40

      It was all over the news for weeks. Yang's back-story was revealed, even if nothing much had to be said about his comfortable and happy childhood, medias went crazy over the man. Special programs were dedicated to this stalker turning killer. After the police had eventually let the details out, the story became the main topic of Korean's medias and citizens.

Everywhere people were talking about this guy who was stalking and pushing to suicide his victims. They were talking about this celebrity he had targeted, and Lee Minwoo's name became the most looked up on internet.

In any other kind of situation the dancers would have been proud to be number one, but here it felt more invasive and bothering than anything else.

Too many people were curious about what had happened, too many medias were asking for his story on broadcasts, and too many people he called friends were trying to guest him first on programs he did not want to go. There was no way he would share what had happened on TV, no matter how much he would be paid and how many promises would be made : Lee Minwoo had no intention to talk about all this on a broadcast.

      Minwoo was glad to be so well surrounded. He was happy to have people he trusted so much to take care of all these stressful attentions and solicitations. He had a so long way to go to recover from the mental traumatism, and all these people invading his life were making it hard for him to focus on himself and get better.

He even had to move twice because the medias and fans had as morbid curiosity to meet and talk to the Idol who was kidnapped and tortured. It was disturbing to know people were so interested about it, as if they were taking pleasure in hearing the horror he had gone through.

It was no fun story to tell though. What was enjoyable about being harassed, assaulted, drugged, tormented, threatened, kidnapped, tortured, and put responsible for so many pain and deaths ? He could not understand, so when Eric offered him to move to America for a while, he accepted.

He was thankful to his friend's parents to let him stay in their house on the beach, and the landscape was the most beautiful one he ever seen.

Minwoo was not a coward, but he could not stay in Korea any longer.

He had tried. For too many stressful and torturous months, he had tried to stay with his parents, with his friends and in his country. But there was always people finding him and harassing him. He could not do this again. He had undergo months of this already, and he would never recover if he was reminded all the freaking time how painful and terrifying it had been.

He needed to get away, and this place he was at for a week now did him more good than weeks of therapy in his home country. Here, he could relax and learn again how to live without fearing his own shadow. Here, he could forget about what had happened in Korea. He could forget about the deaths, the pain he was the cause of.

Hearing about this poor girl, Gong MinAe's story had been the worst. He did not know anything about her before it was in the news she was kidnapped along her mother months before her death. He did not know her uncle was used by Yang, that the poor man's life was destroyed by this bastard.

The police was still looking for Gong's sister, but Yang had refused to talk or tell them what had happened to her. Everyone was looking for a dead body, and the thought Gong had lost what was left of his family because of him made Minwoo even more miserable than he was.

He had relapsed after hearing about this. Eric decided at this moment it would be better for him to get away from the turmoil for a while. Minwoo did not want to go at first, but seeing how low he was falling again because of everything going on, he could only admit the best for him was to get away before it was too late.

Most people did not know he was gone until he was already in the house on the beach. Of course, some hardcore new fans -Minwoo would have rather not gain these kind of 'fans' because of what had happened- stalking him had tweeted immediately he was going to the airport, but the security did a good job keeping him out of sight.

The arrival to USA was peaceful, thanks to Eric's idea to make a stop in England first before taking another plane to America. Nobody knew where he was, and he was glad for that.

      Minwoo was curious to know how things were going in Korea, but he followed everyone's advice and stayed away from internet. It was better for him, and the new therapist he was seeing here had said the same. The dancer knew they were right, and even if at first it was almost painful to not be able to log on his SNS accounts, he got used to it and did not check his cell phone much.

It was maybe why he missed Eric's voicemail telling him he was on his way to USA with Junjin and Hyesung. He almost had a heart attack when someone rang the door bell at eight pm, the thought nobody was supposed to be here making him panic about the unexpected visitor.

All worries vanished at the second he checked on the intercom who was here, and opening the door without hesitation, he was pulled in a bear like hug by the three at the door.

"It's good to see you." Smiled Junjin before hugging him some more.

Minwoo smiled and enjoyed the embrace. "What are you doing here ?"

Eric frowned and pouted "What ? You didn't have my message ?" Minwoo shook his head.

"My phone's lost somewhere in the living-room… I guess."

Junjin and Hyesung chuckled before inviting themselves inside considering Minwoo was not doing it. Helping the three with their baggage, he could not describe how happy he was to have someone here with him. He had enjoyed the solitude for the week it had lasted, but he was not one to take well being alone for long. Therefore, he could not be gladder for the three to be here.

"How long are you staying ?" He asked on the way to a room.

"Three weeks." Answered Junjin. "But Hyesung have to leave in two."

"I've a new album coming out next month, I've to get ready." He explained with a smile, and Minwoo smiled sadly.

"I miss it." He admitted. "The cheers and frenzy of the moment."

"You'll be back on stage sooner than you think." Answered Junjin with a hand on the shorter man's back. "Just be patient."

"Yeah." He answered lowly before smiling. "I've all the time I want to write and compose anyway. Our next comeback's gonna be awesome." He said full of excitation.

"I'm sure the fans will go crazy when they'll know about it."

"It's been almost two years." Commented Minwoo, feeling like an eternity had passed since their last comeback.

"Don't worry about that. They're supporting you and wishing you a good and full recovery. They knows you need time."

Minwoo nodded and looked over at Eric. "You've got any plans for your stay ?" He asked with a grin, and the leader smiled.

"Junjin said he wanted to try a few clubs, and Hyesung wants to see a football game."

A wide smile spread the dancer's lips at the perspective of some enjoyable moments with his friends. 

***

      When Eric woke up the next morning, Minwoo was already up and sitting on the terrace's stairs with a cup in hand to watch the ocean. The view was amazing, and the relaxing melody coming with was the best one in Eric's opinion.

He had always loved the place but never had much possibilities to come here. The house was to his parents besides that, and he did not want to take advantage of what was theirs. He rather work hard to have his own and was patient enough to do so.

But when Minwoo was in so desperate need to get away from Korea, he did not hesitate to ask his mother who accepted happily. Every Shinhwa members were like sons to each parents, and today it was proven right once again.

      With a cup of coffee in hand, Eric stepped outside and sat beside the dancer. They watched the ocean in silence for a moment before the leader decided to break it.

"It's beautiful."

Minwoo smiled softly and hummed his answer. "I really like this place. It's so relaxing."

Eric nodded, sipped on his coffee then asked "You'd a good night ?"

He saw the tension in his friend's body but did not comment on it. He knew too well how hard it was for Minwoo, how hard he was fighting to get better. But it was a long process the dancer had to endure.

Shrugging with one shoulder, Minwoo sipped on his tea and said "Not bad." He let a silence pass then added. "I'd a nightmare."

Both men were quiet for a few minutes. The dancer waited for what the leader had to say about his confession and was feeling strangely appeased at the older man's side despite everything going on in his head.

"You want to talk about it ?" He questioned eventually, and with a shrug, Minwoo started talking.

"It's often about this girl… sometimes I dream I save her. Others I'm the one killing her." He paused a second then added. "Tonight was one of them. I was tied to this hook, powerless and at this monster's mercy… but the one hurting her… the one killing her was me." He passed a shaky hand in his hair and tried to smile. "I've never thanked you."

"For what ?"

"For everything you did. After my first kidnapping, after my second one…" He scoffed bitterly at such ridiculous fact of being kidnapped twice by the same man. "You didn't let me down. You even got shot because of me…" He added in a softer voice.

"It wasn't your fault."

Minwoo snickered with his gaze locked on the cup of tea. "That's what they're all saying. That it wasn't my fault." He paused and let a painful grimace out. "But it's exactly how it feels. Each time I think about it… The guilt's there." He hit his chest and gritted his teeth to hold back the tears building up in his eyes. "I can't help hate myself for what he did to these people. If not for me…"

Minwoo could not continue and sank his teeth in his lower lip to silence the sob in his mouth. With his head hanging down, the tears fell on the ground between his feet as a painful lump formed in the middle of his throat.

Eric's hand was on his shoulder then, ever so reassuring and comforting that the dancer ended up crying to release all this sorrow deep in his chest.

"Come here." Breathed the leader before pulling the dancer closer for a hug.

Minwoo did not hesitate and leaned in the older man's embrace to cry silently against him. He hated when he was being like this, but he could not do anything when it was building up so strongly and quickly. He could not fight this need to cry and let his emotions out, and having a shoulder to cry on felt a hundreds time better than the coldness of his bed in the middle of the night.

      Junjin was in the kitchen when Eric stepped back inside to refill his cup with coffee. He could feel the awkwardness coming from the younger man, and he did not need to ask because Junjin spoke first.

"I saw you two on the terrace…" He began, clearing his throat the next second before looking up from his bowl of corn flakes. "Is he okay ?"

Junjin was always bad at hiding his emotions. It was always showing fully on his faces and in his eyes. Eric was glad for that sometimes, but at others, he would have rather ignore it.

"He'll be fine." He answered, filling his cup with the black beverage and refusing to look up at the younger rapper.

A silence passed, before Junjin said "Hyesung's in the shower. If you want to go after him."

Eric nodded, sipped on his coffee and looked up at the living-room outside of the kitchen.

"Hey." Came another, huskier voice, and looking over the bay window, the two taller men noticed the smiling Minwoo walking to them a bit hesitantly. "You'd a good night ?" He asked to Junjin who smiled before nodding.

"It could've been better. I wasn't that tired. Jetlag, you know."

Minwoo chuckled and put the cup in his hand on the counter. "It didn't bother Eric." He commented playfully.

"I was tired, okay ? I didn't sleep much before coming here."

The two others chuckled lowly before Hyesung arrived in the kitchen. "What's for breakfast ?" He asked and won three looks. "What ? You didn't cook anything." He complained and grabbed a bowl with an annoyed mumble.

"I still don't have a housekeeper, sorry." Joked Minwoo, and Eric immediately answered to that.

"You want one ? I can ask my mum, she'll…"

"It's fine." He cut off with a smile. "She already asked, and I said no. I'm good like this, I don't need strangers walking around the place."

The words felt bitter and painful coming from Minwoo, because it reminded the three others too much what had happened under their noses. None of them commented on it though and decided to enjoy the day the best as possible.

If they were here after all, it was to help Minwoo think about something else than the past, and they were fully ready to do so.

Well, here's the last chapter. I'll post the Epilogue later on, maybe Monday at last, and then Stalker will be over.

I'll keep the goodbye speech for the Epilogue xD

To next time !