As soon as the news about Taesans arrival go around a strange nervousness seems to afflict everyone. Not that it could get more tense than it already is - Kihyun is sure that he will loose his mind soon - but it feels different than before.

Almost like the fear turned into something like relief. There is no place for speculations anymore. Soon they are going to know how things will turn out for them. Gone are those endless hours of making up the worst scenarios in their heads.

Jihoon calls all of them together in his office before he leaves the room to greet Taesan who arrived with a few of his men. There have already been discussions throughout the whole night, he tells Kihyun. When there was no sign of Hoseok and Hyunwoo, Taesan took it onto himself to contact Jihoon.

It really is going to happen now and Kihyun isn't sure if he is ready, if it is even possible for him to be ever.

Not that it would keep him from catching a glimpse of the man.

He almost did it.

Only two more steps and he will reach the banister and will be able to see Taesan down in the hall with Jihoon. The foreign voice already reached his ears but he needs a face to match Taesan with. He finally needs to know who it is they are dealing with.

But before he is even able to touch the banister two arms sling around him from behind and more than easily lift him a few centimetres from the ground to carry him back into the office where he came from.

" Didn't I ask you to stay inside?"

" Hoseok...", Kihyun whines and tries to pry his arms off. " Just one look. Only a second."

But Hoseok ignores his protests and only puts him back down when the door closes behind them.

" He knows enough about you. I'd prefer you wouldn't get any further into this. He doesn't have to know you're here." he says sternly, his hands on Kihyuns shoulders.

" But I need a face."

" Trust me.", Hoseok softly pushes him back onto the couch. " You don't need it."

Everyone, apart from Minhyuk, nods in agreement. The blonde shares Kihyuns curiosity but he hasn't tried to sneak out like Kihyun even once. Hyunwoos shoulder seems to be way too comfortable.

" He wouldn't have seen me." Kihyun mumbles.

" I'm sorry.", Hoseok sits down next to him, his hand reaching for Kihyuns. " Please bear with it, okay? I'd appreciate it a lot if you would listen to me this time."

And Kihyun agrees without discussing more, even though there are a million objections on his tongue. How could he when finally there is the faintest smile visible on Hoseoks lips?

Kihyun noticed from the beginning how tense he is even though his boyfriend still tries to hide it.

Hoseok isn't the only one though.

Everyone is one the edge, Kihyun as well. Changkyun winces at the slightest noise, Hyungwon is biting his fingernails in the corner of the room and Jooheon hasn't moved away from Hyunwoo even though he normally scrams as soon as Minhyuk gets too touchy. Not to mention Minhyuk whose legs keeps jiggling nervously.

" You're okay?" Hoseok asks.

Instead of answering, Kihyun snuggles closer into him which is almost impossible since he is already sitting halfway in his lap.

" Don't worry, Hoseok. I got this." he mumbles into the crook of his neck when he finally feels like he is close enough.

Hoseok chuckles quietly, but it is too hollow for Kihyuns liking.

Fake.

For a moment he closes his eyes, only taking in his familiar smell, the feeling of his finger that softly run up and down his spine to comfort him, telling himself over and over again that he is not going to leave again, not going to, not...

Someone knocks on the door and pulls him out of his mantra.

It is one of Jihoons men that peeks inside the room. Kihyun saw them talking to each other earlier.

" Jihoon asks if you want to watch his conversation." the man says politely.

Kihyun furrows at him. " Watch his conversation?"

" Yes.", he motions to the door, expansively. " Please follow me."

OOO

" I'm starting to think Jihoon seriously tries to bull us. Where the hell did he get this from?"

Minhyuk enters the room, mouth wide agape as he takes in everything.

Kihyun can only agree as he peeks inside just behind his friend.

The only time he saw those kind of things were in one of those bad movies Minhyuk likes to watch on lazy Sundays.

Kihyuns gaze wanders over the interior, a fancy couch with way too many pillows - Jihoons taste is more than visible again - and a bleak wall.

But what really grabs his attention is the huge window on his left side. One would expect to see a pretty scenery outside, a huge tree and the obligatory violets but it only shows another room, a huge table and a few chairs around it.

Changkyun presses a finger against the glass. " Is that one of those one- way mirrors?"

" It was installed for situations like this.", their guide who is waiting in the door frame says.

" Since it is not advisable of you to meet Taesan in person Jihoon wanted you to at least stay here."

Minhyuk leans against the mirror in excitement. " Jihoon seems to enjoy his gangsterlife."

Kihyun moves closer to him and inspects the glass. He doesn't quiet trust the thing. Carefully, he tips against it.

" They really can't see us?" he asks the man who is still waiting next to the door.

" Not at all."

" Can we hear them?"

" If Jihoon wants you to, then yes. He has a small device with him to handle the camera and audio system."

Jooheon falls onto the couch with the biggest sigh Kihyun has heard all day long, which has to mean something.

" I'm not sure if I want to see him."

Jihoons man bows to them. " You're free to stay or leave. Please go back to the office if you should decide against it."

He quietly closes the door and leaves them alone.

For a moment, there is only silence, until Minhyuk plops down next to Jooheon on the couch. " I'm not going to get out of here."

" Me neither." Kihyun crosses his arms in front of his chest, his expression grim. This is his chance and not even Hoseok can bring any counter argument up.

The latter seems to have realized it as he takes a seat on the ground in front of the couch without saying anything.

They don't have to wait for long.

Thank god because conversations got reduced to a minimum in the tense atmosphere and Kihyun can't handle the silence well for too long.

There, the door inside the other room opens.

It is Jihoon, who comes inside first. For a second Kihyun thinks they just shared a gaze but the he realizes that there is no way Jihoon can see them.

His gaze wanders to the guy following him inside.

He expects a lot from what he heard about Taesan.

Something horrible, ugly, dangerous, all the bad things he can imagine in one person.

What he sees almost... confuses him.

No.

Not almost.

It does.

A lot because the man walking inside isn't what he expected.

Not in the least.

He is not even that much taller than Kihyun, no muscles that become apparent under the black suit he is wearing.

Glasses, he is even wearing glasses.

They keep talking as they enter the room, Kihyun can't hear anything, only sees how their mouths are moving. Jihoon offers a chair but Taesan keeps standing, looks around the room as he walks a few steps up and down.

Kihyun takes a moment to look at the others in the room.

They look frightened.

Hoseok is way too pale around his nose and Hyungwon started to bite his nails again.

" That's him?"

It is Minhyuk that breaks the awful silence. He pushes himself up from the couch, brows furrowed as he moves closer to the mirror.

" He's tiny. Not as tiny as Kihyun but look at him."

Kihyun ignores his comment in favour of walking over next to Minhyuk.

The confusion is still there, won't disappear no matter how hard he tries. This is the man everyone is afraid of?

No, not afraid.

Literally petrified.

" He doesn't look scary at all."

Minhyuk nods. " Still trying to figure him out."

Taesan walks up to the mirror just when Kihyun moved the tiniest bit closer. If he would bend over the tiniest bit he could touch the cold surface with the tip of his nose.

He knows Taesan can't see them, but still, a shower runs down his spine when their gazes seem to meet and Kihyun almost wants to drop his gaze.

He doesn't.

That is the moment Taesan starts to smile.

Kihyun retreats from the window, his legs almost buckling from one second to another. The shock went through his body, turned is heartbeat into a hectic rhythm and the butterflies - in the worst way possible - go crazy in his stomach.

In the matter of seconds he understands, really understands what they wanted to tell him all the time and couldn't. Hoseoks constant fear and his urge to protect him. Hyunwoo, who looses his calm as soon as the topic is Taesan. The fearful eyes of Jooheon as soon as someone mentions his name.

One gaze, one smile of that man and it goes right through Kihyun.

Had he known from the beginning that it is this man that keeps Hoseok and Hyunwoo away from them, he wouldn't have been able to bear the worry.

He would have gone crazy.

Certainly.

100 percent.

" He's..." Minhyuk blindly reaches out for Kihyuns hand and holds it tightly.

"...scary as ." Kihyun finishes his sentence and is still not able to put into words what he is feeling.

Scary as isn't anywhere near it.

" He can't see us, can he?" Minhyuk whispers over, doesn't look away as if he was hypnotised.

Taesan turned away from Jihoon a moment ago and keeps talking to the other.

" Definitely feels like he can." Kihyun swallows heavily. All of sudden his mouth is way too dry.

" Do you remember the day I flirted with the girl in the club?" Minhyuk asks out of the blue.

" They day I found out your bi quiet a lot?"

" Yeah. I flirted with her and then her boyfriend found out, turned into some cheap hulk copy and chased me into the toilet."

" I'm getting there."

" I had to call you to save me and you came but when you saw him in all of his glory you turned around and left me there to die out of the stupid reason that you wanted to keep your face the way it was."

Kihyun loosens his collar that feels way too tight all of sudden. " And?"

" If you had called me and that guy would have been there.... I would have left you behind without thinking for a second."

" Fair enough."

" Are you guys okay?"

They have been in their own little world for a while now. It is Jooheon who reaches out and pokes Minhyuks thigh.

" Enlightment just struck us." Minhyuk says, gaze still on what is going on in the other room.

" Struck us like the I'm soon going to have." Kihyun adds.

He releases Minhyuks hand, reluctantly, but he needs to get away from that damn mirror. He sinks to the ground next to Hoseok, still not too sure about the things that just happened but pretty decided about other things.

" None of you-", he points at everyone in the room. "-- is ever going back to that guy. Only over my dead body."

" Kihyun..."

" Seriously!", Kihyun turns to Hoseok and almost falls into his lap because he is way too agitated. " Couldn't you have told me he is Satans incarnantion?! Literally! Look at that ing smile!"

" I told you he's n--"

" Yeah! You told me he's dangerous! 2 million times!" Kihyun throws his arms into the air, decides against throwing too much of a fit and stays on the ground.

" Nope. No way... You're not going back there. Even if I have to serve my kidney with broccoli."

" I don't think they cut kidneys back out, hyung.", Hyungwon says from where he is leaning against the door. " But you're right. He has this...aura... you can't notice from the beginning."

Jooheon shudders. " No one expects it and then - bam. It is too late and your facing the depths of hell."

Hoseok supports his elbows on his knees and cups his face in a tired matter. " Anyone knows what they are talking about?"

Changkyun, close to the window, shakes his head. " Doesn't look like a heated discussion."

" Oh god...", Kihyun moans. " Why did I leave Jihoon alone with this thing? He'll up everything without me."

Hyungwon eyes him. " You're shaken by merely looking at him. How could you help him?"

"I would be able to hide it!"

Hyungwon gives him the look and Kihyun slumps down.

" Okay.", he admits. " Maybe I'd piss my pants but I'd still stand my man because no way I'm letting you go back there.", he says determined and turns to Hoseok. " If Jihoon s up we're going to leave the country. I don't care where to."

Jooheon thinks for a second. " I heard Europe is nice this time of the year."

Kihyun reaches out for Hoseoks hand and his boyfriend intertwines their fingers. He doesn't look too hopeful but at least he is smiling.

" Europe it is then?" Kihyun squeezes his hand.

" Europe. If everything fails."

And Kihyun wants to believe that everything is that easy.

Minhyuk sighs." If Satan himself wasn't here that would be so romantic. Paris, Hyunwoo?"
Hyunwoo chokes on his own spit once more.
And the waiting goes on.

Only this time Kihyun feels that, in all of his determination he lost quiet the bit of hope that things will be easy for them.

OOO

"He won't cooperate."

" What? He won't cooperate?", Kihyun bangs his fists on the table. " What the did you even discuss for hours?!"

" Hyung..." Changkyun tries to sooth him but Kihyun simply pushes his hands away. .

" Didn't you tell him about the delivery?"

" He is not interested. He wants those two.", Jihoon runs a hand through his short hair, clearly not happy with how things turned out " It's not the end of it. He wants to talk again. Later."

" It is a game for him.", Hoseok says bitterly. " He is never going to give in. That is his way of taking revenge because we left him. He doesn't need the delivery."

" Well, him! You're not going to go back to this bastard! Jihoon!", Kihyun turns back to Jihoon, still seething. " Did you threaten him?"

" Why would I threaten him?"

" Isn't this how things work in this business?! For s sake!" Kihyun throws his hands into the air. " It can't be that difficult!"

Hoseok runs a soothing hand over his back. " Don't freak out, Kihyun."

" I'm not freaking out!"

" Bro.", Minhyuk says from his side. "We don't want you to fall back into old patterns. You know your temper."

" I'm no--", Kihyun stops midsentence and massages his temples that slowly start to hurt. " I need some coffee. Preferably fast. Minhyuk. Come and help me."

" Sure. If it keeps you from exploding."

" You good?" Hoseok holds him back for a second before Kihyun can leave the room.

" I just feel like punching someone. Stupid motherer of Taesan."

He still manages a smile for Hoseok and kisses his cheek.

" Give me a second and I'll be fine, okay?"

" Okay..."

" Come."

He motions for Minhyuk to follow him outside. The blonde doesn't look too happy but still follows him.

" I'm not really hungry though. That was quiet a lot to take in for a day."

" Let's just drink so--"

Kihyun fastly closes the door behind them and grasps Minhyuk by his collar.

" Let's hurry." he whispers and pulls his friend down the empty hallway.

" What are you doing?"

" Shut up and follow me."

" Where to?!"

Kihyun pulls him to the backdoor he found yesterday when looking for the kitchen.

" If we hurry up we'll reach them before they can leave the area."

" Who?"

"Taesan."

Minhyuk shrieks and tries to loosen his friends fingers but the fury awakens unexpected forces in Kihyun.

" Why the hell would we want to do that?! Kihyun! He is scary as ! Have you forgotten?!"

" I know. But it is way more scary to loose Hoseok and Hyunwoo so we have to do something!"

" It's Jihoons job."

Kihyun pulls open the door. They end up in the garden behind the house. Only a few steps to their right and they will end up on the road leading to the gate.

There, the noise of car doors that are being closed.

" Jihoon is caving in. Haven't you noticed?"

" He was doing well."

" He wants to do well but he can't. He isn't into tactics. Come. They started the engines!"

" This is the worst idea you ever had!"

They reach the street just as the cars start to move.

Kihyun releases Minhyuks collar. " Tell the guards to help me out if he should pull some stunt."

" Don't!"

But Minhyuk can't stop him anymore.

He is already on the street.

The cars aren't too fast yet but to Kihyun it is more the obvious where is standing at the moment.

Right in the middle of the street in front of a car that hasn't stopped yet. If Hoseok would see this he would get the Kihyun earlier mentioned.

He wants to close his eyes, expects the impact already but there is nothing.

When he dares to peek at his surroundings he exhales a sigh of relief when he sees the hood of the car a metre away from him.

The relief is only short lived.

Taesans driver is already out of the car and compared to his boss he impersonates Kihyuns image of a gangster way more.

" Are you nuts?!"

" Woah.", Kihyun lifts his hands in defence. " I can explain."

" Get the --"

" Get back into the car."

Kihyuns insides go crazy when he hears Taesans voice way too close for his liking.

But he keeps standing.

The man gets out of the car, stays next to the open door.

" Yoo Kihyun, isn't it?"

Kihyun could puzzle over the fact, that Taesan knows how he looks like way longer, but he is totally busy with not running away in mere dread and to keep his facade up at least the tiniest bit.

" We need to talk." he presses out.
Taesan smiles. " We have to."
"Yes.", Kihyun points a finger at him. " And just so you know: I don't know any kind of martial arts and I don't have any weapons. The only drugs deals I ever saw have been in movies! Just talking! Don't dare to pull any stunt! It's not like I could do anything but I'm callingg upon your gangster honour!"
Taesan looks amused. " Gangster honour?"
"Yeah! Even you got that… hopefully." Kihyun adds quietly and for the nth time asks himself what the hell he is doing here.
Hoseok.
Yes. Hoseok and Hyunwoo.
He is doing it for them.
And that should be reason enough to stand his man.
" Okay. Let's talk.", Taesan points at his car. " In the car?"
"I'd prefer a walk."
"Good. Let's take a walk. The grounds seem to be nice."
Kihyun waits until the man reached him, eyes warily on his hands. But they are loosely pushed into the pockets of his trousers and seem way too tight. There is now way he could hide a weapon inside.

Kihyun throws a last glance at Minhyuk who waits anxiously next to the back door, shows him his thumb and follows Taesan down the street.
" How is your health?"
"What?"

Kihyun is too busy with keeping at least a metre of distance between them and would have almost missed his question completely.
" Your health."
"I'm… better."
"You do look better."
Okay.

He definitely did a background check on him.

They slowly walk down the lane. A narrow path branches off and leads further down into Jihoons property.

Kihyun checks his surroundings once more before he follows Taesan. Jihoons men would still be with him pretty quickly if something happened.
" So. What is it you wanted to discuss?"
"The deal."

Taesan smiles in amusement. " Of course it is the deal."
" I want you to let them go. Hoseok an--."
" Wonho?"
"What?" Kihyun looks at him in confusion.
" Wonho. I don't know what this thing is but… I don't like him as Hoseok. Too weak. Too emotional."
The first time something cracks in Kihyun.
" Hoseok--", he repeats with more emphasis. " -- he made this deal without asking me. The kidney was for me. I should have been able to decide for myself. You can't take this as a basis for the deal."
"Still, you're living with the kidney I got you."
"True. And I'm more than thankful for that, I really am. But I think you should consider letting them go now.", his heart is beating way too fast in his chest but it has to get out, now or never. " They have been with you for a long time but all things come to an end. It isn't the life they want to live anymore."
"And I care?"
Another crack.

" Find someone else who will do a better job."

" Why would I?"

Slowly, something awakens in Kihyuns stomach. He had expected, that next to his fear there is no space left for any other emotion, but he was wrong.

So wrong because the thing that is growing inside of him, that slowly wanders through him and fills him up fully, that thing he knows all too well. He can feel how his blood starts to boil.

He thought he had lost it, but in that moment, he knows that his infamous fury he managed to keep inside for years is that close to breaking out again and he can't say he dislikes that fact.
"You see.", Taesan pulls a cigarette out of his pocket and pushes it between his lips before he lights it with a match he throws away afterwards. " It was the life they wanted once. And trust me when I say that they were good. Boy, those boys brought me more money than all of my other people together."

" That is the only reason you want them back?"

Taesan blows smoke into the air.

" You decided to fall into a coma. Wonho decided I would be good enough to help him out. I decided it would be only fair I also get something out of it. Don't you think?"

Crack.

Taesan chuckles and looks into the distance as if he just remembered something incredibly funny. " It felt great to have Wonho begging in front of me for that kidney of yours. I could get used to that view."

The final straw.

And in a matter of seconds Kihyun explodes.