“JAESOON!”

            “Junhyung,” The older sibling responded from the top bunk.

            “Whatever,” Ilhoon ignored his brother’s name change, “What are you doing here?!”

            “Well, I used to live here,” Junhyung rolled to the edge of the bunk, “and considering the fact that you haven’t done any redecorating in the last five years I assume-”

            “That’s not what I meant!” Ilhoon yelled. “You said you couldn’t leave the school.”

            “I couldn’t,” Junhyung leapt down from his bunk, “but now I can.”

            “How?!” Ilhoon asked a bit annoyed at his brother’s games.

            “Well, here’s the deal, Ilhoonie,” Junhyung rubbed his brother’s head. “Up until now, the reason I was stuck in the school was because I was linked to it, but that all changed last night, when you hugged me.”

            “When I hugged you?” Ilhoon repeated.

            Junhyung nodded with a slight smirk on his face. “I’m not sure how or why but that brief moment of contact established some sort of contract between the two of us.”

            “S-so what you’re saying is...” Ilhoon stuttered quietly.

            “I’m your new shadow,” Junhyung continued where Ilhoon left off.

            Ilhoon was left speechless. Not only did he get his brother back, Junhyung was his shadow. In his mind, things were starting to make sense, like the strange mark on the back of his hand.

            “Wait?!” Ilhoon questioned, “what about the other Beast members?”

            Junhyung simply chuckled. “You don’t really think I’m the only one who figured out how to get out of there, did you?”

            Ilhoon was about to respond but, as if on cue, his cellphone started to ring. Ilhoon picked up to the custom ringtone of Seo In Guk’s ‘My Baby U’ and he knew it was Sungjae, “H-Hey Sungjae.”

            “Ilhoon-hyung! Yoseob came over and broke into our house,” The tall boy cheered over the other end.

            “I DID NOT!” Ilhoon heard a slightly familiar voice yell from the other line.

            Sungjae laughed as Peniel took the phone.

            “Ilhoon, Yoseob’s coming to live with us,” the foreigner announced.

            “Yoseob’s staying with both of you?” Ilhoon asked, “Wait, so he’s your shadow, or is he Sungjae’s?”

            “Both,” Peniel responded, confusing Ilhoon.

            Junhyung overheard Peniel’s answer and took the phone from Ilhoon, “Peniel? This is Junhyung. Could you put Yoseob on the line, please?”

            Peniel quietly handed the phone over to the hyperactive shadow who took it with great enthusiasm.

            “Hyung, you’re with your brother! Isn’t this great?!” Yoseob cheered as he was fending off the phone from Sungjae’s grabby hands.

            “Yoseob,” Junhyung asked, “are you Peniel’s shadow or Sungjae’s?”

            “I’m both,” Yoseob laughed. “It’s weird but I can follow both Peniel and Sungjae and not die.”

            “How is that possible?” Junhyung asked.

            “I don’t know. Ask them, they pushed me last night, at the same time.”

            Yoseob was immediately tackled as Sungjae took control of the phone again, “Hey, it’s Sungjae again. Can I talk to Ilhoon-hyung?”

            Junhyung sighed and handed the phone back to his brother.

            “Hey Sungjae,” Ilhoon sighed, hearing the sounds of the brothers’ and Yoseob’s rough-housing on the other line.

            “Hyung, this is sooo cool,” Sungjae cheered. “It’s like having a puppy that’ll follow me everywhere.”

            “I’m not a pet! Yoseob yelled.

            Ilhoon sighed, “Cool as it may be, this is still kind of a big deal. What do we tell our parents, or the other members?”

            Sungjae took a moment to think as Peniel took hold of the phone.

            “I’ll call Hyunsik,” Peniel announced. “Maybe the seven of us can meet at the restaurant he works at. If these marks on our hands are any indication, the other Beast members got out of the school too.”

            “I figured,” Ilhoon answered Peniel. “I’ll call Minhyuk and Eunkwang. You call Hyunsik and Changsub. We’ll figure out what to tell our parents later.”

            “Good thinking,” Peniel chanted as Sungjae grabbed onto his hand and spoke into the receiver.

            “We’ll catch you later, hyung. And don’t forget to bring your shadow.” Sungjae giggled before hanging up his phone.

            Ilhoon sighed at his hyperactive friends before setting down his phone and walking to the door, “I’ll call the boys later. Come on; let’s tell mom and dad you’re here.”

            “NO! DON’T!” Junhyung extended his hand as Ilhoon reached for the door. The boy was instantly lifted away from the knob and transported back to his bed.

            “Yah, What did you do that for?!” Ilhoon yelled, annoyed at being carried by telekinesis.

            “I...I don’t want anyone to find out I’m still alive.”

            “What?” Ilhoon was beyond confused, “why not? We’ve been worried sick about you for years. How can you not tell them you’re alive?”

            “That’s just it,” Junhyung commented. “It’s been years. Look, to be honest, when I followed you home, I was more than willing to confront mom, dad and Jiyoon, but I changed my mind after seeing mom and Jiyoon in the kitchen.”

            “What does that have to do with anything?” Ilhoon pressed on.

            “Don’t you get it, mom is happy.”

            “So?”

            “They aren’t worried about me, because they think I’m dead. If they found out that I’m still alive and if they found out I’m your shadow, do you know how much stress that’d put on them?”

            Ilhoon opened his mouth but immediately shut it, as he thought about Junhyung’s words. His brother had a point. Their mother did tend to worry about the siblings more than anything, and after Jaesoon’s supposed death she hadn’t been able to smile brightly in years. It had been a while since he had seen his mom happy, and bringing up Junhyung’s situation could frighten her beyond all help.

            “Besides, Ilhoon,” Junhyung continued, “Jung Jaesoon is dead. I’m Yong Junhyung now, your shadow.”

            Ilhoon sighed, rolling his eyes, but reluctantly agreed not to tell his family that his brother was alive. He picked up his phone, dialing Minhyuk and Eunkwang, and the seven boys made arrangements to meet at Hyunsik’s restaurant. Just as Ilhoon had suspected, the other Beast members were now taking residence with BtoB so they had to meet to get their entire situation figured out.