The Flashbacks are in red and there will be switching of timelines quite often, I'm sorry about that but I'll hope you'll continue to read though :)

Victoria

She had her hands on her hips after she stood back up. Her death glare was actually on Sungyeol though and the person on the receiving end of the glare was visibly cowering.

Without much care, she hauled the red-haired man up and dragged him away by the hand. Sungyeol shot back pleading looks to Myungsoo and Sungjong, mouthing ‘Save Me Please’ over and over.

She then stopped at a very deserted corner of the park with Myungsoo and Sungjong hesitantly following. She started to beat him, punch him and going all lioness at him causing the other two to awkwardly stand to the side because they were afraid at the pitch black aura the woman was exuding

“Lee Sungyeol...I would have understood if you were plain stupid or just dense, but you aren’t...You are worse! You knew it but you’re pretending to not know it and it just pissed me off how you’re toying with his feelings like they’re your right to play with. I think you deserved every one of these bruises and so help me God I won’t mind adding a few more if you hurt him again,” she shouted.

Myungsoo saw Sungyeol’s icy front again and his hands were shaking as he replied in a low tone with “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”

Victoria then burst into tears, weakly punching the red-haired “I don’t know how you can stand seeing him like that! You’re killing him! You’re killing him!”

“No he won’t. He’ll get over me; he’ll find someone else and move on before long. Okay, I know what I’m doing! Only an idiot will stay in love with someone who’d hurt them” Sungyeol replied.

The loud slap from Victoria made Sungyeol’s lips bleed. The woman fell to her knees and sobbed. Sungjong ran to her pulling her to a hug while Myungsoo checked up on a really stunned Sungyeol.

“Do you have any idea how much he loves you?” Victoria asked softly

Sungyeol shot back “I still know my place alright. He’s born drowning in money, is the best in what he did in the states and me? I’m just a nobody who’d forgotten his real name...,”

Sungjong was half-listening really he wasn’t in the mood to do anything, he just happened to sluggishly walked by the veranda where his mother and sister were

“Umma, who’s the boy?  You’re bringing home some random kids now?” Sunny’s tone was meant to be provoking

“He has seen things kids his age shouldn’t have seen. He’s been through a lot,” Mrs Lee answered calmly “...but he doesn’t remember a thing, not even his name. The social worker said that it’s a psychology thing. Like a defensive mechanism,”

“Umma, things with Sungjong aren’t settled yet umma. Why take in another boy that needs help when our Sungjongie there is barely living as he is? He’s not eating at all and you said you’ve hired some really good therapists but it’s been months and he hasn’t shown any sign of improvement yet,” Sunny complained

“He’s homeless,”

“There’s the orphanage umma!”

“You wouldn’t understand Sunny! Have you seen that boy? When I look at him, he...he looks terrible and I just feel like...like I want to protect him...Maybe, maybe he and Sungjong can help heal each other...and maybe I can stop feeling guilty” Mrs Lee said “that Junhong has done a lot for us but I couldn’t do anything for him...,”

“We’re trying our best here umma, but you know the police won’t do anything more right? And really umma, just because you felt guilty by how you treat Junhong before this doesn’t mean you can bring in home boys randomly. What if he’s a thief or even worse a murderer?!”

“Sunny, don’t you remember when we were at their place? If it weren’t for your appa...,”

“He’s not my appa,”

“...this is why you won’t inherit any of this; even in his death you won’t accept him. He’s the kindest of men. If you’d only given him the chance Sunny...,”

“Umma we’ve been through this! You can give all these to Sungjong! I don’t want any of it. I’ll pay you back every cent you spent on helping me building up my business,” Sunny crossed her arms “...and what are you going to do with that boy again?”

“I said maybe they can help each other. Be friends. Sungjong might like him...,”

“Like a replacement best friend? He’s probably gonna resent him. The only remote similarity I can see between him and that new boy is that they used to live in that area”

Sungjong finally met the boy the women in the family were talking about earlier.

His mother was smiling hopefully as she introduced him to Sungjong “Jongie...this is Sungyeol...your new best friend,”

Hoya-hyung had whispered to him in a low tone that he’d heard the maids said that Sungyeol wasn’t his real name. That he had no name at all.

...his new friend looked scared, lost...and maybe it was pity at first that made him held out a hand to him

 Myungsoo saw Sungjong flinched

“I promise we’ll stay together. So can we be like...best friends?” Sungyeol said and grinned as Sungjong hesitantly nod. He wasn’t sure the reason Sungyeol suddenly wanted to be friends with him after two years of shunning him out. He probably pitied him “...look I know how you feel but I figured that I owe your family this...,”

“Why?”

“Out of all the people in the world right now, I think we can understand each other. We’ve been through the same thing after all...,”

“...and you just realized that now?”

“Yeah...we’re moving to the states. New place, new house, new Sungyeol and new Sungjong...sounds awesome to me” Sungyeol excitedly said. It was pretty hard not to be affected by Sungyeol’s kid-like eagerness.

It turned out Sungyeol really enjoyed the move. “You wouldn’t believe this Mrs Lee...,” one day he told them, looking all thrilled.

“...a modelling agency?” Suyeon’s face broke out into a large proud grin when Sungyeol finished telling them that he got scouted by some people just a few hours earlier.

Sungyeol nodded excitedly “Oh, I heard Hoya is going to get his new gym membership, can I get one too? The agency said I need to put in more weight and stuff,” Sungjong’s mother gave consent readily

So Sungyeol was living a real happy life, he was always so full of energy. His easy-going personality made him the popular guy around the area they lived in, his modelling made him the ‘it’ guy there too. Sungjong loved that Sungyeol never forgot about his promise, a bully though he was.

Until one girl broke his heart and he started bringing women home every single day. Sungyeol quit modelling even though he was so successful, he skipped meals, he was angry on daily basis. One day it got to the point that his mother had enough so she ordered Sungyeol to be locked in the house and no strangers were allowed to get in the house. No maids or any female employees were allowed contact with him if they didn’t want to be fired.

Sungjong wasn't sure how it happened though...It just did...and all he remembered was

“...Sungjongie...I promise I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry...,”

“I don’t deserve Woohyun...even if I love him,”

“Sungjong?” Myungsoo asked unsure. He was about to walk to the younger man but stopped as he realized that Woohyun was right beside him along with Hoya, Sunggyu and Dongwoo. There was the tense moment where Sungyeol, Victoria and Sungjong noticed them too.

“Sungyeol...I need to talk to you,” Woohyun’s tone was solemn and it was hard to read what he was thinking. Sungyeol, on the other hand, was like an open book. He was really flustered and his face was red-probably as a result of Victoria’s vicious slap as well.

“No! I want to talk to you” Sungjong suddenly spoke up, addressing Sungyeol. His tone left no room for any objection. Woohyun wasn’t about to back down though but Sungjong’s piercing glare was enough to shut him up.

Sungjong could taste heaven, even when his mother announced that they’d move again in light of one unfortunate circumstance that was like a blessing in disguise. Though he had to wait for Sungyeol who had stayed over at Sungjong’s step siblings, the Kwons for awhile before the move to take a breather.

“I’ve found him, Nam Woohyun. You said you like the food he cooked...so I hired him,” his mother introduced the handsome young man behind him.

Nam Woohyun, the second son of a rich businessman was out to prove his worth to his parents

Less than a week after that Sungjong’s mother seemed to have regretted her decision, Woohyun was a charmer. He flirted with every single woman in the house and she thought that he was a bad influence. So before Sungyeol’s return, Suyeon warned him to stay away from Sungyeol, afraid that Sungyeol would get back to his old habit. However, it was in human nature to be curious of things that he shouldn’t be.

“Sungjong...,” Sungyeol started but Sungjong was having none of that

“You promised!” Sungjong cried, on the verge of tears

“Sungjong...,”

“I don’t care...I’ve had enough! I don’t care what people think, I don’t care anymore! You promised you’d be mine. You promised you won’t leave me!”

“Sungyeol! I can’t believe this!”

The man in question scrambled to pull up the neglected comforter to cover his body

“Umma...,” Sungjong nervously said

“No, I-I...Hoya, bring them up in my office in thirty minutes!” and with that she left leaving Hoya uncomfortably standing by the door

* *

“I don’t care if you like girls or boys as long as you’re happy…and I’m happy actually to see that you’ve chosen well,” she turned to Sungyeol then “I expect you to take full responsibility of this,” she said grimly.

“I think we should move back home. When you’re twenty-five, you’ll take over from me alright? You’re going to have a difficult life ahead so I want you and Sungyeol to stick together no matter what happens. Can you promise me that?” Suyeon looked at both of them

Sungjong grinned showing her the engagement ring on his finger “Of course umma,”

“I promise to take care of this brat, Mrs Lee,” Sungyeol playfully said

“Call me umma, Sungyeol…I’d like to hear that,”

“Well until the announcement of our engagement when he’s twenty-five, I’d have to call you mrs Lee for now. This is supposed to be a secret, no?”

“Yes, ah but I’ve practically adopted you anyway, wouldn’t be strange if you call me umma”

“So he is your fiancee?” Myungsoo tried to keep his voice from shaking too much. Sungjong nodded once, but he didn’t look at him instead he focused on the road ahead. They were on the way back where Mrs Lee was waiting. Sungyeol sat in front silently. He hadn’t said a word after Sungjong revealed the secret that only his mother, Sungyeol and one other person knew- the witness to their engagement-.

“Hyung…can we not talk about it now? I’m-I’m tired,”

Myungsoo clamped his mouth shut, fuming in silence. He didn’t know what he was supposed to be feeling. All he knew was the familiar anger rearing its ugly head in him…that was the only thing he recognized. The car was engulfed in uncomfortable silence.

All of a sudden Sungjong’s phone started ringing. At first, the younger man ignored it but the caller persisted. Myungsoo saw out of the corner of his eyes that Kris’s name was on the screen. Finally on the fifth call, Sungjong answered the call lazily and pushed the loudspeaker button. He put the phone near his mouth “Yes Hyung?”

“Sungjong…where are you?”

“I’ll be back home in fifteen minutes…,”

“Who’s with you?”

“What’s with the questions hyung?” Sungjong was beginning to get irritated.

“I…I just received a call…from…Chen,” at that, Sungjong straightened up all of a sudden

“What happened?” Sungjong was gripping his phone tightly

“It’s about Chanyeol …We thought they wouldn’t be able to get him…,” Kris was unable to continue for a few seconds. Sungyeol had turned around with a worried face and Youngguk was keeping an eye on them “He’s in the Intensive Care Unit,”

“Sungjong! Sungjong!” Myungsoo cried, panicked as the younger man seemed to be frozen in shock

“Mrs Lee….,” the driver cried as the woman went out and screamed at the boy who had his skateboard in one hand with an apologetic expression on his face

“You little brat! Are you blind?” She went and slapped him so hard he stumbled. Her driver came out of his side in worry and tried to stop her.

Sungjong looked out from the car’s window, still a bit shaken from the near accident. The boy was probably younger than he was. At first, he felt a bit sympathetic but the feeling disappeared. It was the boy’s fault after all and he deserved to be the recipient of his mother’s wrath.

His mother had been in a hideous mood lately. People around them were whispering about them behind their backs, the neighbours, his schoolmates and even his teachers about his mother being a gold-digger who married Mr. Kwon for his wealth. Sungjong hated it of course but he didn’t care.

Five minutes after that, they continued on their destination again. His mother was still in rage, screaming her head off but Sungjong paid no heed. He knew his mother was stressed out. Nobody was giving her a break and he understood.

At school, Sungjong was beginning to gain some popularity, ever since he went to school by the limousine anyway. Before that, everybody was calling him “The trash” but now everybody was whispering about his “” mother behind his back but gritted their teeth, offering fake smiles in front of him.

It was getting into his head…the richness. He’d forgotten about his old friends, hanged around new ones. He didn’t care one bit that the new friends weren’t genuine. He was spoiled and he acted like one. He knew that, felt guilty deep inside but he couldn’t stop.

Until one day someone attacked him, to be precise, there were three people attempting to kidnap him. His bodyguard had his hands full trying to fend off the vicious strikers and all Sungjong could do was stood rooted to the ground terrified until a hand harshly tugged his arm. He was about to punch the person but then found himself face to face with... the kid…the one his driver almost ran into

“Come here, come on. Run , run!” the kid cried to his face and it was like a splash of cold water to his face. He shook his head and with the kid on the lead, they ran.

Sungjong didn’t know where he was led-didn’t pay attention to his surrounding because his heart was beating so fast he could hear it pounding in his ears-not until a middle-aged man’s shocked expression registered in his mind

“Zelo, who is this?” the man asked concerned. Sungjong realized they had burst into someone’s house. The man listened as the kid explained what happened while dragging Sungjong to the kitchen and made him sit down. After Zelo told the story the man took a deep breath “You’re not lying are you?” Zelo shook his head vehemently. “Call your Hongki-hyung down here and tell him to bring down Zuma,”

The man then allowed Sungjong to calm down a bit before asking him to tell him what had happened. Sungjong was about to protest but then he relented, giving more details than what Zelo told the man. “I’ll call your parents, what’s their number?” he said and motioned for Sungjong to follow him. Sungjong was about to answer when he suddenly stopped in his tracks, mouth wide open.

A young boy appearing to be a few years older than he was carrying a huge, long snake, it was long enough that Zelo was a few inches behind the boy was also carrying the snake’s body. “Are you scared?” the man asked Sungjong who gulped at first “Just in case they trail after you here, hopefully they’ll be distracted by Zuma here. Of course he wouldn’t be the only one…Hongki, where’s Goku and Gohan?”

“Y-you got more?” Sungjong’s eyes widened

“Oh they’re just the Labradors, well trained ones but I do have more of Zuma friends outside though,” The man smirked at Sungjong’s involuntary shiver “but you seem like a brave boy, wanna see if he likes you?”

“I-I can touch him?” all of a sudden Sungjong’s eyes lit up and the man laughed

“Sure, sure,” and motioned for Hongki and Zelo to bring Zuma forward.

Less than thirty minutes later, Mrs Lee and the police found her son playing with Zuma, Goku and Gohan in the man’s living room. Since that day she warmed up to Zelo and even allowed him to stay over for most nights. Sungjong knew his mother was too grateful.

Zelo’s real name was Choi Junhong he found out much much later. His family lived in a very small house and he had lots of siblings. They never asked for help from Sungjong’s family and Mrs Lee said that Zelo’s father was too proud to accept help from a woman like her.

Slowly, Sungjong remembered where he used to be and had hated whom he had become so once again he changed but this time it was for the better.

“Ne, talk slowly dongsaeng and eat more. Why don’t you ever eat more?” Sungjong reprimanded Zelo who rather tell him more stories than eat the lavish food served in front of him. Sungjong always tried to feed the skinny boy whenever he could since he noticed that the boy ate only a little amount “Is it the cooking? You don’t like it?” Zelo only shook his head in response

“Oh, Zelo? He’s a good kid. Every time I tried to feed him, he’d refused so I told him to bring the food home. I reckon he always thinks about his hungry siblings,” Hongki’s father would say when  he asked him about Zelo’s lack of appetite as Sungjong was helping him clean the cages outside, the man was actually a veterinarian which explained the reason so many animals were found in his backyard.

Sungjong walked beside the boy one day, Zelo seemed to have grown so fast exactly one year after he saved Sungjong. He was almost at Sungjong’s height. “Zelo-ah, I think I haven’t thanked you properly…you know for saving me and sticking by my side. Do you want to eat something? I can treat you,”

The boy who was busy kicking stones looked up and smiled “No, emmm but Zelo… wants a promise,” Sungjong perked up and nodded, quite interested to hear what he had to say

“Will you help Zelo?” the boy looked very serious, Sungjong smiled and nodded

 “…and hyung’ll be friends with me forever?”

Sungjong didn’t think twice about making the promise “Yep, I swear I will,” he laughed “Let’s go to Hongki-hyung’s house. I heard they found a sick monkey…but first let’s stop at my house, I’m really hungry,”

* *

“Open your mouth, aaaaaaaa” Sungjong demonstrated. Zelo laughed and shook his head

“No,” Zelo answered firmly with an amused smile as Sungjong insisted to feed him.

“Do it for hyung pretty please?” Sungjong made sure to use his most persuasive voice that nobody older could resist so far but younger guys seemed to be immune to it apparently. When it continued on for five more minutes, Sungjong decided to use another method. “Yah Choi Junhong! Don’t you think you’re being disrespectful to your hyung?!”

Zelo sputtered, surprised at Sungjong’s sudden change of demeanor. He knew Sungjong long enough to recognize the signs of the older hyung’s temper. Reluctantly, Zelo opened his mouth wide after Sungjong was unfazed by Zelo’s puppy eyes and pouty lips

So hi guys, I think I've been MIA for quite some time because of my exams so my exams are not over yet but these chapters are finished awhile ago and I've checked it over so I've decided to post it up because I feel a bit guilty for this. For those who're still reading this, thank you very much :) and if you're confused by all the flashbacks, the order of people appearing in Sungjong's life is like this :

Zelo -> Sungyeol -> Woohyun

Don't hesitate to ask more if you're still confused though ^^ I had quite a hard time trying to fix this