As the door slammed behind him and the sound of Yunho’s heartbreaking sobs echoed into the hall, Jaejoong closed his eyes and drew in a sharp and hesitant breath. Holding it in as best he could, Jaejoong tried to calm his already frantic heart and fight back the tears that defiantly streamed down his face. Covering his eyes with his hands, he slowly released his breath as the feel of Jiyoung’s strong but gentle hand landed on his shoulder. Wiping the tears from his face, Jaejoong looked up at Jiyoung and sniffled.

“You did well precious.”  reassured Jiyoung caringly “So, we’re done here, yes?”

Drawing in another slow and raspy breath, Jaejoong nodded softly.

“One last thing...” Jaejoong answered as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket at shook it in Jiyoung’s direction “My last request.”

“Right.” nodded Jiyoung as he removed his cell phone from his pocket and started texting a message.

“What?” cried out Junsu as he stared blankly at both Eun Mi and Yoochun while listening to Changmin on the phone “What do you mean he disappeared?”

“He was here one minute and gone the next.” reiterated Changmin.

“What happened?” questioned Junsu.

“I’m not sure but I know it had something to do with Jae.” answered Changmin “He got a strange text and it had a picture of Jae at some strange hotel.”

“Mr. Jung said that Yunho just flipped out and took off.” added Changmin

“A hotel?” questioned Junsu as his panic began to raise “What hotel? Where did he go Changmin?”

“Shilla Hotel…” answered Changmin with a sigh “I don’t know what’s going on here Junsu. Yunho abandoned the wedding with without hesitation. So whatever it is, has to be really bad”

 “Alright.” acknowledged Junsu before he abruptly ended the call.

“Yunho knows where Jae is.” informed Junsu.

“Where?” questioned Eun Mi and Yoochun in unison.

At that moment, Junsu’s answer was cut short by the sound of all of their cell phones going off at once. Confused, Junsu looked down at his phone and saw he had a message from a strange number just as both Eun Mi and Yoochun noticed the same thing.

“Sender: Unknown

Sorry.

Shilla Hotel Room #2210”

“Damn it!” yelled Junsu as he snatched his jacket off the back of the couch and darted for the door with Eun Mi and Yoochun fast on his heels.

“Jae… please tell me you didn’t…” begged Junsu softly.

“I don’t love you! I hate you and I never want to see you again.”

“I don’t love you! I hate you and I never want to see you again.”

Curled up into the fetal position, with endless waves of tears streaming down his face, Yunho cried and wailed as Jaejoong’s last words continued to echo in his mind. The sound of Jaejoong’s voice, so cold, so hateful, pierced his heart like the slow twisting of a dull blade. The person he loved the most in this world had rejected him and Yunho felt at that very moment like someone was ripping out his heart. Slowly. Maliciously. Deliberately.

“Don’t go!” begged Yunho as he sobbed and wailed heartbrokenly “Please!”

“Please!” begged Yunho.

“Please!”

As the sound of screeching tires echoed through the promenade, bystanders looked on as they saw the flash of two very expensive sports cars come to a dead stop in front of the luxury hotel. Piling out of both cars instantly, Eun Min, Junsu, and Yoochun ran up the stairs and through the main doors in a mad rush. Catching the hotel staff off guard by their actions, and caring not, the three made a beeline for the elevators. As the door opened up on the twenty-second floor, they bolted down the hallway in a frantic search to find Yunho.

Junsu knew the moment they received that text, twenty minutes ago, that it was Yunho and not Jaejoong who was in trouble. While his two friends remained unconvinced, in Junsu’s heart he already knew what had happened. He knew that Jaejoong had done the unthinkable and now Yunho was lying in ruin. His heart ached for Yunho, and he feared for him, but in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but wonder how far Jae had really gone.  

“What did you do Jae?” begged Junsu softly.

Rounding the corner, Junsu came to a dead stop as the sound of Yunho’s incessant sobbing filled the hallway.

“Please tell me, you didn’t go that far.” whispered Junsu in a low and pain stricken voice.

“That’s Yunho!” piped up Yoochun as he immediately pushed past Junsu and headed for the sound.  Coming to the door, Yoochun snatched it open as his fear and panic took over his sensibilities. Stepping in quickly, Yoochun froze for a split second as his mind registered the scene that played out before him.

“Yunho!” screamed Yoochun as he bolted across the room and dropped to his knees beside the former visage of his one true friend.

“You did.” sighed Junsu as his eyes suddenly began to fill with tears.

“Dear god.” whispered Eun Mi as she and Junsu knelt down beside him.

“Yunho! Are you alright? Look at me! Say something!” panicked Junsu as the realization of what happened hit him like a freight train.

Yunho, trapped in his own nightmarish pain, sobbed uncontrollably as Junsu’s pleadings landed on his deaf ears. All he could hear, echoing in his mind, was Jaejoong’s final words.

“I don’t love you! I hate you and I never want to see you again.”

“Yunho answer me please!?” begged Junsu as he patted Yunho on the cheek “Please say something. Anything!”

“Jae…” cried out Yunho as he reached up and ran both hands through his hair and pulled with all of his strength.

“Yunho,  don’t.” pleaded Eun Mi heartbrokenly as she reached up and gently grabbed his wrist trying to wring his hands from his hair.

“What do we do?” questioned Yoochun with a raspy and panic stricken sigh “What do we do??”

“We take…” started Eun Min before she was cut off by the sound of someone storming into the room.

“YUNHO!” screamed Changmin as he panted heavily, a combination of tears and sweat running down his face. Darting across the room, Changmin dropped to his knees and slid up to Yunho’s side. Pushing Yoochun and Junsu out of the way with all his strength, he scooped Yunho’s head and shoulders up in his arms and quickly began to check him over.

“Yunho? What’s wrong?” pleaded Changmin desperately “Are you hurt? What happened? Yunnie, look at me.”

Yunho continued to sob as Changmin’s pleads went unheard.

Changmin’s face flashed from sheer panic to unadulterated rage, in a split second, as he reached out and snatched up Junsu by his shirt.

“What the happened to Yunho?” growled Changmin with all the hate in the world “Who did this to him!?”

“Tell me Junsu!” screamed Changmin.

“Changmin…” begged Yoochun as he reached out and grabbed Changmin’s clenched hand “Let him go. Junsu didn’t do this.”

“Then who?! ”demanded Changmin“ I will ing kill them for this!”

“Yunho is more important than revenge.” sighed Yoochun as he increased his grip and pulled Changmin’s hand away from Junsu “We have to help Yunho first.”

Changmin instantly turned his attention the quaking and sobbing mess in his arms. He had never seen his first love in such a shattered state. This side of Yunho was so foreign, so unusual, and it scared the hell out of him.

“What should we do?” questioned Junsu as he looked up at Eun Mi’s tearstained face.

“Junsu…” sighed Eun Mi coldly “You three take him home.”

“Home? Shouldn’t he go to the hospital?” asked Yoochun “I mean look at him!”

“Don’t worry.” comforted Eun Mi as she reached into her bag and pulled out one of Jaejoong’s spare tranquilizer pens and reached for Yunho.

“Wait!” growled Changmin protectively as he cruelly grabbed Eun Mi by the wrist “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Changmin…stop.” begged Junsu “She won’t hurt him. I promise.”

“This is just something to make him sleep.” informed Eun Mi “He needs to calm down. If he stays like this much longer the stress, fear, heartbreak, and panic could not only give him a complete nervous breakdown, but it could over stress his heart.”

“At this rate, if I don’t do this, he could have a heart attack Changmin!” panicked Eun Mi as Yunho suddenly began clutching his chest “You have to let me do this. Let go!”

“Heart attack.” whispered Changmin as Eun Mi’s words echoed in his mind and he instantly let go of her.

Pulling back the collar of his shirt, Eun Mi jabbed the needle into Yunho’s jugular vein and gave him the highest dosage she could.

“It will be alright Yunho.” comforted Eun Mi as she gently rubbed him on his head and watched as his eyes instantly began to dim and become heavy. In a matter of seconds, Yunho was completely unconscious and his breathing steadied. Reaching down and placing her fingers on his neck, she checked his pulse. As it slowly began to normalize, Eun Mi let out of sigh of relief. Looking up at Junsu, she smiled softly and nodded her head.

“We can move him now.” reaffirmed Eun Mi.

“I’m taking him to the hospital.” declared Changmin.

“There’s no need.” informed Eun Mi “The sedative I just gave him will last at least twelve hours.”

“Twelve?” questioned Junsu “You gave him the maximum dose?”

“I had no choice.” answered Eun Mi as she suddenly began to give off this vibe of growing rage.

“Take him back to his house. Put him to bed.” snapped Eun Mi as she stood up and started walking out of the room with her fist clenched.

“You heard her.” said Junsu as he immediately stood up and took off after her “Eun Mi, wait!”

Walking out the door, Junsu looked at her as she stood in the hallway, fists still clenched beside her.

“Where are you going?” questioned Junsu.

“I have someone to see.” she uttered as she reached into her pocket, grabbed her cell phone, and looked at the text message they had all been sent earlier.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of this right now!” declared Eun Mi as she clicked the message, hit the call back button, and ran off.

Sitting behind his large desk, Jiyoung winced painfully as he felt the sting of the needle piercing his flesh. Looking up at the kind woman standing beside him, he let out his held breath in one exasperated sigh as she released the tourniquet and removed the needle.

“All done, Sir.” said his private nurse.

“Thank you.” nodded Jiyoung.

“You can go for now.” added Jiyoung as the sound of his cellphone buzzing across his desk caught his attention.

Reaching down, he looked at the screen and immediately laughed sheepishly.

“I was wondering when you would put two and two together. “ chuckled Jiyoung as he put the phone up to his ear and answered the call “You’re getting a little slow in your old age sister.”

“ you.” scoffed Eun Mi in a hateful tone “I’m not in the mood for your bull games right now.”

“I know.” acknowledge Jiyoung.

“Before you berate me with a slew of explicative’s and tons of questions…” laughed Jiyoung sinisterly “Yes, I had something to do with what happened tonight. No, it’s not all my doing and I am at my office in Gangnam.”

“Fair enough.” answered Eun Mi angrily.

“See you soon…sis.” said Jiyoung sarcastically as he hung up the phone.

“This is going to be fun.” laughed Jiyoung as he tossed the phone on his desk and leaned back in his overly plush office chair.

Sipping his chamomile tea slowly, Jiyoung glanced up at the clock just as the sound of his office door swinging open and crashing loudly against the wall echoed through the room.

“Twenty minutes.” he thought as he took another sip and looked up at extremely irate vision of his one and only sister.

Eun Mi stormed across the beautifully decorated office and slammed her palms down on Jiyoung’s desk.

“Where is he?” she exclaimed.

“Now… now…” scoffed Jiyoung “Is that anyway to greet a brother you haven’t seen in six years?”

“You stopped being my brother a long ing time ago!” growled Eun Mi “I won’t ing ask again, Where the hell is Jaejoong?”

“As you can see, he most certainly isn’t here.” scoffed Jiyoung as he sarcastically scanned around the room.

“You should really calm down sister…” scolded Jiyoung “It’s not like I had anything to do with what happened to Yunho.”

“Don’t lie!” fired back Eun Mi in a fit of rage as he eyes widened “This is all your ing doing and you know it.”

“I beg to differ…” offered Jiyoung “This was neither my order, nor my wish.”

Dropping her eyes to the top of Jiyoung’s desk and glaring at her stinging hands, Eun Mi took in a deep breath and breathed it out slowly.

“Not your order? Not your wish?” scoffed Eun Mi as she glared back up in confusion at her brother.

“Ok. Enlighten me then.” added Eun Mi.

“What are you up to?” she questioned.

“When it comes to Yunho? Nothing.” informed Jiyoung “As for Jaejoong…well…you will find out in due time.”

“Stop playing games Ji-Ji!” cried out Eun Mi in utter frustration.

“Ji-Ji?” scoffed Jiyoung as Eun Mi’s childhood nickname for him rolled off her lips.

“Don’t you dare go there Eun Mi!” growled Jiyoung coldly “Don’t you ever say that name again. You lost that privilege six years ago.”

“You ing betrayed me and for what?” scoffed Jiyoung harshily “A piece of you would never get –a man who would never ing love you?”

“Don’t you sit there and pull this holier-than-thou on me.” he added "You loved him just as much as we did!"

“Leave the past where it is –in the past.” begged Eun Mi softly “The present, their present, is more important.”

“That…my dear sister…is something that we quite agree on.” acknowledged Jiyoung.

“Now that I’ve sated my personal desire to torture you a little bit, I suppose I should tell you what I know. Yes?” laughed Jiyoung as he leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together.

With an exasperated sigh of understanding, Eun Mi nodded her head.

“Junjin was acting on my orders.” started Jiyoung “He has been diligently looking for our little Jae for over a year.”

“Why?” probed Eun Mi.

“Absolution.” answered Jiyoung curtly.

“What do you mean?” questioned Eun Mi “Absolution?”

Jiyoung stared at his sister and contemplated whether or not he should explain further. He had hid his secret from everyone for well over a year and none but the closest subordinates knew anything about his plight.

With a long and drawn out sigh, Jiyoung dropped his hands to his lap and looked up at his sister with acceptance in his eyes.

“Mom’s disease didn’t skip a generation.” growled Jiyoung dejectedly as he opened up a large desk drawer, snatched out a handful of medicine vials, and slung them across his desk.

As the little bottles rolled across the top of the desk and crashed up against his ornate name plate, table lamp, and tea cup, Eun Mi’s eyes flashed in horror.

“I have less than six months.” he added coldly.

“That’s not ing funny!” screamed Eun Mi “Cancer is not a damn joke!”

“That…my dear sister…is also something we quite agree on.” scowled Jiyoung as he reached up and ran his fingers through his overly-thinned hair.

“Is that why you wanted Jae?” questioned Eun Mi in shock.

Jiyoung said nothing for a moment and then sighed.

“Yes.” he answered softly.

“Alright.” sighed Eun Mi with sad acknowledgement in her voice.

 “So what happened? Where is Jae?”questioned Eun Mi.

“Please” she begged softly “Tell me what’s really going on here.”

“Mi-Mi.” sighed Jiyoung regretfully “That’s something that only Jaejoong can tell. It was his choice.”

“Choice?” questioned Eun Mi “What did you make him do?”

“That is none of your concern.” declared Jiyoung sternly as his cold and callous personality instantly reared its ugly head once more “Just know that what Jaejoong did to Yunho was of his own free will. It was his choice. I neither condoned it, nor condemned it.”

“Fine!” snapped Eun Mi “Then I’ll ask him myself!”

“Where is he?” growled Eun Mi.

“That…my dear sister… is something I can’t tell you either.” answered Jiyoung regrettably.

“Why not?” questioned Eun Mi frustratingly, as the emotional toil of the day finally got to her.

“Because…I don’t know.” answered Jiyoung honestly.

 As a full and lonely moon beamed down from the midnight sky, Jaejoong sat quietly on wicker beach chair and stared blankly at the darkened sea crashing on the shore before him. Wearing nothing but paper thin white cotton pajamas, Jaejoong shivered as a cold wind blew against his sensitive skin. 

“So cold.” stuttered Jaejoong softly as his body began to shiver.

Pulling his knees up to his chin, he clutched the warm coffee cup in his hands and sighed painfully.

Glancing up at the moon, Jaejoong’s eyes suddenly began to moisten as his mind slowly began to wrap itself around what he had done just a few short hours ago. He had ruined everything in the span of just a few moments. He had turned his back on the six years of freedom he had been granted by the gods. He had turned his back on his friends. And, more importantly, he had turned his back on Yunho.

“Yunho…” cried Jaejoong softly.

“His face.” whispered Jaejoong heartbrokenly as a delicate tears began to stream down his face.

“Why did he have to look at me like that?” questioned Jaejoong as he absentmindedly dropped his coffee cup onto the sand beneath him, and buried his face in his hands.

“Because you broke his heart” echoed a soft ethereal voice from the inner recesses of his mind.

It was back again. That little voice…

Tormented, Jaejoong willed the voice to go away but it just wouldn’t.

“Shut Up!” argued Jaejoong devastatingly.

“He loves you… and you broke his heart.” 

“No he doesn’t! He lied!” screamed Jaejoong as he ran his hands through his hair and pulled with all intentions of ripping every single hair on his head, out “He could never love me!”

“I’m nothing!” cried out Jaejoong as he started beating himself on the head trying to banish the voice from his mind.

“To him, you are everything.”  

“LIAR!” screamed Jaejoong.

Burying his head deeper into his knees, Jaejoong clutched his trembling legs and sobbed hysterically.

“He loves you and you betrayed him.” 

“You betrayed him.”

“You betrayed him.”

“You betrayed him.”

“I had no choice!” screamed Jaejoong.

[Flashback: Jiyoung’s office]

“As you ordered, sir.” declared Junjin in a stern and cold voice.

Jiyoung slowly stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and make his was from behind his desk to the middle of the room. Standing in front of Jaejoong, he looked him over and smiled sheepishly.  Jiyoung slowly knelt down on one knee and grabbed Jaejoong by the chin.

“Hello precious.” said Jiyoung sarcastically.

Jaejoong instantly darted his eyes away from Jiyoung’s stare, making him instantly annoyed. Snatching Jaejoong’s chin left and then right viciously, Jiyoung inspected Jaejoong’s face and glowered angrily at his former pet.

As Jiyoung looked up at Junjin with a satisfied smirk, all of Jaejoong’s courage and hope instantly vanished.

“My time is up.” thought Jaejoong painfully.

As Jiyoung stared at his brother for a moment, the sarcastic high-and-mighty smirk that had been plastered across his face slowly began to vanish and turn into rage. Taking one last look at Jaejoong’s bruised and battered form, Jiyoung jumped to his feet and instantly backhanded Junjin across the face as hard as he could. Junjin, caught completely off guard, fell backwards and hit the ground hard. Shaking away the sting of his brother’s strike, Junjin looked up at his older brother as a wave of confusion overtook him.

“I did what you ordered!” screamed Junjin “I brought him here!”

“As I ordered?” questioned Jiyoung ferociously as Jaejoong’s diminished and frightened form quaked at his feet.

“My orders were for you to bring him back…UNSPOILED!” screamed Jiyoung as he took a step towards Junjin with his fist clenched.

“Does he look unspoiled to you?” growled Jiyoung as he pointed at Jaejoong.

“I…I…” stuttered Junjin.

Jiyoung snapped. Taking another step towards his brother, he reared back his fist. As he began to swing, he came to a dead halt as he felt the soft and delicate arms of Jaejoong wrap around his legs.

“Please don’t.” begged Jaejoong “This isn’t his fault. It’s mine.”

Looking back at Jaejoong, Jiyoung dropped his hand and grabbed onto the small man’s trembling shoulder.

“Don’t lie for him.” scolded Jiyoung softly.

“It’s not a lie.” whispered Jaejoong “I deserved it.”

“Jaejoong…” sighed Jiyoung disappointingly.

“Please…” begged Jaejoong “Don’t fight because of me.”

As Jiyoung looked into Jaejoong’s terrified and heartbroken eyes, he could feel the pain that was echoing through him. He had witnessed many vicious fights between the two brothers during his time with them and it had always been about Jaejoong.  Jaejoong hated it.  He feared it.  But most of all, he blamed himself for all of it. Jiyoung knew Jaejoong felt this way and his heart ached for him.

“Alright.” agreed Jiyoung as he gave in to Jaejoong’s plea.

Looking back up at his brother, who had finally managed to bring himself back to his feet, Jiyoung scoffed angrily.

“You two!” barked Jiyoung as he looked at the two bodyguards standing off to the side “Take my little of a brother out of here.”

“Yes sir.” answered the two men as they crossed the room and grabbed Junjin by the arms.

“Wait! What are you doing?” questioned Junjin as he tried to fight off the grips of the two men “I’m not going anywhere –not without Jae.”

“Yes you are!” growled Jiyoung before he nodded at the two men “Do as you’re ordered.”

“Yes sir!” answered the men again as the grabbed Junjin tightly and dragged him out of the office, while he flailed hysterically.

Kneeling down next to Jaejoong, Jiyoung squeezed his shoulders gently and flashed a caring smile.

“There’s no need to be frightened Jae.” said Jiyoung in a caring tone “I won’t hurt you.”

“Come on.” Jiyoung added calmly as he gently started pulling Jaejoong to his feet “Let’s get you off the floor.”

Pulling Jaejoong completely to his feet, Jiyoung guided him to a nearby sofa and sat him down.

“There, that’s better.” he smiled as he sat down next to Jaejoong.

“Umm…” started Jaejoong after a moment of awkward silence passed by “Jiyoung?”

“Why are you here?” questioned Jiyoung “Is that what you wanted to ask?”

Jaejoong nodded his head hesitantly.

“You need not worry Jaejoong.” comforted Jiyoung “You’re safe with me. I didn’t summon you here for any sinister purpose.”

“Then why?” questioned Jaejoong softly.

“I have something I needed to tell you.” said Jiyoung as he got up, walked to his desk and grabbed a thick manila envelope.

Jaejoong looked at Jiyoung confusingly.

Jiyoung made his way back to the sofa, sat back down, and laid the envelope on the coffee table in front of him.

“I know…” started Jiyoung with a heavy sigh “that because of me, you have had an extremely difficult life. The reason why I did what I did to you… the money you owed me… was never the real reason why I took you from your life.”

“It was all about me and my…unwillingness to let you go.” admitted Jiyoung.

“When you were by my side, I would always tell you that I loved you…” he continued “but it wasn’t love, it was an obsession. I was obsessed with you.”

“I had been obsessed with you ever since the moment I first laid eyes on you, all those years ago, and I just couldn’t let you go.” he added softly.

“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever known, inside and out, and I wanted to possess you –all of you, for as long as I possibly could.” continued Jiyoung “Because of my obsession, I kept you tied to me and you had to suffer the indecencies of my obsession and  my unwanted affections. My delusional mind saw us as a real couple…a couple who loved each other more than anything but deep down I knew that is was all a lie. I knew what I was doing to you was wrong.”

“Then why?” questioned Jaejoong “I mean…If you were ‘in love with me’ and you wanted to ‘posses me’, why would you…?”

“Share me…” Jaejoong finished with a gulp.

“I don’t know…” answered Jiyoung with a burdened sigh “I thought that perhaps if I gave you some freedoms you would feel more comfortable being with me. I thought that maybe you would come to want to be with me if I let you explore my world. I just never thought that Junjin would be so possessive over you.”

“Comfortable?” scoffed Jaejoong carefully as he fixated on that one word “How could I feel comfortable around you? Between you and Junjin…”

“I know…” interrupted Jiyoung “We were never your lovers. We weren’t kind to you. We never treated the way you deserved.”

“We were nothing but monsters to you.” admitted Jiyoung.

Jaejoong clamped his mouth shut, and just stared off into space –not wanting to admit that in front of Jiyoung in fear of his temper.

“You don’t need to agree with me.” smiled Jiyoung as he instantly understood Jaejoong’s reaction “I know it’s true.”

“That’s why you’re here.” nodded Jiyoung as he reached out and grabbed the manila envelope from the table and placed it gently in his lap.

“Why am I here?” questioned Jaejoong curiously.

“They say that there comes a time in every man’s life when he has to look back on his life and examine all that he’s done wrong.” started Jiyoung “This, of course, usually happens when the man is old and grey but, unfortunately , I don’t have that luxury.”

“Huh?” questioned Jaejoong.

“I’m sick.” admitted Jiyoung “Terminally sick.”

“Terminally sick?” questioned Jaejoong in surprise.

“I have pancreatic cancer.” continued Jiyoung “I was diagnosed a year ago and its progression has quickly escalated to stage four.”

“Does… that… mean…?” stuttered Jaejoong in horror as tears started to form in his eyes.

“I’m dying.” answered Jiyoung with a nod “I have less than six months left to live.”

“Isn’t there something that can be done?” questioned Jaejoong as his tears finally began streaming down his face quietly.

“I’m too far gone.” he answered softly “All I can do is, manage my pain.”

“Shouldn’t you be in the hospital?” questioned Jaejoong “Getting treatment.”

“You know me well enough to know that I don’t want to leave this world tied to machines.” scolded Jiyoung softly “I want to die in my own bed.”

“I know.” nodded Jaejoong softly.

“Because of my illness…” Jiyoung continued “and because of what I’ve done to you, I needed to see you. There are two things only you can give me.”

“Two?” questioned Jaejoong “What are they?”

“Absolution and forgiveness.” answered Jiyoung softly as his own eyes began to water.

“For everything I’ve done to you, I’m truly sorry.” apologized Jiyoung “I hope that you can forgive me.”

“Forgive you?” questioned Jaejoong completely and utterly confused.

“I know that no amount of apologizing can ever take away the pain I’ve caused you, but I want you to know that I will always regret what I’ve done –in this lifetime and the next.”

Jaejoong studied Jiyoung’s face for a while, not saying a word, and saw the sincerity in his eyes. As Jiyoung began to explain his illness, Jaejoong was skeptical. He thought that it was just another elaborate rouse to persuade Jaejoong to stay with him. But as the story began to unfold, he knew that this wasn’t the case. Jiyoung was serious, dead serious.

“Its alright.” sighed Jaejoong as he dropped his head and ran his fingers through his hair “I understand.”

“No you don’t.”  sighed Jiyoung as he gently cupped Jaejoong’s chin and pulled him to meet his eyes “I know I can’t take back what I’ve done to you but I still want to try.”

“You don’t need to try.” reassured Jaejoong with a smile “I’ve never hated you and you never needed to apologize.”

“I’ve always known that there was a good person behind the bad.” Jaejoong continued “I knew that there was a reason for the things you did, just as I know that there are reasons behind what Junjin does, and even though you both made my life miserable you also took the time to make me feel special.”

“I understand it all.” acknowledged Jaejoong “You both wanted to be with me, you both wanted me to love you, and when I couldn’t give it to you…you tried to take it by force.”

“Obsession?” questioned Jaejoong knowingly “I know it well. I know what it feels like to love someone that could never love you. I know what it feels like to look at someone and secretly wish they would get sick or hurt, just so you could be there for them. I know what it’s like to long for love.”

“It’s wonderful and mesmerizing while being twisted and tormenting at the same time.” added Jaejoong “It tears you up from the inside and scrambles every coherent thought you ever had.”

“So…” concluded Jaejoong “I forgave you both a very long time ago.”

“But the way you act…” stammered Jiyoung.

“I don’t hate either of you.” interrupted Jaejoong as he put his hand up motioned him to stop “But, that doesn’t mean I’m not afraid of you two.”

“Well you have no need to be afraid of me anymore.” nodded Jiyoung confidently “But Junjin…”

“I know.” acknowledged Jaejoong “He will never let me go no matter how many times I run.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say never.” smiled Jiyoung.

“What do you mean by that?” questioned Jaejoong as he looked up at Jiyoung completely puzzled.

“That’s the other reason why I wanted to see you.” chuckled Jiyoung as he gently patted the envelope in his lap “I have a present for you.”

“Take a look.” smile Jiyoung as he handed it to Jaejoong.

“What is this…” asked Jaejoong as he opened the envelope and stared at the stack of papers.

“It’s my last request.” answered Jiyoung “or, for lack of a better word, my legacy.”

“I’m leaving everything to you Jaejoong.” he added with a smile.

“Everything…to me?” questioned Jaejoong hesitantly “Why on earth would you?”

“Absolution and forgiveness, remember?” smiled Jiyoung.

“Because I was happy with you by my side, even though it was forced, I had the courage to create my business.” said Jiyoung “You are the reason for my success. Without you, I would have never amassed my wealth.”

“I did nothing.” scoffed Jaejoong harshly.

“You did more than you can possibly imagine.” contradicted Jiyoung “I know you treated me kindly and supportively because you were just trying to survive but it was a still a source of courage and hope for me. I owe you more than you could ever know.”

“I can’t accept this.” refused Jaejoong as his heart began to ache “I’m not your lover, your child, or your family. You should leave it to them, to Junjin.”

“Junjin will never see a penny.” announced Jiyoung.

“Why?” Jaejoong asked surprised.

“It matters not.” dismissed Jiyoung “I’m sorry if you disagree with my decision Jaejoong but I will not change my mind. The inheritance is for you and for you alone.”

“This is the last thing I will ever ask of you.” declared Jiyoung lovingly “Please accept it, and with it, live a happy life. That is my final wish.”

“But… if I accept it… Junjin…” stammered Jaejoong.

“Three months…” answered Jiyoung “Give me three months and I promise that Junjin will never come for you again. Accept my gift and give me three months.”

“Three months? What do you mean by that?” grumbled Jaejoong as he suddenly felt as if this whole situation was going to be more trouble than it was worth.

“I…need you to choose.” said Jiyoung slowly “The inheritance is a done deal. Junjin won’t be able to fight it, even in court, but that doesn’t mean he can’t protest what it says in other ways.”

“Other ways?” asked Jaejoong as a sudden tinge of panic echoed within him.

“He will come after you again.” sighed Jiyoung “but not because of my orders… it will be because he will want to…”

“Kill me…” moaned Jaejoong.

“You won’t be safe until I’ve dealt with Junjin.” warned Jiyoung “So, I need you to choose.”

“Choose what?” sniffled Jaejoong.

“Be protected by your friends or be protected by me.” he answered flatly.

“If you stay by your friend’s side, they will not be safe. Junjin will come after them to get to you.” admitted Jiyoung “You know him better than most. The only way to protect them is to…”

“Leave them?” snapped Jaejoong hysterically as he stood up and glared at Jiyoung “You can’t be serious!”

“You dump all the on me, put me in danger, and you just nonchalantly ask me to walk away from family –like it was nothing?”  ranted Jaejoong, with a new sense of courage “Damn you!”

"Give it all to Junjin and just leave me the hell alone!" barked Jaejoong.

“Junjin can never get his hands on my company! Can’t you see that?” fired back Jiyoung angrily “With its money and influence, and his ing obsession with you, do you think you will ever be safe?”

“He will chase you till the end of your days!” screamed Jiyoung “You will never be safe. You will never be able to live a normal life. Even if you manage to evade him for a time, he will find you and when he does, do you think you’ll ever see the light of day again? He will never let you go!”

Putting his hands to his face and rubbing harshly, Jiyoung sighed deeply and tried to control his emotions. He was truly afraid for Jaejoong and he had to make him see that.

“I don’t want that life for you Jae. I want you to be happy and safe. I want you …to live.” sighed Jiyoung.

“Please understand that what I’m doing right now is not to hurt you but to help you.” pleaded Jiyoung “I know you love your friends. I know you love the life you have with them. And I know that you have feelings for Yunho.”

“No I don’t.” denied Jaejoong “He’s my best friend. The best friend I could have ever wished for.”

“But, he’s special to you is he not?” questioned Jiyoung coyly.

“He is.” nodded Jaejoong as he plopped back down on the sofa beside Jiyoung.

“Then you need to protect him.” scolded Jiyoung “Junjin will go after Yunho if he ever figures out your attachment to him. He will use Yunho and the others against you. You know that don’t you?”

Jaejoong nodded heartbrokenly.

“So give me three months.” nudged Jiyoung “I will give you all the money you’ll need in cash. Take it, go into hiding and tell no one where you are –not even me.”

“But…I can’t just leave them.” whined Jaejoong.

“You must.” ordered Jiyoung “You have to cut it off cleanly without any explanation. You have to convince them that they mean nothing to you.”

“That way, when you disappear, they won’t look for you.” he added.

“I really don’t think I can do that.” sniffled Jaejoong as he buried his hands in his face and started to cry as the idea of betraying his family tormented him.

“I…I…” stuttered Jaejoong.

“I know you need them but if you want to keep them, you’ll have to do this.” empathized Jiyoung “When everything is done and over with, Junjin will be out of your life forever, and you can be with them for the rest of your life –if that’s what your heart desires.”

“You have to trust me on this Jae.” begged Jiyoung “You have to be safe for me to rest peacefully. For me to be able to move on from this world, you have to live and live happily. Otherwise, I will regret for eternity.”

“Please.” begged Jiyoung “This is the last thing I will ever ask of you.”

Taking a deep breath, Jaejoong closed his eyes and thought about Yunho, Junsu, Yoochun, and Eun Mi. Would they be able to handle him leaving? Would they understand in time? He didn’t know but the one thing he was absolutely sure of was that, right now, only he could protect them from Junjin.

“Alright.”

“He’ll never forgive me.” sobbed Jaejoong as he clutched his legs tightly.

“Never.”

A/N: The description and forward for my upcoming fantasy drama, "Midnight Winds", is currently up on AFF. Please hit the link provided to check it out and subscribe to the story. "Midnight Winds" offical chapters will go live near the end of "The Five Promises." (around chapter 30) so please look forward to it. And, thank you all for continuing to support my work.