“I’m sorry that I couldn’t get out of doing the interview tomorrow morning,” Kyuhyun said, walking Yesung, Sungmin, and Ryeowook to the van waiting outside the back entrance of the hotel. 

            “That’s okay,” Yesung said, handing off his luggage to the driver.  “You were there for me when I really needed you and that meant much more to me.”

            “Come here,” Kyuhyun said, opening his arms wide.

            Yesung hugged his dongsang tight and Kyuhyun kissed his cheek sloppily.  Yesung pushed him away and wiped his face clean, shaking his head.  “You little—”

            “I’ll have Ryeowook write you every now and then and let you know how I’m doing,” he teased.

            “Don’t worry; I didn’t bank on hearing from you at all.”

            “I’m going to miss you, Jongwoon.”

            “Stay out of trouble,” Yesung warned.

            “I’ll keep an eye on him ‘til you get back, Woon,” Heechul said, walking up behind Kyuhyun and wrapping his arm around the maknae’s neck in a choke hold. 

            Yesung hugged him briefly as Kangin, Eunhyuk, and Shindong joined the group and started piling their things into the van. 

            Donghae ran up to Yesung and picked him up off the ground, spinning him around in a circle before setting him down.  “I’ll see you in two years?”

            “Probably only for a few months,” Yesung said, sighing.  “Take care of Hyukjae.”

            “I will,” he promised, patting Yesung on the back and then heading towards the back of the van where Eunhyuk was standing, trying to figure out how he was going to fit his luggage into the pile. 

            Siwon walked up and extended his hand before pulling him into a hug.  “Take care of yourself, Jongwoon.”

            “I will,” he said, glancing back as Donghae started messing with the pile of luggage and it toppled over on top of them.  “Watch over those two idiots when you have the chance.  And don’t work too hard.”

            Siwon then handed Yesung a small gift box and Yesung opened it up.  It was a bible, of course, he should have expected that but it was small enough to fit in a large pocket, which was useful.  He thanked his dongsang and then they all hurried into the van.  Heechul, Kyuhyun, Donghae, and Siwon all stood at the back entrance until they piled into the van and closed it up.  Although the windows were tinted, Yesung waved one last time at the group.  Kyuhyun, in turn, bent his fingers in half and waved at the van, laughing to himself as it drove away.

            “I’m going to miss that little bastard,” he softly said.

            Sungmin threaded his fingers through Yesung’s and squeezed his hand.  He’d only said good-bye to four of them and his heart already ached.  He still had his family, the rest of his friends, and his boyfriend to go.  This was going to be a very long 24 hours, he realized.

            Parting from his parents and brother was rough, although they still intended to show up for the press release in the morning, but they’d probably get no time to talk with him there.  So, Sungmin and he had a lengthy dinner with them.  He then gave them an exhausting chat about how to best care for his turtles while he was gone.  Sungmin would have rather cared for them himself but he’d sti