Yunho felt a surge of happiness when Changmin had made a simple request.

"Hyung. Take me to the roof again."

It wasn't anything major, but Yunho was still proud that Changmin was volunteering to go out, even if it was just the roof. Yunho could tell Changmin was trying to get better, and he was happy to see that.

Yunho happily obeyed Changmin's demand, making the younger one wear a sweater before Yunho guided him to the roof.

"The stars look really good tonight," Changmin said, the two of them laying on the rooftop watching the night sky. "Don't they?"

"Yeah," Yunho nodded with a content sigh. "It's too bad the others couldn't stay. It would have been nice if they could watch with us."

"I'm glad they went early though," Changmin confessed. "They've been missing their schedules because of me, and I know they've gotten in trouble for it. They need to rest up tonight so they can go to all of their schedules."

Yunho smiled. "I'm sure they'd all rather miss schedules and spend time with you."

"Yeah," Changmin agreed. "I really like them being with us, but I prefer they don't get in trouble." 

Yunho smiled. "I agree," he replied. "I don't know what I would have done without them."

Changmin sighed.

"What's on your mind, Min?" Yunho asked, surprising the younger one.

"I'm not thinking anything, Hyung," he quickly replied.

Yunho scoffed. "I've known you for too long," he cockily responded. "So quit lying to me and just answer my question."

Changmin bit his lip. "Everything that everyone has done for me...I don't know how I could ever thank everyone. Everyone has helped me so much and..."

"You don't need to pay us back," Yunho said, cutting Changmin's words. "The only thing we want from you is to be safe and sound."

Changmin nodded. "And I want all of you to be safe too," he replied. "But..."

"But what?" Yunho asked after Changmin had trailed off.

Changmin pursed his lips. "I know that all of you are saying that everything will be alright," he began. "But...I can't help but think that I've put everyone of you in danger. I just don't feel right and I know I may seem paranoid but that's just the truth. Hyung, I think I'm going crazy."

"Calm down, Changmin," Yunho suggested. "You're not going crazy, you're just scared. And after everything you've been through, it's reasonable to feel the way you do. All of us are safe. That man can't hurt you or any of us."

Changmin remained silent.

"What will it take to convince you?" Yunho asked.

"I...I don't know," Changmin truthfully answered. "I just wish things went differently, you know?" Changmin sighed. "I would never wish for someone else to go through what I went through but...why me? Why did I have to be the one to go through all of that?" 

Yunho didn't say anything. He didn't know how to answer Changmin's questions. He couldn't say why Changmin of all people had to be the one kidnapped and tortured. Yunho asked those same questions all the time too, and he had yet to find a reason.

Maybe life really was cruel like that.

Changmin sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind, Hyung," he said suddenly. "That was stupid to ask. I sound selfish."

Yunho looked to the younger one with wide eyes. "Changmin, don't say that," he quickly said. "If I could switch places with you, I would have done it as soon as possible. You don't deserve what happened to you. You didn't deserve to be kidnapped by that monster." 

"I always asked myself why it had to happen to me...to the rest of us," Changmin said before a shiver wracked his body. He doubted it was a result of the cold, but he pulled his sweater closer to his body just in case. Changmin turned to face Yunho. "Hyung...I just want everything to end soon."

"It will," Yunho promised. "And I'm going to be with you every step of the way."

"Yeobo," Baek Min Gu called to his wife in the living room. "I'm going to meet up with a f