“A loophole?” The four who were awake said at the same time.

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows at them slightly and nodded.

“I have been spending almost all my time in the office with my lawyer ever since my parents and grandparents became a threat. We have been going through hundreds of papers and law books. Then we finally found it and had it approved two days ago.” He said.

Kibum bit his lip and Sekyung drew in a small breath while the other two were staring wide-eyed at Jonghyun, all in anticipation for his explanation to continue. Taemin, however, was still blissfully asleep on Kibum’s lap.

“What did you find?” Sekyung asked in a voice barely above a whisper when Jonghyun seemed to loose himself in his thoughts for a moment.

He looked up at her and then at the others before continuing.

“Well,” Jonghyun grimaced, “there are a lot of big words and complicated procedures that need to bee explained, but I’ll spare you since I don’t really know them myself.”

Minho let out a short laugh. “Yeah, you never were the brightest.”

Jonghyun took the pillow behind his back and threw it at him with a glare, while Jinki laughed. Kibum just shook his head.

“So, what will happen?” He asked.

Jonghyun met his gaze, his eyes softening and a small smile playing on his lips. “Long story short; I now have the full power over all our companies and assets, meaning my parents and grandparents can’t do anything without my permission. I also have the power over the amount of money they receive.”

They all gaped at him, at a loss for words, while Jonghyun’s smile grew into a proud grin.

How was that possible?

Kibum admittedly didn’t know much about legal procedures and he would probably never understand them. He was however relieved that something seemed to go down the right path for once.

“And that is also the reason I was beaten quite badly.” He added, although not losing his smile. “Although I think I would be dead if they actually had taken me seriously.”

Kibum’s heart and stomach jolted at that comment and he shivered slightly at the picture that was painted in his head.

“They didn’t?” Jinki frowned.

“No,” Jonghyun wrinkled his nose and laughed darkly, “they just brushed it off as big talk. I would have liked to see their faces when they got the letter today.”

Kibum looked down at Taemin’s sleeping face, getting an unsettled feeling in his stomach. The relief he had felt was now laced with fear. If Jonghyun was at the risk of being killed by just loving Kibum then what would they do to him now that he had taken absolutely everything from them? He was about to voice his uneasiness but Sekyung beat him to it.

“Are you sure…” She paused, looking uncertain. A worried silence filled the room and she swallowed before continuing. “Are you sure everything is actually… solved?”

They all continued to look at her in silence and she started chewing on her bottom lip.

“I just… I can still see, you know?” She continued. “And even if I can see good outcomes there are also some scenarios that I don’t even want to think about.”

The uneasiness in Kibum’s stomach grew even more and a cold feeling spread through him, making him shiver again.

“I-” Jonghyun’s voice broke slightly and he cleared his throat, “I know but… It’s the best I can do at the moment. If I didn’t take all their resources away they would have even more power to do even worse things.”

His eyes traveled over to Kibum again, who swallowed the hard lump in his throat and tried to not look like he was starting to panic.

“We just need to be a bit more careful for the time being until everything has settled down.” The other continued. “Be more observant of our surroundings.”

They were silent after that. Jinki and Minho looking off into the distance, deep in their thoughts while Sekyung continued to chew on her bottom lip worriedly. Kibum and Jonghyun took up staring into each other’s eyes. If it weren’t for Taemin sleeping soundly in his lap, Kibum would have gotten up to snuggle into Jonghyun’s side, to feel the compactness of his body and to wipe away the worry that he was sure shone in both their eyes at the moment. The elation of having dealt with a big problem had been great but short-lived, killed by the possibility of the future still not being completely bright.

Why did his life have to have so many complications?

Jinki sighed after what seemed to be an eternity in silence and stood up slowly.

“I really think we should go home.” He mumbled while making his way over to Taemin and Kibum. “We need a proper night’s sleep.”

“Yeah.” Kibum murmured back, gently freeing himself from Taemin’s death grip.

The boy stayed asleep, to their relief, and with the help of Minho Jinki had him hoisted onto his back and wished everyone a good night before he left.

“I’ll leave too.” Sekyung said in a sleepy voice when the other two had closed the door behind them, hugging the three who were left before disappearing with a small wave. Kibum and Minho started a little, still not entirely used to seeing people just turn into nothing again. Jonghyun however stared at the spot where Sekyung had stood for a moment like nothing out of the normal had happened before he turned to Minho.

“You don’t have your car here, do you?” He asked.

The other shook his head. “Why?”

“Maybe you should stay here tonight. I don’t really want the people my parents know I’m close to out alone on the streets right now.” Jonghyun explained.

Minho tensed slightly at that but nodded. “O-okay.”

Jonghyun got a slightly guilty expression on his face and the taller made a grimace at him.

“Hyung, it’s okay.” He said and punched the other lightly on the arm. “I know how psycho they are. It’s not your fault.”

Jonghyun pulled up one corner of his mouth and snorted. “I’ll turn the couch into a bed for you.”

Minho gave him a tired but genuine smile. “Yes, please. And since I assume Kibum is staying here too, I’d rather you didn’t do anything… funny.”

Kibum felt his face grow hot as he blushed deeply and Jonghyun laughed. “Well, he is kind of irresistible, so I can’t promise.”

The other wrinkled his nose. “I swear to God Hyung, if I hear anything I’m going to castrate you. I do not need to be educated in that field, thank you very much.”

“Are you sure? Because this isn’t a man-woman relationship, I’m certain you need to learn a thing or two.” The shorter snickered.

“Stop it!” Kibum covered his face with his hands, his blush beginning to take on a crimson color and spreading down to his neck. “Please! No more!”

The other two laughed and he glared at them through his fingers, which only made them laugh even more.

“Just get going with making the bed and then let’s go to sleep.” Kibum snapped. “I don’t want to hear anything else about what Jonghyun and I do in private coming from any of your mouths and if I do I’m going to cut your tongues out, understand?”

The other two nodded obediently while biting their lips, trying not to continue laughing. Kibum gave them each another glare before he his heel and stomped to the bathroom to brush his teeth, huffing angrily as he heard them starting to snicker again.

When Jonghyun slipped under the covers beside Kibum a few minutes later however all the laughter was gone. Instead he looked at him in all seriousness, letting one of his hands rest at his neck, thumb gently his cheek while staring into his eyes. Even with the darkness of the room Kibum could still make out the features on the other’s face and he let a finger slowly trace them while at the same time trying to decipher what exactly Jonghyun was thinking.

“What is it?” Kibum whispered when his finger ran down the length of Jonghyun’s nose and he still couldn’t pinpoint his worries.

The other smiled slightly.

“I love you.” He whispered back earnestly and Kibum forgot how to breathe for a moment, feeling his heart swell with an indescribable feeling. “And I can’t understand for the life of me how I managed to forget you.”

Kibum wrinkled his nose with a smile, cupping Jonghyun’s face instead. “Well, you are kind of stupid sometimes.”

“Hey!” He protested indignantly.

Kibum chuckled and leaned forward to press their lips together before the other could complain any more. Jonghyun willingly let himself be shut up and Kibum couldn’t help but smile, feeling the hand on his neck move down to press into his lower back, pulling him closer.

“I just hope everything will turn out for the better without too many problems.” Jonghyun murmured as they broke apart to breathe, serious once again.

Kibum bit his lip worriedly and nodded.

“It will be alright.” He said with as much conviction as he could.

He had never really believed those words before. Sure, he kept telling himself he would make it through the hardships he had faced, but he had never really been convinced. Now, however, when he had gotten the people who meant so much to him back completely, he couldn’t help but wonder if his future might turn out better than he expected after all, if only he could make it through these last few bumps in the road in the form of Jonghyun’s family.

Jonghyun pulled him closer again and Kibum buried his face in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply.

“You should probably sleep.” He whispered against the skin there and Jonghyun hummed in acknowledgement, letting out a tired sigh. Soon they were both asleep, not once letting go of each other.

Kibum woke up first the next morning, gently rolling out of Jonghyun’s arms after giving him a light peck on his cheek to make his way to the kitchen for a glass of water. He passed a lightly snoring Minho with a small chuckle and quietly tiptoeing over to the sink. Clutching a glass of cold water he leaned against the sink, quietly reveling in the silence of the morning, his head thankfully blank.

In the next moment, however, he realized he hadn’t needed to be that cautious on his journey to the kitchen as the doorbell rang loudly and repeatedly. He worriedly glanced at Minho who didn’t as much as move a muscle and peeked into Jonghyun’s room on his way to the hall, finding the other still very much asleep before he hurried over to the door, throwing it open.

“Are you out of your mind?” He hissed at whoever was behind it. “What if-”

His words were cut off as he once again had a face full of brown hair and a pair of thin arms squeezing his waist.

“Hyung!”

Kibum had to let out a small laugh and immediately put his arms around his sunshine boy Taemin, already loosing his irritation.

“Taemin!” He said happily and the boy pulled back to look at him smiling brightly. However, Kibum didn’t miss the tears that gathered in his already tear swollen eyes again.

“Oh no,” he said hastily bringing his hands up to cup Taemin’s face, “you cried enough yesterday. I can still see how puffy your eyes are.”

The boy sniffled slightly but didn’t lose his smile.

“I love you, Hyung.” He croaked. “I’m sorry.”

Kibum felt himself tear up as he remembered Minho telling him this was what Taemin had wanted to say to him before he disappeared and he pulled the boy back into his arms properly, not able to help the tear that escaped.

“I love you too, Taemin.” He murmured. “And I missed you.”

Taemin let out a weak laugh and Kibum could feel a few teardrops on the front of his shirt. And right then he decided he would give this entire day to his sunshine boy. At this moment he would do anything for Taemin to help him ease the pain and guilt. He pulled out of the hug, dried the tears on Taemin’s face and gave him his best smile.

“I’m yours today, we can do whatever you want!” He said as brightly as he could and the other lit up in his most brilliant smile yet, grabbing Kibum’s hand.

“First I want to go eat breakfast at this new pancake shop I found.” He said happily without a moment of hesitation. “I didn’t have the time to tell you before everything with Jonghyun’s family happened.”

Kibum gave him another smile, squeezing his hand. “Okay, I just have to change real quick and then we can go.”

Taemin nodded and waited for him patiently at the door before all but dragging Kibum out as soon as he had put on his shoes, beginning to babble on about everything between heaven and earth. Kibum let him, indulging the boy as much as he could.

He was too happy at completely having his sunshine boy back to remember the possible dangers he now was in.

A/N: Unprocessed chapter is unprocessed but... I made you wait long enough so *shrug*

And by the way, is this considered another cliffhanger? I never really plan them so please don't kill me! OTL

Also, I know that some of you are really waiting for these updates and I really am trying my best! I am uploading these chapters as fast as I possibly can, but I do have other things in my life that requires my attention more. I hope you're not too disappointed in my decreasing speed in uploading chapters!

So... I love you guys! You make me happy by reading this story! ^_^

Bye~!<3