When Changmin read about out-of-body experiences, he found it bogus.

Now however, it felt so apt to his condition.

It was one of the happiest days of his life….until he sat in front of his parents and aunt.

No.

They’re not his parents and she is not his aunt.

What does that make him?

He just sat there, frozen and blank after hearing what they said. After that, whatever consoling words, expressions of love and the ‘this doesn’t change things’ they said fell on deaf ears.

Changmin thought he could see his doppelganger/soul/his subconscious personified glaring at the three adults before walking out the front door.

But that sounds a good idea only if you're an apparition.

Changmin had nowhere to go after walking out of that door.

Yoochun, Junsu, Hyori, Jihoon, his deceased grandparents, Chamiko and her family, none had the same image now.

Everything was different but still the same.

Without a word, Changmin stood up and walked up to his room. When the sound of the door closing was heard, Chamiko burst into tears.

“We shouldn’t have told him. He was fine the way it was. I ruined his life.” Chamiko cried and cursed herself.

“It’s not your fault.” Jaejoong wrapped Chamiko in her arms and tried to soothe her.

“We expected he wouldn’t take it too well. We just have to give him some time to come to terms with it.” Yunho pats Chamiko’s head gently.

~~~

“Yah! Oppa! Will you come down already? Dinner is ready.” Jiyool kept banging the door of Changmin’s bedroom but only got more frustrated when she received no answer.

“Noona, why hyung not come out?” Taemin was very worried. When Changmin skips lunch, it’s a worrisome matter. When he refuses dinner too, there’s definitely something off.

Jiyool banged the door again. “Oppa-yah! You're scaring Tae and me too. Please come out!”

“Jiyool, Taemin!” both children turned to Chamiko. She looked depressed, just like the rest of the adults after they had some serious discussion with their parents and Chamiko. Jiyool had an inkling that it had to with Changmin, but if she had to play dumb for her youngest brother, so be it.

“Imo, your eyes are puffy.” Taemin remarked at Chamiko’s eyes that were swollen due to crying.

“it’s an allergy.” Chamiko lightly pushed Taemin towards the stairs. “Go have dinner. You too Jiyool.”

Taemin obeyed and went downstairs. Jiyool though, stood there with her arms crossed. “Umma and Appa won’t have dinner till all three children are present. You know that Imo. So what happened that oppa locked himself up?”

“Nothing.” Chamiko replied.

“then why did everyone leave so morose after the party?”

“Jiyool, it is nothing that you should concern yourself about” Chamiko said sternly, “Please, go down and have your dinner. Don’t worry about your brother.” Jiyool had to obey because Chamiko insisted and she went down reluctantly.

Chamiko went to Changmin’s door. She knocked twice with her knuckles, “Changmin, I know you can here me.” She wiped the fresh tear that fell, “I just want to tell you if you hate me for the rest of your life, I’ll understand, I’ll accept it. but please don’t hate your parents….your parents.” With a deep breath, Chamiko willed herself to move away from the door.

When she was down the stairs, she didn’t notice that the door had opened.

Changmin pulled out his phone. He found this stupid since he and Jiyool are under the same roof but he wanted the least human contact at the moment. He thought best in solitary.

He sent a text to Jiyool.

Min