“What?” Leeteuk stared at the YooSu couple in horror. “Yunho isn’t actually the boss?”

Yoochun shook his head sadly. “To be completely honest with you, I was part of the organization long before Yunho hyung. The man who has the control is called Lee Sooman, but we simply call him SM. Have you ever heard of Kai? Kim Jongin?”

“I have,” Leeteuk said slowly. “He is said to be a dancer in underground clubs and have connections to the mafia…”

“He is SM’s adopted son, but he came after me. My family was… well… I don’t really like talking about it.” Junsu squeezed Yoochun’s hand reassuringly. “I was looking for love, I guess, someone who cares about me. For a kid who had absolutely nothing, SM was the perfect father. Please don’t ask me how I got to know him, it’s another thing I don’t want to speak about.”

“Go on, if you want to.”

Yoochun took a deep breath to calm himself down before continuing. “I met Yunho and Hangeng on the same day. The two of them already knew each other, and SM took them in immediately and paid even more attention to him than to Kai. That’s what caused him to start the whole club-dancing thing, but that’s a different story. The point is that the three of us were happy with SM. Yunho had experience in killing. Not a lot, don’t worry; he wasn’t a child serial killer or anything. He killed his adoptive father after the man abused him.” The man’s voice was shaking. “SM trained us and before we knew it, we were on missions and assassinated whoever we were supposed to.”

“How come Yunho is known as the leader instead of Sooman?” Leeteuk asked carefully. He tried not to bring too many horrible memories back to Yoochun, but these were questions he needed answers to.

“Yunho proved that he had leadership skills. Even though his fighting wasn’t as impressive as Hangeng’s, he knew how to speak and how to take care of everyone. He let everybody have a say in discussions and gave all the members of the organization the same amount of respect. He never played favorites and SM saw his chance to hide behind a mask and stay safe whilst his puppet did the work. Why do you think Yunho left for a while? He had to meet with SM and he tried to keep us all safe. That old man is insane, I tell you.” Junsu leaned in towards Yoochun and softly wiped away the tears on the other’s cheek. Leeteuk patted Yoochun’s shoulder sympathetically and mentally cursed himself for making the proud man cry.

Jaejoong paced back and forth in front of the metal door that separated him from Yunho. He had agreed to come here, but now he was dying of nervousness. What should he say? Should he… confess? Jae shook his head angrily. How the hell did he plan to do that? “’Sup Yunho, I love you”? Definitely not.

His body acted before his brain did and he turned the key in the lock. The door slid open soundlessly and Jaejoong stepped in. Yunho’s eyes seemed to burn holes into his own, but Jae tried to ignore it.

“I see you decided to come,” Yunho started, but stopped when he got no response whatsoever. “Yah! I’m talking to you.”

“Why are you here?” Jaejoong wished that his voice would sound stronger than the weak whisper that escaped his lips.

To his surprise, the younger stood up and put a hand on the older male’s shoulder. “Are you that scared of me?”

“It’s not that. I know that you can’t hurt me while you’re here, or we could have you killed. I’m more worried about you hurting me mentally or emotionally than physically, to be completely honest.”

“And how would I be able to do that?” Yunho asked in surprise.

Jaejoong smiled weakly. “It wasn’t that horrible to be at your mansion. I know this probably sounds really weird, but I felt like we weren’t enemies anymore.”

“Sit down, please.” Yunho pulled the older down on the bench. The two men sat next to each other in silence for a while, until Yunho spoke again. “This is probably really confusing. Your enemy kidnapped you, told his friend to bring you back, and turned himself in. Just be aware that everything I do, no matter how small or unimportant or weird it seems, I do for a reason.”

“Understood.” It was silent again. "You're not afraid of dying because of some of the things you do?"

"Everyone always says they're afraid of death, but they aren't. They're afraid of dying painfully and slowly. And they're afraid of not being missed or remembered. And of not having done everything they wanted."

"Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you do everything you wanted?" Jaejoong looked at the other man intensely.

"No."

"No?"

"I screwed up big time."

Jae cocked his head. "How?"

"Do you remember whom you're talking to? What my role is in this game?"

"Of course. But if this is a game, you are the strongest player. The only one who can match you is-"

"You." Yunho’s eyes locked with the agent’s.

"No! I was going to say my team."

"Look, this may be a game, but it's like Russian roulette."

"How?"

"The loser will die."

Jaejoong was sure he had never let such an intense conversation with so many silences to add an even more dramatic effect. “There’s something I need to tell you. I wanted to tell you before, but first you were acting cold and distant and then you disappeared, so I couldn’t.”

“What is it?”

“I think… no, I’m sure. I… I like you. Very, very, very much.” Jaejoong bit his lip and expected a slap or something, but instead Yunho’s face turned sad.

“You’re late.”

“Late?” Jaejoong asked in confusion.

“I used to like you, but stopped when I realized I could never have you. I'm sorry, Jaejoong.”

It was like the world came crashing down in a thunderstorm of unrequited love. Jaejoong felt his breathing become shallower and he tried to stay calm, but the tears started forming in his eyes. He stud up abruptly and went to the door. Just as he opened it, he heard Yunho speak once again.