___________________________________________________________________________________________

- I don't know what did he do to her, but she gave him... a lot of money.

Changmin giggled evily, glancing at Junsu to see if he did make him piss.

- What are you implying? - Junsu got serious. - She was an ajjumah, eh? She is double my age maybe... but... she was kind to me.

- Oohh. Nice. - simply replied Yunho, as he typed very slowly on the pocket computer. He was concentrating in the screen alone.

They were back at Old Seoul.

They had decided to drop by their target as soon as they got to the city.

- I know you can't give any information about patients, but please... - begged Changmin, glaring at the receptionist intensely.

His hyungs looked at him, worried. Yunho stepped forward and put his arm on top of the counter.

- We're their friends. If you could just check, it would be of help.

There was something about Yunho that made people do as he said. He knew how to use authority. The woman sighed heavily, and a bit uneasy, checked her computer. Yunho nodded, thanking her.

She typed in very quickly, checked a lot of files and finally said:

- I'm sorry, but the names are not registered. Your friends are not here.

Yunho scratched his head and Changmin looked at the floor, thinking.

- You might want to know this: Seoul's Main Health Center disclosed some of their nation-wide archives a few months ago because of their policy of transparency. You can find more on their net server.

- Will do. - Changmin bowed and opened his computer to add the information as Yunho and Junsu walked outside the building.

- I'm hungry. - said Junsu.

- Agh, me too. - said Changmin, meeting them at the entrance.

- Do we have money? - asked Junsu to his hyung.

- We ate our money yesterday. - he said boldly.

Yunho clenched his mouth. They kept walking downstreet, thinking about different things. They crossed the street along with the crowd.

- We could always go fishing in the river. - proposed Junsu, and Changmin tilted his head.

- We already had enough of it, hyung.

They had wandered alongside the main road for several days before getting into the city. The river became a friend when they needed water and food. And maybe get a bath.

- Ah, what are you two talking about? We're in the city, alright? When in the city, be more practical... - Yunho said as he took off his bag. He gave it to Junsu who was next  to him. - Hold it.

As soon as he got rid of it, he backflipped and jumped, startling the people that was passing by.

- Oohh. Cool. - blurted out Junsu.

Yunho started breakdancing right there, in the middle of the sidewalk, as s clapped and cheered.

- Go Yunho! Go Yunho! Hey!

- Go U-Know! Go U-Know!

Some people kept passing by, but some other people stayed. They were amused by Yunho's dancing and flips.

- Oh! Oh, I can do that too. - said Junsu as he took off his backpack and mimicked Yunho.

More and more people began to gather around them. Their faces were of surprise as they enjoyed the show. Changmin grabbed a hat from Yunho's bag and collected some money from the public. He smiled at the amount of money they gathered.

- Ahh! With no music is a little... - began ranting Junsu, panting after a while.

- Ah! I know. - said Yunho, as he gritted his teeth in agony because of his physical condition. - I'm out of shape.

- You were great, hyung. Really cool. - Junsu sat in the pavement as Changmin shook the hat in front of his eyes. - Waaa... Ah! I feel like dying.

Both Yunho and Junsu laid back in the pavement, in a corner, to rest.

 

- Don't go throwing away your stuff anywhere, please. - said Changmin as he put their bags next to them. He was eating ice cream.

- Hah! I want one of those! - whined Junsu as he sat, staring at Changmin's cone. - Where did you get it?

Changmin pointed something a few meters away. There was an ice cream stall. He gave his cone to Junsu.

- Here, hyung. Have it, I'll bring some more.

- Yah! Don't spend all of our money! - yelled Yunho, jokingly at Changmin as he dashed away.

 

- Jaa... let's eat!

Having ice cream, they looked for a restaurant where they would feel comfortable. Since Changmin and Junsu had wandered around the city longer, they led Yunho to an alley, and two streets away and ten minutes later, they were eating delicious korean food in a traditional restaurant.

They had a lot of places from where to pick, but they went to the only one that had music inside.

- Oh, omo... - Changmin blurted out as he had the first munch. - I was hungry.

Yunho smiled at him widely. Seeing Changmin eat could be considered one of the joys of life. Their leader giggled at the special care the youngest put into every serving. Changmin knew how to enjoy his food.

- I should've known: you'll never starve next to Yunho-hyung. - said Changmin, trying to speak with his mouth full. He covered it to keep his manners.

Junsu and Yunho giggled. The words sounded pretty familiar, so Yunho stopped eating as memories tingled briefly before his eyes.

- What?

Yunho shook his head and his eyes wandered around. Suddenly, the music stopped as a microphone somewhere, annoying everyone. The three boys raised their heads to see where the noise came from.

- Um. Oh! Mic is on. - said Junsu. His eyes were wide open.

- You can sing in here? - wanted to know Changmin. His heart raced a little, feeling some kind of excitement.

- The owner of the restaurant tapped the microphone, annoying everyone again. There was a generalized whining and then he simply said:

- Microphone is on. Please, begin the karaoke!

There was some applausses. The three boys looked at each other, the food getting cold on their sticks, totally forgotten.

In a corner there was a karaoke system, two microphones, poorly illuminated.

- Mm... - Changmin went back to eat as he tilted his head, a bit uneasy.

Everybody inside the restaurant had been enthusiastic about it, but in reality no one wanted to go to the microphone's corner and sing.

Seeing his hyung had lost his apettite, Changmin sighed and scolded Yunho.

- If you want to go, just do so.

Junsu nodded, munching his rice.

- Go, go. - he pointed at Changmin with his sticks. - You go too, Changminnie.

- Come. - Yunho tilted his head to invite both. Junsu waved his hands immediately as Changmin got up from his chair.

- No, no, no. My throat still hurts. - he lied and saw that Yunho wasn't at all convinced. - Jinjja, jinjja. - he giggled at Yunho's staring. He knew Junsu too well.

They went to the poor illuminatedcorner, walking amongthe tables, and the owner, who was sitting in the nearest one to the stage, got excited. He was enthusiastic about karaoke, and clapped at the two boys daring to sing live. Yunho bowed to him, and Changmin mimicked him. The youngest pulled out his computer as he whispered something in Yunho's ear.

- Really? When?

- Agh, hyung. I have plenty of spare time lately. I just made a midi file out of an archive I found on the net. - Changmin replied, as he plugged in his device to the stereo.

He had some problems, so the owner pointed out the right way to do it. Then Changmin sat in the chair next to Yunho. The leader pat his knee and asked very close to him:

- Are we going to do that one?

As they got comfortable, the owner welcomed them with a warm applausse that the public mimicked. There weresome people interested, but not a lot.

Yunho looked at the entire restaurant, feeling the excitement. He longed for itfor so much time now.

- Cue. - Yunho said as he clenched his mouth, and Changmin played the track.

- Sound's good. - thought Changmin. (X)

 

The leader nodded subtly, pulled the microphone in front out of its stand and lowered his head, as the first sounds came out, all his aura changed drastically. His body languagewas that of a sorrowful person. He patted his thigh following the beat of the song as Changmin hummed the first notes. In their table, Junsu got goosebumps all over as he munched his food with his eyes wide open.

- Ooh... Cool. - whispered Junsu.

 

Geudaeman baraboneun geosi budamseureopdago neuggindamyeon nan

Ije geuman ddeonalge

Nae gamjeongeul daseuriji mothae geudael goeropge haetdeon georamyeon

Ije nan mulleonalge wo-woo-aah

 

Junsu perceived movement around him. People would stop eating, and turn to see who was in the tiny stage-like corner.

- Oh, they're good. - Junsu heard somewhere near.

- Wow. Who are they?

People were puzzled. Some girls were getting up their seats just to take a peek above everyone's heads.

 

Igeonmaneun algo ga

Neoman saranghaesseotdeon dan han namjayeotdago

Neomu miryeonhaeseo neojocha

Jikijido mothaetdeon babo deungsinieotda

 

- Who are they?? Can you see?

- Two boys.

Their interpretative power hadn't dropped a single moment. There was a lady who began to take pictures of them from her table. Changmin took his microphone off of the stand to sing his part next. Changmin's voice was attracting so much atention.

 

Haengbokan chu-eokdeureul naege jwoseo gomapda

Neon itgo sara neon modu ijeobeorigo

Geokjeongseureon nunbicheuro boji ma

Nan gwaenchanha

 

 Their performance was getting more powerful by the second and finally Changmin showed what his voice was capable of.

 

Ijeo geurae modu ddeolchyeobeorigo eoseogara

Nae ireon maeum dasi dollyeo neoreul jabadugi jeone

 

...Yeah...!!

 

- Ahh, Changminnie, you're killing me... - Junsu whispered.

 

- Hello, hello... Hello, hello...

 

Junsu rubbed his arms due to the chills, and saw that no one, not a single person inside the restaurant was eating, but everyone's eyes were fixedon the stage.

To the last notes Changmin sang, the audience didn't know how to respond. Changmin lowered his head, took a deep breath and sighed.

Junsu got up from his chair and clapped and rooted over the heads of everybody, braking the spell.

- Oh, yeah, come on! - he pointed both, smiling. Yunho pointed back at him, smiling.

People clapped as some turned to see the noisy kid that was yelling. Yunho put his microphone on its stand and Changmin mimicked him, getting up.

Changmin had turned into a shy young boy, who covered his mouth when the audience got up from their seats and clapped louder.

- Kamsahamnida. - Yunho said as he bowed and clapped back at the public, he was moved by their response. Changmin bowed also and both got off the stage, towards their table.

- Waa... R&B suits you so...! Jinjja! Hyung... waa - Junsu couldn't finish his sentences, excited and very proud of s. - That was- too cool.

Changmin was pleased with all the flattering. Yunho nodded and sat, he clapped at Changmin and Junsu mimicked him.

- What? What?? Please... - said Changmin, shyly, as he gestured to let Yunho know he deserved half of the recognition.

People would turn around a lot to look at them. The restaurant was noisy, and people were a bit excited. Changmin went back to eating, with a huge smile on his face.

- Are you sure that was a midi file? - Yunho asked, curious.

Changmin chuckled. He had thought the same. The sound was superb, so he clarified immediately.

- To be honest, I don't know which format is, hyung. I just found it on the net.

- It's super-midi! - giggled Junsu. Yunho smiled, his eyes narrowed, and he giggled.

- Neo-midi! - added Changmin. They were having a good time.

- Super-neo-nuclear-midi! - corrected Junsu as he raised his arms, claimingto the ceiling.

Changmin and Junsu laughed together, and Junsu clapped soundly.

- I don't know.

Someone patted Yunho's back, and he turned a little. One of the waiters was beside him.

- The owner wants to have a word with you.

 

They went to sit to his table to chat and eat.

- Are you professionals?

- Yeah... kind of.

- Where do you perform?

- Well, we... - Yunho looked at his dongsaengs, trying to get some help in explaining - haven't performed in a while. 

- It's a long story. - helped him Junsu.

- Really? But that was very good.

- Well, thanks. - Yunho was very humble, but he was pleased with his praising.

- Very good. Very, very good.

The corner was definitely abandoned. After them, who would have dared to sing?

- I want to hire you, guys.

- Eh?

- We take it, we take it! - jumped Changmin as he munched some meat. Yunho stared at him, frowning. - Ah, hyung, - he sighed - you might not know this, but it's hard to find an opportunity like this one. Please take it.

- Well said. - said Junsu in a soft, low voice as he intertwined his fingers under his chin.

- Okay. - flatly accepted Yunho, and he leaned back in his chair. - Wait. - he suddenly thought of something - If we perform today, would you pay tonight?

Changmin had his mouth full, but pointed at Yunho to let him know he had a good point.

- Sure. It won't be much, though.

- Aw, we are thankful. - Yunho smiled and looked at s. They clapped shortly.

- You'll get rid of your karaoke corner?

- No one likes karaoke days, anyways. - he looked at the time in his watch and sighed. - Listen, kids, are you sure you can make it till we close? You look tired.

- Don't worry. - eased him Junsu- We are used to work hard.

 

They used the tiny corner as much as they wanted, and Junsu went through all of the media Changmin had stored.

- Aw...

Yunho looked at him as he placed a third chair in the stage.

- Changmin-ah...

- Mm?

- You have 'Hug'?

Changmin stopped checking the karaoke system and turned to look at him. His hyung's eyes were fixed on the screen.

- ...Yeah. - he glanced at Yunho, who pouted, visibly moved. - Don't worry, hyung. We're not going to sing to it. - he said as he went back to what he was doing. - We can have an a capella session, right?

- Oh! Right! - Junsu opened his eyes wide, excited by the idea.

Yunho patted Changmin on the shoulder firmly. The youngest smiled when he saw his hyungs so enthusiastic about the idea. He got up, stared at Junsu and suddenly reminded him:

- You said your throat hurt!

Junsu smiled mischievously and instead of explaining or even apologizing, he hugged Changmin and giggled like a child.

After two or three minutes they felt ready.

- Junsu-yah, you sing the first part. - Yunho said, checking the lyrics on Changmin's computer.

- Ahh, I don't want. Hyung. Let's skip their parts. - Junsu replied, uneasy.

- We're professionals, right? - reassured him Yunho. He grabbed and squeezed his hand.

- Please, hyung. I don't want to do that. - Junsu shook his head subtly and clenched his mouth.

Changmin felt they would start arguing over it, so he stepped forward.

- Junsu-hyung, take it easy. You sing the first part and I'll do the second one. I know it's hard, but please... we'll hear from them in a while.

- Eeh, yeah, well said, Changmin-ah. Come on. - said Yunho, as he patted both in their backs. Their audience was getting impatient, although there had been a change of the people inside the restaurant already. - We'll be hearing from them in no time, okay?

Junsu nodded. He sat in his chair, Yunho in the middle, and Changmin last.

They snapped their fingers to a rythm.

They sang 'Always there'. (X)

As they began the harmonization, their audience fell under their spell.

 

It was dark when they got out. Changmin put his bag on and stretched. Yunho was still inside, talking to the owner. Junsu counted their money.

- Oh, hyung. Please.

- Mm?

- Hyung, please, pension.

Junsu kept counting their money.

- Hyung, I'd beg on my knees if I could have a bed and a shower. - said Changmin with a soft voice.

- You won't have to get on your knees, though. - Junsu replied, smiling at him.

Yunho and him had decided (and thought Changmin would be the same) that getting a room would be a good idea.

- Oh! Junsu-nim. Junsu-nim... - Changmin grabbed his arm tightly and they waited for Yunho. Junsu was very pleased with how Changmin was adressing him, he giggled subtly.

All they could afford was a room with one big bed. As soon as they got in, Changmin dropped his bag and went to take a bath.

- Waaa! Hot water! - he spoke loudly from inside the bathroom, child-like.

- Yah! Don't take too long! - yelled Yunho, knocking at the door.

As Yunho took a bath, Changmin dared to ask:

- Why didn't you sing with us from the start, hyung?

They were eating cookies on the bed. Junsu was reading something on Changmin's computer.

- To be honest... I wanted to hear you live.

- What? Am I a stranger to you now? How many times you heard me sing, eh? Rehearsals, practices, on concerts... eh? - he asked, a little hurt.

Junsu got tense. He removed on the bed and turned to look at Changmin.

- I wanted-to hear TVXQ duo sing live.

- Oh. Ooohh... - he understood what he was saying. Changmin ate the cream inside his cookie.

- What did you think of it?

Junsu laughed softly and Changmin's head and the back of his neck.

- I'm always proud of you, of course.

 

 

For some reason, the restaurant got really crowded that week.

There was a line waiting their turn outside.

The owner was really happy. The boys got paid early in the week and finally they could afford a bigger room. They never did, though.

They had a day off, and as soon as Junsu got up, Changmin jumped, he looked around and got up also. He checked his computer.

- What are you doing? - asked Junsu as he drank water from a bottle.

- Umm... I'm checking that Center information. - replied Changmin as he kept typing, without taking his eyes off of the screen. - A nation-wide list would be...

- Oh. Yeah. Very helpful. - finished Junsu.

- It says here the information is not available on the net, so I'll just have to go to their private library. - said Changmin as he stood up and grabbed his jacket. He entered the bathroom.

- Changmin? - asked Yunho with a hoarse voice. His hair was a mess, he was just awakening. He sat in the messy bed.

The youngest got out of the bathroom.

- Where do you think you're going? - asked huskily, Yunho.

Changmin glanced at Junsu, puzzled, as the youngest arranged the neck of his jacket.

- You're not going anywhere alone. - said Yunho as he waved at him. He had only one eye opened.

- But.

- No where alone.

- Agh, hyung. I'm an adult. It's a couple streets away. - Changmin explained, he didn't believe his hyung's words.

- Please... Changmin-ah, understand your hyungs, too. It's hard for us also. - Junsu supported Yunho's worries.

- It will take some time to understand where we're standing, but please bear it a little longer. In the meantime... Please stay where I can see you, okay? - Yunho said as he removed the blanket.

- ...Tche. This is exactly what I needed... Dependant hyungs. - Changmin whined, his sarcasm showing.

Junsu smiled as an apology and stood up together with Yunho.

Junsu- We're going with you.

 

He had to wait half hour for both to be ready. When they met outside their room, Changmin was so pissed, he didn't say anything at all and walked ahead of the two.

His hyungs waited outside the big building as he went in and walked through several hallways, asking for directions. There was some sort of basement he got in, where everything was quiet and lonely. He got closer to the counter and talked to the lady in charge.

- Wait here. I'll bring the registry. You just have to sign the guestbook.

She handed him a notebook. When Changmin turned the pages, he was surprised for not seeing too many signatures. He wrote a random name. When he thought he liked it, he noticed a name in the previous page: "Cassiopeia Fanbase" with at least ten signatures attached under it. Changmin frowned as the lady appeared behind the shelfs with a black book that she put on top of the counter.

- Can I make copies?

- Sure.

He had a hard time finding what he wanted. He made copies of it in a corner as he was thinking in the guestbook. When he gave the registry back, he was determined to ask.

- There's not much here. - he said, tapping the guestbook.

- 'Recovered' people are most likely patients whose lives developed a few decades ago. A lot of them don't have family by the time they are 'recovered'. That's why there won't be too many people that want to check the registry.

- But here... here - said Changmin, turning the guestbook so she could see - you see a lot of signs.

- Oh, I remember those girls. Must be fans of someone. They were looking since long ago. Noisy, and cheerful girls. They had come several months ago, but the registry wasn't open to the public.

- So... when was this? - asked Changmin, tapping the guestbook.

- Mm... - she thought for a second - A month, perhaps.

Changmin joined his hyungs outside the building. He was carrying several sheets of paper in his hands.

- How was it?

- Cassiopeia is looking for us.

He surprised his hyungs. Yunho frowned and looked at Junsu.

- Mwo?

Junsu tried to smile, but couldn't. He processed the information, and wanted to know a lot of things, but he could only manage to make one question:

- We have fans here?

Changmin nodded and blinked as if it was very obvious for everyone. He sat in the pavement and started reading the sheets in his hands.

- What are you talking about? - Yunho patted him with his feet.

- It's only obvious, hyung. - he took his time, trying to elaborate - In our time, there were fans of The Beatles, right? It's something like that.

- Now, now... comparing us to The Beatles is a little... - said Junsu.

- Well, it is like that. We mail each other.

- What?? - both hyungs demanded an explanation.

Changmin raised his hand to calm them down.

- Ah, yeah. I needed information, so I kind of... subscribed to their mail service. I receive news from them periodically, as well as old data.

Junsu remembered their "Proud" episode and sighed.

- Cassiopeia is alive. - Yunho concluded, feeling somewhat moved.

- Wow.

They were speechless.

Changmin popped their bubble, handing over the sheets to both.

- Come on.

The list was kind of long, but thanks to Changmin's work, it had shortened visibly.

They were at it all morning, looking for a trace of them. Of anything.

Sitting under a tree, they discarded as many names as they could. Hours passed by and they didn't move.

- I'm going to buy water, hyung.

Yunho had jumped when Junsu stood up.

- It's just crossing the street. - he said, surprised as he shook the dust off his pants.

FInally Yunho let him go. He brought snacks with him and they sank even more in the endless lists of names. Color markers were scattered around. Changmin, as a studious boy, had completed his revision and grabbed some of Junsu's paper sheets to continue.

- Found something. - said Yunho, softly, so he wouldn't alarm anyone, patting Junsu's leg.

- Ah, me too! - said Changmin, underlining some words.

- Where? - Junsu looked at Changmin's sheet of paper. - Oh. Those are our names! - he said as he pointed them and underlined them with his index.

The youngest nodded.

- I found the Park brothers.

- Eh??!

Junsu jumped, crawled to his hyung, and tried to grab Yunho's sheet, a bit desperately but the leader didn't let him have it. He grabbed his hand to restrain Junsu, fatherly-like.

- Easy, okay? - he said, raising his eyebrows. Yunho encircled the names. His heart was racing, and as he glanced at his dongsaengs, he knew they were excited also. - The Park brothers were checked in the same day, same hour at a Center of  Gangnam, Seoul. Park Yoohwan never got in any 'recovery' project... he died as soon as they reached the hospital.

Junsu and Changmin nodded.

- We know... We know, hyung.

- Park Yoochun, he... - Yunho felt the excitement growing up around him. -  is registered there to the day this document was issued.

- Yoochunnie. - blurted out Junsu, feeling dizzy. He sat in the pavement. - Yoochunnie.

Changmin was speechless.

- I don't... I don't know what happened to them, hyung. - Junsu said, as he frowned, getting more emotional, he swallowed as he tried to think further.

Changmin lowered his head and kept revising. Yunho patted Junsu's knee.

- Easy, okay? Changmin-ah. Changmin-ah?

Without raisinghis head, he nodded as he kept revising and discarding names.

- I found your name, hyung. - he said as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

There were no more lists.

Yunho and Changmin looked at each other. Changmin gathered all the sheets.

- Is that it? - asked Yunho.

- Maybe we overlookedsomething? - guessed Changmin as he checked the lists briefly.

- We double checked everything.

- Is that it? -asked Junsu.

There was a name missing.

Yunho stood up in silence and shook off the dust from his pants.

- Let's go.

He was a fighter, and a leader. If he were to crumble, what would s do?

- Let's find Mr. Park.

 

 

They visited the Center in Gangnam, riding the subway. They were quiet as they were getting closer. Excitement grew bigger. Junsu tapped the floor with his feet constantly. Yunho just wanted to arrive and get off, feeling nervous everytime they stopped in a new station. Changmin was looking a bit sick when they got off.

- Are you okay? - asked Yunho, patting his back, when the youngest bent forward.

- I wanna puke. - Changmin managed to say as he squatted down. He looked so fragile. Changmin went back to being a child before their eyes.

Their leader squatted down next to him as Junsu rubbed the youngest's back.

- Are you okay? - asked Junsu as he grabbed something from his hyung's backpack. He gave Changmin a bottle of water. - Have it. It'll help.

The youngest sippeda couple of times and his urge to throw up went away for a while. He took a deep breath, stood up and kept walking towards the escalator.

- Hyung... anxiety attacks? - asked Junsu, worried.

- Eeh. Yeah. Changmin knows how to deal with pressure, but they arose from time to time. I... used to grab his hand at the airport, saesangs and antis got really annoying. - Yunho recalled. - We felt anxious for several reasons... 

They could see the top of the building as they got closer to their destination.

- Come, come. - said Yunho as he grabbed Changmin's hand and dragged him to cross the street, before the green light dispappeared. Junsu followed them. - Let's get this over with. - He rushed their pace and got in the building.

But they encountered a lot of negative news:

- Park Yoochun. - the receptionist stared at them, shaking her head. A nurse had been chatting with her, so she answered their doubts right away.- He disappeared. His treatment's ending was very recent. He left the entire team worrying over him when he decided to escape. Their doctors don't know where he is.

- You don't know?

The nurse shook her head.

- They are worried mostly because... he was still in the first stage of his awakening.

- He's confused. - added Junsu, looking for confirmation.

- That's right. He will feel lost for a while. You're his friends, right? If you see him, tell him to stop being so reckless. He's being an spoiled child who never thinks of the people around him, immature and selfish. He's being very childish.

- Please don't talk like that about Yoochun. - Yunho spoke from his heart. - We apologize for his attitude, but he's not like that. Please don't make assumptions about him. He just lost his brother.

Yunho didn't stand their members being bashed. Junsu patted his hyung's arm, asking him to calm down. Although his voice was not threatening, Junsu and Changmin knew when there was some danger in his tone of voice. Junsu smiled friendly, but not sincerely and bowed to the two women.

Changmin mimicked him, and dragged Yunho out of there.

                                                       

Feeling really down, they went to eat something.

- You tell us.

- Eh?

- Where he went.

- What?

- You tried to run away too.

Yunho tried to answer, explaining his state at that moment.

- I wasn't sure of what I wanted, to be honest. - He kept eating as he recalled those days. He wanted to make it clear even to himself, so they could have at least a hint of his friend's whereabouts. - I guess I didn't want to know anything. Not even find out if my members were... you know, around. - he munched his meat as he tried to think in a more cheerful answer. - So after a while in the farm, I decided to come back... and find out.

- Yeah...

- It's kind of a coward action.

- Um, don't be that hard on yourself, hyung. - said Changmin.

- And that'd make you... - Yunho smiled, and that cheered them up. - Yeah... the brave ones. No? - Yunho giggled and that eased Junsu. - Eh? Maknae no. 1, and maknae no. 2. - Yunho tilted his head, a bit embarrassed. - The brave ones. Your hyung has a lot to learn from you. - he added, feeling proud of them, and apologetic also.

 

That night, Yunho couldn't sleep. He would sit in the edge of the bed, as Changmin, whose turn had come to sleep in the middle, took over his side, stretching his arms.

He heard Junsu humming very low.

- Can't sleep?

Junsu didn't answer and kept humming.

- What's that?

-  Adlib.

It felt good, like a lullaby, in the middle of the darkness. Yunho sang a few notes, humming also. It felt good. Yunho's voice was very sweet, in the midst of darkness also. Their duet extended for a few seconds, until Changmin snored soundly.

Silence broke in again.

- Isn't it dellusional to think we'll meet them all? - asked Junsu.

Yunho regretted he was even talking like that. He sighed heavily.

- You've always been blunt with me.

- Yeah... So I'm just gonna ask, hyung: do you think we'll find them? Do you think...?

- Yeah, yeah, I get it...

- ...the five of us. To the last one.

Yunho bit his lower lip, thinking. His eyes wandered around. He rubbed his hands as he lowered his head.

- Don't ask.

Junsu didn't make a sound.

- Let's not think about those things. There's only... one way we can go. Right?

- Keujjo.

 

 

The restaurant was doing very good. The line outside was longer than before. For some reason, it had become popular, even though, the food wasn't the best of town.

They stopped singing so many sad ballads to cheer themselves up.

Their boss was happier than ever.

The owner had bought a keyboard after Junsu requested it. Their boss had offered him a new one, expensive and modern device, better than the one he had played in the Health Center, but Junsu was stubborn in his request: he wanted an old one, with real keys, instead of virtual keys.

He played the piano, remembering one of the last songs JYJ was composing before his accident.

After work, they went to investigate. They checked each and every one of the Health Centers in Seoul. They even went to the new city. It had fancy skycrapers and modern streets. It felt more like the Seoul they remembered, but they kept feeling more at ease in the Old Seoul.

Every night, they would come back home without any new information.

- That... Cassiopeia Fanbase... won't have news?

- No. I'm sorry, hyung. - apologized Changmin as he ate his snacks outside an office, downtown.

Junsu stared at the entrance of the office building. Yunho had entered to gather some information.

- So we went from the actual quest, to do paperwork.

Changmin checked his computer very often. Yunho appeared, shaking his head.

- There are no more of those Health Centers in Seoul. We saw the entire extension of the lists. Since 'recovery' projects are expensive and demanding, the list is not that long either.

- We should start making flyers for missing people. - Changmin proposed.

They started walking around and turned left to get in the nearby alley. They were going to look for a place to eat.

- Japanese food? - asked Junsu as he pointed somewhere at the end of the alley.

- Let's go in there. - Yunho was looking around as he snapped his fingers trying to get their attention.

- Aah, yah... - Changmin whined as he sat in a bench. - I want to try that one. He pointed the one that was in front.

- Let's  do rock, paper, scisors. - said Junsu as he got closer to the bench. - Jaa... - he said smiling - Who wins, decides the restaurant.

- Okay.

They began getting excited over it as they got even three times in a row. Junsu took off his backpack anf left it in the bench just to roll up his sleeve, showing off.

- Yah! - Junsu yelled, giggling as Yunho jumped like a kid, getting nervous.

- Aah! Junsu-hyung, don't cheat! - Changmin pretended he was about to hit him, as Junsu giggled.

They were cheerful, which was good to go on. They needed it bad.

In the end, Changmin won, and as he celebrated, he raised his arms, running around. It was good to see Changmin like that.

- Here. Have it. - said Changmin, giving his bag to Junsu. Then he toured around the alley, looking for a good restaurant.

The alley got a bit crowded as everyone was coming back from work. It was dark already. As Changmin made his mind, he turned to look for his hyungs, but almost got run over by a man who dashed to the nearby bench and ran away with Junsu's bag.

- Hyung!! Your bag!! - yelled Changmin. - Yunho-hyung!! He's got hyung's bag!!

His hyungs were clueless, but as the thief passed by him, Yunho chased after.

- Junsu-hyung, your bag- !! - Changmin alarmed him, but as he got next to Junsu, he saw he was wearing his backpack. - Oh, no, hyung, noo! You left my bag in the bench?!!

He dashed after Yunho, getting deeper and deeper into the alleys. The noise of the stores and the crowd disappeared behind them as they ran farther and farther.

- Changmin-ah!! - Junsu was good at running. Yunho and him always were the last ones to give up when they used to go jogging.

- It has all the data in there! - yelled Changmin as he took the next alley.

- YAH! - Yunho yelled at the thief, almost catching him.

They heard someone falling to the ground and whining ahead. As they turned around the corner, Junsu and Changmin saw that Yunho had the thief  against the pavement, and he was ready to brake his arm.

- Yah! What do you think you're doing?? Eh?? - Yunho scolded him. It was a kid, younger than Changmin. The kid whined at Yunho's grip.

Panting, Changmin grabbed his bag from the floor and shook off the dirt.

- Any other time I'd let you steal it, but not now. - he said as he checked everything was there. He sighed deeply when he found his pocket computer intact.

Yunho let go, and the poor kid stood up, whining and almost crying.

- I'm not calling the police, you hear me?? But I don't want to see you stealing again! - Yunho scolded the poor boy, who had received more strenght than he could bear.

Junsu stared at the kid, who didn't say anything as he rubbed his arm. He began walking away, slowly.

- Stop him! Hyung! - Junsu yelled, pointing at him. Yunho reacted immediately and grabbed the kid by his jacket's neck. The kid whined louder.

Junsu walked towards them and frowning, raised his arm, grabbed one of the kid's many necklaces and pulled it off in one movement.

- Where did you get this? - asked very softly, Junsu, staring at the necklace. It was a golden chain with a round medal. Very simple, but recognizable.

- I didn't steal it! I won it playing cards! - the kid was maybe 18, but he began crying like an infant. - I won it in a card game!

Five minutes later, they were eating with the kid. Changmin would glance at him, shaking his head, still hurt for trying to steal his bag.

- Come on, eat. - said Yunho, very naturally, as if he would treat pickpocketer's everyday to eat.

- Where did you get that? - asked again, Junsu. He hadn't touch his food.

- I told you, I won it on a card game!

- Tell me where! - Junsu was getting mad, he banged the table. - I...! I gave this to Yoochun days before I crashed...! I'm sure he was wearing it right after. I'm sure.

- I won it from a guy, I don't know... korean-american guy, he had a big forehead, okay... - said the kid, as he munched everything he found on the table.

- Ah, really? - Junsu frowned.

- The kids call him Micky, he wanders around Old Cheongdam-dong, where we go to play... leave me alone...! - the kid ate his rice eagerly.

Later, when they parted, outside the alley, Yunho patted the kid in the back.

- I don't want to see you stealing again. - he said firmly.

- Okay, hyung... - and the kid walked away, rubbing his arm.

- You gave him the medal. - said Changmin to Junsu.

- Yeah. The medal... - he thought, scratching his neck - is not important. Let's go to Cheongdam-dong, hyung.- said Junsu, when Yunho got closer to them.

- What, now?

He looked at Changmin, who nodded briefly. It was dark and it was a bit late. But they went there.

They rode the subway, the streets were getting more and more empty as they were getting closer.

 

It turned out to be a very deserted place, lonely, and almost abandoned neighborhood of Old Seoul.

- He wanders around... - Junsu rubbed his face, he was getting sleepy by that time. - But where...?

- We could ask. - Yunho said. - We can always ask.

- But where?

- Well, hyung drinks. What else is there? He's betting in card games. So we should drop by a bar and ask.

They found a lot of bars in the neighborhood. But only a couple that were good places to bet and play with your friends. The kind of place Yoochun would visit.

- You know him? - asked Junsu to an old man as he opened his eyes widely. - Really?

- The boy goes to see the sunrise in the playground. Four... or five streets away.

- The sun rising?

It was dark outside. It was maybe midnight. It was a bit chilly, and the stars were visible.

- It's only 3 am, hyung.

They walked in the middle of the lonely street, looking at the stars.

- Where is Cassiopeia?

- You won't see the W yet, hyung.

No one seemed too nervous about it. This time they were ready to be let down. They reached the fifth street and sat outside of what had been a pretty building, maybe a couple of years before.

They looked around: there were old, rusty cars parked as if they were to be driven the next day, but in reality they had been motionless for decades.

Junsu hummed at the night, watching the stars, as he swayed from side to side, sitting on the pick-up of an abandoned truck.

 

Yunho was watching the piles of rocks and rubble of demolished buildings here and there. He would chew gum now that he couldn't smoke due to the advise of wise Changmin.

The youngest sat in a bench and used his backpack as a pillow. Then he placed his pocket computer on his chest and let it play on a japanese track. (X) 

By 5 am, they were all sleeping.

 

 

 

The sun bothered them. It was a bit intense, even when it was so early.

Changmin woke up and felt a bit lost. His computer was still playing, so he shut it off. He got up and stretched, remembering what he was doing there.  He went to wake Junsu up.

- Hyu~ng… Yunho-hyu~ng!

He heard a bat hitting a ball. The sound was very clear and recognizable. And then some children's laughs and cheering.

- There's someone there. Hyung.

Yunho sat in the pavement and listened. But the street was deserted.

- Junsu-yah!

- Yeah, I hear you.

Junsu stood up in the pick-up and jumped off of it. He put his bag on and shook the dirt out of his pants.

They walked towards the biggest pile of rubbleand climbed it. It was slippery, but when they got to the top, they saw a big playground at the other side. There were some children playing baseball in the old basketball court, and some others playing with a soccer ball next to some adults in the rear.

Yunho smiled at the scene, but was worried, because the sun had rose and they should be working by that time of the day. The wind blew, really fresh, on their faces.

 

- C'mere, baby.

 

Junsu patted Yunho's chest with the back of his hand. He heard it too. They all heard it. Pointing at an old car parked a few meters away from the court, he blurted out:

- Hyu... - whispered Junsu.

There was a dark haired guy, squatting down, arranging a little girl's dress, as he gave her the ball that had escaped from her grip.

- Don't let them take the ball from you, okay?

He smiled and talked to the baby girl with a cute voice.

- Ah, aigoo... - he said, following her with his eyes as he smiled.

The baby went stumbling until she reached her friends.

Junsu got excited as his heart raced like crazy and took a deep breath.

 

- YOOCHUN-AAHH!! - yelled at full lungs and started running down the pile.

 

The guy startled and turned around. Junsu stumbled by the base of the big pile, slowed down and threw himself into Yoochun's arms, hugging him tightly. Yoochun froze on the spot. Junsu's voice made a big impact on him. He tried to say something, but couldn't open his mouth. Finally, he frowned and mumbled:

- Junsu-yah...?

He was totally lost and confused. But regained his self in a second and grabbing Junsu by his jacket firmly, parted them.

- Junsu-yah??! - Yoochun stared at him, Junsu was giggling nervously and smiled widely, he was so excited that he couldn't keep still. - Junsu-yah?!!

He reacted and hugged him tightly, his face went from confusion to understanding in the blink of an eye.

- JUNSU, WAHAHAHAHA!!

They were so loud as Yunho reached them and hugged both from behind.

- Hyung??

- Yah... Yoochun-ah...

Junsu got away and let Yunho and Yoochun have their hug, patting Yunho's back.

- YAH! You made us wander endlessly! - the leader said as he giggled soundly.

- Hyung??

- It's me, it's me! - Yunho reassured him as he hugged him tighter and patted his back.

Besides from being very protective, Yunho's hug was tender, he pouted as he rubbed Yoochun's back. When he let go, Junsu, who wouldn't keep still, hugged him again, and they both laughed and cracked up so hard, they fell and rolled off the ground, raisinga lot of dust.

- Hahahahaha... yah... ! - Yoochun started yelling as Junsu poked him in his tummy - YAH!

Yunho helped him to stand up, and Junsu also. Yunho slapped his back, and turned around. He saw Changmin standing at the base of the big pile of rubbish.

- Changmin-ah. - said Yunho, extending his arm to call him.

But he didn't move. As Junsu stopped laughing and giggling, Yoochun saw Changmin and stared at him. He tried to say something, not believing his eyes. Yoochun stepped forward, but Changmin stayed still.

- Changmin-ah? Is that you?

Changmin looked hurt.

- I missed you, hyung. - he said with a soft voice.

- Changmin-ah.

- I missed you for a long time, you know.

Slowly, slowly, walking towards him, he lowered his head. Yoochun received him with his arms wide open and they hugged, a bit different from the rest. But they knew each other in this way. Changmin patted his hyung's back softly.

- Yah! I missed you! - Yoochun lifted him from the ground and let go. Changmin's eyes were sparkly.

Yunho messed the youngest's hair and patted his back in a manly way.

 

The sun was burning a little. The children celebrated their victory, at the other side of the courtyard.

- Where's hyung? - asked Yoochun, cheerful.

The other three boys looked at each other briefly, and Changmin lowered his head.

- Where's hyung?

The children retired after a while, the adults had take them away. The match had ended well, it seemed. The babies were gone also. As the sun kept rising, only the four boys remained in the courtyard. Yoochun sat in the rear of the old car, that looked a lot like a military ride.

From the driver's seat, Changmin was inspecting something under it.

- We just found you, Yoochun-ah.

They were upset about it. Yoochun frowned.

- Wha- Where's hyung?

- We don't know.

- What is this? This car works? -asked Changmin.

- I sleep, drive and... eat here. It works. I won it in a card game. - he said as he leaned back, trying to go back to the previous topic. - But, tell me...

- And you drink here also, I see. - said Changmin as he pulled out an empty bottle from under his seat. Some other bottles rattledsomewhere.

- Well, yeah, it's my jib.

- Ah, you mean it's your jeep. - corrected Changmin.

- That's what I said, it's my jib (house). - Yoochun tried to laugh at his poor joke.

- Agh, hyung~ Leave it. - said Changmin, feeling the second-hand embarrassement.

Junsu was next to Yoochun, grabbing his arm, tightly. It looked like they'd gone back to the days they were kids, very close to each other. Junsu sniffed his shirt.

- What do you think you're doing?

- Haha. I'm sorry. How have you been, Yoochunnie? - Junsu stared at him with adoration. He really had missed him that much.

- Wait. What are you doing here?? - Yoochun shove Junsu off. He needed to know what was going on.

s invited him to the restaurant, where they were supposed to be working.

 

He drove the old jeep back to their room and ate at the restaurant.

Yunho apologized with their boss.

As he went back to the their table, he saw Yoochun Changmin's head.

- Are you okay?

Changmin nodded. He was getting emotional again. Yunho sat as he patted his back. Yoochun clenched his mouth as he squezeed the youngest's hand tightly.

- Hyu~ng... - started Yoochun, but didn't know what to say.

- It's hard to understand, right?

- It is.

Yunho gestured with his hands, but couldn't come up with anything to say, so he just dropped it.

- Leave it as it is. - said Changmin, putting his hand on the table. - Explaining won't do anything. You gotta see for yourself, hyung.

Yoochun nodded repeatedly.

- Yeah... yeah. You're right.

They couldn't use only one room anymore. So they got two. Yunho and Changmin stayed, and Yoochun and Junsu slept in the other.

- Yoochun sat in the bed and looked at Junsu, walking around, getting in and out of the bathroom. He smiled back at him. He couldn't believe he had found him.

- What? - Junsu giggled softly.

Yoochun put his hands together as he leaned forth. He shook his head.

- Nothing... - he whispered as his eyes wandered around. - Yunho…hyung  and Changmin-ah… eh?

- I know. - Junsu giggled softly.

- Yunho-hyung and Changmin-ah...

He extended his hand towards Junsu and he patted it back. Yoochun squeezed his hand, thinking.

- Our prayers worked, right?

He recalled the last time they sang "W" in public. It had been in a fanmeet.

- Fifty years later, but... yeah... Yunho and Changmin... - Yoochun swallowed with difficulty. - Tell me... Junsu-yah... Tell me: where's hyung? - he looked at Junsu, still holding his hand.

- We don't know.

- Wait. - Yoochun said as he stood up and walked around the room. Junsu took his place in the bed. - Wait. You don't know this... but we promised each other, after your car accident, we would meet again. - he said as he rubbed his arms, looking outside through the window. - Everything was settled so in case we... - his eyes wandered around again, trying to recall the details. - In case we were to suffer something like that, we would follow the same way, so we could meet again.

- You did?

- Those were hard days, Junsu-yah... JYJ just stopped its activities, we were so worried. But medics gave us the last hope... We wouldn't resign. We thought the best choice was to preserve Junsu-yah until the doctors knew how to help you. We wouldn't resign.

- You don't know how... grateful I am... Yoochunnie. - Said Junsu, with a very soft and low voice, trying not to get too emotional.

- So he must be somewhere.

- You think so? - Junsu had feared the worst from the beginning.

- I am sure.

Someone knocked at the door. Junsu opened and Yunho and Changmin got in, bringing beer with them.

- Ee~hhh!!

- Aigoo~ ! Hyung!- Yoochun giggled.

- The room got a bit lonely, you know? - said Yunho.

- U-Know. - Yoochun pointed at him. Yunho patted his hand and they snapped their fingers.

- We're perfect together. - said both pointing at each other.

They drank that night, and had a laugh together.

 

 

 

- I wanna drive!- asked Junsu as they got in the parking lot.

- Let Changmin drive. He looks cooler. - said Yoochun with a serious face and then he giggled at Junsu as he got in the jeep. He tossed his keys, and Changmin grabbed them.

They picked up Yunho in front of the restaurant, and took the fast lane.

- Where to? - asked Changmin.

- Samsung-dong, hyung's old apartment. We have to start somewhere. - Yoochun proposed.

 

They found a neighborhood that didn't look at all like the one they knew: brand new buildings had been built, streets were not the same, and Changmin had to turn around often to get back on track. He would take an alley and discover he was driving the opossite way. They got lost in the streets, so Yunho drove.

He took the abandoned side road and got into Old Seoul, driving as if he was in his old city. There were no more cars driving around.

- Oh! Hyung, go back! - Yoochun jumped, looking something they had left behind. - Turn, turn, turn around!

- What?

Yunho turned in U, and took a short street, as Yoochun pointed the way. He opened his door, and got off, even before Yunho stopped the engine entirely.

- Hey! Watch it! - Yunho yelled.

Junsu stuck his head out of the window, eating snacks. Yoochun ran towards a store, that was obviously closed a long time ago. He got closer to the metallic curtain and tapped it.

- Hey! Do you remember this?!

Changmin got off the car and walked towards him, as he looked around the neighborhood. It looked pretty familiar to him.

- Hyung, what are you doing? - he whined.

- Do you remember this store, Changmin-ah?

Yunho got off too, and took a deep breath and stretched. He yawned.

- We would... ? - began Yoochun, gesturing exageratedly with his hands, waiting his memebers to complete his sentence. - We would come...?

- What? -asked Changmin as he stopped in front of the closed store and put his hands on his waist.

- We would come here! Don't you remember? Changmin-ah. - Yoochun was hyper, he looked around and crossed the street, almost running, pointing at some other random store. - You see? That one, over there! We would go there when we were trainees and spend all of our coins in the arcade.

- Oooh, he's right! - Junsu yelled from inside the car. - It's the old arcade!

- Ah, right. He's right.- supported Yunho. He got interested and walked towards Yoochun.

It was so weird walking around, the street totally deserted as they yelled from one sidewalk to another. Changmin looked at the sky: it was getting really dark with thick clouds.

- We used to play here - said Yunho, grabbing the fence of the store. Changmin was still crossing the street. - Eat something right over there... And I think I recognize those building over there...

Yoochun walked around, pointing at some random things, trying to place himself in space, without saying anything. He stood up in the middle of the deserted street, and suddenly it hit him.

He walked towards the end of the block.

- Oh, noo... I know where we are! I know where we are.. - he whispered at the end as he disappeared around the corner. Changmin and Yunho got inside the car and followed him. Yoochun turned and entered to a parking lot. Yunho parked the jeep, Yoochun was standing up at the base of the stairs, before a building that looked so familiar.

Yoochun was taken abackas he stared intensely at the building, that wasn't as high as many others in the surrounding area, but meant so much for him.

 

As great as S.M. Entertainment building could be.

 

There was rubbish scattered here and there, and some piles of rocks.

It looked like a war zone.

He felt numb as the only thing he could think of was: the company that broke them.

 

Fifty years and he still felt like screaming. His anger showed up. They had harmed them so much in the past... Yoochun was staring at a black omen. He grabbed a big stone and threw it at the second floor, trying to brake a window. Only the stone hit the wall and fell. He grabbed a second stone and yelled at the empty space, his veins showing in his neck. Then he felt a hand in his tummy.

- Calm down. - Junsu eased him and made him step back. He grabbed his hand and forced him to lose the grip, and letting the stone slip down, it fell to the ground. - Come.

The second floor's window broke, loudly, and the pieces of glass fell, scattering everywhere.

Junsu and Yoochun turned around and saw Yunho , breathing heavily, his hand just going back to its natural position after throwing the stone.

It was as if he owed it.

Yunho stared at his old company with misterious eyes, as the words, hard, bold, powerful words, swarmed his head: "I would want the five of us to be together no matter what", "I just want things to be just like this, and we would be together forever", “My friends and family, the most important treasures”.

 

Then he just relaxed and turned around, his face showed a kind of sadness you can only build through time. Changmin munched Junsu's snacks sitting in the jeep's hood. He'd want to join them, but the truth was... he had nothing against his old company.

It started raining.

Yoochun felt down, as raindrop his head.

- The rain in the area... - Yoochun said with a very dark voice - is a bit acid. We should look for shelter. - Yoochun rubbed his face with one hand as he sighed. - It's not hazardous, but it's unhealthy.

 

Yunho broke the chain in the door and they broke inside SM building. s went up the stairs, reminiscing with every step they gave.

Outside it poured.

Yoochun and Junsu couldn't believe they were inside its hallways again. Everything was so quiet. The offices, the practice rooms. Even the background sky was still there. They got in one of those to get warm as the temperature dropped a bit.

Junsu looked at himself in the mirror. He was skinnier, but his friends were also.

The floor was covered by dust. Junsu liked to dance so much in that room. He wiped the mirror in front and stayed still, looking at his reflection. He tilted his head.

Yoochun sat in a lonely chair, next to the heater.

- I hope the heating is still working. - said Changmin as he squatted next to it and checked it.

- It's not that cold. - Yunho said as he walked around, reminiscing. He sighed at his old practice room.

Junsu turned his head a bit to look at s.

- Wow... I never thought we would be here again. And together at that.

They all got a little tense. Junsu grabbed a white sheet, uncovering the stereo, and wipped the mirror, stretching all he could so he'd wipe off all of the dust.

Yoochun lowered his head, leaning forth.

So many feeling gathering inside that room. Surely Junsu and Yoochun had been happy there. There was a time like that. There was a time like that for everyone. But after a while, it wasn't as happy anymore. Yunho got closer and patted Yoochun's back.

- Yoochun-ah... - Yunho didn't know what he was trying to tell him.

- You don't have to say anything, hyung. We are men who can deal with our choices.

- Eh. Yeah. - Yunho agreed, nodding as he pouted.

Those were the words.

Those were the right words.

Yoochun leaned back and felt apologetic.

- I just regret... not being there to protect you as a big brother, Changmin.

Changmin clenched his mouth, feeling shy. He wanted to tell him he didn't need to think about those things. But he knew why he was saying it.

- Hyung, I'm sorry about your brother Yoohwan.

He had foreseen Yoochun's reaction, but he had to say it. Yoochun covered his face as he began crying. Yunho patted and rubbed his shoulder.

 

 

 

 

It rained all the afternoon. Yunho tried to sleep in the only couch there was, but he quit after a while, feeling uneasy. He stared at Junsu, dancing. He was very focused and was very passionate about it. Suddenly he noticed Changmin and Yoochun were nowhere to be found.

- Did I sleep?

- Yeah, hyung. You fell asleep a while ago. I didn't want to bother you.

- What's that?

- An old choreography. Do you remember?

Yunho remembered as the song appeared vividly in his mind.

- One, two, three... and then like this... - Junsu said as Yunho followed him and felt weird. - We went like... pa, pa, pa! Then right again pa~ pa~...

- Wait.

Yunho rushed to Changmin's bag and grabbed his tiny device.

- Hyung, I don't think there's energy in the building.

- I'll just borrow the speakers.

The music played. (X)

- Wow~ - blurted out Junsu as he heard the sound of a ringing phone. He felt excited.

It really felt weird dancing to it again. Yunho led him in the steps. The mirror was flattering to them.

Suddenly, they heard voices in the hallway, then Yoochun laughing loudly, and Changmin yelling his name.

- Hyung, wait for me!

- Come, come! - Yoochun laughed as he entered the practice room, dragging a big, transparent bag with so many color clothes inside. The bag was so big, it didn'tget pass beyond the door. So Changmin kicked it from outside and then it just slipped in.

Yoochun dragged it to the center of the room.

- Waa, hyung... -Changmin looked like a curious kid. He helped Yoochun to open up and began scattering some color clothes around. Junsu went to turn the sound off.

- What did you just do? - asked Yunho, smiling, with his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for an explanation. s were being mischievous.

- What's that? - Junsu got interested and went to squat down next to them. As he grabbed some funny clothes, Yoochun explained, laughing.

- Changmin broke the lock of the storage room. It was huge!

- Oh, look at this! - Changmin's eyes accused him of being surprised and amused.

- We found these!

- Wow. - said Junsu as he recognized his old costume. It was white and blue.

They had individual envelopes. Junsu grabbed the bag that contained the sheep ears and wore them.

Those were 'Balloons' costumes.

- Hyung, look!

Junsu got closer to the mirror and danced a few steps of Balloons choreography.

- Let's try it! Changmin-ah! - said Yoochun, excited, as he ripped the bag that contained the pink costume.

He had a big laugh when he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

- Look, hyung. It fits! - said Changmin, surprised, because he had become taller since the last time he wore it.

Changmin went to look for the right track. Junsu laughed at his image and covered his mouth, giggling loudly.

- Waa, let's do that one! (X)

Changmin, Junsu and Yoochun danced to Balloons in front of the mirror, but none of them could contain himself and they cracked up soundly. Junsu threw himself in the floor, and Changmin went to crash against the mirror. He couldn't believe his deer image. He had the tiny antlersand everything.

Yoochun walked around, laughing, when he calmed down, he saw Yunho on the couch. He wasn't paying attention at all. He would just stare at the lion costume in his arms, nostalgic as ever. He had put the tigerears.

Junsu and Changmin kept dancing, as they sang along.

- Yaah! Stop making those faces! - yelled the youngest, annoyed at Junsu's aegyos.

Yunho stared at it and took a fluff off of the costume, with care.

- We'll find him, hyung. - Yoochun told him in a low voice, almost a whisper.

Yunho nodded brief and subtly, not too convinced.

 

 

 

Now they were all singing at the restaurant. Yoochun had kissed the keyboard when he saw it. In two days he was composing a new song. One morning, Yunho, as he ate his breakfast at the restaurant (clients hadn't arrived yet), read what he was writing.

- Oh. This is good. - said, as he bit his biscuit. Yoochun nodded, clenching his mouth.

- I like it... - Yoochun agreed, sincerely.

Yunho offered him a piece of his biscuit, since Yoochun was on the tiny stage. He fed Yoochun from his hand as he played a bit of what he had written.

- Ah! I want that too! - Changmin appeared and Yunho offered him the rest of his food. -I just want a bite, hyung. - he said as he grabbed Yunho's wrist.

- Waa~ I hadn't composed... - Yoochun swallowed - in a long time.

Their boss had a word with them at the end of the day.

- Let's go on tour.

- Ehh?!!

Everyone was so surprised. They heard the words and a lot of memories came to them. The time when their teachers announced them they'd be debuting, the time when they told them they'd have their first solo concert, when they had their first meaningful concert in Japan, when their staff had revealed them they'd be performing on Tokyo Dome.

They wanted to meet the audience again. Be in front of the fierce roaring. Start all over. Begin. Meet Cassiopeia, tour, sing and dance on stage. Move their fans.

- We can't.

Their boss frowned.

- But you're good, talented. You sing in korean, japanese and english. I'd be your manager... - he tried to convince them.

- Sorry, boss.

- We can't.

Yunho patted his shoulder repeatedly, comforting him.

 

That night they sang 'Begin'.

That week they rode a train also.

 

- Can I sit here? - asked an old man, to the four boys.

- Sure... we're not complete yet. - said Yoochun and he slid in the seat to let him have his spot.

They traveled not far from Old Seoul.

Changmin had a hunch.

- Who are those?

- Ah, just wannabes. - said Junsu and giggled at his joke, glancing at s, a few meters away.

The doctor stared at him, not believing her eyes. She smiled widely as they walked around in the garden. She hadn't seen Junsu in a long, long time.

- You've changed, Junsu.

The three boys that were with him laughed soundly behind him, next to the bushes. They were so cheerful. She thought they were the reason of Junsu's change.

The doctor and Junsu recalled their first encounter, and Junsu thought to himself, he had changed so much since he had awakened. Back then he seemed lost and hollow.

- Do you sing often now?

- Yeah... I wanted to thank you again... From the bottom of my heart. Kamsahamnida.

He bowed shortly, and went straight to the point.

- You met the founder.

- Eh? You mean the head of the Seven Sisters?

Junsu nodded. He was somewhat excited.

- Of course, I met her a couple of times, when I was a young student and she was alive. She inspired me when I wanted to give up in being a doctor of this specific branch. She was inspiring.

- Who was she?

 

A couple of minutes later, everyone was attacking Junsu with questions, as they rode the train back.

- Tell us already!

- She knows! She knows... - Junsu raisedhis voice above the others, raisinghis hands also, to keep them quiet. - She knows who she is, she realized what I was looking for after I left, so she never talked to me about it.

- Agh, hyung. You didn't know the founder of the Seven Sisters was Jaejoong- hyung's little sister? - asked Changmin, whining, as he felt really down for finding a piece of information that wasn't new to him.

- Eh?! You did know?! Changmin-ah! - Junsu was stunned.

- Changmin-ah! Why didn't you say so earlier? - Yoochun was scolding him half-heartedly.

- His little sister? His...? - asked Yunho.

- Yeah, biological sister. She named the foundation after hyung's sistersthat he loved so much. I read it. - Changmin explained with all the patience he could gather. - But I don't know how that's going to help us find him, to be honest... It's not... - he sighed.

Everyone shut and sank in their own thoughts. They had no more ideas. The train bounced as it gained speed.

- The doctor said she met her several times. Though... the one time when she had the chance to talk with her, hyung's sister was departing to Tokyo. She moved there and died in Japan. - said Junsu, trying to keep the conversation going. - So, she... never knew her in a more personal...

- She said that? - Changmin frowned.

- Who said that? - asked, Junsu, a bit distracted.

- Hyung, focus. She said hyung's sister moved to Japan?

- Y-yeah...

- Well, I didn't know that.

- You think she took him to Japan? - asked Yoochun.

- He wasn't in the nation-wide list. So he's not here. - replied Changmin.

SIlence again. The train rattled. Yoochun bit his lower lip, his eyes wandering around in search of ideas. Yunho played with his backpack straps, thinking.

- Why would... she take him to Japan? - asked Junsu, being practical.

- Well, Hero was the most popular member among Bigeasts, right? - said Changmin, leaning forward.

- So?

Changmin sighed, lowered and scratched his head, a bit impatient.

- I bet I haven't told you this either, hyung: Cassiopeia...

- Yeah, yeah.

- ...and Bigeast financed our 'recovery' projects.

Everyone had their doubts. Yunho sank in his seat, crossing his arms, protesting to Changmin's  statements. Yoochun shook his head. He couldn't believe what Changmin was saying.

- Please, just listen. - he said as he put his hands together with a soundly clap.

- You sure your computer's not broken? - asked Yoochun as he crossed his arms over his chest also.

- Listen, hyung. Our old Cassiopeia, the Cassiopeia and Bigeast we met back in our days... gathered large sums of money, that the Seven Sisters managedto begin the investigation on 'recovery'. They gathered... an obscene... sum of money.

- Like a donation. - added Yoochun, unsure.

- Mm... Yeah, yeah. - said Changmin, nodding.

Junsu opened his mouth in awe.

- Trust me, hyung, you don't want to see those numbers.

- Well, just to preserve Junsu-yah, hyung and I used a lot of our resources. So I guess it's true. - said Yoochun, giving in. - I don't know. - he finished, scratching his face.

- It's all in the news of fifty years ago, but the Big Disaster got the headlines and the spotlight around that time, right? I had to... investigate a lot, yeah... - said Changmin, thinking a lot of things.

Yoochun patted his leg, nodding.

- Listen to me. This is my guessing. Hyung... - he said, thinking about it - Hyung loved Bigeast very much, right? It's not crazy to think his sister would take him there, as a way to thank Bigeast for their support.

- Jaa... - Junsu looked at Yoochun, then Yunho, and then he glanced at Changmin.

- Changdola, you've done a good job. - said Yunho, as he patted his knee.

- Leader-sshi? - asked Yoochun. Everyone was waiting for his decision.

 

- We're going to Japan, it seems... - Yunho giggled, his eyes narrowed as he was quite happy.

- We're going to Japan! - they yelled as they got off the train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

- You're kidding, right? - Yoochun asked Changmin as he leaned back on his chair. - He's kidding, right?- he asked Junsu, patting his arm.

Junsu shook his head.

- A huge-serpent? A piece of land that links Korea and Japan?

- Agh, Yoochun-hyung. You don't read the news? - Changmin asked him with a serious face, but he was joking. Yoochun stared at him, a bit pissed, so Changmin tapped his hand and cracked up.

- Can I take my jib?

- That piece of junk?

- Hey! Watch it. Maybe we'll need it in Tokyo.

- Yeah, I think I saw some wagons with cars back then. - said Changmin as he ate fruit from the table.

Yunho was in the stage, and Junsu went  to rehearse a duet with him.

That same day they were going to quit.

 

 

 

 

 

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Just know this befote you go…

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