"What do you mean by "can't find them"? How can you not find someone? You're supposed to be the best detective for cases like this one!" the man yelled into the mobile phone angrily. "How hard can it be to find two people?!"

L, who watched it from the corner of the room, could only feely sorry for the person on the other end of line. It was never pleasant to be the one to receive that end of the tyrant's moods. On the other hand, if the man was willing to work for the man in the first place, then he must have done so in the past also... which meant that he was not a character to be pitied.

"Try harder!"

The sound of the mobile crashing against the wall was also nothing unfamiliar to the young man. He often saw expensive electronics, or even other objects when he thought about it, destroyed in that matter. At times it also ended with a dead body which someone came to dispose of.

"L!"

"Yes, sir?" the black-clad observer asked, coming out of the shadows the corner provided. One could never want to hide more when in presence of the angry man which directed his little "company" with an iron fist.

"I want you to search for the two also, as well as keep an eye out for M. If he was there with the two then finding him could lead us to them now."

Myungsoo despaired inwardly. How long has it been since he had a chance to sneak off for more than a minute? How long would it take until he was able to sneak off this time? Ever since the action on Incheon airport he was always by the man's side, the boss displeased over his failure to retrieve the two escapees. When would he be free to make a short visit downstairs? 

"As you wish, sir."

Seemingly not anytime soon.

- - - - -

In the "Nam palace" no one was aware in the slightest about the dangerous clouds which were gathering, the eye of the storm being on its way into their lives.

"So you're escapees?" Dongwoo asked the youngest and eldest of the people by the pool, once it all was explained to him. Him having joined the pool party was just a side-effect.

"Basically, yes." Sunggyu sighed. Given that he had calmed down a little he let go of the Soju and went for the bowl of strawberries again, earning himself a look from Woohyun which he had hard time deciphering.

"But why?"

"We have information they want, and they're way too eager to get it." Sungjong added, for once not sounding the young age he was. When it came to the topic of the abductors he always seemed to age by years.

"Information about?" the detective inquired. Not only would the knowledge help him in the case the people in his closest vicinity were part of, but he was also just curious.

"I will not tell. We have not survived that to just let it slip now." Sungjong shot a look in the direction of the man. "It would kill the purpose."

"Or someone else..." Sunggyu muttered darkly.

After that everyone kept silent about the topic.

- - -

It had been a few hours since Dongwoo came and the five young men were well on their way to be completely smashed.

They were all giggling at odd times, poking at each other, asking silly questions, and sharing embarrassing stories about themselves, which they would later on hope everyone will forget... Well and then there was Woohyun who was intent on singing random parts of Stevie Wonder's Lately to Sunggyu... who listened intently.

"Lately, I have had the strangest feeling

With no vivid reason here to find..."

"You have such a beautiful voice." Sunggyu praised a bit drunkily, not caring one bit that he was cutting into Woohyun's song, as he scooted closer to the his two-or-so-years junior. "And beautiful teeth, but seriously, did you train in front of the mirror so it's only your upper teeth that show when you smile or what?"

One would not guess that it was the oldest who drank the least.

"Yeeeah! Sing some more for us Grease Ball!" Dongwoo encouraged his friend, using a nickname which he always teased the said friend with. As he exclaimed so he - an image of innocence - also dragged himself closer to Hoya.

And Woohyun sang, he however seemed to have forgotten which song it was that he sang and so he started to sing something entirely else... still looking at Sunggyu, grabbing a random bottle to have as a mic.

"Shigani tto meomchun geolkkayo [Did time stop again?]

Ireohke tto jami deunayo [Is it going to fall asleep like this again?]

Meonghani bakkeul barabodaga [While staring blankly outside]

Dunun gameun che geudae saenggagi naseo. [I’m thinking about you with my two eyes closed]"

The three who were not immediate participants in the set of events were listening also, neither cared much that Woohyun had decided to sing what was obviously a love song to Sunggyu, they only quietly continued on sipping whatever bottle of alcohol they had in hand. They did not even bat an eye-lid when Woohyun switched to Japanese suddenly... even if no one but Sunggyu understood a word of it.

"Sorawo wataru kumono yooni [Like clouds which go across the sky,]

Kaze ni ochiru sunano yooni [Like sands which are blown off in the wind,]

Tada jikanga iyasu asuwo matsu. [I just wait for tomorrow which time heals.]

At that point Woohun suddenly cut off.

"I forgot how it continues." he muttered, as he pretty much fell onto Sunggyu's lap, draping himself over the young man whose cheeks were burning up, not quite knowing what to do with himself. It was not exactly everyday that someone sang him a love song. Same for having the same someone sleeping on his lap, burying their faces into the soft material of his shirt.

"Neverminds, it waz booootifull even so." Sungjong giggled, mispronouncing about every word in the sentence. There was a reason Sunggyu usually stopped him once the boy wanted alcohol. Well, that and the fact that Sungjong usually "stopped working" all of sudden and would fall asleep once he had too much. Thud. Like he had at that very moment also.

"Yeah, beautiful, what was it? I've never heard it before." Hoya gave his input, only grazing the softly snoring Sungjong with his eyes. He felt as if everything was great at that moment. Feeling as if he should hug everyone just for the sake of spreading his happy mood on others. It was great that Dongwoo was so conveniently nearby.

It's wonderful how when you had a few bottles glasses of alcohol it seemed perfectly normal that someone whom he knew for few hours only was all but sitting on his lap, said someone's arms wrapped around Hoya's neck loosely.

"'S mine... had someone write it..." they only heard a mumble, the sound muffled by Sunggyu's shirt. It was apparent that the most powerful persoon in the room was also well on his way to sleep.

"Sounds legit." Hoya assessed, his voice sounding sleepily also, those being the last words someone at the pool party uttered.

For it was soon after that everyone succumbed to sleep.

- - -

When the five of the people woke up much, much later, they all did so with headaches.

"I'm never going to drink so much again." Doongwoo, who woke up first, groaned. He however knew himself well enough to know that that was a lie.

"Tell me about it." Hoya grunted in response. His brain had yet to catch up on the fact that Dongwoo's voice sounded from less than half a meter... and that he was lying on the said source of sound.

"Maybe I should really wait until September before drinking?" Sungjong, who had been woken up by the other voices, questioned himself, massaging his temples.

"You're not legal yet?" Hoya asked, turning his head to the youngest of the hungover friends.

"No, I'm nineteen. I've got more than half a year to go." Sungjong said as he attempted to get up, but did so too quickly. That caused him to collapse back to whatever surface he had been sitting on.

"I always tell him not to drink, no luck there." Sunggyu muttered from where he was draped over Woohyun, said head of The Namu still being blessfully asleep with his arms wrapped around Sunggyu as if he was a teddy bear.

"Just how much did we drink?" Dongwoo asked, absent mindedly pushing the still-half-asleep detective off him. The he realised what he was doing and jumped up, managing to throw Hoya off and onto the ground.

"That hurt." Hoya protested. He however also suddenly became aware of the situation and flushed. "Umm..."

The two were saved from an embarrassing moment of silence by Woohyun.

"Could you keep it quiet? My head's about to burst."

- - -

Some hours later, when they all more or less got rid of their after-effects of overindulging, they all sat around a table, having lunch in companionable silence.

"So? When will the next event to be celebrated be?" Dongwoo asked, already having forgotten of his no-drinking promise to himself.

"Umm.. I think that would be my birthday, not that it's much to celebrate, mind you." Woohyun spoke up, biting into his food-of-choice.

"Sounds fun, when is it supposed to be?" Dongwoo asked.

"On 8th February, so in a week? I don't know, what's the date today?"

"Should be 1st February, I think, so yeah, in a week." Sunggyu affirmed.

"Great!" Dongwoo laughed. "Can't wait for the party!"

"Says the person who wanted never to drink again." Hoya muttered, not lifting his glance from his food. He still felt a bit embarrassed about how they found themselves when waking up.

"Spoilsport." Dongwoo pouted. He on the other hand could not keep his eyes of the detective.

"So you will all be here then? Aren't three of the people here, like supposed to work or something?" Sungjong snickered, causing the said three people to groan.

"Don't remind me." Woohyun moaned. "I have to go tomorrow, it seems there are some security problems in the headquarters lately. Nothing serious though, they say... and you better do go to work Dino, I don't pay you for nothing."

"Okay boss!" Dongwoo mock-saluted, causing the rest of the people around the table to burst out laughing.

And the day continuing like that, the start of February had been welcomed in a bright mood.

- - - - -

Somewhere else however, the start of February passed in an entirely different set of mind.

'Shouldn't he have stopped by by now?' Sungyeol thought to himself, watching the door to the set of cells. When was the last time he had seen his lover?

'He usually stops by in a week interval at least.' he looked at the short lines carved into the wall. The only way to keep track of time in his situation.

Not that he actually knew how long he had been there altogether - especially as there were too many of them by that point of time - but it at least helped him keep track of Myungsoo's visits.

Sungyeol traced the lines which had been underlined, counting the days in between those for last three months or so.

"Four, six, six, three, five, six, two, seven, three..." he muttered to himself quietly. Then he got to the very last number. "... twelve." It had been twelve days since Myungsoo's last visit at that point. What was keeping him away? What was he made to do? Was he all right? When will he be able to come again?

The state of disquiet was killing Sungyeol.

 After note: Hello there, it's been some time since I updated, but not that long, hopefully. You can finally see some of the third side pairing, finally, one of the resons I'm chaning the tags :p I also just realised that it has already been more than a year since I published this story (O.O) ... Sorry guys... I know I am taking my time (-w-')> .... That said I truly am gratefuly about how patient you are with me, Thank you~ (0v0)/  

+ (Just to point that out): When counting Infinite's ages Korean-wise they are all their "normal" ages "+1" (refers to the time of gestation), which in turns sets this story at the end of January/start of February 2011, as I don't really want to change their dates of brith or anything.... Just felt the need to keep you informed (^^)/

You know why I chose this gif ♥