‘Kiddo I warn you again this is not child’s play anymore.’ Jay said, getting himself a whisky from his special stash. They moved up to the office, which was actually a small flat full of Jay’s personal belongings.

‘You also said I only come up here when I’m in trouble.’ Byunghee smiled, his head was still aching but the bandage helped a lot.

‘Well you are in trouble… you managed to go against an underworld boss.’ Jay said and downed the content of his glass.

‘And you didn’t expect me to stay put, did you?’ Byunghee asked skeptically, raising a brow.

‘No, but I thought you would hit him immediately.’

‘Believe me I wanted to.’

Jay smiled and poured himself another glass. ‘So about this secret… I don’t have the right to tell why exactly those two are in this , but I will tell you how I got into it.’ he said, and offered a glass to Byunghee as well.

‘I don’t think it will do good…’

‘Just take it.’ Jay said, flashing his infamous glare.

Byunghee accepted the glass without another word.

‘Let’s start from the beginning, the actual reason why I decided to open my own place and why I take in specific people. I am sure, because Seulong already grew a soft spot for you, that he told you his secret.’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘Well I started off similar to him, though I was bullied because of my sorry excuse of a father, who escaped back to the US when I was born and because of my mother, who barely earned enough to feed the both of us.’ he chuckled and sipped on his glass of whisky. ‘I quickly learned how to kick those bastards asses and I began to work to help out my mother.’ Jay continued, looking at one picture on the wall.

It was taken at his graduation, his mother smiling proudly beside him.

He got his height from his mother… Byunghee thought, smiling at the picture.

‘I danced for a living and worked as a bartender; it went pretty well despite my ty bosses and hole of work places. I think I worked in around 20 places.’ Jay said, scratching his chin in thought.

So Joon told the truth about Jay… he was really his mentor. Byunghee still shuddered at the mental image.

‘That was until I decided to open my own place, where I could do what the hell I wanted without stupid bosses and disgusting, ages-to-make blended drinks… ‘ Jay grumbled, and Byunghee finally understood the reason behind the only liquor policy.

‘I was at the Dungeon that time, I was working my off to earn enough and I actually made a list of what the costumers wanted.’ Jay chuckled and pointed at a yellowed paper on the wall.

Booze+ Hot bartenders + Loud music = Money. That’s what it said.

‘You didn’t have to ask around much.’ Byunghee said, earning a snicker from Jay.

‘I kept my ears open, I wanted to find the best place for my own bar. Just then, it would seem as if champagne had fallen from heavens, velvet ropes parted and the door to the Demons’ lair opened.’ Jay said, than shook his head. ‘Actually, to more accurately describe it, Jim Beam fell from the heavens, the homeless guys out front rolled over to part a path to the door that was propped open by the former owner’s foot.’ he specified, smirking.

Byunghee chuckled at the description.

‘The city’s best western style bar closed due to money problems and I got my hands on it thanks to my savings.’ Jay smiled looking around proudly.

Byunghee smiled as well, Jay was babying the place as if it was his own child.

‘I was working on the place alone… hell it needed some renovation. That’s when those two bastards decided to burn down my former workplace… with me inside…I nearly killed them.’ Jay said, still sneering at the memory. ‘They gave me all their money happily and oh so willingly and worked on the lair day and night, then we got Seulong off the roof and we opened it together. The others came along as well, Junho, Kwon, Wooyoung and Seungho.’ he listed, remembering the order perfectly.

‘Yeah, I heard about their stories… well except the last two.’

‘I hope they didn’t put me in it like a savior, a prince in shining armor… god I’m no such a thing.’ Jay said, shuddering.

‘They did say you helped them.’

‘I got interested in their looks first, then in their stories… I decided to only take people who lived up to the bar’s name.’

‘Demons’ lair… I always wondered about the meaning behind.’ Byunghee said, wondering how he fitted in the big picture.

‘People who went through hell and kept on going are my Demons.’ Jay smirked.

‘I don’t know about me…’

‘Sometimes not even stepping through hell’s gates is the best way possible.’ he smirked at Byunghee. ‘And you proved yourself worthy of the name Demon just fine.’

‘Thanks…’ Byunghee blushed slightly. ‘Now about this…’ he said and pointed to his bandaged head.

‘That’s where it turns interesting. I found out in no time why the former bar went bankrupt… they sold themselves to that bastard Taecyeon.’ he said, sneering at the name. ‘He wanted to buy us up too and use my Demons as his toys.’ Jay spat the word out in disgust. ‘Of course I sent him to nice and warm places and not soon after the district was taken over by the big-boss. Lucky for us, but he still holds grudges.’

‘The big-boss… is he some mafia leader?’ Byunghee asked, not familiar with such things… but the underworld was really involved into it.

‘Oh yes, he owns the better half of the area from the river to here.’

Damn… that’s quite big.

‘We are under his protection so that bastard can’t lay a finger on us… but since his toys escaped from him… he let it go but now he wants to get everything back, he is a maniac when it comes to his things...’Jay explained, clearly disgusted by the whole idea. ‘There are also rumors going around about a power-struggle, and he wants to prove it that everything is under control.’

‘So he decided to drag back everyone that escaped him?’ Byunghee asked, and Jay nodded solemnly.

‘Wooyoung was the first who asked for help and I took him in.’

Then Seungho…

‘Seungho came later; he followed Wooyoung after getting fed up with Taecyeon and his ways.’

‘Just what are… what are his toys?’ Byunghee gulped, afraid of the answer.

‘Just drink that up.’ Jay told him. ‘I can only say that it is nothing nice and far from innocent…’ he sighed.

Byunghee felt a hollow pang in his stomach…just what did those two went through… they were so terrified of Taecyeon…

He downed the glass as instructed.

‘Come on let’s get you back to your place… I’m sure you need some good rest.’

Thinking about it now…he was nearly shot…

He really needed that good rest.

‘Jinwoon, I’m-‘

‘-and how was I supposed to tell your mom that they shot you down-‘

‘—just calm down—‘

‘-she would have strangled me and everybody would hate me forever because it would have been my fault, because I got you the job-‘

‘-there’s no reason for you to-‘

‘-I wouldn’t be able to live with myself and I would probably have to go to therapy and-‘

‘JINWOON, CALM THE DOWN!’

Jinwoon clamped his mouth shut, surprised by the sudden outburst. Mir, who couldn’t say a thing, just fell back on the couch.

Byunghee massaged his not bruised temple, the yelling worsened his headache.

‘I’m still alive and I am not dying so please calm down.’ he said, pushing Jinwoon down on the couch as well.

‘But- but.’ he protested, receiving a hand against his mouth.

‘I couldn’t do anything else, I couldn’t let them take Seungho and Wooyoung, could I?’ he asked, his best I’m-the-older-voice in motion.

‘Love makes you stupid.’ Mir said finally then stood up and hugged Byunghee tightly. ‘But I’m still worried about you.’ he said, sobbing into his shirt.

Byunghee patted his head, he didn’t really wanted to involve these two into this mess… but lying was not an option.

‘What will happen now?’ Jinwoon asked.

‘I don’t know… Jay told me to avoid their district and not to worry about anything.’

‘You are on their hit list… they will hunt you down…’ Jinwoon grumbled, holding his head in misery.

‘Don’t be stupid.’ Byunghee chided, actually having the same idea. ‘Go and make me some tea, I have to go and check this with the nurse.’

It was nothing serious, just nasty and hurt like hell, but Jinwoon and Mir refused to let him out of their sights… escorting him to everywhere he went. Even the bathroom.

‘Will you hold my hand as well?’ Byunghee asked, he was thankful, really, but this went way too overboard.

‘Want me to?’ Jinwoon asked, finally having a hint of mischief in his eyes. He was scary when he was all serious.

‘As if. Who knows where you put those hands before.’

‘Only where you would.’ he answered, grinning.

‘Exactly the problem.’ Byunghee smiled back.

‘When do you have to go to work?’ Jinwoon asked, voice turning serious again.

‘Tomorrow, Kwon will give me a ride.’ he answered.

‘Your knight on a pink motor.’

‘I know. I would much prefer a flower patterned one.’

‘Or a panda patterned one.’ Mir piped up, smirking and ran away with the laughing Jinwoon.

‘Yah, you cheeky bastards!’ Byunghee shouted and dashed after them. Feeling relieved to return back to normal terms with his friends.

‘Why didn’t you call in sick?’ JoKwon asked when they arrived to the lair. ‘We have enough people in here already.’

‘Jay would kick my , beside today supposed to be my shift.’ Byunghee said, and he was also concerned about them… he would eat himself alive from worry if he stayed at home.

‘You’re here.’ Junho stated, flipping a page in a magazine he was reading. ‘I thought I will suffocate from the tension.’ he added and looked pointedly at the bouncer trio, who all were sitting beside him…making him look small.

It was true; the other three was sitting with a tight expression.

‘Come on… he won’t jump at us from the corner. You will scare the costumers away as well.’ Junho said, standing up from the suffocating spot. ‘Beside I’m not the one you should look after.’

‘We are here because of everybody… that crazy bastard could target anyone.’ Joon said, standing up as well.

‘Alright, don’t bite his head off.’ Byunghee said, putting a calming hand on their shoulders. ‘Let’s just concentrate on work; we can’t guess his next move anyway.’

‘See, that’s what I’m talking about.’ Junho said and smiled at Byunghee. ‘Come on, I’ll beat you today.’

‘In your dreams.’ Byunghee rolled his eyes, finally easing up the thick atmosphere. ‘Don’t worry nothing wrong will happen.’

If he could only take those words back…

Then maybe he wouldn’t be stuck in an alley, surrounded by 3 dangerous looking men.

I shouldn’t have come here today…Byunghee regretted accepting the request from his professor, hell he should have checked the address beforehand…

‘This is the guy that pissed the boss off.’ one of them spat, stepping closer.

‘This? We should just throw him in the river… he doesn’t even worth the beating.’

Oh great… let’s end this quickly…

The ring closed around him and he was left with no way out… punches were thrown; he was kicked, stepped on and spat at. He saw red; he felt numbness, pain, disgust... He didn’t scream, no way will he scream because of these bastards… he hated these kind of people the most.

He didn’t know how… he couldn’t remember it… he ended up at their sanctuary, the Demons’ lair.

‘Oh my god! Byunghee!’ he heard the shout of Seulong and he was steadied by the strong arms. ‘What happened? Why are you even in the city?’

‘Heh, got myself in trouble… stupid professor.’

‘Come in… we’ll fix you up.’ Seulong said, voice cracking in anger.

He slowly led Byunghee to the backdoor and made him sit.

‘I’ll call Wooyoungie… he knows about this the best.’ he said, and disappeared behind the curtain.

The Fox came rushing to the back, panic evident on his features. Seulong didn’t return…must be helping out Jay and Joon.

‘…’ he didn’t say anything just inspected his bruises and split lips…

Wooyoung got a first aid kit and started to clean his wounds without a word, lifting his shirt up as well to check for serious injuries… he sighed in relief.

Then he put cooling cream on his swollen eye and bruising cheeks and bandaged the cut on his forehead.

‘I’m sorry.’ he whispered softly.

‘Not your fault… I was careless.’ Byunghee said, bit shaken up from the incident. Jinwoon will throw a fit again…

‘It shouldn’t happen in the first place.’ Wooyoung whispered. ‘If only… if only I stayed where I belonged…’

‘Wooyoung, don’t be stupid… you belong to no one.’ Byunghee said, not knowing what to do with the frightened guy. He needed to stop him from self-blaming that was sure.

‘But- but… it’s all my fault… if I didn’t have that past… if I didn’t escape…’

‘Than Nichkhun would be utterly depressed and miserable without you.’

The only person that Wooyoung was completely comfortable with was their Thai prince; he couldn’t even imagine them without one another.

‘…You are right…’ he said, lowering his gaze.

‘I always am.’ Byunghee smiled.

‘Nichkhun is already utterly miserable because of this… he barely let me out of bed today.’ Wooyoung chuckled softly.

Byunghee blushed a bit at the revelation, but quickly composed himself.

‘Then don’t make him worry, smile bravely… we won’t let anything happen to you.’ he smiled with a v-sign. He held back the wince that threatened to escape…don’t smile too widely with swollen face.

‘I know you won’t… but I can’t stop worrying about you all. I’m not scared because of myself, I am scared for you, because you guys are my family.’

Byunghee felt a bit touched, he was not even close with Wooyoung but he considered him family.

‘Since you went through all this because of-‘ Byunghee gave him a look and Wooyoung didn’t finish that sentence. ‘… can I tell you about the reasons?’ he asked unsure.

‘Whatever you think is good.’

‘I’m sure you know most of it from Jay… but you don’t know why he wants us back.’ Wooyoung started.

‘Yes I know about Taecyeon… but I don’t know about your part in this story.’ And not Seungho’s part either.

‘The first thing you must know is the meaning behind toys.’ Wooyoung sighed. ‘Promise me you won’t judge us because of this…’

‘I would never.’ Byunghee promised, fearing the meaning behind that word.

‘The toy, the thing I was before escaping… I was a e.’

Am I leaving you all right here with a cliffhanger? Yes, I do~ ;)