Eric glances the time stamp of the computer screen as the file begins downloading onto his hard disk. It’s three in the morning on 27 November.

“Happy Birthday Hyesungie,” Eric says quietly. He misses the man who reins his heart after Dongwan. He misses the angelic voice and the shy smile. All in all, he just misses Hyesung. But a man like him is not meant to be blissfully in love. He is a killer, a cold-hearted and shrewd criminal who cannot give Hyesung his deserved happiness.

On a day like this where a lover should be celebrating Hyesung’s birthday, Eric has infiltrated into the police headquarter to extract information instead.

Will Dongwan be spending the day with Hyesung? Eric wonders.

As an experience hacker, Eric knows he should not do any unnecessary things and leave footprints on the computer. But he cannot contain himself. Eric still types Dongwan’s name into the database. His ex-boyfriend’s photo appears in front of him with a bunch of records. Eric’s eyes scan the information.

Dongwan was the top Cadet of his year with a score that top Cadets of other years have not been able to surpass till now. Eric was only two points short of that result though. His ex-lover was double promoted twice in his early career and led the special crime unit which is also the elites of the police force, until he was demoted after repeated attempts of not following orders and refusing to drop the case of a series of murders. Dongwan was transferred to a neighbourhood police post and subsequently sent to protect a notorious crime journalist that has a bad reputation with the police force.

“Do you really want to apprehend me so badly?” Eric asks. The only reason Dongwan could be so adamant about the murder cases was because he knew it was Eric’s doings. “Do you really think Andy’s death does not warrant my revenge for him?” Tears makes its way to Eric’s eyes, contradicting his own claim of being cold hearted. He taunted Dongwan when he first met him again after five years, on Andy’s death anniversary. But every pain he inflicted on the man is likewise hurting him.

Lost in his own memories, Eric realises the commotion from outside too late. His presence in the building has been discovered.

***

“Happy birthday!” Dongwan hands a set of branded golf balls over to Hyesung. The journalist’s heart blossoms with happiness. He had never told Dongwan about his hobby, but apparently the charming officer pays more attention to him than he was previously aware of.

“Thank you Dongwan-ah!” He leans in and plants a kiss on Dongwan’s left cheek.

“What? That only entitles me to a kiss on the cheek?” Dongwan teases. “That 3 freaking balls cost me a bomb! I should get more than this.” With that, Dongwan closes his eyes and exaggeratedly pouted his lips, offering them to Hyesung.

Hyesung laughs and quickly snap a picture of Dongwan with his phone. After 2 years of what he thought was unrequited love, he finally understands the way Dongwan loves. The videos at the mountain top, the food bathing in sesame oil and seeds, the protectiveness over him and the constant encouragement telling him he is worth more than what he thinks. Dongwan never concedes to his love for Hyesung until the day Hyesung begged him to, but his feelings were all reflected in his actions. It is as if they have been dating forever and events of the previous months never happened. But life never likes people to forget. Hyesung’s ringtone screams and blasts unromantically, spoiling the sweet moment for him and Dongwan. Hyesung curses the caller in his mind and prepares to slide his finger across the screen to reject the call. He pauses when he sees the name on the screen.

Eric Mun.

“Who’s that?” Dongwan asks, opening his right eye to peak at Hyesung.

“…” Hyesung raises his head to Dongwan. He never thought Eric would ever contact him again after that day. The man swallows the lump in his throat. “Work,” he lies to Dongwan. Dongwan gives a considerate look and urges Hyesung to answer the call. The journalist quickly retreat to his room.

“Who do you think you are to call me on the phone like this?!” He rages when he answers the call. He still remembers how his heart aches in the cold night when Eric chased him out, how he made a decision that hurt Dongwan, only to get rejected by the man who stole part of his heart from Dongwan.

“Hyesungie…” Eric’s voice was weak. “Can you come over to the warehouse please?”

“Eric? What happen?" Hyesung's anger disperses in an instant. There is something ominious about that frail voice over the phone. Furthermore, the warehouse was where Eric kept him when he was being kidnapped. After they started dating, the two never spoke of that place again.

“I was shot…There is no one else I can trust other than you now…”

Hyesung’s heart quickens in pace. “Wait for me!” He says quickly as he opens his door and prepares to leave the house. He catches Dongwan’s concern eyes on his way to the main door. “I need to rush to a crime scene. Don’t wait for me tonight.”

The door shuts before Dongwan has a chance to reply him. Hyesung is consumed in guilt. He loves Dongwan. He really does love the man. But he cannot leave Eric in this situation. Hyesung is careful that no one is following him when travelling to the warehouse. He parks his car and quickly rushes into the building. The sight that greets him is one where Eric lies on the sofa stained red with blood.

“Eric!” Hyesung runs over. The man opens his eyes and conjures a weak smile. His face is unnaturally pale, but even in this state, Eric looks unearthly dazzling. Eric sits up with Hyesung’s assistance.

“The bullet…” Eric pauses to inhale a painful breath. “Right shoulder…help me…help me take it out.” The wounded man points to a silver tray with a knife and some medical items in it.

"Eric, you need to go to a hospital!"

Eric grabs Hyesung's hands and wraps them in his own to calm the man down. "I can't...the police is looking for me." The two men stare into each other's eyes for a short moment before Hyesung concedes. He did not know what Eric did to get the wound, but the bullet itself is enough evidence screaming at the police. With all his previous crimes, Eric cannot afford to get apprehended.

Hyesung breathes in deeply to calm himself before reaching out for the sterilised knife in the tray. "Where is the anesthetics?"

Eric shakes his head and stuff a white cloth into his mouth. Hyesung's jaw drops. "Eric, this is insane."

The man removes the cloth and laugh weakly. "You are my anesthetic. I trust you." With that, he stuffs the cloth back into his mouth, waiting for the inexperience man to start the process of removing the bullet.

Hyesung sighs. He has witnessed several times in his career how a bullet is removed, but he was never the one doing it. Yet Eric has no other choice now.

The entire process is not pleasant, especially when Hyesung needs to disinfect the wound with alcohol after removing the bullet. Hyesung thought that Eric had fallen asleep when the man is resting on the sofa with his eyes close after their mini "operation". "Eric..." he says, eyes on the flawless face. "You are right that I cannot forget Dongwan. But I am just someone so horrible that I fall in love with 2 men at the same time." He slides down at the edge of the sofa and falls asleep on the floor, his back leaning on the sofa. The criminal opens his eyes and looks at Hyesung affectionately.

Eric stretches out his hand and gently caressed Hyesung's soft hair. "I don't deserve you."

***

Hyesung only returns home after midnight, when he wakes up and Eric really falls asleep. He quietly exits the warehouse and travels home, all the while his mind on Dongwan. There has been more than 10 missed calls from the man. Since knowing Dongwan, he always claims he loves the man, yet he was blind to everything Dongwan had done for him and even dates the only man Dongwan forbids him to have contact with. Even now, when Dongwan and him are officially together, he left Dongwan on his birthday and went to Eric. There are times Hyesung really hates himself. But from all he knows, Eric only wants to avenge Andy. What exactly did Eric do to scar Dongwan so much? Who is that most important person Eric took from Dongwan?

Hyesung is taken aback when he opens the door and sees Dongwan still awake in the living room. His lover has a grave expression.

"Where is he?" Dongwan asks.

"Who?" Hyesung fakes ignorant, but Dongwan is not easily fooled. Minwoo calls shortly after Hyesung left to inform that someone had intrude the police headquarter and stole the information of the special crime unit. Dongwan's information in the police system was also compromised. Who else but Eric would have done that? Who else but Eric is capable of doing that?

"Do you know whatever he is doing is so he can take another life?" 

Hyesung keeps quiet. He knew, but he forgets everything when he knows Eric was shot.

"Do you know his last target is Junjin? Your baby bird?!" Dongwan cries. Hyesung can feel the blood draining from his limbs. It couldn't be...Why is Junjin Eric's target?!

"Junjin is my brother. We have the same dad but different mom." Dongwan finally reveals the secret that no one knows, not even Junjin himself.

So now there is no more guessing and no more doubt. His last target is Junjin!!! I am so so so impressed you guys know it is Junjin so early xD

The clearer clues I have planted in this extremely messy and confusing story: 

1) Eric says Dongwan got demoted because of him (Chapter 3) and Junjin blames himself for Dongwan's demotion. (Chapter 7).

2) Junjin blames himself for Andy's death (Chapter 8)

3) Dongwan's extra attention for Junjin (Chapter 11)

And sorry to all the wansyung shippers here. I did what I promised and gave them some time together, but I tore them up again here. =P I can't let Ricsyung die off so early right? This is supposed to be a love triangle!!!