Four years. It’s been four years since DBSK broke up. Yunho tried not to think about it too much, but sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder about the brothers he once shared the same dream with, Yoochun, Junsu,… Jaejoong. Have they already forgotten him and their maknae? Are they eating well? Did they find what they were looking for?

 

Did they ever think about coming back?

 

“Yah! Hyung, where are you going?” Changmin called from their dorm’s front door.

 

“Huh?” The maknae snapped Yunho from his thoughts. Lost in his own musings, he didn’t realize he started pacing outside their dorm. His breath made small misty clouds in the night while his hands clenched inside his coat pocket in search for warmth.

 

Changmin just sighed and quickly grabbing the red scarf from their kitchen counter, made his way towards his leader. He wrapped it around Yunho’s neck tightly. “Don’t stay out too late. You might get sick.”

 

“…yeah,” Yunho replied lamely as the maknae made his way back to the dorm. The dancing machine was clearly distracted and Changmin knew nothing could really break him away from his thoughts, at least not today of all days.

 

Placing his hand on the doorknob, the maknae hesitated slightly. Then, his eyes softened, “It’s almost midnight, I’ll leave the door unlocked until you come back.” After he said that, he firmly slammed the door behind him.

 

Yunho blinked absently at the door, then, started walking down the silent streets. There weren’t many people milling about in the freezing winter air, so he didn’t worry about being discovered by fans or paparazzi. He even ventured into a nearby grocery store to warm his hands without too much trouble. A couple curious glances, but nothing drastic.  

 

He made his way to a corner of the street and boarded the nearly empty bus. He knew where he was going. He’s made the trip countless times in his life. But, this time he was afraid. Scared about what he’ll see when he gets there. How he would feel. What would he remember and what would he lose.

 

Four years. It’s been four years since he’s been there.

 

“Please stop here, sir,” Yunho asked the bus driver politely, feeling the piercing cold biting his skin when he got off.

 

The bus driver gave him a weird look, “You sure, buddy? The Han River is damn cold in the winter.”

 

Yunho plastered on a small smile. “Thank you, but I still need to get off here.”

 

The bus driver shrugged, “Okay, then. Stay warm and happy holidays.”

 

He waited until the bus was out of his sight before he started his quiet journey along the edge of the Han River. Wrapping the scarf closer to his face, he passed by a small café that looked across the still waters. The black windows reflected the small circular lights of dimly lit streetlamps, affirming how late it was already.

 

Glancing to his left, then his right, he wracked his brain trying to remember how to get to that secluded corner that was supposed to be blocked off for a new deck, but was never built. He found the hideout many years ago after escaping from some avid fans at the end of a concert.

 

Spotting a strange uneven piece of blue rock wedged into the last stretch of sidewalk, Yunho walked towards the edge of railing that divided him from the water. He gently shifted the rock, which turned out to be polished glass marble, back into its correct position. Then, he put his boot on the steel frame and carefully balanced himself on his hands. He swiftly jumped over the barrier and landed six feet below on solid ground.

 

“Ow…” Yunho cursed silently and rubbed his legs to get rid of the numbing feeling that was passing through his limbs. “Right. It was drop down and roll. Of all the things to forget…”

 

Grumbling, he brushed off dirt and twigs from his tan coat and carefully limped towards the open space he knew would be just a few minutes away. The dirt ground remained coarse and made weird crunching noises under his boots. Weeds popped out of the cracks of abandoned concrete and little critters were scurrying around him. Yunho tucked his navy blue wool sweater into his jeans before buttoning his coat all the way up to his chin. It was still extremely chilly, but he was thankful for the stony ledge that encompassed the little patch of land and pushed away most of the wind.

 

As he reached the edge of the clearing, he squinted his eyes to see the faint outline of another man. The stranger was dressed in dark clothes and he couldn’t see much of him given the faint glow of the streetlamps above them. He didn’t seem to notice Yunho’s quiet steps, content to just look out to the water, resembling a stone statue.

 

Yunho probably shouldn’t be disturbing this other man who clearly didn’t want company but he didn’t want to waste his efforts and sadly, was having a hard time remembering how to get back to the streets. And, being midnight in the bitter winter on a piece of earthy land that is six feet below street level, it might be a good idea to strike up a conversation with the only other person in his near vicinity.

 

As he slinked over to the stranger, Yunho couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity overwhelm him. His gut was doing summersaults inside of him and his heart was beating erratically against his chest. When the dark-clothed stranger finally noticed someone approaching him, he looked up. His rust colored hair shimmered eerily as he placed a can of beer to his lips and then, put it back on top of the stone ledge he was leaning on. Yunho’s eyes widened as he continued to walk towards the stranger, now in a trance. His feet led him closer and closer. Yunho had to be sure.

 

When he was only ten feet away from him, Yunho stopped. He stared at coal-black eyes and pale skin, the silver cross dangling from the man’s right ear played intricate shapes on the sharp angles of his impassive face. It was... Yunho could hardly get air into his lungs long enough to form a complete sentence.

 

“Y-y-ou…what are you doing here?”

---

 

Should he be surprised? Has it really been that long since they last saw each other? Yeah, during concerts and showcases they would often pass by each other’s dressing rooms and make small talk behind their manager’s backs, but why does it feel like he hasn’t seen him in years, four years to be exact? Well, maybe it’s because he hadn’t really seen him. Those insignificant greetings, the fake smiles, and polite chitchats that never went over five minutes, no, he was never really talking to him, but the mask of the leader that once meant everything to Jaejoong.

 

He eyed the man dressed in a fashionable tan coat and matching black jeans and boots. Yunho looked exactly the same after four years, straight posture, light brown skin, and jet-black hair. Jaejoong squinted his eyes and frowned. He could see faint outlines around Yunho’s eyes, the forming wrinkles that came with age. Jaejoong leaned his hip on the stone ledge and faced his former group mate.

 

“I should be asking you that,” he scoffed, waiting for Yunho to come closer. Once Yunho stopped a couple of feet from him, he tossed him a can of beer that he rummaged out of the pocket of his black leather jacket.

 

“Thanks,” Yunho replied, popping the cap and taking a large gulp. Jaejoong didn’t respond and busied himself with the almost empty can next to him. He repositioned himself on the ledge, leaning against his elbows. Yunho followed suit, standing so close to him that Jaejoong could feel the warmth radiating from Yunho’s coat.  

 

“Do you…do you always come here?”

 

Jaejoong sighed. “No. Not all the time. Only when I’m feeling nostalgic.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Silence. God knows how much Jaejoong hated it. Even though he was in no particular mood to talk to his former band mate, there was nothing worse than having to deal with an atmosphere so heavy and so damn depressing that you could nearly suffocate from it. He swirled the drink in his hands before chugging it all down in one go. He didn’t look at Yunho when he spoke.

 

“I heard Changmin is going to MC a variety show soon. Congratulate him for me.”

 

“Oh, yeah, he’s really excited about it. He hasn’t done something like this before, so he’s also really nervous. It’s sort of getting on my nerves actually, you don’t want to be with him when he’s stressed.”

 

Jaejoong lightly chuckled, “I can imagine.”

 

If there was one thing that Jaejoong would miss from their old DBSK days, it would be the way they cared about each other. Although he was angry and upset that Yunho and Changmin decided not to leave with them, deep in his heart, there was no way he was ever going to stop caring about them. Jaejoong would never admit it, but during the first few months of their breakup, he had spent countless hours looking up news about his beloved former group mates and doubting his own decisions. He would plead with his manager to let him text or call Yunho and Changmin until Jaejoong realized how bad of an idea it was and let Junsu or Yoochun come and calm him down.

 

However, once JYJ became a household name in the K-pop industry, Jaejoong stopped thinking of himself as a member of DBSK and focused instead on his own blooming career.

 

“Are—”

 

“Do—“

 

“…”

 

“…Sorry, go ahead,” Jaejoong mumbled under his breath, tightening his grip on the now empty can. Does it have to be so awkward between them?

 

“I was just…going to ask if the other boys are doing well.”

 

Jaejoong smiled at that, giving Yunho a glance from the corner of his eye. “They’re doing well. Yoochun is acting in a movie so I haven’t been able to see him much. And Junsu is working on his solo album.”

 

“That’s good to hear. Looks like they’re really busy,” Yunho smiled back and stretched his arms out in front of him. A small breeze blew through the armholes in his coat, making him shiver.

 

Jaejoong nodded, “Yeah. They’re making it.”

 

Yunho tried not to think about the cryptic message laced in Jaejoong’s words. He turned around so he was now leaning his back against the ledge, his arms crossed on his chest. “They’re not the only ones. You’re really becoming quite the hot topic in the composing world.”

 

“And what about you? Still the legendary dancing machine?”

 

“You got that right.” Yunho grinned and to his relief, saw Jaejoong’s shoulders finally relax at his remark.

 

During their years together, Yunho had learned that it took a while for his ex-band mate to get used to an environment and found his quiet demeanor quite soothing compared to the loud maknae probably eating junk food in their dorm right now. He watched as Jaejoong shed the confident skin that he would put on for the cameras and showed his true self.

 

Jaejoong never tried to hide anything from Yunho and this time was no exception. He saw the vulnerability and weariness that marred his face, a contrast to the youthful look that was usually attributed to the singer.

 

Jaejoong was tired. And so was he.  

 

“Tell me,” he paused and waited for Jaejoong to give him his full attention. “Was there anything, anything at all that would have made you stay?”

 

When Jaejoong didn’t answer, Yunho felt his heart break a little in his chest. He was their leader for almost seven years and it was his job to help as best as he can. When Yoochun, Junsu, and Jaejoong first came to him about their decision to leave, Yunho pleaded with them to hold on, if not for the legacy or the contract, at least for their friendship. Because if there was something, anything that could have kept all five of them together, Yunho would have done it in a heartbeat.

 

“No,” Jaejoong measured his words carefully, “Yunho…you were a great leader and a friend to lean on, but we…although we had a similar path, dream…we were looking for something else. Something that we were missing…”

 

Jaejoong lifted his hands in front of him, embracing the cool night and quiet waves. He felt a windy chill move through his long fingers and pass his arms, circling around his body. A particularly strong breeze pulled his hair away from his face. In his thin t-shirt and dark jeans, Jaejoong could feel the tingling sensations of winter air wrap themselves around his form and then, in a second, wisp away from his body. He sighed contentedly, “We were looking for this.”

 

“The water?” Yunho questioned with a raised eyebrow.

 

Jaejoong put his hands down and shifted around so he was facing the same direction as Yunho. He laughed heartedly, “You’re close. Freedom.”

 

“Freedom,” Yunho repeated slowly, unsure how to respond to such a powerful request.

 

Jaejoong nodded in response.

 

“And did you find it? You’re freedom?”

 

He looked up into Yunho’s dark brown eyes, contemplating his answer. He thought about how he was given a chance to write his own lyrics, compose his songs, and act in a variety of dramas and movies. He thought about how relieved he was to use his natural hair color for more than a year instead of the artificial blonde locks that were popular back then. He thought about how nice it was to live in a large apartment with Yoochun and Junsu without having to cram all their stuff in shared closets or makeshift drawers.

 

And then he thought about the water. For JYJ’s first vacation, his group mates requested to go to the beach. So, they packed their bags and headed to Jeju Island. When Jaejoong touched the water for the first time in five years, minus the times they had to do a photo shoot or make a music video, tears dripped down his face and mixed with the sea. And finally, he let out a breath of relief that he never thought he needed. After their vacation, Jaejoong was more than determined to make it big in the world and nothing would stop him ever again.

 

Jaejoong smiled, “I think we did.”

---

 

Yunho remembered everything that Jaejoong has ever said to him as if it just happened yesterday. Everything from their first meeting, first concert, first interview…even their first fight, and this was coming from a guy who couldn’t even remember what he had for breakfast that morning.

 

Now, he wouldn’t say he was particularly in love with Jaejoong, at least not in the way their fans envision them, but he would agree that the man did hold a special place in his heart.

 

…Okay, so yeah. Maybe it was love? But, there was no way that word could encompass everything about their relationship.

 

“Hey, Yunho,” Jaejoong waved his hands in front of Yunho’s face, “earth to Yunho, you there?”

 

“Uh, sorry, what?”

 

Whenever Yunho was trapped in his thoughts, it was quite difficult and frustrating to pull him out of his daydreams. He used to think that was part of his former leader’s charm, but after four years of learning to live in the now, he didn’t believe in looking to the past for answers anymore. As he stared at Yunho’s face, Jaejoong saw how his eyes were glazed over in thought. Whenever Yunho was mulling over memories that Jaejoong knew were still vivid in the man’s mind, he would always have that faraway look that would sometimes scare him because he used to think Yunho would suddenly disappear with them.

 

But, of course, Yunho would always come back to the present and Jaejoong would be there. At least, that was how it was when they were still in the same group.

 

Jaejoong rolled his eyes impulsively, dismissing the memories that he had suppressed in his mind for years, “I asked if you wanted to get out of here cuz I’m leaving.”

 

“Oh, yeah. Let’s go,” Yunho replied hastily, following Jaejoong as they made their way back to where Yunho first jumped off. Jaejoong knocked on the wall experimentally, making sure it was solid enough to hold his weight before he stepped back. He eyed the clueless look that formed on Yunho’s face.

 

“Well?” Jaejoong waited expectantly, pointing at the wall. “What are you waiting for?”

 

“Uh…I don’t…exactly remember how to do this?”

 

“You Don’t Remember,” Yunho winced at the heavy weight Jaejoong put on his words.

 

“And I, uh, hurt my leg earlier so…”

 

Jaejoong pressed his fingers to his temple, “Sometimes you make me wonder, Yunho.”

 

Yunho decided not to say anything else, figuring Jaejoong was more than already frustrated with him. He was already used to the man’s temper after living with the “clean freak,” as Changmin called him, for seven years, but it still could send chills down his spine. Suddenly, Jaejoong grasped his arm and pulled him to the wall. He put a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Hold onto the wall,” Jaejoong instructed, “I’m going to pull you up, so you better get ready to grab the railing once you see it.”

 

“Okay?”

 

Jaejoong impulsively slapped Yunho’s head, “Yah, you had better have been listening.”

 

Before he could wrap his mind over how Jaejoong was going to pull him up the wall, his legs were being lifted on Jaejoong’s shoulders as he braced his hands on the stony surface in front of them. One of the main reasons why everyone considered Jaejoong the feminine one of the group was because of his small frame. But now, sitting on noticeably broader shoulders that were strong enough to lift a full-grown man, Yunho can see how much Jaejoong had certainly changed. And he couldn’t help but think that this Jaejoong was more like the man he had known for years than the one that was actually with him for most of his young life.

 

Once Yunho saw the steel frame at his eye level, Yunho latched his hands on the railing and used his feet as leverage to hold him steady. He felt a pressure at his backside and looked down to see Jaejoong trying to help him over the wall.

 

“How much weight did you gain?” Jaejoong exclaimed, wondering why it was taking so long for Yunho to climb the wall.

 

“Yah! I’m still the same!”

 

“Then get your over the railing!”

 

Yunho grumbled a little bit and put pressure on the balls of his feet. Then, using one good push with his legs, he spun in the air and smoothly landed on the sidewalk with a twist of his body. He looked down at the momentarily stunned Jaejoong and gave him a large grin.

 

“Still think I’ve gained weight?”

 

Jaejoong huffed and waved his hand dismissively, “I know. You haven’t gained weight since that one time during Changmin’s 21^st birthday when he dared you to eat ten bowls of ramen in five minutes.”

 

Yunho cringed, “You still remember that? Man, was I drunk.”

 

“It definitely wasn’t your best look.”

 

“Thanks, you’re making me feel a whole lot better,” Yunho replied sarcastically, bending down to ruffle Jaejoong’s hair. Jaejoong looked up at him in annoyance, his nose scrunching up as some stray hairs tickled his face. When Yunho met the dark ovals that dared to stare back at him, he paused his movements and retracted his hand with a frown.

 

After seven years of being together, why did it feel like this was the first time he was talking to the real Jaejoong? He always felt a special connection with the man and thought he was the only one who could truly understand him. But this moment was different. It was new, terrifying, and inexplicable. It was everything he ever wanted to see in his friend when they were still together and yet he knew, it was also something that would have never appeared if Jaejoong was still with DBSK…with him. Yunho’s heart broke some more at the thought. Then, he felt something hit his head.

 

“Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?” Jaejoong asked, ready to pelt another pebble at Yunho’s face. He stretched out his arms in front of him and waited for Yunho to help him out of their hideout.  

 

And suddenly, Yunho was taken back to when they were talking near the river only a few moments before. Those arms that stretched out to freedom were now stretching out to him and Yunho felt an overwhelming emotion in the pit of his stomach. Was he okay with the fact that there was nothing he could have done to keep Jaejoong with him? Was he okay with knowing that he hasn’t seen the real him until the man was gone from his life for almost four years? Did Jaejoong even care? Did he still care about them? About him and Changmin? About how much it hurt Yunho to not find three of his closest friends in the dorm, gone without a goodbye?

 

“Yunho! Can you even see me?”

 

Yunho’s eyes shifted back to the man patiently waiting below.

 

Yes. Yunho can see him. He can see how much he had grown and how much he had changed. He can see everything that made up Jaejoong’s true self and how much of it Yunho had regrettably never known until now. He can see all the mistakes he made as a leader and all the moments he lost wondering why Jaejoong left in the first place.

 

“I’m sorry,” Yunho said apologetically and grabbed Jaejoong’s hand tightly with his own. Jaejoong then scrambled up the steep wall and jumped over the railing. Straightening his back with a large yawn, he waited for Yunho to come back from his thoughts.

 

“Jaejoong?” Yunho asked quietly, his voice echoed a little on the desolate streets.

 

“Hm?”

 

“Are you happy?”

 

Jaejoong gave him a strange look, and then put his hands into his jacket pocket. “Remember the first time we came here? It was after one of our tours and we lost our way to the car after being bombarded by fans. While Junsu, Yoochun, and Changmin hid behind a bunch of bushes and had diverted most of the fans, we were caught at a dead end. When you jumped, I thought you had actually gone crazy, but then I remembered that you were the always serious and trustworthy leader and I crazily jumped after you.”

 

“And that’s how we found our secret hideout. The end,” Yunho finished.

 

Jaejoong kicked him in the shin for his interruption and started to absently brush the shiny blue stone next to him. “Do you remember what you first asked me when we got there, you know after we had a good laugh about our lucky escape?”

 

Yunho waited for Jaejoong to continue.

 

“You asked me if I was happy,” Jaejoong’s hand stilled on the rock, “And do you know what I said? I said I—”

 

“—Was the happiest person in the world.”

 

“Exactly,” Jaejoong’s eyes softened, touched that even though it has been four years, Yunho still can recite his every word. “Do you remember what you said after that?”

 

Yunho shook his head.

 

Jaejoong pointed to the blue marble next to them, “You said that if we ever felt like being happy, we should remember to come back here. And I said…”

 

“And you said that you would come back here every single day…” Yunho’s eyes widened at the implication. “Oh, Jaejoong…”

 

Jaejoong kept his voice as monotone as possible, “I didn’t come here every day, just a couple times a month to have a drink, and then call Junsu to come help me get up the wall. Oh, right, you don’t remember, do you? You can’t climb up the wall yourself, there had to be someone to pull you out. And, you know, the only time I came here was with you, so it wasn’t as difficult…back then…”

 

“Jaejoong, I—”

 

“It’s fine,” he held up his hand to stop him from probably making a very long apology and gave a small smile, “it doesn’t matter anymore.”

 

“But you were waiting and I wasn’t there,” Yunho choked, “I wasn’t there to make sure that you were okay and safe and happy.”

 

“Yunho, listen to me,” Jaejoong gripped his friend’s shoulder tightly, staring at him in the eyes, “I…”

 

And that’s when Jaejoong confessed everything. He talked about the fights he had with SM behind closed doors, the struggles of trying to make it on his own with a brand new company that frankly didn’t know much about the music industry, the multitude of rejections from radio shows that supported SM…he lived in a nightmare the first few months after the split. But he was never unhappy. No, it was quite the contrary.

 

Whenever he felt like giving up, he would remember to come to their hideout and think not about their past, but of their future. If he was this willing to harm one of the closest friendships he had ever had in his entire life for a better dream, then he had damn be sure that he was making the right decision. Their hideout wasn’t there to remind him of what he lost, memories that held no thread to his life anymore, but of what he was going to get in the future, the freedom that he absolutely craved. Yes, he was hurt that Yunho never showed up whenever he did, but that wasn’t what he held on to. If anything at all, it was to remind himself that he was a changed man and so was Yunho. And though they were to never cross the same road together again, he knew that honestly, it was okay.

 

He was using something from the past to not think about the past, but to look towards the future.

 

And that was when Yunho finally understood.

 

Jaejoong loosened his grip and hesitantly patted the man’s cheek in a friendly gesture. “I am happy, Yunho. Not in the way that you would normally think, but I really, really am. Happy.”

 

Yunho nodded, his thoughts spiraling around his head.

 

After hearing Jaejoong’s confession, Yunho came to the conclusion that he was a coward. For four years, he had refused to go near here because although their hideout was a reflection of their happy past, it was also a reflection of their future, that breakup that he was always hoping would be reconciled. He never wanted to taint those treasured memories and foolishly let the changes occurring in the present to slip by him like woven silk. If he just tried to find a future for himself without trying to keep his memories in a tightly secure box where no one could get at it, he, maybe, would have found the contentment that Jaejoong had.

 

Because, after all, they were still Yunho and Jaejoong, they were still the strange and weird duo that could harmonize their voices like no other. And they were still alive to build a new connection, something better than before. Hey, if you can’t keep the past, might as well make a better future, right?

 

“Are you happy?” Jaejoong asked, grabbing Yunho’s attention again.

 

“I’m happy as long as you’re happy,” Yunho replied with the same flirtation that used to make Jaejoong cringe.

 

He smiled, feigning disgust, “Ugh, too cheesy.”

 

“Hey, you’re lucky I didn’t pick up any of the newbies’ lingo. Now, that would make you scream in absolute horror.”

 

“Aren’t I lucky,” Jaejoong said and glanced above him, “…is that snow?”

 

Yunho watched as small snowflakes started to gently fall through the starry skies. It was almost a surprise how quietly they appeared, as if they didn’t want to interrupt the comfortable silence around them. He saw a few flakes dance around Jaejoong’s head and cupped his hands together to gather some himself, feeling the cooling sensations on his skin. Jaejoong had his tongue out and was savoring the refreshing taste of crisp and prickly ice.

 

When they caught each other’s eye in their probably embarrassing fascination with the freshly dropping snow, they laughed. Not a chuckle or a giggle, but a full on hearty, long, clutch your stomach, hard to breathe kind of laugh. Not because it was funny or awkward or weird, but because it was them. It was Yunho and Jaejoong standing side-by-side, enjoying the snow together with no one else around, no fans, paparazzi, managers, to destroy the moment, their moment.

 

Yunho brushed some snow off of Jaejoong’s hair, “Hey, catch the bus with me?”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Jaejoong said, wiping some of the melted snowflakes off his face, “let’s go.”

 

And they walked down to the bus station in a daze. They laughed, had a couple playful banters, jabbed each other about dating rumors. They acted like they had never split, never fought, never went a day without speaking to each other. They acted exactly the way Yunho would have wanted the first day he ever met Jaejoong.

 

No, this was better than what he could have imagined could occur between them, seven years ago, four years ago, now. No, this was different and it was absolutely beautiful.  

 

“Oh, so you’re alive, after all! And you found a friend,” the bus driver exclaimed, greeting the last two passengers on his route home.

 

“It’s good to see you too,” Yunho replied with a grin and settled himself down besides Jaejoong at the front of the bus.

 

“You know, I was beginning to worry about you. But I’m glad. It’s not good to be alone during the holidays,” the bus driver said wisely and pointed to a family photo near his steering wheel.

 

“They’re lovely,” Jaejoong smiled at the photo, “how old are they?”

 

“Eight and four, my two little girls mean the world to me. In fact, I have a little surprise for them in the back that I’ve been saving up for a while. I was working during Christmas, so yesterday I didn’t get the chance to give it to them. Today though, after I drop you guys off, I’m going straight home. Can’t wait to see them!”

 

“They must miss you a lot. It must be tough,” Jaejoong said gently.

 

“It is,” he turned to glance at his two passengers, “but you know what they say: absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

 

“Yeah,” Yunho looked meaningfully at Jaejoong, “it does, doesn’t it?”

---

 

“Yah! I walked up and down the street for hours trying to find you. Do you even know what time it is? It’s 4:30am in the freakin’ morning hyung! I swear if you—”

 

“Hey, Changminnie,” Yunho said and grabbed the maknae in a bear hug. “Sorry I’m late. I just wanted to let you know that I’m glad that I met you and I promise I won’t stay out so late ever again.”

 

“Uh, hyung?” Changmin moved himself out of Yunho’s embrace and closed the door. “Did you hit your head? What’s wrong with you?”

 

Yunho laughed, his eyes twinkled with something that Changmin hadn’t seen in a long time, “It’s nothing. I just had a good night, a very good night.”

 

Changmin raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “Really?”

 

“Yes, really,” Yunho plopped himself down on the couch, removing a strange object from the cushions that was poking his back, “What is this? Were you playing board games?”

 

“Because you were taking so long to get back, I had a few friends come over,” Changmin explained and picked up the little white game piece from Yunho’s fingers, “If you were wondering, I had a good night too.”

 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Yunho grinned, picking up the remote. He didn’t want to sleep just yet, with everything that happened today…there was no way he could.

 

“So, how is Jaejoong hyung?” Changmin casually asked, finding a blue piece from under the couch.

 

“He’s great, actually more than that. He told me—wait, how did you know I met him?” Yunho’s eyes opened in surprise, his mouth gaping open.

 

“Well, it just so happened that when I was panicking around the streets because of your untimely disappearance in the early hours of the morning,” he gave Yunho a look, “I stumbled upon two people who I have not seen in a very long time and who just so happened to be in a similar dilemma. So, I invited them over and to my surprise, was informed of the possible reunion between you and their missing leader.”

 

“Hold on. Junsu and Yoochun were here?” Yunho exclaimed.

 

“Yup,” Changmin laughed and recapped all the things that happened in those few treasured hours of the early morning, Yoochun’s almost tragic slip on their smooth wooden floors, Junsu’s lack of any kind of poker face, and Changmin’s winning streak until he was caught cheating.

 

Yunho listened in rapture, seeing how the maknae’s face glowed in happiness. And with a small smile of amusement, he imagined Junsu and Yoochun retelling their own stories to Jaejoong back home.

 

When Yunho finally went to bed and closed his eyes in exhaustion, he replayed the last words Jaejoong said to him that night, or should he say that morning, before Jaejoong exited the bus at his own stop:

 

“It’s not goodbye, Yunho. It never was. And, it never will be.”

 

Yunho smiled, his dreams filled with thoughts of the future he couldn’t wait to see.

 

 

So many feels!! Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!