All that he can hear was Hongbin's scream.

 

Ken woke up at an unusual time, snapping his head at one side to look at Yoojin who was charging herself near the nightstand, the LED glowing on her shoulder. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his throat feels dry, as he try to gather up the things in his dream.

In fact, he was not scared. He's well, or maybe well in his own opinion, and Yoojin's alive in another form. But what sends chills down his spine is the irony that he saw Hongbin alive in his dream, but not in human form. Instead, he showed up as his reflection in the mirror.

 

The reverie was actually the time when Ken does his daily routine before sleeping. As he dried up his face, the towel slid off his hands and a Hongbin stained with blood showed up in the mirror, his own reflection gone. He can't move a single finger, as he stare at a hopeless friend in front of him, like a soul looking for something. Ken couldn't have noticed it but tears were actually flowing down Hongbin's eyes, washing out some of the blood coming from a head blow.

Don't be like me. They'll kill you. He could barely hear Hongbin's whisper, but he had the instinct that something wrong was going to happen. The reflection abruptly changed as it shows the picture of the laboratory, Hongbin's still standing there, then someone pulled his late friend away from the mirror. Ken wanted to run away from the scene but his feet felt like it was glued on the floor, as he watched the black man slit Hongbin's throat slowly, giving strings of pain that makes Hongbin scream in pure agony.

 

And that's how he got up from his slumber.

 

He sighed heavily, the cold AC air hitting his face, before trying to drift off again. But he couldn't. There's not much time left before authorities barricade the city when they find out what he did. And what could have been the message Hongbin was trying to relay on him was something that Ken should find out before anything happens.

 

All that he knew was Yoojin's safe, and that's a relief.

 

---

 

"Do you think he already left?" N asked Leo.

The other was working on his files, his eyebrows furrowed on the question. "Yes. Or maybe no. That punk is unpredictable." Leo took a glance at the man in front of him. "You could try using his GPS if the idiot's not turning it off."

 

It's been days since Hyuk stormed out of the conversation, not even sparing time to talk to his hyungs. N thought it would probably be better not to involve the youngest anymore, and the rest should plan the next move as soon as possible before Ken totally lose himself.

 

"I'm sure he turned it off." N sighed. "Is there any other way?"

"Have you tried?" Leo stopped typing, raising a brow.

"Ravi tried."

 

Leo turned again his attention on the screen, leaving N hanging for a while. Hakyeon scratched his head in frustration. For years that he had been with Leo, he got used to his cold approach towards everybody. He rarely sees his friend smile or even laugh, and he thought maybe Leo didn't even laugh hysterically throughout his own existence. "Hey." N called again. "Aren't you suggesting any other ways?"

"I'm doing something, boss." Leo blankly said. "You should go back into your office and do your work. Let's talk about this later."

 

N felt that somehow Leo was absolutely making his way into the plan, as he look at Leo's expression, a crooked smile already tugged on the other's stone face. Not wanting to disturb the latter again, N quietly left the room.

 

 

The black car stopped at a familiar structure not that far away from the city's enormous walls. It was not the typical abandoned place in horror movies, it looked like uninhabited for years but it managed to have its former glow, yet a hint of gloom is still lingering in it since the doomsday years ago. "Are we going to tell Hyuk about this?" Ravi asked from the backseat, his hands clawing on the black leather.

N shook his head. "It would be better for him. We'll be sure he's safe. And besides he's angry at us. How would he agree with this?"

"But he also had the right to know." The other still argued.

"Drop it." Leo spoke, fiddling with the seatbelt. "Hurry up or we'll get in deep trouble."

 

 

The three got out of N's car, the cold breeze welcoming them with a sharp blow. Leo started walking towards the rusting gate, the chain chiming as it hit the metal bars. There was no padlock, the chain is just hanging on one side, and it seems that someone had been there after the place closed. He knew it. Ken had definitely gone there.

 

 

Hongbin's workplace is like any other laboratories in the city. The parking lot was there, the familiar glass door was still shattered, the same way it was destroyed during the operation. The only thing that would probably be different is the hall cleaned up from blood, and the absence of electricity. N's forehead creased in confusion; he didn't expect the place to be so dark, the only thing that gives them light aside from their flashlights is the moon's rays hitting the place.

 

 

The actual lab was on the second floor. They chose to keep their steps quiet, N leading the way towards the stairs. Once Leo's skin came in contact with the railing, the freezing surface sent chills down his spine, as the place slowly brings back the horrible time when he was with the others to hunt Hongbin down. Shaking his thoughts off, he used his willpower to go on.

 

 

As N's feet landed on the second floor, a dark hall appears right before them, leading to a metal door, dimly lighted by the moonlight from the window. N started to feel something on his gut, he definitely knew that it was the guilt stabbing him repeatedly for not doing anything to save Hongbin before. He tried to swallow the lump forming on his throat but it almost choked him. Ravi was the one who took the lead this time, Leo following suit.

 

"Hakyeon-ah." Leo called, turning to see N not even moving from his place. "We should go."

 

N's trail of thoughts were cut off, nodding at Leo. He reached where Ravi was standing, who was looking at him. "I think he was not able to relock the door." The younger whispered, his hands already pushing it open.

 

The pure memory flashed back on his mind as the familiar ambiance hit Hakyeon again. He knew how broken Hongbin was, and he can't deny the sympathy he gave the other before, and the irony that he was one of the people who tried to kill Hongbin was dragging him like chains and choking him like a spiked collar around his neck. It became easy for them to infiltrate the room, but they didn't expect it to be covered with pure melancholy and loneliness. Everything felt so heavy, as Leo took a deep breath and started rummaging into things. Ravi started to look for the circuit breaker to regain power, but the wire will not work with any remedy anymore. He spotted a familiar thing, which gave a little light of hope. "We only have thirty minutes." Ravi said. "I'm going to turn the generator on."

N held tight onto his sweater, the flashlight in his hands was directing towards a familiar machine. "This thing actually worked?" He asked, walking towards it, then running his hands on its cold metal robotic arms.

 

A light suddenly flashed out of a screen, catching Hakyeon's attention. He darted his gaze towards the terminal, Leo facing it while typing something. "It did." Leo confirmed, his eyes on the machine beside N. "Step aside. I'm going to test it. There's no time left."

 

 

The lights went on but in its dimmest mode, as the machine clanked and started whirring. N took a step away from it, watching its pointed arms hit on sheets of iron and claws handling wires and sensors. Leo continued to manipulate the terminal, typing as fast as he could before the generator runs out of energy.

 

It was not easy to hack into anything. Leo couldn't find any way or any modern tactic to hack more of Ken's codes easily, and the last thing he wanted to do was to use the old manual way. He knew it would probably be Ken's idea to make it hard to understand.

 

"Are you done?" N asked, still looking at the machine.

Leo shook his head, still slamming his fingers hard on the keyboard. "He had his own notations." He quickly explained. "I can't understand his pseudo-code either."

 

After some time, the lights went dimmer again. N was already panicking inside, he's nervous for Leo who was still on the computer. Just before everything went off, Leo abruptly stopped the process, a slight, but meaningful smile forming on his face.

"Her neck." He said. "We should hit her neck to destroy her."

 

---

 

Unfortunately, Ken couldn't go farther. He can't hide Yoojin all along, the security system is no joke and they can't escape through the enormous electrified walls. All that he can do is just to stay at an abandoned home far from the gate, with Yoojin whom he forbids to go out.

 

It's been long since Yoojin got some fresh air. That was not necessary, but she likes it and her body oddly wanted the breeze to hit her skin again. She peeked through the door, looking at Ken who was busy tying up his shoes. Yoojin slowly walked up in front of her lover.

 

 

"I'm just going to buy some supplies." Ken said, a smile forming on his face. "Stay here, okay?"

"C-can I join you outside? I'm bored." Yoojin softly pleaded, her artificial eyes blinking slowly.

"We talked about this, right?" Ken grunted, standing up to get his coat on the hanger. "You can't go out. It's dangerous."

"But why?" The robot still argued. "You are still not telling me the whole reason. We should do things together, right?"

"I'm just protecting you, okay?!" Ken burst out, almost yelling at Yoojin who was taken aback by his words. He stormed out of the house, the door slamming shut, making Yoojin dumbfounded.

 

She cried, falling onto her knees, even though tears aren't even welling on her eyes. She just wanted to live a normal life with her lover, but things got even worse for the other.

 

Yoojin can't even see any trace of sleep on Ken's face, he always stay up until the next morning, and she thought it was Ken's first time to sleep the night before. Dark circles were forming around his eyes, making her worry even more. She doesn't understand what's going on.

 

Shaking off her thoughts, thinking that she just spoke her feelings at a wrong time, Yoojin decided to lift herself up. When she turned her back on the door to return to her bedroom, the door suddenly opened wide, and a hard thing hit her neck.

 

Yoojin tried to open her eyes, but she feels so weak instantly, her limbs cannot move anymore. She tried to scream, but her voice was too cracked. It sounded like a faulty sound system, along with the metal screeching made by the crushed gears on . Her head still works, it can process but the data doesn't reach her body, making her paralyzed from the neck downwards. She had no idea who the person was, and she wanted to fight back, but it seems the other had no mercy at all. The android girl was helpless. She held at the hope that Ken would appear at nowhere and save her.

 

But all that her memory stored was another hard hit on her neck, shutting her down for life.

 

---

 

Leo decided to return at the lab, bringing a generator that could keep the place working for one good hour. He looks at N who was facing his files, tapping his pen on the table. "Aren't you going with me? I was planning to erase the data so that they can't track Ken down." Leo asked, hearing N sigh for the nth time.

"I won't be able to join you." A trace of frustration was painted on the elder's statement. "Bring Ravi with you, you should not go alone. Ken might come back anytime." It's like how an epiphany suddenly lights up inside N's head, taking a glance towards the man in front. "Why are you even asking permission from me about this?"

Leo slightly shrugged his shoulders. "You're still older than me. You deserve to know better, Hakyeon."

"We're just months apart." N shook his head in amusement. "I don't even know why you guys still treat me as your leader."

"You're still the leader, though." A light smile formed on Leo's face, which N thought he haven't seen in ages. "I should go back. If you want to follow me, I'll be going at nine." He said, before leaving N's office. Hakyeon smiled. The term 'leader' still flutters his heart, and the question why might remain in his mind longer than he ever imagined.

 

 

 

The nightfall came, and Leo was busy fixing his desk after a long day of sitting on his swivel chair. "You have thirty minutes for your travel time." Ravi said, tapping his feet on the wooden floor while leaning his back on the door frame. "Are you done?"

"Just a few..." Leo paused for a while. "...files to pile up." He sighed, still walking back and forth from the cabinet to his desk, beads of sweat already visible on his forehead. "You don't need to wait for me."

"You sure?"

Leo nodded, his eyes still on his things.

Not wanting to disturb the older again, Ravi gently closed the door then made his way down the basement.

 

 

Leo was able to go out of the institute without any trace, thanks to Ravi whom he had to treat with lunch for tomorrow. Thirty minutes took like hours for him. The only source of light aside from the car's bright headlights was the dimming streetlights of the city. There are only a few cars travelling at this time, and Leo's still conscious and nervous at the same time, not wanting anyone or any car to follow him.

 

He pulled to a stop as the familiar gate caught his gaze. It looks like the same as how they left it before, the chain still chiming with a horror-like tune in synchronization with the cold winds. After pushing the gate open, Leo drove his car nearer to the entrance.

 

It was not easy for Leo to drag the generator up the ramp. He should have asked Ravi to join him, but he was on a night shift, and he can't leave so suddenly. He had no idea why N can't join him, maybe there are big reasons behind it. Leo can't ask for Hyuk's help, the younger had no idea what were they doing and he might still be keeping his grudge against them.

 

He pushed the metal door open, and the lab stills sends the chilling sensation down his body. Leo fought the urge to reminisce things, trying to forget Hongbin's presence in his mind for a while. He needs to do this, and he's now close to the desperation he had when he was resisting the authorities' hold on his arms while he screams Hongbin's name years ago. Leo wanted to save Ken from the ruthless institute who had shown no mercy to one of their friends. If Ken needs to die, he should die in their own hands. That idea was better than to hand the younger to the guards of hell, Leo thought to himself.

 

It didn't take long for the lights to turn on after the first try he fixed the generator, brighter than the last time he went there. The other side of the laboratory became visible to him. The remnants of the robots Hongbin made for each of them were still there, and they exactly look like their supposed-to-be owners. Leo could see his bionic self afar, thinking that if it had worked back then, he could have done a lot of things with ease. But he was running out of time to ponder about it. He sighed then the terminal and started working on it, when a hard thing hits him on the back. Leo fell down on his side, his vision getting blurry but he was able to recognize the guy who was standing in front of him.

 

 

It was Ken.

 

 

Leo felt his body being lifted through his collar, forcing him to face his friend who looked so thin, pale and blank, but the anger was visible on his bloodshot eyes. The guy was abnormally strong. "You ing killed her, didn't you?" Ken asked in a hoarse voice, shaking Leo lightly whose droopy eyes are staring at him.

 

The other's eyebrows creased, his hands holding tighter into Ken's sweater sleeve. Leo was shocked by the sudden news, but he knows himself that he was definitely not the one who attacked her. He was trying to shake off his initial thoughts why Ken looked like hell, thinking that it would probably be caused by an agony he didn't know. "I-I don't know what you're saying." He whispered, and another hard punch hit his face. Leo was able to regain his balance, holding on into one of the metal tables. His lips tasted like iron, and he felt so weak. He didn't expect Ken to be there, and he was really not expecting for a fight in the middle of the night.

"Liar!" Ken shouted, aiming for his hyung again. He successfully grabbed Leo again by the other's collar, shaking him violently. "You should not ing try to lie to me, Taekwoon. Did you kill her?!"

The older was able to regain his strength, sending a hard blow on Ken's cheek with his free arm. "Watch your ing words!" He yelled using all of his remaining power, supporting himself by leaning on the table while he watched Ken drowsily recovering his balance. "I don't know anything about it, okay?!"

Without any word, Ken launched himself at Leo, the older hitting the rock hard floor with his back. Ken straddled Leo and started to shower him with punches on the face, Leo blocking every hit with his now swollen arms and palms. "I." Ken started. "Am." He aims another punch towards his hyung's face. "ing." Then another, hitting the older hard. "Tired." Another. "Of." Another one. "Your." Then he lifts his arm up. "Excuses!" But before his fists hit Leo's swollen cheek, a hand pulls him up and embraces him, until he felt something buried on his flesh, his clothes getting wet with hot fresh liquid.

 

 

 

"Stop it." A melancholic whisper that ends Ken's insanity, as he slightly jolted in reaction with the man's second stab. Then another, and it repeats as much as the man wanted to. He stopped momentarily, allowing Ken to fall on his knees.

 

 

Ken clutched his stomach, feeling the hot blood spurting out under his palm. Bolts of realization hit him hard. He lifts his head up to see the man's face, his vision getting blurry with the tears forming on his eyes. He did recognize the guy, who was looking at him with sadness. He cannot think properly, but all that he knew is that he didn't imagine that things would end up like this.

 

 

He wanted to live. He wanted to be with her, but he ends up losing more than what he's supposed to lose.

 

 

"I'm sorry." Ken whispered, a tear escaping his sleepless eye. He falls into one side, his body getting number, skin getting paler than ever. He dies with his eyes opened, and pure regret painted on his face.

 

---

 

Leo was not able to see what happened. All that he can remember was that Ken abruptly stopped hurting him, and everything went black. His body hurts, everything hurts and what frustrates him more is that he wasn't able to delete the codes. He opened his eyes, and saw himself dragged by a person he didn't anticipate.

 

"You should have asked someone to join you." Hyuk chuckled, looking at his hyung's annoyed face. "You looked like a steamed bun."

"Shut the up. Jaehwan did this to me." Leo felt a tug on his heart at the sound of the familiar name. "Where is he?" He asked in a cracked voice.

Hyuk avoided his gaze, looking at the path towards the exit. "He's dead."

 

 

Leo didn't ask further. The evidence was visible, Hyuk's clothes were stained with streaks of blood. The younger was the one who killed Ken. He felt something hitting his arm hanging on Hyuk's neck, which is a plastic held by the younger on his hand. "What was that?" He inaudibly asked, but the pain on his face muscles was still there.

 

 

"Ask later, hyung." Hyuk said. "We're almost there."

 

 

It was not easy for Hyuk to carry his heavy hyung out. Leo needs support for walking, he couldn't barely move his limbs so he leans his weight on the other. Once they reached the car, Hyuk helped Leo to sit on the passenger side, taking charge with the driving after. Leo insisted that he should be the one driving, but gave up arguing and reluctantly gave Hyuk the car key. Before the older could drift off, he took the chance to ask the younger some questions.

 

 

"You destroyed Yoojin, didn't you?"

Hyuk sighed heavily, his eyes on the road. "I did."

"How... did you get in the lab? You didn't bring your car."

"I hired a driver, whom I asked to leave me there, and I should call him if he's going to fetch me or not. But I saw your car and Ken's car outside." Hyuk looked at Leo. "Stop asking questions. You need to rest. N hyung's been waiting for us."

Leo tried to register everything on his mind, his exhaustion already dragging his eyelids down. "Last..." he softly muttered.

 

 

"Why did you kill him?"

 

 

Hyuk expected that question from his hyung, but he had no concrete answers ready for that. He returned his gaze on the road. "Losing one is enough." He stated. "But seeing him in that state makes me realize that it was the right thing to do. I don't want to lose more." He shrugged his shoulders, a crooked smile tugged on his young face. "And Ken-hyung has a lot of things to pay for more than his life."

 

Leo's brows furrowed at the statement, but never asked for more when he saw a familiar substance inside a Ziploc container placed beside the handbrake. The question lingering in his mind at the moment he saw Ken again was answered, as his tiredness finally brings him into pure bliss of comfort brought by the leather seat.