“I’m going to kill him.” Sungjong’s voice had never been so dark and menacing, making Hoya glance over at him. Sungjong gripped his mug of hot cocoa he’d just bought, little marshmallows bobbing on the surface, until his knuckles were white. He looked so sweet wearing a burnt orange sweater, a starched white collar protruding from underneath, and a pair of dark ripped jeans paired with a classy pair of toms. The picture of sophistication turned dark with hate.

“Not so loud,” Hoya reminded his roommate. Hoya and Sungjong were sitting at a small, intimate booth of a street café. They’d chosen a seat far from the window so there’d be less of a chance for prying eyes to observe them. Hoya ran a hand through his dark, well-styled, gelled hair; his leather jacket covered his white t-shirt complementing the darkness of his eyes. He raised an eyebrow at his friend while his hands fiddled with his water bottle. “Remember we’re trying to be inconspicuous here.”

“Oops. Sorry.” Sungjong sighed. He glanced over at L sitting next to him who wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, his cadet cap and sunglasses.

“It’s fine.” L replied. He clapped a hand on Sungjong’s shoulder in a gesture of comradery, “I’d be happy to let you kill him, but I’m gonna kill him first. You’ll have to get in line.”

The warm, comforting smells of food wafted throughout the cheerfully decorated restaurant. It was a miracle they’d made it here without being detected by L’s family or guards. The boys had tried to convince him not to come, but the Kim stubbornness had prevailed which was why he was sipping water with them. The weather had gotten a lot colder lately…winter was upon them. L wouldn’t be surprised if it snowed soon…the first snow of the season.

In the time since L had sought refuge with his friends, they had contacted the rest of the group and everyone had been more than happy to help hide him. When they’d found out what had happened to Gaein, they all were murderously united in the cause of getting her back safe and sound and punishing the perpetrator. Whoever had taken their sister-in-law was in for his worst nightmare.

L sipped his water and thought back to what they’d accomplished in the last three days. Dongwoo had sent one of his highly-trusted servants to the police station to inquire with Kim Soohyun and his team about any information they’d been given concerning Gaein’s abduction. The police had been tight-lipped about giving any information regarding their findings due to privacy issues, rules, and regulations etc.

The servant had quietly informed them that he would be stepping in for Myungsoo to check on the situation as it progressed (handing them a note that explained part of the situation, and marked with Myungsoo’s fingerprint as proof) due to family difficulties, and it was best if no one else knew he’d stopped in.

The police were suspicious then of the servant possibly having kidnapped Myungsoo coercing him to write the note and provide the finger print—because the action was fairly suspicious as L wasn’t there to deliver the note himself, but luckily, the servant was able to direct them to call Dongwoo who put them in contact with L who confirmed that he wanted the servant to receive any information regarding Gaein.

After that, the police relaxed and assured the servant that they would give them any information they discovered, but that at the moment they had nothing because the prominent Kim family wasn’t being very helpful with providing them information for the case, and there hadn’t been sufficient time to find anything yet as it had only been two days.

Kang Minhyuk had left, gone to the nearest phone shop and purchased a top of the line phone (in cash that Dongwoo’d given him so the purchase wouldn’t be traced), and had dropped it off to Dongwoo who passed it on to L throughout the course of the day. The servant had signed for it under his own name, Kang Minhyuk, so that it wouldn’t be easily traced back to Dongwoo or L.

L now had a brand-new phone that he didn’t need to worry about being traced and was no closer to finding Gaein than he’d been three days ago…there was only one more lead he was hanging onto now that he prayed would give him anything to go on.

“I still can’t believe that man in white would take my sister away to some unknown location where she’s being locked up and who knows what’s happening to her,” Sungjong hissed, his mind still on the discussion he’d started.

“L, do you really believe it was someone who wanted to make an enemy of you, who took Gaein-ssi?” Hoya asked his friend.

“I do.” L replied eyes cold, “But hopefully we’ll know for sure very soon.”

“Making an enemy of you on purpose and of us by association…that just doesn’t seem to make sense. What could his motives possibly be?” Hoya shook his head confused.

“Yah, how much longer do we have to wait?” Sungjong whined staring at his watch.

“Just be patient,” L chided, “She’ll be here soon…” She’d better be here soon. I can’t wait much longer either. I think I’m going to go insane.

A bell chimed clearly through the café, announcing the arrival of another potential customer. The three boys turned towards the door and saw Dongwoo, Sungkyu, Sungyeol, and Woohyun file into the front. Glancing around casually, they spotted the three boys at the back of the café and then proceeded to the counter to place their orders. The three boys at the back watched as the boys at the register turned and found a place a table down from them where they could listen to each other’s conversation and try not to seem too conspicuous.

About ten minutes later, the waitress came dressed in a pristine white apron, balancing a tray expertly on one arm piled with food…even with everything that was going on, his friends still knew how to eat. L watched as they were served some angel food cake and chocolate raspberry cheesecake flavored cupcakes. The boys all began eating as if food was their sole reason for being there. Once she was finished serving them their beverages and sweets, the waitress left to check on some other tables making sure the customers were satisfied with their purchases.

The entrance bell chimed again signaling another guest. All seven heads turned toward the sound.

“Finally she’s here,” L sighed under his breath. He leaned forward as he watched Park Yeeun glance around the café. Her eyes met his and she gave a barely perceptible nod in his direction as she walked back to their table. Sliding into the seat next to Hoya, diagonal from L, she settled her white bag in her lap and folded her arms on the table in front of her.

“Did you bring what I asked for?” L asked quietly.

With a nod, Yeeun opened her purse and pulled out a handful of sheets of paper, “It took me awhile to narrow all the names down,” she told L as she handed them over to him. He immediately began rifling through them as she continued, “I took off the party guest registry all the girls who had been invited, and that’s the list of all our male guests. As for the ones that seem like they were the men in white, I actually did manage to find something interesting.”

L glanced up sharply from scanning the papers clutched tightly in his hand. Sungjong and Hoya leaned in further so as to better hear what Yeeun had to say as well.

Park Yeeun nodded and continued, “All the names on the list I crossed out were men who attended the party not wearing white suits. The ones who we know all came to the party in white, as far as the CCTV footage showed us, are the ones I’ve highlighted in yellow. But I have a strong suspicion that this is the name we’re looking for.” She tapped her finger on the name near the top of the list and everyone else cr