Luhan was stirred awake by Sehun's gentle nudges and soft whispers. He slowly sat up and squinted at the bright light coming from the doorway. When his eyes finally adjusted, a cold wave of fear rushed throughout his body. Three strange men stood before him and it felt like hell all over again.

"No! Please...don't...please....hurt..."

He tried pleading with them but the words refused to come out right. He was gasping for air and his panicked eyes darted from one man to another. He frantically moved on the bed, trying to untangle himself from the sheets, becoming more agitated with each unsuccessful try.

Sehun's face was suddenly in front of him, blocking his view of everything else. He felt fingers gripping his shoulders and a strong gaze held his, willing him to focus. 

"Hey, hey, look at me. You're safe. Do you understand? You're safe. I'm right here." 

Luhan stared at those black orbs and felt all his fears melting away. His breathing became steady and all the tensed up muscles in his body relaxed. There is that feeling of calmness and security that comes whenever he's with Oh Sehun. It's as if all the bad things never happened and everything is right in the world again. He took a deep breath and said, "I trust you." He was rewarded with a soft smile on that too-serious face and his heart started racing at how breathtaking it looks. 

"If you're done making goo goo eyes at each other, I'll start examining his injuries now," an amused voice sounded off in the room, reminding Luhan that they were not alone. 

A kind looking man came forward and introduced himself as Doctor Kim Junmyeon. His manner was very professional and sincere that he felt at ease right away. The two other men remained in the room but stayed far back and just observed the whole thing. He learned from Sehun that they helped carry him up the bedroom and took over the club operations while he was busy tending to Luhan. He mumbled a soft "thank you" which the two acknowledged with a nod. 

The doctor brought out a chart and proceeded to interview him, asking basic personal information and general health concerns like previous injuries or diseases and allergies to medication. It's almost the same as being in the hospital and Luhan thanked his lucky stars that he met the right kind of people during the worst time in his life. 

Nevertheless, he still felt mortified as he lay in bed with only his boxers on as the four men surrounded his bed and observed his injuries. He felt ashamed of his battered and bruised body for it shows the horrors he had to endure and worst of all, it shows how weak and useless he is. He didn't realize he was crying and clutching the sheets underneath him till he felt Sehun's strong hand on his. 

The doctor insisted on taking photographic evidence of his injuries and promised that it would remain confidential. He could use it in the future to file charges against the perpetrators to make sure they end up in jail. In the end, he was diagnosed with fractured ribs and a sprained ankle. An x-ray would still be needed to confirm that nothing's seriously broken and no internal damage is present. Despite Luhan's repeated refusal to venture out to the hospital, the group shut him down by telling him of a VIP entrance and basement facility in the hospital where Junmyeon works. Luhan was surprised at how calmly they're discussing this and wondered if they've ever sneaked someone in and out of the hospital before. 

His ribs and ankle were bandaged and Luhan had to breathe through the pain while being wrapped up. Sehun never left his side and didn't even complain when he held his hand in a death grip while Junmyeon poked and pressed his injuries, checking the extent of damage. He was given painkillers and sleeping pills to help him get through the night. It wasn't long before the drugs took effect and his eyes grew heavy. Everything else became hazy but he remembers being tucked in bed and getting a gentle kiss on the forehead. He then fell asleep with a smile on his face. 

The mood in the living room turned serious as soon as they filed out of the bedroom. They tried to keep their faces calm while Junmyeon was examining Luhan's body but deep inside they were all shaking with anger. Although the injuries weren't extensive, the torture that Luhan had to endure was definetely hard to take in. The man could barely move without wincing in pain because his whole body was repeatedly beaten up. The look of utter fear and panic in Luhan's eyes tore at their hearts and made them clench their teeth. 

They connected Junmyeon's camera to the tv monitor so they can study the photos closely. 

"This looks like it was made with some kind of rod or stick, maybe a baseball bat."

"Whoever did this knows what he's doing. He knows when to stop before getting his victim seriously injured and killed. He wants to prolong the torture, make his victim suffer."

"I'd say some of these bruises are about a week old. You can see how the shade here is different, they're almost healed. The others are a few days old and then these are the new ones."

"I'll run his blood at the laboratory but I won't be surprised if he was drugged."

"There's something I don't understand. Why isn't there a single mark on his face and neck?"

"And his clothes were in very good condition too."

"We'll get our answers once he's ready to talk. I don't want to force him to remember. He's barely hanging on as it is," Sehun said. 

"Don't worry. We'll find the person responsible for this. My fist is already itching for some action," Kai replied with a wicked grin.

"Look, I appreciate all the help but I don't want to drag anyone else in this mess. I'm taking respons...."

Sehun never got a chance to finish what he was saying coz Baekhyun's voice drowned him out.

"BUT HE'S GOING TO BE YOUR BOYFRIEND SO OF COURSE WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK. WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE A MISERABLE GRUMP FOREVER!"

Loud laughter followed his friends out the door and Sehun could only shake his head. He's thankful for their unwavering support and acceptance but he'd never admit it to their faces.

He found himself back in the bedroom staring at Luhan's beautiful face. He gently traced a finger on the soft cheeks and sharp jaw, marveling at the perfection. His thumbs brushed the plump lips that begged to be claimed and Sehun found himself leaning down and placing a soft, sweet kiss on those lips. 

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I hope you like this update. Tell me what you think about the story and characters in the comment section below. Thank you so much!!!