He didn't stop. Even when he felt the pain on his right shoulder that he had bumped on the tar road when he tackled the shooter onto the ground. Using his own weight to pin the taller guy, he got a tight grip on the wrist of the hand that was holding the gun. Mir growled and slammed the hand into the coarse road until about three times that the gun finally fall out of the shooter's grasp.

Rolling off of the offender, Mir took the hold of the fallen gun and directed it right in front of the guy's eyes which had widened in alarming size. "How dare you!" Mi seethed, venom dripping in his voice as he slowly got back up on his foot, the barrel still pointed accurately to the other's face.

The stranger held up his hands in defeat, fear visible in his eyes. "What did I do?" He asked innocently.

Mir cocked the gun in his hands as warning. "You!" He gritted his teeth. "You shot my horse." 

The stranger's adam apple bobbed up and down as he gulped loudly, eyes travel to the fallen animal. "It's you horse?" Mir didn't answer. His eyes were sharp and blazing with red anger. "I... I can explain." Mir narrowed his eyes and his finger moved a bit, over the trigger. "I really can explain!" The guy quickly said in rush.

"Talk." Mir used low and threatening tone. 

The stranger released a relief sigh as he sat from his lying position, hands still in the air. "I-I saw that guy fall off the horse." He started, puckering his lips towards Nickhun whom Mir just noticed was lying unconscious on the road. "I was trying to help, but the horse started to attack me. He was trying to kick me dead, so I had to. I was panicked. I just had to." The words he spewed was fast and was in one breath.

Mir stayed quiet for a while before he finally threw the gun back to the guy without any words. He walked to Max and the white fur. "Maxie..." He called softly. The horse blinked it's eyes, long eyelashes fluttered with each move. Mir's eyes moved down to the bullet wound. Too late. It was too late and he had to watch his horse's one last final breath as its eyes closed tightly and for forever. Closing his own eyes, Mir leaned his forehead into the dead horse nape in grief. He lost yet another friend... Why did he always fail to protect the ones he cherished? Why...?

"I'm sorry. I guess the horse thought I was going to hurt that guy. I shouldn't have shot it, but believe me I have no choice." Mir ignored the apologetic tone in that voice. Well, he completely ignored the person itself as he pulled away from Max and walked in fast pace towards the still unconscious Nickhun.

Mir struggled to carry the tall and more built guy. The stranger tried to offer his help to Mir, but it was like he wasn't even visible in Mir's eyes. Mir acted like his words, his voice, were merely breeze passing by his ears.

"Let me help." He tried again.

But Mir, yet again ignored the guy. With few more struggles, the boy finally able to hoist Nickhun onto his back and he brought the injured guy into the convenient store, ignoring the fact that the killer of his horse still was following him like a lost puppy.

Mir went outside again. He scanned over the large dead body of the white horse. He wanted to bury Max, but he didn't think he had enough power to actually dragged the heavy dead horse for a proper burial. But, Mir was still Mir. It didn't matter if his power was too small compared to the task he wished to do by himself. He would still keep trying.

Mir pulled Max with so much difficulty but the still body only budged by an inch. 

"It's too big. Too heavy. Leave it there." The stranger tried again.

Mir gritted his teeth. Why was this stranger won't just piss off and leave him alone? Inhaling and exhaling, he again ignored the stranger and kept pulling on Max though it looked in vain.

A hand on Mir's shoulder and Mir immediately slapped it away thinking it was that stranger's hand. The hand that had killed his Maxie. "You really are Mir!"

At that loud voice, Mir finally looked up and his jaw opened in surprise. "Jinwoon?" Mir asked, seeing how the other's small eyes turned into small slits with his wide toothy smile.

"Mir!" The boy shouted and tackled the mentioned boy into a bone-crushing hug. "You're alive!" He exclaimed, only tightening his hold onto the smaller boy.

Mir groaned as he was having difficulty breathing, being crushed into a hug by the buffed boy. "Let me go." Mir pushed against the other's waist as he croaked out hardly.

"Oh! Sorry. I got too excited." Jinwoon grinned sheepishly and let the smaller boy go.

Mir peered over Jinwoon's shoulder and saw the killer of his horse was still there, watching over the small reunion. Mir's wide eyes flickered back and forth from Jinwoon to the stranger, quickly deducing that the two boys knew each other.

"Leo and Hongbin are with me too." Jinwoon continued. He saw how Mir was looking past him and he turned back, realizing the guy Mir had been looking at. "He's one of us too. He's Seulong." Jinwoon introduced. "Seulong hyung, this is Mir. He's from the group I was in before."

Seulong smiled and held out his hand for a handshake, but Mir just turned away coldly, eyes wandering around the area for something to help him with his work.

The smile faltered from both Seulong's and Jinwoon's lips. "Mir?" Jinwoon called, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way Mir was treating Seulong.

"It's okay, Jinwoon. I killed his horse." Seulong admitted in a whisper so Mir wouldn't hear. "Can you call the others? We need to help him bury his horse."

Jinwoon nodded understandingly and went jogging behind one of the building before he came back with several other guys.

"Mir hyung!" Hongbin exclaimed in happiness at the sight of the older boy. He ran to the boy and wrapped his arm around the unsuspecting boy.

Mir smiled and patted Hongbin's arm, signalling for the younger to release him which the younger complied easily. Smile still plastered on his face. Mir saw Leo was standing not far from him with several more boys which Mir never seen before in his life.

"Is Sanghyuk here too?" Mir looked away from Hongbin. Face darkened with unsettled emotion. Only a quiet understanding 'Oh' came out of Hongbin's mouth as he could hear the silent answer from Mir. His own face darkened at the thought of his beloved dongsaeng. "You promised you would protect him." Hongbin said with a small voice. He didn't mean to put the blame on Mir, but his heart was aching. And having someone to blame made it a little tiny bit easier.

Mir closed his eyes, feeling like the words had turned into a dagger that plunged so deep in his heart. It was his fault. He knew it was his fault. He had promised but he couldn't keep his own words. And it was him who had fail. It was his fault.

Leo came forward and put a hand on Hongbin's shoulder. "It's not his fault." He said quietly to the shorter boy and turned to Mir. "It's not your fault." He repeated, trying to convice the younger. But Mir didn't believe that. It was his fault.

A soft hand reached Mir's in a tender hold. "I'm sorry, hyung. You must have been the one hurt most." Hongbin said slowly and Mir could only replied with a bitter smile. As bitter as his heart.