Chinsun was scared. She kept thinking about the worst scenarios of what might have happened to Baekho, what may happen to her, what may happen to her friends, family, everybody. She saw the vivid pictures of how she'll have to bury hear dear Baekho, kiss him goodbye forever, how she'll never find happiness again, how all this will come haunt her in the future.

But what if he's dead? What will I do now? What will happen to me? I can't live like this! He's more than I would have ever imagined... if he's gone...

Even if I find someone new I will always compare him to Baekho... I can't to that to him or me...

She heard some noise from behind the door and jumped. Her hands started to shake; soon her whole body didn't stand still. Her heart trembled and for a moment she wished she wasn't awake to know and think about her future.

Maybe they'll do something to me... what if they beat me... what if they-... That brought tears to her eyes. She really didn't want to know what will happen. She wanted to go home. When she stepped out of the house this morning she had no clue that anything like this could happen; there was really no reason to think that by the end of the day she'll be crying her heart out. She felt safe with Baekho and now...

A door opened.

Chinsun jumped once again.

Sehun stepped in saying nothing. He brought her food. But she wasn't hungry.

That wasn't the case.

Sehun put the tray on her nightstand and said something – it was barely audible – so that the men standing at the opened door wouldn't hear.

“We'll back you up.” He gave her a reassuring smile and turned around, walked right up the door, and just like that the light of hope Chinsun saw was gone.

“We'll back you up”? Are they waiting for me to make the first move? How do I know?

Her stomach growled. They know me better than I do. So, though she thought she doesn't have an appetite, she took the first bite. No, nope, she had an appetite. In a few minutes the tray held only empty dishes and bowls.

Now: I need to do something... something... what to do? She looked around in the room. Her gaze stopped at the wardrobe room. Baekho had given his sweater to her, because she really liked the soft fabric... and the baby-blue color...

She got up, went into the smaller room, put the sweater on, and began to search for bandages, plasters, antibacterial liquid – anything she would need in case they had done... something to Baekho. I may need to make stitches... She put the things into a bag. But they'll see it...

She couldn't possibly go to where-ever Baekho was held with a bag visible to everyone – they'd get suspicious. She needed to hide it... somehow... His sweater! That's right! The sweater – it was too big for even Baekho, so Chinsun could hide everything under it!

A needle... and some string... She sewed improvised pockets from a scarf on the inside of the sweater and filled them with needed items. She even stuffed two blankets in there somehow... Then she put the clothing on one more time. A quick look it the mirror showed her that everything looked good – if some weirdo will not hug her they will not find out anything.

“Now for the next step.” Chinsun told herself and took a deep breath. Of course, she was scared, terrified actually, but Baekho may need her and the suspense was already getting too much for her to take.

“Hey! Hey, you there!” she called for the guards on the corridor as she banged on the door.

“What to you want?” the guard asked being rather irritated by Chinsun's sudden racket.

“I want to see... Baekho. I want to see him. Where is he?!” she spoke through the door.

The door was opened. The guard gave Chinsun a sly smile. “You want to join him?”

“Yes.” Chinsun said. Her stomach was doing somersaults. There was no going back now. Now or never.

“I thought the little miss didn't like dungeons.” the guard laughed mockingly.

“That's for me to decide.” the girl returned the gesture.

***

But why did Kris give out Baekho? Why did he say that he could handle it, the blow for everyone? Where in the world did he get that idea? What was that agreement with Lucras that bound him from doing the right thing?

First of all, Baekho, as we know is no weakling. Of course he gets hurt when someone hits him in the gut, but that's OK... for him. He has gone through this many times before. When he was a child.

Yes, our kind and always smiling Baekho was severely bullied when he was little. Not that he was sick or anything like that, but he never hit back when he got hit. Never did he raise his hand against his bully. Why? He was raised this way. His mother told him to put his hands in his pockets and pinch himself and feel how much it hurts. And he did. He did it every single time. But it wasn't only the pain of his own pinch he got to feel.

The only reason why he was bullied was because his father and mother happened to be noblemen, who lost their titles and rights, so other kids his age – as we know children can be really cruel sometimes – took advantage of that situation and made him into their punching bag. They just simply count him out from everything. They made a social retard out of him.

Where does Kris fit in? Once when little Baekho was getting a taste of his weekly bittersweet treatment from his peers young Kris and his brother Tao rushed in and made an end to that sick way of entertainment. They took the boy under their wing. They got his parents' word that they can teach the boy some basic self defense and even when Kris and Tao left for army training he went on and learned new things.

Kris and Tao also introduced Baekho to his now best friends: Aron, Minhyun, and Ren. And soon after that things worked out. He got acquainted to JR... and a little later Baekho was the prince's personal... servant, but JR never used that phrase, never. He called Baekho his friend.

And this got to where he is now.

Beaten up in the dungeon. Betrayed by a close friend, he thought, was his brother.

But Kris had a reason. A stupid and forever to be reminded as a biggest-mistake-of-his-life reason, but it was a reason. I can't tell you yet why he needed the money – he has to tell you by himself –, but I can assure you it was for something very important; for something very precious to him.

Why a deal with Lucras? Four years ago Kris didn't know what kind of person Lucras was. He thought the man was kindhearted and took Kris as a son he never had – where did Jaejoong go then? –, after all, he did help him to get a job in the castle and he was the one, who made Kris a head butler.

So, when Kris wasn't a butler not just yet his paycheck didn't allow him to buy certain things he needed, like, really needed. So Lucras saw an opportunity and took it. With one little signature Kris sold his soul to the devil himself. The contract made Kris into Lucras's errand boy, who has to obey his master's orders no matter what they are... except for murder, other unforgivable crimes and morally wrong actions... in exchange for money which he does not have to pay back.

Kris was young and inexperienced and didn't think things through as much. Let's remind ourselves that he could not have seen that Lucras would turn out to be a total maniac. Kris thought he was doing the right thing. He thought it was more like a one time, few months thing. He'll get the money buy the necessities and then it's over and he'll move on and he'll never be reminded of that ever again. How wrong he was.

***

The tunnels Chinsun was escorted through were dark, smelly, and cold. That didn't bother Chinsun – though in a different situation it would – the only thing she was thinking about was whether she'll see Baekho ever again or not, will he be dead or alive. Barely alive would be enough for her – at least he's there; there's hope.

There he was.

On the ground.

Lifeless.

Covered with bruises and blood. His clothes were ripped and dirty. He wasn't the Baekho she remembered.

Chinsun bit her lip and blinked. The sight really was more than she could take.

“You have all the time in the world.” the guard mocked and closed the heavy door.

Chinsun needed a moment to regain herself. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out. She needed to be as calm as it was possible. This wasn't the time to break down. You can cry when all of this is over.

She opened her eyes and gave herself a little mental fist bump.

Then she went up to Baekho.

Oh, how heartbreaking it was to see him like that.

“Baekho? Baekho, please, be alive...” Chinsun whispered.

Nothing came from the boy. No response.

“Baekho?” Chinsun tried to find contact with the boy. She didn't know if it was OK to touch him – she didn't know how and where he was hurt. She touched his hand... so cold, stone cold, was his hand...

Chinsun kept her tears back. She tried to find a pulse, but she felt nothing under her fingers.

This was getting more sour and bitter by the moment...

But...

He moved! Just a little twitch... but... he was still in this world.

Chinsun sighed in relief.

Baekho raised his head – he was lying on his stomach – and looked up. He could only see with his right eye, because the left side of his face was swollen up really badly and his left eye was swollen shut... “Chi-Chinsun? How did you...?”

“Don't say anything.” Chinsun said in a trembling voice.

“Whatever you say...” Baekho half-smiled.

They stayed there for the entire night... No one knew and no one cared if they were alive the next morning. They got a sorry excuse for a supper to eat and a bottle of water to drink, but that was it on the surviving part.

But they were together...

Though it was hard they didn't let their hope to die, they held their spirit up.

They still had friends in this castle – they'll help.

And I just finished it 10 minutes ago. I know what tension does to people, so I wanted to ease that burden.

Enjoy!