Joongi discovered that people are at peak judgemental mode at 6 in the morning. From Heechul's neighbour, to the taxi driver, to the convenience store owner, to his own neighbour from the first floor who passed him while she was getting her mail. Joongi glares back at the snooty cool couple till they go along their merry way before he heads to the elevators.

Unfortunately for him, the side-eye isn't over because Yunho steps out of the elevator he was waiting for. "Well hello!" Yunho gives Joongi a onceover and smirks. "Top of the morning to ya!"

"Yeah whatever..." Joongi throws his crumpled suit jacket on his forearm. "What's with the luggage?" Joongi points at the two large suitcases on either side of Yunho. Yunho drags them out of the elevator and unceremoniously transfers one of them in Joongi's free hand. "I'll treat you to Jaejoong's tofu soup in return..." that's enough of an incentive for Joongi to follow Yunho with the bag.

Yunho leads him to a Mercedes G-class parked near the gate. The rain that ceased a couple of hours ago has left droplets of water on it and a scattering of leaves on the roof and hood.

After unlocking it, Yunho directs Joongi to squeeze the suitcase in the back while he took the other suitcase to the boot. When Joongi peeks inside, he finds two duffel bags on the front seat and a box at the foot of the seat.

Joongi jams the wide suitcase on the backseat before shutting the door when Yunho returns wiping his wet hands on his front. "So, do you want to have breakfast first or later?"

"I need to go home first..." Joongi glances at the bags inside the car. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Jaejoong and I are moving..."

Joongi's eyes bulge out in surprise. "You're moving!? Why? Is it because of me?"

"Because of the pool." Joongi frowns at Yunho's random reason. "Besides, I don't think someone doing the walk of shame is a threat."

"What!" Joongi squeaks. "I'm- I'm not!"

"Please! It's barely 6:30 in the morning, you're obviously wearing the same clothes from yesterday and," Yunho pulls the ed top half of Joongi's shirt to the side to reveal a love bite on his collarbone and urgent fingernail lines disappearing behind his shoulder, "all the signs of an exciting night." There’s also a familiar scent but Yunho doesn’t get into that.

 Joongi yanks his shirt out of Yunho's grip and holds it close. He doesn't respond verbally because he doesn't want to name the person he hooked up with. And mostly because he doesn’t know if there’s going to be another encounter of that kind. "You're moving out today?"

"Partially... Most of the furniture and appliances were part of the apartment. So we're going to move only our own stuff gradually." Yunho nudges Joongi back to the building. While they wait for the elevator, Yunho checks his surroundings to make sure they have no eavesdroppers. "I don't know if the person keeping tabs on your brother told you but Minyoung saw him yesterday."

"I heard..." Joongi sighs, the dread of what Minyoung might have gone through returning. "Do you know how Minyoung is doing?"

"I will in a bit..."

Joongi takes little consolation in that. He would love to see her himself, but he doesn't want to cause her more stress with his presence. Their conversation dies after that when they enter the elevator and part at their respective floors.

Joongi drags his feet past the door and closes it behind. Taking a few moments to let the effects of a sleepless night and early wakeup call sink in. His cold has vanished but the lack of rest has worsened.

He could really sleep well into the afternoon but first, he wants to have breakfast with Jaejoong. The reminder of Jaejoong's meal has him wobble over to his bedroom so he can clean up and go to Yunho and Jaejoong's apartment.

He waves at the people who greet him with a good morning and goes to his bedroom. He leaves his bag on the bed before throwing the crumpled jacket in the laundry basket, followed by his shirt.

He belatedly remembers he had a tie on yesterday. It seems he's forgotten it at Heechul's. Well now he can stop by her place to pick it up.

After washing his face and while putting on a sweatshirt, his refreshed higher faculties recalls two people greeting him moments ago. In his house. Where he lives. Alone.

Joongi stumbles back in to his living room and discovers he's not hallucinating. His father and brother are there on his couch, sipping coffee from his new coffee mugs.

Minho smirks behind his cup, "Never thought I'd see my brother doing the walk of shame."

"I'm-" Joongi almost blurted that automatic denial but remembers that's not important right now. "How did you get in?"

"You gave me a spare key remember? I wouldn't have had to use it if you were here." Sangchul declares before his face breaks into a grin. "Who's the girl?"

 It is the worst time to blush, Joongi knows, but he still does. At least he remembers something important and runs back to his room where his phone is. He grabs it from his bed and dials a number urgently. It's answered in the first ring.

"Yun- Jaejoong?... shower... no, it's okay. He actually called me for breakfast but something came up and I can't make it... No! don't bring it over!... okay, I'll stop by later. Bye..." Joongi hangs up, breathing heavily like he ran a mile.

"Did you just call Jaejoong?" Joongi yelps when his father sneaks up on him. He barely gets over it when Minho gets in his face. "Jaejoong's coming here?"

Before Joongi can even respond to that, Sangchul is tugging Minho by his shirt to face him, "How do you know Jaejoong?"

"She's a friend. How do you know Jaejoong?"

"She's your new stepmother."

"ABEOJI!" His sons have no sense of humour, Sangchul decides, rubbing his poor ears.

Joongi looks between his father and brother in irritation. Why is he not getting the courtesy of being informed about their sudden presence in his house?

"Family meeting." Sangchul deadpans. Apparently exhaustion is making Joongi think aloud.

 It's still not enough of an explanation. So Joongi eyes Minho for answers. "Don't ask me!" Minho shrugs, "He dragged me out here from bed as if I'm going to miss my class again."

Joongi has seen Sangchul yanking a 12-year-old Minho by his foot and throwing him to an army of house-staff who would dress him up for school when he overslept. So he can totally imagine that happened today too.

"Abeoji, please... I'm drowsy on cold meds. My attention span is as thin as a thread right now. So just cut the suspense."

"Okay!" Sangchul points at Minho, "He's staying with you for a few hours. I'm sure you can let him borrow some comfy clothes for a while."

"Abeoji, what are you trying to-"

"You're not making sense, Abeoji-"

"zip it both of you!" Sangchul growls in that stern manner both of them are still terrified of. "You two are fighting. And it's not like when you were kids. You are adults now and you need to sort this out."

"Abeoji, locking us up in detention isn't going to help..." Joongi sighs and Minho agrees.

"This is not detention. You're just going to stay here for a while. I will send someone to pick you both up and bring you to my little party." Before they could ask what he means by party, Sangchul motions at them to shush. "I'm not telling you the time. So you both better not go anywhere. Dress comfortable."

 "Why would we do this?" Minho's rude query has Joongi rolling his eyes. Always asking the important questions, isn't he?

"Because if you don't, I'm going to sell 1% of your stock for every hour you don't show up."

Joongi and Minho wince at the very real threat. On two separate occasions, Joongi and Minho were caught smoking when they were teens, Sangchul deducted one percent each of the stocks they were slated to inherit. They have never taken his threat lightly ever since.

 "Good, if we're all in agreement, I'll see you later." With that, Sangchul is out of the room and out of the house.

By themselves in that room now, Joongi and Minho look at each other and scowl. But Joongi can't keep it up when his face breaks into a yawn.

 "I'm going to