A/N: hi, everybody! here's the next chapter! :)

it's just a short, "interlude"/transition chapter of sorts.

Hope you all like it, anyhow. XD

“To the airport, please,” Mr. Han told the driver after we had all clambered into the car.

“Airport?” the boys all repeated loudly, shocked, making my eyes widen, too.

We were going to the airport? Why?

“You boys need to get back to Japan,” Mr. Han said as the driver maneuvered the car out of the private parking lot behind the court building.

“Why?” they all asked together again, with matching bewildered expressions on their faces.

“I’ve been in contact with the company lawyers of Avex. You have a meeting with them and their management bright and early tomorrow morning.”

We all stared at him, and Yoochun was the first to react.

“Seriously?” he groaned in a defeated tone. “Honestly, Mr. Han, I was expecting I’d finally be able to get some rest and relaxation now that the lawsuit against SM is over!”

I sighed as I slumped against the back of my seat. “I hate to say it, oppas, but Mr. Han is right. This will probably be for the best.”

“How can this be for the best? My whole body feels as if a tractor ran over it!” Junsu complained from the seat opposite mine.

“Unless you want to face another lawsuit, clearing and maintaining your working relations with Avex should be our next priority,” I said darkly.

This time, they all stared at me.

“Tell us again about JYJ’s activities in Japan after the SM lawsuit in your time?” Yoochun asked me abruptly, his eyebrows furrowed together.

“While the lawsuit with SM was on-going, JYJ carried on with activities in Japan for a while. They even had a Thanksgiving concert and all that. But then, like what I’ve already told you before, Avex ended their activities, stating that they couldn’t negotiate with JYJ’s new Korean management. That would be C-Jes…”

Our serious talk was interrupted as the driver pulled out into the main street, passing by the front of the court building again. The fans that were still there started screaming excitedly, waving their banners and posters of support, when they recognized our car.

Jaejoong lowered the window beside him a bit and the sounds from outside flooded into the car. They weren’t just shouting, they were singing. Singing the boys’ debut song, 'Hug'. Grinning widely, Jaejoong stuck out half his body through the window and waved at the fans, shouting "thank you’s" at them. The fans’ yells intensified.

The happiness inside me from the boys winning the lawsuit swelled even bigger.

“What’s with the goofy smile?” Yunho asked me when he turned to his left and saw the expression on my face. Though, to be fair, all of them were also smiling hugely, pleased by the support of the fans.

“Well, why won’t anyone be smiling because of that?” Jaejoong said as he withdrew from the window and closed it again. The car drove away from the court building. “I mean, their support for us throughout this whole mess is very overwhelming, isn’t it? In a very good and touching way, of course.”

“Yeah, and the best part is that Cassiopeia won’t be experiencing a split as well this time around,” I said happily. That was another win for me. The boys didn’t split, so neither does Cassiopeia. Yep, I’ve done my mission well, if I do say so myself.

“Yes, yes, that's all very well. But going back to what we were talking about?” Mr. Han persisted, making the boys sigh.

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Yoochun said to me. “How do we know that SM didn’t do anything in your time to turn Avex against JYJ? I mean, is it really just because of not being able to negotiate with C-Jes, or is it because our Korean agency was no longer SM?”

“I really don’t know, oppa,” I said honestly. “Well, Avex did continue to support Homin after they cancelled your Japanese activities. But that could be because they didn’t have problems negotiating the duo’s schedule, since they’re already used to collaborating with SM…”

“Whether SM did another underhand method against JYJ in Erin’s time doesn’t really matter anymore,” Mr. Han shook his head. “The situation is totally different now. Even if SM did have something to do with Avex cancelling JYJ’s activities then, SM can’t do it now to DBSK. They’re in a very horrible state right now, with all the surveillance and investigations on their company matters that the court will hold. And if the problem with Avex had really been with not being able to negotiate with the new Korean agency, it’s still different from now, since you boys don’t even have a Korean agency yet. But that would just mean that you’re very free right now to have Japanese activities. Either way, it’s really best if you work this out with Avex in person.”

The boys all nodded in understanding.

“What are we going to do about our Korean activities, though?” Changmin asked, turning around from his place in the passenger’s seat beside the driver to look back at his hyungs. “Are we going to look for a new company to join or something?”

“Or we just start one of our own,” Jaejoong suggested insistently.

“You still have time to decide what your plans will be for your Korean activities, if you want to join another company or if you want to start your own. What you should focus on right now is maintaining your working relations in Japan,” Mr. Han advised them.

The car exited from the main highway and I could see the airport in the distance.

“Your flight leaves early this evening, in a few hours or so from now. We’ll be arriving early for it in the airport, but you can just rest in a private waiting room; I’ve had it all arranged. It’s better that you boys stay there rather than you be hounded by the press. The other lawyers and I will handle them and be your spokespersons regarding the lawsuit while you boys are still in Japan,” Mr. Han explained the plans to the boys.

“You must be heaven-sent, Mr. Han,” Jaejoong, who was leaning against Yunho, sighed deeply. “Because I really didn’t fancy having to face reporters right now, seeing as how fresh and wild the whole issue still is. It would have been a nightmare…”

“I expect you’ll also handle and do damage control to what the SM spokespeople will say against us to the media, too, Mr. Han?” Yoochun asked Mr. Han for confirmation.

“Yes, we already have plans for counterattack to whatever it is that SM will try to say to the public to ruin your reputations, don’t worry about that,” Mr. Han assured Yoochun.

“SM’s already spreading negative rumors about us again?” Junsu asked, looking a bit confused.

“Well, not yet. But knowing SM, it’ll happen some time soon. I mean, that’s the only way they can retaliate against us, isn’t it? By trying, in vain hope, to ruin our image to the public? It’s the only thing they can still do, since all the legal aspects have already sided with us…” Yoochun grunted.

“I agree, though I don’t see why they don’t realize that nothing will come out of those, no matter what horrible things they insinuate about us,” Jaejoong rolled his eyes, scoffing. “I mean, after all the nasty about their company that has been exposed to the public in the hearing just a while ago? They’ll be hard-pressed to find a single person who’d still believe in anything they have to say…”

“It’s one of those crazy and desperate attempts by those who are trapped and cornered,” Yoochun said wisely.

“Anyway," Mr. Han continued explaining the plans. "