He didn't even have to ask us to line up. We formed a long line across the room, facing Seunghwan hyung, staring at the floor.

I took my place at the end of the line, feeling my stomach twisting up into knots in nervousness. I hadn't been in this situation in months, and I'd almost forgotten the anxiety that preceded. And as soon as I got there, all that went through my head was, God, why didn't I try harder to stop them when they were leaving...? Why did I leave with them instead of convincing them not to go? Why was I so stupid?

As the last of us shuffled into the line and we were finally motionless, Seunghwan hyung raised his head.

"So you did know that you were doing something wrong," he said, his voice quiet. "Then why did you do it?"

None of us dared to speak. He was clearly too furious to even yell, and I didn't want to say anything until he had at least calmed down enough to begin yelling. But as we just stood there in silence, he still didn't speak.

"Is no one going to tell me why?" he asked, still quietly.

I looked up for a moment and realized that his eyes were still on the floor, not looking at any of us. And then I realized that I was wrong. He wasn't angry. He was resigned. He wasn't angry, he was - he was too disappointed to be angry.

"Jungsu?" said Seunghwan hyung's soft voice. I felt a pang of guilt stab my chest as I saw how tired and defeated he was.

There was a short silence, then I heard Leeteuk's short response. "We were just celebrating."

A chuckle left Seunghwan hyung's mouth, and I looked up in surprise. "I know," he said with a sigh. "I know. I know how hard it must be not to be able to do things that every normal boy your age can do."

I hung my head again at the reality of these words. I knew, and I knew better than this, but we were just trying to enjoy some time together after a long day of hard work. We were just being normal boys, and that certainly wasn't a crime.

I raised my head. I shouldn't be feeling ashamed, I was just -

"But you're not normal boys," said Seunghwan quietly, cutting off my train of thought. "I know you want to be sometimes, but the fact is that you're not normal. You're extraordinary. So for everyone, including, me, the company, the public, and even for yourselves, you have to meet extraordiary standards."

The words hit me with the realization very hard. It was nothing I didn't know, but it still shocked me to hear those words in such a frank way.

Seunghwan hyung sighed then he finally got up from the chair with the broom. I squirmed as he lifted his head and looked at the rest of us. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer to you before. It's my fault as much as it is the rest of yours."

"It's not your fault," I whispered under my breath. No one heard.

"So I think it's only fair that I offer you a choice," said Seunghwan hyung, still quietly and calmly. "I could hit you... or you can hit me."

I froze, as did everyone else, and there was a long, long silence. Then Leeteuk finally spoke.

"Hyung," he pleaded as if trying to reason with him. Seunghwan hyung looked into Leeteuk's eyes. "Hyung, don't. Please."

"I'm just giving you a choice," said Seunghwan hyung, still not having raised his voice.

"I couldn't hit you," whispered Leeteuk.

"You don't have to be the one to do it, Teuk. You take too much responsibility."

Leeteuk bit his lip and hung his head while Seunghwan hyung scanned the rest of our faces in turn.

"I'll take it from any of you. I messed up as much as you did."

"No, you didn't," I whispered again, tears of regret and apology welling up in my eyes.

I hung my head to hide my tears, when Seunghwan hyung said my name, taking me by surprise. "Kyuhyun. Did you have something to say?"

I began to shake my head without even lifting my head, but then I stopped. Wait, I did have something to say, and I should say it, there's no point in staying silent.

"Yes, sir," I said. I raised my head slightly just as a tear fell from my eye. Seunghwan hyung raised a passive eyebrow at my bravery. "I do have something to say," I whispered.

"Go ahead then," challenged Seunghwan hyung.

I took another deep breath and looked up. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Seunghwan hyung stared for a moment, then he smiled weakly. "I did, Kyuhyun."

"You didn't," I bit out. "It's wrong that you're even giving us this choice right now. We are the ones that messed up, and so we should be the ones to face the consequences." I lifted a hand to wipe away the wetness in my eyes, then I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. "I don't know about everyone else," I whispered, "but I can't hit you. Especially not when you've done nothing wrong."

Seunghwan hyung looked up and around at everyone else. "Does anyone disagree with Kyuhyun?"

No one said anything, or even moved.

"It's okay to disagree," said Seunghwan hyung.

There was still silence for a few more moments, then Kangin muttered, "We don't. He's right."

There was a general murmur of assent, and Seunghwan hyung looked around the room again.

"So everyone agrees with Kyuhyun," he confirmed.

Seunghwan hyung watched as we all nodded, then his gaze landed on me again. He then stepped closer to me and took the broom in his other hand.

"Then will you be the first to be hit, Kyuhyun?"

I bit my lip in nervousness and wiped my wet eyes.

And then gathering up all the courage I ever had, I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Seunghwan hyung watched me for a moment, then nodded back.

"Then get in position, please."

I hesiated for a short moment then stepped forward until I was only a couple feet away from the wall. I took in another deep breath to calm myself. And then I extended my arms to lean myself against it.

"How many?" asked Seunghwan hyung.

I shuddered at the words that I hadn't heard in so long, then replied with the standard, "As many as you like, hyung."

I heard Seunghwan hyung breathe a deep sigh behind me. I felt a pang of guilt and had just hung my head lower when, to my surprise, I felt a soft but firm hand grip my arm and pull me away from the wall. I turned to see that Ryeowook had bravely stepped forward and was now standing between me and Seunghwan hyung. His face was white with fear and anticipation, but then he opened his mouth and spoke, also quietly.

"Seunghwan hyung."

"Yes, Ryeowook," said Seunghwan hyung, still patiently.

"Hyung, it's - it's Kyuhyun."

There was a short pause.

"Thank you for the reminder, Ryeowook, but I do know your names," said Seunghwan hyung impassively after a while. I felt a chill run down my spine as the broom lined up against me, urging me to get into position again. I tried, but Ryeowook had hooked his arm around my waist now, and was pulling me away.

"I don't think so," said Ryeowook in a shaking voice, his trembling hand holding tightly to my arm. Seunghwan hyung raised his eyebrows as Ryeowook cowered once more - but he spoke anyway. "I - I mean - he's already hurt, hyung."

"Being hurt didn't keep him from breaking the rules, Ryeowook."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment, and I hung my head. Ryeowook seemed to be too scared to speak now, but then another voice spoke.

"I don't think we're trying to argue that he didn't make a mistake, hyung," said Sungmin in his characteristically serious voice. "We just mean - that he isn't in the condition to be beaten."

Seunghwan hyung crossed his arms and thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay," he said. "Then I'll let one of you take his punishment on top of your own."

I turned to face Seunghwan hyung at that. No, I was responsible for my own mistakes, so I should be the one to take the consequences, not anyone else. I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could, there was such a commotion that I never got my words out.

Literally every hyung had stepped forward, saying variations of "I'll take it" and "Let me do it."

I watched, stunned, as Seunghwan hyung lifted a hand to restore order.

"Okay," he said, and to my surprise, a very, very faint smile crossed his lips for a split second. There was a silence in which he contemplated on what to do, and Kangin took the time to speak.

"Hyung, I'll do it," said Kangin. Seunghwan hyung looked at him. "I... I owe Kyuhyun a lot."

"I do too," said Yesung. "It's not just you."

"I think most of us do," said Heechul softly.

I stared at all of them, shocked, and even Seunghwan hyung raised his eyebrows at that. "Why, Heechul," he said. "That's surprising coming from you."

Heechul just shrugged and bowed his head and looked at his feet as Seunghwan hyung nodded.

"Right, then." My stomach tightened as I awaited his verdict. "I was going to give all of you ten," he said. "I'm going to give all of you hyungs eleven instead. That will add up to ten for Kyuhyun." He looked up and around the room. "Any complaints?"

No one spoke, and after a few moments of silence, Seunghwan hyung sighed.

"Let's get this started then," he said, then Leeteuk, who was on the far end of the line, stepped forward solemnly to receive his ten , then the one for me.

Seunghwan hyung hit as hard as he always did, and my heart twisted up as I watched each member wince and grunt through their hits. Each returned with clenched teeth, holding back tears. I just watched, chewing on my lips, until Seunghwan hyung got to Ryeowook, who was crying already.

"Hyu - ung," pleaded Ryeowook.

"Ryeowook," sighed Seunghwan hyung. "Did you make a mistake, or not?"

"Y - yeah," Ryeowook managed.

"Then let's get it over with."

Ryeowook shuddered next to me, and I felt my heartstrings tug.

"Sir," I began cautiously, trying to get the suggestion out, but Seunghwan shook his head even before I could begin.

"Kyuhyun, do not insult your hyungs who just took your beating for you."

"What? No, I just - "

"No. You may not take it for him. So don't even ask," said Seunghwan hyung firmly.

"But - "

"N - no, Kyuhyun," said Ryeowook, sniffling once more. "I - I'm not going to - I'm going to take my own."

Ryeowook coughed out a sob and wiped his eyes. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath, seemingly trying to convince himself to be brave, but before he could even take a step closer to the wall, he had given up and was looking up at Seunghwan hyung.

"Hyung - "

"Sir," corrected Seunghwan hyung, looking irritated now. He stepped closer to Ryeowook, then he pulled him close to the wall. "Don't try to make me feel bad for you by calling me 'hyung', you never call me 'hyung' when you're in trouble."

"I - I'm not trying to, but - "

"No, Ryeowook. Everyone else took theirs, so get it over with."

Ryeowook whimpered as he reluctantly placed his hands against the wall with his head down. Ryeowook shuddered visibly as Seunghwan hyung lined up the broom against him, and not being able to stand it anymore, I opened my mouth to tell Seunghwan hyung to stop it, and to just look at Ryeowook, that he obviously knew what he'd done wrong, and that he doesn't need a punishment to understand that when -

"Hyung. I'll take Ryeowook's," announced Yesung bravely, stepping forward again.

"No," said Seunghwan hyung firmly.

"Please. He's sorry. Look at him."

"I'll share the hits."

I looked up and around at who had offered. It was Sungmin.

"Wait, me too," interjected Leeteuk. "That makes it only three more for the rest of us, and - "

"I'll do it, too," said Heechul. I widened my eyes in surprise, as there was more of a buzz in the living room now, of everyone offering to take one more hit for my small, scared friend.

Seunghwan hyung lowered the broom and looked at each and every one of us.

And then he smiled.

"You know... this is what I'd wanted from you all along," said Seunghwan hyung quietly. "I know it's hard because there's so many of you sometimes. But other times... if there's a burden, it's okay to share it. And if all of you do share it - you know... it's not that much more for you. But for the person you're helping out, it means an immense amount. Do you understand?" He must have seen a few perplexed eyes, for he began to explain further. "I mean that - for instance, in the end, helping Kyuhyun in this situation meant only one more for each of you. But for Kyuhyun... well, I hope you all understand the value of what you did for him today. Because it would have taken a significant toll on his health had he received his own puishment. And for Ryeowook, the same thing." He paused to let his words sink in, and then he continued. "So share the burden. There are so many of you, so you can thin it out. Realize that you really... are a team of brothers. If you remember this, you'll last ten, twenty years together as a team."

I felt my eyes welling up with tears again, but I also found myself nodding through my tears.

"All of you really touched me today," he said. "So I want to thank you. And..." said Seunghwan hyung, his own eyes also sparkling with tears. "This is the last punishment I'm going to give any of you. No matter what you do wrong from now on, I will never punish you again. But it also means that I won't be helping you pick up the pieces after your mistakes. This is your dream and your career. I'm here to try to help you get there, but the drive to succeed has to come from you. Not me."

He smiled again ruefully before walking to the closet slowly and placing the broom back in it.

"Have a good night," he said without looking at any of us. Everyone started to break out of the line and to make their way into their own rooms at the dismissal, but I took quick paces down the hall until I caught up with Seunghwan hyung, who was about to enter his own bedroom after breathing out another deep sigh. I hesitated for a moment, then I tapped him on the arm.

"Hyung," I said meekly. He turned around to look at me remorsefully, and I could tell that he had hated hitting us as much as we hated being hit. He looked at me, waiting for me to speak, but I didn't say anything.

I just opened my arms and embraced in a long, warm hug until finally, he hugged back with a short chuckle.

"Thank you so much for everything," I whispered finally.

"No... thank you," he murmured back. He then smoothed the top of my head. "Now go take care of your hyungs. They did a lot for you today," he said, and then he let go and with an encouraging smile, pulled away and moved back into his room.

I awoke slowly to the orange sunlight, and... yells?

A few days had passed since our confrontation wih Seunghwan hyung, and this was the first time I'd heard raised voices since then. I buried my head in my pillow in an attempt to block out the noise so that I could go back to sleep. We'd been practicing nonstop for the last few days, and I really needed the sleep. I was exhausted, and we had practice again in a couple of hours -

"What the hell!" I heard from the living room. "You think you're doing us a damn favour?"

I squeezed my eyes together in frustration for a moment, then opened my eyes and sat up.

"Stop it," I said under my breath for no one to hear.

The yelling continued though, and there were more voices added now.

Was I really going to have to mediate this situation?

I sighed and kicked my blankets off moodily. They still haven't learned anything, those useless hyungs, at least in terms of age, they certainly weren't acting like it, and they clearly weren't mature enough not to fight with each other.

I yanked open the bedroom door, annoyed and ready to yell at everyone. I was expecting everyone to be facing each other and yelling feverishly at each other, but they were all crowded around a -

I felt my face drain completely of blood for a moment, and my heart was almost beating out of chest.

Oh god.

They were all crowded around a computer, red-faced and angry. And that could only mean -

"What - what happened?" I stuttered. A few of them looked up at me, but no one seemed to want to explain the situation.

"They're being so unfair," said Eunhyuk, shaking his head. "I don't believe this."

Realizing that no one was going to explain what was going on, I quickly made my way towards them so that I could also look at what they were all staring so angrily at. And then I realized -

"Our music video got released," I said unnecessarily.

Sungmin, who was right in front of me, turned around to stare at me. "It was released last night. Thanks for the interest," he said.

"You're welcome," I said absent-mindedly as Sungmin began to scroll through the endless comments. And slowly, my brows furrowed.

Even with our extreme style change, the discussion was not that of our music or our dance, or even hair, our clothes. To my genuine shock, they were about...

"Henry?" I whispered.

I can't believe their disrespect for us fans. The company promised that Super Junior would be forever 13.

Their parts are only a few seconds as it is, so why do they need another member?

We need to protect our 13 precious boys from this trainee!!

"Whoever said we need protecting from Henry?" muttered Kangin under his breath.

I steadied myself with a hand over my forehead and bit back the feeling of nausea. I'd forgotten just how cruel the fans could be, and just how judgmental they were. I was brought back to a year ago, when I was faced with the same criticism, and I probably understood this better than anyone else. I just stared blankly at the harsh words on the screen for a minute or two, then I remembered the one person I should be taking care of at the moment.

I looked around the room to see if Henry was here.

He was seated alone off to the side on the couch, and silently stealing tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

"Aw, Henry," I said, opening up my arms wide and making my way towards him. "Come here."

I was sure that Henry was going to push me away like he'd always done, but this time, he settled willingly in my embrace. I squeezed him tighter against myself as he finally began sobbing out loud into my shirt. I sighed.

"It's okay. I know how you feel. But it'll be okay," I whispered, squeezing him tighter against myself. "We'll be right here by your side. You're going to be okay."

Henry sniffled, but his sobs calmed like he had understood my words. I knew he didn't - but he must have understood my intentions.

I let Henry stay in my arms, and I his head comfortingly, scratching through his hair slowly. When he finally let go and looked at me with that tear-covered face, he was giving me a look that clearly said, "What am I supposed to do?"

I wiped away his tears for him. "You just have to be strong," I encouraged. "We'll all be right here. We're going to help you get through this, Henry."

I gave him another reassuring squeeze of the shoulder and another pat on the back before standing up and scanning the living room.

"Where's Seunghwan hyung?" I asked to the room at large.

"Office," said Leeteuk with a sigh.

"Okay. Then we have time to prepare an official statement from us before he gets back," I said.

Everyone's head turned to stare at me.

"Uh - Kyuhyun," said Sungmin carefully.

"What? We have to tell them to stop," I said.

"The manager hyungs told us to keep quiet about this."

My eyes popped open. "Why?"

"They said it could be dangerous. They said that they'll do all the talking to just wait for it to blow over, like last time."

I sank back down on the couch next to Henry and sighed.

"For now, all we can do is show Henry that we're on his side, then," I said. There were mutters of assent, and Leeteuk got up from where he was. He walked ino the kitchen, then returned with a glass of water for Henry and sitting down next to him, giving him silent, physical support.

I smiled a little as Hery took the water from Leeteuk and took a few sips from it. His cheeks almost seemed puffier than they normally were because of all the crying. I patted his head again. "It'll be okay."

"Yeah. It'll be okay," repeated Leeteuk.

I took hold of Henry's hand and squeezed it, remembering how much the gesture had meant for me when I was still at the hospital.

And we didn't let go of each other until Seunghwan hyung came back to the dorm an hour later to drive us to practice.

The next few days before our comeback stage, I could do nothing but watch as the fans began staking out at the office building to protest Henry's joining, as countless anti-Henry sites began to appear online, and as our fans threatened to leave us unless Henry was no longer with us.

I watched as the protest became violent and reached the point where we were pelted with eggs and empty water bottles as we got out of the van outside the office. I watched as the manager hyung began to confront the fans and reprimand them for their behaviour and to tell them that what they're doing was not what we members wanted, but also watched him be unsuccessful in curbing any of their behaviour. I could only watched as our fans started buying stocks for SM Entertainment in an attempt to be seen as more influential by the company. The members and I did my best to shield Henry from it all, and to keep him safe, both physically and emotionally.

We must have been at least somewhat successful, because although Henry seemed to be having a harder time than before, he was not discouraged.

He came to cry on any of our shoulders if he needed to, and all of us let him. We all gave him all the support we needed to during this time. After we submitted our position as a team to the company, all we could do was awaited the decision from the company.

We had held on to the glimmer of hope until Seunghwan hyung sat us down in the middle of practice the night before the first stage to break the news that the company was going to officially announce that Henry wasn't going to be a part of the team the next day. He had brought an interpreter for Henry, at which Henry just sat there in shock without even responding.

He then dismissed all of us from practice and drove us back to the dorm with a quiet, "You've all been practicing hard enough. You know what you're doing."

I couldn't sleep that night. I'd made sure that Henry had eaten and was put to bed, but in the middle of the night, I came out of our room and sat down in the living room. I the TV, taking care to lower the volume as not to wake the other members, and watched it without taking anything in.

I sighed for a moment, but then remembering my place during the last promotion cycle, lowered my head and immersed myself deeper in the memories.

I'd been so busy studying for school that I couldn't even dream of spending time in front of the TV. I was still walking on eggshells at this point and I would never have been brave enough to lounge around in the living room alone.

"Things have really changed," I whispered to myself with a smile.

I leaned my head back on the couch and continued watching TV for maybe a hour or two when I heard the front door unlock. I looked up in curiosity to see the manager hyung stumbling inside, exhausted, after what was undoubtedly another long meeting at the office. I only gave him a quick smile before turning back to the TV.

I expected him to walk into his bedroom, but after having washed, he came into the living room and sat down on the couch next to me. We just sat there, not saying anything to each other, with our eyes fixed on the TV screen for a long time, then Seunghwan hyung finally spoke.

"How's Henry?" he asked.

"Like you'd expect," I replied honestly.

Seunghwan hyung sighed and buried his face in his hands in remorse. Feeling a pang of sympathy, I spoke again.

"At least he didn't run away to drink himself to unconsciousness after being punched by a member."

Seunghwan hyung smiled a little. "At least," he agreed. And after a long awkward silence silence, he looked at me. "By the way, who was it that day? I never did find out."

A small laugh escaped me. "Jongwoon hyung."

Seunghwan hyung chuckled too, and nodded. "That's what I guessed too."

"You did?" I asked with my eyebrows raised in surprise and disbelief.

"Yeah," he said. "I noticed his knuckles the next day."

I grinned. "You always know."

Seunghwan hyung seemed to force out a smile as well, then he sighed. "I just feel like I let you guys down with this."

I didn't know what to say, so I remained silent before speaking. "Henry doesn't seem to be in terrible spirits as of now," I said, trying to reassure him. "And hyung - it wasn't your fault. I know it's next to impossible to influence the company's decision after it's been made."

I bit my lip in thought before speaking again.

"I just... wish that it had worked out better for him."

"Me too," sighed Seunghwan hyung. He then looked at me. "I'm sorry your first comeback stage after the accident has to be like this."

I bit my lower lip for a moment, then looked at Seunghwan hyung.

"It's okay. We'll get through it, and end it with a smile. We always do."

I looked into his eyes and smiled.

Always.

*Author's note: Just a reminder so none of you are shocked -- this is the penultimate chapter -- so one more and we're done!!

And thank you for your efforts in voting up the story, but this story's already been featured :P .If you want to do me a favour, please go and read Under Red Lanterns!

Thank you so much! :)