Lawsuit

Act One

"In true love the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged."

It was in mid-year of 2009 when the trio (Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu) filed a lawsuit against their own management, SM Entertainment, for unfair contracts and human rights. Months, weeks, days, and hours before the lawsuit was filed, the trio had already and earnestly talked about it with the other two members. Unfortunately, Yunho and Changmin were against them. As expectedly, the talk did not go smoothly as planned or, at least, hoped. Yunho was silent all throughout but anyone could tell that he was battling with his inner emotions, after all it was clearly written all over his face. And being the leader of a five member group, he had to be composed and open to all possibilities. Changmin, on the other hand, was crying like a lost child—though he tried to remain calm as much as possible. He had never thought that his hyungs would actually do such thing. Well maybe he had thought about it, but not this soon—not when they’re already soaring so high…together. All through his time spending with them, though he had never said it much, he actually loved his hyung so much that he’d actually do anything for them; that actually let them do this without complaining. He had to respect their decisions…although it pains him a lot.

They loved each other and will always will.

The patience of accepting criticisms from their fans, anti-fans, friends, families, and even from each other was really a need. They needed to be strong, if not for each one of them, then—at least—for their own selves. However, they never thought it would be so awkward standing beside each other on the same stage. Even when they were just next to each other, they all felt like a very wide gap was separating them already. And so, when the trio was given their freedom, TVXQ was never the same again.

…but they loved each other and will always will.

Act Two

“If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.”

Changmin could not believe it. He thought he was getting crazy. No matter what best he tried to give, no matter how hard he tried his brain to process correctly, five minus three would always result to zero. It confused him to the core. So, he just laughed his own stupidity for not being able to solve such a simple math. Where did the genius go? What happened to all his studies and honors? He laughed more. But the last thing that confused him is that the harder he laughed, the stronger the tears would fall from his eyes. He’s happy, right?

“Yup! It’s certified. I’m going crazy.”

Jaejoong would always snicker at the fan’s logic. Often times, he read from their website that five minus one would always equal to zero…so on and so forth. It made him baffle to the extent that maybe, just maybe, they were actually right, but then, he believed that his past teachers taught him how to do math correctly. He sighed hard and called for his two dongsaengs, Yoochun and Junsu. When he found his own soul alone and cold in his new apartment that night, he started to think twice again.

“Maybe the fans were actually right all along.”

Act Three

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

“They’re returning as TVXQ.”

Jaejoong glanced at Yoochun, who was practically busy sniffing the glowing cancer-carrier stick. He coughed a little when Yoochun blew the smoke at him. When Jaejoong punched his arm, although it kinda hurt him a bit, Yoochun just shrugged it off, fully knowing that his soulmate was not in the good mood.

“They’ve moved on.”

And Yoochun couldn’t agree more.

He was angry. No—he was furious. How could they keep the name when they promised to only use it when all of them were together?

TVXQ…Rising Gods of the East

The name just sounded so empty, especially when there were two of them to keep it—to keep it alive. As a leader, Yunho believed that he had to bear the pressure and burdens the other people were giving him. He should not let them look down on him. Ignoring all the hatred and threats of some fans, if they were still one, he promised to himself that would protect the name. It was not like he had other choice anyway. He was trapped by the arms of another, breathing the air that suffocated him.

“I’m better than this.”

Act Four

“Everyone believes that if you’ve got nothing good to say, you better say nothing at all.”

The struggle that JYJ had to fight kept on coming. People keep turning them down—even their ‘family’ that they once knew. Japan turned them down, and it pained them to the point that it made them think that maybe even their own country, Korea, had turned them as enemies—betrayer.

“Was it wrong to fight for my rights?”

Junsu sighed. He read his script again and again but the words seemed like foreign to him. Well, he was still glad he had musicals. He was happy that he could still sing.

“Don’t let their words affect you.” Yoochun said. “We’re much stronger than they think.” He added.

Carrying Jiji in between his arms, Jaejoong entered the room and joined the other two. He let the cat go the moment he reached them, and hugged the pair.

“I love you, guys. You know that, right?”

When Jaejoong saw the smiles on their faces, the sting in his heart slowly faded away.

“We love you, too, hyung.”

Jaejoong beamed and they hugged each other again, tighter this time. He knew he could survive this—they could survive this. They still have fans…Cassiopeia.

“Keep your head up and keep an open mind……….I guess I should I tweet that.”

They all laughed.

Act Five

“Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.”

“Have you heard the song?”

Changmin asked at the other man, who seemed to be busy browsing some stuffs on the net. When the other did not reply, he tried to ask again. This time the man caught it.

“What song do you actually mean?”

The man looked at Changmin and sighed. He perfectly knew what the younger one meant but he was just too afraid to admit it. In fact, he really barely knew what he was feeling.

“I mean the song.”

Changmin took a sit beside the other man tried to peek what the other was busying at. Unfortunately, the older one kept blocking his view.

“No. I don’t plan to.”

It had been awhile already when he kept nagging the man to buy at least one of their CDs. All he received was a short ‘No’. Changmin shook his head lightly and stood up. He suddenly paused when an article displayed on the monitor screen caught his attention. Then, continued his way after leaving a short chuckle.

“Yeah right…lie all you want, hyung.”

He left the other man alone in the living room as he made way to his own room. The guy won’t probably even notice his departure since he was too preoccupied reading a certain lyrics and earphones with a certain song playing.

“Nine is actually a nice song.”

Act Six

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”

The trio was happy that they were able to perform and to participate TV shows again. Though it was not like before, they were still glad. Also, they were happier to see the other two on TV. Even though they were not able to contact each other, they knew and believed that their friendship just couldn’t die easily. Even if people will compare them against one another, there’ll be nothing to worry about; that was included to the fact that they absolutely knew each other so well than any other else. As Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu watched their two friends perform one of their hit song, How Can I? , the hope in them burns alive. Someday, they’ll share that stage together again when everything is cleared…when all of them are truly happy.

Yeah…they liked that.

It was one of their rare free times when Yunho and Changmin watched some shows on TV. Yunho continued to flick some random channel and Changmin continued stuffing his mouth with anything edible. When actually bored from watching random dramas and random new idols (they don’t even know…yet), the younger one took the privilege to turn off the square annoying box and Yunho hurriedly inserted a CD, he secretly bought, into the stereo. A song started to unknowingly soothe them.

“I thought you would never buy a CD of them.”

Yunho looked at Changmin the grinned at him.

“Sorry…don’t remember.”

The younger sighed and closed his eyes, as he lay comfortable on the sofa, remembering the never forgotten days of the past seven years. He felt the other side deepen. Yunho had joined him. When a certain part came from the song, they found themselves singing along.

Our paths will cross again. I am thinking about you every time I close my eyes. You’re everything.
It is still natural that you are by our side.
We will keep your place here, until the day we can meet again.
We believe that we can laugh together with you once again.

Yes, they all believe that their time will come again. They’ll rise higher. They’ll glow brighter. They’ll be stronger than before. When this mess is gone, they’ll be back again. They loved each other and forever will. Because when they five of them are together, they are one—

One heart,

One mind,

One soul,

One smile,

One heart,

One voice,

One melody,

One song.

One TVXQ.