Kris walked back into his shared suite early the next morning. Tao eyed him as he chewed on his breakfast loving made by his ‘YiYi gege’. Noticing the raven’s eyes on him, Kris quickly scoffed; trying to ignore Tao’s blatant staring.

"Hey Kris, I fixed you a plate, since I knew you would be back in time," Yixing smiled.

"How did you know I would be back?" Kris mumbled, taking his seat across from Tao.

"You always come back early when you spend a night with Nana," Tao interjected. Kris bawled his fist at Tao’s meandering tone.

"Why are you always trying to get on my bad side?" Kris grounded out through clenched teeth.

"Oh?" Tao began to act oblivious, "Is there a good side?"

Yixing jumped once Kris slammed his hands flat on the table, shaking the juice out of the cups and rattling the utensils.

"Tao, I am warning you-," Kris began but was immediately interrupted by a wandering Luhan, "Or you’ll what?"

All three boys turned there head to see Luhan, cold still in his eyes from the eyeliner he barely removed last night, and hair caked to the side with the left over sprits. He quickly yarned before eyeing Kris again, "Or you’ll what?"

"Stay out of this," Kris muttered threateningly.

"I am just wondering why you are all big and bad on Tao all of a sudden. You know, I could kind of understand Jongdae, but what did Tao do? He spends all of his free time smothered under Yixing," he explained casually.

Yixing twitched slightly, hearing Luhan’s words and remembering Xiumin’s. He really didn’t know that he was holding on to Tao so tightly.

"How about you just mind your own business? Don’t you think you have enough to worry about?" Kris retorted, looking the still sleepy Luhan straight in the eyes.

"Yeah, sure I do. What is for breakfast?" Luhan quickly changed the subject, but didn’t miss the triumphant look overcome Kris face.

He quickly felt the urge to wipe it off, "Kris why are you eating? I thought you had the boss last night? Wasn’t she enough?"

Tao burst into laughter so fast; some of his food fell out of his mouth. He didn’t know why Luhan felt like attacking Kris this morning. Maybe because his usual target wasn’t like himself lately, he decided to move on to someone new? Tao couldn’t be sure, but he was definitely enjoying the start of his day.

Before Kris could react, Yixing quickly cut in, restoring peace to the Kitchenette, "Aren’t we glad that we have our mornings to ourselves again?"

Tao and Luhan quickly agreed though they didn’t do much in the morning but lay around. Kris continued to stay quiet, really not liking his roommates at the moment.

"What about Jongdae though? Isn’t mother supposed to be killed sometime soon or something?" Luhan whispered.

Beautiful timing, as the said boy came into the kitchenette fully dressed, not bothering to meet eyes with any of them.

"Hey Jongdae, I fixed you a plate," Yixing said, jesting to the plate he sat next to Tao.

"I am not very hungry," he muttered.

"You should eat though," Tao ushered.

Jongdae shook his head, still having his head downcast, "I can’t, not today."

As soon as he drunk a glass of water, with everyone’s eyes still on him, he made to move towards the door. He just needed a breath of fresh air, but as soon as he reached for the handle, the door opened, revealing a rested looking Xiumin.

"Hey Jongdae, Jaejoong just told me to tell you to meet him in his office as soon as possible," Xiumin informed.

Jongdae felt his insides turn at Xiumin’s words. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt nervous, but he didn’t like it. However, he nodded his head silently and walked around Xiumin, out of the door.

"Baozi! Where have you been?" Luhan shouted obnoxiously. "Did your one client actually pay to have you spend the night? Oh my! Did you sleep with her?"

"Um?" Xiumin voiced.

"Get over here!" Luhan continued, walking over to grab Xiumin’s wrist and pull him into his bedroom.

Tao and Yixing looked at each other worriedly before Kris drew their attention back to him as he stormed off into his room, his plate of food barely touched.

~~~~~~~

"Tell me what happened last night," Luhan rushed.

"Did you shower yet?"

Luhan shot Xiumin an exasperated look, "Is that important right now?"

"Yeah, it’s more important than knowing what I did with my client last night," Xiumin mumbled.

He really did want to tell someone how excited he was to wake up to her face. But he thought his feelings for his client were weird so he pushed them to the back of his brain. Now Luhan was acting like him not sleeping in the suite was something shocking.

They do work at a brothel after all…

"Well, you know, I was just curious. My cute little bun is growing up and spending nights out on town, that is pretty important," Luhan squeezed at Xiumin’s cheeks…the ones on his face.

"I am glad you feel that way, but, I rather not talk about it, ok?"

"Did something bad happen?"

"No, nothing. We just slept that’s all," Xiumin muttered.

"Oh…ohhhh, I get it! You wanted to do more than just sleep!" Luhan teased.

Xiumin growled under his breath. He couldn’t believe Luhan just said that out loud. It was true though, and that sad burn of truth in his chest made him feel so exposed.

"Luhan! That is not funny!"

"So it’s true?" Luhan, who was bent over in laughter, only fell to the ground at Xiumin unknowingly confirming his thoughts.

"What am I going to do with you?" Xiumin whined exasperatedly.

At this Luhan shot up, "Oh I know!"

He got a wicked look in his eye as he stared at Xiumin, "Come with me to go home and meet Sehun this time! I have a favor I want to ask him."

~~~~~~~~

Jongdae wiped his hands together nervously as he sat outside Jaejoong’s office. It was similar to Nana’s but smaller. He didn’t know what the second in command wanted to speak to him about and he didn’t want to think too much about it. He was trying to keep his thoughts clear and free. There were so many things taking place that day, that one thought could ruin him. He knew he would crumble into a mess of liquid tears. He knew his heart would pound so hard against his rib cage, it would feel like he was dying. Like he felt the first moment he was torn from his aunt’s home after eleven years of being with her. He was aware now that he was conditioned into thinking what she was doing to him was normal, that every six year old was touched that way, and that every teenager had an obligation to ually please the one taking care of them. That was what she told him since before he could read without stuttering over words. That is what she repeated until he believed it, until he realized that his body could enjoy the pleasure just as much as hers could. He knew he was wrong and that any sane mother would do what his did, but he was so selfish, and now she was paying for his stupidity…he knew all of this, but he refused to think about it.

He refused to…

"Jongdae, you can come in," Jaejoong stood tall by the door to his office, gesturing for the boy to enter.

He got up stiffly; walking passed the older male but not making eye contact.

"I don’t want to keep you long, but…I called the penitentiary. Your mothers execution will be at noon today and-,"

"Stop," Jongdae whispered, his eyes growing into miniature saucers and quickly filling with the liquid he refused to let leak.

"Jongdae, I can see this is hard. Though I have never experienced the things you experienced, I am sure that if I had, I would be hurting as well. But I would also want to hear what I have to say," Jaejoong explained calmly.

Jongdae looked up at Jaejoong then not wanting to trust him, but clearly seeing he had no choice but to listen, "I spoke to the warden. I explained to him what had taken place and asked him if you would be able to visit. He told me that your mother was only allowed to see the person she was studying the bible with before her execution but," Jaejoong took a breath, a small smile playing on his lips, "He also said that he remembered your mothers case and that he would allow you to visit her during her bible study with a Mrs," Jaejoong looked down at he paper he held in his hands, "Andrews, a Mrs. Andrews. Would you like to go?"

Jongdae barely heard Jaejoong ask the question before he was up on his feet running to the elevator as fast as he could. It was already 9:30 in the morning, by time he would arrive at the penitentiary, it would already be 10:00 and he would only have two hours. Before the doors for the elevator opened