“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Hyesung said with hunched eyebrows at JunJin, who was pacing the room with his crutches.  At his words, Jun Jin stopped, turned to him, and raised a crutch like he would a rifle.

“Bang!” Jun Jin exclaimed dramatically before he swung the crutch upside down and blew on its end. “You see that hyung? That’s how I’m going to blow everyone’s mind later!”

Junjin’s theatrics didn’t faze Andy though, who at that time entered the room with the water kettle.  He crossed the room to where the heating pad was without as much as a glance at the injured man.  “There’s no point arguing with him Hyung.  Believe me, I already said everything I could to convince him to sit this one out.”

“Sit this one out? And what? Leave it to you guys?” huffed Junjin while he settled himself at the edge of the hospital bed, consciously patting the clips holding his side fringes as he continued on smugly. “You do know that’s basically group suicide, right? Between Dongwan hyung’s corny jokes and Hyesung hyung’s awkward hosting, you guys won’t even last a minute out there. Admit it or not, you need me!”

“Arasso” Minwoo agreed with a condescending nod, as he moved from the table where they’ve laid out some takeaway for a quick supper, to sit beside Junjin, lightly hooking his arms around the younger man’s neck while Junjin feigned pain. “We even moved the presscon venue for that reason, so you better do good out there, you hear?”

The two men were still playfully wrestling each other when Hyesung felt something nudge his arm.  It was Eric. “You alright?” he asked as he offered Hyesung a piece of kimbap. He responded with a weak smile as he took the offered kimbap from Eric’s hand.  He didn’t really feel hungry, and the cold hospital scent didn’t help stimulate his appetite either, but having something to chew on proved to be a good enough solace against his heightened nerves.  Eric must’ve known this, for he gave his hand a slight squeeze before settling himself on the seat across him.

The members, along with a couple of their staff, were gathered in Junjin’s hospital suite.  The room, which was conservatively furnished with a single hospital bed, a three-seater couch on one side of the wall, and a dining nook merely fit to sit two at a time just across it, was definitely not enough space to accommodate their big party.  They didn’t have to stay their either, the hospital conference room they booked for the presscon had an adjacent waiting area that was more functional.  However, they found the cramped space as an excuse to stay close and find comfort in the warmth of each other’s company.  After all, despite no one acknowledging the idea that the following presscon could very well be their last, everyone in the room knew that this could be a very possible scenario, especially considering how they were planning on dealing with the recent issues at hand.

Because they planned to stick together until the end.

Hyesung let out a sigh of mixed frustration and fear.  He initially offered to step down to save the group, but that proposal was naturally trashed by the rest of the members.  It was admirable how they didn’t even consider it as an option.  Dongwan pointed out that even if he chose to take a break to reflect on his action for punching the PD, the rest of the members would still stand by him.

You may have made that mistake, but the judgement imposed on you was brought not from your action, but from a culture of hate.  We won’t allow that.

At first, Hyesung thought that Dongwan’s words were too idealistic—too detached from reality—as with the rest of the member’s arguments. He then later realised that their idealism wasn’t the problem, but his conforming nature.  He had wanted so much to fit in and just be accepted that he denied every little truth about himself and lived a life of self-hate.  Now though, he is starting to understand that the only way for him to be accepted is to accept himself, and to put himself out there for the world to see.

It had been Eric that made him realise this about him.  He had spent more than half his life denying and then, when it had been too difficult to deny, hiding his feelings for the man.  Now though, he knows just how much pain he would have saved himself from had he been more true to himself, realised just how much valuable time he would have saved had he been more accepting of who he was.  True, it could have gone the other way.  Eric could not have shared his feelings, but the liberation he felt after his own confession was empowering and gratifying to have made him a better man.  The fact that Eric accepted him was only icing on the cake.

What happened to Junjin only strengthened his resolve.  The fact that someone felt empowered enough to justify an attack on one of the members as a form of protest on who he was as a person was a vile and despicable human act. Something that should not be condoned whatever circumstances lay behind it.  Thus, he decided to stay—to hang on to the members and what is left of their career—as a form of stubborn protest because, if he was anything, it would be stubborn.

But even his stubborn self can’t help but acknowledge just how much of their plan was suicidal to their careers, and looking at the mirroring expressions of the members, he knew they too felt that way.  Once again, he played with the idea of leaving the group behind.  He was given time to speak directly to the press after Minwoo and Eric discussed the main points of the presscon, and he had, in a surge of confidence, thought of using that time to publicly come out, but as the hour of the conference drew nearer, he had once again started to consider using that time to announce his official resignation.  He’d go ahead with it too, if he thought it would solve everything, but as it is, his leave is no longer enough.  The members are already in too deep.  They’ve already been judged alongside him.  Truth of the matter is, the only person he’d save by leaving would be himself.

Besides, even if that wasn’t the case.  Even if he does manage to save the group’s career by leaving, what would the member’s think of him? Would they feel grateful, or betrayed instead?  They’ve already done so much for him—even before all this happened—that his leave would only be interpreted as a lack of trust. And if here were to be really honest with himself, he couldn’t really go through with it, not because of Eric. No, not just because of Eric, but because of all the members. He’s already lived more than half of his life with these brave, compassionate men that they’ve already become an extension of himself.  Even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to separate himself from the members.  Not now, not ever.

A timid knocking sound directed his—along with everyone’s—attention towards the door.  The knocking was then followed by a light screeching of the door as it opened ever so slightly, just enough for Seung Hyun’s head to peep in.  “Hyung, we’ve got 30 minutes.”

It was Minwoo who responded, as he motioned with his hand for Seung Hyun to enter. “Thanks Hyunie.  How is everything out there?”

“Some members of the press that we’ve invited have arrived.  We’re expecting more to come, but…”

Eric’s ears perked up at the hesitation in Seung Hyun’s voice.  “What is it, Hyunie? Is there anything wrong with the planning?”

“A-aniyo Hyung!” the manager stuttered off as he waved his hands vehemently. Still, he looked a bit worrisome when he continued, “ It’s just—a crowd has started to gather outside…”

A crowd?

“Daebak guys! Have a look at this!”  Dongwan exclaimed while beckoning the rest to join him by the windows.  Everyone else rushed to his side, save for Junjin, who had to skip his way to the group.

“Wait guys, let me see!”

“What the—“

“Daebak!”

Hyesung shifted the blinds to give him a view of the hospital grounds, and the scene that greeted him blew his mind.

There were hundreds—no, thousands—camping outside the hospital grounds.  Heck, there were probably more people here than their guerrilla concert more than a decade ago! Some carried banners, while some carried megaphones. Half of them were wearing the colour orange, but more than the identifying colour, it was how they organised themselves that struck him.

The orange group made a human barricade between the rest of the crowd and the hospital doors!

From the background, they could hear Seung Hyun explaining the crowd.  Apparently, some have gathered in front of the hospital to protest against the group, but Shinhwa Changos have caught wind of this plot, and decided to camp in front of the hospital ground themselves.

“…to protect us.” Eric finished off Seung Hyun’s report.

“Damn, these guys! I’ve chided them about being so reckless. They never learn!” berated Dongwan, although from the grin plastered on his face, one can tell that he didn’t really mean it.

“Our orange princesses--” Minwoo whispered softly as Junjin stifled a tear. “—willing to risk everything for their knights.”

Orange princesses.

Hyesung gave a hard look at the banners both parties carried. Some were too small for him to read, but some had fonts large enough to be seen at their distance. The banners from the opposite party bore harsh words that carry a similar message: to push for Shinhwa’s disbandment.  But these hate messages were drowned away by the banners and the chants the sea of orange projected.

6-1=0!!!

Legends live on!!!

We live for THIS love!!!

Oppas Hwaiting!!!

“What are you thinking?” Eric asked him, catching the smile Hyesung unknowingly was wearing.

Hyesung looked at Eric, then to the rest of the members who were still ogling the scene in the hospital grounds, their eyes glistening with tears of joy—of pride. What was he thinking? He thought to himself.  There were so many thoughts running in his mind right now, all of them filled with gratitude, with love.

“I’ve forgotten.” Hyesung started. “All this time, I have been thinking of quitting—of doing anything—to save our careers.  I’ve been focused on the pressure and all the wrong things that I’ve forgotten the promise we made with our princesses.”

“To stay with them until we’re old and grey…”

“To stay together for as long as their love for us remains…”

“For without Shinhwa Changjos, we’re nothing…”

“They complete our circle…”

One by one, the members chimed in, each smiling at him with renewed sense of purpose.  It was in this moment that he knew that their decision was right.  That it wasn’t just a feeble attempt to survive, but a part of their destiny.  Being with these men was his destiny.

Shinhwa is his destiny.

Hyesung returned the members’ smiles with a beaming smile of his own.  They are about to face another chapter of their lives—one that undoubtedly would be filled with challenges and disappointments. But no matter what those challenges may be, he will be facing them with these men in front of him, and somehow, that makes him feel less daunted by the future ahead of them.

“Yes, let’s do this,” Eric said, as he put his hand forward, and the rest of the members followed suit, putting their hands on top of each other as they huddled closer, “because we’re the only one who can. Because we’re Shinhwa!”

And with that, Shinhwa was reborn.

A/N:  Before anything else, I'd like to greet everyone a Merry Christmas and a very fruitful 2017!

Phew! This chapter was admittedly very hard to write, because of the number of voices that I had to maintain.  Plus, I am admittedly not very good with action-based chapters. Kkk  I even initially planned on including the presscon in this chapter, but at the end decided against it because, well, too many things are happening for my little brain to handle!kkk

I have always wanted to write SHCJs into the story, and am really happy I finally reached that part, because, it makes me feel like I am part of the story I created, as a shinhwa fan! I didn’t mean for this chapter to be released this late though, but coz of certain unavoidable circumstances, I only got the chance to release it now.  In any case, I hope you find this to be a pleasant Christmas gift?kkk

Once again thank you to my readers—from the new ones who just found their way into the fandom, to the old ones who stuck with me despite my sporadic updates.  I love you guys.  Without you, I would have lost motivation to continue on with this story.  It’s you and Shinhwa that keeps me going, that completes MY circle!kkk