They sat like that for a long time, with Changmin sobbing and Yunho rocking gently back and forth, with words of comfort.

"I'm here," he would say from time to time, "Hyung is right here."

Soon Changmin"s death grip on his hyung began to loosen, and he slowly slid down to rest his head on Yunho's lap, his back slowly rising and falling to a pattern indicating that he was asleep once again.

Someone knocked on the bedroom door and entered.

Yunho looked up to see Jaejoong coming in.

"Is he asleep?" he asked, as he squatted to his knees, now being at eye level with a sleeping Changmin.

Yunho chuckled softly before replying.

"Yeah, I guess."

Jaejoong smiled and swept the long bangs off Changmin's face.

"I'm so sorry, Min," he sighed, "You're so young, yet I'm putting you through so much."

Yunho grabbed Jaejoong's hand that was Changmin's head and placed it over his heart.

"Don't be. You don't have to be sorry. All you have to do is stay here with me. With Changmin. He needs you. I need you."

Jae smiled kindly, his eyes glazed over.

"Don't try to stop me. You know I can't back out of this anymore. Lee Soo Man will kill me."

Yunho laughed at the painful attempt of a joke.

"Jaejoong, I know times are tough now, but we can get through this. Together."

Jaejoong smiled and planted a soft kiss on Yunho's lips. It was an awkward position, since Changmin was asleep between the two of them.

"I can't, Yunho. You know that. I can't back out. You were the one who told me to take control of my life. Finally, for the first time in the 22 years that I've lived, I'm doing it. Don't stop me now."

Yunho pulled Jaejoong to sit beside him, and Jaejoong leaned his head against Yunho's chest.

"Okay," relented Yunho, "Okay."

They sat like that in comfortable silence, till Jaejoong brought up a question.

"Yunho?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Please take care of Changmin for me. He needs you now. More than ever."