Now that all the twelve of them were staying together again for a while, the atmosphere at the dorm was more lively.

Although Jongin was still acting like that Jongin that everyone could barely recognize, especially the M-members, he had surpassed that tough phase of the previous weeks.  Except that his nightmares had been harsher than ever, and Kyungsoo had to beg Yixing to go sleep in Kris' room without saying nothing about the incidents, to protect Luhan from worrying.

Yixing was hesitant and he couldn't understand, but he knew Kyungsoo loved Luhan a lot, so he accepted. He never slept in his room again.

On the other hand, Luhan got quickly used to that new side of Jongin, a side that he did his best to avoid but still to support, because he cared about Jongin a lot and even if he couldn't understand how his friend had changed so much in such a short period of time, he would have never abandoned him without trying.

Baekhyun is now asking all of them to watch a horror movie together and Tao immediately rushes to Junmyeon's side on the couch, glared by a irritated Kyungsoo who was just about to sit on the same spot. 

"The idea doesn't really excite me much, I must say." Sehun expresses boredly and gets ignored. 

"Jongin-hyung is it okay with you?" Yixing asks him then, when he notices Jongin is staring at his phone blankly, not really paying attention to them. 

The boy tilts his head up at his name, looking confused. "Everything is okay for me."

"Let's play Streep-tease poker then." Baekhyun mocks him.

"Oh, let's do that!" Tao butts in immediately, a bit too excited and Kris throws a shoe up to his head. 

Jongin only shrugs, going back to the interesting phone screen. 

Luhan bits his lip worriedly but says nothing, leaning over Minseok's shoulder and his friend sends him a comprehensive look.

"Nevermind," Chanyeol smiles brightly "Let's just watch the movie." 

One hour later, after Jongdae's multiple attempt-and actually successful ones-to troll s during the movie at the point that Tao spread himself all over a mortified Junmyeon for the fright, and after Kris had fallen asleep and Kyungsoo had his head covered with the pop-corn container, Jongin decides to quietly move away from the dining room. 

He enters the bathroom and calls over to Yeonsu and Byul to know if everything is well and the two comfort him by telling that everything was just fine, and that Yeonsu has a little birthday party to attend the next day.

Relaxed, he greets his baby goodnight with a soft kiss and hangs up when a few knocks on the closed door call for his attention. 

"Jongin," comes Luhan's hesitant voice "Is everything okay?" 

He sighs heavily and opens the door, glancing over the boy with a flat smile. "Yes. Don't worry." 

Luhan follows him. "Are you bored with the movie?"

"Not that I had much choice."

"We could do something else together, if you don't want to go back to the dining room." 

Jongin feels his Luhan's alarm thrill. He looks away, heart protesting strongly for his own behavior. At the lack of response, Luhan simply smiles.

"Okay, never mind. I guess you are not in the mood." 

"I'm sorry." and he would like this statement to ask for the older's forgiveness about everything he had messed up. 

Luhan stares at him, confused and disappointed as Jongin walks away, almost like a criminal, and doesn't understand what's going on anymore. Jongin then stops, hesitant, and looks back at him with a guilty stare.

"I love you." 

He throws it out of no where, as to remind Luhan that despite his ty behavior, he still was the most precious friend he had ever had. 

Luhan doesn't wait for Jongin to enter his room that is already walking away quickly.

--

Kyungsoo is rejected by Jongin once again as he tries to help him out after he wakes up harshly, calling for Luhan's name. Biting his lips, the younger boy decides to leave Jongin alone on the messy bed.

He sends an apologetic look to his roommate and rushes in the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. He glances over to the wall-clock that informs him it's already 5 in the morning, and Kyungsoo actually considers the idea of preparing himself and the others breakfast at this point. 

He is taking eggs out of the fridge when some muffled coughs catch his attention and he widens his eyes for the fright, glancing over the room's balcony to notice the window is half-open. 

Frowning, he quietly walks over and peeks out in the dark night view to see who it is, that figure sat down on the cold floor outside. 

"Luhan-hyung?" he asks, unsure and with concerned eyes.

The older boy turns to him with a shocked face and brings his hands to his mouth to prevent himself from screaming. 

Kyungsoo rushes by his side."It's just me, you silly. What are you doing outside here at this hour?" 

Luhan looks a little beat in Kyungsoo's opinion. He looks like someone who had been holding back tears for long and was now waiting for the feeling to pass. 

"Did you cry? Had a nightmare?" 

Luhan shakes his head firmly, smiling a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I just ran out of sleep."

"Right," the younger boy ignores him, sitting next to him "What happened?" 

Luhan sighs because he knows Kyungsoo would never leave like that. His dongsaeng poses a hand on his shoulder, encouraging him.

Kyungsoo is a bit worried but he is a patient, caring boy so he just waits, soft gaze on Luhan's delicate features. He tries to ignore the fact that just a room away, Jongin is versing in no better conditions. 

"I think there may be something wrong in me." Luhan finally speaks and Kyungsoo frowns severely.

"What? What is this supposed to mean, hyung." he scolds. 

"It's my fault." the older boys insists "There is something about me that lead those I love to turn their back to me."

A long pause follows and Kyungsoo can only hold Luhan's hand tightly. When Luhan tries to speak again his voice cracks, and Kyugnsoo pulls him inside his arms for a supportive hug, letting the boy rest his head on his shoulder.

"I did something wrong, didn't I?" 

Luhan manages to ask in a broken whispers and the younger boy caresses his hair softly.

"You did not," he tries, his voice low and shooting "Ever. I, as someone who loves you a lot, like Sehunie, Minseok-hyung, Junmyeon-hyung, don't want to hear such words coming out from your mouth ever again, because I could kick you hard."

He stares into Luhan's big eyes with his even bigger ones, full lips slightly curved into a delicate smile.

"I don't know what's wrong with him either, but it's not your fault. I know it." 

Luhan's eyes widen at Kyungsoo's words in a worried way and the older boy stares at his friend with a questioningly, mortified expression.

"I see how you look at him." Kyungsoo explains, tugging a cheeks of Luhan's beautiful face, and shrugs "It's the same, exact way he looks at you."

Luhan frowns, shaking his head. He refuses to talk about it because he already feels his heart in his throat preventing him for breath properly, and he is too angry at himself and embarrassed to face anything now. 

Kyungsoo doesn't insist and only his hair softly. "Everything will be okay." he says with a firm and supportive tone, and Luhan feels a smile forming on his lips. 

Even though none of them truly believe it.

He feels his arm being pulled by his younger friend then, inviting him to get up and stop thinking. 

Kyungsoo's usually grumpy face opens up into a bright smile.

"Want to help me making breakfast? Unless you are sleepy, of course." it is not even the dawn, after all.

Luhan only smiles, thankful, shaking his head and following him inside, "Let's make breakfast." 

Kyungsoo nods and starts giving him orders, first of all regarding the 16 eggs he should break and beat up. But Luhan is a terrible cook and breaks an entire egg inside the bowl, letting out a mortified gasp and glancing over Kyungsoo with an adorable expression of sorrow. His younger friend sighs as he helps to remedy to his disaster and Luhan can't help opening up into a grateful smile. 

"Thank you, Kyungsoo." 

"Don't worry, it's just an egg."

"No, not for the egg. Thank you for everything. Thank you for alway protecting me from behind." 

Kyungsoo simply shakes his head in embarrassment, hiding his smile.

He truly hopes the dawn could bring a sincere smile on his hyung's face.

And on Jongin's one.

--

Tired of sleeping horribly as he has done for the entire night, Jongin wakes up earlier than ever. 

He stumbles out from his bed and keeps his unstable walk towards the kitchen, dark-circles all around the eyes he can't stop rubbing. Kyungsoo is in the kitchen as expected, as he hears his roommate's voice coming from the room, and Jongin wonders who could he be talking to at such a hour. Usually the boy would have gone into every room  to wake them all up before they could by their own, because they were all really lazy and Kyungsoo hated being late at their every day's activities. 

He freezes on his spot when he hears Luhan's voice joining Kyungsoo's one in a cute tone, and doesn't move any further step towards the dorm's kitchen.

"I'll start to wake Junmyeon-hyung and Sehun up, hyung." Kyungsoo tells at one point, moving towards the little hallway and Jongin quickly runs into the bathroom, closing the door after him careful not to make any noise. 

He stares at the shower, shrugging and scolding himself for acting so stupidly. He doesn't get his breakfast before at least the two most distracting of their members-Baekhyun and Chanyeol, for the record- show up into the kitchen.

Their manager then comes to pick them up two hours later and gives some weak informations about their schedule, which don't really give the boys informations at all. Tao, Kris and Yixing start looking at each other cluelessly, considering-in Chinese- the idea that they have not understood their hyung's Korean; Baekhyun is too busy showing off the pretty shirt he managed to have Chanyeol buy him the day before to a giggling Jongdae and a disappointed Sehun, Kyungsoo is still cleaning up the kitchen after their breakfast with Junmyeon's help and Luhan, who is starting to feel a little bit sleepy now, is resting with shut-eyes on Minseok's back. Jongin walks towards their manager with a frown before the man can leave the dorm and wait for them downstairs.

"I didn't really understand what we are going to do today?" he tries and the man sends him a soulless stare.

"It is supposed to be a surprise, that's why."

"I'm not in the mood for surprises. Please, hyung just tell me." 

The man observes him carefully, both eyebrows raised. "You are not in the mood for anything these days." he comments, concerned "But I am sure you will enjoy yourself today."

"Why?" Jogin insists. He softens his facial expression and acts cute to the older man. A 22-years-old father knows when and how to pull of Aegyo the best. 

Their manager shakes immediately off the idea of what -usually manly- Jongin has just done, and opens the door to leave the apartment after letting out a flat "You are going to meet up with Senior TVXQ.", leaving Jongin startled.

He feels a shiver of excitement running through his whole body because meeting TVXQ was always rare and usually short, considering the two older men's  packed schedule.

He smiles, happily. He knows there are a lot of fanboys among them, and Luhan is probably the biggest of them all. 

He suddenly opens up in a weak smile.

--

Yunho and Changmin share with them almost the entire morning in the practice room, giving the boys advices, compliments, scoldings and a rare chance to smile and learn with two of the most respected members of the SM Family. 

The two men treat the twelve boys lunch and, in the afternoon, they all hold a little concert displaying everyone's talent and performing songs of each group. 

"They are too perfect to be real," Baekhyun dreamily states as they get back to their dorms "Have you all seen Yunho-hyungnim when he dances? Makes me want to lose all my voice to scream forever."

"You are such a fanboy," Chanyeol smirks, hitting his friend's arm "But yes, they are amazing." 

Almost everyone glances over an unstoppable-helpless-giggling Yixing with annoyance. The boy hadn't stopped once, too excited over the fact he had had lunch with TVXQ, and now if he even had the chance to eat with Lee Soo Man he would consider his life to be complete, probably. 

Luhan and Minseok hug the Chinese boy affectionately at his cute reaction and then the three of them start fanboying together, soon joined by Baekhyun and a worryingly Tao. 

Kyungsoo sets up all that is necessary to prepare dinner and Jongin decides that since everyone seems to be so busy, he is going to take a shower first.

In the exact moment he comes out the shower and pulls his bathrobe on, a loud scream from somewhere in the dorm makes his heart jump and, despite still being all wet, he rushes out and meets all his bandmates outside Luhan's shared room.

"Hyung, what happened?" Sehun exclaims, alarmed, and Luhan does nothing but pointing at something on his desk. Eleven pairs of eyes follow the direction and frown. 

"Your CD's?" Chanyeol asks, a bit disappointed, but the older boy shakes his head vividly, taking his collection of TVXQ's albums in his hands and passing it to his band mates.

"The autographs." he shakily explains "They were never on them. I didn't took my cd's along, and I never got them signed." 

The alarmed voice of the Chinese boy quickly hits everyone's brain, and Tao immediately lets out a terrified scream. 

"Ghost! There's a ghost in the dorm!" 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kris kicks him in the and the boy only answers by wrapping his arms around the older's firm shoulders.

"How is it possible?" Kyungsoo speaks up, looking at the cd's with a raised eyebrow "Obviously someone took them and had TVXQ seniors to sign them."

Luhan only stares at his beloved collection, his eyes glimmering in contrasting emotions that go from shocked and frightened to grateful and happy. 

Baekhyun is looking at the Keep Your Head Down signed album when he notices a little inscription on the inside. 

"Hyung, there is an inscription here. Did you read it?" 

"What?" Luhan quickly walks besides the younger boy to take a look, "I didn't."

"Read it, then." Sehun encourages, punching Tao's still trembling arm in the meanwhile.

Luhan studies the hangul closely and starts reading aloud, "To our beloved Luhan, always bright like sunshine and always working hard to achieve his goals, we would like to tell you that, as seniors, we are proud of you. We are grateful you look up at us with inspiration. We will always work hard. Keep your hard work and your smile on, keep your beloved band mates close, and preserve a special spot for the friend who loves you so much to prepare this surprise." 

The Chinese boy looks up immediately after, confused, his heart beating fast when he notices Jongin's figure quietly moving out his room with his head kept low. 

The sudden realization leaves him still and speechless for a long time and around him, the other members look questioningly at each other, until they understand as well. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun lean close to Luhan, hugging him with little smiles. Everyone leaves the room quietly, their thoughts on that stupid boy who would just make them all go crazy and then do something so special, except for a still clueless and scared to death Tao and two too busy with trolling him Jongdae and Sehun. 

Luhan looks down at the signed Cd once more now that he is alone, and doesn't manage to control his smile when happiness runs all trough his veins.

Maybe his Jongin had not gone anywhere far after all.

A/N

Double update today as well! ^^