After a few steps, Jin Woon broke into a run. I allowed myself to move with his lead under the cover of the night towards the end of the alley, only to be surprised by a black sedan, hidden in the shadows, parked in the impossibly small space between two walls. The back door opened and Jin Woon tumbled into the car. “Hop in.” And so I did.

The car zoomed off in the dark with only its dimlights switched on. Digging through my bag, I pulled out tissue paper to dab at Jin Woon’s wounds. I had never seen someone slashed and such open wounds up close – the sight was slightly disconcerting. However, Jin Woon didn’t seem bothered by it, behaving as though it was just a paper cut.

“So hyung, they retreated?” Jin Woon spoke after a few minutes.

I could see the driver glimpse at me through the reflection in the rearview mirror. “They sure did. Into their sorry corner. Although I have to say, you are a little rusty. Did school make you soft?”

Jin Woon’s jaw clenched at this remark – the driver noticed the subtle action too. “I’m kidding Woonie. But Jae Joong’s latest recruits aren’t to be messed around. It’s time we buck up too.”

The boy slouched into the seat and muttered, "That's the last thing I want to be involved in."

From the familiar way he spoke with Jin Woon, I guessed that the driver had been part of the brawl too. Were they gangsters, the Kkangpae? But Jin Woon and this dude seemed a world different from the uncouth hooligans who patronised Szechuan Palace. I would have never guessed the musically inclined boy who was so adept with the guitar would be caught up in the shady underworld.

"Who's your little friend?" The driver changed the topic abruptly.

With a quick glance at me, Jin Woon reluctantly introduced us, "Amber meet Junho."

The man in front turned to face me and gave me a wink, "Pleased to meet you, Amber." He had a cheeky grin that was disarming. I would have never placed him to be a gangster.

"Hyung, keep your eyes on the road," Jin Woon warned.

Junho obliged but continued chatting. "Amber is not a Korean name. You aren't local, are you?"

I opened my mouth, only to have Jin Woon squeeze my hand as a warning not to talk. However, nothing including every movement Jin Woon made seemed to escape the older man’s eyes though.

"What's wrong, Jin Woon? I'm just trying to be friendly to Amber."

"Hyung, are you flirting while I happen to be bleeding in the backseat?"

They were talking about me as though I was invisible – it was like listening in to children bickering.

"Someone's touchy today eh? To think that I called Junsu to go to your place."

“Ah, you know that I always am appreciative for everything you do for me, Junho hyung.” The harshness in his voice had softened.

Chuckling, Junho turned the steering wheel and swerved into a residential carpark. “The hell you do. I’m the only who will cover your .” The sedan came to a sudden jerk and stopped. “Now get out, Woonie. I got somewhere else to be. And Amber, it’s been a pleasure.”

Back in the car, I had forgotten how frightened I had been. Now as Jin Woon took my elbow to guide me towards the nearby apartment block, I felt the anxiety return. I had no idea where this place was, yet when the boy smiled reassuringly at me, the fear fled again.

After climbing up four storeys of stairs, we came to a corner apartment. A man dressed in slim jeans and a casual jacket carrying what appeared to be as a tool bag stood outside. Jin Woon went ahead to unlock the gate.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, hyung. Were you waiting for long?” My companion greeted this stranger.

“I came as soon as I could after Junho’s call.” The stranger’s line of vision moved from Jin Woon’s hurt arm to me, with a slight raise of an eyebrow. “I see we have company.” He gestured for me to enter the apartment ahead of him.

“This is Amber. Amber, this is Junsu.”

The lights flickered on and my eyes grew accustomed to the interior. It was furnished with the bare minimum. Was this Jin Woon’s home? There was hardly anything that revealed the owner’s personality save for an electric guitar and another acoustic one on racks placed along one wall. While I was scrutinising the surroundings, the two males headed to the dining table like it was the normal drill. Junsu opened the bag and I got an eyeful of medical equipment – this dude was a doctor?

The older man inspected Jin Woon’s arm. “All you need is some stitches.” He said, pulling out certain items from his bag.

“You can do that, right?” Jin Woon asked.

“Of course, this is for novices – first year medical school course work,” Junsu quipped as though they were talking about frying vegetables.

Even the tiny hall room I shared with Luna was spilling with all sorts of memorabilia yet this clean, minimalistic space intrigued me. Perhaps, it did reflect Jin Woon’s normal unruffled disposition. Just as I was wondering where I should park myself although I was dying to explore the apartment, my mobile beeped.

“Amber, are you alright?” Jin Woon asked, noticing my awkwardness.

“Um, I need to use the bathroom.” I shifted my weight from one foot to another, to give credibility to my claim.

Letting out a soft laugh, Jin Woon pointed to the door of what I presumed was the toilet. To which I scampered towards. Kris had sent me a message asking when I would be home after the karaoke session. He would always be there at the back of my mind. I had never been to another guy’s home before but then again, I was helping my friend, I reasoned with myself. “I’m not sure, probably late. It’s very fun here. Go to sleep after you finish work.” I replied. The only reason Kris has not insisted picking me up tonight was because he was up to his eyeballs grading term papers.

Jin Woon and Junsu were speaking in hushed undertones. I closed the bathroom door as quietly as I could.

“I haven’t seen you so badly injured for a long time. Are you losing your touch?”

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