"Will you get back in the car?"

Chunji's voice seemed more solid this time, his eyes still on the road. Byunghun's head remained poked out from the car window, the wind weaving back his fringe as the car continued to excel forward. There weren't many other vehicles on the freeway with them, which was fortunate for the blond who refused to sit back in his seat properly. He was evidently grinning throughout the trip.

"Sorry, can't hear you with all the wind in my ears." Byunghun replied.

"You can too hear me, little runt." Chunji didn't bother glancing over at the other, "Now get back in here before someone snaps your head off."

"If you remove this thing from my neck, maybe I will."

Chunji rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Byunghun."

He didn't speak again, and the blond didn't comply to his orders either. But they were both evidently smiling, despite the small disputes they'd get into. They never minded it too much.

Eventually, the car drifted to a stop in front of a shopping center, with many other vehicles already parked where it was possible to. It was part of Korea where Byunghun didn't recognize anymore, nor did he seem to be familiar with the other places they had scavenged. But this place, it was different. The atmosphere didn't feel the same, but it wasn't entirely bad. Byunghun actually found a liking in it.

"C'mon. Buy whatever you want. We need to stock up on supplies so the drive would be easier. Less stops made, the better." The headed into the main building first. It took Byunghun a moment before following, making sure to have saved a mental image of the place in his head. He'd like to remember the outside as much as he could. Different condiments lined up beside one another on dozens of shelves. The lighting inside wasn't too bright, but the decor and aroma suggested how well it was being cared for; clean for a place consisting of many people daily. 

The faint rattle of a shopping cart being shoved could be heard in practically every aisle, Chunji being one among these shoppers. Byunghun was too distracted in browsing to even care for the cart. He'd find different kinds of snacks, and ask for a suggestion from the , considering he had never once tasted any of these flavors, but Chunji wasn't much of a help either. 

"It's sweet. And it tastes like... Cocoa?" The scratched his head, staring at the package of chocolates in Byunghun's hands. 

"Cocoa? What's that? What's it taste like?" 

Chunji paused for a moment, completely speechless as he pondered on the subject. What did it taste like? 

After a moment of wondering, he immediately snatched the box out from Byunghun's hands and dumped it into the cart, muttering as he ventured off again. The two had explored most of the shopping center, tasting free samples, and even stopped to rest at the food court. Of course, there were small shops inside of the building, in which they looked through those as well. Chunji paused to study an item in one of the cases, a necklace, it looked like.

"You're into necklaces?" Byunghun inquired as he rested his arms on the glass case beside the , peering down into it as well.

"It's not a necklace. It's a dog tag." Chunji corrected, narrowing his eyes a bit.

Byunghun's brow quirked, "Those are made for guys too?"

The stifled a sigh, "It's just how it's named. Really, it's only a necklace with a tag on it. Something's always engraved in the tag."

By now, the blond began to examine the various designs, finding one in particular that might suit the . "That one. You seem like the poetic kind of guy." He nodded at his suggestion, evidently pleased with it. The proceeded to study the one Byunghun had soloed out, a quote engraved into the tag. It was one of those life lessons kind of quotes, something about happiness and sadness. A quote someone would probably get a tattoo of. He was a little skeptical, but in the end, he purchased it.

It was raining out by the time they were lining up to purchase their items from the grocery store. Chunji seemed impatient, like always, however, Byunghun wasn't in any hurry. His gaze drifted elsewhere from pure boredom, then it came to land on a familiar face who wasn't too far away. And he couldn't help but stare at her.

She looked kind, but aged in different aspects of her, not only physically, but emotionally as well. However, she was smiling. A small boy's hand tucked inside her own as they began to head out of the center. It didn't take long before Byunghun set out after her, leaving Chunji in shock. The blond could hear the 's voice, calling out after him, but he wasn't at all listening. He was too indulged into the familiarity of this woman. He knew her, he had to. Her features were etched in his memories, still a bit edgy, but he could still identify her. She was real, and she was there. And he had to see her.

He stopped her from walking out into the rain, just outside the electronic doors, under the ledge that covered them from the light shower. She turned to look at him, evidently confused. The small boy she had with her gave him the same expression. 

"May I help you?"

Byunghun paused, his breath hitching in that brief moment. 

Yes. He wanted to say it, more than anything. He wanted to tell her that he missed her, and apologize for the one incident where he buried her favorite glass out in the backyard of their old home. She had yelled at him. But he was just a little kid then, and she was just trying to be a mother. 

But he couldn't say it. Not because he was told not to. They never specified instructions on what to do when he encountered his mother again, but it was because she had someone else who seemed to be her treasure now. The small boy, whose hand was curled in where Byunghun's hand used to be. 

"Do you... know who I am?" The blond choked out; a hint of desperation in his voice. But it was to no luck. His mother still appeared just as confused as she was when he first approached her. He could remind her of their history. He could retell every incident that had ever occurred between them. He remembered everything after all. Her worn out smile, her restrained laugh, her tears. He remembered those the most, from when his father passed away.

She shook her head slowly, "... No.... I'm sorry. You must have the wrong person."

For a moment, Byunghun only stood there, speechless, and empty. And it was obvious that those very words had ripped out his throat. He could not reply, nor could he find the strength to remind her of their past, their family. Him.

"I'm sorry. I must be going." The woman said, nodding rather quickly and tugging on her child's hand soon after, "Come on, Byunghun."

Then all surrounding noises faded, and Byunghun could only watch as the woman ducked out into the rain, keeping her child close to her at all times. 

Byunghun.

It was not him in her head anymore, but rather, a child who the blond could not recognize. 

He eventually began to step out. A voice called after him, but he still would not listen. He only knew he had to run after her. This was the sole reason for his will to escape. To find her, to feel the love of someone who had given him this chance to live. To feel human again. It was only a step or two out from under the ledge when the rain padded onto his shoulders, his hair, his clothing. Then something ruptured around his neck, causing his frame to immediately stir uncomfortably. He began to grasp desperately at the collar around his neck, trying his best to tear it away. But his fingers were still shaky, and his breathing was too frantic. He couldn't even see properly. Everything was a daze, and the world seemed to be spinning.

His eyes shut, and the next time they opened again, he was sprawled out across the concrete, gaze directed straight at the ledge overhead. His head was propped up on someone's lap, the person's features coming into vision only moments later. 

"How're you feeling?" Chunji inquired, gently dusting aside the blond's wet fringe with his fingers.

Byunghun responded with a groan followed by his gaze averting elsewhere to confirm his surroundings. They were still at the shopping center, in front of it, anyway. He stirred a bit, trying to ease the numb feeling away from his frame. And that's when he noticed how light he had become. There was no longer a collar circling his neck.

"Where-- What--" The blond huffed, glancing up at the , who shook his head, implying for him not to continue speaking.

"You went out in the rain. The collar's not waterproof. It reacted, and... yeah. The shock wasn't enough to kill you though. It was designed not to." His voice trailed, almost as if he regreted keeping the device on the blond, "Sorry. I was trying to tell you not to go out that far so I could remove it. But you didn't seem to be listening."

Silence fell upon the blond, recalling exactly why he was so distracted. 

His mother. And one glance in the direction she ventured off to signaled that she was no longer there. But he could still see her, engraved in every memory he had as a child. Even years later, he still recognized her. Yet, she couldn't. And that was the difference between his memory and others. This was why he couldn't run.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed the collar not too far from where they were situated, drying off beside them. His eyes then drifted over to the parked cars. The rain had left traces of itself everywhere, but it was no longer falling anymore. 

"That woman you went after... You know her?" Chunji asked after a few moments, when Byunghun seemed to be less groggy after the incident. The blond, however, didn't reply. There was no way he could, no words would be able to map out an explanation. She was his mother, and he, he was forgotten.

Then the blond sat up, pulling himself off of Chunji's lap. The , who was still evidently curious, had decided against further investigation. It must've been a subject to be left untouched. Byunghun's eyes fell to the floor as he twisted his frame around to face the other, a hint of anguish in his expression. His lips sealed into a thin line as his brows knitted together, as if he were trying to bite back some strange urge to yell, or cry. It was hard to tell.

But he managed to inhale, then exhale, and the skin around his eyes grew pink at just these two actions. But he wouldn't cry, he was mustering up all of his energy not to.

Yet he managed to speak in a shaky voice, trying his best to return to his normal state, "You can put it back on now... The collar."

Those words caught Chunji by surprise. It was unexpected, mostly from the male before him. The one who was determined to escape since day one. This was who Byunghun was. A freedom seeker. This was who he always had been. It was his dream to finally belong to himself again, but the sight before the , looked almost heart-wrenching. Just like that, Byunghun no longer wanted to taste freedom, no longer wanted to feel it.

Chunji's eyes shifted over towards the collar, staring at the device rather intensely. Was this what he wanted from the blond? To keep him under surveillance by a device that could only hurt him? Was Byunghun's enslavement what he wanted when he took up this job? 

No, it had never been what he wanted. There was a difference between what he wanted to do, and what he had to do. It was required, to keep Byunghun under his control, but to suppress him... That was not what he wanted.

"Okay." The began to move, and Byunghun's eyes fell shut, anticipating the moment it'd snap around his neck again. But he felt something else instead. It still circled his neck, but it was much lighter. When his eyes slid open, he noticed instead of the collar hugging his neck, it was the tag that Chunji had bought back inside of the shopping center earlier that morning. And when he lifted his gaze to look up at the , to question him as to why, Chunji only smiled, raking his fingers through the male's blond hair. 

"Come on. I can't carry all of these groceries myself." The pulled himself onto his feet, nodding towards the abundance of bags behind them. But Byunghun was still preoccupied by the tag circling his neck, tracing his fingers along the lace distractedly. His gaze fixed onto the collar, which hadn't moved since he awoke again. It was a strange feeling that had dawned onto him, all due to Chunji's generosity. The blond found his own cheeks heating up, his fingers still clutching the tag.

He had felt empty, for the longest time. In the lab. Even after.

But this time was different. He didn't feel empty anymore.

For the first time,

he felt human again.

A/N; I'M CRYING LMFAO. I actually put "Chanhee" in the whole story when I first published the chapter 'cause i was used to writing it in the other fic OTL But I fixed it now! Sorry about that!! Anywho, for everyone who likes On The Case, I'm adding a bonus chapter ^^ thanks to chunjixbyungie for the support!