Zelo got closer and closer to the boy. The closer he got, the more evident was the fact that the boy was shivering. Most likely in fright.

Zelo brought the tip of his sword to the boy’s chin, who just stared at the blade and at Zelo, the look in his eyes conveying a feeling of complete fright, begging him for his life to be spared. Usually, Zelo wouldn’t consider sparing someone’s life, and even if he did consider it, he always got the job done and killed them. But there was something about this boy that made Zelo’s mind roam around.

He sighed, knowing pretty well what would happen to him if his bosses knew about this. He lowered his sword and got closer to the boy, crouching in front of him.

“I’m gonna ask you a favor, okay?” Zelo sweetly said and the boy nodded, even if hesitant. “Okay, I want you to promise me you won’t tell anyone about this or me. Can you do that?”

The boy pondered a bit and looked back at Zelo, nodding. “C-can you help me find my parents?” the boy calmly asked, as if afraid to talk in any other way.

Zelo’s eyes widened and he chuckled, surprising the boy “You know, you don’t have to be that scared…” he sweetly smiled, “Sure, I’ll help you! But you’ll have to stay with me for a while… It will take time to find them and you won’t be safe alone, so is it okay? Staying with me?”

The boy eagerly nodded, getting more comfortable around Zelo and obviously enjoying the idea of having someone near him who could protect him.

“Come on, then…” Zelo helped the boy up and guided him to his motorcycle. Zelo threw him a helmet. “Put that on and hold on tight!” The boy nodded and did as told, getting on and grabbing onto Zelo’s waist.

They got to Zelo’s house and he led the boy upstairs. They got to the main room and Zelo gave him some clothes.

“You can take a shower and use these. You’ll feel more comfortable!” Zelo smiled. Something told him that smiling was the best choice, not that he could control all the smiles that came because of the boy.

The boy nodded and headed for the bathroom, but was stopped by Zelo.

“Hey! What’s your name?” he asked. The boy turned around and smiled.

“I’m Youngjae, nice to meet you!”

“Yeah, nice to meet you too. You can call me Zelo!” he said and the boy, now known as Youngjae, nodded, heading for the shower.

Zelo’s POV

I decided that it was time to make a call. I dialed Jongup’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“I still haven’t found that guy!” he immediately said, sounding really tired. “I need to sleep to get my strength and energy up!” I chuckled.

“Yeah, that’ll have to wait! And why do you think that was why I called?” I asked.

“Well, everything else is taken care of, so… If it’s not the guy then what is it?”

I sighed. “The human that was gonna get trade that saw me, I brought him to my place.”

“Aww, has Jello-ah’s heart gone soft?” Jongup laughed.

“ off!” I cursed, not happy to hear something like that. I was known for being a ruthless person and letting someone survive wasn’t my thing. “I need you to find his parents.”

“Okay, you know his name?” Jongup asked.

“Yeah, name’s Youngjae… He doesn’t really remember things well, maybe because some of the drugs are still in his system.”

“Okay, I’ll try my best… In the morning!” he emphasized.

“HA! Good luck with that! It’s already 5 AM, I’m coming over at 6, so be prepared!” I said, trying to hold in my laughter as Jongup started cursing, swearing and making threats on the other side of the line.

“Fine! Buh-bye!”

“Thanks, see yah later, champ!” and with that, the call ended.

Youngjae’s POV

‘I’m not sure if I should be happy that guy came or if I should be afraid… He did help me. But he was going to kill me. But, he spared my life. And he’s being nice enough to help me and find my parents. I’ll be happy!’ I nodded, after being talking to myself for some time. “I must be going crazy.” I muttered under my breath.

I got out of the shower and got dressed. As I got out of the bathroom and went back to the main room, I saw Zelo take off his shirt. And God bless his body.

He noticed me at the door and smiled. His cute and gentle smile. “Hey! Look, I’m gonna leave at around 6 and I’ll probably be out for quite some time, so just sleep and if I am not here when you wake up, just go to the kitchen and prepare something for yourself, okay?”

I was a bit afraid of being left alone, but I nodded anyway. He got closer to me, still shirtless, and poked my cheek.

He grinned. “You know, you don’t have to be afraid, okay? You’re safe as long as you stay here.” He got past me and left the room. “I’m taking a shower, if you need anything just call!”

I walked further into the room and plopped myself on the bed, falling on my back. The bed was fluffy and really comfortable.

I shifted a bit and closed my eyes, deciding to take a nap.

I heard steps, seeming that there was someone entering the room. I knew everything that was going on in the room, but I couldn’t open my eyes.

Zelo voiced out, and even if in a whispered, I understood what he said, “Fell asleep, huh?”

I felt him get closer and he picked me up, putting me in a more comfortable position on the bed and pulling the duvet over me.

“I’ll come back later, okay?” he patted my head and by the sound of his steps getting lower and lower, he was leaving already. I wish he could stay a little longer.

Author’s POV

Zelo got to Jongup’s house and entered without notice. He went up the stairs and made his way to a room which shined in a different light than the rest. It wasn’t a natural light. As he opened the door, screen after screen was made visible, and soon after, Zelo saw Jongup sitting in his favorite chair drinking coffee and looking at multiple screens and tipping different codes in each one of them.

“The information about the boy is going to take long, so as the search is loading, I decided to put my hands to work and find that guy, I don’t know his name…” Jongup muttered the last part.

“I don’t know either…” Zelo shrugged and sat on the couch in that strange room. “So, have you found anything?”

“Well, I’m looking through the images of multiple surveillance cameras and I caught him, but lost sight of him again, so I’m still looking.”

Zelo stays all morning and all afternoon with Jongup helping him look for the guy, but without avail, Zelo goes back home because he can’t let Youngjae stay there alone all the time.

He arrives home at around 7 PM and he expects Youngjae to be watching TV or something, but he isn’t. The apartment is silent. That is, excluding the soft sobs that echo through the living room, their origin being Zelo’s bedroom.

He calmly makes his way there and opens the door, seeing how Youngjae is on his bed, looking at him and crying.

He was about to ask what happened when he saw an envelope on the sheets and a letter in Youngjae’s hand. He stares at him, but this time with an angry expression and the other flinched under the look.

“Why are you reading that?” Zelo calmly asked, even though he was furious inside. No one should know about that. Not even Jongup knew about it.

“I-I… I’m sorry, I j-just…” Youngjae stuttered out, but quickly quieted down when he faced Zelo again and looked back down.

Zelo got closer to him, fists balled up… Youngjae was scared, he shouldn’t have had snooped around the room, much less read what wasn’t his. Especially, something like this… Zelo was now in front of him and Youngjae just curled into a ball, not being able to contain his tears.

He heard a sigh and then fingers ran through his hair. Youngjae looked up and Zelo was crouched in front of him, calmly caressing his hair in a very relaxing and soothing way.

“You shouldn’t read things like these…” Zelo took the letter from his hands, “And you shouldn’t cry either.” He softly, but sadly smiled. How he could smile in a situation like that was beyond Youngjae’s imagination. Something like that should have made him cry himself, but Zelo didn’t shed a tear, probably all of them have already been shed before. Zelo leaned closer and hugged Youngjae, the boy returning the hug as quickly as possible. “Just calm down…” Zelo whispered.

“How can you be so calm?” Youngjae asked. “Something like that…”

“Something like that happened years ago.” Zelo interrupted. “I’m already over it!” he scooted over and laid the boy down, resting next to him. “Just rest, okay?” he smiled.

Youngjae nodded and scooted closer, cuddling in Zelo’s chest, who hugged him closely.

Youngjae’s POV

‘That’s not something you  get over, Zelo. Even if years might have already passed. That letter was probably the most devastating thing you must have ever gotten. I’m sure your father meant every single thing in there.’

A letter of love and memories. Even if there were little memories, the love was overwhelming. A love sent by a father to his son, a son that definitely returned the feeling with all his energy and heart.

(A/N: Just imagine you’re Junhong (Zelo) or that it’s from your father to you.)

“Junhong, my dear son, if you are reading this, it means I will no longer be able to get back to you… First of all, I would like to apologize for not being there; be it birthdays, important dates or when you needed me the most… I am sorry!

Secondly, I’ll say that the day you were born was the best day ever and I was really happy to be able to be by your mother’s side that day. It was the first time I had cried in ages and you were the cause of my happy tears. The second greatest day was when I was able to see you again… And even though seven years had passed since your birth, my love for you never faltered and it was great to see in your eyes that your admiration towards me, which your mom talked about, was still there. I saw you once again when you were ten, and you were so grown up, I wanted to cry. I still remember when you read to me the presentation you made about me, I remember the words perfectly…

“My daddy is a great man, one that is fighting for all of us, with all he’s got. My daddy is strong and will always be. Even though I have only seen him once before and I was very little, I knew he was my daddy when I laid my eyes on him again. He is fighting with other men, struggling to go forward but still be able to come back… To their families, wives and children. Being a soldier is a tough job, both for him and me. Although we never really spent time together, my love grew anyways and I hope his too…

All I have to say is that wherever you are daddy, I love you!

You keep on fighting and I’ll be waiting. Attention soldiers, daddy is coming back home!”

Okay, okay… Maybe it has better grammar now, but it’s still the same.

I couldn’t stop hugging you after you read it. The third greatest day, but also the saddest, was when I left… You hugged me tightly and said “Don’t tell me goodbye!” and I didn’t, I just said “See yah later, champ!”

And again, I’m sorry, but I have to say goodbye.

I hope I could have opened this letter again, just to write about the time we would meet again, but I guess that didn’t happen… he, he

Just so you know, if you are crying right now, then don’t worry, because I am also. I wish I had some moments to fill in this letter, but I just don’t!

I’m sorry, Junhong, I really am! I guess you don’t have to wait anymore…

I love you, my son! And always will!

Goodbye~!”