"We - we don't know where Donghae hyung is," I stammered. I looked at Sungmin, and he shook his head as well.

The manager hyung diverted his gaze to Eunhyuk and Siwon, Donghae's best friends. "Did he tell you guys?" he asked with a frown.

"No, sir," said Eunhyuk, looking at Siwon cluelessly. Siwon also shook his head.

"Jungsu?" he asked, turning his head to look at Leeteuk. Leeteuk frowned and shook his head also.

The manager hyung was silent for a second, then opened the closet. He retrieved the broom from it as butterflies filled my stomach. He faced the rest of us again with the broom in his hand, then finally spoke.

"Sungmin, Kyuhyun, Hyukjae, Siwon. Follow me," he said. I felt all of the blood drain out of my face. He turned around and went into the room that I shared with Sungmin and Donghae. I got up slowly as did Sungmin; Siwon and Eunhyuk merely looked surprised and were clearly overcome with disbelief.

As we were in the hallway, I turned to look at Eunhyuk and Siwon.

"Did Donghae hyung tell you?" I murmured as quietly as I could. Eunhyuk and Siwon both shook their heads. Oh god. Neither of them knew. They were just here because they were Donghae's best friends.

We entered the bedroom and closed the door behind us, then we lined up, shoulder-to-shoulder, to face the manager hyung, our eyes downcast.

"I'm going to give you guys one more chance to tell me before I start," said the manager hyung, so furious that his voice was unsteady.

I shifted my weight, but everyone else stood perfectly still.

"Hyung, we really don't know. At least I don't know," said Eunhyuk, his eyes wide. I wiped my sweaty forehead with my hand.

"I know Donghae. He would have told you. At least one of you," said the manager hyung.

I exhaled slowly.

I was that one person.

"Start talking!" shouted the manager hyung as the four of us flinched. I wet my dry lips, but I didn't say anything. No one else spoke either, then the manager hyung broke the silence after about a minute. "Empty your back pockets. All of you."

Oh god. No.

"But hyung, this isn't fair. We really don't know," said Siwon hotly.

"Then the one that knows had better start talking right now," he said. I ran my hand over my mouth, overcome with fear and nervousness. I stole a glance at Sungmin, but he seemed to be a lot calmer than I was. When no one spoke, the manager hyung nodded.

"Empty your back pockets and get on the wall, all four of you," growled the manager hyung. We hesitated for a few more seconds, but started to comply. I took out my wallet, cell phone, the keys to the dorm and some change from my back pockets and put them on the floor next to me, as did everyone else with their belongings. Then reluctantly, the four of us put our hands agaist the wall, side-by-side. I took a deep breath, overridden by guilt. The three of them really didn't know, and they were getting beaten just because of me.

I saw the manager hyung's shadow on the wall, and I saw his lift the broom above his head, and bring it down on Siwon. I saw Siwon wince and exhale out of the corner of my eye, and I squeezed my eyes shut in guilt. The manager hyung lifted his hand again, and I spoke without realizing it.

"Okay, okay, stop! Please!" I shouted, my voice shaking. "Sir, they really don't know," I said, looking to my right, where Siwon and Eunhyuk were.

"And you and Sungmin do?" he asked, lowering his hand. Oh god. What have I just done?

"Su - Sungmin hyung saw him leave, but he doesn't know either, sir," I said.

The manager hyung contemplated for a minute, then nodded. "Fine. Siwon, Eunhyuk, Sungmin. You three can go."

The three of them stepped away from the wall quickly, and after picking up the things that they had removed from their back pockets, they left the room and closed the door while I stayed against the wall, feeling completely alone.

It feels like losing your best friend. The manager hyung was the one person I could always go to for advice for dealing with the team, but right then, I was so terrified of him that I was frozen into place; even if he had ordered me to move, I probably couldn't have.

"Right, Kyuhyun," said the manager hyung, lining up the broom on my hips lightly. I felt a chill travel up my spine, and I felt myself beginning to shake with fear. Seeing this, the manager hyung sighed and lowered the broom. "We don't have to make this so hard, Kyuhyun. Please make it easier for both of us."

I took a deep breath as I continued shaking.

"He - he said he would be safe, and not to worry," I said, my voice barely audible.

"That's not what I asked," said the manager hyung coldly, sending another chill down my spine. "I guess you didn't understand. I asked you where he was."

"Sir - " I started, but then stopped. I pushed myself off the wall, then turned around to face the manager hyung that I trusted as much as I would a real brother, my eyes full of tears. "Hyung, why are you doing this? Please, I know you're not like this."

"Get back on the wall," ordered the manager hyung unsympathetically, prodding me with the end of the broom.

"Hyung, please, stop," I pleaded.

"So tell me where he is," he said, looking into my eyes.

"I can't," I said, looking at my feet. Tears fell out of my eyes and onto the floor as I took a deep breath. "Hyung, please don't."

"Get on the wall," he said for the umpteenth time. I bowed my head and turned around to place my hands on the wall again.

I felt the stick being lined up again, then I heard it cut across the air and connect with my hips. I grunted at the initial impact, and felt a shocking pain that I hadn't felt before. Eunhyuk didn't hold a candle to manager hyung.

I bowed my head, breathed out, then started shaking again. I balled my hands into tight fists against the wall as a second landed. I grunted again, and another tear fell on the floor. As the third landed, I cried out involuntarily. I spread my hands out again with my eyes squeezed shut. After two more , the manager hyung finally lowered the broom. I looked up at the ceiling in pain, the tears covering my face.

"Kyuhyun, don't make me do this again. This is hard for me, too," said the manager hyung. I put my elbows on the wall and my forehead on the back of my hands and started sobbing with the realization that there was no way out of this. I didn't know what to do. I really didn't want to experience this again, but Donghae deserved time with his father. Who knew when the next time Donghae would be able to see his father would be?

"Sir, I really can't - " I started through my tears, but I was interrupted by my cell phone on the floor beside me ringing.

I didn't try to pick it up, but I saw the manager hyung pick it up and open it. There was a brief pause while the manager hyung read it. I tried to push the resentment that followed this invasion of privacy out of my mind, just hoping that it was nothing that I didn't want him to read.

"Kyuhyun, take a look at it," said the manager hyung. I got my hands off the wall and took my phone in my hand. It was a text from Donghae.

"Cho Kyu! Texting for the reason that I said I would. Traffic was so good. Don't bother replying, I'm turning my phone off again as soon as this text sends. Hopefully you're not in trouble. Thanks, I owe you one. I'll buy you dinner tomorrow. ^^"

I looked at it without saying anything.

"Is he okay?" asked the manager hyung, finally softly, with deep concern in his voice.

"Yes," I said, putting my phone back into the manager hyung's outstretched hand. I saw the manager hyung sigh with relief, and I turned around to face the wall again. I hesitated before putting my hands on it again, but did it anyway.

"You're still not telling me where he is?" asked the manager hyung. I shook my head, and the manager hyung delivered five more that were even harder than the first five. I was crying in pain again, and I was shaking so hard that my legs gave way. I fell to my knees on the ground.

"Just tell me now, before more of this happens," said the manager hyung. I shook my head and forced myself back on my feet.

"Cho Kyuhyun," said the manager hyung with a frustrated sigh as I put my hands against the wall again. "Turn around."

I did, and I faced the manager hyung with my head down in shame.

"Look at me," he ordered, and I finally lifted my head to look into his eyes. The manager hyung stared at me for a few seconds, then finally spoke. "Did Donghae go down to Mokpo to visit his father?"

I felt the blood leave my face. I stared at him for a few seconds, shocked at how well the manager hyung knew each of us. "N - no," I lied, looking away from him. The manager hyung shook his head and sighed.

"Kyuhyun, you're a terrible liar," said the manager hyung. I looked up at him.

"Sir - " I started, but the manager hyung had dropped the broom down on the floor and was taking his car keys out of his pocket. Then without realizing what I was doing, I ran up past the manager hyung.

"Sir, please," I said, blocking the door with my body, my face still shining with tears.

"Cho Kyuhyun, you've wasted enough of my time today!" shouted the manager hyung, glowering at me.

"Sir, I'm so sorry for not telling you sooner. I was wrong not to tell you earlier," I said, tears still streaming down my face. "But please, please give Donghae hyung this much. He and his father don't have much time left together. Please, sir."

The manager hyung sighed and swore as I put my head down. "This is for his own good. He's not safe travelling, not when he's on his own."

I didn't step away from the door; I just looked up at him without saying anything. There was a very, very long silence and the manager hyung finally spoke again.

"Go into the living room and join the rest of the team."

I looked up at him with my red and blotchy face. "Sir - " I pleaded.

"I won't disturb Donghae and his father, but I'll drive him back from Mokpo. This way, I'll know he's safe on his way back as well," said the manager hyung, looking away from me. I stood there, unwilling to move.

"R - really?" I asked, the tears still flowing. The manager hyung nodded. Another sob, this one of relief, escaped me. "Thank you, sir," I managed. I bowed deeply and didn't come up for several seconds. Then gathering up my things from the floor, I walked into the living room, keeping my head down to hide my mess of a face.