I grumbled, sitting up and rolling out my stiff neck. My back was in knots from sleeping on the couch, and I stretched slowly before whimpering softly. Ravi was asleep on the floor, a book a few inches from his hands and a blanket tucked around his shoulders. I smiled softly, standing up and stepping around him, shaking out the rumpled clothes I had forgotten to change out of. 
    I stumbled into the kitchen, surprised to see a cup waiting for me in front of the already full coffee maker. There was a note next to it, and I picked it up slowly. 

Leo~
Went out for some groceries. Will be back by twelve. Breakfast is warm in the oven.
—Hakyeon 

    I opened up the oven, my eyes widening when I saw the two plates in front of me. They were heaped with food, and I pulled one out. Three pieces of toast, eggs, bacon, and a muffin stared back at me. My god, how much did Hakyeon think I ate? 
    I finished as much as I could, then woke Ravi and gave him his plate. He easily polished off what was left of my breakfast afterwards, and I curled up on the couch to read. 
    "Hey, when is Hakyeon-hyung coming back?" Ravi asked, walking over to sit down on the end of the couch. 
    "Twelve." I said, turning the page and stretching my feet out on the couch. Ravi nodded, munching a bag of chips, and I rolled my eyes. 
    "Hyukkie was gonna come over at one to play basketball; you wanna come?" Ravi asked. I nodded, deciding that a little bit of exercise would do everyone some good, and stood. 
    "I'll go grab a shower." I said, patting his head as I passed by and setting my book down on the coffee table. 
    It was 12:15 by the time I was finished showering and dressing in gym shorts and a tank top, and I walked out into the living room with an extra pair for Hakyeon. Ravi was asleep on the couch again, and the apartment seemed empty. 
    "Ravi. Ravi, wake up." I shook his shoulder, little tendrils of worry creeping through me. "Where's Hakyeon?"
    "He isn't back yet." Ravi yawned, rolling back over and pulling the blanket higher. I nodded, walking to the kitchen and examining the note again. 
    It said twelve, and I paced anxiously. He probably just got held up, or he had a lot to carry. 
    It was 12:30 when I grabbed my coat, pulled on sweatpants over my gym shorts and
laced up my trainers. 
    "I'm going out!" I called, hearing a sleepy mumble from the couch, and I closed the door behind me. 
    I kept my hands stuffed in my pockets while I walked, keeping them warm and wishing I had brought gloves. The snow was gone from the streets, but puddles had hardened into slippery ice patches that I avoided. 
    I walked through the store's sliding doors into a gust of hot air, and I started wandering up and down the aisles. There was no sign of Hakyeon, and I sighed in frustration. I stopped to slouch against one of the plastic doors in the ice cream area and checked the time, my anxiety mounting. 
    I would have to search everywhere now that I knew he wasn't in the store. Walking out into the cold air, my eyes widened when I saw Hakyeon walking in front of me. 
    "Hakyeon!" I yelled, worry rising in my veins. He turned, grocery bags swinging from his arms, and I ran to catch up with him. 
    "Leo?" Hakyeon said, a smile spreading across his face. I scowled, crossing my arms and glaring at him. 
    "Where the hell have you been?! It's 12:45!" I yelled, pulling out my phone to check the time and then shoving the screen in his face. 
    "I was just getting some stuff. Look, I got you a copy of the book you spilled coffee on." Hakyeon started, backing up a step and motioning to the paperback tucked under one elbow. I slid my phone back into my pocket, my eyes narrowed. 
    "You were supposed to be back by twelve!" I exclaimed. Hakyeon's own eyes narrowed and he straightened up, matching my glare. 
    "You're not my babysitter, you know." Hakyeon hissed. "I've been taking care of myself just fine before you came along."
    "You would be dead if it wasn't for me!" I yelled back. "What if those guys found you here and hurt you?!"
    "Would you stop rubbing my face in it?! I said I was sorry!" Hakyeon screamed, his cheeks flushing an angry red. 
    "I don't want you to be sorry, I want you to be careful!" I could feel my own face heating up, my voice rising uncontrollably. 
    "You know what, I'm done bothering you." Hakyeon dropped his voice, dripping anger despite its low volume. He threw the grocery bags down at my feet with an audible crash and glared at me, turning away. The book dropped onto the ground with a soft thump and he took a step forward, his shoulders hunched. 
    "Don't walk away from me!" I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist, and Hakyeon shook me off. 
    "Get off me, Taekwoon!" Hakyeon snapped, my real name dropping off his lips like a curse. I jerked back, stung, and Hakyeon turned and walked away. 
    I watched his leather jacket get farther away until I couldn't see it anymore, then looked down to the groceries at my feet. 
    Way to handle things, idiot. 
    I stooped down to sift through the packages of broken eggs, shattered glass containers of juice, and squashed packages of bread. There was a smashed box of cookies that leaked crumbs everywhere, and I threw it all in the trash can outside the store. 
    "Stupid, stupid, stupid." I muttered, sitting down on the sidewalk to think. I paged through the book slowly, touched despite myself that he had remembered. 
    I hadn't meant to to yell at him; I was just worried about him. What if the men who had stabbed him found him again and I wasn't there to help. And now he was heading back to that awful, unprotected house where he would probably be killed in his sleep. Or it would collapse on his head. Or he would fall through the floorboards.  
    I needed to find him. 
    I stood up, dusting off my pants and walking towards Hakyeon's old house. The thirty minute walk allowed me to clearly see the state of houses and buildings slowly getting worse until I reached Hakyeon's neighborhood, which was probably the poorest of them all. 
    I knocked on the door of his house, which creaked open slowly. Great lock, Hakyeon. Very safe. There was no answer, so I stepped inside slowly. The house was dim and covered in dirt, little specks of light shining in from holes in the roof. The floorboards were rotted and my foot went through one unexpectedly, sending me down on my knees with a crash. 
    I swore, trying to remember the last time I had gotten a tetanus shot, and slowly pulled my foot from the floor. It was coated in muck up to my knee and I curled my lip, trying not to imagine all the creatures that lived under the house since it had no foundation. 
    I limped over to the wall, feeling for a light switch. I was surprised to find one; I was less surprised when the lights didn't go on. How did Hakyeon even live here?
    "Don't ing move." 
    I froze at the low voice and the metallic click of a gun cocking, and turned my head slowly to peer behind me. The man behind me looked familiar, the gun wavering in his hands before he lowered it and smiled. 
    "Hey, mate." he grinned, releasing the primer on the gun and sliding it into his belt. His trademark cigarette smoldered between his lips, and I sighed in relief. 
    "Ken." I breathed, sagging against the wall. 
    "What are you doing here?" Ken asked genially, offering me a cigarette from his vest pocket. 
    "Looking for Hakyeon." I said, waving my hand in dismissal of the cigarette. Ken laughed, jerking his head towards the front door in a 'follow me' gesture. 
    "Come on, I was just heading down to the club to get ready. Hakyeon will be down there with Hongbin." Ken said, turning and not noticing when I scowled at Hongbin's name. 
    I followed him out of the house, my shoe squelching wetly with muck as I walked down the front steps. 
    "I'm a dancer, too." Ken was babbling, filling me in on his own situation. "Started dancing about seven months ago here, and told Hakyeon about the place."
    "So, you've known him for a while?" I asked. Ken chuckled, nodding, and raised the sleeve of his v-neck. 
    "Yeah. Hakyeon and I spent a brief—very brief, mind you—two months with a gang in a town a few hundred miles away. We decided to get out together, and we ended up in this part of town." Ken said, showing me the faint black tattoo on his shoulder. It was a pretty generic tattoo—a Borneo scorpion—and I nodded. 
    "I'm glad we got out, though. Hakyeon and I aren't gang types." Ken chuckled, and I knew he was right. They were both too bright, too innocent. Their naivety had a hard edge though; it was tainted.   
    "What are you wearing, by the way?" Ken asked, looking my outfit up and down with a grin. I realized how ridiculous I looked, with lumpy sweatpants from the basketball shorts tucked inside, and a thin tank top under a padded coat. Not to mention the slimy green muck covering one leg, and my hair that I hadn't brushed after my shower. 
    "Um...I'm not too sure," I started, following Ken around to a back entrance of the club. He led me confidently through dingy corridors until we reached the dressing room I had sat in before. 
    "I'm fixing it." Ken said confidently. I started to protest but found myself shoved into a chair while Ken dug through racks of clothing. 
    "I really don't think this is necessary—" I said, when Ken held out a pair of black jeans and motioned for me to change into them. 
    "Come on, let me have some funnnnn." Ken whined, pouting at me so sincerely that I sighed and stood up. 
    I reluctantly accepted the black bro tank Ken handed me, trying it on with the jeans, then shrank back when he advanced with a pair of scissors. 
    "What are you—" 
    "Hold still, I don't want to cut you." Ken ordered through the cigarette clamped between his lips. I froze, and he ripped long slashes in the shirt. He knelt in front of me, ripping out the knees of the jeans and tearing it up scandalously high, the muscles of my thighs clearly exposed. 
    "Hey, what are you doing?!" I shrieked, blushing and covering my thighs. Ken smirked, straightening up and grabbing my shoulder with one hand. He used the other to raise an eyeliner pencil to my eyes, and I pressed my lips into a frown. 
    Ken was careful not to hurt the sensitive skin around my eyes, blackening the edges and blurring them, making my eyes even sharper. I could feel him running his fingers through my hair, styling it, and fully submitted to his will. He reminded me of a housewife picking out clothes for her son, and I knew, as all sons do, that it's better to just hold still and pray for the end. 
    "There!" Ken exclaimed, sitting back and looking me over. I waited several seconds before moving, being sure he was done, and then looked in the mirror. 
    "I'll just get changed and then we'll head outside." Ken said, leaving me to stare at my reflection. 
    Ken knew what he was doing, I'll say that. I actually looked kind of decent, with tousled hair and kohl-rimmed eyes. 
    "I look like I just got out of bed." I said, turning to look at Ken. He finished shimmying into a tight tank top, giving me a grin that reminded me a tad of Hakyeon. 
    "Yeah, someone else's bed." Ken smirked, and my cheeks flamed. He buckled a band of black leather around one wrist and fastened an earring in the opposite ear, leading me out the door. 
    "Wait, I'm going out there like this?" I asked, looking at my legs. Ken chuckled, grabbing my wrist lightly and pulling me into the dim corridor. 
    "Come on, Hakyeon and Hongbin will have just started." Ken said, leading me towards the heat and music of the main club room. 
    I allowed myself to be pulled by him, stopping uncertainly at the edge of the crowd when he leapt up on an empty stage and started shimmying. He had a different feel for moving, but he was just as good. I turned my gaze to Hakyeon's stage, and felt my hands clench into instinctive fists when I saw Hongbin prowling along next to him. 
    I stepped closer to the stage, pushing through the crowd and barely noticing when the men and women there paused to look me up and down. Hakyeon caught my eyes and I saw a flash of anger narrow his, a scowl twisting his features briefly. 
    So he was still mad. 
    Hakyeon reached out, twisting one fist in the collar of Hongbin's shirt to bring him closer, running his fingers along his cheek. Hongbin arched his neck and Hakyeon ran his teeth along his skin, keeping eye contact with me the entire time. I scowled, crossing my arms and feeling my nails sink into the soft flesh of my forearms. 
    Hakyeon minced around Hongbin in catlike steps, trailing his fingertips over Hongbin's stomach, glaring at me while Hongbin mouthed at his jaw. Hakyeon's hands tangled in Hongbin's hair and he pressed his lips to Hongbin's, kissing him deeply. 
    I spun away and my heart lurched in my chest, my eyes finding Ken dancing alone. An idea hit me suddenly and I cast one last look at Hakyeon dancing behind me, a grim smirk tracing my lips. 
    Two can play that game.
    I jumped up on Ken's stage, watching his eyes widen questioningly. I reached out, trailing my fingers over his jaw and pulling his ear to my mouth. 
    "Do me a favor and just go along with it." I pleaded, kissing the skin over where Ken's jaw hinged. 
    "Alright." Ken murmured back, his fingers clasping around my neck. I nodded, looking over his shoulder to meet Hakyeon's eyes. 
    Hakyeon was glaring daggers at me, his eyes smoldering underneath the layers of kohl while Hongbin's hands grasped his hips. The music spun through me and made me giddy, my blood tingling through my veins. It was hot and my skin was slick with sweat, Ken's neck salty under my tongue. 
    I could see Hakyeon's own skin was shiny, and I turned my eyes away when Hongbin's hips rutted into Hakyeon's. Ken's leg was curled around my waist and I remembered this move from Hakyeon's first dance, supporting Ken so he could arch his back, leaving his throat open to me. I kissed his collarbones, feeling clumsy and new at this, and tried to contain my dizziness.   
    Dancing was a rush, and I could see why Hakyeon liked it. It was freeing, a way to just let go of myself and give in. 
    There was rough pressure on my shoulder and I could feel someone's fingers digging into the soft flesh. I turned my head, releasing Ken so he could drop his leg and straighten up. I found myself looking into Hakyeon's glare, his nose inches from mine, and I scowled back. 
    "Get out of my club." Hakyeon hissed, his fingers not leaving my shoulder. I raised my own hand, resting my palm on the crook of his neck and leaning in closer to get him to back up. 
    "Make me." I growled, not missing it when Hakyeon slid one foot behind mine, his hip brushing mine. He was trying to intimidate me, and I pressed even closer, 
    "Just leave. I don't want anything to do with you." Hakyeon murmured over the music, stepping behind me. His fingers trailed around the nape of my neck to my other shoulder and I shivered imperceptibly at the contact. 
    "I was having fun." I murmured back, his eyes holding mine. He smelled of smoke and musk and leather, and I inhaled slightly. 
    "Have fun somewhere else." Hakyeon suggested through gritted teeth, his leg twining around mine and his fingers slipping under the hem of my jeans. He tightened his grip, pulling me towards him, and his nails skimmed over my bare stomach. 
    "No." I grumbled back, my thumb resting on his jaw and my other fingers resting behind his ear. His gaze felt magnetic, pulling me back towards him every time he moved away. 
    "You don't belong here." Hakyeon growled, his teeth sinking into his lower lip as his eyes narrowed. I wondered dimly if he felt as starved for air as I did, my breath panting from my half-parted lips, and moved closer, our chests pressing together. One of his bare feet slid up my calf, halting on my uncovered knee. 
    "Then come with me." I said, a soft edge falling on my voice. Hakyeon looked startled by my sudden drop in the facade, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. I hoped for a second he would accept, but not before we finished this dance.  
    The second after Hakyeon's face lost its anger, it regained its hard edges and his mouth set. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed, his hand halting on its path to my collarbones. 
    "I don't need a babysitter." Hakyeon spat, stepping back and freeing himself from my hand on his jaw. His hands left me and he turned away, stepping smoothly off the stage and rushing towards the back room. 
    "Thanks," I hurried the word over my shoulder at Ken, jumping off the stage and landing in a crouch to absorb the shock. 
    I straightened up, hurrying after Hakyeon into the dressing room. He was pulling on his leather jacket and lighting a cigarette, his hands cupped around his mouth. His eyes flicked up briefly and then shot back down to his feet when he realized it was me, a puff of smoke spiraling up from his hands. 
    "Hakyeon, I didn't mean what I said. Please come home." I pleaded, feeling ridiculous in my torn shirt and ripped pants. Hakyeon ignored me blatantly, pulling on his boots and taking a gulp of water. I was thirsty myself, reaching out for a sip, and Hakyeon snatched the bottle away. He met my gaze angrily while he tipped the water out of the bottle, letting it splatter onto the ground before handing me the empty plastic container. 
    "Hakyeon. You know I didn't mean it." I said, sighing deeply. My god, he could hold a grudge. 
    "I'm not some child you need to adopt. I'm a grown man, I've been taking care of myself since I was seven years old. Just out, Taekwoon!" Hakyeon snapped.
    "I'm not trying to adopt you! I'm trying to help you!" I protested, my voice rising before I bit it back down.
    "And I don't need your help!" Hakyeon yelled, his voice cracking. I sighed, realizing he was absolutely firm in his desire to appear independent. 
    "Fine." I said, pulling on my padded coat and borrowing a pair of Ken's shoes he had pointed out earlier. 
    "Don't follow me home." Hakyeon snapped, grabbing his bag and throwing it over one shoulder. 
    "I'm not that desperate." I spat back, taking the back door outside to avoid him. I watched him exit the front door of the club, and he started walking in the opposite direction of his house. 
    It was here that I had a stalemate. 
    Either I followed his request, didn't follow him, and went home. Or I followed him, figured out where he was going, and made sure he got home safe. 
    To follow? 
    Yes.  

A/N:
Sorry this update is several hours late, I also wrote tomorrow's, so it took me longer XP 
I tried to play with the spacing for PandaxoxoDragon; let me know if this spacing was better, sweetie 
Please leave me comments on what you thought, I hope you everyone enjoyed the update <333333
Love you all!
—Sujin
Thank you!!