If we deny love that is given to us, if we refuse to give love because we fear pain or loss, then our lives will be empty, our loss greater.

The party was just as intense as Jongdae had expected. His house was filled with friends and family there to celebrate Minseok's twenty fifth birthday with cake and music. Chanyeol never left Seung's side, and, for once, she didn't mind. The others softly cooed nearby because of the happy ending that they all wished for. All except Sehun, who was too busy eating the snacks to really care that much.

Minseok's mother shows up and she hugs her son and his husband, but goes off to the rest of the crowd.

"Who are all these people?" She asks quietly.

"Mom, this is Seung, Chanyeol, Junmyeon, Yixing, Luhan, Yoora, Baekhyun, Zitao, Yifan, Yunjin, Kyungsoo, Sehun, and Kai. They're friends." He greets, taking his time to remember the large mass of people. Baekhyun happily waves at her and the rest bow in respect, making him follow along quickly. Mrs. Kim narrows her eyes in a predator-like fashion on Baekhyun and he seems to get nervous.

"Minseok, you have such attractive friends." She comments and glances over everyone. They disperse uneasily and Sehun goes back for more food with Minseok, who enjoys the treats Jongdae ordered from his shop under a fake name. No wonder he couldn't come home on time after a request for forty of each types of cookies and other confections they served.

Chanyeol has them shuffle into the kitchen, still stuck in their permanent embrace - his arms wrapped around her and his face sunken into her neck. She could barely look over his shoulder enough to see where they were going, but he takes a yakwa off a plate and hands it to her, making her smile warmly.

Baekhyun yelps from somewhere in the house, and then the sound of Mrs. Kim laughing follows.

"I got him!" She announces and Baekhyun rubs his behind where the older lady d him. His face gets red from embarrassment and he scampers away to hide behind Chanyeol and Seung in the kitchen. Chanyeol lifts his head and laughs at the other man in distress, and Baekhyun keeps an eye out for the mother with his hands over his .

"Mom!" Minseok whines from the living room, Jongdae's arm over his shoulder. The younger snickers and snuggles his nose into Minseok's cheek in his amusement. Sehun and Luhan scurry away backwards when Mrs. Kim starts walking towards them, running away with their hands covering their behinds. She smirks and follows them with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"You can't expect me not to have a little fun in my last days." She complains and Minseok slumps his shoulders.

"You're only fifty two. It's not your last days." He objects and she smiles pleasantly.

"You're so good to me." She replies and grabs his right cheek in her fingers, giving it a squeeze. He smiles from the affection, but then she snaps her gaze over at Yifan and smirks again, "Oh, I haven't touched the tall one yet."

"Mother!"

Jongdae leaves his husband and bumps Seung with his elbow, gesturing to the mother and son.

"I told you she was funny." He comments and she scrunches her eyebrows.

"When did you say that?" She asks.

"In the chat, when you asked about Christmas. I said something about amusement when males are around." He reminds her and she thinks, then her eyes widen and she nods.

Jondae's phone goes off and he takes his time to pull it from his pocket, looking at the caller's ID with a sigh. He swipes his thumb across the phone and presses it to his ear to answer.

"Yes?" he asks with slight impatience. He shifts his height on his feet, then his eyebrows go up, "Really? Where? We'll be there in a moment."

He hangs up and rolls his eyes.

"What?" Seung asks and Jongdae smiles at her.

"Looks like we've been called in. I'll fill you in when we get in the car. Let's go." He explains. Seung tries to move towards him, but Chanyeol hangs on.

"Chanyeol, let go." She orders, but he shakes his head and snuggles to her closer.

"Can I come with?" He asks, trying to look cute. Seung raise an eyebrow and struggles more to be released.

"No, this is business." She insists, but he hangs on anyway. Jongdae sighs.

"I suppose we could fit him in the back." He suggests as he starts to walk towards the stairs. Chanyeol breaks out in a huge smile and Seung huffs as she walks towards the door, Chanyeol walking with her.

"You're going to need to let go." She reminds him and he shakes his head.

"I said I was never going to let you go and I'm not starting now." He promises.

They make Chanyeol stay in the car when they drive to the crime scene and get their FBI marked jackets on to ensure their admittance in past the police tapes. people from the labs were already taking pictures of everything as they scan the area, looking for details. Yifan appears in his car with Zitao, since he left around the same time they did from the house.

They duck under the tape and SEung makes her way for the body, letting Jongdae speak with the lab peoples and the other two do what they want. The woman who died was twenty three year old Kwon Chohee. She was wearing a waitress uniform that was stained in several areas by her own blood. The only thing relevant about the staining was one word written in the middle of her abdomen.

ATOB.

She didn't know what it meant just yet, but it was a clue, or warning of sorts. All signs point that this killing was done of purpose and right in the open. They wanted them to find her here and read the message. It was for Jongdae, she just knew it. They still weren't completely sure that she was part of this case now, but soon they would. She was putting a lot at risk to take up such a case, but Jongdae knew this before he did, so she didn't hesitate.

He walks over when she stands back up and kneels down like she previously was. He looks over the body and then stands, doing the same actions as Seung. She thinks to herself more about the letters, and thinks about how they could relate to Jongdae in any way. Something inside her brain clicks and her eyes widen.

"What do you think?" He asks.

"Minseok's in a lot of danger." She grits out, giving him a side glance. He furrows his eyebrows.

"What makes you say that?"

"A-T-O-B. Sound familar?" Seung asks, turning to look him in the eye. He shakes his head.

"Should it?"

Seung sighs.

"A Taste of Baozi. They're targetting the shop." She explains with deadly seriousness. Jongdae places his hands on his hips with a faint smile.

"See, this is why you're on the case with me."

Seung rolls her eyes and goes over to talk to Yifan about her suspicions. Jongdae looks back at the car to see Chanyeol pressed against the window with curiosity. The ta