‘Oppa, I…I like you!’ a girl confessed to Eric Mun after she asked him if they could meet for a while after class. She had been liking the guy since the very beginning because of his easy going personality which both students and lecturers have loved. Eric scratched his head awkwardly. He always received these kind of confessions before but yet he still couldn’t get used to it.

‘I’m sorry, Ji Hyun but I don’t feel the same towards you’ he said cautiously although he knew that it would still break her heart. Feeling that someone was around, Eric turned his head to his right and smiled widely when he saw his friend, Shin Hyesung.

‘I don’t want to cheat on him’ Eric said fondly, never leaving his gaze from Hyesung. The said brunette guy who had a stoic look came up to them and quietly tugged on Eric’s shirt without saying a word.

‘Mianhe, Ji Hyun’ Eric smiled apologetically for the last time before leaving with Hyesung.

‘When did you arrive?’ Eric asked when they were far away from Ji Hyun was standing. He casually wrapped his arm around Hyesung’s neck while they walked as if he had done it a couple of times that it didn’t look awkward.

‘Just now. Did you wait long?’ Hyesung looked at him.

‘No. How was your recording going on?’

‘It was tiring, so I wanted to stop for today. And I want to see you’ he muttered quietly and tighten his grip when he held Eric’s shirt from behind.

Eric and Hyesung met at college where one was taking vocal and another was taking music production. They happened to meet when Eric helped Hyesung with his stuffs that he accidentally dropped at the hallway on the way to class. Enchanted by Hyesung’s beauty and quiet personality, Eric started following him around and never miss the chance to say that he had fallen in love with him.

(Flashback)

‘Stop following me around’ Hyesung said in his usual expressionless tone when he ‘bumped’ into Eric at the library.

‘Then stop ignoring me’ Eric pouted with his arms crossed. Hyesung never admitted this to anyone but the pout on Eric’s face really suited him.

‘Stop saying that you like me’ he finally looked at him.

‘But it’s true!’ he defended and continued, ‘I really really like you’

‘You don’t want to fall in love with a guy like me, Eric Mun’ he said coldly and left the library alone.

(Present)

Never encountered someone like Eric, Hyesung warned him to leave him alone and that he didn’t want to be friends with him nor everyone else but the taller guy was just too stubborn. That was when until Hyesung gave him a final warning because he was already starting to like Eric but was too afraid to give him his all to the guy.

(Flashback)

‘If we’re together, I’m not going to let you go. Even it means that I will to kill you if you decide to be with someone else’ Hyesung looked at him coldly to show that he was serious with his words.

‘I guess I would have to kill you too if you decide you want to be with someone else’ Eric smiled at him which made him confused, was Eric just playing along with him or was he just joking.

(Present – 2 AM)

Ring… Ring… Ring…

‘Hello?’

‘Eric… Help me, please’ a soft voice was heard from the other side of the line.

‘Okay’ he replied gently before hanging up.

Eric walked up to his closet and used his strength to push the closet to the side, revealing a built-in safe. Entering the code, he took out all of his items inside and put them inside a plastic bag that he also kept inside. Before leaving his small apartment, he immediately received a text from the receiver.

(At an abandoned house)

‘Hyesung’ Eric called the said guy’s name when he saw Hyesung standing emotionlessly beside Ji Hyun who was covered in her own blood. She laid on the ground motionlessly against the wall with her eyes opened, looking into the thin air. Hyesung didn’t speak a word, only shifting his gaze from Eric to the late Ji Hyun back and forth. Eric already wore his gloves before he arrived and then he walked up to Hyesung and took the knife he was holding away from him and put it inside a plastic bag.

‘Let’s go’ Eric said after he carried Ji Hyun in his arms and gestured the brunette outside the house. They walked quietly into the woods and after finding a perfect spot, Eric made sure that Ji Hyun was fully wrapped to avoid any blood stains on the ground. He put down Ji Hyun and leaned her against a tree with Hyesung standing beside her. Using a shovel he brought, he started digging up a hole that would fit perfectly for Ji Hyun.

(Flashback – 2 AM)

‘Hello?’ Eric answered with his sleepy voice. He mentally cursed at the person who called him in the middle of the night.

‘Come here’ Hyesung said and instantly hung up.

‘Huh?’ he blinked his eyes in confusion and looked at his phone curiously. A minute later, he received an address from Hyesung, feeling that Hyesung might be in trouble, he changed his clothes and rushed out from his apartment.

(Gyerim Forrest)

‘What the hell is he doing here?’ Eric muttered. He looked around but he saw no one, so he went inside the forest while calling Hyesung’s name.

‘Hyesung! Hyesung!’ he called loudly.

‘Eric’ Hyesung suddenly appeared behind the tree slowly.

Eric’s eyes widen when he saw Hyesung’s bloody clothes, ‘Hyesung! Are you okay?!’ he rushed towards him and checked if Hyesung had any injuries on his body.

‘Come with me’ he took Eric’s hand and walked further inside the forest.

Although it was very dark, Eric could see something or someone lying on the ground due to the moonlight. When he walked closer, he immediately recognised the girl. He knew her from the club was joined in and if he wasn’t mistaken, her name was Kwon Minyoung.

‘She’s dead’ Hyesung blurted out but there was no sympathy in his voice.

‘Because you killed her?’ Eric looked at him but he didn’t look scared nor furious.

Hyesung slowly nodded his head, ‘She liked you’ he stated and walked towards the motionless body to touch her but Eric slapped his hand away.

‘Don’t touch her anymore. You would leave some evidence on her’ he warned. Hyesung was stunned when he said it because he didn’t expect the answer from the taller guy.

‘What was wrong if she liked me?’ Eric raised his eyebrows.

‘I don’t like it if someone likes you’ he said without looking at him.

Eric stood in front of the brunette and leaned forward to push Hyesung’s chin with his hand to make him look at him, ‘Why?’

‘Because I like you and you’re mine. I hate to share you with other people’ he said directly but thanks to the moonlight, Eric could see Hyesung’s faint blush on his cheeks.

(Present)

‘I’m done’ Eric announced after he had buried Ji Hyun and Hyesung’s bloody clothes inside the hole he made. After he found out about Hyesung’s habit, he made a mental reminder to buy Hyesung new clothes every time after his killing spree.

‘Do you hate me?’ Hyesung asked after he got dressed.

‘Why? Do you?’ he looked at him.

‘I love you so much, Eric Mun’ he confessed shyly.

Eric smiled fondly at him. To other people, they would describe Hyesung as a quiet person because he didn’t talked much but to Eric, Hyesung was the opposite because whenever it was just two of them, Hyesung would talk to him with such honesty, always said things that were on his mind. Eric didn’t want to brag but he understood Hyesung the most because not only he understood what his mouth was saying but he also understand what his eyes were telling him. And he was proud of himself because of that.

‘I love you too, Hyesung’ Eric leaned in to kiss the shorter guy on the lips. As usual, it tasted sweet and addictive.

‘Let’s go home okay’ Eric looked at him with the same smile he had whenever he was with Hyesung.

‘Hmm’ he nodded and let Eric pulled him out from the forest with their intertwined fingers.

XXX

*Shin Hyesung, a rising singer, finally conquered the music charts for this month!*

All the news about Hyesung slaying the charts with his debut song were spread through the campus the very next day and when Hyesung arrived at the campus, he was surrounded by his college mates that he didn’t never noticed before.

‘Congratulations, Hyesung-sshi!’

‘I listened to your new song and it was daebak!’

‘You’re my new favourite singer!’

Hyesung wasn’t used to the instant fame just bowed his head politely and muttered a few thank you, ‘Thank you, everyone’

Then he heard someone calling his name out loud, ‘Excuse me! I want to see my Hyesungie!’

When the figure managed to squeeze himself through the crowd, he instantly grabbed Hyesung’s hand when he saw a chance and ran away with him. They stopped running when they were at behind the college old building.

‘Sorry I had to kidnap you, Mr. Popular’ Eric teased with a smug look on his face.

‘I don’t like it’ he said truthfully because he was suffocating earlier, thank God for Eric for rescuing him.

‘Come on, don’t be like that! It’s good that they like your song right’ he gave some encouragement words. Hyesung just nodded his head.

‘As my congratulatory gift for you…’ he dragged his words while he rummaged some things inside his bag. He grinned widely when he saw what he was looking for and handed it to Hyesung.

‘It’s corny, I know, but I hope you like it’ Eric smiled embarrassingly. Hyesung looked at his hand and saw a keychain that had his name on it. If you looked very closely, you could see Eric’s initials. Hyesung was about to ask if Eric had it too but when he saw Eric’s own keychain, he didn’t.

‘See! I got mine too!’ he said excitedly.

Hyesung stepped closer to Eric and hugged him tight, ‘I am……happy’

‘Of course you are’ he said gently and they stayed like that until Hyesung had to go for his class.

(After class)

Eric had told Hyesung that he would be waiting for him, so as soon as he was done, he started looking for the taller guy. At the hallway near the exit, he saw Eric talking to a girl. They looked like they already known each other but Hyesung didn’t recall seeing the girl on campus before. Although he didn’t like seeing Eric with anyone else other than him, he didn’t stop him from being friends with them because he already accepted the fact that no one could resist his lover and he was proud of that.

‘Eric’ he called out quietly when he approached them.

Eric turned and smiled widely, ‘Hey, Hyesung. I want to introduce you to my childhood friend, Jimin. She just enrolled here because she used to stay in US before this’ he explained. Hyesung could see that Eric clearly was happy to see his friend again, so Hyesung would make an effort to be nice to her, to treat her as a friend.

‘Hello, I’m Kim Jimin’ she smiled lovingly at him.

‘I’m Shin Hyesung’ he said politely.

Jimin then looked at Eric, ‘Eric-ah, let’s go eat lunch together!’ she suggested excitedly.

‘Sorry, Jimin’ he scratched his head awkwardly, ‘I’m going out with Hyesung. I want to celebrate his success today’ he said apologetically.

The girl pouted and gave a side glance at Hyesung, ‘Aww, it’s okay then. We’ll go out next time’ she smiled.

‘Alright, Jimin’ he sighed in relieved. Waving his hands one last time, he left as he held Hyesung’s wrist while walking away.

‘You can go lunch with her’ Hyesung blurted out all of the sudden.

Eric halted his steps and looked at him before knocking his head, ‘Don’t say things that you don’t mean it’

‘Okay’ Hyesung replied. He was actually glad that Eric understood his real meaning but telling him that lie was just because he wanted to be more open to let Eric hangout with his friends without him.

Jimin had been following Eric around the campus with the excuse she wasn’t familiar with the place yet but it had been going on for weeks. Hyesung didn’t say anything because she didn’t look like a threat to him although he had a feeling that she wasn’t fond of the brunette’s presence around Eric especially when the taller guy always prioritised Hyesung over the girl. It wasn’t until Hyesung texted Eric about their tomorrow’s date.

*Eric… Are we still going out together tomorrow?*

He only waited for a minute to receive a reply.

*Sorry, Hyesung, but I’m meeting Jimin… I’m very very sorry! :(*

Hyesung raised his eyebrows but nonetheless, he replied back.

*Oh okay. This weekend then*

*Araso~~*

Hyesung didn’t like it but didn’t take it personally. Seeing that he didn’t have any plans, he can do all the important stuffs he had to do tomorrow. That way, he won’t be wasting any time.

(Next day)

Hyesung had planned to write some songs for his next song because he was planning to sign a contract with companies that would recruit him. So he had to be prepared, leaving no mistakes. He was about to leave the campus until Eric called him.

‘Hyesung!’ Eric called loudly.

Hyesung turned around to see his boyfriend running towards him and from the look on his face, Eric looked angry.

‘Hmm?’

‘Where the hell do you think you’re going?’ he crossed his arms to demand some explanations.

‘Home. I want to write some songs’ Hyesung managed to say calmly although he was a bit scared as to what made Eric angry because it was rare to him see in that state.

‘Didn’t you forget that we have a date’ he raised his eyebrows.

Hyesung’s eyes widen in surprised and Eric noticed that but took it in a wrong way, ‘You forgot, didn’t you?’

‘No, I remembered. But you texted me saying you’ll be going out with Jimin’ he said truthfully, hopefully that his boyfriend would believe him.

‘What?’ he gave him a ridiculous look, ‘Why would I spend my time with my friend when I had promised to go out with you?’

Hyesung didn’t say anything and took out his phone to show him the text from yesterday. This time it was Eric’s turn to have his eyes widen.

‘I didn’t send that!’ he defended himself. Hyesung looked at him and simply shrugged his shoulder as he put his phone back inside his pocket.

‘It must be Jimin… I should talk to her and tell her not to touch my phone’ he hissed. Hyesung didn’t like to see Eric angry, no matter if he was angry at people Hyesung didn’t like.

Hyesung held his hand as comfort and gave a small smile to him, ‘Let’s go on a date, Eric’ he said gently.

‘Okay’ he sighed and messaged his temple with his other hand.

‘Let me buy you an ice-cream’ Hyesung said innocently.

Eric chuckled lightly at his remarks and instantly all of his anger disappeared, ‘Okay, babe’

(A week later – 2 AM)

Eric was staying up that he didn’t realised it was getting late until he received a call. Knowing who it was, an instant smile was plastered on his face.

‘Hyesung?’ Eric said and was already doing his “normal” routine by pushing his closet to the side.

‘Eric… Help me, please’ Hyesung’s usual melodious voice echoed from the other side.

‘Hmm, I’ll see you later babe’

(At an abandoned factory)

Since there was some light inside the factory, Eric could see Hyesung standing with his head looking down at someone who was lying on the cement floor. He whistled when he walked closer to see Jimin who had been stabbed multiple times, worse than other girls Hyesung had killed.

‘It took you awhile. I thought you would be killing her last week, I was waiting for your call you know’ Eric joked but Hyesung didn’t say a word. He shifted his gaze from Ji Min to Hyesung only to see Hyesung’s shaking hands and it made him worried instantly.

‘Hyesung, are you okay?!’ he asked.

‘I-I am’ he nodded.

Without wasting any time, he disposed the body and killing weapon professionally including Hyesung’s clothes inside the forest not far from the factory. An hour later, Eric returned to see Hyesung standing at the same spot when he first arrived. He gently placed his hands on Hyesung’s shaking hands and gripped them tightly.

‘What’s wrong, Hyesung? Tell me’ he asked softly.

‘I’m sorry…’

Hyesung never apologised after killing but maybe since this was actually Eric’s childhood friend, it affected Hyesung a little bit.

‘Is it because she’s my close friend? You don’t have to say sorry, Hyesung-ah…’ he placed a soft kiss on Hyesung’s forehead.

 (Flashback)

‘Hyesung, are you free now?’ Jimin suddenly appeared from nowhere. She looked different than usual days where Hyesung would see him, today it was as if he was seeing the real Jimin. All fierce and intimidating. Seeing that Hyesung didn’t answer, she led him to a secluded area where no one would hear them.

‘What’s your problem?’ she asked as soon as they were alone.

‘Hmm?’ he couldn’t really understand her question.

‘What’s your relationship with Eric?’

‘Lovers’ he replied truthfully as he didn’t see any reason to lie.

‘I’m not going to beat around the bush anymore. I’m calling you here to say that no matter what I’m going to make Eric falls in love with me’ she said seriously while throwing glare daggers at him.

‘No, he is mine and I trust him’ he replied calmly although he felt his anger was rising.

‘Don’t worry, honey’ she smiled sadistically, ‘I’m not going to let that happen’ she said arrogantly and left after purposely bumping into Hyesung’s shoulder harshly.

(Present)

‘She told me the same things like the other girls but she was different. She was your friend and I promised to myself that I would be nice with your friends although I didn’t like it and still don’t but when she said she wasn’t to give up, I couldn’t take it anymore. I trust you but I don’t trust her. I’m scared if she managed to take you away from me’ Hyesung had already started shaking and tears streaming down his face. It was Eric’s first time seeing Hyesung cried and he hated it so much that he felt he should be the who was supposed to kill Jimin for making Hyesung like this. He knew how Hyesung tried hard to supress his psychopath persona which he managed to supress it successfully all these years but when someone provoked him, he couldn’t take it and Eric understood that about him.

‘Hey, I’m not letting anyone take me away from you. And I would make sure that no one would hurt you like this. Please promise me that you would talk to me. I hate it if you hide your feelings away from me’

‘Okay, Eric’ he nodded and wrapped his arms around Eric.

‘I love you, Hyesungie’ Eric brushed the brunette’s soft hair gently.

‘I love you too’ he hugged him tighter. Finally, he had nothing to be worried anymore. Eric was always going to be there for him and in return he too will always stay beside Eric. Until they die.