Realization I

The sudden silence that ensued made Seojin look up from his plate.

"What? "

He questioned their surprised looks.

"Huh? Ah no, nothing hyung.. We thought you loved pink.. "

Christian broke the silence

"I don't... It's just that nowadays I kind of like other shades better, my preference just changed that's all ."

Seojin smiled at his members before returning to his room now that the dinner was done.

Watching him walk off, Cyril sighed before he spoke.

"Guys, listen, we might have to tell something. "

"Speak up Cy! "

Ryan smiled, not anticipating what was about to come.

"You See... I... the doctor...said... "

For the first time ever, Cyril was finding it difficult to phrase his thoughts properly.

"Why are you . . . fiddling ? "

Seeing the leader fiddle with his words was pretty much very concerning for the youngest, who admired the other's ability to talk himself out of any situation .

"Jin hyung has lost his memories of past six months or maybe more even. " Yeon dropped a bombshell without flinching for a second. Having already accepted it, he was thinking of ways to go through it unlike Cyril who still seemed to find it difficult too accept all this.

"Huh. .wait. .?! "

Christian's utterly startled words reflected what all of them were feeling at that time.

"So you mean Jin hyung is behaving like this cause of the surgery he had a month ago??"

Ryan found the words strange as they left his lips.

"Yeah, pretty much sums it up.. "

Cyril nodded.

"You mean like he doesn't remember anything at all?! "

It was still all a shock for Taeil, his eyes wide and face reflecting every bit of what he felt.

"Nice prank, but ain't gonna work Cy.. haha.... "

Ryan tried to lighten the mood, but the his laugh hollowed out as he looked at their faces...

"This ain't a joke.." Yeon's words brought back the silence.

"So that explains his behavior all day right? "

Jaewoo was slowly putting the pieces together. He too was the type to quickly adapt to changes like Yeon.

"Hmm.. I kind of get it now I guess. . . "

Christian wasn't far behind. "

"So then how does this work now? what has he forgotten exactly? "

Taeil was the first to ask.

"Don't know. We have to see it as it all comes now I guess "

Was all Yeon could answer.

But somehow they all lingered on that question a bit more than any of them showed.

"I understand you guys but it'll be hard to get used to it i guess."

Though Christian's words were solemn, if one knew him long enough, they would have recognized the lurking excitement behind them.

Behind, the sound of a door locking resonated in the hallway, realization dawning upon each one of them that probably the eldest had heard their conversation.

None of them heard anything from the eldest, even when Yeon, his roommate had entered, all he found was the eldest, fast asleep on his side of the room.

A day passed and there was still no hint of him bringing up anything about the conversation he had heard, even when Jaewoo, who had accompanied him shopping tried prompting him. And since he didn't say anything, they too decided the same.

.

.

Taeil had followed Seojin to his room, saying he'll help clean up some things that evening.

"Hyung I'll clean up this side since you are starting that side. "

He gave a smile as he walked towards the table near the window, it's contents littered here and there. None of them had touched his belongings since they didn't know what he wanted and what he didn't. It wasn't like he was gone for a year or something , it was just a few months after all.

"Right, Tae, I remember we had some big cartons in our storeroom, are they still there? "

Seojin asked, as he began to look around. His eyes falling on the many game related figurines on the shelf to the right of his bed.

"They might still be there, I'll go bring them hyung"

Taeil volunteered and left before the eldest could say something.

Walking out of the room, Christian caught up to the other, asking him if their eldest had said something.

"Chris! you're also here to help? "

Seojin asked as he looked up from the figurines he had now placed on the bed.

"Yep! I did say I would help right? So where should I start? "

He smiled cheerfully, surprising the elder a bit.

"Hold the carton for me then "

Seojin returned the smile even though it took him quite a pause to do so. An action that didn't go unnoticed by both Taeil and Christian who were observing him.

"Are you keeping them away till the work is over? Christian asked as he held the carton, into which Seojin was keeping the the figurines one by one, emptying each row of the wall shelf as he removed them from their position and kept it in the box that Christian had been holding.

"Uhm . .no.. I'm planning to either sell them off or throw them. I don't find them as fascinating anymore I guess. "

He replied, glancing at Christian once before moving to the last shelf.

"Y - You're throwing them? "

Christian asked, looking at Taeil who was looking back at him from across the room with the same surprised look he harbored.

"Really? "

Taeil asked again as if he had heard wrong.

"Yeah, why? "

Seojin was still oblivious to the reaction his actions were getting.

"Oh okay. Hyung what should I do with these?" Taeil asked, looking at the photo albums he held.

There were three of them.

Two filled with photos of Seojin and the members, memories from all the different places, occasions and times they have been together.

And the third one....

A mini photo holder that held the photos of him with that woman.

Barely five pages even. Even though it had been his intention to bring it up, Taeil couldn't help grit his teeth as he looked at the smiling face in those photos. He hated her. They all did, but they had still tolerated her for the sake of their hyung. Taeil masked his expression as he heard Seojin speak up.

"Ah the albums right... "

Seojin said as he walked over to the table, picking them up, turning through the pages that were filled with their memories..

Both Christian and Taeil were looking when his expression went from a warm smile to that of pure confusion as he looked at the third photo holder

Seojin's mind was becoming foggy.

When did he get these photos?

He was smiling, holding her hands..

Who was she?

How were they this close?

Why can't he remember?

He looked at Taeil who was standing next to him.

"What happened hyung? "

Taeil asked.

"Could you tell me who this is ?.. ..I don't remember her..... Who.. Who is this woman? "

The question that was asked in Seojin's stuttering voice both shocked and relieved Taeil at the same time. He tried hard to keep his little delight from showing. He was relieved because it seemed like his hyung no longer remembered that wretched woman. And he was shocked because if there was one thing Seojin used to cherish the same as their team , then that was her. Or should he say 'used to' now?

"Hyung... she was someone.. who was never meant to be near you. "

Taeil muttered.

"What. . .do you mean ?"

The elder asked, as he tried his memories for anything relate to the woman in the photos, however other than the increasing pain in his head nothing else came. But before he could ponder upon it anymore, Christian had been quick to change the topic.

"Hyung, she was no one important. I'll go throw out the trash and burn it ."

Christian smiling, while his glared at Taeil for almost making the other remember someone he had forgotten while he sneakily grabbed the holder, throwing it in the trash bag, an action that went unnoticed by the eldest who was now busy trying to calm his aching head.

.

.

With their work now done, they were resting, when Seojin broke the silence,

"How many missions did they send for me? You guys must know right? . . . since they must have made you three do it ?" Seojin was talking about the two, and Jaewoo.

Taeil glanced at Christian a bit before he got up, along with the other. It was troubling to stay longer now, since they didn't know anymore what reaction to expect from Seojin when he would hear their response.

"Ahh hyung it's getting late, tomorrow we all have to go to meet the boss, got to sleep now . . . ha ha "

Smiling weakly, Taeil quickly pushed Christian out of the bed and quickly walked out of the room, before he could say more.

"They won't tell me. And if they won't, neither will the others.. ' Seojin thought as he looked at the other two shuffle out of his room.