“Access code accepted.”

Changmin waited as the lock on the front door to Yunho’s apartment deactivated, and then slowly swung it open. He walked into the hall, musty from the lack of human habitation for the last five weeks. Well, not quite a total lack of human habitation, not if you counted the fact that he would make it a point to come to his hyung’s apartment every time he missed him, which was very often indeed.

Moving forward, Changmin walked towards the room where Yunho’s presence could be felt the most, the bedroom. He chuckled at the poster of Michael Jackson hanging right opposite the bed, remembering how he’d teased his hyung mercilessly about it.

*flashback*
“Hyung, a poster in your bedroom? Really? Are you a fangirl?” laughed Changmin.

Yunho grinned back at Changmin, his enthusiasm not hampered in the least by Changmin’s laughter. “But that’s not just any poster, Changdol-ah. That’s MICHAEL JACKSON”

“Uh huh. I can see that”

“He’s my KING” said Yunho enthusiastically, striking the same pose as King of Pop in the poster.

Changmin promptly fell off the bed in mirth.
*End Flashback*

The memory made Changmin smile, slowly drawing him out of his terrible mood. He had been out of sorts and upset all day because the gruelling shooting schedule for his drama had left him no time to visit his hyung on his graduation ceremony. Granted he’d sent a handwritten letter with Yunho’s family, but it just wasn’t the same. Yoochun’s enlistment had also left him with a strange sense of loss, even though he didn’t actually meet his “troll brother in arms” hyung very often. Changmin supposed that it was the sudden absence of the reassurance that even if they didn’t meet physically, Yoochun was always only a phone call away.

Leaving the bedroom, he walked back to the hall, where a framed picture of the cover for their very first album occupied the pride of place on the mantelpiece. Changmin grimaced at the picture, looking at the outlandish hairstyles that they’d been given for the concept of the album. He’d often asked Yunho why he’d decided to frame that particular picture since there were so many better pictures of the five of them.

 “It’s because this is where it all began, Changmin-ah,” Yunho had said with an earnest smile. “Every time I feel overburdened, I look at this picture and I remember all the hard work we put in to achieve what we have, and I feel refreshed and energetic once more.”

Changmin couldn’t really argue with his hyung’s logic, but he still couldn’t help but cringe at the sight of his poor hair doing its best to imitate a porcupine. He sat down on the couch with small sigh, feeling more alone than usual.

“Rrrrrrring.”

Changmin jerked, brought out of his reverie by the sound of the doorbell. He frowned, wondering who could possibly be visiting Yunho’s apartment when he was in the army. Nevertheless, he got up to answer the door, half afraid of finding an insane sasaeng outside. He opened the door to be confronted with a head full of bright orange hair and a wide smile. “Changminnie!”

“JUNSU hyung??? What are you doing here??”

Junsu walked into the apartment, and then abruptly turned around. “Hyung? I’m glad I came. You must be really out of it if you’re calling me ‘hyung’."

Changmin put on his best snarky expression, trying to hide the fact that he was secretly pleased at seeing his youngest hyung. “I was merely taken aback by the sight of your hair. Seriously, bright orange for a hair colour? Are you trying to find part time human occupation as a human traffic light?”

Junsu laughed loudly, his trade mark Ue Kyang Kyang, echoing in the empty room. “Now there’s the Changmin I know and love, you snarky brat.”

Changmin crossed his arms “It still doesn’t answer the question. Why are you here?”

Junsu smiled as he held up bags filled with snacks and bottles of soju. “I thought you might need some company.”

“No I don’t. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Oh very well Changminnie,” said Junsu as he sprawled on the couch. “Let’s just say I need the company, okay? Now come here and let’s drink to the health of our hyungs in the army.”

Changmin sat down next to Junsu. “Drink? But you don’t like alcohol, remember?”

“I still don’t, as a matter of fact. The soju is for you.”

“What are you going to drink then?”

“Apple juice!” declared Junsu with a smile, producing a juice box with a smile.

“Junsu hyung, are you sure you aren’t five years old?” laughed Changmin, earning him an affectionate smack from Junsu.

“Brat,” grinned Junsu, as he opened a bottle of soju and handed it to Changmin. “Now drink up!”

x------x-------x

Several bottles of soju later, Changmin was sound asleep, curled up next to Junsu, cuddling Junsu’s arm and using it as a pillow at the same time. Junsu smiled down at his sleeping dongsaeng, running a comforting hand through his hair. “I will always be there for you Changminnie. Don’t you ever worry,” he whispered.