Homecoming
The Power Within
Taemin's POV
"Woah." Chanyeol whispered, standing in the driveway of the Lee Mansion, staring up at the large estate.
"Its.....huge!" Junmyeon said, his eyes as wide as saucers.
Taemin and the others, who were standing on either side of them, laughed. 'They havnt seen anything yet!' he giggled.
"Well," Jinki sighed, pulling Taemin from his thoughts. He turned to see his hyung shoving his hands in his pockets. "Mrs. Park is expecting us. We better get inside." he began walking up the gravel walk.
They all followed suit, trudging up the long driveway. Taemin sighed. 'Its been so long.' He smiled as he remmebered all the good memories he had here. Playing in the backyard, climbing the trees, playing hide and seek with Mrs. Park and Sunyoung. At the thought of the sweet old housekeeper, Taemin beamed and sprinted the rest of the way, throwing the doors open with a shout. "Halmoni!"
Within seconds, the beloved housekeeper s head popped out from behind the dining room. She wore pastel cotton pants and a button up floral shirt. Her greying hair was pulled back into a bun, a few stray wisps framing her face. She beamed and immidietly let loose a squeal that sounded as if it came from a woman half her age. "TAEMINNIE!!" the old woman ran out and crushed Taemin to her in a bone crushing hug.
Taemin just smiled and snuggled into her embrace, realzing just how much he missed this woman that became like a grandmother to him.
"Oh Taebaby! Im so happy to see you!" She pulled away and grasped his shoulders. "My word!" she gasped. "Youve grown so handsome!" she praised, patting his cheek. Taemin smiled, puffing up at the compliment. "Oh but still so keyo!" she cooed, pinching his cheek.
Taemin squirmed away, rubbing his cheek, but smiled none the less. 'Still same old Halmoni.'
Mrs. Park laughed and turned to the door, only to gasp again. "KIBUMMIE!!!" She opened her arms, smiling broadly as she walked foreward to a smiling Kibum and wrapped him in her arms.
"Hi halmoni." he laughed, smiling so brightly and looking so content as he stood in her embrace.
"Oh Kibum! Its so good to see you." she laughed and patted his cheeks.
Kibum just smiled and covered her hands on his face. "Its good to see you too." he said, the emotions in his eyes swimming.
Jinki stepped inside and stood beside Taemin then. "Think she missed him more than us?" he whispered teasingly to Taemin, earning a snicker.
At that Mrs. Park turned to them, her hand falling to Kibum's shoulder, a bittersweet smile crossing her face. "All my boys. Home at last." she said softly, a few tears escaping and rolling out of the crinkles at her eyes and down her cheeks.
Taemin smiled and stepped foreward just as Kibum leaned over and hugged the woman. Taemin wrapped his arms around both her and Kibum as best he could. He felt Jinki's arms come around them a second later. He smiled, enjoying the warmth this impromptu family group hug was bringing his heart. 'It feels good to be back.'
After a few more seconds, Mrs. Park was shooing them off with a laugh. "Look at you all. Making Halmoni cry like that." she laughed as she dabbed at her eyes. Taemin laughed. 'Just like old times.'
Jinki's POV
'It feels good to be back. And with Kibum and Taemin here, it feels just like old times.' Jinki chuckled. "Mrs. Park, these are the friends i told you about earlier. Jonghyun...." he gestured with his hand.
She turned to him. Jonghyun smiled and opened his arms, a cheeky grin spreading across his lips. She laughed and gave him a big hug, patting his cheek affectionatly.
"Minho..." Minho waved with a smile. "And this is Chanyeol and Junmyeon." they each raised a hand in greeting, shy smiles spreading across their lips.
Mrs. Park smiled sweetly. She stepped foreward and wrapped a hand around eachs neck, pulling them both down to hug to her shoulders. "Now dont you worry. Jinki is a smart boy. If anyone can figure this out, its him." she said confidently, patting the backs of theyre heads lovingly before pulling back.
They both pulled back, wide eyed and slack jawed.
Jinki threw his head back and laughed at the sight. It was too much. 'Oh Mrs Park you ARE amazing.'
"Dont worry Dearys." she said patting their cheeks. "Jinki told me everything. And myself and the staff will do whatever we can to help." she nodded decisively, her hands braced on her hips.
"Well." Jonghyun clapped his hands together, gathering everyones attention. "That journal isnt going to find itself. Where do we start?" he asked no one in particular.
Mrs. Park was instantly all business. "Well, Jinki and i already searched Master Lee's study. And Jinki told me on the phone you planned to search some of the other places Master Lee frequented. So.." she trailed off, waving her hands, implying them to finish.
"I was thinking we all search the library together, seeing as it is the biggest, but for the smaller rooms, like his bedroom, his study, we should split up." Jinki supplied, earning nods and sounds of agreement. "Now," he clapped his hands together. "Should we search the library first, or save it for last. It is up to you all." he said, gesturing to everyone.
Kibum jutted his hip out and propped his fist on it. "I think doing the library first would be easier. Get the hardest out of the way first." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Well then lets go!" Jonghyun cheered, walking down the hall a few meters before stopping and turning back. "Where....."
Jinki pointed a finger in the appropiate direction before he could finish, trying to supress his laughted the whole time.
No ones POV
"UGH! THis is hopeless!" Jonghuyn groaned, plopping into a chair and leaning his head bag.
Kibum scoffed and turned to the elder, one hand on the shelf he was probing the other fisted at his hip "YOU were the one that was SO pumped and ready to help."
"Yeah well, that was before we spent 5 hours rummaging through old dusty books, only to come up with nothing." he deadpanned, never lifting his head.
"Dont be so negative hyung." Taemin chirped from another shelf. "We got a lot done today."
Jinki glanced up from his place on the floor, his lap littered with various volumes. He laughed to himslef and went back to his books.
Jonghyun finally lifted his head. "We barely cleared a quarter Minnie." he deadpanned before dropping his head back. "My back hurts." he whined.
"Mine too hyung." Junmyeon called from one of the ladders. "But you have to keep searching, THe sooner we find it the sooner we can break." Chanyeol simply followed the conversation with his eyes as he stood with one foot braced on the bottom rung of the stepladder, spotting Junmyeon.
"UGH! But its taking forever!" Jonghyun whined again.
"Well, maybe wed have more done if you would quit complaing and start helping more." Minho retorted, his eyes glued to a book he was skimming.
Kibum and Taemin snickered. "What was that you overgrown frog?" Jonghyun shouted.
"Now now, boys. No fighting." Mrs. Park scolded gently as she entered the room.
Jinki looked up momentarily at the sound of her voice, but ducked back down a second later.
"Come on. You all put those things down and come get something to eat." she called.
"YES!" Jonghyun jumped out of the chair. "I am STARVING!"
Chanyeol beamed "Me too." he sighed, stepping away from the ladder, towards the door.
Junmyeon squeaked as the ladder shifted. "CHANYEOL!" he screamed, latching onto one of the bookshelves to steady himself.
Chanyeol jumped in fright and whirled back around, lunging for the ladder. "Sorry hyung." he said, smiling sheepishly up at Junmyeon as he slowly descended.
Jinki listened, a content smile on his face, as the others talked back and forth as they filed out of the large library.
Taemin's POV
"Hyung!" Taemin called from the door, Kibum next to him.
"Hmm?" Jinki called absently, his eyes roving over the book he was skimming through, having not moved an inch, still sitiing on the floor, his legs folded under him.
"Come and eat. We can do more later." Taemin said
It took a few moments for a reply, Jinkis eyes going back and forth rapidly across the page. "You guys go on ahead and eat." A long pause. "Ill be down in a little while." he said distractidly.
Kibum rolled his eyes and tugged on his shoulder sleeve. "Come on Taemin-ah. You know as well as i do itll be a while before he comes down." he said as they walked down the hall towards the stairs.
Taemin sighed. 'I wish hyung wouldnt push himself so hard.' he looked back at the retreating form of the library double doors. 'He needs to eat.' he thought, worry painting his face. His worries for his hyung clouded his mind as he walked side by side with kibum downstairs. "What if he doesnt come down at all tonight?" Taemin asked, turning his head to the elder.
Kibum shrugged "I dont know. I guess we could take him a plate but knowing him, he would forget about it and it would go to waste." he sighed
Taemin sighed again. "i guess youre right." he turned back to the front and stopped in his tracks, a loud gasp leaving his lips at the sight before him.
Mrs. Park was in the middle of the foyer, hugging her, suitcases sitting at the door. 'Shes here? Daebak!' Her brown hair was loose, falling in waves around her face. She wore simple jeans and floral top, similar to her mothers.
"SUNYOUNG-AH!!" he shouted happily, darting down the stairs, leaving Kibum in his dust.
She looked up from Mrs. Park shoulder and beamed.
"Taemin-oppa!" she said happily, meeting him at the base of the stairs and hugging his shoulders. "And you know its Luna now!" she scolded smilingly, wagging a finger in his face when she pulled back
Taemin just laughed "I didnt know you were visiting?"
She just shrugged "I wasnt planning on it. But things came up and so i thought visiting Eomma would be nice." she said happily, gesturing to Mrs. Park.
Taemin nodded.'Ah! Sunyoung its so good to see you!'
"Oh! Sun...." Kibum began, having decended the stairs "Luna." he corrected after a mock glare from the burnette. He just laughed and pulled her into an embrace. "Oh its been awhile." he sighed.
She pulled back. "Last time i saw you guys was....the funeral?"
They all nodded solemly. 'Has it really been that long?'
"So.." Kibum clapped his hands together, pulling them all out of the melancoly moment. "have you eaten?"
Luna shook her head. "Ani."
Taemin beamed "GREAT! You can eat with us and meet all our new friends! Theres Minho, and Jonghyun. OH! and Chan..."
"Sunyoung?"
They all turned to the stairway, finding Jinki slowly descending, his eyes on the trio, the widest smile Taemin had seen all day strectching across his face.
Taemin was shocked. 'He actually DID come down. Hmm.'
Luna smiled, more like beamed. "Hi Jinki." she said happily, their eyes locked, neither saying a word as he descended the rest of the steps.
Taemin was about to tell his hyung the reason their old friend was here but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to find Kibum, nodding his head towards the dining room. 'Lets go.' he mouthed, a knowing grin on his lips. Taemin looked between them and Kibum in bewilderment, but consented.
Kibum slung an arm over his shoulder. "Key-eomma, why didnt she correct hyung about her name?" he asked softly as the exited the foyer.
Kibum just laughed.
Jinki's POV
Once he reached the bottom, he just smiled and stepped foreward to hug her, her arms going around his neck as his simotaneously wound around her waist. 'Im so glad your here.Ive missed you so much Sunyoung' he thought as he burried his head in her shoulder.
They stayed that way, probably for much longer than was customerary or proper, neither speaking, neither moving, just enjoying the moment. "Ive missed you." she whispered.
Jinki gave her one last squeeze before pulling back and looking her in the eye, his hands resting lightly on her waist. "Ive missed you too Sunyoung-ah." 'More than you will ever know.'
She blushed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before playfully shoving on his shoulder, his hands falling as a result. "Yah. You know i prefer to be called Luna."
HE shrugged with a grin and turned, gesturing to the dining room with a sweep of his hand, leading her into the room with his other hand at the small of her back.
They stepped into the dining room to find everyone seated around the nearest end of the table, bowls and bowls of food laid out. Chanyeol, Jonghyun and Minho were all chwoing down greedily, not even giving the two a glance as they entered. Taemin, Kibum and Junmyeon were more contained.
Mrs. Park entered then, setting yet another bowl down on the table.
"Oh Mrs. Park." Jinki sighed. "Youve out done yourself. You didnt have to do all this. Some ramen would have been plenty fine."
Mrs. Park smiled and waved her hands dismissivley at him. "Oh hush. I havnt cooked for this many in a long time. It was fun."
"Yeah Jinki. Shut up." Jonghyun said around a mouthful of rice, earning a loud smack on the arm from Kibum. Jonghyun flinched and whirled around. "Wai?" he whined, a few grains of rice falling from his mouth, his hand rubbing the spot Kibum abused.
Kibum grimaced and smacked him again "Dont talk with your mouth full." he scolded.
Jonghyun grunted and gestured to Jinki and the food with both hands as if to say 'He started it'. Kibum just rolled his eyes and turned back to his food, earning a pout from the elder before he to turned back to his plate.
Jinki just laughed at their antics. "Sunyoung, this is Jonghyun" he said. Jonghyun opened his mouth to speak, but Kibum cleared his throat loudly. Jonghyun flinched and swallowed his food loudly, before simply waving sheepishly "And of course you know Kibum and Taemin. Next to Tae is Minho." he supplied, leaning over to point Minho out. "Across from them is Chanyeol and Junmyeon." Chanyeol looked up, his cheeks bulging, filled with food. He grinned and waved. Junmyeon smiled and bowed his head in greeting.
Luna bowed "Hello. Im Luna. Its a pleasure to meet you all."
"So how did you meet Kibummie, Minnie and Jinki?" Jonghyun asked once they were seated, Luna on Junmyeons right and Jinki on hers.
"Well, my mother was hired by Master Lee when she was 20. AFter 5 years of working, she married my father and had me. And I just started coming to work with her after that, with MAster Lees consent of course, Spending my time in the nursery with Tae. When we were older, we started spending more time with Jinki and Kibum. So basically we all grew up together."
Everyone nodded thoughtfully.
"What do you do?" Junmyeon asked, propping his elbow on the table.
Luna took a sip of her drink. "Im a psyciatrist, with degrees in psycolgy and counseling."
Everyone ohed and awed. Jinki just stared at her, smiling as she talked adamitly with his friends. 'Im so happy your here. I need your help. I hope your willing to give it, like you were all that time ago.'
Flashback
Luna's POV
She walked around the room, scanning the crowd for Jinki. People had been asking for him, but no one had seen him. The funeral reception was held at the Lee Mansion. The main rooms on the first floor, the foyer, the living room, the lounge, were all filled with friends and reletives.
Taemin was a mess and Kibum was trying his best to comfert him. So asking either one for help finding him would have been pointless. And her mother was busy attending to the guests, 'her way of mourning.'
So thats why she found herself wondering the halls, checking each and every room for him. She was beyond worried. 'Hes been so closed off and distant. Doesnt he know we need him? Doesnt he realize he needs us too?' she thought sadly.
She stopped and leaned into the study. Not there. 'Who am i kidding?' She knew exactly where he was. She was just delaying the inevitable.
With a sigh, she straightened her back and headed to the library. She stepped through the doors and headed straight for his favorite section. As she predicted, she found him there, skimming through the shelves, occasionally dropping books into a large box at the end of the aisle. She smiled sadly and crossed her arms, leaning against the end of the shelf.
She watched him, somewhat amused that he hadnt noticed her yet. "Hey." she called softly, not moving from her spot.
Jinki tensed, but he kept on, pointedly not looking at her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, trying her best to sound interested.
"Just getting a head start on packing up some of my favorites to take home with me." he said stiffly, still not looking at her.
She sighed and shook her head "What are you doing here Jinki?"
He tensed again. "I told you. Im..."
"No." she interrupted firmly, pushing off the bookshelf and taking a few steps foreward. "What are you doing HERE?" Jinki finally looked at her, just out of the corner of his eye. "Your family is downstairs, looking for you, wanting to be with you while you...."
"MY FAMILY IS DEAD!" he shouted, finally turning to face her. His eyebrows were furrowed in anger, his entire body stiff as his chest heaved while he visibly wrestled his emotions.
Luna jumped and took a step back, startled by his outburst.
"They are ALL. GONE! First my grandfather and now my parents. Theyre gone Sunyoung! Theyre DEAD!"
Luna was shocked by his outburst. But she knew this was coming. Ever since he had gotten the news, Jinki had yet to break down. She had told him many times, that crying was an important part of the grieving process, that there was nothing wrong with crying and that no one would judge him. But he would just shrug it off, saying he neede to be strong for Taemin. So she wasnt at all surprised when a tear fell down his cheek.
She took a step foreward. "No theyre not Jinki." she said softly. "Yes, your grandfather and parents are gone." she said, feeling her own eyes begin to water at the mention of the people that became second parents to her. Jinki stood stiffly as she took another step foreward. "But they arnt your only family. You have family downstairs, aunts and uncles and cousins." A few more tears fell. "You have friends. Kibum, Jonghyun, and Minho. You have me. People that love you and want to be here for you. And you have Taemin." Jinki tensed again. Luna smiled and put a hand on his shoulder, him flinching under her touch. "Taemin is still here Jinki. And hes in pain. And the only person that can understand a smidge of what hes going through, hasnt spoken to him in 2 weeks." she said gently, but he still flinched, guilty tears falling. Luna smiled encouragingly and moved her hand from his shoulder to his cheek. "Its ok to cry Jinki." She said softly, probaly for the billionth time in two weeks. More tears fell and she swiped them away with her thumb. "Just let it out." she whispered, letting her own tears fall. "Its ok."
Jinki closed his eyes, pursing his lips as tears streamed down his face. He dipped his head, sinking to the floor, his back against the book shelf. He drew his knees up and burried his head into his legs. Luna smiled softly. 'He STILL hates people to see him cry.'
So she took off her heels and sat down on her knees next to him. Placing her hand on his shoulder again, she rubbed soothing circles on his back. He tensed and slowly lifted his head. When he looked at her, she wanted to cry again, because she saw so much pain and heartache in his eyes. Pain and anger, hurt, guilt, it all was there, clear as day.
She smiled softly and brought her other hand to his neck, tugging lightly. Jinki hesitated, but he slowly brought his head to her shoulder. Luna rubbed his back again, hoping to let him know that she was here for him, that it was ok to lean on her. A few more moments of rubbing and the first muffled sob broke the silence. Thats when she put her arms around him, pulling him closer as his sobs grew louder and louder. His arms came around and clutched at the back of her blouse, fingers grasping desperatly.
Luna didnt care. 'Jinki is finally beginning to grieve. If my blouse gets wrinkled in the process, its a small price to pay.' she thought, moving a hand into to his hair, his locks softly.
"Theyre gone." he sobbed into her shoulder. "Theyre gone Sunyoung."
Luna pulled him closer, more tears streaming down her face. "I know Jinki."
He sobbed for thirty minutes straight. And when he did stop crying, he didnt let go. He stayed there, not moving an inch as he cried off and on for another thirty minutes. And when he was finally done, he STILL didnt move, not that she minded. She would stay as long as he needed her.
"What am i going to do?" he asked into her shoulder
Luna his hair. "Well, youre going to miss them. Probably for the rest of your life." Jinki clutched her shirt a little tighter. "And its going to hurt." she grasped his head with both hands and lifted it so she could look him in the eye. "But youre going to be ok. Both you AND Taemin. But you have to be there for each other. You are the only people that understands what each other is going through. You need each other."
Jinki nodded and burried his head in her shoulder again. She just wrapped her arms around him again. 'Take your time Jinki.'
It ended up being another 15 minutes before they exited the library. As they stood at the base of the stairs, the reception still going on strong in front of them, Jinki looked frantic. So Luna reached down and grasped his hand, intertwining her fingers into his.
He looked at her in surprise, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"Itll be ok. Theyre all here for you. Its ok to let them see you grieve." Jinki smiled at her before making his way into the crowd, keeping her hand in his, recieving encouraging squeezes when needed.
They had just about talked to all the reletives there when Jinki spotted Taemin sitting alone on a couch on the wall. He had bags under his eyes, which were red and puffy from crying. Jinki tensed. So Luna squeezed his hand again. "You need each other." she said softly.
Jinki nodded and took a deep breath before releasing her hand, slowly making his way towards Taemin.
Jinki's POV
He didnt know why, but he was nervous as he made his way towards his little brother. Maybe it was because he had been avoiding him since he got the news. Maybe because approaching him, and looking at him, would mean he would see just how much the younger has been hurting. Maybe because seeing how much Taemin was hurting would remind him how much HE was hurting. Maybe because finally allowing himself to grieve with him, would make the fact that theyre parents were gone, all the more real.
Taking another deep breath, Jinki stepped out of the crowd, right in front of the couch Taemin was sitting on.
Taemin slowly lifted his head, jumping to his feet, his eyes wide at the sight of his elder brother.
Jinki cleared his throat. "Ahem. I.....Im sorry. For everything. For not being there, for pushing you away, for......for everything." his eyes began to water again. "Im sorry Tae."
Tears streamed down the youngers face as he stepped foreward, raising his arms. Jinki wasted no time in wrapping his little brother in his arms. He let his tears fall as he hugged Taemin, feeling the youngers tears soak into his shoulder as well. 'We can do this Tae. We have each other.'
When they finally parted, they excused themselves from the reception, and head up towards theyre parents bedroom. They spent the night in the bed theyre parents used to share, reliving memories, laughing and crying together as they talked about the fun times they used to have as a family.
End Flashback.
Jinki sighed, a bittersweet smile forming on his lips as he remembered that day. Sunyoung had been there for him in one of his darkest hours. She had seen him at his worst, and yet she still lent him her shoulder to cry on. He smiled again, this time confidently 'She'll help me.'
The rest of dinner was spent with everyone asking Luna anything and everything, swapping stories from all ages, and laughing at stupid jokes. It was nice to just hang out. They hadnt done so in awhile. And now adding Luna to the mix, she was easily becoming a permanent fixture in their group.
Once dinner was over, it was much later then they thought. So late in fact that they decided any more searching of the library would be futile seeing as everyone was so tired.
"Well." Jinki said as they all stood in the hall. "There are plenty of rooms on the second floor. Tae and Kibum can show you. Just take your pick and i will see you all in the morning."
Taemin yawned and shuffled foreward. "Ok. Night Hyung." he yawned as he hugged Jinki.
The elder chuckled and ruffled his hair fondly. "Night Tae."
Taemin smiled sleepily, his eyes already drooping. "Night Key-eomma." he said, falling against Kibum in a lazy hug.
Kibum rolled his eyes, but smiled and gently pushed him off. "Good night Taebaby."
Taemin waved weakly before turning to stumble up the stairs. "Come on Minho hyung." he waved his hand. "Ill show you the room you can sleep in." he yawned.
Minho chucked with a shake of his head, following Taemin up the stairs as he slowly climbed the steps, sweeping him up in his arms halfway up the first flight. Taemin just smiled and snuggled into him.
Jinki smiled fondly and turned to the others. Kibum was rolling his neck and shoulders. "Well." he sighed. "Im beat. Im going to bed. You guys follow me and ill show you to the guest rooms." he said with a wave of his hand as he began up the stairs. "Night Jinki." the others followed, chorusing goodnights and see you in the mornings. Luna made to follow, but Jinki caught her wrist.
"Do you mind waiting up for a bit? I want to talk to you." he asked softly, his grip on her wrist gentle, but firm enough to let her know he was serious.
She blushed and brushed some hair behind her ear, but nodded. He smiled and lead her up to the third floor, where his grandfathers study was.
A/N Ooooooooooooooo!!!!!! I just LOVE Ontae bromance, emphasis on the BRO! And some Lunew!!! Eeeeekkkk!!! So kawii. Don't forget to leave a comment XD
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