Shampoo – After School

“I want to be the shampoo on your hair as I fall down the side, the thick scent of me there…”

Changmin frowned, pausing as he ran his hands through his hair, the water cascading around him. Slowly, he picked up the shampoo bottle he had just put down with his soap sudded hands. He tilted his head to the side as he read the bottle, and closed his eyes in thought. He’s smelled this before. Squinting his eyes, the boy sighed as the memories came back. Junsu always used that shampoo when they were together. Everything he owned smelled like the strawberry flavor coming from that bottle, and he was easy to find because of it. It took a few moments of thinking for Changmin to decide whether he should use it or not, but eventually groaned and washed out the shampoo with a different scent. It would just be too painful.

Love In The Ice – DBSK

“Everyone is searching for a place that can take away the sorrow and loneliness. So… for you, that place is here…”

Yunho bit his lip, standing awkwardly and forcing a smile as their song played on the radio he was attending, Super Junior’s Kiss the Radio. Leeteuk and Eunhyuk cast side glances at Yunho, frowning as they realized what was being played. Yunho shook his head at them, smiling despite. Listening to “Love In The Ice” just wasn’t the same without those three there… He couldn’t escape it. Yunho was missing one of the best parts of himself.

Don’t Love – F.T Island

“All I see around are your shadows. I guess I must face this overwhelming pain knowing that I still long for you night and day…”

Yoochun growled as yet another DBSK song began blasting through the car’s speakers and his manager quick changed the station. That was the fifth time that day that he had to hear those two sing without himself, Jaejoong, and Junsu. It hurt, but he did his best to avoid it. That was quite hard to do, considering he was plagued with nighmares the previous night pertaining to them and now their songs were everywhere. He leaned his cheek upon his hand and looked out the window, just in time to catch two tall figures walk on the sidewalk next to the car. No… it couldn’t be… or was it? Yoochun sighed, closing his eyes. They were everywhere he looked, the shadows of their time together as a group following his every move, and he couldn’t escape no matter how hard he tried.

Don Don! – Super Junior

“The world that is happy with what it already has. Although the dreamers leave one by one, it doesn't change…”

Jaejoong laughed as Junsu continued to belt out his heart at noraebang. Although they were only trainees, Junsu always tried his hardest when performing, regardless of the circumstances. Jaejoong found it admirable, and it had him work harder knowing he had someone working as hard as Junsu as a trainee with him. Junsu finished his song and plopped down next to Jaejoong on the couch, shooting him a grin. “When we debut, I hope it feels as good as this. Singing and throwing your heart out for everyone to see…” Junsu said breathily, his eyes glazing over as he thought of the future. Jaejoong smiled, shaking his head at his friend. “Me too,” he replied. And he did.

Flea – Clazziquai Project

“This flea is you and I. It’s a bad thing, but a little thing. But a little thing…”

Junsu groaned running his hands through his hair as Changmin’s voice cracked again. Changmin’s eyes widened and immediately went downcast while Junsu stood up from his chair and clenched his fists. “How are we going to put on a good performance like this? How can you actually expect us to do well when you can’t pull your weight? Do it again,” he hissed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. After closing his eyes for a moment and taking a breath, he looked back to see Changmin standing with tears pricking his eyes. Junsu immediately felt guilt for his outburst and sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair yet again. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, walking over to Changmin with a small smile and placing a hand on the young boy’s shoulder. “I guess it gets to all of us, sometimes, right?” Changmin looked nervous for a moment before returning Junsu’s smile with his own, and began to sing. His voice didn’t crack the next time.

Come Back You Bad Person – Kahi

“Hey you, why am I dancing? Why do I sing? The thing I love is you. I can’t breathe…”

Changmin cast a gaze to the crowd of Americans he was performing to at some KBS concert, continuing to sing “his” lines in Rising Sun. Well, they weren’t all his to begin with. They were given to him after… they needed someone to sing them… Usually, he could sing the song with ease and not think about what it meant to sing the song with only two of the members present, but this time was different. He didn’t know why, but his voice became caught in his throat and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He was about to sing, and he just couldn’t get the words out. No, no, no… This couldn’t be happening. The memories flooded to him and he looked over to Yunho, catching his eye. Yunho read the panicked look in the maknae’s eyes and quickly took over his line as Changmin tried to catch his breath. It was hard when it was just the two of them. He knew this now more than ever.

I Did Wrong – 2AM

“Saying sorry is all because of you. Saying that I’ll change is all because of you. I know my heart is aching but it keeps repeating…”

Yunho frowned as the crying boy in front of him covered his eyes and turned his head to the side. It was embarrassing, Yunho thought, for a boy he could call hyung to be crying like a baby in front of him. He didn’t mean to hurt his feelings… or did he? It was hard to remember. He had been so stressed recently… Yunho reached over and placed his head on Jaejoong’s shoulder, who looked up at him with tearfilled eyes. “I’m sorry. I won’t do that anymore, okay?” Jaejoong turned his head to the side, an indignant look on his face as if to deny he was upset, although the tears said otherwise. Yunho slowly leaned over and pulled the boy in his arms. They had a long way to go, but it would all be okay in the end. It would get better.

Sad Story – Loveholic

“How should I know rain comes again? Tell me why you're leaving me again. Please don't go. Stay here however, now and forever. Come back to me...”

Yoochun tilted his head to the side squinting as he watched Yunho repeat his lines for the new drama he was auditioning for, his broken English improving time after time. Yoochun must have seen Yunho act out that scene at least 50 times, yet after every time Yunho would ask him to stay at help him more and more. When Yunho finished the 50^th time, he turned to Yoochun and asked for his opinion. Of course, Micky wanted to leave and desperately tried to tell Yunho that it wasn’t going to improve anymore and it was good enough. He turned to leave, grasping the door handle of the practice room as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, Yoochun came face to face with Yunho. “Please,” he heard the slightly-older boy whisper to him, and Yoochun sighed, a small smile on his face, and before he knew it he found himself agreeing. The smile on Yunho’s face was worth it.

Time Please Stop – Davichi

“Just because they're words, does it all make sense how are you saying bye to me? I don't understand those words. I'll pretend I didn't hear it. The feet walking away, stop right there…”

Jaejoong frowned, casting gazes at Junsu and Yoochun as silent words were said. Turning back to Changmin and Yunho, he found himself whispering to them. “Why,” he asked, “won’t you come with us? How can you just end it like this?” He knew that the words were hypocritical, he was the one leaving the company after all, not the other two. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder why Changmin and Yunho were refusing to sue SM Entertainment. They were choosing SM Entertainment over their group, over their well-being. Jaejoong frowned as he heard Junsu break into soft sobs from next to him, and looked around to see that all of the other members were also crying. Jaejoong sighed, feeling his own tears lightly kiss his cheeks. It was pretty clear that Jaejoong, Junsu, and Yoochun were leaving SM Entertainment, and Changmin and Yunho weren’t going with them.

Nothing Lasts Forever – Girl’s Day

“There’s no use; you’ve gotta do better cause nothing lasts forever…”

Junsu frowned, looking at DBSK’s debut album sales on the internet. He didn’t believe it. Was that it? No, no… there had to be more, right? But no, the first day of sales didn’t achieve the goal the company set for them. They failed. Junsu breathed a shaky breath, grabbing his own copy and placing it in his stereo. He turned up the volume and examined every song, every line, every note… What went wrong? Hours later, he still didn’t have the answer. One thing he did know, however, was that they needed to do better. They needed to be a better DBSK for their fans, their company, and themselves. Nothing lasts forever, after all, but they might as well try…

Café – Big Bang

“You don’t need me anymore? Please don’t say that. Do you mean that you hate me now? Lying to yourself…”

Changmin shook his head as one of his anti fans ran up to his table at the fan singing, spewing countless amounts of rumors from her lips. That he’s dating a Japanese actress, that he said he doesn’t like his fans, that Yoochun said in an interview that he hated him… wait… what?! Changmin blurted out, before he could help himself, “Where did he say that?” The anti laughed as security grabbed her arms and pulled her away, not waiting for her to answer. Changmin frowned, looking down at the table and trying to force a smile as more fans rushed up to the table. His mind was elsewhere, however. Although the other three were gone for a little bit, he didn’t know this meant they were over? Did their time together really mean nothing? Was it even worth it anymore?

Windflower – Jisun feat. Alex

“At least once, I want to become a flower that blooms in your heart. My feelings scatter inside you like the wind...”

Yunho pouted (yes, pouted) as he gazed over at the sleeping Junsu who was leaning his head against the car on the ride back to their dorm. He worked really hard, and although he was sick that day he knew he had to sing for the fans and s. Junsu shivered and coughed softly in his sleep, and Yunho frowned. He was going to get sicker like that. Yunho slid his jacket off silently and placed it over Junsu like a blanket, who took it sleepily with a smile. Yunho shook his head with a slight smile. It was moments like this that he knew everything that he had done to get to where he was was worth it.

Sixth Sense – Brown Eyed Girls

“Don’t reach out on your will, just sit. Wait for a chance and when you get it…”

Yoochun shook his head, laughing to himself as he was told a story from the staff at one of his schedules about how Changmin was there the other day and while Brown Eyed Girls were performing, a few people caught him moving his hands to the music. Yoochun snickered, wishing he was able to picture such an event in his head. “Like this?” he heard a voice from behind him. Yoochun’s eyes widened and he whipped his head around, looking to find Changmin behind him moving his hands the way BEG does in their dance. He laughed, embarrassed, and placed a hand behind his head. “Long time no see…” Before the words could slide off his tongue, Yoochun was already throwing his arms around the maknae and hugging him like he never had before. It had been so long… too long…

On Rainy Days – Beast

“I am just disappointed in myself for not being able to get a hold of you because of that pride…”

Jaejoong froze as Yoochun told him the news. Had he really run into Changmin? Did he really invite them to talk? He couldn’t believe it. Such a thing couldn’t happen, right? He resisted it at first, but before he knew it, he was risked off the dorms he knew so well, and he was ringing the bell, Yoochun and Junsu behind him. Before he could even see clearly who the figure was opening the bell, he shut his eyes and leapt at them, wrapping his arms tightly around their body. He still couldn’t tell who it was as he felt more arms wrap around him and the other person, until all five were hugging. He felt tears fall on his face, and muffled voices speaking. Yoochun was right. It had been entirely too long, and he had never felt more guilty in his entire life.

Mirotic – DBSK

“You want me, you've fallen for me, you're crazy for me…”

Junsu laughed as the five of them together as DBSK did their best to remember all of the choreography for Mirotic as they practiced together in the room they rented. There were a lot of stumbles and a lot of face-planting, but no one cared. It was beyond practicing at that point, it was the start of a new beginning. The start of their time together again. It was different than it was when they debuted. Just as Junsu was lost in his thoughts, Jaejoong bumped into him and the two fell to the ground in a tangled mess and laughs. Sure, it would take time to perform again, but did that really matter at this point? Junsu didn’t think so.

All I Want For Christmas Is You – Fluxus Music

“I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree…”

DBSK laughed together as a joke was shared, each taking sips of their hot chocolate as they gazed upon the Christmas tree in front of them. They didn’t need to really say what Christmas meant to them that year, it was quite obvious to all five of them. They were back together, finally, as a group, as brothers. DBSK was back for good, and no present from Santa could ever beat the gift they got that year. They were together and happy again. It really was a merry Christmas…