“Beep… Beep… Beep…”

 

The familiar sound of his phone alarm woke Minhyun up from his deep sleep. The black-haired man opened his eyes and was welcomed by the darkness of his old room. Again a familiar but somehow strange sight although it was already his third day in this room. Minhyun stretched up his body and sat. He looked at his phone to see it was already 8 am in the morning. He went to bed at 8 last night and it was really the first time in years Hwang Minhyun slept for 12 hours in one go for a night. Enough rest really did a wonder to one’s body, thought Minhyun, feeling happy that he felt really refreshed this morning.

 

He opened the curtain beside his bed and saw the sky today was gloomy. Typical winter sky. He looked around his room and felt extremely proud of himself that his room no longer looked like a room where somebody just moved in three days ago. The lack of schedules that his company allowed him to have was used efficiently by Minhyun to unpack everything he had brought from Wanna One dorm and put in the right place in his room. He even used the time to not only cleaned his room and bathroom, but also Nu’est’s living room and kitchen. Of course s for that and said to him in unison, “Ya, we missed you,” because they never saw their living room and kitchen this clean for years. The boys indeed had a cleaning lady who came three times a week to do house chores, but even their beloved imo cannot compete with Minhyun’s extreme level of cleanliness.

 

Minhyun stood up and opened the door of his room. Their living room was still dark, none of his brothers were awake. Well, not many men his age especially with similar professions as him like to wake up as early as him. Especially Dongho and Jonghyun who practically lived in different time zones when they were not promoting. Both had just gone to the studio when Minhyun went to bed last night so he thought they returned home late last night or early this morning. Minki loved his sleep too much to wake up at this hour and Aron, even though he did not mind to wake up in the morning, never really woke up before 9am on their off days. Minhyun chuckled to himself when he realized that even though he had not lived with these people for one and a half year nothing had really changed once he settled back. It really felt like Minhyun had just left for a short visit to Busan and returned to find s (and himself) has aged two years older. They were still the same friends in his teenage years, the people he grew up with and had experience so much in life together. In these three days that he was back it was sometimes easy for him to think that maybe nothing had really changed and everything he had experience for the past 18 months was just a dream.

 

But of course it was not a dream, once he stepped out from this house, he would definitely fully realize the realness of the past two years. Minhyun was in for another transition in his life, albeit easier, but still it was a transition that he needed to adapt and get used to again. To be called Nu’est members again, to go everywhere together with his four friends again, to sing songs he had not been able to sing for years again and to meet his LOVEs again. Since his return three days ago he has not been able to log in into their fancafe or went live on their Vapp channel although he was sure his fans were waiting impatiently to greet him there. But really, he wanted to greet them with something as meaningful as the quiet but powerful love and support Nu’est fans had given him while he was in Wanna One all those time. He planned to post a thank you letter for his fans but still could not finish the letter and determined to finish it today. He knew he had to do his wording carefully though, that was actually his main concern while writing this letter. He knew not all of his fans would be glad with his return to Nu’est and some would still have the mixed and emotional feelings because of Wanna One’s disbandment. He knew it was clearly out of his control if they did not want to continue their support for Nu’est. And as he had learned for quite a while now, you cannot make everyone happy, so Minhyun learned to let things be because well what else could he do? All he wanted was to convey his sincere and thankful feeling through this letter and he hoped they could feel what he felt when he wrote the letter.

 

Minhyun the light in the living room and walked to the fridge near their dining table to get a bottle of water and milk. He looked at the (super) limited tea collections that his friends have and decided to just have his daily supplement and cereal this morning. After he did all the needed preparation for his breakfast Minhyun brought his cereal bowl and bottle of water to the coffee table beside their living room sofa and sat. He might as well use the time to continue his letter until his friends woke up. A vibration came from the gadget inside his pocket and Minhyun took out his phone to find one new unread chat. He smiled. Well, he almost forgot to give a morning call to certain someone. Who knew maybe she could inspire something for his letter.

 

***

 

Around one hour after his breakfast—and a somewhat short phone call—finished and Minhyun was still deeply immersed in his letter, someone opened his bedroom door and walked to the living room. It was Aron with his hair all over the place and eyes still half closed. Minhyun laughed, “Hyung, I predicted that you would wake up at 9 and you really did.” he said. Aron breathed a half laugh and walked straight to the water kettle to make his coffee mix.

 

“You slept for a long time did you?” Asked Aron while pouring and mixing his favourite yellow maxim coffee in hot water.

 

“Yeah, I didn’t know I missed my bed that much. I slept for 12 hours. When I woke up this morning I actually felt really great I feel like I can do a tapping today for two music videos right away.” Minhyun replied. Aron laughed at his friend. It was really good to have him back again.

 

“Well, I’m not ready to shoot anything today with this bloated face.” Said Aron while pointing at his face.

 

“Haha did you eat ramyeon last night, Hyung?”

 

“Yes, two packs. With soju.” Answered Aron. He brought his coffee mug and sat beside Minhyun, “What are you doing?”

 

“I was finishing my letter.” He showed the note he had been writing on his iphone to Aron and sighed. “And I’m still not sure if I’m doing it right. Because of all those dramas I still feel like I have to watch my words. But is it so wrong if I wanted to say that I’m glad to be back and I really miss them?” Minhyun asked Aron while reading the letter back for the tenth times that hour. Aron thought about the question for a few seconds and replied,

 

“You already know we cannot make everyone happy right? And even if we crafted our words with the best poetry someone out there will just twist our words anyway.” Aron let out a soft but ironic laugh, “When you say you’re glad to be back it doesn’t mean you didn’t value everything that happened when you were in Wanna One.”

 

“I know. I actually just thought the exact same thing before. We cannot make everyone happy. Those who genuinely support me will definitely support me in Nu’est. Being in Wanna One is one precious experience I will never forget but I am also first and foremost part of Nu’est and I think it is already a given that I’m happy that I’m back with you guys. It is just that I’m afraid that something will come up out of this because everything is still fresh.” Minhyun sighed again and scratched his head. “Should I just wait until next month and just post a short thank you letter then Hyung?”

 

“Haha whatever you think is the best. Although you surely can post your letter now because I’m sure what you have written is perfectly respectful and truly deliver your feeling to our fans. But if you think that you need to wait then that’s good too.” Said Aron.

 

“As expected, Aron hyung. You really never force your opinion on people, do you? It feels like I’m talking to myself all this time.” Minhyun laugh while stood up and took his cereal bowl with him. He went to the sink and wash the cereal bowl right away, Hwang Minhyun never left his eating utensils unwashed.

 

“Well, you’re 25 years old now, I’m sure you know what you’re doing and fully prepare of whatever the consequence is. You know we all here are so different from each other it is practically useless to force our opinion on each other, we’ll get ignored anyway.”

 

“Well that’s true.” Said Minhyun with a chuckle. He put the washed bowl and spoon on the rack and returned to the sofa.

 

“Anyway, what are your plan today?” He asked his older friend.

 

“I think I’m going to the studio today. Yesterday Dongho showed me the updated version of my part for our new song and I think I want try recording it. To see if it suits me or not.” Minhyun nodded. “I think I’m going too. I have unpacked everything and I do need to come to the studio tomorrow anyway for my part. I don’t have anything to do today.”

 

“Great, let’s wait for that producer to wake up first then we can go.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Aron’s phone rang and he looked a bit concerned when he saw the caller’s name. After a second he picked up the phone, Minhyun looked at Aron curiously.

 

“Hi, yeah I just woke up. Yeah, it was fine. What are you gonna do today? Yeah, he’s settling in just fine. He cleaned up everything already. Yeah, I call you later okay, I need to change for the gym. Alright, bye.” Aron hang up the phone and avoid Minhyun’s stare.

 

“Hyung was it someone I thought it was?”

 

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

 

“Hyung, are you dating my sister again?” Minhyun asked with a laugh. Oh God, he could not believe this. This was the third time already. It was just like Aron and Sujin could not bear to be with each other but could not be without each other as well.

 

“No, she was just asking about you. There’s nothing, really.”

 

“Haha who do you think I am? When did it start again? Why didn’t she tell me when I was at home?” Minhyun tried to look at Aron’s phone screen and Around hurriedly put his phone in his pocket.

 

“No Minhyun, there’s really nothing. You know what happened last time. We’re just friend now. Anyway, what about that pretty model? What’s her name, Ahn Hyun-Ae?”

 

“Oh now you just changed the topic. But really Hyung, I respect both of you and your choices, if you want to get back together again then I’m happy too.” Minhyun still . Aron stared at him and sighed, “There’s really nothing I can tell you now, I was the wrong one last time so if she wanted to be closer friend now then I’m good too.”

 

“Basically, beggar can’t be chooser.”

 

“Basically.”

 

Minhyun hit Aron’s shoulder, although not too hard. “See? You’re admitting it.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Now enough about me, before I go to the gym, you need to answer this. Are you still with that pretty model?”

 

“Stop calling her pretty model Hyung, you got her name right. Yeah, we’re still together. But I don’t know, it doesn’t feel the same anymore.” Minhyun said. Aron stood up and before he walked back to his room said to his younger friend,

 

“Minhyun-ah, you really need to fix that problem of yours. You cannot just end your relationship every three months. If your fans know their husband-material oppa is like this you don’t need to post a long letter about how much you love Nu'est and how you prefer Nu'est much better than the other group to make them turn back on you. You player.”

 

Minhyun could only reply with a weak laugh.

 

To Be Continued...