When Leeteuk finally shuffled back into the apartment, Kangin was there, looking apologetic. 

                “I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. 

                Leeteuk just looked at him with tired, red eyes.  “You know, Kangin—Just… not now.”  He tried to move around the larger man, but Kangin sidestepped in front of him, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. 

                “I was wrong.  I shouldn’t have reacted like that.  He was wrong too, though, and you have to stick up for yourself.”  

                The thinner man’s eyes grew dark suddenly.  “You’re right.  I do.  And you know what?  You act self-righteous and protective, but you’re just as bad.  You say that he meant what he said, that he knew it would hurt me, well it did.  You know what else hurts though?  When you disappear every other night and come back falling-over drunk.  That hurts.  Do you ever stop and think about that?”

                “Yes.” 

                “Then why don’t you stop?”

                Kangin remained silent, his expression unreadable to anyone but Leeteuk who could see the shame there.  He knew exactly what Leeteuk meant.  He didn’t stop for the same reason Heechul didn’t stop:  he couldn’t help himself. 

                “That’s what I thought,” Leeteuk sighed, turning around and heading over to the door. 

                “Where are you going?” Kangin asked dejectedly.

                “I’m going to go look for him.”

                “Why?”

                Leeteuk finished shoving on his shoes and looked Kangin dead in the eyes to say, “Because I can’t help myself.”   

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

              A hundred thoughts crossed Leeteuk’s mind as he moved swiftly down the streets.  He didn’t know where he was going, really, he was just hoping that some twist of fate would lead him to cross paths with the missing member of his tiny family.  He peered into shop windows and down alleyways.  He had already tried the public gym, he had checked down at the party district but he knew that it was too early in the day to find anything and he didn’t fancy going down at night to look either. 

                There were very few people walking around, the shops were almost empty on that lazy Sunday afternoon.  He knew what he was doing was futile.  It was impossible to find one man in such a big city, but he was going to make the effort, just so he could tell himself that he’d tried.  He walked until his feet hurt like he was performing some kind of penance.

                As his shoes started to drag against the pavement he found himself on a fairly rundown street with a few mom and pop stores that had seen better days.  He actually came down this street sometimes to go to the convenience store which was within reasonable walking distance of his apartment.  He registered vaguely that he’d practically looped all the way around the city when something collided into him and he stumbled back. 

                “Sorry!” 

                Leeteuk looked at the boy that had run into him with confusion.  The boy returned the look with startled, young eyes, his dirty face maintaining the appearance of innocence.  As Leeteuk was just about to say that it was alright, he heard a shout from the nearest store.  The boy with overlong brown hair spun around, took one look at the store owner glaring at him and bolted, sprinting away down the street, the peeling sole of one of his shoes awkwardly slapped against the ground 

                “Filthy thief,” the store owner cursed under his breath, as the boy disappeared.  He met Leeteuk’s gaze.  “Can you believe kids these days?  No respect for anything.” 

                Politely agreeing that he couldn’t believe it, Leeteuk none-the-less felt a strange sense of pity for the boy who had run into him.  Heartless thieves didn’t apologize for bumping into you.  The boy had looked terrified.  Trying to shake the image of the boy out of his head, Leeteuk wandered away, reminding himself he had a friend to find.

A/N  SHORT, ah, I know...forgive me.  The way the chapters break up is weird and I'm trying to stretch this out so you don't have to wait more than one day for at least some kind of update.  Now, WOW what a crazy random happenstance with that child.  Guesses below! (You know you want to!) It's just a "cameo" for now, but he'll be back soon enough. ;)  Subscribe if you like, comment if you have thoughts, complaints, love etc. What else... Um...I love you all.  XD  <3