03. 習慣
Habit.




"So how did you and RiIn-sshi meet?"

It was an unexpected question. A question that I don't usually ask, not in this matter. 

"Ah, it's a long story," was his direct answer, smiling just thinking about it.

Yoochun was always someone who kept the personal matters to himself. Even when the five of us declared each other as brothers and as family, he was always the guy we knew little information of. The closest we got was his parents were divorced.

"I have time, hyung. Enlighten me," I convinced.

I had to for Junsu hyung.

"Why curious all of a sudden? Interested in her?" He eyed me suspiciously, almost angry in a way.

"Of course not. Can't I 'get-to-know' my hoobae?"

I chuckled nervously. He was targeting me, I can feel it. He knows something is up, and he's going to find out about it. His suspicious glares were piercing the side of my head as I continued to look forward at the lights of Seoul.

"You're acting weird, Changmin."


 

Something changed.


She changed.

Jang RiIn was tiring herself out, practicing harder until she collapsed or until she lost her voice temporarily, and had kept to herself more than before. 

It became a habit, coming by the dance studio or vocal room late at night to watch over the shy girl push to her limits.

It became a habit, how I'd drive to her apartment and having Go Ara giving me permission to carry her roommate into her respective room, unknowingly.

It became a habit--and a temptation--to lay a kiss on her forehead and wish her a goodnight.





It also became a habit, to have the responsibility and need to take care of Jang RiIn.



"What happened to her, Junsu?" Ara enter the room quietly. "I don't like seeing her like this."

"She's just determined, that's all." 

A lie.

He doesn't know the reason either. 

But questions lingered in his head, possibly one of them would give him the answer, but he was yet to find the right one, so he lied. 

"She's lucky to have you, but RiIn doesn't know that."

Junsu smiled bitterly.




"But she's not mine, Ara."


 

Changmin shifted in his bed uncomfortably, debating whether to tell his hyung later of the earlier conversation he had with Yoochun. Unable to stand the heat and the little argument going on in his head, he jumped off from his upper bunk and headed to the kitchen, hoping to calm himself with a glass of water.

Upon reaching the living room, he squinted to see Junsu out in the balcony.

3:30am.

What was he doing awake at this time?

"Hyung."

Junsu turned, startled to see the youngest member awake at three-thirty in the morning.

"You're awake."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. You?" Changmin asked, eying the attire his hyung was wearing.

Why was he wearing casual clothes?

"Same," he sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Did you talk to Yoochun?"

The maknae gulped, rubbing his neck in the process. "Hyung..."

Junsu waited for him to continue, silence starting to linger and palms starting to sweat. Why was he nervous?


"...They have a history..."

Junsu froze, heart beating fast, scared of what he would say next.











"...They used to be together."