"Sometimes, I'm not angry, I'm hurt and there's a big difference."

Stepping into the crypt once more was an uncomfortable feeling as Kihyun retraced his movements back to the square next to Minhyuk’s father. They were small, obviously only containing the ashes of the family members.

He felt no only uncomfortable that Shownu was with him, but knowing that Wonho was angry with him or at him. It was an unpleasant feeling that radiated within the pit of his stomach. He balled up his fists, in taking a slow breath, attempting to push the issue from his mind. His main focus should be Minhyuk.

“What did Hyungwon inform you of,” Kihyun uttered, tracing his fingers around the gaps surrounding the metallic box. He gritted his teeth together, attempting to remove the object from its position in the wall.

“He informed me that the Blooded Shadows had some infiltrators. As well as the fact that Minhyuk went off with them and that for some reason he attempted to inform you of something,” Shownu muttered. “So what is it?”

“I don’t know. That was something Minhyuk would never tell me about, but I think it’s because he doesn’t know himself. He’d just know it’s his job to protect it.” Although the box he was trying to pull out was small it did have quite a bit of weight to it as he slowly dragged it out from the wall.

As he weighed it in his hands, he could hear something moving around inside it. He bit his lower lip, exhaling heavily, hoping that it wasn’t an urn of ashes. He crouched down on his knee and opened the lid on the top, his eyes falling on another box inside.

Instead of having a simply lid he could lift off, he found that it was sealed with a pin coded lock. His shoulders dropped as he stared at it. He felt Shownu’s shadow pass over him as the taller figure, knelt down.

“I hope you know the passcode,” the leader of the Void said.

“It may be the same as the one to get inside, try seventeen, forty-two.” Shownu drew the box closer to himself, pushing in the recited number. The electronic beeped at him in response and refused to open when he attempted to tug it open.

“No, any other codes you use?”

“No,” Kihyun admitted, “He seems to have left this information out.” Shownu rested a hand against his knee and pressed his lips together in thought. He shook his head, denying looking at the smaller male.

“What exactly did Minhyuk say?” he demanded.

“‘Well at least there is still room for me in my family’s tomb. Right next to my father I believe’, that’s what he said,” Kihyun recalled.

“He didn’t say anything before that?” Shownu knitted his eyebrows together.

“He did bring up incorrect information, like the fact that we knew one another for thirteen…” Kihyun trailed off. “He did give me the code.” Shownu hovered his fingers over the pin pad, preparing to push in the numbers.

“So thirteen? One…three…”

“Yeah…then nine…and then…” Shownu pushed in the first three numbers stated slowly, glancing back up at Kihyun.

“What’s the next number?” he prompted.

“He didn’t give me any other numbers. Maybe it’s thirteen eighteen. Perhaps I was supposed to use the fake number and the real one…but then why make the effort to state he hadn’t come up with a good idea since he was nine? Maybe it’s meant to be zero…”

“You need to remember, what did he say!” Shownu urged.

“I don’t know,” Kihyun snapped. “Let me think!” He exhaled a shaky breath, thunder rumbling outside loudly. ‘Since I was nine. Don’t insult me. Jeong won this round’…it’s one.” Shownu’s shoulder’s relaxed as he inserted the last number.

The electronic metal box beeped at him once more, but this time, they heard a click which revealed they had opened it. They shared a look between one another before Shownu slowly opened the lid. Inside was a yellow piece of folded paper.

Kihyun felt his heart fall into his stomach at the very sight. This was what Minhyuk was protecting. He couldn’t help but feel anger boiling inside him. He reached into the box and pulled it out swiftly, opening it to read what was on the paper.

“What is it?” Shownu questioned, his voice revealing just as much irritation as Kihyun’s reaction.

“More numbers by the looks,” he answered. “And some quote I think. ‘If you hang around a mongrel dog, you’ll catch its fleas,’” Kihyun