A/N: WHEEE~~~ it's finally finished! SAGA 1 IS FINISHED!! yup yup~ this story is in sagas~ so now with the conclusion of the taiwan canon, we move on to dealing with Se Kyung! I mean come on, look at Shinee's stages these days, it's so perfect that i can't really bull anymore issues for Shinee!! Which is a good thing, so let us move on to Se Kyung! Enjoy the lil finale!

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Jong Hyun’s POV:

  I never expected Min Ho to pull me into a hug, but truthfully, I felt safe and relaxed for the first time in weeks. I buried my head deeper into his chest and let the tears flow out along with every ounce of frustration and exasperation that was pent up within me. I never really knew how stressed I was until now, when I finally let it all out.

  In the midst of Se Kyung’s daily calls to cry to me about her anti-fans threatening her, the accusing gazes of the members and Ki Bum’s crushed expression at yesterday’s fan party, I literally felt like I was falling apart but I was expected to face all of this with a smile. I felt Min Ho’s fingers run through my hair in a soothing motion, instinctively, I snuggled closer into him and I let my thoughts run. I remember saying at a radio interview that Min Ho is a manly and reliable friend, guess back then even I did not know how true it was. To think I am his hyung and yet here I am bawling my eyes out in his arms…the soft texture of his shirt felt damp across my cheek and I knew my tears were to blame, a small tinge of guilt welled up inside me but, Min Ho’s gentle patting motion quickly swept it aside. And for moments, I was at peace but then Min Ho’s hands stilled and I could feel his entire body stiffen, the awkward atmosphere lasted for a few moments and then I heard rapid footsteps fading away from the room. What had just happened?

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Yun Ri’s POV:

  I saw Ki Bum stop in front of his room and stilled, I quickly took the opportunity to catch up to me despite the protests of my feet, but before I reached him, he took off again, this time faster than before, the wind flapping against his jacket. What stunned me however was not his speed but his expression, the expression of hurt and betrayal. Before the door of his room could close, I dashed up and put my feet against the door and did a double take. Jong Hyun was in Min Ho’s arms.

  I don’t really talk to Min Ho much, actually I don’t think we’ve ever talked to each other before, he was the quiet one, the solemn one, I even dare say he intimidated me a little. I kept blinking at the questionable scene, hoping that if I blinked enough maybe it would disperse or a reason would appear in thin air. Unsure whether to step into the room and haul Jong Hyun’s off Min Ho’s body or chase after Ki Bum and tell him…actually I don’t know what to tell him. Last I checked Min Ho was straight but who am I to make any statements?

  As I stood there torn and confused, Jong Hyun slowly removed himself from Min Ho’s arms, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. He was crying. A sense of relief washed through me, he was crying in Min Ho’s arms, as controversial as that sounded at least it was not what I had imagined…not what Ki Bum imagined. I opened my mouth to speak, ‘Ki Bum he…’ I saw Jong Hyun scramble to his feet at the sound of Ki Bum’s name, his face contorting into a mixture of horror, realization, worry and many other emotions that I could not comprehend. Min Ho eyes pierced into mine, and despite having not spoken to him before I understood the unspoken words behind his glance, ‘Go to Ki Bum, I’ll deal with Jong Hyun hyung.’ With one last look, I nodded and took off in the direction Ki Bum likely went.

  The repetitive hallways of the hotel looked like a maze as it blurred by me while I looked for the door leading to the stairs of the fire escape. If I knew Ki Bum as well as I thought I did, he would be here. He was always one for claustrophobic and quiet spaces when he was upset, just like me. Sure enough, as I pushed the doors of the fire escape open, I head frustrated growls and pitiful sobbing.

Ki Bum’s POV:

  With a frustrated cry, I punched the wall, ignoring the pain that shot through my knuckles as I did. First Shin Se Kyung and now Min Ho!? That…that jerk! At least my insecurities about him being straight again can be thrown out the window now. The scene of him clinging onto Min Ho as he hugged him replayed over and over in my head and with each replay, my heart felt as if someone had wrenched it, all I could think about now was why. Why me? Why this? Where had we gone wrong? Did I not love him enough? Was it cause I always refused to say ‘I love you’ to him? Am I not good looking enough for him? Well yea, Min Ho was tall, he was romantic and reliable, the complete opposite of me. He was responsible, masculine, easy going and romantic. Jong Hyun was a er for romantic things…’Jong Hyun..’ the name tasted bitter sweet on my tongue.

  ‘Ki Bum ah, it’s not what you think.’ The exact words I wanted to hear came from the last person I wanted to see, Yun Ri. Leave it to her to be able to find me, but who was I kidding, Jong Hyun would never have known to find me here, or anywhere. I brushed my disappointment aside as the worried face of Yun Ri came into my line of vision. I eyed her heels then at her panting figure, she probably did 50 miles per hour trying to catch up to me, I felt sorry for worrying her like that and  just as that thought struck  me, memories of my selfishness in dragging her to Taiwan and Nick’s constant courting of her flooded back into my brain. A pang of guilt hit me as I looked at my cousin’s obvious look of concern of her face. Why did she have to be so nice? I brought her face to face with her nightmare for personal reasons and yet instead of hating me or blaming me she is now worried about me.

  And so, although I knew it was wrong to behave the way I am and I knew it was wrong to take out my frustrations on her, I did. Because her concerned eyes only serves to fuel my guilt greater and her comforting smiles only proved my own weakness further. ‘Ki Bum, please talk to me. Jong Hyun and Min Ho aren’t what you think they are, they’re just-’ I stood up abruptly and that seemed to cut her off. I don’t need to be reminded about that two-timing backstabbing , not now, not ever. Even the ing fans are on his side, and now he’s taken my only peer in the group. He took my heart, took my love. He took my everything, and broke them. What more does he want? ‘Don’t ever mention that bastard’s name in my face ever again,’ I spat out at Yun Ri, at that I turned around to get away from her. But she evidently had other ideas as she grabbed my wrist and slammed me against the wall. Pain shot through my back, damn her and her karate lessons.

  ‘Kim Ki Bum, you will ing listen to me and listen to me well, I don’t know what you stupid PMS-ing self is thinking and frankly I don’t care. I’m sick and tired of you running away from me for god knows what reason, but that’s not the point. Jong Hyun and Min Ho have NOTHING going on, so get that fact through your thick skull!’ She yelled at me while staring straight into my eyes, fire blazing. I would have almost laughed at the familiarity of the situation, just months before, I was the one pinning her to the wall, yelling at her to get some sense into her head, after Nick…I stared back into her eyes, searching for that part of her that was about to break from having to see Nick every day and found it. Non-too gently, I pushed her off me, being a guy, I was still physically stronger than her, and sighed, ‘Look, just, leave me alone. These are my problem, not yours, so just, leave me alone. I don’t need you.’ I knew that those last 4 words would get Yun Ri to leave me alone, it was her weak point, not being needed. Unexpectedly, she reached out to grab me again and this time looked at me with watering eyes, ‘You don’t mean that…’ Unable to stand looking at her, I forced her hands off mine and ran off.

3^rdperson’s POV:

  Jong Hyun followed the sounds of Ki Bum’s voice to the top of a flight of stairs just in time to see Ki Bum wrestle his arm from Yun Ri’s grasp and running off, towards him. For the briefest moment, the two’s eyes met, Jong Hyun could see the hope and then hurt that flashed through his lover’s eyes before Ki Bum brushed past him and continued to run. Jong Hyun reached out to grab hold of him but missed and completely forgetting about his injured foot, Jong Hyun ran after Ki Bum.

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  After running for god knows how long, Jong Hyun finally caught Ki Bum on the roof garden of the hotel. ‘Ki Bum, listen to me, it’s not what you think!’ Jong Hyun said between breathes. ‘Then tell me you bastard, what the ing hell is it that I’m supposed to think? About Min Ho, about Shin Se Kyung, about the fans, about this whole ing mess!’ Ki Bum, who finally gave up on running turned around to yell at his boyfriend. ‘It’s, I just-’ Jong Hyun stuttered at the on slaught of questions. Ki Bum sensing Jong Hyun backing down, walked up to the lead singers till their noses were touching. ‘Did you think about me, when you announced the news to the press? Did you think about me when you were throwing yourself into Min Ho’s arms? Did you ing think about how I felt about this whole mess! Do you even ing love me Kim Jong Hyun!?’ The taller of the two practically screamed. ‘What about me, did you think about how I felt?’ Jong Hyun replied coldly as he stared into Ki Bum’s blazing eyes.

  ‘You must be so happy playing the victim and blaming everything on me. You think I wanted this? How do you think I felt with Lee Soo Man calling me into his office, the pictures of us kissing being projected onto the god damn wall? How do you think I felt when I had to kiss and hug a girl I don’t love? How do you think I felt when I come back to a house full of people who hate me? Did you know that Se Kyung calls me every single ing day, crying to me about what her antis did to her and how much she wants to kill herself just so that it will all stop? And do you know how much it scares me, hurts me to know that she says that she’s “Only fighting to stay alive amongst all these antis because I have your love”. Can you imagine the stress of having someone’s life in your hands Ki Bum, can you!? And even then, I’m expected to smile at everyone, pretend to be the happy cheerful Jong Hyun that I was while being a dutiful boyfriend to Se Kyung and you at the same time. Well sorry if I had to break down in Min Ho’s arms because no one else seems to give a damn about me anymore! You don’t know how much it hurts Ki Bum, you have no idea how much I’m hurt. You’re not the only one…’ Jong Hyun finished his rant with tears running down his face. There, he said it, he finally said it.  

  With tears welling up in his eyes, Ki Bum grabbed onto the collar of the lead singer’s shirt and whispered between sobs, ‘I’m sorry…I’m sorry ok! But did you know how insecure I was, especially since you were straight before me. I never know when a girl would come and take me away from you, and Shin Se Kyung is your ideal type I just! I was hurt that you didn’t tell me, I… I don’t know ok! I just love you too much…but if this relationship is such a bother, let’s just break-’ Before Ki Bum could finish his sentence however, Jong Hyun pulled the sobbing rapper into a deep kiss, forcing his tongue into the other’s mouth while Ki Bum failed around and beat his fists against Jong Hyun’s chest in futile. Slowly, Ki Bum melted into the kiss and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. He had missed Jong Hyun’s kisses so much…

  Breaking this kiss, Jong Hyun rested his forehead against Ki Bum’s and the two lovers, both teary eyed stared at each other. ‘Never say that you want to break up with me. Ever. Because Kim Ki Bum, I don’t need the money, I don’t need the fame, I don’t need the love of the fans, I don’t need anything in the world as long as you love me. I love you Ki Bum.’ ‘I love you too,’ Ki Bum replied without thinking and the couple once again lapsed back into another kiss.

  ‘Ahem ahem…’ a familiar voice sounded behind them. The two lovers turned around with their tear-stained faces to see the maknae and leader of the group, arms folded, tapping their feet on the floor in amusement. ‘I’m glad to see that you’re finally alright now but we have a show to do in about an hour and Young Soo is going to tear off people’s heads if we don’t get going soon,’ Jinki joked. Arms still wrapped around Jong Hyun’s neck, Ki Bum stuck his tongue out at the leader. Releasing his hold on his boyfriend, Ki Bum made sure to hold onto Jong Hyun’s hand as he slung himself across Tae Min’s neck, ‘Come on then my dear son, let us not keep manager-hyung waiting!’ Ki Bum and Jong Hyun both shot the maknae a cheeky grin and arms linked, the 4 members of Shinee walked hand in hand down to the lobby. Behind them the beautiful sunset radiated warmth against their backs. Things were finally all okay again.

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  After informing Young Soo about the missing couple, Yun Ri set off with Min Ho to look for her cousin and the lead singer, mid-way the pair decided to split up to cover more grounds and that in itself was a good idea, until she ran into someone she has been trying to avoid. Nick.

  ‘Finally found you,’ Nick said with a grin. Yun Ri glared at him, ‘We’re supposed to be looking for Ki Bum and Jong Hyun.’ ‘The others can find them,’ Nick countered smoothly, ‘We need to talk.’ ‘There’s nothing to talk about,’ Yun Ri stated coldly while crossing her arms. The grin faded from Nick’s face and the pair stood in the silent hall way, waiting for the other to speak.

  ‘Look, about Lyn…’ Yun Ri flinched at the name, she did not hate that woman, she had no reasons to do so but hearing her name still hurt. ‘I don’t love her but I didn’t break it off with her when I went to Korea, so I just left her hanging. I didn’t know that during my absence she would get close to my family, especially my mother and by the time I came back, my family was expecting me to marry her and as the eldest of my family I had to, but you have to believe me that on that day at the airport, I was taking her to the restaurant to break it off with her. I loved you and I still do.’ Hearing the man whom she gave everything to say those 3 words melted Yun Ri’s resolve, she turned around and muttered in the tiniest voice, ‘We had the same hair…’

  Nick stepped forward and turned her around so that they were facing each other, ‘I’ll admit that I took interest in you at first because you reminded me of her, but then I came to love you, the shy girl with the beautiful smile and heart of gold.’ Hearing his words, Yun Ri closed her eyes, a myriad of emotions coursing through her, these were the words she wanted to hear were they not? But it all felt so…wrong, and she knew why. Yun Ri snapped her eyes open and smirked at Nick, the next thing he knew, Yun Ri had twisted his arm behind his back in a hold as she told him evenly, ‘Well too bad then, because I’m not the girl you loved anymore.’ Teeth gritted in pain, Nick could not say anything in reply until Yun Ri released him and even then, all he could do was watch the back of the girl he thought he knew diminish as distance between them grew.  

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  The group finally reunited in the lobby, Young Soo felt happiness well up within him at the radiating smiles of Shinee, they shone on stage but he was pretty sure that at the moment, they were shining more than they ever did, from happiness. He did not know what happened but whatever it was, he was glad that it fixed things. The five boys simply stood there, chatting and teasing each other as they formed a small circle with their arms slung around the other’s neck. Not too long after, Yun Ri walked into the lobby with a satisfied grin on her face as Nick trailed in after her with a defeated smile. The two cousins exchanged glances and gave each other a quick hug. ‘Okay?’ Yun Ri asked. Ki Bum nodded, ‘Okay.’ And quickly,  Yun Ri was added to the ‘circle’. Watching the picturesque scene, Young Soo quickly ushered the group into the van while they made their way to superstar avenue.

  No one missed the sheer joy that Shinee radiated onstage that night despite their tired faces, especially those of Jong Hyun and Ki Bum, it seemed that all’s well ends well. From the sidelines, Young Soo and Nick watched Yun Ri get into awkward positions trying to snap a good shot of the group during the show. Out of nowhere, Nick commented, ‘She really isn’t the girl that I used to love…’ Young Soo felt some form of relief rush into his system at that statement, but that relief was short-lived as Nick continued, ‘But I don’t dislike this new Yun Ri either…’ In days to come, Young Soo will eventually figure out why he felt the urge to sock Nick in the face when he said that, but not now.

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  The flight back to Seoul was a merry one. The 5 boys of Shinee huddled around Jong Hyun and Ki Bum’s seats reminiscing their times in Japan, such as their crazy fans who stood in the middle of the road just to watch them eat, and listening to each other show off about their discounted purchases from their shopping spree at Taipei 101. Of course they remembered the ups and downs of the trip, but overall everyone agreed that it was a good trip though it was a little rough.

  From his seat, Young Soo smiled to himself at the heart-warming scene, watching them felt like downing a cup of hot tea on a freezing winter afternoon, or a soothing ballad on a rainy day…’Ballad,’ Young Soo muttered to himself as an idea started forming in his head. ‘S.M. Ballad…’ ‘That has a pretty nice ring to it,’ Yun Ri who sat next to him going through the thousands of photos she took interjected suddenly. Young Soo glanced over at the screen of her mac that housed the many photos of the trip, his eyes lingered at the tastefully composed shots, he had not really expected the girl to actually fulfill her responsibilities as a photographer; it was supposed to be a hoax so that she could come on the trip, but turns out Yun Ri was much more professional and talented that he thought she was. An idea began forming in his head, yes, something that would rebuild Jong Hyun’s fanbase, promote SM’s new singer and revive the Trax…but it was going to be rough getting the idea off the road.

  Yun Ri stared at Young Soo who was deep in thought and then back at the screen of her computer, now displaying a photo of Shin Se Kyung and her new hair cut, a ‘gift’ from her Shin Se Kyung crazy fan. She eyed Jong Hyun who was seated next to her cousin then at the photo again, the resemblance between the two hair styles were uncanny. Evidently, things were going to get rough when they get back to Korea, but an unspoken understanding between Shinee, Young Soo and Yun Ri echoed in the cabin.

  If it’s not rough it isn’t fun.

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A/N: Hellya it's finished! Hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll pump in some jongkey fluff in the next canon of the story, since the couple is finally back together. Thank you so much for reading this story up till this point, I know I've probably bored some, disappointed others and annoyed many, but thank you for loving this story anyway!

Without further ado, here are some sneak peeks into the next canon! I'll be working on a new poster for it as well~ >-< HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

endlesssky

Teasers:

  ‘If I could have just a moment father,’ Young Soo said formally as he placed a folder on Lee Soo Man’s table, ‘I have a proposal that you may be interested in.’ Staring at the folder that said S.M. Ballad, Lee Soo Man looked his son in eye with great interest, ‘Go on, I’m listening.’

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  ‘Sorry professor, you needed to see me?’ Yun Ri asked the old man in front of her, Professor Shim was his name and he was one of the most renowned teacher in the universities, his courses on directing and story-boarding were always being filled up fast. Coincidentally, he also happened to be the professor in the university who favors Yun Ri greatly. ‘Ah yes Yun Ri,  welcome back to Korea. When you told me you needed to be excused from school for a project from SM Entertainment, I was quite skeptical but when I met Soo Man last week at a charity dinner, he actually mentioned you. I believe he was quite taken by your work. So I wanted to ask you, there is a music video that SM is making for one of their project groups, they’re trying to cut back on some budget for the promotions but doesn’t really want to sacrifice quality, so would you by any chance be interested in directing your first MV?’ All Yun Ri could do was nod.

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  Jong Hyun looked at Se Kyung who sat across him in the VIP booth of the restaurant, sporting a new hair cut that eerily resembled his. ‘Oppa, you like it? I know that everyone is saying that it’s a new look for my new role, but honestly I just wanted to have a couple hair style with you, do you like it?’ Jong Hyun has always been a er for romantic things and it took every ounce of willpower in his body to not feel touched at Se Kyung gesture. Sure, he felt no love for this woman, but he definitely felt guilt at how serious she was taking this relationship of theirs, and how un-serious he was taking it.

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Yun Ri’s POV:

 ‘I know that it is Ki Bum sshi he loves.’ I stared at the beautiful girl who sat across me like she just grew another head, but for the record, based what she just said, she might as well have. On the other end of the phone that I had left purposely still in conversation to Ki Bum’s phone so that he could listen in on our conversation, I would bet my fortune that my cousin was equally stunned as well.

  ‘I’m a girl, we snoop around,’ Shin Se Kyung confessed with a bittersweet smile, ‘I saw all his messages and photos with Ki Bum sshi and put two and two together. I know that he loves Ki Bum sshi, but I don’t care. I love him too much already. I don’t mind sharing his love or being lied to if it means I don’t lose him.’ I felt a migraine coming on as she said that.

  Love makes people do crazy things and this woman in front of me is a stellar example.

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Jinki’s POV:

  Something tells me that Ki Bum and Yun Ri would flip if they saw who was standing in front of us in our new apartment, wearing an apron. ‘Nick hyung?’ I called out tentatively. ‘Hey Jinki! Come in come in, hope you guys don’t mind me setting up the place while you guys were busy. I have already taken the last room down the hall, next to Young Soo’s room? So you guys just take your pick yea?’

  ‘Uh no offense hyung..’ Tae Min who was equally shocked as me asked, ‘But why are you here?’ Nick who went back to cooking whatever he was making looked up and answered with a sunny smile, ‘Oh Young Soo didn’t tell you guys? His business meetings were with my boss so that they could work out a deal about Warner being your label when you promote in China and Taiwan and also so that I could get transferred to SM and work as your manager! Lee Soo Man sshi is thinking about expanding you guys into the Asian market next year and although Young Soo is familiar with Japan, it doesn’t hurt to get someone with experience dealing with the Chinese markets. Plus I’ve always wanted to come back to Korea, so it worked out great.’

  Yup, wait till Ki Bum and Yun Ri hears this. They won’t flip. This house will.