GO was preparing the meal to celebrate both Joon and Mir discharging from hospital when he heard loud voices from the front door. He couldn't decipher the exact words and he ignored them because knowing all four of the guys, loud noise wasn't so weird anymore. But, as he finished setting up the dining table, worries finally made their way to him. The ruckus from the front door hadn't ceased and none of the guys appeared in the kitchen yet.

Wondering what could have happened there, he stepped into the living room. He tilted his head in confusion seeing the little bickering happening there. But, it didn't took him long. He was sharp at things like this. He easily saw through Seungho and Sanghyun.

Watching the drama with interest, he waited silently by the side. However,he was alarmed right away when he saw Mir stepping in between Seunghoand the two former members of MBLAQ. He saw the maknae's frame was trembling and before he could react, the maknae's eyes rolled back and the maknae fall onto the ground, limp, with a soft 'thud'.

"CHEOLYONG!" GO ran ahead, pushing Seungho to the side as he gathered Mir into his hold. He sat on the floor with Mir half lying on his laps. He patted Mir's cheeks. "Cheolyong. Come on, wake up." He tried but there wasn't even a single respond from the youngest. GO turned his head to shoot the other three with his sharp glare. "Now, look at what you've done!" He scolded.

"I-I didn't-" Sanghyun stuttered, his face became paler. This was unexpected... He stayed frozen out of shock. Seungho was just as shock as him.

Joon dropped to his knees as he slowly approached Mir and GO but he stopped halfway, feared of GO's reaction even when all of the cells in his body screamed for him to make sure the maknae was okay, only to get the biggest surprise out of his life when GO simply grabbed on his arm and pulled him until he was sat by GO's side.

"Now, you hold him for me for a bit!" GO said sternly like a mother and maneuvered Mir until the maknae now was in Joon's hold. As Mir was already safe in Joon's care, he stood up and had his glaring eyes fixed to the other left two. With both his hands on his hips, he was ready to nag his head off at the two men. "Fun? Fun making a joke out of these two poor kid?How about I do worse for you two? These two just got better for kimchi's sake! They just got out of ward! Why would you guys do that to the-"

"Not me." Seungho cut in, holding up his hand in surrender. "It's his idea." He tilted his head towards Sanghyun who flinched back and swallowed loudly.

"I just... I'm sorry. I was having fun..." He mumbled guiltily.

"Wha- fun? What does that mean?" Joon squeaked from the floor.

"Urm... Actually, Joon hyung. The thing is... Byunghee hyung and Seungho hyung already forgive us, hyung." Sanghyun muttered.

"You did?" A high pitched voice greeted their ears.

All four men clamped their mouth shut. The last two words wasn't Joon's voice as they expected. But... They perfectly knew that familiar voice. Slowly their eyes drifted down to the floor where Mir was in Joon's hold. Mir was looking at them with wide innocent eyes and was looking far from a sick patient.

"You... okay?" Joon asked in concern when Mir pulled away from his hold and stood back on his own two foot without any problem. Mir nodded and held out his hand for Joon. He even pulled Joon up to stand next to him.

"I didn't faint. That was just acting." Mir replied casually, dusting off the invisible dirt on his clothes. "That's the only way to get you guys to stop." He defended still monotone.

All four olders now was gaping at the maknae. So... That was all... Even the initial prankster which was Sanghyun now was confused by Mir. Mir was far better actor than he thought.

"So... We're all good?" Mir asked again, ignoring the look he was getting from the other four. "We... aren't...?" He asked slowly when no one responded to him. Still... No answer. So, he pushed unsuspecting Joon until the older stood right in front of GO and watched carefully. Sharp gasp escaped Joon's lips and his eyes widened in alarming size. Now... What's left for him was to watch. With hope...

○○○○○

As Joon's eyes locked with GO, Joon hung his head low. He bit his lips and waited nervously for GO's anger to burn him into ashes yet again but what he got instead was a gentle pat on his shoulder. "Welcome back." GO said with a sincere smile, taking Joon off his guard.

"I-" Joon felt his tongue was paralyzed. He couldn't talk. He felt like he had so many things in his chest he wanted to say out loud but none of it made a possible words in his head. He was too overwhelmed to react.

"Yea. Welcome back and don't get sick again." This time, Seungho patted on Joon's back giving the younger his fatherly smile. The leader didn't forgot about Sanghyun as he pulled the younger forward by his shoulder. He gave GO who was still a bit unnerved, his encouraging smile and it worked. 

GO felt a little bit assured. He didn't fall. There was no dark hole under his feet. Of course he was still a bit doubtful but he would made it. Until they were fine again. Until... He wasn't a coward anymore.

As the three were absorbed in their moment, Sanghyun's voice suddenly interfered. "Where's Cheolyong?" 

At Sanghyun's question, all four of eyes flickered through the room. There was no sign of the maknae. They automatically moved into the house and eventually to the kitchen and... Yup. Mir was there.

The maknae was enjoying eating the food GO had prepared and only stopped when he realized he was being watched by the four older men. He grinned sheepishly. "It's delicious." He said while holding up a spoon of noodles and drifted his eyes away when the four gave him a 'really' kind of look. Well... What else he could do in this situation other than continued eating. So, he kept eating.

Chuckling at the youngest's antics, the other four took seat around the table and joined the lunch. Sanghyun took his seat while his long hand reached for a fried chicken. "Waaa~ I forgot how much of a great cooker Byunghee hyung is."

"Of course. He's our mom." Mir responded easily with wide happy smile. His wide eyes ran through the four men enjoying the meal around the table.Seungho like always, focusing on his mountain plate of food, shoving as much food into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out like hamster. Sanghyun was having this serious face while he was picking out green vegetables out of his food. "Hyung! Eat the veges too!" Mir nagged and drifted his eyes to Joon and GO who were still looking awkward with each other but he could see clearly, both were trying, especially GO.

That was adequate for now. It would get better and better. He knew it because all three of MBLAQ members had done this before. This time would be the same. Filled with success and failure. Filled with ups and downs. As time went pass... It would get better. They just had to take this slowly.

"Ah~ before I forgot." Seungho said with a full mouth. One hand still holding onto a drumstick while the other hand whisked out a phone out of his jeans pocket. Mir's phone.

Mir gasped, snatching back the gadget. "Why is it with you? Did you read my texts?!"

"What texts?"

"Oh... Urm... Nothing."

"If your lovey dovey texts to Bora, then yea. It's kind of fun to read." Seungho said casually and he would have laughed heartily at Mir's bright red face if his mouth wasn't filled with food. Poking fun at the maknae was always fun.

Mir cleared his throat and walked up to the fridge. He sat up his phone there and came back to his seat and sat in silent for a few seconds. Inhaling deeply, he shouted on the top of his lungs. "ARGH! RAT!" 

Seungho choked on his food and the noodles were still dangling in between his lips. Sanghyun jumped in shock that his plate of noodles went flying to Joon getting Joon a new fashion of noodle-hair. GO almost fall down while trying to evade the flying noodles and... Click!

"I lied." Mir winked with wide smile and took back his phone.

"Why do this seem so familiar?" Sanghyun mumbled, glaring at the oblivious maknae as he was reminded to the photo that was in Joon's room and how it was taken years ago. And after all those years, all of them were still getting tricked by the maknae.

○○○○○

Later, tomorrow, GO found the empty picture frame stood alone on his PC table now was filled with a new picture. An almost similar yet different picture that used to live in the old frame. He knew from Joon that the old picture was now with Joon and he told the younger to keep it. And now, he got a new one, undoubtedly was Mir's doing. GO walked out of his room and leaned on the doorframe as he watched over Mir who was chatting and laughing with Seungho on the couch in the living room.

Seungho looked up from his conversation when he noticed GO was standing by the door. They exchanged smile. As he saw GO's eyes trailed to the still laughing Mir, his eyes too followed after. Mir was still laughing lightly at his joke. Without him even realizing, he felt silky locks under his fingers as he patted Mir's hair subconsciously.

Mir stopped his laughter when he felt Seungho's hand on his head and looked up to the older. There was something in that small smile. He turned back a little and saw the same smile on GO's lips. He knew those smiles. Smiles that had lots of stories behind them. The smile that no longer a bitter one. No longer filled with pain and pretentious. Smile that he had missed seeing on his hyungs lips. And without even him realizing it, he actually had the same smile on his lips. It was no longer awkward to smile. Because they were happy.

They were free now. Free from the dark hatred that chained down the ability for them to forgive. They were free now. Free from the fear of hurting again. Because they knew, if one day, they were hurt again, they could depend on each other. That was just how much they trusted each other. With them together, they were no longer coward. So, they forgive. Maybe they still couldn't forget. Yet. But they would get to it eventually. Now... They weren't bitter. Their hearts were filled. No longer void and empty. For the three men, they wanted to thank each other. To show each other how much they appreciate each other for staying. For being there. For understanding. For sharing the pain. For having a little world of peace that only they knew of. For patiently waiting and slowly picking up the shattered pieces together and glued them back together. For... Healing... For smiling...

One thing they knew for sure now. It doesn't hurt anymore.

THE END

*double updates and finally complete!* yeay!!!

I put scene with only mblaq trio as the closing since in the opening of the fic was with only them three as well. I hope you guys like this fic ^^~

I don't know about other writers but for me, I have the hardest time to write the ending. I don't know how to end a story properly. So, I apologize if the ending is too lacking. *bows politely* I tried my hardest already. So please spare me for my unskillfull writing. Plus. English isn't my first language.

Thank you for the readers, commentors and subscribers for staying by my side through the whole fic. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! I'm not gonna cry. Not going to cry. Augh! Damn! Let me cry for a bit.

Till next fic (if I have any new ideas. If you guys give me some ideas, would be great too. Lol)

Farewell~