Ilhoon, little brother, look how much you've grown.  In the few short months we've had together, I've seen how you've matured, from the cute little boy I used to tease to the brave young man I'm proud to call my sibling. Becoming your shadow was the craziest, yet most fulfilling thing I've ever done. I'm glad I've gotten to know you, and also make up for my past in the process.  Thank you for giving me a second chance... but please, don't let what happens here bring you down.  You need to be strong, for your team, for Beast, for Sohyun, for Jiyoon, and even for Vixx.  Ilhoon, I'm leaving them all in your capable hands. Be a light for them, Ilhoon, I know you can.  Take care of Gina for me, ok? And keep looking up. I'll always be here for you, Ilhoon.  I'll always love you. Be strong little brother, and as long as you keep your head up, I'll be here for you whenever you need me.

I promise.

            Ilhoon walked quietly down the snow covered sidewalk. It’d been over a month since Junhyung disappeared and things mellowed out in Ilhoon’s life. It took some time but Btob and Beast were back on track, even with their missing member. Eunkwang and Minhyuk were often studying, to take their graduation exams while Doojoon and Dongwoon helped anyway they could.

            Ilhoon entered the gates of Cube High. He couldn’t help staring at the sky as snow fell on his cheeks. A small smile fell across his face. Today, he was seventeen, officially the same age as Jaesoon before he became a demon. The young boy chuckled lightly before adjusting his hat and running into the high school building. Despite how much he missed Junhyung, he knew he had to keep looking up. He was stronger now, and his brother was his reason.

            “Ilhoon!” Sungjae ran over, wrapping his arm around his friend’s shoulder. “Happy birthday, Hyung!”

            Ilhoon smiled before lightly pushing Sungjae off. “Thanks, but there’s no need to make a big deal about it.”

            Sungjae pouted. “Yes there is, because you’re older than me and that bothers me.”

            Ilhoon placed his hand on Sungjae’s head. “Yeah, but you’re still taller and that bothers me.” He laughed before looking around. “At least I’m taller than Yoseob.”

            Sungjae laughed as the aforementioned shadow started spewing out a stream of complaints.

            “Relax Hyung,” Ilhoon smirked. “I’m just messing with you.”

            Yoseob sighed, ‘I know, and happy birthday, Ilhoon. Your brother would be proud.’

            The road had been tough for the Beast members. Losing Junhyung left a gaping hole in all of them. The Btob members, however, managed to do all they could to keep the demons together.  It was a hard month but as long as they kept the memory of their lost member in their hearts, they were able to live on for him.

            “Thanks Hyung,” Ilhoon said softly before looking around. “By the way, where’s Peniel?”

            “Right behind you.”

            Ilhoon jumped, spinning around as the foreign Btob seemed to appear from nowhere to stand behind him.

            “Peniel! What the hell?” Ilhoon all but yelled.

            “Sorry man,” Peniel spoke as he giggled. “Ravi couldn’t resist.”

            A certain Vixx rapper stood beside Peniel with a goofy grin on his face and his hair dyed a light electric blue. “No hard feelings, right? Especially on your birthday.”

            “Yeah, yeah.” Ilhoon brushed imaginary dust off his person. “But I doubt N would approve of you using your time skipping ability to scare people.”

            Ravi blew a raspberry. “I’m not scared of him.”

            “Oh really.”

            Ravi immediately stiffened up as a hand touched his shoulder, he could feel sweat trickling down his neck until he heard familiar laughter and spun around to see two familiar second year boys chortling at his expense.

            “Dammit Changsub!” Ravi growled as the rest of the group joined in in the laughter.

            “S-Sorry Ravi,” Changsub laughed, “It was just too easy.”

            “Yeah,” Ken added, rubbing a hand through his newly styled, dark brown hair. “And Changsub’s impression of N just keeps getting better.”

            “Well don’t do it again!” Ravi warned, visibly embarrassed.

            Ever since their final battle the Vixx and Btob members formed an alliance. The last day of the kingka vote ended in a draw, however both groups decided to forego the kingka titles in honor of just being liked for who they are on the inside and not their looks. They all still had fans around the school, but thankfully it no longer got out of hand.

            “You guys are having fun,” Hyuk spoke as he exited a classroom with a Go board in his hand. The Vixx maknae had to blink several times to adjust his eyes to the natural sunlight pouring in from the windows.

            “Hey Hyukkie,” Ken greeted before rubbing his hand through the maknae’s newly dyed, red-brown hair. “You look sleepy, how were lessons this morning.”

            “Brutal,” Hyuk yawned. “Just when I thought I had Dongwoon on the ropes, he turns the whole game around in a matter of three moves. That guy is a genius.”

            “It’s all about seeing the whole board,” Minhyuk spoke as he exited the classroom. “There’s more you can learn from defeat then victory.”

            “You even sound like him now, Hyung,” Hyuk complained before shaking the elder Btob member. “Knock it off!”

            Minhyuk laughed, knowing Dongwoon was laughing beside him. “Just be happy Jihyun had an acting audition today and didn’t show up to give us a thrashing.”

            Hyuk visibly lost color in his cheeks at the thought of Minhyuk’s cousin and Dongwoon’s girlfriend.

            “Hyung, why do you date her?”

            Dongwoon simply shrugged as Ilhoon looked around at all the Vixx members.

            “Hey, you all changed your hair this morning. What gives, are you having a comeback?” Ilhoon asked.

            “You can kinda say that,” Ken swayed on his feet.

            “Leo’s returning to school today!” Hyuk cheered.

            Ilhoon froze while the other boys took delight in this news. He hadn’t seen Leo since the fight. He had learned a lot about Leo from N over the last few weeks. He was in no way mad at the Vixx member for what he did, but he still couldn’t help feeling awkward. Leo had been away at N’s grandmother’s house, resting his wing. Ilhoon still felt guilty about that. Ilhoon hoped he could make up with Leo eventually, but he knew they’d both harbor regret in what they had done to each other.

            As his friends talked joyfully about Leo’s return, Ilhoon quietly slipped away from the group and headed toward his classroom, waiting for classes to begin.

            Class was rather boring now. Gina had finished her internship and had returned to finish grad school and receive her teaching degree in Seoul. Losing Junhyung was incredibly hard on the young teacher, so she had to return to school with a heavy heart. However, she had refused to let the despair overwhelm her. She vowed to return to Cube High as a full time teacher someday, and help students reach their full potential, knowing it’s what Jaesoon would have wanted.

            Meanwhile, now that the normal teacher was back in charge of the class, things had definitely winded down. It seemed as though the past few months never really happened. The only real indication of any kind of change was Hongbin.

            “Psst, Ilhoon,” the girl who sat in the row beside Ilhoon whispered. She quietly placed a note on Ilhoon’s desk before pointing to Hongbin across the room. Hongbin smiled at the boy issuing a subtle wave and Ilhoon simply smiled before unfolding the note.

Just wanted to wish you a super happy birthday. May all your best wishes come true.

-Bin-

            Ilhoon chuckled before writing a simple reply and passing it on to the girl beside him. Hongbin soon received the note and read it.

You couldn’t wait until lunch to tell me that?

-Hoon-

            Hongbin quickly scribbled down a reply before passing it back.

I just wanted to be the first one to say happy birthday to you. Besides, you looked bored so I had to.

-Bin-

Ilhoon rolled his eyes reading this before writing his reply.

You do realize Sungjae and Peniel are in this class. They wished me a happy birthday first thing today.

-Hoon-

I mean, I wanted be the first one in Vixx to say happy birthday.

-Bin-

I saw Ken and Ravi this morning and they said it.

-Hoon-

The first Vixx, first year student.

-Bin-

I saw Hyuk too.

-Hoon-

Hongbin groaned at the last note, causing Ilhoon to chuckle. As Hongbin was about to write out another reply, the teacher called them out.

            “Jung Ilhoon! Lee Hongbin! Are you passing notes?”

            The two boys tensed up as all eyes were on them.

            “Hallway! Now!” The teacher yelled as the two boys headed out into the hallway with smiles on their faces. The rest of the class chuckled and Sungjae whispered to his brother.

            “Never thought I’d see the day when those two would be so friendly with each other.”

            Peniel simply nodded before replying. “I think I like it better this way.”

            It was halfway through lunch when Ilhoon and Hongbin finally entered the cafeteria. They quickly gathered their lunches before running to the extra-large table where the Vixx and Btob members were seated together. Everyone was present, eating and chatting aloud, especially Ken, Changsub, Peniel and Sungjae. The only ones still missing were N and Leo.

            ‘What took you slackers so long?’ Kikwang asked.

            “We were caught passing notes and the teacher made us stay late as punishment.” Ilhoon admitted.

            “Mr. Kim has the eyes of a hawk!” Hongbin complained, assuming one of the Beast members had asked about his tardiness. “God, I wish I was telepathic too, then I wouldn’t have to pass notes.”

            “A telepathic Hongbin would terrify us all,” Hyuk remarked before taking a bite of his kimbap. Hongbin reached over, flicking the maknae in the forehead, causing the rest of the group to laugh.

            Ilhoon sat between Sungjae and Hyuk, causing the Vixx maknae to look at the birthday boy’s feet.

            “Still no shadow?” Hyuk asked, immediately silencing the mood of the cafeteria.

            “Yeah,” Ilhoon said weakly. “N said it should take a few weeks for me to grow a new dormant shadow, but it’s taking its time.”

            “You don’t think that without Junhyung, you’ll eventually lose your powers, do you?” Changsub asked, prompting a whack on the head from Ravi for being insensitive.

            “I sure hope not,” Ilhoon answered, unaffected by the mention of his dead brother. “It’d if I couldn’t see the supernatural anymore, and if I lost my telepathy how would I be able to compose for the Beast members?”

            ‘I’d like to think I could handle composing.’ Kikwang remarked.

            ‘I’d prefer working with someone who has a brain,’ Yoseob teased.

            ‘Hey, I’m just as good as Junhyung!’

            The rest of Beast mumbled out their disagreement, causing Kikwang to scowl.

            “Either way, I plan to keep composing in my brother’s legacy. It’s actually a lot of fun and with Ravi’s help, I think my skills are improving.”

            Ravi nodded proudly. “You should also try working with Leo. He’s actually a pretty good composer as well when he has the time.”

            Ilhoon visibly sunk into his chair a bit, still nervous about meeting his former enemy.

            “Speaking of Leo,” Ken called pointing across the room. The whole group turned to see N enter the cafeteria, escorting his slow moving friend as he walked with a cane.

            “Leo!” The Vixx members cheered and Eunkwang quickly ran over to help N Leo to the table. The injured boy with freshly cut black hair locked eyes with Ilhoon for a moment before the two of them shyly diverted their ga