A/N: Hey everyone ^^ Here's the long awaited update...I'll try and update more regularly from now on, okay? I'm so sorry it's taken so long - months to be exact. I've been dealing with school and other things. I hope this chapter is satisfactory, though. ^^

The fall months turned to winter - the days passing by slowly.

Onew sighed, looking down at the dishes he was washing. His hands were emerged in the hot water, bubbles rising all the way up to the tops of his wrists. He stared at his hands for a while, ignoring the slight pain it caused for him to keep his hands underneath the seemingly boiling dish water, but then focused his attention back to his task at hand. He scrubbed at a bowl, his thoughts stumbling around in his head.

After the call from Jonghyun that one night, Onew hadn't heard from SHINee's former member. No one else had either. He had interrogated all of Super Junior, asking them if they've heard at least something from him - but they told him that they had just about as much luck as Onew. They apparently hadn't heard anything at all from him.

He was worried about him. What if something happened to him? What if he was hurt again? What if he was starving?

SHINee's leader shook his head, irritated with himself for worrying again. He rinsed the suds from the bowl he had been washing and passed it to Taemin, who was helping him dry.

"Thank you~!" Taemin sang, soaking up all the water on the object with the white towel he was holding in his hands. Onew offered him a weak smile. "Sure..."

Onew picked up another dish, preparing to wash it as well - but set it back down again, preferring to stare out the window at the falling snow instead.

Taemin watched him, quietly putting the dry dishes away. "What are you thinking about?"

"Mmm..." Onew pursed his lips, still not taking his eyes off the snow. He was staring down at the street, his eyes blank, but they focused again when he turned to look at Taemin. "Nothing," he lied, returning back to washing.

SM Entertainment had finally given up on getting Jonghyun back. They hadn't yet told the press that Jonghyun had run away, but they had told the fans that Jonghyun would be on hiatus and was visiting his family. For how long, no one knew.

But now that half a year had passed by without any sign of Jonghyun, Onew knew SM was going to officially say that Jonghyun wouldn't be coming back. He had heard their manager talking about it with Soo Man. They said that if Jonghyun hadn't returned in four weeks, then they were going to announce that he was no longer a part of SHINee. And when that happened - Jonghyun wouldn't ever be able to come back again, even if he really wanted to. The thought of that plagued Onew's mind every night.

Onew could feel Taemin’s brown orbs staring into his back, burning with curiosity and an eagerness to know what was on Onew’s mind. The maknae probably already had a guess. Jonghyun was on all of their minds all the time. Onew ignored those eyes, brushing them off, and went back to washing the dishes with renewed vigor; he couldn’t allow himself to think about Jonghyun or allow himself to sink back into the deep depths of depression. He could feel it some days, just sitting there, its grubby hand wrapped around his ankle, prepared to pull him back in at any second.

“Taemin,” Onew suddenly asked the taller, younger male beside him. Taemin, having just put the rice cooker away from breakfast this morning, slid down from his tippy-toes and looked at him. He didn’t say anything, just looked at him. “Taemin,” Onew repeated. “Sing a song for me.”

Taemin tilted his head, a little confused and surprised the sudden request. “Sure, hyung.” He leaped up onto the counter, laughing when Onew warned not to let Key see him. “What song should I sing?”

Onew shrugged his shoulders. “Anything,” Anything to keep his mind from wandering.

Taemin thought for a few minutes, and then softly began to sing, hesitantly and shyly at first.

“Please don’t hesitate, I’m yours, I’m yours~”

Onew found himself smiling at the familiar song. Taemin had been singing it around the dorm as of late, though only Onew himself and Key could understand the actual lyrics truly.

When the song ended, Onew raised his hands from the sink and clapped his soapy hands together with another bright smile. Taemin’s cheeks flushed and he looked down shyly again, kicking his feet against the counter. “Thanks, hyung,” he murmured.

There was silence between them for a while - but it wasn't as tense as before. It was a companionable silence.

“I love you, Taemin.” Onew said out of the blue, returning his hands back to the water with another small smile.

Taemin looked up and smiled. “I love you too, hyung.” The maknae didn’t ask why he said it. He didn’t need to. He knew why. Onew loved all of them.

 
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“Hyung,” Kyuhyun paused and turned his head, his eyes finding Jonghyun’s shorter figure. His brown orbs widened in surprise. What was he doing out here? "Jonghyun? What are you doing? It's cold. You'll get sick," the Super Junior member frowned. Jonghyun ignored his words of concern and made his way down the street towards Kyuhyun, a beanie and a mask on.

“Hyung,” he repeated. “Can I ask a favor from you?”

 Kyuhyun frowned, resuming his walk, though now, with Jonghyun by his side. “Sure, shoot,” he said. Why wasn’t he asking one of the other hyungs? Why him?

 “…Will you tell me about a mistake you made; a mistake that made your whole team suffer or that let them down?”

 Kyuhyun’s eyes widened and he stared at the younger, shorter male. “…What?” Where did that question come from? Why was he asking it so randomly? What made him think that Kyuhyun would share such personal information? And most of all - why did Jonghyun need it?

 He found the answer to all of his questions quickly, not even really having to think about it. The seriousness, the need, the desperation in Jonghyun’s eyes…this mattered, this was going to be an important role in deciding Jonghyun’s future.

 So he told a story.

                                                                                            ..........................................................................................

“Minho~!” Key clung to Minho’s arm, like a koala would a branch. Minho fought to keep from rolling his eyes; ignoring the cutesy, aegyo look and voice the other was trying to bait him with.

“No.”

"Pleaaase?”

“No.”

“Plea-“

“No!” Minho wrenched his arm free from Key’s grasp and glared at him. “I’m not going inside with you! I’m not a girl, Key.”

“I didn’t say you were~!” Key whined, looking from Minho to the clothes store and then back again. “Please, Minho? Let’s just look arou-“

“Looking around means buying in your case, and I am not going to be your piggy bank!”

Five minutes of begging and fake tears later, found a sour Minho and a triumphant Key inside the clothes store. Minho didn't want to be here, and made sure Key knew that, but a part of him was actually glad for the time he and the older male were spending together. SHINee hadn't had much free time as of late and they rarely ever got to spend any of it together, so it was a nice change.

He stood by the changing door, his arms crossed over his chest and a slight frown on his face as he waited for the diva male. "Key, hurry up," he called.

"Stop being so impatient, Choi Minho," Key huffed, his voice muffled through the door. Minho could hear the rustle of fabric and knew he was trying on yet another garment.

"You've been in there for an hour! I've been counting!" Minho shot back, in which Key responded with a 'Good for you, Minho! You can count!' Minho just rolled his eyes, shifting his position against the wall. Now he was regretting his earlier feelings, when he said he was glad for Key's company. Why couldn't Taemin have taken Key out shopping? Why did it have to be him? "Just hurry up, will you? I'm tired of standing here. People are going to recognize me sooner or later," he had a disguise on, as usual, but he was receiving stares from costumers.

Bored, Minho decided to walk around some. It was better than standing there waiting for Key at least, clothes store or not. He picked up a necklace as he walked by one of the display tables, twirling the charm in his fingers before setting it back down again and moving over to the next rack of clothes. I swear, if he doesn't hurry up... ​Minho heaved a sigh and then looked up when he heard the bell at the door ding.

...Why did they look somewhat familiar?

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They walked in silence for a while, Jonghyun taking the time to register Kyuhyun's words in his head. He had done as Leeteuk had advised him. He had gone to every Super Junior member and had asked them to tell him a story of how they had failed their group. Surprisingly, every one of them had told him a story – even Heechul, who hadn’t wanted to in the beginning.

“Where were you going, hyung?” Jonghyun eventually broke the silence between them.

The maknae sighed quietly, “Clothes Store. I have to pick up Eunhyuk’s suit.”

“Isn’t that what your managers are for?” Jonghyun asked, peering over at him curiously. “How come you have to do it?”

Kyuhyun just shrugged, not answering his question. He probably didn’t know the answer either. “I hate doing errands…” was all he said.

Because they were walking, it took them about an hour to reach that part of town. Jonghyun didn’t mind though. He hadn’t had much of a chance to walk around town, not since his injury at least. It was too risky. Kyuhyun opened the door to the little shop, holding it open for Jonghyun to walk in after him. “You go walk around,” the taller male told him, casting him a quick glance over his shoulder. “I won’t take long.”

Jonghyun nodded and told Kyuhyun to take his time, deciding to walk around some. He didn’t pay attention to the rest of the costumers. There were only two people beside Kyuhyun and himself in here anyway. 

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Minho couldn’t believe his eyes. He really couldn’t. That was Kyuhyun, he was certain of it. Who was with him though? And why did he look so familiar? Was it Donghae?

Deciding to investigate, for it would be rude not to greet his hyungs, Minho walked over to the shorter member of the two Super Junior members with a smile on his face. “Hey, hyung,” he said, looping an arm around his shoulder and hugging him tight against his side. He hadn’t gotten a good look at his face yet, but he was sure it was Donghae.

                                                                                    ...........................................................................................................

“M-Minho...?” Jonghyun squeaked, recognizing that voice anywhere. His mind was screaming in panic.

Oh God, oh God…Where was Kyuhyun?

He heard Minho’s deep, throaty chuckle.  It was enough to bring tears to Jonghyun’s eyes. He’d missed the sound of the young rapper’s laugh. He missed the sound of his voice and the feeling of warmth and security that his hugs had always given him. “Why are you so tense, Donghae-hyung? What’s wrong? I didn’t scare you right?”

Donghae? He thought he was Donghae? Jonghyun didn’t know if he was hurt or relieved by that.

“Hyung? You okay?” Minho’s voice was concerned. Jonghyun didn’t dare turn to look at him. He didn’t have to. He could already imagine the way Minho looked right now – dark brown eyes a lighter shade in concern, eyebrows narrowed just enough to slightly crinkle the sides of his eyes.

Jonghyun’s mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something to the rapper but not knowing what and not wanting to give himself away. It was a surprise that Minho didn’t recognize his voice from saying his name earlier.

Where the hell was Kyuhyun? Why wasn’t he here?

Before Jonghyun could think of anything, Minho had placed both his hands on his shoulders and turned him around against his will, gazing down at him with the look Jonghyun had imagined he’d have.

Jonghyun didn’t have the time to duck his head – plus, Minho had already seen his face.