The blaring of the alarm jolted Leeteuk awake. He groggily reached up to slam down the button on the alarm and moved to get out of bed when an arm around his waist stopped him.

"….."

"What?" Leeteuk stared at the other male in amusement. 

"I said, do we have to get up today?" Kangin lifted his face from the pillow it was buried in.

"Unfortunately." Leeteuk laughed "Now you go get in the shower and I'll go prepare breakfast." 

With that he jumped out of the bed and started to walk out the door when a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist and turned him around. 

A soft kiss was placed upon his lips. He smiled into the kiss and kissed back just as gently.

"Good morning." Kangin nuzzled his nose.

"Good morning to you too." Leeteuk laughed and shoved his partner out the door. 

He walked down the stairs towards the kitchen and started to prepare breakfast for the two of them. He heard the shower start to run and gently smiled, this was what he wanted, just this kind of peaceful morning. Not everyday filled with worry and looking over their shoulders to make sure that no serial killer was following them. 

The smell of eggs and rice filled the kitchen while Leeteuk began to work on the bacon. 

"Something sure smells good." 

Leeteuk turned to see Kangin, shirtless, standing in the doorway smiling at him.

"Almost done." Leeteuk turned back to the bacon.

"I can get that you go shower." Kangin ushered him out and went to pick up where he had left off.

Leeteuk jogged back up the stairs to their bedroom to get a change of clean clothes. He was just about to enter the bathroom when his phone began to ring. He hurriedly set his clothes down on the counter and went back to answer his phone.

He looked at the I.D. number 'Unknown' flashed back at him. He hesitantly decided to answer the phone, regardless of the instinct telling him not to. 

"Park." 

'……' 

"Ryeowook? How did you get this number?" How could that punk have possibly gotten his personal cell number?

"Ryeowook calm down I can't understand a word you are saying." 

"Okay. Okay. What? How-? What!" Leeteuk's eyes widened at the boy's frantic sentence.

"Hold tight Ryeowook, Kangin and I will be there in a few minutes!"

Leeteuk hurriedly shut his phone and grabbed his clothes, forgoing the shower to change into his clothes, grabbed his badge, gun, and phone while picking up a shirt for Kangin and ran down to the kitchen.

"Kangin!" 

Kangin came out of the kitchen as soon as he was called, looking at his partner questioningly.

Leeteuk tossed the shirt at him, "Ryeowook is in trouble. We need to get there, now!" and started to run to the door.

Kangin mentally cursed all reporters in his head as he slipped on the shirt and followed Leeteuk, grabbing his stuff on the mantle next to the door. Leeteuk was already at the car and waiting while Kangin closed the lock and jogged towards him.

They climbed in the car and Kangin started the car immediately. 

"Damn reporters."  




The sound of sneakers hitting the pavement was drowned out by the blaring music from Ryeowook's iPod. He pulled his hat down over his eyes a bit more and turned, jogging up the path to his house.

His parents let him live alone and he never cared to wonder why, he just enjoyed the freedom. As he kicked his shoes off inside the door, he pulled his earphones out of his ears and dropped his iPod, along with his bag, onto the floor. He walked over and pulled the curtains open, humming to himself as he did so.
Despite his scare with the two investigators at his school a few weeks back, he was still his normal self: cocky when necessary but a giant bubble of sunshine at home. 

He grinned as light flooded the room and turned to go grab a snack, tossing his hat on the couch and missing the figure that stood in the corner of his room or the flicker of his iPod screen before it died.

He opened the refrigerator door and got out a water bottle. "Hm, I wonder if I should cook tonight or just order takeout." He mumbled to himself, shutting the door and turning around, jumping violently and dropping his water bottle as he came face to face with the figure he'd seen in the bathroom that first day.

"W-what the?! How did you get in my house who are you?!" He shouted, plastering himself against the fridge. 

"Ryeowook-ssi... I need.... I just need your help with... That's all I said to you in my entire life."

Ryeowook's eyes widened as the person reached up and closed his hands around his neck. "Kim Kibum... the senior who died the day you promptly told me 'you wished I'd just go away'."

Acting on instinct, Ryeowook blindly reached out and grabbed the first thing his hands reached, a plate, and swung it at his intruder. He gasped in horror as it went through the person but he took the opportunity to escape, feeling ill as the fingers slid through his skin in the person's moment of surprise.

He ran past him out of the kitchen and grabbed his phone, sliding down the wall and dialing the number he'd saved the day he'd stolen the detective's phone. It had been easy, with him being comforted as he cried, just as it had been easy to return.

He put the phone to his ear and glanced around as he heard an answer. No one. "Hyungthere'ssomeone inmyhouse!!!"......" There's someone in my house! I don't know I just came home and he was here. I don't know where he went!" He shouted into the phone, hand going to his neck on instinct, hoping the feeling would go away. It didn't. His skin was crawling and he felt uneasy, as if being watched. He let the phone clatter to the floor and tried to control his shaking.

He yelped when a light busted and he snapped his head to look in the hall, yelping when the person knelt down before him.

"My name is Kim Kibum. Do you remember me now?" He asked, seeming to have calmed down a fraction, hand reaching out to touch Ryeowook.

Ryeowook watched as he snapped his head to the side, glaring, when they heard a car screech to a halt outside. Ryeowook shivered as cold eyes met his own and Kibum raised his hand, making Ryeowook close his eyes, expecting an impact. When there was none, he looked up and no one was there. He felt his first tears slip down his cheeks as the door burst open.





"Ryeowook!" 

Leeteuk banged on the door, no answer.

"Kangin." 

Kangin nodded. He back up and then slammed against the door, effectively knocking it open.

"Ryeowook!" Leeteuk ran inside checking every room.

"Hey punk!" Kangin yelled.

Kangin heard a small sobbing from the living room. "Hey Teuk I found him!" 

Kangin and Leeteuk ran into the living room to find Ryeowook curled into a fetal position. Leeteuk immediately ran up and checking his pulse.

"Ryeowook? What happened?" Leeteuk spoke gently as to not frighten the poor boy anymore.

"Hyung?" Ryeowook glanced up from his curled position to see Leeteuk and Kangin hovering over him, worried looks on their faces.

"Yes Ryeowook. It's us." Leeteuk gently soothed the poor boy as best he could. He never had been good at it.

Suddenly Ryeowook launched himself at Leeteuk and secured his arms behind his back and sobbed into his chest.

Leeteuk merely stared down at the crying boy in his arms and awkwardly patted his back. They stayed like that for a while until Ryeowook calmed down enough to talk and explain the whole ordeal with 'Kim Kibum'.

"Is this the first time you've seen him?" Leeteuk stared right at him. 'I know it isn't so don't bother trying to hide it.' 

Ryeowook shook his head. "He apparently asked for my help last year but I simply told him to go away."

"And?" 

Ryeowook looked at Leeteuk. "That's it."

Leeteuk gave him a flat look. "Ryeowook don't lie to me. If you want our help then you have to be completely honest with us." 

Ryeowook sighed. "Okay hyung, but promise you won't think I'm crazy ?"

"Kid, in our line of work you have to crazy." Kangin growled.

"Well the first day you came to the school and found me in the bathroom? Well he was in the stall too. His hands were bloody and he said, 'stop trying to find me, you don't know why I did it, that deserved it' or something along those lines."

"We didn't see anyone else there Ryeowook." Leeteuk prodded. 

"He disappeared, literally just disappeared like now."

Leeteuk looked over at Kangin. The two seemed to have a mental conversation, apparently Leeteuk won because Kangin groaned and glared at Ryeowook. 

Leeteuk turned towards Ryeowook, "Do you have anyone to stay with?" 

Ryeowook pondered. He had his parents but he didn't really think of them as family. 

"Not really." 

"Well then come stay with us. We need to make sure you stay safe." 

Ryeowook looked between Leeteuk and Kangin. Leeteuk didn't seem ecstatic about it but still had his safety in mind while Kangin, Kangin seemed less then thrilled for it to happen. 

"Wait did you say 'us'?" Ryeowook looked at Teukie.

Leeteuk nodded like he was having to repeat everything.

Okay, now that's just weird. "So, you two live together?" 

"Figure that out just from that genius?" 

Ryeowook scowled at Kangin. They never had gotten along well or even at all.

"Kangin. Ryeowook. Knock it off. We have more important things to do." Leeteuk growled at the two. Honestly what were they? Children?

"Yes sir." Kangin and Ryeowook muttered, still sending daggers towards each other.

Leeteuk rolled his eyes and sighed. Why him?


Ryeowook grabbed his favorite pillow and scurried back into the living room.

"I can go now." He said, looking like a giant contradiction. Black clothes and chains on his jeans, yet holding a large pillow that was in a pillow case that had his favorite idol's face on it.

Noticing the incredulous stares on Kangin and Leeteuk's faces, he frowned.

"What? Not all gay men wear pink all the time." He snapped, directing this statement at Kangin before he walked towards the door, snagging Leeteuk's arm with his own and glancing over his shoulder, yelping when he spotted long black hair, before turning his attention back forwards and snuggling closer to Leeteuk as if that would save him.

He let go only when they got to his car and he shrieked.

"What did you do to my flowers!?" He yelled, biting his lip as he walked around the half-hazardly parked car, pouting as he saw his flower bed in ruins.

"I am so writing an article in the school paper about the harmful effects of reckless driving." He muttered.


The lock clicked back into place as Leeteuk locked the door behind them. 

"So, how is this going to work?" Ryeowook shuffled his feet.

"Obviously we want you safe" Leeteuk began "but this doesn't mean you can let your guard down do you understand?"

Ryeowook nodded. "Great Teukie now can we just…I don't know…leave please?" Kangin pleaded to his partner.

"Kim Youngwoon what is your problem?" Leeteuk hissed at his partner. Kangin merely pointed to Ryeowook. 



Ryeowook furrowed his eyebrows. 'Teukie? Ok now I know something isn't right.'  He thought.

"So um… If you don't mind I'll cook dinner or something." Ryeowook said, setting his things down and scurrying off towards the kitchen, pretending to give the two of them privacy.

Peeking around the corner after he left, he saw Leeteuk sigh, seemingly aging just like that. "I don't know what to do Kangin. I was so sure this had something to do with him but… he himself was attacked." He said.

Ryeowook's eyes widened and he frowned. "That jerk thinks I have something to do with—wtf?" He trailed off when he saw the bear man, as he'd dubbed him, gently caress Leeteuk's face before kissing his forehead.

Ryeowook's jaw dropped. "Didn't see that coming." He said before grinning. "I'm so getting back at that dic--- Ryeowook language… okay. I don't like Kangin but Leeteuk's alright so why not? Plan BabyWook is in motion!" He said and began preparing their dinner.

He made sure to fix his best foods and set the plates and things out before putting food on them. He made sure Leeteuk was next to him and Kangin was on his other side, a small but powerful amount of laxatives in his food. He smirked.

"Oh the things around the houses of gay men….. DINNER IS READY!" He said, already sitting in his chair and ready to direct both older men to sit where he wanted.

He watched as they came into the room and he gave his best puppy eyes. 

"I set the plates already, Leeteuk yours is here and Mr. Ape yours is there." He said dryly causing Leeteuk to shoot Kangin a glance that said not to hurt him.

"I hope you like it, I worked hard." Ryeowook said as they sat and he smiled, taking a napkin and tucking it into Leeteuk's shirt, letting his fingers brush his neck slightly longer than necessary before settling down to eat his own food.

Leeteuk looked at Ryeowook oddly before taking the napkin out from his collar and setting it down on his lap.

"Thank you for the food." He said quietly and picking up his fork. 

Kangin merely glared at Ryeowook, Ryeowook openly glared back. 

Leeteuk made a growling noise in the back of his throat and both of them went to eating their food.  Ryeowook ignored the glares directed at him and smiled once his plate was empty.

"Man I'm stuffed, Leeteuk rub my tummy!" He squeaked, lying backwards across Leeteuk's lap, his sideways in his own chair.

Leeteuk looked totally stunned. 

"I do have an image to uphold at school." Ryeowook said, as if reading his mind. 

Kangin stood, ready to bite Ryeowook's head off, when he clutched his stomach. "Bad idea… be right back!" He yelled, running from the room to the bathroom.

Ryeowook giggled. "Maybe it was too spicy for him. So? Please please please please please." He asked, looking back up at Leeteuk.

"Fine! Stop that." He agreed, the high pitch of Ryeowook's voice grating on his nerves.

Tentatively at first, Leeteuk rested his hand on Ryeowook's stomach, deciding it wouldn't hurt. He did cook for them after all. Rubbing in small circular motions, feeling something hard under the fabric, furrowing his eyebrows, he pulled the material up, seeing a small silver bar in the skin of the younger's stomach before he pulled the shirt back down.

Ryeowook sat up a bit and smirked. "Not your thing? No I forgot you like big hairy dudes." He said, quickly pressing his lips to Leeteuk's forehead right where Kangin had done so earlier.

In the blink of an eye, Ryeowook found himself dumped out of the elder's lap and knocking his head on the table before hitting the floor right as Kangin came back into the room.

"Sonofa." Ryeowook growled, holding his throbbing head as he looked up at Leeteuk who only dumped his dishes into the sink, giving him a glare. 

"You'd better behave from now on. I'm only doing this because if you are involved in this we need you alive."

Kangin glanced between Ryeowook and Leeteuk before growling at Ryeowook. 

"Kangin." Leeteuk's soft voice broke the tension in the air and automatically all eyes were on the figure by the sink.

"Listen up you two, none of us like the current situation but we have to deal with it. Ryeowook you are here as a guest and for your protection. Learn some manners. Kangin, stop growling and glaring at the kid for heaven's sake! You as well Ryeowook." 

Leeteuk's voice was barely above a whisper but his eyes showed that he meant business. His gaze trailed from Ryeowook to Kangin and back.

"Now, I'm going to go upstairs for a bit and while I'm up there you two will be down here working through whatever the hell differences you have. I know you can't be best friends but you can work through them and at least become civil with each other. I will know if you don't." Leeteuk gave both of them a cold, hard glare before retreating out of the battlefield. 

Both of the figures merely watched him walk out with their mouths open. He disappeared up the stairs and showed no sign of telling them it was a joke, meaning he was 100% serious. 

"Thanks a lot punk, now Leeteuk is pissed off at me." Kangin sighed and ran his hand through his hair. 

"Tch, not my problem." Ryeowook picked himself up off the floor, dusted himself off and began to head out the door when a hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

"Not so fast kid. You and I are going in that living room and discussing this." Kangin looked his straight in the face.

"Let go of me." Ryeowook tried to wretch his arm out of the strong man's grip but failed, miserably. 

"No. It's best to do what he says. Trust me." 

The words made Ryeowook freeze and he glanced over to see Kangin giving him a face that said 'if we don't we die'. 

"Is he always like that?" Kangin let go of Ryeowook's and shrugged. 

"Depends really. Around me? No. At work? Yep. It means that he is serious. Ryeowook we both want to protect you. Granted I know neither of us has made it seem like that, me especially but damnit if you didn't have it coming to you! You aren't the easiest person to be around for me." Kangin threw his hands up and plopped down on his chair from earlier. 

Ryeowook sat down too and crossed his arms, staring flatly at Kangin. "Why don't you like me? I haven't liked you because you nearly gave me a heart attack the first time we met." He explained and waited on the other to reply.

He didn't get a response immediately and shrugged, standing back up. "Whatever. I'm going to watch TV or something. I did my part. Oh and… I kissed your lover." He said, leaving out where he'd kissed said person.

Instinct kicking in at the last second, he turned and grinned cheekily. "Kidding!" He giggled, walking up to Kangin. 

"I don't know why you don't like me and I don't care honestly…. But you guys saved me. Whatever that was in my house, it almost killed me." He said and it was only then that Kangin noticed the bruising on Ryeowook's neck.

"How did we not see that before? But there wasn't a trace of whoever was in your…. Yah Jungsu!"

Ryeowook pulled his hoodie over his head, feeling self-conscious despite his bold actions before. He ran to Leeteuk and hid behind him when the other appeared again in the door frame and Leeteuk glared at Kangin.

"Don't look at me that way I didn't say anything to him." Kangin said walking over and pulling Ryeowook's hoodie down to show the bruises. "Look."

Ryeowook pulled away from them, running upstairs and closing the door to the bathroom, hugging his knees to him. He didn't like being this weak but he was terrified. What had attacked him was… a ghost to describe it somewhat correctly. His dead schoolmate. He knew that even those two wouldn't believe him.

"Tch. That damned kid." Kangin snapped, looking at Leeteuk. He grabbed the other's wrist as he went to go after Ryeowook. "Did that little er really kiss you?" He asked. 

Leeteuk's gaze hardened. "Grow up Kim Youngwoon. This is not the time for your petty jealous games."

With that he turn and ran to the bathroom, knocking lightly on the door.

"Ryeowook, come out of there please. We want to help you but we can't do that unless you are willing to help us."

Ryeowook shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." He mumbled into his jeans. 

Leeteuk heard him but simply crouched down on the other side. He leaned back against the door and sat pondering the thought.

"I've seen a lot in my time Ryeowook. Things I really wished I hadn't and things that normally I would have thought never existed in the first pace." 

Kangin leaned against the wall on down from the bathroom, hidden around the corner and listening intently. He knew Leeteuk didn't just talk like this to anyone so he thought it would be wise to sit this one out.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"  Ryeowook croaked.

"I've seen humans who seemed like the sweetest people in the world snap and murder all their loved ones merely because of something as stupid as a toy. I've seen the meanest, roughest criminals shelter a homeless child from bullets. And I've seen…Death."

Kangin's ears perked up and his eyes narrowed he couldn't possible be telling him about that could he?

"Death? You say that like it's a person." Ryeowook chuckled.

"It is." 

Ryeowook's eyes widened and he turned to look at the door as if he could see Leeteuk. "What do you mean?"

"Ryeowook, there are things about this world that you don't know about" Leeteuk stared down at his hands and saw the blood that stained them "not everyone is as they seem and nothing is as simple as we think."

Ryeowook merely listened to the detective talk while Kangin got ready to interfere at anytime. This wasn't something you could just tell people and he knew Leeteuk wouldn't merely tell this to some idiot, he had reasons but he wasn't ready to talk about that yet. It was too soon.

"Do you believe in…ghosts Detective Park?" Ryeowook started to get up.

"Yes." Leeteuk answered without hesitation.

Ryeowook froze. He…did? He didn't think Ryeowook was crazy.

Leeteuk felt the door disappear behind his back and looked to see a nervous Ryeowook standing behind him.

"Okay hyung I'll tell you but on one condition." 

Leeteuk nodded up at the teen. Ryeowook took a deep breath, "You have to believe me no matter what I say." 

Leeteuk smiled at Ryeowook "Of course I will Ryeowook. It's what I'm here for isn't it?" 

Ryeowook allowed Eeteuk to take him to the older man's room and he sat on the edge of the bed with shaky legs.

"My classmate… apparently… was killed the day I told him I wished he'd disappear…. I had never met him other than that until earlier today and the day at the school. Even with what I said to him I didn't kill him! Why is he after me?" He asked, his fear coming back in waves, remembering the look in Kibum's eyes, and curling against Eeteuk's side.

Said man flinched, looking down at him oddly before prying him off.

Outside the room, Kangin peered inside and frowned before he coughed. "Ryeowook. There's a convenience store a couple houses down. You think you could go pick us up some snacks?" He said causing them to look up at him.

Ryeowook frowned but nodded since he was staying with them. "Sure." He said, standing and grabbing the money from Kangin. "It's the tiny one down the road right?" He asked and Kangin nodded, waiting until the door was closed before landing his gaze on Eeteuk.

Walking up to the other, he pulled him closer and claimed his lips, not wanting to admit he was jealous but showing it rather blatantly. "You didn't send him out just to get snacks did you?"

"Don't ever let that kid touch you again, even if you do refuse him. He can cry and pout all he wants but you're mine."



Outside, Ryeowook walked to the small convenience store. "Only a few houses down…" He said going inside and buying several bags of chips and a couple of peanut butter fudge cookies that he opened once he got outside, munching on them happily.

As he walked back towards the detectives' home, he saw someone approach him from the corner of his eye and he turned but felt a sharp pain in his head and everything went black.