It was at a private company event in the spring that Hyukjae next got to see the two friends that he missed for so long.

Studying them, unobserved, from a couple of tables over, he was happy to see that they appeared much improved from the last time he had seen them, their smiles more natural and their body language more relaxed. He made no attempt to approach them, instead watching as Yunho 'worked the room'.

That Yunho was a past master of these events became obvious fairly soon to anyone who cared to watch as he flowed smoothly into and out of diverse groups. For years Changmin had followed at his elbow, rarely speaking but apparently absorbing like a sponge. Today, the younger was missing from his customary position.

Hyuk shifted slightly in his chair, scanning the room to spot Changmin's tall, lean form. Hyuk's gaze caught up with him as he was extricating himself from a group of laughing, touching women. With a comment that provoked yet another wave of laughter from the entire group, he was allowed to exit, smiling, and with only the faintest of blushes on his cheeks.

Hyuk followed Changmin's movement around 'his' side of the large hall. The flow of his progress ws slightly different, his attention focused more on the younger groups in his path, the social dance was not a mirror image of Yunho's but one of his own, in his own unique style. Still there was no doubt that he had been well schooled.

With a self-deprecating snort at his musings, he brought his attention back to his own table, to find his team leader peering at him under raised brows. Leeteuk was not only his leader and radio co-host, but a dear friend. Hyuk responded to his silent inquiry with a half smile and a small shrug that he knew Teuk would easily translate to 'not important, tell you later'. Teuk just nodded and turned to speak to the young woman seated next to him. Glad that his own round of required mingling had been completed earlier, Hyuk relaxed and joined the multiple conversations among s.

More than an hour had passed when two strong, well-shaped hands landed on Hyuk's shoulders.

"Hello, Hyukjae. It's been awhile." Hyuk turned to be greeted by the kind of wide, even smile that only modern dentistry can produce.

"Hey, Yunho." Hyuk, and Hae, seated beside him, rose to embrace first Yunho, and then Changmin, who had quietly joined them.

"Geez, Min, I could swear you're taller." Changmin's mismatched eye grin twinkled back at Hyuk. "Nope, just taller boot heels."

Chairs were shuffled while other greetings were exchanged and the two joined the momentarily interrupted conversation going at the table with the ease of long acquaintance and familiarity. Most of the people that had congregated to this table had known each other since training days. Talk was relaxed and, for the most part, informal among this group. Remeniscences mixed with the latest gossip or discussion of new trainees thought to be particularly talented.

The entire table arose, enmasse, bowing respectfully, as a small group of the companies board of directors approached, doing their own last round of the evening. While some stopped to greet Teuk as group leader, others, spotting several leaders here together, made their way around the table.

The older man that stopped to greet Yunho was familiar and well respected. Receiving the gentleman's words of encouragement for his group's latest endeavors with proper humility. Yunho's responses of gratitude and promise of future hard work were as immaculate as the designer suit crafted onto his athletic frame.

Hyuk managed to maintain his bow at the optimum respectful angle even as his mind flashed back to the provincial kid with the cute bunny smile and the energetic dance moves.

Duty done, the elders moved on and the large group at the table, now free of company obligations, began breaking into smaller groups to move on the the rest of the evening.

"Yunho, Changmin ... do you have plans for the evening or can you join us for a drink?" Hyuk asked quickly before either could get lost in the crush.

"Actually," Changmin spoke up for both of them," we have a suite here in the hotel."

"We were hoping you would be able to join us there." Yunho added, reverting to more formal speech as the invitation was issued, his gesture including Hyukjae, Donghae, and the other members still standing around them.

"That sounds great," Hyuk accepted, smiling at Yunho's manner, "Let me get Jungsu's attention." he added, seeing his leader surrounded by a flock of beautiful females. He knew it would be even more difficult to extricate him if anymore time passed.

Taking out his cell phone and hitting three on his speed dial, he watched with amusement as Teuk excused himself from the chattering group to answer his call.

"Nei", Teuk spoke into his cupped hand over his phone without checking the caller ID.

"We're going up to Yunho and Changmin's suite for a drink", Hyuk told him without preamble.

"Where are you?" Teuk straightened up, looking around the slowly emptying hall, before turning back to their table.

"Right where you left me!" Hyuk quipped, giving Teuk a waggly finger wave from his position amid those preparing to go upstairs.

"This required a phone call?" Teuk asked, making his way around the large table, hanging up his phone as he walked.

"I was fairly sure that gaggle wasn't going to let you go unless I took quick and decisive action!" Hyukjae was still grinning at his strategy as he pocketed his phone as well.

Walking up between Changmin and Yunho, Teuk saw that his abandoned faire of ladies were noticing his absence.

"Then let's do make this quick and decisive!" he agreed, taking an arm of each of the taller men to move to the exit.

Their move from the massive conference center to the suite near the top floor was unremarked and unmolested in the very security conscious high-end hotel.

Inviting their guests into the living area of the large suite, Changmin moved to the kitchen area to let the serving staff know that guests were arriving while Yunho did duty as host, leading them to the bar to give their orders to the uniformed bartender stationed there, then circulating back through to the front door of the suite as more guests arrived.

Hyukjae realized that he had inadvertently intruded upon his friends plans as the rooms filled with young people from the company. Making his way to Leeteuk, he could see that the same  thought had crossed his mind as well.

"I hope we didn't make them feel obligated by our invitation." Teuk commented softly to him, while relieving Hyuk of sole responsibility by making the invitation 'ours'.

"You didn't", Changmin's unexpected reply from behind made both men jump.

Hyuk opened his eyes - that he had momentarily closed to regain his lost composure - only to spot the delighted face of his youngest member across the room ... who had been well aware of Changmin's silent approach. Changmin followed his glare and grinned widely as Kyu raised his glass in salute.

"Our invitation to you tonight was in no way obligation. You are actually the ones we most wanted here tonight. We deliberately delayed your invitation until the end of the evening to relieve you of any sense of responsibility, so that you can relax completely." Placing a reassuring hand on the shoulders of both men, he gave a gentle squeeze.

"Ahhh ... If you'll excuse me, he may need help with this one." With that cryptic comment, Changmin left them to cross the room to his partner, who was chatting with an obviously inebriated young man. Subtly removing the drink from the youngster's hand, Yunho soon had him sampling the delicious food being circulated and drinking water that Changmin had placed close at hand.

Changmin watched his partner unobtrusively, while chatting with another adolecent. As soon as Yunho's inebriated youth began to thank this well-respected senior for his hospitality, Changmin magically appeared at their side with his sober friend in tow.

Hyuk and Teuk watched variations on this same scene play out over the next two or three hours, as the youths attending, most of whom they barely recognized, were each spoken with, patted, praised and sent off into the night in small groups, designed unobtrusively by Yunho and Changmin, to get all parties back home unharmed.

Since Changmin had told them to relax, they sat back comfortably to watch the show. Some of their members got the drift of what was happening very quickly and began chatting up the youngsters. Taking their cues from Changmin, his dongsaengs talked business, asked about families and loved ones, and listened to the concerns of this group of talented young people. Directing his impromptu team with a nod or a glance or a lift of his chin, Changmin made sure every one was evaluated and got to spend time with Yunho and himself before the evening ended.

Finally, the door closed hehind the last small group.

Changmin tipped and dismissed the serving staff. Yunho paused only long enough to thank Teuk's members for their help before grabbing a fruit juice from the bar fridge, and making his way across the room to sink down on the couch between Teuk and Hyuk. Propping his feet on the hassock style coffe table, he slid down until his head reached Teuk's shoulder.

"You get to appa the next batch." The quiet statement elicited grins and soft chuckles from the entire room.

"I don't know ... I think the difference between a god and a granny maybe too far a stretch", was Teuk's soft reply. He could feel the shiver of Yunho's silent laugh along his side.

As the conversation expanded to include the others, Teuk, making eye contact with Donghae over Yunho's head, recieved only a small shrug in reply. The elegance of the decor in this very large suite in one of Seoul's premier hotels, combined with the uniformed serving staff at the ready, bespoke company sponsorship for the evenings get-together.

The lack of any kind of input or protest from the few company people that had attended also said that the duo had company backing for their actions. Well aware that all of their lifestyles required burning the candle at both ends, Teuk had to wonder just how many candles ... no ... more like flaming torches ... this pair had been juggling to achieve this level of trust from the company.

Putting his curiosity aside, Teuk relaxed into the easy camaraderie of the gathering. Everyone had spread themselves through out the spacious rooms, taking advantage of the various entertainments available. The music in the background, that had begun the evening as company only current hits, had graduated into an eclectic mix of old and new in multiple languages.

More than one set of eyes turned to their hosts, seated comfortably in a loose circle of Changmin's impromptu team, when a familiar husky voice, singing of 'love not meant to be' filled the room. The two only nodded to each other, swaying slightly to the beat of the haunting ballad, then turned back to their conversation with their helpers.

55555

The night wore into early morning and Hyuk began to think he might not get a chance to speak privately with either of his hosts. Sitting at the end of the over long L-shaped sofa with Hae on the floor leaned against his knee, he had been trying to come up with a way to get either or both of them alone.

Changmin's voice near his left ear was welcome, if unexpected.

"Can I get you guys anything?" The inquiry was smoothly polite, belying the mischief lurking in his eyes.

"An early warning system!?" Hyuk responded half seriously, having been startled yet again by Changmin's near silent approach.

"Now what fun would that be?" Hae's smothered laughter at Changmin's quip earned a glare that promised later retribution. Changmin made himself comfortable on the floor when Yunho joined them. The younger turned to prop an elbow on his hyung's knee, as Yunho settled beside Hyuk on the couch.

"I had hoped," Yunho began baldly, "that we would have a chance to talk about your last trip to Japan."

Hyukjae schooled his features to betray no trace of the sympathy that flowed up inside of him at the two eager, hungry expressions him. Any pretense of coolness or nonchalance had been abandoned, replaced by matched hopeful gazes.

"They sent this 'message'." Hyuk retrieved the rings that had been his constant companion for the last few months. Unwrapping them from the patterned silk handkerchief he habitually carried them in, he offered them politely.

Yunho accepted them and examined them for a silent moment. His smile was brilliant as his eyes lit on the inscription inside both. Hyuk knew as well as anyone what 'AKTF' supposedly meant, the rest of the inscription had left him baffled. Putting one on his finger and handing the other to Changmin, Yunho's satisfaction as he relaxed into the soft cushions was all too apparent.

"Tell us everything", Changmin said, with a smile that rivaled the Mona Lisa for mysterious.

And Hyukjae did, sparing no detail, for the rest of the night. Every impression, every word, every nuance, was shared unstintingly and every question was answered with as much thought and thoroughness as Hyuk could manage.

Eventually, having talked himself out, he sat silently observing the pair, both now seated on the couch beside him. Sandwiched between Yunho and Kyu, Changmin sat unmoving, his head on Yunho's shoulder, seeming to draw comfort from the posture. Yunho patted Changmin's leg absently in automatic response to his partners need.

Minutes passed slowly as each sat , lost in their private reflections. Then, taking a shuddering breath,Yunho reached out to grasp one of Hyuk's hands.

"Thank you", he said softly, "so very much. I don't think that there is any way for us to express to you how deeply grateful we are." Changmin reached to join their clasped hands,adding his own thanks without words.

"My pleasure", Hyuk squeezed both hands in his, doing his best to convey his understanding and sympathy to these two, who had been his friends for so many years.

Hyuk glanced around the room, noticing for the first time that he, Teuk, Hae and Kyu were the only ones of their group remaining. Thinking that this was the perfect time to make their own exit, Hyuk signaled Teuk with a questioning nod toward the door. At Teuk's affirmative response, he began to pat Hae's arms, that were wrapped loosely around him from behind, to let him know they were about to make a move, Hyuk was unsure if Hae, who had managed to wriggle himself behind and half under Hyuk at some point, was awake. A quick hug and movement of Hae's head in the middle of his back, told Hyuk he was awake if barely.

Rising to his feet and pulling Hae up behind him, he turned to say his farewells to Yunho and Changmin. "I have no schedule for the next two days, so give me a call if you're free and want to talk." Putting one arm around each of them, as they stood, he pulled them into a warm hug. "Remember that I'm available to either of you at any time."

Kyu and Teuk rose, and with Hae joined the embrace, attempting to surround the two, who had suffered so much pain, with their love and support.

There were no dry eyes when they broke apart and no embarrassment as arms were linked and hands clasped to them to the door. Saying their goodbyes at the door, Yunho and Changmin finally let Hyuk leave with a tight hug and quiet 'thank you' in his ear.