<< From: Key!

What would you do if you had a problem? >>

<< From: Woohyunnie~

Problems? What problems? kekeke I usually find a place to relax, and forget about it until I’m ready to confront it again~ fighiting >>

<< From: Woohyunnie~

fighting* >>

--

Bounce to you, bounce to you
Nae gaseumeun neol!

“Alright!” Leeteuk clapped his hands. “It’s break time kids!”

“Finally,” Heechul breathed, reaching for his bottle of water on the floor.

“Nope, not for you.” The Super Junior leader kicked the bottle away from the other’s grasp. “You need to work on your steps.”

Heechul groaned. “Seriously? Come on, I already work hard enough…”

“Hyukjae! Get this kid to do the right steps!”

“I’m only nine days younger than you!”

“Stop complaining, Chul.”

“Aish…”

A quiet knock could be heard amongst the chattering of the Super Junior members.

“Kyuhyun will get it!” called Sungmin, who was stretching out on the floor.

“I will murder you.” Kyuhyun muttered under his breath, getting up to get the door. A few seconds later, he came back. “Siwon, someone’s here to see you.”

The mentioned member looked up, eyebrows rising. “Who is it?”
 

“Key.”

--

Siwon opened their practice room door, glancing around the hallway. There was no one there.

Confused, he looked down. Key was sitting in the corner, looking up at him. "Hi." In Siwon's eyes, he looked like an abandoned kitten.

"Kibum! What are you doing sitting on the floor?" He asked with a smile on his face, helping the younger up. "What's up?"

"Ah, well... We were practicing Hello earlier," Key gestured to SHINee's own room down the hall. "But they kept saying I wasn't into it and kicked me out for awhile." He sighed, scratching his head.

"Ah..." Siwon nodded. "You have something on your mind?"

Key shrugged. "I guess."

The other thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "You know what, let's go to church."

Key's face brightened. "Like old times?"

Siwon grinned. "Like old times!"

--

The members of SHINee lazed around, bored out of their minds. The choreography for their follow-up song was so simple that there was nothing to practice. Taemin was in a corner repeating the steps to Lucifer like his life depended on it. It was pretty silent until Jonghyun stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Where're you going?" Minho asked.

"I'm going to see Lee-ssam."

"Let me guess..." Onew spoke up. "You're going to ask him about Sekyung."

Jonghyun shrugged. "Maybe."

"I'm coming with you," the leader stood up, dusting himself off. "I need to talk to him too."

"Okay...?"

"Yah Minho, you and Tae better not do anything while we're gone."

"Yeah, yeah." Minho waved him off. The two hyungs left and shut the door. In silence, Taemin and Minho glanced at each other. Smirks formed on their faces. 
 

"Let's do something."

--

Key followed Siwon down the red-carpeted stairs, taking in the size of the room. It was extremely large; bright lights dotted the ceiling, many rows of red plush chairs lined the aisles, and the large cross on one wall was brightly lit with white. The two walked past the chairs, up to the cross and podium. There weren't very many people for 7 in the evening.

"This place changed a lot." Key commented, looking at Siwon whom was already praying. He immediately quieted and let the guy do his thing. After a few silent moments, Siwon spoke. "... Kibum, please do me a favor and don't tell anyone what I'm about to confess right now."

Key raised an eyebrow, curious. "Sure thing..."

The older breathed, eyes closed and hands still pressed together. "... God, these days my schedules are all packed and it's making me stressed. I am also earning too much money that I can't handle it all. Whenever I try to buy the members food, they always refuse it. The other day Sungminnie-hyung said he wanted sweet and sour pork, so I bought it for him. He ended up hitting me in the groin. Please, let my members understand. Thank you." As he bowed, Key had difficulty holding in his laughter.

Siwon turned to him. "Do you want to confess anything? It might help." 

Key thought for a moment. "... Hyung."

"Yeah?"

"...Do me a favor and don't tell anyone what I'm about to confess."

He gave him a reassuring smile. "Sure thing."

Key sighed, getting into prayer mode. "... It's been a long time since we've talked, and a lot has happened since then. I achieved my dream, received a second family, and... Um... A boyfriend." He waited for a reaction from the other, but there wasn't any. "... As much as I love him, said boyfriend is a complete idiot. He does something that practically rips my heart apart and says that he's trying to protect me. Even though all of this is happening, I still miss him. I miss his touches, his warmth and his affection. I know he means well but my pride won't let me near him; not when the thought of him belonging to someone else disgusts me to bits. God, if you're out there, please let Jjong and I reconcile soon. Thanks."

After Key had bowed, he let out a large sigh he didn't know he was holding. Confessing to someone, whether it was Siwon or God, relieved Key of his stress. It felt a lot better. Although the rapper had realized that he literally just confessed everything to Siwon's ears. He swallowed a lump in his throat, waiting for a thought from the older.

Siwon hummed, his eyes closed and hands clasped behind his back. "... You know, if God were to say something, he'd probably say this: take a break. Get your mind on something else. Ignore the situation until you're ready to face it again, in the future. But for now, take a break and enjoy what you have in the present. After all, the best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." A few moments passed before Siwon shot his eyes open. "Ah, I don't think God would quote Abraham Lincoln though... But you know what I mean."

Key looked up at the large cross. "That's what Woohyun said too..."

"Well," Siwon ruffled the younger's hair. "God did his thing. Feeling better?"

Key nodded, a small smile gracing his face. "Thanks God... And you too, hyung."

Siwon also smiled. "Let's head back."

--

Jonghyun and Onew went up the elevator in silence, reaching the top floor of the SM building. They arrived at the last room at the end of the third hall. The room was left unnamed, but to them it held a lot of meaning. If they opened the door, they’d come face-to-face with their long-time mentor and teacher, Lee Soo Man.

“…You go in first,” Jonghyun found himself saying. The two stood beside each other facing the door.

“No, you go in first.” Onew countered.

“You go first.”

“No, you.”

“You.”

“You—“
 

Before they knew it, the door opened to whack them both in the face. Jonghyun held his forehead wincing in pain, while Onew fell on his . They both looked up to the surprised tomboy standing at the doorframe.

“…Oh,” Amber started blankly. “What are you guys doing?”

“Nothing much,” Onew rolled onto his side, grimacing. “I’m just enjoying the fine carpet.”

Jonghyun blinked, finally noticing the crutch under Amber’s arm and the cast on her leg. “Yah, what happened to you?!”

She looked down at her cast for a few seconds. “… Oh yeah, I hurt my ankle.”

“Oh yeah, I hurt my ankle,” Jonghyun repeated exaggeratedly.

“I do not sound like that.” Amber insisted, leaning on her crutch.

“What happened?” Onew asked from the floor.

“I fell awkwardly during dance practice. Lee-ssam suggested that I go back home, so that’s where I’m headed.”

“Wait,” Jonghyun interrupted. “You’re going back home? To America?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there for a while. So…” Amber held out her fist. “See you.”

Jonghyun pouted while fist-pumping her. The contact made him remember something; something that happened a while ago. Onew shoved him into the room while he was daydreaming. When Jonghyun snapped back to reality, their founder was staring at him.

“What can I do for you, Jonghyun?”

“O-Oh. Um. I have something I need to talk about.” He stared at the man’s smiling face while he nodded. “I’m… Uh… I’m currently in a relationship.”

The smile disappeared from Lee Soo Man’s face. “Ah…” He hummed. “Who is it?”

“Actress Shin Sekyung… Sir.”

He nodded. “Well... I hope you have a healthy relationship.”

Jonghyun’s eyebrows rose. “… That’s it?”

Lee Soo Man blinked at him. “What, did you want me to lecture you on women? I’m not so acknowledgeable in that subject.”

The singer shook his head vigorously. “No sir, thank you.” The man nodded before turning his attention to SHINee’s leader.

“And you, Onew?”

Onew stepped up to his desk. “Yes sir, I have an issue concerning one of my members.” Lee Soo Man straightened up and motioned for him to continue. “It’s about Kibum.” Onew eyed Jonghyun when the latter flinched. “… He’s been really stressed lately due to… Various problems.”

“What problems?” Lee Soo Man asked seriously, his hands clasped together like a proper business man.

Onew shrugged. “I think it’s something personal. Maybe he got his heart broken,” he answered rather dramatically, again shooting a look at Jonghyun.
 

Jonghyun knew exactly what his hyung was doing. He was playing the guilt trip card. He was trying to make Jonghyun feel guilty and culpable.
 

Sure enough, it was working.
 

Onew continued speaking. “I think it’s best if we let him take a vacation for a while; a day, at least. He can’t seem to focus on anything right now.”

The man in front of them nodded. “Since you kids are about to do your follow-up promotions soon, now is not the best time. But I’ll be sure to give him a break. For now, do your best to fix the situation.”

The leader bowed, and so did Jonghyun. The two left the room in silence once again and once again riding down the elevator back to their dance room. Onew placed a hand on the door handle, looking at Jonghyun.

The younger swallowed. “… What?”

“… Do your best to fix the situation, Kim Jonghyun.”

“… Yah. So you’re pushing your responsibility onto me?”

“Yep.” Onew pulled the door open, walking into the eerily quiet room. “… Taemin? Minho?”

Their eyes fell on a pile of toilet paper in the middle of the room. They soon realized after a few seconds that it wasn’t just any pile.

It was a toilet paper-covered body.

“BOO!” The mummified body sat up abruptly, scaring the out of Onew. Jonghyun stood there, mouth twisted into a surprised smile with his eyebrows raised.

“WHAT THE HECK!” Onew screamed on his knees, trying to find something for support. “LEE TAEMIN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU A MUMMY!?”

One of the cloud-patterned revolving doors turned, rolling out a hysterically laughing Minho and Kibum. Taemin pulled down the piece covering his eyes before joining the other two in laughter.

“Pfft,” Minho gasped for air. “… MY STOMACH HURTS!”

“Okay, first things first,” started Key. “I had nothing to do with this.”

“LIAR! YOU WANTED TO RUN OUT AND BUY A COFFIN TO MAKE IT MORE REALISTIC!” Minho accused before clutching his stomach still giggling.

“OKAY, IT WAS MY IDEA!” The three started laughing all over again.

“… KIM KIBUM I WILL CUT YOU!”

Key continued laughing while Onew chased him around the room, trying to tickle him. While absolute chaos occurred, Jonghyun stood there completely fazed. Rather than the mummified Taemin, the pissed-off Onew, or even the about-to-cry Minho, he only noticed one thing.
 

Kibum.
 

He silently stared at him, drawn in by his beautifully bright smile. He was laughing with joy, eyes crinkling with happiness. It was something he hadn’t seen in a long time, considering that it was his fault. It was so genuine, so real— maybe it was real. Maybe while Jonghyun was doing stupid things, Key had recovered himself. Maybe he didn’t have to fix the situation.
 

Key glanced at him and gave him a brighter smile.

Maybe the situation would fix itself.

a/n: and we finally introduce the wonderful Choi Siwon!

akjsdnakjdna so much angssssst