Black spots swimming on his vision as he finally was able to open his eyes again. He tried to shake his head to clear the spots, but a throbbing pain on his head made him stop and shut his eyes again. Something warm dribbled on his cheek, which he suspected was blood. He tried to move, but he realized that he was tied to a chair. A small whimper escaped from his lips before he could help it.

 

“Oh, you’ve woken up.”

 

The familiar voice had Key shot his eyes open despite of the pain. The black spots were still there, but he quickly blinked them off and noticed a streak of purple resting on top of a rather pretty face with heavily kohl-lined eyes.

 

“B-Baekhyun?!”

 

The drug dealer smirked, a sly, arrogant smirk which contrasted greatly with his pretty face. “Yeah, it’s me. Guess you never expected it, huh?”

 

A mix of confusion and anger flashed through Key’s face. “B-but why…?”

 

Baekhyun scoffed. “What’s the most reason uttered when people find themselves in a situation like this?” he asked cynically. “Revenge, of course.”

 

“Revenge?! But what did I do wrong?!”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes went darker. “What did you do wrong, you ask?! You claim people’s lives on daily basis, including my brother’s, and you never think that’s wrong?!”

 

“Your…brother?”

 

“Remember Kim Joonmyun?”

 

Key blinked as his mind replayed the scene from a few weeks ago, when he and his bodyguards caught Joonmyun hiding inside his wardrobe and shot him dead. “H-he’s your brother?”

 

“Not my biological brother, but he might as well is.” There was a bitter smile on Baekhyun’s face now. “When I lost my family, he took me under his wing and gave me a home. He cared for me and taught me everything I know. He even named me as his heir and successor! He was the only one I had, but you ripped him off from me, ending his life as if he were just a slaughter-pig! So I have to end yours.”

 

That actually wrenched Key’s heart, but he had more important matters in mind right now. “Where’s my brother?!”

 

Again, a scoff. “Psh, as if you actually care about him.”

 

“I do care about him!” Key yelled. “He’s the only reason I joined the gang, the only reason I did all the murders, including your brother’s! I don’t care what are you gonna do to me, just don’t hurt him!”

 

Baekhyun shrugged. “I don’t know. He isn’t here. It wasn’t me who took him.”

 

“You little b-“ Key was about to lunge to grab Baekhyun’s neck, only to slump back to the chair thanks to the ropes tying him up.

 

Baekhyun smirked and grabbed Key’s hair, yanking him backwards. “It seems like you haven’t realized your position here, Kim Kibum-sshi,” he said sweetly. “You’re the overconfident mafia gang member no more. You’re just the ordinary man Kim Kibum, with no bodyguards whatsoever to cover you up, and no lousy boyfriend nor stupid diva act.”

 

“…Stupid diva act??”

 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you haven’t realized it.”

 

Key blinked again as realization dawned on him. The eyecatching purple hair, the childish attitude, and the safe deposit box hidden behind a poster…they’re not meant for disguise purposes. Instead, Baekhyun wanted to make himself seem as naïve and oblivious as possible to get rid of Key’s suspicion towards him, while secretly calling the cops to catch the feline man. And when the first attempt failed, he now kidnapped Taemin and took Key as a hostage…for what?

 

“What will you do to me?” Key asked.

 

“Oh, nothing,” the purple-haired boy said casually just as three other boys walked inside and stood by his sides. “I was just told to bring you here and maybe torture you a little bit, and then they’re going to do the rest.”

 

Key’s eyes widened. “They?! Who do you m-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

 

Key’s words were cut immediately as the three newcomers suddenly started hitting and punching him. The feline man bit his lower lip to keep himself from screaming again as more assaults rained down on him. Tears started to collect in the corner of his eyes but he held them back with all his might. These people might use his body as a punching bag but he wouldn’t let himself look weak in front of them. Never.

 

“Harder,” Baekhyun said lazily. “I want him to know at least half the pain I felt when Joonmyun-hyung died.”

 

“You know, you may torture me and kill me, but the cops will find you soon,” Key managed to croak between the assaults. “I have an appointment with my boyfriend tonight and he’ll be worried if I don’t show up. Then he’ll break inside my apartment and find the note you left on my fridge and call the cops to come here.”

 

Baekhyun burst out laughing. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

 

“Of course he will. You don’t know him.”

 

“Do you, Kibum-sshi?” Baekhyun shot back.

 

Key was too disturbed by the continuous punches to answer.

 

Signaling for his three bodyguards to stop attacking Key, Baekhyun started pacing back and forth. “Let me tell you a story, Kibum-sshi,” he said, a creepy smile on his face. “I assume that your lovely boyfriend Jonghyun has told you about his younger brother, Jongdae?”

 

Key nodded slowly, confusion written all over his face. What did Jongdae have to do with this?

 

“Well, he used to be a part of your gang,” Baekhyun said. “He went by the name Chen.”

 

Key’s eyes and mouth went wide open at the revelation. He knew that name well. No wonder he felt familiar seeing Jongdae’s face in Jonghyun’s photo…

 

Chen was a member of SHARP who entered probably one and a half years ago. But one day Key figured that he was actually a spy from Secret Military Enforcement or SME, South Korea’s military intelligence agency. To say Minho was pissed at this revelation was even an understatement. Chen was dragged to the dungeon, tortured, starved, before subsequently killed.

 

“And I might have leaked your background information a bit to him,” Baekhyun continued, still smiling. “Now he knows who the person he’s dating actually is. He knows that you caused his brother’s death. He will hate you.”

 

And Key knew Jonghyun would. The feline man looked downside, eyes blurred with tears. He knew how Jonghyun would feel. Even now he himself felt like killing the one who kidnapped Taemin, so the dino man should be feeling worse. Maybe he was even happy that someone else was willing to kill Key.

 

The three bodyguards had started hitting Key again, but he almost didn’t realize that. His body and mind felt numb, partly because of the extent of the assault and partly because of the thoughts about Jonghyun. Maybe it’s better like this, he thought dully. Maybe it’s better for me to die, to pay for my mistakes I’ve done as a part of SHARP… For Baekhyun, for Jonghyun, and for anyone else I have unintentionally caused the death of their beloved family members…

 

Suddenly, there was a sound of gun blasting followed by a scream, snapping Key out of his reverie. He immediately caught the sight of Baekhyun, rolling on the floor, holding his bleeding legs. Then his eyes travelled upwards and a small gasp escaped his lips.

 

Jonghyun was standing on the door, pointing a gun at Baekhyun’s direction. His eyes were hard and passive, a bit like Kai and Tao’s when they’re on duty, but there was something else in Jonghyun’s that made him different. Sadness? Disappointment?

 

“J-Jonghyun,” Key breathed in disbelief.

 

Jonghyun didn’t say anything, he didn’t even look at Key. Instead he looked at Baekhyun who was still crawling on the floor. “You’re fired.”

 

Despite of the pain, Baekhyun still managed to scowl. “Who needs your money anyway?” he hissed. “Johnny, Taeyong, Hansol…kill him!”

 

The three bodyguards pulled a gun from each of their jackets and started shooting at Jonghyun. The dino man ducked and slid himself towards them, trying to shoot their legs. His bullet pierced one bodyguard’s knee, making him crouch down and howl in pain. Using the injured bodyguard’s back as a footing, his legs flew and kicked another bodyguard’s head so hard until he fell on the floor, unconscious. The last one tried to run away, but Jonghyun stopped him too with a shot on each of his shoulders.

 

Only then Jonghyun finally looked at Key, the hardness on his face melted into an expression of concern. “Oh my God, Bummie, are you okay?!” he asked worriedly, fishing a small knife from his jacket pocket and starting to cut the ropes tying the feline man up.

 

Key was too delirious to answer, partly because of the pain and partly because he still couldn’t believe what he just saw.

 

Once the ropes were untied completely, Jonghyun quickly picked Key up and walked outside, casually passing the still squirming Baekhyun and his bodyguards. A black Mustang was parked in front of the building. Carefully lying Key on the backseat, Jonghyun hopped on the driver’s seat and sped through the streets of Seoul.

 

“J-Jonghyun.”

 

The dino man looked around and was surprised to see Key trying to sit straight in his seat.

 

“Bummie, don’t get up yet. You’re still weak, and they’ve injured you so badly,” Jonghyun said, trying to push the feline man back slowly.

 

Key shook his head stubbornly and still struggled to get up despite of the ache on every inch of his body. “I-I just want to tell you something. I-If you want to kill me, just do it now.”

 

It took a few seconds for Jonghyun to process Key’s words. “Kill you? Why should I do that?”

 

“T-that’s why you s-saved me, right?” Key whispered, once more trying his best to fight his tears. “Y-you hold g-grudges at m-me for causing your brother’s d-death, and now you’re g-going to a-avenge him yourself?”

 

Jonghyun’s expression softened. “Oh, Bummie,” he said, as gently as possible. “I’m not going to take revenge on you. I’m really not.”

 

“L-liar.” A single drop of tear ran down Key’s left cheek. “You know who I actually am, and what I’ve done! I killed your brother, Jonghyun! Well, not directly, but still, he died and it’s all because of me!! You can’t possibly say you’re not angry at me...”

 

Jonghyun sighed and parked his car on the roadside, unbuckling his seatbelt. Slipping himself to the backseat, he pulled Key into his embrace. The feline man immediately burst into tears. Jonghyun gently Key’s hair, letting the moisture from the younger’s eyes wet his shirt.

 

After a few minutes, Key finally quieted down.

 

“Done crying?” Jonghyun asked softly. “Will you listen to me now?”

 

Key nodded, too tired to do anything else. Besides Jonghyun’s embrace was so warm.

 

Jonghyun took a deep breath. “A few years ago,” he started, “both Jongdae and I trained to be agents of SME.”

 

That explained Jonghyun’s great fighting skills.

 

“I was better than him at fighting and anything related to physical activity, but I couldn’t act to save my life, while it’s Jongdae’s specialty,” Jonghyun continued. “So when finally we were accepted as agents, he was the one sent to infiltrate SHARP. I objected at first, thinking it was nothing but a suicidal mission, but he assured me that he’d be okay.”

 

Baseless confidence, Key wanted to say, no spies has ever come back from SHARP alive – but he knew it’s no use saying that now.

 

“Long story short, he did his mission, and I didn’t hear anything from him for a few months. Then, one day, a package was sent to us – and Jongdae’s body was inside, mutilated.”

 

Key shut his eyes tight.

 

“I fell in depression. I couldn’t sleep nor eat for days. I couldn’t think of anything else but Jongdae, and I doubled up my training in the hope to take SHARP down.” Jonghyun paused for a few seconds. “That’s until I found a letter from him.”

 

“A...a letter?”

 

“Yeah. Somehow Jongdae had felt that his mission there didn’t go the way he wanted it to be, and he had written a letter for me a week before his death. He told me many things that I shall not discuss here, but in the end...he said he wanted me to quit SME.”

 

Key’s eyes shot open and stared at Jonghyun’s in disbelief. “W-what?!”

 

“Yeah,” Jonghyun sighed again. “I couldn’t really remember the exact thing he wrote, but he said that SHARP was strong, even stronger than we predicted, and we wouldn’t be able to take them down with our current resources. He also said that he loved me, and he wanted me to live a long happy life without having to worry about mafias and drug dealers and wars and so forth, that’s why he urged me to quit, and if possible, pursue a career in music.”

 

Key bit his lower lip.

 

“Can you imagine how hard it was for me?” There was bitterness in Jonghyun’s voice now. “Nothing I wanted more but to avenge Jongdae’s death, yet he himself didn’t want me to? However, I tried to respect my brother’s last wish. I resigned from SME. I bought a nearly bankrupted café and had it rebuilt into Bling Bling Café.

 

“It wasn’t easy. It was never easy. But as time passed, I eventually moved on.” Again, Jonghyun took a deep breath. “I’ve come to terms with his death now. I can’t really say I’m in peace with SHARP, of course, I’m still hoping they will be overthrown someday, no offense…but I understand now that deaths may happen every time. Jongdae’s is just the risk of his job.”

 

Key didn’t dare to breathe. “S-so, you’re really not going to kill me?”

 

Jonghyun smiled tenderly at the frightened feline man. “I’m really not going to kill you, Bummie,” he stated, cupping Key’s bruised face with his hands. “I love you. Besides, I knew you’re a part of SHARP since the very beginning…”

 

“W-wait. You’ve known?! How?” Key asked incredulously.

 

Jonghyun pointed at the small tattoo on Key’s wrist. “That.”

 

Key heaved a deep breath. Right, how could he forget?

 

“I will be frank to you, when you barged into my waiting room the first time we met each other, I saw your tattoo and I was intrigued,” Jonghyun admitted. “That, and also the fact that you sounded so genuine, refrained me from turning you to the cops. I never had the chance to get close with a SHARP member before, and I was curious whether all of you were cold-blooded killers like everyone in SME said. So I saved you – and then I heard your phone call with your brother inside the storage room.”

 

“Ah…when Taemin asked for my permission to have a sleepover on his friend’s house?”

 

“Yeah. Of course I don’t know exactly, but it sounded just like that. Well, when you talked to him, I heard worry and nervousness in your voice…and I could conclude nothing except that you loved and cared about him very much. I thought, a pure cold-blooded killer wouldn’t have such feelings.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“Uh-huh,” Jonghyun nodded. “So I believed that you’re not truly evil, and before I knew it…I’ve fallen for you. All those moments we spent together, the song I sang for you on our second meeting, the rescue mission I did today…it’s all the expression of my feelings towards you.”

 

Key smiled and leaned towards Jonghyun to kiss him. Jonghyun kissed him back, and for a few seconds they stayed in that position, enjoying the private palace of happiness they built together.

 

“Can I drive again now?” Jonghyun asked, sliding back to the driver’s seat. “They might’ve come after us and we have to reach a safe place before it happens.”

 

Key nodded and slid himself to the front passenger’s seat, next to Jonghyun. “Sure, go on.”

 

For a few seconds, they drove in comfortable silence, Jonghyun concentrating to the road and Key looking outside.

 

That’s until Key spotted a familiar building on the distance that had him sat straight.

 

“Jonghyun,” Key said, hands shaking slightly, “where are we going?”

 

Jonghyun blinked . “I’ve told you. We’re going to a safe place.”

 

“And where is it?!”

 

Jonghyun hesitated for a while. “I-I don’t know. The person who helped me to find you told me to bring you here. He said he’d prepare plane tickets for us…”

 

“…Who is this person, Jonghyun?”

 

“I didn’t get his name, but he introduced himself as your friend. He’s tall, quite built, with small face and frog-like eyes…”

 

Key’s eyes widened in horror and suddenly he found it hard to breathe.

 

The letter taped on his fridge had SHARP’s mark on it. Baekhyun wasn’t a part of SHARP. That meant the purple-haired boy wasn’t the mastermind behind all of this. And didn’t Baekhyun say that he was only assigned to torture Key, and then they would do the rest? So they worked with Baekhyun, since both had the same aim to get rid of Key, and even tricked Jonghyun to ‘save’ and bring Key right to their nest!

 

“Jonghyun,” Key said, “don’t stop here. Keep on driving. Please?”

 

Jonghyun looked utterly confused. “Why?”

 

“Because it’s a trap!” Key yelled. “Don’t stop! Just drive!”

 

“No, it isn-Kibum, what are you doing?!”

 

“You don’t know what you’re doing, Kim Jonghyun!!”

 

“Let go of the steering wheel, Kibum! You’re going to get us killed!”

 

“We might as well be if we fall into their hands!”

 

“Kibum, let me expl-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

 

As Key tried to turn the steering wheel, Jonghyun hit the brake roughly. As a result, the car swiveled and crashed to an electric pole.

 

Right in front of SHARP Pencil Factory.

 

~~~

 

 

 

 

 

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