"I heard he's doing better, he got switched rooms" Jaejoong explained as he parked the car and took out a credit card and a piece of paper from his wallet, "This is the room he's in and this is yours from now on. Feel free to take as much money as you need from it, there's no limit"

"... I don't need that much money" Hyorin said.

"Nevertheless, it's there should you ever need it. Give me a call when you need me to come back" He told her as he unlocked the car doors and she pushed it open, pausing to turn to him and give him a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks" She said earnestly and headed into the large hospital.

Jaejoong watched her walk away and waited until he could no longer see her before he started the car. Running a hand through his hair he hoped that by seeing the boy a piece of Hyorin's heart could be relieved. He saw the guilt in her eyes and he hated that she was so conflicted when she had done nothing wrong. The first time he had taken her to see him she had come back in tears, he hadn't woken up yet. The next few times she was calmer, until he woke up. That day was the worst for her. Still, she muddled up the little courage she had, mumbling something about him being alone like she had been and came back. He figured things had to be better, the last time she had come back with a small smile on her face.

He sat back in his car, deciding that he would just wait for her to come back down as he turned the key and heard the engine die down. He closed his eyes feeling surprisingly tired. Though Chae Rim had been let go, there was a worry that remained in his mind. It was small, it was nothing, but it nagged at him every once in a while. The strange cocktail of love, obsession, and resentment brewing in her eyes when he had all but had her dragged out bothered him. Letting out a quiet breath he pushed it from his mind, as long as he was Hyorin she would be fine he reminded himself.

Jaejoong straightened up pulling out his phone and scrolling past files until he reached the email with the picture attachment. A tech analyst had sent it to him a week ago, writing that the man in the photograph was the only one whom they hadn't been able to indentify. It wasn't a sure thing, there had been hundreds of students at that university library, but he was the only one whose face was never been caught once in camera. Never except for that one time that the man had slipped up and that hadn't even been his fault. He was on his way out of the library, his mission nearly perfect, when a girl in a hurry bumped into him so hard he stumbled back and turned ever so slightly, his cap falling off. He picked it up quickly and made it out, but those few seconds were enough.

For what must've been the hundredth time he stared at the photograph. He zoomed in as far as was possible, the already grainy photograph only getting blurrier. He studied the man's height and frame, his dark hair and even his hair cut. Jaejoong had been killing himself trying to figure out who he was. Even long after Hyorin had fallen asleep, he would stay up and stare at the photograph until his eyes burned and sleep dragged him down.

Then it happened.

It was on the most random of nights too. He was playing with a strand of Hyorin's hair. He listened to her steady breathing in his arms. Just as he drifted off to sleep, he replayed his day, the moment when he had walked past a person who had given him a particularly dirty look. He was about to lose consciousness when his mind stopped the memory and it suddenly clicked. At that one moment he knew why the photograph had a hint of familiarity in it. It was Yesung. It had to be. It made sense.

He was near 100% sure and he would have take action long ago if not for Hyorin. He knew how close she was to him. He wouldn't go unmissed, but Jaejoong felt like he had to, for his sanity's sake. He couldn't stand another day wondering when Yesung would tell Hyorin something, when he would break everything that Jaejoong was working hard to keep.

Hyorin was always nervous when she stepped into the hospital elevator. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and more often than not, her nerves stopped her from getting out on the floor that she was supposed to. This time was no different as the doors slid open before her and she found she couldn't step out. Instead, she watched as the doors slid shut and took her back to the main floor.

Stepping out, she walked the short distance to the hospital gift shop, first stopping at the ATM next to it and with some help from a passing nurse, withdrawing enough money to buy Dae Hyun something nice. She looked among the shelves of overpriced objects when her eyes landed on a nature themed Rubik’s cube. She reached for it and played around with it for a few moments before deciding this would be a good way to kill time. With a content and small smile she bought it and gripping the bag tightly she pushed herself back upstairs, this time not holding back and stepping all the way inside.

He looked at her, no longer surprised; this was the time she usually came. His eyes were guarded, hiding a deep resentment that wasn't particularly aimed towards her. He had been tempted to tell his aunt about who this woman who came to see him really was, but every time he opened his mouth he got scared. Not because of her, but for her. She had been nice; she wasn't the one who had done all this after all. At least, that's what he told himself.

There weren't many memories Dae Hyun had with his parents. For that he had blamed them, but now he remembered the one first day of school that his mother had been there for. He was worried that kids will be mean to him or that the friends he had would leave him for cooler kids. His mother had simply smiled in the car as their driver took them to school and placed a soft hand over his. She told him that the greatest tool he had was his instincts. People could lie, but always trust your first instinct, after that, nothing matters so that the friends that he really trusted, they would remain by his side.

So when Hyorin had come to see him that first day, the tears she had spilled as she begged for forgiveness despite his blame, his instincts told him to not hate her. Just like they had told him to trust her that night. So more for the sake of honoring his mother's words, he was putting up with her visits. And on some days... the words she spoke comforted him and made him think that she understood the pain he couldn't find the words to describe in his young vocabulary.

"... I thought you might like this" She said softly, taking out the Rubik’s cube and setting it besides him slowly while he stared without emotion.

He didn't say a word and instead gave her a small nod. So like usual she didn't say anything else and instead walked around his room, getting new water for the many plants he had in his room and arranging them nicely.

"Where are your mom and dad?" He asked her quietly.

"I don't know my father" She responded honestly, she knew his name, she worked for him, but she had no clue who he was. She wasn't stupid; he obviously wasn't interested in her either. Why he had been looking for her all those years ago was beyond her. "My mom... died when I was younger" She said softly, the words no longer hurting like they first had, but still holding a sting that she knew would never go away.

"How did she die?" He asked, absentmindedly grabbing the cube besides him and beginning to mess with it.

"She was killed by bad people" Hyorin said as she turned back to the flowers, deciding that Dae Hyun had been through enough to understand the truth.

"Like the woman that killed my parents?" He asked.

"Exactly like her" She answered without hesitation.

They were quiet for a lot longer after that. Neither said a word as Hyorin continued watering the plants and the clik clak of the cube went on in the background.

"What happened to the people that hurt your mom?" Dae Hyun asked after considering his words carefully.

"I'm working on it so she can get her justice. I've gotten sidetracked it seems" She realized as she watered the last plant and turned to him.

"That...woman who did this, do you see her around?" He asked, an anger building up inside him, fed by a blame he placed on himself for not being able to do anything for them but cry.

"Not lately. She's been gone for a while" Hyorin spoke evenly.

"I want justice for my parents too! I... I want her dead too! She should be dead instead of them!" He screamed suddenly, anger turning to grief and back again so that he clutched the sheets besides him tightly while hot angry tears slid down.

"Take it from somebody's who's been where you are. Don't let hate control your life. Focus on healing Dae Hyun..." She whispered, stepping up to him and sitting on the edge of his bed.

He cried and shook his head, dismissing her words. She stared at him her own eyes watering; he didn't deserve to have his life turned upside down like this at such a young age. She placed a hand over his tightly clenched fist. He jerked but didn't pull away. She didn't want him to let his life be poisoned like hers.

"As long as you live for yourself, as long as you try to someday be happy..." Hyorin began, sorting out the best way to say this, "...I promise I'll get you the justice you want" she finished.

He looked up at her in surprise, tears dripping from his cheeks and his nose runny. He sniffled and tried to calm his sobs down. He was almost ten; he was a big boy who shouldn’t burst out in tears. His father had always been brave, why couldn't he? He knew the weight of the promise she was offering and was all the more grateful. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he knew she was serious. In that moment, he decided he would trust her one more time. He knew she would keep her promise.

She gave him a rather weak smile, unsure if she should be promising something like this to a young boy. Should she instead be teaching him to forgive? To move on? But who would accept that after what he had been through? No, she decided, this that the best and only thing she could do for him and she would she swore. It was better if she took it upon herself rather than him growing up his whole life obsessed over a vengeance that might never come. It would corrupt him and that was the worst part.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jaejoong watched as Hyorin approached the car, a new expression from the many times she had been here. This one wasn't of tears or happiness, it was pure determination. He hid his frown as she got inside the car and shut the door.

"The men that killed my mother, those that were responsible... I've been here for 4 years, I've paid my debt now I want what was promised to me, I want to get the men that killed my mother" She informed Jaejoong, deciding it would be smarter to keep out her plans for Chae Rim.

"Why the sudden determination?" He asked, keeping out the edge of panic that sneaked in.

"Sudden? It's always been there, I've just been sidetracked, but I want the files on my mother tonight" She insisted.

"You know I love you, but you can't just expect me to get something like that—" He began.

"Why not? Just go, click print and give me the papers that come out. I want to finish this Jaejoong, until I do... I'm not helping any more with that experiment of theirs" She said the threat not meant to be aimed at Jaejoong, but for the ears of her father, "No matter what, I'm sure my mother would have wanted me to get her justice above all"

"Your mother would have wanted you to stay out of this" Jaejoong offered as the car pulled out of the parking lot.

"I can't let them continue their lives without consequences" She told him.

"It's just that sometimes things aren't this simple, there needs to be—"

"I don't want to fight with you" She whispered tiredly, "I love you Jaejoong, I'm declining to help my father, this doesn't have to change anything with us" She offered, a small smile on her face.

It would change everything he thought, but kept to himself.

"I'll get what you want" He conceded, thankful that he had something prepared for a moment like this. Keeping secrets from her was tiring he discovered and wondered if maybe it wasn’t better to tell her the truth.

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I'm finally free to update as much as I can so look forward to that and thanks for being so patient you guys! It was a bit hard getting back into writing this fic after such a long time from even thinking about it, but once I got started it was actaully pretty normal again so I wrote another chapter! Hahaha once I get started on something.... XD

thanks for everyone that's read/subscribed/commented!

p.s. went back to the old font! I actually liked the new one BUT I'm kind of too lazy to change it everytime I update so I'm settling for the regular font ._. that's the power of laziness for you... but who can blame me after a years worth of school stress XDDD summer~