A/N: Hi, all!

First, I'm so sorry for not updating last weekend! I know it's getting more frequent that I'm saying this as an excuse, but honest, my profs are really dumping work on us as though we don't have other lives other than our academics! T.T

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

“Dong Bang Shin Ki had always been the pride of SM Entertainment,” said the man on the television screen pompously.

This particular SM representative was wearing a very expensive-looking suit and also wore an expression that suggested that he thought that he was way beyond the reach of others. It just made him look like the arrogant sleazer that he really was, though.

He continued to tell the reporters surrounding him, “The whole company had been nothing but shocked when we heard the news about this sudden move from our very own boys. Especially about the suggestions that they’ve made about how they’re being treated. Again, Dong Bang Shin Ki was the highlight of the company; what reason would we have to treat them with nothing but the best? Of course, the board of directors and the executives are trying to understand that this might because the boys want something… more. Something more that they probably feel that SM cannot give to them. Artists are expected to need and want materiality, after all… But still, to be charged with a lawsuit from boys that the company has treated like its own children has been like a slap to the face of the company-“

Whatever else that the man was going to say was cut off as the television screen suddenly went blank.

“ing !”

We all turned around to look at Yoochun as he cursed loudly and angrily. He was still pointing the remote at the TV. He had turned it off.

“What did you do that for?” Changmin demanded.

“What, you want to hear more of that crap that that bastard’s saying about us?” Yoochun said furiously, still glaring at the now empty screen.

It was early morning the next day after they had filed the lawsuit. We had all gathered around the television about an hour ago, when one of their lawyers had dropped by to give the boys an update, and also told them that SM was about to give their statement already. We had waited anxiously for the interview to be broadcasted, and, as expected, it didn’t give a sign of anything good for us.

“Have you ever heard of the saying that ‘it’s best to know what the enemy is saying’, Yoochun?” Jaejoong pointed out from his place on Yunho’s lap, though he too looked quite annoyed about what we’d just seen and heard. It was only the leader’s strong arms around his middle that was stopping Jaejoong from pacing furiously around the room.

“We already know what they’re saying! They’re trying to make us look like greedy, money-hungry bastards again!”

“Again?” Junsu repeated in confusion.

“Again, as in like what they’ve done to our future selves in Erin’s time,” Yoochun explained, giving a nod in my direction.

“Oh…”

“It’s not like we really expected something else…” Yunho muttered quietly from beneath Jaejoong.

We all glanced at him, knowing that, despite what he said to the contrary, he had always been harboring some hope deep inside him that they would be able to find some compromise. However, what that “official spokesperson” from SM had just said on TV moments ago had obviously permanently crushed the last vestiges of that hope.

Jaejoong hugged him to provide his lover some sort of comfort. Yunho looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

It was silent for a while, before Junsu suddenly said, “I wish we thought of changing our numbers before we filed that lawsuit.”

I turned to my left to face him. “Your phones have still been ringing nonstop?”

Five heavy sighs were all that I got in reply. I took that as a ‘yes’.

“I can only imagine how crazy my mother must be right now, with all these news about us since yesterday, and she can’t reach me,” Jaejoong muttered, running his fingers through his hair. All of his phones had been turned off since yesterday.

All their phones had been turned off, because all the ringing was enough to drive us mad.

“My parents, too, most probably,” Junsu mumbled forlornly.

“Well, why not get new numbers today, then?” I suggested with a shrug. “I thought your lawyers don’t need you to make any appearances until tomorrow…”

“And risk going out in all that chaos?” Yoochun raised an eyebrow at me.

“Aren’t you guys good at disguising yourselves? Plus, there are no paparazzi outside,” I pointed out. “That should make it easier to sneak out of here.”

“Yeah, about that. I’m surprised that they’ve been stalking outside our dorms,” Yunho intoned.

The news had shown how media people have been flocking the SM dorms and the family homes of the boys, hoping to interview them, before they featured that official from SM. But so far, none of them has come here. Jaejoong had said before that it wasn't known that his sister owned this place.

“I’m not,” Jaejoong snorted. “When it comes down to it, they’re all hopeless idiots in the end… I mean, those press people are still waiting outside our dorms! SM’s dorms! As if we’d still be staying there when we filed a freakin’ lawsuit against the company who'd been providing us those dorms!"

"Yeah, they're not really the brightest lightbulbs, are they?" Yoochun nodded.

“So, does that mean we can go out?” I said hopefully.

I know, I know, it’s still kind of risky, but can you blame me for being eager? I’ve been stuck inside this apartment for two months! If I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to end up insane!

“We’re not going out!” Changmin immediately snapped at me.

“You need new phone numbers! Jaejoong oppa and Junsu oppa have said that your families must be worrying by now! And it’s not like you can just open your phones! I doubt your families’ calls would even be able to get through the thousands of calls the media are sending you!” I retorted.

“One or two of us will go out and get new ones later, then.”

“But I want to go out, too!” I shouted.

Okay, I was sounding a bit whiny, but I’ve been trapped in here! Besides, more than anything, it really gets on my nerves that Changmin thinks he can just tell me what I can and cannot to do!

“May I remind you two that you are just standing in the same room! There’s no need to yell at each other as though you’re in different continents!” Yunho reprimanded us both.

“Are you crazy? It’s too dangerous!” Changmin shouted back, completely ignoring his leader, making Yunho fume silently to himself.

“Dangerous?” I repeated incredulously. “What the hell is so dangerous about me going out? I’ve gone out with you guys before, remember?!”

“That was when we were in Tokyo!”

“And so?”

“That was in Japan!”

“I’m already quite aware that Tokyo is in Japan, not in Korea, funnily enough,” I told him dryly.

Changmin growled in frustration, making me stare at him for a second.

I’ve never heard him growl before, and that was, uhm… woah. Yeah.

“You’re completely missing the point!” Changmin said, bringing me back from my thoughts. He let out another frustrated growl and made to stalk out of the living room.

His four hyungs all let out sighs of relief at Changmin leaving. I guess they were think