When Minghao saw Junhui walking towards them in the hotel restaurant emotions flooded his body. Joy, relief, and the pain of having to say another goodbye. Just as he had talked himself into bravery and strengthened his nerves into steel Junhui was in front of him again tearing his soul apart. He looked from Junhui’s puffy red eyes to the heavy winter coat in his arms and just as he was about to speak he saw Junhui drop to his knees. The Junhui he knew was strong and silly, fun and joyful, and too respectful and shy to challenge anyone’s parents.

When he saw Junhui drop to the floor his heart screamed at him to run and pick him up but his legs wouldn’t move and his eyes couldn’t tear away from the scene in front of him.. He watched his parents stunned in surprise and then Junhui looked up and spoke. His face looked tired and sad but his voice was strong and clear and his words tumbled out with a bravery that Minghao didn’t expect even from Junhui.

“I’ve come to change your mind. I’ve come to beg you to let Minghao stay.” He watched two tears drip onto his winter coat and he held his breath waiting in anticipation to see what would happen next. “Please don’t take him away from me. I need him.” Junhui said as he looked up. “I’m begging you to let him stay.”

“We need him. All my life I’ve dreamed of the stage. Of singing and dancing and making people happy. Of bringing happiness into their lives. And I’ve worked hard, so hard, to even get here to have a small chance at achieving my dream.” Junhui sniffed a little and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “I’ve worked so hard and given up so much. I’ve come to this foreign country where everything is strange and hard to understand. I’ve given up my family, friends, even my whole life for my dreams.”

“Soonyoung is the same. He’s been working sixteen to twenty hours a day for as long as I’ve known him. Working so hard just for a chance to have a shot at his dreams. Putting his body on the line, spending hours in his room writing songs, giving up the life of a normal teenager for a chance at something special.”

Junhui looked over at Minghao still sitting at the table watching on in an undecipherable silence. When their eyes met the spark between them was palpable and Junhui took a deep breath before finding the strength to continue.

“I’ve worked my body into exhaustion just trying to be the best that I can be. And do you know what? This skinny kid showed up out of nowhere and was better. Better at everything. Just naturally and effortlessly better. Because he’s special. He’s really got something special, a talent not just for singing and dancing and rapping, but he’s got this charisma that just makes everyone fall in love with him. And we need him.”