“Are you ready?” Eunhyuk asked Donghae.

Holding hands they stepped in the house without ringing the bell.

“We’re here!” the thin boy announced.

A tall blond boy, with that undying warm smile, appeared in the hallway.

“Hey boys! Come in, we are finishing making dinner.”

Then as sudden as he came he disappeared in the house. Eunhyuk turned to Donghae and sighed.

“Remind me why we agreed to this?”

“Come on! I know you love having dinner with your family and your brother.”

This past year, Eunhyuk and Donghae had settled a routine for their weekends. Every once in a while they would have dinner at the Lee’s house on Saturday. It was a way of keeping in touch with Leeteuk and keeping the two siblings’ bond alive. Then after spending the evening there, they would usually go back to the dorms and have a movie’s night with the whole gang in Siwon’s room – that was the biggest. Donghae was the one who came out with those ideas. Somehow it was like he already lived something similar, but well… that was impossible.

They came in and found Eunhyuk’s parents in the living room. Mrs. Lee came to hug and kiss both boys with as much warmth as she used to, and Mr. Lee shook their hands, as discreet as he always was beside his wife. Donghae was always happy to come to those dinners because he loved feeling part of this family, even if his own was working really well too, but they had something more...  Suddenly they heard several voices coming from the kitchen.

“I told you it would burn! The fire was too high!”

“The fire was just fine! It’s because you kept pestering me that it got that way.”

That’s when Leeteuk followed by Heechul and Hangeng came out of the kitchen. Eunhyuk and Donghae looked at them surprised.

“What are you guys doing here?” Eunhyuk asked.

“Your mom invited us for dinner.” Hangeng told him.

“Yeah and your mom’s cooking is way better than mine! Well that’s when her son doesn’t destroy everything!” Heechul pestered.

Mrs. Lee frowned.

“What happened?”

“I think I might have accidentally burnt the kimchi rice…” Leeteuk said, looking at his feet.

“You’re a lousy cook.” Heechul told him.

“You’re no better!”

“Boys!” Mrs. Lee raised her voice and both boys shut up to look at her obediently. “I just asked you to watch it for a moment… Ok I better get back to my food before you ruin anything else.”

Then she went to the kitchen followed by her eldest son. And soon Mr. Lee followed to help setting the table up. In the meantime, Eunhyuk wasn’t really happy to see his former gang members there. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the back of the sofa.

“Are you guys seriously going to stay for dinner?”

“Hey! You should be happy to have us here and you should be a little more respectful to your hyungs.”

“It’s been a long time, I’m happy to see you hyung.” Donghae said with a small smile.

Heechul came next to the brunet and put an arm around his neck, hugging him.

“See? That’s why you’re my favorite! My little Hae is the best.”

Eunhyuk contented to glare at the dark haired boy.

“Well yes he is the best, but he is mine.”

“Aish, you and your possessiveness over Donghae…” commented Leeteuk coming back from the kitchen. “You know he is popular among everyone, so you better as well get used to it!”

Of course Leeteuk knew about Donghae and Eunhyuk’s relationship, but their mutual parents didn’t, because it would be too weird to explain that they were more than roommates. Even if, sometimes, Donghae suspected Mrs. Lee to know, from how she behaved, but she never whispered a word. Eunhyuk turned to Hangeng.

“Hyung? A little back up, here?”

Hangeng had his serious impenetrable face when suddenly a smirk appeared on his lips.

“Hae is my favorite too.”

Then it was an explosion of laugher and shouting. Eunhyuk was complaining about his stupid hyungs, when Leeteuk and Heechul jumped on him, messing up his hair and bickering like kids. Donghae and Hangeng looked at the scene with smiles on their faces. Friendship and love were really something powerful. No matter how big or hurtful the wound life can give us, love in all its forms will always be the flame alive to heal it. Not only Eunhyuk and Leeteuk’s relationship had found a new ground but with Heechul too, they seemed to have found again their old friendship. They were after all, childhood friends.

A few minutes later they were all around the table, enjoying Mrs. Lee’s meal - or at least what she could save. They talked, laughed and enjoyed their time together. When they finished desert, they all moved to the living room to continue talking while enjoying a good cup of coffee. Hangeng, then, excused himself and stepped out of the house to smoke. Soon after, Donghae joined him on the porch; anyway Eunhyuk was too focused on his debate about dancing choreographies with Heechul. He found his hyung out in the fresh air, the fire of his cigarette illuminating his face. Donghae came next to him and he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic about their conversations back on the bridge, that was almost his undoing, a year ago.

“Thinking about our good old bridge?” said Hangeng suddenly.

Donghae turned to him surprised; it was as if he had read his mind. Hangeng had that scary power to know and understand perfectly what was in others mind.

“How do you do that?!”

“What?”

“How do you always seem to know what I’m thinking about?”

Hangeng had a small laugh.

“I’m a good observer that’s all.”

Donghae nodded. But he was still sure that Hangeng had some kind of magic power.

“So how is the studio doing?”

“It’s fine. Recently we are having some new students, which is good for business. You should come visit some time.”

“I will.”

Since the accident last year, Heechul and Hangeng had transformed their thug’s HQ into a dance studio. A lot of the old crew stayed, like Minho, but some others just left, losing their purpose of fighting. A dance studio was a good conversion, and Heechul was one hell of a teacher but he was good, channeling his bossy scary temperament into something actually good. It was amazing to see how everything came into place.

“So, did you think about what you are going to do after college?” Hangeng asked.

“No not yet… I tell myself that I still hav