[CONTENTID1] House of Cards[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

Hakyeon looked before him, On the front seat Hyuk’s manager sat there, stiff, seeing from behind Hakyeon thought maybe he was a dead corpse, he wondered if he was even breathing or not. Although the wondering didn't last long when he heard Hyuk grumbling, a deep voice from the base of his throat. Hakyeon followed the sound to look down at his feet. Hyuk was there, lying, holding his head.

Should I help or run?

Hakyeon’s hand went unhooking himself from the seatbelt and went down regardless of what his mind told him. He hoisted Hyuk up who had apparently hit his head and his large body somehow crunched up on the surface of the car.

Touching him made Hakyeon realize it wasn't just feverish that Hyuk’s skin felt against his, in fact Hyuk’s body really was burning. He had really high fever. He seemed red in high with his eyes closed. Hakyeon noticed the shortness in his breath, as if he was panting. Pulling Hyuk up he gently rested him on the seats. Hyuk’s lips moved, a few words escaping from his mouth, words that Hakyeon could not quite make out.

“He has quite a high fever…” Hakyeon murmured under his breath.

“Maybe that's why he was saying those nonsenses.” Leo whispered in reply, barely.

Placing his palm against Hyuk’s forehead, he again checked the temperature. If he had to guess, then he would say Hyuk’s body temperature was around 102 degree Ferinheight if not more. The body heat burnt against his skin.

“We need to go to the hospital,” Hakyeon said, concern flickering in his voice. And Hyuk swatted his hand away from himself. Hakyeon startled saw Hyuk languidly raise his eyelids, lips opened a crack.

“Don't… don't touch….. ” He hummed. Hakyeon again tried to make a move, but Hyuk looked away. His head lazily fell to his right, as he kept on panting.

“And don’t pretend to care…” Hakyeon stopped, his eyes observed Hyuk struggling to take breaths, how his long limbs trembled, A few droplets of sweat formed on his forehead.

Hakyeon was baffled by the sudden change in Hyuk’s behavior, like 2 minutes ago that guy looked as if he were to kiss Hakyeon, and now he won't let Hakyeon touch him.

Nothing made sense!!

But the surprise lasted for a good 2 seconds and then he again was back to search through Hyuk’s pocket. After a while, Hakyeon brought out a handkerchief to wipe of the sweat off from Hyuk’s forehead.

Behind him the car door swung opened, he didn't quite cared about it, even though he had almost forgot about Hyuk’s manager a few moments ago, it was obvious that his manager had opened the door. Therefore without glancing he said what he needed to,

“We need to go to the hospital. As fast as po-”

“He said not to touch him…” Was his reply. It was leveled, not loud, not threatening. Just simply a sentence uttered by him but Hakyeon was sure he heard him gritting his teeth. Hakyeon hesitantly turned around, a bit baffled, a bit annoyed.

“What?” Hakyeon asked, raising his eyebrow, his voice dry.

“DO.NOT.TOUCH. HIM….not that hard to hear is it now?” again voice kept meek but the tone was daring, it felt like a silent threat to the elder.

Without knowing Hakyeon let out a huff in disbelief. Hakyeon tugged his hand away from Hyuk, slowly turning on his seat to take a glance at the place behind Hyuk’s manager to get an idea of where they were at then. From what he could see through the car door was a simple old pavement, a streetlamp shining afar. A little light from it flickered over the car’s metal door. They were definitely in a quiet area. Those types that you would find in the vampire stories where the lead character would meet his other half while coming to find its pray. Hakyeon’s stomach swooped up from the thought, did he hit the brake because this was their destination or just simply because Hyuk was acting strange? The question circled around in his head. Was he actually some pray for someone right now?

“Get off…”each word enunciated and the tanned one very well realized that, that was another order towards him, the voice was more lower. Hakyeon scowled.

“I don't need to listen to you?” Hakyeon sternly replied, voice cracking like a whip before again turning to Hyuk. Hyuk’s eyes were closed, his whole body quivered from time to time.

“Know your place. You are just a manager, there is no reason for me-”

Know your place….

Then he felt the pull. His manager was pulling him by his upper arm. He at first thought maybe because it was so sudden that he had been so easily uprooted from his seat, but when he stood before the boy, he was awestrucked. He truly was, a boy so small in size and so short, no doubt was as much as strong than he was if not more. Hakyeon stood before him, face to face.

He was infuriated at that moment, Hakyeon imagined his whole face turning red from anger. Maybe he also trembled, Hakyeon couldn't tell in the dark. But he noticed movements, his hand behind his back, then was before him. Taking a look at his hand, he noticed some bills on his hand. Confused, Hakyeon again looked at him.

“There’s a bus station nearby. Go to your hotel,” he icily ordered. Hakyeon didn't lift his hand up, so he pulled Hakyeon’s hand and then fisted him the bills by himself. And, it didn't even take seconds before the guy was again inside of the car. Turning the engine on.

“May be you should know your place….Mr. Cha.” And the car started to move away from there, from him….leaving him alone in the darkness.

Hakyeon didn’t move, he didn’t say anything either. Never once in his life was he this confused, he thought. The only thing he did in the darkness was to blink, and think what was the meaning of this sudden visit of Hyuk and more importantly, what’s with the noona thing. A crow flew over his head, its call made Hakyeon to turn his head to it, and when it went far, Hakyeon looked down. Catching Leo standing there, right beside him, teeth biting on his lower lip. Hakyeon stared at him, but Leo didn’t. Hakyeon’s stare became long enough for Leo to finally open his mouth, though he didn’t quite decide on what to say. Hakyeon’s stare felt like they were asking Leo some questions, but he couldn’t quite make out what the questions were. And for some odd reason that made his whole body feel twisting, and nervous.

And finally, Hakyeon was moving, opposite of the light. Perhaps to the bus station. Leo followed, the feeling was not foreign, but it was weird, how Hakyeon’s footsteps could be heard but Leo was also there. Maybe because of the tension in the air, Leo felt extra weird.

“What’s your relation with Hyuk’s noona?” Hakyeon finally spat it out, significance graved in every word. If words could slice ice, then Leo couldn’t really count how many would be cut by now.

“Nothing….” Leo said in his usual coarse voice.

“ow…” And Hakyeon replied. Leo was quite shocked at that answer, he was expecting something else rather than just an ‘ow’.

They walked a little in silence, till the little reflection of the street light was even gone. It was pure black, no stars in the sky to guide them, the moon hidden behind the dark curtain of cloud to shower them with light. Even Leo felt eerie.

“He loves summer….” Hakyeon’s voice was flat. Leo looked at his back. Since the weather was chilly, the cold bothered Leo lot, and he knew it did to Hakyeon as well,but how Hakyeon always managed to act so casual in these situations really surprised him.

“He hates you… he doesn’t understand why people like you….. he said that you had good structure… he said that you had fans….. he said-“

“I heard what he said…..” Leo whispered.

“He said he hates how I did not see him…..” Hakyeon pulled a halt in his steps. His back was stiff, Leo also stopped. Was it the darkness that made the atmosphere portentous or was it Hakyeon’s presence itself seemed daring, Leo couldn’t fix his mind on.

“He said that I smelled like summer…” Hakyeon whispered. A moment went by before he again started talking,

“He wasn't talking to me Leo……”

“I know…..”

“And do you still tell me to believe that you had nothing to do?” Hakyeon didn’t turn, but Leo could tell, how his eyes were hiding under his fringes now.

“I didn’t……”

Again a deafening silence between them and Hakyeon turned to him, over his shoulder. A night breeze hit them, causing shiver ran down Leo’s body. His hair and Hakyeon’s hair swayed a little. He didn’t look at Leo’s eyes, his eyes fixed on the road, eyes heavy, his fringes slowly swaying back and forth over his eyes, Hakyeon purred,

“Nobody is innocent,

Leo…..”

----------------------------------------------------

The morning light peered through the heavy curtains and fell on Hyuk’s eyes. He opened them a little, then squinted it shut. The light stung his eyes, he shuffled on the bed trying to muffle his head into the pillow, a cold icebag that was placed on his forehead, fell by his side. Hyuk let out a groan, his head still throbbed too much, lips cracking and dry, the migraine still was in its worse state if not worst.

Hyuk tried to recall what he did yesterday night, not because it mattered but because he couldn't remember when he left his parent’s house. His vision were hazy and world was out of focus, he curiously felt floaty, and memories blank. Another groan left his mouth, a bit deeper in tone, when his manager pulled the cover up to his neck. Hyuk couldn't quite tell when he entered the room, for what he knew he wasn't there when he had woken up, but now he was there beside him. Then he couldn't quite make out how long was it that he had been awake for, or was he even awake at all. It was all too blurry.

His manager’s cold hand touched Hyuk’s forehead, palm upturned. His hand’s size was half of Hyuk’s forehead. Hyuk slightly moved his head to him, he was still dazed he thought that he couldn't quite look at his eyes. Behind him was the window, the light hurt his eyes. His manager was in white, a long sleeved loose white shirt, worn in a bit careless way. His neck, his pink lips puffed, a bit swollen perhaps and Hyuk shut his eyes. The light made him see orange after closing his eyes, it was distracting.

“The temperature is down……” his manager said, in his usual business tone, Hyuk imagined him saying that in the dress he was wearing. It didn't quite go well, his squeaky voice sounded nicer with a bit of emotion in it.

Why am I searching for emotion now?

Hyuk questioned himself, after all it was Hyuk who kept on reminding him of his position, so why did he bother about him showing no emotion now.

“You should rest, in case you don't make some other stupid scenarios again.” His voice was stern, as if he was holding a volcano from erupting within him. Hyuk’s eye brow frowned.

“When did we return home?” Hyuk whispered, his voice was dry and his mouth felt like desert, boy was he thirsty or not. If he focused, he might feel sands in his mouth after some time as well he thought.

His manager casually got up, Hyuk could guess from the footsteps, then he heard some soft ruffling noise. Hyuk guessed he was fumbling with the curtains, soon the orange lessened in contrast. Maybe he blocked some lights from coming in.

“Around 2 am….. It was night, so you didn't bother to actually change up or anything. Also, you had quite a fever, over that you hit your head yesterday night quite hard…”

“2?” Hyuk opened his eyelids once more, a slit.

“Why so late?”

Hyuk heard the ruffling being stopped, for seconds and then again the same noise.

“Well, you just desired to meet your umma apparently….so I took you there….and you did your work there..” This time the anger was rather visible, he didn't try to hide it behind that fake business like posture of his.

Hyuk found his eyelids again feel heavy, he wondered why his eyes hurt so bad suddenly, did he perhaps cry or something.

His phone start to buzz. He stole a glance at it for only one short moment, and then closed his eyes.

Cellphones are a hazard to the society…..

“What work?” Hyuk murmured under his breath, his own breath seemed daringly hot to him.

Footsteps, and the buzz ceased.

“Nothing unusual...just to confess that you are in love with him….” His manager again was in his business tone, Hyuk let out a simple hum. It took him a while for his realization to hit him and he jolted up from his bed, looking straightly into his secretary’s eyes, it seemed as if he had woken up from a nightmare.

“What?” He squealed. His eyes wide, his PS could easily see small beads of sweat already forming on his forehead. His secretary’s face twisted in an odd sensation, he let out a smile that seemed more like a grimace to Hyuk. His manager slowly moved towards him, putting his hands on his shoulders he again made him lie down on the bed, exactly how he was before, just his eyes were missing the tiring look.

“I’m most certain that you have heard me, master…”

“Yes! And I want you to elaborate,” Hyuk tried to sound calm but his voice had already became too strained to even care for.

They stared at each for some minutes, till another buzz from the phone broke the silence.

“Nothing to elaborate sir. You were wishing to meet him, when I took you there, you confessed.” He simply replied, and Hyuk snapped.

“What confess? I don't even like him that way, you know that. then why would I confess to him?!”

“ I didn’t say you confessed to him about like, so why did that thought cross your mind?”

He let go of his shoulder,

“Either way it was a love confession. And you didn't confess to him…. To be specific, you confessed to someone that looked similar to him, but the person had no reason to ponder about who you were telling them to. So therefore you had possibly confessed to him.” His simple flat tone got on Hyuk’s nerves, maybe if his head hadn’t hurt so much he would have taught him a lesson or two, which was out of question now. So no point of thinking about it either, Hyuk exhaled a long sigh, not because he was holding it, but because he didn’t know what else to do.

This is…

“So … did I just .. you know, blurted out that I love him or something?” Hyuk asked, a childish blush appeared on his face that made his manager automatically snort. Even if he had not confessed to Hakyeon but the fact that Hyuk was so intimate with him and was now blushing while mentionning his name, his manager felt his heart sank a little.

“No… you just asked him why he was so curious about Leo, why he did not see you when you were also standing there, and finally you said that you love summer….”

Hyuk raised an eyebrow at his manager, the blush disappeared,

“That has no indication of the fact that I like him….”

“hmm… it truly didn’t…” He walked slowly, moving closer to the bed room door. The door bell rang twice, perhaps he was making his way to check who it was.

“Until you sniffed him and told him that he smelled like summer!” His manager lifted the last part, while slamming the door behind him. Hyuk looked bamboozled at his retreating figure. He just had no idea of what to do, feeling floaty? Tch…. Now he felt like sinking.

…..umma…. really is turning into a problem for me…. Isn’t he now...

--------------

“No way am I going to dance to the same song with another contestant! Like, there are only two rounds before its finale and you want me to risk my position! That’s insane!” Hakyeon practically yelled at his mentor. He was not in his good mood either, he hadn’t slept yesterday night, had talked to Leo who yet haven’t agreed to tell him what’s between him and Hyuk’s noona rather he reminded him of the fact that he promised to stop meddling with this case and let him live peacefully, and now his mentor had blessed him with another prize, that is to dance on a same song as another contestant. Like what else could make this day even more perfect for him.

“Take it more like an opportunity, if your dance if better than him, then it may be a better chance for you than other contestants,” his mentor just said with a smile on his face. Hakyeon’s eyes narrowed, if he had once showed any kind of sarcasm in his tone then Hakyeon might have just made sure to play with red jam in the studio right now. But he failed to find the sarcasm when his mentor just went ahead and played the music for him, also then started discussing about some moves. Hakyeon silently watched, the whole time his eyes were squinted at his mentor.

“Is it that much of a problem?” Leo asked, when Hakyeon just moved away from his mentor, who happen to leave the practice room. Hakyeon sending him a death glare plopped on the hard ground, his hair with his both hand.

“It could be a good thing he said..” Leo whispered.

“Repeat it again and I’m putting 50 splits in my dance routine,” said Hakyeon, lifting his right eyebrow a little, his eyes seemed as if they were burning. Leo nodded, he had another question and an offer circling in his head but he wondered if Hakyeon would listen to it or not, Hakyeon really truly was not in his best mood.

After giving it enough thought he finally mumbled it,

“What is the problem, I mean you just have to dance better.”

Hakyeon really felt like punching himself, hoping it could at least pour a simple sense into the head of the ghost, but he didn’t.

“Why should I tell you!? You didn't tell me what’s your connection with Hyuk’s sister?!” Hakyeon asked curtly.

Leo sa