For the rest of that ride, Jinki had chosen to ignore the younger men, who had decided to gang up on him. He regretted giving Taemin Minho’s number, because it only meant that the youngers would put him in such situations more often now that they were friends again.

When they reached the cemetery, Jinki was the last to get out of the car before dragging his feet up the familiar trail towards where his parents’ bodies lay.

His feet weren’t quick enough, and halfway up to the graves, his legs threatened to stop supporting him, but Jinki forced himself to keep walking, the youngers curiously following him as he walked through the mass of tombstones until he reached a more isolated section of the cemetery with a fewer number of tombstones dotting the ground.

And then, he was standing in the place he recalled standing once a year every year since he’d lost his parents. His lungs burned as if he hadn’t been breathing, and his hands clenched tightly around the flowers he’d carried with him.

“These are your parents, then?” Jonghyun asked with a soft but sad smile, leaning down to gently place the flowers on the patch of earth, “Mr. Lee, Mrs. Lee, your son is the clumsiest, most awkward male I’ve ever met, but I’m glad it’s he that you gave birth to. Be proud of him, yeah? Jinki’s turned into a fine young man.”

“What? Are you his father in law or something?” Kibum quipped playfully before suddenly turning serious and placing his own flowers next to Jonghyun’s, “I haven’t known Jinki for a long time, so there’s not much that I can say. I can say, however, that after he’s gotten some more confidence in himself, your son has become someone I hope to never forget.”

Taemin all but shoved Kibum out of the way, crouching down slightly and placing his own flowers down, sniffling softly to himself, “I’ve spent four years teasing and bullying the only person that took care of a spoiled child like me. Thank you, for having Jinki, because he’s an elder brother that I would die without.”

Jinki heard the choked sobs he was holding back, and Minho lightly squeezed his shoulder before kneeling down onto the ground, to the shock of all four men, “Jinki’s a special person to me, even if I’m not good at showing it. I hope that you can give me your acceptance; and in return, I’ll make Jinki the happiest person alive even if his parents aren’t here to share his happiness with him.”

Minho turned his head back and sent Jinki the softest smile Jinki had ever seen, and as tears silently streamed down his face, Jinki couldn’t help but smile back at him slightly. Minho stood up and stepped away, and all four looked up at Jinki, to silently tell him it was his turn to go.

His feet dragged themselves forward, and Jinki dropped himself, as well as his flowers, to the ground as he let loud and violent sobs escape his lips, flinging his arms arou