A person approached me and I flinched, squinting my eyes closed and turning my head towards the grass.  The man cut my ropes.  I looked up at him.  He stood proud, shoulders wide and chin high.  A smirk graced his face and then Jungsu whispered, "Eunhyuk?"  I had never heard Jungsu speak of a Eunhyuk before, but then again I had never heard him speak of anything to do with the situation we were facing right now.  Eunhyuk looked at Miyoung and her eyes widened.

"What's going on here, guys?"  Everyone stood silent.  A tension filled the air that made me gulp.  Jungsu stood on shaking legs and stepped forward, holding his hand out to me which I quickly took and stood beside him.  Eunhyuk looked at Jungsu and the men smiled at each other before Jungsu stretched a hand outwards, offering a hand shake which Eunhyuk gladly accepted before laughing slightly.  "So no-one's going to talk then?"

"We...  We thought you were...  gone..."  Hangeng stepped forward then.  His hands visibly shaking by his sides.  Eunhyuk jerked his head, gesturing for his former friend to come closer.

"I told you all I'd be back.  Is this what you've been doing since I left?  Is this how you all turned out?"  The silence stretched.  Jungsu squeezed my hand and I was thankful for the contact.  He the back of my hand with his thumb and I gripped his arm tightly with my free hand, stepping behind him slightly.  "Thugs?  Is that what you want to be?"

"You don't understand.  You left us with nothing.  We had no direction."

"You had every direction.  This was the direction you chose, don't pin it on me Kibum."  Eunhyuk's voice slit the air and every one of them reverted back to silence.  "So come on.  Someone tell me what this little get together is for.  I know Leeteuk's not been part of your group for a while, just because I haven't been around doesn't mean I haven't been watching.  So why are we here?"

Miyoung's laugh broke the silence before Donghae stepped forward, "Leeteuk left Miyoung for that piece of trash.  We're here to make things right again."

"And by 'making things right' you mean abducting and attacking an innocent while turning on one of your own?"

"She's hardly an innocent."  Miyoung looked sour - her face showed a hatred on such a level I had never witnessed before.  Despite the pure dark emotions emanating from her every inch of being, it did not effect me even half as much as it did when Jungsu showed a disliking towards me.  "She's marrying him for money.  She's disgusting.  He knows she is too, look at him.  He's unhappy, we can all see it, we know you can too Eunhyuk!"

"I see a man who's grew up and deserted his ed up friends to create a family.  If you ask me, I'm happy for him.  Why aren't you?"

Every one of them seethed.  Most of their expressions glazed while the other's grinded their teeth and showed their thoughts directly through their features.  I felt the emotions radiating from them and when I tugged on Jungsu's arm, whispering pleas to go home, that seemed to anger them more.  A man I remembered as Kangin nudged Donghae and the man stepped forward.  I watched him approach with easy confidence and stand before Eunhyuk - his posture undermining and challenging his former friend.  Eunhyuk smiled and laughed.  The sound was chortling and unnerving.  It was frightening.

Donghae lunged for him and soon the boys were struggling against each other.  Hangeng joined them to aid Eunhyuk just as Siwon and Kyuhyun joined to help Donghae.  Jungsu was about to run for them also but I gripped him tighter than I ever had before, begging him, "Please don't!  I...  I can't...  If you get hurt..."

He kissed me.

The kiss was promising and took my breath away.  I regretted succumbing to the action as soon as I felt his arms slip from me and opened my eyes to see him running towards them before launching his heavy fist, impacting it with Kyuhyun's ribs.  "Oppa, no!"  I couldn't help it.  I'd do anything to make him stop.  I found my feet clumsily running towards the heap of bodies before I realised I was doing it myself, but a deafening sound stopped me just before I reached them.

Two cars pulled up behind us, screeching to a hault before spitting out a very disgruntled looking Henry, and Ryeowook from one then Sungmin from the other.  The sight of the three boys made me feel light and happy.  I was so grateful to have them there.  The boys who were squabbling on the ground scrambled and raised to their feet, staring at the cars and their departing persons.

A man came out of the car beside Sungmin and walked up to Eunhyuk before whispering something in his ear.  Eunhyuk laughed.  The sound chilled me to the bones.  I felt as if I had been standing there for hours, watching his confrontation with the rebelling group while I did nothing.  When Eunhyuk started to walk towards Sungmin's car, I gasped and looked up at Jungsu.  Miyoung squealed, "Yahh, what d'you think you're doing?" from the sidelines but still Eunhyuk continued walking.  When he opened the door to the passenger side I felt a nudge from Jungsu and started to walk towards the vehicle also.

I heard Hangeng murmur a quick apology before bowing and running to Henry's car with the other boy and before I knew it, we were speeding away.  I looked out the back window and past the car behind us, I could see the group scattering as police cars bombarded the area and swarmed around them.  I glanced at Jungsu who had his eyes glued to Eunhyuk.  I felt dazed and confused, but exhaustion won the best of me and I quickly found myself against Jungsu's arm, letting sleep overcome me.

* * *

Hyukjae looked at Hyojin sleeping on my arm and laughed quietly, "She'll be out for hours.  Does she need a medic?"  I knew he was referring to the apparent marks over he body, showing the rough way they had handled her.  The thought made me feel paralysed with rage but I found it within myself to shake my head, pulling her closer and inspecting the marks on her arms and legs.  They were only bruises, none of them big or dark enough to show the signs of broken bones.  She didn't wince when I moved her limbs or bent her joints so I didn't think she had any fractures either, they were only surface wounds.

I was glad that she wasn't badly injured, but I felt sick to my stomach that she had been hurt.  I was yet to find out what had happened to her while she was away.  Even if their treatment of her wasn't that bad, I knew I could never forgive myself.  Hyojin squirmed against my arm and settled in closer.  God, she made my heart beat so fast...

Hyukjae had a lot of explaining to do, I knew that, but I didn't care much right now.  I was just glad that he was here and that Hyojin was back with me.  She was back where she belonged.

I wouldn't let her go again.

--

[A/N:  Annyeong-haseyo~ （〃・ω・〃）

Omo, I...  I want to apologise for not updating in a long while again.  I was so busy on the run up to Christmas and since yesterday was Christmas day I spent the whole time with my family and loved ones.  I'm so very sorry that I couldn't update, I was planning on updating yesterday for Christmas but I couldn't do that.  I hope the chapter isn't too bad, I hope it can maybe make up for how I didn't update.  (⌒_⌒;)

I also hope that each and every one of you, from whatever religion, culture, belief that you reside in, had a beautiful day yesterday.  I hope you were gifted with love and reminded that you are all beautiful beings in your own special ways.  I feel so lucky to have become friends with many of you and are so grateful to share these holiday greetings with you, so I sincerely wish that you all had a very Merry Christmas!  (ﾉ)´∀｀(ヾ)

Blessed love and light,

-Kang Hyekyo~ (〃▽〃) ]