Sungjong shut his eyes and allowed Myungsoo’s heat to take over his body. At the same time, Sungjong raised his hands and gently placed them over Myungsoo’s arms.

Sungjong was waiting for Myungsoo, who was checking out of Ryosuke’s room. While he was waiting, Sungjong took out his phone and checked the time on it. He wasn’t sure if Sungyeol knew about him deciding to stay or whether they were no longer part of the yakuza gang. But Sungjong was almost positive that any news he told Sungyeol would be acceptable by the younger male.

Myungsoo approached Sungjong and wore a smile. “I’m done, should we go on a date? You’re probably hungry right?” In Myungsoo’s hands was a business card.

“What’s that?” Sungjong asked, eyeing the card.

“This? The lady at the desk gave it to me. She said it’s her business card.” Myungsoo explained, Sungjong look over and noticed how the lady at the front was looking at them, mainly at Myungsoo. Sungjong cursed himself for being blind, he had forgotten how handsome Myungsoo was.

“Throw it away.” Sungjong said, Myungsoo look up at him in confusion.

“Why? It’s a business card.”

“Exactly, you no longer have any business here so get rid of it.” Sungjong said, Myungsoo smiled at Sungjong’s actions.

“Are you jealous?”

The younger frowned, “Fine, keep it. Stupid fool.” With that Sungjong stepped out meanwhile Myungsoo pocketed the card and followed him out. Outside Myungsoo noticed Sungjong standing near the street, looking up at the clear sky. Sungjong’s profile was still just as beautiful as Myungsoo recalled the moment he set the camera on the lad. Myungsoo walked over and slip his hand into Sungjong’s who looked down at the sudden contact.

The taller intertwined their hands and brought it up between them. “Let’s hold hands while crossing, in case a car tries to run me over again.”

Sungjong kept his eyes on their hands for a moment before looking to Myungsoo. He noticed how Myungsoo was still smiling, he has never seen Myungsoo smile so much in front of him. When the light turned green and people began crossing, Myungsoo was about to cross but was held back as Sungjong didn’t budge. The photographer turned his attention around to face the shorter man. “What are you doing? The light is green,”

“What do you think you’re doing holding my hand in public?” Sungjong asked, Myungsoo blinked at the man’s question.

“Why can’t I? Aren’t we a couple now?" Myungsoo took one step closer to his lover, "And, didn’t I say that if we hold hands I won’t get run over by any passing cars that comes out of nowhere?” Myungsoo asked. Sungjong breathed a short-lived smile.

“A couple,” The younger repeated in a soft tone. In which Myungsoo nodded once to before speaking again.

“Yeah. Let’s go—” Myungsoo stopped himself when he noticed their turn has passed. “I guess we will have to wait again.” Myungsoo said, watching as cars pass by. Before he knew it, Sungjong was already pulling him elsewhere.

Myungsoo was familiar with the neighborhood immediately. Sungjong has led Myungsoo back to his old studio. Without waiting for Myungsoo’s reaction, Sungjong made his own way in. When Myungsoo walked into the dusty room just seconds after Sungjong, he noticed how Sungjong was standing in the middle of the room. “Why did you bring us back here…?”

Sungjong scanned the room and noticed how everything was or has been eaten by dust and mold. “Let’s stay here.” he said.

Myungsoo breathed a soft smile, “Sure, we’ll clean it and stay here.” Myungsoo still couldn’t read Sungjong, sure it felt warm to have the pretty man so close, but something about Sungjong seemed off. Sungjong didn’t seem happy and bubbly like before.

The Sungjong who used to be a phone maniac barely look at his phone. The Sungjong three years ago wouldn’t think twice before going into a question and answer session or speaking his opinions so openly. The Sungjong three years ago called Myungsoo’s studio shabby and dirty, but now he’s suggesting they stay there. “Sungjong.” Myungsoo said, earning a glimpse from the prettier man as he turned halfway around. “If we’re going to stay here, we’ll have to make it suitable as a place to live. So—” Myungsoo stopped himself when Sungjong showed no response to his suggestion. Then he built up his courage to continue, “If we’re going to get new furniture, let’s get one bed for us.”

Sungjong revealed only a soft smile before scanning the room again.

“Is something bothering you?” the former owner of the studio asked.

“It’s just….Now that I think about it, we rarely spend any time here. I thought that if we came back, maybe older memories would come back to me. But back then you spent a lot of days away from here and we barely got to see each other.” Sungjong said with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Myungsoo tried to keep the atmosphere bright by breathing a relieved smile, “It’s alright if you can’t recall any good memories here. We can always make new and better memories.”

Sungjong hummed and in a sluggish voice said, “You’re right.”

Sungjong was cleaning up Myungsoo’s set into boxes, ready to store it elsewhere. As he stood up with the box in his hand, he turned around to see Myungsoo standing right in front of him. Myungsoo grabbed onto the other corners of the box, closing the object between them. “Sungjong, you still haven’t agreed to go on a date with me.” Myungsoo said.

“Isn’t this already a date?” Sungjong asked, Myungsoo heaved a sigh.

“A date should involve romance and only time to ourselves. Right now all we’re doing is cleaning, so how is it romantic or any time to ourselves?”

Sungjong waited a moment before answering. “Then, just make it romantic as we clean.”

“How?” Myungsoo asked dumbfoundedly.

“Here.” Sungjong said before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss against Myungsoo’s full lips. Myungsoo who had become frozen due to the sudden contact, stood still. Meanwhile Sungjong pulled back and smiled a little. “There, you should be fine for a few more minutes.” But before Sungjong could fully leave Myungsoo’s sight, the latter removed his hands from under the box and grabbed onto Sungjong’s face. Where he aggressively planted a deep kiss on the pretty man’s lips. Myungsoo had his arms around Sungjong’s waist, by breaking through the space between Sungjong’s body, arm, and the box in his hands.

As Myungsoo pulled Sungjong closer, he was also pressing their abs against the box. Sungjong broke away from the kisses first as he turned to drop the box against the ground, then quickly he was back in Myungsoo’s arms, with wet kisses all over him.

Sungyeol dealt the cards and laid one out before the elder. “There! King, hearts!” He cried, the old man chuckled a little.

“When did you learn how to play with card tricks?” He asked. Sungyeol was back with the homeless and entertaining the small crowd with his talent.

“When I was younger,” Sungyeol first answered with a big smile before explaining, “my mom was busy and my dad died early so I started playing with cards, then I went online and taught myself how to do magic tricks. I learned it without any teacher or seeing others do it in person, aren’t I cool?”

“Sure.” The elder chuckled and soon the others around joined him. Then he leaned forward and closer to Sungyeol. “Is Sungjong, your leader, okay now? You never told us who those bad people are.”

Sungyeol revealed a weak smile, “He’s alright.”

“And how about you? Don’t you got anything better to do than to hang out with old homeless like us? You’re still young so you should use your time wisely and become someone better than us.” The elder said with a serious tone. This time Sungyeol thought for a moment with an emotionless face, then a small smile was drawn on his face.

“I’ll keep that in mind, elder.”

“You’re not going?” Sungyeol asked through the call, only to hear Sungjong’s hum. “Why?”

“We’ve been taken off INFINITE’s group registration, Sungyeol. But if you return to Japan, please look after our mom’s grave.”

Sungyeol sighed, “Fine, but let’s meet first.”

“For what?”

“Just, for the last time.”

A moment of silence filled the air. “I’m at Myungsoo’s studio.”

“Alright.” Sungyeol said then hang up.

Myungsoo look down to Sungjong who was under him, and they were both shirtless. “Was it your brother?”

“Yeah.” Sungjong answered before pushing Myungsoo off him in order to sit up on the couch. Sungjong ran a hand through his hair and scanned the room quickly. “Why don’t we get back to cleaning?” Sungjong asked before moving away from Myungsoo. Sungjong picked up his same ripped shirt and threw it on, he heaved a heavy sigh before stepping forward to pick up the same box from before.

Myungsoo watched for a moment before following the lad, where he toss his own shirt on and see to what needed to be done.

When Sungyeol finally arrived, he succeeded in talking only to Sungjong outside. “What did you mean we were taken off as members of INFINITE?”

Sungjong had his eyes focused on Sungyeol and hands in his pocket. “Yamaguchi was refused to any kind of imprisonment. You and I cannot beat him, Dongwoo said Yamaguchi cannot remember who I am. So the only way to safely escape from any group of danger or yakuzas is now.”

“But you said he was the reason behind mom’s death? So why aren’t you even going to give it a try—”

“Because it’s for yours, Ryosuke, Myungsoo, and my sake. I cannot risk our lives any farther. Plus we have no place in the world of yakuza.”

“How can you say that?” Sungyeol asked getting worked up.

“I’ve only came to the conclusion of it just recently. From the beginning I was no use to Yamaguchi, my talent was lacking compare to the rest of his men. Also I am from South Korean descent, joining the yakuza as a full blooded South Korean man was my mistake. As for you, you may have had a chance but to protect you, as mother has asked of me, I made the final decision to stay. If you want to return to Japan then do so, you know fairly well where it’s safe and where it’s not. I just ask that you don’t continue getting into the career as a yakuza underdog.” Sungjong said and explained. In the process Sungyeol has finally calmed himself.

Sungyeol breathed a short smile. “Since you’ve already made your mind I guess there’s no point in trying to change it. But don’t worry, I didn’t want to work for them anymore if you weren’t there either. Besides, the elders at the homeless place from last time told me to make use of my youth. So I’m going to put my skills into good use and become a national magician. I’m going to learn of all the tricks out there in the world and I’m going to master them all.” Sungyeol spoke with determination though the path he has chosen was a long one to reach.

“Then, take care until I see you next time.” Sungjong said.

Sungyeol flashed him a wider smile. “When we meet again, brother, I’ll show you my medals for winning in competitions.” Sungjong hummed with a nod.

Mom, you did well raising Sungyeol. I have failed to avenge your unfair death as your oldest son. But I’ll make it up to you by choosing this different way of lifestyle. You will be fine by it, right mom?

Sungjong watched as Sungyeol walked away. Then from beside him, he noticed Myungsoo creeping up to his side. Sungjong revealed a short smile without eyeing his lover. “Is your brother leaving already?” Myungsoo asked. Sungjong only hummed thus Myungsoo continue, “I wonder, who took after your mother? She must have been a pretty woman as she has pretty sons.”

Sungjong finally eyed Myungsoo like a hawk. “Do you want to die?”

Myungsoo flinched a little at Sungjong’s sudden threat, “W-why?”

“Sungyeol looks just like my mother. Call him pretty again and I’ll really—”

“You must feel a lot better now that you’re threatening me.”

“What?”

Myungsoo folded his arms over his chest, “Because your new and gangster self tends to snap back but rarely threatens. But that was the you that wouldn’t accept me then.”

“What’s your point?”

Myungsoo shrugged, “That you've really accepted it and will stay beside me for the rest of our lives.”

Sungjong frowned. “Don’t get carried away, if you do something I do not like then I’ll run away just—”

“You won’t be able to,” Myungsoo cut the pretty one off, “because you just can’t get rid of a shadow that easily.”

Sungjong heaved a sharp sigh, “Still can’t believe I let you win me over with unrealistic pick up lines.” Sungjong was about to walk away when Myungsoo stopped him.

“Unrealistic?”

Sungjong spun around on his heels. “Exactly.”

“What do you mean unrealistic? A shadow is always attached to—”

“Pathetic fool. I meant how can someone with a shadow himself becomes someone else’s shadow? You’re being unrealistic.”

Myungsoo breathed an amused smile, “That’s why. I can’t be your shadow honestly speaking, but I can act as your shadow.” Sungjong had no comments and thus continue making his way into the studio. Myungsoo soon followed, keeping his smile.

Meanwhile Sungyeol peeked from around the corner. Once the two lad were gone from his sight he flashed a sad smile. Then he pocketed his hands and there he pulled out a pair of black mittens. “Goodbye brother.”

A/N: So here's the epilogue for some of you~ I hope the epilogue was alright, I cursed myself for a cliffhanger but mehhhh you'll all forgive me right? xD Ta-ta for now! If I happen to have a MyungJong story in the future, I'll be sure to invite you all! (A.K.A post an update chapter here xD)