go back to her mother, but she really didn’t want to have to return to school, or leave her father. She kept glancing between her father, who waved goodbye to her on the platform, the doors, and Eunhyuk, who was glancing obliviously around the interior of the train.

          Maybe if she timed it just right, she could get away from him and back to her father. They had said this was their last chance to get back to the portal before it closed. If she could get away now, she could stay there for an entire month. So just like that, she made her decision.

          She waited until she heard the whooshing of the doors, signaling they were about to close so the train could leave. She glanced one last time at her uncle, and as the doors began gliding closed, she made a run for it, Eunhyuk calling out to her as he made a grab for her arm, ultimately missing and giving her a chance to slip right through and out onto the platform, much to everyone’s shock.

          Hangeng reached her before anyone else could, yanking her away from the train just as it began its departure, in case she was standing too close, and not missing the apologetic look Eunhyuk was shooting him from within the train, not that he blamed him of course. No one had really seen that coming.

          “Sunhee! Don’t you ever do that again! Do you understand me? Do you know how dangerous that was!?” He scolded, his voice raising just a little more than he’d meant it too in his current state of shock, his heart pounding in his chest. “What if you had gotten stuck?! Or fallen in the tracks?!”

          The girl didn’t answer right away, pouting silently at her feet. “I told you I wanted to stay here…”

          “Yes, and I told you to go back with Eunhyuk to your mother and brother. Sunhee, I’m disappointed.”

          “Geng, our train is going to be here in a couple of minutes…what do we do?” Kibum asked worriedly

          “…I think we have to take her with us.” He sighed, turning away from her to face the others “The next train back won’t get here in time, and I couldn’t make her take it back alone anyways. I didn’t bring enough cash for a cab either…” 

          “Alright, it’s fine. We can just get her another ticket and take her with us.” Siwon assured, trying to help dissolve some of the older’s disappointment, and negativity that hung heavily in the air. “She’ll be safe with us.”

          “I know.” Hangeng sighed, running a slightly shaking hand through his hair as he tried to sort through the disorganized thoughts in his mind. What if they were wrong about Kyuhyun’s location and weren’t able to find him? They had very little money, no place to stay, no food, and at first he hadn’t been worried about such things, they could’ve found a way around all that, but now that Sunhee was with them…

          “We need to hurry.” Kibum snapped the other from his thoughts just as the phone in his pocket began to ring.

          “Hyung, I’m so sorry! I didn’t think she’d try that! I should’ve been holding her, I shoul-”

            “It’s alright, it’s not your fault. None of us expected that.” Hangeng cut off his friends rambling as they began making their way quickly back to the ticket booths, his daughter’s hand held firmly in his own in case she decided to try anything else. “Listen, I need you to explain to Heechul what happened. I know he’ll try to hurt you and I’m sorry…try to have Donghae around in case you need a shield.” He joked lightly, before continuing to talk so Eunhyuk couldn’t start lecturing him about how wrong it would be to use his pregnant husband as an anti-flammable suit.

          “I’m going to hang up and call back, but don’t answer it. I’m going to leave a voicemail for him, so I need you to save it and make him listen to it, alright?”

          “Of course… and Hyung, please be careful?” Eunhyuk pleaded.

          “We will. We’ll be back safe and sound, and with Kyuhyun, when the month is up, I promise.”

          They said their quick goodbyes and then hung up, and Hangeng immediately redialed.

          He left a quick message to his lover, making sure Sunhee was able to say a few things as well, as Kibum and Siwon bought a fourth ticket for her, and they made it to the platform just as their train pulled into the station.

          This train was nearly empty, as not many people had a two hour commute between cities, so they easily found four seats near the front of the train car, only one other person occupying it with them, convenient, as they could discuss their plan of action without any people around to hear.

          They sat in silence as the train pulled out of the station, all three adult’s minds heavy with the fear that if they couldn’t locate Kyuhyun, they would probably be forced to sleep outside that night, and possibly many after that.

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A/N:

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