He should’ve known it. The Checkmate killer was highly intelligent; there was no reason for his brother to be any different. Changmin had understood from the beginning what the detectives wanted, and he had made his point clear. Eunhyuk had understood too, because now he was clenching his fists under the table to try not to lose his calm. Donghae was impressed by his efforts, and he knew it was now his turn to show who they were. The brunet made a hand movement to invite the boy to sit again, which he did.

“So I guess we should stop playing games now?!” Eunhyuk said very calmly.

“You’re here to ask informations about my little brother aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because we think he is the Checkmate killer.” Donghae blurted.

Both the boy and Eunhyuk gasped, probably not expecting Donghae to tell the truth. His partner turned to him, clearly not happy.

“Are you out of your mind?! Why did you tell him?”

“Because I think Changmin, here, was also suspecting his little brother for a while now. And he is going to help us.”

Changmin frowned and winced in disgust.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’ll never help you and betray my brother!”

“You’re not betraying him you’re saving him!”

But Changmin didn’t want to hear about it, and he crossed his arms over his chest, clearly playing the silence card.

“We need you… Changsoo changed names and was very smart to hide his tracks and past. You’re the only one who can identify him!”

Still not a word. They wouldn’t go anywhere by confronting him. So the brunet thought about another way…

“You said that the prosecutor couldn’t know what you lived… well, I can! Because I’ve been through the same.”

Both of them were now looking at Donghae with curiosity. Eunhyuk tried hiding it by staring straight in front of him, but the brunet could feel that he was listening with attention. It was something the brunet had never told anyone, because of course he was ashamed of that tainted past, but right now… He needed to share it.

“Our stories are the same.” he started. “At fifteen my dad, my oldest brother and I got into a car accident, our dad didn’t make, I was only fifteen years old. After that we were put under the care of our mother who I hadn’t seen since my birth… And she wasn’t warm, and she wasn’t nice. The rare times that I saw her after we moved in, was when she was passed out drunk on the couch.”

Now Eunhyuk was looking at him. He didn’t know what expression the detective was wearing because Donghae kept his eyes fixed on Changmin, who was attentively listening. Maybe Eunhyuk expected him to break while telling his tragic past, but Donghae wouldn’t. Because even if he remembered every single detail of that miserable past, it couldn’t hurt him anymore. He continued.

“My brother eventually had to quit school and start working to feed me, and all I could do was be good in class to make him proud. Then one day I came back home to find her… with one of her clients.”

He fell silenced and no one said a word, not sure if he was done. Finally after a few minutes, Changmin dared to speak.

“Your mother was like mine…” he let out in a whisper.

“Yes she was a e.”

Another silence. Changmin seemed to be thinking about something.

“Did your brother… did she made him do things?”

Donghae wasn’t expecting this question and he didn’t know how to answer. He understood what Changmin meant by “things”, he asked his brother about it before, and he said no… but doubt and fear still remained in Donghae’s heart. He was the one who started this “honesty” thing, so he had to go all the way with it now.

“He told me she didn’t, but I really don’t know… Like you, the goal in my brother’s life is to protect me.”

Changmin nodded, as if he agreed. Sensing he was going in the right direction the brunet continued.

“Like I told you, I did everything to make my brother proud, because I owed him so much. And I now your little brother was a bright kid, with a future ahead of him. But he quitted school at sixteen…”

Seeing Changmin’s surprised, and almost horrified, expression, Donghae understood that he didn’t know that fact. So whether Changsoo had never told him, or what the reception lady said was true, and he hadn’t had visit for years now…

“He quitted school and he gave up on that future that you provided for him. He didn’t respect your sacrifice.”

The boy didn’t seem to be listening to him anymore. Then again he looked up with curiosity.

“How did you do to end up so well?”

“We ran away…”

Donghae was sad suddenly, he saw in Changmin’s eyes that he saw this story as how his life could’ve turned out differently, but unfortunately reality was much more ungrateful.

“What happened to you was an unfortunate accident… if shouldn’t have gone down this way.”

Changmin shook his head. “It couldn’t have gone any other way.”

He had said it in such a serious tone. It was sad to know he thought this way, but anyway he was right about one thing, regrets wouldn’t change the facts or what happened.

“Anyway, you understand why I told you all that don’t you?” Donghae asked.

Changmin nodded. But then his answer was different from what Donghae had hoped.

“I do… And if you lived the same as me then you should understand that I can’t help you.”

Next to him Eunhyuk seemed to be losing patience.

“Alright let me say it differently: your brother is a killer.” he snapped.

“You have no proof.”

“We actually have plenty! And I could rub it in your face until you believed me, but I don’t think I need to do that… You know who he is… What he is! You’ve always known.”

Changmin looked down. Donghae was surprised how someone like this boy ended up in prison, because he was a very bad liar, or maybe he was tired of lying. Either way it was their chance.

“Your little brother hasn’t come to visit you for years now.” Donghae tried. “You think he is grateful for your sacrifice? If he was he wouldn’t be wasting it by killing people.”

“You don’t understand…” Changmin said. “He was such an adorable kid. He was so full of energy and he was always ready to defend the weak. His dream was to become a detective like yourselves… But this accident… this single accident changed him for life.”

The young boy had trouble talking now, a lump clearly stuck in his throat.

“When I refused to take a client she would burn Changsoo’s skin with the tip of her cigarette, a way of forcing me to do what she wanted. But that night when I refused, she didn’t burn my little brother…”

Tears started streaming down his cheek.

“That night she decided to punish my refusal differently. She wanted to make it a show, and she did…” Changmin looked up at the two detectives, a certain defiance in the eyes, like if he dared them to pity him. “She molested me in front of Changsoo. An