Zelo and Daehyun stood erect waiting for L to walk out of the gates. The rest of B.A.P had theatrically decided to help. A couple of them wore masks that covered their nose down to their chins, either plain or decked out in studs. Himchan wore black gloves and a dark jacket and a few of them even had bandanas on. They did look like an intimidating sight even if they did seem to have just popped off a kpop music video.

                Zelo and Daehyun had opted for t-shirts and jeans. Beside him, Daehyun’s eyes flicked over the many girls who were filing out and a few male students as well. Many of the girls cast suspicious and some admiring glances their way, but the boys took no notice. Daehyun glanced over at Zelo for maybe the fifth time, discreetly. His friend looked agitated, but determined. Daehyun privately promised him that he would never regret the day he had made Daehyun a friend.

Zelo’s eyes roved restlessly until they finally landed on their target. There he was.

                Zelo had made sure that Gaein had left early, having called her home telling her that her mother needed her so she would not get in the way. When L saw Zelo and his posse, he stopped for a moment. The rest of L’s friends gathered around him, laughing and talking. One by one, they all took in the scene and one by one, disbelief and then a hardened determination entered their eyes.

                People stopped what they were doing as they noticed the tension in the air coming from their beloved kingkas, and the gang on the street that was so definitely out of place in this ritzy neighborhood.

                “Let’s settle this L.” Zelo called across the road that divided them.

                A smile lit L’s face. “I was hoping you’d ask.” he replied, “Where do you want to do this?”

                “I at least play fair. I picked the fight, now you pick the place.” Zelo responded. Beside him, Jongup groaned in disgust, “Is now really a good time for chivalry?” he muttered.

                Zelo ignored him waiting for L’s response.

                “There’s an abandoned warehouse a few miles away. I’ll lead, you follow.”

                Zelo nodded. With that, L glided towards his motorbike and jumped on. The rest of his friends made sounds of protest, but then followed his lead. Sungjong also jumped on his motorcycle. Hoya headed for his car parked nearby and the rest of the boys jumped in.

                B.A.P piled into Yongguk’s car parked in a parking lot on the other side of the street and there they all went: a large group of young boys speeding off into the traffic and disappearing into the distance. Those left behind felt trepidation as they wondered what on earth was coming just around the corner.

.....

 L’s adrenaline danced like a striking cobra through his veins as he whirled and dodged through BAP’s ranks with his eyes focused on Zelo; shrouded with an intensity that would strike fear into the heart of any normal soul. Behind him, Sungjong and Sungyeol had engaged in a fight with Youngjae and Jongup. L heard the sickening crunch of broken bone but didn’t stop to see where it had come from or who had been hurt. He couldn’t afford distractions.

                To his right, he saw Sunngkyu, Hoya and Dongwoo up against Yongguk, Himchan and Daehyun. Woohyun was on L’s heels following him as L closed the distance between him and his target in just a few swift strides. Zelo was just as eager, it seemed, and met him head on. L dodged Zelo’s first punch, swung under his extended arm and rammed his shoulder into Zelo’s side.

                A smirk graced his lips as he heard Zelo gasp, the wind knocked savagely from his lungs. Zelo may have been a gifted street-fighter, but all-out mafia style was L’s domain and Zelo was truly only a pawn on the game board in comparison.

                Woohyun got ready to attack as well but was intercepted by Daehyun’s figure appearing out of nowhere and whisking him backwards. In moments Woohyun was knocked out cold and Daehyun’s eyes glinted with cold fire as he raced towards L who was straddling Zelo, having grabbed him by the collar.

                L, sensing Daehyun’s approach, rolled off Zelo in one fluid motion ending upright on his feet. Instinctively he felt Daehyun’s fighting style was different. It wasn’t savage, no wait, it was savage, but it wasn’t uncalculated savagery. He had precision and forethought. This man was more on par with L than even Sungjong. As the heat of the fight set in and filled him, L narrowed his eyes like a predator and welcomed the new challenger by shifting his feet and crouching into a more dangerous stance bracing for what would come next.

                Daehyun made the first move. Snaking through L’s defenses, he grabbed his shoulder and would have used his momentum to knee L in the gut had not L’s anticipatory reflexes responded in time. L’s hand closed on Daehyun’s arm and twisted, throwing Daehyun off balance, he aimed a savage kick to his side. But Daehyun rolled out of reach swinging his leg out in a sweeping motion parallel to the ground in an attempt to knock L’s legs out from under him. L sprang back flipping over a large cement block.

                Daehyun got to his feet and spared one quick, concerned glance at Zelo on the ground. A quick glance was all it took. L sprang like a cat jabbing Daehyun across the face and following it with a roundhouse kick that had Daehyun sprawling across the room. Daehyun, shocked, began to struggle to his feet when Sungjong appeared out of nowhere knocking the enemy unconscious with a vicious blow to his head.

                “That’s for Woohyun!” Sungjong snarled looking anything but delicate and cute in that moment.

                L turned towards Zelo who had regained his footing but not his breath and grabbed him by the collar. He slammed Zelo up against a wall and raised his arm to strike. A purring voice echoed in L’s head, “Take him out now. Do it. You have a clear shot. Now is your perfect chance!”

                L’s resolve firmed and he was about to follow through with his violent impulses. His fist tightened as he processed the hatred in Zelo’s eyes. But in the blinding flash of a moment, L saw those hate-filled eyes in the eyes of his beloved Gaein. He blinked, shocked. He held her up against the wall, his fist raised to strike her beautiful face and her eyes burned with the dark depths of shadows and acidic malice.

                “How could you?” her voice seethed. It sounded like a faint trace of an echo, as though he were hearing her through a long tunnel, yet it penetrated his mind with a force he knew he’d never forget.

                “How could you hurt him like that?” Gaein demanded.

                Her accusation jarred him. His frame and hands shook as he released his hold on her; his arms dropped uselessly to his sides and he stumbled back as if he was the one who had been struck. The moment he stepped away, the image of Gaein faded and Zelo stood in her place. The first strike snapped L’s head backward and a painful flare erupted along his jawline. The sharp pain coupled with a metallic taste filled L’s mouth but he made no move to defend himself. He spat blood to the side and said around a mouthful of pain, “She wouldn’t want this.”

                Zelo glared. If looks could kill… “Don’t you dare tell me what she would or wouldn’t want!” He lunged at L but L sidestepped him. He turned toward the shorter boy standing near his side, “Come on Sungjong-ah. The fight’s over. Let’s go.” L began heading back the way they had come.

                “You might want to make sure your friends are ok.” He threw over his shoulder as he passed a couple of beat up looking blondes.

                L’s eyes raked the scene. Hoya, Sungyeol, Dongwoo and Woohyun had already gone. As L and Sungjong left the park behind, L grabbed his phone and called Sungkkyu. There was no answer. Worry spiked his insides and he quickly dialed Hoya.

                “Yeobuseo? L?! Are you ok man?” Hoya’s voice was tight with worry.

                “I’m fine,” L assured him, “What’s the update?”

                Sungkkyu and Dongwoo are here at the hospital. They both got it bad. I swear if I ever see that Yongguk guy again, I’m gonna kill him!”

                “Sungkkyu and Dongwoo.” L grimaed, “They’re terrible fighters. How bad is it?”

                “Exactly! They shouldn’t fight if they’re horrible at it. It’s common sense. It’s like not jumping into a volcano or blowing in a beehive! Oh, and Sungkkyu got a broken arm and Dongwoo has a