Soojin stood there frozen for a few seconds before the reality of how dire the situation was hit her and got her moving. But even when she rushed to Myungsoo’s side and dropped down in front of him, she couldn’t help but to hope that this was all a bad dream. That when she woke up, Myungsoo would be like how he always was, always teasing her and bothering her.

But she knew that this was real life when she propped his head up to get a better look at his face and red dried crusts of blood dotted from the corner of his lips. He left eye was already purple and his left check was swelling up.

A large cut that was still flowing with small amounts of blood ran from his right side of his temple and down his face. She quickly used the sleeve of her sweater to wipe the blood off and staunch the blood flow from his temple.

And that was only his face. She couldn’t imagine what happened to the rest of his body.

She was too engrossed in worrying about Myungsoo that she didn’t hear the other two people approach them.

“Holy ,” Hoya murmured as he gazed at the bad condition Myungsoo was in. He was genuinely shocked because he thought that the infamous L wouldn’t be in such a shape. Sure, he expected a few cuts and bruises, but not like this. He secretly had hoped that L would have come out victorious because it meant that he had a chance. The chance to take them down as well. But now that he saw him, he felt that hope dying away to the flicker of a candle.

Dongwoo, not deterred with the appearance with Myungsoo, crouched down and examined him with one glance.

“This is the guy you brought with you to the arcade that one day, isn’t it?” he asked Soojin.

She nodded numbly, unable to make coherent words come out of .

Dongwoo checked his pulse and sighed in relief. “At least he’s breathing and alive.”

He pulled the dark black leather jacket off Myungsoo carefully. He was wearing a loose-fitting black T-shirt. Dongwoo checked his arms and frowned in surprise.

“That’s odd,” he mumbled.

Hoya peered over his shoulders and asked, “What is?”

He showed them Myungsoo’s arms and hands. “What do you see?”

Hoya leaned in closer to look. “Nothing,” he replied in confusion.

Dongwoo nodded. “Exactly. There isn’t any evidence that he fought back or even defended himself from whoever beat him up. It’s as if let them do whatever they wanted to him.”

He lifted up Myungsoo’s shirt a little to reveal a large black-purple bruise on the side of his stomach. “This too.”

Soojin bit her lip when she saw the nasty bruise and mumbled, “Is that a shoe print?”

Hoya frowned when he saw it. “I think I know what you mean now. If he really wanted to avoid that he could, but this bruise means that he let them do that. He if avoided it, he would have at least gotten a smaller and lighter bruise than that.” He turned to Dongwoo. “But how did you know all of that? That’s not something an amateur would have known. Who are…”

“We need to get him some kind of treatment,” Dongwoo interrupted him. He lightly picked Myungsoo up and told Soojin, “Open the car door.”

Soojin nodded and hastened back to the backseat door and opened it while Dongwoo carried Myungsoo on his back and Hoya trailing behind, examining the surrounding area and then glancing at Myungsoo.

It was odd to him. Everything, really. Why Soojin seemed to know where L was, why Dongwoo seemed more knowledgeable about things a regular person working at an arcade wouldn’t know, and why L showed signs of not defending himself when he was capable of doing so.

And most of all, what he was doing in the midst of it all.

But with one last lingering look at the street that was caked with dirt and grime, riddled with secrets and betrayals, he knew.

Because it just made life that much more interesting and he had a debt to settle.

With Soojin seated in the back of the car tending to Myungsoo, whose head was lying on her lap, she made sure that his bleeding was stopping.

Hoya was reluctantly seated in the front next to Dongwoo. “So, where to?” Dongwoo asked. “The hospital?”

“No way!” Hoya hissed. “They wouldn’t know what hit them. It’s better if L leaves them doctors alone for awhile and then maybe get a check-up after he heals up a bit.”

There was a sudden silence before Soojin piped up, “I know where he lives.”

Hoya cocked a brow. “You know where L lives?” he mulled over. “You just keep getting more interesting.”

Dongwoo furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. L? He didn’t know why, but there was a tingling sensation that he knew it was a name rather than a single letter in the alphabet. He had heard of that before. A long time ago where he left his past behind. But it’s been so long, that he couldn’t remember.

Soojin nodded mutely and directed Dongwoo to Myungsoo’s apartment.

The rest of the trip home, everyone was left to their own thoughts, about what happened and who each of them was.

When they arrived, Dongwoo took the initiative to rummage through Myungsoo’s pockets to find his apartment keys.

Inside, Dongwoo helped Myungsoo inside the bed in his room. “Go find some bandages and get me a bowl of water and a towel,” he instructed Soojin.

She went to the bathroom first and looked through the medicine cabinet. She was surprised to see the amount of painkillers and first-aid gear that were stacked in there. As if Myungsoo had been always prepared for this sort of consequence or he’d been in this sort of situation before. She picked up the first-aid kit that was stocked with bandages and ointment, and with a second thought took a bottle of ibuprofen pills as well.

She first headed to the bathroom and took the white medium-sized towel hanging from the wall. She then headed to the kitchen and searched for a well-sized bowl to hold water. Luckily, on opening the first cabinet, there was a large plastic bowl. She grabbed that, filled it halfway with warm water, and slowly moved back to Myungsoo’s room. Dongwoo had already changed him to clean clothes and was making sure that he was still breathing easily.

He looked up from Myungsoo on Soojin’s arrival.

“How’s he doing?” she murmured softly.

Dongwoo smiled wistfully. “Okay, but he’s beaten pretty badly. I’ve never seen such horrible bruises. I’m surprised that he didn’t break any bones, but I think his left arm is fractured.”

He looked the items Soojin brought and nodded. “Set that on that night table, will you?”

Once he did, Dongwoo immediately starting working on Myungsoo’s wounds. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be any internal injuries, but he couldn’t be exactly sure. He first addressed the bleeding ones first. He dabbed the blood off with the wet towel, put ointment on them and then stuck bandages on them.

He figured he couldn’t really do much with the bruises; they would have to heal on their own. However, the fractured arm posed a problem. He didn’t exactly know how to professionally wrap a fractured arm, but he knew the basics. He would have to stick with that and then hopefully the boy would get real professional medical treatment. He found some wrappings and wrapped them from wrist up to his elbow.

Once he was down, he stood up and admired his handiwork. It’s been a while since he had actually treated injuries, the last being years ago and on himself. But he figured the boy would live.

He turned to Soojin. “Let’s talk in the living room.”

Soojin nodded and called out to Hoya to convene in the living room.

While Soojin rushed to find the said equipment, Hoya spent his time investigating the apartment. He was curious how the L lived.

Everything on the front seemed fine and dandy, normal furniture, normal kitchen, normal bathroom. It seemed like there was nothing suspicious, but Hoya peeked through the rooms. He couldn’t go into the bedroom since Dongwoo was helping L change out of his bloody clothes, but he did find one room rather interesting.

A room where when he first peeked in was dark and small green blinking lights shone from the back. And when he the lights for the room, he opened his eyes in amazement. A large widescreen computer sat in the middle of the room on a table with lines of technological equipment around it, some even on the floor. He could not understand what each one meant, and he didn’t dare touch any of the expensive-looking technology for fear of breaking something.

Hoya had an inkling on what this room was. It was L’s haven; it was his kingdom. It was where back when L was working with them, he could find out information about their “friends”, or as Hoya liked to call it, their victims. 

And it seemed that L was still doing some detective work, since there were papers strewn on the floor, seemingly having fallen off the desk. It wouldn’t hurt to take a peek.

He quickly picked them up and stared at them in astonishment.

The names he didn’t recognize, but the faces he did. He would have recognized them even if they wore sunglasses, changed their hairstyles, or wore different clothes. He would have recognized them in a heartbeat.

Because he had a grudge against them, against the people he knew as N and K.

He was amazed that L had managed to get information about them. It was practically impossible since they kept their private life well hidden.

But then again, this was L, and Hoya was sure that L had associated them enough and had the smarts to get enough info. Enough info about them to bring them down.

He looked at the pages again, each person’s profile neatly stapled and marked.

He hesitated on leaving them behind. He knew he shouldn’t take them. Didn’t he promise himself on not associating with them ever again? But he couldn’t forget about the anger he had with them.

His hand quivered in his indecisiveness, but then he sighed and slowly set them down.

However, right when he was about to drop them, he heard Soojin call his name, asking him to come to the living room.

And with one last look at the papers, he hastily folded them and stuffed them in his pockets.

Hoya popped his head around the hallway. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Soojin turned to look at him and questioned curiously, “Where were you?”

Dongwoo interrupted their conversation with a more pressing issue. “It’s getting late guys. I think we all need to head home.”

Hoya glanced at the black and white checkered clock which was hanging on the wall next to them, telling them it was almost twelve o’clock.

“Damn. It’s late,” he muttered. And as if on cue, his phone began to ring. He excused himself and answered the phone with a couple of short clipped phases. “Yeah. Yeah. No. Don’t worry. Yeah, I’ll be home soon.”

He ended his phone call and looked at the two other people. “I have to go.”

Dongwoo picked up his jacket he left on the couch. “Yeah, I’ll bring you guys home.”

Soojin frowned, “What about Myungsoo?”

“What about him?” asked Hoya. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“But still…” Soojin mumbled.

Dongwoo sighed, “If it bothers you so much, then I’ll bring you guys back and then I’ll come back to see how’s he doing.”

Soojin hesitated. “I think I’ll stay here,” she said quietly.

Both boys turned to look at her in surprise. “What?” they both asked simultaneously.

She glanced at the room Myungsoo was in and nodded to herself. “Yeah. I think I’m going to stay here.”

“No,” Dongwoo stated firmly.

Hoya rolled his eyes. “Just let her stay. She’s stubborn, and it’s not like L’s going to do anything to her. Hell, he’s unconscious for God’s sake.”

Dongwoo narrowed his eyes at Hoya. “This doesn’t concern you.”

Hoya glared back. “Sorry to break it you, but unfortunately you’re my ride back. And there’s no way in hell that I’m walking back.”

Dongwoo gritted his teeth. “I never knew I would meet such an annoying kid as you,” he growled.

“Dongwoo,” Soojin’s soft voice carried out. “Just bring him home.”

Dongwoo gave her a scrutinizing look then sighed. “Fine. But if anything happens, make sure to call me. I’ll be here right away.”

“And the hero swears to protect his princess for the rest of his life. Such a happy ending,” Hoya crowed dramatically.

Dongwoo gave Hoya a dark look. “Don’t push it.”

“Haven’t anyone taught you that you shouldn’t order people around? Comes off real rude,” Hoya smirked.

Dongwoo didn’t say anything and simply jabbed his finger to the front door. “Just go,” he muttered.

He looked at Soojin and smiled softly. “Just call home, and tell your mom that you’re staying at your friend’s house.” He started to walk towards the door and before he closed it, he said, “Don’t push yourself more than you can take. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Soojin could here Hoya mocking Dongwoo through the door. “‘I don’t want you to get hurt’. What are you? Prince Charming? God, I think I’m going to puke.”

“You’re lucky that Soojin’s the one who’s asking me to take you home, but I wouldn’t mind not listening her just once. So, I hope you won’t be like this on the way back,” Dongwoo threatened.

“Is that a threat? Ooooh, I’m so scared. You’re nothing more than a… Ow! Did you just hit me? What the hell?”

“Just shut up.”

When Soojin couldn’t hear them anymore, she promptly called her mother. After a few rings, her mother blearily mumbled, “Hello?”

“Mom? It’s Soojin. Sorry for calling so late, but I’ll be staying at Lizzy’s house overnight.”

“Huh? Lizzy? Ok,” her mother murmured, still half-asleep. And then hung up without any more words.

Soojin chuckled at her mother’s swift answer. She trusted her too much.

But then again, Soojin never thought she would be doing such a thing either.

She glanced at Myungsoo’s room and headed there quietly.

She peeked in and watched him through the darkness with only the small desk lamp illuminating through the night.

She silently walked in and kneeled down on the floor next to him. She watched him breathe slowly in and out in a rhythmic motion, but with no signs of waking up.

She stared at him and hesitantly brought her left hand slowly up to his face with the back of her hand.

And even through the darkness, she could see the red string shining more brightly than it ever did before.

And whether it was because her or Myungsoo, she didn’t know.

But what she did know was she wasn’t planning on running away anymore.

A/N: Another chapter done.

Were you guys expecting more? I feel like there was less excitement than the chapter before. But then again, there were still some important points being made.

I sort have a love-hate relationship with this story, but I still think I like it.

How about you guys? Do you guys like this update?

Once again, thanks for everyone who reads this. And perhaps I’ll see you next time?