BREAKING NEWS!

The long-standing dispute between SM and CJES seems to be over and original DongBangShinKi fans can anticipate a collaboration between the duo, YunHo and ChangMin of TVXQ and the highly appraised trio of JaeJoong, YooChun and JunSu of JYJ. The entertainment industry seems to be in high alert at the development this story has taken and –

“I can’t ing believe this!” bellowed Changmin, as he turned the TV off and threw the remote to god-knows where. He was seething with fury, absolutely enraged at the decision management had taken on their behalf…without so much as even consulting them about it.

“Changmin-ah, calm down. We have to think about this rationally. Jumping to conclu -” Yunho, tried to reason, but his attempts so far had been fruitless. Changmin was beyond angry. Yunho himself wasn’t any better, but he knew he had to be calm to prevent his dongsaeng from doing anything rash. 

“RATIONALLY? YOU WANT ME TO THINK RATIONALLY!? HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT? ARE YOU COMPLE -”

“Changmin, come on. Don’t take it out on Yunho. This is a decision made higher up…we have to wait and see what happens. There’s not much we can do about it at this stage.” Kyuhyun stepped in. They’d all gathered in Yunho and Changmin’s apartment as soon as news had gotten out about the supposed agreement between the two agencies.

It was no surprise to anyone that it was the top trending and most discussed piece of information on every fan site, newspaper, news channel, radio show, talk show…you name it. The return of DongBangShinKi as Five – that’s what everyone was referring to it as.

But it wasn’t, DBSK will never be 5 again, Changmin was goddam sure about that. He took a deep breath, covering his face with both hands as the frustration wouldn’t leave his body. He didn’t want to blow up on Yunho, knowing it was as painful for his leader to hear about it, as it was for him. Yunho was right, he had to be rational. This was not the time to lose his head.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s not your fault. I just…I…I feel betrayed.” He sank down to the floor right back next to Heechul who immediately put a comforting hand over his shoulder.

“Minnie-ah, I know this is hard for you to take in, trust me I feel the same way. But you heard what the executive said. It’s not just gossip or rumours…it’s a legitimate agreement and we have to treat it like one.” Yunho was hunched over on the couch, with Leeteuk and BoA on each side, comforting him.

“I know. But why? Why would they? It doesn’t make sense…” Changmin suddenly seemed so lost, that it reminded Yunho of the day they woke up with only the two of them in the apartment. It had been rough on them both in their own way, but Changmin was the youngest - he felt the most betrayal. It hurt Yunho to see that look in his maknae’s eyes again. The only difference was that this time there was anger mixed in where all those years ago there was pain.

“He’s right. Nothing makes sense, right now I’m confused as anyone else.” Ryewook, came in from the kitchen with a tray carrying drinks for everyone. And they all agreed with that sentiment. No one in assembly was any the wiser about the sudden news.

“What I find hard to believe” offered Kangin, “is that you guys weren’t even informed about the proceedings.” He seemed curious more than angry.

“Changmin is right. SM has betrayed you two by going behind your backs like this.” Pondered Heechul, regretfully, though not surprisingly. “Not that I’m surprised…they do what will make more money. And this…” he let the sentence hang in the air.

“Either way, you two are going to be under the limelight for some time. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to be careful.” Urged BoA, a little rattled from all the commotion.

“Don’t worry. I’ve set up a little meeting with the CEO himself. I want answers straight from the source.” Yunho, for all his calm words, was fighting off a storm inside. This was not just some controversy for the sake of publicity. No. They’d gone too far this time. To inform the media before the members involved was unacceptable.

~ * ~

“Well, that was faster than I expected” Junsu mused, bent over the table as the words leaked out from his fingertips and onto the paper – creating magic.

Yoochun, on the other hand, was splayed out on the couch, a drink in his hand while he diligently listened to the news anchor excitedly inform the viewers about “the best thing that has happened to Korea’s music industry” in the last so many years. He’d listened to all the different theories behind the agreement between the two agencies – who may or may not be enemies. And so far nothing had hit home. It made him curious.

He wasn’t a fool to think SM had JYJ’s best interest at heart, but he did wonder on occasion why they agreed to make sure certain things were kept hush-hush.

And dammit, he needed Jaejoong to talk to about this.

Speaking of. Where was his soulmate?

“Su, have you heard anything from Jae?” he asked, craning his head to peer over the mob of - what was in his opinion the ugliest shade of orange - hair. Junsu stopped writing and bodily turned towards the coach potato, with a confused look.

“You too?” he asked, leaving his pen and paper to come and join him on the coach.

“Huh?”

“Well…I mean, Angjjang called earlier. He was asking about Hyung…” he seemed a little unsure as he gazed at the TV screen, scratching his head.

“I thought they’d gone to another meeting.” Yoochun stated, not at all troubled by the statement.

“Apparently not. Angjjang said he hasn’t seen hyung since the final arrangements.”

“Yah, stop worrying your head over it. It’s Jae! He’s probably gone to his sister’s home or something.” He placed his drink on the table, ruffling the younger’s hair.

“I guess.”

The matter was forgotten soon as the news reports got more serious about the possible reasons for the agreement. It was interesting for them to see their own names on the same screen as their once-bandmates on so many channels. It was a little nostalgic.

“How do you think they’re taking it?” Yoochun wondered, staring at old pictures of the five of them from long forgotten photoshoots on the screen…from times they thought they were happy and fulfilled. How wrong they were.

“I don’t know. But I sure hope I could be there to witness it.”

ll~ * ~ll

“Don’t cry, beautiful one. You will not feel any pain.” The voice drawled on, I could feel a slow caress on my body, as though the words were whispered over my skin.

I’m sure it was meant to be reassuring, but I couldn’t help it. I’d never felt so weak in my entire life, and with the presence getting stronger and stronger, the tears just leaked out. I was terrified.

I tried, I honestly tried to fight it. But now…lying on my bathroom floor, it was clear as anything that I’d lost the fight. Perhaps I hadn’t fought hard enough. Was this my fault…for being weak willed, too frightened to seek help?

Form shaking sobs took over as I hunched over in a foetal position, trying to get way from the gaze that I could not see, but feel. My wrist hurt. It was throbbing were It had made the incision. The urge to look at it was strong, but I was too scared to lay eyes on it. Too afraid of what I’d discover.

The white tiling was stained with blood from all my struggling in a lame attempt to get away, even though I knew there was no way. No escape. I’d still tried. I’m sure I looked like my body was in spasms, but it was one of the few times I didn’t care about how I looked. Not when It stood by the door, with that distorted image of a smile on It’s thin, chapped lips.  

“Please…please don’t do this.” I cried out. Or at least I tried to. It just sounded like a breathless whisper. I probably looked pathetic, and hunched over in my own bathroom with blood stains decorating my torso.

“Hush. I will take care of you, beautiful one. You are mine now.”

More than the words, it was the way It said them, in such an endearing way as though talking to an infant, that scared me to another bout of sobs.

It was at that point that I really regretted letting my friends and family take me away from the dark path of destruction in 2010, when the breakup happened. I wished to god – or whoever was up there – that I hadn’t stopped my destructive ways when I’d started them.

I wished I’d killed myself when I could. When I had the chance. Anything would be better than this.

Because now…there was no chance. There was no way It would let me hurt myself in any other way than to serve It’s purpose. 

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