“Where is he?”

“Still locked up.”

Minah walked to the nearby room that had a hole by the wooden door and peeked in. Inside the dirty and moldy room, the gunky child, Kyungsan was trying hard to keep his tears in as he was instructed to or else he wouldn’t get his meal for the day. Kyungsan backed off and pushed himself against the wall as the big dirty rat approached him slowly aiming for the scrapes of food that was showered on him. “Omma!!” “Shut up!!!” Kyungsan trembled and the rat squeaked and ran to one side in fear and shock.

“Can’t you see the little friend is lonely? Go get another rat!!”

Minah grimaced as she watched the big fat rat in the cage. “Eeeww!” she stared at its black eyes. “No!!!” Kyungsan cried as another rat, twice bigger than the rat with him was freed. It was a lot faster and Kyungsan quickly stood up as the rat ran after him. “Omma!!!” he cried as the rat jumped to his bare foot and ate on the stale food that clung to his skin. “I said shut up!!!” Minah shouted and Kyungsan peed his jumper pants in fear. Minah laughed as she watched the child crying silently and trembling as both of the rats ate on his ankle area.

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“Kyungsan!!!” Seohyun jolted up and cried. Luhan quickly sat up on bed and pacified Seohyun. “Calm down. Calm down.” Soehyun shook her head and clutched Luhan’s coat. “I can’t!!! They’re torturing him!!!” she shouted and jumped off the bed. “Joohyun!!” Luhan ran after her and held her down on the floor as she squirmed away from him. “Stop this!!” he tried to hold her properly but she was recoiling her body like a snake. “I said stop!!!” Luhan screamed and got slapped by Seohyun. He gaped and stared wide-eyed at Seohyun who was glaring at him; breathing heavily. “What are you planning to do huh?” he asked softly. “I’m going to find him!!! I can’t wait for those police. They’re taking forever!!!!” She hissed and pushed Luhan’s hands away from her body. Standing up was harder for her because she lost her sense of balance. “And you plan to find him in that state?!” Luhan asked still on the floor staring nowhere in particular. Seohyun turned to him. “If you can go on with your life like your son isn’t missing, well I can’t!!!” she screamed and ran down the stairs. Luhan fell down on the floor and stared at the ceiling. After a while, he called Taeyeon. “Luhan! I heard of the news. I’m going to visit Seohyun. Are you at home with her?!” Taeyeon asked frantically. “No.” Luhan answered tiredly. “Call her and accompany her Taeyeon will you?” Luhan begged and Taeyeon agreed immediately.

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In his office, Luhan called for their family’s private investigator since the police was taking it all so slowly. “Please I want my child as soon as possible. Find this woman and bring back my child.” The investigator bowed and went out of his office. “How’s Seohyun?” Xiumin asked. “She’s frightened. I’m also worried of her.” Luhan replied and released a sigh thinking of Seohyun. Her face looked so pale earlier that day that it was hard for him to leave her alone although she made it clear that she didn’t want him beside her. It also pained him to see how their current problem had filled her bright and cheery heart with fear and distress.  “I’m worried of you as well. You’re not taking care of yourself well.” Xiumin said and invited Luhan to eat something in his café. “I don’t want to eat Xiumin. I don’t have the appetite.” “My goodness!! If you’re going to neglect yourself like that, how can you take care of Seohyun? She needs you the most.” Luhan clasped his hands together and put them before his lips as he closed his eyes; he looked like he was praying. “Come on now Luhan. Then we’ll go back to Seohyun after.” Luhan agreed and walked out of his office with Xiumin.

~Two days after~

After hearing the bad news, Seohyun and Luhan’s friends visited them (especially Seohyun) in Seohyun’s house to offer comfort.  Luhan had been staying in her house; afraid of what she might do in his absence. “There isn’t any lead yet it’s been two days!!” Seohyun paced back and forth that Jessica needed to hold her down. “Seohyunie let’s wait for Luhan. They’re probably in the police station by now.” “And they’re so slow!!! The police and the kidnappers!!! I’m willing to give everything I have just to get Kyungsan back why aren’t they calling??!!” She cried. A normal thing for her it turned out to be. “Seohyun I already prepared your breakfast. Eat first.” Tiffany called and Jessica helped Seohyun get up to eat. “I don’t want to eat.” Seohyun smacked Jessica’s arms and headed to her room. “But you didn’t eat anything yesterday as well!!” Jessica shouted and she and Tiffany followed Seohyun to her room. “Don’t disturb me if you won’t let me find my son!!!” Seohyun slammed the door, locked it, and pushed her closet to make sure no one would come in. Jessica and Tiffany looked at each other sympathetically. “Seohyun Luhan will fee- “I don’t want him!!!” Seohyun cut Tiffany off.

Luhan came back with Xiumin in Seohyun’s house and met the problematic faces of Tiffany and Jessica. “What happened?” “She won’t eat again Luhan.” Tiffany said first. “And now she locked herself in her room.” Jessica followed. “Okay. Thank you Jess, Tiff for the help. I know you have works and families to care about.” “It’s nothing Luhan. We’re going now.” Jessica and Tiffany bid goodbye. Luhan and Xiumin went to Seohyun’s room to check on her. “Seohyunie?” Xiumin gently asked as he knocked the door. No answer. “Hyunie!” Luhan called sternly now and unlocked the door. “Joohyun!!!” he slammed his body to the door in hope of budging it open. Xiumin followed him and after a few more push, a loud smash of something heavy made tremors on the floor. But when they entered the room, her bed was empty and the bathroom was unoccupied. The windows were opened though and they immediately ran to it. “She escaped!!” Xiumin commented. Luhan kicked the wall and shouted her name. “Let’s find her.” Xiumin said and quickly called the rest to help them find Seohyun.

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“Seohyun.” Luhan called from her behind. “Leave me alone.” Seohyun spat and turned back to the inside of the unoccupied building of Kris’ subdivision. It was dark already so she had to use a flashlight to see inside. “Kyungsan!!!” she called through the cold air. “He’s not in here Seohyun.” Luhan said but she did not intend to hear any from him. “Hyun.” He called once more and after realizing she wasn’t paying attention to him, he grabbed her shoulders and carried her over his shoulder. “Get me down!!! This instant!!” She pounded at his back but Luhan continued to walk over his car where Kris and Xiumin were waiting. “I’ll stay here with Kris Lu.” Xuimin said and Luhan nodded. “Thank you Kris for telling me she’s here.” Kris gave a slight nod and together with Xiumin, watched as Luhan drove off. Inside the car, specifically in the passenger seat, Seohyun stared blankly at the dashboard crying silently. “You need to eat now.” Luhan told her although he knew she wouldn’t give him a proper reply and she never did for the last two days. She simply hated to talk to people especially him and she was often preoccupied.

Back in the house, Seohyun sat on the coach by the window and stared outside. “Come here Joohyun. Let me feed you.” Seohyun indifferently faced Luhan and lifelessly pushed the bowl of pastina away. “I’m not in the mood.” She told him and gazed back outside. He didn’t pry on her anymore and simply walked back to the kitchen with another unmoved food. Seohyun did not move in her seat even until it was time to sleep. “Go sleep by yourself.” She told Luhan not tearing her eyes off the road when he urged her to go to bed. He knew better than to pester her more so he went to Kyungsan’s room to take a rest.

“No.” Seohyun worriedly muttered under her breath when she saw that the rain had started to pour so profusely. ‘Kyungsan!” She took an umbrella and ran outside of the house. Looking out to all directions, she was losing her sanity. “Kyungsan!!! Kyungsan!!!” She called and ran to her left. She could hardly see a thing but refused to stop searching. She ran to the right and did the same thing. Please. Please. My son!!!!  “Kyungsan!!!” She ran once more with her muddled state across the street.

“Joohyun!!!” Luhan screamed when he saw that she was about to get hit by a car. “Don’t!!!!” he ran swiftly and pulled Seohyun to his side. Seohyun gasped and lost grasp of her umbrella. “What are you doing??!!” Luhan shouted at her as the rain quickly showered upon them; giving them a hard time seeing each other’s faces. “Kyungsan. I need to find him.” She answered. “You’re killing yourself!!!” he growled and dragged her back to her house. “Oppa no!!” Seohyun tried to free herself but Luhan reached his limit and did not care anymore if she gets mad at him. “I said Leave me alone!!!” Seohyun shouted when they got back to the house. Luhan held her arms and did not look at her as he dragged her upstairs to her room. He grabbed two towels and dried off her dripping wet hair and wrapped the other one around her waist. “Stop!!” she refused to be changed of clothes. Luhan did not say a word and continued to free her hands off her clothes so he could remove them. “I said stop!! Can’t you understand? What if he’s cold?! What if he’s not eaten yet?! What if he’s waiting for me to take him home?!” She slapped him hard across the face. “Listen here.” Luhan sternly said as he shook her shoulders. “You listen here!!” he shouted at her when she was still fighting back. Seohyun froze as she did not expect Luhan to shout angrily at her like that. “Stop being so selfish and think of me just one bit!!!” tears finally poured out of his eyes. “I am also worried sick of my son but I wanted to be strong for you!!! Now you’re not helping me if you’re risking your health and safety like this!!” Luhan sobbed. “I need you here!!! I need your comfort more than anything else!!!” he shook her again as Seohyun was too overwhelmed of the situation to react. “Do not drift away from me.” Luhan finally said and hugged her tightly. Seohyun gasped and hugged Luhan back as she cried with him. “I’m sorry.” She cried and he nodded in understanding.

First thing in the morning, the bell rang and the visitors turned out to be Mr. Lu and Mr. Seo. “Appa!!” Seohyun cried to Mr. Seo and her father caressed her hair to calm her down. “We’re so sorry for taking too long.” Mr. Lu said and hugged his son then Seohyun. “We understand. And we’re sorry that you did not finish the seminar you were attending.” Seohyun said and the two fathers quickly dismissed it off. “We don’t care about the seminar. It’s Kyungsan that we’re worrying about.” Mr. Seo replied. They settled on the kitchen table to discuss about the recent findings of the police.

“There hasn’t been any progress from both the police and our investigator.” -Luhan

“But we can’t just wait here like this!!”- Mr. Lu

“I know but there’s nothing we can do but wait.” –Luhan

The two fathers decided to stay in Seoul to help Luhan and Seohyun. Mr. Lu, once again, volunteered to take over the company so Luhan can focus more in finding Kyungsan and Mr. Seo was to look after the house with Seohyun.

______________

“What the hell are you doing here ?!” Minah hissed when she saw Minji by their gate. “I want us to talk.” Minji calmly replied as Minah scoffed. “There is nothing to talk about.” Minah glared at her while she can’t help but notice how filthy Minah was. “Where did you go? Why are you so dirty?” Minah jolted, surprised with Minji’s question. “Whe-where I went is none of yo-your damn business!!! Go away!!” Minah stammered and went back inside her car. “Move out of the way or I’ll crash you down!!” She yelled at Minji by her car’s window. “Will you really be able to do that?” Minah cackled turned the lights of her car on, blinding Minji slightly. Then she pressed on the pedal and the car moved careen that Minji froze in shock. Minah quickly stopped her car and went out of it and to Minji. “So now you see what I can do.” She clawed Minji in the face and pushed her to the sidewalk before getting back in her car and entered the gates. Minji shivered in fear as she caressed her stinging cheek that was bleeding surprisingly.

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Beep~ beep~

Seohyun’s eyes widened when she saw an unknown number entered her phone. It was a text message and she quickly read it hoping it was the person who took Kyungsan. “If you want to see your son still breathing, you better not tell Luhan about this. This is between you and me. And don’t try to outsmart me because I have my eyes on you.” Seohyun felt the tremors of fear run down along her spine and then another message arrived. “Meet me at the abandoned insane asylum in **** St. in Incheon at three in the afternoon tomorrow. And don’t be late or else.” Then she received another message and it was a voice clip. She opened it and the cries of Kyungsan were heard. “No!! No!! Kyungsan!!” she cried to her phone but no more messages came. “Hyunie!!” Luhan barged in her room and she quickly hid her phone under the sheets. “What happened?!” Luhan warily asked. Seohyun shook her head and told Luhan she had a bad dream again.  Luhan sighed and tucked her back to sleep. “Do you want me to sleep here with you?” he asked and Seohyun nodded her head. “Alright.” Luhan kissed her forehead and settled on the right side of the bed. I’m sorry oppa but I can’t tell you anything. Seohyun thought and guiltily hugged Luhan to sleep.